Matt's Blog

either way

On the last Monday of my summer holiday I went exploring with my mate Mitch and the “Geos chicks”, our female mates Jodi and Tracie. Our first stop was Cow’s Tail Waterfall (牛尾の滝), an impressive cascade backed by a red rock wall with a small Shinto shrine nearby. We explored a little despite the relatively pointless abunai! (danger!) signs over-running the area.

chillin’Naka-gawadip spot

Our next stop was the nearby Naka River. After navigating our way down to the rocky riverbed we set off for the water dressed in swimwear and thongs. Once we’d jumped into the swift current we made our way to calm water and rocks to climb on the other side. The thongs came in handy returning since we had to walk back a fair way.

peekabooold schooloverhead

Following the refreshing dip we detoured to take in Kakurin-ji, a temple of the Shikoku pilgrimage. We entered the well-kept grounds after passing wooden cranes guarding the entrance gate. Within another intricately carved crane stood before a towering 3-tiered pagoda. The detailed woodwork reliefs on the temple tower were awesome. Even Mitch,  generally not known for his appreciation of temples shall I say, was impressed by the caftsmanship and aesthetic appeal of the ‘o-tera’.

pagoda beamcraningeaves

morning dip

new tentWe recently went on a camping trip out into the mountains to try out our new tent. After much driving we stumbled upon a vacant campground in a small village. We soon had the Coleman 4-5 person tent erected in some shade by a cool, clear running stream.

swim-holeWe were just about ready to eat our dinner when a small accident occurred. While I was facing the other way serving pasta, Syd touched the gas burner. “Itai, itai!” (it hurts, it hurts!), the poor little guy cried for the next half hour or so. Fortunately the burn wasn’t so bad to cause a blister.

to concreteThe next morning after a good sleep in the spacious tent I took a walk upstream. Unfortunately it wasn’t possible to go far; concrete dam walls blocked the passage into the steep-sided valley.

roadside fallFollowing breakfast we went down to the stream. There was a small swimming hole between two boulders. It was possible to swim under the boulder on the left to enter it. Behind the boulders was a small waterfall. Someone had attached a rope above the fall so it was possible to climb to the top of it and then jump back into the pool. It was rather fun even though the water was a tad nippy.

fall from farAfter we’d cleared up and had a dip we set off for the coast. First we had to go even deeper into the mountains. As we entered a forest a female wild boar darted across the road and up the slope, clearly startled by us. A scenic waterfall surrounded by lush vegetation cascaded off the side of the road.

fall up closeDeeper into the mountains the road passed by some spectacular waterfalls. While the boys were asleep, Yoko and I took a walk down a steep staircase to view the magnificent waterfall,Ogama-no-taki, up close. The peace didn’t last long; when we returned to the car both boys were awake and crying.

usWe passed through an unusual tunnel blasted through rock but not sealed with concrete. Another spectacular fall, Otodoroki-no-taki, soon appeared. Civilisation reappeared as we passed through the secluded town of Kisawa.

see the lightFrom Kisawa the drive took us deeper into the mountains it seemed, even though we were heading for the coast. As the road wound and wound alongside a river through forest everybody gradually became sleepy. The boys fell asleep first, soon followed by Yoko. By the time we emerged into a wider valley with a straighter road I was getting worried we would have to find a spot to stop before I nodded off too.

tandem fallsBy the time we reached the coast it was time for lunch. After a bit of searching we chanced upon a tiny cafe-restaurant run by a friendly lady. There were toys there for the boys to play with, the servings were generous and the food was delicious. We were made to feel very welcome at Welcome (the shop’s name).

off road fallsIn the afternoon we went shopping for supplies to camp another night. After the boys had created havoc in a local supermarket, we went to the beach. The weather gradually deteriorated while we swam. While I was washing sand off Syd’s face, a freak wave appeared and broke over us. I held Syd tightly, high above my head but he still went underwater too. It was a bit of a shock for both of us, I think.

windyThunder boomed, lightning flashed and the heavens opened up. The rain continued to bucket down as we made our way back to the car. We decided that camping would not be much fun in this weather so we set off for home. It was still quite a long drive though so on the way we stopped and cooked dinner in a small shelter for pilgrims by the coast. By the time we got home we were all quite exhausted but satisfied from our little adventure.

Here are some pics from my first days of my new side business (?) as a guide. Thanks to my mate Jodi and her lovely family for being my first clients .

We spent our first day together in the mountains of Kamiyama. First we hiked Mt Oawa where we viewed some installation art set in the natural surroundings. On the way down we passed through the old shrine of the mountain.

After a noodle lunch at the nearby onsen restaurant we went to Shosan-ji, temple no. 13 of Shikoku’s 88-temple pilgrimage. We completed the day with a steep hike to the spectacular Amagoi waterfall. Respect to Jodi’s mum, Vera who endured the tough trek with blisters!

After our trip into the mountains I decided to take Jodi and her family down the coast for their second sightseeing venture. Our first stop was a deserted beach off the Skyline Road that runs between Hiwasa and Mugi. The water was ideal - we could have stayed in for hours!

After our swim we went further south to the Kaifu River mouth in the hope of (me) doing some surfing. Once again, as for much of this summer to date, there were no waves. My friends, Chris, Yusuke and Kana had all also made the trip south in search of waves only to be disappointed. We met them at the nearby bakery and bought our lunch.

From the bakery we headed inland and upriver to a swimming hole. We had a picnic lunch under a bridge while Yusuke, Kana and chris jumped from it. We also took a dip but only for a short time as the water was noticeably colder than the ocean. On our way back to Tokushima we made a quick stop in Hiwasa at Yakuo-ji, another temple of the Shikoku Pilgrimage.

Thanks Jodi, Katie, Vera and Terry for coming along. I had a great time hanging out with you guys!