Travel

The main gate of the former castle built from local Obi cypress over 100 years old. (Mainichi)

As the days grow colder, I long for the warmth of the south. I decided to visit Miyazaki Prefecture, which undoubtedly brings thoughts of mangoes and Hideo Higashikokubaru, the famous comedian-turned-governor, to the minds of many.

Towns in the southern part of the prefecture are particularly quaint, with Obi, in the city of Nichinan, dubbed the Little Kyoto of the Kyushu region. From Miyazaki City, I travel south through highways and prefectural roads nestled between mountains towards Nichinan. Local Obi cypress trees grow on the side of the mountains, the morning sun casting orderly shadows. I gaze in awe, and soon find myself in a small valley. It is the town where the Obi domain lasted for some 300 years, from Hideyoshi Toyotomi times to the early Meiji.

Samurai weapons and old documents are stored and exhibited at the Obi Castle Historical Museum located on the castle ruins. (Mainichi)

I head towards the castle ruins at the top of a hill. The massive main gate was restored about 30 years ago using Obi cypress over a century old. No main section remains, but a restored concubine's quarters, tea rooms, and bathrooms do, allowing visitors to get a glimpse of the women's lives in the inner palace.

The town that extends beyond the main gate of the castle is modeled after Kyoto and is laid out in a grid. Way back when, samurai residences were built close to the castle, and merchant homes on the outskirts of town. Even now, stone walls, white walls, and canals remain a part of everyday life here.

Colorful carp swim in canals throughout the city. (Mainichi)

As it turns out, the residents themselves have taken the lead in preserving the town's history. Their efforts paid off in 1977, when the city center was designated Kyushu's first national preservation district of important traditional structures.

"We've taken care to build Japanese-style homes, and to not use garish colors," says a member of the Obi Castle Town Preservation Association. "Tourists often tell us they feel like they've slipped into the Edo period."

A stone marker announces Komura's birthplace to visitors. (Mainichi)

The Meiji period diplomat Jutaro Komura (1855-1911) was born to a low-level samurai family in Obi. He eventually signed the Treaty of Portsmouth on behalf of the Japanese government, officially ending the Russo-Japanese War.

There are various monuments and a memorial museum dedicated to Komura in Obi. The restored house where he was born reminds me of a television show I'd seen in the past. Although the signing of the Portsmouth Treaty was the result of tricky negotiations that allowed Japan to barely avoid further war, Komura received great criticism from the Japanese, who were not privy to this fact and were disappointed by the lack of reparation payments. I sympathized with Komura then, but wonder how Obi residents felt.

A Japanese-style sweet omelet from local omelet shop "Kodama." (Mainichi)

Eateries where one can go for a quick bite to eat are scattered throughout town. One of the local specialties is the "atsuyaki" omelets, sweetened with cooking rice wine and sugar, that were once offered to the local lord as presents. The subtly sweet eggs served at "Kodama," which take an hour to cook and are reminiscent of a flan-like dessert, go for 100 yen a slice. (By Kazuyuki Endo, Home-Life News Group)