Cue customary apologies for another very belated update. Instead of
making excuses for myself though, this time I'm going to offer
reparations. Starting this week, I promise to have one new update by
Monday morning of every week. They might not be the most
interesting of posts, they might not even be completely
coherent, but there will be one. I realized that it has been rather
inconsiderate of me to not update this regularly when you, the brave
souls who are still checking this blog, have been taking time out
of your day, to read about my life in Japan. The least I
can do is offer an coordinated flow of information and I apologize that it
has taken me six months to come to this realization, but better late
than never, eh?
On to the post, I suppose. Without sounding too ostensibly British, Gamagori is a quaint little coastal town in Aichi prefecture. The most popular tourist spot is Gamagori Takeshima, a large shrine set on a small island a few hundred meters from the mainland. To get the secluded shrine there is a long bridge for the daintier tourist, or for more intrepid folks (and excitable children) there is always the water route. The level of the clear ocean water is actually rather low all the way to the edge of the island, perhaps peeking at half a meter, so it is very easy to walk across on foot, though your jeans are might get a bit wet.
Walking around the shrine is very calm and relaxing as such places are inclined to be. The vast wooded areas and the proximity to the ocean gives off a tone of reflection and spiritual isolation. The occasional tour group led by enthusiastic microphoned tour guides can sometimes take away from the overall effect though. The shrine encompasses the whole island with various alcoves and pathways to ruminate and meditate through.
After exploring the island shrine, we walked through the mainland in search of a famous statue. Resting on the hill top of the village is a bronze statue at the top of Mt. Kobo overlooking the little city. He is distantly visible from the main road but there is a very steep trek to actually get near the statue. Like the shrine, this path also leads through quiet woodlands so the whole experience was very much worth the extra effort and exercise.
Overall, a nice little day trip. The fact that everything is accessible by foot is nice for those of us who enjoy walking and exploring. Given the accessibility, there were a lot of fish, squid and other marine critters for sale in the local shops, which will be a nice treat if you enjoy fresh seafood. :)
On to the post, I suppose. Without sounding too ostensibly British, Gamagori is a quaint little coastal town in Aichi prefecture. The most popular tourist spot is Gamagori Takeshima, a large shrine set on a small island a few hundred meters from the mainland. To get the secluded shrine there is a long bridge for the daintier tourist, or for more intrepid folks (and excitable children) there is always the water route. The level of the clear ocean water is actually rather low all the way to the edge of the island, perhaps peeking at half a meter, so it is very easy to walk across on foot, though your jeans are might get a bit wet.
Walking around the shrine is very calm and relaxing as such places are inclined to be. The vast wooded areas and the proximity to the ocean gives off a tone of reflection and spiritual isolation. The occasional tour group led by enthusiastic microphoned tour guides can sometimes take away from the overall effect though. The shrine encompasses the whole island with various alcoves and pathways to ruminate and meditate through.
After exploring the island shrine, we walked through the mainland in search of a famous statue. Resting on the hill top of the village is a bronze statue at the top of Mt. Kobo overlooking the little city. He is distantly visible from the main road but there is a very steep trek to actually get near the statue. Like the shrine, this path also leads through quiet woodlands so the whole experience was very much worth the extra effort and exercise.
Overall, a nice little day trip. The fact that everything is accessible by foot is nice for those of us who enjoy walking and exploring. Given the accessibility, there were a lot of fish, squid and other marine critters for sale in the local shops, which will be a nice treat if you enjoy fresh seafood. :)
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