There is this attraction in the middle of Saga Prefecture, away from any major highway and city center that is gathering a rather lot of attention these days. It is called Oouo Shrine and a site that I have visited many times because of its uniqueness and incredible scenery it possesses.
The Shrine has 3 Torii gates that are strategically placed from the shoreline out into the picturesque and highly productive seaweed producing Ariake Sea. At high tide all 3 gates are covered with water at various depths, whilst at low tide one can wander around and fully inspect each Torii Gate and get a feel of what a 6 meter tidal range really means from an environmental and nature point of view.
Although I have been here 3 or 4 times previously for some reason it is always at low tide. Not that I am complaining because low tide obviously allows for more exploring and a chance to stretch ones legs after a drive of some sorts from the previous attraction. However for comparison sake, I would love to have some high tide photos and videos because in reality one doesn`t know what kind of tide that they will get on the day so we just have to take the results in our stride.
Just in case you were wondering, even though this location is getting more and more popular, don`t worry, you will never feel crowded or unable to find a car park. As a result of its very rural location hardly more than a trickle of sightseers and or cameramen are here at any onetime.
Please look here to see the Oouo Shrine on a map:
Please click on the photos below to enlarge:
Plenty of shells to observe.
Offerings a plenty
A truly scenic spot
An instagrammers paradise
Wide open coastline
Impressive!
The 3 red gates.
At low tide!
Please click on the videos below to see more about this incredible attraction.
By the way, this is what Oouo Shrine looks like on a high tide visit. It is basically the luck of timing whether you get to walk out and explore the Torii Gates or whether you have to be satisfied with taking photos at the watewrs edge. All I can say, is that, no matter what tide you get this place is extremely special especially on a perfect weather day.
The Isahaya Bay Dike Road in Nagasaki is one of those projects that creates a divide between the interested parties, tears up the local community and the outlying areas of concern as well as creating a lose/lose situation whereby everyone involved feels like they have been wronged by the forces against them. It is this sort of project, a white elephant so to speak that pins friend against friend, allocated money to those that dare not speak up and most of all ruins and completely destroys a pristine environment and habitat that has been lost to big business and Japan INC.
The Ariake Sea which flows into the Isahaya Bay is a large shallow sea bay with many estuaries and the largest area of intertidal mudflats in Japan. The mudflats extend in fingers for up to 7 km out from the estuaries of the many rivers entering the bay. The total area of mudflats continues to decrease as more and more land is retained within concrete banks and reclaimed for agriculture. The average depth of water in the bay is 20m (maximum of 130m), and the maximum tidal variation is 5-7 m.
Isahaya Bay, one of those four major mudflat areas, has now been dried up since the official shutdown of 7-km-long Sea Wall on the 14th April 1997.
The sea wall cut off the water of Isahaya Inner Bay from the Ariake Sea. Isahaya Bay deserves the status of a wetland of international importance however the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries claims that the project is inevitable for flood control and more agricultural lands.
Although many of Japan's wetlands have disappeared as a result of rapid development in the recent past, the country still possesses a wide diversity of wetland ecosystems of considerable importance for wildlife including a number of threatened species. Many protected areas have been established, and considerable efforts are being made by the conservation bodies to prevent further wetland loss. However, the pressure on wetlands remains severe, particularly from canalization of river channels and conversion of coastal marshes and mudflats to agricultural land and industrial development.
Although in some regard this project has saved lives and created a new road that has reduced traffic congestion in the area, the project itself cannot be justified as a result of the damaged caused and the ongoing internal struggles of the community as a whole to rectify the conflict and solve the issue of remuneration and compensation to those groups that have been affected over the 30 year project life.
An issue that isn`t going away and probably won`t for many years to come.
I nearly always drive across the Isahaya Bay Dike Road on my Private Nagasaki Tours as its a beautiful straight road, has amazing scenery and gives everyone a chance to stretch their legs and have the all important bathroom break.
Please check out the Isahaya Bay Dike Road in Nagasaki here below:
Click the photos below to enlarge:
Birds eye view
Nice signposting
Great views to be had
6.5km long and straight
Quite a view
Lots to see
Spectacular light
Take a look and feel of the Isahaya Bay Dike Road Nagasaki from a birds eye view on the videos below:
