Doro Kyo is deep in the mountains of the Kii Penninsula, on the borders of 3 prefecures: Wakayama, Nara, and Mie. The area is famous for its hot springs and forests. In fact, the Kii Penninsula is also called Ki no Kuni, or Country of Trees, and wood products have been a major industry here for hundreds of years.

Yoko's parents live in Gobo City in the southwest part of the penninsula, and the Terai's, Yoko's aunt's family, live in Shingu in the southeast, so Doro is an easy trip to make when we're visiting the relatives.

On past trips to Doro, we've generally had the place to ourselves. At most there might be a few families in the bungalows, and a few tents in the campground area, but we've never felt crowded.

Alas, that may be changing. Doro's attractions are beginning to be known outside the local community, particularly among kayakers and campers. This year, there must have been 20-30 tents in the offical camping area, most with kayaks and canoes. We got in only because a goup of kayakers were leaving for their trip down the river just as we arrived.

The route from Gobo City to Doro takes you through some beautiful mountain scenery and the occasional tiny farming village. But it is the last 10 km that shows just how isolated Doro is from the rest of the country, for the 'road' becomes not much more than a paved footpath that is barely wide enough for a single car, with hair-pin turns , sheer drop-offs just centimeters away from your tires, and heart-thumping grades that seem to approach angles of 90 degrees (but in reality seldom exceed 45 degrees).

The rewards for all that mountain-goat-like climbing are magnificient panoramas of the Doro valley and river.This view of the Doro campground was taken near the highest point with a 300mm telephoto lens. Without the lens, it was just a tiny speck in a vast and splendid vista.

The area's main attraction is this beautiful gorge. This is just the beginning of the gorge...it makes a sharp right turn and continues on for several hundred meters. Heavy rains the night before turned the normally green waters a nice cafe latte color. The photo at right was taken from an observation tower at the top of the hill near the upper set of bungalows.

The picture below was snapped from one of the small boats that take small groups of sightseers up the river.