TOTO Museum tours

It was a great experience. We easily found the meeting point at Hakata Station. Our guide, Nanami, was incredibly friendly and effortlessly switched between Chinese, Japanese, and English, explaining the itinerary and providing brief details about the attractions. The mini-bus was also very comfortable, and the driver was skilled. If you have luggage, you need to contact them via email in advance. We were lucky today; although it was cloudy with scattered showers, it didn't rain during our visits to the attractions, even though it rained heavily on the road. The turbulent sea and the vibrant red torii gate offered a wonderful experience. Akiyoshido Cave was quite cool inside, so bringing a jacket is recommended; it felt like a cave exploration. The crepes at the ice cream shop by the cave entrance were mediocre and not cheap.

Although this day tour only has 3 attractions, each of them has its own unique features and is well worth a visit. The sushi at Karato Market was fresh and delicious; we didn't go to the most famous shop because the queue was simply too long, but just randomly picked a nearby one and were already very satisfied, especially the fatty tuna, which melted in your mouth! We tried the pufferfish sashimi, which wasn't anything special. The rows of red torii gates at Motonosumi Shrine, paired with the blue sky, white clouds, and the endless sea, made me subconsciously take dozens of photos! Mount Sarakura at dusk and as the night lights begin to glow is truly enchanting! It's very suitable for photography enthusiasts, just make sure to reserve enough time for the round-trip cable car. The tour guide, Mr. Cheung, was very attentive; he always clearly stated the meeting times and reminded everyone when it was a good time to use the restroom. Explaining the itinerary and background information of the attractions along the way in English, Mandarin, and Japanese was effortless for him, definitely deserving of praise!

This tour includes a total of 3 attractions. The distances between them are quite far, making for a long drive and a slightly tiring experience. The seafood at the Karato Market was fresh and reasonably priced, and we really enjoyed the meal. Each piece of sushi cost around 200 to 600 Japanese yen, and seafood rice bowls with mixed seafood or salmon roe were available for 1,000 to 2,000 yen. The indoor dining area on the second floor requires a fee of 300 yen per person. Finally, regarding the night view from Mount Sarakura, the weather was not very good; it was very foggy and we couldn't see anything. Fortunately, the fog cleared up a bit when we took the cable car back down, providing a perfect ending with the night view. There is a panoramic restaurant on the second floor of the mountain, but seating is limited. As soon as the cable car arrives, you need to hurry and place your order; otherwise, once the seats are full, they stop taking orders. The restaurant only has about 12 tables, and due to a shortage of staff, the food is served very slowly, so you need to keep an eye on your return transportation time. Our tour leader, Ms. Yang Meng, was very friendly and shared a lot of useful information.

Overall, the trip was good, but I wish we had more time to explore Mojiko. Since it was a weekend, Mount Sarakura was very crowded, with long queues. Unfortunately, we missed the sunset and reached the top when it was already dark, windy and freezing cold, so there wasn’t much to see. Our tour guide, Robin, was very nice and attentive and took good care of everyone throughout the trip.

A day full of interesting places, prepare for a long drive though..and bring food with you if you can, lots of them..The shrine is pretty but I love the stay at Moriko Port. This is a good value for money, thanks Nicole for a well organised trip..you’re English is good!