"Yay my boy, we made it!" I would have exchanged a high-five with my "son" Harley-Davidson Fat Boy 114 if he had a hand, upon returning from a roughly 3,500-kilometer journey through west Japan and South Korea to the border with the North, including fantastic meals, some two dozen bottles of "makgeolli" rice wine, and one heartbreak.
It was one day in 2024 when I encountered a YouTube video of Japanese guys traveling in South Korea in a car they had brought from home. What, there are car ferries between the two countries and we can drive there with Japanese license plates!? "I gotta do it," I immediately thought. As I live in an island country, crossing a border and riding a motorcycle in another country is something extraordinary, and I also wanted to take my Fat Boy there to strengthen the bond between a single father and beloved only son.
As my 2025 summer vacation was looming, I called a Korean friend of mine to ask if we could meet up there. He said, "Sorry, I'm living in Georgia now. By the way, did you know motorcycles are not allowed on expressways in South Korea?" That was a discouraging surprise. A little internet research told me that national expressways indeed demand at least four wheels. It also revealed that there are three ferry routes to Busan, South Korea's largest port city in the southeast, from Osaka, Shimonoseki and neighbor Fukuoka. From Tokyo, Osaka is around 500 kilometers away, while Shimonoseki and Fukuoka are some 1,000 km away. I picked Shimonoseki, not Osaka, because 1) road warriors, aka masochistic motorcyclists, prefer harder routes, 2) Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" is my favorite book, and 3) the Shimonoseki fare is cheaper (I later learned that the Fukuoka route is even less expensive).
Preparation
Ferries are operated daily between the two countries, but you cannot just hop on one with your machine without a reservation and some documents. You need a Japanese driver's license along with an international driving permit and, of course, passport. Bringing a vehicle from Japan to South Korea is considered a temporary export, so you must be the registered owner of the vehicle. To prove that, the "shaken" inspection certificate (at least one month before expiration) and the English version of the registration certificate (within three months of issuance at a transport bureau office), bearing your name on them as the owner, are also necessary.
And it costs a lot compared to flights. Round trip ferry fares with a vehicle starts from 85,000 yen (around $580) for the Busan-Osaka route, 60,000 yen (approx. $410) for the Busan-Shimonoseki route, and 40,000 yen (about $270) for the Busan-Fukuoka route, depending on the passenger cabin class and the vehicle type and size. There is also mandatory auto insurance in South Korea, whose premium depends on the company and the duration of travel. In my case, it was 128,000 South Korean won (some $90) for 10 days. Some handling fees and surcharges are also applied. In addition, traveling between Tokyo and Shimonoseki costs expressway tolls as well as accommodation, gas and other expenses.
Boarding the ferry!
You must wait for many hours to get on the sea. To board the ship departing from Shimonoseki at 7:45 p.m., I had to check in at the port by 3:30 p.m. On my way back from Busan departing at 9 p.m., I had to check in by 3:30 p.m. The distance between Shimonoseki and Busan is roughly 200 km, but the overnight ferries need to wait outside the arrival port for it and its immigration desk to open in the morning. Even after arriving, you need to go through temporary vehicle import customs. Considering that a Tokyo-Seoul flight takes only two and a half hours (or nearly double that if you dutifully arrive at the airport two hours before takeoff), the ferry option takes significantly more time.
One thing I should note is that, if you have a security system on your motorcycle, turn it off when boarding. When the ship shakes during its passage, the security system's alarm would go off in a cacophony of blaring sound and/or lights would flash, draining the battery and possibly making the bike impossible to start upon arrival. This depends on your bike, but on recent models of Harley-Davidson, this no-security setting is called "transport mode."
Smartphone apps not perfect but better to have
"Google Maps" may be the perfect smartphone app to travel with in many countries, but its navigator function does not work in South Korea. Instead, the South Korean-specialized "Naver Map" app is apparently the most popular. It is compatible with English. That said, while Naver Map can locate well-known landmarks like "Seoul Station" by typing, entering the destination address in English alphabet does not work! Therefore, I searched destinations on the more flexible Google Maps and dropped a pin on Naver Map to navigate.
There was another blind spot. Under the default setting, the Naver Map app persistently guides you to national expressways. Because of this, I went back and forth for two hours in the same areas upon arriving in Busan. I was downright miserable and nearly brought to tears, as it seemed impossible to even get out of the city. I also entered expressways twice by mistake, and the second time, I heard a siren from behind, and the police ordered me to pull over. I made my best excuse possible, saying, "I'm really sorry. I know motorcycles are not allowed on this road, but this stupid navigation system keeps leading me to expressways!" One of the officers replied, "OK, I understand. This time, we'll let you go," and kindly taught me the proper setting on Naver Map. Remember, there is a setting to choose "two wheelers" among vehicle type options on the app. It turned out that the app is not as stupid as I was. Thanks to this, my rides became pretty smooth for the rest of the 10 days in the country.
Another app I often used was "Google Translate." I had not been worried about the language difference because I know some key Korean phrases: "Annyeonghaseyo" (Hello), "Kamsahamnida" (Thank you), "Saranghaeyo" (I love you) and "Nawa gyeolhon hae jullae?" (Would you marry me?). However, I faced difficulties many times. Not many Koreans speak fluent English. Although Google's translation is often a complete mess, it helped me communicate with locals on some occasions. My impression is that the app can interpret spoken Korean fairly but it is not good at translating Korean text. While communication was difficult, I was deeply moved by many people's attitude trying to tell me information. It was a real positive to the trip.
Back from my summer break, a co-worker of mine recommended the "Papago" translation app, also developed by Naver Corp., so I tested it at home, using Korean websites and online audio. My gosh, this works so well! I should have found out about it earlier...
Other tips for riders
The road traffic in South Korea is well-ordered, and drivers' manners are generally better than in Japan. I did not see any aggressive drivers during my 10 days. So, I can just about guarantee a safe and comfortable ride in the country.
There are more European cars on the road in South Korea than in Japan, but gas stations usually have just "gasoline" and "diesel." What about premium gas, or "haioku" (high octane) seen in Japan? In fact, the regular gasoline in South Korea apparently has a higher octane rating than in other countries, so American and European bikes can run on just one type of gas.
The road network is well-developed. While motorcycles are not allowed on national expressways (indicated in the red, blue and white color scheme in road signs and on maps like U.S. interstate shields), the speed limit on general national highways (whose signs are blue ovals) is up to 80 kilometers per hour. Though red traffic lights in urban areas are kind of annoying, national highways are comfortable to cruise on in rural regions.
Staying at 'love hotels'?
I had made reservations at two guesthouses in Seoul and Busan before my departure for a total of four nights, and on the other nights I looked for cheap accommodations on the spot, like I usually do in Japan. The cheapest rates at "motels" and "boutique hotels" are generally in the 60,000 to 80,000 won (around $43 to $58) range, and with their contraceptives and adult toy vending machines, these facilities are somewhat like a clean and chic version of Japanese specialty "love hotels." If you stay at one of these with an ordinary friend, instead of that special someone, you may feel awkward or embarrassed by the crystal-clear view of the bathroom from the bedroom through the glass wall .
Highlights
I was looking forward to visiting the Joint Security Area (JSA) of Panmunjom, a village on the border between North and South Korea. Some of you may remember Donald Trump's meeting with Kim Jong Un in 2019, and that is the place, located in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) north of Seoul. The DMZ is only accessible through tours organized by travel agencies, but I could not find any access to the JSA, which made me wonder why. According to one agency, all JSA tours have been suspended since an unhappy American man defected to the North during a tour in 2023.
While no tourists can currently visit the JSA, there are tours to other areas of the DMZ, and I joined one to an infiltration tunnel dug by North Korea and discovered by the South in 1978, and an observation spot where visitors can overlook the North. Seeing North Korea with my bare eyes was an impressive experience, it being our neighbor and yet one of the most mysterious countries in the world.
Most of the DMZ is 4 km wide, and wanting to view North Korea more closely, I rode my Fat Boy to Ganghwado island located northwest of Seoul the following day. From the northern tip of the island, North Korea is just across a river, where you can ride along barbed wire fences for several kilometers.
I had learned on Facebook that my Mongolian friend from a U.S. college would coincidentally be visiting Seoul on vacation. After returning to the city from Ganghwado island, we met up in the bustling Itaewon area, which I would describe as a party town with an international atmosphere. Catching up with an old friend after more than 15 years was of course a blast, and a hot pot of pork, mushroom and bean sprout with spicy soup at the Jugwan restaurant turned out to be the delishest dish during my adventure.
Then my friend and I went club-hopping. At the first nightclub, I spotted a Korean version of Audrey Hepburn sitting idly, not dancing to the rave music. As a proverb goes "When in Seoul, do as the Romans would do," I talked to Hepburn, pretending to be Gregory Peck on a Vespa instead of a Harley-Davidson, "Annyeonghaseyo, why don't you dance with me?" We talked for a few minutes, but when her tardy friend arrived, I had to give my seat. I gave my business card to Hepburn, saying, "Gimme an email. Saranghaeyo!" I never got a message. I guess a princess is not supposed to email a news reporter.
After cruising on my son for several days around the capital, I traveled southward to Daegu, the third-largest city in South Korea. The main feature of Daegu is the large Seomun Market, where an incredibly wide range of items, from fresh produce to traditional wedding dresses, are available, along with a variety of food stalls. Autumn foliage in the city's suburbs is apparently famous, so if you visit the area in the season, take the ropeway on Palgongsan Mountain.
I spent the final three days in Busan. Wanting to appreciate the view of the second-largest city in the country, I visited the 427-meter-high Hwangnyeongsan Mountain and the 120-meter-tall Busan Tower. I felt that the daytime view was not much different from Seoul Tower, but the night view from Busan Tower was truly breathtaking. Though South Korea's summer heat is more intense than in Tokyo, the night breeze on the roughly 6 km straight road on my way back to the guesthouse was very comfortable, and the urban scenery reminded me of my favorite roads in central Tokyo, such as Aoyama-dori and Hibiya-dori avenues.
Because of the extreme heat, I ate cold noodles many times in South Korea, and I encountered the best one just before leaving: the Busan-born "milmyeon," a type of "naengmyeon" (cold noodles) made from wheat instead of buckwheat, at the Naeho Naengmyeon restaurant just outside the downtown district. Originally founded in 1919 in present-day North Korea and relocated to Busan after the breakout of the Korean War, the eatery is said to be the first to have started serving the cold wheat noodles amid a shortage of the buckwheat produced in the northern Korean Peninsula. The super thin noodles were somewhat chewier than Japanese "somen" (also a slender wheat noodle) and the umami-laced beef bone broth hit the perfect refreshing balance, not too thin or too rich. Though the area is accessible by local buses, the services are few and far between. It was the moment I re-realized the merit of motorcycle trips.
Though my journey was physically exhausting, due to the 1,000-km Tokyo-Shimonoseki rides and the heat, and cost much more than flying to South Korea and renting a motorcycle locally, it turned out to be my other unforgettable memory. Saranghaeyo, Korea, I will see you again!
Kamsahamnida for reading until the end, and I am wondering where I should visit on my son next.
Tatsuma Kasama is a Japan-born motorbikaholic. A high school encounter with the 1969 American road movie "Easy Rider" changed his life, as he fell madly in love with the motorcycles ridden by the hippie protagonists played by Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper. His own past rides were a Yamaha Jog-Z, Yamaha DragStar Classic 400, Kawasaki Zephyr 400, and Harley-Davidson Street Bob. He is now the proud single dad to a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy 114.
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