Sake & mama-chari samurai

A weekend visiting old storehouses doesn’t sound that interesting, but when the storehouses contain sake breweries with tasting opportunities, things look a whole lot brighter.  It also helps that the storehouses are traditional old structures with a lot of character.  Aizu Wakamatsu and neighbouring Kitakata, north of Tokyo in Fukushima Prefecture, have lots of old kura (storehouses), samurai… Continue reading Sake & mama-chari samurai

GEKISAKA hill race – Tour de Utsukushigahara

The Tour de France?  No, the real tough hill climbing cycle event is the Tour de Utsukushigahara, with its gekisaka (檄坂 – severe slope).  The race is only 22km in distance, but ascends 1,270 metres up to Utsukushigara from Asama Onsen (in Matsumoto) – the first few hundred metres of the race ascendup an 18%… Continue reading GEKISAKA hill race – Tour de Utsukushigahara

Tour de Utsukushigahara

A 22km bike ride in the mountains?  No problems, put my name down.  What, a 1,270 metre ascent up the mountain?  What was I thinking?  Japan’s “gekisaka” (severe slope) hill climb event – the Tour de Utsukushigahara.  What a way to celebrate the first anniversary of my arrival in Japan.  I haven’t had time to… Continue reading Tour de Utsukushigahara

Yamanote Line Circuit

Tokyo Bay cruise boats berthed between Hamamatsu-cho and Tamachi

Today’s excursion around the Yamanote Line reinforced that Tokyo is a great city to get around by bicycle.  Phil and I had been thinking about doing this ride for a long time, and finally put the plan into implementation today.  We met at the Marunouchi entrance to Tokyo Station this morning, and set out clockwise. 

Ueno

No 26, and back to one of the more major stations, Ueno Station.  Our Yamanote Line circuit ride is nearly all the way around now.

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