Thanks for the contact we will give him a try. As for the blog we already have one. you can find it at the above address, once we get going we will post as much info as we can and pics of course.

We do have one question for you if you dont mind. Can you tell us who you got car insurance through? we have been looking into Hiaces/Caravan Vans but all the insurance quotes are around 100,000 Yen. We like the big vans because we can put in a shelf to sleep on and put all our stuff underneath. we also can leave 1 row of seats so we can sit in the back and eat or have friends/family ride with us. Other options we have looked at are Estimas/Largos/Nomad/Vanette etc although these are smaller. I’m 6′1 so i need all the room possible to be comfortable.

We have heard that the 10 seaters are expensive on tax/insurance but apparently a “camper van” with sink etc are cheaper. do you know anything about this??

We would love any help you can offer us.

Thanks again

Jay and Simone

Welcome to the blog, and I’m glad you found some useful tips in here. I’ve actually got a lot more tips and adventures to write up, as soon as I get around to it.

Shikoku is one of the places I didn’t manage to make it to. My visa was running out, and I decided that I needed to head to Tokyo and look for a job in order to stay here in Japan a little longer (all taken care of now!). I’m a little disappointed that I couldn’t get down to see Shikoki, but I guess it leaves a couple of adventures for me a little later on down the track.

Hakuba hey? Coincidentally I went there for the first time this week, Wednesday, for some of the best skiing weather I’ve ever experienced!

Have you decided what you want to do with regards to a van? I can definitely recommend the Mazda Bongo Friendee. It’ll be “cozy” with two of you in there, but not unbearably so. I probably had a bit more luggage than you will – I had to pack up my entire life in Japan into the Bongo!

I mentioned in the comments on the Selling the Van page that I have a friend Tony at the Nagoya car auctions – you’re welcome to contact him and find out what exactly would be involved in getting a van through auction. Feel free to drop my name, too (he knows who “randomcow” is!)

Good luck with your preparations! I check back here often so please feel free to come back with comments or your own ideas. If you like, you are welcome to post some of your own adventure stories here! I could set you up so that you could create topics and edit posts, etc. Let me know!

RC

just wanted to say thanks for all your information – my partner and I are currently based in Hakuba, Nagano-ken. we are looking into exactly what you have done by buying a van, sleeping/eating in it, showering at onsens, taking back roads to avoid tolls/meet local/see the real japan etc etc, park for free and do it as cheap as possible. we could have up to 8 weeks!

we came across your site on JREF after seeing your Van – would have been PERFECT! unfortunalty its sold but we have had a good read of your site and jotted down some tips and places. Thank you.

we are looking to head south to Shinjuku and back. Thanks again for all your tips.

Jay and Simone

The simple answer is to learn and take the back roads (shita michi). Unfortunately these are permanently clogged up in Tokyo. And even if you take the expressways and toll roads there is no guarantee that these also aren’t busy. In fact, more often than not the traffic is banked up there as well.

A big part of your travel time is going to be getting from one side of Tokyo to the other, so I hope you live on the coast-side of the city.

There are some toll roads which aren’t expressways. These are in my opinion good value. I’m pretty sure that there are a couple on the way out to the Izu Hanto Penninsular, if that’s where you were headed. Not so sure about Chiba.

RC