Essay - Travels
- No.3
2002 Summer - Yakushima No.2 -
map of YakushimaThe party of Tomi-Peco trouble tour - the problems appear one after another from the first step - got out of the plane at the Yakushima airport on time. The Summer sun blazed down and dazzled. A man of "Terada rent-a-car" we had previously booked, welcomed us. He explained the car to us and handed over the key. "If I wouldn't be in the airport, when you back home, you'll put the key in the car, please." "Don't we need to lock, do we?" "It's all right. Here is Yakushima"
For the convenience of our body size, Tomi was driver, Deco sat in his next seat and the rest of three sat the rear seat. Okay, Let's go! The main road of Yakushima rounds along the the coast. We ran clockwise toward the Inaka beach we would stay. There were Anbo river about 15 minutes from the airport. We went up a hill along the river and there were the abysmal gorge. When I looked down the river from the bridge, I felt wobbly about the knees. Some people rowed their canoe peacefully far below.
As it was the lunch time, we went to "Hirano" the owner of rent-a-car shop told us. The sign read "Yaku-zen cuisine". It seemed popular restaurant, the inside was crowded. The menu was only one set lunch. Vegetables or montain vegetables such as balsam pear, Japanese silverleaf, Haorama and Yamaoba were the main, fish dish was deep-fried flying fish and miso soup of shellfish. The small plates or bowls of the local cuisine were served one after another. All told, thirteen or fourteen dishes were served. In general, the seasoning was sweetish due to sweet soy sauce peculiar to the South, but it was very nice. The service was good, too. The price (twelve hundred yen per person) was also surprised us. It's a special "island" price
Kuwazu-imoWe went sightseeing with feeling of fullness after a meal. At first we visited to Senpiro(Chihiro) Falls with the same name as me. After the sights of the falls, we quenched our thirst with sugarcane juice. And the next was the sea, however we would not to swim. Hirauchi marine spa was on the shore, and the hot spring appeared between the rocks here and there. Sometimes rocks washed by the waves. It was wonderful spa, but it was forbid to take a bath with swimsuit and the place for changing clothes completely opened to view. Then only men could take a bath.
The next sightseeing spot was Ohko Falls. While we saw Senpiro Falls in the distance, we could go near this falls. So it was dynamic. What became of the cat that was sleepng in this parking lot... Our car advanced toward the Seibu Road which runs through the national park. It was winding mountain road and narrow. Although I thought it's terrible if oncoming car passed, fortunately we never passed the other car. This road was saved from widen a road project by efforts of conservation group. Leaves of Kuwazuimo - not eaten taro - luxuriated as if they were cultivated in the field.
When we passed through a tree tunnel, the coastline and the beach came into view. Here was Inaka beach we would stay this time. We arrived at the inn "Soyotei" where Tomi and Yasu stayed two years ago. After we exchanged greetings with landlord, anyway, first took a bath. Then we had local fresh seafood for supper on the balcony faces the sea. How tasty shochu was while sea breeze browing. We went to the beach with tipsy stagger. In Summer baby sea turtle hatch and back to the sea. In the beach researcher helped baby sea turtle which couldn't leave the nest to return the sea. When I lied on the beach, a full moon was floating in the night sky...
