That morning, it was raining softly.
I left from Daisen IC and drove east toward Tottori.
I had been as far as Kurayoshi and Hokuei before,
but never to Tottori City itself.
I felt a quiet sense of excitement.
Along the way, I stopped at a service area near Lake Togo.
It was April 4th, and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.
The sky already felt a little mysterious.
From a small hill, I saw the lake open up below me.
Two ryokan stood as if floating on the water —
Sennen-tei and Bokoro, both known for their hot springs rising from the lake.
(You can also read about these hot springs here)
The view felt almost unreal.
Check Sennen-tei and Bokoro
As I continued driving,
the rain stopped, but the wind suddenly grew stronger.
The car felt slightly pushed by it.
I left the highway and stopped at a roadside station,
before heading to Hakuto Shrine.
When I arrived,
the sky was still cloudy.
But in front of me,
the Sea of Japan stretched out — vast and powerful.
It was beautiful.
Almost too beautiful.
Compared to the sea around Kaike Onsen or Mihonoseki,
which feels connected to mountains and land, (Kaike Onsen — A Seaside Hot Spring Where Life Moves Gently）
this coastline felt completely open.
Nothing but the sea.
Layers of emerald green spread out like a wide panorama.
The wind was too strong to walk down to the shore.
But the waves, broken into fine white lines,
made me imagine the old myth —
a white rabbit jumping across the backs of sharks toward the land.
(You can read more about this story in my article on Izumo mythology.)
After visiting the shrine,
a sudden wind passed quietly through the forest.
A soft “saa—” sound.
It felt like a message.
I drew a fortune — “Suekichi.”
It said:
“Your journey may not go as planned. Do not rush.”
At first, I felt a little disappointed.
But somehow, it also felt like a warning.
As I entered Tottori City,
small plastic bags were flying everywhere in the wind.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
Later, I visited the Detective Conan exhibition,
celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Seeing Kaito Kid made me happy.
Next to the museum stood the ruins of Tottori Castle.
I hadn’t expected much,
but the scale of it took my breath away.
The pink of the cherry blossoms
and the quiet strength of the ruins felt perfectly balanced.
On the way back,
I chose to drive along Route 9 instead of the highway.
I wanted to see the sea once more.
The sea was overwhelming.
Beautiful.
But also frightening.
I found myself thinking:
I’m scared… but I can’t look away.
Then I saw the sign:
Strong Wind Warning
The road was almost empty.
Even though it was a Saturday,
there were very few cars.
That’s when I realized —
people were probably avoiding the storm.
I remembered the fortune from the shrine.
And I felt grateful.
I slowed down,
stopped at roadside stations along the way,
and decided to take my time returning safely.
It was a day that was
too beautiful,
too frightening,
and a little mysterious.
If you leave the sea behind and head into the mountains,
the air becomes softer:
・Misasa Onsen — A Place to Restore Body and Mind
・Goen Yuin — A Quiet Hot Spring at the Foot of Mt. Daisen