Jan 24, 2025
Minamiboso Winter Travelogue 3
To finish my Minamiboso trip, on day three I aimed for Awa-Kamogawa Station which is just a short stroll from Maebara Beach with a kilometer-long promenade. It was my last chance to catch the salt air and hear the surf. And surf is what this beach is all about. In summer, the beach opens to surfers and swimmers to enjoy the clear water and white sand. Of course, in winter there are few visitors, so I had the palm-tree-lined walk all to myself.
I had breakfast at Pops, a cafe with good reviews on Google Maps. The beachfront cafe with an Australian vibe. I had a sandwich and coffee while recharging my mobile device at the counter seating.
Then it was back to the station to catch the bus to see more sea life at Kamogawa Sea World. From Awa-Kamogawa Station’s west exit, I caught the hourly shuttle bus. It whisks you along the Kamogawa Bypass lined with thickets of wind-blown conifers surrounding the big hotels.
The facility is big with 800 species and over 10,000 creatures. The big draws are the dolphin and orca stadia, and I just buzzed by.
I was more attracted to “Aquaroam”, an exhibit that emulates the natural environments of sea creatures living in the region. You can get nose-to-nose with mudskippers and see deep-sea creatures here.
And then there’s the jellyfish exhibit with 10 species where I spent a lot of time. They’re mesmerizing with their fluid and graceful movement.
The food options are either cheap and bland or splurges. I recommend if you’re on a budget, get lunch before you go and maybe indulge in some snacks.
In the late afternoon, I headed to Kamogawa Seaside Base for a craft beer and a snack overlooking Maebara Beach. It was a relaxing spot to take in the view of the surf and brace myself for a return to inland Chiba.
The trip was relaxing, free of crowds even at Kamogawa Sea World, and I felt refreshed by the breezes off the Pacific Ocean and soothed by the sound of crashing surf.
Are you curious about Minamiboso? Read my Minamboso Travelogue 1 and Minamiboso Travelogue 2 for my winter seaside trip.
0 Comments