Cape Ashizuri



Cape Ashizuri (足摺岬 Ashizuri-misaki) is the southernmost point of the island of Shikoku, Japan.

Understand
The cape is a part of the Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park (足摺宇和海国立公園 Ashizuri-Uwakai -kokuritsukōen), and the cliffs here featuring a sparkling white lighthouse are a popular sightseeing point. The small town of Ashizuri lies just north of the cape, at the intersection of two highways. The cape is only a few kilometers away and easily reached on foot along a seaside walking path.

Get in
From the east, there are occasional direct buses from Kochi (4 hr 40 min; ¥4000) and the nearest train station Nakamura (1 hr 30 min). If heading north towards Sukumo, Uwajima and Matsuyama, you will have to take a bus to Tosa-Shimizu and transfer there. Hitchhiking is also a viable option.

With a good road bike, it is possible to bike from Nakamura Station to Cape Ashizuri in about three hours. There are three roads out onto the tip of the Cape. The two coastal roads are relatively flat (and very scenic), but the central road (the aptly named "Skyline") involves a difficult 10-km climb before descending to the Cape.

Get around
All the attractions in the area are concentrated at the tip of the cape and can easily be covered on foot.

See
The cape itself has been turned into a pleasant park of sorts, with wooded paths winding from point to point. Entry is free.


 * Tengu-no-Hana (天狗の鼻, lit. "Tengu's Nose", Tengu are long-nosed half-human half-bird gods) is the main observation point, from where you can contemplate the thousands and thousands of miles of ocean stretching out from here to California.
 * The paths are marked with occasional signs for the rather underwhelming Seven Mysteries (七不思議), including supposedly bottomless wells (drop a coin and see!) and such.
 * A statue of Nakahama "John" Manjirō stands in front of the park; see the box to the right for the story behind it, just waiting to be turned into a Hollywood film. A small museum dedicated to John Manjiro can be found in the village nearby, around 20 min by foot from the statue.
 * Kongōfuku-ji Temple (金剛福寺), on the left side of the road right before the park, is one of the largest temples on the 88 Temple Pilgrimage and worth a visit. Reputedly founded by Kobo Daishi back in 822, most buildings are in fact rather new.

Buy, eat and drink
You can find the usual assemblage of souvenir shops, restaurants and cafes right outside the entrance to the park.

Sleep
The town of Ashizuri has a number of hotels, ryokan and minshuku. Kongofukuji also offers lodging for pilgrims, but beds are limited and bona fide pilgrims have priority over scruffy backpackers.