日本夏2025年

June 21, 2025

日本夏2025年 - Day 5

June 1, 2025

Fukushima to Sendai - 94 Km

Start 9:26 AM

Finish 3:58 PM

Total Duration 6:32

Moving Time 5:04

Stopped Time 1:27

Ascent 249 m

Descent 284 m

Tour Total 517 Km

Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/290091078

I slept well in Room 1143 at the Hotel Sankyo in Fukushima. Thankfully, I was able to close the window shade again, blocking out the early morning light that usually streams in around 4:30 a.m. I woke at 7:30 and headed downstairs for an incredible breakfast—not included in the stay, but well worth it. I had my first cappuccino of the trip and loaded up on scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, fish, dumplings, and grabbed a couple of bananas for the road.

All my gear had finally dried out, and with only a 10% chance of rain in the forecast, the outlook was good. There were no mountain passes ahead, and the route to Sendai was mostly downhill—an easy 100 km day, or so I thought. Before setting off, I gave my chain a much-needed oiling. It was already showing signs of rust after three days of steady rain.

I rolled out through the quiet streets of Fukushima. A few early risers were tending their plants in the gray morning chill. I wore my cycling jersey, gilet, shorts, overshorts, and wool socks. Soon, a light mist began to fall. I pulled over to put on my poncho, and when the rain picked up, I stopped again to switch into my waterproof socks.

Passing the Fukushima Racecourse, I noticed there were events scheduled for the day. Leaving the city behind, I rode through the sprawl and onto a bike lane that followed the levee above the Abukuma River. I passed mile after mile of peach orchards—the trees heavy with ripening fruit. This region is famous for its peaches.

The rain stayed light, so I traded the poncho for my rain jacket for better aerodynamics. The mist came and went. When the levee ended, I rejoined the road and crossed into Miyagi Prefecture.

I followed the winding National Route 349 alongside the river. To my left, a new highway was under construction—straight, wide, complete with tunnels and bridges. My route diverted onto a rough, overgrown road that looked barely passable, so I chose to skip it.

The Kawasan No. 2 tunnel offered a wide sidewalk for riding, as did Kawasan No. 1, which I exited before stopping to eat a banana. Katakura Tunnel also had a generous sidewalk. Yamada Tunnel didn’t, so I took the car lane.

Tourist boats plied the muddy river below as I continued along Route 349. The route occasionally tried to divert me onto narrow, uninviting side roads, so I stuck to the main road. In Kakuda, 349 merged with Route 113, and traffic picked up. I spotted a bike path on the levee to the right and climbed up for a quieter, more pleasant ride.

I passed the small Kakuda Airfield—a simple stretch of asphalt surrounded by grass. The planes were stored in quirky trailers with distinctive tail sections peeking out.

The levee path was lovely—wide, smooth tarmac with rice paddies and neat rows of vegetables between me and the river. Eventually, it ended abruptly. The route showed a crossing that didn’t exist, forcing me to backtrack and rejoin 349/113, now crowded and shoulderless.

I later reconnected with the levee for another peaceful stretch. I stopped for another banana as the smell of the sea filled the air. The sun was trying to break through and the temperature had climbed noticeably. I zigzagged through endless rice paddies—some paths were gravel, others simply didn’t exist. It was frustrating at times.

In the towns, I've noticed baskets with bright safety flags at crosswalks for school children to wave while crossing. I’ve seen this in the western U.S. too. It’s a shame it’s necessary, but I admire how seriously Japan takes the safety of its children.

Back on a gravel levee path, I stopped to shed my jacket. Nearing Sendai, I fired up Apple Maps, which guided me onto smooth bike paths along the Hirose River. Large puddles lingered from yesterday’s rain. Sendai, with a population of 1,098,335, is the biggest city I’ve ridden through since Tokyo. I could see its skyline rising ahead.

In town, I stopped at Ramen Kaiji and had an incredible bowl of their rich ramen, along with a bottle of Heartland beer. After lunch, the sun made another attempt to show itself as I rode through the heart of the city.

At the KoKo Hotel, the staff asked me to rinko-bag my bike before bringing it up to the room. Luckily, there was a coin laundry on my floor, which I used while editing this report.