The previous night I talked to Charinko bike shop owner about the route out of Kagoshima, like any Japanese city its busy roads a plenty but route 3 is the best choice despite appearing like a major route on the map. A gentle 3-4% climb up, then descend down to the west coast with little traffic, but once the highway ends and all roads converge theres little space on this road around Satsuma sendai and the trucks hurtle past at great speed. Unfortunately no alternative roads for this section.
At Nagoshima sunset (thats the name of the hotel) I find
an amazing beach with campsite all for myself. I take a swim, and yes its really cold. But still not as cold as Loch Tay in August. The hotel has an OK onsen, but the sashimi is far more impressive.
This spot was the most impressive on the Nagashima and Unzen-Amakusa islands, which were at least quiet cycling but not as impressive as I had hoped for.
So northwards to Nagasaki for a rest day, as the dry weather I'd had so far was due to change for the next 36 hours so perfect timing for a city break. I stayed at Ebisu youth hostel and met some Dutch cyclists who had cycled from Thailand and had just sailed from Korea to Fukuoka, they turned out to be the only foreign cyclists I would meet on this tour. We wnt to Chinatown for some tasty "Champon" Nagasaki ramen.
Nagasaki is a really interesting place, the Glover gardens are really worth a visit to see how the British entrepreneurs of the 19th century lived as they influenced the development of ship building, coal mining and brewing in Japan.
Of course the city is infamous for the site of the second WMD experiment on a population, and at this time it was eerie to be reading all the radiation stories of the past whilst seeing todays newspaper of people in radiation suits combing the beaches near the stricken Fukushima nuclear reactor. The statue in the Peace park raises the right hand to warn the threat of nuclear weapons, whilst the left hand is level to signify peace throughout the world. Hope no bombs are ever used again, but clearly they'll be more nuclear disasters in the years to come. After Nagasaki I made the decision to avoid the high road to Unzen as I wanted to save my legs and especially left knee for the hilly days ahead, instead cycling north and around this high mountain. I took the Unzen green line which sounds pleasant, but this is not for cycling. Its a direct road on the map and so attracts heavy trucks and large traffic. But more to the cyclists dismay are the series of steep valleys which the road traverses. Fast descents with cars tailing very close behind, then bottom gear ascents one after another. I soon had enough and headed for the coastal road, only to find this a busy and unpleasant combini/pachinko road. I reckon the long ascent up to Unzen would have been worth it.
I was more interested in reaching Shimabara which had more diverse attractions. Theres a castle, samurai houses, streets lined with streams full of koi carp, reclining buddhas and tea houses to be photographed and blogged. Also, screaming school girls trying to get photographed with gaijin cyclist! Another bonus for the foreigner in these parts.
At Shimabara I took the ferry over to Kumamoto, and saw another of those shiny white castles. But this could be one of the most impressive shiny white castles you'll see, even if its the only thing you do in Kumamoto. The sakura was in full bloom at this time, so the castle was extremely photogenic. 
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