Day 6: a day of taiko and surprises

Our plan for the day is to reach the slopes of Koya-san, and looking at the map it seems like the entire day will be spent crossing cities. It's Saturday, true, but still we would prefer some better roads than just tar and concrete.

Therefore as soon as we depart from Nara we search for alternatives to the main road. We have to rely on what we can extrapolate from what we see on Google map. We spot something that seems to go South like we want to, but it's not a main road, and we head in that direction. When we find its beginning we find a narrow path between two houses where even a Japanese micro car will have some problems going through: exactly what we want to stay away from the traffic!

The path first goes through old villas, where old people are either pruning trees or cleaning the floor next to the entrance. From there it enters a mixture of houses and rice fields, where farmers are busy with the harvest. Next to a rice field we even spot the troupe of a French television, filming an interview to some Japanese person with, on the background, the work of a farmer.

Then, after crossing a small clump of trees, we find ourselves at the entrance of a shrine. We step down from our bikes to visit it, and the place is so quite and still that it almost looks like the building has been forgotten into a fold of time. I have the clear impression that Murakami visits this kind of places to find inspiration for his books.

When we get back on our bikes we find ourselves again in the fields, surrounded by rice and orchards. In one of them we spot a small truck, and in the distance we notice a man harvesting persimmons. We stop and ask him permission for photographing his job, and if we can buy some fruits from him. He starts laughing and answer we can get them for free, not because of our broken Japanese, but because, like his face eloquently mimics, he is harvesting sour persimmons. We laugh back and refuse his offer, thanking him for the kindness.

After a while we find a small hill covered with a persimmon orchard, with the fruits shining in the sun. The place is labeled as a historical landmark, but we are not able to tell why, and have nobody in the surrounding whom we can ask for explanation.

After few kilometers among fields and some rare auto, we end up in the parking lot of a combini, where we stop to buy some food and drink. While we are at it, a father with his son, both on their bikes, come next to us. It is evident that the little boy is at the beginning of his experience, and when we give him a smiling がんばって he is visibly proud, and his father encourages him to continue cycling.

We stop for lunch in the town of Asuka, in the park at the bottom of the Amakashi-no-oka observatory. While we are eating our food, I cross-check my mail, the maps and the time. Back home we are attending since August a taiko school (Yamato Taiko School), and they arrive in Asuka right today, to co-play in the local matsuri with the member of Yamato, which is based here in Asuka. When we knew about their trip in late August we had already planned our bike vacation, so we tried to at least be in Asuka when they were there, too.

According to the schedule I have been given, they should be arriving in the Ishibutai park at about this time, so we decide to give it a try and go to that park, maybe we will meet them.

Call it luck, we arrive in the park right when the city major is giving his welcome speech to the school members, and we manage to greet our fellow players and the teachers. We have just the time to take a picture together, before they are caught back in the ceremony and we have to get back on the bike.

At this point we have two options: follow the main road, which means a straight route but traffic, or go in the countryside roughly along the train track, which means a more zig zagging route but less traffic. Of course we pick the second option, and while riding in the countryside we manage to meet a boar with its baby, which quickly run in the bushes when we get close to them.

Shortly after that we are forced to get back on the main road, which after a bridge with a magnific view on the Soga river allow us to ride on a cycle route that take us until Hashimoto, our destination for the day.

When we get in the parking lot out of the Wakayama Guest House Shido we see a large crowd gathered there. We get closer to understand what is happening, and we ask information to one of the bystanders. He doesn't speak English and apologize while going back in his group of friends, who welcome him with jokes and laughs for having been chosen by the two gaijin. However they send forth another person who can speak some English and gives us some explanation: apparently we have arrived right for the taiko exhibition of the local matsuri.

After the taiko exhibition we participate in the ceremony of the mochi launching: from up a truck 4 people throw mochis on the people on the ground, who then try to gather as many as possible.  The locals seem happy that we are taking part in their ceremony, and we are also glad to see something we have only seen in anime.

We then move into the guest house where, after bathing, we first sit on the veranda eating some persimmons offered by the landlord and then consume our dinner in the restaurant attached to the place, where he is the owner and prepares the meals.

Together with us there are two German tourists, who are also heading to Koyasan, though with more convetional transportation than us. The dinner is simple but really tasty, and after that we take a walk to the closest combini to buy some ice cream.

When we are walking there a man is getting back to his car, and walks with us asking the purpose of our visit. We explain him that we are touring Kansai and that tomorrow we will climb to Koyasan with our bike, to which he let out an expression of surprise. The only problem is that when we say "by bike" he understands "bye bye" and moves away all of a sudden, with us going back to him to properly finish the conversation.

When we get back to our room we are satysfied for the amazing day we have had, and we look forward for tomorrow.

Day 5: along the river from Kyoto to Nara

The light falling through the windows tells us that today we won't have rain. Gratified by this awareness, we consume our breakfast and sit on our bikes, riding along the Katsura river to reach our destination for the day: Nara.

The cycle path along the river is pleasant: away from the traffic, among the greenery and small gardens with just few deviations onto the main roads. It is also not too crowded: we meet a few students going to school and some elderly people doing some sport, but for the rest we are alone. However we meet a couple of cycle-tourists sharing the road with us, and we quickly realize we are close to the panoramic terrace on the Uji river, where we were 5 days ago.

We stop there for a short break and to buy something to drink, and we meet all the cyclists we have crossed earlier. We exchange a quick greeting, and then get back on the road, following the Kizu river. We are now in the Uji region, famous for the Uji-cha, a variety of green tea. And we see the first tea plantations along the river, together with the Kozuya bridge.

We stop to take some pictures and to cross the bridge, which can be done only by walking, as an old lady confirms when I question her. The bridge is made according to the old Japanese tradition: several boards which are not nailed to the wooden pillar, so that in case of flooding they can float away without destroying the bridge. Only some ropes ensure that the floating boards are not carried away by the flow.

The river is not full of water, and therefore it's not that impressive, but I can easily imagine how does it feel to cross it when the river is swollen.

From there it begins the most scenic part of our day: we cross large rice fields, where farmers are busy with the harvest, and the countryside is shining with golden reflexes all around. Large grasshoppers jumps across our path when we pass by their hiding places, and the kilometers literally fly without us noticing.

When we reach Kizu we stop for lunch: there should be a park around, but we are not able to find its entrance. Therefore, when close to a rice field we find a small altar dedicated to Jizo-sama, we politely bow and ask for its permission to have lunch there, leaving some sweets as offers.

Restored by the lunch, the usual onigiri, sandwiches and bananas, we proceed heading to Nara. We reach the Todai-ji entering from the Shoso-in, and there we take a look around.

But the fruit we have in our panniers is attracting too much attention from the deers wandering in the park, so we cannot leave our bikes unattended.


We reach Haruya-Naramachi, our lodging in Nara and we park our bikes there. The building is an ancient residence which has been converted into a guesthouse, and it surely perspire antiquity with its dark wooden beams and the tatami mats.

We change our clothes and head for the onsen nearby, just few minutes walking from there, called Asahi onsen.
I should have probably read more carefully the instructions at the entrance, because the first pool where I enter makes me feel shaking: it takes a while for me to realize that I have entered the section with electrified water!

While I move to the more normal sections (sparkling water, hot water, cold water) I hear a loud laughter coming from the women section. Among the chatter I recognize my travel mate's voice, mixed with the voices of unknown Japanese guests. Apparently, while I was left to discover the bath undisturbed in the male section, on the other side the customers guided her into learning the proper way of bathing (first cold bath, then hot bath) by dumping on her bushels full of cold water. 

From there we go out for dinner: we reach one of our favorite chains to eat in Japan, Tenkaippin and its thick, tasty chicken broth.
After eating a good bowl of ramen, a serving of gyoza and fried rice, with a good chilled beer, we walk back to the lodging, where we prepare for the night.

Today has been a really satisfying day, with a lot of fantastic sceneries and a wonderful weather. The fun is just starting!

Day 4: From the mountains to Kyoto

After a night of sound sleep, we wake up with the sound of the rain. We don't need to open the windows to understand it is raining, and we are glad our route for today is rather short, having only to reach Kyoto.

When we are having the fantastic breakfast served by Ryoso Chatani (all but the natto, we are not yet ready for it), we decide that we will take route 40 instead of highway 367 to reach Kyoto. Since it is smaller we are sure we will find less traffic on it, and considering the rainy weather this is something we surely want.

We wear our rain gears and get on the road: route 40 starts shortly after the place where we are, and quickly climb up the mountains. The vegetation is so thick it almost looks like the road is going to disappear soon, and when we reach the pass the rain has stopped. But since from now it is all downhill and we are sweaty from the climb, some additional covering doesn't hurt, so we leave our rain gears on.

We pass through small villages where again our presence tingles the curiosity of all the kids going to school, no matter if they are walking, cycling or sitting in the school bus. But the idyllic scenery is quickly over, as soon as we place our wheels in Kyoto.

Though there are always broad sidewalks where we can bike, the problems are given by the crowds of tourists: they step out from the buses noses in the sky and not giving a damn of where they are going and who might be in route of collision with them. With the panniers on the side of our bikes we cannot always zig-zag, and more often than not we have to stop and let the mass flow.

We therefore decide to reach our destination, leave the bikes and the panniers and walk around. When we are a couple of kilometers from our place, we have to pass over the railway, and we take a bridge which seems to serve our scope. We are not even halfway that a police car is behind us, asking to stop at the end of the bridge. When we do two policemen come out of the car and first ask for our passports and then why we took the bridge when it was forbidden to bicycles. We have clearly missed the sign on the other side, and we deeply apologize with them trying to explain what happened. They ask us some more questions then let us go.

After passing the Arashiyama bridge we reach Mulan Hostel, where we are lodged today. We are way earlier than the check in time, but the staff is really kind and let us in, allow us to change our clothes and park our panniers in the lobby even though the room is yet to be prepared.

We then walk out to visit the neighborhood, going first to Horinji temple. From there we search for our lunch, and after wandering around we find a promising place: it's called Arashiyama Curry, immediately South of Saga-Arashiyama station and we will find out that they make a really superb curry.

When we sit at the table we are the only two customers in the place, and notice they have a Mikan puppet on the counter. Upon asking them if they come from Ehime, they are pleased we have recognized Mikan, and explain us their relationship with that prefecture of Shikoku; I don't remember whether they are born there, or if their son is studying there.

While we eat our curries more customers come in, and when we are about to leave the place is pretty crowded.

From there we move to the Tenryuji temple and then to the bamboo groove. Walking through the high plants makes us really feel tiny, and we easily forget about the crowd present in the place.

We get back to the hostel to grab the towels and then reach the public bath: today we have decided to use the nearby onsen to relax. The place is really nice and not too crowded, and also the rest area at the exit of the bath is pleasant, with tatami floor, manga, newsapapers, tv and free drinks.

Regenerated by the warm bath, we buy our dinner and return to the hostel, where we sit in the dining room together with other guests while eating our food: traditional Japanese houses are nice, but also modern buildings like this one have their appeal and comfort.

We get back in our room, dive into the western style beds and quickly fall asleep.

Day 3: closing the loop around Lake Biwa and approaching Kyoto

A hand knocks on the fusuma, waking us up.

When we reach the living room, an old man wishes us a good morning, while busy in the kitchen preparing our breakfast. Still numb from the sleep, seeing him moving back and forth rapidly and precisely is like getting an injection of adrenaline.

Thin sliced salad with sesame dressing and tomatoes, scrambled eggs with sausages, Hōjicha:this is our breakfast today. While we consume it we discuss about our route for the day: we have read that the South-West side of lake Biwa is not that pleasant to bike, therefore we have decided to follow the coast for a while and then, via route 23, reach route 367 which goes in the valley between two mountain ranges. 

Though it is a highway we have seen that there are often side roads which should allow us escaping the traffic if we would feel the need. And then we will have the rain, so we want to ride us much as possible before it starts pouring.

Therefore we prepare our bikes, bid farewell to the landlord and hit the road. From the guest house to the lake side the distance is short, but when we reach it we have to stop to enjoy the scenery: a long row of trees, behind which the mist covered lake surface, flat like a mirror, unveils in the distance mountain ranges and cities.

We stop on the sand to take some pictures, and then move on. The magnificent landscape we have just seen has boosted our energy, and we move in the waking up villages with a good vibe.

When kids start to crowd the roads going to school, attracting their attention is unavoidable. Two of them, more daring, ride next to us on their white bikes. The bravest of the two holds his courage and greets us with a "Herro!". When we answer with a smile and with an "Hello!" he goes a step further, asking us "Do you rike sushi?", to which we answer "Yes, also miso ramen!". This makes them laugh, and they wave their hands when they proceed to their school, where we are sure this small adventure they have lived will be the topic of the day.

Outside the villages the road is pretty much deserted: the only people we meet are workers busy repairing the shoulder here and there. When we reach Adogawa and take route 23, the landscape quickly changes. 

Though the road is not extremely steep, the landscape quickly turn mountainous, with tall conifers, continuous zig-zag and a drop of the temperature. When we reach Takara Bokujo I stop at a gas station to inflate the tires of my bike. I gesture toward the clerk that the tire is deflated, and he asks me to give him the pump of the bike. Quite puzzled I hand it to him, and when he tries to use it, I ask him if he as a compressor. He then takes a tank of compressed air and inflates the tire. Talk about spirit of service!

For a good part of the 367 the traffic is never too heavy, and we can enjoy the surrounding. We take a break at a combini, where we are greeted by a couple of bikers who are also taking a break. Then a curious old man comes close, asking us where do we come from and where we are going. Considering that ahead we are not sure to find other shops, we also buy our lunch.

Shortly after we are back on the saddle it starts raining: first in a gentle and seamless manner, then heavily. Because of the rain we don't stop at any of the temples along the itinerary: they are not visible along the road, and we don't want to get lost in the woods under the rain.

At a certain point we find the side road departing from the highway, and we take it. When it goes under the highway we stop under the bridge and decide to have lunch there: there is no traffic, the Keishoji temple is somewhere in the forest but not easy to reach and we want some rest.

While hearing the pouring of the rain from the sky and the roaring of the river below, we study the road ahead. Soon after the pass we should be able to go around the highway by riding through the village grown around it. 

Finished our onigiri we get back on the bikes, but after a short while we have to stop: the road is flooded by the river with trees and rocks blocking it. Probably a souvenir of the typhoon, low in the priority list of the recovery intervention. 

Back on the highway, then we reach the pass and descend the 4 hairpins: the view is fantastic, but the road is really wet and we don't want to fly below, therefore we have to pay the utmost attention to where we put our wheels and cannot really enjoy it.

Once in the village we have to climb a steep road before getting back on the highway, then we finally manage to enter the road which, after a few kilometers, will take us to our lodging. It proceeds on the mountain side, through houses which are mostly abandoned.

When we finally reach Ryoso Chatani it is still raining, and after having parked our bikes in the garage, we ask the staff some old newspaper to wipe dry our bags and clothes before entering our room. Then we soak in the ofuro, before heading out to buy our dinner. 

The rain is gone, and the countryside where we walk in the dark is filled by the noise of the frogs. Out in the distance after the mountains the lights of Kyoto shine on the clouds. Tomorrow we will be there.

Day 2: The metasequoia avenue in Machino

The sun is starting to rise when we wake up and get downstairs for breakfast. We have some minutes to take a walk around the place and admire the magnificent look of the building, which was hidden by the darkness yesterday evening.

We get on the bikes and start our ride, together with many students getting on their way to school. As soon as possible we leave the main road and take the cycle route taking us along the small Sainoko lake, where several old people are fishing. They look quite surprised to see us when we greet them.

Our first goal is Azuchi castle, but before we reach it we notice a small problem on one of the bike: the rear tire is twisted, and we get in touch with Globalwheels to ask for advice. They suggest us a couple of shops which can fix the tire for us, and we head for the closest one, even though it means we have to go in the opposite direction.

On the way we stop to visit Kōmyōji Temple, which is still empty due to the early hour, then when we search our way in the village we have the chance of practicing our Japanese asking for directions to two elderly men. We have happen to surprise a small kid on his way to school with his mother, who apparently has never seen two foreigners on bike. From the smile on his face he must have been pleased by the surprise.

When we finally reach the bike shop, we wait until they fix the problem and use the break to plan our route ahead. After Azuchi castle we will also stop at Hikone castle, and, considering the time we are losing with this unexpected break, we will then take the train to cover part of the road until our destination in Machino.

Once the bike is fixed we get back on the road, and in short time we reach the ruins of Azuchi castle.  It takes some time for use to realize which are the remains among the vegetation, but then we understand the size of the castle.

After getting lost among the rice fields, we manage to reach the lake coast, and from there proceed in the direction of Hikone. The villages we cross along the road seems to be empty, and several houses are clearly abandoned. It all gives the impression of a place which is lively during summer months, when the lake is a touristic destination, but then deserted for the rest of the year.

When we finally reach Hikone, at a crossing we ask for direction to an old lady. She tell us to follow her, and start running in the direction of the castle. For being an old lady she runs pretty fast, and we have to keep a steady pace to not lose her, even though we are on our bikes. She stops next to the bridge crossing the castle moat, and tell us to proceed further. We thank her for the guidance, and we venture into the castle park. I am sure that if we would have been in the opposite situation, with her running behind us, the police would have been glad to ask us some questions.

There are quite some people visiting it, and we find a salary man, having his lunch break there, who can speak a good English. He tells us that it's not possible to climb on the castle with the bikes and that the visit takes at least 1 and half hour. We decide to skip it, and we sit in the park to have our lunch.

After lunch we proceed to Nagahama, where we want to take the train. Our first surprise there is to see a lot of boards and signals in Portuguese. Apparently there is a large Brazilian community, which explain it. When we finally reach the station we have about 20 minutes before our train departs. We have the rinko bags, supplied with the bikes, but we have never attempted using them. Gareth explained us, but apparently we didn't listen well, because after ten minutes, during which I am pretty sure we look like a couple of Donald Ducks fighting (and losing) with a plastic bag, we still haven't managed to wrap the bikes.There is always some part of the bike sticking out of the bag!

One of the two guys at the ticket counter is probably moved to mercy and, after having found in on the internet, prints the instructions and help us packing the bikes. We are really grateful for his help, and we finally manage to reach the platform few minutes before the train arrives. We take it and during the trip have some chat in a broken mix of English and Japanese with a Japanese man, who asks us about our trip. He works in something related to organic chemistry, I assume, since he lists the first hydrocarbons, and he is also an amateur radio operator, from what we see on the business card he hands us.

He gets down with us at Makino, and from there we greet each other. We mount back our bikes and head to the metasequoia avenue, a famous road, few kilometers long, with about 500 dawn redwoods planted along it. We reach it when the sun is about to set, and there are plenty of tourists taking pictures, even right in the middle of the road.

We also take some pictures, and then move toward the minshuku where we are spending the night, Shanshui House. We are the only guests for the night, the landlord shows us around and offers to take us to some restaurant nearby, but we prefer to buy some food from a combini. After the shower we get back on our bike and reach the nearest combini.

It's few kilometers away and the road is pretty dark, but not particularly complicated. On the way back we first hit a swarm of mosquitoes (luckily our mouths where shut, else we would have had our daily dose of proteins), then we see a night train running through the night: the row of lights traveling fast on the dark countryside, reminds us of the train in Spirited Away.

We have our dinner in the living room of the pretty big minshuku, then we watch some TV: tomorrow the forecasts tell rain, so we have to deal with it. But for now we a roof under which we can sleep, and the crickets are singing outside the window. All is fine.