Wednesday October 1, 2025

I have said it before and no doubt I will say it again, what a difference a day makes. We had a good breakfast in the apartment/hotel and headed out to the train station. We are catching another train because RidewithGPS and google maps could not find cycling directions to Hikone. We could have followed the walking directions but, we may have ended up on forest tracks.

As we cycled down to the train station Ralf got side-swiped by a passing vehicle, who was in such a hurry he had to get in front of two cyclists. Of course, the next light was on red and we easily caught up to him. Ralf mouthed some bad words to him. The car driver was indicating to turn but we were ahead of him on the cycle lane and I put my arm out to make sure that he didn’t cut me off in the turn.

We got to the train station and had to find the Tokkaido Line. We eventually found it and went to buy tickets. The man told us the bikes had to be in bags. Yes we know, but we want to get closer to the platform before we put them in the bags. Wheeling a bike is a lot easier than carrying a 29lb bike in a bag. The station staff said no difference either way (5 minute walk), they need to be in a bag. Easy for you to say try carrying a 29 lb bag and a 30 lb bag of panniers. I said to Ralf let’s wait until we get to the right platform. Ralf insisted that we pack the bikes into the bags, well wouldn’t you know it we were nowhere near the platform and had to haul those suckers almost 500 metres to the right platform. We were both so pissed. Fortunately, after we got to the right end of the station and bought the tickets a very kind couple, from South Korea, offered to carry my bike to the platform. O.k. the woman offered her husband’s help! He carried my bike to the elevator and we thanked him profusely.

I thought we would be on the 10:00 train, with all the faffing about it was closer to 11:00 before we got on the train. As we barrelled down the tracks the heavens opened. Our already dark moods got darker, to cap it all would we have to cycle in the rain today. Fortunately, at that time we were on the train and not getting soaked.

We had to change at Osaki up one elevator and down another and onto the next train to Maibara.  We could have taken another connector to Hikone, but I had decided it was going to be easier to ride the 7kms to our hotel in Hikone from Maibara. We stopped for lunch and stopped at a bike shop to put some air in the tires.

The ride to Hikone was along the Biwa Cycle Route. We had plenty of time before check-in at the hotel to visit the castle and gardens.

We cycle up to the gate to the castle – the lady in the booth shouted “No Bicycles – parking down there – No bicycles”. Bloody hell I have never known a country with a more “jobsworth” mentality than Japan. I thought England was bad, but the Japanese has them beat. Definition of “Jobsworth” it is more than my job is worth to allow you to …… park your bike here, to sit on a bench, to allow you to lean your bikes on a wall, to allow you to wear shoes in a hotel foyer!!

We cycled back to the parking area and locked our bikes to a stand. We took our front handlebar bags and left everything else. At that point we didn’t care if everything was stolen. We had passports, phones, credit cards, we would get on the next flight home.

We walked back to the ticket window and she had a big smile on her face Arigato (thank-you) castle and gardens Y1000 per person, closes at 4:30 I have English information for you. What can you do, she is only doing her job. Arigato – thank you we said through gritted teeth.

I like castles. The path to get to the main castle area was quite the climb on a rough path. This castle is one of the 12 original castles, it has withstood earthquakes and wars. It was built in approximately 1600 and completed in 1607. This is a military fortress. In 1952 it was designated as a National Treasure, along with five other castles – Inuyama (yesterday). I am hoping to get to see the remaining three, although the way today started we are ready to get on a plane and go home. Ralf and I do not argue very often, this trip has seen us being very petty to each other, sniping about silly little things. It is not as enjoyable as other trips we have taken.

We were amazed to see that Hikone has a multitude of sports facilities. While we were there, the Japan High School Games was being held there and an exhibition Sumo Wrestling competition. I noticed a Mum and 3 boys – the boys were wearing Sumo T.shirts. I asked the Mum if they were at a training camp, she smiled and said Sumo. The middle boy told Ralf through google translate that they had watched Sumo wrestling that day. Had I insulted the Mum, saying that her chubby kids could be future Sumo wrestlers or was she pleased that her chubby kids could be future Sumo wrestlers? I will never know.

The castle did improve our moods again there were steep steps up to each floor. This castle had a few view points, the other windows had chicken wire on them to stop the birds getting in.

There were some lovely views of Lake Biwa and surrounding areas from the top.

I took a photo of this not so straight beam. Then later Ralf took a photo of the Lord of the castle with his helmet on. Perhaps this beam was designed to allow the Lord and his hat to go underneath the beam.

These two turrets and gate were installed here after the castle was built. They represent a balance to the fortress like a scale.

Sound scapes: The Environment Agency selected “A hundred soundscapes of Japan on June 5 1996 in order to preserve landscapes which have such sounds as insects, mountain streams, bells and festivals, which are loved by everyone. The time-keeping bell and the chirping of insects in Hikone Castle were among these. The ringing of the bell every three hours from the castle area, the continuous songs of cicada on summer evening and the chorus of crickets in Genkyu-en garden are soundscapes which should be preserved for the future.

The castle from the gardens looks as though it is smiling

We wandered through the gardens which were lovely. Ralf offered to take a photo for a couple, we got chatting to them. They were visiting her family. They were from Kamloops, B.C.!!

When we arrived at our hotel our hearts sank again, reception was on the 2^nd floor of the building. Ralf went up to register. Low and behold the staff were awesome and they had a bike parking area on the 2^nd floor!! This was a “Cycle-Friendly” hotel catering to cyclists that were cycling the Biwachi (Lake Biwa).

We were hoping to cycle the lake but I knew that the north-end was very hilly, with tunnels, had little accommodation and poor roads. I had read that there was a ferry we could take a short-cut. However, we will have to wait until tomorrow to see where we can take the ferry to and from. There is a Tourist Information Office that opens at 9:00. Hopefully they will have some information as to the ferries etc.

Things were looking up. We asked at reception about restaurants. The wonderful young person indicated that we needed to go through the train station and that there were an assortment of restaurants to choose from.  She was right, there must have been over a dozen different restaurants: Japanese, Korean, Chinese, etc. ranging in price from $10.00 per plate to $50.00. We found a Japanese restaurant that had a set menu for $15.00 and it was really good. Miso soup, rice, salad and a protein (I had fish, Ralf had chicken) and some kind of garnish, it was really good.

A good end to a crappy day.