It’s been nearly half a year since my Hokkaido touring trip, which I took in search of coolness in the middle of a hot summer... the passage of time is a scary thing….
For me, touring is an indispensable necessity to disconnect from the routine of everyday life, or in other words, to free my stiff body and mind. Since my body and mind had started feeling rigid again, I took advantage of the New Year's holidays to head out on a long touring trip to Kyushu.
I snapped a photo of my bike before heading out. For this trip, my companions are my SANTA CRUZ Stigmata and my OUTER SHELL bags.
This journey starts at Fukuoka Airport. Since I started riding at noon on the first day, I ate some tonkotsu ramen—which is what comes to mind when you think of Fukuoka—at a roadside shop, and then visited Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine to get a blessing from the gods for the ride ahead. It’s a bit hard to see, but I drew a "daikichi" (great blessing) on my fortune slip. Are the gods on my side!?
Day 2 was an attack on the Kuju Mountains area. Despite the string of beautiful, crisp winter scenery with withered plants, it was nothing but hills the whole way. I felt anxious because I couldn't pick up speed on the hills, which meant I wasn't racking up distance, and because winter sunsets are so early, but I kept pushing the pedals.
I had prepared plenty of snacks, so I wasn't worried about "bonking," but I really wanted to have a proper lunch. However, I was in a region without any convenience stores or villages—I didn't even have cell service. Just as I was thinking, "Guess I have no choice but to keep riding," I found a restaurant! I went in immediately and placed my order. It was game meat. It was low in fat, high in protein, rich in iron and other nutrients, and had a chewy texture—it was delicious!
I was getting closer to the Kuju Mountains. The altitude was high, and there was even snow left on the side of the road.
Day 3 started with a mountain pass attack. There was a lot of snow at high elevations, and I rode nervously on the icy roads, but once I got through that, I was met with spectacular roads like the Yamanami Highway and the Aso Caldera. The clouds were thick that day, but there was something nice about that gloomy atmosphere. The wind was strong and there were many ups and downs, but I managed to power through it.
Continuing on, I passed through Kumamoto and approached Amakusa, famous for Amakusa Shiro and the Hidden Christians. Across the water, Mount Unzen in Nagasaki towers over everything. The scenery had been all mountains until then, but upon entering Amakusa City on the 4th day, the lush, blue sea of Matsushima in Amakusa—one of Japan’s three most scenic Matsushima locations—opened up before me.
That said, it was back to the mountains again... I rode through the mountains until I almost went mad, boarded a ferry, and pushed into Kagoshima.
For some reason, I have a knack for being liked by cats, and I was immediately cornered before I even left. However, while I like cats, I'm allergic to them. The cat rubbed against me as if telling me to pet it, and I caved, which resulted in a runny nose and itchy skin. Day 5 started in the worst condition imaginable.
Anyway, I made it into central Kagoshima City. When you think of Kagoshima, you think of Sakurajima, right? That’s right, this trip ends after cycling around Sakurajima, completing a total of just under 600km.
As always, these long touring trips are a way for me to satisfy and liberate myself, but even when I ride alone, I end up wanting to tell everyone about it once I get home. Where should I go next?