Cycling around Lake Biwa 2015 (1)

Lake Biwa is the biggest lake in Japan, it is also one of the oldest lakes in the world, it is located at Shiga which is next to Kyoto, when I first time went to visit Kyoto few years ago, I saw this lake on the map, it seems very big, I was curious and wondered, “Wow, what is the lake?” So I searched the information of Lake Biwa on the internet, and it was really impressed me, I told myself, I must visit it someday.

Last October, I suddenly got couple days off, so I checked the ticket to Japan randomly, I found the ticket to Osaka during the next week was on sale, only 3500TWD, it seems like a good chance to go, so I bought the ticket immediately and decided to finish my dream – to visit Lake Biwa. As you can tell, living in a modernization country like Japan is very convenient, you can almost go anywhere by the train, so if you want to visit Lake Biwa, it would be a good idea to spend couple days and stop over couple towns around the lake by the train.

Or, you can try another way like me – rent a bike and take a lap of the lake. 

I think cycling is a very nice way to travel around Lake Biwa, you can enjoy the scenery slowly and closely while you riding the bike along the lake, even if you got lost on your way, you might find some different landscape you've never seen on the book, maybe in a lane, or under a tree, I think it is also the most charming part of travel.

 

After 3 hours of flight, I finally landed Kansai Airport, I took the express to Kyoto from Osaka, it took me about 2 hours, it was already 9 P.M. when I finally arrived the hostel, “The Lower East Nine Hostel“.

“The Lower East Nine Hostel” is located next “Kyujyo Station”, also pretty close to Kyoto Station, very nice location. It is a nice and clean hostel, all of the staffs are nice too, plus, the price is very cheap, only 900TWD per night / each person. There is a 7-ELEVEn next to the hostel, so you don't have to worry about it if you feel hungry at the midnight. 

There is a bar at the lobby, you can have some drinks here, and there is a living room on the second floor, after taking a quick shower, I lay down on the couch lazily and read my novel for a while in the living room, it was so nice that I could have such a comfortable night before I started my cycling trip.

It has been a long time since last time I came to visit Kyoto, this is an old city with bunches of beautiful Japanese traditional temples, I had a really great time last time I was here, I felt so bad that I couldn't have much time to stay longer here this time, well, maybe next time. 

The next morning, I woke up at 8 A.M. and went to a bicycle rental "KCTP" near Kyoto Station by foot, I made the reservation of a mountain bike on their website, and the price is 2000JPY / each day.

My cycling plan is pretty simple, to start it from Kyoto to Shiga, and then take a lap around the lake for 3 days (about 200 km). 

But after I’ve finished my trip, I have to tell you that starting it from Kyoto is totally a bad idea, there is nothing but so many cars on the way to Shiga from Kyoto, it is dangerous, also steep, it took me a lot of time, based on my experience, I don’t suggest you to start it from Kyoto.

Although Lake Biwa is beautiful, it is kind of country side, it is not so easy to find a bicycle rental there, so if you want to cycle along the lake and you don’t have your own bicycle like me, I found a nice rental store "Biwaichi" in Hikone City which is close to Lake Biwa, to take the train to Hikone and start it from there might be a good idea.

 

After 2 hours riding, I finally arrived at Otsu Harbor and officially started to cycle along the lake. The weather was perfectly nice, it was a good starting. 

To take the ferry and enjoy the scenery of Lake Biwa from Otsu Harbor is a very nice way to go, besides, in summertime, there is a huge firework festival here, don't forget to give it a visit if you have a chance to come to Otsu.

Before my trip, I've found something interesting when I was searching the information about Lake Biwa, there is a bicycle website "輪の国びわ湖" with much useful info about cycling Lake Biwa, it helped me a lot. 

The most intersting thing is, they set many points around the lake, if you check in at least 4 points and answer the questions by your phone online, you will get a cycling certification, it seems fun, I was going to finish a lap of the lake anyway, so I decided to get this certification on my way.

One of  the check-in points is just located in Otsu Harbor, but I couldn't find it, so I asked to a passerby and he pointed me where it is, it is in the office.

After answering the first question successfully, I felt a bit glad and excited, I went back to my way and kept going forward. 

The lake is much bigger than I thought, also beautiful, just like a blue mirror, silence and peaceful, you don't have to do anything but sit there and watch it, it would lead you to find the peace deep in your heart.

There is a beautiful museum “Sagawa Art Museum” near Lake Biwa Bridge, technically on my way, so I decided to spend some time to visit it. (The price of the ticket is 1000JPY)

This museum is also called “The museum on the water”, it is designed surround by the water, just like a small Lake Biwa.

They exhibit some Japanese artists’ works such as the painter Hirayama Ikuo, the sculptor Sato Churyo, the ceramic artist Raku Kichizaemon, all of it is amazing, I like to visit local museums and enjoy the atmosphere when I travel, to feel the different cultures and history in different cities, there’s always something surprised me.

I spent 2 hours in the museum, and then I kept continuing my cycling trip. There is barely nothing on the following way, I tried to find a restaurant to grab some food but I couldn’t, the only convenient store is at the other side but I couldn’t cross it because of too many cars, I felt hungrier and hungrier, kind of despair, the last rice ball has been already eaten by me few hours ago, I felt so hungry, it was tough.

Finally, I found a small bakery when I passed by a small town, I stopped and parked the bicycle quick, then I walked into the bakery with hopefully, but there was no one there, I couldn’t help trying to shout loud, but still no one respond, I felt disappoint, I almost gave up, but when I was going to leave, there was an old man walking to me slowly from the back of the bakery.

I bought 2 breads, asked him if I could eat it here? The baker told me it is fine, so I sat on the chair and finished the bread quick, like very fast, I am not sure it is because I was too hungry or the bread was really great, but it is the most delicious bread I have ever eaten.

The baker is an old man, when I was trying to find my wallet in my bag, he saw my camera, apparently it attracted his attention, he asked me if I like photography? I told him yes, then he smiled warmly and took an old box from under the table, and there are full of photos taken by him inside the box, I was so surprised, he showed me his photos, including waterfall, mountain, festival……all of it are really good photos, also very professional, he shared each story of the photos to me, it was really a great time talking with him.

He was also curious how come a foreign visitor like me would pass by such a small town here? I told him my travel plan and told him I was going to another city later, he seems a bit worried because the sun was going down soon and I was alone with only a bike, but I told him not to worry.

When I was going to say good-bye to him and going forward, he came out from the back of the table, and gave me two more breads as free, I panicked and told him it’s fine, but he still insisted me to accept it, “Keep it girl, do not be hungry on your way.”

It was a touched moment, maybe because I was too tired at that time, I almost cried when he gave me the breads, I don’t think that I’ve done enough good things, but I’ve always met so many good person on my way or even in my life. Suddenly, I realized the meaning of travel is to meet, to meet another person from the other side in the world, to meet a person who you could only meet once in your life, and then miss them in the rest of your life.

I come to here for only meeting you.

Before I left, the baker told me to wait and went to take his camera and took a photo of me, we might not be able to see each other again in our life, but I know I will live in his photo forever from this moment, he will also live in my letters forever, from now on.

After I came back to Taiwan, I sent a post card which is taken by me to him to thank everything he has done to me, he is really a kindly person, I wish I could have a chance to visit him again.

After leaving from the bakery about half an hour, I arrived at “Omihachiman”, it is a very beautiful place with Japanese old streets and architecture, the atmosphere here is really nice, but I didn’t have much time to stay because it was getting dark, I had to go to the next city which is still far, after 20 minutes of staying, I could only say good-bye to this small lovely town and kept going forward.

Basically there was nothing but only endless field on the following way, although it was dark already, it was actually not so scared when you riding the bike in the middle of the field alone without street lights, but you have to be very careful or you might fall down into the field. Actually, I think it was kind of interesting experience to me.

After spending 1.5 hours in the field, I finally arrived at Hikone City, then I went to have dinner with my Japanese friend “Hikaru”, he is a college student and lives in Nagoya City, when he knew that I was going to visit Japan again, he decided to drive couple hours to here for only having dinner with me, it was really touched because it is far from his city, and he did the same thing when the last time I was in Osaka, it is so nice to have such a truly friend like him, even we could only meet couple hours a year and not sure when will we meet again next time, I really treasure our relationship.

After dinner, I went back to the hostel, the hostel I’ve stayed this night - "Business Inn Kiyotaki" is a Japanese traditional style hostel, I’ve wanted to stay in this kind of hostel for such a long time, you know, tatami or something, after all, I am a foreigner who love Japanese culture anyway, ha ha.

The price of this room is very cheap, about only 1000JPY each night, I guess it is because I came on the low season.

It was quite fun of my first day cycling along the lake, although it was very tired, I am happy that I came to visit this beautiful place, people here are also nice, “Can’t wait to continue my trip next day!” I lay on my back and recalled all the things happened on that day in my mind, unconsciously, I fell asleep deeply…