This year’s solo motorcycle trip as president was started by a comment from a friend in Tokyo.
He said, “People in Tokyo hardly know anything about the area west of Okubo Manufacturing (Hyogo Prefecture), especially the Sea of Japan side.”
So, I plan to ride through the three prefectures of Tottori, Shimane, and Yamaguchi over a four-day itinerary on my Hunter 125.
I’m heading north on National Route 29 toward Tottori.
Along the way, let’s stop by the cute apple monument at Roadside Station Haga in Shiso City and also visit Onzui Lake.
Well, when you think of Tottori, it’s all about the sand dunes, right? So, let’s head for the dunes! But first, I’ll stop by Hayabusa Station!
Five bikers on Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycles were enthusiastically taking photos with their beloved bikes.
I’m not getting in the way, am I?
Just then, the Hayabusa train (a Suzuki provided train painted Hayabusa) happened to arrive by chance.
Lucky! I got to see it.
August 13th (Obon holiday) meant the sand dune parking lot was overcrowded.
I didn’t park my bike due to overcrowd there after all, taking photos from a spot a little further away.
The exhibits at the Sand Museum across from the sand dunes are truly overwhelming.
Tottori Airport is also known as “Conan Airport,”
and Yonago Airport is also called “Kitaro Airport.”
The Sanin coastline has been designated a UNESCO Global Geopark.
Now, leaving the coast behind, I will stop by Kurayoshi City.
What was it that came into view on the way to Kurayoshi?
It was the “Rest Stop Enchoen.” Why is there a Chinese garden here??
Here I am! Kurayoshi. This is a town of sake breweries and craftsmen.
It is a charming and beautiful town with continuous the white walls of plaster, that it is called shikkui, a sight rarely seen nowadays.
Water moats are also laid out and used as firefighting water sources.
After seeing Matsue Castle, I pass through Lake Shinji, and decided to head to Inasa-no-Hama (Inasa Beach), known as the gateway to the gods, to watch the sunset.
On the way from Kurayoshi City to Kotoura Town, I found a vast expanse land that felt like a gift from Mount Daisen.
I couldn’t help but take a picture, thinking, “There are such landscapes outside Hokkaido?”
The motorcycle parking lot for Matsue Castle is entered from “Inaribashi” that located you come circling around the castle.
The parking guide kindly showed me the way. Of course, it was free!
This is Inasa-no-Hama (Inasa Beach), my final destination for today.
A fantastical torii gate stands halfway up Byobu Rock.
The view of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki.
It is a spiritual place!
All of the deities gathered in Izumo from across the nation are welcomed at the “Kami-mukae Shinto ritual” on the evening of October 10th of the lunar calendar at Inasa-no-Hama (Inasa Beach).
In Shintoism, it is believed that a god exists for everything.
Inasa-no-Hama (Inasa Beach) is registered as a Japan Heritage site as a symbol of “Sunset Sacred Site Izumo.”
Day one is over.
From Okubo Manufacturing to here: 350 km. Tomorrow, let’s go to Izumo Taisha (Izumo Grand Shrine), Tsuwano, and Akiyoshidai!