Hososhima

With stunning countryside and quite indescribable vistas, Hososhima welcomes its visitors with jagged coastlines and traditional charms. Gloss over the industrial port – Hososhima having only recently been opened as a tourist spot – and you will find some of the region’s most spectacular landscapes. Undoubtedly the most striking of these can be found at the Takachicho Gorge. A gentle drive with excellent views of active volcano Mount Aso takes you to the sheer cliffs, aquamarine waters and the thundering 56-foot waterfall of the gorge proper. For a fully immersive experience, do not hesitate to descend the (easy to negotiate) steps to the bottom and hire a rowing boat, before indulging in a bowl of udon noodles from one of the local restaurants. Further afield yet still less than five kilometres away from Hososhima lies Hyuga, a small town that boasts some of the most beautiful Mimitsu townhouses outside of Kyoto and Osaka. Described by one enthusiastic visitor as being like “time travel – we feel like we have stepped back at least two centuries”, this exemplary area in the city has been designated a national important preservation district for groups of traditional buildings, and much of the 19th-century atmosphere, including traditional buildings, earthen walls, and stone pavements, remains.