Riding a Hayabusa

twowheeler

two wheels are best
Not a Suzuki hyperbike, but one of these –

https://flic.kr/p/pxdqEF


All Shinkansen (aka Bullet Trains) have names; ours was a Hayabusa -

https://flic.kr/p/qcyjxg


In Japan with my son, courtesy of ½ price Jetstar flights, we caught the trains the 1200km north from Tokyo to Hokkaido & skiing. It’s an 11 hour door-to-door trip, versus 8 hours flying (when combined with soul-destroying airport shuttles, queues, security, etc) and gives a proper Japanese experience.

I’d done this before so had a vague idea of what I was doing. New experience for Ewen though.

Before the trains, we spent some days seeing Tokyo. Obligatory bike pics for this bike forum !

A postie had just stepped off this bike –

https://flic.kr/p/qcnK9U


Most commuter bikes are as derelict as this one –

https://flic.kr/p/qrE82o


But this bruiser was parked right next door. The nitrous oxide bottle & electronic wiring-trickery must be useful in Tokyo’s blanket 50kph limits :looney: -

https://flic.kr/p/qcuxXH


Beautiful gardens –

https://flic.kr/p/qcpDkY

https://flic.kr/p/qtNddT


Big moat walls -

https://flic.kr/p/qrF6R5


Big fish –

https://flic.kr/p/qcnVmC

https://flic.kr/p/pxbzHz


Big temples with golden doors –

https://flic.kr/p/qcokVN


and golden gutters –

https://flic.kr/p/pwXZ2L


Big queues (this one stretched 3km to the Emperor’s palace, as it turned out to be his birthday. When we realised this, we cut out :eek: ) –

https://flic.kr/p/qugpWt


Big sinister buildings –

https://flic.kr/p/qsanNu


Big electronics shops –

https://flic.kr/p/qsaanC


and hot coffee in cans, which is not as bad as it sounds -

https://flic.kr/p/pxcG3r


More to come .....
 
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twowheeler

two wheels are best
Train nerd pics. The initial red Hayabusa pictured earlier took us to Morioka, then the train split in half & a green Hayabusa took over until Aomori –

https://flic.kr/p/qcpDwN


Changed trains at Aomori onto a Super Hakucho, which took us under the sea from Honshu to Hokkaido –

https://flic.kr/p/qtNnST


Lunch -

https://flic.kr/p/pxdjep


Changed trains again at Hakodate, onto a Super Hokuto -

https://flic.kr/p/qcpPQo


This train passes Mt Komagatake on its way to Sapporo -

https://flic.kr/p/pxdvsM


but we got off at Oshamambe, which has a snow-covered beach –

https://flic.kr/p/qcsWXo


The last train, a single rail car -

https://flic.kr/p/qctBDd


runs very slowly through fabulous mountain & rural scenery, pausing at one-horse towns to let on & off school kids and old bent women with shopping –

https://flic.kr/p/qrKvt7

https://flic.kr/p/pxgLXD

https://flic.kr/p/qrKuQy

https://flic.kr/p/qtRMKB


We finished at Kutchan, which has resident ‘welcome bells’ –

https://flic.kr/p/qd4p2D


and a kick-arse snowplow –

https://flic.kr/p/qcYZdC


We spent most of the rest of our time under the shadow of Mt Yotei-san –

https://flic.kr/p/qd5TAc

doing this ! -

https://flic.kr/p/qumAS6


staying here -

https://flic.kr/p/qctdzA


eating curry –

https://flic.kr/p/qumH3H


and not riding 2-wheels –

https://flic.kr/p/qd5Nja


Merry Christmas for yesterday & Happy New Year.

https://flic.kr/p/qumdLH
 

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
:glu:glu:clap::clap::glu:glu:





SENSATIONAL!



THREAD OF THE YEAR!!



Love it, love it!!!....every word and every pic.
Please, please pick another location, another form of transport, another powder-bowl at the end...and keep traveling and posting this stuff!!
Awesome :lao

Ohh....and run another quick "plait" for me underneath that Doppelmayr, willya? :chug::chug:
 

dougman1

Part of the furniture
Train nerd pics. The initial red Hayabusa pictured earlier took us to Morioka, then the train split in half & a green Hayabusa took over until Aomori –

https://flic.kr/p/qcpDwN

Wholy smokes, the V-Strom of the train world. Sleek, fast, looks the part. I wonder if the driver was a shortish bald chap...?
I'm jealous as of your journey there.!
Well done !:lao
 

twowheeler

two wheels are best
Glad she liked them. My daughter, who was also there that year but had travelled separately to meet us on Hokkaido with her boyfriend, went back this year for 2 months and had a terrific time. It's simultaneously exotic and safe.
 
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