Takanabe Tourist Shop and Cabbage Sweets

This is Takanabe's tourist information centre and local products shop たかなべ町本家店. It's located in a refurbished old building on the corner of Takanabe's main street and historic shopping street. 

There are various local products for sale including food items like soy sauce, vegetables from nearby farms and sweets and snacks in decorative packaging.  There are also crafts, postcards and of course, Taishi-kun goods.

However, the most unique products on offer are a range of sweets made from .......................cabbages!!

These include cabbage cake doughnuts, 

Cabbage cream puffs, 

And cabbage cheese manju (cream cheese filled  twist on the traditional soft biscuit like red bean filled sweets) 

There are also, cabbage roll cakes, cabbage cookies, cabbage puddings, cabbage cream red bean cakes etc) The taste is a bit unusual but not unpleasant. I particularly like the roll cake and cheese manju. I doubt that you can get this many cabbage sweets and desserts any where else, so why not sample this unique taste if you come to town.  

Takanabe Taishi-kun

This is Takanabe Taishi-Kun. たか鍋大使くん Takanabe Town's mascot character.

He is based on this statue which is in the Takanabe Taishi group of statues. His unique look makes him pretty popular and he was second highest ranked Miyazaki mascot character in 2014 national poll. 

There are various goods featuring Taishi and you can see his image all over town! If you come to Takanabe, please look out for him! 

Taishi-kun's facebook page!!

Takanabe Taishi Stone Monuments and Mochida Burial Mounds

Takanabe Taishi (高鍋大師) is Takanabe's most famous spot. Located in the Mochida ancient burial mound area in the hills to the north-west of town, the site features over 700 stone buddhas and other statues. They were carved by a man named Yasukichi Iwaoka who wanted to appease the souls of those buried in the mounds after a series of grave robberies. He spent over forty years constructing the monuments. 

Many of the statues are very buddha like. 

But the most spectacular are quite monstrous.  

There are also animal statues, such as these turtles. 

Most of the statues have brightly coloured areas which contrast with the drab grey stone. 

Small stone cairns and other features are dotted around the statues and burial mounds. 

There is a small Inari shrine complete with the typical white foxes which serve the Buddhist deity. 

The hillside location means there is a great view of the town and across to the pacific ocean beyond. 

Many smaller statues line the hillside and the town is currently working to transform the hill into a flowering slope. I think the footpath is partially complete so access should be possible from the bottom of the hill. If not then access is possible from the main burial mound area. 

The burial mounds of Mochida danchi litter the surrounding farmland. They may not be as impressive as nearby Saitobaru but the more residential nature of the area give it a unique atmosphere. 

Kaguchihama Beach

Takanabe's beach is called Kaguchihama (蚊口浜) 

It is located on the other side of the railway tracks to the main part of town. 

The small forest on the edge of the coastline is quite pretty and has various tropical flowers. 

There is an area of sea which is blocked off and used for swimming in the summer. 

Kaguchihama is a popular surf beach all year round though apparently the surf is a little strong for beginners.

There are various restaurants and a campground next to the beach. 

Oysters are the local delicacy and the beach is littered with oyster shells. 

Takanabe Marsh Land

At Takanabe Marsh Land (高鍋湿原 Takanabe Shitsugen), you can experience one of the area’s unique natural habitats. The marshlands here are only found in a few places in Miyazaki.

There are several areas of marshland, interspersed with small ponds.

A raised walk way winds around the plain, allowing a good view of the habitat without anyone having to get their feet wet.

In the middle of the plain is a suspension bridge which goes over an area of Takanabe’s dam.

Over 300 species of plants and many rare insects can be seen at the plain, in particular dragon flies. Pictured is a male scarlet skimmer dragonfly.

If you’re lucky you may catch a glimpse of a scarlet dwarf, the smallest species of dragonfly in Japan. It’s a symbol of Takanabe and the main attraction at the damp plain. Images and models of the scarlet dwarf can be found all over the park even if you don’t get the chance to see a real one.

Information about the plants and insects can be found in the building near the entrance.　

Takanabe Marsh Land is open March to October from 8:30AM to 5:00PM and is completely free to enter. It is also very close to Shikisai no Mura and Meirin no Yu onsen spa.

Shikisai no Mura

Shikisai no Mura (四季彩のむら) is an area of farmland to the west of Takanabe which resembles the rural landscape of the early 20^th Century.

The name translates as colours of the four seasons' village, and there are many seasonal flowers in the fields that give the area a different look at different times of the year.

A foot path goes through the fields to a pretty red bridge.

Across the bridge is a shrine.

Nestled peacefully in the woods, it has the atmosphere of a traditional mountain village’s focal shrine.  

A wooded path leads from Shikisai no Mura to Meirin no Yu onsen spa. Takanabe damp plain is also nearby. 

Meirin no Yu

Meirin no Yu (めいりんの湯) is Takanabe’s onsen and spa. It is named for the school for common children that existed in Takanabe during the 18^th and 19^th centuries. As well as various indoor and outdoor baths separated by gender, there is also a restaurant and a shop selling various local produce. Slightly unusual fruits and vegetables such as lychees can sometimes be found here.

Meirin no Yu is open from 10:00AM to 9:00PM. It is closed on Mondays except for holidays when it will be closed on the next normal working day. Entry to the baths costs ¥500 for adults and ¥300 for children. Shikisai no Mura can be reached from here by a footpath and Takanabe Damp Plain is also nearby.

http://www.meirinspa.com/meirinspa/

Takanabe Sunflower Festival

The weekend of the 16^th to 17^th of August is Takanabe’s Sunflower festival. The main attraction is one of the largest group of sunflower fields in the world.  You can view the sunflowers from the platforms set up or just wander through the fields. There are food stalls and entertainment. The sunflowers are grown in fields which are normally used to grow cabbages so there are a lot of cabbage based products as well. On the final day of the festival, you are allowed to pick and take home the sunflowers as they will be cut down the next day to make room for all the cabbages. 

Takanabe Lantern Festival

Every year, around the 10th of October, Maizuru Park in Takanabe hosts a lantern festival. 灯篭祭 The festival takes place over two days.

Members of the public light the stone lanterns which can be found all over the park. 

The river of fire towards the top of the park is one of the most spectacular features. 

One area has lanterns made by local children. 

There is also a lantern designing competition and many business submit colourful displays.

Outside of the park are food stalls and entertainment stages. 

Maizuru Koen

Maizuru Koen is the site where Takanabe’s castle once stood. There was a castle on the site since 854 which was initially called Takarabe Castle. Various clans held the castle over the years but it saw most use as the seat of power for the Akitsuki-clan, the feudal rulers of the Takanabe domain.

Nowadays, the grounds are a park which makes for a pleasant uphill stroll though wooded and open areas.

Near the entrance of the park is Maizuru Shrine, one of the town’s most important.

Adjacent to this there is a small café and shop which serves cakes, snacks etc.

From here you can wander on up the path, past interesting monuments and small shrines.

At several points along the route are spots where you can get a good view of the town, right out to the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately there isn’t much to see at the very top of the park, but the walk itself is definitely rewarding.

The park is well known for its seasonal flowers with the cherry blossoms in late March and early April being the big draw, but I’m also very fond of the plum blossoms and camellia that can found towards the top of the park in January and February.

There is also a straight path leading up to the main cherry blossom viewing and lantern area for wheelchair or pushchair access.

 Takanabe Town Museum is also located within the park grounds.

There are several reconstructed buildings from the old castle grounds and other areas in Takanabe which can be viewed for free.    

Throughout the park you can see these stone lanterns known as Tourou. In October, the park hosts a two day lantern festival.