Uki to Komatsuya Nagisakan

The first time we stayed in the Japanese hotel chain, R9 The Yard, was on Shikoku, a year ago. We vowed never to return. It’s not because it is tiny..each unit is a metal container. The problem was Mary Ellen had a nasty fall exiting the bathroom which has a high step down and a ridge that can catch your foot. We have stayed at a few R9’s on this trip and realize that it can be a positive choice. The pro’s…immaculate, new, comfortable bed, free dinner, friendly staff and incredibly low price. Also, you never worry about where to park your bike as it is secured at your unit. The cons are obvious…tiny space, but functional and it lacks personality like some Japanese hotels and inns. As well, it is usually located a bit out of town in an industrial area. However the pro to this problem is that you can usually count on a Conbini next door.

We are excited to get on our way today as we will be beginning our tour of the beautiful Amakusa Islands. The previous trip, we saw some of the Amakusa Islands when we were heading south from Nagasaki. This trip we want to see more.

It is easy to feel inspired to begin a day of cycling when the colours of fall greet you, even if it is a cold day.

This charming building is a bakery. We loved the whimsical painted characters on the outside of the building.

Before we get to an island, we begin our ride on the Uto Peninsula which is land based on Kyushu. We will be following the sea for some while climbing the hills. The coldness of the morning is reflected in the icy appearance of the stream at low tide.

Greenhouses are a common sight on Kyushu, even on slopes and steep hills.

When we can, we leave the road and ride on the concrete barrier along the shore. It was great to ride away from cars, plus we enjoyed having a great view of the sea.

We love being by water. Our life in British Columbia is on a small island and we are surrounded by ocean which gives us a quality of life we enjoy.

The layers of mountains on the horizon is a beautiful sight.

The bird life at shore and on the water is fascinating to watch. Hawks, ducks, small birds - the sea is a busy place.

We are so cold today despite wearing layers of clothing. The wind and the dampness make it feel significantly colder than the temperature suggests it should be. There has been a real downturn in the weather lately. It feels like winter!

We rarely see boats on trailers…they are usually on the back of a truck. This one must have been a challenge to load.

I don’t know what the name of this tree with red berries. Initially I just saw the ground covered with these berries and then I looked up.

We have a few things we want to mail home - note the white bag tied to my seat back. We had read that Canada Post is on strike but we didn’t realize that Canada Post had sent a directive to other countries, like Japan, not to send any mail to Canada due to the backlog. There was also a suggestion that parcels from afar would be sent back. Yikes…

The Torii gate leads to a shrine in the forest.

It is such a typical view of rural Japan in this area…rice growing, greenhouses and forested mountains.

Fishing is the lifeblood of many Japanese villages.

Food production is a big part of farming here. Mandarins are in season, as are pomelos, persimmons and oranges. We are benefitting from this and always have a bag of fresh mandarins in our panniers. Yummy.

A farmer off to a Michi-no-Eki or a community store with mandarins to sell. Compared to what we have at home, the fruit is larger, juicy and packed with flavour.

We usually pay about $3 for a bag a bit smaller than this.

The Daily Yamazaki is a great Conbini which has an onsite bakery and they also prepare bento boxes fresh. We like to find these as the food is so good.

Our view from the Tenmon Bridge. Simply beautiful.

So many tunnels… we like this one because it has a wide enough sidewalk for us to ride away from the big trucks.

We were buying groceries for dinner and breakfast when these two young women came up and wanted to chat. It turns out they are from Vietnam and will be working here for a few years. We find it cold, but they are truly suffering. Like us they are bundled up with layers of clothing.

We had a great time visiting with them. They were so excited that we are from Canada as their family is presently living and working in Canada. They showed us pictures of their family in snow and they couldn’t imagine how they were coping.

We had such a great conversation with these two young women. We admire their adventurous spirit in coming to work and live in a foreign country with the challenges of language, culture and climate.

One of the girls tried my trike and they insisted that Barry try one of their uprights. Ouch!

We reached our hotel at dusk and boy what a cold ride we had. Our hotel had a unique way of welcoming guests with the names of people arriving on the board at the front of the hotel.

The view from our room. We have completed the length of the Uto Peninsula and tomorrow we will be crossing the two bridges and begin our exploration of the Amakusa Islands.

What a wonderful view we have. On this trip we have been making a habit of staying in older hotels that come from a different era. Typically they have an onsen, the rooms are grand in size, comfortable yet showing their age. We find them charming and so affordable. The rooms are traditional with tatami mat flooring and we sleep on futons. As well we have a seating area at the window to appreciate the view.

The Onsen is at the end of our hall. No tattoos allowed! We can’t wait to go and immerse ourselves in the hot mineral waters of the Onsen. Bliss!

Bento boxes from a grocery store for dinner. Tasty. We have had a wonderful day.

Today's ride: 52 km (32 miles)
Total: 1,291 km (802 miles)

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