I had the grilled live abalone set at Amakusa Kaisen Kura, and it was incredibly fresh and delicious. It was simply cooked over charcoal, and with just a little sauce, it tasted amazing.
The grilled fish really surprised me with how good it was. Even after going back to Taiwan, I still kind of miss that fish QQ
The shop also sells lots of items and has plushie prize draws, so you can try your luck and take home a cute souvenir doll.
Amakusa Kaisen Kura | Review by Wen
Other Reviews by Wen
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Mizuki Spring Tour and Strolling the Shrine Town
Aso Shrine has a history of about 2,300 years and is known for Aso’s agricultural rituals, designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. In the shrine town, the Aso Ichinomiya Monzenmachi Shopping Street offers excellent food, including takeout items, sweets, and lunches featuring Akaushi beef, a local Aso specialty, and is bustling every day with worshippers and visitors. As you stroll through the shrine town, you will come across spring water spots called mizuki.
Although we only had limited time on this visit and just took a quick look around, we still saw two or three mizuki spring water spots.
The streets were really pleasant and perfect for a leisurely stroll, coffee, or a snack.
If you have time after visiting Aso Shrine, setting aside some time for the full mizuki spring tour would make for a great travel plan! -
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Aso Shrine (Kumamoto)
The master god who has created Aso, Takei Watatsu no Mikoto, and 12 of his family gods are enshrined here. As the head of Higo Province, this is ranked top over nearly 500 branch Aso Shrines nationwide. Its history goes back more than 2000 years. Its faith is fused with volcano worship that believes Mt. Aso to be a god.
The tall tower gate is very solemn and impressive. There’s also a unique horizontal approach, and you can see the Aso volcano group in the distance.
I heard this is a famous power spot, and walking around here really did feel peaceful and refreshing.
The sacred spring at the entrance was incredibly cold. I was a little disappointed I didn’t have a water bottle with me... I couldn’t take any of the spring water to drink. -
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Amaterasu Railway
Takachiho Railway, the favorite of tourists, was unfortunately closed in 2005. Now, using those railways, a grand diesel engine super cart is run for tourists. It goes through two tunnels from Takachiho Station to Takachiho Bridge and comes back on its 5.1km round trip at 20km/h for roughly 30minutes.
So! In!cred!i!bly! beautiful!
When the weather is nice, every photo turns out great. The scenery along the way is lovely, and when you pass through the tunnel, there’s even a little LED light show on the ceiling.
The classic stop in the middle of the high railway bridge goes without saying. Looking down over the gorge is spectacular, and the staff even blow bubbles so everyone can take photos. It feels totally dreamy!
Since it’s designed to let passengers enjoy the views better, it’s completely open-air with no roof. The direct sun can be a bit hot, so be sure to bring sun protection. But honestly, if you’re lucky enough to see this amazing scenery in good weather, a little sun along the way is totally worth it. -
