Ino Town, Kochi Prefecture
UFO Line (Town Road Kamegamori Line) A sip of tea after the ridgeline drive
Another mountain comes into view beyond each bend. After driving the UFO Line in autumn, I wanted to linger over a cup of tea from my thermos and admire the road a little longer.
A day driving along the autumn ridge, with a tea break along the way. Come and see the road and fall colors with me.
AutumnMid-October
I want to stay here until my tea goes cold
As I climbed into the mountains, I looked forward to whatever view would appear beyond the next bend. I kept my eyes on the road and turned the wheel gently. When I came out from between the trees, mountain ridges stretched far into the distance. I knew before I even pulled over that the drive had been worth it.
Once I'd parked, I looked back at the road I'd just driven. The paved road wound along the bamboo-grass-covered slopes. I'd been driving through that very stretch just moments ago. I traced it with my eyes as far as I could, and I wanted to drive it all over again and stay right there and rest, too.
For now, I chose to rest and poured some tea from my thermos into my cup. I hadn't expected to be so glad I'd packed it before setting off. Leaning against the car, I held the cup in both hands and took a sip; I felt the tension leave my shoulders. It was my usual tea, but today I wanted to savor it slowly.
Holding the cup, I thought back to that last bend. While I was driving with my eyes on the road, I focused on how one turn led into the next. Once I stopped to look, I noticed the mountains surrounding the road, too. The same place gives you something different when you're driving through it and when you stop to rest.
I thought I'd set off as soon as I finished my tea, but there was still some left in the thermos. I poured another cup—just one more sip, I thought—and laughed at myself: at this rate, I'd never have a reason to leave. I enjoyed the whole moment, looking at the mountains just beginning to turn and thinking all that over.
After the last sip, I packed my cup away. Now I was looking forward to the rest of the road ahead. I'm sure I'll think of this tea break on the UFO Line whenever I have tea. I got back behind the wheel and headed out onto the mountain road again.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Local specialties and food stops
Pheasant and amego trout dishes at Roadside Station Konoka
At Roadside Station Konoka, you can enjoy dishes made with local specialties like pheasant and amego trout, along with ingredients from Kochi. After a tea break in the mountains, local food sounds lovely, too. I'm already getting hungry just wondering what to choose.
Highlights
A road that follows the mountain ridge
The UFO Line is a roughly 27 km stretch of the Town Road Kamegamori Line, running with Mount Ishizuchi as its backdrop. The route follows a ridge at elevations of 1,300m to 1,700m. Once I parked and looked back along the road, I felt happy all over again: I'd driven that whole stretch.
Autumn among the bamboo grass and fall colors
The autumn colors start around mid-October, turning the mountains red and yellow. What I loved most was taking in the rounded, bamboo-grass-covered peaks and the winding road all at once. Holding my tea in both hands, I found myself wishing I could stay a little longer.
Road and access
Town Road Kamegamori Line
- Road length
- About 27 km long
- Elevation
- 1,300m〜1,700m
By car, it's about 30 minutes from Roadside Station Konoka, about 1 hour 30 minutes from Ino IC, and about 1 hour 20 minutes from Iyo-Saijo IC. I was already looking forward to the ridge views as I made my way up into the mountains.
You can open the UFO Line (Town Road Kamegamori Line) on the map below. I also like following the route I just drove on the map.
More Spot Guides
If you enjoyed this story, you might like these places too. I've gone back to each of them in different seasons, again and again.
