Everything was still wet, but it had stopped raining. I woke at six and repacked my stuff and took my tent down. I’d been told it’s best in Japan to set your camp up late and break it up early, plus I wanted to make it to Tsuwaono by nightfall – around 70 miles away. I’d been in touch with someone on Couchsurfing there and could do with a night indoors after being soaked to the core yesterday.
The day was brighter and clearer, and I began to dry out. My first stop was about 15 miles from where I camped, Akiyoshido, Japan’s largest limestone cave, dubbed by some as the best cave in Asia. I was considering skipping it since i’d already spent the last 8 hours somewhere dark and damp, but I got there at 8.30, just as it opened, and was more or less the only person inside as I entered from the an elevator 80 metres underground.
The cave was vast with various rock formations of different shapes and sizes with names including ‘Big Buddha’, ‘Jellyfish Climbing The Waterfall’, and ‘The 100 Dishes’ which in a roundabout way described their appearance. I pressed a button for information and a a recording of a robotic Japanese woman speaking English filled the cave. Although i’ve been in a number of different caves on this trip, from Belize to Korea, this was by far the most impressive, both in terms of scale and just the atmosphere, enhanced by experiencing it on my own.
Back on ground level I carried on up to an observation deck over Akiyoshidai Plateau – hilltops dotted with lumps of rock which formed a coral reef around 300 million years ago. It reminded me of Yorkshire, there was something English about the chalky colour of the rock. I didn’t have time or inclination to take one of the walking trails among the rocks, but the next half an hour of cycling passed down through the hills and gave a good view of the landscape and was some of the most fun i’ve had on my bike so far – all downhill with amazing views to the side and ahead, and rarely any cars.
I carried on to Hagi where I planned to break for lunch. Glorious downhill for almost all the way. Which was great, though I had a feeling that the afternoon would most likely be the opposite.
Hagi seemed like a quiet, sleepy town. I went down to the beach, and cycled some of the small pretty backstreets, but I didn’t stay long. I picked up some food from a large supermarket, some sushi and squid, and headed out (and up) of town.
It was more or less continuous uphill for the next couple of hours – not especially steep, but endless. It was hard to remain in high spirits despite the beautiful scenery which already looked so different from Korea. I noticed some other differences too, drivers seemed a lot more curtious and careful, and bananas were smaller but tasted a lot better. It was six or seven years since I had first visited Japan but it was strange how familiar it felt, though being in Korea for a month must have prepared me for it in some way, despite the differences I was noticing.
Eventually things flattened out. I passed through a number of tunnels through the mountains, some almost 1km long, and made a rest stop in the sunshine as the worst of the uphill seemed to be over. It was 4pm, 26km to Tsuwaono, i’d be able to make it before 6 without a problem.
The last 10 miles into Tsuwaono were the easiest, it was more or less all downhill right the way into the city. Trees of many different colours lining the tall hills either side of the road, and golden late afternoon light guiding the way.
It was a quiet, small-town feeling place, a few little restaurants and shops, but the train station seemed to be the focal point. I headed there and changed my clothes and ate my remaining food. Though i’d travelled 70 miles I felt fine, not even very hungry, or too tired, though i’m sure that would hit me later.
I went to a small bar to wait for my couchsurfing host, Kei, a high school teacher. The bar had Beatles records on the walls and the owner played Sting and Toto songs on YouTube on the large tv on the wall behind where I sat. I ordered a beer and waited.
I spoke with the owners wife who arrived later on. She had lived in America when she was younger and had decent English. Then the earthquake hit. We didn’t feel it but watched the news as an anchorman in a hard hat spoke and important looking words flashed on the screen.
I wasn’t sure how severe it was, the footage didn’t seem too bad, but it was probably too early to tell. I moved to the bar and was given a bottle of local beer, from Hagi, on the house and kept one cautious eye on the news as I drank it.
Playlist
Pure Breathing Culture – Pendulum, Bedroom – We All Need Something
Map (via Strava)