After sightseeing at Mount Aso and Takachiho Gorge, I will drive to Kamiamakusa.
In Aso, I stayed at a hotel called Arden Hotel Aso.
I happened to come across this hotel by chance, but the room was spacious and the quality of the hot spring water was excellent.
The rates were relatively reasonable, making it a highly satisfying place to stay.
Today, I will head south from Aso to Takachiho Gorge for some sightseeing.
After that, I’ll drive westward all the way to Amakusa.
阿蘇から高千穂峡、天草までのドライブルート（Google Mapより）
Experience being a train conductor and tour a sake brewery at “Tunnel Station” just before reaching Takachiho.
About an hour into our drive from Arden Hotel Aso, we spotted a large steam locomotive and an old train, so we decided to stop and take a look.
It seems to be known as “Tunnel Station”; in addition to selling souvenirs, the facility offers sake tasting experiences and tours of the sake brewery.
This vehicle is known as the “Takachiho-go,” and it reportedly ran between Takachiho Station and Nobeoka Station until 2003.
I thought I would only be able to view the exterior, but I was actually able to step inside the vehicle.
It is so clean that you wouldn’t believe it’s the interior of a retired train.
Surprisingly, you can even sit in the conductor’s seat and get a taste of what it’s like to be a conductor.
Even if you aren’t a train enthusiast, you might find yourself getting excited and wanting to drive one.
A steam locomotive was also on display next to the Takachiho-go.
There is even more to see at this tunnel station.
It features a natural waterfall known as “Tenson Korin no Taki” (Waterfall of the Descent of the Heavenly Grandchild), with a drop of 18 meters.
On hot summer days, you can cool off near the waterfall.
At “Tunnel no Eki” (Tunnel Station), there was a souvenir shop that appeared to be operated by Kagura Shuzo Co., Ltd.
I took a restroom break there and bought some tea souvenirs.
Next to the souvenir shop, visitors can view the remains of the railway tunnel that gave the facility its name.
I believe it is well-suited for sake brewing because the temperature remains constant throughout the year.
They were producing shochu, a local specialty.
You can see sake barrels stacked all the way to the back.
This tunnel, spanning a total length of about 1,115 meters, appears to be used for storing shochu.
That is quite a large storage space.
The walls seem to retain traces of the old tunnel.
It has a unique atmosphere that is interesting to look at.
It is recommended to visit Takachiho Gorge early in the morning.
I took a little detour, but I’m glad I was able to take a break.
Continue on to Takachiho Gorge.
The closest parking lot to Takachiho Gorge is about 5 minutes by car from the entrance street.
Other parking lots are located beyond the bridge and are approximately 15 minutes walk from Takachiho Gorge.
It seems that you will be assigned to each parking lot according to the instructions of the security guard next to the entrance, but if possible, you should go early in the morning and park your car in the closest parking lot.
There are several parking lots around Takachiho Gorge, but the Mishioi parking lot is the closest and most convenient.
We arrived at Takachiho Gorge just after 11:00 a.m.
It was a touch-and-go situation regarding whether we could park at the lower Oshioi Parking Lot, but we were lucky enough to be directed there.
Stepping out of the parking lot and seeing the view of Takachiho Gorge from the bridge made me gasp in amazement.
There is also a reception area for the boat rental service at the far end of the parking lot.
On this day, the price was 4,100 yen per boat, but it seems to vary—sometimes reaching 5,100 yen—depending on the day.
I wanted to go for a boat ride, but decided against it because there was a one-hour wait.
There are several restaurants and gardens in the vicinity of the bridge.
If you follow a narrow path near the front of the garden, you come upon the view of Takachiho Gorge so often seen on television and in tourist brochures.
The waterfalls cascading into Takachiho Gorge are magnificent, but the rock formations—which you wouldn’t notice unless you actually visited—possess a sculptural beauty that is hard to believe was created by nature alone.
The indescribable shape of this rock is truly impressive.
On this day, a final inspection was being conducted to reopen a walking path that had been destroyed by Typhoon No. 14 in 2022 and subsequently repaired.
They planned to fly a drone to record footage of the path both before and after the repairs.
Photos taken before and after the typhoon were displayed along the walking path, vividly demonstrating the awesome power of nature.
Since it was just around lunchtime, I decided to have lunch at Takachiho Gorge.
My recommendation is “Chiho-no-Ie,” a *nagashi-somen* (flowing somen noodle) restaurant located behind the Takachiho Gorge stone monument.
It has a charming, traditional-style exterior resembling an old folk house, while the interior is fully equipped for the flowing somen experience.
The set featuring *nagashi-somen* (flowing noodles), assorted tempura, and grilled river fish was popular, but thinking I wouldn’t be able to finish that much food, I ordered the meat udon from the winter menu.
The broth was rich in flavor—delicious and warming.
高千穂峡 Takachiho Gorge
You can book a boat at Takachiho Gorge in advance.
Boat Reservation HP:https://takachiho-kanko.info/boat/detail.php
お食事処 千穂の家 Dining Spot Chiho-no-ie
Tel：0982-72-2115
Business Hours：１１：００～１４：３０
My note: This is a restaurant located in Takachiho Gorge. Their recommended dishes are *nagashi-somen* (flowing somen noodles) and grilled river fish. The *nagashi-somen*, prepared using the clear waters of Takachiho Gorge, looked delicious; it is the perfect meal for a hot summer day.
Refresh yourself with delicious blueberry juice at Seiwa Bunraku-kan.
After sightseeing at Takachiho Gorge, I headed west toward Amakusa.
Along the way, I stopped at a roadside station that houses the Seiwa Bunraku-kan.
Blueberry cultivation seems to be thriving in this area; the roadside station was stocked with a wide variety of local specialties, such as blueberry juice and jam.
We bought some blueberry juice to refresh ourselves.
It was incredibly delicious—smooth and refreshing to drink!
We will stop by Tsujun Bridge.
I noticed several banners featuring the name “Tsujun-kyo” displayed at the Seiwa Bunraku-kan, so I decided to stop by and check it out.
It is located near the Tsujun-kyo Roadside Station, about a 20-minute drive from the “Tunnel Station.”
A banner reading “Celebrating the Designation of Tsujun Bridge as a National Treasure” was on display—it seems it was recently granted this status.
This is Yamato Town in Kumamoto Prefecture.
It is located to the south of Mount Aso.
Also on display is a figure of Kumamon made from wild plants—a type of large-scale creation known as *ōzukuri-mono*, originally crafted for local festivals to pray for a bountiful harvest.
You can walk right up to Tsūjun-kyō Bridge.
It was reportedly built during the late Edo period by Yasunosuke Fuda, a local administrator.
It is the largest stone arch aqueduct in Japan and contains three internal water channels.
布田保之助像
It is said that agricultural activities utilizing this irrigation canal brought great abundance to the surrounding fields.
For those of us living in the Kanto region, it was the first time we had seen such an impressive stone bridge.
It appears to be a well-known local landmark, as there were large numbers of tourists visiting Tsujun-kyo Bridge on sightseeing buses.
We recommend that you stop by when you are passing by.
After this, we headed south through Amakusa, with the Amakusa Sea on our left, heading to our accommodation for the night.
Impressions from a drive starting in Aso, sightseeing at Takachiho Gorge, and continuing to Kamiamakusa.
Traffic was light, making it a very pleasant road for a drive.
With roadside rest areas and hidden sightseeing spots dotted along the way, the journey itself was truly enjoyable.
These might be “hidden gems” known mostly to locals, but I personally really appreciated the chance to step inside the “Takachiho-go” train car at the Tunnel Station, as well as visit Takachiho Gorge and the Tsujunkyo Bridge.
I would love to drive this route again on a nice day.
