A scenic coastal road in Japan stretches alongside clear turquoise waters and rugged rock formations. The road curves gently, leading toward a tunnel in a lush, green cliff. Blue directional signs display distances to Kaga, Kanazawa, and other locations.
Gail Schulz

Day 11 - Senami Onsen to Atsumi Onsen

Today is why you do cycle touring.  On a tour, there are days like yesterday, where you just need to ride to get from point A to point B.  Then there's days where the ride is a joy.  The scenery today is exactly what I imagined when we planned to ride the Japan Sea Coast.

Route

Route 345 from Senami has spectacular scenery.  Rocks and small islands are strewn along the Sea of Japan.  Under blue skies, the crystal clear water is a luminous shade of turquoise with shades of green.  Cove after cove are separated by steep rocky headlands.

The landscape means there are a lot of tunnels.  Most of them are short and not much drama.  A couple are newer and have dedicate bike lanes.  On the day we went through (a Thursday in late May) the traffic was very light so we opted to abandon the original plan to train from Kuwagawa to Fuya to avoid the tunnels. This was well worth it for us as 'the' photo spot is in that part of the coast.

After Gatsugi, the 345 joins route 7 and the traffic ramps up noticeably. Unfortunately the longest tunnel at 600m is just after this turn.  We were able to wait for a gap in traffic and go hell for leather without incident.  But not a lot of fun.

After that you're not far from Atsumi Onsen and while the traffic is more consistent, there is a footpath/cycleway along the whole route, although you do need to chase it from side to side a few times.

Map of the route from Senami Onen to Atsumi Onsen
Elevation profile of the map

Stay and Eat

We stumbled upon a shyokudo/teishoku restaurant in an Onsen at Gatsugi. I had excellent tempura and zaru soba. Beloved said the curry rice was nice and spicy and a cut above your standard fare.

Adumaya Ryokan is an atmospheric old school traditional inn. The building is very old but in great shape. The timber gleams.  We are in a generously sized 8 tatami room with a balcony overlooking the river.  The sound of rushing water lulls us to sleep.  Our stay in Atsumi was very calm and serene, but the lady at the sake shop told me the day before, the big hotel in town had 800 German tourists in for the night.  That boggled my mind and I'd wager had an impact on the serenity.

Dinner at Matsumoto was great. All the classics are done really well at affordable prices.  We even had an old school pineapple parfait complete with the corn flakes. Local sake for ¥500 to round things out.  What else could you ask for?

See and Do

The primary attraction on this route is simply the stunning coastline scenery.  Megane Rock is sufficiently spectacular to justify the road signage, the parking lot/observatory and braving the tunnels to get there.  But this whole stretch of coastline is picturesque and worth seeing.    

A serene coastal landscape under a partly cloudy sky, with a gently curving sandy shoreline surrounded by calm waters. Lush greenery frames the foreground, and small buildings and distant hills are visible along the coastline.
A calm beach scene with clear blue waters, small rocky outcrops in the sea, and a sandy shoreline. The sky above is partly cloudy with streaks of wispy clouds, creating a tranquil and picturesque setting.
Two touring bicycles loaded with colorful panniers and gear are parked against a guard rail. They are overlooking a rocky shoreline with clear blue water, next to a coastal road that curves along a steep, green cliff under a bright, sunny sky.
A man wearing a hat and sunglasses sits at a circular stone table along a seaside path, with lush green hills and the ocean in the background. In front of him, a touring bicycle loaded with red panniers and other gear is parked on a stone walkway.
A coastal cliff with greenery at the top juts into a clear, turquoise sea under a bright blue sky streaked with wispy clouds. The cliff has a large cave-like opening at its base, and smaller rocky formations rise from the sea nearby. Shrubs and trees grow on the cliff.
A cyclist with a fully loaded bike stands by a fence, facing the ocean. A rocky outcrop and sandy beach are visible in the background. A sign in Japanese next to the cyclist mentions the date June 4th and includes traffic and safety information.
A plate of breaded and fried meat with brown curry sauce, accompanied by a fresh green salad with tomato slices. In the background, there is a basket of tempura prawn and vegetables, and a serving of cold soba noodles.
Two loaded touring bicycles are parked against a stone wall with a wooden sign above them. The bicycles are equipped with panniers carrying various items. The sign features Japanese text, including the characters “かがり火.”.
A close up of a can of cherry sour chu-hi with a bottle of Asahi beer behind it.
A serene scene with a multi-story building, resembling traditional Japanese architecture, near a river. A picturesque bridge crosses the water, surrounded by lush greenery and hills under a sky filled with wispy clouds.

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