TNT Day 39 - Mie, the powerhouse of japan

 30 Oct

Map 26 & 27: (hotel) // train to higashi-fujiwara station -> suishu suspension bridge -> odakasan kannon-do -> mie prefectural forest -> Mizunashi toilet block (tent)

Sunny, windy

I was back on the trail at higashi-fujiwara station at 9am. Brilliant blue skies for today's walk, much nicer than yesterday's rain.

The mine on my fujiwara continued to be a prominent landmark.

I passed by and between lots and lots of solar panels today, looks like any unused rice and tea fields have been converted to solar arrays, so instead of quaint towns with rice/tea fields dotted through them, they are industrial chiche towns with solar fields.

Even golf courses have been taken over by solar panels.

There are still some maintained tea fields around though - this farmer was busy harvesting the tea with his big ride on tea picker.

Out of the suburbs and a little bit of road walking before reaching suishu suspension bridge.

Mie keeps surprising me with picnic shelters and toilets in unexpected places. At suishu suspension bridge there is a public toilet block built in 1995 as part of a toilet revitalisation campaign. There is also what appears to be an old campground setup with a bbq area and washing taps.

It was quite blustery as I crossed the suspension bridge, luckily it looked and felt nice and sturdy.

The trail on the otherside had a few dodgy sections, most notably was this stream where half the bridge had been washed away and the previous iteration of steps where hanging off a cliff. Luckily the water wasn't too high today or it would have been a bit more of a soggy adventure.

The dodgy trail eventually led to this path, which someone had obviously put a lot of time and effort into making.

Signs of life.

That's a nice boulder.

Walked around the outside of this very serious rice growing operation. The fields were surrounded with tall electrified fences and cameras.

Into the suburbs of huppo, where some excellent parking skills were on display.

Odakasan Kannon-do, you can even log your worship record electronically and pay your shrine donation with the tap of your phone.

More collapsed bridges, as I passed under this one I came face to face with a dead tanuki withering with maggots.

The observation deck at the mie prefectural forest had an amazing view and would have been an excellent campsite with a great sunrise outlook, but alas I had daylight left and places to be.

And those places to be was the Mizunashi toilet block which was located up quite a steep bit of road. A cyclist passed me as I was huffing and puffing my up, he was also huffing and puffing so it didn't totally dishearten me.

The toilet block overlooked the valley and the river was a short walk away, I did contemplate having a wash but the cold breeze put me off.

21.8km, highest point: 445m, elevation: +960m -779m. (skipped 4.1km between nishi-fujiwara and higashi-fujiwara stations)