From Sea to Volcano: A Six-Day Cycle Tour

Guided Tour

Price from

310,000 JPY

Duration

6 Days | 5 Nights

Level

An epic cycling tour of rural Japan with incredible road cycling. A six-day road cycling tour spanning three of Japan’s four main islands. Experience Japan’s beauty, history and culture as you cross breath-taking bridges, cycle up awesome mountains and a volcano, bathe in historic hot springs, stay in traditional and modern accommodation, and eat outstanding local cuisine. Unforgettable.

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Quality Bikes

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Fantastic Accommodation

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Local Guide

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Fully Supported

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Small Group

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Exceptional Local Food

ABOUT THIS TOUR

Venture into the countryside for some of the best road cycling Japan has to offer – dramatic landscapes, epic bridges, challenging roads, beautiful seascapes, great accommodation, and fantastic local cuisine. This is the only cycling tour in Japan that takes you to three of the four main islands, along two of Japan’s most famous roads, from the sea to the bubbling caldera of the largest active volcano in Japan. It’s perfect for those who love cycling and want to experience the incredible range of Japan’s natural beauty. Quite simply, we think it’s the most breath-taking cycle tour in Japan.

This tour lasts 6 days and 5 nights, with cycling on every day and plenty of time to enjoy the towns and cities through which we pass. The tour starts in Onomichi, on the shores of the Seto Inland Sea, from there we journey out onto the Shimanami Kaido (find out more about the Shimanami Kaido by clicking here). We then head over the mountains to Matsuyama to enjoy the oldest hot spring in Japan and visit a temple from the 88-temple pilgrimage. The third day takes us along the coast, past stunning beaches and traditional villages. We then turn west to take a ferry to Kyushu, the western island. Cycling to the famous city of Beppu, we climb out of the city to our next stop – a small mountain town known for its hot springs. On the penultimate day we join the Yamanami Highway and head into the Aso Kuju National Park, with fantastic roads and unbelievable views. You’ll stay the final night in Aso village, before a hill climb to the bubbling caldera (weather permitting) on the last day. With about 70-80kms of cycling per day and opportunities for stops along the way, it’s the perfect tour for cycling-enthusiasts who want to experience the real Japanese.

The cycling is led by an experienced local guide and we also have a support van. If you would prefer a supported self-guided ride, without a guide, we can arrange that too. We’ll introduce you to our secret spots and great roads – places that we’ve found from our many years of experience exploring this area and talking to the people who live here.

You will be fully supported on this cycling tour. We take care of all bookings, luggage transfer, and provide quality cross bikes and helmets. We can also provide ebikes for an additional fee or you can use your own road bikes, if that’s possible for you (you could send them to us from the airport and we will have them ready for you to use). Alternatively, we can organise the rental of quality road bikes for you. The support van will always be close by in case there are any issues, or just to provide snacks, cool water, and coffee. This all means that you can relax and focus on having a great time as you journey through spectacular scenery and historic towns, on this epic cycle tour through rural Japan.

Start of the trip

Onomichi

Day 1

Imabari

Day 2

Matsuyama

Day 3

Misaki

Day 4

Yufuin

Day 5

Aso

Day 6

Aso Hill Climb

Duration: 6 days, 5 nights
Difficulty: 4/5 – Suitable for people who frequently cycle and who don’t hate hills. We have e-bikes (subject to availability) if you need a helping hand.
Price: From 310,000
Group size: Generally 4-8 guests (contact us for smaller or larger private tours – we can accommodate groups of ANY size)
Mixture of traditional and modern Japanese hotels

Things to see
Things to eat

Cycle the world famous Shimanami Kaido, one of the best cycling routes in Japan.
Cycle the spectacular Yamanami Highway to Mt. Aso, the largest active volcano in Japan.
Cycle through historic cities enjoying the hot springs and culture on offer.

Exquisite seafood - the seafood in this area is famous throughout Japan. It's among the freshest you can get.
Eat local cuisine in all our stops. We're known as much for our choices of restaurants and hotels as we are for our cycling tours.
Support van with snacks, coffee, and sports drinks.

Bike and helmet rental
Cycling guide and support van
Five nights at a mixture of traditional and modern Japanese hotels (enquire for prices for single rooms)
Dinner (days 1-5) and breakfast (days 2-6)
Transport fees while on the tour (e.g. ferry)
luggage transfer
A water bottle

Prices from ¥310,000.

- - We need a minimum of 4 to run the tour.
  - We can offer the tour as a private tour to groups (4+).
  - There is no fee for single travellers. You will share a room with another group member. If you require a single room, there will be an additional supplement.
  - We can provide airport transfers from nearby airports. There may be an additional fee depending on airport and numbers. Get in touch for more information.
  - We can accommodate large groups – cycling clubs for example.
  - We can run the tour for smaller groups who want a private tour. Please enquire for prices.

After reading the Terms & Conditions, click the Enquire about this Tour button and submit the form.
We will get back to you to confirm details. We will then send you a booking form.
Once you’ve sent this back to us, we’ll arrange for payment of your deposit, which is 10% of the trip price. We accept credit cards and wire transfer.
Full payment is due 21 days prior to the first day of the trip.

Please click here for our terms and conditions.

Enquire about this tour

ITINERARY

Day 1: The Shimanami Kaido

65 kms | Rolling hills | Next to the sea | Lunch & Dinner | Western

Meet at Onomichi train station and ride out on the Shimanami Kaido. Cross 6 islands and stay in a hotel overlooking the Seto Inland Sea. Onomichi is accessible by bullet train and close to Hiroshima Airport (click here to learn about cheap internal flights). Contact us if you require pick up. We can also organise accommodation in Onomichi the night before the tour if needed.

Day 2: Matsuyama

55 kms | Mostly flat | Next to the sea with hill climb options | Breakfast & Lunch | Western

Cycle along the beautiful coast, past beaches and temples, to the city of Matsuyama, the most lively city on Shikoku. Stay in the historic Dogo hot spring area, with the oldest hot spring in Japan. There are opportunities for night tours of the Dogo area, sake tasting, visiting Matsuyama castle, or having dinner with a local family.

Day 3: Epic coastline

75 kms | Rolling hills | Next to the sea | Lunch & Dinner | Japanese

Optional morning visit to Matsuyama castle. Cycle along the epic coastline of western Shikoku, with incredible beaches and small towns. Journey along the brilliant melody line towards the western-most point of Shikoku. Approximately 85kms of cycling.

Day 4: Yufuin

75 kms | Flat then climbing | Ferry/Into the mountains| Breakfast & Lunch | Japanese

Start the day by taking a quick ferry ride to Kyushu, the western island. Then we cycle to the historic city of Beppu. From there we climb over Mt. Yufu (one of our favourite climbs) and stay in the hot spring town of Yufuin. Approximately 65kms of cycling.

Day 5: The Yamanami Highway

80 kms | Climbing | Into the mountains | Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Western

Cycle along the stunning Yamanami Highway, through the breath-taking Aso Kuju National Park. Stay in the town of Aso. Approximately 80kms with views to remember and fabulous ice cream!

Day 6: Aso

21 kms | Climbing | Into the mountains | Breakfast & Lunch| Final day

Cycle to the top of Mt Aso and walk to the Caldera (weather permitting). Cycle to the train station or take the support van to an airport. Please get in touch for details of airport transfers. Approximately 21 kms to the top.

Enquire about this tour

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