After a near-sleepless night (old houses are COLD, particularly in March) we set off along the shore bound for the castle at Hikone. Fellow spokehead Ebira likes to find his own paths; this photo doesn't convey how bitterly cold the wind was.
We'd come partly to see a local festival, but it was such a small-scale event that it ended before we could get to it! So we imbibed some purely ceremonial liquor and hopped on the bikemobiles again to have a great dinner at an excellent Italian restaurant. Comforting to know that, even this far out in the boonies, you can still find good linguine in Japan.