Took a 3-hour bus + 45-minute train ride south to a beach near Tokushima, on Shikoku island. Stayed in a minshuku, or small family-run inn, where we grilled live lobster for dinner. The weather report predicted thunderstorms, but we were blessed with sun and rainless clouds. The beach was full of families and young folks with their colorful beach umbrellas and vinyl blow-up toys. Open-air restaurants lined the beachwalk.
Waiting for the bus with friends from the Tezuka Museum sign.
Bento lunch from Kyoto station.
Pickled salmon and saba sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves.
Mari enjoys pickled salmon sushi on the bus.
Passing through Kobe(?) as we ride south. We were two of four passengers on the bus.
Mari gazes out the bus window.
Rick finishes off the sushi.
Mari unfolds a plastic mat just big enough for two.
At a minshuku just yards from the beach, the dinner spread.
Hamachi sashimi.
Grilled fish. The stomach was full of sand.
The poor clawless lobsters try to crawl away, flipping their wet tails on the tatami floor.
We’re a little uncomfortable as the lobster is about to get skewered.
Grilling them live was unpleasant.
Lots of oden and yakisoba places along the beach.
We wait to rent a big vinyl blow-up toy, apparently a common thing even for adults.
Water was pleasant, if a little cloudy from the recent typhoons. Shore was a little rocky.
Looking ashore.
Sun was hot, and the water was refreshing.
I love the ramune bottles with the marbles in the neck.
Mari and I floated out in the waves, sharing a big inner-tube with handles. The middle was barely big enough for the two of us, so as we tried to maneuver around our legs kicked awkwardly against each other or in conflicting directions. We were like conjoined twins on their first swimming lesson.
i LOVE those pictures. i was going to say, please don’t leave japan until we can come and visit you, but then i saw the lobster monsters… and now i’m going to have nightmares for a week.
Comments
One response to “Tokushima beach trip”
i LOVE those pictures. i was going to say, please don’t leave japan until we can come and visit you, but then i saw the lobster monsters… and now i’m going to have nightmares for a week.