final trip to the miyazaki coast

last weekend we ventured out to miyazaki (knowing it would be our last chance to get there before moving.) Ben caught some fun waves and we stayed at our favorite hotel there. We love this place with it's exceptionally large rooms.  And the sunset was incredible that night.  On the way out of town on Sunday, we drove through cedar forests with the windows down... and stopped once along the way to breath in some good mountain air.

autumn in black and white

from my Dad's Canon . . .

i n s t a x / インスタクス

took the instax outdoors this week~ still getting used to the settings, so some are really blown out. but I do love having an instant camera!

1. post surf in the parking lot, miyazaki

2. our old apartment in the country 

3. sunrise on the water, the reflection was bright! 

4. me in the s-u-n

frosty start, with a sunny finish

left at 5.30 am to get out to miyazaki nice and early for waves, and although it started out frosty in the early hours, to my surprise, it ended up being clear and warm in the sun later on.  After surf in the morning, we had lunch at my fave korean restaurant in the area, always a delicious meal, and today it ended with some oksusu cha, corn tea~ a first for us!  Along the drive home, we took one stretch break that coincided with some final leaf hunting before the season is out.  On our final rest stop along the way home (it is a 2 hour drive after all!) we picked up some yummy mikan and shared a 1/2 strawberry 1/2 vanilla soft cream.  a great day, and the weekend is but half over . . .

週末, もみじがり と サーフ

we drove to Miyazaki on saturday morning to spend the day soaking up what I'm guessing was the last mild and sunny weekend of the fall.  I know that's not very optimistic of me, but I feel like it was so much colder at this time last year.  Ben surfed an autumn swell (finally!!) and I relaxed and strolled along the beach, and hung with some dogs. isn't it funny how everyone leaves their sandals at the concrete edge before 'entering' the sand!?

sunday we day tripped up to kirishima shrine because, well. . . 'tis the season!  the fall leaves were gorgeous shades of copper, red, orange, yellow... you get the picture.  everyone and their mom was out snapping fall foliage photos along with us as anticipated.  We also ran into an awesome antique market, right up my alley, and bought a vintage magazine from 1952 just because we loved the cover.

I can't believe this is our last fall here.  I'm sentimental again ~ なつかしい。。。

みやざき typhoon swell watch

this is an image of the storm as it sits today... it made for some big surf in Miyazaki over our 3 day weekend (I know, can you believe we had ANOTHER long weekend?!) 

the highlights:  eating the cheesiest camembert pizzas we've ever had in Japan (oh how we miss cheese!) the choco chunk scones in the Yamakataya Starbucks, the last of good hot summer weather at Aoshima shrine, Ben's first ever ラムネ, staying in a giant hotel room complete with sitting area perfect for green tea sipping, and walking around the hotel in our robes on the way to onsen heaven.