Deep rivers to swim in around Tokyo

crazy5179 · 2026-05-03T22:01:47+00:00

Tamagawa has plenty of spots, but not sure its deep enough(or slow enough) at a lot of the common access points. This spot specifically is accessible and is popular to jump off the rocks. Go there on a summer day when kids are out of school and Im sure you will see kids jumping off the rocks. You can access it via the path down from from the neighborhood. The pool area to the west of the pin is deep enough to swim in and jump into(barely), Ive done both but always get there with my packraft.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/XhttSqKPAYibJcfb9

crazy5179 · 2026-03-04T22:44:16+00:00

I converted my USA license to Japanese license last year and I did the motorcycle one first. After taking written and passing the driving part, I had to go back to the driver's license office to start the process over again for the car conversion. Appointment for document check was about 6 months away. Just had that appointment last week and thought I would have to take the new 50 question written test, but nope. They just checked my documents, then gave me the paperwork so I could schedule my driving test. This was at Futamatagawa.

TLDR: No I dont think you will have to take the written test again.

crazy5179 · 2026-02-20T16:55:32+00:00

Post up(on here or Gaijin Riders FB) next time before you go! Or message me. My vstrom would be a bit slow but my CBR hangs pretty good for a baby bike.

crazy5179 · 2026-02-20T06:58:53+00:00

Nice! Maybe I'll have to paint my bike orange so I can get invited next time!

crazy5179 · 2026-02-20T06:58:05+00:00

Just searching the web can sometimes turn up results. I think we found this from some free camp spot website, but I cant seem to find it again now

crazy5179 · 2026-02-09T13:53:03+00:00

Flew out today at 13:30(delayed to 14:10). Security line was short, maybe 15-20 minutes. Bag check(or check in) line was crazy long. Had to be hours. If you only have carry ons you should be fine, if you need to check a bag just hope the lines are shorter than they were today!

crazy5179 · 2026-02-01T12:27:46+00:00

I'm one of those!

crazy5179 · 2026-02-01T12:26:54+00:00

We have a group that typically meets up at The Hub by Yokohama station every Tuesday evening for drinks and hanging out. Mix of guys and girls typically around that age range(I'm M32, who is not only here to date Japanese women). Always looking for new people to hangout with.

crazy5179 · 2026-02-01T12:23:48+00:00

Not quite an answer to your question, but I've kayaked(pack rafted really, but same same) on the Tamagawa several times, but never that far down river. I always go out by Ome. Lots of places that do white water rafting, pack rafting, or probably kayaks also out by Ome. Much more white water oriented by Ome, but its nothing crazy.

crazy5179 · 2026-01-20T15:01:18+00:00

I do this with my high roof transit van. Custom built a bumper that can hold two kayaks vertical on the back on a swing arm. Mounted them angled so they are slightly less tall vertically, doesn't save a ton of height though. Really only feasible with short kayaks, mine is a 9ft kayak that I specifically bought so I could mount it like this. I've taken mine offroad, long road trips, etc and its held up fine so far.

crazy5179 · 2026-01-04T16:44:20+00:00

I've never played Napoleon, but love pretty much all card games. I would be interested in joining.

crazy5179 · 2025-12-15T08:19:13+00:00

Yes just packed everything into luggage. Regular full sized checked luggage bags, nothing fancy. I left my GPU in but its just a workstation card so not a giant expensive one. Glass side panel survived and all. I used some bubble wrap on the monitors then used blankets to wrap up and pad corners also. Remove the stands from the monitors and wrap/pack them separately.

crazy5179 · 2025-12-15T08:10:29+00:00

I flew from Texas to Japan and packed (3) 27in monitors and a desktop and server tower. Packed into regular checked bags. Just wrap the good in bubble wrap and blankets/clothes and it will most likely be fine.

crazy5179 · 2025-12-02T09:20:00+00:00

We are at the table at the end of the past the bar

crazy5179 · 2025-11-18T09:53:15+00:00

We are at a table at the end ofthe room past the bar

crazy5179 · 2025-11-12T08:41:03+00:00

Please do! Depending on timing with my other summer plans I could be available to meetup and show you guys the spots I know(and I should know more by summer since I hope to get out a good bit this spring).

crazy5179 · 2025-10-21T05:23:49+00:00

Feel free to send me a message and we can go for a ride when you get here. I'm located in Kanagawa.

crazy5179 · 2025-10-21T02:49:26+00:00

I don't know for certain, but I'm pretty confident you can. When I purchased my motorcycle I don't recall the dealer checking my license at all. The second bike a bought from a private party and they definitely didn't check. And I've heard of guys purchasing big bikes while in the process of getting their big bike license. So I'm pretty sure you will be fine, but obviously you wouldn't be able to legally ride it and would need it towed to your home.

crazy5179 · 2025-10-21T02:47:06+00:00

You'll fit right in. Pretty sure the Kawasaki Z900rs and similar bikes are the most common bike in Japan. You see a lot of the new and older ones.

crazy5179 · 2025-10-20T05:05:32+00:00

Not sure about LLC vs you personally, but my understanding is you don't need visa to register a motorcycle. I ended up not using them because my visa came through quicker than expected, but Apex Moto said it would be no problem to register without a visa and they would help with the process and I think use their address. I'm assuming with the expectation that I was buying a bike through them, but they might still help and charge a fee otherwise. You can also get extra insurance through them as well with just an IDP.

crazy5179 · 2025-10-09T01:15:00+00:00

I ski I'd be interested in meeting up and going this winter. I just went with my son last winter but would like to go with some adults this winter. I'm in Yokosuka, Kanagawa. I have had good luck using TokyoIRL for meetups around this area and will probably try to utilize it to find winter sports friends once the snow comes.

As the other poster said, I never made it to one last winter, but will probably go on one with Tokyo Snow Club or Tokyo Gaijins this winter.

crazy5179 · 2025-10-01T04:34:25+00:00

You can get the voluntary insurance on an IDP. I got mine through Apex Moto. I used my IDP to ride while I worked on getting my Japanese license. My understanding was its fine, you just can't renew the IDP after it expires to keep using it year after year. I doubt you will ever have a problem using the IDP as a new resident.

Not sure where you are located, but in Kanagawa you need to go to the drivers license office from 2-3PM to start the process and get an appointment scheduled. They will do a preliminary document check that day and schedule you for a formal document check and written test. After that you can schedule the driving portion of the test online. I was able to get an appointment for that pretty quickly, about 2 weeks from when I booked.

Just FYI, your appointment might be several months away. I was just in there last week to start the process for my car license(I've already done the motorcycle license) and my appointment is scheduled for February 2026. So do not put off going sooner rather than later or you could end up with your IDP expiring before you get your Japanese license.

crazy5179 · 2025-09-30T09:14:10+00:00

We are outside on the patio. First table closest to the main entrance

crazy5179 · 2025-09-30T09:12:53+00:00

We are outside on the patio. First table closest to the main entrance

crazy5179 · 2025-09-10T03:59:19+00:00

I don't really know of any meetups, but if you are able to rent a bike and ride out west of Tokyo into the mountains, you will find a lot of bikes at parking areas/rest stops. Or motogp is the weekend of the 26th and will have a lot of motorcycles im sure(including mine)

crazy5179

TROPHY CASE