Page 29 - RCI EV Asia October 2015

the 16th century. And if you’re interested in modern-day pottery, visit nearby Gen-emon, a 260-year-old kiln where you can watch potters throwing clay, glazing ceramics, and sketching and designing contemporary wares.
While you’re in the Saga prefecture, Karatsu, a picturesque town near the Higashi Matsuura peninsula, features earthy luxury ceramics, a hilltop castle and cycling trails that take in sweeping views of the
Sea of Genkai. Also, if time permits, spend
a morning in Yobuko, a sleepy port town famous for its bustling seafood market. Kyushu Ceramics Museum, 3100-1 Otsu Toshaku, Nishimatsura-gun, Arita-cho. Gen-emon Kiln 2726, Maruohei, Arita-cho Nishimatsuura-gun, Saga-ken.
Kurokawa Onsen
In Japan, unwinding in an onsen -
a natural hot spring or bathhouse that draws on thermal water resulting from the country’s high level of volcanic activity
– is a national art. And there’s no better place to experience this than Oita, a rural
prefecture in northwest Kyushu. Oita is considered Japan’s hot-spring capital, due to its secluded mountain landscapes and proximity to active volcano belts, such as the Kirishima mountain range.
Although Oita is home to several hot- spring towns, Kurokawa – an otherworldly onsen surrounded by a striking gorge
and forest-covered valleys – offers a soul-affirming encounter that’s difficult to beat. Try Yamamizuki, an outdoor
bath that borders the woods alongside
a tranquil mountain river (daytime admission is ¥500 or $5.25); Kurokawaso, a sprawling, gender-divided outdoor
bath that looks on to a cliff face (¥500
or $5.50); or Sato no Yu Waraku (¥500
or $5.50), a hot spring tucked away in a natural cave.
Kurogawa is home to dozens of traditional guesthouses or ryokans, but it’s also easy for daytrippers to engage in its fabled Rotenburo Meguri (‘tour of outdoor baths’) and luxuriate in its many restorative
thrills. Simply stop by the information
Kumamoto Castle
centre to purchase a wooden day pass that guarantees admission to three bathhouses for ¥1,300 yen ($14.40). Kurokawa Onsen is located at 869-2402 Kumamoto Prefecture, Aso District.
Kumamoto Castle
Complete with vast stone walls, soaring turrets and 13 separate buildings, Kumamoto Castle is a Kyushu icon and one of the grandest castles in Japan.
The impressibe fortress, which was constructed in 1601 by Katō Kiyomasa, a daimyo, or feudal ruler, was the backdrop for the battle of the last samurai. During this legendary 1877 siege, rebels of the new imperial order held out before the main tower was burnt to the ground
(it was reconstructed in 1960). These days, the main tower houses an extensive collection of weapons and samurai armour, as well as furniture and artefacts from the Edo era. English-language walking tours take place every half hour. It’s also well worth strolling around the surrounding castle town to swing by the homes of Japanese writers such as Soseki
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cowardlion / Shutterstock.com
Okinawa
Kurokawa Onsen