NY2023 D2 Kyoto to Nigatsudo (Nara) 二月堂へ初詣

Route: Kyoto - Nara
Bicycle: 58 km
Train: 40 km
Average Speed: 16.9 km/h
Total Ascent: 347 m
Riding Time: 3:25 h
Weather: Dry, sunny, cold and quite windy, 8 C

On the first day of 2023 I cycled to my preferred temple in Nara, unfittingly my called “February temple” 二月堂. There is even a March and April temple in the same area, but no January temple (to my knowledge). 

Anyway, I like this temple for its superb view over Nara and the valley it lies in.

Unfortunately Japanese cities, even Nara, are pretty much destroyed by new developments and the tiering down of old buildings, so one can only imagine how nice this view must have been in the past.

My original plan was to cycle from Kyoto to Nara and back through Inari jinja, but I started late (I think I was only in the bike at 11:00), had quite fierce headwind or sidewind (also a bit of tailwind but not that much) and even lost my wallet. Luckily I noticed in a conbini (which saved my bladder from explosion) and hadn’t cycled too far from a vending machine where I had bought a drink. So after eating something at the conbini (praise be to ApplePay), I retraced my steps, and luckily found it lying there on the road. So that was a close call, but things worked out. 

The ride from Kyoto to Nara is nearly all on a cycling path along the Kiso river. It seems the complete route is now from Arashiyama all the way to Wakayama, 180 km! I have probably done the entire ride already in bits and pieces. 

As cycling back to Kyoto was out of the question, I decided to park for the night at Nara station, ride back by train and pick up the bicycle tomorrow. Probably for cycling through the tea plantation hills around Uji and back to Kyoto via Inari jinja. 

While I write this I am comfortably sitting in a train back to Kyoto. Still rather empty but the conductor already several times reminded us, that this train will become very crowded. For sure he is referring to Inari jinja station. (In the end it wasn't that bad, yes, the train got crowded, but nothing to compare to normal rush hour in Tokyo or even late rush hour in Tokyo).

Nara itself was also pretty crowded as was an area at the confluence between Kisogawa and Yodogawa, where there must be an important shrine or temple , which I totally ignored.