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Planning Routes
Some people don't like to plan their trips - they prefer to just jump
on the bike and head off in a new direction, on a road less (or never) traveled.
If you're one of those people, you can probably skip this section... and
most of the rest of this site. The problem is that routing mistakes made
on a bicycle tend to take a lot of time and energy to correct. So unless
you're the type of person who doesn't mind a lot of backtracking and sleeping
under the stars, route planning will be an essential part of your bike trips.
The first thing to keep in mind is that route planning is an art, not a
science. Common sense and experience will usually help you plan a decent
route... but not always. That tiny coastal road on the map that would ordinarily
be a cyclist's dream may turn out to be a horrible slog with no scenic beauty
to compensate. Conversely, the normally awful major highway may actually
not be so bad, and it may save you immense amounts of time in getting to
someplace really nice to cycle.
But even if your plans need to be adjusted to match reality (and what plans
don't?), any research you do on your intended route will help you immensely
on the road.
It follows, therefore, that whatever references you can bring along with
you will help when, inevitably, you have to do some checking or impromptu
rerouting. A good map is the most essential item; keeping the page for the
area you're cycling through folded up in your pocket is a good idea for
instant reference (placing it in a clear plastic bag will make less crinkles
when you fold it and will also protect against rain and perspiration). Taking
a guidebook will also give you more information on which to base route decisions,
and will also enhance your enjoyment of places of interest along the way.
The key factor is weight: you don't want to be hauling heavy guidebooks
like Japan Inside Out
along with you unless you're touring the entire country. Ripping out or
photocopying sections of your guidebook will reduce the load considerably.
If you plan to stay in youth hostels, carrying along pages from the hostel
guide or the JYH website will give you those all-important phone numbers
to call ahead and reserve a bed for the night. (The same goes for minshuku,
ryokan and other traditional Japanese accommodations, though you'll have
to read Japanese to take advantage of these references in most cases.)
In route planning, small roads are better than big roads - but this does
not apply to road numbers. Highways with smaller numbers are invariably
major highways: national Route 1 or 41 will be larger (and more heavily
traveled) roads than, say, national Route 257. Smaller local roads are almost
always less traveled and usually greener as well. Look for places connected
by major highways that also have other, less direct routes, and take those.
The classic example is the coastal road between two destinations that are
also connected by an inland bypass. These are usually (but not always) a
good option. If the coastal road is the only route between two destinations,
you can bet it will be clogged with cars and trucks.
Best of all are bikepaths (or "cycling roads" as they are called
here). Luckily, more and more of these are being built - some along old
railway lines that have been discontinued.
Click on the links above to go to the section that interests you, or click
the buttons in the menu at left to go to the general section, Or follow
the arrows at the bottom of the page to read each section in order.
For other reference materials that you may find useful in route planning,
see:
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Route Planning (Transport)