The rugged coastline of the Miura Peninsula, Kanagawa.
It’s mid-November and yet I have just returned from a morning stroll to grab coffee, dressed in shorts and a tshirt. I can’t exactly remember if November has always been this mild, but I am certainly not complaining. The sun is shining, and I am happy to make to most of this weather, however long it chooses to last.
Yesterday was just as nice, and so on the tip-off from a work colleague, Miss IKIMASHO! and I took a short day trip out to the Miura Peninsula, famous for its rugged coastline and abundance of maguro, tuna.
After taking the train from Yokohama down to the end of the Keikyu line at Misakiguchi, we boarded a bus bound for Misaki Port, home of the tuna boats that ply the seas for the highly prized fish. But even before we arrived at Misakiguchi station, it felt like we had left the hustle and bustle of city life behind.
On the bus to the port we drove past farmers’ fields, small stalls selling vegetables, and the rusting shutters of shops either not open yet, or never to open again. From here, the bus continued on to Jogashima, an island off the southernmost and western tip of the Miura Peninsula, facing Sagami Bay. Jogashima is actually connected to the mainland by a bridge (the longest of its kind in Asia) and so you don’t even need to take a ferry to get there.
Buses out here come about once an hour, and you do feel the isolation. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Unlike Enoshima, a similarly small yet incredibly busy offshore island near Kamakura, Jogashima and its surrounding villages feels untouched and unheard of. Misaki’s streets and shops give the feeling of being in another time.
Disembarking the bus, we walked up a short lane and the sea quickly opened up before us. The bay was peaceful and quiet, with a few rowing boats bobbing up and down. It was a scene that reminded me of Northern Ireland, more so than Japan. Walking down onto the rocks, we made our way along a sweeping panoramic coastline that featured grassy cliffs, birds soaring overhead, and above all, a peaceful atmosphere. There were no crowds. In fact, hardly any people at all.
Jogashima – and indeed Misaki – are both within easy reach of Tokyo, and yet they feel a million miles away. If you are thinking of a quick escape from the city madness, this is a great place to go.
IKIMASHO! 