Saijo, Shikoku to Miyazaki, Kyushu, Japan

Friday 31st May 2024
Today we have had huge day driving from Saijo on Shikoku Island via six or seven islands to Miyazaki on Kyushu. It took 10 hours 11 mins to travel 697km. A very slow drive. We travelled on the expressway most of the day at a cost of about 15,500Y in tolls. The maximum speed travelled was 80kmh but most of the time it was only 70. We drove over bridges on a bit of an island hop, passed port towns with lots of industry, along the coast, through farmland and rice paddies, forests and had many roadside pitstops. It was a long day but a successful one. We are as far south as we will go this trip and will spend the next 4 days heading north towards the airport.

I contributed to the drive today with about 230km on the expressway plus an additional 20km because I missed the exit, which in turn meant I had to drive in to the city of Miyazaki at 6pm. Week! I survived.

A couple of comments from David were entertaining today
– I wish the driver assist let you take your hands off the wheel for more than 15 secs, I could close my eyes for a bit.
– With 127 million people, there are not many cars on the expressway, the people are all in the cities or on a train.
– The Interchange/Junctions are just overpass bridges with many levels.

Transport comparison for today’s trip from Saijo Shikoku to Miyazaki Kyushu
Public transport 24,360Y each (total 48,720Y) in 8:51 hours.
Car 10,000Y a day, plus 5,000Y petrol and 15,630Y tolls (total 30,630Y) and 9:11 hours 704km

We have a little mother in the car that has some interesting tips along the drive. She is very consistent. Some of her words of wisdom are:-
– Its been 2 hours since you started driving why don’t you have a break.
– Abrupt steering detected, Please drive carefully.
– Over speed detected. Please drive safely
– Merging traffic ahead from the left. Drive carefully
– Sudden deceleration detected. Please drive safely.

: We start our big long day of driving with beautiful views across the rice paddies..

: ..they are so uniform, and love so much water..

: ..our first ETC gate of the day, the tolls will clock up quickly..

: ..one of many tunnels as well..

: As we cross our first bridge to go across the 7 islands, the Kurushima Strait No 3 Large Bridge..

: ..the 2nd Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge..

: ..and now the Kurushima Strait No 1 Large Bridge, all the same style..

: ..then in to another tunnel..

: ..those tolls are clocking up already..

: ..next was the Hakata-Oshima Large Bridge..

: ..then the Mishima Bridge, a totally different style..

: ..approaching the Tatara Bridge..

: ..the Tatara Bridge is so tall..

: ..and spreads like a spiders web..

: ..the Ikuchi bridge, similar..

: ..but a little different..

: ..as the rain continues, lucky we weren’t cycling the planned 70km across the bridges today..

: ..the islands are very green..

: ..as you see the port town of Innoshima Island..

: ..lucky for the universal cones as the sign was outside our Japanese language knowledge..

: ..they even have flag wavers to slow down the traffic, usually one at the start, one in the middle and another at the end..

: ..the Innoshima Bridge..

: ..the view from the Innoshima Bridge..

: ..another maze of supports on the Innoshima Bridge….

: ..and just like that we have clocked up 4620Y in 30mins..

: ..it is going too be an expensive day. Pfff to that!.

: ..and one more bridge for good measure, the Onomichi Bridge..

: ..not quite sure what the message in the Police Car window was.

: ..these are one of the many immaculate bathrooms on the expressway..

: ..we are grateful to these rest stops along the way. All have drink machines and toilets, some have 7 elevens..

: ..as we have a very long day on the road today..

: ..as the clouds lift a little as we approach Kitikyushu….

: ..and cross the Kanmon Bridge from Shikoku Island to Kyushu Island..

: ..the countryside is so green as we enter yet another tunnel..

: A huge day of driving from Saijo Shikoku to Miyazaki Kyushu, 641km over 9 hours. Lucky I put on my big girl pants and had a drive. Even if it was only for a few hours.