I Cycled 800km Across Japan

One of my passions is bikepacking! Over the years, I’ve found cycling to be one of the most exciting ways to explore countries like Japan. It strikes the perfect balance where you move fast enough to cover distance, yet slow enough to truly take in your surroundings and discover hidden spots off the beaten path, even when traveling by car.

Having done quite a few bikepacking trips in Japan, in the summer of 2024, I embarked on a solo 800km journey across Central Japan, a region particularly close to my heart. Beginning in Kyoto, the ride carried me from Japan’s historic capital to the remote prefecture of Fukui, a place I had long dreamed of visiting. Despite being one of the least populated and visited prefectures in the country, glimpses of its stunning rural towns online convinced me I had to experience them for myself.

The second half of the route took me through some of Japan’s most mountainous terrain, with intense uphill trails. While physically demanding, this portion of the journey proved to be the highlight, offering glimpses into the country’s most rural corners and the opportunity to connect with locals, hear their stories, and gain insight into life in these remote areas.

Producing a film of this journey demanded an unprecedented level of pre-production, especially given that it was a solo endeavor. After a general route with a dozen waypoints was mapped out, several backup options were also created in case certain destinations proved unreachable each day. With no pre-booked accommodation, securing places to stay often required online searches or even knocking on doors. Despite having the structure and visual plan for the video prepared well in advance, the daily unpredictability, combined with the necessity of capturing enough footage to construct a coherent narrative, made this one of the most logistically challenging projects I have undertaken.