Yamanami Highway

Yamanami Highway is one of the most beautiful driving route in Kyushu from Yufuin to Aso through

Aso Kuju National Park, it is not expressway.

The literal meaning of Yamanami is a series of mountains.

The beautiful scenery can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Society of Edo period from 1603

The Edo period began in 1603 by Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu who won the Battle

of Sekigahara and lasted for 260 years until 1868.

The Tokugawa shogun granted territory to feudal lords throughout Japan and  

controlled from Edo (current Tokyo).

The Tokugawa shogunate established many rules to prevent civil wars among feudal

lords and maintain a stable government.

Samurai laws; feudal lords were prohibited from repairing their castles or getting married

without permission from the shogunate.

Sankin Kotai : the party of feudal lords should visit Edo with own expense every two

years for preventing rebellion.

Establishment of Class system : classify samurai, farmer and merchant  

Ban on Christianity

The emperor became a symbol of traditional authority, delegating government to

the shogun.

Omura sushi

A local dish that has been passed down in Omura since ancient times.

During the ancient time, when feudal lord Omura Sumikore, who had been

defeated in battle and had his territory taken away, fought back and regained

his territory, the people of his territory made pressed sushi and served it to

celebrate.

It is said to have originated. The reason why it was pressed sushi was because

there weren’t enough tableware to feed a large number of soldiers. It is said that

the people spread large quantities of freshly cooked rice in a shallow wooden

box and quickly made pressed sushi with double toppings, which the soldiers

then ate by cutting it into squares with a wakizashi. Due to this tradition, the locals

have called it “Omura sushi, which means sushi to celebrate winning battles,

” and it is still valued as an indispensable dish for celebrations.

History of Dejima from 1636

Dejima was the fan-shaped artificial island in the bay of Nagasaki where was used

as a trading port during Japan’s National isolation of Edo period.

In 1636, the artificial island, Dejima was constructed to accommodate  Portuguese

who lived in Nagasaki and to prohibit Christian missionary work.

In 1638, trade with Portugal was prohibited and Dejima becaome an uninhabited island.

In 1641, the Dutch trading post in Hirado was moved to Dejima, and then the history of

trade with the Netherlands began at Dejima as only the gateway to European in Japan.

Mifuneyama rakuen

Beautiful Japanese Garden, located in the south-western foot of Mifuneyama.

onstruction of the garden took about 3 years and completed in 1845, the area is about 5ha.

The dynamic cliffs of Mifuneyama Mountain can be seen from the garden.

Spring season

 Autumn season

Mathew C Perry came to Uraga in 1853

In 1853, Mathew C Perry came to Uraga; the Commodore of the US navy,

who played a significant role in Japanese history, succeeded in opening Japan

to foreign countries.

Japanese industry was 200years behind European countries at that time,

and Japanese’s industrial revolution started in Saga, Kagoshima, Nagasaki,

Kitakyushu and other places in Japan.

Tulips

The first tulips were introduced to Japan in 1863, at the end of the Edo period, when bulbs

were brought back from France by the Shogunate’s mission to Europe.

Photos are taken at Onga River flower park in Nogata, Fukuoka-prefecture 

Phoenix Seagaia Resort, Miyazaki-prefecture

Phoenix Seagaia is a resort facility located in Hamayama, Yamazaki-cho, Miyazaki-city,

Miyazaki-prefecture.

As of 2024, its official name is “Phoenix Seagaia Resort.” The name is a combination of

“Sea,” meaning the ocean, and “Gaia,” meaning the earth.

It is home to the prestigious golf course “Phoenix Country Club” and Tom Watson Golf Course. 

There is Sherton Grande Ocean Resort which is a luxury Hotel of 154-meter

tower standing within a huge pine forest. 

Udo Shrine, in Nichinan, Miyazaki-prefecture

Beautiful and exciting Shine. Udo Shrine is a Shinto shrine in the cave of the cliff side

facing the Pacific Ocean. It is located about 35 km south of Miyazaki city. In legend,

a goddess of sea built a hut to give birth to a great god here. Then it is said that Empress

Suiko (554-628) built the shrine there. The priest of Tendai Buddhism built a Buddhist

temple in 782, on the order of Emperor Kanmu. In the middle ages, this area had been

the training place for mountain priests because of the steep rocky cliffs.

Nagasaki Port was opened to the World in 1859

Nagasaki Port was opened in 1859 for trade with the world.

And a residential areas were created for foreigners in Minami-yamate and

Higashi-yamate where overlooking Nagasaki Port.

And in that place, houses were built for foreigners who came to Japan for

proceeding the international business in Japan.