人生初、熊本県「山鹿市」を観光したら感動した【九州ドライブ旅行】

人生初、熊本県「山鹿市」を観光したら感動した【九州ドライブ旅行】

Good morning. I’m here in Yamaga City, Kumamoto Prefecture. Yamaga City is located in the northern part of Kumamoto Prefecture. The population is about 47,000. Currently, Yamaga City doesn’t have a train station, so getting around is mostly by car. It’s about an hour from Kumamoto City, and around an hour and a half from Fukuoka City. Kumamoto Prefecture is known as one of Japan’s top hot spring regions. Among them, Yamaga City has the highest number of hot spring sources. Today, I’ll be exploring the charms of this beautiful city. And right behind me, you can see the Iwabaru Kofun Cluster, a nationally designated historic site. It features Kumamoto’s largest burial mound— a keyhole-shaped tumulus 107 meters long— surrounded by 13 smaller mounds scattered around. And right next to it, where I’m standing now, is the Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Decorated Tumuli. This is a museum dedicated to the “decorated kofun,” a type of ancient tomb found throughout Japan. A decorated kofun is a burial mound whose stone chamber or sarcophagus is adorned with paintings or patterns. Simply put, it’s a tomb where ancient faith and art come together. In my hometown, Ibaraki Prefecture, there’s also a decorated kofun called the Torazuka Kofun. Interestingly, about one-fourth of all decorated kofun in Japan are concentrated here in Kumamoto. Inside the museum, you can see reconstructions of ancient tombs and even experience aspects of ancient life. And this building was designed by Tadao Ando, one of Japan’s most renowned architects. So we can enjoy both the architecture and the history. Alright, let’s head inside. Kofun come in various shapes—round, square, and others. Among all kofun in Japan, decorated kofun make up less than 10%, making them very rare. And Kumamoto has the highest number of decorated kofun in the entire country. Here, you can see replicas of these valuable ancient tombs. This is really interesting. There’s a camera inside, and by controlling it, you can explore the interior of the stone chamber like this. You can see it in full 360 degrees. And this one is the most famous kofun in Kumamoto— the Chibusan Kofun. It looks like this. You can even make out what looks like a person wearing a crown. I was wondering where the name “Chibusan” came from, and it turns out the two circles in the center were thought to resemble a woman’s breasts—hence the name “Chibusan.” Didn’t expect that origin at all! Chibusan— so that’s what it means. It’s said that ancient people believed in rebirth in the afterlife, and decorated the chambers beautifully to prepare for that journey. And here is the courtyard. Ando’s architectural design here is inspired by the shape of a kofun, with gentle curves that really stand out. The Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Decorated Tumuli— that was fascinating. The geometric patterns, the figures and motifs of objects— they’re quite stylish, actually. There’s a sense of beauty that still feels modern today. And I love the architecture as well. The flowing, curved design— it really harmonizes with the surrounding mounds. The entrance slopes gently upward, and as you walk up, you reach an observation deck. From there, you can overlook the entire Iwabaru Kofun Cluster. Feels great up here. The building isn’t particularly large, but the layout is nice, and in the exhibition hall, I got to enjoy rare displays of decorated kofun you don’t often see. I guess this must be the main entrance. From this side, as you can see, the design is more linear compared to the other side. Here’s the floor plan of the building. You enter from here, and the observation deck we saw earlier is around here. The entrance is here, and the stairs are located around this area. Next to the museum, there’s a workshop building. I wonder what kind of activities they do there. Maybe it’s a research facility for the curators and archaeologists. That was really interesting. Kofun might seem plain to some people, but decorated kofun are actually quite fascinating. Even just looking at the differences in designs and patterns was enjoyable. After learning about the history behind them, I feel like seeing the Iwabaru Kofun right in front of me is even more meaningful. Alright, now let’s head toward the central area of Yamaga City. The cluster spider lilies blooming along the roadside looks beautiful. They’re right at their peak season now. I’ve arrived in the center of Yamaga City. Behind me, you can see the Kikuchi River. And crossing this river is Yamaga’s main street, the Buzen Kaido. It stretches north from Kumamoto, heading north from Kumamoto, all the way to Buzen — present-day Kokura in Kitakyushu City. That’s the Buzen Kaido route. During the Edo period, it was used by feudal lords on their sankin-kotai processions to and from Edo. Towns along the road prospered as post stations, and Yamaga was the very first one after leaving Kumamoto. Such a charming townscape. Let’s take a stroll. Here you can find rows of traditional old buildings. A bicycle shop. A sake brewery. A stationery store. A printing shop. There’s even a paint store. An art gallery. And an electronics shop, too. The Shibincha-kan building. Nice — a classic signboard-style façade. I thought this was a traditional warehouse building, but it turns out only the front of an apartment building is painted to make it look like an old-style kura storehouse. That karahafu-style roof at the entrance looks so cool. Sakurayu Hot Spring in Yamaga was originally built during the Edo period as a teahouse for the Hosokawa clan, who ruled Higo Province (modern-day Kumamoto). It was used as a bathing place for feudal lords and shoguns, and later became beloved by locals as Yamaga’s original hot spring. Over the years, it underwent renovations and restorations, and although it was once demolished, it was rebuilt in 2012 using traditional construction techniques. Today, it stands again as one of Kyushu’s largest wooden hot spring facilities. It’s open from 6 a.m. to midnight. Admission for adults is 350 yen. That’s a really reasonable price. And right in front of it, there’s a drinking spring fountain. Let’s give it a try. The temperature is lukewarm. It tastes like “lukewarm water with a hint of sulfur.” Inside Sakurayu, there’s also a hot spring archive room and a “Dragon Bath & Pond Room.” Let’s start with the archive room. This is a space where you can virtually experience the hot spring facility. It seems the interior of Sakurayu looks like this. You can simulate taking a bath, washing your hair and body— a kind of interactive experience of bathing in a hot spring. Next, let’s head to the “Dragon Bath” and the Pond Room. The “Dragon Bath” was used by the domain lord and distinguished guests. It features black-and-white checkerboard tiles and a hot spring space with a Western-style design. If you look up, you’ll see two paintings of dragons on the ceiling. I’d love to bathe at Sakurayu right now, but I’m staying overnight in Yamaga today, so I’ll bathe at my lodging. So after sunset, I’d like to come back and see Sakurayu illuminated at night. They have white bean and red bean fillings. One of each, please. That’ll be 320 yen. I bought some manju at Yoshidaya, right in front of Sakurayu. I heard this place is delicious from one of our viewers—thank you! So good! The chunky red bean paste has such big pieces. I’ll try the white bean one, too. The shape of these “kaiten-yaki” cakes isn’t a perfect circle— it’s more like an oval, kind of similar to a dorayaki. Nice. I love how these old buildings are still being put to good use. I’m at the place I most wanted to visit in Yamaga. This is a wooden theater dating back to the Meiji era, and it’s still an active playhouse. I’ve really been wanting to come here. Yachiyoza in Yamaga was built by local volunteers and this year marks its 115th anniversary. Back in the day, it hosted plays, rakugo, and films, serving as a lively center of culture and entertainment in Yamaga. After the war, with entertainment diversifying, it once closed, but restoration was carried out by the local community, and today it’s designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. At Yachiyoza, you can tour not only the interior but also traditional stage mechanisms like the revolving stage (mawari-butai) and the under-stage pit (naraku). Is it okay to go in now? One admission, please. Wow, amazing! The first thing that catches your eye is the vivid ceiling advertisements and the chandelier. These ceiling ads are a symbol of Yachiyoza, and you won’t find anything like them at other surviving playhouses. As you can see, the seats slope upward toward the back, so the view is good from every seat. It’s designed for excellent visibility throughout. I’ve come up to the second-floor seats. This is incredible, too. I’m sitting stage right on the second floor, a spot where you can see the entire runway (hanamichi) and stage. Apparently, this is considered the best seat in the house. Here’s the stage. Yachiyoza can be rented for a variety of uses, from individuals to groups. This is what the view looks like from the stage side. This is the chobo-yuka, the space for performing joruri narrative music, located stage right. You really do get to tour the full backstage area. The stage set storage room. There’s a sunken hearth here, and they used to dry drumskins over it before performances. The props room. It says “Rurouni Kenshin” here. Director Keishi Otomo’s autograph (the theater was used as a film location). The dressing rooms are behind the stage. Amazing. This is where the actors get ready. They would open these storm shutters and use the natural light from outside to do their makeup. You can also tour the under-stage pit (naraku). Incredible, isn’t it? This is the revolving stage—mawari-butai. A circular opening is cut beneath the stage so it can rotate. During scene changes, four poles beneath the stage are pushed by hand to turn it. They grab here and work together to rotate it for the scene change. And this is the lift—called “seri.” It’s raised by four adults in sync, lifting it upward. An actor would make their entrance from here onto the stage. So cool. Below the stage you can see the stonework foundation. Every playhouse has an “inspection seat.” Officials would observe the stage and audience from the rear. That was fantastic. Since I’m here, I’d love to watch kabuki or a play on this stage someday. Here’s the schedule of upcoming performances at Yachiyoza. I’m told they can even hold karaoke contests here, so this active playhouse is also used as a venue for karaoke and other events. That’s really awesome. Even the street in front of Yachiyoza has a great vibe. A symbol of Yamaga is the Yamaga Toro—its paper lantern craft. Every August, during the Yamaga Toro Festival, women balancing lanterns on their heads dance gracefully in the famous “Thousand Lantern Dance.” This facility lets you enjoy the world of Yamaga Toro year-round. Let’s go inside. From the outside, it kind of looks like an old bank building. Heading in now. Yamaga Toro is a traditional craft with over 500 years of history here in Yamaga City. It’s made using handmade washi paper, and crafted entirely by hand by artisans known as “toro-shi” (lantern masters). Though they’re called “lanterns,” there are many forms—like shrine-style models inspired by temple/shrine architecture, and tatami-room style interiors. Among them, the gold, metal-like “Kanatoro” (Gold Lantern) is one of the icons of Yamaga Toro. Here are the production steps for a Kanatoro. It’s really made with nothing but washi and paste. On the second floor they display original posters for the Yamaga Toro Festival painted each year by artist Ichiro Tsuruta. Also, at the Yamaga Toro Folk Craft Museum, you’ll find the original painting of the twin dragons on the ceiling of Sakurayu’s “Dragon Bath” we saw earlier. I’d love to see the Yamaga Toro Festival at least once in person. In the annex, you can even tour a working studio where the lanterns are made. This is the same size as the ones used in the dance. This is what they balance on their heads. In practice, cords are threaded through it to secure it. It’s so light—amazing. How long does it take to make one Kanatoro? For the head-worn lantern (Kanatoro), even a skilled artisan needs about three days. How long to become a lantern master? About ten years of training. And even after ten years, it doesn’t mean everyone can qualify. How many lantern masters are there? Seven active masters, and three apprentices in training. This plant is kozo (paper mulberry), the raw material for washi. Japanese washi is registered by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage, but the domestic production of kozo is declining year by year. Amid that, Yamaga Toro uses “Higo kozo,” grown locally here in Yamaga, Kumamoto. That kozo is made into dedicated washi in Yame City, Fukuoka, and used as the material. You’ll even see Yamaga Toro sculptures on the streetlights. I wonder if these are illuminated at night, too. There are so many highlights to see here— I’m running out of time faster than I expected. Now I’m heading a bit away from the center to visit a spot I really want to see. I’ve come to buy a local Yamaga specialty. I picked up Yamaga yokan, a regional treat. It’s pretty hefty. Unlike typical yokan, this is anko wrapped in gyuhi (soft mochi). It’s unique. So chewy! The gyuhi has a light saltiness that pairs perfectly with the sweet bean paste. It’s somewhat similar to the shiratama manju I ate in Saga, but still a bit different— and really tasty. Each piece is substantial—very filling. The shelf life is short, so it may not be ideal as a souvenir, but it’s super delicious—highly recommended! I’ve driven about 20 to 30 minutes from central Yamaga. This is the village of Bansho. Wow, that’s beautiful. Here you can see cluster spider lilies (higanbana) blooming among the terraced rice fields. It’s said to be the top higanbana viewing spot in Kumamoto. I’ve been wanting to come. The Bansho terraces are selected among Japan’s Top 100 Terraced Rice Fields. It’s not just the terraces— the entire Bansho settlement itself is stunning. It’s a peaceful mountain hamlet, with higanbana blooming everywhere, and there’s this almost otherworldly atmosphere. Now I’ve come to the Gamō area of Yamaga City. This pond is the “largest irrigation reservoir in Kumamoto Prefecture.” But I didn’t come to see the reservoir itself— the rural landscape you can see from here is just breathtaking. And now I’m heading to that spot you can see from here. That huge rock jutting out of the mountain— that’s where I’m going. This road is insanely rough… It’s basically a farm road. Realizing Google Maps led me down a brutal route. I’ve arrived. An 80-meter-tall rock thrusts up toward the sky. Amazing. You can drive right to the base of Fudoiwa, but the road is extremely narrow and winding, so getting here was pretty scary. It’s almost intimidatingly powerful. The sheer presence is terrifying—in a good way. A monolith 80 meters tall with a circumference of 100 meters. Since it’s “Fudoiwa,” it’s dedicated to Fudō Myō-ō, of course. There’s an offertory box on top of the torii gate. It was tough getting up here, but the view from above makes it totally worth it. The sun has just dipped behind the mountains, and the sky is glowing red. Fudoiwa consists of three rocks: Front Fudō, Middle Fudō, and Rear Fudō. You can hike up to Middle and Rear Fudō via the walking trail. The trailhead starts here. I planned to climb today, but it got later than expected, so I’ll skip it since it’d be dangerous after dark. This Fudoiwa is said to be made of rock over 500 million years old. Back when the Japanese archipelago didn’t even exist, tiny stones and sand, broken down over ages, the “sazare-ishi,” eventually cemented into this massive rock. Like the lyric in Japan’s national anthem “Kimigayo”— “sazare-ishi becomes a mighty rock”—that’s exactly what this is. I really wanted to climb Middle Fudō. But it can’t be helped—it’s gotten dark. I’ll head back into the city, check in to tonight’s lodging, and then go out to see the town at night. I’ve arrived at where I’ll be staying. This place has a 100% natural radon hot spring, and there are accommodations you can stay in. The lodging is attached right next to the bathhouse. This is my room for tonight. It’s a simple room with just a bed and a toilet. It’s a hot spring facility you can use for day trips, but they also have lodging options like this— three types: for families, solo travelers, and long-term stays. This room tonight is 6,600 yen per night, including the hot spring and breakfast, so I think that’s pretty cheap. Honestly, I just want to bathe and go to sleep now, but I’m heading to Buzen Kaido for dinner. I’ve come to Buzen Kaido at night. Most shops are closed, but it looks like some places stay open at night, so I’ll have dinner at one of those. I had dinner at Fukumoto Shoten. It’s like a Chinese-style izakaya, and the interior has a distinctly Chinese vibe. Their specialty is Yamaga gyoza made with Yamaga hot spring water. I ordered black sesame tantanmen and pan-fried gyoza. Gyoza first. Each dumpling is big, with chewy wrappers and juicy filling. And here’s the black sesame tantanmen. A mound of shredded white scallions, and a bright red broth that even outshines the color of this table. It looks super spicy, but the heat is actually nicely balanced. I’ve finished dinner at Fukumoto Shoten. Black sesame tantanmen— I thought it might be extremely spicy, but it wasn’t; it was that perfect “tasty-spicy.” The atmosphere was great, and the place really fit the vibe of Buzen Kaido. I love how the old townscape is actually being put to good use. I’ve come to Sakurayu at night. The illuminated Sakurayu looks wonderful. As night falls, more and more people head in, and you can really feel how beloved this hot spring is by the locals. I’m going to head back to my lodging and take a bath too. I’ve just had a soak in Yamaga Onsen. There are lots of different baths, and the water has that silky, slightly viscous feel—really nice. When I sat in the barrel tub in the open-air bath and looked up, the stars were crystal clear— it made me think what a great place this is. I’m very satisfied. There were other places I wanted to visit today, but there was so much to see that I couldn’t fit it all in. I still want to go to the spots I missed, so I’ll visit them tomorrow morning. In the afternoon, I’ll head somewhere else. That was a lot of fun. That’s it for day one in Yamaga. I’m going to sleep now. Good night. Good morning. Maybe thanks to the hot spring, I slept really well. I’m not that hungry, but breakfast is included, so I’ll have it anyway. Guests can also take a morning bath, and the private family baths are open, so you can have one all to yourself. Here’s breakfast. It’s simple, but I appreciate it. And behind me you can see a Yamaga Toro “Kanatoro” (gold lantern) on display. It’s hard to believe this is made only of washi and paste. I definitely crammed too much into yesterday. Next time I come, I want to see the Yamaga Toro Festival. Among traditional Japanese festivals, one where women take center stage is pretty rare. That’s what makes it so nice. The inside of the hot spring facility looks like this, and there’s a place to buy Yamaga souvenirs, too. Breakfast is done. I’ll get ready and head to the places I couldn’t visit yesterday. There’s an impressive field of “sheep clouds” this morning. It looks like it might be cloudy today, but let’s enjoy it anyway. Alright, I’ve changed and I’m ready to go. First, I’m heading to a slightly unusual spot that I couldn’t get to yesterday. The first place today is a landform called a “kiridoshi,” or cut-through pass. They carved through the mountain here to make a road. This is the entrance to the kiridoshi. It’s written on the sign. It suddenly gets much cooler once you enter the kiridoshi. The atmosphere is incredible. The path is narrow, and the sides rise sharply, so it feels like the walls are closing in. I meant to come yesterday, but seeing it this morning instead gives it an even better, moodier vibe. You’ll find stone Buddhas enshrined along the way. This hilly area is called Iwakuma-yama, and long ago there were many accidents when people crossed this mountain, so to make it safer to pass, locals cut this route through in the early Showa period. Apparently the cliff faces used to be bare rock, but now they’re reinforced with concrete, which also adds to the place’s peculiar feel. It’s like the entrance to another world. In some spots the concrete has peeled away, and you can see the rock face beneath. It’s only about 200 meters long, so you pass through it quickly. Stone Buddhas of the Kiridoshi — Buddha Memorial Monument. They say there used to be 88 statues placed here. That kiridoshi was a fascinating spot. The air changes dramatically the moment you step inside. Though, there were tons of mosquitoes. There’s one more place in Yamaga I want to visit, so I’m heading there now. This is an ancient mountain fort built in the late 7th century. Let’s briefly look back at the history of Kikuchi Castle (Kikuchi-jō). During the Three Kingdoms period on the Korean Peninsula, Japan sent troops to help restore Baekje, an ally, after it fell to Silla, but Silla had allied with Tang China, and Japan’s forces were defeated by that coalition. After that loss, to prepare for foreign invasions, the Yamato court established defensive sites across Kyushu. On Tsushima in Nagasaki Prefecture, which I visited earlier, Kaneda Castle was built as a frontline base, and later, as one of the sites supporting the strategic center of Dazaifu, Kikuchi Castle was constructed. This is the symbol of Kikuchi Castle— an octagonal “drum tower” (korō). It was used to signal the time or to issue alerts. You can also peek inside to see what it looks like. There are so many pillars. So that’s how it’s arranged. Octagonal tower buildings are pretty rare. I used to live in Nagano, and Anraku-ji, a National Treasure there, also has an octagonal building— this reminds me of that a bit. Next to the drum tower is the rice granary. Up close, it’s quite large. It’s raised on stilts like this, a textbook example of azekura-zukuri log construction. Since this supported Dazaifu’s logistics, you can see they had facilities to store provisions. It’s spacious— looks like it could store a lot. And over here are the barracks, where the sakimori frontier guards lived, I suppose. You can go inside here, and it’s set up as an exhibition room where you can learn about the history of Kikuchi Castle. There are facilities to learn about the history of Kikuchi Castle. They even feature Kaneda Castle on Tsushima, which I visited. Traveling around Kyushu, you can enjoy each sightseeing spot on its own, but they’re all connected through history, and feeling that connection is really interesting. Since Kikuchi Castle is a mountain fort, the grounds are quite extensive. The ruins are set up as a historical park, with a café next door, and a facility called Onko Soseikan where you can learn history. It’s still early morning, so both are closed, but they’re places you can enjoy as well. The café next to Kikuchi Castle here serves chestnut sweets, a Yamaga specialty. I planned to go yesterday, but didn’t make it in time, and this morning it’s still closed. I really wanted to try them. Guide map of the Kikuchi Castle ruins area. It’s basically a guide to all of Yamaga City. Yamaga has—from the kofun tombs, to the Buzen Kaido, Fudoiwa, and Kikuchi Castle— so many sights to see. This time I toured Yamaga City in Kumamoto Prefecture. It was fantastic. The nostalgic townscape along Buzen Kaido was wonderful, and there was more to see than I expected—so much fun. I hope this video is helpful. Thanks so much for watching to the end!

今回は、熊本県「山鹿市（やまがし）」を観光しました。

豊前街道の宿場町として栄えた歴史が今も残り、情緒ある町並みが息づいていました。
そして今回の最大の目的でもあった八千代座、大感動。建築目的で行ったのですが、「こりゃここで歌舞伎や芝居を見ないと！」って心底思いました。そして山鹿灯籠まつりも行きたいし…。絶対また来ます、山鹿市。

動画が良ければチャンネル登録、グッドボタンよろしくお願いします👍

📍 今回訪れた場所
熊本県立装飾古墳館
https://maps.app.goo.gl/zXune84YUfKNZC7SA
山鹿温泉さくら湯
https://maps.app.goo.gl/UbEVJBYNBr5442MF8
吉田屋
https://maps.app.goo.gl/2AfoBwqksbYg7HtA9
八千代座
https://maps.app.goo.gl/rc7J9bEYzv3QNhcc6
山鹿灯籠民芸館
https://maps.app.goo.gl/G3tH3CNGokavvtZv5
上村屋
https://maps.app.goo.gl/L5S8TcJkNvvRokfGA
番所の棚田
https://maps.app.goo.gl/is3oBDrP35PdzzRaA
不動岩
https://maps.app.goo.gl/LtR9FtcfoHUNipkv7
ならのさこ温泉いやしの湯
https://maps.app.goo.gl/PnZ41CdjiRtwv6xK7
岩隈山の切通し
https://maps.app.goo.gl/2iiJzzG4sF2q4ce69
鞠智城跡
https://maps.app.goo.gl/epxjWaU3wv6hHfCZ9

🎵使用している音楽
Artlist（以下から登録で2ヶ月分無料になります！音楽良くておすすめ！）
https://artlist.io/referral/c48a3ef8-a079-4f03-82ba-aa274ebf0700

#熊本旅行 #熊本観光 #山鹿 #ドライブ旅行 #九州旅行 #観光スポット #kumamoto