view the broad map with a meters above the sea level graph

Because my friend bought a BUROMPTON folding bicycle, we cycled around the southern part of Fukushima together.

We went by train from Tokyo to Otsuko Station and began ride heading north.

The news of the disaster in Fukushima was primarily focused on the nuclear power plants. But, the damage caused by the tsunami is a serious matter as well.

We rode up to the 25km safe spot, quite near to the nuclear installations. The radiation here had a fivefold increase compared to Tokyo, this amount was less than 50 years ago. A nuclear testing in the atmosphere was not prohibited in those days.The transportation infrastructure in the stricken area has been restored. However, a long period will be necessary to return to former life. 67.88Km

I usually travel by bicycle. But this time, I was invited to participate and evaluate a package tour.
Ten people participated in the trip. They were experts in town promotion and travel.
Oodate-shi is an inland city of Tohoku, and the population is 80,000 people, but it is decreasing slowly. This is the famous town where Hachi-ko "the loyal dog in Shibuya" was born. Oodate-shi is attracting tourists for the activation of the town.
We were invited for the evaluation of the hands-on programs.

making mashed rice put on a chopstick;
making a wooden lunchbox;
making bean paste;
The hands-on programs were interesting and memorable.
However, these activities are also promoted in other local cities. Hard competition will continue.

view the big map with a meters above the sea level graph

Because the train arrived at Bandaimachi Station at 11:38, and I had to cycle 70km with two mountain passes to Yonezawa, the problem became that I might arrive after sunset. The weather was clouded and it's occasionally fair, but a cloud hung on the mountaintop of Mt. Bandai-san. First of all I went 15km to Happohdai (1194m), on an 800m incline.

When I went over the mountain pass, I was able to see a rough north wall. A river was dammed up by a landslide in the eruption in 1888, and this made many lakes and marshes appear. Hibara village sits in the Hibara lake.

When I passed the flat shore, the climb up to the ridgeline of the Mt. Azuma began. I went up 550m over 8km up to Shiranuno Pass (1420m) on the prefectural border. I arrived at 17:00, which was one hour behind schedule. The last 10km was a low speed downhill run, while I looked at the night view. 69.13Km/Total 7h

view the big map with a meters above the sea level graph

I cycled from Yamagata to Aterazawa today. "左沢" which is a name of a location, is difficult to read. It is written as Hidari-Sawa but read as Aterazawa. This town prospered from water transportation along the Mogami River. Small ships traveled from the upper river to the harbor here in order to transfer cargos to the larger ships. The old Mogami Bridge, built in 1940, is recognized as "engineering works heritage" by the Japanese Society of Civil Engineers. The view from the Tateyama park, Information Center told me, was distinguished. A bend in the Mogami River could be seen from the steps at the park. 　29.33Km/Total 4h

At the beginning of the Meiji era, ten years since the Meiji Restoration, one British woman traveled to Tohoku and Hokkaido in Japan.

Her name was Isabella L. Bird (1831-1904).
She published a document of her trip called "Unbeaten Tracks in Japan" in London.

This book is not an academic investigation, but a valuable and detailed recording of the Japanese country life in those days.

Ordinary occurrences would have been omitted in a Japanese account.

With eyes full of curiosity, she diligently recorded the roads, food, clothing, shelters, hygiene practices, services rendered to travelers, and even fleas.

As a matter of course, the things mentioned in her book have changed tremendously over the last 130 years.
A reader can tell the differences between then and now - some parts changed and some didn't.

I want to trace her route, which she traveled with a horse and a rickshaw, by bicycle.

I went Mt.Zao in Sep 7,2009.

It was the third time that I went had been to Zao, but I wasn't able to watch the Okama twice either.
Okama is pot of the mauntaintop, it is five colors lake.

I went by bicycle this time. It was fine and I watched splendid scenery. I climbed 1740 meters in one day. This is the personal record. I'm satisfied.

92.36Km AV 14.0Km MAX 47.1Km MAX-HR 166bpm