Among the thin crop of books on cycling in Japan are Josie Dew's hilarious account in "A Ride in the Neon Sun," of her trip from Tokyo to the edges of Okinawa and the extraordinary people and hospitality met. Then there is Leigh Norrie's more recent "Japan: 6,000 Miles on a Bicycle," an engaging account of the joys and frustrations of being on the road.

Both books inspire, but sound off cautionary notes. One thing that long put me off distance cycling in Japan, particularly in the summer months, was a friend's description of encountering slumbering snakes in the long, dark tunnels of Kyushu. Such trifling details don't seem to bother Takashi Niwa, who is clearly made of tougher stuff.

Niwa in any case, plans the 10 routes in his "Cycling Japan" to expressly avoid confined spaces in preference for the country's great outdoors. A writer, tour operator, and TV host of the program "A Specialized Rider," Niwa stays away from arterial roads, those thundering expressways dominated by heavy trucks, many of their drivers invisible and menacing behind batteries of lamps and chromium shields. On the assumption that "roads not only connect points en route to the destination but rather define your experience" the writer provides rides that are not only scenic, but have cultural depth.