Day 7: Nishiki to Takachiho
Today was a driving day as we had to head around three hours north to get to Takachiho, where we had booked a boat trip for the following day. We decided to avoid the boring toll expressway and take the scenic route through a spectacular river valley on Highway 212.
There was a lot of ongoing roadworks and bridge construction along this stretch as the road was constantly exposed to the elements and the raging torrent below. They take road traffic control very seriously in Japan, with safety being the top priority – the total opposite of Thailand’s ‘Mad Max’ roads. We stopped for lunch at a road station where a tiny local restaurant was actually open and serving noodles and soups. It also had some kind of biowaste incinerator that produced steam and hot water, presumably to power the onsen that we couldn’t find.
Heading on through farm villages and hillside towns, we stopped at the ancient stone Tsujunkyo aqueduct bridge, which was built in 1854 to supply water to the Shiraito Plateau, but there was very little going on during our visit due to low water levels and dull, rainy weather.
Next, it was a stop at Unoko Falls, which was much more impressive as we were the only ones there. I considered a quick wash in the pool (there are few showering opportunities when on the road in a campervan) but quickly decided against it after dipping my toes in the icy cold water.
We rolled into the tourist town of Takachiho in the late afternoon and checked out the road station, got some supplies from the Family Mart, and headed down to the gorge, the main attraction for the area. As expected, it was extremely busy with tourists viewing the river canyon with its cascading waterfalls over sheer basalt cliffs. The thing to do here is rent a small boat to paddle down the gorge, and this is extremely popular, so it had to be booked and paid for online weeks in advance and was first on the agenda for the next day.
Day 8: Takachiho Gorge
Following an uneventful night at the Takachiho road station, which didn’t have the best toilets, we drove to the small car park at 7 am to put on a coffee, use their facilities, and wait for the boat rental place to open where a queue was already forming (the Japanese love their queues).
You get half an hour in a tiny rowing boat for two people for 4,100 yen (just under 1,000 baht), but the views from the depths of the gorge were gorgeous – if you could get photos that were not full of other boats jostling for selfie positions near the cascade! This place is pretty much always full but very well organized with Japanese efficiency, still, I’d hate to be here on a weekend or public holiday.
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