🇯🇵🏯⛈️🌸 Day 29 🌸⛈️🏯🇯🇵

Lisa woke up early, excited for her morning meeting, while I tried to sneak in a few more minutes of rest. As she wrapped up her notes, our kind host of the Kishida House in Sabae appeared with steaming coffee. They shared a wonderful conversation together, then before we knew it, she was stirring up a warm bowl of 味噌汁 (miso shiru – miso soup). A simple act of kindness can set the tone for the whole day, and this breakfast felt like a hug from Japan itself. It was tough to leave the guesthouse, but the road was calling. We tacked on an extra 8 miles (13 km) just to enjoy the views along 琵琶湖 (Biwa-ko – Lake Biwa), before finding our way back to the original route.

We made the rookie mistake of ignoring the growing dark clouds, lured instead by the promise of fresh baked goods. By the time we walked outside, the rain had already begun, and with no overhang for our bikes, we decided to gamble on outrunning the storm. But mountains have a way of laughing at plans like that. The climb arrived, the downpour caught us, and the sideways rain made even the meek overhang we found seem like a joke. For twenty minutes, the heavens opened up. Then, as quickly as it started, it began to ease. Trucks roared past, spraying puddles like tidal waves, but somehow we picked just the right moment to get back on the road. Soaked but smiling, we crested the hill, then whooped our way down the descent. “We’re doing great!” became our mantra.

In a quiet residential neighborhood, we spotted a flower garden bursting with color. On impulse, we turned back, deciding it was time to take a photo “for our moms.” The owner emerged, full of cheer and conversation, clearly proud of her blooms. Before we left, she picked a single flower and handed it to us with a smile and the words 気をつけて (ki o tsukete – take care). The storm had passed, the sun was shining again, and it felt like the universe had just patted us on the back.

Lunch was a picnic beside 大垣城 (Ōgaki-jō – Ōgaki Castle), a fortress that once stood as a stronghold during the famous 関ヶ原の戦い (Sekigahara no tatakai – Battle of Sekigahara) in 1600. From there, the day turned into a dance of stoplights, stop signs, left turns, right turns, and weaving through the urban sprawl of 岐阜市 (Gifu-shi – Gifu City) taking a toll on our weary legs. At times it felt like we weren’t moving at all, but slowly, steadily, we pressed onward.

Eventually, we reached 墨俣一夜城 (Sunomata Ichiya-jō – Sunomata “One-Night” Castle). Legend says this fort was built in just one night by Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s forces, a bold act of strategy and deception. Today it stands as a reconstructed museum, but walking the grounds gave us a sense of the ingenuity and daring that shaped Japan’s history.

Crossing the wide 木曽川 (Kiso-gawa – Kiso River), Lisa laughed and dubbed it “the Mississippi of Japan.” In truth, its basin has fed communities for centuries. We missed the 岐阜県 (Gifu-ken – Gifu Prefecture) sign at first, so naturally we turned back over the bridge to snap a photo, laughing as we posed awkwardly from a safe distance while cars whizzed by. Sometimes you just have to claim the little moments.

From there, the cycling was bliss: smooth, flat trails winding along the river into 犬山市 (Inuyama-shi – Inuyama City). The preserved 本町通り (Honmachi-dōri – Honmachi Street) awaited us, lined with traditional wooden shops and merchant houses. It reminded us of the charm we found back in 富山 (Toyama), a place where time slows and history whispers from every corner. At the end of the street rose the silhouette of 犬山城 (Inuyama-jō – Inuyama Castle), Japan’s oldest original surviving castle keep, perched above the river since 1537. We were a little too late for entry, so we admired it from a distance, imagining the view samurai once had over the Kiso plains.

On the way to the hotel, we grabbed a few snacks at a grocery store, then checked into our room at the Inuyama Miyako Hotel. Once we were settled, Lisa noticed there was an Indian restaurant in the shopping center nearby. Curiosity turned into delight as we savored green lentil curry, pumpkin chicken curry, butter chicken with rice, and fluffy チーズナン (chīzu nan – cheese naan). I don’t know why Iowa City hasn’t caught onto cheese naan, but let me say this: it’s life-changing.

Stuffed and content, we wandered back through the historic district, this time under lanterns and soft night shadows. Taking “夜景 (yakei – night view)” photos, hand in hand, we felt that mix of exhaustion and joy that only travel can bring. Romance here isn’t in grand gestures, but in sharing soggy climbs, trading bites of naan, and watching a castle glow across the river with someone who makes every detour feel like home.

Yes, today had thunderclaps, lightning, rain-soaked shoes, wrong turns, and endless stoplights. But it also had laughter, kindness, castles, flowers, and the quiet comfort of a day well lived together. And as we keep reminding each other: we’re doing great.Read more