Satsuma-Ōkuchi Station (薩摩大口駅)
In February 1971 my mother suggested that I would travel to Ōkuchi City (大口市), now Isa CIty (伊佐市), Kagoshima Prefecture, in order to meet her elder sister who lived there. I was at the first grade of a junior high school attached to a state university. My mother believed that it was important for me to travel alone all the way to Kagoshima 1400+ Km far away from Tōkyō at the cost of being absent from a class, which is similar to one scene in the musical "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang".
I took an overnight limited express named Hayabusa (はやぶさ), one of the "Blue Trains", bound for Nishi-Kagoshima (西鹿児島)(*1). Getting off the train at Minamata (水俣), I took a local train of JNR (Japan National Railway) Yamano Line (山野線) to Satsuma-Ōkuchi (薩摩大口). At the station, my aunt was awaiting for me, and she took me to her home. It was a very sunny day.
All what I remember at her house was that I took a bath at so-called Goemon-furo (五右衛門風呂) and had a dinner with her husband, who was a military veteran. I learned from my mother that my aunt and her husband once lived in Manchuria (満州), which is a story long time ago, and most of Japanese in younger generation must be only vaguely aware of its name.
I met my aunt again in 1984 in a funeral ceremony of her son-in-law, and she was very healthy at that time, which was the second and the last time I saw her. I don't remember when she died... Nonetheless I still remember her face owing to resemblance between my mother and my aunt.
In October 2007, my father asked me to travel with him for a grave visit of my aunt, a sister-in-law for him, to Ōkuchi City. During this visit, I had a chance to see Sogi Waterfalls (曽木の滝), and paid a visit to Kirishima Jingū (霧島神宮).
5 years later, in September 2012, my father asked me again to visit Isa City, the former Ōkuchi City after an annexation with Hishikari Town (菱刈町) in November 2008, for a grave visit of my relative, the eldest son of my aunt.
I made a travel plan to please my father who wanted to make a train travel of JR Hisatu Line (肥薩線), known with switchbacks and a loop which offer fascinating views.
After an overnight stay at Hitoyoshi Ryokan (人吉旅館) in Hitoyoshi City (人吉市)(*2) of Kumamoto Prefecture, we took local trains of JR Hisatu Line (肥薩線) from Hitoyoshi to Hayato (隼人) via Yoshimatsu (吉松). Taking this opportunity, we paid a visit to several shrines in Kagoshima Prefecture, namely Kōriyama Hachiman Shrine (郡山八幡神社) in Isa City, Shibi Shrine (紫尾神社) in Satsuma Town (さつま町) and Kagoshima Jingū (鹿児島神宮) in Kirishima City (霧島市).
I still remember the serene sound of Kuma River (球磨川) at Hitoyoshi Ryokan at night, which was a very rare experience for me...I had a similar moment when walking in Makishima (牧島) of Goshoura Town of Amakusa City (天草市御所浦町) on 23rd March 2023.
I should also mention that I had a similar experience with my wife in March 1985 at Kakeromajima (加計呂麻島), one of the Amami Islands (奄美群島) of Kagoshima Prefecture.
Then, 22nd of March 2023, 52 years after my first visit to Ōkuchi City (大口市), I just had half an hour to take a look at the exhibition in Ōkuchi Fureai Center (大口ふれあいセンター) which was constructed at the location of Satsuma-Ōkuchi Station.
So, it was the 4th visit to Isa City for me. I could have taken another bus from Kagoshima Airport to Minamata Station (水俣駅), but I really wanted to take this opportunity to see remnants of Satsuma-Ōkuchi Station.
I won't come to this area again in the rest of my life. Satsuma-Ōkuchi, if not Isa, is somewhat extra special to me...a stark contrast with Nobeyama area in Nagano Prefecture where my father was born, though obviously I have no intention to execrate Nagano Prefecture.
On 23rd of March 2023 on the way to Minamata Port in order to take a boat to Goshoura Island (御所浦島), I took a photo of Minamata Station thinking that this would be the last chance to see this station where I took a local train of Yamano Line 52 years ago.
My mother, my aunt and my father live only in my memories, and Satsuma-Ōkuchi Station as well as Minamata Station somehow remain in the corner of my memories provoking the image of my aunt awaiting for me.
Photos taken at Ōkuchi Fureai Center on 22nd March 2023:
Photo of Minamata Station on 23rd March 2023:
P.S.
(*1) Nishi-Kagoshima was renamed to Kagoshima-Chūō Station (鹿児島中央) upon opening of Kyūshū Shinkansen in 2004.
(*2) Hitoyoshi City was davastated by 2020 Kyushu floods.
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