日本夏2026年

June 19, 2026 Day 21 Fukuoka to Hirado - 108Km Start 8:58AM Finish 6:41PM Total Duration 9:43 Moving Time 5:53 Stopped Time 3:49 Ascent 999m Descent 962m Tour Total 2239Km Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/391560422 I slept well in Room 321 at the b Hakata hotel in Fukuoka. I woke at 7:00 AM and couldn’t fall back asleep. Rain was forecast for the entire week, but when I pulled back the curtains, it hadn’t started yet. The air, however, was already thick and oppressive—蒸し暑い, as they say in Japanese. My bike was safe in its municipal parking spot (#287), a bargain at just ¥100. I rode first to Sumiyoshi Shrine, which had been closed the previous evening. Photos weren’t allowed, and while it wasn’t the most elaborate shrine I’ve visited, it was quiet and dignified. From there, I stopped at 7-Eleven for a café latte and a chocolate chunk scone, then rode past Ohori Park, catching glimpses of the castle ruins’ stone walls. The route zigzagged me out of the city before dropping me o...

June 18, 2026 Day 20 Kitakyushu to Fukuoka - 83Km Start 7:19 Finish 2:58 Total Duration 7:39 Moving Time 4:45 Stopped Time 2:53 Ascent 685m Descent 709m Tour Total 2131Km Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/391323599   I slept well just off the walking path in Norimatsu Ichigo Park, outside Kitakyushu. As expected, the crows began their morning chorus early, joined by the soft rhythm of joggers and walkers passing nearby. I packed up, returned to the restroom to top off my phone while shaving, and then rode to Lawson for a café latte and a baked chocolate bread. There was a 45% chance of rain, but the morning was simply cloudy and warm. I was back in a clean shirt and fresh socks—always a small luxury on the road. A few kilometers in, I rode into Nakama and began following the Onga River as the countryside gradually took shape. Soon I joined the Ongagawa River Cycling Course, a beautifully maintained bike path winding through the river basin. A warning sign for wild boar caug...

June 17, 2026 Day 19 Hagi to Kitakyushu (Kyushu) - 128Km Start 6:19 Finish 7:12 Total Duration 12:53 Moving Time 7:39 Stopped Time 5:14 Ascent 1222m Descent 1198m Tour Total 2048Km Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/391118643 My plan last night worked out perfectly. After setting up my tent, I sat beside a sculpture near the beach and looked up at the night sky. The new moon, Venus, and Jupiter put on a brilliant display—it was absolutely splendid. I slept deeply, earplugs in to keep the crows at bay. Unfortunately, I had misplaced my eye mask, but I still managed to rest well. I packed up early, before most people arrived in the park, aside from an older gentleman who quietly went through his morning stretches nearby. I rode to a 7-Eleven for a chocolate doughnut and a mocha latte. The morning was partly cloudy and windy. As soon as I rejoined the route, the climbing began—exactly why I had chosen to stop in Hagi the night before. At the top, there was a michi no eki, but it wa...

June 16, 2026 Day 18 Yoshika to Hagi - 107Km Start 8:55 Finish 7:07 Total Duration 10:12 Moving Time 5:58 Stopped Time 4:14 Ascent 1080m Descent 1409m Tour Total 1920Km Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/390868069 I slept well at Miroku Park above Yoshika. The mosquitoes stayed outside the tent, and with my earplugs and new eye mask, I managed to sleep in. After packing up, I returned to Lawson for a mocha latte. The morning was cool and overcast—ideal riding weather. I continued along Route 187, following the Takatsu River. After a short climb and tunnel, I descended along the water, the road quiet and shaded. In the small town of Shimane, I was already hungry, but the michi no eki was closed, so I pushed on. I turned onto Route 3, tracing the Fukugawa River upstream, then onto Route 226. At an intersection, I stopped at a vending machine for a can of Georgia Golden Drip coffee before the next climb. This marked the start of the ascent up Mt. Aono. On a steep pitch, my chain su...

June 15, 2026 Day 17 Hiroshima to Yoshika - 106Km Start 7:50 Finish 7:48 Total Duration 11:58 Moving Time 5:41 Stopped Time 6:14 Ascent 744m Descent 403m Tour Total 1813Km Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/390655484 I slept well in Room 406 at the EN Hotel in Hiroshima. I had left my bike in what felt like a slightly sketchy spot out front, but it was untouched in the morning. First order of business: laundry. I stopped at a Lawson for detergent, along with a Craft Boss latte and a baked chocolate bread. Freshly cleaned and back in my kit, I rode to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The Atomic Bomb Dome was instantly recognizable, and seeing it in person was sobering. Nearby, I learned, the T-shaped Aioi Bridge had been the aiming point for the 1945 atomic bomb. From there, I visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. The exhibits were visceral and deeply unsettling—difficult to take in, but impossible to ignore. Leaving the park, I rode across and then out of the city along...

June 14, 2026 Day 16 Imabari to Hiroshima - 118Km Start 8:05 Finish 7:11 Total Duration 11:06 Moving Time 5:54 Stopped Time 5:12 Ascent 1213m Descent 1214m Tour Total  1707Km Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/390418150 I slept well at Komecho Ryokan in Imabari. Before bed, I had closed the curtains, which spared us the early morning light; we slept straight through until our 6:30 alarms. Breakfast was classic and satisfying—grilled fish, salad, miso soup, and tea. Afterward, we rode to Barrel Coffee, a recommendation from a friend. The sky was gray and hazy—perfect for cycling, though not ideal for photos. Our ride began along the Shimanami Kaido, Japan’s most famous cycling route, spanning the Seto Inland Sea between Shikoku and Honshu via a chain of islands and bridges. After a steep climb, we reached the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge. Completed in 1999, it was once the world’s longest suspension bridge complex, composed of three consecutive spans supported by six towers. Cross...

June 13, 2026 Day 15 Saijo to Imabari to - 99Km Start 8:49 Finish 7:19 Total Duration 10:30 Moving Time 4:51 Stopped Time 5:39 Ascent 940m Descent 927m Tour Total 1589Km Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/390136489   After dinner and a bath, I slept well at Yunotani Onsen in Saijo—though, once again, I’d had a bit too much sake. The futon and pillow were softer than the previous night, and thankfully the window wasn’t aligned with where I was sleeping, so the 4:00 AM light didn’t wake me. My feet were getting a bit rough, so I applied some ointment and pulled on a fresh pair of socks. The cut on my right elbow had reopened—another small reminder of the wear and tear of the road. I’d now completed a full rotation of my cycling kit, meaning it was time to repeat… and definitely time to do laundry. Ayano, on the other hand, washed her kit every single night. I’m sure she thinks I’m a complete barbarian. Breakfast was excellent—orange juice, coffee, and a beautifully prepared sp...