Hi Everyone!

Fukuoka itself is a fantastic city — lively, modern, and full of amazing food — but for me the highlight of my time there was getting out of the city and seeing the wild heart of Kyushu island. So I signed up for a bus tour that promised volcanoes, ancient shrines, and dramatic gorges. Naturally I said yes before even finishing my Pepsi BIG ZERO.

Our first stop was Mount Aso, one of the largest active volcano systems on Earth. Not just “big volcano big” — we’re talking one of the biggest calderas on the planet. The Aso caldera is roughly 25 kilometers across and was formed by a series of colossal eruptions hundreds of thousands of years ago. Today, several smaller volcanic peaks sit inside that ancient collapsed crater, with Nakadake being the most active.

Sadly, the crater itself was closed the day we visited due to volcanic gas levels — which apparently happens fairly often. Instead, we explored the wide open plains surrounding the volcano. In winter the fields are yellow and black — the yellow from dormant grasses and the black from controlled burns that are intentionally carried out to maintain the grasslands. In summer the entire area turns bright green.

Even without peering into the crater, the landscape was striking — vast open fields stretching out beneath dark volcanic peaks that remind you very clearly that the ground beneath your feet was once… extremely angry.

It’s all part of the same geological forces that shaped much of this region of Kyushu, including the next places we visited later that day.

During the bus ride I also met a new and totally awesome friend named Shaked, who’s from Israel. Keep an eye out for her in the video — she’s the tiny person standing next to the giant man with the giant selfie stick in many of the shots. Shaked, thank you for the happy memories and all the laughs along the way. And of course… you’re welcome for the fame that comes with appearing in front of my massive global audience of 28+ followers.

Try to stay humble.

Our next stop was Takachiho Shrine, tucked into a peaceful forest that felt like a completely different world from the volcanic plains we had just left. The shrine itself dates back over 1,800 years according to tradition, though many of the current structures are from later reconstructions. The real show-stoppers here are the enormous cedar trees, many of which are believed to be over 800 years old.

Some of them are so large they almost look unreal — towering pillars of bark and moss stretching skyward and filtering the sunlight down into soft green shade. It was the perfect place to stretch our legs, cool down, and take a quick break before the final stop of the tour.

And the tour definitely saved the best for last.

Takachiho Gorge is one of those places that looks like someone accidentally turned the fantasy setting dial up too high. The gorge was formed by ancient lava flows from the Mount Aso volcanic system. When the lava cooled, it contracted and cracked into dramatic vertical columns of basalt. Over thousands of years the Gokase River carved its way through that rock, creating towering cliffs and narrow passageways that now frame one of the most beautiful gorges in Japan.

The result is stunning — sheer basalt walls rising on both sides, waterfalls spilling into emerald water below, and twisting rock formations that look almost sculpted rather than natural.

Unless our tour guide lied to us.

But I’m choosing to believe the volcano story because it makes the whole thing cooler.

Speaking of our tour guide — Kevin deserves his own paragraph.

Kevin was our wonderfully eccentric, half-Chinese half-Japanese guide, and he was absolutely fantastic. I suspect he may have been very comfortably out of the closet, but that might just be my speculation. Either way, the man was FABULOUS in the best possible way. You could tell he had done this tour hundreds — maybe thousands — of times, and he had perfected the art of managing a bus full of tourists from every possible language background.

His technique?

Repeat everything.

Six times.

Ten times.

Make eye contact with every single person until they nod in understanding.

My favorite example happened on the way to Mount Aso. Apparently the area has wild horses roaming around, and Kevin wanted to make sure nobody did anything stupid.

“Do not get close to the horse,” Kevin warned.

“If you get close to the horse… the horse will…”

Huge dramatic pause.

Then Kevin lunged forward with a giant biting motion.

“BITE YOU.”

We all laughed.

But Kevin was not done.

“Do not get close to a horse. It will BITE you. DO… not… get close… to a horse…”

He slowly scanned the entire bus making eye contact with each of us like a very theatrical safety instructor.

“…because it will…”

Another enormous biting gesture.

“BITE YOU.”

“Thank you everyone.”

Long pause.

The bus was quiet.

Kevin was now out of sight somewhere near the front.

Then suddenly over the bus speaker system we heard him quietly repeat one more time very quickly and from under his breath:

“Do not get close to horse. It will BITE you.”

Kevin, thank you for the hilarious memories.

Things the camera didn’t fully capture

• The optional rowboat ride through Takachiho Gorge looked amazing in photos but by the time I booked the tour it was sold out. After watching people row those boats up and down the gorge… I’m actually kind of glad. It looked beautiful — but also like a surprising amount of work.

• The hike down to the gorge floor — and more importantly back up — was no joke. Kevin warned everyone repeatedly not to bring their day bags.

Did I listen?

Of course not.

So I spent the return climb carrying my backpack while silently acknowledging that Kevin was right the entire time.

• Back in Fukuoka, reality set back in and I apparently embraced my new life as an old man doing old-man errands. One full day was dedicated to laundry, followed by a mission across the city to purchase foot powder — not because anything smelled yet, but because on a long backpacking trip prevention is key. Consider it proactive foot diplomacy.

And like any respectable retiree schedule, the day wrapped up with a 45-minute excursion to the post office to mail something important back to Canada - Love you, Gramma! :)

• I stayed in another "WeBase" Hostel, so watch out again for the Catstronauts!

Next stop: Busan, South Korea (by Ferry!) - Stay tuned.