Dance with sharks in Japan's most beautiful sunset town, Hiratai, Hawaii, the closest to Tokyo!

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😀

We found a place that is even more niche than Choshi, and it has a very rare “southern island” style. It's right next to Tokyo, and it's a “California” style town with diving, shark watching, a seaside station, the best view of Diamond Fuji, and one of the best sunsets in Japan.

Having said that, I don't know if you have guessed the city yet? That's right, it's the city of Tateyama, which is next to Tokyo in the South Room General.

Where is Tateyama City? Like Choshi, Tateyama City is in Chiba Prefecture, but unlike Choshi, Tateyama is at the southern end of the Boso Peninsula.

If you don't have any idea about Boso Peninsula, you can remember it like this: on both sides of Tokyo Bay, one side near Kanagawa is Miura Peninsula, and the other side near Chiba is Boso Peninsula.

Boso Peninsula is quite fun, many friends in Tokyo, are going to go here to drive, the big ring road small ring road are quite interesting. Note that even the day off try not to go on a driving tour, Tokyo people casually diffuse out a little, this circle traffic jam can be jammed to you doubt life!

Back to Tateyama City, history, before the Meiji era, Tateyama City and Minami-Fusa General City, Sawanamachi, Kamogawa City, a city called Yasufusa State.

The reason why we talked about Miura Peninsula is that it is close to the sea, and the winds and waves are relatively small, which made it a “shortcut” to escape during the Warring States period. In the Battle of Yuki, Yoshimitsu Satomi escaped from Sagami to this area in a small boat, and took root here until the Second Battle of Kokufutai, when this area was almost under the administration of the central government of Japan. However, it may be true that the Satomi clan had been in power for too long, and that the Satomi clan was eventually demoted and the clan was cut off because it did not listen to the Shogunate's orders. (This is all beside the point, so we'll just interject a little bit, and those who are interested can look it up)

It is also because of this history, Takizawa Makin wrote what is known as Japan's “Water Margin” - “South General Satomi eight dog biography”, but this book is too long, now basically no one to see, Takizawa Makin, the big brother of this brother wrote 28 years, put today is a proper Japanese manga serialization of the big brother.

Today, Tateyama is a small town in the southern part of Tokyo Bay, with an average temperature of 16 °C (60 °F), a warm climate, and a small town full of West Coast flavor.

2. Is Tateyama fun?

Before evaluating whether it's fun or not, let's start with a set of pictures.

This place, like Choshi, which we talked about before, is one of those off-the-wall type of fun places that those who like it will love, and those who don't will be taken out of even normal off-duty dining establishments and stomped on furiously. So, if you want a very good service and support experience, then maybe Tateyama is almost interesting; but if you want a place that is not so crowded and a good place to watch the sunset, dive and see the sea, then Tateyama can be put in your own travel plan.

🤗 Tateyama Station

This is probably one of the main modes of transportation that people use to get to Tateyama, and it's not because of the story of the electric railway here that this place can be the first attraction.

It's purely because there is a road right in front of the station here that leads straight to the beach, and from inside the station you can see the azure sea, palm trees on both sides and small white-walled, red-roofed houses, instantly pulling you to California on the west coast of the United States.

🤗 Kitajo Coast

A five-minute walk from Tateyama Station on the JR Uchibo Line will bring you to the longest coastline in Tateyama City, the Hojo Coast. Because of this coastline, Tateyama City is known as the city with the most beautiful sunset.

Tateyama Bay, facing the Kitajo Coast, is as calm as a mirror, and is also known as “Kirigaura”. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Fuji from a distance, and the sunset over Fuji is one of the best! From May to July every year, you have a chance to see the “Diamond Fuji”, and many people take pictures of it.

Diamond Fuji: This refers to the fact that the setting sun just overlaps Mt. Fuji, as if forming a gorgeous, eye-catching diamond set on top of Mt. Fuji.

🤗 Sunset Bridge

Of course, you can't see Diamond Fuji in this month, but don't feel like it's no fun to go there. There's a super Netflix hangout on the Boso Peninsula, Okamoto Stacks Bridge, where you can take pictures of the same thing, and it's not nearly as crowded as the other side of Okamoto Stacks Bridge.

Tateyama's trestle bridge is the longest trestle bridge in Japan, with a 500-meter walk from the beach to the trestle bridgehead, and it is used by large cruise ships, high-speed jet boats, and sightseeing boats in the middle of the sea. In the center of the bridge is a lovely blue statue that represents the blue light emitted by fireflies in the sea when they are courting, and it is also a “Lovers' Sanctuary” in Tateyama City～.

There is a white building next to the trestle bridge, the “Juko Museum,” which features an exhibition of paintings by Dr. Fish (Sakanakan), the mascot of Tateyama, as well as other merchandise and displays related to shipbuilding and fishing on the Boso Peninsula, which are all available for browsing.

🤗 Tateyama Castle

As I mentioned above, Tateyama was famous during the Warring States period, so naturally, there was a castle here.

Tateyama Castle, like many other temples, was the residence of the Satomi clan during the Warring States period, and was the setting for the famous Japanese story “The Legend of Satomi Hachibana”. Tateyama Castle overlooks the entire Tateyama Bay. Unlike other rough bays, there are no big waves here, and the sunlight shimmers like a mirror reflecting the sunlight, which is why it is called “Kirigaura” (mirror-gaura).

At night, it is also a good place to see the night view and the starry sky.

The main reason why we didn't talk about the “Legend of the Eight Dogs,” which we mentioned above, is that this is not only a castle, but also a museum of the “Legend of the Eight Dogs”. The Eight Dogs legend is about eight young men who, because of fate, gathered under Satomi's door to fight for the protection of Satomi's family, and were called the “Eight Dogs” because of the word “dog” in their names. The first time I watched this episode, I thought it looked super familiar, isn't this Digital Treasure?

Shiroyama Park, where the entire Tateyama City is located, is also a good place to take a walk. Inside the park, plums, cherry blossoms, azaleas, daffodils, and camellias are planted, and the seasonal landscapes are colorful and rich, with different seasonal pleasures for flower viewing, and it is one of the famous cherry blossom viewing spots in Tateyama. (Tateyama is also called Flower Town because of the mild weather and the endless flowers throughout the year.)

🤗 Okinoshima Park

Okinoshima Island is an uninhabited island floating in Tateyama Bay, with a circumference of only 1 kilometer. It was once an uninhabited island facing the sea on all sides, but due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, the island has been connected to the land and is now directly accessible on foot!

The sea water is extremely transparent and you can observe about 30 species of coral in the northernmost sea in the world, making it an excellent snorkeling spot. Walking around the island enables you to observe caves and southern plants.

🤗 Shark Fort

When it comes to diving, you have to mention Shark Fort and Shusaki Shrine in Tateyama.

Most of the sharks inhabiting this area are wrinkle-lipped sharks and red rays, as well as many moray eels, groupers, sheepshead rumblers, etc. Rare sharks such as whisker sharks can be seen occasionally. These sharks are small and not dangerous to humans, and will wear around like a pack of dogs to get close to you. When you look up, the sharks and rays look like a tornado, and the view is spectacular.

There are two floats on the east and west sides of the dive site, the depth of the dive site is about 23-25m, when you dive, you need to follow the dive rope of the floats to reach the bottom, then you will see hundreds of sharks. There are not many dive sites to see sharks in Japan, but there is a Hammerhead shark dive site in Miura, which is also very famous.

🤗 Suzaki Shrine

We've talked a lot about water shrines, but there's probably only one underwater shrine in all of Japan, Suzaki Shrine in Hazama Kaihin Park.

This shrine was built in 1997 as a branch of “Suzaki Shrine” in Tateyama City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The torii (the red pillar that looks like a pagoda) of the shrine is located 18 meters below the sea, and the whole shrine is 12 meters below the sea. Since it is in the middle of the sea, the shrine is not accessible to ordinary people, and only divers can visit it.

It is a shrine for praying for the prevention of accidents on the beach and in the water. In addition to divers, there is also a guardian of the shrine, Yoriko (Asian sheepshead), which is more than 30 years old and is the star fish of the area, and many people go there to see the shrine in the water and to look for it.

🤗 Awa Shrine

Awa Shrine is the highest shrine in the Awa area, founded in the first year of Emperor Jimmu's reign, and its regular festival is held on August 10th. The shrine is divided into Uenomiya and Shimonomiya. It is said to be very effective in praying for business prosperity and academic advancement, and many people visit the shrine on New Year's Day and Setsubun. During the cherry blossom season, the Yoshino cherry blossoms on both sides of the Samen-do Road form a magnificent sea of blossoms in full bloom.

🤗 Dafu Temple

There is a Kannon Hall built on the cliff, dedicated to the eleven-faced Kannon Bodhisattva, which is called “Cliff Kannon” because it is built on the cliff. This statue of Guanyin was carved directly on the rock wall in 717 A.D. in order to pray for the safety of local fishermen at sea and a good fishery, and it is now a tangible cultural property designated by Guanshan City. Inside, you can worship and pray. Remember to throw in a 5 yen coin when you pray, because 5 yen in Japanese is pronounced as omotenashi, which means “fate”. Then ring the bell, clap your hands and pray. From the vermillion-colored Kannon Hall, you can enjoy a stunning view of Tateyama Bay.

🤗 Nojima Saki Light Station

I don't know if this place rings a bell, but in July, a female tourist was swept away by a wave while swimming off the coast of Shirahama, Shimoda City, Shizuoka Prefecture, and was later found in the sea about 11 kilometers south of Nojimasaki Lighthouse. (She is fine.)

Choshi has Inuyasha Saki, and so does Nojima Saki.

Nojimasaki Lighthouse is built at the southernmost tip of Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture. The large 29-meter-high lighthouse has an octagonal shape. It is one of the first eight Western-style lighthouses in Japan. It was built by a French technician and has been in use since it was lit in 1869. It has been registered as a national tangible cultural asset and selected as one of the “Top 50 Lighthouses in Japan”. From Nojimasaki of the lighthouse, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean and the beautiful scenery of the Izu Islands. Inside the lighthouse, there is a spiral staircase and a lighthouse information exhibition hall, commonly known as the “Kirarin Hall,” which introduces the history, function, and role of Nojima Saki Lighthouse. Of course, since it is the southernmost point of Boso Peninsula, you can watch the sunrise and sunset. Another important reason why this place is famous is that it is a mecca for stargazing in summer in Japan.

🤗 Aloha Garden Tateyama

In Japan, there is a special attraction that is not enough, the park will come to make up for it. Aloha Garden Tateyama (アロハガーデンたてやま) is a vacation paradise with a collection of botanical gardens and zoos.

As soon as you walk into the park, you will feel the strong southern flavor of the park. 11 connected greenhouses, up to 300 meters long, and a large greenhouse up to 20 meters high, planted with hundreds of tropical and sub-tropical plants are gathered here, the variety of plants and the size of the greenhouses is a real eye-opener.

Walking out of the greenhouse towards the animal area of the park, you will see the star animal, the Capybara, a herbivore native to South America, with a super cute appearance and gentle personality, loved by children and adults. There is also a goat, which is very nice.

3、How to get to Tateyama?

Transportation here is a bit easier, just go to Chiba station from Tokyo, then take the Uchibo line and get off at Tateyama station.

💡

Finally, it's still important to say that the Onomichi, Choshi, and Tateyama that we wrote about are unconventional and popular travel destinations, and don't have as much support and play in their own right as the bigger places haha. If you go, you must consider your acceptance, basically all the Japanese countryside, are in this style. One more thing, try to go on a sunny day and schedule 2 days～.