Nagatoro is a small town of seven thousand people in Saitama Prefecture, at the point where the Arakawa River squeezes through a gorge of layered rock, and it has been a day-trip destination for Tokyoites for more than a century. The name means something like long rock bed, and it describes the scene accurately: the river runs over broad shelves of crystalline schist, worn into smooth steps and pools, with cliffs of dark green stone along the bank. In the nineteenth century, geologists came to study the rock; now people come to float on it.
The river bends are the draw. In season, flat-bottomed boats carry passengers down the rapids, steered by boatmen with long poles, and the shouts and splashes echo off the gorge. Above the town, Hodosan, a sacred mountain, has a shrine that can be reached by walking path or a ropeway, and the views over the valley and the Chichibu mountains are excellent. In April the cherry trees along the river bloom in clouds, and in autumn the maples turn red.
The riding in the area is fun without being demanding. The roads follow the river and climb into the hills, with a mix of straight sections, gentle curves and old bridges, and the traffic can be heavy at weekends in good weather. Nagatoro itself has a station that looks like a country railway halt, and a main street of shops selling grilled rice cakes, shaved ice and local sake. The town is a convenient place to park, take a break and watch the boats.
Fuel is available in Nagatoro and in the surrounding villages, though stations are small and close early, so fill before the late afternoon. Try the local delicacy, a kind of sweet-and-savoury miso-flavoured skewer, and the cold noodles that are sold at many stands. Watch out for gravel and damp patches under the trees, and take care on the river bridges, which can be slippery after rain.