A group of translucent jellyfish with orange and white hues floats gracefully against a dark background. The jellyfish have bell-shaped bodies with delicate, frilled appendages trailing beneath them, creating a mesmerizing and ethereal underwater scene.
Gail Schulz

Day 12 - Atsumi Onsen to Sakata

The running joke is that I'm made out of icing sugar, because I don't like to ride in the rain.  While we've had a few rainy days before now, they haven't been heavy rain where your socks are saturated and squelchy and the touchscreen devices you are relying on for navigation are no longer usable.  It's at that point that the joy of cycle touring starts to leach out of my day.  

Route

With cloudy skies and strong winds, the Sea of Japan presents a more dramatic visage to us today. Our decision to cycle South to North is vindicated again today with strong winds to our back.  This makes for easy riding as far as Tsuruoka.

After lunch the forecast rain starts, earlier than predicted, so the run from Tsuruoka to Sakata becomes just a slog through the wet to our destination.  After Tsuruoka, the traffic on the coast road increases noticeably, further reducing the joy of cycling.

Map of the route from Atsumi Onsen to Sakata
Elevation profile of the route

Stay and Eat

We started looking for a lunch stop after leaving the aquarium.  There were a few options in the port town nearby but nothing took our fancy so we opted to push on a bit further.  The coast road bypasses downtown Tsuruoka so the options are limited.  Beloved's eagle eyes spotted the very chic Yunohama 100 Years Kitchen.  The snow crab quiche and nicoise salad lunch set was very good.  

Wakaba Ryokan was an excellent choice to lay our head in Sakata.  This is an elegant old style ryokan.  We arrived soggy and gritty from a few hours riding in the rain.  We tried our best to clean ourselves up a bit before entering the premises.  The staff were unfazed by our bedraggled appearance and welcomed us, assisting us in getting everything up to the room.  Our room was generously sized and overlooked the beautiful courtyard garden.  At around the equivalent of AUD$150 per night including a breakfast, it's good value.

See and Do

Kamo Aquarium was the primary touristing plan today.  This small aquarium is more interesting than its size and provincial location might suggest.  There's a little of the usual fare with tanks of fish endemic to the local area and a collection of sea lions coaxed to do inane things for fishy rewards.  But the main attraction is an amazing collection of jellyfish.  There's common jellyfish you've probably seen washed up on the beach.  But then there's tens of species with improbably long tendrils and diaphanous appendages in colours across the rainbow.  There's tiny species of deep sea jellyfish that light up like a Christmas tree.  Each species pulsate to its own rhythm from leisurely flexes of their umbrella to frenetic, "late for work, places to be" actions.  The final display is presented as a theatre with a massive tank of multiple species rolling and tumbling in a mesmerising display that is calming and fascinating.  Absolutely worth visiting.

Winding road flanked by mountains and lush greenery curves under an overcast sky. Wind turbines on the mountain peaks blend into the background. Barricades line the road, adding safety for vehicles. A village nestles among the trees on the right.
A scenic beach with a large, vegetation-covered rock formation near the shore. The sandy beach has a small, winding water channel leading to the sea. The sky is overcast with clouds, and there are small barriers along the sand. Rocks are visible in the distance.
A coastal scene featuring two bronze statues of figures in traditional Japanese attire, one holding a fan and the other pointing. Next to them are large, rusted metal anchors and chains resting on rocks. The backdrop includes the sea and Hakusan Island under a cloudy sky.
A sign for Kamo Aquarium featuring a decorative sculpture of a jellyfish with long flowing tentacles. The sign is mainly black with text in both Japanese and English, positioned in front of a light blue building exterior.
A translucent blue jellyfish with long, thin tentacles against a dark background. The jellyfish's body and tentacles are illuminated, highlighting its delicate structures.
A close-up of several translucent jellyfish with white and purple tentacles floating gracefully against a dark background. The jellyfish exhibit intricate structures and delicate textures, highlighted by soft lighting.
A white plate features a slice of golden cake, garnished with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, sliced kiwi, strawberry, and orange peel, with red sauce drizzles. A cup of tea or coffee is in the background on a table near a window.
A tatami room with two futons laid out on the floor. The room has traditional shoji screens, a low table with chairs, a mini fridge, and a pair of armchairs with a small table by the window. There are various items on the tables and a decorative vase on the cabinet.
A serene Japanese garden filled with lush green plants, shrubs, and small trees. The garden is situated in the central courtyard of a traditional two-story building with sliding doors and balconies. A person stands by the window inside the building, looking outside.
Two plates of Neapolitan-style pizza with visible toppings such as mushrooms and greens sit on a wooden table. A glass of red wine is positioned centrally between the plates, in front of a person wearing a dark shirt with white lettering. Indoor seating is in the background.

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