Ao no Domon Tunnel- Nakatsu City, Oita Prefecture

Aonodomon, which translates in English as "Blue Tunnel," is a hand-carved tunnel in Nakatsu City that took over 30 years to make. Of course this tunnel is not made by nature! It is in fact hand made by a Buddhist monk  who, while passing Yabakei during his travels, was alarmed to see people and horses losing their lives on the treacherous mountain road. He later carved out the original 185 meter tunnel to allow travelers safe passage through the Yabakei mountains. Today, pedestrians and vehicles pass through the iconic cliff and mountain formation.

Legend has it that before the tunnel was built, people had to climb over the cliffs through which the tunnel is built to reach an important local shrine. During the Edo period (1603 to 1867), a Monk named Zenkai, who had committed a murder in his earlier life, decided to build a safe passage for worshipers in order to atone for his crime. Beginning at the age of 49, he dedicated 30 years of his life to digging the 185 meter tunnel by hand, using only a hammer and chisel. The tunnel was opened for use in 1763 and it is still in use today. Talk about longevity!

This location is a major tourist destination as the drive thru the various gorges and thru the mountains is quite spectacular and picturesque. In fact during the autumn months especially on weekends there can be a huge wait just to get into a line in order to drive thru this unique tunnel. In fact, because of this popularity it is basically impossible to do a tour thru this region in those circumstances as time is obviously a issue for those who have to get back on time to their Cruise Terminals. For these customers a subsequent itinerary will be formulated.

I can't tell you how many times I have visited this area of Oita Prefecture, but its at least 30 times and in each occasion I must tell you the feelings of amazement are absolutely palatable.  It's an attraction that will knock your socks off and or leave you speechless all at the same time.

Please check out the location of the Aonodomon Tunnel on a map below:

 

Please click on these pictures below to enlarge:

English explanation

The Monk, Zenkai

Picturesque

Signage

Start of the tunnel

185m long

Scenic views abound

From the parking area

The shrine entrance

Peek a boo

Please click on the following videos to see more about the Aonodomon Tunnel in Oita Prefecture:

Kokonoe Suspension Bridge- Kokonoe Town, Oita Prefecture

The Kokonoe Suspension bridge in Oita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu is one of those magical places that you really can only get to by use of private transportation. The location is very rural and obviously natural and scenic sites like this aren't possible in largesr urban cities.

It can be akin to walking across the sky. Japan's longest and loftiest pedestrian bridge presents panoramic scenes of Oita's spectacular countryside, including two waterfalls, the Naruko River and the valley floor 173 meters below.

Now, if you are like me and extremely scared of heights then you can bypass this location but for those into this sort of adventure/ scenic travel then this place is for you.  Having said that yours truly did get out there and participate in this special attraction and I must say that it looks more dangerous than it really is.  The wind was blowing heavily on my visit and I wasn't sure if I could do it but more posting purposes I sucked it up and gave it my best shot. I hope everyone appreciated the angst and peril I felt throughout the experience.

The bridge is designed to hold 1,800 people at once, which may seem like a lot until you consider that 300,000 crossed it during the first month it was open in 2006. Views from this bridge are impressive year-round, however the best time to visit is between April and early December, particularly from mid-April to May to see the lush green spring foliage, and in November for the fiery autumn colors. However be advised that every Tom, Dick and Keiko will be here too enjoyed all those yellows, reds and orange hues. It could be an extended wait in peak times.

See the Kokonoe Suspension below on a map:

Please click on the photos below to enlarge:

The map

Taking a memory Photo

Opening times

From the side

Autumn hues

The entrance

Lush greenery in september

The waterfall far below

The dimensions

I look fine but..........

Please click on the videos below to see more of the Kokonoe Suspension Bridge:

Usa Shrine: Usa City, Oita Prefecture

Usa (Jingu) Shrine hold a special place in my heart.  It was the first shrine that I ever visited on my first trip to Japan many moons ago.  Of course in those days I was wide eyed and bushy tailed and the many intricate details and cultural norms of the Shinto religion were obviously lost on me but nevertheless the shrines sheer size (one of the biggest in all of Japan) and brightly colored buildings are still etched in my brain even today.

Usa Jingu is one of the most important Shinto shrines in Japan with a history that spans close to 1300 years. Its main deity is Hachiman, who is worshipped as a guardian of the country and the imperial family. Shrines dedicated to Hachiman are among the most numerous in Japan and Usa Jingu serves as their head shrine. As you can guess, this holds the Shrine as one of the most important in Japan and rightly so.

The size of the land that Usa Shrine sits on is absolutely massive.  I don't know exactly how big it is but all I can say is that it quite a long trek from the carpark to the main shrine buildings.  Not that you will complain, the walk is exciting and adventurous as well as being a real cultural and mature orientated experience.  The walk is mostly flat so in reality no problems for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness.

I know a lot of people might be saying, oh no not another shrine especially for those who are doing an all Japan cruise and visiting many cities during their itinerary.  However, I can say for certain that this shrine will be like no other that you have visited or will intend to visit.  I am sure you will see this in all the photos and videos posted below.

Please check out the Usa Shrine below on a map:

 

Please click on the photos below to enlarge:

One of the many massive torii gates

Well signposted in English

Japanese flag is always present

Purification station

Shinto symbols

Sake and Shinto are intertwined

Impressive ponds are front and center

Picturesque indeed!

Please check out the Usa Shrine here in more detail from the following videos: