Asia, city, friends, travel

Around Tokyo – Enoshima, Kamakura, Kawazaki

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Out of Koji on the train for Tokyo – successfully changed at Hachioji to meet Thomas at Machida. The day still a haze of fever, tiredness, runny nose, more trains and walking a lot in the heat. First stop Enoshima Beach – very popular for surfing (I struggled to see why) and bathing.

Many rusted cruisers with surfboard carriers mounted on the side.

Back to tsunami escape platforms, although this one is pretty short so maybe it’s something else?

Sand bathing anyone? Buried up to one’s neck and left to sit there soaking in the warmth? I did not understand the appeal. Admittedly it made more sense than surfing in those conditions.

Another board carrier, trailer might be picking litter (unlikely in Japan) or grooming the sand (more likely), big corporate function and over to Enoshima Island – we were walking towards it.

By the time we got to the island, I was exhausted so I left Rachel and Thomas to climb through the crowds while I went and tried to nap on some grass in the relative quiet. Eventually we returned to the mainland and caught a small train to Kamakura – a very popular spot, and where Thomas and Keiko were wed.

Another wedding in progress, popular spot – could see a little of what was going on.

Impressive structure and colours.

Also a popular spot to post prayers.

Or fold them up.

With some time before meeting some of Thomas’s immediate and extended family, we trained to the waterside in Kawazaki – enjoying lounging on the grass watching the world go by as it cooled a bit. Most pleasant.

(Rachel’s photo.)

Fortunately, in my impaired state, I didn’t have to come to grips with the Tokyo transportation network – just try to keep up. Apparently it’s very logical and well laid out, but I barely gave it a thought.

We met Keiko and Leila, and Uji (Keiko’s brother) and Kazumi for a fun monjayaki dinner – a more liquid batter version of okonmiyaki, cooked in front of us; plenty of tasty seafood too. My attempts to not be terrible company and not spread whatever I had around were successful enough – only Rachel later caught whatever I had, inevitably but not as badly.

(Rachel’s photo.)

Eventually more walking and trains back to Thomas and Keiko’s home. Thomas had logged 26,000 steps for the day – so not a particularly recuperative time keeping up, but I wasn’t going to miss finally being in Tokyo!

Asia, city, travel

Matsumoto to Kofu

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Bit of a fever dream haze of a hot day as whatever bug I’d picked up laid me pretty low; thinking too much of travelling to Tokyo with my cold and passing it on to Rachel’s brother’s family. Lazy morning in hostel before venturing out a bit in the heat. I liked the old electrical components dotted around the hostel building, thankfully no longer in use.

Managed to get out for second breakfast (therefore wasn’t too sick, still had an appetite), an interesting western-Japanese mix.

There was a great bike shop next door, so we organised to leave our bikes there to have some work done while we were in Tokyo . Finally found some 29″ tyres to replace my very bald ones, the first time we’d found any in Japan – 29″ mountain-bikes not very popular, understandably.

Having checked out of the hostel, we had time to wander the streets before our train departed for Kofu. Nice to see the castle in daylight, as well as a few other places.

In one old building I marvelled both at the craftsmanship of the building itself and the more recent woodworking and furniture-making – including some demonstrations.

Back out into the heat for a bit before walking to the station.

I did appreciate a number of fonts around town, lovely cool, clear water.

At the station Rachel did a stellar job of dealing with lines and the intricacies of getting the right tickets while I was exhausted from the heat and illness, sitting down somewhere cool and quiet. Unfortunately my desire to ride on the shinkansen was not possible for this trip (probably would have been wasted in my current state), but two trains took us to an overnight stay in Kofu – just past halfway to Tokyo. Our first experience of a Japanese hotel in which we saw no staff at all, bit strange but all worked fine.

I don’t remember much of our brief stay in Kofu, we were soon on our way to meet Rachel’s brother in Kawasaki.

Finally a chance to get some snaps of a local ambulance out and about – bit smaller than our one in Ranfurly, but I suspect more comfortable in the back.

Asia, bikepacking, bikes, GPS

Ogawa to Matsumoto

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Dawn rain shower was a good reason to stay in bed a bit longer, thankfully our barbecue shelter kept us dry.

Obviously couldn’t find our usual muesli and yoghurt breakfast yesterday.

The observatory was easy enough to work out, what the train in the sky is about – I’m unsure.

Big descent out of the hills first up, five hundred metres in five-ish kilometres, through a few tidy small villages.

Rice drying with raincoats.

Unfortunately the last steep part of the descent was in a long snow tunnel, so we couldn’t see much. After a short section following  river down valley and a michi-no-eki stop, we turned south and regained most of the altitude we’d just lost getting to Miasa.

A smaller climb and drop took us to the outskirts of Omachi, where we had an interesting chat with a ski guide outside a konbini. Rest of the day skirting towns in wide, flat valley floors. Surprised to find a well-maintained cycle path taking us most of the way to Matsumoto.

Signs of recovering from flood damage…

Bit cloudy for much peak viewing, but nice to be surrounded by mountains.

Took a short while to work out what this complex was, big building and large grounds.

An enclosed driving school training area – cars, trucks, motorbikes all over the place.

Some fine examples of grain stores to be seen.

Strangely large bike parking area in what seemed nowhere in particular – but probably was somewhere.

Nearing Matsumoto, it was about now a scratch in my throat developed enough that I couldn’t pretend I wasn’t getting sick. Thankfully we had a few days off the bikes planned.

Blue raincoats now.

Reaching the city, we headed straight for this well-reviewed ramen restaurant; helped by being in an old grain store.

We were not disappointed – best ramen of the trip so far.

Checking into a good hostel, in a restored building, I spent a lot of the rest of the day snoozing and avoiding the heat outside. I did venture out a little later in the evening to see some of the sights.

Matsumoto Castle.

A giant dog!

Giant frogs too, sort of.

Asia, bikepacking, bikes, GPS

Sekiyama to Ogawa

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Straight into the mountain views as we climbed back up to Sekiyama town and joined a reasonably busy highway.

(Rachel’s photo.)

Turning off the highway gave a quiet road to the deserted summer playground of Lake Nojiro. Seems to have mammoth history; alas too early for the museum to be open.

Crossing the highway, it was quiet through Shinano town as the climbing continued. We joined the Japanese Alps cycling route and soon found a cyclist station. Most of numerous roadside stalls in the area closed, but we got some produce (well, one apple was enough…) and found gelato next door.

(Rachel’s photo.)

The Tokugashi mountains, as well as being beautiful, are some of the most spiritually important in the country – the popularity was understandable. A vast campground was much busier than most we’d seen since peak summer season had recently finished. Unfortunately it was too early in the day to stay there.

For a change there were some dirt trails as we completed the short descent to Tokugashi village – known for its impressive temples and cedar trees.

The steep descent continued as we tried to find somewhere to picnic, strangely failing at first attempt due to some private land. But shortly after turning back into the climbing we found a mountain stream to lunch beside and try to finish that giant apple.

A couple of steeper climbs (especially loaded with overnight food supplies) for the rest of the afternoon taking us through mountain villages, forest and rice fields with changing views of the mountains.

At Ogawa, about 1000 m, we found a large park and small campground over the road from a hotel. All closed, but still serviceable – we camped for the night in the large barbecue shelter.

Forgot to bring our clubs.

Observatory was a good sign, but it clouded over before we got any stargazing in.

Some company keeping an eye on us as we cooked a tasty dinner of meatballs, aubergine on soba noodles.

Due a good sleep after one our bigger days climbing of the trip – all worth it, and it was only 1600 m after all.

Biking to go places, going places to bike.