I spent the night inside the rest area of the Michi no Eki Kakegawa. It was a small circular room, isolated from the other areas of the station and shaped as a lighthouse – it looked delightful from the outside and cozy from the inside – with all its walls covered with wood.
I was surprised to see so many travelers also using those rest areas. That relieved me, so it won’t be too weird if I keep doing that.
[2019-10-15]
I woke up renovated after that last day of struggles and excited for the two next stops I had planned for that day: My first visit to a Japanese castle x2
I had two different castles on my way, the first one in the same city I had slept, Kakegawa, and the other one in the neighboring Hamamatsu City, 30km away.
I got excited with the sight of the white keep of Kakegawa Castle in the distance. It looked smaller than I expected, but it had lovely surroundings.
(A castle keep, is the main tower, the safest and most guarded part of the castle, usually where resided the main persons).
I’ve always wanted to visit a Japanese castle. It didn’t matter if it wasn’t the original, but a reconstruction, as in the case of this one: destroyed two times by earthquakes since its construction in the 15th century and reconstructed in 1994, 140 years after its last destruction.
But I could only appreciate this castle from the outside. It was 7:30 a.m., and it opened at 9 a.m. I had to leave without experiencing all the activities you could do in the castle park: there was a large palace with beautiful views of the castle, a tea house, and a garden. You can spend a couple of hours there, also enjoying different foods.
Check the opening hours for the castles in advance. But if you are near one, I recommend visiting even when it’s closed.
When I was getting on my bicycle, I noticed this city’s manhole cover featuring the castle.
I continued my day, heading to the next castle, hoping I could at least appreciate it closer.
A couple of hours later, I found another cover. It featured a dragonfly, and I read that I was in Iwata City – halfway to Hamamatsu.
Ten minutes later, I found a different cover. It was the first time I had seen two manhole covers from a single city, and this was not a big one.
To my surprise, just minutes later, I kept discovering more covers from Iwata City – they all had different designs.
Moments later, I ended up on the Tokaido Route again – With old houses, old streetlights, and decorated sidewalks. I found the same first cover from the city, but this time colored.
After four and a half hours, I arrived at the second castle – just to discover that Hamamatsu Castle was even smaller. But I loved the contrasts in its façade.
Also, I learned that, while the castle didn’t seem that important, it served as a strategic stronghold and residence for various influential feudal lords, including Tokugawa Ieyasu, who later became the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate.
This castle also was a reconstruction from the 50s. The majority of Japanese castles are reconstructions. They have been destroyed in wars, earthquakes, and fires.
Only a few have survived (with some repairments); those are highly valued for their cultural importance and architectural authenticity. The three most famous are Himeji Castle, Matsumoto Castle, and Inuyama Castle. I was planning to visit at least one of them.
I walked around Hamamatsu castle and found a small Inari shrine.
Japanese castles often feature nearby shrines or temples, serving as places for worship and spiritual protection.
It was midday already, so I rested in the castle park, having lunch with a nice view of Hamamatsu City. (I had bought something to eat in the road).
The morning had been very cloudy, with some drizzles, and the afternoon didn’t look much more promising. But something in me had changed after the previous day adventures. I felt very calm and confident. Some rain wouldn’t stop me.
For the next hour, I was riding across average town roads, nothing interesting, until I intercepted the Tokaido Shinkansen Line (Bullet train).
I continued my way between fields and the train tracks. Every now and then, a train would swiftly pass by my side, creating some weird, eerie noise that was heard from afar.
I noticed a manhole cover for Hamamatsu City – it featured a sail with the name of a nearby river: Shin River.
Moments ahead, I found a cute cover featuring a bird with its nestlings. It had the name of the Shin River, too.
And then, another basic one just for sewage.
I reached Lake Hamana, which separates Hamamatsu City from Kosai City, where I planned to stop for the day.
Five centuries ago, a large earthquake connected the lake to the Pacific Ocean and converted it into a brackish lagoon – its freshwater was blended with the seawater.
There is an island (Bentenjima) near the junction to the sea. It linked both sides of the lake. I stopped for some minutes on its beach, admiring a big red Torii gate in the distance.
I bought something for the night in a konbini and crossed to Kosai City.
There, I found this manhole cover. It featured a shrine and some flying birds that, at first glance, I thought were manta rays.
It was still early (before 3 p.m.), but I was already tired. I think the day before had exhausted me. I went directly to the Michi no Eki Shiomizaka – the only place nearby I found to spend the night.
As expected, this Road Station had a resting area where I could sleep. But it also had an exceptional feature: a foot bath – just what I needed. My toes were aching, and they felt a little numb occasionally. After a few minutes there, I felt completely recovered.
At that point, I had achieved 380km since I left Tokyo; it was a lot, but there was still so much ahead. I was starting my journey, living, and learning new things every day.
I sat to appreciate some cotton candy clouds and a stunning sunset. Meanwhile, I rechecked my schedule – I was again on time for this section of the trip.
I made some adjustments at the midpoint of my journey to avoid some high mountains. But I was still worried about the last part: I saw no possible detours, only worrying mountains until my goal. I had to take a plane from Kagoshima to Tokyo; and I already had the tickets.
When it got dark, three cats appeared and kept wandering around me, meowing and playing, until I entered the rest area to sleep. Inside, only one man was passing the night with me.
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