Hokkaido Cycle Touring Routes (northern Japan)

[rob_thomson]

I've published a free database of cycle touring routes in and across Japan's northern-most island of Hokkaido.

URL: https://hokkaidowilds.org/cycle

These are some of my favourite routes:

• Trans-Hokkaido Bikepacking Route (beta) - 540km
• Japan Far North (including Rishiri and Rebun Islands) - 510km
• Shiritoko Loop Tour - 350km
• The Far East Cycle Tour - 635km
• Hokkaido Deep South Tour (including Okushiri Island) - 400km

There's not too much out there about this amazing, expansive, big-nature area of Japan - I hope it comes in handy for someone!

 

[mjr]

Cycle Around Japan on NHK World (I think it's on free sat too) just had an episode on Hokkaido. It looked stunning, but there was a lot of hard shoulder cycling. Is that compulsory or was it maybe the American presenter's habit?

 

[alicat]

Thanks for that and welcome to the forum. I'd be interested to hear in how easy it is for non-Japanese speakers to get around.

 

[rob_thomson]

Cycle Around Japan on NHK World (I think it's on free sat too) just had an episode on Hokkaido. It looked stunning, but there was a lot of hard shoulder cycling. Is that compulsory or was it maybe the American presenter's habit?

It's certainly not compulsory to ride to the left of the white line (inside the shoulder in Japan). There doesn't seem to be any definitive law as to how far you can or cannot be out into the lane, as the law only states that bicycles should stay to the left of the lane (only if there's two lanes going your direction, it is permitted to 'take the lane' - source: http://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/law/detail/?id=2962&vm=04&re=02). It seems there is a 'common sense' agreement among experts that within 1m of the white line is OK (source: http://topics.smt.docomo.ne.jp/article/trafficnews/trend/trafficnews-40833?fm=latestnews).

That said, I would hazard a guess that the presenter may have been requested to stay on the shoulder to avoid complaints from viewers. Even now, there is a certain 'common sense' expectation that bicycles will stay on sidewalks - even though the law states that in principle bicycles should be on the road.

 

[rob_thomson]

Thanks for that and welcome to the forum. I'd be interested to hear in how easy it is for non-Japanese speakers to get around.

Very easy from what I have heard from non-Japanese speaking travelers here. Most people will be able to speak at least rudimentary English, or find someone who can. The Google Translate app will be your friend for deciphering menus :-)

 

[alicat]

Thanks for the info, @rob_thomson

 

[rob_thomson]

Thanks for the info, @rob_thomson

A pleasure!

 

[Andy in Germany]

Many thanks for the information. Have you any experience of cycling in other areas? I'm hoping to be able to take bikes with me when I next visit family in Mie, so I'm interested in any information going. I know the area but haven't experienced cycling there except on a heavy 3-gear Mama-chari type bike.

 

[rob_thomson]

Many thanks for the information. Have you any experience of cycling in other areas? I'm hoping to be able to take bikes with me when I next visit family in Mie, so I'm interested in any information going. I know the area but haven't experienced cycling there except on a heavy 3-gear Mama-chari type bike.

I don't have any experience further south, I am afraid. The Japan Cycling Navigator group on Facebook is very active though, and will have plenty of people willing to give advice.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/968300389915651/