Kabushima

An Aomori seafront shrine meets Hitchcock's "The Birds"

Peter Sidell Aug 08, 2013 - 1 min read

<p>The gate at the foot of the steps up to the shrine: note the gulls wheeling overhead, and don't pause under the gate</p>

<p>There are interesting statues alongside the road from Same station towards the shrine</p>

<p>As you approach the island, the sound of the gulls becomes louder...</p>

<p>A gull's-eye view of the steps up to the shrine</p>

<p>The shrine has been well and truly occupied</p>

<p>One lucky gull can have its own birdhouse</p>

<p>A view down the outcrop from the shrine</p>

<p>The temple roof, with lots of considerately provided places for gulls to perch</p>

<p>"The Birds" might have been inspired by a visit here</p>

<p>Queued and waiting for clearance to take off</p>

<p>A long shot of the island shows quite how many gulls there are</p>

Close to Same station on the JR Aoimori line from Hachinohe, Kabushima is a small rocky outcrop which is home to a shinto shrine, and a colony of some 40,000 seagulls. It's possible to hear their collective screeching from a kilometer away, and once you get there, it's like a set from some post-apocalyptic movie where the birds have taken over. Few people venture as far as the shrine buildings, but it's here that the atmosphere is wildest, and where you'll see seagull chicks with their soft, grey down.

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Find out more about Kabushima Shrine.

Peter Sidell @peter.sidell

I came to Japan from Manchester, England in 2003, and have travelled a lot since then, around Japan and in Asia. When I'm not working, I write satire and perform stand-up comedy in and around Tokyo. Check YouTube for a taste.