We are back in the land of the rising sun again after our
honeymoon in Hokkaido in 2014! Over 13 days in November 2015, we travelled the
length and breadth of this beautiful yet underrated part of Japan, traversing
five out of the seven prefectures on the island (Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Miyazaki,
Kumamoto and Oita)! Despite spending close to two weeks here, there are still a
lot of places left unexplored!
As with our previous holiday, we rented a car on this trip
which allowed us to journey to the more remote parts of Kyushu. I loved the
freedom and flexibility of having our own ride. We went where we wanted to and
we could stop anywhere we liked (as long as traffic rules permit). We explored
places well beyond the usual tourist traps and into ulu mountain villages and
small towns not found in the typical guidebooks.
This really paid off because we were rewarded with a rich
cultural experience of living like locals. What left the deepest impression for
me was how warm and friendly the people are. Throughout this entire trip, we
had a lot of chance encounters and interactions with the locals due to the
places we stayed at and it is these human connections that made this a very
special trip for us.
Kyushu! We’ll be back!
