Once again it’s my favourite season here in Kyushu,not too hot and not too cold…with mostly clear skies and colorful autumn leaves all around. Kurokawa is no exception,autumn colours providing a beautiful backdrop to any onsen hopping you may choose to indulge in this season. Onsen-hopping passes are still a bargain at ¥1300 a go ,allowing you to try three different  public outdoor baths in Kurokawa within a 6-month period.

 

 

 

Sadly the main  event of the year in Kurokawa,a Thanksgiving festival in early October was cancelled due to the approach of a large typhoon. Since we are well into autumn now,a recommended activity for this time of year is to try one of the three hiking routes in and around Kurokawa,all starting from near the Visitor Center. Maps in English should be available from the Visitor Center,which has recently had a facelift!  Still a rather small space….but do pop in and see if Aoi is there at the information desk,she speaks excellent English and is willing to chat and offer advice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Within Visitor Center opening hours you may also use this recently installed Money Exchange machine for changing your home currency into Japanese yen .*please note this is not an ATM ,you still need to visit a bank in the neighbouring town of Oguni,or the Family Mart in Minami Oguni for those!

 

 

Finally,in this update a reminder to look out for the bamboo illuminations in Kurokawa from the end of December….quite a breathtaking sight along the river after on a winter’s evening.