JAPAN

              Travel               

Total kilometers biked: 2500 km

Days biked: 20 days

Road conditions: excellent, many long tunnels (usually a sidewalk to ride on inside tunnel, not very well lit), Japanese drivers are extremely patient and kind – they seem to always have an eye out for cyclists
                
Weather: mainly overcast, windy, 1 day of heavy rain

Food & Water:
Food: Due to our budget, we brought most of our food from the States.  We brought about 30 MRE’s from an overstock store, as well as rice, pasta and oatmeal.  All types of food were easily accessible at grocery/convenience stores.  Noodle shops have great food cheap. Note: convenience stores do not take credit cards.

Water: Water was readily available and can be used straight from the faucet.  Small shops/convenience stores will also fill your water with no problem.

Sleeping:
Camping in wild: 99% of the time.  We often slept at “road stations”, which are like truck stops in the States, but much safer.  One night it was raining and a farmer invited us into his home, provided beds and showers and fed us.  The whole family was incredible!

Campgrounds: 0%

Alternate transportation: We took an overnight ferry to and from Otaru in Hokkaido.

Maps Used: We used standard road maps purchased at all road stations.

Highlights:  Japanese people were definitely the biggest highlight.  They were incredibly generous and kind.  Many people offered us food, etc.  One man drove in his car while we biked behind him for 10-20 minutes in Otaru to show us where the ferry was located – incredible.