SW - D2 Echigo Tsumari Triennial

Route: Echigo Yuzawa - Muikamachi - Tokamachi - Tsunan

Bicycle: 36 km

Train: 37 km

Riding time: 2:28h

Average speed: 13,5 km/h

Total ascent: 380 m

Weather: Sunny, too hot (as often before a typhoon) and very windy, 33C

After arriving in the dark yesterday evening at my accommodation, when I got up today I found that I had been sleeping at the valley station of the local ski lift. 

The ski towns in Japan, at least in this valley are very retro without wanting to be so. Just stuck somewhere in the 1970/80 never renovated again. With some hotels now abandoned and the others not too well kept. I went twice in winter to ski with my former colleagues quite closeby (Iwappara) and the most impressive where the chairlifts. Just a seat and nothing else. No protective bat to avoid you falling down tens of meters and certainly no wind protection or heating as lately has become quite normal in the Alps. All this however in a landscaped blessed with abundance of snow, very much to the contrast to the Alps. 

The streets are also prepared for the snow and have small warm water outlets build in to keep the roads ice free. 

Today however no snow but instead heat. A lot of heat. Although I started at 7:00, the temperature was already up to 29C. Luckily however my way through the valley  to the train station was all a gentle downhill. 

I didn’t want to target any specific train as I didn’t want to feel compelled to rush plus I don’t really know yet how long it takes me to pack up my bike. Decently much longer than with the brompton. But when I arrived at the station I had comfortable time to pack everything, get a drink and board the train.

The train brought me through what seemed to be very high mountains (one station was even totally underground) and over to Tokamachi, one of the main towns of the Echigo - Tsumari Art Triennial. I had been here back in 2015, then by car, and really liked the laidback atmosphere, the landscape and how that modern art somehow coexisted with landscape and people. At the station I picked up my “stamp rally ticket book” screwed my bicycle back together and set of. I had planned a tour around Tokamachi to the main art attractions and then through the valley to Tsunan where I will be staying for the next 4 days. But… the heat! 

Anyway I did set out to my first goal and on the way even achieved my 4th QOM … by cycling & pushing up the bike and resting repeatedly in the shade. 13:38 min for 0,75 km! And still QOM ☺️. Thanks to the fact of being the first woman on Strava to even attempt that climb. Surprisingly. It’s not such a remote place and with the artwork at the top I would have expected a few more cyclists to go that way, but either Strava is much less popular in Japan or cycling is even less popular for women in Japan as it already was in the Netherlands. (Yes, everyone cycles in an utilitarian way in NL, but for Sport it’s still a 10:1 ratio more or less. At least that’s what I counted on cool days in the winter). 

On the top of the hill I stocked up on fluids and hiked up the last hundreds of meters through some art with to the first major art work. An entire building used as hotel at night and an art work during the day:

The main attraction of this building is its movable roof:

After that I needed my first longer break in the club house of a low key golf club and got my first ice cream of the day. There I decided to cut my visit short and add in a museum instead of more outdoor and more cycling. Which was a wise decision seeing how hot the day has become. I did continue a little bit though as I thought there was an other cluster of artwork nicht to gar from where I was and all downhill. Well it wasn’t all downhill and I only found one artwork. Then I remembered that I had seen the others a few years ago and that they had involved a bit of hiking around in a field. So no. Not today. I did see some other artwork though, like this “exploded” parking lot.

Cycling back I want only cycling in the heat but also against the strong typhoon winds:

At some point I actually only wanted to rest in the shade of a building, but that building happened to be a sober restaurant. After not too much thought I decided to stop here and have lunch. It must have been a pretty famous restaurant in the area, as there was a queue and a big parking lot. But I finally got my very special so ba dish: 

Special and filling. And finally I restarted my ride back into the city and to its modern art museum. For a town like Tokamachi, which seems to be pretty much stuck in the past and getting older and more outdated by the day, this modern art museum was a real beacon of light. And for me specially the inner yard with its water filled pool was a nice place to rest cool down before entering into the museum.

They were a few interesting art pieces inside as well. For example this installation which gracefully danced every now and then…

Or this installation of a heavy liquid flowing down and leaving impressions in the pool below. 

There was also a very interesting model train ride in the dark. A very simple idea: A small model train equipped with a small, strong light, riding around in a dark room through which some other objects are placed so the work of art is actually the shadows along the walls. A very meditative place. Also the swarm of clock insects was quite nice:

There wasn’t anything else interesting in the vicinity so I took another long rest in the shades of the inner yard before heading to the train station, packing up the bicycle yet again, and boarding local train to my accommodation in Tsunan, where I will be staying for the next 4 days.

BTW, the museum had an onsen, but even the train station here in Tsunan has an onsen. Neither of which I visited, as I have my own onsen including rotenburo in my ryokan accommodation.

SW - D1 Tokyo - Echigo Yuzawa

Route: Home - Tokyo Station - Echigo Yuzawa 

Bicycle: 18 km 
Train: 200 km
Riding time: 1:07 h
Average speed: 17 km/h
Total ascent: 136 m
Weather: Typhoon rain (but not a lot of wind), 22 C

Since returning to Japan to live here in May, this is my first week of vacation. Silver Week! Unfortunately it is also the week when a major typhoon is hitting Japan and seems to travel once through the entire length of Japan from south to north. Today in the morning I prepared slowly for my ride and was kind of looking at the weather forecast hoping for a small window of opportunity between two strong rain showers. When I finally did leave, at the time of departure it actually didn’t rain, but after about 2 km it started raining and the rain gained in strength, so until I came to Tokyo station although I was wearing my rain jacket, I was pretty wet. But it was warm enough and actually on the bike if it’s warm it’s not that bad to be in the rain actually.

This is also my first ride outside of Tokyo with my road bike. When I lived here between 2015 and 2017 I didn’t own a road bike and was (and kind still am) a great brompton fan. But since I bought a race bike, which I absolutely adore and finally at end of August after 4 months of separation the removal company reunited us. I did ride a little bit in Tokyo already with the road bike, but in order to get outside if the city one needs to put the bike into a bag so that it is allowed on a train. I asked my cycling friends what bag they recommend and finally decided for one where one only needs to take out the front wheel. I tried it out yesterday in the garden and it probably took me an hour and I was soaked in sweat afterwards (also because yesterday it was rather hot and sunny) but I had made it. My friends told me to also buy a metal tube to insert into the front fork when the wheel is taken out, so now I felt prepared. 

It took definitely less than an hour at Tokyo station to pack it up again and then I waited nearly at the front of the line in the unreserved section to get a seat at the rear so I could store the bike behind my seat. Which worked out fine. Once in the train I changed into dry clothes and had my bento that I had bought on the station platform. 

I had been before twice in Echigo Yuzawa but always in winter with my ex colleagues to ski. Today was the first time in summer. But I can’t really say anything about the region as it was already dark when I arrived. Komoot did send me on a very small road that on paper looked perfect, but in reality it was partially not asphalted and felt very remote in the middle of the wilderness. A bit daunting at night. I first thought I could manage but at some point I freaked out a bit and decided to return to the big main road running in parallel. 

I came to my ski accommodation had a too abundant dinner and then a quick shower (didn’t get into the onsen as it was already warm enough for me) and now I am sitting in my rather romantically looking room writing. 

The plan fur this week is to visit the Echigo Tsumari Art Triennial. I went back in 2015 (then by car and with former husband) and really enjoyed it. The landscape is great and the artwork scattered around. So now that doing a vacation without my bicycle seems to be lost time, I decided to give it a go with bicycle. Let’s see how those hills are. 

Yamanote line by bike - 自転車で山手線

Bicycle: 42 km

Route: Yamanote line sotomawari

Total riding time: 3:27 h 

Total ascent: 230 m 

Average speed: 12.1 km/h

Weather: Sunny, but not that warm, specially some chilly wind, 16 C

Originally for today the picnic ride with my friends from the NPC was planned, but due to Covid-19 pandemic it was cancelled a few weeks ago. What a pity, today would have been the perfect weather for a picnic. Not like last year when it was cold and rainy and we had to do our "picnic" in our favorite Taiwanese restaurant. But at least we could do it and enjoy the time together. 

When I was thinking yesterday where to ride in order to start and finish in Shinbashi without the need for any train, I remembered the Yamanote line ride we did with the NPC a few years back in August during an entire night. It was actually my last ride before starting on my two months adventure through Japan. And it was the test ride with all my luggage.

In the initial part of the ride I came through some small neighbourhoods with their temples and shopping streets around Shinagawa:

In that shopping street about half of the shops were open. The restaurants mainly seemed to do take-out. And a barber had decided to sell his face masks at about 100 yen per piece. In one shop they also claimed to sell self made ones, but one needed to order them.

I continued on along Meguro river where the cherry blossoms have been replaced by azalea:

Shortly before Meguro I came by this temple. I really only stopped there, because the slope was so steep that I only managed to ride until there before getting of and pushing... so as I was off the bike anyway... well, I could as well visit the temple. The outstanding feature was this small buddha completely covered in gold. But not expertly, but rather in a DIY style by the worshippers themselves. One could (not now, but in normal times) buy some gold leaves and then apply them on the Buddha...

... in theory on the place of the body that one wanted to cure... but I have some doubts that there is the same amount of people that have head pains than people that have pains in the middle of their left lower leg...

From this oasis of tranquility to the normally crazy busy part of Tokyo: Shibuya!

Although the government of Tokyo is urging people to stay at home, people were around. Walking, jogging, cycling but also doing grocery or other shopping. However compared to any normal Saturday Shibuya crossing was very empty. All department stores, cinemas, museums, pachinko parlors, music venues... are all closed, so in Shibuya there isn't much to do. But in the more local neighbourhoods people are around to enjoy the sun and flowers or simply to do some shopping.

After Shibuya my next picture stop was Meiji shrine just besides the newly build Harajuku station.

But then on through the Northern parts of the city. It is easy to think that Tokyo is a huge metropolis full of skyscrapers, but actually most parts of Tokyo are pretty low-rise. Only that this time I didn't take any picture of that part of Tokyo. I took some pictures of a really interesting architecture (left up), of an exposition of houses (right up) and a very dilapidated sento.

As it was a ride very closely along the Yamanote line I obviously also took pictures of trains:

I was lucky that the ride was along Yamanote line, because my stupid Garmin decided at Meiji shrine that it didn't want to work properly anymore. It was impossible to reactivate the touch screen. Only that I hadn't even deactivated it. It only resumed to normal working order in Yanaka, probably around 20 km later after a stop at a toilet. But with the Yamanote line there to follow and google maps I made go without it.

Riding through the city was definitely not a normal Saturday, when the streets in Akihabara and Kanda would be full of shoppers.

It felt a little bit like a late night ride, after most of the shops had closed... only that it was in the afternoon.

When coming through Ueno, there is a market street that normally is too busy to even contemplate to cycle through, but today it was possible. Along the side several makeshift stalls offered paper masks at roughly 70 - 80 yen per mask (in packs of 50). So a little bit cheaper than in Shinagawa. But I had bought two reusable and hand made masks back in Shibuya in a small artisanal shop.

No one had yet time to replace the "Tokyo 2020" signs, so there is publicity around the city (and also at Narita airport) for the "Tokyo 2020" Olympics...

But at Tokyo station, the clock has already been turned to next year for the countdown: 

When I passed through here in mid February, actually on my first ride back in Japan, it was only 5 months to the Olympics... Covid-19 happened and now supposedly it is exactly 454 days until the opening ceremony (the picture above is for the Paralympics). But we will see. Obviously all politicians say, that it will not be postponed again... We will see ...

The last stop on my ride today was around Tokyo station, right in time for the sunset, which I used for some special pictures. E.g. how to make even small brompton wheels look reaaaaaalllly big!

Sunset right opposite of Tokyo station ... 

... and by extension, just above the palace:

While the street in front of the palace was nearly void of traffic.

Back to Tokyo - 東京へ戻って

Bicycle: 4 km

Train: 550 km

Route: Osaka - Tokyo, but mainly by train

Total riding time: 0:20 h 

Total ascent: 100 m 

This "ride" wouldn't really be worth a mention, weren't it for being the last meters in Osaka for who knows how long and a very strange trip back to Tokyo.

Already when I came from Tokyo to Osaka quite exactly a month ago, the shinkansen wasn't specially crowded. Then there were about 2 people in each row. But nothing to compare to today, when there were maybe about 5 - 10 passengers in the entire wagon. (But this wasn't the most empty train I would experience in Japan... but for that you'll need to check my final post from this trip to Japan). When I took this picture a few minutes before departure, me and my brompton (in the middle of the aisle at the very back) were still the only passengers in the entire car, but a few others did make it in time for departure.

From a bicycle perspective, I did ride with my brompton T-bag full with those things I would need in the last days in Tokyo to a bicycle parking lot close to work, in the later afternoon picked up the bicycle, which at that moment was being admired by a fellow cyclist, folded up, hopped on the shinkansen and over to Tokyo. In Tokyo this time I went until Tokyo station and from there to my normal hotel in Shinbashi area. This time not room 707... but the neighbouring 706. Also okay. Actually slightly better as it has a little bit more space in the entrance section, so a bit more space to park the bicycle. Otherwise 706 is pretty much the same as 707.

Another mental note, is how nice the area around lake Biwa looked in late April, still with quite a lot of blooming sakura in the hills around the lake. So for next year definitely a good place to have some more rides in late sakura season.

In Tokyo when getting off I took this very empty picture of the platform. I guess normally only after the last shinkansen has left, the platform would be so empty. But no, there is one shinkansen to the right that has just arrived from Osaka and one on the left that is just going to depart versus the North. Both with minimal amount of passengers. So few, that the conbini on the platform was closed.

Kyoto without tourists (2) - 観光客無しの京都の２

Bicycle: 103 km

Route: Osaka to Kyoto and back

Total riding time: 6:07 h 

Total ascent: 251 m 

Average speed: 17.1 km/h

Weather: Cloudy, but no rain, 16 C

After the great success of the previous two rides to Kyoto without tourists (see here for Arashiyama and here for Kiyomizudera and Fushimi Inari Jinja), today was the turn of Kinkakuji and Ryoanji. Two more "must-see-spots" in Kyoto that are normally so overrun by tourists that they are hard to enjoy.

A few years back around New Years we went with some friends to Kyoto and visited both. Back then we made it a point to go to Ryoanji a few minutes before it opened, and yes, we had a good and relaxing time at the temple that day. But by the time we got to Kinkakuji (which is closeby), already the masses of tourists had started to arrive.

But not so today. Although I was at both spots in the afternoon, when they would normally be totally overrun by tourists, today both were extremely relaxing and nearly void of tourists. Thanks to Covid-19!

As the other times I went to Kyoto from Osaka, I first had to ride up the Yodogawa river. While the cherry flowers are now all but gone, the rapeseeds are in full bloom:

I had brought some onigiri with me, so I didn't need to get into a restaurant (they are still open during day time, but closing at night... but as we are all asked to limit our interactions with other people to the bare minimum, I opted for some onigiri that I had bought in the conbini below my monthly apartment (with my dinner yesterday night). I had them at the typical Sakura spot at the confluence or Kizugawa, Katsuragawa and Ujigawa and then continued on, on the typical bicycle path along the river, which I now have already taken innumerable times. Well, innumerable isn't really accurate. I guess I could still very well number how often I have been riding up and down Yodogawa (if I'd do some digging through my Strava data... but it kind of feels like innumerable, as it is always the same ride. But a convenient ride. Like bike-conbini.)

Kinkakuji did not disappoint:

The below picture might not be the best of Kinkakuji, but it shows just how few people there were visiting. In normal times all this place would be absolutely teeming with tourist groups trying to take selfies. Today, I only had to wait a minute or so, so that even some people more in the back ground of the picture had walked out of frame.

But probably this is my favorite picture, with the tree island in the lake in front of the golden temple reflected in the pond. Very Japanese indee. And if you don't know the actual dimensions those trees could be perfectly a bonsai.

In Kinkakuji there is no temple interior to see, so it is really this one sight, which however is really rewarding, as long as you can enjoy it without crowds.

After this meditative experience I was briefly considering not to go to Ryoanji and head straight back, but then luckily decided to go. When will I ever get again this quiet experience at Ryoanji and anyway I had enough time to get back to Osaka... and if I would be too tired, well, I would "cheat" and hop on a train somewhere between Kyoto and Osaka.

Ryoanji is mainly famous for this rock garden. There is actually more to the temple, with a garden... but well, it does not get paid enough attention due to this outstanding rock garden. And yes, it is probably the nicest of all rock gardens in Japan, at least one of the most strict ones. I cannot imagine that it is enjoyable with hordes of tourists, as the enjoyment of this space is its quiet, meditative atmosphere. So in normal times, I would not want to visit it anymore. There are other, much less famous rock gardens, that one can admire with the needed tranquility. But today, I had to share this space only with a few other tourists. All admiring in ewe the rocks.

Only the cherry tree had already nearly lost all its flowers.

Proof of the number of visitors:

This is the actually quiet nice pond which also is part of the Ryoanji temple complex... but does not get duly admired.

Komoot had done a great job in finding a good approach to the area with one nearly straight and small street through Kyoto up the hill. On my way back, I had tweaked the route in order to ride through another temple complex, Myoshinji temple. This is a huge temple complex, which feels like a small city, maybe a bit like the forbidden city in Beijing. I like that place, but today I definitely did not have enough time to stop and enjoy it... and this place anyway is also enjoyable with tourists as it does not get that overloaded. So a good place for a future excursion. I took however one, relatively uninspired picture of the place. 

Riding back, again along the rivers, I decided to take this double bridge, with a dedicated bike lane and then ride down the Yodogawa river on the Shin-Osaka side.

The region around Oyamazaki is fully dedicated to transportation:

• Shinkansen tracks on the left
• Entrance to the high way next
• Bike and foot path over a bridge in red in the middle
• High way bridge crossing the picture
• Normal big road on the right of the cycling lane
• Exit from the high way to the right (where the lorries are standing waiting for green)
• An other pedestrian bridge in light blue crossing over them
• And probably even more

Not nice... but connecting. Just a few meters after this bridge traffic craziness on a bicycle one turns left, onto the river paths and away from traffic all the way to Shin-Osaka. Incredible!

Around Osaka - Nakayamadera 大阪の周りに・中山寺

Bicycle: 69 km

Route: Osaka - Takarazuka and back

Total riding time: 4:46 h 

Total ascent: 241 m 

Average speed: 14.4 km/h

Weather: Humid, some sun, some clouds, some rain and strong wind, 16 C

Today the weather was a bit uncertain so I put off the ride to Kinkakuji in Kyoto to tomorrow and instead decided last minute this morning to ride out along two rivers towards the North of Osaka. I found on google maps one potentially interesting goal, Nakayamadera and then added an other one, the Takarazuka theater, plus I knew that at least along one river there would be a cycling road and strongly suspected (but actually was wrong) that there would be one alongside the second river as well. 

I had my typical late start and started along the Naniwa river, a cycling path I have used several times before, among them in an aborted attempt to get to Minoh park a few weeks ago (which ended in rain and an onsen). 

Today did see a little bit of rain, but no onsen. With the state of emergency extended nationwide on Thursday this week, it seems that the local governments have urged more companies to close... and from all I can tell, the onsen and super-sentos have all accepted this guidance. So probably the ride I did earlier this week was my last onsen for this trip to Japan. I hope not the last onsen for this year, as I hope to be able to come back to Japan later in the year... but who knows. 

Well, it did rain... for a little bit I did hide under a bridge, then it seemed to become less, so I restarted... but so did the rain. So I donned my lovely rain coat and just for effect also the face mask and took a picture. But by the time I had finished putting all the gear on me and take the selfie the rain had nearly stopped. So literally after another 500 m I got out of my raincoat again. The mask I did wear in the more urban parts of the ride, where pedestrians were around and could not be avoided by many meters. But for most of the ride I didn't wear it. 

The ride along the rivers up to Itami and Takarazuka isn't definitely one of the most scenic ones, but at least the cycling lane has less hurdles than the one along Yodogawa river. 

Already quite close to the temple of the day, I came by this really strange, European style garden shop with park. And it wasn't the only garden center around. I didn't buy any tree or other plant... but did use their facilities... before making the final km to the temple.

Shortly after I also came by this shrine and took a quick picture.

I had been once before in the area of Nakayamadera, but without making it to the temple. Actually without even knowing about it. Instead I went to a very nice onsen there, after a brilliant ride through the more far flung countryside... which however would require me to use a train to get there... so for the time being that is off.

So Nakayamadera was a nice surprise. In normal times it must be a rather busy temple seeing that it had it's own shopping road leading up to it. But today half of the shops were completely closed and the other half (the restaurants) were open but had no patrons (it was however already a bit late). So even if Japan is very far from a complete lock-down - restaurants are open for lunch but not dinner - number of customers is definitely way down.

The temple must be relatively old, but I would say that currently most of the buildings are quite new, including the stunning blue pagoda.

What I learned only now, while writing this post, is that it is part of a 33 temple pilgrimage tour of Kansai, of which also Kiyomizudera (where I was two weeks ago) and a few other temples here in the wider region, that I have visited before. But today, I would say there weren't any pilgrims. There were a few other visitors, but few.

Behind the temple, was a small flower garden with nice views...

... and nice flowers (as to be expected).

I had my simple lunch on a bench looking over towards Osaka, below a cherry tree way beyond peak and a stupra in the background. Perfect!

After this rest I continued towards Takarazuka, where I had my second goal of the day, the theater building of the Takarazuka Revue theater.

Well, a uniquely ugly building. But here captured with a train in front, which makes total sense, because this theater is part of a railway company. The story, according to Wikipedia is that the founder of the Hankyu railway company wanted more people to use his trains, so he was trying to find something interesting for one of the stops of his train line... and came up with the idea of a theater. Which worked great. The theater is now famous in all Japan... and has expanded to Tokyo, where however none of the Hankyu trains can reach it.

I had tickets for a performance a few years back, but for some reason I couldn't go. So maybe something to consider next time I am in Japan for a rainy weekend.

The ride back the second river was uneventful but fast, thanks to a good tailwind.

Back closer to Shin-Osaka, I decided to go on an exploratory trip of the Naniwa Cycling Train and did ride it all to the end in Dekishima, then turned and back all the way to Shin-Osaka. From Amagasaki to Dekishima this cycling path is the contrary of scenic... but useful I guess. Closer to Shin-Osaka it becomes a little bit more scenic, but is just a useful cycling path along the river away from traffic (but mixed with pedestrians and joggers).

For dinner I picked up some gyoza in a nice restaurant in Higashi-Mikuni where I often went... but now it is take out only and only until 20:00. 

Last onsen (for this Japan trip) - 今回最後の温泉

Bicycle: 22 km

Route: Around the outskirts of Osaka

Total riding time: 1:36 h 

Total ascent: 121 m 

Average speed: 13.9 km/h

Weather: Quite warm, some sun, some clouds, 16 C

Unbeknown to me at the time of the ride, this turned out to be my very last visit to an onsen for this trip to Japan. Not because I hadn't wanted to go again after the long rides on the upcoming weekend, but due to Covid-19. The government must have asked Onsen owners to close their doors as well. Understandable. It is after all a closed space where people come together. No idea if the coronavirus like humid and hot (probably not, at least the hope is that over the summer it will go away due to the temperature), but it seemed a sensitive move to close sentos & onsen in order to avoid people coming together. 

But on the day of this ride, onsen were still open. 

I had seen on the map two rivers branching off the Kanzaki river and actually tried them the day before. Only that then I had forgotten my head & taillight, so I needed to make do with a much inferior lamp that I have permanently mounted to the bicycle. But the light it gives is not really good for seeing. Only for "being seen". So the day before I did ride very slowly as I was able to see only for a few meters. But today, lamps were on, so I could really ride.

Along both rivers are small streets that are mostly used by cyclists only. And then one comes to a quite big park, which I actually did not visit, just circumnavigated it, before searching for a way back to the second river and back down versus the more known part of Osaka and my onsen of the day.

Some last hanami along a river...

And the sunset between some high rise buildings.

The cycling was nice, and it definitely seems like a good way to approach Minoh park. Probably nicer even than the river out to Itami, because while that ride is longer it also leaves one more far from the entrance into Minoh-park... but this time not mountains were my goal but the deep hot waters of the onsen.