Heading to Kyushu

Dad and Mom wanted to treat us to a short trip, so Mom planned a neat excursion to the southernmost main island of Japan (there are 4 main islands and over 4,000 smaller islands).  Public transportation in Japan is amazing and so easy to use. We each packed up our backpacks and walked the 5 minutes down the local train station.  Then we took the trains (switching lines a couple of times) for about an hour to the Osaka ferry port. 

A small Shinto shrine on the path to the station...to pray for children.

The kids love riding the trains.  They are very clean, super smooth, and will easily lull you to sleep if you get a seat.

Boarding our "Sunflower" ferry.  It was a 12-hour ride.

We took our own food rather than using the restaurant, but you could also buy Japanese and Western "fast food"....takoyaki, yakisoba, hot dogs, etc. from a vending machine.  Hmm, as much as I love Japanese food, I wasn't desperate enough to try this from the vending machine!

On the ferry....nicely decorated with cherry blossoms for spring.

This was our community sleeping room.  Each person is provided with a small futon, a pillow, and a blanket.  You take off your shoes to step onto the tatami floor.  

Mom was pleased that she qualified twice for "preferential" treatment...old and lady.  :)