We set off from Tsurusaki on a warm morning heading for Kunisaki. The roads were quiet, thankfully, as we bumped between road and pavement towards Oita. Once on the tarmac to Beppu it was faster, passing Tanoura Bay (a fake bay constructed for safe swimming and yacht docking) and construction works. We didn’t stop in Beppu but were able to reminisce about the night’s luxury we had in a love hotel. In Hiji, about 30km from the start, we stopped briefly to refuel the legs and explore the castle ruins. Towards Kitsuki we found the road quieter and more pleasant with more open land and a sense of the outdoors.
In Kitsuki, we walked up to the castle and enjoyed the views of the beach. Finally, after a rest on a beach after the Tour de Kunisaki Peninsula route we reached the little town of Kunisaki. New Yorker, Carlene, met us outside her house (an actual house!) with a garden full of weeds! We then went shopping at the clothing store across the street and then to supper at a nice Japanese restaurant where we ate potatoes, fresh salad, rice soup and grilled bacon on sprouts in soya sauce. Back at Carlene’s abode we watched ‘Over the hedge’ (cute) which was preceded by ‘Vacancy’ a scary thriller that we didn’t complete.
Farming near Kunisaki.In the morning after brief snacks we set off for Futagoji Temple on the top of Mt Futago.
A ride out west from Kunisaki and we climbed but the views were green and natural. The temple itself is beautiful. The first section is where the monks live and there is a restaurant, shop and a temple. Further up the mountainside there is another shrine set into the rock face.
There is a prayer cavity chipped out by hand which has a strong aroma of frequent incense burning. We saw a badger-type animal foraging in the undergrowth and it didn’t seem perturbed by our presence. The forest in which the temple (or series of three temples and prayer areas) is still relatively indigenous and healthy looking.
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