Sur la route des samouraïs – À vélo à travers le Japon ancestral

Sur la route des samouraïs – À vélo à travers le Japon ancestral

Heading towards Nara, Alexandre, towards the campsite I found after much effort. Will we escape the storm, the gusts of wind, the torrential rain? Yes, yes! We’re absolutely exhausted. But how happy we are to be back on the road in this new cycling episode! We’re going to take you to discover lots of extraordinary places. Kyoto, the Flourishing, the glorious, the great Kyoto—what am I saying? No. In this episode, we’re going to take you to discover Kyoto. We’re going to take you to discover the alleyways and the rich history of Nara, its ancient temples—are they ancient, ancient or not? And today we’re off to explore Nara. We’re here in the heart of Nara Park, in the city of Nara. We could have told you many legends about this place, since legends abound here. But there’s one that particularly resonated with Alexandre and me, because it tells the story of men, gods, and nature. And you know how much that touches us in the fantasy world. So today we’ve chosen to tell you the legend of a place that’s connected to a much larger legend. The story of a god who descended to Earth to defend the city of Nara, and he didn’t descend on a cloud, nor did he descend on lightning. He descended on the back of a deer. And that’s the story we’ve chosen to tell you, and the story of why deer are sacred here in Nara Park. And the story that lies behind these decades, these hundreds of historical moments? I digress. Now, let’s get to the legend. In the shaded paths of Nara, time seems to have slowed down. Among the moss-covered stone lanterns, slender figures glide silently by. The deer. They are not simply inhabitants of the park. Legend has it that over 1,000 years ago, a Shinto god descended from Mount Kashima, riding a white deer. He came to protect the new capital, and since that day, every deer in Nara has been regarded as a messenger of the divine. Their presence has endured through the centuries. It is said that in the past, killing a deer was a crime punishable by death. They were as sacred as the temples themselves, living guardians of the fragile boundary between humans and gods. Even today, they approach without fear. They steal a rice cake, bow their heads in an almost ceremonial gesture, and then walk away with a tranquil step, as if the legend still lives on through them. In this park where nature and spirituality intertwine , and in their eyes, there is more than a reflection. There is an ancient world watching us, a shared memory. In Nara, deer are not animals. These are fragments of myth, breaths of eternity. So Alex, you push on. I don’t understand why. One of Japan’s great pleasures is its hills that seem to appear out of nowhere , with gradients that are not only indecent but divine. Heading to the tea plantations of Wasuka. Alexandre: Yes, what was Nara like? Magnificent. There were lots of deer, and lots of sika deer. An hour from Kyoto, nestled in a sacred valley, lies Wazuka, a small rural town surrounded by hills covered in tea bushes for over eight centuries. Here, people sculpt the landscape, tracing its green lines that undulate like waves over the mountains. Wazuka is one of the cradles of Japanese tea? In the morning, when the mist lifts, the black nets stretched over the plantations cast a veil of shadow. They protect the young shoots, concentrating within them that unique flavor that the Japanese call oumami . Wazuka is not just a place of production. It is an inhabited landscape, an agricultural poem, a world where the hand of man does not destroy the mountain but shapes it to make it sing. And in this hushed silence, each cup becomes a meditation. Heading towards Kyoto. The hills in Japan are steep. It’s sudden and abrupt. How beautiful! Look! Whew! We got up at dawn this morning to escape the crowds thronging this oh-so-mystical place, Fushimi Inari Taisha. Founded in the 8th century, it’s one of the oldest shrines in Japan. And we can’t wait to take you there to discover it all. And this famous goddess with a thousand faces , whose story we’re eager to tell you. Because she has captivated us. East of Kyoto, at the foot of Mount Inari, lies a shrine that seems timeless: Fushimi Inari Taisha. Founded in 711 by the Ata clan, it was dedicated to Inari, Okami, the deity of rice and harvests, at a time when each grain represented wealth and survival. Over the centuries, this cult has expanded from guardian of the fields. Inari became the protector of artisans, merchants, and later, modern businesses. So much so that even today, the largest Japanese companies continue to offer prayers for prosperity there. Everywhere, statues of foxes, carved from stone, and Kitsune silently watch over the place. Messengers of the deity, they sometimes hold a key made of rice stalks or jewels, symbols of abundant knowledge and life. But what truly makes this place beat are the tens of thousands of vermilion torii gates, each one a gift from devotees. Over the centuries, aligned like a river of wood and light, they trace a sacred path that rises to the summit of Mount Inari. Each one bears the engraved name of a donor, a testament to gratitude or a vow inscribed in time. To walk beneath these gates is to walk amidst a living prayer where the landscape becomes an incantation, where the hypnotic repetition opens the senses to mystery. Through the clearings, small shrines and stone lanterns unfold, revealing both the visible and the invisible. Reaching the summit, the city of Kyoto stretches into the distance. But the view isn’t the most important thing. It’s the inner journey. For Fushimi Inari Taisha isn’t just a sacred place; it’s a pulse of the Japanese soul, a sanctuary where millennia of history, human fervor, and the breath of the gods continue to meet in the red light of the torii gates. And here we are, before Japan’s largest lake, Lake Biwa, in the first rays of sunset. Look how incredible it is! We can’t wait to show you all this in pictures and introduce you to this legendary lake here, right? It’s truly an important place, especially for the people of Kyoto, since we’re still only a stone’s throw from Kyoto. I sound like a sports commentator . This morning, a leisurely wake-up call at Lake Biwa. The view isn’t too bad. We ate right there. Pretty cool. Hey Romain, that’s pretty cool. It’s extraordinary, there are cormorants everywhere in the lake. It’s so, so beautiful. I love it. Arigato gozaimasu. Advertisement for Thermos, they’re not our partners, no way, just in case a Thermos is ever involved. Life is good if you can hear us. We want cash. Money. Money, money, money. To buy the lenses. Life is good. Romain, what did you find? A caterpillar of breathtaking beauty. Fatal, original beauty. It has a smiley face. It’s so funny. It’s incredible . If this kite, sir, you miss your target, you’ll have to pay back the money. Opposite us, on a wooden pylon. It’s waiting for the black kite. Its dark brown plumage, its long , folded wings, and its slightly forked tail. A mark that allows for immediate recognition. The Black Kite is one of the most widespread birds of prey in the world. Unlike the solitary and proud eagle, the Black Kite enjoys company. Dozens of individuals can be seen circling together in the sky, taking advantage of thermals to move in groups. Four. Three. Two. One. Zero. The dark hours are coming. The Tsuyou is preparing. And what is the Tsuyou? Alex. The Tsuyou is the rainy season. Damn! And it lasts until… What do you mean, the Tsuyou? Mid-July. And we’re here. Until when? Mid- July. Ouch, ouch, ouch! We saw the weather forecast for next week. Ouch, ouch, ouch, it’s going to be fun in the Japanese Alps under the Tsuyou. Tsuyou Tsuyou Tsuyou Tsuyou Tsuyou Tsuyou Tsuyou? I’m drinking coffee for now. Ha! Ha! Ha! Let’s enter the spirit world together. I say that, but I have nothing to show you. It’s up to you to enjoy this lovely little journey through the tories to the spirit world. Ha! Ha! Run! Run! Run! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha ! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! There’s someone chasing us. No! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Stay like that? Woohoo! Ha! Ha! Tsuyou tsuyou Tsuyou For those who get the reference , here we go for the Tsuyou!!! Tsu Tsu Tsu Tsu Tsu Tsu Tsu Tsu What are you doing, Alex? I’m putting on the Laurent covers. Tsuyou Tsuyou Tsuyou Ready for the Tsuyou? No, not at all . Well, it’s raining until tomorrow then. So either we stay here warm in the tent, or we stay warm here in the tent. Oh, did I already say that? No, we’ll have to drive a bit, like 1000 meters of elevation gain. We tried to dry the tent as best we could, but it’s soaked, that’s the word. The tarp? So what? I’m not even going to mention the canvas that protected us last night. We still have to try, as best we can, to dry the tent as much as possible to avoid damaging the equipment. A complicated word in the morning, but we still had a good night, didn’t we? Yeah, I slept well. Me too, I slept well by the river. So, off we go for two days in non-stop rain . We are unbearable ! I’m thrilled. But first… Quick coffee. Ready to go, Alex, well , more like rain. In Tsuyou mode activated: rain mittens, rain pants, rain shoes. We’re equipped ! Let’s go! Let’s go! We’re going to try all this out. It’s the first time we’re taking it out; we’ve been wearing them for a year… A well-deserved coffee break, Alex. The tsuyou is tough . The rain doesn’t spare us. It’s mental, mental image. Click. Ready to discover the roads of the Nakasendo. Alexandre. On the Samurai Road. The Nakasendo isn’t just a road connecting Kyoto to Edo. It’s one of the great roads created by the Tokugawa Shogun in the 17th century to unite the country and control its lords over more than 100 kilometers. It crosses mountains, valleys, and villages punctuated by 69 post stations where samurai in procession, merchants, pilgrims, and ordinary travelers crossed paths . Today, walking on the Nakasendo is to tread the same cobblestones as travelers of the Edo period. It’s to feel the continuity of a time that has never stopped beating. Like in Nara, where the deer embody the echo of the gods, like in Wazuka where the tea hills tell of eight centuries of patience. Like at Fushimi Inari, where the vermilion torii gates open a passage to the unseen , the nakasendo is more than a route; it’s a journey through history and legends, a sacred thread connecting centuries. It invites us to slow down. This chapter ends, but the story continues. Before us rises a mythical mountain, Mount Fuji, symbol of Japan. A summit of dreams and trials. It will be the setting for our first major film. An intimate and poetic film that will recount an ascent, but also an entire year of adventures. See you very soon for this new adventure, and don’t forget to dream the world like Imaginers, like Imaginer’s World.

Un dernier souffle avant la montagne.
Des cerfs libres de Nara, aux collines de thé de Wazuka, jusqu’aux dix mille torii de Fushimi Inari, nous suivons la route des samouraïs, celle du Nakasendō, entre forêts anciennes et villages figés dans le temps.
Chaque coup de pédale nous rapproche du Mont Fuji, symbole éternel du Japon et horizon de notre aventure.

🚴‍♂️ Ce que tu vas vivre
• Nara — les cerfs sacrés, messagers du shinto
• Wazuka — les collines de thé façonnées depuis huit siècles
• Fushimi Inari — le sanctuaire aux dix mille torii vermillon
• Le Nakasendō — l’ancienne route des shoguns et des samouraïs
• Les Alpes japonaises — dernières montagnes avant le Fuji

🎥 Une grande traversée à vélo à travers le Japon ancestral
Un voyage au cœur du Japon traditionnel, entre nature, histoire et lenteur.
Nous suivons les traces des samouraïs, roulons sur les routes de pierre où le temps s’est arrêté, et redécouvrons un monde où chaque colline respire encore.
Un documentaire cinématique, une aventure humaine, une invitation à ralentir et à ressentir.

✨ Imaginer’s World
Deux aventuriers. Un vélo. Une caméra.
Une expédition documentaire à la rencontre du vivant et des derniers espaces sauvages.
Depuis plus d’un an, nous parcourons le monde à vélo pour raconter la beauté fragile de la Terre et la puissance de l’émerveillement.

🎬 Prochainement
L’ÉVEIL – 1 an à vélo jusqu’au sommet du Mont Fuji
Un film poétique et sensoriel.
Une quête d’altitude et de sens.
Un face-à-face avec la montagne, la lumière… et nous-mêmes.
Le Mont Fuji n’est plus seulement une montagne : c’est un passage.

💬 Rejoins l’aventure
🔔 Abonne-toi pour ne pas manquer le film L’Éveil
💬 Laisse un mot, une émotion, un souvenir — tes messages nourrissent la route
🌏 Partage cette traversée à celles et ceux qui rêvent de liberté, de lenteur et de beauté

#MontFuji #JapanTravel #Nakasendo
#Kyoto #Nara #FushimiInari #JapaneseAlps #TravelCinematography #CinematicTravel #DocumentaryFilm #HiddenJapan #SlowTravel #Wazuka #Torii #ImaginersWorld #AdventureDocumentary #CulturalJourney #CyclingAdventure #NatureExploration #GrandeTraversée