29/09/2019 / Last updated : 02/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Kumano-kodo Nakahechi to Tsugizakura-oji　熊野古道中辺路

November 2018, Kumano-kodo Nakahechi from Chikatsuyu-oji to Tsugizakura-oji The target for the day is to walk part of the Nakahechi to Tsugizakura-oji. So, leaving Kuchi Kumano michi no eki we drive to Chikatsuyu-oji. Here, we park in a large, free car park and set off to find the entrance to the Nakahechi route. Nakahechi was one of the pilgrimage routes to Kumano Sanzan, the three main temples (Hongu, Shingu and Nachi) from Tanabe city. This was the official route for the nobility in Heian times. (We walked another part of this route, from Gyubadoji ( michinoeki Kumano Kodo Nakahechi) to Chikatsuyu-oji on a previous trip.) It is a wonderful, sunny […]

25/09/2019 / Last updated : 02/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Kumano-kodo Ohechi ; Nagaizaka　熊野古道大辺路；長井坂

November 2018、 A fine sunny morning with a strong, chill wind coming off the land not the sea. Susami michi no eki has a good view of the sea though this is not obvious from the car park. You must walk round to the other side of the building. Kumano-kodo Ohechi, Nagaizaka course from Mirozu station There are three sacred places in Kii peninsula, Yoshino, Koyasan and Kumano. These are linked by numerous pilgrimage route mostly for Shugendo, a mountain worshiping sect. The Kumano-kodo, however has been a very popular pilgrimage route for more than 1000 years. People, rich and poor, walked from Kyoto to Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Hayatama […]

14/09/2019 / Last updated : 02/02/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Awajishima to Soni HIghlands　淡路島、曽爾高原

November 2018, We follow R.11 towards Tokushima to take the bridge to Awajishima. At Tsuda no Matsubara michi no eki we stop for lunch. This is a pleasant location, next to a shrine and a short walk to the beach. The michi no eki is nothing special and the facilities primitive. The beach is a good spot for a picnic with a view out over the Setonaikai. After lunch, we fill up with fuel as petrol is significantly cheaper in Tokushima-ken than Kagawa-ken. Don’t ask me why. Onaruto Bridge and Uzushio michi no eki Across Onaruto Bridge to Awaji, where we stop, on the off chance, at michi no eki […]

11/09/2019 / Last updated : 02/02/2023 d.d Arts / Places of interest

Naoshima-Benesse House Museum 　直島

November 2018, Naoshima The rain in the night causes us no problem and we are awake early to catch the Shikoku Kisen ferry from Takamatsu to Naoshima. We arrive in good time for the 10 am sailing. It is a sunny morning, after the overnight rain, and the short boat ride to the island is very pleasant. ＊Takamatsu – Naoshima (Miyanoura) ; 990 yen / adult (return) On arrival at Naoshima, we have a picnic lunch at the ferry port with a view of Kusama Yayoi’s red pumpkin. We then take the 100-yen bus to the Chichu Museum but, rather than enter, we walk along the road devoid of cars, […]

11/09/2019 / Last updated : 04/11/2024 d.d Temple / Shrine

Konpira Shrine and Zentsuji　金比羅宮、善通寺

November 2018, Konpira Shrine (Kotohira-gu)　金刀比羅宮 We park in a Times parking lot. It has a maximum charge of 500 yen plus easy access to Konpira Shrine precincts by cutting through the sake brewery ‘Kinryu Museum’ area. The official name of this shrine is Kotohira-gu but it is generally known as Konpira. The street leading up to the shrine steps is lined with udon restaurants and tourist shops. Some of these are selling seriously expensive, tourist tat. Wood carvings are favourite, from frogs to Bodhisattva and all stations in between. There is, we note a sedan chair station and, on the way down we see a couple being carried up. I […]

08/09/2019 / Last updated : 02/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Tsurugisan – Climbing Mount Tsurugi　剣山

November 7th. 2018 Tsurugisan 剣山 A clear, pink dawn as we set off for Tsurugisan (Mt.Tsurugi). We drive about 40 kilometres along R.438. and arrive at the chair lift station, ‘Minokoshi’, before 10 am. under a blue, blue sky in warm sunshine. The chair lift ticket is 1860-yen return, but it whisks you up from 1,420 metres to 1,750 metres in 15 mins. The summit is 1,955 metres. There are 4 courses to the top from the chair lift station ‘Nishijima’. We avoid the Ridge course – it being the shortest and most popular – and take the Yuhodo course. This is longer about 2km and, as we later discover, […]

04/09/2019 / Last updated : 02/02/2023 d.d Arts / Places of interest

Kochi Sunday Market, Cape Muroto and Awa no Dochu　

November 2018, Leaving the michi-no-eki we drive into Kochi city and park in the castle car park. We want to explore the Sunday Market. This, D. informs me, is the largest in Japan with a history of more than 300 years. Kochi Sunday Market. 高知日曜市 The stalls run down one side of the street but, Kochi has wide streets and a lot of open space. This means there is room for a double row of stalls and the punters to stroll down the middle. On display are antiques and junk, mostly junk. A large number of stalls are offering all manner of knives, saws, hatchets and scissors, any […]

02/09/2019 / Last updated : 05/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Nakatsu Gorge – Niyodo Blue　中津渓谷

November 2018, Bios Ogata michi-no-eki It is a national holiday and Bios Ogata is busy very early. We go for a short walk and watch the surfers, far away as the beach is very wide. There is also a flotilla of fishing boats arrayed with banners moving slowly, line astern. Suddenly the lead craft breaks away, very fast, and turns around to head back towards the port. All the rest of the boats follow suit, turning in opposite directions alternately and heading back the way they had come towards the port. Clearly some kind of festival but too far away to figure out what it was all about. Leaving the […]