Shikoku 2010

     This month, October 5, I went to Shikoku, Japan for a bike tour. We biked all around Shikoku and it was a really fun experience. Japan is such a beautiful place, and the climate was nice and cool, perfect for biking. While I was there, I had gotten to experience all the different forms of riding, from biking in cites to the wide open back country to the express highways. Japan is a very bike friendly country and many people respect bikers. But some of the roads are kind of scary. Like in some of the mountainous areas, I believe the Japanese try to preserve the natural environment and create only a one lane road through the mountains. Occasionally there is a little edge for cars to go into just in case there is another on coming car, but other than that, that is all. There is only a mere guard rail that  rises above the ground at half a meter high to protect you from a certain death off a cliff face. The time that becomes really scary is when a huge semi truck comes by and leaves you about three feet of room, which you and your bike with paniers take up about two feet of that three. So basically you have six inches on either side of you from hitting a truck or falling to your doom. But it is all worth it when you get to where you are going, because every where you go there is atleast one perfect view of japans beautiful scenery.

     But there is nothing better than finally getting off your bike and being able to check into your  hotel/ accommodations, because about 80% of the time, where ever you are staying there is a traditional bath, called an onsen by the Japanese people. In general terms, an onsen is like a hot spring, or a spa. It is almost a type of sacred bathing place for the people. You have to wear the convention Yokata, which is a robe, before you enter into the onsen area. You then must rinse your body before you enter the onsen, If you do not you have the possibility of being yelled at by other people for not being clean before thoroughly cleaning yourself. Another very important thing about the onsen is that you must go completely nude with possibly other men inside the onsen as well. Conventionally men and women are separate but there are a few of the co-ed onsens where both men and women are completely exposed. At first it is a very, nerve racking knowing there are other nude men around you, but then after a while you get used to it. There are rules that there should be no staring or any sort of nonsense, and people generally follow those rules.

     One down side to the Japanese culture, is that when you go to bed at night after a long hard day of biking. The Japanese sleep on little lightly cushioned mats, called tatame mats. These are not all the comfortable to sleep on after a long ride. Another thing is that the pillow they give you, is like a rice sack. It is hard and feels as though it was filled with some sort of grain. Not all that comfortable but it was a place to sleep. I had some bad back pains after waking up in the morning and I felt like I didnt get much sleep, but after taking a quick moment in the onsen, it usually loosens things up.