LONDON — Briton Mark Swain and his son, Sam, are taking a well-earned rest after becoming the first father-and-son team to cycle from the west of Ireland to Japan.

Mark, a former resident of Tokyo, and Sam, 19, endured a host of challenges during their epic 15,685-km bicycle ride, which took them through Europe, Turkey, India and Southeast Asia before crossing into China and eventually reaching Japan.

They began their adventure in August 2008 and took 10 months to reach Tokyo, finishing outside the Irish Embassy, where they were welcomed by Ambassador Brendan Scannell on May 26.