Today was the last day of a very long and relaxed New Year holiday. Tod & I did just about nothing all week. We puttered around the house, made meals, and played with the cats. We missed midnight. Haven’t been to a temple yet. I didn’t even see friends’ Line greetings until today.
This morning we decided to escape the house and go out for lunch (Tod was craving aji fry) and ended up taking a walk afterwards in a place we’d never been: Moriya Beach in Katsuura.
The beach itself is utterly lovely with smooth sand sloping gently into a moon-shaped bay. The old houses along the shore road are elevated and protected by high walls. The ends of the crescent are rocky cliffs, tide pools, and fishermen. Offshore, tiny Wata Island features a tori gate and shrine.
But best of all are the caves.
Araguma cave was discovered by a high school student in 1924 according to the sign erected at its entrance. Or maybe this is a cave where a lord of the Mitsumine clan went to hid when his castle fell many centuries prior? Either way, it’s marked with a statue now. We walked back into its 30 meter depth to admire the stone formations and found dripping water and shiny veins of crystals forming.
The entire cliff side is dotted with small and large caves. Through a hand-carved tunnel are places to fish and wave-fed pools to catch little crabs, which one boy was doing with delight while his parents had their lines in the deeper water.
Tod & I enjoyed the sea air and the chance to explore unknown territory for a little while. It was stunning. The rocks were flat and mostly dry. The tide was out. It was ideal.
I returned from the cave with my shoes off in the sand along the shore. It felt good to be barefooted and supported by the sun-warmed damp sand. I let some waves splash my ankles. I met a fat beagle, PoPo, who allowed me stroke her ears then asked for more.
And when we arrived back at the parking area, I sat on the sea wall to let my feet dry. I closed my eyes and the sun and wind and waves overcome my senses. I had a sensation of floating like a yoga guru on a strange trip. Even recognising that I was feeling it didn’t stop the illusion. That was an unexpected gift.
For over 25 years in Japan, our New Year adventures have been a favorite highlight and I am deeply appreciative that we had this one.
