Mitake
22/05/2023 / Last updated : 18/06/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Mitake no Sakura and Misugi no Mitsumata　三多気、美杉

March 30th. 2023 Gojo City, Shinmachi　五條市新町 A good night at Kudoyama, but as expected the facilities are inadequate for the morning rush. Last evening, it was the hang out for the local teens but in the early morning it is the turn of the old men. From the michi no eki, we set off to visit Gojo city. Here there is a street of Edo era buildings. Once a thriving merchant area on an important route but times have changed. It gave us a pleasant walk in the morning sunshine but there is little of real interest for the casual visitor. There are the remnants of an early Showa era […]
Onigajyo
17/09/2019 / Last updated : 02/02/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Yokoyama Viewing Point, Onigajo and Dorokyo 横山展望台、鬼ヶ城、瀞峡

November 2018、 Michi no eki Ise-Shima proves to be an excellent shachuhaku spot. It is well away from the road, flat, with modern toilets and a large Plant supermarket, which has a good quality deli area, only five minutes’ drive away. Yokoyama Viewing Point Our first stop of the day is Yokoyama Viewing Point. The road, up to the viewing point itself, is steep and very narrow in places. In high season it may be better to park at the bottom (Visitor centre) and walk up as, I imagine, the congestion must be chaotic. We are there early on a Monday morning in November and by the time we leave […]
Kumano Kodo
17/03/2019 / Last updated : 11/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Magose Toge, Kumano Kodo Iseji　熊野古道伊勢路

Day 76、November 2016, Kiinagashima Manbo michi no eki Wake on a dry morning in, Kiinagashima Manbo michi no eki which has rather pleasant grounds. There is large pond/sea inlet? with a wooden bridge and, on the walkway around the water, spotted a couple of Jobitaki, some Mejiro and grey wagtails. Not surprising, but pleasant on an early morning walk in T-shirt weather. Miyama michi no eki After a drive of around an hour, we pull in to another road station where one of the Kumano Kodo (Ise-ji) trails begins. At the road station (michi no eki Miyama), they make onigiri for us and provide boiled eggs and tea. Thus provisioned, […]
17/03/2019 / Last updated : 11/02/2023 d.d Temple / Shrine

Ise JIngu -Ise Grand Shrine　伊勢神宮

Day 75, November 2016, A very warm night, we had no need of sleeping bags or extra blankets. We arrive at Ise Jingu around 9:30 or 10. There is a free car park, with space available, though there are a lot of people around for a Monday morning. We realize later that our navi, as usual, has delivered us to the back gate. Ise Jingu Geku　伊勢神宮外宮 The shrine itself is so plain as to be an exercise in boredom. The style is simple. Some large trees, some very large trees, a lot of open space, plain, newish, wooden buildings with neat, newly thatched roofs and loads of gravel. At the […]