Your bus will now head for Kankakei Sancho. Since it’s located at the summit of the mountain, we’ll climb further along mountain roads. Kankakei is the only spot in Japan where you can experience picturesque sea, sky, and valley views all at once. Like Choshikei, the valley was born from volcanic activity 13 million years ago, but why is it called Kankakei? To find out, we must journey back to Shodoshima during the age of myths.
The legend of Izanagi and Izanami tells of how they created Japan starting with Awaji Island, followed by Shikoku, the Oki Islands, Kyushu, and more. Shodoshima was the tenth of these islands they created, and in those days its name was “Azushima.” Legend has it that an emperor once visited Azushima. Thus goes the tale:
Emperor Oujin once climbed to the top of a hill. He gazed upon the twilight sun as it sank behind the islands of the Seto Inland Sea. However, despite the majestic view, his queen looked despondent beside him. When he asked her why, she answered that her home was at the heart of the sunset, and that she missed her mother and father, who still lived there. The emperor heard her plight and immediately arranged for a ship to allow his queen to return home. At their moment of farewell, Emperor Oujin composed the following verse:
“Awaji, o sibling isle
to Azu, your sibling in kind–
Together, you make a fine pair,
yet who must you spirit away
but my love; a daughter of Kibi
with whom I gladly shared my life?”
“Azushima and Awaji Island face each other in harmony. Yet we are pulled apart. If not for that I would still have my wife, who now journeys home.”
Thus Emperor Oujin bid his love farewell, watching as she sailed away beyond his sight. She’d eventually return to the capital, but his loneliness in those days was too much to bear. Less than half a year after her departure, he too sailed off to his Empress’ homeland. Along the way, he also visited Shodoshima. You could say, then, that Emperor Oujin’s love for his queen became his stepping stone to Shodoshima.
He first landed at Igisue, near Tonosho Port. Igisue’s original name was “Ikisue,” meaning “to take a rest,” and it came about because the emperor reportedly rested there for a while. He then traveled all over Shodoshima. He once spent the night in the place that would become Hosho-in Temple, where he would plant a Chinese juniper tree. He went on to climb the mountains behind the temple, and the peak he trod on subsequently came to be called Mt. Otozan.
Next, Emperor Oujin prayed to the god of Shodoshima, Onudehime, who’d be enshrined in the Dainotehime Shrine at the summit of the Choshikei Monkey Park. Onudehime would later be enshrined at Azuki Shrine in Kankakei instead.
He then climbed the mountains of Kankakei, though the valley didn’t yet have that name. It’s said that he climbed a sheer rock wall, and once he reached the top he looked up to the night sky and prayed for peace and prosperity. The mountain where he prayed became known as “Kamikake.” Try saying “Kamikake” and “Kankakei” repeatedly; you’ll certainly hear how modernity becomes one with mythology.
Emperor Oujin had another name, one that almost every Japanese person knows: Hachiman. If you’ve visited any of the over 20 thousand Shinto shrines in Japan, you might know this name too. Emperor Oujin and Hachiman are one and the same, and Shodoshima has the most shrines dedicated to him. Mythology and modernity connect, as the reason for this also lies in a legend we’ll cover later.
Now, let’s talk about present-day Kankakei. They call it one of the “big three” valleys of Japan. Of those three, it’s the only one with a ropeway lift. The lift runs between the two mountains that comprise the valley. One of those is Hoshigajoyama, the tallest peak in the Seto Inland Sea. People often think that Shodoshima is too warm for snow, but Hoshigajoyama is high enough for snow to pile up near its peak.
What will you feel when you stand at the Kankakei observatory? We invite you to take in the scenery together with the wind. Wind from the Seto Inland Sea crashes into the towering Hoshigajoyama, blowing huge gales down to the sprawling townscape of Shodoshima. Winds that dry somen noodles in the sun and encourage fermentation in soy sauce. The gastronomy of Shodoshima is anchored by the wind you’re feeling now.
Once you arrive at the summit of Kankakei, you will take a break. It may seem early, but soon enough more tourists will arrive in droves. Be sure to grab some lunch ahead of the long lines. Afterwards, please take a stroll to the observatory. You’ll also find a lavish “100 Billion Yen Bathroom,” and while it may not be flush with gold, you can still relieve yourself like an emperor thanks to the air conditioning, two-ply toilet paper, and washlets.
After enjoying the summit, you will have two options: You may take the ropeway down the mountain, or you may board your bus and descend that way. It costs extra to ride the ropeway, but you’ll get to view the faults and oddly shaped boulders as you glide through the air. Should you opt for the bus, you’ll be riding it down the road known as the Blue Line before you exit.
Ropeway, or Bus? The choice is yours. Please be mindful of your boarding time; the bus leaves sooner than the ropeway. Your live tour guide will inform you of any departure times. In the meantime, please sit tight until you arrive at Kankakei.