To sum it up … this is what bike touring is all about!

A 102km day … early start 7:15am snuck out from our guesthouse after 2 bananas and a coffee.

It’s still fresh … I love early starts … it’s Monday and people are starting to move in this little village … it must be bin day – people are carrying large plastic bags to deposit in central locations on the main street. This is how they do it here, no individual house rubbish collection.

The streets are narrow, a few people in cars … the odd old folk walking down the road ‘konichiwa’ gives a warning someone is behind.

We are by the coast and it’s very calm and a slight tailwind … perfect conditions.

Stopping to take pics … a small island looks great against the calm sea … a few campers … I wish!!! I too would be here if I was camping.

As the coast meanders there are coves with fishing villages then a small hill to discover another fishing village. This is our day … but far from boring … the small hills are lined with large pine plantations and rice paddies, followed by majestic views of the coast.

There are no convenience stores this is Japan at is best … on the coast road we see ‘Noto Pain’ stop!!!! A bakery … it’s 10am … technically no breakfast … Yes!! The best french almond croissant and pain au chocolat ... Am I in France??

John says, ‘can we find a bakery like that every day?’

We are killing the kilometres and see a Family Mart just after noon … I just love the sushi rolls …

Recharged and more amazing rice paddies, pine forests and coastline … we turn a corner and the bridge to Noto Island – more spectacular views as we cross and the bush and rice paddies as we go along the coastal road for about 10km before we cross a second bridge to the mainland.

Komoot directs us to our digs … a guesthouse – an old hotel in it’s early days but converted [loosely] into a guesthouse. The room is big – has everything we want, clean and just a short walk to the hub of town.

Check in at 4pm we arrive at 3pm and it’s okay we are the only guests … a public onsen 350m away.

What better way to finish a 102km day … donned with fresh clothes and towel in my backpack and ¥440. There are 2 x 42.8°C baths inside and 1 outside, a sauna and a tub 17°C. Hot tub first, sauna, cold, hot, cold the last rinse with warm water – dress in fresh clothes and hairdryer… I feel a million dollars.

A walk downtown – a small 300ml bottle of Californian White wine hits the spot back in our digs.

A nice meal … John loves his dumplings for starters and ramen and shrimp rice.

We giggle as we sit with our pants rolled up to our knees in a free foot spa in the middle of town at 8pm.

Goodnight …