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Tour begins 26 September 2026 · Kyoto
After Osaka, the next part of our Japan journey begins: the motorcycle tour. At the handover, I receive a BMW R 1300 GS. A seriously powerful bike — and the machine on which I will discover Japan on two wheels.
There it stands: blue, with a large windscreen and looking thoroughly ready for Japan. I am 76; it is a BMW R 1300 GS. An unusual pairing on paper, perhaps, but it feels very right to me. For a gentle retirement outing, they probably should have given me something with a little less conviction.
Through Japan, starting in Kyoto
According to the guidebook, the tour begins in Kyoto on 26 September. The programme includes an introduction to the traffic rules and tour arrangements, followed by a welcome dinner together. The first riding day is scheduled for the following day.
The route initially takes us from Kyoto through the Kobe and Himeji area to Kurashiki. Hiroshima, Kyushu and further stages follow before the tour returns to Kyoto. The guidebook supplies the sequence; our own photographs and experiences fill this diary.
The first kilometres are ahead. And because a group journey is also about its people, I will introduce our fellow travellers in the next chapter. The machines have model names. The riders are the real characters.
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