From Kushiro-cho to Tsuda-cho

 

The end of day 33 was fast coming to a close and so after visiting Kushirogahime Shrine I headed towards Iwami Tsuda Station where I could take a train back home.

This little rail bridge across the mouth of the Enda River gives a clear impression of how secnic the whole San-in Rail line is in Shimane and Yamaguchi.

Up ahead, the beach runs up to the Unohana Peninsula, and on the other side of the peninsula my destination.

The peninsula is home to a group of kofun, burial mounds, some quite large. Obviously important people of the area. The tombs date to the  6th and 7th centuries and the chambers are lined with stones in the  style of north Kyushu and Korea.

After visiting the Toda Hachimangu, I arrive at Tsuda. The station name is Iwami Tsuda to distinguish it from another Tsuda up country.

Walking through the village to the station I came upon this quite remarkable collection of "folk art".

Obviously a beachcomber who makes whimsical sculptures and characters out of driftwood and rope, and plastic bouys of various sizes....

I came back here a few years later and his collection had expanded...

One more stop at the shrine next to the station....

The previous post was on Toda Hachimangu Shrine that I had stopped in at.

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Passing by Masuda

 

After exploring the abandoned Love Hotel, I carried on along the beach road towards Masuda.

I stopped in and had a coffee at a beach cafe. Last time I stopped here, it was a ramshackle place; now all modern and brand-spanking-new.

Looking up the coast towards where I will be tomorrow. The high point on the left is Mount Taima, somwhere I recently posted on. here a delightful garden,  and here, the shrine to hemp.

The sole wind generator has been there for ages, right at the mouth of the Takatsu River....

Not sure what this plant is called in Japanese.....but I know it as Ice Plant...

The long stretch of beach continues on towards Masuda,

Lots and lots of concrete used in various ways to "protect" the coast...

I became fascinated by the patterns made by the waves against such brutal geometry.

Once on the outskirts of Masuda I passed by two small Inari shrines.

They were both company shrines. Many businesses have their own private shrines for success in business, and Inari seems to be the kami of choice, at least here in Masuda.

Downtown Masuda comes into view. I carry straight on up the coast and do not head into the town.

First I cross the Takatsu River, and then the smaller Masuda River....

The previous post was on the abandoned Love Hotel.

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Abandoned Love Hotel

 

Right on the beach in front of Iwami Hagi Airport stands an abandoned hotel.

The main building is standard 5-storey structure and was a regular hotel. However, attached to it was also a Love Hotel, I suspect operated by the same company. I believe the Love Hotel stayed in business longer than the main hotel

I dont remember ever seeing it open, suggesting it has been closed for some years.

The 2nd and 3rd photos show inside what appears to be the Love Hotel's managers' living space.

The first of the rooms I explored just seemed like a fairly standar room.... nothing exotic...

The price list suggested there were several classes of room though...

Certainly the next one I explored was larger and with more facilities....

A karaoke machine and specialized furniture were available... Another abandoned Love Hotel I explored near Matsue, and then yet another near Yamaguchi.

The previous post was on the walk here along the Kohama Coast....

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Kohama Coast to Sanrigahama Coast

 

Toda is a fairly large village at the western end of Kohama Beach. Big enough to have a Junior High School, as well as an Elementary school.

It only has a tiny fishing harbour, so I am guessing it is primarily based around agriculture. It is, like everywhere else, on the Japanese coast, well protected against the sea by concrete fortifications.

On my way out of the village, I stopped in at the village shrine, a fairly standard Hachiman Shrine with nothing special to see and no signboard with info. Actually, at some point, I crossed the boundary into Kiami.

The road continues alongside the beach for quite a way....

Kannon Rock is apparently a popular sunset photo spot. There are countless rocks that share the name Kannon Rock. Some have a resemblance to the Goddess of Mercy, Kannon. Many, like this one, do not

The cormorants seem to spend a lot of time here, judging by the amount of guano....

Now Sanrigahama Beach begins....

Sanrigahama Park has this large stone sculpture. Seems to have been influenced by Stonehenge. Up ahead an abandoned resort hotel.....

The previous post in this series on day 33 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage was on the scenic Ebisu Shrine in Todakohama.

if you would like to subscribe by email just leave your email address in the comments below. It will not be published and made public. I post new content almost everyday, and send out an email about twice a month with short descriptions and links to the last ten posts.