Let it rain, let it pour

The amazing weather of the first part of my trip (we will just discount the Taifun) has come to an end. It is raining as I get up, and it will not stop raining for most of the day, even though I travel a few 100 km south and east. I get on a tiny bus towards Nobeoka. The bus driver informs us immediately that this is a very "slow" bus. Slow in the sense that it stops on every teeny tiny bus station, where ever a teeny tiny grandmother or grandfather needs to make a trip to the "big city". We spend almost 3 hours between mountain villages, and without the rain I would have had amazing pictures to show for it.

The weather however makes for great scenery, as clouds hang low in the valleys and we pass over peaks. Once in Nobeoka, I wait for the next train to Miyazaki. It has stopped raining, and I foolishly think that's it for the day. In Miyasaki, I collect all pamphlets there are about the area. This is the first city. where the English pamphlets are very rare. Not that I can't make do with the Japanese ones, but comparing the two helps a lot with figuring out station/city names.

I have just about left the station and walked 5 minutes towards the hotel, and the rain returns with a vengeance. I find temporary safety under the roof of an office building. However, if I stay here too long, somebody will most likely be dispatched to eliminate the unauthorized foreigner. Once the rain lets up a bit, I run towards the next Kombini. A new umbrella is needed. As soon as I buy it, if course the rain stops. I get to my hotel, and check in- as always- is a few hours away. I decide to make some way in my sightseeing plan for Miyazaki, fighting the rain. However, Miyazaki does not make it easy to get around. One of it's main attractions (Mayazaki Jingu) is serviced by about 4 bus lines.

However, none of those run more often then once an hour at the most. After waiting for a bit, I decide on a train ride instead. But even the train takes 30 minutes to even depart from the station. The shrine complex is dedicated to the first ever Tenno of Japan (and in folk belief the son of the goddess Amaterasu). It is empty save for an ever- renewing swarm of mosquitoes. My legs may never recover at this rate. However, there is really not much to see here. There is one lonely guide, who explains a bit about the shrine. He confirms, most fun happens here during spring, when they have festivals, horse games etc. Sadly, the other site (a peace park) has no direct bus access at all. There aren't even restaurants around. I know I gushed over the "village" character of Takachiho, but it had cafes, little shops and restaurants.

I find a magic bus back to the station and check into my hotel. After a bit of an rest, I leave the hotel to find some dinner. Miyazaki is famous for its char-grilled chicken. I find a tiny restaurant with some great food. The company is nice as well. I meet a man on a business trip, who is quite happy to hear I am from Germany. His son is studying German in University and will be spending a year in Germany soon. We have a good time talking, and he tells me a bit about the local Sakes.

Pictures Miyazaki