16/12/22 Fri: After checking out of Yumeoi-so hotel at 10am, PotaTOHs drove towards Kamishikimi Kumano-imasu shrine for our short morning trek. We saw some vegetables and nuts being sold at the carpark we parked at, and they trust that you are honest enough to put the stated amount into the basket provided for what you take away.
At 10.45am, we reached the foot of the shrine. It was beautiful, quiet and a bit chilly in the morning. There's also this "sacred ambience in the air" as we walked up the long staircase decorated with moss covered stone lanterns through a cathedral like forest of cedar trees. At the top of the staircase, there is a small shrine dedicated to two of Japan’s most important Shinto deities. I knew there were bamboo sticks available so I took one as we walked up further to the rock archway, Ugetoiwa. *The slopes were steep, but actually don't need those sticks la.* There's a shimenawa (sacred rope) across the entrance to the Ugetoiwa wind hole. It's said that if one goes through the arch, all their goals and ambitions will come true. Some people left coins around while others make small piles of rock and leave them there as a wish or prayer. There were some tourists when we were there. After that, we took some time to walk back down. Even if it was only a 45 minutes' trek up and down, it still was some effort! *Potato took a time-lapse video on the way down.* An old couple stopped to ask Potato something but I guess his Japanese wasn't good enough for small talks haha.We took a while before we found a carpark near the Northern entrance to Suizenji Jojuen Garden (400 yen per pax) next. Very picturesque and tranquail park. *First time I knew and saw mandarin ducks fly over waters!*
It was 1+pm already so we decided to have lunch. We exited via the main gate and walked for a while before deciding on lunch at ピポタマス (pipotamasu?) because I saw their winter special udon (880 yen) while Potato had the Oyako don. They were only okay I guess. Went back to Suizenji Jojuen Garden and we sat by the lake for a short while... just enjoying the peace and quiet.
Also saw a big version of Rock garden of the Hosakawa Ryu Bonseki, art of creating miniature landscapes on black lacquered trays using natural stones and white sands... so nice. I thought of buying one for my house before.
Tatezuna, considered a place where god first descended. We left for Mitsui Garden Hotel Kumamoto and saw Potato's car being taken up the automatic car lift in their carpark for the first time... cool. It was 2.45pm when we reached, and even though I remembered I reserved the room for a night with breakfast, the staff said I did not... no point arguing so we had to eat out that night. *Had to pay an extra 1,250 yen for parking 15 minutes before the check-in time sian!* It was a small room (0903) on the ninth floor (S$63 for two pax).
Walked over to Josaien for some local food and shopping! Potato bought their chocolate-flavoured pastry for 200yen which tasted so-so, and one cup of hot sweet wine (300 yen) which was yummy and great for the winter (albeit not so cold in Kumamoto compared to Aso)! Bought their dango pack for 702 yen at a second shop I saw, which was a few hundred yens cheaper than the first shop's! Potato was curious about a transparent soy sauce (540 yen), so we bought them back to Singapore. We walked past Kumamoto Castle, but it was not in my plan to go into the paid attraction because it sustained damage due to an earthquake in 2016 and they are still in the midst of rebuilding parts of it. Saw a lotto store but I didn't buy any in the end because there were so many types and the results would only be out after we leave Japan... pointless to.
We were at Shimotori Shopping Arcade and went into a Don Don Donki. Bought a can of Chu-Hi and two cans of Suntory for 488 yen. We weren't hungry yet, so we decided to visit Christmas Market Kumamoto just across the road at 6.30pm. Did not buy anything there as things are expensive at these Christmas markets anywhere in the world and nothing really interests us anyway. Had dinner at Katsuretsu Tei, a restaurant known for their tonkatsu don.
The young female waitress serving us was very patient and detailed in explaining everything given to us. Simple English but she tried her best... very "genki" too haha.We had to grind our own sesame powder before eating. The meat was said to be huge roppaku-kurobuta from the island of Kagoshima. Potato had the Atsuage Kurobuta roast-katsu zen (thick-cut loin) while I had the normal loin... it was plump and juicy sia! The batter was done really well too. *5390yen in all, and though slightly expensive, there was a queue by the time we were about to leave.* We saw some food stalls as we were on the way to the shopping mall next to the Christmas market to try to find a FamilyMart but we didn't find it in the end. Ended up buying grape jelly (170 yen) and onigiris (280+ yen) for our breakfast the next morning.
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