About forty rocks of various sizes stand in a line for roughly 850 meters from the Kushimoto shore toward Kii-Oshima. Some fifteen million years ago, volcanic activity pushed rhyolite into layers of mudstone; the softer mudstone was worn away by the waves, leaving the hard rock standing like pillars. The rocks are a national scenic spot and natural monument within Yoshino-Kumano National Park. Legend says that Kobo Daishi, on a wager with a tengu, tried to build a bridge in a single night, and was tricked by an imitation rooster's crow into leaving only the pillars.
Sources: ja.wikipedia.org
This moment in the journey
Hashigui rocks at dusk, and a Kushimoto dinner
In the evening I passed the bus stop in front of Tanami Station and went to the Hashigui rocks. The row of rocks glowed gold in the setting sun, and the sun went down beyond the sea.
For dinner I tried a carpaccio of Kushimoto's local flying fish sashimi and Wakayama citrus. I cut cherry tomatoes, peeled the citrus and took out the segments. Over a bed of leaves I arranged thin slices of flying fish, scattered the citrus and tomatoes on top, and finished it with a special citrus dressing.
The other dish was dried tuna from the roadside station. As it grilled on the wire rack, a savory smell filled the kitchen.
Watch this scene on YouTube8:34
More notes from this journey
Kushimoto, Wakayama
Katsuo chazuke (bonito over rice with hot broth)
Bonito dressed in sauce is laid over rice and eaten with hot broth poured on top.
From: A house in the forest and a southern sea: a day in Kushimoto
Kushimoto, Wakayama
Flying fish and citrus carpaccio
Besides tuna and bonito, Kushimoto's port lands flying fish and saury.
From: A house in the forest and a southern sea: a day in Kushimoto
Kushimoto, Wakayama
Cape Shionomisaki, the southernmost point of Honshu
The southernmost point of Honshu, at 135°46′E, 33°26′N.
From: A house in the forest and a southern sea: a day in Kushimoto
Kushimoto, Wakayama
Kushimoto Marine Park (aquarium and underwater observatory)
An aquarium that recreates the sea of Kushimoto with seawater and creatures from the waters right in front of it.
From: A house in the forest and a southern sea: a day in Kushimoto
Kushimoto, Wakayama
The coral of Kushimoto's sea
The coastal waters of Kushimoto hold the world's northernmost large coral communities.
From: A house in the forest and a southern sea: a day in Kushimoto
Kushimoto, Wakayama
The Turkish Memorial Museum and the Ertugrul
A museum beside the memorial to the Turkish frigate on Kashinozaki, Kii-Oshima, displaying a model of the Ertugrul along with relics, photographs and documents.
From: A house in the forest and a southern sea: a day in Kushimoto
More notes from Kinki
Kyoto City, Kyoto
Kyoto-style ozoni (white miso New Year soup)
Ozoni in and around Kyoto is built on kombu dashi and white miso, with round mochi, taro, carrot and daikon.
From: Making New Year's Eve soba in a Kyoto townhouse
Kyoto City, Kyoto
Osechi (datemaki, red-and-white namasu, decorated kamaboko)
Each osechi dish carries a wish.
From: Making New Year's Eve soba in a Kyoto townhouse
Kyoto City, Kyoto
Toshikoshi soba (nihachi soba)
The custom of eating soba on New Year's Eve is said to have spread among ordinary people in the Edo period.
From: Making New Year's Eve soba in a Kyoto townhouse
Aridagawa, Wakayama
Chestnut rice (kuri gohan)
My first chestnut rice, made with chestnuts I had picked myself.
From: Chestnuts, saury and an autumn feast
Aridagawa, Wakayama
Charcoal-grilled saury with sudachi
Sanma is written 秋刀魚, "autumn sword fish," but that spelling only spread from the Taisho era on; older texts wrote it 青串魚.
From: Chestnuts, saury and an autumn feast
Aridagawa, Wakayama
Wakayama bonito and mandarin carpaccio
In contrast to the lean first bonito of spring, the fish that head south from around September are called modori-gatsuo, returning bonito.
From: Chestnuts, saury and an autumn feast