And I thought Shikoku has steep hill climbs with deep, practically vertical valleys. Well, the Kii Peninsula, southern Wakayama Prefecture, has plenty.
The first ride went south from the city of Wakayama through Yuasa, home of Soy Sauce (I went through the small soy sauce museum) to a rural location where I stayed at a guest house. It was a converted fruit storage building. Nice renovation.
Then, it was a grueling climb up to Koyasan. The third day riding the Kii Peninsula was another big climbing day to Ryujin Onsen.
These last 3 rides were not huge in miles: only 111. But the total elevation gain was right at 15,000’. Pulling those damn panniers up the hills, was, well, a bit tiring.
These are some photos of a temple I visited that was having a Spring Festival. The second photo is the back of 9 female Pilgrims who were tapping a small bell, in unison, for at least a half hour. The bottom photo is where you buy a sticky golden piece of paper and write a “wish” (that’s the best word Google Translate came up with) and put it on the statue. A crazy steep, wet, mountain “road” …… a very modern house…… a terraced rice field…… the ubiquitous hillside support which is everywhere. Gotta wonder if it would’ve been necessary if the trees weren’t cut…. And some small bridges. The enormous cemetery in Koyasan…. And the bottom photo is from my window at Ryujin Onsen.
robert j. mang cycling/travel 
Fascinating and great photography!
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