Kyushu Touring Day 1

This time, I went on a touring trip with my beloved Porsche Boxster GTS (981) after a long break.

Usually, I go solo touring, but this time I set out on a 4-day, 4-night trip around Kyushu with my friend and the blog’s chief test driver, TAKURO-san, driving two Boxster GTS (981)s together.

The Prestigious Taiyo Ferry Voyage

Traveling from Kansai to Kyushu is very convenient by ferry. I have used it many times before, and this time as well, I took the prestigious Taiyo Ferry from Osaka Nanko to Kyushu.

We met at Osaka Nanko on Sunday evening. Upon arrival, TAKURO-san was already lined up in the lane for low-floor vehicles. After completing the boarding procedures, we boarded the ferry together with our Boxsters.

We each chose a Superior cabin. The rooms had showers and toilets, giving off the cozy vibe of a small business hotel. You can see the scenery through the window, and it’s surprisingly comfortable for a ship.

After putting down our luggage, we had dinner at the onboard restaurant. It was a buffet with a wide variety of dishes. Like college students, the two of us middle-aged guys piled our plates high with fried foods and meat, then topped it off with soft serve ice cream, eating our fill. While chatting about the touring plans and Porsche talk, our journey began.

Shinmoji Port to Jūmonjibaru Observatory

We arrived at Shinmoji Port around 8:30 in the morning.

The weather was cloudy but not raining. Looking closely at the map, I realized that although I had intended to arrive at Beppu Port in my head, I mistakenly booked for Shinmoji Port and only now realized we had landed at Shinmoji Port in northern Kyushu (laughs).

First, we headed for Jūmonjibaru Observatory. There, we planned to meet up with our Porsche friend, Porushetii-san. He showed up in his Shark Blue 718 Spyder, looking as cool as ever. He kindly joined us just for this and guided us around Aso. We were truly grateful.

Yamanami Highway and Sagiridai Break

Right after meeting up, we headed toward the Yamanami Highway around Mount Yufu. We took a break at Sagiridai, where it started to rain gradually.

However, the roads around Mount Yufu are so pleasant and the scenery is spectacular that the rain hardly mattered. I’ve been here many times, but it’s always a wonderful drive.

Chasing after the 718 Spyder kicking up spray and TAKURO-san’s Boxster GTS (981), we headed south along the Yamanami Highway. Weekends usually have heavy traffic, but since it was a rainy weekday, the roads were almost empty—perfect for unrestricted driving.

We stopped for a break at Chojabaru Road Sign and then aimed for Daikanbo.

Daikanbo and Kusasenri Break

Continuing along the Yamanami Highway, we reached Daikanbo. Curiously, the rain always stopped just when we took photos on this trip. Enjoying the grand scenery, we had a light lunch before heading toward Kusasenri.

By this time, the rain had become heavy. When we arrived at Kusasenri parking lot, it was pouring. The lead 718 Spyder was on CUP tires, so we asked him to take it easy and drive slowly.

We carefully traced the curves of the Aso Panorama Line. Playing with the Boxster’s shifter for no particular reason, we listened to the rain tapping on the soft top and the layered exhaust notes as we headed for Kusasenri parking lot.

We rested for a while at Kusasenri parking lot. Despite the cold, we enjoyed soft serve ice cream while confirming the route to the hotel.

Overnight Stay and Dinner in Yanagawa City

As evening approached, we headed to a hotel in Yanagawa City.

On the way, we drove the K45 Kikuchi Aso Skyline, aiming for Ueki IC.

This K45 is quite a famous road. Perhaps because of the rain, traffic was light, and it’s a great driving road mixing moderate curves and straights. The gentle downhill from Aso at a comfortable pace was fantastic.

We got on the highway, parted ways with the 718 Spyder here, and the two Boxsters headed toward Yanagawa City.

After arriving at the hotel, we visited a restaurant called BullHouse that we happened to find for dinner. We ordered a course meal, and every dish was delicious and reasonably priced. TAKURO-san and I were very satisfied with the dinner. We tried to order the cheesecake for dessert, but it was sold out. It’s very popular and apparently sells out quickly, so we missed out this time—but I definitely want to try it next time.

After dinner, we returned to the hotel and relaxed while confirming the route for the next day. On Day 2, we planned to head around Unzen Fugendake.

This Trip’s Route Map