Blogs from Yufu City, Oita, Japan, Asia

.Kyushu Day2 Yesterday's dinner was a real banquet only to be replicated for breakfast today. The meals so far are astonishing and no wonder the Japanese are generally slim and have longevity. We had bean curd soup (miso), rice, salmon, clams, bacon, sausage, onions, mushrooms, raw egg to mix with the rice and all manner of vegetables and other fish etc. All in very small portions, well presented and very tasty, giving us a good start to the tour and just what we need to get up our first hill this morning. We actually had beds last night, which were very comfortable and welcoming following our 36 hours without proper sleep. I am pressed with the Japanese culture of ultimate hygiene with their electric toilet seats. I said the last time that I was here that ... read more

Spring or fall is the best to visit Kyusyu, if you don’t like the sticky summer weather or coldness of the winter. But the weather in Kyusyu isn’t super severe. It hardly annoys you whenever you travel over there. Only the rainy season between the mid-June through the mid-July is probably best avoided to pay a visit. ... read more

Yunohira Onsen Town (湯平温泉) is a picturesque small town on Kyushu about 20 minutes by train from Yufuin on the JR line that connects Oita with Yufuin. A bus service operates between the Yunohira train station and the town and only takes a couple of minutes. The town slopes along the river with many small cobblestone roads, boardwalks and bridges. Yunohira 's hot springs have been valued as curing water for the stomach and intestines for many years. Many of the locals do not have bathing facilities in their homes and use the onsen as public baths which gives us a great chance to bathe with the friendly people of the village after their return from work. I recommend a stay there as the town is magical at night. Check here for more onsen tips.... read more