Page 235 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Japan

largely avoided the industrial Taiji Whale Museum
development that scars much " ⌂ 2934-2 Taiji § (0735)
of Japan’s Pacific coastline. 59-2400 # 8:30am–
From the small port town of 5pm daily
Shingu, on the east coast, you
can take a bus to Shiko, then
a 50-minute boat trip along e
the Kumano River to Doro
Valley, a spectacular gorge. Iga-Ueno
From May to June rhododen- 伊賀上野
drons and azaleas bloom on ! D5 ⌂ Mie Prefecture £
the river’s banks. n 1st Floor, Haito-Pia bldg,
A 20-minute bus ride inland
from Shingu lies Nachi-no-taki, in front of Ueno-shi Stn;
(0595) 24-0270
Japan’s highest waterfall. A
stone path parallel to the falls This castle town was the
leads to the ancient Nachi birthplace of Japan’s revered
Taisha shrine. The next port haiku poet Matsuo Basho and
A pagoda in front of the south of Shingu is Katsuura, a home to the Iga ninja, the most
Nachi-no-taki waterfall, pine-studded bay with several inventive and feared spies of
on the Kii Peninsula picturesque islets. Visitors Japan’s feudal era. The main
interested in the Japanese attraction for most visitors is
perspective on whaling should the Iga Ninja Museum, a clan
a little west of here on the go to the Whale Museum in farmhouse that served as the
edge of the plateau. It affords nearby Taiji, a whaling com- secret head quarters of these
matchless views. munity since the 17th century. spies and assassins. The well-
In the eastern half of Koya- Farther south, the resort restored building retains
san are a vast necropolis and of Kushimoto is known for hidden panels, spy holes,
the Okuno-in (inner sanctum), Hashi-gui-iwa, a chain of 30 secret escape routes, and
Kukai’s mausoleum. The rocks that seem to march out trapdoors intended to repel
stone-paved approach to to sea, connecting the town night attacks from enemy
Okuno-in is flanked with to the island of Oshima. The warlords and rival ninja
statues and tombs housing peninsula’s southernmost groups. Ninja methods
the remains of Japan’s most point is marked by Shio-no- are demon strated by guides
illustrious families. In front misaki, a headland with a in pink day-glo ninja outfits.
of Kukai’s mausoleum is the white lighthouse dating
Toro-do (Lantern Hall). Day from 1863. One of the three Iga Ninja Museum
and night 11,000 lanterns oldest hot springs in Japan, " ⌂ 117 Ueno Marunochi
burn here, including two that Shirahama Onsen, on the west # 9am–5pm
are said to have remained lit coast, also has one of the daily ∑ iga
since the 11th century. area’s finest beaches. ninja.jp/en

w THE NINJA
Kii Peninsula Ninjutsu, the “art of stealth,” was
developed during the bloody clan
紀伊半島 warfare of Japan’s feudal era. The
! D6 ⌂ Wakayama, Mie, ninja elevated their profession of
and Nara Prefectures spying and assassination into
k Nanki-Shirahama a sophisticated discipline by
£ JR Kinokuni line practicing mountain ascetism
and studying such subjects as
The Kii Peninsula, with densely astronomy, herbalism, medicine,
forested mountains at its and nutrition. They developed
center and craggy headlands, ingenious devices to outwit
pine-covered islands, and enemies, including lock picks,
coves along its shoreline, has collapsible floats for crossing
water, clothing designed to
conceal swords and knives,
and over 30 different kinds of
Cherry trees at various shuriken, deadly throwing
stages of blossoming in stars made of metal.
the hills around Yoshino
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