Bike Tour Introduction: Pedaling out of the Hermit Kingdom

Bike Tour Introduction

After doing a few bike tours here and there in Korea and I was ready for going abroad but decided that doing a short easy bike tour in Japan would better prepare me for the long haul in Southeast Asia where I had planned to do my extended tour. I felt that I can make some final tweaks and adjustments after the tour in Japan.

Japan was chosen as my first abroad bike tour for a few reasons:

1. Some genius told me it takes 3 hours to get to Japan and I bought it. In reality, it take two days from Seoul.
2. Good location for test tour abroad.
3. Yen is down, cheaper to travel in Japan than before.
4. I haven’t been to Japan.

A Safe Country

Knowing that Japan was a safe and very developed country, I thought this tour would be a piece of cake. I should’ve known that Kyushu is full of roller coasters, made of mountains and I would have to climb each and every one of them to enjoy the downhills.

I didn’t plan much or had much knowledge of touring in Japan. I didn’t even have a map of Japan until my second week in Kyushu. My lack of preparation would really have an impact during my journey, but somehow, someway, things always work out in the end.

In the end, the tour in Japan was indescribable in words. The people, landscape, the sea, the food, and the culture were all unbelievably amazing.

In terms of experience and equipment, I had circumnavigated both Jeju Island and Ulleung Island in Korea and some parts of the mainland. That doesn’t really say much for touring but it taught me a few lessons about touring. In terms of equipment, I was finally fully loaded for the first time. Four panniers, handlebar bag, and a dry bag that carried the tent in the top of the rear rack. Going into Japan, I was a fully loaded bicycle tourist newbie embarking on a journey in Japan that I knew nothing about.

This is a guest blog post by Dae Choi
Monday September 30, 2013, 30 km (19 miles) – Total so far: 30 km (19 miles)
https://bornkorean.com/2017/11/10/bike-tour-introduction/