Ogawa Waterfall and Oosumi Peninsula　雄川の滝

November 23rd. 2024

Michi no eki Kuninomatsubara Oosaki

Kuninomatsubara Oosaki is a recommended place to stay. The onsen is spacious and friendly though really too hot. The toilets are over designed but if you ignore the bells and whistles they are extremely clean and modern. No rubbish bins is the only real downside, well that and the massive silver kabutomushi (stag beetle).

Uchinoura, JAXA launch site　内之浦

We set off for the JAXA rocket launch site at Uchinoura. Not that we are particularly into rocket science but hope it may prove interesting.

On arrival at what is certainly a remote location, we are issued with a pass and allowed to enter the site. It is a national holiday but even so the place seems completely deserted. There are a few official vehicles and I did spot one technician headed for the loo. Inside, we are able to drive up to a large antenna and a launch pad for small rockets. The more serious launch pad being off limits. Not really of great interest to the casual visitor but some great views over the site, surrounding mountains and the sea.

For the serious rocket enthusiast, there are museums and tech. explanations available. We wander, take a few pictures of dish antenna and old rocket models and depart.

Kishira Beach　岸良海岸

Our next destination is Ogawa no taki. This is some distance and this area, as mentioned, is remote; there is no chance of finding food anywhere. We therefore took the precaution of picking up some onigiri shortly after we left Oosaki.

So we are in the position to enjoy a picnic lunch as we reach Kishira Beach, sitting in hot sunshine with the magnificent beach view stretched out below. We did pass a beach noted for sea turtle egg laying but we did not stop. In retrospect a mistake. At the far end of Kishira Beach we walk on the sand which is surprisingly coarse.

Ogawa no taki (waterfall)　雄川の滝

Eventually we arrive at Ogawa no taki. For such a popular destination the approach road is remarkably narrow. From the car park it is a walk of 1.2 kilometres to the falls. The path is mostly concrete with stretches of wooden boardwalk, following the course of a rock strewn river.

This river is remarkably blue in places and the bed is sand. The area is thickly wooded so it is easy to forget the high cliffs of the gorge on either side unless you raise your eyes above the tree tops. This path also passes underneath Takami Ohashi an iron bridge high above accentuating the depth of the gorge.

Reaching the falls one is struck by several things; first, the height of the cliff, second, the sparse amount of water taking the plunge, third, the incredible blue of the pool and forth, the secondary falls that stream from the lower levels of the rock face, to the right of the main fall. I have never seen this feature so clearly before.

Then there were two small ducks swimming around, I say ducks but I could not identify them, then diving under the water where they were clearly visible, chasing fish. Not ducks then. Also a kingfisher darting, hovering and diving, a flash of turquoise over the bright blue water. Far too far away for me to photograph.

A place well worth a visit for the walk and I suspect the waterfall is usually more serious than we found it.

Michi no eki Kinko Nishiki no Sato

From the falls we drive to Kinko Nishiki no sato our michi no eki for the night. This place is not large, the toilet is small. 50% hole in the ground and 50% washlet so passable.

On the plus side, it has a view over the water to Kaimondake. We walked the other side of road where we find he Kamikawa campsite by the sea. It’s not warm night but many people are camping and having BBQs at the site. We were lucky enough to watch a magnificent sunset across the bay as we sipped a sundowner in the relative warmth of our vehicle.