Shimanto River & Cape Ashizuri

A hidden corner of southwestern Shikoku, with the submersible bridges and houseboats of the Shimanto River — "Japan's last clear stream" — plus the cliffs of Cape Ashizuri, the Tatsukushi coast and the crystal-clear waters of Kashiwajima.

The Shimanto River and Cape Ashizuri area lies in the Hata region of southwestern Kochi Prefecture on Shikoku. It centers on Shimanto City (formerly Nakamura), with Cape Ashizuri in Tosashimizu to the south and Kashiwajima in Otsuki Town to the west, all within Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park. At 196 km, the Shimanto is Shikoku's longest river; with no large dams on its main course, it is called "Japan's last clear stream" and ranks with the Kakita and Nagara rivers as one of Japan's three clearest rivers. Its signature sight is the more than 40 chinkabashi — railing-less "submersible bridges" designed to go underwater during floods. You can cycle between bridges such as Sada, Sanri, Takase and Iwama, or float downstream on a yakatabune houseboat or by canoe, and sample river shrimp, ayu sweetfish and green-laver tempura. To the south, the Ashizuri Peninsula is a coastline of cliffs pounded head-on by the Pacific's Kuroshio Current: here you'll find the Cape Ashizuri Lighthouse, Kongofukuji (Temple 38 of the Shikoku 88-temple pilgrimage), the natural rock arch of Hakusan Domon, and Tatsukushi's strange rock formations, its undersea observatory and the new SATOUMI aquarium. To the southwest, Kashiwajima has exceptionally clear water and is one of Japan's best-known spots for diving and snorkeling. The best season is Apr–Oct, with Jul–Aug ideal for swimming and boating; watch out for typhoons and heavy rain May–Sep (submersible bridges are closed when the river rises). Winters are mild but windy. Getting there: from Kochi Station, the JR Limited Express Nanpu or the Tosa Kuroshio Railway takes about 1 hour 45 minutes to Nakamura Station, then a bus takes about another 1 hour 45 minutes to Cape Ashizuri; the nearest airport is Kochi Ryoma Airport (about 2.5 hours by car). The area is large and buses are infrequent, so renting a car in Nakamura or Tosashimizu is strongly recommended. Allow 2–3 days: one for the Shimanto River, one for Cape Ashizuri and Tatsukushi, and an optional extra day for Kashiwajima. Local specialties include Tosashimizu mackerel sashimi and straw-seared bonito.

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