"Maybe we should have gotten off at the previous station..."
Rewind the clock about 20 minutes. On a weekday morning, Nagoya Station’s commuter rush was, naturally, swarming with people. I leaned my bicycle against the wall in a corner so as not to obstruct anyone. I could feel the strange looks directed at me while I was pushing my packed-up bike, and once I unfolded the transit bag and began removing the wheels, some people even stopped to watch. As someone who did this many times during my university cycling club days, I’m used to the environment; by now, I’ve even reached a point where I feel like I’m performing street magic in my head. I didn't get any tips, but I managed to get on the train without any trouble.
While looking at a map on the train to research the area around our destination, Mino-Ota Station, I realized that getting off at Gifu Station—the stop before—and heading north would have been better in terms of both the route and timing. But the train had already departed. It wasn't so much "it can't be helped" as it was the feeling of, "Well, it’ll work out somehow," that won out. After all, as long as there is a road, we can keep going by bike. I convinced myself of this, and we got off at Mino-Ota Station.
Heading Straight for the Mountains
Though we changed our initial plan, every route has its own charm, and we set off pedaling in high spirits. As we headed north on Gifu Prefectural Road 63, which runs to the west of Mino-Ota Station, and climbed the hill past the entrance gate of the Hosenbo Golf Club (my interest was piqued by what looked like a forest road blocked off by wire mesh along the way), the view suddenly opened up, and a building with a sleek, minimalist presence appeared.
It was a cafe called Kyuka-goya (Vacation Cabin), where you can look out over the townscape of Minokamo from inside the shop and feel the flowing nature around you. It was a space where, quite literally, time seemed to have been captured.
The aroma of the coffee that greeted us as it was brought to the table and the cake selected by the owner brought happiness to our slightly fatigued bodies.
Feeling nature, listening to music, and remembering the gentleness of time we had long forgotten—this place was a vacation cabin not just for our bodies, but for our hearts.
We were reluctant to leave, but our goal was the campsite. We hopped back on our bikes and returned to the road. After repeating some exhilarating climbs and descents from the cafe, we hit a large road. "Hmm? Could this be…?" We both stared at the map and realized. It seemed we had been heading southeast downhill instead of north, and we had popped out on a road connected to National Route 41. Impatient with the setting sun, we turned back toward the prefectural road and pedaled hard along Gifu Prefectural Road 97.
As the sky shifted from blue to red, our "saddle talk" naturally turned to the theme of dinner.
"Taka-san, what should we eat?"
"It’s going to get cold tonight, so something warm would be good, right."
The best parts of camping by bike are the "scenery" and the "local specialties." Once camping enters the picture, the focus shifts from cooking to ingredients. What shall we use, and what shall we make?
"What is this area famous for, I wonder?"
"The river is beautiful, so it has to be fish and tea, right?"
As we advanced, feeling hungry, the Hisui-kyo Gorge spread out beside us.
However, we had neither the time to fish, nor were any tea shops still open, and the metaphorical hands reaching out from our stomachs began grasping at thin air. Now what? Neither of us said it out loud, but we both exuded a sense of impatience. It’s a common occurrence in touring that shops never appear when you need them most, but this time was different.
Standing along the Hida River, which flows through Hisui-kyo, was Mame-Kasho. I wondered if the mere sight of words could stimulate one's appetite so much, as we steered toward it as if it were the only logical choice. Encountering Gifu soybeans—the very local specialty we had been seeking—we bought tofu and fried tofu while trying to restrain the "hands" of our screaming stomachs. By this point, our late-night drinking party had already started in our heads.
We had already decided on the campsite, so when we asked the shopkeeper about our other source of anxiety—a bath—he said, "Around here, you won't find one unless you head further north to the roadside station. Or, you could visit a ryokan in Shirakawa Town near your campsite."
The sun had begun to call it a day, disappearing behind the mountains, and the road ahead for #TeamRalLoaders grew dark.
Camping Touring ≒ Role-Playing Game
Since standing around worrying wouldn't solve anything, we headed toward Shirakawa Town to search for two ryokans that were still lit. Naritaya, located on the Shirakawa Highway. We tried our luck and opened the door to ask, and received the heartwarming response: "We're busy now, but come back in 30 minutes." Of course, the hot water soaked into our chilled bodies, gradually warming us to the core. As we soaked, the conversation loosened up along with our cold-stiffened bodies. The route change while transit-traveling, the mountain climbs, the descent where we ultimately took a wrong turn, the local tofu we had bought—everything we felt today was transformed into words, poured out, and dissolved into the steam. An onsen is an essential part of touring. Perhaps that's because it’s not just a part of the life cycle, but a tool for communication.
We were steadily satisfying our needs, but one final source of anxiety remained: we hadn't reserved a campsite. I don’t even want to imagine how many people are shaking their heads at this, but it’s a fact. With the campsite's reception hours long past and our bodies cooling down as we stood helplessly, we remembered a glimmer of hope. Before arriving at the ryokan, Taka-san had made a phone call. The person on the other end was, believe it or not, Engiya in Kani City, who had taught us the (original) route and spots for this ride.
"The campsite reception is closed..."
"Then try a sushi restaurant in Shirakawa Town. The owner is an acquaintance of mine."
Feeling the distinct atmosphere of a role-playing game, we walked through the noren of Sushiko.
"Um... we were told to come here by Engiya-san..."
"Oh, I’ve heard about you. Come on in."
It was just like a role-playing game. As we explained the situation regarding the campsite, the owner, Mr. Miyata, started making a phone call somewhere.
"I’m friends with the campsite manager, and I’ve sorted it out for you. He said just come and check in tomorrow morning."
Wherever we went, paths opened up, and I truly felt the connections between people, the bonds, and the warmth of others. Back in my college touring days, I prioritized traveling alone, seeking freedom. But that wasn't freedom—it might have just been loneliness. As I chatted with Mr. Miyata and his mother, the locals dropped by, and the conversation became more and more lively.
We had plenty more to talk about, but we still had to camp. Not out of obligation, but in search of fun. While everyone worriedly told us, "Mornings in Shirakawa Town get insanely cold," we pedaled on toward our final destination for the day.
At the Campsite After 11:00 PM
Watched over by the clear winter starry sky and the sound of the Hida River flowing right beside us, we set up our tents. Taka-san and I aren't the types to just say, "We have an early start tomorrow, let's sleep." We had to have that late-night drink with the tofu we had picked up.
Advancing by turning the pedals with my own legs and my own power. The vibrations from the road surface, the cold wind hitting my body. Everything—the sounds, the cold, the smells—that can never be felt by just looking at a guide map becomes experience and knowledge, forming the pieces that make up who I am. Perhaps the quiet, still night, peculiar to the winter season, is accelerating my thinking more than usual.
And so, the night deepens.
TODAY’S RIDER
| Frame | VeloOrange | PassHunterDisc |
| Brake | PAUL COMPONENTS | KLAMPER CALIPER Long-Pull |
| Front Bag | RAL | FRONT LOADER |
| Tire | SIMWRORKS x PANARACER | Homage 650b |
| Wear | OMM | Kamleika Race |
| RAL by DEEPER’S WEAR | Fastpass Chino Shorts | |
| RAL HOSE | Tabby |