25 Mile Bike Ride and One Strange Beach
It’s Chad’s first time in a hostel, and I can’t say he’s thrilled about it. I loved it, hidden in a small cove of Onomichi downtown area, we slept on futons on the floor and heard whispers of travelers through the thin walls. There was a magical garden in the back near the outhouse toilet and cats hidden in the trees. There was even a vintage closet full of great Japanese souvenirs you could buy at the front restaurant. We arrived in Onomichi last night, a port city in between Osaka and Hiroshima. We had researched great beachy things to do, and this bike ride is all the rage online.
Japan is a beautiful island with hot, tropical weather, but does that mean that they enjoy the beach and that they have a beach culture? Absolutely - not. Everything I’ve learned about Japanese culture leans conservative, and laying out in a bikini while tanning isn’t the most desirable thing to do despite the fact they have crystal clear waters and sunshine. I did a bit a research, and it turns out they have a few reasons for not beaching it; they work a lot, they follow strict seasonal rules so after summer months beaches close down despite the weather being hot into October, and they don’t love being tan so if they do head to the beach they really cover up.
I decided to see for myself. Shimanami Kaido is a bike path that goes from one Japanese island to another. We planned to bike from Onomichi to Setoda Sunset Beach, considering we’d be hot from biking around 25 miles. From there, we’d take the ferry back to Onomichi and head onto Hiroshima. Sounds like a plan! Beautiful islands, bridges, views, and then jumping into water at the end.
Too good to be true. It was one of the strangest, hottest, bike rides we’ve ever completed. We started off at 8am, getting on a ferry to the first island with a bunch of school kids and their bikes. We ferried through the port, which is industrial to say the least, and I figured once we got into the other islands the industrial vibe would change. That wasn’t the case at all.
As we rode our bike off the ferry onto the Shimanami Kaido path blue line trail, we rode past factories and ship making facilities and strip malls. Large cranes stood overhead as was shifted gears going up inclines. The landscape was pretty, but the industrial vibe threw me off.
The water taunted me the entire way, beautiful crystal clear but no beaches in sight. Barricades more like it, alongside the pretty lapping waves. We climbed a 3% incline up to the first bridge, which was a great view, and hoped the next island would be more nature, less industrial.
Wrong again, we ride through more factories, empty village towns, with overall an extremely lonely vibe. You know that feeling of lonely you get, when human spirit isn’t felt and you’re kind of left with just empty machinery? No? I didn’t know it until this bike ride.
With temperatures reaching 95 degrees I really, truly though the beach would have people on it and in the water swimming. I couldn’t help but think it cannot be empty though only a few weeks into off-season, people must want to cool down. We rode our bikes down a pretty bike lane that had palm trees lining the way and small staircases down to the water, but no people. I compared this to the US or Europe, where people would be down the steps swimming and sun bathing in the crystal clear water to matter what season, as long as it’s hot.
We were just about to the beach when we saw a line of stuffed people. Yes - you heard this right - stuffed people sitting on benches. The beach was deserted.. except for these stuffed people. It felt fitting. It felt like a scary movie, actually a scary movie could easily be filmed on these islands for sure, that sounds like a really good screenplay ready to be written. It looked like beach-goers were there one minute, and the next they all grabbed their things and made a run for it. Leftover cafe chairs were knocked over, flags were ripped and hanging up, a few people walked along the beach. I was determined to swim so I went in and dunked my head but the water was filled with plastic and luke warm. Weird art sculptures are scattered around. Occasionally a biker will pull over and walk out onto the beach to have a look and then quickly get back on their bike to keep on going (you can ride this route all the way through to Imbari). I have a feeling that if we continued onward, the best was yet to come, but we were ill-prepared for a 50 mile bike ride. Oh well. We sat in the shade to cool down and rest, and then showered off to get back to the port much earlier than expected.
The ferry brought us by the islands we just biked, giant industrial ships in the port, a Honda cargo ship, cranes and concrete docks.
Just like that we were on a train to Hiroshima, tired, sore and ready to shower.
Osaka Photography
Beautiful Big Buddha and Bucks
I watched Chad get bucked by a deer in the park in Nara, Japan. He bought some crackers to feed the deer and right away around five new friends came up to him and started harassing him. These Nara deer are not nice like the monkeys in Kyoto, these deer are aggressive and there is one in particular that is really attacking Chad. Soon enough, I feel a deer buck on my leg from behind me! Chad throws the crackers on the ground and starts to run away. We make an escape and cross the street into the other side of the park.
I knew Nara Park was known for it’s deer population, but my expectations were wildly wrong. I thought there would be a few deer, that the park would be small, we’d see a decent sized Buddha statue and it would be a few hours of exploring and then back to the train. That was not the case. This park is filled to the brim with deer. They are at the temples, on the sides of the roads, under trees, in the planters, crossing streets, peaking through shinto shrines. They are nothing like the deer in the US, who are skittish and fast, running away at the site of any movement. These deer are ruthless, they’ll come up close to you, look you up and down with doe eyes, and then move onward when you don’t produce a snack fast enough. They are not in it for the pets, they are there for the food.
Then there is the actual park, a beautiful Buddhist temple with shinto shrines throughout. We explored Tōdai-ji, Kōfuku-ji, and Kasuga Shrine. Toda-ji is the largest wooden building in the world. We make our way through crowds of deer to the temple, and we are offered a free English tour which is great because I really need context for these temples and shrines that we’re seeing. I felt skeptical though because earlier I was approached by a Jehovah’s Witness outside the temple and for some reason I thought there was some sort of catch to our free English tour. Nope, no catch, just Japanese people being the nicest as per usual. We entered the temple and wow, big buddha was beautiful. So far it’s been my favorite temple/shrine experience, and man have there been a lot. The areas to explore seem never ending, and Chad wants to see everything you can possibly see.
It was a full day experience, and by the end we really needed air conditioning. It reached 100 degrees and I became a devil from overheating. We got iced smoothies and sat in air conditioning before catching the train home.
The one question I have is - where are the squirrels? (Mo but actually, there have been no squirrel sightings yet in Japan and I usually like to compare squirrels when I go to new countries.. does Japan have squirrels 🐿 😂 ?)
Kimonos in Kyoto
I hit my head on an iron lantern in the small garden in the back of our airbnb here in Kyoto. Hard. I ran inside with an irrational fear that I would have a concussion right away. A bump swelled up instead. I was putting out our wet laundry out to dry. We’ve done so many loads of laundry mostly because we’re sweating through our clothes within only a couple of hours. The weather is really hot and humid and we’re clocking in an average of 7 miles a day of walking.
Today was a more mellow day, we woke up later, went to a Zen Buddhist temple and shrine and then went shopping at the mall. We found the cutest pet shop and bought Penny a little dog kimono. 😂 I mean, I had to in the capitol of kimono. Chad and I saw a glimpse of a geisha the other day walking with some well-to-do business men. We didn’t realize at the time that it was a lucky sighting, that sometimes you may come to Kyoto and never see a geisha.
Also, don’t confuse geisha with kimono wearing tourists in Kyoto. Our guide from our walking tour told us they are mostly young Chinese tourists. The trend is to dress up for the day, usually as a couple, walk the streets of historic Kyoto, while a photographer follows you and takes your photograph.
So yes, indeed, I bought my dog a little dog kimono as a souvenir from Kyoto.
We’re planning on watching Memoirs of a Geisha tonight while hang out and eat Pocky.
Kyoto Photography
Sushi, Shrines and Snow Monkeys
“This would be a great pond for pond hockey.” We’re at a Zen Buddhist Temple and Chad whispers this in my ear as we stare out into the beautiful gardens. We’re on the other side of Kyoto in the Arashyama neighborhood and we’re checking off our local temples and shrines. This one, Tenryū-ji, is a World Heritage Site (there are many in Kyoto) and it’s very peaceful. There is a bamboo forest here that you often see in tourism advertising and it’s included in a scene in Memoirs of a Geisha, though seeing in person was underwhelming and crowded.
We make our way out of the temple, stopped at the cutest (kuwaii!) bakery ever, and then started our hike up the side of a mountain to see Japanese monkeys. I’ve never seen monkeys in the wild before, and I really don’t like going to zoos, so I’m skeptical I’ll feel good about the situation. Up we go, with all the other tourists in Kyoto. We get to the top and I am pleasantly surprised. It’s not too crowded and the monkeys really are free. Yes, we can go into a cage to feed them apples and bananas, which isn’t very natural, but other than that they are wandering around there on the side of the mountain. The babies were obviously my favorite, and we watched them for most of the time we’re there. Every time an adult male monkey starts to get angry, some of the workers will run over and shoo them away to tell them to stop behaving like that. The babies cling onto their mamas backs and run by our feet. They pay really no attention to us as they go about their day, and when they want to get away from humans they climb up into the mountain and find a good tree to hang out in. I approve of this monkey situation.
Being around all the babies makes me miss little Penny so, so, so much it hurts and I have to stop thinking about her because I may end up getting on a plane to go home to her. Don’t. Think. About. Your. Dog.
We head back down the mountain to the train station, clocking in another 8 miles walked for the day. The good news is that we burn off all of the baked goods we ate.. the bad news is.. well is there bad news?
We head back into Kyoto for dinner, wandering around the main strip of restaurants and nightlife. Kyoto is really quiet at night other than this main little area; our guide told us that Kyoto is like old men going to bed early. But this street is filled with people trying to find a bite to eat. We’re feeling sushi so we find a spot on Google, though when we stumble upon it, there is no sign outside. We slide open the door and five Japanese men look up at us from the sushi bar and stare. Okay.. we’re doing this. We walk in, take off our shoes, and slide down at the far end into the bar. The sushi chef smiles along with his wife who is behind the counter. We order a set of sushi and some Asahi beer and my nerves go away a bit. I’m sure they are talking about us as we sit patiently and wait for the food. The sushi chef cuts my sushi in half for me because it was too big(?) but I don’t mind because it takes longer to eat this way and I can savor every moment. The sushi is served by hand, without plates, right in front of us on the bar. Every single bite was pure magic. Soon we’re no longer stared at or talked about, though we are asked if we are famous actors in New York City (we say we’re from close to New York because that’s easier than saying Connecticut). Sadly, I say, no we aren’t.
What a day, sushi, shrines, and snow monkeys.
Hakone Photography
The Magical Japanese Toilet
I’ve fallen in love, I’ll never be the same again. Japanese toilets are my newfound love. 💕 From the heated seat to the music you can play while you sit on your throne, they truly are a royal situation. They are bidets taken to to the next level, with customizable splashes of water at different pressures, you’ll be sparkling clean no matter where you go. The public bathrooms here are wonderfully done, it’s astonishing how far behind we are in the US, I say we start a plumbing revolution! Who wouldn’t want a warm heated seat, a smart bidet, and music that plays for privacy!?
We just arrived in Kyoto and our bathroom situation is epic, from a ceramic, circular bathtub to my favorite toilet yet, we’re seriously spoiled.
No wonder Mario was a plumber, born in Kyoto.
Chrysanthemum in Course 2
“Chrys-tham-them-mum… Chrystham-them-mum.. Chrystham-themum!” We were on the first course of our 9 course Japanese dinner (what were we thinking, seriously??) and our server, a cute, little Japanese woman dressed beautifully in a kimono, was explaining an ingredient on the menu, chrysanthemum. We taught her how to say the English word, and she repeated it over and over. As she slide out of the room (literally slid, bowing coming in and out of the sliding doors to our room) we could hear her walking down the hallway to fetch the next course saying “Chrys-tham-them-mum… Chrystham-them-mum.. Chrystham-themum!”
I was completely filled to the brim after course 4, but we pushed onward. After two hours, we were both ready to stand up off the floors, stretch our legs, and go to bed. Chad and I are eating meat on this trip ‘traveltarians’ or ‘flexitarians’ (though we’re mostly sticking with fish) and this was a meat heavy meal so we were both feeling it. I think I’m getting enough meat for the rest of my life and I’m really missing vegetables. I’ll be happy to be going back to vegetarian once we’re back.
Gora, Hakone was so incredibly relaxing after Tokyo. It rained the entire time we were there, which was really nice because it kept the air cool and we went in the hot springs for most of the night and early morning. We also swam in the pool, which as filled with dragonflies. We read books and relaxed before we fell asleep on our futons.
Treat Yo'Self
“I like this one because it reminds me of the Hamburgerlar.” We’re inside a Picasso exhibit on the side of a mountain in Hakone, Japan and Chad is explaining to me why he likes a specific Picasso portrait. I start laughing, a bit too loudly, and we continue out into the Open Air Art Museum that sits next to our hotel on the side of a mountain.
We’re in Hakone, in the mountains close to Mount Fuji (which we could almost see from the train but weather is cloudy). We’ve made the mistake of spending far too much money on a ryoken that has a private onsen in the room but the deed has been done and we’re going to enjoy ourselves whether we like it or not. We’re here for the night, which will be nice because we need some relaxation after our Tokyo adventure. We are preparing to eat a nine course meal for dinner served in our room and then enjoy the hot springs. What can I say, we really splurged… (I’m looking for freelance work if anyone is hiring!! haha)
We ate a small lunch at a place called Woody’s, a tiny restaurant dedicated to Toy Story. The town we are in, Gora, is a really quiet town with just a few streets so after lunch, we stumbled upon a brewery and had to try a beer. It was delicious and a perfect way to spend our afternoon before our onsen experience. We’re in Hakone for one night of pure bliss and then onwards to Kyoto.
Cheating A Traffic Death
Our exploratory bike ride started off really wonderful. We had scouted out our ride to the park the day before and knew the back roads were mellow and flat. It took a turn for the worst when we decided to keep going past Ueno Park to try and get to Chiyoda Park. We were using Google Maps, which usually has biking directions, but this time there weren’t (red flag?) so we were navigating with walking directions. I failed to remember that when you walk, you can take stairs and shortcuts, but that’s not really the case with bikes. We soon found ourselves lifting our bikes up stairs and in the middle of traffic of an extremely busy and un-bike-able road. We pushed closer and closer to our goal, but I eventually had to call it. Not only were were constantly riding down one way streets the opposite way, but we kept forgetting the backwards roads. We didn’t make it to our goal park of Chiyoda, but we end up back in Ueno Park dehydrated from the humidity and hills, and decided to stop and get a refreshing juice drink. These drinks ended up costing us $18.00 (I mean, they were delicious coconut drinks, but $18?!?!?) In total we biked around 5 miles. Our morning Frogger biking experience prepared us for our next traffic activity that day, go-karting throughout the streets of Shibuya.
MariCAR in Tokyo is a very touristy thing you can do Tokyo, mostly foreigners participate, and I was somewhat dreading it. To be honest, I was really nervous about driving a go-kart through road traffic dressed as Pikachu.. (I mean honestly who wouldn’t be?? Oh, Chad). It only took me around 5 minutes to get into it, and soon the adrenaline ignited my need for speed and soon enough I was flying around corners trying to keep up with our guide. It was such an insane, terrifying experience. We sped through Shibuya crossing twice, speeding at 50mph (or what felt like 50mph). When we got back to the garage and parked our go-karts, our guide said happily, “No one died!”
The interesting thing about the traffic here is that the back roads are mostly small roads that you can walk freely on. There are no sidewalks but suggested painted lines in the asphalt. The back streets built for pedestrians and small cars, which is a really nice feeling compared to cities in the US where the card dominates all of the time. There is less noise pollution once off main roads, it’s safe for bicycles and there is an overall calm to the back roads of Tokyo. But yesterday Chad and I decided to jump into oncoming traffic.
10 Miles In Tokyo
A four-year-old whizzes past me on a little bike while we walk to Ueno Park. Where are his parents? No where, and they don’t need to be, since the streets of Tokyo are so incredibly safe and clean. We are on mile 7 of the day, after waking up at 4am, exploring the neighborhood and closest temple, and signing up for a free walking tour (which unfortunately I had to leave early because I got an extreme migraine and had to lay down in a dark room). Luckily, Chad’s energy is contagious (or is it incessant?) and pretty soon after my headache went away we were on our way to get our first taste of sushi and then another long walk.
We make our way now to Ueno Park, the weather a perfect temperature with the sun setting. I take in the architecture of Tokyo, a light, modern feeling, and a surprising amount brick. As we enter the park, there are a group of Japanese men dressed like Elvis dancing to his music, in a circle, with no one cheering or watching. Curious. We meander throughout Ueno Park as the sun set a cotton candy color. There are food stalls and we eat our fifth fried food of the day. Americans are not the only ones who love fried food. A child starts to scream bloody hell as Ed Sheeran’s song, Perfect, is played by a street musician. The child’s shirt says “Peace”. I’ve noticed that so many children’s clothes are have adorable English phrases on them. I noted one that said “Cute Fun Great”. I love it.
We walk a giant loop around the park, before we head back to the hotel. Mileage is clocking in at 10 miles for the fist day. We end up back to the hotel around 7:30pm, my feet with 5 new bandaids. Just like the energizer bunny, once the battery is drained, Chad’s head hits the pillow, he’s out cold. Day one in Japan, 14 hours of walking, a total of 10.2 miles and a crash onto a pillow.
