Fresh seafood: another good reason to go on this route. Although some cyclists prefer to save money by camping, I always try to stay in home-style minshuku inns, and this is one of the reasons - some of the best seafood in Japan. If you're planning your itinerary, be sure to make reservations early if you plan to go around the start of crab season in late November - the entire coast is booked solid for that first weekend.

Many of the delicacies you sample on your trip have been gathered by local women like the ones you see here. Seaweed may not seem like the most appetizing stuff if you're swimming through it, but it's chock full of vitamins and is indispensable to any traditional Japanese breakfast.