WAK-SAN’S Explanations ⇩
DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6 DAY 7
DATA1 Click! The List of the Official Websites
DATA2 Click! Questions Foreign Visitors to Japan Are Likely to Ask
DATA 3 Regional (Prefectures / Cities)Data ⇩

DAY1
神道 Shinto: Shinto is an indigenous religion in Japan. It was originated as animism in ancient times and since that age it has uniquely developed with some influences by Buddhism and other foreign religions. Therefore, it has no founder or no systematical teachings. However, it has strict mannerisms and rituals. Japanese ways of living are greatly based on them. It has a lot of Gods. Its number is called Yaoyorozu, meaning “eight million.” Amaterasu, one of the greatest deities is considered an ancestor of the imperial family Tenno. This is why Tenno is respected in Japan.
鳥居 Torii: This means Shinto Shrine Gate. It literally meaning “where a chicken is,” but why it is called so is not certain. It is made of stone or wood with two big pillars and two big cross bars on the top. It is considered to be the border marker between the sacred place and vulgar world. So, a lot of people bow their head before going through the gate on the way to the shrine and, after going under it on the way back, they turn around and bow again. Often it is painted red. The color red was thought as the color to keep away the evil because it was associated with the sun and fire, and it led to the color representing life.
太宰府と菅原道真 Dazaifu and Michizane Sugawara: Dazaifu was the important place in ancient times. It was like a head branch office of Company Japan in Kyusyu. It was because the area of Dazaifu is the closest to the main continent. But 1200 years ago, Sugawara Michizane was expelled to this place, and its significance was changed. Soon after his death, he was enshrined to this place and led to the construction of the shrine. Dazaihu often refers to this shrine.
太宰府天満宮 Dazaifu Shrine: This is the most popular sightseeing spot in Japan. It enshrines the God of Learing, Ten-man-sama, which is the spirit of Sugawara Michizane. In the precincts, you see *ox statues, a Kirin statue, the iris pond and big *camphor trees. It might be good to follow Japanese ways to visit the shrine, like *washing hands and *praying in the proper procedure. In the approaching way, there are a lot of snack shops and souvenir ones. The most distinctive things you see in walking are *Umegae-mochi and a Starbucks coffee shop
参道スターバックス Dazaifu Starbucks: You will see a Starbucks coffee shop along the visiting road. But this shop is designed by a famous architect Kuma Kengo. He has made the shop very Japanese styled with wooden ornaments.
Things you may see in the approach road to Dazaifu Shrine
糸島 Itoshima: It is located to the west of Fukuoka City. Recently, it’s been getting more and more popular as a tourism place with a lot of scenic points (or instagrammable spots). It WAS popular because it has some good sceneries on the seashores and in the mountain areas. Nowadays, one stylish shop after another opens on the seaside roads, and attracts a lot of people, especially young ladies. Only one hour drive from the busiest and crowded districts of Fukuoka City leads us to this beautiful area.
二見ヶ浦の夫婦岩 Meoto Iwa at Futamiga-Ura Beach: Meoto Iwa means Mariried Couple Rocks. Two rocks side by side above the sea surface are sometimes made to take a role as a symbol of a good married couple. The larger represents the husband and the smaller the wife. Between the two rocks hangs a Shimenawa, Shinto holy rope. The one in Ise’s Futamiga-ura is the one nationally well-known, but the one in Itoshima’s Futamigaura is popular with the local people.
DAY2
別府地獄巡りJigoku Meguri “Hells Tour”
Beppu has a numerous number of hot springs, some of which have their own unique features like steaming ponds, colored water pools, guizers and bubbling mud. These places with rough rocks and steaming hot water associate us with the images of Hell in the Buddhism world. This is why it is called Hell. This tour picks up seven distinctive hells among them and provide us with an enjoyable chance to explore in another world of the Hell Regions. You can buy a two-day pass card to visit these seven for 2,000 yen, while each hell requires 400 yen separately for admission.
The seven hells are as follows.

1 Sea Hell This is the largest hell place, best managed as a sightseeing spot. The best feature is a steaming hell pond of cobalt blue. This amazing color results from the dissolution of iron sulfate, one component of hot springs. There are two ponds with water tropical lilies floating and one green house for gigantic water lilies. Lily ponds are one of the images of Heaven, but nobody feel
2 Oniishi Bozu Hell Onishi means “ogre rocks (ogres are the residents of Hell).” Bozu means “Buddhist monk,” and “shaven head (the monk’s head is totally shaven). In this hell, there are several muddy ponds. The steams coming from the underground make little mud domes. They just look like the shaven monk’s head. It was once closed, but it was newly arranged and got open to the public.
3 Furnace Hell Kamado Jigoku is the Japanese name. Furnace is Kamado in Japanese. Kamado is mainly used for boiling rice. So as a typical image, a big rice pot is put on Kamado. The name comes from the nearby shrine Kamado Shrine (Kamado shrine itself has nothing to do with furnace, and it happens to read the same way). This hell has a lot of distinctive ponds, but the very good point about this is its entertainments, such as shops, little experimental shows of smoking, hot water drink, foot baths, and phot spots. This is a kind of small Jigoku amusement park.
4 Oniyama Hell Rather than the name of Oniyama, Ogre Mountain, it should be called Crocodile Hell. In Buddhism, no crocodiles or alligators appear, but don’t point it out. They may be suitable for hell worlds. Now there are 80 crocodiles or alligators. (FYI: Crocodile’s snout is triangle-shaped, while alligator’s one is flat.)
5 Shiraike Hell Shiraike means “White Pond,” but, actually, the pond is greenish white. It has a small tropical fish aquarium, where you see pirarucu, arowana and piranhas.
6 Blood Pond Hell Chinoike Jigoku is the Japanese name. Blood pond is one of the torture places in Hell, along with a boiling water or needle mound. This name is truly suitable for the name of Hell place. It is the oldest natural hell in Japan. This red color results from the dissolution of iron. This place sells special skin ointment made from the clay here. And it has a large souvenir shop.
7 Tornado Hell This is a gazer. It spouts out every 30-40 minutes. The water hit the roof very hard. Without the rock roof top, it would spurt up as high as 30 meters, and the visitors would get splashes of boiling water.
DAY 3
阿蘇山 MOUNT ASO 31mi/50km east of Kumamoto. Access by train on the JR Hohi Line (1hr 10min-1hr 30min journey). Tourist Office (0967-34-0751, open daily 9am-6pm). Bicycle and car rental outside Aso Station. From there, regular bues go to the Volcano Museum and the cable car that goes up to Naka-dake crater (35min,¥1200 round trip). All access will be restricted when the volcano is particularly active, so check in advance.
In the center of Kyushu, halfway between Kumamoto and Beppu, Mount Aso National Park includes the gigantic
caldera of Mount Aso, formed when the volcano collapsed some 80,000 years ago. With a circumference of 75mi/120km, it is among the largest in the world.

The town of Aso (population 30,000) lies to the north of this vast depression, which contains a dozen villages with a total population of about 100,000. The fertile slopes are covered with lush grazing pastures, terraced fields, lakes, forests, and hot springs used for onsen. Within the caldera are five volcanic cones: Naka-dake (4941ft/1506m, the only active one of the five), Taka-dake (5223ft/1592m, the highest), Neko-dake (4619ft/1408m, recognizable by its craggy peak), Kishima-dake (4167ft/1270m), and Eboshi-dake (4386.5ft/1337m).Classified as a “gray” volcano-one that sporadically sends up hot clouds of ash and scoria-Naka-dake has erupted almost 170 times. The oldest recorded eruption dates back to 553. Closer in time are the eruptions of 1884, when ash fell on Kumamoto, and those of 1933 and 1957, which were equally powerful. The most recent were in 2005 and 2007. This is still a dangerous place; visitors have been hurt, and even killed, by falling rocks and sulfurous emissions (not recommended for those with respiratory problems). Check with the authorities if you plan any walks in the vicinity.
草千里 Kusasenri Grass Field This green field spreads about one kilometer at the north skirt of Eboushi Cone. It is the remain of the double volcanic crater. It has a pond in the center, and the peaceful view of horses grazing with no warning tension are one of the typical Aso views. In front of you is Nakadake Cone smoking from the top.
中岳火口 The Crater of Naka-dake Cone This is the crater of active Naka-dake Cone. Around the rim of the smoking crater, you can have a great view of the rough ground made of lava. You can get there by the toll-road or by the ropeway. You can walk up there, enjoying the great scenery of the mountains. Going up may be regulated because of the condition of the gas given off from the crater.
くまモン Kumamon: The local mascot character of Kumamoto Prefecture. The character is a bear, probably because Kuma in Kumamoto means “bear.” There are numerous local mascot characters in Japan, but Kumomon is best known of all Yuru Kyara (local mascot characters, usually poorly designed). It is not registered as a trademark, so a lot of products produced in Kumamoto use this character as a mascot for free. Wherever you go shopping in Kumamoto, you see a lot of Kumamon’s faces.
水前寺成趣園 Suizenji Jojuen Garden: The first lord of the Hosakawa family Tadahiro found this spring place and came to like it when he went falconry hunting. Then, he built a tea house. Later, it was changed into a big-scale garden in the style of strolling garden, which was very popular in the Momoyama period. It was named “Jo-ju”after a phrase of a Chinese poem by Tao Yuanming. There used to be a lot of arbors in the garden in the Genroku era, the gorgeous samurai period as ten good Jo-ju sceneries. But in the time of the lord Shigekata, it was simplified by removing the armors due to the anti-sumptuary laws, leaving only one arbor and trees as they were. In the Meiji era, the shrine enshrining all the Hosokawa lords was built. The name is Izumi Shrine. Izumi means water spring.

1 表参道鳥居 Torii Gate on the approaching road
2出水神社本殿 The main hall of Idemizu Shrine
3神水「長寿の水」the holy water, the water of longevity
4能楽殿 No play stage
5流鏑馬馬場 Yabusame riding groud
6古今伝授の間からの庭園の景色 the view from the room of Kokon Denju, ancient and modern instructions
7社務所からの庭園の景色 the view from the shrine clerk room
8古今伝授の間 the room of Kokon Denju
9涌水池と富士山 spring pond and Mt. Fuji
10成趣園池の朝靄 morning mist in Seiju-en Garden pond
11御祭神細川忠利公銅像 the bronze statue of Hosokawa Tadatoshi, the god of the shrine
DAY 4
山鹿灯籠民芸館 Yamaga Lantern Folk Art Museum:The history of Yamaga Lanterns, a traditional craft using only Japanese paper and a small amount of glue without wood or metal fittings, is long, beginning with the golden lanterns of the Muromachi period (1333-1573), which were made for dedication to the Omiya Shrine and passed down through generations. Since then, over the long history of Yamaga Lanterns, they have been diversified into temple, tatami room, castle, and other styles. The Yamaga Lanterns are on display in the museum, and visitors can see the skills of the various lantern makers.
八千代座 Yachiyo Theater : This playhouse was built in 1908 by Yamaga businessmen called “mistershu. It was built in the classical Edo period style, with a revolving stage made of German rails and other well-developed features. The theater was opened in 1911, and many famous entertainers from around the country came to perform there, entertaining the audience throughout the Taisho and Showa periods. In the Showa period (1926-1989), the theater was almost abandoned due to the spread of television, but elderly people with many fond memories of the Yachiyo-za Theater took the initiative in a revival campaign. Their efforts bore fruit, and in 1988 the theater was designated a National Important Cultural Property. The theater is open to the public on non-performance days.
熊本城 Kumamoto Castle: It is one of the most popular castles in Japan. Imposing and beautiful. It was greatly damaged by the big earthquake in 2016, but the main keep has been repaired and open to the public. You can get to the top floor by going up the staircases. On every floor on the way to the top, historic things and pictures and others are displayed, so the main keep itself is a history museum. It is also known as the beautiful slopes of stone walls called “Musyagaes
The details about Kumamoto Castle
DAY 5
島原城 Shimabara Castel: Shimabara Castle was the site of the Shimabara Rebellion. The castle tower houses the Christian and Local History Museum, which contains valuable materials such as spears, cannonballs, and golden crosses that were used in those days. Visitors will feel more familiar with history as they stroll through the museum, thinking about the stories related to Shiro Amakusa. The grounds are filled with seasonal plants such as cherry blossoms in the spring and autumn leaves in the fall, which look great against the white walls of the castle and make for great photographs. The top floor of the castle tower is an observatory where you can enjoy the view of the historic town of Shimabara and the mountains of Kumamoto across the sea.

武家屋敷 Samurai Residences: Located on the west side of Shimabara Castle, the samurai residences of Edo period warriors stretch for approximately 400 meters. It was once called “Teppocho” because gunmen used to live here. Today, the three residences, Torita, Shinozuka, and Yamamoto, are open to the public free of charge and can be visited by anyone. The rooms, as well as the kamado (furnace) and furnishings, are all on display, so visitors can get a real sense of how life was in those days. In the middle of the street, there is a waterway using spring water, which was used for daily life in the past. Nowadays, dogs on their way for a walk can be seen taking a healthy dip in the water. At the “Buke Yashiki Resting Area,” located in a corner of the street, visitors can take a rest while strolling and drink the spring water.Area where carp swim
鯉が泳ぐ町 Area where carp swim: The “Town of Koi Swimming” is the symbolic scenery of Shimabara City, known as the “City of Water” due to its abundance of spring water. A 100-meter-long waterway in the city is filled with clean spring water, and when visitors look into the waterway, they can see Nishikigoi swimming gracefully. The “Carp Swimming Town” is also dotted with interesting spots such as “Spring Water Garden Shimei-so,” “Seiryu-tei (Tourist Exchange Center),” and “Shimabara Spring Water Museum. At Seiryu-tei (Tourist Exchange Center), visitors can feed carp, enjoy a footbath or footbath, and purchase Shimabara souvenirs. The Shimabara Spring Water Museum is a free rest spot where visitors can try their hand at making kanzarashi. There is a store nearby that serves Shimabara’s local dish, “Guzoni”, so be sure to check it out as well.
DAY 6
平和公園 Peace Park: On the hill to the hypocenter of the Atomic Bomb, this park was built to vow that we will never repeat any tragic wars again and to pray for the world peace. In the park, there are a lot of monuments to pray for peace, including Heiwakinenzo, Peace Statute, Peace spring, and orgami crane tower and the remains of Nagasaki prison. You may feel the blessings and prayers of Christianity rather than of Buddhism or Shinto. It shows Nagasaki is a Christian place.

平和祈念像 Peace Statute: This big bronze statute is the center of the monuments in Peace Park. The statute is about 9.7 meters high, formed in a sitting position with its right hand pointing upward and its left hand pointing levelly sideways. The Nagasaki-native sculptor of this statute, Seibo Kitamura, has written on the pedestal that the right hand pointing to the Atomic bomb, the left hand to Peace and its face praying for appeasement of the souls of the deceased by the A bomb. Every year on April 9. the Peace Ceremony is held every year.
原爆資料館 Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum: The displays are well arranged in the way to make the visitors interested. As a matter of course, the center theme is how terrible the result of the dropping was. You will first see the broken clock, showing the time of the dropping. Everything stopped then in Nagasaki. Besides the displays of the disastrous scenes and remains, it provides those about the process for the attack, the reconstruction of Nagasaki, the development of the atomic bomb, and the true wish for world peace.
大浦天主堂 Ooura Cathedral: It was built for the foreigners living in the special foreigner’s residential area right after the opening of the country. It was a gothic style cathedral like those in the Middle Age, and it is the oldest in Japan. It is designated as a National Monument.
グラバー亭 Glover Garden: It is located on the height overviewing Nagasaki Bay, and the height used to be the foreigner’s residential area. The garden remained three Western style houses and relocated (or reconstructed) nine ones from other places in Nagasaki. The main feature is the former Glover house, which was listed as a World Heritage Site. You can enjoy the old-time Nagasaki exotic atmosphere there.

出島 Dejima, artificial island for foreigners: In the period where foreign trades are strictly limited in the Edo period, Dejima was the only place open to the trade to Europe. Only Hollanders from Europe were allowed to trade with Japan. But they were confined in this Dejima. Now this Dejima was reconstructed in accordance with historical facts. It is open to the public. You can learn what the European influence on Japan was like at that time.

A Water gate B Feitor room C Cooking room D Otomei room E Kapitein room F First boatman room G First storehouse H Second storehouse I Third storehouse J Worshipful writer Hollanders room K New Stone warehouse L Old Stone warehouse M Old seminary N Old Inside and Outside Nagasaki Club
DAY 7
軍艦島 Gunkan jima, Gunkan Island: The real name is Hashima, but it is called so because it looks like a warship, gunkan. Now it is a ghost town/island of a modern *coal mine industry. The island on the whole gives us a weird, spooky impression and also, we can feel the sadness in the lost glory of the most advanced area at the peak of coal industry. It is said to have been as advanced as Tokyo. But with the downfall on the industry, the coal mine was closed in 1974. Since that, it has never been inhabited. All the things, company building, apartment houses, shops and schools, on the island, are on the downslope to total destruction. This fact may move some people, especially those who value the Buddhism transientness of the world, sentimentally.
長崎湾の世界遺産 World Heritages in Nagasaki Bay Area: There are eight industrial items in this area designated as World Heritage Sites. From the beginning of the Meiji era to the second world war, Japan developed its industries with a big emphasis on shipbuilding, steelmaking and coal mining. These eight greatly contributed to the advancement of the industry in Japan. The eight is as follows:
(1) the former wood frame factory (2) the guest house of the shipbuilding company (3) Giant Crane (4) The third Dock (5) repairment dock (6) the former Glove house (7) Hashima coal mine (8) Takashima coal mine
