4-5 Ferries

We are lucky to have a smooth ocean under us, so we hardly feel the rocking of the boat (although i had a hard time when i tried to practice dance on the top floor but that's too much to ask for, I understand).

The small islands of southern Japan make the trip exciting, there is always something on the horizon to look at: be it just a small rock, a green piece of land, or a small village at the foot of a volcano-mountain, not to mention the two big shows: sunset and sunrise.

Sakurajima volcano spitting smoke

sunset

sunrise over Sakurajima volcano

After leaving Motobu we have stopped in four ports.

Yoron Island

Yoron Port

Wadomari, Okinoerabu Island

Wadomari Port

Kametoku, Tokunoshima

Kametoku Port

Naze, Amami Oshima

Naze Porrt

and the following morning in Kagoshima, our final destination.  

Kagoshima Port

From the port of Kagoshima we had to use our hitchhiking skills again to catch another ferry in the cargo terminal, heading for Yakushima. We didn't have to wait for long, holding our sign with a big friendly smile, when a lady ran up to us from behind. She told us she had seen our sign and was heading to the area we were, but couldn't stop right away, so she stopped in a nearby parking lot and ran back to offer us a ride. Amazing. We are spoilt. She insisted on taking us right to the port, which was very nice of her, because it turned out to be a deserted piece of land in the middle of nowhere.

by the port

There was only one building and we went to see if that was the terminal. Quite scary war-cry like sounds came from the second floor, and it turned out to be the training building for the japanese Self Defense Force, they were in karate outfits, doing a special training with the police. The leader was very surprised that we just walked in to their super secret training (although all the doors were wide open) but he was nice enough to show us the small metal container nearby that was the "terminal" of Rusty Lady Hibiscus, our vessel. It didn't seem too much fun to spend the next few hours in that box, so we set out to explore the area and were lucky enough to have a farmer's market nearby. We checked out the local fish, less colorful then in Okinawa. The local delicacy must be the flying fish, we could see a lot of it. After hanging out there eating our lunch box we thought it could be the right place to debut with our street performance, not many people but friendly, small place, no competition so we could take it as practice too. Hunor played his jaw harp for a good hour and we could manage to get some audience too. Not bad for a start. The only problem is that our sound system is so heavy, i don't know how long i will be able to carry it around. I hope our stuff will melt on the way and give us more freedom and flexibility.

colorful sweets at the market for obon festival

where is the toilet exactly?

The way from Kagoshima to Yakushima was relaxing, the sea is still mellow, the air is warm. We stop on the way in Tanegashima, which is the island of the Japanese Space Center. just the week before we came there was a rocket release, which is apparently a big thing, doesn't happen often. I have heard that the waves are also great on Tanegashima, so in my head I was already trying to make plans to stop there for surfing but hey, we were heading to Yakushima, the island of magical forests and millennial trees. The ferry spends the night at the port of Tanegashima and we arrive to Yakushima the next morning 7am.

Yakushima