Still making our way to Nango…part 2

November 11, 2025

More photos and stories from a busy day

Odu Shrine is a special place to visit. It is highly regarded and has significant importance for Buddhists. Today there are buses lined up which have brought bus loads of tourists and locals to visit this special place. The terrain is challenging, the grounds are extensive and there are countless stairs which must be climbed. We decided that I would have difficulty due to my knees, so Barry went on his own and I held down the fort with our trikes.

We later saw that there was a cruise ship docked around the corner from our hotel. That probably explains why there were so many tour buses in the parking lot.

Foxes and a few other animals are found at Shinto shrines. These animals act as messengers to the gods. It is a first for us to see rabbits at a shrine in Japan…and a dapper one as well.

After hundreds of stone steps and a pedestrian tunnel, we arrived at the shrine that is inside a huge cave. It is perched on the side of the ocean.

Rabbit ema boards with people’s wishes on them

Being situated inside a cavernous cave, the shrine is at once magical, reflective and somber.

This Shrine is memorable and impactful in so many ways. It is a place I will not forget.

At the main hall you toss a coin into the wooden box, bow, clap your hands twice and say a prayer to the gods

You can use a little fishing rod to catch a fish with your fortune on it.

You can throw lucky clay balls over the cliff at a target on the rocks below

If you get a ball to land inside the rope you will have good luck

The rock formations next to the shrine were amazing

Stairs, stairs and more stairs.

We hadn’t had anything to eat. The only thing Barry could find were these delicious local potato chips. They are the most tasty chips we have had in Japan.

The stormy weather predicted for the next 2 days is on its way. Like what we saw surrounding Aoshima Island, this coast has more of the devil’s washboard along the shore.

It has become a cold, windy and rainy ride to get to the hotel….so many cars on the road.

Image not found :( — This very long tunnel is not for us…or walkers or motorcycles with low power. We will ride some distance around this tunnel before reconnecting with the traffic on the main road.

The ride became complicated when it started to rain heavily and it was dark. We got lost a few times and finally made it to the hotel looking pretty wet and bedraggled.

The forecast is for heavy rain tomorrow so we have booked to stay for two days.

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