Back Again to Amakusa and Aso in Kyushu

At the end of November, the four of us took a trip to Amakusa and Aso in Kyushu with the Panamera. (There was talk about going with the air-cooled Porsche, but since it was a long drive with the whole family, we chose the Panamera.) Actually, we had taken the same trip with the family in the Panamera around this time last year, but the weather was bad and the roads were crowded, so we couldn’t really enjoy the Milk Road or the magnificent scenery of Aso at all.

So this year, partly as a revenge trip and also because we got a lodging voucher for the Amakusa inn “Tenku no Fune” through hometown tax donation, we decided to take the same route again.

We took the ferry again to get to Kyushu. Driving on the highway with a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old is pretty tough.

Actually, the hardest part was the younger daughter. Our eldest daughter would fall asleep as soon as she got in the car since she was little, but the younger one absolutely refuses to sleep. She fights the child seat every time, pesters her sister, and sibling quarrels break out.
I kept hoping she’d get tired from crying and fall asleep, but she kept crying for an hour straight, and amazingly managed to wriggle out of the child seat in that hour.

Well, I have to admire her persistence and tenacity… but I always think it would be so much more comfortable for all four of us if the younger one would just fall asleep smoothly.

First Stop: Amakusa!

The ferry we took was the Meimon Taiyo Ferry departing Osaka Nanko at 19:50 and arriving at Shinmoji Port at 8:30. Since the Panamera is just over 5 meters long, it falls into the “passenger cars under 6 meters” category, and the fare for the Panamera alone was 15,000 yen one way (ouch).

The ferry arrived on schedule at Shinmoji Port at 8:30 the next day, and from there we headed straight to our inn in Amakusa.

The navigation showed it would take about four hours via the Kyushu Expressway to get to the inn. “Then we can take our time and have a relaxed lunch on the way,” we thought, and happily drove the Panamera along the sunny Kyushu Expressway.
While cruising on the highway, my husband, who’s been driving the air-cooled Porsche more often lately, kept saying,

“Man, the Panamera is amazing. It’s truly a dream bullet train of a car!!”

and was clearly impressed.

Before we knew it, it was almost noon, and since we’re far from foodies, we stopped at Gusto for lunch (Gusto tastes good no matter where you eat it in Japan, lol). After lunch, we continued driving the Panamera smoothly and arrived at the inn, but it was only 1:30 pm. Check-in was at 3 pm, so we figured we couldn’t get in yet.

But then we were told, “Sorry, the room isn’t ready yet…”

Well, that’s understandable. Sorry for arriving so early.

So we decided to tour along the coastal roads of Amakusa until check-in time at 3 pm.

The sky was clear, and the contrast with the blue sea was stunning. That day in Amakusa, there were few cars, and we enjoyed driving the Panamera elegantly and sportily along the gently curving coastal roads. What a luxurious moment.

Amakusa is such a beautiful place… it really felt wonderful.

Along the way, I shared some vague trivia like “I heard Amakusa Shirō might not have actually existed, but who knows (￣ー￣)” (lol), and whenever we found a good photo spot, my husband stopped the Panamera and snapped away.

Eventually, we realized we had gone quite far from the inn, and seeing it was almost 3 pm, we hurried back. That day, we soaked in the hot springs, enjoyed delicious meals, and relaxed.

I wonder if my daughters will remember coming to an inn like this when they grow up… probably not at all, lol.

The Next Day: Heading to Aso

The weekly weather forecast had predicted heavy rain, but the forecast changed to sunny just before the trip. For someone like me who’s a rain and fog magnet, this was quite rare, though my husband and I were still half skeptical, wondering “Will it really clear up?” (-_-)

The next morning, the sun still hadn’t come out and the sky was gloomy at 8 am. Thinking “I knew it…” we set off from Amakusa toward Aso.

There were a few cars on the road to Aso, but gradually the sun started to peek through.

Wow—the forecast was right!

From there, we sped up through the vast Aso landscape, full of pampas grass in full bloom, all the way to the Daikanbo Observatory. Last year when we came, it was cloudy and even drizzling, so it was great to see it clearly this time.

At the observatory, we had strawberry soft serve (though the girls pretty much stole it all and I barely got any), then headed toward Yufuin.

I got to drive the winding roads of Aso in sport mode.

It felt absolutely amazing (*ﾟ∀ﾟ)!!

I thought I already knew the Panamera’s greatness lies in balancing comfort and sportiness, but this trip really reaffirmed it.

Switching to sport mode tightens the suspension, sharpening the Panamera’s handling. The engine note, with its turbocharged dual tones and deep bass, is very satisfying. It’s a different sound from the Boxster’s lively roar, but I love this turbo sound too.

Whether going uphill or downhill, the Panamera feels great to drive without overthinking. It turns exactly as you want without needing extra steering input, and the throttle and brakes respond perfectly with no lag. Acceleration is more than enough.

It’s hard to believe this giant is 5 meters long and 2 meters wide.

The Panamera is truly a brilliantly engineered car.

My husband said,

“The Panamera really is a sports car. Even though it’s a luxury sedan, it shares some of the 911’s driving feel. The air-cooled cars are great, but modern Porsches have incredible performance. The Panamera is truly an amazing car.”

Regarding the Panamera, I think those who want to feel like they’re really driving might find it a bit lacking. The ride is firm but very smooth, so you don’t get a direct feel of the road surface, and it definitely feels like a high-end sedan.

Also, you don’t really have to worry about understeer or oversteer; if you just trust the Panamera, it will handle everything smoothly.

But to be able to drive such a large car so lightly, confidently, and enjoyably without feeling heavy or cumbersome is amazing, and it made me love the Panamera even more.

In about an hour, we arrived in Yufuin. From there, my husband took over driving, and we got on the Kyushu Expressway heading back to Shinmoji Port for the trip home.

After All…

After this family tour in the Panamera, I realized once again:

Panamera is definitely the one for me.

(Well, no surprise there, lol)

Sure, the Boxster is fun, and the 911 (964) is fun too, and there’s no doubt they’re wonderful cars. But the Boxster and 911 are great for solo or couple touring, not for a family of four (and the Boxster only seats two anyway).

When traveling by car with family, it’s not just about driving enjoyment; space and comfort are equally important.

Most dads probably end up being the drivers, and Porsche-loving dads are likely happy to take the wheel. But from a wife’s perspective, it’s very important that those of us not driving—like me and the kids—can also enjoy the ride comfortably and happily without missing out on the fun.

So if I may be a bit selfish from a wife’s viewpoint, if your husband says, “I want a Porsche!”, I’d say, “Please buy a Panamera first!” Once the wife is convinced by its comfort, performance, and design (the Panamera is surprisingly popular even with wives who aren’t car enthusiasts), then maybe you can get a two-seater or a 911 later. That’s my wish, and this trip reaffirmed just how wonderful the Panamera is.

Ah, I want to go again soon!