On to the next stretch of Route 1 (Shizuoka, Lake Hamana and Suzuka Pass) A good stretch beside the car at Shiomizaka

I stepped out of the car and stretched both arms overhead. My shoulders loosened, and it felt so good. It was a July morning, and I’d stopped at Roadside Station Shiomizaka midway through a drive along Route 1. When I paused on the pedestrian lane beside my red car, I felt the summer air differently from the way I had while driving.

A breeze brushed the hem of my white T-shirt dress. Before lowering my arms, I looked toward the sea. The bypass was to the left of the car park, with Enshū-nada just beyond it. After all the time I’d spent following the road, it felt as though I’d finally arrived at the sea.

Shiomizaka is close to Shirasuka-juku, an old post town along the Tōkaidō. I’d heard travelers heading from Kyoto to Edo first saw the Pacific here. I wondered if the sea had been an even greater surprise for people who arrived on foot than it was for me, arriving by car.

That story came back to me as I looked at the sea, making this feel like more than just a place to stop and rest. I was eager to get back on the road, but spending a little longer here seemed like it would make the day even more enjoyable. I’d meant only to stretch, but I found myself wanting a longer break by the sea.

Shiomizaka also has a footbath overlooking the Pacific. After a walk, I could soak my feet in the warm water and maybe have a shirasu rice bowl. Until I arrived, I’d been thinking only about the road ahead. Now that I knew what I could do here, I had even more to look forward to on my break.

With a seafood meal and the footbath to look forward to, I headed from my car toward the facilities. I’d spend a little longer here before getting back behind the wheel. I had a feeling I’d remember this stop at Shiomizaka, even as I continued along Route 1.