日置川

I don't know about you, but I had a wicked Obon, and quite possibly the best so far in Japan. Some friends & I had initially decided to head to Okinoshima this summer, but due to unforeseen circumstances, had to drop that idea and think more locally. Luckily for us, our mate Kevin suggested camping on the Hiki river in Wakayama. So, on the 11th of August we all headed south into the unknown. As usual the highway was chokka around the Kainan area, just after Wakayama city, so we got off there and drove the remainder of the journey on the coast road. It's a windy, bumpy road, but the sea view and small coastal towns help to ease the drive. A good bit later, we eventually arrived at our destination, all be it, with a little help from the owner of the campsite.

The Campsite is about 10km upriver on the north bank, nestled between the mountains and small farming communities. It's an amazing location, with all the mod cons, for a more domesticated form of camping, and includes toilets, BBQ, showers and a washing machine, for those that require such luxuries in the wild. However, the only facilities that I used the entire 5 days were the washing up area and toilet.

So, with the long drive behind us, we settled quickly into the new surroundings, pitching our tents and collecting wood from the shore for our camp fire & BBQ. We were pretty amazed by our location within the camp. It was most definitely the best, offering great access to the river, and just far enough away from the entrance to offer a degree of seclusion.
The weather had cleared up nicely, the sun was shining and the river beckoned. We all changed into our swim-wear and headed down the river bank for a paddle. Unfortunately, it had been raining heavily prior to our arrival, and the river was quite high, so we just splashed around the bank. Usually, the river is a beautiful clear blue, but with all that water running off the mountains, it had become a swirling brown soup, and was way too fast to swim in. After all the traveling & excitement is was time for some food, so it was on with our chef's hats and time for some outdoor culinary magic. We were well prepared, as we had stocked up on supplies earlier from the Okuwa supermarket, at the mouth of the Hiki river, on route 42. The main menu that day was Chicken stew, a one pot wonder, which is just great for cooking outdoors. Everyone chipped into the cooked duties, with some peeling and the others chopping or washing up.
After a good feed, all the adults relaxed under the gazebo with a few ales, while the kids ran around the site catching dragonflies and investigating their new surroundings. There were a lot of families on the site, so the kids were spoilt for new friends to play with.

more to come!