Coastal Japan: San-In Explorer

On this tour, we'll traverse across San-in's diverse geography of rugged shorelines, dramatic volcanic landscapes, colorful forests, and expansive farmlands. We'll encounter quaint fishing villages, bustling maritime towns, timeless shrines and temples, grand Samurai castles, and breathtaking views. We soothe our muscles in hot springs, sleep in cozy accommodations, and indulge in an outstanding variety of local delicacies.

Meeting in Tottori City we begin with an easy warm up ride to Japan’s largest and most visually striking sand dunes. The following day we cycle to Mount Mitoku where we'll hike up to the fabled Buddhist temple of Nageiredo, perched precariously on a cliff. After spending the night in an onsen (hot spring) town we descend back towards the coastline and ride along the slopes of Mount Daisen, an extinct volcano that towers over the region. Once we reach Sakaiminato City we'll ride to a stunning inland sea before catching a ferry to the Oki Islands. We’ll spend two days island riding and island hopping in a remote part of offshore Japan, discovering the stunning Kuniga Coast on Nishinoshima and cycling through the rural heart of Dogo-jima. Back on the mainland, we then ride to visit the intricate Miho Shrine before continuing along scenic headlands in pursuit of the historic city of Matsue. Matsue will be our base for two nights and here we'll explore the majestic “Black Castle” and embark on a rural loop to one of Japan’s prettiest zen gardens at the Adachi Museum of Art. The tour concludes with a picturesque ride skirting along a lake and two rivers before arriving at Izumo Taisha, another of Japan’s most important Shinto shrines. We spend the final night in the city of Izuomo from where you can easily continue your travels onwards in Japan.

Join us in exploring the remarkable San-in region and see a different part of Japan, differently!

The cycling in San-in is moderately challenging with some gradual climbing on most days. We ride 453 km over 9 cycling days. There are no rest days but down-time is to be expected in the afternoons and evenings. In addition to cycling, at Mount Mitoku (Day 2) and the Kuniga Coast (Day 5) we we will be hiking for 1-2 hours, with some steep sections involved. At the beginning and end of the tour we'll be taking short rides on local trains to avoid busy city streets, and to get to and from the Oki Islands we'll be boarding passenger ferries on the Sea of Japan (3 ferry rides in total).