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.

16-18 July 2024: A casually planned three-day ride to a popular hot spring resort. Surprises included: an unridable hiking trail; a flat tire repair challenge in a rainstorm on a mountain road after dark; a midnight map reading failure; and the kindness of strangers.

21-25 May 2024: A sentimental multi-modal journey to Tokyo and the Kantō plain to visit old friends and make new connections.

We had one day of cherry blossoms in Nagoya this year, and I took snaps of some of ’em.

18-20 March 2024: A three-day ride into the foothills behind Okayama led by a friend in the area, in which I brought a road bike to a country tour and … found out. A tale of hot springs and cold weather.

A small roadside lunch counter in Okazaki that I discovered on my first camping trip, and still visit from time to time on a day trip.