Attractive summer feel! Introducing photogenic spots for walks around the Toba Castle ruins
掲載日：2021.07.27
Hello, this is Yuto.
I am a photographer in Mie Prefecture. I'm good at taking pictures of everyday scenes.
What comes to mind when you think of Toba?
There are aquariums, pearls, Ama divers, and many other things.
However, this time I decided to deviate from the usual routine in Toba and take a stroll around Nakanogo Station and the Toba Castle ruins to take some photos.
The theme for this photoshoot is "summer", as there seem to be a lot of "summer"-like scenery.
I don't think I usually walk outside of the city I live in, but if you just walk around, you might find some unexpected good places, shops, or interact with local people.
What is TobaCity?
TobaCity is a city with a population of approximately 17,000 people (as of June 2021), located between IseCity and ShimaCity, and is an area designated as Ise-Shima National Park.
These include TobaAquarium, which has the largest number of species in Japan, and MikimotoPearlIsland which was the first in the world to successfully cultivate pearls.
Tips for taking photos while walking
This time, as we are walking around the city, there are two things that I would like you to be careful about.
There are a lot of people living there, so it's a good idea to be prepared to be there.
① Do not take pictures of passersby unnecessarily
Some people want to be in the photo, and some don't.
In particular, you want to avoid taking pictures from the front as much as possible.
If someone comes from in front of you while you're taking a photo, it's a good idea to lower your camera, give a slight nod, and wait for them to pass before you resume shooting.
②Do not trespass on private property
Even if something is attractive, avoid entering private property such as private gardens.
Tips for taking photos while walking in Toba
This time, I took a walk and took some photos in search of a summer feel.
Summer-like images include bright colors (blue sky and green plants) and strong sunlight.
When taking photos while walking, it is a good idea to have a theme such as ``summer'' or ``sea''.
Recommended photo locations for a walk in Toba
①Toba Castle Ruins
②Iwasaki Street
③The sea along National Route 42
④Nakanogo Station
This time I visited four shooting locations.
I will introduce them one by one with photos.
I actually walked and took some photos.
This time, I parked my car in the parking lot in front of Nakanogo Station and took a walk around Toba.
I'm glad that it's a reasonable price of 300 yen if you pay in advance.
If you come by public transportation, please get off at Nakanogo Station.
After walking for a while from the parking lot, there is a tunnel that looks like something out of an anime.
It's kind of refreshing to walk through a tunnel.
However, it's a short tunnel, so you'll soon be able to exit.
When you exit the tunnel, the Toba Castle ruins will appear in front of you.
There are no buildings left now, only the stone walls.
It is maintained as a park and you can go up the stairs to the top.
This time I went from Toba Castle Sannomaru Square.
At the top of the stairs is a grassy park with ♡TOBA objects and toilets.
By the way, the restroom was extremely clean, so feel free to use it.
The stone walls of the Toba Castle ruins are simply magnificent.
The most likely theory is that this is a stone wall that was built before the Battle of Sekigahara.
It's just a stone wall, but when you think about how it has remained the same for over 400 years, it gives you a mysterious feeling.
If you go further up the stone wall, you will see the remains of the main enclosure.
This area is also maintained as a lawn park.
You can see the cityscape of Toba and the sea, and the beautiful view is attractive.
The former Toba Elementary School building remains at the Toba Castle ruins and is designated as a registered tangible cultural property.
It is no longer in use, so it remains in ruins.
I couldn't enter from the front like in the photo, but...
I was able to see the school building from the back.
I'm curious about what's going on inside, but I can't get any closer.
Now, we will leave the Toba Castle ruins.
Toba is a city close to the sea and mountains.
Places with this kind of topography tend to have a summer-like feel, so I try to look for such scenery as I walk.
For example, the combination of slopes, telephone poles, and woodlands has a summery feel to it.
A road in the forest
Looking up at the big trees and feeling the sunlight filtering through them creates a summery atmosphere.
Strong light and bright green are reminiscent of summer.
It's nice to be able to see the cityscape from the slope.
If there are clouds here, it will look even more like summer.
Please try searching for these places as well.
When you combine the railroad crossing with the blue sky, the contrast between yellow and blue looks beautiful.
National Route 42 from Nakanogo Station to Toba Station (especially from Nakanogo Station) has sidewalks and railroad tracks that run parallel to each other, so you can take pictures of Kintetsu Line trains running from quite close up.
Kintetsu has a wide variety of trains, so you can take photos of a variety of trains.
If the timing is right, Shimakaze will also run.
Three trains make one round trip a day.
The timetable may change, so be sure to check the timetable at Toba Station to ensure timing.
There is also the sea along National Route 42.
As you head toward MikimotoPearlIsland, you will find yourself along the coast.
Along the way, there is Toba Pearl Town, which sells pearl accessories, miscellaneous goods, and jewelry, so if you are interested in pearls, don't miss that place.
It's interesting that the town of Toba looks different depending on the sea side and the mountain side, across the railroad tracks.
On the sea side, it has the atmosphere of a port town.
It was a hot day, but it was cool along the coast.
Cross the railroad tracks to Iwasaki Street.
Enter from the intersection where TobaCity History and Culture Guide Center is located.
This is the mountain side.
The retro atmosphere still remains.
There was a general store and a cafe.
If you walk around a city you don't normally live in, you might unexpectedly discover a lot of new things.
After a walk, take a break and drink something cold.
While walking around town, I wanted something cold, so I stopped at a cheesecake specialty shop called FROM.
There are two young people running the shop.
The location is along Iwasaki Street.
It is located right between Toba Station and Nakanogo Station.
The store has a stylish atmosphere.
By the time I visited before 3pm, many items were already sold out!
It might be best to go in the morning if possible.
FROM's specialty is "drinkable cheesecake", so I ordered this plain.
It was delivered immediately after ordering.
looks delicious!
By the way, FROM is only available for takeout.
There was a bench by the river behind the store, so I sat there and drank.
What flavor are you interested in...
It's a light cheesecake and easy to drink!
The taste and texture is somewhere between cheesecake and milk.
You can drink it like a shake.
It was really hot that day, but I was able to cool down thanks to the cheesecake I drank.
The above is the situation around Nakanogo Station and Toba Castle Ruins.
Did you feel like it was summer?
I feel that the appeal of Toba is that you can enjoy walking and sightseeing not only at famous places but also in the city.
Toba is a place where you can go alone at your own pace, or go with someone and enjoy a fun walk.
It's easy to access by car or public transportation, so be sure to give it a try!
◆Article creation: Yuto Nakase #Mie Travel Camera Club
Photographer living in Mie Prefecture.
Photography classYuto Photo Class Online"or,Blog “Nippon Photo Net”We disseminate information about photography.We also have many photos taken in Mie Prefecture on display, so if you are interested, please come and see us.
