Kyushu 2023 - Kagoshima Shopping Streets and Dinner

 

Wandering around Kagoshima shopping area, we saw many unique shops and features. I was actually looking for some fabric shops, but they seems to be closed. I did found one, but it was kinda intimidating to go in since it was so small. But we enjoyed wandering around the area nevertheless. I love the shops here, like the Starbucks above, uniquely Kagoshima!

Some iron bronze statue on the side road. I used to think these were cool to go hunt down. But every city has them all over the place that I now just admire one if I came across one. Unless it's a special one, I don't bother hunting them down anymore. Same with murals. I used to think Georgetown was unique. Ok, maybe the murals are unique. But almost every city have their own mural. 

Went pass a hamburger shop, or hamburg. It wasn't open I think. I would have love to have a hamburg. 

The cute poster at Kagoshima Bank. At first I thought it was an MUFG bank, lol. 

Time for dinner, and this time husband pick a ramen shop.

The poster/menu outside looked nice, so we went in.

We bought our meal ticket. I picked the Tsukemen, and my husband picked the normal ramen. 

My serving. Super huge! My husband had to help me finish some as it was just too much for me. The food was nice, but strangely the service was a bit cool. Perhaps it was because it was after covid and I kinda cough once inside the shop. I suspect they thought we were Mainland Chinese people. I enjoyed the food, but not so much their service, which was rate in Japan.

Anyway, I also found a bookstore, and decided to spend all my prize money here! Hahaha. Above are the 4 books I got myself from the bookshop. It was a Maruzen. We used to have a Maruzen in Takashimaya long long time ago in Singapore. Great memories. So I was quite happy to part with my money here. I especially love the comic book. I actually have 3 of her books now in my collection. Whenever I feel down or need inspiration, I actually re-read them. They made me learn to enjoy the simple things in life :)

Wow, when you're travelling, you feel like you can accomplish so much in just a single day! But it was time to go back to our super small hotel room to rest. We have a big day tomorrow, so got to save up our energy for it. Good night! 

Kyushu 2023 - Kagoshima Sweet and Snack Shop

 

After loading up on sweet shaved ice, we explore further by crossing the street into another shopping street opposite. And here we found a very cool traditional sweet and snack shop, or would you call it a confectionary? It looked like one of those touristy shops you find at touristy places, but this shop was a lot bigger than their store front.

As we made ourselves inside, we saw so many types of rice snacks!

I knew they were rice snacks cause there was a huge "Rice" sign on it. They came in all shapes and sizes and a variety of flavours! I love rice snacks. I always feel healthier eating them as compared to potato chips. 

The shop seems to sell other traditional Japanese items too, like pottery. I love pottery! Especially tea sets. I bet they also serve tea here. Japanese tea!

Yup, in the middle of the shop, just in front of a picture of an ancient tree, they have a tea drinking area, with iron cast tea pot too! I always wanted to own one of this tea pot. But they are always so expensive.

Here's a photo showing how huge the shop was. This was just the first storey. There is a second storey too. And the shop smells of freshly made cakes cause at the back of the store they actually made taiyaki for sale. You can buy them individually as a snack.

I love this tea area <3

Here is an official info sign about the shop. A 351 year old shop fill with history!

The 2nd floor was like a cafe. But it was closed when we were there. Above is some sample of what they serve at the cafe. I think it would have been nice to come and eat here. It was such a lovely shop.

Although the cafe was closed, we were allowed to walk up and take a look. So we did.

Everything about the building was beautiful, made of wood. Solid wood.

Anyway, if you're ever in Kagoshima, do pay them a visit, and maybe dine there. We got some snacks from the shop. It's such a fun place to visit. 

Kyushu 2023 - Kagoshima Shaved Ice Shop

 

After checking in, we went out to explore the shopping street. Saw so many weird shops around with their weird decorations and signs. Like this weird looking Sesame Street Bert here lol. 

Or a hot sweet potato vending machine! How cool is that. 

But when you Google Kagoshima shopping street, or if you watch a lot of travelling variety show, you would always see this Polar Bear Shaved Ice Shop being featured. The shop was at the end o the shopping street, almost where our hotel was. So we were curious by it and went to take a look.

On the ground floor, there were a lot of polar bear dispay.

Even a life size polar bear with the shaved ice, maybe for size reference? Lol

The menu of what they serve was also available. There was a cafe on the ground floor, and for shaved ice, you were supposed to go up stairs. So we went lah.

The actual menu that was handed to us. Everything look huge! So we decided to order the baby portion since we just wanted to try it.

OMG, huge! I got strawberry milk, and my husband got some variety flavoured ones. And now looking at it, I'm kinda craving for shaved ice too! The interesting thing about this was, there were still some treats inside the ice itself like jelly or gummy and stuff, so it wasn't that boring to dig in. But it wasn't a very hot day, and it was super sweet too! It was fun to eat, but also too much! We tried our best to finish everything. To think this was just the baby size ones instead of the regular! But it was for sure money worth! 

Kyushu 2023 - Kagoshima Arrival

 

Next stop, Kagoshima! Why on earth were we even here besides the fact that we could with our Kyushu JR Pass. Well, volcanos! That's why! You'll see! And my first bullet train ride wasn't as exciting as I imagine it to be. It was very smooth inside the train, so it was just like normal train. Maybe it's cooler when you see one passing by. 

Arriving in Kagoshima, beautiful poster greeted us at the station hall. The signature volcano also featured in the poster. Love the classic design of it. 

There was even a display of all their local products in the train station. 

Walking out of Kagoshima station. Lots of old people in this city! And they are navigating the world on their own too. Respect. The old people here are so brave!

The view of the city of Kagoshima from the station. I think I went to that Aeon supermaket once while I was here. It looked a lot bigger than it was. I think it was just one storey. The rest was office buildings or something. Anyway, I didn't really have the time to explore the area during the whole trip. 

Google said I had to walk some distance to catch the tram to our hotel area. Which was weird since I could see a tram station directly in front of the JR Station. So of course I went to explore, and yup, can just board the tram from there lah. Note, don't always trust what Google tells you! I also realised that sometimes by looking at road signs around you, you can know where to head to instead of just looking at your phone to decide where to go. Sometimes we are so caught up with our mobile that we forgot that we still live in the real world!

Beautiful tram station with green carpet grass. 

And here is a sneak peak of why I was here! Will be visiting this place soon!

Finally we arrived at a stop near our hotel. It was near some shopping streets.

Walking through the shopping streets before reaching our hotel. Cool! Looks like a happening place!

We're staying at a chain hotel called APA Hotel, and there seems to be a few buildings of it here. The receptionist gave us this piece of paper to read, and off we went to check in!

Kyushu 2023 - Kumamoto to Kagoshima via Train

 

Last morning at the Super Lohas hotel here in Kumamoto. Gotta load up on the free breakfast as the next hotel doesn't comes with breakfast. Gotta alternate between good and average hotels for those longer duration travel. Although it does kinda brings you down when you down grade your lifestyle, even if for a short while..... anyway.

Making our way to the JR station, our train was not until later morning or noon time. So we got plenty of time to actually browse the mall. I headed for the bookstore. I love Japanese bookstores, as well as the variety of books I can find there. They have pretty unique books like day hikes from train station all over Japan, to slide of life books written by seniors, some as old as over 100! I especially like their lifestyle books and budgeting books. Even when I couldn't understand them, I bought them cause they were so calm to look at. Now that I can read a little bit, I made it a point to always buy some books back from Japan whenever I visit. 

There was again, Murakami books on sale here. Sorry, my level of Japanese is not up to novel standard yet. The best I could do is manga for kids :P

I was interested in this 3000yen budgeting book. But I couldn't see how much it cost, or perhaps I took a photo so that I can look for it closer to the last city we were visiting before leaving Japan. 

Books on Japanese culture also caught my attention. Basically, I am drawn to almost all the Non-Fiction books here. They are all so pretty! I wish I could read everything, or buy everything I want back. But I have so much unread Japanese book at home as it is already. Enough to last me a life time! Especially since they are non-fiction, you kinda have to use them. 

Lunch break before our train ride out of town. There was a big food court at the top floor of the mall. Someone had takoyaki. 

I wanted to have something very Japanese, so I was eyeing this crepes shop. Since I just had a free buffet breakfast from our hotel, I wasn't looking for a full set lunch. I just wanted something fun to eat, yet very Japanese. Yeah, I settle for crepes. You know why? Cause if you visit Tokyo, and went to Shibuya or Harujuku area, you'll see all these young ladies queueing up and eating crepes. And I've always wanted to try it, but I wasn't that financially willing then. Now as I grow older and wiser, it was time to live!

Ah, so pretty! And so many choices!

Me with my crepes! Happy. I might have gotten banana chocolate, which is my favourite combination of dessert toast, or maybe strawberries? I think it came with a coffee set too, why else would I paid extra for coffee, right? Lol. That's my guess anyway. It's been more than 2 years since I blog this! I can't imagine the day I would blog about my other long forgotten adventures in other countries! I have some maybe 10 years or older still waiting to get blog!

After our light lunch, we head to the train platform to wait for our train.

My faithful luggage. 2025, and I'm still travelling with it. I got this luggage when I joint a Japanese bank since I was expecting a lot of business trip. That was in 2015? So the bag is now 10 years old! I've changed the wheels, and even the handle before. There are dents on it (curtesy of Vietnam Airlines), and a crack few years back (probably from one of my solo trip), and recently I broke both the handles while I was about to start my Scotland trip! But I managed to survive the trip with a luggage belt, and that is how it will be until it is totally non-useable. Frankly, I can't bare the thought of parting with it. It's like my travelling partner now. 

Arrival of our train. Our first bullet train ride! Excited!

My ticket with the date time stamp of the ride for my souvenir shot.

And off we went on our next city!