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.