After finishing two of Nana’s world-famous onigiri, I rose from the bench and started preparing for the remainder of the ride. As I was sorting out bandana and gloves, a young man (American from his accent) asked if he could sit at the bench I was vacating.

“Yes, I’m just leaving.”

He took in my garb and the bike. “Are you riding across Japan?”

I laughed. “No, I live here.” He had just arrived in Japan and was visiting for a month, so I told him about the Yamanote Line and explained I was visiting each of its 30 stations in turn.

“Why?”

It’s a question that anyone who knows Tokyo, and indeed Fearless Leader Joe — who did this ride with me in December — might well ask.

I shrugged. “It’s something to do.”

I’d awoken at 5 this morning and taken my time getting ready. Nana was up at 6 and making onigiri. She asked what time I’d be leaving and I shrugged and said between 8 and 9. It was windy on the balcony after last night’s rainstorm. Both Fujisan and Nantaisan were clearly visible, the latter having already shed most of its snowy cap.

I thought it might be a bit chilly at the start, but I was fine. I’d made some revisions to the route since our first go in December, but I hadn’t studied it closely more recently. Shinjuku is still in the midst of construction, but I was soon clear of that and on my way. After Yoyogi I heard sirens coming from behind and was soon passed by two fire trucks. I caught up with them — and more — as I approached Harajuku.

Shibuya is still a mess, although construction there seems to be nearing a close. The famous Hachiko shrine was totally enclosed in construction walls. I didn’t want to fight the crowds for a photo.

I missed a photo of Ebisu. I knew I was passing the station, but I hadn’t put any directions in the Garmin to take me to the entrance. I must have done it by feel (and after having studied the map closely) the last time. From Osaki I was worried I’d passed Shinagawa but I needn’t have worried. It was just further than I’d been expecting. After that, I found a proper sign for Takanawa Gateway — mostly because the temporary sign we’d photographed in December was gone, and I was looking around for something to shoot as evidence.

After Hamamatsucho I was getting hungry. It was 10, about 5 hours since I’d had anything to eat, so I started looking around for a park to sit and enjoy the onigiri. At that point my route took me to Shiba Koen. Sangedatsumon, the famous gate at Zōjō-ji, was completely enshrouded for renovation, and the area of Shiba Koen where I usually have a break was completely walled off. But I was able to find a shaded bench to have my lunch.

The next stop was Shimbashi Station, with the famous “SL” (Steam Locomotive). I took a moment for photos before walking my bike through the station entrance to the opposite side. This departure from my mapped route caused Garmie considerable stress, and I nearly missed the following stop at Yurakucho.

From Tokyo station to Kanda — a straight shot for most of the way — Garmie got its knickers in a twist yet again, and I ended up reversing twice over the same straight stretch of road before consulting my phone and finding the way. Except for that the going was smooth, apart from a multitude of stop signs at cross streets and a deluge of traffic. At Ueno I encountered a taxi driver with a real hard-on for hard acceleration from the lights, and I laughed as I caught up with him at subsequent traffic lights from there almost until Uguisudani.

By the time I reached Ueno I felt I was making much better progress than when we rode the same course in December. This was soon tempered by the hills between Ueno and Sugamo. I didn’t have to stop to rest or push the bike, but it was a real stretch for my thighs overall. I missed Nishi Nippori — just rode past it before I noticed the sign — and decided to keep my momentum rather than backtrack for the photo.

I had a brief moment with a driver near Ikebukuro, then got a bit lost in what was supposed to be a simpler route to Mejiro than we rode in December. I got there in the end, and without nearly being run over as I concentrated on Garmie rather than the traffic in front of me.

I still haven’t located a JR station sign for Takadanobaba. I’m content with the sign for the Seibu Shinjuku Line. At Shin-Okubo the crowds were overwhelming, and the rent-a-cops were out in force with their white gloves and contradictory instructions. I got my snap and got out.

I was getting hungry for that one remaining onigiri as I approached Shinjuku, but I knew I’d be home soon and could enjoy it with a cold beer at my leisure. Once again, the crowds were overwhelming, and rather than send a photo of Shinjuku Neko to Nana to let her know I’d be home soon, I simply continued on my way.

I reached home at 1:16 p.m. for an elapsed time of 4:39. This was a big improvement over the 5:08 recorded in December, and Strava is littered with PRs for the segments along the way. With a moving time of 3:05:44, I averaged 15.5km/h, beating December’s 14.7km/h. Most of this improvement can be chalked up to knowing the route the second time around. As my experience around Shimbashi and Mejiro attest, however, I can expect to make further improvements still.

Overall I really enjoyed today’s ride. Despite my repeated insistence that it’s a rubbish ride in traffic with no scenery to speak of, I had fun today when I wasn’t just checking the ride off the list of accomplishments.