[Beautiful Mie Bicycle Route Note: Matsusaka Edition] Relaxing cycling to enjoy Matsusaka beef gourmet food!

What is “Beautiful Country Mie Bicycle Route Diary”?

Bicycle writer Masanori Asano, born and raised in Mie Prefecture, will introduce you to the charms of Mie Prefecture while cycling!

■Traveler bicycle writer Masanori Asano
I have been cycling for about 20 years. I love cycling as much as I love three meals and snacks. Because of his love for bicycles, he became a freelance bicycle writer. He rides his bicycle for work, and also enjoys racing and long rides in his private life.
I planned this corner to make it my life's work to spread the word about the charms of Mie Prefecture and cycling.

■Travel companion Murakami (Mie Prefecture Tourism Federation)
I'm a beginner road bike rider who only started cycling for half a year. She secretly calls her beloved Bianchi road bike "Sora Mame-chan." Because of his job, he is knowledgeable about sightseeing spots and gourmet food in Mie Prefecture, and has an eye for delicious food.

The memorable first event is set in MatsusakaCity, which is well-known for Mie's proud brand of beef, Matsusaka Beef.
In response to the request of Mr. Murakami of the Mie Prefecture Tourism Federation, who said, ``I want a course that even women and beginners can enjoy, and lots of delicious food!'', we designed a course and escorted him.

Course: MatsusakaCity
Mileage: 16.6km
Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆

◆ Mie Prefecture is one of the best places for cycling in Japan

The appeal of traveling by bicycle is that it's as easy as walking, allowing you to take detours as freely as you like, and allows you to experience the atmosphere and atmosphere of the city with all five senses, but it also allows you to have a much wider range of activities than walking.
What's more, traveling along the way becomes a journey, good for fitness, and double or triple the fun.
There is nothing better than a bicycle as a travel tool and means of transportation! I want to say it out loud!

Mie Prefecture is full of rich nature and delicious gourmet food. Many of the roads are relatively easy to ride on a bicycle, and you can create both flat courses that allow you to ride at a leisurely pace, and courses that are challenging to ride over mountain passes.
I think Mie Prefecture is one of the most attractive cycling locations in Japan! !

■ Chubudai Sports Park
If you want to enjoy cycling in Mie Prefecture, it's convenient to drive to the area near your destination and use that as your starting and stopping point. This is because you don't have to worry about train times and can flexibly respond to slight changes in your schedule.

That's why we decided to start and finish the Matsusaka edition at Chubudai Sports Park, which has a spacious parking lot and is reasonably close to the city!

The trick to cycling comfortably is to carefully select the bare minimum amount of luggage and reduce your luggage as much as possible.

When I usually cycle, I run with the minimum amount of luggage that can fit in the back pocket of my cycling jersey, but this time I will be carrying photography equipment such as a camera and tripod, so I will be running with a backpack on my back.

Once the preparations are complete, we take a commemorative photo in front of the steam locomotive in the parking lot and depart!

Chubudai Sports Park has a vast grassy field, with a trim course surrounding it.

Motorcycles are prohibited, but bicycles are allowed.
There is also a stand for parking bicycles near the lawn area. The lawn area is quite large, and you can enjoy playing Frisbee or badminton, or bring snacks or lunch boxes for a picnic, or enjoy bicycles plus more.

The reason I decided to start and finish at Chubudai Sports Park was because I wanted to warm up on a trim course before starting.
However, there are some people who enjoy walking and running, so if you do run, please do so at a moderate speed.

"Mr. Murakami, please use lighter gears and rotate your legs. If you avoid stepping on heavy gears and trying not to push yourself too hard, you won't get tired easily and you'll burn fat more easily!"
"Oh, really? I'll try it!"

First of all, is it OK to grab it?

◆ Go beyond the ups and downs of MatsusakaCity to the castle town

After warming up by going around the trim course, we headed towards MatsusakaCity.

Heading east from the Chubudai Sports Park parking lot, there is a short uphill climb. This is why I warmed up.
"The trick is not to push too hard when going uphill. When we say ``keep a constant pace,'' we tend to think that it means keeping the speed constant, but in the case of cycling, it means keeping the load on the body constant. The pedals are heavy. If you feel this way, it's okay to slow down, so just use a lighter gear so it doesn't get too hard.''

Yes, in order to enjoy cycling, it is important to change gears frequently to avoid fatigue.
Heading towards National Route 42, going up and down several times.

■Chikki Doan
When we reached the national highway, we turned left and headed north, and Mr. Murakami's gourmet sensor seemed to activate.
"Takekidoan, this is it! It's famous for Matsusaka beef-shaped gourmet food called Matsusaka beef yaki. I hear there's also one that has Matsusaka beef shigureni inside! Let's try it!"

Is it too early for the first resting point? Even though I thought so, I was drawn to the word Matsusaka beef. I will be visiting you right away with high expectations.

Matsugyuyaki comes in large and small sizes, and there are three flavors in total.
In addition to the Matsusaka beef shigureni and an butter flavor, there is one flavor that changes monthly and is only available for a limited time.
The one with Matsusaka beef shigureni has won the Monde Selection Gold Award.

It's only been about 10 minutes since we started, but Mr. Murakami, who is a foodie and has an eye for delicious food, ordered all kinds, one parent beef (large) and one calf (small). .

...Are you too easy on yourself? No, on a bicycle where a human is also the engine, you can't run on an empty stomach, so this is fine!

After a while, the long-awaited Matsugyuyaki was delivered!
The characteristics of Matsusaka beef are perfectly reproduced, such as the short horns and the angular silhouette that is almost rectangular when viewed from the side. Hanging around his neck is the station bell, which was loved by Norinaga Motoori, a Japanese MotooriNorinaga from Matsusaka, and which is now a symbol of MatsusakaCity.
The art is detailed! According to the store, the owner of Matsugyu-yaki is
``We want to make something that will become a specialty of Matsusaka and let people enjoy Matsusaka beef easily,'' says the store, which has been selling it since its opening.
Apparently they even made a special mold for it!

I'll have it right away! When I opened my stomach, there was plenty of Matsusaka beef stew from my head to my butt and even my feet. When you take a bite, the chewy texture of the skin is irresistible!

“This skin is soft and chewy!”
“And the way the Matsusaka beef juices and sweet and spicy sauce soak into the skin is irresistible.”

I ate it all in no time. Personally, I think it's perfect for a light meal like Saturday lunch or Sunday brunch, rather than a snack.

According to the store, the skin is made with a unique formula that is less sweet to bring out the sweet-salty flavor of the Matsusaka beef shigureni, and is particular about its chewy texture. They also make it so that they can be easily torn by hand to make it easier to share.

Matsugyuyaki is 140 yen for parent beef and 80 yen for calf. Matsusaka beef with Shigureni is 300 yen for parent beef and 160 yen for calf. Matsugyuyaki is loved by people of all ages, from children to the elderly. It seems to be gaining popularity as a new specialty of Matsusaka.

[Basic information] Takekidoan
Address: 1056-5 Ekibeta-cho MatsusakaCity Mie Prefecture
Phone number 0598-23-2340
Closed every Monday
Business hours 8:30-17:30

Once your stomach is full, head to your next destination!
One of the benefits of using a bicycle for sightseeing is that even if you end up eating too much delicious food, you can use the time to get fit and burn more calories.
Even if you eat a little too much, you don't have to feel so guilty!


As you cross National Route 42 and proceed east, you will see a series of gradual ups and downs. It's easy to drive on a gentle slope without changing gears, so I follow your example and shift to a moderately light gear.

After walking for a while, we came to the old Ise Kaido road. This is the road that people used to take when visiting Ise. From here, head north along the narrow and winding Old Ise Highway.

■ OzuYasujiro Seishunkan

A few kilometers away is the Atago district. As soon as you enter this town, you will see a nostalgic cylindrical mailbox and a building with a retro exterior reminiscent of a movie theater from the Taisho to early Showa eras on your left. OzuYasujiro OzuYasujiro, a film director from Matsusaka.

Matsusaka is well-known as the birthplace and birthplace of historical greats and celebrities, and director Ozu is known to have spent his impressionable youth in Matsusaka. OzuYasujiro Seishunkan is a small building, but it is very densely packed, with signboards announcing Ozu's works posted outside the building and valuable materials from director Ozu's youth on display.

If you're a movie buff, this is a must-see spot, but it's only open on weekends, so don't forget to check the opening hours before you visit.

■Matsuzaka Castle ruins
Speaking of Matsusaka, it is also the castle town that was the setting for Motojiro Kajii's ``In a Town with a Castle.''
The area surrounding the Matsuzaka Castle ruins is also a must-see. Next, we will aim for the Matsuzaka Castle ruins.

From here on, we will be driving through the center of Matsusaka for a while, so the traffic will be a bit heavy.
Sometimes cars stop on the side of the road, so I drive with more safety than ever.

As you walk west through the shopping street while looking on your left at Jukei-ji Temple, the family temple of the Motoori clan that produced the Japanese MotooriNorinaga Norinaga Motoori, you will soon see a particularly lush green area on your right. This is a forest of trees around the Matsuzaka Castle ruins, which is called the “Forest of 4,500 (Yoiho).”

As I drove toward this forest, I eventually saw a beautiful stone wall on my left. We have arrived at the Matsuzaka Castle ruins!

You can see a panoramic view of the castle town from the castle ruins, but today I came wearing road bike bindings that made it difficult to walk, so I gave up on climbing up to the castle ruins.

However, the view from the top of the stone wall is recommended!
Matsuzaka Castle is also a famous cherry blossom viewing spot, so if you go from late March to early April, you'll be able to take photos like this!

■ GojobanYashiki
We will take a short walk around the castle town. Just a stone's throw from the Matsuzaka Castle ruins, there is a corner called GojobanYashiki of Matsuzaka Castle once lived. There are samurai residences on both sides of the cobblestone street, which are still used as residences. Some are freely available to the public.

The alley where GojobanYashiki is located is cobblestone-paved and has a very atmospheric feel, but if you ride a road bike you will pass right through it.
``The cobblestone road is uneven and difficult to ride on a road bike, so I want to take in the scenery, so I decided to push my bike and walk.''
I proposed to Murakami.

“This place really does look like a picture.”
said Murakami. One of the great things about traveling by bicycle is that you can just push your bike and walk if you see something that interests you. It's also a great idea to take a walk and enjoy the atmosphere of the town.

◆ Get rid of bad luck and finish with Matsusaka beef croquette!

Although the terrain in the center of Matsusaka is flat, the traffic volume and traffic lights increase, causing repeated stop-and-go traffic.
Those of us who love binding shoes, which secure the shoes to the pedals and make it easier to turn the pedals, have to twist our ankles to remove the shoes from the pedals every time we stop at a traffic light, and then secure the pedals to the shoes every time we start. It's definitely a little stressful, but safety comes first!

When we stop at a traffic light, we divide it into chat time and break time. Bicycles are generally not allowed to ride side by side on public roads, so this kind of time is also valuable.

■ Okadera Sankeishoji Temple
To the northwest of Matsusaka Station is a temple town lined with many temples. Okaderayama Keishoji Temple, which stands in this corner and is well-known for its protection against evil spirits, is Japan's first sacred Kannon temple built by Gyoki on the orders of Emperor Shomu in 1986.
It is affectionately known locally as ``Okadera-san,'' and during the Hatsuuma Festival in March, it is crowded with many worshipers, including people from bad years.

"Oh, I've had a bad year this year! Can I come and pray?" Murakami-san asked.
Writer Asano, who has just finished his post-disaster, will also pray with us.

``I hope this series will be a success, and that the charm of Mie Prefecture and cycling will be conveyed to as many people as possible, and...'' I was so eager to ask for so many things. I hope it comes true.

■Maruko Butcher Shop

After visiting Okadera-san and feeling refreshed, I felt hungry again. As if you could see through my feelings,

"There's a gourmet spot nearby where you can easily enjoy Matsusaka beef! Let's go!"
said Murakami.
After a short journey, we found our next destination!

“Oh, butcher?”
"That's right! It's Maruko Butcher Shop. You can enjoy croquettes and minced meat cutlets made with Matsusaka beef."
"Eh, Matsusaka beef? Isn't it expensive?"
Murakami-san walked into the store with strong steps, despite my slightly uneasy feelings.

The inside of the store is a normal town butcher shop. As soon as I entered the store, I could smell the deep-fried food, and it reminded me of the stores I used to shop at when I was little.

I looked in the fried food section and there it was!
Matsusaka beef croquettes and Matsusaka beef minced cutlet! The Matsusaka beef croquettes cost 140 yen each, and the Matsusaka beef minced cutlets cost 240 yen each, so even if you eat them individually, you'll get change for 500 yen!

“One Matsusaka beef croquette and one Matsusaka beef minced cutlet!”

The restaurant will deep-fry it for you in-store after receiving your order. While you wait, the sound of oil sloshing and the delicious smell of oil and meat will whet your appetite.

“Thank you for waiting!”
When the staff hands you the croquettes and minced meat cutlet in a paper bag, you can feel the warmth coming through the bag.
It's freshly fried and steaming, and it looks delicious!

"I'll take it!...(crisp)...It's hot, but wow, it's delicious!"
Mr. Murakami is eating really deliciously.

``I want to bite into it as soon as possible without taking any photos!'' I suppressed my desire to do so, and after I finished taking pictures, I also had it.

“The croquettes are piping hot and flaky, and the minced meat cutlet has a crispy batter but is full of meat juice! Moreover, both of them are full of delicious Matsusaka beef!”
I would like you to actually taste and experience this deliciousness rather than read our boring food report.

[Basic information] Maruyuki butcher shop
Address: 148-9 Minato-cho MatsusakaCity
Phone number 0598-26-2988
Business hours 8:30-18:00
*Croquettes etc. are sold from 10:00 to 17:50.
Closed: Every Sunday, first and third Wednesday

While touring the highlights of Matsusaka Old Town, our group enjoyed gourmet food made with Matsusaka beef.

Today's bicycle walk ended with a return to Chubudai Sports Park. I feel like I don't ride enough, but Mr. Murakami, who is a beginner bicycle rider, seemed to be satisfied.
"I could run, and I still have enough energy to play on the lawn at Chubudai Sports Park! I thought I'd bring my frisbee and badminton equipment..."

The first step in escorting a beginner may be just the right thing to do, since it's so easy. If you can make me want to go running again, that's what I want.

However, this course only scratches the surface of Matsusaka's charms. There are still many courses suitable for cycling, sights to visit, and gourmet foods to sample. I will introduce these on another occasion.


Cycling to discover the charms of Mie Prefecture continues!

[This route]

Article creation / Masanori Asano

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◎ Bicycle writer goes! Beautiful country of Mie: Bicycle route notes

・ [HigashiKishu Edition] Run along Shichirimihama Beach and enjoy the delicious food of Kumano!

・ [Shima Edition] Cycling along the seaside, visiting lucky charms and gourmet food!

・ [Watarai/Minamiise Edition] Enjoy gourmet seafood on a challenging course that crosses mountain passes!

・ [Inabe Edition] Enjoy gourmet food and sightseeing on a course full of ups and downs, including the TOJ stage!

・ [TsuCity Misugi Edition] Cross the fresh green hills and visit the post station on Ise Honkaido Road

・ [Iinami/Iitaka/Odai edition] Along the clear stream, uphill and running are perfect! A greedy course where you can enjoy local gourmet food and hot springs

・ [TsuCity geinocho & KameyamaCity Seki Edition] Short cycling to enjoy Tokaido Sekijuku and over mountain passes based on Anno Dam

・ [Eastern Iga Edition] Hill climb and gourmet food in a hilly mountain village