Japan Guide
Kyūshū
Takachiho
The small town of TAKACHIHO lies on the border between Kumamoto and Miyazaki prefectures, where the Gokase-gawa has sliced a narrow channel through layers of ancient lava. In winter, when night temperatures fall below freezing, local villagers perform time-honoured Yokagura dances in the old farmhouses, bringing back to life the gods and goddesses who once inhabited these mountains.
The road southwest to the gorge first passes Takachiho-jinja, at the top of mossy steps roughly 800m from the Honmachi crossing. The new, wooden Kagura-den next door is where the nightly sampler of Yokagura (8pm; ¥500) dances are held. In one hour you see three or four extracts from the full cycle..
Hairpin bends lead to Takachiho gorge, at its narrowest point just 3m wide and plunges 100m between cliffs of basalt columns, which in one place fan out like a giant cockleshell. If you want to see what it looks like from below you can hire rowing boats at the southern end (daily 8.30am–4.20pm; ¥1500 for 30min; three people per boat); though it's a little pricey, the gorge is impressive when viewed from the emerald-green river. Otherwise, follow the path along the east bank, which takes you along the gorge's most scenic stretch, crossing and recrossing the river.
Takachiho has a good choice of places to stay. Just south of the bus station, 
Kamino-ya ( 
0982/72-2111, 
inter-net.co.jp/miyazaki/kaminoya/index.htm ; Price: ¥15000-20000 including meals) is a homely ryokan with a nice, rustic atmosphere. Yamato-ya ( 0982/72-2243, inter-net.co.jp/miyazaki/yamatoya/index.html ; Price: ¥15000-20000), about 100m southwest of the Honmachi crossroads, is another welcoming ryokan, with en-suite tatami rooms. The Takachiho Youth Hostel ( 0982/72-3021, www.e-yh.net/takachiho ; dorm beds ¥2800 per person, ¥4200 including meals), 3km out of town to the east, is run by a wonderfully friendly woman who will happily pick you up and take you back out for the Yokagura dances.
One of the nicest restaurants in town is Ten-an (Mon– Sat 11am–8pm), a cosy noodle joint serving excellent home-made soba – for just ¥850, the Ten-an soba set is a real feast. To find it, walk southwest from the Honmachi junction, straight over the next set of lights (the Shiroyama crossing) and take the first right.