20 July 2017 Thursday.
We woke up around 6 am to catch the quiet aura of Kirin Lake… alluring green seen over the mirror lake.
It was quiet except for these quacky creatures…
Leisurely stroll around the lake… admiring the superb reflection of Tenso Shrine and Marc Chagall Museum.
Tenso Shrine…
Our Pictures
0800 hrs, a short drive and we were back to hotel. We put on our Yukata and had a traditional Japanese breakfast – warm rice, hot coffee and delicate dishes all ready for us.
Fish sprinkled with a little salt, when roasted was so palatable.
Having breakfast….
After breakfast, we went round the hotel to capture the beautiful landscaping.
Our pictures in front of the hotel
Onsen Time…so wonderful to enjoy warm bath with superb landscaping.
The hotel offer private family bath. I tried that out too.
After checked out….we started our Yufuin exploration.
Just a few hundred meters from the Hotel is this river side and its fantastic view of Mt Yufu.
Crossing the main street… we caught sight of this Swiss Roll shop. Recommended by several tour book.
We had ice cream and Swiss roll…. very sponge and very thick Mocha cream – I love the cream.
A short walk to the Yufu train station….
and the train…
We were fascinated by this charming town – picturesque and tinted with traditional feeling.
We spotted another highly recommended cafe…
we asked for the cheese cake… ( many people recommended their hot cheese cake). … so sad, not available because we were too early. Consolation – ice cream and pudding
We had lunch at Yufu Mabushi (Japanese clay port rice). They have another outlet near lake Kirin but we expect it to be packed, so we decided to have lunch at this train station branch.
The way the clay pot rice was prepared – similar to those in Singapore.
Their recommendation….
First – appreciate the original taste
followed by mixed with local spices, fresh vegetables and the side dishes.
Next, mixed the rice with home made soup…
finally – mixed the soup with the hard dried up rice crust.
A very filling and unique lunch. The spice were exceptional good when ate with hot clay pot rice. In Singapore, we love those clay pot rice with a lot of hard dried rice crust to the extend it may be a little carbonized. Mabushi do it in the more healthy way – less hard dried crust. …
With renewed energy, we explored Yufuin main Street.
Remember the spices that goes well with the hot claypot rice, we had it in Yufuin Table.
YuFuin Pudding Pancake, 花麹菊家. The pancake was exceptional good. We regret for not buying more. I would have brought back a lot if not because the product has few days shelf life.
Snoopy……….another popular outlet
It was leisure, easy…. and more enjoyable with ice-cream on hot sunny day.
famous Kinsho Croquette
…蜂の巢Craft & Cafe
by chance, we spotted SS’s Car… nice and cute…
A surprised turn and we were in Yufuin Foral Village
This is a surprised wonderland in Yufuin. Tiny houses and alley for wonderland creatures …little shops…
Regine in wonderland…
Our Pictures
We decided to have another look at Lake Kirin before driving off…. well more crowded… more green ….reflection not as sharp.
By chance we saw Mabushi Clay Pot Restaurant. Much bigger restaurant and surprising not so crowded.
Good bye to Yufuin wonderland and we set off to Kokonoe suspension bridge. Just before reaching Kokonoe suspension bridge, there was a road block (due to road repair. the week before there was very heavy rain over Kyushu and a number of place had mud slides). We had to make a long detour and it took us more than an hour to finally arrive at our destination.
At last, Kokonoe suspension bridge was in sight
We had our tickets and make our way to the suspension bridge. Some local Japanese called it dream bridge as it signified dream realization.
At the start of the bridge
Embracing the dream … embracing the bridge
Bridge view at we approaches the center.
The view from the bridge was spectacular. The valley view with stream Kyusuikei (九酔渓) flowing right below the bridge. Green and misty view.
We could see two waterfalls pouring furiously into the valley.
A close view of 震動の滝 shin-dono-taki fall
right at the center of the suspension bridge…we realized we were 173m above the valley.
Our Pictures
It was around 1700 hrs…. we left Kokonoe suspension bridge and headed towards El Patio Ranch.
The area is mountainous. The road was good but very winding.
While meandering through some hairpin… we noticed a deer farm.
It was no ordinary deer farm.
exceptionally wonderful creations…< I noted the place was known as 千羽鶴鹿公园. Unfortunately, there was no information available in the internet.>
At last…El Patio Ranch
This is a working ranch and has build up resembling western cowboy movies.
Our room…
and look out from the balcony…a very surprising grassland view (did not expect to see grassland in Japan)- remind me of a series I seen when I was very young – Little house on the Prairie.
After checked in and dropped out luggage… we saw the bright orange sun was heading down the horizon. We had to move fast to catch the sunset over Daikanbo.
On our way….
Arriving the view point @ DaiKanbo
Shades of Sunset
Sunset behind the cloud
We headed down to Mt Aso, Town of Aso for dinner. Quiet town and we had some tasty Sashimi and Japanese bowl rice for dinner.
An interesting experience as we move on very winding road in complete darkness…. heading back to El Patio.
End of Day 7 : Morning Lake Kirin is spectacular. We had wonderful traditional breakfast and Onsen at Ryoso Mikiba Hotel. We had very good time at very charming Yufuin – feel like living wonderland. I like Kokonoe Dream bridge – it is like a dream coming true. Sunset over Daikanbo…. we enjoyed that too.
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