Koriyama~Iwaki~Nanahama cycling road, 2days cycling(B-7)⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘22.3rd/4th,Dec
This B-7 route is in Tohoku “Area-B". See Area-B map/ See Japan map
【DAY1】Koriyama to Iwaki
Sights & Entertainment ⭐⭐⭐
Foods & Drinks ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Easiness ⭐⭐⭐
Road condition ⭐⭐⭐
Safety ⭐⭐⭐
Our cycling club’s 2 days training camp in Fukushima prefecture. Unexpectedly it rained after starting from Koriyama station at AM9:00. Besides temperature became around 1C. So it became tough cycling though the route itself was not so hard one.
There were some up-hills for 20km but not so steep. To avoid cycling on the National route, we took a rural prefectural roads(pic.2,3). The road was almost empty but sometimes big dump cars passed by and we sometimes had to take a shelter from the rain, shivering by freezing temperature.
Somehow we reached lunch spot, “Olive"(pic.4) in Ono town at noon. It’s a western cuisine restaurant. The dish was delicious and we could get a brief warm there.
After the lunch, again we went into mountains. The prefectural route 65 run along the Natsui river and Banetsu-tou line railway(pic.7). There we met very few cars.
While I didn’t notice, the river became a valley(pic.8). Some colleagues didn’t notice the existence of water fall(pic.8) due to down hill’s speed. But I and some colleagues noticed the beauty in the area so we rode slowly to take pictures. It was the season end of autumn leaves(pic.9) but the trees were enough colorful. It must have been much beautiful a few weeks before.
We reached our hotel in Iwaki city at PM4:00. The temperature became 8C in lower world. After taking shower and rest, we gathered at a local tavern, “Gyohu Sancho-me" at PM6:30. (We were 7 persons, so of course I reserved previously. )
Fukushima offshore is a good fishing ground and Mehikari(Chlorophthalmus borealis), Ankou(monk fish) are famous special fishes which we must order. The Mehikari(pic.10) looked like smelt fish but it’s much more buttery and fine. Of course we ordered many Fukushima Japanese sakes. Iwaki also has its local sake, like “Matabei". We enjoyed tasty seafoods and sake until PM10:00 but the cost was around \50,000- for 7 persons. Much cheaper than Tokyo taverns.
【DAY2】Iwaki to Nakoso
Sight & Entertainment ⭐⭐⭐
Food & Drinks ⭐⭐⭐ *Up to your plan. Many seafoods at Onahama road side station
Easiness ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Road condition ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Safety ⭐⭐⭐⭐
It was sunny from the early morning and temperature was already around 10C at AM8:00. To get a train at Nakoso station around noon, we started at AM8:00 toward the coast, where the Nanahama cycling road runs for 30km to Nakoso city(The cycling course has 54km long totally).
The road, called “Reconstruction cycling road" is recovered roads after Tsunami devastation, as its name suggests. So the road is very wide and considerate for cycling(pic.15). Like this road, Fukushima has some other cycling roads which were newly developed. I recommend trying some since few cars are running in this prefecture and roads are mostly wide.
There were some nice ocean views along the cycling road(pic.16,17), as well as a good road side station," Iwaki Lalamew“(pic.18) where some fresh seafoods as raw oysters, fried Mehikari, spiny lobsters can be eaten.
There were 2 big uphills in our route, but they didn’t last long. As a whole, this route was very easy and suitable for enjoying easy cycling. We could take a lunch near Nakoso station (pls note there was no shops at the station) and got on the train at PM0:13.
<Transportation info>
Tokyo to Koriyama: 1hr15min by Tohoku Shinkansen \7,810-.
Nakoso to Tokyo at noon time: PM0:38 JR Hitachi express No.14 → PM2:42 arrival. \5,650-
<Other recommendable spots near our route>
Abukuma-dou(cave) btw Koriyama and Iwaki, in the mountain.