D3 Ooyu & Hirosaki in the heat

Route: Kazuno - Hirosaki - Shin-Aomori - Tokyo
Walk: 3 km
Car: 100 km
Train: 700 km
Weather: hot and sunny and this in Northern Tohoku, 32 C

Today in the morning on my phone already appeared a warning for Tokyo to not do any activities outside due to high temperatures. And even where we were in northern Tohoku it was pretty warm. 

We started off the day (after yet another other full Japanese breakfast) with a visit to a Jomon era stone circle in the village where we were staying. 

From there we continued to Hirosaki a famous castle (one of the 12 original remaining castles in Japan) in Tohoku. It is specially famous for its cherry blossoms and must be incredible busy then. Now it was simply hot, even though we had our small sun umbrellas. 

We just had a Quick Look at the old tower (which maybe is the only part of the castle actually still standing. It was moved a few years ago by a few hundred meters. Maybe because it was standing on the castle walls and they had become unstable. However it wasn’t really explained anywhere. 

We found our way back to the car and thanks to google maps found a restaurant on the way to Shin-Aomori station that was ideal for this heat.

We gave back the car slightly early (maybe 20 min) and even got some money back. That was a surprise. What was a less welcome surprise is that also the return Shinkansen was delayed, by about an hour due to some problems with a previous train, that delayed all other Tohoku Shinkansen. But at least this time we could sit in the air conditioned car with our drinks and snacks. And Netflix. 

Back home in Tokyo it’s hot, and will remain hot for the foreseeable future. Just a few days of respite Thursday and Friday this week, but then up again to 36C and more. With humidity , obviously. 

D2 - Towadako and Oirase

Route: Kazuno - Towadako - Oirase and back
Bicycle: 29 km
Car: 42 km 
Riding time: 1:49 h

Total ascent: 236 m 
Average speed: 16,1 km/h
Weather: mostly cloudy , 27 C 

When my friend first suggested this trip she proposed to cycle once around Lake Towada.  Which I agreed to, but also pointed out that although this is only about a 50 km ride it has more than 1000 m of elevation gain. It’s a lake. But it is a volcanic lake in an old crater and in one place the road goes up to the rim of the crater. So it was quite unlikely that we would manage to do the ride. 

Luckily a good alternative appeared. We had a relatively late start and until we were actually sitting on the bikes (we drove up to the lake from Kazuno by car) it was already 11:00. We parked at a road side station and started from there which was the flatter part of the ride. On our way I saw that the road along Oirase stream would be open from 12:00 onwards. 

My friend was very happy to see that news as it meant we could alter our overly ambitious plan to make a full round of the lake to a much more easy but tourist-worthy ride along Oirase stream. Actually I had hoped that we could walk along the stream, but only the road had been opened for traffic, the walking path officially was still closed. Which didn’t stop all potential hikers but did stop us from attempting it. Oirase stream is very popular and has become very popular with foreign tourists as well. But thanks to the closure yesterday there were very few people today and no bus tours. So we could ride leisurely along the road , stop every now and then and walk a bit to see some highlights. 

The River was fast flowing still showing the damage of the strong rain a few days ago. 

As this is a River flowing out of the lake the road along it is downhill. Not steep at all, but it also meant we would need to ride it uphill again  so relatively early we returned and started on our way back to the car.

The main road in some places was still very dirty from the rain that had washed down parts of the forest. So our bikes (and we) got pretty dirty.

Back at the car we put the bikes back into their bags and in the car and then drove back down to our excellent ryokan. We did stop at a very new road side station in our village that even had a foot bath. Kind of mandatory at a road side station called “big onsen”.

Back at our hotel we had a relaxing hot bath in the rotenburo before another excellent dinner and an early night on two very comfy futons. 

D1 - Towadako with a friend

Route: Tokyo -  Hachinohe - Towadako- Kazuno

Bicycle: 12km

Walking: 2 km

Train: 650 km

Car: 110 km

Weather: Sun and clouds and much cooler than Tokyo but still warm. 29C

A friend of me wanted to go for some summer vacation.  I hadn’t any plans but insisted that it must be up North to flee the scorching heat of Tokyo. I hadn’t any plans made some potential plans to go to Towadako, so that’s where we went. We met up a few weeks ago to plan everything, found a very nice ryokan in Kazuno (all the places on the lake itself were either extremely expensive or had bad evaluations). 

A month before we bought the train tickets, which turned out to be more complicated than we thought. Although we took an early morning train out of Tokyo on a Friday morning when we wanted to buy the tickets, there were no rear row seats available anymore and overall the train was already pretty packed. But she managed to get some reasonable seats in the second but last row. 

However this morning we had to wait for 1,5 h for the train. Somehow there was a delay in rail works between Omiya and Sendai so no trains of the Tohoku Shinkansen could leave Tokyo station.

 So although I got up at 4:30 we were only at around 12:00 in Hachinohe. 

Towadako is pretty hard to reach by public transport and probably impossible with a bicycle in tow, so we rented a car (my first time driving in Japan after converting my driving license again back in 2022… I had driven here sometimes between 2015 and 2017 but not since)  but luckily driving is slow and automatic cars are easy to drive. 

As a typical Japanese my friend found a perfect spot for a light lunch in an old farmhouse. 

Our original plan was to do some hiking along the famous Oirase stream… but when we got to the upper parking lot we learned that both the road and the hiking trail were closed since a few days due to damage by too much rain. So we did a mini walk around that information center … 

.. and then continued by car onwards to our ryokan. Which was actually good timing as we arrived around 17:00 and had all the time to enjoy the rotenburo while gazing out into the big Japanese garden with an even bigger pond…

… before our rich dinner in the room.

GW2025 D9 exploring around Himeiji

Route: Himeiji to Engyoji (and back home)
Bicycle: 27 km 
Ropeway: 400 m 
Train: 580 km
Total ascent: 200 m?
Average speed: 11,2 km/h
Riding time: 2:27 h
Weather: grey but no rain. Neither warm nor cold, 20 C

I didn’t really have a plan for my last day of Golden Week. At some point I had planned to go from Shodoshima to Okayama and then ride the last day to Himeji (from where my train return ticket was). But when I discovered that there was a direct ferry from Shodoshima to Himeji I changed that plan. The ride Okayama to Himeji ( if done on potentially nice roads along the coast) was likely going to be too long for safely catching a train back home.

So instead I was already in Himeji, without a plan. Yesterday on the ferry I checked what is famous around Himeji and a temple on a mountain came up (and obviously the castle). And yes, this temple was very nice. Perked on top of a small mountain right behind Himeji , surrounded by nature. 

There didn’t seem to be a way up by bicycle so instead I took the rope way. From the top station it is about 1 km of walk to get to the sprawling temple complex. 

It reminded me a lot of Mount Hiei close to Kyoto, but I think this temple was even more quaint although it did have tourists. Including a very noisy group of elderly Spanish tourists. 

On the way to the mountain, I did pass below Himeji castle and took a picture, but had no plan to actually visit it. I have been 30 years ago… and apparently no strong inkling to go back. 

And with that an other Golden Week has finished and I am in the Shinkansen back home. My original ticket was for around 18:00 but I could easily change it for a 15:00 departure including space behind my seat for the bike. 

GW2025 D8 along the coast of Shodoshima

Route: Ikeda to Fukuda along the coast 
Bicycle: 65 km
Ferry: 41 km
Total ascent: 759 m
Average speed: 14.5 km/h
Riding time: 4:30 h
Weather: cloudy and humid, quite windy, 24C but felt warmer

On my last day (for this trip... but definitely a place to return) on Shodoshima, I went west along the coast, taking in more art and nice views of the landscape as I was riding. 

The main road itself isnt really full of traffic as it is a relatively small, albeit not tiny island. However half way up the hills is often a farm road with no traffic at all and great views out onto the sea over the slopes. Here with the olive groves Shodoshima is famous for. 

So famous that one of the art works is an enormous Elvis - olive in a grove. 

The entrance to the port (not Fukuda, a different port) even had this Greek entrance gate. Complete with a Greek inscription. 

In that same port was also a designer toilet ...

... imitating a small shrine just behind it. 

The best art of the day was in this old town house transformed now into a permanent exhibition of a famous photographer. This isn't really part of the triennial, but the owner did jump on the art ship. And for me it was probably one of the best art works I saw in this triennial together with the bamboo dome I had seen a few days earlier also on Shodoshima. 

This artist painted an object, here an entire room and then takes a picture of it from a very specific angle. So the interesting part was to see how this piece of art WOULD transform if not looked at from exactly the right vantage point. 

Even better was a gold circle painted in an other room... you can check it out in the film on my strava profile. 

Other art was ... well... decorative at best. 

From there less art, more landscape. On very quiet roads along the coast.

I made it in good time to Fukuda port, enough to have a quick look at the art exhibition in the local (abandoned) school. And enough time to pack up my bike. Because due to high waves (per the ticket seller 7 m!) the bicycle wasn't allowed in the car ferry section... but was allowed as a bag in the passenger section if properly packaged. Luckily I had enough time and my rinko bag. 

I strongly doubt that there was any wave higher even 3 m... and for sure no wave higher than 7 m... but rules are rules. And yes, it WAS windy. 

In Himeji port I put the bike together again and had found a super sento not too far from the port, and headed straight there. It was a totally typical supersento in an ugly industrial area. But what made this onsen special (and not in a good sense) was the smell from the surrounding industries. There must have been some chemical plant, and essentially everything smelled very chemical. When riding later to my hotel which was maybe about 5 km from there, I noticed that the entire city at least closer to the port, seemed to smell of that very same chemical exhaust. So the super sento isn't to blame for it... but it did reduce the enjoyment of the relaxation. 

GW2025 D7 Rain on Shodoshima

Route: Ikeda to Tonosho and back
Walking: 3,5 km
Bus: 15 km
Total ascent: 84 m
Walking time: 1 h
Weather: rainy and very windy, but warmer thab expected , 29C

After the brilliant day yesterday, today was a rainy and windy day. I had reserved a ticket for the museum on Teshima a few days ago, but I actually canceled it today out of fear that the ferry might stop running. The weather forecast and reality, had winds of up to strength 8. Now I don’t really know what the unit of this wind measurement is, but I do remember that strength 10 I experienced a few months ago on Boso Peninsula was scary strong. So taking a boat to another island and needing to return back to Sadoshima didn’t seem like the safest choice. Instead, I walked down to the small village around the port of Ikeda and took a bus from there to Tonosho, the next village over. Around the port there are a few exhibits from the art triennial. Nothing really to write home about. 

At the tourist information center I got a recommendation for a local speciality restaurant: Soumen. Very thin noodles. Frankly, I don’t know what is so special about these. They tasted OK but also nothing that I would consider extremely special. But it is the recognizing local speciality.

When I had finished lunch, it had started to rain a little bit harder and the wind was getting stronger so I decided to take the next possible bus back to my home village. And was in big luck that the next bus was leaving just within a few minutes from me arriving at the bus terminal. The bus only left me down in the village because the other route that goes up here, where my hotel is outside the village overlooking the bay, only runs every now and then. But luckily, the rain was kind of OK and the wind wasn’t too much of a problem either.

I spent the afternoon first in the lobby, trying to read a local manga that seems to be famous on this island. I just read the first chapter, and it was quite simply about some school friends. Not really sure how you can write many volumes about them. 

Later on, I moved to the communal bath, relax there a little bit then to my room watch some Netflix and now I have just come back from dinner, which luckily I managed to reserve yesterday.

Tomorrow will be my last day on the island and the weather will be fine again. I’m planning on a bit more art and a ride along the coast to a port from where I can take a ship back to Honshu.

GW2025 D6 The beauty of Shodoshima

Route: around (not all of it) Shodoshima

Bicycle: 69 km (marking finally 3000 km this year) 
Ferry: 25 km
Total ascent: 1190 m
Average speed: 13 km/h
Riding time: 5:10 h
Weather: sunny and again great temperature, 20C

Today I left the big island of Shikoku and went to the second largest, Shodoshima. The island is famous for its olive trees. Also here are parts of the art triennial. But no art museum. My initial plan was very ambitious to see art and ride to the top of the island. I realized when I was at the first art valley, that my plan was not achievable. So I replanned. Actually I replanned later an other 2 times adding more kilometers, more elevation, more views and more art. 

This first valley I went to is famous for its rice paddies. I cycled up through them until I reached the well that feeds these paddies to enjoy the view over the entire valley.

Down in the valley there are a few more art installations. Including this bamboo dome built by a Taiwanese artist which integrates perfectly into the landscape and is extremely relaxing to sit inside. Hear the noises of the forest and fields around you while being in this semi closed space completely constructed with bamboo.

From there were indications downstream to another artwork reachable by a pleasant walk at the border of the forest. This artwork was in an old mill where machines were playing old wooden utensils, including old soumen (the famous noodles of this region) boxes.

After recovering my bicycle, I continued further downstream And came by this kabuki theatre in the middle of fields.

In the next village, there was some more art exhibits, including this rather disturbing house half filled with water and with creatures that could rival any ghost train. One can even write through it on a small boat, within the house. As the boat master was on lunch break when I arrived. I also went to lunch in a close by and now closed school. But the Charon never arrived , so I just had a look and then continued on my way. 

My replanned route took me now over to the other side of the island where this egg is standing. To get there I needed to get over a small pass on the top of which there was this wonderful bus waiting room was probably the nicest view of any bus stop I’ve seen in a long time.

The place where the egg stands doubles also has a view point for the sunset.

I continued down to the coast and he replied my ride again to take in more of the coast and a small road running along that coast with a little traffic.

As I hadn’t managed to reserve dinner for today, I bought some dinner at a convenience store a few kilometers before my hotel. Stuffed the dinner into my pockets and my T-shirt and then proceeded to the check-in. But the day was so nice that I wanted to continue riding and there’s another peninsula with more art closeby so I replanned again my ride.

I was too late for the artworks indoors, but the outdoors could be enjoyed. After a lot of up and down I pretty much felt like this statue.

I managed to return to my hotel right in time for the sunset view.

GW2025 D5 a bit of everything

Route 1: small round of Naoshima
Route 2: Takamatsu - temple 82 - 81- back to Takamatsu 
Bicycle: 63 km
Ferry: 32 km
Total ascent: 907 m
Riding time: 4:54 h
Weather: sunny but not hot, 20C

With everything ongoing at work, and with building the house, I didn’t have a lot of time to organize this Golden Week trip. I reserved the hotels a few weeks ago, but that was about it. So I didn’t realize that for the museums in Naoshima, one now needs a reservation. So when I finally checked yesterday evening, I saw that there was no more reservations possible for the entire week. Luckily I didn’t go yesterday in the rain, hoping to be able to see museums. It is likely I wouldn’t have been able to access them. There are a few that during the art triennial are accessible without reservation, but they also run a reservation program at the same time, so probably if you turn up without a reservation you’re just stuck in a long queue waiting. In the rain.

So I went today in perfect weather conditions, however, my bicycle wasn’t in perfect conditions. I noticed in the morning that the rear tire had only a little bit of air left in. Luckily, there was a bike shop right in front of my hotel which left the pump outside on the pavement. So I filled the tube there, cycled to the port, took the ferry over to Naoshima, but by the time I arrived on the island, the tire was very soft again. I got a pump at one of the bicycle rental shops in the harbor, but also had a look at the tire and it was clear that this tire hadn’t a hole, rather it lacked the rubber from too much riding.

So I just did a quick round of Naoshima, to the few pieces of art that are actually accessible on a day where all the museums are closed. These were the same pieces of art I already saw back in 2016 when I was here for the first time. Back then no reservation for any of the museums was needed. I just remember that we were waiting in a small queue in front of one art exhibit, but that was about it. And that was also in the middle of golden week. So clearly this art triennial has taken off in popularity, plus there are many more international visitors to Japan and this area.

Naoshima is probably best known for its “pumpkins” designed by Kusama Yayoi.

Pumpkin 1:

Pumpkin 2: 

And even a “traffic” sign for the pumpkin:

Next time I come to Naoshima I must be better prepared with reservations for some of the museums. Probably it is better to visit the island outside of the triennial.

While on the island, I called a bicycle shop in the harbor of Takamatsu and confirmed that they would be able to replace the tire. After my quick round of the island, I took back an early ship to Takamatsu got the bicycle repaired while I was having lunch at the station.

This left me with the entire afternoon free for another ride. On Shikoku there’s a pilgrimage to 88 temples that are spread around the entire island.When I came to Takamatsu yesterday, I saw that there were two on a mountain just outside of the city, so I planned a ride there.These were temples, 82 and 81.

There was even another pumpkin.

I had actually been to both of these temples nine years ago on my very first trip to Shikoku. Back then we were traveling by car. Actually, I remember letting my ex-husband out at the bottom of a path up to temple number 81, so that he could hike up, while I was driving up. I would not have imagined to ride up this mountain by bicycle back then.

I was actually surprised how many meters of elevation this mountain/hill was. 

On the way down back to the plains, I was rewarded with the spectacular view over towards Sakaide. 

On the ride back to the city, I tried finding smaller roads. In some places I succeeded, in others, not so much.Japan simply outside of the major megalopolis like Tokyo, Osaka, etc., is a car country. We forget that living in Tokyo.