Takachiho Gorge Miyazaki

I have been writing this blog for over 10 years now and being based in Gifu, which is in the heart of Japan, I rarely get the chance to venture down south to Kyushu Prefecture.

Kyushu (九州) is Japan’s third largest island and is located southwest of the main island of Honshu. It is famous for its subtropical climate, active volcanoes, beaches and pristine nature. One of its most popular tourist attractions is Takachiho Gorge, which should be on everyone’s bucket list for Japan.

Takachiho Gorge (高千穂峡) in Miyazaki Prefecture is both a natural wonder and an important religious site to the Japanese. The impressive gorge was formed from lava from Mount Aso which over time eroded to create 80 ~ 100-meter-high cliffs. The ravine has countless waterfalls cascading into it, including the 17-meter-tall Minai-no-taki Waterfall. You can enjoy the beautiful gorge by hiking along its edge, but the best way to see it is up and close and personal in a row boat. You can rent a boat for ¥2000 for a 30-minute ride. The best time to visit is early summer for the vivid green leaves or fall for the tinted autumn leaves.

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Takachiho is associated with many myths and legends about the founding of Japan. Nearby Ama-no-Iwato Shrine (天岩戸神社) is a sacred Shinto shrine, where according to myth the sun goddess Amaterasu hid in a cave located on the shrine grounds. Another legend suggests that this is the place where Amaterasu’s grandson, Ninigi-no-Mikoto descended to earth to establish Japan’s imperial family.

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Please enjoy the amazing video below by Jon Bear, a cinematic videographer from Fukuoka in Kyushu, who recently visited Takachiho Gorge in Miyazaki and shot this video on behalf of us here at Japan Australia.

Sacred Island of Okinoshima

The sacred Japanese island of Okinoshima in south-west Japan received UNESCO World Heritage listing last week on July 9, 2017.

The island was submitted for future inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List back in 2009.

The culturally important island chronicles the progression of traditional worship rituals from the 4th to 9th centuries, which were conducted to pray for safe sea voyages.

Okinoshima is part of Munakata City in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, and is situated midway between the south-western island of Kyushu and the Korean Peninsula.

Okinoshima is located between Kyushu and the Korean Peninsula

The entire island is considered a Shinto kami (god) with various religious sites and shrines dotted across it to appease the gods to protect the surrounding waters, which served as an important trade route in the region between China and Korea. The sacred island is off limits to women and male visitors must strip naked before going ashore. The island’s main shrine, Munakata Taisha Okitsu Shrine is carefully maintained by a single male employee.

Munakata Taisha Okitsu Shrine

The shrine located in the southwestern portion of Okinoshima was established in the mid-17th century as a sacred natural site. The shrine has gone through several repairs and rebuilding phases over the centuries with the current structure remaining in pretty much the same condition since the Showa Period (1926-1989).

The island covers an area of 97 ha (240 acres) with its highest peak reaching an elevation of 244 m (801 ft). Okinoshima is not currently open to the public and can only be viewed from a distance offshore.

The sacred island of Okinoshima from the sea

Official Website

2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes in Japan

Over the past week Kumamoto in the Kyushu region of Japan has suffered a series of devastating earthquakes. The first earthquake occurred at around 9:26 pm on April 14, 2016 around Mount Kinpu to the north north-west of Kumamoto City. The first earthquake was a foreshock measuring M6.5, with the worst damage occurring in the town of Mashiki, 15km east of Kumamoto. 

More than 140 aftershocks were registered within two days of the foreshock with 11 aftershocks of at least M4.5 and one of M6.0.

The mainshock occurred at 1:25 am on April 16, 2016 beneath Kumamoto City in Higashi Ward. The M7.3 quake has caused significant additional damage to the areas already affected by the initial foreshock several days earlier.

This is the worst humanitarian challenge Japan has faced since the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami. As of today (Thursday, April 21), there have been 48 confirmed deaths with thousands affected by the disaster. New reports have being saying that around 10,000 people are staying in their cars in Mashiki Town, while there are 180,000 evacuees seeking shelter.

There has also been 11 indirect deaths in Kumamoto related to the disaster. Quite a few people have been dying from the so-called "economy class syndrome" (Deep Vein Thrombosis) caused by sitting too long in cramped conditions in recuse shelters and from sleeping in cars.

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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has mobilized personnel of the Japan Self Defense Forces to assist local authorities with search and rescue recovery efforts. Japan is struggling to cope with the disaster with relief efforts stretched to the limit.

Nearly a week after the first quake struck, aftershocks continue with nearly 700 aftershocks hitting Kyushu since April 14. To further add to the disaster, heavy rain and wind is predicted the next few days with the possibility of landslides causing even more problems.

You can find news and updates about the Kumamoto Earthquakes on the Japan national Tourism Organisation website.

If you are interested in helping out and supporting the people and areas affected by the earthquakes, Yahoo Japan has set up emergency fund raising for the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake. They will donate an equal amount to your donation (up to 20 million yen per donation). You can find more information on their website in both English and Japanese http://donation.yahoo.co.jp/detail/1630023/

Fukuoka Japan

Fukuoka located on the island of Kyushu in Japan has been voted one of Frommers Top Travel Destinations for 2012.

Fukuoka is the biggest city in Kyushu and is about 880km west of Tokyo. Fukuoka is not as widely known on the International scene as some of Japan’s other big cities, but has transformed itself over the last decade into one of Japan’s most cosmopolitan and internationalised cities. Fukuoka has been placed in the spotlight recently as a model green city and all of this has taken place before the March disaster bought energy conserving measures throughout Japan.