A remarkable cycling tour that fuses the landscapes of earth, sky, water, and air.

When deciding how to spend one’s time in Japan, the visitor may be overwhelmed with possible choices. Fortunately, there is a simple way to “have it all”—a unique, premier ten-day cycling tour spanning three national cycling routes. On this unforgettable journey, you will travel through sweeping mountain, lake, oceanside, and urban environments, truly connecting with Japan on every level. A support vehicle will be available every step of the way, transporting your luggage and ensuring safety. Guides and interpreters will be at your side, making sure that you get the most out of the adventure, connecting you with people, communities, and landscapes. Delve into a magnificent adventure that brings the real Japan to you and you to the real Japan, in the most authentic and immersive way possible.

Matchless Nature and Heritage

Trained guides are on hand to ensure a smooth and enjoyable ride.

Enjoy the informative and delicious sake brewery experience

Day 1

The saga begins at Tsuchiura Station, where the skilled and knowledgeable staff will conduct a full orientation, making sure you are ready for what will unfold, followed by a delicious lunch. Then, it is time to board a sightseeing boat a Lacus Marina and begin the voyage in earnest. Enjoy breathtaking views of the surroundings and be awe inspired by the majestic sights of Lake Kasumigaura. Following your cruise, it will be time to connect with the land and its food culture through a lotus root digging experience. For dinner, enjoy a sumptuous kaiseki ryori dinner at the refined restaurant Kagetsuro, and then spend your evening at the laid-back and trendy Tsuchiura BEB 5.

Day 2

After departing from the hotel, staff will assist with preparation of the bicycles and ensure that you are ready for what to expect while cycling. Then it is time to begin traveling the Tsukuba Kasumigaura Ring Ring Road, headed in the Mt. Tsukuba direction. Over the coming days, this path will put you in touch with rich natural scenery and cultural charms that are impossible to experience elsewhere. Stop off at a local sake brewery and enjoy sampling some of the exquisite produce they have to offer, and then travel to tonight’s accommodation at Kamenoi Hotel, where you will dine in style.

Day 3

As the tour progresses further, a vista of details and stunning views alike will continue to unfold. Today you will be traveling toward Lake Kasumigaura, Japan’s second-largest lake. This body of water has long been famed for its wide variety of delicious fish, from eel and river prawn to carp and goby. Historically, the lake was also the site of cultivation of Kasumi freshwater pearls. A highlight of the day is the cycruise experience. Bring your bicycle with you on a boat that traces the shores of the glittering lake, and then end your third day by returning to theat the comfortable Tsuchiura BEB 5 to spend another satisfying night.

Biwaichi

The Lake Biwa monument beckons cyclists to revel in the majestic surrounding vistas.

in views of Lake Biwa’s tranquil waters from a hammock at Yanmar Sunset Marina Clubhouse & Hotel

Day 4

The journey does not stop, but the mode of travel shifts from bicycle to bullet train, delivering an astounding array of sights from the comfort of a swiftly moving seat. From Tsuchiura Station, the beauty of the countryside will gradually melt into the pulsing heart of Japan’s biggest metropolis, Tokyo. Then it’s on through Kyoto, Japan’s premiere historical hub, to Moriyama Station in Shiga Prefecture.
Here, lunch will be served at a soba restaurant in a 190-year-old building. On the second floor, experts will fit you with an authentic Japanese kimono, and you will have the chance to explore the area and bask in its historical atmosphere.
Next, create and taste wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) at Tsuruya Yoshimasa, a teahouse founded in the early Edo period that has been run by the same family for seven generations, Following this,travel to Biwako Pearls Surprise, to craft your own freshwater pearl pin and then round off. this eventful day with a stay at Lake Biwa Marriot Hotel, reveling in the enchanting ethereal views it offers of Lake Biwa at night.

Day 5

This day will focus on the joys of Lake Biwa, at the heart of Shiga Prefecture. It is Japan’s largest lake and has been an inspiration for poets and artists since time immemorial. Traveling along the Biwaichi cycling course, the gentle calm of the lake’s waters will bring many new delights. This day’s travels will include a stop at La Collina Omihachiman, a one-of-a-kind establishment. Tiny windows peek out of a roof covered in green natural growth that rises like a small hill from a landscape of swaying grasses. Here you can see bakers making Baumkuchen, a type of spit cake that originated in German cuisine but has long been beloved as a treat in Japan. Heading north, The the destination for the night’s stay is the Grand Park Hotel Okubiwako Makino, a resort-style hotel that overlooks Lake Biwa and its gem-like island, Chikubushima.

Day 6

The splendor of Lake Biwa continues to unfold. Today, on the Biwaichi cycling course pas Shirahige-jinja Shrine. The oldest shrine in ancient Omi, it remains the headquarters for Japan’s approximately 300 local shrines of the same name, and it was memorialized in the famous noh play “Shirahige.” Another feature of note along the way is the 1,350-meter-long Biwako Ohashi Bridge that offers stunning views of the lake and the mountain range Hira-sanchi, which stands majestically in the distance. Relax and spend the evening at the chic, modernistic Yanmar Sunset Marina Clubhouse & Hotel. The distinctive design is complemented by an incredible view of Lake Biwa, which reveals an entirely new face of its beauty as dusk shades into night.

Shimanami Kaido

Incredible unobstructed views from Kirosan Observatory Park.

After getting off your bicycle, get ready for a WAKKA Japanese barbecue.

Day 7

Another scenic train ride will take you from Moriyama Station back through Kyoto Station, bringing more historic buildings and distinctive landscapes before your eyes. From there, the train glides on through Hiroshima Prefecture to Onomichi Station, the day’s destination. Next, you will make a stop at WAKKA, a comprehensive facility that includes a hotel, cafe, ten cycling support services, and a plethora of exciting activities. WAKKA’s artistically designed rooms offer breathtaking views of the Seto Inland Sea and the Shimanami Kaido cycling road, which you can ride along as part of the tour. The road runs between the cities of Onomichi and Imabari, passing numerous small islands, bridges, and distinctive landscape features, cooled by the fresh ocean breeze.

Day 8

After you awake in style at WAKKA, you will take a trip to the fields of local Omishima farmers to experience the joy of harvesting some of the region’s mouthwatering citrus fruit. From there, step into the wonderous world of Japan’s Shinto religion as you take a guided tour through the grounds of Oyamazumi Shrine. and theAfter, marveling at the magnificent 2,600-year-old sacred camphor tree, and paying your respects to the enshrined mountain and sea gods, set off for At Omishima Minna-no-Winery, . Here you can sample wine nurtured with care from grape to bottle and then, as the shadows lengthen, return to WAKKA and savor a barbecued feast before retiring for the night.

Day 9

The fresh salty ocean breezes that characterize the Shimanami Kaido cycling road will be with you as the day unfolds and brings you past even more unforgettable seaside scenery and a landscape of hills and small peaks. Along the way, you will stop at the Murakami Kaizoku Museum. Shaped like a Japanese castle, it provides a fascinating insight into the three families that traveled the waters and coastlines of Imabari, ensuring the safety of local sailors and sometimes clashing in battle. Staying with the marine theme, climb aboard a boat and take to the waters on the Murakami Kaizoku Cruise. During this aquatic adventure you will have the chance to see the vistas you have cycled upon over the past couple of days from the surrounding waters. Back on land, you will cycle to Kirosan Observatory Park, the last and most breathtaking spot on your tour of the Shimanami Kaido cycling road. This observatory park, located on Mt. Kiro, offers unobstructed views of the surrounding landscape: even extending as far as Mt. Ishizuchi, the highest mountain in western Japan. The day’s final stop is the impressive Imabari Kokusai Hotel, with fine recreational facilities and even more gorgeous views.

Day 10

This adventure of a lifetime draws to a close at Imabari Station. A single tour, ten days, three national cycling routes, and a myriad sights and experiences have brought you far closer to Japan than would have been possible with most travel plans. Fulfilled and enriched, it is now time for your life’s next adventure.

For more details, contact DMC Japan to discuss ideas and locations.
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