Fortunately, today’s weather didn’t turn out as forecast.

We aren’t the only ones rolling along and enjoying the unexpected morning clearing as we head out of Himi.

We ride into the mountains on roads that are nothing short of engineering marvels, with tunnels many kilometers long and brightly painted bridges spanning river gorges. We are riding on the old highway, so traffic is light, but the tunnels are still loud, narrow and a bit nerve wracking.

We arrive in Shirakawa, a small mountain town known for its “gassho” style houses with thick thatched roofs and wooden structures built with no nails or other metal fasteners. Adjacent to the historic homes are more contemporary ones as well, including simple yet handsome shrines.

A little disoriented at the end of a hard day of riding, we finally find our small guest house when one of the incredibly helpful staff pokes her head out of a second story window and shouts that we have arrived. After helping us get settled, they show an immediate concern about tomorrow’s weather and road conditions, emphasized with a handwritten note. Indeed, later we learn that the road we have been planning to take tomorrow has been blocked by mudslides. Time to figure out Plan B.