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30 October 2016

Beautiful fall colors in Karuizawa

The sawteeth mountains of Gunma
Yesterday I was in Karuizawa having helped move some furniture for a friend Friday night.  The fall colors were really glorious.  The center of Kyu-Karuizawa and Naka-Karuizawa were mobbed with people (and the primary language sometimes seemed to be Chinese, not Japanese), but once out of the center it was actually quite peaceful.  Only a 26 km ride, but almost 600 meters of climbing.
Kyu Karuizawa Main area. Tour busloads.

My route. 2 shorter climbs.

On the way to Miharashidai


Walking up to the viewpoint -- spectacular reward ahead.


Gunma below
Peak foliage

Chinese language for this wedding photo.



At the bottom of the climb to Miharashidai, looking back to Kyu Karuizawa area
I tried to climb to Kita Karuizawa, but the toll road is closed to bikes, so I descended this very nice (gravel) rindo back to Naka Karuizawa, it came out through Hoshi no ya.

I am reconsidering my opinion of the place.


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2 comments:

  1. Manfred von Holstein30 October, 2016

    Karuizawa is always nice without traffic. Did they turn you away at the toll booth? Did you stop to ask? I didn't know that bicycles were not allowed and have passed each time without being stopped, in both ways. Only the Romantic Road from Toge no Chaya is difficult to enter by bicycle.

    Anyhow, it is ridiculous to ban bicycles just so that the cars can have a better time. They should not go fast anyhow on this road. And to prevent cyclists from seeing the nice Shiraito no Taki seems morally totally wrong.

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  2. David Litt30 October, 2016

    Hi Manfred: I did stop and ask at the toll booth. And I grumbled at the answer. But the guy at the booth did answer my other questio--about the rindo, whether it was passable by bike, where it came out, etc., and I was running out of time for the toll foad, so I did not try to ignore the advice.

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