Kii Peninsula Journey｜Touring Kushimoto Town, Wakayama Prefecture
Day 4 of the colorful Kii Peninsula journey.
After lunch at Yuyumarutei in Nanki Kushimoto Kanko SUN Marine, we continued our trip.
I remember visiting Kushimoto Town several years ago, specifically going to Cape Shionomisaki, the southernmost tip of Honshu, Japan, and being moved by the beautiful sunset. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I couldn't explore Kushimoto Town. This time, with a friend from Wakayama as our guide, we took the Kushimoto Loop Bus and visited several representative sightseeing spots.
Kushimoto Town, the only town in Honshu located in the subtropical zone, boasts not only the beautiful Ramsar Convention-protected sea but also the majestic natural beauty of the World Heritage Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes, strange rocks, and unusual stones.
🪧 Haiganto: Named after the famous scenic spot, Mount Kumgang, on the Korean Peninsula. The sight of huge waves crashing against the steep reefs is truly breathtaking. This location was also featured in the movie *The 1890 Maritime Disaster*.
🪧 Cape Shionomisaki: The southernmost tip of Honshu, Cape Shionomisaki features a vast lawn of approximately 100,000 square meters at its tip. Long ago, there was a naval watchtower here. The gentle curve of the vast Pacific Ocean before your eyes gives you a real sense of the Earth's roundness. This is also one of Japan's top 100 sunrise and sunset viewing spots. We were fortunate enough to witness a beautiful sunset that day.
🪧 Shionomisaki Tourist Tower: Standing 100 meters tall, the tower's 360-degree observation deck offers panoramic views of the lush green lawn and the azure sea. On a clear day, you can even see Mount Nachi in the distance. You can obtain a "Certificate of Visiting the Southernmost Tip of Honshu" at the tower, a rare travel souvenir. Opening hours are 9:00am–5:00pm.
🪧 Hashigui-iwa Rocks: Facing Oshima Island from Kushimoto, over 40 large and small rock pillars line up in the sea, stretching for about 850 meters. They are named Hashigui-iwa, meaning "bridge pier rocks," because their regular arrangement resembles bridge piers. Located within the Yoshino-Kumano National Park, they are designated as a national scenic spot and natural monument.
We also visited the Kushimoto Marine Park, which I'd like to share separately.
📍 Address: 33 Kushimoto, Kushimoto Town, Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture (address of the Nanki Kushimoto Tourist Association, located in the Kushimoto Station building)
🚃 Transportation: Take the JR Kinokuni Line to Kushimoto Station and transfer to the Kushimoto Loop Bus. Be sure to check the bus schedule carefully.
🚩 For details about the Kushimoto Loop Bus, please see Figures 17 and 18.