Amanohashidate

Amanohashidate is known as one of the three most scenic sights in Japan. I came here to see this strand that certainly is a lovely bit of creation. From some viewpoints, and bending down to view it from between your legs, it is said to resemble a dragon flying up to heaven. I didn’t try this pose but I certainly like the thought, the dragon part, that is. The next best thing is to turn this photo upside down and you can kind of get the idea. Cool, eh?

I rented a bike and rode to the far end and then walked the strand round-trip fashion, about five kilometers in all. While I haven’t seen enough of Japan to know whether this ranks in the top three, I did like the ride and the walk and the view from up where a little chair lift took us.

Walking the beach itself, what struck me was how very familiar it seemed. Except for the hilly terrain surrounding this large bay in the Sea of Japan, the beaches were not so dissimilar to Tawas Point and its gorgeous beaches in Michigan where I played as a child – the water lapping calmly on the shore, the varied shapes and colors of the stones on the beach. It was all I could do not to go into stone collecting mode. It is a habit of mine. And, I certaily don’t need any more weight to carry around.