Kyoto to the Sea

Nine days of cycling link Kyoto's temple lanes to the wild edge of the Sea of Japan, tracing cedar hills, thatched villages, fishing ports and pine-covered sandbars along the way. After a first day settling in at the historic Seikoro Ryokan, riders take an easy city spin past the Silver Pavilion, Shimogamo Shrine and the Philosopher's Path, before heading into the northern hills to follow the emerald Katsura River through yuzu groves to a renovated thatched farmhouse in Miyama.

The route then climbs the quiet Gonami Pass and descends the Minami River valley into the historic port town of Obama, followed by a day along the Wakasa Bay shoreline with an optional fish market visit and a detour through the Mt Aoba foothills. Riders continue along the Yura River valley past the mythic Amanoiwato gorge to Amanohashidate, staying in a 300-year-old registered ryokan.

The final riding days cross the pine-covered Amanohashidate sandbar and follow the Tango Peninsula coast past the Ine funaya boathouses and Tateiwa sea rock, continuing on to Kumihama Bay before finishing at the hot spring town of Kinosaki Onsen. Overnights throughout are spent in charming boutique ryokans and minshuku, with dinners of regional specialties and hearty breakfasts, supported by bilingual local guides and a support van for luggage and lifts.

Highlights:

• Kyoto's Silver Pavilion, Shimogamo Shrine and the Philosopher's Path
• Thatched farmhouse stay in Miyama and the climb over Gonami Pass
• Wakasa Bay shoreline, with an optional fish market visit
• Amanoiwato gorge and a 300-year-old registered ryokan at Amanohashidate
• Amanohashidate sandbar crossing and the Ine funaya boathouses on the Tango Peninsula
• Finish with hot spring bathing at Kinosaki Onsen

Surface and terrain:
Paved throughout, though some rural lanes are older and patched in places. Roads are largely bypassed by modern highways, so traffic is generally light. A couple of longer climbs feature, usually at 4-7% grades, including the Gonami Pass. Daily distances 13.5-70 km across 7 riding days.

Weather:
Scheduled in spring and fall for the best weather: warm days, cool nights and less rain than the hotter, more humid summer. Season runs April to November.

Suitable for:
Riders comfortable with a few longer climbs at moderate grades, wanting a culturally immersive "leisurely" tour through rural Japan and traditional ryokan stays rather than a high-mileage challenge.