Kyushu Spring 2014 九州春季之旅 - Dormy Inn Nagasaki 出島の湯 ドーミーイン長崎

Stayed 19.03.2014 (1 night)
Booked thru' Agoda.

Hotels in Nagasaki city are pretty scattered. On most occasions, I tend to choose hotels that are adjacent to train station mainly for convenience reasons. Decided to stay slightly further from the train station and picked a hotel at the Chinatown district. By streetcar, its about four stations away from Nagasaki JR Station.

First time staying in Dormy Inn and it exceeded my expectations (though the name suggested that it is an inn). More than an inn, this hotel has its own public bath and sauna facilities and provide free supper at night - two perks that identifies itself from other business hotel chains. Located just in front of Chinatown street, the hotel has injected some Chinese style elements amid its modern design e.g. decorative windows and lamps. Front desk is not located on the ground floor - have to take a lift up to third floor. Restaurant and public bath are also located on the same level.

Complimentary soba at night.

Stayed in a twin room (21 m2) - room is spacious with adequate walking space and equipped with basic necessities. After utilising accumulated points from Agoda, one twin room stay per night cost about ~140 SGD. Did find time to utilise their public bath and it was not too bad - two to three pools with different water quality (had one with floating yuzu fruits). At night (2130 - 2300 hrs), they offered free buckwheat soba as supper. Despite being complimentary, the quality was not compromised at all - enjoyed my hot bowl of soba very much! And I actually preferred the soba to the breakfast that was provided on the following morning. Later did I know, this complimentary soba was actually unique to Dormy Inn chain of hotels (not exclusive to Nagasaki branch).

All in all, a pleasant first time experience in a Dormy Inn hotel, and I am now always on a lookout for their branches whenever I plan a trip to Japan.

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What's nearby?

(1) Chinatown street (長崎新地中華街), located just in front of the hotel.  

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Dormy Inn Nagasaki 出島の湯 ドーミーイン長崎
http://www.hotespa.net/hotels/nagasaki/

(1) By Streetcar - From Nagasaki JR Station, take line 1 heading for Shokakuji Shita (正覚寺下). Alight at Tsukimachi (築町).

Kyushu Spring 2014 九州春季之旅 - Nagasaki JR Station 長崎駅, Nagasaki City Streetcar 長崎電気軌道

Nagasaki JR Station, the terminus station on Nagasaki main line.

The following trains serve this station:

(1) Seaside Liner, a local train which commutes between Sasebo and Nagasaki. Time taken to travelled between both locations is ~90 mins.

(2) Kamome, a limited express train which commutes between Hakata and Nagasaki.

Left corner: Ltd Express Kamome departing from Nagasaki JR Station; Right corner: Castella cake can be purchased from souvenir shops in the train station. 

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What's nearby?

(1) Nagasaki City Streetcar (Nagasaki Denki Kidou 長崎電気軌道)
The most convenient way (for tourists) to explore Nagasaki city is to ride on its streetcar! The streetcar network is pretty extensive and most of the attractions are within walking distance from the streetcar stops. Each trip cost 120 yen, regardless of the number of stops travelled. If you are transferring to another line to continue your journey, do request for a transfer ticket from the driver before alighting the streetcar.

Nagasaki City Streetcar Map

Alternatively, purchase a one day pass at 500 yen for unlimited streetcar usage if you plan to take the streetcar more than 4 times/day. The pass can be purchased from the tourist information center in Nagasaki JR Station and front desks of selected hotels. Got mine from Washington Hotel, which is located opposite to Dormy Inn Hotel (the hotel I stayed in).

http://www.naga-den.com/kikaku/language/english

Right: 1 day streetcar pass

(2) AMU Plaza & JR Kyushu Hotel Nagasaki
A shopping complex, which is owned by JR Kyushu, is connected seamlessly to the train station. AMU Plaza houses a cinema and popular brands such as GAP, MUJI, ABC Mart and even Tower Records. If you wish to stay close to train station, JR Kyushu Hotel Nagasaki will be a good option. 

AMU Plaza: http://www.amu-n.co.jp/
JR Kyushu Hotel Nagasaki: http://www.jrk-hotels.co.jp/Nagasaki/

(3) Buses (to Mt Inasa Ropeway)

Take Bus 3 or 4 from the train station to Ropeway-mae (ロープウェイ前) bus stop, walk another 2 mins to Fuchi Shrine Station (ロープウェイ淵神社駅) to board the ropeway for Mt Inasa.
Note: Ropeway is suspended for service till 5 Feb 2016 for maintenance work. During this period, buses are deployed to ferry visitors from Nagasaki JR Station to Mt Inasa summit (every 2 hourly on weekdays and hourly on weekends). Do note that prior reservations are required to take this bus service. 

Temporary bus service to Mt Inasa: http://www.nagasaki-ropeway.jp/news/file/62file_20150423180242.pdf

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Commemorative stamps: 

Kyushu Spring 2014 九州春季之旅 - Lucky's Burger ラッキーズ鹿子前店

Visited 19.03.2014

US Fleet Activities Sasebo was established here in 1950s. The fashion of eating burgers was also gradually developed, and the initial intent was to provide comfort food to the people serving the naval base here. Quite different from the conventional fast food centres, the burgers here are made upon order and packed with hefty ingredients. From then now, many such restaurants surfaced, offering a good variety of burgers. A Sasebo burger association was also set up to promote this unexpectedly popular gourmet food in the city- a stand bearing this "Burger Boy" mascot will be placed outside these restaurants. Currently, there are about 20 restaurants within this association. 

Sasebo Burger: http://www.sasebo99.com/restaurant/?cate_m=30Tip: Do pick up a Sasebo Burger Map from the Tourist Information Center located within Sasebo JR Station.

Visited Lucky's which is located in Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort. Interior looks like any other fast food restaurant and the usage of blue, red and white colours added a tinge of American flavour. Lucky's offers a standard menu of burgers - beef, chicken, fish and bacon as the main meat ingredient, together with cheese, egg, vegetables and sauces stuffed between two toasted buns. Ordered their signature bacon & egg burger (standard size). Totally awed by the first bite - impressed by how the different flavours of meat, egg, vegetables and mayonnaise sauce, blended harmoniously together in one small simple burger. This is how a good burger should taste like! If you plan to visit Pearl Sea Pearl, I will recommend to pay this restaurant a visit. Definitely one of the food that I will reminisce about when I think of Kyushu. 

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Lucky's Burger ラッキーズ鹿子前店
長崎県佐世保市鹿子前町1055 九十九島パールシーリゾート内
http://www.lucky-group.co.jp/luckys/
Opening hrs: 1000 - 2000 hrs

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Other options:

(1) Log Kit ログキット
Their main shop is located at Yatake-cho (矢岳町). Later found out that there is a smaller branch located strategically within Sasebo JR Station. Almost wanted to grab one but had to rush to board the next train.

Log Kit Sasebo JR Station Branch ログキット 佐世保駅店
佐世保市三浦町21-2 JR佐世保駅
Opening hrs: 1000 - 2000 hrs
http://logkit.jp/

(2) Hikari ヒカリ 
Another famous brand in Sasebo, this restaurant is located side by side to Log Kit at Yatake-cho. Fortunately, they have opened another branch in Sasebo Goban Gai 佐世保五番街, a shopping complex which is near Sasebo JR Station.

Hikari Sasebo Goban Gai Branch ヒカリ 佐世保五番街
佐世保市新港町3-1
Opening hrs: 1000 - 2100 hrs
http://hikari-burger.com/


Log Kit + Hikari Main Shop (Yatake-cho)
佐世保市矢岳町１－１
Opening hrs: 1000 - 2100 hrs (Log Kit); 1000 - 2000 hrs (Hikari)
Take a local bus from the bus terminal outside the east exit of train station and alight at "Motomachi, Shilitsusogo Byooin Mae 元町・市立総合病院前". Approx 2 mins walk from bus stop.

Kyushu Spring 2014 九州春季之旅 - Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort 九十九島パールシー リゾート, Kujukushima Sightseeing Ship 九十九島遊覧船

Visited 19.03.2014

Kaiou, the pirate themed sightseeing ship, which has been replaced by Mirai.

Backup plan. Because of the bad weather and failed attempt to capture a good overview of Kujukushima from Funakoshi Observatory, I made a last minute decision to embark on a sightseeing ship cruise to come closer the islands, hoping to overcome the earlier disappointment. It took us 15 minutes to walk from Funakoshi Observatory to Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort, where the sightseeing ship pier is located.
  

Don't be misled by the name of this place (at least I was), as there are no luxurious hotels or private beaches here. Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort (formerly known as Saikai Pearl Sea Resort) is more of a leisure and entertainment zone - a pier for sightseeing cruise ships, an aquarium (Kujukushima Aquarium Umikirara 九十九島水族館 海きらら), shops and restaurants (Lucky's Burger) are all gathered within the same area. There are two sightseeing ships which set sail around Kujukushima and the entire journey takes about 50 minutes: Pearl Queen and Mirai, a pirate themed ship which has replaced the former Kaiou (海王).

Features. Chose to ride on the pirate themed ship, Kaiou, which was making its first sail of the day at 1130 hrs. Bright red hull was very eye catching and made me look forward to the ride. Though crow's nests which served as lookout points were available, it was not accessible (at least no one dare to do so without any safety harnesses on). The pirate theme was also extended to the interior - you can find treasure boxes filled with gold coins, toy skulls hanging from the ceiling, cannon and cannonballs directed outwards.

Ship moving through the narrow water way between two islands.

Experience. Stayed outdoor throughout the entire ship journey. As anticipated, Kujukushima felt less breathtaking when viewed at grade level. With a map in hand, I tried to trace the route that the ship was taking and identify the unique features in some of the islands (that were mentioned in the brochures), while enjoying the cooling sea breeze. You would also notice numerous buoys arranged in a square fashion in the sea - oyster farming is actively practised in the calm waters surrounding Kujukushima. The most exciting part of the ride was when the ship sailed skilfully through a narrow waterway between two islands.

Conclusion. Overall, the sightseeing ship journey was pleasant but did not bring out the best side of Kujukushima. I will still recommend making your way to any of the elevated observation spots to capture a better view of the cluster of islands, especially on a good weather day.

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Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort  九十九島パールシーリゾート
〒858-0922　長崎県佐世保市鹿子前町1008番地
http://www.pearlsea.jp/english/

Sightseeing ship sailing times:
- Pearl Queen: 1000, 1100, 1300, 1400, 1500 hrs
- Mirai: 1130, 1330 and 1430 hrs
Fee = 1,400 yen (adult); 700 yen (child)

How to get there?

By bus from Sasebo JR Station:
- Bus stop #1 (not located in the bus center, just turn left after exiting from train station): for rapid service bus to Pearl Sea Resort (パールシーリゾート). 6 buses per day and bus timings have been arranged to allow seamless transfer from/to Ltd Express Midori train.
Fee = 240 yen. Bus timings: http://www.pearlsea.jp/english/access.html

- Bus stop #6 (in bus center): for local bus to Pearl Sea Resort (パールシーリゾート). Fee = 240 yen.
Bus timings: http://www.pearlsea.jp/access/shieibusjikokuhyou.pdf

Kyushu Spring 2014 九州春季之旅 - Funakoshi Observatory 船越展望所 (Kujukushima 九十九島)

Visited 19.03.2014

Kujukushima means 99 islands in Japanese. Despite the name, there are a total of 208 islands, most of them are inhabited, within this cluster and it is said to be the most highly concentrated in Japan.

Two ways to see Kujukushima:
(1) There are several designated observation spots in Sasebo city to take in the splendor of Kujukushima. Some are accessible by local buses.
(2) Regular sightseeing ships which departs from Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort at stipulated timings.

My personal preference was to capture an overview of Kujukushima from the observation spots rather than get close to them physically via the sightseeing ship. Unfortunately, the weather was cloudy resulting in poor visibility. Original plan was to visit Tenkaiho (展海峰), which is known to be the best viewing spot for Kujukushima. However, after consulting the staff at the Tourist Information Center at Sasebo JR Station, we made our way to Funakoshi instead, the nearest observatory from the train station. The visibility was poor as expected and I could imagine how scenic the view of the green islands and blue seas here will be on a good day. Hopefully better luck on my next trip to Kyushu.

(1) Funakoshi Observatory 船越展望所
From Sasebo City Bus Center (Bus Stop 7), board the bus heading for Tsukumo-en (つくも苑) via Zoological and Botanical Garden and alight at Kujukushima Botanical and Zoological Garden. Bus journey takes about 25 mins. From the bus stop, walk for another 10 mins before reaching destination. From what I recalled, this winding road leading to the observatory has no designated pedestrian walkway, therefore do stay closer to the sides.  
Website (in Japanese): http://www.sasebo99.com/spot/61464/
Bus schedule (in Japanese):
下船越・展海峰入口・つくも苑(動植物園経由) http://city-sasebo-koutuu.jp/jikokuhaifu5.html
展海峰入口・つくも苑(赤崎/動植物園) http://city-sasebo-koutuu.jp/jikokuhaifu6.html

Other well-known observation spots:

(2) Tenkaiho 展海峰
Apart from its 180 degree panoramic view of Kujukushima, Tenhaiho is a popular flower viewing spot too. Be captivated by blooming yellow rapeseed flowers in spring and a carpet of purple cosmos in autumn.
From Sasebo City Bus Center (Bus Stop 7), board the bus heading for Tsukumo-en (つくも苑) and alight at Tenkaiho iriguchi (展海峰入口). Bus journey takes about 40 mins. From the bus stop, walk for another 6 minutes before reaching the destination.
Website (in Japanese): http://www.sasebo99.com/spot/274/
Bus schedule (in Japanese):
下船越・展海峰入口・つくも苑(動植物園経由) http://city-sasebo-koutuu.jp/jikokuhaifu5.html
展海峰入口・つくも苑(赤崎/動植物園) http://city-sasebo-koutuu.jp/jikokuhaifu6.html

(3) Ishidake Observatory 石岳展望台
What makes this secluded observatory an attractive one is its elevation. This also implies visitors will need to overcome a gradient to reach here. Did a quick check on online photos posted and I was awed by the picturesque photos taken on a good day. Have noted down this place as a spot to visit next time round.
From Kujukushima Botanical and Zoological Garden, walk for another 30 mins up slope.
Website (in Japanese): http://www.sasebo99.com/spot/273/

(4) Yumiharidake Observatory 弓張岳展望台
Visitors get to capture both Kujukushima and Sasebo city skyline from this observatory. Buses to Yumiharidake are quite infrequent and the bus journey from Sasebo JR Station takes about 25 minutes.
Website: http://www.sasebo99.com/spot/265/
Bus route (in Japanese):
弓張岳 http://city-sasebo-koutuu.jp/jikokuhaifu21.html

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Funakoshi Observatory 船越展望所
〒857-1231　長崎県佐世保市船越町１４７

Kyushu Spring 2014 九州春季之旅 - Sasebo JR Station 佐世保駅

Sasebo station, the terminus station on Sasebo line.
Though this is named JR's westernmost station in Japan, geographically this is not true. Nishi Kyushu line, which is operated by Matsuura Tetsudo, extends further from Sasebo to Imari and Arita.

The following trains serve this station:

(1) Seaside Liner, a local train which commutes between Sasebo and Nagasaki.
Time taken to travel between Sasebo and Nagasaki is ~ 90 mins.

(2) Ltd Express Midori train, commutes between Sasebo and Hakata.

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What's nearby:

(1) Bus center, located in front of train station.

- Bus stop #1 (not located in the bus center, just turn left after exiting from train station): for rapid service bus to Pearl Sea Resort (パールシーリゾート). 6 buses per day and bus timings have been arranged to allow seamless transfer from/to Ltd Express Midori train. Fee = 240 yen.
Bus timings: http://www.pearlsea.jp/english/access.html

- Bus stop #6 (in bus center): for local bus to Pearl Sea Resort (パールシーリゾート). Fee = 240 yen.
Bus timings: http://www.pearlsea.jp/access/shieibusjikokuhyou.pdf

- Bus stop #7 (in bus center): for local bus to Kujukushima Zoological and Botanic Garden.
Alight at Kujukushima Zoological and Botanic Garden, walk for another 10 mins to Funakoshi Observatory (船越展望所).

Sasebo City Transportation Bureau (in Japanese): http://city-sasebo-koutuu.jp/index.html

(2) Tourist Information Center

Collect useful maps and brochures, such as Sasebo Burgur map. Managed to chat with an English speaking staff who advised us which observatory to visit to get a better view of Kujukushima (as it was pretty cloudy on our day of visit). You can also purchase Sasebo's mascot "Burger Boy" merchandises, such as collar pins and cellphone straps, here.

Bought a "Burger Boy" collar pin from Tourist Information Center.

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Commemorative stamp:

Kyushu Spring 2014 九州春季之旅 - Day 5 Itinerary: Nagasaki 長崎, Sasebo 佐世保

Day 5: 19.03.2014
* Day 3 of 5 Days JR Kyushu Rail Pass (Northern Area)

Kujukushima, viewed from Funakoshi Observatory

Breakfast: Hotel Okura JR Huis Ten Bosch ホテルオークラJRハウステンボス

Huis Ten Bosch JR Station ハウステンボス駅 (0852 hrs) > Sasebo JR Station 佐世保駅 (0919 hrs)
by local train.

Sasebo JR Station 佐世保駅  > Saikai National Park, Kujukushima Zoological & Botanical Garden
by taxi. Fee = 1,850 yen (*missed bus heading same destination).

Walked to Funakoshi Observatory 船越展望所.

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Walked to Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort 九十九島パールシー リゾート.
Boarded Kaiou, Kujukushima Sightseeing Ship @ 1130 hrs.

Lunch: Lucky's Burger ラッキーズ鹿子前店, at Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort.

Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort > Sasebo JR Station
by local bus. Fee = 230 yen.

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Sasebo JR Station 佐世保駅 (1427 hrs) > Nagasaki JR Station 長崎駅 (1558 hrs)
by JR Seaside Liner

Nagasaki JR Station 長崎駅 > Dormy Inn Nagasaki 出島の湯 ドーミーイン長崎
by taxi. Fee = ~900 yen.

Check in: Dormy Inn Nagasaki 出島の湯 ドーミーイン長崎

Tsukimachi > Oura Tenshudoshita
by streetcar, via line 5. Fee = 120 yen.

Dinner: Champon noodles @ Shikairou 四海楼

Oura Tenshudoshita > Tsukimachi
by streetcar, via line 5. Fee = 120 yen.

Walked thru' Shinchi Chinatown street.

Shinchimachi > Nagasaki Ropeway Front Bus Stop
by Bus 4. Fee = 150 yen.

Fuchi Shrine Station > Inasadake Station
by Ropeway. Fee = 1,200 yen (round trip)

Visited Inasayama Observatory 稲佐山山頂展望台.

Nagasaki Ropeway Front Bus Stop > Nagasaki Ekimae
by Bus 20. Fee = 150 yen.

Supper #1: Mister Donuts @ AMU Plaza

Nagasaki ekimae > Tsukimachi
by streetcar, via line 1. Fee = 120 yen.

Supper #2: Complimentary yakisoba in Dormy Inn Nagasaki.

- End of Day 5 -