Summary
This time, I rode my bicycle around Hiruzen in a circle.
It felt really good to pedal my bicycle and run through nature while feeling it with my whole body,
The smell of grass, soil, and flowers, the gushing cold springs, the vast greenery, and the animals… I was once again reminded how wonderful and grateful I am for nature.
It was a lot of fun to ride the bike, stopping at various spots along the way,
Above all, the means of bicycle transportation made me feel somewhat eco-friendly.
It was a healing journey thanks to nature✨
Please refer to this page!
*Please note that information and prices listed are subject to change.
Travel Itinerary
9:00am GREENable HIRUZEN
Here is the starting point for this trip!
It is a center for transmitting tourism and culture where visitors can experience sustainability.
There is a cycling center where you can rent bicycles!
Rent a Bicycle
They have several types to choose from, including electric-assisted and mountain bikes.
This time, electrically assisted.
This was a great success & a great solution later on!
Thanks to the electric assist, I managed to get over the uphill.
The staff gave us a map and explained the route to us.
I would like to ride on the Hiruzen cycling course, which is about 30 km long…
It’s hard to run all of them, so we took a shortcut course this time,
We would like to proceed by visiting spots along the course!
Spot Outline
GREENable HIRUZEN, located in Hiruzen Kamifukuda, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, is a facility that serves as a base for communicating the value of sustainability to a wider audience. The building is a pavilion that makes extensive use of CLT, and was designed under the supervision of Kengo Kuma, who was involved in the design of the National Stadium. Inside, there are artworks, and the space is filled with the pleasant aroma of wood and the five senses. There is also a cycling center where visitors can rent bicycles and explore the surrounding area.
10:00am Hiruzen Jersey Land（ひるぜんジャージーランド）
The first spot for cycling is Hiruzen Jersey Land.
Cows leisurely grazing at the back of a vast grassland.
SHOP & RESTAURANT
This facility has stores and restaurants. I went inside because I wanted to try soft ice cream!
Interior view of shop & restaurant
There are many delicious breads and other items for sale.
Panna cotta, cheesecake, cream puffs
And milk, of course.
soft serve ice cream (icecream)
I had a hard time deciding, but in the end, I still ordered the soft ice cream.
You can feel the original flavor of the rich milk, and this is what ranch soft serve ice cream is all about.
You can eat on the second floor of the building or outside. Eating outside is recommended!
Spot Outline
Hiruzen Jersey Land, located in Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, is a leisure facility directly operated by the Hiruzen Dairy Farmers Cooperative Association. It features a vast pasture landscape, Jersey beef dishes, and a store offering a variety of Jersey dairy products, including sweets made from Jersey milk. Dairy products made from rich Jersey milk are popular, especially the soft-serve ice cream.
10:50am Hiruzen Horse Park（蒜山ホースパーク）
The Horse Park is connected to Jersey Land by a boardwalk.
You can try horseback riding, pulling, and feeding. This time, I tried the feeding experience!
Feeding experience 100 yen per cup of carrots
At first, I was a little scared and startled by the adult horse’s face and teeth.
I gradually got used to it and enjoyed getting up close and personal with the cute horses!
Teeth rounded!
Spot Outline
Hiruzen Horse Park, located in Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, is a horse riding club where visitors can interact with horses. There are about 40 to 50 horses, including ponies. Visitors can make memories by riding, feeding, and pulling horses. The park is also conveniently accessible with a parking lot.
11:40am Shiogama Cold Spring
The next spot was a stop at a campground off the bike path.
The highlight is Shiogama cold spring, one of the 100 best waters in Japan!
Here, cool spring water gushes out all year round, allowing visitors to enjoy the wonderful nature that forms a cool atmosphere even in the hot summer.
Fetching water at the cold spring is not allowed, but there is a special place to fetch water for drinking.
The water clarity is amazing! Beautiful creek
As one would expect from a cold spring, it was very cold when I put my hand in!
Cold spring for drawing water
Next to the information desk, the water that flows from time to time from a bamboo tube is the cold spring.
Fetch water with your own bottle that you brought! Hydration
Freshly pumped water tastes great✨
Spot Outline
Shiogama Cold Spring is located in Hiruzen Shimofukuda, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture. Located in a campground, the cold spring water, selected as one of the 100 best waters, gushes out all year round and is used by about 600 households in the village for daily use. Although pumping water is not allowed, it is possible to fetch water at a special place.
12:30pm Green Gables（グリーンゲイブルス）
We left the cold spring in Shiogama and returned to the bike path.
Lunch at this restaurant, which you will see as you proceed to the short cut course.
We will have a French course.
Lovely antique atmosphere in the store.
Interior
Interior
We were shown to a window seat with a view of the garden.
Menu
Spring Roll Salad
Plenty of seasonal vegetables are used, and the combination with the spring rolls is hearty and delicious.
We also received bread!
The soup has a nice aroma of shiso and a lot of ingredients. Very satisfying!
Poiret of sea bream
Roasted chickens
The elegant flavor of the meat was irresistible, and the sauce was enjoyed with bread.
cabinet pudding
A dessert where the pudding batter and sponge are combined to resemble a cake.
It is a nice and hearty dish, even served with ice cream and fruit.
We ended the lunch with a cup of apple tea, which they blend in the restaurant, and it was a great lunch. I was so full. I was very satisfied!
Spot Outline
Green Gables is a French restaurant located in Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture. The restaurant is popular for its courses using delicious seasonal ingredients from Hiruzen. There is a cycling road in the vicinity, and access by bicycle is also possible.
3:00pm Kayabeno Observation Rest Area（茅部野展望休憩所）
With our stomachs full, we paddled one more time!
This rest area has a good view and is a good spot to take in the magnificent scenery.
Take a break with the cold spring water from Shiogama that you have just fetched.
Scenery like Hokkaido
It seems that buckwheat flowers bloom beautifully in September!
Spot Outline
The Kayabeno Observation Rest Area, located in Hiruzen Higashi Kayabe, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, is a rest spot along the Hiruzen Cycling Road. From here, you can enjoy a magnificent view of the landscape, and it is also known as a hole-in-the-wall photo spot.
3:30pm KAYABE do（KAYABE堂）
Take a break at an old house café famous for its pancakes.
The store is half a general store, with accessories and ceramics by local artists, as well as local specialties.
Cute curtain
Interior
Interior
Interior
There is also a tatami room
Interior
Menu
A large and varied lineup of coffee and tea
blended coffee
Coffee time at the magnificent one-panel counter. Cookies and chocolates were also served.
The style of coffee is brewed while counting the time with an hourglass. You can press the coffee yourself and drink your own special coffee!
Spot Outline
KAYABE do, located at 312 Nishikayabe Hiruzen, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, is a café renovated from an old private house and is famous for its pancakes. The interior is like a general store, with accessories and ceramics by local artists, as well as local specialties for sale.
4:30pm GREENable HIRUZEN
Finally, return the bicycle.
Traveling by bicycle is somewhat eco-friendly!
It was a fun one-day cycling trip!
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