Today we would be leaving Kyushu and flying back to Tokyo. However, this wasn’t before we’d had a final day exploring more of Oita prefecture.
As we were packing up our stuff, we noticed we could see a frosty/snowy peak of Mount Yufu from the window.
Fukinono Falls
We checked out of the house and started driving through the countryside again. First stop was a short walk to a large waterfall.
Usa Shrine
We then approached the Kinosaki peninsular, where we would be spending most of the day. A remote mountain area with lots of shrines and temples dotted about.
We spent a while walking around the large grounds of Usa shrine. This shrine was founded in the 6th century and is the head shrine for thousands of others over Japan
Kumano Magaibutsu
After Usa, we carried further into the peninsular and started to climb up the edge of Mount Futago. We made a stop at Kumano Magaibutsu, home to the largest Buddhist stone carvings in Japan.
To reach them we had to follow a trail up the mountain, including the final section of ‘demon steps’, large uneven rocks said to have been built by an Oni in a rush to win a bet
Fuki-ji
Next stop was Fuki-ji, which had some slightly creepy yet kind of cute hand made Totoro statues at the bus stop next to the temple entrance.
It was a small temple and home to the oldest wooden building in Kyushu.
Futagoji
We continued up to almost the top of the mountain, to the large temple of Futagoji. Here there were some lovely autumn colours, as well as lots of different areas to explore, spread over the mountainside.
Kawanaka Fudou
We still had some time left before we needed to be heading towards the airport, so we decided to visit a spot we noticed on a number of the ‘places of interest’ maps that were in each car park.
It was another pretty countryside drive to a tiny village with a river, a temple and shrine built into a rocky hill, and a little stone carving.
Oita Airport
Finally it was time to make our way to Oita airport, although we did have time for a little stop by the coast to see the sea.
Once at the airport, we returned the hire car and then had dinner, a local dish called tori-ten.
