Sakurajima

Went to Sakurajima today. There�s a smoking volcano there!
See? It�s smoking!
Took a ferry over to the island. It was a 15 minute ride that costs Y150. That�s Y10/minute. What a deal.
We hiked around a bit taking in nature and all that stuff.
Sakurajima is an active volcano, last erupting full scale in 1995. Full scale meaning fire, brimstone, lava and smoke. Basically the worst disaster film you�ve ever seen.
Back in the early 1900s, Sakurajima erupted and lava flow wound up in the ocean, connecting a small island. Fierce!
The best part was being able to relax in the nearby onsen. One of the pools has minerals taken from the lava rocks. It was pretty relaxing.
Note: If you�re visiting an new (to you) onsen, ask about towels BEFORE you go change and wash up. Fortunately, I dry quickly and T-shirts are absorbent.
Now we are on the Tsubame Sooper Express, bound back to Hakata. Ramen Yatai tonight! It�s basically a big area near the river full of ramen stalls. Hakata is (in)famous for eating throughout Japan.
All I had to do is mutter the words �ramen yatai� when we were at the JR ticket office and the guy at the counter let loose a silly grin.