Guide introducing a plane

Barracks where pilots wrote their last letters, partly under ground

Entrance (photographing inside is forbidden)

🧵21/ Chiran Peace Museum teaches WW2 history about #MinamiKyushu and kamikaze pilots. Interesting, it features barracks, pilots' letters/testaments… but its English texts/audio lack the emotions and familial impact well conveyed at Bansei Tokko Peace Museum (start your #Nansatsu #HistoryTour there).

🧵20/ Resuming #FoodTourism, we lunched healthily at #MinamiKyushu Shunshun Terrace, which serves steamed local seasonal vegetables with 8-grain rice, miso soup, and pickles. Options: wagyu beef, black pork… with salt, a ponzu citrus-based sauce, and a sesame sauce. #Nansatsu

At Iwaya park, with grass and a river in the foreground, and a cliff topped by trees in the background

Carving of Amithaba Buddha on a cliff, with vegetation below and above

Carving of a 11-headed Kannon, with small colourful offerings at its feet, and grass at the bottom

🧵19/ Our guide at #MinamiKyushu Iwaya Park extended our #Nansatsu #HistoryTour with Kiyomizu Magaibutsu, ±200 #Buddhist carvings on a 20x400m cliff, including a 12m-tall Heian-period (794-1185) carving. These Sanskrit characters are reputedly Japan's best for size & beauty. How did they do???

Beach on the left, sea on the right, Mount Kaimon on the horizon slightly on the left, under clouds

🧵18/ While driving during our #HistoryTour, we stopped at a spot in #MinamiKyushu matching Japanese #WW2 pilots' view when flying towards Okinawa for their last (suicide) mission, saying goodbye at Mount Kaimon. You may find it poignant after visiting #Nansatsu peace museums…

Volcanic pond with a dark walkable path in the foreground, sea then Mount Kaimon in the background, under a cloudy sky

Tree house

Another tree house

🧵17/ #MinamiKyushu Bandpark naturally fits in #GreenTourism around #Nansatsu: conservation of seahorses (local victims of the climate crisis), camping up in trees, kayaking in a volcanic pond reputedly leading to an underwater Dragon Palace… You may also enjoy coffee (no time for me to taste it).

At the red gate of Kamafuta Shrine, my colleague (left) and I (right) walk with a big lid on our heads

Red and white Kamafuta Shrine, with a grey path in the foreground and green trees in the background

Rock with a crack looking like a smile, surrounded by offerings, under a rope and paper zigzags (Shinto symbols)

🧵16/ Athletes (WW2: soldiers) pray god Susanoo (slayer of a 8-headed serpent) for strength at #MinamiKyushu Kamafuta Shrine. You may also pray a laughing rock or walk with a lid on your head from the gate to the building (we tried…) to make a wish come true. #Nansatsu #CulturalTourism #HistoryTour

Equipment inside the distillery

Storage area

Ingredients

Building and surroundings

🧵14/ First whisky distillery I ever visited, #Makurazaki Hinokami stands out during #FoodTourism in #Nansatsu with its all-glass modern building and huge semi-automated storage. See/touch/taste ingredients, learn in English, and question the interpreter. You'll soon be able to also taste #whisky 🥃

Room with many vats in which sweet potatoes ferment, with the main part invisible under the floor

Traditional wooden barrels connected to each other, and a Shinto charm representing the sky and lightning

6 bottles used for comparative tasting, with sweet potatoes in the bottom left

Distillery seen from outside

🧵13/ You know sake Japanese alcohol but not #shochu? Visit #Makurazaki Meijigura distillery during #Nansatsu #FoodTourism: English labels, interpreter, sweet potato checks, tastings… Like me, mix with a stick then enjoy the bubbling! Unexpectedly, this surpassed most of my visits at sake breweries 🍶

🧵12/ #Makurazaki developed #FoodTourism around its Makurazaki Katsuobushi dried bonito, protected by #Japan Ministry Of Agriculture. Local Nakahara Suisan innovates (dashi black vinegar gelée…) and teaches dashi making (1,200+ foreigners for miso-soup home cooking, ramen shop creation…). #Nansatsu

Owner introducing her green tea fields

Young tea field with protections against typhoons

Tea I just picked to chew for comparative tasting

Bowl containing tea leaves after brewing, to be eaten with chopsticks

🧵11/ #Nansatsu region produces most Japanese #tea 🍵 #MinamiKyushu Marukawa Farm welcomed us in its 20-species fields, some organic 🌿 Comparative chewing, drinking naturally-sweet cold/hot #Chiran tea, discussing typhoons… was fun! Great for #FoodTourism and #GreenTourism, with #VeganJapan lunch 👍

Main hall of Satsuma Densho-kan museum

Guide answering questions about three artworks at the entrance

Guide comparing artworks in a room with many pieces displayed along a cross shape

Display of soil/rocks used as materials to make Satsuma ware

🧵10/ Satsuma Densho-kan museum gathers only-one #SatsumaWare exported to Europe and copied in Kyoto after Paris' 1867 World Expo. Our fascinating #Nansatsu guide covered the making from local #Ibusuki soil, collection, and context in English… and you can dine among artworks here! #CulturalTourism

🧵9/ On a #honeymoon or doing #CulturalTourism in #Nansatsu? Stay at #Ibusuki Hakusuikan inn: diverse luxury, unique steam sand bath, open-air hot spring (tattoos OK if hidden/patched), ocean sunrise (New Year: full), English/Chinese OK, suitable for MICE… We were sad to sleep there only 1 night!

Dark sand, with my head and an umbrella visible

🧵8/ I experienced a natural steam sand bath, buried in hot sand up to my neck on a beach of #Ibusuki at Saraku Sand Bath Hall for the recommended 10 minutes. This volcanic blessing is rare in Japan & worldwide. Technically, you'd wear a yukata robe during this #Nansatsu #GreenTourism. Avoid summer!

Entrance of the temple, unusually designed with a thatched roof

Statue of a Deva king

Golden building surrounded by vegetation, with a separate artistic pillar in the foreground

Priest beside a wall illustrated with cherry blossoms

🧵7/ Astonished! #Ibusuki Seiryu-ji temple is new (1990) and widespread, with unusual designs, a golden building, marble statues, meditation, yoga… and a rental house for comfortable temple stays. Great for #SpiritualTourism in #Nansatsu and for #CulturalTourism about #Buddhism in modern society.

Dessert called Mango White Bear. Mountain of shaved ice mixed with mango chunks, in a transparent cup.

Bottle of Ibusuki Mango Cider containing yellow mango soda, held in the air, with Mount Kaimon in the background.

🧵6/ Surprise! #Nansatsu produces mangoes. Head to #Ibusuki Mango Forest like me to savour fresh fruit, jam, juice, or foods like the huge Mango White Bear (shaved ice + mango chunks). Elsewhere, you'll also find Ibusuki mango soda. The smiley owner was very kind & welcoming. #VeganJapan #FoodTourism

🧵5/ Catching cold noodles swirling around our table at the birthplace of revolving somen noodles was fun 🌀 We lunched in #Ibusuki at Tosenkyo Somen-nagashi restaurant, using local spring water in the Top 100 sources of #Japan Ministry of Land 🏆 Enjoy #FoodTourism & #GreenTourism in #Nansatsu region!

Mount Kaimon seen from Ryugu Shrine, framed by a matchmaking heart, with the sea in-between, a big blue sky, and a few white clouds in the background

Mount Kaimon seen from Nishi-Oyama train station, with the covered platform on the right and the rails seemingly leading to the mountain

Mount Kaimon seen from the road as I sat beside the driver

🧵4/ Mount Kaimon is everywhere today, seen from the road, Ryugu Shrine, Nishi-Oyama train station… We lack 7 hours to climb its spiral trail with rocks, stairs and ladders (great for strong trekkers and #GreenTourism) and enjoy the breathtaking view of #Ibusuki and #Nansatsu beyond from its summit.

Two main buildings of Ryugu shrine, mostly white and red. The building on the right has an unusual shape, without walls on the ground floor. You pray between its four legs, after ringing a bell using a big rope.

Prayer written on a shell, for eternal friendship and world peace.

Statue of Urashima-taro with the turtle he saved. Circling around then touching the head of the turtle shall make your wish come true.

Goshuin of Ryugu shrine, over 2 pages, with stamps representing Urashima-taro, the turtle he saved, Princess Toyotama, the shrine… and calligraphy for the date and name of the shrine.

🧵3/ We visited Ryugu Shrine, reputedly near the submerged Dragon Palace, and dedicated to Princess Toyotama (grandma of Japan's first emperor Jimmu), central in Urashima-taro legend. Write a prayer on a shell to the Matchmaking Deity & Seas Protector or just do #CulturalTourism. #Nansatsu #Ibusuki

🧵2/ #Nansatsu developed #FoodTourism around its Ibusuki Katsuobushi dried bonito, protected by #Japan Ministry Of Agriculture: process detailed in English, visits of rooms at -50℃ and +50℃, observation of staff, demonstration of defects, degustations, prayer at a shrine of the God Of Water…

🧵1/ Starting 6 days in #Nansatsu to develop #CulturalTourism, #GreenTourism and #FoodTourism that would intrigue you, with a colleague and officials from 4 #Kagoshima cities 🗾 Unique with sand hot springs, #Japan biggest tea production, local Loch Ness monster, a #HistoryTour about forced kamikaze…

I just enjoyed 4 days in #Minobu (Buddhism) and #Gotemba (Mt Fuji hotel) to develop #JapanTravel despite 34℃, rain and #WorkLifeBalance off. Vegan meals OK everywhere! Now readying for 6-day consulting in #Nansatsu from tomorrow: sand hot spring, №1 tea, forced kamikaze… Read daily updates 🗓️

To inform my tourism recommendations for partners & officials, I dived into the Japanese brochures and hundreds of webpages on #Nansatsu to curate top spots, activities & foods in Google Sheets. I'll ask locals to help find interesting people, awards, vegan options, and story hooks. 🧵5 #consulting

Two bottles of Ibusuki onsen cider with price.

Cup of Satsuma ware made in Nansatsu, with its characteristic surface cracks

I've not yet visited the area so my second action was to explore #Kagoshima Yurakukan, regional specialty store in #Tokyo: #Ibusuki onsen "cider", Satsuma ware made in #Nansatsu, brochures about each city… The staff kindly gave me tips for my business trip and local luxury travel 👍 🧵4 #AntennaShop

My first action was to contact my LinkedIn network on #Kyushu, island of Nansatsu. Travel agents/writers/photographers admitted they'd missed #Nansatsu. It seems a hidden gem even for regional pros! Some proposed to collaborate, and a #VisitKyushu Tourism Organization manager shared useful tips 🧵 3/

Stark challenge: #Nansatsu population halved since 1950! Its 4 cities are #Ibusuki 67,977→39,011, #Makurazaki 34,480→20,033, #MinamiKyushu 82,021→33,080, and #MinamiSatsuma 89,852→32,887. Officials thus strive to attract some of Japan's foreign tourists (37 millions in 2024 maybe 40 in 2025?). 🧵 2/

Grateful & thrilled to support a #JapanTravel colleague who chose me for consulting to fight depopulation and boost the economy in off-the-beaten-path #Kagoshima #Nansatsu. We'll visit soon 🙂 Stay tuned for info/photos and let me know if you visited the land of #JamesBond "You Only Live Twice"! 🧵 1/