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golden week

jdd

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Jul 26, 2008
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Is it too early to talk/speculate about golden week?

My school calendar looks especially good this year. Both Monday the 2nd, and Friday the 6th, have been tagged (at least initially) as non-class days at my uni. Add in 4/29 and that makes for a big long week.

Is anyone else salivating over this?

Ideas, plans, suggestions, cautions, etc.?
 
I'm considering packing dissassembling my bike, taking a train through the north and ferry up to Hokkaido, reassemble it there, then ride around, literally around, following the coastline of Hokkaido, till i come back to where I started.
 
I'm considering packing dissassembling my bike, taking a train through the north and ferry up to Hokkaido, reassemble it there, then ride around, literally around, following the coastline of Hokkaido, till i come back to where I started.

It's a good project, but if it were me I would save it for summer. That's a 2000km trip. Plus Hokkaido in summer is really nice weather and all the accommodation is open.

I am considering riding the nakasendo road from Tokyo to Kyoto. Or scooting down toward Shimane.
 
The nakasendo's a great road, no doubt about it.:) I can't really comment on the Tokyo part of it, but from Nagano (Shiojiri) to Nagoya the traffic was quite heavy. I always opt for rides near the Nakasendo but not on it.
However, I have a very low tolerance for cars and trucks so...... good luck with it!!:bike:
 
I have yet to cycle Hokkaido, but I hear the coastal winds can be tough. Usually blowing north, I believe. Probably worth taking into account.

I keep wanting to check out 'ライダーハウス' but they never seem to be where I need them.

Personally, not sure what days I'll have off but kind of want to do a Sea of Japan or bust type of all day/night ride. Will the passes still be snowed in?
 
...or bust

koribeyer, (ha. spell check suggests 'motivated') that sounds awesome. One of my goals is to make it to the other side. If no snow and you are looking for company, let me know. I would love to go, and just get it done. Done many trips like that before? I am building up my endurance (110km on Sunday and 70km yesterday) and looking to do 160km on the Arakawa on Sunday. I am not a racer, but love going long distance.
 
The nakasendo's a great road, no doubt about it.:) I can't really comment on the Tokyo part of it, but from Nagano (Shiojiri) to Nagoya the traffic was quite heavy. I always opt for rides near the Nakasendo but not on it.
However, I have a very low tolerance for cars and trucks so...... good luck with it!!:bike:

Yes. The portion from shiojiri to kamado is on a crowded road. But fortunately the nakasendo doesn't go into Nagoya but across to Gifu and then on to Maibara. I hope to get the busier sections of road out of the way in the mornings when my patience is longer.
 
I wouldn't recommend Hokkaido for Golden Week. I have done some cycling there over Golden Week (because my parents wanted to see Hokkaido), and while it was doable and sometimes even fun (Shiretoko Toge in snow), I was missing almost any green or at least flowering trees.

BTW, the Nakasendo is mostly a foot path. But there are always roads nearby. I have done bits and pieces here and there.
 
Any more ideas for GW? It will be here pretty soon now. I am thinking at minimum, a one day trip around Fuji from Tokyo. If anyone has a route they recommend or more epic ideas, I would be interested in hearing about them.
 
I've been looking forward to Golden Week for some time.

This year I want to complete the challenge of cycling from Tokyo to Ueda in Nagano. I failed to complete it last year through a lack of planning and preparation. As with last year I'll be taking 299 out to Chichibu then going over those two big passes. I'm wondering slightly whether to make it more leisurely through staying at a minshuku in that area beyond Chichibu.

After that, once in Ueda, I'll be doing the usual climbs around there.

Can't wait.
 
Yeah, I really wanna get some milage done in golden week. longest ride ever is 80km so I will deffo have to fix that ASAP.
I would like to Tokyo to Osaka, but i think im way to much of beginner so I am saving that for my month and a half of summer holidays!
 
Izu Hanto is one of the nicest places I've ridden in Japan. Not far from Tokyo. The coast line on the non-Tokyo side is spectacular and there are many skyline roads running over and on the ridges of the mountain range. Also many nice roads off the beaten track and good views of Mt. Fuji.

I've toured around the peninsula before but enjoyed it best when I set up base in the centre of the peninsula and did a different loop each day for a few days.

Nota Hano and Sado Island are similarly spectacular, but you can't guarantee the weather this time of year.

Andy

www.jyonnobitime.com/time
 
Is it too early to talk/speculate about golden week?

My school calendar looks especially good this year. Both Monday the 2nd, and Friday the 6th, have been tagged (at least initially) as non-class days at my uni. Add in 4/29 and that makes for a big long week.
...

:( Bummer is that both the 2nd and 6th have since been tagged as regular school days in our pharmacy department, so no chance of me getting them off...

Still, there two sets of three days, 29-2 and 3-5, so maybe one quick loop and/or I'll just ride local.

(And Andy, I'd easily bet on good golden week wx for Noto hantou. May and early June are about as dry as it gets over here. Finding a place to stay would be the hassle.)
 
jdd

I did Noto for the first time in GW 2001. I came to Japan in March, inherited my first road bike (a medium sized steel Kalavinka) and a pair of shoes from the guy I replaced. It was my first real adventure on a bike since all day bike rides on a Grifter as a 10 year old.

I set out from Kanazawa and stopped at 3 youth hostels on the way round.
Virtually no Japanese ability, a couple of pages torn out from a map book and 2 man in my pocket. One of the best trips of my life! In hindsight, a pump and some tubes would've been a good idea!

It was indeed good weather apart from one day when it rained cats and dogs. That's when I discovered the wonder of onsens for the first time!

I highly recommend Noto for anyone looking for some adventure this GW!

Andy

www.jyonnobitime.com/time
 
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