I finally made it to Goto, a place I’d always dreamed of visiting. The people, the sea, the stars, the food—everything about this 2-night, 3-day trip was simply amazing.
During my layover at Nagasaki Airport, I made sure to enjoy some champon noodles and buy some castella cake. Even though the island I was heading to was also in Nagasaki Prefecture, I rushed to cram in as much Nagasaki experience as possible. It was a domestic trip, but with a layover. This had been one of the reasons I had hesitated to go before, but I was able to fully enjoy the layover, and from the start, I felt like “this trip is mine.”
When I arrived, I called several restaurants I wanted to go to for dinner, but they were all fully booked. It was a Saturday, so it seemed like it would be difficult to get a table at a restaurant without calling ahead. Feeling discouraged, the rental car company told me, “For now, go and get some bittern soft serve ice cream!” so I obediently headed straight there.
Goto Camellia Products Center
This souvenir shop has a salt workshop attached, where you can sprinkle as much of the coarse salt made there as you like on a simple soft-serve ice cream with a slight soy milk flavor. The just-right saltiness was a perfect match for the unexpectedly summery weather, and it was delicious. It made me realize once again that the environment in which you eat soft-serve ice cream is the most important thing.
A dinner made with local ingredients.
Our accommodation for the first night was “Saiwo,” a renovated old house. The atmosphere and hospitality were so pleasant that I felt more relaxed there than at my parents’ house.
Since the apartment has a kitchen, I went around to nearby supermarkets and farmers’ markets and bought lots of delicious-looking ingredients. While shopping, I noticed that they have local chicken, beef, and pork. There’s also fish, and the vegetables and fruits are all fresh. It’s like they’re saying, “Local production for local consumption is great!” and I’m envious.
Onidake Observation Deck
As expected of Japan’s westernmost observation deck, the sun sets late, and it’s so bright even before 8 PM that you worry whether you’ll be able to see any stars. And the sky remains magical throughout.
Ever since I decided to go to the Goto Islands, I’ve been really looking forward to the view from this observation deck. That’s because it was the setting for the movie “Watching the Stars This Summer,” which moved me so much that I cried so much I spilled all my nachos in the movie theater!
After receiving an explanation indoors, I stepped outside and it was unbelievably dark. The sky was vast, and perhaps because of that, the stars seemed much closer. The curator pointed with a laser pointer, and we saw a shooting star and a satellite flying overhead. It was such a precious experience that it made me regret what I usually look at in my daily life.
Church tours and delicious food
I had expected many of these places to be touristy, church-like, and I was surprised to find them so deeply rooted in everyday life. There were cushions reserved for certain people, calendars listing the month’s events, and other details that made it clear that we, the visitors, were outsiders.
Between church visits, I was satisfied by the Italian restaurant “Gino,” which serves a perfect set of pasta and a small pizza, and the cafe “Sato no Shio,” where you can beat the heat with a huge lemonade.
For dinner, we went to “Shokudo Sansan” on the west side of the island. I called the day before and reserved a menu for us. The simmered fish I ordered was incredibly tender and delicious. Above all, I was happy that the owner and regulars welcomed us so warmly.
Our accommodation for the last night was “Kararit Goto.” It was different from the first day, and the resort-like scenery was very refreshing. Eating a breakfast full of local ingredients amidst the deep blue scenery made me feel like I had experienced everything Goto had to offer.
This trip was great, it really embodied the spirit of summer vacation, but next time I’d like to visit before winter. I want to see the stars floating in the clear sky. Apparently, you can see the Milky Way in Goto until October.