Iwakuni - Fuji - Kyoto

     Iwakuni

    We live in Exciting Times. I've been saying it for decades now. My last day of work was on Thursday and thus my work Visa expired at midnight. The next morning Holly and I, with all our gear, biked to the train station to disassemble our bikes and take the train to Hiroshima. 

Getting our beep organized outside the apartment.

Now this part of disassembling our bikes is not something to be glossed over. Yes, we do have folding bikes that we place in bags (required in order to ride public transportation), we still have panniers, pack-packs, and other items we are hauling that also need to be lugged around the station. This can be tiresome. And no one really helps us, either. They just look. I hate that. Plus it's still summer-ish in Japan which means I am soaked in sweat in a matter of seconds. 

Now we're putting our bikes in their bags.

As required by law to ride public transportation, bikes need to be folded up and put into a bags. Montague bikes to the rescue.

Look at HQC.

Now look at me.

Now look at all our crap.

I love the strength of the Shinkansen Station. Very neat, tidy, and orderly. And if you're on your best behavior, and Blogger permits, I'll show you power of the actual Shin as it roars by.

My favorite snacks, Dark Thunder and Aquarius.

This particular Dark Thunder was in the form of Rice Cream. So good.

Lots of places to shop at the train station in Hiroshima. Even a magical Delicatessen. Side story: Last year my co-worker Brandon and I ate here for the first time of a delicious meal of Tonpei Yaki (as well as nasty Natto, which we got laughed at by the chefs for eating). We haven't been to find this elusive dish ever since. And I hate it because I like it even more than Okonomiyaki.

    In Hiroshima we put our crap in lockers, unfolded our bikes, and rode to the Immigration Bldg. I switched to a tourist Visa (expires on Christmas Eve), and then we rode back to the train station and retrieved our crap from the lockers and lugged it all around the station to finally board the Shinkansen. For those of you that don't know, the Shinkansen (or Shin for short), is the notorious bullet train that Wolverine fights on top of (I'm Wolverine btw). It has nice seats, smooth ride, and a Can so large you can exercise and take a nap in. The WIFI is decent so I am able to update my maps and blog occasionally. And if time permits, play Plablo or Heroes. The best games. Or work on my consulting business to expense this trip.

I love riding the Shin because you don't have to wear stupid seatbelts.

Even that girl in the ad in behind us is having a great time!

I found this coolo version of one of my favorite songs. You haven't lived if you haven't listened to every rendition of Time by Hans Zimmer.

After arriving in Fuji, we stored our crap in lockers that we weren't taking us to climb The Mountain and rode off to connect to another local train. Folding and unfolding our bikes. You're going to think of this as a broken record by now. Well we do it a lot. Finally done with trains, we bike into the rain and dark of night towards out destination of Fujiyoshida and up to one of the many Station 5's that they have. We didn't make it that far so we stayed at a Michinoeki to camp for the night and hopefully dry our gear. 

Here I am eating an Onigiri that Holly made for us.

Our first night of lodging. 

Look how fun it is!

I slept pretty good under that table.

Fuji

    Michael Scott had a hope that halfway between Scranton and Nassau there would be a nice little bed and breakfast  for him and Holy Flax to meet up at. I had a hope that the weather would be clear when we woke up. But, liar that the weatherman is, decided that it was not going to be that way. HQC and I had to our first of many Decisions Points. Climb Fuji in dire conditions "or experience the decadence of {Kyoto}, well then go right ahead!" We chose the latter. Time for Kyoto and hot Geishas.

I'm eating some more onigiri.

The Status Quo is never in a Foul Mood and I love that.

Kyoto

Apparently, group pics don't post in order that you upload them, so I will roll with it and remember that for next time. Take a look at Kyoto. It's coolo. Especially now without the crappy tourists of Europeans/Americans that ruin everything. Every time I see a white person I get disgruntled. Thank you Coronavirus. See it's not that bad?

Sunsets AF. You sure don't get this in Utah.

First item of business that you need to know about Japan is that there are many Pagodas. These are pyres where you can recruit Phoenixes for 1,500 gold and 1 mercury. I love them. 

I usually see these stone pagodas in the Cemetary Gates. 

Coolo. 

Phoenixes are waiting to fight in your armies if you can afford them.

If this was a non-pandemic year there would be swarms of people and I'd have a scowl on my face.

Here's one pagoda up close.

Bright colors. 

Enjoying the evening!

Nice little garden.

Temple.

One of the palaces here.

Look how neat it is.

I don't know if these are lillypads but while I'm on my soapbox I have yet to see a frog on a lillypad. Lying cartoons. You're just as bad as the lying beep 90's teachers that say we're "nOt AlWaYs GoNna HaVe a caLcuLaToR iN OuR PocKeTs." 

I kept farting in the bamboo forest. Btw this bamboo forest in Kyoto that everyone goes to is really just average in Japan. I've found much better out in the wild. So when you come visit Japan and there are crowds, aplenty, slide into my DMs and I'll direct you to better bamboo forests.

Just look at the Cemetery Gates. My favorite. 

Look at the neat sculptures on it.

I like the unique "rain gutters" they have here. The Chains of Beep.

Found a garden full of Buddhist statues. They were all neat.

Look how well behaved our bikes are. Don't need kickstands when you can fold down the rack to prop them up. 

Slaves would take the wealthy around in rickshaws.

Riding in the streets.

Coolo Shrines.

I wanted pics with real hot geishas in their white face and fun hairstyles but I wasn't able so this girl sufficed. 

My attempt at worshipping the Almighty God was thwarted due to some congregations still not meeting together in person. "Dang you people. This is golf! Not a rock concert!"

90's AF store.

Here is a delicious melon pan with strawberrets n cream and chocolate inside.

You guys thought Wendy's was invented in America. Nope, it was started here in Kyoto ackchyually. 

I think this was some type of potatoes corn dog thing with brown sugar coating topped with mustard and ketchup. Haters will say "eww!" but that's why I'm living it up in Japan and you're reading about it in your home/

I always have to keep an eye out on the unsuspected.

Someday, I will furnish my home in the Japanese style (Or Chinese style) lanterns. I love them.

While the name Hondōri is unique to Hiroshima, Each city has their own similar covered commercial area to walk around in. these are great for when it's raining. I take the liberty to call them all Hondōris

Some parts of Kyoto you weren't allowed to bike through because they were so busy with hot people. I didn't know this. And some parts were so dead you had the whole street to roam around in. Loved both streets.

We got some rice cream after din dins.

It was all good.

Hopefully you're following me on IG and bookface and other social media I listed on the sidebar. Let this be a warning to you because if not you're missing wonderful content. 

Mr Omurice is dazzling us.

I tried making omurice at home before this. It did not turn out like the image above.

He loves his job.

Each manhole (or personhole if you're from California) is different in the cities of Japan. I take pics of as many as I can. Someday I'll post a collage of all the manholes. 

Nice, fresh soy milk. Tasted like tortillas.

This is where your soy milk comes from. "How do you like your bagels now?!"

I spy with my little brown eye, two hot geishas walking towards me.

Lots of biking going on in Kyoto.

There are excellent bike paths as depicted in the pic. 

"Pretty impressive stuff huh, Uncle Tony!"

New Bikes!

I wasn't about to take another junky Kip bike again on a cross country tour. I messaged my friend, Jamison (Meatsticks) about which bike is best. He said to get a Montague. Those are the latest in cycling fashion but unfortunately are sold out in America because people are Sheep. Not one to give in to despair, I looked up the distributor in Japan and what do you know, they had some in stock. Holly and I took the Bullet Trian (the Shin) down to Kitakyushu where we met with the owner, Shido, and he presented us with two shiny bicycles* at a hefty discount. 

Montague bikes are coolo for many reasons:

• The military strapped them to their backs as they parachuted out of airplanes
• They are fullsize and foldable. You don't typically find both features in one
• The back rack unlatches and swings under the tire so it can act as a kickstand allowing the wheel to rotate freely
• They come in many styles including mountain bikes

Since we'll be taking the Shin during parts of our journey, these are perfect to fold up and place behind our seats. 

If you guys are on your best behavior I'll demonstrate how easily the bicycle folds up.

*Names are pending

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Hi there, I'm Kimball. You may remember me from my previous cross country country journey 12 years ago when I traveled from Maine to Oregon. Perhaps you attended school with me. No? Then it could be that we suffered together doing Endurance events. Or maybe you haven't met me in person yet and you are Skynet waiting for me to activate you because 2020: Rise of the Machines is inevitable. 

Riding bikes has become a hobby turned passion of mine over the course of my life. Currently, I live in Japan and have retired from the Royal Marines. "I told you I was immortal, Bruce." I also told you that I was going to bike the world. Now, I will make a liar out of each of you.

Throughout the blog you may find select passages in quotes and other Easter Eggs. It is your job to identify where the quote or Easter Egg is from in the comments section of each post (Points will be awarded).

 你好! Hi, I'm Holly. A British Born Chinese (BBC). I am accompanying Kimball on his journey across Japan via bicycle. This isn't my first rodeo as I have already done this before. But since I am a good sport and because Kimball is one of a kind, I didn't want to pass up this wonderful chance to tour together. 

I quit my job last year so that I can tour the world. So far, I've hiked to Everest Base Camp, toured India, Nepal, Korea and now Japan. Can't wait for borders to open so I can continue my adventures!

Kimball has a lot of nicknames for me. For example: HollyQuayChiu, Quay, Quay Chiu, Chiu Quay, HQC, Status Quo, Quid Pro Quo, Asian Quay, Asian Pear, and other names that he will evolve over time.