Life On The Road in Japan Bikepacking

[@anchinchan4676]

I just got back from Hokkaido after riding around on a Brompton folding bike. One thing I would mention is how safe it is. Cars really give you a ton of space when passing and we left our bikes outside the front of the hotel at night without a lock but it was never stolen. It always blew my mind when I saw it still there in the morning 😂

[@fartherout]

The cycling in Hokkaido definitely felt more common and natural than the rest of Japan

[@twowheelsintokyo7039]

Cycling in Japan is great, and few places are better for cycling than Hokkaido in the summer time. For those looking to do something similar, you might find it easier to find a hotel each night. These can be found for cheap if you take the time to research before your ride, and having a place to stay each night means you don't have to pack and carry nearly as much. Since I live in Japan, it's where I always ride, but I'm looking forward to some riding in North America next year.

[@Its_Me0000]

Hi Jason, Outstanding video. Thankful you are having fun. You're an incredible young man.

[@fartherout]

Thank you! And merry Christmas (if you celebrate) or happy holidays otherwise!

[@timothyshepodd7826]

Spectacular. Thanks so much for sharing your genuine, detailed reviews. You help those of us who will never be there - be there! Richest blessings on your future.

[@fartherout]

Thank you so much@@timothyshepodd7826 ! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video. Happy holidays!

[@TONYCGG]

I am goin to visit Hokkaido next month for first time and ,yup, I have to rent a bicycle to go around. It could be a short cycling day just for visit stables but this video inspired me a lot! Thanks !!

[@fartherout]

I’m glad it did! I hope you enjoy your trip!

[@marcocappelli5124]

Biking across Japan is a dream of mine, just the thought of choosing where to go, where to stay. Even the idea of getting lost is somewhat appealing. Amazing video and truly inspiring words!

[@fartherout]

Thanks so much and I’m glad you enjoyed:) I agree, part of the fun is not having a full and thorough plan. I hope you can cross it off the bucket list!

[@fang_shui]

Love the video, very inspiring! Hope to follow your bike path one day!

[@fartherout]

Thank you!! Hope you find the time! My route might not have been the best but hard to go wrong there!

[@thecalmcharismatic]

Super inspiring brother! Ride on

[@fartherout]

Appreciate it!

[@suexianhor4947]

Really informative! Can I also ask what camera you used?

[@fartherout]

Happy you got some info out of it. Sure! I used the GoPro Hero10 Black. I recorded in 2k and personalized the settings

[@BenKa21]

just discovered your awesome vid dude. For me it goes to JP in 2 weeks for whole 2 months and you inspired me a lot

[@fartherout]

I’m happy to hear that :) I hope you enjoy your trip and make some great memories.

[@BenKa21]

Much love! ​@@fartherout

[@dylanodonnell-middleton1788]

This was more informative than I was expecting, thank you! Did you really have no issues camping in the parks? That's good to know

[@fartherout]

Glad you liked it! Yep! No issues. I did try to camp in less intrusive spots of course, and left early in the mornings.

[@IdahoFatTireBikeFun]

Good morning from Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA! Any advice about the 1000 kilometer round-trip Shikoku Circuit bike ride?

[@fartherout]

Hello there! The only segment I biked in Shikoku was along the northern coast towards the Shininami Kaido. My only input would be that the Shikoku Circuit appears to be hilly all the way through on a main road , but drivers usually give ample space. It’s also a bit remote considering Shikoku isn’t super populated but that shouldn’t be a problem. I’d recommend planning out where you’ll stay/sleep/camp though considering how hilly it is since it’ll be tough to find a place to camp. Have fun!

[@IdahoFatTireBikeFun]

@@fartherout THANKS! My wife and I are planning on pedaling the Shikoku Circuit ride in November 2028, and we are slowly, painfully learning to read, write, and speak Japanese. We have a two person sleeping bag and tarp tent but plan on staying at hotels, reokans, and other places. The sleeping bag and tarp tent are for the routine emergencies Japan seems to have (earthquake, tsunami, typhoon, volcanic eruption, etc). When we were looking at the basic emergency preparation stuff suggested by the Japanese government, it was basically helmets, crank emergency radio 📻, food, water, medical kit, and a sleeping bag. Our bike packing had everything but a sleeping bag so we added a compact double person sleeping bag and I already had a tarp tent from bike packing in the Arco Desert a lot. Thanks for your help!

[@fartherout]

Wow you two are very thorough and plan in advance. 2028!!! I hope the language learning is going smoothly. That would really be amazing if you can connect with locals. I wish you the best and it’s going to be worth it!

[@IdahoFatTireBikeFun]

@@fartherout the Shikoku Circuit ride is our reward for frugality and paying off our home to become debt free. We needed a target to aim for and the Shikoku Circuit ride is our target so we become debt free.

[@fartherout]

I see well best of luck and persevere!

[@ebmett]

Great video! What time in the year did you go? :)

[@fartherout]

Thanks! I started in august :)

[@ebmett]

@@fartherout Thank you for your reply! I’m also planning to start in august when I go next year! :)

[@fartherout]

Good luck to you :)

[@freddixon]

Well done video and well said advice.

[@fartherout]

Thank you so much!

[@Bikepacking]

Is there a reason you decide on a tradational cycle touring setup rather than bikepacking setup ..

[@fartherout]

Since it was my first tour, I wasn’t certain what I personally needed and would want, and I think the traditional setup gave me more flexibility. Next time I’ll know what I need I think and would absolutely go for the backpacking setup! Not to mention a lighter bike

[@stormrowles]

Did you buy and transport your own bike set up to Japan? Or did you rent a whole bike set up to use once you got to Japan?

[@fartherout]

I brought a bike with me from the Netherlands as i liked the posture on it. As for the gear, I got it all while in Japan

[@sar2908]

Did you buy, rent or take your own bike? Do you think it would be easy to buy a second hand bike when in Japan? (only English speaking)

[@fartherout]

I bought a bike in the Netherlands and flew it over with me. I had a hard time with the second hand bike market and speaking English only made it even harder without having the ability to google things in Japanese there. Is it possible? Yes, But it’s gonna take some time to find the right bike in the right size especially if you’re tall. I’d recommend making a Japanese friend and having them search for you before you get there. Otherwise, bring one from home by disassembling and putting in a bike box. Remember that you bike must be in a rinko bag if you want to take it on a train, so something to consider if you fly into an airport not close to downtown

[@sar2908]

@@fartherout Hey thanks for the info. Pretty much as I thought, it would be difficult buying a bike second hand, especially with only speaking English. I don’t have any friends over there to help either. I could take my trusty old steed with me, but I’m planning on spending only about a third of my trip on the bike. So I’ll probably end up renting a bike when I need to. I’ll take my own helmet, spd pedals and shoes though. The plan so far is 6 weeks from the start of Feb 25. Not sure if this will be the best time of year to go cycling though?

[@sar2908]

@@fartherout Thanks for the heads up on the Rinko Bag, as I wasn’t fully aware of the need. You have save me from getting into an embarrassing situation. I am sure there will be lot’s of other embarrassing situations to come, but I will just have to deal with them as they arrive. Now, I just need to learn to speak Japanese, or find myself a Japanese speaking friend before February!

[@fartherout]

Glad I could help! I’m sure you’ll get through everything. All part of the adventure!

[@diularsingh]

You make me want to do this

[@fartherout]

Add it to the bucket list!

[@botato1414]

Your voice sounds like baymax

[@Its_Me0000]

First !

[@fartherout]

Wayne! Hiya I took your advice for the previous couple videos and went for a longer form video. What do you think? Is short better?

[@Its_Me0000]

@@fartherout Your content is great. I don't know the KZbin algorithms and I'm sure they change by the moment. I've heard they must be longer than 8 minutes to count for X. (Whatever X is.) I also have seen one automotive KZbinr with millions of subscribers who posts videos that are ten minutes and a few seconds. I'll admit, I am biased. I could listen to you talk about your journey for hours. I believe as long as you keep it interesting, people will watch. Hope this helps...somehow.

[@Its_Me0000]

@@fartherout FYI - your Instagram link is still broken. :)

[@fartherout]

Absolutely it helps I appreciate the input. I believe it needs to be 8 minutes to play mid roll ads, which are additional ads in the middle of the video to produce more revenue. But I have noticed the 10 minute videos and I’m not sure why. Something I’ll have to look into 🤔

[@fartherout]

Just fixed it! Finally! Thank you!

[@b3nadry1]

you look too soft