The best place to go on a bike trip in Japan! Six cycling routes filled with the charms of Japan

A brackish lake located in Toyokoro-cho town in eastern Hokkaido.
The lake, which has a circumference of approximately 19 km, and the surrounding wildflower garden are designated as a cultural asset of the town.
It is a spot where visitors can enjoy the magnificent nature that is the charm of Hokkaido in a tranquil setting.
The beautiful scenery of autumn leaves is also one of the highlights.

Hokkaido’s highest National Route, the pass rises 1,139 meters above sea level.
The 30-meter-high, 330-meter-long Matsumi Ohashi Bridge and the vast sea of trees are the highlights of Mikuni Pass.
The vast sea of trees around the pass offers beautiful seasonal changes, from the overwhelming fresh green foliage in summer to the autumn colors in fall.
At the top of the pass is the Mikuni Pass Café, where visitors can take a break and enjoy a cup of coffee.

Manabe Garden is a circuit style garden consisting of three themed gardens.
Visitors can enjoy the growing process of thousands of varieties of plant collections that have been collected from all over the world over the past 60 years. There are also new varieties of plants that can only be found here.
Another attraction of the garden is the café where visitors can enjoy a cup of tea while admiring the beautiful garden.

Located at the easternmost tip of the Choshi Peninsula, Inubosaki is a cape with a circumference of about 500 meters that juts out into the Pacific Ocean, and is surrounded on three sides by water on an abrasion platform.
The view of rough waves breaking on the reefs below the steep cliffs is a powerful sight.
It is a popular tourist spot, with the white-sand Kimigahama Beach in the vicinity and the coast with many strange and huge rocks to the south.

Shonan Beach is a coastal area and beach of Sagami Bay located from Chigasaki City to Kamakura City.
National Route 134, which runs along the Shonan Coast, is a great place to enjoy cycling while feeling the sea breeze.
There are also parks and restaurants along the coast, making it a great spot for a stroll or a rest.
The view of "Enoshima island" and "Mt. Fuji" from the Shonan coast is a must-see.

"Bentenjima Seaside Park" is located at the southern entrance to Lake Hamana in western Hamamatsu City. The park is lined with palm trees, and the tropical atmosphere of the promenade gives visitors a resort-like atmosphere. There is also a one-day hot spring where visitors can relax after a hard day's cycling.

The "Shin-Minato Bridge", one of the largest cable-stayed bridges on the Sea of Japan side, spans Toyama New Port. The total length of the bridge is 3.6 km, including the approach section. The main tower supporting the bridge is 127 m high, and the main bridge section spanning the sea is 600 m long. The bridge offers a spectacular view of the Sea of Japan, the Tateyama Mountain range, and the Noto Peninsula. The lighting up of the bridge is also one of the highlights.

The "Kaiwomaru," a sailing ship called the "Lady of the Sea," is moored in this park.
The park is dotted with the Japan Sea Exchange Center, which exhibits models of sailing ships from around the world; the Bird Park, where about 150 species of wild birds can be observed throughout the four seasons; the "Green Pergola," a corridor 180 meters long and 10 meters wide; and the Fureai Plaza, which has a large playground equipment "Nami no Hammock" and other various playground equipment. On weekends, the park is crowded with families and couples enjoying a stroll.

Amaharashi Beach is located in the northern part of Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture.
Located within the Noto Peninsula National Park, it is a scenic spot selected as one of the "100 best beaches in Japan," "100 best white sand and green pines," and "88 best beaches in Japan. The view of the Tateyama Mountain range, with its 3,000-meter-high peaks, and the meiwa over Toyama Bay is truly spectacular.

In the following article, there's a model course combining the Toyama Bay Coast Cycling Course and the Kubiki Bicycle Road. If you're interested, please check it out!

"Tennozaki Park" is located on land jutting out into Kasumigaura and offers a panoramic view of the lakeshore scenery. The beautiful evening view of Mt. Tsukuba and Kasumigaura is a must-see. It is recommended to visit "Tennozaki Park" at dusk.

"Roadside Station Tamatsukuri" is located near the Kasumigaura Ohashi Bridge in Ibaraki Prefecture.
It sells processed products such as "catfish" and "carp" from Kasumigaura, as well as fresh and pickled foods from local farmers.
The unique hamburger based on "catfish" and "carp" caught in Kasumigaura, available at the food court, has become a topic of conversation.

Ayumizaki Park is designated as Suigo-Tsukuba National Park as the most scenic spot in Kasumigaura. It is one of the 100 most scenic spots in Ibaraki and one of the 100 best natural spots in Ibaraki, and the beautiful view of Mitsumataoki from the observatory is one of the highlights of the park. Visitors can also enjoy a walk around the local museum, aquarium, forest park, Ayumi-an hermitage, and private house garden.

"Lake Biwa Terrace" is a nature resort overlooking Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, from an elevation of approximately 1,100 meters. Enjoy a luxurious time at the two terraces on the tops of Mount Uchimiyama and Mount Horai, where you can relax and enjoy a meal while admiring the spectacular view.

The 1,400-meter-long, 6.5-meter-wide Lake Biwa Bridge connects Otsu City and Moriyama City in Shiga Prefecture. Not only can pedestrians and bicycles cross the bridge free of charge, but there is also a bicycle-pedestrian path so that cyclists can enjoy cycling in peace. The Lake Biwa Bridge is arch-shaped so that boats can pass under it, and its highest point is about 26 meters above the lake surface. The bridge is surrounded by an unobstructed view of Lake Biwa.

Shirahige Shrine, the oldest large shrine in Omi, is located in Ukawa, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture. The vermilion-lacquered Otorii (grand gate) stands in the middle of the lake, and the shrine pavilions are located across National Route 161. The shrine enshrines "Sarutahiko", the god of guidance and path opening, and offers blessings such as match-making, child bearing, good luck, academic achievement, traffic safety, and safe navigation. Why not visit the shrine to pray for an enjoyable cycling experience?

The "Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge" spans the Kurushima Straits in the Seto Inland Sea, connecting Oshima and Shikoku. It is the world's first triple suspension bridge, spanning a total length of approximately 4 km.
In addition to the view from the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge, visitors can also enjoy the observation spots from which they can see the entire Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge and the surrounding islands. Among the many observation spots, the view of the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge floating in the mist from the "Itoyama Observatory" in Imabari City is so powerful that it will take your breath away.

An observation park at the top of Mt. Kiro, located at the southern tip of Oshima.
Said to be the best view on the Shimanami Kaido, "Kurushima Strait as seen from the summit of Mt. Kiro" has been selected as one of the 88 scenic spots in Shikoku.
Kurushima Kaikyo and Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge offer different scenery depending on the season and time of day. The ever-changing beauty from dusk to sunset is worth seeing.

Imabari Castle stands peacefully on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea in Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture.
It is a sea castle with a unique structure, including a five-story, six-story castle tower and a moat that draws in seawater. It is one of the "Three Great Sea Castles of Japan" and "One Hundred Famous Castles of Japan," and is designated as a historic site in Ehime Prefecture. The top floor of the castle tower is a 360-degree panoramic observation platform from which visitors can enjoy a magnificent view of the Seto Inland Sea and the Shimanami Kaido.