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Experiencing Past, Present & Future... in Kyushu!
Experiencing Past, Present & Future... in Kyushu!
Thirty-six of us traveled to Kyushu for 10 days.
A big thank you to Kazuko at JTB USA Inc. for helping coordinate this amazing trip!!!
Fukuoka Pref.
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Saga Pref.
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Nagasaki Pref.
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Kumamoto Pref.
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Fukuoka Pref.
Day 1 - Fukuoka
Some of us traveled together while others flew a few days in advance. Due to Typhoon #2, the flight was delayed and a bit bumpy, but we all made it safely to the hotel!
Day 2 - Day Trip to Kitakyushu
After the wonderful breakfast at the hotel, we met with our guide and the bus driver. We visited Kita Kyushu City: TOTO Museum, Yahata Higashi Aeon Mall (free time and lunch on own), and Museum of Natural History and Human History. We ended our day with AYCE Shabu Shabu dinner. The weather was perfect too, what a great first day!
Day 3 - Fukuoka ➡️ Ureshino, Saga Pref.
We visited Fukuoka City Science Museum & Robo-Square, then headed to our next destination: Ureshino. There we had fun at Ninja Village and checked in at a traditional Ryokan – Japanese-style inn with an authentic onsen (hot spring).
Day 3 (cont') - Ureshino
We got to dress in Yukata and had a traditional Kaiseki (multi-course) dinner. Many of us enjoyed experiencing an Onsen (hot spring). Lots of cultural experiences packed in one day!
Day 4 - Ureshino ➡️ Nagasaki
We had a traditional Japanese breakfast together at the Ryokan. Ureshino is known for green tea. We visited a tea farm, had green tea ice cream, and made tie dye with tea leaves. Look at how unique they all turned out! We then headed to Nagasaki.
Day 4 (cont') - Nagasaki
Our lunch at Nagasaki was Nagasaki’s soul food, Toruko Raisu (Turkish Rice). It had nothing to do with Turkey, though. Nagasaki is filled with unique culture and history, as it was the only major entrance port (called Dejima) for foreign countries in Japan’s period of national isolation. We also visited Dejima and created glass projects: a kaleidoscope or a fusing keychain.
Day 5 - Nagasaki
Full day in Nagasaki. Our visit to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park was touching and meaningful. We wished for world peace. After free time at Hamamachi Shopping Arcade and AmuPlaza Mall, we had another Nagasaki specialty, Champon, which is a noodle dish. Gyoza and almond float were delicious too. After dinner, we went up Mt. Inasa and rode the slope-car to the top. The weather was foggy, but we still got to enjoy the famous Nagasaki night view.
Day 6 - Nagasaki
We visited Izumiya Castella Land, which was overlooking Tachibana Bay of Nagasaki. Castella is a sponge cake and is another well-known Nagasaki specialty. We then went to Shimabara Somen Factory and got to make our own somen. It was neat to take part in stretching the noodles!
Day 6 (cont') - Nagasaki ➡️ Kumamoto
We got on a large ferry (with our bus and all) and cruised to Kumamoto. We visited Kumamoto Castle and Museum, then had AYCE dinner.
Day 7 - Kumamoto
Full day in Kumamoto. It was a rainy day, but we still enjoyed our visit to Mt. Aso Volcano, which has the world’s largest caldera. We had a nice warm katsu and udon set lunch. We then went to Fruits-no-Sato to have AYCE melon. It was so sweet! The owners were very generous and let us try some of their delicious peaches too. We then explored Kamitori & Shimotori Shopping Arcade.
Day 8 - Kumamoto ➡️ Fukuoka
On the way back to Fukuoka, we stopped by Kumiko Factory and experienced making Kumiko woodworking. Kumiko is a traditional Japanese technique of assembling wooden pieces without the use of nails. It was another fun cultural activity!
Day 8 (cont') - Fukuoka
After that, we visited Dazaifu Temnangu Shrine and continued our trip back to Fukuoka. We came back to the same hotel in Fukuoka, and dinner was AYCE yakiniku. We’re eating a lot, but walking a lot too.
Day 9 - Fukuoka
Our last full day together. Some of us went to Marine World Aquarium while others enjoyed more shopping at Marinoa City Fukuoka Outlet Mall. After that, we went to watch an exciting baseball game. Fukuoka’s own team lost, but it was a fun experience.
Day 9 (cont') - Fukuoka
Some of us visited “teamLab Forest Fukuoka” after the game. We then had our last dinner together, AYCE kushi-katsu dinner. Kushi-katsu is a Japanese dish of deep-fried skewered meat and vegetables. We got to deep fry on our own at the table.
Day 10
We parted our own ways after another delicious breakfast at the hotel. Some of us extended the trip while others returned home. It was another GREAT trip!!! Thank you, everyone!
We're thankful that everyone stayed healthy and everything went very smoothly. We developed new friendships, enjoyed each other's company, and created wonderful memories!
Agena Sensei asked the participants: Please write any comments about your Kyushu trip that you don't mind me sharing with others:
☆The most enjoyable part of the trip was the scrumptious daily breakfasts and other lunch and dinner meals that were provided. We got to savor the regional and seasonal foods on a daily basis which was always exciting. This made traveling easy since we didn't have to worry about running around looking for all our meals. The most memorable and surprising part, as well as the most thought provoking was the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum. It, as well as the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Museum, is a constant reminder to all people, that peace is a fragile thing and needs to be cherished. Currently with more powerful nuclear weapons that nations have, in a split second mankind could be eliminated forever. A very sobering thought.
☆Truly the best part was the people. Such an interesting, loving, thoughtful and fun group of humans. Japan never disappoints but this trip was so well organized, educational, yummy and fun. Thank you Junko for all your hard work. We loved every minute of it!
☆We absolutely loved this entire amazing trip, full of wonderful, new, and fun cultural experiences, excellent food, and great accommodations! The Nagasaki Atom Bomb Museum was sobering and visiting the peace park and seeing how the world came together after was uplifting. We enjoyed the glass craft and Kumiko wood craft, which are treasured keepsakes! We also had fun stretching and separating the somen noodles and eating them fresh! Thank you Junko, for all the hard work you did researching and planning this memorable adventure!
☆I was surprised that I enjoyed the Toto Museum as much as I did. The Natural History Museum was interesting but I feel like a lot of the info is too hard to learn because of the language barrier. The City Science Museum was better since it's more interactive. I thought that you did a great job trying to find activities to suit everyone. We had so much fun hanging out and trying to figure things out with the other families. I loved the Ryokan since it was such a different experience. I'm glad I got to see that part of Japan.
☆We were very impressed by all the planning that went into the trip and the fantastic payoff from it.
☆You did an excellent job in making sure everyone had a fun and enjoyable trip. There was the right amount of history and cultural lessons for everyone to enjoy the learning experience. Kudos to you and Keiko. Arigato!
☆We most enjoyed the hands-on activities and being the "first" Americans since Covid to visit their factory/store/farm! We were most surprised about how labor intensive somen is to make! The most memorable part of the trip was seeing fellow faculty members and past students and their families become one big Nihongo Hawaii 'ohana!
☆We enjoyed exploring Kyushu! Our favorite was visiting Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum & Kumamoto Castle. Wish we had more time to visit. The thing we enjoyed the most was making new friends and being able to enjoy this trip with our new friends! Wish we could all travel again together! We learned how respectful the Japanese culture is and how generous the people are! We never expected to be treated like Kings and Queens but that is how we felt. We came home with so many gifts that it was hard to shop worrying about how we will bring all the things back. My husband was so happy when he was able to communicate with a Japanese person in their own language! He now wants to learn more Japanese and plans to return some day soon! Thank you Junko for all you did for us!!! You gave us the most memorable experience in Japan!!!
☆Really enjoyed spending time with the travel ‘Ohana. Also listening to everyone sharing (on the bus) their experiences were thoughtful and often funny. The food, the culture, and the people of Japan. All unforgettable.
☆I really loved that we had a variety of activities and places that we visited. We went from profound experiences like the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park to lighthearted fun like attending a baseball game. One of the highlights of the trip for me was staying at a ryokan in the countryside. And we couldn't have asked for a better group to travel with than our Nihongo Hawaii 2023 ohana!
☆Going to Japan again at the age I am at now was very different than a few years ago. This time, I really appreciated the modern pop culture and had more freedom to explore than on the first trips. One of the funniest things that happened was meeting up with my friend, who was also staying in Osaka, at Nipponbashi denden town.
☆We really appreciated the family time and enjoyed Marine World even tho we have seen dolphin shows before.
☆The food and the places were super awesome.
☆The most surprising part of the trip was finding a shoe store where I least expected it. The most memorable part was being able to experience a new part of Japanese culture, such as learning about tea or the unique combinations of food.
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