Ready for a full day of sightseeing starting in Dazaifu.
Dazaifu was established in the late 7th century and served as the administrative center of the entire island of Kyushu for over 500 years. Nowadays, Dazaifu is a small, quiet city on the outskirts of the large city of Fukuoka.
Dazaifu, Japan
We visited a local farm to pick persimmon at the peak of ripeness!
Sweet, ripe persimmon!
Taking a tour of Huis Ten Bosch (Hausu Ten Bosu), a theme park in Nagasaki Prefecture which recreates a Dutch town.
The spacious resort is suffused with a European atmosphere with its picturesque canals, iconic windmills, beautiful gardens and architecture.
Umbrella Street at Huis Ten Bosch
Having lunch in Sasebo, Japan.
Embarking on a scenic cruise at Kujukushima National Park.
On board the ship
Taking in the views from Yumihari Hill, which offers a great vantage point of the surrounding area.
And the highlight of the day … was our kaiseki dinner at a local restaurant!
So much delicious food!
Started day 5 off in Nagasaki at the Nagasaki Peace Park.
The park commemorates the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, that destroyed wide parts of the city and killed tens of thousands of inhabitants.
After visiting the park, we took a stroll through Nagasaki’s Chinatown and had lunch. It was sort of like a Chinese kaiseki and did not come with tea!
After lunch, we visited Dejima, the artificial island built in the shape of a fan.
Dejima Island, Japan
Glover Garden, an open air museum, exhibiting mansions of former Western residents of Nagasaki.
A nice panorama of the city from the garden.
Group shot at Glover Garden
Chirin-chirin ice cream, a Nagasaki treat!
We stopped at a small town called Yufuin Yunotsubo Kaido, with lots of shops and food vendors.
There was so much to try and eat!
Taking a foot bath break in Yufuin Yunotsubo Kaido.
We took “a walkway through the skies” at Kokonoe “Yume” Otsurihashi.
173 meters above the Naruko-gawa Gorge and at a length of 390 meters, this is the largest pedestrian suspension bridge in Japan.
Beautiful fall views and colors.
Group shot at Chinoike Jigoku or “Blood Pond Hell” with its bubbling blood red waters.
Chinoike Jigoku is a steaming thermal pool with dark-red water naturally colored by iron oxide.
Enjoying a foot bath in the hot springs.
We took a stroll through Hitachi Mameda Machi, which was developed as a place for commoners during the Tokugawa Shogunate in the Edo period.
Known as Kyushu’s “Little Kyoto,” the historic buildings and layout of the town remain the same as it did back then.
Some of the delicious food vendors in Hitachi Mameda Machi.
We arrived at the Fukuoka Kokusai Center for the main event, the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament!
Held every November, this is the last of Japan’s six major sumo tournaments (called honbasho), held during the year.
Getting comfortable in our reserved seats!
While the event is broadcasted on NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), nothing beats being able to experience the excitement of being there in person!
Guess who was sitting outside?
Musashimaru! Our guide was lucky to get us some pics with him!
What an experience!
For dinner, we ate "like a sumo wrestler” with a special chankonabe meal. Chankonabe is a type of nabemono (Japanese stew or one-pot dish) commonly eaten in vast quantities by sumo wrestlers as part of a weight-gaining diet.
The chef
Chanko is a term used to refer to all types of cuisine made by rikishi (sumo wrestlers). The word chanko comes from combining “chan” meaning “parent” and “ko” meaning “child,” and refers to the act of everyone – coaches and trainees alike – sharing the same meal together.
Our last day was a free leisure day however our guide Eriko offered to take us to a shrine where the young upcoming sumo wrestlers train.
Young sumo wrestlers training.
Our last day for sightseeing, shopping, and eating!
For dinner, our guide Eriko took a bunch of us to eat at the Yatai food stands.
Bellies full!
Our 10th and final day before heading back to Honolulu. Here we are learning how to make mentaiko!
Mentaiko is spicy cod roe pickled in salt and togarashi, or hot chili peppers.
Hands-on mentaiko making class
All pau! Ready to head back to Honolulu!