Some places remain in your heart and your memory as special…and when you can, you return. Shimoda is one of those places. We find ourselves often reflecting on this small village on the coast into the mountains with privately run guesthouses, more Onsens than one could ever visit (over 30) and a charm all its own. We are happy to be back.
Previously we stayed on the edge of the village at the big hotel on the coast. We knew nothing about Shimoda and its charms….we just liked what we saw as we rode by and stopped. This time we wanted to be in the heart of the village and booked a family run Ryokan where we will have a Japanese breakfast. Our Japanese tatami sleeping room is very comfortable, their futons were thick and soft. yeah!
Breakfast was incredible. The more we travel here, the more we understand what we are eating and as a result it a better experience.
All too soon it was time to leave. One thing led to another and as can happen in a small inn, guests came together and lots of goodbyes and hugs ensued. A nice ending to a lovely stay in Shimoda.
Our hosts and a few of the other guests were seeing us off.
The river runs through the village. These bridges connect the village. We liked this bridge with the square set in pieces of local stone and the egrets.
Bill ShaneyfeltTo Steve Miller/GrampiesSometimes internet searching for an image that seems to look like what is posted actually is better than computer programs that will likely get better sometime in the future. Reply to this comment 23 hours ago
Bill ShaneyfeltTo Barry BartlettIt has been a delight to dig around the internet and find nature IDs. Thanks for posting all the great pictures. Seems most cycle tourists do not notice nature, let alone make the effort to photograph, then post shots with limited time, limited energy and limited internet.
Now, on to another place where we are excited to make a return visit. We will stay tonight at Minshuku Tomikawa, on the southern tip of Shimoshima in the town of Ushibuka. By our recollection we will be riding through several tunnels today and a number of hills
The day has begun with blue skies and a light wind.
We have reached the Michi at Sakitsu and we are enjoying the display of work by local stained glass artists. Loved the free form piece featuring Hibiscus below.
Beware cyclists…they are serious about this. We use our phones for navigation but it is not distracting as we aren’t studying it…we glance as needed. Nonetheless, we are careful.
We met this lovely couple at the Michi and we had a great time chatting with them. The fellow was so intrigued by our trikes that he didn’t need much prompting to hop on.
He took Mary Ellen’s for a spin around the parking lot. His smile said it all. We know how he feels…our first time on a trike was such joy, like kids on a gocart.
In 1549, St. Francis Xavier a Spanish missionary landed on Kyushu with the aim of converting Japanese people to Christianity. Within 50 years, the number of Christians in Japan was estimated to be around 300. However, Christianity in Japan was short lived lasting just 65 years before it was outlawed by the Shoginate. Over 1000 Japanese Christians were executed. The remaining Christians lived “hidden lives” and outwardly lived as Buddhists but practiced Christianity in secret. The Michi here is a great place to visit as it is devoted to this history with a video and displays.
The town of Sakitsu has elements of a living museum showing the lengths people had to go to avoid persecution. The town is a World Heritage site. Pictured above is the Catholic Church in Sakitsu.
We stopped at a Daily Yamasaki convenience store. We had been riding in the rain for quite a while and needed a break. The in-house made goodies were delicious. Barry had a fried noodle sandwich and we shared the egg/ham bread.
It is raining as predicted. The first time we saw this police car, we thought it was real. It is quite effective complete with the detail of a driver and passenger in the front window.
