Some quick advice for those who are going to cycle Japan.

 

Wireless (wi-fi) connections are not as readily available as you would expect in such an advanced country but wifi access can be found at 95% of Seven Eleven's; Apps on an iPhone or android will work without signing in, however browsing the web you need to make an account but no conformation is sent to your email so make up an email address and you will have 60 minutes of use.
Note: if you cannot read kanji make sure translate is working in your web browser. Google Chrome seems to work best. 

The Japanese people can be friendly but are hesitant and somewhat nervous around foreigners, they are likely to tell you that they don't speak English but likely they will know more than your Japanese if it is to be as poor as mine.

The Japanese are extremely courteous on the roads to a point where it is damn right irritating. Generally they drive tiny hatchbacks but will sit driving behind you for hundreds of meters until they find the opportunity to pass leaving a line of backed up traffic behind them. They have more than enough room to pass you but for whatever reason will not overtake despite their cars are half the width of the lane. These are normally older people and women.
There is nothing you can do to avoid this and was my main pet peeve especially when cycling on main roads.

Cycling through neighborhoods is not so bad as the roads will be empty, I don't know where everyone disappears but you are not likely to run into anyone at times during the day, This will get you off the main roads and perhaps stumble upon a nice park or even camping spot away from the loud traffic.

Camping is possible pretty much anywhere, no one is going to disturb you and is not illegal. Just be aware of wild animals ie. Wild boars and Bears (Japanese alps)

You will find the people in Kyushu friendlier and more open minded than the 'ants' in and around Tokyo. From my experience the further southwest I went the more smiles you received from people seeing a fully loaded bicycle.

Garbage bins are hard to come by and I found that only the convenience stores had bins so carry plastic bags for waterproofing important documents and gear and to store your garbage for disposal. Everything you buy comes in a plastic bag (except supermarkets where you have to pay for them).

Japan is not easy to do cheap, fruit especially is very expensive and if you thought rice was cheap here, it is not.
Do try the plump Japanese grapes, all my childhood I wondered why artificial grape flavor tasted nothing like grapes, here though they taste exactly like the artificial flavor.
Supermarkets offer precooked noodles for cheaper than the dried 2-minute ones but you will need to add a stock cube to the mix and vegetables to bulk it up and make it flavorsome; pasta and pre packaged pasta sauce can be reasonable too.

Nothing is spicy here and I wasn't able to find a decent chili sauce so bring your own if you like a little spice in your food.

Tunnels are dangerous, loud and frightening and occasionally they do not have much of a shoulder to cycle on, I recommend taking the scenic bypasses, these roads will not be well maintained but will offer breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. Be warned too, take it easy on the downhill at times because you may take a sharp corner and find debris or very slippery algae on the road (I fractured a rib).

You will be taking ferries between islands and the extra cost of taking your bicycle is good and always available (car ferries only).

Treat yourself to sashimi and other amazing foods here I especially recommend 'Uni' Sashimi which is sea urchin - one of the best things I personally have ever eaten.
Also if you have money to spare tantalize your taste buds and experience Kobe beef (in Kobe) it is world renown for a reason.

Don't freak out, heated toilet seats are common here and does take some getting use to and when you leave you wonder why we don't have them in the western world.
Also play with the buttons beside the toilet, they control a variety of things that you will only experience in Japan.

Bring a good sleeping bag, I cycled in the autumn with inadequate sleeping gear, the coasts are fine but to really enjoy Japan go up in the mountains where you might have a secluded road to yourself but the altitude difference can bring on a chilly night.

Japan's road network is great for touring on skinny tires as I found that 98% of the roads I cycled on were paved, use a good map or GPS navigation system it will prevent you from cycling up the side of a mountain only to find a dead end, however if this is something you want to do - go for it!

Onsen's are Japanese bath houses which generally tap into thermal vents from beneath the surface which is ideal to soak your tiresome muscles in and of course bathe; they are not expensive at around ¥300 a pop for a maximum of two hours.

05/11/2014 - Cycle Touring Japan - Day 42 - A well rounded final day with the addition of eating the best beef in the world.

 

Distance cycled: 170km from Kyoto through the mountains to Kobe and back to Osaka.
Average speed: 20.1Km/h
Moving Time: 8h22m
Elevation Ascended: 3234m
Total Distance on Current trip: 3,545km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 8,745km
Money spent: $110

Today brought a wide blend of cycling highlights and issues that I have experienced throughout Japan over these last 7 weeks with beautiful mountain scenery, some rain, annoying traffic, secluded stretches of beautifully maintained roads scything through the mountains connecting to tiny seemingly uninhabited villages and of course a near death experience.

I left The hostel in Kyoto taking full advanced of the free breakfast they offered eating more than my fair share of toast, totaling 8 slices and several cups of coffee. I knew I didn't want to eat much as today was a treat, something I have been wanting to try ever since I heard about it, it is of course Kobe beef.
For those who don't know about Kobe beef it is a renowned delicacy found only here in Japan known for its flavor, tenderness, fatty well marbled textile and the extortionate price.
More on this later though because as you can see above I peddled 170km so expectedly it was a long day, a day that even though I'm writing about it two days after the events I am still aching.
I climbed over the mountains west of Kyoto, I could have taken the easier route and followed the river to Osaka and further to Kobe but I had cycled that route twice already and as you know I personally prefer the mountains.
It was a bone chillingly brisk morning and I had nothing more than a t-shirt and a thin sweater to keep me warm.
Eagerly awaiting for the sun to force its way through the residual morning mist I kept my body warm by cycling hard, really hard. It was a delight to cycling with a single pannier half full and my handlebar bag meaning I could open the taps and cover distance faster and easier than I am normally use to.
I had a vague idea of which roads I should take to Kobe but I knew whichever path I took in an westerly direction I knew I would find some epic cycling roads, and that I did, secluded and perfectly suited for my bike to climb and descend the mountain passes.
I found a beautiful location beside a river and thermal spring where the blood red and golden leaves of autumn were coming into play where I rested and took photos.
Continuing on I skirted a lake and hit up some high hills before rapidly descending to sea level and to the town, or should I say city of Kobe.
This downhill run wasn't without peril though where I was keeping up with the traffic sitting behind the car in front giving myself space to brake on the now wet asphalt if it were to be necessary to do so when out of the blue a (excuse my language) Fucking Asshole tries to overtake me on a corner, on a bicycle you have to take the corners wide especially with the conditions at the time. If I had my panniers on he would have certainly clipped me.
Now, like in much of Japan I can keep up with city traffic often traveling faster than all of the vehicles so at the next stop when I caught up with him I was so infuriated I wanted to smash in his side window. His blank reaction-less face expressed nothing to my gestured anger and now I do regret not removing his keys from his ignition and tossing them the river in the valley below.

Moving on, so Kobe beef, what's the beef about Kobe beef? With a long list of stringent specifications for Kobe beef to be the authentic product it is an art in it's  own right, hence the price tag.
But was it worth it? Damn right! For the best beef I have ever eaten it was an experience like no other, it melted in my mouth like nothing else, the marbled fat between the meat dissolved into the flesh when cooked, which was not barbecued in the conventional methods; while the meat is being seared to perfection a tray is  heated to the temperature of hell on a huge burner, it is then layered with a bed of sliced onions, garlic, some spinach and crispy deep fried fried, the sliced filet steak and topped with herb and garlic butter  with more sliced onions placed on top (both white and red). Here's the fun part, immediately after all ingredients are added to the now glowing tray the chef splashes on oil and red wine which engulfs the food in flames and within moments the tray is placed in front of me on a wooden placemat still searing - does that sound good or what. I ordered a glass of wine and some garlic rice to compliment the dish and even though the size of the steak was pitiful (for me at least) I was surprisingly satisfied upon consuming all the scraps on the tray, even the onions and garlic that had fused to the metal tray.
Kobe beef is NOT exported out of Japan so I believe that this experience for me was definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity and 100% worth the price.

The day wasn't over yet, I was in Kobe and I had to get back to Osaka 50km away and what was worse was that it was now dark and raining.
Reluctantly mounting my bicycle again I set off into the night towards Osaka which involved crossing multiple bridges using the pedestrian/cycle paths (stairs) as the highway prohibited bicycles, besides I wouldn't want to be on a busy road at dark and even though my pace was slow I wasn't putting myself at risk of dying on my last day of cycling in Japan - one time is enough for the day.
Eventually and exhaustedly I arrived at the hostel knowing that my bike trip here was now over and what a day to finish on, not only was it the longest day of cycling on this trip but also the furthest distance covered.
Japan, as a country for cycling you have been epic! ... now I don't want to finish up this post by saying anything bad about its people but I will say that in these two months traveling as far as I have I never felt like I had connected with you like I had in other Asian countries like Indonesia and Thailand.
I will also mention that if there is anyone wanting to travel but safety is a concern than this is the place to visit, in no way would anyone visiting here have any problems with security.

So, thank you Japan for not robbing me!.. Even though you are a very expensive place to travel around.

On the mountain road from Kyoto to Osaka

YUM!!!!!

04/11/2014 - Cycle Touring Japan - Day 41 - With a lightened load comes an easy day.

Distance cycled: 86.2km from Osaka port back to Kyoto.
Average speed: 20.1Km/h
Moving Time: 4h16m
Elevation Ascended: 889m
Total Distance on Current trip: 3,375km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 8,915km
Money spent: $32

Why do ferries with early morning arrivals always wake their passengers at God forsaken times of the morning several hours before disembarking? With an arrival at 7:30am in Osaka announcements were shouted over the loud speakers at 5:30am and blinding light shined in my eyes when the fluorescent lit room was brightly illuminated.
From here I had to cycle to a hostel in the center of Osaka, one that I stayed at previously and being one of the last allowed to get off the ferry (because cyclists are one to the first to embark) I mounted my gear and set off.
There actually was another cyclist aboard the vessel who cycled from Osaka to Shibushi as I did but taking a more direct route following the coasts rather than the mountains, unsurprisingly his trip was far shorter. I have forgotten the guy's name and his English was poor at best but he cycled with me towards the hostel, I think to help me but it was me always helping him. His bag of souvenirs in a paper bag mounted on his rear rack fell off on several occasions until I eventually secured it properly for me. Also his bike was far to small for him and his seat was in no way positioned correctly. Kudos to him for making it as far as he did with his set up but now after I had lifted his seat his knees would have thanked me.
He was a strange guy, still with toothpaste markings beside his lips and with a limp, weak and awkwardly prolonged handshake.
I said goodbye to him when I was close to the hostel and set off in my own direction, shortly later when I was taking some pictures of the local people I saw him cycling about looking for me (in the opposite direction from where he was going); obviously I did what I could to avoid him.
Arriving at the Peach Peace house, the same hostel I stayed at last time I entered Osaka, I asked whether it would be ok to leave the majority of my things at the hostel for a night and set off with a well lightened load to Kyoto where there were a few temples I wanted to check out with the change in Autumn leaves.
I went along the Kawayaga river as I did last time but took the other side via the Australian consulate to pick up my brand new passport that had been waiting for me for several weeks.
From here to Kyoto I did not stop cycling and it only took me 2 hours, far faster than expected but not being weighed down by the extent of my gear acceleration improved dramatically.
One of the most popular temples to visit in Kyoto is Eikando, the temple and it grounds so immaculately cleaned and painstakingly maintained but truly is a place of beauty.
I hopped out the temple grounds taking pictures of the sunset's orange glow illuminating the fiery colors of autumn.

Returning to Osaka

Eikando

03/11/2014 - Cycle Touring Japan - Day 40 - Just cruising... On a cruise ship.

 

Distance cycled: 63.1km from the western beginning of HWY 72 to Shibushi and on my way back to Osaka on a cruise ship, Japan.
Average speed: 17.3Km/h
Moving Time: 3h39m
Elevation Ascended: 1028m
Total Distance on Current trip: 3,289km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 9,001km
Money spent: $200

Transportation in Japan is extortionately expensive, I'm very happy seeing what I have done here the way I have as it has been relatively cheap and a great experience.
It was $170 from Shibushi, Kyushu back to Osaka where my flight departs from in a couple of days.
There are a few things I would like to do before flying out I only hope that the weather permits me doing so.

Like the title suggests today was cruise(y), with an initial climb over a mountain pass on a gorgeous autumn day with no pressure knowing that the ferry didn't depart till the late afternoon.

I arrived at Shibushi ferry terminal with plenty of time to spare, I found a park, hung up my still damp clothing that still were not dry from washing them yesterday, made some scrambled eggs for the journey and tried hard to communicate with an old man who approached me very enthusiastically.

The ferry was huge, I was one of the first and only cyclist to board along with the motor bikers with their ridiculously loud exhaust systems, I jokingly emphasized my lack of exhaust by making the sounds with my voice but no one found it funny but in all honesty I knew I wouldn't get a reaction as Japanese people generally avoid any type of confrontation.
Anyway I got placed in a room with 40 or so beds and spent the evening editing photos and stuffing my face full of food, indulging in all the treats I bought before boarding.
A younger guy recognized me from hiking on Yakushima and he offered me sake, we chatted for a little while before I needed to rest; that's what I am in dire need of right now, rest.

Over a mountain pass with the Volcano bellowing smoke

On the ferry

02/11/2014 - Cycle Touring Japan - Day 39 - Volcanic eruption... Argggg, what do we do?!

 

Distance cycled: 28.9km from Sakurajima, around the volcano and east.
Average speed: 17.4Km/h
Moving Time: 1h40m
Elevation Ascended: 327m
Total Distance on Current trip: 3,226km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 9,064km
Money spent: $20

Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!
These are the words I was shouting when I turned around to see not far in the distance a huge cloud of volcanic ash and smoke bellowing  from the top of Sakurajima volcano.
I was cycling around the volcano with a French guy who showed up at the hostel looking for a place to stay for the evening, I decided to join Charles and continue on my bicycle trip east.
Initially I wasn't so enthralled or interested by the black sand beaches or the volcano hiding behind a thick layer of cloud on such an overcast day but making it to one point as we circled the island things became a little more intriguing as there was a tori gate almost buried from lava flow during the 1914 eruption but shortly after seeing this, things got far more exciting.
As the weather cleared I simply checked to see how far Charles was behind me seeing the magnificence of black smoke and ash growing larger and larger in scale to a point where it changed the color temperature of our surroundings to a yellower hue. This was of course the ash dispersing into the sky and shortly later Charles and I were desperately seeking shelter from the small volcanic stones hitting us like hail leaving ash residue on our clothing. It was out of this world, something i never thought I would experience and yet Kagoshima residence every once in a while are reminded that not far away from the city in an active volcano that dumps ash over the city.
Unfortunately I didn't here the explosion from the eruption but seeing what I saw was enough, check out the photos!

Edit: just as I'm writing this Sakurajima is at it again and more smoke is bellowing from the volcano, this time I heard it too a deep growling thunder from beneath the surface.

Cycling in the clouds of ash was an experience in itself, a golden glow filled the air and the taste of dust was inevitable as was the ash up your nose and in your eyes. Sunglasses and a face mask helped but not for long but soon I was far enough away and the air cleared and it was no longer an issue.
I camped beside a shine on the other side of the peninsula from Sakurajima where I watched the sunset through the cloud of ash, truly spectacular.

A Tori Gate nearly buried from the lavaflow from a recent eruption

The ash in the air turning the skies yellow

01/11/2014 - Cycle Touring Japan - Day 38 - One stormy evening

 

Distance cycled: 22.3km from Hibiscus port to Kagoshima and over to Sakurajima, Kyushu, Japan.
Average speed: 18.7Km/h
Moving Time: 1h11m
Elevation Ascended: 180m
Total Distance on Current trip: 3,197km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 9,093km
Money spent: $28

Last night was intense, it stormed like there was no tomorrow and I was very nearly stuck by lightning; I was inside my tent rapidly packing away my things before the monsoon like rain soaked everything when the lighting hit illuminating my tent blinding me. I know it hit right above me as the was no noticeable delay between the Lightning and thunder, also it killed all the lights in the toilet block I retreated to.
This all happened at 4am and there was no way I could get any more sleep.
I killed the 4 hour wait before my ferry departed the port watching the rain soak every hug around me and the very uninteresting sunrise brighten the grey and gloomy morning.
Finally getting aboard the ferry I instantly fell asleep and woke several hours later meeting an American man (Dan) who has spent the last 9 years teaching English in the country. An interesting guy with a worrying cycling trip story involving a truck resulting in his buddy getting brain damage and him with a broken vertebrae...
These types of stories I don't like to really heat about.
Arriving back on the mainland I made my way to a hostel but as I hadn't made a reservation and it was first day of a long weekend no beds were available but the staff were kind enough to direct me to an interesting guesthouse on the volcanic island on the other side of the peninsula from Kagoshima named Sakurajima.
The hostel was run by an older hippy couple and only had two beds to offer. This guesthouse being nothing like you would ever expect here in Japan was more to my liking, cheap accommodation, colorful characters running the place and in no way sterile (in a good way) like all other hostels I have stayed at here in this country.
A polish guy also staying at the guesthouse, Paul, join me to the onsen where I soaked my much in pain and aching joints and muscles in the volcanic fed and heated waters, it pure bliss for a short while but soon the steam and heat became to unbearable for me to handle. even after leaving i spent the next 30 minutes profusely sweating from every pore. This is what is suppose to happen in an onsen experience and it was relaxing at first but then my clothes I was wearing became very much wet like I was at the beginning of the day. In all honesty I prefer being dry.
The owners of the guesthouse offered a cheap dinner for their guests and it was pleasant for the first time to have a home cooked Japanese meal, it was generally good albeit the textures and flavors of things like a seaweed with tofu mix and a tasteless and fatty (insert some animal) rind is edible but not something I would ever order at a restaurant. Regardless of this everything was a valiant gesture of fantastic hospitality on the couples part. The name of the guesthouse that I highly recommend to anyone wanting to stay at a  place completely the opposite of what you would expect in Japan is Moon Galammasala guest house.

 

 

31/10/2014 - Cycle Touring Japan - Day 37 - Is it possible to have more than just a second wind?

Distance cycled and hiked: 64.6km (18km hiked)
Average speed: 11.5Km/h
Moving Time: at least 5h37m
Elevation Ascended: 1419
Total Distance on Current trip: 3,175km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 9,115km
Money spent: $20

Much of yesterday's plan went as well as I could have hoped, with a few bonuses but also some drawbacks but all in all a great bloody day.
Waking up to a stunning mountain sunrise view through the trees and being well rested I was good for another day of hiking  I was keen to set off to see what else Yakushima had to offer.
One of the main attractions in the island is to see Jomon-Sugi cedar, estimated to be between 2,600 years old  (scientific methods) and 7,200 years old (judging by the size), it is however the largest Cedar found in Japan.. Although it is dead. I passed it last night when hiking in the dark so I backtracked to the sight to take some photos.
I was also right about where I set up camp, it wasn't the mountain hut I was suppose to stay in but regardless I had a great night of much needed sleep and was comfortable for the whole evening, even at 1350 meters it wasn't at all cold.
Ascending to the highest point in the island (Mt. Miyanoura-dake) the terrain changed dramatically, I was getting a little tired of hiking in the cedar forests and wanted some open air to see the views of the altitude I had hiked to, this is exactly what I got; occasionally when the clouds would roll out of view of the scenic grassy and rocky landscapes I would have the opportunity to photograph my surroundings - I'm going to describe what I saw as the pictures below will do that for you and it was awesome.
Continuing the hike I hit a few more peaks of the island with more view points and strange granite boulders sticking up from the ground almost as if they were placed there until I descended into more forests filling the well maintained trail that scythed through the difficult terrain.
I definitely wore the wrong shoes of the occasion as every small stone I stepped on could be felt by my foot, $3 trainers bought in Thailand made from cardboard really isn't proper footwear for any type of hike, however I did it.
Eventually and happily I made it to the final point of the trek popping out onto an asphalt road, relieved that my feet no long had to endure the torture i put them through.
Was the trek worthwhile? Damn right yes!
I was still many kilometers away from my bicycle down this asphalt road but with a smile I convinced a family I met at the trailhead to drive me back to my bicycle.
At this point I had been extremely lucky with the weather as this island receives more rainfall than anywhere else in Japan, not a single drop had hit me until I started to descend from the mountain getting below the cloud layer. It was only a light drizzle but any more I would have had to slow right down.. My brakes are incredibly iffy when they are too wet.
If felt like an eternity briskly following the curvy roads back to Anbo, a fantastic experience in itself.
Finally back at sea level and time to splurge on food (mostly chocolate) and drink to reward myself for the copious amounts of effort required to hike as far as I did.
But the day wasn't over yet.

At this point it started pissing it down and my idea to cycle to a place to camp closer to the port town of Miyanoura fell though, but I met some French guys, Bob and Jes who bought me a beer and we hung out outside the supermarket having a few laughs.
The weather did clear and I thought I would give it a go and try cycling to a better place to camp, a terrible idea as it was now dark and soon after leaving the heavens opened up again (is this the right expression) and I got soaked.
First I tried to seek refuge at a sight where lava created pillow like formations but did not have a shelter so I turned around and kept on looking without any luck, u was already 3/4 of the way to Miyanoura and thought 'fuck it' why not just get there and not have to worry about my return ferry back to the mainland.
I did pass by a hotspring but as soon as I arrived they were closing up, instead I treated myself to more chocolate at a supermarket, I know this doesn't make sense but if I couldn't bathe chocolate is a good substitute, right?
Anyway, it had stopped raining when I made it into the town and I eventually found a place to pitch my tent beside the tourist information office my boat is at 8:20am tomorrow and I'm a stone throws away from the port so all is well.
How I mustered up the energy to cycle at night and in the pouring rain back to Miyanoura after hiking upwards of 35km in two days is beyond me but even now at 11:30pm as I am writing this I am not all that tired, I thought for sure I would have passed out from exhaustion in the middle of doing anything the afternoon.

This is Jomon-suki, the oldest Cedar tree on Yakushima

The accommodation I was suppose to stay at last night

I had this crazy one follow me for several hundred meters as it wanted my food scraps in a plastic bag I was lugging around… I hate monkeys

Wonderfully epic scenery

Exhausted but made it!