Takatori-yama trip #1 (Shiga Prefecture)

12-13 October 2023: A two-day trip to a mountain campground in Shiga Prefecture, in the direction of Biwa Lake and Kyoto east of Nagoya. Good conversations and rural scenery reminiscent of California coastal forests in days of youth.

In mid-October of last year, following the ride east from Nagoya to Hamamatsu, I rode west to a campground in Shiga Prefecture. Because West is the counterpart to East. I took a few photos along the way, and here is a thread. To start things off, the modest beginning. This is the house, that is the bike, and those are the community garbage collection cages. (The blue netting is there to keep crows from paving the street with the week’s rubbish.)

A Surly Big Dummy cargo bike parked at the side of a road, with two steel cages sheathed in blue netting behind, and house enclosed in a curtilage wall behind.
A Surly Big Dummy cargo bike parked at the side of a road, with two steel cages sheathed in blue netting behind, and house enclosed in a curtilage wall behind.

The city of Nagoya lies between the house and Shiga, so the route lay roughly in the direction of my old commute to Uni. The BikeMap app set a novel course over roads I hadn’t ridden before, which was interesting until I realized it was pitching me at a set of steep hills behind Uni. Oops. This was the view from the top of the climb. (This indifference to altitude would bite hard on the way back when I was feeling a bit knackered and not thinking straight.)

View of a skyline of square high-rise apartment blocks. The sky is clear with some small decorative clouds.
View of a skyline of square high-rise apartment blocks. The sky is clear with some small decorative clouds.

As I passed this shrine on the bank of one of the rivers that flows through the city. I don’t know anything about its history if any, but it was a nice bit of scenery along the way.

A small shinto shrine with multiple torii at the side of a road. Although not visible in the photo, the bed of a large river lies beyond the shrine.
A small shinto shrine with multiple torii at the side of a road. Although not visible in the photo, the bed of a large river lies beyond the shrine.

I hit some road construction after crossing a large bridge on the west side of the city (not sure if it was the bridge near the shrine in the last post). The crew directing traffic pointed me at the detour for foot traffic … which went through the entryway to a small shrine, with stone steps for which the crewman, looking at the loaded bike, was apologetic.

Two stone steps leading to a stone-paved walkway.
Two stone steps leading to a stone-paved walkway.
A view of the walkway mentioned in the other photo description, but looking back after climbing the steps, turning left, and passing through again to the street. A small shrine is visible at the end of the walkway, behind some construction scaffolding.
A view of the walkway mentioned in the other photo description, but looking back after climbing the steps, turning left, and passing through again to the street. A small shrine is visible at the end of the walkway, behind some construction scaffolding.

Further on in the push westward out of the city, I found myself paralleling Japan Rail tracks (not the Shinkansen, but an older line) elevated on an embankment. This tiny tunnel carries foot traffic across the tracks. The sign warns people to be particularly wary of pervs (チカン=chikan) here.

A narrow tunnel with a stonework arch through a stonework embankment. Beside the tunnel a sign reads: “Special caution: sexual assaults are common in this area!” この付近・チカン多発！！・特別警戒中 Above there is another sign reading “Protection zone” みまもりゾーン
A narrow tunnel with a stonework arch through a stonework embankment. Beside the tunnel a sign reads: “Special caution: sexual assaults are common in this area!” この付近・チカン多発！！・特別警戒中 Above there is another sign reading “Protection zone” みまもりゾーン

Passing into the suburban outskirts of the west side, I came upon what may have been an undo-kai (school athletic festival)? I don’t have kids, so I don’t know exactly what they involve. There was band music and a good deal of what sounded like paramilitary shouting through loudspeakers. The kids seemed to be lined up pretty neatly. I was quiet but incorrigible as a younger person, I’m pretty sure I would have been really bad at this.

Students lined up on the barren parade ground in front of a square school building of concrete and brick facing. All are dressed in which shirts and blue shorts. The view is through a green chainlink fence that borders the school grounds.
Students lined up on the barren parade ground in front of a square school building of concrete and brick facing. All are dressed in which shirts and blue shorts. The view is through a green chainlink fence that borders the school grounds.

A little further on, nearing the western expanse of agricultural land in the Aichi basin, I passed a Kirin brewery, and of course had to stop and take a picture.

A length of large industrial steel-cage trellis to support some kind of climbing plant, currently leafless and dormant before the onset of winter, with power lines and an electrified train track visible behind, and a Kirin sign and huge brewery further in the distance peeking over that horizon.
A length of large industrial steel-cage trellis to support some kind of climbing plant, currently leafless and dormant before the onset of winter, with power lines and an electrified train track visible behind, and a Kirin sign and huge brewery further in the distance peeking over that horizon.

Now in the western ag lands. This is a rice field, obviously, but it struck me that someone put in a lot of effort to build that stone wall to elevate the orchard above.

A field of rice, with some stalks toppled by rain or wind, just ready for harvest. Beyond that a stone wall of perhaps two or three meters in height runs the width of the field, as a retaining wall for higher ground beyond bearing an orchard.
A field of rice, with some stalks toppled by rain or wind, just ready for harvest. Beyond that a stone wall of perhaps two or three meters in height runs the width of the field, as a retaining wall for higher ground beyond bearing an orchard.

When I came to this structure in the middle of the flat, my first thought was “Oh, pink, must be a love hotel.” But that would be wrong. Love hotels have elaborately screened drive-in entrances, for obvious reasons, and they’re much larger than this little building. I’m pretty sure this is a karaoke bar. Crank up the volume, the crops and irrigation canals won’t notice that I’m off key today.

​ (As I was bundling up after taking pictures of the pink building, an older woman happened along on her own bicycle. She commented on the bike and its cargo, and I told her I was recently retired and headed into the Shiga-ken hills to go camping. She said I looked young for my age, and that she was an old woman (ばあさん). I demurred, and she said she was 91 years old. I laughed and told her she was the young one, and we went our separate ways.)

A simple wooden building painted bright pink, surrounded by a parking lot, with some trees beyond.
A simple wooden building painted bright pink, surrounded by a parking lot, with some trees beyond.

The western flatlands were punctuated by a crossing of the Great Kiso River Dam, and a ride in a bike lane alongside trucks hauling freight on a major artery. The pictures don’t capture the roar of the engines, and taking in the view I was able to forget it myself for a moment before mounting up and riding on.

A narrow paved walkway lying to the left of two lanes of traffic stretches into the distance. To the right of the carriageway stand a series of boxes, each two stories in height, which are (I think) control towers for equipment used to control the flow of water across the dam below.
A narrow paved walkway lying to the left of two lanes of traffic stretches into the distance. To the right of the carriageway stand a series of boxes, each two stories in height, which are (I think) control towers for equipment used to control the flow of water across the dam below.
A expanse of clear blue water lies below the dam in a wide river. Mountains on the horizon are shrouded in mist.
A expanse of clear blue water lies below the dam in a wide river. Mountains on the horizon are shrouded in mist.
A grassy shoreline borders a broad river. A single tower (a monitoring station?) stands at the water’s edge. A mountain range in the distance is shrouded in mist.
A grassy shoreline borders a broad river. A single tower (a monitoring station?) stands at the water’s edge. A mountain range in the distance is shrouded in mist.

At the next encounter with a river bridge, I took a wrong turn that led me to a point underneath the bridge that I needed to cross. It was my own fault, but of course I blamed the routing app in the moment and felt a little put out. Backtracking to the bridge entrance, I had a laugh at the name of the bridge, which inspired by my own irritation I loosely read (ignoring the kanji and reading the pronunciation alone) as “What kind of big bridge is this and why have they put it here to annoy me???”

A loaded cargo bike is parked on a narrow path of cracked asphalt with a sheer concrete embankment rising on the left, and the bulk of a highway overpass visible in the distance.
A loaded cargo bike is parked on a narrow path of cracked asphalt with a sheer concrete embankment rising on the left, and the bulk of a highway overpass visible in the distance.
A sign reads “Nanno Ohashi” 南濃大橋, the Great Nanno Bridge
A sign reads “Nanno Ohashi” 南濃大橋, the Great Nanno Bridge

Some distance after the river crossing, the route fell along a river that yielded a gradual northward climb along a river leading to a relatively forgiving pass through the mountains. I have no photos of that segment, the main features of which are a riverbed to the left and a freeway to the right. The entry point to the route was blocked by a gate (oh no!), but it was not locked, and intended only to discourage wildlife from straying into traffic.

A loaded cargo bike parked in front of a steel gate.
A loaded cargo bike parked in front of a steel gate.
A faded sign reading: “Wildlife diversion gate/You may pass, but be certain to close the gate after you” 動物よけの門扉です・通行は可能ですが通った後必ず閉めてください・よろしくおねがいします\n\nThe sign is decorated with illustrations of a wild boar and a monkey.
A faded sign reading: “Wildlife diversion gate/You may pass, but be certain to close the gate after you” 動物よけの門扉です・通行は可能ですが通った後必ず閉めてください・よろしくおねがいします\n\nThe sign is decorated with illustrations of a wild boar and a monkey.

As I entered the mountains proper, there were rustic villages by the wayside.

Low-lying dwellings, some with simple flat roofs, some more substantial with traditional tile roofs, lie in the distance beyond a meadow.
Low-lying dwellings, some with simple flat roofs, some more substantial with traditional tile roofs, lie in the distance beyond a meadow.

Much of the mountain riding was a gradual climb through a series of onsen towns steeped in history. This is a fire-hose box maintained by Sekigahara County, in the region where the eponymous battle was fought that concluded with the settlement that founded the Tokugawa Shogunate. As the picture suggests, the atmosphere is somewhat different today. Thankfully the hot springs still work, though!

A tin box painted red, standing on two cinder blocks against the aluminum siding of a building. An electric meter is fastened to the outside of the building. Lettering on the box reads: Hose Container/Number 5/Sekigahara County\nホース格納箱・NO 5・関ヶ原町
A tin box painted red, standing on two cinder blocks against the aluminum siding of a building. An electric meter is fastened to the outside of the building. Lettering on the box reads: Hose Container/Number 5/Sekigahara County\nホース格納箱・NO 5・関ヶ原町

A stretch of road through forestland led on to this odd junction on a major thoroughfare. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of these establishments. Architecturally and by choice of name, Hotel Madonna looks to be a love hotel, complete with concealed parking area. But the posters set in display cases outside the building seem aimed at a dining public rather than, er, short stays. Possibly there is a dual-purpose business model at work here, as in the US motel trade. I dunno.

A hotel of simple modern construction with ersatz parapets. A sign reads “Hotel Madonna” HOTEL マドンナ
A hotel of simple modern construction with ersatz parapets. A sign reads “Hotel Madonna” HOTEL マドンナ
A building with rather faded paint at the side of a highway, with a sign rising above reading “Hotel Azusa”.
A building with rather faded paint at the side of a highway, with a sign rising above reading “Hotel Azusa”.

Deeper in the mountains, and pretty close now to the intended campground, I came to a merciful tunnel that saved a hard climb over a daunting ridge, where I encountered not a single vehicle either coming or going. The lettering is indecipherable in the photo, but a search reveals this to be the Konezaka Tunnel, constructed in 1999.

The mouth of a relatively short tunnel through a mountain, with light visible at the far end.
The mouth of a relatively short tunnel through a mountain, with light visible at the far end.

On the far side of the tunnel, a drop into a small town, a stop at the supermarket for water and snacks, and a climb into forestland brought me to the campsite. I’d reserved a spot, the manager on duty took my money, led me to the camp area. BBQ and other facilities anticipated large crowds, but on this off-season weekday, I had the place all to myself. And there was this charming dairy-cow/milk-carton chimera.

A sign in English and Japanese reads, in the English:\n***\nCow Milk\n’You are what you eat.’ This is a Western phrase. All living creatures must to [sic] eat. And to do so, we receive other lives. The livestock is given their life in order to serve human beings. We’d like to [sic] children to know it through our art.\n\nToshio KAMITANI\nBorn in Kyoto. Live in Osaka. Graduated from Kyoto City University of Arts.\nKyoko OKAMOTO\nBorn in Hyogo. Live in Hyogo. Graduated from City University, London. (Current city, University of London) Media and Communications Master’s Program.\n\nThe unit [kammy+OKI is] formed with [sic] kammy (Kamitani), who creates paintings and mainly sculptures that ask the question, “What does it mean for a human being to eat in order to live?” based on his theme “You are what you eat” and +OKI (Okamoto) an editor and researcher, who imparts a universal concept to Kamitani’s artwork.\n***\nThere is a QR code in the lower right corner of the sign linked to the kammy+OKI home page. The resolution of this image is unfortunately not sufficient to render the code correctly, but this page carries photos of several installations, including a shot of this cow or a copy of her.\nhttps://today.line.me/tw/v2/article/kEQkg81
A sign in English and Japanese reads, in the English:\n***\nCow Milk\n’You are what you eat.’ This is a Western phrase. All living creatures must to [sic] eat. And to do so, we receive other lives. The livestock is given their life in order to serve human beings. We’d like to [sic] children to know it through our art.\n\nToshio KAMITANI\nBorn in Kyoto. Live in Osaka. Graduated from Kyoto City University of Arts.\nKyoko OKAMOTO\nBorn in Hyogo. Live in Hyogo. Graduated from City University, London. (Current city, University of London) Media and Communications Master’s Program.\n\nThe unit [kammy+OKI is] formed with [sic] kammy (Kamitani), who creates paintings and mainly sculptures that ask the question, “What does it mean for a human being to eat in order to live?” based on his theme “You are what you eat” and +OKI (Okamoto) an editor and researcher, who imparts a universal concept to Kamitani’s artwork.\n***\nThere is a QR code in the lower right corner of the sign linked to the kammy+OKI home page. The resolution of this image is unfortunately not sufficient to render the code correctly, but this page carries photos of several installations, including a shot of this cow or a copy of her.\nhttps://today.line.me/tw/v2/article/kEQkg81
A white, lifesize statue of a cow, but with the hindquarters in the shape of a box of milk with milk pouring from its spout.
A white, lifesize statue of a cow, but with the hindquarters in the shape of a box of milk with milk pouring from its spout.

The campground offers bungalows and auto-camping spots, in addition to the “free camping” area for strangers bearing tents. Behind the bungalows there is a wood with loads of logs seeded with shiitake spores. They harvest in February, and the manager was confident that they’re the best (if you eat mushrooms and haven’t had fresh wood-grown shiitake fried in butter, you owe it to yourself!). For reference, the facility is Takatori-yama Fureai Koen (高取山ふれあい公園).

Shingle-roofed cabins embedded in cedar forest.
Shingle-roofed cabins embedded in cedar forest.
Short logs of one meter or so are stacked in rows under a canopy of trees. The white spots where plugs with mushroom spores have been driven in are visible on the logs.
Short logs of one meter or so are stacked in rows under a canopy of trees. The white spots where plugs with mushroom spores have been driven in are visible on the logs.

A short walk up the hill behind the office and camp area, there’s a sawmill used for forestry training. So in addition to the fern-covered forest floor and nature trails, there’s some heavy equipment around.

A paved road rises up through a woodland. To the right of the road there is a cabin structure with a sign reading “Woodworking instruction walking trail” 木工教室・遊歩道
A paved road rises up through a woodland. To the right of the road there is a cabin structure with a sign reading “Woodworking instruction walking trail” 木工教室・遊歩道
A peaked roof building with open sides covers a sawmill. A forklift is parked in front of the building.
A peaked roof building with open sides covers a sawmill. A forklift is parked in front of the building.
A cluster of ferns growing on the forest floor.
A cluster of ferns growing on the forest floor.

As a message to owners of gas-guzzling monstrosities parked in suburban carports in the US and elsewhere, here is a crew-cab mini-truck that’s used for something more than grocery shopping and hauling the kids to soccer practice.

Cut logs are piled in the foreground, and beyond them stands a tiny truck with a crew cab, a luggage rack on its roof, and equipment piled into its small bed.
Cut logs are piled in the foreground, and beyond them stands a tiny truck with a crew cab, a luggage rack on its roof, and equipment piled into its small bed.

I was the lone camper in the evening, but after I’d breakfasted and begun collecting my gear, a student group arrived in a pair of buses on a school trip, in keeping with the scale of the facility. Before they arrived, I chatted with a groundskeeper who said in younger days he had biked around the island of Hokkaido, and the entire length of New Zealand. When I mentioned the exchange to the manager, he said “Yes, he’s my senior, and a real mountaineer.” はい、先輩です。彼は山 の鉄人。

Two buses stand in a parking lot. On the side of one, the operator’s name Biwa Kankou (Biwa Tourism) is written (for Lake Biwa, lying to the north and east of Kyoto).
Two buses stand in a parking lot. On the side of one, the operator’s name Biwa Kankou (Biwa Tourism) is written (for Lake Biwa, lying to the north and east of Kyoto).

These shots taken on the return trip are the last (I was intent on just getting home on the second day). They show one of the small challenges for long-distance cycling in Japan. Separate paths for bikes are common, but in the countryside they’re sometimes neglected, and nature begins to take over. When still rideable (as here) weeds with clinging seeds (ひっつき虫) can be a minor nuisance, but sometimes the overgrowth completely takes over, forcing bikes to mix with traffic.

A loaded cargo bike is parked on a paved path lying alongside a busy two-lane road with trucks moving in both directions. A guard rail separates the path from the road, but scarcely noticeable is an opening to enter a narrower path on the road side of the guard rail, separated from traffic by a low concrete curb.
A loaded cargo bike is parked on a paved path lying alongside a busy two-lane road with trucks moving in both directions. A guard rail separates the path from the road, but scarcely noticeable is an opening to enter a narrower path on the road side of the guard rail, separated from traffic by a low concrete curb.
A narrow path with a guard rail to the left and a low concrete curb to the right lies next to a trafficked road stretching upward toward a bridge crossing. A sign indicates this is Route 134, and a yellow sign below tersely marks this as “walking path” 歩行
A narrow path with a guard rail to the left and a low concrete curb to the right lies next to a trafficked road stretching upward toward a bridge crossing. A sign indicates this is Route 134, and a yellow sign below tersely marks this as “walking path” 歩行
The path shown in the companion photos, beyond the bridge crossing. Tall weeds grow here and there through cracks in the pavement.
The path shown in the companion photos, beyond the bridge crossing. Tall weeds grow here and there through cracks in the pavement.

And that concludes the snapshot story of this first trip into Shiga Prefecture. Thanks to all for joining in this excursion. It’s a big country out there, and I look forward to seeing more of it this year!