Dynamic Scenery and Stunning Fall Foliage Along the Yabakei Cycling Road【Explore Oita Japan】
Hello, my name is Aditi and I’m Claudia and we’re going to be your hosts for today Welcome to Explore Oita Japan [Explore Oita Japan] Autumn is definitely one of the best times to come visit Japan Today, we’re going to take you to one of the best fall foliage cycling roads
Located here in Yabakei Nakatsu City, Oita Prefecture However, due to unforeseen weather conditions we heard we might not see the foliage at its best So we hope to get some good views while exercising on these bicycles This is the Yabakei Cycling Terminal which is being operated by Nakatsu City As you can see there are a lot of bikes to choose from but there are two main types The 1st one is a normal bicycle that you can rent for 700 yen
And the 2nd one is an electric bicycle that you can rent for 1500 yen You can do so in their opening hours that start from 8:30 am till 5:00 pm Also there are some drop off stations along the way which means that you don’t have to return back here
But you can take them to the drop off points by paying an additional 500 yen Since we’re inexperienced cyclists we’ll be using these electrical bicycles Our first destination is Keisekien a beautiful Japanese garden just across the road from the Yabakei Cycling Terminal Let’s go!
This is Keisekien, which is only a 3-minute ride from the Yabakei Cycling Terminal The garden was built in 1987 to commemorate the completion of Yabakei Dam and it’s lit up at night when the fall foliage is at its peak I think today’s weather is perfect – It’s pretty nice – Right?
Not that cold, perfect breeze and the perfect sun The autumn leaves look magnificent – For a photo – For a photo? An Instagram photo! Hi, Mr. Fish – Gosh! That fish has an attitude – That one jumped Oh, OK. I’m really scared I was like are you going to walk into the river? – Hold my hand – No OK – Wait! – OK This is Instagram worthy, you guys Like you come here you get a snapshot of yourself and 100 likes Next to the entrance of the garden is a soba restaurant They serve soba and other dishes that contain bamboo charcoal which has a detox effect and contains several minerals Let’s go to our next destination Goryo Momiji Let’s go! This Maple Yabakei Cycling Road used to be a railroad that connected Morizane Onsen in Yabakei with Nakatsu City
In 1982 it was repurposed for cycling The whole road is 21.7 miles long of which 13.7 miles is exclusive for cycling Today, we will cover around 6.2 miles from the Yabakei Cycling Terminal to Aonodomon I think the weather today truly is the perfect weather for us to be doing this and also the electrical bicycles
Oh my gosh! So easy to ride them Yes. I think this exercise of biking is for everybody Like, people who like sports but also people who don’t Pretty much It’s so pretty Now, we’ve approached a tunnel The bicycle switched on the light by itself Safety first Wow, this is so pretty The view from up here… Oh my gosh – I know right? – So pretty – Let’s go down – OK – I’m a little scared – It’s okay – It’s very steep – Very steep but so pretty
Claudia, don’t you think when all of these leaves fall down it’ll create such a beautiful image here? – Of course, all the colors of the autumn – Right? Yellow, orange and red Yes! If I could describe cycling in Yabakei in autumn I would describe it as equal to meditating Because the weather is so pleasant your mind feels at ease and I just truly think one can take a moment to ponder over yourself This is Aonodomon This tunnel is located at the base of Kyoshuho Ridge facing the Yamakuni River It’s said that a Buddhist priest named Zenkai had taken pity on the frequent loss of men and horses who tried to cross the Kyoshuho Ridge He began excavating this tunnel in 1730 with only chisels and hammers
Completing it after more than 30 years Guys, that brings us to the end of our cycling tour Claudia, how do you feel? I love it completely It was amazing especially the views during the autumn with the whole red leaves It was such a beautiful view I think that was my favorite part How about you, Aditi?
I think what I really enjoyed was how relaxing it all was It truly calmed all my senses down and I totally recommend this to anyone who’s coming to Japan during the autumn season Do pay a visit to Yabakei and explore Oita Prefecture, Japan We cycled about 6.2 miles today and also visited these awesome places
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*Subtitles are available in Japanese, English, Chinese (Taiwan) and Chinese (Hong Kong). Please enjoy the video with subtitles on.
In this video, we’ll introduce the cycling road that runs around Yabakei Gorge, a valley formed by the Yamakuni River in Nakatsu City, Oita Prefecture.
【Contents】
0:35 Yabakei Cycling Terminal
1:30 Keisekien
2:56 Maple Yaba Cycling Road
3:46 Goryo Momiji
5:23 Aonodomon
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Yabakei, located in Nakatsu City, northwestern Oita Prefecture, is a scenic spot lined with dynamic rock formations born from erosion of a plateau formed by volcanic activity. It has long been popular as one of Oita’s most picturesque locations, and is particularly stunning in autumn when adorned by colorful maple foliage, attracting many visitors bearing cameras.
This time, our hosts toured the Maple Yaba Cycling Road, which lets you cycle alongside Yabakei. The route is approximately 21.7 miles, and it uses the former Yabakei Railway, which once connected Nakatsu and Morimi Onsen for 63 years between 1913-1975.
First, our hosts chose their ride at the Yabakei Cycling Terminal. They have all kinds of bicycles available for rent, from road bikes to electric bikes. Our hosts opted for a more leisurely ride with an electric bike!
Their first destination was Keisekien, a 2 ha Japanese-style garden opened to commemorate the construction of Yabakei Dam. This dazzling garden stuns throughout the seasons, particularly during its Insta-worthy autumn foliage period. Within is also Japanese Garden Chokatsu Sobaya Keisekien, a restaurant serving the rare charcoal-flavored soba.
Continuing further down the Yamakuni River, our hosts soon came across Goryo Shrine, which is known for its beautiful maple leaves that peak around the end of autumn. After silently appreciating the enchanting Goryo Momiji maples, they entered the Maple Yaba Cycling Road. This course is packed with highlights, like Yabakei Bridge, the longest stone bridge in Japan; Aonodomon, a 1122 ft tunnel built over 30 years; plus old railway river bridges and more. Our hosts had a blast taking in the railway relics, placid countryside scenery, thickets of trees, and refreshing pristine streams!
With gentle hills and diverse scenery, the Maple Yaba Cycling Road is perfect for families and beginners, too. Combined with a soak in a hot spring, it’s a healthy and fun way to enjoy the autumn scenery of Oita!
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Maple Yaba Cycling Road▶︎https://www.cycling-oita.jp/en/
Tourism Nakatsu Yabakei▶︎https://tourism.nakatsuyaba.com/?_ga=2.179740578.705098073.1704927738-375369861.1700005144&_gl=1*1gve4py*_ga*Mzc1MzY5ODYxLjE3MDAwMDUxNDQ.*_ga_RCG5E6NRMR*MTcwNDkyNzczOC40LjAuMTcwNDkyNzczOC42MC4wLjA.
Yabakei Cycling Terminal▶︎https://tourism.nakatsuyaba.com/cyclingwalking/
Keisekien▶︎https://tourism.nakatsuyaba.com/things-to-seedo/
Japanese Garden Chokatsu Sobaya Keisekien▶︎https://www.youtube.com/@sobaya_tencho
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