We'd researched the kind of weather we'd be likely to encounter in Kyushu before we booked. Cold, but not really, really cold. And predominantly dry.

So we were a bit peeved to learn that the first of our three railway days was slated to be out-and-out WET. When we sorted out the reservations, therefore, we decided to do our longest trip today, all the way to Ibusuki, at the southern end of the island of Kyushu. At least we'd be nice and dry on the train, we thought.

First up, the Shinkansen to Kagoshima. I raved about these paragons of railway modernity when we first visited Japan back in 2015. Well, they're still mega-impressive. Comfortable seats. Tons of legroom. Information everywhere. This is SO the way to travel. Beats ghastly economy air travel into the most miserable of cocked hats. And of course, like all Japan's trains, they're meticulously punctual.

The population density struck us today in Kyushu just as it had in Honshu in 2015. The landscape is either mountain, or it's populated and densely packed. (Fun fact: Kyushu is slightly more than a third of the size of Sarawak, but with five times the population...)

The mountains are beautiful, mind you, and through them many tunnels have been bored, into which the train disappears on a regular basis.








So that was pleasant. But then, in Kagoshima, we changed onto the rail highlight of the day: The Ibusuki no Tamatebako (Ibutama for short), the adorable black-and-white train that trundles, clickety-clack, 50 km along the coast of the Satsuma Peninsula.

The Ibusuki -- what now? I can't put it better than this: "The Ibusuki no Tamatebako train follows the story of Urashima Taro, which locals believe originated from Kagoshima. Urashima Taro rescued a turtle, and as a reward he was brought to the Dragon Palace under the sea and met Princess Otohime. About to return home, he was given a bejewelled box (tamatebako; also the train’s namesake) by the princess. He felt like he spent only a few days in the palace. However, when he got home, 300 years had already passed, and he became an old man with white hair when he opened the box. The train’s design, inside and out, is based on this legend; the black and white exterior colours symbolize Urashima Taro’s transformation. The train itself represents the bejewelled box."



The interior is very cool, with teak trimmings, and a number of side-facing seats, to facilitate your photography:


And there's a range of themed goodies on offer. The Ibusuki hot spring soda was good, but on no account miss the black-and-white chocolate bread ("available only on this train"):




You start by rumbling right past the houses of the good burghers of Kagoshima:


But then the views open out to encompass Sakurajima, the active volcano that sits across from Kagoshima, and after that, you're treated to swathes of seaside:






Ibusuki very much has the flavour of a seaside town (and, on this rainy winter's afternoon, it was, predictably, pretty much quiet and closed):








For lunch, we consoled ourselves with the biggest bowl of ramen in the world, from Menya Jiro. Equipped with sliced pork, a hunk of roast pork, wantons, egg, lots of vegetables, and a superb broth, this was really quite a masterpiece. Nothing lifts a rainy day like a bowl of ramen:


The Ibusuki Archaeological Museum also offers a great escape from the elements. It displays artefacts from what is known as the "Pompeii of the East" -- the historical site of Hashimuregawa, which was buried by the eruption of Mt Kaimon in 874. Successive eruptions meant it was possible to find items from a number of different eras.







Also on the same premises was this exhibition of work by Kisanuki Hiroshi:



The sculptures at the station foot spa are also by him:


We returned to Kagoshima on the black-and-white train (no chocolate bun this time, as we were still stuffed full of ramen), and then to Fukuoka on another Shinkansen.

The rain was a pain, and it was quite a long day (we didn't get home until nearly eight in the evening, which is pretty much pumpkin territory for us). Nevertheless, I would absolutely chalk this up as a Grand Day Out, with the train to Ibusuki featuring as the star of the show: