Bicycling Japan: D4-D5

Night of Day 4: Toyokawa to Nagoya (by car)

Our original plan was to take the train to Nagoya, to stay with my Mom's cousin Ayako and her husband Yasuo. Coincidentally, Yosuke's girlfriend Kayo lives in Nagoya, so rather than trying to pack our stuff to cram onto the train in 30 minutes and running to the station, Yosuke, Kayo, and Tak gave us a ride to Nagoya. Our new hosts had prepared us delicious fondu (didn't have my camera during the feasting, too focused on food). We devoured it, said good bye to our three awesome chauffeurs, chatted with Ayako, my mom's cousin, her husband Yasuo, and their daughter Yoko who was visiting with her daughter Myuu, and crashed.

My gracious hosts Yasuo (left) and Ayako (right)

The next day, after an amazing breakfast, Yasuo and Yoko drove us to Sekigahara, the location of the famous battle, where we started our bike trip to Kyoto via Lake Biwa.

Our source of trash cans was mostly at convenience stores. If you think this is pretty detailed partitioning of trash, you should see what they have to do at residential areas!!

The beginnings of Jason's tan sunburn.

Day 5: Sekigahara to Lake Biwa (~38.6 miles)

We rode through some classic Japanese farmland--which was a nice relief from the "concrete jungles" we were riding through for the past three days. One thing Jason noticed that I hadn't really thought of before was that about 95% of the farming community seemed to be over 70 (actually, Jason said they're probably 50 and over). This may reflect the lack of a younger generation in Japan and a growing elderly community and maybe also that most young people have chosen to work as "salary men" in the concrete jungles. 

The tunnel on the right is specifically for pedestrians and bicyclists!!

Some fresh veggies at a small stand on our way to Lake Biwa. They had some awesome fresh picked mountain veggies too. Yum! We made it into a stew.

Wittle octopi squid (according to Jason)! YUMM! I forget their special name.

On our way, we biked through the city of Hikone, where we checked out Hikone castle, one of the 12 left in Japan with the original keep (according to Wikepedia). It's a war castle, so the inside is full of really steep stairs to keep the enemies at bay and arrow and spear holes in the walls and lookout towers. It was really neat. It also had an amazing garden in the back...cuz I guess you still need pretty things around you when you're at war.

A part of Hikone castle

Some boaters crossing the moat at Hikone-jo (Hikone castle)

The intricate wood-work of the ceiling. The technique used here doesn't need nails!

An example of the narrow hallways inside the castle. 

Everyone needs a gorgeous garden during wartime.

After Hikone-jo, we set off to ride around the periphery of Lake Biwa and camp out. It started raining pretty hard, so we started looking for a place to sleep. On our Touring Mapple, we thought we found a camp site...but when we approached it, it seemed oddly abandoned, even thought the bathroom lights were on and the place seemed really well kept. When I called the number on the Mapple, however...the person who answered told me the place had gone out of business!!

"Camp Crystal Lake"...? Don't mind the worker and the car and the motorcycle...they weren't there the night before, I swear!!!

Given Jason's jokes of a chainsaw killer lurking in the trees, I opted we camp on the beach, rather than try and set up our tent in the seemingly abandoned camp-site.

Our second choice camp out (Bumcamp #3).

Not bad, given the view.

A wild boar trap....?????????