Kokonoe

Just when we thought our travels were over, we managed to squeeze one last trip to an unvisited part of Oita Prefecture, to a region called Kokonoe. It was raining in the morning due to a typhoon and it threatened to ruin the day, but thankfully it subsided and we were treated to the spectacular views of the natural landscape that the region offered.

The first place we went to was called Kokonoe Yume Otsurihashi. This is the highest pedestrian suspension bridge in Japan. It costs 500yen for adults to traverse, but it is worth the price as you get a superb panoramic view of the valley below. It also touts colourful views as the seasons change so depending on the time of the year, you may get even more beautiful landscapes.

Next, we went to a place called Bebenko Farmhouse Restaurant. If you are in the area, this place is highly recommended. It serves local produce such as the nicely marbled Bungo-ono Beef from our very own prefecture. We had it in a yakinikudon (grilled meat with rice) and it was so delicious that we ordered an additional steak on the side. On top of that, you can sit outside where it overlooks the plains at the foot of the Kuju Mountain Range. The serene view is a perfect pairing with the hot tea and food that the restaurant serves. Also, there were some animals that the owners reared beside the main building (there was a curious llama which seemed a little out of place).

Most of the Kokonoe region is covered by the Aso-Kuju National Park, thus a trip to Kokonoe wouldn’t be complete without seeing the Kuju mountain range up close (the Aso portion is in Kumamoto and we visited it when we went to Kumamoto). Visitors can only reach the top of any of the peaks on foot so we didn’t make the climb. However, the area surrounding the mountain range was picturesque, so we managed to get a few great photos and views.

We don’t have any more days left in Oita so this marks the last region of Oita that we visit in our time here in Japan. I’ve written about Saiki, Beppu, Taketa, Nakatsu, Kitsuki, Kunisaki, Usa and now Kokonoe (and one more about Oita City coming soon). I would say we have plenty of recommendations for anyone wanting to visit Oita Prefecture and the island of Kyushu. We hope to return to the prefecture to checkout some of the places again in different seasons, and perhaps visit new ones.