HadesOmega
Well-known member
Get a good shot with the Yamakyu
HadesOmega's Lap of Mt Fuji 2017 Ride Report
- Thread starter HadesOmega
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HadesOmega
Well-known member
HadesOmega
Well-known member
Time to finish my Lap of Mt. Fuji! But before that I took a picture of this weird statue in Kawaguchiko. I thought it was goofy looking. It's a donkey with a dog, cat, and rooster sitting on top of each other.
So it's time to head to Yamanakako and finish my lap of Mt. Fuji. So if you remember Yamanakako was where we stayed at the other night. With that I have visited 4 of the 5 Fuji Lakes. I guess if you count Tanuki Lake that's technically 5! If you remember last year's ride report this is where I passed through last year as well.
With that I have my final pictures of this amazing mountain! These are the first pictures I took of Fujisan along Lake Yamanakako. Hiding behind the clouds a bit. It was a great day to ride as there were lots of other riders about as well!
Swan going for a little swim
Couple minutes later the clouds moved a bit
The snow on top
So it's time to head to Yamanakako and finish my lap of Mt. Fuji. So if you remember Yamanakako was where we stayed at the other night. With that I have visited 4 of the 5 Fuji Lakes. I guess if you count Tanuki Lake that's technically 5! If you remember last year's ride report this is where I passed through last year as well.
With that I have my final pictures of this amazing mountain! These are the first pictures I took of Fujisan along Lake Yamanakako. Hiding behind the clouds a bit. It was a great day to ride as there were lots of other riders about as well!
Swan going for a little swim
Couple minutes later the clouds moved a bit
The snow on top
HadesOmega
Well-known member
Afterwards I ride through the town heading towards a touge that will take me to Kanagawa same route I took last year. If you look at the tracks you can see I kinda took a wrong turn and had to go back. But I got a nice picture because of it!
Stopped and took a picture of Fujisan along the way
Stopped and took a picture of Fujisan along the way
HadesOmega
Well-known member
Then I head up Route 730 that take me up over the mountain to 147 in Kanagawa and the final spot I viewed Fujisan from.
Last year I remember I stopped by this parking lot where you can view Fujisan. I stopped by there but I saw some riders taking pictures a little bit further down the road and seeing as how I took that pictures last year from the parking lot I wanted a different perspective. This is one of my favorite pictures of the whole trip!
Last year I remember I stopped by this parking lot where you can view Fujisan. I stopped by there but I saw some riders taking pictures a little bit further down the road and seeing as how I took that pictures last year from the parking lot I wanted a different perspective. This is one of my favorite pictures of the whole trip!
HadesOmega
Well-known member
HadesOmega
Well-known member
With all the Fujisan festivities over with it's time to high tail it back to Tokyo. If I continue on this road it takes me to Kanagawa and this will be the last touge I ride the rest of the trip. From there on it the expressway and the dreaded city riding. The road I'm riding on is route 730 and when it gets to Kanagawa it turns into route 147. This is a great stretch of road and popular road to drift on as you can see from the skid marks all over it some of it. It's a nice scenic fun road to ride.
I guess it's hard to tell but when I looked on the map this route passes quite close to Fuji Speedway because you can see it comes pretty close to the tracks I made at Fuji Speedway.
HadesOmega's Lap of Mt Fuji Episode 34 - Kanagawa Touge Route 730 to 147
youtu.be/Dfee327EJSw
I guess it's hard to tell but when I looked on the map this route passes quite close to Fuji Speedway because you can see it comes pretty close to the tracks I made at Fuji Speedway.
HadesOmega's Lap of Mt Fuji Episode 34 - Kanagawa Touge Route 730 to 147
youtu.be/Dfee327EJSw
HadesOmega
Well-known member
So that's pretty much done with all the fun riding and sightseeing. Now it's time to RTB back to Tokyo. Fastest way to get there is the Tomei Expressway! But first I have to make my way there. I get a little bit lost but GPS-san didn't let me down. I actually had Miss Garmin and Miss Google helping me get to the expressway at the same time haha. So from here on it is just a bunch of tracks and VLOGs enjoy the final part of my ride report!
HadesOmega
Well-known member
HadesOmega's Lap of Mt. Fuji Episode 36 - Return to Tomei Expressway
In this VLOG I have just made my way out of the mountains in Kanagawa and trying to find the expressway entrance so I can jet on back to Tokyo. Still a lovely day for a ride in Japan!
NOTE: If you are looking for Episode 35 it is my Ride Review of the MT-09 Tracer split into 2 parts, I will be posting it after the ride report!
youtu.be/vft0zD8IwYE
In this VLOG I have just made my way out of the mountains in Kanagawa and trying to find the expressway entrance so I can jet on back to Tokyo. Still a lovely day for a ride in Japan!
NOTE: If you are looking for Episode 35 it is my Ride Review of the MT-09 Tracer split into 2 parts, I will be posting it after the ride report!
youtu.be/vft0zD8IwYE
Last edited:
HadesOmega
Well-known member
After I made it onto the expressway I stopped at the first rest area or Michi no Eki I could find so I can remove the RAM ballmount for my phone. I'm sure I can make it back using Garmin-san's directions only. Also I lied about no more pictures I took this one with my phone. This was at Nakai Michi no Eki (Rest Stop). It was quite lively there's lot's of motos. I parked next to this Super Tenere here. Man would I love to take a Super Tenere for a spin around Japan!
In my opinion if you wanted to step up your Sport Touring game the Super Tenere is your next level!
So after that its hope back onto the Tomei Expressway and back to Tokyo on the shuto expressway! So I am riding on the expressway and remember I got pulled over for speeding before? Well this time I have a plan to prevent that I will follow the fastest cars on the expressway to blend in with the traffic more. So I follow this brown compact car with a handicap sticker on it. Haha I shit you not this handicap person drove like they owned the expressway. Haha this is the second time I've followed a small car and it has blown away my expectations. I was following this brown car at speed of up to 180 km/h! Impressive for a little compact car. BTW the car was a Toyota Vitz also. In the states this is known as a Scion iA or Toyota Yaris. But what they would do is smash on the pedal in the "passing lane" and would tailgate the next car until they moved over then mash it again. So I pretty much just followed this car it was sure was fun and the Yamakyu definitely had the power to keep up with it. Also 180 km/h = 115 MPH.
You will see this in the VLOG but this is a clip of a R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-SPEC I came across on the Shuto Expressway. If you are a Nissan Skyline aficionado you would know that this car that I passed by in it's natural habitat the Tokyo Expressway is a VERY rare Skyline. It is pretty much the highest trim level of the Skyline. Not only is it a mighty GT-R model it's is a V-SPec the next higher level! I think the only thing higher would be like a Nismo or Spec Nur. Also this is a R34 Skyline the final Skyline before the current R35 Skyline and it is the final Skyline to have the mighty RB26DETT engine.
youtu.be/AKnMEZ1D9NA
In my opinion if you wanted to step up your Sport Touring game the Super Tenere is your next level!
So after that its hope back onto the Tomei Expressway and back to Tokyo on the shuto expressway! So I am riding on the expressway and remember I got pulled over for speeding before? Well this time I have a plan to prevent that I will follow the fastest cars on the expressway to blend in with the traffic more. So I follow this brown compact car with a handicap sticker on it. Haha I shit you not this handicap person drove like they owned the expressway. Haha this is the second time I've followed a small car and it has blown away my expectations. I was following this brown car at speed of up to 180 km/h! Impressive for a little compact car. BTW the car was a Toyota Vitz also. In the states this is known as a Scion iA or Toyota Yaris. But what they would do is smash on the pedal in the "passing lane" and would tailgate the next car until they moved over then mash it again. So I pretty much just followed this car it was sure was fun and the Yamakyu definitely had the power to keep up with it. Also 180 km/h = 115 MPH.
You will see this in the VLOG but this is a clip of a R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-SPEC I came across on the Shuto Expressway. If you are a Nissan Skyline aficionado you would know that this car that I passed by in it's natural habitat the Tokyo Expressway is a VERY rare Skyline. It is pretty much the highest trim level of the Skyline. Not only is it a mighty GT-R model it's is a V-SPec the next higher level! I think the only thing higher would be like a Nismo or Spec Nur. Also this is a R34 Skyline the final Skyline before the current R35 Skyline and it is the final Skyline to have the mighty RB26DETT engine.
youtu.be/AKnMEZ1D9NA
Last edited:
HadesOmega
Well-known member
HadesOmega's Lap of Mt. Fuji Episode 37 - Handicap Toyota Vitz Owns Tomei Expressway
In this VLOG I made it to the Tomei Expressway and RTB to Tokyo at Highspeed. To blend in with speeding traffic I opt to follow the fastest cars on the Shuto and guess what car that is a handicap driven Toyota Vitz!
Music:
Wangan Midnight Arcade OST -Enemy Car Appears
Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune 2 - Beyond the Horizon
Wangan Midnight Maxiumum Tune 2 - Get Your Engine Going
youtu.be/xA8AG-iBy5g
In this VLOG I made it to the Tomei Expressway and RTB to Tokyo at Highspeed. To blend in with speeding traffic I opt to follow the fastest cars on the Shuto and guess what car that is a handicap driven Toyota Vitz!
Music:
Wangan Midnight Arcade OST -Enemy Car Appears
Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune 2 - Beyond the Horizon
Wangan Midnight Maxiumum Tune 2 - Get Your Engine Going
youtu.be/xA8AG-iBy5g
HadesOmega
Well-known member
After all the expressway shinanigans I hit some traffic, that's how you know you've hit Tokyo haha. So I was splitting lanes and my camera died so I exited the expressway and I was in a place called Setagaya, kind of on the outskirts of Tokyo. Pull over and swap cameras. So it was not easy to get back on the expressway from here. I got impatient waiting to make a right turn to do a turn around and I crossed a yellow solid line to get back onto the main road and I got PULLED OVER AGAIN! I didn't get it on video I must've forgot to turn the camera on but I pulled over on the super crowded street and the police gave me a good lecturing. I talk about it in the VLOG check it out. But they asked me A LOT of questions. I was very fortunate that one of the officers knew some English. He asked if there is a law not to cross the yellow lines in US and I said yeah. Haha, I didn't tell him that I do it all the time and don't get busted. But yeah it goes back to my experiences that POLICE ARE AROUND EVERY CORNER in Tokyo and it is. This also reminded me of what happened when I was at Shinjuku station last year I got detained by two plain clothes police officers and they did the pretty much the same thing asked me a buncha questions about what I was doing, cept they searched my stuff for weapons.
So after my lecturing it was an adventure trying to get back on the expressway. Also since I was pulled over and got lost I was now super late to return the YamaKyu
HadesOmega's Lap of Mt. Fuji Episode 38 - Busted AGAIN! Lost in the City!
In this VLOG I am approaching Tokyo to return the Yamakyu but around Setagaya I peel off the Shuto Expressway to swap cameras and I got busted by the police again. After that it was an adventure trying to get back onto the Shuto Epxressway.
youtu.be/Tde5ORsT5IY
So after my lecturing it was an adventure trying to get back on the expressway. Also since I was pulled over and got lost I was now super late to return the YamaKyu
HadesOmega's Lap of Mt. Fuji Episode 38 - Busted AGAIN! Lost in the City!
In this VLOG I am approaching Tokyo to return the Yamakyu but around Setagaya I peel off the Shuto Expressway to swap cameras and I got busted by the police again. After that it was an adventure trying to get back onto the Shuto Epxressway.
youtu.be/Tde5ORsT5IY
HadesOmega
Well-known member
Hmm I'm not sure, it's probably a Honda I'm thinking. They look a lot like the imported police bikes here.
HadesOmega
Well-known member
The final ride back to JBR. I split lanes for quite some time. I did pass by this crazy kitted S2000 on the way check that out its in the video. Then I exit near Akasaka, gas the bike up, and return the bike. I guess it was a Sunday or Monday as Jonathan wasn't there. Returned the bike no problems. I actually got a fair amount of my ETC deposit back as well as I didn't really ride the expressway nearly as much as last year. So I unpacked the Yamakyu and bid farewell to my steed the Yamakyu and head out for my rest of my Tokyo adventure.
HadesOmega
Well-known member
HadesOmega's Lap of Mt Fuji Episode 39 - Mission Complete!
This is the final riding VLOG. I made it through the jungle known as Tokyo and return the Yamakyu to JBR. There will be a bonus episode of the rest of the days events! Thanks for coming along with me on my adventure viewing Fujisan!
youtu.be/XBTjyhvSUzQ
This is the final riding VLOG. I made it through the jungle known as Tokyo and return the Yamakyu to JBR. There will be a bonus episode of the rest of the days events! Thanks for coming along with me on my adventure viewing Fujisan!
youtu.be/XBTjyhvSUzQ
HadesOmega
Well-known member
And with that I have completed my LAP OF MT. FUJI. I hope you've enjoyed coming along with me on my adventure. It is a great ride and recommend it to anyone. There is so much do around the Mt. Fuji area. If I was to do it again I would do it a little earlier in the year like late September so there is more daylight and it won't be as cold.
Sorry I took a year to complete this ride report but I really enjoy going back and reminiscing about the trip. I was suppose to go on a Hokkaido but that did not happen this year. I spent way too much money on the TAT so I gave up on the Hokkaido trip this year. I was going to rent a bike from JBR again and take the ferry up to Hokkaido and ride around the island for almost 2 weeks and take the ferry to the top of the mainland and ride south to Tokyo. It would have been really expensive my guess $3000 because of the bike rental and that doesn't include the airfare. More money than I had after the TAT, but I heard that Hokkaido is like one of the best places to go riding IN THE WORLD so it's still on the bucket list. The least I could do is finish this ride report before a year has gone by.
I hope everyone who read my ride report and watched my VLOGs enjoyed them and inspires people to go to Japan and ride. It not as hard as you think. I know a lot about Japanese culture because I studied it in college but I can't speak the language but I was still able to get around. People are super nice to you. I blend in pretty well but if you don't you'll get a different experience.
I always have run ins with the police every trip I've been to Japan but they're different than the police here. They're much nicer and polite than the police here and I understand they are doing their job. The best thing to do is not stick out like a sore thumb is what I can say.
LAP OF MT FUJI COMPLETE!
I will be posting some bonus video on some other things I did for the rest of the day and some videos of some motorcycle related things I did in Tokyo. And of some other things I did.
Sorry I took a year to complete this ride report but I really enjoy going back and reminiscing about the trip. I was suppose to go on a Hokkaido but that did not happen this year. I spent way too much money on the TAT so I gave up on the Hokkaido trip this year. I was going to rent a bike from JBR again and take the ferry up to Hokkaido and ride around the island for almost 2 weeks and take the ferry to the top of the mainland and ride south to Tokyo. It would have been really expensive my guess $3000 because of the bike rental and that doesn't include the airfare. More money than I had after the TAT, but I heard that Hokkaido is like one of the best places to go riding IN THE WORLD so it's still on the bucket list. The least I could do is finish this ride report before a year has gone by.
I hope everyone who read my ride report and watched my VLOGs enjoyed them and inspires people to go to Japan and ride. It not as hard as you think. I know a lot about Japanese culture because I studied it in college but I can't speak the language but I was still able to get around. People are super nice to you. I blend in pretty well but if you don't you'll get a different experience.
I always have run ins with the police every trip I've been to Japan but they're different than the police here. They're much nicer and polite than the police here and I understand they are doing their job. The best thing to do is not stick out like a sore thumb is what I can say.
LAP OF MT FUJI COMPLETE!
I will be posting some bonus video on some other things I did for the rest of the day and some videos of some motorcycle related things I did in Tokyo. And of some other things I did.
HadesOmega
Well-known member
Alright so this is the bonus section! These are some events that happened rest of the day after I returned the bike. Not far from Japan Bike Rentals in Akasaka is a large shrine called Hie that is within walking distance. It's a very interesting shrine because it is surrounded by skyscrapers unlike Meiji Jingu Shrine that is kinda surrounded by trees. This shrine even has an escalator! It is pretty much your typical shrine a fairly large one also. I don't think they expect much tourist because none of the omamori or charms are in english like at the Meiji shrine.
HadesOmega
Well-known member
On the back side is this cool torii tunnel.
Saw this old Kawasaki dual sport not far from the shrine
Saw this old Kawasaki dual sport not far from the shrine