Cycling Notes #1: Cruising Kanagawa and Discovering Shinseiko

February 11, 2025

Despite the cold, I managed to motivate myself to get out for a “routine” loop ride, just to get the blood flowing. However, about 45 minutes into the ride, the exploration bug hit me and I veered off my usual path at the first tunnel I encountered along the route. I rode aimlessly until I noticed a sign pointing to Shinseiko (lake). I wasn’t aware of a lake in the area, but according to Google Maps, it was only 15 minutes away (albeit with steep hills, of course).

Well, Shinseiko turned out to be a pond — one that’s surrounded by construction work, nonetheless. Still, this hidden spot in the hills behind Hadano was tranquil, surrounded by trails and popular with fishing fans.

The construction is scheduled to be finished by the end of June, and knowing what I know about Japan, I can count on that deadline holding true. So, I’ll come back in the summer. Or, perhaps the fall, if I’m not in the mood for extreme humidity (and, to be honest, I’m never in the mood for that).

Fortunately, I filmed parts of this ride, which you can see in the video below.

Technical Tidbits

• Tired of typing with my thumbs and eager to reduce screen time whenever possible, I added a waterproof notebook and pen to my cycling gear. Great decision so far. Not only is it faster to jot things down the old-fashioned way, but it’s also more enjoyable and intentional. For example, on this ride, instead of hunching over my phone and poking at letters on a screen, I settled into a perch on the pondshore and quietly penned the notes that led to this article.
• The roads are rougher out here in the Kanagawa countryside, and that manifests in my videos (see above). Sure, I can bump up the image stabilization on my GoPro, but that would further compromise video quality. So, I’ll try to avoid recording on rougher roads, at least for extended periods.