Need suggestions for cycling trip in japan

12 comments

1. Cycling and snow, bad mix. More so here in Japan

   roads are icy and narrow, you’ll be blocking roads, setting yourself up for a crash and pissing everyone off.

   Go to the mountains by all means, just leave the bike behind.

   Or head south with your bike and enjoy the coastal areas. BUT it will be cold so start planning your cold weather cycling gear.

   sorry to be a downer.

2. Agree. Don’t do snow cycling in mountains (Nagano is basically all mountains).

   You can do cycling in Kanto etc which are free of snow and you will be able to cover a much larger distance than 60km a day.

   I would suggest Izu peninsula, as it’s warmer than most of Kanto and is just great for cycling.

3. Not to mention, a cross-bike in the mountains in even good weather won’t exactly be ideal. Doing it during winter is just asking for pain and disappointment.

   With a decent road bike, there are some decent hill climbs out in the mountains to the west of Tokyo. You can also bring your bike on the train, provided it’s covered by a rinko bag and that the wheels are taken off and strapped to the sides of the frame.

4. Join the Japan Cycling Navigator FB group. They should be able to give you a lot of advice… But just to reiterate what everyone has already said, don’t do it.

5. Nagano is easiest if you don’t have a car, I’m pretty sure you can take a foldable bike anywhere. Just a day trip from Tokyo for a ski trip would be way too compressed IMO, but again, Nagano.

6. If you are contemplating winter rides in snow, a fat bike or mountain bike is your best bet.

   Already been mentioned but winter cycling gear, is necessary.

7. I’d avoid the snow, but the Japan Alps route in Nagano is well-signposted and covers some interesting areas.

8. Bike Tour Japan is a very reliable company (I know the owners/the main tour guide), so if you’re looking for guided tours I would highly recommend checking them out. Iirc they do tours around Japan but the company itself is located here in Gunma

9. To be clear, are you a very experienced cyclist? 60km once a week is worlds apart from 60km a day, if you try the second when you’re not used to it you will collapse and need multiple days of rest just to get back on the bike.

10. Hi I work in tourism in Shikoku. Are you familiar with the Shikoku 88 Pilgrimage? There are 88 temples around the entirety of shikoku island. You can get a beautiful “stamp book” and receive calligraphy signings at each temple. Its a very special thing, people who finish the pilgrimage will pass on their books or posters as family treasures for generations. By foot, the entire pilgrimage takes about 45 days. Many people will also bike.

    However, there is no set route or time frame for this. While the temples are numbered, you can go in any order you want and break up the trip and do it over multiple trips to shikoku. You should consider trying it for yourself! It’s an amazing way to imerse yourself in the culture and experience the nature of Japan. You could choose how far you want to go during this winter break, enjoy the warmer weather, and come back when you get more time to continue your journey. [Here](https://shikoku-tourism.com/en/shikoku-henro/shikoku-henro) is some more information if you’re interested.

11. https://yatsugatakecycling.com/

12. Do you have any experience and the right gear for hiking in snow? Crampons? Axe?

    Some easier winter hikes:
    https://www.allthepeaks.com/winter-snow-hiking

    Also I would be very careful with biking in snow. I broke my jaw biking in winter on snow :). Not fun, needed two surgeries.