Why Japan? 

Not too far from South Korea. It would be another incredible cultural experience and Charlie's daydreaming had always included watching the national sport of countries around the globe. 

So Japan home of Sumo - well we'd never get a better chance than now. And there's no where else on earth to experience this very original sport. 

Oh and Charlie's mates son Greg Butler was swimming in the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS in FUKUOKA and we sort of hoped we could maybe reach that area too! 

Below - Sumo tournament - Osaka 

So we booked a flight from Jeju Island to OSAKA - overnight stop then flight to SAPPORO capital of HOKKAIDO.

Below - Charlie managed to take this pic of the incredibly helpful staff loading our bikes at Jeju airport after a long discussion about how they'd never experienced loading bikes wrapped in cardboard boxes before! 

Charlie had briefly read that Hokkaido was a interesting island to cycle due to it's rural landscape, national parks and even black bears! 

Our Journey 

Below - black bear waring signs on our first cycling day on Hokkaido Island. 

We headed off on our first cycle day in Japan, excited and ready for a new experience. Heading off on the east coast seemed to make sense! 

This soon changed after 20 miles when our sim card failed and we realised there was no option but to cycle back to Chitose and replace the card.

Below - cycling towards Hobetsu campsite on the east coast route. Before our sim card failed and we had to retrace our route back to Chitose! 

A night in a cheap Chitose Best Western hotel followed by picking up gas for our cooker, food and another sim card.

Below - the next day after revising our plan in the night we headed to Morappu Campsite, Shikotsu National Park. 

The campsite even had a small cafe that sold beer!! Winner 🍻

Knocking in tent pegs with Charlie's cycle shoe was noted by a Japanese camper who came over and gave us a mallet and then subsequently returned 10 minutes later with fresh bread rolls - went down great with our Pot Noddles!! 😍

The next day we made our way to Lake Shikotsu Visitor Centre. From there we cycled to Shiraoi Campsite. Through the forest ride we saw deer and fox but fortunately NO Bears!

Above - On route to Shiraoi Campsite. 

And even more sim card problems on Charlie's phone - luckily a very switched on phone shop assistant changed the wave band to Japan, Docomo!! (whatever that meant, it worked 👍😊👍) 

A 60 mile ride to Lake Toya where a comfy bed in a Airbnb awaited us! 🛌🤞(Charlie couldn't wait to 'sack' the tent!!) 

A beautiful sunny morning start from Shiraoi Campsite including a couple of steep mountain climbs to really warm up the legs! 

Stopping off for a game of PARK GOLF just added to a wonderful day of Incredible-pedals! 

Above - Lake Toya 

Mount Usu Zen an 'active' VOLCANO was our next destination on this Japanese adventure.

A 'active' hike ensued but well worth it 👍

Safety Helmets were optional!! 

After experiencing some spectacular views we cycled on to our next stopover in Makkari. 

Some tough heavily gravelled forest tracks meant that 'pushing' the bikes was sometimes necessary!! 

Where we had booked traditional Japanese accommodation and were staying within walking distance of a Onsen. 

Above - Our first traditional Japanese Guesthouse. We also visited the local Onsen where there was separate male and female saunas, baths and showers, a great experience. 

We cycled on towards Iwanai hoping to find accommodation on arrival - success in the form of a cheap Guesthouse, shared bathroom (but hey, sometimes you have to!) and the landlady even fed us some beautiful curry. 

Pretty soon after we collapsed onto the bed, feeling like we'd done good, 'real good'!! 

A very loud banging on the door stirred us from restful dreams! With the landlady seeming to be saying she was leaving now and was just saying 'good bye'! (Sayonara!) 

But NO her husband (the landlord) had turned up and insisted that Molly had to leave, Charlie could stay though!

Turns out it was a male only Guesthouse!! 

We explained that we would both have to leave (Thank goodness for Google Translate) 

Luckily we got a full refund (free food too!) And the very kind landlady found us accommodation a few miles away and even guided us there in her car! Wth Molly laughing all the way 🤦 We slept well that night!! 

The coastal route through Kamomeni, Tamari and Shakotan was picturesque and gave us our first experience of the 'tunnels' in Japan, lots of tunnels! 

Snakes in the grass too! One to watch out for when you're trying to repair (well bodge!!) a 5cm hole in your rear tyre at the side of the road. 

After another night camping (at the Yoishi campsite, on the beach and free) we did a short training swim in The Sea of Japan. 

From the campsite we headed to Otaru where we were going to catch a ferry that afternoon - but Charlie's 'bodged' back tyre had other ideas! 

We managed to limp into Otaru and luck was with us when we quickly found a bike shop run by 'Show' who made the tyre good, tubed it, and then changed all our brake pads - top bloke (see pic above) 

So it was a night in Otaru. We booked ferry tickets for the next day and spent the next morning walking around the local market.

And at the market came 'enlightenment' we tasted our first (but not our last!) MOCHI BAR 😍

That afternoon at 5pm we caught our overnight ferry to Honshu Island - Niigata. Fortunately we didn't need the 'lifeboat'! 

Below - arriving at Niigata (HONSHU ISLAND) accompanied by lots of motorbikers after a 16 hour overnight ferry trip from Otaru (HOKKAIDO ISLAND) 

During our 14 hour ferry ride we decided that Tokyo was a great target. 

Heavy rain greeted us on Honshu Island and our first destination was cut short from Nagaoka to a overnight in Mitsuke. A really comfortable hotel with onsite Onsen 👍

Spectacular scenery (above) on route to Yuzawa made up for the gloomy weather

Yuzawa was on our route towards Tokyo. Little did we know that the Japanese Alps awaited us! Who knew!! 

Below - our hotel in Yuzawa (booked through Airbnb) massive and empty! We were the only residents that night! Surreal but cosy! 

It was the next day when we had our first 'inkling' that the roads were going to get STEEP seriously steep! 

Passing through Naeba Ski Resort - below

On the road to Kawaba we passed Mount Naeba and Mount Tanigawa, clues that you really did not need to be Sherlock Holmes to conclude that we are in the Japanese Alps!! 

More tunnels (some very tight and narrow) plus more punctures added to a much needed rest in Kawaba. 

A visit to Fukiware Falls on route to Nikko Below

Another Puncture greeted us a few miles into our journey towards Nikko (Charlie's tyres just weren't 'playing the easy game'!!)

What a day..... More steep climbs on Route 120. One of which was 10.6 miles long (our longest yet, ever!!) plus the added bonus of 49 switchbacks! (Charlie counted them!) 

Above and below - a arty tunnel entrance and coming down those glorious switchbacks. 

More 'Mounts' heading for Sano (Mount Nikko Shirane, Mount Nantai) and then in Sano itself...how to use the toilet signs! Now you know!! Below 

The road to Sano was seriously STUNNING (Molly's determined search for a picturesque ride was rewarded!) 

The 70 mile cycle ride included a unused old road with a 38 switchback climb. Totally worth it for the stunning forest views. Below

The very next day we left our accommodation in Sano and headed for Tokyo. 🚴🚴

It's truly incredible to write the words 'we cycled to Tokyo'. We feel so fortunate to experience so many incredible pedals! And sometimes looking back you can't help but wonder "how did we do that"!?! 

Below - Tokyo a mix of the old and the new. Vibrant, bustling, manic. A sensory overload! 

Our days cycle to Tokyo included a stint alongside the Edo River. The wrong way it turned out! 

Lady luck was with us again when a elderly Japanese cyclist came alongside on the cycle path and asked in English where we were headed for...... 

"Turn around and follow me" he said. 

We were the 'doubters' that day and followed politely. Not believing he knew better than 'Google Maps'! 

But he did!!

A true gentleman who wanted a 'selfie' before insisting that we accept 1000 yen to celebrate reaching Tokyo with a drink on him. 

We should have been paying him! Humbling and a privilege to meet such a lovely guy. 😊🚴😊

A 2 night stay in Katsushika, on the outskirts of Tokyo allowed us time for some bike TLC, a bit of washing and to catch the tube into Tokyo. 

Above and below - Tokyo 

Below - One of the quirky signs in the city. A couple of unique 'Tokyo experiences' occurred on the Tube and in the city itself. Every day is a school day! On the tube we unwittingly jumped onto a 'female ONLY' carriage and on the sidewalk we got told off and moved along by 'Public Order Officials' for standing and eating a sandwich on the sidewalk! 

Everywhere is super clean, no litter, and the rules are adhered too. All makes sense really. 

Leaving Tokyo behind we cycled the 12 miles to the Tokyo ferry port. 

Below - Looking like something out of 'STRINGRAY' (You have to be a certain age!!) our JET FERRY awaits to take us the short journey along the coast to Oshima.

We just love a ferry! 🚴🚴

A brilliant experience. Although we did have to dismantle the bikes and squeeze them into 'cycle bags' (provided by the ferry company) before being allowed to get on board.

Inside is similar to taking a flight, individual seats with seat belts that must be worn. 

From Atami we decided to head for Nagoya (Molly's research had revealed a SUMO TOURNAMENT was a possibility there!) EXCITING!!! 

Below - Route Inn Hotel breakfast, Fuji Town. As tasty as it looked 😋👌

Below - Fuji Town to Kakegawa castle and dropping in on a Japanese drumming experience and receiving tattoos 

Below - ferry to Shikoku Island and a automatic BEER DISPENSER! Who needs a Bar-man/Bar-maid - pours the beer just perfect!! 

Below - after a 2.5 hour ferry trip to Usuki (Kyushu Island) a stop off at a run down Shinto Temple en route to Nakatsu and some beautiful old paintings.