Epic Japan Motorcycle Journey Begins | Soul 2 Soul Ep. 1

Epic Japan Motorcycle Journey Begins | Soul 2 Soul Ep. 1

[Music] I’ve always had a dream about riding a motorcycle 
through Japan with my best friend David. Now, it was finally, it was happening. Hey, well, you can’t do much about the weather. Dave arrives  tomorrow. All right, packing my stuff. Went out 
and bought some of these shirts. Says minus 5° C because it’s going to be about 3,000° Kelvin when 
we’re riding. Adam says it’s going to rain the entire time. So, I got to rain suit. And the best thing you can do in in hot weather, from what I understand, just from watching like 18 hours of YouTube, is wear a black jacket when it’s really hot. But that’s all I got. So that’s going in 
anyway. I think that’s it. See you soon. [Music] All right, we’re in the airport. Let’s go 
get Dave. Tried to get a bigger suitcase, but they wouldn’t let me. I got to get used to talking and riding. I mean,  I’m usually like talking to myself when I’m riding, but, not like having a conversation. How do I switch this off again? Just kidding. It’s already begun. All right. On the road, 
buddy. Woohoo. How’s that GB feeling? I love this thing. We’re going to hook a left here, mate. All right. Horn works. So,  we’re heading up in those mountains up there. All right. But first into the city. With all this stop start traffic 
and temperatures hitting 34° C, we decided to grab some lunch before heading 
into the mountains in search of some cooler air. Katsu don. Look at that. Got some miso soup. Itadakimasu! Oh, that’s really good. That’s hot! 
It came off the surface of the sun. It’s pretty hot. It’s pretty hot! I’m going to wait for a minute. I want to have an inappropriate relationship 
with this uh jacket. I’m serious, this thing is… You got to try it, dude. Get one of those no sweatshirts. Yeah. [ __ ] it’s crazy. Oh man. Alright. I think we’ll see how this jacket 
I’ve got got to pick up goes and then uh yeah, I might be down for that. I tell you this guy in front of us ain’t going to discover anything at that speed. No, he’s definitely not. He’s 
going to discover what 350 cc’s is all about here in a second. You unleash all 21 of those horsepower. Don’t make me get them all out cuz I’ll do it. All right, buddy. Look off to your right here. Oh, wow. Yeah, you got to watch the road,  too. Actually, the waves look pretty 
good. Holy crap. All right, we’re in Hyuga, Man, this is beautiful. Yeah, it’s a crazy good place. Look at the school kiddies. A few years back, a stroke had me stuck in a 
hospital bed, thinking I’d never ride again. Two wheels, a dead dream. I’m a musician, 
pretty good with a guitar, but riding with my pro filmmaker biker buddy. Way out of my zone. Yet here I am, shaky, but back. The road said, “You’re here.” This ride’s way more than I thought. 
It’s something bigger, something more important. Jesus, man, look at that! How cool is that? Yeah. I can’t remember who said it, but there’s 
that quote that’s like, you know, happiness or joy, I’m paraphrasing, but you know, happiness or 
joy is only real when shared. Yeah And you know,  we’re living that moment right now cuz I’ve 
been up here a bunch of times. I’ve had fun. I enjoy it. But I’m having way more fun right 
now than I’ve done on any of the other rides. Dude. That is unbelievable right there. How pretty, huh? I hope you don’t care I’m going slow through here. Oh, man. Go at whatever pace you feel good at, brother. I’m here for a good time, but also 
a long time, hopefully. Man, riding that  hour through that town was worth it for just for this. Yeah, right! Yeah. I’ve seen on this road, man. I’ve seen deer. I’ve seen monkeys. I’ve seen snakes. Oh, wow. This is why we do this [ __ ] 
right here, man. Yeah. I’m sorry,  brother. This kind of sucks. I know. 
But just just put up with it for now Yeah,  I know. I’ll get us back into a nice city with 
some shops soon. With a lot of stop lights. All right, buddy. We’re on the first of the 
bridges. Oh my god. It’s pretty nice. We’re going to pull up just here for a sec, man. 
Have a have a drink and uh chill. That is so crazy. All right. Windy as all hell. As you can see, my hair is blowing in the wind, but um yeah, we’re just taking a break. 
and rest up. Dave’s over there. His hair is not even touched by the wind. We’re basically in the middle of nowhere. Look,  it’s all mountains. That’s all it is. we’re just… there’s nothing around but mountains. All right, buddy. So, we’re I don’t know what 
like half an hour out of Takachiho. The spiritual birthplace of Japan. This is like riding a motorcycle into a painting Dude. Look at  this. Look at that house. Holy crap. Imagine, man, 
that’s that’s something else. Give me a head’s up on that big giant bridge. Okay, that’s it over there. Oh [ __ ] Okay. All right. Well, get ready for it. Although they got scaffolding up, but they might 
have cut some of the wind off. Wind’s going  from left to right. Yeah. Here we go. Alright. I’mma lean into it. Oh, it’s  going. Yeah, I can feel it. How pretty is this? 
I want to stand up, but I don’t want to stand up. Whooohooo Sorry, I’m yelling. Oh [ __ ] we did it. Alright. Well, there’s only a couple more of those. Hey, I don’t know if you saw that, but there was 
an adult DVD machine back there. There certainly was. Do you mind if I stop and go back, I just want to check. I’m just kidding. Well, if we decide to  stay somewhere around here tonight, man, you know where to go to find entertainment. Can I go 45 minutes back the other way so I can 
get an adult DVD out of the rental machine? Dude, like this is like one of the most… This is one of the coolest things I’ve done in my life, man, riding this road. I love it, bro. Awesome. Although, hang on. We can pull in here. Swing in here. This is a restaurant, I think. But for 2 minutes, I have no idea if this is a good view or not. I can’t remember. Oh yeah,  this is a view. Holy [ __ ] We’re a little ways up. I think that’s the train line. [ __ ] dude. Look at the bottom. Yeah, it’s gorgeous, huh? And there’s a waterfall there. Oh my god. This is wicked good, right? And that’s 
a train. You can take a train here. And it runs along those tracks all the way through here. Let’s see if we get a a photo. And I try not to drop my phone. Yeah. Good luck. I’m just going to do a a wide angle wide angle one. YEAH! Oh man, look at this place. Wooohooo All right, let’s go check out this uh gorge and 
waterfall. So, are you a fan of waterfalls? I’m just kidding. No, I mean I I to be honest, I I 
could take them or leave them. Dude, you take some freaking good videos and photos of those damn things. It’s beautiful. Yeah, it’s like, you know,  a disease for some people, you know. Alright, so Dave, this is downtown Takachiho here. Man! You see all these like land lights 
on the side of the road? Yeah. So, they they light up at night time apparently. And this is like going back in time, man. Yeah. It’s crazy cool place. Wow. Alright, buddy. and enjoy the ride. Oh man! it’s it’s real banked and it’s really tight. 
So, just take a cruise and enjoy. Okay. That’s like a motocross track, dude. Yeah, it’s so cambered out. Holy crap. I just ran that so wide. Dude, I about hit that… that pylon. It’s fun though, right? Yeah. Yeah, just follow straight down. So, just up ahead you’ll see a turn in to the right. Just where the crosswalk is. Yeah. So we can turn just Yeah. 
Park next to that other Honda GB right there or anywhere you want. Excuse me, can you guys take our picture? [Laughter] Thank you. So, the girls took 
our photo. You digging it, buddy? Like, how good is this place? Like a dream. It is, man. This is… I don’t even know what to say right now. Just lay down and start crying. Can I 
lay down right here? Start. You want to lay down in the middle of the road? Yeah. Start crying. All right. You You have a little weep. He took  a knee. Dude, look at this, man! Who gets to 
see this stuff? Oh man, I’m stoked. Takachiho Gorge was amazing! But, it was getting late and I’d found a pretty cheap hotel on Booking.com. As we headed back to the bikes, we 
met two fellow travelers from Tokyo. Satoshi and Kumio were really cool dudes, and we all became 
fast friends. It’s amazing how the love of a motorcycle could bring people together like this. It seemed to be something recurring on this trip. Take care, Enjoy! Dude, check that out. Sun just came through right 
now, right as we pulled up. That was kind of dope. Let’s jump into a taxi and head off to Takachiho 
Shrine. Check out some cultural stuff. Perfect! A crapload of steps. Oh man, this is so cool. All right, buddy. So, what did you think about the Kagura? That was awesome. This whole place is awesome. Yeah, it’s cool, right? I mean… That was kind of creepy, though. The masks. I’m not going to be able to sleep. In next week’s episode, we ride over a volcano and down into Fukuoka city. Shop at some cool bike stores, check out some guitars, go to a baseball game, and meet some of the crazy locals on the street. Be sure to subscribe and ring that bell so you don’t miss anything. Thanks for watching, 
and as always, happy riding.

Soul 2 Soul: Riding Japan’s Sacred Roads – Episode 1

A soulful motorcycle journey begins…

🏍️ Triumph Scrambler 400x
🏍️ Honda GB350s

Filmmaker and solo rider Adam finally sets off on a dream ride across Japan—this time with best friend and blues musician David Ralston (OkinawaAmericana). Just months after recovering from a stroke, David gets back on two wheels to ride again, starting from the sun-drenched coast of Miyazaki and heading deep into the mystical mountains of Kyushu.

🎥 In Episode 1 of this multi-day ride:

Soaring through Japan’s lush countryside in 35°C summer heat

Visiting sacred Shinto shrines and the legendary Takachiho Gorge

Experiencing live Kagura performance and deep cultural roots

Facing down nerves, road challenges, and epic hairpin curves

Meeting locals and finding meaning in the open road

This isn’t just a ride—it’s about friendship, healing, and discovering the spirit of Japan one mile at a time.

📍 Next Episode Preview:
Volcano rides, Japanese baseball, custom bike shops in Fukuoka, and some unforgettable street encounters.

🔔 Subscribe for soulful motorcycle adventures across Japan—unscripted, emotional, and filmed from the saddle: [Subscribe Link]

💬 Want to support the ride and get exclusive behind-the-scenes clips? Join for just $1/month:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7QUavyzNZwmN69oLfZxsUQ/join

About the Series – Soul 2 Soul
Soul 2 Soul is a documentary-style motorcycle travel series blending culture, friendship, music, and adventure. Created by filmmaker Adam Lewis and blues musician David Ralston, each episode explores Japan’s diverse regions through authentic encounters, breathtaking visuals, and real, unscripted moments.

🎸 Featuring live music, deep storytelling, and the roads less traveled—this is the spirit of Japan on two wheels.

📸 Follow the journey on Instagram:
David: https://www.instagram.com/OkinawaAmericana/
Adam: https://www.instagram.com/RideThruJapan/

#MotorcycleAdventure #JapanMotorcycleTour #RideThruJapan #HondaGB350 #TriumphScrambler400x #Soul2Soul