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Orange Railway and Kagoshima 2026: All Posts
#0 Index
Eight days in Kagoshima Prefecture along the Hisatsu Orange Railway: samurai streets in Izumi, the sea at Akune, quiet Satsumasendai, and Tenmonkan nights.
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Ura Nabeshima: A Nabeshima that isn’t quite Nabeshima.
#29 Musubiki
On the last evening,I wanted to have a drink at a machi-chuka (町中華),the kind of small backstreet Chinese place you might find somewhere in Japan. But I chose poorly,and ended up leaving with a full stomachfrom food I didn’t really enjoy. For reference, machi-chuka refers tosmall, slightly worn neighborhood Chinese restaurantsthat mainly serve things like chuka soba (ramen),chahang (fried rice), and gyoza (dumpling). They also offer simple Chinese dishes,so you can have a drink there too.The kind of place you sometimes see in Japanese dramas or films. Apparently,these small places don’t survive well in smaller cities like Karatsu.You have to…
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Scenes from the Street: Part 3
#28 Around Karatsu Castle
After exploring Karatsu Castle,I walked along the stone wall path. If you keep walking along this path,it seems you can reach the former Takatori residence. The atmosphere feels a bit different from the stone walls in Jeju, Korea. If Jeju’s stone walls were built to block the wind,the ones here feel more like traces of fortress walls built below the castle. Walking along this not-so-long path,you can also spot a few ryokans that seem to have been in business for a long time. I can’t be sure,but perhaps they have been operating since the time when Karatsu was commercially prosperous.…
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Where Wishes Meet the Wind
#27 Karatsu Shrine
On the last day of the trip,this was the final stop of the city tour. Looking back,today’s route might actually bea very typical and well-designed coursefor sightseeing in central Karatsu. From a walk along the Matsuura River → Karatsu Castle → Takashima (Hoto Shrine) → Former Takatori Residence → Former Oshima Residence → and finally Karatsu Shrine. If you look at the map,it’s quite a well-connected route. To make it more efficient,it would have been better to visit Takashima first,then see Karatsu Castle,walk along the stone wall path,and continue on to the former Takatori Residence. After leaving the Oshima Residence,Karatsu…
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Former Residence, Its Structure Revealed
#26 Former Oshima Residence
After visiting the former Takatori residence,I had just seen, up close, the extravagant lives of the wealthy. It felt somewhat detached from reality—a grand mansion that seemed to openly display wealth and power. Right nearby, there is another residence called the Former Oshima Residence (旧大島邸). It was originally located a bit further away,but was relocated to its current position when an elementary school was built. Compared to the former Takatori residence,this place may seem plain at first. But precisely because it lacks decorationand shows only the structure itself,it offers a completely different perspective on a traditional house. Admission is free,and…
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Grand Mansion Built by a Coal Tycoon
#25 Former Takatori Residence
After the Meiji Restoration, Japan began to move seriously toward industrialization. Under this massive, state-led wave of industrial growth, energy was needed to run steelworks. At the time, the main energy source was coal. In Kyushu, there were many places that produced high-quality coal, including the Chikuho (筑豊) region. With a bit of exaggeration, it is said that almost all ports in Kyushu were used for coal transportation at that time. That’s how active coal mining development was in the region. During this period, there were people in Japan who built enormous wealth through coal mining. One of them, Takatori…
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Tiny Shrine Famous for Lottery Luck
#24 Takashima
There is a small island in Karatsu Bay. It is called Takashima (高島), and according to people who have already visited, it is such a small island that there is not much to see. Yet strangely, this small island receives a lot of visitors. It is not like it has any remarkable natural scenery. They all visit a small shrine called Hoto Shrine (宝当神社). A shrine whose name means “winning treasure.” Unusually, it is said to be effective for winning the lottery. This is just something I have heard, but apparently there are quite a few people who actually won…
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Light Sushi Lunch, Solid Quality
#23 Yagura Sushi
After looking around Karatsu Castle,I came down and walked along the stone wall path (石垣の道),heading toward the former Takatori residence (旧高取邸). I thought there would be places to eat over there. But I couldn’t find anywhere suitable for a meal. So I had no choice but to change the plan. I decided to go down toward the Takashima ferry terminal,have lunch there,and visit Takashima (高島) first. On the way to the terminal,I came across Yagura Sushi. It’s close to the terminal,and it felt like a good idea to have a light sushi lunch for a change. Inside, there’s a kitchen…
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:: zzoo’s travels ::
- Orange Railway and Kagoshima 2026 (32)
- Kanazawa 2026 (42)
- Karatsu and Yobuko 2026 (32)
- Mokpo Walk 2025 (20)
- Birthday Trip to Kagoshima 2025 (25)
:: zzoo’s tags ::
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