Japan Summer 2024 - Day 23 • Kumamoto to Takachiho

June 02, 2024

Japan Summer 2024 - Day 23

June 20, 2024

Kumamoto to Takachiho 83 Km

Start 8:45 AM Finish 4:51 PM

Total Duration 8:06

Moving Time 5:31

Stopped Time 2:35

Ascent 1,290 m

Descent 987 m

Tour Total 2389 Km

Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/192640523

I slept great in room 902 at the Mitsui Garden Hotel in Kumamoto. The rich basashi gurgled in my stomach throughout the night. I woke up at 6 o'clock and tried to roll back to sleep, but couldn't. So I got up and finished editing yesterday's report. It was a slow pack up. My kit was once again clean, and I was freshly bathed. I opened my window shade and could see that it already began to start raining. By the time I got downstairs and was ready to start riding, it wasn't so bad. Perhaps the cool rain would be better than the hot sun. I had created a route that reversed yesterday's climb over the pass. It's always tricky trying to navigate back to the route, especially in a large city. I was honked at by a motorist which brought the tour statistic to four. Kumamoto definitely seems more contemporary than the other cities I've visited in Japan. The route took me back by the castle walls.

I was wearing my short-sleeve jersey, bib shorts, socks and rain poncho. The mist was light and it was warm underneath the poncho. I didn't know how well I was going to be able to use my phone today with the drips on the screen. The city was bustling with people scurrying to work underneath their umbrellas.

I rode on the brick paved sidewalks, where cyclists are welcome to gently ride alongside pedestrians. I passed the interesting Daigeki Hall with it's abstract geometric facade, and then I crossed the Shirakawa River. I eventually made my way to the outskirts where I stopped at the same Lawsons as yesterday. I got the exact same same thing; a Craft Boss latte and a pair of biscuit doughnuts.

I left the city heading towards the mountains. I could see shiny fields up on the hills above. I'd seen these yesterday and thought they resembled snow patches, even though I knew that didn't make sense. Today I realized they were solar farms.

I was getting hot on the climb so I stopped to remove my poncho. It was drizzling and I was still able to use my phone screen. I reached Nishihara village and took a right to remain on Highway 28. Today I was planning to stay on 28 and go through the tunnel instead of climbing over the pass. I could see the large white X bridge up on the mountain in the distance.

I continue to climb and at one point the wind became so strong that I had to stop and unclip from my cleats for fear that I'd lose control. The rain picked up and then I crossed the bridge.

I continued to battle the wind and the rain as I headed up the pass. I passed the turn off for the pass and finally got to the 2057m Tawarayama tunnel. The sidewalks inside were narrow on both sides and I didn't have much of a choice. I didn't want to ride in the roadway and I didn't want walk, so I slowly did the tight rope riding on a thirty inch wide pavement with a steep drop to the motor vehicle lane. At one point I brushed up against the tunnel wall and got black motor vehicle exhaust soot on my elbow. After I exited, I reapplied my poncho for the descent, and then came to a second tunnel, which was 700m long. Afterwards I zoomed down the hill, and was eventually back on yesterday's route. When I reached the valley I plugged in the next route segment and had my GPS guide me to the start. I was now on my prepared map section 34, which was another route copied from Julia. The rain was persistent and I had to keep my phone in my handlebar bag. I couldn't take photos or dictate.

I made it back to the Shirakawa river source, where had I camped the other night. There were numerous springs and water sources here. I was surrounded by greenhouses and agriculture.

I was hungry and was keeping my eye out for restaurants. In Minamiaso I spotted a Hirai Aso Takamori, which are delis that make food to order and seating area along with a convenience store. The other night I had bought provisions at one. I had to place my order through a vending machine and I referenced the pictures. I then had to listen for my number. I basically ordered two lunches, and it was warm and filling.

I got back onto the road at 2 PM I rode through the town of Takamori. During lunch I had booked a guest house 30 km away, which would give me about an 80km day. The weather forecast predicting a sixty percent chance of rain tomorrow, so we'd see. It's like threading a needle out here.

I began climbing up over the next ridge and saw a large deer run into the cedar trees right before I entered a tunnel. It started to rain again, and I rode through about eight short tunnels on the climb. After the pass the rain became even stronger. I managed to take a few photos regardless. The mountains were stunning.

I came to a helix descent and entered Miazaki prefecture. Alongside the road were the effigies of Takemikazuchi and Ame-no-Uzume who appear in the Ama-no-Iwato mythology. Takachiho is famous as a village associated with Japanese mythology, and is said to be the place where the gods of the sun descended from Takamagahara.

There's a fantastic gorge here that I was excited to explore, but it was raining too hard when I arrived. I stopped at a supermarket for some provisions and then went to the guesthouse. Booking.com keeps entering my reservations for two guests. In Imabari the friendly ryokan owner reimbursed me, but here they didn't. 9382¥ ($60) was steep for what I was getting. For comparison last night's hotel in Kumamoto was $50. Tonight I wasn't even offered a robe. Whatever. I arrived dripping wet and the friendly woman let me store my bike in her garage. The rain outside was strong and I didn't feel the need to go to a restaurant.