We started our day bright and early at 4:12 AM perhaps not ideal, but it gave us time to catch up on emails, social media, and news before tending to laundry and preparing for an essential part of Japanese culture: the onsen. We reminded ourselves that we need to appreciate Japanese culture even if we don’t agree or understand, and we’re here to understand.

After a night of rattling windows and rain hammering the hotel façade, dawn finally pried us from a restless sleep. We began our 13-day bikepacking adventure through the breathtaking landscapes of Kyushu (九州), Japan’s southern peninsula. This cycling tour offers a chance to immerse ourselves in Japan's stunning scenery and cultural richness.

Arrival in Tokyo: A Seamless Start to Our Japanese Journey
After landing at Tokyo Airport around 6:30 PM, we quickly navigated customs, complete with a temperature check and made our way to a service counter to ship our bikes ahead to Nagasaki, where the core of our journey will begin in four days.