Kyushu Spring 2014 九州春季之旅 - Yufuin no mori ゆふいんの森

Travelled on 23.03.2014

There are three round trips daily. For this trip, I boarded Yufuin no mori 6 which departed from Yufuin JR Station at 1707 hrs. Alighted at Kurume JR Station to transfer to Shinkansen, bound for Kumamoto.

Do check out the train operating schedule and timing on JR Kyushu website: http://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/trains/yufuinnomori/

• Yufuin no mori 1 and 5: Hakata > Yufuin
• Yufuin no mori 3: Hakata > Yufuin > Beppu
• Yufuin no mori 2 and 6: Yufuin > Hakata
• Yufuin no mori 4: Beppu > Yufuin > Hakata

Luck! Yufuin no mori is one of JR Kyushu's most popular sightseeing train. My original plan on Day 9 was to board Yufuin no mori 4 from Beppu JR Station after visiting the Jigoku in Beppu. To my dismay, there were less than 4 seats left on this train despite making a reservation for the tickets about 1 week in advance! Wanted very much to take this train, therefore had to choose alternative timing and tweak my itinerary on the spot. After much consideration, I had to settle for Yufuin no mori 6 which departed from Yufuin JR Station at a much later timing. This implied that I had to return to Yufuin from Beppu via a 1 hour duration bus ride. Despite all the pre-work/research done, I have come to realise that some things are just not within our control. To me, these impromptu decisions/changes are what make free & easy travelling unpredictable yet exciting at times!

Highlights:

Design. All in all, Yufuin no mori is a very resort feel train. Green body with posh looking wooden interior and parquet flooring, all in line with the name of this train. One unique feature of this train is the carriages are connected by bridges with fences on both sides, allowing passengers to move seamlessly within the train. For those travelling in a group of 3 or 4, you can also request for booth seats (subjected to availability) which has a common table with a classical looking lamp!

Yufuin Wappo (720 yen).

Relax & Eat. Admire the natural landscape through the large windows as the train travels along the Kyudai main line (between Kurume and Oita). There is a counter in one of the train carriages which sells related merchandises and food. If you are a fan of Yufuin's famous B Speak swiss roll, you may be lucky enough to buy it on board this train. During my day of travel, it was already sold out before the last train of the day.

Exploring different kinds of ekiben has also become one of my favourite activities during such leisure train rides. Bought two different types of ekibens for sharing. Yufuin Wappo (ゆふいんわっぽ) is a healthy bento which is popular among female passengers and it contains five small rice balls, in different colours, stewed vegetables and fishcake. On the other hand, Kousou Monogatari (香草物語) is a sumptuous ekiben. Each box is divided into 12 sections, each filled with colourful main and side dishes - various vinegared rice, several meat dishes, pickled vegetables and one serving of dessert.  

Kousou Monogatari

Photo taking & commemorative boarding pass. Passengers can also borrow the commemorative board (which states the day of travel) and cabin attendents' hats for photo taking purposes. Don't forget to grab your commemorative boarding pass and stamps while on board the train. The inked stamp station is placed in the same train carriage as the food and merchandise counter. 

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Video: Scroll to 28:25 for 遇约九州's feature on Yufuin no mori.



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Boarding pass & commemorative stamp:

Kyushu Spring 2014 九州春季之旅 - Beppu Jigoku Meguri 別府地獄巡り

Visited 23.03.2014

Hectic schedule. The original plan was to embark on a day trip to Beppu and board Yufuin no mori 4 from Beppu JR station, which departs from this train station only once a day, back to Kumamoto. However, due to the huge popularity of this sightseeing train, no seats was available and I had to settle for a later timing which departs from Yufuin JR Station instead. Revised the itinerary, by cutting short the time spent in Beppu to only 2.5 hrs in order to board a bus back to Yufuin to catch the train. Because of time constraint, we had to undergo a "touch and go" mode to cover all eight jigoku. In fact, each Jigoku has so much more to offer. Apart from the hot spring sources, there were other side attractions such as mini zoos, museums, aquariums, footbath and shops selling local food and souvenirs. I have to admit it was an ambitious move and the outcome was pretty undesirable. We missed the bus to the second cluster of Jigoku and the return bus from Beppu to Yufuin (due to a traffic jam on the way back to Beppu JR Station). Had to depend on taxi on both occasions. If given a second chance, I will want to return to Beppu to revisit all the jigoku again, at a much leisure pace. 

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Highlights:

- Most economical way to tour all eight jigoku is to purchase the bundled entrance ticket which cost 2,100 yen. For those who only have time to visit selected Jigoku, individual entrance tickets are also sold separately at each Jigoku. With Beppu 1 Day Mini Passport, you are also entitled to purchase the tickets at a discounted rate (200 yen off).

Left: Hungry hippopotamus in Yama Jigoku; Top right: Umi Jigoku; Bottom right: Boiling mud in Oniishibozu Jigoku.

- First clusters of Jigoku: 

(1) Umi Jigoku 海地獄: The cobalt blue colour of the hot spring waters resembles the sea. This hot spring source is about 200 m deep and is said to have emerged about 1,200 years ago after an volcanic explosion.  

(2) Yama Jigoku 山地獄: The name came from the mountain of mud that were formed over the years. The power of earth can be felt by the strong gust of steam which emerged from bottom of the ground continuously and fiercely. This jigoku houses a mini zoo which showcases hippopotamus, flamingos, mini horses.

(3) Oniishibozu Jigoku 鬼石坊主地獄: This jigoku looks like a giant pot of boiling mud. It is named oniishi bozu (shaven head) because the boiling bubbles of hot gray mud looked like shaven heads of monks.

Bottom left: No. 5 pond in Kamado Jigoku which changes colour overtime.

(4) Kamado Jigoku かまど地獄: The mascot of this site is represented by a bright red demon standing on an enormous cooking pot. Known as "Oven Hell", its name is derived because the steam generated from the various hot spring sources were used for cooking food in the past. There are a total of six hot spring sources here. No. 1, 2 and 6 ponds contained hot muddy waters. No. 3 is a blue pond which produces whitish material of SiO2 and hot spring precipitate that takes about 70 years to form. No. 4 is similar to Oniishibozu Jigoku. No. 5 is a pond which mysteriously changes colour (to various shades of blue) a couple of times throughout the year. Footbath can also be enjoyed in this Jigoku too.

Left: Crocodiles basking under the sun and enjoying the warm waters in Oniyama Jigoku; Right: White steam generated from the milky waters of Shiraike Jigoku.

(5) Oniyama Jigoku 鬼山地獄: The Jigoku that I am most fearful of. Not because of the large amount of steam generated from the hot spring source but the sight of a bask of crocodiles enjoying the warm waters did send a chill down my spine. In fact, there are about 80 crocodiles being breed here! Force of the steam is powerful enough to pull one and a half train. You can also try food such as corns, sweet potatoes and eggs which are cooked using the steam generated from the hot spring source.

(6) Shiraike Jigoku 白池地獄: In a traditional Japanese garden setting, the hot spring water was originally colourless when it surged out from the ground but turned creamy white after time. Do spend some time exploring the aquarium here which showcased Piranhas that thrived in the Amazon River and about 10 species of tropical fishes.

Left: Reddish brown waters of Chinoike Jigoku; Right: Waited to see the geyser in action at Tatsumaki Jigoku.

- 2nd cluster of Jigoku:

(7) Chinoike Jigoku 血の池地獄: Described as the "blood pond" due to the reddish brown colour of hot spring waters. Red mud/clay which contains iron oxide and magnesium oxide is produced under high temperature and pressure underground. Do make your way up to one of its elevated spot to get a better overview of this magnificent steaming reddish brown pond.

(8) Tatsumaki Jigoku 龍卷地獄: Designated as a natural monument by Beppu city, this geyser spouts out boiling water and steam for about 6 - 10 minutes at every 30 - 40 minutes interval. Managed to see the geyser in action just before we rushed for our departing bus.

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Recommended route:
- From Beppu JR Station West Exit Bus Stop, take Bus 5 or 41 and alight at Umi Jigoku mae to visit the first cluster of Jigoku (1) to (6).
- At Kannawa Bus Terminal, take Bus 16 and alight at Chinoike Jigoku mae to visit the second cluster of Jigoku (7) and (8).
- At Chinoike Jigoku mae, take Bus 16 again to return to Beppu JR Station.
Bus 5: http://www.beppuni.com/bus/route/k5.html
Bus 41: http://www.beppuni.com/bus/route/k41.html
Bus 16: http://www.beppuni.com/bus/route/k16.html (Kannawa > Chinoike Jigoku > Beppu JR Station)

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Jigoku Meguri 地獄巡り 
Opening hrs: 0800 - 1700 hrs
http://www.beppu-jigoku.com/index.html
English brochure: http://www.beppu-jigoku.com/images/English0.pdf
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Commemorative stamps: 

Kamado Jigoku

Kamado Jigoku

Oniishibozu Jigoku

Kyushu Spring 2014 九州春季之旅 - Beppu JR Station 別府駅, 1 Day Mini Free Passport

Hot spring "burping" just outside the train station.

Beppu JR Station, on Nippo main line.

This is one train station which I did not alight at/board a train from. Chose to take a bus to Beppu from Yufuin because there were no direct services between these two train stations (have to transit at Oita JR Station). From Yufuin to Oita, it takes close to an hour by the local train; and takes another 10 mins from Oita to Beppu after that. 

Special sightseeing & limited express trains departing from/passing by this train station include: 

(1) Ltd Express Yufu, commutes between Hakata and Beppu (via Tosu & Kurume).

(2) Yufuin no mori (ゆふいんの森), one round trip between Hakata and Beppu.

(3) Kyushu Odan Tokkyu (九州横断特急), commutes between Beppu and Hitoyoshi.
Route: Beppu > Oita > Aso > Kumamoto > Hitoyoshi

(4) Ltd Express Sonic, commutes between Hakata and Beppu (via Kokura).

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What's nearby?

(1) Tourist Information Center: 

Did not have time to explore the surrounding area around train station. Making my way to the tourist information center to gather the area maps and brochures has become a ritual for me whenever I reach a new place/train station. Purchased 1 Day Mini Passport from here too.

Scratch the date to activate the bus pass.

Kamenori Bus (亀の井バス) offers various types of bus passes. Staff at the tourist information center recommended me this 1 Day Mini Free Passport which cost 900 yen. If you plan to visit all eight "Jigoku" of Beppu, this bus pass will come in handy (I remember this is also more economical). One perk that comes with this mini passport is the discount coupons. It includes a 200 yen discount to the entrance fee to visit all eight "Jigoku".

Recommended way to visit all eight "Jigoku":
- From Beppu JR Station West Exit, take Bus 5 or 41 to Umi Jigoku mae bus stop (海地獄前).
- Visit Yama Jigoku > Umi Jigoku > Oniishibozu Jigoku
- Visit Kamada Jigoku > Oniyama Jigoku > Shiraike Jigoku
- Walk to Kannawa Bus Terminal (鉄輪), take Bus 16 to Chinoike Jigoku mae bus stop (血の池地獄前).
- Visit the last two Jigoku: Chinoike Jigoku and Tatsumaki Jigoku
- Take Bus 16 from Chinoike Jigoku mae bus stop back to Beppu JR Station East Exit.

(2) West Exit Bus Stop

- Take Bus 36 to Yufuin

- Take Bus 5 or 41 to Kannawa (鉄輪) and Umi Jigoku (海地獄).
Bus 5: http://www.beppuni.com/bus/route/k5.html
Bus 41: http://www.beppuni.com/bus/route/k41.html

(3) East Exit Bus Stop
- Take Bus 26 to Chinoike Jigoku (血の池地獄) and Kannawa (鉄輪). 

Bus 16: http://www.beppuni.com/bus/route/k16.html (Kannawa > Beppu JR Station)
Bus 26: http://www.beppuni.com/bus/route/k26.html (Beppu JR Station > Kannawa)

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Commemorative stamp:

Kyushu Spring 2014 九州春季之旅 - Day 9 Itinerary: Beppu 别府

Day 9: 23.03.2014
* Day 2 of 5 Days JR Kyushu Rail Pass

Chinoike Jigoku

Breakfast: Gettouan 月燈庵

Gettouan > Yufuin JR Station 由布院駅
by hotel free shuttle service.

Collected P roll from B-Speak.

Yufuin Bus Terminal (1015 hrs) > Beppu JR Station 別府駅 (1105 hrs)
by Bus 36. Fee = 900 yen.

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Bought 1 Day Mini Free Passport from tourist information center @ Beppu JR Station. Fee = 900 yen.

Beppu JR Station 別府駅 (1155 hrs) > Umi Jigoku mae 海地獄前
by Bus 41.

Bought Beppu Jigoku Meguri (別府地獄巡り) admission ticket, covering all eight "hells".
Fee = 1,800 yen (200 yen discount with 1 Day Passport).
* 2,100 yen effective from 1st April 2014 onwards.

(1) Yama Jigoku 山地獄
(2) Umi Jigoku 海地獄
(3) Oniishi bozu Jigoku鬼石坊地獄
(4) Oniyama Jigoku 鬼山地獄
(5) Kamado Jigoku かもど地獄
(6) Shiraike Jigoku 白池地獄

Kannawa Bus Terminal 鉄輪 > Chinoike Jigoku mae 血の池地獄前
by taxi (missed bus). Fee = ~800 yen.

(7) Chinoike Jigoku 血の池地獄
(8) Tatsumaki Jigoku 龍卷地獄

Chinoike Jigoku mae 血の池地獄前 (1419 hrs) > Beppu JR Station 別府駅
by Bus 16.

Beppu JR Station 別府駅 > Yufuin JR Station 由布院駅
by taxi (missed 1505 hrs bus to Yufuin bus terminal). Fee = 6,000 yen.

Mt Yufu from Sagiridai Overlook.

Stopover @ Sagiridai Overlook 狭霧台.

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Yufuin JR Station 由布院駅 (1707 hrs) > Kurume JR Station 久留米駅 (1846 hrs)
by Yufuin no mori 6.

Dinner: Ekiben, on board Yufuin no mori.

Kurume JR Station 久留米駅 (1854 hrs) > Kumamoto JR Station 熊本駅 (1914 hrs)
by Sakura 565.

Check in: Mitsui Garden Hotel Kumamoto 三井ガーデ ンホテル熊本

Supper: MacDonalds @ Shimo Tori

- End of Day 9 -

Kyushu Spring 2014 九州春季之旅 - Gettouan ゆふいん月燈庵

Stayed 22.03.2014
Booked thru' Booking.com
- Standard suite = 54,000 yen (2 occupants)

As with every trip, I will try to arrange one day of luxurious accommodation. For this trip in Kyushu, it was Gettouan in Yufuin. As Yufuin is a hot spring town, numerous hotels and ryokan can be found around the main onsen street leading all the way to Kirinko. Decided to stay away from the heart of the town and chose to stay in the Gettouan, which is tucked away in a tranquil and remote environment. After spending an entire afternoon to explore Yufuin, we were looking forward a good night rest in Gettouan. For guests staying in the ryokan, complimentary pick up service to/fro Yufuin JR Station can be arranged in advance. Unfortunately, we had to grab a taxi as the pick up was fully booked for that day.

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Highlights:

Bottom left: Suspension bridge that links the main building and accommodation.

Service, room & facilities. First we were led to the bar counter where tea was served as we waited for check-in proceedings to be completed. A mandarin speaking staff was assigned to us, who inquired our desired timing for both dinner and breakfast on the next day and explained to us the facilities in Gettouan as he brought us to our room. The entire compound is actually much more bigger than it looks. In total, there are only 18 units within this 10,000 m3 site surrounded by lush greenery. From the main building, we had to cross a suspension bridge to reach the other highland where the rooms are located. Though the area may be huge, clear signs are put up to make sure guests do not lose their way here.

Bottom left: Communal bathhouse; Center: Private outdoor bath; Bottom right: Common area to enjoy complimentary coffee.

Reserved the standard suites (Yamabuki and Tsubaki) for tonight's stay. House is divided into two separate areas with 8 and 6 tatami mats respectively, and can occupy up to 4 person. Was delighted to see a kotatsu, a low table with heater beneath, which we tucked our legs into comfortably when the temperatures became colder at night. Every room in Gettouan is also equipped with an open air hot spring bath. Used it only once because temperature was less than 5 degC and the washing area was located outdoor as well - already felt terribly cold after washing up.

There is a common area where guests can relax to smoothing music, read a book while enjoying a cup of coffee - a good place to hang out after enjoying the bath. Night may be still young for some - Bar Ripe is located in the main building for guests to enjoy a glass of cocktail before heading to bed. My sister and I braved the cold weather at night to cross the bridge to explore the bar and ended up having a glass of mocktail here (just for the sake of sitting around in the bar)! 

Sunset.

Hot springs with a view. There are two communal bathhouses separated by gender. Hot spring source is mildly alkaline and temperature here has been adjusted to 42 degC. Each bathhouse has an indoor and outdoor section. Highly recommend the outdoor section because the size of the pool is much larger and a spectacular view of Mt Yufu awaits here. Came here for a soak before dinner and I was mesmerised by a brightly lit Mt Yufu during sunset.

Sunrise.

Food splendor. Both meals were served in a private room in Keisuikyo (溪酔居), a separate building located in between the luxurious and standard suites.

Left: Beautiful tableware arrangement; Right: Fresh sashimi and Bungo beef as appetisier.

Yuzu was featured in many of the dishes in their spring edition kaiseki dinner menu. As usual the meal kicked off with a small glass of wine. This time round, a milky looking nigori zake (濁り酒), an unfiltered type of sake, was served. Appetiser was Oita's Bungo beef (豊後牛) and seasonal vegetables, accompanied with a refreshing sauce. Next was a bowl of sakura flavoured sumashijiru (a clear broth cooked with kombu and bonito flakes) with a minced prawn and fish meat ball - love the subtle yet flavourful broth. Enjoyed the fresh sashimi which has a tint of citrus taste as it was placed onto a slice of yuzu fruit.

Left: Sakura flavoured Sumashijiru; Middle: Marbled Bungo beef cooked on hot stone. Right: Pheasant hot pot.

It was also my first time eating a pheasant hot pot (nabe) - tasted like chicken meat to me and the soup has wonderfully extracted the sweet flavours of the pheasant meat and vegetables. Marveled at the sizzling cubes of marbled Bungo beef cooked on hot stone. Was truly yearning for more meat - juicy cubes of grilled meat melting in the mouth! Had a scoop of yuzu sorbet to cleanse the palate before the last rice dish was served. Completely different from previous kaiseki, we had sansai (wild vegetables) and rice dumplings wrapped in leaves which came with an eggy gravy to dip into. The entire dinner was wrapped up with a cheese cake drizzled with a yuzu flavoured sauce.

Bottom right: The glass of mocktail we had in Bar Ripe.

Have to applaud for the chef behind this sumptuous and delicious dinner course! Throughout the entire meal, I was also impressed by the table setting and exquisite tableware used - such as the tree slice with well defined growth rings which was used as the presentation plate. Had an equally pleasant breakfast as well on the following day.

Breakfast.

Conclusion. If I have to nitpick or compare Gettouan to another luxurious accommodation I have stayed before (such as Sanyoan in Hokkaido), I felt that the staff could have been more "attentive" at times. To quote an example: the sliding door could have been closed more gently when the waitress was moving in and out of the private dinning area. Overall stay in Gettouan has been pleasant - fully immersed myself in the serenity of the natural atmosphere and have high acclamation for their food creations.

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Gettouan ゆふいん月燈庵
〒879-5102　大分県由布市湯布院町川上295-2 
http://www.gettouan.com/en/

Kyushu Spring 2014 九州春季之旅 - Kinrinko 金鱗湖

Visited 22.03.2014

The common goal for most people upon exiting from Yufuin JR Station is to head down to Kirinko (Kinrin Lake), a scenic spot in Yufuin.

Kinrin Lake means "golden fin lake". This name came about because the lake "glitters" under the sun just like fins of a fish. There are two sources of water to this lake: cold water from streams connected to the lake and hot water emerging from the bottom of the lake. At low temperatures early in the day, a fog is formed over the surface of the water, creating this dreamy atmosphere. Didn't manage to witness this phenomenon but looking at the beautiful surroundings and its reflection in the calm waters felt very therapeutic - something that I can stare for a long time without twitching. With the lush vegetation in the background, one can expect Kinrin Lake to portray a different look every season - finding myself a reason to visit this place in a different season next time.

Reflection of blue skies in the lake.

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Kinrinko 金鱗湖
Approx 25 mins walk from Yufuin JR Station.
Yufuin Onsen Tourism Website: http://www.yufuin.gr.jp/index.html

Kyushu Spring 2014 九州春季之旅 - Tenjo Sajiki Cafe 天井桟敷

Visited 22.03.2014

This cafe was added to my list of places to visit after reading Milly's travel book (九州：大人的理想休日) on Kyushu. On a side note, I have been an avid supporter of Milly's travel books even since I came across her book featuring Hokkaido. If you are a fan of cafes, or hope to visit laidback hot spring towns, I will recommend reading her books to gather such related information. All in all, Milly did a very comprehensive write up detailing the sights, sounds and tastes experienced during her travels in Japan.

Tenjo Sajiki is a cafe housed in Kamenoi Bessou (亀の井別荘), a luxurious ryokan in Yufuin. Do note that at night (from 1900 hrs onwards), Tenjo Sajiki is transformed to a bar, named Yamaneko (山猫). This cafe is a good place to drop by after visiting Lake Kirinko, which is about 2 mins walk away.

Cafe is located on the second floor and there was already a short queue formed when we arrived. Had to wait for approx 20 mins before we were led to a table on the attic. The attic could accommodate two tables and has a row of bookshelf. On the main floor, half round tables were arranged to face the windows, allowing diners to enjoy their drinks while admiring the serenity outside. Tenjo Sajiki felt like a western style old school cafe, with waiters dressed in black and white uniforms. For diners seated on the attic, the waiter will place the food and drinks in a box and lift them up using a pulley system. 

Bottom left: Mount Yufu

Ordered some cakes and beverages after we settled down.

• Mount Yufu (500 yen), a signature dessert of this cafe. Cream cheese is molded into a conical shape to depict Mount Yufu. Cream cheese is light and smooth in texture and the rum soaked raisins and fine sugar gave the dessert an additional sweet touch.  
• Apart from that, the cheese cake and fruit cake (500 yen/slice) were all delectable and satisfying. Coffee and tea served by Tenjo Sajiki also met our expectations. Like the way they placed a cover over a teapot to mitigate the heat loss from the tea. Always impressed by how small details are well taken care of in Japan. 

Overall, Tenjo Sajiki offers nice ambience and good food - a cafe that I will come again if I visit Yufuin next time.  

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Tenjo Sajiki 天井桟敷
〒879-5198　大分県由布市湯布院町川上2633-1 
Opening hrs: 0900 - 1800 hrs
http://www.kamenoi-bessou.jp/tenjo.html
Less than 2 mins walk from Lake Kirinko.