Get refreshed by going on a trip to Kumano Kodo Mihama in Mie.
"Why don't we take some time off to relax in the great outdoors? It’s been a while," suggested my husband. Since both of us had been busy with work for several months, we decided to visit Dorokyo Gorge in Mie. It might have been a spur-of-the-moment decision, but the approximately three-hour drive was just about right for us, as we live in Osaka.
Arriving at Dorokyo Gorge. Be one with nature on a kayak.
When we arrived at the spot, we headed out to go kayaking at the gorge, the highlight of our trip. When we saw the pictures of its blue waters, we got so excited! We felt that if there was one place we had to visit, it was this very place, so we made a reservation right away. Note, too, that the kayaks can be rented, so you can just go there empty-handed as long as you wear clothes you don’t mind getting wet.
Apart from kayaking, you can also enjoy stand up paddle-boarding (SUP) here. "People tend to assume that SUP is something you do standing up, but a visitor I was guiding the other day was just lying down the whole time," said our guide. Imagine being able to do that, too. I thought it truly is a perfect place to relax in the great outdoors.
The mystical cobalt blue waters, the lush greenery, and the magical rocks. Taking a deep breath while enveloped by the beauty of nature cleared and refreshed my mind and body.
The mystical cobalt blue waters, the lush greenery, and the magical rocks. Taking a deep breath while enveloped by the beauty of nature cleared and refreshed my mind and body.
"Although the river is so beautiful and the current is calm, there are still very few people who enjoy playing in the water. We also have a sightseeing boat, and I hope that there will be more ways to enjoy Dorokyo Gorge in the future," said our guide. We were already looking forward to our next visit and trying out some other activities like SUP.
Feeling hungry, we asked our guide for his recommendation, and he told us that sushi is the local dish in the area. Since we had a lot of time in our trip, we decided to try out some of the restaurants.
Well-known but to the few. The rare sushi.
The first restaurant we visited was "Tohochaya," founded in 1947. We ordered the 30-year-old "narezushi" which is said to be a rare dish that can only be found here. Narezushi is a type of sushi that is made by fermenting salted fish and rice. After 30 years of fermentation, though, its appearance becomes liquid. Feeling somewhat nervous, I took a bite and it tasted like nukazuke (ice bran pickles). It was rich in flavor and surprisingly, it didn’t have any strong flavor! Many European tourists have been visiting this restaurant in the past few years, and because of their familiarity with cheese, they are apparently loving narezushi that has been fermented for a number of years.
"For narezushi beginners, I suggest starting from lightly fermented dishes that are easy on the palate. If you like funazushi ( fermented carp sushi ), I recommend the dishes that have been fermented over a long period of time," he said, and then asked what we would like to have. He responded to our request with a smile.
Matsubara added, "People have an impression that this region is famous for narezushi made with saury fish. In reality, though, we get a lot of fresh ayu fish in this region, so we’ve been making narezushi with ayu since we started our business. We started making saury fish narezushi afterward. If you visit us, I recommend you try the ayu fish!"
Matsubara added, "People have an impression that this region is famous for narezushi made with saury fish. In reality, though, we get a lot of fresh ayu fish in this region, so we’ve been making narezushi with ayu since we started our business. We started making saury fish narezushi afterward. If you visit us, I recommend you try the ayu fish!"
The artisanal taste loved by the local community.
Our next stop was "Jofuku-zushi," which is famous for its saury fish sushi. It is a long-established restaurant that enjoys great support from the locals who claim, "This is the place to go when it comes to saury fish sushi!" When I asked the owner what was the secret behind the delicious taste of the restaurant’s specialty, he told me that it was the "amount of salt removed" during the process. It takes skill honed over many years to be able to control the amount of salt removed. The process is time-consuming and labor-intensive, so the taste will never be the same when made at home.
Enjoying the little things that bring happiness during your travels.
With our stomachs full, we headed to and checked into our hotel. When we entered our room, we found that we had an ocean view. Lucky us! We decided to wake up early the following morning and go see the sunrise, which made the trip even more enjoyable.
So, on the next day, we woke up a bit early and went to the beach in front of the hotel.
So, on the next day, we woke up a bit early and went to the beach in front of the hotel.
Although my days are busy and hectic with work, the fact that I can live each day without changes may be the happiest thing after all. But by having a favorite "BASE" in mind where you can commune with nature, your mind and body will feel so much lighter.
As we watched the sunrise, my husband and I promised each other we would come back to this place. It was a trip that became a wonderful memory, including the moment we spent blending with the beautiful scenery.
