This is Keita Ariba. I recently took my bike to Kyushu. It was such an incredible experience that I wanted to put together a report on the realities of traveling with a bike by plane, interspersed with some photos from the trip.
Get out there and use "Rinko"
A bicycle is an essential tool for navigating our daily lives. And I also know it’s the ultimate item for escaping that daily grind.
The method we often use to enjoy these extraordinary moments is "Rinko" (transporting a bicycle by public transit). People often think it's a bit of a hassle, but once you realize how convenient and fun it is, you’ll want to take your bike everywhere you go.
I’ve brought my bike to countless places over the years and ridden through them, and the wonderful thing about "Rinko" is that it offers a strange, inexplicable sense of freedom. It brings back that childhood excitement of riding your bike to the next school district, but with the perspective of an adult.
Domestic flight Rinko is surprisingly easy
Rinko involves taking your bike on public transportation. Among these, "plane Rinko" is often considered the most troublesome. I used to have that same prejudice, but it turns out to be surprisingly easy. You can fly away to a distant place in a single hop and fully immerse yourself in the local atmosphere—it’s an extraordinary experience that is truly the best, and I really want everyone to try it.
How To Plane Rinko
You might have questions like: Can you actually put a bike on a plane? How do you do it? Won't my precious bike get damaged? I’d like to briefly share the steps I took for my own flight Rinko.
The airline I used this time was "FDA (Fuji Dream Airlines)."
Nagoya has "Nagoya Airfield" (also known as Komaki Airport), which is conveniently located just 30 minutes from the city center by car or about an hour by bike. Before Centrair opened, this was Aichi’s main airport, but now it serves as the hub for FDA.
FDA lends you a Rinko box for free
FDA allows you to check in sports bicycles (up to 20kg per person total) as free checked baggage, provided they are disassembled or folded to fit within their size regulations.
Furthermore, if you make a reservation through the FDA call center at least 3 days before your flight, they will lend you a dedicated hard-shell Rinko case for free at the departure airport. This is an incredibly great feature.
This dedicated hard case is extremely convenient. The risk of damage is much lower than with a standard Rinko bag, allowing you to fly with peace of mind. Since you can borrow it at the airport for both your departing and returning flights, there's no need to lug around your own bulky Rinko bag. You can find more detailed information here.
The Rinko process looks something like this
Since we were doing a slightly heavy bikepacking trip for 3 nights and 4 days, we had quite a lot of gear.
１：Check in at the airport and receive your Rinko box
First, arrive at the airport, issue your tickets, and pick up your pre-reserved hard-shell Rinko case at the counter.
２：Packing in an open space at the airport
Find a spacious area to pack your bike and gear into the box. You’ll need to bring your own portable tools like hex keys. You also need to let some air out of your tires to prevent them from bursting at high altitudes.
How you put the bike in the box varies by person, but in my case, it fit perfectly just by removing the front and rear wheels.
３：Remove the handlebars for larger bikes
If you have a larger bike or one with long flat bars, it’s easier to pack if you remove the handlebars as well. In fact, Happy, who traveled with me this time, had to remove his. If you're worried about scratches, it might be a good idea to bring your own cushioning material or pack your other gear, like bags, into the gaps.
４：Pack your helmet, bags, and tools inside too
Since the baggage allowance is up to 20kg, if you have extra weight capacity, you can pack things like your helmet or pannier bags inside the gaps. Doing this makes your carry-on luggage much lighter. Also, I strongly recommend keeping your portable tools inside the box. You cannot bring tools like hex wrenches through security as carry-on. If they are confiscated at security, you might end up in a real bind and unable to reassemble your bike at your destination. It’s better to keep batteries and the like in your carry-on. For details on carry-on items, click here.
５：Once the lid is closed, packing is complete
Once you’ve packed it so the lid closes securely, place it on the security checkpoint conveyor belt. If everything is in order, they will handle the rest.
Nagoya Airport is very compact, so you can board your flight as easily as taking a bus—which is amazing. Compared to Chubu Centrair International Airport, navigating this airport is a breeze.
６：Upon arrival, staff will carefully bring the box to the baggage claim area
When you arrive at your destination, airport staff will manually bring out the box for you. The staff members are truly kind. At both Nagoya and Kumamoto airports, after we picked up our boxes at the baggage claim, they even let us assemble our bikes right there. Having plenty of space to work is a huge relief. Attach the wheels, pump up the tires with your portable pump, tighten everything you loosened with your hex key, and once your gear is loaded, you're ready to go.
７：Return the borrowed box for now
Return the borrowed box to the ground staff and, just in case, let them know you’ve also booked a box for your return trip. Now, your journey truly begins.
That was the general flow of flying with a bike. Since you almost never have to walk around with a bike inside a train station, those who are used to standard Rinko might actually find this easier than taking a train. Even for Rinko beginners, it’s not as high a hurdle as you might think once you actually do it.
The process of putting the bike into the box took about 10–15 minutes if everything went smoothly. Even when calculating backwards from your flight departure time, arriving 1 hour early gives you plenty of peace of mind.
If you want to try it but are a little nervous, please feel free to talk to the Circles staff. We’ll give you a proper rundown.
My recommendation for play
Having used the service, I strongly feel that the combination of Nagoya’s central location, the high convenience of the airport being close to the city, and FDA using it as a hub with their bicycle transport service, creates the perfect environment for anyone who loves traveling by bike.
The destinations FDA flies to from Nagoya are also plentiful: "Aomori," "Hanamaki," "Yamagata," "Niigata," "Izumo," "Kochi," "Fukuoka," and "Kumamoto." They focus more on regional cities than major metropolitan hubs, which I think is perfect for bike touring.
Over this past year, moving around has become extremely difficult in our daily lives, and traveling abroad has become a very high hurdle. Even for domestic travel, there are times when we’ve had to give up depending on the situation. Even so, we’ve learned to adapt to this "new normal," and taking measures against infectious diseases has become a part of daily life.
I saw many instances during this trip where airlines and airports are implementing even more thorough safety measures. I am truly impressed by the meticulous efforts of the staff, which go above and beyond what they’ve done before. By thinking about our own safety and the safety of those around us, and by strictly following the rules, I think we can minimize risks as much as possible.
And I feel that the act of riding our bikes, immersing ourselves in nature, and taking trips to truly feel the local culture is also a necessary part of finding a way to overcome these difficult times.
I highly recommend the vast potential that comes with plane Rinko.
Be sure to check out the FDA Rinko reports for Aomori and Iwate by Monja from SimWorks, too.
For detailed information on FDA, please visit the official FDA website.
★Click here for articles on FDA plane Rinko
Visiting the Hilly Town in Search of the Scenery I Want to See and People I Want to Meet - To Biei via FDA Plane Rinko
https://circles-jp.com/event/116678/
Captivated by Spectacular Views – To Aso and Unzen via FDA Plane Rinko
https://circles-jp.com/event/112248/
Shikoku Karst Above the Clouds – To Kochi via FDA Plane Rinko
https://circles-jp.com/event/112274/
How to Get to a Landlocked Island Super Easily – To Izumo via FDA Plane Rinko
https://circles-jp.com/event/113699/
PFM Pottery Hunting Journey – To Izumo via FDA Plane Rinko
https://pfm.nagoya/blog/izumo_miyuki
A Story About Touching the Island and Returning – To Sado Island via FDA Plane Rinko
https://circles-jp.com/event/115105/
Beautiful Beaches and Dark Tourism - To the Goto Islands via FDA Plane Rinko
https://circles-jp.com/event/116756/
BIKE to Yamamichi Matsuri and Shimanami Kaido – To Kochi via FDA Plane Rinko
https://circles-jp.com/event/134546/
FDA (Fuji Dream Airlines)
https://www.fujidream.co.jp/