Outback Beds Tours

Australian Outback & International Tours

Cycling

Japanese Temple, Mountain Forest and Food Tour

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Our Japan Cycling Tour offers a dynamic road trip through rural Japan, cycling from one town to another as part of a fully escorted small group. The tour runs for 7 days and 6 nights, plus travel to and from Japan, and can be arranged on request.

The tour has been carefully designed around experiencing Japanese culture as we ride, with a particular focus on great food, while also incorporating temples, nature, onsens, rural life and plenty of exercise.

We cycle through the less-travelled rural and mountain regions north of Tokyo, following quiet roads through spectacular scenery, traditional villages, high country and farmland. Along the way we’ll visit historic towns and stay in hand-picked hotels and ryokans — traditional Japanese inns — where a relaxing natural hot-spring onsen awaits at the end of the day’s ride.

Food is an important part of the journey. We’ll experience beautifully prepared Japanese meals featuring local produce, seasonal ingredients and regional specialties. These may include multi-course kaiseki dinners, shabu-shabu and sukiyaki featuring Nasu wagyu beef, fresh river fish, handmade soba noodles and tempura.

As we ride through the countryside, we’ll also have opportunities to taste locally produced cheeses and ice creams, visit sake-producing country, discover craft beer and perhaps even sample some of the region’s surprisingly good local wine. Much of what appears on our plates comes directly from the landscapes and communities we’re cycling through.

The riding itself takes us through some wonderful Japanese countryside, including mountain landscapes, rural farmland and villages where traditional ways of life remain very much part of the landscape. It’s an opportunity to experience a side of Japan that most visitors simply don’t see.

Bill will travel and ride with the group, accompanied by an English-speaking Japanese guide on cycling days. The riding is fully supported with luggage transfers, mechanical assistance and backup vehicles, allowing you to concentrate on enjoying the ride.

There is no need to bring your own bicycle. Bike hire is included, with a choice of road bike or e-hybrid bike, avoiding the difficulty of transporting bicycles on Japan’s busy public transport system.

This is much more than a cycling holiday. It’s a chance to discover the food, landscapes, hospitality and culture of rural Japan from the saddle, travelling slowly enough to experience the places and people along the way.

Note: There is no current itinerary available. In the meantime, you can download the 2025 tour itinerary below for reference.



Japanese Temple, Mountain Forest and Food Tour

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Our 2025 cycling tour to Japan offers a dynamic road trip cycling from one town to another in fully escorted, small group led by English speaking guide. Our tour is 7 days and 6 night plus travel to and from Japan. It is designed to allow a short break from Australia and takes the Easter and ANZAC Day public holidays.

The tour has been carefully planned and has been based on the idea of experiencing interesting aspects of Japanese culture while we ride. This tour has a particular focus on high quality meals but also incorporates temples, culture, nature, onsens, life in rural Japan and exercise. We will be biking through less travelled areas in the rural mountain region north of Tokyo. Our route takes us through wonderful scenery and enables us to experience traditional Japanese culture and food along the way. We will be visiting historic towns and will be staying at long established hotels and ryokans (traditional Japanese inns) with relaxing onsens. We are hoping that you will discover the heart of Japan on this epic ride.

Take in the spectacular scenery of mountains, high country and rural farmland and villages (some still using thatch on their roofs) as you ride through Japan’s beautiful central alps. Our food will focus on eating high quality Japanese foods, staying in hand picked Japanese ryokans (traditional inns) and relaxing after the days’ ride in hot natural spring onsens. Some of the food that we will be trying will include keiseki dinners which feature dozens of dishes incorporating local produce, seasonal ingredients and regional specialties. Some of the unique dishes will include shabu-shabu and sukiyaki using the finest Nasu wagyu beef. In the Nasu mountains we will eat fresh river fish which will be grilled, sautéed or prepared as sashimi. We will also be tasting locally produced cheeses, ice creams and home made soba noodles and tempura. We will be riding through many areas where these food are grown or made. North of Tokyo is called the Kanto region and is known as the rice bowl of Tokyo. Rice = sake = many famous brands to taste. We will also be serendipitously cycling past a craft brewery, and finally, we will have the opportunity to taste the surprising local wine.

Bill will be travelling and riding with you but it will also include an English speaking Japanese guide on the cycling days. Our riding will be fully supported with luggage transfers, mechanical support and backup vans. We do not recommend brining your own bike as they can be difficult to carry on Japan’s busy public transport system. The tour includes the cost of bike hire (road bikes or e-hybrid bikes).