CYCLING AROUND LAKE BIWA

Image via Wikipedia

Over the last two weeks I rode my bicycle around Shiga Prefecture's Lake Biwa. Lake Biwa is the largest lake in Japan. It is just over the hill from Kyoto, only about 15 minutes from Kyoto Station by JR train. The lake dominates Shiga Prefecture and is a popular but seldom crowded area for boating, fishing, wind surfing, and swimming in summer. There are a number of interesting and historic towns along its shoreline. The road around Lake Biwa is 235 km, and you can also circumnavigate it by JR train. In fact, you can ride the train completely around for the price of one stage (180 yen)! You just get off one stop before the place you started at. It's perfectly legal. Japan Rail even advertises it.

It was my second ride around the lake. The first time was about four years ago - a very special memory because it was my first multi-day bicyle trip. It was then that I discovered how much I love - absolutely LOVE - biking through the countryside. On that occasion I spread the journey over three days, spending two nights in business hotels at Omi-Imazu and Nagahama. 

This time I went a little slower, taking five days. I wanted to explore some of the places along the way more fully, and I planned to take a lot of photographs. Rather than staying in hotels I left my bicycle in train station bicycle parking and went home to Kyoto each night. That worked out really well, because the train fare was much cheaper than hotel tariffs, and I don't much like staying in hotels anyway. Home is much more comfortable. It also meant I could take "break" days. I'm no superwoman. I'm not even very fit. I'm usually pretty tired after two days on the road, and three days in a row is about the limit (although I'd like to increase that limit.)

The only downside to heading home each night was not getting an early start. Time lost travelling back to my bicycle meant I was seldom on the road before 10 am. The hours between 6 and 9 am are always beautiful in the countryside. The road is quieter and the light is great for photography.

You can see a map of the area here. From Yamashina (bottom left of lake) I rode over the hill to Otsu, then up the West side of the lake to Omi-Takashima on the first day. The second day I explored Takashima, then went as far as Ranten (top of the lake) but had to return to Makino. After a rest day I continued on to Nagahara, exploring the beautiful countryside around the top of  the lake. The fourth day I started late and rode to Omi-Hachiman. Then after a two day break for other commitments I completed the journey back to Kyoto.

I will write more posts about the journey soon.