I Asked ChatGPT to Plan My Route Through Japan: Here’s How It Turned Out.

I’ve been lazy about planning my actual route through Japan. I know I should focus on this a bit more, and perhaps over the next few weeks I’ll get time to. But it hasn’t quite happened yet. It doesn’t help that I have a good enough idea of where I want to go; planning more hasn’t felt important. But at the same time, the lack of a plan makes it harder for people to see how far I’m really hoping to run.

To save time and produce a good draft quickly, I turned to ChatGPT. All the cool kids are using ChatGPT and claim it should save loads of time (it didn’t), so I gave it a go.

The Prompt

I went through several iterations of the prompt, each time adding more details. One iteration of the process provided me with a particularly good route through Hokkaido, which was slightly different from my own. I added that route to the prompt to ensure it followed the same path. 

Deep research asks a few questions:

Here was my reply:

And so it went off and did its own thing, and here’s what it gave me: 

Day	Route (Start → Finish)	Distance (km)	Terrain & Elevation	Route Notes	Highlights / Reason for Leg
1	Cape Sōya (Hokkaido) → Wakkanai (Hokkaido)	30	Coastal flat, minor hills (0–50 m)	Follow Route 238 south from Japan’s northern tip along rural coastal roads. Pass through rolling Sōya Hills farmland (Hokkaido Heritage site).	Cape Sōya – Japan’s northernmost point – with monuments, windmill and view toward Sakhalin. Sōya Hills farmland scene on the approach.
2	Wakkanai → Horonobe	70	Coastal and plain, mild undulations	Continue south on Route 238 along Sarobetsu Plain, a vast reclaimed marsh/farmland. Light traffic, cattle ranches.	Panoramic Sarobetsu Plain views with distant Mount Rishiri across the bay; occasional stops at Horonobe’s reindeer farm or poppy fields.
3	Horonobe → Otoineppu	75	Rolling hills (200–400 m), forested	Turn inland. Climb gradually through forests and small villages. Quiet country roads, farmland interspersed with woodlands.	Deep in central Hokkaido; prepare for higher trails ahead (Otoineppu is near national forest). Scenic river valleys.
4	Otoineppu → Nayoro	50	Gently rolling farmland (100–200 m)	Descend into wide agricultural basins. Straight rural roads lined with fields of grains and melons. Nagy straight road known as “Nayoro Straight” lies ahead.	Rural Hokkaido panorama: quiet long roads through fields, hills to east and near Pinus pumila forests.
5	Nayoro → Wassamu	35	Hilly farmland (~150 m)	Traverse low ridges of the Kitami highlands. Mostly gravel or quiet paved roads. Pass small villages (Enbetsu, etc.).	Remote farmland and orchards, approaching the Asahikawa region.
6	Wassamu → Biei (Patchwork Road)	80	Rolling hills (100–350 m)	Descend toward Biei. Route winds through iconic rolling hills and checkerboard fields (“Patchwork Road”). Famous single-tree vista viewpoints.	Biei Patchwork Road – mosaic of colored fields and lone “Ken & Mary” trees on gently rolling hills, classic Hokkaido countryside.
7	Rest/Film Day: Biei/Asahikawa	0 (rest)	Town/rural flat (Asahikawa 150 m)	Full rest and filming day. Explore Asahikawa (nearby city) or Biei countryside on short morning run or rest.	Relax and film in Biei’s farmland or Asahikawa city. (Rest day – no long run)
8	Biei → Furano	45	Plateau (~200–300 m)	Run through the Furano Plain. Open fields of rice and potatoes; glimpses of Tokachi mountains to south. Tourist flower farms (Naka-Furano) are en route.	Furano flower fields – lavender (in season) and late-summer cosmos/sunflowers with Tokachi Range backdrop; scenic rural vistas.
9	Furano → Yūbari	60	Mountain pass (~300 m)	Climb and descend over a small mountain ridge. The route follows valleys once served by rural rail. Enter Yūbari valley.	Yūbari – mountainous valley town famed for its sweet melons; see old coal-mine sites and the distinctive red roofs of the Yūbari Castle ruins.
10	Yūbari → Chitose	50	Hilly outskirts (100–300 m)	Descend toward Ishikari Plain. Quiet backroads into Chitose. Near the end, branch off south toward Lake Shikotsu (overnight or detour).	Lake Shikotsu – clear caldera lake south of Sapporo, ringed by mountains; famed for azure waters and hot-spring onsen resorts (en route to Chitose).
11	Chitose → Lake Shikotsu (town)	25	Hilly (300–400 m)	Short run from Chitose to Lake Shikotsu village. Relax in lakeside onsen or cycle around the lake’s rolling perimeter roads.	Cycle-friendly route along Lake Shikotsu’s shore. Enjoy mountain vistas and possibly detour to Mount Tarumae onsen.
12	Lake Shikotsu → Makkari (Niseko area)	60	Forested hills to Mt. Yōtei (300–500 m)	Climb westwards through ski hills. Route 230 heads toward Rusutsu/Makkari, passing near Mount Yōtei’s foothills. Rural farms and forests.	Views of Mount Yōtei (Mount Fuji of Hokkaido) to the south; alpine forests and resort villages.
13	Makkari → Oshamanbe	85	Coastal descent (0–200 m)	Run down from Niseko plateau toward the Pacific. Final descent alongside quiet coast road through rural villages (Niseko town, eventually to Oshamanbe).	Scenic Pacific coastline and passing through Onsen village Kiyokawa; views of the sea and Mt. Yōtei behind.
14	Oshamanbe → Mori	45	Coastal flat (sea level to 50 m)	Follow coastal highways (avoid tunnels by hugging shoreline where possible). Past fishing ports and farmland on sea plain.	Coastal Hokkaido scenery; watch for seals off shore and stop at Jōzankei shrine or Oshamanbe’s onsen springs.
15	Mori → Hakodate	50	Coastal rolling (0–200 m)	Continue along coast road around southern Hokkaido. Pass through Hokuto/Aomori rail tunnel exit, with views of Hakodate’s Mount Hakodate.	Hakodate – historic port city with night view atop Mt. Hakodate, fresh seafood, and red-brick warehouses. (Southern terminus of Hokkaido rail)
16	Hakodate → Ōma (ferry)	–	Ferry crossing (sea level)	Take the morning ferry (Tsugaru Kaikyō Ferry) across Tsugaru Strait to Ōma (Honshu). Land and run a short way into Ōma town.	Ferry between islands for a filming transition. Cape Ōma – on Honshu’s northern tip, famed for tuna and lighthouse views of Hokkaido.
17	Ōma → Rokkasho	60	Coastal plateau (0–50 m)	Run down Shimokita Peninsula’s west coast on coastal Route 279. Peneratin has views of the Sea of Japan. Quiet route through small fishing villages.	Panoramic ocean views along Shimokita’s fjord-like coast; stop at Osorezan (恐山) hot springs/temple (detour) or fishing ports.
18	Rokkasho → Misawa	66	Undulating coastal plain (0–100 m)	Head south past Rokkasho nuclear reprocessing plant toward Misawa. Rte 338 hugs coast through Wakasa, linking to Misawa’s military town.	Coastal fishing villages, with sea/rapeseed fields. Enter Misawa – US-base town known for fusion culture (e.g., American-style diners).
19	Misawa → Hachinohe	35	Coastal/river plains (0–50 m)	Short coastal run from Misawa to Hachinohe. Follow scenic beachside and port districts into Hachinohe’s city center.	Hachinohe – port city; highlights include Hachinohe Fish Market (Morning Market) and historic temple sites (Kokusai ).
20	Hachinohe → Kuji	55	Coastal hills (0–200 m)	Switch to Route 45 south along the rugged Sanriku (Pacific) coast. Inlets and capes, few tunnels. Quaint hamlets (Noheji, Tanohata) on way to Kuji.	Sanriku coastline’s irregular coves; near Kuji, see the famous Iwate Coastal Train or Sword Museum.
21	Kuji → Tanohata (Kitayamazaki Cliffs)	48	Cliff coast (0–200 m)	Continue down Rte 45 through Tanohata. Be careful on sharp bends near cliffs. A short climbing trail leads to lookouts at Kitayamazaki.	Kitayamazaki Cliffs – 200 m high volcanic bluffs with trails and panoramic Pacific views. (One of the highlights of Sanriku coast)
22	Tanohata → Miyako	60	Coastal highway (0–150 m)	Rte 45 south through Iwate’s coastal towns (Noda, Fudai). Arrive at Miyako, a lovely harbor town with beaches.	Ryusendo Cave (near Iwaizumi east of Miyako) – one of Japan’s largest limestone caves, with brilliant blue underground lakes.
23	Miyako → Kamaishi	50	Coastal plains (0–100 m)	Climb a small headland out of Miyako, then descend through forests to Kamaishi. A few shoreline lookouts; pass under Mono rail tracks.	Kamaishi – important Sanriku fishing port rebuilt after tsunami. Nearby waterfalls (Yudaki, etc.) and historical war monuments.
24	Kamaishi → Minamisanriku	80	Sanriku hills (0–100 m)	Stay on Route 45 along the curvy coast. Landfall at Tono, Rikuzen-Takata. End at Minamisanriku, a town rising above 2011 tsunami debris.	Minamisanriku – coastal town with poignant 2011 tsunami memorial park. Rugged pine-covered islands offshore (Oshima).
25	Minamisanriku → Sendai	85	Coastal plain to city (0–50 m)	Straight shot down Rte 45 through coastal towns (Ishinomaki, Matsushima area). Finish in Sendai, Tohoku’s largest city.	Sendai – known for Zuihoden Mausoleum and nearby Matsushima Bay (one of Japan’s famous “Three Views”). Bustling city, hub of Tohoku.
26	Sendai → Yamadera (Yamagata)	60	River valley (100–300 m)	Inland on Rte 48 toward Yamagata Prefecture. Climb into mountains to Yamadera (Risshaku-ji), a temple up 1000 stone steps.	Yamadera (Risshaku-ji) – cliffside temple complex with 1000+ steps offering panoramic mountain-valley views. Spiritual high point.
27	Yamadera → Yamagata City	30	Foothills to city (150 m)	Descend from Yamadera to Yamagata City. The route dips along mountain creeks into Yamagata.	Onsen resort hub of Yamagata. Nearby Mt. Zao and its Okama (emerald crater lake) are highlights (if detouring by cable car).
28	Yamagata → Aizu-Wakamatsu (Fukushima)	90	Mountain pass (~800 m)	Follow Rte 121 south over the Yonezawa basin and then west through Ou Mountains into Aizu. High passes and forested roads.	Aizu-Wakamatsu – samurai town with red-roofed Tsuruga-jo Castle. Site of fierce 1868 battle, preserving Samurai spirit.
29	Aizu-Wakamatsu → Ōuchijuku → Kitakata	40	Mountain valley (400–600 m)	Short run to Ōuchijuku, a former Edo post town with thatched inns (preserved historic townscape). Continue to Kitakata on backroads through cedar forests.	Ōuchijuku – Edo-era post town, famous for preserved row of traditional thatched inns.
30	Kitakata → Kyoto	450	Mountain passes (to 1000 m)	Long westward traverse (via Niigata or Nagano interior). Cross mountains (Shin’etsu/Nakasendō route) through Nagano (Kiso/Nakasendō towns) into Kansai plains. Rest in Kyoto.	Kyoto – Japan’s ancient capital (many UNESCO temples/shrines). Full rest/sightseeing day planned (e.g. Kiyomizu-dera, Fushimi Inari, Gion).
31	Rest Day: Kyoto	0 (rest)	City (50 m)	No running. Explore Kyoto’s historic sites, gardens, markets, and cuisine.	Sightseeing in Kyoto – e.g. Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji), Kiyomizu Temple, bamboo forest, geisha districts. (Rest day)
32	Kyoto → Nara	50	Gently rolling (50–200 m)	Follow old roads (Rte 24/Rte 369) to Nara. Rural villages and rice fields on approach.	Nara – ancient capital; Todai-ji Great Buddha Hall, Kasuga Shrine and free-roaming deer in Nara Park. Full rest day following arrival.
33	Rest Day: Nara	0 (rest)	City (70 m)	No run. Explore Nara’s UNESCO sites and shrine-lined trails.	Sightseeing in Nara – famous Todaiji Temple (giant Buddha), Kasuga Taisha, Nara deer, Kofuku-ji pagoda. (Rest day)
34	Nara → Osaka	40	Urban (0–100 m)	Short run/half-day via rural roads to Osaka. Go through southern suburbs (Ikoma mountains trail or Rte 308 tunnel avoidance) into Osaka.	Osaka – dynamic city. Highlights include Osaka Castle, Dōtonbori street food. (Option to detour to Minoh Park or Kyoto south).
35	Osaka → Kobe	30	Urban (0–50 m)	Run through Osaka→Kobe corridor (Hanshin Expressway avoidance: via port or Rokko island roads).	Kobe – harbor city; scenic waterfront (Harborland) and Kobe beef. Passage under Rokko mountains with city views.
36	Kobe → Himeji	45	Coastal route (0–100 m)	Follow coastal Rte 2/250 west along Seto Inland Sea. Bluffs, small fishing villages (Akashi, Akō) en route.	Himeji – UNESCO World Heritage Himeji Castle, finest surviving 17th C castle. (Full rest day next)
37	Rest Day: Himeji	0 (rest)	City (10 m)	No run. Tour Himeji Castle and Koko-en gardens.	Sightseeing Himeji Castle (White Heron Castle) and historic castle town; also Engyo-ji temple on Mt. Shosha via ropeway. (Rest day)
38	Himeji → Hiroshima	130	Inland hills to sea (up to 300 m)	Westward along Rte 2/250. Pass through Okayama (Korakuen garden as detour), mountain gap to Hiroshima Plain.	Seto Inland Sea scenery; brief stop at Iwakuni for Kintaikyo Bridge (if splitting); approach Hiroshima via Iwakuni’s Kintaikyo or Miyajima ferry.
39	Hiroshima → Shimonoseki (Kanmon Tunnel)	80	Coastal plain (50 m)	East-west run through Hiroshima suburbs to Shimonoseki (via Sanyō Expressway bypass roads). Cross the Kanmon Tunnel (pedestrians allowed) under sea to Kitakyushu (north Kyushu).	Shinkansen-city Hiroshima – Peace Park & Dome, Miyajima (Itsukushima shrine) with floating torii. (Rest day for Hiroshima city).
40	Shimonoseki → Kokura (Kitakyushu)	60	Urban/coastal (0–50 m)	Run from Shimonoseki ferry terminal across Kanmon Bridge area into Kokura. Use riverside/bay roads.	Kanmon Strait crossing (optional foot tunnel). Enter Kitakyushu (Kokura) – famous Kokura Castle, and local castle park.
41	Kokura → Beppu	120	Mountain passes (up to 500 m)	Head southwest through Kyushu’s mountains (via Hita or Oita routes). Descend east to Beppu on the SE coast.	Beppu – world-class hot-spring resort. “Hell Tour” (onsen geysers) and eight different onsen areas. (Full rest/sightseeing day here)
42	Rest Day: Beppu	0 (rest)	City/coastal (50 m)	No run. Relax in hot-springs, explore Kannawa/Beppu Onsen.	Soak in Beppu’s onsen (“Hell Springs”), enjoy seaside rock baths and steam vents. (Rest day)
43	Beppu → Nobeoka	80	Coastal (0–50 m)	Follow Route 10 down the Nichinan coast through Oita City area to Nobeoka. Sea views with cliffs and beaches.	Usa (slightly inland) – famous Usa Jingu shrine, Japan’s head Hachiman shrine. (Optional detour for cultural interest).
44	Nobeoka → Miyazaki	80	Coastal hills (0–100 m)	Run southwest along the Kyushu coast. Pass Aoshima (sub-tropical island) and Nichinan’ with cliff views. Arrive in Miyazaki city.	Nichinan Coast – rugged cape scenery; Aoshima shrine on offshore island. Miyazaki – palm-lined city, Heiwadai Tower, tropical atmosphere.
45	Miyazaki → Kanoya	80	Coastal plain (0–50 m)	Continue along coast Rte 220 through Miyazaki Prefecture’s east coast villages, then turn inland to Kanoya (Osumi Peninsula).	Scenic farm and coastal countryside. Kanoya – capital of Osumi: botanical gardens and science museum (rocket exhibits), sunset over bay.
46	Kanoya → Kagoshima	60	Coastal plain (0–20 m)	North along the east coast, short spur to Kagoshima City (main city on west side of bay). End near ferry or park area.	Kagoshima – city at the foot of Sakurajima volcano. Sakurajima Bay views (active volcano) and Sengan-en gardens.
47	Kagoshima → Ibusuki	45	Flat (0–50 m)	South along Kagoshima Bay shore to Ibusuki. Low elevation, hot-spring town.	Ibusuki – famous for its sand-bath onsen. (Cultural tie-in: sand spa and Kaimondake mountain on horizon.)
48	Ibusuki → Cape Sata	130	Coastal hills (0–100 m)	Run along Osumi Peninsula’s scenic coastal road (Rte 226). Climb gentle hills to reach Cape Sata (Japan’s southernmost mainland point).	Cape Sata – Japan’s southernmost mainland tip. Lighthouse viewpoint over Kuroshio current; on clear days see Yakushima (UNESCO) across sea.

At a first glance it looks okay, other than a few massive days (such as the 450km one!). It also works out surprisingly well with the distance, at around 3,237km – although Mapmyrun did do a lot of the legwork deciding a route between Kitakata and Kyoto.

I tried to encourage it to amend the route, so this was my next bit of feedback:

It would then make some changes, and show me a few days of the route, but not the whole thing, leading to repeated prompts along the lines of:

Once ChatGPT starts getting into the state where it can’t amend the route without introducing new errors or is unable to remember the route it initially devised, it’s time to reprompt. 

How ChatGPT Handled It

Let’s be blunt: it wasn’t perfect.

At times, ChatGPT struggled with basic geography. Distances between towns were occasionally off by tens or even hundreds of kilometres. It sometimes hallucinated detours or inserted places I hadn’t asked for, forgetting others that I had specifically emphasised. 

It fixated on aspects of my prompting that I had asked it to move away from, desperately clinging onto what it had decided was critical information, despite my attempts to convince it otherwise. It botched segment distances like “Bifuka to Shibetsu = 180 km” (it’s 41 km), and when I asked for Markdown or CSV exports, it output empty files.

There were moments I asked whether it was being intentionally obtuse or purposefully gaslighting me.

But then…

For the bits that worked, it worked well.

It did a good job of Hokkaido, the first section of the route, and planned something rather similar to my original rough draft. It tended to get lost more in the north of Honshu, and then performed more or less average across the final half of the route.

I suspect it would work better if I split the route planning into four different prompts. Instead of trying to get ChatGPT to plan the whole route, give it instructions for Hokkaido, then from Oma to Kyoto, then from Kyoto to Hiroshima, then a final chat down to Cape Sata. That might have helped it keep context a little better. 

What ChatGPT did best, though, was a comparative description of two potential routes. It could list some pros and cons of each choice, and help me make route planning decisions based not only on the immediate choice, but based on what else I was likely to see along the journey as well. 

Final Thoughts

ChatGPT didn’t plan my route for me, I don’t think it even saved me any time, but it did give me a better understanding of the options available.

I think one of the highlights of using it was the pros and cons of each route option, having something that remembered whether I would see similar scenes again, or whether I was missing something truly unique. That helped with understanding why one route might be more suitable than another. 

It was like having a research assistant who’s overly enthusiastic about Japan but with no spatial awareness or memory retention. Unfortunately, these are two quite useful skills for planning a 3000 km adventure. It needed constant corrections, fact-checking, and nudging, but it didn’t get impatient with the continued prodding and me getting increasingly grumpy at it. That said, if it wasn’t for all the distance hallucinations, formatting bugs, and stubborn detours, I probably wouldn’t have been grumpy. 

Can you use it to plan a route? For sure, but you need to keep one hand on the map, the other on the delete key. 

As for me, I’ve spent far too much time arguing with ChatGPT over the last two days to have any desire to keep using it to plan the route. It’s no quicker than an intelligent individual doing it manually. In fact, I think it’s better to plan the route manually and then get ChatGPT to provide feedback. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do next: plot some route ideas and ask ChatGPT to analyse them and provide feedback.