Sometimes we feel as though, as visiting cruisers, that our presence in boat harbours is not entirely welcome - people are usually friendly enough but there is not a lot of interaction. Maybe this problem lies with us but who knows? However, this has not been the case in Akune! Shoji, has taken us under his wing and shown us Akune and 
several good restaurants, introduced us to some of his friends and taken us home with him. He has also taken us beyond Akune to Kagoshima and Izumi.
Akune is a nice-sized seaside town, a bit too big to get around the whole place on foot but facilities we need are close by - supermarket, laundry and hot spring. One of the features of the town is the work of a local artist who has painted murals
on shopfront roller-doors as well as a large section of the seawall in the harbour. Some are quite amusing and we'll get some shots before we leave town - we still have the excuse of southerly winds at the moment so are here until at least Wednesday, 27 April, at this stage. We have been invited to stay for six months which is very tempting!!
Tasting fresh uni, sea urchin, straight from the sea, with Juno, Shoji's delightful daughter.
We were on the beach to collect sea glass - glass washed up onto the beach which Juno uses to make very tasteful lanterns for a gallery.
Local professional potter, Matsumoto Akira, works from a former elementary school in an abandoned tiny village which he uses as both a workshop and gallery. His works are fired in a kerosene-fired kiln. He and Shoji often get together to discuss philosophy and his belief is that the clay he works with forms itself with the help of his
hands.
The day was still not done and soon Shoji convinced us that dinner at the local okonomiyaki restaurant was good idea for the evening.
Okonomiyaki, or 'as you like it', is cooked at the table and here Shoji demonstrates his skill in turning one of the pancakes. Our other guest on the left is Asher, a teacher of English from Seattle. Asher has accompanied us on several outings and has proved an excellent translator for us. He easily translates 'on the run' and has amazed us with his language skills.
We departed with an enthusiastic invitation from Shoji to "let's go Kagoshima".
Kagoshima
Sure enough at 9:00 Friday morning Shoji picked us up for the drive to Kagoshima, about 80km east of Akune and main city of Kagoshima Prefecture. We were to visit the Kagoshima Prefectural Museum of Culture. It was a couple of hours drive away along roads winding through the hilly countryside and through villages. Very picturesque with pines, cedars and bamboos covering the hills. Azaleas everywhere coming into flower to take the place of the cherry blossoms which have now finished.
At Ichihino Shoji called "rest stop!" and here we enjoyed the hot spring waters at the onsen for feet.
We arrived in Kagoshima after 11:00 so it was a quick visit to the museum to learn about the history, culture and art of Kagoshima. The museum displays many artifacts from prehistoric times to the present which give an excellent understanding of this southern region of Japan.
The day was still not done and we drove around the bay to Sengan-en, the villa and extensive gardens of the Shimadzu family, now a National Scenic Beauty and Cultural Site.
The original entrance to the villa features a painted pewter roof and a brilliant red paint job.
A tiny section of the beautiful gardens which feature not only Japanese styles but also Chinese and Ryukyan influences.
There are fantastic views from all over the area across Kinko Bay to Sakurajima, the active volcano with smoke issuing from the crater which sits in the middle of the bay.
Sakurajima on a grey day.
Izumi
Saturday afternoon we were picked up once again by Shoji and his wife Yoriko and taken to a neighbouring town called Izumi. During the winter Izumi is home to thousands of cranes which migrate from Siberia. Unfortunately, they had now returned north with the spring so we weren't able to see them but we visited two samurai houses - we have seen them before but this was the first time we had been able to enter.
The man-hole covers in this area feature Samurai bowmen!
Izumi was the base for kamikaze pilot training during WWII.
There was not a lot to see apart from this entrance to a below ground maze of concrete chambers. We were not sure of their use apart from bomb shelters.
The last of the cherry blossoms coat the ground in Izumi.
several good restaurants, introduced us to some of his friends and taken us home with him. He has also taken us beyond Akune to Kagoshima and Izumi.Akune is a nice-sized seaside town, a bit too big to get around the whole place on foot but facilities we need are close by - supermarket, laundry and hot spring. One of the features of the town is the work of a local artist who has painted murals
on shopfront roller-doors as well as a large section of the seawall in the harbour. Some are quite amusing and we'll get some shots before we leave town - we still have the excuse of southerly winds at the moment so are here until at least Wednesday, 27 April, at this stage. We have been invited to stay for six months which is very tempting!!Tasting fresh uni, sea urchin, straight from the sea, with Juno, Shoji's delightful daughter.
We were on the beach to collect sea glass - glass washed up onto the beach which Juno uses to make very tasteful lanterns for a gallery.
Local professional potter, Matsumoto Akira, works from a former elementary school in an abandoned tiny village which he uses as both a workshop and gallery. His works are fired in a kerosene-fired kiln. He and Shoji often get together to discuss philosophy and his belief is that the clay he works with forms itself with the help of his
hands.The day was still not done and soon Shoji convinced us that dinner at the local okonomiyaki restaurant was good idea for the evening.
Okonomiyaki, or 'as you like it', is cooked at the table and here Shoji demonstrates his skill in turning one of the pancakes. Our other guest on the left is Asher, a teacher of English from Seattle. Asher has accompanied us on several outings and has proved an excellent translator for us. He easily translates 'on the run' and has amazed us with his language skills.
We departed with an enthusiastic invitation from Shoji to "let's go Kagoshima".
Kagoshima
Sure enough at 9:00 Friday morning Shoji picked us up for the drive to Kagoshima, about 80km east of Akune and main city of Kagoshima Prefecture. We were to visit the Kagoshima Prefectural Museum of Culture. It was a couple of hours drive away along roads winding through the hilly countryside and through villages. Very picturesque with pines, cedars and bamboos covering the hills. Azaleas everywhere coming into flower to take the place of the cherry blossoms which have now finished.At Ichihino Shoji called "rest stop!" and here we enjoyed the hot spring waters at the onsen for feet.
We arrived in Kagoshima after 11:00 so it was a quick visit to the museum to learn about the history, culture and art of Kagoshima. The museum displays many artifacts from prehistoric times to the present which give an excellent understanding of this southern region of Japan.But it was lunchtime and soon Shoji had us in a restaurant specialising in unagi, eel. We all had unadon, eel and rice in a bowl accompanied by miso soup and Japanese green tea. The eel was oyshi, delicious, as is most Japanese food.
The day was still not done and we drove around the bay to Sengan-en, the villa and extensive gardens of the Shimadzu family, now a National Scenic Beauty and Cultural Site.
The original entrance to the villa features a painted pewter roof and a brilliant red paint job.
A tiny section of the beautiful gardens which feature not only Japanese styles but also Chinese and Ryukyan influences.
Sakurajima on a grey day.
Izumi
Saturday afternoon we were picked up once again by Shoji and his wife Yoriko and taken to a neighbouring town called Izumi. During the winter Izumi is home to thousands of cranes which migrate from Siberia. Unfortunately, they had now returned north with the spring so we weren't able to see them but we visited two samurai houses - we have seen them before but this was the first time we had been able to enter.
The man-hole covers in this area feature Samurai bowmen!
Izumi was the base for kamikaze pilot training during WWII.
There was not a lot to see apart from this entrance to a below ground maze of concrete chambers. We were not sure of their use apart from bomb shelters.
The last of the cherry blossoms coat the ground in Izumi.
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