[Kanto Touring Spot] [Saitama Prefecture] Bike trip to Kaofuri Pass! A solo Harley trip tracing the history of Oku Musashi Green Line and Minamoto no Yoshitsune
Hello, this is _hiroyuki.ta. This time, we will introduce touring on a Harley-Davidson to Kaaburi Pass in Saitama Prefecture. Kaofuri Pass is a 500m high mountain pass located in the eastern part of Oku-Musashi, and is a popular resting place on the Oku-Musashi Green Line and the Kanto Fureai-no-Michi. There is an observation deck about a 10-minute walk east of the pass, and on clear days you can see the skyscrapers of Saitama subcenter. Legend has it that during the Heian period, Minamoto no Yoshitsune passed through Kaofuri Pass when he fled to Oshu after fleeing Kyoto, and that Shibusawa Heihachiro escaped after being defeated in the Hanno War. This time, we will introduce the route and highlights from central Tokyo to Kaofuri Pass.
Kaofuri Pass is a mountain pass that straddles Hanno City and Ogose Town, Saitama Prefecture, and is 500m above sea level. There are various theories about the origin of the name, but one theory is that when Minamoto no Yoshitsune escaped from Kyoto to Oshu during the Heian period, he looked back many times at the spectacular view, and Musashibo Benkei, who accompanied him there, was so impressed that he It is said that the name originates from climbing a steep slope while swinging one’s head. Another explanation board also says, Because there are peaks that resemble a crown, the crown became cloudy and turned into a kaafuri.'' Due to the post-war hiking boom, it became widely known asKoburi Pass”, but many people in the local area call it Kaaburi Pass'', and the government now calls itKoburi Pass”. It has been unified under the name “Kaaburi Pass”.
This time, from central Tokyo, head northeast on the Metropolitan Expressway Inner Loop Line/C1 and enter the Metropolitan Expressway No. 5 Ikebukuro Line/Route 5 at Takebashi JCT. Exit the Metropolitan Expressway No. 5 Ikebukuro Line/Route 5 at the Takashimadaira exit and enter Shin-Omiya Bypass/National Route 17. From Shin-Omiya Bypass/National Route 17, enter Kawagoe Kaido/National Route 254 via Sasame Street/National Route 68. From Kawagoe Highway/National Route 254, pass through Nihonium Street and enter the Tokyo Gaikan Expressway/Tohoku Jukan Expressway. From the Tokyo Gaikan Expressway/Tohoku Jukan Expressway, enter the Kanetsu Expressway/Kanetsu Expressway and exit at Sakado Nishi Smart IC. From Sakado Nishi Smart IC, enter Oku-Musashi Green Line/Forest Road Oku-Musashi Route 2 via Prefectural Route 171, Shinokizaka Street, and Prefectural Route 61. After driving along Oku-Musashi Green Line/Forest Road Oku-Musashi Route 2 for a while, you will arrive at Kaofuri Pass. This route is about 120km and takes about 2 and a half hours.
Highlights of Kaofuri Pass
There are three teahouses on Kaofuri Pass. One of them is “Heikuro Chaya”. This teahouse has a history that during the Meiji period, Shibusawa Heihachiro stopped by when he was escaping after being defeated in the Hanno War.
There is an observation deck about a 10-minute walk east of Kaofuri Pass. From the observation deck, you can see the skyscrapers of Saitama subcenter and the Tokyo Sky Tree on a clear day. In addition, in autumn, the area is beautifully colored with autumn leaves and flowers such as cosmos.
There is no motorcycle parking lot at Kaofuri Pass. However, there is space to park your bike on the roadside in front of the teahouse and observation deck near the pass. However, these spaces are very limited and you may not be able to park during busy times. Also, when parking on the shoulder of the road, be careful not to obstruct the passage of other vehicles or pedestrians. Additionally, if you park your vehicle anywhere other than on the shoulder of the road without permission, you may be fined or have your vehicle moved. Therefore, we recommend securing a parking space in advance or using a nearby paid parking lot.
Summary
Summary This time, we introduced touring on a Harley-Davidson to Kaofuri Pass in Saitama Prefecture. Kaofuri Pass is a road where you can enjoy beautiful scenery and is part of the Oku-Musashi Green Line and the Kanto Fureai-no-Michi. Ganofuri Pass is a place that is associated with history and legends, and you can feel the nature and culture there. At the teahouse, you can taste local specialties. From the observation deck, you can enjoy views of the city center and mountains. We also recommend visiting waterfalls. Kaofuri Pass is a perfect spot for touring on a Harley-Davidson. However, there is no motorcycle parking lot, so please be careful when securing and using the parking lot. I think it’s easy to go touring to Kaofuri Pass because it’s close to the city center and easy to access. Please come and visit us at least once.
[Kanto Touring Spot] [Saitama Prefecture] Bike trip to Kaofuri Pass! A solo Harley trip tracing the history of Oku Musashi Green Line and Minamoto no Yoshitsune
