Hotoke-ga-ura Rock Formations

Along the remote Shimokita Peninsula, the shoreline at Hotoke-ga-ura is made up of pale, wind-sculpted rock columns rising directly from the sea. Local tradition holds that the rounded, humanlike shapes of some formations resemble the figures of Buddhist deities, giving the site its name, which translates roughly as 'shore of the Buddhas.' Access is by boat from a small harbor, which takes about twenty minutes each way and gives you views of the cliff face from the water. The site is quiet, genuinely far from tourist infrastructure, and best visited between May and October when boats run regularly.