Michi no eki Nango, Botanical Garden　道の駅なんごう

November 22nd. 2024

Michi no eki Nango and Botanical garden

Michi no eki Nango is, I think, an excellent place to stay. Yes, most of the parking is on a bit of a slope but there are places that are flat. The toilets are small, clean and 50% modern. They also feature potted plants and posies. Any negative points are outweighed by the splendid location; overlooking the sea and adjacent to a large, free botanical garden few michi no eki come close.

Michi no eki Nango

In the botanical garden there is a tropical area, a rock plant area and Jacaranda woods. There are various trails and wooden boardwalks wandering through a large area. It is also on a mountainside so a lot of steps to be climbed and descended.

Botanical Garden, Michi no eki Nango

Sadly, it is in dire need of maintenance so some areas are closed due to rotted boardwalks. Nevertheless, it offers fine walks and we spend almost all morning wandering.

The michi no eki itself is small but sells some unusual stuff and mango soft cream.

At the other extremity of the park, there is a large glass dome housing a host of hothouse plants, all free of charge (Miyazaki Prefectural Tropical Dome).

Greenhouse at Nango

Cape Toi　都井岬

Leaving around midday, we set off for Cape Toi hoping to pick up food for a picnic when we arrive. There is nothing on route so we arrive hungry. Cape Toi charges a 100 yen entrance fee perhaps for the upkeep of the wild horses which make this place special.

Wild horse at Cape Toi

Besides wild horses, there are excellent views, a lighthouse or two, jungle gorges and threadbare hills. The shrine is not worth the effort.

Shrine at Cape Toi

We are hungry so, unusually, opt for lunch is a new, flashy restaurant ‘PAKALAPAKA’. This, besides an indifferent cafeteria selling overpriced pasta and curry, has a bevy of TV screens so you can experience virtually what is outside.

Cape Toi appears to be reinventing itself as a chic place to visit with the new restaurant and glamping area.

Michi no eki Kuninomatsubara Oosaki and Onsen

From Cape Toi we drive to michi no eki Kushima which although slick and modern is in a town centre and not suitable for an overnight stay. After shopping we press on to michi no eki Kunino Matsubara Oosaki.

This is a much better prospect. It has an expanse of flat parking , recently upgraded, spanking new toilets with a stupid design concept and a large onsen. The onsen is unusual in that the washing stations are perhaps two metres apart so very spacious. There is a sauna and three separate baths. One very small and all very hot one almost unbearably so. D. says that on the ladies side no women entered the baths presumably because they were too hot. Strange. The outside bath was not functional due to cost cutting, we suspect. Not at all crowded, mostly local people. There are about half a dozen overnight vehicles.

＊Asuparu onsen ; 500yen / adult

Follow me!

d.d

The author is a long term resident of Japan who has and continues to travel the country extensively.  Avoiding highways where possible, the author has driven from Kagoshima in Kyushu to Wakanai in Hokkaido covering 20,000 plus kilometres and counting.