u/ComplaintOk5637

Hi,

We’re planning a cycling trip in Japan and would appreciate some feedback on our planned route.

Some context:

• We’ll have around 10–11 days in total, so time is limited
• Tokyo is planned separately, and we’d like to start cycling from Tokyo on May 18 or 19. This route does not include time for Tokyo sightseeing
• We’d like to combine cycling with visiting major cities and landmarks along the way
• We’ll ride our own gravel bikes
• Typical daily distances around 70–100 km, with shorter days in mountainous areas, which we fully expect

Logistics-wise, we’re thinking about sending our bikes back via a courier service (e.g. JAL ABC) after finishing the ride, ideally from Nara to Narita Airport (Tokyo).
We ourselves would then travel back to Tokyo by train.

I’m mainly looking for feedback on:

• road quality and traffic
• just outside the city of Otsuki, there is an approximately three-kilometer-long road tunnel that has no sidewalk. Is it possible / safe to ride through such a tunnel?
• elevation and overall difficulty
• bike-friendly areas or roads worth avoiding
• whether the route is realistic within the time limit (we could add a few days)

One practical question as well:
Is it worth bringing a tent, or is it easier/better to rely on accommodation along the way (ryokans, guesthouses, hotels, etc.)?

Here’s the route: https://mapy.com/s/kudobacelu

Any tips or suggestions would be very welcome.
Thanks!!