Travel Guide Shimokita-Hanto

The Shimokita Peninsula lies in the extreme northeast of Honshū. It is axe-shaped and opens to the west into a wide bay, Mutsu-wan Bay, while to the east a long straight coastline faces the Pacific Ocean from north to south. A desolate and uninhabited region, it has a reputation for being inhospitable and especially weather-beaten. Nevertheless, at the center of the Axe Blade, lies Mount Osore-zan, within a volcanic massif considered one of the most sacred places in Japan. To the north of the mountain, Yagen Onsen is located in the hills. To the west, the site of Hotokegaura ("Buddha Bay") is famous for its cliffs that drop steeply into the sea. They are extremely steep and have been sculpted by the wind and the sea. The shapes are so astonishing that some villagers find similarities with the silhouette of Buddha. A daily ferry takes you to Aomori for a cruise that lasts just under 5 hours. It will allow you to marvel at the rock formations of the coast and the cliffs. The people of Hotokegaura are convinced, and how can you not believe them, that they are the direct descendants of Hideyoshi Toyotomi's fighters, who took refuge here after the fall of Ōsaka Castle in 1615.