Kenta-san's Travel Bookmarks
| 8:00 | Depart from Tokyo Station on the Tokaido Shinkansen |
|---|---|
| 10:25 | Change to the limited express Hashidate at Kyoto Station |
| 11:45 | Arrive at Fukuchiyama Station and assemble the bicycles |
| 12:30 | Start the ride |
| 12:45 | Lunch at Yanagimachi |
| 14:45 | Take photos of the train at the Yuragawa Bridge |
| 15:15 | Rest at the Amanokura sake brewery |
| 16:30 | Arrive at Amanohashidate View Land |
| 17:30 | Finish at the Shimpuro Inn |
DAY 1 is over!
Pleasant ride!
Arrival at Fukuchiyama Station
We arrived at Fukuchiyama Station just before noon. We quickly dismounted our bikes and prepared for the ride. As this was a two-day, one-night trip, we kept our equipment compact.
Departing from Fukuchiyama Station!
We set off from JR Fukuchiyama Station, ready to go. First, we headed to the set meal restaurant Yanagimachi, which is a 10-minute bike ride from Fukuchiyama Station, to fill up before the ride.
A filling meal before the ride at Yanagimachi
We decided to have the recommended fried chicken lunch and oyakodon lunch at a long-established set meal restaurant in Fukuchiyama City where you can eat Kyoto-style chicken dishes.
The fried chicken had a crispy batter and the meat was tender and juicy. We started the ride after a filling meal.
The route for the first day was along Prefectural Road No. 55, which runs along the Yura River through Fukuchiyama City, heading towards the Sea of Japan. Thanks to the blue lines for cyclists, you can ride with peace of mind.
The Yuragawa Bridge, a scenic spot in Miyazu City
After riding for about 35km from Fukuchiyama Station, we stopped in Miyazu City at the Yuragawa Bridge.
The bridge girders are close to the surface of the water, and there are no overhead wires, so the trains look very open. I was able to see the local Kyoto Tango Railway at just the right moment.
Hakurei Sake Brewery "Tenkura"
We stopped by the Hakurei Sake Brewery ‘Tenkura’ near the Yuragawa Bridge pier for a break. There are 12 sake breweries in the northern part of Kyoto, which is blessed with beautiful water. The Hakurei Sake Brewery we stopped by is a traditional sake brewery that has been in business since 1832, during the Edo period.
Inside the store, you can drink the water that bubbles up from the mountain in front of the brewery. This water is used in the brewing of the sake. It has a mildness characteristic of soft water, and it goes down smoothly and permeates the body without resistance.
As I was cycling this time, I couldn't drink any sake, but instead I had the store-only Daiginjo ice cream (480 yen). The moment I put it in my mouth, the aroma of the sake spread out, and it had a mature flavor.
Amanohashidate View Land
After riding for about 15km from Hakurei Sake Brewery, we arrived at Amanohashidate. We went to the observation deck to get a full view of the Amanohashidate. It takes about 6 minutes to get to the observation deck by either a lift or a gondola.
The Amanohashidate, which offers a wide view, is one of the three most scenic spots in Japan. It is a sandbar that separates the Miyazu Bay and the inner sea of Aso Sea to the north and south, and is 3.6 kilometers long. It is surrounded by about 6,700 pine trees, and you can even cross it by bicycle. The goal for today is a Japanese-style inn at the end of the sandbar. As the name suggests, it is right in front of us.
Riding along Amanohashidate
It takes about 5 minutes by bicycle from the observation deck to the entrance of Amanohashidate. The entrance area is crowded with foreign tourists, but as you go further into the sandbar, the number of people decreases and it becomes easier to ride a bicycle. It took about 15 minutes to ride slowly through the pine forest, which is surrounded by the sea on both sides.
Arrival at the relaxed atmosphere of the inn "Kamikaze-ro"
We arrived at the inn Kamikaze-ro on the other side of Amanohashidate. It is a long-established inn that has been in business for 96 years, but it has been renovated with a modern interior while retaining a retro feel. We stayed here for the night to finish off our trip. We were able to leave our bicycles at the entrance to the inn.
The rooms with views of Amanohashidate are simple, modern Japanese-style rooms with toilets and washbasins. The baths are in the large public bath, which was renovated in 2023, and you can enjoy the hot spring water there.
Dinner made with local Tango ingredients
Dinner was served in the large banquet hall on the second floor of the ryokan. We enjoyed Japanese beef shabu-shabu and sashimi made with a variety of local Tango ingredients. The sashimi caught in the Sea of Japan was all very fresh, and the freshness of the turban shellfish was particularly noteworthy. It had no bitterness or smell, and you could enjoy its crunchy texture.
We enjoyed their well-earned beer and delicious food while looking back on our first day's journey. Although the route was relatively short at 60km, it was packed with highlights and we were very satisfied. The following day we would be crossing a mountain pass with a lot of ups and downs, so we went to bed early in preparation.
