Year-end, with no particular plan, I went out to Cape Irago in Aichi. It sits at the tip of the Atsumi Peninsula, where Mikawa Bay meets the Pacific. With nothing in mind beyond camera practice, I just wandered around.
White lighthouse, winter sea
The wind was something else. The cape has nothing to break it, and the winter sea wind hits without mercy. With the camera up, it felt like I'd be carried off bodily.
The light was beautiful, though. Light on a clear winter day comes in low and sharp; the blue of the sea and the white of the sand stand out. The kind of light you trade the cold for.
From the headland
From higher ground, you can see the Pacific coast stretching out wide. The Mikawa Bay side is visible too, in the distance. The waves are completely different — calm on the bay side, white-capped on the Pacific side.
About the bakagai
The Irago area is known as a producer of bakagai (literally "fool clams"). Locally that's the name; in sushi shops they show up as aoyagi. I thought about ordering some, then didn't. Eating bakagai alone at year-end felt a bit lonely. Next time.
Travel guide (general info)
※ This section combines public information with the author's notes; please confirm the latest road, weather, and operating details on the official sites.
Cape Irago and the Atsumi Peninsula
- Location: tip of the Atsumi Peninsula in Tahara City, Aichi; the meeting point of Mikawa Bay and the Enshū-nada (Pacific) coast.
- Cape Irago Lighthouse: first lit in 1929; a white tower-style lighthouse, on Japan's "50 Best Lighthouses" list.
- Koijigahama Beach: a roughly 1 km white-sand beach next to the lighthouse, on the "100 Best Beaches of Japan".
- Yanagita Kunio: the area appears in his "The Sea Road"; a monument to Shimazaki Tōson's poem "Yashi no Mi" (The Coconut) stands here.
Seasons & what to do
- Winter: strong westerlies, clear air — Mt. Fuji is sometimes visible. Cold-weather gear required.
- Spring: rapeseed flower fields (Irago Nanohana Garden, January–March); pleasant coastal driving.
- Summer: swimming and surfing (Long Beach is a known spot).
- Local food: bakagai (locally "ōasari") grilled on the half shell, whitebait, spiny lobster, and more.
Access
- By car: about 1.5 h from Toyokawa IC (Tōmei Expressway) via Route 259.
- By rail + bus: Toyotetsu bus to "Irago Misaki" (terminus) from Toyohashi Station, about 1.5 h.
- Ferry: Ise Bay Ferry connects Cape Irago with Toba (Mie) in about 55 minutes; takes motorcycles and cars.
- Parking: large lots at the lighthouse and Koijigahama (some paid).