Recently, my partner and I decided to go on a day trip to coastal Japan to see the ocean, so we hopped into our lil' black car and ventured off to Miyako prefecture (in the Touhoku region) to a place called Jodogahama. On the way, we also stopped by a coastal town (Miyako City) that was impacted by the 2011 tsunamis.
On some of the buildings were guide lines showing how high the water levels were at the time of the tsunamis, and I'd say they were about 3-4 metres high. It's such a daunting thing to try and imagine, being engulfed by sea water so high with such force, and without warning. Now, four years on, things seem to be almost all rebuilt, with a lot of the buildings having actually withstood the earthquake and tsunami impact.
So we spent a little while here, went into a small shop that sold souvenirs and a lot of seafood (buuut we didn't buy any, dun worry!), then continued onto Jodogahama. It was a pretty nice day too; very sunny and almost warm (but not super warm, as it was virtually winter), so it was extra enjoyable. We drove up and over a hill, and not long after that we arrived at Jodogahama, where there was a big car park and an information centre, and a map for some hiking trails along the coast. We didn't get to see all of the landmarks, but we saw the ocean and a few rocky islands, and a small beach area.
The name Jodogahama is translated to 'Pure Land Beach', and it is part of the Rikuchu Kaigan National Park. It's very scenic, very windy (as expected for a coastal location), and quite nice for those who like to hike a little. Nothing too strenuous either, so beginners can easily walk these trails.
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| I've been told this is a 'ghost spot'...ooooh~ |
The water was quite clear and the waves were pleasant to watch, even if some decided to splash us (had to protect my camera frantically!). Plus there was a small cruise boat for tours around the area, and a spot where people can ride swan-shaped pedal boats (how romantic, lel).
After walking around the sea-level area, we took a short hike up a hill to see out over the Jodogahama area. It was a little steep, and the steps were formed by tree roots, which was rather interesting and a little bit magical.
Upon arrival atop the hill, we were greeted by a very beautiful view over the coast and ocean. The actual beach area is quite small, as you can probably see in the photo below, haha! But the sight was still quite amazing. This was only one part of the area, and in another there's apparently a big geyser type attraction, but we didn't get to see it this day.
We spent a little while up at this lookout and I took a lot of photos as usual (this is just a small portion), before venturing back to the car and making our way back home. The sunny day soon turned to cold and snowy as we headed through the mountains, though...but anyway! This short trip was quite nice, it was good to see the coast and to hike up a small cliff (yay, conquering fear of heights!)
Hope you enjoyed this little recap of one of the many trips we have taken. Have you been to Japan before? Or have you been to a pretty coastal spot elsewhere? Let us know in the comments!
Have a wonderful rest of the day, lovelies~
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