Greetings fellow friends and canines!

Welcome back to our adventures around Japan… well.. Kyoto Prefecture for now! As I write this, with Sasukes input sitting by my side, 2 weeks have gone by and as alluded to in our last post we have been busy traveling along the Kyoto Prefecture coastline.

Due to working online we were limited on where we could visit so a trip to Hiroshima was put on hold for another time. Also when researching places along the southern coastline its very clear that you have to pay for everything; camping, bathroom, parking – you get the idea. So I guess we will have to wait and see.

Back to our actual trip.

We decided to follow the coastline back up and round from Kanzaki beach through to Amanohashidate. Our first stop was a big open plan park overlooking the bay and the sand bar that makes Amanohashidate famous. Arriving early enough to watch the sun rise over the bay was captivating and Sas, once he got his bearings and could smell and see the water, was eager to run round. After about an hour or so exploring we headed back to the car to have coffee and breakfast.

Soon we were back on the road and headed for the ‘frisco baaaay..’ .. well not quite. We headed up to a small fishing village, when, not long after we had parked and Sas had a short walk along the pier before beelining it back to the car, we were bombarded with a literal coach load of tourists from China. Not so quiet or pleasant any more. Nope. not for us.

And a big fat no. Not because these people were Chinese – it was cool to hear another language from Japanese and English. Mostly it was because they are tourists en mass! I hate that. I don’t care what country or what language you speak en mass tourism, coach tours etc I absolutely loathe. Honestly its a personal choice. If thats how you chose to see other places by all means – its just not for me and Sas. If I am being perfectly blunt it is the sole reason why I have a fervent dislike for living in Kyoto. The pandemic was heaven because there weren’t any tourists (and not heaven because there was a global pandemic – which you know… was very bad!).

After hightailing it out of the fishing village we travelled further north following the coastline and along some very questionable cliffside roads. Questionable roads aside the views were something to behold . Blue sapphire skies peppered with fluffy white clouds, backdropped against ominously imposing sun shaded mountains and crystal blue ocean are every photographers dream.

The single, yes single!, lane questionable cliffside roads led to an even smaller and somewhat hidden village with say, no more than 20 maybe even 30 (pushing it – I don’t know. I didn’t actually count) houses and one main road in and out. Sods law that it was not the road Sas and I took into the village. And isn’t that just the case. It’s a place I am going to retire. It’s perfect. A small cove and marina, inlets and cliffside befitting that of a pirate and one Soba restaurant that only opens on a Saturday. We did not, in actual fact, arrive… on a Saturday. Im so narked.

Sas didn’t leave the car – an error on my part as I couldn’t find the parking lot closer to the beach so he was reluctant to leave. I would have said stubborn but right now honestly the whole point is for him to enjoy traveling so if he wants to stay in the car thats fine. Windows down, water available, a pleasant breeze wafting through and he’s all set. I went exploring.

Caveat. I did check on him every 10-15 mins as it was a hot day. I opened the doors encouraged him to leave and the answer repeatedly was a big fat no. Oh well.

Hey! I found the beach and yes it was hidden well.

A few musings, videos and pictures later I made my way back to the car where Sas was enjoying the quiet time. Since moving we haven’t been apart for very long so I think this was somewhat a nice reprieve for him. It was time to start thinking about dinner. Or lunch. It was around midday – call it what you like.

A quick google search and there was a local cafe along the main route out of the village. We followed that and headed there.

Walking inside felt like walking into someones home – which duh – to was! The menu was small with a nice selection of drinks as well and as the foreigner I chose the tried and tested meal of curry rice.
It was delicious, home cooked and just all round fabulous for 600yen. It was generous portions and well worth the money.
The owners were gracious and accommodating to me and naturally laughed at my nonexistent Japanese – but hey I gave it a go with some discreet google translating under the table.

I got talking to another guest, conscious that Sas was in the car and needed to be offered more water and exercise, so after a short conversation – a lovely gentleman from another! small fishing village along the coast- I went to check on Sas. Like seriously, after February it felt like the onset of a Japanese summer and here is Sas basking in the freaking coolness of the car! How?! Doesn’t matter. I offered him water – which he refused and we went on our way…

Right if you have stuck with us this far .. well done! we will stop there for now as this was a looooooong old post. Watch out for the second installment coming soon!

As always..

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Bye!!