Right On Kyu
MIKEY HIRANO CULROSS
RAFU TRAVEL EDITOR
Friday, June 13, 2008

Spring on Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu brings cherry blossoms to complement its history, unique cultural influences and of course–Nagasaki champon!

Photos by MIKEY HIRANO CULROSS/Rafu Shimpo
A Ringer Hut staff member named Goto brings
my champon lunch. A regular size cost a mere 450 yen

A clock with its hands forever frozen at 11:02—the time of
the blast—hangs in the Atomic Bomb Museum.

IACE Travel tour guide Koji Yoshida and Hiroshi Shibata of Los Angeles take a relaxing dip in the onsen at the Miyazaki Unzen Hotel.

I woke up from a deep, exhausted slumber and the first vision to meet my eyes was CNN Headline News, being shown on the cabin screen. The headline that welcomed me home to the U.S. read, “Woman Bites Pit Bull.”

Reality, I have returned, was the thought as I reclined in my seat on Japan Airlines flight 62 to Los Angeles. I was winging my way back to the States after joining IACE Travel’s Spring Nature Tour, in one of my favorite regions in all of Japan, Kyushu.

I have used IACE several times in the past to book my flights to Japan, as they always seem to keep abreast of any bargains to be had, but this was my first experience on one of their tour packages.

I’ve always loved Kyushu–I’ve even toyed with the notion of living there–so when I was asked to tag along for a story, it wasn’t a difficult decision.

We departed on March 27, which offers a fairly decent chance of arriving in Japan just in time to see the cherry blossoms open, heralding the coming spring. Japan’s geography dictates that spring arrives in the southwest area of the country first–that would be Kyushu– then gradually makes its way north and east, through Tokyo and lastly up to the thawing regions of Hokkaido.

Anyone who has attempted to time a trip to Japan for sakura viewing knows that it can be a challenging–okay, maddening–venture. Quite frankly, I have had the worst luck in this endeavor. I have an uncanny knack for arriving seemingly just in time, only to leave a day or two before the little flowers open. Trust me, I’m an expert at this. Last year, I was in Mie Prefecture watching the buds looking as if they would burst into all their glory any second, only to leave town a cool 12 hours before they did so. My hope for the Kyushu trip was definitely dampened by my dismal track record.

I used to dread the 11-plus hour flight to Japan, but it doesn’t seem so long these days. Maybe I’m getting to be an old pro at it, or maybe I’m just getting old. This time around, I barely slept; not because I was uncomfortable, I simply wasn’t sleepy. The food on JAL is always good, and this flight was no exception. The chicken katsu was downright tasty, better than some I’ve had in restaurants.

Tokyo’s greeting for our group of 21 was a blanket of grey, ominous skies, but after checking in at the Excel Narita Hotel Tokyo, we went out to find a starry night. We flew into Narita to spend the night, before taking another flight from Haneda to Nagasaki the next morning.

I was struck by how quiet the room at the Excel is. This is, after all, a hotel that sits just 10 minutes from Japan’s busiest airport. Thanks to the double-paned insulated windows, I never heard a single aircraft from my room.

The flight to Nagasaki was around 90 minutes–perfect for an after-breakfast nap. An unexpected highlight was the fact that the flight path took us over the top of Mt. Fuji, affording those on the port side of the plane (that’s the left side for all you landlubbers out there) a fantastic view inside the top of the sleeping volcano.

Nagasaki is such a nice town that one could conceivably visit and overlook the fact that it was reduced to ashes by an atomic bomb. I’ve loved this city since my first trip there more than a decade ago and I find something new and entertaining with each subsequent visit.

As we had arrived in time for lunch, I immediately set out for one of Nagasaki’s most renowned–and least expensive– dishes: champon.

As the legend goes, champon was created by Chinese restauranteur who recognized the need of the many Chinese students in Nagasaki for something nutritious and affordable. He created a dish out of leftover vegetables and noodles in pork and seafood broth, a dish often eaten by cooks themselves to make use of what would otherwise got to waste.

There is a nationwide chain of restaurants called Ringer Hut and despite its assembly-line approach to preparing food, this is the place to go for champon. There are “gourmet” versions available but why bother? This is utilitarian food, cheap, tasty and filling, that warms you inside. The regular size at Ringer Hut is only 450 yen, which is an attractive rate in a country where eating out can require some financial soul searching.

If you only have a couple of hours in Nagasaki, it’s simply imperative that you visit Peace Memorial Park. It’s a broad plaza that has been built a few hundred yards from the hypocenter–the spot of land directly beneath where the atomic bomb exploded on Aug. 9, 1945. The plaza is overseen by sculptor Seibo Nishimura’s statue of human figure with one hand pointed skyward toward Heaven, to remind us all of the danger of not only the atomic bomb, but warfare itself. The other hand stretches out horizontally, wishing for peace across the Earth and its eyes are closed in prayer for the victims of the horrific event that further compelled Japan to surrender in World War II.

Across the plaza from the statue, a fountain of dancing waters has been constructed in honor of those who searched in vain for water following the blast. On black granite slab is an excerpt from a diary of nine-year-old Sachiko Yamaguchi, who survived the initial bomb blast:

I was so thirsty and the only water I could find had oil floating on the surface. But I was desperately thirsty, so I drank.

Sachiko, like so many others exposed to the radiation of the bomb, later died of leukemia. More than 73,000 died as a result of the bombing, which came three days after the city of Hiroshima suffered the same fate.

Also at the park is a small monument dedicated to teishin-tai, students who were pulled from school during the war to work in military capacities. Though they are often said to have been “volunteers,” many were forced to perform services from helping to manufacture war planes and fold parachutes to young women being conscripted into “entertaining”
Japanese soldiers.

One of the members of our group had a sister who was part of the teishin-tai. Shizue Mahanay, who lives in Colorado Springs, grew up in Hokkaido and said her elder sister was sent to Tokyo at the age of 18.

“She was lucky, she was in Tokyo when the bomb dropped,” Mahanay said solemnly after offering a prayer at the monument.

The hypocenter, a minute or so walk from Peace Memorial Park, is indicated by a simple black granite obelisk, which sits in a grass-covered depression next to a busy street. There is a small display of photos and information on one side and a wall remnant from the Urakami Cathedral on the other.

To the north of the obelisk is the tiny Shimono River, in which children are said to have been playing on that hot summer day in 1945. Standing there with the thought of a day of innocent fun at the park being transformed into an unimaginable nightmare brought me to tears.

The Atomic Bomb Museum near the hypocenter houses a fascinating collection of artifacts and information about the bombing and should not be missed. It includes a shattered wall clock that hung in a house some 800 meters from the hypocenter. Its hands are forever frozen at 11:02 a.m., the time of the blast.

There is, of course, much more history to Nagasaki. As a port city, it was one of the first–and at times the only–entry points for foreign culture into Japan. Portuguese ships traveled here as early as the 1540s and their influence continues to this day, from architecture to religion to foods such as the ever-popular castella sponge cake.

The Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture succeeds in offering visitors a detailed portrait of the region in an entertaining facility. We caught a reenactment of a judicial hearing before a samurai lord, which pleased the crowd to the point of asking for autographs from the actors afterward.

A more life-sized historical experience can be had at Dejima in the southern part of Nagasaki. It is a crescent-shaped man-made island that was constructed to house Portuguese merchants and religious missionaries following the Japanese feudal government’s 1612 ban on Christian proselytizing. During Japan’s isolationist period, it was one of the only places in the nation where foreign traders were allowed, as some
Dutch merchants were stationed there. Extensive restoration of Dejima’s buildings and facilities, as well as its stone embankment has been underway since 2000. Visitors can stroll though the street and pathways of the small, 15,000 square meter island, as see the village nearly as it was, along with historical displays and original items.

From Nagasaki, our group traveled–in one of the largest coach buses I’ve ever seen–to Hell.

No, not that Hell, the one also known as Unzen.

Several volcanic hot springs areas around Japan are given that unsavory nickname due to the billowing steam that rises from the ground, at times obscuring everything but the hand in front of your face. Unzen is a particularly popular onsen locale because it is located within the Mt. Aso region, which is volcanically very active.

Pay strict attention to my next entry: if you are traveling near Unzen, do not miss the chance to stay at the impeccable Miyazaki Unzen Hotel. Simply put, it is as fine as any ryokan (inn) accommodation I’ve ever enjoyed in Japan.

Under the direction of Miyako Miyazaki, the staff are all expertly trained, both in their customer service duties as well as their knowledge of local history and tourism. Miyazaki, regarded as one of Japan’s top okami-san (inn directors), is the third generation of her family to operate this ryokan. The staff never refused any of our requests, including those of one our group who was struggling to find results of the ongoing college basketball playoffs.

The combination Japanese-western rooms are top-drawer and the food surpasses any expectation. The rates for this first-class luxury begin at 15,000 yen per person, including meals, which comparatively is remarkable.

The reason most people visit is the onsen, of course, and The Miyazaki Unzen Hotel has the kind of setting you’d expect to see in National Geographic. The outdoor pools are set into the hillside with volcanic rock, glowing lanterns and the gentle drumming of falling water. Sitting here for a while is a wonderful way to both relax the body and clear the mind.

Los Angeles resident Jerry Kitahama said the stay at the Miyazaki is beyond compare.

“I’ve been to Japan many, many times over the years, but this is excellent, this is fantastic, one the best experiences I’ve had,” he said.

I’ve long had an affinity for Kyushu and my favorite spot on the island may very well be Kumamoto. It’s a cozy balance of city convenience and country charm, without making one feel restricted to either lifestyle.

Situated in the middle portion of Kyushu Island, Kumamoto is the capital of Kumamoto Prefecture and the greater metro area is home to some 1.4 million people. As crowded a place as that makes it sound, remember that this isn’t Tokyo, nor is it subject to the same kinds of space restrictions.

Kumamoto is known as the “City of Abundant Water,” due to the ample supplies of spring waters, a result of the volcanic activity in the Mt. Aso area. Not looking the proverbial gift horse in its proverbial mouth, the town’s citizens make good use of the water, as evidenced by gardens across the urban areas. Much of the local food also refl ects the good fortune of clean water.

As the tour stopped in Kumamoto, we stayed at the very comfy Nikko Hotel, which sits essentially in the heart of downtown. This spot, as I would soon discover, is a perfect base for anyone visiting Kumamoto; it’s across the street from both the Kami-tori and Shimo-tori shopping arcades, in which everything you might need can be found, from ridiculously expensive Hello Kitty handbags to plain ol’ chap stick (which I desperately needed as it turned out.)

The Nikko is also a short trip from two of the city’s not-to-be-missed landmarks. Suizenji Jojuen Park was built as a residence for a feudal lord and is considered to be one of Japan’s most beautiful and extensive gardens. Gently sloping green knolls and several ponds surround a teahouse, where visitors can relax with a nice cup of ocha. Suizenji is a quick streetcar ride from the Nikko Hotel and year-round admission is 400 yen.

It took me all of six minutes to walk from the Nikko to Kumamoto Castle, which was originally completed in 1607 and has been restored to its ancient glory.
Also operating 12 months of the year, admission is 500 yen and worth every yen. In addition to the wealth of original artifacts and displays, it’s set within a serene network of open lawns and lush gardens. To the west is Ninomaru Park, where I spent one of the most touching days I have ever known in Japan.

In the first segment of my report on Kyushu, I mention the fact that I’m as unlucky as its gets, when it comes to being in Japan when the sakura open up to their fullest glory.

Kumamoto broke my losing streak. Our stay in town was one without a set schedule; there’s so many choices to fill a day in Kumamoto that the IACE staff wisely chose not to create an itinerary, but rather to give us information about the many attractions and then turn us loose. I’d never visited the castle, so after breakfast, I strolled over to have a look. As soon as I got past the entry gate, a sight met my eyes that I’d sought during so many prior trips. The sakura trees, which are abundant throughout the castle grounds, greeted me with fully opened cherry blossoms. I mean, really open–mankai, as they say.

I snapped away furiously with my camera, as if perhaps the blooms might suddenly clang shut. From the castle, I walked over to the adjacent Ninomaru Park, where hundreds of residents–and some visitors–had set themselves up beneath the rows of trees that provided a pinkish-white canopy of fl owering buds. I’m afraid the black and white photos on this page can’t relate the beauty of that day.

It’s difficult to accurately convey the feeling and mood of hanami–flower viewing–of sakura in Japan, especially to those who have grown up in the one season climate of Los Angeles. The blossoms are a tangible yet short-lived sign that the harsh, unforgiving winter is finally loosening its frigid grip, and that spring will soon take us in its warm embrace. Across this frantically busy nation, people from all walks of life ditch work, play hookey from school and generally put all their daily responsibilities on the back burner–all for the opportunity to go out and sit under a tree. As I took photos of a group of cultural arts students, as they sang, danced and snacked under the blooms, I felt for the first time the organic essence of that simple pleasure. Frankly, unabashedly, I was moved to tears.

The students asked me to join their group and I gratefully accepted. They did their level best to stuff me with yakisoba and fruit salad, but I was too busy observing to eat much. I had to excuse myself after a short while, to scamper back to the hotel, where I e-mailed some of the colorful photos back to the Rafu. I returned to the park in the evening, when groups of employees from various companies had arrived en masse and were consuming more canned beer than I had ever seen in one location.

I found the nightlife in Kumamoto to be surprisingly diverse. Of course, there is a predictable array of hostess bars and watering holes, but also a few unexpected gems to be found. Chances are just about anyone on the street can tell you who Charlie Nagatani is and where to find him.

“I haven’t used my Japanese name for so long, I can’t remember what it is,” joked the 72-year-old Nagatani, who owns and operates the Good Time Charlie country and western bar in downtown Kumamoto. For the past 33 years, he and his wife, Toshiko, have not only provided the atmosphere of a Texas honky-tonk, but have hosted some of the biggest names this side of Nashville. Many of country music’s giants, from Loretta Lynn to Kenny Chesney to Allison Kraus have graced the small stage in Nagatani’s bar, where he performs nightly.

“It’s a kind of dream for me,” said Nagatani, as he sat among the countless photos, beer signs and other down home memorabilia that decorates practically every square inch of the fifth-floor club. “I first heard country music on some of the nearby military bases way back around 1956, then made up my mind to be a country music singer, so I quit college and joined a band.”

Nagatani practiced every day and it soon began to pay off. His band became the talk of the U.S. servicemen in the area and he found himself performing daily. Visiting stars of country music began to sit in with Nagatani’s band and his reputation quickly grew.

So dedicated to the life and music of country and western is Nagatani, that he has reached what can only be considered the pinnacle of the art form. This month, he will make his 18th appearance at the Grand Ole Opry, the weekly country music concert radio show from Nashville that is the longest-running broadcast in America.

After he quit touring in 1976, he opened his club and has become a must-stop for any country stars visiting Kyushu. In 1999, he was invited by President Clinton to perform at a State Dinner at the White House.

“I got this call from Washington and they said that I was being invited to the White House,” he recalled. “It was a highlight of my life.”

Nagatani said the real value of country music is how it leads to making friends, and that he has met many goodhearted people through the music. He enjoys hosting visitors from the U.S., making them feel at home and perhaps curing a bit of homesickness.

“We are very lucky. We rarely feel sick and we’re doing this seven nights a week,” he said. “I don’t know why, but country music makes me young.

I guess one of the more entertaining aspects of any group tour is learning about one’s fellow travelers. During the tour, we spent a fair amount of time on a huge luxury bus, hopping from site to site, and we made some surprising discoveries about one another. Two of my fellow travelers discovered that they are cousins. Another has the middle name of
Hirano–same as mine.

After leaving Kumamoto, we headed for Miyazaki Prefecture, whose current governor is former comedian Hideo Higashikokubaru. Known widely by his stage name, Sonomanma Higashi, he has freely used his celebrity to help promote tourism in Miyazaki. Cartoons of his face is found practically everywhere tourists might wander, on posters, cans of juice, even at highway rest stop bathrooms. Along the way, we stopped at the combination of peaks and volcanoes collectively called Mt. Aso. It is actually five volcanic peaks, with Mt. Nakadake still very active since its last major eruption in 1959. As we rode a ropeway to the top, steam and sulphur belched from is top, so much so that officials halted visits there after we left.

The volcanoes on Kyushu are closely monitored, but humans have only so much power against the forces of geology. We had earlier seen a village that was obliterated when lava flowed from Mt. Unzen Fugendake in 1990, and how the small island of Sakurajima continues to be reformed by its central volcano.

One of Miyazaki’s best-known natural wonders is the Takachiho Gorge, a rustically soothing little canyon carved out of volcanic rock by the Gokase River. One of the more popular activities here is to paddle down the calm river in a rental rowboat.

Also in Takachiho, we were invited to a special performance of the kagura dance at the Takachiho Shrine. The dance features two deities, Izanagi and Izanami who demonstrate the strength of their marriage, with audience members as participants–willing or otherwise. At one point in the dance, husband and wife alternately venture in the crowd to hug patrons, to the disgruntlement of the spouse. At the end, they realize their value of their love for each other, forsaking all others.

A fun landmark at the shrine is the “couples’ cedar,” two trees that have grown to a shared root. The legend goes that if a couple hold hands and walks around three times, they will be happy forever. At least two couples in our group did so, just for a little extra assurance.

Since my first visit to Japan way back when I was 19, I’ve consistently maintained the real value of any visit here is the warmth of its people. Anyone who has only visited Tokyo may not have experienced the hometown kindness I see regularly when I come here.

One of our stops included a night’s stay at the Seaside Hotel in Ibusuki. With a couple of hours of downtime, I decided to head over to the local department store, to seek out some “essentials” my wife had requested. During the roughly 25-minute walk, I must have passed a dozen or so pedestrians, all of whom greeted me with a smile–and an enthusiastic attempt to converse in English. It made the foreign guy feel very welcomed.

Mention Saigo Takamori in the city of Kagoshima and you’ll get explanations ranging from “folk hero” to “the man with all the statues around town” to “that guy who looks like former sumo wrestler Musashimaru.” All are true, but Saigo’s importance to the region is as monumental as all the tributes to him.

Essentially, Saigo rose to prominence in the 1860s, when Japan was transitioning– often violently–from a feudal system of govenment to a more centralized one. Despite being born into a lower-class family, the Kagoshima native climbed the political ranks and was the keystone in bloodlessly negotiating the move from samurai-based rule to a central representative body.

And I must say, having interviewed Musashimaru a couple of week ago, they do indeed bear a striking resemblance.

With Kagoshima our last stop on the tour, we stuffed all our souvenirs into luggage that could never hold it all, and began the long journey back to L.A. Visiting Kyushu, especially in spring, is an energizing reminder of Japan’s internal diversity. Traveling all the way here and stopping only in Tokyo or Osaka simply leaves out so many wonderful things to see and do.