Business Trip to Nanki Kushimoto Part 2

*This is a continuation of the previous entry.

Rescue from Despair and Towards the Kii Peninsula

I was struck by what can only be described as the worst possible accident—running out of battery and experiencing malfunction on the highway—but I was helped by a tow truck and safely arrived at Wangan Nagashima PA. (I was transported while seated in the passenger seat.)

Before I realized it, it was after 2 PM. I will have a late lunch while charging at the fourth stop.

Wangan Nagashima PA is located in Kuwana, Mie Prefecture. After more than 7 hours of travel, I finally arrived in Mie Prefecture.

To avoid repeating the same mistakes, I will revise my plans to allow for (battery-wise) a more comfortable itinerary.

At this point, the final destination, JR Kushimoto Station (Kushimoto Town, Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture), is approximately 240 km away,

and I will designate three charging points.

① Anou SA (安濃) - about 53 km from Wangan Nagashima PA

② Okuise PA - about 45 km from ①

③ Wakayama Nissan Shingu Store - about 90 km from ②

While ① to ② is a carefully planned distance, ② to ③ is a bold distance that shows no regard for previous mistakes.

However, there really are very few charging spots around here... The number of suburban charging spots is a significant issue in the EV shift.

5th to 7th Charging Spots

I safely arrived at the 5th charging spot, Anou SA.

However, the rain has started to get heavier here...

I forgot to take a picture at the 6th Okuise PA... At this point, it was just past 4 PM, and it was starting to get a bit dark.

Finally, I entered Wakayama Prefecture!!! Just getting this far is overwhelming. The 7th charge is at the Wakayama Nissan Shingu store.

Just like in the city, almost all major auto dealers have rapid charging spots installed. It might feel awkward to enter a dealer with a different manufacturer's car, but when I inform the staff that I need a charge, they are usually very accommodating. This time, too, I drove my Nissan proudly to a BMW dealer.

From Shingu City to Kushimoto Town is about 40 km. Compared to the journey so far, this is nothing significant.

At this time, it is 6 PM.

Arrival at Kushimoto Station

I will head there via local roads from Shingu City.

The highway is set to fully open by 2024, and at that time, the entire Kii Peninsula will be connected by highway.

Finally, at 7:30 PM, I arrived in Kushimoto Town! It is truly the southernmost station on Honshu.

To summarize the results since departure, they are as follows.

Total Distance Traveled: 576.3 km

Number of Charges: 7

Time Taken: About 13 hours

Just looking at the numbers shows this was a challenging endeavor, and it is unlikely that I will undertake such a reckless journey in the future, even in the era of EVs. It has been an incredibly valuable experience.

As a prayer for a safe arrival, I immediately indulge in the local specialty of bonito rice porridge. This restaurant is simply exquisite.

Next time, I will share my activities in Nanki Kushimoto.