VIDEO: Exploring Japan: ‘Buddhas’ stand guard at Hotokegaura near Misawa AB

(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi)

A three-hour drive from Misawa Air Base will take you to a stunning place with an interesting landscape known as Hotokegaura.

The name Hotokegaura translates to Buddha’s inlet. This godly place lives up to its name with ethereal features like a rocky shore with massive white volcanic rocks, lush forest and 90-meter-tall cliffs overlooking Tsugaru Strait’s crystal blue waters. The inlet was selected as one of Japan’s top 100 unexplored sites and was designated a national natural monument.

From Mt. Osorezan, it took me about 90 minutes by car down a narrow road with steep ascents and descents to reach a parking lot near Hotokegaura. From the parking lot, I still had about a 15-minute hike along the steep, rough mountain trail with warning signs about bears in order to get down to the scenic shore.

When I got to the inlet through the dark trail in the forest, the bright reflections of the white monumental stones and cliffs on the blue waters dazzled me on this bright day. Maybe because I had walked around Mt. Osorezan, an unusual, otherworldly power spot for the dead before arriving at the inlet, but the celestial shore with peculiar rocks also transported me to a different world.

The inlet was formed 15 million years ago from an underwater volcano eruption. The rough waves and winds of the area carved out to form this extraordinary place. Standing near the magnificent rocks, I felt as if I was surrounded by several large daibutsu (buddhas).

It is no wonder that some of the major stones on the shore are named after Buddhist figures and legends like “nyorai no kubi” (neck of tathagata), “gohyaku rakan (500 disciples of Buddha who attained Nirvana) and “gokuraku hama” (the beach of paradise).

While the unique landscape spans more than two kilometers, a well-maintained promenade lets visitors walk along part of the scenic shore. If a steep hike is not for you, you can also board a cruise that will take you to the inlet via boat from Sai Port.

A day trip to the area is not complete without stopping in at Hotokegaura for this incredible landscape.