This is the best season to drive along the Seaside Line in Nishigama-ku, Niigata City. You can't help but drive around.

One of the landmarks of the Seaside Line drive is the lighthouse at Kakuda Beach, Nishigama-ku. Did you know that there is some kind of weird cave under the lighthouse?

At the foot of the rock looking up at the lighthouse ...

A cave with a hole in it. In fact, this place has its origins in Minamoto no Yoshitsune.

An age-old sign reads.

Hangan Boat Hiding

This is said to be the cave where Minamoto no Hangan Yoshitsune hid himself and his boat to avoid pursuers when he was pursued by his elder brother Yoritomo and escaped by sea to Oshu Hiraizumi in March 1187.

Minamoto no Yoshitsune is a famous historical figure who is said to have fled to the north-east pursued by his elder brother Yoritomo after defeating the Heike clan, and to have been killed there, or to have travelled to Mongolia and become Genghis Khan, a tragic hero. I didn't realise that there was such a man so close by.

There were signs, "Is this a well-maintained tourist attraction?" and as we casually made our way through the well-maintained caves...

What the hell is this place? It's a precipice!

The anti-slip fence is only about 3 m long! The rest is a narrow path that stretches along the cliff. Amazing!

On the right hand side just outside the cave is a cave where Yoshitsune hid his boat. It's kind of a very ominous hole.

The waves were rough in this inlet, even though I didn't think they were that high that day.

The waves are reaching the narrow path ... but. We've come all this way, so we're going ahead. I ran to the other side to see when the waves receded!

ここまで来ると、灯台を見上げられます。それにしても、洞穴目立たない。そして、この絶壁である。追手の頼朝の手下は上から探していたのでしょうか？これではあの洞穴に逃げ込んだ義経を見つけられなさそうです。「そりゃあ逃げ切るわ～」と納得しながら、しばしぼーっと海を眺めていました。

When you are pockmarked in the middle of nature, you really feel how small we are. If you fell off this cliff, you wouldn't survive. It is possible to climb over the fence at the end of the cliff and go around the rocky area, but we gave up because it was closed to traffic and the waves were too strong.

After enjoying nature for a while, it seems as if there is more spray on your face than before.

Looking back and seeing the way home.

Zapaan. Owwata. The way home... in waves.

It seems that the tide is gradually getting higher. The road is narrow where that wave is coming in, so as someone who is afraid of heights, I'd rather not drive through it.

We had no choice but to climb up to the lighthouse and walk to the other side of the cave we had left through.

The very cliffs from above! And the waves get higher and higher! I thought it was absolutely dangerous on a rough day.

Climbing up to the lighthouse, you will see the Kakudahama beach with bathers. It's a very peaceful view.

But if you turn the other way...

This rocky area. Gap!

The judge's boat hide, which was even more amazing than I thought it would be! It seems to have been recognised as a Makimachi cultural asset before the merger, and this is a recommended spot where you can feel quite natural. I definitely want to visit and play here at least once!

Spotlight.

coach's name-use license (licence)

• Kakudahama, Nishigama-ku, Niigata City