Cycling Japan – day 6 – Uchiumi to Takanabe

Day 6 – Uchiumi to Takanabe
Distance: 62.6km
Ascent / descent: 255m / 314m
Weather: sunny and warm
Accommodation: camped in Takanabe Kaisuiyokujo camp-mura

I was late to bed and early to rise and it was a gorgeous sunny morning 🙂 I was hoping to be at Cycle Base Asahi in Miyazaki when they opened at 10am (to try and fix my mudguard which was still taped together), so after breakfast of a Hyuga natsu orange (specialty of this region) and a regular orange, I left around 7:30am.

Hyuga natsu orange (the yellow one) and an orange

The Little Garden guesthouse, Uchiumi

Stunning views from the Little Garden guesthouse, Uchiumi

I stopped at Michi-no-eki Phoenix as there was a stunning coastal viewing platform opposite, waited for it to open, got a stamp, then continued on.

Woke up to a gorgeous sunny day and stunning coastal views

Momiji and the coast opposite Michi-no-eki Phoenix

At Cycle Base Asahi, they fixed my mudguard, checked the bike over and I bought a mirror and trip computer which they then attached. I was looking to try and buy some full length bike pants to protect my legs from sunburn as well as my wrists that were getting burnt (between my gloves and my long sleeve shirt) and they told me about a mall nearby as I couldn’t fit into any of the clothes there. I went to the mall and in Sports Depo I was able to buy UV calf sleeves and a wrist band (I look somewhat like I’ve sprung out of the 80s) – hopefully this will do the job. I had sushi for lunch from the supermarket at the mall and all the while I’d left my panniers on my bike, and they were still there when I returned!

I continued onto Miyazaki-jingu shrine which is dedicated to Japan’s first mythical Emperor Jimmu and it reminded me of Meiji Jingu in Tokyo. In the same large park area there’s a museum and collection of traditional thatched roof houses so I visited that too.

Miyazaki-jingu Shrine which is dedicated to Emperor Jimmu, the mythical first Emperor of Japan

Ema votive tablets at Miyazaki-jingu Shrine

Ema votive tablets at Miyazaki-jingu Shrine – this year is the year of the boar

Wisteria

Momiji under the wisteria

Near Miyazaki-jingu Shrine there’s a collection of traditional thatched farm houses called ‘Minka’

It was was 3:30pm by the time I was finished sightseeing and leaving Miyazaki – I’ve no idea where the day went but it hadn’t been spent cycling! Route 10 wasn’t very fun to ride on when the footpath ran out and it was busy.

I made it to Takanabe and scouted out the campground then rode back along route 10 to find somewhere for dinner and to charge my electronics. I found a McDonalds and just assumed the wifi would work but it didn’t so a staff member gave me a hotspot to their phone! Returning to the campsite, I set up the tent in the dark around 9pm.