Cape Ashizuri in Kochi: Explore the Scenic Coast by Bicycle
The Ashizuri area, the southernmost tip of Shikoku, is a beautiful area where nature, culture and legends intersect. Let's go on an adventure to run through the Ashizuri Skyline, visiting the observatory of Ashizuri Cape and Hakusan Domon on an electric bicycle. Don't miss the hidden sights of Matsu...
2023.07.16
Ladies and gentlemen, when you visit the Ashizuri area, the southernmost tip of Shikoku, we would like you to stay overnight and enjoy sightseeing at your leisure. This time, we will introduce some of the sightseeing spots where you can fully experience its charm.
Explore by rental bike
Let's go for a walk around the surrounding area using an electric bicycle, commonly known as an "e-bike", which you can rent at the hotel. Cape Ashizuri is dotted with many attractive sightseeing spots, but one of the attractions is actually the scenery while traveling . Cycling along prefectural roads while enjoying the magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean, and visiting old-fashioned fishing ports and fishing towns are also fun. Taking advantage of the comfort of an e-bike, it would be fun to stop by a cafe you find along the way.
Even if you are using an e-bike for the first time, don't worry. The hotel staff will give a detailed lecture on how to operate it. First, get used to the operation in the large parking lot, and then depart for the surrounding sightseeing spots. We recommend that you wear comfortable clothes and athletic shoes.
If you want to know more about e-bikes, please refer to this article.
Adventure into the unknown: Explore the unexplored region of Cape Ashizuri by E-bike
Cape Ashizuri Observatory
The first thing I would like you to visit is Ashizuri Cape Observatory (required time: 10 minutes from the hotel). From this observatory on the southernmost tip of Shikoku , you can enjoy a magnificent 270-degree panorama. A place with an unobstructed view of the Pacific Ocean is probably one of the rare places in Japan.
You can also see the Ashizuri Cape Lighthouse from the observatory. Only 5 minutes walk to the lighthouse. Its beautiful scenery will amaze visitors. The feature of Cape Ashizuri in Shikoku is that anyone from adults to children can easily stroll around the lighthouse and observatory.
If you have time, the Forest Tunnel to the Ashizuri Misaki Higashi parking lot to the east is also a great cycling spot. Enjoy the charm of Cape Ashizuri even more deeply while feeling the nature of the four seasons with your five senses.
Hakusan Cave
If you go to Cape Ashizuri, you can't miss Hakusan Domon (required time: 3 minutes from the observatory, 7 minutes from the hotel). This cave, which was created by eroding a rocky mountain by waves, is about 16 meters high and 17 meters wide, making it one of the largest in Japan . Park your bicycle and walk for about 15 minutes to reach the cave. The huge cave that you can see up close has an overwhelming presence.
A rare stone called " Lapakivi granite " can be seen around the cave. This is a very rare rock that can only be found here in Cape Ashizuri in Japan, and you can actually touch it with your hands (however, you are not allowed to take it home as it is in a national park). Ashizuri's Lapaquivi granite is said to have been formed 14 million years ago, and its formation process and reason for its existence are still a mystery.
We also recommend Manjiro Footbath, where you can enjoy a footbath while looking out at Hakusan Domon. The scenery that combines the scenery of the Pacific Ocean and the Hakusan Cave while soaking in the footbath is worth seeing.
Matsuo Blue Cave
The next place we would like you to visit is a hidden attraction that is not often mentioned in guidebooks, “Matsuo Blue Cave” (required time: 15 minutes by e-bike from the hotel). As you pass through the private houses, you will see Matsuo fishing port. Ebi-do, which is said to be a blue cave in the back, has seawater that emits a mysterious color that continues to the back of the cave. The surface of the turquoise sea shines so brightly that it is also called "Matsuo Blue".
Recently, the blue cave has become known as an Instagrammable spot, and its blue water surface is very beautiful when you take a picture together.
During the summer vacation, you can see local children jumping in from the pier in front, or playing in the water while floating on floats. The appearance of a local grandmother laughing and saying, ``It's a natural sight, so it's nothing special to see blue fish swimming so that you can reach it,'' is unique to Ashizuri.
On sunny days when there is no wind, you can see a phenomenon in which the moored boats look like they are floating in the sky.
Toujin Dama/Megalithic Group
While the coastal beauty of Cape Ashizuri is often captivating, the mountains are also dotted with spectacular sights worth noting. In the afternoon, when you are familiar with e-bikes, we propose a challenge to the mountains that will tickle your sense of adventure. A 30-minute e-bike ride from the hotel takes you to a breathtaking landscape.
Let's climb the Ashizuri Skyline from the south side with the power of the e-bike. As you proceed smoothly along the mountain road while cutting through the wind, you will eventually come to a road that turns to the left and a “power spot” information board. There is about 2km left from there, but surprises and impressions await beyond. Turn left and the road will soon start downhill. It is important to enjoy the scenery while controlling the speed of the e-bike appropriately. After a while, you will see a visual guide, an information signboard at the bottom of the slope.
Stop the e-bike there and start climbing the mountain road following the route. If you go a little further, you will soon see a large stone. Proceeding along the maze-like road ahead, you will eventually arrive at a wide, flat stone named “Kagura stone” . A magnificent panorama of nature spreads far beyond the impression of the sea at Cape Ashizuri .
According to legend, this kagura stone was used to perform kagura to the gods in ancient times. Standing in the middle of the megaliths, you feel like you are part of an ancient legend.
Stone tools and pottery fragments from the Jomon period to the Yayoi period have been excavated here, allowing visitors to feel the history firsthand. Tojin Dama has a strikingly large stone circle trace, and stone circles are scattered right next to the megalithic group. These ruins are believed to be remnants of an ancient civilization.
The large stones in the megaliths also have features that are thought to have been formed by human hands, such as stones with concave surfaces and crescent-shaped stones. How these giant stones were transported and stacked is a difficult mystery to unravel, but that's part of the charm of this place.
And there are many legends about why this place is called a power spot. One theory relates to an area called Usubae, where the Kuroshio Current, which exists on the Ashizuri Peninsula, comes in contact with the shore. It is said that people who sailed from the continent in ancient times came ashore on the Kuroshio Current. They built a culture that can be called Ashizuri civilization on a vast land with a diameter of 180 meters. As part of this, stone circles and Kagura stone festivals are held, and there is a theory that this place has been sacred since ancient times. Inspired by this theory, many people visit this place as a power spot.
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"TheMana Village", the treasure of Cape Ashizuri, the southernmost tip of Shikoku - A superb resort experience that combines superb views and comfort
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