Over Japan’s Golden Week holiday, I rented a Honda CL500 and set off on a three-day, two-night touring adventure through the Kansai and Chugoku regions. I wanted to see what this mid-size scrambler—with its 500cc engine and solid torque—was really like on a long-distance ride.
On Day 1, I rode from Akashi to the ruins of Takeda Castle, then on to Amanohashidate, and finally arrived at Kinosaki Onsen. The route was full of variety—city streets, expressways, mountain roads, coastal scenery, and a hot spring town all in one day.
Author Profile
- 35 years working in the corporate world as an IT engineer
- 13 years of motorcycle experience
- Ridden everything from mopeds to 1800cc touring bikes
- Owned 11 motorcycles to date
Starting Out from Honda Dream Akashi
At 10 a.m., I picked up the CL500 from Honda Dream Akashi, having arrived via Shinkansen and HondaGO rental service.
Despite its rugged look, the CL500 handled light and nimble. The natural handlebar position gave me a good feeling that this would be a fun three-day ride.
From the City to the Expressway
Leaving Honda Dream Akashi, I headed toward the expressway.
Starting on Route 2 through an urban stretch full of buildings, restaurants, and convenience stores, I passed JR Nishi-Akashi Station—seen in the photo.
Being the start of the second half of Golden Week, traffic was heavy. But in a way, the slow pace was perfect for getting used to the rental bike. Eventually, I made it onto the Chugoku Expressway, which thankfully wasn’t very crowded and allowed for smooth riding.
Visiting Takeda Castle Ruins
My first destination was the Takeda Castle Ruins.
Motorcycles aren’t allowed up to the castle itself, so I headed to Yamajiro no Sato, a facility at the base of the mountain.
After parking the bike and checking the route on the map, I prepared for the hike.
But before climbing, I grabbed lunch at the Yamajiro no Sato restaurant: a local specialty, the Yoka pork tonkatsu set. It was delicious.
About 28 minutes of uphill walking later, I reached the entrance to the ruins.
And the climb wasn’t over yet—even after entering the grounds, the path kept going up.
The stone walls and layout made it clear: this really was a fortress on top of a mountain.
From the site of the main keep, the view was breathtaking. I found myself imagining what it must’ve looked like in its heyday, swept up in the romance of history and the passage of time. That’s the magic of castle touring.
While Takeda Castle is famous for its “castle in the sky” look above a sea of clouds, the view without clouds was still spectacular—and left me deeply satisfied.
A Visit to Amanohashidate
Next up was Amanohashidate, one of Japan’s three most scenic views. I aimed to enjoy the quirky “upside-down view” from the observation deck.
But when I arrived… surprise! The lift to the deck had a one-hour wait, meaning I wouldn’t make it before closing.
That’s Golden Week for you. I had to give up on the observation deck with some regret.
As if on cue, the skies—so clear until now—began to cloud over. I decided to take a short walk around the sandbar instead.
The scene had turned chilly and a bit lonely.
Still, I couldn’t leave without trying the local specialty: “Chie no Mochi.” Legend has it that eating one grants you the wisdom of Monju Bosatsu (Manjushri). Maybe it’ll make me smarter (lol).
With the mochi eaten, I hit the road again, aiming to reach my final destination before dark.
Arrival at Kinosaki Onsen
After crossing a few mountain passes from Amanohashidate, I arrived safely in Kinosaki Onsen by evening. I parked the bike at the inn and looked forward to dinner and a soak.
This time, I stayed at Mitsuwa Ryokan. It was wonderfully relaxing.
Even better, they had a secure indoor space to park the bike—a perfect setup for riders. I was genuinely grateful for that.
Dinner was at a nearby restaurant called Ichigyo Ichie. I had the simmered yellowtail set meal, and it was fantastic.
After dinner, I visited one of the town’s public bathhouses, Yanagi-yu. It’s known as the smallest, deepest, and hottest of the six bathhouses—and that was no exaggeration. It was so hot, I couldn’t stay in for more than five minutes.
With Day 1 complete, I returned to the ryokan and promptly fell fast asleep.
Day 1 Summary
- Total distance ridden: approx. 220 km
- Stops visited: Takeda Castle Ruins, Amanohashidate, Kinosaki Onsen
- Route details
Tomorrow, I head west along the Sea of Japan, from Tottori to Okayama. On to Day 2…
