Deb's Blog

Beppu is a city on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Our excursion took us to Usuki about an hour from Beppu on the east coast of the island to see ancient stone buddhas and wild monkeys.

Usuki Stone Buddhas

Four groups of 61 stone buddhas were carved into a cliff of volcanic stone between the 12th and 14th centuries. There’s no historical documentation that explains the circumstances of their creation. But local lore says they were carved by a local magnate to mourn his deceased daughter. They are designated as national treasures.

Mt. Takasaki Monkey Park

We weren’t quite sure what to expect. But we didn’t expect to be able to wander among hundreds of macaque monkeys roaming freely. We were warned not to touch them, not to look them in the eyes and not to squat down in front of them, for the monkeys would view these actions as hostile and could attack. Their favorite pastime was grooming one another by picking off debris like leaves and sticks, and removing and eating lice and other bugs. The monkeys were fed every 30 minutes; their favorite food was sweet potatoes.

Yum!

We stopped for a traditional Japanese lunch. My first sashimi on the trip. The miso soup was served in small wood-covered iron vessels. I loved the presentation, the colors and shapes, and the individual servings in small bowls and on small plates. If I had the patience and took the time, I would enjoy doing the same. But it would drive Joe crazy to rinse and load everything in the dishwasher. Lol

Joe’s birthday surprise!