In the final part of his three part series on bike packing Japan, Chris Burati tackles Tsurugi Super Forest Road, more onsens, the beauty of the Shiminami Kaido, the modern art of Naoshima, and the haunting landscape of Hiroshima.

In part two of his three part series on bike packing Japan, our own Chris Burati recounts the beauty of some of the best climbing in Japan as well as a onsens, Kyoto, and wild monkeys in a travel journal style reminiscent of Matsuo Bashō.

“Do you want to go to a metal show? I have an extra ticket” my friend Joe Cruz asked. It was February 2017, years since my last metal show. I said yes. What’s memorable about the show wasn’t the band itself but the plans that were hatched over pre-show beers.