Kii Peninsula
Kids need a change from ancient temples, pagodas and castles? Kii Peninsula in summer is full of outdoor and water activities, snorkeling in warm water with tropical fishes, rafting, boat rides to islands, tidepools, hot springs next to the ocean. Kyoto to Kushimoto at the tip of the peninsula is about four hours by train.
Kushimoto - The town of Kushimoto, located at southermost tip of Honshu, is the perfect place to snorkel. The water is warm, the coral reefs are populated with gobs of small colorful fish. You can rent snorkels and masks in town.
Kushimoto Undersea Park - This marine park has a very long underwater tunnel and observation pod offshore. In the tunnel, you'll see sharks, stingrays, and colorful fish. Also, take a ride in a glass-bottomed boat.Oshima Island - Take the ferry to Oshima Island to see the Umikongo Rocks, a fabulous rock formation. From the observation platform, look for the pyramid rock, and another shaped like a lion's head. Nachikatsuura -
Nachi Waterfall (Nachi) - The sacred Nachi Waterfall is the tallest in Japan. Not a massive, powerful rush of water, the Nachi Waterfall is a graceful, delicate falls, tall and straight, surrounded by ancient cedar forests. A must do. At the Fire Festival on July 14, there's traditional music and dance, and twelve torches are carried in procession around the falls.Whale Museum (Taiji) - Taiji was once a whaling town, now you can go to the Whale Museum to find out about whales, dolphins and local marine life. Don't miss feedings and sea lion shows. Close to the museum there are also tidepools to explore.Katsuura - Early in the morning, stop into the Katsuura Tuna Market, to see all the just-caught silvery tuna. Take a sight-seeing boat to Kino-matsushima Island, or just soak in the hot springs next to the ocean at the Katsuura Spa.Shingu - At Shingu city, the Kumano River flows into the ocean. Chose from several water activties:
Go canoeing on the Kumano River, a wide and gentle river surrounded by lush, dense vegetation.Ride a log raft - Traditionally, logs were floated down the Kitayama river, which joins the Kumano River to flow to Shingu on the coast. Today, you ride a logging raft (ikada), which is small tree trunks lashed together. The skillful crew use long poles to navigate the rafts down the river. This is not for little kids, because you stand on the rafts, but it's lots of fun and a unique experience for older kids (10 and older). (From Shingu, take a bus upriver to the raft landing (Ikada Center). Make reservations in advance.Dorokyo Valley - Take a jet boat up the Doro Gorge. The comfortable glass-roofed boats provide views of the impressive rock formations in the river gorge. The trip is a two hour boat ride. Kawa-yu (near Hongo) - Relax in the rustic town of Kawa-yu, where you can spend the day playing by the river, fed by hot springs. The river is wide and shallow, perfect for snorkeling, inner-tubing, or building rock dams.
