Our 53-mile ride today was entirely along the Sea of Japan
on the northwestern side of Honshu Island (the main island of Japan). The first
40 miles were on a flat plain, biking through a continuous string of
agricultural and fishing towns. We then reached the point where the towering
Japanese Alps meet the sea. Looking inland, we saw numerous snow-capped
mountains, where our ride tomorrow will take us when we head away
from the sea.
The last 10 miles of our ride were on a remarkable stretch
of road overlooking the Sea of Japan that is built on a steep, often cliff-like
mountainside called Oyashirazu-Koshirazu. The road over these 10 miles was
constructed by cutting into the mountain in some parts and creating an overhang
in other parts. Almost the entire 10-mile length of the road was a string of
open-sided tunnels: open on the side facing the sea and closed on the side
facing the mountain (see pictures below). It was an exhilarating ride, though
it's always a little dicey cycling in tunnels with large trucks whizzing by.
Pictures from the flat part of the ride:
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| The Alps came into view at about 40 miles into our ride, with a massive snow-covered peak seen faintly through the haze. When we leave the coast tomorrow, we'll be traversing these inland mountains. |
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| The beginning of a 10-mile stretch of nearly continuous tunnels |
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| A long stretch of tunnels is visible |
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| Biking in an open-sided tunnel: the side facing the Sea of Japan is open, so that we could look down 300 feet to the sea |
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| On a stretch of the road without a tunnel, the steep cliff leading down to the sea is evident |
