Anyone has got experience on touring Japan?

Winter is coming and what best than planning my next tour! I was
considering Japan a country that fascinates me and I have always
wanted to visit although it never crossed my mind that one day I would
do it on a bike!
Does anybody have some experience riding there?
The main obstacle I can think of is the language. I can already
imagine myself lost somewhere trying to make sense of a map and signs
that might as well not be there!
Also cost is often mentioned but I guess camping should be a good
solution to reduce that.
Any suggestions on routes, etc most welcome.

Arigato
Gianni

"gianni" wrote in message
m...

The main obstacle I can think of is the language. I can already
imagine myself lost somewhere trying to make sense of a map and signs
that might as well not be there!

It would be helpful to you to learn a few simple characters -- the ones for
men and women (so you get into the right toilet or public bath), the ones
for exit, and so on. They really aren't that hard to recognize.

My experience, many years ago now, was that the hostels were much stricter
in Japan than they are in the US or Europe. If you were planning to ride
from one hostel to the other, prepare yourself for strict curfews,
baths/showers available only at certain times, being ejected out of bed in
the morning by a multilingual loudspeaker broadcast, and so on. Still, it
would be cushier than camping, and hostels are the cheapest lodging you can
find in Japan. There are also a few traditional ryokan which can be
relatively inexpensive, too.

If you are planning to go in the winter -- well, it's going to be cold. Or
do you mean you're making your plans this winter, and you're planning to go
at a different time of the year? Summer is insufferable in Japan. I remember
what they called "tropical nights" -- night after night where the low never
got below 30 C, with high humidity such that you get off of your futon
dripping in sweat. Both spring and fall are very, very nice. If you were
planning, say, a fall tour, you'd want to start in the north, and go
progressively further south as the season progressed (opposite, obviously,
in the spring).


--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
please substitute yahoo for mousepotato to reply
Home of the meditative cyclist:
http://home.earthlink.net/~cpetersky/Welcome.htm
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

"gianni" wrote in message
m...

The main obstacle I can think of is the language. I can already
imagine myself lost somewhere trying to make sense of a map and signs
that might as well not be there!

It would be helpful to you to learn a few simple characters -- the ones for
men and women (so you get into the right toilet or public bath), the ones
for exit, and so on. They really aren't that hard to recognize.

My experience, many years ago now, was that the hostels were much stricter
in Japan than they are in the US or Europe. If you were planning to ride
from one hostel to the other, prepare yourself for strict curfews,
baths/showers available only at certain times, being ejected out of bed in
the morning by a multilingual loudspeaker broadcast, and so on. Still, it
would be cushier than camping, and hostels are the cheapest lodging you can
find in Japan. There are also a few traditional ryokan which can be
relatively inexpensive, too.

If you are planning to go in the winter -- well, it's going to be cold. Or
do you mean you're making your plans this winter, and you're planning to go
at a different time of the year? Summer is insufferable in Japan. I remember
what they called "tropical nights" -- night after night where the low never
got below 30 C, with high humidity such that you get off of your futon
dripping in sweat. Both spring and fall are very, very nice. If you were
planning, say, a fall tour, you'd want to start in the north, and go
progressively further south as the season progressed (opposite, obviously,
in the spring).


--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
please substitute yahoo for mousepotato to reply
Home of the meditative cyclist:
http://home.earthlink.net/~cpetersky/Welcome.htm
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

"gianni" wrote in message
m...

The main obstacle I can think of is the language. I can already
imagine myself lost somewhere trying to make sense of a map and signs
that might as well not be there!

It would be helpful to you to learn a few simple characters -- the ones for
men and women (so you get into the right toilet or public bath), the ones
for exit, and so on. They really aren't that hard to recognize.

My experience, many years ago now, was that the hostels were much stricter
in Japan than they are in the US or Europe. If you were planning to ride
from one hostel to the other, prepare yourself for strict curfews,
baths/showers available only at certain times, being ejected out of bed in
the morning by a multilingual loudspeaker broadcast, and so on. Still, it
would be cushier than camping, and hostels are the cheapest lodging you can
find in Japan. There are also a few traditional ryokan which can be
relatively inexpensive, too.

If you are planning to go in the winter -- well, it's going to be cold. Or
do you mean you're making your plans this winter, and you're planning to go
at a different time of the year? Summer is insufferable in Japan. I remember
what they called "tropical nights" -- night after night where the low never
got below 30 C, with high humidity such that you get off of your futon
dripping in sweat. Both spring and fall are very, very nice. If you were
planning, say, a fall tour, you'd want to start in the north, and go
progressively further south as the season progressed (opposite, obviously,
in the spring).


--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
please substitute yahoo for mousepotato to reply
Home of the meditative cyclist:
http://home.earthlink.net/~cpetersky/Welcome.htm
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

Hi there,

I was interested in your post in regarding touring in Japan, something I'd
love to do as well.

I have been to Japan 3 times over the past 10 yrs and love it emmensly.
The best time to go would be Late October to Late November where the air is
crisp but very comfortable. The Japanese maple trees start to lose their
leaves and are of many beautiful colours. The weather is more stable as
well.May & June is not too bad either but you could get some pre summer
rainfalls.

I've found a few websites that you can read, I hope you will enjoy them.

http://www.t3.rim.or.jp/~sayori/read...o/WHOAMI-C.HTM

http://www.ltolman.org/japan2000/contents.htm

http://www.outdoorjapan.com/activiti...roduction.html

http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/visitorsguide/chubu.html

http://www.ease.com/~randyj/rjjapan7.htm excellent site

http://www.japancycling.org/v2

DJ


"gianni" wrote in message
m...
Winter is coming and what best than planning my next tour! I was
considering Japan a country that fascinates me and I have always
wanted to visit although it never crossed my mind that one day I would
do it on a bike!
Does anybody have some experience riding there?
The main obstacle I can think of is the language. I can already
imagine myself lost somewhere trying to make sense of a map and signs
that might as well not be there!
Also cost is often mentioned but I guess camping should be a good
solution to reduce that.
Any suggestions on routes, etc most welcome.

Arigato
Gianni

Hi there,

I was interested in your post in regarding touring in Japan, something I'd
love to do as well.

I have been to Japan 3 times over the past 10 yrs and love it emmensly.
The best time to go would be Late October to Late November where the air is
crisp but very comfortable. The Japanese maple trees start to lose their
leaves and are of many beautiful colours. The weather is more stable as
well.May & June is not too bad either but you could get some pre summer
rainfalls.

I've found a few websites that you can read, I hope you will enjoy them.

http://www.t3.rim.or.jp/~sayori/read...o/WHOAMI-C.HTM

http://www.ltolman.org/japan2000/contents.htm

http://www.outdoorjapan.com/activiti...roduction.html

http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/visitorsguide/chubu.html

http://www.ease.com/~randyj/rjjapan7.htm excellent site

http://www.japancycling.org/v2

DJ


"gianni" wrote in message
m...
Winter is coming and what best than planning my next tour! I was
considering Japan a country that fascinates me and I have always
wanted to visit although it never crossed my mind that one day I would
do it on a bike!
Does anybody have some experience riding there?
The main obstacle I can think of is the language. I can already
imagine myself lost somewhere trying to make sense of a map and signs
that might as well not be there!
Also cost is often mentioned but I guess camping should be a good
solution to reduce that.
Any suggestions on routes, etc most welcome.

Arigato
Gianni

Hi there,

I was interested in your post in regarding touring in Japan, something I'd
love to do as well.

I have been to Japan 3 times over the past 10 yrs and love it emmensly.
The best time to go would be Late October to Late November where the air is
crisp but very comfortable. The Japanese maple trees start to lose their
leaves and are of many beautiful colours. The weather is more stable as
well.May & June is not too bad either but you could get some pre summer
rainfalls.

I've found a few websites that you can read, I hope you will enjoy them.

http://www.t3.rim.or.jp/~sayori/read...o/WHOAMI-C.HTM

http://www.ltolman.org/japan2000/contents.htm

http://www.outdoorjapan.com/activiti...roduction.html

http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/visitorsguide/chubu.html

http://www.ease.com/~randyj/rjjapan7.htm excellent site

http://www.japancycling.org/v2

DJ


"gianni" wrote in message
m...
Winter is coming and what best than planning my next tour! I was
considering Japan a country that fascinates me and I have always
wanted to visit although it never crossed my mind that one day I would
do it on a bike!
Does anybody have some experience riding there?
The main obstacle I can think of is the language. I can already
imagine myself lost somewhere trying to make sense of a map and signs
that might as well not be there!
Also cost is often mentioned but I guess camping should be a good
solution to reduce that.
Any suggestions on routes, etc most welcome.

Arigato
Gianni

Josie Dew has a new book out in the past year or two about touring
Japan. That'd be worth a look.

Josie Dew has a new book out in the past year or two about touring
Japan. That'd be worth a look.

Josie Dew has a new book out in the past year or two about touring
Japan. That'd be worth a look.