- 2023.10.23
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Ride along the Pacific Ocean to the sea god shrine
The road that runs along the clifftops of the Ashizuri Peninsula in southwestern Kochi makes for an epic bicycle ride. Even if you’re not an experienced cyclist, no worries! Many hotels in Tosashimizu City offer E-bike rentals and free cycling maps for easy navigation (see the link at the end for details)
I picked up a few lunch items at a local supermarket in central Tosashimizu City to enjoy later, and embarked on the approximately 9-kilometer journey to Ryugu Shrine! The ocean views along the way were already breathtaking, but it got even more beautiful when I arrived at the shrine. The fiery red torii gate contrasted beautifully with the bright blue sky and ocean on this sunny day, making it impossible not to snap away on my phone. This shrine is dedicated to a sea god, so fishermen have long visited to pray for safe voyages and successful catches
Ryugu Shrine is also very close to the small yet charming fishing port of Matsuo, which is certainly worth a visit. This area was once filled with bustling factories that produced sodabushi (dried frigate tuna)–an ingredient central to much of Japanese cuisine. Matsuo’s booming years may be in the past, but there are still remnants of its heyday, including the gorgeous Yoshifuku family residence from the Meiji Period (1868 - 1912), whose owner ran a successful shipping company at the time. The beautifully-preserved Japanese-style house is generally open to the public so come see it for yourself!
Ryugu Shrine
https://maps.app.goo.gl/8K2TpyXYMeXVsP687
Yoshifuku family residence
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Afn3nNWUzSwtnfU47
We recommend calling 0880-88-0062 to double check the building is open before you visit
Learn more about exploring Tosashimizu on E-bike: https://shimizu-kankou.com/e-bike/
Cape Ashizuri is worth visiting too: https://visitkochijapan.com/en/see-and-do/10033
I picked up a few lunch items at a local supermarket in central Tosashimizu City to enjoy later, and embarked on the approximately 9-kilometer journey to Ryugu Shrine! The ocean views along the way were already breathtaking, but it got even more beautiful when I arrived at the shrine. The fiery red torii gate contrasted beautifully with the bright blue sky and ocean on this sunny day, making it impossible not to snap away on my phone. This shrine is dedicated to a sea god, so fishermen have long visited to pray for safe voyages and successful catches
Ryugu Shrine is also very close to the small yet charming fishing port of Matsuo, which is certainly worth a visit. This area was once filled with bustling factories that produced sodabushi (dried frigate tuna)–an ingredient central to much of Japanese cuisine. Matsuo’s booming years may be in the past, but there are still remnants of its heyday, including the gorgeous Yoshifuku family residence from the Meiji Period (1868 - 1912), whose owner ran a successful shipping company at the time. The beautifully-preserved Japanese-style house is generally open to the public so come see it for yourself!
Ryugu Shrine
https://maps.app.goo.gl/8K2TpyXYMeXVsP687
Yoshifuku family residence
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Afn3nNWUzSwtnfU47
We recommend calling 0880-88-0062 to double check the building is open before you visit
Learn more about exploring Tosashimizu on E-bike: https://shimizu-kankou.com/e-bike/
Cape Ashizuri is worth visiting too: https://visitkochijapan.com/en/see-and-do/10033
