Dream Motorcycle Ride Through Kyushu, Japan
Ride Thru
5,863 views
Motorcycle travel in Japan doesn’t get much better than Kyushu. This five-day Kyushu motorcycle tour rides from Miyazaki through Takachiho, Mt. Aso, Fukuoka and Yufuin.
Five days riding motorcycles across Kyushu with one of my oldest friends.
David had travelled around Japan many times as a musician, but he had never experienced the country like this. Years after a stroke left him wondering whether he would ever ride a motorcycle again, we finally got the chance to do something we had talked about for years — take a motorcycle road trip across Japan together.
We started in Miyazaki on the southeast coast of Kyushu and headed north into the mountains, riding through Takachiho before crossing the volcanic landscape around Mt. Aso. From there, our motorcycle journey continued toward Fukuoka before looping back south through Yufuin.
For anyone interested in motorcycle touring Kyushu, this part of Japan has almost everything: mountain roads, huge volcanic landscapes, quiet rural towns, winding back roads and some of the best motorcycle riding I’ve found in Japan.
But this film was never meant to be a motorcycle route guide.
There were incredible roads, brutal summer heat, storms, wrong turns and one very close call, but some of the best moments of the entire Kyushu motorcycle trip happened when we stopped riding.
We met other riders along the road, wandered through Fukuoka, found local music, ate ridiculous amounts of food and met people we never expected to meet.
For five days, the destination became less important than simply being out on motorcycles together.
That is really what Soul 2 Soul is about.
Not how quickly we could cross Kyushu or how many famous places we could tick off a list, but what happens when two friends get on motorcycles and leave enough space for the journey to take over.
This is motorcycle travel in Japan as I enjoy it most — mountain roads, small towns, unexpected people and no need to rush.
Riding Kyushu by Motorcycle
Our route through Kyushu included:
🏍️ Miyazaki — starting the motorcycle road trip on Japan’s southern island
⛰️ Takachiho — mountain roads and Takachiho Gorge
🌋 Mt. Aso — riding through one of Japan’s great volcanic landscapes
🏙️ Fukuoka — motorcycles, music, food and a night in the city
🌿 Yufuin — riding back through the mountains of northern Kyushu
Chapters:
00:00 Day 1 — Miyazaki to Takachiho | Takachiho Gorge & Kagura
13:52 Day 2 — Mt. Aso Volcano Ride to Fukuoka
23:51 Day 3 — Fukuoka City | Japanese Baseball, Yatai & Live Music
31:34 Day 4 — Motorcycle Museum, Vintage Bikes & Yufuin Onsen
48:18 Day 5 — Riding Kyushu in Heavy Rain | Back to Miyazaki
Along the way we travelled through countless smaller towns and back roads that rarely appear on a normal Japan itinerary.
If you are searching for motorcycle Japan travel, riding a motorcycle in Japan, a Kyushu motorcycle tour, motorcycle touring Japan, or simply want to see what a Japan motorcycle road trip actually feels like, this film follows the journey rather than just the destinations.
Soul 2 Soul
Soul 2 Soul is a Ride Thru motorcycle travel series about sharing the road with another rider and discovering Japan through the places and people encountered along the way.
This first film follows five days riding across Kyushu together — from Miyazaki and Takachiho to Mt. Aso, Fukuoka and Yufuin.
Two riders. Five days. One of the best motorcycle touring regions in Japan.
Follow the journey on Instagram:
David:
Instagram: Okinawaamericana
Ride Thru:
Instagram: RideThruJapan
Day Trip Cafe:
Instagram: daytrip2022fukuoka
Iwashita Collection:
Instagram: iwashitacollection
Motorimoda Fukuoka:
Instagram: motorimodafukuoka
#MotorcycleJapan #KyushuMotorcycle #JapanMotorcycleTour #MotorcycleTravel #Kyushu
13 Comments
I just came back from a lil' trip with the cb125r (the mostro is waiting for a new clutch cable at the motorbike hospital :( ) with a friend driving a mazda mx5, your movie (let's call it a movie) mad me all nostalgic..
Thank you for sharing your adventures Adam, can't wait to see more ✌
I just noticed at 22:46 you have a paddle on your throttle. I assume that's to rest your wrist on so you don't have to hold the throttle with your wrist? Did you find that comfortable and helpful, or was it intrusive and annoying? Might be able to 3d print myself one.
Dream Motorcycle Ride Through Kyushu, Japan
Ride Thru
5,863 views
Motorcycle travel in Japan doesn’t get much better than Kyushu. This five-day Kyushu motorcycle tour rides from Miyazaki through Takachiho, Mt. Aso, Fukuoka and Yufuin.
Five days riding motorcycles across Kyushu with one of my oldest friends.
David had travelled around Japan many times as a musician, but he had never experienced the country like this. Years after a stroke left him wondering whether he would ever ride a motorcycle again, we finally got the chance to do something we had talked about for years — take a motorcycle road trip across Japan together.
We started in Miyazaki on the southeast coast of Kyushu and headed north into the mountains, riding through Takachiho before crossing the volcanic landscape around Mt. Aso. From there, our motorcycle journey continued toward Fukuoka before looping back south through Yufuin.
For anyone interested in motorcycle touring Kyushu, this part of Japan has almost everything: mountain roads, huge volcanic landscapes, quiet rural towns, winding back roads and some of the best motorcycle riding I’ve found in Japan.
But this film was never meant to be a motorcycle route guide.
There were incredible roads, brutal summer heat, storms, wrong turns and one very close call, but some of the best moments of the entire Kyushu motorcycle trip happened when we stopped riding.
We met other riders along the road, wandered through Fukuoka, found local music, ate ridiculous amounts of food and met people we never expected to meet.
For five days, the destination became less important than simply being out on motorcycles together.
That is really what Soul 2 Soul is about.
Not how quickly we could cross Kyushu or how many famous places we could tick off a list, but what happens when two friends get on motorcycles and leave enough space for the journey to take over.
This is motorcycle travel in Japan as I enjoy it most — mountain roads, small towns, unexpected people and no need to rush.
Riding Kyushu by Motorcycle
Our route through Kyushu included:
🏍️ Miyazaki — starting the motorcycle road trip on Japan’s southern island
⛰️ Takachiho — mountain roads and Takachiho Gorge
🌋 Mt. Aso — riding through one of Japan’s great volcanic landscapes
🏙️ Fukuoka — motorcycles, music, food and a night in the city
🌿 Yufuin — riding back through the mountains of northern Kyushu
Chapters:
00:00 Day 1 — Miyazaki to Takachiho | Takachiho Gorge & Kagura
13:52 Day 2 — Mt. Aso Volcano Ride to Fukuoka
23:51 Day 3 — Fukuoka City | Japanese Baseball, Yatai & Live Music
31:34 Day 4 — Motorcycle Museum, Vintage Bikes & Yufuin Onsen
48:18 Day 5 — Riding Kyushu in Heavy Rain | Back to Miyazaki
Along the way we travelled through countless smaller towns and back roads that rarely appear on a normal Japan itinerary.
If you are searching for motorcycle Japan travel, riding a motorcycle in Japan, a Kyushu motorcycle tour, motorcycle touring Japan, or simply want to see what a Japan motorcycle road trip actually feels like, this film follows the journey rather than just the destinations.
Soul 2 Soul
Soul 2 Soul is a Ride Thru motorcycle travel series about sharing the road with another rider and discovering Japan through the places and people encountered along the way.
This first film follows five days riding across Kyushu together — from Miyazaki and Takachiho to Mt. Aso, Fukuoka and Yufuin.
Two riders. Five days. One of the best motorcycle touring regions in Japan.
Follow the journey on Instagram:
David:
Instagram: Okinawaamericana
Ride Thru:
Instagram: RideThruJapan
Day Trip Cafe:
Instagram: daytrip2022fukuoka
Iwashita Collection:
Instagram: iwashitacollection
Motorimoda Fukuoka:
Instagram: motorimodafukuoka
#MotorcycleJapan #KyushuMotorcycle #JapanMotorcycleTour #MotorcycleTravel #Kyushu
This kind of trip on this route would be life changing just on itself for anyone, but given the circumstances I think it was an especially important trip for him, and it was a real pleasure to see you two sharing joy and having fun together.