Our Japan cycling holidays
Our Japan cycling holidays allow for a relaxing and scenic immersion into the country’s rural landscapes. You’ll enjoy riding on peaceful back roads and dramatic coastal trails, through rice paddies and ancient woodland, and between immense mountains. And these holidays are designed to reach areas that very few others do. They help you to explore less-visited aspects of Japan and its culture, from out-of-the-way temples to remote fishing villages, whilst also helping to spread the economic benefits of tourism. Cycling is without doubt the best way to see, and experience, Japan. Plus, it’s enormously good fun.
Japan cycling holiday, small group
Get off the beaten track and experience old Japan
From
£4795 to £5195
13 days
ex flights
Cycling holiday in Japan
Sociable cycling tour of Japan's culture and nature
From
£5949 to £6999
14 days
ex flights
Contact Us
Call us for a chat about our holidays. We are happy to discuss your holiday and help in any way we can. No bots, queues or awful hold music.
01273 823 700
Call us until 6pm
Calling from outside the UK
What does cycling in Japan entail?
How fit do I need to be?
These are not particularly arduous rides – a typical daily distance might be anywhere between 60km and 70km, with a total elevation gain of 900m across that. The pace is always relaxed, allowing plenty of time to rest and enjoy the scenery, as well as to explore places you pass along the way. You will want to be an experienced cyclist, though, comfortable with some long distances, and a few practise rides before departure will certainly be useful.
Tailor made or small group tours?
Our small group cycling tours are led by brilliant local guides and ensure that the logistics are handled so that you can simply enjoy the ride. And the company of your group, of course – these are always very sociable trips, where everyone gels quickly as you share the same ups and downs. You certainly won’t lack for people cheering on you on towards the finish line every day. On most trips, a support van accompanies you, there to fix punctures, carry bags, and if necessary, give tired legs a rest.
Tailor made cycling holidays in Japan give you a greater degree of flexibility. You determine your travel dates, how long you stay in each place, and the type of accommodation. In many cases there are different routes available between A and B so you can decide on the level of difficulty. You will be cycling alone but full support is provided – think GPS devices, comprehensive maps and route notes, and of course 24/7 support is just a phone call away should you need it.
Tailor made cycling holidays in Japan give you a greater degree of flexibility. You determine your travel dates, how long you stay in each place, and the type of accommodation. In many cases there are different routes available between A and B so you can decide on the level of difficulty. You will be cycling alone but full support is provided – think GPS devices, comprehensive maps and route notes, and of course 24/7 support is just a phone call away should you need it.
Point to point riding or centre based?
Most of our cycling holidays in Japan are point-to-point, so you will be staying somewhere different every day, or every other day. Your luggage will be transferred ahead of you, so you will only need a daypack. Accommodation is typically a mix of hotels and guest houses (ryokans). Often you’ll stay in quite rural areas such as mountain villages where the steep-thatched farmhouses have silkworms in the attic, or where the vast green tea plantations extend as far as the eye can see. Packs of hungry cyclists can have a hugely positive effect on the local economy in these places.
Centre-based trips, meanwhile, mean less unpacking and more time to really get to know a place. Carefully chosen routes spoke off in different directions, but always finish back in the same place, with a warm welcome and the promise of a sumptuous Japanese meal to enjoy every evening.
Centre-based trips, meanwhile, mean less unpacking and more time to really get to know a place. Carefully chosen routes spoke off in different directions, but always finish back in the same place, with a warm welcome and the promise of a sumptuous Japanese meal to enjoy every evening.
Are electric bikes available?
An electric bike can make easy work of even the steepest of hills. In Japan you can opt for an e-bike holiday, or on other trips there may be the option of hiring an e-bike for a small supplement. This being Japan, you could try asking for one with a heated seat and a built-in karaoke machine. You never know.
