Perhaps I have become a seasoned traveler, for better or for worse. The sense of pressure I used to feel—"Right! I'm going on a trip! I'm going to see, eat, and experience everything!"—has faded significantly. It feels like traveling and riding have become an extension of my daily life, rather than something special.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also had an impact. Nagasaki Prefecture, my destination this time, was not under a state of emergency, but most tourist spots were closed, and restaurants were voluntarily refraining from operating. On top of that, the weather forecast was poor, with rain predicted for most of my trip.
I asked myself if I could even enjoy a trip under these conditions. As a result, I felt liberated from the framework of "this is how a trip must be enjoyed" or "I must follow the itinerary exactly." I set off with the mindset of keeping social interaction to a minimum, riding silently on my own, not pushing myself in the rain, and being ready to turn back if things didn't work out.
Where are the Goto Islands?
Nagasaki Prefecture consists of many islands. The cluster of islands located about 100km offshore from Nagasaki Port is known as the Goto Islands. They are in the East China Sea, just like the Nansei Islands including Okinawa, and despite being famous for beautiful beaches and gourmet food like Goto udon, Goto beef, and seafood, they are not overly commercialized, offering expansive, rustic rural scenery.
When I visited Gunkanjima (Hashima Island) in the past, I found Nagasaki to be a city with a very open and elegant atmosphere. This is influenced by its historical background as the only city in Japan that remained open to the outside world since the Edo period. Furthermore, the land where trade with the cutting-edge European powers of the time flourished is also linked to the tragic history surrounding Christianity.
In history class, I only learned a little about the fumie (sacred images to be trampled on) and the Shimabara Rebellion, but naturally, there was horrific persecution that led to many martyrs—the kind of stories you couldn't even tell children—and intense, repeated persecution aimed at breaking people's faith. As a result, the hidden faith that continued for generations grew distant from the original teachings of Christianity. Today, these sites are collectively recognized as a World Heritage site, "Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region." The Goto Islands are also a place where many "Hidden Christians" (Kakure Kirishitan) lived after fleeing persecution.
The vivid contrast between the beautiful beach resort and the so-called "dark tourism" made a strong impression on me, and I had always wanted to visit the Goto Islands.
Flying with FDA and Taking the Overnight Ferry
Since I moved to the Kita Ward of Nagoya, Nagoya Airport, where FDA operates, has become even closer. It takes about 20 minutes to get there from my house by bike, and another 30 minutes to pack the bike into the free loaner bike box. This really makes traveling more accessible.
The fare for the Nagoya-Fukuoka FDA flight varies depending on the booking period, but it's usually around 11,000 to 17,000 yen one way. It’s cheaper than the Shinkansen and takes about half the time.
There are several ways to get to the Goto Islands, but considering I wanted to bring my bicycle, a large ferry is the only option. On the way there, I took an overnight ferry from Hakata Port. It departs after 11 PM and arrives at Fukue Island in about 8 hours, stopping at various Goto islands along the way. The fare, including the bicycle fee, was 6,290 yen. An overnight ferry is highly recommended as it saves both accommodation costs and time.
In Hakata, both the airport and the port are close to the downtown area, and you can reach both in about 15 minutes by bike. Since you can transfer to ferries headed to Iki, Tsushima, and Busan in South Korea, in addition to the Goto Islands, it seems there are more possibilities for air-and-sea bicycle travel connecting through Hakata.
Let's ride on Fukue Island in the Goto Archipelago
Fukue Island is the largest and main island of the Goto archipelago. A full loop by bike is about 150km, and you can also take shortcuts through the interior. All over the island, there are white sandy beaches, campsites, and hot springs, each with its own unique character.
This is also quite different from my usual travel methods, but I had planned to hire a tour guide for the first time. It ended up being canceled due to the rain, but Will (@will.l17123), an American who speaks fluent Japanese, works as a bicycle guide in Goto, so I would like to try using his services next time.
I navigated between the rain to ride around the island and hike a volcano called Onidake. I was particularly struck by the coastal road in the northwestern part of the island, known as the "End Road." At its tip stands a stone monument inscribed with "Jihongai" (辞本涯), meaning "to leave the furthest boundary of Japan," which was left behind by the monk Kukai when he sailed to China on a Japanese envoy's ship. Looking out at the sea from there, there is no more Japanese territory, and a strong feeling of having reached the furthest edge of the country remained with me.
Also, along the coastal road leading to that spot, there are lines of Christian graves, which made me think of the thirst of the priests in Shusaku Endo's novel Silence, which is based on the history of the persecution of Hidden Christians.
If it rains, pull out the laptop
This ride had rain forecasted throughout due to an approaching typhoon and a stationary front. As the radar showed areas of heavy rain approaching one after another, I cut my planned camping to just one night, stayed at an inn, and spent the rainy hours working in the lobby's co-working space.
This Serendip Hotel near Fukue Port is the only co-working space on the island. Other people, likely there for telework, workations, or those who have relocated, were also opening up their PCs, and high school students were studying. If it weren't for COVID, I would have loved to strike up a conversation.
The food I had was delicious. I was particularly impressed by the dishes at Ikesu Kappo Shinsei.
Road bike bikepacking
Personally, bikepacking on a road bike has become popular lately. With SimWorks' Volummy 28c tires, which have high puncture resistance, I can ride on a bit of gravel as is, and if I outsource my meals, I don't need panniers or racks. I feel that a road bike is still better than a CX or MTB for long-distance travel.
Here is the equipment I used for my camping trip around the island.
Camping gear
- Outdoor Research Helium Bivy 510g
- Yamatomichi Minimalist Pad 41g
- mont-bell Silk Sheet 190g
- CARRY THE SUN solar light 86g
Apparel
- monokusa racing tank top
- Yamatomichi 5-Pocket shorts
- Yamatomichi UL Rain Hoody
- Welldone mesh jet cap
- A change of shorts and a tank top
Bags
- Porcelain Rocket custom frame bag
- Porcelain Rocket Mr.Fusion Mini (saddle bag)
- Porcelain Rocket Nigel (front bag)
- HUNTER CYCLES Shred Packs (waist bag)
- SimWorks Art Collective T.A.F.U. bottle
Other items
- Battery and cable 218g
- Puncture repair kit 257g
- SILCA pump 150g
- Emergency kit 137g
- Camera 1577g
- Camera waterproof cover 93g
- iPhone 281g
- MINIMALIGHT wallet 102g
In the end, I was shaken awake by thunder while camping and had to flee from the rain to a ferry terminal that wasn't open yet.
It is good to forget the trivialities of the world and immerse yourself in a trip. But when that is difficult, skillfully moving between the ordinary and the extraordinary is certainly another form of travel. Daily life continues even under strict COVID-19 precautions. Once things settle down, I want to return and enjoy the beautiful beaches.
Mon-jya
https://www.instagram.com/mon_jya/
★Click here for everyone's airplane bike travelogues
Visiting the Hilly Town of the Scenery I Wanted to See and the People I Wanted to Meet - To Biei via FDA Airplane Bike Travel
https://circles-jp.com/event/116678/
Captivated by the Magnificent Views – To Aso and Unzen via FDA Airplane Bike Travel
https://circles-jp.com/event/112248/
Shikoku Karst Above the Clouds – To Kochi via FDA Airplane Bike Travel
https://circles-jp.com/event/112274/
How to Get to an Island Isolated by Land Super Easily – To Izumo via FDA Airplane Bike Travel
https://circles-jp.com/event/113699/
PFM Pottery Hunting Journey – To Izumo via FDA Airplane Bike Travel
https://pfm.nagoya/blog/izumo_miyuki
The Story of Touching the Island and Returning – To Sado Island via FDA Airplane Bike Travel
https://circles-jp.com/event/115105/
Beautiful Beaches and Dark Tourism - To the Goto Islands via FDA Airplane Bike Travel
https://circles-jp.com/event/116756/
BIKE to Yamamichi Festival and Shimanami Kaido – To Kochi via FDA Airplane Bike Travel
https://circles-jp.com/event/134546/
★★★Recommendations for FDA Airplane Bike Travel
https://circles-jp.com/products-review/110981/
