Distance cycled: 70.3km from the park I camped at last night near Himeji to near the top of the mountain pass through the center of the island of Shodoshima.
Average speed: 13,6Km/h
Moving Time: 5h09m
Elevation Ascended: 2096m
Total Distance on Current trip: 1,486km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 10,805km
Money spent: $20 for ferry $15 groceries $10 on snacks = expensive day.
Getting out of the urban areas around Osaka, Kobe and Himeji was pleasant, I was tired of the not so maintained sealed roads and paths where the bumps felt like they were damaging my wheels.
So, here I am in the mountains of Shodoshima, an island I know nothing about.. I hadn't done any research what so ever and just knew there were ferries running from Himeji port to the northeast part of the island so I paid the $20 for a ticket and hopped on. This ferry would have to be the nicest ferry I had ever been on with them even providing me with disposable slippers. Power outlets, canteen, comfortable seats and benches for sleeping it was certainly a welcome change from the ferries in Indonesia.
Disappointingly the weather was overcast making everything grey, but here's the thing, Japan to me has always been grey, I would like to associate this country with the bright reds and oranges you often see at shines and temples but grey is the color of my experience here in Japan. For me Grey = boring and that's what I've seen in the design of buildings, the people, the lack of street life; just no vibrancy with all these things with one exception, the scenery which is stunning and I find I'm the only one appreciating it amongst these people.
Shodoshima, it offers many stunning views, panoramics of the coastlines with outcrops of small rocky islands a stone throws away from the secluded beaches with steep probably unexplored terrain within the heart of the island. It's a beautiful place but the towns lacked presence, there was no one about, looking for a place to buy food was near impossible in one town that only offered drinks from various vending machines.
I left the coast and headed into the mountains to see what I could find there, there were a few shrines along the way but the best was where I camped, a completely abandoned cafe on the side of the road with a dirt path that led to a shrine situated higher up the mountain. This shrine definitely had some Greek or roman influence with big white pillars and marble tiled floor as you entered.
Regardless of it not being Japanese it's still a great place to spend the night.
I found another trail that led further up the mountain so leaving my bike I explored higher and higher reaching some typical Japanese shrines and plenty of carved stone with Japanese characters embossed in the stone - as I don't read (or speak) the language I had no idea what they said.
Perhaps they were warning people of the spider webs across the path and to be careful not to walk into them as I did.
More ridiculous Japanese ridiculousness
On the ferry to Shodoshima
The roads and views on Shodoshima
No idea what this is meant to be.
A temples very detailed statues
Spiraling staircase been left out, abandoned in the elements
Where I camped.. and, yes, I am still in Japan.
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