Tsuwano to Hagi

Old castle town

The rain had cleared though it was a cool and windy morning. We enjoyed another interesting Japanese breakfast with the standout being a Japanese omelet and the surprise success being tofu simmered in pot with a separate broth that were both then added to some vegetables.  I am not a fan of tofu but this tasted surprisingly good. 

Leaving the town, we passed the entrance to the Taikodani Inari Shrine with its corridor of 1000 vermillion torii gates leading up to the shrine before picking up the signs for the Tsuwabuki Kaido. The route involved a 10km gentle climb along a quiet country road past little hamlets and following the train line in parts. As we climbed into the hills, we had great views of the mountains of the western Shimane prefecture.

There were a few little parks and rest areas and some very impressive dry stone walls along the river.  We passed a few rice fields - maybe some that had contributed to the sake we had tried the day before?     

After about 20 kilometres, we stopped at the roadside station Uribo-no-sato Katamata and bought some bananas and mandarins which we enjoyed with a cup of coffee on one of the benches. Back on the bikes, we had only gone a short distance when we stopped again to add an extra layer of clothing as the wind was picking up. 

We climbed again finally reaching a tunnel and continued past more rice fields and crossed a few rivers.  Another 20 kilometres on, we stopped for lunch at the Roadside station Happiness Fukue, with its incredible flower wall.  The cafe there was renowned for its local pork dishes, so we ordered the pork set menu which consisted of a pork schnitzel with salad, rice and miso soup, which was tasty and filling.

It was only another 8 kilometres into Hagi and we dropped the panniers off at the Royal Intelligent Hotel, before heading off to explore the Hagi Old City and castle ruins.  Located within Shizuoka Park, there is little left of the castle, though the moat was most impressive.  It was quite a large park and we appreciated being able to take our bikes inside. However, there wasn’t much to see and the highlight was climbing the 700 metres to Mount Shizuki with its spectacular views across the town and the islands of the Sea of Japan.

I stopped to take some photos of Kukugahama Beach at the foot of Mount Shizuki before we made our way back through the Old Castle town with its streets of preserved Samurai residences.  We visited a few Hagi pottery shops and found ourselves a lovely plate that will hopefully survive the next couple of days on the bike.

Back at the hotel, we headed down to the baths and again I had it to myself.  There were two deep outdoor tubs, just big enough for one, with hot water circulating so the temperature was nice and hot.  It was bliss! When you got out of the tub, it automatically topped up again.  The indoor bath was tepid in comparison so I returned to the outdoor hot tub.  I also immersed myself in the cold water tub for a bit of variety.  I felt totally relaxed as we left in search of dinner. 

Unfortunately both nearby restaurant options were closed, but we identified an Izakaya near the convenience store and it was open.  As we tried to order two beers, the waitress brought over a Japanese man who could speak some English to help us.  We’d had plenty of practice ordering two beers so we didn’t need any assistance and he told us that he had visited Australia and was very impressed that we were travelling by bicycle. 

We ordered a couple of courses, then received a plate of wagyu beef courtesy of one of the man’s dining companions.  We thanked him effusively and I went over after we had eaten to thank him again and let him know that it was delicious.  He seemed very pleased with our response.  His friend said he wanted to wish us a good journey. We ordered a couple more small dishes, then picked up some yoghurt and ice creams from the 7-11 and I ate mine in the massage chair in the Relaxation room back at the hotel.