Staying at Tenku no Fune in Amakusa

We headed to Amakusa in Kyushu after receiving a stay voucher for Tenku no Fune through Japan’s hometown tax donation program. The voucher had to be used before the end of the year, so we coordinated everyone’s work schedules and the kids’ kindergarten calendar to make this trip happen.

First, we took the ferry from Osaka Nanko to Shin-Moji Port. From there, we joined the Kyushu Expressway and drove south through Kyushu.

Even though it was a weekday, the Kyushu Expressway was surprisingly busy. We left Shin-Moji Port around 9 a.m., stopped for lunch at Gusto, (we’re not much of a foodie family, so even on vacation our restaurant stops tend to be places like Gusto or MOS Burger) and otherwise drove straight to the hotel. We finally arrived at Tenku no Fune at around 2:30 p.m.

Check-in wasn’t officially until 3 p.m., but the staff let us in and checked us in half an hour early. The lobby looks out over the sea, and the view was beautiful. It was November, so too cold to use the pool, but I imagine it would be lovely in summer.

The air was still, and the scenery was stunning. The welcome drink for the kids was apple juice.

For the adults, there was a hot tea with a lovely aroma(I have no idea what kind of tea it was, though!)

I was thirsty and downed it in seconds, but I really should have taken my time and enjoyed it. After check-in, we were told that we’d take a golf cart to our separate villa. A staff member would lead the way, and a hotel employee could drive us if we preferred.

My husband didn’t hesitate: “No, I’ll drive it myself!” (laughs)

He did complain, “It won’t climb the hill at all! I’ve got the accelerator floored!”(Well, you can’t expect it to perform like a Porsche!) A couple of minutes later, we reached our room and were shown inside. It was even more luxurious and beautiful than I’d imagined. We’ve stayed at plenty of hotels and inns over the years, but for the views, room size, amenities, and overall value, this place was in a league of its own.

It felt just like having our own vacation home.

Buying a vacation home comes with significant upkeep and running costs. But staying at wonderful places like this around the country gives you that getaway-home feeling without the ongoing expenses or maintenance. I thought that was a pretty great deal. The view at night was beautiful, too.

We didn’t use the indoor bath, but it was spacious and impressively large. There’s far too much to enjoy in just one night.

The hotel was lovely after dark, too. Dinner was served in a stylish restaurant that juts out over the sea.

The restaurant had a wonderful atmosphere, and the food was absolutely delicious. Our older daughter was nearly four and behaved beautifully at the table, but our younger one was in full-on mischief mode. We were so grateful for the staff’s kindness and patience.

A Drive to Aso Under Cloudy Skies

The next day, we set off for Aso. The weather held, but it stayed cloudy all day, so I didn’t manage to get a single good photo of the Panamera Turbo. Many roads in Aso were still closed due to the previous year’s Kumamoto earthquake, and repair work was underway in numerous places.

Still, we were able to drive on the roads more normally than I’d expected, so perhaps tourists are gradually starting to return.

I took over from my husband around Aso’s Milk Road, but for some reason, traffic picked up as soon as I got behind the wheel. We crawled along all the way to Daikanbo. (-_-)

The Panamera Turbo never got a chance to show what it could do…

We finally reached Daikanbo, but the sky was overcast. Still, I’ll take it: despite my reputation as a fog magnet, there was no fog that day, and we could see the landscape all around us. The temperature was about 8°C, so it felt a little chilly.

My husband took over again for the drive back down the mountain. Somehow, the road had cleared, and I got a small glimpse of the Panamera Turbo’s potential. We’d filled up before setting off, but by the time we got home, the fuel gauge was down to two bars.

The tank holds 90 liters, and we had about 18 liters left, which means we used 72 liters of fuel on this Kyushu trip. At 9–10 km per liter, that puts our driving distance at roughly 700 km. Taking the ferry helped keep the distance we drove to a minimum.

Traveling with kids made for a hectic trip, but it was a great one. Still, I can’t wait to get out and drive the Panamera Turbo—and take some photos—in glorious sunshine. The weather is just too lousy wherever we go(but I suppose that’s what happens when you’re a rain magnet and a fog magnet like me!)