SW D6 More art, more rain, no bike

Route: ryokan to MonET museum and back
Bicycle: 0 km
Taxi: 3,5 km

Bus: 3,5 km
Weather: rain and more rain, 25 C

Today’s forecast was rain and more rain. So much rain that parts of Niigata prefecture are under alert for landslides and inundation. So cycling wasn’t in the plan today. But today the museums opened again, so I took a taxi from my ryokan to the MonET museum in Tokamachi. 

Frankly I am a bit disappointed by it. I had expected that as the main venue of the festival the art work would be new, but really only the art work on the openly accessible ground level was new, and I had seen that already on Sunday. 

While the art inside the museum was mostly (or maybe even completely) the same as 2 years ago. This doesn’t mean it’s not good /interesting art, but I had expected to be mostly new exhibits. 

Anyway I was able to see again this “waterfall”. It’s not water but silicone oil falling down and creating a very nice and gentle movement. 

As I had no other plans for today , I took it slowly , then had lunch at the neighboring “michi-no-eki” and am now sitting in the onsen of the museum, writing todays and yesterdays blog posts. 

The onsen doesn’t have a rotenburo, which normally isn’t what I like, but with the rain rotenburo can often not be enjoyed anyway. 

Once I finish this post I’ll go and get my bath and then either watch the sumo tournament here or go back by taxi (or bus?) to my ryokan for a last night. Tomorrow weather is supposedly again sunny (and hot - very hot apparently all in Japan with 36 C in Tokyo and not much less here) and I’ll ride from here to Nozawa onsen, to the same pension I already went last year. Probably on Saturday I will return to Tokyo as the weather in the region isn’t going to be good for riding. So probably I can participate in the NPC ride in Tokyo on Saturday evening. 

Back to Japan - Jan 2019

So, I decided to bring my good old brompton back to Japan, although I am coming here only for a few months every year... 

Bicycle:  0 km 
Taxi: 30 km
Plane: 9342 km
Courier: 75 km
Riding time: 0 min
Total ascent: 0 m

Route: Leiden to Tokyo

Weather: Sunny in Tokyo, cloudy in Leiden

Last time (summer 2018) when I was in Japan especially in Osaka I was missing my bicycle. In Tokyo, there are rental bicycles available at many points in central (and not so central) Tokyo, so it was kind of okay. One can't really ride outside of Tokyo as one cannot bring the bicycle on a train, but at least within Tokyo it is possible. One has to add though that while electric these bicycles are VERY small. In Osaka the same bicycle rental system exists, but - at least currently - with much less rental points, and none close to Shin-Osaka where I would normally stay. So in Osaka I was often thinking in the evening that now for some stress release an excursion in bicycle would be ideal, but that wasn't possible. 

So finally I decided to bring my good, well-travelled brompton back to Japan ... and buy a new one in The Netherlands. 

This is how the new one will look like... just ordered it two days before leaving for Japan so it should be freshly baked when I come back. 

This time I had also two luggages included in my flight ticket (thanks to flying too often with KLM) so I could bring the box with my brompton along for free:

KLM on the phone when I enquired if I could really check in two baggages, said that bicycles needed to be paid extra, but at the airport no one asked for any money, probably because the box is right inside the maximum allowed size and weight isn't a problem with a brompton either. 

So 11 hours later we arrived in Narita, where I handed the box and the big suitcase over to Yamato Kuroneko, for transporting it the last few kilometer to my weekly apartment in the center of Tokyo. The guy at the reception desk of Yamato Kuroneko first said that they would not transport bicycles... but after assuring him that I had transported this very same box already with them to the airport he got convinced. And well, I didn't technically lie. It wasn't the exactly same box, but when I moved from Japan to The Netherlands at end of 2017 I sent such a box to the airport, only that obviously the guy who was tasked in picking it up, didn't ask any questions about the content. So better not to say anything probably. 

Next day in the evening it arrived to my apartment hand delivered and since then is parked outside in the bicycle parking lot of the apartment building (semi illegally as I would need to ask the house administration for a permission, but I figured that there were still so many bicycle parking slots free that probably no one will say anything... and so far so good.

Relaxing Karuizawa - 軽井沢でゆっくりする

The weather forecast for both Tokyo and Osaka (and Kyoto, where I actually wanted to go) for this weekend was very hot. 35C or more... which is simply a temperature at which I cannot move unless under constant air conditioning. Since from last weekend's trip to Tohoku (Ginzan onsen - Shinjo - Kakunodate - Hachimantai - Tazawako) I still have two days on my JR East Tohoku Pass I decided to use it this weekend to go to Karuizawa. In reality we wanted to come here 2 weeks ago, but had stayed up too late the evening before and did not have a full weekend, but rather one day only. A colleague of mine is a big fan of Karuizawa, but mainly was talking about good shopping in Karuizawa. I think there is an outlet somewhere... so it did not sound very interesting. Only recently I enquired further and he showed me some more pictures of beautiful lakes and old streets, which seemed to be more to my liking.

Day 1 

Today I made it to Karuizawa only around 14:00 arriving by Shinkansen from Tokyo after leaving the monthly rental apartment in Tokyo where we had stayed from early August. Straight from the station I went to one of the many (as I found out) bicycle rental shops right outside of the station and got my mamachari with 3 gears and a big basket. And set off through the very tranquil town of Karuizawa to my first destination the Kumoba pond. Actually Karuizawa does not seem to be a town/city in itself, but rather a forrest in which the rich from Tokyo have build their summer chalets. But it does not seem that there is someone really living in this town. 

Nice tranquil lake, very beloved by all the Chinese (Taiwanese?) tourists. Obviously in autumn the colours must become spectacular. The lake is in the middle of a forrest which is inhabited by the rich, who have built anything from uninspired houses, similar to the ones one can find all over Tokyo, to historical buildings...

... designer houses as well as wooden holiday homes:

Along the road small signs indicate where the holiday house of which family is. All in the same very simple script, as unassuming as possible. Understatement the Japanese way.

At the end of a straight and long double alley through the woods ...

... one arrives to an old hotel, now national monument. Originally build at the beginning of the 20th century, but in totally Western style.

Karuizawa had just been "discovered" by an English missionary who found that spending his free time there, was the best thing he could do and more and more foreigners, but also Japanese did the same, so Karuizawa became the resort area for the rich from Tokyo wanting to flee the heat of the city. The hotel was mainly used by foreigners and luxurious by the standards of the time. When it finally closed (I think in the 1970's) the building was declared a national monument and moved from the place where it originally was to this new location. Probably in the original location a new hotel has been built.

And no, in case you wonder, I did NOT invert the picture below. In the good old days in Japanese when writing in vertical, right to left was used.

After the visit to the hotel I made the way to my hotel for the night, which was in the other part of Karuizawa. I did not dash out the money that would be needed for a high end hotel (when I reserved a few days ago, there were offers of 80,000 Yen and more / night on Jalan)... I however took a small cat themed pension.

After relaxing a bit in my small room I wanted to ride to the close-by onsen in Hoshino area, but when I left it had started raining. This wouldn't however stop me from going to an onsen... it just stopped me from riding there.

The tombo no yu onsen is in a very posh area. A place my husband would call "adequate for our social standing"... and a kind of place that we normally do not visit. But I have to admit it was very nice. I walked there with a big umbrella through the rain and through the forrest which was illuminated by designer lamps along a walkway winding through the wood along a small stream until reaching the onsen. And then the bliss of soaking. The onsen itself had only 3 tubs, 1 big inside and 1 very large outside, plus a cold water one outside. While the tub inside was very hot, outside it wasn't that hot and it had many different hights including one could lie flat in the water. Very relaxing indeed.

After my soak I went for a late (for Japanese standards) dinner in the posh area. I have to admit that the menu sounded more appetizing than the actual plates... Return to my small pension then by taxi as I did not want to walk again 30 min under the rain and in the cold! (It was actually quite cold in Karuizawa and the only jacket I even brought with me to Japan is only a light cardigan). 

Day 2

Today after a Western (and good) breakfast I went back to the posh area where I had ended the day yesterday, wanting to explore it by daylight. However my first stop of the day was a 7/11 along the way to buy a rain jacket. It had rained most of the night and had just started raining when I was about to leave... but also had stopped nearly immediately. But the weather clearly wasn't going to be stable. As I had the rental bicycle, I knew that I had to ride it back to Karuizawa station, so I took the safe decision to buy a cheap plastic rain jacket. Which luckily is still in its original packing after a day exploring Karuizawa.

My second stop then was to explore the area of the two churches in Hoshino area. Karuizawa Kogen church and Stone church. The second one seems to be very interesting, architectonically, however I wasn't even allowed anywhere close to it. I knew that on weekends it is only open from 7:30 to 8:30 in the morning before that wedding marathon starts. But I had hoped to at least see it from the outside. But to no avail. The other church was pretty much off limits as well, however somewhat better visible through the woods.

Karuizawa seems to be a very popular destination for weddings.

I continued my exploration and came to an authentic forrest, protected for wild birds. However to me after walking duly the 2 km shortest course through the wood, it seemed just like any forrest. And I even didn't hear any birds, probably because at the entrance facility I was equipped with a bear bell.

After the 2 km through the forrest I decided that I had earned an other bath (I hadn't taken a shower or anything in the morning in my pension, knowing that I would head for the onsen later).

Also this onsen must have been constructed by a good architect. At least it looks very nice. Women to the right, men to the left, some water in the middle.

... and a sneak preview of how the view from the rotenburo would be:

After the bath I went back to the posh eatery area of yesterday night and although I had decided NOT to eat there, I was finally overcome by both hunger and the availability of a table outside one of the cafes so I had a sandwich, which wasn't very good actually, but in nice atmosphere along a scenographic river.

Then I went back to my pension, picked up my heavy backpack (containing 2 computers and little else). The rest of my luggage, I had shipped on Saturday morning already to my hotel in Osaka, where they will hopefully await my arrival today in the evening.

And then on to the second attraction of the day, the museum of Hiroshi Senju. I have to admit that I had never heard about this artist, but the cousin of my husband (an architect in Tokyo) had spoken very highly about the museum building. So I went, and yes, the building is breathtaking. With a zen kind of quiet atmosphere totally focused on nature and giving the art works a perfect room.

Even the artwork itself was quite nice. Varying. Some was a bit boring, but specially the waterfalls and also the merger of traditional Japanese art (e.g. room dividers) with modern art was a great idea. The museum isn't very big nor are there many works, maybe around 30, so the entire experience is very relaxing. The entrance to the toilet also for sure must be one of the nicest in Japan, with lateral views into the surrounding landscape. 

From the museum along the main road, there was even a bicycle lane. Nothing to the Dutch standards, but at least not the normal shared pedestrian/bicycle walkway. Although I strongly suspect that the pedestrians would use the bicycle lane indiscriminately. But there weren't any around. In other places in Karuizawa one can also see these "knooppunt". I had left the museum right on time to get back to Karuizawa station just before rain started, returned my bicycle well before 18:00 and considered at the station to change my ticket to an earlier train, but then saw that all the earlier trains didn't have seats any more available. So instead I opted to go to the outlet (see above) which results to be right besides the station and is ENORMOUS. I haven't seen the entire shopping area, because it has several separate wings each of them large by themselves. All this quite nicely placed into the landscape, and luckily with arcades in front of the stores so I didn't get wet.

At the Royal Copenhagen store, I bought a birthday present for my mother and had my personal Mr. Bean experience. But all nicely packed up, and should definitely not suffer any further harm. I say further harm, because being an outlet the porcelain was second quality and apparently there is a small error somewhere... which my mother can try to find. The local Mr. Bean did not make me miss my train and so I finally boarded it shortly after 18:00, then changed at Tokyo and am now on my way to Shin-Osaka where I should be arriving within a few minutes. To the warm weather again!

Day 57 - Fukuoka and back to Tokyo 福岡から東京へ帰る

Bicycle touring Japan - Day 57

The very last day of this trip by bicycle, train, bus, ferry, plane, taxi and on foot through Japan, did not see a single kilometer on the bicycle... but many in a plane

Bicycle: 0 km 
Bus: 14 km
Taxi: 29 km
Plane: 1000 km

Route: Fukuoka hotel to city museum and airport and back to home in Tokyo

Weather: Rainy and quite cold


Although this travel through Japan was about bicycle travelling, at least mainly, today on my very last day, no bicycle riding involved at all, as it was raining outside quite intensely and cold:

After considering my options, I excluded to make a last minute splash to Toto toilet museum in Northern Kyushu, for being simply too far from Fukuoka. Looking at my other museum options closer to Fukuoka I found the Fukuoka city museum and took a bus there.

It was actually a quite good, modern museum. Somewhat similar to the Edo museum in Tokyo, with lively exhibits explaining the history of Kyushu since prehistoric times until today. There was also a good English audio guide and also many of the descriptions in the museum were in English. So I think it was a good option what to do on this rainy, cold day.

I made it back to the hotel in time, to catch a cab to the closeby airport and then off my brompton and we back to Tokyo.

Day 50 - Tokyo to Kagoshima 東京から鹿児島へ

Bicycle touring Japan - Day 50

Day 50!!! And today from Kagoshima airport to Kagoshima city, the last week of my bicycle tour has started in the very South of Kyushu.

Bicycle: 37  km
Plane: 960 km 
Taxi: 30 km
Riding time: 2:15 h
Total ascent: 100 m 

Route: Tokyo to Kagoshima airport by plane, on by bicycle to Kagoshima city.

Weather: Sunny and a few clouds, 16 C

After less than 24 h in Tokyo I am back on the road on my final week of cycle touring through  Japan. On to the Southern tip of Kyushu, Kagoshima.

When I decided yesterday where and when to restart my cycle tour (after a brief stay in Tokyo to meet a relocation company) I decided to re-start in Kagoshima immediately, as today and tomorrow weather forecast is still good, but forecasting rain for the weekend. When I reserved the flight for Kagoshima I did not realize that the airport isn't really close to the city. But all the better, thus I perfectly knew where to cycle today. And then tomorrow the entire day to explore Sakurajima.

During my 21 h in Tokyo I loaded up on fruits, cereals and very tasty French cheese. So I am ready for more Washoku. While in Tokyo I not only met the relocation company, but even had time to de-register my residence. So ever more ready to move to the Netherlands at the end of this cycle tour. Probably cycle touring is the best introduction possible to the Netherlands...

Here my poor brompton taking its second flight in a few hours. It will need to get used to it, as more flights next week (back from Fukuoka to Tokyo) and the following week (from Tokyo to Amsterdam). So far it is not complaining. 

Here a view of the mountains in Southern Kyushu ...

... and one of many photos I took of Sakurajima:

I arrived around 12:00 and about half an hour later set off on my ride into Kagoshima. Close to the airport there were some very accurate cut tea plantations:

The airport itself is on a high plateau, so the first 9 km were spent rolling down hill and a bit of breaking. But not too bad. At one point a saw a sign for an onsen at a waterfall, and as it was only 1 km, decided to have a look. But it was just a normal onsen building close to a waterfall. A nice waterfall though:

No bathing in the pool of the waterfall.

When I had planned the ride for Garmin today in the morning while waiting for my airplane, there seemed two possibilities how to ride into the city one over some mountains and one down at the coast. I decided for the coast thinking that the view would be nice. It was nice, BUT there was also a lot of traffic on the one and only road. So from about km 19 to 31 the ride was not terribly enjoyable.

I tried to ride on the pedestrian walkway, but often it had too much vegetation to be safe to ride, so back to the street...

When I planned the ride on Garmin connect, it had a total ascent of nearly 400 m (see here KYU99), but there were again, as in some previous rides some mysterious very steep hills, that on the ground did not exist at all. In the ride tomorrow on Sakurajima there is the same problem. Looking at the map with elevation profile, there are no such steep mountains, but in the Garmin elevation profile there are... Very inconvenient.

When that stretch ended, there was a big parking lot and a lot of people walking around. I wanted a stop anyway (actually for lunch), so I decided to stop there. It was a place with surprisingly many people and even tourist buses aplenty. So I had a better look, and discovered that I had just "run" into an UNESCO world heritage site and a famous Japanese garden: Senganen Garden.

So I decided to skip lunch and be a tourist. The garden itself is not among the best in Japan, but one has to admit that the local daimyo found a good way how to incorporate the obligatory "small pond" and "hill" into his garden:

I had taken a full access ticket, that also included a guided tour of the main building and a matcha, which came with a special sweet, that if I understood correctly among others contained shitake (a mushroom) and yuzu (a citric).

In the garden, as in so many others there was an exhibition of flowers. I normally always walk by these flowers just looking at them from far, but here there were detailed descriptions of what was the specific beauty of these flowers:

I think it is hard to guess, but these flowers here are admired for being a set of 6 pots (each pot has 3 flowers), with 6 varieties of chrysanthemum with at least 3 colours, where the front flowers must be shorter and taller flowers to the rear. Also the colour arrangement is decided BEFORE growing the flowers, so while they are growing height control is important (which apparently is achieved by some grow controller). And I always thought that these were simply flowers.

There were different displays. From 1 pot (always with 3 flowers) at maximum 40 cm height to arrangement of 12 different pots, all arranged per height both within the same pot and across the row of pots. And then there was this unruly flower explosion in the form of two daimyos:

The garden is part of UNESCO world heritage as part of the Meiji Industrialization heritage sites, because it belonged to the Shimadzu clan, a very powerful and apparently forward looking Daimyo who controlled the South of Kyushu and Okinawa. Through Okinawa even during the Japanese isolation centuries they were trading with foreign countries and acquired Western weapons and technology. Once Western countries were lurking ever closer to Japan, the daimyo decided that it was time to produce similar weapons and that he needed large industrial plants for that. So a number of plants were built, this building here being the oldest survivor or a industry plant in Japan:

In this building is a nice and partially English explained exhibition about the Shimadzu clan and the Shuseikan project, an industrialization project at the end of Edo and beginning of Meiji period, initially started in order to produce weapons to potentially withstand Western powers. But then also developped glass and porcelain manufacturing among many other technologies, including learning how to built steam machines.

There was also an interesting description of trade in the period of Japan's closure to all external contacts. Per the museum some trade still continued, by pirates, who as you could not BUY something in foreign countries, raided the coasts for goods to sell. Not sure if one could order a specific item from them...

It was getting colder, so I put on my cardigan and the fleece jacket for the final ride into town. During the ride I also passed close to this monument for the arrival of Francisco Javier in Japan: 

And thus I arrived to my hotel, which is in a very lively place of downtown Kagoshima, but my room is probably quiet and I had a good dinner of Satsuma cuisine in a restaurant suggested by the hotel. 

Bicycle touring Japan - Ride maps

For details on the bicycle tour today in Kagoshima, checkout the below maps:

Day 46 - Okayama and Takahashi 岡山と備中高梁

Bicycle touring Japan - Day 46

In this blog post I review my visit to Korakuen garden in Okayama and to Matsuyama castle in Takahashi, surrounded by the first really nice koyo of this trip

Bicycle: 8.5 km
Train: 100 km
Taxi: 6 km
Riding time: 40 min
Total ascent: 39  m + half the hill of Matsuyama castle

Route: Okayama Korakuen and then by train to Bichu-Takahashi and back

Weather: Sunny, not a single cloud, 17 C


I didn't spend a lot of time today on the bicycle (nor will I tomorrow), but I saw my first real koyo:

I started late and really only had on my program today to see the Korakuen garden in Okayama and then to relax in the city. But the weather was so nice and I discovered that there is an other of the 12 remaining original castles not too far, so I made my way there... but by train & taxi.

The day started in Korakuen, a typical Japanese pleasure garden. 

There was already some koyo ...

... and even the koi dressed for the occasion:

In the garden there were at least 3 couples taking wedding pictures...

... and one guy from Google Street view taking pictures... So probably in a few months time I will still be in Korakuen.

After the visit to the park, I went to my new hotel in Okayama. I had only reserved 2 nights in the one on the hill, and as it was quite inconvenient (nothing around for dinner), I decided to stay the last night down in town, which will also be much closer to the bus station from where I will go to Inojima tomorrow.

In Okayama town, there are some bicycle lanes, some are a bright blue line on the street, others are properly built cycle lanes, well separated from cars and pedestrians and yet others are the typical Japanese co-habitation of cyclists and pedestrians on the walkway. Having cycle lanes however doesn't mean that they are being used by cyclists only. Cars do park on them, pedestrians invade them, and yes, cyclists also drive on the walkway, when there is a cycle lane right next to it. That's Japanese cycling! Surprising for a country where there would seem to be a rule for everything, but not for cycling. (Well, there are rules... but cycling rules are widely ignored).
There is also a bicycle sharing program. I have seen a number of stations, but no one using these bikes.

I left my bag and bike at the hotel and went to the nearby station to take the express train to Bichu-Takahashi. From there on with a taxi half way up this high hill (over 400 m) to the highest castle in Japan, and one of only 12 surviving old castles in the entire country. This number of 12 old castles is always being stressed in each of them, and they also all have pictures of the other 11 hanging in one exhibition room. This castle today, Matsuyama, was definitely one of the nicest of these 12. High up on a hill, overlooking the other hills around and the river below and with koyo that is near to its peak.

That small, white point on top of the mountain is the castle, as seen from the station

This roof kind of reminded me of the Great Wall of China. I can't really explain it why, but it is the combination of the mountains in the distance and the dragon-like shape on the roof.

A very nice castle, and as it is quite hard to access (car + shuttle bus + 15 min walk or taxi + 15 min walk, the walk being steep uphill), there were not a lot of tourists, no foreigners, and also not that many Japanese on this wonderful autumn day. So I could enjoy the castle quietly in the sinking sun. 

Bicycle touring Japan - Ride maps

For details on the bicycle tour today in Okayama, checkout the below maps:

Day 13 - Hakodate to Oma and up to Osorezan 函館から大間経由で恐山へ

Bicycle touring Japan - Day 13

Today I started my ride through Aomori and as a highlight of the day made it up to Mount Osore (the ascent by taxi though), one of the three most sacred places in Japanese Buddhism and a great place to bath in acidic, hot water right from a volcano and just a stone's throw away from the main temple.

Bicycle: 55 km
Ferry: 40 km
Taxi: 14 km
Route: Hakodate hotel to port, Hakodate port to Oma port by ferry, Oma to Mutsu, Mutsu to Osorezan by taxi
Riding time: 3:20 h
Total ascent: 387 m (and this without actually riding up to Osorezan!)
Weather: cloudy and sunny, and a few drops of rain, 12 C


Today ended perfectly. In an onsen right below a temple with hot water flowing in directly from a volcano.

The day however started quite early (but not as early as tomorrow) in Hakodate, where I packed up, and left my hotel at 7:30, in order to be at the port around 8, right in time to buy my ticket to Oma, that I had reserved yesterday.

Around 9 we were allowed to roll onto the ferry. First the motorcyclists (3), then me, the only cyclist, and then cars and small vans.

My brompton was secured to the ship and I went upstairs to a room layed out just with some carpet where we could all sit on the floor. Japanese "standard class" on ships. From my room we had a great view over the ocean:

With me in the same room where 4 Japanese couples, somewhere between 50 and 80 years old that were also travelling through Japan. One couple by motorcycle and the others by car or camper bus. We all exchanged our travel plans and travel impressions. It was actually quite nice with all these other travelers. One elderly men even gave me as a present two origami figures of cranes that have a basket:

(As they are difficult to carry around, I have abandoned them in my room in the monastery below the  Buddhist scroll. Assuming that this is the nicest place where I can leave them.)

Before coming on the ship I had also spoken with the other motorcyclists, as we were waiting together in one area in order to be let on the ship. One was a guy (well, probably in his 50's) from Iceland travelling the world in what will be 2 years on his motorbike. So far he has done Europe, he started in the Netherlands, Russia, Mongolia. Now Japan and then on to North America, Central America, South America and next year summer again up to Alaska.

As I was the smallest vehicle of all, I was the last to leave the ferry in Oma. I then did ride on to the Northern most point of Honshu, where it was very windy. Luckily for me, the wind resulted to be tail wind for my ride. Otherwise it would have been a very hard day.

And then I set off along the Northern coast toward Ohata. Along the road there some algae were drying in the fresh ocean air. Either spread out or dangling in the wind:

The weather forecast for Oma and Mutsu today was: bright sun. However at least initially there were some dark clouds that seemed to bring rain. At some point it even started to rain very slightly and I already looked out for the next village in the hope to be able to hide somewhere and wait for the end of the rain. However instead of rain, at that moment the sun came through and it was sunny (plus some high and quickly moving clouds) for the rest of the day. Until now (19:00), when there was just a surprise rain shower. But from my warm room I couldn't care less. Even my bicycle is inside in the entry hall.

I knew from the Garmin elevation profile that there were going to be some up-and-down and one 100 m hill before coming to Ohata. Luckily the 100 m hill was steep on my end, so I could relatively quickly push the bicycle up, while the ride down was long and not very steep, so also ideal for rolling it down into Ohata:

If you look at my original plan for this ride Ohata was the start for a 200+ m ascent to Osorezan, through a road where I am unsure if it is asphalted or not. However when I reserved in the accommodation on Osorezan yesterday and asked about bears, I was told that yes, there might be bears. Specially on that road, as it is not very much transited. Thanks to these bears I had the perfect excuse for not making the ride up the mountain! (Per the taxi driver the bears in this region are small... but still, don't want to be chased nor eaten even by a small bear)
So I had asked the lady what are my other possibilities to come up to Osorezan. There are buses, but the last left around 14:00 from Mutsu, and no buses from Ohata, or taxis. Originally I had planned to take a taxi up from Ohata, but when I arrived there it was still early, the weather was quite nice and the ride over to Mutsu not too far, nor too hilly, so I decided to go on to Mutsu and take a taxi from there, which were supposed to be cheaper anyway, and I got a bit more time on the bike.

In Mutsu, thanks to Google maps, I found a taxi company and was driven up the mountain directly to my accommodation of the night. In looking at the road I have decided to not ride it down tomorrow, it is partly very steep (one first needs to climb up a hill and then down probably 400 m), slightly moist and partly also covered with fallen leaves. So it would seem not to be a very enjoyable and probably not even very safe ride down. So tomorrow will start with a bus ride down the volcano and then on my bike along the coast of the Mutsu bay.

While the ride today was nice, my accommodation for the night is spectacular! I am staying in the Shukubo of the Bodaiji temple on the lake of Osorezan. A Shukubo is a temple accommodation run by buddhist monks and includes a monks dinner and breakfast, i.e. all vegetarian and quite simple. My room however is so far the best (and largest) I had had on this entire travel, probably around 28 tatami mats in size:

And a room with a stunning view:

As in some previous nights, I have added one more futon to my bed for the night. So it gets softer. Luckily enough in Japanese rooms, there is a cupboard where all the futons are stored in, and as the rooms are meant for more than one person, there are normally spare futons. Which I simply use.

The best of the Shukubo so far however was the onsen. There are 3 onsen right on the grounds on the temple, actually on the way from the main gate to the main temple building, plus one more a bit farther away plus a modern one inside the accommodation itself.

Today in the afternoon I first tried out one on the temple grounds, that gets its hot waters directly from the volcano next door.

Although there is no rotenburo, with the fresh cold wind coming through the splits in the wooden hut, it was like being in a rotenburo. Simply great!

Before I started soaking I did at least a short exploration of the temple grounds in the sunset:

Dinner at 18:00 was a very quiet affair. The few guests, I think we were 12, were all sitting on the same long table, waited for the monk to tell a prayer and then we were allowed to eat. Everyone ate in silence. No idea if that is what one is supposed to do in a Buddhist monastery. And after 20 min the same monk came back said an other prayer and we finished our meal. Actually, while the accommodation is perfect, the dinner was a bit deluding. I had hoped for a very tasty Buddhist vegetarian meal, like the one we had a few years back in Koyasan, but it was just normal vegetable, tofu and rice. No extraordinary tastes.

Now in the evening I will have an other bath here in the more modern bath and then off to bed, so I can get up by 6:00 tomorrow morning, in time for the 6:30 morning prayer that we will all attend in the temple.

As probably to be expected on top of a volcano in a Buddhist monastery, internet connection is patchy. So I wont be able to upload this post until tomorrow, but then with pictures, maps and links.

Bicycle touring Japan - Ride maps

For details on the bicycle tour today in Aomori and Hokkaido, checkout the below maps:

 Here also the short ride in Hakodate today in the morning: