JAPAN

Izumi, the starting point of our trip, is a small city in the south of Kyushu. Shinkansen fast trains can bring you to Izumi from most parts of Japan. The nearest airport is the domestic airport at Kumamoto which is 100km north of Izumi. There are good transport links from Kumamoto to Izumi.

Arrive during the course of the day at Hotel Toko. The tour officially starts with a group meeting at 6pm followed by our delicious Japanese meal (included).

Let the ride begin! We set out amid citrus groves along the orange road to Minamata. A harrowing museum dedicated to the victims of the Minamata disease merits a stop. You'll be tracking the coastline today so take the opportunity to stop at Mitachimisaki and Ashikita Beaches. We enjoy the quiet Ashikita Natural Park, continuing along the Shiranui Sea to Hinagu Onsen.

This hot spring dates back approximately 600 years. From the Hinagu Onsen Jinja, a shrine where the god of the hot spring is enshrined, a sweeping view of the hot spring resort and the Shiranui Sea as well as the islands of Amakusa and Shimabara in the distance can be seen. There are still many buildings here that continue to depict the days long past. Our ryokan dating from 1909 with its exquisite wooden interior is just one example.

Tall chimneys beckon us to Yatsushiro, Kumamoto prefecture’s second city and industrial hub at the mouth of emerald Kuma River. The ruins of Yatsushiro Castle next to the elegant city museum designed by Toyo Ito. Past the paper mill and power plant. Rice paddies and igusa, the grass used to make tatami mats. The riding is flat on the Kumamoto Plain, we cross several more rivers. We follow Kasegawa River until just before Lake Etsuko and then Kiyama River further inland. Mashiki was the epicentre of the April 2016 earthquake. Here and there damage is still visible; repairs are ongoing. Rich black volcanic soil also tells us we are nearing Mount Aso volcano. We overnight in the nondescript town of Ozu. Staying in a modern hotel, Ozu serves as a staging point for our ascent of the volcano tomorrow.

Have a hearty breakfast because today we will climb the caldera rim. The climb is tough and will take some time but eventually you will be standing on the rim of the caldera, a spectacular moment: we see the rim stretching all the way around, Aso Plain in the bottom with the young volcano growing in the middle. After all that climbing a nice long downhill is welcome relief as you roll down a beautiful forested backroad into Minami Oguni. The last 10km to Kurokawa Onsen hold a few short stepp hills to really prepare you for tonights bath. Kurokawa is a wonderfully charming little town with two streets and a bunch of hot springs dotted around.

Today it is all ups and downs in the shadow of Kyushu’s highest mountain, Mt Kuju (1791m). We pass by several onsen towns and join the historic Yamanami Highway. First foreign tourists to Japan arrived in Nagasaki and followed this classic road from Nagasaki over Aso to Beppu. Picturesque Yufuin sits in the shadow of the majestic twin peaks of Yufu-dake. An excellent lunch spot. The afternoon ride takes us around Mt. Yufu to Beppu, belching and basking in its bay. We visit one of Beppu’s Seven Hells. These Hells are a popular tourist attraction in Japan.

We hop on the ferry to Yawatahama on Shikoku Island ( 1 hour 20 mins) and cycle to Ozu with its magnificent castle. Shikoku Island is noted for the 88-temple Pilgrimage, and here you can expect to see a number of ‘ohenro’ pilgrims in white clothing. The region is also well known for mandarin oranges. Uchiko is a photographer’s dream. Part of the town is a typical small modern mountain town but sections have been perfectly preserved as a living museum, where people still reside and where traditional crafts are still alive. The candle shop may be the only place where Japanese candles are still made using the traditional method. Some of you stay in the residence once owned and renovated by Mr. Takahashi, Japan’s beer king. The others stay in an old merchant house in quaint Yokaichi Street.

We have breakfast in Mr. Takahashi’s living room and are sad to leave this gorgeous place. On the cycling menu today are two 300m climbs before we reach the shores of the Seto Inland Sea. On the banks of Ishitegawa River we roll into Dogo Onsen, Japan’s oldest and most famous hot spring. Legend says that an egret who injured his shin found a hot spring at Dogo. He soaked his shin every day in the hot water. Eventually the egret healed and flew away.

Today we give our legs a rest and take a transfer in the afternoon from Matsuyama 200km eastward (3 hours). You might want to end the day with a stroll along Shinmachigawa River.

Ferry to sail across the Seto Inland Sea. The comfortable 2-hour ferry takes us to Wakayama on Honshu Island. From the ferry terminal in Wakayama City we bike alongside the Kinokawa River until we start the climb up Mt Koyasan. Following the Zakurogawa and Makunigawa rivers upstream to Nashinokitoge Pass (503m), then deeper into the Narukogawa valley to finally reach our sacred destination.

Koyasan was founded 1,200 years ago by Kukai (aka Kobo Daishi) as the main temple of Shingon Buddhism. At our temple stay at Ekouin you can glimpse the daily lives of Buddhist monks by participating in religious services and eating the traditional vegetarian food.

This morning you can take part in the Buddhist service before breakfast. On leaving our temple lodging we visit Okunoin, a cemetery and sacred area leading to Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum. The path is lined by hundreds of centuries-old towering cedar trees and over 200,000 gravestones and memorial pagodas. Our cycling journey is a pleasurable downhill ride to join the Kinokawa River again. We cycle through rich rice fields sided by lush green mountains.

The river path winds through golden rice paddies on one side and green tea fields on the other. This region is renowned for its matcha green tea. Following the bike path along the Katsura River, we easily approach our final destination Kyoto. A last stop is Fushimiinari Shrine with the famous gallery of red torii gates. Then Kyoto Tower is beckoning us home. We lodge in its shadow near Kyoto Station.

The tour ends with a check-out before 10am. Stay on and explore Kyoto and Japan more or if you are heading home it is an easy train ride to Osaka International Airport.