Kurawankan Showroom: Hasami Town, Nagasaki Prefecture

There’s a small town located in the rural confines of Nagasaki prefecture called Hasami and it is considered to be one of the birthplaces of the ceramic industry in Japan, established in the 17th Century. The town feels like a step back into history. Seeing a community whose livelihood is fully intertwined with every facet of its famous ceramic industry is an amazing site whether you’re here for two days or 20 minutes.

If you do have the time, of course you should pop into 10 to 15 different ceramic shops, showcases, showrooms and kilns dotted throughout the Main Street and outlying dedicated pottery villages. However, many of my tours are shore excursions and thus time is of the essence and this is why I go to one pottery location called Kurawankan. It is located inside the Hasami pottery information center with the museum on the second floor and the showroom on the first floor.

Here you will find 30 different local artisian’s showcasing their ceramic wares. At the entrance you have a lot of stock that is heavily discounted and as you wander through each section, you get to read a little bit about the artists and see how beautiful and amazing this pottery really is. 

It’s quite incredible. I get many many customers who say they just want to get a look at the pottery because they have no room in their suitcase or that they're not interested but 99.99% of the time there is definitely one purchase at the minimum taking place. The ladies in the store are so helpful and they will wrap your most valuable assets to make it transport worthy.

It's an incredible place and an amazing experience to see one of Japanese most cultural assets so elegantly and professionally presented to the world.

Please check out the Karawankan Showroom here on the map below:

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Please click on these videos below to see more aboit the Kurawankan Showroom in Hasami Town, Nagasaki:

TOTO Toilet Museum: Kokura City, Fukuoka Prefecture

The Toto Toilet Museum in Kokura City, Fukuoka is a real fine. It’s just one of those places that you don’t expect to be very good until you turn up one day and it blows your expectations out of the water.

Today we take toilets for granted, but obviously the technology of toilets have changed considerably over the decades from the basic and very substandard models of yesteryear. The first thing you noticed when you walk in is how big the museum is. Not only spacious, but the interior design and the atmosphere of the place is incredible as well. As you walk through from room to room and exhibition to exhibition you soon realize how much you didn't know about this product that you use on a daily basis!

There’s just so much to see and explore. Not only do you have a timeline of when different technologies came into place, but it also shows the transformation of the toilet in different continents of the world and obviously in particular Japan. One of the most interesting experiences at the museum and actually when you have to go to the toilet! The latest toilet technology is there to greet you, I can tell you its an incredible feeling!

Did you know that the TOTO toilet company was originally a ceramics and porcelain company?  Of course, when that market became saturated, the TOTO company had to look elsewhere and one of the most dynamic markets at that time was in the bathroom sector. All I can say is that, not only will it be an  incredibly interesting attraction but you will definitely learn a lot. You never know that information might come in handy one day!

If you don’t have a TOTO toilet, it’s about time you got one. It will change your life in so many ways for the better.

Please check out the TOTO Toilet Company here on this map below:

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Amazing structure indeed

Plenty of English 

Lots of toilet seats to sit on

Originally a ceramics company

The famous asian squat toilet

Lavender toilet anyone

Incredible showroom

Continental difference explained

Everyone loves TOTO

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Kunimigaoka Observatory: Takachiho Town, Miyazaki Prefecture

Kunimigaoka Is an observatory point in Miyazaki prefecture located close to Takachiho town and stands at an altitude of approximately 500 m above sea level. At the viewing platform, you pretty much have a 360° panoramic view of amazing scenery for as far as the I can see. On a clear day, you can see Mount Aso to the west and the Takachiho basin to the east and it really is one of those amazing places that will leave you spellbound and wondering why you’ve never heard of this place before. 

Legend has it that the grandson of Emperor Jimmu, the first Shinto god that left heaven to take his place on Earth, viewed this area of Takachiho from this exact spot and hence there are commemorative stones and statues to remember this very important part of Japanese mythology. 

All I can say is that it is an incredible place and as long as the weather gods are in our favor, it’s an amazing start to the day.  It's just the beginning, the views and scenery will just keep getting better and better and better

This is absolutely God’s country.

Come and see the Kunimigaoka Observatory below on a map:

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A view for the ages

Non stop beauty

Well signposted

This is truly God's country

A rough translation

The famous swing 

Protectors of the land

A place to say your blessings

Please check these videos below to see more of the Kunimigaoka Observatory: