The Two “Sanri Matsubara” and a Clock That Tells You About the Sunset
Shortly we'll be in the Tsuyu (rainy season). Now, the time moving around. Carrying Brompton on JR train. Not long after I moved here from Kansai , I stumbled across an old book in a used bookstore. Later, I found a revised edition in another secondhand shop—lucky finds both times. The book blends local geography and history with the unique sensibilities of haiku poets. For someone like me who didn’t know the area well, it was a real treasure. One section introduced “ Sanri Matsubara (12km long pine forest ).” Naturally, I assumed it meant the famous stretch of pine trees running from Okagaki Town (my place) to Ashiya Town, where you can enjoy a beautiful seaside ride through white sand and pine groves. But no—this book was referring to Shingū Matsubara as Sanri Matsubara . Ever since, that name stuck in my head and wouldn’t let go. The nearest station to Shingū Matsubara is ...