Nanatsugama Sea Caves A bite of Yobuko manju with the sea caves in view

When I peeled the wrapper back a little, the filling peeked out from the white manju. I’d bought it in Yobuko and saved it as a treat for this moment. I’d decided to look at the sea before taking a bite, but seeing the filling made me want to eat it first.

With the manju in my hand, I looked back at the rock face. Narrow columns stand packed together, some upright, others slanting. Beneath them are the dark cave mouths. Each flash of light on the water made the darkness farther inside stand out even more.

Nanatsugama was formed as waves from the Genkai Sea wore away the basalt. The column-like patterns are columnar joints, formed as lava cooled and solidified, and seven caves line the coast. After my friend explained it, the lines stopped looking like a pattern and started to show me just how long it had taken to shape the rock.

Above the caves, there’s a stretch of grassland, plus an observation deck and walking paths. The breeze found its way through my white sailor-collar blouse, cooling me after the walk. I was glad I could spend time looking out to sea and walking across the grass.

My treat came from Nakao Manju Shop, near the entrance to Yobuko Morning Market Street. After a morning stroll and a stop for manju, my friend and I headed to the coast around midday. That way, we could really feel the contrast between Karatsu’s bustling port and the quiet headland.

After I’d finished eating and tucked away the wrapper, I stayed a little longer, tracing the line of the rocks. From a distance, they look like one long cliff, but up close each seam runs in a different direction. The next time I drive along the coast, I want to get out at Nanatsugama and take my time with these rocks and the water.