Hatago Iwa 機具岩
The two loving rocks of Noto
These two rocks, linked together by a small braided rope, a sign of their sacred character, are located on the west coast of the Noto peninsula.
The Noto Peninsula is full of little treasures. Straddling the prefectures of Ishikawa and Toyama, it immerses travelers in a maritime atmosphere , where fine sandy beaches follow one another, while containing, in its lands, superb little villages with traditional houses .
See also: Chirihama Beach
If you plan to visit the peninsula, be sure to plan a stopover to be able to observe these two rocks, connected by a small braided rope , located on the coast of Noto Kongo, which stretches for about 14 kilometers along the sea from Japan.
It is by taking road 36, which winds along the coast, after leaving behind the town of Shika going up to the north, that you will be able to see them. You have to be careful all the same, because if you want to see them up close, you will have to take the fork on your left, which will take you to a kind of “counter-road” which runs further along the coast and leads to a small car park , from where to observe these two rocks called Hatago Iwa.
SACRED ROCKS
These two rocks are considered sacred, which is why they are connected by a rope, in Japanese shimenawa , used in the Shinto religion to mark the presence of sacred spirits . At the top of the rock on the left, the most impressive, is a small altar , in the form of a red sanctuary.
Much less known than the Meoto Iwa wedding rocks , located in the Ise region, venerating the two creator deities of Japan , it is very easy to admire them without being accompanied by a horde of curious visitors.
A COAST FULL OF WONDERS
If you want to extend your walk on this wild coast, where the rocks are shaped by the swell , 3 kilometers from the Hatago-Iwa love rocks is Ganmon, a rock formation with a hole in the middle, which gives it the appearance of a rocky door. open to the sea.
To go further: A day on the Noto Peninsula