If you were in Japan and heard the word Taranaki, you'd think it was a Japanese word. It does sound Japanese but no, it's not a Japanese word but the name of a picturesque region on New Zealand's North Island almost equidistant from Auckland and Wellington.
Taranaki is a Maori word born of legend and is the name of a snow-capped volcano that -- surprise, surprise! -- even looks like Mt Fuji in Japan. The volcano lords it over the region which took its name as well.
And if this seeming congruence of two places -- the region around Mt Fuji and the region around Mt Taranaki -- isn't astounding enough, the New Zealand region is the location where much of the movie The Last Samurai, a story set in feudal Japan and starring Tom Cruise, was filmed.
The Taranaki legend
According to the Maori legend, Taranaki was one of a group of volcanoes, which includes the 1968-metre-high Tongariro, near the centre of the North Island.
Taranaki was forced to leave rather hurriedly when Tongariro caught him with the beautiful Pihanga, the volcano near Lake Taupo who was Tongariro's lover.
Tongariro exploded in anger, spitting fire, lava and burning ash and causing the very earth to rumble and shake.
Taranaki fled to the coast, where he was stopped by the sea at Wanganui. He continued fleeing, in a new northwesterly direction, to where he now stands in majestic, if lonely, isolation.
Quick facts
Where is it? Taranaki lies on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island, halfway between the country's largest city, Auckland, and the capital, Wellington. The region's principal town, New Plymouth, is 373 kilometres from Auckland, 357 kilometres from Wellington.
Origin of name. The region takes its name from the 2518-metre volcano, Mt Taranaki, which is also known as Mt Egmont.
Population. Around 50,000.
National park. Egmont national park, New Zealand's second oldest national park, is the region's principal attraction aside from Mt Taranaki.
Surfing beaches. New Plymouth beaches, as well as those at Oakura, 15 kilometres west of New Plymouth, are great for surfing and windsurfing.
Sightseeing. Aerial sightseeing and a variety of land tours are available.
Historic sites. You can get a free Heritage Walkway leaflet from the New Plymouth information centre in the heart of town. Do a walking tour.
Skiing and mountain climbing. Skiing on Mt Taranaki is popular in winter. In summer, the mountain can be climbed in one day. Mt Taranaki has the reputation of being the most climbed mountain in New Zealand.
Getting there. There are direct flights to and from Auckland, Hamilton, Nelson, Wanganui and Wellington, and connections to other cities and towns. The New Plymouth airport is 11 kilomtres east of the city centre. Bus services link New Plymouth with Hamilton, Auckland, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Wellington, Napier and Gisborne. City buses operate every day except Sunday.
