We’ve had a lot of chit chat about bears. Sighting of bear activity (barked scratched, poo etc) keeps it up. One rider reminded me of this excellent educational film about bear behaviour, well worth a watch. https://youtu.be/FBlo6su5wRY?si=89K0VpMetiNfgPK4
Today is a proper rest day. A time to reflect on Japanese culture. Here’s a little introductory video I made.
Monkeys. The Japanese macaque is the only primate species (represented by two different sub-species) found in the Japan and is the most northerly living non-human primate.
Some of the birds we’ve seen are like UK species only black. Black pheasant, black kite. Any of the latter we see have missed our friendly “migrants are not welcome” signs and overshot. Cuckoos are symbols of spring – four types but I haven’t a clue what the one we saw was. I’ve never seen one before and only knew what it was because? It was going cuckoo. Natural twitcher.
Butterflies. Japan has over 250 species. So the 3 or 4 different ones we’ve got excited are put into context. Lovely though. It shows some caterpillars do make it to the other side of the road.
Flowers are an important part of Japanese culture. I have yet to discern whether weeds or wildflowers figure in that but they are pretty too.
Tomorrow start heading north. Any flat bits are being removed overnight.
Travelling reflections 