September 1, 2016, thanks to the G20 Summit, Hangzhou residents were fortunate to have an extra 6 days of holiday. My three friends and I couldn’t wait to start planning our first cross-border cycling trip three months before the holiday.
Many of you might ask, why go through the trouble of bringing your bike abroad? Why not just rent one when you get there? This is because most road bikes have different sizes to fit different heights, and you can adjust the bike to the most comfortable position through constant fine-tuning during the ride, so as to achieve maximum output power. Secondly, for a mountain like Mount Fuji, which is classified as HC (the highest level defined by the Tour de France), you can only fully enjoy the ride and ensure your safety with your own bike.
We brought a total of four bikes on this trip, including three road bikes and one folding bike. Packing these four bikes was a huge undertaking. We specifically rented road bike-specific packing boxes from the bike shop. These boxes weighed 14kg each and were oversized and overweight. We had to use the oversized baggage channel at the airport and pay extra fees. After testing, the folded folding bike fit perfectly in a 30-inch suitcase. We departed from Shanghai Pudong Airport and tried to check in through the normal luggage channel, surprisingly, it went through smoothly. It seems that domestic airlines are not strict in this regard.
However, on our return journey at Shizuoka Airport, the lovely airport lady with a tape measure mercilessly charged us 15,600 yen for oversized baggage fees because of the width and length of the box.
The total weight after packing was around 22kg, including cycling shoes, water bottles, repair tools, etc.
We highly recommend using hard plastic packing boxes to prevent your bike from getting damaged due to rough handling during transportation.
Public transportation in Japan is very developed, but the high cost puts many people off. Since we had to carry bulky packing boxes, renting a car and driving ourselves became our only option.
Japan drives on the right-hand side of the road. Japanese car rental companies only accept IDP international driving licenses and Japanese domestic driving licenses. Since China is not a member of the international driving license organization, Chinese people cannot apply for international driving licenses in mainland China, making it impossible for many travelers to drive in Japan.
Here are two solutions I can offer you:
1. Make friends with someone who has a Hong Kong driving license and ask them to be your driver; hehe, attentive readers might have noticed that I mentioned mainland China cannot apply for international driving licenses, but people with Hong Kong driving licenses can apply for international driving licenses locally in Hong Kong. Of course, this method might require a lot of luck.
2. Taobao; I have to praise the almighty Taobao. You can apply for an international driving license through an intermediary on Taobao. The principle is similar to Hong Kong, you can apply for an international driving license in a country with more relaxed policies (such as the Philippines). The price is around a few thousand yuan, and the processing time is relatively long. If you want to drive by this method, you must plan early.
In terms of vehicle selection, I and my friends chose Toyota Rent a Car service, with a NOHA 7-seater model. The website has a Chinese version, so it’s very convenient. We rented the car for 6 days, the total rental cost was around 75,000 yen, including 1,080 yen per day for full insurance, which works out to around 1,200 yuan per person after splitting four ways. Compared to the high transportation costs in Japan, renting a car is relatively cheaper. In addition, the international driving license is valid for one year, so drivers should pay attention to its validity period.
Due to the strict and complicated security procedures in Hangzhou during the G20, we set off at 4:30 AM, just as dawn broke. We rented a GL8 in Hangzhou, drove it to Shanghai Pudong Airport, and returned the car there, paying an out-of-state return fee that was almost as expensive as the rental fee.
Our destination was Shizuoka Airport, the closest airport to Mount Fuji. The airport is small, and after collecting our luggage and clearing customs, we could see the Toyota Rent a Car counter. The staff spoke good English and were very enthusiastic in helping us with the rental procedures. They patiently explained the things to pay attention to when driving in Japan.
The car had a lot of space, and after folding down the last row of seats, it was just enough to fit four bikes. Perfect use of space.
Not long after setting off, the majestic Mount Fuji appeared before us, shrouded in mist.
Accommodation
Considering the hassle of assembling and disassembling the bikes, we booked four nights in Hakone for our trip. Hakone is located southeast of Mount Fuji, near Shizuoka, Tokyo, and Izu, with relatively convenient transportation. The last day was spent in Shizuoka City to catch our flight the next day.
We booked a hot spring hotel in Hakone two months in advance through Booking.com. After cycling Mount Fuji, we could relax in the hotel and enjoy the warmth of the hot springs. The hotel is not large, with a traditional tatami layout and a cozy atmosphere.
Dinner was simple, we bought some bento boxes from a nearby convenience store. Japan is full of convenience stores, with a wide variety of items.
After dinner, we had an important task – packing the bikes. With the hotel staff’s permission and trying not to disturb other guests, we started packing the bikes in the hotel lounge. Guests kept coming up to us, curious and inquiring. When they learned that we had come all the way from China to cycle up Mount Fuji, they were all full of admiration.
Group photo of the bikes in front of the hotel.
The Peak of Mount Fuji
The next morning, we woke up groggy and headed to the restaurant for breakfast. We enjoyed a delicate Japanese breakfast. Upon entering the restaurant, the manager had already set out our pre-ordered breakfast. The food was fresh and varied, and the amount was just right, though not a lot, it was very filling.
We were ready to set off, the NOHA’s back seat was quite spacious, and we could still fit the wheels after arranging the bikes in a staggered fashion.
We followed National Route 138 all the way to Lake Kawaguchi, at the foot of Mount Fuji. We packed the bikes in the free parking lot, bought some sports drinks and snacks from a convenience store, and prepared for the long climb.
There was a toll booth at the entrance of Mount Fuji, bikes were no exception. The elderly toll collector took a piece of paper, smiled, and wrote 200 on it. 200 yen per bike.
There are a total of five stations on the paved road of Mount Fuji. After riding for a while, we reached the first station at an elevation of 1,291 meters. My impression of the five stations on Mount Fuji is that the roads are very smooth, but the space on both sides is narrow, and there are no dedicated bike lanes. Cars pass by very close, it’s a bit dangerous, so you must be careful.
When we reached the second station, the weather started to change. The fog grew thicker, the temperature dropped, and the visibility decreased.
We kept meeting Japanese cyclists along the way, they were very enthusiastic and greeted us warmly.
By the time we reached the third station, it started to drizzle, so we had to stop and put on our fleece cycling jackets.
The damp and cold weather was a real test of endurance. We ate our snacks while struggling to cycle, we were too tired to even take pictures.
After three hours of long struggle, we finally reached the fifth station. Tourists from all over the world gathered here, making the fifth station look more like a souvenir shopping street.
However, at this point, I just wanted to lie down on the ground, I had no energy to think.
Reaching the finish line, “conquering” Mount Fuji.
The Mount Fuji Cycling Squad of four, group photo at the summit.
We rested at the summit for a full hour before we regained our senses.
The weather was even worse on the way down, it even started raining heavily. We had to slow down and be extra careful.
I have to commend the Japanese drivers for their driving etiquette. No car honked at us. They all chose to brake and slow down, using the sound of their brakes to tell cyclists to move to the side.
In the late afternoon, we safely arrived back at the parking lot at the foot of the mountain. We went back to the hotel, had a hearty meal, took a hot bath, and had a good night’s sleep.
The total distance of the one-way trip was 28.83km, with a total elevation gain of 1,400 meters, according to Strava data.
This is an article that’s two years late. Recently, I was going through my phone photos and gradually recalled this unforgettable cycling trip, so I wrote this travel guide to record this unique trip and share some practical experience with those who are planning to go on a cross-border cycling adventure.
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