We are now writing from Kagoshima, from the shadow of ashy (and slightly scary) Sakurajima.
We took the long trip leaving our great friends Tatsu and Yudai via every form of public transport possible, including cute little orange train and misty bay crossings.
From Kagoshima, we heading over to a small town on the other side of the bay from Kagoshima called Shibushi. On the way over, Sakurajima showed its true colours and erupted then and there. Noone else was surprised, and when we asked our host she told us it happens every day now. They will only be worried when it stops...
Shibushi was such an interesting place. An obvious site of a lot of development in the real estate boom of the 80s, its popularity slumped and now a large number of buildings are abandoned. Huge beachside hotels in the most beautiful spots, all the fittings and furniture left inside. Cassie, our couch surfing host, made this place so special for us and we had a great time wandering around town, discovering castle ruins and tumble-down houses, then setting off fireworks and driving to the beach.
So today we are preparing for the misty mountains of Yakushima, the highest peak in Kyushu that pops out of the ocean, surrounded by reefs and white sand beaches, and reaching up into the clouds where the moisture keeps the oldest trees in Japan wrapped in blankets of moss. Though we hear there is snow, so lets hope we have enough warm clothes for the 4 day hike...
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