Yura Town, Wakayama Prefecture
Summer at Shirasaki Ocean Park: White Rocks and a Whitebait Rice Bowl A place to stop for lunch on a coastal drive
At Shirasaki Ocean Park, the white rocks catch your eye as soon as you park. At midday in August, I looked up at the mountain-like ridge of white rocks, then had a whitebait rice bowl for lunch. The pleasure of the coastal drive comes together here—in the view and in the food.
It’s a bright August afternoon, and I’m taking a lunch break in a park surrounded by white rocks. This is my summer story of enjoying a whitebait rice bowl before exploring on foot.
SummerA bright afternoon in August
White Rocks Overhead, Whitebait Rice Bowl for Lunch
At midday in August, my driving friend and I arrived at Shirasaki Ocean Park after a drive along the coast. I parked in a space by the entrance, and the white rocks rose higher than I’d expected. I gathered my things and stepped out. First, I looked right up to the tops of the rocks.
I rolled up the sleeves of my mint blouse and studied the shapes of the rocks. Some parts were pointed, others rounded and worn down, and the shifting light and shadow changed how they looked. When my friend said, ‘That mountain of rock just keeps going,’ I traced the ridgeline slowly from left to right.
For lunch, I had a whitebait rice bowl from the park’s food area. I lifted a mouthful of whitebait and rice from the black bowl with my chopsticks. It felt just right after a drive along the coast, and it made me smile. For the next bite, I mixed in a little egg yolk and savoured how creamy it made everything.
After lunch, I took one more look at the rocks from the car park, and thought my friend and I could walk to the observatory next. A flight of steps leads to a path between the rocks, and beyond it there’s a place overlooking the sea. The view I caught as soon as I got out of the car has become one of my favourite things about this park.
After our walk, we got back to the car and headed out along the coast again. Before setting off, I picked ‘Project Start.’ Whenever I think back on today’s drive, I’ll picture the white rocks I looked up at from the car park and remember the taste of the whitebait rice bowl with egg yolk stirred through it.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Local Specialties to Try
Whitebait Rice Bowl
A dish available at the park’s food area. I enjoyed the whitebait and rice, then tried another bite with a little egg yolk mixed in. I want to remember the taste of this bowl alongside my lunchtime view of the white rocks.
Highlights
A Park Surrounded by White Limestone
These rocks formed as coral and seashells hardened over a very long time. After admiring their sweeping outlines and learning how they formed, I find myself drawn to the smaller details, too.
The Sea Beyond the Rocky Path
An observatory stands at the end of a path reached by stairs and hemmed in by rock. After looking up at the rocks by the entrance, I want to take in the wide sweep of the sea, too.
Roads and Walking Trails
From Hirogawa IC via National Route 42 and Sato Intersection
- Estimated Drive Time on National Route 42
- About 15 minutes (interchange to Sato Intersection)
- Estimated Drive Time from the Junction
- About 15 minutes (Sato Intersection to the park)
Exit at Hirogawa IC and head south on National Route 42, then turn right at Sato Intersection. I’d like to take a lunch break at the park before continuing along the coast.
It takes about 30 minutes to drive from Hirogawa IC to the park. I’d like to fit in a drive along Yura’s coastline and time to explore the white rocks on foot.
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