Hopping on a bike can be the key to enjoying both town and country. This time, photographer Hao Moda and the KINTO crew toured Shiga, home to Biwa-ko, Japan’s largest lake. A keen cyclist for over a decade, Hao has had many opportunities to photograph bicycles and other outdoor-related activities that include mountaineering and trail running, and has even photographed the Tour de France.
“I often go to rural areas for cycling shoots for magazines, and I have been to Lake Biwa several times, but this is the first time for me to ride there myself. For cyclists, Lake Biwa is a place they dream of visiting at least once, isn’t it?”
Cyclists dream of “someday” circling around Lake Biwa, commonly known as “Biwaichi,” a 200-km cycling course. This time, however, we decided to indulge ourselves and choose a course that would allow us to explore Shiga’s nature beyond just the lake. Starting from KINTO’s headquarters in Hikone City, we enjoyed a course that took in the best of both the water and the mountains, covering more than a dozen kilometers in each direction.
First, we hit up the 13.4km mountain side course. Leaving the city behind, we head toward the mountains with Lake Biwa in the background.
“The mountainside course has a difference in elevation of just 142 meters, so you hardly feel like you’re going up a hill. We rode mini-velos, which are more leisurely than a road bike, and they were just the ticket, both in terms of distance and in terms of enjoying the scenery as we cycled.”
Just as one’s eyes are drawn to the wheat fields that are turning a golden hue, the well-watered rice paddies that have just been planted are glistening and reflecting the sun’s rays. A short walk along the river leads to a bird sanctuary called “Bird Forest,” which has been developed around the dam lake. A 3.5km bird-watching path around the perimeter of the dam lake has been provided as a hiking course.
“We paused here to explore the forest on foot, parking our bicycles. Birds were not easily visible, but we could hear them chirping away all over the place. Getting off the bikes and walking changed our perspective, and the contrast between the water’s edge and the greenery was beautiful.”
Fresh from the forest, we jumped back on our bikes to head to our goal, the “Kawachi no Kaza’ana Cave.” Since the image of “Shiga = Lake Biwa” was so strong, our photographer seemed to appreciate the unexpectedness of the mountainside course, and made this comment:
“I personally recommend riding the mountainside in the early morning hours. The light in the bird forest was particularly clear, and the fact that there were almost no people around made the colors and sounds stand out, making it rewarding to take pictures no matter where I pointed my camera.”
In contrast, the 17.6km lakeside course runs from KINTO’s headquarters to the eastern shore of Lake Biwa, taking cyclists 4.5km through town to reach Lake Biwa, with Hikone Castle in the background. Although the mountainside also offered a view unimpeded by man-made structures, the sense of openness in front of the vast Lake Biwa was exceptional. Following the blue line that indicates the route is the Biwa-ichi route, we headed north along the lakeshore.
“The road is much flatter than the mountainside, so if you are going to ride a portion of Lake Biwa as we did this time, I think it will be suitable for almost anybody. Of all the famous cycling roads around Japan, Lake Biwa is probably one of the easiest to bike on.”
The charm of Lake Biwa is the different expressions it shows depending on the area, season, and weather conditions.
“Cruising around in a car is of course invigorating, but with a bicycle you can take your time to see scenery that would otherwise flash by in an instant, and you can pause each time you notice something and get the camera out. I felt again how well bicycles and cameras interact. Plus, in a flat, open area like Lake Biwa, even if you stop to take a picture and get some distance between you and the person riding ahead of you, you can catch up with them quickly. It’s definitely a course that lends itself to a group of people cycling together.”
What impressed us most about both the mountainside and lakeside courses was the sheer beauty of the water. This is the gift of nature in Shiga.
“The rivers and dam lakes we saw on the mountainside and Lake Biwa on the lakeside were appealing in their own ways. I carried a KINTO water bottle with me this time, and while most cycling bottles obscure the contents, this one is a transparent bottle with a slight blue tinge that looks great when filled with water. I put it in the bottle cage when cycling, and when exploring on foot, can easily carry it by holding it by the handle with my finger, so it was very convenient.”
This course opened up the five senses and allowed us to enjoy nature to the fullest.
“I hope that the more “athletic” you are, the more you will slow down and enjoy the natural scenery in all its glory. I think you will see and feel things differently if you dramatically change your speed. For those who are curious about Biwa-ichi, I highly recommend trying out this course.”
KINTO
https://kinto.co.jp
KINTO RECREATION
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