Today’s plan was a bit of cycling from Kyoto to Nara. However to get to the start we had to catch a Shinkansen from Tokyo… all sounds relatively easy so far. But to meet at the starting point we were at Tokyo Train Station by 6am. The only way to do this with luggage involved cycling from our hotel in Suidobashi at 5:30, it’s a short 20 minute ride which was familiar to us.

It’s always a relief to get to the platform with bags and waiting time. Kym went to the bento shop for breakfast and I minded the bags.

Once on board, with bikes and luggage stored behind us (yeah for booking the storage space – as you can’t guarantee there will be somewhere for large luggage), we enjoyed our breakfast bento in the time it took the train to get from Tokyo to Yokohama where our friend joined us with his bike.

A few hours later we were in Kyoto meeting new friends and unfolding the bikes to cycle the Keinawa Cycling road, which is well signed and marked with a blue line once you’ve reached it.

.. end part 1.