D4 into the mountains between Sakurai and Nara

Route: Sakurai - Uda - Nunume dam - Nara - Tenri - Sakurai
Bicycle: 104 km
Total Ascent: 1,486 m
Average speed: 16.1 km/h
Riding time: 6:27 h
Weather: Sunny but fresh

For what turned out to be the last day of cycling, I again took inspiration from the route book of the area, but this time, wanted to head over the mountains to Nara. And while on D3 I learned that I didn't need to worry about the "big" national roads, today I learned, that it depends. Surprisingly there was a road recommended in the route book, which had more traffic that I would have liked. So much indeed, that after lunch I gave up (on that route) and instead searched for an alternative on komoot... and surprise, surprise, there was a very quiet alternative closeby. 

To start however I first needed air for my wheels, which was a bit of a search as the air pumps at the bicycle parking lot at the train station weren't fitting for my valves and the bicycle shop I had seen on google maps turned out to be so old school, that the last bicycle they repaired was probably a Penny-farthing. So finally I needed to go to a shopping mall with a modern bicycle shop to get my air. 

From there I went up into the hills behind Sakurai on a similar route as a few days ago, avoiding the more heavy  traffic on the road to Hasedera. And then crossed over at Ueda towards the mountains behind Nara. 

However that route, T1 on the map, had quite some traffic. Not totally terrible, but being in such a rural area with the options to other roads it seemed really strange that the suggested bicycle path was on this road. When I got fed up, I had lunch close to the highway in a small restaurant, and then replanned my ride, still in the same direction, but searching for much smaller roads. And I found them immediately. Some even so small that there will be hardly any car or other traffic at all. 

I planned in a ride to a dam ...

... and then from there it was down to Nara. Still on very small roads. So small that when I entered in this small village I was greeted by a gang of monkeys. 

As Nara grew closer, traffic became more heavy, but I guess that cannot really be avoided. Inside Nara, however traffic (of cars) is well controlled. 

I didn't take a picture of all the tourists, but it is always surprising (in Nara and many other tourist hotspots in Japan) how few the tourists venture away from the "must see" spots. Around the Todaiji there were MASSES of tourists, but already a few meters behind not that many... and ride a little bit further: None. Specially after a day in the mountains with such small villages that are going to disappear due to depopulation pretty soon, and so much nature, the masses of tourists came as a shock to the system. I didn't linger and Nara and took a route at the bottom of the hills back towards Sakurai. 

On the way however I came through Tenri, a strange settlement with a huge temple and even bigger, outright enormous, "hotels". I say "hotels", because they aren't hotels where you can book a room, but rather accomodations for pilgrims. I am not even sure if the word "temple" is correct, because this is one of those new religions in Japan. It isn't shinto and it isn't buddhist either. 

I had come through this place by chance a few years ago on my brompton already and back then saw it in action. With masses of people waiting, well organized in the courtyard. But today it was late in the afternoon and I was virtually alone. 

Tenri is probably one of the few cities named after a religion. 

Tomorrow and Sunday the weather forecast is so bad here, that I decided to go back to Tokyo a day early and then ride in Tokyo area instead on Sunday.