20/03/2023 / Last updated : 20/03/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Aso Eboshidake, butterflies and a frog　阿蘇烏帽子岳

Nov. 1st. 2022, Nakatosa michi no eki Nakatosa michi no eki proves to be a fine place to stay. It is flat, has good modern facilities, a dog run, provides plenty of rubbish bins and clearly marked evacuation routes in case of a tsunami. This being the Pacific coast of Koichi, something to keep in mind. It is adjacent to a small port, busy with fishing boats unloading. Misaki to Saganoseki Ferry There was a little light rain in the night but by the time we set off for the ferry port at Misaki this has stopped. We follow last night’s baffling road of wide metalled road, tunnels and narrow […]

19/03/2023 / Last updated : 19/03/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Climbing Mt. Kamegamori at UFO line　瓶ヶ森

Oct. 31st. 2022, Michi no eki Konoka is excellent for an overnight stay. It has a restaurant that closes at 8pm as does the onsen. The onsen is very good, but I have no experience of the restaurant. I suspect river fish high on the menu as this is a fishing spot. UFO Line It is also close to the entrance to the UFO line, just before the Kanpuzan tunnel on R.194. We have driven this road before but only in thick fog, so we are here for the views. D. has checked the weather forecast and planned to be here on this day. She and the meteorological office are […]

15/03/2023 / Last updated : 18/03/2023 d.d Arts / Places of interest

Shodoshima, Hoshoin and Hishio no Sato　　醤の郷

Oct. 29th. 2022 Osaka Castle Memorial Stones Commemorative Plaza. Osaka Castle Memorial Stones Commemorative Plaza michi no eki provides a restful night. Morning brings the excitement of a lone monkey wandering across the empty car park and along the front of the not yet open michi no eki buildings. A little later, small children with grandparents arrive to wait for the school bus. Here there is a remnant of an earlier Triennale festival. Castle stones with plaques of an esoteric nature entitled “Dynamite Traverse Variations”. These depict the trajectory of shock waves from dynamite blasts traveling through rock, I think. Pulling out we make for Sakate Port, as we will […]

15/03/2023 / Last updated : 18/03/2023 d.d Arts / Places of interest

Teshima, Art from the spooky to the kitsch　　　　豊島

Oct. 28th. 2022 The Olive Park michi no eki lowest car park has to have a reappraisal. Arriving in the dark it seems a dismal, melancholy place but in the morning sunshine it is airy and right on a pleasant beach. The toilets though old and dilapidated were at least functional on this return visit. Start from Ieura port Today, we head to Tonosho Port to take the ferry to Teshima. We plan to cycle around, viewing the Triennale Artworks. Consequently, we take the ferry to Ieura as there are more bicycle rental places there. In the event, there were no bicycles to be had. All had been pre-booked, so […]

10/03/2023 / Last updated : 18/03/2023 d.d Arts / Places of interest

Shodoshima and the Setouchi Triennale Art Festival　小豆島

Oct. 26th. 2022, The lowest car park, on the opposite side of the road from michi no eki Shodoshima olive park, is dark and quiet. A very dark night. I noted two shooting stars in quick succession. Shodoshima Olive Park We start the day at the michi no eki, up on the hill above. Here, there is a shop selling olive produce and an exhibition concerning the struggle to start olive production and, of course, olive ice cream. This proves to be little different from vanilla except for its light green colouring. As we wander the olive groves, thick with olives we watch other people take photos of each other jumping […]

28/02/2023 / Last updated : 18/03/2023 d.d Arts / Places of interest

Mino, traditional town and paper creations　　美濃

Oct. 20th. 2022, Michi no eki, Nanamori Kiyomi The night at Nanamori Kiyomi was a wonderful one for stars but very cold. For the first time this trip, the car was encased in ice. We have stayed in this michi no eki before, it is notable for easy access to Takayama and fresh flowers in the toilets. We set off for Gujo Hachiman. This is a trip along one of my favourite roads ‘Seseragi kaido’. It sweeps up and down the mountains in wide graceful curves with pretty scenery most of the way. Pascal Kiyomi michi no eki We stop at Pascal Kiyomi michi no eki, a place clearly run […]

26/02/2023 / Last updated : 18/03/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Lake Tateshina, Art in the morning and Bijyogaike　蓼科湖

October 2022, Miichi no eki Venus Line Tateshinako Michi no eki Venus Line Tateshinako is an excellent place for an overnight stay. When we arrived, it was busy with Sunday excursionists but by 8pm it was very quiet with only a handful of shachuhaku vehicles. The facilities are excellent, very modern and clean. They are in a stand-alone rectangular building, but the main doors are closed at night, access being through small doors at either end of the building. This can be confusing. Lake Tateshina The small lake offers a fine walk which we enjoyed in the evening and again, in the opposite direction, in the morning. There is also […]

24/02/2023 / Last updated : 18/03/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Utsukushigahara, cows grazing above the cloud sea + Mishaka ike　美ヶ原

October 2022, Marumelo no eki Nagato Marumelo no eki Nagato is a good place to stay even though it is very busy and has no rubbish bins or vending machines. For this, you have to visit Lawsons. We leave early, waking before 6.30am. Very unusual but D. has a plan. This is to walk at Utsukushigahara, an open highland that is not a wetland. It is noted as a place to see a sea of cloud. The place is high enough to be above the cloud bank. Utsukushigahara We arrive at michi no eki Utsukushigahara Kogen and have no difficulty parking in the huge car park. Even from here, there […]