Shimanto Town, Kochi Prefecture
A visit to Tosa Okitsuzaka Lookout I want to remember this sea, right down to my little yawn
Tosa Okitsuzaka Lookout in Shimanto Town overlooks the Pacific, and I hear you can watch the first sunrise of the year there, too. One January evening, I watched the sea from beside the wooden pavilion and fence. Even after I’d returned to the car park, I couldn’t stop thinking about that light. That’s my winter drive story.
In my pale-blue down jacket and gloves, I head to the lookout on a winter evening. The low sun throws a long strip of light across the water, and I find myself wanting to linger a little longer.
WinterJanuary evening
I adjusted my gloves and took one more look at the sea
On a January evening, I came to Tosa Okitsuzaka Lookout to see the sea. I parked the car and walked toward the pavilion; by then, I could feel the cold through my gloves. I pulled the front of my pale-blue down jacket closed and looked past the wooden fence. The Pacific opened up beyond the hill, and I stopped in my tracks, so glad I’d made the detour.
A long strip of light stretched across the water. I’d meant to take in the whole view, but I couldn’t pull my eyes away from the shimmer on the surface. I could see the sea framed by the wooden pavilion’s posts, too. I shifted my position a little to take in the town and the sea beyond the hill. By then, I didn’t want to think about when to leave.
I hear the pavilion and wooden fence here are made with timber from Shimanto Town. So I was looking out at the local sea, surrounded by the town’s own timber. Seeing the light reach the sea between the wooden posts made the lookout feel closer to me than it had in the photos. After taking in the shape of the posts, I looked back at the sea and slowly committed the view to memory.
After walking back to the red car in the car park, I tugged at the fingertips of my gloves to straighten them. Then a little yawn slipped out. I’d been so absorbed in the sea that I must have forgotten how tired the drive had made me. I laughed a little with one hand still at my mouth. That light stretching across the sea and the face I made will both stay with me as part of this stop.
Once the yawn had passed, I looked beyond the wooden fence again. I could make out the hill’s shape more clearly than before. It felt like I’d gone from looking only at the sea to taking in the whole view. I’d meant to stop for a short break, but I was glad I hadn’t hurried off. I stopped fussing with my gloves and just stood there for a while.
On my next drive, I want to try the pork buns in Shimanto Town, too. Roadside Station Aguri Kubokawa features pork buns made with Kubokawa pork. Just imagining a warm snack in the winter chill gives me something else to look forward to. Before getting back in the car, I took one more look at the pavilion and the sea. I want to make room for a leisurely evening like this on a drive in the new year.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Local specialty
Kubokawa Pork Buns
Roadside Station Aguri Kubokawa makes and sells pork buns using Kubokawa pork, a specialty of Shimanto Town. The town’s official site describes them as juicy. I’d love to pick one up as a snack after taking in the winter sea; it would make me even more excited for the drive ahead.
Highlights
A winter detour overlooking the Pacific
From this lookout, you can see the Pacific, and I hear you can watch the first sunrise of the year here, too. I was drawn to the evening light stretching across the sea and kept looking even after I returned to the car. I’d planned only a short break, but I wanted to stay a little longer.
The sea framed by local timber
The pavilion and wooden fence are made with timber from Shimanto Town. The sense of space feels different when I look out at the sea between the wooden posts. The lookout is also featured among Kochi’s 100 scenic photo spots.
A winter drive toward Okitsu
A detour to Tosa Okitsuzaka Lookout
- From Shimanto-Chuo IC
- About 10 min by car
- Prefectural road number in the Okitsu district
- Route 52, Okitsu-Kubokawa Line
The drive time to the lookout is approximate, and the route number is for the prefectural road through the Okitsu district. Try adding a stop at the lookout to your drive from town to the sea.
Kochi Prefecture Tourism provides the estimated drive time, and the prefecture’s road information gives the route number. After parking, take in the sea beyond the pavilion.
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