SAVOR JAPAN

Hyugami Dam (Heart Rock)

In the legendary Hyugami gorge, which is said to have attracted the gods of Hyuga due to its beauty, lies Japan’s largest heart-shaped rock. Ringing the “Bell of Happiness” located there might just fulfill your romantic wishes. This enchanting spot is steeped in myth and is a beloved destination for those seeking love or simply wishing to experience the magic of a place touched by the divine.

Mountain Village Food and Daily Life “Learning the Satoyama Lifestyle”(Konnyaku Making Experience)

Yame Fukuoka

This half-day program allows you to easily enjoy and experience the food culture of the satoyama (rural forested area). It includes a “Satoyama Lunch” where you can taste the seasonal harvests such as bamboo shoots in spring, tomatoes and bitter gourd in summer, and taro, mandarins, kiwi, and strawberries from autumn to winter. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to make “handmade konnyaku,” a hospitality dish representative of Oku-Yame, using traditional methods that are gradually being lost. Through this konnyaku-making experience, you can immerse yourself in the richness of Oku-Yame.

Dago-jiru (Dango Soup)

Yame Fukuoka

Dago-jiru is a miso or soy sauce-based soup containing hand-torn dumplings made from wheat flour dough, with a variety of seasonal vegetables such as carrots, daikon radish, taro, and shiitake mushrooms; the ingredients vary by household and restaurant. The term “dago” refers to “dango” in Kumamoto dialect, but “dago-jiru” or “dango-jiru” is enjoyed throughout the Kyushu region.

Kurogi Grand Wisteria

Yame Fukuoka

Kurogi Grand Wisteria, with an age exceeding 600 years, is designated as a natural monument of Japan. Located at the Susanoo Shrine, the wisteria features an extensive trellis that spreads over approximately 3,000 square meters. Each year around mid-April, it blooms, displaying hanging clusters of purple flowers that exceed one meter in length.

“Pooh-san’s Strawberry Farm” where you can enjoy a variety of strawberries, including the famous strawberry brand, Amaou.

Yame Fukuoka

At “Pooh-san’s Strawberry Farm,” you can enjoy a variety of strawberries, including the popular and sweet “Amaou” brand known for its large size. The farm uses multi-tiered elevated cultivation, making it accessible and enjoyable even for small children. Additionally, the pathways are covered with sheets, allowing for wheelchair access and ensuring that footwear remains clean. The farm is open annually from January to early May.

Handmade Konnyaku

Yame Fukuoka

In modern times, konnyaku is a common and affordable food ingredient available in supermarkets, but in the past, it was customary for households in mountainous areas like the Tachibana region of Yame City to make konnyaku from scratch. The traditional method involved boiling and mashing konnyaku yam, mixing it with lye extracted from wood ash, and then heating it to solidify. Although wood ash is no longer used, there are experiences available where participants can learn how to make safe, handmade konnyaku under the guidance of local mothers.

The former Ouchi Residence in Shiraki-no-sato

Yame Fukuoka

The former Ouchi Residence in Shiraki-no-sato, an old private house in the mountains of Tachibana town, is the birthplace of Chozo Ouchi, a politician who worked for friendly relations between Japan and China from the Meiji Era to the early Showa Era. At one time, the house was on the verge of being abandoned, but the preservation group for the former Ouchi Residence, led by local residents, has worked to preserve the house and restore it to its current state. Now designated as a cultural asset by Yame City, it has become a center for people to interact and inherit the culture of the area.

Hoshino Tea Museum

Yame Fukuoka

Learn about the history and manufacturing process of Yame Tea at this museum. You can also enjoy meals and desserts that use green tea as well as experience making matcha (fine powdered green tea) on traditional stone grinds and hand-rolling green tea leaves, among other workshops. The Shizuku Tea is a must try, to truly savor the exquisite Yame Dentou Hon Gyokuro tea.

Daniel Inouye Museum

Yame Fukuoka

This facility is themed around Daniel Ken Inouye, a man with ties to Joyo Town and a bridge of friendship between the U.S. and Japan. In addition to a permanent exhibition room about Daniel, the museum has a café and store where visitors can enjoy local food and Hawaiian food.

Tsuyama Castle(Kakuzan Park)

Tsuyama Okayama

Embraced by a thousand cherry blossom trees, this is Okayama’s premier cherry blossom viewing spot. A symbol of Tsuyama City, selected as one of “Japan’s Top 100 Castles” and “Japan’s Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots.” The castle was built in 1616 by Tadamasa Mori, the younger brother of Ranmaru Mori, who was killed in the Honnoji Incident. Although all the buildings were demolished under the Meiji government’s castle abolition order, the Bitchu Yagura turret was restored in 2005 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the castle’s construction. The turret, along with the impressive stone walls that stand about 45 meters high, has become a new popular spot. The castle is also known as one of the best cherry blossom viewing spots in the prefecture, with about 1,000 cherry trees in full bloom creating a spectacular view. The illuminated cherry blossoms viewed from atop the stone walls are also a magnificent sight.