Japan Travel Guide - Kii Peninsula

Asia Eastern Asia

The soul of Japan

Just south of Osaka, hanging down into the Pacific like a giant earthen earlobe, lies the soul of Japan, the Kii Peninsula. Within the region is the fountainhead of Japan’s culture - a living time capsule that links every Japanese in a brotherly bondage.

At the top of the Kii are the two great ancient cultural and religious centers of Kyoto and Nara, usually all that the Westerners see of this culture-rich region. Near the bottom of the peninsula is the gorgeous resort area of Shirahama Spa and Mio Mura, the original source of immigration to Canada.

The greatest temples and the most cherished shrines were located in Kyoto because it was inland and surrounded on three sides by mountains. During the periods of constant civil wars it remained Japan’s most secure enclave. It was the capital of Japan for almost 1100 years beginning in 795.

Nara, to the south, is only 45 minutes away by train. It was the focal point for cultural activity beginning around 710 when the city was then called Heijo (Citadel of Peace). It was from there that Buddhism blossomed and today it’s where the great Buddha, The Todai-Ji, sits - 16 meters high, looking down with open arms to those who visit.

But, to see the heart of this area, take a train from Osaka to the south of the peninsula along the coast, past hills of orange groves, small villages, countless coves and shoreline inlets. Eventually, you arrive in Gobo. From there it’s short drive by cab into the village of Mio Mura, from whence the first immigrant came to Canada.

Population and growth in Mio Mura is strictly controlled. It’s a living museum site of about 2000 population. The only obvious evidence of 20th century incursion is the one road splitting the village and winding up the hill to the lighthouse that marks the entrance into Osaka Bay.

From a rocky point that juts out on the south side of the sheltered cove that fronts the village you can survey the surroundings. Below the rocks, in the middle of the cove, divers come to the surface gasping air while depositing the cut of seaweed tips into a small, wooden punt.

They’re diving for wakame - a black, noodle-like seaweed harvested in the harbor. When dried in the sun it becomes a very tasty dish. Other seaweed, called funoli, is also harvested here. When it dries it turns white and is used commercially in shampoo and glue.

On the shore, shrimp boats line the foreground of the village - bows pointing seaward just below the village itself where it seems as though nothing has changed for centuries. It’s a bit like walking into the movie set of Shogun. Narrow “streets” barely accommodate two people shoulder to shoulder, the drying seaweed in racks and on the beach, the temple and the Shrine, seem to have compressed centuries of time.

The first immigrant to North America, Manzo Nagano, traveled in 1878 to Vancouver. Because of that and because of the numbers of villagers who have since lived in Canada and along the west coast of the United States, Mio is often called American Village, and often listed that way on tourist maps.

At the top of the hill, just above the lighthouse, is a small hotel. Attached to it is a permanent museum display commemorative of Japanese emigration to Canada. In front are two flags, Canadian and Japanese, inside is a collection of tools and artifacts used by the first settlers on the west coast.

From the same rocky point that allows you to watch the sleepy village, with its centuries-old lifestyle, you can see across the expanse of ocean to Shirahama-Spa further down the coast. The spa is an incredible jewel of a place, glittering in its freshness and the good taste of its hotels, with the seeming limitless graciousness from everyone, door-openers to hotel managers.

The contrast between the two places reflects the multi-layered complexities of modern Japan. What Mio Mura offers in centuries-old atmosphere, Shirahama-Spa with its combination of white sand beaches, rugged rock formations, and magnificently clean hotels, allows you to luxuriate in traditional styles. Shirahama has the entertainment, luxury living and relaxation you expect from any top resort area. The downtown centre has countless shops and good restaurants, though hotels provide breakfast and supper as part of the tariff. There is a long, white sand beach, boat excursions to view the coral and divers.

Further along the coast are resorts at Wakanoura, Ryujin, Tsubaki and Katsura, though Shirahama is recognized as one of the best spas in all Japan. And scattered throughout the peninsula are ethnological treasures, temples, shrines and rugged physical beauty.

Like all great adventures, finding the essence of Japan’s culture has pitfalls - mainly language difficulties. But touring the Kii is worth every moment of linguistic insecurity and the countless mistakes you’ll make along the way. It is, simply, the real Japan - the one you thought you’d never find.

Author : Ray Chatelin and Toshi Chatelin