Senmi Shiki-sakura in Autumn(D-16)⭐⭐⭐ ‘23.19th,Nov
This route D-16 is in Area-D “Tokai". See Area-D map /See Japan map
Sight & Entertainment ⭐⭐⭐
Food & Drinks ⭐
Easiness ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Road consition ⭐⭐
Safety ⭐⭐
Honestly I wanted to visit and cycle in Niigata prefecture to enjoy winter salmon in next week and wanted to take a rest in this week due to continuous Biz trips in these weeks. But weather forecast had told that it would snow in Niigata in next week, besides I noticed that the famous winter cherry blossoms with autumn leaves was just in peak season in Senmi area, Aichi prefecture. So I decided to go cycling from north side.
The nearest station is Mizunami, on JR Chuo-honsen(main railway) from Nagoya station. Since I planned round trip in one day, I used Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagoya and an express “Shinano" from Naogya to Tajimi to hurry up. In Shinano train, there is too narrow space for bikes to put in the end of the car due to foot rest. So pls note you should put yours near door(pic.1).
After starting from Mizunami at AM9:00, just taking the prefectural route-20(pic.2) brought me to the destination. I had to cross the pass along a narrow roads, but the distance was not so long.
Within 20km, I reached the spot, Senmi Sakura-yama(pic.4) where many tourists had already been there. I had watched the scene on web sites but I was again mesmerized by the beautiful contrast of cherries, red leaves and blue sky(pic.4 below). I thought it deserved for forcing myself coming there.
After that point toward south, there were still some spots for cherries(pic.5) but not as many as Senmi area.
After turning to left into R-485, the road ran along valley of Inubuse river(pic.7), a tributary of Yahagi river. It was not designed for cycling but nice road since it was relatively wide and not busy.
After joining Yahagi river, the road became busy. And it was not easy to find a best route to go south. When I crossed the Yahagi river on prefectural route 350, I lost my route and unexpectedly I had to climb a hill. I felt doing detour but fortunately I encountered very beautiful autumn leaves on the slope(pic.9).
I seemed easy to take R-153 toward south but I took a less busy route along Yahagi river. But soon it separated from the river and boring road continued.
I changed my route to R-248 just 8km before reaching Okazaki city. The rode was very busy and not good for cycling. But I took that way so that I could drop in a famous temple, Daijuji(pic.11, 12),the general Tokugawa’s family temple. He is well known general who opened Edo era but there is a story that he was talked by the monk in Daijuji out of committing suicide when he was beaten in a war in his young age.
Before ending my cycling at Higashi Okazaki station, I dropped in Okazaki castle again(ref. my article D-9). The Okazaki city is the birth place of Ieyasu Tokugawa, so there are many spots to see his history.
<Transportation info>
From Tokyo to Mizunami: AM6:09 Nozomi No.283 to Nagoya, AM8:00 JR Shinano to Tajimi, AM8:27 Tajimi to Mizunami AM8:39 , \11,898-
<Connected route>
D-9: Nagoya to Toyohashi