I was born in Japan and travelled there extensively but not by bicycle. Your blog has really encouraged me to try cycling Japan. My husband and I rode around Hokkaido 2 years ago and now I will try the southern islands thanks to you.

What a small world. We really enjoyed meeting them and chatting with them.
We would be happy to talk with you about Japan…our 2 trips have taught us a lot. We hope to return to Japan this fall. We enjoy cycle touring most anywhere, but Japan has something special.

Hey, we know them! I play hockey with Paul and Kirsten runs with Kylie (running group based out of her running and xc ski store - Strides). Small world.

We’re considering Japan for our next big tour (spring 2025) and may want to pick your brain. We’ve skied there several times (Hakuba and Rishiri Island) but have never travelled there outside of winter.

Mary Ellen and Barry thanks you for your nice stories and photo's. It gave me the feeling if I made a biketrip in Japan.
Gert

Thanks Peter. We will definitely check that out.

That's a Totoro from the movie "My Neighbour Totoro," one of the most popular Japanese movies in Japan and abroad. It's well-worth watching and pretty easy to find.

Wow, really appreciate your interest and comments. It is our pleasure to share such wonderful experiences and our impressions of a place we love. We plan to return in the fall.

We leave our batteries with Yoshi in Osaka. Yoshi owns the recumbent shop in Osaka where we bought the batteries from. We plan to return to Japan for another trip in October. Thanks for reading our journal.

Have a great trip, Ron.

An amazing journal of an amazing trip. I can't express how much I've enjoyed both of your Japan journals. I really feel like you've shown a side of the country that we would never see any other way. Thanks so much!

A wonderful journal from a wonderful trip!

You managed to come home during the only cold snap of the winter!
Are you already planning a return trip?
I think you would enjoy a longer stay in Hokkaido. I spent 4 weeks there last September. The scenery way up north is superb, as are the campgrounds.
Thanks for the journal. I'll be borrowing ideas from it for my upcoming trip. I'm headed to Fukuoka April 9 for a month in Kyushu.

Thank you for your great journal. It was wonderful to be able to follow along with you and vicariously enjoy the amazing Japanese hospitality and food. Al and I are wondering what you did with your trike batteries since you can't take them on the plane. Are you shipping them home separately or did you leave them in Japan for another trip?

Hi Bruce
Wow, good for you. ..is this your first trip to Japan and what type of bike do you ride? I ask because it makes a difference how you get from the airport to Osaka.
1. We did not buy bike insurance in Japan, nor did we notify authorities. We have coverage in Canada and it gives us 100% coverage on theft, etc.
2. We had no negative or intrusive interactions with authorities - always positive.
3. We did not use any transportation other than ferries. In Japan, your bike/trike must be in a bag..a rinko bag..available at bike shops or Montbell, a large Japanese outdoor store. In retrospect, we probably could have if we had folded our trikes, put them in a rinko bag and the train wasn’t full…but never on a Shinkansen train.
4. Medications: We brought everything we needed for the 3 months. We followed the rule on the first trip of registering each medication ,which needs to be done well in advance. It was a bit time consuming, we were approved, yet no one asked for it. We now just pack it in our checked panniers.
5. Re transport from Osaka…that depends on what time you arrive and which airport you are arriving at….Kansai, Itami or Kobe. Let us know and we can give you some advice. Kansai posed a few issues for us as we arrived late and our options were limited as it was too late for the train. Kansai has been built on reclaimed land and one cannot ride…you have to use the train, bus or taxi. On our next flight we chose Itami as it is smaller, closer to city centre and rideable directly from the airport. We really liked Itami airport…charming, we had space to put our trikes together and an easy ride.
Hope this is helpful. Will you be writing a journal? Japan offers so much to a traveller…enjoy.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any other questions or thoughts you have.

Hello again! Great journal ! I have found it very helpful and entertaining. I head off to Osaka in 7 weeks, so I have a few more questions, if I may. Did you buy bike insurance in Japan, or register the bike with the authorities? Did any authorities take any notice of you other than friendly curiosity? Did you do any train or bus travel with the trikes? I don't plan to, but it's good to have a backup. Any issues with bringing in or refilling medications? Who did you use for transportation from the airport in Osaka? Thanks for your help.