Yamanami Highway
Yamanami Highway is the Prefectural road Route 11 and one of the most
beautiful scenic driving roads in Kyushu.
The road is connected Yufuin in Oita-prefecture and Minamioguni town in Aso,
Kumamoto-prefecture, the distance is 50 km.
You can enjoy the magnificent natural scenery that changes with the seasons.
 |
 |
 |
August 27, 2025
Arima Christian Heritage Memorial Museum
The Arima Christian Heritage Memorial Museum is a guidance facility showcasing
the history of Christianity in Minami-Shimabara, centered around the Hara Castle Ruins,
a component of the “Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region,” which was
registered as a World Heritage Site in 2018.
 |
 |
 |
August 25, 2025
Shimabara Peninsula Martyrs Memorial Cathedral
This Cathedral is house of prayer for tens of thousands Christians who were martyred
between 1612 and 1658 throughout the Shimabara Peninsula.
t was built in 1997 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the martyrdom of 26
Japanese Saints and the 360th anniversary of the Shimabara Rebellion.
The Cathedral is a beautiful octagonal building with a large octagonal dome.
 |
 |
 |
August 24, 2025
Holy Mary-Kannon of Hara Castle
The world’s tallest wooden Holy Mary statue, with 10 meters in height.
This statue was made by sculptor Oyamatsu Eiji over a period of 40 years and was completed
when he was 90 years old.
 |
 |
 |
August 18, 2025
Iseya, marcket reserch
I stayed Iseya in Obema, unzen for a market research on hotel.
 |
 |
 |
August 17, 2025
Sanno Shrine
Sanno Shrine is located approximately 800 meters away from the ground zero of Atomic bomb.
The Shrine was instantly obliterated by the explosion and the 4000 degrees Celsius heat wave
vaporized nearby trees.
The only thing that remained is the Torii gate standing on a single column, reminding us of the
tragedy that took place.
 |
 |
 |
The surviving trees of Sanno Shrine have become another living demonstration of destruction
and re-growth. Two large camphor trees were scorched, burned and stripped of all leaves by
the Atomic bomb’s shock wave; and yet, despite everything, the trees survived.
The surviving camphor trees are now a symbol of World Peace.
 |
 |
 |
August 14, 2025
Nyokodo, Dr. Nagai Takashi
Dr. Nagai Takashi (3 February 1908 – 1 May 1951) was a Catholic physician specializing in
radiology, an author, and a survivor of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. His subsequent life
of prayer and service earned him the affectionate title “saint of Urakami”.
 |
 |
 |
Nyokodo, which is adjacent to the Takashi Nagai Memorial Hall, is Dr. Takashi Nagai’s hospital
room and study. This 2-tatami building was built as a new home for the doctor, with the generosity
of the people of Urakami and fellow Catholics who were left penniless by the atomic bombing.
The doctor named this building “Nyokodo,” meaning “Love your neighbor as yourself,” and spent
his later years here. Dr. Nagai fought the onslaught of leukemia and worked hard to write even
though he was bedridden. From this room of just two tatami mats, the doctor continued to harass
the people of Urakami, writing novels such as “The Chains of the Rosary,” “Leaving the Child,”
“The River of Life,” and “The Bells of Nagasaki.
 |
 |
 |
August 13, 2025
Japanese indigenous religion
It is said that Takachiho is a birth place of Japanese indigenous religion, Shinto.
There is a story of Shinto origin in the Cave behind of Amano Iwato Shrine, and Amano Yasugawara.
In the story, Amaterasu, the Shinto sun goddess, became so outraged by her brother’s cruel pranks
that she hid herself in a cave, refusing to come out and depriving the world of her life-giving light.
All of the other gods and goddesses gathered to lure her out. They tried everything they could think
of to no avail until one goddess performed an outrageously ribald dance that caused the other gods
to roar with laughter. Amaterasu left the cave to see what all the fun was about, and in doing so she
returned her light to the world.
 |
 |
 |
August 03, 2025
Net fishing experience in Itoshima
We conducted the net fishing experience tour today in Itoshima.
It was beautiful day and many kind of fishes could caught.
 |
 |
 |
August 02, 2025
Japanese religion
Japan’s indigenous religion is Shinto. It is an ethnic religion that has continued from
Japan’s ancient times to the present day, and has permeated all aspects of Japanese
life and culture, and has the energy to accept foreign cultures including religions and
transform them into a Japanese style. Unlike many religions, it has no founder or scripture,
and is based on the idea that God resides in all things. It is an animistic, ancestral
spirit-worshipping folk religion that focuses on myths, eight million gods, nature and
natural phenomena.
 |
 |
 |
July 29, 2025