Highlights
- Experience various facets of Japanese culture from ancient Buddhas, tea, sake to Japanese cuisine
- Cycle through the remote country side between Kyoto and Nara with its lush tea plantations (on touring bikes or e-bikes)
- Cruise through Uji, Fushimi, Nara Park and other traditional districts of Kyoto and Nara
Description
This tour connects the two former Japanese capitals Nara and Kyoto with their traditional town scapes. In between you can marvel at lush tea plantations and centuries-old Buddha statues. You can also see impressive temples and their unique features. These include the humble stone Buddhas at Joruriji temple as well as the largest Buddha of them all at Todaiji temple. You will get acquainted with many aspects of Japan. Some of them are green tea, sake brewing and various manifestations of Buddhist tradition. The tour also includes kaiseki cuisine, a typical Japanese dinner. Last but not least, you can enjoy the rural Japanese scenery while riding on small roads with very little traffic. The Kyoto and Nara cycling tour offers a wide variety of facets in the interplay between the urban sprawl within Kyoto and the serenity of remote areas in the countryside.
Details
Tour itinerary
Day 1 (60 km, 1,000 m elevation gain)
From our bike station cycle southbound through the traditional area of Hino. On the way climb two hills of less than 300 m in elevation although the second climb that takes us to the village of Sumiyama has some steep gradients. After that cycle on quiet country roads through lush tea plantations and small villages. There will be several ups and downs but none of the climbs are too steep. Before arriving in Nara, make a slight detour to Joruriji temple where you can marvel at several 1000-year-old stone Buddhas sculpted into boulders in the adjacent fields. From there it is a short ride to Nara Park, and while still deeply moved by the unadorned beauty of the stone Buddhas find yourself suddenly in front of the stately Todaiji temple, the largest wooden building in the world with a history of more than 1200 years. To get there, cycle through the park with its tame deers and visit this temple housing the biggest bronze Buddha statue of Japan, dating back to the 9th century. The hotel is near Nara Park and in the evening we will enjoy kaiseki dinner, a refined style of cooking which consists of many small dishes. This is a real treat not only for your taste buds but for your eyes as well.
Accommodation: Hotel Wellness Asukaji or similar
Meals: Kaiseki dinner
Day 2 (55 km, mostly flat)
After breakfast, cycle back to Kyoto and visit several traditional areas on the way. You have left the mountains behind us and cycle along the Kizu river on your way to Uji which is associated with tea in Japan. Cruise through the traditional townscape of Uji where many temples, shrines and tea shops stand side by side and you can try green tea in all its manifestations in drinks, desserts, ice-cream and noodles. Then continue along the Uji river to Fushimi and its many old sake breweries and warehouses. You can visit the Gekkeikan Sake Museum where you will become acquainted with the production process of sake. This area has served as backdrop in many films. The road back leads you to famous Fushimi Inari shrine where you can stroll through its thousands of red shrine gates. After a short ride through a traditional neighborhood, arrive at Tofukuji Zen temple and cruise through its archaic temple precincts. From there it is a short ride back to the starting point in Kyoto.
Meals: breakfast (Hotel Wellness Asukaji or similar)
This tour is done as a self-guided 2-day tour.
Price: JPY 29,500 per person(using rental touring bike)
Price: JPY 36,500 per person (using rental e-bike)
Contact us at <shop@japantravel.com> with your preferred self-supported tour dates for rental bike availability.
Important information
Included in price
- Touring bikes with 27 gears including touring gear such as bike bags for personal items (e-bikes are available for an extra fee)
- Accommodation in Nara including dinner and breakfast (single room surcharge ¥2000, subject to availability)
Not included
- Transportation to/from tour starting/ending point
- Drinks, meals and entrance fees
Minimum number of persons required for this tour to run is 1.
Maximum number of persons per tour is 10.
Know before you book
- Cancellation
2 days prior to the day of your trip: 40 % of tour price
1 day prior: 50 % of tour price
On the day, no-show: 100 % of tour price - This is an intermediate level tour with moderate distance and elevation gain, although the climbs have some steep sections that will require participants on regular bikes (not e-bikes) to have a good level of fitness.
- As there will be no support vehicle, you will be required to carry your own belongings for which bike bags are provided.
- This tour is self-guided. We will provide the route for navigation by cycle computer or smart phone and make the accommodation bookings.
- The self-guided tour can be done starting from one person.
- There will be a briefing and bike fitting the day before the tour starts.
What you need to bring
- Cycle clothing according to the season, including a rain jacket
- Regular clothing for the evening. The ryokan provides toilet articles and a yukata, a casual summer kimono which can be used inside the ryokan and for sleeping
- If you use a smart phone for navigation you need a power bank to recharge the phone
- Self supported touring requires the free Navigation app Komoot.
Organised by Japan Travel KK
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