KYUSHU TRAVEL DIARYREVIEW KYUSHU TRIPS WE HAVE VISITED

Kinrin Lake in the hot spring town of Yufuin was picture-perfect on the day I was there and full of small groups of smiling tourists enjoying the great photo-op it provided all around. With buildings rising up along the far edge, and Mt. Yufu looming high in the background, it reminded me of Switzerland. You know you’re in a mountain town, and the fresh mountain air alone is worth the trip.

I didn’t stop for a bath, as my plan called for staying outside of town at a nearby hot spring resort. So, I stopped for an ice cream cone served with fruit and enjoyed strolling with my camera phone. Wandering along the back roads or along the rivers running through Yufuin is one of my favorite activities. Even though it’s a tourist town, very few tourists stray from the main Yunotsubo Street into the quiet backstreets. I was able to snap of few shots with no one in the background. The hustle and bustle of the main drag is fun, too. I enjoyed seeing visitors from HK, Korea, China, Taiwan, and SE Asia enjoying themselves in the shops, snapping photos of the cool exteriors or tiny gardens that are uniquely Japanese. People watching is fun in Yufuin, and I tried to imagine what life must be like for these visitors in their respective hometowns.