I ride my usual go-to routes to refresh my mind and body, but it’s also a way to build up the stamina for "that place" I’ve been wanting to ride one day.
Even if you managed to visit that place without doing anything, you wouldn’t be able to fully enjoy it without the proper fitness.
That said, it’s rarely easy to actually make it out to such places, but I finally went there the other day—to "that place."
Heading to the base of Taga-taisha
As usual, I had a limited amount of time that day, but I headed to Taga Town in the Inukami District of Shiga Prefecture. It’s a region famous for Taga-taisha Shrine, but I didn't stop there; I parked my car nearby and began to turn the pedals. My destination, of course, was the mountainous area where climbs are inevitable.
The steep Sugisaka Pass and the sacred trees
The first place I stepped into was Sugisaka Pass, turning off from the somewhat wider road along the river. The winding road I’d spotted on the map was a steep climb that sapped my energy, but as I kept pedaling, three massive cedar trees suddenly appeared.
It seems these three cedars are considered sacred trees.
Legend has it that Izanagi-no-Mikoto, the deity of Taga-taisha, descended here and settled in the village of Kurisu after coming down this pass. Along the way, he was served chestnut rice by villagers, and the chopstick he stuck into the ground sprouted to become these trees.
A chopstick turning into a cedar tree...? I thought, taking a short break.
The Jizo Cedars of Hozuki
The road ahead became relatively flat but remained on a slight uphill trend. After a series of ups and downs, another pair of large cedar trees appeared: the Hozuki Jizo Cedars.
I had confirmed them on the map, but it was still a surprise when they suddenly appeared while I was riding the narrow single-track road.
They are of a decent size, and the shrine nestled among the four cedar trees is so captivating that I found myself completely mesmerized.
Keita from All-Weather-Bike was praying quite earnestly; it seems the Jizo statue enshrined here is a "Breast Jizo" (said to help with lactation or breastfeeding health).
A steep descent to the valley floor
After passing the Hozuki Jizo Cedars, the road began to trend downhill, and after a few curves, the view opened up. Despite the road being paved, large rocks were scattered everywhere, so I carefully picked my line while dropping all the way to the path on the valley floor. I had intended to take photos, but I was so focused on being careful and nervous about the descent that I had no room for that. Before I knew it, I had reached the bottom.
Hello, Mt. Ryozen
Turning north along the river from there, Mt. Ryozen reveals itself from the valley.
I found myself stopping again and again just to gaze at this unexpected scenery. I’ve always wanted to do a "Bike to Hike" trip on Mt. Ryozen, and this really kicked that desire into high gear.
The long-awaited Gongenyadani Forest Road
And this is where our "that place" begins—the road I wanted to come and ride: the Gongenyadani Forest Road.
It’s rare to encounter scenery like this, passing between steep, sheer rock walls. Personally, it was a first for me, too.
The whole area is a karst landscape, so the details of the rock faces are quite unique, and I found myself saying "Wow, amazing!" over and over again.
However, just like the descent earlier, while the road is paved, you have to be careful of rocks that have fallen all over the place. Hearing the sound of small stones tumbling down the mountainside really keeps you on your toes.
After a while, the road loops back to the riverside path I took at the start.
There are still so many intricate, inviting roads to explore in this area, but that was it for this particular ride.
Actually, I was on a morning time limit and only rode about 30km.
I knew the approximate distance from the start, but I really felt that there are very few routes where you can get this much satisfaction in such a short time and distance.
I’ve created the route, so if you’re interested, please go give it a ride.
Next time, I’d like to ride this whole loop and then head out on the road toward Maibara.