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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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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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Castle Overlooking the Sea
#22 Karatsu Castle
It’s the fourth day of my 4-night, 5-day trip to Karatsu. Today, I decided to visit Karatsu Castle. After that, I plan to walk around the city and see old residences and shrines. In other words, it’s a full day of sightseeing in town. In fact, I’ve been seeing Karatsu Castle throughout this entire trip.It’s a castle you can see from almost anywhere in Karatsu. Since it’s a small city without tall buildings,and with a wide river opening up the view,the scenery feels very open. And on one end of the city, on a hill,the tall keep rises high enough…
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At Night, the Street Belongs to Drinkers
#21 Yatai Street
While having a glass of wine,I heard about “yatai (屋台, street food stalls)” from the owner. There is a yatai street right in front of Karatsu Station. For someone who likes drinking,a yatai street is something you just cannot resist. And since this town doesn’t have as many tourists as Fukuoka,it probably wouldn’t be like Nakasu’s yatai street—expensive places just targeting tourists. I quickly finished my wine and got up.With high expectations, I walked toward Karatsu Station. When you hear “yatai,”you imagine carts with plastic tent covers, right? But there were no “real” yatai like that here. Instead,the small bars…
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A Small Wine Bar at a Street Corner
#20 Diva Italiano
On most nights during a trip, I end up drinking. Whenever possible, I try to match local food with local drinks. In fact, for me, traveling is almost the same as wandering around in search of new food and new alcohol. But if you drink something new every day, you eventually get tired of it. At times like that, refreshing the mood with a glass of winesomehow makes it possible to go back to exploring new drinks again. On this trip as well,I had a feeling there would definitely be a moment when I’d want wine. While walking around the…
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