I drove through Miyoshi and Shobara on a stamp rally visiting manholes featuring local okonomiyaki designs.

Hello, this is Ikeda.

I'm currently participating in the "Hiroshimanho?" stamp rally hosted by Otafuku Sauce and have been cycling all over Hiroshima.

The digital stamp rally points are located all over Hiroshima Prefecture, and the goal is to visit these places.

There are various points, including okonomiyaki manholes, tourist attractions, and even michi-no-eki (roadside stations).

If you visit all the points, you'll receive a generous prize from Otafuku Sauce, making it an even more rewarding experience.

It's perfect for a long ride, so please give it a try!

This time, I visited the Miyoshi and Shobara areas of Hiroshima.

Check out the details summarized in the YouTube video below.

First, I started from Taishakukyo Gorge in Shobara.

I toured famous spots while feeling the power of nature.

The path was a gravel road. A new road is always thrilling and fun.

I rode my original road bike KOGO, and thanks to the tubeless tires and 700x30c, I was able to ride quite steadily.

I pressed the button on the vintage vending machine, but no juice came out after all.

Another adventure in Taishakukyo Gorge: exploring the Hakuundo limestone cave. The cave, formed over an unimaginably long time, was simply breathtaking.

Next, we headed to the okonomiyaki manhole in front of Bingo Shobara Station.

Bingo Shobara Station celebrates its 100th anniversary this year! It underwent major renovations three years ago and now has a beautiful station square.

The okonomiyaki manholes are truly colorful and beautiful.

Now, a distinctive feature of Shobara okonomiyaki is that it contains rice instead of soba noodles. I couldn't resist and immediately went to eat Shobara-yaki!

Delicious! It was too delicious!

I was hungry, but even so, it was incredibly delicious!

The Shobara-yaki I had this time was topped with kimchi rice and a generous amount of green onions, served with ponzu sauce instead of regular okonomiyaki sauce.

I was surprised at how different it tasted, even though it was still okonomiyaki.

Thank you to Kobayashi Okonomiyaki restaurant for the wonderful meal!

The location shifted from Shobara to Miyoshi.

Along the way, there was a magnificent route that reminded me of Hokkaido, making me wonder if I was really in Hiroshima.

In front of Toretata Miyoshi, a direct sales market, is the Miyoshi Ramen Manhole. This is also a point for the digital stamp rally.

Miyoshi Winery is nearby, so it's also a recommended spot to pick up souvenirs.

When you think of Miyoshi, you think of Tomoe Bridge. It's the red bridge often seen in the background of weather forecasts and news programs. The cormorant fishing nearby is also famous.

Continuing on, we arrived at the "Mononoke Museum."

Various yokai are on display there, but unfortunately, it was closed on this day.

I will definitely come back on a business day next time.

The last spot this time was Michi-no-Eki Yumeland Funo.

Unfortunately, we arrived too late, and most of the shops were already closed.

But it was great to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the forests and rivers along the way!

The "Hiroshimanho?" stamp rally hosted by Otafuku Sauce runs until October 31st.

I've collected stamps from around Hiroshima City, Miyoshi, and Shobara.

It's perfect for a long autumn ride, so please give it a try as one of your destinations!