Exploring the mountainous region where Tottori, Okayama, and Hiroshima prefectures meet in the San’in area. The autumn leaves haven’t quite turned yet, but the traditional Japanese landscapes were breathtaking. It was a peaceful escape, immersed in the beauty of Japan’s timeless countryside.
Tonight’s stay is at a lovely Japanese inn in Dogashima,West Izu, with a beautiful ocean view right outside. The hot spring has this amazing silky texture, and dinner is a feast of seafood like lobster and turban shells. Of course, I enjoyed it all slowly in my room with some sake. In the evening, fireworks lit up the night sky, giving me a sense of summer coming to a close.
After watching the movie starring Kenji Sawada, which was based on the essay “The Zen Diary “ by the writer TsutomuMizukami , I felt compelled to visit the abandoned village of Suge in Hakuba. From the Nohira settlement, I nervously made my way along a rugged path that was hardly a road, and finally, I arrived. The village had become a desolate, overgrown place, quite different from the scenery I had seen in the film. However, the remnants of the past were still visible, and I was glad I made the effort to visit.
Tonight’s stay is at the ‘Slanted House’ in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture! This was the final work of architect Yoji Watanabe, often called the ‘mad architect.’ We’re here as a thank-you gift for supporting its restoration through crowdfunding. What an experience!
We have a special group this time, with guests all the way from the Philippines. Our entourage consists of 11 bikes and 1 passenger, making a total of 12 adventurers!
We set off in the middle of a raging storm, but the spirit of adventure kept us going! With the rain letting up, we zoomed along the Izu Peninsula, enjoying the sea views and taking breaks along the way. We finally arrived in Ito, where everyone showed great resilience.
Day 2：After yesterday’s stormy weather, today is sunny and perfect for touring! We start in Ito and head towards Mt. Fuji, then continue to Tateshina.Everywhere we go, we see a big, beautiful view of Mt. Fuji. It feels amazing!
Day 3:Amazing Ride from Tateshina to Matsumoto, Shirakawa-go, and Takayama!Today was packed with adventure! We rode from Tateshina, through the Venus Line, to Matsumoto, Shirakawa-go, and finally Takayama.
Day 4: Adventure from Takayama to Kusatsu – Japan’s Highest Road in the Fog.Today’s main event was the route from Shinshu-Nakano to Shiga Kusatsu Kogen! 
This mountain pass connects Shibu Onsen in Nagano Prefecture and Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma Prefecture.
Final Day Adventure! :We’ve journeyed through the Izu Peninsula, the breathtaking Mount Fuji area, Takayama, and Kusatsu, and now we’ve reached the final day of our epic 5days Venus Line Tour. Today’s adventure took us from the serene Kusatsu, riding along the scenic Shinshu Highland Route with stunning views of Mount Asama, all the way to the charming Karuizawa.
Covering over 1200km in five days, this tour was quite the adventure, but seeing everyone enjoy themselves so much made it all worthwhile. Looking forward to planning a more leisurely tour next time. Can’t wait to see you all again soon!
I went to Yoshinoyama in Nara Prefecture, which is famous nationwide as a cherry blossom spot!
The mountain cherry blossoms spread from ridge to ridge, and from valley to valley.
This year, the cherry blossoms bloomed early, and while the cherry trees in Shimo-senbon and Naka-senbon were already starting to fall, the cherry blossoms in Oku-senbon were still beautifully in bloom.
I took a leisurely 5-hour walk from Nyorinji Temple to Mikumari Shrine, Saigyo-an, and Kinpusenji Temple, and fully enjoyed the cherry blossoms of “Yoshino,” a UNESCO World Heritage Site and sacred place of Shugendo! 🌸✨
I went to the Suzuki History Museum in Hamamatsu!
From the original weaving machines to retro old and new motorcycles and cars, Suzuki’s charm was fully showcased!
I was overwhelmed by the historic motorcycle such as the Diamond Free, which traveled 47,000km from Bangkok to Paris in two years in 1957, and the RM62 that won the Isle of Man race in 1962! I was also fascinated by early classics like the Suzulight and the Fronte!
Before I knew it, I had spent an enjoyable hour and a half exploring and truly had a great time!
Delicious! it’s a perfect Unagi eel. It was worth the 5-hour journey. It’s really delicious! Since it’s Kansai-style, the outside is crispy and the inside is soft and fluffy. The sweet and savory taste of soy sauce and mirin, with a fragrant aroma. Waking up early was a good decision.
Mt. Fuji showed its face a little! What a beautiful view✨
Now, I’m going to Hamamatsu to eat eel. I’m excited.
Nanzen-ji is a peaceful spot surrounded by nature! The whole temple area is a national historic site. There are many things to see, like the big Sanmon gate, the aqueduct, and beautiful gardens. On a nice day, why not spend some relaxing time here?
