[Scenic Touring] [Aichi Prefecture] Motorcycle trip to Korankei! A solo trip where you can enjoy the spectacular views of each season and feel nostalgic.
Hello, this is _hiroyuki.ta. This time, we will introduce a touring trip to Korankei, a famous autumn foliage spot in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture. I set out from central Tokyo on my Harley Sports Glide (FLSB) and drove about 400 kilometers. We will tell you in detail what Korankei is, how to get there, what kind of attractions there are, and where the bike parking lot is.
Korankei is a valley created by the Tomoe River, a tributary of the Yahagi River, and is located in a corner of Aichi Kogen Quasi-National Park. The name Korankei means a valley where fragrant wind blows through''. Korankei is known for its autumn leaves and katakuri flowers, and in autumn, the approximately 4,000 trees turn red and yellow, beautifully coloring the surface of the Tomoe River. The "Korankei Maple Festival" will be held from November 1st to 30th, and various events will be held, as well as illuminations from sunset to 9:00 p.m., creating a fantastic view different from the daytime. You can see the autumn leaves. However, this Korankei is known not only for its autumn leaves but also as a treasure trove of wildflowers, and in particular, theKatakuri no Hana” colony, which blooms over 5,000 square meters from late March to early April, looks just like the rest of the world. It is as beautiful as a pale purple carpet. The pretty flowers are also called “Spring Ephelamel” (early spring fairy), and many people visit Korankei every year to see these flowers.
Route to Korankei
I started from central Tokyo, but if you use the Tomei Expressway or Shin-Tomei Expressway, you can reach Korankei in about 5 hours. On the way, I stopped at a service area and parking area to take a break and refuel, but it wasn’t particularly crowded and I was able to ride comfortably. The route I took is as follows.
From central Tokyo, take the Shuto Expressway Chuo Loop Line and head toward the Tomei Expressway at Hamamatsucho Junction.
Drive west on the Tomei Expressway and enter the Shin-Tomei Expressway at the Hamamatsu Nishi Interchange.
Drive west on the Shin-Tomei Expressway and exit at the Toyota Higashi Interchange.
Enter National Route 153 from the Toyota Higashi Interchange and head south.
Drive along National Route 153, enter Asuke Town, and turn left following the Korankei sign.
Korankei has many attractions where you can experience not only natural beauty but also history and culture. When I visited, it was the autumn foliage season, so I started by taking a walk along the promenade along the valley. The promenade is about 3 kilometers long and takes about 1 hour. From the promenade, you can see the colorful maple leaves and the murmuring of the Tomoe River. Along the promenade, there is an old temple of the Soto sect called Koshakuji. Kosakuji Temple is said to have been built in 1427 on the site of the former residence of the local ruling family, the Asuke clan, and is also famous as one of the best spots for viewing autumn leaves in the Tokai region. Kosakuji Temple is home to many precious Buddhist statues, including the national treasure wooden seated statue of Amida Nyorai and the important cultural property wooden eleven-faced Kannon statue. In addition, there is a mountain called Mt. Iimori located a little far from Kosakuji Temple. It is said that Mt. Iimori got its name from the place where Iimori Shrine was built by Shigenaga, the first member of the Asuke family, at the end of the Heian period, and from the top of the mountain you can get a panoramic view of Korankei and Asuke Town.
After walking along the promenade, we took a stroll through the old streets of Asuke Town, which is located across the Asuke River. Asuke Town prospered as a post town where Chuma Kaido and Enshu Kaido intersect during the Edo period, and traces of that can still be seen today. Asuke Town is full of attractions, including a living folklore museum called Sanshu Asuke Yashiki and a blacksmith shop called Shigemitsu Hirose Hamonoten. Sanshu Asuke House is a reproduction of a former wealthy farmer’s mansion, opened in 1981, and exhibits the daily necessities and agricultural tools of the time.
Korankei motorcycle parking lot
Korankei has a parking lot exclusively for motorcycles. You can park your car in the parking lot near Asuke Hachimangu Shrine. There is space for about 100 bikes, and the fee is 300 yen per bike. It can get crowded on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and during the fall foliage season, so we recommend arriving early.
summary
This time, we introduced a tour to Korankei, a famous autumn foliage spot in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture. Korankei has many attractions where you can experience not only natural beauty but also history and culture. I set out from central Tokyo on a Harley Sports Glide (FLSB) and drove about 400 kilometers, and I was able to ride comfortably along the way. If you go to Korankei, be sure to check out the valley, which has a different look depending on the season, such as autumn leaves and katakuri flowers, as well as the old townscape and shrines of Asuke Town. There is also a motorcycle parking lot, so I think it is a perfect spot to go by motorcycle. Through this tour, I was able to rediscover the wonders of Japan’s nature and culture. I hope you all enjoy a bike trip to Korankei.
That’s it for _hiroyuki.ta. Next time we look forward to!
[Scenic Touring] [Aichi Prefecture] Motorcycle trip to Korankei! A solo trip where you can enjoy the spectacular views of each season and feel nostalgic.
