A little of each town’s story
Kagawa, Ehime & Tokyo
Kotohira-gu Shrine (Konpira-san)
A shrine on the eastern slope of Mt. Zozu, affectionately known as Konpira-san. The main shrine enshrines Omononushi-no-kami and Emperor Sutoku, and it has long been worshipped as a guardian of seafarers. The stone steps climb 785 steps to the main shrine and 1,368 to the inner shrine. The Ouka-sai cherry blossom festival is held every year on April 10.
892-1 Kotohira, Nakatado District, Kagawa
Sources: konpira.or.jp
This moment in the journey
The long stone steps of Konpira-san
Next, Kotohira-gu Shrine in Kotohira, western Kagawa. Known affectionately since long ago as "Sanuki's Konpira-san," it enshrines a god of the sea. It's famous for the long, long stone steps of its approach: 785 of them to the main shrine.
Souvenir shops lined both sides of the steps. One had a sign hanging out front: "Cold drinks available!" Looking back, I could see the town and the mountains beyond the rooftops.
Cherry blossoms bloomed by the stone lanterns, and I climbed on toward a bronze torii hung with a banner reading "Shiawase-san. Konpira-san." The higher I went, the wider the Sanuki plain spread below. When the blossoms are at their peak, you can enjoy them while strolling the main approach, the back approach and the shrine garden. The beauty of the spring grounds blew away all the fatigue of those endless steps.
Watch this scene on YouTube6:06
More notes from this journey
Mitoyo (Mt. Shiude)
Mt. Shiudeyama
At 352 meters, the highest peak on the Shonai Peninsula.
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Hirakiyama Park
A park at the top of Mt.
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Mitoyo (Mt. Shiude)
Chichibugahama Beach
A shallow beach stretching about a kilometer.
From: Chasing the cherry blossoms across spring Japan
Kagawa, Ehime & Tokyo
Tokyo's cherry blossom spots
Ueno Onshi Park has cherries from kanzakura blooming in February to Kanzan at its best in mid-to-late April, and draws close to 3.3 million visits in the blosso…
From: Chasing the cherry blossoms across spring Japan
Kagawa, Ehime & Tokyo
Tokyo's Sakurazaka slopes
On the slope I walked in Akasaka and Roppongi, the marker post says the road was laid in the mid-Meiji era and named for a large cherry tree that stood at its f…
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Kagawa, Ehime & Tokyo
Honetsukidori, Marugame's bone-in chicken
A bone-in chicken leg roasted in an oven, a dish rarely found elsewhere in Japan.
From: Chasing the cherry blossoms across spring Japan
More notes from Kanto
Kamogawa, Chiba
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Namero is a Chiba specialty handed down along the coast of the Boso Peninsula.
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Kamogawa, Chiba
Sauce yakisoba
A staple of summer festival stalls.
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Kamogawa, Chiba
Grilled seafood skewers
The taste of the festival stall, on a small charcoal grill on the veranda.
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Kamakura, Kanagawa
A little Kamakura drinking set
At the farmers' market near Kamakura Station, growers from around Kamakura sell "Kamakura vegetables," many varieties in small quantities, grown with as little…
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Kamakura, Kanagawa
Kenchin-jiru
A soup of root vegetables and tofu, sautéed in oil before simmering.
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Kamakura, Kanagawa
Kamakura morning set with grilled dried fish
Kenchin-jiru made with Kamakura vegetables, with dried fish from the market shop grilled alongside.
From: A Kamakura-vegetable breakfast and a walk on Enoshima