While doing a little bit of analysis about Ajiro in Shizuoka (the setting for the accalaimed TV sequence ‘Shōgun‘) earlier this 12 months I got here throughout another well-preserved Samurai districts in Japan. Considered one of them was situated in a far-flung place that I’d by no means visited earlier than however simply occurred to be within the means of planning a visit to.
Again in late-June I flew to Oita within the north-east of Kyushu island which is Japan’s most southerly important island. Sadly my flight was delayed by about half-hour which meant I simply missed my meant native bus from the airport to the city of Kitsuki which was somewhat annoying as there wasn’t one other one for a lot of hours. There have been different costlier choices although so, with out an excessive amount of thought, I received on a coach to Kitsuki Interchange because of some assist from a form employees member. She even provided to guide me a taxi to the fort once I arrived on the cease however I noticed that the strolling distance was simply over half an hour so politely declined.
After I first heard the identify Kitsuki Interchange, I simply thought it’d be correct bus station but it surely turned out be only a bus cease in the midst of a spaghetti junction which was troublesome to flee from within the course I wanted to go. It was a forty five minute stroll within the sunshine to the coast with barely a soul in sight. The primary cease was Shokakuji; a reasonably nondescript small temple that simply occurs to own Japan’s largest iron Buddha statue.
After I noticed that info on an internet site en-route to Kitsuki I received somewhat excited however was a bit upset as I used to be anticipating one thing a bit larger! Iron Buddha statue casts should be one thing of a rarity I assume! It was constructed within the Showa Interval (1926-1989) and moved to this location in 1966 the place it was subsequently designated as a tangible cultural property three years later.
Not too removed from there have been a few cobbled sloping streets that join the north and south samurai districts with the industrial district.
These areas, with their Edo-style buildings, are sometimes used for scenes in TV dramas attributable to their genuine historic really feel, they usually actually had been beautiful.
The entire space was somewhat good with some fascinating structure and just some energy traces right here and there barely spoiling the aesthetic. Beforehand, I had examine this place being a preferred vacationer vacation spot on this a part of Japan however only a few locations appeared open and there was just about no-one round on this explicit Saturday afternoon. It’s humorous that we regularly complain about too many vacationers in an space however when it’s like a ghost city there’s one thing a bit unnerving about all of it!
In such a picturesque city I actually was not anticipating to come across a retro museum. It regarded a bit shabby although, and with an entrance value and restricted time I made a decision in opposition to stepping into.
My important aim in Kitsuki was to see what claims to be Japan’s smallest fort.
It overlooks the city and Beppu Bay however by the point I received there the blue skies had made method for gray clouds so it seems a bit extra miserable in my photos than I had hoped for!
The fort options artefacts from the town’s feudal previous equivalent to armour, cash, maps and weaponry. That’s what I’m informed anyway as I didn’t hassle going inside as I not often hassle with the interiors today as they don’t normally maintain an excessive amount of of curiosity for me!
After that, I inadvertantly ended up on the opposite aspect of the slopes and it actually did really feel like I had travelled again in time, and this was maybe an much more spectacular spectacle.
Kitsuki station itself is a pleasant timber construction of conventional design which was constructed to resemble a Japanese fort. It’s situated about 5-6 kilometres west of the fort so transport is critical when going between the 2.
Within the 1975 novel ‘Shōgun‘ creator James Clavell wrote that John “Anjin” Blackthorne was shipwrecked in Ajiro (Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture) however in actuality he really washed up close to Usuki in Oita Prefecture which was referred to as Bungo at the moment. Sadly I didn’t have time to go to there on this quick journey so Kitsuki was the most effective different, and glad with it I used to be because it actually was an exquisite window into the previous.
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