Living La Vida Loca

Our last stop on our three-week adventure in Japan was specifically designed for a “chill” finale, so we headed by train from the Kumano area up the coast to the Izu Peninsula to Shirahama. We opted to stay in a small B & B that turned out to be perfect to end our trip. Nestled in a very quiet residential area with houses packed and stacked along a hilly terrain up from the main road around the water, the B & B Sampark is hosted by a wonderful couple – both yoga instructors – and very committed to the small inn experience being stellar. Breakfasts were amazing (Kayuki is a gourmet chef), the room was simple and very comfortable, and the shared shower and bathroom worked out fine as there are only two rented rooms.

The other guest at the inn turned out to be a very jovial actor from Paris – German by birth and now living and working in the movie business in France. Because Wolfgang is multi-lingual and looks the part of a very serious guy (even though he is truly kind and funny), he often gets cast in historical films as a mean commander! We had some wonderful conversations with Wolfgang and had a great dinner together at Blue – a Turkish/Italian/Japanese restaurant. Highly recommend this small, local spot if you get to this beach town.

The other very memorable thing we did was participate (with Wolfgang) in a chanting and chair yoga session at a tiny Buddhist temple tucked a few feet up the hill from the B & B. The young priest chanted solo while banging on traditional drums – a meditative time, then led us in simple yoga performed while seated. A unique experience.

We learned something unusual about Shirahama Beach…the sand was imported from Australia! Yes, Shirahama, which means “white beach” in Japanese, is renowned for its striking white quartz sand, much of which was brought in from Australia to maintain its pristine appearance and enhance its appeal as a major resort destination. This imported sand has helped Shirahama Beach become one of the most popular beaches in Japan, attracting numerous visitors each summer.

So, this is the end of our Japanese adventure. It was truly one of the most varied explorations of a country we have done to date. It was a great introduction to Asia – the continent we are least familiar with and now hope to explore more.

また近いうちにお会いしましょう (See you again soon!)