A pause by the sea, with the wind around me A late-June drive along Notsuke Peninsula, with the open sea in view

One afternoon in late June, I drove along the coast of Notsuke Peninsula and pulled into the lookout area at Narawara. Once I turned off the engine and stepped outside, I could hear the wind all around me. Across the road was a low stretch of coastal grassland, with the open sea beyond it. Beside my red car, parked in a marked space, I relaxed my shoulders and took a breath.

As I stood facing the sea, my hair swayed behind me. The wind caught the hem of my light green jacket, and I was glad I'd chosen long trousers. I clasped my hands loosely behind my back and gazed at the distant horizon. I'd been thinking about where to go next, but while I was feeling that breeze, I found myself wanting to stay a little longer.

The road I'd driven ran straight along the coast. Outside the car, the grass beyond the road and the wires strung between utility poles looked like fine lines against the vast sea. Notsuke Peninsula is said to have formed from sand carried here and deposited by ocean currents. I realized I'd driven my own car along the long, narrow peninsula I'd studied on the map.

The parking area at Narawara also offers a view of the dead trees standing in the inland marsh. Today, though, I faced the sea and watched the white crests appear and disappear. A walk to look for flowers sounded lovely, but just then, I was happy simply standing by the car in the wind. The green along the shore made the blue of the sea stand out all the more.

After my break, I'd love to try some local food in Betsukai. I heard about the Betsukai Scallop Burger, which features a spring roll filled with scallops, and now I want to try it on this trip. Looking out at the sea has me wondering about the scallops raised around here, too. Before getting back in the car, I took one more deep breath of sea air, then got ready for the next stretch of road.