Cycling Day 31: To Hayashima
My roommate at the hostel was Forris, a German cycle-tourist who has been traveling since last June, having got herself a year out from her teaching job. We had a good chat 🙂
On leaving the hostel the rear tyre felt a bit spongy. It seems I still have a slow puncture as the pressure was low. I just pumped it up...we'll see how long it lasts...and when I can be bothered to have another go at fixing it properly!
I had been planning to go to the centre of Fukuyama to see it's castle, but decided to skip a few km to make sure I could get to my intended campsite before dark 🤞
Bekijk het op de interactieve kaart
28 April 2026 - 10:30
28 April 2026 - 10:51
2nd ferry of the day already!
Seaside shrine
Not crossing this one!
Just because it's not on the way (and I'd have to cycle up a hill!)
Abuto Kannon Temple
Very small and overpriced temple (okay, it was only £1.50, but it's tiny). Not supposed to take photos of it, and the path to the little viewpoint was closed due to 'the risk of falling rocks after heavy rain'.
Founded 985. Being about childbirth, the main shrine is decorated with loads of images and textile breasts!
Looks best from the sea, but you don't get that view when you pay to go in 🫤
28 April 2026 - 12:43
28 April 2026 - 13:05
Yodohime jinja (shrine) and a view to Tomonoura, a 'centuries old fishing village', which does look quite quaint in parts!
Ankokuji Temple and nearby
Very grand temples here for a fishing village!
28 April 2026 - 13:37
The toilet at the temple looked a bit sad, but did have some nice traditional music playing!
Round the clock again!
That's 2002km cycled (or maybe pushed occasionally!) in Japan so far. Good excuse for an ice-cream?
Campsite & caterpillars!
It was after dark when I made it to the campsite, and quite a trial as OpenStreetMap maps took me to a path on a forested hill rather than the campsite itself - there was a load of struggling up and down steps and steep paths in the wood before I eventually came to the camping field!
The place is overrun with caterpillars, and there were no other campers, but there was an expensive, but very good, shower room and the caterpillars didn't eat my tent in the night!
29 April 2026 - 08:21
You can hear the caterpillars munching away all the time! Otherwise it's a good campsite and I had it all to myself!