I went to Japan last year and this year I decided to come back for a bike touring trip. After riding over 1200 km and climbing a total of 10 km in elevation, I decided to share my experience since I found the information to be limited and scattered beforehand.
[Tour map](https://postimg.cc/2LwNs3Ch)
[Some photos
](https://postimg.cc/gallery/1STwvtp)
**Setup:**
Marin DSX 2 with butterfly handlebars, Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tour 35 mm tires, rear rack, fork mounts, pannier bags, fork bags, and lots of bungee cords.
**Route & Planning:**
The route included stops at Tokyo, Fujisawa, Hakone, Fujikawaguchiko, Matsumoto, Takayama, Toyama, Kanazawa, Tsuruga, Kyoto, Nara, Matsusaka, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, and finally Atami, where I took a train back to Tokyo.
I used Komoot for route planning, as Google Maps doesn’t offer biking maps for the majority of my route. Komoot is generally fine, but it has a few flaws. It tends to lead you away from roads, sometimes through gravel paths or involving elevation gains and drops. It’s wise to explore each section before riding it. I also purchased turn-by-turn navigation options within the app.
**Packing:**
A friend who is an avid bikepacker helped with my setup, but generally, you don’t need much. I packed my tent and sleeping bag but sent them back to my hotel in Tokyo a couple of days after starting because I realized I didn’t want to camp after a day of riding. Hotels were really not that expensive overall. Next time, I would pack lighter.
**Getting to and from the airport:**
This required the most planning. Initially, I thought to send the bike with a delivery service to my hotel, but they wouldn’t take a box this large. So, I booked a hotel near a metro station that has a direct train to the airport. This made it easier to manage the bike box. One of my greatest innovations was buying luggage wheels from Amazon and attaching them to the bike box, sandwiching the bottom part of the box between two pieces of wood and attaching the wheels. This allowed me to roll my box like luggage.
**Public Transport:**
This aspect was stressful. You will have to buy a bike bag. You can get one from Amazon at home or at a cycling store in Japan. You need to remove the front wheel and make it as compact as possible. Then try to get in the last car of the train as they usually have space for wheelchairs and strollers where you can place your bike. For buses, it was tricky. I only had to take a bus once when it was raining near Hakone, and I had to climb a hill that I simply couldn’t manage. There were quite a few tourists with luggage on the bus, but everyone, including the drivers, was understanding. My advice is to avoid buses if possible.
**Roads, Traffic, & Tunnels:**
Most roads in Japan are bike-friendly. Stick to the curb and ride on the left side. Some highways and tunnels explicitly prohibit bicycles and usually have an alternative route. One exception was a tunnel from Matsumoto to Takayama, which had a long tunnel prohibiting cyclists and the alternative was a road up an 800m high hill. I climbed the hill only to find out that the road at the very top was closed due to snow. Luckily, a guy who spoke English gave me a ride through the tunnel in his car.
Another thing is pedestrians, especially in bigger cities. People here will not look left and right when crossing the pedestrian crossing. This got me into a bit of trouble when I crashed into another cyclist at an intersection in Tokyo. I was riding downhill and entered an intersection on a yellow light. The intersection was long, and by the time I approached the end of it, the light turned green for pedestrians. A woman on an electric bike launched forward, and I T-boned her. The police got involved, classified it as a no-fault traffic accident, and let us go.
For the most part, drivers are very careful and respectful of cyclists. But I still had a few near misses on my trip, so be careful.
My least favorite part was going through tunnels. Make sure to turn on all your lights. I also put my earbuds in noise-canceling mode to quiet the noise and stuck as far to the curb as possible.
**Safety & Security:**
Japan is super safe. I left my bike unlocked and unattended when I went to stores and restaurants. For longer times, I put a lock between a wheel and the frame.
**Sleeping & Accommodations:**
As mentioned, I initially wanted to camp some nights and stay in hotels others. I abandoned this idea after a couple of days. By the end of the day, I was sweaty, smelly, and sore. The last thing I wanted was to camp.
Since I didn’t know if I would make it to my next point, I usually booked hotels when I was an hour or two away from the place. I had no problems and usually got lower rates. I stayed in ryokans and 2-3 star hotels with breakfasts. My average hotel price was C$50-60.
**Food:**
No problem with food as restaurants and convenience stores are everywhere. I kept a few protein bars in my bag just in case.
**Emergencies:**
I didn’t encounter anything extraordinary other than the traffic accident, a flat tire, and two broken spokes. Luckily, bike shops are everywhere, and you should not have problems getting your bike repaired or tuned up. My favourite was Asahi Cycle Base. They were helpful and affordable.
To conclude, bike touring in Japan was one of my best ideas. I love nature and saw a completely different side of Japan. I rode alongside rice fields, saw herons flying beside me, witnessed a band of hawks hunting, and watched farmers work in the fields with mountains in the backdrop. I discovered beautiful Shinto shrines in remote locations. I’d repeat this experience in a heartbeat if given the chance.
And here’s my personal rating, in no particular order:
– **Least welcoming place:** Kyoto
– **Most welcoming place:** Takayama
– **Worst roads:** Near Fukui, close to Kanazawa
– **Best view:** Cape Irago
– **Most difficult section:** From Hakone to Fujikawaguchiko
– **Best castle branding:** Hamamatsu
– **Unexpected gem:** Nara
– **Failed expectations:** Kyoto
This summary is just a general overview. If you have any specific questions or need more detailed information, feel free to ask, and I’ll do my best to help!
by jiritaowski
