Enjoy a AoyamaPlateau on the Aoyama Plateau, and enjoy hot springs and gourmet food at a hot spring inn at the foot of the mountain [Beautiful country of Mie bicycle route notes: AoyamaPlateau edition]

■Traveler bicycle writer Masanori Asano
I have been cycling for about 20 years. I love cycling as much as I love three meals and snacks. Because of his love for bicycles, he became a freelance bicycle writer. He rides his bicycle for work, and also enjoys racing and long rides in his private life.
ーーーーーーーーーーーー
What is “Beautiful Country Mie Bicycle Route Diary”? Bicycle writer Masanori Asano, born and raised in Mie Prefecture, will introduce you to the charms of Mie Prefecture while cycling!
Click here for other articles on the “Beautiful Country of Mie Bicycle Route”!




■ Enjoy authentic carvings and rice field art while warming up

◆ Inokura Onsen

If you are using public transportation for this course, the nearest station is Kintetsu Sakakibara-Onsenguchi Station, and if you are coming to the site by car, you will need to use a paid parking lot (approximately 500 yen per day) around the same station. However, I would like you to take your time and enjoy this area to the fullest. Inokura Onsen, a hot spring inn in Isshi Town, listened to such a selfish request!


Although it is limited to hotel guests, if you let the facility know at the time of reservation that you would like to use the parking lot because you want to ride the course listed in the sightseeing Mie bicycle route, you will be able to use the parking lot before staying. that's right!


That's why we'd like to introduce you to a plan where you can relax and enjoy your stay.


By the way, Inokura Onsen has a day trip bathing facility, Shirasagi-en, in addition to the accommodation facility, Fuyo-so. Even on a day trip, you can refresh yourself in the hot springs after cycling before heading home!

◆ Louvre Sculpture Museum

After leaving Inokura Onsen, turn left at the first intersection where you can see the red iron bridge in front of you. The downward trend continues for a while. Turn left at the end of the road, turn right at the first intersection, and after driving for a while, you will see the gigantic Venus de Milo, the Nike of Samothrace, and the Statue of Liberty on your left. Louvre Sculpture Museum.


This museum was opened in 1987 by the first director, Yujiro Takekawa, who was moved by seeing the Venus de Milo at the Louvre Museum in Paris and said, ``I want people to experience this same excitement in Japan.'' Inside the museum are lined up works that have been molded and reproduced by technicians from the Louvre Museum's art department, and are faithfully reproduced down to their size and surface scratches.


What a luxury to be able to enjoy authentic art appreciation in a lush green area at the foot of AoyamaPlateau!

◆ Sakakibara hot spring town

After leaving the Louvre Sculpture Museum, turn right at the previous intersection and head towards Sakakibara Onsen. From here on, there is a gentle uphill climb for about 1.5km. Think of it as a rehearsal for AoyamaPlateau Hill Climb that's coming up later, and take a leisurely climb with a light gear. You can also enjoy the autumn leaves in this area.


Once you go over the hill, you will reach the Sakakibara district. Let's take a little walk around by bicycle. When you get off the main road and come to the foot of Mt. Kaiishi, you will see Yukari Bridge, whose vermilion handrails stand out against the surrounding greenery. It's an elegant name that makes you feel like you've come to Sakakibara Onsen, also known as ``Nakuri no Yu'', which Sei Shonagon named as one of Japan's three famous hot springs.

There is yagami near this bridge. This shrine was once located on Mt. Kaiishi and was moved to its current location during the Azuchi-Momoyama period, and is a Shikinai shrine dedicated to the god of hot springs. Across the street from this shrine is a hand-washing area called Chomeisui, and it is said that there used to be a custom of offering sakaki dipped in this water during festivals at IseJingu.


Recently, it has been secretly gaining popularity as a power spot for love, and the votive tablets are heart-shaped. It seems to be beneficial for marriage!

◆ Rice field art

At the outskirts of the hot spring town of Sakakibara, rice field art is held every year in which colorful ancient rice is planted in rice fields to create large paintings. In 2020, the best time to see the rice has already passed and the ancient rice has already been harvested, but at the time of our interview there was a beautiful large painting painted all over the rice field!


The 2020 work is themed around the 2021 Mie Tokowaka National Athletic Meet, which will be held in Mie Prefecture, and depicts Tokomaru, the tournament's mascot character, riding a yacht. Rather than going near the rice fields, we recommend viewing from the observation point on the hill along Prefectural Route 28!


By the way, there is also a video taken by a drone on TsuCity website!
http://tokowaka-tsucity.jp/www/tokowaka/contents/1594624455985/index.html





■ Hill climb to Aoyama Plateau, a AoyamaPlateau resort lined with windmills

◆ AoyamaPlateau

After warming up by walking around the city of Sakakibara Onsen, let's tackle today's main dish for runners: the hill climb of AoyamaPlateau! If you're worried about how much drink you have left before you leave, refill it at the vending machine while you're at the foot of the mountain.


There are several ways to climb AoyamaPlateau from the Tsu side, but I personally recommend the route up from Sakakibara and the route up from Misato if you're going up by bicycle. These two routes eventually merge in the middle, but there is less traffic than the route up via National Route 165, large vehicles rarely pass, and the pavement is relatively clean, making it easy to ride on a road bike. .


The route up from the Sakakibara side is about 11km to the peak near the radar base on Mt. Kasatori, and the difference in elevation is about 800m. During this time, although there are some changes in the slope, it is almost always uphill. By the way, this course is one of my favorite hill climb courses, and I often run it during the summer.


There are some steep slopes at some points, but at those points, use the lightest gear possible and mix in the uphill rows to get through!

As you approach the peak, the scenery changes from what you've seen before, like you were in a forest with dense trees, and the view opens up. Did it! I finally made it to the top!


If you can climb this hill climb without touching your feet, you will be able to complete most hill climbs.

Passing the radar base of Mt. Kasatori, we headed west along the plateau road, repeatedly going up and down. After driving for about 1km, you will see a huge windmill in front of you. Walk a little further and you will see a parking lot on your left.


If you go further to the left of the parking lot, you will find a facility called Sakakibara Kaze no Yakata. There are eco-friendly toilets and rest areas here. It's nice to take a break while looking at the windmills here.

Immediately after passing Sakibara Kaze no Yakata, there is a hill on the right with more than 10 windmills, which is sure to be a photogenic spot.


When taking a photo right next to a bicycle, the golden rule is to take the photo from the side where you can see the chainring (gears), so the direction of travel is opposite to the direction of travel of this course, but the front wheel of the bicycle should be on the right side of the photo. You can take great photos if you park your bicycle there!

Proceeding further west on the plateau road, AoyamaPlateau triangulation parking lot will appear on your left. There is a wooden deck observation space, a triangular point observation deck on top of the hill, and a restaurant and restrooms. There is a bike rack in front of the restaurant, which seems to welcome cyclists. Unfortunately, the restaurant was not open on the day of the interview, but there are vending machines so you can replenish your hydration anytime.


You can see a panoramic view of Ise Bay from the observation space on the deck, but from the observation deck that goes up the stairs leading up the hill, you can see Ise Bay to the east and the mountains that stretch towards Nara to the west. You can enjoy a 360 degree panorama. You can easily get up here by car, but if you cycle up by yourself, you'll get a sense of accomplishment and a spectacular view, making the scenery even more beautiful!

After leaving the triangular point parking lot, the trail will continue downhill for a while. You can pick up speed without pedaling, but the road surface is a bit rough due to the series of sharp curves, so be careful not to go too fast.


Before you reach the intersection with National Route 165, take the narrow road on the left. From here, the trail continues uphill again for about 2km to near AoyamaPlateau Recreation Center. If you want to take a shortcut, you can skip this uphill route and go down National Route 165, but be careful as there is a long tunnel and there is a lot of traffic.


There are vending machines and toilets at the office of AoyamaPlateau Recreation Center, but if you don't need anything, turn right at the fork in front of the gate. From here, we drive along a narrow mountain road where few cars pass. Along the way, there are some scenic spots overlooking the Isshi area, but beyond that the road is narrow and rough, so be sure to prioritize safety and don't drive too fast.




■ Visit kumozu view points and enjoy hot springs and gourmet food!

After going down the mountain road for a while through the dense forest and trees, you will come to the vicinity of Kazushi's campsite, Wakasugi no Sato. The Fuji River runs alongside the road in this area, but there are some points where you can descend to the riverbank. If it's summer, we recommend playing in the clear stream for a while or cooling yourself down by covering yourself with water!

After passing Wakasugi-no-Sato, the road becomes wider and becomes much easier to ride, although there are many curves. There isn't that much traffic, so this may be the most comfortable point on this course.


Pass the quarry factory and turn right when you come to a three-way intersection. After crossing the Fuji River and turning left at the traffic light intersection, Ryogoku Bridge will appear in front of you. This bridge spans kumozu, and the view looking upstream on the right is wonderful. Personally, I think this is also a great point for photos.

◆ Ieki Shrine/Kobyu

Cross the bridge and turn left at the three-way intersection in front of Iejo Elementary School, and you will soon see the shrine complex of Iejo Shrine on your left. There is a cold spring/kobuyu along kumozu behind this shrine.


There are various theories about the origin of the name Kobuyu, such as ``because it heals bumps,'' but recently, people have come from as far away as Nagoya and Osaka to bathe in the hot springs, which are believed to be effective against incurable diseases. Since you can drink it freely, I tried it right away and took a sip. It had a faint smell of sulfur, and it seemed like it was good for the body!

If you leave Iashiro Shrine and go further east for about 1km, you will come to a narrow bridge that spans kumozu and is barely large enough for one regular car to pass. This is Iashiro Bridge.


The stone railings have a retro feel, and this is also a recommended photo spot.

◆ Cocopa Resort

As you exit onto Prefectural Route 15 and proceed further east, you will see a row of palm trees leading up to the hill on your right. On top of this hill is Cocopa Resort, an overnight golf resort centered around the Hakusan Village Golf Course.


Hakusan Village Golf Course was the stage for the 52nd Japan Women's Open Golf Championship, and Hinako Shibuno also played there!

◆ Former Yamato Village Office

If you've come this far, there's only a little left. Cross the JR Meimatsu Line railroad crossing, pass through the rice fields, and turn right when you reach Prefectural Route 28. Cross National Route 165 at the Wa 1 intersection, go straight at the first intersection, and you will see the former Wa Village Office on your left.


A two-story wooden town hall built in 1930, a local housewife purchased the building and plans to revitalize it as a place for learning and workshops, taking advantage of the retro atmosphere of the building. We are raising funds for this purpose through crowdfunding.

◆ Inokura Onsen

Return to Prefectural Route 28, pass under the Kintetsu overpass, and go up the same way you came in the morning to Inokura Onsen. Check in and take a hot spring bath!

Guests staying overnight can use the hot springs at Fuyosou, the accommodation facility, as well as the hot springs at Shirasagi-en, a day-trip bathing facility. Both are said to be heated and fed directly from the alkaline simple spring that bubbles up within the facility.

The hot springs have a strong alkaline pH of 9.7, and are said to leave you feeling smooth and moist after bathing. In addition to atopic dermatitis and neuralgia, it is also said to be effective in recovering from fatigue, so it's perfect after cycling!

After refreshing yourself in the hot springs, enjoy some gourmet food!


The Ise Kaiseki plan (14,500 yen on weekdays) includes 13 dishes, including seasonal dishes, seasonal appetizers, Kuroge Wagyu beef sukiyaki, and kamameshi made with rice grown locally in Hakusan. The luxurious kaiseki dishes prepared by top-class chefs who trained at restaurants in Kyoto using locally produced ingredients and ingredients purchased at local markets are beautiful to look at, delicious to eat, and extremely satisfying. I went for a run and was pretty hungry, but the food was so filling that I was full!


After that, let's just relax and think about whether we should enjoy the extraordinary tranquility at a quiet inn in the mountains or go to the hot springs again!

★Click here for this course

Article creation/Mashinori Asano