On The Road Episode 1: Japan

Photos and video by Boru McCullagh and Finley Newmark

Last year, Boru McCullagh started bikepacking around the world to experience new places and continue his battle with a major depressive disorder. Part one in the series documented the first leg of his journey between the UK and Turkey and took a top spot in our 2023 Bikepacking Awards. “On The Road” is a new series by Boru and Finley Newmark of All Roads Considered that takes a closer look at his experiences that weren’t covered in the original videos. Watch the fist episode below, followed by a reflection from Boru from his time trying to stay warm in Japan.

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Words by Boru McCullagh

Arriving in Hokkaido, Japan’s northern frontier, was a huge shock to my system. Their first snowfall of the year had just settled the week before, daytime temperatures were warm if they creeped above freezing, and I was fresh out of over a year in the tropics. Carrying my bike box gingerly to a Sapporo hostel in worn flat sandals with no socks, over the centimetres of ice that caked the pavement, made me question if I’d made the right decision to go there.

I was eager to get going. I’d been carrying my cold weather gear since I left Europe in October 2022. I’d lugged it across Turkey, India, Southeast Asia, the Philippines, and Taiwan, so I stubbornly wanted to make use of it again, but a couple of days of riding and sleeping in sub-zero temperatures made it apparent extremely quickly that I needed some extra layers if I was to face an environment famous for its mountains, volcanoes, hot springs, and snow. The latter was going to stick with me, pushing south at a similar rate to my riding.

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The weather dictated my route through the island. I’d originally wanted to hit the famous forestry roads of the national parks (which were subsequently closed off) and continue to Cape Soya, Japan’s northernmost point. In the end, I could only stick to main and prefectural roads, reaching Asahikawa before changing plans.

Where the environment pushes you in one direction there, the people usher you in a warmer one. I was helped hugely by Ryudo, who bikepacked for eight months around Japan, with a warm bed and food for a couple of days. I was shown the ideal camping spots by yakitori chefs who had gone on similar cycling journeys when they’d finished college over 20 years ago and helped by an elderly man in his 60-70s who seemingly appeared out of nowhere to carry my bike box for a few kilometres to the train station. Hokkaido has a mystical feeling around it; what you need appears exactly when you need it.

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Stay tuned for more stories from Boru’s around the world trip, as we’ll be sharing each episode as they go live…

Further Reading

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