日本夏2026年

June 26, 2026 Day 27 Tachiarai to Shinmoji - 76Km Start 7:49AM Finish 1:28PM Total Duration 5:39 Moving Time 4:10 Stopped Time 1:28 Ascent 653m Descent 668m Tour Total 2750Km Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/392971067 I slept well in Unit 36 at Hotel R9 The Yard in Tachiarai. Throughout the night, heavy rain drummed relentlessly on the roof of my shipping-container room. By the time I packed up, the rain had eased enough that I started riding without my poncho. My first stop was Lawson, where I picked up a café latte and a baked chocolate bread before setting off. I took Route 500 to reconnect with my planned route, crossing the Koishiwara River. Before long, the rain returned, and I pulled on my poncho. With the low visibility, I switched on my rear radar/light. I wasn't taking any chances, especially knowing I'd be able to recharge it overnight on the ferry. I followed Route 322 toward Kama alongside the Koishiwara River. At the summit, I encountered a 3.7-kilometer ...

June 24, 2026 Day 25 Saga to Tachiarai - 39Km Start 12:08PM Finish 3:20PM Total Duration 3:12 Moving Time 2:07 Stopped Time 1:05 Ascent 137m Descent 111m Tour Total 2674Km Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/392737802 I slept well in Room 914 at the Saga City Hotel. When I woke, rain tapped steadily against the window, and the news warned that Typhoon No. 8, “Higos,” had formed, creating a double-typhoon threat alongside No. 7. Most of my gear had dried overnight—everything except my socks—but given the conditions, they wouldn’t stay dry for long anyway. I had a short detour planned for the morning: a train ride to Arita for some souvenir shopping. I left my bike locked at the hotel and stopped at Lawson for a café latte and a cookie before heading to the station. At 9:40, I boarded the Midori Huis Ten Bosch 24 Limited Express, arriving in Arita about 30 minutes later. Arita, known for its centuries-old porcelain tradition, was quiet under a light drizzle. I wandered its narrow s...

June 23, 2026 Day 25 Kumamoto to Saga - 84Km Start 9:00 Finish 5:08 Total Duration 8:08 Moving Time 5:05 Stopped Time 3:02 Ascent 781m Descent 792m Tour Total 2635Km Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55772558   I slept well in Room 719 at Hotel TAU in Kumamoto. It was a productive stop—I dried out all my damp gear, did laundry, paid some bills, and ordered a replacement Brooks saddle that should arrive just before I get home. I woke to steady rain, and the thought of riding out into it was a bit deflating. Typhoon 7 (Mekkhala) was drifting north-northwest east of the Philippines, sending bands of heavy rain across Kyushu. I retrieved my bike from the parking lot and brought it to the hotel to load up. After suiting up in my poncho, I rolled out of the city. My saddle sores had improved slightly overnight. The new saddle still felt unfamiliar, but at least it wasn’t actively painful like the day before. The shifting, however, was flawless—no more stick shifting through clim...

June 22, 2026 Day 24 Amakusa to Kumamoto - 99Km Start 6:47 Finish 2:45 Total Duration 7:58 Moving Time 5:25 Stopped Time 2:33 Ascent 641m Descent 619m Tour Total 2551Km Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/392287592 I slept well beside the seawall at Hondo Beach, just outside of Amakusa. I’ve lost count of how many seawalls I’ve wild camped along in Japan. I woke early with the light. The tent was already warm, and I could hear people passing by. Everything—tent, sleeping bag, air mattress—was damp with condensation, and the seawall itself teemed with creepy, slithering bugs moving in every direction. I rode into town for a café latte at 7-Eleven. The sky was gray, heavy with low clouds, and rain was forecast for later in the day. While I stood outside the store, I watched children cycling to school. I noticed what seemed to be another  traffic rule—at crosswalks, cyclists are expected to dismount and walk their bikes across. The children moved in quiet uniformity: identical o...

日本夏2026年 - Day 23 Nagasaki to Amakusa June 21, 2026 Day 23 Nagasaki to Amakusa - 96Km Start 8:41 Finish 7:38 Total Duration 10:57 Moving Time 5:31 Stopped Time 5:26 Ascent 1021m Descent 1018m Tour Total 2452Km Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/392075499   I slept well in Room 205 at the S Peria Hotel in Nagasaki. All of my gear was dry, but I could feel the beginnings of saddle sores from my misaligned saddle. I hadn’t used chamois cream in a while—something I was glad I still packed. I had locked my bike behind the hotel, and while loading up, I noticed how quickly my new brake pads had worn down. The same pads would normally last me over a year back home. Today was sunny, and I knew I’d need sunscreen and arm protection. My first stop was Dejima, the site of the former Dutch trading post—Japan’s primary point of contact with the outside world during the period of national isolation (1641–1859). It began with Portuguese ships arriving in 1571, but the Dutch eventually mono...

June 20, 2026 Day 22 Hirado to Nagasaki - 117Km Start 9:05 Finish 7:08 Total Duration 10:03 Moving Time 7:23 Stopped Time 2:39 Ascent 1815m Descent 1814m Tour Total 2356Km Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/391789025 I slept well in Room 512 at the Kishotei in Hirado. Last night, I had gone up to the rooftop bath and soaked in the outdoor onsen, gazing across at the castle and Hirado Bridge in the distance. Heavy rain fell through the night, but I stayed warm, and all of my gear was dry by morning. I had mapped out a new route to Nagasaki that avoided smaller roads. The plan was simple: get there and replace my broken saddle. At departure, the staff looked at me in disbelief as I stepped out into the torrential rain. To be fair, I wasn’t entirely convinced either. Staying another day would have been the sensible choice. Still, I pressed on. I made a short stop at the Oranda Shōkan, the reconstructed Dutch trading post. Though the building itself is a replica, the artifacts offer...