When it comes to the joys of being a rider, touring is definitely one of them.
Cruising leisurely on your motorcycle and enjoying delicious food in scenic locations.
One of the appeals of motorcycles is being able to enjoy different scenery than you would by car.
I’d like to write an article about new touring spots that women riders who want to be beautiful can enjoy, including lunch spots, hot springs, Instagrammable locations, and power spots! It’s wonderful for busy women to escape their daily routines and go for a ride, isn't it?
For busy women riders, a female rider is here to introduce highly recommended day-trip touring spots from Tokyo!
Table of Contents
- ［1. Chichibu Ogano Shrine: Touring for traffic safety and fall prevention blessings］
- ［2. Chichibu Ogano Shrine: Touring for traffic safety and fall prevention blessings］
- ［3. Chichibu Ogano Shrine: Touring for traffic safety and fall prevention blessings］
- ［4. In Conclusion］
［1. Chichibu Ogano Shrine: Touring for traffic safety and fall prevention blessings］
For riders, falls are an unavoidable reality. There are various types of falls, but a common one is dropping the bike when stopped.
Dropping your bike when stopped hurts your heart and your wallet. Ogano Shrine in Chichibu offers charms to protect you from various falls.
From Tokyo, it's recommended to take the Kan-Etsu Expressway and exit at the Hanazono Interchange. However, the Nerima Interchange, which is the starting point of the Kan-Etsu Expressway, is not connected to the Shuto Expressway. Therefore, you'll either have to take general roads to the Nerima Interchange and enter the Kan-Etsu Expressway, or detour to the Gaikan Expressway and enter from the Oizumi Junction.
After exiting the expressway at Hanazono Interchange, proceed along National Route 140 towards Chichibu, then turn onto National Route 299. The entrance is easy to find as you'll see a large torii gate along the road.
The charm for fall prevention features a cute ladybug illustration that women would likely appreciate. It offers blessings for preventing falls from motorcycles and bicycles, making it a must-have for riders.
Ogano Shrine: 1432 Ogano, Ogano-machi, Chichibu-gun, Saitama Prefecture
［2. Chichibu Ogano Shrine: Touring for traffic safety and fall prevention blessings］
Fukuroda Falls, a magnificent waterfall 120m long and 73m wide, is located upstream of the Takigawa River, a tributary of the Kuji River in Kuji-gun, Ibaraki Prefecture, and is counted as one of Japan's three great waterfalls.
If you're coming from Tokyo, it's recommended to take the Joban Expressway from the Shuto Expressway Route 6 Misato Interchange.
After about an hour of riding, exit at the Naka Interchange and head north on National Route 118.
The touring experience along the Kuji River, surrounded by nature, offers a healing time for busy women riders.
For the Tohoku Expressway route, take the Tohoku Expressway from the Kawaguchi Junction of the Tokyo Gaikan Expressway,
and after about an hour of riding, exit at the Utsunomiya Interchange.
Turn onto National Route 293 from National Route 461, and you'll arrive at Fukuroda Falls.
Fukuroda Falls reveals different faces in spring, summer, autumn, and winter. In winter, the waterfall freezes and becomes an icefall.
However, during winter, road freezing may occur, so it's not recommended for motorcycles.
And when it comes to Okukuji, you can't miss Okukuji Shamo (gamecock)! While Shamo hot pot is also recommended, Shamo-don (gamecock rice bowl) is perfect for a day trip lunch.
The oyakodon (chicken and egg rice bowl) with its rich, runny egg spreads in your mouth. There's also an arrangement in the style of sukiyaki-don,
which is also exquisite!
Fukuroda Falls: 3-9 Fukuroda, Daigo-machi, Kuji-gun, Ibaraki Prefecture
［3. Chichibu Ogano Shrine: Touring for traffic safety and fall prevention blessings］
Gunma Prefecture is home to numerous famous hot springs. With excellent access from Tokyo, Gunma is recommended for day-trip hot spring touring. Among them, Shima Onsen is particularly recommended. For women riders who want to enjoy riding on their bikes, this is the place to be. Take the Kan-Etsu Expressway from Tokyo and exit at the Shibukawa-Ikaho Interchange. It takes about an hour to reach the Shibukawa-Ikaho Interchange from the Nerima Interchange.
It's about an hour's drive on National Route 353 to Shima Onsen, and this is where the fun begins for women riders who love to ride.
The winding roads through the mountains, with beautiful dams in view, are simply amazing.
The "Melody Line" along the way is also one of the highlights.
About halfway through the drive, while enjoying the scenery, you'll find Michi-no-Eki "Onoko".
Located along National Route 353, it's a perfect spot for a break.
With reasonably priced eateries and direct sales of local agricultural products, it's fun just to browse!
From here, it's a non-stop ride to Shima Onsen. The destination is the enchanting hot spring "Sekizenkan".
It is the oldest existing hot spring inn architecture in Japan and is said to have been the model for the Ghibli film "Spirited Away".
You can not only stay overnight but also enjoy a day-trip bath, so why not soothe your touring fatigue in this hot spring filled with Taisho Roman charm?
There are also restaurants, so you might want to have lunch there.
The vermilion-lacquered Keiumbashi Bridge leading to Sekizenkan strongly resembles the red bridge that appears in "Spirited Away".
The Keiumbashi Bridge, where the mysterious boy Haku might appear at any moment, is a photogenic spot perfect for Instagram!
Michi-no-Eki Onoko: 1980 Onoko, Shibukawa City, Gunma Prefecture
Sekizenkan: 4236 Shima-otsu, Nakanojō-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma Prefecture
［4. In Conclusion］
How was it? I introduced an article about day-trip touring spots from Tokyo.
These are touring spots recommended for women riders, introduced from a female rider's perspective. How about taking your beloved motorcycle for a ride through nature on a tour? Blow away your daily fatigue with a ride!
