Daisen-Oki National Park Grand Cycling Tour- ITINERARY
Day One
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 - Mount mitoku via Nakatsu: A journey through a land of giants and an abandoned samurai village !
From our hotel in Tottori City, we head south out along the river in the direction of the mountains. From the village of Kawahara, we take one of the most remote roads in this entire region of the country. We are unlikely to encounter any traffic or people for the next 30kms or so and being so remote, the area is a haven for wildlife. The animals here have a special and unusual characteristic - they are gigantic in size! Ancient legends talk about a local hero wrestling with a giant snake in what is likely to be a blend of myth and reality. After around 12kms the route begins to climb and continues to do so for 23kms, gaining a muscle-burning 984 metres. After reaching the mountain pass via a darkened and somewhat eerie tunnel, we freewheel down the mountain, through an abandoned samurai village with a 1000-year history and along side a crystal-clear river. Towards the bottom, we turn into another valley and climb up to the temples at the sacred site of Mitoku. 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.
Dinner is at a local restaurant.
Cycling: 59km
Elevation Gain: 1266m
Breakfast: 〇 Lunch: × Dinner: 〇
Type of stay: Temple
Day Two - Alternative
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.
Cycling: 40km
Elevation Gain: 1886m
Breakfast: 〇 Lunch: × Dinner: 〇
Type of stay: Temple
Day Three
Misasa to Hiruzen
We start the day with guided zazen meditation with a priest.
Today’s route sees a total gain of 1725m as we ride from Misasa to the stunning Hiruzen Highland area of the National Park. From Misasa we take very remote and narrow roads until we cross into the Okayama Prefecture. We then have two large climbs before arriving onto the Hiruzen plain and having lunch. In the afternoon we can make a loop of the plain and take in a number of sightseeing highlights including a clear water spring and a herbal garden. The area is famous for Jersey cows and dairy products, and we can make a stop at a Japanese cheese maker for some sampling.
Cycling: 68km
Elevation Gain: 1725m
Breakfast: 〇 Lunch: × Dinner: 〇
Type of stay: Local Japanese-style hotel
Day four
Hiruzen to Mt. sanbe
Today we head across a breathtaking mountain pass back in Tottori Prefecture before heading west and into Shimane Prefecture. Shimane is one of the most scenic and friendliest prefectures in the whole of Japan and also boasts the highest number of centenarians in the whole nation. They must be doing something right! Our goal is the incredibly beautiful and spiritually important Mount Sanbe. We can enjoy a variety of baths at our traditional Ryokan accommodation tonight.
Cycling: 133km
Elevation Gain: 2150m
Breakfast: 〇 Lunch: × Dinner: 〇
Type of stay: Ryokan
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
Breakfast: 〇 Lunch: × Dinner: 〇
Type of stay: Ryokan
Day six
Sanbe to SAKAMINATO 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 and cross the Nakaumi Inland Sea using the world famous Eshima Bridge. Along the way we visit Izumo Taisha, one of the most important Shinto Shrines in Japan and certainly one of the most impressive.
Cycling: 106km
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: ×
Type of stay: Hotel
Day Ten
Last day spectacular - loop course around the majestic Mount Daisen!
The tour will finish up in the same way that it started: with an epic cycling adventure! Today we will complete a loop around the central point of the Daisen-Oki National Park, the sacred and stunning Mt. Daisen! First we will head down the pine tree-lined coast before heading around the southern side of the mountain. Small and winding roads take us through beech forests until we reach the Sea of Japan at the bottom of the northern slopes.
Cycling: 111km
Elevation Gain: 1800m
Breakfast: 〇 Lunch: × Dinner: 〇
Type of stay: Local guesthouse