Tarumizu Senbon Icho 垂水千本銀杏
November 25th. 2024
Michi no eki Tarumizu
Michi no eki Tarumizu is a good spot for an overnight stay. Flat and spacious with modern, clean toilets. There is also a cheap and cheerful onsen. No frills, no soap no shampoo. It does have an ashiyu or foot-bath with a view of the bay and Mt. Sakurajima.
Sakurajima from Tarumizu
There are 10 to a dozen overnight vehicles.
One of these caught my attention. An oldish K-car, a small car less than 600 cc. Was parked in the handicapped spaces under the roof in front of the toilets. The car was full of rubbish, some spilling outside. As it had no shades the elderly, gentleman occupant was clearly visible; fast asleep sprawled on the garbage like Smaug on his mass of bullion.
In the morning this gentleman wished me a pleasant stay in Japan, in perfect English. I thought he was living in the michi no eki but later his car was gone.
Tarumizu Senbon Ichyo
From the michi no eki we drive to Tarumizu Senbon Ichyo. This is a wood of over a thousand Ichyo or Ginko trees, planted apparently by a couple clearly many years ago.
Senbon Icho
The spot is very popular and parking is reputed to be problematic so we time our visit for a Monday morning. We have no trouble at all parking and there are only a few other people wandering about under the unimpressive trees with their green, slightly withered leaves with hardly a hint of the glorious golden spectacle one had hoped for. The peak is apparently in December but I doubt much of a display this year. Perhaps too warm, too long.
Senbon Icho
Mt. Sakurajima
We leave disappointed and head for Sakurajima. This large, active volcano is constantly spewing clouds of vapour and gas and sometimes blankets the surrounding area in ash.
It never fails to impress but today was not growling deep underground as it sometimes is.
We drive to Yunohira observation point but it is crowded so we drive back to Arimura lava viewing spot. This place offers more space to wander around in a lava landscape with fine views of the mountain and the sea.
Mt. Sakurajima from Arimura
We plan to visit Aoi Aso Shrine tomorrow so set off for Hitoyoshi.
Ebino Loop and michi no eki Nishiki
From Sakurajima to Hitoyoshi, a long and not very interesting drive apart from the whirligig or the Ebino loop on route 221 up and around the mountains.
We have trouble finding food so Lawsons is the last resort and we stop at michi no eki Nishiki. for the night. This has huge parking and very swish new toilets with bells and whistles.
Rain is forecast during the night but it is possible to park near a covered walkway.
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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.
