Hello, my name is moca.
This time, I visited Gotō again. I would like to introduce a trip to Gotō where you can enjoy different scenery depending on the season.
Arikawa Port in Shin-Kamigoto Town
For this trip, we took a high-speed boat (adult/student discount) to Arikawa Port in Shin-Kamigoto Town for 4,370 yen one way.
The high-speed boat ride took about 1 hour and 45 minutes. The weather was fine and we were able to arrive safely without getting seasick and without encountering rough seas. In addition to seats, there is a tatami space, and those who are prone to seasickness are recommended to take a rest there.
Also, it is often the case that the boat is cancelled depending on the weather, so you might want to check the sea forecast on a website called Sea Weather before purchasing a ticket.
https://www.umitenki.jp/tenki/4901/3hours
First of all, we had pre-booked a car, which was essential for sightseeing in Gotō, with “Toyota Rent-A-Car Lease”. When we arrived at the port, a staff member welcomed us and kindly offered to drive us to the store, which was only a few minutes away. After completing the formalities, he also politely introduced us to some of the sightseeing spots and recommendations in Gotō.
Hamaguruhama Beach
It was still early summer and not many people were there, but it is said to be crowded with people enjoying swimming in the sea in summer.
Incidentally, this beach is located near the cafe “Hamaguri Deck” that we introduced last year.
Click here for the previous article on Hamaguri Deck.
Kiri Catholic Church
The next stop was Catholic Kiri Church, which I was curious about after seeing a poster at a car rental store.
This church is quite far from Arikawa Port, and it took about 40 minutes by car. However, we enjoyed the long and beautiful drive along the seaside road, which is unique to Gotō.
A little up the hill from the seaside road, there was a paulownia church with a pure white exterior wall that looked very nice against the blue sky. Behind the church, a long flight of stairs led down to a beautiful view of nature. Here is a photo of it ↓.
We could see the crystal clear emerald green sea. After enjoying this nature-filled place, we headed to a restaurant for lunch, “Goto Udon,” a specialty of Goto.
TorToraya
This time we visited Toraya.
For dessert after the meal, we had this cheesecake. The topping was an unusual one: salt, a specialty of Gotō, was poured over the cheesecake, and we enjoyed the unusual taste of cheesecake matched by the salt.
Tana Cafe.
We enjoyed the drive for a while and then headed to the next cafe.
Shin-Kamigoto Town Tourism and Products Association
Next, as the time for my return flight was approaching, after returning the rental car, I went to a souvenir shop [Shin-Kamigoto Town Tourist Products Association], only a five-minute walk from Arikawa Port.
The store offers a wide variety of items, including Goto udon noodles with soup, assorted sets of various types of salt, and Goto’s famous camellia oil, making it the perfect place to buy souvenirs.
After purchasing the souvenirs, there was still some time left, so I checked the nearby cafes and found an interesting place called [KATO COFFEE] quite close by, but unfortunately it was a closed day. Unfortunately, it was a closed day.
After that, we returned to Arikawa Port and wandered around the museum. Inside the museum there was also a souvenir shop from Gotō and the [Whale Guest House Museum].
Since whaling was very active and famous in the Arikawa area, there was a museum dedicated to the history and culture of whaling.
Admission: General: 210 yen
Elementary and junior high school students: 100 yen
This time, we were able to enjoy the Goto Islands even on a one-day trip by high-speed boat from Nagasaki Port. If you are planning to visit Nagasaki City, please take the high-speed boat and visit the Goto Islands as well.
I bought Goto udon noodles and kankoro mochi (rice cakes) as souvenirs on my way home.
楽天
There are also Okayama and Shikoku editions. Please come visit if you like. ☺
Travel Vlog here↓.
