Road Trip On Yodo Line - Part 2

Our two-day journey on the JR Yodo Line, which connects Ehime Prefecture and Kochi Prefecture, continues. At the end of the first day, after having dinner at Japanese pub Minya near Ekawasaki Station in Kochi, we are picked up by our hotel’s car. The ride to Hotel Seira Shimanto, located on a hill overlooking Shimanto River, takes less than five minutes. The Shimanto Astronomical Observatory is also nearby. 

Our room is spacious with a magnificent view of the river. The hotel also has a natural hot spring public bath made of marble. Guests can see Shimanto River from the bath too. At 8pm, we head to the cute astronomical observatory. It is said to be the smallest astronomical observatory in Kochi Prefecture. Through the telescope, we get to see the moon and the Canis Major constellation. 

The next morning, the hotel’s shuttle service takes us to Ekawasaki Station. We catch the 7.15am train and head to Tosa-Showa. We arrive at 7.35am and the next train is only around 3.5 hours later. Some of the buildings here have a Showa-era vibe. A local tells us this district was originally named Showa during the Showa era. 

We are hungry so ask another resident about breakfast spots. We are told about a cafe, Pinoco, which opened in 1981. We later enjoy a delicious breakfast of eggs, sandwiches and siphon coffee, which is known for its rich aroma and refreshing taste. A customer at the restaurant suggests we go to Mishima, a famous scenic spot near a pedestrian tunnel. It is the largest sandbank on the Shimanto River and boasts breathtaking views of canola flowers and cherry blossoms. 

In the Shimanto River basin, there are many low-water crossings. The crossings have no handrails and are designed to go underwater when the water rises. At Mishima, we are greeted by the beautiful emerald green waters of Shimanto River, the mountains and gorgeous canola flowers.  

We return to Tosa-Showa and take the 11.15am train to the neighbouring station, Tosa-Taisho. We arrive in less than five minutes and have until 1.45pm to roam around. We meet an elderly lady who mentions that a speciality of this town is chestnut shochu. She suggests we visit the Mutemuka brewery to find out more. On the way to the brewery, we talk to a hostel owner who tells us we should also try some yuzu liquor at the brewery. 

We walk to the local sake shop which was established in 1893. The brewery is located at the back of the store and we are taken on a tour of the factory. We are shown where chestnut shochu is distilled and learn about how it is made with lots of chestnuts, malted rice and barley. It is slowly distilled at a low temperature to lock in the mild sweetness and aroma. We get to sample the chestnut shochu, which is named Dabada Hiburi. The regular one is aged for one year and has an alcohol content of 25 per cent. We also try some yuzu liquor, recommended by the hostel owner. It is made with hand-squeezed yuzu and its alcohol content is eight per cent. Kochi is the number one producer of yuzu, with many yuzu trees planted along the Shimanto River. 

We ask the brewery staff to suggest a place for lunch and we are told about a ramen shop called Mitani. It has been around since 1982 and it also serves other things such as udon and rice bowls. We order the ramen; the soup is made with shavings of Tosa's famous dried bullet mackerel as well as soy sauce. The thin noodles go well with the light, sweet soup and the dish is topped with seaweed, bean sprouts and green onions.  

The final stop of our two-day journey is Wakai Station. The unmanned station is popular among train enthusiasts who would take photos at the platform. Besides the Yodo Line, trains from Kuroshio Railway also stop here.

Tips:

1)    A famous scenic spot near Tosa-Showa Station is Mishima
2)    A go-to place for train enthusiasts is the unmanned Wakai Station