03/02/2021 / Last updated : 03/02/2021 d.d Kyushu 2020-21

Matama Beach sunset, Kunisaki Hanto 真玉海岸、国東半島

December 2020 Considering a trip to Kunisaki Hanto (peninsula) and checking places to visit, we discover that today, forecast to be bright and sunny coupled with a low tide, is an optimum time to check Matama Beach. This beach in Kunisaki is famous for its spectacular sunsets. So, at short notice we load the van and set off, heading first for Kita-Kyushu and then taking the Higashi Kyushu highway towards Oita. This is mainly a one lane highway which makes for boring driving, but the traffic is light even on a fine Saturday. Matama Beach We exit the Higashi-Kyushu highway at Koge Parking Area and follow local roads to Matama […]

18/01/2021 / Last updated : 18/01/2021 d.d Kyushu 2020-21

Ikitsuki Island and Hirado 生月島、平戸

Hirado and Ikitsuki November 25th. Ikitsuki Ohashi michi no eki A mild night at Ikitsuki Ohashi michi no eki, which proved to be an excellent place to stay. The toilets are clean, if basic, but boast a heated seat washlet which was a surprise. The car park has a view of the bridge, you are almost underneath it, and the sea is next to you. There are benches and picnic tables if the weather allows outside dining. In season it is probably very busy but at this time of year, November, there were only a couple of other vehicles overnight. Obae Lighthouse and Shiodawara cliffs　大バエ灯台、塩俵の断崖 We set off for Oobae […]

22/12/2020 / Last updated : 23/02/2021 d.d Extra Edition-Okinawa

Taketomi island, snorkeling and cycling　竹富島

Day 5 Up at 7 am on snorkeling day. A quick, convenience store sandwich breakfast as the diving school guy is picking us up at 8, outside our hotel. At the port, we find there are only two other people on this trip. They are planning to dive whilst we are only going to snorkel. We set off and, surprisingly far from the shore, we finish pushing into our wet suits and take to the water. Snorkeling This is my, indeed our, first experience of wet suits and it was colder than I had anticipated. Not seriously uncomfortable but a periodic shock as a wave sloshed down my neck and […]

17/12/2020 / Last updated : 23/02/2021 d.d Extra Edition-Okinawa

Ishigaki island, glass bottomed boat trip 石垣島

Day 4 We have the complimentary breakfast. D enjoys this and says I shouldn’t complain as it is free. She is right, of course, but I can’t really enjoy miso soup in the morning, free or not. Pottery Street 　壺屋やちむん通り We have some time to fill before our flight to Ishigaki-jima. Not enough to do very much, but too much to ignore. We opt to wander, with laden rucksacks, and visit the pottery street ‘Tsuboya Yachimun Street’. This is, obviously, located not far from where we were staying. The street is cobblestones with old shops and houses, good for wandering. It is still too early for most of the […]

08/12/2020 / Last updated : 08/12/2020 d.d Extra Edition-Okinawa

Bise, Kouri Island and Manzamo 備瀬、古宇利島、万座毛

Day 3 Very comfortable night in our accommodation on Sesoko. I told D. the foam mattress was a “True Sleeper”, but she did not believe me. After our complimentary breakfast coffee, we set off to walk on the famous Sesoko island beach nearby. Sadly, access was denied as construction of a huge hotel had taken over the entire area. So, we visited the only other beach on this island which turned out to be a poor affair under the bridge that links it to the mainland. We made use of it for a U-turn and set off for Bise. Bise Bise is a very old settlement, laid out on a […]

29/11/2020 / Last updated : 29/11/2020 d.d Extra Edition-Okinawa

Ikei Beach and Cape Hedo 伊計ビーチ、辺戸岬

Day 2 We pick up a rental car at Louis Vuitton, or at least the large store housing LV and a host of other luxury brands. Being unaccustomed to entering such places, we could not find the rental car office. We wandered around outside this large, imposing building never dreaming the rental car counter would be inside. Ikei Beach First, we drive out of Naha and on to Ikei-jima to visit Ikei Beach. We take the Kaichu-doro by Kin-wan (bay) which is an interesting route. We cross two islands to Ikei-jima which is quiet island mostly given over to sugar cane. Ikei beach, I would suggest, is best avoided. It […]

06/02/2018 / Last updated : 02/04/2021 d.d Drive Hokkaido Area

Shosanbetsu- Obsevatory- Salmon fishing　初山別

Day 8 As we moved on up Hokkaido’s Japan Sea coast, we checked a couple of michi no eki with a view to staying. The first was rubbish, second one had a big onsen (hot spring) and a rose garden but the parking spot was not good. We were a bit spoilt by 21 Century Forest. So, we pushed on to the next possibility. this was Shosanbetsu, which has an onsen and a free campsite, near an observatory. This turned out to be a lucky choice. Shosanbetsu At the Michi no eki ‘Shosanbetsu’ (R.232) we are directed to the top of the headland and there, sure enough, is an observatory […]

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