Nakayama is in between Narita And Haneda International Airport

Let's Go To See Colored Leaves In Ichikawa By Bicycle!

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Fall is the best season for seeing colored leaves. Many leaves gradually start changing from green to yellow in October. Maple leaves are very popular but also gingko leaves. In this page, a recommended route to visit some parks and temples to see millions of beautiful colored leaves under the clear blue sky in fall by bicycle is introduced or suggested. Now Ichikawa City is actually a bed town of Tokyo, but there are many beautiful places for seeing the leaves in fall. You could visit 1 or 2 places a day on foot, but you could more by bicycle. The total distance for one day is about 23 kilo-meters long, it is good for a One Day Cycling. Moreover, it is good for you to ride an electrically assisted bicycle to go on the route since there are some hills in northern parts of Ichikawa City.

The noted spots are listed below.

The Spots	Distance
Katsushika Hchimangu	0.00
Onigoesan Shinmeiji	1.03
Nakayama Hokekyoji	2.12
Omachi Nature Observation Garden	9.57
Manyo Botanical Garden	12.47
Onosan Jokoji	12.69
Kokubunsan Kokubunji	17.08
Junsaiike Green Zone	19.32
Ekoin Ichikawa	19.94
Satomi Park	21.12
Mamasan Guhoji	22.85

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The order of this list is only my idea since I live in Nakayama area. Therefore, it is free for you where you start. Please keep road etiquette and your health while going on cycling.
Anyway, views of colored leaves are changed depending on time, so its color and views in morning are dramatically different from its in afternoon. Therefore, you could go around from the opposite direction.

Now, a route to see colored leaves in Ichikawashi by bicycle could starts at Katsushika Hachimangu to go around one stroke.


Its approach road with lined gingko trees with sparkling golden leaves in front of a red gate is one of the most beautiful and popular autumn views in Chibaken. The autumn views of Senbon Icho gingko tree, a national property, is gigantically cool.
Let's start the trip. You turn to the left from the stone gate of the shrine and go along rail roads of Keisei Line, you go across Mamagawa River, soon you find Onigoe Station of the line. And you pass the station and you go across the railway, you find Shinmeji on your right.


A huge gingko standing by the gate is introduced ''Oguri Hangan tied his horse'. Now you turn to the right at the gate and you turn to the left at the route 14 called Chiba Kaido Avenue. You go on the avenue and you reach at a cross on between Shimosa Nakayama Station and Keise Nakayama Station. Then, you turn to the left there and you find a wooden big gate behind the railroad cross. It is called 'The Black Gate' of Nakayama Hokekyoji. Passing through the Black Gate, you find the Red Gate on the top of the slope road. There is Chisenin on the left of the gate and is Onjuin on the left along the approach road. Sparklingly beautiful golden leaves on a huge gingko tree in front of Soshido and on the outskirt of the temple called 'Naki Icho (crying gingko)' are popular. A maple tree stands in front of Hokkedo. Seeing the autumn leaves in Hokekyoji gives you great time. And you go out the parking in the temple, and turn to the left, soon you find an approach slope road covered with colored maple leaves on your right. That is Hosenin.


Going out of Hosenin, you turn to the right and climb up the slope road, so you find Nakayama Horse Race. Now you are riding on 'Okerakaido'. Next, you reach at cross by the horse race. But it is 6 roads crossed. You could go the road under signboards with Kanji '北藤商店街' seeing in the picture below.


You go into the second corner of the road and go down the slope. Then you find a signboard (in a picture below) by a path built on an underdrain.


Go down the path, you reach at the gate of the high school, then you turn to the right and go on the road along the school, finally you find Oogashiwagawa River. Go along the river and pass through an elevated railroad of Musashino Line. Please take care of your bicycle since there are some small bumps on the road along it. On your way to go, the road leaves a two-lanes road running opposite side of the river and you change the road to the two-lanes road when the meets again. After a few minutes, you find a signboard (in a picture below), and you turn to the left and go an alley running along the school until a T-junction.


Turning to the right at the junction and go up to the slope, you find two stone tablets in front of you, then you turn to the right.


Then, you go down a two-lanes slope road and you turn to the left at the second signal and climb up the road, you find a signboard (in a picture below) over the road.


It is Omachi Recreation Zone. The rose garden is in it, so it is in an area called Omachi Nature Observation Garden. It is the largest rose garden in the Ichikawa City. Over 2200 roses are planted in the garden. Please enjoy seeing the roses enough. And if you visit it in late November, a hill covered with shiningly colored maple trees, shall open.


After seeing roses in Omachi Nature Observation Garden, you continue going on the road, and you turn to the left at a cross and go on a road called Omachi Nashi Kaido where many pear (Nashi) farmers open their shop along the road. When You find a signboard in a picture below, you turn to the right.


Going on the road, you find Honkoji Temple on your right and traffic signals in a picture below, you turn to the left.


Next, you find Jokoji Temple on your left. You turn to the right at the signal in front of the temple and go on the narrow road, finally, you go across the bridge over the rail road of Musashino Line. You reach at Manyo Botanical Garden on your left. There are many plants appearing on poets in Myriad Leaves (Manyoshu) in the garden, so you could enjoy colored leaves but also autumn flowers.


After Manyo Botanical Garden, you go back on the road, and you go into Jokoji Temple. There are some gingko trees in front of a Niomon Gate. It is one of the temples that dedicate Bishamonten, a member of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune in Ichikawa.


Going out of Jokoji, you go back to the signal in front of Honkoji. Then, you turn to the left, you pass through Ichikawa Ono Station, and you go on the slope road for several minutes, finally, the road joins another road, and you go on the road by 'Soya Sansaro' signal. You turn to the right at the signal and go on the road by 'Ichikawa Kita I C Minami' signal. Then you go across the signal.


There is a signboard by a narrow road in front of you. It tells the direction to Shimosa Kokubunji. You climb up the narrow road and turn to the left, you find the gate of Kokubunji.


It is very beautiful views of yellow gingko and a red gate under the blue sky. It is also one of the temples that dedicate Bishamonten, a member of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune in Ichikawa.
Now going out of Kokubunji, you turn to the left and go on the road, you find a signboard in pictures below. You check the directions of 'Shimousa Kokubun-niji Temple Site' and go to the directions.


When you reach at Kokubun-niji Temple Site, you find a clock tower on your right. It is a school. So, you go on the road before the school, then you find another school on your left, you reach at a cross, then, you turn to the left. You go on the road and go down the slope, and you find Junsaiike Green Zone on the left, it is one of the most popular viewing spots of colored leaves in Ichikawa City. You go up the slope road, then turn to the left, you turn to the left again at a traffic signal of 'Konodai Hospital' .


You could see autumn leaves everywhere in the park, and Momijidani (many maple trees planted) is in the northern part of it. It is forbidden riding bicycle in the park, then you ride your bicycle on the road running outskirt of it. You go on the west side of the road, soon after you find a restroom on your right, you would pass a school gate on your left. Momijidani is near the restroom.
After Momijidani, you continue to go on the road, you find a corner at the end of the park, you turn to the left and climb up the slope road. A temple on your right at the top of the slope is Ekoin in Ichikawa. The end of the slope road, you find a narrow road slightly before a wide road. Then you turn to the right, you find the gate of Ekoin.


There is Konodai Green Zone opens in opposite side of the road of the temple. There are several maple trees in the zone.
After Ekoin, you turn to the left and go on the wide road, after several minutes, You find a traffic signa at Konodai Hospital l (a picture in below).


Then you turn to the left and go down the road, you find Satomi Park on your right. The park has many gingko and maple trees. So the park is full of colored leaves in fall.




After Satomi Park, you go back to the signal, and turn to the right, you find a signal on the next to a fire department. You go into Konodai Sports Center, you then turn to the right soon and go on the road in the center.


You find Chiba University of Commerce on your right and tennis courts on your left. The end of the road, you turn to the right and you go on the road running outskirt of the university, then you turn to the right again. You find Mamasan Guhoji on your left. The temple was a very popular spot for seeing colored leaves in fall in Edo period.

The approach road of Mamasan Guhoji is connected to Daimon Dori Road. You go on the road and you could find Ichikawa Station easily.

Anyway, Senbon Icho Gingko Tree in Katsushika Hachimangu is lighted up in late November. If you want to see it, you go on this route in reverse direction. At that time, you could add Colton Plaza and Chiba Museum of Science and Industry on this route. They have of course beautiful views in fall.


* This cycling course is only my idea that I usually go there at once by my bicycle. In addition, I suggest as safe road that everybody could ride on. And I'm sorry for you if I miss the direction on this essay, if so, you should use some maps on your smart phone.

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The Maps to see colored leaves in Ichikawashi

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Riding on a Bicycle in Nakayama Shimousa

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