An eco-friendly trip in an EV - Traveling through the sea and green peninsula beloved by an artist!

The Manazuru Peninsula is a small peninsula that juts out from the southwestern part of Kanagawa Prefecture. Located between the bustling cities of Odawara and Yugawara, the town has chosen to develop itself according to its own unique "standards of beauty," preserving its rich natural environment and quiet lifestyle.
We visited the peninsula's scenery, beloved by painters, in an environmentally friendly EV.

《Here is the route for this trip》

The start is at the intersection in front of JR Manazuru Station. Once you turn off National Route 135 towards the sea and onto Prefectural Route 739, there's basically just one road that circles the peninsula, so there's no need to worry about getting lost.

As we walked down the slope, the view opened up and Manazuru Port came into view. There is also a yacht harbor next to the fish market, giving it a bit of a resort feel.

On the second floor of the fish market, there is a Japanese restaurant called Sakanaza, where you can enjoy freshly caught seafood. On a nice day, the terrace seats with an ocean view look very pleasant.

They open at 10am so we had a late breakfast.
There are a variety of set menus, including set meals, so it's hard to decide what to order, but on this day I chose the "Local Fish Three-Kind Bowl" (1,780 yen + tax). I was very satisfied!

Pisces
[Business hours] 10:00-15:00
[Closed] Irregular holidays
[Address] 1947-2 Manazuru, Manazuru-cho
[TEL] 0465-68-6511
*The official website can be found here .

The town's guardian deity, Kifune Shrine , is located very close to the port, so don't forget to say hello.
It has a long history and is said to have been founded in 889, and enshrines the gods Okuninushi, Kotoshironushi, and Sukunahikona.

Kifune Shrine is famous for the magnificent Kifune Festival, which is held every year on July 27th and 28th. The festival is characterized by the procession of a portable shrine (mikoshi) over the sea from the shrine on the mountain and into the town, and has been designated a national important intangible folk cultural property.

Kifune Shrine
[Address] 1117 Manazuru, Manazuru-cho
[TEL] 0465-68-0066
*The official website can be found here .

After driving along the coastline for a while, Kotogahama Beach comes into view. As it is known as the birthplace of diving in Japan, the water is incredibly clear!
There are parking lots and walking paths, so on holidays you can often see families with packed lunches.

After climbing a slightly steep slope, the path continues into the forest .
The forest dates back to the Edo period, when a large amount of lumber was needed after the Great Fire of Meireki, and pine seedlings allocated to the Odawara Domain by order of the shogunate were planted. After the Meiji Restoration, the forest became an Imperial forest and access by the general public was restricted, but after the war it became national forest and was sold to Manazuru Town in 1952.
Today, it is a primeval forest inhabited by hundreds of species of plants and wild birds, including black pine and camphor trees that are over 30 meters tall, and is carefully protected as a "fish-producing forest reserve."

After passing through the forest , you will arrive at Cape Manazuru , located at the tip of the Manazuru Peninsula. The scenic Mitsuishi area is just a short distance away. Cape Manazuru also has a shop, a cafe, and a free rest area, so it's a great place to take a break before heading out.

Cape Manazuru​
[Business hours] 9:00-16:00 (cafe opens from 10:00)
[Address] 1175-1 Manazuru, Manazuru-cho
[TEL] 0465-68-1112
*The official website can be found here .
*Due to a change in operator, Cape Manazuru will be changing its operations from April 1, 2020. Please check the website for further details.

We found an EV quick charger in a corner of the rotary in front of the facility! It's free!
The vehicle is available for use from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. You can borrow a key at the Cape Manazuru shop reception desk. However, since I could easily make the round trip from Yokohama without needing to charge, I parked it in a regular parking lot.

A must-see is the Endo Shell Museum on the second floor of Cape Manazuru. Its collection of 50,000 specimens representing 4,500 species, collected over the course of a lifetime by shellfish researcher Haruo Endo, a native of Manazuru, is a must-see. As a "museum of the sea," the museum also hosts a variety of events that allow visitors to experience the natural beauty of the Manazuru Peninsula.

The exhibition room displays not only shells found in the sea off Manazuru and shells that live in Sagami Bay, but also rare shells that cannot be found in Japan.

The museum also sells "Shining Shell Craft Kits." The kits contain abalone shell chips, which you can polish with the included file and attach a strap to create a sparkling keychain. This one-of-a-kind original accessory is sure to become a wonderful memento of your trip.

Manazuru Town Endo Shell Museum
[Opening hours] 9:30-16:30 (entry until 16:00)
[Closed] Thursdays
[Admission fee] Adults: 300 yen, Elementary school students to high school students: 150 yen *Manazuru and Yugawara town residents: Free
[Address] 1175 Manazuru, Manazuru-cho
[TEL] 0465-68-2111
*The official website can be found here .

Just outside the museum, you'll find a sculpture made from Komatsu stone, a specialty of Manazuru. Created by sculptor Atsuya Tominaga for the Manazuru Town Stone Sculpture Festival held in September 2019, the piece is titled "Love Stone." It seems like something wonderful might happen if you gently touch it.

Photo courtesy of Manazuru Town Tourism Association

A wonderful spot like this has also opened right next door!
It's a two-seater, so couples and parents and children can enjoy it together.

From the observation deck at the tip of the cape, you can see Mitsuishi , a famous spot for watching the first sunrise of the year. Looking around, you can see Hatsushima, Izu Oshima, the Izu Peninsula, and more.
To the left of the observation deck, there are stairs leading down to the coast. There are nearly 300 steps, so it seems like it would be difficult to climb back up once you reach the bottom, but since you've come all this way, why not go down?

It's really impressive when you see it up close!
The coast in this area was formed by lava that erupted 150,000 years ago, and is said to be home to a diverse range of creatures, including shellfish, shrimp, crabs, and fish. At low tide, a reef stretching about 200 meters out to sea appears, and it is said that you can walk across to Mitsuishi , but it is very slippery, so please be careful where you step.

After climbing 300 steps, we resumed our drive!
Most of the road through the forest is one-way, so you can enjoy different scenery on the way there and on the way back. The quietness without engine noise is one of the great things about EVs. Enjoy a leisurely ride while listening to the rustling of the trees and the sound of the distant waves.
There is a walking trail through the forest , and you can see many hikers here and there. There are also places where large trees hang over the road, so you need to be careful when driving.

Once you pass through the one-way section, you will see the Nakagawa Kazumasa Museum of Art .
Born in Tokyo in 1893, Nakagawa established his studio in Manazuru Town in 1949 after the end of the war, and continued his creative activities there.

Nakagawa loved Manazuru and was fond of painting the fishing village of Fukuura at the base of the western side of the peninsula, as well as roses and sunflowers. He also left behind works of rock pigments, calligraphy, and pottery, and the more you visit the museum, the more you will be captivated by his wide range of talent.

Near the museum, Nakagawa's studio has been recreated. The paints, canvases, and furniture that he actually used have been relocated to the space, making it seem as if the artist is still creating his works.

Manazuru Town Nakagawa Kazumasa Museum of Art
[Opening hours] 9:30-16:30 (entry until 16:00)
[Closed] Wednesdays (open on public holidays), December 28th to January 3rd
[Admission fee] Adults: 600 yen, High school students and younger: 350 yen
[Address] 1178-1 Manazuru, Manazuru-cho
[TEL] 0465-68-1128
*The official website can be found here .

Nakagawa is not the only painter who fell in love with Manazuru and moved there. Takashi Hotta, who worked as a painter in Cagnes, southern France, for 40 years, is another such painter. When he returned to Japan, he was searching for a "scenery similar to that of the south of France" and came across Manazuru. In 2014, he opened the Takashi Hotta Western Art Museum to exhibit his own works.

The building that is open to the public as a Western-style film museum was built by a businessman and later used as a doctor's villa. From the large windows in the living room, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Hakone Mountain Range, Izu Peninsula, and Sagami Bay, which is very pleasant!

Mr. Hotta passed away a few years ago, and now his wife runs the shop almost single-handedly. Surrounded by his brightly colored works and listening to his stories of his days in the south of France, it's easy to forget you're in Japan.

" Taka Hotta Western Painting Museum "
[Opening hours] 11:00-16:30
[Opening days] Saturday, Sunday, Monday
[Admission fee] Free
[Address] 1414 Manazuru, Manazuru-cho
[TEL] 0465-68-5032

When we returned to Manazuru Port, we found the cute restaurant honohono . With its white walls and large windows facing the sea, it has a chic appearance that seems like it could be found in a European resort.

The interior of the restaurant is a cozy space filled with natural light. Surrounded by Scandinavian-style interiors such as comfortable chairs, it seems like you can enjoy your meal in peace.
By the way, the store name is apparently derived from Hawaiian, with "hono" meaning "cove" and "honohono" meaning "stroll."

The lunch set menu allows you to choose your main dish from fish, meat, two types of pasta, or curry. I chose the "Fish Lunch (1,580 yen + tax)." Since I was there, I also ordered a non-alcoholic wine.
The main dish for the day was yellowtail confit, accompanied by a fresh tomato aglio e olio sauce and locally-sourced nabana fritters. It may look a little plain, but the taste is so amazing you'll wonder, "What is this?"! Even the appetizers and salad dressings are carefully prepared one by one, and each dish is packed with happiness.
When I heard that the fish was delivered directly from the fishermen who unloaded their catch at Manazuru Port right in front of the restaurant, and that the vegetables were delivered directly from Takahashi Farm on the peninsula, I thought, "Of course they can't be delicious."

This is "Mackerel Black Shichimi Pasta Aglio Olio (1,280 yen + tax)." Mackerel Black Shichimi is one of the "Atarashii Himono" (drying fish) dishes developed by arranging Manazuru's traditional drying techniques, and it's also delicious, unlike anything I've ever tried before. It's usually a dinner menu item, but I made a reservation and they made it special for me.
A variety of original creative dishes packed with the treasures of Manazuru... We thoroughly enjoyed them!

A bonus photo.
There is an aquarium with tropical fish swimming in it inside the store, and while you might think it's just for interior decoration, it turns out that these fish were also caught at Manazuru Port. They had ridden the ocean currents to Sagami Bay, but were unable to return to the southern seas and were therefore protected by the fishermen.

《 honohono 》
[Business hours] Lunch 11:30-14:30 (LO) / Dinner 17:30-20:30 (LO)
[Closed] Tuesdays and Wednesdays
[Address] 1027 Manazuru, Manazuru-cho
[TEL] 0465-20-8556
*The official website can be found here .

I heard that the dried fish shop that developed the "Atarashii Himono" that I had at honohono was nearby, so I decided to visit. It's Uoden, which was founded in 1877.
In front of the store, they are busy cutting up fish delivered from Manazuru Port and making dried fish. As I was looking for dried fish to take home as a souvenir, I noticed a sign in front of the store that said "Squid Bomb." When I asked the shop staff, they replied, "We'll fry it right away, so please wait about five minutes." Yes, of course I'll wait!

This is the "Squid Bomb".
To put it simply, it's a croquette made with potatoes, squid, and caramelized onions stuffed with cheese, then deep-fried in a batter of squid ink breadcrumbs. It looks quite impressive, and I discovered a new deliciousness! It's the perfect size for a snack, but it also seems like it would go great with wine, so I bought a bunch to take home as a souvenir.

"Fish Tale"
[Address] 671 Manazuru, Manazuru-cho
[TEL] 0465-68-0467
*The official website can be found here .

One place you shouldn't miss in Manazuru is Arai Castle Ruins Park . It was built on the site of Arai Sanetsugu's castle in the 11th century, and since it's located on the side of a mountain, even walking around the park once is a good workout.

This normally quiet park comes alive during the cherry blossom season in late March, when the weeping cherry trees in the park all bloom at once, creating a truly magnificent sight.

Arai Castle Ruins Park
[Address] 1789 Manazuru, Manazuru-cho

There is one more restaurant on the Manazuru Peninsula that is definitely worth visiting: Minato Shokudo, located at the back of Fukuura Fishing Port on the west side of the peninsula.

What sets this place apart is not only the freshness and deliciousness of the fish, but also the portion sizes. From the "Sashimi Set Meal" where you can taste 4 to 6 types of fish, to boiled fish, grilled fish, fried fish, and more, all of them are very impressive. There are over 20 items on the menu, so if you can't decide what to order, we recommend the "Minato Set Meal (2,100 yen + tax)" which offers a variety of options.

Minato Shokudo
[Business hours] 11:00-15:00 (last order 14:30)
[Closed] Wednesday
[Address] 109-2 Fukuura, Yugawara-cho
[TEL] 0465-20-7005
*The official website can be found here .

Once you return to the station, don't forget to pick up some souvenirs at the Western confectionery shop Takayanai .
The target is "Aji Sable"!
You can buy them at Cape Manazuru and other stores, but you can also buy them individually at the manufacturer's store, so you can get one as a souvenir and one as a snack (130 yen each, tax included).

It's not called "Aji Sable" because it's shaped like a horse mackerel. The dough actually contains sun-dried horse mackerel powder!
Of course, even though it contains horse mackerel powder, there's no fishy smell at all, so you can rest assured. The unique mismatch between the dried fish-designed packaging and the crispy, delicious sable cookies is sure to bring a smile to anyone's face when you give it to them.

"Takayanai"
[Business hours] 9:30-19:00
[Regular holiday] Tuesday (next day if Tuesday is a public holiday)
[Address] 1812 Manazuru, Manazuru-cho
[TEL] 0465-68-0304

Filming cooperation: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Vehicle used: Nissan Leaf e+