Riding my Motorcycle into Tokyo
Update 50 (December 2023)
Tokyo to Kushimoto, Japan
Update 50 has been a long time coming. But it does feel like some sort of milestone.
My previous Christmas had been spent at the bottom of South America in Ushuaia, Argentina. This time I had plans and was ducking over to Hong Kong for a week.
I was staying in Choshi near Tokyo and still had about 10 days before my flight to Hong Kong. So I decided to go into the centre of Tokyo and have a few days there. I have been to Tokyo a few times but it was really about a change of scenery.
Riding through Tokyo is a mixed experience. The outer areas are hard work with many large trucks. But once you get to the inner area they disappear and it’s actually quite an enjoyable ride.
My hotel was near Akihabara Electric Town. I am a bit of a nerd with electronic gear. The large retailers are there but the back lanes also have many small hard core specialty shops that are interesting to look through.
The back streets and canals can be intriguing too.
I could live in Tokyo, for a while. The inner area is actually quite peaceful and relaxed, with plenty of small interesting businesses. A bit short on local green space though.
I had a few days in Tokyo and then moved back near the Narita Airport. One of my jobs was to work out what happens to my motorcycle while I was out of the Japan. It was legally allowed to stay without me there, but where to put it? I looked into airport parking etc but I would also have luggage that was not going to Hong Kong. In the end I stayed at one of the Route Inn Hotels near Narita Airport and they were happy to mind my luggage and motorbike. And as long as I didn’t use a car space it would be free.
My bike stayed in with the hotel staff bicycles. Safe, free and undercover – bargain.
Hong Kong harbour, spending a day exploring with friends and lunching on one of the islands.
Pulling alongside the fuel supply boat in the middle of Hong Kong harbour. Safe in the hands of our skilled crew.
Another nice sunset over Repulse Bay, Hong Kong.
Back in Chiba New Town, Japan. I had managed to pick up a pretty solid cold on the trip to Hong Kong, so I spent almost a week just resting up.
I was in my hotel room on the top floor for the 1 January 2024 Noto earthquake. My phone started giving off a loud warning about an earthquake. Nothing happened at first but after about 10 seconds the building starting swaying and creaking. It wasn’t too bad but bad enough. Of course later I found out 241 people had died at the epicentre about 350km away. I had actually been about 50km from the main centre some four weeks earlier in Update 48.
My local Aeon shopping mall was only 300 metres from the hotel and about the sum of my activities as I recovered from a cold.
Pork and shrimp cutlet for lunch.
It was a bit more of a walk to the closest Coin Laundry. That was about my life for a week. Highs of about 8 degrees Celsius, so not too bad. Still a few days with some snow though.
Eventually I got moving and began heading up around Tokyo to nearby Chichibu where I waited out some weather. Once going again I did not get far through the mountains. About 500 metres after this photo I met a local man on a small motorcycle and gestured whether I could get through. I got sign language indicating not to proceed and it was too icy and slippery. Back I went. Turning around is often the worst part, and going downhill.
A mountain north east of Yamanashi. Maybe it is Mount Kumotori.
My suspension was really annoying me again. I still had the problem with the incorrect spring that was installed in Canada. Plus the bike just seemed to be bad. It’s amazing how good or bad suspension can be, even just riding on asphalt roads.
As I approached Nagoya I contacted a motorcycle suspension specialist called Suspension Edge. He had the bike for three days, was good to communicate with and did a fine job. The rear shock had started leaking gas, hence the worsening handling. It was last serviced in Bogata, Colombia. He also changed the front fork springs back to the original weight and serviced all the shocks. I did some test rides and he did a few adjustments while I was there. I also dropped in about a month later for a little more tweaking. I think the bike handling is now the best it has ever been.
Tomoya from Suspension Edge, Nagoya, Japan.
Entering the grounds of Nagoya Castle.
Nagoya Castle.
Continuing my series of photos out of hotel windows – an interesting cloud formation after some weather at Kuwana.
I tried to go into the mountains in the background of the photo above. My first road ended up being closed for the winter. I eventually found a more main national route and started south towards the bottom of Honshu Island.
North East Honshu Island, Japan
Update 49 (December 2023)
Wakayama Ferry to Shikoku Island
Update 51 (January 2024)