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Beppu
2005.Sep.05 - 2005.Sep.08
Even though I was always told that sleeping trains in Japan are exorbitantly expensive, I had a look into it, wanting to go to Kyushu rather directly and by train, using my JR Pass. Leaving Tokyo at night, there was a sleeping car to Himeji and from there I could then go on to where I wanted: Beppu. Granted, the price was not a bargain, but it didn't knock me out either, so I got the ticket. And quite glad I did so. I happened to be in one of the new type of sleeping cars. Every person does have his or her own small cabin. Tight, but clean and absolutely ok. The best thing, however, was the shower. For JPY 310 you could buy a card from the train conductor which gave you 6 minutes worth of hot water in the shower. The shower itself was much larger than any I had seen at a hotel; almost big enough to have a shower-party.
It had started raining a short distance off Tokyo and it looked as if it had been raining ever since, the whole way down to Beppu. When I got off at Beppu and stepped outside, I instantly realized this was not just normal rain, but this must be a typhoon approaching. I hadn't been watching or listening to the news, neither had I read any papers since arriving in Japan, but nevertheless I knew, I felt what it was. I can't explain the difference between normal rain and an approaching typhoon, but somehow I often just know. And I was correct this time too. It was typhoon number 14 approaching. One of the worst in years. The next day, when the typhoon really hit, I spent indoors all day long. Luckily, Beppu was not the worst place to be. Kagoshima, where I had first considered going to, was hit pretty bad. All in all, tens of thousands were evacuated, many missing and some dead. Some places saw the worst floods in 50 years.
As is usual with typhoons, the day after was good weather and warm again. Having 'lost' one day due to the storm, I decided to go to the various hot springs by bus tour instead of on my own. So I signed up for a half-day tour to both Mt. Takasaki and Jigoku-meguri. Since public transport, including trains, had not been running for the better part of two days, there were not many tourists. For most of those who were here already, it was time to go back and new tourists were only starting to come in slowly. All this finally meant for 
me to be the only customer on the booked tour. Quite comfortable, I must say; a whole bus, a driver and a tour guide all to myself! Even the time spent at each place could be adapted to my own liking.
The monkeys at Mt. Takasaki were very numerous. As I was told, this was not the case every day; probably the typhoon of the previous day had driven them down to where they could get food for 'free'. Surprisingly, 
I could walk among the monkeys and they just ignored me, as if I hadn't been there at all. Surely they are tamer than they are said to be.
As a big fan of volcanoes and everything what's connected to them, I of course enjoyed the various Jigoku. Beppu is said to be the world's largest hot water spring. More than 100 million litres of hot water surface here every day, by far exceeding the amount of hot water that can be put to use. So most of it literally goes down the drain. Of course, all this hot water also influences the environment. For example, I was told in some places there are mosquitoes all year round.
At night I happened to get to know an elderly guy who was quite happy talking to a foreigner. He had been touring the ocean on big ships his whole life for a living.
The following day I went to Mt. Tsurumi. The reason not so many people are going there probably is that there are not so many attractions. However, all of the people I did see on Mt. Tsurumi just rushed by and left again very soon. A pity. In fact, it you take your time and stay a little at the top, you'll discover there are many beautiful butterflies. They hide when somebody rushes by and come back when it's more quiet again.
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