Today was our first day cycling in Japan, and it was
spectacular. The weather was perfect – cloudless sky & temperature in the
high 70's – and the views were amazing. Much of the day was spent cycling along
the rugged southwestern coast of Kyushu. There were generally separate lanes
for bikes, and in those segments in which we mixed with cars they gave us
plenty of room when passing us.
The endpoint of our day's travel was Obi, a town famous for
its old castle and samurai residence. We visited the castle grounds, together
with lots of other tourists – none of them Westerners (we've seen only one
other non-Asian person since departing from Tokyo Airport a couple of days
ago). Our lodging in Obi is a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn where you sit
and sleep on the floor and are provided with slippers and a kimono.
 |
| Departing from Miyazaki |
 |
| Cycling past rice paddies |
 |
| Travelling along the rugged coast |
 |
| A brief stop for a photo-op |
 |
| Midmorning break |
 |
| Lunch: Whatever it was, it was delicious |
 |
| Sitting in the ryokan |
 |
| Carol in her ryokan garb |
