🎌🦣 Day 40 🦣🎌

38 miles / 4,220 ft. /3:59

After a cozy night at Guesthouse Sápmi, nestled between Mount Kurohime (黒姫山, Kurohime-yama) and the Seki River (関川, Seki-gawa), we woke to a calm, clear morning. Breakfast was our normal mix of granola, yogurt, banana, and coffee. We met again the friendly Japanese couple Lisa had talked with the night before. We chatted with them about about travel, work, retirement, and our bicycle trip. They were warm and excited for us, wishing us luck as we departed. We wish we had more time with them and hope our paths cross again, but moments like that, those small exchanges of kindness, are what make this journey so special.

The forecast promised good weather, and since we had a shorter day with less climbing ahead, there was no big rush to get moving.

We altered the route a little to cross over the Seki River, mainly because we wanted to make it into another prefecture. I’ve lost track of exactly how many that makes for us, but crossing into Niigata (新潟県, Niigata-ken) felt like an accomplishment in itself. We couldn’t find the prefectural sign at first, but after riding a gravel path along the river lined with numerous bear warning signs, we were ringing our bells like crazy. Eventually we found one, took some silly photos for Annie, and then crossed the bridge back over to the Nagano side.

A little farther on, we spotted a beautiful statue of a woolly mammoth (ケナガマンモス, kenaga manmosu) and its calf, surrounded by flowers in full bloom, sunlight pouring down, and the mountains standing proudly behind. It was an unexpected and strangely heartwarming sight. The lake nearby was Lake Nojiri (野尻湖, Nojiriko), which turns out to be famous for the discovery of woolly mammoth and Naumann elephant remains, a glimpse into Japan’s Ice Age past. The little park there honors those finds, connecting modern travelers like us with the prehistoric landscape that once existed here.

After taking a few photos, we stopped at a 7-Eleven and grabbed bite-size cream puffs and two cans of hot coffee. We rode down to the lake and sat on a concrete dock in the sunshine, watching paddle boarders drift by and a few boats cross the water while enjoying our second breakfast.

Then it was off to explore more around the lake. I routed us up to a small hidden shrine (祠, hokora) and a viewpoint that offered a stunning view of the lake below and mountains in the distance. We both agreed that the small, quiet ones, hidden in forests or at the edge of a lake, are often our favorites. There’s something sacred about having them all to ourselves.

Both of us had prepared for an easier day, but somehow we missed the part on the map that showed we still had quite a bit of climbing ahead. The climbing was much easier than yesterday though. The sunshine felt good, a light sweat built up, and our legs kept a steady rhythm.

After one of the climbs, we reached Manzaka Pass (万坂峠, Manzaka-tōge), though even after crossing it there was still a bit more uphill to reach the Madarao Recreational and Ski Area (斑尾高原, Madarao Kōgen). Funny enough, at the pass we crossed into Niigata Prefecture again, meaning our morning detour across the Seki River wasn’t actually necessary, but we were glad we did it anyway.

At Madarao, we stopped for pizza and a Coke while watching weekend tourists switch into hiking gear, grab snacks, and try balancing on a tightrope strung between two trees. After a short break, we looked forward to the descent, which took us back into Nagano Prefecture. It was about an 11-mile (17.7 km) stretch of mostly downhill riding, and absolutely beautiful. I had routed us through small farm roads, with scenes of pepper and eggplant fields, harvested rice paddies, and apple orchards glowing red and ready for picking.

As we rode through the orchards, we hoped to meet a farmer and maybe buy an apple or two. When we crossed the Chikuma River (千曲川, Chikuma-gawa), I spotted a man out picking apples. With my broken Japanese, I asked how much: “りんごはいくらですか？ ¥100, ¥200, ¥300?” (Ringo wa ikura desu ka?). He smiled and said we could just have one, and then proceeded to hand us six or so perfect apples. It was a simple act of kindness on a Sunday afternoon under the Nagano sun, and it warmed our hearts.

We continued through the flatlands, riding past orchards of harvested peach trees and grapevines, with just a few red and green clusters still hanging. Bright red apples, orange ripe persimmons, and the occasional loud blast of bird-scaring cannons filled the air as we pedaled eastward toward Mount Hakoyama (羽子山, Hakoyama). From there, we followed the Yokoyu River Valley (横湯川流域, Yokoyu-gawa) back up into the mountains toward our overnight guesthouse in Yamanouchi (山ノ内町, Yamanouchi-machi).

The final climb was about 2 miles (3.2 km) at around 5%, and we were definitely ready to be done. Once we checked in, we rested a bit before soaking in the outdoor onsen (温泉, hot spring) attached to the guesthouse. The natural hot water felt wonderful on tired legs and aching muscles. It gets dark early in the mountains, and it was pitch-black by 5:45 PM.

Later we walked about a mile to a small brewery we’d hoped would be open, and luck was on our side. We shared a plate of Japanese beef stew with rice, salad, potato wedges, and fried chicken bites, plus another big bowl of rice. The walk back felt good, and we were ready for bed by 8 PM, tucked into our futons and listening to the quiet mountain night.

Tomorrow is a rest day, and we’re hoping to visit the famous Jigokudani Monkey Onsen (地獄谷野猿公苑, Jigokudani Yaen Kōen), where wild snow monkeys bathe in natural hot springs.Læs mere