Exploring Saikazaki Looking across the harbour at the hillside town, mandarin in hand

From across the harbour, Saikazaki’s houses seemed to stack up the hillside. It was a November afternoon, and sunlight still fell across the house walls. A house stood above the nearest rooftop, and beside it another roof sat at a different height. On the map, the town looked like one neat cluster of buildings, but seeing it for myself, I wanted to follow each one with my eyes.

I pulled my cream cardigan closed over my mint top and took out the Wakayama mandarin I’d brought along. As I held it in one hand and peeled it with the other, I could smell the mandarin on my fingertips. Snacks always feel a little special on a trip, but that afternoon I enjoyed even the time spent peeling it in the harbour breeze. I picked out a segment and brought it to my lips.

One bite and the juice burst in my mouth, making me want another segment straight away. The prefecture says field-grown mandarins are harvested from early September through December. I was glad I’d brought one for my autumn visit to Wakayama. I paused mid-peel and looked across the harbour again. Eating something sweet in front of a view I love feels so good.

As I ate, I looked over at the water, where the houses’ reflections shimmered. On the slope, I could make out the rooftops clearly; on the water, the same houses kept wavering. I kept pausing between the two views, leaving the uneaten segment in my hand. I wanted to stretch out the break as long as I could, because I didn’t want to finish my mandarin too soon.

Saikazaki has been known for its scenic beauty since the Manyō era and forms part of the Japan Heritage site “Wakanoura: A Treasure Trove of Spectacular Views,” which was designated in 2017. I wonder if people long ago also looked out across the harbour this way. The town I see today is where people live now, but maybe the feeling that brings us here to admire the view is something we share with those who came before us.

When I’d eaten the last segment and gathered up the peel, the scent of mandarin still lingered on my hands. Before leaving, I looked across the harbour once more. I spotted the rooftop that had caught my eye earlier, and somehow the town felt a little more familiar, even though all I’d done was admire it. I think what I’ll remember about Saikazaki is the view of houses rising one above another and the sweetness of that segment.