Reflections on a Japanese Bike Trip

In 2015 we did our first bike tour around the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec. The purpose was to try bike touring and see if ultimately it might be something we wanted to try again internationally. We knew the answer was yes but needed to find the right time and the right location. Japan presented itself once we secured a longer leave from work. Most of the trip was covered in previous blog posts but there are some random thoughts that we wanted to cover. This post is mostly going to seem obscure but there are a few things we wanted to get down to help us remember them.

• Convenience stores: Lawson, 7-11 and Family Mart were the convenience stores we encountered at every turn in Japan, like literally every turn. They are everywhere!!! On a bike tour they offer so many things; wi-fi, bathrooms, a place to sit and take a rest, snacks and coffee. At 7-11 we discovered our favourite lattes which were made from actual ground beans! At Family Mart the best seating was usually available where Lawson had the best coffee and stuffed peanut cream buns. Some days I swear I would never want to see another convenience store again but ultimately they helped us so much to get across the country. Another perk was that they had waste disposal, this might not seen like a big deal but when you are camping and there are basically no garbage cans anywhere in Japan it is incredibly helpful. 
• Daily chimes: Apparently starting after the second world war daily chimes to indicate time of day became a mainstay in Japan. Much to our surprise they continue today. Usually at 6 a.m., noon and either 5 or 6 p.m. The chimes were played over loud speakers that also occasionally had announcements projected across the towns. Given that we do not know Japanese we typically would look around when there was an announcement to see if we needed to be worried, we were never quite sure what was being said but it never did seem concerning. 
• Random music: Chad loved this! Music playing at storefronts, on main streets and even from garbage trucks. Most commonly an instrumental version of a familiar tune but always pleasant none the less.
• Generosity and Kindness of the Japanese people: This point cannot be understated. The people in Japan are beyond generous and kind. It is so genuine that it is humbling. There were a few times that I was actually moved to tears by this extraordinary population. From serving your coffee to you on a tray at a convenience store to running to serve you at a grocery store counter to giving us fresh oranges for our journey, the daily acts of thoughtfulness were endless and the nature of the Japanese people will stay with us forever.
• Response to Foreigners and Foreigners Bike Travelling: This point ties into the point above. Almost everyone we met were so gracious and welcoming. They almost all thanked us for coming to Japan and were incredibly touched when we told them how much we loved it. A stronger reaction was elicited when it was noted that we were biking across Japan. 
• Cleanliness: Japan is clean, full-stop. It is spotless. We only got one flat tire in almost 7 weeks of travelling which had to be assisted by the fact that there was no debris anywhere! 
• Personal Properties: The Japanese people are clearly a proud people and this extends to the care they place on their own properties. We could not help but be amazed at the care and attention each house or apartment unit exhibited. From carefully arranged potted plants on a balcony to perfectly manicured landscaping in every yard. It really added to the experience of biking through the outskirts and side streets.
• Camping: We planned to camp across Japan but this proved to be a little more challenging while on a bike trip. The general consensus is that you can camp anywhere in Japan including parks and road side stops. We tried to avoid that at all costs only because we got the impression that given the kindness of the Japanese people we just were not sure if people truly were okay with the practice or if they were too kind to say otherwise. Unfortunately though campsites were a little more remote and proved a challenge to reach after a full day of cycling. This meant that overall we camped about 60% of the time and used various lodging from hostels to guesthouses to warm showers the rest of the time.
• Food: There are no words to articulate how amazing the food was. We tried everything! Given that we were in grocery stores daily we always tried to grab something that we didn't know and give it a go. Another daily occurrence was Chad throwing back mochi, a rice dough ball typically filled with red beans. He cannot wait to try to make them at home!
• Vending machines: Everywhere!! Literally, around every corner and in the most random places. They sold drinks only but actually had hot and cold offerings. We will never forget the first time we grabbed a canned coffee from one in Nikko and when it dropped down we realized it was hot!