Melanie booked her trip to Japan wanting to immerse herself in a culture she was unaware of, yet interested in. She had no idea where to go or what to expect, and in her search for tours and experiences, she came across Freewheeling Japan, a cycling tour of Tokyo city. The tour guide was an American ex-pat with a deep understanding of Japanese culture, traditions and local life. Melanie got to explore the backstreets of Shinjuku and Sasazuka, where she got to see how the locals lived, some funky street art and how ‘The Jetsons’ real-life Tokyo could feel.

As she describes, ‘The best part about joining a cycling tour is the pacing of the journey. There is so much that can be done in Tokyo; if you are going to Japan for the first time, regardless of how long you are staying, you will thank yourself for doing it on two wheels.’

Melanie Araya @melaniearaya

Melanie visited Japan for the first time in March 2017, and she guarantees that she will return! Besides the cats, food and crazy toilets, she was intrigued by the history, tradition and culture.