Riding up Sadamine Pass A pause outside the tea house on an autumn afternoon in the mountains

When I reached Sadamine Pass and switched off my bike, the noise still ringing in my ears began to fade. I parked the blue-and-white bike outside the tea house and took off my helmet. Autumn air slipped in at my jacket collar, and I realized how warm my cheeks had been until then. I'd made it all the way up here, and my shoulders finally relaxed.

A tea house with a gabled roof stood in front of me, and low eaves stretched along its side. I hadn't been expecting a grand lookout, but it's comforting to find a building like this partway up a mountain road. When I looked from the stone wall on my left to the far side of the roof, trees crowded right up close. It felt less like a place to look out over a distant view and more like I'd arrived right in the mountains.

I set my helmet on the seat and had just lowered my hands when a huge yawn escaped. I hadn't planned on feeling sleepy. I closed my mouth, laughed to myself, and decided to stay a little longer. It was as if my body, after riding for so long, had only just noticed it was time for a break.

Behind the tea house, some trees wore autumn colour, while others were still deep green. Not every tree changes in the same way come autumn. As I watched leaves on the road shift in the breeze, I could almost feel the curves I'd just ridden all over again. When I arrived, I was thinking about where to go next; now I was reluctant to leave.

One of the treats on the climb is the yuzu parfait from Higashi-Chichibu. I have a sweet tooth, so the village's yuzu parfait at Deasobu Kitchen had caught my eye. Remembering that fresh, citrusy flavour from the first spoonful makes me smile again, even during a break. It's not just the road you ride; the snack along the way becomes part of the day, too.

Before I picked up my helmet again, I stood looking at the tea house and the mountain for a while. I think what stayed with me most today was the closeness of the trees right behind the roof, more than any far-off view. I went back to my bike, got ready, and looked ahead with both hands on the handlebars. I can already picture myself laughing about that yawn on the ride back.