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:
Click on the pictures below to enlarge:
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:
Visitors can enjoy fresh fruit at lower prices than supermarkets and a great selection of flowers and plants. In fact, during the right season you can get not only the freshest fruit and vegetables at the highest quality but also pricing that is so reasonable you will not be able to just buy 1.
Case in point is the Strawberry season in Japan from December to mid April. I can guarantee that you will not have any better than what you can get here in Fukuoka. Our special type of Strawberry that is specifically grown to be SWEET, is called the Amaou. I cannot tell you how many past clients have argued that the strawberries from their hometown region are the best they have ever tasted. In these cases 100% of them stopped arguing as soon as the strawberry touched their lips. The question that has to be asked, is can you stop a just one pack of strawberries, I think not!
The handmade corner features sausages and tofu, jams, sauces and more, as well as a plentiful selection of bento boxes and sushi. I use this option on sunny days and we have a picnic at a nearby park. Not only some of the most delicious sushi that you can have but get some Vitamin D and fresh air to boot!
Please check out Ito Sai Sai Farmers Market here on a map below:
Now that my daughter is fully settled in Tokyo, started University and getting accustomised to her new Megalopolis city, we have started to prepare her for the upcoming touring season.
The first thing we wanted to explore was the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal to familiarize with the location, access points, facilities and also deal with any small issues that could pop up on any given day.
Must I say that the location and the facilities are all of World Class which you would expect of such a cosmopolitan and modern city like Tokyo. Having excellent access all across Japan, the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal is a central hub for traveling in Japan and a gateway to exciting sightseeing experiences for visitors from around the world. Opened in 2020 within the Port of Tokyo, the terminal became the new marine gateway of Tokyo with a four-story building with a vast floor area of approximately 19,000 square meters that is capable of accommodating even the world's largest cruise ships.
On this day we arrived by monorail and its only a 10 minute walk from the station to the Port entrance. We did a quick walk around and found everything to be easily locatable and extremely organized. Looking forward to seeing my daughter organize and operate her first tour in the upcoming weeks and months ahead.
Here is a map of the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal below:
Please click on these photos below to see more about the Tokyo International Port Terminal:
The Chiran peace Museum in Kagoshima Prefecture is one of those locations that leaves a lasting impression on you for many years to come. The museum is located in a very rural part of the prefecture and down on the southern point of Kyushu Island allowing its strategic location to attack the advancing allied forces through the Okinawa Islands. The region of Japan was very important to the Japanese War Machine as Nagasaki was the hub of the Imperial Navy and Chiran was the hub of the Imperial Air force.
The museum has attempted to commemorate the army pilots who were known as the kamikaze pilots with stories of personal comments to their parents before their suicide missions in the days to come. When I first visited this museum over 20 years ago, there was limited if not any English whatsoever. However, today, I’m proud to announce that there has been a real impetus put on the fact that as foreigners, we are only told one side of the many World War II stories. It is these personal accounts and heartfelt messages of the young soldiers to their parents that really give you an indication of what it was really like during that faithful time. The peace museum tells about the true situation of that time to provide posterity and devote itself to contribute to permanent world peace.
20 years ago, only the Japanese visitors would leave the premises with tears in their eyes, now with the English translations and interactive displays, It is pretty much a certainty that all visitors will leave this attraction with a profound effect and a deeper understanding of the opposition during this turbulent time. The Chiran peace Museum has been able to collect many artifacts over the years with the highlight being several Japanese zero fighters that are permanently encased inside and also outside in the memorial park. One of the zero's has been left intact and shows the damage it occurred during one of the many air forays into enemy territory. A real find!
This is a true World War II historical significant site that has been able to mend many fences and bring Japan back to where it stands today. A trusted and respected ally of the west and one of the hottest destinations to visit in the 21st century.
Please check out the Chiran Peace Museum of the map below:
Please click on these photos below to enlarge:
Main building
Important military locations
The entrance
Peace Fountain
Kamikaze Pilots
Japanese Zero Fighter
Peace Bell
Sleeping quarters
Peace Cranes
Damaged Zero
Please look at these videos below to see more about the Chiran Peace Museum.
