The morning of this day I had not yet decided which direction to go. It was between either going west towards Lake Biwa or going south through Mie and Wakayama Prefectures. My motto for the trip has always been to go to whatever brings me more excitement, and so my mind was made up. I would journey west towards the places I used to hang out at on weekends while I was teaching English in Hyogo Prefecture in the Kansai region. This would involve a lot more riding through cities, which I typically hate. So why did I choose this route? I wasn’t entirely sure but I went with my heart. The first stop along the way was Hikone in Shiga Prefecture which has one of Japans 12 original castles. I didn’t have time to go in, so I just took this picture from afar.
Day 66 – Osaka, Osaka
In the morning I quickly got to a famous bicycle path that goes around Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. It was a really nice route with some beautiful views, and I was sure that my picture of the day would be somewhere along that lake. However, that deep desire to revisit some of my favorite places was strong. I ended up traveling swiftly through Shiga and quickly through Kyoto to arrive in downtown Osaka just before dark. Being back was a strangely comforting feeling. I felt like I had returned home after my two month journey. It was a feeling I didn’t expect to have, especially considering my original plan was to avoid the city entirely.
Day 67 – Akashi, Hyogo
Once again without any plans, I hopped on my bike in the morning and just rode into the city to see the places I used to visit every weekend. Dotonbori, Denden Town, my favorite shops. I then moved towards the prefecture I lived in, Hyogo. It was a long day of entirely city riding which means stopping at way too many stop lights. Still, it was nostalgic to see the places I frequented. Here I passed under the gigantic Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge that I used to always see from train on the way to Osaka. Seeing it this close was a new experience! I continued west until dark when I reached Himeji, another city I frequented because it was the closest major city to where I lived.
Day 68 – Himeji, Hyogo
Himeji is famous for it’s castle which is considered one of the most beautiful in the country. It is also one of the few original castles still standing. The trains I would take home from Himeji were only once an hour, so I often visited this castle while waiting for the train. After seeing it for one last time, I finally escaped from the city and enjoyed a bit more rural riding along the coast through Setonaikai National Park.
