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Japan!
Recently, I had the unique opportunity to ride with members of the BMW Flat Twin Club in Japan. We toured the Island of Shikoku for a day together, and then went off on our own for the rest of the week. They say the Cherry Blossoms in Japan peak within a period of four days.. We were lucky, and hit it spot on! Between sushi, twisties and cherry blossoms, the entire trip was a real treat. There is talk in the air that Alaska Rider Tours will look to produce a tour in the Japan! Stay tuned.....
Japan: The size of California with a population half that of the USA
Shikoku is Japan's fourth largest island, southwest of Japan's main island Honshu. Shikoku is divided into four prefectures, and is known for its rich history: It has 88 religious temples. Pilgrims from all over Japan come to walk to all 88!!
It also is know for its mountains, rivers and steep valleys. The roads on Shikoku are very twisty, with some sections so remote, that you won't see traffic for hours at a time!
Here are the pics.
We landed in Osaka, and took a short walk to this park. The warm air and the spring blossoms were a savored relief after a long Alaskan winter!
Mr. Hashimoto's sweet 1963 R50...perfect condition!
Here he is, leading us across a bridge to the island of Shikoku. It was a real rush, dodging in and out of Osaka traffic, on the left side of the road! We finally distances ourselves from the city, and started to relax on the country roads of Shikoku.
BMWs of all models and years: We met up with 10 other members of the BMW Boxers club. 49 members strong, the group frequently meets and rides together. This weekends ride: a hotsprings resort in the Shikoku countryside.
It was really something to see! So many BMWs riding together in Japan...all heads turned as we sped by, and all passerbys seemed to want to talk motorcycles with us when we stopped to rest.
Here is the group riding through a small town on Shikoku.
Ah...the countryside...!! The Cherry Blossoms were falling like snow all around us on the narrow, twisty roads.
The great views were everywhere...too much to see when riding by ...
Mr. and Mrs. Itou with Sojourner and I.
I couldn't help but double back and check out this blossom-covered lane! Mr. Hashimoto lent us the R 1150 while we were there. A great bike!
Here is the crew right before we parted ways.
Our first day out alone, we came across some surfers on the south shore of Shikoku.
We took some mountains roads that were very remote and twisty. Much of the time, it was one lane only. You had to make use of the convex mirrors to negociate each curve. We didn't pass traffic for almost an hour at a time.
Sunset in the Land of the Rising sun. Evening merchant traffic enters the protected intertidal waters of the Japanese main islands. You could see the southern island of Kyushu from here.
So much to see when wizzing through the mountains. Terraced little hamlets like this were tucked away all along our route.
Breakfast of champions! Raw egg and seaweed. We stayed at a remote Japanese travelers lodge, and were shown superb hospitality along with exotic cuisine.
The coastal highway of northern Shikoku was spectacular. You could see deep into the crystal water, harboring abundant sea life.
Sojourner, enjoying the sunset on the east coast of Shikoku.
Riding in Japan is a thrill! Between the spectacular riding and the amazing culture, I can't think of a more unique and memorable destination for adventure touring. If anyone has interest in exploring Japan by motorcycle, please contact me and let us put together something special!
Japan, 2006
April 2nd - 8th, 2006
May 20th -27th, 2006
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