Along Yodogawa 淀川沿ってサイクリングロード

Bicycle: 33.5 km

Route: Up and down along Yodogawa river

Total riding time: 2:28 h

Total ascent: 107 m 

Weather: cold (3C) and grey

I hadn't planned any ride for today and as a result (?) got up quite late today, then lost nearly an hour looking and responding to work emails before finally after a nice strawberry breakfast make it out of my door.

I had thought initially to go somewhere where plums are on flower, and actually they should be in the '70 Expo park in Osaka, but the way until there seemed to be hilly and not so straightforward. So after a while (before departing) I decided to just ride along the river, where I knew a cycling road existed. Simply riding.

Now the way to the Yodogawa from here is a bit complicated, there is no really good entrance, that I have found. The entrance I took went through a major construction site, so coming back I decided to ride a little bit longer along the river but then ended up in a huge road.

Well, the river itself is also not the nicest of places... but it was about riding, which is definitely possible along the cycling roads on both sides of the Yodogawa.

If there wouldn't be those annoying motorcycle stops, it would be even better.

I am really wondering if Japanese car and motorcycle drivers are so eager to infringe the law as to break through barriers everywhere possible. I know that Japanese cyclists are definitely the least law abiding Japanese around (riding on the wrong side of the street, going over red, parking where it is not allowed...), but are car drivers made out of the same stock?

The sign says: Please don't park your bicycle here

During the ride I decided that at around 10 km in, I would look out for a bridge to cross back over the river and ride down the other side. And yes, at about 13 km a bridge came along that looked like it was crossable by bicycle. I pushed my brompton up, but then looked at google maps and thought, why not ride back along Ai kawa, so I let my bicycle down from the bridge again and went to that other river, which seemed to have a small road along nicely put there for bicycle riding... well, Google maps didn't show me all the industry that was also along that river:

So I came back to my more reliable Yodogawa, crossed over the bridge and then road down back towards Osaka.

Today I was riding in my new cycling base and jacket and as long as I am on the bicycle and riding, it is nicely warm (it also wasn't very windy today, but cold at about 3 C), but don't stop. But there is a Japanese solution to it, hot drinks from a vending machine:

After all the grey, this colourful, redish image was really welcome, and the Lemon-honey drink was quickly drunk. Before struggling on to find my way back to the apartment. 

To Sakai and it's bicycle museum 堺のCycle Centerへ

Bicycle: 52 km

Route: Shin-Osaka to Sakai and back

Total riding time: 3:55 h

Total ascent: 150 m 

Weather: cold (5C) and cloudy sometimes a bit of sun

When a few months ago on the forum of Japan-guide I asked what to do in Osaka, one of the posters suggested Sakai and mentioned even a bicycle museum. So today was my turn to cycle over from Shin-Osaka to Sakai. 

But as I had suffered from cold on my head during my ride yesterday to Kyoto, I first stopped at a Y-Roads in Osaka and got a cap. But not only, I hadn't had time to buy winter cycling clothes back in the Netherlands, so I did today. It was fine while ON the bicycle, but once arrived in Sakai, I did too much sightseeing and not sufficient cycling and it got REALLY cold. 

When I planned out the ride on Garmin the other night, I only planned in detail the part in Sakai in order to visit as many temples/shrines as possible, but left the Osaka piece essentially to the default. That is never a good decision in cities, because somehow the roads selected are big main roads, not nice to cycle on. But actually there are often parallel small streets that are very nice to ride. It can be a huge contrast. On one hand side a huge, 4, 6 lane road, and just a few meters parallel a small one where a one car can just pass and that is really taken up by cyclists and pedestrians. 

Sakai is a city known for its metal works, which per the official story of the city started over 1500 years ago with the construction of tumuli and then went on to production of knifes and in the 16th century to production of guns. With the invention of the bicycle, the metal production moved to bicycle parts. Per the museum the one and only bicycle company in Japan is Shimano... founded, where else, in Sakai. 

Actually from all the other sights in Sakai, a LOT of temples and shrines, a landscape park, the tumuli, I only visited a small gun blacksmith exposition and a old house.

As so often, I started my day too late and didn't have enough time in Sakai. But well, that means I can go back in April, then the weather should also be warmer and the park greener.

It also seems that the museum organizes bicycle tours: http://www.bikemuse.jp/

As I was feeling so cold, I was tempted to come back by train, but I was also tempted to actually ride a bit more... and my will to ride did win. But wearing my heavy winter jacket on top. This way I made my way back through Osaka, partially on small nice streets, but also again, specially closer to the center on big streets and to an onsen on Kanazaki river. 

Osaka to Kyoto and up to Yoshiminedera 大阪から善峯寺経由で京都へ

Bicycle: 63  km

Train: 40 km 

Route: Shin-Osaka to Arashiyama and up to Yoshiminedera

Total riding time: 4:47 h

Total ascent: 519 m 

Weather: cold (4C) and cloudy at the end in Arashiyama a bit of rain

For this long weekend I had originally planned to go to Matsue and Izumo... but the weather forecast did only get worse and worse over there for the long weekend, so I cancelled my bookings, and rebooked for Golden Week and decided instead to just stay in Osaka and head out from here.

Today was the turn of Yoshiminedera. A temple in Kyoto I would swear that I have never been to. 

But before leaving Osaka, I passed by a bicycle shop and bought a new helmet. Unfortunately they didn't have a cap for below the helmet, so it was sometimes a bit cold at the head, because it was only about 4C today. 

The ride from Osaka to Kyoto is the typical Japanese ride along a river. Nothing spectacular, but a good bicycle highway, wouldn't it be for these really annoying "traps" to avoid motorcyclists (and wheelchair users as a matter of fact) access the off limit path: 

Riding into Kyoto before getting to nice areas, I also had to pass an area that was totally dedicated to cars. Not sure how many bridges, tunnels, roads crossed there within a few hundred meters. 

Riding on, on the course I had planned on Garmin, by total surprise I came through a big shrine complex in Nagaokakyo. 

After visiting the shrine I had lunch in a typical place geared to middle aged women, right at the foot of the shrine. Then I continued my ride towards Yoshiminedera coming through a real bamboo grove. Not a touristic one as in Arashiyama, but a real one, where bamboo are grown in order to be harvested. 

Continuing on to the temple, the road got steeper and steeper (not that I was surprised, Garmin and google maps did tell me as much). And well, at a certain point there wasn't anything else but to push the bicycle up. Sometimes even only pushing the bicycle was hard work. But I made it, and was rewarded by a view over the plain of Kyoto: 

The temple itself is nicely on the mountains and quite large with many different buildings. 

It must be spectacular with the autumn colours, but now, the mountains around were still kind of grayish, as no leaves have yet grow. 

The temple also houses the largest pine tree of Japan, or so they claim. At least it must be the broadest. This picture shows the tree from left to right: 

Obviously well supported, so that all needles point upwards and no branch it as risk of falling. 

After a thorough visit, it was time to head to Arashiyama and my onsen of the day. Last time I went to Arashiyama, I went to a small and tranquil onsen close to Arashiyama station, but this time I had selected an other onsen, Tenzan no yu and it was a good choice. Although the rotenburo area isn't very large (squarmeter wise) it is well used, with 2 different pools, two tubs and water to lye in. All very enjoyable. Also the architecture, specially of the rotenburo area is very nice. It imitates a shrine, with the typical lamps you see at so many shrines and even with this thick cord you see so often between a torii. The onsen seems to be quite popular with foreigners as well, probably because Arashiyama is popular with foreigners. And I can imagine that it could become too crowded. But today was okay.

As I had time I got my Akasuri scrub done. The lady, Korean as always, was very gentle, but still a lot of old skin particles were cleaned away. Then dinner in the onsen. Perfect plan!

After dinner I just had 2 km to Arashiyama station, from where I got a train back to Osaka and then rode to my temporary home from Awaji station. In Kyoto it was raining a bit, not too bad, but not nice. In Osaka luckily it didn't. And the weather forecast for tomorrow looks great: Sunny... but we will see tomorrow.

Here the maps of today's rides:

Hatsumode Ride - 2019

Also this year I participated in the traditional Hatsumode ride of the Night Pedal Cruising team in Tokyo. Happy New Year! 

Bicycle: 26 km 
Riding time: 2:23 min
Total ascent: 56 m

Route: Shibuya - Asakusa - Minato

Weather: After sunset, cold but not too cold

As last year and the year before, also this year, I was here for the 3rd Saturday of January, ready for the Hatsumode ride of the Night Pedal Cruising (NPC) team.

We were a relatively small group this year, but still we paid our visits to two shrines, the Toyokawa Inari shrine, where we handed back to the goods the 10 yen piece we got last year, doubled it up with an other 10 yen and then received a new envelop with a shiny new 10 yen piece to be carried around for the rest of this year.

After that visit we continued cruising through Tokyo to the Senso-ji in Asakusa, where was our official end point of the ride.

We paid a visit to that shrine as well, and then went to a bar in Ueno that one of the riders knew. The only condition in that bar was to drink, they had food (and I took soba), but actually the owner was totally fine if one wanted to bring ones own food from the conbini next door. So we got some snacks there as well.

Back towards my temporary home most of us did ride together as many need to go to Roppongi, so it is perfectly under way. 

Before the ride I had gone in the morning from Minato-ku to Shimokitazawa to my good old hairdresser. Always a ritual in Japan. 

On the way I passed by Y-road in Shibuya to get some extra air into my tiers where they detected that some of the spokes in the front wheel were quite loose. I was actually surprised by that, as the bicycle was just for reparation at a brompton dealer in Leiden. How could they have overlooked this? They even changed the tires. So on Sunday before going to Ghibli museum I raced to the brompton shop in Daikanyama, handed over the bicycle and a few hours later, after a nice visit to Ghibli, got it back, now with all spokes fixed. 

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.

Rental bicycles in Japan

My main ride through Japan I did on my very own dear brompton and although I brought it back with me initially to Europe, after a few months I brought it again back to Japan, where it now parks below my Tokyo office desk. But sometimes I need to rely on rental bicycles. Essentially there seem to be 3 kind of rental outlets around:

• public stationed rental bicycles, all I ever met were managed by Docomo
• small shops or at the train station that rent out mamachari bicycles
• upscale race bicycle rental shops, which I have only heard off but never used.

Docomo-rental bicycles:

Docomo rents out electric bicycles in an ever growing number of cities across Japan. Those bicycles come in two sizes. One is really miniature bicycle and the other one is still really small. (I know as a brompton rider I shouldn't call an other bicycle miniature... but these are really, really small). 

All of them are electric and while you can ride them in the day time without electrical power at night that is not possible, as the light is linked to the electrical push. Although they are so small, the bikes are really heavy, so the electrical push can be very welcome. The battery apparently gets recharged every night by docomo employees, so in the afternoon / evening it can be harder to find bicycles with a high percentage of remaining energy. Although I never had a problem with it. And even if you get a low battery one, you can change it at a next station. 

They also all come with a small basket in the front, which I find very convenient. 

Registration for the service is through internet and I remember that it was not very difficult. Payment is through credit card. At least in Tokyo you can also purchase a day pass at some special locations and ride for a fixed price from 0:00 to 23:59. 

Currently the most widespread service is available in Tokyo with stations in most central parts of Tokyo. There are however still some central wards not participating in the scheme creating some "black holes". Also quite typical, none of the bike ports are really conveniently close to a subway / train station. Essentially because most of them are either on the premisses of a conbini or on public soil. In Osaka the service is clearly still growing. In some central places there are many ports, and then there are a few very scattered far away ports. 

While one can stop and close the bicycle while out on a ride, one can only return them at a port. You don't need to actually park them in the rack, but very very close to it. Even half a meter distance will not allow you to station it correctly and stop your rent. 

Advantages:

• readily available specially in Tokyo at many ports
• well maintained
• all electrical
• easy to register and to rent a bike
• small basket
• you can check through an app if a bike is available and hold it for 20 min while you walk there

Disadvantages:

• very small bicycles
• quite heavy
• at night cannot ride without electrical support
• battery gets charged each night, not during the day at the ports
• sometimes inconvenient location of the ports

Other similar rental companies (OFO...) seem to be starting business in Japan as well, but I have yet to travel to a city where they are available.

Mamachari rental

There are essentially two possible places where to rent a mamachari. Either at a train station or at a local cycle shop. In some touristy destinations, such as Nara or Karuizawa, it is really easy to find such a rental shop. Just look for "town name" & 自転車レンタル　(rental bicycle) and you should find on google maps a number of possibilities. 

Mamachari sometimes come without any gears, sometimes with about 3 gears. They also very often come with a basket in front and while they are bigger than the docomo cycles, they are still quite small. They also come with a small lock (often installed on the rear wheel) so you can park somewhere underway. Often, but this will depend on the shop, you are not allowed to rent it overnight. 

Advantages

• easy rental procedure
• often you also get some map or advise on the neighbourhood/city
• often you get a basket on it
• available in many cities, specially touristic places, around Japan. Specially useful if no docomo bicycles are available

Disadvantages

• often no gears
• quite small, and specially low bicycles

I personally rented on at a the JR train station in Nara, in Arashiyama, and outside the station in Karuizawa (where they also had tandems, which is a rare sight in Japan as they are outlawed in many prefectures), but apparently not in Nagano. 

Upscale bicycle rental

I have never used such a service, but I know at least that at the start and end point of the Shimanami Kaido, you can rent Giant race bicycles. And also in Tokyo I have heard of a few places where you can rent a "proper" bicycle.

Surfing through the net, I also found this company in Osaka: https://globalwheels-japan.com/ where they rent racing bikes, but also touring bikes. Plus they organize trips and even if you don't book a trip with them, they have the strava data of their rides online. 

Little bit of cycling, too many fish and a visit to the old Romans

I am feeling a little bit like cheating to count the day today as "Japan by bike...". There was VERY little bike involved in the day. But much more of many other things. And this although I never really know what to do in Osaka. 

The weather forecast for today wasn't at all good, so I decided to stay in Osaka. After a late start into the day I first went to do some shopping in Umeda. Well, I visited 3 department stores only to buy at the end the Pasmo card holder I wanted in Tokyu Hands... I could have as easily gone to Esaka, just one station down from my hotel and would have avoided spending the few hours today that it did NOT rain inside. But well. 

Then I set off to collect one of the HUBChari's in Osaka. The stations are strangely distributed over Osaka. Currently mainly in the center, plus a few stations out somewhere. But seldom are the pick up locations close to a train station, so I needed to walk about 10 min from Umeda until I got my typical red docomo bike. 

After a stop at a central post office, I started my ride down to the Aquarium of Osaka. However less than half way through it started to rain, and rain radar promised more rain. I was lucky that the last bike station was really close, so I dropped of the bike and walked to the nearest station (which was about 5 min walk, although it was already quite outskirts of Osaka. Actually a somewhat strange area, with shops where on the ground floor young ladies were sitting and smiling and didn't offer any specific products. Looked somewhat like brothels, but not sure... I would be somewhat surprised that they are so publicly open.

In the aquarium I confirmed that I simply don't like them. Osaka aquarium seems to be one of the best in the world, per different critics I read, but it is simply a building full of fish enclosed in too small tanks. And well, I know I am a hypocrite, because in a zoo it doesn't bother me and the situation for those animals is pretty much the same. But I simply like mammals much more than cold fish... I still took a few pictures: 

And at the end of the visit even I looked like a fish:

So much water... on to an onsen. I had two options, a typical Japanese super-sento, or a curious spa-Disney Park thingy: Spa World. After considering my options, I choose the Spa World with the idea that something as strange as this onsen really is a unique experience. And well, it was unique. I wouldn't say that I specially enjoyed it, also because the rotenburo part was the least nice (well, it was Spain themed, so fittingly a bit dilapidated). Inside there were 6 different areas, each single one probably as big as your normal super sento:

• Rome: bathing in a fountain with roman statues and a golden cold water tub
• Greece village: Sauna & a "grotto azzurra"
• Greece: Greek columns, pink coloured mango inspired water (don't ask me why redish water should remind one of a yellow mango... and it didn't have any smell at all, not mango, nor anything else)
• Finnland: two saunas, cold water, and small one-person tubs
• Spain (although it was called Germania): a sitting area (with foot bath) and a bull and bullfighter statue
• Atlantis: crumbling columns and an aquarium which one could observe while lying in the water

Well, I am well washed and I even got my Akasuri scrub done. 

Tranquil part of Arashiyama - 静かな嵐山

Bicycle: 18.2  km

Train: 100 km 

Route: Around Arashiyama

Total riding time: 2:25 h

Total ascent: 492 m 

Weather: warm, cloudy and a bit of rain

Due to typhoon 21 which passed through Japan on Tuesday this week and hit specially bad the international airport of Osaka, I had an other weekend in Japan before flying back next week Thursday from Narita. 

The weather today was not really good, but also not bad enough from stopping me to ride a bit on a bike through Arashiyama. I rented a mamachari (this time without any gears) right in front of the Hankyu Arashiyama station and set off in what according to the shop owner was the wrong direction, i.e. not to "downtown" Arashiyama where all the tourists are, but to Matsuo Taisha, along a small neighbourhood street. 

The shrine was moderately busy with families bringing their babies to the first shrine visit. Behind the shrine there is a a Japanese garden built I think in the 1970. Not really nice, too much love for concrete. The small waterfall behind the torii was nicer: 

In the third garden of the shrine I had early lunch including a typical Japanese summer sweet, Kuzukiri. 

After this stop I continued on towards Suzumushi temple （鈴虫寺）. The guy at the parking lot was not very convinced of me visiting the temple and told me that I could only visit the garden, but not the temple. I told him that I didn't mind and would visit the garden only and thus went towards the temple. At the temple they were again not very convinced and asked me in "Japanese is okay?" and I told them that yes, as long as I don't need to read it. This answer seemed to have convinced the monk at the cashier and I got my ticket and was ushered inside, where an other monk had already started his 30 minutes speech. I joined late, but it was interesting and very vivid. Not monk-like at all. First he explained how to use the Omamori. I am not sure if this is something specific to this temple, but he was very adamant about it that the Omamori consists of 3 pieces, one for one-self, one for friends and one for family. The one for oneself only works if you have it on you at all times. You are not allowed to leave it at home or give it to someone else. Also in order to work you need to give your full address to the god in charge, so that he can come to your home to deliver the wish you made. You are allowed any wish, as long as it is a wish for yourself not for someone else. 

In the second part of his speech he introduced the 「素磨歩」(read: "SUMAHO" スマホ) principle. I am not really sure if this is a traditional buddhistic concept, but essentially you need to be pure 素, directed in your own direction 歩 and have a clean 磨 soul. Well he was able to describe it better, very vividly with a lot of laughters form the large audience. (Note that SUMAHO in Japanese means smartphone). He even had prepared a poem that cited the SUMAHO principle and made referecnce to DOCOMO, Softbank and AU (the 3 biggest Japanese phone companies). After the sermon we all were allowed into the garden, but most people just passed through it quickly, not admiring the view over Kyoto...

... nor the temple. 

But I didn't buy one of the Omamori's so I guess I am quit with the Japanese on not doing all the things at the temple that one could do. When leaving there had already formed a long queue of new people waiting eagerly to be admitted to the temple and the sermon in order to buy the famous Omamori that will grant you any wish and even home deliver it. Takkyubin for the spiritual.

After this visit I continued a bit in that region, came to Kokedera, which we visited some years ago with an appointment and continued yet a bit further into a bamboo forrest. 

One could still see at many places in Arashiyama the destruction that typhoon 21 had brought with it.

Also the river was incredibly full of water, but it didn't seem that it had overflown. 

Along this river is the famous Arashiyama cycling road, typical Japanese cycling road alongside a river. I rode it back towards Hankyu Arashiyama station, when it just started to rain a bit, so I took shelter for some time in a rest area close to the river, before finally crossing the bridge, which also was affected by the typhoon, but much less severely than the bridge to the airport. After crossing the bridge I continued into "downtown" Arashiyama which gets quite touristy within a few meters. It is really amazing how much flexibility a bicycle gives even in a place that small as Arashiyama. All the "foot" tourists are close to the attractions close to the station and only a few seem to leave a central area, totally ignoring the nice places just a little bit further afield. Probably also thanks to the fact that the centre of Arashiyama is so packed with tourists, the non-so touristy spots are much more enjoyable. 

Places like the Nisonin temple. Probably it gets only busy in the momijigari period, when all these green trees become fire red. 

When I was at the temple it started to rain again, but I could wait it out at the temple, then continued a bit more on the street around tranquil (and upper class) neighbourhoods of Arashiyama ...

Until a hill came into my way and it was time to return the bicycle.

Right next to the bicycle rental in Hankyu Arashiyama is the Fu-Fu no yu onsen, to which I obviously went. There are at least two onsen in Arashiyama. Probably the other is better known (maybe because it is older) and probably gets quite some tourists and Japanese guests. The Fu-Fu no yu instead was not very busy at all, although it was a Saturday late afternoon. It has 2 tubs inside, one with sparkling water, and one relatively big tub outside, plus a cold water one right besides the sauna.

A nice place to wash and relax after a day sightseeing in Arashiyama. Although the onsen is right next to a river, one cannot see it, as there are houses and restaurants just on the other side of the river.  The onsen also does not have a restaurant, but it does have a relaxation room with a vending machine with milk (and other drinks). 

After a day exploring slowly on a bicycle the parts of Arashiyama where I have never been, I took the Hankyu train back to Osaka falling gently asleep on the ride back. 

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!