Amanohashidate

Amanohashidate is supposed to among the top three beautiful scenes in the country. For years I had been aware of this honour given to a spot somewhere within a short train ride from Osaka, but I had never bothered to go there. Then a colleague spoke of how fun it was to camp on the sandy white beach, drink local wine and listen to the crash of waves at night, all the while antsy that they would be dragged off to the local police box and reprimanded for pitching a tent in a protected national park -- a definite no-no. Gee, I had to try that.

Amanohashidate's fame is for its slender, 3.6km sand bar that runs along the mouth of an inlet connecting its two ends. From the peak of one of the nearby hills, if you bend over and look at the scene upside down through your legs, the serrated edge of the sand bar is supposed to have the appearance of stairways to heaven. Amanohashidate itself means "bridge to heaven".

Located in northern Kyoto prefecture, it is easily accessed in two and a half hours by train from Osaka.

R and I had a fun time and we managed to avoid being reprimanded about anything. The area surrounding the train station is interesting on its own, and a walk along the length of the sand bar was lovely. As it was an October weekend, it wasn't crowded, but surely there would be droves of people in the summer.

Amanohashidate is worth a full day's stay. The surrounding area is full of things to see and do.

Summer Fun at Lake Biwa

Despite being closer to October than August, it was very much a summer weekend at Lake Biwa, where R and I spent an entire day on a white sandy beach to ourselves. With a barbecue, a lovely view, and some fun swimming, it was a great way to say goodbye to the summer of 2007.

The specific spot? That's our secret.

Lake Nojiriko

From Kanazawa I took a train into Niigata prefecture and then into the northern edge of Nagano prefecture where I camped near Lake Nojiriko.

Ishikawa Beach

The first photo in this series is of the view I had when I poked my head out my tent in the morning, at a campsite north of Kanazawa. It is not as pristine as it looks -- there was a nearby road with traffic all night long. Just over the ridge is the Japan sea.

Swim

Just after taking this shot I stripped down to my shorts, laid my clothes on the log and went for a swim. It is a great thing, swimming in the open sea.

Tottori Sand Dunes

A large sand pile exists in western Honshu and I thought it was just the thing I needed to see to remedy a fit of wanderlust that hit me during the summer holiday break.

Measuring 16km by 2km the Tottori Sand Dunes lie just northeast of the city of Tottori on the Japan Sea coast, about three and a half hours by bus from Osaka.

I arrived in the late afternoon on a Saturday and slept in my tent at a free public campsite on the edge of the dunes. I woke up before sunrise and set out over the dunes, enjoying a a gorgeous day and a thrilling experience walking over the sand taking pictures.

See more pictures of "Tottori Sand Dunes" at my an-fi photo gallery.







See more pictures of "Tottori Sand Dunes" at my an-fi photo gallery.

Japan And Korea Expo Pavilions

Tsurumi-Ryokuchi Koen in northern Osaka is a massive city park that was host to the International Garden and Greenery Exposition in 1990. There is a large pond, expansive fields with many trees and walking paths, and other recreational facilitires. Tucked away in a corner is the old site for the Expo with many of the old pavilion lots and signs intact. The Japan and Korean sites particularly caught my eye.

Shodoshima Island

Shodoshima is an island gem in the Seto Island Sea, accessible by ferries from Osaka, Kobe, Himeji and other coastal cities nearby. A few regular buses run along the coastline and into the interior bringing you to a number of beautiful spots from which you can admire the sea and surrounding islands.

I went camping there with a small group of friends. It was a wonderful time and it must be even better in the summer. There is one spot in particular I recommend: just west of Kusakabe Port is "Olive Town", a clump of buildings showcasing Shodoshima's most interesting feature -- it's olive trees, first planted in 1908.

In addition to the olive groves, there is a herbal garden, a museum, a windmill and a spa -- all in a Greek architectural style. Just north of the area is Dutch Pancake Camping, a privately-run campsite with a scenic view, friendly owners and a lovely patch of grass (read: not gravel) to pitch your tent -- a rarity in central Japan.

Awaji Island Beach Front

A two hour bus from Osaka brought me to Awaji island, where I spent the day testing some new hiking shoes.

Shimogamo jinja

A visit to Shimogamo jinja shrine in Kyoto last week. It's another World Heritage site worth visiting. I decided to go there after hearing it was the last place in Kansai still good for viewing autumn leaves. There is a small, thinly-wooded area before the temple grounds with many Japanese maple and gingko trees. The Japanese maple trees were a mixture of red and orange, while yellow gingko leaves blanketed the ground. There is also a small stream that was very popular with the many photographers milling about. I used a "vivid" filter setting on my D80 for the first time, with satisfactory results.








The shrine itself isn't like most others; it has a tall, brightly coloured gate and a number of small wooden structures in an enclosed area, including a stage, stream and pond. There is also an area with small mini-shrines for each animal of the Chinese zodiac. The shrine proper hosts a number of shinto ceremonies throughout the year, especially Kyoto's famous Aoi Festival in May as well as a popular New Year's celebration .

Just as I entered the shrine, there filed past a wedding party, with bride and groom in traditional garb. I followed it into an inner courtyard, where it soon disappeared into a huge hall, leaving a neat row of shoes outside.





Coupled with the small wooded area in front of the shrine's entrance, Shimagamo shrine is a striking, peaceful place to visit. It is just 5 minutes from Keihan Demachiyanagi station.