Kyushu Model Tour Report | Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan

In early-October, a hand-picked team of non-Japanese professionals who have an intimate familiarity with Japanese culture and the tourism industry was assembled to take part in an experimental four-day, three-night tour designed to exemplify the diversity and undiscovered majesty of Kyushu National Parks.

Flying into Kagoshima Airport, the expedition kicked off with the group dining on locally raised torisashi (chicken sashimi), a local delicacy, and a selection of other well-known Kagoshima chicken cuisine. Then traveling to Kirishima Shrine, the group's first National Park adventure consisted of braving an incoming typhoon while trekking the ancient, and nowadays largely untraveled trail from the old shrine enclosed in the forest surrounding Kirishima Shrine, up the mountainside to Takachiho-gawara, home to one of the more spiritually significant shrines resting on the island of Kyushu. Battling the elements helped drive home very clearly the Japanese people's long-held reverence for power of nature. Visiting a series of natural hot springs scattered about Kirishima was then the perfect way for the team of tested travelers to relax and wind down following the trek, before making their way to the Ebino-kogen highlands for an evening of casual dining and a good night's sleep.
An early-morning trek through the Ebino-kogen highlands, drenched in rare alpine vegetation and the brisk morning air of the National Park, set the tone for day two. Then traveling to Hitoyoshi Station, the group soaked up a wonderful journey via old-style railcar, zig-zagging up the hillside overlooking the plains, hopping on and off for here-and-there to mingle with the locals. Dinner on the second day consisted of an unforgettable barbecue atop the Aso highlands, relishing in the exquisite scenery and local food together with a band of friendly locals.
Getting an early start on day three, the group made their way to Daikanbo Ridge, where they could enjoy a cup of tea while bathing in the morning rays that drenched the peaks encircling Aso. Heading then for Kusasenri-ga-hama, one of the more frequented landmarks in the area, the travelers trooped around and across the pastures carved out over thousands of years of volcanic activity. Then hopping the ferry out of the Port of Kumamoto, the travelers set out across the sea bound for the Shimabara waterfront region of Nagasaki Prefecture. A visit to the Mt. Unzen Disaster Memorial Hall demonstrated the power of Fugen-dake, the nearby volcano that once devastated the region, demonstrating not only the power of this volcano, but also the will of the people of Kyushu and their culture that has coexisted and developed over centuries together with the turbulent surroundings. Then, following a dip in an oceanfront hot spring tucked into the shoreline on the outskirts of the town of Obama, a feast with the locals, in what one might call a "steam kitchen", comprised of local vegetables and seafood, was prepared using the natural steam that bellowed from the earth – another unique gift from the island of volcanoes.
In Oku-unzen, a region where traces still linger from when the mountains served as a place for ascetic practices by Shugendo monks, long before Unzen was a sightseeing destination, several members of the group spent the early morning hours sitting in on Buddhist scriptures readings and taking part in light meditation. Later returning to the town of Obama, the early risers rejoined the rest of the travelers who had spent the morning visiting local cafes and arteleirs, enjoying a slow morning together with locals passionate about making the very most of the town they called home. Following a quiet lunch outdoors, surrounded by the lush, green hills of Unzen, as the group made their way for the airport they made sure to break at the Nita Pass Lookout in order to get a final glimpse of the breathtaking views of the Shimabara Peninsula, the Amakusa Islands and Heisei-shinzan Peak, finally cementing the imagery and majesty of Japan's island of volcanoes.

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