Tenku no Torii with Kids: What Hiking at Dawn Actually Looks Like

We set alarms for 5 AM and cooked rice in the van while the kids were still asleep.

Tenku no Torii hiking with kids means starting before the crowds and carrying onigiri wrapped in foil. We did both.

Tenku no Torii (Sky Torii): Hiking at 6:50 AM with Four Kids

Takaya Shrine sits at 404 metres on Mount Inazumi. On weekends and holidays, private cars aren’t allowed past the base. You take a shuttle bus or you walk.

The shuttle costs ¥1,500 per adult, ¥700 per elementary student, one preschooler free. For a family of six, that adds up. We walked.

We started at 6:50 AM. The trail is steep from the beginning. No switchbacks, just up. Our youngest led the way. She always does on hikes. Our second daughter struggles the most with climbs and her mood drops when she’s tired. Our eldest doesn’t say much except “I’m hungry,” but she kept pace without complaint.

It took fifty minutes to reach the top. The torii was empty. No one else had arrived yet. We had the view to ourselves.

The youngest suggested we all shout together. Six voices echoing across the valley. Then we sat on the stone steps and ate onigiri we’d made in the van that morning. The kids said the view made the rice taste better. Hunger probably helped too.

We stayed at the summit long enough to take photos without rushing. By the time we started down, a few other groups were making their way up. The descent was harder than expected. The trail gets slippery on the steep sections. If it had rained the day before, it would have been muddy.

We were back at the van by 9 AM.

Chichibugahama Beach at Low Tide: Why Morning Is the Only Time That Makes Sense

We’d tried to visit Chichibugahama the evening before. The parking lot was far from the beach and full of people. We turned around.

The next morning we arrived at 9 AM. The lot closest to the tidal pools was nearly empty. We parked right in front.

Chichibugahama is known for its mirror effect at low tide. The shallow water reflects the sky. The conditions weren’t perfect. It was overcast and the tide wasn’t as low as it could have been. But there was no wind, so the water stayed still.

We took photos for fifteen minutes. One of the kids waded into a tidal pool and soaked their shoes. Just as we packed up, it started to rain. We’ve had luck with timing on this trip.

After the beach, we drove south toward Kochi. The roads were quiet for Golden Week.

Anpanman Museum in Kochi (Yanase Takashi Museum): Getting In Without a Reservation During Golden Week

We didn’t have a reservation. The museum recommends booking ahead during busy periods like Golden Week, but they also release same-day tickets when capacity allows.

We arrived around 1:40 PM and asked at the counter. They let us in. We stayed for about an hour.

The kids did a stamp rally. Our third child took it seriously, checking every corner for the next station. The stamps were embossed, which was new to them. The outdoor play area at the roadside station next door has a large Dadandan statue. For younger kids, that might be enough on its own.

Hirome Market, Kochi: Finding Seats as a Family of Six and the Katsuo Tataki Worth Every Yen

We reached Hirome Market at 4:30 PM. Parking was ¥100 per 30 minutes in an uncovered lot that fit our van. The market was a short walk.

Finding a table for six during Golden Week seemed unlikely. My wife and I were calling out to each other across the hall, scanning for open seats. A group of four women at a large table noticed us and offered to give up their spot. They were finishing their drinks. We thanked them and sat down.

We ordered katsuo tataki from Myojinmaru. The salted version, not the ponzu. It was the best we’ve had. The kids ate more than usual.

The market was loud and crowded, but not unmanageable. We stayed for about an hour, then walked back to the van.

We drove to the overnight parking spot in central Kochi and slept in the van. The next morning we’d head back toward Kagawa, then on to Okayama.