Rain and The F1 - Like Being Back Home

I woke up to find that I’d actually slept in the overflow car park for the Mihama Nuclear Power Plant, which was literally just across the bay from where I was. Not deterred by this, I went for a swim and relaxed on the beach for a bit before hitting the road.

The rain started around midday and continued for most of the day, making for a rather grey and miserable drive – at least it felt a bit like being back in the UK! I aimed to get as far along the coast as I could be bothered to drive. The end goal is to reach the area on the south coast of Japan that was struck by the 2011 tsunami, as I’ve heard it’s quite something to see how the region has changed since then.

I stopped off for a couple of konbini meals along the way before arriving in a town known for its seasonal glow-in-the-dark squid, which come to the surface to mate around this time of year. I had a look from the shore but couldn’t spot any. The boat tours cost around £40 and departed at 2am, but I was too late to book one that day and didn’t fancy spending another night in the town. I also found out that the tours are really just to watch fishermen catching the squid, which I’m not entirely sure I support – it seems a bit unfair when they’re all at the surface, doesn’t it?

I headed a short distance into the nearby mountains to find somewhere quiet for the night. I set up next to a river and watched a film while waiting for the F1 to start at 2am – late, I know, but I didn’t have any plans for the next day other than driving, which I can manage on a few hours less sleep.