Shirahama (白浜)
From August 11th to 14th, a group with many Brazilian students went to Shirahama (Wakayama Prefecture). Including me.
What's in Shirahama? For the Brazilians there, the main feature that led them there can be said in one word: beaches. Good ones. But it turned out that there are astonishing landscapes as well.
Although some decided to use limited express trains, most gathered at morning on 11th to go from Kyoto to Shirahama using Seishun 18 Kippu. A 5~6-hour trip. Thanks to some people who previously checked the train timetables we got there safely and reached the beach house. It was quite old, and lots of insects around (some of them really big). But the rent was cheap and the location not bad.
After settling, we went to Shirarahama, the main beach of the place, said to have white sand imported from Australia. After spending the rest of the day there, during the night there was an event with candle lanterns and fireworks. All that at the beach was really a beautiful scenario...
Second day, we went to a beach behind the house. That one has more places to explore, with beautiful landscapes...
After that, the group splitted. Some returned to Kyoto, some walked around the beach... I went with some others to the "touristic spots". Namely 千畳敷 and 三段壁 (3 Step Cliff). The former has nice rocky points and the latter has a suicide spot and a cave used by pirates (or samurais... still don't know which one). But we were too tired to check the cave... plus the admission wasn't free...
At night, a barbecue by the beach... Perfect! What else can I say? Oh, maybe that the sky was clear enough for us to gaze at the stars... I'm still surprised about how the constellations are different on the Northern hemisphere. And there were shooting stars too! As if even the skies welcomed us...
Monday was decicated to leisure at the beach and walking around (and some more people returning to Kyoto). That was also the day then the weather tricked us. We decided to check the sunset at a place near a rocky point where it's possible to take good pictures (we saw that on postcards), but the clouds got in the way.
Also, while returning from Shirarahama it started to rain... So we decided to call a taxi. Since the six of us that were there wouldn't enter (drivers usually don't let it), two would have to go walking under the rain. I don't know if the driver felt pity for the two who were walking under the rain or if it was because our destination (the beach house) was a place linked to Kyoto University (meaning we were Kyodai students; and the university has a good reputation), but the driver let all six in.
The rain didn't stop another barbecue celebrating Cris's birthday. With champagne to make a toast to it! But it was still raining, so we had to do it close to the house this time... (It stopped after a while.)
The last day was also spent at the beach until we had to return...
Nice place, wonderful company and great memories of those days in Shirahama. If climbing Mt. Fuji was the best summer trip when I was living in Himeji, the trip to Shirahama will most certainly become the best summer trip of my first year in Kyoto.
Ah, have to mention the obasan responsible for the beach house, who appeared there every morning to wake everybody up at 8 a.m.. That, along with some other episodes, made some people angry at her... The ironic part is that one of who got most angry was one who got a ride from her back to the station. Guess she was just doing her job after all...
And we found other Brazilians around Shirarahama... Mostly dekasegis I think. No wonder that a good beach in Japan would attract other Brazilians around... But some were camping at the beach. Maybe someday there will be a sign there written "no camping"... in Portuguese.
What's in Shirahama? For the Brazilians there, the main feature that led them there can be said in one word: beaches. Good ones. But it turned out that there are astonishing landscapes as well.
Although some decided to use limited express trains, most gathered at morning on 11th to go from Kyoto to Shirahama using Seishun 18 Kippu. A 5~6-hour trip. Thanks to some people who previously checked the train timetables we got there safely and reached the beach house. It was quite old, and lots of insects around (some of them really big). But the rent was cheap and the location not bad.
After settling, we went to Shirarahama, the main beach of the place, said to have white sand imported from Australia. After spending the rest of the day there, during the night there was an event with candle lanterns and fireworks. All that at the beach was really a beautiful scenario...
Second day, we went to a beach behind the house. That one has more places to explore, with beautiful landscapes...
After that, the group splitted. Some returned to Kyoto, some walked around the beach... I went with some others to the "touristic spots". Namely 千畳敷 and 三段壁 (3 Step Cliff). The former has nice rocky points and the latter has a suicide spot and a cave used by pirates (or samurais... still don't know which one). But we were too tired to check the cave... plus the admission wasn't free...
At night, a barbecue by the beach... Perfect! What else can I say? Oh, maybe that the sky was clear enough for us to gaze at the stars... I'm still surprised about how the constellations are different on the Northern hemisphere. And there were shooting stars too! As if even the skies welcomed us...
Monday was decicated to leisure at the beach and walking around (and some more people returning to Kyoto). That was also the day then the weather tricked us. We decided to check the sunset at a place near a rocky point where it's possible to take good pictures (we saw that on postcards), but the clouds got in the way.
Also, while returning from Shirarahama it started to rain... So we decided to call a taxi. Since the six of us that were there wouldn't enter (drivers usually don't let it), two would have to go walking under the rain. I don't know if the driver felt pity for the two who were walking under the rain or if it was because our destination (the beach house) was a place linked to Kyoto University (meaning we were Kyodai students; and the university has a good reputation), but the driver let all six in.
The rain didn't stop another barbecue celebrating Cris's birthday. With champagne to make a toast to it! But it was still raining, so we had to do it close to the house this time... (It stopped after a while.)
The last day was also spent at the beach until we had to return...
Nice place, wonderful company and great memories of those days in Shirahama. If climbing Mt. Fuji was the best summer trip when I was living in Himeji, the trip to Shirahama will most certainly become the best summer trip of my first year in Kyoto.
Ah, have to mention the obasan responsible for the beach house, who appeared there every morning to wake everybody up at 8 a.m.. That, along with some other episodes, made some people angry at her... The ironic part is that one of who got most angry was one who got a ride from her back to the station. Guess she was just doing her job after all...
And we found other Brazilians around Shirarahama... Mostly dekasegis I think. No wonder that a good beach in Japan would attract other Brazilians around... But some were camping at the beach. Maybe someday there will be a sign there written "no camping"... in Portuguese.
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