Takachiho Gorge Day Trip: Magical Japan
Takachiho Shrine
We arrived in Takachiho in the early morning hours. Many people come only for the gorge and move on to Mount Aso for the rest of the day. We (correctly) thought that each location deserved a full day of exploration, so we started out at Takachiho Shrine. This Shinto shrine is located just up the road from the gorge and was a great opportunity to explore before our boating time slot. Itโs not the largest temple in the world, but it was quite beautiful. Located on a hill, the walk up had sunlight sprinkling through the tall cedar trees, which always make shrines look so pretty. We arrived just a few days before New Year’s, so the temple was alive with priests and miko preparing for celebrations.
As we explored, several people came up to us to welcome us to Japan and Takachiho. There has been a lot of news about Japanese hate towards foreigners, but every time we visit, I am more and more sure that this is highly exaggerated. Everyone is always so nice to us, and Japan has consistently been one of the best places weโve traveled to. Really, anywhere outside of Kyoto and Tokyo has been very accommodating, and Takachiho is no exception. The shrine was adorable, and a great way to start the morning of an incredible day trip.
Takachiho Gorge
Exploring Takachiho Gorge
The main attraction of Takachiho is undoubtedly its famous gorge. This dramatic scenery was created when the nearby Mt. Aso erupted thousands of years ago. The valley filled with lava flows, which were later carved away by the river. Basalt cools in large layers that can create otherworldly environments, like what we saw in nearby Itoshima the day before. The gorge has a parking lot at the bottom, but it fills up quickly, especially in the busy season. Since we already had a spot at the top, we chose to walk down from the shrine and enjoyed the amazing scenery.
At the bottom of Takachiho Gorge is a lovely park with koi ponds, small shrines, and walking paths. Of course, the main event is the rowboats, but even if you donโt rent a boat, there are several awesome views to see. A walking path extends from the boat launch across the iconic bridge and far along the river, giving plenty of opportunities for pictures and sightseeing. While we waited for our boat time, we spent over an hour exploring the pathways and enjoying Takachiho’s natural beauty. It was hard to tell from the map just how cool the gorge would be. Weโve been to so many impressive places in the world that sometimes Iโm a bit underwhelmed by waterfalls and canyons. But this was different, something about Takachiho feels magical. The lush greenery even in the winter, the crystal clear water, and the quaint bridge tied everything together into an unforgettable morning.
Takachiho Gorge Rowboat Rental
If you choose to visit, donโt expect to be able to rock up and hop in a boat. Remember, Takachiho is one of the main tourist attractions in Kyushu, and everyone who comes wants a ride on the river. There is a limited number of tickets sold in person each day. The times are random, and waits can be hours, if you even get a spot at all. Instead, we highly recommend you reserve ahead of time on their site. Time slots open up two weeks in advance at 9am JST, and slots sell out almost immediately.
I recommend planning exactly what time you want to visit, have all your information ready, and refresh the page at exactly 9am to book your spot. When I booked, the whole day was taken within 10 minutes, and this was during the off-season.
Experiencing Takachiho Gorge
Finally, it was time to row out into the gorge. We picked up our tickets from the office and only had to wait for a few minutes before we boarded a rowboat. Thankfully, Iโve used a rowboat before, so I was able to quickly get us out into the canyon. We were immediately struck by just how clean the water is. Due to the basalt, the water in the gorge is a brilliant blue that sparkles in the sunlight. I realized that people were not very experienced with rowboats, as we were continuously bumped into by other boats. I donโt blame them, though. Rowboats are probably the least intuitive type of boat, so make sure to watch some tutorials and practice before you come.
After narrowly avoiding getting bumped into the Minainotaki Waterfall, we were able to make it to the other side. The whole time gawking at the unreal view we found ourselves in. Even though itโs a place for tourists, it still felt like a magical escape from reality. The nature is just so impressive that we were lost for words in amazement the entire trip. During the winter, the waterfall is slightly reduced, but it was still incredible to see in person.
We purposefully booked an early morning time slot for scheduling reasons, but we were lucky enough for the sun to burst into the valley halfway through. The golden winter sun lit up the trees, creating one of the most enchanting views I have seen in all our travels. 30 minutes seemed like it would be a lot of time, but we barely made it to the other side and back before our slot was up. Out of everything we did in Kyushu, this was by far our favorite activity, and I highly recommend everyone experience it if you visit the region.
Marumoku Coffee
After such an exhilarating morning, I really wanted some coffee. Takachiho is a small village, but lucky for me, there is somehow a great specialty coffee shop in Marumoku Coffee. This little green building serves up incredible third-wave coffee to-go, only a few minutes from the gorge. Marumoku is pretty humble, with a small interior and a husband and wife team that handle everything. I got a pour over of course, and Yemisi picked up a hot cacao. The menu is small but mighty, and I was seriously impressed by my brew. The chances of there being such good coffee in such a small Japanese village is already impressive, and it really elevated our morning.
Nagomi
On top of everything else, Takachiho is also known for its quality beef. I try to eat meat with restraint, and I donโt know much about expensive cuts of beef, but this was an opportunity we didnโt want to pass up. The only other time we tried local Japanese beef was in Miyakojima, and that experience was incredible. We decided to go to Nagomi, a restaurant run by JA, the Japan Agriculture Co-op. Here they only sell local beef at grades A-4 and above, which in layperson’s speak means incredibly high-quality. The menu options start at 3,500 yen (20 USD) for 150g of lean steak, all the way up to 9,600 yen (60 USD) for 250g of fillet steak. Honestly, the prices arenโt terrible considering the quality of the meat, but we were still on a budget, so we got a serving of loin and lean steak.
Our water brought out the beef alongside a ripping hot stone. The meat comes nearly uncooked, and you can use the hot stone to cook it to your liking. I love a good medium-rare steak, so I threw some meat on and took a bite. Oh my. This was my first experience with wagyu-style beef. It absolutely melted in my mouth, and the flavor was incredibly intense. We were so shocked at the quality. Now I understand how people pay for such an expensive steak. In all honesty, 150g was a perfect amount. The fattiness would have made it a challenge to eat a full 250g. Even though we got the “cheaper” cuts, it’s genuinely the best meat I’ve ever had.
Uipan
After an incredible meal, we made our way through the village to Uipan, a bakery serving fresh-baked breads, desserts, and coffee. As soon as we walked in, the vibes smacked us in the face. This little hut is the cutest and feels straight out of a Ghibli film. I know a lot of people say that about everything in Japan, but this was extra real. The two workers were so kind to us, and everything in the bakery case looked to die for. We didnโt come with anything specific in mind, so we chose a rosemary salt focaccia and a sourdough with apple and brie. This was the perfect follow-up to our heavy lunch.
Everything was baked to perfection, literally our favorite bakery items weโve gotten in Japan. This was sort of an out-of-body experience for us. It was at this point in the day that we realized Takachiho is our favorite place in Japan. Itโs not often you have such a good day of travel that you can say that in the moment, especially with all the incredible places weโve seen in the country. But with such a cute shop, delicious bread, and kind employees, we knew it was true.
Amanoiwato Shrine
Takachiho is home to one of the famous myths of Japan. In the myth, the goddess of the sun Amaterasu hides in a cave, causing an infinite night. All the other gods and goddesses gather together to lure her out. The site of this famous myth is just a ten-minute drive east of Takachiho, so we had to check it out. The shrine is laid out in two sections. A larger area with halls and altars, and the cave itself. To get to the cave, an easy 10-minute walk through the forest is required. While the temple was interesting, we were mostly there for the cave, so we went straight through. I had no idea how nice the walk to the cave would be, with a cute bridge and a lovely valley with a brook and moss-covered rocks.
At the cave, I was a bit shocked at how small it was. For such an important myth, I expected a grand cavern, and some people would argue this isnโt a cave but an overhang. Regardless, itโs a super beautiful spot, with a tori gate, altar, and thousands of tiny stone cairns. Iโve known of this myth since I was a teenager obsessing over world religions, so seeing it in person was so great. For me, just the walk there was reason enough to come, and even the drive to the shrine was so lovely. Everything about this shrine is quaint and perfectly Japanese, and I loved just being in the moment, walking around the cave.
ๅ็ฐ่ๅญ่ (Maeda Kashipo)
One of Miyazaki prefecture’s famous bakery items is cheese manju. Everyone recommended we visit ๅ็ฐ่ๅญ่ (Maeda Kashipo) bakery to try this local delicacy. The shop has so many different confections and little bakery items, although it was much more traditional than Uipan. Cheese manju is a kind of cookie with a sort of creamy cheddar cheese filling. Iโm being vague because I really donโt understand what it is. Yemisi and I agreed that it was just alright, and we probably wouldnโt have it again.
We also picked up a cream puff, which was the real star of the show for us. The pastry was huge, with a perfectly sweet, fluffy cream inside. After a lot of eating, it was exactly what we wanted. Overall, we liked Uipan a lot better because it is a western style bakery with more substantial options. But if youโre looking for smaller traditional Japanese treats, Maeda Kashipo is the best place to go.
Kunimigaoka Lookout
Our last stop before the sun went down was Kunimigaoka Lookout. High up in the hills above the village is a nice park on a mountain ridge. Here, you can see the famous โsea of cloudsโ, where low-lying fog covers the valley, making the mountains look like islands in a fluffy ocean. Sadly, you have to arrive early before sunrise, and the weather has to be perfect, so we didnโt get to see the view. Thankfully, itโs a great place to visit, no matter what time of day you come. The view is nearly 360 degrees. With sights over Takachiho Gorge, the village, and you can even see Mt. Aso in the north, where we would visit the next day.
As the sun set, we got one last look over the town that gave us such an amazing day. We brought our bakery items and some tea from Lawson to enjoy the sunset from the lookout. It was bittersweet that we had to drive back, we really wanted to stay the night and explore more. Kunimigaoka Lookout was the perfect spot to reflect on the day and enjoy Takachiho’s nature one more time.
Tomoemaru
Just before we left the village, we wanted to try out one more regional dish: chicken nanban. This is a popular food all over Japan that comes from Miyazaki prefecture, where Takachiho is located. It is a simple deep-fried chicken with sweet and sour sauce, topped with tartar sauce. The original bar we wanted to visit was full, so we tried one of the other popular shops in Takachiho on a whim. Our first impression was good, the chicken was cooked well and the combination of tartar sauce was pleasant.
However, we quickly realized some issues with the dish. The tartar sauce soaked into the breading, causing a soggy mess. The flavors did not sit well in our stomachs, so in the end we felt quite nauseous from the chicken. If you know us, weโre not picky eaters, and weโve happily tried every food under the sun (just read our Cambodia blog for proof!). Unfortunately, chicken nanban just isnโt for us, and we left Kyushu 0/2 due to the KFC incident on Christmas two days before. We didnโt let it get us down, Takachiho still has a special place in our hearts. Next time we will stick to steak, though.
Final Thoughts
Wow. Takachiho really is a special place. After so many trips to Japan, you’d think we would have found our favorite place by now, but this country continues to surprise us. Takachiho captured our hearts, and we’re so thankful we got to visit. I hope this blog inspires you to give Takachiho the attention it deserves, and rather than split between Aso, spend a full day to appreciate it for what it’s worth.
