just to pass the time: Kawashiri Half Day Trip (川尻半日コース)

14 April 2012

Kawashiri 川尻 is a small town in the southern area of Kumamoto City. 川 means river and 尻 means buttock, so Kawashiri literary means river mouth in Japanese. From Wikipedia, Kawashiri was a habour from Kamakura period 鎌倉時代 and it was a port with many traders from foreign countries. There was even a mention of one 開懐世利 in a Ming Dynasty literature. So, it can be considered a historical town.

Kawashiri Station is just one station away from the Kumamoto Station. I worked in Kawashiri, however, I had never walked around the area, I would go straight to the office from the train station, never stray off the route. However, since I would be transferred to Oita, I decided to tour Kawashiri.

Kawashiri Station 川尻駅

First, I went to the Kumamoto City Handicraft Center. There's a huge Kumamon doll in the entrance area. Wow, the Kumamon is really popular. There was an exhibition on ceramic wares by an artist, it's beautiful. However, I felt uneasy because I was the only visitor. Well, Kawashiri is not really on the tourist radar, people visiting Kumamoto will normally go to Kumamoto Castle, Suizenji Garden and Mt. Aso. Conclusion, this handicraft center is not bad, but it's not so grand either.

Kumamoto City Handicraft Center くまもと工芸会館

traditional Japanese toys

There is an exhibition on the local sake brewery. One of the special exhibited items is the price list of alcohol in Kawashiri during the Taisho period 大正時代. The currency used was not yen yet.

exhibition on a local sake brewery

price list of the alcohol in Kawashiri during Taisho period

Other than that, it touches on the history of Kawashiri. Some of the exhibited items include various local soy sauce brands and old tools.

drawings on the history of Kawashiri

local brands of soy sauce 醤油

various exhibited items

One of the special items in the handicraft center is the old wooden public telephone booth. There's even an old train schedule under the phone. In my mind, old telephone booth looks like the bright red UK telephone booth. I was so surprised to see this wooden booth.

old wooden telephone booth

After that, I tried to find my way to the harbour ruins. I am a bad map reader. The road sign indicated straight road ahead. However, it's not. I walked for a long time, turning left, turning right. Although I did reach the intended destination, I didn't understand how I reached there. Hahaha! (^_^;)

Welcome to Kawashiri 川尻にようこそ

I thought that I would only see a few rocks in the harbour ruins. However, I saw a beautifully reconstructed place. I told my colleague (a local Kumamoto born and bred) that I visited the harbour ruins and she told me that she had never heard about the old harbour. From there, one could see the trains passed by, a very good place for the trainspotters. Shinkansen could be seen too, however, it's too fast for my camera.

harbour ruins 御船手渡し場跡

harbour ruins

former ship docking area 船着場跡

Then, I tried to go to this old Kawashiri rice warehouse 外城蔵跡. I failed, I couldn't find the place. So tired. Luckily, the view along the road was so beautiful, the plus point was the blooming sakura.

beautiful views along the road in Kawashiri

After that, I tried to find the Kawashiri Satsuma Army Headquarters. It's a small place with small plate. I missed it twice. There's a cemetery too for those who perished in the Satsuma War.

Kawashiri Satsuma Army Headquarters 川尻薩軍本営跡

Cemetery for those who died in the Satsuma War

I found a sign plate that indicated the place of the former Kawashiri Tram Station. Wow, back in 1927, tram services was available in Kawashiri, however, by 1965, buses and personal car usage killed the business.

former Kawashiri Tram Station sign 川尻電車終点跡

Next, I went to the temples around Kawashiri. The sakura petals started to fall off and it's a very pretty sight.

temples in Kawashiri

Sakura

My last destination was the Kawashiri Shrine 川尻神宮. It's bigger than others in Kawashiri. Once I attended the 川尻神宮祭り, it was so happening. One of the prized items in the shrine is a tree, protected under the local government. !(^^)!