CYCLING THROUGH JAPAN

The preparation before the trip...

When I first ran into two guys doing the Pan-American route from Alaska down to South America, I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. Anything that sounds adventurous gets my attention and what these guys were doing definitely got my attention. I had been commuting to work on my bicycle for some time now and I was progressing into road bikes right around this time. Instantly, I knew I wanted to do long distance touring and from that moment I have been semi-obsessed about doing it. After some thought and tough decisions, I knew that I had to do this.

The Gear

Information on what kind of gear I stocked up on for my trip. I spent a lot of time doing research online and reading other people's blogs and websites. I didn't skimp on things that were going to be vital for my success. Another important thing to remember is that you're going to be carrying all that weight with you! This is where my backpacking mentality and experience helped tremendously...a learning curve of overpacking crap and refining it until you're down to the essentials.

The Research

Research is crucial to anything, it can make or break you. Trying to figure out exactly where you're going to be everyday can be a headache and probably not always achievable due to unforeseen circumstances. Therefore, it's best to just plan in stages and give yourself a certain time to finish those stages. Otherwise, you'll go crazy on Google Maps trying to figure out every street and turn. I've listed some web sites and blogs I used to help me plan my trip.

Other Things to Consider

There are a lot of things to consider other than just buying a bicycle, some gear, and a plane ticket. In case of injury, 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 you'll need to check on. Once you finish your trip, how are you going to bring your stuff back home?

Why Japan?

I picked Japan as my destination mainly because I am Japanese and I embrace this weird country LOL. I guess I am not so adventurous after all...otherwise I would've picked the Silk Road or the Indo-Himalaya route. Other than the fact that I am Japanese and I wanted to visit my relatives, there are reasons why YOU should consider Japan even if you aren't Japanese.