Text by Alex
Located to the west of Kumamoto City, the Ariake Sea is the largest bay in Kyushu. Besides being an ideal spot to enjoy sunset views, it has another unique feature: the tidal range between high and low tide can reach up to 6 meters. This makes it not only perfect for cultivating nori seaweed and shellfish, but also gives rise to several otherworldly hidden spots.
▲ Obata Seabed Road (photo by dai_photogenie @Twitter)
Located in Sumiyoshi-chō, Uto City, the Obata Seabed Road gained online fame for resembling the undersea path from the animated film *Spirited Away*. Originally built as a walkway to assist nori seaweed workers, the path is completely submerged during high tide and only fully revealed at low tide.
▲ The Obata Seabed Road is only fully visible at low tide. (photo by robertfeldman02 @Twitter)
▲ (photo by dai_photogenie @Twitter)
The seabed road stretches about 1 kilometer in length and is lined with 24 lampposts. Its most peculiar feature is that even when the road surface is invisible during high tide, the lamp posts remain standing upright in the sea—an utterly surreal sight. At low tide, the seabed road extends towards the center of the sea, seemingly without end, sparking boundless imagination among visitors.
▲ The seabed road stretches toward the center of the sea, seemingly without end, sparking boundless imagination among visitors. (photo by dai_photogenie @Twitter)
▲ (photo by dai_photogenie @IG)
The best time to take photos at the Obata Seabed Road is during the “magic hour” just before full darkness, from dusk onwards. Not only does the sky then glow with sunset hues and afterglow, but the newly lit street lamps or the headlights of vehicles driving along the seabed road add a poetic touch to your shots.
▲ The sky’s afterglow and the freshly lit street lamps add poetic charm to your photos. (photo by daydream0024 @IG)
By the way, the seabed road serves as a working passage for nori cultivators and fisheries-related personnel—unauthorized individuals should avoid entering the pathway to prevent disrupting their work.
▲ (photo by takkuruphoto @IG)
▲ (photo by shinchi7878 @IG)
West of the Obata Seabed Road, in the nearby Shimoamata neighborhood just a 5-minute drive away, lies the Miyorikai Coast. At low tide, the sandy beach reveals undulating sand patterns. While the origin of these patterns remains unclear, under the soft light of the setting sun, countless shallow pools glisten like tiny crescent moons—making it easy to capture stunning photos just by raising your camera.
▲ Miyorikai Coast (photo by ken.t826 @IG)
▲ Miyorikai Coast is an ideal place to watch the sunset. (photo by dai_photogenie @Twitter)
“Miyori” in Japanese refers to a portable shrine. Legend says that when Emperor Keikō was on a military campaign in Kyushu in ancient times, he was so captivated by the beautiful coastline here that he ordered the portable shrine (miyori) to stop so he could admire the view. The area was thus named after this incident and has since been honored as one of Japan’s “100 Best Beaches” and “100 Best Sunsets.”
▲ The shallow pools resemble crescent moons, reflecting the glow of the setting sun. (photo by dai_photogenie @Twitter)
▲ Opposite the coast lies Mount Unzen’s Heisei Shinzan in Nagasaki Prefecture. (photo by kofuu_sims @Twitter)
▲ (photo by longshijiuye @IG)
▲ (photo by dai_photogenie @Twitter)
▲ (photo by tikitakasaka @IG)
Sources: LINE Travel Japan, Kyushu Tourism Association