The unusual rock formations of Hotokegaura lit by the sun. At high tide, the pale green-white rock faces are reflected on the water's surface. Sai Village, Aomori Prefecture. (©Sankei/Yuki Kajiyama)
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On the Shimokita Peninsula, where the waves of the Tsugaru Strait pound the shore, and the wind roars through the air, a strange procession of rock formations stands in quiet repose. This is Hotokegaura, a scenic stretch of coastline in Sai Village, Aomori Prefecture, at the northern tip of Japan's main island of Honshu.
Stretching for about two kilometers, its pale green-white cliffs have been sculpted over the centuries by wind and waves into shapes that call to mind Buddhist figures.
Many of the formations bear names drawn from Buddhist tradition, including Gohyaku Rakan (Five Hundred Disciples) and Hitotsubotoke (Single Buddha). If the Buddhist Pure Land were given earthly form, it might look something like this.
Local legend also holds that Minamoto no Yoshitsune, the famed 12th-century warrior, stopped here while fleeing north from his elder brother and rival, Minamoto no Yoritomo, who later founded the Kamakura shogunate. The coastline, with its sheer cliffs and pounding surf, still feels like the setting for such a desperate flight.
Natural Pool by the Tsugaru Strait
Hotokegaura's tourist season is about to swing into full gear. From May, sightseeing boats suspended during the winter will resume operations, once again offering visitors views of the striking rock formations from the sea.
Reaching the Shimokita Peninsula has also become easier. On March 14, three new bypass routes opened to traffic. The 13.8 kilometers of improved roadway are expected to boost accessibility and bring more visitors to the area.
Fumiko Tanaka, 68, has called Sai Village home for nearly 50 years, since marrying and moving there at the age of 20. At low tide, seawater collects in depressions in the rocky shoreline, creating natural pools.
"When my children were little, I would let them float there in rubber rings and play, and we'd catch the shellfish and crabs left behind in the pools," she recalled with a smile.
Gokurakuhama's Mysterious Water
Hidden quietly among the rocks is a place with an almost mystical air known as Gokurakuhama. Water runs from a pipe there, and local lore maintains that it stays fresh no matter how long it's kept.
"It has long been said that if you drink it during the coldest season together with your medicine, it is good for your health," Tanaka said. "That is why even now, some local people still make the trip there to collect it."
The remarkable rock formations of Shimokita are more than a natural wonder. They are a place where old legends still linger and where generations of local memory remain quietly alive.
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(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: Yuki Kajiyama, The Sankei Shimbun
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