Overlooking Oita City, Oita Prefecture, Kyushu Island

Too bad the weather was not cooperating. The overlook is quite spectacular (when weather permits).
Oita City Website in English

Roadside Food

Made to order

A very popular treat

Great prices and quality

Ebino Plateau

The plateau features a rest stop with an ashi-yu (footbath). A great place to rest, view the plateau and soak your feet when visiting this region.

Rest stop

Buckwheat noodles

Ashi-yu

Area attractions

Ebino Plateau guide map

Sulfur springs on Kyushu Island

Often referred to as "hell" the sulfur springs are part of an active volcanic system. Kyushu Island has some of the most active volcano's in Japan.

Senganen - The birthplace of Modern Japan and Villa of the Shimadzu Clan

In the late 12th century, Minamoto-no-Yoritomo appointed Koremune Tadahisa as manor lord of the Shimadzu-no-sho and protector of the fiefs of Satsuma, Osumi and Hyuga. He took on the name of the demesne and became the first in the Shimadzu line. The Shimadzu was allowed to rule over Ryukyu (Okinawa) during the Edo ear and reigned over southern Kyushu as a non-hereditary daimyo (lord) of the Tokugawa Shogun.

Sengan-en is the official name for Iso Garden. Shimadzu Mitsuhisa made the O-iso Shimotsu Hamakado Residence of Kamat Izumo Masachka and built his residence there in 1658.

Their main residence was the Tsurumaru Castle constructed by the order of the 18th lord of the Shimadzu lehisa at the foot of Shiroyama. The residence in Sengan-en has been succeeded as a villa of the Shimadzu clan, for generations.

Sengan-en was designated as a National Cultural Asset in 1958.

Website Link 

Built in 1857 - fired 150 lb. canon balls and used in battle

Sengetsu Sake - Hitoyoshi

No pictures allowed inside

Outside the distillery

A work shrine

Foot bath

The water is exceptional

How sake was made in the past

Sengetsu Sake (website in Japanese)

Tofuro - Dazaifu Government Center (Nara & Heian Periods)

The site of the Dazaifu government office is known as “Tofuro.” During the Nara and Heian periods, the Dazaifu was responsible for supervising Japan’s maritime frontier, as well as administering the nine provinces and two island of the Saikaido (modern Kyushu).

In those days, a great edifice with vermilion (lacquered) columns and a tiled roof stood at the foot of Mount Ono. Today all the remains is a park with the huge foundation stones of the original structures.