Cape Kamui, Shakotan Peninsula

Cape Kamui, on Hokkaido's Shakotan peninsula, is great stop for any sightseer, assuming you come by car or bus. From the parking lot, a maze of trails weaves its way to a series of viewpoints overlooking the Sea of Japan. Hints of historical intrigue begin at a signboard noting an area that was once off limits to women. The legend has it (clumsily summarized) that a native Ainu chief's daughter, devastated over the sudden departure of a man she loved, shouted a curse dictating that any woman passing the cape on a ship would die; she herself then jumped into the sea. For the whole story, search online for the legend of Kamui rock, but for now, enjoy the pictures.