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

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/

Friday, 30 June 2017

Planning - best web pages for routes

Here some notes on those web pages I have found most helpful for tour planning. See also this blog post about cycling roads.

Worldwide:

Open cycle map:

https://www.opencyclemap.org/
This map shows (some) of the local cycle lanes. Specially now that the cycle lanes from the ministry of transport web page have been deleted this could be a good tool

Komoot:

https://www.komoot.com/discover
Route planning tool

Japan everywhere:

Proposed cycling courses, ordered by things such as "mountain", "along rivers"... Possibility to select based on map. Except Saitama (and maybe a few other places) the bicycle roads are the same as from the MLIT (see below)

http://www.cycling-tomorrow.jp/road_course/#tab_3_pt 日本語

Cycling the length of Japan, but often through the mountains, with elevation maps, but not very detailed tour descriptions

http://japancycling.org/v2/cguide/

Cycling paths from the ministry. Quite badly made web page, which also does not seem to be maintained since many many years, but it is still the only place I could find the 135 official bicycle lanes in Japan.

http://www.mlit.go.jp/road/road/bicycle/road/index.html (does not work anymore)
https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/english.html (now this exists... but has WAY less cycling lanes than the original web page from the minstry had)

Kancycling, this web page has good ideas for tours, but no detailed maps.

http://www.kancycling.com/KANcycling/Destinations.html

Panasonic, list of proposed cycle courses in Japan, that can be selected from a map. Also if you register maps can be downloaded.

http://cycle-guide.panasonic.jp/special/yamahon/index01.do 日本語

Strava, list with over 100 routes in Japan filterable by profile, area and elevation gain

https://www.routes-of-japan.com/　日本語

Japan Eco Track, web page with routes all over Japan

https://www.japanecotrack.net/

Tabi Rin, nearly 900 courses. Filterable by area, distance, difficulty... English version seems to have only very few routes

https://tabi-rin.com/ 日本語

Here some others, I listed elsewhere

Long distant routes:

Pacific cycling road from Chiba to Osaka https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/index.html

Hokkaido:

11 different routes through Hokkaido: http://www.14degrees.org/hokkaido-cycle-touring-routes/
Tokapuchi 400 (400 km): https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/tokapuchi_en.html
Around Bibai: https://www.city.bibai.hokkaido.jp/uploaded/attachment/2254.pdf

Aomori:

https://aomori-cycling.com/

Ibaraki

Nagano

https://japanalpscycling.jp/nagaichi

Shizuoka

Several routes in Shizuoka prefecture: https://shizuoka-guide.com/english/cycling/#tmp_area_cours_03
Around Gotemba: https://spotogotemba.com/gotembacyclingcourseguide/

Toyama

https://cycling-toyama.jp/en/course/

Kansai:

Biwako and around: https://en.biwako1.jp/map/
Cycling in and around Kyoto: http://www.cyclekyoto.com/
Tea themed routes: https://www.pref.kyoto.jp/kyotoyamashiro/cyMap-index.html
Hyogo long cycling routes: https://web.pref.hyogo.lg.jp/ks11/hyogo_cycling_model_routes.html
Other lists I found: https://bicycletraveljapan.blogspot.com/2019/11/cycling-routes-in-kansai-region.html
Okayama: https://www.okayama-kanko.jp/hareiro-cycling/
Maps around Osaka https://www.pref.osaka.lg.jp/daitoshimachi/kouiki_cycleroute/ (very hard to read)
Nara: https://www3.pref.nara.jp/cycling/module/1032.htm#moduleid1032
At an onsen in Osaka, I picked up a map of suggested cycling trips around the Northern part of Osaka and it contained also links to several other maps. So sharing here:

Osaka North http://www.pref.osaka.lg.jp/daitoshimachi/kouiki_cycleroute/cycle2019.html
Osaka South http://www.pref.osaka.lg.jp/daitoshimachi/kouiki_cycleroute/2018_cycle_jikken.html
Nara -Kyoto http://nara-cycling.com/map/nara-kyoto/
Kyoto tea fields https://www.pref.kyoto.jp/kyotoyamashiro/cyMap-index.html
Nara - Wakayama http://nara-cycling.com/map/nara-wakayama/
Nara http://nara-cycling.com/map/narakuru/
Wakayama https://www.pref.wakayama.lg.jp/prefg/020200/cyclingmap.html
Hyogo https://web.pref.hyogo.lg.jp/hnk09/cyclemap.html
Biwako (Lake Biwa)https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/guide/detail/179?categories=1
Senshu http://welcome-to-senshu.jp/cyclingmap/
Aigawa http://www.aigawa.jp/茨木市サイクリングマップ「go-cycling-to-aigawa」を制作しま/
Kawachinagano https://www.city.kawachinagano.lg.jp/soshiki/16/25969.html

Fukui

Five lakes on the coast Gokoichi https://www.pref.fukui.lg.jp/doc/sokou/bicycle/map_d/fil/gokoichi_cycling_1.pdf

Shimane

https://www.kankou-shimane.com/cycling/cyclingroute/

Shikoku

Ehime: https://ehime-cycling.jp/course/

Hiroshima

https://dive-hiroshima.com/feature/cycling/

Yamaguchi

http://cycleken-yamaguchi.com/support/cycle-root/

Kagoshima

Practical information

List of bikeshops etc: http://www.cycling-tomorrow.jp/ 日本語

Aomori - possible routes (including Hakodate in Hokkaido)

Route Oma - Osorezan - Hachinohe ⇒ 4 days, 182 km

Day 1: City of Hakodate

Access: Shinkansen or plane from Tokyo
Attractions

Downtown
Ainu Culture exhibition at Hakodate City Museum
View from Hakodate yama
Morning market 朝市

A route around a lake close to Hakodate: http://cycle-guide.panasonic.jp/special/yamahon/107.do

Access: With ferry from Hakodate to Oma

http://www.tsugarukaikyo.co.jp/global/english/

Day 2: Bicycle Oma to Osorezan, 46 km

See Garmin AOM Oma - Osorezan

To check if street between Ohata and Osorezan is asphalted!
Relatively flat, 1 x 100 m , and then up to 231 m

Attractions:

Cape Oma
Osorzan temple
Onsen in Osorzan
Yagen valley: (Possible but currently not on the route, however not very high, if one returns down to sea level) Place with Onsen

Accomodation:

In Osorezan temple

Day 3 & 4: Osorezan to Hachinohe, 136 km

See Garmin AOM Osorezan - Hachinohe
Attractions:

Mutsu Bay, Pacific & Lakes

Access: Shinkansen from Hachinohe, also a train arrives until Mutsu, at the foot of Osorezan.

Route along the Japanese Sea and the Gono Line from Goshogawara to Lake Jusanko and then down the coast to Noshiro ⇒ 3 days, 172 km (or less, as along the entire coast line one can hop on the Gono train line)

Access: Aomori - Goshogawara, 1:20 min direct trains or one change
Day 1: Goshogawara to Lake Jusanko and Ajigasawa ⇒ 1 day, 65 km

See Garmin AOM Goshogawara - Lake Jusanko - Noshiro

Flat
Along the Yone My Road

Attractions:

Lake & Sea

Accommodation:

Ajigasawara or along the coast

Day 2: Ajigasawa to Fukaura or Juniko ⇒ 1 day, 40 - 60 km

See Garmin AOM Goshogawara - Lake Jusanko - Noshiro

4 x 50 m ascend, 1 x 100 m ascend

Attractions:

Accommodation:

Between Fukaura and Juniko

Day 3: Fukaura or Juniko to Noshiro ⇒ 1 day, 50 - 70 km

See Garmin AOM Goshogawara - Lake Jusanko - Noshiro

(from Fukaura) 3 x 50 m ascend, 1 x 100 m ascend

Attractions:

Accomodation:

Noshiro

The entire route from Ajigasawa to Noshiro is along the Gono line, thus one can take the train in any moment. Not very frequent trains though...
This trip is a suggestion from ニッポン快走サイクリングコース
Some parts are also described here: http://cycle-guide.panasonic.jp/special/yamahon/105.do
Access: From Higashi Noshiro to Morioka, Shin-Hanamaki or Ichinoseki Station (3:30 h) and there connecting to the trip in Iwate prefecture

Hokkaido - possible routes

Route Wakkanai - Rumoi ⇒ 4 days, 180 km

Flight to Wakkanai
Ride bicycle to Rumoi, 180 km, flat, along the coast

See Garmin HOK - Wakkanai to Rumoi
See this web page: http://www.14degrees.org/hokkaido-cycle-touring-routes/

Accommodation:

Hotels available in Teshio (70 km, totally flat) , Shosanbetsu (40 km, some up and down), Tomamae (30 km, up and down), Rumoi (40 km, flat)
Toho yado are specially recommended. There are 4 along this route.

Attractions: Along the sea
Train from Rumoi to Sapporo (2:30 h)

If instead one wants to continue to Sapporo from Fukagawa to Sunagawa there is a cycle road and then again one from Ishikari River along Toyohira River to Sapporo.

Here the link to the actual ride from Wakkanai to Rumoi. It took 4.5 days.

Route Sapporo - Furano ⇒ 2 days, 115 km

Ride bicycle from Sapporo through Takikawa to Furano

See Garmin HOK Sapporo - Furano

Note cycle road along Toyohira River out of Sapporo

Flat until Akabira (90 km from Sapporo), then slightly rising until a hight of about 120 m
Over the montain by train

Train from Nokana to Furano (20 min)

Accommodation:

Many hotels available until Takikawa and also some in Furano

Attractions:

Furano, nice country side

Route Furano - Asahikawa ⇒ 1 - 2 days, 60 km

Ride bicycle from Furano through Biei to Asahikawa

See Garmin HOK Furano - Asahikawa
From 180 m to 300 m and then down, not too much up-and-down

Accommodation:

Furano, Biei, Asahikawa

Attractions:

Nice country side around Furano and Biei, Asahikawa Zoo (?)

Route Chitose Airport - Sapporo - Otaru ⇒ 1 + 1 day, 60 km bicycle + train

Flight to Chitose
Ride bicycle from Chitose to Sapporo, through Kaitaku open air museum and then maybe by train from Sapporo to Otaru

Note Shiroshi cycling road from Sapporo to Kitahiroshima (see also pictures below)
See Garmin HOK Chitose - Sapporo

60 km, flat, but once up to 100 m

See Garmin HOK Sapporo - Otaru

35 km, from 0 m to 100 m , plus one spike at 200 m, but road could potentially quite full of traffic and there are no alternatives
Maybe better to take a train, which goes right on the seaside, ca 50 min