NEWS
2025/1/14

Sea to Summit: Ride with Doppo Ronin Vol. 2

Text and Photography: Masashi Kimura

We, SimWorkers, live in Nagoya, which is located on the Nobi Plain, the fifth largest plain in Japan. Plains are a place where people gather easily, populations are concentrated, cities are formed, and industry and commerce are born. This is the center of the automobile industry, including Toyota, but it is only a small part of Japan’s land mass.

75% of Japan’s land area is covered by mountains and hills, with mountains cut into small valleys and slopes generally steep in nature. Japan also has some of the most active volcanoes in the world, with 111 of the approximately 1,500 active volcanoes in the world being in Japan.

These active volcanoes sometimes cause terrible damage, but at the same time they also bring the blessings of the earth. The accumulated volcanic ash creates well-drained soil that produces abundant crops, and the soil, made of porous lava, filters rain and turns into clean spring water that quenches our thirst. The magma underground becomes geothermal heat, nurturing a rich hot spring culture.

It is in Japan’s mountain and fishing villages that one can experience the true richness of Japan, such as its ancient landscapes and local vegetables and seafood.

I have long since given up on riding fast, and I am not particularly interested in the latest bike parts. The answer to the question, “Why do I ride a bike?” is that I ride my bike to seek out the scenery of such a rich land.

This time, our destination is the Shimabara Peninsula.

The Shimabara Peninsula is located in Nagasaki Prefecture, and was formed by the uplift of the Unzen volcano. It is home to Japan’s first national park, Unzen-Amakusa National Park, and has a history of being a popular summer resort and hot spring resort for foreigners in Japan after the country opened up to the world.

The Unzen volcano continued to erupt from 1990 to 1996, causing extensive damage to the area, and is also famous for creating Japan’s newest mountain, Heisei Shinzan, with the uplift caused by the eruption.

Furthermore, this area has been a place where Christianity has spread since the Sengoku period and where Christians have been subjected to severe persecution. It is also home to a culture of hidden Christians, with many unique cultural elements.

With such a rich geographical and cultural background, I was very interested in this area. In order to experience the area in its entirety, I planned to climb the hills of Mount Unzen from the north side, and descend from Unzen Onsen in the mountains to Obama on the west side. (I actually wanted to go to the south of the peninsula, but gave up due to schedule constraints.)

Where it all began

The starting point was Furube Station.

Furube Station on the Shimabara Railway is a nostalgic single-track line with trains running about once an hour.

Fukikoshi Pass

From this point at sea level the climb begins, 1000m up the mountain pass.

To put it dramatically, the Shimabara Peninsula was formed by the uplift of the Unzen volcano, so it’s no exaggeration to say that the peninsula itself is a mountain. In other words, the mountain starts at sea level, climbs to an altitude of 1000m in one go, and then descends the 1000m gained in one go.

From a slightly higher elevation, you can see the town of Fukuoka Prefecture in the distance.

We gradually gain altitude, and if we look ahead we can see Mount Unzen, and if we look back we can see the Ariake Sea.

Apparently the Emperor and Empress also took the route up to Fukikoshi Pass. It is known as the Emperor Route.

Iwato Shrine, located along this route, is a beautiful and mysterious place enshrined on a cliff.

There are various legends surrounding this shrine.

It seems that people from the Jomon period lived in the cave in the shrine toward the back.

The route from the north side of the peninsula does not have any switchbacks, it is just a straight climb.

Taking a deep breath, I endure the steep slope and continue climbing.

Relentless, this sustained climb up to Fukikoshi Pass is challenging.

The rugged, harsh face of the mountain comes closer.

Unzen is a mountain range with multiple peaks. We climbed the on-road route that winds through the valleys.

The mountaintop is covered in snow. Looking back, you can see the Ariake Sea and Kumamoto Prefecture across the sea.

Once you reach the top of the final climb, you can see Tachibana Bay on the other side, and Obama, your destination.

Unzen Hell

After crossing a large mountain pass, you will come across Unzen Onsen. There are so many hot springs in this area that in the past, the name Unzen was written as “Onsen” and pronounced that way.

And then there’s hell.

A spot where steam spews from the ground is called “Hell.”

The scenery, which is rarely seen in everyday life, takes your breath away.

In Unzen, we were very grateful to the people at the tourist bureau and Unzen Sancho Coffee.

It was a memorable encounter I had while traveling, and it was the first in a long time.

Obama

Our next destination was down the mountain to Obama, another famous hot spring town.

We ascended 1000m in one go, then it was a 1000m descent to the sea.

Personally, I like this kind of scenery in Japan.

When I got down to the village, I met some nice people and ended up chatting with them for a while.

After passing through the small village, the hot spring town came into view.

The area faces west, so the sunsets are beautiful.

This is a place that was also loved by the poet Saito Mokichi.

Steamer

Accommodation: Steam House in Obama Onsen

The distinctive feature of Obama Onsen is that the temperature of the source is 105℃, and boiling water springs out. This is apparently quite rare.

Thanks to this, the area is home to steam cookers that use the steam from the gushing hot springs to cook food, and steam shops offer this experience.

The spring water is salty, so it’s delicious just to steam local vegetables and fish. You can enjoy the rich flavor. It was a sensational experience. It’s enough to make you want to come back again.

Walking along the abandoned Obama railway line

I had thoroughly enjoyed myself up to this point, and all that was left for me to do was head home. But there was another highlight.

At the steam shop where we were staying, we were told, “If you’re going back to Nagasaki Airport, try taking the road along the coast. It’s an abandoned railway line that has been transformed into a prefectural road, so the scenery is beautiful.” So we decided to take Prefectural Route 201 along the coast.

This was another picturesque road.

The former Obama Railway ran along the coast of Tachibana Bay from Aino to Hizen Obama, and operated for a short period of just 10 years, from 1927 to 1938, before the war. Traveling along this road makes you realize that it must have been an extremely difficult area to develop.

There remains evidence of the tremendous efforts that went into carving out the cliff.

The single-track tunnel is still in use as a prefectural road and has a very charming feel to it.

The fishing village that can be seen from this road is also beautiful.

Along the way, there is a stone monument erected at the site of a station, and the remains of the station platform can still be seen at the site of Kizunohama Station.

Along this route you can enjoy the beautiful faces of Japan’s mountains, the atmosphere of hot spring towns, the calm seas, and the wonderful food that is grown there.

Although it was a short stay, it was a rich experience. I think I’ll need to come back again.

Equipment

FrameSIMWORKS Doppo Ronin / Size : S
StemSIMWORKS Tomboy Stem / 90mm
TireSIMWORKS The Homage 650 × 55B
RimSIMWORKS Standalone 001
SpokeSIMWORKS Peregrine Spoke – 14 Straight Gauge
Seat PostSIMWORKS Beatnik Seatpost / 300mm
SpokeSIMWORKS Tiny Bubbly / Bronze
RackSIMWORKS Obento Rack / Black
Front BagOUTER SHELL 137 Basket Bag / Burgundy
Seat BagOUTER SHELL Dropper Seat pack / Marigold
Frame BagOUTER SHELL Half Frame Bag / Marigold

The luggage I used on this trip were primarily OUTER SHELL bags.

The front bag in particular was extremely useful for storing my camera, which I frequently take in and out of, as well as other small items such as gadgets. The 137 Basket bag also has a padding insert specifically for cameras, but I found that the insert from the DOMKE F-2 that I use on a daily basis fit perfectly, so I used the DOMKE insert.

Another useful item for transporting your bike is the Dropper Seat pack, which can be attached upside down to the frame to make packing smarter when transporting your bike.

This way, you can put all your bags into the bike bag without having to remove them, so it’s an item you should definitely use, especially when traveling by train.

SIMWORKS Thunder Straps make for a great friend when packing your bike. Bring a few and you’ll definitely find them useful.

I used Tiny Bubbly pedals. They match perfectly with the frame color of the Doppo Ronin. The size is also ideal for carrying on a train.