2nd Visitor in Oita



Anna and me...

Anna's Visit to Oita
1-3 April 2011

Over the weekend, Oita had another visitor, Anna "Bella C" (her nickname for the trip...) from Ishigawa Ken. Me and K had fun teasing and "bullying" her! Went to the cheap public bath for the 1st time, took a road trip and we drove to Kumamoto to see our dear Aso San (阿蘇山), had our crazy ideas of having a lava onsen (named Lava Lover Onsen, still thinking if it should be a sucidal onsen for 苦命鸳鸯 or a 青春永驻 onsen where you will get younger after going for the onsen for 100 times (so we can earn more)). On the way to Mount Aso, we diverted and headed to see tulips and Harajiri waterfall (原尻の滝). I had been there before, but I wanted to see the tulips. BUT... due to the cold cold winter this year, the tulips decided not to bloom so early. Waterfall was beautiful and the ice-cream there was oiishi. Our road trip ended with us rushing back to Oita City so that we can return the rental car before 8pm. We ended up having some time to go buy some delicious cream puffs and cheesecake recommended by K and then a good dinner and a long chat at an izakaya.

Our 小白-San

Harajiri Fall

Yummy ice-cream: Strawberry, Sweet potato and Tiramisu



Shelter for hiding at Mount Aso



Some facts on Mount Aso

Mount Aso (阿蘇山) is the largest active volcano in Japan, and is among the largest in the world. It stands in Aso Kujū National Park in Kumamoto Prefecture, on the island of Kyūshū. Its peak is 1592 m above sea level. Aso has one of the largest caldera in the world (25 km north-south and 18 km east-west).

Smoky Crater



The next day we took a bus to Fukuoka and we went to the park to see some sakura. They were gorgeous!!! There were many people having Hanami under the sakura (picnic), very crowded indeed. I will be going down to Fukuoka next sat for hanami too. I hope I can catch the night scene of the sakura as well.

Hanami under the Sakura... They had nabe and BBQ!!!
and of course beer and sake...

Beautiful Sakura...