Hi! I've been lurking on this subreddit to find information about biking Japan from Hokkaido all the way Southwest to Fukuoka. I'm trying to get an itinerary and a personal Google Maps going on but it's been real difficult to find actual route information on the web (perhaps it might be because I'm searching in English).
I've done a bike trip in Korea where I referenced websites like https://www.koreabybike.com/ and https://www.bike.go.kr/content.do?key=2008068854028 where they have an entire route map. Does anyone happen to know if there are any equivalents for Japan?
by mc811mc
1 Comment
There’s not much information to find outside of Japan unless you get your hands on a biker guide (a motorcycle map atlas with descriptions of every single road).
But hey, I did Hokkaido-Tokyo and Shikoku-Kyushu-Osaka, here are some points:
* don’t stick to the shore. You’re missing the best parts of Japan and it’s gonna be super windy.
* that said, obscure side mountain roads are gonna be super steep and full of monkeys bears and other dangers
* that said, take at least a couple of scenic summit roads. Bikers love these for the views but it sometimes takes two days to climb them on a bicycle. Worth it.
* speaking of bears, there’s a big problem in tohoku right now, they’re coming into cities so read up and get a bear bell
* speaking of monkeys there’s a big problem in chuugoku so read up as well and mind you they don’t care for the bell
* you can take a sunflower ferry from oarai to tomakomai. It’s the best way to get to Hokkaido from Tokyo without having to pack your bike again.
* get ready for some natural disasters. Earthquakes floods typhoons landslides etc are gonna be your your problem. JMA website has a hazard map. Check it every day.
* it’s gonna rain a lot. A lotlotlot. There’s no month you can ride to avoid that. Accept your rainy fate.
* the toilet seat wants to wash your butt. Let it wash your butt, you’ll soon love the fact that your butt is always washed.