Miyazaki

No need for a tour guide or large group tours, this "semi-independent" itinerary allows the whole family to enjoy a more in-depth experience! As long as you manage taxi connections and key booking times, even families with elderly members and children can easily conquer Takachiho. 【Itinerary Sharing】(Tested on 2/10) • 09:11 | Depart from Kumamoto Station/Sakuramachi Bus Terminal (take a Kyushu Sanko bus). • 12:19 | Arrive at Takachiho Bus Center. • 12:30 | Takachiho Beef Feast: Upon arrival, a pre-booked taxi will take you to the restaurant. Delicious Takachiho beef is definitely the best start to your trip. • 14:00 | Takachiho Gorge Boat Ride (Reservation Required): Avoid the crowds and enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the gorge waterfall. • 14:30 - 15:10 | Takachiho Gorge Stroll: Explore the trails and admire the magnificent columnar jointed landforms. • 15:15 | Miraculous Taxi Rescue: Two taxis were flagged down at the canyon site, taking us straight to the Amaterasu Railway (former Takachiho Station). • 15:40 | Amaterasu Railway Miniature Train (Last Train): This train was the MVP of the trip! The 105-meter-high railway bridge and the interactive bubble-blowing activity on the train were a huge hit with the kids. • 16:15 | Stroll Through the City: After the miniature train ride, we leisurely walked back to the bus station (approximately 15 minutes). • 16:57 | Return Bus: We boarded the bus back to Kumamoto on time.

Our tour guide, Sun Peng, was very responsible and humorous, providing detailed introductions to each attraction. Since it was a holiday, the journey from Kumamoto was smooth. The guide said we'd have two hours to visit the site and see firsthand the magnificent cliff formations and waterfalls of Takachiho Gorge – it was truly breathtaking! None of us in the family wanted to go boating 😂 So we chose to hike to Takachiho Shrine for our prayers. The mountain scenery along the way was so beautiful that it made us forget the fatigue of the climb. Takachiho Shrine boasts a history of over 1900 years and is home to many towering trees, most notably the sacred Father Cedar and the Couple Trees. At Takachiho Shrine, you can fully immerse yourself in the Japanese atmosphere, absorb phytoncides, draw fortune slips, and pray for good luck. We bought a bunch of amulets to bless ourselves and give to friends. On the way back, we crossed a bridge and saw beautiful scenery. We were so glad we had hiked up. Ueshikimi Kumanozha Shrine was a place I was really looking forward to. It truly was a serene and beautiful place, the setting for the popular anime *Natsume's Book of Friends* and *Hotarubi no Mori e*. With its hundreds of stone lanterns, moss-covered paths, and rock formations, it creates a fantastical atmosphere like another world. The sunlight occasionally filtered through the cedar forest, making it truly dreamy and beautiful. There were also some unmelted snowflakes along the path, adding to its beauty. It was a place I found very beautiful and loved. Due to the helicopter accident at Mount Aso, Mount Aso is still closed. We went to the closest point we could see to view the volcano. 🌋 Smoke was constantly rising from the mountaintop, and there were even cute little snowmen built here. The temperature was quite low and windy, so it got rather chilly after a while. Next stop was Kusasenri, another place to view Mount Aso. I imagined there would be cows and horses on the grasslands, but there wasn't a single one! 😅 The tour guide said they were on winter break. 🤣 Climbing to the top of the mountain allows for a closer view of Mount Aso 🌋, but again, it was very windy and cold at the summit. I took a quick photo and left. The Aso milk I bought there was delicious (I forgot to take a picture 😅). On the way back, the tour guide asked the driver to take us to see the TSMC campus. I was still half asleep, so I didn't take any pictures 😆

The tour guide provided explanations in both Chinese and English, tailored to the nationalities of the passengers, ensuring everyone understood. Ordering food was also facilitated through Japanese translation. The itinerary perfectly suited our needs. However, it was a pity that although the guide taught us rowing techniques, I lacked the aptitude and could only gaze at the distant waterfall without actually moving forward (although my eldest daughter managed to move forward successfully after taking over, it took me too much time). The itinerary also involved climbing stairs, especially the steps for rowing, and carrying my young daughter who couldn't walk very well while climbing the stairs, plus the time allotted for the meeting point, made the trip quite tiring. Fortunately, my eldest daughter helped carry me down the stairs. I hope to participate again when she's older and can walk steadily on her own.

Jimmy is the top tour guide I recommend. Basically, if you're in Fukuoka and want to visit some of the famous tourist spots, then signing up is definitely worthwhile! 👍 You can finish it in one day, and then spend the other days enjoying leisurely sightseeing and good food.