100212 Trip to Kyushu #2 (九州旅行第2日目）

Feb. 12, 2010 (Friday)

I disembarked at Shimonoseki at 9:30, took JR train and went to Hakata by 11:00. Mr. M joined me there and we went to Kumamoto together. We bought a multi-ticket (4) to Kumamoto so that we saved 600 yen each from buying regular tickets.



Using a coin-rocker at Kumamoto station, we went out for sight-seeing at Kumamoto. We bought a day ticket for streetcar. It cost 500 yen, and enabled discounts for visiting some facilities including Kumamoto Castle. I visited Kumamoto Castle 2 years ago with Alan, my American friend, but some important parts of the castle, including castle tower, were under construction. Now it was completed, and we could go up to the top floor and could see bird-eye-view of Kumamoto, and even Mt. Aso as well. We could also enjoy the fragrance of Japanese plum (red and while blossoms.)



After seeing Kumamoto Castle, we went to Suizenji Park.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suizen-ji_J%C5%8Dju-en
The lawn grass were all dry, but here, too, we could enjoy the fragrance of Japanese plum (ume). (I came here 44 years ago, when I finished high school in 1966.)



After having sightseeing in Kumamoto, we went to Higo Ohzu by special limited train of JR Kyushu. After checking-in at Route-in Hotel (6200 yen for single, including buffet-style breakfast), we went to a Japanese style “Izakaya” or “restaurant/bar” which a receptionist at front desk recommended as a nice restaurant for “Basashi” or “horse meat sashimi.” Kumamoto is famous for “Basashi” in Japan. We ordered different kinds of “Basashi,” sea-food salad, and some vegetable “yakitori” and several glasses of draft beer. As for the last order, we had “imo-jochu” named “Spirit of Aso.” We paid 8000 yen for two that night. We satisfied with the quality and quantity of the dinner.



2010年2月12日(金)下関から門司を経由して博多へ。博多で唐津から来たMさんに合流。二人で熊本へ向かった。JR九州は特急の2枚券、4枚券を発売していて、割安。我々は4枚券を購入(博多から熊本まで片道2000円になる。)



熊本では駅のロッカーに荷物を預け、市電の1日券(500円)を購入して熊本城に向かった。熊本城は2008年2月に米国の友人、アランと来た時は築城400年記念行事の一環としての復元工事中で、大天守閣最上段には登れなかった。今回は大小天守もきれいになって、また、本丸御殿も復元されて、中のすばらしい障壁画も見ることができた。城内の梅園では紅梅も白梅も満開でほのかな香りと共に梅見酒を楽しんだ。



また、高校卒業時(1966年)以来、44年ぶりに市内の水前寺公園を訪ねた。ここは季節柄、芝生も枯れてさびしい風情だったが、やはり紅白の梅の花が見ごろであった。

熊本市内の観光は6時頃切り上げ、宿泊予定のルートイン・ホテルのある肥後大津へ向かった。チェックイン後、フロントで馬刺しのおいしい料理屋を聞くと、ホテル内のレストランではなく、ホテルから徒歩10分ほど離れた街道沿いにある「馬勝蔵」という居酒屋を教えてくれた。「馬勝蔵」は入口からしてとてもユニークで狭い木戸をくぐる。ここの「馬刺し盛り合わせ」は４種類の馬刺しがどれも柔らかく絶品。海鮮サラダと焼き物類もおいしかった。生ビールを3杯と、最後に芋焼酎「阿蘇の魂」で締めた。