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Magic Japan

Anyone up for riding under cherry blossoms in Japan?

From our start across the famed Shiminami Kaido, a spectacular route blending breathtaking coastal scenery with architectural marvels, to the final ride into historic Nagasaki, our 16-day adventure contrasts the dramatic beauty of active volcanoes, lush gorges and shimmering coastlines with the quiet grace of Japanese culture to create a once-in-a-lifetime cycling experience.

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Magic Japan

March 29 – April 14, 2027

Tour Description

The Route: 940km over twelve stunning stages across Japan’s southern islands of Shikoku and Kyushu, connecting iconic Japanese landscapes via quiet rural roads. You’ll ride many of Japan’s must-ride coastlines, climbs, and forests along roads lined with pink and white during Japan’s famed cherry blossom season.

The Culture: Whether enjoying a post-ride soak in the natural hot springs of our ryokan – a traditional Japanese inn, staying in an historic Samurai residence, or touring ancient Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, we’ve built our itinerary around immersing you in the fascinating history of Japan’s 3000 year-old culture.

The Cuisine: Some swear this the best part of visiting Japan. From a lunch stop at a local Ramen House to donning kimonos for Kaiseki (traditional Japanese multi-course haute cuisine, featuring meticulously prepared, seasonal small dishes designed to be an artful experience) we’ve selected ryokans, hotels and restaurants renowned for both food and service. Bring your appetite!

Tour Highlights

  • Spend the night in a fully restored samurai mansion, belonging to the Satsuma clan – the last of Japan’s famous samurai;
  • Ride the Shimanami Kaido – a stunning cycling route stringing 7 islands connected by incredible architectural bridges;
  • Soothe tired legs in the natural hot spring of Dogo Onsen – at 3000 years old, the oldest bath house in Japan;
  • Ride up and over the shoulder of mighty Mt Aso, Japan’s largest active volcano;
  • Enjoy a multi-course traditional kaiseki dinner while being captivated by the gentle hospitality for which Japan is renowned ;
  • Ride beneath the pink and white canopies of spring cherry blossoms;
  • Ride quiet, serpentine, single-lane roads through fern, bamboo, and rhododendron forests, passing ancient shinto shrines.

Package Includes

  • Sixteen nights double-occupancy accommodation in Ryokans, Hotels and Guest Houses;
  • Twelve fully guided, van-supported daily rides;
  • Sixteen Breakfasts, ride lunch stops and all ride nutrition and drinks;
  • Welcome and Farewell dinners;
  • 1 set of Magic Places professional-grade cycling bibs and jersey;
  • Photo package to capture those once-in-a-lifetime memories;
  • Our friendly and attentive customer service.

Optional Services Include

  • Bike Rental: Although we recommend bringing your own bike for this tour, we can source rental bikes at your request. Price depends on model.

Tour FAQ

1. What does a typical day look like?

7:30am to 9:00am – Breakfast in our hotel.
9:30am – Ride departure. Expect an 80+km route with around 2000m of climbing.
12:00 – 1:00pm – Lunch stop at a noodle house or local cafe.
2:00 – 3:00pm – Arrive at the hotel mid-afternoon: enjoy a post-ride drink with your group and have the rest of the day to yourself to explore or relax by the sea.
7:00  Group dinner either at our hotel or a nearby restaurant.

2. Where does the tour start and finish?

Plan on arriving at the U2 Cycle Hotel in Onomichi before dinner on March 29.  Onomichi is accessible via train from Kansai Int’l Airport to the north (3 hrs), or Fukoka Int’l Airport to the south (2.5 hrs).  Conversely, you can connect through major Japanese hubs to Hiroshima Regional Airport which is 1.5 hrs away via train.

The tour finishes April 14 in Nagasaki.  Nagasaki airport connects to major Japanese hubs for flights home.

3. What is the terrain like?

In a word, hilly.  Be prepared for 80+ km daily rides with at least one significant (8km+) climb each day and an average of 1500m daily climbing.  The biggest day sees us riding 95km with 2700m of climbing.

4. What are the accommodations like?

Whenever possible, we choose to stay in traditional Japanese accommodations such as Ryokans, Onsens, or Guesthouses.  The Japanese pride themselves on impeccable service.  Rooms are generally simple, clean, and very functional.  Sleeping is on comfortable tatami mats and futons in traditional Japanese inns, but many also offer western style beds in busier tourist towns.  Expect twin beds throughout.

5. I’m a little wary of the more obscure Japanese food. Will this be a problem?

Fish (both raw and cooked) figures very prominently in Japanese cuisine, but if some of the menu items are a bit much for your palate, you’ll always be able to find rice, noodles, and vegetables.  For this reason, we’re not including dinner in the package, allowing everyone to choose what suits their appetite.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1: We meet at the impressive U2 Hotel Cycle in Onomichi, a beautifully repurposed maritime warehouse known for its exceptional service and industrial-chic aesthetic. We’ll enjoy a welcome dinner at our hotel, where you’ll meet your guides and other tour guests.

Day 2: After a leisurely breakfast, you’ll have time to build bikes, collect your rental bike, and get any last- minute necessities for the upcoming two weeks of riding. In the afternoon, we’ll start our exploration into Japan’s ancient history on Onomichi’s famous ‘Temple Walk,’ a 2.5km walking route past 25 different historic temples. We’ll finish with a short hike up to the Senkoji Observatory, affording sweeping views of the Seto Inland Sea, where we’ll give you a detailed brief of your upcoming tour.

Day 3: The adventure begins! We saddle up at the hotel for what has been celebrated as one of the world’s most spectacular cycling journeys. The Shiminami Kaido cycling route connects six different islands via seven architectural bridges, including the world’s first triple suspension bridge and one of the world’s longest cabled bridges. We finish our ride at the imposing Imbari Castle, built in 1604. 86km/560m

Day 4: Departing Imbari, we ride into the remote Tamagawa highlands of northern Shikoku and our first major climb of the tour. Passing shrines and temples along a single-lane mountain road, we climb 700m over 9km over Konoyama Pass, before a rolling 25km descent into Matsayuma. We finish our day at Dogo Onsen, Japan’s oldest public onsen with a 3000-year history. After a relaxing soak in the waters that have soothed generations of samurai, shoguns and citizen alike, we enjoy a sumptuous kaiseki dinner in Dogo’s bustling centre. 60km/1540m

Day 5: After riding through Matsuyama, we reach the west coast of Shikoku and enjoy a 30km stretch of coastal riding with sweeping views across the Seto Inland Sea. After a lunch stop in Nagahama, we leave the coast for a 15km climb that gently winds its way through quiet forests to a 680m pass. If you’re feeling strong, continue to the 812m summit to visit the serene Kinsman Shusseki buddhist temple with stunning views of the sea and islands below. From here, enjoy the 14km sinuous descent to the seaside town of Yawatahama. 83km/1020m

Day 6: After breakfast, we bid goodbye to Shikoku and board the ferry for Kyushu, arriving in Beppu, famous for its volcanic-fed hot springs. We ride off the ferry and after a quick pass through town, we begin the climb up and over the shoulder of the source of Beppu’s springs – the stratovolcano of Mt Yufu. Sixteen kilometres of climbing later, we catch our breath and descend into Yufuin, a beautiful onsen town and our home for the night at the breathtaking Enokiya Ryokan. 25km/770m

Day 7: Today we head into the heart of Kyushu’s volcanic highlands, bound for Mt Aso, Japan’s largest active volcano. After a short opening climb, we spend 17km along a spectacular rolling mountain road before starting the 9km, 450m climb up Makinoto Pass, renowned as one of the best rides in Japan. Reward yourself with an ice cream or a coffee as you take in the stunning views of the Kuju Mountains and imposing Mt Aso in the distance. A 12km descent awaits, depositing us on the Aso Plateau, a high mountain plain of rolling grasslands which we traverse before our final descent into the massive volcanic caldera and the town of Aso. 70km/820m

Day 8: After a hearty breakfast, we ride south, directly towards the towering volcanic cone of Mt Aso. After a warmup through fields of wheat and barley, we begin our climb of Aso, winding through forest and grassland with incredible views around every corner. Fifteen kilometres later, we crest the top of the climb at the Aso cablecar station where we can enjoy a well-needed break, while those feeling spry can opt for the additional 1.5km climb to the summit crater rim. What follows is a 14km riotous descent down the south slopes of the volcano. After lunch in Takamori, we head into the forest, stringing together a series of single- lane paved logging roads through lush forest, arriving at the famed Takachiho Gorge. 82km/1830m

Day 9: Enjoy your rest day with one of any number of activities in Takachiho. Explore the gorge and waterfalls by boat, spend the day lounging in the onsen, or go for a spin to one of the numerous nearby shrines. We’ll finish this recovery day with a kaiseki feast in the village.

Day 10: The queen stage! Today we venture into the heart of the Kyushu Sanchi, one of Japan’s most remote regions. Think narrow, quiet, forested roads that wind through valleys, over ridges and past ancient temples with a tunnel or two thrown in for good measure. We stop for lunch in the quiet village of Shiiba before following the Mimi River south to Iiboshi Pass, dominated by Mt Ichifusa – revered in Shinto as a sacred mountain. We finish the day with a 9km descent into the village of Mizukame to enjoy a relaxing soak before a well-earned meal. 95km/2710m

Day 11: We begin our day with a pleasant spin through the rolling fields of the Kumagawa Valley before a climb up and over the curious Hitoyoshi Loop Bridge before descending into Ebino for a steaming bowl of udon. After lunch, we climb up into sacred Kirishima National Park, where the Shinto god Ninigi-no-Mikoto was said to have descended from heaven to earth. After our 11km climb to the volcanic plateau, you may also feel like you’re in heaven, enjoying the outdoor onsen at our alpine hotel. 87km/1870m

Day 12: Today we leave the mountains for the coastline. Having ridden the entire spine of Kyushu, we enjoy a rolling descent past volcanic cones and waterfalls to sparkling Kagoshima Bay, dominated by the Sakurijima Volcano, seemingly floating in the middle of the bay, spewing ash, steam and often lava. A ride around the bay takes us along the base of Sakurajima before we take the short ferry into the bustling city of Kagoshima, the ‘Naples of Japan,’ and the birthplace of modern Japan, owing to the resident Satsuma samurai who were instrumental in the fall of Japan’s ancient shogunate. 89km/1170m

Day 13: The legs need a break! Spend the day exploring the historical gem of Kagoshima, feasting on renowned Kurobuta Tonkatsu, touring the city, or watching Sakurajima’s fireworks from the hotel’s open-air baths perched high atop the city.

Day 14: We depart Kagoshima via the Kotsuki River, heading north toward Satsuma, birthplace of Japan’s last samurai clan who was brutally defeated in the Seisan War. Our route passes through agricultural lowlands with a minor 400m climb before lunch in Satsuma. Crossing the Sendai River, we take on our second 400m climb on a quiet mountain road before descending into the coastal city of Izumi, home to Kanno-ji, Japan’s oldest buddhist temple. As Izumi was a samurai stronghold, we spend the night in three samurai mansions that reflect the frugal yet sophisticated lifestyle of the Satsuma warriors. 78km/1250m

Day 15: Today we ride across the Amakusa Archipelago (‘Islands of Prayers’) via bridge, ferry, and finally a beautiful coastal ride. Leaving Izumi, we ride across Kuronoseto bridge onto Nagashima Island, passing bougainvillea-draped forests enroute the Shoura Island ferry to Shimoshima Island. Thirty kms of postcard coastal riding follows, depositing us in the beautiful seaside town of Amakusa and the Hotel Alegria Gardens with an outdoor onsen overlooking the archipelago. 87km/1190m

Day 16: Our final ride of the tour is a stunner! Departing Amakusa, we continue up the coast for the short ferry back to Kyushu. Upon arrival, we ride along the west coast with views of Nagasaki across Tachiban Bay and the East China Sea beyond. A flat, cruisy spin today is our reward for two challenging weeks of riding, depositing us in the historic city of Nagasaki. Infamous as one of the two Japanese cities attacked with the atomic bomb, Nagasaki was earlier known as Japan’s main gateway to the outside world during isolation, which shows up in the city’s cosmopolitan feel. We finish the ride at the Nagasaki Peace Park, located at the atomic bomb’s drop site. 86km/1530m

Day 17: After a rewarding breakfast, we escort you to your train or airport for your journey home.

Tour price

$7390 CAD per person
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