Yamaguchi

It was an hour-ride away from Kokura Castle but Akiyoshido Cave was about to be one of the biggest highlights of the trip. We first stopped by a restaurant to grab a meal before finally entering the cave. The scale was immediately noticeable, this was unlike any cave I have been to so far, and rightly so. Akiyoshido Cave is Japan's largest cave! We were in for a ride as we walked along the path. The chambers were so high I had to turn my head up. Cold and dark, illuminated by lamps scattered about with the sound of a river rushing all around. It was a stimulating sensory experience.

The cave itself had a lot going on for it with various formations. Not just the stalactites but it had the unique lime pools as well as the golden pillar which we found at the end. We then decided to go the same way back through the cave again as going outside and around in the heat wasn't exactly an idea we were fond of. After the cave, we got some smoothies before going to the next stop: Motonosumi Inaru Shrine.

This was the shrine that made me decide that going to Fukuoka was worth it because it allowed us to explore the surrounding prefectures. Motonosumi Inari Shrine was popular, proven by the traffic we encountered on the way to the parking lot. What made this place so unique was the classic torii gates of Inari but this time they led to the rocky outcrop by the sea. Such a sight was spellbinding. Another fun moment was the wishing box on top of the main torii gate that was made to grant wishes on love. Chloe and I tried our several times. I was ready to give up and told myself this would be the last time but lo and behold, my lucky 5 yen found its way up and in. Perhaps the wind heard my prayers and carried it for me.

Feeling triumphant, we began our descent down towards the coast where we got to see the surrounding cliffs and the sea. The area was pretty crowded though so I suggested we move to a more intimate spot for sunset. This led us to the final destination of the day: Fukutoku Inari Shrine.

Fukutoku Inari Shrine was a clifftop shrine overlooking the sea. From here the sunset was reaching its zenith and the surrounding islands added much to the scenery. It was immediately obvious this was the right choice. We were excited and I was able to take some silhouette shots of Chloe and Lisa while also exploring the main shrine which was empty as well. We spent a long time here appreciating the colors that turned from pastel hues to scarlet red. The ocean's horizon, the breeze, the sounds of crickets, and the sacred grounds of the shrine gave me a sense of peace and tranquility. I went further down to sit by the grass, even as the sun had fully disappeared the colors still kept getting more and more dazzling. Unfortunately, we had to start heading back too as our host wanted us to be back before 10 PM that day.

We stopped by a restaurant around Kitakyushu again for dinner before making it back just in time. What a day, and this was just a beginning too.Læs mere