RV Park smart Roadside Station Miyajidake Scarecrow Village

The roadside station was built on the site of an abandoned school.
A rustic scarecrow welcomes you

Dedicated Site

Map of RV Park smart Roadside Station Miyajidake Scarecrow Village

RV Park smartMichi-no-Eki Miyajidake Kakashi-no-Sato Roadside Station

Amakusa Christian Museum

Amakusa's history of Christianity in hiding is told in four zones.

It stands in the "Martyrdom Park" where there is a mound of 1,000 martyred warriors and a Christian cemetery. The history of Christian faith in Amakusa is divided into four zones: "History of Christianity in Amakusa," "Introduction of Nanban Culture," "Shimabara-Amakusa Putsch," and "Restoration of Amakusa and Christian Faith after the War. About 200 items are on display, including weapons used in the Shimabara-Amakusa Revolt, the nationally designated important cultural property "Illustrated Illustrated Illustration of the Sacred Body in Autograph Color on Opulent Ground (also known as the Amakusa Shiro Battle Banner)" (usually a replica is on display), tramplings from the period of Christian suppression, and the Marian Kannon, a reminder of life as a hidden Christian. The actual "Amakusa Shiro Battle Flag" is exhibited four times a year for a limited period of about one week each, and is open throughout the year.
In the Christian cemetery in the park stands a statue of Luis de Almeida, a Portuguese missionary who built Japan's first general hospital and nursery school and ended his life in Amakusa, and a monument to Adam Arakawa, the first martyr in Amakusa.

Nishi-no-Kubo Park

Love the 250,000 irises by day and the fireflies' dance by night.

The iris garden, a rarity in Japan, is located in terraced rice paddies in a satoyama, and from late May to early June, 19 varieties of iris and irises, as well as 6,000 hydrangeas along the garden path, are at their best. The number of irises is approximately 250,000! During the blooming season, the "Amakusa Hanashoubu Festival" is held, featuring a hiya dance, a bazaar of local products, and nighttime lighting. Fireflies can also be seen dancing wildly during the festival.
There are also cherry blossom viewing zones such as Hanami no Oka and Miharashi no Oka. In spring, there are about 360 cherry trees of 12 varieties including Someiyoshino and Yaezakura, and visitors can enjoy cherry blossoms for a long period of time at different blooming times depending on the variety. The graceful Mikoro-zakura cherry blossoms are worth seeing.

dolphin watching

A moment when your heart is soothed by a school of dolphins swimming in the ocean

The Amakusa Islands in Kumamoto have a mild climate throughout the year. The sea is home to about 200 southern bottlenose dolphins, which swim in groups throughout the year. This is one of the few places in Japan where you can see dolphins year-round. The friendly dolphins are very friendly and will run alongside the boat or swim close to the boat. The high transparency of the sea makes it possible to see the dolphins swimming in the water, and you will feel as if you are swimming with the dolphins. The boat departures are every hour from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Reservations are not required. Reservations are not required, but if you make a reservation in advance through the official website of Michi no Eki Amakusa Dolphin Center, you can get a 10% discount.

tittock

Huge breasts lying on the beach at the end of a red torii gate!

Shortly after you drive south on Route 324 from Roadside Station Amakusa Dolphin Center, you will see a monument of "Oppai Iwa" (boobie rock). It is a giant breast that appears on the seashore at low tide, which is the true identity of "Tit Rock. It is a deformed rock that seems to have been formed by the force of seawater and looks just like a woman's breast. It is approximately 1.5 meters in diameter and even has a magnificent nipple. When women touch and fondle the rock, it is said to bring them good luck, such as "breasts will grow larger" and "a lot of mother's milk will flow. However, it only appears at low tide, so visitors need to check the tide table. A parking lot is available.

Tomioka Castle Ruins (Kumamoto Prefecture Tomioka Visitor Center)

Lighten the burden of the stone value of the lord's castle, which was destroyed by the wise decision of a great lord.

Tomioka Castle was completed in 1605 by Terasawa Hirotaka, lord of Karatsu Castle. However, the second generation Terasawa Ken-taka, who failed to prevent the outbreak of the Amakusa/Shimabara revolt, had his Amakusa fief confiscated. Suzuki Shigenari, the first shogun who was appointed to the domain, appealed directly to the shogunate to halve the amount of stones, and committed suicide in Edo (now Tokyo). Toda Tadamasa, who entered the castle from Mikawa Province with half the amount of stones, broke up the main and second citadels, saying that the maintenance of the castle was too heavy a burden on the people of the domain. The year was 1670. The castle was abandoned after only 65 years, but Sanomaru remained as Tomioka Jinya.
The "Kumamoto Prefecture Tomioka Visitor Center" was built on the ruins of the Honmaru, and its exterior is modeled after the former Tamon Yagura. It introduces the contents of Unzen-Amakusa National Park and provides information on the attractive natural scenery, history, and cultural environment of the Amakusa region. The Koraimon gate and other structures have also been maintained to revive Tomioka Castle as it was in its original state. The remains of stone wall repairs over three generations of castle lords can be seen, and the view from the observatory is spectacular.

Amakusa Coregijo Kan

Japan's first letterpress booklet was the Amakusa book! Nanban Culture Bloomed in Amakusa in the 16th Century

If you are heading toward Kawaura from Roadside Station Miyajidake Kakashi-no-Sato, stop by the Amakusa Correggio Museum. Portuguese missionary Luis de Almeida opened the Correjillo, a large seminary for training missionaries, in 1591. Although it was only six years old, European studies were taught, and the "Amakusa Book" was published using the Gutenberg printing press brought back by the Tensho Mission to Europe. The Amakusa Collegio Museum exhibits Japan's first "Amakusa book" printed with letterpresses. Visitors can learn about the Nanban culture of the time through restored Gutenberg printing presses and ancient Western musical instruments, as well as a model of a Nanban ship.

Sakitsu Tenshudo and the village of Sakitsu

Church bells and voices of prayer echoing in a quiet seaside village

Sakitsu village is a small fishing village facing Yangkaku Bay. In July 2018, this place was registered as a World Heritage Site "Nagasaki and Amakusa Region Heritage Related to the Buried Christians". The Sakitsu Suwa Shrine, which was worshipped by the Christian missionaries, is located here, and the wooden "Old Sakitsu Tenshudo" was built next to the shrine in 1888. The current Sakitsu Tenshudo is a Gothic-style church built by Yosuke Tetsukawa in 1934. In fact, it stands on the site of the village headman's house where the trampling took place. The house where the secret tools of faith were kept during the period of the prohibition still remains, and the entire village area has been selected as one of the "100 best beaches in Japan," an "important cultural landscape" of Japan, and one of the "100 most fragrant landscapes of Japan. Nearby is "Michi no Eki Sakiatsu," a guidance center that offers guidance on the village and church. Cars should use the parking lot of Michi no Eki. Photography, eating and drinking are prohibited inside the church.

Oe Tenshudo

Father Garnier's private fortune in the chalk cathedral on the hill

About 10 minutes from Sakitsu village on National Route 389, a side road leading to a hill brings you to a white chalk cathedral perched on top of the hill. The present Romanesque-style church was built in 1933 by Father Garnier, a third-generation French missionary who, living a simple life, used his private funds to build an orphanage and other facilities for the poor in the community. He also invested his private funds in the construction of this Tenshudo, and had it built by Yosuke Tetsukawa. He preached in Amakusa dialect and was affectionately known as "Mr. Paater." He spent nearly half a century in Amakusa until his death at the age of 82. In the church yard, there is a fountain modeled after the fountain at Lourdes in his native France and a statue of the Virgin, which is called the "Lourdes of Amakusa. Visitors are asked to keep quiet during the service, and photography, eating and drinking are prohibited inside the church.

Amakusa West Coast Sunset Line

The Amakusa Sea, bluer than indigo, is also beautiful at dusk.

The Amakusa West Coast, through which National Route 389 runs, is commonly known as the "Amakusa West Coast Sunset Line. As the name suggests, the majestic beauty of the sunset over the ocean at dusk is breathtaking. Eight locations, totaling approximately 60 km in length, from Amakusa Shimoda Onsen to Komori Beach in Ushibuka have been selected as one of the "Eight Amakusa Sunset Views. There are various combinations of sunsets, such as the "sunset at Oogase" over the rocks, the "sunset at the statue of Maria" in Sakitsu village, and the "sunset at Komori Beach" with the remains of a coal mine from the Meiji era. The sunsets at Shimoda and Jusanbutsu Park are the most beautiful sunsets throughout the year. The others, including "sunset at Haize/Naruse," "sunset at Uonuki/Kuroishi," and "sunset at Tomiyama Park," can all be seen from fall to winter.

Pet hospitals in the area

San Marin Veterinary Hospital

Nakamura Animal Clinic

Kaneko Animal Clinic

Aiju Animal Clinic

Narazaki Veterinary Medical Center

Kashiwa Veterinary Hospital