Osezaki Lighthouse

Osezaki Lighthouse..........A very Tirinin Autumn Sunday

I was very tired today.

Today I went to Osezaki Lighthouse and the Cliff. It is the scene that you can say is very beautiful. Yes, it's very splendid, and I could take many pictures there. But I wonder if I can take all great scenes into my small picture, and perhaps it's impossible to have the picture express the beauty of nature instead of the real scene. I understand it now.

And I am really tired today. It's about 40km away from where I live. And I could easily arrive at the parking lot. Some tourist had come and they returned from there after seeing the scene of the long beautiful view. But I decided to visit the Lighthouse myself. There lived some people long ago, because in those days there was no road and it was very inconvenient to walk down from the mountain to there. Of course it's very dangerous to go near it from sea. So the lighthouse keepers had to live their to do their duty. Their life was made into a movie called "Happiness and Sadness for long Years" by Keisuke Kinoshita. But now almost all Japan's lighthouse are automated, I think. And this Osezaki Lighthouse isn't the exception. Some officers sometimes visit to check it now.

We can walk down to the lighthouse from the hill, and it's about 2km and the height of hill is perhaps 200m or 300m high. At first my nieces wanted to accompany with me, but when they heard I would walk down to the light house, they hesitated. They know it was a very hard journey. Of course I know that. I have climbed down to the lighthouse a few times, and it was a very hard walking indeed. But today I had to climb down to the lighthouse to take nice pictures, so I would have to climb down the steep slope. After all, I went to the lighthouse and cliff by myself. And it was a pleasant journey indeed at first.

There were some tourists today as I said. But there were not so many people. I didn't see more than 20 people at most. Such wonderful nature, and such few people! Indeed it's a gorgeous journey. Of course there would be more people in summer. Today is very fine, warm and the air is fresh and clean as usual. It's the best day for hiking and picknic. If they had such a beautiful scene near the big cities instead of this small island, thousand of, no tens of thousands of people would have walked about there on a fine day like today, I think. But the beautiful scen was for only myself today.

No, it's not only exaggeration. On my way from the parking lot to the lighthouse, while I walked 2km under the tunnel of the trees, I didn't meet any soul. And I spent under the lighthouse alone for about ten minutes. The sky was blue. And a few eagles and many seabirds were flying. The sea is shining and deep blue. I'd like to stay there all day indeed.

After such pleasure, the hell moment began! I couldn't walk up the steep slope easily on my return road. I walked out of breath all the way and hardly walk. My legs wouldn't listen to me! The last time I go there with my old friend was so severe as today, but not like today. Have I too old now? No, perhaps it's because I have not exercised much recently. I will have a legache tomorrow, but my sweat today has frrred me from some body stress. With all of my effort, I managed to reach my wagon car. I had to lie down in the car for good enough.

BTW on my return to the parking lot, I met two men coming down the slope. The trees were over us, and they couldn't see where the lighthouse is at the point. I answered that it's still 600m. And they seem to smile at how I am tired. But they didn't know the rest 600m is the steep slope down and up. I don't know if they dared to walk down to the lighthouse, and what they had experienced. They were neatly dressed, so perhaps they weren't this island's inhabitant. They were young. But could they safely return back?

After 10 or 20 minutes rest in my car, my energy was restored, and I visited other places on my way home. Two of them are very interesting. One is old temple which was built more than 1200 years ago. It was called Westen Koyasan. Koyasan is famous mountain in Japan. And I may write about it in the future. And the other place was Lourdes in Japan. Our island is famous for many catholic believers in Japan. Many churches can be seen here and there in our island. I don't know this place can give people healing though. I visited there a few times before.

I have many pictures taken today. But I can't say now that they are beautifully taken. LOL Soon I will know the truth.

So my dear friend, this is my adventure today. I am very tired now, but yes, I enjoyed today. I knew today's walking around would be the hardest of all, because we can go only to the parking lot by car. And many people usually return back there. We can see the beautiful view there too, so why do we need to climb down the steep slope? Perhaps today's foolish people may have been only a few including me and the two men. hahaha...

12-13-1998

The pictures and this essay can be seen at my Picture pages.