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Rubber Necking At Tachikue Gorge

A Just Gorgeous Gorge

Tachikue Gorge or Tachikuekyo is outside Izumo in Shimane Prefecture. It is one of many spectacular gorges that mark this rugged and rocky coastal area, created by Japan's volcanic origins like 20 million years ago.

Gorgeous Tachikuekyo
Gorgeous Tachikuekyo

Tachikuekyo's two kilometer walking path is directly by the Gorge, a welcome and continuously looming companion at about 100 to 200 meters. Rubber necking - a continual head turning in all directions - is a requirement to efficiently absorb all the gorgeous varied scenery.

Rubber Necking Path
Rubber Necking Path

There are the stark granite outcrops, striated cliff faces, sharp angled stone spires and steeples, standing guard like sentinels over the Gorge's serene Kandogawa River. Some of the rock formations, each differently shaped and carved, protrude onto the path, necessitating some manoeuvring around.

Different Rock Formations
Different Rock Formations

Topping all this gorge scenery are largely primeval forests, and although wild and untidy, are a gentle contrast to the dramatic rocky and rugged gorge faces.

Tachikuekyo
Tachikuekyo

A definite rubber necking spot is an encounter with 1500 stone jizo of every conceivable shape and size. They are all over, high and low, in clusters, individually scattered, perched in miniscule caves. Some line up the mountain slope in tiers, some so old they are a sad rubble of forgotten sanctity. Just when you think there can't be any more of them, there they are again in a turn off along the path. They crouch around a mossy waterfall quite hidden by a dense ancient forest.

Jizo and Rock
Jizo and Rock

The jizo are the remnants of the region's early association with Shugendo sect mountain ascetics. There is a shrine, Reikoji, led to by very mouldy steep and narrow granite steps, noticeable by giant straw sandals hanging at the front. Its origins as with the jizo is said to be in 828.

Walking to the end of the trail brings you to small residences and a recreation stop. The flat tameness of this area can be a bit anti-climatic after the drama and rubber necking of the walk.

Peaceful end
Peaceful end

The bus ride to and fro Tachikuekyo is a build up to the Gorge. The bus drivers are the best, skillful and careful, so we can enjoy the mountain backdrops, ravines and valleys, steep curved corners, with our hearts out of our mouths.

Getting there

I went to Tachikuekyo by bus from Bus Stop #2 at Izumoshi Station. The Tourist Information at Izumoshi is wonderful as always with schedules and guidance.

Getting there, the bus will drop you after the Gorge sign on your right, so just carefully walk back. No rubber necking here, it's two way traffic on two narrow levels. Returning, either walk back to the entrance bus stop, or the one on the road by the recreation stop.

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