Tokai-do road to Nagoya

In some sections of tunnels in Japan going through steep mountains and hills, engineers have built adjacent smaller tunnels only usable for pedestrian. And a blessing for us cyclists. 

My view towards Yamashina with rain clouds ahead.

Tamura Shrine Tori Gate of route 1

Going through an older tunnel.  A bit scary, cold and usually wet from condensation from within the mountain or hill. Because of the reflection of light on water it's hard to distinguish slippery metal plate 'joints'. I have likened it to entering the maws of a giant yokai and being swallowed into it's stomach.

Downhill towards Suzuka

I rolled into the outskirts of Nagoya at night with random showers and half worried because my headlight was fading, I stopped at a conbini to eat dinner and try and recharge the light. Even though Nagoya is a large city, the outskirts have little street illumination. The light eventually drained and I had to resort to a few safety lights which do not light up a dark road. Eventually and with some relief, random street lights informed me I was closer to downtown. Arriving at Guest House Nagoya Ekimae a bit late I was glad to see guests still enjoying the common area, locked up the bike, checked in, unpacked, took a well needed hot shower and bedded down for the night.

The small Guest House is located in a questionable area but is itself very colorful, bright and welcoming. They make an excellent tasting coffee for a very modest guest fee. Convenient as well being only a few hundred meters away from the Nagoya Rail station. The bed cubicles are spacious have a screen TV and a personal safe for valuables.

Nagoya Skyline

Typical Fast Food Japanese meal

Above meal was discounted at the Guest House and gotten/consumed at establishment around the corner. 

My route Kobe to Nagoya

I had planned to meet a cycle tourist friend that lived south of Tokyo but calculations to get there from where I was had me pedaling in during the middle of the week when he worked. The idea was for him to guide me around the west side of Tokyo to avoid the congestion of cars and trucks especially during commute hours and then get onto route 4 going north. And it was further complicated by the fact that he had only one day this weekend to ride. Although I had pedaled every kilometer up to Nagoya so far, I sacrificed pedaling distance to make up time, bagged up my bicycle and panniers to shuttle through Nagoya station and on to the Shinkansen to my next reservation being an AirbnB flat in Oiso.

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