Unseen Central Japan: From the Coast to the Japanese Alps

Itinerary Details

1. Day 1Meet in Kanazawa

   Meet your guide at the hotel and go to dinner with your fellow travellers in Kanazawa, famous for its medieval castle with extensive gardens. The huddled houses and shops of the old town are also fun to explore on foot.
   

   • Dormy Inn Kanazawa
   • Dinner
2. Day 2Kanazawa - Awara

   You'll depart Kanazawa after breakfast and cycle to the Sea of Japan on a dedicated cycling path along the rugged coastline, passing through small fishing villages along the way, and arrive at Kaga, a town known for producing Kutani ware ceramics and a distinctive type of silk called kaga habutae. Here, you'll take a break from cycling to enjoy a local lunch and take a stroll through the town.

   Recharged and rejuvenated, you'll continue the journey towards the resort of Kyukamura, your final destination, with just a couple of small slopes along the way. Enjoy the sunset at the nearby Oshima pedestrian bridge with its distinctive red-painted timbers, leading out to a small island with interesting geological features, shrines, and walking paths.
   

   • 44.7 miles
   • 1,558.4 ft
     1,558.4 ft
   • Kyukamura Eichizen Mikuni
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

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     Comfortable Lodgings

     Enjoy welcoming and restful spaces after a day's activity

   • 

     Comfortable Lodgings

     Enjoy welcoming and restful spaces after a day's activity

   • 

     Comfortable Lodgings

     Enjoy welcoming and restful spaces after a day's activity

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     Elevation Profile

3. Day 3Awara - Echizen

   Today, you'll ride south along the picturesque Echizen-Kaigan coastline with its waterfalls and natural stone arches. En route, you'll stop by an Edo-era village constructed between the 17th and 19th centuries, and visit a ship museum where you will learn about the many interesting facets of maritime life hundreds of years ago. Lunch today will be the famed soba noodles, good fuel for your afternoon ride, where you will turn inland towards the town of Echizen. This is a city of artisans long known for producing blades, traditional washi paper, and textiles. The town was also an important strategic location in feudal Japan, with many fortresses and ruins still visible in the area.
   

   • 43.5 miles
   • 3,018.4 ft
     3,018.4 ft
   • Route Inn
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

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     Elevation Profile

4. Day 4Echizen - Tsuruga

   Begin your day with a fascinating tour of the Takefu knife factory, where the artistry of Japanese blade-making comes to life. After witnessing the craftsmanship of these renowned artisans, set out on a scenic ride back to the coast along a historic train line turned cycling route, offering a glimpse into Japan's transportation history. This was once the Hokuriku Railroad, a regional service which evolved in the 20th century out of former horse car lines. Today, it makes for a wonderful way to cycle through this region, revealing the history, culture, and natural beauty of Japan's coastal landscapes and historical landmarks. You'll pass through tunnels and quiet forested sections along the way. The path leads to Tsuruga, where you will spend the next two nights. This has long been an important port, and it is the Sea of Japan coastal city nearest to the Pacific Ocean.
   

   • 26.1 miles
   • 1,525.6 ft
     1,525.6 ft
   • Chobei Inn
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

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     Elevation Profile

5. Day 5Tsuruga

   For your final coastal ride in Fukui prefecture, you'll embark on a stunning loop around the five lakes of Mikata and Wakasa Bay, including a break for lunch at a seafood restaurant in a tranquil setting. You'll also pass through Wakasa National Park with its striking rock formations and “ria coastline” (a submerged prehistoric river valley that opens to the sea). The park is sparsely populated, but it does hold several fishing villages and a feudal castle. Keep your eyes open for the wildlife: the park is also home to deer, wild boars, and various species of birds. This ride offers magnificent views throughout, and is the perfect way to conclude the maritime portion of the tour. You'll finish the day riding back into town. Take some time to explore the city further before meeting again for dinner.
   

   • 43.5 miles
   • 2,395 ft
     2,395 ft
   • Route Inn Tsuruga Ekimae
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

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     Elevation Profile

6. Day 6Tsuruga - Takaoka

   Today, you'll experience a dramatic change of landscape as you travel inland by train. The “shinkansen” bullet train is an iconic form of transportation in Japan, so you'll appropriately use it to whisk you from Tsuruga to Takaoka. Once you have arrived and checked into the hotel, you will take a short city bike ride to visit key sites, including the Zuiryū-ji Temple, an elegant 17th-century wooden structure designated a National Treasure with its Great Buddha statue (ranked among the three most prominent in Japan) and sprawling grounds. Takaoka has long been known for its lacquer crafting and bronze casting, traditions that continue to this day, and you will see numerous impressive examples of the art forms during the ride around the city. After this day of trains, bikes and urban exploration, you will gather for dinner and try the local cuisine of this inland region.
   

   • 9.3 miles
   • New Otani Takaoka
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
7. Day 7Takaoka - Shirakawago

   This morning, you'll follow a bike path along the Oyabe River to the base of the mountains and stop to see Inami Betsuin Zuisen-ji Temple, one of the largest wooden structures left standing in Japan, with its intricate carvings. Next, you'll head into the mountains for a few good climbs and find yourself in the pristine sylvan landscape of the Japanese Alps.

   After arriving, you can settle into your lodgings for the night and explore the village Shirakawago, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its gassho zukuris, or thatched roof houses, which require painstaking labour, skill and preparation to maintain. They once housed multiple families each, with different sections of the houses also used to produce silk and gunpowder. You'll spend the night at one such 200-year-old house and eat traditional mountain food with other guests at one sitting. An after-dinner dip at the local onsen is recommended.
   

   • 37.3 miles
   • 4,678.5 ft
     4,678.5 ft
   • Shirakawago Gassho Zukuri
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

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     Shirakawa-go UNESCO Village

     Visit this fascinating village famous for its thatched roof houses

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     Elevation Profile

8. Day 8Shirakawago - Takayama

   Today is your last day of cycling on the trip, and as a fitting finale, it begins with the longest sustained climb of all, leading you towards Takayama, deeper in the Japanese Alps. Riding out of Shirakawa-go, from an altitude of approx. 500 m above sea level, you'll gradually climb up 1100m for the first 45km of the route. There are some wonderful views to be enjoyed along the way, with the picturesque shores of Miboro Lake and quaint rural villages among forested hillsides and valleys.

   With most of the climbing done in the morning, you'll arrive at a section with gentler, rolling slopes, then enjoy two great descents before reaching the destination Hida Takayama, often named Little Kyoto because of the similarity of its architecture and quaint atmosphere. For hundreds of years, the city’s remote mountain location led its unique culture to develop in isolation, and it still holds scores of distinctive pagodas, houses, shrines, and other protected heritage sites. Takayama is also known for its woodworking tradition and celebration of many folk festivals throughout the year. Tonight, you will mark the final evening of your trip with a special dinner, reflecting on your journey in these special surroundings.
   

   • 48.5 miles
   • 4,097.8 ft
     4,097.8 ft
   • Tokyu Stay Hida Takayama, Takayama Dormy Ouan, or Wat Hotel & Spa
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

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     Elevation Profile

9. Day 9Takayama Departure

   Today, you'll depart for your onward travels, or spend more time in Takayama. From here, you can travel to other cities and airports in Japan by train.
   

   • Breakfast