New here!

Hi there!
People online call me Fred, I'm almost 40 and from South Australia. I love cars/motorcycles, videogames, music and photography.
I've been to Japan a few times, with my first time in 2014 being my most memorable. I cycled from Sapporo to Osaka on my personal bicycle, camping along the way and appreciating the kindness of strangers.
I'll be travelling there again this August, hiring a Motorcycle and trying to see as much of the countryside as possible, heading to Fukuoka and then up the Northwest coast to Noshiro. Then mountains all the way back to Osaka.
Should be a great trip, and I hope to do some rare part shopping along the way!
I found this site at random looking for travel tips and figured I'd join up to make peeking around the site easier.
Hope you're all well!

-Fred.

Welcome aboard, Fred! It seems you already have a lot of Japan experience under your belt!

Should you have any questions, we'll be glad to help you.

How long did it take you to cycle from Sapporo to Osaka? We have a sister site about cycling in Japan:

Our team member @mdchachi should be able to help you out with tips on motorcycling in Japan. It's been a while, but he's crossed Japan from north to south.

thomas said:

Welcome aboard, Fred! It seems you already have a lot of Japan experience under your belt!

Should you have any questions, we'll be glad to help you.

How long did it take you to cycle from Sapporo to Osaka? We have a sister site about cycling in Japan:

Tokyo Cycling Club

Tokyo Cycling Club

tokyocycle.com

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Thank you!
I landed New-Chitose Airport on the 3rd of the month and the days I rode I'd do 80-100kms. I arrived in Osaka on the 23rd of the month, then on 26th took Shinkansen back to Tokyo to hang out before flying out.
I'll check that site out!

thomas said:

Our team member @mdchachi should be able to help you out with tips on motorcycling in Japan. It's been a while, but he's crossed Japan from north to south.

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I'd love that!
I'm looking to hire through rental819.com and then just have a few destinations, and just camp in between cities.
Hopefully can glean some insight in to spots to avoid or aspire to see

Welcome, Fred!

Note the Japan Photos 2026 thread, along with similar ones for past years. Also, there's another site TokyoCycle that you may be able to browse for travel ideas. In this thread, look at post #4 by SteveT--who went down the 'spine' of the north. Then another time, did something similar in western japan.

Welcome. I have to admire those of you who make those ambitious cycling trips. While living in Japan I had the good fortune to become acquainted with a Japanese crew of motorcycle enthusiasts and we took various weekend trips to Sado ga Shima, Matsuyama, etc. And in my final trip before moving back to the U.S., I took a solo trip around Japan, including Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku. Definitely a highlight of my life.

And to do SteveT justice: he cycled across Asia, from London to Tokyo.

Welcome to the forum!

mdchachi said:

Welcome. I have to admire those of you who make those ambitious cycling trips. While living in Japan I had the good fortune to become acquainted with a Japanese crew of motorcycle enthusiasts and we took various weekend trips to Sado ga Shima, Matsuyama, etc. And in my final trip before moving back to the U.S., I took a solo trip around Japan, including Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku. Definitely a highlight of my life.

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I've got a loose plan of where I want go, places I want to get to definitely, which ones I can cut, etc.
Plan is Osaka to Fukuoka via Shikoku, then up the NW coast to Noshiro.
I remember there being a beach up there with a windfarm as far as the eye could see in either direction on the beach. Camped under one of them and had the best sleep I've ever had, will try that again.
Gotta visit some friends in Fukushima, Toyota and Kyoto on the way back to Osaka to drop off the bike too, but definitely going to get on the highway loops for a couple runs haha. Need to hire an ETC.
Was thinking of going with Rental motorcycles at Rental819 and booking a Goldwing but could probably get something cheaper too haha. Would be so sick to cruise around on a two wheeled land yacht though.

I tried reading some of the blogs, threads and others linked in the posts here. Some don't quite work but I'm getting some good info either way!
My goals for Osaka are to find some Honda fiends and maybe visit a racetrack just out of the city. Definitely want to see my friend in Coolabar, the Australian/NZ themed sports bar in Dōtonbori. Have a few home beers with him before I kick off, then visit the skaters in Triangle Park. That's my global family

This was the route of my grand trip. Each dot is where I spent the night. 23 days total I think it was.