The Haku-san region to the southeast of us is rather mountainous and remote, but puts a lot of effort into having tourist attractions and promoting them. We, as part of the preparation for our epic Noto Bike Trip, headed out to visit Tedori Gorge, which is about 18 miles from out apartment and one of the attractions of the Haku-san region that we'd been meaning to see for some time.
As usual, the weather was iffy and we went prepared for rain. We were 13 minutes into the trip when it started raining, which is did intermittently the whole day, something like 10 minutes on, an hour off, so it wasn't that bad.
We had a map and compass, and moderately clear ideas about how to get from our place to the gorge and back. After getting clear of places we knew well, navigation was a significant concern for us and we had to double back and forth a few times and make guesses here and there about where we were supposed to be going. This was slightly problematic, until we found the bike trail that went specifically where we were trying to go. It was part of the goal but we were not too sure where or what, exactly, it was. The trail was much clearer and nicer than anticipated, and we're definitely eying it for future use as well.
Had plenty of time to take pictures here when wondering where to go.
Oh, so that probably goes where we're going. Score.
The way out was mostly uphill, as it goes from a valley into the mountains. Not sharply uphill, just constantly a little bit uphill, to the point where I thought it was flat and Ana correctly kept telling me it was uphill. Anyway, we were making steady but not outstanding progress and got hungry, so stopped for lunch at a soba (buckwheat noodles) place that made their own noodles which were pretty good. I got the feeling they don't tend to get a lot of foreigners in those parts as we got stared at kind of a lot (more than usual) and of course the menu was entirely in Japanese which fortunately we could (mostly) read. We got food, at any rate.
Outside the soba restaurant
Combine the noodles and broth, eat the deep-fried leaves separately.
Continuing on, we started getting closer to the gorge proper and were treated to more good scenery.
We'll bring you pictures from a lot, lot closer to that in the next few months.
The sun came out ever so briefly for this picture.
Eventually we arrived at the major scenic viewpoint (though we'd been following the gorge for some time), and there were even signs, which we were beginning to doubt. And a parking lot and a campground (not open yet) and various buildings for the campground that weren't open yet either. To reach the main attraction, a fair-sized waterfall, a fairly crazy staircase had to be navigated. In a more litigious country, this staircase probably may have been deemed unsafe. We made it down fine though, as did some women in other groups with much less sensible footwear.
Tricky to get down; I paid attention. Mom, you wouldn't have willingly tried.
Some secondary waterfalls in the area
And the main one, which is nice but nothing particularly special.
All in all, we had a nice ride, saw some nice things, and it was a good day. Also, on the way back (all downhill, went about three or four times faster than the trip out) we documented a van with both flames and the Last Supper airbrushed on the side, just for you:
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