Takachiho



Takachiho (高千穂) is a town in Miyazaki, Kyushu.

Understand
Both a natural wonder and an important religious site, Takachiho draws over a million Japanese tourists yearly, but few foreigners make it this far. Takachiho Gorge is an impressive ravine with countless waterfalls cascading into it, while nearby Ama-no-Iwato Shrine contains the cave where, according to myth, the sun goddess Amaterasu hid until Ame-no-Uzume lured her out. Another legend suggests that this is where Amaterasu's grandson Ninigi-no-Mikoto descended to earth to establish Japan's imperial family, but that particular claim is contested by Takachiho-no-mine in Kirishima National Park to the south.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a multilingual guide site.

By bus
Takachiho is deep in the mountains in the northwest of Miyazaki prefecture, and is easier to reach from the neighboring prefecture of Kumamoto in the west.

From Kumamoto city, the inter-city bus to Nobeoka reaches Takachiho in about 3 hr 10 min (¥2300), passing by Kumamoto Airport (2 hr, ¥2100) along the way. Pay when exiting the bus, or purchase a discounted round-trip double ticket (valid for 10 days) from the vending machine at Kumamoto central bus terminal (¥4000). The bus leaves at 09:11 from JR Kumamoto Station (09:22 from the central bus terminal) and arrive 12:19 in Takachiho. Westbound buses depart Takachiho at 16:57 and reach Kumamoto central bus terminal at 19:50 (JR Kumamoto station 8 minutes later). The Kyusan express buses from Kumamoto and the Miyako express buses from Nobeoka are operated by two different companies who do not accept each other's prepaid tickets, but the local buses will accept the tickets of either express bus company.

From Miyazaki city, take the JR Nippo Line to Nobeoka (1 hr 15 min, ¥1700 by tokkyu), then connect to the Kumamoto bus (departs 07:30 and 15:30), reaching Takachiho in one hour (¥1740). This is the best solution for a daytrip, leaving Miyazaki at 06:00 allows one to catch the 07:30 bus, and leaving with the 18:29 bus allows 10 hours to visit. This is also the fastest route if coming in from Oita to the north.

From Fukuoka, direct buses from the Nishitetsu Tenjin Bus Terminal connect to Takachiho in 3 hr 15 min (¥4020, Sep 2018).

By train
Impossible. The Takachiho Railway from Nobeoka stopped running in 2005 after it was trashed by Typhoon Nabi, although a short section was resurrected as a sightseeing railway.

By car
Hiring a car from any neighbouring city (provided you have a valid local or international driver's license) provides a distinct advantage as it solves the minor problem of getting in but also the much bigger problem of how to get around once in Takachiho (see below).

If planning a daytrip, the fastest public transport route, bus from Kumamoto, arrives at midday and departs at 04:30 leaving you on a very tight four and a half hour timeframe. In fact, the timeframe is so tight and the town buses are so infrequent that it is impossible to properly see more than one attraction (likely the gorge) without paying out on local taxis; making hiring a car a potentially cost-effective solution.

Get around
A shuttle bus used to operate between Takachiho Bus Center and the gorge (¥140, 5 min), but it's faster anyway to walk down the windy road to the gorge. The walk down will take about 30 min, but the return hike uphill may take somewhat longer. Electric bicycles can be rented (¥300 per hour) from the tourist information center across from the bus center. Another bus connects to the Ama-no-Iwato Shrine, about 10 km and 15 min away.

Local taxi drivers are well aware of this issue. The taxi terminal is adjacent to the bus center, thus they might in fact approach you the moment you alight from the bus. If not, they will be sleeping in their vehicles waiting for passengers. They know the routine well, but their assistance obviously comes at a price, from ¥1000 for the 7-min trip to the gorge.

A short section (5km) of the former JR line was resurrected as a sightseeing railway, Amaterasu Railway in 2012, between the town and the gorge.

Buy
Miyazaki's standard array of souvenirs are available here, namely delicious mango-flavoured everything. Keep an eye out for the signs emblazoned with Miyazaki's mascot: a cutesified (but startling accurate) image of Hideo Higashikokubaru, a comedian and the prefecture's former governor, dressed up like a used-car salesman.

Kagura senbei is unique to takachiho and its folklore. These rice cakes have images of the traditional yokagura dance baked into them.

Sleep
There are at least two hotels in Takachiho town, plus a fancy hotel located directly above the gorge (where the trail begins).

Allegedly there is a campground facility downstream in the gorge. However, as of July 2010, the section of trail from the boat rental shop leading to the campsite meanders straight into a no entry sign (and if you care to peek beyond, the trail meanders into an impassably deep whirlpool). A vehicular road also connects to the campsite but its a rather indirect route, but doable by walking in the direction of the takachiho temple on the nature trial till the small temple bridge.

In the winter months, you can also go for overnight yogura dance events in yogura halls which last till morning. As the selected hall/location change everyday and the schedule is dotted with rest days, you should enquire in advance on online websites. However this trouble is worth the calmaradi experience.

Connect

 * The Takachiho tourist information office (official site English) is on the corner opposite the central bus station.

Go next
Many Japanese people drive to Kunimigaoka, the nearby mountain peak away, for magnificent sunrise viewing. You will get to see the sun peeking over a sea of clouds blanketing the many mountains.
 * Hinokakage
 * Gokase
 * Morotsuka
 * Nobeoka
 * Taketa
 * Takamori
 * Minamiaso
 * Aso
 * Kumamoto