From Fukuoka Airport to Yufuin with stops at Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, Kirin Beer Garden and Jionnotaki waterfall

3 November 2024

The plan for the first day of our Kyushu road trip is to drive from Fukuoka Airport to Yufuin. Located at the foot of Mount Yufu, Yufuin is one of the most popular hot spring resort towns in Japan. Yufuin is a small town with one main shopping street and many ryokans with onsens. I have booked a stay in the one of the ryokans.

Yufuin is about 120 km from the airport and the total driving time is estimated to be around 1.5 hours. Instead of driving all the way to Yufuin, we made sightseeing stops at Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, Kirin Beer Garden and Jionnotaki waterfall.

Rental car pickup

My flight into Kyushu was on SQ656 from Singapore and we arrived as scheduled at 8.10 AM.

I had booked my rental car with Toyota-Rentacar. There was free shuttle pick car from the arrival hall to the rental shop.

Easy to follow instructions were provided at the arrival hall.

Once we arrived at the rental shop, the paperwork was processed swiftly. I had to produce my International Driving Permit and passport. The staff could speak a little English and printed instructions were provided in English for refueling and options for insurance etc.

Printed instructions were provided in English for refueling and options for insurance.

It is important to check the car for damages with the staff before taking over. All pre-existing damages like dents, scratches on the car and wheels were recorded.

Our ride for the road trip - Toyota Axio(1.5L).

We booked a car with came with ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) card for a small fee of 300 Yen per rental and free built-in car navigation systems with GPS in English. With the ETC card, we don't need to understand Japanese, we don't need to use cash, and we don't have to stop at toll gates, so it is a very convenient system. We will pay the actual amount of the tolls that have been charged to the ETC card when returning the car.

Although there is Kyushu Expressway Pass which allows for unlimited driving on the Kyushu expressways (toll roads) for a fixed price, Toyota-Rentacar does not sell it. In any case, I have decided not to buy this pass since we will be doing most driving on non-toll roads.

After picking up our rental car from the airport, we took about 35 minutes to drive to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine situated just 15 km south east of Fukuoka Airport.

Daizaifu Tenmangu Shrine

There are many car parks closer to the shrine but I chose to park at the large public car park (location here) near the Daizaifu train station. I used this car park because we wanted to take a walk through the Tenjinsama-dori pedestrian shopping to the shrine. The parking fee was 500 Yen, paid to the car park attendants who were also directing traffic within the large car park.

As this was a Sunday, the street was extremely crowded. Tenjinsama-dori is known for its many stores selling snacks, souvenirs, restaurants, and cafes. 

The first snack we tried was the mentai yaki-onigiri at Fukutaro, a famous store that sells the mentaiko and a rice confectionery called menbei. 

Mentaiko is a traditional Japanese seafood ingredient made out of pollock or cod roe. The roe is salted, seasoned with spices such as red pepper, and then fermented.  Fukuoka prefecture overwhelmingly produces and consumes more mentaiko, or polluck roe (fish eggs), than anywhere else in Japan.

Fukutaro store along Tenjinsama-dori.

The Fukutaro store sells menbei prepacked in boxes as well as freshly cooked mentaiko snacks and drinks.

A box of menbei crackers that are individually packed. The menbei crackers taste like South-east Asian prawn crackers or “keropok”, but more dense in texture.

Menu displayed for takeaway.

We ordered the traditional mentai yaki-onigiri (300 Yen each) to try. There are options to add additional ingredients for 50 Yen. Yaki-onigiri directly translates to grilled rice ball in English. These Japanese grilled rice balls are toasted over a grill until the outside is crispy, brushed in soy sauce for a salty, savory touch and wrapped in seaweed.

We have to wait for about 15 minutes for our order to be prepared.

There is a queue number that the staff will called out in Japanese when your order is ready.

First time trying the yaki onigiri.   

The piping hot yaki onigiri tasted better than the usual cold onigiri. The layer of mentaiko paste inside the rice gave it nice umami flavours.

After our snack, we crossed a traffic junction and continued along Tenjinsama-dori. There are a couple of stone torii gates along the street.

Torii gates over Tenjinsama-dori.

Another popular store along the street that has many people taking photos inside and outside is none other than Japan’s most famous Starbucks. Dazaifu’s Starbuck was designed by world-renowned architect Kuma Kengo who is known for assimilating both traditional and modern designs using natural materials.

Dazaifu’s Starbuck was packed on this day.

Wooden structure at the Daizaifu Starbuck store.

The structure inside and outside was made of wood and were assembled without the use of nails or metal fittings.

We wanted to get a cup of coffee but the  cafe was fully occupied and queues seemed insanely long so we skipped it.

A must try local specialty at Dazaifu is the umegae mochi, rice cakes filled with bean paste. This rather simple dessert has a printing of the petals of a plum blossom on it.

Watching the chef preparing the umegae mochi.

There are many stores offering this snack and we could see the snacks being prepared through the glass windows of some of these stores. 

Umegae mochi, rice cakes filled with red bean paste.

After passing under the first few torii gates, braving the crowds and overcoming temptations of all the stores selling delicious looking snacks and souvenirs, we arrived at the end of the shopping street.

Queue in front of the Divine Bull Statue.

A line of people were queuing in front of a statue of a bronze ox. It was a strange sight to see them waiting in line, just to rub the shiny head of the ox and take some photos. This statue is known as the Divine Bull Statue and is reputed to bring wisdom to those who stroked its head.

  Divine Bull Statue.

We did not join the queue to get more wisdom. We went to admire a giant tree instead.

Admiring the giant tree at Dazaifu.

We crossed the three vermillion bridges over a pond to get to the main building of the shrine. These three bridges are supposed to represent the past, the present, and the future. The first and third bridge is arched while the “present’' bridge is flat.      

Arched bridges over a pond leading to the main entrance.

This place was packed with people, with the locals dressed in their Sunday’s best. Dazaifu shrine was built over the grave of Sugawara no Michizane, a master poet, talented calligrapher, and renowned literary scholar. Many people and students came to pray for success in their studies. It is especially crowded during the month of October, when the second semester of the academic year begins.

A two storey entrance gate to the main shrine building could be seen after we passed through the last stone torii gate.

Behind the stone torri gate is a grand two-storey gate marking the entrance to the main shrine building.

Just outside the main shrine, there is a pavilion with a basin filled with water. This is where you purify yourself before entering the main shrine.  

Following the etiquette when visiting a shrine.

There was a flower exhibition on this day.

Next to the pavilion is a statue of a strange looking creature called the kirin. The informative sign is in Japanese but I recognised this creature to resemble the Chinese Qilin.

Statue of a kirin, a mythical creature with dragon like face, the body of a deer, the tail of an ox, and a single horn like a unicorn.

One of the shrine maidens dressed in white and red walking towards the entrance gate to the main shrine.       

After passing through the gate, we could not see the main shrine. It was encased in scaffoldings and canvas.

The main shrine covered in canvas.

A major renovation had begun since May 2023 on the main sanctuary of Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine. It is expected to complete in time for the grand festival in 2027, marking 1125 years since the death of Sugawara no Michizane (the deity worshipped here).

The temporary shrine in front of the main shrine that is undergoing renovation.

A temporary shrine was built in front of the main sanctuary. It features a design that gives the impression of a mini forest growing on an inclined roof.  

There was some kind of event inside the temporary shrine so we could not take a closer look. There were still plenty to see around the complex.

Stone lions guarding the path to the main shrine.

There are stalls at the sides selling amulets, emas and omikujis (paper containing your fortune). Most popular are education related amulets which are supposed to help students pass exams. There are also emas, which are small wooden plaques in which you write your wishes and then hang them to be received by the gods.

A rack filled with emas.

The rack of emas casting a shadow with nice pattern on the ground.

We returned to the shopping street via the path at the side of the pond since there were many people walking towards the shrine through the three bridges. I also wanted to take pictures of the red arched bridge.

We sat here to take a rest under the shade and snap some photos of the bridge.

Exiting the shrine, we walked down Tenjinsama-dori again and went to check out the stores. There are some very interesting stores selling very attractive and cute stuff.

The street was getting even more crowded.

One of the many stores along the street.

This store sells very cute stuff.

We went to rest inside Cafe Kasanoya and enjoyed their umegae mochi with hot drinks (coffee and macha). A set with one umegae mochi and coffee costs 650 yen each. The cafe is tucked away behind a gift shop and we had views of a small Japanese themed garden from our table. 

Cafe Kasanoya serves good hot umegae mochi and drinks.

Kirin Beer Farm

The next stop on our way to Yufuin is the nearby Kirin Beer Farm. Kirin Beer Farm is a restaurant in the Kirin Beer factory and it serves various kinds of delicious gourmet foods which match well with beer. Although there are tours of the Kirin Beer factory where visitors could see the beer making process and try tasting their beer, we came to see the cosmos that are in bloom during this time of year. The huge field of flowers is located opposite the Kirin Beer Manufacturing Plant.

There were many like-minded people on this day. The narrow road leading to the factory was a little congested and the free public car park (location here) was full so we were directed to another nearby car park located a short distance away at the end of the flower fields.

The flower field is opposite the Kirin Beer Factory.

There are pathways through the fields so there is no need to trample on the flowers for photos.

Cosmos are in full bloom during October and November in Kyushu.

We enjoyed good sunny weather on our first day in Kyushu but the light from the midday sun was a little too hash for good photos.

 The flower fields are the size of several football fields!

Colour cosmos flowers against the clear blue sky.

Our car was parked just behind the row of trees in the back.

It was about 1.30 PM when we left the flower fields and continued on our drive towards Yufuin. We decided to take the E34 Oita Expressway (toll road) to our next destination.  

Jionnotaki waterfall

To get to the Jionnotaki waterfall, we exited the expressway at the Amase-Takatsuka IC and drove another 15 minutes to get to a Michi No Eki (rest stop with nice bathrooms and a little farmers market). The waterfall is just a short walk from the car park.       

Jionnotaki waterfall is a good place for a rest when driving between Fukouka and Yufuin.

Jionnotaki Falls is a two-tiered waterfall, with a total height of 30 meters. The upper tier is 20 meters high, and the lower tier is 10 meters high. The upper tier is not so visible as it is surrounded by lush vegetation. The lower tier falls into a pool with clear, emerald green color water.

Long exposure shot of the waterfall.

This was the first of many waterfalls we would see in Kyushu. It was not the most impressive but the area was peaceful, refreshing and cool. It was a good rest from all the driving I did on this day. 

Statue of a rising dragon at the side of the waterfall.

There is a statue of a rising dragon at the side of the waterfall that is related to a local legend. A donation box sits in front of the statue.     

There is a walking trail around the area but we did not have time to explore.

We were also feeling a little hungry so we stopped by a cafe selling Key Coffee to have some food and coffee. Of all the waterfalls that we visited on this trip, this was the only waterfall where we could sit and relax with drinks and food while watching the torrent coming down the waterfall.

Hot bowl of noodles with views of the waterfall.

Macha ice-cream, mochi and sweet red bean paste with hot coffee is yum! 

After spending about 50 minutes at this rest stop, we drove towards Yufuin on National Route 210 instead of taking the E34 Oita Expressway (toll road).

National Route 210 is easy to drive and offers better scenery compared to the expressway.

We had booked a stay at Yufuin Bettei Itsuki which is a very popular ryokan in Yufuin. We completed our check-in at about 4.30 PM.

The ryokan is located within walking distance to Yufuin’s main shopping street called Yunotsubo Kaido Street. Most shops along this street close at 5 PM. Nevertheless, we took a short 5 to 10 minutes walk to the street. 

Yufuin Floral Village

The Yufuin Floral Village was still open when we arrived and there were many people inside. 

Entrance to the Yufuin Floral Village. Entry is FOC.

 

The place is designed to resemble the Cotswolds region in England and there are stores that featured Peter Rabbit and Studio Ghibli. It was nice to walk around for photos and also look at the cute merchandise in the stores.

English style cottage.  

Cottages that reminded me of my trips to Cotswolds in England.

Mount Yufu could be seen in the background.

“Spirited Away” souvenirs inside the Studio Ghibli themed store.

  The narrow lanes inside was still crowded at closing time.

        

Yufuin Floral Village also contains some enclosures where visitors can interact with all sorts of adorable animals, such as goats, ducks, squirrels, owls and rabbits - for a fee.

Can view owls at the owl zoo for a fee.

Hungry goats hoping for a feed.

The place is small and it did not take too long to browse the stores within.

The sun sets at about 5.30 PM at this time of year in Kyushu. We watched the glow of the setting sun painting Mount Yufu red just outside the Floral Village. It was a pretty sight.

Mount Yufu bathed in red light of the setting sun.

There was a stall selling the popular Yufuin Kinsho Croquettes snack. Kinsho is known to be Japan's finest croquette shop, making it an absolute must-eat for all Yufuin visitors. Although we had a kaiseki dinner lined up at our ryokan, we bought a piece of the croquette to try.

The croquette contains delicious meat and onions wrapped in a crispy, fried outer layer of potato.

Although it was past 5 PM, we took a walk down a part of Yunotsubo Kaido Street that is nearest to us. Yunotsubo street is full of little restaurants, cafe and food stalls, as well as craft and souvenir shops. Some shops were still opened but would be closing soon. Others were already closed but the stores were lighted up.

We knew that we would be back the next day to explore the entire street before leaving Yufuin.

Outside the Yufuin Floral Village.

Yunotsubo Kaido Street in the evening. 

A store for dog lovers along the street. There is also a store for cat lovers across the street.

The Yufuin Showa Museum was already closed but we could still see some exhibits outside. The museum showcases a wide range of artifacts, including retro items, toys, and everyday objects from the Showa period (1926-1989).

I saw a familiar cutout figure of Gigantor. I watched this animated TV Series on TV when I was a kid! If I had more time, I would have like to visit this museum but we had to skip this attraction.

Figure of Gigantor outside the Showa Museum. 

Outside the Snoopy Chaya cafe. A themed cafe based on the Charlie Brown comics.

After our brief excursion to Yufuin’s main shopping street, we returned to our ryokan via a scenic pathway, passing little streams and a rice field. We even chanced upon a rickshaw, a traditional human-powered mode of transport.  

Quiet walk along a stream in Yufuin.

 Rice field next to our ryokan. 

Back in our room, we had time for a shower and a relaxing soak in the private indoor hot spring or onsen before dinner time. There are not one but two private hot spring baths in our room!   

Outdoor hot spring bath in the Yamabuki room is inside a wooden hut, set in the garden.

Indoor hot spring bath in our room.

We had included half board (dinner and breakfast) in our ryokan booking. This was a good thing as there are few eateries opened in town at night. Yufuin Bettei Itsuki also serves an excellent kaiseki dinner.

Part of the fun of staying in a ryokan is to wear the traditional Japanese yukatas. The yukatas provided in Yufuin Bettei Itsuki ryokan were actually quite nice. Socks and geta, traditional Japanese footwear resembling flip-flops, were also provided.

Couple photo in our room before dinner.

Dinner is served in a private room inside a dining hall on a nearby building.  

My plan after dinner was to go for another soak in our room’s hot tub. My wife said she is too lazy to get wet again, so I went alone.

She was warm and snug under the blankets when I finished my soak. She must be feeling the effects of the red-eye flight to Kyushu, relaxing onsen, alcohol and food during the sumptuous dinner.

Battery already flat at 8.50 PM in the evening!

Early to bed and early to rise. We will be at Lake Kinrin to see the misty sunrise the next morning!