Trains, onsen....more trains, more onsen! Might have taken some flights too...

[rbjhan]

The next morning.
Since I've visited the castle, only one thing left to do!

Aaaahhh Kumamon here I came!

Arrived super early for the 11.30 performance


Coz the stage was not big, once reached capacity they closed the door.


Kumamon was cosplaying Santa


Oh he was so cute (I assume it's a "he"?)

 

[rbjhan]

Kumamon Square was in the main commercial area of Kumamoto.
Another shotengai...


Damn I really want a kotatsu!
Sadly MUJI in Australia don't sell them ;((

 

[rbjhan]

Kyushu Shinkansen Tsubame to Hakata.


2-2 in economy.
I believe only JR Kyushu has this layout. Everywhere else Shinkansen is 2-3 in economy.


I bought a discount ticket online for 3800 Yen, success~~normal price should be 5300.
In case anyone's wondering, 140 case fits the overhead storage, just. (So you don't have to book the luggage space)


Of course I bought a Kumamon bento


It was two types of beef and egg on rice.


Taste was not bad. But taste was not why I bought it!

 

[rbjhan]

Normally I used IKYU to book hotels in Japan, Jalan if the establishment is not high end enough for IKYU
But occasionally Booking has some great deals too...certainly was the case for my Fukuoka hotel.

Nishitetsu Hotel Croom Hakata Gion, belongs to....yes another train company
Location was very good, one metro stop from JR Hakata Station, 5 mins walk to Canal City.
Booked a Japanese room




That was Canal City Washington Hotel and Dormy Inn Gion outside.


Brand new hotel opened in April 2023. Highly recommend.

 

[rbjhan]

Kumamoto was the first real city after I left Tokyo (yeah sorry Shikoku but you don't cut it), I didn't have much time there though.

So shopping was on the cards in Fukuoka! There's Kitte, Hankyu, Maruzen, Yodobashi....all next to or attached to JR Hakata Station. Yeah, that's what I did rest of that day
I must say, stationery-wise no other city is comparable to Tokyo

Dinner was a quick one at Yayoiken.


Then went back to hotel and straight to public bath not onsen but still very nice!


Even has a rotenburo!



I noticed in Kyushu almost all the signages were in Japanese/English/Chinese/Korean...
Especially Korean you don't see in other parts of Japan. Fukuoka is, closer to Seoul than Tokyo!
(There's a ferry from Fukuoka to Busan, maybe I should try that some day)

 

[frodo]

Ah yes, the only reason I was there in the first place, Kawasemi Yamasemi!

KAWASEMI YAMASEMI｜JR KYUSHU RAILWAY COMPANY

JR九州の時刻・運賃検索、列車運行情報や駅情報・路線図、車両案内などご案内です。

www.jrkyushu.co.jp

This one was the most difficult to book the whole trip!
Well, first of all it only runs on weekends and public holidays, so competition is always fierce.
Plus, it runs one return trip per day, 2 cars only. Seats are very limited (some other things going on here too, we'll get to it).

Thank you for the trip report and the information about the kawasemi yamasemi!

Looks like there are additional services running over the Christmas/New Year holidays and I've managed to book a trip on it for 2 Jan even though it's been 10 days since reservations opened.

 

[rbjhan]

Thank you for the trip report and the information about the kawasemi yamasemi!

Looks like there are additional services running over the Christmas/New Year holidays and I've managed to book a trip on it for 2 Jan even though it's been 10 days since reservations opened.

Lucky you!!
Yeah looks like they are running a whole bunch of extra services especially in Dec.


Now that you've got the ticket, I suggest going to the green window to inquire about upgrading to those special seats!

 

[rbjhan]

You think I'm done with the trains? Not so fast!

Remember I mentioned 36+3 before? This one, I think is the third best train in JR Kyushu lineup.

黒い787「36ぷらす3」 | JR九州

コンセプトは「九州のすべてが、ぎゅーっと詰まった“走る九州”といえる列車」。これまでのD＆S列車とはひと味違った、新たな旅の楽しみ方をご提案します。

www.jrkyushu-36plus3.jp

First ofc is Seven Stars in Kyushu - yeah that's not happening obviously, not only do you need mega bucks, also mega luck! (Demand is way over supply so they run a lottery ticket allocation system)

2nd I would say is Aruressha, JR九州 | JRKYUSHU DISCOVER TRAIN「或る列車」
This one I feel is more about the cuisine than the train ride, plus it didn't fit my schedule...

Okay so now 36+3.
It runs 5 different routes in a week, visiting all of Kyushu.

Translation:
Monday, Hakata - Sasebo return (via different stops)
Thursday, Hakata -> Kagoshima
Friday, Kagoshima -> Miyazaki
Saturday, Miyazaki -> Beppu/Oita
Sunday, Beppu/Oita -> Kitakyushu/Hakata


During the planning stage I studied this map, a lot! (and it paid off)
Finally decided the Monday route from Hakata to Sasebo kinda fit
Then I looked at all the stops (not that many), researched what to do in those places, settled on Takeo onsen (OF COURSE)

Now came the fun part of booking it...
Ah yes sold out in one minute!


But wait! Unlike other days, Monday route is actually a round trip from Hakata to Sasebo and back. Quickly searched for the return trip and got my ticket!!!

Phew! Got lucky here...so I just need to reposition once to Takeo onsen in the morning or early afternoon, not bad at all.

 

[rbjhan]

Booked a train to Takeo onsen at half past 12, went to Canal City after brekkie.


Caught some nice waterworks.


Train time again!
There's this standing noodle shop on the platform.


But I already bought a bento...


Just a mini rant, Japanese coffee are bloody awful This particular Blue Bottle didn't even sell latte! The girl looked at me and said, do you want a white coffee then? Deep sigh....yes I wanted the white coffee! After two weeks I was desperate enough. Rant over.

Fukuoka delicacy, mentaiko (cod roe)!


Limited Express Midori, the ride to Takeo onsen was about one hour.

 

[rbjhan]

Takeo onsen station building got a new face lift after the opening of Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen.
Although, what's the point of this thing if not connected to Hakata?!


Rain was forecasted in the evening...


There was the typical small town vibe..

 

[rbjhan]

Other than the onsen, main attraction in town is their library!


Being a library, obviously you don't want tourists running up and down the place taking pictures etc...only one designated photo spot on the far end of 1st floor.
Downstairs there were Starbucks and Tsutaya Bookstore.


Stunning place! More pictures here

武雄市図書館

武雄市図書館では、従来の図書貸出はもちろんのこと、蔦屋書店の併設により、本や物販商品の購入が可能です。また、館内にはスターバックス コーヒーも併設され、コーヒーを飲みながら本を読むことができます。

takeo.city-library.jp

 

[rbjhan]

Next to the library there's Takeo Shrine.







Now that's a fancy Shuin!

 

[rbjhan]

Took a taxi to Takeo onsen - actual onsen I mean.

The area was marked by this Romon.


Behind the Romon was Takeo Onsen Shinnkan.


Shinkan used to be the public bath but is now a museum.
The old baths were kept.

 

[rbjhan]

Next to Shinkan was the current public bath.


500 Yen entry.
Noticed the temperature, I choose Moto Yu.




Inside it was...rustic? I liked it though.
Photo from their website.

 

[rbjhan]

Back to Takeo Onsen Station.

36+3 was on the board!


Hold on a minute, the one on the left looked familiar...



Aaaahhh it was Two Stars 4047!


Felt like my lucky day

 

[rbjhan]

36+3!


6 cars in total, layout as below


Only Car 5 and 6 were available online. My seat was 4D in Car 5, single seat.
This train every seat is Green class or above.




Car 6 was almost the same, except for the tatami floor.


Putting shoes on and off was not fun, and on this train you are not going to sit tight in your seat...so I didn't book Car 6.

 

[rbjhan]

Car 4 was the lounge.






Half of Car 3 was the bar.

 

[rbjhan]

Now the rest of Car 3, and Car 1& 2 were all private booths. I believe you need to buy them from travel agents, together with a meal plan. The booths are not being sold as seats only.

On this particular evening route, catering was not provided - meaning all the private booths were not being sold!
Also meant I took pictures of everything

Car 3, six small booths for 1-2 passengers.







You know what, if I'm doing this again I'm gonna find a Japanese agency and get one of these from Hakata all the way to Kagoshima

 

[rbjhan]

Car 2 had 3 large booths and one wheelchair space.

 

[rbjhan]

Car 1, tatami floor again.

And the best one this whole train. "The Royal Box", shall we say



And two less impressive ones...yeah my standards were getting higher by the minute