Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1 Tokyo

Your adventures in Japan will begin when you are met upon arrival at Narita Airport by our representative who will escort you to an express train that will take you to Keisei Ueno Station in Tokyo. You will also be provided with taxi vouchers to get from the station to your hotel, the Asakusa Sunroute Hotel, to make your transfer as easy as possible.

Day 2 Tokyo

You will be met at your hotel in Tokyo this morning by your cycle leader for the day who will be taking you on a full day tour of Tokyo by bike. From your hotel it is a short transfer to pick up bikes and then time to head off around the city! Highlights include the Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine and Tokyo Bay. Pivoting on the old castle and port areas that were the most active parts of the town in the 16th century area you will circumnavigate this amazing city with a great 45 km flat course that has you along rivers, beside moats, passed a sake tasting off licence, over sea bridges, next to Shogunate gardens and right through the centre of this great and interesting capital city. The day is flexible so if you have any specific requests please do ask. After a full day of cycling you will be taken out for an included dinner at a local restaurant - a great way to end the day and gain even more insight in this fascinating city.

Day 3 Kyoto

For the journey between Tokyo and Kyoto you will be travelling by Shinkansen. We will be supplying you with Nozomi Super Express tickets - the flagship train. The Tokaido Shinkansen line was the first of Japan's famous 'Bullet' Train lines to open and traverses the 343 miles between Tokyo and Osaka. When the 00 series trains with their distinctive bullet-shaped noses first started running in October of 1964 (just in time for the Tokyo Olympics) journey time to Osaka was over 4 hours. Today the same trip can be done in just 2 hours 35 minutes! Your journey time to Kyoto will be between 2h17 and 2h45. Keep a look out of the right hand windows of the train for Mt. Fuji. But don't be disappointed if you can't see her as she is a notoriously shy mountain.

Day 4 Kyoto

We will arrange bike hire today for you to enjoy a full day exploring Kyoto. You will also be provided with maps and recommended routes to enable you to get the most out of the day. The detailed self-guided course include Kyoto's many temples, shrines and palaces such as the stunning Nijo Castle, the spiritual Ryoanji Zen garden, the beautiful Kinkakuji 12th century temple and the famous Philosophers' Walk area with its many temples and shrines, including Nanzenji temple and its Sanmon gate for great setting sun views over Kyoto city.

Day 5 Kyoto

Today you have a free day in Kyoto. This is an opportunity to further explore the city. Kyoto has a tremendous amount to offer, whether you wish to discover some of the smaller temples and shrines dotted around the city or stroll through the bustling Nishiki Shijo market. The Kimono fashion show in the Nishijin textile district is well worth a look and if you wish to see some of the natural beauty of the Kyoto area, then the Hozugawa river trip makes for a great afternoon or morning travelling down the river on a traditional style boat. If you have any special requests please ask and we will see what we can do.

Day 6 Tokushima

You will be met for breakfast at 8am by your guide for the day who will help get you started and answer all your questions about having a great and safe week on the bike. Bikes, locks, helmets, water bottle, dry map and notes bag are all included in your tour package which will be given to you by your guide today. You will leave Kyoto with your guide to cycle one of Japan's many riverside cycle paths 55kms to Nara. This is a flat ride with great views all the way and a good warm up to get the legs ready for the rest of the trip. Nara city predates Kyoto as a political centre and, like Kyoto, has many interesting temples and gardens to explore. You will have time to check out Nara's important sights such as Todai-ji temple, the largest wooden building in the world, and its 7th century 250 ton bronze Buddha, before transferring to Wakayama for the ferry to Tokushima on Shikoku and the start of your 'real' adventure. Your guide will run over the gear, notes and remainder of your trip and will show you some of the trip's major highlights before leaving you to the self guided-trip.

Day 7 Rural Shikoku

Your self-guided cycling adventures begin today! From Tokushima you will head inland. It's a tough start as you hit a couple of steep hills but the pay-off is the beautiful view of an isolated area of Japan on little travelled paved roads. Tonight you will be staying in a local ryokan - a traditional Japanese style inn - which has its own hot spring baths. Ryokans offer an insight into Japanese life and your hosts tonight are a local family who offer great hospitality.

Day 8 Iya Valley

Today's ride is a 60km mix of ups and downs including the challenging but wonderful Mount Tsurugi. This is a big day's ride where you take on the toughest hill on the trip. It is very steep, has countless hairpins and we cycle almost to the peak of Tsurugi san, Shikoku's second highest peak. You can hike the last section for more great views of Shikoku's mountains and valleys. The afternoon is all downhill cycling through gorges and villages. You will stay in a ryokan again tonight as you do as often as possible on this trip and this Ryokan has one of the best outdoor onsens in Japan! Ideal for soothing any aching legs! There are numerous things to do in the area. One of which is an optional, but highly recommended, visit to a 350 year-old farmhouse, Chiiori, for some locally produced tea and traditional home made noodles. This farmhouse was restored by Alex Kerr, the only foreigner to win a Japanese literary award for a book he wrote in Japanese. Also, on offer are visits to the ancient vine bridge or a swim in the nearby beautiful Iya river. Rafting and canyoning adventures are also possible as well as some great local food and eclectic temples.

Day 9 Rural Shikoku

Today is a great 60km course with a mostly flat and downhill sealed road and bike path in the morning and another mountain challenge in the afternoon before downhill to have a night near the island sea that separates Shikoku from Honshu, the main island. The great views now go from surrounding country-side to inland sea islands.

Day 10 Rural Shikoku

A great (and short!) 40km day's cycling along relatively flat coastal roads. The coastal roads will allow you a chance to absorb Japanese life on the seaside coast, different to the farming communities from the inland Iya section of the ride. This section has great views of the inland sea and its numerous islands and beaches and you'll have time for a swim if you wish, perhaps meeting some of the characters who live along this beautiful coastline. The local fish and seafood restaurants are a good place to start!

Day 11 Matsuyama

Once again you head into the hills for which Shikoku is famous, for today's 50km ride. You will be keeping the spiritual centre of Ishizuchi san, Shikoku's highest peak and its lovely National Park to your south as you go over the range and into one of the highlights of this great ride - Matsuyama city. We ride past one of the most impressive temples of the famous 88 holy temples on Shikoku Island's pilgrimage - Ishite Temple. Your info-pack includes an account of moving legend associated with this temple. Matsuyama is also famous for its hot spring area called Dogo Onsen, the water source here is the oldest recorded in Japan mentioned in the ancient text “Nihon Shoki”. The top of the main bath house building is decorated with the legendary white heron, a reminder of the injured bird who discovered the spring and was healed by the waters. A large drum is beaten at 6.30 every morning to announce the bath's opening.

Day 12 Hiroshima

This morning you follow a course of the 'best of' Matsuyama's many sights - the fantastic castle, Dogo hot springs and Dogo park - before heading at around midday, to the port to catch a ferry to Hiroshima. It's a great trip across the scenic inlands sea and then a short ride into town. After arriving in Hiroshima you follow our course to your lovely family run ryokan next to the central Peace Park and its moving museum. This evening follow our recommendations into the great nightlife of this vibrant city. A beer and okonmiyaki meal (local specialty) at one of the many restaurants in the downtown area is highly recommended.

Day 13 Tokyo

Today will be a great chance to visit the Peace Museum in Hiroshima. We will organize (subject to availability) a survivor from the atomic bomb to speak with you after your visit to the museum if you wish. Depending on what time you wish to head to Tokyo you could also possibly fit in a visit to scenic Miyajima Island. This afternoon you will board the amazing Nozomi Shinkansen (the flagship of the Shinkansen fleet) and speed your way 900km east to Tokyo. Journey time is around 4 hours - so sit back and relax in the comfortable reserved seats. In Tokyo enjoy one more night of bright lights!

Day 14 Depart

Sadly your adventures in Japan are at an end. You will need to make your way from the Kadoya Hotel to Shinjuku Station (3 minutes on foot). From here you will be taking the Narita Express which makes the journey direct to the airport in just over 1h15. We will be supplying you with Reserved Seat tickets for this transfer.