Another exploratory day-trip excursion to a possible route into Kani, linking to the northern route to Gero hot springs. At about 100 kilometers for the round trip it’s a long one, but this one avoids the punishing climbs normally involved in getting out of the city.

2-4 December 2024: A town so nice I went there twice. A second journey to Gero hot springs, this time with no stopover on the way up. A full day of rest before the return offered a chance to explore the town just a little, and failure of my camping stove added to the adventure.

15 October 2024: The town of Kani is the constant waypoint for rides to Gero Onsen from Nagoya. After the western route past Kasugai Country Club proved to include something close to a mountain hiking trail, and the eastern route via Seto and Tajimi proved to parallel speedy traffic over a nerve-rattling distance, this jaunt explores a middle route that merges with the Toki River. A fun ride, but without happy news on that front.

A simple recipe Mieko used early in our marriage, as rescued from a note wedged in one of her cookbooks. The bran readily available in Japan is rice bran, which is bland and dry in baked goods, so this version is jazzed up a little with with sultanas and brandy.

One of the cooking adventures from my side that met with Mieko’s approval … apart from the number of pots it leaves in its wake.

20-21 September 2024: Wherein I explore an alternative north-bound route to that used in the July excursion to Gero, and face a trade-off between convenience and solitude.

A thin pancake batter.

A recipe from Mieko’s kitchen (dated 1999), with modifications.

Visits to a nearby pottery district, always a sentimental journey.

A small tourist village near a gorge famous for its display of autumn leaves.