Chiba prefecture is located nearby Tokyo and surrounded by sea.
Its south part is Boso peninsla and there are many good touring route.
Winter is melancholy season for riders. It is cold and the mountain road is sometimes icy.
However, it is warm at Southern Chiba prefecture even in winter and this route is popular for riders who live at Tokyo area.
Chiba prefecture is located just east to Tokyo and surrounded by sea.
Its south part is called Boso peninsla and there are many good touring route which you can enjoy sea and mountain view.
Kujukuri Beach
It is long beach for 60km which faces Pacific sea and a lot of people enjoy at beach in summer.
This beach is also popular as good surfing spot and there are many surfing shop both of the roadside.
Kujukuri road is short highway but nice road which you can see beach and ocean go on as far as you can see. The toll is 220yen and only over 125cc motorcycles can enter.
After Kujukuri Beach, the beach will be change to coastal cliff and there are small fishing villeges surrounded by mountains and sea.
Katsuura UnderSea Park
The charge is ￥980 at max. It is discounted depends on clearness of water.
Katsuura is abundant fishing ground and it gives a lot of seafood to us.
There is a observatory which you can watch swimming fishes in the sea, like submarine!
Cold current and warm current crush here, so a lot of fishes comes from north and south.
Cute moolish idol, boxfish, rockfish and a lot of other fishes swim throughout the year.
The road is sometimes crowdy at town areas, but there are some spot which you can see marvelous view of ocean.
This road has many tunnels which are made recently.
However, the road went along the coast before and the old road is still remains beside tunnels.
Those old roads are not crowded and you can fully enjoy fantastic views of the coast and ocean, so I absolutely recommend you to swing by.
Boso Flower line
After passing through Kamogawa city, the road become less crowded and get close to the sea.
Boso flower line goes southeast coastline of Boso peninsula.
This area is warm even in winter, so this road is popular winter touring route for riders who live Tokyo area.
Various flowers bloom depends on the season and that is why this road is called "flower line".
Especially, canola flowers at both side of the road is feast for your eyes from mid January to May.
Cape Nojima
Finally you will reach to Cape Nojima, the southernmost tip of Boso Peninsula.
Palm trees, Pacific ocean and beach...there are tropical vibes all around in this seaside road.
Cape Nojima lighthouse is one of the most oldest lighthouse in Japan. It was first lighted 155 years ago for safety of ships which go on a voyage to Tokyo bay.
First lighthouse collapsed by great earthquake. Today second one watchs over ships and many people visit it.
You can go up the spiral stairway inside the lighthouse, then beautiful scenery of the Boso Peninsula and ocean lays out before your eyes.
There are some restaurants, cafes and shops at Cape Nojima.
Why don't you have a lunch or coffee while watching Pacific coast?
Mt. Nokogiri-yama
Mt. Nokogiri-yama is not high, but it has unique shape you never forget.
The highlight of Chiba prefecture is not only sea, but also mountains.
Once there was a stone pit at Mt. Nokogiri-yama before and it producted rocks.
The rocks was used for stonewalls, storehouse, Yokohama port and Imperial Palace.
"Nokogiri" means saw in Japanese. As the name suggests, it has a dynamic rock surface made by quarrying stones.
You have three way to climb Mt. Nokogiri-yama.
First, there is a road to a parking at the the halfway up the mountain. The great Buddha is close but a little far from the summit.
Second is by your foot. It takes 1 hour 40 minutes but there are some
ruins of stone pit.
Third is the cable car. It takes only 4 minutes to reach the summit and you can enjoy landscape of Tokyo bay.
Look at this scary view! This called "Jigoku-nozoki"(Hell observatory).
