Cycled the Shimanami Kaido, and Yamaguchi, Saga, Nagasaki etc.

[Noah Count]

There's a train station called Maruoka - I think it's the local private rail company.

There is a bus between Maruoka Station and the Castle, my original plan was to catch the bus to the train station and train it back to Fukui. With my broken Japanese and the help of the translator app the driver informed me it was quicker to stay on the bus. The castle is some what off the tourist path, getting there was not that hard, I hadn't thought about how to get get back. There are not to many taxis and the bus was not that frequent from the Maruoka Castle car park, I tend to walk most of the time however the castle was further away from the station than my liking and willingness to walk.

All the best and have fun.

 

[rbjhan]

There is a bus between Maruoka Station and the Castle, my original plan was to catch the bus to the train station and train it back to Fukui. With my broken Japanese and the help of the translator app the driver informed me it was quicker to stay on the bus. The castle is some what off the tourist path, getting there was not that hard, I hadn't thought about how to get get back. There are not to many taxis and the bus was not that frequent from the Maruoka Castle car park, I tend to walk most of the time however the castle was further away from the station than my liking and willingness to walk.

All the best and have fun.

Oh I just use GO taxi app, it works very well.
Nov trip will be me and mother, I don't think walking would be an option

 

[rbjhan]

There is a bus between Maruoka Station and the Castle, my original plan was to catch the bus to the train station and train it back to Fukui. With my broken Japanese and the help of the translator app the driver informed me it was quicker to stay on the bus. The castle is some what off the tourist path, getting there was not that hard, I hadn't thought about how to get get back. There are not to many taxis and the bus was not that frequent from the Maruoka Castle car park, I tend to walk most of the time however the castle was further away from the station than my liking and willingness to walk.

All the best and have fun.

Oh I just went to do a little digging. The Castle website was not helpful!
But the nearby Tegami Museum website told me: Bus from Awara onsen station only takes 20 mins.
Since we'll be coming from Kanazawa, that is perfect.

 

[Noah Count]

Oh I just went to do a little digging. The Castle website was not helpful!
But the nearby Tegami Museum website told me: Bus from Awara onsen station only takes 20 mins.
Since we'll be coming from Kanazawa, that is perfect.

Please don't take any of my comments as guidance. Last year I went to Tibet and then 7 days in Japan, the plan was to go to 4 original castles that I had not been to, visit some friends and come home and I had planed to do the last couple of castles this year or at some time in the future. Last year my plan was to wing it, you actually made a comment as the day one plan did not work out as expected. I always like reading Japan TRs as sometimes they remind me of places we have been too and other times places we have not gone to and I add them to our list.

 

[rbjhan]

Please don't take any of my comments as guidance. Last year I went to Tibet and then 7 days in Japan, the plan was to go to 4 original castles that I had not been to, visit some friends and come home and I had planed to do the last couple of castles this year or at some time in the future. Last year my plan was to wing it, you actually made a comment as the day one plan did not work out as expected. I always like reading Japan TRs as sometimes they remind me of places we have been too and other times places we have not gone to and I add them to our list.

Oh don't worry.
I'm the super planner! (if I dare say so myself)
There will be much research into it, plus I'll consult the local 案内所 once I get there...

I remember your TR and was thinking I could never do it like that...the anxiety level will be through the roof

Nowadays I read a lot of Japanese blogs. They are, unsurprisingly, into every detail...

Edit, Local tourist office website also can be very useful, this is what I found from Sakai City (which includes Maruoka) website


So, every 30 mins there's a bus from Fukui Station to the castle, which takes about 50 mins.
Every hour there's a bus from Awara Onsen Station, takes 20 mins.
Every 2 hours (!) a bus from Maruoka Station, takes 20 mins.

Seems to be a no brainer to do it from Awara onsen, coming from Kanazawa.

 

[rbjhan]

Breakfast was in the same dining room.


Omelette was made to order.


One last stroll to Kintaikyo

 

[rbjhan]

Next, I was going to Kawatana onsen.
Where is it? Almost the western most end of the main island Honshu.

To get there, one would think transfer at Shin Shimonoseki, but then you'd be wrong (as was I)

I didn't pay much attention to the last part of the journey before, almost had an heart attack in the morning when I was checking Google Maps.
The 10.28 Kodama Shinkansen arrives at Shin Shimonoseki at 11.27, but next available local train to Shimonoseki is not until after 1pm!!
Ah the joy of travelling in Chugoku

Luckily I knew there are trains going from Kokura in Kyushu to Shimonoseki as well, so checked that connection and it was indeed much better, almost one hour less wait time! It makes no sense but it is what it is.
So I asked JR staff at Shin Iwakuni to change my reservation to Kokura - good to see he was as confused as I did! After confirming my research, he made the change and I was on my way.

 

[rbjhan]

So I arrived at Kawatana-onsen Station at 3.09pm, already booked a shuttle bus.
Grand Hotel Otafuku was about 5 mins drive away.
**They also run a shuttle bus once per day to/from Shin Shimonoseki, however departure was 4pm at Shin Shimonoseki, since it's a 30 min drive I felt it was too late.

Checked in at the lobby.


Hotel map


I booked a breakfast only plan for 15K Yen.
So asked about restaurants onsite, and was told the restaurant open till 10pm, reservation was not needed.
Also asked them to book a massage for me.

 

[rbjhan]

I booked their Penthouse Cortot.
**Named after the French pianist Alfred Cortot, who visited in 1952.

Entrance


Behind the door there was only a small landing area


Then up the stairs


Dining area


Sea of Japan in the distance


Bedroom


Deck


Private view bath

 

[rbjhan]

From the main building there's a walkway towards the back area.


A little shrine.


Onsen bath, pics from hotel website.




Had an ice cream after the soak.

 

[rbjhan]

The massage therapist came right on time at 7pm.
The Japanese tend to be more reserved but my oh my she could talk or what
From the usual topics of why I study Japanese, what's Melbourne like, to my travels, then her travels... this hour felt more like an italki session than massage....good practise, I guess

Dinner afterwards
Sashimi of course.


Yamaguchi's most famous delicacy, Fugu (puffer fish)


**I've had fugu a few times before, honestly didn't think that much of it....but when in Rome...¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Another local dish, Kawara soba.
So the cha-soba was placed directly on Kawara (local roof tiles), with meat, egg, and seaweed on top.
Because of the hot tiles, the soba got heated and became a little crunchy.
I like this more than the famous Shinshu soba....

 

[rbjhan]

Breakfast.


Summary:
I really liked this ryokan. Service, the room, onsen, food....all I rate from very good to excellent.
15K Yen was about A$135! Can you believe it?!
Obviously you don't get that kind of price anywhere near Tokyo or Kyoto. But Kawatana onsen is in fact not far from Fukuoka, which is also a major city with a busy international airport. So not that difficlut to visit.

 

[rbjhan]

Took the 9.30am shuttle to Shin Shimonoseki, I was the only passenger.

Any One Piece fans?


This was when I realised I made a mistake in Kurashiki!
When I was packing my suitcase to be sent to the hotel in Kokura, I put my hiking boots in...didn't even think about the weather!
Now I needed it coz it's raining....

From Shin Shimonoseki to Kokura, it was just one stop on the Shinkansen, took about 10 mins...
The hotel I booked was inside the station building
There's an entrance on the same level as the Shinkansen gates.


Sadly t-q-bin hadn't arrived - I was advised they generally come after 11am...oh well...The trainer would have to do!

Put my duffle bag in the self storage room and off to see Mojiko.


**Self storage luggage room was not a thing until after COVID as far as I remember. But it is getting very main stream now with business hotels. Clearly there's a shortage of staff going on...

 

[rbjhan]

I think a map is necessary here.
Map from the internet.


So the 3 cities Shimonoseki, Mojiko and Kokura kinda make a triangle.
Kokura has trains to both Shimonoseki and Mojiko, take about 15 mins each.
Shimonoseki and Mojiko are connected by a ferry, and a pedestrain underground tunnel!

You can stay at any of the 3 cities and see all of them in a day or two. Plenty of business hotels in Shimonoseki and Kokura, less so in Mojiko.
But Kokura is by far the best option in terms of public transport.

My original plan was to take the train to Mojiko, walk around the city, then hire a bike to ride to the underground tunnel, walk across (can't ride the bike inside the tunnel).
From there visit the famous Karato Market, Akama Jinja...etc, before taking the ferry back to Mojiko and then train to Kokura.
Perfect wasn't it? Remember I don't like riding in the rain?
Yeah weather gods clearly dind't like my plan...so that was out....//sadface

 

[rbjhan]

門司港 Mojiko

The "Ko" in Mojiko meant port - It was a prominent international trading port in 19/20 century.. Nowadays the port had been moved to nearby Shin Moji, Mojiko is more of a tourist destination thanks to some very nice western style buildings from it's trading days.

**There's a ferry service Tokyo - Tokushima (Shikoku) - Shin Moji, takes about 35 hours in total!
I've been interested but haven't had the chance yet

Once I got off the train I could see Mojiko was very different.
The station had this retro feel...
And yes it is a very touristy place...that was a tour group taking pictures....




Station building from outside


The old waiting room of this station had been converted to a Starbucks. It's one of their concept stores.
See the link below
門司港駅店｜スターバックス コーヒー ジャパン

Too many people inside the Starbucks so I didn't take pictures.

 

[Noah Count]

This was when I realised I made a mistake......

Well at least I am not the only one

 

[rbjhan]

Blue Wing Moji Bridge, with Former Moji Customs Office Building on the right


Another angle of the bridge, tall building in the background has Moji Retro Observation Deck at the top.


Kitakyushu - Dalian Friendship Memorial Hall


Old Moji Mitsui Club


Bananaman!
Apparently Mojiko was Japan's first banana import site.

 

[rbjhan]

Well at least I am not the only one

I've made many mistakes in the past...haven't booked a hotel in a different city, yet

 

[rbjhan]

Kanmon Bridge connecting Honshu and Kyushu


This was the ferry to Shimonoseki.


**BEB was a hotel brand of Hoshino Resorts.
This one in the photo is opening in July 2026. I imagine the view will be quite something!

Rain was getting heavier...

 

[Noah Count]

I've made many mistakes in the past...haven't booked a hotel in a different city, yet

Touché, you know I have made that error in the past