Beppu, Yufuin and The Iwashita Collection

 May 18, 2023

Making up for last night, I go to the Takewagara onsen before we head inland. Just what I wanted, and at 300 yen ($4 or 30 dk it's a true bargain if there ever was one. Being soaked in however hot the water in that basin was, was great, and I soak in the history of the onsen, which dates back to 1879. (https://travel.gaijinpot.com/takegawara-onsen/). Once outside again my mood is tempered by the fact that the Nimbus' ignition coil has selfdestructed, which under unfortunate circumstances can happen if the ignition is left on. Bugger.

Having replaced the coil with an old one I wisely brought along JUST IN CASE, and the spark plugs too, it runs fine, but still needs first gear for the hills towards Yufuin, where one will find The Iwashita Collection, a large motorcycle museum I want to visit again. Caring little about what the weather forecast predicted, a local rain god makes us suffer the last 6 miles/10 kilometers to the museum.

The museum is its old self - mainly - with a very large selection of motorcycles in various conditions, maybe a fifth of them being in actual good condition. The crown jewel is to be found on the third floor, where the famous Ducati Apollo prototype resides in a cage. $1.5M/10 mio. kr., the sign says. (The museum will get its own entry).

Motorcycles aside, the place has some 700,000 items exhibited, from a large steam locomotive to the fuselage of a Korean war era fighter jet to the tiniest of tiny dolls, and seemingly everything in between. I'll let the pictures below do the talking.

The owner Iwasahita-san recognizes me, but the language barrier seems insurmountable when it comes to finding out what happened to his employees Aya and Kazuko, whose company I enjoyed way back when. The cafe where the local cabbies would hang out is gone too, replaced by enourmous loudspakers and some pianos and furniture, making the room look a bit like a second hand shop, rather than an entry hall to a museum.

After going around on all three floors, we get fed pizza and when after some hours we leave, the man hands us beer and smoked beef, for our late night snack. It's still pissing down, so I insist we take a cab to Hotel Sonata in Yufuin. Inexpensive, nicely located in what is clearly a tourist town, and a partially covered hot bath outside, where we soak for a while, listening to the wind howl just above us. Might as well recommend the nearest restaurant, while I'm at it - a mere six items on the menu, but good stuff.

sculpture in the room with mainly war items.

Horrible, yet fascinatin design. How could anybody do this and get away with it?

Nimbus poster from the factory, yours truly on an MZ on the left hand photo, and on the right hand photo is Aya and Kazuko, then-employees, posing with my bike in 2006.

Axel getting ready for the hotel's basin.

Takegawara onsen entrance.

Needed a selfie stick at the old onsen.

Doll at The Iwashita Collection.

The Beatles section, with a small Subaru car.

The $1.4 million Ducati Apollo - wild motorcycle, wild story behind it.

View from 3rd floor down into what used to be the cafeteria.

Factory poster of a Nimbus, plus small pic of me on the MZ (left) and one of Aya & Kazuko 

behind my bobber in 2006, who worked there back than. Really nice girls. 

Old dentist's equipment in steampunk style. Bit scary, really.....

Totally enjoying the warm water basin at our hotel, that is so tiny that the rooms have 

names rather than numbers.