A Drive to Senjojiki Plateau | A Seasonal Pause on a Meadow Overlooking the Sea

Spring grassland, summer sea breezes, autumn island-spotting, winter views from the railing. Pick a season tab to read about one of my 4 seasonal breaks at Senjojiki. I love having yakitori in summer, but I’ll never forget how vast the sea looked when I lowered my binoculars.

The grassland at Senjojiki in early May. A woman in a lavender hoodie, denim shorts, opaque tights, and white sneakers kneels on one knee to tie her laces. A bottle is beside her knee; the Sea of Japan and islands are to the left, grassland and a table to the right, and wind turbines in the distance.

SpringEarly May | Around 10:00 a.m.

Once your laces are tied, look up

When I stepped out of the car and onto the grassland, the breeze slipped into my hoodie sleeves. It was early May, and the sea was already stretching out in front of me. I was eager to head that way, but as I took my first step, I noticed one of the laces on my white sneakers had come loose.

I set my bottle beside me and lowered myself onto one knee. I pulled the laces tight and retied them. I’d come all this way for this enormous view, yet I was staring at my own shoe. Kind of funny, really. Once I finished, I could finally look out at the sea.

When I looked up, the Sea of Japan opened up beyond the grass. I could make out an island offshore, its silhouette seeming to merge with the distant land behind it. My gaze jumped from my shoes to the horizon so suddenly that I couldn’t help drawing in a deep breath. Ah, I’m glad I came all this way.

I picked up my bottle and walked slowly across the grassland. At first my gaze went straight to the sea, but walking around made me notice how wide the meadow was, too. I looked at my feet, then back toward an island offshore. Rather than rush to take photos, I wanted to spend some time walking around and taking in the view first.

On a spring trip, I’d want to make a stop along the way for the azaleas at Sugamuta Park, too. I hear they’re usually in bloom from late April to early May. Just thinking about visiting the flowers after taking in the meadow and sea makes me look forward to the drive back.

Once I get back to town, I want to try Nagato yakitori, too. I started walking toward the car, already thinking about that, but turned back for one more look at the sea. While I was tying my laces, it never occurred to me that I could see this far. Next time I come, I’d like to take my time walking here.

A summer evening in the grassland at Senjojiki. A woman in an ivory short-sleeved blouse and denim shorts holds grilled chicken skewers on a paper plate. Behind her are the Sea of Japan, an island in the distance, a table on the grassland, and wind turbines.

SummerAugust | Evening

Watching the sea with yakitori in hand

When I stepped out of the car and onto the meadow, the breeze puffed out the sleeves of my blouse. My body relaxed after sitting in the car, and I wanted to take a deep breath. The sea was right in front of me, and beyond it, even more sea. I could see much farther than I’d expected.

While my friend walked toward the table, I wandered a little toward the edge of the grassland with my paper plate of yakitori in hand. I’d brought along the Nagato yakitori I’d been wanting to try as my snack for the day. Just as I was about to take a bite, an island offshore caught my eye. There was another island behind it, too.

My friend called out, so I turned around. “You haven’t eaten yet?” she asked. “Not yet—I’m about to,” I said, adjusting my grip on the skewer. That’s when I realized I’d been stopping with the skewer in hand every time I looked at the sea. I couldn’t wait to eat, but I didn’t want to look away either.

I took a bite and finally paid attention to the flavor. As I chewed and looked back out at the sea, a breeze from across the meadow brushed my cheek. I’m glad I chose this spot to eat. I love that the breeze and the view are part of the memory too, right alongside the taste of the local specialty.

On my way back to the table with my paper plate, I noticed a wind turbine in the distance. I’d been focused on the sea so much that I’d forgotten how wide the grassland was. Once we sat down, my friend and I pointed out the islands to each other and took our time eating what we’d brought.

Even after we cleaned up, I couldn’t head back to the car right away. I thought I’d take one more look at the sea, and my friend was looking out at it too. While we watched the islands offshore, the breeze crossing the grassland brushed my cheek again. I wanted to keep watching the sea in that breeze a little longer.

The grassland at Senjojiki in October. A woman in a pale pink rib-knit minidress, lavender jacket, opaque tights, and white sneakers holds small binoculars to her eyes and looks at the islands in the Sea of Japan. The sea is to the left; to the right are grassland with dry patches, a table, and a hut, with a wind turbine in the distance.

AutumnOctober | Around 2:00 p.m.

An island that looked close, and a sea that still seemed endless

One October afternoon, I stood in the grass at Senjojiki and pulled out my small binoculars. I usually gaze out over the whole sea, but today I wanted a closer look at the islands offshore. I adjusted the sleeves of my lavender jacket, planted both feet, and raised the binoculars to my eyes.

Through the binoculars, the outline of an island that had seemed so far away suddenly looked close. I slowly followed the edge where it overlapped with the land beyond. I’d thought it was floating all by itself in the middle of the sea, but looking closer made me notice how much depth there was to the view.

I thought this might be the island’s edge, but another silhouette of land stretched behind it. I lowered the binoculars and looked at the view unaided, then peered through them again. I meant to check carefully, but each time I looked, something else caught my eye. I’m glad I brought them, but I didn’t expect them to keep me this busy.

After watching for a while, I lowered the binoculars, and the grass beneath my feet and the horizon both came back into view. Wait, was the sea always this vast?! The islands that had looked close seemed far away again, and I wanted to take in everything from the grassland to the sea.

Senjojiki sits on a high plateau at 333m. I felt like I’d finally seen for myself the view I knew from the elevation figure. Binoculars let me pick out details on the islands, but I also love looking out over the sea with nothing in my hands. Today’s happy discovery was that I didn’t have to choose between them.

I put my binoculars away and started thinking about where to eat once I got back into town. I’d love to talk about the islands I saw today over some Nagato yakitori. Before I got back to the car, I turned around; the distant islands looked just the same as before. Next time, I’d like to look for those outlines together with someone.

A sunny February day at a Senjojiki lookout. A woman in a lavender coat that ends above the knee, ivory scarf, jeans, gloves, and black ankle boots stands inside a metal railing, holding an insulated flask in both hands as she looks out at the Sea of Japan. A little snow remains along the edge of the platform; the sea is to the left, islands and a peninsula stretch across the center and right, and a wind turbine stands at the far right.

WinterFebruary | Late morning on a sunny day

Lost in the view with my flask in hand

I drove to Senjojiki in a red four-wheel-drive sedan just before noon on a sunny February day. I got out and stretched, then pulled my scarf closer around my neck. I slipped my hands out of my coat pockets and wrapped them around the insulated flask I’d brought. Before walking across the grass today, I wanted to see the sea from the lookout railing.

I stood inside the railing and turned toward the sea. Light flickered across the water. Even with my gloved hands around the flask, I found myself more interested in the islands offshore than in my drink. The land beyond them overlapped in the distance, and every small shift of my gaze revealed another outline.

In summer, I watched the sea while eating yakitori in the grassland; today, I’m looking at it wrapped up in my coat. It’s the same place, but I’m spending my time here so differently. A little snow was still gathered along the edge of the platform by my feet. Looking down at the grass beyond, it hit me again: I was here in winter.

After looking at the distant islands, I looked back at the horizon. As I watched the sea stretch into the distance, the part of my mind still planning the next road went quiet. I held the flask in front of my chest. For now, I wanted to keep looking at this view instead of taking a sip.

Senjojiki is a high plateau at 333m, with views over the Sea of Japan and its islands. The view beyond the railing made me feel the height of the plateau. I looked toward the wind turbine on the right, then back to the sea. There was so much to see just by standing here, without a long walk.

Back in town, I’m going to enjoy some Nagato yakitori. I remembered my next plan and shifted the flask in my hands; only then did I notice I was finally getting a little hungry. Before getting back in the car, I took one more look at the winter sea. This pause, so different from spring and summer, became another memory of my time at Senjojiki.

The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.

Photos of this place4 images

Heki-Naka, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture · Spring | Lace up for a walk
Heki-Naka, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture · Summer | Sea breeze and yakitori
Heki-Naka, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture · Autumn | Looking for islands through binoculars
Heki-Naka, Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture · Winter | Looking out to sea from the railing

Open photos

Local specialty

Nagato Yakitori

Grilled chicken skewers known as a local Nagato specialty. I brought some along as a snack for the day. I still remember that bite in the sea breeze alongside the view of islands offshore.

Highlights

Grassland overlooking the Sea of Japan

A meadow spreads across the plateau at 333m. The sea breeze felt wonderful when I stepped out of the car, and I stood there taking it all in for a while.

Islands offshore

The Sea of Japan is dotted with islands. When I spot one, my eyes wander to the ones behind it. I found myself pausing with the skewer in hand, just as I was about to take a bite.

Nagato’s local specialty as a snack

Nagato is also known for its yakitori. That day, I enjoyed yakitori I’d prepared beforehand as a snack on the grassland.

Location and walking details

Nagato-Furuichi Station–Nishisakamoto–Senjojiki Plateau

Hiking trail distance: Approx. 6km
Senjojiki elevation: 333m

An official hiking route. Once I reach the grassland, I’d love to take a break and enjoy the sea view.

The hiking route from Nagato-Furuichi Station via Nishisakamoto is approx. 6km; Senjojiki’s elevation is 333m. After your drive, take a walk across the grassland and enjoy the view toward the sea.

More Spot Guides

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Official sources

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