This is one of Hamana-ko's bona fide tourist spots: the Araiseki, one of the four barrier checkpoints along the old Tokaido road between Tokyo and Kyoto - and the only one with the original building still intact. The history of the Tokkaido is fascinating: it was a brilliant system of governmental control designed to prevent regional lords from staging any uprisings. They were required to spend every other year in the capital (Edo) to prevent them from making mischief at home - and their families were obliged to stay in Tokyo as an added incentive to ensure good behavior. Obviously this system resulted in many comings and goings along this route, and service industries sprang up to meet the enormous demand. The Tokkaido is still the most busily transited route (both road and rail) in Japan, as it goes between the major megalopolis regions of Tokyo/Yokahama and Kyoto/Osaka/Kobe.

Unfortunately, the cycling route from Lake Hamana westward is not in place yet - so you've got a couple of hours of hilly inland riding before you can get back to both the cycling route and the coast. When you see the sign for the surfing beach, you're there - head down to the coast and you'll be rewarded by this typical Pacific Coast scenery.