06-Apr-2024 -- It has been over a year since anybody has posted a visit in Japan, and nearly four for myself! However, the spirit of some semblance of adventure is still there and in the back of my mind when visiting new places, I think about whether any of these arbitrary points on the planet can be visited without deviating from the overall itinerary. So here I am, exploring this very random area of Japan, which is about 1/3rd of the way up into the countryside from the very populated and urbanized southern coast of this section of Honshu between Kobe and Himeji.

This particular morning was an absolute rainstorm in Osaka but fortunately, it reverted into overcast and mildly rainy conditions at the actual confluence point in question. To get mostly there, you go to the Kakogawa JR station and then transfer to the line heading north to the Nishiwakishi station. The train ended there (about a 5km walk from the point) and if you were to take a train further north, it ran at a very low frequency (roughly two hours a train). My timing was terrible and the weather was questionable so I took a random taxi waiting at the station and managed to successfully communicate to the guy that I wanted to go to Nihon-Hesokoen station. The dude was probably wondering what a foreigner like me would want to go to some random location but he got me there efficiently for 2400 yen and saved me about an hour.

The confluence location itself is situated upon a much larger park, which from what I could tell, was for a children's science museum. There were signs all about, odd-shaped structures, and some featured information about the confluence itself. The park itself was completely abandoned aside from a couple of vehicles parked at the science museum itself (presumably it was staffed), but otherwise it felt like I was in a scene from "Alice in Borderland" (where the city was intact but otherwise the people were totally missing). The train schedule back sadly did not allow me time to fully explore this museum or park but I did roam around a good amount of it.

The actual confluence point itself lies up a steep hill. It was sloped about 45 degrees up a hillside. There was a switchback staircase that made it quite easy to head up the hill but the trail led around the area of the confluence point in question, while you had to cut off from the staircase and trail to get to the confluence.

There are four very tall markers denoting the confluence point in question, although my phone GPS had the actual "zero point" to be closer to the southwest marker, but the plus/minus 5 meter accuracy could conceivably have the zero point being the actual one marked by the park. Either way, the ground itself was wet and very slippery - I had to be very conscious of my footwork to not fall into the grass. There was also a lot of deer dung scattered about the point - humans might not come here very often, but it was perfectly evident the animals were!

I snapped my pictures, took in the nice view of the countryside, and headed back to head to the very basic Nishi-Hesokoen train station.

Between there and the train back, I took the opportunity to relieve myself at the public bathroom in the park, which was surprisingly well-maintained, abandoned, and with a depiction of the solar system! So cool!

At the train platform, nobody was there, but much to my relief, the train dutifully came back on time.

I am sure there was more to explore in the area (including the children's science museum itself), but it will have to be for another time.

It wasn't until later when telling some Japanese friends about this random visit that they informed me that "Nihon Heso" meant the "Bellybutton of Japan", which seemed to adequately characterize the centrality of this location.