Japan by bike (train, bus, ship and plane)

the course is totally flat
there seems to be something "similar" to a bike lane along the street. If not, in some stretches, one can also take alternative small roads.
A part of the course is also suggested here: http://cycle-guide.panasonic.jp/special/yamahon/51.do

Attractions:

Matsuyama castle
Ishite-ji (inner temple)
Dogo onsen

Accommodation:

Matsuyama or Dogo onsen

Tobishima Kaido ⇒ This is an alternative how to continue on from the Shimanami Kaido, back to Honshu

See this detailed map: https://www.strava.com/activities/934264904

Matsuyama by train to Iyo Nakayama and then by bike on to Ozu and by train down to Uwa-cho and Uwajima ⇒ 1 day, 30 km (+ train)

Access:

Train from Matsuyama until Iyo Nakayama, 30 min

See Garmin SKO Iyo Nakayama - Ozu

Gradually descending from 200 m to 0 m

Attractions:

Uchiko (old city)
Ozu (old city and castle)
Seiyo (old city and museum, Uno machi station)
Uwajima

Castle
Bull fights 日本語
Garden

Accommodation

Ozu or directly on by train to Uwajima

Access

Train from Iyo Ozu to Uno Machi, 30 min
Train from Iyo Ozu to Uwajima, 45 min
Train from Uno Machi to Uwajima, 20 min

Shimanto Gawa ⇒ 2 days, 106 km

Access: Train to Iejigawa

Matsuyama - Iejigawa 3:20 h, 1 change of trains
Iyo Ozu - Iejigawa 2:45 h, 1 change of trains
Uwajima - Iejigawa 2 h, direct

See Garmin SKO Shimanto Gawa

Descending from 200 m to 0 m
Close to Nakamura there are also bits and pieces of cycle road

Attractions

Shimanto Gawa and its bridges

Accommodation

Along the river there are some Minshoku's

Access:

Nakamura - Matsuyama (5 - 5:30 h), multiple train changes
Nakamura - Sukumo (17 - 30 min) and then on with the ferry to Saiki in Kyushu

Awaji Island ⇒ 2 days, 120 km

Access: Ferry Akashi to Iwaya
See Garmin SKO Awaji

5 x 50 m, 1 x 100 m elevation
Tour suggested in ニッポン快走サイクリングコース book on page 101 (private link)

Attractions

Akashi Kaikyo bridge (from the ferry)
Sea

Accommodation:

Minamiawaji, Fukura

Cycle information on Awaji:

Other attractions

Kagawa Prefecture

Shikoku pilgrimage route

Tuesday, 4 July 2017

Shiga - possible routes

Around lake Biwa ⇒ 3 days, 190 km

Access: by train from Kyoto to Otsu (9 min)
See Garmin SHG Lake Biwa

mainly flat, but at the tip of lake twice from 100 m to 250 m
There is a bicycle route in Omihachiman (or here an easier map) and an other one from the Rainbow bridge to Kitakomatsu (or here a better readable map) on the West side of the lake
Suggested to ride from Sakamoto along the tram line to Otsu

Attractions:

Biwa Lake
Miidera
Rainbow bridge
Azuchi castle ruins
Hikone castle
Hiyoshi Taisha

Accommodation

Nagahama
Omimaiko or Makino

Access: either back from Otsu down to Kyoto and onwards, or from Nagahama down to Fukui (1 h) and then on to the trip in the region of Fukui

Description of a tour around Lake Biwa: http://www.cyclekyoto.com/lake-biwa
Also Giant has a rental location and provides some suggested tours: https://bicyclerental.jp/en/course/
There are trains around the entire lake.

Monday, 3 July 2017

Kyoto / Nara - possible routes

The temple valley around Nara ⇒ 2 - 3 days, 72 km

Access: Train from Ise or Matsusaka to Hasedera Station (1:30 h)

Day 1: Hasedera to Asuka (Kashihara) ⇒ 1 day, 40 km

See Garmin NAR Hasedera - Nara

slightly descending then flat

Attractions

Region around Asuka and Sakurai

Accomodation

Kashihara

Day 2 - 3: Asuka to Nara ⇒ 1 day, 40 km

See Garmin NAR Hasedera - Nara

mainly flat
There are also some bicycle routes in the valley leading from Asuka to Nara. I have currently not used them for plotting, but they could be useful:

Attractions:

Asuka region
Horyu-ji & Chugu-ji Temples (UNESCO World Heritage)

Hidden Buddha on show 22/Oct - 22/Nov

Yakushi-ji & Toshodai-ji
Nara (UNESCO World Heritage)

Accomodation

Nara (2 days?)

From Nara to tea plantation and Uji to Kyoto ⇒ 2 - 3 days, 92 km

Day 1 - 2: Nara to Uji ⇒ 1 -2 days, 65 km

See Garmin NAR Nara - Uji - Arashiyama

in first 20 km from 40 m to 160 m in order to come to the tea plantation
then descending or flat
there is a bicycle road from Kizugawa to Arashiyama, however for Uji a detour from the cycle path is needed.
this cycle road is also described in more detail here: http://cycle-guide.panasonic.jp/special/yamahon/93.do

Attractions

Tea plantation tour ⇒ requires reservation
Uji UNESCO World Heritage
Ukai (Cormoran fishing) in Uji (until end Sep)

Accommodation

Uji or before Uji

Day 3: Uji to Arashiyama ⇒ 1 day, 30 km

See Garmin NAR Nara - Uji - Arashiyama

flat
there is a bicycle road from Kizugawa to Arashiyama

Attractions:

Kyoto & Arashiyama (UNESCO World Heritage)

Accommodation

Kyoto / Arashiyama

General cycling information for Nara

Nara province seems to be interested in attracting cycling tourists. There is a network of well indicated cycling routes. The only thing I have not yet been able to find is a printed version of the maps, here is a pdf which has (I think) all of the different routes: http://nara-cycling.com/map/narakuru/pdf/2015/map.pdf
Here a screen shot of a part of it, for my use, as sometimes it is hard to open the pdf above on the mobile phone

Notes for Nara & Kyoto

7-9/Oct/2017 Shika no tsu no kiri （鹿の角切り）日本語
22/Oct Jidai Matsuri Kyoto
22/Oct Kurama no hi matsuri Kurama (close to Kyoto)

Other possibilities:

Alternatively one can ride from Nara (Kizugawa) to Arashiyama along a cycle road.
And here is a web page with many cycle routes in and around Kyoto: http://www.cyclekyoto.com/
Other attractions in the area:

Yoshino & Kinpusenji
Taimadera Gonennin

Sunday, 2 July 2017

Mie - possible routes

Toba to Ise and on to Nara ⇒ 2 - 3 days, 53 km

Day 1 & 2: Toba to Ise ⇒ 1 - 2 days, 30 km

See Garmin MIE Toba - Ise

mainly flat
There is also a tour suggested in Ise city

Attractions: Ise

Shrines
Old buildings
Stones in sea
Mikimoto Pearl Island

Festival: mid October
Accommodation: (2 days)

Heidi's suggestion: Hoshidekan Ryokan　日本語

Day 3: Ise to Matsugasaki and then Nara valley ⇒ 1 day, 23 km

See Garmin MIE Ise - Matsugasaki

flat
There is a cycle road between Ise and Matsugasaki, but I have not yet been able to find details of it

From Matsugasaki onwards towards Nara by train (1:30h)

Click here for a summary of the actual ride.

Alternative Access:

From Kamoyama by train through Iga to Nara (about 2 h, one change of trains)
From Ise to Nara (1:50h) or from Matsusaka to Nara (1:30 h)

There is also a bicycle lane out on Shima Hanto, which I however have currently not taken into consideration:

http://www.mlit.go.jp/road/road/bicycle/road/pdf/076.pdf

Description of a route from Toba to Tsu: http://japancycling.org/v2/cguide/part5/toba2tsu-e.shtml

Ibaraki - Notes

I currently do not plan to go to Ibaraki, but there are some tips anyway:

Tsukuba rin rin road: http://www.pref.ibaraki.jp/doboku/urado/doni/05roadmap.html,

Some tips for sightseeing along that bicycle lane: http://wanderlust-japan.com/top-10-cycling-roads-japan/

I can also recommend Sawara and Katori Jinja.

Shizuoka & Aichi - possible routes

Webpage of Shizuoka prefecture with several recommended routes: https://shizuoka-guide.com/english/cycling/#tmp_area_cours_03 some of which I tried out here and here

Shizuoka to Irago, along the pacific coast ⇒ 2-3 days, 182 km

Access: By Shinkansen to Shizuoka (ca 2:30, through Odawara by Odakyu)

See Garmin SHZ Shizuoka - Irago https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/15670037

mainly flat, only about 2 x 100 m hills
Along the pacific coast from before Shizuoka until Irago there is a bicycle lane along the pacific coast. There are some known gaps (Hamamatsu to Shingetsu). Also reportedly at times it is difficult to find the lane. (NOTE: Since about August 2017 the links to MLIT stopped working and I have not yet been able to find where the ministry put the info)

http://www.mlit.go.jp/road/road/bicycle/road/pdf/069.pdf
http://www.mlit.go.jp/road/road/bicycle/road/pdf/070.pdf
http://www.mlit.go.jp/road/road/bicycle/road/pdf/072.pdf

Be aware, that the quality of this bicycle road is bad in quite a lot of places, with vegetation getting the better of it, or with sand dunes invading it completely. There are still nice and very good ridable parts, specially between Shizuoka and Omaezaki, but other parts cannot really be recommended, unless some decisive action by the local responsibles is taken. See pictures below.

There is also a bicycle lane around half of lake Hamana, however currently not considered:

Some further description on this course are here:

http://www.kancycling.com/Shizuoka/Shizuoka_Route.html

Some additional maps:

Attractions

Pacific Coast
Some (not traditional) onsen along lake Hamanako

Accommodation: along the coast

Access by Ferry to Ise, about 8 ferries per day, last ferry 17:40, 1 h

If one goes to Inuyama, there is also a suggested tour around the city

Here a link to a summary of the actual ride, which was pretty similar to plan. As said above however the Pacific Coast Cycling Route however needs some important improvements. There are good and great parts:

...but then there are also parts that are not passible at all:

Minamikamo & Inujima

Minamikamo, forest, temples: https://www.japan-guide.com/ad/minokamo/
Inuyama, castle, Meiji mura and garden: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3350.html
Magome: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6076.html

Here a possible way how to incorporate it into a long ride from Yamanashi to Lake Biwa. With a bus ride between Iida and Magome (which seems to be relatively frequent).

Niigata - possible routes

Sado Island ⇒ 2 days, 70 km

Access: Ferry/jetfoil from Niigata, 1 - 2.5 h
Day 1: Ryotsu to Mano ⇒ 1 day, 34 km

See Garmin NII Ryotsu - Mano

mainly flat

Attractions:

Toki-no-mori park, where Ibis are bread
Temples

Kompon-ji 根本寺
Myoshoji 妙声寺
Jisshoji 実相寺
Kokubunji 国分寺

Sado History Museum in Mano

Accomodation: Mano

Day 2: Mano to Ogi ⇒ 1 day, 36 km, including ride along the coast West of Ogi (Mano - Ogi only, about 25 km)

See Garmin NII Mano - Ogi

2 hills in 25 km from 0 to 100 m, 1 hill 0 to 130 m
Some up-and-down along the coast

Attractions:

Coast West of Ogi
Shukunegi village

Accommodation: Ogi

Access: Ferry to Naoetsu, 1:40 h, 2 ferries per day until end October

Onwards from Naoetsu and Jyoetsumyoko (Shinkansen Station) to either Karuizawa (1 h) or to Kurobe Unazukionsen (30 min)

See Garmin NII Naoetsu - Jyoetsumyoko, 14 km, flat

There are also other suggested routes in Niigata:

http://cycle-guide.panasonic.jp/special/yamahon/56.do

Iwate - possible routes (also includes a bit Akita, Fukushima and Niigata, but by train / car)

Relaxing Onsen ⇒ 2 days, no riding

Shinkansen from Hachinohe through Morioka to Tazawako, 1:15 h
Rental car from Tazawako and into the onsen area → Actually bus turned out to be totally okay.

Here a link to the actual stay and ride on Tazawako and on to Kakunodate.

Route Morioka - Tono - Hiraizumi ⇒ 4 days, 185 km

Shinkansen from Hachinohe to Morioka (30 min)
Ride bicycle along the valley from Morioka to Sendai

See Garmin IWA Morioka - Hiraizumi - Matsushima - Sendai

Ride along the river valley

Day 1 - Morioka - Tono ⇒ 85 km (or less)

See IWA Morioka - Hanamaki - Tono

Relatively flat until km 60 (from 100 to 200 m), then 2 x 330 m
Possibility to take train from km 40 (or also later) to Kashiwagidaira, from there a cycle road leads down to Tono

Accommodation

Tono (2 nights)

Day 2 - Tono ⇒ 42 km

See Garmin IWA Tono roundtrip

Partially there is a cycle road into the valley of Tono
Relatively flat
Here a slightly shorter alternative trip through Tono valley: http://cycle-guide.panasonic.jp/special/yamahon/108.do

Attractions

Tono Valley

Nice countryside, bicycle friendly
Small villages
3 different open air village museums

Onsen in Takamuro Suikoen

Temples, Shrines...

Fukusenji
Kappabuchi Pond

Day 3 & 4 - Tono - Hiraizumi ⇒ 56 km

Train from Tono back to Hanamaki, then riding along the valley to Hiraizumi
See Garmin IWA Hanamaki - Hiraizumi

Gradually descending
There is a cycle road from Hanamaki to Kitakami

Attractions

Hiraizumi UNESCO World Heritage

Konjiki-do
Monstu-ji (garden)
Other temples

Accommodation

Hiraizumi (2 nights)

Here the link to the actual ride done.

Onwards to Aizuwakamatsu & Ouchijuku by train ⇒ 2 days, 9 km

Day 1: Hiraizumi to Aizuwakamatsu ⇒ 9 km

Part 1: By bicycle: Hiraizumi - Ichinoseki station

See Garmin IWA Hiraizumi - Ichinoseki

Part 2: By train: Ichinoseki station to Aizuwakamatsu, by train, about 3 hours, one change of trains

Accommodation: Aizuwakamatsu (2 days)
Day 2: Aizuwakamatsu and Ouchijuku

By rental car
Attractions

Aizuwakamatsu: Castle, Temples, Old houses...
Ouchijuku Post Town

There is a bike lane from about Amaya to Kitakata with some interruptions. Not sure it is useful.

Excusion to Tashirojima

Possible excursion from Hiraizumi to Ishinomaki (either by train or bike) and then on the ferry to Tashirojima (cat island)

Onwards to Niigata and Sado Island by bus and ferry ⇒ 1 day, no riding

Aizuwakamatsu to Niigata, by bus about 2 h
Niigata to Sado Island per ferry or jet foil, about 1 - 2.5 h

Toyama/Gifu/Ishikawa/Fukui - possible routes

Kurobe gorge, No cycling, just enjoying the gorge ⇒ 1 - 2 days, 0 km

Day 1 - 2: Nagano to Unazuki Onsen

Access: Shinkansen from Nagano to Kurobe Unazukionsen and then on with local train to Unazukionsen Station
Bicycle: probably just leave it at a bicycle parking at Kuroba Unazukionsen station
Attractions:

Kurobe gorge and its small train

Accommodation: in a ryokan in the valley

Takayama & Hida Furukawa, Limited cycling, or no cycling ⇒ 2 days, 16 km

Day 1: Toyama to Takayama ⇒ 1 day, 0 km

Access: Train from Toyama, about 2:30 h, often one change of trains
Attractions: Takayama

Old town
Temples
Open air museum

Accommodation: Takayama (2 nights?)

Day 2: Takayama to Hida Furukawa and back down to Toyama ⇒ 1 day, 16 km

See Garmin GIF Takayama - Hida Furukawa

slightly descending

A route around Hida Furukawa is also suggested here
Attractions:

Old town

Accommodation: Takayama or back down in Toyama
Access: Train from Hida Furukawa to Toyama, about 2 h

Excursion out to Noto Peninsula

Possible route described here: http://www.kancycling.com/Noto/Noto_Route.html
Attractions

Oku Noto Art Triennale 3/Sep - 22/Oct/2017 in Suzu city at the tip of Noto Peninsula

Kurobe Unazukionsen to Fukui ⇒ 4- 5 days, 250 km (2 - 3 days, 125 km, if one starts in Kanazawa) (see also below alternative access to Fukui from Kyoto / Biwako area)

Day 1: Kurobe to approx. Tonami ⇒ 1 day, 70 - 80 km

See Garmin FUK Kurobe - Fukui

mainly flat, but there is one elevation (about 200 m after Tonami)
There is a bicycle road along the coast from Kurobe until Toyama and then on to Oyabe
There is also a cycle road suggested between Toyama and Takaoka and the one between Uozu and Toyama is described also here

Attractions: long bicycle lane along the sea
Accommodation: around Tonami

Day 2: Tonami to approx. Kanazawa ⇒ 1 day, 60 km (or shorter, some train ride is also possible)

See Garmin FUK Kurobe - Fukui

Elevation between Tonami and Kanazawa from 50 m to 200m, rest flat
Bicycle lane until Oyabe

Attractions: Kanazawa

Kanazawa castle
Kenrokuen (Park)
Temples & Shrines
Art Museum

Accomodation: Kanazawa

Day 3 (or Day 1): Kanazawa to approx. Kaga ⇒ 1 day, 50 - 60 km (or more if Natadera is included)

Access: potentially by Shinkansen directly from Kurobe Unazukionsen to Kanazawa and start tour in Kanazawa
See Garmin FUK Kurobe - Fukui

mainly flat, along the coast.
There is a bicycle lane all the way from Noto peninsula to Kaga

This route only takes it from Kanazawa to Kaga.

Part of this bike lane is also described here

See Garmin ISH Kaga - Natadera for excursion between Komatsu and Kaga to Natadera

26 km Kaga - Natadera - Kaga, but it can be made along the way.

See here for a tour in & around Kaga
Attractions:

long bicycle lane along the sea
Natadera
Onsen area

Accommodation: Kaga

Day 4 &5 ? (or Day 2 &3 ?): Kaga to Fukui ⇒ 1 or 2 days, 70 km

See Garmin FUK Kurobe - Fukui

mainly flat, but some small hills right after Kaga
There is potentially a bicycle road from about Eiheiguchi station to Fukumachi, but not to the station in Fukui. Currently not considered in the route planning

Attractions

Accommodation: Fukui or Maruoka (1 - 2 days)

Access: Kyoto - Fukui, direct train, 1:30 h or Fukui - Lake Biwa, about 1 h

Tsuruga to Fukui ⇒ 2 days, 140 km

Access:

Kyoto - Tsuruga, 50 min, direct train
Nagahama (Lake Biwa) - Tsuruga, 40 min, direct train
Alternatively also tour from Fukui to Tsuruga: Kyoto - Fukui, direct train, 1:30 h

Tour recommended by KANCycling: http://www.kancycling.com/Echizen/Echizen_Route.html this page also contains suggestions for accommodation and other places to visit along the route.

Day 1: Tsuruga to Tojinbo ⇒ 1 day, 84 km

See Garmin FUK Tsuruga - Maruoka - Fukui

mainly flat, but two shart elevations to about 120 m

Attractions

Coast between Tsuruga and Fukui
Tochinbo Coast

Accommodation: around Tochinbo

Day 2: Tojinbo - Maruoka - Fukui ⇒ 1 day, 60 km

See Garmin FUK Tsuruga - Maruoka - Fukui

flat, except for way to Eiheiji

Attractions

Accommodation: around Fukui

Possible Day 3

There is a tour suggested around Sabae and Echizen-Takefu, to the South for Fukui along the train line to Tsuruga

Other cycling recommendations

Cycling courses around Toyama:

Saturday, 1 July 2017

Nagano - possible routes

Route Karuizawa - Bessho Onsen - Nagano ⇒ 3 days, 110 km

Day 1 & 2 - Karuizawa - Bessho Onsen ⇒ 1 + 1 day, 50 km

Access: By Shinkansen to Karuizawa
See Garmin NAG Karuizawa - BesshoOnsen - Ueda - Nagano

Downhill from 1000 m to 550 m
There is also an other course suggested in Karuizawa: http://cycle-guide.panasonic.jp/special/yamahon/54.do

Attractions:

Japan Romantic Street

Karuizawa

Hiroshi Senju Museum

Komoro Castle Park
Unnujuku
Bessho Onsen: Onsen and many temples

Anrakuji

Accomodation:

Bessho Onsen (2 days)

Day 3 - Ueda - Nagano ⇒ 1 day, 60 km

See Garmin NAG Karuizawa - BesshoOnsen - Ueda - Nagano

Downhill from 550 m to 360 m
Bicycle road from Ueda to Shinonoshiozaki (close to Nagano)

Attractions:

Accomodation: Nagano

Chino

Seems to be a nice village, with some cycleable areas:

https://www.japan-guide.com/ad/chino/