Japan Motorcycle Trip -- Just the Photos7/29/1999 ~ 8/21/1999 |
Here are some pictures from my 7000km (2300 mile), 24 day trip around Japan. I hit the four main islands -- Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku. I had many new and (mainly good) experiences. I camped on a Sea of Japan beach, stayed in a youth hostel inside a Buddhist temple and even slept once under a highway bridge in Shikoku on a rainy night. I saw lots of scenery (caldera lakes, smoking volcanoes, castles, etc.) and made several new friends. Even the "bad" experiences weren't all that bad. I dropped the bike once and scraped my knee & arm a bit, I had a breakdown and I got my first Japanese traffic ticket. Since that's the worst that happened I certainly can't complain. Enjoy. (mc 6/2000)
Year 2001 Update: I have finally created a daily trip narrative where the context of these pictures are fleshed out with text. Start from here or use the Day n links below.
Tip: To view the full-size photos here, it is generally faster to right-click your mouse on the photo and select "Open in New Window"
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Day 1 (370km): Tokyo to Sendai; Dochuan Youth Hostel | ||||
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Day 2 (230km): Sendai (Miyagi Pref.); Matsushima | ||||
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Day 2 (cont): Matsushima (Zuiganji Temple) | ||||
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Day 3 (300km): Taneyama Kogen Campground (Iwate Pref.); Jodogahama Beach; Kuji City Culture Center | ||||
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Day 3 (cont): Iwate Pref. Pacific
Coastline; Overnight Ferry from Hachinohe to Hokkaido (Tomakomai) Day 4 (170 km): Lake Shikotsu |
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Day 4 (cont): Sapporo w/ Chiho | ||||
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Day 4 (cont): Sapporo Day 5 (210km): Coastline road from Otaru to Rumoi |
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Day 6 (160km): Asahikawa, Bie-cho and Furano w/ Hiroko | ||||
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Day 7 (300km): Hokkaido Scenery | ||||
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Day 7 (cont): Lake Akan; Lake Mashuu | ||||
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Day 7 (cont): Lake Mashuu; Mt. Io | ||||
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Day 7 (cont): Lake Kusharu; Wakoto Elementary; A fox; Sunset off the Sea of Okhotsk | ||||
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Day 8 (320km): Morning Departure from a "Rider House" near Shari; travel along Sea of Okhotsk | ||||
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Day 8 (cont): Shiretoko Peninsula; Mt.Rausu (1661m); Kushiro Marsh; A rider house | ||||
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Day 9 (375km): Mama-san at "Mickey House"; Ainu Tourist Trap; Noboribetsu Onsen | ||||
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Day 9 (cont): Noboribetsu Onsen;
(Overnight Ferry from Muroran to Aomori) Day 10 (290 km): Lake Towada; Oyu Artifacts (Japan's "Stonehenge") |
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Day 10 (cont): Oyu Artifacts; Hirosaki Castle; (Aomori) Nebuta Festival Floats | ||||
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Day 10 (cont): Nebuta Matsuri Fireworks | ||||
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Day 10 (cont): more fireworks Day 11 (320km): Lake Tazawa (Akita Pref.) |
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Day 11 (cont): Kakunodate Samurai District, Sea of Japan -- camping on the beach in Akita Pref. | ||||
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Day 11 (cont) Day 12 (310km) Asahi-Bandai National Park (Yamagata Pref.) Day 13 (280km) Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle (Fukushima Pref.) |
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Day 13 (cont): Fly Fishing (Nagano Pref.);
Nozawa Onsen Day 14 (180km): World War II Tunnels (Nagano), night at Tenkoji Temple youth hostel (Asahi-machi, Toyama Pref.) |
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Day 14 (cont): Fellow Travellers at Tenkoji Day 15 (400km): Korakuen Park (Kanazawa, Ishikawa Pref.) |
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Day 15 (cont): Korakuen Park
(Kanazawa); Miyama Youth Hostel's old-fashioned thatch roof
(Kyoto Region) Day 16 (250km): (bike breakdown!); Hamasaka Youth Hostel BBQ |
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Day 16 (cont): New Friends at Hamasaka Youth Hostel (Hyogo Pref) Day 17 (250km): Tottori Sand Dunes |
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Day 17 (cont): Tottori Sand Dunes, Inaka "Cos-Play" Event; Matsue Castle (Shimane Pref.) | ||||
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Day 17 (cont): Matsue Castle; Izumo Temple; Hinomisaki Lighthouse | ||||
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Day 18 (250km): Wild Tanuki (Japanese Badger); Hiroshima Castle | ||||
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Day 18 (cont): Hiroshima Sunset; Nuclear Bomb Memorial Dome | ||||
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Day 19 (280km): Breakfast w/ Sachiko; Akiyoshi-dai Nat'l Park (fields of fossilized limestone); Hagi (Yamaguchi Pref.) | ||||
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Day 19 (cont): Hagi (famous for its ceramics); Hohoku Camp (Sea of Japan sunset), Local Obon Festival Fireworks in Hohoku-machi (Yamaguchi Pref.) | ||||
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Day 19 (cont): Local Obon Festival Fireworks Day 20 (130km): (Fukuoka) Marine World w/ Kyoko |
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Day 20 (cont): Homestay with the Saita's Day 21 (300km): The Saita's home; Kumamoto Castle entrance |
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Day 21 (cont): Kumamoto Castle (Kumamoto Pref.) | ||||
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Day 21 (cont): Kumamoto
Castle; Mt. Aso; (spent night at Beppu, Ooita Pref.) Day 22 (470km): (AM Ferry Beppu to Misaki, Shikoku); Matsuyama Castle (Ehime Pref.) |
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Day 22 (cont): ; Matsuyama Castle; Dogo Onsen (Ehime Pref.); Onomichi (Hiroshima Pref.) | ||||
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Day 22 (cont): Surprise Visit w/ the Okubo's in Onomichi; Back to Shikoku (night sights in Kagawa Pref.) | ||||
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Day 23 (300km): Kouchi Castle, Bridge from Awajijima to Akashi (world's longest suspension bridge) | ||||
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Day 23 (cont): bridge shots, Okonomiyaki w/ Hiroyoshi in Akashi (Hyogo Pref.) | ||||
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Day 23 (cont) Day 24 (660km): (hightailed it straight home on the expressway); Japanese Communist Party Caravan |
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Created: June 3, 2000 Last Updated: Mar 22, 2001 |