Tunnel Station

“Tunnel no Eki” is a Takachiho tourist product center operated by Kagura Shuzo Co., a local distillery. In the 1970s, construction was underway to extend the Takachiho Line as part of the Kyushu Transversal Railway, but tunnel water inflow caused the project to be halted in 1974. The Takachiho-side tunnel had been completed, yet no train ever ran through it. In 2000, the facility opened to revitalize the region, repurposing the tunnel as a shochu barrel storage cellar because its humidity and temperature are ideal for aging. Today it’s a popular stop for tourists. The tunnel is 1,115 meters long and maintains stable conditions year-round at about 17°C and 70% humidity, storing around 1,000 shochu barrels at all times. Visitors can tour the storage cellar and sample tastings while seeing local spirits aging. Access: by public transportation, from JR Hakata Station take the “Gokaze-go” highway bus (reservation required), 4 services/day, about 3.5 hours; from JR Kumamoto Station take special express buses “Aso-go / Takachiho-go” (reservation required), 2 services/day, about 3 hours; from JR Nobeoka Station take a local bus, about 1.5 hours; from JR Miyazaki Station a limited-period highway bus (reservation required) runs, about 2 hours 40 minutes. By car, about 1.5 hours from Kyushu Expressway “Matsubase IC” via Route 218, or about 40 minutes from Kyushu Chuo Expressway “Kurata IC” via Route 218. It’s about 5 minutes by car from central Takachiho / Takachiho Shrine, and about 20 minutes from Amanoiwato Shrine.