Amaharashi Beach is a beach where you can see the Tateyama Mountain Range on an overwhelming scale. Since it is located in Toyama Bay, the sea is usually calm. However, the Amaharashi Coast is also the place where Minamoto no Yoshitsune stopped on his way to escape from his brother Yoritomo’s pursuers.
Today, that place is called “Yoshitsune Rock” and is the biggest tourist spot on the Amaharashi Coast.
So, what exactly is Amaharashi Coast? This time, we will introduce in detail Toyama Prefecture’s Amaharashi Coast, a place with a spectacular view of the legend of Yoshitsune and the snow-covered Tateyama Mountain Range. Minamoto no Yoshitsune was a military commander who lived approximately 860 years ago. It is said that he lost the battle for his successor and fled to this area.
①【Amaharashi Coast】 A beautiful scenic spot with the Tateyama mountain range in the background‼︎
▲Unfortunately, I was not able to photograph the scenery of the Tateyama mountain range that day.
Amaharashi Coast is a coast located in the northern part of Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture. Located within the Noto Peninsula Quasi-National Park, it is a scenic spot with beautiful natural scenery. On the map, it is located at the base of the eastern part of the Noto Peninsula, and the clear blue Toyama Bay stretches out in front of you.
From Amaharashi Beach, you can enjoy the magnificent view of the Tateyama Mountain Range, a series of 3,000m-class mountains across Toyama Bay. However, it is said that the scenery where you can see the mountains over the sea is quite rare. The recommended season to enjoy the spectacular views of the Tateyama Mountain Range is winter when the air is clear. The sight of the majestic snow-capped mountains of the Tateyama Mountain Range covered in pure white snow is breathtaking in its overwhelming beauty.
Amaharashi Coast has been designated as a Toyama Viewpoint because it offers a spectacular view that is unlike any other in the world. Amaharashi Beach has been selected as Japan's 100 Best Beaches'' andJapan’s 88 Best Beaches.”
➁History of Amaharashi Coast.
The history surrounding Amaharashi Coast is the “Legend of Minamoto no Yoshitsune taking shelter from the rain.” The legend of Minamoto Yoshitsune taking shelter from the rain is a story about Minamoto Yoshitsune’s visit to this area in 1187. At that time, Minamoto no Yoshitsune was the person who made the greatest contribution to defeating the Heike clan in the Battle of Dan-no-ura. However, because of his accomplishments, his older brother Minamoto no Yoritomo became jealous of him and they had a falling out.
Minamoto no Yoshitsune escaped from Minamoto no Yoritomo’s pursuers and stopped at Amaharashi Beach on his way to Hiraizumi in Oshu. Legend has it that when there was a heavy rain, Benkei lifted a large rock and gave Yoshitsune and his party shelter from the rain. This legendary rock is called “Yoshitsune Rock.” This place’s name comes from the legend of Minamoto no Yoshitsune taking shelter from the rain.
➂Amaharashi Coast sightseeing spots.
Here we will introduce tourist spots on the Amaharashi Coast.
❶Yoshitsune rock
Yoshitsune Rock, as introduced in the previous chapter, is a large rock on the Amaharashi Coast that is the source of the legend of Minamoto no Yoshitsune taking shelter from the rain. It’s a strangely shaped rock. It is also called “Amaharashiwa”. The actual Yoshitsune Rock looks like a hut made of rock, and there is enough space for several people to take shelter from the rain. Yoshitsune Shrine is built on top of the rock. Yoshitsune Rock is also one of the scenic spots within the Noto Peninsula Quasi-National Park.
❷Meiwa
Onnaiwa is a small island with a circumference of about 80m that can be seen offshore on a rainy day.
The reason why it is called Onna Iwa is because the small rocks around it look like children. MeIwa is written in kanji as female rock. This rock is marked by a pine tree growing on the top.
❸Roadside Station Amaharu
Roadside Station Amaharu is a roadside station located one minute across National Route 415 from Amaharashi Coast. Roadside Station Amaharu is located in front of Yoshitsune Rock and Yoshitsune Shrine, and can be reached in about 1 to 2 minutes on foot. You can see the Amaharashi Coast from the terrace of the roadside station Amaharashi.
❹Himi Line Amaharashi Station
The Himi Line is a JR single-track line that runs along the Amaharashi Coast at the base of the Noto Peninsula. This is a short line with a total length of approximately 16.5km that connects Takaoka Station in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture to Himi Station in Himi City. The roadside station Amaharashi is located about 5 minutes walk from Amaharashi Station on the Himi Line.
▲A cute one-car train passes along the beautiful coastline. Himachi City in Toyama Prefecture is the birthplace of manga artist Fujiko Fujio A. His masterpiece, the Ninja Hattori-kun train, is also running.
▲Beautiful scenery awaits you when you go to the coast. The waves are calm and the sea water is beautiful.
④Festivals and events on the Amaharashi coast.
The recommended time to visit Amaharashi Coast is in winter. The reason is that the Tateyama mountain range is covered in snow, so it looks very beautiful and you can enjoy the spectacular scenery. Amaharashi Coast is a picturesque spot year-round, but in winter you can see even more beautiful and vivid scenery. The best time to visit is from late November, when you can see the snow-capped Tateyama Mountain Range, to around May of the following year.
⑤Access information
Here we will introduce access information to Amaharashi Beach. The address of Amaharashi Beach is “Ota Amaharu, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture.”
〇Route from Tokyo to Amaharashi Coast by car.
| Tokyo ⇒ Kanetsu Expressway ⇒ Fujioka JCT ⇒ Joshinetsu Expressway ⇒ Joetsu JCT ⇒ Hokuriku Expressway ⇒ Takaoka-Tonami Smart IC ⇒ 35 minutes ⇒ Amaharashi Coast (Roadside Station Amaharashi Parking Lot) |
〇Parking information
Please use the roadside station Amaharashi parking lot. The parking lot at Roadside Station Amaharashi can accommodate 4 large vehicles, 34 small vehicles, and 1 handicapped vehicle, and is free of charge.
Summary
This time, we introduced Toyama Prefecture’s Amaharashi Coast, a place with a spectacular view of the legend of Yoshitsune and the snow-covered Tateyama Mountain Range. Amaharashi Coast in Toyama Prefecture is a tourist spot with a very beautiful sea. The unique location where you can see the mountains of the Tateyama mountain range across Toyama Bay is also one of the highlights. Since the JR Himi Line runs along the coast, you can enjoy the breathtaking views from the train window while feeling the sea breeze. When you visit Toyama Prefecture, why not visit the Amaharashi?
▲Amaharashi coas
▲Official site
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