We arrived in Yatsushiro today with absolutely nothing scheduled. No alarms, no tours, no rushing. And no rain!
Naturally, we woke up before 7:00 anyway. Because of course we did.
The port itself was unlike any we’ve experienced so far. Instead of the usual “get off the ship and scatter,” this one felt like a little cultural welcome center. There were small kiosks set up with local information, souvenirs, and hands-on experiences – things like calligraphy and macha-making demonstrations. Add in a few traditional music performances, and it felt more like a mini festival than a port stop.
Just outside the terminal was a tiny strip of shops – food, clothing, souvenirs – and across from that, a large covered outdoor area filled with tables and chairs, surrounded by food trucks. It had a relaxed, community feel to it, like everyone just casually decided to hang out and snack.
And then… the bears.
Everywhere.
Meet Kumamon – the region’s beloved black bear mascot. There were statues of him all over the place: tucked into corners, lining pathways, popping up in a lovely little Japanese garden area, and of course, one giant version clearly meant for photo ops. (Because what’s travel without posing with an oversized cartoon bear?)
For those feeling more ambitious, there was a shuttle (for a small fee) that took visitors into town. We hopped on and headed toward the local museum, which conveniently dropped us near both a beautiful Japanese garden and the Yatsushiro Castle ruins.
While exploring the castle, we came across a small temple with instructions on how to properly pray. Not wanting to offend any higher powers (or temple etiquette), I followed along carefully – making a donation, deep bows, ringing a large bell, and clapping. I’m hoping I did it right… and that someone somewhere appreciated the effort.
We then set off on foot – about a quarter-mile walk – to what was described as a covered shopping street. It had potential… but unfortunately, most of it was still closed for the morning. And finding food? Not happening. After a bit of wandering and a lot of “well, that’s closed too,” we admitted defeat and headed back to catch the shuttle to the ship.
Back at the port, we made up for it.
Lunch became a bit of a “point and try” situation. We picked up a fried crab creation (excellent), a fried shrimp-and-vegetable situation (fine… not life-changing), and a fish-and-onion cake that was unusual but surprisingly tasty. A bit of a mixed bag, but that’s part of the adventure.
And then came the wildcard: a double chocolate “Cheesecake Drink.” Imagine iced bubble tea meets chocolate overload – chocolate sauce, crushed cookies, whipped cream… the whole thing. It was strange. It was excessive. And somehow, it absolutely hit the sweet spot.
We grabbed our usual souvenirs – a magnet and a pin (tradition is tradition) – and called it a day.
No big tour. No major sights checked off a list. Just a slow, slightly quirky, very local kind of day.
Honestly? Those are sometimes the best ones.