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Produced under license by Z-ASIA Pty. Ltd.,

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This leisurely course follows the Kuma River Cycling Road
from Hitoyoshi City to Yunomae and visits a number of thehistorical and cultural Japan Heritage sites that dot thelandscape of the Hitoyoshi-Kuma region.

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       This course takes you along the scenic Kuma
River and visits a number of natural and cultural
spots of interest.
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One of the 33 Sagara
Kannon Statues, thisstatue is said to oﬀer
protection in childbirthand to one’s family.
This statue is considered the 22nd of the 33 Kannon
statues, but there are actually two#22s (and two #24s as well), for a
total of not 33 but 35 statues!

Hitoyoshi Castle’s stone walls are all that remainof the 700 years of Sagara family rule over the
Hitoyoshi-Kuma region. The Kuma and Mune
Rivers form natural protection around the castle.
There is no longer a castle keep, but the castle’s
remaining stone walls are quite impressive andearned Hitoyoshi Castle the distinction in 2006 ofbeing one of Japan’s Top 100 Castles.

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ENTERING A SHRINE/TEMPLE.

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This lengthy course(m)300
features plenty of ups
and downs through the200
Hitoyoshi countryside.
Be sure to check out the100 S
cherry blossoms around
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 G106 (km)The thick thatched roof of Amida
Temple is a traditional architectural
style that dates back nearly a millennium. The large wooden structure
was renovated over three years
starting in 1994. The temple and theAmida statues housed inside are all designatedas National Important Cultural Properties.

Satomiya Shrine is a satellite shrine of Ichifusa
Shrine and is supposed to help visitors ﬁndromance. If visiting the shrine with your partner,enter separately to the left and right of themain hall then meet together again at the rearof the temple to strengthen your relationship.
The shrine is also home to a zodiac carving by
world-champion chainsaw artist Keiji Kidokoro.

 COURSEAoi Aso Shrine occupies a very
important place in the hearts ofthe locals of Hitoyoshi-Kuma. Thisshrine was recognized as a National
Treasure (the ﬁrst in KumamotoPrefecture) on June 9th, 2008. It isalso the ﬁrst religious building with a thatchedroof to be designated as a National Treasure.

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network of limestone caves slowly shaped
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Certain sections of the route are closed dueto the ﬂooding of July 2020. Please checkwebsite for up-to-date info.

This lookout point oﬀers a view over theentire Hitoyoshi-Kuma valley. On foggy winterdays, the valley can become covered in thick,low clouds called unkai (most often occurring
November to Februrary).
Sky sports enthusiasts ﬂock to Myokenno each
November for their paragliding festival. The
park also has a grass ski slope and campsite.

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400200At 4800 meters long, Kyusendo is Japan’s 3rdlongest limestone cave. The cave’s stalactites
and stalagmites were formed over 300 million
years ago and continue to grow. Check out the500m-long Sightseeing Course or, for the moreadventurous visitors, try the Exploration Coursethat goes deeper into the cave via a 40m verticalhole.

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Legend has it that if you wadup and wet a piece of paper andthrow it at the Nio statue thatstands at the Yamamon Gate, itwill heal whatever body part thewad of paper sticks to. There is aspring behind the main hall that
also supposedly has healing properties, and theshrine itself is said to bestow luck in romance.
Festivals are held four times a year and draw
huge crowds.

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The village of Itsuki lies tucked away in the scenic mountainvalley where the clear blue waters of the Itsuki Creek andKawabe River meet. This quiet village is a great place to enjoy
outdoor activities like kayaking, ﬁshing, and even bungy
jumping over the Kawabe River.
The steep ups and downs and curving roads make this a great
short course for serious cyclists. After you’re done, don’t forget
to take a relaxing bath at Yumeuta Onsen!

40 (km)Consisting of 43 terraces and 105 rice ﬁelds ofvarying sizes at altitudes from 150m to 250m
above sea level, Matsutani is considered one ofJapan’s Top 100 rice terraces. Matsutani retains
the traditional farming culture of Japan andoﬀers beautiful natural scenery throughout theyear.

The Yunomae Manga Museum was founded
as a place to exhibit and preserve the worksof Ryosuke Nasu, a political cartoonist fromYunomae. There are around 7000 pieces by Nasu
on permanent display, with a number of otheritems related to the artist in separate exhibits.
The temporary exhibitions and national satirical
cartoon competitions held by the museum arevery popular.

Check out the Hitoyoshi-Kuma app for info on sightseeing spots androutes, photos with Kumamon, a digital stamp collecting adventure, andmore! The app also features detailed, easy-to-follow online versions of thecycling routes, making it a must for visiting cyclists!

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This local market features all kinds of Itsuki
specialities, including products made with
Itsuki’s special kunebu citrus, naturally grownshiitake in March and November, plus a wide
variety of seasonal produce, venison, and more.
Rare shochu made from Itsuki rice and only onsale within Itsuki is also available for purchase.

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Itsuki Bungy is Kyushu’s only bungy jump.
Jumpers take the plunge from the 66m-highKobae Bridge over the picturesque Kawabe
River. Depending on river levels, jumpers cansometimes touch the water at the bottom of
their jump. (Bungy season is April to November.
Check Itsuki Village website, etc., for hours.)