I've been watching the weather for weeks and it's been sunny forr weeks in Kagoshima. I start my ride today and ... RAIN !
It rained all day but at least it was warm rain !
Thus was the one day I would head south on the tour to reach Cape Sata the southernmost point onthe Japanese mainland which is situated at the bottom of Kyushu.
I left town and after a short climb I was right on the coast on a quiet road hugging a rocky shoreline with gritty little coastal communities clinging to the edge of the land. Across the bay you could just make out Kaimondake which is the big volcano near Ibusuki.
A couple of small tunnels afforded shelter from the rain briefly then after 10 miles the olf road was closed and I was forced through a 2mile long massive looking tunnel. I let a wagon go past then went for it. The road was wide so there sgould be no issue, the road surface was textured which amplified the noise - even small cars sounded like lorries. Fortunately I go through without anything passing. I was within 10 miles of the Cape but the climbs started, there were 4 in total between 300 and 600 feet but rhey were all good to ride - not having the panniers on today also made short work of them.
The road approaching the cape had the feel of a tropical rainforest with a rich canopy, it dipped down to tiny villages on golden beaches, but all with bit industry, a harbour wall and fishing sheds etc.
At the Cape there was a 1mile walk to the Observation point, the walk went through a tunnel then past a lovely shrine before decked steps took me up to the Observation Point.
It was wet, windy, none of the offshore iskands were visible and even Kaimondake gad disappeared. Yet below on the rocks there were people, eeking out a very hard living on the edge of the land.
Before I left a couple arrived so I asjed them to take my picture which they kindly agreed to.
I had planned to come back to Nejime over the mountains, but I opted for prudence on day 1 looking at the weather. So I retraced my coastal route back go town ... However, there was this waterfall 5miles out of town which I had planned to see, so I detoured to it riding on ever smaller riads on extremely slippy paths and with great care I was there looming at a chasm. Water hurtling over a few hundred feet vertical drop with huge vertical rocks towering above.
A fast 5miles back into town and a wet Day 1 was complete.