I bikepacked in Japan in 2024 for about 2.500km and will again in just 3d, but for entire 3 months and nearly 10.000km. I have a lot of thoughts about your route.
First of all, after you did the Shimanami Kaido and arrive in Onomichi, the entire stretch towards Kobe/Osaka will be hella of a pain. The traffic is insane and the route lays on the Golden Route where most people live in Japan. I did drive it and will not and never again.
Second, after Tokyo you decided to take it inland towards the north. You can, but after Sendai (and even earlier, maybe Iwate. The pavement is smooth and has a blue cycling line you can follow up to Hachinohe, without navigation), I would recommend for you to get to the sea and experience the newly build infrastructure from the decade ago Tsunami that hit the entire coast and in general from Yamada to Hachinohe is insanely beautiful.
Also one more thing. After Lake Biwa, youre heading towards Nagoya. I think if you rather skip Lake Biwa and cut across Osaka towards Mie Prefecture and ride along the “Pearl Route”, take the Ferry to main land again towards Hamamatsu and Shizuoka will be more worth it.
Sosowski on
Don’t skip Shikoku, don;t skip the alps, don’t skip Yamagata. Skip Shimanami Kaido (hear me out)
From Kyushu go to Kitakyushu and cross the under-sea-tunnel, then from Hiroshima go to Tobhishima Kaido. Cross to Shikoku and go al, the way west then take a ferry to Kobe or Osaka.
vivst0r on
Came here to second the thing about the stretch between Onomichi and Kobe.
Last year I went on the tour around Shikoku and I still had some time to kill, so I just went as far as I could towards Tokyo from Onomichi. I generally do not mind urban areas and busy roads, but that stretch was just awful. Especially the parts between Fukuyama and Okayama and Himeji and Kobe.
Knowing what I know now I’d rather go via Kitakyushu over Hiroshima and then hop on Shikoku to go straight to Tokushima and take a ferry to Wakayama.
Infamous_Leader5172 on
Yes to your northern route—lake hopping from Inawashiro to towada is awesome. Also bandai-azuma and the kiso valley are gorgeous.
mission_accomplish3d on
Anyone mind sharing photos or videos this sounds like an amazing adventure.
5 Comments
I bikepacked in Japan in 2024 for about 2.500km and will again in just 3d, but for entire 3 months and nearly 10.000km. I have a lot of thoughts about your route.
First of all, after you did the Shimanami Kaido and arrive in Onomichi, the entire stretch towards Kobe/Osaka will be hella of a pain. The traffic is insane and the route lays on the Golden Route where most people live in Japan. I did drive it and will not and never again.
Second, after Tokyo you decided to take it inland towards the north. You can, but after Sendai (and even earlier, maybe Iwate. The pavement is smooth and has a blue cycling line you can follow up to Hachinohe, without navigation), I would recommend for you to get to the sea and experience the newly build infrastructure from the decade ago Tsunami that hit the entire coast and in general from Yamada to Hachinohe is insanely beautiful.
Also one more thing. After Lake Biwa, youre heading towards Nagoya. I think if you rather skip Lake Biwa and cut across Osaka towards Mie Prefecture and ride along the “Pearl Route”, take the Ferry to main land again towards Hamamatsu and Shizuoka will be more worth it.
Don’t skip Shikoku, don;t skip the alps, don’t skip Yamagata. Skip Shimanami Kaido (hear me out)
From Kyushu go to Kitakyushu and cross the under-sea-tunnel, then from Hiroshima go to Tobhishima Kaido. Cross to Shikoku and go al, the way west then take a ferry to Kobe or Osaka.
Came here to second the thing about the stretch between Onomichi and Kobe.
Last year I went on the tour around Shikoku and I still had some time to kill, so I just went as far as I could towards Tokyo from Onomichi. I generally do not mind urban areas and busy roads, but that stretch was just awful. Especially the parts between Fukuyama and Okayama and Himeji and Kobe.
Knowing what I know now I’d rather go via Kitakyushu over Hiroshima and then hop on Shikoku to go straight to Tokushima and take a ferry to Wakayama.
Yes to your northern route—lake hopping from Inawashiro to towada is awesome. Also bandai-azuma and the kiso valley are gorgeous.
Anyone mind sharing photos or videos this sounds like an amazing adventure.