Red Tori gates of Fushimi Inari

Kansai 7 nights/ 6 cycling days

2026

7 nights/6 days cycling tours, arrive Saturday where you’ll stay at a hotel near the Osaka Castle. Cycling will begin on Sunday morning after orientation which is hosted on the first floor of the hotel. Your will end your tour in the south of Osaka at Rinku Town which is located one train stop from the Kansai International Airport (KIX). Click on each day below to learn more details about this tour. Find out about the daily distance, main sites along the way and see some pictures – a sneak peak of what you might see.

Day 1 – Osaka > Kyoto

After discovering a few key sights in Osaka journey through the country side to Kyoto.

Cycling Info

  • Distance: 60kms
  • Elevation: 368m
  • Duration: 5-6 hours

Sites and Delights

  • Osaka Castle
  • Panasonic Museum
  • Otokoyama Observatory and community center a central location for cyclists
  • Gekkeikan Sake museum
  • Fushimi Inari the shrine of 10,000 tori gates
  • Discover Nishiki Market, try street food or indulge in other Japanese cultural experiences
  • Cyclist walking through bike gates along a cycling path with grey sky in Osaka.
    Bike gates
  • City underpass
  • Panasonic Museum
  • Last site Osaka castle
  • Returning the bikes Road Bike Rental Japan

Day 2 – Kyoto > Otsu

This is a short cycling day to allow plenty of time to indulge in the traditional activities and sites of Japan. Dress in a traditional Kimono and learn how to be a Samurai. If you prefer more biking the pathway around Biwa Lake offers close to 200km of dedicated bike paths around the lake.

Cycling Info

  • Distance: 22kms
  • Elevation: 240m
  • Duration: 3-4 hours

Sites and Delights

  • Samurai and Ninja experience and experience
  • Visit Kiyomizu-dera temple while wearing traditional Japanese Kimono
  • Stop at Nanzenji temple, garden and aqueducts
  • Discover a hidden shrine carved into a rock
  • Enjoy the view of Biwa lake, take a ferry ride on the countries largest lake
  • Arrive at a Buddhist temple for a night where you can visit the summer home of the imperial Empress
  • Morning Buddhist prayers
  • Nanzenji Aqueduct
  • Hyuga Grand shrine
  • Kiyomizudera
  • Samuri and Ninja Museum and experience
  • Japanese bath - Onsen with view of exterior garden.
    Relax at the hotel bath
  • Hotel with three beds and pajamas on the bed with bright colored wall paper on the wall.
    Guest Yukata provided for your stay

Day 3 – Otsu> Nara

Leaving the beauty of Otsu and the serene Buddhist temple and cycle to Nara. Enjoy exploring the country side. Along the journey stop to visit one of the oldest Sake producers.

Cycling Info

  • Distance: 54kms
  • Elevation: 510m
  • Duration: 5-6 hours

Sites and Delights

  • Some beautiful rolling hills in the countryside of Japan, cycling past tea farms. 
  • Visit Uji the heart of everything Green Tea, a great place for lunch or ice cream
  • Byodo-In temple pictured on the 10 Yen coin.
  • Todaiji and the giant Buddha and feed the deer in Nara park
  • You’ll be staying at the heart of Nara and can enjoy the nearby sites and see how they change when lit at night
  • Two cyclists pose in front of temple entrance with deer walking in background.
    Todaiji gate in Nara Japan
  • Daibutsukan
  • Feeding the Deer
  • Crispy tempura with green matcha salt
    Tempura with matcha salt
  • View of two chairs looking onto a Japanese garden with red umbrella. Enman-inn Otsu.
    Garden at Enman-Inn Otsu
  • Biwa Lake

Day 4 -Nara > Hashimoto

Leaving the serene city of Nara, say good bye to the deer and cycle into the Samurai countryside.

Cycling Info

  • Distance: 70.1km
  • Elevation: 400m
  • Duration: 5-6.5 hours

Sites and Delights

  • Horyuji oldest wooden structure in the world.
  • Kingyo (gold fish) street and museum
  •  Yamatokoriyama – the goldfish town and fields.
  • Imai town, visit an old style Japanese town, cycle through the narrow streets
  • Try Japan’s best Taiyaki, a Japanese pastry shaped like a fish.
  • Kashihara Jingu Shrine, an esteemed Shinto shrine withe giant tori gates.
  • Mitu Izakaya offers an impressive collection of sake.
  • Lush green grass and trees line a curved pathway that is lined blue lines on either side indicating it is a bike pathway.
    Rural bike path
  • A man stands behind a bicycle with his hands outstretched as two people on either side are in the air. There is a large Tori gate in the background.
    Kashihara Jingu
  • Cyclist riding through old Japanese neighborhood called Imaicho. White buildings with dark wood storefronts.
    Riding through Imaicho
  • Five story pagoda, Kohfukuji temple in Nara with metal fencing around it as maintenance work takes place on the first level.
    Pagoda in Nara
  • Red and black tori gate marking the entrance to a Shinto shrine in Japan on a blue sky day.
    Red Tori Gate
  • Garden and yard statues of tanuki, Japanese racoons, at a outdoor shop in rural Japan.
    Tanuki Statue
  • Evening in Nara

Day 5 -Hashimoto > Wakayama

Cycle from the country side, after learning about the local Samurai, enjoy the river cycling riverside pathway. Cycle past the fruit trees and purchase some fresh fruit for a snack. Discover Wakayama castle before cycling the oceanside Ryokan for a relaxing evening.

Cycling Info

  • Distance: 60.9kms
  • Elevation: 385m
  • Duration: 4-6 hours

Sites and Delights

  • Kudoyama Samurai museum, view traditional Samurai suits and try your skills at through a ninja star.
  • Jison-in temple is a shrine devoted to woman’s health.
  • Enjoy lunch at Hajime cafe, located in an old traditional Japanese home.
  • Wakayama castle with Ninjas, a teahouse and the beautiful Ninshinomaru garden.
  • Arrive at the the Ocean side resort where you can relax in the Onsen with an ocean view.
  • Dinner is included. You can relax in your Yukatta (cotton Kimono) while exploring the Ryokan resort.
  • Japanese dinner served at a Ryokan including small dishes of sashimi, fish on a grill, tofu and mushrooms in a hot put and more.
    Japanese breakfast
  • Ocean view with rocks covered in lush greenery near Wakayama.
    Ocean view
  • Two mend in dark clothing, one with a sword pose in front of a white castle.
    Ninja vs samurai at Wakayama castle
  • Kokawadera Temple
  • Small staircase going to a temple entrance. A top of a red temple is showing through the entrance. A multi-colored material hangs above the entrance.
    Jison-in temple
  • Samurai museum
  • Bottle of large sake in background with a cup in a square dish serving the sake.
    Sake – Japanese rice wine

Day 6 -Wakayama> Kansai International Airport

Leaving the comfort of the oceanside resort after a traditional Japanese breakfast you’ll enjoy cycling along the oceanside and discovering beautiful viewpoints along the way.

Cycling Info

  • Distance: 57kms
  • Elevation: 465m
  • Duration: 4-6 hours

Sites and Delights

  • Ocean and beach views
  • Traditional Japanese Gardens
  • Awashima-jinja (doll shrine). A collection of dolls, and other statues that are brought here.
  • Try the local fresh seafood.
  • End your day near the Kansai International airport.
  • Enjoy a rewarding beverage on the rooftop bar, or walk along the ocean and watch the planes coming and going from the island airport.
  • Two bikes, blue and orange parked at the start of a large cabled bridge in Osaka.
    Let the journey begin
  • Two cyclist cycling away from the camera along a pathway along the ocean with green trees lining the right side of the pathway.
    Seaside cycling
  • Layers of many Japanese dolls with white faces, black hair and traditional kimonos are lined up behind a red barrier in front of a shrine.
    Awashima Shrine
  • Japanese Ryokan hotel with tatami floors low table with two chairs, window with view of the ocean in the background.
    Traditional Ryokan with an ocean view
  • Sunset views
  • A small wooden boat serving fresh seafood including orange shrimp, seashells, tuna, lemon wedges, cucumbers.
    Dinner delights

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