After Hokkaido, we had just a month to pedal the length of Japan’s main island of Honshu. Our visas were due to expire and we had a ferry to catch to Korea.
Pounding out 2,000 kilometers in 30 days wouldn’t normally be a massive challenge. Except in Japan. Sure, the GPS had eased our navigation challenges, but Japan’s labyrinth of roads still caused a few headaches. Add to that the endless hills (and one massive mountain) and you’ll get an idea way progress was so slow.. And those rain showers that greeted us on arrival back in June? They’ve stuck with us all summer long.
There was little time for lingering. Something told us the Japanese would be far less lenient than the Sudanese when it comes to visa overstays.
Thankfully we made it to the ferry with two days to spare and are now getting our first taste of Korea (we like it, in spite of the rain!).
With all rushing around last month seems like a bit of a blur. Here are some of the highlights in an easily digestible photographic form:
I sent this link to a photographer friend, and he drew my attention to the farmer with the mountains in the background. I had to go back and look, and realized I had focused on the foreground and the near background, and had not really seen the picture. Like, duh. He’s right, it’s a heckuva picture.
Happy Korea. ing. rb
Zannen! I just discovered your site now, right after you’ve left Japan. I probably could have given you all kinds of useful advice. Contact me if you go back some day. You can see my last 3 trips on CGOAB which are all north of Toukyou but I’ve also done some riding and non-bike travel in the southern half of Japan. I wanna tour in Korea. I had a short trip there last year and loved it. I’ll be checking back to your blog later.
Thanks for the links! We will return to Japan with a better planned trip next time. We LOVE cycling in Korea, too! I think it will be the next hot destination for touring.
Lovely update as always… and great photo’s! Can I ask how much the ferry was between Japan and Korea? (Apologies in advance if you already said how much it was and i missed it.)
Full fare per person in a 4 person shared cabin is 9,000 yen (about $90). We got 50% off as a special cyclists’ so paid only 45,000 each.
Additional taxes and charge for bike is 2,800 yen each (no discount possible).
We did not actually have to share the cabin. In our experience this is often the case. Buy an economy class ticket and you still get a private room because they don’t like to mix foreigners with locals.
Ferry was excellent, with big bath house on board.
I sent this link to a photographer friend, and he drew my attention to the farmer with the mountains in the background. I had to go back and look, and realized I had focused on the foreground and the near background, and had not really seen the picture. Like, duh. He’s right, it’s a heckuva picture.
Happy Korea. ing. rb
Thanks Arby! With all the rain it was tough to capture the true Japan–we will return one day in spring or autumn to enjoy the country at its finest.
Zannen! I just discovered your site now, right after you’ve left Japan. I probably could have given you all kinds of useful advice. Contact me if you go back some day. You can see my last 3 trips on CGOAB which are all north of Toukyou but I’ve also done some riding and non-bike travel in the southern half of Japan. I wanna tour in Korea. I had a short trip there last year and loved it. I’ll be checking back to your blog later.
Ganbatte ne!
Thanks for the links! We will return to Japan with a better planned trip next time. We LOVE cycling in Korea, too! I think it will be the next hot destination for touring.
Lovely update as always… and great photo’s! Can I ask how much the ferry was between Japan and Korea? (Apologies in advance if you already said how much it was and i missed it.)
We took the ferry from Shimonoseki to Busan with Kamp Ferry http://www.kampuferry.co.jp/passenger/english/top.html
Full fare per person in a 4 person shared cabin is 9,000 yen (about $90). We got 50% off as a special cyclists’ so paid only 45,000 each.
Additional taxes and charge for bike is 2,800 yen each (no discount possible).
We did not actually have to share the cabin. In our experience this is often the case. Buy an economy class ticket and you still get a private room because they don’t like to mix foreigners with locals.
Ferry was excellent, with big bath house on board.