CYCLE RURAL JAPAN - ITINERARY
Day One
Arrival in Tottori City
Meet at the tour hotel in Tottori City. If you arrive by lunchtime, we can go together to the Sand Dunes and Sand Museum. Tonight we will have a group meeting and an optional welcome dinner at a local restaurant. The official tour meeting and start time is 6pm in the lobby of the group hotel.
Cycling: 0km
Breakfast: × Lunch: × Dinner: x
Type of stay: Hotel
Day Two
TOTTORI CITY TO MITOKU VIA TAWARA PASTURE
From our hotel in the centre of the city, we first weave our way out into the countryside and soon we find ourselves amongst rice fields and bamboo groves with minimal traffic. After skirting around the remains of Shikano Castle, we tackle our first big climb of the tour. With a gain of 502m over 13km, a series of switchbacks and stunning views, the road from Shikano to the Tawara Pasture is dramatic in the extreme. After crossing the Saya Pass, we can freewheel for several kilometres to Mitokusan. Here we have the opportunity to hike up the short but dramatic temple path to Nageiredo Temple before returning to the lower temples where we will spend the night. In the evening we can visit the nearby hot spring town of Misasa Onsen to enjoy the small town’s selection of bathhouses.
Cycling: 40km
Elevation Gain: 1001m
Breakfast: 〇 Lunch: × Dinner: 〇
Type of stay: Temple
Day Three
Mitoku to Yonago City
A wonderful day in the saddle as we head out to the Sea of Japan. First, we follow the Mitoku and Tengawa rivers to the ocean and then continue our journey east along the coast to Yonago. We will cycle through fishing villages, pear farms and rice fields in the shadow of the spectacular Mount Daisen. This dormant volcano is often compared to Fuji due to its shape and was once known as the “Mountain of the Great God”. We will make a stop at a special “rolling rock” beach and a very special wood carving and traditional house building compound along the way.
Cycling: 72 kms
Elevation Gain: 1001m
Breakfast: 〇 Lunch: x Dinner: 〇
Type of stay: Japanese Style Hotel
Day Four
Mt. Daisen to Mt. Sanbe
Today we head west from the sacred mountain of Daisen to the sacred mountain of Sanbe. Most of the route is through the luscious countryside of Shimane Prefecture. Cyclists will have two options today. Stop at a very respectable 70km and travel by private vehicle for the rest of the journey or push on and do the full 115km route!
Cycling: 70km - 115km
Elevation Gain: 800 - 1100m
Breakfast: 〇 Lunch: × Dinner: 〇
Type of stay: Traditional Japanese Inn
DAY FIVE
MT. SANBE AREA
Today we have a chance to explore the Mt. Sanbe area by bike and on foot. In the morning we can make a loop of the mountain by bicycle, stopping off at some interesting spots along the way. In the afternoon we can hike the mountain itself and enjoy the stunning views from the summit. Alternatively, you could spend all or part of the day relaxing in the accommodation’s fabulous hot springs
Cycling: 33km + half-day hiking
Elevation Gain: 350m
Breakfast: 〇 Lunch: × Dinner: 〇
Type of stay: Ryokan
DAY SIX
SANBE TO Matsue VIA IZUMO TAISHA
Today we head east alongside the Hii River, through the undulating farm roads between Lake Shinji and the Sea of Japan, until we reach the impressive Matsue City. Along the way we visit Izumo Taisha, one of the most important Shinto Shrines in Japan and certainly one of the most impressive. In Matsue, we will spend time exploring the castle and the surrounding area before finishing our journey to Sakaiminato by vehicle.
Cycling: 70km
Elevation Gain: 470m
Breakfast: 〇 Lunch: × Dinner: ×
Type of stay: Hotel
Day Seven
SAKAMINATO TO AMA ISLAND VIA SHICHIRUI PORT AND NISHINOSHIMA - AN ISLAND HOPPING ADVENTURE!
We will travel a short distance by bicycle to Shichirui Port in plenty of time to catch the morning ferry to the Oki Islands(2hr35). Arriving in Beppu Port, we have a few hours to explore Nishinoshima Island. From the port we cycle across the island to the stunning Kuniga Coast where we can walk the stunning coastal track past the cows and horses. After cycling back to the port, we will catch an inter-island ferry to Ama Island (10mins).
Cycling: 8.3km + 19.2km = 27.5km
Elevation Gain: 683.1m
Breakfast: 〇 Lunch: × Dinner: 〇
Type of stay: Japanese Inn
Day Eight
AMA EXPLORATION, SHORT FERRY TO DOGO AND JOURNEY UP THE DRAMATIC WEST COAST
This morning we can enjoy a morning of cycling and exploration around the beautiful volcanic island of Ama. After lunch, we will take a ferry across to Dogo Island, the biggest island on the Oki chain and a cyclist’s paradise. This afternoon we start our loop of the island by cycling up the undulating and magnificent west coast.
Cycling: 25km + 32km = 57km
Elevation Gain: 683.1m
Breakfast: 〇 Lunch: × Dinner: 〇
Type of stay: Japanese Inn
Day Nine
DOGO’S EAST COAST AND FERRY JOURNEY BACK TO THE MAINLAND
First, we will head to the Shirashima Lookout at the northern tip of the island for beautiful views, before cycling down the breathtaking east coast on quiet roads. This is truly one of the best cycling routes in Japan. After some lunch at Saigo Port, we will take a ferry back to the mainland (2hr25). After arriving we will transfer a short distance to our hotel in Sakaiminato.
Cycling: 42km
Elevation Gain: 1128m
Breakfast: 〇 Lunch: × Dinner: ×
DAY TEN
LAST DAY SPECTACULAR - LOOP COURSE AROUND mihonseki peninsula and nakaumi inland sea
The tour will finish up in the same way that it started: with an epic cycling adventure! Today we will complete a loop course along both sides of the Mihonoseki Peninsula and around and over the Nakaumi Inland Sea. We will cross a couple of spectacular bridges along the way which offer us spectacular views of Mount Daisen to the south, weather depending of course.
Cycling: 70km
Elevation Gain: 720m
Breakfast: 〇 Lunch: × Dinner: x
Type of stay: Hotel
Day Eleven
Tour concludes in Sakaiminato. Yonago Airport is a 10 minute drive from the hotel.