Golden Week

In the first week of May Japan has 3 bank holidays (3rd, 4th and 5th), which means you can sneak away for a mini holiday. This year we decided to go to Beppu and Aso for 5 days.


Beppu is famous for hot springs and Aso (situated in a volcanic crater) has an active volcano. We decided to hire a car and drive to Beppu for 2 nights and then drive the couple of hours to Aso and spend 2 nights there.


We decided to set off early but we still got stuck in bank holiday traffic! We shared the driving, which Andy loved but I was a little bit nervous driving on unknown motorways! Thank god for automatic cars!

Whilst driving Andy spotted this crazy man! He had about 20 toy dogs in the back of his car, as well as 6 real rat dogs who took it in turn popping their heads of out the window.

A nice view to have when you are driving.

Another nice view to have when you are driving.

When we got to our resort in Beppu we were pleased with ourselves for not getting lost. Our hotel has seen better days but in Golden Week it is difficult to get a room so we couldn't grumble! However, the morning after we arrived Andy woke up with a terrible cold which kept him in bed for 2 days! He did perk up enough to carry on to Aso, but only if I did all of the driving :o(

The view from our bedroom window.

Next we travelled to Aso. It took us around 4 hours to get between the two places, but we didn't mind so much as we got to see views like this:

Aren't the cows cute!

Our pension took some finding, but when we did find it we were both really happy as it looked so good! A pension is basically a hotel, actually maybe more like a B&B but you get dinner included too (we didn't know this at the time).

Angelica Pension

(http://www.pensionangelica.com/index.php they have some great photos on their website)

So we arrive at our pension and when we check in the manager says to us make sure you are down at 7pm for dinner. Now Andy and I didn't realise that dinner was included in the price we'd paid so we just thought this guy was a bit ahead of himself! We didn't want to be rude though so we hatched a plan of going into the restaurant, and if we didn't like the menu then we would get a drink and then go into town. However we didn't get a chance!

When we arrived the dining room was full (each room has a table), and as soon as we sat down food was brought to us. Then as soon as we finished that course another plate of food was brought to us and this went on until we'd had 7 courses. After we left the table we were thinking 'oh, my god we are going to explode, how much are they going to charge us for that meal?!?!' We were so full but worried about how much 7 courses of food who cost us. It was only after a chat Andy remember that dinner was included in the price!

A sample of the 7 courses they serve!

The next morning after a 4 course breakfast we decided to go and view the sights. The area has an active volcano (Nake Dake), a dormant volcano and and an extinct volcano so we went volcano viewing! First stop was Nake Dake (active volcano).

Aso is set in a crater left over from an eruption and most of it is lush and green.

At the top of the volcano though everything suddenly becomes very dead! It makes you feel like an extra in a sci-fi movie

All dead in that direction too!

Inside the volcano. Is that green?!?!

Andy and I were really shocked that inside the volcano there was green liquid. We thought it would be red or orange. Answers on a postcard please.

It was a little bit windy the day we went.

After our visit to Nake Dake we walked up a big hill and then it started to rain. We decided to use this as an opportunity to go back to the pension and use their onsen, which are filled with volcanic water. I love onsen!

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One of the onsen rooms they have at the pension.

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After relaxing it was time for dinner again! This time focused on eating we arrived at the dining room. We soon realised we were the only people who had stayed for a second night, and that the newbies were being served the same as we had eaten the night before. Now that wouldn't have great eating another seven courses of the same stuff, but what we got was worse!

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The food was great, but the stares we got from the 20 Japanese people also sitting in the dining room were horrible! They watched everything being brought to us, then they looked at their plates and then at ours. Times that by seven courses and it gets tiring! It was made worse when the next morning our hosts treated us to a more western breakfast!! Still the food was good! You could tell they were thinking 'why do the westerners get different food! Why are they allowed to have what they want'.

After breakfast we decided to set off early to miss the traffic back home. We did take in some sights on the way back though:

This extinct volcano is commonly known as the Rice Bowl.

Aso is just gorgeous!