The expansive Ariake Sea. Standing out in the distance across the water is Mount Unzen’s Fugendake in Nagasaki Prefecture. This stretch of shore is shallow, and it is the only place in Japan where one can see the bow-shaped sand ripples that appear when the tide goes out. Days when the sun sets while the tide is low are known as Zekkeibi, or “scenic days,” and the beauty of the tidal flats glittering from the light of the setting sun has earned this location a spot in Japan’s Top One Hundred Beaches and Japan’s Top One Hundred Sunsets. In February, the sun’s closeness to the sea makes for a particularly beautiful sight.
The name Okoshiki has its origins from a legend saying that during his return from his conquest of Southern Kyushu, Emperor Keiko, the 12th Emperor of Japan, had the mikoshi, or palanquin, he was riding stopped and viewed the beautiful scenery.