A few years ago I cycled from Makino in Northern Shiga along the lakeside beyond Kaizu Osaki to Nishi-Azai, and reveled in the exquisite light of 'golden hour'. The road curves in and out, winding around the small bays. The scenery is very rural, and absolutely stunning. At a place called Ranten the road leaves the lake and climbs steeply into the mountains. The sun had set by then, so I turned and retraced my path. If you want to duplicate this trip, I strongly recommend you wear goggles or glasses, and keep your mouth tightly closed, because the air was thick with flying bugs!
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Cathy Cawood @cathy.cawood
I came to Japan in 2003 to teach English. I lived in Shiga prefecture for one year, and it still holds a special place in my heart. I lived in Kyoto for nine years, then moved to Machida, Tokyo in 2014 after meeting my Japanese partner. I love to take photos, and my Japan in Pictures Facebook page has some 40,000 followers. I have been the Regional Partner for Yamanashi Prefecture since 2014. I am enjoying exploring the prefectures around Tokyo (I like to get off the beaten track), and I hope the photos and stories I share will encourage more people to discover this wonderful country.
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