2024 年 4 月 14 日，我們計劃從熊本搭乘新幹線到鹿兒島中央站，然後換乘指宿玉手箱觀光列車到南方的指宿。天氣晴朗，於是我來到飯店樓頂，再次眺望熊本城。看到城堡被一片明豔的粉紅色花海環繞，令人心曠神怡。白色的城堡在春意盎然的映襯下顯得格外莊嚴寧靜，讓我感到無比的祥和與安寧。
On April 14, 2024, we plan to take the Shinkansen from Kumamoto to Kagoshima Chuo Station, and then transfer to the Ibusuki Tamatebako sightseeing train to Ibusuki in the south. The weather was perfect, so I headed to the hotel rooftop to look at Kumamoto Castle. It was refreshing to see the fortress surrounded by a sea of bright and light pink flowers. The white castle looked so stately and stable against the spring colors; it gave me a profound sense of peace.
在前往電車站的路上，這座城市繼續展現它的魅力。我注意到嬌嫩的長莢罌粟在微風中搖曳，甚至在一棟高樓的窗戶上還看到了熊本熊（熊本的吉祥物）的裝飾——這是這座城市俏皮的「你好」招牌。
On our walk to the tram, the city continued to reveal its charms. I noticed delicate Long-headed Poppies nodding in the breeze, and I even caught a reflection of Kumamon (the Kumamoto bear) in the window of a high-rise building—a playful "hello" from the city.
搭乘新幹線到達鹿兒島中央站後，我在女廁看到一件暖心的事。除了常見的嬰兒換尿布台，我還發現了一個門很低的迷你隔間。裡面有一個很矮的兒童馬桶，是專門為小朋友設計的以培養小朋友的獨立性。真是太可愛了，也太貼心了。日本人在公共場所的細節設計上總是如此用心，確保每個人，即使是最小的旅客，都能感到舒適，這讓我印象深刻。
After taking the Shinkansen to Kagoshima-Chūō Station, I had a heart-warming experience in the ladies' room. Beyond the standard changing tables, I discovered a tiny stall with a much lower door. Inside was a miniature toilet set close to the floor, called Kodomo-toire and designed specifically for small children so children can gain independence. It was so cute and incredibly thoughtful. I am constantly impressed by the attention to detail the Japanese put into public spaces to ensure everyone, even the smallest traveler, is comfortable.
我們登上了「指宿玉手箱」列車，這是一列獨特的黑白特快列車，其設計靈感來自日本傳奇故事中的浦島太郎。當車門打開時，一團白霧噴灑在入口處——就像傳說中寶箱裡冒出的「煙霧」一樣！
我們四個人在列車上拼桌，旅程輕鬆愉快。車廂內部裝潢精美，溫暖的木質裝潢和書架營造出溫馨的氛圍。當然，我們也沒錯過著名的「指宿玉手箱布丁」。就像列車本身一樣，布丁也是一半黑色（黑芝麻），一半白色（奶油蛋奶）。它口感豐富、味道鮮美，是享受特殊氛圍的完美選擇——與普通的通勤列車截然不同。
我才剛得知浦島太郎的傳說，它常被稱為「日本版的李伯大夢」。它是日本最古老、最著名的民間故事之一，也能解釋我在前往指宿的火車上看到的那些奇特的「煙霧」效果和色彩。
浦島太郎是一位住在小村莊的年輕漁夫。有一天，他看到一群孩子在海灘上欺負一隻小海龜。太郎挺身而出，救了海龜，並把它放回了大海。
幾天后，一隻巨龜從海裡浮出水面。它告訴太郎，他救下的小海龜其實是海龍神的女兒。為了感謝他，巨龜邀請太郎到海底的龍宮城（Ryugu-jo）去參觀。
太郎騎著巨龜的背前往了龍宮城。他（自以為）在奢華的環境中度過了數日，享用美食，欣賞海獸們表演的優美舞蹈。乙姬公主待他如同皇室成員一般。
最終，太郎思鄉心切，請求返回村莊。乙姬公主不捨得他離開，便送給他一個鑲滿寶石的精美盒子－玉手箱。她告誡他：「若想回到這裡，切勿打開此盒。」
太郎回到海灘時，一切都已物是人非。他的房子不見了，也沒有人認出他。他這才意識到，自己以為只離開了幾天，實際上卻度過了三百年。
心煩意亂、孤獨的太郎忘了公主的警告，打開了玉手箱。一團白煙從中湧出。煙霧散去後，太郎突然老化；頭髮花白，腰背佝僂，瞬間壽終正寢。盒子裡裝著他「被偷走的歲月」。
以下是傳奇故事與列車之間的關聯：
- 指宿是日本聲稱是傳奇故事發生地的地方。
- 列車一側是黑色的（象徵太郎年輕時的黑髮），另一側是白色的（象徵他年老時的白髮）。
- 當你上車時，車門上方噴出的白色霧氣，象徵著改變太郎一生的寶箱中冒出的煙霧。
- 書架和木質裝飾旨在營造出傳說中「寶箱」內部的氛圍。
We boarded the Ibusuki no Tamatebako, a unique black-and-white limited express train inspired by the Japanese legend of Urashima Taro. As the doors opened, a puff of white mist sprayed over the entrance—just like the 'smoke' from the legend's treasure box!
The four of us shared a table on the Ibutama train, which made the ride very social and fun. The interior was beautiful, filled with warm wood and bookshelves. Of course, we couldn't resist trying the famous Ibutama Pudding. Just like the train, the pudding is half black (black sesame) and half white (creamy custard). It was rich, delicious, and the perfect treat to enjoy a special atmosphere - very different from a standard commuter train.
I just learned about the legend of Urashima Taro which is often called the "Japanese Rip Van Winkle." It is one of Japan's oldest and most famous folk tales, and it explains all the strange "smoke" effects and colors I saw on the train ride to Ibusuki.
Urashima Taro was a young fisherman who lived in a small village. One day, he saw a group of children tormenting a small sea turtle on the beach. Taro stepped in, saved the turtle, and returned it to the ocean.
A few days later, a giant turtle rose from the sea. It told Taro that the small turtle he saved was actually the daughter of Ryujin, the Dragon God of the Sea. To thank him, the turtle invited Taro to visit the Ryugu-jo (the Dragon Palace) at the bottom of the ocean.
Taro traveled to the palace on the turtle's back. He spent several days (or so he thought) in luxury, feasting and watching beautiful dances performed by sea creatures. The Princess, Otohime, treated him like royalty.
Eventually, Taro became homesick and asked to return to his village. Princess Otohime was sad to see him go and gave him a beautiful box decorated with jewels—the Tamatebako. She warned him: "You must never open this box if you wish to return here."
When Taro returned to his beach, everything had changed. His house was gone, and no one recognized him. He eventually realized that while he thought he was gone for a few days, 300 years had actually passed on land.
Distraught and lonely, Taro forgot the Princess's warning and opened the Tamatebako. A cloud of white smoke billowed out. As the smoke cleared, Taro suddenly grew old; his hair turned white, his back bent with age, and he died of old age instantly. The box had contained his "stolen years.”
Here are the connections between the legend and the train:
- Ibusuki is one of the locations in Japan that claims to be the setting of the legend.
- One side of the train is black (representing Taro's black hair when he was young) and the other side is white (representing his white hair as an old man).
- When you boarded and the white mist sprayed from above the doors, it was meant to represent the smoke from the box that changed Taro’s life.
- The bookshelves and wooden decor are meant to feel like the interior of a legendary "Treasure Box."
抵達指宿站時，我立刻被這座小鎮友善的氛圍所吸引。車站外，一座一家人享受溫泉浴的雕像矗立在足浴池中，象徵著指宿作為休閒放鬆、促進家庭健康的聖地的美譽。
附近，一座拱門引領我們進入一座花園，這裡是通往當地溫泉文化的門戶。我特意在「幸福之鐘」前駐足。這裡是熱門的祈福之地，遊客會敲響鐘聲，祈求好運和健康——完美地體現了這座小鎮的療癒精神。
When we arrived at Ibusuki Station, I was immediately struck by the town’s welcoming atmosphere. Right outside, a statue of a family enjoying a hot spring bath stands by the footbath, symbolizing Ibusuki’s reputation as a sanctuary for relaxation and family health.
Nearby, an archway led us into a garden that serves as a gateway to the local hot spring culture. I made sure to stop at the 'Bell of Happiness.' It’s a popular spot where visitors ring the bell to wish for luck and health—a perfect representation of the town’s healing spirit.
雖然指宿市以其砂蒸（天然沙浴）聞名於世，但我們決定先往內陸行。我們搭乘長途巴士，蜿蜒穿過鄉村，來到唐船峽的市立流水素麵麵館。當地巴士擁擠不堪，但沿途的風景卻讓這趟旅程物超所值：田野裡盛開著燦爛的黃色野花，與綠色的山丘交相輝映，構成了一幅生機勃勃的畫卷。
While Ibusuki is world-renowned for its Sunamushi (natural sand steam baths), we decided to head inland first. We took a long, winding bus ride through the countryside to the Municipal Sōmen-noodle restaurant in Tosenkyo (Karafune Ravine). The local bus was packed, but the view made the trip worthwhile; the fields were filled with brilliant yellow Nanohana flowers, creating a vibrant landscape against the green hills.
最後，我們抵達了唐船峽，在市立餐廳體驗了流水麵。傳統的流水麵是在長長的竹槽裡接住順流而下的麵條，而唐船峡則以環形流水麵的發源地而聞名。
在這裡，麵條在一個透明的圓形機器裡旋轉——這是一種新穎而有趣的食用方式。這峽谷有豐富的水力資源，在這使用了被評為日本「百佳水源」之一的純淨泉水，來驅動麵條流動並使其冷卻。令人驚訝的是，這些特製的桌子僅靠水壓就能旋轉，無需任何電力！雖然我不太喜歡吃冷麵，但觀看這桌子的運作卻讓我著迷。我們還搭配了鹽烤鱒魚，火候恰到好處。
Finally, we arrived at the Karafune Ravine to experience Sōmen Nagashi (flowing noodles) at the Municipal restaurant. While traditional nagashi sōmen involves catching noodles as they float down a long bamboo flume, Tosenkyo is famous as the birthplace of the circular version.
Here, the noodles swirl in a transparent, circular machine—a novel and intriguing way to eat. The ravine is rich in hydroelectric resources and uses pure spring water, selected as one of Japan's "Top 100 Waters," to propel the flow and chill the noodles. It was fascinating to see that the specially designed tables rotate using only water pressure, with no electricity required! Though I’m not usually fond of cold noodles, watching the mechanics of the table was captivating. We paired our meal with salt-grilled Masu (trout), which was perfectly cooked.
飯後，我們在附近閒逛，發現隔壁還有一間麵館。雖然裝潢風格略有不同，但味道一脈相承，環境也格外寧靜舒適。由於這片鄉村地區公車班次較少，我們便利用空閒時間參觀了博物館，並欣賞了原麵館周圍美麗的戶外景色。
After our meal, we wandered the grounds and discovered a second noodle restaurant next door. While the setup was slightly different, the essence remained the same, and the environment felt incredibly soothing. Since the buses run infrequently in this rural area, we spent our extra time exploring the museum and the beautiful outdoor scenery surrounding the original restaurant.
Lake Ikeda 池田湖
我們的下一站是池田湖，這是一座週長 15 公里的深藍色火山湖。當巴士駛近湖岸時，我們欣賞到了日本南部最具代表性的景色之一：開聞岳完美的錐形輪廓聳立在平靜的湖面之後。由於其優美的形狀，它也被親切地稱為「吾妻小富士」。
這個湖泊頗具神秘色彩。這裡棲息著體長可達兩公尺的巨型花鰻鱺！這些鰻魚很可能就是當地版尼斯湖水怪「伊西」的原型。我們在湖邊看到了一座伊西的雕像──與古老的火山地形形成了一種趣味盎然、略帶奇幻色彩的對比。
我們在巴士上看到的那些花，在這裡更加美麗。湖岸邊遍布色彩繽紛的花壇；根據月份的不同，可以看到金黃色的油菜花、罌粟花或波斯菊。沿著「油菜花路」漫步，一邊是碧藍的湖水，一邊是盛開的鮮花，遠處是巍峨的開聞岳，這真是一次令人嘆為觀止的體驗。彷彿置身於一張鮮活的明信片中。
Our next stop was Lake Ikeda, a deep blue volcanic lake with a massive 15-kilometer circumference. As the bus approached the shore, we were treated to one of the most iconic views in southern Japan: the perfectly conical silhouette of Mount Kaimon rising behind the tranquil water. Because of its beautiful shape, it is affectionately known as 'Satsuma Fuji.'
The lake has a bit of a mysterious reputation. It is home to giant mottled eels that can grow up to two meters long! These eels are likely the inspiration for 'Issie,' the local version of the Loch Ness Monster. We saw a statue of the creature by the lakeside—a fun, slightly whimsical contrast to the ancient volcanic landscape.
The flowers we had seen from the bus were even more beautiful here. The lakeshore was lined with vibrant flowerbeds; depending on the month, you can see yellow rapeseed, poppies, or cosmos. Walking along the 'Nanohana Road' with the blue lake on one side and the blooming flowers on the other, all under the watchful eye of Mount Kaimon, was a breathtaking experience. It felt like walking through a living postcard.
On the way to Saraku Sand Bath Hall 前往沙蒸會館「砂樂」的路上
Saraku Sand Bath Hall 沙蒸會館「砂樂」
我們的下一站是沙蒸會館「砂樂」，這是指宿最著名的沙蒸（天然沙浴）場所。浴館就建在海岸線上，地熱溫泉從沙灘下方流過，自然地將沙子加熱到攝氏 50 到 55 度。
這個過程我從未經歷過。我換上一件輕薄的棉質浴衣，用一條小毛巾遮住頭部，走到沙坑邊。一位工作人員挖了一條淺溝，開始用鏟子將溫暖潮濕的沙子鏟到我身上，直到我脖子都被沙子掩埋。
雖然頭部在外，但突然襲來的沉重感還是讓我感到驚嚇。說實話，感覺有點像躺在棺材裡，一陣焦慮湧上心頭。我能感覺到自己的脈搏——有節奏的「咚咚」聲——敲擊著沉重的沙地。但我躺在那裡，無法動彈，聽著幾英尺外海浪拍打的聲音，努力讓自己專注於這熱氣的目的--這是一個「全身桑拿」，旨在促進血液循環和深度排毒。
大約 15 分鐘後，我從沙地走出來，走進室內沖洗乾淨，然後泡了泡傳統的溫泉。這是一次令人難忘、無比震撼的體驗。我想如果我再去一次，我會試著放下那種恐懼感，輕鬆地讓大地發揮它的作用。
查看我的健身追蹤器，我今天走了 3.79 英里——超過 8,898 步！
Our next stop was the Saraku Sand Bath Hall, the most famous facility in Ibusuki for Sunamushi (natural sand steam bathing). The hall is perched right on the shoreline, where geothermal hot springs flow beneath the beach, naturally heating the sand to between 50°C and 55°C.
The process was unlike anything I’ve ever done. I changed into a light cotton yukata and walked down to the pit with a small towel to protect my head. A staff member dug a shallow trench and began to shovel the warm, moist sand over me until I was covered up to my neck.
Even though my head was free, the sudden weight of the earth was overwhelming. I’ll admit, it felt a bit like being in a coffin, and a wave of anxiety washed over me. I could feel my own pulse—a rhythmic thump-thump—pounding against the heavy sand. But as I lay there, listening to the waves crashing just a few feet away, I tried to focus on the purpose of the heat. It was a "full-body sauna" designed to promote circulation and deep detoxing.
After about 15 minutes, I emerged from the sand and headed inside to rinse off and soak in the traditional hot springs. It was an unforgettable, intense experience. I think if I go back, I will try to let go of that initial fear and simply let the earth do its work.
Looking at my fitness trackers, I had clocked 3.79 miles—over 8,898 steps today!
🚆 Stay tuned for more of our Kyushu, Japan adventures!
World Through My Eyes (Photographs) Posts/我鏡頭裏的世(視)界帖子
Travel/Point of Interest Posts 旅遊景點帖子
Comments