CYCLING THROUGH JAPAN

There are a lot of things to consider other than just buying a bicycle, some gear, and a plane ticket. In case of injury or sudden flight cancellations, travel insurance is a good idea...you just want that assurance. Another thing to consider is how you will be lodging. Will you be low budget like me? Logisitics is another area that you will need to check on. Once you finish your trip, how are you going to bring your stuff back home?​ And finally, the thing that is always in the way of most people's dreams...money! How will you budget your travel plans and take care of your bills back home?

 

Shi* happens in life, we can never prepare for it completely. But you can protect yourself with travel insurance. For my trip I purchased travel insurance through Travelex for around $250 during my two and a half months abroad. Some people may say it's overkill, especially budget conscious people. I don't like it either, but it protects everyone not just yourself. If you get into a serious accident, someone is going to have to pay for your transportation and medical costs. If you've ever been billed by a hospital during an ER visit, you know just how insane it is! My dislocated shoulder cost $900, just for the doctor to pop it back in and take some x-rays...oh and the arm sling. So look into it...be safe, be prepared!

​

Lodging depends on your budget, and it is a big portion of the budget since you will need to sleep somewhere every night. I am going to camp as much as I can to save money. However, when I do need to stay somewhere I will be staying at youth hostels or business hotels. They are the cheapest options and can be found for under 5000yen. Ryokans are just like bed and breakfast inns, this is another option I will look into...they can also be very affordable and will usually provide you with food as well. I will definitely be learning more about lodging options during my stay in Japan so I will try to get more info on this as I go along.

 

The good thing about Japan is that they have quite an extensive and convenient domestic shipping service. For example, you arrive in Tokyo but you are going to be staying in multiple places throughout Japan. Normally you would have to carry your bags with you everytime you move. Well, why not just get it shipped to the next destination to avoid the hassle of moving? Most hotels and airports have domestic shipping services that will ship your bags in advance to wherever you're going.  So ship your luggage from Narita airport directly to the hotel in Osaka. Last time we were in Japan, we would pack just what we need for a few days and ship the luggage to the hotel we were going to stay at several days ahead of us. When I arrive in Narita, I will send my bicycle box from there to my relative's house in Kyushu. And when I finish, I will pack my bicycle and ship it to Narita. Then I will pick up the box from the airport...no need to carry my bicycle on the trains!

 

Budgeting sucks but it must be done...unless you like maxing out your credit line, you have to consider how to pay for the trip and that also includes bills left behind back home. Before my trip, I sold as much stuff as I can to cash in on things I wasn't really using. This meant making tough decisions like selling my beloved project car. I also tried to reduce my monthly bill payments to just cell phone and health insurance. Luckily, I am spoiled and get to live at home for free while I am doing this. Some people may not have the option of doing that. My max budget aim is $2000 a month, about $66 a day for food and lodging. It seems tough because Japan can be expensive. I will also be tracking this as I go along.