Day one of my trip. I was scrambling to get ready right up until the night before I left. I thought I’d packed only the bare essentials, but for a 20-day trip, my luggage is inevitably quite bulky.
7:00 AM. I had a 2-egg plate at Earlybirds, then set off, seen off by the owner, Keita-kun, and some regular customers.
Welldone’s Inocchi rode with me as far as Ichinomiya. I’m truly grateful for his help, and for lending me his pannier bags. Seriously, thank you.
My first goal was Kyoto. I took Route 18 toward Ogaki, then merged onto Route 21. I even managed to enjoy some cherry blossom viewing during a break along the way.
Once I hit Maibara, it was just heading south the whole way. The terrain was gently rolling, but the 10kg or so in my pannier bags made it pretty tough.
This
Hunter×Porcelain Rocket / Fanny Pack was a lifesaver. I didn't have to carry a backpack, which kept me feeling light. I’m so glad I bought it.
Finally, I arrived in Kyoto. I went to Soraido Cycle, a shop I’d been wanting to visit.
The owner, Mr. Amenomori, treated me to a canned beer and even checked over my bike. In a stroke of bad luck, I’d lost my bike lock somewhere on the way to Kyoto without realizing it. When I tried to buy a new one at Soraido, he kindly gifted me a KRYPTONITE lock. Such a classy gesture—thank you so much.
I spent the night at this guesthouse: Hostel Mundo Chiquito. It was filled with backpackers from abroad, so it felt like a different world, but everyone was so nice. The staff were also very kind. It was super affordable, so I highly recommend it. Just doing a long ride to Kyoto, staying at a guesthouse for a night, and coming back would be a lot of fun on its own.
From here, I’m headed to Osaka and Kobe. In search of new encounters, my journey continues.