NY2023 D3 Nara Wazuka Kyoto

Route: Nara - Wazuka - Kyoto
Bicycle: 80 km
Train: 40 km

Average Speed: 14.8 km/h

Total Ascent: 486 m

Riding Time: 5:23 h

Weather: Sun & clouds, and some rain, 3 C

I left my bike yesterday at the bike parking at Nara station, so today I could start from Mara and head back to Kyoto. The idea was to explore the tea plantations around Wazuka, from where most of the famous Uji green tea stems and to get over some mountains there and then down to Uji and back through Fushimi Inari jinja to Kyoto. 

Also today didn’t go to that plan, but being flexible is part of enjoying being out and about with the bike. The first part to Wazuka went as planned and I had a wonderful ride through the hills of the tea plantations. 

As the information on the internet already told me, these tea plantations are on surprisingly steep hills. 

I had originally planned to ride over one of these hills (they are steep but quite short, only about 1+ km, so worst case totally walkable), but when I was at the base of the climb it started raining. Luckily I was at the only conbini in the valley, so could hide from the rain, but I thought that it would be wiser not to climb up and ride down (!) a wet, steep hill, far away from civilization and train lines. So instead I decided to return back to the Kiso river in the Nara - Uji - Kyoto valley where there would be multiple train lines to choose from. However the rain wasn’t persistent, so I waited it out at the conbini and then head back down, back over the river ... 

... and along it, and back to the cycling road on Kiso river. From there it was a rather uneventful ride back to Kyoto, until arriving at Fushimi Inari Taisha, a very famous spot for Hatsumode. And thus rather busy... but that is part of it. These shrines and temples are in use, specially the first few days of the year. 

I had come here also in early January 2016, which was my first Hatsumode experience in Japan. I don't remember, but I am not sure if I expected anything special or just wanted to see this shrine again, one of my preferred shrines in Japan. So back then I was very surprised by all the offers standing on display. A lot of alcohol (mainly Sake, but also beer), but also other products. E.g. Kleenex, soy sauce, fresh fruit and vegetable, water, ...). Everything the companies that are coming to pray for an other successful year, are producing. Looking back through my old pictures, I saw that last time I was here on January 4th, so already a working day. Not sure if for that reason, but back then, there were a lot of business men coming to give their offerings. It seemed like the president of the company plus a few senior managers all together visiting the shrine. The produce they offer is only "for display" I think. What they are actually offering is money. Back then, there was also a dance / singing of some shrine girls on a stage. But not so today. Anyway, I have my fond memories of this shrine, even if today wasn't anything too special. 

BTW, last time I visited was also special... and can be found here. 

The day finished in an onsen / super-sento (Makoto no yu) not too far from my accommodation. Apparently in what was the red light district of Kyoto in the past, but now a very residential area, with this onsen. It had just one rotenburo, but with a nice view into the night sky with a decoratively shining half moon. After getting my well deserved soak, I had a very good dinner there (steak prepared by myself on a small iron plate) and then headed back to my room, where I am now sitting on my futon, completing this blog post. 

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.

NY2023 D1 New Year in Kyoto お正月京都で

Route: To Higashi Kyoto

Bicycle: 18 km

Average Speed: 11.5 km/h

Total Ascent: 138 m

Riding Time: 1:36

Weather: Cold and dark... but dry, 3 C

For my first year back in Japan, I have come for the New Year (and until 9/Jan) to Kyoto. And it did not disappoint. 

I had come without a precise plan for these next 10 days. The new not fixed appointment is on Friday, when I have to go to Osaka office for the first working day in 2023. My company is closed 2-5/Jan and the 9/Jan is a local holiday again. Luckily Kyoto /Osaka are so close that commuting there won’t be a problem. 

An other reason I decided for Kyoto is that in smaller cities there is a risk that everything, including restaurants & shops are closed for the first few days of the year. But in a big city such as Kyoto that isn’t a risk. Many things are closed, but enough is open to still have plenty of choice. 

So anyway, I came without detailed plan, so while I was waiting for the delivery of my suitcase I planned some rides. 

Although this isn’t my first New Year in Japan, it was the first time I went to temples at midnight. And which city better for that than Kyoto!

I had searched a bit on the internet which temples and shrines are the best for New Year, and - not surprisingly - there were several suggested temples in Eastern Kyoto. The first temple I went to (and where I parked and then explored the area on foot) was Koudaiji 高台寺 and it was the best of all. 

Quite serene, albeit the many visitors and they even had free Amazake (a kind of sweet , warm , rice porridge drink). 

I was there too early to wait for midnight so went over to Yanaka shrine, which must have been so full that it was impossible to even approach it. It seemed that all ways leading to it were cut of by friendly but resolute watchmen. There was a big night fair behind the shrine though.

When it became clear that this shrine wasn’t going to be reasonably easily accessible, I walked back to Kodaiji, where I arrived a few minutes before midnight, right in time for the midnight countdown.

At the temple itself a monk was playing a huge drum, hitting it not only on the surface, but also the sides and striking over the nails that hold the skin in place with his drum sticks.

Shortly after midnight I left and went in search for an other temple, which however turned out to be closed so decided to head back to my holiday apartment. 

Nagahama on Biwako 余呉湖イチ

Route: Maibara - Yogo lake - Maibara
Bicycle: 76 km

Train: 250 km

Average speed:  km/h
Total ascent: 87 m

Riding time: 3:47 h

Weather: Sunny and not too cold

I was in Osaka for work and took the opportunity to stay for the weekend. The Japanese government has still a program in place to entice people to travel domestically with huge discounts on hotel rates plus vouchers to be used in local shops and restaurants. I had used that program already when traveling to Fuji-5-lakes and in November in Nagano. This time in Osaka it was specially cheap as I choose a cheap hotel, did get the full hotel price reimbursed by my company and had all the discounts. So essentially staying the weekend on was for free. 

I hadn't brought my own bicycle as on a business trip that is too much of a hassle, but I knew that there is a good bicycle rental shop in Maibara station. I reserved a bike a few days before by phone. According to the shop only my height was needed... however the bicycle they had ready for me was several sizes too small. 

Initially they tried to just up the saddle... but I could hardly fit on the bike. Luckily it is mid December and not many people think this is a good season for riding bikes (why?) so there were a lot of other bikes still available and they decided to give me instead this carbon Merida bicycle which was a joy to ride. (Very similar to my own road bike). 

I had made a few plans where to ride, but after consulting with the shop I decided to go with Yogo lake. I had never before ridden into this direction of Biwa lake. So far the farest (from Kyoto/Osaka direction) was Maibara... so off into the unknowns of Nagahama. Nagahama has a replica (as so many places) of a castle very close to the shore...

... of lake Biwa, which was flat and quiet on this rather windstill day with only a few decorative clouds. 

Along nearly the entire lake Biwa there is a bicycle path. It can be a bit bad in some places, but here around Nagahama it was wide, sometimes separated from the street by some small trees and good to ride. 

Lake Yogo itself is a small, very round lake with a quiet street running once around it and as that street doesn't really go anywhere, practically no traffic. 

I did the same ride a few months later with a colleague, this time however with a strong headwind riding towards Yogo lake... which made that on the way back we hardly needed to pedal. Today however back from the lake I had to pedal. But through nice landscape dotted with small villages before returning my bike at the station and catching a train back to Osaka. 

D4 Waterfalls over Takayama

Route: Nagano to Okuyama and back
Bicycle: 76 km

Train: 250 km

Average speed:  km/h
Total ascent: 967 m

Riding time: 4:11 h

Weather: Sunny, 10 C

For my last day of this 4 day weekend, I had looked up on Google Maps a bit the region, and found a waterfall in the mountains behind Takayama. Riding up there I came through this very Japanese typical koyo landscape, probably at its peak and with a small river also coloured in brown. 

Probably because the onsen town of Takayama has brownish water... Although I didn't try it. On the village square was this public bathhouse: 

I had lunch here and then further up into the hills to the first waterfall. Which was actually across the valley on the other side and against the light hardly visible. But tall. 

But there were tourist groups coming here by bus. Luckily they didn’t stay very long so there was also time to enjoy the view on my own from a small viewing platform. Originally I wanted to return from here but the guard of the parking lot convinced me that not too far up the road there was a second much better waterfall. 

And yes, that one was much better. Shorter but you could walk under it.

D3 Behind Mt. Iizuma

Route: Kurohime - Togakushi Jinja - Nagano

Bicycle: 47 km

Train: 30 km

Average speed: 12.0 km/h

Total ascent: 1025 m
Weather: sunny, some clouds, but cold (because of the elevation), 6C

Riding time: 3:53 h 

Yesterday I had left my bike at the local bike shed outside of Kurohime station... and it faithfully waited for me (not totally alone) the entire night.

And then the climbing started... all the way up to the Upper shrine of Togakushi, through stunning landscape of volcanos. 

But it was a gradual climb with no crazy slopes, so I was able to work up my way, little by little enjoying the views.

At the top of the climb was the upper Togakushi shrine, but getting to it from the street involved nearly 5 km of hiking (walking) including the last part some uneven stairs up to the shrine. I wasn’t alone to have set out for it, there was a formidable “procession” making its way up the slope.

If you expected some extremely unique or even old shrine or a beautiful view at the end, those expectations were trashed  there was a rather normal , relatively new, small shrine and although we had walked uphill for 2,5 km, there wasn’t any real view.

At the entrance there had been two soba restaurants, but unfortunately the waiting list was so long that I gave up and instead continued on to the Middle shrine, which also turned out to be a pretty normal shrine. 

But somehow both of them are very famous (and popular). For Japanese probably there is some religious meaning to these shrines and for us foreigners I guess it is the landscape they are in.

Then the descent started. Initially it was quite gradual as there is a high plain around the Mt Iizuma… with some more nice views. 

I even went to an old (but rebuild castle above Nagano (which was closed and semi abandoned) , but then the real descent started and it was literally terrifying. 7 sharp bends at 16% inclination on a rough surface in a kind of half tunnel with cars coming up and down through it. Never again! 

Miraculously safely back in the valley, I went to Zenkoji temple. I had been a few weeks before at the end of Silver Week already, but back then in the rain, today with maple trees glowing in the sunlight it was a nice view.

D2 Koyo at Lake Nojiri

Route: Nagano - Shinano- Lake Nojiri - Kurohime 
Bicycle: 58 km

Train: 30 km

Average speed: 15.2 km/h

Total ascent: 1054 m
Weather: cloudy, wet after lunch , 5C

Riding time: 3:49 h

While I write this I am sitting in the waiting room of Kurohime station, where I arrived just a few minutes after the train to Nagano had departed and now need to wait for one hour. Admittedly the waiting room could be a little bit warmer and unfortunately the soba place has closed also at the same time as the train left. But anyway I’m sitting here in the dry and trying not to get too cold. After a day outside riding through very beautiful koyo... but also some rain at the end:

When I first booked the hotel in Nagano for this long weekend I hadn’t really a precise plan what I wanted to do, but I thought that this area here should be nice for cycling. And it definitely is. So I asked in a cycling related Line group, I’m a member off, if anyone had any suggestions for cycling in this area. And one member suggested Lake Nojiri.

When I first arrived to the lake it looked very romantic with the clouds hanging low over it and vapor coming up from it. 

After riding for a little bit along the shore I found a very posh place to have a hamburger. Apart from hamburgers they also had a sauna which seemed to be very popular, as there were many people that clearly just had come out of the sauna.

During lunch I decided to do the full circle of the lake, which wasn’t actually part of my original plan. But looking at it now it was definitely the best part of today’s ride. 

Maybe I should have stop there and come directly to the train station, but I continued with my original plan which foresaw another lake and potentially a waterfall. I didn’t make it to either because what previously was just a bit of dampness became rain and rain at 2°C is just plain cold. 

I’m not entirely sure, but this might’ve been the first ride I’ve ever done with more than 1000 m of climbing in just one ride. And that in only about 50 km!

A few hours later I am sitting now in a horse meat restaurant enjoying some horse sashimi and being very comfortable warm after taking a long onsen soak in my hotel  the same DormyInn where I stayed for 1 night at the end of my Silver Week this year. 

D1 Karuizawa to Nagano (a try)

Route: Tokyo - Karuizawa - Nagano 
Bicycle:  km

Train: 160+

Average speed:  km/h
Total ascent:  m
Weather: very sunny and warm for November, 17 C

Riding time: h

For my first day of this 4 day weekend I had planned a long, but continuously and gradually downhill ride from Karuizawa to my hotel for the next few days in Nagano. 

The weather was perfect, sunny and relatively warm for early November. 

However the ride didn’t go to plan. Although I had changed my tires to tubeless only a few weeks ago, an enormous nail entered in the tire and the sealant wasn’t able to close the hole. 

Luckily the mishap happened at a parking lot, so I had comfortable space to try to put an inner tube in and continue. I tried and tried but didn’t succeed. Then someone from the parking lot who turned out to be also a cyclist came over to help. He managed to put the tube in, but it turned out that the inner tube I had been ferrying around for years was also broken. My savior then went to have lunch but offered to drive me afterwards to a bicycle repair shop. Which he did with his entire family. The shop he had chosen was surprisingly far away, but open and I got fitted with a new inner tube, went to the next train station and got by car to Nagano.

A few months later I tried with a friend who likes repairing bicycles to change the inner tube on my front wheel. And although we were sitting comfortably in his apartment, I wasn’t even able to get the tire off, nor was I able to put the tube in. A further few weeks later I bought a tubeless tire repair kit, but currently have tubes still in the tires so just hoping for the best. 

Fuji-5-Lakes

Day 1
Route: Around 4 of the 5 Fuji lakes
Bicycle: 82 km
Train: 100 km

Average speed: 17,2 km/h
Total ascent: 595 m
Weather: cloudy, some sun, colder than expected, 12C

Riding time: 4:44 h

Day 2
Route: Yamanakako - Otsuki - Sagamiko- Hashimoto 
Bicycle: 115 km
Train: 35 km
Average speed: 19.2 km/h
Total ascent: 695 m
Weather: sunny and warmer than expected, 18 C
Riding time: 5:57 h

Finally it has become cold enough to enjoy the outside. Per the weather forecast the entire weekend is supposed to be very sunny. So during last week I looked at some cycling route books I have at home to find some nice cycling destination. And decided to come to Mount Fuji to cycle around the five lakes that lie at its foot.

When I went on Friday evening to Shinjuku station to buy a ticket in the last row (so I can store the bike behind) of the Xpress train direct from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko, I found out that the all trains between 7:30 and 9:30, were sold out completely. I hadn’t expected that so many people were coming to Kawaguchiko, but it is really a nice destination, so why not.

So instead I came by local trains. I cycled to Meidaimae, close to home, packed up my bicycle and took my first train already before 7 o’clock in the morning. Another three trains would follow, but all the change of trains went very smooth. And on the last train the one from Otsuki to Kawaguchiko it was even allowed officially to bring “naked” bicycles onto the train. First time ever for me in Japan.

Once here, I dropped off my luggage at my hotel for the night, and then set out to Kawaguchiko lake, The first in a series of four lakes today. There is a fifth lake, but it is a little bit farther away, so I decided to make another separate day out of the 5th lake.

There are views of Mount Fuji from all four lakes, and quite different as some of the lakes are relatively distant. 

For koyo it is still too early, but it must be beautiful  for large extensions one can see only woods. 

At one of the lakes there was even a toilet with a view:

One lake, Lake Shoiji, I even cycled around twice as the view was so nice. 

On the way back I took the most direct road (as suggested by Komoot) to town, but I suspect that the road on around lake Kawaguchiko would have been better less traffic  

As I didn’t cram in 5 lakes in 1 day, I had time to visit the famous pagoda with the view of Mt. Fuji. The pagoda itself is fairly new and actually relatively small, but has to admit that the view is great and by then also the sun had come out. 

On the second day I started with lake Yamanakako, probably the biggest of all 5 and for most part it has a wonderful cycling path around it:

The weather was also absolutely perfect  so a really nice ride around the lake. From there I had decided to cycle back to Hashimoto but there are two ways, on starts right at the lake goes a bit up and then down through the mountains (seems to be a good way to cycle to Mt. Fuji), but it’s in the middle of the mountains so I was a bit fearful if I am tired too early there is nothing to do but to go on. So instead I decided for a way through Otsuki which essentially is parallel to some train lines all the time. But obviously not so much in the nature and more through villages. Also the road from Otsuki to Sagamiko has more traffic than I would like and is quite narrow. So it probably wasn’t the best decision. 

Anyway I made it all the way to Hashimoto, which was my first 100+ km ride since arriving in Japan in May. At Sagamiko I saw all these animal shaped boats:

Hinohara with friends 友達と日野原へ

Day1

Route: Tokyo - Tamagawa - Hinohara
Bicycle:  76 km

Average speed:  16.3 km/h
Total ascent:  468 m

Riding time: 4:38 h

Weather: cloudy, 16 C

My first longer ride with my cycling friends in Tokyo staying overnight in a newly build co-working , co-workation space in the mountains around Tokyo. Hinohara, the only village in Tokyo prefecture. 

A friend of my friends (who many years ago also regularly participated in the NPC rides) had moved out of Tokyo city some years ago to this village to work in local development. One of his projects was this co-working space.

A building with an interesting architecture in this quaint valley. We were one of the first groups to stay (and not work). And even had a small barbecue in the evening in front of the house.

The beds were bunk beds and then there is one big common area. Ideal for a group of friends.

The ride to Hinohara was along the Tama river for most part, with some stops to relax, have lunch, ice cream and buy food for dinner down in the village and then cycle up with all the food (and booze) to the house.

We were a very mixed group , some bromptons and some road bikes.

Day 2

Route: Around Hinohara
Bicycle:  49 km

Train: 55 km 

Average speed: 15 km/h
Total ascent:  564 m

Riding time: 3:17 h

Weather: cloudy and a few rain drops,  14 C

On the second day we explored a bit the surroundings of the house and then cycled upwards to an onsen halfway up to the pass. 

On the way we stopped at a cafe to have a late breakfast. The onsen was nice, but unfortunately no view. 

After relaxing in the onsen it was a downhill ride back to Musashi Ikutsukaichi from where we put our bikes in a bag and on the train back home. On the way down, we stopped for lunch (eating is an important agenda point on every excursion of any Japanese) at a nearby of , traditional house.

It was great fun cycling with friends. Not something I have done frequently.