We are looking forward to spending some time in Kumamoto, rediscovering some of its gems and finding new ones. We also have some planning to do regarding our ongoing route. Taking a break from daily riding will give us the time to figure this out.
We needed some groceries so we headed to the YouMe store. It is an odd name for a grocery store but it is quite good. As is often the case, the store was comprised of many other shops…including this kimono shop pictured below.
We find the kimono section in stores fascinating. So many details and accessories go into making this look come together.
Plastic replicas of a menu in Japan are always fun and strangely realistic. We are used to seeing ramen, sushi etc, but plastic pizza is a first for us.
The lower level of our hotel has a bridal salon (weddings are hosted here) and a large art gallery. The exhibit experimented with altering the painting with lighting.
The effect is quite dramatic. Upon entering the gallery which is in darkness, we pressed a button, the lights came on…music started and shortly after the blue lights came on which gave the paintings a new life. An interesting process.
We are heading out. It has been a great stay here. We had a nice, spacious room but our only beef was that we couldn’t control the heat in our room and we were pretty uncomfortable.
The Ride with GPS route we been following is the Araki Sea Route and ironically, this is the first time that we have seen it. And this will be it as we are heading away from the Sea again.
Bill ShaneyfeltLeaves look wrong for dogwood, and most species of dogwood have 4 petal blossoms.
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/47193-Cornus/browse_photos?term_id=12&term_value_id=13 Reply to this comment 1 week ago
And then our day fell apart. The route became extremely dangerous and congested. Much of the time we were forced to ride on the road. We didn’t realize that this small coastal road connected with a freeway to a large port and as a result there was a high volume of freight trucks. In a short time we saw 2 serious accidents, one involving a freight truck. We would try to take the sidewalk but it would either end abruptly which required that you back up and then take the road, or the sidewalk would shrink to a narrow width which was unridable.
As always, these kids were super curious. They improved our mood and helped us forget about our situation for a moment. Our trikes are always a magnet for kids and their curiosity breaks the ice.
There was a section that was quite hilly and scary…we had no choice but to take our lane if we could, or pull over and wait for a break. We rode hard. The worst riding we have ever experienced and there was no way out.
A bad moment…I had ridden across a bridge when the sidewalk simply ended with a cement wall blocking my way. I had no choice but to walk my trike back and Barry helped me lift it on to the road. We were both so frustrated and tired at this point. We had to carry on.
The port, where the freight trucks were headed, is just before Kumamoto. The traffic remained but it was less threatening. We breathed a sigh of relief.
Drawn to this image of a building at a temple with the handmade brooms with bamboo handles.
We are so happy to have reached Kumamoto unscathed. Kumamon, the bear is the beloved mascot in this city and he did his job of making us smile. We are in the lobby of our hotel, Mitsui Garden. We stayed here on a previous visit and are happy to be back.
Grocery stores have a great supply of house made bento boxes for take out. The quality is quite good and the price is right, especially at this time of the evening. At about 7 pm, a worker circulates through this section and sharply discounts the prices. We have learned to take advantage of this. It is fun to watch people also waiting for their moment as they follow the clerk who is armed with a price gun.
Shochu is distilled from rice, sweet potatoes, buckwheat or brown sugar. Sometimes it is produced from chestnuts, sesame seeds or even carrots and not to be confused with Sake, a brewed wine. Kyushu is the centre of production for Shochu and is more common than sake.
