Golden rice fields swaying in the breeze, white blossoms carpeting the buckwheat fields, and orchards heavy with crisp, juicy Japanese pears—this is Yamagata in the height of its harvest season. We ride through this abundance into hidden hot springs deep in the mountains, then onward to the Sea of Japan, where a glorious sunset awaits. By the shore, we savor the freshest seafood at a seaside ryokan before pedaling through fishing villages into Akita’s pastoral countryside.
A smooth 30-kilometer stretch through tranquil satoyama leads us to a sake brewery with more than 300 years of history. The day concludes in a samurai town, with a refined kaiseki dinner in a historic townhouse—crafted with local ingredients and seasonal produce at their finest.
The 12-day TRANS-TOHOKU Bike Tour is now reaching its midpoint on this first autumn journey, as we push ever farther northward.
