I Got Stuck on a Japanese Mountain

@Abroad in Japan

Abroad in Japanyoutubethe post

Join the creator on Day 11 of their cycling journey across Japan, from Toyama City to Kanazawa, encountering a Great Buddha, a mysterious tower, and a broken bike along the way.

1 days · 5 places · 4 experiences

Day 11 · 4 places · Chubu, Japan

Day 11: Toyama to Kanazawa Cycling Journey

“This was Day 11 of our Journey Across Japan, cycling from Toyama City to Kanazawa, visiting a Great Buddha, a mysterious tower, and ending with a well-deserved sushi feast.”

Experience · 2 places
Cycling from Toyama to Kanazawa
Today, Sharla and I are cycling from Toyama City to Kanazawa, a beautiful, historic city that many people say is better than Kyoto. We've both wanted to go for a long time, so this is going to be fun! We're facing challenges like avoiding dragonflies, conquering a nasty hill, and outrunning a storm, all while trying to take the best selfies along the way. It's a tough 20-30 kilometers, but we're powering through to avoid getting caught in a lightning storm, one of my worst fears. We even had a bike chain issue on a mountain, which Sharla, the 'bike expert,' helped fix. We finally made it to Kanazawa around 7 PM, exhausted but accomplished.
1
Takaoka City
city · Takaoka
Takaoka is a city on the coast of Japan's Honshu Island. The central Takaokakojo Park is home to the ruins of Takaoka Castle, plus water-filled moats and spring cherry blossoms. Nearby, the Takaoka Art Museum shows lacquer work. To the southwest, the Great Buddha is an large bronze statue. Farther south, a grand wooden gate leads to the 17th-century Zuiryū-ji Temple. Traditional houses line the Kanayamachi old town.
Takaoka, Toyama, Japan
2
Kanazawa City
city · Kanazawa
Kanazawa is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, on Japan’s central Honshu Island. It's known for well-preserved Edo-era districts, art museums and regional handicrafts. Kenrokuen Garden, begun in the 17th century, is celebrated for its classic landscape designs incorporating ponds and streams. Adjacent Kanazawa Castle was built in the 1580s, after the defeat of the Peasant’s Kingdom, Japan's only Buddhist fiefdom.
Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
Experience · 1 place
Selfie Competition at Takaoka Daibutsu
At the Takaoka Daibutsu, one of Japan's Great Buddha statues, I had to decide on an original selfie tactic for our competition. Should I be clever or just try to look good? Sharla already took hers quickly, so I went for a 'genius' pose, using my best angle (this side) and a high-angle shot. I called my photo 'The Happy Buddha' for the contrast with my face, and Sharla's was 'Yes, as she came in,' inspired by a Japanese woman's reaction to the Buddha's face.
3
Takaoka Daibutsu
Buddhist temple · Takaoka
4.1 (1,205)Open · until 5 PM
Takaoka Great Buddha, 11-29 Otemachi, Takaoka, Toyama 933-0039, Japan
Experience · 1 place
Exploring the Mysterious Takaoka Tower
We stumbled upon a random tower in Takaoka that felt like walking into a Soviet military base, complete with a military helicopter at its base. It was only ranked #6 on a list of things to do in Takaoka, but it felt potentially awesome for a selfie. I thought I had this one in the bag, with the helicopter looming over my shoulder, calling my photo 'We Ride at Dawn.' Sharla took a selfie with a bell nearby, which she found underwhelming.
1
Takaoka City
city · Takaoka
Takaoka is a city on the coast of Japan's Honshu Island. The central Takaokakojo Park is home to the ruins of Takaoka Castle, plus water-filled moats and spring cherry blossoms. Nearby, the Takaoka Art Museum shows lacquer work. To the southwest, the Great Buddha is an large bronze statue. Farther south, a grand wooden gate leads to the 17th-century Zuiryū-ji Temple. Traditional houses line the Kanayamachi old town.
Takaoka, Toyama, Japan
Experience · 1 place
Post-Cycling Sushi Feast & Final Selfie
After a long and challenging day of cycling, we finished our journey and came to a sushi restaurant in Kanazawa to eat a ridiculous amount of sushi. We decided this was the best place for our final selfie for the competition, given how tired and exhausted we were. I tried to make it look like I was having fun, like an Instagram model, and called my photo 'Anticipation' for the sushi. Sharla's photo was 'My lights better than yours,' showing her happiness while making sushi.
4
Sushi Restaurant (Kanazawa)
Authentic Japanese restaurant · Kanazawa
4.9 (1,058)Open · until 10 PM
Horikawashinmachi
HAKU Kanazawa Cuisine｜金澤じもの, Kanazawa FORUS 6th floor, 3-1 Horikawashinmachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0849, Japan

Also in this video

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Kanazawa Station
Train station · Kanazawa
4.3 (5,861)
Creator's voice
The main train station in Kanazawa, described as looking like an 'absolute palace' upon arrival.
Kanazawa, 1-1号 Kinoshinbomachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0858, Japan

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