Japan beckons

[Tickdoc]

I'm looking at a site with a story about paint schemes of old airlines and how they've changed. (can you tell I'm bored?)

Anyway, what do I see snaking itself up Mount Fuji in the background? Is that a road? A switchback road?

Just never occurred to me that you could drive/ride up mount fuji.

I love Japan. Went once when I was a kid and found the whole place enchanting.

Now I want to go back and bring a bike. I would think Kyoto to Fuji would be an ultimate bucket list trip. Anyone done it?

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--NihXVUd2--/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/uh3xhnju64gklaw2xjnb.jpg

[deechee]

I climbed Fuji with my family as a kid, and I definitely remember seeing people walking up the mountain with bikes over their shoulder. I had trouble with the altitude, but there's a ton of support on the mountain so if that's what you want to do, go for it!

[verticaldoug]

Kyoto to Fuji will not be fun. You will get hammered in highly congested area when you come across between Nagoya and Gifu. If you went the long way around riding up along Lake Biwa then across Takayama, Lake Suwa, Chino in the middle of Honshu it will be a much nicer ride although an absolutely incredible amount of climbing.

The road you see on Fuji is the the Fujiyama Skyline. It is pretty congested with buses of tourists in the summer. An area to avoid in my book.

You'd be much better off hanging in Shimoda, and riding the Izu Skyline. You get great views of Mt Fuji, plus less traffic if during mid-week. There was a section climbing to Mt Amigi which we called the corkscrew.

Irohazaka in Nikko is another great road with switch back. But again, on weekends and fall colors way too much traffic. But if you hit it mid-week during late May right before rainy season, it is empty.

And finally there is Norikura Skyline. The highest road in Japan and closed to cars in the summer. It is a popular test piece for cycling clubs in August.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/95184

Google has photos so drag and drop the little man around mile 34. Not unlike Ventoux.

[purpurite]

I'm going to Tokyo then Hamamatsu with a tourist detour in Kyoto in February, but bikeless (work trip). It will be my first time there, so I'm just going with tourist's eyes. I can't wait.

[verticaldoug]

I'm going to Tokyo then Hamamatsu with a tourist detour in Kyoto in February, but bikeless (work trip). It will be my first time there, so I'm just going with tourist's eyes. I can't wait.

If you are in Hamamatsu, you should try to get to Miho-no-matsubara (otherwise known as Hagoromo no matsubara). It is one of the 3 scenic sites of Japan. There is a famous legend about an angel who was overcome with the beauty of the scene, landed, took of their feathered robe (hagoromo) and laid it over a pine tree (matsubara)

Yukio Mishima wrote Decay of an Angel as a modern twist on the tale if you want something to read.

[Tickdoc]

I'm going to Tokyo then Hamamatsu with a tourist detour in Kyoto in February, but bikeless (work trip). It will be my first time there, so I'm just going with tourist's eyes. I can't wait.

I still have dreams of nikko. Go there if you get a chance.

[oldpotatoe]

Climbed Fujiyama when I lived in Japan. Hike part way up, short sleep, continue before sunrise to be at top for sunrise. Have a climbing pole with each station stamp on it. Still have it, keen hike.

[rnhood]

Beautiful pictures. Makes me want to go there.

[Lovetoclimb]

From the way back machine that is FaceSpace, 2009 or 2010 I think. Been aching to go back ever since. Helped that 2 of us at the time worked for Toyota which we do not anymore.

[ik2280]

Between watching some Miyazaki films at IFC during their recent series of Studio Ghibli showings and finishing Murakami's After the Quake, I also feel like Japan is beckoning to me. Might try to make it there this summer, looks like there's some good riding. Hiking up Mt. Fuji looks fun, too.

[bigbill]

I've got an old friend from my days in Radiological work who lives in Japan. He was sent over to help with Fukushima and work with the US Navy in Yokosuka. He absolutely loves living there and posts pictures from all his adventures. I need to visit.

[Caballero]

I live in Osaka and have ridden and raced all over Japan (still do) would be happy to show anyone round if you end up here with your bike ! Great riding

[osu cycling]

I've climbed (i.e. hiked) Fuji half a dozen times in the last 2 years. There are a few different routes, but for all practical purposes they all start at their own "5th station" half way up the mountain - this is what you can see and drive to in the photos. It's a misnomer as stations 1-4 no longer exist, and as you hike up you encounter things like the old 6th station and station 9.1, 9.3, etc., with the summit nominally being station 10. You could ride up any of the paved roads to the various 5th stations, but I wouldn't advise it because of vehicles. Mountain biking the dozer roads that go from there to the summit for resupply of stations would be out of the question, as UNESCO designated Mt. Fuji a world heritage site in 2013. Also, the trails are already jam packed with hikers far more than any mountain I've been on in the U.S.

In general though, I loved riding in Japan... national speed limit was 50 kph (vice 55 mph in U.S.), and the cars were a lot smaller. I felt incredibly safe riding on the roads where I lived in Yamaguchi prefecture. There were also vending machines and convenience stores (mostly 7-11) everywhere, so you didn't need to worry about running out of food/hydration mid-ride.