🇯🇵 Touchdown in Japan

After months of anticipation, our departure day for Japan finally arrived. We kicked things off with a ride from Tyler to the Minneapolis airport, followed by a connection through Denver. The long-haul flight from Denver to Tokyo clocked in at about 12½ hours. We both managed to catch a few hours of sleep, which helped take the edge off the jetlag. All in all, it was a smooth, uneventful travel day… until we landed.

At baggage claim, we were greeted not just by our luggage—but by a small act of kindness that left a big impression. Our bicycle boxes had been carefully placed on individual luggage carts, ready for us to roll away. We’ve traveled to quite a few countries with our bikes, but this was a first. That simple gesture felt like a warm welcome to Japan and a preview of the thoughtful hospitality we’d continue to experience.

Then … as we stepped out of customs, scanning the crowd for Justin (Annie’s husband), we were intercepted by a television crew filming for a show called “Why Did You Come to Japan?” They were curious about our journey and eager to hear our story. What followed was a spontaneous 30-minute interview where we shared the purpose behind our trip, our cycling plans, and our connection to Japan. The crew was incredibly enthusiastic, and we had a blast chatting with them. If we make it onto the show, we’ll definitely share the link!

Meanwhile, Justin patiently waited on the sidelines, watching the whole scene unfold. It was great to finally meet him in person, and even better to have him there to help us navigate the next leg of our journey.

From the airport, Justin drove us to Hitachinaka, where Annie and Justin run their English school. The drive took about an hour and a half, and along the way, we passed one of Japan’s most awe-inspiring landmarks—the Ushiku Daibutsu. This towering bronze statue of Amitabha Buddha stands at a staggering 120 meters tall, making it one of the tallest statues in the world. Completed in 1993, it’s not just a marvel of engineering but also a spiritual beacon. Seeing it from the road was surreal—a gentle giant rising above the landscape.

Before settling in, we stopped by a local grocery store to pick up supplies. Justin kindly walked us through the aisles, pointing out essentials and offering tips on what would be easy to prepare during our stay and while on the road. His guidance was invaluable—especially when navigating unfamiliar packaging and ingredients!

We arrived at the English school just as Annie was still wrapping up her final lessons of the day. The walls near the entrance of the school were decorated with a storyboard of our upcoming adventures in Japan. At the completion of our trip, we will be doing a presentation for the English school students, so they are excited to track our progress and follow our adventures.

Justin, Kena (Annie and Justin‘s 13-year-old son), Lisa, and I took a short walk to a nearby Indian restaurant for dinner. After a long day of travel, a warm meal and good company were just what we needed.

We left Houlton, Wisconsin at 5 AM on Tuesday and finally collapsed into our accommodations around 8 PM on Wednesday. That’s roughly 24 hours of travel—not counting the 5-hour drive from Iowa City to Houlton the day before our flight.

🛠️ What’s Next: Recovery & Reunion

Tomorrow will be a slower day. We’ll focus on recovering from jetlag, assembling our bicycles, and maybe taking a short ride to make sure everything’s working properly. We’re also looking forward to reconnecting with Mike and Yoshie—dear friends who supported me during my time living in Yamanashi 25 years ago. They’ve since moved to Hitachinaka to be closer to their grandchildren and to help Annie and Justin with the school. It’ll be wonderful to catch up and reminisce

More stories, sights, and cycling to come 🚴‍♂️🇯🇵もっと詳しく