January 26th. We’re headed to the South of Chiba, Minami-Boso. Where the weather is supposedly warmer. A welcome change these Winter days.
From Chiba city it’s about a 2 hour bus ride (give or take). There are many sights to see on the way: Rivers, hills, and eventually the sea.
Our guide telling us about the flowers at the coast.
She Sells [Flowers] By The Sea Shore.
We arrive at Shirama, here there are flowers being grown right before the sea.
The wind is blowing fiercely, but the sun is shining and the cold also has a refreshing quality to it.
Surprisingly many of the flowers were in bloom, despite it being January.
One of the owners picking some flowers for us.
The shop owners showed us around their flower plot. Very kind and approachable people. They even gave us some flowers as a gift. 🙂 You can buy any of their flowers straight from them.
Soon after we stop at the most Southern point of Chiba. The wind is howling over the rocky coast and we all run out of the bus, so as not to spend too much time in the cold.
Our mission: Get to the Southern tip of Chiba and back. (Nojimazaki Point)
The Southernmost bench in Chiba.
There is a statue that shows it is the most southern point of Chiba. But even better is the small bench on a rock outcropping we all sit on for a picture. The seawater crashing against the rocks as the wind batters us back into the bus, a very rugged and invigourating experience.
How to get to Nojimazaki Point is not as easy as I thought. I have tried to get there again by train, but couldn’t find a station nearby. I think a bus or car is required.
Food!
Next we have lunch at いこいの村たてやま (ikoi no mura tateyama).
The top bowl has sashimi in it, and the second bowl has fish that you get to cook yourself.
They serve us their local gourmet dish: 館山炙り海鮮丼. This consists of a layered bowl system containing sashimi (fresh raw fish) and other raw fish you are to cook yourself on a small roster over a flame. It’s all very delicious!
Incredible Cliff Temple 😮
If you are looking for something awe inspiring, look no further. Gakekannon (崖観音) is a Buddhist temple built into the face of a cliff overlooking Tateyamawan (館山湾).
Gakekannon (崖観音)
View over Tateyamawan
I am a fan. It’s as if we’re walking through a fairy tale setting up the (well-maintained) steps to the temple, soon we have a fantastic view over Tateyamawan and beyond.
This place is amazing. I highly recommend visiting it.
Make Your Own Japanese Clan Fan
We arrive in Tomiura at the ‘Biwa Club.’
The biwa ice cream is tasty!
Tomiura is famous for it’s biwa, or loquat, also known as the Japanese plum.
At the club you can sign up to make a ‘Boshu Uchiwa’ a special rounded handmade fan.
Boshu refers to the days of the Japanese clans when the Southern part of the Boso peninsula was called ‘Awa no kuni’ loosely translated I’d say ‘the foamy/frothy lands’. So this is a style unique to that clan.
Attaching the glue to the bamboo frame of the fan.
It’s a workshop where the fan is made by you, so it’s pretty neat. I customised mine to look like a Scottish fan with a thistle on the one end and a tartan on the other. 😉
If you are interested in joining a workshop, their name and address is:
Uchiwa shop Shiomiya,
109 Haraoka,
Tomiuracho,
Minamiboso City.
You can call them at 0470-33-3383.
Their website is here. Sadly it’s all in Japanese, but if you know Japanese it’s handy… 😐
Strawberries are also a famous local produce. The strawberry ice cream is good! 😀
So we return back to Chiba City once again. Fan in hand, a little wiser of Minami-Boso.
If you want to see other pictures of Minami-Boso you can check out my facebook album.
Leave any questions/comments in the responses below.
Cheers,
Kyle
Kyle's Blog 