🎌🍜 Day 35 🍜🎌

Rest Day:

After several days of pedaling through valleys and mountain passes, today was about resting and enjoying the small moments here in Kushigata, Yamanashi. We started our morning quietly, sipping coffee and watching a bit of the MLB playoffs on TV — the perfect blend of Japan and home. Breakfast (朝ごはん asagohan – morning meal) was simple and satisfying, and it felt good not to rush out the door.

Lisa once again lived up to her title of laundry hero, tackling our dirty clothes with her usual calm determination. After that, we took our bikes for a gentle spin around town, passing familiar places from when I lived here years ago. It’s amazing how the rhythm of a small town can feel both unchanged and brand new at the same time.

We stopped for lunch at a small local spot near the library and were treated to the best curry udon (カレーうどん kare udon – curry noodles) we’ve ever had. The broth was rich and comforting, and the noodles had that perfect chewiness only found in handmade udon. Afterward, we wandered through a few shops — some still exactly as they were a decade ago, others refreshed but still warm and familiar.

A special stop was at the Kushigata Sports Park (櫛形総合公園 Kushigata Sōgō Kōen), where we found the dogwood tree that was planted in 1999 by Mayor Ishikawa of Kushigata and Mayor Floyd Harthun of Marshalltown, Iowa, as a symbol of friendship between the two sister cities. I was there the day it was planted, so standing before it again — now tall and strong with its branches brushed with early autumn colors — was a special moment.

We capped off the afternoon with a bit of grocery shopping, token games, then a coffee and crêpe (クレープ kurēpu) near my old house. The town still holds that peaceful blend of nostalgia and quiet charm that makes it so easy to love. Later, nap time called, and we happily answered.

Dinner with Masa and Yuki was the perfect ending to the day. We had miso soup (味噌汁 miso shiru) made with squash and tofu, and Lisa and Yuki prepared handmade gyoza (餃子 gyōza – dumplings). The combination of flavors, laughter, and the cozy sounds of Japanese TV in the background made it feel like home in every sense.

We wrapped up around 10 PM, full and happy — a wonderful yasumi no hi (休みの日 – rest day). During our ride earlier, we snapped some fun photos of little cars that I’ll share soon as a separate photo post. One more rest day awaits tomorrow before we set out again for our nearly 600-mile (965 km) final stretch ( E Spoke.)Read more