Vaucluse Dreamer

Our little parking spot by the lake last night was wonderfully quiet, and apart from being disturbed by a few rain showers and a quickening wind, we slept like logs again.

We sat with our morning coffee, down by the boats, watching the herons fishing and the ducks bobbing past. It was a very serene start to the day, and as suggested by last night’s sunset, it looked as if it was going to be a nice day.

So there was only one thing on the menu, getting the bikes out and going for a ride around the lakes and coast.

We had brought the bikes, in the hope of doing some cycling, but the brutally steep hills on Izu, and the hideously wet weather of the last few days has meant they have stayed well and truly in the storage compartment of the van.

But today was the day that they had been waiting for, and it was time to turn the pedals along some Japanese roads. Somehow, more by luck than judgement, we had found a parking spot, just off the marked Wakasa Bay cycle route, so it seemed the perfect one to follow, taking us around sone of the lakes in the area, on a little loop.

After breakfast, with the final checks of the bikes done, we pottered off, turning the pedals for the first time since arriving home after our long bike ride through France. It was bright, warm and very breezy and we were grinning like Cheshire cats, as we pedalled along.

Where we are staying is on a little land-bridge between the Sea of Japan and a series of lakes, and the route would take us along the coast for a short distance, before taking us on a route around 3 of the lakes, and we couldn’t even sart to imagine how pretty it would be.

Almost immediately, we turned off the route, following a side road that led down to a fishing port, where we stood and admired the view out to sea.

After the grey and rain of the last few days, the colour of the sea sparkling blue, with the dramatic hills on the far side of the bay was a real tonic.

From there, the road followed the sea for a short distance, before we turned off into a spectacular little village, that stretched along the shore of Lake Hiruga. The traditional wooden houses followed the profile of the lake, with just the road separating them from the water.

Along the shore itself, there was hardly any space between the boats and fishing huts. This is clearly a thriving fishing village and an incredibly pretty one too, with the lake infront of the houses and the wooded hillsides behind.

Just on the outskirts was what appeared to be a fish farm, but it was busy with anglers, all out on the pontoons with their rods. We watched for a while, and think they were catching fish that had come to find food escaping from the containment areas. It was evidently a very popular pastime.

The views back across the lake were stunning, and set the tone for the rest of the ride, which really made us appreciate why we had made the effort to bring the bikes, all this way.

The route was really well-marked, with blue arrows on the road-surface, along the route that indicated where we needed to turn too. Amazingly (although probably not so amazing for Japan), the distance to the next toilets was marked too. No jumping off the bikes and finding a gateway needed here!

After leaving the road along Lake Hiruga, we cut across to a road tht would take us around Lakes Suga, Suigetsu and Mikata. It was a perfect ride.

As we made our way through the countryside to the first lake, we noticed a flock of large raptors over a cherry orchard, There were upwards of 12 of them, circling, swooping and seemingly hunting there. Watching these magnigicent birds wheeling overhead was mesmerising, so we stopped for a while simply to enjoy the sight.

Once on the lake, the singletrack road ran alongside the water, and we pottered alongside the shore, with the water lapping at the edge of the road. Our appearance startled the herons that were fishing at regular intervals along the way, and they took to the wing, angrily calling to us after being so rudely disturbed.

It couldn’t have been a better first ride in Japan. The scents were so different to those we have smelled before, with the salt-tang of the coast, giving way to the earthy scents of the woodland that fringed the lakes, and floral scents that we didn’t recognise either.

The sounds of the insects and birds too were different. A constant high-pitched chatter of crickets and birdsong that we didn’t recognise. Unfortunately, Merlin our beloved bird ID app only recognises a few of the birds here, so we can only enjoy the sound without actually knowing what we are listening to.

We sat on a bench and watched the light dance across the water, rippled by the stiff breeze that was blowing, although we were protected from the worst of it by the steep hills.

Eventually, we came off the single track road, onto a much bigger main road, but the Japanese drivers gave us plenty of space as they passed, which was good.

Here, we had lost the steep hills to the side of the lake and were in a much more open area, with plum orchards alongside the road and little pop-up gate shops selling produce too.

Then we came across some beautifully crafted, thatched boat-houses to one side of the road. We learned that this area specialises in growing green plums and between the 1800s and mid 1900s the plums were carried by boat, as there were no roads to the area. When the plums were being taken across the lake, the farmers used to sing a ‘plum-carrying song’, but unfortunately I haven’t been able to find out how it sounded.

These boathouses used to house the boats, which would have been invaluable to the trade of the plums, and although the roads that were built in the late 1900s mean the boats are no longer required, the houses have been preserved. I had to read the dates twice, as it is hard to comprehend that the only access here was by boat, before that.

We continued on again, following the blue arros that took us away from the main road and back along the lake, before we turned back towards the pretty lakeside fishing village. It was as we were pottering back that we had a bit of a surprise.

As we turned a corner, we heard a noise and noticed 2 monkeys running along the roof of a container next to the road, leaping onto the telegraph pole.

We came to a grinding halt and spent the next few minutes totally absorbed by the antics of a family group of Macaques that seemed equally fascinated by us, as we were by them.

It was a large group, with young and we watched as they ran along the wires, jumped through the trees and simply sat watching us too.

We had seen the occasional monkey at the side of the road, but to be able to watch them for so long and at such close quarters was a real privilege, and one that will stay with us for a long time.

You can Watch a little video of our encounter here

By the time we arrived back, we’d pedalled just shy of 40km, and even if we don’t use the bikes again (which of course we will), it was worth bringing them just for thos one ride.

The afternoon slipped past with a visit to a supermarket, and the onsen too, which I am now really rather enjoying. A shower, thermal bath and a bit of relaxation, all for less than the cost of a cup of coffee!

Then a little walk before darkness fell, taking a walk across the land-bridge from where we are parked, to the coast, where we sat by the sea watching the waves and enjoying the peace.

Then a walk out to a little shrine we had noticed

Only to find an even more spectacular sight behind it, with a Tori Gate out at sea, framed by the holes in a rock. It was a work of art.

So another day passes, and we are even a little more in love with Japan. The peace, the beauty, the diversity of landscapes and the gentle pace of life that we have found here.

A little Video of today is here

All being well, tomorrow will be nice again and we’ll ride out in the opposite direction along the coast. Let’s see what the morning brings.