Tahara

Aichi's southernmost town, Tahara has absorbed the towns of Akabane and Atsumi to become a single city of about 66,000. The city now claims all of the Atsumi peninsula, separating Mikawa Bay from the Pacific Ocean. It is also home to a Toyota factory reputed to be among the most sophisticated plants in the world. There is a Lexus plant here.

By ferry

Irago Crystal Port is on Cape Irago at the tip of the peninsula.

• The Ise Bay Ferry runs from Toba, Mie. The ride takes 55 minutes and costs ¥1500 per person. Vehicles can also be transported for ¥4500 and up, depending on the length of your vehicle.
• The Meitetsu Ferry provides a connection from Koba Port, near Nagoya's Centrair Airport for ¥2240.

By train

Tahara can be reached from Toyohashi via the Atsumi line of the Toyohashi Railway (豊橋鉄道渥美線, Toyohashi Tetsudou Atsumi-sen) . It costs ¥510.

• Mikawa Tahara railway station

• Hii Stone GatesBeautiful stone arches carved by the sea.

• Irago Misaki Lighthouse

• Mount Zao Observatory

  phone: +81 53-122-0426
  At an altitude of 250 m, this observatory offer a nice 360-degree panorama of the city and Mikawa Bay. Especially nice at night.

• Tahara Castle Ruins

  phone: +81 53-122-1720
  address: Tahara-cho Hakou 11-1
  The castle was built around 1480; the grounds now house a small municipal museum.

• Koijigahama BeachThis sandy, arc-shaped beach near the lighthouse at the end of the peninsula is about 1 km long. Its name dubs it the "beach of romance".

• Pacific Long BeachPopular beach for fishing and surfing.

• Toyohashi
• Toba - by boat