Kushimoto

A cape town at the southernmost tip of Honshu, where Cape Shionomisaki overlooks the Pacific. Rows of rock pillars stand at Hashikui-iwa, and the Kuroshio current brings a coral sea ideal for diving and underwater viewing towers.

Kushimoto Town lies at the southern tip of the Kii Peninsula in Wakayama Prefecture. Cape Shionomisaki is the southernmost point of Honshu. The town consists of two parts: the Kushimoto town centre on Honshu and Cape Shionomisaki, and Kii Ōshima island to the east. The two are connected by the Kushimoto Ōhashi bridge. The surrounding area also features giant rock formations in the Kozaya River basin. Because of the Kuroshio current, winters are mild and summers are cool. The surrounding seas contain the northernmost table coral colony in the world, and the Kushimoto coast is registered as a Ramsar Wetland. It is the most famous diving and snorkeling destination in the Kansai region.

The main attractions fall into three areas.

① East of the Kushimoto town centre, Hashikui-iwa is a row of dozens of rock pillars that extend into the sea. It is most beautiful at sunrise. The Muryoji temple, which houses Nagasawa Rosetsu's 'Dragon and Tiger' screen paintings, is also in the town centre and is within walking distance.

② Around Cape Shionomisaki: the Bōrō-no-Shiba lawn lookout, Shionomisaki Lighthouse and the 'southernmost point of Honshu' monument. On the west side is the Kushimoto Marine Park, where you can descend to a depth of 6 metres underwater.

③ Kii Ōshima island: after crossing the Kushimoto Ōhashi bridge, you will find the Kaikongo Cliff, Kashinozaki Lighthouse, the Turkish Memorial Museum and the Japan-US Friendship Museum. These tell the story of the 1890 rescue of the Ertuğrul and the 1791 arrival of an American ship.

Getting there: a JR Limited Express 'Kuroshio' train takes about 3.5 hours from Osaka to Kushimoto Station, and about 1 hour from Shirahama. Town buses link the sights, but services are infrequent, so a car or rental is most convenient.

Plan to spend 1 to 2 days. It can be combined with Nachikatsuura and Taiji to the south and Shirahama to the north. The best season is spring through autumn: June to September is ideal for diving, though you should watch for typhoons in late summer and early autumn. In winter, watching the sunrise at Hashikui-iwa is also popular.

Top sights

• Hashikui-iwa Rocks – About 40 huge rock pillars stretch some 850 m into the sea in a line, resembling the piers of a bridge, and are a famous spot for watching…
• Kashinozaki Lighthouse & Turkish Memorial Museum – One of the oldest stone lighthouses in Japan, at the eastern tip of Kushimoto's Ōshima. Nearby, a memorial recalls the 1890 rescue of survi…
• Cape Shionomisaki – Honshu's southernmost cape, with a broad grassy plateau and a white lighthouse facing the endless Pacific.
• Kushimoto Marine Park – In waters home to one of the world's northernmost coral communities, an underwater observation tower and a semi-submersible boat let you se…
• Umi-kongo Cliffs – Cliffs at the eastern tip of Kii Ōshima, carved by waves into pyramid-like shapes. Waves crash against the rocks, making it Kushimoto's mos…
• United States–Japan Friendship Memorial Museum – A small memorial museum commemorating the first arrival of an American merchant ship at Kii Ōshima in 1791, 62 years before Perry's Black S…
• Muryo-ji Temple & Okyo-Rosetsu Museum – A historic temple in central Kushimoto housing wall paintings by Maruyama Ōkyo and Nagasawa Rosetsu. Rosetsu's Dragon and Tiger painting is…
• Kushimoto Ohashi Bridge – A ring-shaped bridge linking Honshu and Kii Ōshima, with views of Hashikui-iwa and Ōshima Port from the road. It is the signature drive int…
• Kozagawa Ichimai-iwa – A giant single rock wall by the Kozagawa River, about 100 m high and 500 m wide and designated a National Natural Monument. Its reflection…
• Mushikui-iwa Rock – A huge boulder in Kozagawa Town covered in honeycomb-like holes, as if it had been bored through by insects. This rare weathering landform…

Where to eat

• Ryōri Manko – An old restaurant in front of Kushimoto Station, founded around 1962. It is known for its bonito chazuke, made with tro…
• Sushi Hamada – A small couple-run sushi shop next to Kushimoto Station. Over 90% of the fish is local, there is no price list, and the…

Itineraries

• Kii Peninsula Road Trip: Koyasan & Kumano Coast – A scenic drive around the Kii Peninsula, staying in temple lodgings and hot spring resorts, featuring the Kumano Sanzan…