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National Route 6 2 wheel exclusion zone help

Joe McCarthy

Maximum Pace
Feb 1, 2018
195
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So I'm plannig a one day ride from Tokyo to Sendai and I'm considering taking National Route 6, partly because I think it could be interesting and partly because it'll be less busy than Route 4 (I know either won't exactly be picturesque but it's already a 300km+ ride so I don't want to spend any extra time dicking around on minor roads). While Route 6 is open to 4 wheel traffic, it's still closed to 2 wheel traffic including bicycles since the nuclear disaster. From what I can gather, detours (principally for motorbikes) take you miles away and wouldn't really be an option for me with the added distance. I've read several blogs like this one http://www.bicycle-eyes.com/around_aizu/cycling6252.html that suggest you can stow a bicycle on the replacement bus service that runs through the zone, but I can't find that in the official information and the last thing I want to do is get to the exclusion zone and not be able to continue.

Do any of you have any experience riding on Route 6 since the disaster, or any more info on the bus service? Also, are there other things I should be considering beyond skipping that part of the route? I imagine I'll have to pack extra water and nutrition because there'll be fewer convenience stores etc. open in the surrounding area perhaps.
 
The information number on the left should be able to help you.

I think this is the section of bus route just north of the exclusion zone (Minami Soma to Namie), so I'm planning to cycle this bit. After some digging I did find a timetable for the rail replacement bus between Tomioka and Namie, which is the bit you can't cycle. Here it is for anyone interested:

http://www.jrmito.com/eq/pdf/20180326_01_info.pdf

After some consideration what I've decided to do is to ride from Tokyo to Sendai on Route 4, spend a day in Sendai sightseeing and then ride from Sendai to Iwaki on the way back on Route 6 (using the replacement bus) before getting the train from Iwaki back to Tokyo. That way I won't be so tight for time when I get to the bus station and it won't be the end of the world if I miss one of the very infrequent buses.
 
Oh, I just saw the Namie and thought that was the section. Next time I'll stop and read before posting
When are you going?
 
Have you determined your route yet? Looking to do the same in Golden week so interested in how it goes.
 
Have you determined your route yet? Looking to do the same in Golden week so interested in how it goes.
Yeah, the route is so simple I haven't even bothered mapping it. It goes like this:

Day 1: National Route 4, Tokyo - Sendai
Day 2: Mooch around Sendai as a tourist
Day 3: National Route 6, Sendai - Iwaki (with short bus journey between Namie and Tomioka) + train home from Iwaki Station
 
Yeah, it's really sad that they just stopped paying compensation after the town was declared safe. As if it's all over now and the former residents can just just go back to their old lives like nothing has changed.
 
@Joe McCarthy , how did this ride go??? When I saw "National Route 4" I thought, Hmmm, look forward to hearing your impressions.
Haven't actually done it yet. That weekend I was planning to do it the temperature suddenly dropped and it was snowing. I just didn't want to be riding for upwards of 10 hours in those kinds of temperatures with the gear that I have. Since then I haven't had a 3 day weekend when I was free. It's still very much on my list of rides to do though so I'll update this thread when I've done it.
 
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