Kyoto

Pt 2 – epic ride

Posted on by helenhmk

The first stop on the ride was the Sakura Deai Visitor Centre, which is the confluence of three rivers at Yodogawa Riverside Park. It’s been open since 2017 and is super popular with cyclists – of all kinds. It was a Saturday morning and we saw many road (team and track) bikes.

The site features an observation tower, information centre, a visitor centre with shop and local vegetables… and some vending machines (it’s Japan). We enjoyed the view and an ice cream before getting back on the bikes.

The forecast for the day was 20 degrees and as you can see by the photos- a perfect blue sky. The route is perfect for cyclists, it’s generally separated from cars, and there are the occasional joggers and walkers on the path.

Kozuya Bridge, often referred to as Nagare-bashi (Nagare Bridge), or ’The Flowing bridge across the Kizu River. It’s also the longest wooden bridges in Japan. It’s unique because when there is a flood or typhoon the segments of the bridge will float away in segments separating it from the base and flow like rafts while attached and prevent collapsing. Amazing!

Alongside the cycleway there are also many tea plantations. We stopped again before lunch for a break and take in some water.

Next stop was lunch… and, this was one of the best meals I can recall enjoying.

From the outside it’s a really non descript place… but it was recommended by our fellow cyclists… and I’m not one to go against a local suggestion. I love egg rolls.. and everything about this meal was perfect. Here is the name of I’m ever back this way. だし巻き専門店 京こっこ

After here about 5-6km up the road there was a back tyre blow out, thankfully not ours. The tyre was changed in under 10 minutes- amazing – and Kym contributed to the efficiency with his electric pump (yeah for being useful).

Once the tyre was replaced and we were back on the road, we stopped off at the Nara Palace site. This was was one of the sites of the capitals of Japan, and from AD 710-784 where is then was relocated. The site itself was approximately 1km square, and previously featured a variety of buildings and compounds for different purposes. Many of the buildings are being recreated using traditional Japanese skills and craftsmanship, based on records and archeological excavations of the area since 1959. We had a look the the Imperial Audience Hall.

From here we winded our way through the area towards the centre of Nara.

We stopped to look in Todai-Ji Temple – which is the largest wooden structure in the world, and was last reconstructed after a fire in 1567 (third one since the original was built when it was the capital of Japan. here there was a lot of tourists – when cycling you tend to forget how these sites can be. If you’ve never been to Nara you are lucky to be aware of the deer that live here and like to be fed crackers, and will attack peoples bags if they can smell them. We cycled around the upper sections of the park.. before heading into the main tourist shopping strip, where we enjoyed a fresh mochi (rice cake) from the place which is super trendy on tic-tok, before heading to check in to our hotel.

By the time we uploaded the trip to Strava, I had apparently cycled over 66km. Yes indeed it was an epic ride!

KM’s cycled – 66.39

Hours on bike – 6.47

Steps in total day – 16,131

Epic Saturday ride…

Posted on by helenhmk

Today’s plan was a bit of cycling from Kyoto to Nara. However to get to the start we had to catch a Shinkansen from Tokyo… all sounds relatively easy so far. But to meet at the starting point we were at Tokyo Train Station by 6am. The only way to do this with luggage involved cycling from our hotel in Suidobashi at 5:30, it’s a short 20 minute ride which was familiar to us.

It’s always a relief to get to the platform with bags and waiting time. Kym went to the bento shop for breakfast and I minded the bags.

Once on board, with bikes and luggage stored behind us (yeah for booking the storage space – as you can’t guarantee there will be somewhere for large luggage), we enjoyed our breakfast bento in the time it took the train to get from Tokyo to Yokohama where our friend joined us with his bike.

A few hours later we were in Kyoto meeting new friends and unfolding the bikes to cycle the Keinawa Cycling road, which is well signed and marked with a blue line once you’ve reached it.

.. end part 1.

Kyoto…

Posted on by helenhmk

We had not initially planned to come here – but we needed a break in the trip.

If you are coming to Japan and visiting Kyoto… there are many things you can do… such as see temples – or you can choose to do a loop ride. This was our choice. We thought we would head to Arashiyama.. and back.

First up was Toji Temple… and the autumn leaves did not disappoint.

Next Kym had planned for us to stop at a local coffee shop. It was suppose to be for breakfast but we were taking a leisurely pace so it ended up being lunch.

It was a true find. My omelette was the best I’ve had – and yes the music note is in tomato sauce. All the flavours on the plate went do well together- there was a light dressing on the salad. I was really disappointed to finish lunch it was that good.

Next we cycled towards our goal, passed many small farmers gardens, along a river, and all different types of houses.

We got to Arashimyama.. and while we had previously been to this location at least three times – we had never seen so many tourists in one spot – ever. The main stretch of the town with all the shops was packed, so much people were walking on the road. When you hear there are a lot of tourists in Japan – I think they are all in this spot. It was pretty unpleasant. Thankfully we were on a bike and we could follow a car which was creating space… until we turned off where there were less tourists.

So many people
Amazingly managed to take this without people!

We headed for Okachi Samso Gardens. The 1000 yen entrance fee does put some people off thankfully. The garden bathed in sunlight and autumn leaves did not disappoint.

After we went up an old style road, stopped for a coffee and took backroads towards the centre of Kyoto to pick up bags and go to the train station for the next location.

It ended up being just over 39+km.. and really enjoyable. While I enjoy Japan the extreme amount of tourists was a little crazy, so I would definitely leave it off the list – as it really can’t be enjoyed.

Cycling Kyoto…

Posted on by helenhmk

Just over 24 hours was spent in Kyoto. We had been there a number of times previously and since it is the location of my favourite breakfast in the world, I couldn’t go past staying. We arrived by train, the. lugged our luggage for 15 minutes+ to where were were staying a couple of blocks from the train station.
Kyoto by bike

Since we had been to Kyoto on every trip to Japan there was nothing we “had” to visit.  Once we had reached our accomodation, the bikes were unpacked and we decided to head towards the silver temple and see what we could see.

Not long on the bike we soon came across people building a float for the Gion Festival. The shops along the street were on sale and had tables outside.
Kyoto by bike
We took advantage of this and ventured into one shop bought a few gifts and enjoyed an ice cream.
Kyoto by bike
After breifly cooling down, we then took some back streets. There are so many interesting things you see as you ride, unfortunately you don’t always have the time to stop and take the photos – just enjoy the experience.
Kyoto by bike
We came across a bakery, and just had to stop. Kym selected a couple of items and we continued on our way towards the river.   We stopped and enjoyed the pastries (not as good as home!), the scenery and watching people as they passed by on the warm late sunny Sunday afternoon.
Kyoto by bikeKyoto by bike
After following the course of the river for some time we then we followed a road towards the silver temple.
The road to the silver temple is steep, thankfully given the time of the evening there was no one walking up. Here you can see our bikes parked outside the entrance to Ginkakuji (silver temple).

Kyoto by bike
After taking a quick photo and drink break (yeah to drink vending machines), we were asked to move our bikes as the security guard ws locking up, and we dutifily complied.  We then took the philosophers walk path which goes along the bas of a number of temples in Kyoto.  It was quite a difference experience cycling a road at dusk which we had previously walked.
Kyoto by bike
It was a truely great experience cycling a road we had previously walked which was bustling with tourists when we were last here in November. We cycled past all the closed shops and the traditionally designed Japanese buildings which were unusually silent. If you have visited Kyoto you will be familar with these streets, as they led up towards the large wooden Kiyomizu temple.

Kyoto by bike
Kyoto by bike
The last photo is not the best, but you’re can see the wooden temple in the distance.  It was taken at the top of a very step climb. When we stopped, a group of security guards in a building on the corner who gave us a wave at our efforts. It was a great evening on the bike!
Kyoto by bike