I'm heading to Japan for 2 months this fall. Leaving Sept 25. Renting a campervan and doing a lap.
I've made a map of the potential riding in Japan, but it's very hard to discern what's good and whats not:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1jO6wABIAdQXQMhoU76gj4MDcLME&;ll=34.88555520507092%2C136.30168649999996&z=7
Anybody have experience over there?
I love Japan but have no experience biking there, other than wandering into a MTB shop in Kyoto one day that sold Chromag stuff.
These Pinkbike articles which could be helpful research: https://www.pinkbike.com/news/summer-of-summit-vol1-is-nagano-japan-the-next-best-mtb-destination-2017.html ;
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/summer-of-summit-nagano-vol2-loam-amp-locals.html
Thanks for the vids, definitely getting stoked. I'm definitely going to hit up Nagano.
Also gunna see if I can get a guide through trailcutter.. they were in the matt hunter vid:
^^^ I forgot about that vid, looks amazing. This is all making me want to plan another trip to Japan. Tough not to go in the winter to ski pow in Hokkaido though!
Definitely going to do that in another year. Plan is to goto hokkaido first before it gets too cold, but I don't think there is much in the way of riding up there. Niseko has one or 2 trails on the hill that may or may not be closed by the time i get there.
Awesome! Hope you have a great time! Maybe you find the time to post some images, would be great.
Posted by: dutch
Definitely going to do that in another year. Plan is to goto hokkaido first before it gets too cold, but I don't think there is much in the way of riding up there. Niseko has one or 2 trails on the hill that may or may not be closed by the time i get there.
Sounds like a cool trip! You can watch the ICBMs fly over head from the Rocket Man!
Posted by: shoreboy
Posted by: dutch
Definitely going to do that in another year. Plan is to goto hokkaido first before it gets too cold, but I don't think there is much in the way of riding up there. Niseko has one or 2 trails on the hill that may or may not be closed by the time i get there.
Sounds like a cool trip! You can watch the ICBMs fly over head from the Rocket Man!
Is it weird that I kind of want to experience waking up to the sirens going off? Pretty surreal experience I would think.
Posted by: dutch
Is it weird that I kind of want to experience waking up to the sirens going off? Pretty surreal experience I would think.
I was in Japan 2016 and I thought that Japan was pretty surreal in itself, I would have had no need for those sirens.
But then again, I understand what you mean.
I rode there in in 2000/2001. All in Hokkaido.
Ultimately, the mountains and foliage aren't well suited for riding. Add in that with a massive population for the size of the island anything that's reasonable is likely a hiker's highway on the weekends. What's packed on the weekend can by busy with old people mid-week.
I'd say that without good local guides you'll have a tough time.
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