The big Kyushu adventure - part 2

 After a long drive we have arrived in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto!

We're staying the night here in the Hotel Choseikaku.

https://www.hotel-chouseikaku.com/ 

After checking into the Hotel I went for a walk around town with my camera while everyone else went here to the Banpeyu Hinagu Onsen Center. https://hinagu-spa.com/

The Onsen center looks very nice. There's a foot bath in front by the entrance.

I happened to walk by just as Hiroko was coming out. I can see Mayumi and Yuko in the background.

Time for a group picture in front of the Banpeyu Hinagu Onsen Center.

This is a scene from my walk around Yatsushiro City.

While I was walking around I saw this pottery shop so I decided to go in and take a look.

This is Takada ware Yatsushiro yaki pottery.

This is the shop's pottery master. He's showing me a chart of all the previous master's in his family history and where he is in the family tree. I bouht the cup that's on the counter.

From left to right is the process for making Yatsushiro yaki pottery. The white color designs are inlayed, not painted on.  

This is some beautiful stuff. Grey is the natural color of the pottery.

The shop's website is "here"

The next day we stopped at a roadside Michi-no-eki by the ocean while we were driving to  Kawauchi Takagi Onsen.

Kawauchi Takagi Onsen is one of Japan's top 100 hot springs!

Internet site with some good information is "here"

Before going to the public Onsen bath we decided to walk around and explore the village.

This is a bus stop. The bus only stops here a few times a day.

There's Hiroko!

This village is in the middle of nowhere and the tourist attractions are a bit limited here. 

Okay, this is the public bath house. It cost 200 yen per person. Let's go in! 

Ladies bath on the left, Men's bath is at the end of the corridor.

This is the men's bath. The water temperature is HOT!

There's Suzuki-san enjoying the bath.

After the bath it's time for a group picture.

And, one more with me in it.

There is so much to see and do in Kyushu. After Kawauchi Takagi Onsen we drove to Iriki Samurai District & Gardens.

First we went to a museum and then we went for a walk around the Samurai District. This place has a nice peaceful atmosphere.

A nice old Samurai residences. There's a some typhoon damage to the roof.

A nice open air place to live.

A nice old traditional toilet!

A freshly thatched entrance at this residence. 

There's Emi inside the garden.

This place is probably crowded on the weekends. Lucky for us we were the only people here today.

One last look at the Iriki Samurai District & Gardens before we're back on the road. 

Welcome to Tsurumaru Onsen!  We'll spend the night here.

Website is "here"

The Tsurumaru Ryokan bath is HOT! . 

On the other side of the bath under the window is a small door. On the other side of the door is an outdoor bath.

Check it out!

The rooms are very simple but the food at this inn is fantastic! 

This is our breakfast.

Group picture... breakfast in the dining room!

There is so much more to do on this big Kyushu adventure.

Part 3 is coming next!

All the best,

Mike