日本夏2025年

日本夏2025年 - Day 7

June 3, 2025

Yanaizu (Tome, Miyagi) to Ofunato - 97 Km

Start 7:56 AM

Finish 3:46 PM

Total Duration 7:50

Moving Time 5:33

Stopped Time 2:17

Ascent 1,263 m

Descent 1,259 m

Tour Total 721 Km

Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/290879735

I slept well last night, camped atop Lookout Hill park across the river from Yanaizu. It was my first time using my new tent, and I was pleased to find all the zippers working flawlessly. I also broke in a new Therm-a-Rest—no need to re-inflate it in the middle of the night, which was a relief. There was some activity from the lumberyard across the river during the night, so I popped in my earplugs and slept through it.

Sunrise blasted into my tent at 4:30 AM. Despite the early light, I managed to doze for a few more hours.

After packing up, I hiked back down the steep hill to the road. The grass on the steps was wet and slick—descending was far harder than the climb up. One wrong step and this whole journey could have ended. I bushwhacked through thick weeds, silently hoping Japan didn't harbor any poison ivy.

It had been a great camping spot, though like many things in Japan, it required substantial effort. I wore the same kit as yesterday—level one on the grime scale: one day without a proper shower. I carry wet wipes, which help. The air was cool, so I kept my gilet unzipped. The sky was overcast, so I skipped sunscreen.

The route loosely followed National Route 45, and took every opportunity to duck onto side roads to avoid traffic. Soon I found myself riding along a gravel path atop a levee by a branch of the Minamisawa River. Streams here are heavily managed, with extensive waterworks and irrigation for the rice paddies. The size of the levees, floodgates, and seawalls made it clear how serious flooding can get during the rainy season or typhoons.

Eventually, I rejoined the highway and stuck with it to the coast. Traffic wasn’t bad, and there were cycling lane markings courtesy of the Miyagi Prefecture. I rolled into Yokoyama, the next town, where political posters were everywhere—some even blared from vans driving through the streets. I was starving but couldn’t find a convenience store. A steep, winding climb through a valley awaited me, made tougher by a persistent headwind.

Rain was forecast to begin around 1 PM, so I so I’d probably be looking for a place to stay. After the climb, I coasted downhill into Shizugawa Minamisanriku, with a stunning view of Shizugawa Bay and the open sea stretching to the horizon.

Navigation got tricky here—the GPS route showed roads and bridges that didn’t exist, and I got turned around a bit. I stopped at a 7-Eleven and grabbed a Craft Boss latte, donut holes, and a banana sealed in a plastic bag for breakfast.

Refueled, I continued along the coast, passing a mix of large and small fishing communities. Massive piles of basketball-sized floats and thick rope were scattered everywhere. I dipped in and out of tsunami inundation zones, each river mouth fortified with enormous concrete structures to defend against the next big wave. Offshore, gigantic tetrapod jetties gave the coastline a brutalist, surreal feel.

Spotting a torii gate at the end of a long causeway in front of Ara Island, I rode down to investigate. The parking lot bathrooms had showers, and I decided to wait.

Starving again, I pressed on to Minamisanriku and stopped at the Oya Kaigan road station, where I devoured an incredible bowl of sashimi with miso soup and a beer. As I left, the rain finally started falling.

One detail that caught my eye: more of Japan’s quirky ventricular fences. From an angle, they reveal images—flowers, birds, fish, horses, boats—but head-on, they appear blank. These are scattered everywhere, little surprises that make the landscape more interesting.

I entered the Matsukawa Tunnel—800 meters long—the first of five for the day. The others were shorter: Kesennuma, Shikaori, Karana, and Tadogoshi. The last two lacked sidewalks, so I rode cautiously.

By 2 PM, I’d covered 75 kilometers and was cruising along the stunning, unspoiled Dairiseki Coast as light rain continued to fall. I crossed into Iwate Prefecture just as the drizzle picked up.

After Rikuzentakata, the route cut across a peninsula, and the climbing resumed. To the north and east, a mountain range loomed beneath low-hanging clouds.

Eventually, I rolled into Ofunato. I stopped at a grocery store, then headed to my hotel, where I bathed, laundered, and dried all my gear. More rain is in the forecast for tomorrow.