It was an early morning weekday when we started our long drive to explore the countryside of Kansai and the Shikoku region.

We wanted to hit the road and enjoy the quite side of Japan. We made many stops along the way to experience as much as we could in this stunning region.

The first stop was a dairy farm in Hyogo Prefecture called Awaji Island Milk. It’s my favorite brand of milk in Japan and I wanted to meet the cows who produce it. The dairy farm is found deep on the island, but it is not a long drive. From Kobe Port, it is about a one-hour drive to the farm.

Arriving at the cow farm, the smell of manure lingered in the warm air. Compared to the city smog, this was a welcome odor. Inside, it looked like a cafeteria from grade school which felt welcoming.

At the ticket kiosk you can purchase three different types of tickets, a milking session for 700 yen, a butter-churning session for 820 yen, or a ticket for both activities discounted at 1,420 yen. I chose the money-saving way because I want to do both.

The butter-churning class was first. It wasn’t like they show in cartoons where people churn butter in a wooden barrel. Instead, we rapidly shook small containers until the milk separated from the butter. It was about a 20-minute experience which was neat and tiring, but we sampled the incredibly fresh fruits of our labor at the end.

The next experience was to milk an actual cow. This was my first time trying it out. The only cow available was pregnant, so there was not much milk to extract. The warm udder felt odd to hold and squeeze, but I felt a sense of accomplishment when I saw the milk hitting the inside of the metal bucket.

After, we strolled around the farm and watched the cows hanging around. We eventually ended up at the gift shop and browsed the merchandise. The shop had Mozart milk, a peculiar bottle of milk from cows who have spent a few hours a day listening to classical music. Apparently, this produces better tasting dairy, so i had to try it. Maybe it was the placebo effect or the fact that I already enjoy milk from this dairy farm, but the Mozart milk was delicious. The bottle was 340 yen, so it was not bad to sample something gimmicky.

I would come here again just to relax in the countryside again. This place is family friendly and quite fun for a cheap and tasty adventure.

• Address: 1 Yagitogikami, Minamiawaji, Hyogo 656-0443

• Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., 7 days a week

• Parking: Free

• Website (Japanese only)

*Milking and butter turning tickets are cash only.

About an hour away from the dairy farm, the Awaji Monkey Center has an online presence as it hosts livestreams on YouTube of its resident Japanese Macaques. 

The roads to the center are a bit small and difficult, so make sure to account for this while figuring out your drive time.

The kiosk to buy tickets is found right before the entrance next to the gift shop. Tickets cost 1000 yen (about $6.75) for adults and 400 yen for children. We walked up the slope and immediately noticed the wildlife was watching us. Once we reached the top, we were surrounded by lots of monkeys (and a few deer). 

The monkey center is a nice, simple place with lots of chill monkeys. We got to sit and watch them play, eat, relax with small random fights in between. There is a small pool where many bathe and a string they love to pull which feeds them one treat at a time. It was simple and blissful.

We were able to watch ourselves on the YouTube live stream, too! It was a bit of a bummer that we couldn’t pet any animals because of safety and hygiene but most of these monkeys are friendly. 

What I found impressive was how well behaved most of these monkeys are. Especially since they are wild animals who live in the mountains and come down to eat and play. 

Although children are allowed inside, I would not recommend coming with children for this trip since the monkeys can be a little unpredictable. 

• Address: Hatadagumi 289, Sumoto city, Hyogo Prefecture 656-2533 

• Hours: Fri.-Wed. 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Closed Thursdays

• Parking: Free

• Payment: Yen only, bring cash

*Be careful driving along the coastline, monkeys can occasionally roam the roads.

Rules to know before coming

1. Do not touch the monkeys.

2. Do not get too close to the monkeys.

3. Staring directly at the monkeys can be dangerous.

4. Don’t talk to the monkeys.

5. Do not hand small branches or pebbles to the monkeys.

6. Do not run or shout inside the park.

7. Bringing food into the park is not allowed.

8. Pers are not permitted in the park.

9. Livestreaming on YouTube, Instagram, etc., is prohibited inside the park.

10. Please inform staff if you wish to use a DSLR camera.

11. Selfie Sticks are not allowed.

- Source: Awaji Monkey Center website

Once we were set to leave Awaji Island to our next adventure, we (mainly I) stumbled across something that caught my attention, the Naruto Whirlpools. The name Naruto itself is the same as the anime “Naruto Shippuden” I saw many years ago. So, I knew we had to go see the whirlpools.

From above the promenade of the Onaruto Bridge, visitors can see the swirling whirlpools said to be the strongest in the world. Tickets to access the promenade are relatively cheap at 510 yen (about $3.50) for adults, 410 yen for kids ages 13-18 and 260 yen for kids ages 6-12. 

After buying our tickets, we walked the promenade anticipating the roaring view below. Unfortunately, time was not on our side. The whirlpools only happen during certain times of the day. We didn’t make it on time and were limited also to how long we could stay without getting out of schedule. They do have a schedule online that states what time of day and season would be best to visit to witness the natural phenomenon.

Although we wouldn’t get to see the whirlpools on this visit, the views from the tempered glass floor panels on the promenade were stunning. 

This quick detour is why taking a road trip instead of flying can be cool. In addition to the whirlpools, Tokushima Prefecture is also famous for sweet potatoes and limes. I wished we would have more time to explore but maybe next time.

• Address: Naruto Koen, Naruto-cho, Naruto-shi, Tokushima, 772-0053, Japan

• Hours: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Last entry 5:30 p.m.) Summertime season.

• Parking: Parking costs 500 yen, spots are limited.

• Website (English tab on the top right)

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