Hello everyone, welcome back to my year-end review of North Kyushu, Japan. I traveled there from November 24th to 29th, 2015. I was expecting to see beautiful red leaves, but the weather was very unpredictable this year, and some things didn't go as planned. As a result, this review may not have many pictures of beautiful red leaves to share, but the content and information will be packed with details. Please stay tuned!

First, let's see where the eyes go each day.

November 24, Tenmangu Temple + Komyozenji, Dazaifu

November 25th Kokonoe Yume Bridge + Yufuin

Nov 26th Keishuen Garden + Mifuneyama, Takeoonsen

November 27th Yutoku Inari Shrine + Karatsu

November 28th: Suizenji + Kumamon Square + Kumamoto Castle

Let's go then...

November 24th, Tenmangu Temple + Komyozenji, Dazaifu

Traveling from Thailand with Jetstar, I booked my ticket at the beginning of the year with a one-way promotion for only one baht. The round-trip price was 6,500 baht, including a 15-kilogram checked baggage allowance. Since the ticket was inexpensive, I went ahead and selected my seats for both the outbound and return flights, which cost an additional 330 baht. In total, the flight for this trip cost 6,830 baht.

Upon arrival at Fukuoka Airport, after clearing immigration and collecting our luggage, we purchased the Fukuoka City and Dazaifu Pass for 1340 yen (purchased at the Nishitetsu counter, which is located just outside the baggage claim area). We will use it to take the bus from the airport to Hakata Station and then the subway to Dazaifu for our first day. After getting the pass, we scratched the date we will be using it. Mine was scratched on 24/11/2015.

To enter the city by bus, you can board at the International Terminal. If you want to take the train, you need to take the airport bus to the Domestic Terminal. Both options accept the Fukuoka City and Dazaifu Pass. The picture shows the bus stop.

Please exit and wait at bus stop number 2 (if you are going to the Domestic building, please wait at bus stop number 1).

Tal stayed at Sunlife2.3, which is located in front of Hakata Station's Chikushi Exit. From the airport, take the bus and get off at the Hakata-eki Chikushi-guchi stop. The hotel is on the other side of the bus stop. It was amazing! Tal stayed there for 5 nights and the total cost was 38,700 yen for 2 people (the price per night varies).

Lobby

This place has all the amenities you need: towels, hair towels, hairdryers, brushes + toothpaste, liquid soap, shampoo, conditioner, facial foam, and pajamas (cotton swabs, combs, and razors can be picked up in front of the elevator on the first floor). There is free internet, the speed is good. The room is very okay, although not very spacious, but it is enough to put two bags and it is convenient to pick up and organize things. (It is recommended that before you go out, don't forget to leave the key at the counter, so you don't have to worry about losing it.)

If you exit your accommodation and cross the street, walk to the left and you will find a Family Mart and Yodobashi. If you cross the street but walk to the right to go to the station, you will find a Lawson and the Deitos Annex building, which has several restaurants. The one I frequented for breakfast was Yoshinoya, which is affordable and open 24 hours.

Once you have collected your belongings, head to the station to purchase a JR North Kyushu Pass (10,000 yen) and make seat reservations at the green counter marked "JR Kyushu".

Let's go to Dazaifu. We use the Fukuoka city and dazaifu Pass for this round trip.

*For travel in Japan, I mainly use www.hyperdia.com to check which train to take, what time, and how long it takes. If I need to make a reservation for a train, I always do so in advance.*

Changing stations can be confusing, so if you're unsure, don't hesitate to ask the staff. Don't be afraid, just ask!

After leaving Dazaifu Station, turn right and walk along the path. There are many shops on both sides of the road.

A photo that everyone must have

Tenmangu Shrine

(I won't be sharing my personal information here, as it's already widely available on various websites. Instead, I'll focus on providing you with relevant and useful images and information.)

Leaving the temple, cross the bridge and you will find a small path. That's it. Walk to Komyozenji. If you can't find it, don't worry. Open Google Maps. Because I did too. 555

Admission fee 200 yen Normally, the leaves will be red and beautiful during the period I went, but due to the unstable weather, it is as shown in the picture.

Komyozenji

November 25th Kokonoe Yume Bridge + Yufuin

Our first stop today is the Kokonoe Yume Bridge, the world's longest and highest pedestrian suspension bridge. Along the way, you can see two large waterfalls, one of which is Shindonotaki, one of the 100 most beautiful waterfalls in Japan. When I went, all the red leaves had fallen. The best time to see the red leaves is around mid-November.

Admission fee: 500 yen

Opening hours: Months 1-6 / Months 11-12 Open 8:30 -17:00

July - October Open 8:30-16:00 (Ticket sales close half an hour before closing time)

Travel

Get off at Bungonakamura Station. When you arrive at the station, you will need to take a bus for about 25 minutes (the station has luggage storage).

(Follow the schedule in the picture) Line up to board the bus in front of the station. Bus fare is 590 yen per trip.

Tal took the 10:08 bus, walked back and forth across the bridge, and took photos, which took about two hours. She returned on the 12:47 bus.

Bus Schedule

If you're visiting Kyushu, I highly recommend adding this place to your itinerary. It's definitely worth a visit at least once.

Shindonotaki Falls, one of the 100 most beautiful waterfalls in Japan

There are two waterfalls here. This is the other one.

I'll tell you that this bridge, if it's windy or there are a lot of people walking, it will shake a little, you know. I myself am very afraid of heights, but at that moment, it was so cold that I forgot to be afraid.

See below too...

Continuing on to Yufuin, it takes only 17 minutes by train from Bungonakamura Station. Arrive at Yufuin, take a walk and take pictures until the evening, book a return train at 18:45.

Hold the mouse for a moment...

After leaving Hakata Station for a while, we encountered Dr. Yellow on our way to Takeoonsen. I wanted to scream so much! I was so lucky that I was taking pictures of the scenery along the way and I happened to see it. I felt like I was pressing the shutter a lot, but I only got one blurry picture.

Let's find out what kind of Shinkansen Dr. Yellow is.

Dr. Yellow is a special yellow Shinkansen train. Its main function is to inspect the tracks and train systems of the Shinkansen line. The appearance of Dr. Yellow is not much different from the Shinkansen model. The main thing that is added to the train is the equipment or tools for inspection.

As this train is not intended for public use, there is no official timetable available from JR. And the chance of encountering it (by chance) is rare and unlikely, so even the Japanese themselves say that if you see Dr. Yellow on a given day, it is considered a lucky day and everything you do will be good.

(Thanks to Knot for the information http://www.knotmirai.com/photography/dr-yellow/)

What Tal saw by chance means that she is very lucky...

Nov 26 Keishuen Garden + Mifuneyama, Takeoonsen

Keishuen Garden

Get off at Takeoonsen Station and walk out to wait for the bus outside the station. Walk out following the sign that says Mifuneyama.

Take the Red Line bus and get off at stop number 4, Kareki-no-to Station (Takeo Century Hotel: Keishuen). The fare is 150 yen. After getting off the bus, walk into the Takeo Century Hotel. The staff will tell you which way to go.

Opening hours: 09:00-17:00

Entrance fee 600 Yen

facebook : https://www.facebook.com/yokomuseum.keishuen/

Bus schedule

Outbound

On the way back

Mifuneyama Rakuen

From Keishuen Garden, take the bus from the stop sign and ride for one more stop. Get off at Mifuneyama Rakuen Station. The fare is 150 yen.

(The bus may not arrive exactly on the schedule, it may be delayed, please wait for a while) (The same bus as Keishuen Garden)

This place also has light-up displays, so I bought a Day and Night ticket for 900 yen. Inside, they only sell tea and sweets. If you're staying for a long time and get hungry, you can go out to eat and then come back in. The recommended restaurant is located across the street from the bus stop (where you'll catch the bus back).

Opening hours: 08:00-17:00 Light up 17:30-22:00

facebook : https://www.facebook.com/mifuneyamarakuen/

November 27th Yutoku inari shrine + Karatsu

This morning I went to Yutoku Inari Shrine.

Getting there: Get off at Hizenkashima Station, cross the street to the Yutoku Building, go inside the building, wait for the bus at Platform 3, you can buy bus tickets from the uncle at the shop inside (the bus fare is 320 yen per trip), get off at the last bus stop.

Bus timetable

Outbound

On the way back

Following the story of Saty saga, I will miss you. Come here together >> Karatsu

Upon arrival, head to the information center to inquire about transportation options to various destinations.

The story is as follows...

Karatsu Castle can be reached by bus from stop E1, located outside the station.

Bus Schedule

To get to the Yobuko morning market, you need to walk to the Yobuko building. It's not far from the station. I walked there myself, and it only took a little while. Once you're inside the building, take Platform 2 for the bus.

Takashima Island is accessible by boat, with the boarding point located at the bridge leading to Karatsu Castle. (If you take the bus to Karatsu Castle, you will need to walk across the bridge to the other side. If you walk to the castle, you will encounter the boat landing first.)

Ferry schedule to and from

Here, Tal uses the walking method, not taking the bus at all. The weather is good, walking and chilling, it doesn't feel far. If anyone likes to walk, I recommend it. Half a day, you can easily visit this place.

Karatsu Castle

Admission fee: 400 yen Opening hours: 9:00-17:00

Tal's visit was free of charge due to repairs and loud noises in certain areas.

View from the top of the castle

Karatsu Castle at dusk

I recommend the udon and soba restaurant in front of the castle entrance.

Eating hot udon is a great way to warm up in the cold weather. The owner of the shop is very kind and friendly. She brought us various things to try and gave us tea to drink. She also taught us some Japanese, which was a lot of fun. Even though her English wasn't very good and we couldn't understand much Japanese, we all tried our best to communicate and in the end, we understood each other. If you're visiting Karatsu Castle, be sure to stop by and support the kind auntie's udon shop.

(Could someone who went to the store please show the picture of me and my aunt to her? I'm curious if she'll recognize me. Hehe. Oh, and there aren't many Thai people who come to the store. As far as I know, there haven't been any at all. When I said the name of the country, she didn't recognize it. It wasn't until another uncle walked in and told her that she finally understood. Maybe she's not familiar with the word "Thailand".)

Before heading back, let's grab some clear squid...

Comes as a set

After eating the sliced squid meat, the body and head will be deep-fried into tempura for you. It's delicious!

The restaurant that Tal eats at is near the station. You can ask at the information desk. There are many restaurants to choose from. There are two restaurants near the castle that Tal asked about, both of which open at 5 pm. So she walked back to eat near the station.

After a satisfying meal, I took the train along the coast back to Hakata. If I had come during the day, I would have definitely felt full. I will go back again on November 28th. Suizenji+Kumamon Square + Kumamoto Castle.

When visiting Kumamoto, we will be taking the tram. There are two lines, as shown in the picture. Please check carefully which line to take, A or B, before boarding. It's not difficult! The fare is 150 yen for the entire line, and there is a one-day pass for 500 yen.

The first stop for the last day is Suizenji Garden.

Admission fee: 400 yen Opening hours: 7:30-18:00 (March-October) 8:30-17:00 (November-February)

Travel

From Hakata Station, take the train to Kumamoto Station and then the tram to stop number 18.

But Tal chose to take the train from Hakata Station to Shin-suizenji Station and walk to the garden. It takes about 10-15 minutes to walk.

The pond is full of fish. I bought a bag of food for 200 yen to feed them.

After that, Tal stopped by Kumamon's office at Kumamon Square. Looking at the schedule, Kumamon had a show at 11:00 am. I rushed over and took the tram from stop 18 to stop 12. The fare was 150 yen. After getting off the tram, I crossed the street and walked into the Tsuruya building. On the left side inside is Kumamon's office. You can check which days Kumamon will be appearing and at what time here: http://www.kumamon-sq.jp/en/

It felt like being a child again. I couldn't sing the song because I wasn't prepared. It's a shame. I won't miss it next time.

I'm not a picky eater, I'll eat at any restaurant I come across. But this restaurant, I had to try it. I'm so glad I did, it was amazing! I highly recommend it.

Pork cutlet

Tal walked from bus stop 12 to this shop. Google Maps gave her the wrong directions.

From what I found, it seems like you need to take the tram and get off at Karashimacho Station (8th stop). Walk into Sunroad Street, pass 7-Eleven, and turn right at the first intersection. The shop will be on your left.

After a satisfying meal, we continued our journey to Kumamoto Castle.

Admission fee 500 yen

Opening hours: 8:30-18:00 (closed at 17:00 from November to March)

Here, Tal is walking again. She's walking from the Katsuretsutei restaurant.

To get there, take the tram and get off at stop number 10, Kumamoto Castle.

I'm so tired from all the sightseeing that I haven't been able to see any lights anywhere except for Hakata Station.

November 29th Japan - Bkk

Today I flew back on Jetstar at 10:05. I left the hotel early by bus. I walked out of my accommodation Sunlife 2.3, turned left, crossed a small street, and found a bus stop. Across from the bus stop is Family Mart. At the bus stop is Yayoi restaurant. I ate dinner here two nights in a row. It's delicious and not expensive. The restaurant also has a food ordering machine with Thai language support.

The return bus fare was 260 yen. The bus was crowded, but it wasn't uncomfortable. If you stand, it's only for a short time. For me, taking the bus back and forth is the most convenient.

Then I will come back again... Kyushu

Review is complete! See you next review, Sakura 59. For this review, if anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask. If I know, I'm happy to answer! If not, I'll help you find the information.

Finally.....Tal has a small page for fun, please follow me https://www.facebook.com/2happyjourney/