Kicking Miles Japan 2017
1,800 kilometres across Japan by kick-scooter
The Journey
In March 2017, three friends and I kick-scootered 1,800 kilometres from Fukuoka to Hakodate. Forty days, 35 cities, averaging about 45 kilometres daily. The plan seemed reasonable on paper. Reality proved more interesting.
I thought I understood what 1,800 kilometres meant. I was wrong. By day 10, my legs had different ideas about sustainable daily progress. By day 30, I had learned something about breaking impossible-seeming goals into manageable pieces.
Documentation
We documented the journey on Instagram and Facebook.
Interactive Route Map
Our complete route from Fukuoka to Hakodate, documented with waypoints and major stops:
Interactive map showing our complete 1,800km journey with waypoints and daily stops
Route & Planning
We started in Fukuoka, aimed for Hakodate, and mapped a route through Japan's spine. Four segments: Kyushu to Osaka, Osaka to Tokyo, Tokyo to Sendai, then north to Hokkaido.
The Route:
- Fukuoka to Osaka - Western coast, learning our rhythm
- Osaka to Tokyo - Through Kyoto, Mount Fuji, urban Japan
- Tokyo to Sendai - Northeast, different terrain
- Sendai to Hakodate - Final push, ferry to Hokkaido
Forty-five kilometres per day sounded manageable. Some days we managed 50, others barely 35. Rest days were not optional suggestions—they became essential mathematics.
Major Cities & Stops
Over 40 days, we passed through 35 cities, each offering unique experiences and challenges:
Southern Route (Kyushu & Western Honshu):
- Fukuoka (Start)
- Kitakyushu
- Shimonoseki
- Hiroshima
- Okayama
- Osaka
Northern Route (Eastern Honshu & Hokkaido):
- Kyoto
- Tokyo
- Sendai
- Morioka
- Aomori
- Hakodate (Finish)
Daily Rhythm
By day 5, we had found our pattern. Early morning planning over convenience store coffee, 20-something kilometres before lunch, another 20-something after. Find somewhere to sleep, document the day, plan tomorrow.
What Each Day Actually Looked Like:
- 6:30am: Coffee, route checking, weather complaints
- 8:00am: First 20km, usually optimistic about distance
- 12:00pm: Lunch break, equipment reality checks
- 3:00pm: Second 20km, increasingly realistic about distance
- 6:00pm: Find accommodation, document everything
March 25th—day 25—I remember eating sukiyaki the night before we reached Tokyo. Nervous energy about the big city, half of us feeling like we had butterflies, the other half overfull from that hearty meal. Restless before what felt like the main event.
What I Learned
Forty-five kilometres daily turned out to be sustainable. Eighty would have broken us. This taught me something about the difference between intensity and consistency that I still apply to other projects.
Notes to Self:
- Sustainable beats heroic: Daily progress compounds; sprints lead to burnout
- Plans are starting points: Flexibility saved us more than rigid schedules
- Team coordination: Four people, different strengths, shared direction
- Slow reveals more: Smaller cities showed us Japan beyond the guidebooks
- Know your limits: When to push harder, when to rest, when to adjust
I still use this approach for long-term projects—break them into daily progress rather than attempting heroic weekend pushes. Forty days of manageable effort beats four days of unsustainable intensity.
Daily Breakdown
A 40-day journey from Fukuoka to Hakodate, March 1 - April 9, 2017.
March: Southern Route
April: Northern Route
Cherry blossom season, cooler northern weather
Daily Entries
Selected moments from the journey, reconstructed from Instagram posts and memory.
March 25 - First Random Friend
Day -1The day before we start, we meet our first random friend. The first of many we will encounter along this journey. Sharing sukiyaki together, strangers becoming friends over hot pot. As the hours tick by and we are supposed to be sleeping, some of us are restless with nervous energy.
Half feels like butterflies in our stomachs from excitement about what is about to happen. The other half, that hearty sukiyaki meal sitting heavy. Excited, yes, but also quietly worried if we will actually be able to do this.
Tomorrow we start. The scooters are ready, the route is planned, the equipment checked. But tonight, unexpected friendships and the weight of 1,800 kilometres ahead.
March 26 - Day One
70kmFukuoka to Kitakyushu. Seventy kilometres. Expected rain, eight hours estimated, extremely nervous. We managed it in ten hours, greeted by a rainbow, then hail, then shelter in McDonald's for two hours.
Twelve degrees at start, dropped to eight. Hard to stop for water breaks—had to keep moving. Convenience store food all day, no proper meals. By the time we reached the hotel at midnight, calves aching, exhausted, but somehow still intact.
Six thousand calories burnt. Asleep by 2am. Tomorrow will be shorter. We survived day one.
March 27 - Crossing Islands
90kmKitakyushu to Shimonoseki. Ninety kilometres, eight degrees, expected rain. We woke exhausted from last night's 2am finish, waiting out hail and storms. Bodies held up better than expected.
Decided to take it easier today. Time for repacking, readjusting gear, finding rhythm. Today we officially crossed from Kyushu into Honshu. The main leg of our journey through this curious and fabulous country begins.
A little sore and tired but otherwise okay. Seventy kilometres tomorrow.
March 28 - Mountain Ascent
165km targetStarted with a wonderful sendoff from the Starbucks staff in Shimonoseki. Tummies full of nourishment and caffeine, we set off along the coast to beautiful seaside scenery.
This 75km stretch marked the beginning of a steep ascent into the mountains. Made awesome time in the first half, only to slow down dramatically. About 50km in, we got hopelessly lost and were so tired Michelle fell asleep beside the cemetery.
Navigated treacherous mountain passes with no sidewalks and many oncoming trucks. Felt like our lives flashed before our eyes twice today.
Two wonderful groups showed their support today—the Starbucks staff in Shimonoseki and another group at the 7-11 in Asa. With their "ganbatte" trailing behind us, we headed further into the mountains.
More daily entries to be added as I work through the Instagram archives. Each day will include a photo, location, distance, and notes about what made that day memorable.
Daily photos and detailed logs to be added from Instagram/Facebook archives.
Equipment & Logistics
Professional documentation setup with redundant gear for 1,800km reliability.
Transport
- Xootr MG kick-scooters
- Multiple spare wheels (175mm, 200mm)
- Brake components, grips, repair kit
Documentation
- DJI Mavic drone
- Canon 60D + lenses (50mm, 18-200mm)
- GoPro Hero4 Black + mounts
- 4x lavalier microphones
Practical
- Business cards, promotional materials
- Weather gear, backpacks
- LED lighting, storage cards
- Internet connectivity equipment
The dual nature: serious adventure preparation meets professional content creation.