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The Most Kawaii Bus Trip in Japan: The Fruity Bus Stops of NagasakiWe've introduced you to some of Japan's more magical coastal views before, from the dreamy sunsets of Enoshima to the unreal seaside sand dunes of Tottori, but Isahaya City's shores have their own unique tranquility. With the calm waters and the giant fruit dotting the roadside, this Nagasaki scene looks like a scene from a movie, somewhere between the styles of Disney and Studio Ghibli.
If you want to see these fruits for yourself, and maybe take a couple of enchanting snapshots for your instagram, let us tell you a little bit more about the place, and how to get there!,This part of Nagasaki, a prefecture on Japan's southern island of Kyushu, is home to a popular "insta-bae" (インスタ映え) spot, or in other words, it's big on instagram. Drive down Japan National Route 207, winding your way along the edge of the Ariake Sea, and you'll find 16 bus stops shaped like bright, adorable, and truly giant fruits. With the bus stops' recent explosion of popularity on social media, you might think they were constructed recently just for that purpose, but in truth these bus shelters have been around since the 1990s., View this post on Instagram フルーツバス停晴れver🍈☀️ #フルーツバス停 #バス停 #長崎#諫早 #ニコン#Nikon#D750#一眼レフ#一眼レフ練習中 A post shared by たま (@tama01304) on Jun 9, 2019 at 9:49pm PDT ,As part of the 1990 Nagasaki Travel Expo, the Konagai area of Isahaya City thought to construct the cute bus stops as a way of joining in on the fun, at the same time as teaching visitors about the area. You see, these fruits aren't just randomly chosen, they're all local agricultural specialties! The bus shelters come in five shapes: strawberry, mandarin orange, melon, tomato, and watermelon, all of which are particularly delicious in the area. Visitors to the expo loved the cute buildings so much, the bus stops have remained the same ever since.
To bring Nagasaki back to the fairytale world, Cinderella would be proud, as the idea for the huge fruit structures came from her pumpkin carriage! The lovely bus stops have been around for decades now, so thanks to the recent popularity boom, the local government has been giving them a little TLC. With a fresh coat of paint and a few little repairs, they look juicy enough to bite right into (but please don't, your teeth won't thank you). Perhaps the next step can be to help us all fulfill our Cinderella dreams, and make the buses themselves a little more... squash-shaped.
We can dream, right?, この投稿をInstagramで見る 【ご報告】 昨日発売の雑誌GENICに、ちょこっとですが、写真を掲載していただきました！ 毎号必ず読んでる雑誌だったから、本当にうれしい。 店頭で見かけたら、ぜひ手に取っていただけるとありがたいです。 . . . #フルーツバス停 #長崎 #nagasaki #写真撮ってる人と繋がりたい #フィルター越しの私の世界 #fujifilm #fujifilmxt20 #xf1024 #fujifilmxseries #東京カメラ部 #カメラ女子 #team_jp_西 #土曜日の小旅行 #art_of_japan_ #japan_daytime_view #japan_of_insta #lovers_nippon #kf_gallery #cityspride #今日もx日和 #color_of_day #retrip_nippon #icu_japan #広がり同盟 #ダレカニミセタイケシキ #ダレカニミセタイソラ #キリトリセカイ #genic_japan #genic Yuriさん(@camel8326)がシェアした投稿 - 2019年 6月月7日午後4時33分PDT ,Of the 16 bus stops, 14 of them are along National Route 207, with two more around Nagasato Station a little ways away. You can probably rent a car and stop at many of the fruits, and if you want to move around on your own schedule, it might be the easiest way to go. But these are bus stops after all, visiting them using public transportation only seems logical. The bus route stops at two train stations, Nagasato and Konagai, so you can take a train over and hop on the bus. But beware, according to Japanese blogger Colorful Camera Life, the trains that stop at these stations actually come pretty infrequently. You'll want to look at the schedules and think out your itinerary a little bit beforehand.,Among the 14 coastal bus stops, two stand out as popular destinations. The Izaki Bus Stop is melon-shaped, and known for its background of scenic sea views. It's usually the first stop you'll see pictures of! The other famous one is the Amidazaki Bus Stop, which is mandarin orange-shaped. Its claim to fame is that it appeared in a series of ads for Japanese popsicles. You too can take an orange popsicle with you and pretend you're on TV.
The tricky part about all this is that although these two bus stops are only a 7 minute ride apart, the bus only comes once an hour. Since they're along the highway, it's not a very safe place to go on a long walk, and there isn't really anywhere to park for a while nearby. So you'll have to just plan an hour's worth of fun! Take your time coming up with sillier and sillier poses, you'll be sure to get some good pictures! Or, if your pockets are deep enough, and you're confident enough in your Japanese, you can always rely on taxis to move you around in a flash., この投稿をInstagramで見る 🍈⇨🍉⇨🍊 . 3連続フルーツバス停ですみません🐷💦まだあったけどとりあえず終了🐷 . 九州旅、思い出も次の場所へ向かいま〜す🐷🚌💨 バニラさんと...🐾さん(@tetsu_ishihara)がシェアした投稿 - 2019年 5月月14日午後8時30分PDT ,Considering all the little inconveniences we just mentioned, you might be wondering if it really is possible to see some of these bus stops without driving yourself crazy. Well, we recommend you follow the example of the Japanese blogger we mentioned before, Colorful Camera Life. Instead of trying to see all the bus stops, take a more relaxed route and just admire some of the most impressive stops. Get off the train at Konagai Station, and then take the bus over to the Izaki Bus Stop. There you can get your own calming shot of the giant cantaloupe in front of the sea, and from that spot it's actually not too far to a cute strawberry-shaped bus shelter. Next you can move on to Amidazaki, and pretend you're a star of the small screen for a day. Then you can take the bus back to the station, and get going to your next adventure!
To plan your schedule perfectly, take a look at the bus stop timetables for the area (in Japanese only, unfortunately)., この投稿をInstagramで見る . 1週間がとてもはやく感じる 明日から3連休だーい . ……………………………………………… #instagramjapan #tokyocameraclub #東京カメラ部 #IGersJP #team_jp_ #team_jp_西 #Lovers_Nippon #Lovers_Nippon_Portrait #Lovers_Nippon_Artistic #art_of_japan #aoj_bokeh #ptk_japan #daily_photo_jpn #bestjapanpics #写真好きな人と繋がりたい #写真撮ってる人と繋がりたい #ファインダー越しの私の世界 #ig_phos #portrait #ポートレート #good_portraits_world #jp_mood #art_of_japan_ #photogram_archive #nagasaki #長崎 #フルーツバス停 #バス停 #reco_ig #hueart_life gentokuさん(@g_ryubi4869)がシェアした投稿 - 2019年 6月月14日午後3時14分PDT ,Fresh strawberries and watermelon in front of a glittering sea view, it's definitely a good trip for the summer. For the perfect outing, and maybe the perfect photo, bring some fruit with you to snack on while you're there! (Obviously, don't forget your camera!)
If you'd prefer your giant fruit to be more of the autumn variety, Japan is of course the place to see some of Yayoi Kusama's giant pumpkin sculptures. If you're in Tokyo, stop by her museum to check those out.
Be sure to look out for more exciting articles every day at JAPANKURU!
Or add us on Instagram and Facebook to share your pictures of Japan. 🗾#kyushu#tour#nagasaki
Taking a Self Guided Tour Around Kyushu with Drive Japan!For our time in Kyushu, we chose a simple but packed 3D2N trip, that creates a circuit to 3 main areas, with stops along the way. As you can that it has a rank of 2 stars, which is based on how busy you might get. Also we had to pay a 1,500 yen Highway fee, because highways aren't free to use in Japan! This route will take you from Fukuoka, to Beppu, to Kumamoto and then back to Fukuoka and you'll even get the chance to stay at Mt. Aso if you so wish!
So let us take you on our adventure! ,
The 1st day we headed from Fukuoka to Yufuin/Beppu a nationally famous hot spring resort!
It's a long trip but we also had a lot to see in between! We set off quite early as most of the shops and sightseeing spots close about 17-18 o'clock in Yufuin and Beppu. So we also recommended to start 8:00～9:00 if you don't like rushing around.
The first destination we saw was "Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine(太宰府天満宮)" the most famous of shrines in Kyushu. You can enjoy many shops that have local products and food. If you like sweets and fruit, it is good idea to go fruit picking after visiting the shrine. "Hita old town(日田の古い町並み)" is a great place to have lunch. The daily driving map that we had took us to a eel restaurant, but you can also have ”Hita Yakisoba” at a local grilled noodle restaurant.
Then we set off to Yuhuin. The main street "Yufuin Yunotsubo street(由布院湯の坪街道)" is filled with charming shops selling local products and food too and we enjoyed walking to a small beautiful "Lake Kinrinko(金鱗湖)".
From Yufuin to Beppu it takes about 40 minutes. A Highlight in Beppu is "Beppu Jigoku Hells(別府地獄めぐり)" and it is highly recommended but is closed at 17:00 so you might need to rush.
Onsen was wating for us to heal our fatigue of the busy day.
One thing that Drive Japan told us was that they can recommend you different places during the cherry blossom period in spring and autumn coloured leaves period. It would be a great time for you to travel during this time. ,Day 2 will take you from Yufuin/Beppu to Aso.
Again, this trip has a lot packed in so we headed out at about 8am to try and get everything included!
The first destination was "Kokonoe Suspension Bridge(九重夢大吊橋)". We were told that you can see wonderful coloured leaves in the Autumn. We then stopped at a farm which provided fresh yogurt drinks as well as beautiful wetlands which has 1 - 2.5km walking trails.
"Kurokawa Onsen town(黒川温泉)" is where we stopped off for lunch. Our daily driving map gave us a hint at what the nice recommended restaurants are there.
The biggest highlight on this day though, was driving along the Aso Sky Line from "Skyline observatory" to "Daikanbo Observatory(大観峰)". Driving on outer rim of the Aso caldera was a once in a lifetime unforgettable experience. We finally headed to to "Kusasenri(草千里)". which had breathtaking panoramic grass plains.
The Aso area is where we stayed, out in nature. We reached the designated stopping point at around 6pm.,Our last day we would be going back to Fukuoka from Aso. With a whopping 200km drive and a few spots in between we headed out super early to fit them in.
We headed out to Kumamoto City first!
The symbol of the city ”Kumamoto castle(熊本城)” is under reconstruction from the damage of the earthquakes that hit a few years ago. We didn't you might fit in a visit to the wonderful Japanese garden "Suizenji Jojuen Garden(水前寺成趣園)". After this our next destination was Yanagawa town. "Ohana Shotoen(御花松涛園)" is an old house and amazing Japanese garden which was built about 300 years ago.
We tried out the recommended lunch on this day which was Kumamoto Ramen, but you might have traditional grilled eel or cheap but good local Udon noodles.
"Yame Chuo Tea Gaden(八女中央大茶園)" was highly recommended to visit, so we headed there. It is a secret spot which is only reachable by car and we were amazed due to panoramic scenery covered with green tea trees.
Traffic can get heavy in Fukuoka and it takes time to fill up on fuel and return your car too. If you're like us and aren't staying in Fukuoka, it might be best to head out earlier so that you can return the car and get your flight out.,In addition to providing services in Kyushu and Okinawa, Drive Japan is currently planning to launch a self-driving route in Hokkaido!
Hokkaido, which also has a wealth of natural resources and an abundance of places to visit, is a perfect choice for self-driving travel!
If you are planning a self-driving tour of Hokkaido or are interested in Drive Japan's plans,
Click on the link for details: https://en.japankurufunding.com/projects/drive-japan/#kyushu#tour#self-guided tour
Looking for a Local Shopping Experience at Canal City Hakata in FukuokaLocated southwest of Japan you will find an island named Kyushu (九州). It is filled with unique history, some of Japan's most friendly people, natural hot springs, and delicious food. If you are a fan or Japanese characters/mascots ("yura-chara"), then you know Kumamoto Prefecture's Kumamon (くまモン), the big black bear that won Japan's most popular mascots a few years ago. When it comes to traveling to Kyushu though, for many foreigners primarily Nagasaki and Beppu (Oita Prefecture) are the only places that come to mind. Fukuoka though is a really fun place that shouldn't be left out, especially if you are a ramen fan!,After coming to Fukuoka and strolling through the first long Tenjin shopping arcade, you will want to visit the cities largest and elaborate shopping complex that is called "a city within a city", Canal City Hakata. There are more than 200 shops here, along with numerous restaurants, a performance theatre, hotels, movie theatres. There are many tax-free services in the shops at Canal City Hakata, but even if you don't plan on doing any shopping this shopping mall is a nice place to walk around.
★Canal City Hakata
Google Maps
⏰10am〜9pm / Restaurants 11am〜11pm
💻Official website (ENG),One of the shows you can see at Canal City is a panoramic water show combined with music and light sculpture is said to be the largest in Japan. The water show can be seen from all angles from B1 to the 4th floor.,KALDI COFFEE FARM,Kyushu already has a warm climate compared to other regions in Japan, so many of the clothes at the store suit that temperature. In the women's section a majority of the clothes are light colors and chiffon.,By our surprise, URBAN RESEARCH and NASA launched joint-name products!,If you live in a pretty warm climate place and want something that is special to Japan and Japanese fashion, shopping at SENSE OF PLACE by URBAN RESEARCH is highly recommended.
★SENSE OF PLACE by URBAN RESEARCH Canal City Store
East Bldg. 1F
⏰10am〜9pm
💻Official website,There are of course many great things to see in Fukuoka like Dazaifu (大宰府), Ohori Park (大濠公園), and Shofukuji (聖福寺), but if you get the chance to travel around Kyushu here are three recommendations of places to visit.,Be sure to look at JAPANKURU🐶 for more exciting articles every day!!
Or add us on Instagram and Facebook to share your Japanese pictures💖#kyushu#shopping#canal city
Road Trip Around Southern Kyushu Visiting Popular Sightseeing Spots in Kagoshima,...Seeing Majestic Nature and Unknown History
During a Road Trip Around Japan's Southern Kyushu
Kyushu is Japan's third largest island and is primarily known for its beautiful wide open nature and hot springs due to the many active volcanos throughout Kyushu. Aso Mountain, which has a caldera of world scale, and Sakurajima, which is currently active, are among the most famous. They not only provide tourist spots formed by hot springs and its smoke, but their magnificent appearance is recognized as its own value.
Kyushu consists of 7 prefectures; Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Oita, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima. Many Westerners know about Nagasaki and Oita (Beppu), but this time we went around prefectures that not many people seem to visit. JAPANKURU made a southern Kyushu road trip, visiting Kagoshima, Miyazaki, and Kumamoto. It was in a beautiful time during fall, making some of the best pictures. ,Driving along Southern Kyushu
Kagoshima ➡ Miyazaki ➡ Kumamoto,KAGOSHIMA
Kagoshima Prefecture is a well-known area often called "the Naples of Japan". This is due to its bayside location and towering stratovolcano Mt. Sakurajima. In fact, in 1960, there was even a sister city agreement signed with Napoli. Kagoshima is endowed with some of the most spectacular scenery in Japan with its beautiful seas and mountains, but also some of the best food like Kagoshima black pork (kurobuta) and sweet potato which makes their sweet potato shochu (Japanese hard liquor) the best!
If you are looking for a place to stay in Kagoshima, there is a Best Western in Kagoshima that sits along the coast with a direct view of the active volcano Mt. Sakurajima.,Sand Bath Center "SARAKU" (指宿温泉),Shirokuma Cafe (天文館むじゃきの白熊（しろくま）),Kirishima Jingu (霧島神宮),Sengan-en (仙巌園),Ryokojin-sanso (旅行人山荘),MIYAZAKI,Taking a different image,
Miyazaki Prefecture is known for its beaches and waters.
Due to its many historical sites that relate to Japanese history and mythology,
Miyazaki Prefecture is often called "the birthplace of Japan". When it comes to food, Miyazaki beef and chicken nanban are the prefecture's pride and joy so if you get the chance to try either of the two please do! ,Kunimigaoka (国見ヶ丘),Udo-jingu (鵜戸神宮),Sun Messe Nichinan (サンメッセ日南),Miyazaki's Representative Dish
"Chicken Nanban",Takachiho Gorge (高千穂峡),Amanoyasugawara (天安河原),Umagase (馬ヶ背),Gokase Campsite (五ヶ瀬の里キャンプ村),KUMAMOTO
Being located on the west coast of Kyushu, Kumamoto is mainly known for Kumamoto Castle and delicious "karashi renkon", boiled lotus root stuffed with spicy mustard and miso.
,Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine
(上色見熊野座神社),Takamori Dengakuho Zonkai
(高森田楽保存会),Mount Aso (阿蘇山),🚙Check out our short video of our trip to southern Kyushu!🚙,Be sure to look at JAPANKURU🐶 for more exciting articles every day!!
Or add us on Instagram and Facebook to share your Japanese pictures💖🗾#kyushu#tour#road trip
JAPAN TRAVEL RECOMMENDATION★World Heritage ParkWhen traveling to Kagoshima, most people's destination point is Sakurajima. Don't get us wrong, we love Sakurajima! But there's another beautiful spot in Kagoshima that doesn't require you to take a ferry.
Sengan-en is a villa established in 1658 for the Shimazu clan that comes with a beautiful garden. Kinko Bay and Sakurajima (Sakura Island) are also included in the majestic scenery, which makes this park take your breath away.
The garden is quiet big and includes lovely calm ponds, lively streams, mysterious shrines, a bamboo grove, and a mountain hiking trail.
,If you hear a load scream, don't worry! You aren't under attack! It's just the autobiographical exhibit room/demonstration area! The Satsuma warriors were one of the most powerful forces in Tokugawa Japan (last feudal Japanese military government, 1600-1868). The Satsuma warriors were apart of some of Japan's most famous and brutal wars; the Battle of Sekigahara, the Seige of Osaka, and probably the most famous and historically changing, the Meiji Restoration. You have a chance to do some training exercises like a Satsuma warrior.
🌲Sengan-en (仙厳園)🌲
💴Entrance fee:
High school and above - 1000 yen
Middle school and below - 500 yen
⏰Business hours:
8:30am～5:30pm (daily)
🚍🚏Closest bus stop:
Sengan-en Mae (仙巌園前)
To find out more about beautiful Kagoshima:
✨Click here!✨
For more interesting topics,
Please click on JAPANKURU to check out our official blog
Be sure to look at JAPANKURU🐶 for more exciting articles every day!!#kyushu#entertainment
Viewing Sakurajima from the Best Western Rembrandt Hotel ResortA while ago we visited the stunning Kagoshima, which is located on the southern tip of the Kyushu Islands. Kagoshima sits on the northwest of Kagoshima Bay opposite of the active volcano Sakurajima.
Meaning 🌸"Cherry Blossom Island"🌸 in Japanese, it was an island for years (the first record of an eruption was in 708). However, the massive lava flow from an eruption in 1914 was so extreme it connected to the Osumi Peninsula in the east when the lava hardened!
Well, for those who are thinking to go on a trip to Kagoshima, this article is for you!#kyushu#accommodation
Perfect Summer Kagoshima Food Recommendation★'Polar Bear' Ice!Kagoshima is at the southern tip of Kyushu, Japan. Kagoshima is filled with charismatic and lovely people, so it only makes sense that their food would be just as great.
🍧The Birth of the Polar Bear🍧
MUJYAKI, a 4-story restaurant, cafe, and dessert shop, has a bit of everything for all tastes! The part we want to pay particular focus on is its Shirokuma shaved ice cafe!!! Shirokuma (白くま), means 'polar bear' (or literally white pear) in Japanese. Not to worry though, Shirokuma shaved ice doesn't actually contain polar bear. Shirokuma, the creation of Kagoshima, MUJYAKI to be exact, says they gave it this name due to its all white characteristic like a polar bear. ,There are plenty of souvenir available as well at MUJYAKI! Take these cute and incredibly life like bubble gum that's made to look like Shirokuma shaved ice!!🍧🍨
Although you can get the yummy Shirokuma shaved ice anywhere in Japan, JAPANKURU recommends its flagship store MUJYAKI. Locals say the best place to try one is MUJYAKI, which claims to have created the famous dish and is located in the popular Tenmonkan shopping arcade. It's always a better experience when you experience something at its 'birthplace' if you will. PLUS, we're pretty sure you can't eat a massive bowl of shaved ice anywhere else BUT MUJIYAKA! How much more convincing do you need? It's really a great and unique tourist experience. You also could make jokes to your friends saying you ate a polar bear....but we wouldn't recommend that because eating endangered animals isn't funnyⓧ
◇MUJYAKI (むじゃき)◇
🍧Shirokuma Cafe (白熊菓琲)🍧
*cafe is on the 1st floor*
⏰Business hours:
11:00am～10:00pm (July and Aug from 10am) (Last order at 9:30pm)
To find out more about beautiful Kagoshima:
✨Click here!✨
For more interesting topics,
Please click on JAPANKURU to check out our official blog
Be sure to look at JAPANKURU🐶 for more exciting articles every day!!#kyushu#food
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