Oni no Shitaburui Gorge

 

Oni no Shitaburui Gorge is a narrow gorge in the remote Chugoku mountains in the Okuizumo region of Shimane.

The Omaki River has cut the boulder-strewn gorge over millions of years as it heads downstream to join the Hii River.

For 2 kilometers a boardwalk allows visitors, including those  wheelchairs and baby strollers, to explore the views of this scenic gorge.

There are also other trails for those who want a slightly more rugged hike.

Many of the rock formations seen along the way have names, like Crying Demon, Cows Neck, Whale Rock.

Ancient myths tell of a beautiful princess who lived here and of a crocodile who fell in love with her. Attempting to woo her the crocodile headed up the river and the fearful princess filled the gorge with rocks to stop the crocodile's progress. In some versions told nowadays the crocodile has been changed into a shark.

As the valley widens the trail climbs up to the pedestrian suspension bridge 45 meters above the water from where great views can be head over the surrounding mountains as well as down the valley.

Near the parking lot at the bridge is a small cafe serving local specialties like boar-meat croquettes. From here there is a bus down to the nearest stations. Another parking lot is at the to end of the gorge.

It is possible to reach the gorge from the  Itohara Estate, about 1k from the middle section of the gorge.

The previous post in this series exploring Okuizumo was on the garden at the Sakurai Manor.