{"id":166342,"date":"2024-10-29T11:52:41","date_gmt":"2024-10-29T02:52:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/?p=166342&lang=en"},"modified":"2024-11-21T10:08:46","modified_gmt":"2024-11-21T01:08:46","slug":"cycling-itoshima-god-stone-hakoshima-shrine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/en\/cycling-itoshima-god-stone-hakoshima-shrine\/","title":{"rendered":"Cycling Itoshima: The God Stone & Hakoshima Shrine Loop"},"content":{"rendered":"

Text and photos by: <\/strong>Tim Muzik<\/p>\n

Welcome to the second post in our cycling series! My wife Rachel and I recently moved to Fukuoka, and we\u2019ve been exploring Kyushu\u2019s best cycling routes ever since. This time, we\u2019re taking a relaxing ride through Itoshima, visiting the God Stone of Power and Hakoshima Shrine. Don\u2019t forget to check back for more rides as we continue uncovering Kyushu\u2019s hidden gems!<\/p>\n

We\u2019d love to hear your feedback, suggestions, or requests for future rides\u2014feel free to email us at cycling@fukuoka-now.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

This article is part of our growing collection of cycling routes and reports for Fukuoka and Kyushu. Explore more rides on our index page<\/a>\u2014and get out and discover Kyushu<\/em><\/p>\n

Route Overview<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Highlights:<\/strong> The God Stone, Hakoshima Shrine, Izumigawa, and Marukumayama Tumulus
\nLength:<\/strong> 47 km
\nClimbing:<\/strong> 143 meters
\nKonbini Calories:<\/strong> 4.5 Pizza Buns
\nDifficulty Rating:<\/strong> Easy
\nGPX File:<\/strong> download<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Today, we are heading out on what might best be classified as a \u201cmini-adventure.\u201d We\u2019ll be taking our folding bikes through the Itoshima rice fields to Kamiari, the God Stone of Power<\/a>, and the beautiful Hakoshima Shrine<\/a>. This ride is accessible to anyone with a free afternoon and a mamachari with sufficient air in the tires\u2014no need to get suited up in lycra for this one!<\/p>\n

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Starting the Ride: Itoshima\u2019s Backroads<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When planning a mini-adventure like this, it\u2019s best to choose any random interesting location you can find on Google Maps within a reachable distance and attempt to take as many backroads and paths as possible. When cycling through Itoshima, avoiding National Route 202 is recommended. While this road is safe enough and very efficient, it\u2019s much more interesting to look for small rice farming roads that run somewhat in the desired direction of your destination.<\/p>\n

Funnily enough, these short rides often end up taking longer than 100 km loops because the pressure of a long journey doesn\u2019t weigh on your mind, allowing you the freedom to stop at random points of interest that you might usually pass by.<\/p>\n

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Shimoyamato Station to Nagatare Point<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The ride starts off by hugging the Chikuhi Line as it leaves town, passing Meinohama<\/a> and Shimoyamato<\/a> stations. An added benefit of heading west is that the sun will be at your back, lighting up the landscape in front of you. Leaving Shimoyamato station, the green face of Mt. Nagatare will be lit up and speckled with box-shaped houses, giving the feel of a scene from Studio Ghibli\u2019s Ponyo. It\u2019s also here that you’ll cross the train tracks for the first of a dozen times on this ride. If you\u2019re lucky, you\u2019ll get stopped by its crossing and get to wave at the happy people on their way to Karatsu.<\/p>\n

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On the way out of town, there\u2019s a destination local bakery, Matsubokkuri Pan<\/a>. This bakery is one of the best around, not only due to its consistent opening hours and quality goods but also due to its proximity to Ikinomatsubara Forest Park<\/a>. Throughout Japan, coasts are lined with pine forests known as matsubara. These are an important part of Japan\u2019s environmental heritage, as they provide a stunning landscape while also offering erosion protection and windbreaks. It\u2019s a perfect spot to enjoy the spread of baked goods you just picked up\u2014lunch in the pine forest from Pinecone Bakery!<\/p>\n

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Rounding Nagatare Point: Geological Wonder<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Heading toward Itoshima along the coast from the pine forest, you\u2019ll round Nagatare Point<\/a>. While this point is likely seen as a bit of an inconvenience\u2014albeit a beautiful one\u2014by most cyclists due to the tight shoulder space and fast-driving cars, it is actually a Natural Monument of Japan. It\u2019s a unique mica-bearing pegmatite dike and a key location for studying the region’s geology. There are a number of prominently displayed boulders that highlight this, but most people who pass it will be distracted by the views of the Fukuoka skyline down the coast.<\/p>\n

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Hidden Gem: Marukumayama Tumulus<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As you navigate through the backroads around Imajuku<\/a> and Susenji<\/a> stations, you\u2019ll come across a great hidden gem: the Marukumayama Tomb<\/a>. This is one of six keyhole-shaped tombs in the area and is extremely well-preserved, considering it was built in the 5th century\u2014around 1,500 years ago. It\u2019s great stops like this that\u2019ll make you glad you brought the slow bike and aren\u2019t bound to the pedals with noisy and slippery cycling cleats.<\/p>\n

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The Itoshima Rice Fields<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Feeling like an explorer and Japanese historian, take that enthusiasm south toward the Itoshima rice fields. Here, you\u2019ll find beautiful flat roads surrounded by rice, chives, soybeans, and barley fields, all in the shadow of the Raizan mountains to the south. The roads take you through small communities filled with traditional Japanese houses and obscure farming equipment. A slow descent brings you past the Queens Hill Country Club<\/a> and very close to the main destination for this adventure: the God Stone of Power.<\/p>\n

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The God Stone of Power: A Sacred Site<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In Japan, power spots are sacred places believed to hold spiritual energy, where people go to connect with nature or the divine. This particular power spot in Itoshima comes in the form of a massive 4-meter by 16-meter stone next to Kamiari Shrine<\/a>. Leave your bike (or car) behind and make the short trek on foot through the bamboo forest that surrounds the stone. The sight of this massive stone sitting atop a small mound is impressive, and you will immediately be in awe of the power it most certainly holds. On this particular day that Rachel and I visited, we were surprised by a large frog that popped out from beneath the stone. After a brief moment of terror and a scream, we appreciated that this must be a very special frog and apologized for startling him.<\/p>\n

Visitors of the stone are instructed on how to extract its power through a short breathing routine. With deep breaths and open arms, you can bring the power of the stone home with you to ensure success and health for your future. Fukuoka Now has a much more in-depth article<\/a> about the stone for those wanting to learn more. After a final bow to the stone, you\u2019ll leave feeling rejuvenated and ready for the next sight on this route: Hakoshima Shrine<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Hakoshima Shrine: Coastal Beauty<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Hakoshima Shrine needs no introduction to Fukuoka residents. Anyone who has driven the coastal road between Itoshima and Karatsu will have stopped to check it out or quickly pulled out their phones as they sped past, wishing there was a place to park. This shrine, located on a rocky island that juts out from the coast, is marked by a white torii gate and massive sandy-colored boulders. Traveling by bike makes it easy to quickly ditch your wheels and climb up to the shrine above. Locals believe that visiting this shrine brings good luck and prosperity. With the luck from the God Stone fresh in your system combined with this, you might want to go buy a lottery ticket!<\/p>\n

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The Return Journey: Izumigawa River and Kaya Mountain<\/strong><\/h3>\n

After taking in the beauty of Hakoshima, it\u2019s time to head back toward Fukuoka. The best route can be found by tracing the Izumi and Raizan Rivers<\/a>. Heading toward the fields of Itamochi, you\u2019ll be rewarded with views of the stunning Kaya Mountain. If it\u2019s summer, you\u2019ll also see the vibrant colors of Hamabou shrubs that line the river.<\/p>\n

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A Big Boy Finale: Fami-Resu Culture<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There are many scenic roads to choose from as you near the coast, but Rachel and I were very fortunate to pop out of the fields at one of Japan\u2019s finest fami-resus: Big Boy<\/a>. I have a deep love and fascination with Japan\u2019s fami-resu culture and will often \u201ccoincidentally\u201d plan bike routes that happen to end at one of them. After a bit of persuading, I convinced Rachel to settle on Big Boy as our lunch spot, where I eagerly attacked the salad bar and famous Big Boy curry.
\nIt seems the luck bestowed on us from the God Stone and Hakoshima Shrine was fully in effect!<\/p>\n

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This article is part of our growing collection of cycling routes and reports for Fukuoka and Kyushu. Explore more rides on our index page<\/a>\u2014and get out and discover Kyushu<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Text and photos by: Tim Muzik Welcome to the second post in our cycling series! My wife Rachel and I recently moved to Fukuoka, and we\u2019ve been exploring Kyushu\u2019s best cycling routes ever since. This time, we\u2019re taking a relaxing ride through Itoshima, visiting the God Stone of Power and Hakoshima Shrine. Don\u2019t forget to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29305,"featured_media":166344,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/?p=166342&lang=en","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5173],"tags":[5196],"class_list":["post-166342","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel","tag-cycling","location-itoshima","en-US"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/fn_cycling-kamiari-hakoshima_2024_cl_9822.jpg?fit=1400%2C1050&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166342","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29305"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=166342"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166342\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":167065,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166342\/revisions\/167065"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/166344"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=166342"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=166342"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=166342"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}