To be a motorcycle heaven, the roads must be good. In this respect, Japan’s roads do not disappoint. Innfact, they can be magnificent! In general, the Japanese take their transportation and logistics seriously. The roads are a vital element of the domestic economy, and must function well. Therefore, if a road carries very much traffic at all, you can be sure that it is in good condition.
As for form, Japan’s geography is made up of a long, thin chain of mountainous islands stretching from a cold climate in the north, to a tropical climate in the south. It is a volcanic, situated within the Pacific Ring of Fire and sitting on a series of tectonic plates that are slowly crashing together and pushing the fault lines up into a series of snowcapped mountains, spotted with volcanos, valleys, fertile delta, magnificent sea views, and hot springs. This wild combination produces abundant amazing roads, fantastic views, and a hot spring to soothe your soul at the end of any well-planned ride.
I generally take two long bike trips a year; one in the summer and one at the beginning of spring. In the summer, I tend to head north into the mountains, where it is cooler. In the spring, I tend to head south along the coast where it is sunnier and slightly warmer. Either way, I first need to escape Kanto – the greater Tokyo area. I live south of Tokyo. So, to go north in the summer, the quickest way is to go straight up through the guts. On a map, this makes great sense, and if you do it late at night, it can be a pretty enjoyable start to a long trip. Just don’t do it during the day because if you get caught in traffic or take a wrong turn, it can get unbearably hot! Picture getting stuck in the middle of traffic in the biggest city in the world with the sun beating down on you, the bitumen radiating heat like an oven, your bike engine adding to that, the surrounding cars with their air-conditioners on full adding to that, and all because Google sent you off in the wrong direction because it got confused by all the different levels of roads. Unfortunately, I’ve been in there before, but I am very unlikely to ever put myself back in that position again. Fortunately, I have a few options to escape the Kanto region.
Japan has everything from a vast expressway system all the way down to logging access roads, and everything in between. The four main types of roads are: National Expressways, National Highways, Prefectural Roads, and Municipal Roads. Let me explain the differences, and I also want to mention the amazing skylines and wonderful ferry system.
The Expressways
Firstly, the most important network of roads is the national expressway system. These are your escape routes. They’ll get you where you want to go fast, safe, and with a minimum of fuss. The expressway network covers and links all the main islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. You’ll need to pay some tolls to use them, but in my opinion, the tolls more than make up for the time, and the wear and tear they’ll save both you and your bike. Just find your nearest expressway ramp, merge with the traffic, and soon the crowds will be disappearing in your rear-view mirror. Then, once you get to your destination, you can exit the expressway and access an ever intricate network of national and local roads. This is the way I approach long trips. I don’t want to be tired or frustrated by the time I get to where I really want to be going. So, I’ll jump on an expressway and get off closer to where I want to be.
It’s easiest to use the expressways with an ETC card, a card that is linked to a credit card so that passing through the gates is automatic. However, most entrances and exits also have the ability to accept cash.
National Highways
The national highway system was built to interconnect all the major cities, towns, and regions across the country. It can range from wide, multi-lane urban roads to rural single-lane routes, and is distinct from the expressways because there are no tolls on national highways. You can recognise these roads by their blue shield-shaped signs with the route number on them.
Image: National highway sign with a number and the prefix “National Route” (国道).
Local roads
The local road system is made up of prefectural roads, municipal roads, and other smaller routes that connect towns, neighborhoods, tourist destinations, and rural areas. Prefectural roads are managed by each prefectural government and link major cities and other important regional points within the prefecture. Municipal roads are maintained by city, town, or village governments and primarily serve local traffic. These roads are typically narrower than national highways, often with lower speed limits, and are designed to balance vehicle traffic with pedestrians and cyclists. The local road networks ensure access to everyday destinations for the locals, and support the fine-grained interconnected transportation needs of all communities across Japan.
Skylines
Now, when it comes to Japan’s roads, the skylines are the best! These roads are your destination rides are just like Disneyland for gorwn-ups! Skylines are private toll roads built mostly on high elevations, and they seem to serve no other purpose than for you to enjoy riding on – and they fulfil that purpose very well! They’re scattered throughout Japan, are free of traffic lights, have amazing views, and tend to follow the natural landscape very nicely. These are where you go just to enjoy riding. Mark them on your map because they are the height of enjoyment for pure riding in Japan.
A great example of a skyline is the Izu Skyline. It’s about 40 kms long and snakes it’s way down along the mountaintops from the Hakone region south into the Izu Peninsula. It’s a beautiful road with a nice combination of straights and curves, little urban development, and some magnificent views of Mount Fuji along the way. It flows very well. In fact, it flows so well, I have ridden it to the end, and then immediately turned around and did it again because it is just so enjoyable to ride.
The Ferries
A final mode of transport I really need to mention is the ferry system. I love the ferry system! All the main islands, and most of the smaller ones, are connected by ferries. There are also some long-haul routes connecting Kyushu to Tokyo, or Niigata to Hokkaido, for example. These long-haul routes are a great way to get a bit of a rest on a long trip and save both you and your bike a little more wear and tear. You might be imagining dirty old boats spouting diesel smoke and chugging cars and trucks up and down the coast of Japan, but actually, the standard of comfort in Japanese ferries is outstanding – in fact, they’re like a poor man’s cruise ship! The bigger ferries on the longer routes offer private rooms on the high end, shared tatami spaces on the low end, and the best ferries have nice restaurants serving decent food, coffee shops, convenience stores, cinemas, karaoke, and even on board onsen. It’s a great feeling to ride your bike onto a ferry at one end, then ride off again the next day, miles from where you started, refreshed, and ready to tackle some more riding.
The ferries and expressways are your escape routes out of the cities and urban sprawls. Jump onto one of these and arrive fresh at your destination where the real riding is going to begin. The transportation network is phenomenal in Japan.
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