In Futtsu, Chiba, there's an approach path carved straight through rock. Walls about 10 m high rise on both sides, and the gap between them is just wide enough for a motorcycle to slip through. The Tōrōzaka Daishi cut-through tunnel. Once you've been there, you don't forget it.
The first time I visited was on the SR400. Two years later — on the XSR900 — I came back.
What the cut-through tunnel is
"Tōrōzaka Daishi" is the local name for Tōzen-ji, a Shingon Buddhist temple in Takeoka, Futtsu City. The tunnel was carved by hand through a rocky hill as the approach path to the temple grounds. It runs about 50 m. The cut walls are mossed over, and the look changes completely with how the light comes in.
It's a short walk from Takeoka Station on the Uchibō Line. Accessible by bike or car, with parking. Drive along the coastal road and the signs appear.
Two years ago, on the SR400
I stopped the SR400 in the same spot back then. The single-cylinder note bouncing off the rock walls sounded lower than usual. At the time it didn't occur to me that two years later I'd be back on a different bike.
Back on the XSR900
The color of the moss, the way the light came through — pretty much the same as I remembered. The bike changed; the tunnel didn't. Obvious, I know, but it landed as a small relief.
"Take the bike out, hit an onsen, eat seafood." That was the whole plan for the day. Days as simple as that often feel the most complete.
There's a particular quiet inside the cut. Kill the engine, stand there for a while, and the noise in your head settles. As Chiba off-the-beaten-path goes, this place deserves to be better known.
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.
About the Tōrōzaka Daishi kiritōshi tunnel
- Location: Hagiu, Futtsu City, Chiba — the approach to Tōzen-ji (Tōrōzaka Daishi).
- History: Said to have been hand-cut as a temple approach in the Taishō to early Shōwa era; later deepened to allow vehicles, giving the present form.
- Dimensions: About 10 m high, 30 m long, 3 m wide. The vertical striations on the rock walls preserve the marks of the chisels.
- Name: "Daishi" refers to Kōbō Daishi (Kūkai); "Tōrōzaka Daishi" is the popular name for Tōzen-ji.
Photography and seasons
- Best light: Early morning brings out the texture of the rock; late afternoon gives backlight effects.
- Moss: Spring and early summer have the freshest moss. Just after rain the rock turns black and shadows deepen.
- Manners: This is a temple approach — keep noise down. Minimize engine idling.
- Crowds: A popular subject on social media; on weekends bikes and cars can line up.
Access and surroundings
- Car / motorcycle: Along Route 127. About 45 minutes from Kisarazu-Kaneda IC via the Aqua-Line.
- Train: About 10 minutes on foot from Takeoka Station on the JR Uchibō Line.
- Parking: A small free lot for visitors sits just past the cut.
- Nearby: Mt. Nokogiri, Tokyo Bay Kannon, Kanaya Port (ferry) and Bōsō Peninsula seafood spots are within a 30-minute drive.