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 fell in love with Japan long before I came here in 2003 to teach English, and it has proved to be a lasting romance. I love the history, the traditional architecture, the food, the strange and sometimes ridiculous contrasts, and the beautiful countryside. I lived in Shiga prefecture for one year, and in Kyoto for nine years, and now I live in Machida in Tokyo. I've traveled a little in Japan, but not nearly as much as I'd like to. I like traveling by train, but my favorite way to travel is bicycle.
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