D3 Onsen hopping

Route: Togatta onsen - Shichigashuku - Tsuchiyu onsen
Bicycle: 80 km
Total ascent: 1534 m
Average speed: 14,9 km/h
Riding time: 5:23 h
Weather: clouds and some droplets of rain in the mountains, sun further down, 10-15 C

Today I hopped (well cycled) from Togatta onsen to Tsuchiyu onsen and then hopped into 3 different onsen here in my high class ryokan. 

In February this year I was with a friend in Togatta onsen And one day we went by bus to the “Fox Village”. Which was a strange and not very pleasant experience. Somehow this place is quite famous for foreign tourists, but it’s essentially a lot of foxes in a too small enclosure and you can walk inside. Anyway, when we went there by bus, I was thinking all the time that this looks like a nice area to cycle. Today was a transition day on my way to Urabandai. Out of Togatta onsen It goes up and up on a rather gentle climb for about 15 km and then down to a dam in the mountains. Along the way, some nice views into the mountains with beginning koyo. 

At the dam I had a “dam curry” as early lunch.

After that, I had a quiet road along the lake before some more climbing, and then the valley in which Fukushima city lies came into sight.

Before Fukushima became famous for an exploded nuclear reactor, it was at least in Japan, famous for its orchards. I avoided cycling through the city and instead stayed on a road halfway up the mountain in the middle of the Orchards. In between there were a lot of small huts selling mainly apples, but also peers, khaki fruits and grapes.

While that road was nicely undulating and getting a little bit higher little by little the last 4 km up to Tsuchiyu onsen were uphill. I had been in this onsen village, But only at the first onsen that allowed day guests, last year when I came from Urabandai. Today I came down to the proper village.

Putting my planning for the trip I had at some point reserve two different hotels in this village. Turns out that they were actually connected with each other. I finally decided for a very nice looking ryokan even though it was on the expensive side. 30,000 Yen for one night with half board. However, for that price, I got a luxurious room with a unique view into a gorge and a very nice dinner.

The hotel has three different public onsen plus a few private ones that you can reserve as staying guest. My first visit was to the onsen on the sixth floor, which had a small rotenburo and several insight pools. From the rotenburo One had the direct site into a broad waterfall of the river outside. The waterfall itself isn’t a natural one. The river is heavily regulated. This onsen changes every day between women and men. So tomorrow morning, if I get up early enough, I can visit yet another onsen. 

My next visit was to the onsen on the first floor, which had a much larger rotenburo from which one could see some trees, but the more impressive thing was the koi pond directly besides the rotenburo. So while soaking one could admire the fish swimming around.

After a quick visit to the lobby, where we’re free drink drinks, and some snack snacks it was already time for dinner.

After dinner, I went to one more rotenburo. This one is open for women only in the evening and is entirely outside. It needs a little bit of courage to strip naked in the cold. But I managed to do it quickly and get into the hot water. From this rotenburo one could see directly into the gorge and the waterfall.