# Riding Japan: full content > The complete text and data of https://ridingjapan.com. The shorter link map lives at https://ridingjapan.com/llms.txt. Every entry lists the sources its facts come from and the month they were checked. Prices are in Japanese yen, each with the year it applies to. The site earns affiliate commission on some bookings; paid links are marked, and https://ridingjapan.com/disclosures explains how. ## Regions ### Tohoku URL: https://ridingjapan.com/regions/tohoku ### Nagano URL: https://ridingjapan.com/regions/nagano ### Niigata URL: https://ridingjapan.com/regions/niigata ### Gunma URL: https://ridingjapan.com/regions/gunma ### Tochigi and Nikko URL: https://ridingjapan.com/regions/tochigi ### Ibaraki and Tsukuba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/regions/ibaraki ### Kanto and Boso URL: https://ridingjapan.com/regions/kanto-boso ### Izu and Fuji URL: https://ridingjapan.com/regions/izu-fuji ### Gifu and Hida URL: https://ridingjapan.com/regions/gifu-hida ### Hokuriku and Noto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/regions/hokuriku-noto ### Nagoya and Ise URL: https://ridingjapan.com/regions/nagoya-ise ### Shiga and Lake Biwa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/regions/shiga-biwako ### Kansai URL: https://ridingjapan.com/regions/kansai ### Setouchi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/regions/setouchi ### San'in and Tottori URL: https://ridingjapan.com/regions/sanin-tottori ### Shikoku URL: https://ridingjapan.com/regions/shikoku ### Kyushu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/regions/kyushu ## Towns and neighbourhoods ### Aizu-Wakamatsu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/aizu-wakamatsu Type: Town Local name: 会津若松市 (ja) Also known as: Aizuwakamatsu, Aizu Wakamatsu, Aizu, 会津若松, Wakamatsu Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Fukushima Coordinates: 37.49480, 139.92980 Kind: City Population: 117,924 From Tokyo: Tohoku Shinkansen to Koriyama, then the Ban-etsu West Line; 2 hours 51 minutes, ¥9,660 (October 2026). Bus to NEKOMA South: From Aizu-Wakamatsu Station, about 45 minutes, adult ¥1,000, child ¥500, 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027; no booking. To Bandai machi: JR Ban-etsu West Line, 15 minutes, ¥260. Website: https://www.aizukanko.com/ Summary: Aizu-Wakamatsu suits travellers who want a castle town with a direct winter bus to NEKOMA Mountain's South Area. The trade-off is a 45-minute ride each way to the slopes. Aizu-Wakamatsu grew around a castle the Ashina family began in 1384, when the place was called Kurokawa. Gamo Ujisato arrived in 1590, renamed the castle Tsuruga-jo and the town Wakamatsu, and laid out the castle town. The city took its present name in 1955. The keep standing today is a reconstruction, and the city has been marking 60 years since it was rebuilt. In winter the city works as a base for NEKOMA Mountain. A route bus leaves from in front of Aizu-Wakamatsu Station for the South Area, the former Alts Bandai, in about 45 minutes for ¥1,000, with no booking. The JR Ban-etsu West Line reaches Bandai-machi in 15 minutes and Koriyama, on the Tohoku Shinkansen, in about 75 minutes. Tips: - On a day off, the city's tourism site offers rental bikes from the station and a hands-free service that carries your bags while you look round. Q: How do you get from Aizu-Wakamatsu to NEKOMA Mountain? A: Take the route bus from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station to NEKOMA's South Area. It runs from 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, takes about 45 minutes and costs ¥1,000 for an adult, with no booking. Q: How do you get to Aizu-Wakamatsu from Tokyo? A: Take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Koriyama and change to the Ban-etsu West Line. On 16 October 2026 the fastest morning trip took 2 hours 51 minutes for ¥9,660. Q: What does the name Aizu-Wakamatsu mean? A: Aizu-Wakamatsu comes from the local name Wakamatsu, meaning wakamatsu means young pine. Gamo Ujisato gave the name when he took over the castle town of Kurokawa in 1590, and Aizu, the name of the basin, was added in 1955. The encyclopedias record the renamings and give no story behind the choice of Wakamatsu. Q: Is Aizu-Wakamatsu a good place to stay? A: Stay in Aizu-Wakamatsu if you want a city's restaurants and history in the evenings, and ski days at NEKOMA by bus. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.aizukanko.com/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/access/ https://kotobank.jp/word/%E4%BC%9A%E6%B4%A5%E8%8B%A5%E6%9D%BE https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E4%BC%9A%E6%B4%A5%E8%8B%A5%E6%9D%BE&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E4%BC%9A%E6%B4%A5%E8%8B%A5%E6%9D%BE&to=%E7%A3%90%E6%A2%AF%E7%94%BA&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=09&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q237699 ### Akakura Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/akakura-onsen Type: Town Local name: 赤倉温泉 (ja) Also known as: Akakura, Akakura Onsen Myoko, Shin-Akakura, 新赤倉 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 新潟県妙高市赤倉 Coordinates: 36.89260, 138.17850 Kind: Onsen town Station: Myoko-Kogen Station on the Echigo Tokimeki and Shinano railways; many inns run a pick-up, and Akakura Kanko Hotel's shuttle takes about ten minutes. From the Shinkansen: Change at Joetsu-Myoko for the Myoko Haneuma Line to Myoko-Kogen, about 35 minutes. Nagano express bus: Nagaden ran a direct bus from Nagano Station's east exit to Akakura in summer 2026, about 80 minutes for ¥2,500, and planned a winter service. Winter shuttle: In 2025/26 the Mt. Myoko shuttle linked Akakura, Ikenotaira and Suginohara from 20 December to 22 March for ¥1,000 a ride. Website: https://myokotourism.com/ Summary: Akakura Onsen suits skiers who want the liveliest village in Myoko Kogen with two resorts on its doorstep, and its trade-off is a main street that fills with tour buses and queues on powder weekends. Akakura Onsen climbs the eastern slope of Mt. Myoko at about 800 metres, and inns in the village date its spring to 1816. The water comes down a pipeline from Kita-Jigokudani high on the volcano, and the inns run it free-flowing through their baths. Shin-Akakura sits just below at the foot of Akakura Kanko Resort, with Akakura Kanko Hotel up on the slope at 1,000 metres. The Akakura Onsen ski area rises straight off the top of the main street, and Akakura Kanko Resort shares its border. Lodges on the main street put the lifts at a four- or five-minute walk, and a shuttle stop for Akakura Kanko sits at the main junction. In the 2025/26 season the Mt. Myoko shuttle ran from 20 December to 22 March at ¥1,000 a ride, linking Akakura with Ikenotaira and Suginohara. The main street is where Myoko eats after dark. Shibata has served big Japanese dinners with an English menu for decades, and down in Shin-Akakura the izakaya Pontaro pours Niigata jizake below the lifts. On a peak Saturday, book ahead or take the dinner plan at your inn. Q: Is Akakura Onsen a good place to stay? A: Stay in Akakura for the widest choice of onsen inns in Myoko and dinner within walking distance, with the Akakura Onsen and Akakura Kanko lifts a short walk or shuttle away. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://myokotourism.jp/stay https://myokotourism.com/winter-bus-service/ https://www.kounkaku.com/20260528/ https://limeresorts.com/myoko/access/ https://www.akr-hotel.com/access/ https://www.h-taiko.net/ http://hunter-myoko.com/ https://myokotourism.com/myokorestaurants/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11635355 ### Amakusa (Hondo) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/amakusa Type: Town Local name: 天草 (ja) Also known as: Hondo, Amakusa City, Amakusa Islands, 本渡, 天草市 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kumamoto Coordinates: 32.45870, 130.19300 Kind: City Population: 74,861 Population: 74,861 in March 2021 (Wikidata) Getting there: JR Misumi line to Misumi, then ride over the Amakusa Five Bridges; buses and boats carry bikes packed in a rinko bag. Earthquake: Water service in Amakusa and Kami-Amakusa was restored by 1 August 2026. Summary: Amakusa suits riders who want an island loop of fishing villages, Hidden Christian heritage and quiet coast roads on Ama-Ichi, and the islands have no railway, so you ride or take the bus. Amakusa City covers most of Shimoshima and its neighbours, and Hondo on the east coast is its centre. Ama-Ichi, the National Cycle Route, crosses the Amakusa Five Bridges from Misumi and loops through Hondo and Reihoku before running down the west coast past Sakitsu to Ushibuka. Sakitsu's church and fishing village belong to the Hidden Christian Sites on the World Heritage list, and a visit inside the church needs advance notice. Mio Camino Amakusa in Hondo serves as the route's gateway. The July 2026 earthquake cracked homes in Amakusa and Kami-Amakusa, and water was off for a few days, restored by 1 August. Tourism businesses are open, and the Amakusa tourism association asks visitors to come and support the islands with their trip. Q: Is Amakusa (Hondo) a good place to stay? A: Stay in Hondo to split Ama-Ichi into two days and to start the west coast early with Sakitsu on the way. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.t-island.jp/ https://kyoukaigun.jp/archives/culture/884-2 https://www.bousai.go.jp/updates/r8kumamoto_jishin/status/pdf/r8kumamoto_jishin_20261005.pdf https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/uploaded/life/280963_900318_misc.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q452634 ### Anamizu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/anamizu Type: Town Local name: 穴水町 (ja) Also known as: Anamizu Town, 穴水 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Address: 174 Kawashima Ra, Anamizu, Hosu, Ishikawa 927-8601 (town hall) Coordinates: 37.22892, 136.91379 Kind: Town Population: 6,486 Road status: Check Ishikawa Prefecture's road map at douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp before you drive or ride. The site's Noto road-status alert carries the closures and one-lane sections it showed on 11 October 2026. Trains: The Noto Railway runs between Nanao and Anamizu. Tourism office: Anamizu town tourism section, 0768-52-3790. Website: https://www.town.anamizu.lg.jp/ Summary: Anamizu is the small bay town where the Noto Railway ends, and it suits drivers and riders heading for the far north of the peninsula who want a meal stop on the way. This guide lists no stays there yet, so plan to sleep in Wakura Onsen or Wajima. Anamizu counted 6,486 residents on 30 September 2026. The Noto Railway runs here from Nanao. The town's autumn beef festival runs at member restaurants in 2026. Kintaro serves a full course for ¥4,300 by reservation and closes on Sundays. Tatsuya serves beef-tendon stew for ¥900 and roast beef for ¥3,300 by reservation, and it also takes overnight guests. The town asks you to book by the day before. Ishikawa's road map on 11 October 2026 showed 24 restrictions touching Anamizu, most of them one-lane sections. The prefectural road from Nakajima to the Anamizu boundary has been closed to large vehicles since 25 March 2026. Tips: - Book the beef festival dishes the day before, as the town asks. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.town.anamizu.lg.jp/ https://www.town.anamizu.lg.jp/site/kankou-sightsee/100293.html https://www.wakura.or.jp/news/news-4322/ https://douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/ https://douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/api/getRegulation ### Aomori URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/aomori Type: Town Local name: 青森市 (ja) Also known as: Aomori City, 青森 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Coordinates: 40.82280, 140.74690 Kind: City From Tokyo: Tohoku Shinkansen to Shin-Aomori, 178 minutes on Hayabusa 5; Aomori Station in 3 hours 46 minutes with the change, ¥18,110 (October 2026). To Hakkoda in winter: JR bus from Aomori Station to the Hakkoda Ropeway, about 80 minutes, ¥1,290; the winter bus ends at Sukayu. Bears: Aomori Prefecture's bear warning runs from 20 April to 30 November 2026. Website: https://www.atca.info/ Summary: Aomori suits skiers bound for the Hakkoda Ropeway who want a city base with seafood markets and the winter bus at the station. The trade-off is the ride itself, about 80 minutes each way to the ropeway in snow. Aomori grew from a fishing village called Uto, which the Hirosaki domain renamed Aomori in 1624 and built up as its port. The Tohoku Shinkansen stops at Shin-Aomori on the edge of the city, and a short local train connects it with Aomori Station in the centre. The fastest morning journey from Tokyo took 3 hours 46 minutes to Aomori Station on 16 October 2026. For skiers the city's job is the JR bus to Hakkoda. In winter it runs from Aomori Station to the Hakkoda Ropeway in about 80 minutes for ¥1,290, and it goes no farther than Sukayu Onsen because the road beyond is closed. On a day off, the Nebuta Museum Wa Rasse is the city's hall for the summer Nebuta festival, and Sannai-Maruyama is part of the Jomon sites listed as World Heritage. Tips: - Aomori Prefecture keeps a bear warning in force from 20 April to 30 November 2026 and asks walkers outside town to carry a bell and check the Kuma Log Aomori map. - Change to the local train at Shin-Aomori for the city centre, since the shinkansen does not run into Aomori Station. Q: How do you get from Aomori to the Hakkoda Ropeway in winter? A: Take the JR bus from Aomori Station. The ropeway company lists the winter ride at about 80 minutes for ¥1,290, and the bus runs only as far as Sukayu Onsen in winter. Q: How long does it take from Tokyo to Aomori? A: Hayabusa 5 reached Shin-Aomori in 178 minutes on 16 October 2026. With the change to a local train, the fastest morning trip to Aomori Station took 3 hours 46 minutes for ¥18,110. Q: What does the name Aomori mean? A: Aomori comes from the local name Aomori, meaning the name means green forest. Sailors passing offshore are said to have called the place Aomori after the dense pines on a low hill by the harbour. The gazetteer gives the pine-wood story from the Meiji-era survey Shinsen Mutsu Kokushi with 'it is said', so treat it as tradition. Q: Is Aomori a good place to stay? A: Stay in Aomori if you want restaurants and markets in walking distance and a choice of hotels, and you are happy to ride the bus up to Hakkoda each morning. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.atca.info/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/access/ https://kotobank.jp/word/%E9%9D%92%E6%A3%AE%E5%B8%82 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E9%9D%92%E6%A3%AE&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E6%96%B0%E9%9D%92%E6%A3%AE&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.pref.aomori.lg.jp/soshiki/kankyo/shizen/kuma_cyuui.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q146790 ### APPI URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/appi Type: Town Local name: 安比高原 (ja) Also known as: Appi, Appi Kogen, APPI Kogen, Appi Highlands, 安比 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Coordinates: 39.99440, 140.96420 Kind: Ski village Part of: Hachimantai From Tokyo: Tohoku Shinkansen to Morioka, 130 minutes on Hayabusa 5; ¥15,450 reserved, regular season (October 2026). Morioka shuttle: Guests only: West Exit stop 26 at 12:00, 15:15 and 18:30; back from ANA Crowne Plaza at 9:00, 13:30 and 16:45; adult ¥2,200, child ¥1,100; 5 December 2026 to 4 April 2027. Hanamaki Airport shuttle: Guests only, about 90 minutes, adult ¥3,500; book four days ahead. By train: Morioka to Appi-Kogen on the IGR and JR Hanawa lines, about 61 minutes, ¥1,220. Between ski areas: Iwate Kenpoku Bus links APPI, Shimokura and Panorama in winter. Bears: Iwate Prefecture's bear warning has been in force since 22 April 2026. Website: https://www.appi.co.jp/ Summary: APPI suits families and groups who want a self-contained resort with big hotels at the lifts and winter shuttles from Morioka and four airports. The trade-off is that the shuttles carry hotel guests only and need booking ahead. APPI Kogen spreads across a plateau near the 40th parallel in the north of Hachimantai city, with beech woods and grassland under the snow. The resort's two big hotels, ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort and ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen, stand at the base, and the InterContinental was named a Michelin Key hotel for the third year running in September 2026. Every shuttle stops at the Crowne Plaza, and InterContinental guests board there too. For winter 2026/27 the resort runs chartered buses for its hotel guests from 5 December 2026 to 4 April 2027. From Morioka Station they leave the West Exit at 12:00, 15:15 and 18:30, take about an hour and ten minutes and cost ¥2,200 for an adult. Buses from Iwate Hanamaki Airport take about an hour and a half for ¥3,500. A public route bus from Morioka was still being arranged in October 2026, and trains on the IGR and Hanawa lines reach Appi-Kogen Station from Morioka in about an hour. Tips: - Book the Morioka shuttle by 23:59 the day before you travel, and the airport buses at least four days ahead. - Children under 13 pay half on the shuttles, and children aged three or under ride free. Q: How do you get to APPI from Tokyo? A: Take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Morioka, 130 minutes on the fastest Hayabusa, then APPI's guests-only shuttle from the West Exit, about 70 minutes for ¥2,200. Trains also run from Morioka to Appi-Kogen Station in about an hour. Q: Does APPI run a shuttle from Sendai Airport? A: Yes, for hotel guests. APPI lists chartered buses from Iwate Hanamaki, Odate-Noshiro, Sendai and Aomori airports and from Morioka Station between 5 December 2026 and 4 April 2027. Q: Is APPI a good place to stay? A: Stay at APPI if you want ski-in hotels, ski school and restaurants in one place, and you would rather not drive on snow. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.appi.co.jp/access-winter/ https://www.appi.co.jp/news/2026winter-shuttle-bus-booking-news/ https://visit-hachimantai.jp/en/ski/access-between-ski-resorts.html https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E7%9B%9B%E5%B2%A1&to=%E5%AE%89%E6%AF%94%E9%AB%98%E5%8E%9F&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.hachimantai.or.jp/ https://www.pref.iwate.jp/kurashikankyou/shizen/yasei/1049881/1043255.html ### Arai URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/arai Type: Town Local name: 新井 (ja) Also known as: Arai Myoko, Myoko city centre Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 新潟県妙高市 Coordinates: 37.02680, 138.25830 Kind: Town Station: Arai Station on the Myoko Haneuma Line between Joetsu-Myoko and Myoko-Kogen. Summary: Arai suits riders heading for Arai Mountain Resort and road cyclists who want a working town with a brewery and a big roadside station, and its trade-off is a plain town centre with little to hold you after dark. Arai is the centre of Myoko city, down on the plain at Arai Station, and the Arai ski area rises in the hills to the west. The Lotte Arai Resort hotel stands at the base of those slopes, a drive out of town. In town, Kiminoi has brewed sake since the 1830s, and Tachibana has served the local pork soup since 1972. Michi-no-Eki Arai on Route 18 gathers a fish market, a farm stand and a string of restaurants beside the expressway, which makes it the obvious stop on a ride or a drive. Q: Is Arai a good place to stay? A: Stay in Arai if Arai Mountain Resort is your hill, at the resort hotel itself, or pass through for sake and pork soup on the way to Myoko Kogen. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://myokotourism.jp/ https://www.eki-arai.com/ https://www.kiminoi.com/ https://myokotourism.jp/restaurants/%e3%81%a8%e3%82%93%e6%b1%81%e3%81%ae%e5%ba%97-%e3%81%9f%e3%81%a1%e3%81%b0%e3%81%aa/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4783770 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11189531 ### Aso URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/aso Type: Town Local name: 阿蘇 (ja) Also known as: Aso City, Aso caldera, Mt. Aso, 阿蘇市 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kumamoto Coordinates: 32.93740, 131.08020 Kind: Town Population: 24,820 Population: 24,820 in March 2021 (Wikidata) Getting there: JR Aso Station on the Hohi line from Kumamoto. Volcano: JMA alert level 2 since 1 September 2026; check the Aso Volcano Disaster Prevention Council's page before heading up: https://www.aso.ne.jp/~volcano/ Bikes: Bicycles ride the Aso Mountain Park Road to the crater free when it is open, and must enter an hour before closing. Summary: Aso suits riders who want to circle and climb one of the world's largest calderas, and the active Nakadake crater stays closed within 1 km while alert level 2 holds. The Aso caldera runs about 18 km east to west and 25 km north to south, with an outer rim about 128 km round, and some 40,000 people farm and live on its floor. Aso City lies in the northern half, with JR Aso Station on the Hohi line at the foot of the road up to Kusasenri and the crater. JMA lowered Aso to volcanic alert level 2 on 1 September 2026 after a spell at level 3, and the ground within about 1 km of the Nakadake first crater is closed. The road to Aso Sanjo Plaza and Kusasenri is open. Daikanbo, on the northern rim, looks across the whole caldera to the five peaks. The July 2026 earthquake left Aso City with light damage, and its roads, baths and restaurants run as usual. Finish a ride at Yume no Yu by the station, or eat dago-jiru at Aosora Shokudo in Ichinomiya. Q: Is Aso a good place to stay? A: Stay inside the caldera to ride the rim roads and the climb to Kusasenri early, before the tour buses, with a public bath by the station at the end of the day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.aso.kumamoto.jp/tourism/spot/mt_aso/ https://www.aso.ne.jp/~volcano/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/503.html https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/uploaded/life/280963_900318_misc.pdf https://www.city.aso.kumamoto.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q733681 ### Atami URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/atami Type: Town Local name: 熱海 (ja) Also known as: Atami Onsen, 熱海市, 熱海温泉 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Coordinates: 35.09630, 139.07170 Kind: City Population: 35,276 Population: 35,276 on 1 March 2021 (Wikidata) Getting there: Tokaido Shinkansen to Atami, then the JR Ito line for the east coast. Local bus: The Yu-Yu sightseeing bus is suspended on all days (Atami tourism site, 2026). Website: https://www.ataminews.gr.jp/ Summary: Atami suits riders starting Izu from a Shinkansen stop with an onsen town around the station, and its streets climb steeply from the sea. Atami is the first Izu stop on the Tokaido Shinkansen and an onsen city that tumbles down hills to the sea. The city's own history says hot water once boiled up so fiercely in the bay that people called the shore atsuumi, the hot sea, and the name softened to Atami. Tokugawa Ieyasu came here in 1604, and the city marked 400 years since his visit with a free foot bath in front of the station. From Atami the JR Ito line runs down the east coast toward Ito and Shimoda, which makes the station a natural start for a coast ride south. The Yu-Yu bus loop round the sights is suspended on all days, so walk or ride between them. Guest House Maruya by the station gives a budget bed, and Risonare Atami sits up the hill for a resort night. Q: What does the name Atami mean? A: Atami comes from the local name 熱海, meaning the characters mean hot sea. The city says hot water boiled up from the sea so fiercely that the shore was called atsuumi-ga-saki, and the name changed to Atami. The city tells this as a traditional account alongside the founding legend of the Oyu spring. Q: Is Atami a good place to stay? A: Stay in Atami to start an Izu ride straight off the Shinkansen, with a bath that evening and the coast road south in the morning. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.atami.lg.jp/shisei/atamishi/1001244/1001246.html https://www.ataminews.gr.jp/spot/138 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/熱海市 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q653364 ### Azumino URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/azumino Type: Town Local name: 安曇野市 (ja) Also known as: Azumino City, Hotaka, 安曇野 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 36.30390, 137.90560 Kind: City Population: 93,927 Rail: JR Oito Line stations including Hotaka, between Matsumoto and Shinano-Omachi. Website: https://azumino-e-tabi.net/ Summary: Azumino is the flat farming plain under the Northern Alps between Matsumoto and Omachi, known for spring-fed wasabi fields, and it suits cyclists and slow travellers. The trade-off is that sights sit far apart, so you need a bike or a car. Azumino covers the northern half of the Matsumoto basin, where the Azusa and Takase rivers fan out under the Alps and spring water feeds the wasabi beds. Hotaka Shrine sits near Hotaka Station on the JR Oito Line, and the Azumi clan served it for centuries as descendants of its god Hotakami. The plain stays mostly flat, which makes it one of the easiest places in Nagano to ride for a day. In winter Azumino works as a quieter base between Matsumoto's city life and Hakuba's resorts up the Oito Line. Come in spring and early summer when the paddies flood and the snowy peaks show in the water. Q: Which train line serves Azumino? A: The JR Oito Line serves Azumino, with Hotaka Station closest to Hotaka Shrine. Trains run north from Matsumoto toward Shinano-Omachi and Hakuba. Q: Is Azumino a good place to stay? A: Stay in Azumino if you want a farmhouse pace, flat cycling and views of the Alps over rice fields. Skiers who want lifts on their doorstep should stay in Hakuba. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.city.azumino.nagano.jp/ https://azumino-e-tabi.net/ https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%AE%89%E6%9B%87%E9%87%8E-25613 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q534667 ### Bandai URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/bandai Type: Town Local name: 磐梯町 (ja) Also known as: Bandai Town, Bandaimachi, 磐梯, Alts Bandai, NEKOMA South Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Fukushima Coordinates: 37.56210, 139.98870 Kind: Town Population: 3,350 From Aizu Wakamatsu: JR Ban-etsu West Line to Bandai-machi, 15 minutes, ¥260; or the route bus to NEKOMA South, about 45 minutes, adult ¥1,000, 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027. Koriyama shuttle: Paid and booked, about 70 minutes, adult ¥1,800, child ¥900. Bandai machi Station bus: Not running in 2026/27. Parking at NEKOMA South: Lots B to D free; lot A ¥1,000 on weekends, holidays and over New Year, free on weekdays. Volcano: Mt. Bandai is an active volcano with no eruption warning on 11 October 2026 (JMA). Website: https://www.nekoma.co.jp/ Summary: Bandai suits skiers who want to sleep at the foot of NEKOMA Mountain's South Area, the former Alts Bandai, with Aizu-Wakamatsu 15 minutes away by train. The trade-off is that no bus runs from Bandai-machi Station to the slopes this season. Bandai is a town of about 3,400 people at the foot of Mt. Bandai, and its slopes hold what used to be Alts Bandai. Hoshino Resorts now runs the ski area as the South Area of NEKOMA Mountain, with the Bandaisan Onsen Hotel at the base and BunkLodge NEKOMA, a low-cost lodge opening for its first season from 12 January 2027, with a drying room, tuning space, a lounge and a large bath. Getting here without a car means a bus from a bigger station. The booked shuttle from Koriyama takes about 70 minutes and costs ¥1,800 for an adult, and the route bus from Aizu-Wakamatsu takes about 45 minutes for ¥1,000 with no booking. From 8 January to 6 March 2027 the Bandai Shokudo canteen in the South Area resort centre turns into BeerHouse Matatabi from 16:00, for après drinks and dinner. Tips: - Park in the free B, C or D lots at the South Area. Lot A costs ¥1,000 on weekends, on holidays and over New Year, and a shuttle runs from lot B to the centre on those days from 26 December to 28 March. - The Aizu-Wakamatsu bus needs no booking, which makes it the easy choice for a spontaneous day. Q: Is there a bus from Bandai-machi Station to NEKOMA Mountain? A: Not in 2026/27. NEKOMA says the Bandai-machi Station bus does not run this season, so use the Koriyama shuttle or the Aizu-Wakamatsu route bus. Q: What happened to Alts Bandai? A: Alts Bandai is now the South Area of Hoshino Resorts NEKOMA Mountain. The former Nekoma ski area on the Urabandai side is the North Area. Q: Is Bandai a good place to stay? A: Stay in Bandai if you want first chair at NEKOMA's South Area and a bed at the base, with the castle town of Aizu-Wakamatsu close by for a day off. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nekoma.co.jp/access/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/feature/26-27season/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/accomondation/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E4%BC%9A%E6%B4%A5%E8%8B%A5%E6%9D%BE&to=%E7%A3%90%E6%A2%AF%E7%94%BA&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=09&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/sendai/215_Bandaisan/215_index.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/map_0.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q143208 https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/bunklodgenekoma/ ### Beppu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/beppu Type: Town Local name: 別府 (ja) Also known as: Beppu City, Beppu Onsen, 別府市, 別府温泉 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Oita Coordinates: 33.28460, 131.49130 Kind: Onsen town Population: 115,992 Population: 115,992 in March 2021 (Wikidata) Getting there: JR Beppu Station on the Nippo line from Kokura or Oita. Bikes: Giant Store Beppu rents cross and road bikes from five hours. Summary: Beppu suits riders who want a hot spring city on the sea with a public bath on every corner and cheap toriten for dinner, and its steaming hills are as much about looking as soaking. Beppu sits on Beppu Bay below steaming hills, and its springs are everywhere. Takegawara, a city-run bath from 1879 in a 1938 building ten minutes' walk from the station, still covers bathers in warm sand, and the city's tourism site lists it as tattoo-friendly. Up in Kannawa the seven hells boil blue, red and white; four of them are national Places of Scenic Beauty. Toriten, chicken fried in tempura batter, was born at Toyoken in the early Showa years and turns up on menus all over Oita. Giant's Beppu store rents road and cross bikes for the coast road along the bay and the climbs inland, and Oita's cycling site maps routes round Beppu Bay and the Kunisaki peninsula. Q: Is Beppu a good place to stay? A: Stay a night or two to soak in a different bath each evening and ride the bay or the hills by day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.beppu.oita.jp/sisetu/shieionsen/detail4.html https://beppu-tourism.com/onsen/takegawara-onsen/ https://www.beppu-jigoku.com/ https://www.toyoken-beppu.co.jp/about/ https://giant-store.jp/beppu/ https://www.cycling-oita.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q273880 ### Chichibu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/chichibu Type: Town Local name: 秩父 (ja) Also known as: Chichibu City, 秩父市, Seibu-Chichibu, Chichibu Saitama Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Saitama Coordinates: 35.99180, 139.08550 Kind: City Population: 59,326 Population: 59,326, Wikidata's March 2021 figure Getting there: Seibu line from Ikebukuro to Seibu-Chichibu; Chichibu Railway also serves the town at Ohanabatake and Chichibu stations. Rental bikes: Chichibu Cycle Station in the tourist information hall, 1-16-15 Nosaka-machi, 9:00–17:00, last rental 15:00; closed on the second and fourth Mondays (2026 prices: e-bike ¥2,500 to 17:00). Festival dates: Chichibu Night Festival, 2 December (Yoimiya) and 3 December (main festival) every year Website: https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/ Summary: Chichibu suits road riders who want mountain passes a train ride from central Tokyo, and its trade-off is the crowd on 2 and 3 December, when the Chichibu Night Festival fills the town centre. Chichibu lies in a basin in western Saitama below Mt. Buko, and the Seibu line from Ikebukuro ends at Seibu-Chichibu Station. Riders base here for the climbs on the basin's rim. The Chichibu tourism association runs cycle stations at Seibu-Chichibu, Nagatoro, Minano, Ogano, Ryokami, Ashigakubo and Yokoze. A rental e-assist bike costs ¥1,000 for an hour or ¥2,500 until 17:00, and a plain bike costs ¥500 or ¥1,500. The Chichibu station in the tourist information hall across from Seibu-Chichibu has taken web bookings for two e-bikes since 1 March 2026 and stopped taking phone bookings. Last rentals go out at 15:00. The Chichibu Night Festival on 2 and 3 December is the annual festival of Chichibu Shrine, with six floats hauled through the streets and fireworks over the Otabisho. UNESCO added it in 2016 to the listing of Japan's Yama, Hoko and Yatai float festivals. Q: Is Chichibu a good place to stay? A: Stay by Seibu-Chichibu Station to ride the passes round the basin and come back to waraji katsudon a minute's walk from the platform. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.city.chichibu.lg.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q647079 https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/experience/renta-cycle/ https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/event/yomatsuri/ https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/hotel/ ### Choshi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/choshi Type: Town Local name: 銚子 (ja) Also known as: Choshi City, 銚子市, Chōshi, Choushi Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Coordinates: 35.73460, 140.82680 Kind: City Population: 54,570 Population: 54,570, Wikidata's June 2024 figure Route start: JR Choshi Station is the official start of the Pacific Cycling Road (1,487 km to Kada port, Wakayama). Share cycle: COGICOGI SMART ports at Choshi Station, Inubosaki Kanko Hotel, Inubosaki Hotel, Taiyo no Sato, Choshi Grand Hotel and Inubo Station; 24 hours, credit card only. Rail: On 24 September 2026 the tourism association warned of heavy typhoon damage on JR lines in Chiba; check JR East's operating plan before you travel. Website: https://www.choshikanko.com/ Summary: Choshi suits riders starting the Pacific Cycling Road at its northern end, and its trade-off is a station rental that went self-service in July 2026 and takes credit cards only. MLIT lists the Pacific Cycling Road as 1,487 km from Choshi Station in Chiba to Kada port in Wakayama, so the whole route starts on this station forecourt. Choshi fills the cape where the Tone River meets the Pacific, and Inubosaki Lighthouse stands on the eastern point. The lighthouse dates from 1874 and you can climb it for ¥300. The tourism association handed its station rentals to the COGICOGI share-cycle system on 11 July 2026. Bikes stand at a port 30 m to the left as you leave the ticket gates, and you can drop one at the Inubosaki hotels, Choshi Grand Hotel or Choshi Electric Railway's Inubo Station at any hour. Payment is by credit card only, and the system takes no bookings. The NPO Choshi Sports Community publishes model rides from Tokyo along the Tone River and a loop of the cape past the wind turbines. The tourism association posted a closure notice for Inubo Terrace Terrace on 8 October 2026, so check before you plan a stop there. Q: Is Choshi a good place to stay? A: Stay the night before you set off on the Pacific Cycling Road, so you leave Choshi Station early with the whole Kujukuri shore ahead of you. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.choshi.chiba.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q694317 https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/ https://www.choshikanko.com/info/0306/ https://www.choshikanko.com/info/0321/ https://www.choshikanko.com/info/0323/ http://www.choshi-sports.com/ https://www.tokokai.org/tourlight/tourlight03/ ### Daisen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/daisen Type: Town Local name: 大山 (ja) Also known as: Daisen-ji village, Daisenji, Daisen town, 大山町, 大山寺 Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Address: Daisen, Daisen, Saihaku District, Tottori 689-3318 Coordinates: 35.39340, 133.52710 Kind: Ski village Getting there: Buses from JR Yonago Station reach Daisen-ji in about 50 minutes (Hotel Daisen Shirogane's figure). Bike rental: The Daisen tourist office in KOMOREBITO rents e-MTBs at ¥5,000 a day and electric cross bikes at ¥4,000, same day only, from April to late November. Town population: 15,336 for the whole of Daisen town (Wikidata, March 2021) Summary: Daisen suits skiers and riders who want to sleep at the foot of the highest peak in the Chugoku region, and without a car you reach the village on a 50-minute bus from Yonago Station. Daisen town runs from the Sea of Japan up the slopes of Mt. Daisen, and the village near the top grew round Daisen-ji, a Tendai temple that dates its founding to the Yoro era about 1,300 years ago. A stone-paved approach climbs past inns and soba shops to the temple and on to the upper hall of Ogamiyama Shrine. KOMOREBITO holds the tourist office on its ground floor, a café on the second and a small hotel above. In winter the slopes above the village run as Daisen Mountain Resort, the new name for Daisen White Resort after the Nihon Kotsu group ended its operation in March 2026. The resort's own news gave 18 December as its planned opening. From April to late November the tourist office rents e-MTBs and electric cross bikes for the day. Signed downhill routes run from the office to San'in Line stations on the coast, such as Daisenguchi at 23.8 km and Nakayamaguchi at 21.2 km, and Nokatari's guides lead a 17 km descent from 800 m to 300 m. Daisen soba comes dark because the husk is ground in, and the town certifies shops that serve it. Q: Is Daisen a good place to stay? A: Stay up here to start the summer trail or the first lift early, and ride the long descent to the coast the next morning. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tourismdaisen.com/spot/komorebito/ https://tourismdaisen.com/spot/83/ https://tourismdaisen.com/rental/climb-copy/ https://daisenji.jp/ https://www.daisen-resort.jp/ https://daisen-mountain.jp/ https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/ https://daisen-sando.jp/nokatari/tour/cycling/ https://hotel-daisen.jp/access https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1204975 ### Fujiyoshida URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/fujiyoshida Type: Town Local name: 富士吉田 (ja) Also known as: Fuji-Yoshida, 富士吉田市, Yoshida Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Coordinates: 35.48750, 138.80780 Kind: City Population: 46,659 Population: 46,659 on 1 March 2021 (Wikidata) Getting there: About an hour and a half from central Tokyo by highway bus or train (Fujiyoshida tourism site). Website: https://www.fujiyoshida.net/ Summary: Fujiyoshida suits riders who want a working Fuji town with cheap noodles and quick trains, and it has fewer lake views than Kawaguchiko next door. Fujiyoshida sits at the foot of Fuji on the north side, next to Lake Kawaguchi, and it is the main town of the Gunnai district. The city formed when three towns merged and put Fuji in front of the old name Yoshida. Its tourism site puts it about an hour and a half from central Tokyo by highway bus or train. The town's own noodle is Yoshida udon, thick and firm, which comes from the same flour-eating culture as Yamanashi's hoto. Rice was hard to grow on the cold lava plateau here, so wheat dishes filled the gap. Q: Is Fujiyoshida a good place to stay? A: Stay in Fujiyoshida for cheaper rooms and fast transport, a short ride from the lakes and the start of the Fuji climbs. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.fujiyoshida.net/access/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/富士吉田市 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ほうとう https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q647508 ### Fukuyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/fukuyama Type: Town Local name: 福山 (ja) Also known as: Fukuyama City, 福山市 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Coordinates: 34.48590, 133.36230 Kind: City Population: 460,930 Population: 460,930 at the 2020 census Rail: Tokyo to Fukuyama by Shinkansen takes about four hours and 20 minutes. Summary: Fukuyama suits riders as the Shinkansen stop for Onomichi and the base for Tomonoura, and the city itself is industrial with little to hold you longer. Fukuyama is Hiroshima prefecture's second city, built on a plain reclaimed from tidal flats since the Edo period. Its symbol is the rose, and the city holds a Rose Festival every May. For Shimanami riders, Fukuyama is the Sanyo Shinkansen stop for Onomichi, about four hours and 20 minutes from Tokyo by the figure Green Hill Hotel Onomichi gives. Change there to the JR Sanyo line for Onomichi. Tomonoura's harbour lies about 14 km south of the station. Q: Is Fukuyama a good place to stay? A: Stay in Fukuyama when the Shinkansen gets in late, or to reach Tomonoura by bus in the morning. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukuyama,_Hiroshima https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomonoura https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q661038 https://www.ghh-ono.com/en/ ### Gero Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/gero-onsen Type: Town Local name: 下呂温泉 (ja) Also known as: Gero, Gero Hot Springs, 下呂, Gero-onsen Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Coordinates: 35.80889, 137.24358 Kind: Onsen town From Nagoya: Limited express Hida, about 1 hour 30 minutes; ¥4,700 with a reserved seat (November 2026). IC cards: Not accepted at Gero Station; buy paper tickets. Public baths: Shirasagi-no-Yu ¥470 (closed Wednesdays) and Kur Garden Rotenburo ¥800 (closed Thursdays), 2026 prices. Parking: Municipal car parks charge ¥100 for 20 minutes, up to ¥1,500 for 24 hours. Website: https://www.gero-spa.com/ Summary: Gero Onsen suits couples and families who want a soft, slippery alkaline bath an easy train ride from Nagoya, with about 70 places to stay along the Hida River. The trade-off is that the famous open-air pool on the river bed at Funsenchi has been closed to bathing since 1 December 2021. Gero's water is an alkaline simple spring at about pH 9.1, and the slick feel it leaves on the skin is why the town calls it a beauty bath. The town pipes 12 sources into one shared supply that leaves the ground at 55.6°C and reaches the tubs at about 42°C. Writers have ranked it with Arima and Kusatsu since the monk Banri Shukyu bathed here in 1489, and the Edo-period scholar Hayashi Razan repeated the praise. Day visitors have two public baths in the centre of town. Shirasagi-no-Yu is a white Romanesque-style bathhouse from 1926 with a cypress tub and a tatami floor for ¥470, and Kur Garden Rotenburo has rock pools beside the river for ¥800. Free foot baths line the streets, and the Yumeguri Tegata pass lets you into the baths of three member inns. The limited express Hida reaches Gero in about 1 hour 30 minutes from Nagoya, and a reserved seat cost ¥4,700 for a November 2026 trip. Gero Station takes no IC cards such as TOICA, so buy a paper ticket for the whole journey before you board. Tips: - Bring a towel to Shirasagi-no-Yu and Kur Garden; neither rents one, though both sell them. - Carry cash for the public baths, which take no cards. - Funsenchi on the river bed is free to visit, and bathing there has been banned since December 2021. Q: Can you bathe at Funsenchi in Gero? A: No. Bathing at Funsenchi on the Hida River bed has been banned since 1 December 2021. It is still free to look at. Q: How much is a day bath in Gero? A: Shirasagi-no-Yu costs ¥470 for an adult and Kur Garden Rotenburo costs ¥800 (2026). The foot baths around town are free. Q: Can you use an IC card at Gero Station? A: No. Gero Station does not accept TOICA or other transport IC cards, so buy a ticket for the whole journey before you set out. Q: Is Gero Onsen a good place to stay? A: Stay in Gero for a night of baths and a long ryokan dinner without a long transfer from Nagoya. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.gero-spa.com/ https://www.gero-spa.com/onsen/ https://www.gero-spa.com/spot/detail_1.html https://www.gero-spa.com/spot/detail_2.html https://gero-onsen.com/shirasagi-no-yu/ https://gero-onsen.com/kua-garden-rotenburo/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E5%90%8D%E5%8F%A4%E5%B1%8B&to=%E4%B8%8B%E5%91%82&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11360701 ### Gotemba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/gotemba Type: Town Local name: 御殿場 (ja) Also known as: Gotenba, 御殿場市, Gotemba City Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Coordinates: 35.30870, 138.93460 Kind: City Population: 86,334 Population: 86,334 on 1 March 2021 (Wikidata) Spelling: The city uses Gotemba; Gotenba is the Modified Hepburn form. Website: https://www.gotemba.info/ Summary: Gotemba suits riders who want a base on Fuji's east side between Hakone and the lakes, and the town is an expressway junction with little to see itself. Gotemba sits on the east side of Fuji, between Hakone and the Fuji Five Lakes, on the Tomei and Shin-Tomei expressways. Japanese Wikipedia traces the name to a temporary palace, a goten, built here in 1616 when Tokugawa Ieyasu's body was moved from Kunozan to Nikko. The city writes its name Gotemba in the old Hepburn style, though Gotenba also appears. For riders it is a junction. Roads run north over Kagosaka Pass to Lake Yamanaka, east into Hakone and south to Mishima, so Gotemba works as a cheaper bed between the bigger names. Q: Is Gotemba a good place to stay? A: Stay in Gotemba to ride between Hakone and the Fuji lakes from one base. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/御殿場市 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q735175 ### Gujo-Hachiman URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/gujo-hachiman Type: Town Local name: 郡上八幡 (ja) Also known as: Gujo Hachiman, Gujohachiman, Hachiman, 八幡町, Gujo Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Coordinates: 35.74858, 136.96436 Kind: Town Getting there: The Gujo-Hachiman tourism office puts Nagoya, Takayama, Gifu and Gero each about an hour away. Ski areas by car: From Bizenya ryokan: Meiho 30 minutes, Washigatake 35 minutes, Dynaland 50 minutes, Whitepia Takasu 60 minutes. Website: https://www.gujohachiman.com/ Summary: Gujo-Hachiman suits a slow walk along spring-fed waterways and a night in a rented townhouse, and it sits on the way north to the Okumino ski areas. The trade-off is that the Gujo Odori, which is what the town is known for, belongs to summer. Gujo-Hachiman is a castle town in the middle of Gifu where water runs in channels beside the streets, and the tourism office says you hear it wherever you walk. Sogi-sui spring is on Japan's list of 100 famous waters, and the Kitamachi quarter is a national preservation district for traditional buildings. The castle on the hill was rebuilt in 1933 and has stood over the town for more than 90 years since. The Gujo Odori has gone on for more than 400 years, and at Obon the town dances all night. Out of season the Gujo Hachiman Hakurankan museum, which fills a Taisho-era tax office, puts on the dance on set days and times. The tourism office puts Nagoya, Takayama, Gifu and Gero each about an hour away. Tips: - Check the Hakurankan's schedule before you go, since the dance demonstrations run only on certain days. - Book the machiya stays early for dance nights, when the price goes up to ¥35,000 a night. Q: What is the Gujo Odori? A: The Gujo Odori is Gujo-Hachiman's summer dance, which has gone on for more than 400 years. At Obon the town dances through the night, and the Hakurankan museum shows the dance on set days during the rest of the year. Q: Is Gujo-Hachiman a good place to stay? A: Stay in a rented machiya on a quiet lane to see the castle lit up from the bedroom window. Bizenya ryokan is 35 minutes by car from Washigatake and 50 minutes from Dynaland, which makes it a calm base for a ski day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.gujohachiman.com/ https://tabitabigujo.com/ https://matiya-stay.com/guesthouse/yanakanotaisuke/ http://gujyo-bizenya.jp/access.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5637054 ### Hachimantai URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/hachimantai Type: Town Local name: 八幡平市 (ja) Also known as: Hachimantai City, 八幡平, Matsukawa Onsen Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Coordinates: 39.95640, 141.07160 Kind: City Population: 24,023 From Morioka: Bus from Morioka Station to the ski areas in 50 to 60 minutes (Hachimantai City Tourism Association). The JR Hanawa Line reaches Obuke in about 40 minutes. Between ski areas: Iwate Kenpoku Bus links APPI Kogen, Shimokura and Panorama in winter; 019-641-1212. Aspite Line: Closed to traffic in winter; reopens in April. Volcano: Mt. Iwate is an active volcano with no eruption warning on 11 October 2026 (JMA). Bears: Iwate Prefecture's bear warning has been in force since 22 April 2026. Tourism office: Hachimantai City Tourism Association, 0195-78-3500. Matsukawa Onsen in winter: The inns ask drivers for four-wheel drive with winter tyres from November to March or April; neither runs a shuttle. Website: https://www.hachimantai.or.jp/ Summary: Hachimantai suits skiers and bathers who want two quieter ski areas and milky sulphur springs under Mt. Iwate, with APPI on the same bus line. The trade-off is that the road over the high plateau shuts for the whole winter. Hachimantai city was formed in 2005 from the towns of Ashiro and Nishine and the village of Matsuo, and it runs from the APPI plateau in the north to the foot of Mt. Iwate in the south. The Hachimantai Aspite Line, about 27 km over the plateau into Akita, closes to traffic in winter and reopens in April between walls of snow. Matsuo village once held a sulphur mine that produced a third of Japan's sulphur in the 1960s before it closed in 1972. Hachimantai Resort has two ski areas. Panorama is the gentle one, with seven courses and 64 percent of them rated beginner, and Shimokura is steeper, with seven courses, three tree-run areas and 30 percent rated advanced. A bus links APPI, Shimokura and Panorama, so a week here can cover all three. Matsukawa Onsen sits in the forest below the plateau, where two inns, Matsukawa-so and Kyoun-so, fill their baths with milky sulphur water. Japan's first commercial geothermal power station stands just upstream, and a dye workshop in the hot-spring district fixes colour in scarves and cloth with the volcanic steam. Both inns take day bathers. Tips: - Iwate Prefecture recorded about six times its usual number of bear sightings from January to March 2026, so read its bear page before any snowshoe walk or ski tour outside the ski area boundaries. - Plan Matsukawa Onsen as an overnight in deep winter. The plateau roads above it stay closed until April. Q: Is the Hachimantai Aspite Line open in winter? A: No. The Hachimantai City Tourism Association says the road is closed to traffic in winter. It reopens in April with high snow walls on each side. Q: Can you ski APPI and Hachimantai Resort on one trip? A: Yes. A bus run by Iwate Kenpoku connects APPI Kogen, Shimokura and Panorama, and the tourism association lists it as the way to move between the three. Q: What does the name Hachimantai mean? A: Hachimantai comes from the local name Hachimantai, meaning the name joins Hachiman, the god of war, with tai, a high plateau. Tradition says Sakanoue no Tamuramaro called on Hachiman here before a campaign. Both dictionaries give the Tamuramaro story as a legend with 'it is said', and neither treats it as history. Q: Is Hachimantai a good place to stay? A: Stay in Hachimantai if you want quiet lifts, tree runs and an onsen inn at the end of the day, and you are happy to ride a bus between the ski areas. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hachimantai.or.jp/ https://www.hachimantai.or.jp/access/index.html https://visit-hachimantai.jp/en/ski/hachimantai-resort.html https://visit-hachimantai.jp/en/ski/access-between-ski-resorts.html https://visit-hachimantai.jp/en/onsen/matsukawa-onsen.html https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%85%AB%E5%B9%A1%E5%B9%B3 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E7%9B%9B%E5%B2%A1&to=%E5%A4%A7%E6%9B%B4&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/sendai/207_Iwatesan/207_index.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/map_0.html https://www.pref.iwate.jp/kurashikankyou/shizen/yasei/1049881/1043255.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q765884 https://www.matsukawasou.com/ https://www.kyounso.jp/ ### Fukuoka and Hakata URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/hakata Type: Town Local name: 博多 (ja) Also known as: Hakata, Fukuoka, Fukuoka City, Hakata-ku, 博多区, 福岡 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Fukuoka Coordinates: 33.58980, 130.42070 Kind: City Population: 245,437 Population: 245,437 in Hakata-ku (Wikidata, 2020) Getting there: Hakata Station on the Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen; the subway runs to Fukuoka Airport. Bikes: ANA Crowne Plaza Fukuoka, five minutes from the station, takes assembled bikes to rooms or into locked storage. The Fukuoka Cycling Tour Concierge books multi-day rentals, guides and support cars. Summary: Fukuoka's Hakata district suits riders landing in Kyushu who want a station hotel, a bowl of ramen and a bike sorted on the first night, and it is a big, busy city centre to ride out of. Hakata is the ward round Hakata Station, where the Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen meet and the subway runs a few stops to Fukuoka Airport. JR Kyushu reopened the whole Kyushu Shinkansen on 18 September 2026 after repairs from the July earthquake in Kumamoto, so the line south runs again to Kumamoto and Kagoshima-Chuo. Eat Hakata ramen with thin noodles and a kaedama refill, and motsunabe, the offal hot pot the city's tourism office traces to postwar coal miners. Both have branches inside the station's Deitos building. At night about 100 yatai food stalls set up round the city, and most stay shut in bad weather. Fukuoka Prefecture runs a cycling concierge that books rental bikes, guides and support cars and helps riders who fly in with a boxed bike. The Tour de Kyushu brings its Saga–Fukuoka stage to a city-centre finish on Meiji-dori each October. Q: Is Fukuoka and Hakata a good place to stay? A: Stay by Hakata Station on the first or last night, so the Shinkansen, the airport subway and a bike-friendly hotel are all within a few minutes' walk. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://yokanavi.com/gourmet/ https://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/ https://www.crossroadfukuoka.jp/feature/concierge https://www.crossroadfukuoka.jp/feature/cycle_guide https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1330839 ### Hakatajima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/hakatajima Type: Town Local name: 伯方島 (ja) Also known as: Hakata Island, Hakata-jima Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Coordinates: 34.21670, 133.08300 Kind: Town Part of: Imabari Summary: Hakatajima suits riders who want a lunch stop and a salt soft serve between the bridges, and the island's shores belong to its shipyards. Hakatajima lies between Omishima and Oshima and joined Imabari city in 2005. Four shipyards work its shores, and many shipowners live here. The island gave its name to Hakata no Shio, the salt brand, and the roadside station at Hakata S.C. Park sells a salt soft serve. The Omishima Bridge links the island north to Omishima and the Hakata-Oshima Bridge south to Oshima, and the island works best as a lunch stop on the southern half of the route. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakatajima https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/大三島 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9009569 https://imabari-shimanami.jp/hakatajima/ ### Hakkoda URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/hakkoda Type: Town Local name: 八甲田 (ja) Also known as: Hakkoda Mountains, Hakkouda, Sukayu, Sukayu Onsen, 八甲田山, 酸ヶ湯 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Coordinates: 40.65080, 140.85000 Kind: Onsen town Part of: Aomori From Aomori Station: JR bus, about 80 minutes to the ropeway in winter, ¥1,290; the winter service ends at Sukayu. Sukayu to the ropeway: About 15 minutes by JR bus, ¥460. Ropeway closures: 8 to 20 November 2026 and 25 to 31 May 2027 for maintenance; also whenever wind reaches 25 m/s. Volcano: Mt. Hakkoda is an active volcano with no eruption warning on 11 October 2026 (JMA). Bears: Aomori Prefecture's bear warning runs from 20 April to 30 November 2026. Inns in winter: Sukayu runs a free, booked bus from Shin-Aomori for staying guests, and Hakkoda Hotel runs booked buses to the ropeway and Sukayu. Tsuta Onsen closes for the winter, and Route 103 beyond Sukayu is shut from mid-November to early April. Website: https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/ Summary: Hakkoda suits experienced skiers and onsen lovers who want deep snow, one ropeway and old mountain inns with nothing else around them. The trade-off is weather, since the ropeway stops whenever the wind reaches 25 metres a second. Hakkoda is a range of volcanic peaks south of Aomori city with a handful of old onsen inns on its flanks and no village in the usual sense. Sukayu Onsen, on the road up from Aomori, is the best known. The Heibonsha gazetteer records a tale that a hunter from Yokouchi found the spring by following a wounded deer, which is why it was first called Shika-no-yu, and it quotes a Meiji-era survey that dismisses the story as fanciful. The Hakkoda Ropeway is the lift that matters here. It stops in winds of 25 metres a second or more and in bad weather, and it closes for maintenance from 8 to 20 November 2026 and from 25 to 31 May 2027. In winter the JR bus from Aomori Station reaches the ropeway in about 80 minutes and turns at Sukayu, 15 minutes farther on. Aomori Prefecture says black bears wake from hibernation in early spring and forage from about May to November, and its warning for 2026 runs from 20 April to 30 November, so spring tourers and summer hikers should carry a bell, talk as they walk and check the Kuma Log Aomori map. Tips: - Check the ropeway's operation notice before you leave Aomori, since strong wind stops it often in midwinter. - Book a guide for anything beyond the marked courses from the top station. Q: How do you get to the Hakkoda Ropeway in winter? A: Take the JR bus from Aomori Station, about 80 minutes for ¥1,290. In winter the bus runs only as far as Sukayu Onsen, and Sukayu to the ropeway takes about 15 minutes for ¥460. Q: When is the Hakkoda Ropeway closed for maintenance? A: The ropeway company lists closures from 8 to 20 November 2026 and from 25 to 31 May 2027. It also stops in winds of 25 metres a second or more. Q: Is Mt. Hakkoda an active volcano? A: Yes. JMA monitors Hakkoda-san as an active volcano, and on 11 October 2026 it carried no eruption warning. Q: Is Hakkoda a good place to stay? A: Stay at Hakkoda if you came for the ropeway and the snow and want to wake up next to it, with a long soak in an old wooden bathhouse at the end of the day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/access/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/2026/09/24/%e4%bb%a4%e5%92%8c%ef%bc%98%e5%b9%b4%e5%ba%a6%e3%81%ae%e9%81%8b%e4%bc%91%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b-2/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/2026/09/24/%e4%bb%a4%e5%92%8c%ef%bc%99%e5%b9%b4%e5%ba%a6%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/ https://kotobank.jp/word/%E9%85%B8%E3%83%B6%E6%B9%AF%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/sendai/203_Hakkodasan/203_index.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/map_0.html https://www.pref.aomori.lg.jp/soshiki/kankyo/shizen/kuma_cyuui.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7635737 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3047571 https://sukayu.jp/ https://www.hakkodahotel.co.jp/ ### Hakone URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/hakone Type: Town Local name: 箱根 (ja) Also known as: Hakone-machi, 箱根町, Hakone Yumoto, Hakone-Yumoto Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Kanagawa Coordinates: 35.23240, 139.10690 Kind: Onsen town Population: 10,925 Population: 10,925 on 1 September 2020 (Wikidata) Getting there: Odakyu or JR to Odawara, then the Hakone Tozan line to Hakone-Yumoto; or from Mishima by road over Hakone Pass. Website: https://www.hakone.or.jp/ Summary: Hakone suits riders who want hard climbs and a big choice of hot springs within easy reach of Tokyo, and weekend prices at its day baths run higher. Hakone is the mountain onsen town on the east side of Hakone Pass, in Kanagawa, known for its hot springs, Lake Ashi and Hakone Shrine. In the Edo period the shogunate kept a checkpoint here on the Tokaido. Hakone-Yumoto at the bottom of the valley is the gateway, with the railway and most of the day baths. Two day baths near Yumoto suit riders. Tenzan Tohji-kyo charges ¥1,450 in cash and admits a tattooed bather who comes alone. Hakone Yuryo, a free shuttle from the station, costs ¥1,700 and up and has private open-air rooms. Q: Is Hakone a good place to stay? A: Stay in Hakone for the climbs and a long soak after them, or base in Mishima and ride up over the pass. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/箱根町 https://www.tenzan.jp/tenzan/ https://www.hakoneyuryo.jp/price/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q671040 ### Hakuba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/hakuba Type: Town Local name: 白馬村 (ja) Also known as: Hakuba Village, Hakuba-mura, 白馬 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 36.69810, 137.86190 Kind: Village Population: 8,621 From Tokyo: Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano, then Alpico's express bus; about 2 hours 50 minutes at best (Hakuba Valley tourism board). From Nagano Station: Alpico Nagano to Hakuba express bus, 1 hour 10 minutes to 2 hours 5 minutes depending on the stop. By rail: JR Oito Line to Hakuba Station from Matsumoto or Minami-Otari. Around the valley: Resort shuttle buses link the Hakuba Valley areas in winter; check each season's timetable on hakubavalley.com. Website: https://www.hakubavalley.com/ Summary: Hakuba is the ski village at the foot of the Northern Alps where most visitors to Hakuba Valley stay, with Happo-one, Goryu, HAKUBA47 and Iwatake inside the village and a valley pass that covers ten resorts. The trade-off is spread: lodges and lifts sit kilometres apart, so you live by the shuttle timetable. Hakuba Village stretches along the Matsukawa and Himekawa rivers under a wall of peaks close to 3,000 metres high. The mountain the village is named after, Shirouma-dake, stands at 2,932 metres on the Toyama border. Most visitors base around the Happo area below Happo-one or in the forest lodges of Wadano and Echoland, then ride the free valley shuttles out to Goryu, HAKUBA47 and Iwatake on days they hold a valley pass. Getting here from Tokyo takes about 2 hours 50 minutes at best, by Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano and then Alpico's express bus, according to the Hakuba Valley tourism board. That bus runs 43 to 60 kilometres up the valley and takes from 1 hour 10 minutes to just over 2 hours depending on the stop. The JR Oito Line reaches Hakuba Station from Matsumoto, and the Hakuba Tokyu Hotel's own directions put the Happo bus terminal about 1 hour 15 minutes from Nagano Station by express bus. The valley gets crowded in January and February, and the queues bunch at Happo-one's gondola on powder mornings. Spread your days: Goryu and HAKUBA47 share one mountain a short shuttle south, and Tsugaike and Hakuba Cortina sit to the north in neighbouring Otari village. Book dinner ahead in peak weeks, because the restaurants near Happo fill early. Tips: - Choose a lodge within a few minutes' walk of a valley shuttle stop, because walking between areas in ski boots is a long, cold business. - Book Nagano to Hakuba bus seats in advance on peak weekends, since the reserved services sell out. Q: How do you get from Tokyo to Hakuba? A: Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano and change to Alpico's express bus to Hakuba. The fastest connection takes about 2 hours 50 minutes, according to the Hakuba Valley tourism board. Q: How long is the bus from Nagano Station to Hakuba? A: Alpico's Nagano to Hakuba express bus takes from 1 hour 10 minutes to just over 2 hours, depending on which Hakuba stop you get off at. Q: Which ski resorts are in Hakuba Village? A: Hakuba Happo-one, Hakuba Goryu, HAKUBA47 and Hakuba Iwatake sit inside Hakuba Village. The wider Hakuba Valley adds Tsugaike Kogen and Hakuba Cortina in Otari and resorts in Omachi, ten in all. Q: What does the name Hakuba mean? A: Hakuba comes from the local name shirouma, meaning the name comes from Shirouma-dake, where a dark horse shape shows through the melting snow each spring as the paddies are prepared for planting. The Heibonsha historical place-name dictionary says farmers read the horse as the shirouma (代馬), the horse that harrows the flooded fields, and called the peak Shirouma-dake. The prettier characters 白馬 (white horse) took over, and the village and station adopted the reading Hakuba, so the mountain is still correctly read Shirouma. Q: Is Hakuba a good place to stay? A: Stay in Hakuba if you want the widest choice of mountains in Japan on one pass and a big English-speaking après scene. Pick your lodge by its shuttle stop and plan on buses or a car, since nothing in the valley is compact. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.vill.hakuba.lg.jp/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/access/ https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/express/nagano_hakuba/ https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/hakuba-h/qa/index.html https://kotobank.jp/word/%E7%99%BD%E9%A6%AC%E5%B2%B3-81159 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1011157 ### Hakui URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/hakui Type: Town Local name: 羽咋市 (ja) Also known as: Hakui City, 羽咋 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Address: A-200 Asahi-machi, Hakui, Ishikawa 925-8501 (city hall) Coordinates: 36.89404, 136.77980 Kind: City Road status: Check Ishikawa Prefecture's road map at douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp before you drive or ride. The site's Noto road-status alert carries the closures and one-lane sections it showed on 11 October 2026. Chirihama status: The road map's sightseeing-road panel shows whether the Chirihama Nagisa Driveway is open that day. Website: https://www.city.hakui.lg.jp/ Summary: Hakui is the city at the south-west gate of the Noto Peninsula, and drivers and riders use it for the Chirihama Nagisa Driveway, the beach you can drive along. Heavy rain on 27 August 2026 damaged roads inland from Hakui, so check Ishikawa's road map before you head into the hills. Hakui's station sits on the JR line to Nanao, and the Noto Satoyama Kaido has an exit at Chirihama for the beach road. The Ishikawa tourism body describes the driveway as a beach you drive on ordinary tyres, and the prefecture closes it when the waves run high. After the rain of 27 August 2026, Route 415 runs on one lane at three collapsed shoulders in Hakui, including Sugaike and Mikohara, with no end date set. Three roads from Hakui and neighbouring Hodatsushimizu toward the Toyama border have been closed since that day. The cycle path from Hakui to Ganmon is closed at Kamaya in Hakui while a bridge comes out, and at sections further north in Shika. Tips: - Swans winter on Ochigata lagoon east of Hakui from late October to about mid March; the tourism body asks you to watch quietly, since a startled flock may abandon the feeding ground. Q: Is Hakui a good place to stay? A: Base here for an early drive or ride on the Chirihama beach road before the day traffic arrives. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.hakui.lg.jp/sumai_kankyou_anzen/bousai/8/14592.html https://www.hot-ishikawa.jp/spot/detail_5818.html https://www.hot-ishikawa.jp/spot/detail_6265.html https://www.hot-ishikawa.jp/notofukko/news/detail_322.html https://douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/ https://douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/api/getRegulation ### Hida-Furukawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/hida-furukawa Type: Town Local name: 飛騨古川 (ja) Also known as: Hida Furukawa, Furukawa, 古川町, 飛騨市古川町 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Coordinates: 36.23814, 137.18625 Kind: Town From Takayama: Local train on the Takayama Main Line, 17 minutes, ¥240 (2026). From Nagoya: Limited express Hida, about 2 hours 35 minutes; ¥6,140 with a reserved seat (November 2026). Bike rental: Furukawa Matsuri Kaikan lends cross bikes and city bikes, 9:00 to 16:00 (last loan 15:00): ¥400 an hour, ¥2,000 a day, ¥4,000 for two days. No loans in winter. Carp: Out of the Seto River from late November to early April; the 2026 move is on 29 November. Website: https://www.hida-kankou.jp/ Summary: Hida-Furukawa suits a slow half day 17 minutes up the line from Takayama, with white-walled sake storehouses along a canal full of carp. In winter the carp are gone, because the town moves them out of the Seto River from late November to early April. The Seto River is a narrow canal that runs past the white storehouses of the Kaba and Watanabe sake breweries, five minutes' walk from Hida-Furukawa Station. The town's tourism office counts more than 1,000 carp in it, and on 29 November 2026 it holds the yearly move that carries them to winter quarters. Both breweries are registered cultural properties, and Kaba has brewed here for more than 300 years with Hida Homare rice, which is grown in the region. Furukawa Matsuri Kaikan shows the town's festival on a 4K screen beside three of the real festival floats. On 15 January, Sanji Mairi draws people on foot between Enko-ji, Honko-ji and Shinshu-ji in the snow. From April the hall lends cross bikes for ¥2,000 a day, and the bikes go into storage for the winter. The local train on the Takayama Main Line takes 17 minutes from Takayama and cost ¥240 in 2026. The limited express Hida stops here as well, about 2 hours 35 minutes from Nagoya for ¥6,140 with a reserved seat. Tips: - Come between April and late November if you want to see the carp in the Seto River. - Book ahead at Kaba Sake Brewery if you want to see inside the brewery and taste; the shop is open without a booking. Q: How far is Hida-Furukawa from Takayama? A: The local train on the Takayama Main Line takes 17 minutes and cost ¥240 in 2026. The limited express Hida also stops at Hida-Furukawa. Q: When can you see the carp in Hida-Furukawa? A: From early April to late November. The town moves the Seto River carp to winter quarters from late November, and in 2026 the move is on 29 November. Q: Is Hida-Furukawa a good place to stay? A: Stay in Furukawa for an evening walk along the canal once the day visitors have left, then take the 17-minute train to Takayama for the buses the next morning. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hida-kankou.jp/ https://www.hida-kankou.jp/features/57 https://www.hida-kankou.jp/spot/308 https://www.hida-kankou.jp/spot/396 https://www.hida-kankou.jp/features/89 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E9%AB%98%E5%B1%B1&to=%E9%A3%9B%E9%A8%A8%E5%8F%A4%E5%B7%9D&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=09&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=1&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E5%90%8D%E5%8F%A4%E5%B1%8B&to=%E9%A3%9B%E9%A8%A8%E5%8F%A4%E5%B7%9D&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11411172 ### Hikone URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/hikone Type: Town Local name: 彦根市 (ja) Also known as: Hikone City, 彦根 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Coordinates: 35.27433, 136.25962 Kind: City Population: 111,198 Certificate: Hikone Port is a checkpoint for the Biwaichi completion certificate. Bike shop: Cycle Base Asahi Hikone is on the Biwaichi map south of the centre. Rail: Hikone Station is on the JR Biwako Line; change at Maibara for the Shinkansen. Website: https://www.city.hikone.lg.jp/ Summary: Hikone suits riders who want a castle town with fast trains on the east shore, and its lakeshore hotels sit a short ride from the castle and the station. Hikone Castle's keep is one of the few in Japan that survives from before the Meiji era, and the town still feels laid out around it. Yume-Kyobashi Castle Road below the walls has Sennaritei's Omi beef shop, which doubles as a Biwaichi support station. Omi chanpon started in 1963 at a noodle shop in the Ginza arcade here, and the Chanpon-tei chain that spread it keeps its head office in town. The lake shore at Matsubara is a short ride north of the castle, with Kamenoi Hotel's lake-view rooms and Hikone Port, which stamps the Biwaichi certificate. Hikone Castle Resort & Spa sits right below the keep. Q: What does the name Hikone mean? A: Hikone comes from the local name Hikone, meaning named for the deity Ikutsuhikone, worshipped on Hikone-yama, the hill the castle now stands on. Hikone City gives this as the accepted origin and frames it as tradition. We read the city's account through the citation in Japanese Wikipedia. Q: Is Hikone a good place to stay? A: Stay in Hikone for its original castle keep and a station on the main JR line. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/彦根市 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/近江ちゃんぽん https://chanpontei.com/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q386635 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation ### Hirayu Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/hirayu-onsen Type: Town Local name: 平湯温泉 (ja) Also known as: Hirayu, Okuhida, Oku-Hida, 奥飛騨温泉郷, Okuhida Onsengo Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Coordinates: 36.19217, 137.55253 Kind: Onsen town Part of: Takayama Bus from Takayama: Nohi Bus, about 1 hour; ¥1,600 (2026). Buses run the Route 158 detour and can run late. Kamikochi: Akandana car park ¥600 a day, then the bus; open late April to 15 November. Ski area: Hirayu Onsen ski area, mid to late December to late March, 8:00 to 16:20. Volcano: Yakedake is monitored by the Japan Meteorological Agency; check its page before hiking. Website: https://okuhida.or.jp/ Summary: Hirayu Onsen suits anyone heading for Kamikochi, Norikura or Shin-Hotaka who wants a hot bath at the end of the bus ride, and Hirayu no Mori's 16 outdoor pools cost ¥700. The trade-off in winter is that Kamikochi and the Norikura Skyline are shut, so the village becomes a stop for baths and snow. Hirayu is the first of Okuhida's five onsen villages you reach from Takayama, and its bus terminal is where people change for Kamikochi, Norikura and Shin-Hotaka. Local legend says the spring was found when Takeda Shingen's army came into Hida and met an old monkey soaking its wounds in a pool. Okuhida as a whole has more than 140 sources and over 110 outdoor baths, which Nohi Bus says may be the most of any onsen area in Japan. Hirayu no Mori is the big day bath. Its 16 outdoor pools spread through a forest, seven for men and nine for women, and two sources at 67°C feed them straight with no circulation or chlorine. It opens 10:00 to 21:00 for ¥700. Hirayu no Yu, beside the thatched Hirayu Folk Museum, asks a donation of about ¥300 for an outdoor pool of brown water, and you rinse off before getting in because it has no washing area. Private cars cannot drive to Kamikochi, so drivers park at Akandana for ¥600 a day and take the bus, which runs from late April to 15 November. In winter the small Hirayu Onsen ski area opens from mid to late December until late March, and Takayama's tourism site lists a weekend day ticket at ¥3,900. Yakedake is an active volcano that stands above Okuhida, so check the Japan Meteorological Agency's Yakedake page before any hike. Tips: - Ride the Nohi bus from Takayama for ¥1,600; it runs the Route 158 detour, so allow for delays. - Check JMA's Yakedake page before hiking; on 11 October 2026 the volcano stood at alert level 1, with no eruption warning in force. Q: How much is Hirayu no Mori? A: ¥700 for adults and ¥500 for children (2026). It opens 10:00 to 21:00, with last entry at 20:30, and closes only for maintenance. Q: How do you get to Kamikochi from Hirayu Onsen? A: Park at the Akandana car park in Hirayu for ¥600 a day and take the bus, since private cars cannot drive to Kamikochi. The road is open from late April to 15 November. Q: Is Hirayu Onsen a good place to stay? A: Stay in Hirayu to catch the first bus to Kamikochi or Shin-Hotaka and soak somewhere different each evening. Rooms run from simple inns to Hoshino's KAI Okuhida. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://okuhida.or.jp/hot-springs/ https://www.hirayunomori.co.jp/onsen/ https://www.hirayunomori.co.jp/en/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/spot/detail_1717.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/spot/detail_1711.html https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/route_bus/shinhotaka-line/ https://okuhida.or.jp/p/topics/%e5%9b%bd%e9%81%93158%e5%8f%b7%e3%80%80%e5%9c%9f%e7%a0%82%e5%b4%a9%e3%82%8c%e3%81%ab%e4%bc%b4%e3%81%86%e9%80%9a%e8%a1%8c%e6%ad%a2%e3%82%81%e3%81%ab%e3%81%a4%e3%81%84%e3%81%a6/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/310.html https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/volcano/data/warning.json https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11483231 ### Hiroshima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/hiroshima Type: Town Local name: 広島 (ja) Also known as: Hiroshima City, 広島市 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Coordinates: 34.38530, 132.45530 Kind: City Population: 1,198,021 Population: 1,198,021 in February 2021 (Wikidata) Summary: Hiroshima suits every visitor to the region as a base with the Peace Memorial, okonomiyaki and Shinkansen links, and the trade-off is a train ride east to reach the Shimanami start. Mori Terumoto founded Hiroshima as a castle town on the Ota River delta in 1589. On 6 August 1945 at 8:15 a.m., the United States dropped the atomic bomb Little Boy on the city, and between 90,000 and 166,000 people had died from it by the end of that year. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial, the ruined dome by the river, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Peace Memorial Park and Museum ask for quiet and time. The rebuilt city is the largest in western Honshu and the home of Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, layered on the griddle with cabbage and noodles. The style grew out of the stalls that sprang up around 1950 as the city recovered, which later became Okonomimura. Hiroshima Station is a stop on the Sanyo Shinkansen. Q: Is Hiroshima a good place to stay? A: Stay in Hiroshima to visit the Peace Memorial with time to spare, and use it as the western gateway to Kure, Takehara and the islands. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshima https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/お好み焼き https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34664 ### Iiyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/iiyama Type: Town Local name: 飯山市 (ja) Also known as: Iiyama City, 飯山 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 36.85160, 138.36550 Kind: City Population: 19,279 Rail: Iiyama Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen; Tokyo is 100 to 120 minutes away (japan-guide.com). To Nozawa Onsen: Nozawa Onsen Liner, about 25 minutes, adult ¥600 (2026). To Madarao: Route bus from Iiyama Station; in winter the NOTOMA shuttle also runs Nozawa to Iiyama Station to Madarao. Website: https://www.city.iiyama.nagano.jp/ Summary: Iiyama is the small snow-country city on the Chikuma River whose Hokuriku Shinkansen station is the gateway to Nozawa Onsen and Madarao. Most visitors pass straight through, which is the trade-off: it rewards a night only if you want a quiet temple town and an easy train in the morning. Iiyama sits in the deep-snow basin of northern Nagano, where the Chikuma River runs toward Niigata and becomes the Shinano. Its Shinkansen station puts Tokyo 100 to 120 minutes away, and the Nozawa Onsen Liner bus leaves from the station forecourt for the 25-minute run to Nozawa. Buses to Madarao Kogen leave from the same station, and in winter the NOTOMA shuttle links Nozawa, Iiyama Station and Madarao. The city is known for its temples and for Uchiyama washi, a hand-made paper still produced on the city's edge. Each winter the Iiyama Snow Festival fills the town with snow sculptures. A night here makes sense on an early train out, or for a rider who wants to split Nozawa and Madarao days from one cheaper base. Q: How long is the bus from Iiyama Station to Nozawa Onsen? A: The Nozawa Onsen Liner takes about 25 minutes from Iiyama Station to Nozawa Onsen, and the adult fare was ¥600 in 2026. Q: Is there a shuttle between Nozawa Onsen and Madarao? A: Yes. In winter the NOTOMA shuttle bus links Nozawa Onsen, Iiyama Station and Madarao Kogen, according to Madarao Kogen Hotel. Q: Is Iiyama a good place to stay? A: Stay in Iiyama if you want a quiet base by the Shinkansen with buses to both Nozawa Onsen and Madarao. Skiers who want to walk to the lifts should stay in either resort instead. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.city.iiyama.nagano.jp/ https://nozawakanko.jp/access/ https://www.madarao.jp/hotel/access https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6016.html https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16646 https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16635 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q851097 ### Ikenotaira Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/ikenotaira Type: Town Local name: 池の平温泉 (ja) Also known as: Ikenotaira, Ike no Taira Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 新潟県妙高市関川 Coordinates: 36.86850, 138.17710 Kind: Onsen town Station: Myoko-Kogen Station; LIME RESORT MYOKO collects guests from 9:00 to 18:00. Winter shuttle: The Mt. Myoko shuttle stops at Alpen Blick Spa, the Ikenotaira ski area and LIME RESORT MYOKO. Day bath: Alpen Blick Spa charges ¥800 an adult and opens 07:00 to 22:30 in the snow season. Summary: Ikenotaira suits families who want a quiet onsen village in the middle of Myoko Kogen with a gentle ski area, and its trade-off is a thin choice of evening restaurants. Ikenotaira spreads through the larch woods in the middle of Myoko Kogen at about 800 metres, between Akakura and Suginosawa. Its onsen comes from Minami-Jigokudani on Mt. Myoko and runs black and cloudy with volcanic mud. The Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick ski area calls its open slopes among the widest in Japan, and a day ticket costs ¥7,400 for 2026/27. Imori Pond sits at the bottom of the village, and on a still spring morning Mt. Myoko shows in the water. Evenings here mean the inn dinner or the brewery buffet at Tatra-kan. LIME RESORT MYOKO and Hotel Alpen Blick are the two big houses, and family lodges such as Kokuha fill the lanes between them. Q: Is Ikenotaira Onsen a good place to stay? A: Stay in Ikenotaira for a calm base between the Myoko resorts with the black mud onsen, and use the winter shuttle to reach Akakura and Suginohara. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://alpenblick-resort.com/ski https://alpenblick-resort.com/spa https://limeresorts.com/myoko/ https://limeresorts.com/myoko/hotsprings/ https://myokotourism.com/winter-bus-service/ https://myokotourism.jp/stay https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q53756592 ### Imabari URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/imabari Type: Town Local name: 今治 (ja) Also known as: Imabari City, 今治市 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Coordinates: 34.06620, 132.99780 Kind: City Population: 152,111 Population: 152,111, a city estimate for 31 August 2022 Islands: Oshima, Hakatajima and Omishima all belong to Imabari city. Sunrise Itoyama: The cyclists' hotel by the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge closed for renovation from 15 September 2026; the city expects the reworked building to reopen around winter 2027/28. Summary: Imabari suits riders finishing or starting the Shimanami Kaido on the Shikoku side, and the city itself is a working shipbuilding and textile town with few sights. Imabari is Ehime's second city and the Shikoku end of the Shimanami Kaido. Its city limits reach out over the islands of Oshima, Hakatajima and Omishima, so most of the route's southern half lies inside it. Todo Takatora built Imabari Castle and the castle town after 1600, and the Murakami sea clans ran these straits before that. Shipbuilding and textiles grew the modern city, and the yards still line the coast. The Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge runs about 4 km in three suspension spans to Oshima, and the tide signals by the strait warn ships about the currents below. Eat Imabari yakitori, chicken pressed flat on an iron griddle, at one of the city's counters after the ride. Q: Is Imabari a good place to stay? A: Stay here to start the ride over the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge with fresh legs, or to end it at a yakitori counter. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imabari,_Ehime https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q461020 https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/ https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/cyclecity/sunrise-itoyama/ https://www.oideya.gr.jp/yakitori-bar/ ### Inawashiro URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/inawashiro Type: Town Local name: 猪苗代町 (ja) Also known as: Inawashiro Town, 猪苗代, Urabandai Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Fukushima Coordinates: 37.55780, 140.10480 Kind: Town Population: 13,403 From Tokyo: Tohoku Shinkansen to Koriyama, then the JR Ban-etsu West Line; 2 hours 18 minutes, ¥9,330 (October 2026). Koriyama shuttle to NEKOMA South: Paid and booked, about 70 minutes, adult ¥1,800, 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027. Urabandai hotel buses to NEKOMA North: Free for guests of the main Urabandai hotels; timetable to be announced. Winter roads: The Bandai Gold Line is closed in winter. Volcano: Mt. Bandai is an active volcano with no eruption warning on 11 October 2026 (JMA). Website: https://www.bandaisan.or.jp/ Summary: Inawashiro suits families and skiers who want a lakeside town with a JR station between NEKOMA Mountain's two areas and Lake Inawashiro. The trade-off is that the Bandai Gold Line closes in winter, so drivers from Aizu-Wakamatsu go the long way round. Inawashiro sits between Mt. Bandai to the north and Lake Inawashiro to the south, the fourth-largest lake in Japan. The town counts three active volcanoes within its borders, Bandai, Adatara and Azuma, and so many hot springs that the tourism association calls it a town that never runs short of them. Swans winter on the lake and are the town bird, and the bacteriologist Noguchi Hideyo was born here in 1876. NEKOMA Mountain fills the slopes above town. Hoshino Resorts joins the old Alts Bandai, now the South Area in neighbouring Bandai, with the old Nekoma ski area, now the North Area on the Urabandai side. For 2026/27 NEKOMA adds two tree-run zones in Black Valley and White Valley, opens the Umaya area for hiking to ski, and plans a ski shuttle to Zao Onsen. EN RESORT Grandeco lies farther round on the Urabandai side. Tips: - NEKOMA plans free buses from the main Urabandai hotels to the North Area, so ask your hotel for the timetable once it is published. - From Aizu-Wakamatsu by car, follow the NEKOMA site's routes, since the Bandai Gold Line is closed through the winter. Q: How do you get to Inawashiro from Tokyo? A: Take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Koriyama and change to the JR Ban-etsu West Line. The fastest morning trip on 16 October 2026 took 2 hours 18 minutes for ¥9,330. Q: Is Alts Bandai still open? A: Yes, under a new name. Alts Bandai is now the South Area of Hoshino Resorts NEKOMA Mountain, and the old Nekoma ski area is the North Area. Q: Is Mt. Bandai an active volcano? A: Yes. JMA monitors Bandai-san as an active volcano, and on 11 October 2026 it carried no eruption warning. Q: Is Inawashiro a good place to stay? A: Stay in Inawashiro if you want to ski both halves of NEKOMA and Grandeco from one base, with a lake to walk beside on a rest day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.bandaisan.or.jp/information/ https://www.bandaisan.or.jp/access/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/access/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/feature/26-27season/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E7%8C%AA%E8%8B%97%E4%BB%A3&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/sendai/215_Bandaisan/215_index.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/map_0.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q669633 ### Innoshima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/innoshima Type: Town Local name: 因島 (ja) Also known as: Innoshima Island Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Coordinates: 34.32190, 133.17420 Kind: Town Part of: Onomichi Population: 21,714 Population: 21,714 in 2020 (Wikidata) Summary: Innoshima suits riders who want sea views from a hilltop hotel and a dose of Murakami sea-clan history, and the island's best viewpoints sit up steep climbs. Innoshima was its own city until it joined Onomichi in 2006. The Innoshima Bridge links it to Mukaishima and the Ikuchi Bridge to Ikuchijima, so the Shimanami route crosses the island's north end. The Murakami sea clans held these waters, and the Innoshima Suigun Castle museum tells their story. Habu, the port town in the south, has the shipyards and the inns. Hotel Innoshima stands up in Innoshima Park on Tengu-yama with sea views from every room, and its port bus carries two bikes. Look for hassaku daifuku, a rice cake filled with the island's sharp citrus. Q: Is Innoshima a good place to stay? A: Stay on Innoshima to split the route into two easy days, with a big bath and a sunset view at the end of the first. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innoshima https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikuchijima https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11420237 http://www.hotel-innoshima.jp/ ### Irago URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/irago Type: Town Local name: 伊良湖町 (ja) Also known as: Cape Irago, Irago Misaki, Iragomisaki, 伊良湖岬, 伊良湖 Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Coordinates: 34.59073, 137.03717 Kind: Port Part of: Tahara Ferry: Ise-wan Ferry to Toba takes about 60 minutes. Ticket counter 7:40 to 17:40. Cycle station: Crystal Porto has racks, lockers, a changing space and a pump and tools to borrow. Website: https://www.taharakankou.gr.jp/ Summary: Irago suits riders linking the Atsumi and Ise stages by ferry, and the noodle counter at the ferry terminal shuts at 16:00, so dinner usually means the hotel dining room. Irago is the cluster of hotels and the ferry port at the end of the Atsumi Peninsula. Ise-wan Ferry crosses to Toba in about an hour. The national route council's table puts the bike charge at ¥1,300 each way on top of the ¥1,800 adult fare, while a bagged bike pays nothing extra and no booking is needed. Michi-no-Eki Irago Crystal Porto is the ferry terminal. Its cycle station has racks, lockers, a changing space and a pump and tools to borrow, and the tourist desk rents e-bikes at ¥500 an hour. Irago Resort & Convention Hotel sits by the beach next door and sells a plan that lets two bikes into the room. Kyukamura Irago and Irago Ocean Resort, up on the hill, are both Atsumi Cycle Supporters. Q: Is Irago a good place to stay? A: Stay at Irago for the morning ferry to Toba and an onsen hotel on the tip of the Atsumi Peninsula. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tahara-michinoeki.com/crystal https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/cycletrain/index.html https://www.isewanferry.co.jp/ https://go-hmihotelgroup.reservation.jp/ja/hotels/iragoresortconventionhotel/plans/10109867?dateUndecidedFlg=1 https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/ccr9dq0000000nsd-att/khmf2300000000fu.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q27887133 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q371114 ### Ise URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/ise Type: Town Local name: 伊勢市 (ja) Also known as: Ise City, Iseshi, 伊勢 Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Mie Coordinates: 34.48750, 136.70931 Kind: City Population: 122,432 Rental bikes: Ise City Tourist Association counters at Iseshi Station (9:00 to 17:00), outside the Geku and at Futami. Helmets are free. Luggage: The baggage room on the JR side of Iseshi Station holds bags and is the main rental counter. Holiday traffic: Around Golden Week, Obon and New Year the city may close roads near the Naiku; the Rakuraku Ise Moude site posts the plan. Website: https://ise-kanko.jp/ Summary: Ise suits anyone coming for Ise Jingu by bike or by train, and the 6 km road between the two shrines jams on long holidays, when the city closes streets round the Naiku. Ise Jingu asks visitors to pray at the Geku first, about five minutes' walk from Iseshi Station, and then at the Naiku. The Miyuki road links the two in about 6 km; it was built in 1910 for the Emperor Meiji's visit. The Ise City Tourist Association rents bikes at Iseshi Station and outside the Geku, where city bikes cost ¥1,000 a day and e-assist bikes ¥2,000. At the Naiku you park in the bike lot in front of the Uji Bridge, where the guards show you a space. Oharai-machi and Okage Yokocho line the street up to the Naiku. Fukusuke serves Ise udon from ¥650, and Akafuku's main shop serves only its red-bean mochi at the tables. From November to February the shops in Okage Yokocho open 9:30 to 17:00. The older road between the shrines runs through Furuichi, where Asakichi Ryokan has kept rooms for travellers for about 200 years. Mie's route map lists Sanco Inn Iseshi-ekimae and Asakichi among its cyclist-friendly stays. The shrine's 63rd Shikinen Sengu is under way, and its second Okihiki timber-hauling season fills the town from May to July 2027. Q: Is Ise a good place to stay? A: Stay in Ise to walk into the Geku when the gates open at 5:00 and ride on to the Naiku in the cool of the morning. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.isejingu.or.jp/en/access/index.html https://www.isejingu.or.jp/en/pray/index.html https://ise-kanko.jp/focus/rentacycle/ https://ise-kanko.jp/purpose/rentacycle/ https://okageyokocho.com/about/ https://okageyokocho.com/tenpo/fukusuke/ https://www.akafuku.co.jp/store/area/%e4%bc%8a%e5%8b%a2%e5%b8%82/ https://ise-kanko.jp/purpose/asakichi/ https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/iseshima.pdf https://www.isejingu.or.jp/sengu/the63rd/schedule.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q328067 ### Ito URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/ito Type: Town Local name: 伊東 (ja) Also known as: Ito Onsen, Itou, Itoh, 伊東市, 伊東温泉 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Coordinates: 34.96570, 139.10190 Kind: City Population: 64,473 Population: 64,473 on 1 March 2021 (Wikidata) Getting there: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Atami and change to the JR Ito line, or ride an Odoriko limited express from Tokyo. Bikes: K's House Ito Onsen offers free space for up to five bicycles. Website: https://itospa.com/ Summary: Ito suits riders on the east Izu coast who want cheap public baths and a station on the line from Atami, and its neighbourhood baths keep short local hours. Ito is the big onsen city of the east coast, and its tourism office says its hot spring flow ranks among the largest in Japan. Seven public baths named for the seven lucky gods sit around the centre, and Wada Jurojin no Yu charges ¥400. The Edo shogun Iemitsu was sent water from that spring, the city says. Tokaikan, a timber ryokan on the Matsukawa River, opens its tiled bath at weekends. Riders reach Ito by the JR Ito line from Atami or on an Odoriko limited express from Tokyo. Michi-no-eki Ito Marine Town, on Route 135 at the north end of town, has a sea-view bath that opens at 05:00, food and parking. South of the city the road climbs to the Izu Kogen plateau and Mt. Omuro. K's House Ito Onsen, a hostel in an old ryokan by the river, has free space for five bicycles. The coast here faces east, so the Marine Town bath opens at 05:00 for the sunrise over the sea. Q: Is Ito a good place to stay? A: Stay in Ito for an east-coast base with a train station, dozens of places to bathe and a hostel that parks bikes for free. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.itospa.com/spa/index.html https://www.itospa.com/spa/detail_54040.html https://www.itospa.com/spa/detail_54227.html https://www.itospa.com/spa/detail_50001.html https://ito-marinetown.co.jp/seasidespa/ https://kshouse.jp/ito-e/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q721163 ### Izumo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/izumo Type: Town Local name: 出雲 (ja) Also known as: Izumo City, 出雲市, Izumo Taisha town Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Shimane Coordinates: 35.36700, 132.75470 Kind: City Population: 171,995 Population: 171,995 (Wikidata, March 2021) Shrine hours: Izumo Taisha's grounds open 6:00 to 19:00, and the area behind the main hall closes at 16:30. Bikes on trains: Ichibata Electric Railway carries bikes all day for ¥350 one way. Summary: Izumo suits travellers who come for Izumo Taisha and the soba that grew up round it, and the shrine sits about 25 minutes by bus from JR Izumoshi Station. Izumo Taisha, which the shrine itself reads as Izumo Oyashiro, enshrines Okuninushi, the god of en-musubi, the ties between people. The town round it fills each November for Kamiarisai, the month when by tradition the gods gather in Izumo, and in 2026 the rites run from the evening of 18 November to 25 November. Ichibata buses from JR Izumoshi Station reach the shrine in about 25 minutes, and the Ichibata Electric Railway's line ends at Izumo Taisha-mae Station near the approach. Two prefectural cycle roads follow the railway from Matsue by way of Hirata, and Ichibata carries a bike for ¥350 one way when you want to ride only half. Izumo soba is milled with the husk, so the noodles run dark. It comes as warigo in stacked lacquer rounds or as kamaage straight from the pot, and during Kamiarisai stalls round the shrine serve the kamaage style. Q: Is Izumo a good place to stay? A: Stay near the shrine to walk the approach when the grounds open at 6:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://izumooyashiro.or.jp/faq/ https://izumooyashiro.or.jp/archives/news/12552 https://izumooyashiro.or.jp/access/ https://railway.ichibata.co.jp/service/rail-cycle/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/出雲そば https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q825166 ### Joetsu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/joetsu Type: Town Local name: 上越市 (ja) Also known as: Takada, 高田, Joetsu Takada, Joetsu-Myoko Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 新潟県上越市 Coordinates: 37.14790, 138.23610 Kind: City Population: 176,096 Station: Joetsu-Myoko on the Hokuriku Shinkansen; about 35 minutes on the Myoko Haneuma Line to Myoko-Kogen. Website: https://joetsukankonavi.jp/ Summary: Joetsu suits travellers who want a castle town with a Shinkansen station as the gateway to Myoko, and its trade-off is a city base half an hour from the slopes. Joetsu is the coastal city at the foot of the Myoko highlands, with 176,096 people on 1 October 2026. Joetsu-Myoko Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen is where most Myoko trips begin, and the Myoko Haneuma Line climbs from there to Arai and Myoko-Kogen. Takada is the old castle town inside the city. Matsudaira Tadateru, Tokugawa Ieyasu's sixth son, built Takada Castle as his seat, and about 4,000 cherry trees ring its moats in early April when the festival lights them at night. Q: Is Joetsu a good place to stay? A: Stay in Joetsu for an early Shinkansen or the April cherry blossom at Takada, and ride the Myoko Haneuma Line up to the snow. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.joetsu.niigata.jp/ https://joetsukankonavi.jp/ https://www.city.joetsu.niigata.jp/site/museum/takada-castle.html https://niigata-kankou.or.jp/event/2332 https://limeresorts.com/myoko/access/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q582289 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15629351 ### Kagoshima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kagoshima Type: Town Local name: 鹿児島 (ja) Also known as: Kagoshima City, 鹿児島市 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kagoshima Coordinates: 31.59680, 130.55710 Kind: City Population: 593,754 Population: 593,754 in March 2021 (Wikidata) Getting there: Kagoshima-Chuo Station on the Kyushu Shinkansen. Since the line reopened on 18 September 2026, JR Kyushu runs trains slower than usual between Kumamoto and Kagoshima-Chuo on a modified timetable, so check times before you book a connection. Volcano: Sakurajima is at JMA alert level 3 (entry restricted near the craters). Summary: Kagoshima suits riders at the southern end of the Kyushu Shinkansen who want a warm winter base facing an active volcano, and Sakurajima stays closed to climbers at alert level 3. Kagoshima faces Sakurajima across Kinko Bay. JMA keeps Sakurajima at volcanic alert level 3, which bars entry near the craters, so the best views come from the city waterfront and the ferry. Eat Kagoshima kurobuta, the black pork finished on sweet potato, as shabu-shabu at Ichiniisan above the station, and cool off with shirokuma at Mujyaki in Tenmonkan, where the shaved ice was invented in 1947. Chiran, south of the city, holds the Chiran Peace Museum, about 45 minutes away by taxi. Q: Is Kagoshima a good place to stay? A: Stay at the end of the Shinkansen line for a warm winter base with day trips to Chiran and a ferry to Sakurajima. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/volcano/data/warning.json https://www.k-kurobuta.com/about/ https://mujyaki.co.jp/wp/about/ https://www.chiran-tokkou.jp/access_centralstation.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15674 https://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/ https://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/news/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2026/09/04/20260831_Kyushu_Shinkansen_Timetable_Effective_September_18.pdf ### Kakunodate URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kakunodate Type: Town Local name: 角館 (ja) Also known as: Kakunodate Town, 角館町, Kakunodate samurai district Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Coordinates: 39.59630, 140.56200 Kind: Town From Tokyo: Akita Shinkansen, 3 hours 7 minutes on Komachi 3, ¥17,460 (October 2026). From Tazawako: Akita Shinkansen, 13 minutes. Information: Kakunodate Ekimae-gura, beside the station: 9:00 to 18:00, closing at 17:30 from October to March. Walking loop: About 5 km round Uchimachi, Tomachi and Tamachi from the station. Bears: Akita Prefecture's bear advisory runs from 1 to 31 October 2026. Website: https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/ Summary: Kakunodate suits a half-day or an overnight between ski days at Tazawako, with a samurai quarter of black fences and old trees one stop down the Akita Shinkansen. The trade-off is that the samurai houses sit a 15-minute walk from the station. Ashina Yoshikatsu laid out Kakunodate in 1620, and the plan has barely changed in four hundred years. An earth firebreak called the hiyoke split the samurai quarter of Uchimachi to the north from the merchants' Tomachi to the south, and a gate in it closed at night. In 1976 the samurai street became one of the first districts in Japan protected as a group of traditional buildings. The street names still tell you who lived where, since samurai blocks end in -cho written with the character 丁 and merchant streets with 町. A walk from the station round Uchimachi, Tomachi and the second samurai street at Tamachi comes to about 5 km. The town's craft is kaba-zaiku, boxes and tea caddies covered in polished cherry bark. Tips: - Leave bags at the Kakunodate Ekimae-gura information centre in the white storehouse beside the station, which opens 9:00 to 17:30 from October to March. - Rickshaws, rental bikes and taxis wait near the station if the 5 km loop is too far in snow. Q: How far is the Kakunodate samurai district from the station? A: About 15 minutes on foot from Kakunodate Station, according to the Tazawako-Kakunodate tourism association. Q: How long is the train from Tazawako to Kakunodate? A: Komachi 3 left Tazawako at 10:26 and reached Kakunodate at 10:39 on 16 October 2026. Q: Is Kakunodate a good place to stay? A: Stay in Kakunodate if you want a quiet evening in an old castle town, with Tazawako's ski area and lake 13 minutes up the line. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/about/kakunodate/ https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/access/ https://kotobank.jp/word/%E8%A7%92%E9%A4%A8 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E8%A7%92%E9%A4%A8&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.pref.akita.lg.jp/pages/archive/23295 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2054493 ### Kamakura URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kamakura Type: Town Local name: 鎌倉 (ja) Also known as: Kamakura City, 鎌倉市, Kamakura Kanagawa Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Kanagawa Coordinates: 35.31920, 139.54720 Kind: City Population: 172,929 Population: 172,929 at the 2020 census, as given on Wikidata Rental bikes: Rent-a-Cycle Kamakura, 1-1 Komachi, east exit of Kamakura Station; 8:30–17:00, closed 1–3 January. Share cycle: Daichari share bikes stand in the cycle park behind WeBase Kamakura; the app and registration come first. Luggage: Rent-a-Cycle Kamakura holds bags from 8:30 to 16:00 for ¥500 to ¥1,000 by size (2026 prices). Website: https://www.city.kamakura.kanagawa.jp/ Summary: Kamakura suits riders who want temples and a short coast ride on the JR line from Tokyo, and its trade-off is narrow, busy streets where an e-bike and an early start make the day easier. Kamakura keeps its temples in wooded valleys that run down to Yuigahama beach. Kotoku-in's Great Buddha sits in the open air in Hase, seven minutes on foot from the Enoden's Hase Station. The temple keeps a cycle park for bicycles and mopeds, and the gate opens at 8:00. Rent-a-Cycle Kamakura has hired out bikes behind the police box at the east exit of Kamakura Station since 1974. All 77 of its bikes are e-assist, a full day costs ¥2,800, and a ¥3,500 one-way plan lets you leave the bike by Enoshima Station by 17:00. The shop also holds bags too big for a locker. The Pacific Cycling Road follows the shore past Shichirigahama. MLIT describes this stretch as about 3 km of beach from Inamuragasaki toward Enoshima, with Mt. Fuji and Izu Oshima in view on a clear day, and surf all year. Q: Is Kamakura a good place to stay? A: Stay by Yuigahama to reach the Great Buddha when the gate opens and ride the coast toward Enoshima in the late light. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.kamakura.kanagawa.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q200267 https://www.kotoku-in.jp/en/ https://www.jrbustech.co.jp/wp/shop_service https://we-base.jp/kamakura/faq/ https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/index.html ### Kami URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kami Type: Town Local name: 香美町 (ja) Also known as: Kami Town, Kami-cho, Mikata Kami, 香美町 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Hyogo Coordinates: 35.63220, 134.62910 Kind: Town Population: 15,704 Population: 15,704 in Wikidata's figure for 1 March 2021 Tourism office: Hachi Kita tourism association, +81 796-96-0732 Summary: Kami suits skiers who want to sleep in the ryokan village at the foot of Hachi Kita and ride straight from the door, and its trade-off is a rural town with few places to eat out after dark. Kami is a town in northern Hyogo whose Muraoka district holds the Hachi Kita ski area on the north face of Mt. Hachibuse. The ryokan village at Osasa sits at the bottom of the slopes with its own car park and two lifts. Hachi Kita shares its lift ticket with Hachi on the Yabu side of the mountain. The Hachi Kita tourism association lists the inns and rental shops around the village. Q: Is Kami a good place to stay? A: Stay in the Hachi Kita ryokan village so the ryokan-town pair lift and single lift start your morning a few steps from the inn. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1155233 https://www.hachi-hachikita.co.jp/hachikita/lift.html https://www.hachi-hachikita.co.jp/qa/index.html http://www.hachikita.jp/ ### Kamijima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kamijima Type: Town Local name: 上島町 (ja) Also known as: Kamijima-cho, Kamijima Town, Yumeshima Kaido, Yugejima, Iwagijima, ゆめしま海道 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Coordinates: 34.25760, 133.20440 Kind: Town Population: 6,304 Population: 6,304 (Wikidata figure for 1 March 2021) Bike fares: Free for bikes on the town's ferry routes until 31 March 2027 with the Kamijima Cycle Free voucher; riders still pay their own fare, and commuters are excluded. Public rental: Terminals at Yuge, Ikina, Iwagi and Uoshima, open 8:30–17:15; e-bikes ¥5,500 a day, and ¥1,100 to drop at another terminal. Summary: Kamijima suits riders who have done the Shimanami and want quieter island roads, and every trip in or out hangs on a ferry timetable. Kamijima is a town of 25 islands in the middle of the Seto Inland Sea, on the Ehime side of the border with Hiroshima. Bridges link Yuge, Sashima and Ikina, and the Iwagi Bridge joined Iwagi to Ikina in 2022, so four islands now ride as one 63.1 km course that Ehime calls the Yumeshima Kaido. Ferries come from Habu and Karoto on Innoshima, from Ikuchijima and from Imabari port, and some Imabari high-speed sailings take no bikes. Until 31 March 2027, visitors who come to ride pay nothing for the bike on these ferries under the Kamijima Cycle Free scheme: fill in the voucher and hand it to the crew, and pay your own fare as usual. On 25 October 2026 the Cycling Shimanami event sends course B out to Iwagijima and back, and course G ends on Yugejima. Yuge Sea Station by Yuge port is the cycle rest stop, open 8:30 to 17:15 every day, with toilets, coin laundry, showers and pumps. Q: Is Kamijima a good place to stay? A: Stay on Yugejima so the Yumeshima loop starts at the door and the last ferry stops mattering. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1350804 https://www.town.kamijima.lg.jp/soshiki/kanko-senryaku/14428.html https://cycling-ehime.com/routes/the_yumeshima_kaido/ https://kamijima.info/cycling/bicycle_rental/ https://kamijima.info/cycling/oasis/ https://cycling-shimanami.jp/english/about.html ### Kamogawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kamogawa Type: Town Local name: 鴨川 (ja) Also known as: Kamogawa City, 鴨川市, Awa-Kamogawa, Kamogawa Chiba Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Coordinates: 35.11410, 140.09890 Kind: City Population: 31,554 Population: 31,554, Wikidata's March 2021 figure Station: Awa-Kamogawa, where the JR Sotobo and Uchibo lines meet Rental bikes: Kamochari+ at the Awa-Kamogawa Station information desk (090-4463-5763) and at Kominato Satoumi Gakko (04-7096-6606); online bookings close two days before. Road closures: In October 2026 the Nagasa Kaido was closed between Ichiihara and Yokone after typhoon damage. Website: https://www.city.kamogawa.lg.jp/ Summary: Kamogawa suits riders who want the Pacific side of Boso with road, gravel and e-bikes for hire at the station, and its trade-off is a rental desk that takes online bookings only up to two days ahead. Kamogawa faces the open Pacific where the Sotobo and Uchibo lines meet at Awa-Kamogawa Station. Kamochari+ started in January 2026, when the tourism association's Kamochari merged with Wellnesports Kamogawa's own rental fleet. It hires out MERIDA road and gravel bikes alongside Asahi e-MTBs from the station and from Kominato Satoumi Gakko in Kominato. Kamogawa Sea World sits on the shore east of the station, and every room in its official hotel next door looks out to sea. The coast road south toward Wada belongs to the Minamiboso Hanaumi Kaido scenic byway, which links Kamogawa with Tateyama and Kyonan. Inland roads took damage from Typhoon No. 25 in autumn 2026. Michi-no-Eki Hota Shogakko reported the Nagasa Kaido closed between Ichiihara and Yokone, so check the road before you cross from Kamogawa toward Hota. Q: Is Kamogawa a good place to stay? A: Stay in Kamogawa to pair a coast ride with a family day at Sea World, or to hire an e-MTB and head inland on the farm roads. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.city.kamogawa.lg.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q387211 https://www.welkamo.jp/kamochari https://wellspo.jp/rental/kamochariplus/ https://www.kamonavi.jp/ https://www.kamogawa-seaworld.jp/hotel/ https://hanaumikaidou.com/ https://hotasho.jp/news/%e5%85%83%e6%b0%97%e3%81%ab%e5%96%b6%e6%a5%ad%e4%b8%ad%e2%80%bc%e3%80%80%ef%bc%88%e5%91%a8%e8%be%ba%e9%81%93%e8%b7%af%e3%81%ae%e7%8a%b6%e6%b3%81%ef%bc%89/ ### Kanazawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kanazawa Type: Town Local name: 金沢市 (ja) Also known as: Kanazawa City, 金沢 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Coordinates: 36.56106, 136.65650 Kind: City From Tokyo: Hokuriku Shinkansen Kagayaki, 144 minutes on the March 2026 timetable; ¥14,600 for a reserved seat in October 2026. Getting around: The Kanazawa Loop Bus and Hokutetsu and West JR buses stop at Hashiba-cho for Higashi Chaya and at Musashigatsuji for Omicho Market. Kenroku en: ¥320 for adults; free for visitors aged 65 and over who show ID. Noto road status: Ishikawa Prefecture publishes current closures and one-lane sections at douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp. Website: https://visitkanazawa.jp/en/ Summary: Kanazawa suits couples and food lovers pairing a Hokuriku trip with a city of gardens and teahouse lanes, and its trade-off is the weekend crowd at Kenroku-en and Higashi Chaya. The Maeda lords of the Kaga domain ruled from Kanazawa Castle from 1583, and the city they built kept its old lanes and teahouse quarters. The Kagayaki reached Kanazawa from Tokyo in 144 minutes on the March 2026 timetable, and a reserved seat cost ¥14,600 for a date in October 2026. Kenroku-en and the castle park face each other across one road in the centre. Higashi Chaya sits on the far bank of the Asano River, a short bus ride from the station. Omicho Market has fed the city for more than 300 years. It holds over 170 shops, and Sea of Japan crab and yellowtail draw the biggest crowds around November. Kanazawa curry is the local diner style: thick roux poured over all the rice and a sauced pork cutlet on top, served on a steel plate beside shredded cabbage. Champion Curry, which began as a Western-style diner in 1961, keeps its main shop in Nonoichi on the city's southern edge. The castle's stone walls cracked in the January 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake, and Ishikawa Prefecture is repairing them in public view. The prefecture opened the work site to guided tours on 14 and 15 November 2026. North of the city the Noto Peninsula is still rebuilding after the earthquake and the floods that followed, so read Ishikawa's road information map before you drive or ride up the coast. Tips: - Kenroku-en opens at 7:00 from 1 March to 15 October and at 8:00 from 16 October to the end of February, and the castle park gates open earlier for walkers. - The Kanazawa Marathon on 25 October 2026 brings road closures across the centre, according to the Kanazawa Tokyu Hotel. Q: Is Kanazawa a good place to stay? A: Stay in Kanazawa for evenings in the old districts and a direct train back to Tokyo. It also works as a base for a day at Gokayama, and Fukui's JAM Fukui Katsuyama ski resort is reachable by Shinkansen to Fukui and the Echizen Railway. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://visitkanazawa.jp/en/attractions/detail_10212.html https://visitkanazawa.jp/en/attractions/detail_10030.html https://shiro-niwa.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/kanazawa-castle/about/history.php https://shiro-niwa.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/kanazawa-castle/info/open.php https://shiro-niwa.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/kenrokuen-garden/info.html https://www.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/kouen/events/20261114.html https://chancurry.com/history https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/kanazawa-h/ https://douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E9%87%91%E6%B2%A2&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q191130 ### Kasama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kasama Type: Town Local name: 笠間市 (ja) Also known as: Kasama City, 笠間 Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Coordinates: 36.34520, 140.30430 Kind: City Population: 79,409 Share bikes: Kasama Cycling resumed service on 11 August 2026; check the tourism association's page for the docks. Website: https://www.kasama-kankou.jp/ Summary: Kasama suits riders who want a short, sharp climb and a craft-town afternoon west of Mito, and its sights spread out enough that you will want the town's share bikes or your own. Kasama lies inland from Mito, and the local tourism association runs a busy calendar of craft fairs and exhibitions through the autumn. For riders the draw is Atago-yama, which the prefecture's cycling site calls the sacred climb of central Ibaraki. Its hill-climb race uses a 2.7 km course with 206 m of climbing from the Atago Tengu no Mori area. The town's share-bike scheme, Kasama Cycling, came back into service in August 2026 after a pause, which makes a car-free visit easier. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kasama-kankou.jp/ https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/event/event-11977/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q845851 ### Katashina URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/katashina Type: Town Local name: 片品村 (ja) Also known as: Katashina Village, 片品, Marunuma Kogen, Oze Tokura, Oze Iwakura Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Coordinates: 36.77250, 139.22522 Kind: Village Population: 3,903 Population: 3,903 in Wikidata's March 2021 figure Getting there: Drive Route 120 from Numata. In winter the road east of Marunuma Kogen to Nikko is closed. Tourist office: The Katashina Tourism Association is in Kamata (3964 Kamata), open 8:30–17:15, phone 0278-58-3222. Website: https://oze-katashina.info/ Summary: Katashina suits drivers who want Marunuma Kogen's high, late-season snow in winter and the Gunma trailheads for Oze in summer, and the village is a long way from any station. Katashina is a mountain village of about 3,900 people on Route 120, which runs through the middle of it from Numata toward Nikko. The village names four areas: Kamata in the centre, Oze around Tokura and the Iwakura plateau, Marunuma up by the lake and Hotaka on the slopes of Mt. Hotaka. Oze National Park split from Nikko National Park in 2007, and Katashina is its Gunma gateway, with the village marking 30 August as Oze Day. In winter the draw is Marunuma Kogen. Chalet Marunuma stands at 1,400 m beside the slopes, and the Center Station has a day bath called Zazen Onsen fed by a spring that rises on the ski area itself. Past Marunuma, Route 120 over to Yumoto Onsen in Nikko closes for the winter, so plan to come and go by the Numata side. Eating out means maitake and soba. Katashina Shokudo in Kamata makes udon with spring water from the national list of famous waters, and Midoriya serves maitake tempura beside two kinds of soba. Marunuma Kohantei by the lake and Kamoshika-mura in Tokura both close from late autumn to spring, so check the season before driving up for lunch. Q: Is Katashina a good place to stay? A: Stay at Marunuma Kogen to ski first lifts, or in Kamata for an onsen inn with the village shops and restaurants on hand. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://oze-katashina.info/ https://oze-katashina.info/kanko/97/ https://oze-katashina.info/kanko/2750/ https://oze-katashina.info/kanko/2742/ https://oze-katashina.info/kanko/2745/ https://oze-katashina.info/kanko/2748/ https://www.marunuma.jp/winter/chalet https://www.marunuma.jp/winter/center-station https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/片品村 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1203661 ### Katsuyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/katsuyama Type: Town Local name: 勝山市 (ja) Also known as: Katsuyama City, Katsuyama Fukui, 勝山 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Fukui Coordinates: 36.06086, 136.50064 Kind: City By rail: Hokuriku Shinkansen to Fukui, then the Echizen Railway to Katsuyama and the free resort shuttle, booked online. By car: About 15 km and 20 minutes from Katsuyama IC on the Chubu Jukan Expressway. Resort parking: ¥1,000 a car each day through the ski season for snow clearing. Website: https://www.city.katsuyama.fukui.jp/ Summary: Katsuyama suits families and skiers heading for JAM Fukui Katsuyama Mountain Resort, the former Ski Jam Katsuyama, and its trade-off is a small town reached by a local line from Fukui. Katsuyama sits in the Okuetsu basin of eastern Fukui, on the Kuzuryu River that runs out to the Sea of Japan. The Echizen Railway runs from Fukui, which has a Hokuriku Shinkansen station, to Katsuyama Station. From there a free shuttle runs to the ski resort for anyone who books it online, and it also calls at the Dinosaur Museum. Hotel guests get a separate free shuttle from JR Fukui Station. Drivers reach the resort in about 20 minutes from the Katsuyama interchange on the Chubu Jukan Expressway, about 15 km away. Through the ski season the resort charges ¥1,000 a car each day toward snow clearing, whether or not it has snowed. Fukui eats its soba cold under grated daikon even in midwinter, and the agriculture ministry calls oroshi soba the prefecture's favourite bowl. Tips: - Book the free shuttle from Katsuyama Station online before you travel; the resort runs it by reservation only. - Buy lift tickets on the resort's own site before 18 December 2026 for the early-bird price. Q: Is Katsuyama a good place to stay? A: Stay at the resort hotel for ski-in, ski-out mornings and the Hoonji Onsen baths. Families who want restaurants and more choice can stay in Fukui and ride the shuttle. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://jamresort.jp/access/ https://jamresort.jp/about/ https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/oroshi_soba_fukui.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q847543 ### Kawaguchiko URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kawaguchiko Type: Town Local name: 富士河口湖 (ja) Also known as: Fujikawaguchiko, Lake Kawaguchi, Kawaguchi-ko, 富士河口湖町, 河口湖 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Coordinates: 35.49730, 138.75490 Kind: Town Population: 25,495 Population: 25,495 on 1 March 2021 (Wikidata) Getting there: Fujikyu line to Kawaguchiko station, or the highway bus from Tokyo. Website: https://fujisan.ne.jp/ Summary: Kawaguchiko suits riders on the Fuji Five Lakes in spring and autumn who want Fuji across the water and a pot of hoto after, and frost can ice its lake roads on winter mornings. Kawaguchiko is the lake town on Fuji's north side, in the town of Fujikawaguchiko. Riders use it for the lake loops and for the climb to Misaka Pass, where Tenka Chaya has served hoto to travellers crossing the 1,300 m pass since 1934 and keeps a room for the novelist Dazai Osamu. The teahouse may close on bad winter days. Hoto is the meal here. Yamanashi's tourism office lists Hoto Fudo on the north shore and Hoto-gura Funari in Funatsu, with pots at ¥1,320 to ¥1,650. After a ride, Yurari over the town line in Narusawa has open-air tubs that face Fuji. Spring and autumn are the riding seasons. Winter often brings the clearest views of the mountain, and the red winter Fuji gives a bath at Lake Yamanaka its name. Q: Is Kawaguchiko a good place to stay? A: Stay here for the lake loops and Misaka Pass, with Fuji at breakfast when the sky is clear and hoto for dinner. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://fujisan.ne.jp/ https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/special/gourmet_hoto.html https://www.fuji-yurari.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1004231 ### Kinosaki Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kinosaki-onsen Type: Town Local name: 城崎温泉 (ja) Also known as: Kinosaki, 城崎 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Hyogo Coordinates: 35.62780, 134.80000 Kind: Onsen town From Shin Osaka: 2 hours 49 minutes on the direct limited express Kounotori for ¥6,140 with a reserved seat, on Yahoo's route search for 10 November 2026. Bath pass: Yumepa costs ¥1,500 for adults and ¥750 for children and covers every open public bath for the day. Tattoos: All public bathhouses accept tattoos; inn baths set their own rules. Summary: Kinosaki Onsen suits anyone who wants to walk between public baths in a yukata after a ski day at Kannabe or Hachi, and its trade-off is a snow-crab winter when the inns book up and prices climb. Kinosaki lies 2 to 3 km inland from the Sea of Japan, and its inns usually hand guests a pass to the public bathhouses, called soto-yu. The tourism association dates the springs to 717, and every public bath runs the same sodium-calcium chloride water at 42°C. Day visitors buy Yumepa, a one-day pass to all of them for ¥1,500. Two of the seven baths are shut for now. Sato no Yu by the station has been closed for renovation since 1 April 2024, and Kono-yu closed from 11 May to 30 October 2026. The others close on different weekdays, so one or two are always open. Visit Kinosaki says all seven public baths accept tattoos of any size. Up Kannabe and Okukannabe lie on the Kannabe Kogen plateau elsewhere in Toyooka, and the direct Kounotori from Shin-Osaka takes about 2 hours 50 minutes. Q: Is Kinosaki Onsen a good place to stay? A: Stay in a ryokan here so the bath pass comes with the room and you can walk between baths after dinner. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kinosaki-spa.gr.jp/about/spa/ https://visitkinosaki.com/about-kinosaki/the-7-mystic-onsen/ https://visitkinosaki.com/faqs-visitor-info/guides/tattoos-in-kinosaki-onsen/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11426141 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%96%B0%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA&to=%E5%9F%8E%E5%B4%8E%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=1&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=1&lb=1&sr=1 ### Kitakami URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kitakami Type: Town Local name: 北上市 (ja) Also known as: Kitakami City, 北上, Geto Kogen Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Coordinates: 39.28680, 141.11320 Kind: City Population: 92,348 From Tokyo: Tohoku Shinkansen, 2 hours 26 minutes on Hayabusa 101, ¥14,360 (October 2026). Geto Kogen shuttle: Kitakami Station to the ski area, adult ¥1,000 (¥500 from the upper stops), cash only; free for high school students and younger; season pass ¥15,000. Road to Geto: About 25 minutes from the Kitakami-nishi interchange; closed nightly from 23:00 to 5:00 for snow clearing; winter tyres required. Parking at Geto: The centre car park costs ¥500 a day at weekends, on holidays and from 27 December to 4 January; the others are free. Website: https://www.getokogen.com/ Summary: Kitakami suits powder skiers bound for Geto Kogen who want a shinkansen station and city hotels at the bottom of the shuttle route. The trade-off is the mountain road, which closes every night from 23:00 to 5:00 for snow clearing. Kitakami is a Tohoku Shinkansen stop south of Morioka, and the reason skiers get off here is Geto Kogen, a ski area in the mountains west of the city that calls itself the king of snow. For 2026/27 its shuttle from Kitakami Station charges a fare for the first time: ¥1,000 from the station area and ¥500 from the stops higher up, cash only. High school students and younger ride free, and for overseas visitors the free fare covers anyone 17 or under. Drivers reach Geto in about 25 minutes from the Kitakami-nishi interchange. The prefectural and city roads are cleared early every morning, and the road to the ski area closes from 23:00 to 5:00 while the ploughs work. Geto runs tree-run areas, guided backcountry tours and snowmobile trips, and its base has a hot-spring bath. Tips: - Buy a ¥15,000 shuttle season pass at Geto's ticket counter if you plan to ride every day for a long stay. - Carry cash for the shuttle. It takes no cards or mobile payments. Q: Is the Geto Kogen shuttle bus free? A: Not from 2026/27. Adults pay ¥1,000 between Kitakami Station and the ski area, or ¥500 from the upper stops, in cash. High school students and younger ride free. Q: How long does it take from Tokyo to Kitakami? A: Hayabusa 101 left Tokyo at 07:16 and reached Kitakami at 09:42 on 16 October 2026, 2 hours 26 minutes, for ¥14,360 in cash. Q: Is Kitakami a good place to stay? A: Stay in Kitakami if you want Geto Kogen's snow by day and a choice of city restaurants at night, with the shinkansen at the door. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.getokogen.com/winter/ https://www.getokogen.com/winter/05access/index.html https://www.getokogen.com/green/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E5%8C%97%E4%B8%8A&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q695917 ### Kobe URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kobe Type: Town Local name: 神戸市 (ja) Also known as: Kobe City, 神戸 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Hyogo Coordinates: 34.69020, 135.19540 Kind: City Population: 1,521,707 Population: 1,521,707 in Wikidata's figure for 1 March 2021 From Shin Osaka: 12 minutes to Shin-Kobe on the Sanyo Shinkansen for ¥1,530 on Yahoo's route search for 10 November 2026. To Arima: About 30 minutes from Shin-Kobe by subway to Tanigami and Kobe Electric Railway via Arimaguchi. Summary: Kobe suits travellers who want a port city with the old onsen town of Arima half an hour behind it, and its trade-off is the steep Rokko range that walls the city in for anyone on a bike. Shin-Kobe is 12 minutes from Shin-Osaka on the Sanyo Shinkansen, and the Kobe subway from Shin-Kobe runs north to Tanigami on the way to Arima. Arima Onsen lies on the far side of Rokko within the city limits. From Shin-Kobe the subway to Tanigami and the Kobe Electric Railway reach it in about 30 minutes. Its two public bathhouses split the town's water in two, with iron-rich Kinsen at Kin no Yu and carbonated Ginsen at Gin no Yu. Q: Is Kobe a good place to stay? A: Stay in Kobe for a bath day at Arima or as a stop on the Sanyo Shinkansen between Osaka and the Setouchi routes. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q48320 https://www.arima-onsen.com/access/osaka https://arimaspa-kingin.jp/kin-01.htm https://arimaspa-kingin.jp/gin-01.htm https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%96%B0%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA&to=%E6%96%B0%E7%A5%9E%E6%88%B8&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=1&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=1&lb=1&sr=1 ### Kochi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kochi Type: Town Local name: 高知 (ja) Also known as: Kochi City, 高知市, Kōchi Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kochi Coordinates: 33.55880, 133.53120 Kind: City Population: 325,535 Population: 325,535 (Wikidata figure for 1 March 2021) Sunday market: Every Sunday, about 6:00–14:00, except 1–2 January and 10–12 August. Hirome Market: Open 10:00–23:00, from 9:00 on Sundays, with a few cleaning closures a year listed on its site. Summary: Kochi suits food-led travellers who want katsuo tataki at a shared table and a street market under the castle, and that market runs on Sundays only. Kochi Castle keeps its Edo-period keep and every building of the main enclosure, and the prefecture's park office says no other castle in Japan can claim that. A fire in 1727 took almost everything but the Otemon gate, and the buildings stood again as before by 1753. Every Sunday since 1690, about 300 stalls have lined roughly 1 km of the Otesuji avenue below the castle from about 6:00 until about 14:00. Hirome Market is a short walk away and opens every day until 23:00, and its Myojinmaru stall sears bonito over burning straw. East of the city on the Yasu coast, the Konan Cycling Terminal rents bikes for a seaside path of about 15 km. Q: Is Kochi a good place to stay? A: Stay central so Hirome Market is a walk from your bed and you can be on Otesuji when the Sunday stalls open. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q200251 https://kochipark.jp/kochijyo/ https://www.city.kochi.kochi.jp/site/kanko/nichiyouichi.html https://hirome.co.jp/ https://shioyajuku.com/facilities.php ### Kumamoto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kumamoto Type: Town Local name: 熊本 (ja) Also known as: Kumamoto City, 熊本市 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kumamoto Coordinates: 32.80300, 130.70790 Kind: City Population: 738,385 Population: 738,385 in March 2021 (Wikidata) Getting there: Kumamoto Station on the Kyushu Shinkansen. Earthquake: Expressway section Yatsushiro JCT to Yatsushiro-minami IC on the Minami-Kyushu Expressway stays closed for bridge repairs, which NEXCO West Japan expects to finish around the end of 2028. The Hisatsu Orange Railway plans to reopen Yatsushiro to Higo-Taura from the first train on 13 October 2026, and its replacement buses run until 12 October. Summary: Kumamoto suits riders heading for Aso or Amakusa who want a castle city with good ramen for a night, and it is still repairing homes and roads after the July 2026 earthquake. A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Kumamoto region at 16:27 on 28 July 2026, with the strongest shaking in Uki and Hikawa and severe damage in Yatsushiro. Kumamoto Prefecture's count on 9 October stood at 38 deaths and more than 76,000 damaged homes, about 18,900 of them in Kumamoto City, and some 1,300 people were still in shelters. Most hotels, shops and sights are open again, and in early October the Cabinet Office counted 12 lodgings still closed for building damage. Kumamoto Castle reopened on 13 August. Its stone walls are still being rebuilt after the 2016 earthquakes, and this autumn the city lights the grounds at night for Shiro Akari. For lunch, Kumamoto ramen comes with roasted garlic oil over a pork-bone soup, and Kokutei has served it at Nihongi since 1957. Rail lines south have reopened in stages. The Kyushu Shinkansen runs its full length again from 18 September 2026, and JR's Kagoshima line between Uto and Yatsushiro reopened on 10 October. Q: Is Kumamoto a good place to stay? A: Stay a night between the Shinkansen and the ride out to Aso or to Misumi for Amakusa, with the castle lit up after dinner this autumn. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/1/274517.html https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/uploaded/life/280963_900318_misc.pdf https://www.bousai.go.jp/updates/r8kumamoto_jishin/status/index.html https://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/ https://castle.kumamoto-guide.jp/ https://kokutei.co.jp/for-international-guests/ https://www.t-island.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q199889 https://www.hs-orange.com/page1202.html ### Kunisaki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kunisaki Type: Town Local name: 国東 (ja) Also known as: Kunisaki City, Kunisaki Peninsula, 国東市, 国東半島 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Oita Coordinates: 33.56330, 131.73220 Kind: Town Population: 25,790 Population: 25,790 in March 2021 (Wikidata) Bikes: Kunisaki Cycling Terminal at the Michi-no-Eki Kunisaki, 8:30 to 17:00, ¥500 a day for adults. Summary: Kunisaki suits riders who want quiet coast roads and mountain temples on a round peninsula, and services are thin once you leave the coast. The Kunisaki peninsula is a round dome with Mt. Futago at its centre and valleys falling to the sea on every side. Its Tendai temples, known together as Rokugo Manzan, trace their founding to 718 and once counted 185 temples and some 800 halls and caves. Futago-ji, halfway up the mountain, ran the whole group from the Edo period. On the east coast the city's cycling terminal at the Michi-no-Eki Kunisaki rents bikes for ¥500 a day, and its free map shows a ride of about 13 km each way, mostly on a dedicated path along the Iyo Sea. Oita's cycling site maps longer loops right round the peninsula. Q: Is Kunisaki a good place to stay? A: Stay on the peninsula to ride the coast and reach the inland temples early, before the autumn crowds at Futago-ji. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.futagoji.jp/top.htm https://www.city.kunisaki.oita.jp/site/kanko/kunisakicycle.html https://www.cycling-oita.jp/cycle-friendly/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q873572 ### Kurayoshi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kurayoshi Type: Town Local name: 倉吉 (ja) Also known as: Kurayoshi City, 倉吉市 Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Coordinates: 35.43010, 133.82550 Kind: City Population: 46,269 Population: 46,269 (Wikidata, March 2021) Bike rental: The tourist offices in the Shirakabe quarter and at JR Kurayoshi Station rent bikes with helmets; one-way returns are not offered. Summary: Kurayoshi suits riders who want a quiet inland base between Lake Togo and Misasa Onsen, and the station stands apart from the white-walled old town, so plan on a bike or a bus. Kurayoshi is the main town of central Tottori and the Uminami Road's rail escape for Lake Togo. The Kurayoshi-Togo cycle path runs 24.3 km on the flat from Ishizuka in Kurayoshi to Nagawada in Yurihama. The WMG legacy loop follows 16.8 km of the 2021 World Masters Games road course. Rental bikes come from the tourist offices at JR Kurayoshi Station and in the Shirakabe storehouse quarter, and you return them where you hired them. Tottori lists more than a dozen cyclist-friendly stays in the city, from Kurayoshi City Hotel and Hotel St. Palace Kurayoshi to old family ryokan. Shin Gran Fondo Kurayoshi ran 88 km with 1,369 m of climbing on 11 October 2026. Q: Is Kurayoshi a good place to stay? A: Stay here for an easy morning ride to Misasa Onsen or the flat path round to Lake Togo. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/ https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/details_rental https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/details_support https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/event https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q642006 ### Kure URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kure Type: Town Local name: 呉 (ja) Also known as: Kure City, 呉市 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Coordinates: 34.24920, 132.56570 Kind: City Population: 208,024 Population: 208,024, a city estimate for 30 April 2023 Curry: The Kure Kaiji Curry traders' group lists the restaurants serving each ship's curry. Summary: Kure suits history readers and curry lovers who want Japan's naval story told at the Yamato Museum, and it is a working navy port with little old-town charm. Kure grew around the naval district founded in 1889 and the arsenal that followed, and the battleship Yamato was launched here in 1940. American bombing in June and July 1945 hit the city hard, and the British Commonwealth Occupation Force ran its headquarters here after the war. Today the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force keeps destroyers, submarines and its training squadron in the port. The Yamato Museum holds a one-tenth-scale model of the battleship, and a JMSDF museum on the waterfront tells the navy's story. Kure's restaurants serve curries made to the recipes of individual ships and bases, each one approved by the ship's commander. Q: Is Kure a good place to stay? A: Stay in Kure for a day at the naval museums and a ship's curry for lunch, or as the start of a ride out along the Tobishima Kaido. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kure,_Hiroshima https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q223439 https://kure-kaijicurry.com/?page_id=35 https://kure-kaijicurry.com/?page_id=32 ### Kurobe URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kurobe Type: Town Local name: 黒部市 (ja) Also known as: Kurobe City, 黒部, Ikuji, 生地 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Coordinates: 36.87144, 137.44775 Kind: City Shinkansen: Kurobe-Unazukionsen station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen; change to the Toyama Chiho Railway at Shin-Kurobe. To Unazuki Onsen: 25 minutes on the Chitetsu line from Shin-Kurobe. Website: https://www.kurobe-unazuki.jp/ Summary: Kurobe suits riders on the Toyama Bay route and travellers bound for the gorge who need the Shinkansen stop, and its trade-off is a city that spreads thin between the coast and the station. Kurobe runs from the Sea of Japan up the Kurobe River into the gorge, and Unazuki Onsen lies inside the city boundary. Kurobe-Unazukionsen station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen sits next to Shin-Kurobe on the Toyama Chiho Railway, which carries you up to Unazuki in 25 minutes. Down on the coast the old fishing quarter of Ikuji lies on the Toyama Bay Cycling Route. Uo-no-eki Ikuji is the Kurobe fishermen's cooperative market, selling the morning catch from 9:00 and serving lunch from 11:00 to 15:00. It closes on Wednesdays and 1 January. Toyama's tourism site puts it 25 minutes on foot from Ikuji station on the Ainokaze line and seven minutes by car from Kurobe station. Tips: - Ride the bay route east from Ikuji on a weekday; the market and its restaurant close on Wednesdays. Q: Is Kurobe a good place to stay? A: Stay up the valley at Unazuki Onsen and come down to the coast for a ride or a fish lunch. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/51010 https://www.unazuki-onsen.com/access https://cycling-toyama.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q753864 ### Kusatsu Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kusatsu-onsen Type: Town Local name: 草津温泉 (ja) Also known as: Kusatsu, Kusatsu Town, 草津町, Kusatsu-machi, Kusatsu hot spring Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Coordinates: 36.62281, 138.59664 Kind: Onsen town Population: 6,058 Population: 6,058 in Wikidata's March 2021 figure Altitude and weather: The tourism association puts the town at 1,200 m with a yearly mean of about 7 °C and summer averages near 18 °C. Getting there: JR buses run from Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station on the JR Agatsuma Line to Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal in about 25 minutes. Direct limited expresses run from Ueno, and the Joshu Yumeguri-go bus runs from Shinjuku. Volcano: Check JMA's Kusatsu-Shiranesan page and the town's notices before going near Yugama or Motoshirane. At level 1 the town closes 500 m around the Yugama crater; level 2 widens the closure to 1 km and level 3 to 2 km with all climbing stopped. Tattoos: Otaki-no-yu, Gozanoyu and Sai-no-kawara do not refuse tattooed bathers. Several large hotels do, so check the inn's own rule before you book. Website: https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/ Summary: Kusatsu Onsen suits anyone who wants a full onsen town at 1,200 metres with free public baths, strong acidic water and a small ski area above the streets, and it sits about 25 minutes by bus from the nearest station. Everything in Kusatsu starts at the Yubatake, the steaming wooden channels in the middle of town where the tourism association says about 4,000 litres of water rise every minute. The Yubatake source measures pH 2.1, sharp enough that the inns and day baths cool and stir it before anyone gets in. Inns and shops ring the square, and the free locals' baths sit a few minutes' walk away down the lanes. Three big day baths run under the town's tourism corporation. Gozanoyu stands on the Yubatake itself, Otaki-no-yu has the graded hot tubs locals call awase-yu, and Sai-no-kawara is an outdoor bath of about 500 square metres in a wooded park. All three state that they do not turn away guests with tattoos, so a tattooed visitor can use the town's best-known day baths. The town lies on the eastern slope of Kusatsu-Shirane, an active volcano that JMA watches around the clock. Its alert level for the Yugama crater dropped from 2 to 1 on 15 May 2026, Gunma reopened Route 292 over the pass on 29 May, and the town still keeps everyone 500 metres back from the crater. Winter closes the Shiga-Kusatsu road in mid-November, so a winter trip comes and goes from the Naganohara or Karuizawa side. Q: What does the name Kusatsu Onsen mean? A: Kusatsu Onsen comes from the local name くさつ, meaning one theory takes the name from "kusauzu", a word for water that smells, after the hydrogen sulphide that rises from the springs. Another traces it to a line in the Daihannya sutra that names a "Kusatsu hot spring" in the south. The tourism association presents both theories and leaves the choice open. Wikipedia's account adds that the spelling 草津 settled in the Edo period after several earlier forms. Q: Is Kusatsu Onsen a good place to stay? A: Stay near the Yubatake so you can walk to the free baths early in the morning and again late at night. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/onsen/index.php https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/youkoso/iroha02.php https://onsen-kusatsu.com/sainokawara/faq/ https://www.town.kusatsu.gunma.jp/s001/110/060/20261008/index.html https://www.town.kusatsu.gunma.jp/s022/120/2026/0515/1778813105105/index.html https://onsen-kusatsu.com/news/ https://www.pref.gunma.jp/site/houdou/758987.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/305_Kusatsu-Shiranesan/305_index.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/filing/level/PDF/level_350.pdf https://www.kusatsu-naraya.co.jp/faq/index.html https://www.hotel-sakurai.co.jp/faq/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/草津町 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1358949 ### Kyoto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/kyoto Type: Town Local name: 京都市 (ja) Also known as: Kyoto City, 京都 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Kyoto Coordinates: 35.01160, 135.76810 Kind: City Population: 1,448,964 Population: 1,448,964 in Wikidata's figure for 1 October 2022 From Shin Osaka: 13 minutes on the Tokaido Shinkansen for ¥1,450, or 24 minutes on JR local trains for ¥580, on Yahoo's route search for 10 November 2026. From KIX: The airport limousine bus to the Hachijo exit takes about 1 hour 49 minutes and costs ¥2,800 on the same search. Bikes: Kyoto Cycling Tour Project rents city bikes from ¥1,400 a day and e-bikes from ¥2,700, with free helmets. Summary: Kyoto suits riders who want a city of temples and backstreets to explore on a rented bike, and its trade-off is crowds at the famous shrines from mid-morning on. Kyoto Station is the place to start a ride in Kyoto. Kyoto Cycling Tour Project rents bikes three minutes' walk from its north side, and Cycle Kyoto meets its tour groups two minutes from the Hachijo East exit on the south side. Fushimi Inari Taisha makes the easy first ride. Kyoto Cycling Tour Project keeps a terminal near the shrine about 15 minutes by bike from the station, and the JR Nara line reaches Inari in two stops. Go early. Cycle Kyoto runs an e-bike tour that reaches the shrine before the crowds and then rides north to Ginkaku-ji on the Path of Philosophy. Nishiki Market runs for 390 m through the centre and has fed the city for about 400 years. It sits a three-minute walk from Shijo subway station. Q: Is Kyoto a good place to stay? A: Stay near Kyoto Station if you are carrying a bike or a board bag; the Shinkansen platforms and the bike rental counters sit within a few minutes' walk. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34600 https://kctp.net/en/rental/price https://kctp.net/en/rental/access http://www.cyclekyoto.net/location http://www.cyclekyoto.net/ebike-tours https://inari.jp/en/access/ https://www.kyoto-nishiki.or.jp/ https://www.kyoto-nishiki.or.jp/access/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%96%B0%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA&to=%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=1&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=1&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E9%96%A2%E8%A5%BF%E7%A9%BA%E6%B8%AF&to=%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=1&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=1&lb=1&sr=1 ### Madarao Kogen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/madarao-kogen Type: Town Local name: 斑尾高原 (ja) Also known as: Madarao, Madarao Heights, Madarao Mountain Resort Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 36.83070, 138.28900 Kind: Ski village Part of: Iiyama From Iiyama Station: Route bus to Madarao Kogen; timetables on madarao.jp. Resort shuttles: NOTOMA shuttle Nozawa Onsen to Iiyama Station to Madarao, ¥1,400; Myoko Shuttle Akakura Onsen to Myoko Kogen to Madarao, ¥2,000 (Madarao Kogen Hotel access page). Website: https://www.madarao.jp/ Summary: Madarao Kogen is a small resort village of pensions and lodges on the Iiyama side of Mt. Madarao, and it suits families and tree skiers who want a quieter mountain than Nozawa. The trade-off is choice: a handful of restaurants and no onsen street. Madarao Kogen sits at about 1,000 metres on the slopes of Mt. Madarao, on the border with Niigata, and Tangram Ski Circus shares the mountain from the Shinanomachi side. Madarao Kogen Hotel stands on a rise in the middle of the village, and its own baths draw sodium-calcium chloride water from a natural spring. Buses climb from Iiyama Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen. In winter the NOTOMA shuttle runs between Nozawa Onsen, Iiyama Station and Madarao for ¥1,400, and the Myoko Shuttle links Madarao with Akakura Onsen and Myoko Kogen for ¥2,000, according to the hotel's access page. That makes Madarao an easy add-on to a Nozawa or Myoko trip. Q: How do you get to Madarao from Nozawa Onsen? A: Take the NOTOMA shuttle bus, which runs in winter between Nozawa Onsen, Iiyama Station and Madarao for ¥1,400, according to Madarao Kogen Hotel. Q: Is Madarao Kogen a good place to stay? A: Stay in Madarao if you want a quiet ski village with short lift queues and a shuttle to Nozawa or Myoko for a change of mountain. Night owls will find it too sleepy. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.madarao.jp/ https://www.madarao.jp/hotel/access https://www.madarao.jp/hotel/hot-spring https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16662 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11500722 ### Maibara URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/maibara Type: Town Local name: 米原市 (ja) Also known as: Maihara, Maibara City, 米原 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Coordinates: 35.31491, 136.29012 Kind: City Population: 37,374 Rail: Maibara is the Tokaido Shinkansen station for the lake, with JR lines to Hikone, Nagahama and Otsu. Rentals: Biwako isshu rental cycles run from Maibara Station. Certificate: Maibara Station cycle station and Omi Haha no Sato are checkpoints for the Biwaichi completion certificate. Website: https://www.city.maibara.lg.jp/ Summary: Maibara suits riders arriving on the Shinkansen who want to be on the lake within minutes, and it has few beds of its own by the water. Maibara Station is where the Tokaido Shinkansen meets the lines round Lake Biwa, which makes it the fastest way in from Tokyo or Nagoya. The station has a cycle station that stamps the Biwaichi certificate, and the NPO Gokan Seikatsu rents bikes for the loop there. The city writes its name Maihara, while JR's station keeps Maibara. Hikone and Nagahama, on either side, have far more beds. Omi Haha no Sato roadside station on the shore at Ugano serves Ibuki soba, and inland at Joheiji the Umu farmhouse puts you at the foot of Mt. Ibuki. Q: Is Maibara a good place to stay? A: Base in Maibara when the Shinkansen matters most: it is the Tokaido Shinkansen stop for Lake Biwa, with rental bikes at the station. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q824020 https://www.omihahanosato.jp/ https://joheiji.com/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Matsue URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/matsue Type: Town Local name: 松江 (ja) Also known as: Matsue City, 松江市 Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Shimane Coordinates: 35.46810, 133.04850 Kind: City Population: 201,802 Population: 201,802 (Wikidata, March 2021) Bikes on trains: Ichibata Electric Railway carries bikes on every train all day for ¥350 one way, apart from 31 December, 1 to 3 January and some festival days. Castle hours: Keep 8:30 to 18:00 from April to September and 8:30 to 17:00 from October to March, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. Summary: Matsue suits travellers who want an original castle keep, canal boats and Lake Shinji sunsets in one walkable city, and you carry your shoes in a bag through the castle keep. Matsue grew round its castle, whose keep is a National Treasure, and the moats still circle the old samurai quarter at Shiomi Nawate. The city sits between Lake Shinji and the Nakaumi lagoon, and Matsue Shinjiko Onsen lies on the lake's northeast shore with its own Ichibata Electric Railway station. The keep opens from 8:30 every day of the year and charges adults ¥1,200 from 1 July 2026, with primary and junior high pupils free. The Ichibata line carries a bike on any train all day for ¥350 one way, so the north shore of Lake Shinji becomes a ride out to Izumo Taisha with a train back. Takuwa Cycle, beside Matsue English Garden Station, rents road bikes, cross bikes and e-bikes. Visit Matsue lists cheaper city bikes at Matsue Shinjiko Onsen Station. Eat Izumo soba at Yakumo-an on Shiomi Nawate, where the warigo rounds come stacked and duck nanban soba is the house dish. The restaurant and shop at the Matsue Horikawa Local Beer Center were due to close in March 2026, so check before planning a stop there. Q: Is Matsue a good place to stay? A: Stay by the lake for the sunset and an early start on the Ichibata line to Izumo. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.visit-matsue.com/info/moving https://www.matsue-castle.jp/userguide/index https://railway.ichibata.co.jp/service/rail-cycle/ https://takuwacycle.com/ https://www.yakumoan.jp/ https://www.shimane-beer.co.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q207321 ### Matsumoto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/matsumoto Type: Town Local name: 松本市 (ja) Also known as: Matsumoto City, 松本 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 36.23800, 137.97200 Kind: City Population: 239,115 From Shinjuku: JR Azusa limited express, just over 2.5 hours; highway bus just over 3 hours (japan-guide.com). From Nagano: JR Shinano limited express, about 50 minutes, one train an hour. To Hakuba: JR Oito Line north via Azumino and Shinano-Omachi. Accommodation tax: Matsumoto charges an accommodation tax on hotel stays from 1 June 2026. Website: https://visitmatsumoto.com/ Summary: Matsumoto is the castle city of central Nagano and the most livable city base for the Northern Alps, with Matsumoto Castle in the centre and direct trains from Shinjuku. It suits food lovers and mixed groups, and the trade-off is the long ride up the Oito Line to Hakuba's ski areas. Matsumoto sits in a wide basin with the Northern Alps lined up along its western sky. Matsumoto Castle, a National Treasure with a black keep, stands a short walk from the station, and the old Nakamachi and Nawate streets nearby hold the city's craft shops and soba counters. JR's Azusa limited express runs from Shinjuku in just over 2.5 hours, and highway buses from Shinjuku take just over three hours. From Nagano the Shinano limited express takes about 50 minutes. The Oito Line heads north through Azumino and Omachi to Hakuba, and the onsen hamlets of Utsukushigahara and Tobira sit in the hills east of the city. Base here for a city winter with a ski day or two, or for spring riding across Azumino. Matsumoto's walkable centre and good train links make it easy for groups where only some people ski. Q: How long is the train from Tokyo to Matsumoto? A: JR's Azusa limited express takes just over 2.5 hours from Shinjuku to Matsumoto, according to japan-guide.com. Q: Can you go from Nagano to Matsumoto by train? A: Yes. The JR Shinano limited express runs between Nagano and Matsumoto in about 50 minutes, roughly once an hour. Q: Is Matsumoto a good place to stay? A: Stay in Matsumoto if you want a castle city with good food, onsen in the hills and direct trains from Tokyo. Skiers who want to ride every day should move up to Hakuba. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.city.matsumoto.nagano.jp/ https://visitmatsumoto.com/ https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6053.html https://www.tobira-group.com/myojinkan/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q213324 ### Matsuyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/matsuyama Type: Town Local name: 松山 (ja) Also known as: Matsuyama City, 松山市, Dogo, Dogo Onsen town Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Coordinates: 33.83920, 132.76560 Kind: City Population: 506,743 Population: 506,743 (Wikidata figure for 1 March 2021) Getting to Dogo: Iyotetsu tram from JR Matsuyama-ekimae to Dogo Onsen, about 25 minutes; the Honkan is three minutes on foot from the stop. Bike parking in Dogo: Free racks in the Honkan east square (40 spaces, open 24 hours) and at the Dogo machi bike park (75 racks, 6:00–23:30). Castle hill: Bicycles and motorbikes are barred from every path up Katsuyama. The Kencho-ura path is closed to vehicles until 27 November 2026. Summary: Matsuyama suits anyone who wants a castle in the morning and an old public bath at night, and the bike stays at the foot of the castle hill. Matsuyama is the biggest city in Shikoku and the capital of Ehime. Kato Yoshiaki began his castle on Katsuyama, the 132-metre hill in the middle of town, in 1602 and named the place Matsuyama the next year. A ropeway and a chairlift run up from Shinonomeguchi, and the walking paths take 25 to 40 minutes. No path up the hill takes bicycles. Dogo Onsen lies about 5 km east of JR Matsuyama Station, 25 minutes away on the Iyotetsu tram. The Honkan bathhouse finished six years of repair work on 20 December 2024 and runs at full strength again. The Asuka-no-Yu annex and the locals' Tsubaki-no-Yu stand two minutes away in the shopping arcade, and riders get a free 40-space rack on the Honkan's east side that never closes. Eat taimeshi, Ehime's sea bream rice, and finish with a Dogo Beer from the Minakuchi brewery after the bath. From 25 to 28 May 2027 the city hosts the Velo-city world cycling summit, which the European Cyclists' Federation runs each year, at the Ehime Prefectural Budokan. Q: Is Matsuyama a good place to stay? A: Stay in Dogo to walk to the baths after dinner, or by JR Matsuyama Station for early trains to Uchiko and Imabari. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q200022 https://www.matsuyamajo.jp/discover/history.html https://www.matsuyamajo.jp/guide/access.html https://dogo.jp/onsen/honkan https://dogo.jp/en/faq.php https://dogo.jp/access https://cycling-ehime.com/travel-in-ehime/ https://www.velo-city-conference.com/en/tickets-info/faq/ ### Matsuzaki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/matsuzaki Type: Town Local name: 松崎 (ja) Also known as: Izu Matsuzaki, 松崎町, Matsuzaki-cho Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Coordinates: 34.75280, 138.77870 Kind: Town Population: 5,932 Population: 5,932 on 1 March 2021 (Wikidata) Getting there: Bus from Izukyu-Shimoda, about 50 minutes, or from Shuzenji, about 105 minutes (Matsuzaki tourism association). Website: https://www.izu-matsuzaki.com/ Summary: Matsuzaki suits riders on the quiet west coast of Izu who want a small harbour town for the night, and it sits a long bus ride from any train. Matsuzaki is a small harbour town on the south-west coast of Izu, and it calls itself the village of flowers and romance. Wasabi has grown in its hills since 1830, when Nitta Kinzo started fields here, and the town belongs to the Shizuoka wasabi heritage area. The west coast road runs north from here toward Dogashima and the Sawada Koen cliff bath. No railway reaches Matsuzaki. The town's tourism page gives a bus of about 50 minutes from Izukyu-Shimoda, or about 105 minutes from Shuzenji. Riders coming by train usually start in Shimoda or Shuzenji and ride across. Q: Is Matsuzaki a good place to stay? A: Stay in Matsuzaki to ride the west coast in the evening light and eat in a quiet harbour town. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.izu-matsuzaki.com/pages/10/ https://www.shizuoka-wasabi.jp/about/history.php https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/松崎町 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1204017 ### Minakami URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/minakami Type: Town Local name: みなかみ町 (ja) Also known as: Minakami Town, Minakami-machi, Minakami Onsen, 水上, みなかみ, Minakami 18 onsen Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Coordinates: 36.67856, 138.99914 Kind: Town Population: 17,223 Population: 17,223 in Wikidata's March 2021 figure Getting there: The Joetsu Shinkansen reaches Jomo-Kogen from Tokyo in 64 minutes on the fastest morning Toki in the 2026 timetable. Local buses run on from Jomo-Kogen to Minakami Station in about 20 minutes for ¥620, per Takaragawa Onsen's access page. Local trains: JR Joetsu Line locals from Takasaki terminate at Minakami, so change there for Yubiso and Doai. Winter roads: Hoshi Onsen reports about a metre of snow each winter and asks drivers to fit studless tyres from December to March. Website: https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/ Summary: Minakami suits skiers and onsen lovers who want Tanigawa-dake snow and old riverside inns 64 minutes from Tokyo by Shinkansen, and the town spreads so wide that you need buses or a car to join its ski areas and baths. Minakami is the biggest municipality in Gunma by area and runs right up to the Niigata border at Tanigawa-dake. The tourism association groups its hot springs as the Minakami 18 onsen, from the inns along the Tone River in Minakami Onsen to single-inn valleys such as Takaragawa and Hoshi. The Joetsu Shinkansen stops at Jomo-Kogen, and a local bus takes about 20 minutes from there to Minakami Station. Winter here belongs to the mountain. The Tanigawa-dake Ropeway climbs to Mt.T at Tenjindaira, where Ryokan Tanigawa says the snow season runs into May, Hodaigi sits up the valley at Fujiwara, and Norn Minakami is the third big name in town. At Doai Station 462 steps climb from the tunnel platform to the street, and the old station office now holds a cafe with a glamping site beside it. Book the inn first and plan transport around it. Hoshi Onsen gets two town buses in the morning and two in the afternoon, and Takaragawa sends a courtesy car to its bus stop when you book. Both run mixed baths under their own rules, which their pages here set out. Minakami Onsen itself has a craft brewery, a steakhouse on the river and soba shops by the station for the evenings you stay in town. Q: Is Minakami a good place to stay? A: Stay in Minakami Onsen or Tanigawa Onsen for the ropeway and the station, and go up a side valley to Takaragawa or Hoshi when the bath is the point of the trip. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/ https://www.takaragawa.com/kotu.html https://www.ryokan-tanigawa.com/ https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/8137/ https://hoshi-onsen.com/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/みなかみ町 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/高崎駅 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1345518 ### Minamiboso URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/minamiboso Type: Town Local name: 南房総 (ja) Also known as: Minami-Boso, Minami Boso, 南房総市, Minamiboso City Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Coordinates: 35.04320, 139.84000 Kind: City Population: 35,454 Population: 35,454, Wikidata's March 2021 figure Getting there: JR Uchibo line to Iwai, Tomiura or Chikura. In October 2026 the line ran a reduced service south of Kisarazu after typhoon damage. Rental bikes: HEGURI HUB rents Giant cross bikes and e-bikes for ¥3,000 a day at weekends and on holidays. Other desks include the Minamiboso tourist information centre, the Chikura tourist office and the roadside stations. One way rentals: The Kurukuru Shararan scheme lets a rental bike end at a different station for ¥3,300; ask each desk for its hours and fleet. Website: https://www.city.minamiboso.chiba.jp/ Summary: Minamiboso suits riders who want quiet farm valleys behind a long coast road, and its trade-off is a spread-out city where the cyclists' clubhouse and many rental desks open only at weekends or close by late afternoon. Minamiboso wraps round Tateyama on three sides, from Tomiura on Tokyo Bay to Shirahama, Chikura and Wada on the Pacific. Inland, HEGURI HUB fills the old Heguri nursery school below Mt. Iyogatake. The Awa no Kuni cycle tourism association opened a clubhouse for riders in 2017, and since July 2021 the site has added a guesthouse and a lunch counter beside the showers and bike tools. The roadside stations make the easy stops on a coast ride. Tomiura's Biwa Club sells loquat soft-serve and loquat curry, while Chikura's Shiokaze Okoku sits on the fishing harbour with the day's catch at its counters. Nojimasaki Lighthouse at Shirahama marks the southern tip of the peninsula, and you can climb it for ¥300. A rental from one station can go back to another under the Minamiboso Kurukuru Shararan scheme for ¥3,300. It links the west exit of Tateyama Station with the Minamiboso tourist information centre in Tomiura, the Chikura tourist office and several roadside stations, so a one-way coast ride works without a car. Q: Is Minamiboso a good place to stay? A: Stay at HEGURI HUB to ride the inland valleys on a weekend, or by the sea at Shirahama or Chikura to start the Pacific side early. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.minamiboso.chiba.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q873521 https://hegurihub.com/ https://hegurihub.com/clubhouse/ https://maruchiba.jp/feature/detail_517.html https://tateyamacity.com/rental-cycle https://www.biwakurabu.jp/ https://shiokaze-oukoku.jp/ https://www.tokokai.org/tourlight/tourlight04/ ### Minamiuonuma URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/minamiuonuma Type: Town Local name: 南魚沼市 (ja) Also known as: Minami-Uonuma, Muikamachi, Urasa, Shiozawa Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 新潟県南魚沼市 Coordinates: 37.06550, 138.87610 Kind: City Population: 50,829 Stations: Urasa on the Joetsu Shinkansen; Muikamachi on the JR Joetsu Line and the Hokuhoku Line. Summary: Minamiuonuma suits riders who want big resorts north of Yuzawa and rice-country cycling in spring, and its trade-off is a spread of small towns with no single centre to stay in. Minamiuonuma runs up the Uonuma valley north of Yuzawa from Shiozawa to Urasa, and it counted 50,829 people at the end of September 2026. Its rice sells under the Minamiuonuma name, and Minamiuonuma Koshihikari turns up on menus from Yuzawa Station to the NASPA dining rooms. In winter Ishiuchi Maruyama and Maiko fill the hills above the valley, with Joetsu Kokusai farther north. In spring the flat paddies suit easy riding, and Satoyama Minikuru rents bikes at Muikamachi and Urasa stations from ¥1,000 for two hours. Hakkaisan Brewery's Uonuma no Sato at Nagamori makes a slow stop, with a soba house and a snow-cooled sake store. Q: Is Minamiuonuma a good place to stay? A: Stay in Minamiuonuma for the Ishiuchi and Maiko slopes or a spring ride through the rice fields, near Muikamachi or Urasa stations. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.minamiuonuma.niigata.jp/docs/5943.html https://www.uonuma-no-sato.jp/ https://yukiguni-gcr.jp/rental/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/ski/ https://www.naspa.co.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q850524 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3660544 ### Misasa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/misasa Type: Town Local name: 三朝 (ja) Also known as: Misasa Onsen, Misasa Onsen town, 三朝町, 三朝温泉 Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Coordinates: 35.41080, 133.89310 Kind: Onsen town Population: 5,946 Population: 5,946 for Misasa town (Wikidata, March 2021) Public bath: Kabuyu opens 9:00 to 20:45, from 10:00 on Mondays, with last entry at 20:15. Summary: Misasa suits travellers who want a night in an old radon onsen town on the Mitoku River, and its famous riverside bath is mixed and open to the sky. Misasa Onsen lines the Mitoku River in the hills above Kurayoshi, and the onsen association counts its radon-rich water among the strongest radium springs in the world. The founding story tells of a samurai who spared an old white wolf more than 850 years ago and was shown the spring in a dream. That first source still feeds Kabuyu, the public bath that charges adults ¥400. Misasa and Mt. Mitoku were named Japan Heritage together in 2015, on the old idea that pilgrims bathed here to clear the senses before climbing to the temple on the mountain. The tourist office at Hotto Plaza doubles as Cog Station Misasa Onsen and rents e-bikes and electric city bikes. Q: Is Misasa a good place to stay? A: Stay a night to use the inn baths after dark and walk to Kabuyu and the river bath in a yukata. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://misasaonsen.jp/about/ https://misasaonsen.jp/sightseeings/sightseeing-1072/ https://misasaonsen.jp/sightseeings/sightseeing-1057/ https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/details_support https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1156186 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11355561 ### Mishima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/mishima Type: Town Local name: 三島 (ja) Also known as: 三島市, Mishima City, Mishima Station Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Coordinates: 35.11850, 138.91860 Kind: City Population: 107,416 Population: 107,416 on 1 March 2021 (Wikidata) Getting there: Tokaido Shinkansen Kodama from Tokyo, 53 minutes, ¥4,600 (regular-season reserved seat, 2026 timetable). The Mishima tourism site gives about 45 minutes on a Hikari. Onward: Izuhakone Railway Sunzu line to Shuzenji, about 32 minutes. Website: https://www.mishima-kankou.com/ Summary: Mishima suits riders who want the Shinkansen base for Izu, Hakone and Fuji in one stop, and most visitors use it to sleep and change trains. Mishima is the Tokaido Shinkansen stop where Izu, Hakone and Fuji meet. The Kodama takes 53 minutes from Tokyo for ¥4,600 in the 2026 timetable, and some Hikari stop here too. From the same station the Izuhakone Railway runs 32 minutes south to Shuzenji, so a rider can be on the Izu roads within an hour and a half of leaving Tokyo. The city grew around Mishima Taisha, the shrine one name theory points to, and as a post town on the Tokaido. Clear streams fed by springs such as Kohama-ike, the pond in Rakujuen park, run through the city, and another theory says the land between them looked like three islands. Q: Is Mishima a good place to stay? A: Stay in Mishima the night before an Izu or Hakone ride so you can take the first Izuhakone train south or climb straight to Hakone Pass. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.mishima-kankou.com/traffic/ https://www.shuzenji-kankou.com/access2.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/三島市 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q653478 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11541603 ### Mito URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/mito Type: Town Local name: 水戸市 (ja) Also known as: Mito City, 水戸 Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Coordinates: 36.36580, 140.47130 Kind: City Population: 270,783 Getting there: JR Joban Line limited express from Tokyo, about 70 to 80 minutes. Into the hills: The JR Suigun Line runs from Mito to Hitachi-Daigo in about 80 minutes for the Okukuji route. Website: https://mitokoumon.com/ Summary: Mito suits riders who want a station base for the Okukuji hill route and the Oarai coast, with ankou hotpot in winter, and the Ring-Ring Road lies well south of it. Mito is the capital of Ibaraki and sits about 70 to 80 minutes from Tokyo on the Joban Line limited expresses. The prefecture names it as the base for its Okukuji Satoyama hill-climb route, which starts up the JR Suigun Line, and for the coast ride through Oarai and Hitachinaka. Winter is ankou season. From about November to March the prefecture's food bureau says the anglerfish caught off Ibaraki go into hotpots and dobu-jiru, the version thickened with liver. Winter is also the season for hoshi-imo, the dried sweet potato that Hitachinaka next door makes for most of Ibaraki. Q: Is Mito a good place to stay? A: Stay by Mito station to ride north into Okukuji or east to the coast, with the Joban Line straight back to Tokyo. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ibaraki/access/ https://www.ibaraki-shokusai.net/brand/anko/ https://www.ibarakiguide.jp/gourmet/ibaraki_major_food.html https://mitokoumon.com/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q204249 ### Morioka URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/morioka Type: Town Local name: 盛岡市 (ja) Also known as: Morioka City, 盛岡 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Coordinates: 39.70210, 141.15450 Kind: City Population: 290,553 From Tokyo: Tohoku Shinkansen, 130 minutes on Hayabusa 5; ¥15,450 reserved, regular season (October 2026). To APPI: Guests-only shuttle from the West Exit, stop 26, adult ¥2,200, 5 December 2026 to 4 April 2027; or the train to Appi-Kogen, about 61 minutes for ¥1,220. To Shizukuishi: JR Tazawako Line, 19 minutes, ¥350. To Hachimantai's ski areas: Bus from Morioka Station, 50 to 60 minutes (Hachimantai City Tourism Association). Loop bus: Denden-mushi circles the centre in both directions from the East Exit, every 20 minutes from 9:00, about 35 minutes a lap. Bears: Iwate Prefecture's bear warning has been in force since 22 April 2026. Website: https://www.odette.or.jp/ Summary: Morioka suits travellers who want a walkable castle town with three noodle traditions between ski days at APPI, Shizukuishi and Hachimantai. The trade-off is that every slope is a train or bus ride of 20 minutes to an hour from your hotel. Morioka grew around the castle the Nanbu lords finished in 1633, and its granite walls still stand in Iwate Park above the Nakatsu River. The river runs clear through the middle of town, and salmon come up it to spawn in autumn. A short walk away, the red-brick Iwate Bank building from 1911 and a 360-year-old cherry tree splitting a granite boulder outside the district court give the centre its look. The city eats three noodles. Wanko soba arrives a mouthful at a time from a server who keeps refilling your bowl, Morioka reimen is a chewy cold noodle made with wheat flour and potato starch in a beef broth, and jajamen comes topped with meat miso. The New York Times put Morioka second on its list of places to go in 2023, and the feature put wanko soba in front of readers around the world. In winter Morioka works as a hub. APPI's guest shuttle leaves from the West Exit, the Tazawako Line reaches Shizukuishi in under 20 minutes, and buses run to Hachimantai's ski areas. The Denden-mushi loop bus circles the centre from the station's East Exit every 20 minutes from 9:00. Tips: - Iwate Prefecture recorded about six times its usual number of bear sightings from January to March 2026 and keeps a warning in force, so check its page before walking riverside or forest trails outside the centre. - Try wanko soba at lunch, when you have the afternoon to recover. Q: How long does it take from Tokyo to Morioka? A: Hayabusa 5 took 130 minutes from Tokyo to Morioka on 16 October 2026. A regular-season reserved seat cost ¥15,450. Q: How do you get from Morioka to APPI? A: APPI runs a guests-only shuttle from the West Exit, stop 26, for ¥2,200 one way from 5 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, booked by 23:59 the day before. Trains also run from Morioka to Appi-Kogen Station in about an hour for ¥1,220. Q: What does the name Morioka mean? A: Morioka comes from the local name Morioka, meaning the name is said to carry the wish for a hill that would flourish and prosper, and dates from 1593. The castle site was earlier called Kozukata. The encyclopedia gives the story with the phrase 'it is said', which marks it as tradition. Q: Is Morioka a good place to stay? A: Stay in Morioka if you want to ski a different area each day, eat well every night and spend your rest day on foot round the castle and the river. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.odette.or.jp/?page_id=59 https://www.odette.or.jp/?page_id=672 https://www.appi.co.jp/access-winter/ https://www.hachimantai.or.jp/access/index.html https://kotobank.jp/word/%E7%9B%9B%E5%B2%A1 https://kotobank.jp/word/%E3%82%8F%E3%82%93%E3%81%93%E3%81%9D%E3%81%B0 https://kotobank.jp/word/%E7%9B%9B%E5%B2%A1%E5%86%B7%E9%BA%BA https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E7%9B%9B%E5%B2%A1&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E7%9B%9B%E5%B2%A1&to=%E5%AE%89%E6%AF%94%E9%AB%98%E5%8E%9F&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E7%9B%9B%E5%B2%A1&to=%E9%9B%AB%E7%9F%B3&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=09&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.pref.iwate.jp/kurashikankyou/shizen/yasei/1049881/1043255.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q200077 ### Moriyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/moriyama Type: Town Local name: 守山市 (ja) Also known as: Moriyama City, 守山 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Coordinates: 35.05886, 135.99445 Kind: City Population: 83,567 Certificate: Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel is a checkpoint for the Biwaichi completion certificate. Rail: JR Moriyama is on the Biwako Line; the lakeshore is a ride of several kilometres from the station. Website: https://www.city.moriyama.lg.jp/ Summary: Moriyama suits riders who want to set out from the Biwako Ohashi bridge with a bike shop next to the hotel, and the town itself is a commuter city with little to hold you after dark. Moriyama's lakeshore at the east end of the Biwako Ohashi bridge is where many Biwaichi rides begin. Giant Store Biwako Moriyama stands beside the Lake Biwa Marriott, and in May 2026 the prefecture ran its spring Biwaichi rally from the shop. The Marriott stamps the completion certificate, and Setre Marina Biwako offers a smaller night in the marina just south. The city restored the habitat of Genji fireflies, and in early summer you can see them even in town. Biwako Daughters sells a fishing family's lake fish a short ride east along the shore in Yasu. Q: Is Moriyama a good place to stay? A: Stay in Moriyama to start or finish Biwaichi at the east end of the Biwako Ohashi bridge, with a big bike shop and a certificate stamp on the shore. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/守山市 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q857225 https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/sa00/23924.html https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation ### Mukaishima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/mukaishima Type: Town Local name: 向島 (ja) Also known as: Mukaishima Island Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Coordinates: 34.38330, 133.20000 Kind: Town Part of: Onomichi Population: 21,939 Population: 21,939 in 2015 (Wikidata) Ferries: Several small ferries cross from Onomichi's waterfront, including the Tsuchido to Kaneyoshi boat. Summary: Mukaishima suits riders and families who want the first island of the Shimanami Kaido within a short ferry hop of Onomichi, and working shipyards line its north shore. Mukaishima sits about 200 metres across the channel from Onomichi, close enough that small ferries shuttle across all day. Shipyards line its north shore, building coastal vessels and repairing larger ones. Takamiyama, at 283 metres, is the island's high point and looks out over the islands toward Innoshima. Riders cross Mukaishima early on the Shimanami route, and the island has its own cycling and walking course, finished in 2013. Guesthouses here run cheaper than Onomichi's hotels, and Guesthouse Onomichi PawPaw keeps an indoor workshop for bikes. Q: Is Mukaishima a good place to stay? A: Stay on Mukaishima for a cheaper guesthouse with bike space, a short ferry ride from Onomichi's restaurants. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mukaishima https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11415952 http://onomichipawpaw.com/ ### Nagahama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/nagahama Type: Town Local name: 長浜市 (ja) Also known as: Nagahama City, 長浜 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Coordinates: 35.37846, 136.26519 Kind: City Population: 106,909 Ferry: Biwako Kisen boats to Chikubushima leave from Nagahama Port. Certificate: Nagahama Port and Mizudori Station are checkpoints for the Biwaichi completion certificate. Groceries: Friend Mart Nagahama Ekimae sits beside the station. Website: https://www.city.nagahama.lg.jp/ Summary: Nagahama suits riders who want a lively overnight on the north-east shore with an onsen and a beer hall, and the quiet northern stretch beyond it has few beds. Hideyoshi built his first castle here, and the town that grew below it is now the Kurokabe quarter of black-plastered merchant houses and glass shops. Nagahama Port sits a few minutes' ride from the station, with Biwako Kisen boats to Chikubushima. Three of the hotels on the shore are Shiga-certified for cyclists, and two of them draw Nagahama Taiko Onsen water. Nagahama Roman Beer pours its own beer in an old rice store by the station. North of town the loop gets quiet. Mizudori Station on the Kohoku shore and Ajikama no Sato at Shiotsuhama are the reliable stops, and Kinomoto, inland, has the salad pan at Tsuruya Pan and the new Sanken no Yado inn. Q: What does the name Nagahama mean? A: Nagahama comes from the local name Nagahama, meaning long shore. The place was called Imahama until about 1575, when Hashiba Hideyoshi renamed it Nagahama. The idea that the 長 comes from his lord Oda Nobunaga's name is a popular story, and the city's own plan says the link is unproven. Q: Is Nagahama a good place to stay? A: Stay in Nagahama for a walkable castle-town centre on the north-east shore, with onsen hotels on the water by the port. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/長浜市 https://www.city.nagahama.lg.jp/cmsfiles/contents/0000001/1238/01.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q844130 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/5004344385 ### Nagano URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/nagano-city Type: Town Local name: 長野市 (ja) Also known as: Nagano City, Nagano-shi, 長野 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 36.64870, 138.19470 Kind: City Population: 367,184 From Tokyo: Hokuriku Shinkansen, 80 to 100 minutes (japan-guide.com). To Hakuba: Alpico express bus, 1 hour 10 minutes to 2 hours 5 minutes depending on the stop. To Nozawa Onsen: Alpico and Nagaden express bus, about 1 hour 20 minutes. To Shiga Kogen: Nagaden express bus from the East Exit, about 70 minutes to Shiga Kogen Yamanoeki. To Yudanaka: Nagaden line from the underground Nagaden Nagano Station. Website: https://www.nagano-cvb.or.jp/ Summary: Nagano is the prefectural capital and temple town of Zenko-ji, and its Shinkansen station is the hub for buses to Hakuba, Shiga Kogen, Nozawa and Togakushi. It suits travellers who want city hotels and food with day trips to the snow, at the cost of an hour or more on a bus each way. Nagano grew up as the temple town of Zenko-ji, and Chuo-dori still climbs from the station to the temple gates. The city hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics, and today the Hokuriku Shinkansen reaches Tokyo in 80 to 100 minutes with several trains an hour. For skiers the station is the transfer point. Alpico's express bus to Hakuba leaves from here, as do buses to Nozawa Onsen in about 1 hour 20 minutes and to Shiga Kogen in about 70 minutes. The Nagaden line under the station runs to Obuse and Yudanaka, and Togakushi's shrines are about an hour away by bus in the forest northwest of the city. The old streets around the temple hold the city's best places to sleep, from shukubo temple lodgings to small guesthouses in converted shops. Stay near the station instead if you have an early bus to catch. Q: How long is the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagano? A: The Hokuriku Shinkansen takes 80 to 100 minutes from Tokyo to Nagano, with several trains an hour, according to japan-guide.com. Q: Can you day-trip to Hakuba from Nagano? A: Yes. Alpico's express bus takes from 1 hour 10 minutes to Hakuba, so a ski day from a Nagano hotel works with an early bus. Q: Is Nagano a good place to stay? A: Stay in Nagano if you want a city base with Zenko-ji on foot and buses fanning out to four ski regions. Skiers who want first lifts every day are better off in the resorts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.city.nagano.nagano.jp/ https://www.nagano-cvb.or.jp/ https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6003.html https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6027.html https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/express/nagano_hakuba/ https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/express/nagano_nozawaonsen/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q128849 ### Nagasaki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/nagasaki Type: Town Local name: 長崎 (ja) Also known as: Nagasaki City, 長崎市 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Nagasaki Coordinates: 32.74950, 129.87960 Kind: City Population: 404,656 Population: 404,656 in March 2021 (Wikidata) Getting around: Trams run from Nagasaki Ekimae to the Heiwa Koen and Genbaku Shiryokan stops for the Peace Park and the museum. Summary: Nagasaki suits travellers who want a harbour city layered with Chinese, European and Christian history, and its steep hills make it a city for trams and walking more than riding. Nagasaki wraps round a deep harbour, with houses climbing the hills on every side. At 11:02 am on 9 August 1945 an atomic bomb exploded over the Urakami district in the north of the city, and the city counts 73,884 deaths by the end of that year. The Atomic Bomb Museum and the hypocentre in Peace Park are where to begin understanding it. Chanpon was born here in 1899 at Shikairo, and the Chinese community of Shinchi Chinatown still shapes the city's winter: the Lantern Festival hangs about 15,000 lanterns through the centre, from 5 to 21 February in 2027. In early October the Kunchi festival of Suwa Shrine fills the streets. Q: Is Nagasaki a good place to stay? A: Stay two nights to take in the Peace Park and museum one day and the harbour, Chinatown and Oura the next. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nagasakipeace.jp/en/search/record/photo/part_2_02.html https://www.at-nagasaki.jp/spot/124 https://www.at-nagasaki.jp/lantern-festival https://www.at-nagasaki.jp/feature/festival https://shikairou.com/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q38234 ### Nagoya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/nagoya Type: Town Local name: 名古屋市 (ja) Also known as: Nagoya City, 名古屋 Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Coordinates: 35.18139, 136.90639 Kind: City Population: 2,326,844 Rail: Tokaido Shinkansen trains stop at Nagoya. Kintetsu limited expresses for Iseshi leave from Kintetsu Nagoya next door. Bike shop: Y's Road Nagoya Honkan, Nagoya Center Building, Nishiki 2-2-13, open 12:00 to 20:00 every day. Send ahead: The Marriott Associa takes parcels sent ahead to its front desk; write the stay date and the guest's name on the slip. Website: https://www.nagoya-info.jp/ Summary: Nagoya suits travellers who need a night beside the Shinkansen on the way to Ise or Gifu's snow, and the city traffic makes the first ride out of town the slowest part of the day. Nagoya Station sits on the Tokaido Shinkansen, and the Kintetsu terminal beside it runs limited expresses south to Iseshi. The Marriott Associa has its rooms in the tower above the JR station, and Sanco Inn is a minute's walk from the Shinkansen exit, so a bagged bike never has to cross the city. This site starts every journey into Gifu-Hida from here, Okumino's ski areas included. Eat before you leave. Yabaton has served miso katsu since 1947, and its main branch in Osu stays open 11:00 to 21:00 every day; there's a Yabaton in the Esca arcade under the Shinkansen side of the station too. Atsuta Horaiken opened in 1873 on the old Tokaido at Miya and holds the hitsumabushi trademark. A few streets from Yabaton, Senju makes the small tenmusu rice balls that a restaurant in Tsu first rolled in the 1950s. Y's Road's Nagoya Honkan in Nishiki is a large sports-bike shop in the centre, open 12:00 to 20:00 with no closing day. The red Charichari share bikes cover the city for short hops at ¥6.5 a minute. Q: Is Nagoya a good place to stay? A: Stay in Nagoya when the Shinkansen gets you in late and the next morning heads for Ise or for the ski areas of Gifu. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nagoya-info.jp/gourmet/digest/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11751 https://www.yabaton.com/stores/yabacho-honten https://www.yabaton.com/stores/nagoyaeki-esca https://www.yabaton.com/company https://www.houraiken.com/history.html https://www.nagoya-info.jp/gourmet/detail/21/ https://ysroad.co.jp/nagoya/ https://charichari.bike/ https://www.sanco-inn.co.jp/nagoya/access/ https://www.sanco-inn.co.jp/ise/access/ https://www.associa.com/nma/faq/ ### Nanao URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/nanao Type: Town Local name: 七尾市 (ja) Also known as: Nanao City, 七尾, Notojima, 能登島 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Address: 25 Sodegae-machi I-bu, Nanao, Ishikawa 926-8611 (city hall) Coordinates: 37.04392, 136.96735 Kind: City Population: 44,480 Road status: Check Ishikawa Prefecture's road map at douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp before you drive or ride. The site's Noto road-status alert carries the closures and one-lane sections it showed on 11 October 2026. Noto Satoyama Kaido: One lane between Otsu (Nanao) and Tagishi (Nakajima) until 25 December 2026. Trains: JR runs to Wakura Onsen station, and the Noto Railway runs on from Nanao to Anamizu. Website: https://www.city.nanao.lg.jp/ Summary: Nanao is the city on Nanao Bay where most visitors to the Noto Peninsula sleep, because Wakura Onsen's reopened inns and the island of Notojima both sit inside it. Roads north of the city still carry earthquake repairs, so check Ishikawa Prefecture's road map before you drive or ride on. Nanao counted 44,480 residents at the end of September 2026, by the city's own figures. Wakura Onsen lies on the bay north of the centre, and the association of its inns says 11 of them take tourists today. Out in the bay, Notojima Aquarium opens every day except 29 to 31 December, and its own directions take you there from Wakura Onsen across the Notojima Ohashi bridge in about 15 minutes. Ishikawa's road map on 11 October 2026 showed the Noto Satoyama Kaido running on one lane between Otsu in Nanao and Tagishi in Nakajima until 25 December 2026 while crews repair it. On the prefectural road from Wakura to Notojima, paving work in Sennandai closes the Wakura IC direction to traffic until 10 March 2027, and a signed detour carries you round. The island's own coast road has several one-lane stretches through December 2026. The city stages the 17th Minato Oasis Sea-kyu Gourmet national contest on 31 October and 1 November 2026, from 10:00 to 16:00 each day, with the main site at the Wakura Onsen sports park yacht harbour. Shuttle buses carry visitors to the main site. Tips: - Ring your inn before you travel, because several Wakura inns still work around rebuilding and seawall repairs. Q: Is Nanao a good place to stay? A: Sleep at Wakura Onsen for the bay-front inns and the public bath, and drive or ride up the peninsula from there. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.nanao.lg.jp/ https://www.city.nanao.lg.jp/sangyou-s/seakyugurume.html https://www.wakura.or.jp/brochure/brochure-3739/ https://www.notoaqua.jp/access/ https://douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/ https://douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/api/getRegulation https://www.wakura.or.jp/news/news-4322/ ### Nara URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/nara Type: Town Local name: 奈良市 (ja) Also known as: Nara City, 奈良 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Nara Coordinates: 34.68500, 135.80480 Kind: City Population: 352,377 Population: 352,377 in Wikidata's figure for 1 March 2021 From Shin Osaka: About 1 hour 8 minutes for ¥960 on JR via the Osaka Higashi line and the Yamatoji rapid, on Yahoo's route search for 10 November 2026. Summary: Nara suits a day away from Osaka or Kyoto among the oldest temples in Japan, and its trade-off is a compact centre that fills with tour groups by late morning. Nara was the capital in the 8th century, and its great temples still stand on the slope east of the modern town. Todai-ji's Great Buddha Hall opens at 7:30 from April to October and at 8:00 from November to March, so an early train beats most of the crowd. Try kakinoha-zushi while you are here. Hiraso, a maker founded in 1861 in Yoshino in the south of the prefecture, runs a shop and restaurant in Imamikado-cho in Nara city. Q: Is Nara a good place to stay? A: Stay a night if you want Todai-ji at opening time; otherwise Nara works as a day trip from Osaka or Kyoto. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q169134 https://www.todaiji.or.jp/information/haikan/ https://hiraso.jp/shop/ https://hiraso.jp/about/history/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%96%B0%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA&to=%E5%A5%88%E8%89%AF&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=1&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=1&lb=1&sr=1 ### Nasu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/nasu Type: Town Local name: 那須町 (ja) Also known as: Nasu Town, Nasu Kogen, Nasu Highlands, 那須高原, Nasu Yumoto, 那須湯本 Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Coordinates: 37.01980, 140.12100 Kind: Town Population: 26,765 Getting there: Tohoku Shinkansen to Nasushiobara, 66 minutes from Tokyo on the 8:26 Nasuno on 16 October 2026 for ¥6,130, then Kanto Bus toward the Nasu Ropeway. Volcano: Nasu-dake is an active volcano. Read JMA's volcanic warnings before walking above the ropeway. Website: https://www.nasukogen.org/ Summary: Nasu suits families and onsen lovers who want highland air and a sulphur bath an hour from Tokyo by Shinkansen, and its sights spread so far up the volcano's flank that you need wheels to link them. Nasu town climbs from farmland near Kurodahara up the slopes of Nasu-dake to the old spa at Nasu Yumoto. The Nasuno 253 left Tokyo at 8:26 on 16 October 2026 and reached Nasushiobara at 9:32, and Kanto Bus runs from the station's west exit up to the Nasu Ropeway. Get off at Nasu Yumoto for Shika no Yu, which the prefecture's tourism site calls the oldest bath in Tochigi at about 1,390 years. Nasu-dake is an active volcano, so check the Japan Meteorological Agency's alert level before you head for the ropeway or the trails above Ominaru. The self-guided e-bike tours of Nasu and Shiobara run a 16 km beginner loop from the Nasu Kogen Visitor Center up the old Volcano Highway to Ominaru. The Mt. Jeans Nasu ski area on the north side of town closed for good after the 2023/24 season. Its operator now runs Hunter Mountain Shiobara in Nasushiobara city as its ski area in the region. Q: Is Nasu a good place to stay? A: Stay up at Nasu Yumoto for the old baths, or lower down the highland road if you are driving between the farms, cafés and the outlet. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tochigiji.or.jp/spot/s12764/ https://www.shikanoyu.jp/ https://ebike-nasu.com/ https://www.tochigiji.or.jp/activity_cycling/2023summer_route1/ https://www.tokyu-snow-resort.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/20231213%E3%80%90%E3%83%9E%E3%82%A6%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88%E3%82%B8%E3%83%BC%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BA%E3%80%91%E3%82%B9%E3%82%AD%E3%83%BC%E5%A0%B4OPEN%EF%BC%86%E9%96%89%E9%8E%96%E3%81%AB%E3%81%A4%E3%81%84%E3%81%A6final-2.pdf https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E9%82%A3%E9%A0%88%E5%A1%A9%E5%8E%9F&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=volcano https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q636416 ### Nikko URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/nikko Type: Town Local name: 日光市 (ja) Also known as: Nikko City, 日光, Nikkō, Okunikko, Oku-Nikko Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Coordinates: 36.74790, 139.61950 Kind: City Population: 90,066 Getting there: The Tobu Liberty Kinu 109 left Asakusa at 8:30 on 16 October 2026 and, with a change at Shimo-Imaichi, reached Tobu Nikko at 10:23 for ¥3,050. Toshogu also lists the JR limited express Nikko from Shinjuku at about two hours. Buses: Buses bound for Chuzenji Onsen take about 50 minutes from JR Nikko and Tobu Nikko stations, and buses to Yumoto Onsen take about 90 minutes. Autumn traffic: Nikko's tourism association says Irohazaka normally takes about 20 minutes to climb and often takes two to three hours in the autumn leaf season. Website: https://www.nikko-kankou.org/ Summary: Nikko suits travellers who want the Toshogu shrines and the Irohazaka climb to Lake Chuzenji within two hours of Tokyo, and in autumn the road up the hill clogs so badly that a bus or an early start decides your day. Nikko spreads from the shrine town at the mouth of the Daiya River up to Lake Chuzenji and the Yumoto hot springs, and the city also takes in Kinugawa and Kawaji to the east. The shrines and temples of Nikko sit together in a wooded precinct a short walk up from the Shinkyo bridge. Tobu trains reach Tobu Nikko station from Asakusa in under two hours, and JR's Nikko Line runs up from Utsunomiya in about 45 minutes. Above town the two Irohazaka roads carry you up about 440 m to Chuzenji, one road for going up and one for coming down. Kegon Falls drops about 97 m out of the lake a few minutes' walk from the Chuzenji Onsen bus stop. The city's tourism office warns that on autumn holidays the queue up the hill has run to six hours. Food here leans on yuba, the skin lifted off simmering soy milk, which Nikko writes with its own characters and folds double. Up at Yumoto a small ski park run by Tobu Kogyo opens late in December for families and school groups, and Edelweiss Ski Resort sits on the Kawaji side of the city. Q: Is Nikko a good place to stay? A: Stay in the shrine town for an early start at Toshogu before the coaches arrive, or up in Okunikko if the lake, the falls and the hot springs matter more. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nikko-kankou.org/spot/9 https://www.nikko-kankou.org/spot/5 https://www.nikko-kankou.org/spot/17 https://toshogu.jp/pages/26/ https://nikkoyuba.net/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%B5%85%E8%8D%89&to=%E6%9D%B1%E6%AD%A6%E6%97%A5%E5%85%89&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q235753 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7862640 ### Nishikawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/nishikawa Type: Town Local name: 西川町 (ja) Also known as: Nishikawa Town, Gassan Shizu Onsen, Shizu Onsen, 西川 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Coordinates: 38.42650, 140.14760 Kind: Town Population: 4,815 Gassan season: Opens in April; skiing into July. Gassan pair lift: 8:00 to 16:30, daily from 10 April to mid-October, weather permitting. Guided tours: Backcountry guides run Gassan tours from December to May; book ahead. Tourism office: Gassan Asahi Tourism Association, 280 Mazawa, Nishikawa. Website: https://www.gassan-info.com/ Summary: Nishikawa suits spring and summer skiers bound for Gassan, whose ski area opens in April and runs into July. The trade-off is that the ski area stays shut through the winter months. Nishikawa is a forest town in the middle of Yamagata Prefecture, on the old Rokujuri-goe road that pilgrims walked to Dewa Sanzan. Gassan was the mountain of the past in that pilgrimage, and the villages at its trailheads filled with pilgrim lodgings. Local people fed the ascetics passing through with the wild plants they ate at home, and that is where the town's mountain-vegetable cooking comes from. Gassan is still a place of worship, so keep to the shrine's closures on the upper mountain. Gassan Ski Area opens in April, when most other ski areas close, and its slopes sit at about 1,600 metres. You can ski into July. The Gassan pair lift runs from 8:00 to 16:30 every day from 10 April to mid-October unless the weather stops it, and guides lead tours from the summit down toward the town in April and May, up to 15 km long with about 1,500 metres of descent. The Sagae River, which rises on Gassan and the Asahi range, has been ranked Japan's clearest river several times in surveys by the land ministry. Gassan Shizu Onsen shares the Gassan-Shizu area with the ski area, and in late winter its inns hold Yuki-hatago no Akari, an evening of lanterns in the snow. Tips: - Book a guide for the long summit run in April or May, and carry full mountain gear. - Plan Gassan as a spring trip. The ski area does not open in the winter months. Q: When is Gassan Ski Area open? A: Gassan Ski Area opens in April and skiing runs into July. The town's tourism site lists the pair lift running daily from 8:00 to 16:30 from 10 April to mid-October, weather permitting. Q: Can you ski Gassan in winter? A: Not on the lifts. The ski area opens in April, and backcountry guides list deep-winter tours from December to March for experienced parties only. Q: Is Nishikawa a good place to stay? A: Stay in Nishikawa if you want to ski Gassan from April and sleep at Shizu Onsen at the bottom of the mountain road. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.gassan-info.com/ https://www.gassan-info.com/gassan/ https://www.gassan-info.com/area/shizu/ https://www.gassan-info.com/facility/42171a9b0c794e37f781132adf5a9b8bfe97ebac.html https://www.town.nishikawa.yamagata.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1348988 ### Nozawa Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/nozawa-onsen Type: Town Local name: 野沢温泉村 (ja) Also known as: Nozawaonsen, Nozawa, 野沢温泉 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 36.92280, 138.44060 Kind: Onsen town Population: 3,286 From Tokyo: Hokuriku Shinkansen to Iiyama, 100 to 120 minutes (japan-guide.com), then the Nozawa Onsen Liner. Nozawa Onsen Liner: Iiyama Station to Nozawa Onsen in about 25 minutes; adult ¥600, child ¥300 (2026). From Nagano Station: Alpico and Nagaden express bus, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Winter ride share: Nozawa Onsen Ride Share runs 11 December 2026 to 25 March 2027, 8:00 to 22:00, with one end of each trip inside the village. Public baths: 13 free soto-yu across the village. Website: https://nozawakanko.jp/ Summary: Nozawa Onsen is a hot-spring village of about 3,300 people where the ski area starts at the top of the street, and it suits anyone who wants a compact base they can walk. The trade-off is the hill itself: the lanes are steep and icy, and the village fills to capacity from late December to mid-February. Nozawa Onsen climbs the north slope of Mt. Kenashi above the Chikuma River, with steam rising from drains and vents along its narrow lanes. The village keeps 13 free soto-yu, the public bathhouses that residents look after and use every day, and four of the springs have cauldrons where people boil onsen eggs. The water is sulphurous and comes out of the ground hot enough that some sources reach the 90s in degrees Celsius. The nearest station is Iiyama on the Hokuriku Shinkansen. From there the Nozawa Onsen Liner bus takes about 25 minutes and cost ¥600 for an adult in 2026, and the village tourism office warns that the bus and the trains do not always connect. Nothing public runs from the JR Iiyama Line stations at Kamisakai or Togari-Nozawaonsen, so come via Iiyama. Alpico and Nagaden also run an express bus from Nagano Station, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Mid-January brings the Dosojin fire festival on 15 January, and the village is at its busiest then. Bathe the soto-yu politely, since they are community baths and many run very hot. For winter 2026/27 the tourism office lists a village ride-share service from 11 December 2026 to 25 March 2027, running 8:00 to 22:00 around Nozawa and Iiyama Station. Tips: - Pack slip-on cleats or boots with real grip, because the village lanes freeze hard at night. - Carry a small towel of your own when you go round the soto-yu. Q: How do you get to Nozawa Onsen from Tokyo? A: Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Iiyama, then the Nozawa Onsen Liner bus for about 25 minutes. The adult fare was ¥600 in 2026. Q: Can you get to Nozawa Onsen from Togari-Nozawaonsen Station? A: No. The Nozawa Onsen tourism office says there is no public transport from Togari-Nozawaonsen or Kamisakai stations, so use Iiyama Station. Q: Are Nozawa Onsen's public baths free? A: Yes. Nozawa Onsen's 13 soto-yu are free to use and are maintained by the residents who bathe in them every day. Q: Is Nozawa Onsen a good place to stay? A: Stay in Nozawa Onsen if you want to walk from your inn to the lifts and to a different public bath every evening. Families and couples on a slow holiday do well here; people who want nightclubs or flat streets will find Hakuba easier. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nozawakanko.jp/access/ https://nozawakanko.jp/english/ https://www.vill.nozawaonsen.nagano.jp/www/index.html https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/express/nagano_nozawaonsen/ https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6016.html https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16645 https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16637 https://kotobank.jp/word/%E9%87%8E%E6%B2%A2%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89-112158 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1354760 ### Numata URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/numata Type: Town Local name: 沼田市 (ja) Also known as: Numata City, 沼田 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Coordinates: 36.64393, 139.04275 Kind: City Population: 45,132 Population: 45,132 in Wikidata's March 2021 figure Rail: Numata Station is on the JR Joetsu Line between Takasaki and Minakami. Road: Route 120 runs from the Numata area through Katashina to Nikko, and closes in winter between Marunuma Kogen and Yumoto Onsen. Summary: Numata suits drivers heading for Katashina, Oze or the Minakami ski areas who want a city with supermarkets and a station, and it has few inns aimed at visitors. Numata sits on a high river terrace where the Katashina River meets the Tone. The old castle town is up on the terrace, and the JR Joetsu Line and Route 17 run along the river below, so Numata Station stands at the foot of the bluff. The Sanada family held the castle at the end of the Warring States period. For a ski or Oze trip it works as a junction. Route 120 leaves the area east through Katashina toward Nikko, and the Kan-Etsu Expressway's Numata interchange sits on the east side of the city centre. Wikipedia notes that Numata records the lowest yearly precipitation of any JMA station in Gunma, at 1,132.3 mm. Q: Is Numata a good place to stay? A: Stay in Numata when you want a cheaper city base on the road between Minakami and Katashina. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/沼田市 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/片品村 https://chigira.co.jp/access.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q666317 ### Okumino URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/okumino Type: Town Local name: 奥美濃 (ja) Also known as: Takasu, Takasu Mountains, 高鷲, Hirugano, Oku-Mino, Dynaland, Takasu Snow Park Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Coordinates: 35.94594, 136.87761 Kind: Ski village Road: Takasu interchange on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway. Ski buses: Direct buses run daily from Nagoya and Osaka in the ski season. Shuttle: Free, with no booking, between Hirugano service area, the ski areas and the lodgings. Website: https://www.takasumountains.com/ Summary: Okumino suits skiers and snowboarders driving up from Nagoya or Kansai for the big resorts around Takasu, with lodges a few minutes from the lifts. The trade-off is that the area spreads along Route 156 and the expressway, so plan on a car or the ski buses. Takasu, in the north of Gujo, is where Takasu Snow Park, Dynaland and Washigatake sit a short drive apart beside the Takasu interchange on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway. Dynaland and Takasu Snow Park sell a joint Takasu-Dyna lift ticket, and in the top of the season it lets you ski across between the two. Hotel Villa Montsaint, inside Dynaland's grounds, says the resort runs night skiing until 23:00 every day and opens at 6:00 on weekends and holidays. A free shuttle with no booking links Hirugano service area with nearby ski areas and lodgings, and the Washigatake LINE bus runs between Washigatake and Dynaland in the season. Direct ski buses run daily from Nagoya and Osaka during the winter, and some sell packages with a bed and a lift ticket. Tips: - Give the name on your Villa Montsaint booking at the Dynaland or Takasu Snow Park car-park gate and parking is free. - Use the free shuttle between Hirugano service area, the ski areas and the lodges; it needs no booking. Q: Can you ski between Dynaland and Takasu Snow Park? A: Yes, in the top of the season, with the Takasu-Dyna joint lift ticket. Q: Is Okumino a good place to stay? A: Stay here to be on the snow at first lift without the drive from Nagoya. Hotel Villa Montsaint sits in Dynaland's grounds, and TAKASU BASE rents a whole lodge to groups of up to eight. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.takasumountains.com/ https://www.villa-montsaint.com/area-guide-winter/ http://www.villa-montsaint.com/ https://stm-gifu.com/st-access/ https://ski.washigatake.jp/facilities/ https://tabitabigujo.com/takasu/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7677406 ### Omachi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/omachi Type: Town Local name: 大町市 (ja) Also known as: Omachi City, Shinano-Omachi, 大町 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 36.50300, 137.85110 Kind: City Population: 25,883 Rail: Shinano-Omachi Station on the JR Oito Line. Alpine Route: Buses from Shinano-Omachi to Ogizawa; the route ran 15 April to 30 November in 2026. Website: https://kanko-omachi.gr.jp/ Summary: Omachi is the mountain town at the south end of Hakuba Valley and the Nagano gateway to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, and it suits spring travellers and quieter ski trips to Kashimayari and Jigatake. The trade-off is winter quiet: the Alpine Route is shut from December to mid-April. Omachi borders Hakuba to the north and Toyama to the west, under 3,000-metre peaks and beside the three Nishina lakes. The Omachi Onsen-kyo hot-spring village sits on the road up to Ogizawa, where the Alpine Route begins on the Nagano side. The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route operated from 15 April to 30 November in 2026, so spring is when Omachi fills with people heading for the snow walls. In winter the town is the quiet end of Hakuba Valley, with Kashimayari and Jigatake ski areas on its doorstep and JR Oito Line trains from Shinano-Omachi Station. Q: When is the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route open? A: The Alpine Route operated from 15 April to 30 November in 2026, according to its operator. Check alpen-route.com for the 2027 dates before you plan. Q: Is Omachi a good place to stay? A: Stay in Omachi if you are crossing the Alpine Route in spring or want the quiet south end of Hakuba Valley in winter. Anyone after nightlife should base in Hakuba. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.omachi.nagano.jp/ https://kanko-omachi.gr.jp/ https://www.alpen-route.com/en/ https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16588 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q385375 ### Omihachiman URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/omihachiman Type: Town Local name: 近江八幡市 (ja) Also known as: Omi-Hachiman, Omi Hachiman, Ohmihachiman, 近江八幡 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Coordinates: 35.12832, 136.09791 Kind: City Population: 81,545 Rail: Omi-Hachiman Station serves JR and the Omi Railway. Rentals: Rental bikes run from outside Azuchi Station, one stop east. Website: https://www.city.omihachiman.lg.jp/ Summary: Omihachiman suits riders who want an old merchant town and good food on the east shore, and the station and the old quarter sit about two kilometres apart. The merchant quarter along Hachiman-bori has been a protected district since 1991; under the Toyotomi, boats crossing Lake Biwa were ordered to put in at this canal. Hisago-zushi near the station serves Biwa masu sushi and funazushi, and Taneya's La Collina draws the crowds north of the old town. On the lake, Kyukamura at Miyagahama has its own hot spring and a beach. Okishima is the largest island in Lake Biwa and has a fishing village; boats run out from Horikiri port. The town's name comes from the Himure Hachiman shrine, and the city took the Omi prefix in 1954 to tell itself apart from Yahata in Fukuoka. Q: Is Omihachiman a good place to stay? A: Stay in Omihachiman for the canal-side merchant quarter and some of the best lake-fish cooking on the loop. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/近江八幡市 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q385461 https://www.hisagozushi.com/ https://taneya.jp/la_collina/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Omishima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/omishima Type: Town Local name: 大三島 (ja) Also known as: Omishima Island, Oomishima, Island of the Gods Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Coordinates: 34.24500, 133.01000 Kind: Town Part of: Imabari Population: 4,963 Population: 4,963 at the 2020 census Ferries: Car ferries run between Omishima and Tadanoumi port in Takehara. Summary: Omishima suits riders who want a quiet island with Oyamazumi Shrine and its camphor grove, and the shrine sits on the west coast, a detour from the bridge route. Omishima is the largest island in Ehime and the prefecture's northernmost point, joined to Ikuchijima by the Tatara Bridge, which opened in 1999. Oyamazumi Shrine stands on the west coast at Miyaura, under Mt. Washigato, in a grove of camphor trees protected as a natural monument. It was the chief shrine of old Iyo Province, and the treasures in its museum, opened in 1926, give Omishima its name as the island of national treasures. Citrus farming is the main work, and the island has drawn new residents in recent years after a long fall in population. Riders crossing from Setoda reach the island at the Tatara end; the shrine is a ride across the island to the west. Ferries also run to Tadanoumi in Takehara. Q: Is Omishima a good place to stay? A: Stay on Omishima for quiet nights and an early visit to Oyamazumi Shrine before the day-trippers arrive. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/大三島 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ōyamazumi_Shrine https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9009869 ### Onomichi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/onomichi Type: Town Local name: 尾道 (ja) Also known as: Onomichi City, 尾道市 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Coordinates: 34.40910, 133.20540 Kind: City Population: 131,170 Population: 131,170 at the 2020 census Getting there: Take the Sanyo Shinkansen to Fukuyama or Mihara and change to the JR Sanyo line; Mihara to Onomichi takes about 13 minutes. Bikes: Hotel Cycle and Hotel Beacon Onomichi take bikes into rooms, and Green Hill Hotel Onomichi keeps an indoor rack for 12 bikes. Summary: Onomichi suits riders starting the Shimanami Kaido and anyone who likes a hillside port town of temples and lanes, and its lanes climb in stone steps that no bike can ride. Onomichi squeezes along a narrow band of shore between three temple hills and the channel to Mukaishima, so the town climbs in stone steps and lanes from the waterfront. The port opened in 1168 and shipped rice and trade goods for five centuries, and the merchants' hillside villas still look down on the shipyards across the water. Film-makers often shoot here. For riders it is the Honshu end of the Shimanami Kaido. Onomichi U2, the converted warehouse by the station, holds Hotel Cycle and a Giant store, and the ferries to Mukaishima leave from piers along the same waterfront. Winter is mild here, with January averaging about 5.7 °C, so winter suits a walk in the lanes and a cool ride over the bridges. Eat Onomichi ramen, a soy broth with flat noodles and spoonfuls of pork back fat. Shukaen, the shop most people tie to the style, closed on 18 June 2019, and a relative of its owners opened Chuka Soba Shu in the Juyokka-motomachi area in November 2020. Q: Is Onomichi a good place to stay? A: Stay here the night before you ride, so you can be on the first ferry or the bridge to Mukaishima early, and spend the evening on the temple hills and the arcade. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onomichi,_Hiroshima https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/尾道ラーメン https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q696694 https://onomichi-u2.com/en/about/ https://www.ghh-ono.com/en/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/ ### Osaka URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/osaka Type: Town Local name: 大阪市 (ja) Also known as: Osaka City, 大阪 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Osaka Coordinates: 34.69380, 135.50210 Kind: City Population: 2,751,862 Population: 2,751,862 in Wikidata's figure for 1 March 2021 From KIX: Nankai and the Midosuji subway reach Shin-Osaka in about 1 hour 20 minutes for ¥1,260 on Yahoo's route search for 10 November 2026. Takoyaki at the station: Wanaka's Shin-Osaka shop sits in the Alde Shin-Osaka mall outside the JR gates and opens from 10:00 to 21:00. Summary: Osaka suits riders who land at KIX or arrive at Shin-Osaka and want a night of street food before heading out, and its trade-off is city traffic that makes a guided ride the easier way to see it by bike. Osaka is the arrival city for most of Kansai. Shin-Osaka takes the Shinkansen from Tokyo and the west, and the limited expresses to Kinosaki and Shirahama start here or at Osaka Station one stop south. Cycle Osaka has guided riders round the city since 2013 from a base in Tenma, 10 minutes' walk from Temmabashi. Its half-day loop covers about 15 km past Osaka Castle and the Japan Mint, and its private e-bike day rides about 55 km out to the hills of Minoh. Eat takoyaki. Aizuya in Tamade says its founder made the first ones in 1935 and still serves them without sauce. Wanaka fries them at Sennichimae near Namba and in the station building at Shin-Osaka, one floor below the ticket gates. Q: Is Osaka a good place to stay? A: Stay here for the first or last night of a Kansai trip; Shin-Osaka puts the Shinkansen and the northbound and southbound limited expresses on one platform map. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q35765 https://www.cycleosaka.com/ https://www.cycleosaka.com/bike-tours-half https://www.cycleosaka.com/rural-ebike-tour https://www.cycleosaka.com/directions https://www.aiduya.com/ https://takoyaki-wanaka.com/tenpo-shinosaka.html?250514 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E9%96%A2%E8%A5%BF%E7%A9%BA%E6%B8%AF&to=%E6%96%B0%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=1&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=0&sr=1 ### Otsu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/otsu Type: Town Local name: 大津市 (ja) Also known as: Ohtsu, Ōtsu, Otsu City, 大津 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Coordinates: 35.01796, 135.85460 Kind: City Population: 343,808 Certificate: Otsu Port is a checkpoint for the Biwaichi completion certificate. Rentals: The Biwaichi map lists O-PORT-ABLE Biwaichi bikes at Otsu Port and Road Bike Rental Japan near the Seta bridge. Rail: JR Otsu is one stop from Kyoto; the Kosei Line runs up the west shore and the Keihan line serves Hamaotsu and Sakamoto. Website: https://www.city.otsu.lg.jp/ Summary: Otsu suits riders who want the easiest start from Kyoto and a long run of west-shore stays, and its centre is a working prefectural capital more than a holiday town. Otsu is Shiga's capital and stretches a long way up the west shore. The Hamaotsu waterfront has Biwako Hotel and the ferry terminal, which stamps the Biwaichi certificate. North of the city, Sakamoto is the temple town below Mt. Hiei, where Tsuruya Kihachi has served soba in an 1887 house. Ogoto Onsen has ryokan such as Hanakaido, and Katata has Ukimido and the rakugan sweets at Kintokido. Further north the west shore opens out at Omi-Maiko and Kita-Hira, where J-Hoppers and Hotel Biwa Lake Otsuka sit near the Kosei Line. The Kosei Line trains run up this side, so a tired rider can always get back to town. Q: Is Otsu a good place to stay? A: Stay in Otsu to start the loop one stop from Kyoto, with lakefront hotels at Hamaotsu and quieter beds up the west shore. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/大津市 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q202907 https://www.tsurukisoba.com/about/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation ### Seki Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/seki-onsen Type: Town Local name: 関温泉 (ja) Also known as: Seki, Seki Onsen Myoko Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Coordinates: 36.90630, 138.16210 Kind: Onsen town Summary: Seki Onsen suits powder skiers who want a tiny bath hamlet beside a two-lift resort, and its trade-off is having almost nothing else there. Seki Onsen is a handful of inns on the road above Akakura, set apart from the rest of Myoko Kogen. Its water runs red-brown, one of the three colours Myoko's onsen villages are known for, and Nakamuraya Ryokan advertises the red water in its open-air bath. The Seki Onsen ski area beside the hamlet has only two lifts and draws a following among powder skiers. Tsubame Onsen sits higher up the mountain with milky-white water. Q: Is Seki Onsen a good place to stay? A: Stay in Seki Onsen when the Seki Onsen lifts are the plan and you want to sleep beside them after a red-brown bath. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://myokotourism.jp/stay https://www.myoko753gozen.jp/ https://myokotourism.com/ski-resorts/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11656127 ### Sendai URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/sendai Type: Town Local name: 仙台市 (ja) Also known as: Sendai City, 仙台 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Miyagi Coordinates: 38.26820, 140.86940 Kind: City Population: 1,061,177 From Tokyo: Tohoku Shinkansen, 93 minutes on Hayabusa 101, ¥11,630 (October 2026). From Sendai Airport: Sendai Airport Access Line to Sendai Station. To Yamagata: JR Senzan Line, 87 minutes, ¥1,230. To APPI: APPI runs a guests-only shuttle from Sendai Airport between 5 December 2026 and 4 April 2027; book it with your room. Website: https://www.sentabi.jp/ Summary: Sendai suits anyone flying into Tohoku or breaking the trip north, with gyutan on every block and fast trains to Yamagata, Morioka and Akita. The trade-off is distance from the snow, since even Zao Onsen took nearly three hours by train and bus on the October 2026 timetable. Sendai is Tohoku's biggest city and its main gateway. The Hayabusa reaches it from Tokyo in about an hour and a half, and the Sendai Airport Access Line links the airport with Sendai Station. From here the Tohoku Shinkansen carries on to Morioka and Aomori, the Akita Shinkansen splits off for Tazawako and Kakunodate, and the Senzan Line climbs west to Yamagata. The dish to eat is gyutan, grilled beef tongue. The city's official guide traces it to the first owner of Taisuke, and one of the shops it recommends, Tanabe-ya near Kita-Yonbancho Station, is run by his grandson. Shops differ in the thickness of the cut, the seasoning and how far they grill it, so a second dinner here is a fair comparison. APPI's guests-only winter shuttle also runs from Sendai Airport for skiers heading north. Tips: - JR East asks for no oversized-luggage booking north of Tokyo. Each passenger may carry two items of up to 250 cm and 30 kg, and the luggage areas fill first come, first served, so board early with skis. Q: How long does the shinkansen take from Tokyo to Sendai? A: Hayabusa 101 left Tokyo at 07:16 and reached Sendai at 08:49 on 16 October 2026, 93 minutes, for ¥11,630 in cash. Q: Can you get from Sendai to Zao Onsen by public transport? A: Yes. Take the JR Senzan Line to Yamagata, 87 minutes for ¥1,230, then the Yamako bus to Zao Onsen, 37 minutes for ¥1,200. Q: Is Sendai a good place to stay? A: Stay in Sendai on the first or last night of a Tohoku trip, when a big station, a big choice of hotels and a gyutan dinner matter more than being near a lift. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.sentabi.jp/ https://www.sentabi.jp/access https://www.sentabi.jp/features/42 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E4%BB%99%E5%8F%B0&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E4%BB%99%E5%8F%B0&to=%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E4%BB%99%E5%8F%B0&to=%E8%94%B5%E7%8E%8B%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.appi.co.jp/news/2026winter-shuttle-bus-booking-news/ https://kotobank.jp/word/%E4%BB%99%E5%8F%B0 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q46747 ### Setoda URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/setoda Type: Town Local name: 瀬戸田 (ja) Also known as: Ikuchijima, 生口島, Setoda-cho, Lemon Island Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Coordinates: 34.30480, 133.08510 Kind: Town Part of: Onomichi Population: 8,902 Population: 8,902 for Ikuchijima in 2015 (Wikidata) Ferries: Boats from Mihara reach Setoda in about 30 minutes. Summary: Setoda suits riders and couples who want the best place to stay mid-route, with lemon groves, Kosan-ji and a lively Shiomachi street, and its few good rooms book out early. Setoda is the town on Ikuchijima, the citrus island halfway along the Shimanami Kaido. Lemons are the main crop and the island calls itself Japan's lemon island. Kosan-ji, the temple an industrialist built from 1936 in honour of his mother, copies famous temples from around the country, and its Hill of Hope is paved in Carrara marble. The Shiomachi shopping street runs from the port to the temple, and the best rooms on the route sit along it: Azumi Setoda in a salt merchant's house, the bathhouse inn yubune across the street and SOIL Setoda on the waterfront. Ferries run from Mihara in about 30 minutes, so you can arrive without riding the first half. Q: What does the name Setoda mean? A: Setoda comes from the local name Setoda, meaning rice fields made on the strait. The Geihan Tsushi, the Hiroshima domain's gazetteer, says the town took its name when people filled in the seto, the narrow strait, to make ta, rice fields. We read this through the Japanese Wikipedia article on Setoda-cho, which cites the gazetteer, so treat it as the domain's own account. Q: Is Setoda a good place to stay? A: Stay in Setoda to break the route in the middle, eat along Shiomachi in the evening and soak at yubune. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikuchijima https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kōsan-ji https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/瀬戸田町 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11574434 https://azumi.co/ja/setoda/ https://yubune.co/ https://soilis.co/setoda/ ### Shiga Kogen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/shiga-kogen Type: Town Local name: 志賀高原 (ja) Also known as: Shiga Highlands, Shigakogen, Okushiga, Ichinose, Hasuike Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 36.71980, 138.49230 Kind: Ski village Part of: Yamanouchi From Nagano Station: Nagaden express bus to Shiga Kogen Yamanoeki, about 70 minutes (japan-guide.com). Winter road: Route 292 over Shibu Pass to Kusatsu closes in winter. Website: https://www.shigakogen.gr.jp/ Summary: Shiga Kogen is the high plateau above Yamanouchi where hotel clusters such as Ichinose, Hasuike, Kumanoyu and Okushiga sit beside their own ski areas, and it suits skiers who want altitude and snow that holds into spring. The trade-off is village life: there is little beyond your hotel after dark. Shiga Kogen spreads across a volcanic plateau inside Joshinetsu Kogen National Park, with lakes and ski areas strung along Route 292 and the road to Okushiga. The name dates from the late 1920s and early 1930s, when the Nagano Electric Railway opened its line to Yudanaka and began developing the highlands for skiing. Ichinose is the busy middle of the plateau. Hasuike sits by the bus terminal at Shiga Kogen Yamanoeki, while Okushiga and Yakebitaiyama stand on their own at the far end. Express buses from Nagano Station reach Shiga Kogen Yamanoeki in about 70 minutes, according to japan-guide.com, and many hotels meet guests from there. Snow keeps well up here: Kumanoyu Hotel's own guide puts its ski area five minutes' walk from the door, and Hotel Grand Phenix in Okushiga says its lifts are one minute from the ski lockers. Pick your cluster by the lift you want under your window and expect to eat in your hotel most nights. Tips: - Choose the hotel cluster by its lift, since moving between areas means a shuttle bus. - Bring cash and snacks, because shops are few and close early. Q: How long is the bus from Nagano Station to Shiga Kogen? A: Express buses from Nagano Station reach Shiga Kogen Yamanoeki in about 70 minutes, according to japan-guide.com. Q: When did Shiga Kogen get its name? A: Shiga Kogen took its name in the early Showa era, when the Nagano Electric Railway opened its line to Yudanaka and began developing the plateau, according to the Nipponica encyclopedia. Q: Is Shiga Kogen a good place to stay? A: Stay in Shiga Kogen if your days are about skiing from the door and you are happy with hotel dinners. Anyone who wants restaurants, bars or an onsen street should stay down in Yudanaka or Shibu and ride the bus up. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.shigakogen.gr.jp/ https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6027.html https://www.kumanoyu.co.jp/hotel/faq.html https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16661 https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%BF%97%E8%B3%80%E9%AB%98%E5%8E%9F https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/311115366 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1532916 ### Shimanto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/shimanto Type: Town Local name: 四万十市 (ja) Also known as: Nakamura, Shimanto City, Tosa-Nakamura, 四万十, 中村 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kochi Coordinates: 32.99130, 132.93370 Kind: City Population: 32,551 Population: 32,551 (Wikidata figure for 1 March 2021) Train from Kochi: About 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours to Nakamura. Sada Tunnel works: Full closure on weekdays 8:30–17:00 from 19 October to 19 November 2026, then single-lane until 10 December 2026; work is not planned at weekends. Bridge traffic: Traffic marshals manage the Sada and Iwama bridges during Golden Week and Obon. Summary: Shimanto suits riders who want flat river roads and bridges with no railings, and getting there takes a while: the train from Kochi to Nakamura runs close to two hours. Shimanto is the city at the mouth of the Shimanto River, which runs 196 km and is the longest river in Shikoku. Its official name was the Watari River until 25 July 1994, when the name changed at local request. Nakamura, the old centre, is where the trains stop and the rental bikes start. The tourism association beside Nakamura Station rents bikes, and the Sada sinking bridge is about 50 minutes away by bike. Rin Rin Cycle mountain bikes can be dropped at any of seven terminals between Nakamura and JR Ekawasaki in Nishitosa, so you can ride one way past the bridges. From 19 October to 19 November 2026 the Sada Tunnel on the car road to the Sada bridge closes completely on weekdays between 8:30 and 17:00, then runs one lane at a time until 10 December. In early March the Hata-Shimanto Doppuri Ride sends about 450 riders over two long days from Sukumo, with a 152.5 km day along the river. Q: Is Shimanto a good place to stay? A: Stay in Nakamura for an easy morning ride to the Sada bridge, or upriver at Nishitosa to paddle and ride the bridges near Ekawasaki. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q166946 https://www.shimanto-kankou.com/kanko/shimanto-river/shimantoriver.html https://www.shimanto-kankou.com/route_cycle/ https://canoekan.com/rental/ https://www.nrh-shimanto.co.jp/ https://cycling.hata-kochi.jp/event/ ### Shimoda URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/shimoda Type: Town Local name: 下田 (ja) Also known as: Izukyu-Shimoda, 下田市, Shimoda City Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Coordinates: 34.67950, 138.94530 Kind: Port Population: 20,499 Population: 20,499 on 1 March 2021 (Wikidata) Getting there: The Odoriko or Saphir Odoriko from Tokyo takes about 2 hours 30 minutes; from Atami the JR Ito line and Izukyu line take about 1 hour 30 minutes. Bikes: Kurofune Hotel rents bikes at ¥1,100 for two hours and tandems at ¥2,750, 09:00 to 17:00. Website: https://www.shimoda-city.info/ Summary: Shimoda suits riders and food lovers who want the far end of Izu and the country's biggest kinmedai port, and it sits two and a half hours from Tokyo even on the fastest train. Shimoda is the port at the southern tip of Izu. In the Edo period ships sheltered here waiting for wind on the run between Edo and Osaka, and the old Shimoda Kaido ran down the middle of the peninsula from Mishima to end in town. The farm ministry calls Shimoda the port that lands the most kinmedai in Japan, and October to late March is when the fish carries the most fat. The city tourism office puts Shimoda about two and a half hours from Tokyo on the Odoriko or Saphir Odoriko, or about an hour and a half on the Izukyu line from Atami. That makes it a long day trip and a better overnight. Kurofune Hotel rents bikes at ¥1,100 for two hours and tandems at ¥2,750. Shimoda Tokyu Hotel closes from 18 to 23 October 2026 and again from 18 to 21 January 2027, so check dates if you plan a winter stay there. Q: Is Shimoda a good place to stay? A: Stay a night in Shimoda to eat kinmedai at the source and ride the southern coast and the Amagi road without a dash for the last train. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shimoda-city.info/access/ https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/36_17_shizuoka.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/下田市 https://www.kurofune-hotel.com/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q653402 ### Shin-Hotaka Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/shin-hotaka-onsen Type: Town Local name: 新穂高温泉 (ja) Also known as: Shinhotaka, Shin Hotaka, Shinhotaka Onsen, Okuhida Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Coordinates: 36.26539, 137.56261 Kind: Onsen town Part of: Takayama Bus from Takayama: Nohi Bus to the Shin-Hotaka Ropeway, about once an hour; ¥2,200 (2026), about 1 hour 30 minutes. Ropeway: Planned maintenance stop 24 to 27 November 2026. Parking: The third car park is on a trial of web reservations and fees; see the Okuhida tourism association's notice. Volcano: Yakedake stands south of the village; check the Japan Meteorological Agency's page before hiking. Website: https://okuhida.or.jp/ Summary: Shin-Hotaka Onsen suits people who want the Northern Alps outside the window and riverside baths at the foot of the Shin-Hotaka Ropeway. The trade-off is the long bus ride, about 1 hour 30 minutes from Takayama, and the riverside bath at Shin-Hotaka no Yu shuts for the winter. Shin-Hotaka is the end of the road in Okuhida, where the Kamata River runs below the peaks of the Hotaka range. The Shin-Hotaka Ropeway climbs in two stages to a viewing deck at 2,156 m, and its second car is a double-decker gondola, which is the only one in Japan. Nohi's buses from Takayama end at the ropeway about once an hour, for ¥2,200. Shin-Hotaka no Yu is a riverside pool and the only mixed bath among Okuhida's day baths. Since July 2025 everyone has had to wear a swimsuit or a yuami-gi bathing wrap, and in 2026 it opens only from 18 April to 30 October. Nakazaki Sanso Okuhida no Yu sits a short walk from the ropeway and opens 9:00 to 18:00 for ¥1,000, and Higaku no Yu in Nakao charges ¥950 from late April to mid-December. Takayama City is trialling web reservations and fees at Shin-Hotaka's third car park, so read the Okuhida tourism association's notice before you drive up. The ropeway plans a maintenance stop from 24 to 27 November 2026. Tips: - Buy a yuami-gi for Shin-Hotaka no Yu at Higaku no Yu or Nakazaki Sanso for ¥350. - Check the ropeway's page before a late-November trip; it plans to stop for maintenance from 24 to 27 November 2026. Q: Is Shin-Hotaka no Yu open in winter? A: No. It closes from 31 October to late April, and in 2026 it opens from 18 April to 30 October, 8:00 to 18:00. Q: Do you need a swimsuit at Shin-Hotaka no Yu? A: Yes. Since July 2025 bathers must wear a swimsuit or a yuami-gi wrap, which Higaku no Yu and Nakazaki Sanso sell for ¥350. Q: Is Shin-Hotaka Onsen a good place to stay? A: Stay in Shin-Hotaka to ride the first ropeway of the day and end it in a riverside rotenburo at your inn. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://okuhida.or.jp/hot-springs/ https://okuhida.or.jp/p/hot-spring/%e6%96%b0%e7%a9%82%e9%ab%98%e3%81%ae%e6%b9%af/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/spot/detail_1720.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/spot/detail_1722.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_1721.html https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/route_bus/shinhotaka-line/ https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/260513/ https://okuhida.or.jp/p/topics/%e6%96%b0%e7%a9%82%e9%ab%98%e7%ac%ac%ef%bc%93%e9%a7%90%e8%bb%8a%e5%a0%b4%e3%81%ab%e3%81%8a%e3%81%91%e3%82%8bweb%e4%ba%88%e7%b4%84%e5%88%b6%e3%83%bb%e6%9c%89%e6%96%99%e5%8c%96%e3%81%ae%e5%ae%9f/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/310.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11503887 ### Shiobara Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/shiobara-onsen Type: Town Local name: 塩原温泉郷 (ja) Also known as: Shiobara, Shiobara Onsenkyo, 塩原温泉, 塩原 Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Coordinates: 36.96850, 139.82310 Kind: Onsen town Ski shuttle: Hunter Mountain's free booked shuttle runs from Nasushiobara station via Nasu Garden Outlet, the Furumachi car park and Shin-yu from 12 December 2026 to 28 March 2027. Tourism office: Shiobara Onsen tourism association, 747 Shiobara, phone 0287-32-4000. Website: https://www.siobara.or.jp/ Summary: Shiobara Onsen suits skiers who want a hot-spring inn below Hunter Mountain and walkers who like a gorge full of suspension bridges, and without a car you plan around buses and the ski area's booked shuttle. Shiobara Onsen strings eleven hot-spring villages along the Shiobara gorge in the west of Nasushiobara city. The local tourism association lists day baths from riverside rotenburo to Fuku no Yu at the Shiobara Green Village, and the town park at Yuppo no Sato runs a 60 m foot bath through its garden. Hunter Mountain Shiobara sits up the Nichien Momiji Line between Shiobara and Kinugawa. Its free winter shuttle from Nasushiobara station stops at the prefectural Furumachi car park and at Shin-yu for guests staying in Shiobara, so a ski week here works without a car if you book the bus. Shiobara is also a base for the self-guided e-bike tours run by the Shiobara Onsen tourism association with Nasu's. Check the Tochigi road office's notices before driving the Nichien Momiji Line in winter. Q: Is Shiobara Onsen a good place to stay? A: Stay in Shiobara for an onsen inn within reach of Hunter Mountain's shuttle, and for the gorge walks in the autumn leaves. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.siobara.or.jp/ https://www.siobara.or.jp/spa/daytrip/ https://www.hunter.co.jp/winter/access/ https://ebike-nasu.com/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11428634 ### Shirahama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/shirahama Type: Town Local name: 白浜町 (ja) Also known as: Nanki-Shirahama, Shirahama Town, 南紀白浜, 白浜 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Wakayama Coordinates: 33.67810, 135.34810 Kind: Town Population: 19,120 Population: 19,120 at the end of September 2026, by the town's own count From Shin Osaka: 2 hours 39 minutes on the limited express Kuroshio for ¥6,140 with a reserved seat, on Yahoo's route search for 10 November 2026. Bikes on trains: Kuroshio Cycle carries bikes on the limited express between Shirahama and Shingu; the cycle train runs from Gobo to Shingu. Summary: Shirahama suits riders on the Wakayama coast who want an onsen by the sea and a white-sand beach at the end of the day, and its trade-off is a resort strip that fills in summer and on long weekends. Shirahama is one of the three oldest hot springs in Japan alongside Dogo and Arima, and the town's Sakinoyu has bathed visitors on the rocks above the Pacific since the 7th century. The town lies on the Pacific Cycling Road as it rounds the Kii peninsula, and the limited express Kuroshio reaches it from Shin-Osaka in about 2 hours 40 minutes. Giant Store Nanki-Shirahama rents road bikes and e-bikes from the ground floor of a hotel in the town centre. JR West's Kuroshio Cycle lets you load a bike on the limited express between Shirahama and Shingu. Toretore Ichiba, the fishing co-op's market, sits five minutes' drive from the station and opens from 8:30. Q: Is Shirahama a good place to stay? A: Stay a night for a soak at Sakinoyu and a swim or walk on Shirarahama beach before the ride south toward Kushimoto. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.town.shirahama.wakayama.jp/ https://www.town.shirahama.wakayama.jp/kanko/onsen/1454046714439.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1202728 https://wakayama800.jp/cycle-train/ https://giant-store.jp/nankishirahama/ https://www.toretore.com/ichiba/access.html https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%96%B0%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA&to=%E7%99%BD%E6%B5%9C&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=1&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=1&lb=1&sr=1 ### Shirakawa-go URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/shirakawa-go Type: Town Local name: 白川郷 (ja) Also known as: Shirakawago, Shirakawa-go Ogimachi, Ogimachi, 荻町, 白川村, Shirakawa Village Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Coordinates: 36.25666, 136.90504 Kind: Village Bus from Takayama: Nohi Bus, about 50 minutes; ¥2,800, then ¥2,900 from 1 December 2026. Some departures are reservation only. Bus to Kanazawa: Nohi and Hokutetsu buses continue to Kanazawa; ¥2,800, then ¥2,900 from 1 December 2026. Parking: Seseragi Park car park, 8:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30): car ¥2,000, motorcycle ¥500. Tour buses need a reservation from 1 December 2026. Light up 2027: 11, 17, 24 and 31 January; parking reservations required for every vehicle. White Road: Closed from 11 November until early summer (12 June in 2026); no bicycles or motorcycles at any time. Website: https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/ Summary: Ogimachi in Shirakawa-go suits travellers who will walk the village slowly and treat it as the home of the families who still live in its thatched gassho houses. The trade-off in winter is snow and planning: February snow reaches 170 cm or more, and the light-up evenings need a reservation for every vehicle. Ogimachi is the main village of Shirakawa-go, and its gassho-zukuri houses carry thatched roofs pitched at 45 to 60 degrees to shed heavy snow. It became a national preservation district in 1976 and a World Heritage Site with Gokayama in Toyama in 1995. The residents agreed never to sell, rent out or tear down the houses, and the village still runs on yui, neighbours working together on jobs such as rethatching roofs. Families live in these houses, so keep to the lanes and out of gardens and rice fields. Wada House is the largest gassho house in Ogimachi and a national Important Cultural Property; it is still a home and opens its first two floors for ¥400. Kanda House climbs to four storeys for the same price, and the open-air museum Gassho-zukuri Minkaen keeps 26 houses moved from around the village for ¥800. Snow reaches 170 cm or more by February, and the record is 4.5 m. The 2027 light-up falls on 11, 17, 24 and 31 January, and the tourist association hands out its rooms for those nights by lottery, with applications closing on 31 October 2026. The Hakusan Shirakawa-go White Road over to Ishikawa closes from 11 November until the snow clears, which was 12 June in 2026, and it bans bicycles and motorcycles at all times. Tips: - Park at Seseragi Park and cross the suspension bridge; a car costs ¥2,000 and a motorcycle ¥500, and the car park runs 8:00 to 17:00. - Book Nohi's reservation-only departures from Takayama ahead, above all for the autumn colour from late October to mid-November. - Gassho minshuku guests get ¥100 off adult entry at Shirakawago no Yu, which is two minutes' walk from the bus terminal. Q: How do you get to Shirakawa-go from Takayama? A: Take the Nohi bus from the Takayama bus centre, about 50 minutes. The fare is ¥2,800 and rises to ¥2,900 from 1 December 2026, and some departures are reservation only. No train runs to Shirakawa-go. Q: When is the Shirakawa-go light-up in 2027? A: On 11, 17, 24 and 31 January 2027. Every vehicle needs a parking reservation on those days, and the tourist association allocated its rooms by lottery for applications made from 1 to 31 October 2026. Q: Can you cycle the White Road to Shirakawa-go? A: No. The Hakusan Shirakawa-go White Road bans all two-wheelers, and it closes for winter from 11 November until the snow clears in June. Q: Is Shirakawa-go a good place to stay? A: Stay one night in a gassho minshuku to eat by the irori hearth and walk the lanes early in the morning. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/highlights/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/access/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/events/145/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/events/138/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/active/3/ https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/route_bus/shirakawago/ https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/%e3%80%902026%e5%b9%b44%e6%9c%881%e6%97%a5%ef%bd%9e%e3%80%91%e9%ab%98%e9%80%9f%e9%ab%98%e5%b1%b1%ef%bd%9e%e7%99%bd%e5%b7%9d%e9%83%b7%e3%83%bb%e9%87%91%e6%b2%a2%e3%83%bb%e5%af%8c%e5%b1%b1%e3%83%bb/ https://hs-whiteroad.jp/ https://www.vill.shirakawa.lg.jp/2205.htm https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1002193 ### Shizukuishi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/shizukuishi Type: Town Local name: 雫石町 (ja) Also known as: Shizukuishi Town, 雫石 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Coordinates: 39.69630, 140.97580 Kind: Town Population: 15,589 From Morioka: JR Tazawako Line, 19 minutes, ¥350 (October 2026). From Tokyo: Tohoku Shinkansen to Morioka, then the Tazawako Line; 2 hours 45 minutes with the change on the morning sample. Amihari season: 19 December 2026 to 28 March 2027 (planned). Volcano: Mt. Iwate is an active volcano with no eruption warning on 11 October 2026 (JMA). Bears: Iwate Prefecture's bear warning has been in force since 22 April 2026. Shizukuishi Prince Hotel bus: Free from Morioka Station's West Exit, about 50 minutes, 18 December 2026 to 28 March 2027; book three days ahead on 019-693-1114. Website: https://www.town.shizukuishi.iwate.jp/ Summary: Shizukuishi suits skiers who want two quieter ski areas on the slopes of Mt. Iwate, 19 minutes from Morioka by train. The trade-off is a short season at Amihari, which runs from 19 December 2026 to 28 March 2027. Shizukuishi is a farming town west of Morioka on the Tazawako Line and the Akita Shinkansen. Its two ski areas sit on the south-west flank of Mt. Iwate: Shizukuishi, beside the Shizukuishi Prince Hotel, and Amihari Onsen, with a day bathhouse called Yakushi-no-yu. Amihari plans to open on 19 December 2026 and close on 28 March 2027. The town keeps busy outside winter too. The Prince Hotel's Shizukuishi Ginga Ropeway runs evening rides from April to early November for stargazing above the town's lights, and the Kakkonda Gorge turns in October. The town is promoting Shizukuishi beef, and the Anekko roadside station sells local produce. Tips: - Iwate Prefecture recorded about six times its usual number of bear sightings from January to March 2026, so check its bear page before walking in the woods round the ski areas. - Show an Amihari season pass at Yakushi-no-yu for the day bathhouse's discount. Q: When is Amihari Onsen ski area open in 2026/27? A: The town lists 19 December 2026 to 28 March 2027 as the planned season. Q: How do you get to Shizukuishi from Morioka? A: JR Tazawako Line trains take 19 minutes from Morioka to Shizukuishi for ¥350. Q: Is Shizukuishi a good place to stay? A: Stay in Shizukuishi if you want to ski uncrowded slopes and keep Morioka's restaurants a short train ride away. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.town.shizukuishi.iwate.jp/category/bunya/kankou/ https://www.town.shizukuishi.iwate.jp/docs/2026081400018/ https://www.town.shizukuishi.iwate.jp/docs/2026040700012/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E7%9B%9B%E5%B2%A1&to=%E9%9B%AB%E7%9F%B3&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=09&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E9%9B%AB%E7%9F%B3&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/sendai/207_Iwatesan/207_index.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/map_0.html https://www.pref.iwate.jp/kurashikankyou/shizen/yasei/1049881/1043255.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1348478 https://www.princehotels.co.jp/shizukuishi/access/ ### Shuzenji URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/shuzenji Type: Town Local name: 修善寺 (ja) Also known as: Shuzenji Onsen, 修善寺温泉, Izu Shuzenji, Shuzen-ji Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Address: 静岡県伊豆市修善寺 Coordinates: 34.97050, 138.92750 Kind: Onsen town Population: Shuzenji is part of Izu city, which had 28,493 people on 1 March 2021 (Wikidata). Getting there: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Mishima, then the Izuhakone Railway to Shuzenji, about 32 minutes. A bus to Shuzenji Onsen takes about 10 minutes. Bikes: The Japan Cycle Sports Center's 5 km circuit and Izu MTB course are closed from 1 July to 7 December 2026. Cytel, the lodge inside the centre, gives guests free park entry. Winter: The cycle centre opens 10:00 to 16:00 from December to February, closes on Wednesdays and Thursdays except from 25 December to 3 January, and shuts for maintenance from 1 to 5 February 2027. Website: https://www.shuzenji-kankou.com/ Summary: Shuzenji suits riders who want a quiet onsen town with the Japan Cycle Sports Center up the hill, and the centre's road circuit stays shut until 7 December 2026. Shuzenji grew up around Shuzen-ji, the temple the town says Kukai founded in 807, and its ryokan line the river below it in a narrow green valley in the middle of Izu. The tourism association calls it one of the oldest hot spring towns on the peninsula. In the evening the Bamboo Grove Path along the river stays lit until 23:00, and Hako-yu takes day bathers for ¥700 until 21:00. For riders the draw sits on the hill to the north-east: the Japan Cycle Sports Center, with a 5 km road circuit, the Izu MTB course and the Izu Velodrome, the 250 m wooden track that hosted Olympic track cycling. The circuit and MTB course close from 1 July to 7 December 2026 while the centre hosts the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and Asian Para Games, and velodrome visits stop until further notice. Through the winter the park opens 10:00 to 16:00 and closes on Wednesdays and Thursdays, except from 25 December to 3 January, and it shuts for maintenance from 1 to 5 February 2027. Shuzenji is also the end of the Izuhakone Railway from Mishima, which makes it the easy rail way into central Izu. From the station a bus runs about 10 minutes up to the onsen. The Amagi road south toward Kawazu and Shimoda starts here, and so does the climb west toward Toi and the west coast. Q: What does the name Shuzenji mean? A: Shuzenji comes from the local name 修善寺, meaning the town takes its name from Shuzen-ji, the temple at its centre; the temple itself writes its name 修禅寺. The Shuzenji tourism association says the temple gave the onsen town its name and presents the founding by Kukai in 807 as tradition. Q: Is Shuzenji a good place to stay? A: Stay here to ride central Izu from a ryokan bath, with the Shinkansen at Mishima half an hour away by train, or book Cytel inside the cycle centre for the cheapest bed near the circuit. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shuzenji-kankou.com/enjoy.html https://www.shuzenji-kankou.com/spa.html https://www.shuzenji-kankou.com/access2.html https://www.shuzenji-kankou.com/history-top.html https://www.csc.or.jp/ https://www.csc.or.jp/2026/07/post-13139/ https://www.csc.or.jp/eat/stay/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11386312 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q696840 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11506471 https://www.csc.or.jp/about/ ### Suginosawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/suginosawa Type: Town Local name: 杉野沢 (ja) Also known as: Suginohara village, Suginosawa Onsen, 杉野沢温泉, Suginohara Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 新潟県妙高市杉野沢 Coordinates: 36.85000, 138.16320 Kind: Ski village Evening meals: Book dinner at your inn; Myoko Tourism's inn listings warn that the village has no restaurants. Winter shuttle: The Mt. Myoko shuttle starts at the Suginohara ski area and stops at the Suginosawa fire station. Summary: Suginosawa suits families who want to sleep at the foot of Myoko Suginohara and its long run, and its trade-off is a farming village with almost nowhere to eat at night. Suginosawa is the old farming village below Myoko Suginohara, the resort with the longest run in Myoko Kogen at about 8.5 kilometres. Lodges and pensions line the lanes up to the lifts, and the village bath Naena-no-yu sits in the middle. There is almost nowhere to eat out in the evening, so book a plan with dinner. Two Pines bakes pizza in the village in winter, and Red Fox Lodge runs The Den. Inns such as Tabataya grow their own rice. In the 2025/26 season the Mt. Myoko shuttle ran from Suginohara to Akakura through Ikenotaira for ¥1,000 a ride. Several lodges also run their own first-lift and station runs. Q: Is Suginosawa a good place to stay? A: Stay in Suginosawa for the Suginohara lifts at the door and a quiet night, with a dinner plan at your inn. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://myokotourism.jp/stay https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/%e3%82%a2%e3%83%ab%e3%83%95%e3%82%a1%e3%82%a4%e3%83%b3%e7%a7%80%e9%9b%b2%e8%8d%98/ https://myokotourism.com/winter-bus-service/ https://www.redfoxlodge.com https://www.tabataya.net/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11522368 ### Suzuka URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/suzuka Type: Town Local name: 鈴鹿市 (ja) Also known as: Suzuka City, 鈴鹿 Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Mie Coordinates: 34.88197, 136.58417 Kind: City Population: 195,250 Venue: Suzuka Circuit Ino Station sits about 1.5 km east of the circuit. Events: Team offices go on sale through the circuit's site a few weeks before each cycling event. Website: https://www.suzukacircuit.jp/ Summary: Suzuka suits riders entering the 8-hour enduro or the Shimano Suzuka Road, and on other weekends the circuit belongs to motorsport. Suzuka Circuit opens its full 5.807 km international course to bikes twice a year. The Shimano Suzuka Road ran on 26 and 27 September 2026, and the 27th Suzuka 8-Hour Enduro runs on Saturday 14 November 2026. Entries for the enduro closed on 5 October. The circuit sells air-conditioned team offices by the pits for each event, and the Suzuka Circuit Hotel takes bookings for race weekends. Q: Is Suzuka a good place to stay? A: Stay in Suzuka for a cycling weekend at Suzuka Circuit, when the full international course opens to bikes. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.suzukacircuit.jp/bicycle_s/ https://suzuka8h.powertag.jp/ https://suzuka8h.powertag.jp/2026/02_2.html https://suzuka8h.powertag.jp/2026/01_1.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q207311 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q174170 ### Tahara URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/tahara Type: Town Local name: 田原市 (ja) Also known as: Tahara City, Atsumi Peninsula, 渥美半島, 田原 Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Coordinates: 34.66875, 137.26422 Kind: City Population: 59,015 Rail: Mikawa-Tahara is the end of the Toyotetsu Atsumi line from Shin-Toyohashi. Repairs: The Pacific Cycling Road council lists Futabaya (0531-22-0438) in Tahara and Amano Jitensha (0531-32-1045) in Fukue. Rinko bags: Some Atsumi Cycle Supporter businesses lend a rinko bag; Tahara city's commerce and tourism office keeps the list. Website: https://www.taharakankou.gr.jp/ Summary: Tahara suits riders crossing the Atsumi Peninsula on flat farm roads between two coasts, and most of the beds sit out at Irago on the far tip. Tahara city covers almost the whole Atsumi Peninsula, and the Pacific Cycling Road runs its length from Michi-no-Eki Shiomizaka on the Shizuoka side to Cape Irago. The Toyotetsu line ends at Mikawa-Tahara, so a rider can take the cycle train from Toyohashi and start here. The tourism bureau's list, dated June 2024, has free town bikes going out from the Mikawa-Tahara ticket window and four other counters in the centre, for use inside the city. On the Pacific side the Rokkun e-bikes rent from Michi-no-Eki Tahara Mekkun House and Akabane Loco Station at ¥500 an hour. You can leave one at another of the peninsula's roadside stations for ¥2,000 extra. The city certifies cafés, shops and inns as Atsumi Cycle Supporters when they have a rack or a repair kit, and some keep a rinko bag to lend; look for the sticker by the door. If something breaks, the national route council lists five repair stops in the city, from Futabaya in Tahara town to Amano Jitensha in Fukue. The seventh Off-Road Triathlon in Tahara runs on 1 November 2026 from Shiroya Beach Park, with a 23 km mountain-bike leg in the hills behind it. Q: Is Tahara a good place to stay? A: Stay in Tahara to ride the Atsumi Peninsula end to end, with the Pacific surf coast on one side and Mikawa Bay on the other. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.taharakankou.gr.jp/special/rental_cycle/index.php https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/trouble/aichi.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/aichi.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/ccr9dq0000000nsd-att/khmf2300000000fu.pdf https://www.toyotetsu.com/atsumisen/cycletrain.html https://www.wsresult.com/offtratahara/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q501891 ### Takamatsu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/takamatsu Type: Town Local name: 高松 (ja) Also known as: Takamatsu City, 高松市 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kagawa Coordinates: 34.34280, 134.04660 Kind: City Population: 417,814 Population: 417,814 (Wikidata figure for 1 September 2020) Udon hours: Many noodle-maker counters keep short hours and shut when the day's udon runs out; check before you ride out. Summary: Takamatsu suits udon hunters who are happy to eat noodles before 7:00, and many noodle-maker counters close as soon as the day's batch sells out. Takamatsu is the capital of Kagawa, which has called itself Udon Prefecture since 2011. Self-service shops are the easiest start: take a bowl of noodles at the counter, add tempura, pay, then pour the broth yourself. Udon Bakaichidai in Taga-machi opens at 6:00 every day but New Year's Day. Ritsurin Garden, finished in 1745 as a strolling garden for the local lords and opened to the public in 1875, is one of the largest of its kind in Japan. It sits at the eastern foot of Mt. Shiun. Q: Is Takamatsu a good place to stay? A: Stay near Kawaramachi, under a kilometre from the 6:00 udon counter at Bakaichidai. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q200707 https://www.my-kagawa.jp/udon/feature/sanukiudon/TOP https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/讃岐うどん https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritsurin_Garden http://www.udonbakaichidai.co.jp/ ### Takasaki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/takasaki Type: Town Local name: 高崎市 (ja) Also known as: Takasaki City, 高崎, Takasaki Station Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Coordinates: 36.32247, 139.01278 Kind: City Population: 372,639 Population: 372,639 in Wikidata's March 2021 figure Rail: Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen, the JR Joetsu Line to Minakami, and through limited expresses to the Agatsuma Line for Kusatsu. Summary: Takasaki suits travellers who want one Shinkansen base for Minakami, Kusatsu and Karuizawa with a hotel inside the station, and it is a commuter city with little reason to linger once the trains are sorted. Takasaki Station is where the Joetsu Shinkansen to Niigata and the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano split, and nine lines meet there, which makes it the biggest terminal in northern Kanto. The JR Joetsu Line runs local trains north to Minakami, and the limited expresses for Kusatsu on the Agatsuma Line pass through on their way from Ueno. That makes the station a good place to sleep before an early train into the mountains. Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki fills floors 6 to 10 of the station building and opened in 1982, ahead of the Joetsu Shinkansen. For the train, buy a daruma bento from Takaben, the local ekiben maker since 1884, which sells it at ¥1,500 since its 1 June 2026 price change. Q: Is Takasaki a good place to stay? A: Stay one night at the station when you arrive late from the airport and want the first train to Minakami or Kusatsu. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/高崎駅 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ホテルメトロポリタン高崎 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/吾妻線 https://takasaki.metropolitan.jp/ https://www.takaben.co.jp/obento/ekiben.html https://www.takaben.co.jp/topics/2026/000290.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q336438 ### Takashima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/takashima Type: Town Local name: 高島市 (ja) Also known as: Takashima City, Makino, Imazu, 高島 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Coordinates: 35.35305, 136.03577 Kind: City Population: 46,246 Certificate: Imazu Port, STAGEX Takashima and the tourist office at JR Omi-Takashima are checkpoints for the Biwaichi completion certificate. Bike shop: MAD FIX CYCLE WORKS in Imazu is on the Biwaichi map. Shipping: Yamato Transport has depots in Imazu and Adogawa for sending bikes and bags. Rentals: Makino Pickland rents bikes from ¥300 for two hours. Website: https://www.city.takashima.lg.jp/ Summary: Takashima suits riders who want the calmest and greenest stretch of the loop, and its towns are small, with early closing and long gaps between shops. Takashima runs from Omi-Takashima up to the top of the lake. Makino has the Metasequoia avenue, with Makino Pickland's café beside it, and Kaizu has Korian, where Uoji has fermented carp since 1784. In cherry season the Kaizu-Osaki shore road jams and the Biwaichi map shows a detour. Imazu is the ferry town, with the Sun Bridge hotel on the water and a bike shop in the centre. Down the shore, Harie is the village where spring water runs through kitchens, and Shin-Asahi has the STAGEX glamping site. Adogawa has a plain hotel right outside the station. Pizzeria Makino shuts for the winter, so check before you ride up in the cold months. Q: Is Takashima a good place to stay? A: Stay in Takashima for the quiet north-west shore around Makino and Imazu, where funazushi is still made by the lake. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q845794 https://uoji.co.jp/korian https://pic-land.com/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation ### Takayama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/takayama Type: Town Local name: 高山市 (ja) Also known as: Hida-Takayama, Hida Takayama, 飛騨高山, 高山, Takayama City Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Coordinates: 36.14603, 137.25217 Kind: City Population: 85,199 From Nagoya: Limited express Hida, about 2 hours 15 minutes with no change; ¥6,140 with a reserved seat in regular season (November 2026). To Shirakawa go: Nohi Bus from the Takayama bus centre, about 50 minutes; ¥2,800, rising to ¥2,900 from 1 December 2026. Some departures are reservation only. To Okuhida: Nohi Bus about once an hour; ¥1,600 to Hirayu Onsen and ¥2,200 to the Shin-Hotaka Ropeway (2026). Accommodation tax: Since 1 October 2025, per person per night: ¥100 under ¥10,000, ¥200 from ¥10,000 and ¥300 from ¥30,000. Primary-school-age children are exempt. Route 158: Closed for 2.4 km in Nyukawa since 25 February 2026; the city-road detour adds about 10 minutes and no reopening date is set. Website: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/ Summary: Takayama suits anyone who wants an old merchant town with good food, an onsen hotel near the station and buses out to Shirakawa-go and the Okuhida hot springs. The trade-off is the slow road to Okuhida this winter, where a landslide detour adds about 10 minutes to every bus. The old merchant quarter of Sanmachi is a grid of dark timber houses on the east bank of the Miyagawa River, about 15 minutes' walk from the station. The Miyagawa morning market sets up along the river every day of the year, from 7:00 to noon between April and November and from 8:00 in winter. The city's English guide explains the local ramen, where the soy base boils in the pot with the broth, and the mitarashi dango, which Takayama grills with soy sauce and no sugar. On a cold night order hoba miso, where miso, leeks and mushrooms grill on a dried magnolia leaf over a small stove at your table. The limited express Hida runs from Nagoya in about 2 hours 15 minutes, and a reserved seat cost ¥6,140 for a November 2026 trip. Nohi Bus leaves the bus centre beside the station for Shirakawa-go in about 50 minutes and for Hirayu Onsen and the Shin-Hotaka Ropeway about once an hour. The Shirakawa-go fare goes up from ¥2,800 to ¥2,900 on 1 December 2026, and some departures take reservations only. A landslide on 25 February 2026 closed 2.4 km of Route 158 in Nyukawa, on the road to Okuhida, and a second slip at the same spot in April pushed the repair further out. Cars and the Nohi buses detour along a city road that adds about 10 minutes, and no reopening date has been set. Since 1 October 2025 the city has also charged an accommodation tax of ¥100 to ¥300 a person a night, and the rate rises with the room price. Tips: - Book Nohi's reservation-only Shirakawa-go departures before you travel; the rest run without a booking. - Allow extra time for the Okuhida buses, which run the Route 158 detour and can arrive late. - Expect your inn to add the accommodation tax of ¥100 to ¥300 a person a night, either with the booking or at check-in. Q: How do you get to Takayama from Nagoya? A: Take the limited express Hida from Nagoya. It takes about 2 hours 15 minutes with no change, and a reserved seat cost ¥6,140 in regular season for a November 2026 trip. Q: What is Takayama ramen? A: Takayama ramen is a bowl of thin curly noodles in a clear soy broth. Takayama's city guide says the soy base is boiled together with the broth in the pot, where most ramen shops mix the base into each bowl. Q: Is the road from Takayama to Okuhida open? A: Yes, by a detour. Route 158 has been closed for 2.4 km in Nyukawa since a landslide on 25 February 2026, and cars and the Nohi buses use a parallel city road that adds about 10 minutes. Q: Is Takayama a good place to stay? A: Stay in Takayama to walk to dinner from your room and start every day trip from one bus centre. Shirakawa-go and the Okuhida onsen villages are both about an hour away by bus, and Hida-Furukawa is 17 minutes up the line. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/access/index.html https://www.hida.jp/english/localspeciality/food/4000215.html https://www.hida.jp/english/traveltips/practicalguide/4001680.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/news/detail_174.html https://okuhida.or.jp/p/topics/%e5%9b%bd%e9%81%93158%e5%8f%b7%e3%80%80%e5%9c%9f%e7%a0%82%e5%b4%a9%e3%82%8c%e3%81%ab%e4%bc%b4%e3%81%86%e9%80%9a%e8%a1%8c%e6%ad%a2%e3%82%81%e3%81%ab%e3%81%a4%e3%81%84%e3%81%a6/ https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/route_bus/shirakawago/ https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/%e3%80%902026%e5%b9%b44%e6%9c%881%e6%97%a5%ef%bd%9e%e3%80%91%e9%ab%98%e9%80%9f%e9%ab%98%e5%b1%b1%ef%bd%9e%e7%99%bd%e5%b7%9d%e9%83%b7%e3%83%bb%e9%87%91%e6%b2%a2%e3%83%bb%e5%af%8c%e5%b1%b1%e3%83%bb/ https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/route_bus/shinhotaka-line/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_1127.html https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E5%90%8D%E5%8F%A4%E5%B1%8B&to=%E9%AB%98%E5%B1%B1&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q622594 ### Takehara URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/takehara Type: Town Local name: 竹原 (ja) Also known as: Takehara City, 竹原市, Aki's Little Kyoto Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Coordinates: 34.34180, 132.90690 Kind: Town Population: 23,993 Population: 23,993 at the 2020 census Summary: Takehara suits slow travellers who want a preserved salt-merchant quarter, and it sits off the Shimanami route with a ferry hop to reach the islands. Takehara grew rich on salt in the second half of the Edo period, and its preserved district of old warehouses, merchant houses and temples made the list of Japan's 100 most scenic towns. The town is small, with a population just under 24,000 at the 2020 census. Okunoshima, the island where the Imperial Japanese Army ran a poison gas plant, belongs to Takehara, and a visit there calls for the care you would bring to any memorial. Car ferries to Omishima leave from Tadanoumi port. Q: Is Takehara a good place to stay? A: Stay in Takehara for an evening in the old quarter and an early ferry from Tadanoumi to Omishima. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takehara,_Hiroshima https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q200500 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/大三島 ### Tateyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/tateyama Type: Town Local name: 館山 (ja) Also known as: Tateyama City, 館山市, Tateyama Chiba, Awa Tateyama Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Coordinates: 34.99660, 139.87000 Kind: City Population: 44,692 Population: 44,692, Wikidata's March 2021 figure Getting there: JR Uchibo line. From 5 October 2026 trains ran between Kisarazu and Awa-Kamogawa at about half the usual frequency, with a replacement bus between Nagaura and Anegasaki. Rental bikes: Tateyama City Tourism Association, Tateyama Station west exit, 9:30–17:00. JBT Shop Tateyama, another rental by the station, closed on 23 September 2026. Repairs: Kuroshiba Cycle in Masaki and AEON BIKE Tateyama in Yawata are on the Pacific Cycling Road council's repair list. Bike rack bus: JR Bus Kanto's Tateyama branch runs a route bus with a front rack for two bikes. Website: https://tateyamacity.com/ Summary: Tateyama suits riders who want a base at the southern tip of the Boso Peninsula with road bikes for hire at the station, and its trade-off in autumn 2026 is a slow rail link to Tokyo after typhoon damage north of Kisarazu. Tateyama curls round a sheltered bay at the southern end of Boso, and the coast road leaves town for the Flower Line along Heisaura beach and on to Nojimasaki. The tourism association runs its rental desk at the west exit of Tateyama Station with more than 50 bikes. Carbon road bikes cost ¥5,000 a day and the e-assist cross bikes ¥4,000, so you can step off the train and ride. Lunch in Tateyama means the aburi kaisendon. Local restaurants agreed on this lightly seared seafood bowl as the town's premium dish, and you book it by 10:00 the day before. Umi no Hana serves it one minute from the station's west exit, and Hana Sohonten serves it five minutes from the east exit. Typhoon No. 25 hit Chiba in late September 2026. JR restarted trains between Kisarazu and Awa-Kamogawa on 26 September at about half the usual service, and the line north of Kisarazu needs a replacement bus between Nagaura and Anegasaki. The tourism association warns that the trip from Tateyama to Chiba Station takes three changes and that road traffic makes the arrival time hard to predict. Q: Is Tateyama a good place to stay? A: Stay two nights to ride the Flower Line and the southern cape with a bike fitted at the station, and book seafood lunches a day ahead. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.tateyama.chiba.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q646755 https://tateyamacity.com/rental-cycle https://tateyamacity.com/sportsbike-rental https://www.tateyama-gourmet.com/shops/index.html https://tateyamacity.com/archives/35450 https://tateyamacity.com/archives/35463 https://www.jrbustech.co.jp/wp/shop_service https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/trouble/chiba.html ### Tateyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/tateyama-toyama Type: Town Local name: 立山町 (ja) Also known as: Tateyama Toyama, Tateyama Town, Tateyama Station, Senjugahara, 立山, 立山駅 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Coordinates: 36.58322, 137.44544 Kind: Town From Toyama: Toyama Chiho Railway from Dentetsu-Toyama to Tateyama Station, about an hour. Up the route: Tateyama Cable Car to Bijodaira, about 7 minutes; highland bus to Murodo, about 50 minutes. Fare to Murodo: Tateyama Station to Murodo ¥4,090 one way and ¥7,380 return for adults, on fares current from 27 February 2026. Season: Alpine Route open 15 April to 30 November in 2026. Parking: Tateyama Station, about 900 free spaces plus about 600 in the temporary lot. Website: https://yukutabi-tateyama.jp/ Summary: Tateyama suits skiers and sightseers who want to sleep at the foot of the Alpine Route and catch the first cable car up, and its trade-off is a quiet station area where the route and several businesses shut from December to mid-April. Tateyama town climbs from the rice fields east of Toyama to the 3,003 m summit of Mt. Oyama, the main peak of the Tateyama range. The Alpine Route starts at Tateyama Station at the end of the Toyama Chiho Railway line, about an hour from Dentetsu-Toyama. A cable car lifts you to Bijodaira in about seven minutes, and the highland bus takes about 50 more to reach Murodo at 2,450 m. In 2026 the route ran from 15 April to 30 November, and the 2027 opening date was not out when we checked in October 2026. From mid-April the bus climbs between the snow walls of the Yuki-no-Otani, and skiers carry their boards and skis up to Murodo's spring snow. Ashikuraji, the village below the station, was home to the guides and priests of Tateyama worship, and Oyama Shrine's Chugu Kiganden still stands there. Tateyama Station has about 900 free parking spaces and a temporary overflow lot of about 600, and both fill on autumn holiday weekends. Locomotion Coffee and Bed, a minute from the station, opened its café at 7:00 on 15 April 2026 and closes from December to March. Tips: - Spring ski tourers must file a mountain entry form for Murodo in April, May and November, online through Compass or at the safety desk inside Murodo Terminal. - Carry an avalanche beacon and a portable toilet above Murodo; Toyama's rules for the snow season require both. Q: Is Tateyama a good place to stay? A: Stay at Tateyama Station to be first in the queue for the cable car on a spring ski day or a snow-wall morning. If you want restaurants and nightlife, stay in Toyama and take the first train up. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.alpen-route.com/en/ https://www.alpen-route.com/access_new/fare/person/ https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/30003 https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/102804 https://www.lococab.com/ http://www.oyamajinja.org/oyamajinja_002.htm https://toyamaken-sotaikyo.jp/rule/ https://www.mikuri.com/access/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7688024 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q670189 ### Tazawako URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/tazawako Type: Town Local name: 田沢湖 (ja) Also known as: Lake Tazawa, Tazawa-ko, Tazawako Town, 田沢湖町, Nyuto Onsen Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Coordinates: 39.70010, 140.73070 Kind: Town From Tokyo: Akita Shinkansen, 2 hours 53 minutes on Komachi 3, ¥16,760 (October 2026). To the lake: Bus from Tazawako Station to the lakeshore, about 15 minutes. To the ski area: Bus from Tazawako Station, about 30 minutes. From Akita Airport: Akita Airport Liner, about 100 minutes to the Tazawako area. Information: Forake desk inside Tazawako Station, 8:30 to 17:15. Volcano: Mt. Akita-Komagatake is an active volcano with no eruption warning on 11 October 2026 (JMA). Bears: Akita Prefecture's bear advisory runs from 1 to 31 October 2026. Nyuto in winter: The road to Kuroyu and Magoroku closes in winter, and the Yumeguri-go bath-hopping bus skips them from late November to early April. Website: https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/ Summary: Tazawako suits travellers who want Japan's deepest lake, a ski area that looks down on it and the old inns of Nyuto Onsen up the valley. The trade-off is that everything spreads out along bus routes from Tazawako Station. Lake Tazawa is 423.4 metres deep, the deepest lake in Japan, and close to round, about 20 km in circumference. The Heibonsha encyclopedia notes that it does not freeze in winter. Legend makes the lake the home of Tatsuko, a girl who wished for lasting beauty and became its guardian, and her bronze statue stands on the west shore near Goza-no-ishi Shrine. In 1940 acid water from the Tama River was diverted into the lake for power and farming, which killed its native kunimasu trout, and neutralising work has since brought fish back. The Tazawako area has four groups of hot springs. Nyuto Onsen-kyo has seven springs, each with its own source and many in thatched or old wooden buildings. Mizusawa Onsen sits close to the Tazawako ski area with hotels, pensions and minshuku, Tazawako Kogen looks over the lake toward Mt. Akita-Komagatake, and Tamagawa Onsen claims the biggest flow from a single source in Japan. The Akita Shinkansen stops at Tazawako Station, where the Forake information centre opens from 8:30 to 17:15. Buses take about 15 minutes to the lake's main shore and about 30 minutes to the ski area, and the Nyuto line continues up to the onsen. Tips: - Akita Prefecture switched its bear warning to an advisory for October 2026 and asks walkers to make noise and check its Kumadas map, so read it before any lakeside or forest walk outside the ski season. - Pick up bus timetables at the Forake desk inside Tazawako Station before you head for Nyuto. Q: How deep is Lake Tazawa? A: Lake Tazawa is 423.4 metres deep at its deepest point, the deepest lake in Japan. Q: How do you get to Tazawako from Tokyo? A: The Akita Shinkansen runs direct. Komachi 3 left Tokyo at 07:32 and reached Tazawako at 10:25 on 16 October 2026, for ¥16,760 in cash. Q: Does Lake Tazawa freeze in winter? A: No. The Heibonsha encyclopedia notes that the lake stays unfrozen through the winter. Q: Is Tazawako a good place to stay? A: Stay at Tazawako if you want a ski day with a lake view and a night in a mountain onsen inn, with Kakunodate one stop away for a slow day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/about/tazawako/ https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/access/ https://www.tazawako-ski.com/ https://kotobank.jp/word/%E7%94%B0%E6%B2%A2%E6%B9%96 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E7%94%B0%E6%B2%A2%E6%B9%96&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/sendai/208_Akitakomagatake/208_index.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/map_0.html https://www.pref.akita.lg.jp/pages/archive/23295 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7690404 https://kuroyu.com/ ### Toba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/toba Type: Town Local name: 鳥羽市 (ja) Also known as: Toba City, 鳥羽 Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Mie Coordinates: 34.48133, 136.84342 Kind: Port Population: 17,421 Ferry: Ise-wan Ferry to Irago leaves from the Toba ferry terminal, about 60 minutes across. Cycle station: Toba Cycle Station in Toba 1-bangai by the station: racks inside, free tools, lockers at ¥500, luggage at ¥300 an item. Website: https://www.toba.gr.jp/ Summary: Toba suits riders coming off the Irago ferry onto the Ise-Shima coast, and the coast route climbs hard to the Toba viewpoint about 30 km in. The Ise-wan Ferry lands at the Toba ferry terminal, which the Pacific Cycling Road treats as its gateway to Mie, with racks and coin lockers. Toba Aquarium is next door. On the other side of town, Toba 1-bangai by the station runs the Toba Cycle Station, where you can rebuild a bagged bike on the mats with the free tools and leave a bag for ¥300. Mie's first model course runs 66.9 km from the ferry terminal along the coast to the Yokoyama viewpoint above Ago Bay, and climbs steeply to the Toba viewpoint at 162 m about 30 km in. The third course is a gentler 25 km inland past Futami's Okitama Shrine to the two shrines of Ise Jingu. Toba's own rental bikes stay inside the city, so ride your own or rent in Ise for the shrines. Q: Is Toba a good place to stay? A: Stay in Toba when the Irago ferry lands late, then take the Ise-Shima coast or the back road to Ise in the morning. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://mie-cycling-road.jp/model/course01/ https://mie-cycling-road.jp/model/course03/ https://www.toba1ban.co.jp/cyclestation/ https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/cycletrain/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/iseshima.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q819629 ### Togakushi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/togakushi Type: Town Local name: 戸隠 (ja) Also known as: Togakushi Kogen, 戸隠高原 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 36.70190, 138.08900 Kind: Village Part of: Nagano From Nagano Station: Bus to Togakushi, about one hour (japan-guide.com). Respect: Togakushi Jinja's five shrines are active places of worship; follow posted rules and closures. Website: https://togakushi-21.jp/ Summary: Togakushi is a mountain shrine village in Nagano city's northwest, with the five shrines of Togakushi Jinja, soba shops and a small ski area, and it suits a slow winter night away from the big resorts. The trade-off is quiet: the shukubo and inns close their doors early, and buses are sparse. Togakushi sits between 900 and 1,200 metres on the plateau below the jagged Togakushi range, and was its own village until it joined Nagano city in 2005. Togakushi Jinja is spread across five shrines from Hokosha up to Okusha, with old shukubo lodgings that once housed pilgrims along the approach. These are places of worship, so keep voices low and follow the signs at each shrine. The bus from Nagano Station takes about an hour through the forest. Togakushi soba is the local dish, and in winter Kagami-ike becomes a cross-country ski route under the peaks. Togakushi Ski Resort looks across to the range and works well for a quiet day away from the crowds. Q: How long is the bus from Nagano to Togakushi? A: The bus from Nagano Station to Togakushi takes about an hour, according to japan-guide.com. Q: What does the name Togakushi mean? A: Togakushi comes from the local name Togakushi, meaning the name reads as hidden door, and local tradition ties it to the rock door of Ama-no-Iwato. Britannica Japan's concise encyclopedia says the name is said to come from descendants of Ame-no-Tajikarao, the god who threw open the rock door of the heavenly cave, who came here to worship their ancestor. The entry reports this as tradition, not as a settled derivation. Q: Is Togakushi a good place to stay? A: Stay in Togakushi if you want a shukubo night, soba for lunch and a snowy forest walk to the shrines. Skiers chasing big terrain should base in Hakuba or Nozawa. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://togakushi-21.jp/ https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6003.html https://kotobank.jp/word/%E6%88%B8%E9%9A%A0 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7813035 ### Tokamachi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/tokamachi Type: Town Local name: 十日町市 (ja) Also known as: Tokamachi city, Tookamachi, 十日町 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 新潟県十日町市 Coordinates: 37.13490, 138.75700 Kind: City Population: 44,976 Station: Tokamachi on the Hokuhoku Line and the JR Iiyama Line. Website: https://www.tokamachishikankou.jp/ Summary: Tokamachi suits travellers who want deep-snow country with hegi soba and contemporary art in the rice terraces, and its trade-off is distances that call for a car. Tokamachi is a weaving town in the snow country west of Uonuma, with 44,976 people at the end of September 2026. Its looms gave the region hegi soba: weavers used funori seaweed to stiffen thread, and Kojimaya's founder tried the same seaweed as a binder for buckwheat in the 1920s. Two Kojimaya houses still serve it. The Sohonten sits out in the Kawanishi fields, and the Honten is eight minutes on foot from Tokamachi Station's east exit. In February the Tokamachi Snow Festival fills the town with residents' snow sculptures, set for 19 to 21 February in 2027. The Echigo-Tsumari Art Field spreads across the city and Tsunan, and MonET near the station stays open through winter. Kiyotsu Gorge's walking tunnel lies to the south. Q: Is Tokamachi a good place to stay? A: Base in Tokamachi for the snow festival or the Echigo-Tsumari art in summer, with a car for the outlying villages. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.tokamachi.lg.jp/ https://www.tokamachishikankou.jp/ https://www.tokamachishikankou.jp/charm/ https://www.tokamachishikankou.jp/spot/kojimaya_souhonten/ https://www.tokamachishikankou.jp/spot/kojimaya_honten/ https://www.snowfes.jp/ https://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/travelinformation/monet/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q858369 ### Tokushima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/tokushima Type: Town Local name: 徳島 (ja) Also known as: Tokushima City, 徳島市 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Tokushima Coordinates: 34.07030, 134.55490 Kind: City Population: 254,510 Population: 254,510 (Wikidata figure for 1 September 2020) Awa Odori: 12–15 August every year. Summary: Tokushima suits travellers who come for the Awa Odori dance festival from 12 to 15 August, and the Iya Valley's vine bridges sit far to the west, closer to Oboke than to the city. Awa is the old name of the province, and for four nights each August, from the 12th to the 15th, dance groups called ren fill the streets with shamisen, taiko drums, flutes and bells. It grew out of the Bon dances of the Obon festival and is the largest dance festival in Japan. For the Iya Valley, take the JR line west to Oboke and the Shikoku Kotsu bus to the Kazurabashi Yume Butai stop, five minutes on foot from the vine bridge. Hotel Sunshine Tokushima, five minutes by bike from the station, has big baths for after the ride. Q: Is Tokushima a good place to stay? A: Stay by the station for an early train west toward Awa-Ikeda and Oboke. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q207309 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awa_Dance_Festival https://miyoshi-tourism.jp/spot/46/ https://cycling-island-shikoku.com/hotel_inn/no035.html ### Tokyo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/tokyo Type: Town Local name: 東京 (ja) Also known as: Tokyo Metropolis, 東京都, Tokyo city Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Tokyo Coordinates: 35.68940, 139.69170 Kind: City Population: 14,264,798 Population: 14,264,798 for Tokyo Metropolis, the 2022 figure on Wikidata Bike box storage: JR East Logistics keeps luggage over 200 cm in combined length, width and height for ¥2,000 a day, up to 30 days, at counters in Tokyo and Ueno stations (2026 prices). Rinko bags: Y's Road Ueno Honkan stocks rinko bags for road, cross and mountain bikes. City bikes: Docomo Bike Share charges ¥165 for 30 minutes in Tokyo, or ¥1,650 for a day pass bought at a convenience store (2026 prices). Boso by train: In October 2026 the JR Uchibo line needed a replacement bus between Anegasaki and Nagaura after typhoon damage; check JR East before you travel. Website: https://www.english.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/ Summary: Tokyo suits riders who land at Haneda or Narita and want the first and last nights near Tokyo Station or Ueno, and its trade-off is a city you leave by train before the riding starts. Most visiting riders treat Tokyo as the arrival city and the place they fly home from. Tokyo Station sends the Shinkansen north toward Nagano, Niigata and Tohoku and west on the Tokaido line, and Ueno sits a few stops up the same JR tracks. JR East Logistics runs baggage counters inside both stations that keep a bike box for up to 30 days. So you can leave the box in the station, ride the country with a rinko bag and pick the box up on the way to the airport. For a day ride out of the city, B.B.BASE carries whole bikes from Ryogoku to the Boso Peninsula on set dates, and the Seibu line runs from Ikebukuro to Seibu-Chichibu for the passes round Chichibu. Kamakura and the Shonan coast are on the JR Yokosuka line. Inside the city, Docomo Bike Share's e-assist bikes and Tokyobike's day rentals at Yanaka and Kiyosumi-Shirakawa cover a slow loop of the old east side. Check the trains to Chiba before you plan Boso. Typhoon No. 25 cut the JR Uchibo line between Anegasaki and Kisarazu in late September 2026, and the Tateyama tourism association passed on JR's estimate of at least three months to repair it. JR runs a replacement bus between Anegasaki and Nagaura, and the Tateyama tourism association counts three changes between Tateyama and Chiba Station. Q: Is Tokyo a good place to stay? A: Stay near Tokyo Station or Ueno for the first and last nights, so the Shinkansen, the airport trains and the counter holding your bike box are all inside the same station. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1490 http://www.jrbutsuryu.jregroup.ne.jp/business/baggage.html https://www.tokyostationcity.com/information/ https://ysroad.co.jp/ueno/2026/10/09/148424 https://docomo-cycle.jp/tokyo/price https://tokyobike.com/tokyobikerentals/ https://tateyamacity.com/archives/35450 ### Tomonoura URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/tomonoura Type: Town Local name: 鞆の浦 (ja) Also known as: Tomo no Ura, Tomo-no-ura, Tomonotsu, 鞆の津 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Coordinates: 34.38080, 133.38000 Kind: Port Part of: Fukuyama Population: 3,500 Population: about 3,500 in 2017 Summary: Tomonoura suits slow travellers who want an Edo-era tide port with a round harbour and red sea bream, and it sits a bus ride from the Shinkansen, away from the cycling route. Tomonoura sits on the southern tip of the Numakuma Peninsula, 14 km south of Fukuyama Station. Ships once waited here for the tides to turn in the middle of the Inland Sea, which earned it the name of the port of waiting for tides. The round harbour survived modern port works and is protected inside Tomo Park, part of the Setonaikai National Park, and the Man'yoshu already held eight poems about it. Sakamoto Ryoma's ship, the Iroha Maru, sank off Tomo, and the town is known for red sea bream fishing. About 3,500 people lived here in 2017. Temples and shrines crowd the lanes, among them Nunakuma Shrine. Q: Is Tomonoura a good place to stay? A: Stay a night in Tomonoura to see the harbour after the day buses leave. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomonoura https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8194022 ### Tottori URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/tottori Type: Town Local name: 鳥取 (ja) Also known as: Tottori City, 鳥取市 Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Coordinates: 35.49440, 134.22160 Kind: City Population: 187,323 Population: 187,323 (Wikidata, March 2021) Bike rental: Tottori Station's second bicycle garage rents 8 electric and 8 standard bikes, from 8:30 to 18:30 every day, same-day return only and no bookings. Bikes in rooms: Tottori City Hotel, eight minutes' walk from the station, is a Tottori cyclist-friendly stay that takes bikes into the room. Summary: Tottori suits riders who want the sand dunes and the eastern end of the Uminami Road from a city with a main-line station, and the sights sit far enough apart that you will want a bike or a bus. Tottori is the prefectural capital and the start of most trips to the Tottori Sand Dunes on the coast north of the centre. Buses for the dunes leave the bus terminal at Tottori Station on the Iwami-Iwai and Sakyu lines, and the visitor centre puts the drive from Tottori IC at about 20 minutes. The city rents bikes from the parking garage under the elevated tracks, a minute's walk east of the north exit, at ¥500 a day for a standard bike and ¥1,000 for an electric one. The Tottori Uminami Road follows the coast past the city. Ride east and you reach the Uradome coast and Higashihama, where the route starts. Ride west and you pass the Karo fishing port, where the Karoichi market sells and cooks the catch, then Hakuto and its roadside station. Snow crab season opens on 6 November, so a winter visit puts matsuba-gani on the menus at the port. The Tottori Sugoi Ride starts and finishes at the dunes each autumn and ran on 18 October in 2026. Q: Is Tottori a good place to stay? A: Stay here to reach the dunes early and to ride the coast east to Iwami the next morning. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.tottori.lg.jp/ https://www.torican.jp/access/detail_1128.html https://www.sakyu-vc.com/jp/access/ https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/ https://t5-inc.com/sugoiride/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q200731 ### Toyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/toyama Type: Town Local name: 富山市 (ja) Also known as: Toyama City, 富山, Toyama-shi Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Coordinates: 36.69592, 137.21369 Kind: City From Tokyo: Hokuriku Shinkansen Kagayaki, 124 minutes on the March 2026 timetable; ¥13,180 for a reserved seat in October 2026. To Tateyama: Toyama Chiho Railway from Dentetsu-Toyama to Tateyama Station, about an hour. To Unazuki Onsen: Shinkansen to Kurobe-Unazukionsen, then the Chitetsu line from Shin-Kurobe, 25 minutes. Cycle insurance: Compulsory for everyone riding a bike in Toyama Prefecture from 1 October 2026. Website: https://www.toyamashi-kankoukyoukai.jp/ Summary: Toyama suits riders and their companions who want a Shinkansen city base for the Alpine Route and the Toyama Bay ride, and its trade-off is that the mountains sit an hour or more away by local train. Toyama is the prefectural capital on the plain below the Tateyama range, and on a clear morning the peaks stand white behind the station. The Kagayaki reached Toyama from Tokyo in 124 minutes on the March 2026 timetable, and a reserved seat cost ¥13,180 for a date in October 2026. Trams leave from under the Shinkansen concourse. The Toyama Chiho Railway runs from Dentetsu-Toyama, beside the JR station, to Tateyama Station at the foot of the Alpine Route in about an hour. The city eats well for its size. Toyama's tourism association credits Taiki in Nishicho with the first bowl of Toyama black ramen, a soy broth dark enough to pass for coffee. The agriculture ministry counts more than 20 specialist makers of masu-zushi, trout sushi pressed under bamboo leaves, inside the city alone, and Minamoto runs a free museum and shop on the southern edge of town. Riders find the city on the Toyama Bay Cycling Route, the National Cycle Route that follows the shore from Himi to Asahi. Giant Store Toyama, seven minutes on foot from the station, rents carbon road bikes and e-bikes from five hours. Toyama Prefecture made cycle insurance compulsory for everyone riding a bike from 1 October 2026, so check what your travel policy covers before you hire. Tips: - Buy Alpine Route tickets early on autumn holiday weekends; in October 2026 the operator limited same-day sales at Dentetsu-Toyama and Tateyama stations. - If you plan a rail-assisted ride along the bay on the Aino Kaze Cycle Train, book the train separately from your bike hire. Q: Is Toyama a good place to stay? A: Stay in Toyama for a station hotel with trains up to Tateyama and a tram ride to dinner. Spring skiers who want snow at the door should book a lodge at Murodo instead. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.toyamashi-kankoukyoukai.jp/feature/feature-toyama-black-ramen-10/ https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/37_20_toyama.html https://cycling-toyama.jp/ https://cycling-toyama.jp/news/3724/ https://www.giant-store.jp/toyama/ https://www.mikuri.com/access/ https://www.unazuki-onsen.com/access https://www.alpen-route.com/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E5%AF%8C%E5%B1%B1&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q204266 ### Toyohashi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/toyohashi Type: Town Local name: 豊橋市 (ja) Also known as: Toyohashi City, 豊橋 Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Coordinates: 34.76917, 137.39153 Kind: City Population: 371,507 Assembly: The bike assembly bay is in the south exit plaza of Toyohashi Station; no booking. Cycle train: Toyotetsu Atsumi line, Shin-Toyohashi to Mikawa-Tahara: all day at weekends, weekday departures 10:00 to 14:59, ¥100 a bike, ten bikes a train. Pump and tools: Ask at the Shin-Toyohashi ticket window during staffed hours. Website: https://www.city.toyohashi.lg.jp/ Summary: Toyohashi suits riders who arrive by Shinkansen with a bagged bike, since the city built an assembly bay at the station, and on weekdays the Atsumi line only takes whole bikes on trains leaving between 10:00 and 15:00. The city built a bike assembly bay in the plaza at the south exit of Toyohashi Station for riders who come by train with the bike in a bag. It has a windbreak so the bag stays put, a concrete floor where a dropped bolt shows up, and a lift and toilets close by. You don't book it. The Toyotetsu counter at Shin-Toyohashi lends a pump and tools and holds luggage while it's staffed. Shin-Toyohashi is also where the Toyotetsu Atsumi line starts for Mikawa-Tahara. Bikes ride whole on every train at weekends and on holidays, and on weekday trains leaving between 10:00 and 14:59, for ¥100 a bike on top of the fare. Each train takes ten. Groups of five or more on one train call Takashi Station by 17:00 the day before. The railway turns bikes away on the night of the Toyohashi Gion fireworks in mid-July and over the Toyohashi Matsuri weekend, the third Saturday and Sunday of October. Michi-no-Eki Toyohashi sits inland of the Omotehama coast, about 20 minutes by bike from the sea, and rents e-bikes at ¥1,000 for four hours or ¥2,000 for the day. Its food hall serves Toyohashi curry udon. The city also runs cycle pits with a pump and tools to borrow, at the michi-no-eki and at 13 convenience stores among other places. Q: Is Toyohashi a good place to stay? A: Stay in Toyohashi to start the Atsumi stage of the Pacific Cycling Road, with the Shinkansen at one end of the station and the Atsumi line's cycle train at the other. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.toyohashi.lg.jp/45671.htm https://www.city.toyohashi.lg.jp/48143.htm https://www.city.toyohashi.lg.jp/37857.htm https://www.toyotetsu.com/atsumisen/cycletrain.html https://michinoeki-toyohashi.jp/ https://michinoeki-toyohashi.jp/activity/activity01 https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/about-pcr.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q336431 ### Tsuchiura URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/tsuchiura Type: Town Local name: 土浦市 (ja) Also known as: Tsuchiura City, 土浦 Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Coordinates: 36.07830, 140.20450 Kind: City Population: 140,804 Getting there: JR Joban Line limited express from Tokyo, about 50 minutes, per the prefecture's cycling site. Cycle train: The Joban Line cycle train runs on weekends and holidays between Ueno and Tsuchiura and needs an online booking with JR East. Rentals: The Ring-Ring Road's shared rental lends bikes at Ring-Ring Square in the station from 10:30 to 16:00, cash only. Website: https://www.tsuchiura-kankou.jp/ Summary: Tsuchiura suits riders who want to start the Ring-Ring Road from a station with rentals, showers and a cyclist hotel under one roof 50 minutes from Tokyo, and the town itself is a quiet lakeside stop with more lotus fields than sights. Tsuchiura sits on the western shore of Kasumigaura and is the main base for the Tsukuba-Kasumigaura Ring-Ring Road. Limited expresses on the JR Joban Line reach it from Tokyo in about 50 minutes. Ring-Ring Square Tsuchiura opened in the PLAYatre station building in 2018 as the prefecture's cycling base, with a bike shop, rental counter, showers and lockers, and BEB5 Tsuchiura occupies the third floor. From the station, blue arrows painted on the road lead you to the route. Turn north along the old Tsukuba Railway path for Mt. Tsukuba, or follow the lake shore east past the lotus fields that supply Ibaraki's renkon. The prefecture's cycling site sends hungry riders to the Fukuraiken diner for lotus-root ramen. On weekends and holidays the Joban Line cycle train lets you roll your bike on at Ueno without bagging it, if you book online. In 2026 it left Ueno at 7:02 and 7:53 and came back from Tsuchiura at 17:00 and 17:28. Q: Is Tsuchiura a good place to stay? A: Stay at the station to start the Ring-Ring Road with no transfer, or by the lake at Kohoku for a dawn start on the shore. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ibaraki/access/ https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ringring/square/ https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ringring/rental/ https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ringring/gourmet/ https://www.tsuchiura-kankou.jp/taberu/taberu_page https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q653446 ### Tsukuba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/tsukuba Type: Town Local name: つくば市 (ja) Also known as: Tsukuba City, Tsukuba Science City, つくば, 筑波 Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Coordinates: 36.08350, 140.07640 Kind: City Population: 226,963 Getting there: Tsukuba Express from Akihabara to Tsukuba, about 45 minutes, then the Mt. Tsukuba shuttle bus, about 40 minutes to the shrine. Rentals: Ring-Ring Road shared rentals at the Tsukuba station tourist office (9:30–16:00) and the Mt. Tsukuba Gate Park (9:00–16:00, closed Tuesdays). Summary: Tsukuba suits riders who want Mt. Tsukuba's climb and its shrine 45 minutes from Akihabara, and the science city at the station sits about 40 minutes by bus from the mountain, so pick your base by what you came for. Tsukuba runs from the planned science city around Tsukuba station up to the twin peaks of Mt. Tsukuba in the north. The Tsukuba Express reaches the station from Akihabara in about 45 minutes, and the Mt. Tsukuba shuttle bus takes about 40 minutes more to the shrine. Mt. Tsukuba Shrine has its hall at 270 m on the southern slope, and the whole mountain above it counts as shrine ground. Cyclists climb from Hojo and the old Tsukuba Railway path, and the Ring-Ring Road's shared rentals operate from the tourist office at Tsukuba station and from the Mt. Tsukuba Gate Park in Hojo. Hotels by the station suit a late arrival on the Tsukuba Express. Up the mountain, Kamenoi Hotel Tsukubasan has cycling rooms and the restored Kobayashi house takes riders by the shrine. Q: Is Tsukuba a good place to stay? A: Stay up the mountain at the shrine village for the climb and the views, or at Tsukuba station for the Tsukuba Express. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ibaraki/access/ https://tsukubasanjinja.jp/access/ https://tsukubasanjinja.jp/history/ https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ringring/rental/ https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/stay/kamenoihotel/ https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/stay/hitotoki/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q273863 ### Tsuruoka URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/tsuruoka Type: Town Local name: 鶴岡市 (ja) Also known as: Tsuruoka City, 鶴岡, Haguro, Dewa Sanzan Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Coordinates: 38.72720, 139.82670 Kind: City Population: 121,371 From Tokyo: Joetsu Shinkansen to Niigata, then the Inaho limited express; 3 hours 31 minutes, ¥14,960 (October 2026). To Haguro: Shonai Kotsu bus from Tsuruoka Station to the Haguro summit, 54 minutes, ¥1,400 on the October 2026 timetable. Tourism office: DEGAM Tsuruoka Tourism Bureau, 3-1 Suehiro-machi, Tsuruoka. Website: https://www.tsuruokakanko.com/ Summary: Tsuruoka suits travellers who want Dewa Sanzan's shrines, temple food and the Sea of Japan coast, with Gassan's spring skiing across the mountains in Nishikawa. The trade-off is the journey, about three and a half hours from Tokyo with a change at Niigata. Tsuruoka is the old castle town of the Shonai domain, which the Sakai family ruled from 1622 until the Meiji Restoration. It sits on the rice plain between the Sea of Japan and the three peaks of Dewa Sanzan: Haguro at 414 metres, Gassan at 1,984 metres and Yudono at 1,504 metres. Pilgrims have long walked the three as a journey of rebirth, with Haguro for the present, Gassan for the past and Yudono for the future, and the mountains remain places of living worship tended by the Dewa Sanzan Shrine and the yamabushi, the mountain ascetics. Haguro has 27 shukubo and inns, pilgrim lodgings that take ordinary guests too, and the yamabushi's plain vegetable cooking, shojin ryori, is served there. The cedar avenue on Mt. Haguro is a special natural monument. In December 2014 Tsuruoka became Japan's first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, and its farmers keep more than 60 heirloom crops in the ground. The city's everyday noodle is mugikiri, a thin wheat noodle often served half and half with soba. Its old spa towns, Yunohama on the coast, Atsumi by a river and Yutagawa among bamboo and plum trees, each claim a thousand years or more of bathing. Tips: - Dress modestly and follow the shrine's signs and closures on Mt. Haguro, which is a place of worship first. - Book a shukubo ahead if you want to eat shojin ryori on Haguro. Q: How do you get to Tsuruoka from Tokyo? A: Take the Joetsu Shinkansen to Niigata and change to the Inaho limited express. On 16 October 2026 that took 3 hours 31 minutes for ¥14,960 in cash. Q: What are the three mountains of Dewa Sanzan? A: Mt. Haguro (414 m), Mt. Gassan (1,984 m) and Mt. Yudono (1,504 m). Tradition holds that Prince Hachiko opened them to worship about 1,400 years ago. Q: What does the name Tsuruoka mean? A: Tsuruoka comes from the local name Tsuruoka, meaning the name joins tsuru, crane, and oka, hill. Mogami Yoshiaki gave it to the castle town of Daihoji after he took Shonai in 1601. The encyclopedia records the renaming and gives no reason for the choice of name. Q: Is Tsuruoka a good place to stay? A: Stay in Tsuruoka if you want to visit Dewa Sanzan with care, eat Shonai's food and pair it with a spring ski day on Gassan. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tsuruokakanko.com/about https://www.tsuruokakanko.com/lp/yamabushi/ https://www.tsuruokakanko.com/lp/tsuruokagohan/ https://kotobank.jp/word/%E9%B6%B4%E5%B2%A1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E9%B6%B4%E5%B2%A1&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=09&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E9%B6%B4%E5%B2%A1&to=%E7%BE%BD%E9%BB%92%E5%B1%B1%E9%A0%82&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=09&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q734416 ### Uchiko URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/uchiko Type: Town Local name: 内子 (ja) Also known as: Uchiko-cho, 内子町, Uchiko town Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Coordinates: 33.53300, 132.65830 Kind: Town Population: 15,153 Population: 15,153, a town estimate for 1 September 2023 Train: About 25 minutes by limited express from JR Matsuyama; Uchiko Station is 20 minutes on foot from Ted's. Uchiko za: Closed for repairs from 2 September 2024 to about the end of 2028; the dressing rooms open 9:00–16:30, closed 29 December to 2 January. Summary: Uchiko suits a slow day of old merchant streets and quiet valley lanes by bike, and its kabuki theatre is shut for repairs until about the end of 2028. Uchiko lies about 40 km southwest of Matsuyama, and the limited express takes about 25 minutes. The town grew as a stop on the Ozu road and on the Shikoku pilgrimage, and about 70% of its land is forest. Its preserved townscape is close to Ted's guesthouse, about 20 minutes on foot from the station. The Uchiko-za theatre, an Important Cultural Property, closed on 2 September 2024 for about four years of seismic work, and the town expects the work to end around the end of 2028. Until then you can see the backstage dressing rooms from 9:00 to 16:30 at half the usual price. On the edge of town, Michi-no-Eki Karari sells the valley's produce from 8:00, and Ted's guesthouse rents gravel bikes and e-bikes for the hill lanes. Q: Is Uchiko a good place to stay? A: Stay at Ted's to ride the valley lanes on a rented bike and come back to a house built for cyclists. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uchiko,_Ehime https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1018717 https://www.we-love-uchiko.jp/2025/01/04/4552/ https://www.teds.jp/ https://www.karari.jp/ ### Unazuki Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/unazuki-onsen Type: Town Local name: 宇奈月温泉 (ja) Also known as: Unazuki, Unazukionsen, 宇奈月 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Coordinates: 36.81708, 137.58153 Kind: Onsen town Part of: Kurobe Getting there: Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kurobe-Unazukionsen, then the Toyama Chiho Railway from Shin-Kurobe to Unazuki Onsen, 25 minutes. By car: About 20 minutes from Kurobe IC. Public bath: Yumedokoro Unazuki, 9:00–22:00 with last entry 21:00; ¥510 for high-school age and up. Gorge railway: Unazuki to Keyakidaira ¥2,480 one way for adults in 2026. Website: https://www.unazuki-onsen.com/ Summary: Unazuki Onsen suits couples and families who want a riverside hot-spring town at the mouth of the Kurobe Gorge, and its trade-off is a short season for the gorge railway, which runs only from late April to the end of November. Unazuki opened in 1923 on water piped down the Kurobe River from Kuronagi Onsen, and the source comes up at about 88°C. The innkeepers' cooperative counts ten member inns with room for 3,500 guests, and most of them face the gorge. The water is clear and weakly alkaline, and the town sells it as a bath for the skin. The Kurobe Gorge Railway leaves Unazuki for Keyakidaira, and in 2026 it ran from 20 April to 30 November. The full line reopened on 1 October 2026 after repairs to earthquake damage. At Keyakidaira visitors can use only the station and the visitor centre while work continues. In winter the railway runs short tours across the Shin-Yamabiko bridge, about 530 m from the station. The Chitetsu line takes 25 minutes from Shin-Kurobe, next to Kurobe-Unazukionsen Shinkansen station. The public bath Yumedokoro Unazuki charges ¥510 and closes only on the fourth Tuesday of the month. On weekends, holidays and the Obon week from 2 May to 12 October 2026, a tour bus called Alpen GO ran straight from Unazuki to Murodo. Tips: - Book Keyakidaira seats three months ahead in autumn; reservations close at 15:00 the day before you ride. - Nekomata station stopped taking passengers on 1 October 2026, so plan your stops around Kanetsuri and Keyakidaira. Q: Is Unazuki Onsen a good place to stay? A: Stay in Unazuki for a ryokan dinner and a bath above the river, then the first gorge train in the morning. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.unazuki-onsen.com/about https://www.unazuki-onsen.com/access https://www.unazuki-onsen.com/498 https://www.kurobe-unazuki.jp/tourism/895/ https://yumedokoro-unazuki.jp/ https://www.kurotetu.co.jp/news-detail/?post=616 https://www.kurotetu.co.jp/news-detail/?post=572 https://www.kurotetu.co.jp/news-detail/?post=644 https://www.kurotetu.co.jp/fare/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11449258 ### Utsunomiya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/utsunomiya Type: Town Local name: 宇都宮市 (ja) Also known as: Utsunomiya City, 宇都宮, Miya Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Coordinates: 36.55510, 139.88260 Kind: City Population: 511,739 Getting there: The Yamabiko 127 left Tokyo at 8:07 on 16 October 2026 and reached Utsunomiya at 9:00 for ¥5,130 with a reserved seat. Local Utsunomiya Line trains take about two hours for ¥2,090. Bike parking: The ten city-run bicycle parks in the centre are free for the first four hours. Race weekend: Japan Cup shuttle buses leave JR Utsunomiya east exit stop 5 for the Forest Park from 6:30 on race morning and charge ¥1,200 each way in 2026. Website: https://www.utsunomiya-cvb.org/ Summary: Utsunomiya suits riders who come for the Japan Cup in October and anyone who wants a gyoza crawl 53 minutes from Tokyo by Shinkansen, and as a sprawling prefectural capital it asks you to ride out of town for the hills. Utsunomiya calls itself the city of bicycles, and the Japan Cup is why. The 2026 road race is the 33rd, on a 10.3 km circuit through the Forest Park northwest of the centre, and since 2010 a Saturday criterium has closed Odori for 15 laps of 2.25 km. This year's race also marks the city's 130th year as a municipality. The rest of the year the city runs a cycle station beside the west exit of JR Utsunomiya. You can rent a road or cross bike there for ¥1,030 a day and shower for ¥100. Pumps and tools cost nothing, and the station works with the city's pro team, Utsunomiya Blitzen. Gyoza is the other reason people come. Utsunomiya's gyoza association says more than 300 shops in the city serve them, and the city's tourism bureau points first-timers to a 160 m stretch it calls Gyoza-dori, where Minmin's main shop stands. The association's Kirasse hall opposite Futarasan Shrine lets you try five shops at one table. Q: Is Utsunomiya a good place to stay? A: Stay by JR Utsunomiya for the Shinkansen and the cycle station, or near Odori if you are here for the criterium and the gyoza street. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.utsunomiya-cvb.org/feature/gyoza https://www.japancup.gr.jp/ https://www.japancup.gr.jp/y2026/roadrace-access/ https://miya-cyclestation.jp/about/ https://www.city.utsunomiya.lg.jp/kurashi/jitensha/1006120.html https://www.gyozakai.com/kirasse/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E5%AE%87%E9%83%BD%E5%AE%AE&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q200589 ### Wajima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/wajima Type: Town Local name: 輪島市 (ja) Also known as: Wajima City, 輪島 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Coordinates: 37.39053, 136.89888 Kind: City Road status: Check Ishikawa Prefecture's road map at douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp before you drive or ride. The site's Noto road-status alert carries the closures and one-lane sections it showed on 11 October 2026. Getting here: The Okunoto express bus from Kanazawa Station stops at the former Wajima station (Furatto Houmu). Getting around: An on-demand ride service, Noruto Noto, began in Wajima on 1 October 2026. Sightseeing bus: The Notoji sightseeing bus runs on six Saturdays from 26 September to 12 December 2026 at ¥6,000 for adults and ¥3,000 for children; book up to the day. Website: https://wajimanavi.jp/ Summary: Wajima is the lacquerware city on the Noto Peninsula's north coast, and its morning market trades again at a supermarket site in town while a small set of inns takes guests. Rooms are scarce because recovery crews fill many of them, and Route 249 through the city runs on one lane at many points, so book early and check Ishikawa's road map first. The Wajima tourism association keeps a list of the city's lodgings and says many of them are full with people working on the recovery, so reservations are hard to get. Its April 2026 list of member inns open for stays names nine small places, most of them room-only, with Oyado Tanaka able to serve dinner and breakfast. Hotel Route Inn Wajima on the harbour planned to reopen its main building on 18 September 2026. The Wajima Morning Market trades from 9:00 to 13:00 inside the Power City Wajima Wai Plaza store at 41 Takuta-machi and closes on Wednesdays. The tourism association's information centre sits in the Michi-no-Eki Wajima Furatto Houmu building at the old station and opens from 9:00 to 17:00. Ishikawa's road map on 11 October 2026 showed one-lane sections at about 15 points on Route 249 inside Wajima, including Shinbashi-dori to Sonrichi and the Wajima-nuri Kaikan to Fukami until 31 March 2027. Prefectural Route 38 is closed between Uiri and Shimoyama, and the prefecture warns it may close again in heavy rain. The Nanao to Wajima road is closed in Mii between Nagasawa and Koizumi until 17 December 2027. Tips: - Leave the morning market for a day other than Wednesday and come early, since some vegetable sellers pack up before 13:00. - A passenger boat to Hegurajima takes general visitors on weekdays from Wajima port, the tourism association says. Q: Is Wajima a good place to stay? A: Stay a night for the morning market, with a room booked well ahead. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://wajimanavi.jp/inn/ https://wajimanavi.jp/useful/onsenmusume https://wajimanavi.jp/ https://asaichi.info/about_asaichi/ https://www.route-inn.co.jp/hotel_list/ishikawa/index_hotel_id_229/ https://www.oyado-tanaka.jp/ https://www.wakura.or.jp/news/news-4246/ https://www.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/saigai/202401jishin-douro.html https://douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/ https://douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/api/getRegulation ### Wakayama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/wakayama Type: Town Local name: 和歌山市 (ja) Also known as: Wakayama City, 和歌山 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Wakayama Coordinates: 34.23040, 135.17080 Kind: City Population: 353,299 Population: 353,299 in Wikidata's figure for 1 March 2021 From Shin Osaka: About 1 hour 47 minutes for ¥1,190 by the Midosuji subway and the JR Kishuji rapid, on Yahoo's route search for 10 November 2026. Cycle trains: Kinokuni line Cycle Train Plus between Wakayama and Gobo and Wakayama line Cycle Train Plus between Wakayama and Gojo; check JR West's cycle train page for days and rules. Summary: Wakayama suits riders finishing or starting the Pacific Cycling Road, which ends at Kada port in the city, and its trade-off is a quiet city centre with little to hold you past one night. The Pacific Cycling Road runs 1,487 km from Choshi Station in Chiba to Kada port in Wakayama city, by MLIT's count, so this is where the long ride along the Pacific ends. The Wakayama section follows the coast south past Yuasa and the Arida mandarin coast toward Shirahama and the Kii peninsula. JR West runs cycle trains in Wakayama. Bikes roll aboard unbagged between Wakayama and Gobo on the Kinokuni line, between Wakayama and Gojo on the Wakayama line, and from Gobo to Shingu further south, so you can ride one way and come back by train. The prefecture's WAKAYAMA800 site lists the services and its own list of cyclist-friendly hotels. Q: Is Wakayama a good place to stay? A: Stay here the night before or after the Wakayama stage of the Pacific Cycling Road; Hotel Granvia Wakayama sits two minutes from the station. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q200747 https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/pacific.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/index.html https://wakayama800.jp/cycle-train/ https://wakayama800.jp/inn_for_cyclist/ https://www.granvia-wakayama.co.jp/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%96%B0%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA&to=%E5%92%8C%E6%AD%8C%E5%B1%B1&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=1&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=1&lb=1&sr=1 ### Wakura Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/wakura-onsen Type: Town Local name: 和倉温泉 (ja) Also known as: Wakura, Wakura Hot Spring, 和倉 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Address: 2-13-1 Wakura-machi, Nanao, Ishikawa 926-0175 (tourism association) Coordinates: 37.08659, 136.91843 Kind: Onsen town Part of: Nanao Road status: Check Ishikawa Prefecture's road map at douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp before you drive or ride up the peninsula. The site's Noto road-status alert carries the closures it showed on 11 October 2026. Inns open to tourists: The association's list names 11 inns with their phone numbers; ring the inn direct to book. Restaurants: The association publishes a map of which restaurants are trading (April 2026 edition); hours change without notice, so check each place before you go. Website: https://www.wakura.or.jp/ Summary: Wakura Onsen is the hot-spring town on Nanao Bay where 11 inns take tourists again after the January 2024 earthquake, and it makes the gentlest base on the Noto Peninsula. Some of those inns run from temporary rooms during rebuilding, so read each inn's notice before you book. The Wakura Onsen tourism association and inn cooperative list 11 reopened inns open to tourists: Hanagoyomi, Hosenkaku, Yunohana, Notoraku, TAOYA Wakura, Hamazuru, Noshu Iroha, Biwanso, Hotel Kaibo, Okudaya and Shirasagi no Yu Noto Kaishu. Okudaya came back on 9 July 2026 and Noto Kaishu on 16 July 2026. The association says some inns reopened in temporary quarters with no lobby or front desk, and that seawall work along the shore blocks the sea view from inside. It asks guests who understand this to come and stay in support of the town. The association tells the town's founding story itself. Hot water rose on the hillside around 806 to 810, and after the ground shifted in the 1040s the spring welled up in the sea. A fishing couple found it when they saw a wounded white heron bathing in bubbling water off the shore. Today the inns draw a salty, weakly alkaline spring at about 80°C, and the public bath Soyu is open again. Nanao's free Wakura Pokemon foot bath opened on 12 May 2026 in Yuttari Park by the bay. It runs from 7:00 to 19:00 and closes for the whole day when the Japan Meteorological Agency issues a weather warning for Nanao. Tips: - Both 2026 fireworks shows at Wakura are cancelled, so plan a summer visit around the inns and the bath. - Bring a towel for the foot bath, and dry your feet before you walk off, as the city asks. Q: What does the name Wakura Onsen mean? A: Wakura Onsen comes from the local name Wakura, meaning the association says the place was first written 涌浦, the bay where hot water wells up. The association tells the heron story as a legend. Its account says the Kaga domain changed the characters to 和倉 in 1674 because 涌浦 was easy to miswrite. Q: Is Wakura Onsen a good place to stay? A: Stay here for a bay-front ryokan, the reopened public bath and an easy rail link to Kanazawa. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wakura.or.jp/brochure/brochure-3739/ https://www.wakura.or.jp/about/ https://www.wakura.or.jp/brochure/brochure-3738/ https://www.wakura.or.jp/news/news-3535/ https://www.city.nanao.lg.jp/koryu-s/pokemon-ashiyu.html https://douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/ ### Yakushima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/yakushima Type: Town Local name: 屋久島 (ja) Also known as: Yakushima Island, Yakushima Town, 屋久島町 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kagoshima Coordinates: 30.39030, 130.65150 Kind: Town Population: 11,810 Population: 11,810 in March 2021 (Wikidata) Mountain status: http://yakushima-tozan.com/page-2157/ Conservation contribution: ¥1,000 for a day in the mountains, ¥2,000 if you stay overnight. Summary: Yakushima suits hikers and riders who want ancient cedar forest and a quiet coast road round a mountain island, and storms can shut its mountain roads for weeks. Yakushima joined the World Natural Heritage list in 1993 for its cedar forests, and Jomon Sugi, its largest cedar, is a full day's walk from the Arakawa trailhead. From March to November private cars and bicycles may not use the road to the trailhead, and a trail bus runs from the Yakusugi Museum. Typhoon No. 24 closed the mountain roads in early September 2026. Jomon Sugi, Mt. Miyanoura and Yakusugi Land have reopened, while Shiratani Unsuikyo stays closed until a landslide on its access road is cleared. Check the mountain conservation council's status page before you plan a forest day. Q: Is Yakushima a good place to stay? A: Stay in Miyanoura or Anbo to catch the early trail bus and to ride the island's coast road on the days the mountains are closed. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.town.yakushima.kagoshima.jp/kanko/kankospot/6/2631.html http://yakushima-tozan.com/ http://yakushima-tozan.com/page-2157/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1350724 ### Yamagata URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/yamagata Type: Town Local name: 山形市 (ja) Also known as: Yamagata City, Yamagata-shi, 山形 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Coordinates: 38.25540, 140.33960 Kind: City Population: 247,234 From Tokyo: Yamagata Shinkansen, 161 minutes on the fastest Tsubasa; ¥11,670 reserved, regular season (October 2026). From Sendai: JR Senzan Line, 87 minutes, ¥1,230 (October 2026). To Zao Onsen: Yamako bus from Yamagata Station, 37 minutes, ¥1,200. To Yamadera: JR Senzan Line, 18 minutes, ¥260. Website: https://www.yamagatakanko.com/ Summary: Yamagata suits travellers who want a city base on the shinkansen with buses to Zao Onsen and trains to Sendai and Yamadera. The trade-off for skiers is a 37-minute bus ride each way to the slopes. Yamagata is the prefectural capital, and the Yamagata Shinkansen reaches it from Tokyo in about two hours forty minutes on the fastest Tsubasa. Buses for Zao Onsen leave from in front of the station, and the JR Senzan Line runs over the mountains to Sendai in under an hour and a half. Yamadera, the temple on the cliff, is 18 minutes away on the same line. Food is the reason to stop a night. Imoni, a pot of taro and beef in soy broth, belongs to autumn here, and the city holds a festival each mid-September on the riverbank with a pot 6.5 metres across. The prefecture's soba comes on long wooden trays as ita soba, and the city's own cold chicken and soba bowls turn up on lunch menus all year. Tips: - Leave the morning for Yamadera and the afternoon for Zao. The Senzan Line and the Zao bus both start at Yamagata Station, so you never double back far. Q: How long is the bus from Yamagata Station to Zao Onsen? A: The Yamako bus takes 37 minutes from Yamagata Station to the Zao Onsen bus terminal and cost ¥1,200 in October 2026. Q: When is imoni season in Yamagata? A: Imoni is an autumn dish, eaten when the taro comes in. The Japan's No.1 Imoni Festival takes over the riverbank in Yamagata city in mid-September. Q: What does the name Yamagata mean? A: Yamagata comes from the local name Yamagata, meaning one theory reads the name as a written form of yamagata, the hill side of the district, set against the plain and village sides. The encyclopedia lists several theories and settles on none. Q: Is Yamagata a good place to stay? A: Stay in Yamagata if you want restaurants, business hotels and a train station within walking distance, with Zao Onsen as a day trip for skiing or the snow monsters. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.yamagatakanko.com/ https://www.yamakobus.jp/91bd76e81be6bf8dcfe9d51412af0ce8e63ad8de.pdf https://www.maff.go.jp/e/policies/market/k_ryouri/search_menu/553/index.html https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E4%BB%99%E5%8F%B0&to=%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2&to=%E8%94%B5%E7%8E%8B%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2&to=%E5%B1%B1%E5%AF%BA&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=09&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2%E5%B8%82 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q205526 ### Yamanouchi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/yamanouchi Type: Town Local name: 山ノ内町 (ja) Also known as: Yamanouchi Town, Yudanaka, Shibu Onsen, Yudanaka Shibu Onsen, 湯田中, 渋温泉 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 36.74460, 138.41270 Kind: Town Population: 11,106 From Nagano: Nagaden line to Yudanaka: limited express about 45 minutes, local about 70 minutes (japan-guide.com). Not covered by the Japan Rail Pass. Express bus: Nagaden buses from Nagano Station's East Exit stop at Snow Monkey Park (about 40 minutes) on the way to Shiga Kogen. Shibu public baths: Nine soto-yu, open to guests of Shibu's inns. Shibu road works: Stone-paving works limit vehicles in Shibu Onsen from 29 June 2026 until early December 2026 (Kanaguya notice). Website: https://www.town.yamanouchi.nagano.jp/ Summary: Yamanouchi is the town of the snow monkeys, and its hot-spring villages of Yudanaka and Shibu make the gentlest base for Jigokudani and the Shiga Kogen ski areas above. The trade-off is distance from the snow: Shiga Kogen's lifts sit 30 to 40 minutes up the mountain by bus. Yamanouchi runs from the apple orchards around Yudanaka Station up to the plateau of Shiga Kogen. At the bottom, Yudanaka and Shibu sit side by side as the two old onsen villages most visitors mean when they say Yudanaka Shibu Onsen. Shibu's narrow street of wooden inns keeps nine public bathhouses, which guests of the Shibu inns can visit with their room key. The Nagaden line from Nagano reaches Yudanaka Station in about 45 minutes on the few limited expresses and about 70 minutes on locals, which usually need a change at Shinshu-Nakano. The Japan Rail Pass does not cover it. Express buses from Nagano Station skip Yudanaka and Shibu and stop instead at the Snow Monkey Park bus stop on the way to Shiga Kogen, about 40 minutes out. Base down here if your group mixes skiers with people who would rather soak and walk to Jigokudani. The forest path to the monkey park gets icy, so wear proper boots. In winter Route 292 over Shibu Pass to Kusatsu closes, so the road east ends at the top of Shiga Kogen until spring. Tips: - Ask your Shibu inn for the key that opens the nine soto-yu, and bring your own towel. - Check the Nagaden timetable for the limited express, because most trains from Nagano are slower locals. Q: How do you get from Nagano to Yudanaka? A: Take the Nagaden line from the underground Nagaden Nagano Station to Yudanaka Station. Limited expresses take about 45 minutes and locals about 70 minutes, according to japan-guide.com. Q: Is the Nagaden line to Yudanaka covered by the Japan Rail Pass? A: No. The Nagano Electric Railway is a private line, so the Japan Rail Pass does not cover it. Q: Is Yamanouchi a good place to stay? A: Stay in Yamanouchi if you want an old onsen street, a ryokan dinner and an easy morning at the snow monkeys. Skiers who want to be first on the lifts every day should sleep up in Shiga Kogen. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.town.yamanouchi.nagano.jp/ https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6027.html https://kanaguya.com/ https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16638 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1204468 ### Yonago URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/yonago Type: Town Local name: 米子 (ja) Also known as: Yonago City, 米子市 Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Coordinates: 35.42820, 133.33090 Kind: City Population: 147,210 Population: 147,210 (Wikidata, March 2021) Rail: JR Yonago Station serves the San'in Line and the Sakai Line to Sakaiminato. Bikes in rooms: OU Hotel at Kaike and Good Bless Garden in the centre are Tottori cyclist-friendly stays that take bikes into the room. Summary: Yonago suits riders who want a rail hub between Mt. Daisen and the sea with Kaike Onsen on the beach, and the station sits a bus or a bike ride from both the mountain and the baths. Yonago lies in western Tottori where the Hino River reaches the sea, with Mt. Daisen to the east and the Nakaumi lagoon to the west. Kaike Onsen lines the beach north of the centre, and the city's tourist centre there runs Cog Station Kaike, a rental shop with e-bikes, cross bikes, mountain bikes and minivelos from ¥1,200 a day. The flat Yumigahama course leaves from the same shore and runs about 16 km one way along the Sea of Japan. Buses to Daisen-ji leave from Yonago Station and take about 50 minutes, by Hotel Daisen Shirogane's count. The Sakai Line runs from Yonago to Sakaiminato, the western end of the Tottori Uminami Road. On 10 October 2026 Tottori held the Uminami Road Festival at the Hiezu seaside park just east of Kaike to mark the route's designation as a National Cycle Route. Q: Is Yonago a good place to stay? A: Stay in Yonago or at Kaike for the flat ride to Sakaiminato and an easy bus up to Daisen-ji the next day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.yonago.lg.jp/ https://www.kaike-onsen.jp/rental https://hotel-daisen.jp/access https://www.pref.tottori.lg.jp/item/1436526.htm https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/details_support https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q320964 ### Yufuin URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/yufuin Type: Town Local name: 由布院 (ja) Also known as: Yufuin Onsen, Yufu, 湯布院, 由布市 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Oita Coordinates: 33.26440, 131.35560 Kind: Onsen town Getting there: Yufuin Station on the JR Kyudai line. Bikes: Bike rental at the Tsukahara Kogen tourism association, ¥1,000 for two hours; closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Summary: Yufuin suits couples and slow travellers who want a hot spring basin under Mt. Yufu with inns, galleries and morning mist, and its main street is busy with day trippers. Yufuin sits in a small basin ringed by 1,000-metre mountains, with Mt. Yufu over the town. Autumn mornings often start in fog, and on the coldest winter days mist rises off Lake Kinrin. Horse-drawn carriages, chamber music and a film festival give the town a cultured streak. Baths run from Otomaru Onsenkan, a ¥200 local bath, to hotel day baths facing Mt. Yufu. Up on the Tsukahara plateau toward Beppu, the tourism association rents TOKYOBIKE city bikes and e-bikes for gentle rides below the mountain. Q: Is Yufuin a good place to stay? A: Stay in an inn with its own bath and walk the town in the morning before the day buses arrive. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://yufuin.gr.jp/yufuin https://yufuin.gr.jp/feature/feature-5464/ https://yufuin.gr.jp/feature/feature-3424/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8189446 ### Yuzawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/yuzawa Type: Town Local name: 湯沢町 (ja) Also known as: Echigo-Yuzawa, Echigo Yuzawa, 越後湯沢, Yuzawa Onsen Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町 Coordinates: 36.93610, 138.80990 Kind: Town Population: 7,594 Station: Echigo-Yuzawa on the Joetsu Shinkansen; Guesthouse Senwa notes the free ski shuttles stop three minutes from its east-exit door. Naeba and Kagura: Naeba Prince Hotel runs a scheduled station shuttle you book in advance. Tourist office: Yuzawa Town Tourism and Community Development Organisation, 025-785-5505. Website: https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/ Summary: Yuzawa suits Tokyo riders who want to step off the Shinkansen into an onsen town with a valley full of resorts, and its trade-off is a sprawl of resort blocks around the station that feels more practical than pretty. Yuzawa is the town around Echigo-Yuzawa Station on the Joetsu Shinkansen, and it had 7,594 residents at the end of September 2026. Kawabata Yasunari wrote Snow Country at the Takahan inn on the hill above town between 1934 and 1937. Inside the station, Ponshukan pours sake from every Niigata brewery for ¥1,000 a five-cup tasting, and Bakudan Onigiri-ya shapes giant rice balls of Minamiuonuma Koshihikari. Soba houses such as Shinbashi and Nakanoya sit within a few blocks. The resorts spread out from the station on free shuttles. GALA Yuzawa and Iwappara sit close to town, and Naeba and Kagura lie farther south past Mitsumata. GALA has closed its whole South area for 2026/27, so check which runs are open before you choose it for a day. Q: Is Yuzawa a good place to stay? A: Stay in Yuzawa to ride a different resort each day by shuttle from the station and come back to an onsen town with sake and soba on foot. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/stay/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/gourmet/ https://www.town.yuzawa.lg.jp/ https://www.takahan.co.jp/scenery/ https://www.ponshukan.com/yuzawa/ https://gala.co.jp/winter/information/2026-2027wintersouthareaclosed/ http://www.gh-senwa.com/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1204269 ### Zao Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/towns/zao-onsen Type: Town Local name: 蔵王温泉 (ja) Also known as: Zao, Zaoonsen, Zao Onsen Yamagata, 蔵王, Yamagata Zao Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Coordinates: 38.16870, 140.39700 Kind: Onsen town Part of: Yamagata From Tokyo: Yamagata Shinkansen to Yamagata, 161 minutes on the fastest Tsubasa; ¥11,670 for a regular-season reserved seat (October 2026). Bus from Yamagata Station: Yamako bus to the Zao Onsen bus terminal, 37 minutes, ¥1,200 (October 2026). From Sendai: JR Senzan Line to Yamagata, 87 minutes for ¥1,230, then the same bus. Public baths: Kami-yu, Shimo-yu and Kawara-yu open 6:00 to 22:00 all year; ¥300 for an adult and ¥100 for a child, paid into the box. Dai rotenburo: Closed from late November to mid-April. Volcano: Mt. Zao is an active volcano with no eruption warning on 11 October 2026. On JMA's scale, Level 2 closes the area round the crater and Level 3 closes the mountain. Ski rescue: The Zao Onsen ski area's rescue line is 023-694-9215. Tourism office: Zao Onsen Tourism Association, 708-1 Zao Onsen, 023-694-9328. Website: https://zaomountainresort.com/ Summary: Zao Onsen suits skiers and bathers who want a working hot-spring village at the foot of Zao's ski area, with the rime-crusted trees above it. The trade-off is that the village hangs on a 37-minute bus from Yamagata Station, so a night out in the city means a ride home up the mountain. Zao Onsen's water comes out of the ground at 45 to 66°C and is a strongly acidic sulphur spring, with a pH between 1.25 and 1.6 by the tourism association's count. About 5,700 litres flow every minute, which is why even the small inns run their own tubs. Three public bathhouses, Kami-yu, Shimo-yu and Kawara-yu, open from 6:00 to 22:00 all year, and you drop ¥300 into the box at the door (¥100 for a child). Old records call the spring Sukawa-yu or Takayu, and the Nipponica encyclopedia notes a shrine to the Sukawa spring in the ninth-century chronicle Sandai Jitsuroku. In the Edo period the village was the western trailhead for pilgrims climbing to Zao Gongen, the deity of the mountain's ascetics. The ski area opened in the Showa era, and the ropeways and tourist roads came with it. In winter the draw sits above the ropeways, where the conifers disappear under rime and snow into the shapes Japan calls juhyo, the snow monsters. Zao Ropeway runs evening light-up tours of them and posted its 2026/27 notice in October 2026, so check its site for the nights. The big river bath, the Zao Onsen Dai-rotenburo, closes from late November to mid-April, and in ski season the soaking happens in the public bathhouses and the inns. Tips: - Buy lift tickets online before you arrive. The web ticket gives you a QR code that the unstaffed machines at the ticket offices read. - Carry ¥100 coins, because the public bathhouses ask you to pay into a box at the door. - Eat jingisukan one night. Zao Onsen tells its own story of the lamb dish taking shape here in the late 1940s, and Robata and Jingisukan Lodge both serve it near the lifts. Q: How do you get to Zao Onsen from Tokyo? A: Take the Yamagata Shinkansen to Yamagata, 161 minutes on the fastest Tsubasa in October 2026, then the Yamako bus from Yamagata Station to the Zao Onsen bus terminal, 37 minutes for ¥1,200. Q: Is the Zao Onsen Dai-rotenburo open in winter? A: No. The big outdoor bath closes from late November to mid-April. The three public bathhouses in the village stay open all year from 6:00 to 22:00. Q: Is Mt. Zao an active volcano? A: Yes. The Japan Meteorological Agency monitors Zao-san as an active volcano, and on 11 October 2026 it carried no eruption warning. Check JMA's Zao page before any trip toward the summit. Q: What does the name Zao Onsen mean? A: Zao Onsen comes from the local name Zaō, meaning the name comes from Zao Gongen, the guardian deity of mountain ascetics, enshrined on the summits of Kumano-dake and Katta-dake. Both encyclopedias on Kotobank give the Zao Gongen origin as the standard account. The Nipponica entry for the onsen records its older names, Sukawa-yu and Takayu. Q: Is Zao Onsen a good place to stay? A: Stay in Zao Onsen if you want to ski from the village and end each day in sulphur water, with three public bathhouses a short walk from most inns. Families and non-skiers do well here too, since the ropeways carry sightseers up to the snow monsters. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://zaomountainresort.com/about/ https://zaomountainresort.com/winter/ https://zaomountainresort.com/access/ https://www.yamakobus.jp/91bd76e81be6bf8dcfe9d51412af0ce8e63ad8de.pdf https://zao-spa.or.jp/ https://zaoropeway.co.jp/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2&to=%E8%94%B5%E7%8E%8B%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E4%BB%99%E5%8F%B0&to=%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://kotobank.jp/word/%E8%94%B5%E7%8E%8B%E5%B1%B1 https://kotobank.jp/word/%E8%94%B5%E7%8E%8B%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/sendai/212_Zaozan/212_index.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/map_0.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7159554 https://t023.com/meal2.html ## Places to stay ### 1166 Backpackers URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/1166-backpackers Type: Stay Local name: 1166バックパッカーズ (ja) Also known as: 1166 Backpackers Nagano Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nagano Address: 1048 Nishimachi, Nagano-shi, Nagano Coordinates: 36.65540, 138.18630 Kind: Hostel Prices: A ¥500 discount applies to solo travellers aged 25 and under. Best for: solo travellers, skiers on a budget, Zenko-ji visits Ski-in ski-out: No Website: https://1166bp.com/ Summary: 1166 Backpackers is a guesthouse in a 90-year-old former dry cleaner's five minutes' walk from Zenko-ji, and it suits solo travellers who want a social base in the old town. The trade-off is a longer walk to the station buses. The guesthouse fills a converted cleaner's shop more than 90 years old, among Edo-period shops and century-old houses near the temple. It holds a simple lodging licence, and in 2026 it offered ¥500 off for solo travellers aged 25 and under. Zenko-ji is about five minutes away on foot. Q: Who is 1166 Backpackers good for? A: 1166 Backpackers suits solo travellers, skiers on a budget, Zenko-ji visits. Q: Is 1166 Backpackers ski-in ski-out? A: No. 1166 Backpackers sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://1166bp.com/ https://1166bp.com/en/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/238164642 ### Akakura Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/akakura-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 赤倉ホテル (ja) Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市赤倉486 Coordinates: 36.89410, 138.17710 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥ Prices: Myoko Tourism last updated its listing in 2022 and gave ¥11,400 for a stay with dinner and breakfast. It does not say whether that is per person or per room, so check the 2026/27 rate with the inn. Meals: Dinner and breakfast; Japanese and Western kaiseki Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Sauna, Private bath, Parking, Station shuttle Best for: families, onsen lovers, groups To the lifts: The inn sits in the centre of Akakura Onsen, within walking distance of the Akakura Onsen ski area. Shuttle: Myoko Tourism lists a pick-up service; confirm the details when you book. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price band: ¥¥ Website: http://www.akakura-hotel.com/ Summary: Akakura Hotel suits families who want a big onsen inn in the middle of the village, and its trade-off is a dated building. Akakura Hotel says it has been running for 200 years, which makes it one of the oldest houses in Akakura Onsen. It sits at about 800 metres in the middle of the village, a short walk from the bars and the Akakura Onsen ski area. The inn draws its water from 24 outlets of the Akakura source on Mt. Myoko and runs every bath as kake-nagashi, which means the water flows through once and is never recirculated. There are three public baths with an outdoor one and a sauna. A private bath costs ¥2,000 an hour on reservation, and the main baths stay open from 05:00 to midnight. Dinner is a Japanese and Western kaiseki built around local produce. The car park holds about 50 cars on a first-come basis, and in a heavy week it fills, so arrive early or come by bus. Tips: - Non-guests can bathe for ¥1,000 an adult when the inn is not fully booked. Q: Are meals included at Akakura Hotel? A: Akakura Hotel: Dinner and breakfast; Japanese and Western kaiseki. Q: What does Akakura Hotel have? A: Akakura Hotel lists onsen, open air bath, sauna, private bath, parking, station shuttle. Q: Who is Akakura Hotel good for? A: Akakura Hotel suits families, onsen lovers, groups. Q: Does Akakura Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Akakura Hotel has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.akakura-hotel.com/ http://www.akakura-hotel.com/faq/ https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/%e8%b5%a4%e5%80%89%e3%83%9b%e3%83%86%e3%83%ab/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県妙高市赤倉486 ### Akakura Kanko Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/akakura-kanko-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 赤倉観光ホテル (ja) Also known as: Akakura Kanko, AKR Hotel, 赤倉観光リゾート&スパ Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市田切216 Coordinates: 36.88630, 138.16400 Kind: Ski hotel From: ¥38,500 per person (2026), about CAD 346 or USD 243 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥¥ Prices: Rooms with their own open-air onsen tub run well above the base rate. Meals: French dinner in the main dining room or a buffet; breakfast; café lunch 11:00 to 14:00 Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 69 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Sauna, Family bath, Ski lockers, Ski rental, Free laundry, Fitness room, Bar, Station shuttle Best for: couples, skiers, onsen lovers Ski-in ski-out: Yes To the lifts: The hotel says you step from its ski locker room straight onto Akakura Kanko Resort. Ski storage: Yes Shuttle: A free shuttle runs from Myoko-Kogen Station on reservation and takes about ten minutes. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The hotel's pages do not publish a tattoo rule; ask before you book. Price from: ¥38,500 per person (2026), about CAD 346 or USD 243 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.akr-hotel.com/ Summary: Akakura Kanko Hotel suits couples who want a classic mountain hotel with the lifts outside the ski lockers, and the trade-off is the price, the highest in Myoko Kogen. The hotel opened in 1937 at about 1,000 metres on the slopes of Mt. Myoko, and the main building still has its old dining room and a fireplace that gets lit in winter. Two newer wings went up in 2009 and 2016, and those are where the rooms with their own open-air onsen tubs sit, most of them facing Lake Nojiri. There are 69 rooms in all. You walk out of the ski locker room straight onto Akakura Kanko Resort, so this is the one hotel in town where you can ski to the door. The hotel rents skis and boards to guests from that same locker room. From the top of the resort at 1,500 metres there is a four-kilometre run back down. The baths run on sulphur-smelling water piped two kilometres from Kita-Jigokudani on Mt. Myoko, and none of it is recirculated. A family bath with the same water can be booked by the hour for 50 minutes at a time, free for guests. Dinner is French in the old dining room or a buffet, and the hotel does not serve lunch in the restaurant, though the café terrace does from 11:00 to 14:00. Tips: - Book the free station shuttle from Myoko-Kogen Station when you reserve; the ride takes about ten minutes. - A ¥150 bathing tax per adult is added at check-out. Q: How much does Akakura Kanko Hotel cost? A: Prices at Akakura Kanko Hotel start at ¥38,500 per person (2026), about CAD 346 or USD 243 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Akakura Kanko Hotel? A: Akakura Kanko Hotel: French dinner in the main dining room or a buffet; breakfast; café lunch 11:00 to 14:00. Q: What does Akakura Kanko Hotel have? A: Akakura Kanko Hotel lists onsen, open air bath, sauna, family bath, ski lockers, ski rental, free laundry, fitness room, bar, station shuttle. Q: Who is Akakura Kanko Hotel good for? A: Akakura Kanko Hotel suits couples, skiers, onsen lovers. Q: Is Akakura Kanko Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Akakura Kanko Hotel is ski-in ski-out. Q: Does Akakura Kanko Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Akakura Kanko Hotel has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.akr-hotel.com/ https://www.akr-hotel.com/facilities/ https://www.akr-hotel.com/bath/ https://www.akr-hotel.com/room/ https://www.akr-hotel.com/access/ https://myokotourism.jp/stay https://myokotourism.com/accommodation/akakura-kanko-hotel/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111865559 ### Alpico Plaza Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/alpico-plaza-hotel Type: Stay Local name: アルピコプラザホテル (ja) Also known as: Alpico Plaza Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Matsumoto Address: 1-3-21 Fukashi, Matsumoto-shi, Nagano 390-0815 Coordinates: 36.22960, 137.96640 Kind: Business hotel Prices: Matsumoto has charged an accommodation tax since 1 June 2026. Best for: early buses, business travellers Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Private baths Website: https://www.alpico-plaza-hotel.jp/ Summary: Alpico Plaza Hotel is a city hotel two minutes' walk from Matsumoto Station next to the bus terminal, and it suits travellers catching the Kamikochi or Shinjuku buses. The trade-off is a plain business-hotel stay. The hotel stands beside Matsumoto Bus Terminal and two minutes on foot from the station, and the Matsumoto interchange is about ten minutes away by car. It belongs to Alpico, the group that runs the region's buses. Q: Who is Alpico Plaza Hotel good for? A: Alpico Plaza Hotel suits early buses, business travellers. Q: Is Alpico Plaza Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: No. Alpico Plaza Hotel sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.alpico-plaza-hotel.jp/ https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=19481 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/754599786 ### Alpine Route Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/alpine-route-hotel Type: Stay Local name: アルペンルートホテル (ja) Also known as: Omachi Alpine Route Hotel Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Omachi Address: 2861 Taira Omachi Onsenkyo, Omachi-shi, Nagano 398-0001 Coordinates: 36.52890, 137.80710 Kind: Ryokan Meals: Japanese course dinner of 10 to 12 dishes and a Japanese set breakfast; vegetarian, allergy-friendly and halal meals on request Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 25 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Private rock bath, Luggage forwarding to Toyama Station, Rental car Best for: Alpine Route travellers, hikers, spring trips Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://alpineroutehotel.com/ Summary: Alpine Route Hotel is an onsen inn in Omachi Onsenkyo on the road to Ogizawa, and it suits travellers crossing the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route who want to send their bags ahead to Toyama. The trade-off is a quiet winter, when the route is closed. The inn sits eight minutes' walk from the Omachi Onsenkyo bus stop, on the bus line from Shinano-Omachi Station to Ogizawa. It sends luggage to Toyama Station for a fee, booked at check-in, so you can cross the Alpine Route with a day pack. The baths run on a simple alkaline spring, and an old farmhouse holds a rock bath you can book for private use. Q: Are meals included at Alpine Route Hotel? A: Alpine Route Hotel: Japanese course dinner of 10 to 12 dishes and a Japanese set breakfast; vegetarian, allergy-friendly and halal meals on request. Q: What does Alpine Route Hotel have? A: Alpine Route Hotel lists onsen, open air bath, private rock bath, luggage forwarding to toyama station, rental car. Q: Who is Alpine Route Hotel good for? A: Alpine Route Hotel suits Alpine Route travellers, hikers, spring trips. Q: Is Alpine Route Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: No. Alpine Route Hotel sits away from the lifts. Q: Does Alpine Route Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Alpine Route Hotel has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://alpineroutehotel.com/ https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16588 ### ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ana-crowne-plaza-appi-kogen Type: Stay Local name: ANAクラウンプラザリゾート安比高原 (ja) Also known as: Crowne Plaza Appi, Hotel Appi Grand, ホテル安比グランド, ANAクラウンプラザ安比高原 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Town: APPI Address: Appi Kogen, Hachimantai, Iwate 028-7306 Coordinates: 40.00230, 140.96860 Kind: Ski hotel From: ¥8,850 per person (2027), about CAD 80 or USD 56 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Rakuten Travel lists room-only stays from 1 to 31 March 2027 from ¥8,850 a person for two sharing. The same room from 3 January to 28 February 2027 starts at ¥37,500 a person, so midwinter sits two tiers above the March figure the tier follows. Meals: Room-only, breakfast and half-board plans; winter half-board uses the seafood dinner buffet, and every restaurant takes dinner by reservation. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 403 Amenities: Onsen, Sauna, Private onsen bath, Indoor pool, Gym, Kids' corner, Ski rental, Coin laundry, ATM, Free parking Best for: families, groups, skiers, beginners Ski-in ski-out: Yes To the lifts: The resort describes the hotel as ski-in, ski-out. Shuttle: Guests-only bus from Morioka Station West Exit stop 26, about 70 minutes, ¥2,200 an adult and ¥1,100 a child each way, 5 Dec 2026 to 4 Apr 2027, booked by 23:59 the day before. Guests-only bus from Iwate Hanamaki Airport, about 90 minutes, ¥3,500 an adult, booked 4 days ahead. A winter area shuttle meets trains at Appi-Kogen Station; its 2026/27 timetable was not out on 11 October 2026. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Covered with a patch Tattoo rule: Shirakaba no Yu publishes the rule: tattoos covered with seals (¥200 for an 8 × 10 cm seal at its front desk) may bathe, and anything the seals cannot cover goes to MAKIBA, the paid private bath in this hotel that you book ahead. The hotel publishes no separate rule for its own bath. Price from: ¥8,850 per person (2027), about CAD 80 or USD 56 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.appi.co.jp/en/stays/ana-crowne-plaza-resort-appi-kogen/ Summary: ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen suits families and groups who want the slopes at the door and a big hotel's spread of restaurants. The trade-off is the calendar: a room-only night in January costs about four times the March rate. The former Hotel Appi Grand spreads across a main building and a tower, with 403 rooms in 22 types that run from standard twins to Japanese-style maisonettes for families. The resort sells it as ski-in, ski-out, and every guests-only bus from Morioka Station and Iwate Hanamaki Airport starts and ends at its door. Dinner can be the seafood buffet with all-you-can-eat crab, Sushi Nagata, Teppanyaki Kazan or the yakiniku room Richoen. All of them take dinner by reservation. The hotel's own onsen bath and sauna on the main building's first floor open from 5:30 to 10:00 and again from 12:00 to midnight. Most plans include entry to Shirakaba no Yu next door, a separate onsen with a big open-air bath among the trees and a sauna that holds 50, open 13:00 to 22:00. An indoor pool and a kids' corner fill a stormy afternoon. Rates swing hard with the dates. Rakuten Travel lists room-only stays in March 2027 from ¥8,850 a person for two sharing, and the same room from 3 January to 28 February 2027 from ¥37,500. A lift-and-breakfast plan for January and February starts at ¥48,107 a person. Tips: - Book the guests-only Morioka bus by 23:59 the day before you ride. It leaves stop 26 at Morioka Station's West Exit at 12:00, 15:15 and 18:30. - Reserve your dinner table online as soon as the resort opens winter bookings, because walk-ins are not taken. Q: How much does ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen cost? A: Prices at ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen start at ¥8,850 per person (2027), about CAD 80 or USD 56 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen? A: ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen: Room-only, breakfast and half-board plans; winter half-board uses the seafood dinner buffet, and every restaurant takes dinner by reservation. Q: What does ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen have? A: ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen lists onsen, sauna, private onsen bath, indoor pool, gym, kids' corner, ski rental, coin laundry, atm, free parking. Q: Who is ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen good for? A: ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen suits families, groups, skiers, beginners. Q: Is ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen is ski-in ski-out. Q: Does ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen have an onsen? A: Yes. ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Q: Can you use the baths at ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen with tattoos? A: Small tattoos are fine at ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen when a patch covers them. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.appi.co.jp/stays/ana-crowne-plaza-resort-appi-kogen/ https://www.appi.co.jp/stays/ https://www.appi.co.jp/faq/ https://www.appi.co.jp/access-winter/ https://www.appi.co.jp/experience/onsen/hot-spring-public-bath-and-sauna/ https://www.appi.co.jp/experience/onsen/shirakaba-no-yu/ https://www.appi.co.jp/en/offer/2026-27-winter-season-early-bird-discount-with-lift-pass/ https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/16623/16623.html https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/16623/16623_std.html https://hotel.travel.rakuten.co.jp/hotelinfo/plan/16623?f_flg=PLAN&f_static=1 https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/16623/rtmap.html https://www.data-space.site/kankou/stay/index.html ### ANA Crowne Plaza Fukuoka URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ana-crowne-plaza-fukuoka Type: Stay Local name: ANAクラウンプラザホテル福岡 (ja) Also known as: ANA Crowne Plaza Hakata, Crowne Plaza Fukuoka Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Fukuoka Town: Fukuoka and Hakata Address: 3-3-3 Hakata-ekimae, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka 812-0011 Coordinates: 33.58730, 130.41790 Kind: Hotel Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Bike storage, Pump and tool loan, Outdoor bike work area, Luggage storage, Parcel and bike shipping, Parking (98 spaces) Best for: arrivals by Shinkansen or air, riders building up a boxed bike, groups with bikes Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Assembled bikes can go up to the room, or the hotel keeps them in a locked store and manages them centrally, so it takes groups. For riders: Wash area, tools Website: https://www.anacrowneplaza-fukuoka.jp/ Summary: ANA Crowne Plaza Fukuoka suits riders arriving at Hakata Station who want a full-service hotel that takes bikes, and it is a large city hotel with city prices. The hotel stands about five minutes' walk from Hakata Station, which makes it an easy first night after the Shinkansen or the subway from the airport. Fukuoka Prefecture lists it among its cyclist-friendly stays. You can wheel an assembled bike to your room or leave it in a locked store, and the hotel lends a pump and tools and keeps an outdoor space for working on bikes. It will also take delivery of a bike you ship ahead and send it on when you leave. Tips: - Ship your boxed bike to the hotel ahead of a Kyushu tour and build it up in the outdoor work area. Q: What does ANA Crowne Plaza Fukuoka have? A: ANA Crowne Plaza Fukuoka lists bike storage, pump and tool loan, outdoor bike work area, luggage storage, parcel and bike shipping, parking (98 spaces). Q: Who is ANA Crowne Plaza Fukuoka good for? A: ANA Crowne Plaza Fukuoka suits arrivals by Shinkansen or air, riders building up a boxed bike, groups with bikes. Q: Is ANA Crowne Plaza Fukuoka bike-friendly? A: Yes. ANA Crowne Plaza Fukuoka welcomes cyclists. Storage: assembled bikes can go up to the room, or the hotel keeps them in a locked store and manages them centrally, so it takes groups. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.crossroadfukuoka.jp/cycle/15734 https://www.anacrowneplaza-fukuoka.jp/faq/ https://www.anacrowneplaza-fukuoka.jp/ ### ANA Crowne Plaza Toyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ana-crowne-plaza-toyama Type: Stay Local name: ANAクラウンプラザホテル富山 (ja) Also known as: Crowne Plaza Toyama, ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Toyama Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Toyama Address: 2-3 Otemachi, Toyama, Toyama 930-0084 Coordinates: 36.69162, 137.21189 Kind: Hotel Prices: Rates change by date on the hotel's booking page. Parking at the International Conference Center next door costs ¥1,500 a night. Meals: Breakfast buffet of Toyama produce, 6:00–10:00, also open to non-guests Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Cyclist friendly certification, Step free rooms on request, Souvenir shop, Parking Best for: cyclists, couples, business travellers Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: The hotel holds Toyama Prefecture's cyclist-friendly certification; confirm storage arrangements when you book. Website: https://www.anacrowneplaza-toyama.jp/ Summary: ANA Crowne Plaza Toyama suits cyclists who want a full-service hotel by the castle park with Toyama Prefecture's cyclist-friendly certification, and its trade-off is a 15-minute walk or a tram ride from the station. The hotel stands opposite Toyama Castle Park and connects underground to the Toyama International Conference Center. Toyama Prefecture lists it among the inns it certifies as friendly to cyclists. The scheme covers bike storage and luggage forwarding among other services, and each inn offers its own mix, so ask the hotel what it provides before you arrive with a bike. From Toyama Station the loop tram takes about six minutes to Kokusai Kaigijo-mae, the stop at the door. The breakfast buffet leans on Toyama produce and draws locals who come in only to eat. Q: Are meals included at ANA Crowne Plaza Toyama? A: ANA Crowne Plaza Toyama: Breakfast buffet of Toyama produce, 6:00–10:00, also open to non-guests. Q: What does ANA Crowne Plaza Toyama have? A: ANA Crowne Plaza Toyama lists cyclist friendly certification, step free rooms on request, souvenir shop, parking. Q: Who is ANA Crowne Plaza Toyama good for? A: ANA Crowne Plaza Toyama suits cyclists, couples, business travellers. Q: Is ANA Crowne Plaza Toyama bike-friendly? A: Yes. ANA Crowne Plaza Toyama welcomes cyclists. Storage: the hotel holds Toyama Prefecture's cyclist-friendly certification; confirm storage arrangements when you book. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/102927 https://www.anacrowneplaza-toyama.jp/ https://cycling-toyama.jp/hotel/ ### ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ana-intercontinental-appi-kogen Type: Stay Local name: ANAインターコンチネンタル安比高原リゾート (ja) Also known as: InterContinental Appi, Appi InterContinental, IC Appi Kogen, ANAインターコンチネンタル安比高原 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Town: APPI Address: 117-46 Appi Kogen, Hachimantai, Iwate 028-7306 Coordinates: 40.00130, 140.96770 Kind: Ski hotel From: ¥41,000 per person (2026), about CAD 369 or USD 259 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Rakuten Travel lists the Advance Saver with breakfast from ¥41,000 a person for two sharing when you book 30 days ahead, for stays from 1 December 2026 to 31 March 2027. The ordinary breakfast rate for 3 January to 5 February 2027 starts at ¥104,500 a person, and New Year week costs more again. The tier follows the ¥41,000 figure. Meals: Breakfast, afternoon tea and the evening apéritif hour come with the room; dinner is at Shiratsuyu, or at Sushi Nagata or Teppanyaki Kazan in the Crowne Plaza on some plans. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 38 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Sauna, Spa, 24 hour gym, Coin laundry, Turndown service, Free parking Best for: couples, luxury, skiers, food lovers Ski-in ski-out: Yes To the lifts: The resort lists the hotel as ski-in, ski-out, with the slopes directly in front of the building. Shuttle: Guests-only buses stop at ANA Crowne Plaza next door: from Morioka Station West Exit stop 26 (¥2,200 an adult, 5 Dec 2026 to 4 Apr 2027, book by 23:59 the day before) and from Iwate Hanamaki Airport (¥3,500 an adult, book 4 days ahead). The hotel collects guests from Appi-Kogen Station when the area shuttle is not running. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The hotel publishes no rule for its own bath. Shirakaba no Yu next door lets guests bathe with tattoos covered by seals sold at its front desk (¥200 for an 8 × 10 cm seal) and sends anything larger to the paid private bath MAKIBA in the Crowne Plaza. Price from: ¥41,000 per person (2026), about CAD 369 or USD 259 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.appi.co.jp/en/stays/ana-intercontinental-appi-kogen-resort/ Summary: ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort suits couples who want APPI's runs outside the door and a full-service hotel wrapped around them. The trade-off is the bill: a January night with breakfast starts above ¥100,000 a person. This is the smaller of APPI's IHG hotels, with 38 rooms that all face the slopes, and seven of its eleven room types have a hinoki-wood bath by the window. Staff meet you at the door, and the stay includes a welcome drink, afternoon tea, an early-evening apéritif hour and breakfast. In winter the resort sells it as ski-in, ski-out, so you clip in at the hotel and ride onto the runs. Restaurant Shiratsuyu cooks Japanese and French courses from Tohoku produce and Sanriku seafood, and Bar MOCCO takes over after dinner. Rates climb hard through the season. On Rakuten Travel the 30-day Advance Saver with breakfast starts at ¥41,000 a person for two sharing from December 2026 to March 2027. The ordinary breakfast rate for 3 January to 5 February 2027 starts at ¥104,500 a person. Every hotel restaurant takes dinner by reservation, so book tables when you book the room. The guests-only buses from Morioka Station and Iwate Hanamaki Airport stop at ANA Crowne Plaza next door, and InterContinental guests get on and off there. The bath has a rock pool, a hinoki pool, an open-air pool and a sauna, and THE SPA by HARNN runs Thai and Japanese massage downstairs. Tips: - The guests-only bus from stop 26 at Morioka Station's West Exit costs ¥2,200 an adult each way, and you must book it by 23:59 the day before. - Guests aged 13 and over pay adult rates, so count them as adults when you book on IHG.com. Q: How much does ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort cost? A: Prices at ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort start at ¥41,000 per person (2026), about CAD 369 or USD 259 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort? A: ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort: Breakfast, afternoon tea and the evening apéritif hour come with the room; dinner is at Shiratsuyu, or at Sushi Nagata or Teppanyaki Kazan in the Crowne Plaza on some plans. Q: What does ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort have? A: ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort lists onsen, open air bath, sauna, spa, 24 hour gym, coin laundry, turndown service, free parking. Q: Who is ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort good for? A: ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort suits couples, luxury, skiers, food lovers. Q: Is ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort is ski-in ski-out. Q: Does ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort have an onsen? A: Yes. ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.appi.co.jp/stays/ana-intercontinental-appi-kogen-resort/ https://www.appi.co.jp/en/stays/ana-intercontinental-appi-kogen-resort/ https://www.appi.co.jp/stays/ https://www.appi.co.jp/faq/ https://www.appi.co.jp/access-winter/ https://www.appi.co.jp/en/offer/2026-27-winter-season-early-bird-discount-with-lift-pass/ https://www.appi.co.jp/experience/onsen/shirakaba-no-yu/ https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/183518/183518_std.html https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/183518/183518.html https://hotel.travel.rakuten.co.jp/hotelinfo/plan/183518?f_flg=PLAN&f_static=1 https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/183518/rtmap.html ### Anago no Nedoko URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/anago-no-nedoko Type: Stay Local name: あなごのねどこ (ja) Also known as: Anagonone doko, Onomichi Guesthouse Anago no Nedoko Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: 2-4-9 Tsuchido, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-0035 Coordinates: 34.40920, 133.20200 Kind: Hostel From: ¥3,000 per person (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Dorm beds and private rooms start at ¥3,000 a person a night and change with the season and group size. Payment is cash only at check-in. Meals: No meals; the guesthouse also runs the Akubi Café. Check-in: 16:00–22:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Shared showers, Washer and dryer, Luggage storage Best for: budget, solo travellers, backpackers Baths: Shared baths Price from: ¥3,000 per person (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://anago.onomichisaisei.com/ Summary: Anago no Nedoko suits backpackers who want a ¥3,000 bunk in the middle of Onomichi's arcade, and the trade-off is shared showers and a 22:00 check-in cut-off. The Onomichi Akiya Saisei Project, a group that rescues the town's empty houses, rebuilt this long, narrow townhouse in the shopping arcade as a guesthouse. Two dorms upstairs, one mixed and one for women, have handmade bunks with curtains, a light and a socket at each bed, and a Japanese-style private room suits a family or a small group. Check in between 16:00 and 22:00; after that the booking counts as a same-day cancellation. Showers are shared, so the staff hand out a map of the old public baths for anyone who wants a long soak. Payment is cash on the spot, and children under school age cannot stay. Q: How much does Anago no Nedoko cost? A: Prices at Anago no Nedoko start at ¥3,000 per person (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Anago no Nedoko? A: Anago no Nedoko: No meals; the guesthouse also runs the Akubi Café. Q: What does Anago no Nedoko have? A: Anago no Nedoko lists shared showers, washer and dryer, luggage storage. Q: Who is Anago no Nedoko good for? A: Anago no Nedoko suits budget, solo travellers, backpackers. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://anago.onomichisaisei.com/?page_id=95 https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information&paged=3 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E5%9C%9F%E5%A0%82%E4%BA%8C%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE4-9 ### Appi Kogen Mori no Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/appi-kogen-mori-no-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 安比高原 森のホテル (ja) Also known as: Mori no Hotel, Morino Hotel Appi, 森のホテル Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Town: APPI Address: 605-30 Appi Kogen, Hachimantai, Iwate 028-7306 Coordinates: 40.00380, 140.97890 Kind: Hotel From: ¥5,500 per person (2026), about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: The hotel's own site and Rakuten Travel list room-only stays from ¥5,500 a person for two sharing, on plans posted to 31 July 2027. The basic shabu-shabu dinner plan starts at ¥11,550 a person, and guests of junior-high age and up pay a ¥150 bathing tax on site. Meals: Room-only, breakfast and half-board plans; every dinner course centres on Maesawa beef, and breakfast is a buffet rebuilt in August 2026. Check-in: 15:00–22:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 28 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Sauna, Private open air baths, Ski drying room, Free Wi Fi, Free parking, Station transfer Best for: families, onsen lovers, budget Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: Use the hotel's transfer to APPI ski area or drive; the hotel lists no walking time. Shuttle: Hotel van to Appi-Kogen Station for set trains (drop-offs at 8:39 and 11:35, pick-ups at 13:35 and 17:39), booked by the day before; the Rakuten listing also offers transfers to APPI ski area. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥5,500 per person (2026), about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.ap-morinohotel.com/ Summary: Appi Kogen Mori no Hotel suits budget-minded families and onsen fans who want a private-source hot spring and Maesawa beef at dinner. The trade-off is a building with no elevator and a transfer to the slopes. This 28-room hotel stands in the woods of the Appi Kogen pension area and pipes its own spring, which it calls Molden no Yu. The water is an alkaline simple spring at pH 8.6 that leaves the ground at 55.7°C, with a slick, lotion-like feel the hotel trades on. Each large bath has an indoor pool, an open-air pool, a dry sauna and a cold plunge. Two private open-air baths named Iwa no Yu and Ki no Yu are free from 15:00 to 23:00 and need no booking. Every dinner course puts Maesawa beef at its centre, bought only from the Ogata farm, and the basic plan serves it as shabu-shabu. The breakfast buffet was rebuilt in August 2026 around Iwate vegetables and a Maesawa beef curry. There is no elevator, so ask for a lower floor if stairs are hard. The hinoki tubs in the Japanese-Western rooms run on heated tap water, so save your soaking for the big baths. A six-seat hotel van meets set trains at Appi-Kogen Station, and the Rakuten listing also offers runs to the ski area. The hotel has a ski drying room and no rental gear, so rent at the resort. Tips: - Book the station transfer by the day before, because the van meets set trains only. - Winter drivers need snow tyres or chains, and the lot holds one car per room. Q: How much does Appi Kogen Mori no Hotel cost? A: Prices at Appi Kogen Mori no Hotel start at ¥5,500 per person (2026), about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Appi Kogen Mori no Hotel? A: Appi Kogen Mori no Hotel: Room-only, breakfast and half-board plans; every dinner course centres on Maesawa beef, and breakfast is a buffet rebuilt in August 2026. Q: What does Appi Kogen Mori no Hotel have? A: Appi Kogen Mori no Hotel lists onsen, open air bath, sauna, private open air baths, ski drying room, free wi fi, free parking, station transfer. Q: Who is Appi Kogen Mori no Hotel good for? A: Appi Kogen Mori no Hotel suits families, onsen lovers, budget. Q: Is Appi Kogen Mori no Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: No. Appi Kogen Mori no Hotel sits away from the lifts, and hotel van to Appi-Kogen Station for set trains (drop-offs at 8:39 and 11:35, pick-ups at 13:35 and 17:39), booked by the day before; the Rakuten listing also offers transfers to APPI ski area. Q: Does Appi Kogen Mori no Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Appi Kogen Mori no Hotel has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ap-morinohotel.com/ https://www.ap-morinohotel.com/faq/ https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/181484/181484.html https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/181484/181484_std.html https://hotel.travel.rakuten.co.jp/hotelinfo/plan/181484?f_flg=PLAN&f_static=1 https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/181484/rtmap.html https://www.data-space.site/kankou/stay/index.html ### Arai Ryokan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/arai-ryokan Type: Stay Local name: 新井旅館 (ja) Also known as: Arai Ryokan Shuzenji, Shuzenji Arai, 新井旅館 修善寺 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shuzenji Address: 静岡県伊豆市修善寺970 Coordinates: 34.97040, 138.92670 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥22,275 per person (2026), about CAD 200 or USD 141 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥¥ Prices: The official booking page shows plans from ¥22,275 a person when six share a room, and the per-person rate climbs as the group shrinks. Jalan's guide price for two sharing starts at ¥36,300 a person. The bathing tax of ¥150 an adult comes on top, and the Suiren private bath costs ¥1,100 for 45 minutes. Meals: Dinner and breakfast, either in your room or in the Seikei dining room depending on the plan Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 31 Amenities: Free flowing onsen, Private baths, Wi Fi, Library hall, Museum of Shoko Kanazawa's calligraphy Best for: architecture lovers, couples, groups of friends, families Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The inn publishes no tattoo rule. The Suiren and Hisui private baths can be booked by the session. Price from: ¥22,275 per person (2026), about CAD 200 or USD 141 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://arairyokan.jp/en/ Booking: https://www.489pro.com/asp/489/menu.asp?id=22000058&lan=ENG Summary: Arai Ryokan suits travellers who want to sleep inside a working museum of Meiji and Showa timber beside the Katsura River, and the trade-off is a per-person price that only drops when a big group shares one room. Arai Ryokan has stood on the Katsura River in Shuzenji since the Meiji era, and in 1998 the state registered 15 of its buildings as tangible cultural properties. Its third owner, Aihara Mokuho, hosted painters such as Yasuda Yukihiko and Yokoyama Taikan. Yokoyama's old studio now holds the Ginza Shoko Kanazawa Museum Shuzenji. Every bath in the inn runs on free-flowing Shuzenji water. The Tenpyo Daiyokudo of 1934 looks like a temple hall and has no showers or taps. Two private baths called Suiren and Hisui opened in 2014 on the site of older ones, and a semi-outdoor bath named Yukihana was added to the Hana wing in 2023. The inn has 31 Japanese rooms, and the 2023 refit put double glazing into most of them to keep out the cold. Shuzenji Station is seven or eight minutes away by taxi or bus. Arai also runs a separate phone line in English, Chinese, Korean and Thai. Tips: - Plans over the New Year run from 28 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 and sell separately. - Children aged three to six eat a children's meal with no bedding for ¥8,250 including the facility charge. Q: Are the baths at Arai Ryokan real onsen water? A: Yes. The inn says every bath on the property runs on free-flowing Shuzenji source water. Q: How much does Arai Ryokan cost? A: Prices at Arai Ryokan start at ¥22,275 per person (2026), about CAD 200 or USD 141 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Arai Ryokan? A: Arai Ryokan: Dinner and breakfast, either in your room or in the Seikei dining room depending on the plan. Q: What does Arai Ryokan have? A: Arai Ryokan lists free flowing onsen, private baths, wi fi, library hall, museum of shoko kanazawa's calligraphy. Q: Who is Arai Ryokan good for? A: Arai Ryokan suits architecture lovers, couples, groups of friends, families. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://arairyokan.jp/en/ https://www.489pro.com/asp/489/menu.asp?id=22000058&ty=ser&list=YES https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/新井旅館 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11501183 https://www.jalan.net/yad359366/ ### Asaba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/asaba Type: Stay Local name: あさば (ja) Also known as: Asaba Ryokan, あさば旅館, Asaba Shuzenji Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shuzenji Address: 静岡県伊豆市修善寺3450-1 Coordinates: 34.96700, 138.93000 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥121,150 per person (2026), about CAD 1,100 or USD 766 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥¥ Prices: The inn's booking page lists its seasonal cuisine plan from ¥121,150 a person with two sharing the Kocho room, and from ¥352,150 in the Villa Tenko. Plans with a taiko or Noh performance on the stage cost more. Meals: Dinner and breakfast served in your room, with dried fish made in house and rolled omelette at breakfast Check-in: 14:30, out by 11:30 Rooms: 10 Amenities: In room source water baths, Outdoor bath, Salon bar, Massage and spa treatments, Noh stage, Parking for 15 cars Best for: couples, special occasions, traditional performing arts, recovery days Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: Asaba does not publish a tattoo rule. Every room has its own source-water bath, so you can skip the shared outdoor bath. Price from: ¥121,150 per person (2026), about CAD 1,100 or USD 766 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.asaba-ryokan.com/ Booking: https://reserve.489ban.net/client/asaba/0/plan/availability/daily Summary: Asaba suits a couple who want Shuzenji's oldest family inn at its most formal after a day on Izu's roads, and the trade-off is a price that starts above ¥120,000 a person. Asaba began in 1484 as a temple lodging run by an ancestor of the family that still owns it. Its ten rooms look onto either the garden or the pond, where a Noh stage called Gekkeiden floats; the family moved it here from Tokyo in the late Meiji period. For about 40 years the inn has staged Noh, kyogen, shinnai and dance on it under the name Shuzenji Geijutsu Kiko. Each room has its own bath on free-flowing Shuzenji water, and the Villa Tenko adds a private outdoor one. The shared outdoor bath sits in the bamboo. Dinner comes to your room, and you can add abalone, spiny lobster or charcoal-grilled wagyu to the set course. Relais & Châteaux lists the inn and says it takes children from seven. There is no pick-up from Shuzenji Station, which the inn puts seven minutes away by taxi. The salon serves drinks from 6:00 to 11:30 and again from 14:30 to 23:00. Tips: - The inn quotes fixed taxi fares to Shuzenji, Mishima, Haneda, Narita and Tokyo hotels; ask for them when you book. - Check the Asaba Cultural Journey page for performance dates before you pick a night. Q: Does Asaba pick up guests at Shuzenji Station? A: No. The inn says there is no station pick-up, and a taxi from Shuzenji Station takes about seven minutes. Q: How much does Asaba cost? A: Prices at Asaba start at ¥121,150 per person (2026), about CAD 1,100 or USD 766 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Asaba? A: Asaba: Dinner and breakfast served in your room, with dried fish made in house and rolled omelette at breakfast. Q: What does Asaba have? A: Asaba lists in room source water baths, outdoor bath, salon bar, massage and spa treatments, noh stage, parking for 15 cars. Q: Who is Asaba good for? A: Asaba suits couples, special occasions, traditional performing arts, recovery days. Q: Does Asaba have an onsen? A: Yes. Asaba has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.asaba-ryokan.com/ https://www.asaba-ryokan.com/stay/ https://www.asaba-ryokan.com/discover/ https://www.asaba-ryokan.com/dining/ https://www.asaba-ryokan.com/access/ https://www.asaba-ryokan.com/en/ https://reserve.489ban.net/client/asaba/0/plan https://www.relaischateaux.com/us/hotel/asaba/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=静岡県伊豆市修善寺3450-1 ### Asakichi Ryokan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/asakichi-ryokan Type: Stay Local name: 麻吉旅館 (ja) Also known as: Asakichi, 麻吉 Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Mie Town: Ise Address: 109-3 Nakanocho, Ise, Mie 516-0034 Coordinates: 34.47811, 136.72232 Kind: Ryokan Amenities: Parking for six cars Best for: travellers who want an old inn on the pilgrim road, couples Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Summary: Asakichi Ryokan suits travellers who want to sleep on the old pilgrim road between the shrines in an inn of about 200 years, and it sits a 15-minute walk from the nearest station. Asakichi stands at Nakanocho on the Furuichi road, the old Ise road that joined the Geku and the Naiku before the Miyuki road was built. Fire and wartime raids took most of old Furuichi, and the tourist association names Asakichi as the building that still shows how the street looked. The inn has taken travellers for about 200 years. Mie lists it among the cyclist-friendly stays on its route map. Kintetsu Isuzugawa Station is 15 minutes on foot, and the front desk keeps hours from 8:00 to 10:00 and 16:00 to 21:00. Q: What does Asakichi Ryokan have? A: Asakichi Ryokan lists parking for six cars. Q: Who is Asakichi Ryokan good for? A: Asakichi Ryokan suits travellers who want an old inn on the pilgrim road, couples. Q: Is Asakichi Ryokan bike-friendly? A: Yes. Asakichi Ryokan welcomes cyclists. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ise-kanko.jp/purpose/asakichi/ https://ise-kanko.jp/focus/rentacycle/ https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/iseshima.pdf ### Ayaha Lakeside Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ayaha-lakeside-hotel Type: Stay Local name: アヤハレークサイドホテル (ja) Also known as: Ayaha Lake Side Hotel Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Otsu Address: 3-2-25 Nionohama, Otsu, Shiga 520-0801 Coordinates: 35.00588, 135.88372 Kind: Hotel Prices: The hotel publishes no rates on its own pages; book through the plans it links. Amenities: Bath with hot spring water from Atami, Lakeshore path Best for: riders on a budget in Otsu, groups, lakeshore runs Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://ayahahotel.co.jp/ Summary: Ayaha Lakeside Hotel suits riders who want a plain, certified bike-friendly room on the Nionohama shore, and it publishes almost nothing about its rooms. Ayaha sits on the Nionohama shore east of central Otsu, where the lakeside promenade makes an easy first or last few kilometres of the loop. Its bath runs on hot spring water shipped in from Atami. The hotel is on Shiga's cyclist-friendly list, which means indoor bike storage and a pump and tools at the desk. Rooms, prices and check-in times are on its booking plans and not on the home page, so book there. Q: What does Ayaha Lakeside Hotel have? A: Ayaha Lakeside Hotel lists bath with hot spring water from atami, lakeshore path. Q: Who is Ayaha Lakeside Hotel good for? A: Ayaha Lakeside Hotel suits riders on a budget in Otsu, groups, lakeshore runs. Q: Is Ayaha Lakeside Hotel bike-friendly? A: Yes. Ayaha Lakeside Hotel welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Q: Does Ayaha Lakeside Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Ayaha Lakeside Hotel has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ayahahotel.co.jp/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/5814397454 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Azumi Setoda URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/azumi-setoda Type: Stay Local name: アズミ瀬戸田 (ja) Also known as: Azumi Setoda ryokan, AZUMI SETODA Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Setoda Address: 269 Setoda, Setoda-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-2411 Coordinates: 34.30410, 133.08510 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Hiroshima prefecture adds an accommodation tax of ¥200 per person per night on rooms above ¥6,000 a person, from 1 April 2026. Meals: Breakfast and dinner in the house restaurant; dinner runs in two seatings and needs booking ahead. Amenities: Hinoki baths in every room, Free entry to yubune bathhouse, Bike rental, E bike rental, Restaurant Best for: couples, food lovers, luxury Bike rental: Standard bikes and e-bikes, in limited numbers, so reserve ahead. Baths: Shared and private baths Website: https://azumi.co/setoda/ Summary: Azumi Setoda suits couples who want a ryokan in a 150-year-old merchant house with a hinoki tub in every room, and the trade-off is dinner seatings that fill early. Azumi Setoda took over the house of the Horiuchi family, who grew rich on salt and shipping, and rebuilt its rooms around a walled garden in sukiya style with cedar and hinoki. Every room has a hinoki bathtub. Guests also bathe free, as often as they like, at yubune, the sister bathhouse across the street. The kitchen cooks Setouchi produce without sticking to one cuisine, and dinner runs in two seatings that need booking ahead. The two-storey Sora-suzumi and Niwa-suzumi rooms sleep three with futons in a tatami loft. The inn rents standard bikes and e-bikes and runs a guided ride through the lemon groves. The ferry from Mihara reaches Setoda in about 30 minutes. Q: Are meals included at Azumi Setoda? A: Azumi Setoda: Breakfast and dinner in the house restaurant; dinner runs in two seatings and needs booking ahead. Q: What does Azumi Setoda have? A: Azumi Setoda lists hinoki baths in every room, free entry to yubune bathhouse, bike rental, e bike rental, restaurant. Q: Who is Azumi Setoda good for? A: Azumi Setoda suits couples, food lovers, luxury. Q: Is Azumi Setoda bike-friendly? A: Azumi Setoda has published no cycling policy. Standard bikes and e-bikes, in limited numbers, so reserve ahead. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://azumi.co/ja/setoda/ https://azumi.co/en/setoda/faq/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information&paged=11 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E7%80%AC%E6%88%B8%E7%94%B0%E7%94%BA%E7%80%AC%E6%88%B8%E7%94%B0269 ### Bandaisan Onsen Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/bandaisan-onsen-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 磐梯山温泉ホテル by 星野リゾート (ja) Also known as: Bandaisan Onsen Hotel by Hoshino Resorts, 磐梯山温泉ホテル, Hoshino Resorts Bandai, Alts Bandai hotel Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Fukushima Town: Bandai Address: 6838-68 Shimizudaira, Sarashina, Bandai, Yama District, Fukushima 969-3302 Coordinates: 37.58560, 140.03200 Kind: Ski hotel From: ¥10,000 per person (2026), about CAD 90 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Jalan's lowest rates are ¥10,000 a person room only and ¥12,250 with both buffets when two share, with no date chosen. Ski-season weekends price higher, and Hoshino says its own site carries the best rate. Meals: Buffet dinner of Aizu dishes such as soba and kozuyu soup, and a buffet breakfast with Kitakata-style morning ramen; room-only plans also sell. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 149 Amenities: Onsen, Indoor pool, Spa, Kids' room, Ski drying room, Ski and snowboard rental, Sake bar, Coin laundry, Dog friendly rooms, Free parking, Free Wi Fi Best for: families, skiers, snowboarders, sake lovers Ski-in ski-out: Yes To the lifts: NEKOMA lists the hotel as ski-in, ski-out with direct access to the South Area. The North Area is about 50 minutes away by car. Boot room: Yes Shuttle: The paid route bus from Koriyama Station stops at the hotel daily from 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027 and needs booking; NEKOMA gives about 70 minutes and ¥1,800 to the South Area. A route bus from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station takes about 45 minutes for ¥1,000. No bus runs from Bandai-machi Station in winter. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: Hoshino's page for this hotel states no tattoo rule, so ask before you book. Price from: ¥10,000 per person (2026), about CAD 90 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/bandai/ Booking: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/bandai/roomsearch/ Summary: Bandaisan Onsen Hotel suits families and riders who want to ski out of the door onto NEKOMA Mountain's South Area, and the trade-off is a big buffet hotel with a 70-minute paid bus from Koriyama. Hoshino Resorts runs this 149-room hotel at the foot of what used to be Alts Bandai and is now the South Area of NEKOMA Mountain. NEKOMA's accommodation page calls it ski-in, ski-out and offers a stay of up to 22 hours, checking in at 16:00 and out at 14:00, so the last morning is a full one on the hill. The same page mentions free first rides and a wax bar for guests. The rooms run from 52-square-metre maisonettes to two Aizu Modern suites of 104 square metres with their own sake cellar. The onsen comes off Mt. Bandai into baths styled on Aizu lacquerware, and there is an indoor pool for the children. Jalan lists a drying room at extra cost. Evenings lean on Aizu culture, and the bar pours local sake chosen by a certified sake sommelier. At 21:00 staff lead a dance round a red-cow tower to the folk song Aizu Bandaisan. Between 11 January and 28 February the dance runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays only. Tips: - The free bus from Bandai-machi Station runs only from 9 April to 23 November. In winter take the paid, booked route bus from Koriyama Station, which runs daily from 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027 and stops at the ski area, the hotel and BunkLodge. - A fixed-fare taxi from Koriyama Station costs ¥28,190 for four or ¥41,210 for a nine-seat van, booked by 16:00 two days ahead. - Drivers come up prefectural road 7 from the Inawashiro Bandai-Kogen interchange in about 25 minutes; carry winter tyres or chains. Q: How much does Bandaisan Onsen Hotel cost? A: Prices at Bandaisan Onsen Hotel start at ¥10,000 per person (2026), about CAD 90 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Bandaisan Onsen Hotel? A: Bandaisan Onsen Hotel: Buffet dinner of Aizu dishes such as soba and kozuyu soup, and a buffet breakfast with Kitakata-style morning ramen; room-only plans also sell. Q: What does Bandaisan Onsen Hotel have? A: Bandaisan Onsen Hotel lists onsen, indoor pool, spa, kids' room, ski drying room, ski and snowboard rental, sake bar, coin laundry, dog friendly rooms, free parking, free wi fi. Q: Is Bandaisan Onsen Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Bandaisan Onsen Hotel is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/bandai/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/bandai/access/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/bandai/todo/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/bandai/activities/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/accomondation/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/access/ https://www.jalan.net/yad316954/ https://www.jalan.net/yad316954/plan/?dateUndecided=1&adultNum=2&roomCount=1 ### BEB5 Tsuchiura by Hoshino Resorts URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/beb5-tsuchiura Type: Stay Local name: BEB5土浦 by 星野リゾート (ja) Also known as: BEB5 Tsuchiura, BEB5土浦, Hoshino BEB5 Tsuchiura Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Town: Tsuchiura Address: PLAYatre Tsuchiura 3F, 1-30 Ariake-cho, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Coordinates: 36.07780, 140.20360 Kind: Cyclist hotel Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 90 Amenities: 24 hour lounge, Coin laundry, Bike maintenance room, Shoe dryers Best for: Ring-Ring Road, car-free cycling trips Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bring your bike into the room or keep it outside your door; cycle rooms let you hang it on the wall. For riders: Tools Bike rental: The hotel rents bikes, junior sizes included. Website: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/beb5tsuchiura/ Summary: BEB5 Tsuchiura suits riders who want to roll their bike from the station gate to the room and onto the Ring-Ring Road, and its busy shared lounge is part of the stay. Hoshino Resorts built BEB5 Tsuchiura as its first hotel for cyclists, and it sits on the third floor of the PLAYatre building straight off the JR Tsuchiura gates. You can take your bike into every room, and the cycle rooms have wall hooks so it hangs like a picture. The 24-hour lounge lets you bring your own food and drink, and the maintenance room is where riders swap route notes. Ring-Ring Square downstairs adds showers, lockers and a bike shop. Check-in runs from 15:00 and check-out at 11:00, and the station gate is a few steps away. Q: What does BEB5 Tsuchiura by Hoshino Resorts have? A: BEB5 Tsuchiura by Hoshino Resorts lists 24 hour lounge, coin laundry, bike maintenance room, shoe dryers. Q: Who is BEB5 Tsuchiura by Hoshino Resorts good for? A: BEB5 Tsuchiura by Hoshino Resorts suits Ring-Ring Road, car-free cycling trips. Q: Is BEB5 Tsuchiura by Hoshino Resorts bike-friendly? A: Yes. BEB5 Tsuchiura by Hoshino Resorts welcomes cyclists. Storage: bring your bike into the room or keep it outside your door; cycle rooms let you hang it on the wall. The hotel rents bikes, junior sizes included. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/beb5tsuchiura/ https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/stay/hoshinoresorts/ https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ringring/inn/ ### Bed'n Onsen Hammond URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/bed-n-onsen-hammond Type: Stay Also known as: Hammond, Takamiya Hotel Hammond, BED'n ONSEN HAMMOND, ハモンド Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: 94-1 Uenodai, Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata 990-2301 Coordinates: 38.17060, 140.39510 Kind: Hotel From: ¥6,000 per person (2026), about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Jalan lists room-only stays from ¥6,000 a person when two share. The hotel takes bookings with online prepayment only. Meals: Room only; a shared kitchen and the village restaurants cover meals Check-in: 15:00–20:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 27 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Sauna, Drying room, Shared kitchen, Coin laundry, Billiards, Free parking, Wi Fi Best for: budget, skiers, long stays Bikes: Storage on site Bike storage: The hotel lists a bike port; ask whether it is covered and takes bicycles. Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: Jalan lists the slopes within a five-minute walk; the hotel names no lift. Boot room: Yes Shuttle: Free pick-up from the Zao Onsen bus terminal between 9:00 and 18:00; phone on arrival, no booking needed. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The hotel's pages and its Jalan listing state no tattoo rule. Price from: ¥6,000 per person (2026), about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.zao-hammond.com/ Summary: Bed'n Onsen Hammond suits budget skiers and long-stay bathers who want room-only rates with Zao's sulphur water, and the trade-off is that you sort out your own meals and check yourself in. Hammond is the Takamiya group's budget house, on a rise in Uenodai about five minutes' walk from the onsen village. The 27 rooms include ten-tatami Japanese rooms, two-room suites, cabin-style twins and corner rooms with mountain views that sleep six. Check-in runs through a web link that sends you the room number and a door code, and a tablet at the desk does the same job. The log-built bathhouse runs Zao water straight from the source 24 hours a day, apart from 10:00 to 13:00. The open-air bath and a two-person sauna with a cold plunge alternate: women use them from 13:00 to 20:00, and men from 20:30 to 23:00 and again in the morning. Your stay also covers three of the village's public bathhouses and the baths at the other Takamiya inns. Lounge TLJ has a microwave, toaster and kettle for guests, and a full IH kitchen with pots, a rice cooker and basic seasonings rents for ¥300 an hour. For dinner, walk down to the village for jingisukan. Jalan lists a drying room and the slopes within five minutes' walk, and staff fetch guests from the bus terminal between 9:00 and 18:00 when you phone. Tips: - Do the web check-in before you travel so the door code is waiting when you arrive. Q: How much does Bed'n Onsen Hammond cost? A: Prices at Bed'n Onsen Hammond start at ¥6,000 per person (2026), about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Bed'n Onsen Hammond? A: Bed'n Onsen Hammond: Room only; a shared kitchen and the village restaurants cover meals. Q: What does Bed'n Onsen Hammond have? A: Bed'n Onsen Hammond lists onsen, open air bath, sauna, drying room, shared kitchen, coin laundry, billiards, free parking, wi fi. Q: Is Bed'n Onsen Hammond bike-friendly? A: Bed'n Onsen Hammond has published no cycling policy. Storage: the hotel lists a bike port; ask whether it is covered and takes bicycles. Q: Is Bed'n Onsen Hammond ski-in ski-out? A: No. Bed'n Onsen Hammond sits away from the lifts, and free pick-up from the Zao Onsen bus terminal between 9:00 and 18:00; phone on arrival, no booking needed. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.zao-hammond.com/ https://www.zao-hammond.com/inbound/eng.html https://zaomountainresort.com/stay/ https://www.zao.co.jp/hammond/ https://zaomountainresort.com/author/hammond/ https://meito-takamiya.com/hotels/hammond/ https://www.jalan.net/yad348320/ https://www.jalan.net/yad348320/plan/?dateUndecided=1&adultNum=2&roomCount=1 ### Bettei Senjuan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/bettei-senjuan Type: Stay Local name: 別邸仙寿庵 (ja) Also known as: Senjuan, Senjyuan, Bettei Senjyuan, 仙寿庵 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 614 Tanigawa, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma 379-1619 Coordinates: 36.78522, 138.95649 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Senjuan sells rooms by plan through its booking engine and lists no fixed rate on its site. Meals: Dinner and breakfast are served. Rooms: 18 Amenities: Private open air bath in every room, Spa treatments, Reading room, Walking bath Best for: couples, special occasions, private baths Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: Senjuan publishes no tattoo rule on its Japanese site. Every room has its own open-air bath on the spring. Website: https://www.senjyuan.jp/ Summary: Bettei Senjuan suits couples who want a high-end ryokan where every one of 18 rooms has its own open-air spring bath facing Tanigawa-dake, and it publishes no rates. Senjuan keeps 18 rooms in a building of about 3,300 square metres in Tanigawa Onsen, and every room has an open-air bath filled straight from the spring with a view of Tanigawa-dake. The rooms come in seven types, from a special room with a full-size outdoor tub to a twin with a half-open bath. One type adds a terrace facing the mountain and a one-person sauna. The shared baths include a cypress indoor bath and a walking bath, and the inn runs spa treatments. The inn lists Tenjindaira ski area among its nearby sights. Q: Are meals included at Bettei Senjuan? A: Bettei Senjuan: Dinner and breakfast are served. Q: What does Bettei Senjuan have? A: Bettei Senjuan lists private open air bath in every room, spa treatments, reading room, walking bath. Q: Who is Bettei Senjuan good for? A: Bettei Senjuan suits couples, special occasions, private baths. Q: Does Bettei Senjuan have an onsen? A: Yes. Bettei Senjuan has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.senjyuan.jp/ https://www.senjyuan.jp/guestroom/ https://www.senjyuan.jp/onsen_spa/ https://www.senjyuan.jp/access/ https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/7446/ ### Biwako Hanakaido URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/biwako-hanakaido Type: Stay Local name: びわ湖花街道 (ja) Also known as: Hanakaido Ogoto Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Otsu Address: 1-1-3 Ogoto, Otsu, Shiga 520-0101 Coordinates: 35.08912, 135.89246 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥17,750 per person (2025), about CAD 160 or USD 112 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Rates include two meals and are per person. The tier assumes two people sharing. Meals: Dinner and breakfast are included. Rooms: 43 Amenities: Hot spring baths, Shuttle bus, Wheelchair loan Best for: onsen night, couples, west-shore overnight Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥17,750 per person (2025), about CAD 160 or USD 112 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.hanakaido.co.jp/ Booking: http://www7.489ban.net/v4/client/plan/list/customer/hanakaido Summary: Hanakaido suits riders who want a hot spring ryokan with dinner at Ogoto Onsen on the west shore, and half board is the only way the published rates come. Ogoto Onsen is the hot spring village on the west shore north of Otsu, and Hanakaido is one of its ryokan. It has 43 rooms split between twins, Japanese rooms and Japanese-Western rooms, and the visitors bureau lists rates from ¥17,750 a person with dinner and breakfast. The inn runs a shuttle bus and holds Shiga's cyclist-friendly certification, so the bike stays indoors. Q: How much does Biwako Hanakaido cost? A: Prices at Biwako Hanakaido start at ¥17,750 per person (2025), about CAD 160 or USD 112 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Biwako Hanakaido? A: Biwako Hanakaido: Dinner and breakfast are included. Q: What does Biwako Hanakaido have? A: Biwako Hanakaido lists hot spring baths, shuttle bus, wheelchair loan. Q: Who is Biwako Hanakaido good for? A: Biwako Hanakaido suits onsen night, couples, west-shore overnight. Q: Is Biwako Hanakaido bike-friendly? A: Yes. Biwako Hanakaido welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Q: Does Biwako Hanakaido have an onsen? A: Yes. Biwako Hanakaido has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/292/?active=stay https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Biwako Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/biwako-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 琵琶湖ホテル (ja) Also known as: Lake Biwa Hotel, Biwako Hotel Otsu Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Otsu Address: 2-40 Hamamachi, Otsu, Shiga 520-0041 Coordinates: 35.01055, 135.86785 Kind: Hotel Prices: The hotel sells its plans through its own booking engine and prints no rack rate on the home page. The visitors bureau's older listing put twins from ¥19,800, but that page dates from 2018, so check the live rate. Meals: Restaurants in the hotel serve lunch and dinner; the hotel announced a winter lunch menu from 26 October 2026. Amenities: Natural hot spring bath, Lake view rooms, Restaurants, Free shuttle bus Best for: first night on Biwaichi, couples, rail arrivals from Kyoto Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.keihanhotels-resorts.co.jp/biwakohotel/ Summary: Biwako Hotel suits riders who want a proper lakeside hotel at the Otsu end of the loop, and you pay city-hotel prices for that view. Keihan runs Biwako Hotel on the Hamaotsu waterfront, where most riders start or finish the loop. Every room faces Lake Biwa, and the Ruri Onsen baths run on hot spring water. The Keihan line at Biwako-Hamaotsu and the Otsu ferry terminal are both on the same stretch of shore. Shiga Prefecture certifies the hotel as cyclist-friendly, so the bike sleeps indoors and the front desk lends a floor pump and tools. Q: Can I bring my bike inside at Biwako Hotel? A: Yes. Biwako Hotel holds Shiga's cyclist-friendly certification, which requires the hotel to keep your bike in the room or somewhere safe indoors. Q: Are meals included at Biwako Hotel? A: Biwako Hotel: Restaurants in the hotel serve lunch and dinner; the hotel announced a winter lunch menu from 26 October 2026. Q: What does Biwako Hotel have? A: Biwako Hotel lists natural hot spring bath, lake view rooms, restaurants, free shuttle bus. Q: Who is Biwako Hotel good for? A: Biwako Hotel suits first night on Biwaichi, couples, rail arrivals from Kyoto. Q: Does Biwako Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Biwako Hotel has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.keihanhotels-resorts.co.jp/biwakohotel/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/218/?active=stay https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Bizenya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/bizenya Type: Stay Local name: 料理旅館 備前屋 (ja) Also known as: Bizenya Ryokan, Gujo Bizenya Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Gujo-Hachiman Address: 264 Yanagimachi, Hachiman-cho, Gujo, Gifu 501-4214 Coordinates: 35.75263, 136.96077 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Rates are on the inn's site. Meals: Dinner and breakfast Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 8 Amenities: Garden, Free parking for 8 cars Best for: couples, food lovers, skiers with a car Website: http://gujyo-bizenya.jp/ Summary: Bizenya suits couples who want a cooking inn with a garden in the old town of Gujo-Hachiman. The trade-off for skiers is the drive, 35 minutes to Washigatake and 50 to Dynaland. Bizenya opened in the middle of the Meiji era on the site where the domain's Edo-period school of Senryukan stood. Forest green tree frogs, which are protected as a natural monument, breed in the pond of its Japanese garden, and the garden looks different in every season. There are eight Japanese rooms, and the inn closes from 28 December to 3 January. Q: Are meals included at Bizenya? A: Bizenya: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Bizenya have? A: Bizenya lists garden, free parking for 8 cars. Q: Who is Bizenya good for? A: Bizenya suits couples, food lovers, skiers with a car. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://gujyo-bizenya.jp/ http://gujyo-bizenya.jp/access.html http://gujyo-bizenya.jp/faq.html https://tabitabigujo.com/spots/hachiman/%E6%96%99%E7%90%86%E6%97%85%E9%A4%A8%E5%82%99%E5%89%8D%E5%B1%8B/ ### BunkLodge NEKOMA URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/bunklodge-nekoma Type: Stay Local name: BunkLodge NEKOMA by 星野リゾート (ja) Also known as: BunkLodge NEKOMA by Hoshino Resorts, Bunk Lodge Nekoma, バンクロッジ ネコマ Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Fukushima Town: Bandai Address: 6838-68 Shimizudaira, Sarashina, Bandai, Yama District, Fukushima 969-3302 Status: opening (opens 2027-01-12). Hoshino Resorts opens BunkLodge on 12 January 2027 and lists its first season as 12 January to 7 March 2027. Coordinates: 37.58380, 140.02570 Kind: Ski hotel Prices: Hoshino and NEKOMA describe the rates as budget-friendly for multi-night stays, and no published rate showed without dates on 11 October 2026. Meals: No restaurant of its own; a 24-hour self-service shop sells breakfast, snacks and drinks, and guests eat at NEKOMA's South Area restaurants and the new BeerHouse Matatabi in the evening. Check-in: 15:00–22:00, out by 12:00 Rooms: 63 Amenities: Public bath, Drying room, Tune up room, Coin laundry, 24 hour shop, Lounge, Free lockers, Parking, Free Wi Fi Best for: groups, snowboarders, budget, long stays To the lifts: 15 min on foot Boot room: Yes Ski storage: Yes Shuttle: No shuttle of its own. Guests can use the Bandaisan Onsen Hotel bus, and the paid Koriyama Station route bus stops at BunkLodge from 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027. Baths: Shared baths Tattoo rule: Hoshino has published no tattoo rule for the public bath before opening. Website: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/bunklodgenekoma/ Booking: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/bunklodgenekoma/roomsearch/ Summary: BunkLodge NEKOMA suits groups of riders who want a low-cost bunk at the foot of NEKOMA's South Area for a week of powder days, and the trade-off is that it has no restaurant and opens only on 12 January 2027. Hoshino Resorts built BunkLodge as a no-frills base for people who come to ride. Its 63 rooms sit in three buildings. Each holds either three bunk beds for six people or four single beds, and every room has a basin and toilet. Everyone showers and soaks in the public bath on the ground floor. The building is set up for gear. NEKOMA says there is a drying room, and Hoshino adds a tune-up room for gear care, a coin laundry and free lockers. A 24-hour self-service shop covers breakfast and late-night beer, and a lounge on the top floor gives the group somewhere to spread out. The South Area lifts are about 15 minutes away on foot or 3 by car, and at the end of the day a lift and a dedicated run bring you back to the door. Dinner means a walk to the South Area base, where the Bandai Shokudo canteen turns into BeerHouse Matatabi from 16:00 this season. Tips: - BunkLodge takes no cash; pay by card or e-money. - Hoshino points BunkLodge guests to the Bandaisan Onsen Hotel's buses; in winter that means the paid Koriyama route bus, which stops at the lodge. - Hoshino lists the first season as 12 January to 7 March 2027, so early-season and spring trips need another bed. Q: When does BunkLodge NEKOMA open? A: BunkLodge NEKOMA is due to open in January 2027. Hoshino Resorts opens BunkLodge on 12 January 2027 and lists its first season as 12 January to 7 March 2027. Q: Are meals included at BunkLodge NEKOMA? A: BunkLodge NEKOMA: No restaurant of its own; a 24-hour self-service shop sells breakfast, snacks and drinks, and guests eat at NEKOMA's South Area restaurants and the new BeerHouse Matatabi in the evening. Q: What does BunkLodge NEKOMA have? A: BunkLodge NEKOMA lists public bath, drying room, tune up room, coin laundry, 24 hour shop, lounge, free lockers, parking, free wi fi. Q: Who is BunkLodge NEKOMA good for? A: BunkLodge NEKOMA suits groups, snowboarders, budget, long stays. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/bunklodgenekoma/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/bunklodgenekoma/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/bunklodgenekoma/dining/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/bunklodgenekoma/access/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/bandai/access/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/feature/26-27season/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/accomondation/ ### Business & Cycle Hotel Bell URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/business-and-cycle-hotel-bell Type: Stay Local name: ビジネス&サイクル ホテルベル (ja) Also known as: Hotel Bell Yukuhashi, Business Hotel Bell, ビジネスホテルベル Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Fukuoka Address: 7-7-6 Gyoji, Yukuhashi, Fukuoka 824-0001 Coordinates: 33.73230, 130.97020 Kind: Cyclist hotel Check-in: 16:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Rooms for guests with bikes, Pump and tool loan, Bike wash area, Coin laundry, Parcel and bike shipping, Rollers and repair stand Best for: road riders, riders crossing between Kitakyushu and Oita Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes go to the room assembled or into locked storage. For riders: Wash area, tools Website: https://businesshotel-bell.jp/ Summary: Hotel Bell suits road riders who want a plain business hotel built around their bikes on the coast between Kitakyushu and Oita, and it has none of a resort's comforts. Hotel Bell in Yukuhashi calls itself a business and cycle hotel and keeps rooms where your bike stays with you. Fukuoka Prefecture lists it as a cyclist-friendly stay with every service on its checklist. There are rollers and a maintenance stand for the evening, a coin laundry, and shipping for bikes and bags. Guests can leave a car in the lot until 17:00 on the day they check out. Q: What does Business & Cycle Hotel Bell have? A: Business & Cycle Hotel Bell lists rooms for guests with bikes, pump and tool loan, bike wash area, coin laundry, parcel and bike shipping, rollers and repair stand. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.crossroadfukuoka.jp/cycle/14546 https://businesshotel-bell.jp/ ### Chalet Marunuma URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/chalet-marunuma Type: Stay Local name: シャレー丸沼 (ja) Also known as: Marunuma Chalet, Marunuma Kogen chalet Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Katashina Address: Higashiogawa, Katashina-mura, Tone-gun, Gunma 378-0414 Coordinates: 36.81319, 139.33090 Kind: Chalet From: ¥6,000 per person (2026), about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Marunuma Kogen lists room-only beds from ¥6,000 a person on weekdays and ¥7,000 before holidays, tax included. A single room costs ¥3,000 more, and three in a 10-mat room add ¥2,000. Packs with a two-day lift ticket start at ¥14,000 an adult. Meals: Room only, with free bread and coffee from 7:00 to 8:00. You can bring food; there is a shared microwave, fridge and freezer, and the shop sells instant meals until 20:00. Check-in: 15:00–21:00, out by 09:00 Rooms: 20 Amenities: Onsen bath, Free Wi Fi, Shared kitchen appliances, Shop Best for: skiers on a budget, early lifts, self-catering groups Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥6,000 per person (2026), about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.marunuma.jp/winter/chalet Summary: Chalet Marunuma suits skiers on a budget who want room-only beds at 1,400 m at Marunuma Kogen with an onsen bath, and you lay your own futon and bring your own dinner. The resort's own chalet has 20 non-smoking rooms, seven of 10 mats and thirteen of 6, with shared toilets and washrooms. The bath uses Marunuma Kogen's own spring and runs from 15:00 to 7:00 the next morning. You lay out your own bedding. Two-day lift packs start at ¥14,000 a person on weekdays, so you can sleep at the base and ride the first lift. Q: Does Chalet Marunuma serve dinner? A: No. Chalet Marunuma is room only, with free bread and coffee in the morning and a shared microwave and fridge for food you bring. Q: How much does Chalet Marunuma cost? A: Prices at Chalet Marunuma start at ¥6,000 per person (2026), about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates). Q: What does Chalet Marunuma have? A: Chalet Marunuma lists onsen bath, free wi fi, shared kitchen appliances, shop. Q: Who is Chalet Marunuma good for? A: Chalet Marunuma suits skiers on a budget, early lifts, self-catering groups. Q: Does Chalet Marunuma have an onsen? A: Yes. Chalet Marunuma has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.marunuma.jp/winter/chalet https://oze-katashina.info/kanko/97/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/551606120 ### Comfort Hotel Hikone URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/comfort-hotel-hikone Type: Stay Local name: コンフォートホテル彦根 (ja) Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Hikone Address: 18-7 Ekihigashi-cho, Hikone, Shiga 522-0010 Coordinates: 35.27208, 136.26529 Kind: Business hotel Prices: Choice Hotels prices by date on its own site. Meals: A free buffet breakfast with smoothies. Amenities: Free breakfast, Bicycle stand, Non smoking rooms Best for: rail arrivals, budget Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Private baths Website: https://www.choice-hotels.jp/hotel/hikone/ Summary: Comfort Hotel Hikone suits riders who arrive by train and want a cheap room by the station, and the castle side of town is across the tracks. This Choice Hotels business hotel is on the east side of Hikone Station, so the castle and the lake sit on the far side of the tracks. Breakfast is a free buffet. The hotel's photos show a bicycle stand, and Shiga's certification means the bike can go indoors. It is the plain, cheap option in a town where the castle hotels cost more. Q: Are meals included at Comfort Hotel Hikone? A: Comfort Hotel Hikone: A free buffet breakfast with smoothies. Q: What does Comfort Hotel Hikone have? A: Comfort Hotel Hikone lists free breakfast, bicycle stand, non smoking rooms. Q: Who is Comfort Hotel Hikone good for? A: Comfort Hotel Hikone suits rail arrivals, budget. Q: Is Comfort Hotel Hikone bike-friendly? A: Yes. Comfort Hotel Hikone welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Q: Does Comfort Hotel Hikone have an onsen? A: No. The private baths at Comfort Hotel Hikone use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.choice-hotels.jp/hotel/hikone/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Comfort Inn Omihachiman URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/comfort-inn-omihachiman Type: Stay Local name: コンフォートイン近江八幡 (ja) Also known as: Comfort Inn Omi-Hachiman Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Omihachiman Address: 514-1 Takakai-cho, Omihachiman, Shiga 523-0891 Coordinates: 35.12167, 136.10117 Kind: Business hotel Prices: Choice Hotels prices by date on its own site and prints no rack rate. Meals: A free buffet breakfast with make-your-own waffles and smoothies. Amenities: Free breakfast, Non smoking rooms Best for: rail arrivals, budget, early starts Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Private baths Website: https://www.choice-hotels.jp/inn/omihachiman/ Summary: Comfort Inn suits riders arriving by train at Omi-Hachiman who want a cheap room and a free breakfast, and it is a chain business hotel with nothing of the old town about it. The hotel is a two-minute walk from the north exit of Omi-Hachiman Station, which serves both JR and the Omi Railway. Breakfast is a free buffet where you make your own waffles. Shiga certifies the hotel as cyclist-friendly, so the bike stays indoors. The canal quarter and Hachiman-bori are about two kilometres north. Q: Are meals included at Comfort Inn Omihachiman? A: Comfort Inn Omihachiman: A free buffet breakfast with make-your-own waffles and smoothies. Q: What does Comfort Inn Omihachiman have? A: Comfort Inn Omihachiman lists free breakfast, non smoking rooms. Q: Who is Comfort Inn Omihachiman good for? A: Comfort Inn Omihachiman suits rail arrivals, budget, early starts. Q: Is Comfort Inn Omihachiman bike-friendly? A: Yes. Comfort Inn Omihachiman welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Q: Does Comfort Inn Omihachiman have an onsen? A: No. The private baths at Comfort Inn Omihachiman use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.choice-hotels.jp/inn/omihachiman/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/396713420 ### Country Hotel Takayama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/country-hotel-takayama Type: Stay Local name: カントリーホテル高山 (ja) Also known as: Country Hotel Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 6-38 Hanasato-machi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14177, 137.25212 Kind: Business hotel From: ¥8,000 per room per night (2026), about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Singles from ¥8,000 and twins for two from ¥11,000 on the hotel's room page, tax included; breakfast buffet ¥1,300. Meals: Room only; Japanese and Western breakfast buffet for ¥1,300 Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Breakfast buffet, Paid parking nearby Best for: solo travellers, early trains and buses Baths: Private baths Price from: ¥8,000 per room per night (2026), about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.country-hotel.jp/ Summary: Country Hotel Takayama suits anyone who wants a simple room by the station for the first train or bus. The trade-off is a business hotel's small rooms and no onsen. The hotel stands in Hanasato-machi by Takayama Station, so the Nohi bus centre and the Hida express are a few minutes' walk away. Singles start at ¥8,000 and twins at ¥11,000 for two, and the buffet breakfast costs ¥1,300. Cars go in nearby paid car parks, about ¥1,200 for 24 hours. Q: How much does Country Hotel Takayama cost? A: Prices at Country Hotel Takayama start at ¥8,000 per room per night (2026), about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Country Hotel Takayama? A: Country Hotel Takayama: Room only; Japanese and Western breakfast buffet for ¥1,300. Q: What does Country Hotel Takayama have? A: Country Hotel Takayama lists breakfast buffet, paid parking nearby. Q: Who is Country Hotel Takayama good for? A: Country Hotel Takayama suits solo travellers, early trains and buses. Q: Does Country Hotel Takayama have an onsen? A: No. The private baths at Country Hotel Takayama use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.country-hotel.jp/ https://www.country-hotel.jp/contents/guestroom.php https://www.country-hotel.jp/contents/facilities.php https://www.country-hotel.jp/contents/access.php https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/stay/detail_5819.html ### cup of tea guesthouse URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/cup-of-tea-guesthouse Type: Stay Also known as: Cup of Tea Takayama, cup of tea takayama Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 1-77 Hachiken-machi, Takayama, Gifu 506-0012 Coordinates: 36.13833, 137.25698 Kind: Guesthouse From: ¥3,000 per person (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Dormitory beds from ¥3,000 and private rooms from ¥8,000 on the Takayama tourism association's listing. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: solo travellers, couples on a budget Price from: ¥3,000 per person (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://cupoftea-takayama.net/ Summary: cup of tea guesthouse suits solo travellers and couples who want a cheap, friendly bed 12 minutes' walk from the station. The trade-off is space, since the cheapest beds are in a dormitory. The guesthouse sits in Hachiken-machi, south of the station, and the tourism association lists dormitory beds from ¥3,000 and private rooms from ¥8,000. Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out is at 10:00. A sister property, cup of tea : ensemble, takes families and groups in eight rooms. Q: How much does cup of tea guesthouse cost? A: Prices at cup of tea guesthouse start at ¥3,000 per person (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates). Q: Who is cup of tea guesthouse good for? A: cup of tea guesthouse suits solo travellers, couples on a budget. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://cupoftea-takayama.net/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/stay/detail_4032.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/stay/detail_4033.html ### Cycle Guesthouse Shiokaze URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/cycle-guesthouse-shiokaze Type: Stay Local name: サイクルゲストハウス汐風 (ja) Also known as: CYCLE GUEST HOUSE SHIOKAZE, Shiokaze Setoda Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Setoda Address: 1286-11 Hayashi, Setoda-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-2416 Coordinates: 34.30720, 133.10500 Kind: Cyclist hotel From: ¥3,500 per person (2026), about CAD 31 or USD 22 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Dorm beds start at ¥3,500 and the double room with a mini kitchen at ¥5,000 for one or ¥9,500 for two, a little more on nights before weekends and holidays. The barrel sauna costs ¥1,000 more. Payment is by card only. Hiroshima prefecture adds an accommodation tax of ¥200 per person per night on rooms above ¥6,000 a person, from 1 April 2026. Meals: No meals; vending machines sell frozen meals, drinks and ice cream, and two microwaves are free to use. Check-in: 16:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Outdoor bike stands, Free pump, Barrel sauna, Coin laundry, Free parking Best for: road riders, budget, groups Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes stand on outdoor racks in front of the house, reached by a ramp to the door. Baths: Shared baths Price from: ¥3,500 per person (2026), about CAD 31 or USD 22 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://cycle-gh.com/ Summary: Cycle Guesthouse Shiokaze suits riders on a budget who want a dorm bed and a barrel sauna on Ikuchijima's north shore, and bikes stay outside on racks. Shiokaze is a self check-in guesthouse built for riders, 1.1 km west of Dolce gelato and 1.4 km before Kosan-ji on the island road. Bikes sleep on outdoor stands at the front, and a free pump sits inside. A barrel sauna for up to four costs ¥1,000 on top of the room and needs booking and paying ahead. A dorm bed costs from ¥3,500 and the double with a mini kitchen from ¥9,500 for two. Stock up at the Fresta mall, Lawson and A-Coop 0.9 km further west, or use the frozen-meal machine. Bookings now run to 30 June 2027, and children under school age cannot stay. Q: How much does Cycle Guesthouse Shiokaze cost? A: Prices at Cycle Guesthouse Shiokaze start at ¥3,500 per person (2026), about CAD 31 or USD 22 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Cycle Guesthouse Shiokaze? A: Cycle Guesthouse Shiokaze: No meals; vending machines sell frozen meals, drinks and ice cream, and two microwaves are free to use. Q: What does Cycle Guesthouse Shiokaze have? A: Cycle Guesthouse Shiokaze lists outdoor bike stands, free pump, barrel sauna, coin laundry, free parking. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://cycle-gh.com/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information&paged=13 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E7%80%AC%E6%88%B8%E7%94%B0%E7%94%BA%E6%9E%971286-11 ### Cyclo no Ie URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/cyclo-no-ie Type: Stay Local name: しまなみゲストハウス シクロの家 (ja) Also known as: Shimanami Guesthouse Cyclo no Ie, Cyclo-no-ie, シクロの家, Cyclo House Imabari Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: 1-1-12 Kitahorai-cho, Imabari, Ehime 794-0028 Coordinates: 34.06380, 132.99510 Kind: Guesthouse From: ¥3,200 per person (2026), about CAD 29 or USD 20 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: The official site lists ¥3,200 a person for a dorm bed, ¥7,400 for a two-person private room and ¥14,800 for the whole four-bed room, all room only with tax, in October 2026. Meals: No meals; a shared kitchen with an IH hob, microwave and fridge, and a café bar on the ground floor. Check-in: 16:00–21:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 4 Amenities: Locked bike garage, Bike maintenance room, Shared kitchen, Washer and dryer, Café bar, Luggage storage Best for: road riders, budget, solo travellers, train arrivals Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: A locked indoor garage with racks, free for guests from check-in day to check-out day. Bikes go into rooms only in a rinko bag. For riders: Tools Bike rental: None; use the rental terminal at Imabari Station. Baths: Shared baths Price from: ¥3,200 per person (2026), about CAD 29 or USD 20 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.cyclonoie.com/ Booking: https://www.cyclonoie.com/reservation Summary: Cyclo no Ie suits riders who want the cheapest bed in Imabari and a locked garage a minute from the station; the trade-off is bunk beds and bringing your own towel. A local cycle-touring guide set up Cyclo no Ie by the east exit of JR Imabari Station, and the house runs around bike trips. Bikes sleep in a locked indoor garage with racks, so a bike without a kickstand is fine. The maintenance room has proper tools and a pump. Travel diaries and maps fill the lounge, which doubles as a café bar in the evening. Every bed is a bunk, and the three showers, toilets and sinks are shared. Towels rent for ¥100, and the house expects you to bring pyjamas and a toothbrush. Check-in runs 16:00 to 21:00 and lights go out at 23:00. On nights without bookings the house may close, which matters in the quiet winter months, so book before you turn up. Non-guests can store a bike or a bag for ¥500 a day and shower for ¥400. That makes it a useful drop point if you finish the Shimanami in Imabari and catch an evening train. Old neighbourhood bathhouses and a late-opening onsen with a big sauna are within walking distance. Q: Where do bikes go at Cyclo no Ie? A: Bikes go in a locked indoor garage with racks, free for guests for the length of the stay. Q: Can children stay at Cyclo no Ie? A: Guests under 18 need a parent with them or a signed consent form from the guesthouse, and children under primary-school age cannot use the dormitories. Q: How much does Cyclo no Ie cost? A: Prices at Cyclo no Ie start at ¥3,200 per person (2026), about CAD 29 or USD 20 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Cyclo no Ie? A: Cyclo no Ie: No meals; a shared kitchen with an IH hob, microwave and fridge, and a café bar on the ground floor. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.cyclonoie.com/ https://www.cyclonoie.com/about/ https://www.cyclonoie.com/price-cancellation-policy/ https://www.oideya.gr.jp/stay-c/cyclonoie/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information-imabari&paged=2 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%84%9B%E5%AA%9B%E7%9C%8C%E4%BB%8A%E6%B2%BB%E5%B8%82%E5%8C%97%E5%AE%9D%E6%9D%A5%E7%94%BA1%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE1-12 ### Cytel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/cytel Type: Stay Local name: サイテル (ja) Also known as: Cytel CSC, Japan Cycle Sports Center lodge, CSC Cytel, サイテル 合宿所 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shuzenji Address: 静岡県伊豆市大野1826 (inside the Japan Cycle Sports Center) Coordinates: 35.00700, 139.01010 Kind: Cyclist hotel From: ¥5,800 per adult (2026), about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: The Japan Cycle Sports Center raised Cytel's rates on 1 April 2026. Adults pay ¥5,800 room only and ¥8,500 with dinner and breakfast, and the room type makes no difference. Towels, toothbrushes and razors are sold at the front desk; only rinse-in shampoo and body soap come free in the baths. Meals: Dinner and breakfast in the lodge dining room, booked with the room; Restaurant Fujimi inside the park sells meals by ticket machine. Check-in: 14:00, out by 09:30 Amenities: Shared baths, Dining room, Western and Japanese rooms, Free park entry for guests, Accessible toilet, Free parking Best for: riders using the 5 km circuit, families, training camps, solo riders on a budget Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike rental: The park rents road and cross bikes for the 5 km circuit at ¥800 an hour with a helmet, and a Toku-pass halves that to ¥400. Baths: Shared baths Tattoo rule: The centre's pages say nothing about tattoos in the men's and women's baths. Price from: ¥5,800 per adult (2026), about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.csc.or.jp/eat/stay/ Summary: Cytel suits riders and families who want to sleep inside the Japan Cycle Sports Center for under ¥9,000 with meals, and the trade-off is a plain training-camp lodge with a 9:30 checkout. Cytel is the lodge of the Japan Cycle Sports Center, the cycling park in the hills north-east of Shuzenji that also holds the Izu Velodrome. Rooms run from Western singles and twins up to five-bed rooms, Japanese tatami rooms and one large shared room, and every type costs the same per head. Dinner and breakfast come in a canteen-style dining room. The men's and women's baths supply rinse-in shampoo and body soap and nothing else, so pack a towel or buy one for ¥500. The draw for a rider is the Sai-toku deal. Each night earns every guest a ticket that waives the ¥850 park entry or halves the price of a Toku-pass, and the centre will hand over a second ticket so you can use it the next day too. Bring your own bike and the circuit set ticket costs ¥1,400 with entry. The park closes on Wednesdays and Thursdays outside holiday periods, and from 1 to 24 December 2026 it keeps winter hours of 10:00 to 16:00. Getting here without a car takes some planning. The Tokai bus from Shuzenji Station only runs on weekends, holidays and school breaks, with one morning and one evening service that takes about 18 minutes. On other days the centre points you to a taxi from Shuzenji, or from Usami on the Ito line, which it puts at about 30 minutes. Tips: - Check the centre's Google calendars for the 5 km circuit and the MTB course before you go, because races and private bookings close them often. - Book by phone between 9:00 and 17:00; the centre says to email cytel@csc.or.jp if the line goes unanswered. - There are no yukata or combs in the rooms. Q: Do Cytel guests get into the Japan Cycle Sports Center free? A: Yes. Under the Sai-toku offer each guest gets a ticket per night that covers park entry, or halves the price of a Toku-pass, and the centre gives a second ticket on request for the following day. Q: Is the 5 km circuit open in winter 2026/27? A: The 5 km circuit and the Izu MTB course are closed from 1 July to 7 December 2026 for the Asian Games and Asian Para Games. The centre's own calendar shows the dates after that, and race bookings still close the circuit on some days. Q: How much does Cytel cost? A: Prices at Cytel start at ¥5,800 per adult (2026), about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Cytel? A: Cytel: Dinner and breakfast in the lodge dining room, booked with the room; Restaurant Fujimi inside the park sells meals by ticket machine. Q: What does Cytel have? A: Cytel lists shared baths, dining room, western and japanese rooms, free park entry for guests, accessible toilet, free parking. Q: Who is Cytel good for? A: Cytel suits riders using the 5 km circuit, families, training camps, solo riders on a budget. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.csc.or.jp/eat/stay/ https://www.csc.or.jp/about/ https://www.csc.or.jp/ride/ https://www.csc.or.jp/access/ https://www.csc.or.jp/faq/ https://www.csc.or.jp/2026/07/post-13139/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11506471 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=静岡県伊豆市大野1826 ### DOAI VILLAGE URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/doai-village Type: Stay Also known as: Doai Village glamping, Doai Station glamping, 土合駅 グランピング Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 218-2 Yubiso, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Coordinates: 36.83046, 138.96794 Kind: Glamping Amenities: Wood fired Finnish sauna, Centre house, Cafe Best for: couples, sauna lovers, rail travellers Baths: No baths for guests Tattoo rule: Guests bathe at nearby onsen, each with its own rule. Website: https://doaivillage.com/ Summary: DOAI VILLAGE suits couples who want to sleep in a heated dome beside JR Doai Station with a wood-fired sauna, and guests walk or drive to a nearby onsen for a bath. DOAI VILLAGE opened in spring 2021 on the grounds of Doai Station, the deep tunnel station under Tanigawa-dake. Guests sleep in white dome rooms that the operator says stay cool in summer and warm in winter, around wooden decks and a centre house built to look like an old station building. The Finnish sauna is heated to 90 °C with wood, and the tourism association's listing says you will want to dive into the waist-deep snow after it. Ekicha mogura, the cafe in the old station office, opens on weekends and holidays. Q: What does DOAI VILLAGE have? A: DOAI VILLAGE lists wood fired finnish sauna, centre house, cafe. Q: Who is DOAI VILLAGE good for? A: DOAI VILLAGE suits couples, sauna lovers, rail travellers. Q: Does DOAI VILLAGE have an onsen? A: No. DOAI VILLAGE has no shared or private baths for guests. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://doaivillage.com/ https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/7625/ https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/8137/ ### Doai Yama-no-ie URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/doai-yama-no-ie Type: Stay Local name: 土合山の家 (ja) Also known as: Doai Yamanoie, Doai mountain lodge, Yubuki-no-yu Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 220 Doai, Yubiso, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Coordinates: 36.82988, 138.96793 Kind: Guesthouse Meals: Dinner centres on Akagi beef. Amenities: Onsen day bath, Restaurant Best for: climbers, skiers at Tenjindaira, rail travellers Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.doai-yamanoie.com/ Summary: Doai Yama-no-ie suits climbers and skiers who want a mountain lodge close to JR Doai Station and the Tanigawa-dake Ropeway, and it publishes few details of its rooms. The lodge stands under Tanigawa-dake near JR Doai Station and takes in climbers, skiers and hikers. It runs a day bath on site, Tanigawadake Onsen Yubuki-no-yu, with flowing spring water that anyone can use. Dinner is built around Akagi beef. Q: Are meals included at Doai Yama-no-ie? A: Doai Yama-no-ie: Dinner centres on Akagi beef. Q: What does Doai Yama-no-ie have? A: Doai Yama-no-ie lists onsen day bath, restaurant. Q: Who is Doai Yama-no-ie good for? A: Doai Yama-no-ie suits climbers, skiers at Tenjindaira, rail travellers. Q: Does Doai Yama-no-ie have an onsen? A: Yes. Doai Yama-no-ie has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.doai-yamanoie.com/ https://www.doai-yamanoie.com/facility.php https://www.doai-yamanoie.com/onsen.php https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/7530/ ### Dormy Inn Express Fujisan Gotemba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/dormy-inn-express-fujisan-gotemba Type: Stay Local name: 天然温泉 富士桜の湯 ドーミーインEXPRESS富士山御殿場 (ja) Also known as: Dormy Inn Express Gotemba, Dormy Inn Gotemba, ドーミーインEXPRESS富士山御殿場, Fujizakura no Yu Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Gotemba Address: 1505-3 Higashitanaka, Gotemba, Shizuoka 412-0026 Coordinates: 35.28978, 138.95205 Kind: Business hotel Prices: The hotel quotes room rates only through its booking engine, so we have no published nightly figure. Rental bikes are free for the first two hours. Meals: Breakfast in the restaurant, and free shoyu ramen from 21:30 to 23:00. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Onsen baths, Self loyly sauna, Rooftop foot bath, Free rental bikes, Covered bike parking, Free car parking, Late night ramen Best for: drivers, road riders on the Fuji east side, onsen after a ride, outlet shoppers Bikes: Storage on site Bike storage: Part of the covered loading area on the ground floor serves as free bike parking. When it fills, bikes go in the open car park. Bike rental: Rental bikes go out from 5:00 to 22:00, free for two hours and ¥200 an hour after that. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Not allowed Tattoo rule: The hotel's bath page turns away bathers with tattoos. Dormy Inn's chain FAQ says some hotels lend cover seals for small tattoos, so ask the front desk here. Website: https://dormy-hotels.com/dormyinn/hotels/gotemba/ Summary: Dormy Inn Express Fujisan Gotemba suits riders with a car who want an onsen, a sauna and free bikes three minutes from the Gotemba interchange, and its trade-off is a 30-minute walk from Gotemba station. Dormy Inn Express Fujisan Gotemba stands at Higashitanaka, three minutes from the Tomei Gotemba interchange, with two free car parks. Its Fujizakura no Yu baths carry a simple spring brought in from Gotemba Otome Onsen. They open from 15:00 to 10:00 the next morning, and the self-loyly sauna closes from 1:00 to 5:00. A rooftop foot bath looks at Fuji, with shorter morning hours in autumn and winter. Bikes park free under cover in part of the ground-floor loading bay. Rental bikes are free for two hours between 5:00 and 22:00. The hotel is on foot 30 minutes from the Otome exit of Gotemba station, or seven minutes by taxi. Shoyu ramen comes free in the restaurant from 21:30. Q: Where do bikes go at Dormy Inn Express Fujisan Gotemba? A: Part of the covered loading area on the ground floor is free bike parking. When it fills, bikes go in the open car park. Q: Can I bathe at Dormy Inn Express Fujisan Gotemba with a tattoo? A: The hotel's bath page refuses bathers with tattoos. Ask at the front desk whether cover seals are available. Q: Are meals included at Dormy Inn Express Fujisan Gotemba? A: Dormy Inn Express Fujisan Gotemba: Breakfast in the restaurant, and free shoyu ramen from 21:30 to 23:00. Q: What does Dormy Inn Express Fujisan Gotemba have? A: Dormy Inn Express Fujisan Gotemba lists onsen baths, self loyly sauna, rooftop foot bath, free rental bikes, covered bike parking, free car parking, late night ramen. Q: Who is Dormy Inn Express Fujisan Gotemba good for? A: Dormy Inn Express Fujisan Gotemba suits drivers, road riders on the Fuji east side, onsen after a ride, outlet shoppers. Q: Does Dormy Inn Express Fujisan Gotemba have an onsen? A: Yes. Dormy Inn Express Fujisan Gotemba has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://dormy-hotels.com/dormyinn/hotels/gotemba/ https://dormy-hotels.com/dormyinn/hotels/gotemba/access https://dormy-hotels.com/dormyinn/hotels/gotemba/spa https://dormy-hotels.com/dormyinn/hotels/gotemba/service https://dormy-hotels.com/dormyinn/hotels/mishima/faq https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/fujiichi/support/stay/index.html ### Dormy Inn Mishima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/dormy-inn-mishima Type: Stay Local name: 天然温泉 富嶽の湯 ドーミーイン三島 (ja) Also known as: Dormy Inn Mishima Fugaku no Yu, ドーミーイン三島, Fugaku no Yu Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Mishima Address: 3-18-33 Omiya-cho, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-0035 Coordinates: 35.12651, 138.91242 Kind: Business hotel Prices: The hotel quotes room rates only through its booking engine, so we have no published nightly figure. Car parking costs ¥1,200 a night, first come first served. Meals: Breakfast in the ground-floor restaurant, and free shoyu ramen from 21:30 to 23:00. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Rooftop onsen, Open air bath, Auto loyly sauna, Free bike parking under the eaves, Late night ramen, Train view rooms, Car parking Best for: Shinkansen arrivals, riders starting Izu or Fuji rides, onsen after a ride, trainspotters Bikes: Storage on site Bike storage: There's no dedicated bike park. Bikes can go free under the eaves beside the entrance when there's room, and after that in an open part of the car park. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Not allowed Tattoo rule: The hotel's bath page turns away bathers with tattoos. Dormy Inn's chain FAQ says some hotels lend cover seals for small tattoos, so ask the front desk here. Website: https://dormy-hotels.com/dormyinn/hotels/mishima/ Summary: Dormy Inn Mishima suits riders arriving by Shinkansen who want an onsen with Fuji in view five minutes from the station, and its trade-off is bike parking under the eaves outside. Dormy Inn Mishima is five minutes on foot from the south exit of Mishima station, where the Tokaido Shinkansen stops. Its Fugaku no Yu baths on the 12th floor run on the hotel's own spring, and from the indoor and open-air pools you watch Fuji and the bullet trains. The baths open 15:00 to 10:00 the next morning, and the sauna closes from 1:00 to 5:00. Rooms run from 14.5 square metres in a single to 20 in a twin. Bikes stand free under the eaves by the entrance when there's space, and overflow goes to an open corner of the car park. Riders heading into Izu or up toward Fuji can unpack a bike bag here and roll out from the door. Car parking costs ¥1,200 a night and can't be booked. Shoyu ramen comes free from 21:30. Q: How far is Dormy Inn Mishima from the Shinkansen? A: About five minutes on foot from the south exit of JR Mishima station. Q: Where can I park a bike at Dormy Inn Mishima? A: Under the eaves beside the entrance when there's room, then in an open part of the car park. Both are free. Q: Are meals included at Dormy Inn Mishima? A: Dormy Inn Mishima: Breakfast in the ground-floor restaurant, and free shoyu ramen from 21:30 to 23:00. Q: What does Dormy Inn Mishima have? A: Dormy Inn Mishima lists rooftop onsen, open air bath, auto loyly sauna, free bike parking under the eaves, late night ramen, train view rooms, car parking. Q: Who is Dormy Inn Mishima good for? A: Dormy Inn Mishima suits Shinkansen arrivals, riders starting Izu or Fuji rides, onsen after a ride, trainspotters. Q: Does Dormy Inn Mishima have an onsen? A: Yes. Dormy Inn Mishima has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Q: Can you use the baths at Dormy Inn Mishima with tattoos? A: No. The baths at Dormy Inn Mishima turn away bathers with visible tattoos. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://dormy-hotels.com/dormyinn/hotels/mishima/ https://dormy-hotels.com/dormyinn/hotels/mishima/access https://dormy-hotels.com/dormyinn/hotels/mishima/spa https://dormy-hotels.com/dormyinn/hotels/mishima/rooms https://dormy-hotels.com/dormyinn/hotels/mishima/faq https://www.mishima-kankou.com/spot/spot-category/stay/ ### Drifter Myoko URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/drifter-myoko Type: Stay Also known as: Drifter Myoko Powder Stays Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Suginosawa Address: 新潟県妙高市杉野沢3079-2 Coordinates: 36.85080, 138.15270 Kind: Chalet Price: ¥ Prices: Myoko Tourism last updated its listing in 2022 and gave ¥12,000 for a double room with breakfast and ¥26,000 for a family room with breakfast. Check the 2026/27 rate with the inn. Meals: Breakfast included Amenities: Breakfast, Snack bar, Drying room, Station pick up, Wi Fi, Parking Best for: families, groups, English speakers To the lifts: Guest reviews on the lodge's site describe skiing the long Suginohara run to the back door; the lodge runs an 08:00 shuttle to the lifts. Shuttle: An 08:00 shuttle to Myoko Suginohara each morning, and pick-ups at Myoko-Kogen Station and the Akakura bus stop. Price band: ¥ Website: https://driftermyoko.com/ Summary: Drifter Myoko suits families and groups who want a small English-run lodge at the bottom of Suginohara's long run, and its trade-off is a breakfast-only stay in a village with few dinner tables. Drifter is a small lodge near the base of Myoko Suginohara, and reviews on its own site describe skiing the 8.5-kilometre run down to the back door. The family running it speaks English and Japanese. Breakfast comes with every booking, and a snack bar sells drinks. Each morning a shuttle leaves at 08:00 for first lifts at Suginohara, and the lodge picks up and drops off at Myoko-Kogen Station and the Akakura bus stop. The local onsen in Suginosawa is a ten-minute walk, and the bus to Ikenotaira and Akakura stops out front. Myoko Tourism lists parking at ¥1,000. Q: Are meals included at Drifter Myoko? A: Drifter Myoko: Breakfast included. Q: What does Drifter Myoko have? A: Drifter Myoko lists breakfast, snack bar, drying room, station pick up, wi fi, parking. Q: Who is Drifter Myoko good for? A: Drifter Myoko suits families, groups, English speakers. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://driftermyoko.com/ https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/drifter-myoko/ https://myokotourism.com/accommodation/drifter-myoko/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県妙高市杉野沢3079-2 ### EN Hostel & Bar URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/en-hostel-kochi Type: Stay Also known as: EN Hostel, Hostel & Community Lounge EN, En Hostel Kochi Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kochi Town: Kochi Address: 1-12-2 Sakurai-cho, Kochi, Kochi 780-0821 Coordinates: 33.56300, 133.54750 Kind: Hostel Meals: Breakfast buffet Check-in: 16:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Coin laundry, Wi fi, Bar, Women only dorm Best for: budget, solo travellers, cyclists Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Guests' bikes stay in the bar space overnight, which is secured from 22:00 to 8:00; there is also a cycle stand outside. Baths: Shared baths Website: https://enhostel.com/ Summary: EN Hostel suits budget riders in Kochi who want their bike indoors overnight, and the beds are in dorms of a 76-bed hostel. EN has 76 dorm beds in mixed and women-only rooms, plus private rooms, and a bar where travellers and locals mix. For riders it lends pumps, lets you rest in the lounge between 10:00 and 16:00, and parks guests' bikes inside the bar overnight behind a lock from 22:00 to 8:00. Q: Are meals included at EN Hostel & Bar? A: EN Hostel & Bar: Breakfast buffet. Q: What does EN Hostel & Bar have? A: EN Hostel & Bar lists coin laundry, wi fi, bar, women only dorm. Q: Who is EN Hostel & Bar good for? A: EN Hostel & Bar suits budget, solo travellers, cyclists. Q: Is EN Hostel & Bar bike-friendly? A: Yes. EN Hostel & Bar welcomes cyclists. Storage: guests' bikes stay in the bar space overnight, which is secured from 22:00 to 8:00; there is also a cycle stand outside. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://enhostel.com/ https://cycling-island-shikoku.com/hotel_inn/no004.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%AB%98%E7%9F%A5%E7%9C%8C%E9%AB%98%E7%9F%A5%E5%B8%82%E6%A1%9C%E4%BA%95%E7%94%BA%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE12-2 ### Enman-in Temple Lodging URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/enman-in-shukubo Type: Stay Local name: 圓満院 宿坊 (ja) Also known as: Enmanin, 円満院, Enman-in shukubo Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Otsu Address: 33 Onjoji-cho, Otsu, Shiga 520-0036 Coordinates: 35.01469, 135.85328 Kind: Guesthouse From: ¥11,800 per person (2025), about CAD 106 or USD 75 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: The temple offers room-only, half-board and meal-only plans. The shojin dinner and breakfast set needs a group of four or more, booked ahead. Meals: Shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cooking) and a yudofu set, for groups of four or more booked ahead. Rooms: 10 Amenities: Morning prayer, Large Japanese rooms Best for: temple stay, groups, vegetarians Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Price from: ¥11,800 per person (2025), about CAD 106 or USD 75 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://enman-inn.com/syukubou/ Summary: Enman-in suits riders who want a night in a temple below Mii-dera with an early morning service, and the vegetarian dinner only runs for groups of four or more. Enman-in is a head temple in the Onjoji-cho quarter of Otsu, and its shukubo (temple lodging) has 10 large Japanese rooms. The morning service in the Goma hall starts at 7:30 and guests can sit in for free. The shojin dinner and breakfast set needs four or more people and a booking, so pairs usually take the room-only plan and eat in town. Shiga certifies the lodging as cyclist-friendly, which is a rare thing for a temple. Q: How much does Enman-in Temple Lodging cost? A: Prices at Enman-in Temple Lodging start at ¥11,800 per person (2025), about CAD 106 or USD 75 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Enman-in Temple Lodging? A: Enman-in Temple Lodging: Shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cooking) and a yudofu set, for groups of four or more booked ahead. Q: What does Enman-in Temple Lodging have? A: Enman-in Temple Lodging lists morning prayer, large japanese rooms. Q: Who is Enman-in Temple Lodging good for? A: Enman-in Temple Lodging suits temple stay, groups, vegetarians. Q: Is Enman-in Temple Lodging bike-friendly? A: Yes. Enman-in Temple Lodging welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://enman-inn.com/syukubou/ https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/27466/?active=stay https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf ### Enraku URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/enraku Type: Stay Local name: 延楽 (ja) Also known as: Ryokan Enraku, Unazuki Enraku, Enraku Unazuki Onsen Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Unazuki Onsen Address: 347-1 Unazuki Onsen, Kurobe, Toyama 938-0282 Coordinates: 36.81789, 137.58338 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Plans are priced by date on the inn's booking page. Meals: Kaiseki dinners served in your room or a private dining room Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, Rooms with private open air baths, Aroma therapy salon, Shuttle from Kurobe Unazukionsen station Best for: couples, special occasions, onsen lovers Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.enraku.com/ Summary: Enraku suits couples who want a gorge-view ryokan with private open-air baths and dinner served in the room, and its trade-off is a 20-minute transfer from the Shinkansen station. Every room at Enraku faces the Kurobe Gorge, and some have their own open-air bath. Dinner is kaiseki served in the room or in a private dining room. The inn's shuttle covers the 20 minutes from Kurobe-Unazukionsen Shinkansen station. On weekends and holidays from 2 May to 12 October 2026, the Alpen GO tour bus ran straight from Unazuki to Murodo for a day on the Alpine Route. Q: Are meals included at Enraku? A: Enraku: Kaiseki dinners served in your room or a private dining room. Q: What does Enraku have? A: Enraku lists onsen, rooms with private open air baths, aroma therapy salon, shuttle from kurobe unazukionsen station. Q: Who is Enraku good for? A: Enraku suits couples, special occasions, onsen lovers. Q: Does Enraku have an onsen? A: Yes. Enraku has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.enraku.com/ https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/103349 https://www.kurobe-unazuki.jp/tourism/128/ ### Entaijiso URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/entaijiso Type: Stay Local name: 延対寺荘 (ja) Also known as: Entaiji-so, Entaijisou, Ryokan Entaijiso Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Unazuki Onsen Address: 53 Unazuki Onsen, Kurobe, Toyama 938-0282 Coordinates: 36.81824, 137.58204 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Plans are priced by date on the inn's booking page. Meals: Kaiseki dinners Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, Gorge view rooms, Station pick up Best for: couples, families, first ryokan stay Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.entaiji.com/ Summary: Entaijiso suits couples and families who want a long-established gorge-view ryokan close to Unazuki Onsen station, and its trade-off is a handful of closing days in November. Toyama's tourism site describes Entaijiso as an old inn loved by writers and artists, and its rooms look across the Kurobe Gorge. The inn renewed some of its main-building rooms in 2024. Its car meets guests at Unazuki Onsen station, a two-minute ride away. The inn posts its closing days for each month on its site, including days in November 2026, so check before you plan a late-autumn stay. Q: Are meals included at Entaijiso? A: Entaijiso: Kaiseki dinners. Q: What does Entaijiso have? A: Entaijiso lists onsen, gorge view rooms, station pick up. Q: Who is Entaijiso good for? A: Entaijiso suits couples, families, first ryokan stay. Q: Does Entaijiso have an onsen? A: Yes. Entaijiso has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.entaiji.com/ https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/103350 https://www.kurobe-unazuki.jp/tourism/123/ ### Fuji View Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/fuji-view-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 富士ビューホテル (ja) Also known as: Fujiview Hotel, Fuji View Hotel Kawaguchiko, 富士ビュー Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Town: Kawaguchiko Address: 511 Katsuyama, Fujikawaguchiko-machi, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi 401-0310 Coordinates: 35.50840, 138.73632 Kind: Hotel Prices: The hotel quotes rates only through its booking engine, so we have no published figure to give. Fujikawaguchiko adds a lodging tax of ¥200 per person per night on stays from 1 April 2027, collected at the front desk on top of the room rate. Meals: Bell View serves French and Japanese dinners, and breakfast is in the Fuji View Lounge. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Onsen baths, Open air bath, Bike rental, Garden, Free shuttle from Kawaguchiko station, Binocular loan, Currency exchange machine, Parking Best for: road riders, couples, onsen after a ride, Fujiichi riders Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike rental: The hotel rents bikes from 6:30 to 20:00 for ¥200 up to an hour or ¥500 up to three hours. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Covered with a patch Tattoo rule: Since 1 July 2017 the hotel has let guests with tattoos into the baths when two cover seals of 10 by 15 cm hide them. The seals are free at the front desk, and the hotel calls the rule a trial. Website: https://www.fujiview.jp/ Summary: Fuji View Hotel suits riders who want an onsen with Fuji in the window at the end of a lake loop, and its trade-off is a location out at Katsuyama that needs the guest shuttle or a bus from Kawaguchiko station. Fuji View Hotel belongs to the Fujiya Hotels group and stands in the Katsuyama district at the western end of Lake Kawaguchi. Its baths draw Shurei no Yu, one of the five sources of the Fujikawaguchiko onsen area. The indoor and open-air pools open from 15:00 to 23:30 and again from 5:30 to 10:00. Rooms on the Fuji side face the mountain in Japanese or Western style, and one fifth-floor room has its own view bath. The hotel is on the Fujiichi list of cyclist-friendly stays for the 163 km loop round Fuji, which became a National Cycle Route in 2026. Its rental bikes cost ¥200 for an hour or ¥500 for three, from 6:30 to 20:00. Guests ride a free shuttle from Kawaguchiko station. By bus you get off at Katsuyama or Shikishima no Matsu, about ten minutes out, and a taxi from the station runs about ¥1,500. Q: Can I use the baths at Fuji View Hotel with a tattoo? A: Yes, if two free cover seals of 10 by 15 cm hide it. Fuji View Hotel has run this as a trial rule since July 2017. Q: Does Fuji View Hotel rent bikes? A: Yes. Fuji View Hotel rents bikes from 6:30 to 20:00 for ¥200 up to an hour or ¥500 up to three hours. Q: Are meals included at Fuji View Hotel? A: Fuji View Hotel: Bell View serves French and Japanese dinners, and breakfast is in the Fuji View Lounge. Q: What does Fuji View Hotel have? A: Fuji View Hotel lists onsen baths, open air bath, bike rental, garden, free shuttle from kawaguchiko station, binocular loan, currency exchange machine, parking. Q: Who is Fuji View Hotel good for? A: Fuji View Hotel suits road riders, couples, onsen after a ride, Fujiichi riders. Q: Does Fuji View Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Fuji View Hotel has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.fujiview.jp/ https://www.fujiview.jp/facilities/index.html https://www.fujiview.jp/hotspring/men.html https://www.fujiview.jp/news/information04.html https://www.fujiview.jp/access/index.html https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/fujiichi/support/stay/index.html https://www.google.com/maps/d/kml?mid=1dBXdKNnB8AA_1MpT_crXa8bHLyYBTu4&forcekml=1 https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/ https://www.fujilake.co.jp/news/216/ ### Fujisan Mishima Tokyu Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/fujisan-mishima-tokyu-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 富士山三島東急ホテル (ja) Also known as: Mishima Tokyu Hotel, Fuji-san Mishima Tokyu Hotel, 三島東急ホテル Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Mishima Address: 17-1 Ichiban-cho, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-0036 Coordinates: 35.12558, 138.91144 Kind: Hotel Prices: The hotel quotes room rates only through its booking engine, so we have no published nightly figure. Bike rental starts at ¥2,500 for two hours plus insurance. Meals: Restaurants in the hotel serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 195 Amenities: Top floor bath with open air pool, E bike and road bike rental, Fitness room, Coin laundry, Train view rooms Best for: Shinkansen arrivals, riders who want to rent a road bike, couples, trainspotters Bike rental: The second-floor desk rents e-bikes and road bikes from 7:00 to 19:00 for same-day return, from ¥2,500 for two hours plus insurance. Baths: Shared and private baths Tattoo rule: The hotel publishes no tattoo rule for its baths. Website: https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/mishima-h/ Summary: Fujisan Mishima Tokyu Hotel suits riders who step off the Shinkansen and want to rent a road bike at the front desk, and its trade-off is no car park of its own and no word on space for your own bike. Fujisan Mishima Tokyu Hotel sits a minute from the south exit of Mishima station, with 195 rooms above the Mitowa Mishima shops. Rooms run from 20.4 to 26.5 square metres, and some look out at Fuji and the trains. Fuji no Yu on the 14th floor, about 60 metres up, has a large bath and an open-air pool for hotel guests, open 5:00 to 10:00 and 15:00 to 1:00. The second-floor desk rents e-bikes and road bikes from 7:00 to 19:00, from ¥2,500 for two hours with insurance extra. Riders who come by train can pick up a bike here and leave the bike bag at home. The hotel has no car park of its own and sends drivers to a partner coin car park capped at ¥1,500 for 24 hours. Q: Can I rent a road bike at Fujisan Mishima Tokyu Hotel? A: Yes. Fujisan Mishima Tokyu Hotel rents e-bikes and road bikes from 7:00 to 19:00 for same-day return, from ¥2,500 for two hours plus insurance. Q: Does Fujisan Mishima Tokyu Hotel have a car park? A: No. Fujisan Mishima Tokyu Hotel sends drivers to a partner Times coin car park, capped at ¥1,500 for 24 hours. Q: Are meals included at Fujisan Mishima Tokyu Hotel? A: Fujisan Mishima Tokyu Hotel: Restaurants in the hotel serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Q: What does Fujisan Mishima Tokyu Hotel have? A: Fujisan Mishima Tokyu Hotel lists top floor bath with open air pool, e bike and road bike rental, fitness room, coin laundry, train view rooms. Q: Who is Fujisan Mishima Tokyu Hotel good for? A: Fujisan Mishima Tokyu Hotel suits Shinkansen arrivals, riders who want to rent a road bike, couples, trainspotters. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/mishima-h/index.html https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/mishima-h/facility/index.html https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/mishima-h/qa/index.html https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/mishima-h/room/index.html https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/mishima-h/access/index.html https://www.mishima-kankou.com/spot/spot-category/stay/ ### Fujiya Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/fujiya-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 富士屋ホテル (ja) Also known as: The Fujiya Hotel, Fujiya Hotel Hakone, Fujiya Hotel Miyanoshita Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Kanagawa Town: Hakone Address: 359 Miyanoshita, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa 250-0404 Coordinates: 35.24424, 139.05912 Kind: Hotel Prices: The hotel quotes rates only through its booking engine, so we have no published nightly figure. Hakone charges a bathing tax at onsen stays on top of the room rate. Meals: The Fujiya main dining room, the Kikkaso restaurant in a former imperial villa, and Cascade. Afternoon tea is in the lounge. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 120 Amenities: Onsen in every room, Spa with semi open air bath, Sauna, Indoor onsen pool, Summer outdoor pool, Gym, Herb garden, History display room Best for: couples, history lovers, a rest day off the bike, special occasions Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Private baths only Tattoo rule: The hotel asks guests with tattoos to stay out of the spa baths and the pool. Every room's bathroom runs Miyanoshita onsen water, so you can soak in private. Website: https://www.fujiyahotel.jp/ Summary: Fujiya Hotel suits riders who want to end a Hakone climb in a hotel that has stood at Miyanoshita since the Meiji era, and its trade-off is that tattooed guests bathe only in their rooms. Fujiya Hotel spreads its 120 rooms across four buildings at Miyanoshita, starting with the Main Building of 1891 and the Flower Palace of 1936. The hotel has four onsen sources, and every room's bathroom runs Miyanoshita water. The spa on the sixth floor of the Forest Wing adds an indoor bath, a semi open-air bath and a sauna for guests, open 14:00 to 1:00 and 5:00 to 11:00. Miyanoshita station on the Hakone Tozan line is seven minutes away on foot, about 25 minutes up from Hakone-Yumoto. The indoor pool runs on onsen water too and opens 5:00 to 24:00 all year. The outdoor pool has already closed for the 2026 season. Swimwear is required, and tattoos stay out of the pool as well as the spa. The hotel's pages say nothing about bikes, so ask before you roll up with one. Q: Can I use the baths at Fujiya Hotel with a tattoo? A: Only your room's bath. Fujiya Hotel asks guests with tattoos not to use the spa baths or the pool, and every room's bath runs on onsen water. Q: Is the spa at Fujiya Hotel open to day visitors? A: No. Fujiya Hotel keeps the Miyanoshita onsen spa for hotel guests only. Q: Are meals included at Fujiya Hotel? A: Fujiya Hotel: The Fujiya main dining room, the Kikkaso restaurant in a former imperial villa, and Cascade. Afternoon tea is in the lounge. Q: What does Fujiya Hotel have? A: Fujiya Hotel lists onsen in every room, spa with semi open air bath, sauna, indoor onsen pool, summer outdoor pool, gym, herb garden, history display room. Q: Who is Fujiya Hotel good for? A: Fujiya Hotel suits couples, history lovers, a rest day off the bike, special occasions. Q: Does Fujiya Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Fujiya Hotel has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.fujiyahotel.jp/ https://fujiyahotel.net/spa/ https://fujiyahotel.net/facilities/ https://fujiyahotel.net/directions/ https://www.fujiyahotel.jp/rooms/index.html https://www.fujiyahotel.jp/spa/index.html https://www.fujiyahotel.jp/facilities/index.html https://www.fujiyahotel.jp/access/index.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q864344 ### Futabaya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/futabaya Type: Stay Local name: ふたばや (ja) Also known as: Kusatsu Onsen Futabaya, Hutabaya, 草津温泉 ふたばや Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Address: 142-1 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Coordinates: 36.62213, 138.59733 Kind: Guesthouse Price: ¥ Prices: The Kusatsu Onsen Tourism Association listed weekday stays from ¥5,000 before tax in March 2024, and Futabaya says booking on its own site is cheapest. Expect the 2026 rate to differ. Rooms: 14 Amenities: Single rooms, Twin rooms, Triple rooms Best for: budget, public-bath hopping, solo travellers Tattoo rule: Futabaya publishes no tattoo rule. Its guide sends guests to the town's free public baths, which publish none either. Price band: ¥ Website: http://www.hutabaya.com/ Summary: Futabaya suits budget travellers who want to bathe their way round Kusatsu's free public baths from a room one minute from the Yubatake, and it gives little detail on its own facilities. Futabaya is a small inn of 14 rooms just off the Yubatake, with singles, twins and triples, and it pitches itself at guests who spend the evening walking between the public baths. Its site walks through 17 baths nearby, with the source each one draws, from Jizo-no-yu to Sai-no-kawara. Shops and a convenience store are close by. Q: What does Futabaya have? A: Futabaya lists single rooms, twin rooms, triple rooms. Q: Who is Futabaya good for? A: Futabaya suits budget, public-bath hopping, solo travellers. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.hutabaya.com/ http://www.hutabaya.com/sotoyu https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/yado/1451.php ### Ganiba Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ganiba-onsen Type: Stay Local name: 蟹場温泉 (ja) Also known as: Ganiba, Kaniba Onsen, 蟹場, Nyuto Onsen Ganiba Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Town: Tazawako Address: Sendatsuzawa Kokuyurin, Tazawa, Tazawako, Semboku, Akita 014-1204 Coordinates: 39.80420, 140.80470 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥13,350 per person (2026), about CAD 120 or USD 84 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: The tourism association lists dinner and breakfast from ¥13,350 a person and day bathing at ¥800. The inn doesn't take credit cards, so bring cash. Meals: Dinner with kiritanpo hotpot and a miso crab hotpot, 18:00 to 20:00; breakfast from 7:00 with overnight-dried char. Amenities: Mixed outdoor bath, Women only outdoor bath, Cedar and rock indoor baths, Wi Fi, Free parking Best for: budget, onsen lovers, bus travellers Shuttle: No shuttle needed for bus riders: the Ugo Kotsu Nyuto line ends at the Nyuto Ganiba Onsen stop outside. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥13,350 per person (2026), about CAD 120 or USD 84 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://ganibaonsen.com/ Booking: https://www3.yadosys.com/reserve/ja/room/list/147/dfegddgcehhcejdbdfddgddn/all Summary: Ganiba suits budget bathers who want a mixed outdoor bath in the beech woods at the end of the bus line, and the trade-off is no credit cards and no lift to the upper floor. Ganiba takes its name from the crabs in the nearby stream. The Ugo Kotsu Nyuto line ends at its door at the Nyuto Ganiba Onsen stop, about 50 minutes from Tazawako Station. The simple sulphur water runs clear and soft, which is rare in a valley of cloudy baths, and every tub is fed straight from the source. The mixed outdoor bath Karako no Yu sits 50 metres from the main building among the trees, and women have it to themselves from 19:30 to 20:30. The women's outdoor bath Hinazakura turns men-only for that same hour. Indoors each side gets a cedar bath and a rock bath with a hiba-wood tub to lie back in. Rooms are tatami, in the main building or in the annex, where they come with a toilet. Dinner brings kiritanpo hotpot and a crab hotpot in miso. The inn closed for maintenance from 10 to 14 December 2025 and took guests again from 15 December, so it runs through the winter. Tips: - Day bathing closes on Wednesdays, and overnight guests bathe as usual that day. Q: How much does Ganiba Onsen cost? A: Prices at Ganiba Onsen start at ¥13,350 per person (2026), about CAD 120 or USD 84 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Ganiba Onsen? A: Ganiba Onsen: Dinner with kiritanpo hotpot and a miso crab hotpot, 18:00 to 20:00; breakfast from 7:00 with overnight-dried char. Q: What does Ganiba Onsen have? A: Ganiba Onsen lists mixed outdoor bath, women only outdoor bath, cedar and rock indoor baths, wi fi, free parking. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ganibaonsen.com/ https://ganibaonsen.com/baths/ https://ganibaonsen.com/food/ https://ganibaonsen.com/facilities/ https://ganibaonsen.com/access/ https://ganibaonsen.com/information/ https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/accommodation/11070/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11625863 ### Bunroku URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/gassho-bunroku Type: Stay Local name: 民宿 文六 (ja) Also known as: Minshuku Bunroku, Gassho house Bunroku, 文六 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Shirakawa-go Address: 892 Ogimachi, Shirakawa-mura, Ono-gun, Gifu 501-5627 Coordinates: 36.25824, 136.90868 Kind: Minshuku Prices: Book through the inn or the Shirakawa-go tourist association. Meals: Dinner and breakfast Check-in: 15:00, out by 09:00 Rooms: 3 Amenities: Ground floor rooms, Parking Best for: couples, a first gassho stay Website: http://www.bun-6.com/ Summary: Bunroku suits couples who want a night in a thatched gassho house in Ogimachi, close to Wada House and the viewpoint. The trade-off is three rooms and an early 9:00 check-out. Bunroku is a gassho-style minshuku backed by the hill near Wada House and the road up to the viewpoint, about six minutes' walk from the bus terminal. The tourist association describes waking to birdsong and the sound of the stream. Its three rooms are on the ground floor, with legless chairs on the tatami. Q: Are meals included at Bunroku? A: Bunroku: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Bunroku have? A: Bunroku lists ground floor rooms, parking. Q: Who is Bunroku good for? A: Bunroku suits couples, a first gassho stay. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/stay/34/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/stay/34/ ### Iccha URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/gassho-iccha Type: Stay Local name: 一茶 (ja) Also known as: Gassho house Iccha, Minshuku Iccha, Itcha Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Shirakawa-go Address: 425 Ogimachi, Shirakawa-mura, Ono-gun, Gifu 501-5627 Coordinates: 36.25689, 136.90505 Kind: Minshuku Prices: Book through the inn or the Shirakawa-go tourist association. Meals: Dinner and breakfast Check-in: 14:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 4 Amenities: Parking Best for: couples, families, food lovers Summary: Iccha suits travellers who want a gassho minshuku dinner of wild mountain vegetables picked nearby. The trade-off is four rooms that book out early. Iccha is a gassho-style minshuku about eight minutes' walk from the Shirakawa-go bus terminal, and it cooks country dishes from local ingredients and wild seasonal vegetables. It has four rooms, with check-in from 14:00 and check-out at 10:00. Q: Are meals included at Iccha? A: Iccha: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Iccha have? A: Iccha lists parking. Q: Who is Iccha good for? A: Iccha suits couples, families, food lovers. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/stay/5/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/stay/5/ ### Glamprook Shimanami URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/glamprook-shimanami Type: Stay Local name: GLAMPROOK しまなみ (ja) Also known as: GLAMPROOK Shimanami, Glamprook Umashima, グランルーク しまなみ Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: 1006 Umashima, Imabari, Ehime 799-2123 Coordinates: 34.11460, 132.99290 Kind: Glamping From: ¥35,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 315 or USD 221 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥¥ Prices: The official site lists ¥35,000 a night per adult in October 2026, all-inclusive with tax and service; primary-school children pay 70 per cent and preschoolers 50 per cent. Imabari's tourism association still shows an older guide of ¥25,300. Two adults pay ¥70,000 or more a night. Meals: Dinner and breakfast in the sea-view restaurant and an open bar from 21:00 to 23:00 are included. Check-in: 15:00 (last 18:00), out by 11:00 Rooms: 16 Amenities: All inclusive meals and drinks, Sea view bath, Free boat or car transfer, E bike rental, Bridge sky walk, Sea cave Best for: couples, special occasions, families Bikes: Storage on site Bike storage: Imabari's tourism association lists bikes as allowed in rooms in a rinko bag. Bike rental: E-bikes at ¥7,000 a day or ¥4,000 for four hours. Price from: ¥35,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 315 or USD 221 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://glamprook.jp/umashima/ Summary: Glamprook Shimanami suits couples who want an all-inclusive night on a tiny island under the Kurushima Kaikyo bridge; the trade-off is a rate that starts at ¥35,000 a person. Glamprook sits on Umashima, an island of fewer than ten residents under the Kurushima Kaikyo bridge between Imabari and Oshima. Private cars need a permit, so drivers park at Imabari port and take the hotel's free boat or car. Riders come down from the bridge deck by lift. The lift closed for repairs from 11 May to 11 September 2026, and the hotel sent cyclists down the island road while it was out. The rate covers dinner, breakfast and an open bar from 21:00 to 23:00. The hotel-wing bath faces the bridge and the ships passing below. Staff walk guests up to the bridge deck 80 m above the water, and at low tide you can poke into a sea cave near the south deck. Nobody swims here, because the currents round the island run too hard. Ten hotel rooms and six glamping units face the sea. E-bikes rent for ¥7,000 a day if you want to ride Oshima from the island. Since 1 June 2026 the site takes no cash, so pay by card or QR code, or settle by bank transfer before you arrive. Q: Can I ride a bike to Glamprook Shimanami? A: Yes. Cyclists take the lift from the Kurushima Kaikyo bridge down to Umashima, or the island road from 6:00 to 22:40 when the lift is closed. Q: Does Glamprook Shimanami take cash? A: No. Since 1 June 2026 payment on site is by card or QR code only, with cash accepted by bank transfer in advance. Q: How much does Glamprook Shimanami cost? A: Prices at Glamprook Shimanami start at ¥35,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 315 or USD 221 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Glamprook Shimanami? A: Glamprook Shimanami: Dinner and breakfast in the sea-view restaurant and an open bar from 21:00 to 23:00 are included. Q: What does Glamprook Shimanami have? A: Glamprook Shimanami lists all inclusive meals and drinks, sea view bath, free boat or car transfer, e bike rental, bridge sky walk, sea cave. Q: Who is Glamprook Shimanami good for? A: Glamprook Shimanami suits couples, special occasions, families. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://glamprook.jp/umashima/ https://glamprook.jp/umashima/information/ https://glamprook.jp/umashima/access/ https://glamprook.jp/umashima/all-inclusive/ https://glamprook.jp/umashima/news/20260415/ https://www.oideya.gr.jp/stay-c/glamprook/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information-imabari&paged=13 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%84%9B%E5%AA%9B%E7%9C%8C%E4%BB%8A%E6%B2%BB%E5%B8%82%E9%A6%AC%E5%B3%B61006 ### Gokan no Yu Tsuruya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/gokan-no-yu-tsuruya Type: Stay Local name: 五感の湯 つるや (ja) Also known as: Tsuruya Hotel, Tsuruya Zao, つるやホテル Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: 710 Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata 990-2301 Coordinates: 38.16750, 140.39410 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥11,000 per person (2026), about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Jalan lists room-only stays from ¥11,000 a person when two share and dinner with breakfast from ¥17,600 a person. Plans with a Zao beef dinner cost more. Meals: Dinner and breakfast in your room or a private dining room; Yamagata set menu or Zao beef sukiyaki, shabu-shabu or steak Check-in: 15:00–19:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 41 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Private baths, Ski drying room, Winter changing room, Indoor parking, Wi Fi Best for: couples, onsen lovers, travellers without a car Bikes: Storage on site Bike storage: The inn has an indoor car park with space for motorbikes; ask whether a bicycle can go there. Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: The inn's site puts the ski area about five minutes away by car, and Jalan lists the slopes within a five-minute walk. Boot room: Yes Ski storage: Yes Shuttle: In winter a free scheduled shuttle runs to the Uenodai, Nakamori and Yokokura slopes; sign up at the front desk on the day. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The inn's FAQ and its Jalan listing state no tattoo rule. Price from: ¥11,000 per person (2026), about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.tsuruyahotel.co.jp/ Summary: Gokan no Yu Tsuruya suits anyone arriving by bus who wants the inn's own sulphur spring and dinner in a private room, and the trade-off is that only some rooms have a bath of their own. Tsuruya stands across the road from the Zao Onsen bus terminal at the foot of Takayu-dori, so you step off the bus from Yamagata and walk straight in. The inn's own spring rises on site without a pump at about 200 litres a minute and 55.5 °C, and every bath uses it with no added water or heat. The inn says the water's pH of 1.5 ranks second in Japan for acidity. The two main baths each have an outdoor tub and stay open around the clock, apart from about two hours of cleaning from 9:30. Four private baths line a corridor called Yuraku-dori, and online bookings get one 50-minute session free, then ¥1,100 for each extra one. Breakfast and dinner come in your room or a private dining room, with a Yamagata set menu or a Zao beef main as sukiyaki, shabu-shabu or steak. Rooms mix ten-tatami Japanese rooms, Japanese-Western rooms with twin beds and new-style rooms renewed in 2024 on the sixth floor and up. Some have a bath that runs on ordinary water, and others have only a toilet and basin, so ask for a bath when you book. In winter a free shuttle runs on a timetable to three of the slopes, and a changing room by the front desk lets skiers get out of their gear before check-in. Tips: - In-room dining is for two people at most; larger groups eat in a private dining room. - From December to March, move your car to the slope car parks after checkout. They are free on weekdays and ¥1,000 a day at New Year and on weekends and holidays. - Non-guests can bathe from 12:00 to 17:00 for ¥1,000 an adult. Q: How much does Gokan no Yu Tsuruya cost? A: Prices at Gokan no Yu Tsuruya start at ¥11,000 per person (2026), about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Gokan no Yu Tsuruya? A: Gokan no Yu Tsuruya: Dinner and breakfast in your room or a private dining room; Yamagata set menu or Zao beef sukiyaki, shabu-shabu or steak. Q: What does Gokan no Yu Tsuruya have? A: Gokan no Yu Tsuruya lists onsen, open air bath, private baths, ski drying room, winter changing room, indoor parking, wi fi. Q: Who is Gokan no Yu Tsuruya good for? A: Gokan no Yu Tsuruya suits couples, onsen lovers, travellers without a car. Q: Is Gokan no Yu Tsuruya bike-friendly? A: Gokan no Yu Tsuruya has published no cycling policy. Storage: the inn has an indoor car park with space for motorbikes; ask whether a bicycle can go there. Q: Is Gokan no Yu Tsuruya ski-in ski-out? A: No. Gokan no Yu Tsuruya sits away from the lifts, and in winter a free scheduled shuttle runs to the Uenodai, Nakamori and Yokokura slopes; sign up at the front desk on the day. Q: Does Gokan no Yu Tsuruya have an onsen? A: Yes. Gokan no Yu Tsuruya has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tsuruyahotel.co.jp/ https://www.tsuruyahotel.co.jp/en.html https://zaomountainresort.com/stay/ https://www.tsuruyahotel.co.jp/faq/ https://www.tsuruyahotel.co.jp/facility/ https://zaomountainresort.com/author/tsuruya/ https://goo.gl/maps/aW6k3TQy73wrft7r8 https://www.jalan.net/yad341866/ https://www.jalan.net/yad341866/plan/?dateUndecided=1&adultNum=2&roomCount=1 ### Good Bless Garden URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/good-bless-garden Type: Stay Local name: グッドブレスガーデン (ja) Also known as: GOOD BLESS GARDEN, Good Bless Garden Sauna & Stay, Good Breath Garden, GBG Yonago Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Yonago Address: 1-27-2 Kakubancho, Yonago, Tottori Coordinates: 35.43139, 133.33336 Kind: Hotel Amenities: Bikes in rooms, Sauna, Large bath, Rock sauna, Fitness, Restaurant Best for: sauna fans, riders based in central Yonago Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes can go into the room. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared and private baths Website: https://gbg-yonago.jp/ Summary: Good Bless Garden suits riders who want a big sauna and a room that takes the bike in central Yonago, and it sits in the city centre away from the beach at Kaike. Good Bless Garden fills seven floors in Kakubancho with a sauna, a large bath and a rock sauna, a gym, food, beauty treatments and rooms. JOY URBAN runs it. Tottori lists it as a cyclist-friendly stay, so the bike goes into the room and the front desk lends tools and a pump. Q: What does Good Bless Garden have? A: Good Bless Garden lists bikes in rooms, sauna, large bath, rock sauna, fitness, restaurant. Q: Who is Good Bless Garden good for? A: Good Bless Garden suits sauna fans, riders based in central Yonago. Q: Is Good Bless Garden bike-friendly? A: Yes. Good Bless Garden welcomes cyclists. Storage: bikes can go into the room. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://gbg-yonago.jp/ https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/details_support https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%B3%A5%E5%8F%96%E7%9C%8C%E7%B1%B3%E5%AD%90%E5%B8%82%E8%A7%92%E7%9B%A4%E7%94%BA1%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE27-2 ### Grand Mercure Lake Biwa Resort & Spa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/grand-mercure-lake-biwa-resort-spa Type: Stay Local name: グランドメルキュール琵琶湖リゾート＆スパ (ja) Also known as: Hotel & Resorts NAGAHAMA, Nagahama Royal Hotel, ホテル＆リゾーツ長浜, Grand Mercure Biwako Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Nagahama Address: 38 Oshima-cho, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0066 Coordinates: 35.37425, 136.26154 Kind: Hotel Prices: Rates are by date through Accor's booking engine; the hotel advertises discounts for early booking and for guests over 60 on weekdays. Meals: Restaurant dinners and group lunches with a Shiga menu. Amenities: Hot spring open air bath, Sauna, Day bathing Best for: Nagahama overnight, onsen night, couples Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://grand-mercure-lakebiwa-resortandspa.jp/ Summary: Grand Mercure suits riders who want a lakeside onsen hotel by Nagahama Castle, and its standard rooms are small for the price band. This big lakeside hotel next to Nagahama Castle park traded as Hotel & Resorts NAGAHAMA until Accor reopened it as a Grand Mercure; it was running second-anniversary deals in 2026. The baths draw on Nagahama Taiko Onsen, which rises at the castle ruins, and there is an open-air bath and a sauna. Standard rooms run 14 to 21 square metres, and the Classic rooms are 36 or more. Shiga's cyclist-friendly list carries it under the new name. Q: Are meals included at Grand Mercure Lake Biwa Resort & Spa? A: Grand Mercure Lake Biwa Resort & Spa: Restaurant dinners and group lunches with a Shiga menu. Q: What does Grand Mercure Lake Biwa Resort & Spa have? A: Grand Mercure Lake Biwa Resort & Spa lists hot spring open air bath, sauna, day bathing. Q: Who is Grand Mercure Lake Biwa Resort & Spa good for? A: Grand Mercure Lake Biwa Resort & Spa suits Nagahama overnight, onsen night, couples. Q: Is Grand Mercure Lake Biwa Resort & Spa bike-friendly? A: Yes. Grand Mercure Lake Biwa Resort & Spa welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Q: Does Grand Mercure Lake Biwa Resort & Spa have an onsen? A: Yes. Grand Mercure Lake Biwa Resort & Spa has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://grand-mercure-lakebiwa-resortandspa.jp/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/233/?active=stay https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111865960 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Green Hill Hotel Onomichi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/green-hill-hotel-onomichi Type: Stay Local name: グリーンヒルホテル尾道 (ja) Also known as: Greenhill Hotel Onomichi, GHH Onomichi Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: 9-1 Higashigosho-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-0036 Coordinates: 34.40370, 133.19330 Kind: Business hotel Prices: Hiroshima prefecture adds an accommodation tax of ¥200 per person per night on rooms above ¥6,000 a person, from 1 April 2026. Meals: Breakfast in the hotel; the menu and price changed on 1 September 2026. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Indoor cycle rack, Coin laundry, Shop Best for: road riders, budget, rail arrivals Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: An indoor lean-to rack by the second-floor entrance holds 12 bikes, first come, first served. Baths: Private baths Website: https://www.ghh-ono.com/ Summary: Green Hill Hotel Onomichi suits riders on a budget who want the station and the ferries two minutes away, and bikes sleep on a shared indoor rack of 12 places downstairs. Green Hill sits on the waterfront between JR Onomichi Station and the Mukaishima ferry piers, and some rooms look over the Onomichi channel. Bikes stay inside on a lean-to rack by the second-floor entrance, with room for 12 on a first-come basis. Coin laundry and a small shop selling Onomichi ramen and local sweets sit on the same floor. The doors lock between 23:00 and 05:00, which matters for anyone planning a dawn start. Check-in opens at 15:00 and checkout is 11:00. Drivers use the paid port car park in front of the station. Q: Are meals included at Green Hill Hotel Onomichi? A: Green Hill Hotel Onomichi: Breakfast in the hotel; the menu and price changed on 1 September 2026. Q: What does Green Hill Hotel Onomichi have? A: Green Hill Hotel Onomichi lists indoor cycle rack, coin laundry, shop. Q: Who is Green Hill Hotel Onomichi good for? A: Green Hill Hotel Onomichi suits road riders, budget, rail arrivals. Q: Is Green Hill Hotel Onomichi bike-friendly? A: Yes. Green Hill Hotel Onomichi welcomes cyclists. Storage: an indoor lean-to rack by the second-floor entrance holds 12 bikes, first come, first served. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ghh-ono.com/facilities/ https://www.ghh-ono.com/en/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information&paged=4 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E6%9D%B1%E5%BE%A1%E6%89%80%E7%94%BA9-1 ### Guest House Maruya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/guest-house-maruya Type: Stay Local name: ゲストハウスマルヤ (ja) Also known as: guest house MARUYA, MARUYA Atami, Maruya Atami, マルヤ 熱海 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Atami Address: 静岡県熱海市銀座町7-8 1F Coordinates: 35.09660, 139.07390 Kind: Guesthouse From: ¥3,960 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: A Standard Single capsule starts at ¥3,960 a night and a twin capsule for two at ¥7,770, with tax included. A second night and beyond come 10% off. Towels rent for ¥100 and ¥200. Meals: None; breakfast is an option, and the MARUYA Terrace café-bar sits in the same building Check-in: 15:00-21:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 21 Amenities: Lockable capsule rooms, Guest kitchen, 24 hour lounge, Café bar, Shared showers Best for: solo travellers, budget riders, night owls, Atami bar crawls Bikes: Storage on site Bike storage: The FAQ lists a parking space beside the guesthouse at ¥800 a vehicle, which you confirm by phone or email first. Baths: Shared baths Tattoo rule: Maruya has showers only. Staff point guests to day baths in town, and each sets its own tattoo rule. Price from: ¥3,960 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://guesthouse-maruya.jp/ Booking: https://www.chillnn.com/1716eac6227340/plan Summary: Guest House Maruya suits a solo rider who wants a lockable capsule in the middle of Atami's old shopping streets for about ¥4,000, and the trade-off is no bath of its own. Maruya sits on the Ginza-dori arcade in Ginza-cho, the oldest part of Atami, downhill from the station through the Heiwa-dori arcade. Maruya calls itself the sleeping wing of a plan that treats the whole town as one inn, so the building holds beds, showers, a kitchen and a lounge, and the town supplies the rest. You make your own bed, and staff check you in with a hand-drawn map. There are 21 rooms in singles, twins and triples, sleeping 30 in all; most are capsules, and each one locks. Three shared showers stock shampoo and body soap. Staff point you to day baths in town such as Yamada-yu, and the beach is three minutes away on foot. Check in by 21:00 or call ahead, since a late booking with no call gets cancelled. Staff leave at 21:00 and a card key opens the door until 8:00. Children of primary-school age and younger cannot stay. Tips: - Ask about the café-bar MARUYA Terrace downstairs; locals and guests mix there in the evening. - A sister house across the street, Kiten, has female-only capsules. Q: Does Guest House Maruya have an onsen? A: No. Maruya has showers only, and staff send guests to the day baths in town. Q: How much does Guest House Maruya cost? A: Prices at Guest House Maruya start at ¥3,960 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Guest House Maruya? A: Guest House Maruya: None; breakfast is an option, and the MARUYA Terrace café-bar sits in the same building. Q: What does Guest House Maruya have? A: Guest House Maruya lists lockable capsule rooms, guest kitchen, 24 hour lounge, café bar, shared showers. Q: Who is Guest House Maruya good for? A: Guest House Maruya suits solo travellers, budget riders, night owls, Atami bar crawls. Q: Is Guest House Maruya bike-friendly? A: Guest House Maruya has published no cycling policy. Storage: the FAQ lists a parking space beside the guesthouse at ¥800 a vehicle, which you confirm by phone or email first. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://guesthouse-maruya.jp/ https://guesthouse-maruya.jp/rooms/ https://guesthouse-maruya.jp/faq/ https://guesthouse-maruya.jp/map/ https://guesthouse-maruya.jp/enjoy/ https://guesthouse-maruya.jp/english/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=静岡県熱海市銀座町7-8 ### Guest House Umenoya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/guest-house-umenoya Type: Stay Local name: GUEST HOUSE UMENOYA（うめのや） (ja) Also known as: Umenoya, うめのや, Umenoya Guest House Wajima Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Town: Wajima Address: 5-254 Kawai-machi, Wajima, Ishikawa 928-0001 Coordinates: 37.39340, 136.90816 Kind: Guesthouse From: ¥4,500 per person (2026), about CAD 40 or USD 28 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: A dorm bed costs ¥4,500 and a single room ¥5,500, tax included, as the tourism association lists them. Meals: No meals Check-in: 16:00–21:30, out by 10:00 Amenities: Shower, Wi Fi, Laundry, Free onsen ticket Best for: solo travellers, riders on a budget Baths: No baths for guests Price from: ¥4,500 per person (2026), about CAD 40 or USD 28 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://wajima-kabulet.jp/town/umenoya_g.html Summary: Guest House Umenoya suits solo travellers and riders on a budget who want a bed in a renovated Wajima townhouse from ¥4,500, and its trade-off is showers only in the house. Umenoya fills a townhouse more than 70 years old in central Wajima, rebuilt with lacquer and white plaster. It has three single rooms and a dormitory of six bunks, each with a curtain, a locker and a reading light. Guests get a free same-day ticket to the Wajima KABULET hot spring, which closes on the second and fourth Thursdays. The house serves no meals. Q: How much does Guest House Umenoya cost? A: Prices at Guest House Umenoya start at ¥4,500 per person (2026), about CAD 40 or USD 28 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Guest House Umenoya? A: Guest House Umenoya: No meals. Q: What does Guest House Umenoya have? A: Guest House Umenoya lists shower, wi fi, laundry, free onsen ticket. Q: Who is Guest House Umenoya good for? A: Guest House Umenoya suits solo travellers, riders on a budget. Q: Does Guest House Umenoya have an onsen? A: No. Guest House Umenoya has no shared or private baths for guests. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://wajimanavi.jp/inn/blog/introduce/guest-house-umenoya/ https://wajimanavi.jp/useful/onsenmusume https://wajima-kabulet.jp/ https://wajima-kabulet.jp/town/umenoya_g.html ### Guesthouse Michishio URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/guesthouse-michishio Type: Stay Local name: ゲストハウスみちしお (ja) Also known as: Michishio, Guest House Michishio Yuge Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Town: Kamijima Address: 424-2 Yuge-hikino, Kamijima-cho, Ochi-gun, Ehime Coordinates: 34.26850, 133.20440 Kind: Guesthouse Meals: No meals; guests share a kitchen Rooms: 3 Amenities: Shared kitchen, Shared living room, Wi fi, Port pickup Best for: cyclists, solo travellers, small groups Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes can come into the living room and some of the rooms. Bike rental: Guests can rent two e-assist bikes at ¥1,000 a day or borrow three city bikes free; book ahead. Baths: Shared baths Website: https://r.goope.jp/michishio/ Summary: Michishio suits riders who want a small cyclist-minded house on Yugejima with the Yumeshima Kaido at the door, and it sleeps five, so book early. Michishio opened in April 2023 in Hikino on Yugejima, and the owner set it up for riders: bikes come into the living room and some bedrooms, and there are e-assist bikes for hire. Upstairs rooms look across the strait to Innoshima. The owner also works as Kamijima's adviser for people moving to the islands and will talk about island life, and there is an optional walk with the house goat. The Hikino bus stop is four minutes by bus from Yuge port, then a five-minute walk toward Chaku shrine. The owner picks up from the ports by arrangement. Q: Are meals included at Guesthouse Michishio? A: Guesthouse Michishio: No meals; guests share a kitchen. Q: What does Guesthouse Michishio have? A: Guesthouse Michishio lists shared kitchen, shared living room, wi fi, port pickup. Q: Who is Guesthouse Michishio good for? A: Guesthouse Michishio suits cyclists, solo travellers, small groups. Q: Is Guesthouse Michishio bike-friendly? A: Yes. Guesthouse Michishio welcomes cyclists. Storage: bikes can come into the living room and some of the rooms. Guests can rent two e-assist bikes at ¥1,000 a day or borrow three city bikes free; book ahead. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://r.goope.jp/michishio/ https://r.goope.jp/michishio/about https://kamijima.info/cycling/bicycle_rental/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E4%B8%8A%E5%B3%B6%E7%94%BA%E5%BC%93%E5%89%8A%E5%BC%95%E9%87%8E%EF%BC%94%EF%BC%92%EF%BC%94 ### Guesthouse Onomichi PawPaw URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/guesthouse-onomichi-pawpaw Type: Stay Local name: ゲストハウス尾道ポポー (ja) Also known as: Onomichi Popo, PawPaw Mukaishima Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Mukaishima Address: 877-1 Mukaihigashi-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-0062 Coordinates: 34.40440, 133.20910 Kind: Guesthouse Meals: No meals; guests share a kettle and fridge. Amenities: Indoor bike room, Track pump, Tools, Washing machine, Parking Best for: road riders, budget, small groups Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes sleep in an indoor room that doubles as a workshop. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared baths Website: http://onomichipawpaw.com/ Summary: Guesthouse Onomichi PawPaw suits riders who want a dorm or a tatami room with an indoor bike workshop on Mukaishima, and the trade-off is a ferry or bus hop from Onomichi's restaurants. PawPaw sits on Mukaishima, the first island across the channel, close to the Onomichi Ohashi bridge. Bikes stay indoors in a room that works as a parking space and a workshop, with a pump for both valve types and other tools. Sleeping options run from a dorm to six- and eight-mat Japanese rooms and a separate annex room for five. From Onomichi Station, take a bus from stop 7 toward Innoshima or Setoda and get off at Onomichi Ohashi, about ten minutes and ¥210, then walk three minutes. By ferry, the Tsuchido to Kaneyoshi boat lands about 1.5 km away. Towels are free, the washer costs ¥200, and parking costs ¥300 a night by reservation. Q: Are meals included at Guesthouse Onomichi PawPaw? A: Guesthouse Onomichi PawPaw: No meals; guests share a kettle and fridge. Q: What does Guesthouse Onomichi PawPaw have? A: Guesthouse Onomichi PawPaw lists indoor bike room, track pump, tools, washing machine, parking. Q: Who is Guesthouse Onomichi PawPaw good for? A: Guesthouse Onomichi PawPaw suits road riders, budget, small groups. Q: Is Guesthouse Onomichi PawPaw bike-friendly? A: Yes. Guesthouse Onomichi PawPaw welcomes cyclists. Storage: bikes sleep in an indoor room that doubles as a workshop. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://onomichipawpaw.com/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information&paged=5 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E5%90%91%E6%9D%B1%E7%94%BA877-1 ### Guesthouse Senwa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/guesthouse-senwa Type: Stay Local name: ゲストハウス扇和 (ja) Also known as: Guest House Senwa, Senwa Yuzawa Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町湯沢2-2-12 Coordinates: 36.93800, 138.80930 Kind: Guesthouse From: ¥4,000 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Meals: None Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 8 Amenities: Onsen, Dormitory, Luggage storage Best for: budget travellers, solo travellers, rail travellers Shuttle: The free ski-area shuttle buses stop three minutes from the guesthouse. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥4,000 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: http://www.gh-senwa.com/ Summary: Guesthouse Senwa suits budget riders who want a bed and an onsen three minutes from the Shinkansen, and its trade-off is a room-only stay that takes PayPay or cash and nothing else. Senwa is a small guesthouse three minutes on foot from the east exit of Echigo-Yuzawa Station. Its eight rooms include a dormitory, and the onsen has separate baths for men and women. The free ski-area shuttle buses stop three minutes from the door. Stays are room only from ¥4,000 a person. The house holds bags before and after your stay and lends out mahjong and go sets for the evening. Q: How much does Guesthouse Senwa cost? A: Prices at Guesthouse Senwa start at ¥4,000 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Guesthouse Senwa? A: Guesthouse Senwa: None. Q: What does Guesthouse Senwa have? A: Guesthouse Senwa lists onsen, dormitory, luggage storage. Q: Who is Guesthouse Senwa good for? A: Guesthouse Senwa suits budget travellers, solo travellers, rail travellers. Q: Does Guesthouse Senwa have an onsen? A: Yes. Guesthouse Senwa has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.gh-senwa.com/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/stay_p/guest-house-senwa/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/stay/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町湯沢2-2-12 ### Joheiji Guesthouse Umu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/guesthouse-umu Type: Stay Local name: 上平寺御城下ゲストハウス うむ (ja) Also known as: Guesthouse Umu, うむ Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Maibara Address: 212 Joheiji, Maibara, Shiga 521-0327 Coordinates: 35.38789, 136.41624 Kind: Guesthouse Prices: The guesthouse publishes whole-house and day-use rates on its price page. Check-in: from 14:00, out by by 12:00 Amenities: Whole house rental, Station pick up Best for: groups, Mt. Ibuki hikers, castle ruins Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Private baths Website: https://joheiji.com/ Summary: Umu suits a group who want a whole farmhouse below Mt. Ibuki, and it is well inland, a long climb from the lake. Umu is a renovated farmhouse at Joheiji in the foothills of Mt. Ibuki, and one group a night takes the whole place. The hosts collect guests from Maibara, Omi-Nagaoka, Nagahama or Sekigahara stations if you ask when booking. The Joheiji trail to the 1,377-metre summit of Mt. Ibuki starts close by, and the Kyogoku clan's castle ruins sit above the village. Check-in is any time after 14:00 and checkout by noon. Q: What does Joheiji Guesthouse Umu have? A: Joheiji Guesthouse Umu lists whole house rental, station pick up. Q: Who is Joheiji Guesthouse Umu good for? A: Joheiji Guesthouse Umu suits groups, Mt. Ibuki hikers, castle ruins. Q: Is Joheiji Guesthouse Umu bike-friendly? A: Yes. Joheiji Guesthouse Umu welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://joheiji.com/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf ### Hachimantai Mountain Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hachimantai-mountain-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 八幡平マウンテンホテル (ja) Also known as: Hachimantai Resort Mountain Hotel, Mountain Hotel Hachimantai Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Town: Hachimantai Address: 1-509-1 Matsuo-Yoriki, Hachimantai, Iwate 028-7302 Coordinates: 39.89470, 140.97520 Kind: Ski hotel From: ¥5,500 per person (2026), about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Rakuten Travel lists room-only stays from ¥5,500 a person for two sharing and the roast-beef buffet with breakfast from ¥13,600, on plans posted through 31 December 2027. The listing showed no separate winter rate on 11 October 2026. Meals: Room-only, breakfast and half-board plans; dinner is a buffet built around a stone oven. Check-in: 15:00–23:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 88 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Sauna, Ski drying room, Ski and snowboard rental, Coin laundry, Shop, Free Wi Fi, Free parking Best for: families, beginners, budget, hikers Ski-in ski-out: Yes To the lifts: The resort calls the hotel directly connected to the Panorama ski area, with the slopes in front of the building. Shuttle: Free Panorama to Shimokura ski area shuttle from 19 Dec 2026 to 22 Mar 2027, hourly from Panorama 8:50 to 15:50 and from Shimokura 9:30 to 16:35. No free bus from Morioka; Iwate Kenpoku route buses take about 90 minutes. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥5,500 per person (2026), about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/hotel/ Booking: https://asp.hotel-story.ne.jp/ver3d/planlist.asp?hcod1=78970&hcod2=001&mode=seek&clrmode=true&reffrom= Summary: Hachimantai Mountain Hotel suits families and newer skiers who want gentle runs outside the door and an onsen at a low price. The trade-off is a 90-minute bus from Morioka with no hotel shuttle. This 88-room hotel at Hachimantai Resort opens straight onto the Panorama ski area, whose beginner and intermediate slopes spread out in front of the building. From 19 December 2026 to 22 March 2027 a free shuttle runs hourly to Shimokura ski area, leaving Panorama between 8:50 and 15:50. The hotel has a ski drying room and rents ski and snowboard gear. The onsen water comes from the Matsukawa geothermal power station, which the hotel says started Japan's first commercial geothermal generation. It is a weakly acidic sulphur spring that the hotel calls Magma no Yu. Dinner is a buffet built around a stone oven, and the roast beef is all you can eat on the most popular plan. A guide certified by the Japan Mountain Guide Association works on staff and runs trekking programmes in the green season. Iwate Kenpoku buses run from Morioka Station to the hotel in about 90 minutes, and no free bus covers that leg. By car it is about 15 minutes from the Matsuo-Hachimantai interchange on prefectural road 45. Tips: - Courier your skis or board ahead; the hotel holds luggage for staying guests only. - Check the Aspite and Jukai Line status on the resort's home page before any drive toward the summit. Q: How much does Hachimantai Mountain Hotel cost? A: Prices at Hachimantai Mountain Hotel start at ¥5,500 per person (2026), about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hachimantai Mountain Hotel? A: Hachimantai Mountain Hotel: Room-only, breakfast and half-board plans; dinner is a buffet built around a stone oven. Q: What does Hachimantai Mountain Hotel have? A: Hachimantai Mountain Hotel lists onsen, open air bath, sauna, ski drying room, ski and snowboard rental, coin laundry, shop, free wi fi, free parking. Q: Who is Hachimantai Mountain Hotel good for? A: Hachimantai Mountain Hotel suits families, beginners, budget, hikers. Q: Is Hachimantai Mountain Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Hachimantai Mountain Hotel is ski-in ski-out. Q: Does Hachimantai Mountain Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Hachimantai Mountain Hotel has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/hotel/ https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/hotel/onsen/ https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/hotel/facility/ https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/hotel/guest_room/ https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/winter/panorama/ https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/winter/shuttle-bus/ https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/access/ https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/introduce/ https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/1702/1702_std.html https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/1702/1702.html https://hotel.travel.rakuten.co.jp/hotelinfo/plan/1702?f_flg=PLAN&f_static=1 https://www.data-space.site/kankou/stay/index.html ### Hakata plus+ Guesthouse URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hakata-plus-guesthouse Type: Stay Local name: 海の見えるゲストハウス 伯方plus+ (ja) Also known as: Hakata plus, Hakata Plus Guest House, 伯方plus+, 伯方ｐｌｕｓ＋ Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Hakatajima Address: 1418-1 Kanoura-ko, Hakata-cho, Imabari, Ehime 794-2302 Coordinates: 34.20190, 133.07630 Kind: Guesthouse From: ¥16,400 per room per night (2026), about CAD 147 or USD 104 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Jalan listed the tatami room at ¥16,400 and the western room at ¥26,000 for two adults, room only, in October 2026. Payment on Jalan is by card online. Meals: No meals; each room has a one-ring IH kitchen, fridge and microwave oven, and the owners recommend island restaurants and takeaways. Check-in: 15:00–18:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 2 Amenities: Sea view, Kitchenette, Private unit bath, Covered bike park, Barbecue by request, Imabari towels Best for: families, small groups, self-catering Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: A covered bike park holds about four bikes, and about three fit inside the front entrance. Baths: Private baths Price from: ¥16,400 per room per night (2026), about CAD 147 or USD 104 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://hakata-plus.com/guesthouse/ Booking: https://www.jalan.net/yad358699/plan/ Summary: Hakata plus+ suits families and small groups who want their own kitchen opposite Hakata Beach; the trade-off is just two rooms and no meals. Hakata plus+ opened in a new building in February 2023 across the road from Hakata Beach, the island's main beach. The western room has two bunk beds and sleeps up to six, while the tatami room takes three on futons. Each room has its own unit bath and a one-ring kitchen, so you can cook or reheat takeaway in peace. A michi-no-eki and a convenience store are within walking distance. Bikes park under a roof, and a few fit inside the entrance. The owners set up a drum barbecue for one group a night on request, though never in winter because the wind blows too hard. Only private groups stay, and check-in closes at 18:00. Q: Does Hakata plus+ have dormitory beds? A: No. Both rooms are let to one group at a time. Q: How much does Hakata plus+ Guesthouse cost? A: Prices at Hakata plus+ Guesthouse start at ¥16,400 per room per night (2026), about CAD 147 or USD 104 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hakata plus+ Guesthouse? A: Hakata plus+ Guesthouse: No meals; each room has a one-ring IH kitchen, fridge and microwave oven, and the owners recommend island restaurants and takeaways. Q: What does Hakata plus+ Guesthouse have? A: Hakata plus+ Guesthouse lists sea view, kitchenette, private unit bath, covered bike park, barbecue by request, imabari towels. Q: Who is Hakata plus+ Guesthouse good for? A: Hakata plus+ Guesthouse suits families, small groups, self-catering. Q: Is Hakata plus+ Guesthouse bike-friendly? A: Yes. Hakata plus+ Guesthouse welcomes cyclists. Storage: a covered bike park holds about four bikes, and about three fit inside the front entrance. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakata-plus.com/guesthouse/ https://www.jalan.net/yad358699/plan/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information-imabari&paged=11 ### Hakkoda Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hakkoda-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 八甲田ホテル (ja) Also known as: Hakkoda Hotel Aomori, Sukayu Onsen Hakkoda Hotel, 酸ヶ湯温泉 八甲田ホテル Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Town: Hakkoda Address: 1-1 Minami-Arakawayama, Arakawa, Aomori, Aomori 030-0198 Coordinates: 40.64840, 140.85110 Kind: Hotel From: ¥39,600 per person (2026), about CAD 356 or USD 250 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Rakuten Travel lists dinner-and-breakfast plans from ¥39,600 a person when two share, and the same plans run to ¥55,000 on busy dates. Booking on the hotel's site gives earlier check-in at 12:00 on some plans. Meals: Dinner is French in the MeDeau dining room or kaiseki in the Japanese restaurant Shakomizu; breakfast is Japanese or Western, chosen per guest. Check-in: 15:00–18:30, out by 10:00 Rooms: 45 Amenities: Onsen, Sauna, Cold plunge, Bar lounge, French restaurant, Japanese restaurant, Shop, Free parking Best for: couples, food lovers, onsen lovers, skiers Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: The hotel puts the Hakkoda Ropeway about 10 minutes away by car and runs a scheduled, booked shuttle there from December to March. Shuttle: Free hotel buses run to the Hakkoda Ropeway and to Sukayu on a fixed timetable, booked at the front desk, with a separate winter timetable from December to March. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The hotel publishes no tattoo rule. Its guests also use Sukayu's mixed bath, which publishes none either, so ask before you book. Price from: ¥39,600 per person (2026), about CAD 356 or USD 250 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.hakkodahotel.co.jp/ Booking: https://www.489pro-x.com/en/s/hakkodahotel/search/ Summary: Hakkoda Hotel suits couples who want a proper dinner and a log-built room in the Hakkoda forest with Sukayu's great bath next door, and the trade-off is a price about three times Sukayu's. Sukayu Onsen's owners opened this hotel in 1991 about 15 minutes' walk from the old inn. It is a cluster of six wooden buildings around a log main hall, built of Canadian red cedar and Oregon pine, and the hotel calls it one of the largest Western-style timber buildings in Japan. Works by the woodblock artist Munakata Shiko, who used to take long cures at Sukayu, hang through the halls. There are 45 rooms, mostly twins, plus eight maisonettes and four suites. Dinner is the reason to pay the difference. MeDeau serves French cooking built on Aomori produce and asks for smart casual dress, while Shakomizu does kaiseki and lets you come down in your yukata. The hotel says it cannot cater for vegan or vegetarian guests. The bar opens from 20:00 to 22:30. The hotel's own bath is hiba-scented with a sauna and cold plunge. Guests also bathe free at Sukayu's Sennin-buro, and a scheduled hotel bus runs the two minutes there with towels waiting at the other end. Remember the women-only hours there are 8:00 to 9:00 and 20:00 to 21:00. Tips: - The free bus from Shin-Aomori Station runs once in the morning and once in the afternoon and needs a call by 17:00 the day before. - A fixed-fare taxi from Aomori Airport or either Aomori station costs ¥8,000 one way if you book it through the hotel the day before. - No shops or restaurants sit nearby; Sukayu's shop stays open until 20:00. Q: How much does Hakkoda Hotel cost? A: Prices at Hakkoda Hotel start at ¥39,600 per person (2026), about CAD 356 or USD 250 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hakkoda Hotel? A: Hakkoda Hotel: Dinner is French in the MeDeau dining room or kaiseki in the Japanese restaurant Shakomizu; breakfast is Japanese or Western, chosen per guest. Q: What does Hakkoda Hotel have? A: Hakkoda Hotel lists onsen, sauna, cold plunge, bar lounge, french restaurant, japanese restaurant, shop, free parking. Q: Who is Hakkoda Hotel good for? A: Hakkoda Hotel suits couples, food lovers, onsen lovers, skiers. Q: Is Hakkoda Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: No. Hakkoda Hotel sits away from the lifts, and free hotel buses run to the Hakkoda Ropeway and to Sukayu on a fixed timetable, booked at the front desk, with a separate winter timetable from December to March. Q: Does Hakkoda Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Hakkoda Hotel has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hakkodahotel.co.jp/ https://www.hakkodahotel.co.jp/information/ https://www.hakkodahotel.co.jp/information2/ https://www.hakkodahotel.co.jp/information3/ https://www.hakkodahotel.co.jp/access/ https://www.hakkodahotel.co.jp/hotspring/ https://www.hakkodahotel.co.jp/about/ https://www.489pro-x.com/ja/s/hakkodahotel/planlist/ https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/40565/40565.html https://hotel.travel.rakuten.co.jp/hotelinfo/plan/40565 ### Hakone Tent URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hakone-tent Type: Stay Also known as: HAKONE TENT, Hakonetent, Onsen Guest House Hakone Tent, 箱根テント Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Kanagawa Town: Hakone Address: 1320-257 Gora, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Coordinates: 35.25118, 139.04736 Kind: Guesthouse From: ¥5,900 per person (2026), about CAD 53 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: The Japanese room page lists these as starting rates, and adults pay Hakone's bathing tax of ¥150 per person per night on top. Children under six can stay only in the apartment annex. The English page still shows older dorm prices, and the Japanese page no longer lists dorms. Meals: No meals. The bar opens 17:00 to 22:00 for drinks only, and guests may bring food in. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Free flowing onsen, Bar, Guest kitchen, Coin laundry, Luggage storage, Limited parking Best for: budget travellers, onsen lovers, solo travellers, small groups Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The guesthouse publishes no tattoo rule. Price from: ¥5,900 per person (2026), about CAD 53 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://hakonetent.com/en/ Summary: Hakone Tent suits budget travellers who want milky Owakudani onsen water at any hour three minutes from Gora station, and its trade-off is a converted old ryokan with shared baths and no meals. Hakone Tent opened in June 2014 in an old ryokan three minutes on foot from Gora station, the top of the Hakone Tozan line. Its two indoor baths, one stone and one hinoki, take free-flowing milky sulphate water piped from Owakudani at pH 2.2, and they open 24 hours. Men and women swap baths daily. A two-person private room starts at ¥13,200. The guesthouse closed for renovation late in 2025 and reopened on 16 February 2026. The bar now pours drinks only from 17:00 to 22:00, and guests can bring in their own food. Children under six can stay only in the apartment annex, whose living room looks out at the Daimonji-yaki bonfire on the mountainside. Parking is limited, so ask ahead if you're driving. Q: Is Hakone Tent open in 2026? A: Yes. Hakone Tent reopened on 16 February 2026 after renovation work. Q: Does Hakone Tent serve food? A: No. Since reopening, the Hakone Tent bar serves drinks only, and guests may bring their own food. Q: How much does Hakone Tent cost? A: Prices at Hakone Tent start at ¥5,900 per person (2026), about CAD 53 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hakone Tent? A: Hakone Tent: No meals. The bar opens 17:00 to 22:00 for drinks only, and guests may bring food in. Q: What does Hakone Tent have? A: Hakone Tent lists free flowing onsen, bar, guest kitchen, coin laundry, luggage storage, limited parking. Q: Who is Hakone Tent good for? A: Hakone Tent suits budget travellers, onsen lovers, solo travellers, small groups. Q: Does Hakone Tent have an onsen? A: Yes. Hakone Tent has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakonetent.com/jp/room/ https://hakonetent.com/jp/facility/ https://hakonetent.com/jp/ https://hakonetent.com/en/ https://hakonetent.com/en/facility/ https://hakonetent.com/en/access/ https://hakonetent.com/jp/bar/ https://hakonetent.com/information_jp/%e3%80%90-%e4%ba%88%e7%b4%84%e5%86%8d%e9%96%8b%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b%e3%80%91/ https://hakonetent.com/information_jp/%e3%80%90-hakone-tent-bar%e3%81%a7%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e9%a3%9f%e4%ba%8b%e3%81%ab%e9%96%a2%e3%81%97%e3%81%a6%e3%80%91/ ### Hakuba Tokyu Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hakuba-tokyu-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 白馬東急ホテル (ja) Also known as: Hakuba Tokyu Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: 4688 Hokujo, Hakuba-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-9301 Coordinates: 36.70610, 137.83930 Kind: Hotel From: ¥11,500 per adult (2025), about CAD 103 or USD 73 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Range listed by the Nagano Tourism Organization (go-nagano page updated April 2025); the tier is computed from the middle of that range for two people sharing. Meals: Breakfast included on most plans; French restaurant Chamonix and Japanese restaurant Manyo for dinner Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 102 Amenities: Onsen, Sauna, Ski lockers, Ski rental, Lounge bar, Shop Best for: couples, families, non-skiers in a ski group Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: The hotel car takes about three minutes to the Hakuba Happo bus terminal. Ski storage: Yes Shuttle: Hotel car to Hakuba Station and Happo bus terminal 8:00 to 20:00 on request; free resort buses to Happo-one, Goryu, HAKUBA47, Iwatake and Tsugaike Kogen in winter. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥11,500 per adult (2025), about CAD 103 or USD 73 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/hakuba-h/ Summary: Hakuba Tokyu Hotel is the classic full-service hotel in the Wadano woods near Happo, and it suits couples and families who want a proper restaurant and an alkaline onsen after skiing. The trade-off is that you ride a shuttle to every lift. The hotel sits among the trees at Wadano, and its own car runs guests to the Hakuba Happo bus terminal in about three minutes and to JR Hakuba Station in about eight, between 8:00 and 20:00. In winter free scheduled buses, mostly run by the ski areas, stop at the hotel for Happo-one, Goryu and HAKUBA47, Iwatake and Tsugaike Kogen. Ask the front desk for the season's times. The large baths with open-air pools run on Hakuba Happo Onsen, an alkaline simple spring the hotel measures at pH 11.2, which leaves skin slippery. The open-air side can close during heavy snowfall. Day visitors paid ¥1,500 an adult in 2026, so it also works as a soak on a non-hotel night. Q: How much does Hakuba Tokyu Hotel cost? A: Prices at Hakuba Tokyu Hotel start at ¥11,500 per adult (2025), about CAD 103 or USD 73 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hakuba Tokyu Hotel? A: Hakuba Tokyu Hotel: Breakfast included on most plans; French restaurant Chamonix and Japanese restaurant Manyo for dinner. Q: What does Hakuba Tokyu Hotel have? A: Hakuba Tokyu Hotel lists onsen, sauna, ski lockers, ski rental, lounge bar, shop. Q: Who is Hakuba Tokyu Hotel good for? A: Hakuba Tokyu Hotel suits couples, families, non-skiers in a ski group. Q: Is Hakuba Tokyu Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: No. Hakuba Tokyu Hotel sits away from the lifts, and hotel car to Hakuba Station and Happo bus terminal 8:00 to 20:00 on request; free resort buses to Happo-one, Goryu, HAKUBA47, Iwatake and Tsugaike Kogen in winter. Q: Does Hakuba Tokyu Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Hakuba Tokyu Hotel has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/hakuba-h/index.html https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/hakuba-h/qa/index.html https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/hakuba-h/spa/index.html https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/hakuba-h/facility/index.html https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16590 https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=%E7%99%BD%E9%A6%AC%E6%9D%B1%E6%80%A5%E3%83%9B%E3%83%86%E3%83%AB&format=json ### Hamakogetsu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hamakogetsu Type: Stay Local name: 長浜太閤温泉 浜湖月 (ja) Also known as: 浜湖月, Nagahama Taiko Onsen Hamakogetsu Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Nagahama Address: 4-25 Koen-cho, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0065 Coordinates: 35.37847, 136.25943 Kind: Ryokan Prices: The inn does not print plan prices on its home page; book by phone or through its plans. Meals: Kyoto-style kaiseki or Omi beef kaiseki; yaki-saba somen; duck sukiyaki and beef shabu-shabu in winter. Amenities: Rooms with private open air baths, Large bath, Private hire bath, Day bathing Best for: couples, onsen night, Omi beef dinner Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.hamakogetsu.co.jp/ Booking: http://www.489pro.com/asp/489/menu.asp?id=25000006 Summary: Hamakogetsu suits couples who want a lakeside ryokan with their own open-air bath in Nagahama, and it is a small inn with Japanese rooms only. Hamakogetsu is a small onsen ryokan on the shore at Koen-cho, by Nagahama's castle park. Every room is Japanese-style, and each has its own open-air bath fed by Nagahama Taiko Onsen. Dinner is Kyoto-style kaiseki or Omi beef kaiseki, and in winter the kitchen turns to duck sukiyaki and beef shabu-shabu. Shiga certifies it as cyclist-friendly. Q: Are meals included at Hamakogetsu? A: Hamakogetsu: Kyoto-style kaiseki or Omi beef kaiseki; yaki-saba somen; duck sukiyaki and beef shabu-shabu in winter. Q: What does Hamakogetsu have? A: Hamakogetsu lists rooms with private open air baths, large bath, private hire bath, day bathing. Q: Who is Hamakogetsu good for? A: Hamakogetsu suits couples, onsen night, Omi beef dinner. Q: Is Hamakogetsu bike-friendly? A: Yes. Hamakogetsu welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Q: Does Hamakogetsu have an onsen? A: Yes. Hamakogetsu has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hamakogetsu.co.jp/ https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/353/?active=stay https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### HATAGO Isen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hatago-isen Type: Stay Local name: 越後湯澤HATAGO井仙 (ja) Also known as: Hatago Isen, 井仙, Isen Yuzawa Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町湯沢2455 Coordinates: 36.93580, 138.80690 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥19,570 per person (2026), about CAD 176 or USD 124 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Meals: Dinner and breakfast of Uonuma produce Rooms: 16 Amenities: Onsen, Rooms with open air baths, Café Best for: couples, rail travellers, food lovers Bikes: Welcomes cyclists To the lifts: Ski shuttles leave from Echigo-Yuzawa Station nearby. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥19,570 per person (2026), about CAD 176 or USD 124 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://hatago-isen.jp/ Summary: HATAGO Isen suits couples who arrive by Shinkansen and want a stylish small ryokan steps from the platform, and its trade-off is a busy station-front setting. Isen sits right outside Echigo-Yuzawa Station, which makes it the easiest ryokan in town for a Tokyo weekend with skis. It has 16 rooms, and six of them have their own open-air bath. The kitchen cooks Uonuma produce through the seasons, with wild greens in spring and summer vegetables after that. In winter the ski shuttles leave from the station a few minutes away. In summer the inn fills for Fuji Rock. Q: How much does HATAGO Isen cost? A: Prices at HATAGO Isen start at ¥19,570 per person (2026), about CAD 176 or USD 124 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at HATAGO Isen? A: HATAGO Isen: Dinner and breakfast of Uonuma produce. Q: What does HATAGO Isen have? A: HATAGO Isen lists onsen, rooms with open air baths, café. Q: Who is HATAGO Isen good for? A: HATAGO Isen suits couples, rail travellers, food lovers. Q: Is HATAGO Isen bike-friendly? A: Yes. HATAGO Isen welcomes cyclists. Q: Does HATAGO Isen have an onsen? A: Yes. HATAGO Isen has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hatago-isen.jp/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/stay_p/echigo-yuzawa-hatago-isen/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/stay/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町湯沢2455 https://yukiguni-gcr.jp/inn/ ### Haus St. Anton URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/haus-st-anton Type: Stay Local name: ハウスサンアントン (ja) Also known as: Haus St Anton, St. Anton Nozawa, Haus St. Anton Hotel & JamFactory Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Address: 9515 Toyosato, Nozawaonsen-mura, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano 389-2502 Coordinates: 36.92280, 138.44750 Kind: Hotel Meals: Restaurant and café with house-made, additive-free food and jams Amenities: Onsen, Café, Ski rental Best for: couples, food lovers Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: 6 min on foot Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://st-anton.jp/ Summary: Haus St. Anton is a small hotel and jam maker in Nozawa Onsen, built with reclaimed old timber and fitted with its own onsen. It suits couples who like character rooms and good breakfasts, and the trade-off is a six-minute walk to the Yu-Road. Haus St. Anton fits each room with reclaimed beams and old timber, so no two look alike. The kitchen makes its own jams and additive-free food, sold through the café as the JamFactory. The hotel has an onsen bath inside, and the Yu-Road moving walkway to the slopes is about six minutes away on foot. Q: Are meals included at Haus St. Anton? A: Haus St. Anton: Restaurant and café with house-made, additive-free food and jams. Q: What does Haus St. Anton have? A: Haus St. Anton lists onsen, café, ski rental. Q: Who is Haus St. Anton good for? A: Haus St. Anton suits couples, food lovers. Q: Is Haus St. Anton ski-in ski-out? A: No. Haus St. Anton sits 6 minutes on foot from the nearest lift. Q: Does Haus St. Anton have an onsen? A: Yes. Haus St. Anton has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://st-anton.jp/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4224990599 ### Healing Inn White Pension URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/healing-inn-white-pension Type: Stay Local name: ヒーリングイン ホワイトペンション (ja) Also known as: White Pension Inawashiro, Healing in White Pension, ホワイトペンション Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Fukushima Town: Inawashiro Address: 33-13 Osada Fudo, Inawashiro, Yama District, Fukushima 969-3287 Coordinates: 37.56420, 140.05820 Kind: Pension From: ¥12,540 per person (2026), about CAD 113 or USD 79 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Jalan lists dinner-and-breakfast stays from ¥12,540 a person when two share a double, with no date chosen. Rooms with their own open-air or hinoki bath cost more. The pension takes no credit cards on site, so pay ahead online or bring cash. Meals: Italian full-course dinner and breakfast. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 8 Amenities: Onsen, Private baths, Ski and snowboard rental, Free parking Best for: couples, food lovers, small groups Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: NEKOMA puts the South Area 10 minutes away by car and the North Area 40. Baths: Private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The pension publishes no tattoo rule, but every bath is booked privately by room. Price from: ¥12,540 per person (2026), about CAD 113 or USD 79 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Booking: https://www.jalan.net/yad326316/ Summary: White Pension suits couples who want a small family-run inn ten minutes from NEKOMA's South Area with private baths and an Italian dinner, and the trade-off is that you need a car or a taxi for every run to the slopes. This eight-room pension sits in the Omote-Bandai onsen area below Mt. Bandai, about ten minutes by taxi from Inawashiro Station. It has no big communal bath. You book slots at check-in in four private baths with six tubs between them, for before dinner, after dinner and the morning. The garden open-air bath looks to Lake Inawashiro on a clear day, and the outdoor tub is cut from hinoki cypress the owners say is 1,200 years old. Some baths run Omote-Bandai onsen water, which Jalan notes is topped up, heated and filtered, and one tub is a jacuzzi shipped from the United States. A Dead Sea float bath rounds out the set. A few rooms have their own open-air or hinoki bath that you can use at any hour. NEKOMA's list puts the South Area, the former Alts Bandai, 10 minutes away by car and the North Area 40. Dinner is an Italian full course, which NEKOMA singles out, and recent Jalan reviews from September 2026 rate the food and the baths highly. Tips: - Book bath slots at check-in, since every bath is shared by booking room by room. - The pension's own website was offline on 11 October 2026; book through Jalan or phone the number on the Jalan listing. Q: How much does Healing Inn White Pension cost? A: Prices at Healing Inn White Pension start at ¥12,540 per person (2026), about CAD 113 or USD 79 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Healing Inn White Pension? A: Healing Inn White Pension: Italian full-course dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Healing Inn White Pension have? A: Healing Inn White Pension lists onsen, private baths, ski and snowboard rental, free parking. Q: Who is Healing Inn White Pension good for? A: Healing Inn White Pension suits couples, food lovers, small groups. Q: Is Healing Inn White Pension ski-in ski-out? A: No. Healing Inn White Pension sits away from the lifts. Q: Does Healing Inn White Pension have an onsen? A: Yes. Healing Inn White Pension has private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nekoma.co.jp/accomondation/page/2/ https://www.jalan.net/yad326316/ https://www.jalan.net/yad326316/plan/?dateUndecided=1&adultNum=2&roomCount=1 https://www.jalan.net/yad326316/kuchikomi/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E7%A6%8F%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E8%80%B6%E9%BA%BB%E9%83%A1%E7%8C%AA%E8%8B%97%E4%BB%A3%E7%94%BA%E9%95%B7%E7%94%B0%E4%B8%8D%E5%8B%9533-13 ### HEGURI HUB URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/heguri-hub Type: Stay Local name: ヘグリハブ (ja) Also known as: Heguri Hub, HEGURI HUB Guest House, 平群クラブハウス, Heguri clubhouse, ヘグリハブ ゲストハウス Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Town: Minamiboso Address: 224-3 Hegurinaka, Minamiboso, Chiba 299-2204 Coordinates: 35.10220, 139.91270 Kind: Guesthouse From: ¥4,000 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: The guesthouse charges ¥4,000 a person from Sunday to Thursday and ¥4,500 on Fridays, Saturdays and the night before a holiday, with the shower and towel included. Children three and under sharing a bed stay free. Payment is by cash or card. Meals: Gohan-ya Iyo on the site serves lunch from Wednesday to Sunday; there is a fridge, microwave and kettle for guests. Check-in: 14:00–18:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 2 Amenities: Shower, Free Wi Fi, Fridge, Microwave, Paid washing machine, Bike rental, Bike tools, Car park Best for: road riders, gravel riders, solo travellers, weekend rides on Boso Bikes: Welcomes cyclists For riders: Tools Bike rental: The clubhouse rents more than 10 Giant cross bikes and six e-bikes at ¥3,000 a day, plus ¥1,500 for each extra day, at weekends and on holidays from 9:00 to 16:00. Helmet, lock, light and insurance come with the bike. Baths: Shared baths Price from: ¥4,000 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://hegurihub.com/guest-house/ Booking: https://forms.gle/gMpcpjL41ZR9aHVCA Summary: HEGURI HUB suits riders who want a cheap bunk in the Boso hills with a cyclists' clubhouse on the same site, and its trade-off is a two-room guesthouse where check-in closes at 18:00 and the clubhouse opens mainly at weekends. HEGURI HUB took over the old Heguri nursery school below Mt. Iyogatake in Minamiboso, about 15 minutes by car from JR Iwai Station. The Awa no Kuni cycle tourism association has run a clubhouse for riders here since November 2017, and in July 2021 the site added the guesthouse, a lunch counter, coworking desks and a small campsite. The guesthouse has a four-bed bunk room and a two-futon room, and the night rate includes the shower and a towel. Check-in runs from 14:00 to 18:00 in person and check-out is at 10:00. Bookings go through the site's web form and close at midnight two days before, and cancelling inside two weeks costs 20 to 100 percent of the rate. The clubhouse keeps a pump, bike tools and changing rooms for anyone riding through. It hires out Giant cross bikes and e-bikes at weekends, so a rider without a bike can stay the night and ride the valleys the next morning. Q: How do I get to HEGURI HUB without a car? A: Take the JR Uchibo line to Iwai Station, about two hours from Tokyo or Shinjuku in normal times, then ride or take a taxi for about 15 minutes. In autumn 2026 typhoon damage slowed the Uchibo line north of Kisarazu. Q: Can I rent a bike at HEGURI HUB? A: Yes, at weekends and on holidays from 9:00 to 16:00. Giant cross bikes and e-bikes cost ¥3,000 a day, plus ¥1,500 for each extra day, with helmet, lock, light and insurance. Q: How much does HEGURI HUB cost? A: Prices at HEGURI HUB start at ¥4,000 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at HEGURI HUB? A: HEGURI HUB: Gohan-ya Iyo on the site serves lunch from Wednesday to Sunday; there is a fridge, microwave and kettle for guests. Q: What does HEGURI HUB have? A: HEGURI HUB lists shower, free wi fi, fridge, microwave, paid washing machine, bike rental, bike tools, car park. Q: Who is HEGURI HUB good for? A: HEGURI HUB suits road riders, gravel riders, solo travellers, weekend rides on Boso. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hegurihub.com/guest-house/ https://hegurihub.com/clubhouse/ https://hegurihub.com/ https://maruchiba.jp/feature/detail_517.html ### Hida Hotel Plaza URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hida-hotel-plaza Type: Stay Local name: ひだホテルプラザ (ja) Also known as: Hida Takayama Onsen Hida Hotel Plaza Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 2-60 Hanaoka-machi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14507, 137.25217 Kind: Hotel From: ¥18,480 per person (2026), about CAD 166 or USD 117 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: From ¥18,480 a person with dinner and breakfast on the tourism association listing, plus ¥150 bathing tax. Meals: Dinner and breakfast Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen bath, Rotenburo, Sauna, Indoor heated pool, Free parking for guests Best for: families, couples, rainy days Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Private baths only Tattoo rule: The hotel's FAQ says it refuses guests with tattoos at its large baths; designer rooms with a private onsen tub are the alternative. Price from: ¥18,480 per person (2026), about CAD 166 or USD 117 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.hida-hotelplaza.co.jp/ Summary: Hida Hotel Plaza suits families who want a big onsen hotel five minutes from the station, with a top-floor bath that looks at the Alps. The trade-off is the size and the strict tattoo ban in the baths. The hotel draws its own hot spring and pipes it to two large baths. The ninth-floor bath with its rotenburo looks over the town to the Alps and opens 6:00 to 24:00, and a tatami-floored bath in the basement of the east wing opens 5:00 to 1:00. The water is heated, never diluted, and filtered through a circulation system. Some designer rooms have a private onsen tub, which suits guests with tattoos, since the hotel turns them away at its large baths. There is also an indoor heated pool for ¥1,100 a guest, and parking is free for people staying. Q: How much does Hida Hotel Plaza cost? A: Prices at Hida Hotel Plaza start at ¥18,480 per person (2026), about CAD 166 or USD 117 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hida Hotel Plaza? A: Hida Hotel Plaza: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Hida Hotel Plaza have? A: Hida Hotel Plaza lists onsen bath, rotenburo, sauna, indoor heated pool, free parking for guests. Q: Who is Hida Hotel Plaza good for? A: Hida Hotel Plaza suits families, couples, rainy days. Q: Does Hida Hotel Plaza have an onsen? A: Yes. Hida Hotel Plaza has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Q: Can you use the baths at Hida Hotel Plaza with tattoos? A: Bathers with tattoos at Hida Hotel Plaza use the private baths only. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hida-hotelplaza.co.jp/faq/ https://www.hida-hotelplaza.co.jp/spa/ https://www.hida-hotelplaza.co.jp/facilities/ https://www.hida-hotelplaza.co.jp/room/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/stay/detail_4024.html ### Hikone Castle Resort & Spa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hikone-castle-resort-spa Type: Stay Local name: 彦根キャッスル リゾート＆スパ (ja) Also known as: Hikone Castle Hotel, 彦根キャッスルホテル Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Hikone Address: 1-8 Sawa-machi, Hikone, Shiga 522-0075 Coordinates: 35.27363, 136.25693 Kind: Hotel From: ¥9,450 per person (2026), about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: The cheapest published plan is a single room that checks out at 9:00. Twins with castle views cost more. Amenities: Spa with castle view, Large bath, Rooms with semi open air baths Best for: Hikone Castle, couples, rail arrivals Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared and private baths Price from: ¥9,450 per person (2026), about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.hch.jp/ Summary: Hikone Castle Resort & Spa suits riders who want to wake up facing Hikone Castle, and the cheapest plan sends you out by 9:00. The hotel stands at the foot of Hikone Castle and calls itself the closest hotel to it. It names its bath Shiromi no Yu because you soak looking at the keep. It has six room types from single rooms to Castle View Superior twins, a few with a semi-open-air bath. The lowest published rate is ¥9,450 for a single that checks out at 9:00. Shiga certifies the hotel as cyclist-friendly. Q: How much does Hikone Castle Resort & Spa cost? A: Prices at Hikone Castle Resort & Spa start at ¥9,450 per person (2026), about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates). Q: What does Hikone Castle Resort & Spa have? A: Hikone Castle Resort & Spa lists spa with castle view, large bath, rooms with semi open air baths. Q: Who is Hikone Castle Resort & Spa good for? A: Hikone Castle Resort & Spa suits Hikone Castle, couples, rail arrivals. Q: Is Hikone Castle Resort & Spa bike-friendly? A: Yes. Hikone Castle Resort & Spa welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hch.jp/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1070665280 ### Hirayu no Mori URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hirayu-no-mori Type: Stay Local name: ひらゆの森 (ja) Also known as: Hirayunomori, Hotel Hirayu no Mori Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Hirayu Onsen Address: 763-1 Hirayu, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1433 Coordinates: 36.18897, 137.55110 Kind: Hotel From: ¥11,000 per person (2026), about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: The inn's own page lists dinner and breakfast from ¥11,000, and the Takayama tourism listing shows from ¥9,350; bathing tax of ¥150 is extra. Meals: Room only, breakfast, or dinner and breakfast Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, 16 outdoor baths, Private baths, Cottages with private outdoor baths, Restaurant, Café, Parking for 100 cars Best for: bath lovers, budget travellers, hikers bound for Kamikochi Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: Hirayu no Mori publishes no tattoo rule. Price from: ¥11,000 per person (2026), about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.hirayunomori.co.jp/ Summary: Hirayu no Mori suits bath lovers on a budget who want 16 outdoor pools on the doorstep and the Hirayu bus terminal a short walk away. The trade-off is plain rooms with no air conditioning or fridge. Staying guests get the 16 forest rotenburo of the day bath until 8:00 the next morning, plus a guests-only indoor bath and two iron-pot private baths at no charge. The water comes from two sources, one cloudy white and one clear, at 67°C with no circulation or chlorine. Rooms range from twins and tatami rooms to cottages with their own outdoor bath and a small kitchen. They have fans in summer and heaters in winter, and none has air conditioning or a fridge. The Mominoki restaurant grills Hida beef until 21:00, and the café opens at 7:00. Q: How much does Hirayu no Mori cost? A: Prices at Hirayu no Mori start at ¥11,000 per person (2026), about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hirayu no Mori? A: Hirayu no Mori: Room only, breakfast, or dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Hirayu no Mori have? A: Hirayu no Mori lists onsen, 16 outdoor baths, private baths, cottages with private outdoor baths, restaurant, café, parking for 100 cars. Q: Who is Hirayu no Mori good for? A: Hirayu no Mori suits bath lovers, budget travellers, hikers bound for Kamikochi. Q: Does Hirayu no Mori have an onsen? A: Yes. Hirayu no Mori has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hirayunomori.co.jp/stay/ https://www.hirayunomori.co.jp/onsen/ https://www.hirayunomori.co.jp/en/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/stay/detail_4891.html ### Honjin Hiranoya Kachoan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/honjin-hiranoya-kachoan Type: Stay Local name: 本陣平野屋 花兆庵 (ja) Also known as: Honjin Hiranoya, Hiranoya Kachoan, 花兆庵 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 1-34 Honmachi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14048, 137.25831 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥18,000 per person (2026), about CAD 162 or USD 114 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: From ¥18,000 a person with dinner and breakfast, service included and tax extra, on the tourism association listing. Meals: Dinner and breakfast Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Onsen bath, Rotenburo, Rooms with semi open air baths, Parking for 50 cars Best for: couples, special occasions Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥18,000 per person (2026), about CAD 162 or USD 114 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://ssl.honjinhiranoya.com/ Summary: Honjin Hiranoya Kachoan suits couples who want a polished ryokan at the edge of the old town, with rooms that have their own semi-open-air bath. The trade-off is the price of those rooms. Kachoan stands in Honmachi by the Miyagawa River and is a few minutes' walk from Sanmachi. It offers 18 types of room. The semi-open-air rooms have a tub you can use at any hour, and the men's outdoor bath looks toward the Hotaka range. Rates start at ¥18,000 a person with two meals, and the inn stores bags before check-in and after check-out. Q: How much does Honjin Hiranoya Kachoan cost? A: Prices at Honjin Hiranoya Kachoan start at ¥18,000 per person (2026), about CAD 162 or USD 114 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Honjin Hiranoya Kachoan? A: Honjin Hiranoya Kachoan: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Honjin Hiranoya Kachoan have? A: Honjin Hiranoya Kachoan lists onsen bath, rotenburo, rooms with semi open air baths, parking for 50 cars. Q: Who is Honjin Hiranoya Kachoan good for? A: Honjin Hiranoya Kachoan suits couples, special occasions. Q: Does Honjin Hiranoya Kachoan have an onsen? A: Yes. Honjin Hiranoya Kachoan has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ssl.honjinhiranoya.com/ https://ssl.honjinhiranoya.com/room/ https://ssl.honjinhiranoya.com/spa/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/stay/detail_4003.html ### Hoshi Onsen Chojukan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hoshi-onsen-chojukan Type: Stay Local name: 法師温泉 長寿館 (ja) Also known as: Chojukan, Hoshi Onsen, Houshi Onsen Chojukan, 長寿館 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 650 Nagai, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma 379-1401 Coordinates: 36.74404, 138.83052 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Chojukan sells rooms by plan, and bookings open four months ahead. Guests collecting stamps for the Japan Association of Secluded Hot Spring Inns get the stamp only on phone bookings or bookings through that association's site. Meals: Dinner and breakfast of seasonal mountain dishes from local produce, with the menu changing by season. Amenities: Three bathhouses, Registered cultural property buildings Best for: onsen purists, architecture lovers, couples Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: Chojukan publishes no tattoo rule. Ask the inn before you book. Website: https://hoshi-onsen.com/ Summary: Hoshi Onsen Chojukan suits onsen purists who want to sleep in a registered cultural property and bathe in water rising straight up under the tub, and its main bath is mixed with no bathing wear. Chojukan has four buildings of rooms. The main building and the 1940 annex are registered tangible cultural properties, and every one of the annex's ten identical rooms looks over the Hoshi River through old Taisho-era glass. Kunzanso, built along the river in 1978, has the larger rooms, and Horyuden dates from 1988. Some main-building rooms keep their toilets down the hall. The baths are the reason to come, and Hoshi Onsen's own page here sets out their mixed and women-only hours. Expect about a metre of snow in winter and fit studless tyres from December to March; otherwise take the town bus, which runs twice each morning and afternoon. From 16 to 17 December 2026 the inn holds a women's day for overnight guests, with every bath open to women at any hour. Q: When can I book Hoshi Onsen Chojukan? A: Bookings open four months before the stay date, for example on 1 October for stays up to 28 February. Q: Is Hoshi Onsen Chojukan hard to reach in winter? A: It gets about a metre of snow, so drivers should fit studless tyres from December to March. The town bus runs twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon. Q: Are meals included at Hoshi Onsen Chojukan? A: Hoshi Onsen Chojukan: Dinner and breakfast of seasonal mountain dishes from local produce, with the menu changing by season. Q: What does Hoshi Onsen Chojukan have? A: Hoshi Onsen Chojukan lists three bathhouses, registered cultural property buildings. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hoshi-onsen.com/ https://hoshi-onsen.com/rooms/ https://hoshi-onsen.com/onsen/ https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/7464/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4987541303 ### Hoshinoya Fuji URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hoshinoya-fuji Type: Stay Local name: 星のや富士 (ja) Also known as: HOSHINOYA Fuji, Hoshinoya Fuji glamping, 星野リゾート 星のや富士 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Town: Kawaguchiko Address: 1408 Oishi, Fujikawaguchiko-machi, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi 401-0305 Coordinates: 35.52534, 138.74531 Kind: Glamping Prices: Hoshinoya Fuji quotes cabin rates only through its booking page, so we have no published nightly figure. The listed price is for the guided e-bike tour. Fujikawaguchiko adds a lodging tax of ¥200 per person per night on stays from 1 April 2027, collected at the front desk on top of the room rate. Meals: Two restaurants and a café lounge on site. Check-in: 15:00, out by 12:00 Rooms: 40 Amenities: Two restaurants, Café lounge, Spa treatments, Guided e bike tour, Free outdoor parking, EV charging, Pet friendly cabins Best for: couples, special occasions, guided e-bike rides, travellers with dogs Bike rental: A professional guide leads a private power-assisted bike tour through the foothills all year, from 8:30 to 11:45 or 13:45 to 17:00, for ¥16,500 a person with tax. Book by 18:00 the day before. Baths: Private baths Tattoo rule: The resort lists no onsen and no public bath, and it publishes no tattoo rule. Website: https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/hoshinoyafuji/ Booking: https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/hoshinoyafuji/roomsearch/ Summary: Hoshinoya Fuji suits couples who want a cabin above Lake Kawaguchi with someone else doing the cooking and the route planning, and its trade-off is a nightly rate the resort shows only once you search dates. Hoshinoya Fuji calls itself Japan's first glamping resort, and its 40 cabins climb a wooded slope at Oishi on the north shore of Lake Kawaguchi. Each cabin takes one to three guests and opens onto a wide furnished balcony aimed at the water. Check-in is at 15:00 and you keep the cabin until noon. There is no shuttle from the station, and parking is free. Riders who'd rather follow a local can book the private e-bike tour, which a guide routes through the foothills for any level. It runs all year in a morning and an afternoon session at ¥16,500 a person with tax, and the resort asks for long trousers and closed shoes. The resort has no onsen and no public bath. Pet-friendly cabins are offered for stays up to 11 January 2027. Q: Does Hoshinoya Fuji have an onsen? A: No. Hoshinoya Fuji lists no onsen and no public bath among its facilities. Q: Can I ride a bike at Hoshinoya Fuji? A: Yes, on the private e-bike tour, which runs all year for ¥16,500 a person with tax and must be booked by 18:00 the day before. Q: Are meals included at Hoshinoya Fuji? A: Hoshinoya Fuji: Two restaurants and a café lounge on site. Q: What does Hoshinoya Fuji have? A: Hoshinoya Fuji lists two restaurants, café lounge, spa treatments, guided e bike tour, free outdoor parking, ev charging, pet friendly cabins. Q: Who is Hoshinoya Fuji good for? A: Hoshinoya Fuji suits couples, special occasions, guided e-bike rides, travellers with dogs. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/hoshinoyafuji/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/hoshinoyafuji/activities/13686/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/hoshinoyafuji/activities/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/hoshinoyafuji/access/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/hoshinoyafuji/ https://www.fujilake.co.jp/news/216/ https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/fujiichi/support/stay/index.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111865883 ### Hotakaso Yamano Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotakaso-yamano-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 穂高荘 山のホテル (ja) Also known as: Yama no Hotel, Hotakaso, Shinhotaka Yamano Hotel Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Shin-Hotaka Onsen Address: 577-13 Kansaka, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1421 Coordinates: 36.26183, 137.55847 Kind: Hotel From: ¥19,800 per person (2026), about CAD 178 or USD 125 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: From ¥19,800 a person with dinner and breakfast on the tourism association listing; bathing tax extra. Meals: Dinner and breakfast Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, Mixed rotenburo, Women only rotenburo, Three private baths, Sauna, Summer pool, Parking for 30 cars Best for: couples, families, bath lovers Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥19,800 per person (2026), about CAD 178 or USD 125 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://shinhodaka-yamanohotel.jp/ Summary: Hotakaso Yamano Hotel suits families and couples who want one of Okuhida's biggest mixed outdoor baths, with a women-only pool beside it. The trade-off is the long bus ride from Takayama. A 33-metre slope car carries guests down to the riverside baths: a big mixed rotenburo, a women-only pool that holds 30 people and three private baths taken first come at check-in. The hotel lends bathing wraps for the mixed pool at ¥200 for men and ¥300 for women. Every tub runs on the hotel's own source without circulation, and the indoor baths each have a sauna. Q: How much does Hotakaso Yamano Hotel cost? A: Prices at Hotakaso Yamano Hotel start at ¥19,800 per person (2026), about CAD 178 or USD 125 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hotakaso Yamano Hotel? A: Hotakaso Yamano Hotel: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Hotakaso Yamano Hotel have? A: Hotakaso Yamano Hotel lists onsen, mixed rotenburo, women only rotenburo, three private baths, sauna, summer pool, parking for 30 cars. Q: Who is Hotakaso Yamano Hotel good for? A: Hotakaso Yamano Hotel suits couples, families, bath lovers. Q: Does Hotakaso Yamano Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Hotakaso Yamano Hotel has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shinhodaka-yamanohotel.jp/ https://shinhodaka-yamanohotel.jp/hotspring/ https://shinhodaka-yamanohotel.jp/facility/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/stay/detail_4931.html ### Hotel Alpen Blick URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-alpen-blick Type: Stay Local name: ホテルアルペンブリック (ja) Also known as: Alpen Blick Resort, Alpenblick Myoko, アルペンブリックリゾート Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Ikenotaira Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市池の平温泉2452 Coordinates: 36.86900, 138.16820 Kind: Ski hotel Price: ¥¥ Prices: Myoko Tourism last updated its listing in 2022 and gave ¥7,800 for a stay with dinner and breakfast. It does not say whether that is per person or per room, so check the 2026/27 rate with the inn. Meals: Buffet dinner at Tatra-kan or Japanese dinner at DAN; breakfast Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 78 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Craft brewery, Restaurants, Ski area, MTB park, Station shuttle, Parking Best for: families, groups, dog owners To the lifts: Myoko Tourism describes the slope in front of the hotel as a ski run in winter; it belongs to the Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick ski area. Shuttle: Myoko Tourism lists a pick-up service, and the winter Mt. Myoko shuttle stops at Alpen Blick Spa. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://alpenblick-resort.com/hotel Booking: https://d-reserve.jp/GSEA001F01300/GSEA001A01?hotelCode=0000001910 Summary: Hotel Alpen Blick suits families who want a large resort hotel on the Ikenotaira slope with a brewery downstairs, and its trade-off is the bustle of a busload hotel. Alpen Blick stands at 800 metres on the Ikenotaira slope and has 78 rooms, mostly Japanese-Western rooms with two beds and a tatami area. The same company runs the Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick ski area, a mountain bike park in summer and a spa next door. The baths use Minami-Jigokudani water, black and cloudy with volcanic mud. The big bath is open from 15:00 to 10:00 and the open-air bath from 05:00 to 10:00 and again from 15:00 to 02:00. Downstairs at Tatra-kan the hotel brews six Alpen Blick beers and serves a buffet in a 400-seat hall. The resort welcomes dogs, and it rents out trailer houses with a private sauna. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Alpen Blick? A: Hotel Alpen Blick: Buffet dinner at Tatra-kan or Japanese dinner at DAN; breakfast. Q: What does Hotel Alpen Blick have? A: Hotel Alpen Blick lists onsen, open air bath, craft brewery, restaurants, ski area, mtb park, station shuttle, parking. Q: Who is Hotel Alpen Blick good for? A: Hotel Alpen Blick suits families, groups, dog owners. Q: Does Hotel Alpen Blick have an onsen? A: Yes. Hotel Alpen Blick has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://alpenblick-resort.com/hotel https://alpenblick-resort.com/ https://alpenblick-resort.com/spa https://alpenblick-resort.com/restaurant https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/%e3%83%9b%e3%83%86%e3%83%ab%e3%82%a2%e3%83%ab%e3%83%9a%e3%83%b3%e3%83%96%e3%83%aa%e3%83%83%e3%82%af/ https://myokotourism.com/accommodation/hotel-alpen-blick/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=ホテルアルペンブリック&format=json ### Hotel Beacon Onomichi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-beacon-onomichi Type: Stay Local name: ホテルビーコンおのみち (ja) Also known as: HOTEL BEACON ONOMICHI, Beacon Onomichi Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: 2F Onomichi Station, 1-1 Higashigosho-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-0036 Coordinates: 34.40470, 133.19360 Kind: Hotel Prices: Hiroshima prefecture adds an accommodation tax of ¥200 per person per night on rooms above ¥6,000 a person, from 1 April 2026. Meals: Breakfast in the hotel restaurant on the station's second floor; breakfast plans returned in August 2026. Rooms: 21 Amenities: Cycle rooms with road bike racks, Private baths by reservation, Workation lounge, Restaurant Best for: road riders, rail arrivals, couples Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Three room types (Corner Cycle Twin, Cycle Twin and Comfort Cycle Twin) have a road-bike rack inside the room. Baths: Private baths Website: https://www.beacon-onomichi.com/ Summary: Hotel Beacon Onomichi suits riders arriving by train, since its 21 rooms sit above the platforms of JR Onomichi Station, and only the three cycle room types take a bike inside. Hotel Beacon takes the second floor of JR Onomichi Station, with a lift and stairs in front of the south ticket gate. Its 21 rooms come in eight types. The Corner Cycle Twin, the Cycle Twin and the Comfort Cycle Twin each carry a rack for a road bike, and the corner room looks over the tracks from windows on two sides. The newest of them opened in September 2026. Two private baths of hinoki and Towada stone are booked by the slot. Breakfast comes from the station-floor restaurant, with smoothies from Onomichi produce and a quiche made with Sera eggs. Ask for a cycle room by name when you book, since the other types have no rack. There is no partner car park, so drivers use the public lots by the port. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Beacon Onomichi? A: Hotel Beacon Onomichi: Breakfast in the hotel restaurant on the station's second floor; breakfast plans returned in August 2026. Q: What does Hotel Beacon Onomichi have? A: Hotel Beacon Onomichi lists cycle rooms with road bike racks, private baths by reservation, workation lounge, restaurant. Q: Who is Hotel Beacon Onomichi good for? A: Hotel Beacon Onomichi suits road riders, rail arrivals, couples. Q: Is Hotel Beacon Onomichi bike-friendly? A: Yes. Hotel Beacon Onomichi welcomes cyclists. Storage: three room types (Corner Cycle Twin, Cycle Twin and Comfort Cycle Twin) have a road-bike rack inside the room. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.beacon-onomichi.com/ https://www.beacon-onomichi.com/stay/ https://www.beacon-onomichi.com/about/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information&paged=4 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E6%9D%B1%E5%BE%A1%E6%89%80%E7%94%BA1-1 ### Hotel Biwa Lake Otsuka URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-biwa-lake-otsuka Type: Stay Local name: ホテル琵琶レイクオーツカ (ja) Also known as: Biwa Lake Otsuka, 琵琶レイクオーツカ Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Otsu Address: 1054-3 Minami-Komatsu, Otsu, Shiga 520-0502 Coordinates: 35.23707, 135.96068 Kind: Hotel From: ¥20,900 per person (2026), about CAD 188 or USD 132 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Plans include dinner and breakfast and are priced per person with tax included. The tier assumes two people sharing. Meals: Dinner and breakfast are included on the published plans; the winter plan serves hot pot and another plan serves certified Omi beef kaiseki. Amenities: Large bath, Private baths, Karaoke room Best for: west-shore overnight, couples, Omi beef dinner Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared and private baths Price from: ¥20,900 per person (2026), about CAD 188 or USD 132 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.biwalake-otsuka.com/ Summary: Hotel Biwa Lake Otsuka suits riders who want a half-board night on the quiet west shore near Omi-Maiko, and the rates come with dinner whether you want it or not. This lakeside hotel sits at Minami-Komatsu on the west shore, near JR Omi-Maiko on the Kosei Line. Its plans include dinner and breakfast: hot pot through the winter from ¥20,900 a person, or certified Omi beef kaiseki from ¥25,300. The baths use radium ore water, and private baths can be booked. The hotel is a Biwaichi certificate checkpoint, so you can collect a stamp while you check in. Q: How much does Hotel Biwa Lake Otsuka cost? A: Prices at Hotel Biwa Lake Otsuka start at ¥20,900 per person (2026), about CAD 188 or USD 132 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hotel Biwa Lake Otsuka? A: Hotel Biwa Lake Otsuka: Dinner and breakfast are included on the published plans; the winter plan serves hot pot and another plan serves certified Omi beef kaiseki. Q: What does Hotel Biwa Lake Otsuka have? A: Hotel Biwa Lake Otsuka lists large bath, private baths, karaoke room. Q: Who is Hotel Biwa Lake Otsuka good for? A: Hotel Biwa Lake Otsuka suits west-shore overnight, couples, Omi beef dinner. Q: Is Hotel Biwa Lake Otsuka bike-friendly? A: Yes. Hotel Biwa Lake Otsuka welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Q: Does Hotel Biwa Lake Otsuka have an onsen? A: No. The shared and private baths at Hotel Biwa Lake Otsuka use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.biwalake-otsuka.com/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/19155/?active=stay https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Hotel Buena Vista URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-buena-vista Type: Stay Local name: ホテルブエナビスタ (ja) Also known as: Buena Vista Matsumoto Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Matsumoto Address: 1-2-1 Honjo, Matsumoto-shi, Nagano 390-0814 Coordinates: 36.22790, 137.96840 Kind: Hotel Prices: Matsumoto has charged an accommodation tax since 1 June 2026. Meals: French restaurant Sorpresa and other restaurants Amenities: Restaurants Best for: couples, business travellers Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Private baths Website: https://www.buena-vista.co.jp/ Summary: Hotel Buena Vista is Matsumoto's landmark city hotel a short walk from the station, and it suits couples who want a full-service base for the castle and the Alps. The trade-off is a city tower with no onsen. The hotel renewed 52 standard rooms on its sixth and seventh floors in 2017 and opened its French restaurant Sorpresa in 2019. It stands in Honjo, a short walk from Matsumoto Station, with the castle and Nakamachi reachable on foot. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Buena Vista? A: Hotel Buena Vista: French restaurant Sorpresa and other restaurants. Q: What does Hotel Buena Vista have? A: Hotel Buena Vista lists restaurants. Q: Who is Hotel Buena Vista good for? A: Hotel Buena Vista suits couples, business travellers. Q: Is Hotel Buena Vista ski-in ski-out? A: No. Hotel Buena Vista sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.buena-vista.co.jp/ https://www.tobira-group.com/myojinkan/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=%E3%83%9B%E3%83%86%E3%83%AB%E3%83%96%E3%82%A8%E3%83%8A%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF&format=json ### Hotel Cycle URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-cycle Type: Stay Local name: ホテルサイクル (ja) Also known as: Hotel Cycle Onomichi, Onomichi U2 hotel, ONOMICHI U2 HOTEL CYCLE, HOTEL CYCLE Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: 5-11 Nishigosho-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-0037 Coordinates: 34.40200, 133.18990 Kind: Cyclist hotel From: ¥19,800 per room per night (2026), about CAD 178 or USD 125 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: The hotel lists room rates from ¥19,800 for a Standard Twin, with consumption tax included. Hiroshima prefecture adds an accommodation tax of ¥200 per person per night on rooms above ¥6,000 a person, from 1 April 2026. The hotel collects it at check-in when the booked rate leaves it out. Meals: The Restaurant, a bakery, a café and a bar sit inside Onomichi U2; meals are booked separately. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 28 Amenities: Bike hangers in rooms, Bike repair space, Bike rental, Bike shipping, Laundry, Restaurant, Bar, Bakery Best for: road riders, couples, first night on Shimanami, design lovers Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes go up to the room with you. Every room takes a bike, and all but a few have a wall hanger. For riders: Tools Bike rental: Guests can rent cross bikes and road bikes from the hotel, and the Giant Store in the same building rents too. Baths: Private baths Price from: ¥19,800 per room per night (2026), about CAD 178 or USD 125 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://onomichi-u2.com/en/stay/ Summary: Hotel Cycle suits riders who want to start Shimanami from their room door, and its 28 twins inside the Onomichi U2 warehouse cost more than the business hotels by the station. Hotel Cycle fills the back of Onomichi U2, a 1943 prefectural shipping warehouse on the channel that reopened in March 2014 with a restaurant, bar, bakery, shop and Giant bike store under one roof. You ride in, check in at the counter with the bike beside you and wheel it to the room. Every room is a twin with a bathtub and a separate rain shower, and most have a wall hanger for the bike. Rooms run from about 20 square metres in the Standard Twin to 26.9 in the Deluxe, and the hotel lists them at ¥19,800, ¥24,200 and ¥26,400 a room. The downstairs repair space lends tools, and the front desk will hold a bike you ship ahead and send it home at the end. Parking costs ¥2,000 a night at the station port car park next door, and the hotel gives a ¥1,000 coupon toward it. Q: Can I take my bike into the room at Hotel Cycle? A: Yes. Every room at Hotel Cycle takes a bike, and most have a wall hanger for it. Q: Can Hotel Cycle receive a bike I send ahead? A: Yes. Hotel Cycle receives and holds a bike shipped from home and can ship it back when your trip ends. It can also forward bags to Imabari or to your next hotel. Q: How much does Hotel Cycle cost? A: Prices at Hotel Cycle start at ¥19,800 per room per night (2026), about CAD 178 or USD 125 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hotel Cycle? A: Hotel Cycle: The Restaurant, a bakery, a café and a bar sit inside Onomichi U2; meals are booked separately. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://onomichi-u2.com/en/stay/ https://onomichi-u2.com/stay/ https://onomichi-u2.com/en/about/ https://onomichi-u2.com/en/information/20251121/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information&paged=4 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/308827648 ### Hotel Epinard Nasu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-epinard-nasu Type: Stay Local name: ホテルエピナール那須 (ja) Also known as: Epinard Nasu, Epinard Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Nasu Address: 1 Takaku-hei, Nasu, Nasu District, Tochigi 325-0302 Coordinates: 37.04870, 140.02330 Kind: Hotel Amenities: E mobility rental Best for: families, Nasu highlands Bike rental: The hotel rents four WANDERIDE electric mobility bikes, classed as specified small motorised bicycles, for ¥1,500 an hour from 8:00 until sunset. Riders must be 16 or over, no licence is needed and helmets are lent free. Website: https://www.epinard.jp/ Summary: Hotel Epinard Nasu suits families who want a resort hotel on the Nasu highland road, and its e-mobility bikes cover short hops around the highlands. Epinard is a resort hotel on the Nasu highland road. For short trips around the area it rents four WANDERIDE electric mobility bikes at ¥1,500 an hour, which anyone 16 or over can ride without a licence. Q: What does Hotel Epinard Nasu have? A: Hotel Epinard Nasu lists e mobility rental. Q: Who is Hotel Epinard Nasu good for? A: Hotel Epinard Nasu suits families, Nasu highlands. Q: Is Hotel Epinard Nasu bike-friendly? A: Hotel Epinard Nasu has published no cycling policy. The hotel rents four WANDERIDE electric mobility bikes, classed as specified small motorised bicycles, for ¥1,500 an hour from 8:00 until sunset. Riders must be 16 or over, no licence is needed and helmets are lent free. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.epinard.jp/ https://www.epinard.jp/access/ ### Hotel Gate-in Kagoshima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-gate-in-kagoshima Type: Stay Local name: ホテルゲートイン鹿児島 (ja) Also known as: Gate-in Kagoshima, Hotel Gate In Kagoshima Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kagoshima Town: Kagoshima Address: 5-20 Funatsu-cho, Kagoshima Coordinates: 31.58910, 130.55770 Kind: Business hotel Amenities: Indoor bike storage, Luggage storage, Laundry Best for: riders based in central Kagoshima Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Registered as a Kagoshima cyclist-friendly stay, which requires indoor bike storage at the front desk, lobby or room. Website: https://www.pref.kagoshima.jp/af08/cycle-yado.html Summary: Hotel Gate-in Kagoshima suits riders who want a central city bed with indoor bike storage, and its details need checking direct before you book. Kagoshima Prefecture registers the hotel as a cyclist-friendly stay. To qualify, a stay must keep bikes indoors, hold luggage and offer laundry or point you to a coin laundry nearby. It stands in Funatsu-cho near the Tenmonkan shopping streets. Tips: - Ask how the hotel stores bikes when you book, since the prefecture's list does not say. Q: What does Hotel Gate-in Kagoshima have? A: Hotel Gate-in Kagoshima lists indoor bike storage, luggage storage, laundry. Q: Is Hotel Gate-in Kagoshima bike-friendly? A: Yes. Hotel Gate-in Kagoshima welcomes cyclists. Storage: registered as a Kagoshima cyclist-friendly stay, which requires indoor bike storage at the front desk, lobby or room. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.pref.kagoshima.jp/af08/cycle-yado.html https://www.kagoshima-kankou.com/downloads/media/62364.pdf https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=鹿児島市船津町5-20 ### Hotel Global View Tsuchiura URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-global-view-tsuchiura Type: Stay Local name: ホテルグローバルビュー土浦 (ja) Also known as: Global View Tsuchiura, Hotel Alpha the Tsuchiura, ホテル アルファ・ザ・土浦 Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Town: Tsuchiura Address: 1-4-26 Minato-machi, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Coordinates: 36.07820, 140.20770 Kind: Business hotel Meals: Sichuan Hanten Alpha in the hotel welcomes riders in cycling kit; lunch starts at ¥880. Rooms: 91 Amenities: Coin laundry, Restaurant, Parking Best for: Ring-Ring Road, early starts Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: On the cycling support plan you can keep your bike in your room, depending on room type, or use the cycle rack and lobby. Superior twins take up to three bikes. For riders: Wash area Website: https://www.rio-hotels.co.jp/tsuchiura/ Summary: Hotel Global View suits riders who want a business hotel a minute from Tsuchiura's east exit with a plan that lets the bike in the room, and the cheaper room types may leave it in the lobby rack. This 91-room hotel sits a minute's walk from the east exit of JR Tsuchiura, and the prefecture lists it among its cyclist-friendly inns. Book the cycling support plan for early check-in, late check-out and a bike in the room. Superior twins hold up to three bikes. The Sichuan restaurant downstairs takes riders in cycling kit. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Global View Tsuchiura? A: Hotel Global View Tsuchiura: Sichuan Hanten Alpha in the hotel welcomes riders in cycling kit; lunch starts at ¥880. Q: What does Hotel Global View Tsuchiura have? A: Hotel Global View Tsuchiura lists coin laundry, restaurant, parking. Q: Who is Hotel Global View Tsuchiura good for? A: Hotel Global View Tsuchiura suits Ring-Ring Road, early starts. Q: Is Hotel Global View Tsuchiura bike-friendly? A: Yes. Hotel Global View Tsuchiura welcomes cyclists. Storage: on the cycling support plan you can keep your bike in your room, depending on room type, or use the cycle rack and lobby. Superior twins take up to three bikes. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.rio-hotels.co.jp/tsuchiura/ https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/stay/alpha-the-tsuchiura/ ### Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-grand-phenix-okushiga Type: Stay Local name: ホテルグランフェニックス奥志賀 (ja) Also known as: Grand Phoenix Okushiga, Hotel Grand Phoenix, Grand Phenix Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Address: 12377-6 Yomase, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano 381-0405 Coordinates: 36.78070, 138.52730 Kind: Ski hotel From: ¥26,000 per room per night (2025), about CAD 234 or USD 164 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Range listed by the Nagano Tourism Organization (go-nagano page updated April 2025); the tier is computed from the middle of that range. Stays of three nights or more get a long-stay discount. Meals: Italian, Japanese and Chinese restaurants in the hotel Check-in: 16:00, out by 12:00 Rooms: 35 Amenities: Public bath, Sauna, Heated pool, Jacuzzi, Ski lockers, Lounge Best for: couples, families, long stays Ski-in ski-out: Yes To the lifts: 1 min on foot Ski storage: Yes Baths: Shared baths Price from: ¥26,000 per room per night (2025), about CAD 234 or USD 164 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.hotelgrandphenix.co.jp/en/ Summary: Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga is the quiet luxury hotel at the far end of Shiga Kogen, a minute from the Okushiga Kogen lifts, and it suits families and couples who want big rooms and a slow pace. The trade-off is that nothing else stands nearby. The hotel stands at about 1,500 metres facing the Okushiga Kogen slopes, and the ski lockers sit at the garden entrance a minute's walk from the lifts. Rooms run from 42 square metres for a standard twin to 100 for the royal suite, all with large balconies. After skiing there is a panoramic bath with a sauna, and the heated pool sits next to a jacuzzi. Q: How much does Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga cost? A: Prices at Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga start at ¥26,000 per room per night (2025), about CAD 234 or USD 164 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga? A: Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga: Italian, Japanese and Chinese restaurants in the hotel. Q: What does Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga have? A: Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga lists public bath, sauna, heated pool, jacuzzi, ski lockers, lounge. Q: Who is Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga good for? A: Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga suits couples, families, long stays. Q: Is Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.hotelgrandphenix.co.jp/en/ https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16661 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/958741003 ### Hotel Granvia Kyoto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-granvia-kyoto Type: Stay Local name: ホテルグランヴィア京都 (ja) Also known as: Granvia Kyoto, グランヴィア京都 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Kyoto Town: Kyoto Address: JR Kyoto Station Bldg., Karasuma-dori Shiokoji-sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8216 Coordinates: 34.98640, 135.75820 Kind: Hotel Meals: Restaurants and bars in the hotel; breakfast booked with the room or separately. Amenities: Luggage storage, Luggage shipped ahead, Pool and gym (fee), Currency exchange machine Best for: arrival night, Shinkansen connections, riders with bike bags Bikes: Storage on site Bike storage: The hotel publishes no rule on bicycles. It keeps guests' belongings in its 2nd-floor cloakroom before check-in and after check-out. Baths: Private baths Website: https://www.granviakyoto.com/ Summary: Hotel Granvia Kyoto suits riders who want to sleep inside Kyoto Station and step straight onto the Shinkansen with a bike bag, and its trade-off is city-centre hotel prices. Hotel Granvia Kyoto fills part of the JR Kyoto Station building, above the central exit on the north side. The hotel stores bags in a 2nd-floor cloakroom before check-in and after check-out. It also accepts luggage shipped ahead with your name and arrival date. The hotel has no car park of its own; guests use the Kyoto Station car park for ¥2,000 a night. The pool and gym cost ¥1,000 a visit. Q: Can I send my luggage to Hotel Granvia Kyoto before I arrive? A: Yes. Hotel Granvia Kyoto accepts luggage sent ahead to its front desk in the JR Kyoto Station building, labelled with your name and arrival date. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Granvia Kyoto? A: Hotel Granvia Kyoto: Restaurants and bars in the hotel; breakfast booked with the room or separately. Q: What does Hotel Granvia Kyoto have? A: Hotel Granvia Kyoto lists luggage storage, luggage shipped ahead, pool and gym (fee), currency exchange machine. Q: Who is Hotel Granvia Kyoto good for? A: Hotel Granvia Kyoto suits arrival night, Shinkansen connections, riders with bike bags. Q: Is Hotel Granvia Kyoto bike-friendly? A: Hotel Granvia Kyoto has published no cycling policy. Storage: the hotel publishes no rule on bicycles. It keeps guests' belongings in its 2nd-floor cloakroom before check-in and after check-out. Q: Does Hotel Granvia Kyoto have an onsen? A: No. The private baths at Hotel Granvia Kyoto use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.granviakyoto.com/faq/ https://jrwest-hotels.jp/granvia-kyoto/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E5%BA%9C%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E5%B8%82%E4%B8%8B%E4%BA%AC%E5%8C%BA%E6%9D%B1%E5%A1%A9%E5%B0%8F%E8%B7%AF%E7%94%BA901 ### Hotel Granvia Osaka URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-granvia-osaka Type: Stay Local name: ホテルグランヴィア大阪 (ja) Also known as: Granvia Osaka, グランヴィア大阪 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Osaka Town: Osaka Address: 3-1-1 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka Coordinates: 34.70190, 135.49630 Kind: Hotel Best for: arrival night, rail connections Baths: Private baths Website: https://www.granvia-osaka.jp/ Summary: Hotel Granvia Osaka suits travellers who want a room connected to JR Osaka Station, one stop from Shin-Osaka, and its trade-off is that it publishes no policy on bikes or board bags. Hotel Granvia Osaka is a JR West hotel built into JR Osaka Station at Umeda. Shin-Osaka and its Shinkansen platforms are one stop north, and the limited express Kounotori to Yoka and Kinosaki leaves from Osaka Station itself. Ask the hotel before you arrive with a bike box; its site lists no rule on large luggage. Q: Who is Hotel Granvia Osaka good for? A: Hotel Granvia Osaka suits arrival night, rail connections. Q: Does Hotel Granvia Osaka have an onsen? A: No. The private baths at Hotel Granvia Osaka use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.granvia-osaka.jp/ https://jrwest-hotels.jp/granvia-osaka/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA%E5%BA%9C%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA%E5%B8%82%E5%8C%97%E5%8C%BA%E6%A2%85%E7%94%B0%E4%B8%89%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE1 ### Hotel Granvia Wakayama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-granvia-wakayama Type: Stay Local name: ホテルグランヴィア和歌山 (ja) Also known as: Granvia Wakayama, グランヴィア和歌山 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Wakayama Town: Wakayama Address: 5-18 Tomoda-cho, Wakayama Coordinates: 34.23330, 135.19070 Kind: Hotel Best for: Pacific Cycling Road start or finish, rail connections Baths: Private baths Website: https://www.granvia-wakayama.co.jp/ Summary: Hotel Granvia Wakayama suits riders ending the Pacific Cycling Road who want a bed two minutes from the station, and its trade-off is that it publishes no bike policy. Hotel Granvia Wakayama stands two minutes' walk from the central exit of JR Wakayama Station, and the hotel says you reach it without getting wet. It puts KIX about 40 minutes away and Shin-Osaka about 60. That makes it the easy bed for the night before a train home from the Wakayama end of the Pacific Cycling Road. Ask before you arrive with a bike; the hotel's site lists no rule on bicycles. Q: Who is Hotel Granvia Wakayama good for? A: Hotel Granvia Wakayama suits Pacific Cycling Road start or finish, rail connections. Q: Does Hotel Granvia Wakayama have an onsen? A: No. The private baths at Hotel Granvia Wakayama use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.granvia-wakayama.co.jp/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%92%8C%E6%AD%8C%E5%B1%B1%E7%9C%8C%E5%92%8C%E6%AD%8C%E5%B1%B1%E5%B8%82%E5%8F%8B%E7%94%B0%E7%94%BA%E4%BA%94%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE18 ### Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-green-plaza-hakuba Type: Stay Local name: ホテルグリーンプラザ白馬 (ja) Also known as: Green Plaza Hakuba, Hakuba Cortina hotel Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: 12860-1 Chikuni-otsu, Otari-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-9422 Coordinates: 36.77550, 137.88540 Kind: Ski hotel Prices: Prices change by plan and date on the hotel's booking site; the only published range found dates from 2017. Meals: Buffet dinner and breakfast Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 257 Amenities: Onsen, Saunas, Free guest ski lockers, Coin lockers, Kids' areas Best for: families, beginners, tree skiers at Cortina Ski-in ski-out: Yes To the lifts: 1 min on foot Ski storage: Yes Shuttle: Free hotel bus to Minami-Otari Station, about 20 minutes, booked online by 20:00 the day before. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.hgp.co.jp/hakuba/ Summary: Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba is the big ski-in hotel at the foot of Hakuba Cortina in Otari, and it suits families who want to walk out onto the snow. The trade-off is distance: Happo and the village restaurants are a long shuttle ride south. The hotel stands about ten seconds' walk from Hakuba Cortina's slopes, by its own count, at the northern end of Hakuba Valley in Otari village. It has 257 rooms, including maisonettes, and runs a buffet for dinner and breakfast. Guests get a free ski locker for the whole stay from check-in, and about 540 coin lockers sit on the first floor for day visitors. The baths draw Oku-Hakuba Onsen, a sodium bicarbonate spring with a faint sulphur smell, and day visitors paid ¥1,000 an adult in 2026. The hotel runs a free bus to Minami-Otari Station that needs a web booking by 20:00 the day before, and the ride takes about 20 minutes. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba? A: Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba: Buffet dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba have? A: Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba lists onsen, saunas, free guest ski lockers, coin lockers, kids' areas. Q: Who is Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba good for? A: Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba suits families, beginners, tree skiers at Cortina. Q: Is Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba is ski-in ski-out. Q: Does Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba have an onsen? A: Yes. Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hgp.co.jp/hakuba/ https://www.hgp.co.jp/hakuba/spa/ https://www.hgp.co.jp/hakuba/facilities/ https://www.hgp.co.jp/hakuba/access/ https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16591 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1258950283 ### Hotel Ichii URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-ichii Type: Stay Local name: ホテル一井 (ja) Also known as: Ichii, Hotel Ichii Kusatsu, ホテル一井 草津 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Address: 411 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Coordinates: 36.62287, 138.59610 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Hotel Ichii prices by plan on its booking engine. Parking costs ¥500 a night per car. Amenities: Large bath, Open air bath, Parking Best for: Yubatake views, couples, families Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Not allowed Tattoo rule: Hotel Ichii asks guests with tattoos not to use its large bath or open-air bath. Website: https://www.hotel-ichii.co.jp/ Summary: Hotel Ichii suits travellers who want a room looking straight onto the Yubatake and two kinds of Kusatsu water under one roof, and it does not admit tattooed guests to its baths. Ichii sits on the Yubatake with a main building and a west wing, and the main building holds a limited set of 10-mat rooms that look out over the steaming channels. Its large bath, Sekiden, reopened after renovation on 1 August 2021 and runs on the Shirahata source in front of the Yubatake, a slightly cloudy sulphur water that only about ten inns around the square can draw. The open-air bath, Sekitei, takes the clear, sharper Bandai source. Bathing in both on the same evening is the point of staying, since the two waters feel so different. Parking became paid at ¥500 a night per car. Q: Does Hotel Ichii allow tattoos in the bath? A: No. Hotel Ichii asks guests with tattoos not to use its large bath or open-air bath. Q: Can I see the Yubatake from Hotel Ichii? A: Yes, from the Yubatake-view rooms in the main building, which the hotel offers in limited numbers. Q: What does Hotel Ichii have? A: Hotel Ichii lists large bath, open air bath, parking. Q: Who is Hotel Ichii good for? A: Hotel Ichii suits Yubatake views, couples, families. Q: Does Hotel Ichii have an onsen? A: Yes. Hotel Ichii has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hotel-ichii.co.jp/ https://www.hotel-ichii.co.jp/spa/ https://www.hotel-ichii.co.jp/rooms/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/605546948 ### Hotel Innoshima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-innoshima Type: Stay Local name: ホテルいんのしま (ja) Also known as: Innoshima Lodge, いんのしまロッジ Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Innoshima Address: 288 Hiraki, Innoshima Habu-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-2323 Coordinates: 34.28590, 133.18170 Kind: Hotel Prices: Hiroshima prefecture adds an accommodation tax of ¥200 per person per night on rooms above ¥6,000 a person, from 1 April 2026. Meals: Half-board plans with kaiseki dinners; a set-meal dinner plan is cheaper. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Large view bath, Sauna, Restaurant, Port shuttle Best for: families, road riders, sunset views Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Baths: Shared baths Website: http://www.hotel-innoshima.jp/ Summary: Hotel Innoshima suits riders and families who want sea views from every room and a big bath with a sauna on Innoshima, and the price is a steep climb into the park above Habu. The hotel, once Innoshima Lodge, sits inside Innoshima Park on Tengu-yama, ground that sits in a special zone of the national park and looks over the islands toward the Shikoku mountains on clear days. Every room faces the sea. Western rooms are twins, the six-mat Japanese rooms suit families, and only the two Deluxe Twins have their own bath, so most guests use the large view bath with its sauna. Dinner is kaiseki, with menus that change every two months, and a cheaper plan swaps it for a daily set meal. The hotel bus from Habu port carries two bikes at a time if you ask when you book. Check-in is from 15:00, and checkout is an early 10:00. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Innoshima? A: Hotel Innoshima: Half-board plans with kaiseki dinners; a set-meal dinner plan is cheaper. Q: What does Hotel Innoshima have? A: Hotel Innoshima lists large view bath, sauna, restaurant, port shuttle. Q: Who is Hotel Innoshima good for? A: Hotel Innoshima suits families, road riders, sunset views. Q: Is Hotel Innoshima bike-friendly? A: Yes. Hotel Innoshima welcomes cyclists. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.hotel-innoshima.jp/ http://www.hotel-innoshima.jp/map.html http://www.hotel-innoshima.jp/room.html http://www.hotel-innoshima.jp/qa.html http://www.hotel-innoshima.jp/access.html http://www.hotel-innoshima.jp/facilities.html https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information&paged=9 ### Hotel Intergate Kanazawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-intergate-kanazawa Type: Stay Local name: ホテルインターゲート金沢 (ja) Also known as: Intergate Kanazawa, Hotel Intergate Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Town: Kanazawa Address: 2-5 Takaoka-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0864 Coordinates: 36.56806, 136.65364 Kind: Hotel Prices: Rates change by date on the hotel's booking page. Meals: Breakfast with seasonal menus Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Communal bath, Lounge, Breakfast, Culture events Best for: couples, families, bath lovers Baths: Shared baths Website: https://www.intergatehotels.jp/kanazawa/ Summary: Hotel Intergate Kanazawa suits travellers who want a communal bath and a lounge near the castle park at a mid-range price, and its trade-off is that it has no car park of its own. Buses from stands 7 to 11 at Kanazawa Station's east exit stop at Minami-cho Oyama-jinja-mae, right by the hotel. Rooms use the five traditional Kaga colours in their design, and the hotel has a large communal bath and a lounge for guests. On the second and fourth Sundays of each month the hotel runs a guided history walk of the city. Drivers use public car parks nearby, several of them a one- to three-minute walk away. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Intergate Kanazawa? A: Hotel Intergate Kanazawa: Breakfast with seasonal menus. Q: What does Hotel Intergate Kanazawa have? A: Hotel Intergate Kanazawa lists communal bath, lounge, breakfast, culture events. Q: Who is Hotel Intergate Kanazawa good for? A: Hotel Intergate Kanazawa suits couples, families, bath lovers. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.intergatehotels.jp/kanazawa/ https://www.intergatehotels.jp/kanazawa/access/ https://www.intergatehotels.jp/kanazawa/faq/ ### Hotel Jogakura URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-jogakura Type: Stay Local name: 八甲田城ヶ倉温泉 ホテル城ヶ倉 (ja) Also known as: HOTEL Jogakura, Jogakura Onsen, ホテル城ヶ倉, ホテル城ケ倉, Hakkoda Jogakura Onsen Hotel Jogakura Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Town: Hakkoda Address: Hakkoda-sanchu, Arakawa, Aomori, Aomori 030-0111 Coordinates: 40.68080, 140.83170 Kind: Ski hotel From: ¥16,300 per person (2026), about CAD 147 or USD 103 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Jalan lists dinner-and-breakfast plans from ¥16,300 a person when two share, breakfast-only from ¥9,700 and room-only from ¥7,900. The hotel promises its own site beats other booking sites by 10 per cent or more. Meals: Kaiseki dinner from Aomori fish and vegetables, with a breakfast buffet; no Western dinner. Check-in: 14:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 32 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Mist sauna, Spring water cold bath, Ski boot drying room, Skier locker room, Salomon ski rental, Bouldering wall, Fitness corner, Coin laundry, Free parking, Free Wi Fi Best for: skiers, backcountry skiers, couples, onsen lovers Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: The hotel puts the Hakkoda Ropeway about 10 minutes away by car, and Jalan's listing calls the transfer a free 10-minute shuttle. Boot room: Yes Ski storage: Yes Shuttle: A free bus runs to the ropeway base at 8:45 on tour days, and the hotel arranges rides to the ropeway and Sukayu on request. A separate free bus links Aomori Station once a day, booked three days ahead. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: Hotel Jogakura's site and FAQ state no tattoo rule. The Comfort Twin rooms and above have their own onsen bath. Price from: ¥16,300 per person (2026), about CAD 147 or USD 103 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.jogakura.com/ Booking: https://www.489pro-x.com/ja/s/jogakura/search/ Summary: Hotel Jogakura suits skiers who want a ski hotel with a drying room, a guided-tour desk and a free ride to the Hakkoda Ropeway, and the trade-off is that there is no lift or village at the door. Jogakura is a timber-lined mountain hotel in beech forest at 880 metres near the Jogakura Bridge, about 2 kilometres from Sukayu. Its spring is a clear, gentle chloride water at 50.2°C, a soft change from Sukayu's acid. The open-air baths run straight from the source beside a mountain stream all year, which the hotel says is rare in Hakkoda; the indoor baths are topped up, heated and recirculated, with a mist sauna and a cold bath of local spring water. Of the Hakkoda inns, this one leans hardest toward skiers. The hotel has a boot drying room, a skiers' locker room and a Salomon rental corner, and on tour days a free bus leaves at 8:45 for the ropeway base. Its backcountry tours are led by a guide with more than 30 years on Hakkoda and cost ¥6,600 a day or ¥4,400 a half day, plus ¥500 insurance; sign up at the tour desk by 18:00 the night before. The 32 rooms are timber-panelled, and the Comfort Twin and larger rooms have their own hiba bath of onsen water. The hotel has no lift, so ask for a ground-floor room if stairs are hard. Dinner is kaiseki in the restaurant, and on a storm day you can climb the bouldering wall indoors. Tips: - A free bus leaves the police box outside Aomori Station at 15:30 and returns at 9:00 the next morning; call the hotel at least three days ahead. - Route 394 at the Jogakura gate closes to cars from 21:00 to 7:30 between mid-December and mid-March, so plan a daytime arrival if you drive. - Day bathing runs from 11:30 to 15:00 for ¥1,000, though it pauses for bath maintenance from time to time. Q: How much does Hotel Jogakura cost? A: Prices at Hotel Jogakura start at ¥16,300 per person (2026), about CAD 147 or USD 103 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hotel Jogakura? A: Hotel Jogakura: Kaiseki dinner from Aomori fish and vegetables, with a breakfast buffet; no Western dinner. Q: What does Hotel Jogakura have? A: Hotel Jogakura lists onsen, open air bath, mist sauna, spring water cold bath, ski boot drying room, skier locker room, salomon ski rental, bouldering wall, fitness corner, coin laundry, free parking, free wi fi. Q: Who is Hotel Jogakura good for? A: Hotel Jogakura suits skiers, backcountry skiers, couples, onsen lovers. Q: Is Hotel Jogakura ski-in ski-out? A: No. Hotel Jogakura sits away from the lifts, and a free bus runs to the ropeway base at 8:45 on tour days, and the hotel arranges rides to the ropeway and Sukayu on request. A separate free bus links Aomori Station once a day, booked three days ahead. Q: Does Hotel Jogakura have an onsen? A: Yes. Hotel Jogakura has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.jogakura.com/ https://www.jogakura.com/faq/ https://www.jogakura.com/access/ https://www.jogakura.com/hotspring/ https://www.jogakura.com/activity/ https://www.jogakura.com/rooms/ https://www.jogakura.com/news/177/ https://www.489pro-x.com/ja/s/jogakura/planlist/ https://www.jalan.net/yad393575/ https://www.jalan.net/yad393575/plan/?dateUndecided=1&adultNum=2&roomCount=1 ### Hotel Kaibo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-kaibo Type: Stay Local name: ホテル海望 (ja) Also known as: Kaibo, Wakura Onsen Hotel Kaibo, 海望 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Town: Wakura Onsen Address: 12-3 Wakasaki-bu, Wakura-machi, Nanao, Ishikawa 926-0175 Coordinates: 37.08898, 136.91863 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Plans are priced by date on the hotel's booking calendar. Meals: Meals served, per the Wakura association's list Check-in: out by 10:00 Rooms: 22 Amenities: Onsen, Station pick up Best for: couples, families Website: https://www.kaibo.co.jp/ Summary: Hotel Kaibo suits travellers who want a long-running Wakura Onsen inn and accept a smaller stay in one wing, and its trade-off is demolition work on the rest of the site. Hotel Kaibo opened in 1890 and calls itself the inn named for its view of the sea. Since the earthquake it has run from the Zuisen wing alone, with 22 rooms on the association's August 2026 list. The hotel posts photo updates as the older wings come down. Groups of up to about 60 can book again. Ask about the baths when you book, since the hotel's own notices on bathing have changed through the rebuild. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Kaibo? A: Hotel Kaibo: Meals served, per the Wakura association's list. Q: What does Hotel Kaibo have? A: Hotel Kaibo lists onsen, station pick up. Q: Who is Hotel Kaibo good for? A: Hotel Kaibo suits couples, families. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kaibo.co.jp/ https://www.kaibo.co.jp/faq/ https://www.wakura.or.jp/brochure/brochure-3739/ ### Hotel Kokusai 21 URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-kokusai-21 Type: Stay Local name: ホテル国際21 (ja) Also known as: Kokusai 21 Nagano Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nagano Address: 576 Agata-machi, Nagano-shi, Nagano Coordinates: 36.65200, 138.18240 Kind: Hotel From: ¥13,200 per room per night (2025), about CAD 119 or USD 83 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Range listed by the Nagano Tourism Organization (go-nagano page updated April 2025); the tier uses the lowest room rate, since the top of the range covers suites. Meals: Japanese, Chinese, Italian, French and teppanyaki restaurants Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 150 Amenities: Restaurants Best for: families, couples, Zenko-ji visits Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Private baths Price from: ¥13,200 per room per night (2025), about CAD 119 or USD 83 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.kokusai21.jp/ Summary: Hotel Kokusai 21 is a large city hotel near the prefectural offices, about 20 minutes' walk from Nagano Station, and it suits families who want spacious rooms between station and temple. The trade-off is a taxi or a walk to the buses. Kokusai 21 has 150 Western rooms and several restaurants under one roof, from teppanyaki to Italian. It sits about five minutes by car or 20 minutes on foot from Nagano Station, which puts Zenko-ji within an easy walk. Q: How much does Hotel Kokusai 21 cost? A: Prices at Hotel Kokusai 21 start at ¥13,200 per room per night (2025), about CAD 119 or USD 83 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hotel Kokusai 21? A: Hotel Kokusai 21: Japanese, Chinese, Italian, French and teppanyaki restaurants. Q: What does Hotel Kokusai 21 have? A: Hotel Kokusai 21 lists restaurants. Q: Who is Hotel Kokusai 21 good for? A: Hotel Kokusai 21 suits families, couples, Zenko-ji visits. Q: Is Hotel Kokusai 21 ski-in ski-out? A: No. Hotel Kokusai 21 sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.kokusai21.jp/ https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16657 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/161028043 ### Hotel La Neige URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-la-neige Type: Stay Local name: ホテル ラ・ネージュ (ja) Also known as: La Neige Higashikan, Hotel de La Neige Higashikan, La Neige Hakuba Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: 4744 Hokujo, Hakuba-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-9301 Coordinates: 36.71110, 137.82980 Kind: Hotel Prices: Rates appear only on the hotel's booking engine. Meals: French-led restaurant Seve by William Mahi and Frank's Bar on site Amenities: Restaurant, Bar, Rooms with open air baths, Log cottage Best for: couples, food lovers Ski-in ski-out: No Shuttle: Private daytime shuttle for staying guests to the nearest Happo-one slope, according to the Nagano Tourism Organization listing. Baths: Private baths Website: https://hotellaneige.com/ Summary: Hotel La Neige is a small forest hotel above Happo with a French-led kitchen and rooms that include open-air baths, and it suits couples who want dinner to be the event. The trade-off is that you rely on the hotel's shuttle for the slopes. La Neige, listed for years as Hotel de La Neige Higashikan, sits in the woods on the Happo side of Hakuba. The kitchen at Seve by William Mahi cooks French technique with Hakuba produce, and Frank's Bar handles the après. Room types run from superior rooms to deluxe rooms with open-air baths, junior suites and a log cottage. The Nagano Tourism Organization lists a private daytime shuttle for staying guests to the nearest Happo-one slope. Confirm the winter timetable when you book, since the hotel's site does not publish it. Q: Are meals included at Hotel La Neige? A: Hotel La Neige: French-led restaurant Seve by William Mahi and Frank's Bar on site. Q: What does Hotel La Neige have? A: Hotel La Neige lists restaurant, bar, rooms with open air baths, log cottage. Q: Who is Hotel La Neige good for? A: Hotel La Neige suits couples, food lovers. Q: Is Hotel La Neige ski-in ski-out? A: No. Hotel La Neige sits away from the lifts, and private daytime shuttle for staying guests to the nearest Happo-one slope, according to the Nagano Tourism Organization listing. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hotellaneige.com/ https://hotellaneige.com/contact/ https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=10353 ### Hotel Laforet Shuzenji URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-laforet-shuzenji Type: Stay Local name: ホテルラフォーレ修善寺 (ja) Also known as: Laforet Shuzenji, Laforet Resort Shuzenji, ラフォーレ修善寺 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shuzenji Address: 静岡県伊豆市大平1529 Coordinates: 34.95760, 138.90900 Kind: Hotel From: ¥8,640 per person (2026), about CAD 78 or USD 55 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Jalan lists rates from ¥8,640 a person with two sharing on a breakfast plan, and the dinner plans in the Sanshi-suimei rooms run near ¥30,000 a person. The hotel's own booking engine shows no prices without a date. Meals: Dining Fuji restaurant and a barbecue garden; plans range from room only to dinner and breakfast Amenities: Onsen baths with sauna, Swimwear bathing zone, Bedrock bath, Cottages, Dog friendly rooms, Zipline, Tennis Best for: families, dog owners, groups, riders with a car Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The hotel's bath page gives no tattoo rule. The swimwear zone and the in-room baths in the Sanshi-suimei rooms are the safer choices. Price from: ¥8,640 per person (2026), about CAD 78 or USD 55 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.laforet.co.jp/shuzenji/ Summary: Hotel Laforet Shuzenji suits families and groups who want a big forest resort with onsen and room to spread out near Shuzenji, and the trade-off is a site that tells you almost nothing about bikes. Mori Trust's Hotel Laforet Shuzenji spreads over a large wooded site in Ohira, south-west of Shuzenji Onsen. You choose between the Sanshi-suimei rooms with their own open-air onsen bath, the guesthouse and centre house wings, and cottages that sleep up to twelve. Some rooms take dogs. The Mori-no-Yu baths look out over the Amagi range, with an outdoor bath and a sauna on both sides, and the water is a clear alkaline simple spring. The bath page gives two slightly different timetables, both opening early in the morning and again from midday to midnight, and day visitors pay ¥940 between 12:00 and 21:00. A swimwear zone lets mixed groups bathe together from 15:00 to 22:00, and hotel guests may use the spa at Izu Marriott Hotel Shuzenji next door at no charge. For riders the appeal is space and parking more than any service. The plan page lists a cyclist support plan, so call and ask what it covers before you count on it. Tips: - The hotel runs its own free shuttle bus from Shuzenji Station, according to its Jalan listing. Q: Can non-guests use the baths at Hotel Laforet Shuzenji? A: Yes. Day entry to the Mori-no-Yu baths runs from 12:00 to 21:00 at ¥940 for adults and ¥660 for primary-school children. Q: How much does Hotel Laforet Shuzenji cost? A: Prices at Hotel Laforet Shuzenji start at ¥8,640 per person (2026), about CAD 78 or USD 55 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hotel Laforet Shuzenji? A: Hotel Laforet Shuzenji: Dining Fuji restaurant and a barbecue garden; plans range from room only to dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Hotel Laforet Shuzenji have? A: Hotel Laforet Shuzenji lists onsen baths with sauna, swimwear bathing zone, bedrock bath, cottages, dog friendly rooms, zipline, tennis. Q: Who is Hotel Laforet Shuzenji good for? A: Hotel Laforet Shuzenji suits families, dog owners, groups, riders with a car. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.laforet.co.jp/shuzenji/ https://www.laforet.co.jp/shuzenji/hotspring/ https://www.laforet.co.jp/shuzenji/plan/ https://www.laforet.co.jp/shuzenji/room/ https://www.jalan.net/uw/uwp2011/uww2011init.do?keyword=%83z%83e%83%8B%83%89%83t%83H%81%5B%83%8C%8FC%91P%8E%9B ### Hotel Listel Inawashiro URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-listel-inawashiro Type: Stay Local name: ホテルリステル猪苗代 (ja) Also known as: Listel Inawashiro, Hotel Listel Inawashiro Wing Tower, ホテルリステル猪苗代ウイングタワー, Listel Ski Fantasia Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Fukushima Town: Inawashiro Address: Listel Park, Kawageta, Inawashiro, Yama District, Fukushima 969-2696 Coordinates: 37.54230, 140.15000 Kind: Hotel From: ¥8,800 per person (2026), about CAD 79 or USD 56 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Jalan lists Wing Tower rooms from ¥8,800 a person room only and ¥11,800 with dinner and breakfast when two share, with no date chosen. The hotel says booking on its own site is cheapest. Meals: Dinner buffet, French in Famnet, kaiseki in Tennozaka or the Shosuke izakaya; breakfast-only and room-only plans also sell. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Indoor pool, Mist sauna, Own beginner ski area, Fitness room, Pet hotel, Karaoke, Shop, Free station shuttle, Free parking, Free Wi Fi Best for: families, beginners, onsen lovers, groups To the lifts: Listel Ski Fantasia, the hotel's own small ski area, sits in front of the building. NEKOMA puts its South Area 25 minutes away by car and its North Area 35. Shuttle: Free booked shuttle to Inawashiro Station several times a day. NEKOMA's list says the hotel also runs transport to the South Area; ask for this winter's times. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: Listel's site and FAQ state no tattoo rule, so ask before you book. Price from: ¥8,800 per person (2026), about CAD 79 or USD 56 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.listel-inawashiro.jp/ Booking: https://go-listel.reservation.jp/ja/hotels/listel-inawashiro/plans?dateUndecidedFlg=1 Summary: Hotel Listel Inawashiro suits families who want a big resort hotel with a lake-view onsen, a pool and a beginner slope at the door, and the trade-off is a 25-minute drive to NEKOMA Mountain's South Area. Listel is a resort complex on the slopes above Lake Inawashiro, and its high-rise Wing Tower gives every room a lake view. Rooms range from 37-square-metre deluxe twins to Japanese-Western rooms with twin beds and a six-mat tatami room for a bigger family. Eating covers the range too, with a dinner buffet heavy on local dishes, a French room, a kaiseki restaurant, an izakaya stocked with Aizu sake and a top-floor bar. The hotel drills its own spring 1,200 metres down. The Kocho-no-yu open-air bath looks over the lake and opens from 5:00 to midnight, and the Kurhaus next door adds a pool and a mist sauna. Its own ski area, Listel Ski Fantasia, sits in front of the hotel with gentle beginner runs, a long course with lake views, a mogul course that has hosted World Cup events and a snow play area for small children. NEKOMA's accommodation list puts the South Area 25 minutes away by car and the North Area 35, and notes that the hotel runs transport to the South Area. That makes Listel a good base when half the group wants lessons on a gentle hill and the other half wants NEKOMA's tree runs. Tips: - The free shuttle from Inawashiro Station runs several times a day but only on booking, by 17:00 the day before. - From Shinjuku, the Yume Kaido Aizu highway bus stops at Michi-no-eki Inawashiro, where the hotel collects booked guests; boards and skis ride free in the hold if they are in a case. - Day visitors pay ¥1,200 for the baths, and staying guests use them free. Q: How much does Hotel Listel Inawashiro cost? A: Prices at Hotel Listel Inawashiro start at ¥8,800 per person (2026), about CAD 79 or USD 56 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hotel Listel Inawashiro? A: Hotel Listel Inawashiro: Dinner buffet, French in Famnet, kaiseki in Tennozaka or the Shosuke izakaya; breakfast-only and room-only plans also sell. Q: What does Hotel Listel Inawashiro have? A: Hotel Listel Inawashiro lists onsen, open air bath, indoor pool, mist sauna, own beginner ski area, fitness room, pet hotel, karaoke, shop, free station shuttle, free parking, free wi fi. Q: Who is Hotel Listel Inawashiro good for? A: Hotel Listel Inawashiro suits families, beginners, onsen lovers, groups. Q: Does Hotel Listel Inawashiro have an onsen? A: Yes. Hotel Listel Inawashiro has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.listel-inawashiro.jp/ https://www.listel-inawashiro.jp/access/ https://www.listel-inawashiro.jp/hotspring/kocho.php https://www.listel-inawashiro.jp/snow_season https://www.listel-inawashiro.jp/faq/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/accomondation/page/2/ https://www.jalan.net/yad346116/ https://www.jalan.net/yad346116/plan/?dateUndecided=1&adultNum=2&roomCount=1 ### Hotel Metropolitan Nagano URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-metropolitan-nagano Type: Stay Local name: ホテルメトロポリタン長野 (ja) Also known as: Metropolitan Nagano Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nagano Address: 1346 Minami-Ishido-cho, Nagano-shi, Nagano 380-0824 Coordinates: 36.64280, 138.18700 Kind: Hotel Prices: Rates appear only on the JR Hotel Members booking engine. Meals: Café-restaurant Iris, a lobby lounge and Japanese and Chinese restaurants Check-in: 15:00, out by 12:00 Rooms: 235 Amenities: Restaurants, Lounge Best for: early buses, business travellers, couples Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Private baths Website: https://nagano.metropolitan.jp/ Summary: Hotel Metropolitan Nagano is the JR hotel joined to Nagano Station, and it suits anyone catching an early bus to Hakuba, Nozawa or Shiga Kogen. The trade-off is a city-hotel stay with no onsen. The hotel connects directly to the JR Nagano Station building at the Zenko-ji Exit, so the Shinkansen gates are a few minutes away on foot. It has 235 rooms, and checkout runs to 12:00, which helps after a late night or a day on the slopes. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Metropolitan Nagano? A: Hotel Metropolitan Nagano: Café-restaurant Iris, a lobby lounge and Japanese and Chinese restaurants. Q: What does Hotel Metropolitan Nagano have? A: Hotel Metropolitan Nagano lists restaurants, lounge. Q: Who is Hotel Metropolitan Nagano good for? A: Hotel Metropolitan Nagano suits early buses, business travellers, couples. Q: Is Hotel Metropolitan Nagano ski-in ski-out? A: No. Hotel Metropolitan Nagano sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nagano.metropolitan.jp/ https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16658 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/168985081 ### Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-metropolitan-takasaki Type: Stay Local name: ホテルメトロポリタン高崎 (ja) Also known as: Metropolitan Takasaki, Takasaki Metropolitan Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Takasaki Address: 222 Yashima-machi, Takasaki, Gunma 370-0849 Coordinates: 36.32308, 139.01194 Kind: Hotel Meals: Restaurants in the hotel; breakfast plans available. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Self check in machines, Restaurants, Direct station access Best for: early trains, late arrivals, rail passes Baths: Private baths Website: https://takasaki.metropolitan.jp/ Summary: Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki suits travellers who want to sleep inside Takasaki Station before an early train to Minakami or Kusatsu, and it is a city hotel with no onsen. The hotel takes floors 6 to 10 of the station building on the west exit, and connects straight to the station concourse. It opened on 14 April 1982, ahead of the Joetsu Shinkansen, and was renovated throughout in 2009. JR East Hotels runs it, and self check-in machines speed up a late arrival. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki? A: Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki: Restaurants in the hotel; breakfast plans available. Q: What does Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki have? A: Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki lists self check in machines, restaurants, direct station access. Q: Who is Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki good for? A: Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki suits early trains, late arrivals, rail passes. Q: Does Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki have an onsen? A: No. The private baths at Hotel Metropolitan Takasaki use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://takasaki.metropolitan.jp/ https://takasaki.metropolitan.jp/access/index.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ホテルメトロポリタン高崎 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11337909 ### JR-East Hotel Mets Utsunomiya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-mets-utsunomiya Type: Stay Local name: JR東日本ホテルメッツ 宇都宮 (ja) Also known as: Hotel Mets Utsunomiya, Mets Utsunomiya Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Utsunomiya Address: 1-23 Kawamuko-cho, Utsunomiya, Tochigi (JR Utsunomiya station building) Coordinates: 36.55860, 139.89830 Kind: Business hotel Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Station access Best for: Shinkansen connections, Japan Cup weekend Website: https://www.hotelmets.jp/utsunomiya/ Summary: Hotel Mets Utsunomiya suits riders and gyoza hunters who want to sleep inside JR Utsunomiya station, and it publishes no bike storage policy. JR East runs this hotel in the Utsunomiya station building, with check-in from 15:00 and check-out at 11:00. Minmin runs a gyoza counter on the third floor of the same building. The city's cycle station and its bike rental are a short walk from the west exit, and the Japan Cup shuttle leaves from the east exit. Q: What does JR-East Hotel Mets Utsunomiya have? A: JR-East Hotel Mets Utsunomiya lists station access. Q: Who is JR-East Hotel Mets Utsunomiya good for? A: JR-East Hotel Mets Utsunomiya suits Shinkansen connections, Japan Cup weekend. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hotelmets.jp/utsunomiya/ https://www.minmin.co.jp/shop/index.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q801549 ### Hotel MOC URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-moc Type: Stay Local name: ホテルモック (ja) Also known as: MOC Myoko, HOTEL MOC Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市田切218-2 Coordinates: 36.88700, 138.17880 Kind: Ski hotel Prices: Myoko Tourism's figures for this hotel date from 2022 and look out of step with the market, so check the hotel's booking page. Meals: Dinner and breakfast plans Check-in: 15:00-22:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Restaurant, Wi Fi, Pick up Best for: skiers, late arrivals Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: 1 min on foot Website: http://www.hotelmoc.com/ Summary: Hotel MOC suits skiers who want the shortest walk to the Akakura Kanko gondola on a modest budget, and its trade-off is a simple hotel with no onsen of its own. MOC sits in Shin-Akakura at the foot of Akakura Kanko Resort, and the hotel puts the gondola one minute away on foot. The rooms look west to Mt. Myoko and south-east to Mt. Madarao, and mix Japanese and Western layouts. Meals use produce from around Myoko Kogen. The hotel restaurant has opened at lunchtime to non-guests in past seasons, which makes it a handy warm-up stop off the slope. Check-in runs from 15:00 to 22:00, so a late arrival after work in Tokyo is fine. For a soak, walk or ride the bus up to Akakura Onsen's public baths. Q: Are meals included at Hotel MOC? A: Hotel MOC: Dinner and breakfast plans. Q: What does Hotel MOC have? A: Hotel MOC lists restaurant, wi fi, pick up. Q: Who is Hotel MOC good for? A: Hotel MOC suits skiers, late arrivals. Q: Is Hotel MOC ski-in ski-out? A: No. Hotel MOC sits 1 minutes on foot from the nearest lift. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.hotelmoc.com/ https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/hotel-moc/ https://myokotourism.com/accommodation/hotel-moc/ https://myoko-nagano.com/myoko-kogen/myoko-bars-restaurants-cafes/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=Hotel%20MOC&format=json ### Hotel Mutsumi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-mutsumi Type: Stay Local name: ホテルむつみ (ja) Also known as: Mutsumi Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Address: 7149 Hirao, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano 381-0401 Coordinates: 36.73440, 138.51170 Kind: Pension From: ¥7,500 per adult (2025), about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Range listed by the Nagano Tourism Organization (go-nagano page updated April 2025); the tier is computed from the middle of that range for two people sharing. Meals: Buffet breakfast; lunch restaurant known for its katsu rice bowl, the Mutsumi-don Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 37 Amenities: Shared bath Best for: skiers on a budget, groups Baths: Shared baths Price from: ¥7,500 per adult (2025), about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://shigakogen.jp/mutsumi/ Summary: Hotel Mutsumi is a plain, good-value lodge in Ichinose at about 1,600 metres, in the middle of Shiga Kogen's lift network, and it suits skiers on a budget. The trade-off is simple Japanese rooms and a shared bath. Mutsumi stands among the Ichinose lodges with 37 Japanese rooms that each have a toilet. Breakfast is a buffet, and at lunch skiers come in for the Mutsumi-don of chicken and beef katsu with the house sauce. Buses from Yudanaka Station reach Okushiga Kogen in about 50 minutes on the Shiga Kogen line. Q: How much does Hotel Mutsumi cost? A: Prices at Hotel Mutsumi start at ¥7,500 per adult (2025), about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hotel Mutsumi? A: Hotel Mutsumi: Buffet breakfast; lunch restaurant known for its katsu rice bowl, the Mutsumi-don. Q: What does Hotel Mutsumi have? A: Hotel Mutsumi lists shared bath. Q: Who is Hotel Mutsumi good for? A: Hotel Mutsumi suits skiers on a budget, groups. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://shigakogen.jp/mutsumi/ https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16663 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/310632185 ### Hotel Nikko Tsukuba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-nikko-tsukuba Type: Stay Local name: ホテル日航つくば (ja) Also known as: Nikko Tsukuba Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Town: Tsukuba Address: 1-1364-1 Azuma, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0031 Coordinates: 36.08230, 140.11390 Kind: Hotel Prices: Parking costs ¥1,000 a night. Meals: Chinese and Japanese restaurants in the hotel. Amenities: Restaurants, Coin laundry, Dry cleaning Best for: Tsukuba Express, late arrivals Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes go in the room or the lobby. Ask when you book and the hotel sets a bike stand in your room. For riders: Wash area, tools Bike rental: Rental bikes are available. Website: https://www.nikko-tsukuba.com/ Summary: Hotel Nikko Tsukuba suits riders who arrive by Tsukuba Express and want a full-service city hotel that sets a bike stand in the room, and the mountain is still a bus ride away. The hotel stands two minutes from exit A3 of Tsukuba station in a building designed by Arata Isozaki. Bikes may come through the lobby and into the rooms, and staff lay out a stand and tools if you ask when you book. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Nikko Tsukuba? A: Hotel Nikko Tsukuba: Chinese and Japanese restaurants in the hotel. Q: What does Hotel Nikko Tsukuba have? A: Hotel Nikko Tsukuba lists restaurants, coin laundry, dry cleaning. Q: Who is Hotel Nikko Tsukuba good for? A: Hotel Nikko Tsukuba suits Tsukuba Express, late arrivals. Q: Is Hotel Nikko Tsukuba bike-friendly? A: Yes. Hotel Nikko Tsukuba welcomes cyclists. Storage: bikes go in the room or the lobby. Ask when you book and the hotel sets a bike stand in your room. Rental bikes are available. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nikko-tsukuba.com/ https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/stay/nikko-tsukuba/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111865999 ### Hotel Route Inn Imabari URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-route-inn-imabari Type: Stay Local name: ホテルルートイン今治 (ja) Also known as: Route Inn Imabari, Tabibito no Yu Route Inn Imabari, 天然温泉「旅人の湯」ホテルルートイン今治 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: 3-3-15 Umakoshi-cho, Imabari, Ehime 794-0062 Coordinates: 34.05700, 132.98100 Kind: Business hotel From: ¥5,650 per person (2026), about CAD 51 or USD 36 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Rakuten Travel listed ¥5,650 a person for two sharing a semi-double with breakfast in October 2026. The non-smoking road-bike single started at ¥6,900 with breakfast. Meals: Free buffet breakfast with more than 30 Japanese and Western dishes; a dinner restaurant on site. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 175 Amenities: Natural onsen bath, Free breakfast buffet, Dinner restaurant, Coin laundry, Free parking, Loan bikes Best for: road riders, drivers, onsen Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: In the room only on the road-bike single plan; other rooms do not take bikes. Bike rental: Two loan bikes free for up to two hours, then ¥1,000 an hour, with the last loan at 21:00. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥5,650 per person (2026), about CAD 51 or USD 36 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.route-inn.co.jp/hotel_list/ehime/index_hotel_id_724/ Booking: https://hotel.travel.rakuten.co.jp/hotelinfo/plan/191656 Summary: Route Inn Imabari suits riders and drivers who want a natural onsen and a free breakfast close to the Imabari IC; the trade-off is a seven-minute drive from the station. Route Inn opened this 175-room hotel in Umakoshi on 8 June 2024. It sits three minutes by car from the Imabari IC and about seven from JR Imabari Station, which suits drivers better than train arrivals. The draw is the natural onsen bath, Tabibito no Yu, and a free buffet breakfast of more than 30 dishes. Bikes go into the room only on a bicycle plan. Book the non-smoking road-bike single by name, since a standard room will not take the bike. The hotel lends two bikes free for up to two hours if you want to ride into town for dinner. Q: Can I take my bike into my room at Hotel Route Inn Imabari? A: Only if you book the bicycle plan, which uses the non-smoking road-bike single. Q: How much does Hotel Route Inn Imabari cost? A: Prices at Hotel Route Inn Imabari start at ¥5,650 per person (2026), about CAD 51 or USD 36 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hotel Route Inn Imabari? A: Hotel Route Inn Imabari: Free buffet breakfast with more than 30 Japanese and Western dishes; a dinner restaurant on site. Q: What does Hotel Route Inn Imabari have? A: Hotel Route Inn Imabari lists natural onsen bath, free breakfast buffet, dinner restaurant, coin laundry, free parking, loan bikes. Q: Who is Hotel Route Inn Imabari good for? A: Hotel Route Inn Imabari suits road riders, drivers, onsen. Q: Does Hotel Route Inn Imabari have an onsen? A: Yes. Hotel Route Inn Imabari has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.route-inn.co.jp/hotel_list/ehime/index_hotel_id_724/ https://hotel.travel.rakuten.co.jp/hotelinfo/plan/191656 https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information-imabari&paged=3 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%84%9B%E5%AA%9B%E7%9C%8C%E4%BB%8A%E6%B2%BB%E5%B8%82%E9%A6%AC%E8%B6%8A%E7%94%BA3%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE3-15 ### Hotel Route Inn Wajima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-route-inn-wajima Type: Stay Local name: ホテルルートイン輪島 (ja) Also known as: Route Inn Wajima, Route-Inn Wajima, ルートイン輪島 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Town: Wajima Address: 1-2 Marine Town, Wajima, Ishikawa Coordinates: 37.39628, 136.90559 Kind: Business hotel Prices: Rates are set by date on Route Inn's booking site, and the buffet breakfast is included. Meals: Free buffet breakfast Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 222 Amenities: Onsen, Free parking, Coin laundry, Restaurant Best for: drivers, riders, business travellers Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.route-inn.co.jp/hotel_list/ishikawa/index_hotel_id_229/ Summary: Hotel Route Inn Wajima suits drivers and riders who want Wajima's 222-room harbour hotel, with a hot-spring bath and free breakfast, and its trade-off is a plain chain room booked against heavy demand from recovery crews. Route Inn's harbour hotel has 222 rooms across a 120-room main building and a 102-room east building. The east building's rooms are finished in a Japanese style, and the sea-side rooms face the Sea of Japan. The bath, Tabibito no Yu, runs free-flowing hot-spring water with an open-air pool, from 15:00 to 2:00 and again from 5:00 to 10:00. The car park holds 137 cars at no charge. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Route Inn Wajima? A: Hotel Route Inn Wajima: Free buffet breakfast. Q: What does Hotel Route Inn Wajima have? A: Hotel Route Inn Wajima lists onsen, free parking, coin laundry, restaurant. Q: Who is Hotel Route Inn Wajima good for? A: Hotel Route Inn Wajima suits drivers, riders, business travellers. Q: Does Hotel Route Inn Wajima have an onsen? A: Yes. Hotel Route Inn Wajima has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.route-inn.co.jp/hotel_list/ishikawa/index_hotel_id_229/ https://wajimanavi.jp/inn/blog/introduce/hotelrouteinn/ https://wajimanavi.jp/inn/ ### Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-ryumeikan-tokyo Type: Stay Local name: ホテル龍名館東京 (ja) Also known as: Ryumeikan Tokyo, Hotel Ryumeikan, 龍名館東京, Ryumeikan Yaesu Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Tokyo Town: Tokyo Address: 1-3-22 Yaesu, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Coordinates: 35.68310, 139.77100 Kind: Hotel Meals: The hotel has a restaurant with private rooms; meals are booked separately. Check-in: 14:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Luggage storage, Takkyubin shipping, Cardboard boxes for sale, Laundry service, Free Wi Fi Best for: riders on a loop out of Tokyo, first and last nights, Shinkansen connections Bikes: Storage on site Bike storage: The 15th-floor front desk holds luggage on the day before check-in and after check-out. Guests with another night booked can leave one item each, taken in from a week before that booking, and some of this storage carries a fee. Baths: Private baths Website: https://www.ryumeikan-tokyo.jp/ Summary: Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo suits riders who leave on a loop and come back to Tokyo within a week, since it keeps one item per guest between bookings, and its trade-off is that the FAQ never says whether a bike box counts. Ryumeikan stands on the Yaesu side of Tokyo Station, and its front desk is on the 15th floor. Check-in starts at 14:00 and check-out is at 11:00, and every room has its own bath and toilet. The luggage rules suit a rider doing a loop. On the day you arrive or leave, the desk holds bags as usual. A guest with the next stay booked can leave one item each, from a week before that booking, so a rinko bag or spare kit can wait while you ride to Boso or Chichibu and back. The desk also sells cardboard boxes and sends takkyubin parcels inside Japan, and anything handed in after 13:00 goes out the next day. Q: Will Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo hold luggage between two stays? A: Yes, for one item per guest when the next stay is booked, taken in from a week before that booking. Some of this storage carries a fee, and the hotel does not say whether a bike box counts, so ask first. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo? A: Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo: The hotel has a restaurant with private rooms; meals are booked separately. Q: What does Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo have? A: Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo lists luggage storage, takkyubin shipping, cardboard boxes for sale, laundry service, free wi fi. Q: Who is Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo good for? A: Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo suits riders on a loop out of Tokyo, first and last nights, Shinkansen connections. Q: Is Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo bike-friendly? A: Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo has published no cycling policy. Storage: the 15th-floor front desk holds luggage on the day before check-in and after check-out. Guests with another night booked can leave one item each, taken in from a week before that booking, and some of this storage carries a fee. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ryumeikan-tokyo.jp/faq/ https://www.ryumeikan-tokyo.jp/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E4%B8%AD%E5%A4%AE%E5%8C%BA%E5%85%AB%E9%87%8D%E6%B4%B21-3-22 ### Hotel Sakurai URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-sakurai Type: Stay Local name: 草津白根観光ホテル櫻井 (ja) Also known as: Kusatsu Hotel Sakurai, Hotel Sakurai Kusatsu, ホテル櫻井, Sakurai Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Address: 465-4 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Coordinates: 36.62177, 138.59309 Kind: Hotel Meals: Buffet dinner and breakfast on most plans, with set kaiseki in the Japanese restaurant on others. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Large bath, Open air bath, Karaoke, Lounge, Restaurants Best for: families, buffet dinners, groups Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Not allowed Tattoo rule: Hotel Sakurai refuses tattooed guests in its baths, including fashion and religious tattoos. Website: https://www.hotel-sakurai.co.jp/ Summary: Hotel Sakurai suits families who want a large hotel with buffet dinners and several Kusatsu sources, and it bars guests with tattoos from its baths. Sakurai is one of Kusatsu's big hotels, west of the Yubatake, with a buffet hall and a Japanese restaurant called Hananoren. Its open-air bath normally runs on the Watanoyu source, and during pump maintenance by the supply company the hotel switches it to the Sai-no-kawara and Bandai sources. The JR bus from Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi takes about 25 minutes. Q: Does Hotel Sakurai allow tattoos? A: No. Hotel Sakurai refuses guests with tattoos in its baths, including fashion and religious tattoos. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Sakurai? A: Hotel Sakurai: Buffet dinner and breakfast on most plans, with set kaiseki in the Japanese restaurant on others. Q: What does Hotel Sakurai have? A: Hotel Sakurai lists large bath, open air bath, karaoke, lounge, restaurants. Q: Who is Hotel Sakurai good for? A: Hotel Sakurai suits families, buffet dinners, groups. Q: Does Hotel Sakurai have an onsen? A: Yes. Hotel Sakurai has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hotel-sakurai.co.jp/ https://www.hotel-sakurai.co.jp/faq/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/912422964 ### Hotel Seira Shimanto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-seira-shimanto Type: Stay Local name: ホテル星羅四万十 (ja) Also known as: Seira Shimanto, 星羅四万十 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kochi Town: Shimanto Address: 1100 Nishitosa-mochii, Shimanto, Kochi 787-1603 Coordinates: 33.17330, 132.79250 Kind: Hotel Meals: Dinner and breakfast; dinner features wild ayu and aosa seaweed from the river Check-in: 16:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 14 Amenities: Onsen bath, Sauna, Coin laundry, Wi fi, Observatory Best for: cyclists, couples, stargazers Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: A cycle stand outside, and bikes can come into the room in a carrying bag. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: http://www.seirashimanto.com/ Summary: Hotel Seira Shimanto suits riders who want a river-country night with an onsen and a sky full of stars, and it sits upriver at Nishitosa near JR Ekawasaki. Seira is a 14-room hotel on a rise above the Shimanto at Nishitosa, five minutes on foot from the Canoe-kan river station and its Rin Rin Cycle terminal. Dinner leans on the river, with wild ayu and aosa seaweed, and there is an onsen with a sauna for after the ride. The hotel runs its own Shimanto observatory and holds stargazing nights. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Seira Shimanto? A: Hotel Seira Shimanto: Dinner and breakfast; dinner features wild ayu and aosa seaweed from the river. Q: What does Hotel Seira Shimanto have? A: Hotel Seira Shimanto lists onsen bath, sauna, coin laundry, wi fi, observatory. Q: Who is Hotel Seira Shimanto good for? A: Hotel Seira Shimanto suits cyclists, couples, stargazers. Q: Is Hotel Seira Shimanto bike-friendly? A: Yes. Hotel Seira Shimanto welcomes cyclists. Storage: a cycle stand outside, and bikes can come into the room in a carrying bag. Q: Does Hotel Seira Shimanto have an onsen? A: Yes. Hotel Seira Shimanto has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.seirashimanto.com/ https://cycling-island-shikoku.com/hotel_inn/no033.html ### Hotel Sierra Resort Hakuba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-sierra-resort-hakuba Type: Stay Local name: シェラリゾート白馬 (ja) Also known as: Sierra Resort Hakuba, Sierra Hakuba Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: 14863-6 Hokujo, Hakuba-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-9301 Coordinates: 36.73460, 137.85990 Kind: Hotel From: ¥14,900 per adult (2025), about CAD 134 or USD 94 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Range listed by the Nagano Tourism Organization (go-nagano page updated April 2025); the tier is computed from the middle of that range for two people sharing. Meals: Breakfast included; dinner in the hotel restaurant or by the free night shuttle to village restaurants Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, Private onsen, Ski locker room, Ski rental, Free laundry, Kids' sledding slope Best for: families, groups with a car, onsen lovers Ski-in ski-out: No Ski storage: Yes Shuttle: Free pick-up and drop-off at Hakuba Station and the Happo bus terminal; free night shuttle to restaurants on a set loop. Ski-area transfers are listed by the Nagano Tourism Organization as complimentary. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥14,900 per adult (2025), about CAD 134 or USD 94 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: http://sierrahakuba.com/ Summary: Hotel Sierra Resort Hakuba is a forest hotel at the quiet north end of Hakuba with its own Mizubasho Onsen and big family rooms. The trade-off is location: you depend on the hotel's shuttles to reach lifts and restaurants. Sierra sits in woodland near the northern edge of Hakuba Village, away from the Happo bustle. Its rooms run larger than most in the valley, with twins and doubles of about 36 square metres and two-bedroom junior suites for four or five. The hotel lets children 12 and under sleep free when they share an adult's bed. Mizubasho Onsen opened in 2012 and comes up at 48 degrees, and the hotel fills its indoor and outdoor baths without adding tap water or reheating. Free pick-ups run to Hakuba Station and the Happo bus terminal for arriving guests, and a free night shuttle follows a set loop to restaurants in the village. Q: How much does Hotel Sierra Resort Hakuba cost? A: Prices at Hotel Sierra Resort Hakuba start at ¥14,900 per adult (2025), about CAD 134 or USD 94 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hotel Sierra Resort Hakuba? A: Hotel Sierra Resort Hakuba: Breakfast included; dinner in the hotel restaurant or by the free night shuttle to village restaurants. Q: What does Hotel Sierra Resort Hakuba have? A: Hotel Sierra Resort Hakuba lists onsen, private onsen, ski locker room, ski rental, free laundry, kids' sledding slope. Q: Who is Hotel Sierra Resort Hakuba good for? A: Hotel Sierra Resort Hakuba suits families, groups with a car, onsen lovers. Q: Is Hotel Sierra Resort Hakuba ski-in ski-out? A: No. Hotel Sierra Resort Hakuba sits away from the lifts, and free pick-up and drop-off at Hakuba Station and the Happo bus terminal; free night shuttle to restaurants on a set loop. Ski-area transfers are listed by the Nagano Tourism Organization as complimentary. Q: Does Hotel Sierra Resort Hakuba have an onsen? A: Yes. Hotel Sierra Resort Hakuba has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: http://sierrahakuba.com/ http://sierrahakuba.com/qa.html https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16589 https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/12434991155 ### Hotel Sunshine Tokushima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-sunshine-tokushima Type: Stay Local name: ホテルサンシャイン徳島 (ja) Also known as: Sunshine Tokushima, ホテル サンシャイン徳島 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Tokushima Town: Tokushima Address: 2-9 Minami-dekijima-cho, Tokushima, Tokushima 770-0824 Coordinates: 34.07730, 134.54470 Kind: Hotel Meals: Breakfast and dinner; the buffet restaurant cooks with Tokushima produce Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Large baths, Coin laundry, Wi fi, Buffet restaurant Best for: cyclists, families Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes can come into the room by arrangement with the front desk. Baths: Shared and private baths Website: http://hotel-sunshine.co.jp/ Summary: Hotel Sunshine Tokushima suits riders who want a big bath after the ride and the station close by, and the bike goes to the room only after you ask. Hotel Sunshine is five minutes by bike from JR Tokushima Station, handy for a train west toward Awa-Ikeda and the Iya Valley. Men and women each have a large bath that guests use free, and the buffet restaurant cooks with Tokushima produce. Talk to the front desk about bringing the bike to your room. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Sunshine Tokushima? A: Hotel Sunshine Tokushima: Breakfast and dinner; the buffet restaurant cooks with Tokushima produce. Q: What does Hotel Sunshine Tokushima have? A: Hotel Sunshine Tokushima lists large baths, coin laundry, wi fi, buffet restaurant. Q: Who is Hotel Sunshine Tokushima good for? A: Hotel Sunshine Tokushima suits cyclists, families. Q: Is Hotel Sunshine Tokushima bike-friendly? A: Yes. Hotel Sunshine Tokushima welcomes cyclists. Storage: bikes can come into the room by arrangement with the front desk. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://hotel-sunshine.co.jp/ https://cycling-island-shikoku.com/hotel_inn/no035.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BE%B3%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%BE%B3%E5%B3%B6%E5%B8%82%E5%8D%97%E5%87%BA%E6%9D%A5%E5%B3%B6%E7%94%BA2%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE9 ### Hotel Tangram URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/hotel-tangram Type: Stay Local name: ホテルタングラム (ja) Also known as: Tangram Madarao Tokyu Resort, Tangram Ski Circus hotel Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Madarao Kogen Address: 3575-8 Furumi, Shinano-machi, Kamiminochi-gun, Nagano 389-1302 Coordinates: 36.85380, 138.26300 Kind: Ski hotel From: ¥12,850 per adult (2025), about CAD 116 or USD 81 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Range listed by the Nagano Tourism Organization (go-nagano page updated April 2025); the tier is computed from the middle of that range for two people sharing. Meals: Buffet, Japanese and French restaurants Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 245 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Indoor pool Best for: families, beginners, mixed groups Ski-in ski-out: Yes To the lifts: Tangram Ski Circus spreads in front of the hotel. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥12,850 per adult (2025), about CAD 116 or USD 81 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.tangram.jp/ Summary: Hotel Tangram is the 245-room resort hotel in front of Tangram Ski Circus on the Shinanomachi side of Mt. Madarao, and it suits families who want a self-contained winter week. The trade-off is a small ski area of 5 lifts. Every room measures 40 square metres and sleeps two to four, with two single beds and up to two sofa beds. Tangram Ski Circus spreads in front of the hotel with 5 lifts and 14 courses on a northwest-facing slope. The spa includes an open-air hot spring and the hotel has an indoor pool, and Lake Nojiri is about ten minutes away by car. Q: How much does Hotel Tangram cost? A: Prices at Hotel Tangram start at ¥12,850 per adult (2025), about CAD 116 or USD 81 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Hotel Tangram? A: Hotel Tangram: Buffet, Japanese and French restaurants. Q: What does Hotel Tangram have? A: Hotel Tangram lists onsen, open air bath, indoor pool. Q: Who is Hotel Tangram good for? A: Hotel Tangram suits families, beginners, mixed groups. Q: Is Hotel Tangram ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Hotel Tangram is ski-in ski-out. Q: Does Hotel Tangram have an onsen? A: Yes. Hotel Tangram has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.tangram.jp/ https://www.tangram.jp/eng/ https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16662 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/997090833 ### I-Link Hostel & Cafe Shimanami URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/i-link-hostel-and-cafe-shimanami Type: Stay Also known as: I-LINK HOSTEL, I-Link Shimanami, アイリンクホステル, ILINK hostel Omishima Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Omishima Address: 7345-1 Inokuchi, Kamiura-cho, Imabari, Ehime 794-1402 Coordinates: 34.25750, 133.05020 Kind: Hostel From: ¥5,220 per person (2026), about CAD 47 or USD 33 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Tabiiro listed room-only plans from ¥5,220 a person in October 2026, across the single, twin and dormitory rooms. The hostel says its own website carries the lowest rate. Meals: No breakfast. The café opens 7:00–9:30 for food you bring and sells drinks; the restaurant serves lunch 12:00–14:30 and dinner 17:00–20:00, closed on irregular days. Check-in: 15:00–20:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 61 Amenities: Bike garage, Bikes in single and twin rooms, Coin laundry, Free parking, Café restaurant, E bike rental, Lockers Best for: road riders, budget, solo travellers Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes go into the single and twin rooms. Dormitory guests park free in the garage outside the building. Bike rental: BESV e-bikes at ¥5,000 for five hours or ¥7,000 a day, returned by 18:00; overnight guests get 30 per cent off. Baths: Shared baths Price from: ¥5,220 per person (2026), about CAD 47 or USD 33 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://shimanami.bike/ Booking: https://www5.489pro.com/asp/489/menu.asp?id=38000019&ty=ser&list=YES&lan=JPN Summary: I-Link suits riders on a budget who want to sleep beside their bike at the Omishima end of the Tatara bridge; the trade-off is curtain walls that let sound through and no breakfast. I-Link calls itself a hostel built for cyclists. It sits a minute's drive from Michi-no-Eki Tatara Shimanami Park, with a FamilyMart across the road. Singles and two-bunk twins close with an accordion curtain that locks, and your bike can come in with you. Dormitory beds sit behind curtains with their own lockers, and the hostel admits sound carries, so it hands out earplugs. There is no breakfast. From 7:00 to 9:30 the café lets you eat food you bought the night before and sells coffee, and the FamilyMart is the only shop close by. The public bath at Tatara Shimanami Dome is an eight-minute walk, open 10:00–21:00 and closed on Tuesdays. Bring the hostel's towels and buy your own shampoo there. Winter brings scattered closing days. In December 2025 the hostel shut on eight dates, café and beds alike, so check the calendar before you plan a winter crossing. Book café dinners early, because the restaurant turns diners away once it is full. Q: Can I take my bike into my room at I-Link Hostel? A: Yes, in the single and twin rooms. Dormitory guests park bikes free in the garage outside. Q: Does I-Link Hostel serve breakfast? A: No. The café opens from 7:00 to 9:30 for food you bring, and the FamilyMart across the road sells breakfast. Q: How much does I-Link Hostel & Cafe Shimanami cost? A: Prices at I-Link Hostel & Cafe Shimanami start at ¥5,220 per person (2026), about CAD 47 or USD 33 (October 2026 rates). Q: What does I-Link Hostel & Cafe Shimanami have? A: I-Link Hostel & Cafe Shimanami lists bike garage, bikes in single and twin rooms, coin laundry, free parking, café restaurant, e bike rental, lockers. Q: Who is I-Link Hostel & Cafe Shimanami good for? A: I-Link Hostel & Cafe Shimanami suits road riders, budget, solo travellers. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shimanami.bike/ https://shimanami.bike/free/guestroom https://shimanami.bike/free/faq https://shimanami.bike/free/e-bike https://shimanami.bike/info/6523286 https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information-imabari&paged=6 https://tabiiro.jp/yado/s/103020-imabari-shimanami-bike/ ### Imabari Kokusai Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/imabari-kokusai-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 今治国際ホテル (ja) Also known as: Imabari International Hotel, Imabari Kokusai Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: 2-3-4 Asahi-machi, Imabari, Ehime 794-0042 Coordinates: 34.06210, 133.00060 Kind: Hotel From: ¥11,000 per room per night (2026), about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Jalan listed a limited room-only Annex Twin plan from ¥11,000 for two adults in October 2026; most room-only plans started around ¥17,000 for two. Imabari's tourism association gives ¥12,705 room only as its guide price. Meals: Breakfast buffet in La Sail, 7:00–9:30, ¥2,500 when not included; dinner in four of the seven restaurants from 17:00. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 355 Amenities: Bikes in rooms, Open air onsen bath, Sauna, Indoor pool, Fitness gym, Seven restaurants, Sky bar, Free cot Best for: road riders, couples, families, onsen Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: In the room for individual guests. Groups of ten or more can book the basement bike park ahead, and on cycling-event dates the hotel moves bikes to a separate store. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Not allowed Tattoo rule: The hotel bars tattooed guests from the large bath, the open-air bath and the sauna. Price from: ¥11,000 per room per night (2026), about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.imabari-kokusai-hotel.co.jp/ Booking: https://go-imabari-kokusai.reservation.jp/ja/rooms Summary: Imabari Kokusai Hotel suits riders who want the town's full-service hotel with an onsen bath and room for the bike beside the bed; the trade-off is a bath that costs extra on many plans and turns away tattoos. Imabari Shipbuilding runs this 355-room tower in central Imabari, which opened in November 1996. Every room measures at least 27.7 m², and the hotel says solo riders can keep the bike in the room. The deluxe twins on floors 12 to 20 look out over the Seto Inland Sea. Ask for a high floor when you book. The Yuyu Club on the third floor has a large bath and a 96°C sauna with a 17°C plunge pool. Its open-air bath draws natural Imabari onsen water, though the indoor bath does not. It opens 16:00–23:00 and again 6:00–9:00, and costs ¥1,100 when your plan leaves it out. Tattooed guests cannot use any of it. Breakfast is a buffet in La Sail with sea bream chazuke, shirasu from off Kikuma and a mikan juice tap. Seven restaurants cover dinner, and the Tophat sky bar pours until 23:30. Q: Can I keep my bike in my room at Imabari Kokusai Hotel? A: Yes. Individual guests keep bikes in the room, and every room is at least 27.7 m². On cycling-event dates the hotel uses a separate bike store instead. Q: Does Imabari Kokusai Hotel have an onsen? A: Its open-air bath uses natural Imabari onsen water. The bath opens 16:00–23:00 and 6:00–9:00, costs ¥1,100 when not in your plan and is closed to tattooed guests. Q: How much does Imabari Kokusai Hotel cost? A: Prices at Imabari Kokusai Hotel start at ¥11,000 per room per night (2026), about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Imabari Kokusai Hotel? A: Imabari Kokusai Hotel: Breakfast buffet in La Sail, 7:00–9:30, ¥2,500 when not included; dinner in four of the seven restaurants from 17:00. Q: What does Imabari Kokusai Hotel have? A: Imabari Kokusai Hotel lists bikes in rooms, open air onsen bath, sauna, indoor pool, fitness gym, seven restaurants, sky bar, free cot. Q: Who is Imabari Kokusai Hotel good for? A: Imabari Kokusai Hotel suits road riders, couples, families, onsen. Q: Can you use the baths at Imabari Kokusai Hotel with tattoos? A: No. The baths at Imabari Kokusai Hotel turn away bathers with visible tattoos. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.imabari-kokusai-hotel.co.jp/ https://www.imabari-kokusai-hotel.co.jp/faq/ https://www.imabari-kokusai-hotel.co.jp/facilities/spa/ https://www.imabari-kokusai-hotel.co.jp/stay/ https://www.imabari-kokusai-hotel.co.jp/access/ https://www.oideya.gr.jp/stay-c/kokusai/ https://www.jalan.net/yad327230/plan/ ### Imabari Station Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/imabari-station-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 今治ステーションホテル (ja) Also known as: Imabari Station Hotel, Station Hotel Imabari Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: 2-2-23 Kitahorai-cho, Imabari, Ehime 794-0028 Coordinates: 34.06530, 132.99470 Kind: Business hotel From: ¥4,000 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Rakuten Travel listed room-only rates from ¥4,000 a person and the Cyclist Stay plan from ¥5,700 a person in October 2026, for stays through December 2027. Breakfast can be added on arrival. Meals: Shimanami buffet breakfast with three styles of sea bream rice, yakibuta tamago meshi and Imabari yakitori; no dinner. Amenities: Cyclist rooms with bike hangers, Maintenance space, Loan tools, Artificial hot spring bath, Free parking, Breakfast buffet Best for: road riders, train arrivals, solo travellers Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: In the room. The relax sofa rooms have a bike hanger, and the twins have floor space without one. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared and private baths Price from: ¥4,000 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: http://stationhotel.jp/ Booking: https://imabaristationhotel.rwiths.net/r-withs/tfi0010a.do Summary: Imabari Station Hotel suits riders who want a new room with a bike hanger a minute from the station rental terminal; the trade-off is compact rooms and one shared bath that switches between men and women. The hotel moved into a new building in June 2024 and now pitches itself straight at cyclists. Its cyclist rooms have a bike hanger, and the ground floor has a maintenance space with loan tools. The floors use a washed-aggregate finish so cleats do not slip. The rental terminal and a large bike shop are each about a minute's walk. Rooms run from 13 m² corner singles to 28 m² premium twins, with Sealy beds and a sliding inner door that shuts out the street. The artificial hot-spring bath takes men and women at set hours, so read the schedule at check-in. Women who cannot fit a bath slot get bath salts for the room. Breakfast is the hotel's Shimanami buffet. It sets three versions of sea bream rice beside yakibuta tamago meshi, Imabari yakitori and croissants baked on site. About 30 parking spaces are free on a first-come basis, though the hotel nudges guests toward the train. Q: Can I take my bike into my room at Imabari Station Hotel? A: Yes. The relax sofa rooms have bike hangers, and the twins have space for bikes without one. Q: How far is Imabari Station Hotel from the rental terminal? A: The hotel puts the Imabari Station cycling terminal about a minute's walk away, and the station itself one minute. Q: How much does Imabari Station Hotel cost? A: Prices at Imabari Station Hotel start at ¥4,000 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Imabari Station Hotel? A: Imabari Station Hotel: Shimanami buffet breakfast with three styles of sea bream rice, yakibuta tamago meshi and Imabari yakitori; no dinner. Q: What does Imabari Station Hotel have? A: Imabari Station Hotel lists cyclist rooms with bike hangers, maintenance space, loan tools, artificial hot spring bath, free parking, breakfast buffet. Q: Who is Imabari Station Hotel good for? A: Imabari Station Hotel suits road riders, train arrivals, solo travellers. Q: Does Imabari Station Hotel have an onsen? A: No. The shared and private baths at Imabari Station Hotel use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://stationhotel.jp/ http://stationhotel.jp/oa-04/index.html http://stationhotel.jp/oa-04/oa-04-06/index.html https://hotel.travel.rakuten.co.jp/hotelinfo/plan/191781 https://www.oideya.gr.jp/stay-c/station/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%84%9B%E5%AA%9B%E7%9C%8C%E4%BB%8A%E6%B2%BB%E5%B8%82%E5%8C%97%E5%AE%9D%E6%9D%A5%E7%94%BA2%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE2-23 ### Imazu Sun Bridge Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/imazu-sun-bridge-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 今津サンブリッジホテル (ja) Also known as: Sunbridge Hotel Imazu, サンブリッジホテル Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Takashima Address: 1689-2 Imazu, Imazu-cho, Takashima, Shiga 520-1621 Coordinates: 35.40562, 136.03896 Kind: Hotel From: ¥6,200 per room per night (2025), about CAD 56 or USD 39 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Room rates come from the visitors bureau's 2025 listing; the hotel books through its own plans. Meals: Restaurant Ashimi on the lakeshore serves a lunch buffet; an autumn kaiseki with Omi beef runs 12 September to 23 November 2026. Rooms: 54 Amenities: Lakeside restaurant, Rental bikes Best for: north-west shore overnight, budget, Metasequoia avenue Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Bike rental: The hotel posted a rental bike guide in July 2026. Baths: Private baths Price from: ¥6,200 per room per night (2025), about CAD 56 or USD 39 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://sunbridge-hotel.co.jp/ Summary: Sun Bridge suits riders who want a cheap lakeside room at Imazu with dinner downstairs, and the rooms are plain. Sun Bridge sits on the shore at Imazu, which is the ferry town on the north-west side of the lake. The hotel puts the Metasequoia avenue about 15 minutes away by car. The visitors bureau lists 54 rooms, from singles at ¥6,200 to twins at ¥11,400. Restaurant Ashimi looks over the water, and the hotel started renting bikes in 2026. Shiga certifies it as cyclist-friendly. Q: How much does Imazu Sun Bridge Hotel cost? A: Prices at Imazu Sun Bridge Hotel start at ¥6,200 per room per night (2025), about CAD 56 or USD 39 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Imazu Sun Bridge Hotel? A: Imazu Sun Bridge Hotel: Restaurant Ashimi on the lakeshore serves a lunch buffet; an autumn kaiseki with Omi beef runs 12 September to 23 November 2026. Q: What does Imazu Sun Bridge Hotel have? A: Imazu Sun Bridge Hotel lists lakeside restaurant, rental bikes. Q: Is Imazu Sun Bridge Hotel bike-friendly? A: Yes. Imazu Sun Bridge Hotel welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. The hotel posted a rental bike guide in July 2026. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://sunbridge-hotel.co.jp/ https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/364/?active=stay https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### IORI STAY URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/iori-stay Type: Stay Also known as: Iori Stay Takayama, Iori machiya Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 5-5-5 Tenman-machi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14137, 137.25397 Kind: Apartment From: ¥40,000 per room per night (2026), about CAD 360 or USD 253 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: From ¥40,000 with breakfast on the tourism association listing. Meals: Breakfast Amenities: Guest lounge, Kitchen Best for: couples, families, longer stays Baths: Private baths Price from: ¥40,000 per room per night (2026), about CAD 360 or USD 253 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://iori-stay.com/ja/ Summary: IORI STAY suits couples and families who want a restored townhouse with local staff on call, three minutes from Takayama Station. The trade-off is that you look after yourself, with no ryokan dinner. IORI STAY rents restored machiya townhouses in Takayama and Furukawa, and its studio rooms share a ground-floor lounge with a kitchen and a fireplace. Local staff meet you at check-in and pass on the restaurants and sights they would go to themselves. The tourism association lists stays from ¥40,000 with breakfast. Q: How much does IORI STAY cost? A: Prices at IORI STAY start at ¥40,000 per room per night (2026), about CAD 360 or USD 253 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at IORI STAY? A: IORI STAY: Breakfast. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://iori-stay.com/ja/ https://iori-stay.com/ja/concept/ https://iori-stay.com/ja/stays/iori-studio-room/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/stay/detail_4022.html ### Irago Ocean Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/irago-ocean-resort Type: Stay Local name: 伊良湖オーシャンリゾート (ja) Also known as: 伊良湖オーシャンリゾート Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Town: Irago Address: 1460-36 Honeyama, Hiji-cho, Tahara, Aichi Coordinates: 34.58219, 137.03635 Kind: Hotel Prices: Rates live on the operator's booking engine. Tahara's 2022 supporter leaflet gave the day-bath price as ¥1,600, cut to ¥1,300 for riders who showed it. Meals: A buffet restaurant, Bold Kitchen, and the Tridente seaside restaurant. Amenities: Large onsen bath, Private baths, Buffet restaurant, Free parking Best for: families, riders who want a big onsen hotel Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike rental: E-bikes at ¥500 an hour or ¥2,000 a day under Tahara's rental scheme, on its list dated June 2024. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://irago-ocean-resort.com/ Summary: Irago Ocean Resort suits riders who want a large onsen hotel above Cape Irago, and it publishes no rule on where your bike sleeps. The hotel stands on a hill about 100 m up, with the sea on almost every side, and its large bath draws Irago Onsen water. Tahara city lists it as an Atsumi Cycle Supporter, and it rents e-bikes at ¥500 an hour. Iconia Hospitality runs the hotel and books it through its own engine. Q: Are meals included at Irago Ocean Resort? A: Irago Ocean Resort: A buffet restaurant, Bold Kitchen, and the Tridente seaside restaurant. Q: What does Irago Ocean Resort have? A: Irago Ocean Resort lists large onsen bath, private baths, buffet restaurant, free parking. Q: Who is Irago Ocean Resort good for? A: Irago Ocean Resort suits families, riders who want a big onsen hotel. Q: Is Irago Ocean Resort bike-friendly? A: Yes. Irago Ocean Resort welcomes cyclists. E-bikes at ¥500 an hour or ¥2,000 a day under Tahara's rental scheme, on its list dated June 2024. Q: Does Irago Ocean Resort have an onsen? A: Yes. Irago Ocean Resort has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://irago-ocean-resort.com/ https://irago-ocean-resort.com/faq/ https://irago-ocean-resort.com/news/3627 https://www.taharakankou.gr.jp/spot/spot.php?search_category1=5&spot_id=127 https://www.taharakankou.gr.jp/special/rental_cycle/index.php https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/ccr9dq0000000nsd-att/khmf2300000000fu.pdf ### Irago Resort & Convention Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/irago-resort-and-convention-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 伊良湖リゾート＆コンベンションホテル (ja) Also known as: Irago Resort and Convention Hotel, 伊良湖リゾート&コンベンションホテル, Irago Sea Park & Spa, 伊良湖シーパーク＆スパ Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Town: Irago Address: 2822-2 Miyashita, Irago-cho, Tahara, Aichi Coordinates: 34.58781, 137.02630 Kind: Hotel Prices: The bike plan sells through the hotel's own booking engine, which shows no rate until you pick a date. Meals: Breakfast comes with the bike plan; dinner isn't included on it. Restaurants are Misaki and Le Paradis, with the La Mer tea lounge. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 122 Amenities: Large bath, Sauna, Ocean view rooms, Free Wi Fi, Free shuttle to the ferry terminal Best for: riders taking the Irago–Toba ferry, couples Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: On the bike plan up to two bikes go in the room; put the bike type in the booking notes. Other guests use a covered parking space at the hotel, which is small, so call ahead. Bike rental: E-bikes at ¥500 an hour or ¥2,000 a day under Tahara's rental scheme, on its list dated June 2024. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://hmihotelgroup.com/iragoresortconventionhotel/ Booking: https://go-hmihotelgroup.reservation.jp/ja/hotels/iragoresortconventionhotel/plans/10109867?dateUndecidedFlg=1 Summary: Irago Resort & Convention Hotel suits riders catching the Toba ferry who want the bike in the room, and the plan that allows it comes with breakfast only. The hotel faces Coconut Beach at the tip of the Atsumi Peninsula, a few minutes from the Irago ferry terminal, and every room looks out to sea. Its bike plan lets up to two bikes into the room if you name the type of bike in the booking notes. Other riders can park in a covered space by the building, which is limited, so the hotel asks you to call first. Ask at the front desk for a lift to the ferry, and book the free bus from Toyohashi Station by 18:00 the day before. Q: Can I take my bike into the room at Irago Resort & Convention Hotel? A: Yes, on the hotel's bike plan, which allows two bikes a room. Put the type of bike in the booking notes. Q: Are meals included at Irago Resort & Convention Hotel? A: Irago Resort & Convention Hotel: Breakfast comes with the bike plan; dinner isn't included on it. Restaurants are Misaki and Le Paradis, with the La Mer tea lounge. Q: What does Irago Resort & Convention Hotel have? A: Irago Resort & Convention Hotel lists large bath, sauna, ocean view rooms, free wi fi, free shuttle to the ferry terminal. Q: Who is Irago Resort & Convention Hotel good for? A: Irago Resort & Convention Hotel suits riders taking the Irago–Toba ferry, couples. Q: Does Irago Resort & Convention Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Irago Resort & Convention Hotel has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://go-hmihotelgroup.reservation.jp/ja/hotels/iragoresortconventionhotel/plans/10109867?dateUndecidedFlg=1 https://hmihotelgroup.com/iragoresortconventionhotel/faq/ https://hmihotelgroup.com/iragoresortconventionhotel/access/ https://www.taharakankou.gr.jp/spot/spot.php?search_category1=5&spot_id=545 https://www.taharakankou.gr.jp/special/rental_cycle/index.php ### Izu Matsuzaki-so URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/izu-matsuzaki-so Type: Stay Local name: 伊豆まつざき荘 (ja) Also known as: Matsuzaki-so, Izu Matsuzakiso, 伊豆まつざき荘 国民宿舎 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Matsuzaki Address: 静岡県賀茂郡松崎町江奈210-1 Coordinates: 34.75720, 138.77640 Kind: Hotel From: ¥12,560 per person (2026), about CAD 113 or USD 79 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: The public lodge lists dinner and breakfast from ¥12,560 a person with tax included. The private bath costs ¥2,200 for 45 minutes. Meals: Dinner from 18:00 to 20:00 and breakfast in the second-floor restaurant; no meals in the room Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen with outdoor bath, Private accessible bath, Sea view rooms, Free parking, Wheelchair loan Best for: riders on the west coast, families, budget travellers, sunset watchers Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The lodge's FAQ gives no tattoo rule. The private bath can be booked on the day for ¥2,200. Price from: ¥12,560 per person (2026), about CAD 113 or USD 79 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://izu-matsuzakisou.com/ Booking: https://d-reserve.jp/GSEA001F01300/GSEA001A01?hotelCode=0000001962 Summary: Izu Matsuzaki-so suits riders and families on Izu's west coast who want a sea-view onsen and two meals for about ¥12,500 a head, and the trade-off is the plain feel of a former national lodge. Izu Matsuzaki-so is a public lodge, once a national lodge, run by the town's development corporation on the beach at Matsuzaki. Rooms face Suruga Bay, where the sun goes down over the water. Choose between a ten-mat tatami room that sleeps five and twins with a bath; the tatami rooms have a toilet only. The baths are on the sixth floor, with an outdoor pool on both sides and an indoor bath with hot and cooler tubs. You can soak from check-in until 9:00 the next morning, and the water is a calcium and sodium sulphate spring. A private bath fitted for wheelchair users costs ¥2,200 for 45 minutes. Dinner runs from 18:00 to 20:00 in the restaurant. Bookings open on the first day of the month six months ahead, and the summer holidays and New Year go by lottery. Parking is free for guests. Tips: - Enter the New Year lottery early if you want a winter night on the west coast. - Shops and a supermarket are a few minutes away by car, the lodge says. Q: How do you book Izu Matsuzaki-so over New Year? A: New Year and the summer holidays are booked by lottery through the lodge's form. Other dates open on the first day of the month six months ahead. Q: How much does Izu Matsuzaki-so cost? A: Prices at Izu Matsuzaki-so start at ¥12,560 per person (2026), about CAD 113 or USD 79 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Izu Matsuzaki-so? A: Izu Matsuzaki-so: Dinner from 18:00 to 20:00 and breakfast in the second-floor restaurant; no meals in the room. Q: What does Izu Matsuzaki-so have? A: Izu Matsuzaki-so lists onsen with outdoor bath, private accessible bath, sea view rooms, free parking, wheelchair loan. Q: Who is Izu Matsuzaki-so good for? A: Izu Matsuzaki-so suits riders on the west coast, families, budget travellers, sunset watchers. Q: Does Izu Matsuzaki-so have an onsen? A: Yes. Izu Matsuzaki-so has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://izu-matsuzakisou.com/ https://izu-matsuzakisou.com/faq.html https://izu-matsuzakisou.com/shisetsu.html https://izu-matsuzakisou.com/access.html https://www.izu-matsuzaki.com/ ### J-Hoppers Lake Biwa Guesthouse URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/j-hoppers-lake-biwa Type: Stay Local name: ジェイホッパーズ琵琶湖ゲストハウス (ja) Also known as: J-Hoppers Biwako, J-Hoppers Lake Biwa Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Otsu Address: 931-1 Kita-Hira, Otsu, Shiga 520-0503 Coordinates: 35.22660, 135.95710 Kind: Hostel Prices: Bed and room rates live on the booking page and change by date. Check-in: 15:00-21:00, out by 08:00-12:00 Amenities: Dormitories, Private rooms, Indoor bike parking, Floor pump, Tool kit, Shared bathrooms Best for: solo riders, budget, west-shore overnight Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes go in an indoor bike room. For riders: Tools Bike rental: A guest review on the hostel's site mentions renting a bike here; the hostel publishes no rental terms. Baths: Shared baths Website: https://biwako.j-hoppers.com/ Summary: J-Hoppers suits solo and budget riders on the west shore who want an indoor bike room and a proper floor pump, and every room shares the bathrooms. J-Hoppers runs this guesthouse at Kita-Hira, which is about 15 minutes on foot from JR Omi-Maiko. It has mixed and women's dorms and private Japanese rooms. It is set up for riders: bikes sleep in an indoor bike room, and the hostel lends a Shimano Pro tool set and a floor pump with a gauge. Reception runs 10:00–14:00 and 15:00–21:00, and staff say they are not answering the phone, so message through the booking site. After checkout the car park is free until 14:00 and costs ¥1,000 until 17:00. Q: What does J-Hoppers Lake Biwa Guesthouse have? A: J-Hoppers Lake Biwa Guesthouse lists dormitories, private rooms, indoor bike parking, floor pump, tool kit, shared bathrooms. Q: Who is J-Hoppers Lake Biwa Guesthouse good for? A: J-Hoppers Lake Biwa Guesthouse suits solo riders, budget, west-shore overnight. Q: Is J-Hoppers Lake Biwa Guesthouse bike-friendly? A: Yes. J-Hoppers Lake Biwa Guesthouse welcomes cyclists. Storage: bikes go in an indoor bike room. A guest review on the hostel's site mentions renting a bike here; the hostel publishes no rental terms. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://biwako.j-hoppers.com/ https://j-hoppers.com/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/352316754 ### JAM Fukui Katsuyama Tokyu Hotel & Resorts URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/jam-fukui-katsuyama-tokyu-hotel Type: Stay Local name: JAM福井勝山東急ホテル＆リゾーツ (ja) Also known as: Hotel Ski Jam Katsuyama, Ski Jam Katsuyama hotel, JAM hotel Katsuyama Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Fukui Town: Katsuyama Address: 170-70 Katsuyama, Fukui 911-0000 Coordinates: 36.07333, 136.55556 Kind: Ski hotel Prices: Plans are priced by date on Tokyu Hotels' booking page. Meals: Hotel restaurants and a guests' lounge with free drinks and light snacks Amenities: Onsen, Sauna, Indoor pool, Guest lounge, Free shuttle from Fukui Station Best for: families, skiers, groups Ski-in ski-out: Yes To the lifts: The resort describes the hotel as ski-in, ski-out. Shuttle: Free shuttle for hotel guests from JR Fukui Station, booked online. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://jamresort.jp/hotel/ Summary: JAM Fukui Katsuyama Tokyu Hotel suits families who want ski-in, ski-out rooms, an onsen and an indoor pool at the base of the resort, and its trade-off is a drive or a shuttle ride to anything in town. The resort hotel sits at the foot of the slopes, and the resort describes it as ski-in, ski-out. Rooms run from Western twins to Japanese-Western family rooms for seven or eight, and one room is themed on a dinosaur laboratory. Guests bathe free in the Hoonji Onsen Sasayuri baths at most hours of the day, including before check-in and after check-out. A free bus for hotel guests runs from JR Fukui Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen. The guests' lounge pours coffee made with local water and Fukui barley tea through the day. Q: Are meals included at JAM Fukui Katsuyama Tokyu Hotel & Resorts? A: JAM Fukui Katsuyama Tokyu Hotel & Resorts: Hotel restaurants and a guests' lounge with free drinks and light snacks. Q: What does JAM Fukui Katsuyama Tokyu Hotel & Resorts have? A: JAM Fukui Katsuyama Tokyu Hotel & Resorts lists onsen, sauna, indoor pool, guest lounge, free shuttle from fukui station. Q: Who is JAM Fukui Katsuyama Tokyu Hotel & Resorts good for? A: JAM Fukui Katsuyama Tokyu Hotel & Resorts suits families, skiers, groups. Q: Is JAM Fukui Katsuyama Tokyu Hotel & Resorts ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. JAM Fukui Katsuyama Tokyu Hotel & Resorts is ski-in ski-out. Q: Does JAM Fukui Katsuyama Tokyu Hotel & Resorts have an onsen? A: Yes. JAM Fukui Katsuyama Tokyu Hotel & Resorts has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://jamresort.jp/hotel/ https://jamresort.jp/hotel/rooms/ https://jamresort.jp/about/ https://jamresort.jp/onsen-pool/ https://jamresort.jp/access/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11311432 ### JR Clement Inn Imabari URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/jr-clement-inn-imabari Type: Stay Local name: JRクレメントイン今治 (ja) Also known as: Clement Inn Imabari, JR Clement Inn Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: 773-9 Kitahorai-cho, Imabari, Ehime 794-0028 Coordinates: 34.06510, 132.99100 Kind: Business hotel From: ¥7,500 per room per night (2026), about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Jalan listed a limited room-only plan at ¥7,500 for two people sharing a 13.9 m² single with one 140 cm bed in October 2026. Book a cycle single or cycle twin plan to get the bike hanger. Breakfast costs ¥1,600 when not included. Meals: Imabari Irodori breakfast buffet, ¥1,600 when not included; no dinner. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Cycle rooms with bike hangers, Bike sized lift, Pump and tools, Coin laundry, Lounge, Free parking Best for: road riders, train arrivals, solo travellers Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Cycle singles and cycle twins have wall hangers for one or two bikes. Guests in other rooms use the Imabari Station north bike park under the tracks on the hotel's west side. For riders: Tools Baths: Private baths Price from: ¥7,500 per room per night (2026), about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.jrclement.co.jp/inn/imabari/ Booking: https://go-jrhotel-m.reservation.jp/ja/hotels/inn-imabari/searchInput Summary: JR Clement Inn Imabari suits riders arriving by train who want a bike-hanger room a minute from the platforms; the trade-off is that only 17 rooms take bikes. The JR Clement chain opened this inn on 16 September 2021, a minute's walk from JR Imabari Station. Thirteen cycle singles and four cycle twins have wall hangers, and the lift is big enough for a bike. The desk lends a pump and tools. Guests in other rooms leave bikes in the station's covered bike park on the hotel's west side. Breakfast is the Imabari Irodori buffet, which costs ¥1,600 when your plan leaves it out. The Shimanami Lounge has Wi-Fi and sockets for planning the next day's ride. Two washers and two dryers on the second floor keep kit fresh on a multi-day trip, and the room TV shows when they are free. Q: Can I take my bike into my room at JR Clement Inn Imabari? A: Yes, in a cycle single or cycle twin, which have wall hangers. Other guests park in the station bike park beside the hotel. Q: How much does JR Clement Inn Imabari cost? A: Prices at JR Clement Inn Imabari start at ¥7,500 per room per night (2026), about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at JR Clement Inn Imabari? A: JR Clement Inn Imabari: Imabari Irodori breakfast buffet, ¥1,600 when not included; no dinner. Q: What does JR Clement Inn Imabari have? A: JR Clement Inn Imabari lists cycle rooms with bike hangers, bike sized lift, pump and tools, coin laundry, lounge, free parking. Q: Who is JR Clement Inn Imabari good for? A: JR Clement Inn Imabari suits road riders, train arrivals, solo travellers. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.jrclement.co.jp/inn/imabari/ https://www.jrclement.co.jp/inn/imabari/stay/ https://www.jrclement.co.jp/inn/imabari/faq/ https://www.jrclement.co.jp/inn/imabari/service/ https://www.jrclement.co.jp/inn/imabari/access/ https://www.jalan.net/yad333415/plan/ ### KAI Okuhida URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kai-okuhida Type: Stay Local name: 界 奥飛騨 (ja) Also known as: Kai Okuhida, Hoshino Resorts KAI Okuhida Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Hirayu Onsen Address: 138 Hirayu, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1433 Coordinates: 36.19211, 137.55367 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Rates are on Hoshino Resorts' booking pages. Meals: Dinner and breakfast Check-in: out by 11:00 Amenities: Onsen, Rotenburo, Rooms with outdoor baths Best for: couples, travellers with tattoos, special occasions Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Welcome Tattoo rule: Hoshino Resorts does not restrict guests with tattoos at its baths, but may refuse use if staff judge other guests could be frightened. Website: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/kaiokuhida/ Summary: KAI Okuhida suits couples who want a polished Hoshino ryokan at the gateway to Okuhida, and Hoshino's policy lets tattooed guests bathe. The trade-off is the Hoshino price. KAI Okuhida stands in Hirayu, and its indoor bath has a hot tub and a cooler one of water that flows straight from the source. The outdoor bath is built to look like a corridor cut through deep snow, and the Hida MOKU rooms have their own rotenburo. Hoshino Resorts says it does not restrict guests with tattoos, though it may turn anyone away whom staff judge could frighten other bathers. Q: Are meals included at KAI Okuhida? A: KAI Okuhida: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does KAI Okuhida have? A: KAI Okuhida lists onsen, rotenburo, rooms with outdoor baths. Q: Who is KAI Okuhida good for? A: KAI Okuhida suits couples, travellers with tattoos, special occasions. Q: Does KAI Okuhida have an onsen? A: Yes. KAI Okuhida has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Q: Can you use the baths at KAI Okuhida with tattoos? A: Yes. The baths at KAI Okuhida welcome bathers with tattoos. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/kaiokuhida/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/kaiokuhida/sp/onsen/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/sp/faq/hotelinfo/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/stay/detail_5517.html ### KAI Zao URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kai-zao Type: Stay Local name: 界 蔵王 (ja) Also known as: Hoshino Resorts KAI Zao, 星野リゾート 界 蔵王 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: 903-2 Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata 990-2301 Status: opening (opens 2026-10-15). Hoshino Resorts gives 15 October 2026 as the opening day, so the first ski season here is 2026/27. Coordinates: 38.16590, 140.39600 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥20,350 per person (2026), about CAD 183 or USD 129 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Jalan lists room-only stays from ¥20,350 a person when two share and dinner with breakfast from ¥26,125 a person. Rooms with their own open-air bath and the special rooms run well above that, and Hoshino's own site sets its own rates. Meals: Kaiseki dinner and a Japanese or Western breakfast; room-only and breakfast-only plans also sell Check-in: 14:30, out by 11:00 Rooms: 49 Amenities: Onsen, Sauna, Rooftop whirlpool, Ski drying room, Café lounge, Free parking, Wi Fi Best for: couples, skiers, onsen lovers To the lifts: Hoshino says the hotel stands directly in front of the Zao Chuo Ropeway, and Jalan lists the slopes within a five-minute walk. Boot room: Yes Ski storage: Yes Shuttle: Hoshino lists no shuttle. Yamagata Station is about 40 minutes away by bus or taxi. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: KAI Zao's pages and its Jalan listing state no tattoo rule, so ask before you book. Price from: ¥20,350 per person (2026), about CAD 183 or USD 129 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/kaizao/ Summary: KAI Zao suits couples who want a polished Hoshino Resorts ryokan in front of the Zao Chuo Ropeway, and the trade-off is that it only opens on 15 October 2026, so this winter is its first. Hoshino Resorts opens KAI Zao in a 14-sided tower at 903-2 Zao Onsen. All 49 rooms are Western style and sleep up to four, and some come with their own open-air bath. The signature rooms take their colour from Yamagata safflower, with rug tapestries, washi lamps and curved furniture made by craftsmen at Tendo Mokko. The baths use Zao Onsen's strongly acidic spring, and Jalan's listing says the inn adds water and heats it. A wellness area adds a sauna, and the whirlpool on the spiral roof is shaped like the Okama crater lake. Jalan notes that the sauna and the whirlpool are mixed and need a swimsuit. Hoshino puts the Chuo Ropeway directly in front of the hotel, and the ropeway rides up Mt. Torikabuto to 1,387 metres. Skis, boards and boots dry overnight in a dedicated room, and early starters can take a KAI Breakfast Box to the first lift. Dinner follows shojin ryori, the Buddhist temple cooking, with a Gassan nabe of duck, seri and five kinds of mushroom, and a vegetarian kaiseki needs five days' notice. Tips: - The hotel runs no shuttle, so take the bus or a taxi from Yamagata Station; Hoshino puts the ride at about 40 minutes. - Western breakfast is off the menu from 1 to 3 January. Q: How much does KAI Zao cost? A: Prices at KAI Zao start at ¥20,350 per person (2026), about CAD 183 or USD 129 (October 2026 rates). Q: When does KAI Zao open? A: KAI Zao is due to open in October 2026. Hoshino Resorts gives 15 October 2026 as the opening day, so the first ski season here is 2026/27. Q: Are meals included at KAI Zao? A: KAI Zao: Kaiseki dinner and a Japanese or Western breakfast; room-only and breakfast-only plans also sell. Q: What does KAI Zao have? A: KAI Zao lists onsen, sauna, rooftop whirlpool, ski drying room, café lounge, free parking, wi fi. Q: Who is KAI Zao good for? A: KAI Zao suits couples, skiers, onsen lovers. Q: Does KAI Zao have an onsen? A: Yes. KAI Zao has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/kaizao/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/kaizao/ https://zaomountainresort.com/stay/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/kaizao/sp/ikonpass/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/kaizao/access/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/kaizao/dining/ https://maps.app.goo.gl/UCYiiyhU5n9cuzAFA https://www.jalan.net/yad316406/ https://www.jalan.net/yad316406/plan/?dateUndecided=1&adultNum=2&roomCount=1 ### Kaikake Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kaikake-onsen Type: Stay Local name: 奥湯沢 貝掛温泉 (ja) Also known as: Kaikake, Oku-Yuzawa Kaikake Onsen, 貝掛温泉 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町大字三俣字貝掛686 Coordinates: 36.87220, 138.76980 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥20,900 per person (2026), about CAD 188 or USD 132 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Meals: Dinner and breakfast with river fish and mountain vegetables Rooms: 21 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Tours Best for: couples, onsen lovers, quiet stays Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥20,900 per person (2026), about CAD 188 or USD 132 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://kaikake.jp/ Summary: Kaikake Onsen suits couples who want a lone inn in the woods between Yuzawa and Naeba, and its trade-off is a drive or a pick-up for everything beyond the bath. Kaikake is a single inn across the Kaikake bridge over the Kiyotsu River, in the Mitsumata district on the way up to Kagura and Naeba. The inn calls its water an eye onsen, and it has an open-air bath and a large bathhouse. The kitchen has its own cooks and serves char and carp with mountain vegetables. The 21 rooms are Japanese-style. The inn runs small tours through the year. In 2026 these included snowshoe walks in March and visits to the Aoki and Shirataki sake breweries from 19 November. Q: How much does Kaikake Onsen cost? A: Prices at Kaikake Onsen start at ¥20,900 per person (2026), about CAD 188 or USD 132 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Kaikake Onsen? A: Kaikake Onsen: Dinner and breakfast with river fish and mountain vegetables. Q: What does Kaikake Onsen have? A: Kaikake Onsen lists onsen, open air bath, tours. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kaikake.jp/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/stay_p/okuyuzawa-kaikake-onsen/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/stay/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111866293 ### Kamenoi Hotel Hikone URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kamenoi-hotel-hikone Type: Stay Local name: 亀の井ホテル 彦根 (ja) Also known as: Kampo no Yado Hikone, かんぽの宿彦根 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Hikone Address: 3759 Matsubara-cho, Hikone, Shiga 522-0002 Coordinates: 35.28725, 136.24925 Kind: Hotel Prices: Plans are priced by date on the hotel's booking pages. Meals: Dinner, breakfast and lunch are served in the hotel. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Hot spring bath, Lake view rooms, Accessible room Best for: families, onsen night, lake views Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://kamenoi-hotels.com/hikone/ Summary: Kamenoi Hotel Hikone suits families who want an onsen hotel on the Matsubara shore with every room facing the lake, and you check out early at 10:00. This was Kampo no Yado Hikone until the Kamenoi group took it over, and it still sits on the Matsubara lakeshore north of the castle. Every room faces the lake, from standard twins up to 12-mat Japanese rooms and a family room. Check-in is at 15:00 and checkout at 10:00. It is on Shiga's cyclist-friendly list, which first named it under its old name in 2022. Q: Are meals included at Kamenoi Hotel Hikone? A: Kamenoi Hotel Hikone: Dinner, breakfast and lunch are served in the hotel. Q: What does Kamenoi Hotel Hikone have? A: Kamenoi Hotel Hikone lists hot spring bath, lake view rooms, accessible room. Q: Who is Kamenoi Hotel Hikone good for? A: Kamenoi Hotel Hikone suits families, onsen night, lake views. Q: Is Kamenoi Hotel Hikone bike-friendly? A: Yes. Kamenoi Hotel Hikone welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Q: Does Kamenoi Hotel Hikone have an onsen? A: Yes. Kamenoi Hotel Hikone has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kamenoi-hotels.com/hikone/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6651/5308844.xlsx ### Kamenoi Hotel Tazawako URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kamenoi-hotel-tazawako Type: Stay Local name: 亀の井ホテル 田沢湖 (ja) Also known as: Kamenoi Tazawako, Kamenoi Hotel Tazawa-ko, 亀の井ホテル田沢湖 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Town: Tazawako Address: 2-32 Komagatake, Obonai, Tazawako, Semboku, Akita 014-1201 Coordinates: 39.78210, 140.76560 Kind: Hotel From: ¥5,376 per person (2026), about CAD 48 or USD 34 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Rakuten Travel shows rates from ¥5,376 a person including tax, its lowest guide figure. The tourism association lists dinner and breakfast from ¥9,000 a person before tax. Children under three pay a ¥1,650 facility charge. Meals: Buffet dinner and breakfast of Akita dishes, all you can eat. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen indoor and outdoor baths, Ski area shuttle, Station shuttle, Buffet restaurant, Free parking, EV charger Best for: families, budget skiers, groups Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: Rakuten Travel puts Tazawako ski area about 10 minutes away by car. Shuttle: Free bus from Tazawako Station at 15:30, 16:30 and 17:30, back at 10:00. In winter the 8:00 and 9:00 runs stop at Tazawako ski area and a bus leaves the ski area at 16:10. Book by 17:00 the day before. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥5,376 per person (2026), about CAD 48 or USD 34 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.kamenoi-hotels.com/tazawako/ Summary: Kamenoi Hotel Tazawako suits families and skiers on a budget who want a free bus to Tazawako ski area and an Akita buffet, and the trade-off is a big, busy hotel 10 minutes' drive from the lifts. This large onsen hotel stands on the Tazawako Kogen plateau below Mt. Akita-Komagatake. Its free bus leaves Tazawako Station at 15:30, 16:30 and 17:30 and takes about 30 minutes. In winter the 8:00 and 9:00 morning departures call at Tazawako ski area, and a bus collects skiers there at 16:10. Book by 17:00 the day before, because seats go in order of booking. Big windows in the indoor bath Sennin no Yu look onto a garden of beech and broadleaf trees. The outdoor pool, Wakuju no Yu, has no washing area and opens at 16:00. The water is a sulphur spring rich in metasilicic acid, and the white flakes you see in the tub are yunohana mineral deposits. Dinner is an all-you-can-eat buffet of Akita food, with kiritanpo hotpot in Hinai-jidori stock and firm Inaniwa udon. Every room is non-smoking. There's no coin laundry, which matters on a long ski trip, and the hotel asks drivers to fit winter tyres for the icy plateau roads. Tips: - Guests bathe from 15:00 to midnight and from 5:00 to 10:00, with the outdoor bath closing at 9:00 on Friday mornings for maintenance. - Staff hold bags before check-in and after check-out. Q: How much does Kamenoi Hotel Tazawako cost? A: Prices at Kamenoi Hotel Tazawako start at ¥5,376 per person (2026), about CAD 48 or USD 34 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Kamenoi Hotel Tazawako? A: Kamenoi Hotel Tazawako: Buffet dinner and breakfast of Akita dishes, all you can eat. Q: What does Kamenoi Hotel Tazawako have? A: Kamenoi Hotel Tazawako lists onsen indoor and outdoor baths, ski area shuttle, station shuttle, buffet restaurant, free parking, ev charger. Q: Who is Kamenoi Hotel Tazawako good for? A: Kamenoi Hotel Tazawako suits families, budget skiers, groups. Q: Is Kamenoi Hotel Tazawako ski-in ski-out? A: No. Kamenoi Hotel Tazawako sits away from the lifts, and free bus from Tazawako Station at 15:30, 16:30 and 17:30, back at 10:00. In winter the 8:00 and 9:00 runs stop at Tazawako ski area and a bus leaves the ski area at 16:10. Book by 17:00 the day before. Q: Does Kamenoi Hotel Tazawako have an onsen? A: Yes. Kamenoi Hotel Tazawako has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kamenoi-hotels.com/tazawako/ https://www.kamenoi-hotels.com/tazawako/access/ https://www.kamenoi-hotels.com/tazawako/onsen/ https://www.kamenoi-hotels.com/tazawako/faq/ https://www.kamenoi-hotels.com/tazawako/facility/ https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/accommodation/11111/ https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/11222/rtmap.html ### Kamenoi Hotel Tsukubasan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kamenoi-hotel-tsukubasan Type: Stay Local name: 亀の井ホテル 筑波山 (ja) Also known as: Kamenoi Hotel Mt. Tsukuba, Kamenoi Tsukuba Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Town: Tsukuba Address: 1050-1 Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-4352 Coordinates: 36.21210, 140.09790 Kind: Hotel Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Cycling rooms, Free parking Best for: Mt. Tsukuba climb, views of the Kanto plain Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes go in the room; the hotel has cycling rooms built for it. For riders: Wash area Website: https://kamenoi-hotels.com/tsukubasan/ Summary: Kamenoi Hotel Tsukubasan suits riders who want to finish the Mt. Tsukuba climb at a big hotel with cycling rooms and a view to Tokyo, and you earn the bath with the climb. This large hotel sits halfway up Mt. Tsukuba by the shrine village and was renovated in 2024. Its cycling rooms let you sleep beside your bike, and on clear days the rooms look across the Kanto plain to Tokyo's towers and Mt. Fuji. The Tsukuba station shuttle bus takes about 40 minutes. Q: What does Kamenoi Hotel Tsukubasan have? A: Kamenoi Hotel Tsukubasan lists cycling rooms, free parking. Q: Who is Kamenoi Hotel Tsukubasan good for? A: Kamenoi Hotel Tsukubasan suits Mt. Tsukuba climb, views of the Kanto plain. Q: Is Kamenoi Hotel Tsukubasan bike-friendly? A: Yes. Kamenoi Hotel Tsukubasan welcomes cyclists. Storage: bikes go in the room; the hotel has cycling rooms built for it. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kamenoi-hotels.com/tsukubasan/ https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/stay/kamenoihotel/ ### Kamogawa Sea World Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kamogawa-seaworld-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 鴨川シーワールドホテル (ja) Also known as: Kamogawa Seaworld Hotel, 鴨川シーワールドホテル, Sea World Hotel Kamogawa Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Town: Kamogawa Address: 1464-18 Higashi-cho, Kamogawa, Chiba 296-0041 Coordinates: 35.11720, 140.12250 Kind: Hotel Meals: Some plans include dinner and breakfast, and some add a dolphin encounter at the aquarium. Amenities: Onsen bath, Restaurant, Aquarium next door Best for: families, a rest day by the sea, the Pacific side of Boso Website: https://www.kamogawa-seaworld.jp/hotel/ Summary: Kamogawa Sea World Hotel suits families who want an ocean-view room beside the aquarium on a rest day, and its trade-off is a hotel built around Sea World that publishes nothing for riders. This is Kamogawa Sea World's official hotel, and every room faces the Pacific. Plans pair the stay with the aquarium, from watching the staff behind the tanks on check-out day to a dolphin encounter on arrival, so it works best as the family night in a Boso trip. The hotel has an onsen bath for guests. The hotel's site makes no mention of bike storage, so ask before you arrive with bikes. Kamochari+ rents bikes in town at Awa-Kamogawa Station. Q: Are meals included at Kamogawa Sea World Hotel? A: Kamogawa Sea World Hotel: Some plans include dinner and breakfast, and some add a dolphin encounter at the aquarium. Q: What does Kamogawa Sea World Hotel have? A: Kamogawa Sea World Hotel lists onsen bath, restaurant, aquarium next door. Q: Who is Kamogawa Sea World Hotel good for? A: Kamogawa Sea World Hotel suits families, a rest day by the sea, the Pacific side of Boso. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kamogawa-seaworld.jp/hotel/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%8D%83%E8%91%89%E7%9C%8C%E9%B4%A8%E5%B7%9D%E5%B8%82%E6%9D%B1%E7%94%BA1464-18 ### Kanaguya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kanaguya Type: Stay Local name: 歴史の宿 金具屋 (ja) Also known as: Rekishi no Yado Kanaguya, Kanaguya Ryokan Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Yamanouchi Address: 2202 Hirao, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano 381-0401 Coordinates: 36.73470, 138.43290 Kind: Ryokan Meals: Dinner and breakfast Amenities: Onsen, Private baths Best for: architecture lovers, couples, onsen lovers Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://kanaguya.com/ Summary: Kanaguya is the tall wooden ryokan on Shibu's onsen street, known for its Saigetsuro building, and it suits travellers who want to sleep inside old architecture. The trade-off is the narrow lane, where cars face limits during the 2026 paving works. Kanaguya calls itself a history inn and keeps eight source-fed baths running with kakenagashi water. Its wooden Saigetsuro wing faces the lane in the middle of the onsen village. Shibu Onsen has stone-paving works with vehicle limits from 29 June 2026 into early December 2026, so walk the last stretch if you arrive before the works end. Q: Are meals included at Kanaguya? A: Kanaguya: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Kanaguya have? A: Kanaguya lists onsen, private baths. Q: Who is Kanaguya good for? A: Kanaguya suits architecture lovers, couples, onsen lovers. Q: Is Kanaguya ski-in ski-out? A: No. Kanaguya sits away from the lifts. Q: Does Kanaguya have an onsen? A: Yes. Kanaguya has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kanaguya.com/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/6622278085 ### Kanazawa Tokyu Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kanazawa-tokyu-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 金沢東急ホテル (ja) Also known as: Tokyu Hotel Kanazawa, Kanazawa Tokyu Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Town: Kanazawa Address: 2-1-1 Korinbo, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0961 Coordinates: 36.56263, 136.65322 Kind: Hotel Prices: Rates change by date. Guests park in the Korinbo underground car park below the hotel for ¥1,500 from 14:00 to 11:00 the next day. Amenities: Restaurant, Partner parking Best for: couples, families, walkers Website: https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/kanazawa-h/ Summary: Kanazawa Tokyu Hotel suits visitors who want to walk to Kenroku-en and the castle park from a central hotel, and its trade-off is a six-minute drive or a bus ride from Kanazawa Station. The hotel stands in Korinbo in the centre of Kanazawa, six minutes by car from Kanazawa Station by its own reckoning. Kenroku-en and the castle park are an easy walk away. The Kanazawa Marathon passes on 25 October 2026 and the hotel warns of road closures that day, so check the times before you plan a taxi. Q: What does Kanazawa Tokyu Hotel have? A: Kanazawa Tokyu Hotel lists restaurant, partner parking. Q: Who is Kanazawa Tokyu Hotel good for? A: Kanazawa Tokyu Hotel suits couples, families, walkers. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/kanazawa-h/ https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/kanazawa-h/access/index.html ### Kiriya Ryokan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kiriya-ryokan Type: Stay Local name: 桐屋旅館 (ja) Also known as: Kiriya, Ryokan Kiriya Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Address: 8714-2 Toyosato, Nozawaonsen-mura, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano 389-2502 Coordinates: 36.92480, 138.44750 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Plans are priced on the booking calendar; late December to mid-February often sells out, so phone the inn. Meals: Breakfast plans and dinner-and-breakfast plans with kaiseki dinners Amenities: Onsen, Private indoor bath, Wi Fi, Parking for 20 cars Best for: couples, families, first ryokan stay Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: 3 min on foot Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://kiriya.jp/ Summary: Kiriya Ryokan is a family-run inn in the middle of Nozawa Onsen with its own untreated spring, and it suits couples and families on their first ryokan stay. The trade-off is availability: the inn fills from late December to mid-February. The same family has run Kiriya for five generations. Its baths run on raw source water at 100 percent kakenagashi, which means the simple sulphur spring flows straight through untreated. Guests can also use an indoor bath privately at any time of the stay. The inn is about three minutes' walk from the Yu-Road moving walkway that climbs to the Hikage slopes, so you can walk to the lifts in boots. From April to mid-December the inn usually closes on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and in peak winter weeks it asks guests to phone 0269-85-2020. Q: Are meals included at Kiriya Ryokan? A: Kiriya Ryokan: Breakfast plans and dinner-and-breakfast plans with kaiseki dinners. Q: What does Kiriya Ryokan have? A: Kiriya Ryokan lists onsen, private indoor bath, wi fi, parking for 20 cars. Q: Who is Kiriya Ryokan good for? A: Kiriya Ryokan suits couples, families, first ryokan stay. Q: Is Kiriya Ryokan ski-in ski-out? A: No. Kiriya Ryokan sits 3 minutes on foot from the nearest lift. Q: Does Kiriya Ryokan have an onsen? A: Yes. Kiriya Ryokan has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kiriya.jp/ https://kiriya.jp/eng/ ### Kita Biwako Hotel Grazie URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kita-biwako-hotel-grazie Type: Stay Local name: 北ビワコホテル グラツィエ (ja) Also known as: Kitabiwako Hotel GRAZIE, Hotel Grazie Nagahama Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Nagahama Address: 4-17 Minato-machi, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0067 Coordinates: 35.37347, 136.26353 Kind: Hotel Prices: Plans and prices are on the hotel's booking site. Meals: Four restaurants: Chikubushima (Japanese), La Spiaggia (lakeside Western), the Verona café and Sunset Garden Cafe, which opened in September 2026. Rooms: 67 Amenities: Restaurants, Café, Banquet halls Best for: Nagahama overnight, Chikubushima ferry Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Private baths Website: https://www.k-grazie.co.jp/ Summary: Grazie suits riders who want a mid-range hotel beside Nagahama Port with restaurants downstairs, and it has no hot spring of its own. Grazie stands at Minato-machi beside Nagahama Port, where the boats leave for Chikubushima. It has 67 rooms and four places to eat, from Japanese at Chikubushima to a lakeside café that opened in September 2026. The Kurokabe glass quarter is a short ride inland. Shiga certifies it as cyclist-friendly, and the prefecture's map lists it as a cycle support station too. Q: Are meals included at Kita Biwako Hotel Grazie? A: Kita Biwako Hotel Grazie: Four restaurants: Chikubushima (Japanese), La Spiaggia (lakeside Western), the Verona café and Sunset Garden Cafe, which opened in September 2026. Q: What does Kita Biwako Hotel Grazie have? A: Kita Biwako Hotel Grazie lists restaurants, café, banquet halls. Q: Who is Kita Biwako Hotel Grazie good for? A: Kita Biwako Hotel Grazie suits Nagahama overnight, Chikubushima ferry. Q: Is Kita Biwako Hotel Grazie bike-friendly? A: Yes. Kita Biwako Hotel Grazie welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.k-grazie.co.jp/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### KKR Hotel Biwako URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kkr-hotel-biwako Type: Stay Local name: KKRホテルびわこ (ja) Also known as: KKR Biwako Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Otsu Address: 1-1-1 Shimosakamoto, Otsu, Shiga 520-0105 Coordinates: 35.05232, 135.87457 Kind: Hotel Prices: The hotel publishes plan prices through its booking pages. Day plans with lunch and the baths start at ¥6,500. Meals: Kaiseki dinners and a lakeside barbecue season from April. Amenities: Large bath with sauna, Lake view bath, Free shuttle from Karasaki Station, Barbecue terrace Best for: Sakamoto and Mt. Hiei, couples, west-shore overnight Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://biwako.kkr.or.jp/ Summary: KKR Hotel Biwako suits riders who want a calm lake-view room near Sakamoto, and it is a public servants' mutual-aid hotel where members come first. The National Federation of Mutual Aid Associations for Public Servants runs this hotel on the shore at Shimosakamoto, and anyone can book it. Rooms are lake-view Japanese rooms or twins, and the twins were renovated in March 2026. The bath uses hot spring water brought from KKR Hotel Atami. A free shuttle meets trains at JR Karasaki, which is 14 minutes from Kyoto Station, and the stone-walled temple town of Sakamoto is just up the road. Q: Are meals included at KKR Hotel Biwako? A: KKR Hotel Biwako: Kaiseki dinners and a lakeside barbecue season from April. Q: What does KKR Hotel Biwako have? A: KKR Hotel Biwako lists large bath with sauna, lake view bath, free shuttle from karasaki station, barbecue terrace. Q: Who is KKR Hotel Biwako good for? A: KKR Hotel Biwako suits Sakamoto and Mt. Hiei, couples, west-shore overnight. Q: Is KKR Hotel Biwako bike-friendly? A: Yes. KKR Hotel Biwako welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Q: Does KKR Hotel Biwako have an onsen? A: Yes. KKR Hotel Biwako has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://biwako.kkr.or.jp/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/5826811888 ### Kogakuro URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kogakuro Type: Stay Local name: 香嶽楼 (ja) Also known as: Kougakuro, Kogakurou Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市赤倉115 Coordinates: 36.89490, 138.17850 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥ Prices: Myoko Tourism last updated its listing in 2022 and gave ¥9,350 for a stay with dinner and breakfast. It does not say whether that is per person or per room, so check the 2026/27 rate with the inn. Meals: Dinner and breakfast Check-in: 15:00 (last 18:00), out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Sauna, Elevator, Drying room, Station shuttle Best for: couples, onsen lovers Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.myoko-kougakuro.jp/ Summary: Kogakuro suits travellers who want a full-service onsen ryokan in Akakura at a middle price, and its trade-off is a strict 18:00 check-in that leaves no slack for a late train. Kogakuro is a traditional ryokan in the upper part of Akakura Onsen with an elevator, a sauna and an open-air bath, all on free-flowing source water. The inn retells the story that the priest Shinran found the Akakura spring, and it notes that Akakura has drawn well-off visitors since the Meiji era. The last check-in is 18:00 and dinner starts by 18:30. If you are later than 18:00 without calling, the inn treats the booking as cancelled, so ring ahead from the train. From 20 December the inn charges ¥1,000 a night per car for its own car park, which you cannot reserve, or sends you to the village guest car park about 700 metres away. Day bathing costs ¥800 an adult from 15:00 to 19:00 outside the 20 December to 10 March peak. Q: Are meals included at Kogakuro? A: Kogakuro: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Kogakuro have? A: Kogakuro lists onsen, open air bath, sauna, elevator, drying room, station shuttle. Q: Who is Kogakuro good for? A: Kogakuro suits couples, onsen lovers. Q: Does Kogakuro have an onsen? A: Yes. Kogakuro has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.myoko-kougakuro.jp/ https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/%e9%a6%99%e5%b6%bd%e6%a5%bc/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県妙高市赤倉115 ### Kogen Hotel Taizan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kogen-hotel-taizan Type: Stay Local name: 高原ホテル対山 (ja) Also known as: Hotel Taizan, Taizan Akakura Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市赤倉426-2 Coordinates: 36.89380, 138.17900 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥ Prices: Myoko Tourism last updated its listing in 2022 and gave ¥8,532 for a stay with dinner and breakfast. It does not say whether that is per person or per room, so check the 2026/27 rate with the inn. Meals: Dinner and breakfast plans; room-only plans listed Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Private garden bath, Sauna, Parking, Station pick up Best for: skiers, groups, night owls To the lifts: 5 min on foot Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price band: ¥¥ Website: http://www.hoteltaizan.jp/ Summary: Kogen Hotel Taizan suits skiers who want to walk to both Akakura ski areas and then out to the bars, and its trade-off is the busy main-street spot that gives up the quiet of the forest inns. Taizan stands in the middle of Akakura's main street. The hotel puts both Akakura Kanko Resort and the Akakura Onsen ski area at a five-minute walk, and the izakaya and bars start at the front door. The baths are free-flowing Akakura water, with a big bath, a wooden bath and a garden open-air bath you can take privately. In 2025 the hotel renovated some rooms and gave them their own semi-open-air tubs of source water. Myoko Tourism lists a station pick-up and day bathing for visitors. In summer the hotel runs its own gym for sports camps, so the kitchen is used to feeding groups. Q: Are meals included at Kogen Hotel Taizan? A: Kogen Hotel Taizan: Dinner and breakfast plans; room-only plans listed. Q: What does Kogen Hotel Taizan have? A: Kogen Hotel Taizan lists onsen, open air bath, private garden bath, sauna, parking, station pick up. Q: Who is Kogen Hotel Taizan good for? A: Kogen Hotel Taizan suits skiers, groups, night owls. Q: Does Kogen Hotel Taizan have an onsen? A: Yes. Kogen Hotel Taizan has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.hoteltaizan.jp/ https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/%e9%ab%98%e5%8e%9f%e3%83%9b%e3%83%86%e3%83%ab%e5%af%be%e5%b1%b1/ https://myokotourism.com/accommodation/kogen-hotel-taizan/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県妙高市赤倉426-2 ### Kohoku Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kohoku-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 湖北ホテル (ja) Also known as: Kohoku Hotel Tsuchiura Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Town: Tsuchiura Address: 1-1-8 Kohoku, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Coordinates: 36.08570, 140.21190 Kind: Business hotel Meals: Breakfast with local produce at extra cost in the Hitotsubu restaurant. Check-in: 15:00 Amenities: Large coin laundry, Restaurant, Parking Best for: Kasumigaura loop, drivers with bikes Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes go in a lockable store or, in some rooms, in the room. For riders: Wash area Bike rental: Rental bike plans are available. Website: https://kohokuhotel.com/ Summary: Kohoku Hotel suits riders who want to be 300 m from the Ring-Ring Road with a big laundry and a lockable bike store, and it sits a 15-minute walk from Tsuchiura station. Kohoku Hotel stands 300 m from the Ring-Ring Road on the Shinkawa river path, which runs one way to the lake and the other toward Mt. Tsukuba. A small team runs it, and bikes go in a locked store or in some rooms. If you drive in with your bike, the hotel lets you leave the car in its 40-space car park on check-out day while you ride. From 1 October 2026 check-in opens at 15:00, an hour earlier than before. Q: Are meals included at Kohoku Hotel? A: Kohoku Hotel: Breakfast with local produce at extra cost in the Hitotsubu restaurant. Q: What does Kohoku Hotel have? A: Kohoku Hotel lists large coin laundry, restaurant, parking. Q: Who is Kohoku Hotel good for? A: Kohoku Hotel suits Kasumigaura loop, drivers with bikes. Q: Is Kohoku Hotel bike-friendly? A: Yes. Kohoku Hotel welcomes cyclists. Storage: bikes go in a lockable store or, in some rooms, in the room. Rental bike plans are available. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kohokuhotel.com/ https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/stay/kohokuhotel/ ### Kotobukirou URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kotobukirou Type: Stay Local name: 寿楼 (ja) Also known as: Kotobukiro Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市大字赤倉389-17 Coordinates: 36.89290, 138.17930 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥ Prices: Myoko Tourism last updated its listing in 2022 and gave ¥12,500 for a stay with dinner and breakfast. It does not say whether that is per person or per room, so check the 2026/27 rate with the inn. Meals: Dinner in your room or a private room, and breakfast Check-in: 15:00 (last 18:00), out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, In room dining, Parking, Wi Fi, Pick up Best for: food lovers, couples Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price band: ¥¥ Website: http://kotobukirou.com/ Summary: Kotobukirou suits food lovers who want a couple-run inn where dinner comes to the room, and the trade-off is a plain building with few facilities. A husband and wife run this small inn in Akakura Onsen, and they say plainly that the facilities are modest. The draw is dinner, served in your room or a private room, with Japan Sea fish bought that morning and rice and vegetables they grow themselves. The bath is free-flowing Akakura water. Check-in starts at 15:00 with the last arrival at 18:00, and check-out is 10:00. Myoko Tourism lists a pick-up service as well. Q: Are meals included at Kotobukirou? A: Kotobukirou: Dinner in your room or a private room, and breakfast. Q: What does Kotobukirou have? A: Kotobukirou lists onsen, in room dining, parking, wi fi, pick up. Q: Who is Kotobukirou good for? A: Kotobukirou suits food lovers, couples. Q: Does Kotobukirou have an onsen? A: Yes. Kotobukirou has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://kotobukirou.com/ https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/%e5%af%bf%e6%a5%bc/ https://myokotourism.com/accommodation/kotobukirou/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県妙高市赤倉389-17 ### Kounkaku URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kounkaku Type: Stay Local name: 香雲閣 (ja) Also known as: Koun-kaku, Kounkaku Akakura Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市赤倉481 Coordinates: 36.89410, 138.17710 Kind: Apartment From: ¥66,000 per night (2026), about CAD 593 or USD 417 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥¥ Meals: None; full kitchen, with dinner at a nearby inn on request Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, Full kitchen, Parking, Wi Fi, Station pick up Best for: families, small groups, long stays Shuttle: Myoko Tourism lists a pick-up service from the station. Baths: Private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Private baths only Tattoo rule: The only bath is private to your group. Price from: ¥66,000 per night (2026), about CAD 593 or USD 417 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.kounkaku.com Summary: Kounkaku suits a family or a small group who want a whole onsen house to themselves for several nights, and the trade-off is that you cook your own meals. Kounkaku began in the middle of the Edo period as the falconry lodge of the Sakakibara lords of the Takada domain and later became an inn. Most of the old buildings came down in 2012. The family kept one old main bath called Korin-no-yu and built the rental around it. Only one group stays at a time. The bath is the size of an eight-mat room and fills with free-flowing water from Kita-Jigokudani at a source temperature of 50.2°C, and it is drained and cleaned before each booking. There are no meals, but the full kitchen lets you shop in Akakura and cook, and the family can book dinner for you at an inn nearby. Myoko Tourism lists the whole house from ¥66,000 a night for one or two people. Tips: - The owners also pick up guests from Myoko-Kogen Station. Q: How much does Kounkaku cost? A: Prices at Kounkaku start at ¥66,000 per night (2026), about CAD 593 or USD 417 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Kounkaku? A: Kounkaku: None; full kitchen, with dinner at a nearby inn on request. Q: What does Kounkaku have? A: Kounkaku lists onsen, full kitchen, parking, wi fi, station pick up. Q: Who is Kounkaku good for? A: Kounkaku suits families, small groups, long stays. Q: Does Kounkaku have an onsen? A: Yes. Kounkaku has private baths fed by a hot spring. Q: Can you use the baths at Kounkaku with tattoos? A: Bathers with tattoos at Kounkaku use the private baths only. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kounkaku.com https://www.kounkaku.com/20260528/ https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/%e9%a6%99%e9%9b%b2%e9%96%a3/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県妙高市赤倉481 ### K's House Ito Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ks-house-ito-onsen Type: Stay Local name: ケイズハウス伊東温泉 (ja) Also known as: K's House Ito, Ks House Ito Onsen, ケイズハウス伊東 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Ito Address: 12-13 Higashimatsubara-cho, Ito, Shizuoka 414-0022 Coordinates: 34.97190, 139.09740 Kind: Hostel From: ¥3,950 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Dormitory beds start at ¥3,950 and private tatami rooms for two at ¥6,600 a person, with consumption tax included. The bathing tax of ¥300 a person a night comes on top. Booking direct takes 10% off two nights and 15% off three or more. Meals: None; guest kitchen Check-in: 15:00-20:30, out by 11:00 Amenities: Free flowing onsen, Private onsen baths, Guest kitchen, Washer and dryer, Wi Fi, English speaking staff, Free bicycle parking Best for: solo riders, budget travellers, motorcycle tourers, groups of friends Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: A small free space by the hostel takes up to five bicycles or two large motorcycles. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Welcome Tattoo rule: The hostel's FAQ calls it tattoo friendly and says guests with tattoos may use the onsen. Price from: ¥3,950 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://kshouse.jp/ito-e/ Summary: K's House Ito Onsen suits riders and backpackers who want a free-flowing onsen in a century-old ryokan for under ¥4,000 a night, and the trade-off is shared space with strangers and no meals. K's House Ito Onsen fills a wooden ryokan about a hundred years old beside the river in Ito, seven minutes' walk from JR Ito Station. The building is a listed cultural property, and it became a hostel in 2010. Staff speak English, there is no curfew, and the rooms have no TVs. The onsen is free-flowing from the source and open 24 hours, with a large shared bath and private baths as well. You sleep on futons in a seven-bed mixed dorm, a five-bed female dorm or a private tatami room, and most rooms look over the river. The kitchen lets you cook, and a washer and dryer cost ¥500. Riders get free parking for up to five bikes. Ito sits on Route 135 down the east coast of the peninsula, and the hostel makes a cheap first night out of Atami or a base for loops into the Izu hills. Tips: - Guests under 16 cannot sleep in the dorms. - Reception runs from 8:00 to 20:30, so arrange a late arrival in advance. Q: Can I bring a bicycle to K's House Ito Onsen? A: Yes. A free space at the hostel holds up to five bicycles or two large motorcycles. Q: Are tattoos allowed in the onsen at K's House Ito Onsen? A: Yes. The hostel calls itself tattoo friendly and lets guests with tattoos use its onsen. Q: How much does K's House Ito Onsen cost? A: Prices at K's House Ito Onsen start at ¥3,950 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at K's House Ito Onsen? A: K's House Ito Onsen: None; guest kitchen. Q: What does K's House Ito Onsen have? A: K's House Ito Onsen lists free flowing onsen, private onsen baths, guest kitchen, washer and dryer, wi fi, english speaking staff, free bicycle parking. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kshouse.jp/ito-e/index.html https://kshouse.jp/ito-e/room.html https://kshouse.jp/ito-e/faq.html https://kshouse.jp/ito-j/index.html https://kshouse.jp/ito-j/room.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=静岡県伊東市東松原町12-13 ### K's House Kyoto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ks-house-kyoto Type: Stay Local name: ケイズハウス京都 (ja) Also known as: K's House, Ks House Kyoto, Backpackers Hostel K's House Kyoto Region: Kansai Prefecture: Kyoto Town: Kyoto Address: 418 Naya-cho, Shichijo-agaru, Dotemachi-dori, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8142 Coordinates: 34.99010, 135.76490 Kind: Hostel Price: ¥ Meals: Self-catering in the guest kitchen. Check-in: 15:00–21:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Bicycle rental, Guest kitchen, Washing machine and dryer, Rooftop terrace, Free Wi Fi Best for: budget riders, solo travellers, families Bike rental: The hostel rents bicycles at the front desk. Baths: Shared baths Price band: ¥ Website: https://kshouse.jp/kyoto-e/ Summary: K's House Kyoto suits budget travellers who want a social hostel nine minutes' walk from Kyoto Station, and its trade-off is a 21:00 cut-off for check-in. K's House Kyoto opened in autumn 2003 nine minutes' walk from JR Kyoto Station and four from Keihan Shichijo. The hostel says about four in five guests come from overseas. Every room has its own shower room and a tatami area, by the hostel's account. The front desk rents bicycles, which saves the walk back to the station rental counters. The hostel has a full guest kitchen and a rooftop terrace, and coin laundry costs ¥500 a load. Q: Are meals included at K's House Kyoto? A: K's House Kyoto: Self-catering in the guest kitchen. Q: What does K's House Kyoto have? A: K's House Kyoto lists bicycle rental, guest kitchen, washing machine and dryer, rooftop terrace, free wi fi. Q: Who is K's House Kyoto good for? A: K's House Kyoto suits budget riders, solo travellers, families. Q: Is K's House Kyoto bike-friendly? A: K's House Kyoto has published no cycling policy. The hostel rents bicycles at the front desk. Q: Does K's House Kyoto have an onsen? A: No. The shared baths at K's House Kyoto use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kshouse.jp/kyoto-e/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E5%BA%9C%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E5%B8%82%E4%B8%8B%E4%BA%AC%E5%8C%BA%E7%B4%8D%E5%B1%8B%E7%94%BA418 ### K's House Mt. Fuji URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ks-house-mt-fuji Type: Stay Local name: ケイズハウスMt.富士 (ja) Also known as: K's House Mt.Fuji, Ks House Mt Fuji, K's House Fuji, ケイズハウス富士 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Town: Kawaguchiko Address: 6713-108 Funatsu, Fujikawaguchiko-machi, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi 401-0301 Coordinates: 35.50574, 138.75849 Kind: Hostel From: ¥2,500 per person (2026), about CAD 22 or USD 16 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Every rate is per person per night with 10% tax and linen included, and you pay on arrival. High-season rates run from 1 July to 15 September and over the big holiday weeks. Fujikawaguchiko adds a lodging tax of ¥200 per person per night on stays from 1 April 2027, collected at the front desk on top of the room rate. Meals: No meals. Guests cook in the shared kitchen, which has free coffee and tea. Check-in: 15:00-19:30, out by 11:00 Amenities: Guest kitchen, Bike rental, Washer and dryer, Lockers, Free Wi Fi, Parking for three cars (book ahead), Outdoor patio Best for: budget riders, solo travellers, Lake Kawaguchi loop days, backpackers Bike rental: Rental bikes go out first come, first served from 8:00 every morning. You can't reserve one ahead. Baths: Private baths Tattoo rule: The hostel publishes no tattoo rule. Guests wash in individual shower rooms or a room's own bathroom, and the public onsen nearby that the hostel gives discount coupons for sets its own policy. Price from: ¥2,500 per person (2026), about CAD 22 or USD 16 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://kshouse.jp/fuji-e/ Booking: https://reserve.489ban.net/client/ks-fuji/4/plan Summary: K's House Mt. Fuji suits budget riders who want a cheap bed three minutes from Lake Kawaguchi, and the trade-off is a 13-minute walk from Kawaguchiko station to a building with no Fuji view of its own. K's House Mt. Fuji opened as the first backpackers' hostel in the Fuji Five Lakes area, and it sits 1.2 km from Kawaguchiko station on the Fujikyu line. Dorm beds start at ¥2,500 a night in the regular season. Tatami rooms sleep up to six, and some have their own bath and toilet. The hostel serves no food, so most guests shop at the stores five minutes away and cook in the shared kitchen. Rental bikes go out from 8:00 each morning, and the hostel sends riders round Lake Kawaguchi, which it says takes a few hours on an almost flat path. Bring your own bike and you'll want to ask reception where it can sleep, since the site lists no storage. Fuji isn't visible from inside the building, and the hostel says you see it a few steps out the door. Every room has a heater in winter, and reception keeps your bags from 8:00 until check-in. Tips: - Tell the hostel in advance if you'll arrive after 20:00, because the door code changes and they send it to you before you come. Q: Can I reserve a rental bike at K's House Mt. Fuji? A: No. K's House Mt. Fuji rents its bikes first come, first served from 8:00 each morning. Q: Does K's House Mt. Fuji have parking? A: Yes, for three cars, and you need to book a space ahead. When it is full the staff point you to free car parks nearby. Q: How much does K's House Mt. Fuji cost? A: Prices at K's House Mt. Fuji start at ¥2,500 per person (2026), about CAD 22 or USD 16 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at K's House Mt. Fuji? A: K's House Mt. Fuji: No meals. Guests cook in the shared kitchen, which has free coffee and tea. Q: What does K's House Mt. Fuji have? A: K's House Mt. Fuji lists guest kitchen, bike rental, washer and dryer, lockers, free wi fi, parking for three cars (book ahead), outdoor patio. Q: Who is K's House Mt. Fuji good for? A: K's House Mt. Fuji suits budget riders, solo travellers, Lake Kawaguchi loop days, backpackers. Q: Is K's House Mt. Fuji bike-friendly? A: K's House Mt. Fuji has published no cycling policy. Rental bikes go out first come, first served from 8:00 every morning. You can't reserve one ahead. Q: Does K's House Mt. Fuji have an onsen? A: No. The private baths at K's House Mt. Fuji use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kshouse.jp/fuji-e/ https://kshouse.jp/fuji-e/room.html https://kshouse.jp/fuji-e/faq.html https://kshouse.jp/fuji-j/ https://www.fujilake.co.jp/news/216/ https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/fujiichi/support/stay/index.html ### K's House Tokyo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ks-house-tokyo Type: Stay Local name: ケイズハウス東京 (ja) Also known as: K's House Tokyo, Ks House Tokyo, Quality Hostel K's House Tokyo, ケイズハウス東京 Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Tokyo Town: Tokyo Address: 3-20-10 Kuramae, Taito-ku, Tokyo Coordinates: 35.70510, 139.79010 Kind: Hostel Meals: No meals; a guest kitchen with free coffee and tea is open at all hours. Check-in: 15:00 Amenities: Guest kitchen, Luggage storage, Elevator, Coin laundry Best for: riders on a budget, solo travellers, a base near Ueno and Asakusa Bikes: Storage on site Bike storage: The hostel holds luggage free from 8:00 on arrival day and until 22:00 on the day you check out. Bags can stay overnight after that for ¥500 a bag a night. Bike rental: The hostel has no rental bikes and points guests to a ward-run rental near Asakusa and Asakusabashi stations. Baths: Shared baths Website: https://kshouse.jp/tokyo-e/index.html Summary: K's House Tokyo suits riders on a budget who want a bed near Ueno and Asakusa, and its trade-off is a hostel that holds bags for ¥500 a night without saying whether a bike box fits its rules. K's House Tokyo stands in Kuramae, 30 seconds from exit A6 of Kuramae Station on the Toei Oedo line, which reaches Ueno-Okachimachi in a few stops. The Toei bus from the Yaesu side of Tokyo Station stops at Kuramae Ekimae, about 25 minutes from the station, and the hostel sits 20 seconds from the stop. Check-in runs from 15:00 to 22:00, and the desk holds bags from 8:00 on the day you arrive. On the day you leave, luggage stays free until 22:00, and after that the hostel charges ¥500 a bag for each night. The hostel serves no meals, and the guest kitchen stays open around the clock with free coffee and tea. Q: Are meals included at K's House Tokyo? A: K's House Tokyo: No meals; a guest kitchen with free coffee and tea is open at all hours. Q: What does K's House Tokyo have? A: K's House Tokyo lists guest kitchen, luggage storage, elevator, coin laundry. Q: Who is K's House Tokyo good for? A: K's House Tokyo suits riders on a budget, solo travellers, a base near Ueno and Asakusa. Q: Is K's House Tokyo bike-friendly? A: K's House Tokyo has published no cycling policy. Storage: the hostel holds luggage free from 8:00 on arrival day and until 22:00 on the day you check out. Bags can stay overnight after that for ¥500 a bag a night. The hostel has no rental bikes and points guests to a ward-run rental near Asakusa and Asakusabashi stations. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kshouse.jp/tokyo-e/faq.html https://kshouse.jp/tokyo-j/faq.html https://kshouse.jp/tokyo-e/access.html https://kshouse.jp/tokyo-e/index.html ### Kumanoyu Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kumanoyu-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 熊の湯ホテル (ja) Also known as: Kumanoyu Onsen Hotel Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Address: 7148 Hirao, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano 381-0401 Coordinates: 36.68410, 138.49440 Kind: Ski hotel Prices: Rates appear on the hotel's booking engine. Day bathing cost ¥1,500 an adult in 2026. Meals: Dinner and breakfast with local ingredients Check-in: 14:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, Open air baths, Coin lockers, In room safes Best for: onsen lovers, skiers at Kumanoyu and Yokoteyama Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: 5 min on foot Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.kumanoyu.co.jp/ Summary: Kumanoyu Hotel is the old onsen hotel at Kumanoyu in Shiga Kogen, famous for jade-green sulphur water, and it suits skiers who care as much about the bath as the run. The trade-off is that the hotel has no air conditioning and little around it after dark. Kumanoyu's water runs a pale jade green and smells of sulphur, and it flows straight through the hinoki indoor baths and the rock open-air pool. The men's and women's sides swap daily at 12:30, so you can try both on a two-night stay. Day bathing cost ¥1,500 an adult in 2026. The Kumanoyu ski area is about five minutes' walk from the hotel, according to its own guide. Rooms are Japanese, Western or mixed and sleep up to eight in the largest. The hotel has heating throughout and no air conditioning, and it does not take pets. Q: Are meals included at Kumanoyu Hotel? A: Kumanoyu Hotel: Dinner and breakfast with local ingredients. Q: What does Kumanoyu Hotel have? A: Kumanoyu Hotel lists onsen, open air baths, coin lockers, in room safes. Q: Who is Kumanoyu Hotel good for? A: Kumanoyu Hotel suits onsen lovers, skiers at Kumanoyu and Yokoteyama. Q: Is Kumanoyu Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: No. Kumanoyu Hotel sits 5 minutes on foot from the nearest lift. Q: Does Kumanoyu Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Kumanoyu Hotel has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kumanoyu.co.jp/hotel/index.html https://www.kumanoyu.co.jp/hotel/faq.html https://www.kumanoyu.co.jp/hotel/hotspa.html https://www.kumanoyu.co.jp/hotel/guestrooms.html https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/7629334859 ### KUMU Kanazawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kumu-kanazawa Type: Stay Local name: KUMU 金沢 by THE SHARE HOTELS (ja) Also known as: KUMU Kanazawa by THE SHARE HOTELS, Kumu Hotel Kanazawa Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Town: Kanazawa Address: 2-40 Kamitsutsumi-cho, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0869 Coordinates: 36.56847, 136.65411 Kind: Hotel Prices: Rates change by date on the hotel's booking page. Amenities: Tea salon, Weekend lounge events, Tatami rooms, Loft rooms Best for: couples, design lovers, small groups Website: https://www.thesharehotels.com/kumu/ Summary: KUMU Kanazawa suits couples and small groups who want a design hotel built around tea culture between the station and Omicho, and its trade-off is a walk or a bus ride to Kenroku-en and Higashi Chaya. The Share Hotels group built KUMU around the tea ceremony, and it worked with local architects and craftspeople on the rooms. Room types run from 30 m2 lofts for families and groups to a 59 m2 junior suite with a raised tatami area and a mizuya (the preparation corner of a tea room). The hotel stands on Kamitsutsumi-cho, a short walk from Omicho Market, and runs music evenings in its ground-floor lounge on weekends through October 2026. Q: What does KUMU Kanazawa have? A: KUMU Kanazawa lists tea salon, weekend lounge events, tatami rooms, loft rooms. Q: Who is KUMU Kanazawa good for? A: KUMU Kanazawa suits couples, design lovers, small groups. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.thesharehotels.com/kumu/ https://www.thesharehotels.com/kumu/rooms/ ### Kurayoshi City Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kurayoshi-city-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 倉吉シティホテル (ja) Also known as: 倉吉シティホテル, KC Hotel Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Kurayoshi Address: 543-7 Yamane, Kurayoshi, Tottori 682-0023 Coordinates: 35.44848, 133.84830 Kind: Hotel Prices: The hotel shows its lowest rate for each date in its booking calendar and publishes no standard rate. Meals: Fujikura, the hotel's Japanese restaurant, serves weekly set meals. Amenities: Bikes in rooms, Japanese restaurant Best for: riders based in central Tottori, rail travellers Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes can go into the room. For riders: Tools Baths: Private baths Website: https://www.kc-hotel.com/ Summary: Kurayoshi City Hotel suits riders who want a room for the bike and a Japanese restaurant downstairs, and it is a plain city hotel with no onsen of its own. Kurayoshi City Hotel is one of the city's Tottori cyclist-friendly stays, so bikes come into the room and the desk lends tools and a pump. Its Japanese restaurant, Fujikura, changes its set meals each week and holds buffet and wine evenings through the autumn. Misasa Onsen and Lake Togo both make easy morning rides from here. Q: Are meals included at Kurayoshi City Hotel? A: Kurayoshi City Hotel: Fujikura, the hotel's Japanese restaurant, serves weekly set meals. Q: What does Kurayoshi City Hotel have? A: Kurayoshi City Hotel lists bikes in rooms, japanese restaurant. Q: Who is Kurayoshi City Hotel good for? A: Kurayoshi City Hotel suits riders based in central Tottori, rail travellers. Q: Is Kurayoshi City Hotel bike-friendly? A: Yes. Kurayoshi City Hotel welcomes cyclists. Storage: bikes can go into the room. Q: Does Kurayoshi City Hotel have an onsen? A: No. The private baths at Kurayoshi City Hotel use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kc-hotel.com/ https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/details_support https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%B3%A5%E5%8F%96%E7%9C%8C%E5%80%89%E5%90%89%E5%B8%82%E5%B1%B1%E6%A0%B9543-7 ### Kurofune Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kurofune-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 黒船ホテル (ja) Also known as: Kurofune Hotel Shimoda, Black Ship Hotel, 黒船ホテル 下田 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shimoda Address: 静岡県下田市柿崎3-8 Coordinates: 34.67520, 138.95150 Kind: Hotel From: ¥9,700 per person (2026), about CAD 87 or USD 61 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: The hotel's booking page shows dinner-and-breakfast plans from ¥9,700 a person with two sharing a west-wing tatami room, on a New Year plan for 26 December 2026 to 11 January 2027 booked 45 days ahead. Suites with their own open-air bath run up to ¥66,000 a person. Meals: Dinner and breakfast in the dining rooms, with local fish at the centre; some plans are all-inclusive with drinks Amenities: Onsen with open air baths, Rooms with private open air baths, Rental bicycles, Dome pool, Table tennis, Kids' room, Pet friendly rooms Best for: families, couples, dog owners, riders who want a bay-view bath Bike rental: The front desk rents town bikes from 9:00 to 17:00 at ¥1,100 for two hours and tandems at ¥2,750, with children's bikes too. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The hotel's bath page gives no tattoo rule. Rooms in the annex and east wing have their own open-air onsen bath. Price from: ¥9,700 per person (2026), about CAD 87 or USD 61 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.kurofune-hotel.com/ Booking: https://reserve.489ban.net/client/kurofune/0/plan Summary: Kurofune Hotel suits families and couples who want a bay-view onsen in Shimoda for well under ¥20,000 a person with dinner, and the trade-off is a big, busy hotel with steps up to its baths. Kurofune Hotel takes its name from Perry's black ships, which anchored off Shimoda in 1854, and every window looks across Shimoda Bay. Rooms range from Showa-style tatami rooms in the west wing to detached maisonettes with a rock open-air bath and a hinoki tub. The two big baths, Unabara-no-yu on the seventh floor and the smaller Nagisa-no-yu, each have an indoor pool with a dry sauna and an outdoor bath that seems to run into the bay. The water is a mild alkaline simple spring. Getting there takes about 30 steps, so mind tired legs. Day visitors pay ¥1,600 from 15:00 to 21:00, except over Golden Week, summer and New Year. Izukyu-Shimoda Station is 13 minutes away on foot. The front desk rents bikes in two-hour blocks for a loop of the harbour, and the car park holds 38 cars. Tips: - Book New Year plans 45 days ahead for the lowest rate. - Ask for a table-tennis slot at the front desk; tables cost ¥1,100 an hour. Q: Does Kurofune Hotel rent bicycles? A: Yes. Rental bikes cost ¥1,100 for two hours and tandems ¥2,750, from 9:00 to 17:00, and children's sizes are available. Q: How much does Kurofune Hotel cost? A: Prices at Kurofune Hotel start at ¥9,700 per person (2026), about CAD 87 or USD 61 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Kurofune Hotel? A: Kurofune Hotel: Dinner and breakfast in the dining rooms, with local fish at the centre; some plans are all-inclusive with drinks. Q: What does Kurofune Hotel have? A: Kurofune Hotel lists onsen with open air baths, rooms with private open air baths, rental bicycles, dome pool, table tennis, kids' room, pet friendly rooms. Q: Who is Kurofune Hotel good for? A: Kurofune Hotel suits families, couples, dog owners, riders who want a bay-view bath. Q: Does Kurofune Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Kurofune Hotel has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kurofune-hotel.com/ https://www.kurofune-hotel.com/spa/ https://www.kurofune-hotel.com/facilities/facilities5/ https://www.kurofune-hotel.com/access/ https://reserve.489ban.net/client/kurofune/0/plan https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=静岡県下田市柿崎3-8 ### Kuroyu Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kuroyu-onsen Type: Stay Local name: 乳頭温泉郷 黒湯温泉 (ja) Also known as: Kuroyu, Kuro-yu, 黒湯, 黒湯温泉, Nyuto Onsen Kuroyu Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Town: Tazawako Address: 2-1 Kuroyuzawa, Obonai, Tazawako, Semboku, Akita 014-1201 Status: seasonal. The Tazawako-Kakunodate tourism association lists a winter closure from mid-November to mid-April. The Yumeguri-go shuttle stops serving Kuroyu from late November to early April while the road is closed. The inn posted on 4 October 2026 that it is open for the autumn colours. Coordinates: 39.80250, 140.80580 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥19,550 per person (2026), about CAD 176 or USD 124 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: The tourism association lists ryokan rooms with dinner and breakfast from ¥19,550 a person. The self-catering wing ran from late April to the end of October in 2026, with rooms from ¥6,750 including tax, booked by phone only. Day bathers pay ¥800 from secondary-school age. Meals: Ryokan rooms come with dinner and breakfast, with mountain vegetables and salt-grilled char; self-catering rooms have a shared kitchen. Amenities: Mixed indoor and outdoor baths, Separate men's and women's baths, Free private baths for inn guests, Self catering wing, Wi Fi, Bus stop pick up Best for: hikers, onsen lovers, autumn trips Shuttle: Guests are picked up at the Nyuto Ganiba Onsen bus terminus on booking; there is no station shuttle. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥19,550 per person (2026), about CAD 176 or USD 124 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://kuroyu.com/ Booking: https://www3.yadosys.com/reserve/ja/plan/list/015/fchigledclfefaedhkhiejdn/all Summary: Kuroyu suits hikers and bath lovers who want the far end of Nyuto with steam rising from a riverbed in the grounds, and the trade-off is a season that runs only from mid-April to mid-November. Kuroyu sits at the deepest point of Nyuto Onsen, where the springs well up from a riverbed inside the grounds, and the inn says it has the most water of any Nyuto inn. Thatched and cedar-bark buildings stand close together in the old toji style. The water is a simple sulphur spring. There's a mixed indoor bath and a mixed outdoor bath. Men and women also get their own baths, each with an outdoor pool and a pounding-water shower. The private baths Kame no Yu and Tamahada no Yu are free for inn guests who book them at the desk. Day bathers come from 9:00 to 16:30, and only until 11:00 on Wednesdays. Ryokan rooms come with dinner and breakfast, and two of them, Momiji and Sakura, have a semi-open-air bath of their own. The self-catering wing includes a thatched building with irori hearths. You may warm a pot over the hearth, and the cooking itself happens on the gas rings in the kitchen. From Tazawako Station the Ugo Kotsu bus takes about 50 minutes to the end of the line at Nyuto Ganiba Onsen, and the inn picks up its guests there if you phone ahead with your bus. Drivers turn off just before Kyukamura and follow a 1.3 km beech-forest road to the car park, then walk about 50 metres down a slope to the inn. Walkers can reach it from the Kyukamura-mae stop through the beech wood in about 25 minutes. Tips: - Come in October for the colours; the inn expects the trees round it to peak from mid-October. - Every building is non-smoking, and the inn takes cards, PayPay, d-barai and Merpay. Q: How much does Kuroyu Onsen cost? A: Prices at Kuroyu Onsen start at ¥19,550 per person (2026), about CAD 176 or USD 124 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Kuroyu Onsen open all year? A: Kuroyu Onsen opens for part of the year. The Tazawako-Kakunodate tourism association lists a winter closure from mid-November to mid-April. The Yumeguri-go shuttle stops serving Kuroyu from late November to early April while the road is closed. The inn posted on 4 October 2026 that it is open for the autumn colours. Q: Are meals included at Kuroyu Onsen? A: Kuroyu Onsen: Ryokan rooms come with dinner and breakfast, with mountain vegetables and salt-grilled char; self-catering rooms have a shared kitchen. Q: What does Kuroyu Onsen have? A: Kuroyu Onsen lists mixed indoor and outdoor baths, separate men's and women's baths, free private baths for inn guests, self catering wing, wi fi, bus stop pick up. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kuroyu.com/ https://kuroyu.com/about_kuroyu/ https://kuroyu.com/facility/ https://kuroyu.com/faq/ https://kuroyu.com/access_to_kuroyu/ https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/accommodation/11051/ https://taenoyu.com/access/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11678461 ### Kusatsu Onsen 326 Yamanoyu Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kusatsu-onsen-326-yamanoyu-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 草津温泉326 山の湯ホテル (ja) Also known as: 326 Yamanoyu Hotel, Yamanoyu Hotel Kusatsu, 山の湯ホテル Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Address: 326 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Coordinates: 36.62342, 138.59889 Kind: Business hotel Price: ¥ Prices: The tourism association listed rooms from ¥6,500 in March 2024, with breakfast included. Expect the 2026 rate to differ. Meals: Breakfast included. Rooms: 21 Amenities: Onsen bath, Non smoking building, Breakfast Best for: budget, solo travellers, short stays Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price band: ¥ Website: http://yamanoyu326.wix.com/japanese-hotel Summary: Kusatsu Onsen 326 Yamanoyu Hotel suits budget travellers who want a plain business-style room with breakfast two minutes from the Yubatake, and it offers little beyond that. The hotel opened in December 2015 with 21 rooms in a non-smoking building, and its bath runs straight on the Yubatake source. It sells itself as a business-style stay with breakfast, which keeps the price low for Kusatsu. Q: Are meals included at Kusatsu Onsen 326 Yamanoyu Hotel? A: Kusatsu Onsen 326 Yamanoyu Hotel: Breakfast included. Q: What does Kusatsu Onsen 326 Yamanoyu Hotel have? A: Kusatsu Onsen 326 Yamanoyu Hotel lists onsen bath, non smoking building, breakfast. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/yado/1450.php ### Kusatsu Onsen Hotel Village URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kusatsu-onsen-hotel-village Type: Stay Local name: 草津温泉 ホテルヴィレッジ (ja) Also known as: Hotel Village, Hotel Village Kusatsu, Kusatsu Onsen Hotel & Spa Resort Nakazawa Village, 中沢ヴィレッジ, Therme Therme Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Address: 618 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Coordinates: 36.62710, 138.60432 Kind: Hotel Meals: Restaurants on site; plans include dinner and breakfast. Amenities: Indoor heated pool, Open air baths, Large baths, Shuttle bus, Snowshoe rental Best for: families, skiers with a car, rainy-day pool time To the lifts: Kusatsu Onsen Ski Resort is five minutes from the hotel by car. Shuttle: A shuttle bus links the hotel with Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal and the Yubatake. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Covered with a patch Tattoo rule: Hotel Village asks guests with tattoos to stay out of its onsen, and allows small tattoos that stickers cover completely. Stickers are sold at reception and at the Therme Therme desk. Website: https://www.hotelvillage.co.jp/ Summary: Kusatsu Onsen Hotel Village suits families who want a big resort hotel with a heated pool, all-night baths and a shuttle into town, and it sits out in the forest away from the Yubatake. Hotel Village is a large resort in the woods on the east side of Kusatsu at 1,200 m, with wings of Western rooms and Japanese-Western family rooms. Its baths run on three different sources and stay open through the night, and the Therme Therme building next door adds a heated pool with lanes and a jacuzzi to the onsen. In winter it runs snowshoe walks in the forest and rents winter wear. The shuttle bus to the bus terminal and the Yubatake saves the climb back uphill at night. Kusatsu Onsen Ski Resort is five minutes away by car. Phones and cameras are banned in the bathing areas. Q: Can I use the onsen at Hotel Village with a tattoo? A: Only with a small tattoo that a sticker covers completely. The hotel sells cover stickers at reception and at Therme Therme. Q: Is there a shuttle from Hotel Village to the Yubatake? A: Yes. A shuttle bus runs between Hotel Village, Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal and the Yubatake. Q: Are meals included at Kusatsu Onsen Hotel Village? A: Kusatsu Onsen Hotel Village: Restaurants on site; plans include dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Kusatsu Onsen Hotel Village have? A: Kusatsu Onsen Hotel Village lists indoor heated pool, open air baths, large baths, shuttle bus, snowshoe rental. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hotelvillage.co.jp/en/ https://www.hotelvillage.co.jp/ https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/kankou/1259.php https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/8895098989 ### Kyounso URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kyounso Type: Stay Local name: 峡雲荘 (ja) Also known as: Kyoun-so, Kyounso Ryokan, Matsukawa Onsen Kyounso, 松川温泉 峡雲荘 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Town: Hachimantai Address: Matsukawa Onsen, Matsuo-Yoriki, Hachimantai, Iwate 028-7302 Coordinates: 39.87290, 140.92440 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥16,750 per person (2026), about CAD 151 or USD 106 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Rakuten Travel lists every two-meal plan from ¥16,750 a person for two sharing, on plans posted through 31 May 2027. The tourism association lists stays from ¥15,950. The ¥150 bathing tax is extra. Meals: Dinner in your room from 18:00 to 20:00 with a guinea fowl hotpot or Iwate Tankaku beef; breakfast in the hall from 7:30 to 8:30. Check-in: 14:00–19:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 24 Amenities: Mixed open air bath, Women only open air bath, In room dinner, Free Wi Fi, Free parking Best for: couples, onsen lovers, hikers Ski-in ski-out: No Shuttle: No shuttle. Iwate Kenpoku buses leave Morioka Station East Exit stop 3 at 12:12 and 13:42 and reach the Matsukawa Onsen stop in the inn's grounds in about 110 minutes. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥16,750 per person (2026), about CAD 151 or USD 106 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.kyounso.jp/ Booking: https://booking.kyounso.jp/booking/result?code=019cd6f0-f3e4-7785-8d82-ba4547d2410a&locale=ja Summary: Kyounso suits travellers who want a milky sulphur soak and dinner served in their room at a mid-range price. The trade-off is a 21:00 curfew and a winter road that needs four-wheel drive. Kyounso stands at 875 metres in the beech forest of Matsukawa Onsen, inside Towada-Hachimantai National Park. Its water is a simple hydrogen-sulphide spring that runs milky white straight from the source. Overnight guests can bathe at any hour, indoors or in the open-air pools, where one pool is mixed and the other is for women. Dinner comes to your room between 18:00 and 20:00, built around a guinea fowl hotpot or a dish of Iwate Tankaku beef that you pick when you book. Breakfast is in the hall from 7:30. Sulphur corrodes metal, so the bathhouse has no showers, and you rinse with hot water scooped from a wooden trough. Check in between 14:00 and 19:00, and the doors close at 21:00. The inn asks for snow tyres and four-wheel drive from November to April and runs no shuttle. Iwate Kenpoku buses leave Morioka Station East Exit stop 3 at 12:12 and 13:42, and the Matsukawa Onsen stop is in the inn's grounds after about 110 minutes. The Jukai Line from the Hachimantai summit is closed by a road collapse, so come up from the Matsuo-Hachimantai side. Tips: - Check the inn's closure calendar before a day visit; it shuts for two days at a time about twice a month. - Day visitors hand phones and cameras to the front desk, because the open-air bath is mixed. Q: How much does Kyounso cost? A: Prices at Kyounso start at ¥16,750 per person (2026), about CAD 151 or USD 106 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Kyounso? A: Kyounso: Dinner in your room from 18:00 to 20:00 with a guinea fowl hotpot or Iwate Tankaku beef; breakfast in the hall from 7:30 to 8:30. Q: What does Kyounso have? A: Kyounso lists mixed open air bath, women only open air bath, in room dinner, free wi fi, free parking. Q: Who is Kyounso good for? A: Kyounso suits couples, onsen lovers, hikers. Q: Is Kyounso ski-in ski-out? A: No. Kyounso sits away from the lifts, and no shuttle. Iwate Kenpoku buses leave Morioka Station East Exit stop 3 at 12:12 and 13:42 and reach the Matsukawa Onsen stop in the inn's grounds in about 110 minutes. Q: Does Kyounso have an onsen? A: Yes. Kyounso has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kyounso.jp/ https://www.kyounso.jp/higaeri https://www.kyounso.jp/en https://hotel.travel.rakuten.co.jp/hotelinfo/plan/164790?f_flg=PLAN&f_static=1 https://www.data-space.site/kankou/stay/index.html ### Kyu Kobayashi-tei Hitotoki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kyu-kobayashi-tei-hitotoki Type: Stay Local name: 旧小林邸ひととき (ja) Also known as: Hitotoki, Tsukuba Hitotoki, Kobayashi House Hitotoki Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Town: Tsukuba Address: 937 Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki Coordinates: 36.21000, 140.09760 Kind: Guesthouse Meals: A light bite before you set off on the cyclist plan; barbecue on the grounds. Amenities: Laundry, Free parking Best for: Mt. Tsukuba, old houses, small groups Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Two places to keep bikes: the indoor reception space and an outdoor spot on the grounds. For riders: Wash area Website: https://tsukuba-hitotoki.com/ Summary: Hitotoki suits riders who want to sleep in a restored 126-year-old merchant house by the Mt. Tsukuba shrine with views over the plain, and bikes stay in the reception space or outdoors. The Kobayashi family who built this merchant house helped bring the Tsukuba Railway and the Mt. Tsukuba cable car to the mountain, and the old railway bed is now the cycling path below. The house stood empty for years before its renovation. It sits a seven-minute walk from the Tsukubasan-jinja-mae bus stop and looks out over the Kanto plain. Q: Are meals included at Kyu Kobayashi-tei Hitotoki? A: Kyu Kobayashi-tei Hitotoki: A light bite before you set off on the cyclist plan; barbecue on the grounds. Q: What does Kyu Kobayashi-tei Hitotoki have? A: Kyu Kobayashi-tei Hitotoki lists laundry, free parking. Q: Who is Kyu Kobayashi-tei Hitotoki good for? A: Kyu Kobayashi-tei Hitotoki suits Mt. Tsukuba, old houses, small groups. Q: Is Kyu Kobayashi-tei Hitotoki bike-friendly? A: Yes. Kyu Kobayashi-tei Hitotoki welcomes cyclists. Storage: two places to keep bikes: the indoor reception space and an outdoor spot on the grounds. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tsukuba-hitotoki.com/ https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/stay/hitotoki/ ### Kyukamura Irago URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kyukamura-irago Type: Stay Local name: 休暇村伊良湖 (ja) Also known as: Qkamura Irago, 休暇村 伊良湖 Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Town: Irago Address: 1 Omatsuue, Nakayama-cho, Tahara, Aichi Coordinates: 34.60923, 137.03865 Kind: Hotel Meals: A buffet built round local food; book meals ahead. Amenities: Shared baths, Buffet restaurant, Tennis courts, Free parking for 150 cars Best for: families, riders on a budget at the cape Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike rental: City bikes at ¥300 an hour or ¥900 a day, and e-bikes at ¥500 an hour or ¥2,000 a day, on Tahara's list dated June 2024. Baths: Shared baths Website: https://www.qkamura.or.jp/irago/ Summary: Kyukamura Irago suits families and riders who want a buffet dinner and a bath on the cape, and you should ask where your own bike sleeps when you book. Kyukamura Irago sits at Nakayama near the end of the peninsula, a short ride from the Irago ferry. The tourism bureau describes a buffet of local food and baths of cloudy and carbonated water, and the baths take hotel guests only. It rents city bikes at ¥900 a day and e-bikes at ¥2,000. Tahara city lists it as an Atsumi Cycle Supporter. Q: Are meals included at Kyukamura Irago? A: Kyukamura Irago: A buffet built round local food; book meals ahead. Q: What does Kyukamura Irago have? A: Kyukamura Irago lists shared baths, buffet restaurant, tennis courts, free parking for 150 cars. Q: Who is Kyukamura Irago good for? A: Kyukamura Irago suits families, riders on a budget at the cape. Q: Is Kyukamura Irago bike-friendly? A: Yes. Kyukamura Irago welcomes cyclists. City bikes at ¥300 an hour or ¥900 a day, and e-bikes at ¥500 an hour or ¥2,000 a day, on Tahara's list dated June 2024. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.taharakankou.gr.jp/spot/spot.php?search_category1=5&spot_id=113 https://www.taharakankou.gr.jp/special/rental_cycle/index.php https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/ccr9dq0000000nsd-att/khmf2300000000fu.pdf https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%84%9B%E7%9F%A5%E7%9C%8C%E7%94%B0%E5%8E%9F%E5%B8%82%E4%B8%AD%E5%B1%B1%E7%94%BA%E5%A4%A7%E6%9D%BE%E4%B8%8A1 ### Kyukamura Iwate Amihari Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kyukamura-iwate-amihari-onsen Type: Stay Local name: 休暇村岩手網張温泉 (ja) Also known as: Amihari Onsen, Kyukamura Amihari, Qkamura Iwate, 網張温泉 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Town: Shizukuishi Address: Amihari Onsen, Shizukuishi, Iwate-gun, Iwate 020-0585 Coordinates: 39.82080, 140.93730 Kind: Ski hotel From: ¥14,500 per person (2026), about CAD 130 or USD 92 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Rakuten Travel shows rates from ¥14,500 a person including tax, and its listed plans ran to ¥18,800. Check-in closes at 18:30, which matters if you come up on the last shuttle. Meals: Dinner and breakfast in the restaurant on the first floor, which looks out towards Morioka. Check-in: 15:00–18:30, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen indoor and outdoor baths, Day bath house, Foot bath, Station shuttle, Free parking, Shop Best for: budget skiers, families, onsen lovers To the lifts: 1 min on foot Shuttle: Free guest bus from the west exit of Morioka Station, about an hour, run only on booking by phone (019-693-2211). Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥14,500 per person (2026), about CAD 130 or USD 92 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.qkamura.or.jp/iwate/ Summary: Kyukamura Iwate Amihari Onsen suits skiers on a budget who want Amihari Onsen ski area a minute from the door and a sulphur soak after, and the trade-off is a public-lodge feel with check-in closing at 18:30. The lodge sits at 770 metres on the southwest flank of Mt. Iwate, and the Kyukamura group also runs Amihari Onsen ski area beside it. Rakuten Travel puts the lifts a minute's walk away. Shizukuishi town says the 2026/27 season is planned from 19 December 2026 to 28 March 2027, six days past the planned close at Shizukuishi ski area. Amihari's water is a simple sulphur spring, and the inn traces the source back to the early eighth century. The main building has a big bath with indoor and outdoor pools and an older indoor-only bath. A boardwalk with a log foot bath leads over a suspension bridge to the day-bath house, which hotel guests use free. The mixed open-air bath Sennyo no Yu lies ten minutes up a mountain path by a stream, and it opens only from mid-May to mid-November. A free guest bus runs from the west exit of Morioka Station in about an hour, and it only runs when someone has booked, so phone ahead. Drivers should know the road up is snow-covered and icy all winter and needs winter tyres or chains. Rooms are eight- and ten-mat tatami rooms or twins, and the view side looks across to Mt. Akita-Komagatake and the Hayachine range. Tips: - Hotel guests bathe in the main building from 5:30 to midnight, with cleaning late at night. Q: How much does Kyukamura Iwate Amihari Onsen cost? A: Prices at Kyukamura Iwate Amihari Onsen start at ¥14,500 per person (2026), about CAD 130 or USD 92 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Kyukamura Iwate Amihari Onsen? A: Kyukamura Iwate Amihari Onsen: Dinner and breakfast in the restaurant on the first floor, which looks out towards Morioka. Q: What does Kyukamura Iwate Amihari Onsen have? A: Kyukamura Iwate Amihari Onsen lists onsen indoor and outdoor baths, day bath house, foot bath, station shuttle, free parking, shop. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.town.shizukuishi.iwate.jp/docs/2026081400018/ https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/70310/70310.html https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/70310/rtmap.html https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/70310/CUSTOM/GW70310100527183552.html https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/70310/CUSTOM/GW7031080509195920.html https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/70310/CUSTOM/GW70310100527183256.html https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/70310/CUSTOM/GW70310100527183748.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11607188 ### Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kyukamura-nyuto-onsenkyo Type: Stay Local name: 休暇村乳頭温泉郷 (ja) Also known as: Kyukamura Nyuto, Kyukamura Nyuto Onsen, Qkamura Nyuto, 休暇村 乳頭温泉郷 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Town: Tazawako Address: 2-1 Komagatake, Tazawako, Semboku, Akita 014-1201 Coordinates: 39.80090, 140.79470 Kind: Hotel From: ¥15,500 per person (2026), about CAD 139 or USD 98 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Rakuten Travel shows rates from ¥15,500 a person including tax. The tourism association lists ¥16,650 a person midweek for two sharing with buffet dinner and breakfast, and day bathing at ¥800. Meals: Buffet dinner and breakfast of Akita home cooking in a dining room facing the beech forest; lunch from 11:30. Check-in: 15:00–18:30, out by 10:00 Rooms: 38 Amenities: Two springs, Outdoor bath, Non smoking rooms, Buffet restaurant, Café, Kids' corner, Free parking Best for: families, first-time visitors, bus travellers Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: Rakuten Travel puts Tazawako ski area about 15 minutes away by car. Shuttle: Rakuten Travel lists transport to Tazawako ski area; confirm times with the lodge when you book. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥15,500 per person (2026), about CAD 139 or USD 98 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.qkamura.or.jp/nyuto/ Summary: Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo suits families and first-timers who want a modern, non-smoking lodge with the bus stop at the door, and the trade-off is a busy buffet hall and no private bath. Kyukamura's lodge is a modern building set in beech forest, and the Ugo Kotsu bus stops right outside at Kyukamura-mae, about 45 minutes from Tazawako Station. All 38 rooms are non-smoking. Most are tatami rooms of eight or ten mats, and the rest are Western twins, three of them with a bathtub. Two springs flow without recirculation. Nyuto no Yu is a reddish-brown sodium bicarbonate spring that runs a little cool, and Kogen no Yu is a milky simple sulphur spring that runs hotter. The outdoor pool sits among the beeches and turns into a snow-viewing bath in winter. Guests bathe from check-in to midnight and again from 5:00 to 9:00, and there's no private bath to book. Meals are buffets of Akita home cooking, and the shop pours single shots of local sake to taste before you buy. Taenoyu, Ogama and Ganiba are within walking distance, and Kuroyu is about 25 minutes away through the beech wood. Rakuten Travel's listing says the lodge offers transport to Tazawako ski area, about 15 minutes by car, so confirm the times when you book. Tips: - Overnight guests can buy the ¥2,500 Yumeguri-cho pass and walk to the neighbouring inns for their baths. - On a second night the baths stay shut from 9:00 to 11:00 for cleaning, so take the morning soak early. Q: How much does Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo cost? A: Prices at Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo start at ¥15,500 per person (2026), about CAD 139 or USD 98 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo? A: Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo: Buffet dinner and breakfast of Akita home cooking in a dining room facing the beech forest; lunch from 11:30. Q: What does Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo have? A: Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo lists two springs, outdoor bath, non smoking rooms, buffet restaurant, café, kids' corner, free parking. Q: Who is Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo good for? A: Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo suits families, first-time visitors, bus travellers. Q: Is Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo ski-in ski-out? A: No. Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo sits away from the lifts, and rakuten Travel lists transport to Tazawako ski area; confirm times with the lodge when you book. Q: Does Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo have an onsen? A: Yes. Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/accommodation/11057/ https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/72803/72803.html https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/72803/rtmap.html https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/72803/CUSTOM/GW72803111225135109.html https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/72803/CUSTOM/GW72803111225195515.html https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/72803/CUSTOM/GW72803130620173705.html https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/72803/CUSTOM/GW72803130620173713.html https://taenoyu.com/access/ https://kuroyu.com/faq/ ### Kyukamura Omihachiman URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kyukamura-omihachiman Type: Stay Local name: 休暇村近江八幡 (ja) Also known as: Qkamura Ohmi, Kyukamura Omi-Hachiman Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Omihachiman Address: Miyagahama, Okishima-cho, Omihachiman, Shiga 523-0801 Coordinates: 35.18868, 136.08057 Kind: Hotel From: ¥7,800 per person (2026), about CAD 70 or USD 49 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Half-board rates are per person with tax included; the hot spring tax is added. The tier assumes two people sharing. Meals: Dinner and breakfast are included; the shop sells Omi beef. Rooms: 95 Amenities: Natural hot spring, Outdoor bath, Sauna, Beach, Campground Best for: families, budget onsen night, Okishima island Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥7,800 per person (2026), about CAD 70 or USD 49 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.qkamura.or.jp/ohmi/ Summary: Kyukamura Omihachiman suits families and budget riders who want an onsen and dinner on the beach at Miyagahama, and it sits a long way from any station. This national holiday village sits on Miyagahama beach north of Omihachiman, right on the Biwaichi line. The visitors bureau lists 86 Japanese rooms and 9 twins, with two meals from ¥7,800 a person in the west building and ¥9,500 in the east. Miyagahama no Yu was the city's first natural hot spring, and the east building's outdoor bath looks across to Okishima and the Hira mountains. The campground opens from late April to late October. Q: How much does Kyukamura Omihachiman cost? A: Prices at Kyukamura Omihachiman start at ¥7,800 per person (2026), about CAD 70 or USD 49 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Kyukamura Omihachiman? A: Kyukamura Omihachiman: Dinner and breakfast are included; the shop sells Omi beef. Q: What does Kyukamura Omihachiman have? A: Kyukamura Omihachiman lists natural hot spring, outdoor bath, sauna, beach, campground. Q: Who is Kyukamura Omihachiman good for? A: Kyukamura Omihachiman suits families, budget onsen night, Okishima island. Q: Is Kyukamura Omihachiman bike-friendly? A: Yes. Kyukamura Omihachiman welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Q: Does Kyukamura Omihachiman have an onsen? A: Yes. Kyukamura Omihachiman has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/321/?active=stay https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1037827560 ### Kyukamura Shikanoshima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/kyukamura-shikanoshima Type: Stay Local name: 休暇村 志賀島 (ja) Also known as: Kyukamura Shikano-shima, Shikanoshima resort hotel Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Fukuoka Town: Fukuoka and Hakata Address: 1803-1 Katsuma, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 811-0325 Coordinates: 33.68040, 130.28910 Kind: Hotel From: ¥17,250 per person (2026), about CAD 155 or USD 109 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Fukuoka Prefecture's listing gives one night with two meals from ¥17,250 a person. Day bathers pay ¥750 from 11:00 to 15:00. Meals: Dinner is a seafood-led buffet that changes with the season. Amenities: Hot spring bath with outdoor tub, Sea view rooms, Pump loan, Tool loan Best for: riders on the Shikanoshima loop, couples, families Bikes: Welcomes cyclists For riders: Tools Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥17,250 per person (2026), about CAD 155 or USD 109 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.qkamura.or.jp/shikano/ Summary: Kyukamura Shikanoshima suits riders and families who want a sea-view hotel at the end of a ride round the island, and it sits a taxi ride from the nearest station. Shikanoshima can be reached from Fukuoka by road or by sea, so you can ride out from the city. The hotel stands on the shore facing the Genkai Sea, and every room looks over the water toward the sunset. The outdoor bath, Kin'in no Yu, runs on the island's only hot spring. Dinner is a buffet led by seafood that changes through the year. Tips: - The nearest station is Saitozaki on the JR Kashii line, about 15 minutes away by taxi. Q: How much does Kyukamura Shikanoshima cost? A: Prices at Kyukamura Shikanoshima start at ¥17,250 per person (2026), about CAD 155 or USD 109 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Kyukamura Shikanoshima? A: Kyukamura Shikanoshima: Dinner is a seafood-led buffet that changes with the season. Q: What does Kyukamura Shikanoshima have? A: Kyukamura Shikanoshima lists hot spring bath with outdoor tub, sea view rooms, pump loan, tool loan. Q: Who is Kyukamura Shikanoshima good for? A: Kyukamura Shikanoshima suits riders on the Shikanoshima loop, couples, families. Q: Is Kyukamura Shikanoshima bike-friendly? A: Yes. Kyukamura Shikanoshima welcomes cyclists. Q: Does Kyukamura Shikanoshima have an onsen? A: Yes. Kyukamura Shikanoshima has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.crossroadfukuoka.jp/cycle/10469 https://www.qkamura.or.jp/shikano/ ### Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/lake-biwa-marriott-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 琵琶湖マリオットホテル (ja) Also known as: Biwako Marriott, Marriott Lake Biwa, Lake Biwa Marriott Moriyama Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Moriyama Address: 2876 Jukkenya, Imahama-cho, Moriyama, Shiga 524-0101 Coordinates: 35.12521, 135.95543 Kind: Hotel Prices: Marriott prices by date on its own booking system. Hotel parking became paid from August 2026. Meals: Restaurants serve Omi beef dinners, a buffet and afternoon tea. Rooms: 274 Amenities: Rooms with private onsen baths, Planetarium, Restaurants, Rental bikes nearby Best for: Biwaichi start at the Biwako Ohashi bridge, couples, families Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Bike rental: The Biwaichi map places Giant Store Biwako Moriyama right beside the hotel, and the hotel's own site suggests rental bikes for touring the area. Baths: Private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.biwako-marriott.com/ Summary: The Marriott suits riders starting Biwaichi from the Moriyama end of the Biwako Ohashi bridge, and it is a big resort hotel with the prices and crowds that go with one. The Lake Biwa Marriott stands on the east shore at Moriyama, close to the Biwako Ohashi bridge, where riders on the shorter northern loop cross the lake. The visitors bureau counts 274 rooms, and 41 of the premium rooms have their own onsen bath. Giant Store Biwako Moriyama sits beside the hotel on the official Biwaichi map, which makes renting a road bike or picking up a spare tube easy. Parking at the hotel became paid in August 2026. Q: Is there a bike shop near the Lake Biwa Marriott? A: Yes. Shiga's Biwaichi map places Giant Store Biwako Moriyama right next to the hotel. Q: Are meals included at Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel? A: Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel: Restaurants serve Omi beef dinners, a buffet and afternoon tea. Q: What does Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel have? A: Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel lists rooms with private onsen baths, planetarium, restaurants, rental bikes nearby. Q: Who is Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel good for? A: Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel suits Biwaichi start at the Biwako Ohashi bridge, couples, families. Q: Does Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel has private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.biwako-marriott.com/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/221/?active=stay https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Le Vert Zao URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/le-vert-zao Type: Stay Local name: ル・ベール蔵王 (ja) Also known as: Hotel Le Vert Zao, Levert Zao Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: 878-5 Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata 990-2301 Coordinates: 38.16620, 140.39840 Kind: Hotel From: ¥11,000 per person (2026), about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Jalan lists room-only stays from ¥11,000 a person when two share and dinner with breakfast from ¥17,000 a person. The association listing notes that single travellers can book. Meals: Japanese kaiseki, a Western full-course dinner, Yamagata beef sukiyaki or Zao nabe, with breakfast; room-only plans also sell Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 39 Amenities: Onsen, Drying room, Ski rental, Free parking, Wi Fi in some rooms Best for: solo travellers, skiers, small groups Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: 1 min on foot Boot room: Yes Shuttle: Free transfer to and from the Zao Onsen bus terminal; same-day requests are fine. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The hotel's pages and its Jalan listing state no tattoo rule. Price from: ¥11,000 per person (2026), about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: http://www.levert-zao.co.jp/ Summary: Le Vert Zao suits solo travellers and small groups who want a simple hotel a minute from the Nakamori slope with a Western dinner on the menu, and the trade-off is a pair of small indoor tubs with no outdoor bath. Le Vert Zao opened as a resort condominium and now runs as a hotel at about 900 metres in the middle of Zao Onsen. The Nakamori slope and the Haraigawa trailhead are each a minute's walk away. Its 39 rooms include singles with a desk, twins, small Japanese rooms and Japanese-Western rooms for up to five, and all have a bath and toilet. The artist Taro Okamoto used one Japanese-Western room on his Zao ski trips until he was 78, and his work hangs there. A snow-shed corridor about ten metres long leads to separate cypress tubs for men and women, fed straight from the Nidogawa source and open 24 hours. The hotel says the tubs are small because of how strong the water is. For an outdoor soak, Genshichi Roten no Yu sits across the river, and the front desk sells discounted tickets. Dinner can be a Japanese kaiseki, Yamagata beef sukiyaki, a Zao nabe of local chicken or a Western full course, which the hotel says no other inn in Zao Onsen serves. The restaurant looks over the Nakamori slope and opens at 17:00 in ski season. Staff drive guests to and from the Zao Onsen bus terminal for free, even on a same-day request. Tips: - The front door locks at 23:00, and anyone arriving after 19:00 must call ahead. - Carry chains or winter tyres in season, because the hill up to the hotel is steep. Q: How much does Le Vert Zao cost? A: Prices at Le Vert Zao start at ¥11,000 per person (2026), about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Le Vert Zao? A: Le Vert Zao: Japanese kaiseki, a Western full-course dinner, Yamagata beef sukiyaki or Zao nabe, with breakfast; room-only plans also sell. Q: What does Le Vert Zao have? A: Le Vert Zao lists onsen, drying room, ski rental, free parking, wi fi in some rooms. Q: Who is Le Vert Zao good for? A: Le Vert Zao suits solo travellers, skiers, small groups. Q: Is Le Vert Zao ski-in ski-out? A: No. Le Vert Zao sits 1 minutes on foot from the nearest lift, and free transfer to and from the Zao Onsen bus terminal; same-day requests are fine. Q: Does Le Vert Zao have an onsen? A: Yes. Le Vert Zao has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.levert-zao.co.jp/ http://www.levert-zao.co.jp/facilities.html https://zaomountainresort.com/stay/ http://www.levert-zao.co.jp/spa.html http://www.levert-zao.co.jp/cuisine.html http://www.levert-zao.co.jp/access.html https://zaomountainresort.com/author/levert/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2%E7%9C%8C%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2%E5%B8%82%E8%94%B5%E7%8E%8B%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89878-5 https://www.jalan.net/yad328232/ https://www.jalan.net/yad328232/plan/?dateUndecided=1&adultNum=2&roomCount=1 ### LIME RESORT MYOKO URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/lime-resort-myoko Type: Stay Local name: ライムリゾート妙高 (ja) Also known as: Lime Resort Myoko, LIME Myoko Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Ikenotaira Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市関川2251-2 Coordinates: 36.86400, 138.17730 Kind: Hotel Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Myoko Tourism last updated its listing in 2022 and gave ¥15,488 for a stay with breakfast and ¥18,876 for a stay with dinner and breakfast. It does not say whether that is per person or per room, so check the 2026/27 rate with the inn. Meals: Breakfast and dinner at LIME KITCHEN; drinks at the library bar Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 34 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Kids' room, Gym, Library bar, Café, Station shuttle, Elevator, Parking Best for: families, couples, long stays Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: Ikenotaira's Alpen Blick ski area is close by; the Mt. Myoko shuttle links the hotel with Akakura and Suginohara in winter. Shuttle: Free pick-up from Myoko-Kogen Station between 9:00 and 18:00; the winter Mt. Myoko shuttle stops at the hotel. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://limeresorts.com/myoko/ Booking: https://go-limeresortmyoko.reservation.jp/ja Summary: LIME RESORT MYOKO suits families and design-minded couples who want a modern base between the Myoko resorts, and its trade-off is a drive or a bus to every lift. LIME is the most contemporary hotel in Ikenotaira, with 34 rooms, a library bar, a kids' room, a gym, a THE NORTH FACE shop and a Myoko Coffee counter in the lounge. Some rooms face Mt. Myoko and others look east to Mt. Madarao, and a few accessible rooms have no steps from the door. The onsen comes from Minami-Jigokudani on Mt. Myoko and runs dark with volcanic mud, which is the Ikenotaira water people come for. It is open from 15:00 through to 10:00 the next morning. The hotel collects guests at Myoko-Kogen Station between 9:00 and 18:00. In winter the Mt. Myoko shuttle stops outside on its run between Akakura and Suginohara, and in green season the hotel points cyclists to the climb to Naena Falls. Q: Are meals included at LIME RESORT MYOKO? A: LIME RESORT MYOKO: Breakfast and dinner at LIME KITCHEN; drinks at the library bar. Q: What does LIME RESORT MYOKO have? A: LIME RESORT MYOKO lists onsen, open air bath, kids' room, gym, library bar, café, station shuttle, elevator, parking. Q: Who is LIME RESORT MYOKO good for? A: LIME RESORT MYOKO suits families, couples, long stays. Q: Is LIME RESORT MYOKO ski-in ski-out? A: No. LIME RESORT MYOKO sits away from the lifts, and free pick-up from Myoko-Kogen Station between 9:00 and 18:00; the winter Mt. Myoko shuttle stops at the hotel. Q: Does LIME RESORT MYOKO have an onsen? A: Yes. LIME RESORT MYOKO has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://limeresorts.com/myoko/ https://limeresorts.com/myoko/rooms/ https://limeresorts.com/myoko/hotsprings/ https://limeresorts.com/myoko/faq/ https://limeresorts.com/myoko/access/ https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/lime-resort-myoko/ https://myokotourism.com/winter-bus-service/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=ライムリゾート妙高&format=json ### Locomotion Coffee and Bed URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/locomotion-coffee-and-bed Type: Stay Local name: ロコモーション コーヒー アンド ベッド (ja) Also known as: Locomotion Tateyama, Locomotion guesthouse, lococab Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Tateyama Address: 42 Bunazaka, Ashikuraji, Tateyama, Toyama 930-1406 Status: seasonal. Closed from December to March. The café opened for 2026 at 7:00 on 15 April, the Alpine Route's opening day. Coordinates: 36.58332, 137.44522 Kind: Guesthouse From: ¥7,260 per person (2026), about CAD 65 or USD 46 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Guesthouse nights from ¥7,260 including tax. Meals: Café open 7:30–16:00 on weekdays and 6:30–16:00 on weekends and holidays Amenities: Café, Private rooms, Dormitory Best for: solo travellers, spring ski tourers, hikers Price from: ¥7,260 per person (2026), about CAD 65 or USD 46 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.lococab.com/ Summary: Locomotion Coffee and Bed suits budget travellers and spring tourers who want a bed one minute from the Tateyama cable car, and its trade-off is a closure from December to March. Locomotion is a café and guesthouse one minute on foot from Tateyama Station, the start of the Alpine Route. It has private rooms, which the owners suggest for families with children, and dormitories split by sex. The café opens early on weekends and holidays, at 6:30, so you can eat before the first cable car. Bookings for April 2026 onward opened on 1 February 2026. The place has two parking spaces, and the station's free car park is next door. Q: How much does Locomotion Coffee and Bed cost? A: Prices at Locomotion Coffee and Bed start at ¥7,260 per person (2026), about CAD 65 or USD 46 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Locomotion Coffee and Bed open all year? A: Locomotion Coffee and Bed opens for part of the year. Closed from December to March. The café opened for 2026 at 7:00 on 15 April, the Alpine Route's opening day. Q: Are meals included at Locomotion Coffee and Bed? A: Locomotion Coffee and Bed: Café open 7:30–16:00 on weekdays and 6:30–16:00 on weekends and holidays. Q: What does Locomotion Coffee and Bed have? A: Locomotion Coffee and Bed lists café, private rooms, dormitory. Q: Who is Locomotion Coffee and Bed good for? A: Locomotion Coffee and Bed suits solo travellers, spring ski tourers, hikers. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.lococab.com/ https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/102804 ### Lodge Hodaigi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/lodge-hodaigi Type: Stay Local name: ロッジ宝台樹 (ja) Also known as: Lodge Houdaigi, Hodaigi lodge Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 3765 Fujiwara, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma 379-1721 Coordinates: 36.83871, 139.07155 Kind: Guesthouse Best for: skiers at Hodaigi, families To the lifts: The lodge stands next to Hodaigi ski area. Website: https://sites.google.com/view/lodge-houdaigi/home Summary: Lodge Hodaigi suits skiers who want to sleep beside the Hodaigi slopes, and it publishes almost nothing about its rooms or prices. The lodge sits next to Hodaigi ski area in Fujiwara. The tourism association lists it as a lodge for skiers and summer outdoor trips, and its own site gives little more than the address and phone number, so call to book. Q: Who is Lodge Hodaigi good for? A: Lodge Hodaigi suits skiers at Hodaigi, families. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/7575/ https://sites.google.com/view/lodge-houdaigi/home ### Lodge Hunter URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/lodge-hunter Type: Stay Local name: ロッヂハンター (ja) Also known as: Hunter Lodge, Hunter Myoko Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市赤倉123 Coordinates: 36.89460, 138.17770 Kind: Guesthouse Price: ¥ Prices: Myoko Tourism last updated its listing in 2022 and gave ¥4,000 for a room-only stay and ¥5,000 for a stay with breakfast. It does not say whether that is per person or per room, so check the 2026/27 rate with the inn. Meals: Breakfast; the lodge restaurant serves drinks and meals Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, Restaurant, Free parking, Wi Fi Best for: budget travellers, skiers, groups of friends To the lifts: 4 min on foot Shuttle: The Akakura Kanko Resort shuttle stops about fifty steps from the door and reaches the resort in four minutes. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price band: ¥ Website: http://hunter-myoko.com/ Summary: Lodge Hunter suits budget riders who want a bed on Akakura's main street, and the trade-off is a breakfast-only lodge where you eat dinner out. Hunter sits on the main street of Akakura Onsen with its own restaurant downstairs, and the convenience store and pharmacy are next door. The lodge puts the Akakura Onsen ski area at four minutes on foot. The Akakura Kanko Resort shuttle stops about fifty steps away and gets you to that resort in four minutes. The lodge has its own free-flowing onsen bath and free parking, which is rare on the main street in winter. A partner rental shop thirty metres away gives guests a discount. Bookings for the 2026/27 season opened on 10 June 2026. Myoko Tourism lists breakfast plans and room-only stays, and no dinner plan. Q: Are meals included at Lodge Hunter? A: Lodge Hunter: Breakfast; the lodge restaurant serves drinks and meals. Q: What does Lodge Hunter have? A: Lodge Hunter lists onsen, restaurant, free parking, wi fi. Q: Who is Lodge Hunter good for? A: Lodge Hunter suits budget travellers, skiers, groups of friends. Q: Does Lodge Hunter have an onsen? A: Yes. Lodge Hunter has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://hunter-myoko.com/ https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/%e3%83%ad%e3%83%83%e3%83%82%e3%83%8f%e3%83%b3%e3%82%bf%e3%83%bc/ https://myokotourism.jp/restaurants/hunter/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=Hunter%20Restaurant%20Myoko&format=json ### Lodge Kokuha URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/lodge-kokuha Type: Stay Local name: ロッジコクハ (ja) Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Ikenotaira Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市大字関川2433-2 Coordinates: 36.87180, 138.17490 Kind: Guesthouse Price: ¥¥ Prices: Myoko Tourism last updated its listing in 2022 and gave ¥7,500 for a stay with dinner and breakfast. It does not say whether that is per person or per room, so check the 2026/27 rate with the inn. Meals: Dinner and breakfast with home-grown vegetables Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 13 Amenities: Onsen, Parking, Wi Fi, Pick up, Hall with piano Best for: families, budget travellers, groups To the lifts: 3 min on foot Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price band: ¥¥ Website: http://www.kokuha.com/ Booking: https://www.yadoken.jp/plans?hotel_id=yk104230 Summary: Lodge Kokuha suits families on a budget who want a home-cooked dinner and an onsen in Ikenotaira, and its trade-off is a dated all-tatami lodge. A family runs this 13-room lodge in the larch woods of Ikenotaira, and every room is Japanese-style. The lodge says the ski area is a three-minute walk in winter. Dinner uses vegetables the family grows, with mountain greens in spring. The bath is free-flowing Ikenotaira onsen, and Wi-Fi reaches every room. Imori Pond and Naena Falls are both close for a green-season walk. Myoko Tourism lists a pick-up service. Q: Are meals included at Lodge Kokuha? A: Lodge Kokuha: Dinner and breakfast with home-grown vegetables. Q: What does Lodge Kokuha have? A: Lodge Kokuha lists onsen, parking, wi fi, pick up, hall with piano. Q: Who is Lodge Kokuha good for? A: Lodge Kokuha suits families, budget travellers, groups. Q: Does Lodge Kokuha have an onsen? A: Yes. Lodge Kokuha has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.kokuha.com/ https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/%e3%83%ad%e3%83%83%e3%82%b8%e3%82%b3%e3%82%af%e3%83%8f/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=ロッジ%20コクハ&format=json ### Lotte Arai Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/lotte-arai-resort Type: Stay Local name: ロッテアライリゾート (ja) Also known as: Lotte Arai, Arai Resort Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Arai Address: 新潟県妙高市両善寺1966 Coordinates: 36.99090, 138.18140 Kind: Ski hotel Price: ¥¥¥¥ Prices: Myoko Tourism last updated its listing in 2022 and gave ¥19,000 for a room-only stay and ¥34,200 for a stay with dinner and breakfast. It does not say whether that is per person or per room, so check the 2026/27 rate with the inn. Meals: Room only, breakfast or dinner and breakfast Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 257 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Sauna, Restaurants, Elevator, Station transfer Best for: families, groups, long stays To the lifts: The hotel stands at the base of the Arai ski area. Shuttle: Myoko Tourism lists a pick-up service; in 2025/26 a shuttle linked the resort with Madarao from 8 January to 22 March. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.lottehotel.com/arai-resort/ja.html Summary: Lotte Arai Resort suits families and groups who want a full-service ski hotel on a deep-snow mountain, and its trade-off is isolation from any village. The hotel sits at the base of the Arai ski area in the hills above Arai, with 257 rooms set up for long stays. Myoko Tourism lists an onsen with an open-air bath and a sauna, an elevator and a station pick-up. There is nothing to walk to beyond the resort, so you eat and drink in its own restaurants. In the 2025/26 season Myoko Tourism ran a shuttle linking the resort with Madarao from 8 January to 22 March. Lift-and-breakfast packages for 19 December 2026 to 11 April 2027 were on sale through travel sellers in October 2026, so check the hotel's own booking page for the rate that includes what you want. Q: Are meals included at Lotte Arai Resort? A: Lotte Arai Resort: Room only, breakfast or dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Lotte Arai Resort have? A: Lotte Arai Resort lists onsen, open air bath, sauna, restaurants, elevator, station transfer. Q: Who is Lotte Arai Resort good for? A: Lotte Arai Resort suits families, groups, long stays. Q: Does Lotte Arai Resort have an onsen? A: Yes. Lotte Arai Resort has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.lottehotel.com/arai-resort/ja.html https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/%e3%83%ad%e3%83%83%e3%83%86%e3%82%a2%e3%83%a9%e3%82%a4%e3%83%aa%e3%82%be%e3%83%bc%e3%83%88/ https://myokotourism.com/accommodation/lotte-arai-resort/ https://myokotourism.com/winter-bus-service/ https://luxuryescapes.com/jp/offer/lotte-arai-resort-myoko-japan-asia/006RF00000KAvBBYA1 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11189531 ### Lucent Takamiya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/lucent-takamiya Type: Stay Local name: 名湯リゾート ルーセントタカミヤ (ja) Also known as: Takamiya Hotel Lucent, Hotel Lucent Takamiya, Meito Resort Lucent Takamiya Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: 942 Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata 990-2301 Coordinates: 38.16490, 140.39420 Kind: Hotel From: ¥9,350 per person (2026), about CAD 84 or USD 59 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Jalan lists room-only stays from ¥9,350 a person when two share and dinner with breakfast from ¥11,550 a person. The Saison Court maisonettes and the Kirameki kaiseki dinner cost more. Meals: Kaiseki or Yamagata beef hot pot with a buffet for dinner, buffet or Japanese set breakfast; room-only plans also sell Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 60 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Private baths, Sauna, Ski drying room, Ski rental, Massage, Free parking, Wi Fi Best for: families, skiers, groups To the lifts: 1 min on foot Boot room: Yes Shuttle: Free pick-up from the Zao Onsen bus terminal; call on arrival and a car comes in about five minutes. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The hotel's pages and its Jalan listing state no tattoo rule. Price from: ¥9,350 per person (2026), about CAD 84 or USD 59 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://meito-lucent.com/ Summary: Lucent Takamiya suits families who want a large onsen hotel facing the Zao Chuo Ropeway at a modest price, and the trade-off is the scale of a 60-room house after the small inns up the street. By the hotel's own count the Zao Chuo Ropeway stands right in front and the Nakamori slope is a minute's walk away. The 60 non-smoking rooms fill three buildings. Saison Court holds the mountain-view rooms and maisonettes for up to six, the standard rooms sit in The Guest, and The Main has superior twins with a tatami corner. Every bath runs straight from the source, and the hotel says its water is the most acidic of Zao's springs. You can soak in the rock indoor bath or the cypress open-air Hagakure no Yu at any hour outside the 10:00 to 12:00 clean, then rinse off in the heated hinoki tub. A dry sauna opens from 16:00 to 22:00, and two private baths take bookings from 7:00 to 22:00. Dinner is a regional kaiseki with Yamagata beef cooked on a ceramic grill, or a Yamagata beef hot pot with a kamado buffet of about twenty dishes that includes imoni. Breakfast switches between a buffet and a Japanese set by the day. The hotel has a ski drying room and rents skis and boards, and staff collect guests from the bus terminal for free. Tips: - Last check-in is 19:00 on dinner plans and 20:00 without dinner. - Your stay covers the baths at the other Takamiya inns in Zao. Q: How much does Lucent Takamiya cost? A: Prices at Lucent Takamiya start at ¥9,350 per person (2026), about CAD 84 or USD 59 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Lucent Takamiya? A: Lucent Takamiya: Kaiseki or Yamagata beef hot pot with a buffet for dinner, buffet or Japanese set breakfast; room-only plans also sell. Q: What does Lucent Takamiya have? A: Lucent Takamiya lists onsen, open air bath, private baths, sauna, ski drying room, ski rental, massage, free parking, wi fi. Q: Who is Lucent Takamiya good for? A: Lucent Takamiya suits families, skiers, groups. Q: Does Lucent Takamiya have an onsen? A: Yes. Lucent Takamiya has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://meito-lucent.com/ https://meito-lucent.com/inbound/eng.html https://zaomountainresort.com/stay/ https://meito-lucent.com/facilities/ https://meito-lucent.com/access/ https://zaomountainresort.com/author/lucent/ https://goo.gl/maps/ZvheHfBr5ZW8J9NaA https://www.jalan.net/yad331969/ https://www.jalan.net/yad331969/plan/?dateUndecided=1&adultNum=2&roomCount=1 ### Madarao Kogen Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/madarao-kogen-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 斑尾高原ホテル (ja) Also known as: Madarao Hotel Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Madarao Kogen Address: 11492-321 Iiyama, Iiyama-shi, Nagano 389-2257 Coordinates: 36.85150, 138.29080 Kind: Ski hotel Prices: Plans with a one-day lift ticket per night are sold on the hotel's booking site. Meals: Dinner and breakfast; the meal style depends on how many guests are staying Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, Day bathing Best for: families, tree skiers, multi-resort trips Shuttle: NOTOMA shuttle to Iiyama Station and Nozawa Onsen (¥1,400); Myoko Shuttle to Myoko Kogen and Akakura Onsen (¥2,000). Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.madarao.jp/hotel/ Summary: Madarao Kogen Hotel is the resort's own hotel on a rise in the middle of Madarao village, run by the ski area, and it suits families who want lift-ticket packages. The trade-off is a quiet village with few dinners out. The ski area runs the hotel, and its plans can include a one-day lift ticket for every night. The baths draw a colourless sodium-calcium chloride spring. After checkout a bath costs ¥500 an adult. In winter the NOTOMA shuttle links Madarao with Iiyama Station and Nozawa Onsen for ¥1,400, and the Myoko Shuttle reaches Akakura Onsen for ¥2,000, so a week here can take in three mountains. Q: Are meals included at Madarao Kogen Hotel? A: Madarao Kogen Hotel: Dinner and breakfast; the meal style depends on how many guests are staying. Q: What does Madarao Kogen Hotel have? A: Madarao Kogen Hotel lists onsen, day bathing. Q: Who is Madarao Kogen Hotel good for? A: Madarao Kogen Hotel suits families, tree skiers, multi-resort trips. Q: Does Madarao Kogen Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Madarao Kogen Hotel has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.madarao.jp/hotel/ https://www.madarao.jp/hotel/faq https://www.madarao.jp/hotel/hot-spring https://www.madarao.jp/hotel/access https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/3717942247 ### Magoroku Onsen Rokuan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/magoroku-onsen-rokuan Type: Stay Local name: 乳頭温泉郷 孫六温泉 六庵 (ja) Also known as: Magoroku Onsen, Magoroku, Rokuan, 孫六温泉, 孫六温泉 六庵 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Town: Tazawako Address: Sendatsuzawa Kokuyurin 3051, Tazawa, Tazawako, Semboku, Akita 014-1204 Coordinates: 39.80610, 140.79860 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥45,250 per person (2026), about CAD 407 or USD 286 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: The tourism association lists dinner and breakfast from ¥45,250 a person. Every plan includes both meals, and cancellation fees start 20 days before arrival. Meals: Dinner from 18:00 and breakfast from 6:30 to 9:00 in the dining room Musubi-an; no room-only plans. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 6 Amenities: Rooms with private outdoor baths, Mixed outdoor bath, Barrel sauna, Café, Wi Fi, Luggage carry in winter Best for: couples, special occasions, onsen lovers Shuttle: Winter luggage carry from the Ogama-side car park or the Nyuto Onsen bus stop, booked ahead; guests walk about 15 minutes. A summer shuttle runs to Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥45,250 per person (2026), about CAD 407 or USD 286 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://magorokuonsen.com/ Booking: https://www3.yadosys.com/reserve/ja/plan/list/147/hhgjhdecdjfkhhhgejhffbdn/all Summary: Magoroku Onsen Rokuan suits couples who want a six-room rebuilt retreat at the end of a forest walk, and the trade-off is the price, from ¥45,250 a person, plus a 15-minute walk through snow from the car park all winter. Magoroku has been a hot spring since 1902, and it now trades as Rokuan under an inn licence dated January 2025. Three detached rooms have their own outdoor bath. Two more are maisonettes, and the sixth is a Japanese-Western room. Guests share a mixed outdoor bath of simple sulphur water and a mixed indoor stone bath, and there's a Nordic barrel sauna with a cold plunge. No car reaches the door. From December to about April you park opposite Ogama Onsen and walk about 800 metres on a snowy path, which takes about 15 minutes, so wear boots that grip. Staff carry your bags from that car park or the Nyuto Onsen bus stop if you book ahead, and in summer they run a shuttle to Kyukamura. Day visitors come from 10:00 to 15:00, closed Fridays. ¥700 buys the men's and women's indoor baths. The ¥3,000 plan opens every bath and the sauna, and the mixed areas call for a yuami-gi bathing wrap. Guests bathe in the separate baths until 23:00 and in the mixed outdoor bath and sauna until 22:00, and everything opens again from 5:00. Tips: - The two car parks on the Kuroyu side sit five minutes from the inn on foot and open in summer only. The Ogama-side car park stays open all year. - The café Oyasumi-dokoro serves Inaniwa udon and coffee from 10:00 to 16:00, closed Fridays. Q: How much does Magoroku Onsen Rokuan cost? A: Prices at Magoroku Onsen Rokuan start at ¥45,250 per person (2026), about CAD 407 or USD 286 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Magoroku Onsen Rokuan? A: Magoroku Onsen Rokuan: Dinner from 18:00 and breakfast from 6:30 to 9:00 in the dining room Musubi-an; no room-only plans. Q: What does Magoroku Onsen Rokuan have? A: Magoroku Onsen Rokuan lists rooms with private outdoor baths, mixed outdoor bath, barrel sauna, café, wi fi, luggage carry in winter. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://magorokuonsen.com/ https://magorokuonsen.com/faq https://magorokuonsen.com/news/542 https://magorokuonsen.com/news/557 https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/accommodation/11069/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11448925 ### Matsukawa-so URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/matsukawa-so Type: Stay Local name: 松川荘 (ja) Also known as: Matsukawaso, Matsukawa Onsen Matsukawaso, 松川温泉 松川荘 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Town: Hachimantai Address: Matsukawa Onsen, Matsuo-Yoriki, Hachimantai, Iwate 028-7302 Coordinates: 39.87150, 140.92390 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥11,000 per person (2026), about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: The inn's plan page lists two-meal stays from ¥11,000 a person for two sharing in a six-mat room with a lighter dinner, offered from 11 November to 25 December. The full Standard Plan D costs ¥12,500, and every plan adds ¥4,000 from 31 December to 2 January. Prices include tax; bathing tax is extra. Meals: Dinner from 18:00 and breakfast from 7:00 in the dining room or hall; lunch costs extra. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 26 Amenities: Mixed open air bath, Women only open air bath, Canteen, Free parking Best for: onsen purists, couples, hikers Ski-in ski-out: No Shuttle: No shuttle. Iwate Kenpoku buses run from Morioka Station stop 3 to Matsukawa-so-guchi in about two hours, then it is a five-minute walk. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Not allowed Tattoo rule: The inn's FAQ says guests with tattoos cannot use the baths. Price from: ¥11,000 per person (2026), about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.matsukawasou.com/ Summary: Matsukawa-so suits onsen purists who want milky sulphur water and deep quiet at a low price. The trade-off is a winter road that needs four-wheel drive and baths with no showers. Matsukawa Onsen sits deep in a river valley on the Iwate side of Hachimantai, and Matsukawa-so is one of its two inns. Two springs feed the baths straight from the source, one hot and one cooler, and both run milky white. The indoor bath carries both waters, and outside there is a mixed pool under a part roof plus pools for women only. Sulphur eats metal here, so the bathhouse has no showers and the rooms have no fridge. As of 25 September 2026 the women-only open-air pool was out of order, and the mixed bath turns women-only from 19:00 to 21:00 until it is fixed. Dinner is about a dozen small dishes from Hachimantai produce with a choice of two hotpots, and the pricier plans add sashimi. Book by phone or fax, and pay in cash or PayPay. The inn says you need a four-wheel-drive car from early November to the end of March, and it runs no shuttle. Iwate Kenpoku buses take about two hours from Morioka Station to the Matsukawa-so-guchi stop, a five-minute walk away. The Jukai Line above the valley is closed all day by a landslide, so drive in from the Matsuo-Hachimantai interchange on the prefectural roads the inn lists. Tips: - Bring cash or PayPay, since the inn takes no cards. - Hand valuables to the front desk before you bathe, because the changing rooms have no lockers. Q: How much does Matsukawa-so cost? A: Prices at Matsukawa-so start at ¥11,000 per person (2026), about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Matsukawa-so? A: Matsukawa-so: Dinner from 18:00 and breakfast from 7:00 in the dining room or hall; lunch costs extra. Q: What does Matsukawa-so have? A: Matsukawa-so lists mixed open air bath, women only open air bath, canteen, free parking. Q: Who is Matsukawa-so good for? A: Matsukawa-so suits onsen purists, couples, hikers. Q: Is Matsukawa-so ski-in ski-out? A: No. Matsukawa-so sits away from the lifts, and no shuttle. Iwate Kenpoku buses run from Morioka Station stop 3 to Matsukawa-so-guchi in about two hours, then it is a five-minute walk. Q: Does Matsukawa-so have an onsen? A: Yes. Matsukawa-so has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Q: Can you use the baths at Matsukawa-so with tattoos? A: No. The baths at Matsukawa-so turn away bathers with visible tattoos. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.matsukawasou.com/ https://www.matsukawasou.com/plan/ https://www.matsukawasou.com/onsen/ https://www.matsukawasou.com/qanda/ https://www.matsukawasou.com/access/ https://matsukawasou.com/2026/09/25/%e9%9c%b2%e5%a4%a9%e9%a2%a8%e5%91%82%e3%81%ab%e3%81%a4%e3%81%84%e3%81%a6%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b%ef%bc%889%e6%9c%8825%e6%97%a5%ef%bc%89/ https://www.data-space.site/kankou/stay/index.html https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/hotel/onsen/ ### Matsumoto BackPackers URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/matsumoto-backpackers Type: Stay Local name: 松本バックパッカーズ (ja) Also known as: Matsumoto Backpackers Hostel Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Matsumoto Coordinates: 36.23310, 137.96220 Kind: Hostel From: ¥3,500 per person (2026), about CAD 31 or USD 22 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Dorm beds from ¥3,500 and private twins from ¥7,600 on the hostel's own page in 2026; book three nights in 2026 and the third night is 30 percent off. Meals: Shared kitchen; no meals served Amenities: Shared kitchen, Common room Best for: solo travellers, cyclists, skiers on a budget Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared baths Price from: ¥3,500 per person (2026), about CAD 31 or USD 22 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://matsumotobp.com/ Summary: Matsumoto BackPackers is a small futon hostel by the Metoba River under five minutes' walk from Matsumoto Station, and it suits solo travellers and riders on a budget. The trade-off is shared bathrooms and dorm nights. The hostel sleeps guests on futons in mixed or female-only dorms from ¥3,500, with private twins and doubles from ¥7,600 and triples from ¥11,000 in 2026. A shared kitchen and common room make it easy to meet other travellers, and the castle is a short walk across town. Q: How much does Matsumoto BackPackers cost? A: Prices at Matsumoto BackPackers start at ¥3,500 per person (2026), about CAD 31 or USD 22 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Matsumoto BackPackers? A: Matsumoto BackPackers: Shared kitchen; no meals served. Q: What does Matsumoto BackPackers have? A: Matsumoto BackPackers lists shared kitchen, common room. Q: Who is Matsumoto BackPackers good for? A: Matsumoto BackPackers suits solo travellers, cyclists, skiers on a budget. Q: Is Matsumoto BackPackers ski-in ski-out? A: No. Matsumoto BackPackers sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://matsumotobp.com/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/6115312651 ### Meitoya So URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/meitoya-so Type: Stay Local name: 名湯舎 創 (ja) Also known as: Meitoya Sou, Meitoya So Zao Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: 48 Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata 990-2301 Coordinates: 38.16750, 140.39820 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥8,800 per person (2026), about CAD 79 or USD 56 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Jalan lists room-only stays from ¥8,800 a person when two share and dinner with breakfast from ¥10,450 a person, so this is one of the cheapest ways to eat dinner in a Zao ryokan. Meals: Set dinner with a choice of mains and a buffet breakfast; room-only plans also sell Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 34 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Private bath, Drying room, Lounge, Free parking, Wi Fi Best for: couples, friends, value Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: The inn publishes no walking time to the lifts. Jalan lists paid ski and board rental. Boot room: Yes Shuttle: Free pick-up from the Zao Onsen bus terminal; call on arrival and a car comes in about five minutes. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The inn's pages and its Jalan listing state no tattoo rule. Price from: ¥8,800 per person (2026), about CAD 79 or USD 56 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.meitoya.com/ Summary: Meitoya So suits couples and friends who want a modern non-smoking ryokan at a low price, and the trade-off is that the cheapest rooms may come without a bathroom of their own. Meitoya So is part of the Takamiya group and stands at 48 Zao Onsen. Most of the 34 rooms are ten-tatami Japanese rooms, with three Japanese-Western rooms on top, and every one is non-smoking. Smokers get a cigar room off the lounge. The two-person Club Rooms and the plans where the inn picks your room may have no private bath, so check the plan before you book. A big wooden indoor bath and a rough rock open-air bath both run Zao water straight from the source, 24 hours a day. The private half-open-air bath costs ¥2,200 for 50 minutes between 8:00 and 23:00. Dinner is a Zao beef and wagyu yaki-shabu set, or a set built around jingisukan or Kome-no-Musume pork shabu-shabu, and breakfast is a buffet. The inn also runs the Yamagata Sake Museum, which stocks one sake from each of the prefecture's 49 breweries, and a few rare daiginjo make it to the dinner table. Staff collect guests from the Zao Onsen bus terminal by car in about five minutes. Your stay also covers the baths at the group's other Zao inns. Tips: - The Japanese site gives 21:00 as the last check-in and the English page says 18:00, so tell the inn if you will arrive after six. - From December to March the Jalan listing asks drivers without four-wheel drive to call ahead because the hill to the inn is steep. Q: How much does Meitoya So cost? A: Prices at Meitoya So start at ¥8,800 per person (2026), about CAD 79 or USD 56 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Meitoya So? A: Meitoya So: Set dinner with a choice of mains and a buffet breakfast; room-only plans also sell. Q: What does Meitoya So have? A: Meitoya So lists onsen, open air bath, private bath, drying room, lounge, free parking, wi fi. Q: Who is Meitoya So good for? A: Meitoya So suits couples, friends, value. Q: Is Meitoya So ski-in ski-out? A: No. Meitoya So sits away from the lifts, and free pick-up from the Zao Onsen bus terminal; call on arrival and a car comes in about five minutes. Q: Does Meitoya So have an onsen? A: Yes. Meitoya So has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.meitoya.com/ https://www.meitoya.com/inbound/eng.html https://zaomountainresort.com/stay/ https://www.meitoya.com/hotspa/ https://www.meitoya.com/facilities/ https://www.meitoya.com/access/ https://www.meitoya.com/restaurant/ https://zaomountainresort.com/author/meitoya/ https://goo.gl/maps/KTGFSVgQcBtiE6ed7 https://www.jalan.net/yad396378/ https://www.jalan.net/yad396378/plan/?dateUndecided=1&adultNum=2&roomCount=1 ### Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/mercure-fukuoka-munakata-resort-and-spa Type: Stay Local name: メルキュール福岡宗像リゾート＆スパ (ja) Also known as: Mercure Munakata, Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Fukuoka Address: 1303 Tano, Munakata, Fukuoka 811-3514 Coordinates: 33.86260, 130.52440 Kind: Hotel From: ¥19,000 per person (2026), about CAD 171 or USD 120 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Fukuoka Prefecture's listing gives one night with two meals from ¥19,000 a person. Day bathing costs ¥1,500, or ¥2,000 on weekends and before holidays. Meals: Restaurants use produce from Munakata. Amenities: Hot spring bath, Bike storage, Pump and tool loan, Bike wash area, Laundry, Parcel and bike shipping, Free shuttle from JR Togo Station (book ahead) Best for: riders on the Munakata coast, couples, spa breaks Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Assembled bikes can go to the room or into a locked store. For riders: Wash area, tools Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Covered with a patch Tattoo rule: Tattoos are refused in the large baths as a rule, but guests may bathe if two cover patches of 8 by 10 cm hide them. Price from: ¥19,000 per person (2026), about CAD 171 or USD 120 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://mercure-fukuokamunakata-resortandspa.jp/ Summary: Mercure Fukuoka Munakata suits riders on Fukuoka's northern coast who want a hot spring resort that takes bikes seriously, and it is about an hour by car from the city. The resort sits beside the Satsuki Matsubara pine grove in the Genkai Quasi-National Park, about an hour by car from Fukuoka, and reopened under the Mercure name in 2024. Rooms of 36 square metres or more face the Genkai Sea. Fukuoka Prefecture lists it as a cyclist-friendly stay with the full set of services: bikes in the room or a locked store, tools, a wash area, laundry and shipping for bikes and bags. Tips: - Book the free shuttle from JR Togo Station ahead if you arrive by train. Q: How much does Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa cost? A: Prices at Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa start at ¥19,000 per person (2026), about CAD 171 or USD 120 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa? A: Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa: Restaurants use produce from Munakata. Q: What does Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa have? A: Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa lists hot spring bath, bike storage, pump and tool loan, bike wash area, laundry, parcel and bike shipping, free shuttle from jr togo station (book ahead). Q: Who is Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa good for? A: Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa suits riders on the Munakata coast, couples, spa breaks. Q: Is Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa bike-friendly? A: Yes. Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa welcomes cyclists. Storage: assembled bikes can go to the room or into a locked store. Q: Does Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa have an onsen? A: Yes. Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Q: Can you use the baths at Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa with tattoos? A: Small tattoos are fine at Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa when a patch covers them. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.crossroadfukuoka.jp/cycle/10143 https://mercure-fukuokamunakata-resortandspa.jp/ ### Midagahara Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/midagahara-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 弥陀ヶ原ホテル (ja) Also known as: Hotel Midagahara, Midagahara Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Tateyama Address: Midagahara, Ashikuraji, Tateyama, Toyama 930-1412 Status: seasonal. Open 15 April to 10 November in 2026, then closed for winter until the Alpine Route reopens. Coordinates: 36.56833, 137.55702 Kind: Hotel From: ¥26,400 per person (2026), about CAD 237 or USD 167 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Toyama's tourism site lists stays from ¥26,400 a person for two sharing; rates change by date. Meals: Dinner and breakfast in the hotel restaurants; lunch from 11:00 to 14:00 Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Restaurant, Lobby lounge, Nightly plateau talk Best for: couples, families, walkers Price from: ¥26,400 per person (2026), about CAD 237 or USD 167 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://midagahara.alpen-route.co.jp/ Summary: Midagahara Hotel suits couples and families who want a night at 1,930 m on the Alpine Route with sunsets over the clouds, and its trade-off is a season that ends in early November. The hotel stands at 1,930 m on the Midagahara plateau, two minutes on foot from the Midagahara stop on the highland bus between Bijodaira and Murodo. Small ponds called gaki-ta dot the Midagahara wetlands below the hotel, and the 3,000 m peaks of Tateyama rise behind them. Every evening from about 20:00 the staff give a 40-minute talk on the plateau in the lobby. In spring the hotel opens with the route on 15 April, when snow still covers the plateau. Q: How much does Midagahara Hotel cost? A: Prices at Midagahara Hotel start at ¥26,400 per person (2026), about CAD 237 or USD 167 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Midagahara Hotel open all year? A: Midagahara Hotel opens for part of the year. Open 15 April to 10 November in 2026, then closed for winter until the Alpine Route reopens. Q: Are meals included at Midagahara Hotel? A: Midagahara Hotel: Dinner and breakfast in the hotel restaurants; lunch from 11:00 to 14:00. Q: What does Midagahara Hotel have? A: Midagahara Hotel lists restaurant, lobby lounge, nightly plateau talk. Q: Who is Midagahara Hotel good for? A: Midagahara Hotel suits couples, families, walkers. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://midagahara.alpen-route.co.jp/ https://midagahara.alpen-route.co.jp/en/ https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/102816 ### Miharashi-tei URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/miharashi-tei Type: Stay Local name: みはらし亭 (ja) Also known as: Miharashitei, Onomichi Guesthouse Miharashi-tei Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: 15-7 Higashitsuchido-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-0033 Coordinates: 34.41010, 133.19910 Kind: Guesthouse Prices: Hiroshima prefecture adds an accommodation tax of ¥200 per person per night on rooms above ¥6,000 a person, from 1 April 2026. Meals: A café and bar runs in the house. Amenities: Café and bar Best for: couples, architecture lovers, solo travellers Baths: Shared baths Website: https://miharashi.onomichisaisei.com/ Summary: Miharashi-tei suits walkers who want the view over the Onomichi channel from a 1921 villa below Senko-ji, and the price is a climb of about 300 steps with no way to bring a bike. Ishii Yoichi, who made his money in wooden lunch boxes, built this cliff-edge villa in 1921, one of the hilltop teahouse villas that Onomichi's merchants called saen. It worked as an inn after the war and then stood empty for nearly 30 years. The Onomichi Akiya Saisei Project restored it from 2015 and opened it as a guesthouse in spring 2016, and it is a registered cultural property. Reaching it means climbing roughly 300 steps from the sea toward Senko-ji, which rules out a bike and heavy luggage. Phone bookings go through 0848-23-3864 between 15:00 and 22:00. Children aged five and under cannot stay. Q: Are meals included at Miharashi-tei? A: Miharashi-tei: A café and bar runs in the house. Q: What does Miharashi-tei have? A: Miharashi-tei lists café and bar. Q: Who is Miharashi-tei good for? A: Miharashi-tei suits couples, architecture lovers, solo travellers. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://miharashi.onomichisaisei.com/ https://miharashi.onomichisaisei.com/rooms-page/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information&paged=3 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E6%9D%B1%E5%9C%9F%E5%A0%82%E7%94%BA15-7 ### Mikurigaike Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/mikurigaike-onsen Type: Stay Local name: みくりが池温泉 (ja) Also known as: Mikurigaike Onsen lodge, Mikuri, Mikurigaike hut Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Tateyama Address: Murodo-daira, Tateyama, Toyama Status: seasonal. Open 15 April to 24 November in 2026; from 4 November the walk from Murodo needs winter mountain gear, and bookings then go through the lodge's site or by phone. Coordinates: 36.58194, 137.59611 Kind: Guesthouse From: ¥13,000 per person (2026), about CAD 117 or USD 82 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Prices include dinner, breakfast, tax and the ¥150 bath tax. Children of primary-school age pay 80 percent of the adult rate. Meals: Dinner and breakfast of Toyama seafood and mountain produce, carried up from the valley Amenities: Onsen, Dormitory with curtains and reading lights, Free Wi Fi, Restaurant, Café, Mont bell shop Best for: spring ski tourers, hikers, onsen lovers To the lifts: No lifts at Murodo; tourers climb on skins from the lodge. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥13,000 per person (2026), about CAD 117 or USD 82 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.mikuri.com/ Summary: Mikurigaike Onsen suits spring ski tourers and hikers who want to sleep at 2,410 m beside Japan's highest hot spring, and its trade-off is a 15-minute walk over snow from Murodo Terminal in April and May. The lodge opened on 13 August 1957 at 2,410 m on the Murodo plateau, and it still calls its bath the highest natural hot spring in Japan. The water comes from Jigokudani below the lodge, milky and acidic, and flows through the two indoor baths with no water or heat added. Guests may bathe at any hour except 8:00 to 9:00, when the baths are cleaned. In April and May the path from Murodo Terminal runs over snow, and the lodge asks for sturdy footwear and warm layers because the weather can turn to blizzard. Spring tourers base here for the slopes around Murodo. File the entry form Toyama Prefecture requires in April, May and November, and carry a beacon. Bookings for each season open online, and a dormitory bed costs ¥13,000 a person with two meals all year. Q: How much does Mikurigaike Onsen cost? A: Prices at Mikurigaike Onsen start at ¥13,000 per person (2026), about CAD 117 or USD 82 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Mikurigaike Onsen open all year? A: Mikurigaike Onsen opens for part of the year. Open 15 April to 24 November in 2026; from 4 November the walk from Murodo needs winter mountain gear, and bookings then go through the lodge's site or by phone. Q: Are meals included at Mikurigaike Onsen? A: Mikurigaike Onsen: Dinner and breakfast of Toyama seafood and mountain produce, carried up from the valley. Q: What does Mikurigaike Onsen have? A: Mikurigaike Onsen lists onsen, dormitory with curtains and reading lights, free wi fi, restaurant, café, mont bell shop. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.mikuri.com/ https://www.mikuri.com/en/ https://www.mikuri.com/stay/ https://www.mikuri.com/onsen/ https://www.mikuri.com/access/ https://www.mikuri.com/about/ https://toyamaken-sotaikyo.jp/rule/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11278813 ### Minakami Hotel Juraku URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/minakami-hotel-juraku Type: Stay Local name: 水上温泉 みなかみホテルジュラク (ja) Also known as: Hotel Juraku Minakami, Juraku Minakami, みなかみホテルジュラク Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 665 Yubara, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma 379-1617 Coordinates: 36.77238, 138.97073 Kind: Hotel Prices: Plans on the hotel's booking engine. Day bathing costs ¥2,000 for adults and ¥1,000 for children aged 3 to primary school. Meals: Buffet dinner and breakfast on most plans. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 36 Amenities: Large baths, Open air bath, Sauna, EV charger Best for: families, buffet dinners, Minakami Onsen location Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Not allowed Tattoo rule: Juraku refuses bathers with tattoos of any kind, including temporary sticker tattoos, whatever their job. Website: https://www.hotel-juraku.co.jp/minakami/ Summary: Minakami Hotel Juraku suits families who want a big buffet hotel above the Tone River in Minakami Onsen, and it bars anyone with a tattoo from its baths. Juraku renovated all 36 rooms, and the river-view rooms look down on the Tone with Tanigawa-dake filling the mountain-view side. The water is piped 500 m from a spring the hotel says villagers and the priest of Kenmyo-ji dug out more than 400 years ago, at 180 tonnes a day and 42 °C, with tap water added. The large bath has jacuzzi and cypress tubs among many others. Check-in is from 15:00, or from 13:00 on early check-in plans, which also open the large baths early. An EV charger costs ¥1,100 a charge, for two cars a day. Q: Can I bathe at Minakami Hotel Juraku with a tattoo? A: No. Juraku refuses bathers with any tattoo, including temporary sticker tattoos. Q: Are meals included at Minakami Hotel Juraku? A: Minakami Hotel Juraku: Buffet dinner and breakfast on most plans. Q: What does Minakami Hotel Juraku have? A: Minakami Hotel Juraku lists large baths, open air bath, sauna, ev charger. Q: Who is Minakami Hotel Juraku good for? A: Minakami Hotel Juraku suits families, buffet dinners, Minakami Onsen location. Q: Does Minakami Hotel Juraku have an onsen? A: Yes. Minakami Hotel Juraku has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hotel-juraku.co.jp/minakami/ https://www.hotel-juraku.co.jp/minakami/room/ https://www.hotel-juraku.co.jp/minakami/spa/ https://www.hotel-juraku.co.jp/minakami/faq/ https://www.hotel-juraku.co.jp/minakami/access/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/2804963001 ### Minakami Kogen Hotel 200 URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/minakami-kogen-hotel-200 Type: Stay Local name: 水上高原ホテル200 (ja) Also known as: Minakami Kogen 200, Hotel 200, Minakami Kogen Ski Resort hotel Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 6152-1 Fujiwara, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma 379-1721 Coordinates: 36.85495, 139.07624 Kind: Ski hotel From: ¥9,900 per person (2026), about CAD 89 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: The hotel's plan page showed plans from ¥9,900 to ¥55,000 a person in October 2026, with a ¥1,100 discount for bookings 45 days ahead. Preschool children sharing a bed stay free on set dates. Meals: Dinner buffet of about 60 dishes, or set dinners in the top-floor restaurant on booked dates. Amenities: On site ski area, Guest only open air bath, Baby rooms, Kids' services Best for: families with small children, skiers, golfers in summer Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥9,900 per person (2026), about CAD 89 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.minakamikogen200.jp/ Summary: Minakami Kogen Hotel 200 suits families who want a ski hotel with its own family ski area at 966 m and plans from ¥9,900 a person, and its slopes are pitched at families more than at strong riders. Hotel 200 sits on an estate of 2 million tsubo, about 6.6 square kilometres, at 966 m in Fujiwara that holds the Minakami Kogen Ski Resort, a golf course and a forest zipline. Its ski area runs kids' parks and dog-sled rides, and the hotel has baby rooms and child services. The guest-only open-air baths, Rinraku, stand in a separate building a few minutes' walk away, with a mountain-view pool and a birch-wood pool that swap between men and women by day. Q: How much does Minakami Kogen Hotel 200 cost? A: Prices at Minakami Kogen Hotel 200 start at ¥9,900 per person (2026), about CAD 89 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Minakami Kogen Hotel 200? A: Minakami Kogen Hotel 200: Dinner buffet of about 60 dishes, or set dinners in the top-floor restaurant on booked dates. Q: What does Minakami Kogen Hotel 200 have? A: Minakami Kogen Hotel 200 lists on site ski area, guest only open air bath, baby rooms, kids' services. Q: Who is Minakami Kogen Hotel 200 good for? A: Minakami Kogen Hotel 200 suits families with small children, skiers, golfers in summer. Q: Does Minakami Kogen Hotel 200 have an onsen? A: Yes. Minakami Kogen Hotel 200 has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.minakamikogen200.jp/ https://www.minakamikogen200.jp/accommodation/plan/ https://www.minakamikogen200.jp/about/ https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/7440/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/568836640 ### Miyamaso Takamiya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/miyamaso-takamiya Type: Stay Local name: 深山荘 高見屋 (ja) Also known as: Takamiya Ryokan Miyamaso, Takamiya Ryokan, Shinzanso Takamiya Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: 54 Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata 990-2301 Coordinates: 38.16890, 140.39780 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥23,760 per person (2026), about CAD 214 or USD 150 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Jalan lists dinner and breakfast from ¥23,760 a person when two share, or ¥47,520 for the room. The open-air bath rooms and the Hinakura villa cost more. Meals: Dinner and breakfast; seasonal Yamagata kaiseki Check-in: 15:00–24:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 19 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Private bath, Ski drying room, Lounge, Free parking, Wi Fi Best for: couples, onsen lovers, history Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: Jalan lists the ski area within a five-minute walk; the inn names no lift. Boot room: Yes Shuttle: Free pick-up from the Zao Onsen bus terminal; phone the inn when you arrive. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The inn's pages and its Jalan listing state no tattoo rule. Price from: ¥23,760 per person (2026), about CAD 214 or USD 150 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.zao.co.jp/takamiya/ Summary: Miyamaso Takamiya suits travellers who want Zao's old-house ryokan, open since 1716 on its own three springs, and the trade-off is a wooden building over a century old with about twenty stone steps at the door and no lift. Takamiya has stood at the top of Takayu-dori, the narrow bath street, since 1716, and the inn takes its name from that high spot. It owns three springs and runs them through nine tubs without mixing or recirculating. The water is Zao's strongly acidic sulphur spring, and it runs milky white. Two bathhouses swap between men and women each day. Choju no Yu keeps the black-lacquered boards and heavy beams of an old toji bathhouse, while Seseragi no Yu sits by the Sukawa stream with stone and cypress tubs. The private Kibitaga-yu, a large Shigaraki tub, costs ¥3,000 for 50 minutes from 7:00 to 22:00, and you book it at the front desk on the day. Nineteen rooms run from a 30-square-metre single to Hinakura, a 110-square-metre detached villa, and several rooms carry their own open-air tub. Cars cannot reach the front door, so drivers call from near the Yamagata Kotsu bus terminal and staff guide them to the free car park and carry the bags. Guests arriving by bus get a free pick-up from the terminal when they phone. Tips: - Guests with limited mobility should call ahead, since every room is up a staircase. - The Zao Echo Line over the mountain closes from November to the end of April, so drive in from the Yamagata side in winter. Q: How much does Miyamaso Takamiya cost? A: Prices at Miyamaso Takamiya start at ¥23,760 per person (2026), about CAD 214 or USD 150 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Miyamaso Takamiya? A: Miyamaso Takamiya: Dinner and breakfast; seasonal Yamagata kaiseki. Q: What does Miyamaso Takamiya have? A: Miyamaso Takamiya lists onsen, open air bath, private bath, ski drying room, lounge, free parking, wi fi. Q: Who is Miyamaso Takamiya good for? A: Miyamaso Takamiya suits couples, onsen lovers, history. Q: Is Miyamaso Takamiya ski-in ski-out? A: No. Miyamaso Takamiya sits away from the lifts, and free pick-up from the Zao Onsen bus terminal; phone the inn when you arrive. Q: Does Miyamaso Takamiya have an onsen? A: Yes. Miyamaso Takamiya has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.zao.co.jp/takamiya/ https://takamiya-ryokan.com/ https://zaomountainresort.com/stay/ https://www.zao.co.jp/takamiya/hotspring/ https://www.zao.co.jp/takamiya/facilities/ https://www.zao.co.jp/takamiya/access/ https://zaomountainresort.com/author/takamiya/ https://maps.app.goo.gl/tQRWd7VCwNJjuYkL8 https://www.jalan.net/yad321744/ https://www.jalan.net/yad321744/plan/?dateUndecided=1&adultNum=2&roomCount=1 ### Morino Lodge Hakuba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/morino-lodge-hakuba Type: Stay Also known as: Morino Lodge Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: 4692-3 Wadano, Hakuba-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-9301 Coordinates: 36.70490, 137.83850 Kind: Guesthouse Prices: Rates are quoted on booking; none are published on the lodge's site. Best for: young groups, skiers on a budget, solo travellers Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: 5 min on foot Shuttle: A main Hakuba Valley shuttle stop sits outside the front door. Website: https://www.morinolodge.com/ Summary: Morino Lodge Hakuba is a casual lodge in Wadano a short walk from the Happo gondola, with a valley shuttle stop at its door. It suits groups who want to walk to the lifts and the bars, and the trade-off is that the lodge publishes little about rooms or prices. The lodge sits on the Wadano side of Happo, and its own site puts the main Happo gondola less than five minutes away on foot. One of the valley's main shuttle stops sits directly outside the front door, which makes the other Hakuba resorts easy on a valley pass. Ask about room types and meals when you book, because the site lists neither. Q: Who is Morino Lodge Hakuba good for? A: Morino Lodge Hakuba suits young groups, skiers on a budget, solo travellers. Q: Is Morino Lodge Hakuba ski-in ski-out? A: No. Morino Lodge Hakuba sits 5 minutes on foot from the nearest lift, and a main Hakuba Valley shuttle stop sits outside the front door. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.morinolodge.com/ ### Myohonoyu Chigira URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/myohonoyu-chigira Type: Stay Local name: 妙宝乃湯ちぎら (ja) Also known as: Chigira, Kamata Onsen Chigira, 鎌田温泉 ちぎら Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Katashina Address: 4085-2 Kamata, Katashina-mura, Tone-gun, Gunma 378-0415 Coordinates: 36.77040, 139.22641 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Chigira takes cash only. Cancellations cost 20% from seven days ahead, 50% the day before and 100% on the day. Meals: Dinner and breakfast; the house speciality is Okutone mochi pork steamed over the spring. Check-in: 15:00 Rooms: 8 Amenities: Ski and snowboard drying room, Shared fridge, Wi Fi in rooms Best for: skiers with a car, small groups, quiet stays Boot room: Yes Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://chigira.co.jp/ Summary: Myohonoyu Chigira suits drivers skiing Katashina's areas who want a small spring-water inn with a drying room in the village centre, and it takes cash only and allows smoking in every room. Chigira is an eight-room inn on Route 120 in Kamata, the middle of Katashina. Its spring rises at 51 °C and flows at 150 litres a minute, cooled to about 42 °C in one indoor bath for men and one for women, with no outdoor or private bath. Day bathing stopped about 15 years ago, so the baths are for guests only. For skiers it has a drying room for skis and boards, and the inn links Marunuma Kogen and Oguna Hotaka among the ski areas nearby. Rooms have a wooden floor area and a raised tatami area with futons laid before you arrive. Every room allows smoking, and the inn says some smell can linger. Q: Does Myohonoyu Chigira take credit cards? A: No. Chigira takes cash only. Q: Can I visit Chigira just for the bath? A: No. The baths are for overnight guests only. Q: Are meals included at Myohonoyu Chigira? A: Myohonoyu Chigira: Dinner and breakfast; the house speciality is Okutone mochi pork steamed over the spring. Q: What does Myohonoyu Chigira have? A: Myohonoyu Chigira lists ski and snowboard drying room, shared fridge, wi fi in rooms. Q: Who is Myohonoyu Chigira good for? A: Myohonoyu Chigira suits skiers with a car, small groups, quiet stays. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://chigira.co.jp/ https://chigira.co.jp/facility.html https://chigira.co.jp/spa.html https://chigira.co.jp/access.html https://chigira.co.jp/faq.html https://oze-katashina.info/kanko/11969/ ### Naeba Prince Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/naeba-prince-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 苗場プリンスホテル (ja) Also known as: Naeba Prince, Prince Naeba Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町三国202 Coordinates: 36.79170, 138.78460 Kind: Ski hotel From: ¥14,475 per person (2026), about CAD 130 or USD 91 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Meals: Dinner and breakfast plans; many restaurants in the complex Rooms: 1216 Amenities: Ski in, Dragondola, Restaurants, Station shuttle, Shops Best for: families, groups, skiers Ski-in ski-out: Yes To the lifts: The hotel sits at the base of Naeba ski resort. Shuttle: A scheduled shuttle runs to Echigo-Yuzawa Station on advance booking. Price from: ¥14,475 per person (2026), about CAD 130 or USD 91 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/naeba/ Summary: Naeba Prince Hotel suits groups and families who want to sleep at the foot of Naeba with the Dragondola to Kagura on the doorstep, and its trade-off is the scale of a hotel with more than 1,200 rooms. The hotel stands at the base of Naeba ski resort, and Yuzawa's tourism office counts 1,216 rooms and space for about 3,000 guests. The Dragondola links Naeba with the Kagura side and runs 5,481 metres, which the hotel calls the longest gondola in Japan. Building 4 reopens after renovation in December 2026, and the 2026/27 winter plans run from December 2026 to April 2027. The cheapest plans assume a full room, so solo travellers pay more. A scheduled shuttle runs to Echigo-Yuzawa Station, and you need to book it in advance. In autumn the Dragondola turns into a ride over the changing leaves. Q: How much does Naeba Prince Hotel cost? A: Prices at Naeba Prince Hotel start at ¥14,475 per person (2026), about CAD 130 or USD 91 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Naeba Prince Hotel? A: Naeba Prince Hotel: Dinner and breakfast plans; many restaurants in the complex. Q: What does Naeba Prince Hotel have? A: Naeba Prince Hotel lists ski in, dragondola, restaurants, station shuttle, shops. Q: Who is Naeba Prince Hotel good for? A: Naeba Prince Hotel suits families, groups, skiers. Q: Is Naeba Prince Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Naeba Prince Hotel is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/naeba/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/stay_p/naeba_prince_hoetl/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/stay/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11616114 ### Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/nagoya-marriott-associa-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 名古屋マリオットアソシアホテル (ja) Also known as: Marriott Associa, Nagoya Marriott, 名古屋マリオット Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Town: Nagoya Address: 1-1-4 Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 450-6002 Coordinates: 35.17075, 136.88342 Kind: Hotel Meals: Several restaurants and a lobby lounge in the hotel. Check-in: 15:00, out by 12:00 Amenities: Bell desks on the 2nd and 15th floors, Underground parking, Free Wi Fi Best for: a first or last night by the Shinkansen, couples Website: https://www.associa.com/nma/ Summary: The Nagoya Marriott Associa suits travellers who want a top hotel directly above the Shinkansen, and it publishes no bike rule, so ask before you bring a bagged bike up. The hotel sits in the tower above Nagoya Station, so you can step off the Shinkansen and reach the front desk without crossing a street. Bell desks on the 2nd and 15th floors hold bags before check-in and after check-out. The hotel takes parcels sent ahead to the front desk if the slip carries the stay date and the guest's name, which works for a bike box sent by courier. Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out runs to noon. Q: Are meals included at Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel? A: Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel: Several restaurants and a lobby lounge in the hotel. Q: What does Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel have? A: Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel lists bell desks on the 2nd and 15th floors, underground parking, free wi fi. Q: Who is Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel good for? A: Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel suits a first or last night by the Shinkansen, couples. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.associa.com/nma/ https://www.associa.com/nma/faq/ https://www.associa.com/nma/access/ ### Naniwa Issui URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/naniwa-issui Type: Stay Local name: なにわ一水 (ja) Also known as: Naniwa-issui, なにわ一水 Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Shimane Town: Matsue Address: 63 Chidori-cho, Matsue, Shimane Coordinates: 35.46543, 133.04221 Kind: Ryokan Prices: The inn publishes plan prices through its booking pages. Matsuba-gani costs extra at dinner and must be booked two days ahead, five days ahead over New Year. Meals: Dinner and breakfast plans; breakfast starts at 7:30 with the last sitting at 9:00. Check-in: 16:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 23 Amenities: Lakeside rooms, Rooms with open air baths, Luggage holding, Station pick up Best for: couples, Lake Shinji sunsets, accessible travel Bike rental: Visit Matsue lists Naniwa Issui among the places at Matsue Shinjiko Onsen that rent bicycles. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The inn's FAQ publishes no tattoo rule. Website: https://www.naniwa-i.com/ Summary: Naniwa Issui suits couples who want a room on the Lake Shinji shore at Matsue Shinjiko Onsen, and its doors close at midnight. Naniwa Issui stands on the lakeshore at Matsue Shinjiko Onsen, eight minutes' walk from the Ichibata line's Matsue Shinjiko Onsen Station, and it will collect you from the station. Each of its 23 rooms has its own design, and the third-floor MINAMO rooms 301 and 302 are twins facing the lake with open-air baths. It won both the accessible and accommodation categories at the 2024 Japan Travel Awards. Standard rooms check in at 16:00 and out at 10:00, while rooms with open-air baths run from 15:00 to 11:00. The front desk holds bags and accepts parcels sent ahead with your name and stay date on the slip. Q: Are meals included at Naniwa Issui? A: Naniwa Issui: Dinner and breakfast plans; breakfast starts at 7:30 with the last sitting at 9:00. Q: What does Naniwa Issui have? A: Naniwa Issui lists lakeside rooms, rooms with open air baths, luggage holding, station pick up. Q: Who is Naniwa Issui good for? A: Naniwa Issui suits couples, Lake Shinji sunsets, accessible travel. Q: Is Naniwa Issui bike-friendly? A: Naniwa Issui has published no cycling policy. Visit Matsue lists Naniwa Issui among the places at Matsue Shinjiko Onsen that rent bicycles. Q: Does Naniwa Issui have an onsen? A: Yes. Naniwa Issui has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.naniwa-i.com/ https://www.naniwa-i.com/faq https://www.naniwa-i.com/access https://www.visit-matsue.com/info/moving https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%B3%B6%E6%A0%B9%E7%9C%8C%E6%9D%BE%E6%B1%9F%E5%B8%82%E5%8D%83%E9%B3%A5%E7%94%BA63 ### Naraya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/naraya Type: Stay Local name: 奈良屋 (ja) Also known as: Kusatsu Naraya, Naraya Kusatsu Onsen, 草津温泉 奈良屋 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Coordinates: 36.62339, 138.59608 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Naraya sells rooms through its booking engine, and its site lists no fixed rate. A private bath costs ¥3,300 for 45 minutes. Meals: Dinner and breakfast are served; the inn settles the dinner time with you at check-in, starting from 18:00 to 19:00. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Private baths, Large baths, Restaurant Best for: couples, onsen purists, first trip to Kusatsu Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Private baths only Tattoo rule: Naraya refuses tattooed guests in its large baths and lets them use the paid private baths. A small point tattoo that a sticker can cover fully is allowed in the large baths. Website: https://www.kusatsu-naraya.co.jp/ Summary: Naraya suits couples who want a ryokan a few steps from the Yubatake on the Shirahata source, which Naraya calls Kusatsu's oldest, and guests with tattoos are limited to its private baths. Naraya stands by the Yubatake and pipes the Shirahata source, which tradition says Minamoto no Yoritomo found and bathed in on 3 August 1193. The family began as yumori, the keepers of the spring, given the post by the local lord in the Edo period. The water rises at 55–56 °C, so the inn lets it rest overnight in its bath house until it reaches 46–47 °C and then stirs it by hand before it fills the tubs. It flows through around the clock. The bus terminal is five minutes' walk away. Rooms come in two grades, the Senyutei superior rooms and the standard rooms, and check-out can be pushed to 12:00 for ¥5,000 a room. Q: Can I use the baths at Naraya with a tattoo? A: Only the private baths. Naraya refuses tattooed guests in its large baths, though a small tattoo covered fully by a sticker is allowed. Q: What time is check-in at Naraya? A: Check-in at Naraya is from 15:00 and check-out is at 11:00. Q: Are meals included at Naraya? A: Naraya: Dinner and breakfast are served; the inn settles the dinner time with you at check-in, starting from 18:00 to 19:00. Q: What does Naraya have? A: Naraya lists private baths, large baths, restaurant. Q: Who is Naraya good for? A: Naraya suits couples, onsen purists, first trip to Kusatsu. Q: Does Naraya have an onsen? A: Yes. Naraya has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kusatsu-naraya.co.jp/ https://www.kusatsu-naraya.co.jp/onsen/index.html https://www.kusatsu-naraya.co.jp/rooms/index.html https://www.kusatsu-naraya.co.jp/faq/index.html https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/954629636 ### NASPA New Otani URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/naspa-new-otani Type: Stay Local name: NASPAニューオータニ (ja) Also known as: Naspa New Otani, ナスパ, NASPA Yuzawa Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町湯沢2117-9 Coordinates: 36.93080, 138.79870 Kind: Ski hotel From: ¥19,800 per person (2026), about CAD 178 or USD 125 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Meals: Dinner and breakfast in several restaurants Rooms: 205 Amenities: Private ski slope, Public baths, Paid private baths, Station shuttle, Restaurants, Patisserie Best for: families, beginners, groups Ski-in ski-out: Yes To the lifts: The hotel has its own private ski slope on the grounds. Shuttle: A shuttle bus runs between Echigo-Yuzawa Station and the hotel in about three minutes. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Not allowed Tattoo rule: The hotel bars anyone with tattoos from its public baths; the paid private baths are the alternative to ask about. Price from: ¥19,800 per person (2026), about CAD 178 or USD 125 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.naspa.co.jp/ Summary: NASPA New Otani suits families who want a big full-service resort with its own ski slope beside Echigo-Yuzawa, and its trade-off is a strict no-tattoo rule in the public baths. NASPA is a big resort hotel on the west side of the Yuzawa valley, with 205 rooms and space for about 900 guests. It has a private ski slope of its own, which makes it an easy first day for children and beginners before you move on to GALA or Naeba. A shuttle bus runs to the hotel from Echigo-Yuzawa Station in about three minutes. The 2026/27 winter plans cover stays from 24 December 2026 to 27 March 2027, with New Year priced on its own. Yuzawa's tourism office notes that only the paid private baths run free-flowing source water. People with tattoos cannot enter the public baths. The restaurants began serving 2026 Minamiuonuma Koshihikari rice in September. Q: How much does NASPA New Otani cost? A: Prices at NASPA New Otani start at ¥19,800 per person (2026), about CAD 178 or USD 125 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at NASPA New Otani? A: NASPA New Otani: Dinner and breakfast in several restaurants. Q: What does NASPA New Otani have? A: NASPA New Otani lists private ski slope, public baths, paid private baths, station shuttle, restaurants, patisserie. Q: Who is NASPA New Otani good for? A: NASPA New Otani suits families, beginners, groups. Q: Is NASPA New Otani ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. NASPA New Otani is ski-in ski-out. Q: Does NASPA New Otani have an onsen? A: Yes. NASPA New Otani has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Q: Can you use the baths at NASPA New Otani with tattoos? A: No. The baths at NASPA New Otani turn away bathers with visible tattoos. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.naspa.co.jp/ https://www.naspa.co.jp/spa/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/stay_p/naspa_new_otani/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/stay/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11234467 ### Natique Shiroyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/natique-shiroyama Type: Stay Local name: ナティーク城山 (ja) Also known as: Nautique Shiroyama, Natiku Shiroyama Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Innoshima Address: 2254-6 Innoshima Habu-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-2323 Coordinates: 34.28170, 133.18140 Kind: Hotel Prices: Hiroshima prefecture adds an accommodation tax of ¥200 per person per night on rooms above ¥6,000 a person, from 1 April 2026. Meals: Setouchi cooking in the Primavera restaurant; lunch and dinner need booking two days ahead. Amenities: Restaurant Best for: couples, food lovers Baths: Private baths Website: http://nautique.jp/ Summary: Natique Shiroyama suits couples who want a small auberge with Setouchi cooking on Innoshima's south shore, and meals must be booked two days ahead. Natique Shiroyama calls itself a small auberge and stands on a rise above the sea on Innoshima's south side, on the site of Nagasaki Castle, an outpost of the Murakami sea clans that the prefecture lists as a historic site. A shipyard sits next door, and the hotel runs a plan that pairs a yard tour with lunch. For now the restaurant takes lunch and dinner only on bookings made two days in advance, so settle meals when you reserve the room. Room types run from a single-bed room up to named suites. Q: Are meals included at Natique Shiroyama? A: Natique Shiroyama: Setouchi cooking in the Primavera restaurant; lunch and dinner need booking two days ahead. Q: What does Natique Shiroyama have? A: Natique Shiroyama lists restaurant. Q: Who is Natique Shiroyama good for? A: Natique Shiroyama suits couples, food lovers. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://nautique.jp/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information&paged=8 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E5%9B%A0%E5%B3%B6%E5%9C%9F%E7%94%9F%E7%94%BA2254-6 ### Dogo Onsen Nigitatsu Kaikan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/nigitatsu-kaikan Type: Stay Local name: 道後温泉 にぎたつ会館 (ja) Also known as: Nigitatsu Kaikan, Nigitatsu, にぎたつ会館 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Town: Matsuyama Address: 118-2 Dogo-himezuka, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0858 Coordinates: 33.84980, 132.78840 Kind: Hotel Prices: Rates are on the hotel's own booking pages and change by plan and date. Meals: Breakfast and dinner available Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 59 Amenities: Coin laundry, Wi fi, Onsen bath Best for: onsen, couples, families, cyclists Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes can go up to the room, according to the hotel's Cycling Island Shikoku listing. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://nigitatsu.jp/ Booking: https://nigitatsu.jp/ Summary: Nigitatsu Kaikan suits riders who want Dogo water in the hotel bath and the Honkan five minutes' walk away, and it shuts for two days on 19 and 20 October 2026. The public school teachers' mutual aid association runs Nigitatsu Kaikan as its Dogo lodge, and it takes general guests. It stands in Dogo-himezuka, about five minutes on foot from the Honkan. The big bath is cypress and fills with water piped from Dogo's springs. Rooms run from 19 singles to Japanese rooms for families, and the hotel lets riders take their bikes up to the room. Q: Are meals included at Dogo Onsen Nigitatsu Kaikan? A: Dogo Onsen Nigitatsu Kaikan: Breakfast and dinner available. Q: What does Dogo Onsen Nigitatsu Kaikan have? A: Dogo Onsen Nigitatsu Kaikan lists coin laundry, wi fi, onsen bath. Q: Is Dogo Onsen Nigitatsu Kaikan bike-friendly? A: Yes. Dogo Onsen Nigitatsu Kaikan welcomes cyclists. Storage: bikes can go up to the room, according to the hotel's Cycling Island Shikoku listing. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nigitatsu.jp/ https://cycling-island-shikoku.com/hotel_inn/no075.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%84%9B%E5%AA%9B%E7%9C%8C%E6%9D%BE%E5%B1%B1%E5%B8%82%E9%81%93%E5%BE%8C%E5%A7%AB%E5%A1%9A118-2 ### Nikko Astraea Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/nikko-astraea-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 日光アストリアホテル (ja) Also known as: Astraea Hotel, Nikko Astoria Hotel Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Nikko Address: 2501-4 Chugushi, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1661 Coordinates: 36.79580, 139.45350 Kind: Hotel Amenities: Onsen, Outdoor bath, E bike rental Best for: Okunikko, e-bike days, onsen Bike rental: Two kinds of electric-assist bike for hotel guests only: ¥5,000 for six hours, ¥3,000 for three and ¥1,000 an hour, with insurance. Rentals run 9:00–18:00 from the front desk, last start 17:00, with ID and a helmet required. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.nikkoastraea.com/ Summary: Nikko Astraea suits guests who want a hot-spring hotel up in Okunikko with e-bikes at the desk, and school trips book it so often that its baths close to other guests for about two hours on those days. The hotel pipes its water straight from the Yumoto springs, and you soak under the stars in its outdoor bath. It sits out in the Okunikko highlands north of Lake Chuzenji, within reach of Senjogahara and the Yumoto ski park. Guests can rent electric-assist bikes from the front desk for a loop of the moor. School groups stay here through the year. On those dates the big bath is reserved for the students for about two hours, and the hotel lists the dates on its site. Q: What does Nikko Astraea Hotel have? A: Nikko Astraea Hotel lists onsen, outdoor bath, e bike rental. Q: Who is Nikko Astraea Hotel good for? A: Nikko Astraea Hotel suits Okunikko, e-bike days, onsen. Q: Is Nikko Astraea Hotel bike-friendly? A: Nikko Astraea Hotel has published no cycling policy. Two kinds of electric-assist bike for hotel guests only: ¥5,000 for six hours, ¥3,000 for three and ¥1,000 an hour, with insurance. Rentals run 9:00–18:00 from the front desk, last start 17:00, with ID and a helmet required. Q: Does Nikko Astraea Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Nikko Astraea Hotel has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nikkoastraea.com/ https://www.nikkoastraea.com/cc-cycle/ https://www.nikkoastraea.com/access/ https://nikkoyumoto-ski.com/ ### Nikko Kanaya Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/nikko-kanaya-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 日光金谷ホテル (ja) Also known as: Kanaya Hotel, Kanaya Hotel Nikko Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Nikko Address: 1300 Kami-Hatsuishi-machi, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1401 Coordinates: 36.75210, 139.60400 Kind: Hotel Meals: Restaurants in the hotel serve its long-standing Western menu. Amenities: Restaurant, Tea room Best for: history, walking to the shrines Website: https://www.kanayahotel.co.jp/nkh/ Summary: Nikko Kanaya Hotel suits travellers who want to sleep in a hotel that has run since 1873 near the Shinkyo bridge, and it publishes no bike storage policy. The hotel opened in 1873 and now spreads across four buildings, from the main building to the second annex. Rooms differ one from the next even inside the same wing. Shinkyo bridge and the path to Toshogu are a few minutes' walk away. Q: Are meals included at Nikko Kanaya Hotel? A: Nikko Kanaya Hotel: Restaurants in the hotel serve its long-standing Western menu. Q: What does Nikko Kanaya Hotel have? A: Nikko Kanaya Hotel lists restaurant, tea room. Q: Who is Nikko Kanaya Hotel good for? A: Nikko Kanaya Hotel suits history, walking to the shrines. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kanayahotel.co.jp/nkh/ https://www.kanayahotel.co.jp/nkh/access/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11504902 ### NIPPONIA Chichibu Monzenmachi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/nipponia-chichibu-monzenmachi Type: Stay Local name: NIPPONIA 秩父 門前町 (ja) Also known as: Nipponia Chichibu, NIPPONIA秩父, NIPPONIA 秩父 門前町 Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Saitama Town: Chichibu Address: MARUJU building, 17-5 Miyagawa-cho, Chichibu, Saitama Coordinates: 35.99740, 139.08280 Kind: Hotel Meals: Dinner is French cooking built on Chichibu produce. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 8 Amenities: Restaurant, Car park Best for: couples, food lovers, the Chichibu Night Festival Website: https://www.kazenoheritage.jp/hotels/chichibu/ Summary: NIPPONIA Chichibu Monzenmachi suits couples who want a restored merchant house by Chichibu Shrine after a day on the passes, and its trade-off is just eight rooms and nothing published about bike storage. The hotel spreads eight rooms through restored buildings in the old shrine town of Chichibu, among them a former drug merchant's storehouse and a registered cultural property. Every room is different, and each sleeps one to four. You check in at the MARUJU building on Miyagawa-cho, close to the shrine's main approach along Banba-dori. Check-in is at 15:00 and check-out at 11:00. Dinner is French, built on Chichibu produce. Kazeno Heritage runs the reservation line from 11:00 to 20:00. Q: Are meals included at NIPPONIA Chichibu Monzenmachi? A: NIPPONIA Chichibu Monzenmachi: Dinner is French cooking built on Chichibu produce. Q: What does NIPPONIA Chichibu Monzenmachi have? A: NIPPONIA Chichibu Monzenmachi lists restaurant, car park. Q: Who is NIPPONIA Chichibu Monzenmachi good for? A: NIPPONIA Chichibu Monzenmachi suits couples, food lovers, the Chichibu Night Festival. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kazenoheritage.jp/hotels/chichibu/ https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/hotel/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%9F%BC%E7%8E%89%E7%9C%8C%E7%A7%A9%E7%88%B6%E5%B8%82%E5%AE%AE%E5%81%B4%E7%94%BA17-5 ### Nishimuraya Honkan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/nishimuraya-honkan Type: Stay Local name: 西村屋本館 (ja) Also known as: Nishimuraya, 西村屋, Nishimuraya Kinosaki Region: Kansai Prefecture: Hyogo Town: Kinosaki Onsen Address: 469 Yushima, Kinosaki-cho, Toyooka, Hyogo 669-6101 Coordinates: 35.62790, 134.80390 Kind: Ryokan Meals: Dinner and breakfast in the ryokan's plans Amenities: Three indoor baths Best for: couples, onsen lovers, special occasions Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.nishimuraya.ne.jp/honkan/ Summary: Nishimuraya Honkan suits couples who want a historic ryokan in Kinosaki with its own baths and the public bathhouses a stroll away, and its trade-off is a formal ryokan stay with fixed meal plans. Nishimuraya has run in Kinosaki for about 165 years, and its main building is a registered tangible cultural property. The inn has three indoor baths of its own on Kinosaki's spring water. Guests walk out in yukata and geta to the public bathhouses along the willow-lined street. The ryokan books through one desk with its sister hotel Shogetsutei, and the phone line answers until 19:00. Q: Are meals included at Nishimuraya Honkan? A: Nishimuraya Honkan: Dinner and breakfast in the ryokan's plans. Q: What does Nishimuraya Honkan have? A: Nishimuraya Honkan lists three indoor baths. Q: Who is Nishimuraya Honkan good for? A: Nishimuraya Honkan suits couples, onsen lovers, special occasions. Q: Does Nishimuraya Honkan have an onsen? A: Yes. Nishimuraya Honkan has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nishimuraya.ne.jp/honkan/ https://www.nishimuraya.ne.jp/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%85%B5%E5%BA%AB%E7%9C%8C%E8%B1%8A%E5%B2%A1%E5%B8%82%E5%9F%8E%E5%B4%8E%E7%94%BA%E6%B9%AF%E5%B3%B6469 ### Notoraku URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/notoraku Type: Stay Local name: 日本の宿 のと楽 (ja) Also known as: Nihon no Yado Notoraku, Noto Raku, のと楽, Wakura Onsen Notoraku Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Town: Wakura Onsen Address: 1-14 Ishizaki-machi Kashima, Nanao, Ishikawa Coordinates: 37.08587, 136.92578 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥21,450 per person (2026), about CAD 193 or USD 136 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: The prices shown are the inn's weekday plans per person with dinner and breakfast; other dates are priced on its booking calendar. Meals: Dinner and breakfast plans, with kaiseki at Kappo Yoimachi Rooms: 165 Amenities: Onsen, Station shuttle, Kids area, Free soft drink corner, Wi Fi in the lobby and main building rooms Best for: families, couples, first ryokan stay Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥21,450 per person (2026), about CAD 193 or USD 136 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.notoraku.co.jp/ Summary: Notoraku suits families and couples who want a large bay-front ryokan at Wakura Onsen with the full set of baths and dining back in use, and its trade-off is a big, busy house with repair work still under way in the main building. Notoraku is the largest of the Wakura inns taking tourists, with 165 rooms on the association's August 2026 list. Its 14th-floor rooms look over Nanao Bay from open-air view baths, and the Notojima Terrace Club rooms add a jacuzzi on the terrace. The inn's bus meets guests at JR Wakura Onsen station, about five minutes away; ring when you know your train. Its current plans add snow crab, nodoguro and Noto fugu, and the plain weekday kaiseki plan starts at ¥21,450 a person. Q: How much does Notoraku cost? A: Prices at Notoraku start at ¥21,450 per person (2026), about CAD 193 or USD 136 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Notoraku? A: Notoraku: Dinner and breakfast plans, with kaiseki at Kappo Yoimachi. Q: What does Notoraku have? A: Notoraku lists onsen, station shuttle, kids area, free soft drink corner, wi fi in the lobby and main building rooms. Q: Who is Notoraku good for? A: Notoraku suits families, couples, first ryokan stay. Q: Does Notoraku have an onsen? A: Yes. Notoraku has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.notoraku.co.jp/ https://www.notoraku.co.jp/access/ https://www.wakura.or.jp/brochure/brochure-3739/ ### Nozawa Grand Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/nozawa-grand-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 野沢グランドホテル (ja) Also known as: Nozawa Grand Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Address: 8888 Toyosato, Nozawaonsen-mura, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano 389-2502 Coordinates: 36.92560, 138.44510 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥12,000 per adult (2025), about CAD 108 or USD 76 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Range listed by the Nagano Tourism Organization (go-nagano page updated April 2025); the tier is computed from the middle of that range for two people sharing. Meals: Japanese course dinner; buffet or Japanese set breakfast; room-only and B&B plans also offered Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 20 Amenities: Onsen, Open air baths, Rooms with open air baths Best for: couples, families Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥12,000 per adult (2025), about CAD 108 or USD 76 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: http://www.nozawagrand.com/ Summary: Nozawa Grand Hotel is a ryokan on the high side of Nozawa Onsen with open-air baths that look over the village and the Kitashinano hills. It suits couples who want views and half board, and the trade-off is the climb back up the hill from the onsen street. The hotel stands on higher ground at the top of the village and has 20 rooms in Japanese, Western and mixed styles. Eight of them come with their own open-air bath. The water is 100 percent Nozawa hot spring with no recycling, and the hotel's private bathing areas close over winter, from the end of November to the end of April. Q: How much does Nozawa Grand Hotel cost? A: Prices at Nozawa Grand Hotel start at ¥12,000 per adult (2025), about CAD 108 or USD 76 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Nozawa Grand Hotel? A: Nozawa Grand Hotel: Japanese course dinner; buffet or Japanese set breakfast; room-only and B&B plans also offered. Q: What does Nozawa Grand Hotel have? A: Nozawa Grand Hotel lists onsen, open air baths, rooms with open air baths. Q: Who is Nozawa Grand Hotel good for? A: Nozawa Grand Hotel suits couples, families. Q: Is Nozawa Grand Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: No. Nozawa Grand Hotel sits away from the lifts. Q: Does Nozawa Grand Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Nozawa Grand Hotel has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16656 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1087744241 ### Ochiairo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ochiairo Type: Stay Local name: おちあいろう (ja) Also known as: Ochiairo Murakami, Ochiai-ro, 落合楼, 落合楼村上, Ochiairou Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Address: 静岡県伊豆市湯ケ島1887-1 Coordinates: 34.88960, 138.92720 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Ochiairo sells through a date-based booking calendar and publishes no starting price, and we could not confirm one. Meals: Dinner and breakfast of local seasonal produce in the dining rooms Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00-11:00 Rooms: 17 Amenities: Free flowing onsen, Outdoor bath, Sauna, Free shuttle from Shuzenji Station, Free parking, EV charging, Wi Fi Best for: couples, architecture lovers, riders on the Amagi climb Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: Ochiairo's FAQ gives no tattoo rule. Some rooms have their own open-air bath. Website: https://www.ochiairo.co.jp/ Booking: https://www.ochiairo.co.jp/reservation/ Summary: Ochiairo suits riders and couples who want a registered-heritage inn at the foot of the Amagi climb, and the trade-off is that it publishes no prices and no bike policy. Ochiairo opened in 1874 at Yugashima, where two rivers meet in the Amagi hills, and the state now lists its buildings as tangible cultural properties. It has 16 rooms, each designed differently, plus a three-storey house of 547 square metres that sleeps up to twelve. Plan Do See runs it today and kept the old timber while refitting the bathrooms. The outdoor bath looks over the mountains and the stream, and the water runs free-flowing from the source. The big baths and saunas swap between men and women by the hour and close from midnight to 5:00. Check-in starts at 15:00, and the inn closes to clean between guests, so early arrivals wait in the lounge. A free shuttle leaves Shuzenji Station's north exit at 14:15, 15:15 and 16:15 for guests who book it three days ahead. Tokai buses from Shuzenji take about 35 minutes to the Arajuku stop, one minute's walk away. Shuzenji is about 20 minutes by car, and Joren Falls about 10. Tips: - Book the station shuttle at least three days ahead; it runs two seven-seat cars on a first-come basis. Q: How do you reach Ochiairo without a car? A: Take the free shuttle from Shuzenji Station's north exit at 14:15, 15:15 or 16:15, booked three days ahead, or a Tokai bus to Arajuku, about 35 minutes from Shuzenji. Q: Are meals included at Ochiairo? A: Ochiairo: Dinner and breakfast of local seasonal produce in the dining rooms. Q: What does Ochiairo have? A: Ochiairo lists free flowing onsen, outdoor bath, sauna, free shuttle from shuzenji station, free parking, ev charging, wi fi. Q: Who is Ochiairo good for? A: Ochiairo suits couples, architecture lovers, riders on the Amagi climb. Q: Does Ochiairo have an onsen? A: Yes. Ochiairo has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ochiairo.co.jp/ https://www.ochiairo.co.jp/faq/ https://www.ochiairo.co.jp/access/ https://www.ochiairo.co.jp/rooms/ https://www.ochiairo.co.jp/cuisine/autumn/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=静岡県伊豆市湯ケ島1887-1 ### Ogawaya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ogawaya-gero Type: Stay Local name: 小川屋 (ja) Also known as: Gero Onsen Ogawaya, Ogawaya Ryokan Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Gero Onsen Address: 570 Yunoshima, Gero, Gifu 506-2207 Coordinates: 35.80929, 137.24127 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Plans are on the inn's booking pages. Meals: Dinner and breakfast Amenities: Onsen, Rotenburo, Nine private baths, Tatami floored bath, Rooms with outdoor baths Best for: families, couples, travellers who want a private bath Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: Ogawaya publishes no tattoo rule; its private baths are the safest choice for guests with tattoos. Website: https://www.gero-ogawaya.net/ Summary: Ogawaya suits families and couples who want a choice of private baths in the middle of Gero, with nine to pick from. The trade-off is that the private baths go fast, so book a plan that includes one. Ogawaya has five large baths, including a 100-tatami bath with a soft tatami floor and a river-view rotenburo that reopened in 2018. The draw is the nine private baths: two in the main building since 2015 and seven in the Yuragi annex since 2016, all with source water flowing through. Day visitors can book the annex private baths as well. Q: Are meals included at Ogawaya? A: Ogawaya: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Ogawaya have? A: Ogawaya lists onsen, rotenburo, nine private baths, tatami floored bath, rooms with outdoor baths. Q: Who is Ogawaya good for? A: Ogawaya suits families, couples, travellers who want a private bath. Q: Does Ogawaya have an onsen? A: Yes. Ogawaya has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.gero-ogawaya.net/ https://www.gero-ogawaya.net/hotspring/ https://www.gero-ogawaya.net/hotspring/private_bath/ https://www.gero-spa.com/shukuhaku/ ### Okada Ryokan Warakutei URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/okada-ryokan Type: Stay Local name: 岡田旅館／和楽亭 (ja) Also known as: Okada Ryokan, Warakutei, 岡田旅館 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Hirayu Onsen Address: 505 Hirayu, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1433 Coordinates: 36.19357, 137.55077 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Rates are on the inn's own site. Meals: Dinner and breakfast Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, Garden rotenburo, Parking Best for: couples, bath lovers Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.okadaryokan.com/ Summary: Okada Ryokan suits bath lovers who want a garden rotenburo fed by its own springs in the middle of Hirayu. The trade-off is that rates sit behind the booking pages. Okada Ryokan and its annex Warakutei draw on four sources, and the Okuhida tourism association lists simple and sulphur springs flowing straight into the baths with nothing added. The garden rotenburo is the inn's pride. Hirayu bus terminal is a short walk away for buses to Kamikochi, Shin-Hotaka and Takayama. Q: Are meals included at Okada Ryokan Warakutei? A: Okada Ryokan Warakutei: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Okada Ryokan Warakutei have? A: Okada Ryokan Warakutei lists onsen, garden rotenburo, parking. Q: Who is Okada Ryokan Warakutei good for? A: Okada Ryokan Warakutei suits couples, bath lovers. Q: Does Okada Ryokan Warakutei have an onsen? A: Yes. Okada Ryokan Warakutei has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.okadaryokan.com/ https://okuhida.or.jp/hot-springs/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/stay/detail_5018.html ### Okubiwako Makino Grand Park Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/okubiwako-makino-grand-park-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 奥琵琶湖マキノグランドパークホテル (ja) Also known as: Makino Grand Park Hotel Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Takashima Address: 763-2 Nishihama, Makino-cho, Takashima, Shiga 520-1812 Coordinates: 35.45395, 136.05981 Kind: Hotel Prices: Plans are priced by date on the hotel's booking pages. Meals: Breakfast in the restaurant, lunch on the terrace and barbecue dinners. Amenities: Lake view family rooms, Dog friendly rooms, Barbecue, SUP, Rental bikes Best for: families, dog owners, Metasequoia avenue Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Bike rental: The hotel suggests rental bikes for a half-day loop to the Metasequoia avenue. Baths: Private baths Website: https://gphotels.jp/ Summary: The Makino Grand Park suits families and dog owners who want a log-house room on the Makino shore, and it is a resort with little to walk to after dark. The hotel sits on the Nishihama shore at Makino, near the top of the lake and a short ride from JR Makino. Rooms are log-house style; the lake-view family room is 38 square metres and sleeps five, and the twins are 22. Two rooms take dogs under 20 kilograms. The hotel points riders at a half-day loop to the Metasequoia avenue. Q: Are meals included at Okubiwako Makino Grand Park Hotel? A: Okubiwako Makino Grand Park Hotel: Breakfast in the restaurant, lunch on the terrace and barbecue dinners. Q: What does Okubiwako Makino Grand Park Hotel have? A: Okubiwako Makino Grand Park Hotel lists lake view family rooms, dog friendly rooms, barbecue, sup, rental bikes. Q: Who is Okubiwako Makino Grand Park Hotel good for? A: Okubiwako Makino Grand Park Hotel suits families, dog owners, Metasequoia avenue. Q: Is Okubiwako Makino Grand Park Hotel bike-friendly? A: Yes. Okubiwako Makino Grand Park Hotel welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. The hotel suggests rental bikes for a half-day loop to the Metasequoia avenue. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://gphotels.jp/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Okuhida Garden Hotel Yakedake URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/okuhida-garden-hotel-yakedake Type: Stay Local name: 奥飛騨ガーデンホテル焼岳 (ja) Also known as: Garden Hotel Yakedake, Yakedake Hotel Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Address: 2498-1 Hitoegane, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1432 Coordinates: 36.21912, 137.53986 Kind: Hotel From: ¥17,600 per person (2026), about CAD 158 or USD 111 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: From ¥17,600 a person with dinner and breakfast on the tourism association listing; bathing tax extra. Meals: Dinner and breakfast Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, Mixed rotenburo, Private baths, Sauna, Coin laundry with dryers, Karaoke, Parking for 70 cars Best for: families, bath lovers, groups Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥17,600 per person (2026), about CAD 158 or USD 111 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.okuhida-gh.com/ Summary: Okuhida Garden Hotel Yakedake suits families and groups who want a big onsen hotel with nine kinds of outdoor bath. The trade-off is that it sits between the villages, away from Hirayu's bus terminal. The hotel owns four sources that pour out about a tonne of water a minute, and one of them turns emerald green in the Uguisu no Yu mixed rotenburo, where the hotel lends bathing wraps free. Inside there are baths to stand or lie in and a sauna, and two private rotenburo sit outside. Coin washers with dryers cost ¥500 to ¥600, which helps after a wet day on the snow. Q: How much does Okuhida Garden Hotel Yakedake cost? A: Prices at Okuhida Garden Hotel Yakedake start at ¥17,600 per person (2026), about CAD 158 or USD 111 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Okuhida Garden Hotel Yakedake? A: Okuhida Garden Hotel Yakedake: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Okuhida Garden Hotel Yakedake have? A: Okuhida Garden Hotel Yakedake lists onsen, mixed rotenburo, private baths, sauna, coin laundry with dryers, karaoke, parking for 70 cars. Q: Who is Okuhida Garden Hotel Yakedake good for? A: Okuhida Garden Hotel Yakedake suits families, bath lovers, groups. Q: Does Okuhida Garden Hotel Yakedake have an onsen? A: Yes. Okuhida Garden Hotel Yakedake has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.okuhida-gh.com/ https://www.okuhida-gh.com/spa/ https://www.okuhida-gh.com/facilities/ https://www.okuhida-gh.com/rooms/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/stay/detail_4902.html ### Omishima Ikoi no Ie URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/omishima-ikoi-no-ie Type: Stay Local name: 大三島 憩の家 (ja) Also known as: Ikoi no Ie Omishima, Omishima Ikoinoie, 大三島憩いの家, ふるさと憩の家 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Omishima Address: 5208-1 Munakata, Omishima-cho, Imabari, Ehime 794-1309 Coordinates: 34.22020, 132.94430 Kind: Hotel From: ¥14,190 per person (2026), about CAD 128 or USD 90 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Rakuten Travel listed room-only stays from ¥14,190 a person for three sharing and ¥14,520 for two in October 2026, on plans running from 26 September 2026 to 30 December 2027. Dinner-and-breakfast plans started at ¥21,230 a person. Meals: Seafood dinner and a breakfast of local dried fish, island vegetables and mikan juice on meal plans; no restaurant or shop for walk-ins. Check-in: 15:00–19:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Sea view bath, Outdoor shower, Free parking, Beach in front Best for: families, slow riders, seafood Price from: ¥14,190 per person (2026), about CAD 128 or USD 90 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.ikoinoie.co.jp/ Booking: https://hotel.travel.rakuten.co.jp/hotelinfo/plan/167658 Summary: Omishima Ikoi no Ie suits families and slow riders who want a seafood dinner and a sea-view bath in an old school on Omishima's west coast; the trade-off is that nothing else is nearby, so you eat in or bring supplies. Ikoi no Ie fills a former primary school at Munakata, on the west side of Omishima away from the expressway. The bath, Umi no Yu, looks straight out to sea. Shimanami Japan's listing adds an outdoor shower, handy after a walk on the beach in front. Dinner plans lean on Seto Inland Sea fish and shellfish. Breakfast brings local dried fish, island vegetables, barley miso soup and mikan juice. The hotel warns that no shop, convenience store or restaurant stands nearby, and island restaurants close between 20:00 and 22:30. Check-in ends at 19:00, which leaves little slack on a short winter afternoon. Q: Are there shops near Omishima Ikoi no Ie? A: No. The hotel says no supermarket, convenience store or restaurant is nearby, so book a meal plan or bring food. Q: How much does Omishima Ikoi no Ie cost? A: Prices at Omishima Ikoi no Ie start at ¥14,190 per person (2026), about CAD 128 or USD 90 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Omishima Ikoi no Ie? A: Omishima Ikoi no Ie: Seafood dinner and a breakfast of local dried fish, island vegetables and mikan juice on meal plans; no restaurant or shop for walk-ins. Q: What does Omishima Ikoi no Ie have? A: Omishima Ikoi no Ie lists sea view bath, outdoor shower, free parking, beach in front. Q: Who is Omishima Ikoi no Ie good for? A: Omishima Ikoi no Ie suits families, slow riders, seafood. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ikoinoie.co.jp/ https://www.ikoinoie.co.jp/map.html https://hotel.travel.rakuten.co.jp/hotelinfo/plan/167658 https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/167658/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information-imabari&paged=6 ### Oomiya Ryokan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/oomiya-ryokan Type: Stay Local name: おおみや旅館 (ja) Also known as: Omiya Ryokan, Zao Onsen Oomiya Ryokan Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: 46 Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata 990-2301 Coordinates: 38.16860, 140.39770 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥10,560 per person (2026), about CAD 95 or USD 67 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Jalan lists room-only stays from ¥10,560 a person when two share and dinner with breakfast from ¥17,600 a person. Meals: Yamagata kaiseki dinner with Yamagata beef and breakfast in the restaurant; room-only plans also sell Check-in: 14:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 32 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Foot bath, Drying room, Lounge, Free parking, Wi Fi Best for: couples, onsen lovers, quiet stays Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: 7 min on foot Boot room: Yes Shuttle: Free shuttle to the Yokokura slope on reservation, out at 8:30, 9:30, 11:00, 12:30 and 14:00 and back at 11:10, 12:40, 14:10, 15:40 and 16:40; free bus from Yamagata Station booked three days ahead; pick-up from the Zao Onsen bus terminal on call. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Not allowed Tattoo rule: The inn's FAQ says guests with tattoos cannot bathe. Price from: ¥10,560 per person (2026), about CAD 95 or USD 67 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.oomiyaryokan.jp/ Summary: Oomiya Ryokan suits couples who want a small wooden inn with Zao water welling out of a stone wall, and the trade-off is that its outdoor bath shuts for snow from mid-November to mid-April. Oomiya stands on the high side of the onsen village, a timber inn dressed in Taisho-era style with tatami laid through the whole building. The 32 Japanese rooms are all non-smoking, and each has a toilet. Rooms sit on the second and third floors with stairs only. Children must be of primary-school age or older. Milky Zao water rises through the stone wall of the source bath, and the wooden Tamago-buro is shaped like an egg. Everything flows straight from the source, open around the clock outside cleaning, and men and women swap sides at about 19:00. The outdoor bath closes for snow from about mid-November to mid-April, and in that season you can use the outdoor baths at the sister hotels, Zao Kokusai Hotel and Zao Shiki no Hotel. The Uenodai slope is seven minutes away on foot. The inn also runs a free shuttle to the Yokokura slope on reservation, leaving at 8:30, 9:30, 11:00, 12:30 and 14:00 and coming back from 11:10 to 16:40. A free bus from Yamagata Station needs booking three days ahead, and staff fetch guests from the bus terminal when they call. Tips: - Last check-in is 19:00 on dinner plans and 21:00 without dinner. - The lounge for guests has a massage chair and free coffee, tea and cold water from 14:00 to 21:00. - On some days the ski shuttle runs only as far as the Zao Chuo Ropeway. Q: How much does Oomiya Ryokan cost? A: Prices at Oomiya Ryokan start at ¥10,560 per person (2026), about CAD 95 or USD 67 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Oomiya Ryokan? A: Oomiya Ryokan: Yamagata kaiseki dinner with Yamagata beef and breakfast in the restaurant; room-only plans also sell. Q: What does Oomiya Ryokan have? A: Oomiya Ryokan lists onsen, open air bath, foot bath, drying room, lounge, free parking, wi fi. Q: Who is Oomiya Ryokan good for? A: Oomiya Ryokan suits couples, onsen lovers, quiet stays. Q: Is Oomiya Ryokan ski-in ski-out? A: No. Oomiya Ryokan sits 7 minutes on foot from the nearest lift, and free shuttle to the Yokokura slope on reservation, out at 8:30, 9:30, 11:00, 12:30 and 14:00 and back at 11:10, 12:40, 14:10, 15:40 and 16:40; free bus from Yamagata Station booked three days ahead; pick-up from the Zao Onsen bus terminal on call. Q: Does Oomiya Ryokan have an onsen? A: Yes. Oomiya Ryokan has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Q: Can you use the baths at Oomiya Ryokan with tattoos? A: No. The baths at Oomiya Ryokan turn away bathers with visible tattoos. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.oomiyaryokan.jp/faq/ https://www.oomiyaryokan.jp/access/ https://zaomountainresort.com/stay/ https://zaomountainresort.com/author/omiya/ https://goo.gl/maps/orUhGuPUJyzrwS486 https://www.jalan.net/yad338565/ https://www.jalan.net/yad338565/plan/?dateUndecided=1&adultNum=2&roomCount=1 ### OU Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ou-hotel-kaike Type: Stay Local name: おーゆホテル (ja) Also known as: OU Hotel Kaike, OUホテル, おーゆ・ホテル, OU Land Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Yonago Address: 1-18-1 Kaike Onsen, Yonago, Tottori Coordinates: 35.45535, 133.36063 Kind: Hotel Prices: OU Hotel sells its plans through an online calendar and publishes no standard rate. Amenities: Bikes in rooms, Day bathhouse next door, Family baths, Sauna, RV park Best for: riders on the Yumigahama course, onsen lovers Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes can go into the room. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.ou-kaike.co.jp/ou-hotel Booking: https://sec.489.jp/rg2/154/reserve/calendar?op_id=1&adult=1 Summary: OU Hotel suits riders who want Kaike's source baths next door and a room that takes the bike, and it posts no fixed rates outside its booking calendar. OU Hotel stands at the entrance to Kaike Onsen beside OU Land, the bathhouse the company calls the source of Kaike's water, with outdoor baths, family baths, jet baths and a sauna open to day visitors. Tottori lists the hotel as a cyclist-friendly stay, so bikes come into the room. The flat Yumigahama course toward Sakaiminato leaves from the same shore. OU Land closed for maintenance on 9 February 2026 while the hotel stayed open, and the company posts such closures on its home page. Q: What does OU Hotel have? A: OU Hotel lists bikes in rooms, day bathhouse next door, family baths, sauna, rv park. Q: Who is OU Hotel good for? A: OU Hotel suits riders on the Yumigahama course, onsen lovers. Q: Is OU Hotel bike-friendly? A: Yes. OU Hotel welcomes cyclists. Storage: bikes can go into the room. Q: Does OU Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. OU Hotel has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ou-kaike.co.jp/ https://www.ou-kaike.co.jp/ou-hotel https://www.ou-kaike.co.jp/access https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/details_support https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%B3%A5%E5%8F%96%E7%9C%8C%E7%B1%B3%E5%AD%90%E5%B8%82%E7%9A%86%E7%94%9F%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%891%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE18-1 ### Oyado Furuya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/oyado-furuya Type: Stay Local name: お宿ふるや (ja) Also known as: Furuya Akakura, Akakura Onsen Furuya Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市赤倉549-6 Coordinates: 36.89290, 138.17710 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Myoko Tourism last updated its listing in 2022 and gave ¥15,000 for a stay with dinner and breakfast. It does not say whether that is per person or per room, so check the 2026/27 rate with the inn. Meals: Dinner and breakfast; seasonal plans with nodoguro and Japanese beef Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 13 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Rooms with onsen tubs, Drying room, Parking, Station shuttle Best for: couples, food lovers, onsen lovers To the lifts: The inn is on the slope above Akakura's main street; Myoko Tourism lists a drying room and a pick-up service. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://oyado-furuya.jp/ Summary: Oyado Furuya suits couples who want a small ryokan with a view from the bath, and the trade-off is a dinner built for long evenings that makes a late arrival awkward. Furuya is a 13-room Japanese inn on the slope of Akakura Onsen. Its two bathhouses sit on the top floor so the view carries over the village: one has tatami-matted floors and the other is stone, and each has an open-air tub of free-flowing source water. Rooms come in eight types, from plain ten-mat tatami rooms to suites and Japanese-Western rooms with their own onsen tub. A sky terrace reopened after renovation in August 2025. The autumn 2026 plans lean on rosy seabass from the Japan Sea, called nodoguro here, and on mountain vegetables from around Myoko. Check-in runs to 19:00 and the inn takes arrivals up to 21:00. Plan to arrive in time for dinner, which is the point of staying here. Tips: - The inn takes cash, Visa and Mastercard at check-out. Q: Are meals included at Oyado Furuya? A: Oyado Furuya: Dinner and breakfast; seasonal plans with nodoguro and Japanese beef. Q: What does Oyado Furuya have? A: Oyado Furuya lists onsen, open air bath, rooms with onsen tubs, drying room, parking, station shuttle. Q: Who is Oyado Furuya good for? A: Oyado Furuya suits couples, food lovers, onsen lovers. Q: Does Oyado Furuya have an onsen? A: Yes. Oyado Furuya has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://oyado-furuya.jp/ https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/%e3%81%8a%e5%ae%bf%e3%81%b5%e3%82%8b%e3%82%84/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=赤倉温泉%20お宿%20ふるや&format=json ### Oyado Tanaka URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/oyado-tanaka Type: Stay Local name: お宿 たなか (ja) Also known as: Tanaka Wajima, お宿たなか, Wa no Kaze Tadayou Urushi no Yado Oyado Tanaka Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Town: Wajima Address: 22-38 Kawai-machi, Wajima, Ishikawa 928-0001 Coordinates: 37.39101, 136.90179 Kind: Minshuku Prices: The inn quotes prices direct, and its own site carries the lowest rates. Meals: Dinner and breakfast available Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 5 Amenities: Onsen, Private bath, Wi Fi, Laundry, Free parking Best for: couples, food lovers Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.oyado-tanaka.jp/ Summary: Oyado Tanaka suits couples who want a five-room inn in central Wajima with lacquer tableware and dinner from the local catch, and its trade-off is a rule that turns away children aged 10 and under. Oyado Tanaka calls itself a hideaway for adults and takes five groups a night. Dinner changes daily with the Noto catch and comes on Wajima lacquerware, and a gallery shows work by makers who live in the city. The special room, finished in 2018, has wiped-lacquer pillars and walls of Wajima earth. The inn draws Wajima's own hot spring for its bath, and a private bath built of Noto hiba wood can be booked. It sits seven minutes on foot from the former Wajima station stop, and the inn collects guests there by reservation. Q: Are meals included at Oyado Tanaka? A: Oyado Tanaka: Dinner and breakfast available. Q: What does Oyado Tanaka have? A: Oyado Tanaka lists onsen, private bath, wi fi, laundry, free parking. Q: Who is Oyado Tanaka good for? A: Oyado Tanaka suits couples, food lovers. Q: Does Oyado Tanaka have an onsen? A: Yes. Oyado Tanaka has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.oyado-tanaka.jp/ https://wajimanavi.jp/inn/blog/introduce/tanaka/ https://wajimanavi.jp/useful/onsenmusume ### Pension Aara-Wakka URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/pension-aara-wakka Type: Stay Local name: ペンション アーラ・ワッカ (ja) Also known as: Aara Wakka, Ala Wakka, Ara Wakka, アーラ・ワッカ, 安比高原 ペンションアーラ・ワッカ Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Town: APPI Address: 165-11 Appi Kogen, Hachimantai, Iwate 028-7306 Coordinates: 40.00740, 140.97540 Kind: Pension From: ¥12,100 per person (2026), about CAD 109 or USD 76 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Rakuten Travel lists the standard dinner-and-breakfast plan at ¥12,100 a person for two sharing, with plans posted to 30 November 2026; winter dates were not on sale on 11 October 2026. From 1 October to 7 May a heating charge of ¥330 to ¥550 a person is added. The tourism association lists stays from ¥9,900. Meals: Dinner at 18:30 is a set course from local produce; breakfast at 8:00 is Western-style with coffee roasted in the house. Check-in: 15:00–22:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 8 Amenities: Private baths, Jacuzzi, Lounge, Free coin laundry, Free Wi Fi, Free parking, Station and ski area pick up Best for: couples, dog owners, small groups Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: 10 min on foot Shuttle: Free transfers to Appi-Kogen Station and APPI ski area, arranged ahead; none between 18:00 and 20:00. Baths: Private baths Tattoo rule: Both baths are private to your party. Price from: ¥12,100 per person (2026), about CAD 109 or USD 76 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.aara-wakka.com/ Summary: Pension Aara-Wakka suits couples and dog owners who want a cooked course dinner and a free private bath close to APPI. The trade-off is the 900 metres to the ski area, a ten-minute walk or a lift in the owners' car. Aara-Wakka is an eight-room pension on the Appi Kogen hillside, about ten minutes on foot from the ski area. Dinner at 18:30 is a set course built on local produce, and a bottle of wine suits it. Breakfast at 8:00 comes Western-style with coffee the owners roast themselves, a habit they brought from Nagoya. The house has two private baths with a jacuzzi tub in one and a granite tub in the other, and both are free without booking from 16:30 to 23:00. Small dogs and cats can share your room for ¥1,100 a night, and larger dogs need a phone booking. The owners drive guests free to Appi-Kogen Station and the ski area when you arrange it ahead, though they ask you to avoid 18:00 to 20:00. Rakuten Travel shows no credit cards on site, so bring cash. The same owners have run Pension Asangi nearby since 1988. It serves the same cooking and takes no pets, which helps if someone in your group has allergies. Tips: - Phone or email the pension to book, since the owners say a direct booking gets their lowest rate. - Pets wait in your room or car during meals, because the dining room stays pet-free. Q: How much does Pension Aara-Wakka cost? A: Prices at Pension Aara-Wakka start at ¥12,100 per person (2026), about CAD 109 or USD 76 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Pension Aara-Wakka? A: Pension Aara-Wakka: Dinner at 18:30 is a set course from local produce; breakfast at 8:00 is Western-style with coffee roasted in the house. Q: What does Pension Aara-Wakka have? A: Pension Aara-Wakka lists private baths, jacuzzi, lounge, free coin laundry, free wi fi, free parking, station and ski area pick up. Q: Who is Pension Aara-Wakka good for? A: Pension Aara-Wakka suits couples, dog owners, small groups. Q: Is Pension Aara-Wakka ski-in ski-out? A: No. Pension Aara-Wakka sits 10 minutes on foot from the nearest lift, and free transfers to Appi-Kogen Station and APPI ski area, arranged ahead; none between 18:00 and 20:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.aara-wakka.com/ https://www.aara-wakka.com/en/ https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/136124/136124.html https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/136124/136124_std.html https://hotel.travel.rakuten.co.jp/hotelinfo/plan/136124?f_flg=PLAN&f_static=1 https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/136124/rtmap.html https://www.data-space.site/kankou/stay/index.html ### PICA Fuji Saiko URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/pica-fuji-saiko Type: Stay Local name: PICA富士西湖 (ja) Also known as: PICA Saiko, Pica Fuji Saiko, ピカ富士西湖 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Town: Kawaguchiko Address: 2068-1 Saiko, Fujikawaguchiko-machi, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi 401-0332 Coordinates: 35.49056, 138.67750 Kind: Campsite From: ¥5,000 per night (2026), about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Prices are per building or pitch per night and start from the figures listed; dates and head count move them up. Fujikawaguchiko adds a lodging tax of ¥200 per person per night on stays from 1 April 2027, collected at the front desk on top of the room rate. Meals: Self-catering. Check-in: 14:00-19:00, out by 7:00-11:00 Amenities: Log cabins, Cottages, Pao tents, Tent pitches, Guest bath house, Dog friendly cottage Best for: groups of riders, families, budget riders, Fujiichi riders Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Baths: Shared and private baths Tattoo rule: PICA publishes no tattoo rule for the guest bath house. Price from: ¥5,000 per night (2026), about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.pica-resort.jp/saiko/ Summary: PICA Fuji Saiko suits riders who want a log cabin on quiet Lake Saiko next to a Fujiichi cycle station, and its trade-off is a bus ride out to the end of the line from Kawaguchiko station. PICA Fuji Saiko spreads its cabins through the trees beside Lake Saiko, one lake west of Kawaguchiko. Mini Log cabins for four start at ¥5,000 a night and L Log cabins for six at ¥7,000. The Lake View Grande cottages start at ¥32,000. Guests share a bath house, and you bring your own shampoo. Saiko Wild Bird Forest Park next door serves as a Fujiichi cycle station. From Kawaguchiko station take the Saiko Minshuku bus to the end of the line, or the Saiko and Aokigahara loop bus, and walk one minute. By car it's 15 to 20 minutes from the Kawaguchiko interchange on Route 139. Tent pitches run to a later check-out of 12:00. Q: Is there a bath at PICA Fuji Saiko? A: Yes. PICA Fuji Saiko has a bath house for guests, and some cottages have their own bath. Bring your own shampoo. Q: How do I reach PICA Fuji Saiko by bus? A: From Kawaguchiko station ride the Saiko Minshuku bus to its last stop, or the Saiko and Aokigahara loop bus to Saiko Minshuku, and walk one minute. Q: How much does PICA Fuji Saiko cost? A: Prices at PICA Fuji Saiko start at ¥5,000 per night (2026), about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at PICA Fuji Saiko? A: PICA Fuji Saiko: Self-catering. Q: What does PICA Fuji Saiko have? A: PICA Fuji Saiko lists log cabins, cottages, pao tents, tent pitches, guest bath house, dog friendly cottage. Q: Who is PICA Fuji Saiko good for? A: PICA Fuji Saiko suits groups of riders, families, budget riders, Fujiichi riders. Q: Is PICA Fuji Saiko bike-friendly? A: Yes. PICA Fuji Saiko welcomes cyclists. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.pica-resort.jp/saiko/ https://www.pica-resort.jp/saiko/stay/site/index.html https://www.pica-resort.jp/saiko/about/guidance.html https://www.pica-resort.jp/saiko/faq/index.html https://www.pica-resort.jp/saiko/access/index.html https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/fujiichi/support/stay/index.html https://www.google.com/maps/d/kml?mid=1dBXdKNnB8AA_1MpT_crXa8bHLyYBTu4&forcekml=1 https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/fujiichi/support/cycle_station/index.html https://www.fujilake.co.jp/news/216/ ### PICA Fujiyoshida URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/pica-fujiyoshida Type: Stay Local name: PICA富士吉田 (ja) Also known as: PICA Fuji Yoshida, Pica Fujiyoshida, ピカ富士吉田 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Town: Fujiyoshida Address: 4959-4 Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0005 Coordinates: 35.45864, 138.77003 Kind: Campsite From: ¥5,440 per night (2026), about CAD 49 or USD 34 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Prices are per building or pitch per night and start from the figures listed; dates and head count move them up. Some tent sites close in winter. Meals: Self-catering. Meal plans and barbecue sets can be added, and the camp hires out cooking gear. Check-in: 14:00-19:00, out by 8:00-11:00 Amenities: Cottages, Trailer cabins, Tent pitches, Free communal bath, Camp gear rental, Free shuttle bus to Fujikyu stations, Dog friendly cabins Best for: families, groups of riders, budget riders, Fujiichi riders Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Baths: Shared and private baths Tattoo rule: PICA publishes no tattoo rule for its communal bath. Guests get discounted entry to Fujiyama Onsen beside Fuji-Q Highland, which sets its own rule. Price from: ¥5,440 per night (2026), about CAD 49 or USD 34 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.pica-resort.jp/yoshida/ Summary: PICA Fujiyoshida suits families and groups of riders who want a cheap cabin in the forest at the foot of Fuji, and its trade-off is camp living with a shared bath block and a ten-minute ride from the station. PICA Fujiyoshida is a camp resort in the woods at Kamiyoshida, about eight minutes by car from the Kawaguchiko interchange. Trailer cabins start at ¥5,440 a night for up to four. The six-berth Outdoor Grande cottages, with their own bath, toilet and kitchen, start at ¥21,675. The communal bath is free to guests and opens 15:00 to 22:00 and again 8:30 to 9:45. PICA is on the Fujiichi list of cyclist-friendly stays, and Fuji Hokuroku Park, three minutes away on foot, gives you the whole mountain. A free loop bus links the camp with the Fujikyu line, leaving Fujisan station at 14:10 for afternoon arrivals. A taxi from Fujisan station takes about ten minutes for 4.3 km. Some tent pitches shut for winter, so check the site type before you book a cold-season stay. Q: How do I get to PICA Fujiyoshida without a car? A: Take the free PICA loop bus from Fujisan station, which leaves at 14:10 for check-in, or a taxi of about ten minutes from Fujisan station. Q: Is PICA Fujiyoshida open in winter? A: Yes. PICA Fujiyoshida runs all year, though some tent pitches close in winter. Q: How much does PICA Fujiyoshida cost? A: Prices at PICA Fujiyoshida start at ¥5,440 per night (2026), about CAD 49 or USD 34 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at PICA Fujiyoshida? A: PICA Fujiyoshida: Self-catering. Meal plans and barbecue sets can be added, and the camp hires out cooking gear. Q: What does PICA Fujiyoshida have? A: PICA Fujiyoshida lists cottages, trailer cabins, tent pitches, free communal bath, camp gear rental, free shuttle bus to fujikyu stations, dog friendly cabins. Q: Who is PICA Fujiyoshida good for? A: PICA Fujiyoshida suits families, groups of riders, budget riders, Fujiichi riders. Q: Is PICA Fujiyoshida bike-friendly? A: Yes. PICA Fujiyoshida welcomes cyclists. Q: Does PICA Fujiyoshida have an onsen? A: No. The shared and private baths at PICA Fujiyoshida use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.pica-resort.jp/yoshida/ https://www.pica-resort.jp/yoshida/stay/site/index.html https://www.pica-resort.jp/yoshida/about/guidance.html https://www.pica-resort.jp/yoshida/faq/index.html https://www.pica-resort.jp/yoshida/access/index.html https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/fujiichi/support/stay/index.html https://www.google.com/maps/d/kml?mid=1dBXdKNnB8AA_1MpT_crXa8bHLyYBTu4&forcekml=1 ### Port Inn Sakaiminato URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/port-inn-sakaiminato Type: Stay Local name: ポートインさかいみなと (ja) Also known as: Port Inn Sakaiminato, ポートインさかいみなと Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Address: 222 Taisho-machi, Sakaiminato, Tottori 684-0004 Coordinates: 35.54607, 133.22406 Kind: Business hotel From: ¥5,600 per person (2026), about CAD 50 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Prices as listed on the inn's site in October 2026. Breakfast costs ¥800 and dinner ¥1,200, with no dinner on Sundays and holidays; book meals with the room. Meals: Breakfast ¥800 and dinner ¥1,200 on request. Amenities: Bikes in rooms, Free washer dryer, Vending machines Best for: riders finishing the Uminami Road, budget travellers Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes can go into the room. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared and private baths Price from: ¥5,600 per person (2026), about CAD 50 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: http://www.nihonkai-kosei.com/sakaimitato/ Summary: Port Inn Sakaiminato suits riders finishing the Uminami Road who want a cheap room three minutes from JR Sakaiminato Station, and its Japanese rooms share the bath and toilet. Port Inn Sakaiminato stands three minutes' walk from JR Sakaiminato Station and Mizuki Shigeru Road, where the Tottori Uminami Road ends. A Japanese room costs ¥5,600 a person without meals, and a Western twin ¥11,000. Tottori lists it as a cyclist-friendly stay, so bikes come into the room, and the free washer-dryer handles a day's kit. Japanese rooms share a bath and toilet, and bath towels come only with Western rooms. Q: How much does Port Inn Sakaiminato cost? A: Prices at Port Inn Sakaiminato start at ¥5,600 per person (2026), about CAD 50 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Port Inn Sakaiminato? A: Port Inn Sakaiminato: Breakfast ¥800 and dinner ¥1,200 on request. Q: What does Port Inn Sakaiminato have? A: Port Inn Sakaiminato lists bikes in rooms, free washer dryer, vending machines. Q: Who is Port Inn Sakaiminato good for? A: Port Inn Sakaiminato suits riders finishing the Uminami Road, budget travellers. Q: Is Port Inn Sakaiminato bike-friendly? A: Yes. Port Inn Sakaiminato welcomes cyclists. Storage: bikes can go into the room. Q: Does Port Inn Sakaiminato have an onsen? A: No. The shared and private baths at Port Inn Sakaiminato use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.nihonkai-kosei.com/sakaimitato/ https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/details_support https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%B3%A5%E5%8F%96%E7%9C%8C%E5%A2%83%E6%B8%AF%E5%B8%82%E5%A4%A7%E6%AD%A3%E7%94%BA222 ### Red Fox Lodge URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/red-fox-lodge Type: Stay Local name: レッドフォックスロッジ (ja) Also known as: Red Fox Myoko Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Suginosawa Address: 新潟県妙高市杉野沢1922 Coordinates: 36.85130, 138.16040 Kind: Chalet Price: ¥¥ Prices: Myoko Tourism last updated its listing in 2022 and gave ¥10,000 for a stay with dinner and breakfast. It does not say whether that is per person or per room, so check the 2026/27 rate with the inn. Meals: The Den bar and restaurant on site Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 20 Amenities: Restaurant, Bar, Kids' games room, Laundry, Drying room, Shuttle, Wi Fi Best for: families, skiers, English speakers Ski-in ski-out: Yes To the lifts: The lodge says it is ski-in and ski-out, metres from the lift at Myoko Suginohara. Shuttle: Myoko Tourism lists a pick-up service. Tattoo rule: The village bath Naena no Yu is the nearest onsen; check its rule on arrival. Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.redfoxlodge.com Summary: Red Fox Lodge suits families who want an English-speaking lodge at the base of Myoko Suginohara, and the trade-off is a quiet village with little to do after dark. Red Fox is a renovated family lodge in Suginosawa at the foot of Myoko Suginohara. The resort's 8.5-kilometre run is the longest in Japan by the lodge's account, and the lodge calls itself ski-in and ski-out with the lift a few metres away. Myoko Tourism lists 20 rooms, from family rooms for four to six to bunk rooms for two or three. There is a kids' games room, a shared laundry and a lounge with a fireplace. The Den downstairs pours barista coffee and serves burgers, and it is one of very few evening options in the village. The lodge also arranges private lessons and guiding. Q: Are meals included at Red Fox Lodge? A: Red Fox Lodge: The Den bar and restaurant on site. Q: What does Red Fox Lodge have? A: Red Fox Lodge lists restaurant, bar, kids' games room, laundry, drying room, shuttle, wi fi. Q: Who is Red Fox Lodge good for? A: Red Fox Lodge suits families, skiers, English speakers. Q: Is Red Fox Lodge ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Red Fox Lodge is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.redfoxlodge.com https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/red-fox-lodge/ https://myokotourism.com/accommodation/red-fox-lodge/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県妙高市杉野沢1922 ### Resort Pension Le Lagon URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/resort-pension-le-lagon Type: Stay Local name: リゾートペンション ル・ラゴン (ja) Also known as: Le Lagon, Pension Le Lagon, Le Lagon Yamanakako, ル・ラゴン, ペンション アロマハーブ ル・ラゴン Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Address: 313-22 Yamanaka, Yamanakako-mura, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi 401-0501 Coordinates: 35.41318, 138.85274 Kind: Pension From: ¥7,600 per person (2026), about CAD 68 or USD 48 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Rates are per person with tax for four adults sharing a room, so each person pays more in a pair. Over Golden Week, the Sponichi Yamanakako road race, Obon, New Year and other event periods the pension takes a deposit of ¥3,000 per person per night. It takes no cards, and some seasons add a heating charge. Meals: The chef cooks a French dinner course from Yamanashi produce, and breakfast is in the restaurant too. Outside food and drink aren't allowed. Check-in: 16:00-22:30, out by 10:00 Amenities: French restaurant, Yamanashi wine list, Large bath, Private hire bath, Herb garden, Tennis court, Free parking for 30 cars Best for: road riders, couples, food lovers, Lake Yamanaka rides Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Baths: Shared baths Tattoo rule: The pension publishes no tattoo rule. Price from: ¥7,600 per person (2026), about CAD 68 or USD 48 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.le-lagon.com/ Booking: http://www.489pro.com/asp/489/menu.asp?id=19000018&lan=JPN Summary: Le Lagon suits riders who want a French dinner and a garden view of Fuji after a lap of Lake Yamanaka, and its trade-off is a bath of artificial mineral water with no onsen source. Le Lagon is a pension in the woods at Yamanaka, about five minutes from the Yamanakako interchange. The chef placed second in the Prosper Montagné contest for young cooks and builds a full French course from Yamanashi ingredients, with wine from about twenty Yamanashi makers. The dinner plan starts at ¥13,300 a person with four sharing, and a room-only stay starts at ¥7,600. The pension is on the Fujiichi list of cyclist-friendly stays. The large bath runs from 16:00 to 7:00 on artificial mineral water, with fresh herbs in season, and most plans include a private-hire bath. Dinner guests need to check in by 17:30. It accepts no children under primary-school age and no cards. Expect a ¥3,000 deposit per person when the Sponichi Yamanakako road race is on. Q: Is the bath at Le Lagon a natural onsen? A: No. Le Lagon describes its large bath as an artificial onsen using a mineral stone, with fresh herbs added in season. Q: Does Le Lagon take credit cards? A: No. Le Lagon's own information page says cards can't be used. Q: How much does Resort Pension Le Lagon cost? A: Prices at Resort Pension Le Lagon start at ¥7,600 per person (2026), about CAD 68 or USD 48 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Resort Pension Le Lagon? A: Resort Pension Le Lagon: The chef cooks a French dinner course from Yamanashi produce, and breakfast is in the restaurant too. Outside food and drink aren't allowed. Q: What does Resort Pension Le Lagon have? A: Resort Pension Le Lagon lists french restaurant, yamanashi wine list, large bath, private hire bath, herb garden, tennis court, free parking for 30 cars. Q: Who is Resort Pension Le Lagon good for? A: Resort Pension Le Lagon suits road riders, couples, food lovers, Lake Yamanaka rides. Q: Is Resort Pension Le Lagon bike-friendly? A: Yes. Resort Pension Le Lagon welcomes cyclists. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.le-lagon.com/ http://www.le-lagon.com/syousai.htm http://www.le-lagon.com/onsen.htm http://www.489pro.com/asp/489/menu.asp?id=19000018&lan=JPN https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/fujiichi/support/stay/index.html https://www.google.com/maps/d/kml?mid=1dBXdKNnB8AA_1MpT_crXa8bHLyYBTu4&forcekml=1 ### Risonare Atami URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/risonare-atami Type: Stay Local name: リゾナーレ熱海 (ja) Also known as: Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Atami, RISONARE Atami, 星野リゾート リゾナーレ熱海 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Atami Address: 静岡県熱海市水口町2-13-1 Coordinates: 35.09280, 139.06200 Kind: Hotel From: ¥23,400 per person (2026), about CAD 210 or USD 148 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Jalan's guide price starts at ¥23,400 a person with two sharing, and the standard breakfast plan sits nearer ¥37,000. Hoshino's own site prices by date only. Meals: A buffet restaurant and a kaiseki restaurant with Atami seafood, plus two cafés and lounges Check-in: 15:00, out by 12:00 Rooms: 81 Amenities: Onsen with semi outdoor bath, Sauna, Indoor pool, Kids' room, Spa, Dog rooms, Free station shuttle Best for: families with children, dog owners, groups up to six Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Welcome Tattoo rule: Hoshino Resorts does not restrict guests with tattoos, though staff may turn someone away from the big bath if they judge other guests would be frightened. Bath-time cover seals are available. Price from: ¥23,400 per person (2026), about CAD 210 or USD 148 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/risonareatami/ Summary: Risonare Atami suits families who want big rooms, a pool and a sea-view onsen 45 minutes from Tokyo, and the trade-off is a hilltop resort that does nothing for riders. Risonare Atami stands high above the town with Sagami Bay spread below every window. All 81 rooms run to 60 square metres or more, and some sleep six. Hoshino Resorts fills the stay with activities, an indoor pool open all year and a buffet of Atami seafood, and a second restaurant serves kaiseki that includes kinmedai. The bath has a moon-road theme with midnight-blue walls, and a semi-outdoor pool that seems to hang over the bay. It is for staying guests only, open 15:00 to 1:00 and 4:30 to 11:00, and the water is a calcium and sodium chloride sulphate spring. A sauna runs löyly sessions every half hour from 16:00 to 22:00. The free shuttle bus from Atami Station takes about 15 minutes. A guest desk at the station holds and forwards bags, and checkout runs to noon. Tips: - Children up to six can share a bed at no charge, up to the number of adults in the room. Q: Can people with tattoos use the bath at Risonare Atami? A: Hoshino Resorts does not restrict tattoos, though staff can refuse use of the big bath if they think others would be frightened. Cover seals are offered. Q: How much does Risonare Atami cost? A: Prices at Risonare Atami start at ¥23,400 per person (2026), about CAD 210 or USD 148 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Risonare Atami? A: Risonare Atami: A buffet restaurant and a kaiseki restaurant with Atami seafood, plus two cafés and lounges. Q: What does Risonare Atami have? A: Risonare Atami lists onsen with semi outdoor bath, sauna, indoor pool, kids' room, spa, dog rooms, free station shuttle. Q: Who is Risonare Atami good for? A: Risonare Atami suits families with children, dog owners, groups up to six. Q: Does Risonare Atami have an onsen? A: Yes. Risonare Atami has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/risonareatami/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/risonareatami/sp/hotspring/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/sp/tattoo/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/sp/faq/ https://www.jalan.net/yad317431/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=静岡県熱海市水口町2-13-1 ### Ryokan Asunaro URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ryokan-asunaro Type: Stay Local name: 飛騨高山温泉 旅館あすなろ (ja) Also known as: Asunaro, Asunaro Ryokan, 旅館あすなろ Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 2-96-2 Hatsuda-machi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14483, 137.25284 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥15,000 per person (2026), about CAD 135 or USD 95 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: From ¥15,000 a person with dinner and breakfast on the tourism association listing. Meals: Dinner and breakfast Check-in: 14:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen bath, Parking for 15 cars, Free luggage and car storage before check in Best for: travellers with tattoos, couples, families Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Welcome Tattoo rule: The inn's FAQ answers that guests with tattoos may use the large bath. Price from: ¥15,000 per person (2026), about CAD 135 or USD 95 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://yado-asunaro.com/ Summary: Ryokan Asunaro suits travellers with tattoos who want a proper ryokan five minutes from Takayama Station, because its bath welcomes them. The trade-off is that the inn has indoor baths only, with no rotenburo or private bath. Asunaro is five minutes on foot from Takayama Station and the Nohi bus centre, and its car park is right outside. The inn's FAQ says guests with tattoos can use the large bath. Check-in runs 14:00 to 19:00, and the inn keeps your bags and one car per room free before check-in and after check-out. Q: How much does Ryokan Asunaro cost? A: Prices at Ryokan Asunaro start at ¥15,000 per person (2026), about CAD 135 or USD 95 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Ryokan Asunaro? A: Ryokan Asunaro: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Ryokan Asunaro have? A: Ryokan Asunaro lists onsen bath, parking for 15 cars, free luggage and car storage before check in. Q: Who is Ryokan Asunaro good for? A: Ryokan Asunaro suits travellers with tattoos, couples, families. Q: Does Ryokan Asunaro have an onsen? A: Yes. Ryokan Asunaro has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Q: Can you use the baths at Ryokan Asunaro with tattoos? A: Yes. The baths at Ryokan Asunaro welcome bathers with tattoos. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://yado-asunaro.com/ https://yado-asunaro.com/faq/ https://yado-asunaro.com/hotspring/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/stay/detail_4005.html ### Ryokan Kawahiro URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ryokan-kawahiro Type: Stay Local name: 四季の宿 河廣 (ja) Also known as: Kawahiro Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Address: 7819 Toyosato, Nozawaonsen-mura, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano 389-2502 Coordinates: 36.92060, 138.45200 Kind: Ryokan Meals: Dinner and breakfast with local vegetables; lunch restaurant serving nozawana rice bowls and tempura Rooms: 12 Amenities: Onsen, Restaurant, Ski rental Best for: families, skiers who want ski-in Ski-in ski-out: Yes To the lifts: The inn stands in front of the Nagasaka gondola and ski centre. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: http://www.kawahiro.info/ Summary: Ryokan Kawahiro is a 12-room Japanese inn facing the Nagasaka gondola base at Nozawa Onsen, and it suits families who want to ski back to the door. The trade-off is uncertainty: the inn publishes no recent updates. Kawahiro sits in front of the Nagasaka ski centre and gondola, and the inn says you can ski back to its entrance. All 12 rooms are Japanese style, and the indoor bath runs on a clear simple sulphur spring. Its restaurant serves a nozawana pickle rice bowl at lunch. Q: Are meals included at Ryokan Kawahiro? A: Ryokan Kawahiro: Dinner and breakfast with local vegetables; lunch restaurant serving nozawana rice bowls and tempura. Q: What does Ryokan Kawahiro have? A: Ryokan Kawahiro lists onsen, restaurant, ski rental. Q: Who is Ryokan Kawahiro good for? A: Ryokan Kawahiro suits families, skiers who want ski-in. Q: Is Ryokan Kawahiro ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Ryokan Kawahiro is ski-in ski-out. Q: Does Ryokan Kawahiro have an onsen? A: Yes. Ryokan Kawahiro has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: http://www.kawahiro.info/ https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16655 https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4621597799 ### Ryokan Ohashi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ryokan-ohashi Type: Stay Local name: 旅館大橋 (ja) Also known as: Ohashi Ryokan, Ohashi Misasa, 旅館大橋 Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Misasa Address: 302-1 Misasa, Misasa, Tohaku District, Tottori 682-0123 Coordinates: 35.41165, 133.89148 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥28,600 per person (2026), about CAD 257 or USD 181 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: The Misasa Onsen association lists Ohashi from ¥28,600 a person with two meals on weekdays when two share. Rates change with the season, the day and the number of guests. Day visitors aged 13 and over can bathe from 16:00 to 20:00 for ¥1,500. Meals: Dinner and breakfast in the room plans; the inn calls its cooking creative kaiseki. Rooms: 21 Amenities: Outdoor bath, Rooms with private outdoor baths, Own spring, Wi Fi, Card payment Best for: couples, architecture lovers, slow onsen stays Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: Neither the inn's listing nor the onsen association publishes a tattoo rule. Price from: ¥28,600 per person (2026), about CAD 257 or USD 181 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.o-hashi.net/ Summary: Ryokan Ohashi suits couples who want a night in a registered heritage inn with its own springs on the Mitoku River, and it costs from ¥28,600 a person with dinner and breakfast. Nearly all of Ryokan Ohashi became a registered tangible cultural property in 1997, and the inn asks guests to enjoy it as a piece of Japanese architecture. It draws its own source and a natural spring, and the water runs straight through the baths without recirculation. The inn has 21 rooms for up to 80 guests, some with their own outdoor bath. It is a government-registered international tourist ryokan and offers modern toji, the long healing stays Misasa is known for. Kabuyu and the river bath by Misasa Bridge are a short walk away. Q: Can day visitors bathe at Ryokan Ohashi? A: Yes. Ryokan Ohashi takes day bathers aged 13 and over from 16:00 to 20:00 for ¥1,500. Q: How much does Ryokan Ohashi cost? A: Prices at Ryokan Ohashi start at ¥28,600 per person (2026), about CAD 257 or USD 181 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Ryokan Ohashi? A: Ryokan Ohashi: Dinner and breakfast in the room plans; the inn calls its cooking creative kaiseki. Q: What does Ryokan Ohashi have? A: Ryokan Ohashi lists outdoor bath, rooms with private outdoor baths, own spring, wi fi, card payment. Q: Who is Ryokan Ohashi good for? A: Ryokan Ohashi suits couples, architecture lovers, slow onsen stays. Q: Does Ryokan Ohashi have an onsen? A: Yes. Ryokan Ohashi has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://misasaonsen.jp/stay/32/ https://www.o-hashi.net/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%B3%A5%E5%8F%96%E7%9C%8C%E6%9D%B1%E4%BC%AF%E9%83%A1%E4%B8%89%E6%9C%9D%E7%94%BA%E4%B8%89%E6%9C%9D302-1 ### Ryokan Sakaya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ryokan-sakaya Type: Stay Local name: 旅館さかや (ja) Also known as: Sakaya Ryokan, Sakaya Nozawa Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Address: 9329 Toyosato, Nozawaonsen-mura, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano 389-2502 Coordinates: 36.92310, 138.44640 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Winter 2026/27 stays need three nights or more, booked and paid online. Meals: Seasonal dinner and breakfast Amenities: Onsen Best for: couples, onsen lovers, longer stays Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.ryokan-sakaya.co.jp/ Summary: Ryokan Sakaya is an old onsen inn on Nozawa's main hot-spring street, run by the same family for 18 generations, and it suits couples who want the village's most traditional stay. The trade-off is rigid winter booking: three nights minimum, paid in full online. Sakaya stands in the middle of the onsen street, a three-minute walk from the last Nozawa Onsen Liner stop. Its baths take spring water straight from the source, and staff cool it without adding water. The village's 13 soto-yu sit a short walk away for a bath crawl after dinner. Bookings for December 2026 to March 2027 opened on 12 May 2026. Winter stays run three nights or more with online payment, and the inn charges 20 percent for cancelling 15 to 50 days out and the full price inside 14 days. The inn has also warned of fake emails asking for PayPay payments in its name. Q: Are meals included at Ryokan Sakaya? A: Ryokan Sakaya: Seasonal dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Ryokan Sakaya have? A: Ryokan Sakaya lists onsen. Q: Who is Ryokan Sakaya good for? A: Ryokan Sakaya suits couples, onsen lovers, longer stays. Q: Is Ryokan Sakaya ski-in ski-out? A: No. Ryokan Sakaya sits away from the lifts. Q: Does Ryokan Sakaya have an onsen? A: Yes. Ryokan Sakaya has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ryokan-sakaya.co.jp/ https://www.ryokan-sakaya.co.jp/en.html https://www.ryokan-sakaya.co.jp/access.html ### Ryokan Sawaki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ryokan-sawaki Type: Stay Local name: 旅館さわき (ja) Also known as: Sawaki Ryokan, Sawaki Omishima Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Omishima Address: 5460 Miyaura, Omishima-cho, Imabari, Ehime 794-1304 Coordinates: 34.24790, 132.99900 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥11,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 103 or USD 73 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Imabari's tourism association lists ¥11,500 an adult with dinner and breakfast as the guide price in October 2026, with separate rates for children. The inn says booking on its own site gets the best rate. Meals: Dinner of the day's Seto Inland Sea fish in private dining rooms, with sea bream dishes, boat-platter sashimi and fish baked on a clay plate; breakfast included. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 15 Amenities: Indoor bike storeroom, Locked bike shed, Pump with gauge, Tools and lubricants, Free washer, E bike rental, Geta for walking out Best for: road riders, families, seafood, groups Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: An indoor storeroom off the front entrance. Groups use a fully locked shed opposite the inn that only staff open. For riders: Tools Bike rental: E-bikes for rent at the inn. Price from: ¥11,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 103 or USD 73 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://sawaki-ryokan.com/ Booking: https://reserve.489ban.net/client/sawaki-ryokan/0/plan Summary: Ryokan Sawaki suits riders who want a family-run island inn with a big fish dinner on the approach to Oyamazumi Shrine; the trade-off is an old Showa-era building with tatami rooms. Sawaki has 15 tatami rooms on the approach to Oyamazumi Shrine in Miyaura, and the family runs it as a cooking inn. Dinner follows the morning catch, so expect sea bream, a boat-shaped sashimi platter or fish baked on a clay plate. Meals come in private dining rooms. Older children can eat the adult menu at a discount. The inn asked riders online what they wanted, then fitted the place out to match. You roll the bike through the front door into an indoor storeroom stocked with a gauge pump and a tool kit. The washer is free and the dryer costs ¥100. Geta wait at the door so you can walk the old street without cleats. For a soak, the inn runs guests to Mare Grazia Omishima, a seawater spa whose open-air bath faces the sunset. Mare Grazia closes on Wednesdays and on the first Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of February. Plan winter nights around that. Q: Where do bikes go at Ryokan Sawaki? A: Bikes roll through the front door into an indoor storeroom with a pump and tools. Groups use a locked shed opposite the inn. Q: How much does Ryokan Sawaki cost? A: Prices at Ryokan Sawaki start at ¥11,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 103 or USD 73 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Ryokan Sawaki? A: Ryokan Sawaki: Dinner of the day's Seto Inland Sea fish in private dining rooms, with sea bream dishes, boat-platter sashimi and fish baked on a clay plate; breakfast included. Q: What does Ryokan Sawaki have? A: Ryokan Sawaki lists indoor bike storeroom, locked bike shed, pump with gauge, tools and lubricants, free washer, e bike rental, geta for walking out. Q: Who is Ryokan Sawaki good for? A: Ryokan Sawaki suits road riders, families, seafood, groups. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://sawaki-ryokan.com/ https://sawaki-ryokan.com/cyclist/ https://sawaki-ryokan.com/access/ https://www.oideya.gr.jp/stay-c/sawaki/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information-imabari&paged=5 https://cycling-island-shikoku.com/hotel_inn/no011.html ### Ryokan Tanigawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ryokan-tanigawa Type: Stay Local name: 谷川温泉 旅館たにがわ (ja) Also known as: Tanigawa Onsen Ryokan Tanigawa, Ryokan Tanigawa Minakami, 旅館たにがわ Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 524-1 Tanigawa, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma 379-1619 Coordinates: 36.78977, 138.95462 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Plans on the inn's booking engine. The private open-air bath costs ¥2,500 for 40 minutes. Meals: Dinner and breakfast; the inn serves Japanese dishes on the first night and changes the menu for a second night. Check-in: 14:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Own spring, Rooms with open air baths, Private open air bath, Dazai Osamu mini gallery Best for: skiers at Tenjindaira, couples, two-night stays Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: Ryokan Tanigawa publishes no tattoo rule. Website: https://www.ryokan-tanigawa.com/ Summary: Ryokan Tanigawa suits skiers and couples who want a ryokan with its own springs below Tanigawa-dake, close to Mt.T at Tenjindaira, and it publishes no fixed rates. The inn sits right under Tanigawa-dake in Tanigawa Onsen and draws four springs of its own, Fudo, Fujin, Minegishi and Yakushi, all clear alkaline simple water at different temperatures. They run straight into a cypress indoor bath and a rock-built outdoor pool, and men and women swap sides at 19:00. Guests can bathe from check-in until 10:30 the next morning. Book the private open-air bath, Hinoki-no-yu, when you check in: it costs ¥2,500 for 40 minutes and looks out at the mountain. The inn points skiers at Tenjindaira, where it says the snow season runs into May. Last check-in is at 18:00. Q: Does Ryokan Tanigawa have a private bath? A: Yes. The private open-air bath Hinoki-no-yu costs ¥2,500 for 40 minutes, booked at check-in. Q: Are meals included at Ryokan Tanigawa? A: Ryokan Tanigawa: Dinner and breakfast; the inn serves Japanese dishes on the first night and changes the menu for a second night. Q: What does Ryokan Tanigawa have? A: Ryokan Tanigawa lists own spring, rooms with open air baths, private open air bath, dazai osamu mini gallery. Q: Who is Ryokan Tanigawa good for? A: Ryokan Tanigawa suits skiers at Tenjindaira, couples, two-night stays. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ryokan-tanigawa.com/ https://www.ryokan-tanigawa.com/onsen/ https://www.ryokan-tanigawa.com/room/ https://www.ryokan-tanigawa.com/facility/ https://www.ryokan-tanigawa.com/information/ https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/7512/ ### Ryori Ryokan Seto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ryori-ryokan-seto Type: Stay Local name: 料理旅館 せと (ja) Also known as: Seto Ryokan Hakatajima, Ryokan Seto, 料理旅館せと Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Hakatajima Address: 1853 Aritsu-ko, Hakata-cho, Imabari, Ehime 794-2301 Coordinates: 34.19940, 133.08310 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥15,400 per person (2026), about CAD 138 or USD 97 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Rakuten Travel and Jalan listed dinner-and-breakfast plans from ¥15,400 a person for two sharing in October 2026, on plans valid from June 2026 to May 2027. The upgrade plan costs ¥17,600 a person. Payment is cash only. Meals: Kaiseki dinner in the room built on fish from Oshima fishermen, with the house soft-shell crab; Japanese set breakfast. Check-in: 15:00–18:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 4 Amenities: Sea view rooms, Family baths, Covered bike park, Bike pump, Shared fridge Best for: seafood, couples, slow riders Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: A covered car port, or inside the front entrance. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared baths Price from: ¥15,400 per person (2026), about CAD 138 or USD 97 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.hakata-seto.com/ Booking: https://hotel.travel.rakuten.co.jp/hotelinfo/plan/149158 Summary: Ryori Ryokan Seto suits riders who rate dinner above everything else; the trade-off is shared baths and cash-only payment. Seto began as a fish restaurant on Hakatajima, and the family still cooks first and lodges second. All four tatami rooms face Funaori Seto, a narrow channel known for strong tides. From the window you can watch the water swirl and the ships work through. The house dish is deep-fried soft-shell crab under a homemade sweet vinegar, and the upgrade plan runs to 9 to 11 dishes of fish bought from Oshima fishermen. Rooms have no bath or toilet of their own. A medium bath for four and a small one for two serve as family baths or as men's and women's baths depending on bookings, from 16:00 to 22:00. In the morning there are showers only. Pay in cash, and phone ahead if you will miss the 18:00 check-in. Q: Does Ryori Ryokan Seto take cards? A: No. The inn takes cash only. Q: How much does Ryori Ryokan Seto cost? A: Prices at Ryori Ryokan Seto start at ¥15,400 per person (2026), about CAD 138 or USD 97 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Ryori Ryokan Seto? A: Ryori Ryokan Seto: Kaiseki dinner in the room built on fish from Oshima fishermen, with the house soft-shell crab; Japanese set breakfast. Q: What does Ryori Ryokan Seto have? A: Ryori Ryokan Seto lists sea view rooms, family baths, covered bike park, bike pump, shared fridge. Q: Who is Ryori Ryokan Seto good for? A: Ryori Ryokan Seto suits seafood, couples, slow riders. Q: Is Ryori Ryokan Seto bike-friendly? A: Yes. Ryori Ryokan Seto welcomes cyclists. Storage: a covered car port, or inside the front entrance. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hakata-seto.com/ https://www.hakata-seto.com/map.html https://hotel.travel.rakuten.co.jp/hotelinfo/plan/149158 https://www.jalan.net/yad388384/plan/ https://www.oideya.gr.jp/stay-c/seto-3/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information-imabari&paged=10 ### Guest House Saen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/saen-tottori-sand-dunes Type: Stay Local name: 砂縁 (ja) Also known as: Saen, Yamata Tottori Sakyu Station, ヤマタ鳥取砂丘ステイション, Cog Station Tottori Sakyu Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Tottori Address: 1157-115 Hamasaka, Tottori, Tottori 680-0001 Coordinates: 35.53439, 134.22201 Kind: Guesthouse From: ¥2,750 per person (2026), about CAD 25 or USD 17 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Saen revised its prices in February 2026. Cancellation is free until four days before check-in and costs the full rate after that. Meals: Meals for groups only. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 15 Amenities: Shared showers, Large shared bath, Kitchen, Wi Fi, Luggage storage, Bike rental Best for: budget riders, groups, families at the dunes Bike rental: The building doubles as Cog Station Tottori Sakyu, one of Tottori's rental hubs, with adult cross bikes and children's mountain bikes. Baths: Shared baths Price from: ¥2,750 per person (2026), about CAD 25 or USD 17 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://cycling.glamping-tottorisakyu.com/ Summary: Saen suits budget riders and groups who want to wake up beside the Tottori Sand Dunes, and you bring your own towel and toothbrush. Saen is a 15-room guesthouse run by Yamata on the edge of the dunes at Hamasaka, with Japanese rooms, bunk rooms and a shared bath. A night costs from ¥5,500 for one person and drops to ¥2,750 each when four to six share. The building doubles as Cog Station Tottori Sakyu and rents adult cross bikes. Soap, shampoo and a hair dryer are provided, but towels, toothbrushes and sleepwear are not, and towels can be rented at the desk. Buses from Tottori Station take about 35 minutes for ¥330. Check-in runs from 15:00 to 21:00. Q: Does Guest House Saen provide towels? A: No. Saen supplies soap, shampoo and a hair dryer, and rents towels at the front desk. Q: How much does Guest House Saen cost? A: Prices at Guest House Saen start at ¥2,750 per person (2026), about CAD 25 or USD 17 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Guest House Saen? A: Guest House Saen: Meals for groups only. Q: What does Guest House Saen have? A: Guest House Saen lists shared showers, large shared bath, kitchen, wi fi, luggage storage, bike rental. Q: Who is Guest House Saen good for? A: Guest House Saen suits budget riders, groups, families at the dunes. Q: Is Guest House Saen bike-friendly? A: Guest House Saen has published no cycling policy. The building doubles as Cog Station Tottori Sakyu, one of Tottori's rental hubs, with adult cross bikes and children's mountain bikes. Q: Does Guest House Saen have an onsen? A: No. The shared baths at Guest House Saen use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://cycling.glamping-tottorisakyu.com/ https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/details_rental https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/details_support https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%B3%A5%E5%8F%96%E7%9C%8C%E9%B3%A5%E5%8F%96%E5%B8%82%E6%B5%9C%E5%9D%821157-115 ### Sanco Inn Iseshi-ekimae URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/sanco-inn-iseshi-ekimae Type: Stay Local name: 三交イン伊勢市駅前 (ja) Also known as: Sanco Inn Ise, 三交イン 伊勢市駅前 本館 Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Mie Town: Ise Address: 1-1-1 Miyajiri, Ise, Mie 516-0072 Coordinates: 34.49139, 136.70863 Kind: Business hotel Meals: Breakfast is served in the hotel. Amenities: Large bath, Breakfast Best for: riders arriving by train, an early start at the Geku Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Baths: Shared baths Website: https://www.sanco-inn.co.jp/ise/ Summary: Sanco Inn Iseshi-ekimae suits riders arriving at Iseshi Station who want a plain room two minutes from the platform and six from the Geku. Mie Prefecture puts this Sanco Inn on the list of cyclist-friendly stays printed on its Pacific Cycling Road map. It stands two minutes from the south exit of Iseshi Station, with the Geku six minutes away on foot and the Naiku 15 minutes by bus. There's a large bath. A Grande annex sits next door in the MiraISE building, and the tourist association's rental bikes go out from the station's luggage room. Q: Are meals included at Sanco Inn Iseshi-ekimae? A: Sanco Inn Iseshi-ekimae: Breakfast is served in the hotel. Q: What does Sanco Inn Iseshi-ekimae have? A: Sanco Inn Iseshi-ekimae lists large bath, breakfast. Q: Who is Sanco Inn Iseshi-ekimae good for? A: Sanco Inn Iseshi-ekimae suits riders arriving by train, an early start at the Geku. Q: Is Sanco Inn Iseshi-ekimae bike-friendly? A: Yes. Sanco Inn Iseshi-ekimae welcomes cyclists. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.sanco-inn.co.jp/ise/ https://www.sanco-inn.co.jp/ise/access/ https://www.sanco-inn.co.jp/ise/facilities/ https://www.sanco-inn.co.jp/ise-annex/access/ https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/iseshima.pdf https://ise-kanko.jp/purpose/rentacycle/ ### Sanco Inn Nagoya Shinkansen-guchi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/sanco-inn-nagoya-shinkansen-guchi Type: Stay Local name: 三交イン名古屋新幹線口 (ja) Also known as: Sanco Inn Nagoya Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Town: Nagoya Address: 7-23 Tsubaki-cho, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 453-0015 Coordinates: 35.16991, 136.87975 Kind: Business hotel Meals: Breakfast is served in the hotel. Amenities: Breakfast Best for: riders arriving late by Shinkansen, an early Kintetsu train to Ise Website: https://www.sanco-inn.co.jp/nagoya/ Summary: Sanco Inn Nagoya Shinkansen-guchi suits riders who want a plain room a minute from the Shinkansen exit, and it publishes no bike policy, so ask before you book. This Sanco Inn stands a minute's walk from the Taiko-dori exit on the Shinkansen side of Nagoya Station, which keeps the walk with a bike bag short. The same company runs the Sanco Inn by Iseshi Station, which Mie lists as cyclist-friendly. The Nagoya branch publishes no rule on bikes, so ask whether a bagged bike can go to the room. Q: Are meals included at Sanco Inn Nagoya Shinkansen-guchi? A: Sanco Inn Nagoya Shinkansen-guchi: Breakfast is served in the hotel. Q: What does Sanco Inn Nagoya Shinkansen-guchi have? A: Sanco Inn Nagoya Shinkansen-guchi lists breakfast. Q: Who is Sanco Inn Nagoya Shinkansen-guchi good for? A: Sanco Inn Nagoya Shinkansen-guchi suits riders arriving late by Shinkansen, an early Kintetsu train to Ise. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.sanco-inn.co.jp/nagoya/ https://www.sanco-inn.co.jp/nagoya/access/ https://www.sanco-inn.co.jp/nagoya/facilities/ https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/iseshima.pdf ### Sanken no Yado Kinomoto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/sanken-no-yado-kinomoto Type: Stay Local name: 三献の宿～木之本～ (ja) Also known as: Sankennoyado, 三献の宿 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Nagahama Address: 1094 Furuhashi, Kinomoto-cho, Nagahama, Shiga 529-0411 Coordinates: 35.50954, 136.25253 Kind: Hotel Prices: Plans are priced on the inn's booking pages; a 10% discount runs for guests aged 25 and under. Meals: Dinner from the inn's kitchen and the Ippuku bar. Amenities: Bar, Welcome matcha Best for: couples, Kinomoto and the north shore, tea Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Website: https://www.sanken-kinomoto.com/ Summary: Sanken no Yado suits riders who want a new tea-themed inn in the hills above Kinomoto, and it sits off the lake road at the northern end of the loop. Sanken no Yado opened on 29 April 2026 at Furuhashi, in the hills east of Kinomoto. The name and the idea come from the story of the three cups of tea, and guests get a bowl of matcha on arrival. There are three room types and a bar called Ippuku. It went straight onto Shiga's cyclist-friendly list. Q: Are meals included at Sanken no Yado Kinomoto? A: Sanken no Yado Kinomoto: Dinner from the inn's kitchen and the Ippuku bar. Q: What does Sanken no Yado Kinomoto have? A: Sanken no Yado Kinomoto lists bar, welcome matcha. Q: Who is Sanken no Yado Kinomoto good for? A: Sanken no Yado Kinomoto suits couples, Kinomoto and the north shore, tea. Q: Is Sanken no Yado Kinomoto bike-friendly? A: Yes. Sanken no Yado Kinomoto welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.sanken-kinomoto.com/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Tateyama Onsen Senri no Kaze URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/senri-no-kaze Type: Stay Local name: たてやま温泉 千里の風 (ja) Also known as: Senri no Kaze, 千里の風, Senrinokaze Tateyama Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Town: Tateyama Address: 1495-1 Fujiwara, Tateyama, Chiba Coordinates: 34.93900, 139.82260 Kind: Hotel Meals: The dining room serves lunch from 11:30 to 13:30, including the Tateyama aburi kaisendon booked by 10:00 the day before. Amenities: Onsen, Open air baths, Private onsen, Restaurant, Car park Best for: couples, onsen after a ride, the Boso Flower Line Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.senrinokaze.jp/ Summary: Senri no Kaze suits couples and riders who want an onsen hotel above Heisaura beach at the south-west corner of Boso, and its trade-off is that the hotel publishes nothing about bike storage. Senri no Kaze stands above Heisaura beach in the Fujiwara district of Tateyama, where the Flower Line runs along the shore toward Shirahama. The hotel draws on its own hot spring and promotes it for the skin, and some rooms come with their own open-air bath. Lunch is the easy way in for a rider. The dining room serves 30 portions a day of the Tateyama aburi kaisendon from 11:30, and you book by 10:00 the day before. Q: Are meals included at Tateyama Onsen Senri no Kaze? A: Tateyama Onsen Senri no Kaze: The dining room serves lunch from 11:30 to 13:30, including the Tateyama aburi kaisendon booked by 10:00 the day before. Q: What does Tateyama Onsen Senri no Kaze have? A: Tateyama Onsen Senri no Kaze lists onsen, open air baths, private onsen, restaurant, car park. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.senrinokaze.jp/ https://www.tateyama-gourmet.com/shops/index.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%8D%83%E8%91%89%E7%9C%8C%E9%A4%A8%E5%B1%B1%E5%B8%82%E8%97%A4%E5%8E%9F1495-1 ### Setoda Tarumi Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/setoda-tarumi-onsen Type: Stay Local name: 瀬戸田垂水温泉 (ja) Also known as: Private Hostel Setoda Tarumi Onsen, Tarumi Onsen Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Setoda Address: 58-1 Tarumi, Setoda-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-2404 Coordinates: 34.28380, 133.07520 Kind: Guesthouse Prices: Hiroshima prefecture adds an accommodation tax of ¥200 per person per night on rooms above ¥6,000 a person, from 1 April 2026. Amenities: Natural hot spring, Beachfront garden, Port pick up Best for: road riders, bath lovers, families, sunset views Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://tarumionsen.jp/ Summary: Setoda Tarumi Onsen suits riders who want a soak in natural hot-spring water at the end of the day, and it sits on Sunset Beach, a few kilometres from Setoda's shops. Tarumi Onsen opened in 1978 and began drawing its hot spring in 2002, and it calls itself the only natural onsen on the island. The water carries radon and metasilicic acid. The house faces the sand at Sunset Beach on a plot of more than 1,000 tsubo with lemon groves to the east, so the rooms and the bath look west over Hyotan-jima at sunset. Japanese and Western rooms both face the sea. The owner picks guests up from Setoda port, five minutes away by car, and from the Setoda parking area on the expressway bus. Riders reach it on the island loop road about 40 minutes from the Ikuchi Bridge cycle path. Q: What does Setoda Tarumi Onsen have? A: Setoda Tarumi Onsen lists natural hot spring, beachfront garden, port pick up. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tarumionsen.jp/ https://tarumionsen.jp/about.html https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information&paged=10 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E7%80%AC%E6%88%B8%E7%94%B0%E7%94%BA%E5%9E%82%E6%B0%B458-1 ### Setre Marina Biwako URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/setre-marina-biwako Type: Stay Local name: セトレ マリーナびわ湖 (ja) Also known as: SETRE Marina Biwako, Hotel Setre Biwako Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Moriyama Address: 1380-1 Mizuho-cho, Moriyama, Shiga 524-0102 (inside Yanmar Marina) Coordinates: 35.11641, 135.94417 Kind: Hotel From: ¥31,000 per person (2025), about CAD 279 or USD 196 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥¥ Prices: The visitors bureau lists twins from ¥31,000 with dinner and breakfast but does not say whether that is a per-person figure. Check the hotel's booking page. Meals: Dinner at Dining Room by the Biwako and breakfast by room service; a guest lounge is free. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 14 Amenities: Guest lounge, Restaurant, Rooms with hammocks Best for: couples, a slow night off the bike Baths: Private baths Price from: ¥31,000 per person (2025), about CAD 279 or USD 196 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://hotelsetre.com/biwako/stay/ Summary: Setre Marina Biwako suits couples who want a small design hotel in a marina near the Biwako Ohashi bridge, and it publishes nothing about bike storage. Setre has 14 rooms in Yanmar Marina on the east shore just south of the bridge. The six Hollywood twins on the second floor run to about 36 square metres and some have a hammock; the eight on the third floor are about 32. Dinner is in the Dining Room by the Biwako and breakfast comes to the room. The hotel is outside Shiga's cyclist-friendly scheme and says nothing about bikes, so ask before you ride in. Q: How much does Setre Marina Biwako cost? A: Prices at Setre Marina Biwako start at about ¥31,000 per person (2025), about CAD 279 or USD 196 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Setre Marina Biwako? A: Setre Marina Biwako: Dinner at Dining Room by the Biwako and breakfast by room service; a guest lounge is free. Q: What does Setre Marina Biwako have? A: Setre Marina Biwako lists guest lounge, restaurant, rooms with hammocks. Q: Who is Setre Marina Biwako good for? A: Setre Marina Biwako suits couples, a slow night off the bike. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hotelsetre.com/biwako/stay/ https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/30528/?active=stay ### Shibu Onsen Kokuya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/shibu-onsen-kokuya Type: Stay Local name: 信州渋温泉 古久屋 (ja) Also known as: Kokuya, Kokuya Ryokan, Ichizaemon Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Yamanouchi Address: 2200 Hirao, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano 381-0401 Coordinates: 36.73450, 138.43060 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Private open-air baths beyond the free ones cost ¥1,000 an hour before tax. Meals: Kaiseki dinner; Japanese or Western breakfast; vegetarian and allergy meals on request Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 18 Amenities: Onsen, Open air baths, Free private baths, Rooms with open air baths, Wi Fi, Free parking for 20 cars Best for: couples, onsen lovers, snow monkey trips Ski-in ski-out: No Shuttle: Free shuttle from Yudanaka Station from 15:00. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.ichizaemon.com/lang_en/ Summary: Shibu Onsen Kokuya is a family ryokan in the middle of Shibu's onsen street with nine baths of its own, and it suits couples who want a bath for every hour of the evening. The trade-off is the narrow lane, which is no place to drive in snow. Kokuya has 18 rooms, and nine of them come with their own open-air bath. The large baths and three open-air baths stay open 24 hours, with the men's and women's sides swapping. Two private baths are free, and two more open-air ones rent at ¥1,000 an hour before tax. A free shuttle meets guests at Yudanaka Station from 15:00, and check-in closes at 19:00 with dinner starting no later than then. The inn sits a short walk from Shibu's nine soto-yu, which guests can open with the inn's key. Q: Are meals included at Shibu Onsen Kokuya? A: Shibu Onsen Kokuya: Kaiseki dinner; Japanese or Western breakfast; vegetarian and allergy meals on request. Q: What does Shibu Onsen Kokuya have? A: Shibu Onsen Kokuya lists onsen, open air baths, free private baths, rooms with open air baths, wi fi, free parking for 20 cars. Q: Is Shibu Onsen Kokuya ski-in ski-out? A: No. Shibu Onsen Kokuya sits away from the lifts, and free shuttle from Yudanaka Station from 15:00. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.ichizaemon.com/lang_en/ https://www.ichizaemon.com/lang_en/access/ https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16651 ### Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/shiga-kogen-prince-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 志賀高原プリンスホテル (ja) Also known as: Prince Hotel Shiga Kogen, Yakebitaiyama Prince Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Address: Shiga Kogen Yakebitaiyama, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano 381-0497 Status: seasonal. The hotel opens for the winter season only; it posts each season's dates in a notice on its site. Coordinates: 36.75050, 138.52820 Kind: Ski hotel Prices: Rates appear only on the Seibu Prince booking engine. Meals: Several restaurants across the East, West and South buildings, including Restaurant Diamond Amenities: Public bath in the West building, Ski school, Gear rental Best for: families, intermediate skiers, ski school groups Ski-in ski-out: Yes To the lifts: Ski-in, ski-out at Yakebitaiyama, according to the hotel. Shuttle: Hotel loop bus East building to West building to Restaurant Diamond to Ichinose. Baths: Shared baths Website: https://www.princehotels.com/shiga/ Summary: Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel is the winter-only ski-in hotel at the foot of Yakebitaiyama, spread over East, West and South buildings, and it suits families who want slopes outside the window. The trade-off is its isolation at the far end of the plateau. The three buildings stand at the base of Yakebitaiyama, and the hotel sells ski-in, ski-out access straight from the room. A circular shuttle bus links the East and West buildings with Restaurant Diamond and Ichinose. Jigokudani's snow monkeys are about 40 minutes away by car for a day off the snow. Q: Is Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel open all year? A: Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel opens for part of the year. The hotel opens for the winter season only; it posts each season's dates in a notice on its site. Q: Are meals included at Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel? A: Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel: Several restaurants across the East, West and South buildings, including Restaurant Diamond. Q: What does Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel have? A: Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel lists public bath in the west building, ski school, gear rental. Q: Who is Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel good for? A: Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel suits families, intermediate skiers, ski school groups. Q: Is Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.princehotels.com/shiga/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/shiga/ https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=19496 https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/8242713968 ### Shiga Palace Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/shiga-palace-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 志賀パレスホテル (ja) Also known as: Shiga Palace Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Address: 7148 Hirao, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano 381-0401 Coordinates: 36.68540, 138.49420 Kind: Ski hotel From: ¥8,500 per adult (2025), about CAD 76 or USD 54 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Range listed by the Nagano Tourism Organization (go-nagano page updated April 2025); the tier is computed from the middle of that range for two people sharing. Meals: Buffet dinner and breakfast with Japanese, Western and Chinese dishes Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 80 Amenities: Onsen, Wi Fi Best for: families, budget-minded skiers, groups Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥8,500 per adult (2025), about CAD 76 or USD 54 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://shigapalace.co.jp/ Summary: Shiga Palace Hotel is a large half-board hotel at Kumanoyu that calls itself the centre hotel for Yokoteyama and Shibu Pass skiing, and it suits families on a budget. The trade-off is a big-hotel buffet feel. The hotel has 80 rooms in Japanese and mixed styles, all with a toilet and some with a private bath. Its baths run on Hotaru Onsen, and dinner and breakfast are buffets. Buses from Yudanaka Station reach the Suzurikawa stop in about 40 minutes. Q: How much does Shiga Palace Hotel cost? A: Prices at Shiga Palace Hotel start at ¥8,500 per adult (2025), about CAD 76 or USD 54 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Shiga Palace Hotel? A: Shiga Palace Hotel: Buffet dinner and breakfast with Japanese, Western and Chinese dishes. Q: What does Shiga Palace Hotel have? A: Shiga Palace Hotel lists onsen, wi fi. Q: Who is Shiga Palace Hotel good for? A: Shiga Palace Hotel suits families, budget-minded skiers, groups. Q: Does Shiga Palace Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Shiga Palace Hotel has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://shigapalace.co.jp/ https://shigapalace.co.jp/access/ https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16653 ### Shimoda Tokyu Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/shimoda-tokyu-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 下田東急ホテル (ja) Also known as: Shimoda Tokyu, 下田東急 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shimoda Address: 静岡県下田市5-12-1 Coordinates: 34.66830, 138.93960 Kind: Hotel From: ¥11,115 per person (2026), about CAD 100 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Jalan's guide price starts at ¥11,115 a person with two sharing, and a twin with breakfast lists from ¥12,285. The New Year plan with dinner runs from ¥29,300 a person. Meals: Restaurants on site; plans with breakfast or with dinner and breakfast Amenities: Onsen with open air baths, Sauna (men's side), Pool, Spa treatments, Free station shuttle, Wi Fi Best for: couples, families, riders ending a south Izu loop Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The hotel's bath page and FAQ give no tattoo rule. Price from: ¥11,115 per person (2026), about CAD 100 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/shimoda-h/ Summary: Shimoda Tokyu Hotel suits couples and families who want a sea-view resort hotel with onsen at the bottom of the peninsula for a mid-range price, and the trade-off is a hilltop site you reach by shuttle bus. Shimoda Tokyu Hotel sits on a rise 56 metres above Oura Bay, and on clear days its windows reach the Izu islands. The open-air baths have a hinoki tub on the men's side and a rock pool on the women's, both looking down on the bay. The water is a clear, odourless simple spring, open 14:00 to midnight and again from 5:00 to 11:00. The sauna is on the men's side only, a small one for one or two people with no cold plunge. A free shuttle runs the six minutes from Izukyu-Shimoda Station. Drivers from Tokyo should allow about 1 hour 40 minutes from the Numazu interchange, the hotel says. Plan around two closures. The whole hotel shuts from 18 to 23 October 2026 for legal inspections, and again from 18 to 21 January 2027. Tips: - The hotel closes from 18 to 21 January 2027 for maintenance. Q: Is Shimoda Tokyu Hotel open in January 2027? A: It closes from 18 to 21 January 2027 for legal inspections and maintenance, and is open the rest of the month. Q: How much does Shimoda Tokyu Hotel cost? A: Prices at Shimoda Tokyu Hotel start at ¥11,115 per person (2026), about CAD 100 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Shimoda Tokyu Hotel? A: Shimoda Tokyu Hotel: Restaurants on site; plans with breakfast or with dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Shimoda Tokyu Hotel have? A: Shimoda Tokyu Hotel lists onsen with open air baths, sauna (men's side), pool, spa treatments, free station shuttle, wi fi. Q: Who is Shimoda Tokyu Hotel good for? A: Shimoda Tokyu Hotel suits couples, families, riders ending a south Izu loop. Q: Does Shimoda Tokyu Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Shimoda Tokyu Hotel has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/shimoda-h/index.html https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/shimoda-h/spa/hotspring/index.html https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/shimoda-h/information/146175/index.html https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/shimoda-h/qa/index.html https://www.jalan.net/yad349176/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=静岡県下田市5-12-1 ### Shin Royal Hotel Shimanto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/shin-royal-hotel-shimanto Type: Stay Local name: 新ロイヤルホテル四万十 (ja) Also known as: New Royal Hotel Shimanto, Royal Hotel Shimanto Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kochi Town: Shimanto Address: 26 Nakamura-kosho-machi, Shimanto, Kochi 787-0029 Coordinates: 32.99360, 132.93210 Kind: Hotel Meals: Breakfast and dinner available for a charge Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Coin laundry, Wi fi, Restaurant Best for: cyclists, families Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes can go up to the room. Bike rental: Mountain bikes on the Rin Rin Cycle network, returnable at other terminals. Baths: Private baths Website: https://www.nrh-shimanto.co.jp/ Summary: Shin Royal Hotel Shimanto suits riders who want a central Nakamura hotel with bikes on the premises, and the bikes it rents are mountain bikes only. Shin Royal sits in central Nakamura and doubles as a terminal for the Rin Rin Cycle rental network that runs up the Shimanto to Ekawasaki. Rent a mountain bike here, ride the river roads and leave it at a terminal upstream. Bikes can go up to the room, and the coin laundry handles the day's kit. Q: Are meals included at Shin Royal Hotel Shimanto? A: Shin Royal Hotel Shimanto: Breakfast and dinner available for a charge. Q: What does Shin Royal Hotel Shimanto have? A: Shin Royal Hotel Shimanto lists coin laundry, wi fi, restaurant. Q: Who is Shin Royal Hotel Shimanto good for? A: Shin Royal Hotel Shimanto suits cyclists, families. Q: Is Shin Royal Hotel Shimanto bike-friendly? A: Yes. Shin Royal Hotel Shimanto welcomes cyclists. Storage: bikes can go up to the room. Mountain bikes on the Rin Rin Cycle network, returnable at other terminals. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nrh-shimanto.co.jp/ https://cycling-island-shikoku.com/hotel_inn/no034.html https://www.shimanto-kankou.com/route_cycle/ https://canoekan.com/rental/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%AB%98%E7%9F%A5%E7%9C%8C%E5%9B%9B%E4%B8%87%E5%8D%81%E5%B8%82%E4%B8%AD%E6%9D%91%E5%B0%8F%E5%A7%93%E7%94%BA26 ### Umi no Yado Shioyajuku URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/shioyajuku Type: Stay Local name: 海のやど しおや宿 (ja) Also known as: Shioyajuku, Konan Cycling Terminal, 香南市サイクリングターミナル Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kochi Address: 1304 Yasu-cho Teiyama, Konan, Kochi 781-5622 Coordinates: 33.52350, 133.76100 Kind: Cyclist hotel Meals: Tosa home cooking in the dining room Check-in: 16:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Large bath, Wi fi, Tennis court, Bike rental Best for: cyclists, families, groups Bikes: Welcomes cyclists For riders: Tools Bike rental: The cycling terminal next door hires road bikes, e-assist bikes, tandems and children's bikes for ¥500 for up to six hours (¥250 for primary-school age and under). Baths: Shared baths Website: https://shioyajuku.com/ Booking: https://site.reservation.liberty-service.com/cc5f559e549f4f2fac443b9673014a37/facility-7e9c6775-1506-42c9-9f02-775671e5cbe8/search Summary: Shioyajuku suits families and easy riders who want sea-view tatami rooms with bikes for hire at the door, and the bath is plain water, open only from 17:00 to 21:00. This inn on the Yasu coast doubles as Konan city's cycling terminal, so you sleep in a Japanese room facing the Pacific and hire a road bike, an e-bike or a tandem on site. The seaside cycling course runs about 15 km. Bunk-bed rooms for four to six people suit families and groups but have no sea view. The baths use ordinary water and open from 17:00 to 21:00, and last check-in is 22:00. Q: Are meals included at Umi no Yado Shioyajuku? A: Umi no Yado Shioyajuku: Tosa home cooking in the dining room. Q: What does Umi no Yado Shioyajuku have? A: Umi no Yado Shioyajuku lists large bath, wi fi, tennis court, bike rental. Q: Who is Umi no Yado Shioyajuku good for? A: Umi no Yado Shioyajuku suits cyclists, families, groups. Q: Is Umi no Yado Shioyajuku bike-friendly? A: Yes. Umi no Yado Shioyajuku welcomes cyclists. The cycling terminal next door hires road bikes, e-assist bikes, tandems and children's bikes for ¥500 for up to six hours (¥250 for primary-school age and under). Q: Does Umi no Yado Shioyajuku have an onsen? A: No. The shared baths at Umi no Yado Shioyajuku use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shioyajuku.com/ https://shioyajuku.com/facilities.php https://cycling-island-shikoku.com/hotel_inn/no026.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%AB%98%E7%9F%A5%E7%9C%8C%E9%A6%99%E5%8D%97%E5%B8%82%E5%A4%9C%E9%A0%88%E7%94%BA%E6%89%8B%E7%B5%90%E5%B1%B11304 ### Biwakohan Shirahama-so URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/shirahama-so Type: Stay Local name: びわ湖畔 白浜荘 (ja) Also known as: Shirahamaso, 政府登録旅館 白浜荘 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Takashima Address: 2300-1 Shimo-Ogawa, Adogawa-cho, Takashima, Shiga 520-1223 Coordinates: 35.30517, 136.03675 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥5,000 per person (2026), about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: The room-only plan starts at ¥5,000 a person with tax included. Half-board and group rates are on the inn's plans. Meals: Room-only or with meals; the inn grows its own rice. Amenities: Outdoor bath, Radium ore baths, Pool, Campground, Shuttle from Omi Takashima Station Best for: budget, groups, families, west-shore overnight Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared and private baths Price from: ¥5,000 per person (2026), about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.shirahamaso.co.jp/ Summary: Shirahama-so suits budget riders and groups on the Omi-Shirahama shore, and it is a big, busy inn that hosts sports camps. Shirahama-so is a large lakeside inn among the pines at Omi-Shirahama, south of Adogawa. The room-only plan starts at ¥5,000 a person and names Biwaichi riders in its description. The outdoor bath looks at the lake through the trees, and the indoor baths use radium ore. A new building opened in July 2025 and a pool in July 2026. A free shuttle meets JR Omi-Takashima between 8:30 and 18:00 if you book three days ahead. Q: How much does Biwakohan Shirahama-so cost? A: Prices at Biwakohan Shirahama-so start at ¥5,000 per person (2026), about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Biwakohan Shirahama-so? A: Biwakohan Shirahama-so: Room-only or with meals; the inn grows its own rice. Q: What does Biwakohan Shirahama-so have? A: Biwakohan Shirahama-so lists outdoor bath, radium ore baths, pool, campground, shuttle from omi takashima station. Q: Who is Biwakohan Shirahama-so good for? A: Biwakohan Shirahama-so suits budget, groups, families, west-shore overnight. Q: Is Biwakohan Shirahama-so bike-friendly? A: Yes. Biwakohan Shirahama-so welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Q: Does Biwakohan Shirahama-so have an onsen? A: No. The shared and private baths at Biwakohan Shirahama-so use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shirahamaso.co.jp/ https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/234/?active=stay https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Shiraraso Grand Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/shiraraso-grand-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 白良荘グランドホテル (ja) Also known as: Shiraraso, 白良荘 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Wakayama Town: Shirahama Address: 868 Shirahama, Nishimuro District, Wakayama 649-2211 Coordinates: 33.68440, 135.34360 Kind: Hotel Meals: Dinner and breakfast in the hotel's plans Amenities: Onsen, Parking for about 80 cars, EV charger (booking required) Best for: Pacific Cycling Road riders, beach stays, families Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Website: https://www.shiraraso.co.jp/ Summary: Shiraraso Grand Hotel suits riders who want a sea-view room on Shirarahama beach on a prefecture-listed cyclist-friendly stay, and its trade-off is resort-hotel pricing in summer. Shiraraso Grand Hotel faces Shirarahama, Shirahama's white-sand beach, and its rooms look out over the sea. The top-floor Royal rooms include a 120 m² suite for up to six. Wakayama Prefecture names the hotel on its list of cyclist-friendly stays along the WAKAYAMA800 network, which takes in the Pacific Cycling Road. The car park holds about 80 cars and has one EV charger you book ahead. Q: Are meals included at Shiraraso Grand Hotel? A: Shiraraso Grand Hotel: Dinner and breakfast in the hotel's plans. Q: What does Shiraraso Grand Hotel have? A: Shiraraso Grand Hotel lists onsen, parking for about 80 cars, ev charger (booking required). Q: Who is Shiraraso Grand Hotel good for? A: Shiraraso Grand Hotel suits Pacific Cycling Road riders, beach stays, families. Q: Is Shiraraso Grand Hotel bike-friendly? A: Yes. Shiraraso Grand Hotel welcomes cyclists. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shiraraso.co.jp/ https://www.shiraraso.co.jp/access/ https://wakayama800.jp/inn_for_cyclist/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%92%8C%E6%AD%8C%E5%B1%B1%E7%9C%8C%E8%A5%BF%E7%89%9F%E5%A9%81%E9%83%A1%E7%99%BD%E6%B5%9C%E7%94%BA868 ### Shizukuishi Prince Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/shizukuishi-prince-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 雫石プリンスホテル (ja) Also known as: Shizukuishi Prince, Prince Hotel Shizukuishi, Shizukuishi Snow Resort, 雫石プリンス Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Town: Shizukuishi Address: Takakura Onsen, Shizukuishi, Iwate-gun, Iwate 020-0593 Coordinates: 39.77500, 140.93010 Kind: Ski hotel From: ¥9,465 per person (2026), about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Rakuten Travel shows rates from ¥9,465 a person including tax, its lowest guide figure. The 2026/27 ski pack adds a one-day lift ticket and gives children up to primary-school age a free ticket. Breakfast and buffet-dinner versions of the pack exclude 27 December to 3 January. Meals: Buffet dinner and breakfast in the main restaurant; Iwate beef course dinners at Kobushi. Check-in: 15:00–01:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Ski in, Onsen outdoor baths, Station shuttle, Buffet restaurant, Cloakroom for skis on arrival day, Car share Best for: families, skiers, groups Ski-in ski-out: Yes To the lifts: Rakuten Travel lists Shizukuishi ski area at a zero-minute walk, and the hotel's ski pack says the slopes start in front of the building. Shuttle: Free bus from the west exit of Morioka Station, about 50 minutes, from 18 December 2026 to 28 March 2027; two runs a day stop at Shizukuishi Station. Book three days ahead on 019-693-1114. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The bath page says the hotel may limit use of the baths by people with tattoos, so ask before you book. Price from: ¥9,465 per person (2026), about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/shizukuishi/ Summary: Shizukuishi Prince Hotel suits families and skiers who want the lifts outside the door and a free bus from Morioka, and the trade-off is a short season, because the slopes close on 22 March 2027. The hotel stands at the foot of Shizukuishi ski area, the hill that hosted the 1993 Alpine World Ski Championships, and Rakuten Travel puts the slopes at a zero-minute walk. Most rooms are compact 22-square-metre twins. On the eighth and ninth floors the superior rooms carry Iwate crafts such as Nanbu ironware and indigo dye, and a handful of corner rooms face Mt. Iwate head on. Dinner is a buffet heavy on Iwate food with Morioka's three noodle dishes on the counter, and Kobushi serves Iwate beef as a course when you want a bigger night. The hotel calls its 2026/27 winter programme SNØVA. Cat tours carry riders to unpisted snow near the top for ¥17,000 a run, daily from 26 December to 3 January and then on weekends and holidays from 9 January to 7 March, with 15 places a run. After dark the plan includes a kamakura snow-hut dinner on Mondays and Fridays and a night bar in the Austria House, which the Austrian team used in 1993, though both still show their dates as being updated. Fireworks go up from the Prince slope on 31 December 2026 and 5 February 2027. The free winter bus runs between the west exit of Morioka Station and the hotel from 18 December 2026 to 28 March 2027 in about 50 minutes, and two runs a day call at Shizukuishi Station. Book it three days ahead or it won't run. It leaves on time even when the Shinkansen is late, so pick a train with some slack, and remember the ski area itself is planned to run only from 19 December to 22 March. Tips: - Morning skiers who arrive before check-in can leave skis and bags at the cloakroom in front of the reception desk. - The outdoor baths open to guests from 5:00 to 10:00 and from 14:00 to midnight, and the hotel suggests 14:00 to 16:00 as the quiet window. Q: How much does Shizukuishi Prince Hotel cost? A: Prices at Shizukuishi Prince Hotel start at ¥9,465 per person (2026), about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Shizukuishi Prince Hotel? A: Shizukuishi Prince Hotel: Buffet dinner and breakfast in the main restaurant; Iwate beef course dinners at Kobushi. Q: What does Shizukuishi Prince Hotel have? A: Shizukuishi Prince Hotel lists ski in, onsen outdoor baths, station shuttle, buffet restaurant, cloakroom for skis on arrival day, car share. Q: Who is Shizukuishi Prince Hotel good for? A: Shizukuishi Prince Hotel suits families, skiers, groups. Q: Is Shizukuishi Prince Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Shizukuishi Prince Hotel is ski-in ski-out. Q: Does Shizukuishi Prince Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Shizukuishi Prince Hotel has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/shizukuishi/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/shizukuishi/access/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/file.jsp?id=523167 https://www.princehotels.co.jp/shizukuishi/facility/onsen/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/shizukuishi/room/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/shizukuishi/informations/snova_shizukuishi2026 https://www.princehotels.co.jp/shizukuishi/plan/shizukuishi_ski_2026/ https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/30801/30801.html https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/HOTEL/30801/rtmap.html https://kw.travel.rakuten.co.jp/keyword/Search.do?f_query=%8E%B4%90%CE%83v%83%8A%83%93%83X%83z%83e%83%8B ### SOIL Setoda URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/soil-setoda Type: Stay Local name: ソイル瀬戸田 (ja) Also known as: Soil Setoda, SOIL Setoda Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Setoda Address: 257 Setoda, Setoda-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-2411 Coordinates: 34.30390, 133.08440 Kind: Hotel Prices: Hiroshima prefecture adds an accommodation tax of ¥200 per person per night on rooms above ¥6,000 a person, from 1 April 2026. Meals: A coffee roaster and café in a Meiji-era storehouse and a wood-fired restaurant on the waterfront share the site. Amenities: Bike parking, Locked bike space, Bike rental, Café, Restaurant Best for: road riders, couples, small groups, remote workers Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes park on the hotel grounds, and a key-locked bike space can be used from 10:00 to 19:00. It has no roof over it. Bike rental: Mountain bikes through to e-bikes; walk-ins are possible, but numbers are limited. Baths: Private baths Website: https://soilis.co/setoda/ Summary: SOIL Setoda suits riders who want design rooms, coffee and a wood-fired dinner by Setoda port, and its locked bike space opens only from 10:00 to 19:00. SOIL spreads along the Setoda waterfront: a Meiji-era storehouse holds the roaster and café, a wood-fired restaurant faces the sea, and rooms sit above shops on the street. Rooms run from a 12-square-metre double to a 30-square-metre top-floor suite with its own rooftop. The Kuramae Box 4 dorm room sleeps four in single-bed boxes with a desk each. Bikes park on site, and a key-locked space is open from 10:00 to 19:00, though it has no roof. Rentals run from mountain bikes to e-bikes, and booking ahead is wise in spring. The hotel skips disposable amenities, so bring a toothbrush. Q: Are meals included at SOIL Setoda? A: SOIL Setoda: A coffee roaster and café in a Meiji-era storehouse and a wood-fired restaurant on the waterfront share the site. Q: What does SOIL Setoda have? A: SOIL Setoda lists bike parking, locked bike space, bike rental, café, restaurant. Q: Who is SOIL Setoda good for? A: SOIL Setoda suits road riders, couples, small groups, remote workers. Q: Is SOIL Setoda bike-friendly? A: Yes. SOIL Setoda welcomes cyclists. Storage: bikes park on the hotel grounds, and a key-locked bike space can be used from 10:00 to 19:00. It has no roof over it. Mountain bikes through to e-bikes; walk-ins are possible, but numbers are limited. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://soilis.co/setoda/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information&paged=11 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E7%80%AC%E6%88%B8%E7%94%B0%E7%94%BA%E7%80%AC%E6%88%B8%E7%94%B0257 ### Soratobu Usagi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/soratobu-usagi Type: Stay Local name: 空飛ブウサギ (ja) Also known as: Sora Tobu Usagi, Pension Soratobu Usagi Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Suginosawa Address: 新潟県妙高市杉野沢229-2 Coordinates: 36.85900, 138.14400 Kind: Pension Price: ¥¥ Prices: Myoko Tourism last updated its listing in 2022 and gave ¥7,500 for a stay with dinner and breakfast. It does not say whether that is per person or per room, so check the 2026/27 rate with the inn. Meals: Room only, breakfast, dinner or both Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Family bath, Cottages with kitchens, Free parking, Lift ticket discount, Air conditioning Best for: families, skiers, sports camps To the lifts: The pension says the Myoko Suginohara slope is zero minutes on foot from the door. Baths: Shared and private baths Price band: ¥¥ Website: http://www.soratobuusagi.com/ Summary: Soratobu Usagi suits families who want to open the door and be on the snow at Suginohara, and its trade-off is a simple pension with no onsen water. This pension stands right at the slope of Myoko Suginohara, and it bills itself as zero minutes on foot to the snow. Every room got air conditioning in 2026, and the pension also rents cottages with kitchens for long stays. The big bath and the family bath are open 24 hours. You lock the family bath from inside, with no booking needed. The pension sells discounted lift tickets and takes card and QR payments. It only serves lunch and dinner to non-guests in green season, and pets cannot stay. Q: Are meals included at Soratobu Usagi? A: Soratobu Usagi: Room only, breakfast, dinner or both. Q: What does Soratobu Usagi have? A: Soratobu Usagi lists family bath, cottages with kitchens, free parking, lift ticket discount, air conditioning. Q: Who is Soratobu Usagi good for? A: Soratobu Usagi suits families, skiers, sports camps. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.soratobuusagi.com/ https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/%e7%a9%ba%e9%a3%9b%e3%83%96%e3%82%a6%e3%82%b5%e3%82%ae/ https://myokotourism.com/accommodation/sora-tobu-usagi/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県妙高市杉野沢229-2 ### STAGEX Takashima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/stagex-takashima Type: Stay Local name: STAGEX高島 (ja) Also known as: Stagex Takashima glamping Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Takashima Address: 336 Warasono, Shin-Asahi-cho, Takashima, Shiga 520-1511 Coordinates: 35.35050, 136.06710 Kind: Glamping Prices: Rates are on the booking pages; a Biwaichi prize in 2026 valued a stay for two at about ¥60,000. Amenities: Cabins, Dog cabins, Dome tents, Shuttle from Shin Asahi Station, Free parking Best for: couples, dog owners, glamping Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Private baths Website: https://www.takashima.stagex.jp/ Summary: STAGEX suits couples who want a glamping night on the Shin-Asahi shore, and it costs more than the ryokan around it. STAGEX is a glamping resort on the lakeshore at Shin-Asahi with cabins and dome tents, and some cabins take dogs. A free shuttle runs from Shin-Asahi Station in about 10 minutes if you book it. The site stamps the Biwaichi completion certificate and runs a Biwaichi Week deal from 1 to 8 November for guests who ride in. In 2026 the prefecture used a stay for two here, valued at about ¥60,000, as the top prize in its Biwaichi food rally. Q: What does STAGEX Takashima have? A: STAGEX Takashima lists cabins, dog cabins, dome tents, shuttle from shin asahi station, free parking. Q: Who is STAGEX Takashima good for? A: STAGEX Takashima suits couples, dog owners, glamping. Q: Is STAGEX Takashima bike-friendly? A: Yes. STAGEX Takashima welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.takashima.stagex.jp/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/sa00/23924.html https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Sugatani Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/sugatani-onsen Type: Stay Local name: 須賀谷温泉 (ja) Also known as: YAMATO THE SEASONS Sugatani Onsen Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Nagahama Address: 36 Sugatani-cho, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0277 Coordinates: 35.45487, 136.28179 Kind: Ryokan Prices: The inn's site prints no price. A visitors bureau listing last updated in June 2023 gave ¥10,000 for a Japanese room, so check the live plans. Rooms: 31 Amenities: Source flowing hot spring, Barrier free rooms, Pet friendly rooms, Free shuttle from Kawake Station Best for: onsen night, Odani Castle, families Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.sugatani.co.jp/ Summary: Sugatani Onsen suits riders who want a proper hot spring inn below Odani Castle, and it sits inland in the hills, off the lake route. Sugatani sits in a valley at the foot of Mt. Odani, inland from the Kohoku shore, and the Azai clan is said to have bathed here. The iron-rich water runs straight from the source into the baths. The inn has 31 Japanese rooms, four of them barrier-free, and it runs a free shuttle from JR Kawake if you ask the day before. From 16 October to 22 November 2026 it lights a bonfire in the grounds in the evenings. Q: What does Sugatani Onsen have? A: Sugatani Onsen lists source flowing hot spring, barrier free rooms, pet friendly rooms, free shuttle from kawake station. Q: Is Sugatani Onsen bike-friendly? A: Yes. Sugatani Onsen welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.sugatani.co.jp/ https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/352/?active=stay https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1058238863 ### Suimeikan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/suimeikan Type: Stay Local name: 水明館 (ja) Also known as: Gero Suimeikan, Suimeikan Gero Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Gero Onsen Address: 1268 Koda, Gero, Gifu 509-2206 Coordinates: 35.80538, 137.24123 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Plans are on the inn's booking pages. Meals: Dinner and breakfast Amenities: Onsen, Rotenburo, Two private baths, Bedrock sauna, Spa, Restaurants Best for: families, groups Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Not allowed Tattoo rule: Suimeikan refuses guests with tattoos at all its baths and does not accept cover stickers or body paint. Website: https://www.suimeikan.co.jp/ Summary: Suimeikan suits families who want a large riverside ryokan with three big baths to wander between. The trade-off is the strictest tattoo rule in town, which also bans covered tattoos. Suimeikan stands on the Hida River in the middle of Gero, and each of its three wings has its own large bath, all open to every guest. The observation bath opens 24 hours, and two private baths run on 100 percent source water. Day visitors can use the open-air bath or the observation bath for ¥1,500 each, unless it is busy. The inn refuses anyone with a tattoo at every bath, whether Japanese or Western style, and stickers and body paint make no difference. Q: Are meals included at Suimeikan? A: Suimeikan: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Suimeikan have? A: Suimeikan lists onsen, rotenburo, two private baths, bedrock sauna, spa, restaurants. Q: Who is Suimeikan good for? A: Suimeikan suits families, groups. Q: Does Suimeikan have an onsen? A: Yes. Suimeikan has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Q: Can you use the baths at Suimeikan with tattoos? A: No. The baths at Suimeikan turn away bathers with visible tattoos. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.suimeikan.co.jp/ https://www.suimeikan.co.jp/hotspring/ https://www.suimeikan.co.jp/hotspring/kashikiri.php https://www.gero-spa.com/shukuhaku/ ### Sukayu Onsen Ryokan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/sukayu-onsen-ryokan Type: Stay Local name: 酸ヶ湯温泉旅館 (ja) Also known as: Sukayu Onsen, Sukayu, 酸ケ湯温泉旅館, 酸ヶ湯温泉, Sennin-buro, Hiba Sennin-buro Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Town: Hakkoda Address: 50 Sukayu-sawa, Minami-Arakawayama Kokuyurin, Arakawa, Aomori, Aomori 030-0197 Coordinates: 40.65600, 140.83440 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥11,495 per person (2026), about CAD 103 or USD 73 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Jalan's cheapest plan is ¥11,495 a person with dinner and breakfast when two share a plain 6-mat room in the toji wing, the old long-stay block where toilets and basins are down the hall. The ryokan-wing rooms and the 2019 twin rooms with their own toilet cost more. Booking on the inn's own site saves ¥1,100 on the phone rate. Meals: Set dinner trays and a breakfast buffet; toji-wing guests can also cook for themselves in the shared kitchen. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 139 Amenities: Onsen, Mixed bath, Separate men's and women's bath, Drying room, Self catering kitchen, Coin laundry, Shop, Soba restaurant, Wi Fi in the lobby, Free parking Best for: onsen lovers, backcountry skiers, budget, solo travellers Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: The Hakkoda Ropeway base station is about 15 minutes down the road by JR bus, ¥460 a ride, according to the ropeway's access page. Boot room: Yes Shuttle: No ropeway shuttle is listed. The JR bus from Aomori Station ends here in winter, so use it between the inn and the ropeway. The inn's own free bus links Shin-Aomori Station for staying guests, booked ahead. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: Sukayu's site and FAQ state no tattoo rule, so ask the front desk before you book. Price from: ¥11,495 per person (2026), about CAD 103 or USD 73 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://sukayu.jp/ Booking: https://www.489pro-x.com/en/s/sukayu/search/ Summary: Sukayu suits onsen lovers and Hakkoda ski tourers who want a cheap bed beside Japan's most famous mixed bath, and the trade-off is a plain toji room with the toilet down the corridor. Sukayu sits alone at about 900 metres on the west flank of the Hakkoda range, where winter snow piles past five metres. In 1954 it became the first spa in Japan named a National Health Resort Hot Spring. The draw is the Hiba Sennin-buro, a 160-tatami hall built entirely of Aomori hiba cypress with no pillar in the middle, where four different acidic sulphur sources feed one room. The big bath is mixed. Women have it to themselves from 8:00 to 9:00 and again from 20:00 to 21:00 every day, and the small Tama-no-yu bath next door stays split by sex all day with water of the same type. The shop rents bathing wraps called yuami-gi to men and women for ¥500 and sells a women's wrap for ¥1,300. Only the inn's own wraps go in the water, so leave yours in the bag. The rooms split in two. The ryokan wing has old six- and eight-mat Japanese rooms with an engawa and a 2019 block of twins with beds and a private toilet. The toji wing keeps the long-stay layout, with shared toilets, a kitchen with gas rings and microwaves, and futons you lay out yourself. Dinner is a set tray of Aomori food, and the soba shop Kimen-an serves lunch until 16:30. For the ropeway, ride the JR bus back down the hill: Hakkoda Ropeway's own page puts Sukayu to the base at about 15 minutes for ¥460. Sukayu's guides run backcountry ski and snowboard tours from 19 December 2026 to 6 May 2027 at ¥7,000 for a full day. Jalan's listing names a drying room among the inn's facilities. Tips: - The inn runs a free bus for staying guests from Shin-Aomori Station's east exit at 10:15 and 14:00, taking about an hour; book it when you reserve the room. - From mid-December to mid-March Route 103 from Aomori closes to cars from 21:00 to 7:30, and the inn says the road gets no ploughing after 17:00, so drive up in daylight with winter tyres or chains. - Day bathing changes on 1 December 2026 to ¥1,500 for adults, towels included, from 9:00 to 16:00 with last entry at 15:30. - In summer and autumn the inn lends bear spray to hikers heading up the Hakkoda trails. Q: How much does Sukayu Onsen Ryokan cost? A: Prices at Sukayu Onsen Ryokan start at ¥11,495 per person (2026), about CAD 103 or USD 73 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Sukayu Onsen Ryokan? A: Sukayu Onsen Ryokan: Set dinner trays and a breakfast buffet; toji-wing guests can also cook for themselves in the shared kitchen. Q: What does Sukayu Onsen Ryokan have? A: Sukayu Onsen Ryokan lists onsen, mixed bath, separate men's and women's bath, drying room, self catering kitchen, coin laundry, shop, soba restaurant, wi fi in the lobby, free parking. Q: Is Sukayu Onsen Ryokan ski-in ski-out? A: No. Sukayu Onsen Ryokan sits away from the lifts, and no ropeway shuttle is listed. The JR bus from Aomori Station ends here in winter, so use it between the inn and the ropeway. The inn's own free bus links Shin-Aomori Station for staying guests, booked ahead. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://sukayu.jp/ https://sukayu.jp/facility/ https://sukayu.jp/information1/ https://sukayu.jp/information2/ https://sukayu.jp/information4/ https://sukayu.jp/information5/ https://sukayu.jp/access/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/access/ https://www.489pro-x.com/ja/s/sukayu/planlist/ https://www.jalan.net/yad397533/ https://www.jalan.net/yad397533/plan/?dateUndecided=1&adultNum=2&roomCount=1 ### Sumiyoshi Ryokan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/sumiyoshi-ryokan Type: Stay Local name: 寿美吉旅館 (ja) Also known as: Sumiyoshi, 壽美吉旅館 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 4-21 Honmachi, Takayama, Gifu 506-0011 Coordinates: 36.14620, 137.25697 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥13,200 per person (2026), about CAD 119 or USD 83 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: From ¥13,200 a person with dinner and breakfast on the tourism association listing; full rates on the inn's site. Meals: Dinner and breakfast Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Parking for 6 cars Best for: couples, a first ryokan stay Price from: ¥13,200 per person (2026), about CAD 119 or USD 83 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: http://www.sumiyoshi-ryokan.com Summary: Sumiyoshi Ryokan suits couples who want a family-run inn in a Taisho-era townhouse by the river. The trade-off is a 15-minute walk from the station. Sumiyoshi is a Taisho-period townhouse built in the Takayama machiya style, in Honmachi about 15 minutes' walk from the station. The tourism association lists dinner-and-breakfast stays from ¥13,200 a person, and the inn has parking for six cars. Q: How much does Sumiyoshi Ryokan cost? A: Prices at Sumiyoshi Ryokan start at ¥13,200 per person (2026), about CAD 119 or USD 83 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Sumiyoshi Ryokan? A: Sumiyoshi Ryokan: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Sumiyoshi Ryokan have? A: Sumiyoshi Ryokan lists parking for 6 cars. Q: Who is Sumiyoshi Ryokan good for? A: Sumiyoshi Ryokan suits couples, a first ryokan stay. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.sumiyoshi-ryokan.com https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/stay/detail_4030.html ### Sunrise Itoyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/sunrise-itoyama Type: Stay Local name: サンライズ糸山 (ja) Also known as: Sunrise Itoyama Imabari, サンライズ糸山 今治 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: Sunaba-cho 2-chome, Imabari, Ehime Status: temporarily-closed. Imabari city's project page set the start of renovation for 15 September 2026 and the reopening of the reworked building for around winter 2027/28 (fiscal 2027). The old official website no longer answers. Check with the city's Cycle City office before planning around it. Coordinates: 34.11030, 132.97740 Kind: Hotel Prices: No current rate exists while the building is under renovation. The city's plan puts the reworked rooms at about ¥30,000–50,000 a room and the new villas at about ¥70,000–150,000; neither price has been published for booking. Best for: road riders, first night on the Shimanami Website: https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/cyclecity/sunrise-itoyama/ Summary: Sunrise Itoyama is shut for a rebuild, so this winter it suits nobody; the city expects the reworked hotel at the Imabari end of the Kurushima Kaikyo bridges to open around winter 2027/28. Sunrise Itoyama opened in 1999 with the Shimanami Kaido at Itoyama, on the Shikoku end of the Kurushima Kaikyo bridges. For 27 years it was the obvious first or last night for riders starting or finishing in Imabari. In March 2026 the city chose a group led by Yonden Business to rebuild the site. The renovated block will hold 23 rooms with a shower in each, sharing a large bath and a restaurant. A second building follows on the seaward plot. Twenty single-storey villas with a sauna and a pool are due around winter 2028/29. Yasuhiro Yamashita of Atelier Tekuto designs both, and Hakatajima-born chef Tomohiko Murakami of Shimanami French Murakami in Osaka oversees the food. Until it reopens, base in central Imabari, where Cyclo no Ie, JR Clement Inn and Imabari Station Hotel all let bikes indoors. Q: Is Sunrise Itoyama open in winter 2026/27? A: No. Imabari city scheduled renovation work at Sunrise Itoyama from 15 September 2026, and the reworked hotel is due around winter 2027/28. Q: Who is Sunrise Itoyama good for? A: Sunrise Itoyama suits road riders, first night on the Shimanami. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/cyclecity/sunrise-itoyama/ https://digitalpr.jp/r/133462 https://www.travelvoice.jp/20260513-159676 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11306047 ### Tabataya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/tabataya Type: Stay Local name: 結びの宿 田端屋 (ja) Also known as: Ryokan Tabataya, Musubi no Yado Tabataya, 田端屋 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Suginosawa Address: 新潟県妙高市杉野沢2468 Coordinates: 36.84830, 138.16020 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥ Prices: Myoko Tourism last updated its listing in 2022 and gave ¥7,700 for a stay with dinner and breakfast. It does not say whether that is per person or per room, so check the 2026/27 rate with the inn. Meals: Dinner and breakfast of home-style local cooking; halal on request Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Sauna, Station pick up, Parking, Wi Fi, Dog friendly rooms Best for: families, food lovers, dog owners To the lifts: 1 min on foot Shuttle: Free shuttle to and from Myoko-Kogen Station, per Myoko Tourism. Baths: Shared baths Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.tabataya.net/ Booking: https://www7.489pro.com/asp/489/menu.asp?id=15000035&ty=ser&lan=JPN Summary: Tabataya suits travellers who want a family ryokan with farmhouse cooking in Suginosawa, and its trade-off is a village with no restaurants to fall back on. Tabataya opened in 1905, and three generations of women run it now. Rice from the owner's own fields goes on the table with vegetables from the okami's family farm. They make their own miso and pickles too. The kitchen can prepare halal meals on request, and some rooms take dogs. Myoko Tourism lists a sauna and a station pick-up. Myoko Tourism's English listing puts Myoko Suginohara a minute's walk away and the Suginosawa onsen centre at five minutes, which matters in a village where the bath and the lifts are the whole evening. Q: Are meals included at Tabataya? A: Tabataya: Dinner and breakfast of home-style local cooking; halal on request. Q: What does Tabataya have? A: Tabataya lists sauna, station pick up, parking, wi fi, dog friendly rooms. Q: Who is Tabataya good for? A: Tabataya suits families, food lovers, dog owners. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tabataya.net/ https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/%e7%b5%90%e3%81%b3%e3%81%ae%e5%ae%bf-%e7%94%b0%e7%ab%af%e5%b1%8b/ https://myokotourism.com/accommodation/ryokan-tabataya/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県妙高市杉野沢2468 ### Taenoyu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/taenoyu Type: Stay Local name: 乳頭温泉郷 妙乃湯 (ja) Also known as: Taenoyu Onsen, Tae no Yu, 妙乃湯, 妙乃湯温泉, Nyuto Onsen Taenoyu Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Town: Tazawako Address: 2-1 Komagatake, Obonai, Tazawako, Semboku, Akita 014-1201 Coordinates: 39.80340, 140.79760 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥18,150 per person (2026), about CAD 163 or USD 115 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: The Tazawako-Kakunodate tourism association lists dinner and breakfast from ¥18,150 a person. Day bathers pay ¥1,000 from 10:30 to 15:00, and day bathing is closed on Tuesdays. The inn takes Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex. Meals: Dinner and breakfast of Akita home cooking, served course by course in Soan, the river-side dining room, or Dining Miyakowasure. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Two private springs, Mixed outdoor baths with women only hours, Free private bath, Wi Fi, Lunch Best for: couples, women travelling together, onsen lovers Shuttle: No station shuttle; take the Ugo Kotsu Nyuto line bus to the Taenoyu Onsen-mae stop. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥18,150 per person (2026), about CAD 163 or USD 115 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://taenoyu.com/ Booking: https://www3.yadosys.com/reserve/en/room/list/147/fgeggchbebhjhbeogefegpdn/all Summary: Taenoyu suits couples and women travelling together who want two springs and mixed baths with set women-only hours by the Sendatsu River, and the trade-off is that there's no station shuttle, so you come in on the route bus. Goto Teiji and his wife Umeno opened Taenoyu in 1952 after they found hot water in the forest, at a time when the walk in from town took half a day. Two springs of the inn's own feed eight tubs without recirculation. Gin no Yu is clear and soft. Kin no Yu is a cloudy, acidic sulphate spring with a trace of iron and sulphur. A few tubs close for the winter. The indoor baths and the separate outdoor baths swap between men and women at set times. Myoken no Yu and Gin no Yu are the two mixed outdoor baths. They keep women-only hours, and bathers may wrap a bath towel there. Guests use the private bath Yawaragi no Yu free during their stay. Rooms come in five types, and every one has a toilet; the Momiji-kan rooms on the river side were renovated in 2020 and 2021. Kiritanpo hotpot here is a clear soy broth made with Hinai-jidori stock, and the mushroom soup uses wild mushrooms salted down each autumn. The whole inn is non-smoking. The Ugo Kotsu bus to Nyuto Onsen takes about 50 minutes from Tazawako Station to the Taenoyu Onsen-mae stop, a minute from the door, and a taxi takes about 30 minutes. Overnight guests can buy the Yumeguri-cho pass for ¥2,500, which covers a day bath at each of the seven Nyuto inns for a year, and the Yumeguri-go shuttle links them. Tips: - Ogama, Ganiba and Kyukamura are within walking distance, so you can bath-hop on foot. - Lunch runs from 11:30 to 14:00, with an Inaniwa udon set from ¥2,200. Q: How much does Taenoyu cost? A: Prices at Taenoyu start at ¥18,150 per person (2026), about CAD 163 or USD 115 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Taenoyu? A: Taenoyu: Dinner and breakfast of Akita home cooking, served course by course in Soan, the river-side dining room, or Dining Miyakowasure. Q: What does Taenoyu have? A: Taenoyu lists two private springs, mixed outdoor baths with women only hours, free private bath, wi fi, lunch. Q: Who is Taenoyu good for? A: Taenoyu suits couples, women travelling together, onsen lovers. Q: Does Taenoyu have an onsen? A: Yes. Taenoyu has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://taenoyu.com/ https://taenoyu.com/bath/ https://taenoyu.com/stay/ https://taenoyu.com/meal/ https://taenoyu.com/access/ https://taenoyu.com/faq/ https://taenoyu.com/en/ https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/accommodation/11058/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11446830 ### Takahan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/takahan Type: Stay Local name: 雪国の宿 高半 (ja) Also known as: Takahan Ryokan, Yukiguni no Yado Takahan, 高半 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町湯沢923 Coordinates: 36.94710, 138.79980 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥17,500 per person (2026), about CAD 157 or USD 111 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Meals: Dinner and breakfast, or room only Rooms: 34 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Sauna, Station pick up Best for: couples, literature lovers, onsen lovers Shuttle: Free pick-up from Echigo-Yuzawa Station for staying guests. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥17,500 per person (2026), about CAD 157 or USD 111 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: http://www.takahan.co.jp/ Booking: https://d-reserve.jp/calendar?hotelCode=0000002920 Summary: Takahan suits readers and bath lovers who want the inn where Kawabata wrote Snow Country, and its trade-off is a hillside spot above town that needs the inn's pick-up. Kawabata Yasunari wrote Snow Country in the Kasumi room at Takahan between late autumn 1934 and 1937, and the inn screens the film of the novel every evening at 20:00. The house stands on the hill above Yuzawa's onsen streets. Takahan's Tamago-no-yu comes from a spring the inn says an ancestor found about 900 years ago. The water reaches the tubs at about 43.5°C with no added water or heating, and the bath is refilled every three hours. There are 34 rooms, almost all Japanese-style. Room-only plans let you eat at the izakaya in town, and the inn collects staying guests from Echigo-Yuzawa Station, five minutes away by car. Tips: - Day bathing costs ¥2,000 an adult and ¥1,000 for primary-school children. Q: How much does Takahan cost? A: Prices at Takahan start at ¥17,500 per person (2026), about CAD 157 or USD 111 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Takahan? A: Takahan: Dinner and breakfast, or room only. Q: What does Takahan have? A: Takahan lists onsen, open air bath, sauna, station pick up. Q: Who is Takahan good for? A: Takahan suits couples, literature lovers, onsen lovers. Q: Does Takahan have an onsen? A: Yes. Takahan has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.takahan.co.jp/ https://www.takahan.co.jp/scenery/ https://www.takahan.co.jp/spa/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/stay_p/snow-country-inn-takahan/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/stay/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7677019 ### Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/takaragawa-onsen-osenkaku Type: Stay Local name: 宝川温泉 汪泉閣 (ja) Also known as: Takaragawa Onsen, Osenkaku, Ousenkaku, Takaragawa ryokan Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 1899 Fujiwara, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma 379-1721 Coordinates: 36.84795, 139.04682 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Takaragawa sells rooms by plan through its booking engine and lists no fixed rate on its site. Meals: Buffet dinners or private-style dining rooms with mountain vegetables, mushrooms and river fish. Check-in: 14:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 43 Amenities: Outdoor pools, Indoor baths open 24 hours, Courtesy bus by reservation, Free Wi Fi in some rooms Best for: couples, snow-season bathing, mixed-bathing with bathing wear Shuttle: The inn's courtesy bus runs on reservation, picking up in the afternoon and dropping off in the morning; book it with the room. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: Takaragawa publishes no tattoo rule. Ask the inn before you book. Website: https://www.takaragawa.com/ Summary: Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku suits couples who want to stay beside some of Japan's biggest outdoor pools and bathe after the day visitors leave, and most of its rooms have no bath of their own. Osenkaku has 43 rooms over three buildings: a three-storey wooden main building from 1955, a two-storey wooden annex from 1936 and a five-storey concrete east wing from 1966. The wooden rooms have floor heating, and only some east-wing rooms have a bath of their own. Staying lets you use the outdoor pools after the day visitors go home at 16:30, and the indoor baths, Tono-yu and Hime-yu, stay open 24 hours. The pools are the reason to come, and they are described on Takaragawa Onsen's own page here. In winter the inn's courtesy bus runs on a slightly earlier morning schedule, so check times when you book it. Q: What time is check-in at Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku? A: Check-in is at 14:00 and check-out at 10:00. Q: Does Takaragawa Onsen have a shuttle? A: Yes. The inn runs a courtesy bus for overnight guests on reservation; book it when you book the room. Q: Are meals included at Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku? A: Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku: Buffet dinners or private-style dining rooms with mountain vegetables, mushrooms and river fish. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.takaragawa.com/english.html https://www.takaragawa.com/sp/facilities.html https://www.takaragawa.com/sp/room.html https://www.takaragawa.com/sisetu.html https://www.takaragawa.com/kotu.html https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/7456/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/11627722880 ### TAKASU BASE URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/takasu-base Type: Stay Also known as: Lodge TAKASU BASE, Takasu Base lodge Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Okumino Address: 3235-2 Nishibora, Takasu-cho, Gujo, Gifu 501-5305 Coordinates: 35.98374, 136.88495 Kind: Chalet Prices: Rates are on the lodge's site. Amenities: Whole lodge rental, Wi Fi, Barbecue Best for: groups, families, skiers and snowboarders Website: https://takasu-base.studio.site/ Summary: TAKASU BASE suits a group of friends or a family who want a whole lodge near Takasu Snow Park and Dynaland. The trade-off is that you rent the whole lodge, which pays off only with a group. TAKASU BASE is a lodge in Nishibora that rents as a whole to up to eight people, close to Takasu Snow Park, Dynaland and Hirugano. It has Wi-Fi and a barbecue for the green season. Q: What does TAKASU BASE have? A: TAKASU BASE lists whole lodge rental, wi fi, barbecue. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://takasu-base.studio.site/ https://tabitabigujo.com/spots/takasu/takasu-base/ ### Ted's Guesthouse & Activity Center URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/teds-uchiko Type: Stay Local name: Ted's (ja-Latn) Also known as: Ted's Uchiko, Teds Guesthouse, Ted's Guest House Uchiko Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Town: Uchiko Address: 1973 Uchiko, Uchiko-cho, Kita-gun, Ehime 791-3301 Coordinates: 33.55340, 132.65110 Kind: Guesthouse From: ¥5,000 per room per night (2026), about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Room-only prices include tax. Breakfast costs ¥1,700 and guest parking ¥500 a day. Meals: Western breakfast in the ground-floor café, 7:30–10:00 Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 12 Amenities: Coin laundry, Guest kitchen, Co working space, Bar Best for: cyclists, gravel riders, solo travellers, pilgrims Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes go into every room, and e-bikes can charge there. For riders: Tools Bike rental: E-bikes, road, cross, gravel and mountain bikes for hire. Baths: Shared baths Price from: ¥5,000 per room per night (2026), about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.teds.jp/ Summary: Ted's suits riders who want a cyclist-run base by Uchiko's old streets, and you bring your own toothbrush and razor because the house gives out no disposables. The owner built Ted's for riders, close to Uchiko's preserved townscape. Every room takes a bike, and the shop is a Specialized Experience Station with a self-service stand and a rental fleet that runs from e-bikes to gravel bikes. Guided rides range from a pottering loop of 10 km or more round the town to about 40 km into the hills, and the owner points riders on toward Nanyo and Nishitosa on the Shimanto. Uchiko Station is five minutes away by car or 20 minutes on foot, and the limited express from Matsuyama takes about 25 minutes. Shower rooms are shared. Ted's backs the town's zero-carbon pledge and gives out no free disposable amenities, so pack your own. Q: How much does Ted's Guesthouse & Activity Center cost? A: Prices at Ted's Guesthouse & Activity Center start at ¥5,000 per room per night (2026), about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Ted's Guesthouse & Activity Center? A: Ted's Guesthouse & Activity Center: Western breakfast in the ground-floor café, 7:30–10:00. Q: What does Ted's Guesthouse & Activity Center have? A: Ted's Guesthouse & Activity Center lists coin laundry, guest kitchen, co working space, bar. Q: Who is Ted's Guesthouse & Activity Center good for? A: Ted's Guesthouse & Activity Center suits cyclists, gravel riders, solo travellers, pilgrims. Q: Is Ted's Guesthouse & Activity Center bike-friendly? A: Yes. Ted's Guesthouse & Activity Center welcomes cyclists. Storage: bikes go into every room, and e-bikes can charge there. E-bikes, road, cross, gravel and mountain bikes for hire. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.teds.jp/ https://www.we-love-uchiko.jp/stay/teds-guesthouse-activity-center/ https://cycling-ehime.com/shimanami-kaido/rental-bike/ ### Temple Hotel Takayama Zenkoji URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/temple-hotel-takayama-zenkoji Type: Stay Local name: 宿坊 善光寺 (ja) Also known as: Zenkoji Takayama, Oterastay Zenkoji, Takayama Zenkoji Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 4-3 Tenman-machi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.13871, 137.25448 Kind: Guesthouse Prices: Rates and opening days are on the temple's own booking site. Best for: solo travellers, families, a temple stay Website: https://oterastay.com/zenkoji/ Summary: Temple Hotel Takayama Zenkoji suits travellers who want to sleep inside a working temple 10 minutes' walk from the station. The trade-off is that you share the place with the temple's own routine. Takayama Zenkoji is a Jodo-sect branch temple of Zenko-ji in Nagano, and it lets rooms to travellers under the name Oterastay. Guests can try sutra copying, meditation, zazen and the kaidan meguri, and the temple offers five types of room for different group sizes. The station is about 10 minutes away on foot. Q: Who is Temple Hotel Takayama Zenkoji good for? A: Temple Hotel Takayama Zenkoji suits solo travellers, families, a temple stay. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://oterastay.com/zenkoji/ https://oterastay.com/zenkoji/about/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/stay/detail_1208.html ### Tenjin Lodge URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/tenjin-lodge Type: Stay Local name: 天神ロッジ (ja) Also known as: Tenjin Lodge Minakami Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 220-4 Yubiso, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma 379-1728 Coordinates: 36.83445, 138.96584 Kind: Guesthouse Amenities: Pet friendly Best for: English speakers, backcountry skiers, outdoor groups To the lifts: The tourism association says the lodge is within walking distance of the Tanigawa-dake Ropeway and Tenjindaira. Website: http://www.tenjinlodge.com Summary: Tenjin Lodge suits English-speaking skiers and outdoor groups who want a family-run lodge within walking distance of the Tanigawa-dake Ropeway, and its website was down when we checked. Tenjin Lodge is a family-run lodge inside the national park, a walk from the Tanigawa-dake Ropeway and Mt.T at Tenjindaira. The tourism association lists staff from Australia, Korea and Serbia and a dog named Lucky, and says many guests come from abroad for snowboarding, backcountry and snowshoe tours in winter. Q: What does Tenjin Lodge have? A: Tenjin Lodge lists pet friendly. Q: Who is Tenjin Lodge good for? A: Tenjin Lodge suits English speakers, backcountry skiers, outdoor groups. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/7542/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/592050524 ### Terminal Hotel Matsuyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/terminal-hotel-matsuyama Type: Stay Local name: ターミナルホテル松山 (ja) Also known as: Terminal Hotel, ターミナルホテル Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Town: Matsuyama Address: 9-1 Miyata-machi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0066 Coordinates: 33.84140, 132.75210 Kind: Business hotel Prices: The hotel raised its room and breakfast rates on 7 July 2026; current rates are on its booking page. Meals: Breakfast 6:30–9:00 Rooms: 77 Amenities: Coin laundry, Wi fi, Free rental bikes Best for: cyclists, rail travellers, solo travellers Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: A bike can come into the room only when it is packed in a rinko bag. Bike rental: Free rental bikes for guests. Baths: Private baths Website: https://www.th-matsuyama.jp/ Summary: Terminal Hotel Matsuyama suits riders who arrive by train with a bagged bike and leave early, and the room is a plain business-hotel single. The hotel is a minute's walk to the left out of the JR Matsuyama ticket gate, which makes it the easy choice for an early limited express toward Uchiko or Imabari. It has 64 singles, 12 twins and one double. Bagged bikes can go up to the room, and the hotel lends bikes free to guests. Across the road, the Iyo no Tojiba Kisuke no Yu bath sells hotel guests a cheaper ticket. Q: Are meals included at Terminal Hotel Matsuyama? A: Terminal Hotel Matsuyama: Breakfast 6:30–9:00. Q: What does Terminal Hotel Matsuyama have? A: Terminal Hotel Matsuyama lists coin laundry, wi fi, free rental bikes. Q: Who is Terminal Hotel Matsuyama good for? A: Terminal Hotel Matsuyama suits cyclists, rail travellers, solo travellers. Q: Is Terminal Hotel Matsuyama bike-friendly? A: Yes. Terminal Hotel Matsuyama welcomes cyclists. Storage: a bike can come into the room only when it is packed in a rinko bag. Free rental bikes for guests. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.th-matsuyama.jp/ https://www.th-matsuyama.jp/modules/bulletin/index.php?page=article&storyid=132 https://www.th-matsuyama.jp/modules/bulletin/index.php?page=article&storyid=130 https://cycling-island-shikoku.com/hotel_inn/no072.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%84%9B%E5%AA%9B%E7%9C%8C%E6%9D%BE%E5%B1%B1%E5%B8%82%E5%AE%AE%E7%94%B0%E7%94%BA9-1 ### Iizuka Sports Resort The Retreat URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/the-retreat-iizuka Type: Stay Local name: いいづかスポーツリゾート ザ・リトリート (ja) Also known as: The Retreat Iizuka, The Retreat glamping Iizuka Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Fukuoka Address: 8-37 Niho, Iizuka, Fukuoka 820-0115 Coordinates: 33.65370, 130.73740 Kind: Glamping From: ¥16,405 per person (2026), about CAD 147 or USD 104 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Fukuoka Prefecture's listing gives the standard Journey Tent plan from ¥16,405 a person. Meals: The Garden Kitchen café opens 11:30 to 15:00. Amenities: Glamping tents with heating, toilet and shower, Mountain lodge rooms, Bike storage, Pump and tool loan, Laundry, Parcel and bike shipping, Bike stand Best for: families, groups, riders in the Chikuho hills Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Assembled bikes can go to the room or into a locked store. For riders: Tools Price from: ¥16,405 per person (2026), about CAD 147 or USD 104 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://the-retreat.jp/ Summary: The Retreat suits families and groups who want glamping with proper beds in the hills outside Iizuka, and you need a taxi from the station. The Retreat mixes a mountain lodge with heated Journey Tents that have their own toilets and showers, set among tennis courts, yoga and hiking. Fukuoka Prefecture lists it as a cyclist-friendly stay, and riders who are only passing can park at the bike stand and use the Garden Kitchen café. Tips: - From Shin-Iizuka Station on the JR Chikuho line it is about 15 minutes by taxi; ask for the former Chikuho Heights. Q: How much does Iizuka Sports Resort The Retreat cost? A: Prices at Iizuka Sports Resort The Retreat start at ¥16,405 per person (2026), about CAD 147 or USD 104 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Iizuka Sports Resort The Retreat? A: Iizuka Sports Resort The Retreat: The Garden Kitchen café opens 11:30 to 15:00. Q: What does Iizuka Sports Resort The Retreat have? A: Iizuka Sports Resort The Retreat lists glamping tents with heating, toilet and shower, mountain lodge rooms, bike storage, pump and tool loan, laundry, parcel and bike shipping, bike stand. Q: Who is Iizuka Sports Resort The Retreat good for? A: Iizuka Sports Resort The Retreat suits families, groups, riders in the Chikuho hills. Q: Is Iizuka Sports Resort The Retreat bike-friendly? A: Yes. Iizuka Sports Resort The Retreat welcomes cyclists. Storage: assembled bikes can go to the room or into a locked store. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.crossroadfukuoka.jp/cycle/14474 https://the-retreat.jp/ ### The Saihokukan Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/the-saihokukan-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 長野ホテル犀北館 (ja) Also known as: Saihokukan, Hotel Saihokukan Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nagano Address: 528-1 Agata-machi, Nagano-shi, Nagano 380-0838 Coordinates: 36.65290, 138.18360 Kind: Hotel Prices: The hotel announced a change to its check-in start time and to its breakfast prices in 2026; check both when you book. Meals: Japanese, Chinese and Western restaurants Check-in: out by 12:00 Rooms: 88 Amenities: Restaurants Best for: couples, history lovers Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Private baths Website: http://www.saihokukan.com/ Summary: The Saihokukan Hotel is Nagano's oldest-established hotel, marking 135 years in business, and it suits couples who want a classic city hotel a walk from Zenko-ji. The trade-off is a ten-minute taxi from the station. The Saihokukan celebrates its 135th year with storytelling nights in its hall. It has 86 Western and 2 Japanese rooms, and about ten minutes by taxi from Nagano Station puts it on the Agata-machi side of the centre. In 2026 the hotel posted a new check-in start time and revised breakfast prices, so read the current terms on booking. Q: Are meals included at The Saihokukan Hotel? A: The Saihokukan Hotel: Japanese, Chinese and Western restaurants. Q: What does The Saihokukan Hotel have? A: The Saihokukan Hotel lists restaurants. Q: Who is The Saihokukan Hotel good for? A: The Saihokukan Hotel suits couples, history lovers. Q: Is The Saihokukan Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: No. The Saihokukan Hotel sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.saihokukan.com/ https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16659 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/160893542 ### Tobira Onsen Myojinkan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/tobira-onsen-myojinkan Type: Stay Local name: 扉温泉 明神館 (ja) Also known as: Myojinkan Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Matsumoto Address: 8967 Iriyamabe, Matsumoto-shi, Nagano 390-0222 Coordinates: 36.18610, 137.99980 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Matsumoto has charged an accommodation tax since 1 June 2026. Meals: Nature French restaurant and Shinshu Dining TOBIRA Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Standing bath, Spa Best for: couples, food lovers, special occasions Ski-in ski-out: No Shuttle: Hotel shuttle bus on request; details on the access page. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.tobira-group.com/myojinkan/ Summary: Tobira Onsen Myojinkan is a Relais & Chateaux onsen inn alone in a forested valley in the hills east of Matsumoto, and it suits couples marking an occasion. The trade-off is the drive: it sits at the end of a mountain road with nothing else nearby. Myojinkan stands by itself inside a quasi-national park in Iriyamabe, east of the city. The large bath Hakuryu has an open-air pool, and a standing bath called Setsugekka lets you soak upright with the forest in front of you. Dinner is French at the restaurant called Nature French, and the inn runs a shuttle bus described on its access page. Q: Are meals included at Tobira Onsen Myojinkan? A: Tobira Onsen Myojinkan: Nature French restaurant and Shinshu Dining TOBIRA. Q: What does Tobira Onsen Myojinkan have? A: Tobira Onsen Myojinkan lists onsen, open air bath, standing bath, spa. Q: Is Tobira Onsen Myojinkan ski-in ski-out? A: No. Tobira Onsen Myojinkan sits away from the lifts, and hotel shuttle bus on request; details on the access page. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tobira-group.com/myojinkan/ ### The Tokyo Station Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/tokyo-station-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 東京ステーションホテル (ja) Also known as: Tokyo Station Hotel, 東京ステーションホテル, Tokyo Station Hotel Marunouchi Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Tokyo Town: Tokyo Address: 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0005 Coordinates: 35.68130, 139.76720 Kind: Hotel Meals: In-room dining serves breakfast until 11:00 last order, from 6:15, and other dishes from 11:00 to 22:30 last order. Check-in: 15:00, out by 12:00 Amenities: Luggage storage, Takkyubin shipping, Free Wi Fi, Restaurants Best for: first and last nights, Shinkansen connections, couples Bikes: Storage on site Bike storage: The Guest Relations desk on the first floor holds luggage before check-in and after check-out. The FAQ does not mention bikes, so ask before you bring a bike box. Baths: Private baths Website: https://www.tokyostationhotel.jp/ Summary: The Tokyo Station Hotel suits riders who want to sleep inside the station on the first and last nights, and its trade-off is that its published rules say nothing about bikes. The hotel fills the red-brick Marunouchi building of Tokyo Station, so the Shinkansen gates and JR East Logistics' baggage counters sit under the same roof as your room. Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out is at noon, which leaves a slow morning before an afternoon train. Guest Relations on the first floor holds bags before and after your stay and ships takkyubin parcels for guests. That helps a rider sending a rinko bag on to the next hotel or a bike box home. Anything you ship ahead goes to the front desk with your full name and check-in date written on the slip. Q: Can The Tokyo Station Hotel hold my bags? A: Yes. The Guest Relations desk on the first floor holds luggage before check-in and after check-out. The hotel does not say whether it takes bike boxes, so ask first. Q: What are the check-in and check-out times at The Tokyo Station Hotel? A: Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out is at 12:00, though some plans differ. Q: Are meals included at The Tokyo Station Hotel? A: The Tokyo Station Hotel: In-room dining serves breakfast until 11:00 last order, from 6:15, and other dishes from 11:00 to 22:30 last order. Q: What does The Tokyo Station Hotel have? A: The Tokyo Station Hotel lists luggage storage, takkyubin shipping, free wi fi, restaurants. Q: Who is The Tokyo Station Hotel good for? A: The Tokyo Station Hotel suits first and last nights, Shinkansen connections, couples. Q: Is The Tokyo Station Hotel bike-friendly? A: The Tokyo Station Hotel has published no cycling policy. Storage: the Guest Relations desk on the first floor holds luggage before check-in and after check-out. The FAQ does not mention bikes, so ask before you bring a bike box. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tokyostationhotel.jp/faq/ https://www.tokyostationhotel.jp/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E5%8D%83%E4%BB%A3%E7%94%B0%E5%8C%BA%E4%B8%B8%E3%81%AE%E5%86%851-9-1 ### Toma Ryokan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/toma-ryokan Type: Stay Local name: 遠間旅館 (ja) Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市赤倉34-2 Coordinates: 36.89510, 138.17690 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥ Prices: The inn's own site lists a dinner-and-breakfast stay at ¥10,050 including tax, without a date. Myoko Tourism last updated its listing in 2022 and gave ¥11,150 for a stay with dinner and breakfast. It does not say whether that is per person or per room, so check the 2026/27 rate with the inn. Meals: Dinner and breakfast with a choice of dinner courses Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, Luggage storage, Lift ticket discounts Best for: onsen lovers, skiers To the lifts: 3 min on foot Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price band: ¥¥ Website: http://www.myoko-akakura.com/ Summary: Toma Ryokan suits bath obsessives who judge an inn by its water, and its trade-off is a small family inn with no car park for winter day visitors. The owner of Toma Ryokan runs a school of onsen sommeliers, and the inn treats its water accordingly. Every day the baths are drained and scrubbed, and the free-flowing source is kept at a comfortable temperature through the year without adding cold water. In winter Toma calls itself a ski inn, three minutes on foot from the Akakura Onsen ski area. It holds bags before the 15:00 check-in and after the 10:00 check-out so you can ride on your last day. Dinner courses are priced by what they include, and the inn sells discounted lift tickets to its guests. Non-guests can bathe on ski-season weekdays only, from 18:00 to 19:00, for ¥500 cash, and only if they arrive on foot. Q: Are meals included at Toma Ryokan? A: Toma Ryokan: Dinner and breakfast with a choice of dinner courses. Q: What does Toma Ryokan have? A: Toma Ryokan lists onsen, luggage storage, lift ticket discounts. Q: Who is Toma Ryokan good for? A: Toma Ryokan suits onsen lovers, skiers. Q: Does Toma Ryokan have an onsen? A: Yes. Toma Ryokan has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.myoko-akakura.com/ https://myokotourism.jp/hotels/%e9%81%a0%e9%96%93%e6%97%85%e9%a4%a8/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県妙高市赤倉34-2 ### Toshichi Onsen Saiunso URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/toshichi-onsen-saiunso Type: Stay Local name: 藤七温泉 彩雲荘 (ja) Also known as: Saiunso, Toshichi Onsen, Toshichi Saiunso, 藤七温泉 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Town: Hachimantai Address: Kitanomata, Matsuo-Yoriki, Hachimantai, Iwate 028-7302 Status: seasonal. Open from late April to late October; Rakuten Travel plans for 2026 ran from 30 April to 31 October. The inn closes for winter while the Aspite and Jukai Lines are shut from November to late April. Coordinates: 39.94180, 140.85900 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥15,100 per person (2026), about CAD 136 or USD 95 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Rakuten Travel listed the two-meal standard plan from ¥15,100 a person for two sharing for the 2026 season, 30 April to 31 October. Rates for 2027 were not posted on 11 October 2026. Meals: Dinner from 18:00 and breakfast from 7:00, both buffets of local mountain food; rice balls for early starts on request. Rooms: 26 Amenities: Mixed open air bath, Women only open air bath, Guest only open air baths, Canteen, Shop, Massage, Free parking Best for: hikers, onsen lovers, summer and autumn trips Shuttle: Free pick-up from the Hachimantai summit bus stop for guests arriving by route bus, booked at least three days ahead. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥15,100 per person (2026), about CAD 136 or USD 95 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://toushichi.com/ Booking: https://saiunso.rwiths.net/r-withs/tfi0010a.do Summary: Toshichi Onsen Saiunso suits hikers and onsen fans who want a milky mixed open-air bath at 1,400 metres. The trade-off is a plain mountain inn that only opens from late April to late October. Saiunso is the only inn at Toshichi Onsen, high on the Hachimantai plateau, and it calls itself the highest onsen in Tohoku at 1,400 metres. Its sulphur spring comes out at 91°C and fills every tub with no dilution or recirculation. Grey mud on the pool floors makes a natural face pack. The big mixed open-air bath turns women-only from 19:30 to 20:30, and women can bathe there any time in a large wrap towel from the front desk or their own bathing wrap. Overnight guests also get their own open-air pools facing Mt. Iwate. Rooms are plain six-mat tatami rooms, and the 20 in the main building have no toilet. Power comes from the inn's own generator and there is no landline, so mobile signal depends on where you stand. Dinner and breakfast are buffets of local mountain food. The Aspite Line and the Jukai Line close from November to late April, which is why the inn shuts for winter. The Jukai Line between Horaikyo and Matsukawa Onsen is closed by a road collapse with no reopening date, so drive in by the Aspite Line. Bus riders can ask for a free pick-up from the Hachimantai summit bus stop with three days' notice. There is no fuel nearby, so fill up first. Tips: - Take off jewellery before you bathe, because the acidic water can discolour it. - Day visitors pay ¥700 an adult between 8:00 and 17:00. Q: How much does Toshichi Onsen Saiunso cost? A: Prices at Toshichi Onsen Saiunso start at ¥15,100 per person (2026), about CAD 136 or USD 95 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Toshichi Onsen Saiunso open all year? A: Toshichi Onsen Saiunso opens for part of the year. Open from late April to late October; Rakuten Travel plans for 2026 ran from 30 April to 31 October. The inn closes for winter while the Aspite and Jukai Lines are shut from November to late April. Q: Are meals included at Toshichi Onsen Saiunso? A: Toshichi Onsen Saiunso: Dinner from 18:00 and breakfast from 7:00, both buffets of local mountain food; rice balls for early starts on request. Q: What does Toshichi Onsen Saiunso have? A: Toshichi Onsen Saiunso lists mixed open air bath, women only open air bath, guest only open air baths, canteen, shop, massage, free parking. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://toushichi.com/ https://toushichi.com/onsen/ https://toushichi.com/rooms-facilities/ https://toushichi.com/access/ https://hotel.travel.rakuten.co.jp/hotelinfo/plan/129920?f_flg=PLAN&f_static=1 https://www.data-space.site/kankou/stay/index.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11622635 ### Tottori City Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/tottori-city-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 鳥取シティホテル (ja) Also known as: 鳥取シティホテル Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Tottori Address: 471 Ebisu-machi, Tottori, Tottori 680-0055 Coordinates: 35.49812, 134.23173 Kind: Business hotel Prices: The hotel sells its rooms through its own booking calendar and publishes no fixed rate. Breakfast added at check-in costs ¥1,500 for adults. Meals: A Japanese and Western breakfast buffet of more than 45 dishes in the Sakura restaurant, which also serves lunch and dinner. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 145 Amenities: Bikes in rooms, Rental bikes for guests, 24 hour coin laundry, 60 car flat car park, Motorcycle parking, Restaurant Best for: riders on the Uminami Road, drivers, groups Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes go up to the room with you. For riders: Tools Bike rental: Guests can borrow the hotel's own bikes for short trips. Baths: Private baths Website: https://tottori-cityhotel.jp/ Booking: https://www.489pro-x.com/ja/s/tottori-cityhotel/search/ Summary: Tottori City Hotel suits riders who want the bike in the room eight minutes' walk from Tottori Station, and its cheapest singles are small at 15 square metres. Tottori City Hotel holds 145 rooms across a main building and an annex, from 15-square-metre singles to 30-square-metre deluxe twins, plus Japanese rooms. Tottori certifies it as a cyclist-friendly stay, so the bike comes up to the room and the front desk lends tools and a pump. The flat car park takes 60 cars and has its own motorcycle bays, and the coin laundry runs all day. The hotel is eight minutes' walk from JR Tottori Station and gives the drive to the sand dunes as about 15 minutes. Book on the official site and check-out moves from 11:00 to 12:00. Q: Can I take my bike into my room at Tottori City Hotel? A: Yes. Tottori City Hotel is a Tottori cyclist-friendly stay, and bikes can go into the room. Q: Are meals included at Tottori City Hotel? A: Tottori City Hotel: A Japanese and Western breakfast buffet of more than 45 dishes in the Sakura restaurant, which also serves lunch and dinner. Q: What does Tottori City Hotel have? A: Tottori City Hotel lists bikes in rooms, rental bikes for guests, 24 hour coin laundry, 60 car flat car park, motorcycle parking, restaurant. Q: Who is Tottori City Hotel good for? A: Tottori City Hotel suits riders on the Uminami Road, drivers, groups. Q: Does Tottori City Hotel have an onsen? A: No. The private baths at Tottori City Hotel use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tottori-cityhotel.jp/ https://tottori-cityhotel.jp/rooms/ https://tottori-cityhotel.jp/facilities/ https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/details_support https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%B3%A5%E5%8F%96%E7%9C%8C%E9%B3%A5%E5%8F%96%E5%B8%82%E6%88%8E%E7%94%BA471 ### Toyama Excel Hotel Tokyu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/toyama-excel-hotel-tokyu Type: Stay Local name: 富山エクセルホテル東急 (ja) Also known as: Excel Hotel Tokyu Toyama, Toyama Excel Tokyu Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Toyama Address: CiC Building, 1-2-3 Shintomicho, Toyama, Toyama 930-0002 Coordinates: 36.69967, 137.21263 Kind: Hotel Prices: Rates change by date on Tokyu Hotels' booking page. Rooms: 210 Amenities: Mountain view rooms, Restaurant Best for: early trains, couples, first night in Toyama Website: https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/toyama-e/ Summary: Toyama Excel Hotel Tokyu suits travellers who want to roll out of bed and onto the first train to Tateyama, and its trade-off is a business-district setting above a shopping building. The hotel's 210 rooms fill floors 8 to 14 of the CiC building opposite Toyama Station's south exit. Rooms on the east side look across the plain to the Tateyama range, and the west side faces the Kureha hills, so ask for the east when you book a spring ski trip. Menya Iroha runs a Toyama black ramen shop in the basement of the same building, three minutes underground from the station's south exit. Q: What does Toyama Excel Hotel Tokyu have? A: Toyama Excel Hotel Tokyu lists mountain view rooms, restaurant. Q: Who is Toyama Excel Hotel Tokyu good for? A: Toyama Excel Hotel Tokyu suits early trains, couples, first night in Toyama. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/toyama-e/ https://www.toyamashi-kankoukyoukai.jp/gourmet/menya-iroha-cic-store/ ### Tsurunoyu Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/tsurunoyu-onsen Type: Stay Local name: 鶴の湯温泉 (ja) Also known as: Tsurunoyu, Tsuru no Yu, Tsurunoyu Nyuto, 鶴の湯, Nyuto Onsen Tsurunoyu Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Town: Tazawako Address: 50 Sendatsuzawa Kokuyurin, Tazawa, Tazawako, Semboku, Akita 014-1204 Coordinates: 39.80510, 140.78020 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥11,700 per person (2026), about CAD 105 or USD 74 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: From November 2026 the inn charges ¥11,700 to ¥24,350 a person with dinner and breakfast for two sharing, tax included. A solo guest in Building 2 pays ¥13,570. In the cold months, roughly October to May, each room also pays a heating charge of ¥1,320. The inn takes Visa and Mastercard only. Meals: Dinner and breakfast; rooms in the honjin and newer wings eat in the room, some round an irori hearth, and Building 2 eats in the honjin dining hall. Amenities: Mixed outdoor bath, Four springs, Irori rooms, Bus stop pick up, Lunch and café Best for: onsen lovers, couples, photographers Shuttle: The inn's car meets guests at the Alpa Komakusa stop on the Ugo Kotsu Nyuto line bus; phone with your bus time. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥11,700 per person (2026), about CAD 105 or USD 74 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.tsurunoyu.com/ Summary: Tsurunoyu suits onsen lovers who want a milky mixed outdoor bath at Nyuto's oldest inn, and the trade-off is plain rooms where some share a toilet, plus a winter heating charge. Tsurunoyu is the oldest of the Nyuto inns. Its records of ordinary paying guests go back to the Genroku era around 1700, and the thatched honjin once housed the guards of Satake Yoshitaka, second lord of Akita, when he came to bathe in 1638. The name comes from a hunter named Kansuke, who is said to have watched a wounded crane heal itself in the spring. Four springs with different chemistry rise within 50 metres of each other, and the inn calls them Shiroyu, Kuroyu, Naka no Yu and Taki no Yu. The big outdoor pool is mixed, and the inn's English page says towels can't go into any of the baths. Day visitors pay ¥700 from 10:00 to 15:00. Day bathing stops on Mondays for cleaning, or on the nearest weekday when Monday is a holiday. Building 2 is the old toji wing. Its six-mat rooms share toilets, guests eat both meals in the honjin dining hall, and at ¥11,700 a person it's the cheapest way in. Rooms in the honjin and the Shin-honjin and Higashi-honjin wings take dinner in the room, and a few have their own irori. Dinner centres on the inn's yam hotpot in its own miso, with char salted and grilled by the hearth. Take the Ugo Kotsu Nyuto line bus from Tazawako Station and phone the inn with your bus time, and its car meets you at the Alpa Komakusa stop. The bus runs about once an hour. The annex Yamanoyado stands a kilometre away in the beech wood and draws the same water, and every room there has its own bath and toilet. Tips: - Book by phone on 0187-46-2139 or through the Nihon Hito o Mamoru Kai site; the inn doesn't answer email. - Lunch runs from 11:30 to 13:00, booked at the office, with the yam hotpot set and mountain-vegetable bowls on the menu. Q: How much does Tsurunoyu Onsen cost? A: Prices at Tsurunoyu Onsen start at ¥11,700 per person (2026), about CAD 105 or USD 74 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Tsurunoyu Onsen? A: Tsurunoyu Onsen: Dinner and breakfast; rooms in the honjin and newer wings eat in the room, some round an irori hearth, and Building 2 eats in the honjin dining hall. Q: What does Tsurunoyu Onsen have? A: Tsurunoyu Onsen lists mixed outdoor bath, four springs, irori rooms, bus stop pick up, lunch and café. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tsurunoyu.com/ https://www.tsurunoyu.com/english.html https://www.tsurunoyu.com/FONDMENT/t-annai.html https://www.tsurunoyu.com/FONDMENT/t-heya.html https://www.tsurunoyu.com/FONDMENT/t-onsen.html https://www.tsurunoyu.com/FONDMENT/t-shoku.html https://www.tsurunoyu.com/FONDMENT/t-ko-tu.html https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/accommodation/11094/ https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/accommodation/11095/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11675866 ### Tsuta Onsen Ryokan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/tsuta-onsen-ryokan Type: Stay Local name: 蔦温泉旅館 (ja) Also known as: Tsuta Onsen, 蔦温泉 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Town: Hakkoda Address: 1 Tsutanoyu, Okuse, Towada, Aomori 034-0301 Status: seasonal. The inn closes for winter. Its 2025 season ended on 24 November 2025 and the 2026 season opened on 17 April 2026; it sells October and November 2026 stays, so expect it shut through winter 2026/27. Coordinates: 40.59680, 140.95310 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥28,200 per person (2026), about CAD 254 or USD 178 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Jalan lists dinner-and-breakfast stays from ¥28,200 a person when two share. The three annex cottages with their own source-fed baths cost more, and bookings from 9 October 2026 carry a 100 per cent cancellation fee from the moment you book. Meals: Dinner and breakfast in the restaurant, cooked from Aomori produce; no Western dinner. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, Private bath, Craft shop, Free parking Best for: onsen lovers, couples, autumn colour, hikers Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: The inn puts the Hakkoda Ropeway about 40 minutes away by car, though it is closed during the ski season. Shuttle: Free pick-up from Shichinohe-Towada Station at 15:00, booked three days ahead. No ski shuttle. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: Tsuta's site and FAQ state no tattoo rule. The annex cottages have their own source-fed bath, and the private bath can be booked for 50 minutes. Price from: ¥28,200 per person (2026), about CAD 254 or USD 178 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://tsutaonsen.com/ Booking: https://www.489pro-x.com/ja/s/tsutaonsen/search/ Summary: Tsuta Onsen Ryokan suits spring and autumn travellers who want a 1918 wooden inn where the hot water rises through the floor of the bath, and the trade-off is that it shuts for the whole ski season. Tsuta stands near the head of the Oirase Gorge, and records place a bathing hut on this spot by 1147. The main building dates from 1918 and keeps the steps and level changes of an old house. Both baths are source-fed from underneath, so the water reaches you without ever touching the air. Kyuan-no-yu is the old mixed bath, rebuilt in 1990, and today it alternates by sex: women from 10:00 to 12:00 and 21:30 to 9:00, men from 13:00 to 21:00. Senkyo-no-yu has a separate side for men and women under a 12-metre timber roof. A private bath costs ¥4,000 for 50 minutes and is booked at the front desk on the day. The walk to Tsuta-numa and the six other ponds starts at the door, and the inn puts peak colour around 20 October. Oirase is 20 minutes by car and the Hakkoda Ropeway about 40. The inn expects the first snow in late October. Tips: - The inn collects guests at Shichinohe-Towada Station at 15:00; book the ride three days ahead. - Fit winter tyres for any visit from October onward, and keep them on until late May. - Day visitors bathe from 10:00 to 15:00 for ¥1,000. Q: How much does Tsuta Onsen Ryokan cost? A: Prices at Tsuta Onsen Ryokan start at ¥28,200 per person (2026), about CAD 254 or USD 178 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Tsuta Onsen Ryokan open all year? A: Tsuta Onsen Ryokan opens for part of the year. The inn closes for winter. Its 2025 season ended on 24 November 2025 and the 2026 season opened on 17 April 2026; it sells October and November 2026 stays, so expect it shut through winter 2026/27. Q: Are meals included at Tsuta Onsen Ryokan? A: Tsuta Onsen Ryokan: Dinner and breakfast in the restaurant, cooked from Aomori produce; no Western dinner. Q: What does Tsuta Onsen Ryokan have? A: Tsuta Onsen Ryokan lists onsen, private bath, craft shop, free parking. Q: Is Tsuta Onsen Ryokan ski-in ski-out? A: No. Tsuta Onsen Ryokan sits away from the lifts, and free pick-up from Shichinohe-Towada Station at 15:00, booked three days ahead. No ski shuttle. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tsutaonsen.com/ https://tsutaonsen.com/hotspring/ https://tsutaonsen.com/faq/ https://tsutaonsen.com/news/45/ https://tsutaonsen.com/news/59/ https://tsutaonsen.com/news/62/ https://tsutaonsen.com/news/69/ https://www.489pro-x.com/ja/s/tsutaonsen/planlist/ https://www.jalan.net/yad337770/ https://www.jalan.net/yad337770/plan/?dateUndecided=1&adultNum=2&roomCount=1 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11621846 ### Ubuya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/ubuya Type: Stay Local name: うぶや (ja) Also known as: Ubuya Ryokan, Ubuya Ryokan Inn, Kozantei Ubuya, 湖山亭うぶや, 富士河口湖温泉郷 うぶや Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Town: Kawaguchiko Address: 10 Asakawa, Fujikawaguchiko-machi, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi 401-0303 Coordinates: 35.51186, 138.76534 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Ubuya quotes rates only through its booking engine, so we have no published figure. Fujikawaguchiko adds a lodging tax of ¥200 per person per night on stays from 1 April 2027, collected at the front desk on top of the room rate. Meals: Dinner and breakfast are served in the Fuji and Iwai dining rooms. The inn has no lunch service, and dinner can't be served after 19:00. Check-in: 15:00-18:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Onsen baths, Open air bath, Sauna, Rooms with open air baths, Spa treatments, Station pickup Best for: couples, Fuji views, lake views, a rest day off the bike Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Covered with a patch Tattoo rule: Ubuya turns away tattooed bathers from the big bath as a rule. You can bathe if two cover seals of 10 by 10 cm hide the tattoo, and the front desk has the seals. Website: https://www.ubuya.co.jp/ Summary: Ubuya suits couples who want a lakeside ryokan where every room looks at Fuji across Lake Kawaguchi, and its trade-off is that the baths in the rooms use ordinary water and the onsen is in the big bath only. Ubuya stands on the Asakawa shore of Lake Kawaguchi facing Fuji, and the inn says you see the mountain from every room as well as from the baths and the lounge. The Fuji no Yu baths hold a calcium sodium chloride sulphate spring of the Fujikawaguchiko onsen area. They open from 15:00 to 24:00 and from 5:00 to 10:00, with the sauna closing at 21:00. Shallow pools for lying down and a lukewarm sitting bath join the open-air bath. Check in between 15:00 and 18:00, and call ahead if you'll be late, because dinner stops at 19:00. The inn picks guests up at Kawaguchiko station between 15:00 and 18:00 when you phone on arrival, and a taxi takes about ten minutes. The top rooms carry their own open-air baths. The inn keeps its onsen water for the big bath, and it takes no day bathers. Q: Are the in-room baths at Ubuya onsen? A: No. Ubuya says only its Fuji no Yu big bath uses onsen water. Q: Can I bathe at Ubuya with a tattoo? A: Yes, if two 10 by 10 cm cover seals from the front desk hide it. Otherwise Ubuya turns tattooed bathers away from the big bath. Q: Are meals included at Ubuya? A: Ubuya: Dinner and breakfast are served in the Fuji and Iwai dining rooms. The inn has no lunch service, and dinner can't be served after 19:00. Q: What does Ubuya have? A: Ubuya lists onsen baths, open air bath, sauna, rooms with open air baths, spa treatments, station pickup. Q: Who is Ubuya good for? A: Ubuya suits couples, Fuji views, lake views, a rest day off the bike. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ubuya.co.jp/ https://www.ubuya.co.jp/qa/ https://www.ubuya.co.jp/onsen/ https://www.ubuya.co.jp/room/ https://www.ubuya.co.jp/access/ https://www.ubuya.co.jp/en/ https://www.fujilake.co.jp/news/216/ https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/fujiichi/support/stay/index.html ### Umiyado Sennenmatsu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/umiyado-sennenmatsu Type: Stay Local name: 海宿 千年松 (ja) Also known as: Sennenmatsu, Sennenmatsu Oshima, いけす料理 千年松 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: 25 Nagoma, Yoshiumi-cho, Imabari, Ehime 794-2116 Coordinates: 34.11140, 133.01740 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥20,000 per person (2026), about CAD 180 or USD 126 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Imabari's tourism association listed weekday rates of ¥20,000–29,000 a person with dinner and breakfast as of May 2026. Nights before holidays run ¥23,000–32,000 and special periods ¥26,000–35,000. Meals: Kaiseki dinner built on fish landed by local fishermen that day, with a seasonal vegan and vegetarian kaiseki plan; breakfast included. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 15 Amenities: Sea view cove, Lockable bike space, Marine activities, Day camping, Large car park Best for: couples, seafood, vegetarians, special occasions Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: A lockable space for about 15 bikes, shared with other storage. Price from: ¥20,000 per person (2026), about CAD 180 or USD 126 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: http://sennenmatsu.com/ Summary: Umiyado Sennenmatsu suits couples who want a fish kaiseki on a quiet Oshima cove facing the Kurushima Strait; the trade-off is a rate from ¥20,000 a person and set closing days. Sennenmatsu stands alone in a cove at Nagoma on Oshima, inside the Seto Inland Sea National Park, with the Kurushima Strait in front and Tateyama behind. Local fishermen bring in their catch most days, and the kaiseki follows whatever arrives. The cooks keep knife work to a minimum so the fish speaks for itself. Conger eel sashimi and conger shabu-shabu are the dishes regulars ask for. The inn also cooks a seasonal vegan and vegetarian kaiseki, which is rare on the islands. It keeps a calendar of closing days, though it takes guests on the night before one. Imabari's tourism association lists a lockable space for about 15 bikes. Marine activities and day camping run from the beach in summer. Q: Does Umiyado Sennenmatsu serve vegetarian food? A: Yes. The inn offers a seasonal vegan and vegetarian kaiseki plan. Q: How much does Umiyado Sennenmatsu cost? A: Prices at Umiyado Sennenmatsu start at ¥20,000 per person (2026), about CAD 180 or USD 126 (October 2026 rates). Q: What does Umiyado Sennenmatsu have? A: Umiyado Sennenmatsu lists sea view cove, lockable bike space, marine activities, day camping, large car park. Q: Who is Umiyado Sennenmatsu good for? A: Umiyado Sennenmatsu suits couples, seafood, vegetarians, special occasions. Q: Is Umiyado Sennenmatsu bike-friendly? A: Yes. Umiyado Sennenmatsu welcomes cyclists. Storage: a lockable space for about 15 bikes, shared with other storage. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://sennenmatsu.com/ https://www.oideya.gr.jp/stay-c/sennenmatu-2/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information-imabari&paged=9 ### Hotel Villa Montsaint URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/villa-montsaint Type: Stay Local name: ホテルヴィラモンサン (ja) Also known as: Villa Monsan, Villa Montsaint, Hotel Villa Monsan Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Okumino Address: 3067-1 Nishibora, Takasu-cho, Gujo, Gifu 501-5305 Coordinates: 35.99188, 136.87415 Kind: Ski hotel Prices: Ski packages with lift tickets and bus seats are sold through the hotel's site. Check-in: 16:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 50 Amenities: Ski and snowboard lockers, Large baths, Free parking, Shop, Wi Fi Best for: skiers and snowboarders, groups, families To the lifts: Dynaland's slopes are next to the hotel; Takasu Snow Park is about 15 minutes by car, or ski across on the Takasu-Dyna joint ticket in the top of the season. Ski storage: Yes Shuttle: A free shuttle with no booking links Hirugano service area, the ski areas and the lodgings. Baths: Shared baths Website: http://www.villa-montsaint.com/ Summary: Hotel Villa Montsaint suits skiers who want to sleep inside Dynaland's grounds with the lifts next door and night skiing until 23:00. The trade-off is a group-hotel layout, with most rooms set up as triples. The orange building stands just past the Dynaland car-park toll gate, and guests park free by giving their booking name at the Dynaland or Takasu Snow Park gate. Ski and snowboard lockers come with your room key, and in the ski season the large baths double as a changing room before check-in and after check-out. The hotel has 50 rooms, most of them triples, and closes on some days between April and June and in autumn. Q: What does Hotel Villa Montsaint have? A: Hotel Villa Montsaint lists ski and snowboard lockers, large baths, free parking, shop, wi fi. Q: Who is Hotel Villa Montsaint good for? A: Hotel Villa Montsaint suits skiers and snowboarders, groups, families. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.villa-montsaint.com/ http://www.villa-montsaint.com/facilities/ https://www.villa-montsaint.com/area-guide-winter/ https://tabitabigujo.com/spots/takasu/%E3%83%9B%E3%83%86%E3%83%AB%E3%83%B4%E3%82%A3%E3%83%A9%E3%83%A2%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B5%E3%83%B3/ ### WAKKA URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/wakka-omishima Type: Stay Local name: しまなみ海道WAKKA (ja) Also known as: WAKKA Omishima, Shimanami Kaido WAKKA, Wakka Shimanami, ワッカ Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Omishima Address: 6691-1 Inokuchi, Kamiura-cho, Imabari, Ehime 794-1402 Coordinates: 34.26400, 133.04280 Kind: Hotel From: ¥4,800 per person (2026), about CAD 43 or USD 30 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Imabari's tourism association gives guide prices of ¥4,800 for a bunk room bed, ¥12,000 a person for a dome tent and ¥16,000 a person for a cottage, room only with two sharing. WAKKA says rates change with the season. Meals: Western breakfast in the café; dinner plans serve a barbecue in summer and bouillabaisse in winter, and the residence gets a Japanese seafood set in the room. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 9 Amenities: Bike racks, Self repair pit, Rental and share bikes, Bike taxi, Luggage transfer, Café, Laundry room, Pier Best for: road riders, families, couples, first-time Shimanami riders Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Bikes may go straight into rooms, and the site has a dedicated space for about 30 bikes. The residence keeps its rack in view of the room. For riders: Tools Bike rental: Rental bikes and share bikes from WAKKA's own fleet, plus a return service for bikes rented in Onomichi or Imabari. Baths: Shared and private baths Price from: ¥4,800 per person (2026), about CAD 43 or USD 30 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://wakka.site/ Summary: WAKKA suits riders who want the island's deepest cycling support and a sea view at Inokuchi port; the trade-off is that the whole place shuts every Tuesday. WAKKA sits on the water at Inokuchi on Omishima, looking toward the Tatara bridge and Ikuchijima. It mixes compact bunk rooms, cottages, dome tents, a pair of trailers and a residence with its own deck and bath. The bunk rooms sleep four, lock automatically and include breakfast in the café. Cottages and domes come with a ticket for a nearby bath. Cycling support is the reason to stay. WAKKA rents bikes and will return a rental you picked up in Onomichi or Imabari. It also carries bags or bikes ahead the same day. If a ride goes wrong, its taxis collect riders by car or boat. Its self-repair pit lends tools free to anyone passing. Dinner follows the season: a barbecue in summer and a bouillabaisse in winter, though the trailers keep the barbecue all year. The bunk rooms have no dinner plan, and a free shuttle runs three times an evening to island restaurants. WAKKA closes on Tuesdays with no make-up days, and the café posts its opening days each month. Q: Is WAKKA open every day? A: No. WAKKA closes on Tuesdays and does not move the closing day for holidays. Q: Can WAKKA return a rental bike I picked up in Onomichi? A: Yes. WAKKA runs a return service for bikes rented in Onomichi or Imabari, as a paid extra. Q: How much does WAKKA cost? A: Prices at WAKKA start at ¥4,800 per person (2026), about CAD 43 or USD 30 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at WAKKA? A: WAKKA: Western breakfast in the café; dinner plans serve a barbecue in summer and bouillabaisse in winter, and the residence gets a Japanese seafood set in the room. Q: What does WAKKA have? A: WAKKA lists bike racks, self repair pit, rental and share bikes, bike taxi, luggage transfer, café, laundry room, pier. Q: Who is WAKKA good for? A: WAKKA suits road riders, families, couples, first-time Shimanami riders. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://wakka.site/ https://wakka.site/hotel/ https://wakka.site/hotel/dormitory/ https://wakka.site/hotel/residence/ https://wakka.site/hotel/meals/ https://wakka.site/cycling_support/self_repair/ https://wakka.site/faq/ https://wakka.site/access/ https://www.oideya.gr.jp/stay-c/wakka-2/ ### Wanosato URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/wanosato Type: Stay Local name: 日本の宿 ひだ高山 倭乃里 (ja) Also known as: Wanosato Takayama, 倭乃里, Hida Takayama Wanosato Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 1682 Ichinomiya-machi, Takayama, Gifu 509-3505 Coordinates: 36.07316, 137.21042 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥36,450 per person (2026), about CAD 328 or USD 230 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: From ¥36,450 a person with dinner and breakfast on the tourism association listing. Meals: Dinner and breakfast Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Irori hearth, Parking for 10 cars Best for: couples, special occasions Price from: ¥36,450 per person (2026), about CAD 328 or USD 230 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Summary: Wanosato suits couples who want a country ryokan with an irori fire and a turning water wheel in the hills south of Takayama. The trade-off is the distance, since you need a car or a taxi into town. Wanosato sits in Ichinomiya, in the countryside south of Takayama, where the tourism association describes a fire in the irori hearth and a water wheel turning in the grounds. Stays start at ¥36,450 a person with dinner and breakfast, check-in is from 15:00 and check-out at 11:00. Q: How much does Wanosato cost? A: Prices at Wanosato start at ¥36,450 per person (2026), about CAD 328 or USD 230 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Wanosato? A: Wanosato: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Wanosato have? A: Wanosato lists irori hearth, parking for 10 cars. Q: Who is Wanosato good for? A: Wanosato suits couples, special occasions. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/stay/detail_4350.html ### Washigatake Kogen Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/washigatake-kogen-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 鷲ヶ岳高原ホテル 新館 (ja) Also known as: Washigatake Kogen Hotel Shinkan, Washigatake Hotel Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Okumino Address: 3262-1 Owashi, Takasu-cho, Gujo, Gifu 501-5303 Status: seasonal. Takes guests from December to March and in August. Coordinates: 35.93928, 136.91111 Kind: Ski hotel Prices: Ski and golf packages are on the hotel's site. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 16 Amenities: Parking for 70 cars Best for: skiers and snowboarders, families Website: http://hotel.washigatake.jp/kogen/ Summary: Washigatake Kogen Hotel suits skiers at Washigatake who want a room beside the ski area and its bathhouse. The trade-off is the season, since it takes winter guests only from December to March. The new wing has 16 rooms, four Western and 12 Japanese-Western, and sleeps 80. It sits next to the Washigatake ski area and golf course, four minutes from the nearest expressway exit, and the ski area's Washi no Yu bathhouse is in the centre house. It opens for stays from December to March and in August. Q: Is Washigatake Kogen Hotel open all year? A: Washigatake Kogen Hotel opens for part of the year. Takes guests from December to March and in August. Q: What does Washigatake Kogen Hotel have? A: Washigatake Kogen Hotel lists parking for 70 cars. Q: Who is Washigatake Kogen Hotel good for? A: Washigatake Kogen Hotel suits skiers and snowboarders, families. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://hotel.washigatake.jp/kogen/ https://ski.washigatake.jp/facilities/ https://tabitabigujo.com/spots/takasu/%E9%B7%B2%E3%83%B6%E5%B2%B3%E9%AB%98%E5%8E%9F%E3%83%9B%E3%83%86%E3%83%AB%E6%96%B0%E9%A4%A8/ ### WeBase Kamakura URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/webase-kamakura Type: Stay Local name: WeBase 鎌倉 (ja) Also known as: WeBase Kamakura, We Base Kamakura, ウィーベース鎌倉 Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Kanagawa Town: Kamakura Address: 4-10-7 Yuigahama, Kamakura, Kanagawa 248-0014 Coordinates: 35.31110, 139.54140 Kind: Hotel Meals: A restaurant on site; meals are booked separately. Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 22 Amenities: Luggage storage, Share bikes on site, Restaurant, Free Wi Fi Best for: couples, the Shonan coast, Kamakura temples Bikes: Storage on site Bike storage: The front desk holds luggage before and after check-in, apart from valuables. Bike rental: Daichari share bikes stand in the cycle park behind the hotel; you need the app and an account first. Website: https://we-base.jp/kamakura/ Summary: WeBase Kamakura suits couples who want to wake up by Yuigahama beach and ride the coast toward Enoshima, and its trade-off is a change at Kamakura onto the Enoden to reach it by train. WeBase sits in the quiet streets behind Yuigahama beach, three minutes on foot from Yuigahama Station on the Enoden line, which you join at Kamakura. The 22 rooms come in nine types, done in the yellow and blue of the beach outside. Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out is at 11:00, with late check-out at ¥2,000 an hour until 13:00 when rooms allow. The front desk takes bags before check-in and keeps them after you leave, and it receives luggage shipped ahead. Daichari share bikes stand in the cycle park behind the building, which gets you to the Great Buddha at Hase or along the coast road without a car. Q: Are meals included at WeBase Kamakura? A: WeBase Kamakura: A restaurant on site; meals are booked separately. Q: What does WeBase Kamakura have? A: WeBase Kamakura lists luggage storage, share bikes on site, restaurant, free wi fi. Q: Who is WeBase Kamakura good for? A: WeBase Kamakura suits couples, the Shonan coast, Kamakura temples. Q: Is WeBase Kamakura bike-friendly? A: WeBase Kamakura has published no cycling policy. Storage: the front desk holds luggage before and after check-in, apart from valuables. Daichari share bikes stand in the cycle park behind the hotel; you need the app and an account first. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://we-base.jp/kamakura/ https://we-base.jp/kamakura/faq/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E7%A5%9E%E5%A5%88%E5%B7%9D%E7%9C%8C%E9%8E%8C%E5%80%89%E5%B8%82%E7%94%B1%E6%AF%94%E3%82%AC%E6%B5%9C4-10-7 ### WeBase Takamatsu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/webase-takamatsu Type: Stay Local name: WeBase高松 (ja) Also known as: We Base Takamatsu, WeBase Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kagawa Town: Takamatsu Address: 1-2-3 Kawaramachi, Takamatsu, Kagawa 760-0052 Coordinates: 34.34180, 134.05080 Kind: Hostel Meals: Breakfast available; free ochazuke in the lounge at night Check-in: 15:00–24:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 183 Amenities: Coin laundry, Wi fi, Lounge, Dormitory Best for: cyclists, budget, solo travellers Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: A cycle stand, and bikes in some business single rooms by request before arrival. Baths: Private baths Website: https://we-base.jp/takamatsu/ Summary: WeBase Takamatsu suits riders who want a private room or a dorm bed in the Kawaramachi nightlife district, and only some rooms take a bike, by request. WeBase is a community hotel and hostel at Kawaramachi with 86 singles, 75 twins, 22 doubles and 50 dorm beds. Ask ahead for a business single if you want the bike in the room; otherwise it goes on the stand. The Udon Bakaichidai counter, which opens at 6:00, is under a kilometre away. Q: Are meals included at WeBase Takamatsu? A: WeBase Takamatsu: Breakfast available; free ochazuke in the lounge at night. Q: What does WeBase Takamatsu have? A: WeBase Takamatsu lists coin laundry, wi fi, lounge, dormitory. Q: Who is WeBase Takamatsu good for? A: WeBase Takamatsu suits cyclists, budget, solo travellers. Q: Is WeBase Takamatsu bike-friendly? A: Yes. WeBase Takamatsu welcomes cyclists. Storage: a cycle stand, and bikes in some business single rooms by request before arrival. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://we-base.jp/takamatsu/ https://cycling-island-shikoku.com/hotel_inn/no080.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%A6%99%E5%B7%9D%E7%9C%8C%E9%AB%98%E6%9D%BE%E5%B8%82%E7%93%A6%E7%94%BA1-2-3 ### West Lake Hotel Kaitoro URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/west-lake-hotel-kaitoro Type: Stay Local name: WEST LAKE HOTEL 可以登楼 (ja) Also known as: ウエストレイクホテル可以登楼, Kaitoro Adogawa Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Takashima Address: 2-1-6 Chuo, Adogawa-cho, Takashima, Shiga 520-1216 Coordinates: 35.32806, 136.01868 Kind: Business hotel Prices: Rates are on the hotel's booking page. Meals: The restaurant serves kaiseki, seasonal hot pot and a daily set meal. Amenities: Restaurant, Free parking Best for: rail arrivals, budget, west-shore overnight Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. For riders: Tools Baths: Private baths Website: https://www.kaitorou.com/ Booking: https://www.yadoken.jp/pg/FrontCtrlShowPlanRecommendation.php?hotel_id=yk102898 Summary: Kaitoro suits riders who want a plain room right outside JR Adogawa, and the shared bath belongs to the sister hotel in Imazu. This small business hotel faces the west exit of JR Adogawa on the Kosei Line, a minute on foot from the platform. Rooms are singles and twins, and the restaurant cooks kaiseki, hot pot and a daily set meal. The public bath belongs to Hotel Kaito, the sister hotel by Omi-Imazu Station. Shiga certifies it as cyclist-friendly. Q: Are meals included at West Lake Hotel Kaitoro? A: West Lake Hotel Kaitoro: The restaurant serves kaiseki, seasonal hot pot and a daily set meal. Q: What does West Lake Hotel Kaitoro have? A: West Lake Hotel Kaitoro lists restaurant, free parking. Q: Who is West Lake Hotel Kaitoro good for? A: West Lake Hotel Kaitoro suits rail arrivals, budget, west-shore overnight. Q: Is West Lake Hotel Kaitoro bike-friendly? A: Yes. West Lake Hotel Kaitoro welcomes cyclists. Storage: under Shiga's certification your bike goes up to the room or into a safe indoor space. Q: Does West Lake Hotel Kaitoro have an onsen? A: No. The private baths at West Lake Hotel Kaitoro use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kaitorou.com/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/documents/6647/20260908154252.pdf https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Yachi Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/yachi-onsen Type: Stay Local name: 谷地温泉 (ja) Also known as: Yachi Hot Spring, Yachi Onsen Ryokan Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Town: Hakkoda Address: 1 Horyo-Yachi, Towada, Aomori 034-0303 Coordinates: 40.63300, 140.92450 Kind: Ryokan Prices: The inn sells rooms with dinner and breakfast through its own booking widget, which shows no rate without dates, and no listing site we read carries it. Meals: Dinner and breakfast in the Bunashizuku dining room; char from Mt. Takada-odake's streams is the house dish. Check-in: 15:00–17:00, out by 10:00 Amenities: Onsen, Dining room, Free parking Best for: onsen lovers, solo travellers, slow travel Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: The Hakkoda Ropeway lies beyond the winter road closure on Route 103, from mid-November to early April, which puts the ropeway out of easy reach all winter. Shuttle: One free bus a day, booked a week ahead: from JR Hachinohe Station at 13:45 from 19 November to 31 March, and from Aomori and Shin-Aomori stations the rest of the year. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: Yachi Onsen's site states no tattoo rule, so phone before you book. Website: https://www.yachionsen.com/ Summary: Yachi Onsen suits onsen purists who want two old source-fed baths in a creaky wooden inn deep in the Hakkoda snow, and the trade-off is shared toilets, thin walls and no practical winter link to the ropeway. Yachi claims more than 400 years of bathing and calls itself one of Japan's three great hidden hot springs. Each side has two pools. The upper bath is milky at 42°C, and the lower bath wells up clear and sulphurous through the floor at 38°C, cool enough to sit in for a long time. Day visitors pay ¥800. The rooms are Showa-era Japanese rooms for one to six people with toilets and basins down the hall, and the inn warns that footsteps and voices carry through the old timber. The East Wing's Genji room is where the novelist and nun Setouchi Jakucho wrote the ninth volume of her Tale of Genji translation. Dinner leans on char, grilled, raw or fried, with local mountain vegetables. Winter here means about five metres of snow, and martens come to the window of the Bunashizuku dining room. In winter Route 103 is closed between the Sukayu and Yachi gates, so the Hakkoda Ropeway sits on the far side of the pass. Come for the bath and the quiet, and ski from Sukayu or Jogakura. Tips: - From 19 November to 31 March the inn's one free bus leaves JR Hachinohe Station at 13:45 and arrives around 15:00; book by phone seven days ahead and bring no more than one suitcase each. - The inn asks winter drivers to come in a four-wheel-drive car with winter tyres or chains, before 18:00, since the road gets no ploughing overnight and mobile signal drops out in places. - Between November and April day bathing stops on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Q: Are meals included at Yachi Onsen? A: Yachi Onsen: Dinner and breakfast in the Bunashizuku dining room; char from Mt. Takada-odake's streams is the house dish. Q: What does Yachi Onsen have? A: Yachi Onsen lists onsen, dining room, free parking. Q: Is Yachi Onsen ski-in ski-out? A: No. Yachi Onsen sits away from the lifts, and one free bus a day, booked a week ahead: from JR Hachinohe Station at 13:45 from 19 November to 31 March, and from Aomori and Shin-Aomori stations the rest of the year. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.yachionsen.com/ https://www.yachionsen.com/onsen/ https://www.yachionsen.com/guestroom/ https://www.yachionsen.com/access/ https://www.yachionsen.com/news/20260310/ https://www.yachionsen.com/news/20250826/ https://www.yachionsen.com/news/%e8%87%aa%e5%ae%b6%e7%94%a8%e8%bb%8a%e3%83%bb%e3%83%ac%e3%83%b3%e3%82%bf%e3%82%ab%e3%83%bc%e3%81%a7%e3%81%8a%e8%b6%8a%e3%81%97%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e5%ae%a2%e6%a7%98%e3%81%b8/ https://www.yachionsen.com/news/%e4%bc%91%e9%a4%a8%e6%97%a5%e3%81%ae%e3%81%94%e6%a1%88%e5%86%85/ https://www.hakkodahotel.co.jp/access/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11632788 ### Yagyu no Sho URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/yagyu-no-sho Type: Stay Local name: 柳生の庄 (ja) Also known as: Yagyu-no-Sho, Yagyunosho, Yagyu no Sho Shuzenji Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shuzenji Address: 静岡県伊豆市修善寺1116-6 Coordinates: 34.97030, 138.92070 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥49,500 per person (2026), about CAD 445 or USD 313 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥¥ Prices: The inn's own booking page lists the basic kaiseki plan from ¥49,500 a person with two sharing, and the two detached villas run up to ¥148,500 a person. Jalan's guide price starts higher at ¥54,450. Meals: Kyoto-style kaiseki dinner and breakfast served in your room Rooms: 15 Amenities: In room onsen baths, Two large outdoor baths, Lobby lounge with drinks, Free parking for 20 cars Best for: couples, food lovers, recovery days Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: The inn publishes no tattoo rule. Every room has its own onsen bath, so a guest with tattoos can bathe in private. Price from: ¥49,500 per person (2026), about CAD 445 or USD 313 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.yagyu-no-sho.com/ Booking: https://reserve.489ban.net/client/yagyu-no-sho/0/plan Summary: Yagyu no Sho suits a couple who want kaiseki in the room and a private onsen bath in a bamboo-shaded sukiya inn, and the trade-off is a starting price near ¥50,000 a person. Yagyu no Sho grew out of Yagyu, a Kyoto-kaiseki restaurant that opened in Shirokane, Tokyo, in 1959, and the family brought it to the woods above Shuzenji in 1970. The founder practised kendo, and the name Yagyu comes from that. For the 40th anniversary in 2009 the inn rebuilt its entrance, baths and rooms in full sukiya style with traditional plasterwork. Each of the 15 rooms is laid out differently. Six have an outdoor bath, six a semi-outdoor one and three a hinoki tub indoors, and every one runs on free-flowing Shuzenji water. The two shared outdoor baths, Musashi-no-yu and Tsu-no-yu, open from 14:00 to 10:00 the next morning and swap at midnight. The water is a mild alkaline simple spring at pH 8.3. Dinner and breakfast come to the room. The inn posts its menu each month on the news page. Tips: - The inn posts each month's menu on its news page, so you can read it before you book. Q: Does every room at Yagyu no Sho have its own onsen bath? A: Yes. All 15 rooms have a bath on free-flowing onsen water: six outdoor, six semi-outdoor and three hinoki tubs indoors. Q: How much does Yagyu no Sho cost? A: Prices at Yagyu no Sho start at ¥49,500 per person (2026), about CAD 445 or USD 313 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Yagyu no Sho? A: Yagyu no Sho: Kyoto-style kaiseki dinner and breakfast served in your room. Q: What does Yagyu no Sho have? A: Yagyu no Sho lists in room onsen baths, two large outdoor baths, lobby lounge with drinks, free parking for 20 cars. Q: Who is Yagyu no Sho good for? A: Yagyu no Sho suits couples, food lovers, recovery days. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.yagyu-no-sho.com/ https://www.yagyu-no-sho.com/hotspring/ https://www.yagyu-no-sho.com/access/ https://www.yagyu-no-sho.com/en/ https://www.yagyu-no-sho.com/blog/ https://reserve.489ban.net/client/yagyu-no-sho/0/plan https://www.jalan.net/yad307265/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=静岡県伊豆市修善寺1116-6 ### Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Yamanoha URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/yamanoha Type: Stay Local name: 黒部・宇奈月温泉 やまのは (ja) Also known as: Yamanoha, Yamanoha Unazuki, やまのは Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Unazuki Onsen Address: 352-7 Unazuki Onsen, Kurobe, Toyama 938-0282 Coordinates: 36.81723, 137.58429 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Rates change by date on the booking page. Day bathers pay ¥1,200 on weekdays and ¥1,500 on weekends and holidays. Meals: Buffet of Hokuriku and Toyama produce with live cooking stations Amenities: Onsen, Day bathing, Buffet restaurant, Cyclist friendly certification Best for: cyclists, families, onsen lovers Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: Listed under Toyama Prefecture's cyclist-friendly inn scheme; confirm storage when you book. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://yamanoha.orixhotelsandresorts.com/ Summary: Yamanoha suits cyclists and families who want an onsen hotel three minutes from Unazuki Onsen station with Toyama's cyclist-friendly certification, and its trade-off is sharing the baths with day visitors in the afternoon. Yamanoha stands three minutes on foot from Unazuki Onsen station on the Chitetsu line. Toyama Prefecture lists it as a cyclist-friendly inn, so ask about bike storage and tools when you book. The restaurant is a buffet of Toyama produce built around a tall cylindrical tank of Sea of Japan fish. Day bathers are welcome without booking from 13:00 on most days. The hotel may turn day visitors away when it is busy with overnight guests. Q: Are meals included at Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Yamanoha? A: Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Yamanoha: Buffet of Hokuriku and Toyama produce with live cooking stations. Q: What does Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Yamanoha have? A: Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Yamanoha lists onsen, day bathing, buffet restaurant, cyclist friendly certification. Q: Is Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Yamanoha bike-friendly? A: Yes. Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Yamanoha welcomes cyclists. Storage: listed under Toyama Prefecture's cyclist-friendly inn scheme; confirm storage when you book. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.unazuki-yamanoha.jp/ https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/103252 https://www.kurobe-unazuki.jp/tourism/118/ https://cycling-toyama.jp/hotel/ ### Yanaka no Daisuke URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/yanaka-no-daisuke Type: Stay Local name: やなかの大助 (ja) Also known as: Gujo Hachiman Machiya Stay, Machiya Stay Yanaka Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Gujo-Hachiman Address: 841 Shimatani, Hachiman-cho, Gujo, Gifu 501-4222 Coordinates: 35.74817, 136.95773 Kind: Apartment From: ¥25,000 per room per night (2026), about CAD 225 or USD 158 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: ¥25,000 a night on weekdays and ¥28,000 before holidays for up to four, ¥35,000 on dance nights; ¥3,000 for each extra guest up to six. Check-in: 15:00 Amenities: Whole house, Washing machine, Towels and toiletries Best for: families, groups, longer stays Baths: Private baths Price from: ¥25,000 per room per night (2026), about CAD 225 or USD 158 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://matiya-stay.com/guesthouse/yanakanotaisuke/ Summary: Yanaka no Daisuke suits a family or group who want a whole machiya on a quiet lane with the castle lit up outside the bedroom window. The trade-off is the parking, which is in a paid lot nearby. The town's development corporation rents this townhouse to one group a day, through the lane called Yanaka Mizu no Komichi off Shinmachi street. From the upstairs bedroom you see Gujo-Hachiman Castle floodlit on its hill at night. It sleeps six, though four is the comfortable number, and check-in runs from 15:00 to 19:00. Q: How much does Yanaka no Daisuke cost? A: Prices at Yanaka no Daisuke start at ¥25,000 per room per night (2026), about CAD 225 or USD 158 (October 2026 rates). Q: What does Yanaka no Daisuke have? A: Yanaka no Daisuke lists whole house, washing machine, towels and toiletries. Q: Who is Yanaka no Daisuke good for? A: Yanaka no Daisuke suits families, groups, longer stays. Q: Does Yanaka no Daisuke have an onsen? A: No. The private baths at Yanaka no Daisuke use heated tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://matiya-stay.com/guesthouse/yanakanotaisuke/ https://www.gujohachiman.com/ https://tabitabigujo.com/spots/hachiman/%E3%82%84%E3%81%AA%E3%81%8B%E3%81%AE%E5%A4%A7%E5%8A%A9/ ### Yarimikan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/yarimikan Type: Stay Local name: 槍見の湯 槍見館 (ja) Also known as: Yarimi-kan, Yarimikan Ryokan, 槍見館 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Shin-Hotaka Onsen Address: 587 Kansaka, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1421 Coordinates: 36.26676, 137.56442 Kind: Ryokan From: ¥21,250 per person (2026), about CAD 191 or USD 134 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: ¥21,250 to ¥24,550 a person with dinner and breakfast, two sharing, on the inn's rate page; the tourism listing shows from ¥19,800. Meals: Dinner and breakfast Check-in: 14:00, out by 11:00 Amenities: Onsen, Mixed rotenburo, Women only rotenburo, Four private baths, Barrier free room, Parking for 15 cars Best for: couples, bath lovers Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥21,250 per person (2026), about CAD 191 or USD 134 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://yarimikan.com/ Summary: Yarimikan suits bath lovers who want riverside rotenburo looking up at Yari-ga-take in an old farmhouse-style inn. The trade-off is that the outdoor baths are rustic, as the inn itself says. Yarimikan stands on the Kamata River in Shin-Hotaka, and its mixed Yarimi no Yu bath looks straight up at Yari-ga-take. The inn provides bathing wraps for the mixed baths and keeps Yarimi no Yu for women only from 7:00 to 9:00. Four private rotenburo are free; you flip the wooden tag at the door and lock yourself in. The water comes from the inn's own source and a shared one with no circulation or chlorine, and the inn belongs to a society of inns that keep their spring water untouched. A barrier-free room has beds and a cypress bath with handrails. Q: How much does Yarimikan cost? A: Prices at Yarimikan start at ¥21,250 per person (2026), about CAD 191 or USD 134 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Yarimikan? A: Yarimikan: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Yarimikan have? A: Yarimikan lists onsen, mixed rotenburo, women only rotenburo, four private baths, barrier free room, parking for 15 cars. Q: Who is Yarimikan good for? A: Yarimikan suits couples, bath lovers. Q: Does Yarimikan have an onsen? A: Yes. Yarimikan has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://yarimikan.com/ https://yarimikan.com/faq.php https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/stay/detail_4932.html ### Yubatake Souan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/yubatake-souan Type: Stay Local name: 湯畑草菴 (ja) Also known as: Souan, Yubatake Soan, Kusatsu Souan, 草庵 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Address: 118-1 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Coordinates: 36.62284, 138.59715 Kind: Guesthouse Prices: Room-only rates on the inn's booking engine. Late check-out costs ¥5,000 an hour per room, up to two hours. Meals: Room only. A free light breakfast is served in the foot-bath cafe from 8:00 to 9:30. Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 16 Amenities: Foot bath cafe, Indoor bath, Large bath, Coin lockers Best for: couples, adults-only stays, Yubatake location Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoo rule: Yubatake Souan publishes no tattoo rule. Website: https://www.kusatsu-souan.co.jp/ Summary: Yubatake Souan suits adult couples who want a room-only stay steps from the Yubatake with a foot-bath cafe downstairs, and it takes no children under 13 and has no car park. Souan sits just off the Yubatake behind its own foot-bath cafe, and its 16 rooms come in four types. The baths run from 15:00 until 9:30 the next morning, apart from cleaning between 1:00 and 2:00. Children from newborn to primary-school age cannot stay. There is no parking. Drivers can use the free car park of the sister Kusatsu Now Resort Hotel and its shuttle, or the paid Yubatake car park five minutes away. Q: Can children stay at Yubatake Souan? A: No. Yubatake Souan does not take children from age 0 to 12. Q: Does Yubatake Souan have parking? A: No. Guests can use the sister Kusatsu Now Resort Hotel's car park and shuttle, or the paid Yubatake car park. Q: Are meals included at Yubatake Souan? A: Yubatake Souan: Room only. A free light breakfast is served in the foot-bath cafe from 8:00 to 9:30. Q: What does Yubatake Souan have? A: Yubatake Souan lists foot bath cafe, indoor bath, large bath, coin lockers. Q: Who is Yubatake Souan good for? A: Yubatake Souan suits couples, adults-only stays, Yubatake location. Q: Does Yubatake Souan have an onsen? A: Yes. Yubatake Souan has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kusatsu-souan.co.jp/ https://www.kusatsu-souan.co.jp/rooms https://www.kusatsu-souan.co.jp/onsen https://www.kusatsu-souan.co.jp/access https://www.kusatsu-souan.co.jp/faq https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/13801993022 ### yubune URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/yubune Type: Stay Local name: ゆぶね (ja) Also known as: Yubune Setoda, yubune sento, yubune Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Setoda Address: 269 Setoda, Setoda-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-2411 Coordinates: 34.30410, 133.08510 Kind: Hotel Prices: Hiroshima prefecture adds an accommodation tax of ¥200 per person per night on rooms above ¥6,000 a person, from 1 April 2026. Meals: No restaurant; the inn sends guests to the cafés and diners of the Shiomachi arcade and lets them eat in the lounge or their room. Rooms: 14 Amenities: Public bathhouse with sauna, Lounge and library, Shop Best for: road riders, couples, bath lovers Bikes: Welcomes cyclists Bike storage: The ground-floor doma rooms have an earth floor from the door, so you can wheel the bike in with your shoes on. Baths: Shared and private baths Website: https://yubune.co/ Summary: yubune suits riders who want a modern bathhouse inn on Setoda's Shiomachi street, with ground-floor rooms you can wheel a bike into, and the trade-off is no restaurant on site. yubune is Azumi Setoda's sister across the street, a sento with 14 rooms upstairs. The bath has a jet tub, a sauna and a cold plunge under a mural of the islands, and guests use it free. Day visitors pay ¥900 on weekdays and ¥1,200 at weekends and on holidays. Book a ground-floor doma room if you bring a bike. Their earth floor runs in from the door, so the bike comes in on its wheels, and a raised tatami area with a sunken kotatsu sleeps up to three. The inn keeps no restaurant on purpose, so dinner means a walk along the Shiomachi arcade. Q: Are meals included at yubune? A: yubune: No restaurant; the inn sends guests to the cafés and diners of the Shiomachi arcade and lets them eat in the lounge or their room. Q: What does yubune have? A: yubune lists public bathhouse with sauna, lounge and library, shop. Q: Who is yubune good for? A: yubune suits road riders, couples, bath lovers. Q: Is yubune bike-friendly? A: Yes. yubune welcomes cyclists. Storage: the ground-floor doma rooms have an earth floor from the door, so you can wheel the bike in with your shoes on. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://yubune.co/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/hotel_list/?cate=hotel-information&paged=11 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E7%80%AC%E6%88%B8%E7%94%B0%E7%94%BA%E7%80%AC%E6%88%B8%E7%94%B0269 ### Yunoshimakan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/yunoshimakan Type: Stay Local name: 湯之島館 (ja) Also known as: Gero Yunoshimakan, Yunoshima-kan Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Gero Onsen Address: 645 Yunoshima, Gero, Gifu 509-2207 Coordinates: 35.81473, 137.24098 Kind: Ryokan Prices: Rates are on the inn's booking pages. Meals: Dinner and breakfast Check-in: 15:00 Amenities: Onsen, Rotenburo, Family baths, Rooms with outdoor baths, Station pick up, Bus from Nagoya Best for: couples, special occasions, architecture lovers Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Website: https://www.yunoshimakan.co.jp/ Summary: Yunoshimakan suits couples who want a registered cultural property from 1931 on a wooded hill above Gero. The trade-off is that the most striking rooms cost the most. Yunoshimakan opened in 1931 on a 50,000-tsubo wooded hillside above the town, and its early Showa buildings are registered cultural properties. The inn struck the source that revived Gero's springs in 1928, and every tub down to the in-room baths gets source water, with an observation bath and rotenburo looking over the town. The inn runs one bus a day each way from Nagoya Station to Gero bus centre for ¥4,500 return or ¥3,300 one way, and every seat must be booked. Guests arriving on the Hida express can ask for a pick-up between 13:35 and 17:25. Q: Are meals included at Yunoshimakan? A: Yunoshimakan: Dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Yunoshimakan have? A: Yunoshimakan lists onsen, rotenburo, family baths, rooms with outdoor baths, station pick up, bus from nagoya. Q: Who is Yunoshimakan good for? A: Yunoshimakan suits couples, special occasions, architecture lovers. Q: Does Yunoshimakan have an onsen? A: Yes. Yunoshimakan has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.yunoshimakan.co.jp/ https://www.yunoshimakan.co.jp/bath https://www.yunoshimakan.co.jp/rooms https://www.yunoshimakan.co.jp/access https://www.gero-spa.com/shukuhaku/ ### Yuzawa Grand Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/yuzawa-grand-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 湯沢グランドホテル (ja) Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町湯沢2494 Coordinates: 36.93530, 138.80740 Kind: Hotel From: ¥13,200 per person (2026), about CAD 119 or USD 83 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Meals: Buffet dinner and breakfast Rooms: 87 Amenities: Onsen, Rooms with half open air baths, Buffet, Shop Best for: families, skiers, groups To the lifts: GALA Yuzawa is one Shinkansen stop away in winter, and the hotel sells plans with its lift ticket. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥13,200 per person (2026), about CAD 119 or USD 83 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: http://yuzawagrandhotel.jp/ Summary: Yuzawa Grand Hotel suits families on a GALA trip who want a buffet hotel two minutes from the station, and its trade-off is a large tour-group hotel with little character. The hotel is a two-minute walk from Echigo-Yuzawa Station and has 87 rooms, from plain Japanese rooms to a few with half-open-air baths. It moved to a new booking system on 4 December 2025. The ski plans bundle a GALA Yuzawa one-day lift ticket with dinner and breakfast, from ¥22,850 a person on the hotel's site, and the buffet is the standard dinner. New Year plans for 2026/27 start at ¥37,400 a person, with a ¥550 discount for booking by 30 November. GALA has closed its whole South area for 2026/27, so its ungroomed runs there are off the menu this winter. Q: How much does Yuzawa Grand Hotel cost? A: Prices at Yuzawa Grand Hotel start at ¥13,200 per person (2026), about CAD 119 or USD 83 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Yuzawa Grand Hotel? A: Yuzawa Grand Hotel: Buffet dinner and breakfast. Q: What does Yuzawa Grand Hotel have? A: Yuzawa Grand Hotel lists onsen, rooms with half open air baths, buffet, shop. Q: Who is Yuzawa Grand Hotel good for? A: Yuzawa Grand Hotel suits families, skiers, groups. Q: Does Yuzawa Grand Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Yuzawa Grand Hotel has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://yuzawagrandhotel.jp/ https://gala.co.jp/winter/information/2026-2027wintersouthareaclosed/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/stay_p/yuzawa-grandhotel/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/stay/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=湯沢グランドホテル&format=json ### Yuzawa Toei Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/yuzawa-toei-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 湯沢東映ホテル (ja) Also known as: Toei Hotel Yuzawa Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町湯沢3459 Coordinates: 36.93880, 138.80320 Kind: Ski hotel From: ¥12,100 per person (2026), about CAD 109 or USD 76 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Meals: Dinner and breakfast with Niigata beef and crab plans Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 60 Amenities: Onsen, Open air rock bath, Pick up, Non smoking Best for: skiers, couples Ski-in ski-out: Yes To the lifts: The hotel describes its site as connected directly to the slopes beside the Yuzawa Kogen ropeway. Shuttle: Pick-up between 9:00 and 18:00, per the Yuzawa tourism listing. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Price from: ¥12,100 per person (2026), about CAD 109 or USD 76 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.toeihotel-yuzawa.com/ Summary: Yuzawa Toei Hotel suits skiers who want to walk from the Shinkansen to a hotel on the slope, and its trade-off is a steep walk up from the station with bags. Toei stands on the rise beside the Yuzawa Kogen ropeway, seven minutes on foot from Echigo-Yuzawa Station, and the hotel says its slope connects straight to the runs. All 60 rooms face the mountain side. The big open-air rock bath is the reason to stay, with stars over the valley on a clear night. Dinner plans lean on Niigata wagyu and Echigo snow crab. The whole hotel is non-smoking. Check-in is 15:00 and check-out 10:00. Yuzawa's tourism office lists a pick-up between 9:00 and 18:00. Q: How much does Yuzawa Toei Hotel cost? A: Prices at Yuzawa Toei Hotel start at ¥12,100 per person (2026), about CAD 109 or USD 76 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Yuzawa Toei Hotel? A: Yuzawa Toei Hotel: Dinner and breakfast with Niigata beef and crab plans. Q: What does Yuzawa Toei Hotel have? A: Yuzawa Toei Hotel lists onsen, open air rock bath, pick up, non smoking. Q: Who is Yuzawa Toei Hotel good for? A: Yuzawa Toei Hotel suits skiers, couples. Q: Is Yuzawa Toei Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Yuzawa Toei Hotel is ski-in ski-out. Q: Does Yuzawa Toei Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Yuzawa Toei Hotel has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.toeihotel-yuzawa.com/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/stay_p/yuzawa-toei-hotel/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/stay/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=湯沢東映ホテル&format=json ### Zao Kokusai Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/zao-kokusai-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 蔵王国際ホテル (ja) Also known as: Zao International Hotel Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: 933 Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata 990-2301 Coordinates: 38.16280, 140.39690 Kind: Hotel From: ¥15,180 per person (2026), about CAD 136 or USD 96 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Jalan lists room-only stays from ¥15,180 a person when two share and dinner with breakfast from ¥25,300 a person. The hotel says booking on its own site is worth up to ¥6,600 a person in extras. Meals: Yamagata kaiseki dinner with Yamagata beef and breakfast in the restaurant; room-only plans also sell Check-in: 14:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 51 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Private baths, Foot bath, Ski locker room, Drying room, Ski rental, Coin laundry, Free parking, Wi Fi Best for: skiers, couples, onsen lovers To the lifts: The hotel's FAQ says the Yokokura slope, served by the Zao Ropeway, lies right across a bridge from its car park. Boot room: Yes Ski storage: Yes Shuttle: Free bus from Yamagata Station west exit, booked three days ahead (Nozomi Kanko runs it from 12 December to 15 March from a different meeting point), plus pick-up from the Zao Onsen bus terminal on call. Baths: Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Not allowed Tattoo rule: The hotel's FAQ says guests with tattoos cannot bathe, and its Jalan listing names the main bath and the outdoor bath. Price from: ¥15,180 per person (2026), about CAD 136 or USD 96 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.zao-kokusaihotel.jp/ Summary: Zao Kokusai Hotel suits skiers who want a full-service onsen hotel beside the Yokokura slope and the Zao Ropeway, and the trade-off is a strict house line: guests with tattoos cannot bathe, and children must be of primary-school age. The hotel sits at 933 Zao Onsen beside the Yokokura slope. Its own FAQ says you cross a bridge from the car park and the slope is right in front of you, with the Zao Ropeway's base on the same slope. The 51 rooms run from 14-tatami Japanese rooms to twins of 38 to 74 square metres, and two suites opened in December 2023. The bathrooms in the rooms use ordinary water. Hachiemon no Yu is the main bathhouse, a tall all-timber hall with milky sulphur water running through indoor and outdoor tubs, open around the clock outside cleaning. Three private baths cost ¥2,200 to ¥4,400 for 45 minutes, and booking on the hotel's site takes ¥1,100 off. A foot bath stays open 24 hours. Dinner is a Yamagata kaiseki with Yamagata beef as the main course, served in the restaurant with a start between 17:30 and 19:00. A free bus runs from the west exit of Yamagata Station if you book three days ahead, and staff also collect guests from the Zao Onsen bus terminal. From 12 December to 15 March the station run passes to Nozomi Kanko and the meeting point moves, so confirm it when you book. Tips: - Last check-in is 19:00 on dinner plans and 21:00 without dinner. - Day bathers can use the baths from 12:00 to 15:00 for ¥1,320. - Guests can bathe free at the sister inns, Oomiya Ryokan and Zao Shiki no Hotel. Q: How much does Zao Kokusai Hotel cost? A: Prices at Zao Kokusai Hotel start at ¥15,180 per person (2026), about CAD 136 or USD 96 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Zao Kokusai Hotel? A: Zao Kokusai Hotel: Yamagata kaiseki dinner with Yamagata beef and breakfast in the restaurant; room-only plans also sell. Q: What does Zao Kokusai Hotel have? A: Zao Kokusai Hotel lists onsen, open air bath, private baths, foot bath, ski locker room, drying room, ski rental, coin laundry, free parking, wi fi. Q: Who is Zao Kokusai Hotel good for? A: Zao Kokusai Hotel suits skiers, couples, onsen lovers. Q: Does Zao Kokusai Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Zao Kokusai Hotel has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring. Q: Can you use the baths at Zao Kokusai Hotel with tattoos? A: No. The baths at Zao Kokusai Hotel turn away bathers with visible tattoos. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.zao-kokusaihotel.jp/ https://www.zao-kokusaihotel.jp/faq/ https://zaomountainresort.com/stay/ https://www.zao-kokusaihotel.jp/access/ https://www.zao-kokusaihotel.jp/facilities/ https://zaomountainresort.com/author/kokusai/ https://goo.gl/maps/xEQmt5cp9xMWb1276 https://www.jalan.net/yad309590/ https://www.jalan.net/yad309590/plan/?dateUndecided=1&adultNum=2&roomCount=1 ### Zao Shiki no Hotel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/stays/zao-shiki-no-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 蔵王四季のホテル (ja) Also known as: Shiki no Hotel, Zao Four Seasons Hotel Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: 1272 Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata 990-2301 Coordinates: 38.16050, 140.39230 Kind: Hotel From: ¥13,200 per person (2026), about CAD 119 or USD 83 (October 2026 rates) Price: ¥ Prices: Jalan lists room-only stays from ¥13,200 a person when two share and dinner with breakfast from ¥20,900 a person. The junior suites cost more. Meals: Kaiseki dinner and breakfast in the restaurant; room-only plans also sell Check-in: 14:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 41 Amenities: Onsen, Open air bath, Foot bath, Drying room, Ski rental, Lounge, Free parking, Wi Fi Best for: couples, skiers, quiet stays Ski-in ski-out: No To the lifts: 3 min on foot Boot room: Yes Shuttle: Free bus from Yamagata Station booked three days ahead, and pick-up from the Zao Onsen bus terminal on call. Baths: Shared baths, fed by a hot spring Tattoos: Not allowed Tattoo rule: The hotel's FAQ says guests with tattoos cannot bathe. Price from: ¥13,200 per person (2026), about CAD 119 or USD 83 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.zao-shikinohotel.jp/ Summary: Zao Shiki no Hotel suits couples and skiers who want a quiet hotel in the woods three minutes from the Yokokura slope, and the trade-off is that Zao's sulphur water only flows in the separate bathhouse. Zao Shiki no Hotel sits among trees at 1272 Zao Onsen, with a walking loop around a lake past waterfalls and wildflowers. All 41 rooms are Western style. Junior suites refitted in December 2022 run to 62 square metres, with a tatami living area and a stone-lined bath by the window. Children below primary-school age cannot stay. The milky Zao spring runs in Hanare-yu Hyakuhachi-ho, a detached bathhouse with indoor and outdoor tubs and a foot bath, open from 6:00 to 23:00. Shirakaba no Yu inside the hotel opens around the clock and uses a weak alkaline mineral water. Men and women swap baths at about 19:00, so try both sides if you stay two nights. The FAQ puts the Yokokura slope three minutes away on foot, and Jalan lists a drying room and paid ski and board rental. A free bus from Yamagata Station needs booking three days ahead, and staff fetch guests from the Zao Onsen bus terminal when they phone. The tourism association's listing adds rime-ice viewing and snowshoe walks in winter. Tips: - Last check-in is 19:00 on dinner plans and 21:00 without dinner. - The bathrooms in the rooms use ordinary water, so walk over to Hyakuhachi-ho for the sulphur spring. Q: How much does Zao Shiki no Hotel cost? A: Prices at Zao Shiki no Hotel start at ¥13,200 per person (2026), about CAD 119 or USD 83 (October 2026 rates). Q: Are meals included at Zao Shiki no Hotel? A: Zao Shiki no Hotel: Kaiseki dinner and breakfast in the restaurant; room-only plans also sell. Q: What does Zao Shiki no Hotel have? A: Zao Shiki no Hotel lists onsen, open air bath, foot bath, drying room, ski rental, lounge, free parking, wi fi. Q: Who is Zao Shiki no Hotel good for? A: Zao Shiki no Hotel suits couples, skiers, quiet stays. Q: Is Zao Shiki no Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: No. Zao Shiki no Hotel sits 3 minutes on foot from the nearest lift, and free bus from Yamagata Station booked three days ahead, and pick-up from the Zao Onsen bus terminal on call. Q: Does Zao Shiki no Hotel have an onsen? A: Yes. Zao Shiki no Hotel has shared baths fed by a hot spring. Q: Can you use the baths at Zao Shiki no Hotel with tattoos? A: No. The baths at Zao Shiki no Hotel turn away bathers with visible tattoos. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.zao-shikinohotel.jp/faq/ https://www.zao-shikinohotel.jp/access/ https://zaomountainresort.com/stay/ https://zaomountainresort.com/author/shikinohotel/ https://goo.gl/maps/9vEG4DKnhBbdsaqs5 https://www.jalan.net/yad322447/ https://www.jalan.net/yad322447/plan/?dateUndecided=1&adultNum=2&roomCount=1 ## Places to eat and drink ### Aizuya Honten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/aizuya-honten Type: Place to eat Local name: 会津屋本店 (ja) Also known as: Aizuya, Aiduya, 元祖たこ焼き 会津屋, 会津屋 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Osaka Town: Osaka Address: 2-3-1 Tamade-nishi, Nishinari-ku, Osaka Coordinates: 34.62520, 135.49020 Kind: Other Hours: Open 11:00 to 21:00 every day; closed on 1 January. Closed: 1 January Price: ¥ Prices: The shop's menu page lists no prices. Reservations: No reservations; order at the counter. Vegetarian: None; the takoyaki hold octopus and the radio-yaki beef tendon. Cuisine: takoyaki Address: 2-3-1 Tamade-nishi, Nishinari-ku, Osaka Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.aiduya.com/ Summary: Aizuya suits anyone curious to taste takoyaki the way the shop says it first made them in 1935, and its trade-off is a trip south of the centre to Tamade. Aizuya opened in 1933, and the company says its founder Tomekichi Endo created takoyaki two years later. The main shop stands at exit 1 of Tamade station on the Yotsubashi subway line, and it serves the balls without sauce so the dashi in the batter carries the flavour. Vinegar soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce sit on the side if you want them. Order the radio-yaki as well. It is the ball Endo sold before takoyaki, filled with beef tendon and konnyaku in place of octopus. Tips: - The shop opens every day of the year except New Year's Day. Q: What are the opening hours of Aizuya Honten? A: Aizuya Honten keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–21:00. Q: What should you order at Aizuya Honten? A: At Aizuya Honten, order ganso takoyaki, eaten plain first, or ganso radio-yaki with beef tendon and konnyaku. Q: Do you need a reservation at Aizuya Honten? A: Aizuya Honten: No reservations; order at the counter. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.aiduya.com/ https://www.aiduya.com/shop/ https://www.aiduya.com/menu/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA%E5%BA%9C%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA%E5%B8%82%E8%A5%BF%E6%88%90%E5%8C%BA%E7%8E%89%E5%87%BA%E8%A5%BF%E4%BA%8C%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE3 ### Aji Tasuke Honten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/aji-tasuke-honten Type: Place to eat Local name: 味太助 本店 (ja) Also known as: 味太助, Aji Tasuke, Tasuke, Ajitasuke Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Miyagi Town: Sendai Address: 宮城県仙台市青葉区一番町4-4-13 Coordinates: 38.26401, 140.87022 Kind: Yakiniku Hours: Last order is 20:30. Closed: Tuesday Price: ¥¥ From: ¥2,900 per person (2026), about CAD 26 or USD 18 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Prices come from the shop's own menu page. Reservations: No reservations (Tabelog). Payment: Cash only (Tabelog) Vegetarian: None. Cuisine: gyutan Address: 宮城県仙台市青葉区一番町4-4-13 Price from: ¥2,900 per person (2026), about CAD 26 or USD 18 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.aji-tasuke.co.jp/ Summary: Aji Tasuke suits anyone who wants gyutan from the shop that started it, and the trade-off is a cash-only room with no bookings. Sano Keishiro opened a beef-tongue grill in central Sendai in 1948, and Aji Tasuke credits him with inventing the Sendai gyutan set. He was born a farmer's son in Nishisato village, now Kahoku in Yamagata, and learned to love tongue from a French chef while training in Tokyo around 1935. His son Sano Kazuo runs the shop now. The set comes with three slices of salt-seasoned tongue grilled over charcoal, a bowl of oxtail soup and barley rice. The shop sits in Ichibancho, three minutes on foot from Kotodai-koen subway station. Tips: - Ask for a Miyagi sake with the set; the shop stocks local labels. Q: How much does Aji Tasuke Honten cost? A: Prices at Aji Tasuke Honten start at ¥2,900 per person (2026), about CAD 26 or USD 18 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Aji Tasuke Honten? A: Aji Tasuke Honten keeps these hours: Mon 11:30–21:00; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:30–21:00. Q: What should you order at Aji Tasuke Honten? A: At Aji Tasuke Honten, order the gyutan set, or extra oxtail soup. Q: Do you need a reservation at Aji Tasuke Honten? A: Aji Tasuke Honten: No reservations (Tabelog). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.aji-tasuke.co.jp/ http://www.aji-tasuke.co.jp/history.php http://www.aji-tasuke.co.jp/menu.php http://www.aji-tasuke.co.jp/access.php https://s.tabelog.com/en/miyagi/A0401/A040101/4000048/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%AE%AE%E5%9F%8E%E7%9C%8C%E4%BB%99%E5%8F%B0%E5%B8%82%E9%9D%92%E8%91%89%E5%8C%BA%E4%B8%80%E7%95%AA%E7%94%BA%E5%9B%9B%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE4-13 ### Ajidokoro Furukawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/ajidokoro-furukawa Type: Place to eat Local name: 味処古川 (ja) Also known as: Ajidokoro Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Hida-Furukawa Address: 11-3 Ichinomachi, Furukawa-cho, Hida, Gifu 509-4234 Coordinates: 36.23577, 137.18515 Kind: Shokudo Hours: Breakfast 8:30 to 11:30, café 8:30 to 16:00 (gohei mochi and takeaway coffee included), lunch 10:00 to 14:30 with last order 14:00. Irregular closing days. Closed: Irregular Cuisine: Hida local cuisine Address: 11-3 Ichinomachi, Furukawa-cho, Hida, Gifu 509-4234 Website: http://ajidokoro.jp/ Summary: Ajidokoro Furukawa suits families and groups who want one place in Furukawa where everyone can find a dish. The trade-off is that lunch stops at 14:30. The menu runs from Hida beef hoba miso and chuka soba to Hida jidori chicken, which comes from a cross between a large black shamo and the Nagoya breed. Soba is hand-made on weekends and holidays. The café hours cover gohei mochi and coffee to go, and it is three minutes' walk from the free car park at Hida City Hall. Q: What are the opening hours of Ajidokoro Furukawa? A: Ajidokoro Furukawa keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:30–17:00. Q: What should you order at Ajidokoro Furukawa? A: At Ajidokoro Furukawa, order hida jidori chicken, or hida beef hoba miso, or gohei mochi in the afternoon. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hida-kankou.jp/spot/254 https://www.hida-kankou.jp/features/89 ### Ajikura Tengoku URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/ajikura-tengoku Type: Place to eat Local name: 焼肉ハウス 味蔵天国 (ja) Also known as: Ajikura, JA Hida Ajikura Tengoku, 味蔵天国 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 4-308 Hanasato-machi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14025, 137.25191 Kind: Yakiniku Hours: Last orders 14:00 and 21:00. Also closed on the second and fourth Wednesdays. Closed: Tuesday; second and fourth Wednesday Price: ¥¥ From: ¥1,980 per person (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) Cuisine: Yakiniku, Hida beef Address: 4-308 Hanasato-machi, Takayama, Gifu Price from: ¥1,980 per person (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: http://www.ajikura.jp Summary: Ajikura Tengoku suits families who want Hida beef yakiniku at a fair price one minute from the station. The trade-off is that dinner starts at ¥5,000. The JA Hida farm co-operative runs Ajikura Tengoku, and its butcher counter next door sells beef raised by Hida farmers. Lunch starts at ¥1,980 and dinner at ¥5,000, and the restaurant is about 150 m south of the station with 13 parking spaces. Q: How much does Ajikura Tengoku cost? A: Prices at Ajikura Tengoku start at ¥1,980 per person (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Ajikura Tengoku? A: Ajikura Tengoku keeps these hours: Mon 11:00-14:30, 17:00-21:30; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:00-14:30, 17:00-21:30. Q: What should you order at Ajikura Tengoku? A: At Ajikura Tengoku, order hida beef yakiniku set at lunch. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3025.html https://www.ja-hida.or.jp/service/ajikura/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/special/detail_269.html ### Akafuku Honten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/akafuku-honten Type: Place to eat Local name: 赤福 本店 (ja) Also known as: Akafuku, 赤福, Akafuku main shop Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Mie Town: Ise Address: 26 Uji-Nakanokiri-cho, Ise, Mie Coordinates: 34.46310, 136.72354 Kind: Sweets Hours: Open 9:00 to 17:00, with longer hours in busy seasons. Cuisine: wagashi Address: 26 Uji-Nakanokiri-cho, Ise, Mie On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: Use the Naiku's bike lot in front of the Uji Bridge and walk the last stretch of Oharai-machi. Website: https://www.akafuku.co.jp/ Summary: Akafuku's main shop suits anyone who wants the red-bean mochi of the Ise pilgrimage on the walk to the Naiku, and the tables serve that one sweet and nothing else. Akafuku's main shop stands on Oharai-machi on the approach to the Naiku, and its tables serve only Akafuku mochi. On the first of every month except January it adds the Tsuitachi mochi. It opens 9:00 to 17:00 and stays open later in busy seasons. Q: What are the opening hours of Akafuku Honten? A: Akafuku Honten keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Akafuku Honten? A: At Akafuku Honten, order akafuku mochi at the tables, or tsuitachi mochi on the first of each month, except January. Q: Can you park a bike at Akafuku Honten? A: Akafuku Honten: use the Naiku's bike lot in front of the Uji Bridge and walk the last stretch of Oharai-machi. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.akafuku.co.jp/store/area/%e4%bc%8a%e5%8b%a2%e5%b8%82/ https://www.akafuku.co.jp/ https://mie-cycling-road.jp/model/course03/ ### Alps 360 URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/alps-360-hakuba-goryu Type: Place to eat Local name: 展望レストラン Alps360 (ja) Also known as: Alps360, Alps 360 Goryu, アルプス360 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Status: seasonal. Hakuba Goryu's green-season page says the summit restaurants open daily until 18 October 2026. Winter hours were not published when we checked. Coordinates: 36.66380, 137.81449 Kind: Cafe Hours: Open daily in the 2026 green season until 18 October. OpenStreetMap gives 9:00–16:00. Cuisine: Café, Galette Website: https://hakubaescal.com/ Summary: Alps 360 suits a gondola-top lunch with the Northern Alps in front of you at Goryu, and its season and hours follow the lifts. Alps 360 is the panorama restaurant at the top of Goryu's gondola, near Alpine Flat Station. Goryu's own page puts a soba galette on the menu, made with local ingredients and grilled by Hakuba Creepie, with soba sweets from the in-house pastry chef. In summer it adds soft serve and watermelon juice. OpenStreetMap lists the room as open 9:00 to 16:00. Q: What are the opening hours of Alps 360? A: Alps 360 keeps these hours: Daily 09:00–16:00. Q: What should you order at Alps 360? A: At Alps 360, order soba galette, or a soba sweet from the pastry chef. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakubaescal.com/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/383939126 ### Ankina Dango URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/ankina-dango Type: Place to eat Local name: あんきなだんご (ja) Also known as: Ankina Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 171 Kiyomi-cho Mikkamachi, Takayama, Gifu 506-0102 Coordinates: 36.12216, 137.18240 Kind: Sweets Closed: Tuesday Vegetarian: Rice dumplings with a soy-based sauce. Cuisine: Japanese sweets Address: 171 Kiyomi-cho Mikkamachi, Takayama, Gifu 506-0102 Summary: Ankina Dango suits drivers on the way to or from Takayama-nishi interchange who want Hida's plain soy mitarashi dango. The trade-off is that you need a car, about ten minutes from the interchange. Ankina means easygoing in the Hida dialect, and this small shop in Kiyomi wants you to drop in that way. The best seller is mitarashi dango in a savoury soy-based sauce, and locals have bought it for years. Q: What are the opening hours of Ankina Dango? A: Ankina Dango keeps these hours: Mon 10:00–16:00; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 10:00–16:00. Q: What should you order at Ankina Dango? A: At Ankina Dango, order mitarashi dango. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3503.html ### Aomori Gyosai Center URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/aomori-gyosai-center Type: Place to eat Local name: 青森魚菜センター (ja) Also known as: Furukawa Market, 古川市場, Nokke-don, Nokkedon, のっけ丼, Ganso Aomori Nokkedon, 元祖青森のっけ丼 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Town: Aomori Address: 1-11-16 Furukawa, Aomori, Aomori 030-0862 Coordinates: 40.82594, 140.73569 Kind: Market Hours: Nokke-don hours. The fish market itself trades from 05:00 to 18:30, according to Tabelog. Closed days change around Golden Week, the Nebuta Festival in early August, Obon and New Year, and the market posts them on its news page. Closed: Tuesday (changes in holiday periods) Price: ¥¥ From: ¥2,200 each (2026), about CAD 20 or USD 14 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Rice costs one ticket for a regular bowl and two for a large. Toppings cost one to three tickets each, and extra tickets sell singly at ¥190. Tabelog reviewers spend ¥2,000 to ¥2,999 a person. Reservations: No reservations. Groups of ten or more can phone so the rice is ready. Payment: Meal tickets; Tabelog lists PayPay and no cards. Cuisine: seafood, nokke-don, market Address: 1-11-16 Furukawa, Aomori, Aomori 030-0862 Price from: ¥2,200 each (2026), about CAD 20 or USD 14 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://nokkedon.jp/ Summary: The Aomori Gyosai Center suits anyone with a morning in Aomori who wants to build a rice bowl of local scallops and tuna stall by stall, and the trade-off is that the rice can run out before the 16:00 close. Locals call it Furukawa Market, and it is five minutes on foot from the east exit of Aomori Station. Buy a strip of twelve meal tickets for ¥2,200 at the information desk and swap one for a bowl of rice at a stand with a red sign. Then walk the aisles of about 30 shops and trade tickets for toppings. Lean tuna costs one ticket and fatty otoro three, so the cheaper cuts stretch the strip further. Mutsu Bay scallops are the local pride, and stalls also take tickets for miso soup and for meat the butcher grills while you wait. Eat at the tables inside or in the 120-seat rest area upstairs, since a nokke-don cannot leave the building. Draft beer costs ¥500 in cash. Bowls are served from 07:00 to 16:00, and the market asks you to phone ahead if you arrive after 15:00. Tips: - Ask the stallholders what is good that day; the market says the best toppings change with the season. - There is no car park, so walk from the station or use the coin parking nearby. Q: How much does Aomori Gyosai Center cost? A: Prices at Aomori Gyosai Center start at ¥2,200 each (2026), about CAD 20 or USD 14 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Aomori Gyosai Center? A: Aomori Gyosai Center keeps these hours: Mon 07:00–16:00; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 07:00–16:00. Q: What should you order at Aomori Gyosai Center? A: At Aomori Gyosai Center, order scallop sashimi from the Mutsu Bay shops, or one otoro topping for three tickets if you want a treat. Q: Do you need a reservation at Aomori Gyosai Center? A: Aomori Gyosai Center: No reservations. Groups of ten or more can phone so the rice is ready. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nokkedon.jp/ https://nokkedon.jp/nokkedon/ https://nokkedon.jp/about/ https://nokkedon.jp/faq/ https://nokkedon.jp/news/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/aomori/A0201/A020101/2005888/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%9D%92%E6%A3%AE%E7%9C%8C%E9%9D%92%E6%A3%AE%E5%B8%82%E5%8F%A4%E5%B7%9D%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE11-16 ### Aosora Shokudo at Aso Shikisai URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/aosora-shokudo-aso-shikisai Type: Place to eat Local name: 青空食堂（あそ四季彩） (ja) Also known as: Aso Shikisai, Shikisai Ichinomiya, あそ四季彩 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kumamoto Town: Aso Address: 538-1 Miyaji, Ichinomiya-machi, Aso, Kumamoto 869-2612 Coordinates: 32.95400, 131.12440 Kind: Shokudo Hours: The canteen opens at 11:30 and Aso City lists last orders at 14:30. The farm shop next door opens from 9:00 to 18:00. Closed: Tuesdays; the farm shop closes 31 December to 4 January Price: ¥ From: ¥860 per person (2026), about CAD 7.70 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: A dago-jiru set meal costs ¥860 and a Kumamoto beef yakiniku set ¥1,480 on the menu posted on the website. Reservations: Terrace barbecues need booking for three or more. Vegetarian: Ask whether the dago-jiru broth is meat-free on the day. Cuisine: Kumamoto, teishoku Address: 538-1 Miyaji, Ichinomiya-machi, Aso, Kumamoto 869-2612 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥860 per person (2026), about CAD 7.70 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: http://4kisai.com/restaurant/ Summary: Aosora Shokudo suits riders crossing the Aso valley who want a cheap lunch of dago-jiru beside a farm shop, and it closes on Tuesdays and after lunch. Aosora Shokudo is the canteen at Aso Shikisai, a farm produce market in Ichinomiya on the east side of the Aso valley. Aso City and the market both point to its dago-jiru, made with the canteen's own rice flour for a chewy bite, and to set meals of Kumamoto beef. The farm shop next door sells vegetables straight from local growers, and the terrace grill lets a group of three or more cook them with meat if they book. Tips: - Come before 14:30, when Aso City lists last orders. Q: How much does Aosora Shokudo at Aso Shikisai cost? A: Prices at Aosora Shokudo at Aso Shikisai start at ¥860 per person (2026), about CAD 7.70 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: When is Aosora Shokudo at Aso Shikisai open? A: Aosora Shokudo at Aso Shikisai is open the canteen opens at 11:30 and Aso City lists last orders at 14:30. The farm shop next door opens from 9:00 to 18:00 and closed tuesdays; the farm shop closes 31 December to 4 January. Q: What should you order at Aosora Shokudo at Aso Shikisai? A: At Aosora Shokudo at Aso Shikisai, order dago-jiru set meal, or kumamoto beef misuji steak set. Q: Do you need a reservation at Aosora Shokudo at Aso Shikisai? A: Aosora Shokudo at Aso Shikisai: Terrace barbecues need booking for three or more. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://4kisai.com/restaurant/ http://4kisai.com/ https://www.city.aso.kumamoto.jp/tourism/spot/meal/meal/ ### Atami Purin URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/atami-purin Type: Place to eat Local name: 熱海プリン (ja) Also known as: Atami Pudding, 熱海プリン 本店, Atami Purin main shop Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Atami Address: 静岡県熱海市田原本町3-14 Coordinates: 35.10208, 139.07736 Kind: Sweets Closed: No regular closing day Price: ¥ From: ¥450 each (2026), about CAD 4 or USD 2.80 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Puddings cost ¥420–¥500 each. Reservations: No reservations Payment: Cash or PayPay; no credit cards (Retty) Vegetarian: Puddings contain egg and milk and no meat. Cuisine: Pudding, Sweets Address: 静岡県熱海市田原本町3-14 Price from: ¥450 each (2026), about CAD 4 or USD 2.80 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.atami-purin.com/ Summary: Atami Purin suits day-trippers stepping off the train at Atami who want a cold custard pudding in a bottle with a hippo on it, and the trade-off is a weekend queue for a shop with fifteen seats. Atami Purin opened the town's first pudding shop two minutes from Atami station, and it steams each batch slowly by hand in its own workshop. The plain pudding with house caramel syrup costs ¥450, and seasonal flavours such as pumpkin and Atami lemon rotate through the year. The hippo on the bottle comes from the salty Atami hot springs, since the shop's story says hippos love salt. Eat it on the spot or carry it to the beach, but it keeps only two to three days. The shop has no parking, so leave the car in a station lot. Tips: - The six-bottle set at ¥3,150 comes with a cool bag for the train home. Q: How much does Atami Purin cost? A: Prices at Atami Purin start at ¥450 each (2026), about CAD 4 or USD 2.80 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Atami Purin? A: Atami Purin keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–18:00. Q: What should you order at Atami Purin? A: At Atami Purin, order atami purin with caramel syrup, or a seasonal flavour. Q: Do you need a reservation at Atami Purin? A: Atami Purin: No reservations. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.atami-purin.com/ https://retty.me/area/PRE22/ARE76/SUB7601/100001353709/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%9D%99%E5%B2%A1%E7%9C%8C%E7%86%B1%E6%B5%B7%E5%B8%82%E7%94%B0%E5%8E%9F%E6%9C%AC%E7%94%BA3-14 ### Atsuta Horaiken Honten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/atsuta-horaiken-honten Type: Place to eat Local name: あつた蓬莱軒 本店 (ja) Also known as: Atsuta Horaiken, Horaiken, あつた蓬莱軒, 蓬莱軒 陣屋 Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Town: Nagoya Address: 503 Godo-cho, Atsuta-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 456-0043 Coordinates: 35.12011, 136.90672 Kind: Other Hours: Last orders at 14:00 and 20:30. Closed on Wednesdays and the second and fourth Thursdays, and open on public holidays. The shop may stop seating early when it's busy. Closed: Wednesdays and the second and fourth Thursdays Price: ¥¥¥ From: ¥4,950 each (2026), about CAD 44 or USD 31 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Hitsumabushi costs ¥4,950, and ¥6,600 for the ichihan with half as much again. Reservations: Phone bookings are for kaiseki courses only, at least three days ahead. Payment: Cards and e-money; no QR-code payments. Vegetarian: Very little; the menu is built on eel, with sashimi and tempura sets beside it. Cuisine: unagi Address: 503 Godo-cho, Atsuta-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 456-0043 Price from: ¥4,950 each (2026), about CAD 44 or USD 31 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.houraiken.com/honten/index.html Summary: Atsuta Horaiken's main shop suits anyone who wants hitsumabushi from the house that trademarked the name, and it shuts on Wednesdays and two Thursdays a month. Horaiken opened in 1873 on the old Tokaido at Miya, the post town beside Atsuta Shrine. The house story says the second owner sent several orders of eel rice out in one wooden tub after the delivery boys kept breaking bowls, then chopped the eel through the rice when diners ate the eel and left the rice. That became hitsumabushi, and the company registered the name as a trademark in 1987. A tub costs ¥4,950. Horaiken suggests splitting it four ways: plain, with condiments, with dashi poured over, and a last bowl the way you liked best. The main shop seats 180 and sits seven minutes on foot from Atsuta-Jingu-Temmacho subway station. Last orders are at 14:00 and 20:30. Q: How much does Atsuta Horaiken Honten cost? A: Prices at Atsuta Horaiken Honten start at ¥4,950 each (2026), about CAD 44 or USD 31 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Atsuta Horaiken Honten? A: Atsuta Horaiken Honten keeps these hours: Thu–Tue 11:30-14:00, 16:30-20:30. Q: What should you order at Atsuta Horaiken Honten? A: At Atsuta Horaiken Honten, order hitsumabushi, ¥4,950, or umaki, eel rolled into omelette, ¥1,200. Q: Do you need a reservation at Atsuta Horaiken Honten? A: Atsuta Horaiken Honten: Phone bookings are for kaiseki courses only, at least three days ahead. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.houraiken.com/honten/index.html https://www.houraiken.com/access.html https://www.houraiken.com/history.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%B2%E3%81%A4%E3%81%BE%E3%81%B6%E3%81%97 ### Azumaan Sohonten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/azumaan-sohonten Type: Place to eat Local name: 吾妻庵総本店 (ja) Also known as: Azumaan, 吾妻庵 Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Town: Tsuchiura Address: 1-6-11 Chuo, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Coordinates: 36.08240, 140.19940 Kind: Soba Hours: Lunch to 14:00 and dinner to 19:00, both last order. Closed Wednesdays. Closed: Wednesday Price: ¥¥ From: ¥2,050 each (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Hot tempura soba costs ¥2,050. Cuisine: soba Address: 1-6-11 Chuo, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Price from: ¥2,050 each (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Summary: Azumaan suits a sit-down soba lunch in old Tsuchiura from a shop that opened in 1873, and its early dinner close at 19:00 rules it out after a long day. Azumaan opened in 1873 and makes its soba from Ibaraki buckwheat, with a dashi of Satsuma bonito. The Tsuchiura tourism association recommends the hot tempura soba. Q: How much does Azumaan Sohonten cost? A: Prices at Azumaan Sohonten start at ¥2,050 each (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Azumaan Sohonten? A: Azumaan Sohonten keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 11:00-14:00, 17:00-19:00; Thu–Sun 11:00-14:00, 17:00-19:00. Q: What should you order at Azumaan Sohonten? A: At Azumaan Sohonten, order atatakai tempura soba. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tsuchiura-kankou.jp/taberu/taberu_page ### Azumaya Honten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/azumaya-honten Type: Place to eat Local name: 東家 本店 (ja) Also known as: Azumaya, 東家, Soba-dokoro Azumaya, Azumaya wanko soba Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Town: Morioka Address: 1-8-3 Nakanohashi-dori, Morioka, Iwate 020-0871 Coordinates: 39.70052, 141.15646 Kind: Soba Hours: Last orders are 19:00 for the menu and 18:30 for wanko soba. The main shop closes on the first Wednesday of each month, except in Golden Week and August, and the shop warns that crowds can change the hours on the day. Closed: First Wednesday of each month (not in Golden Week or August) Price: ¥¥¥ From: ¥4,500 per person (2026), about CAD 40 or USD 28 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Wanko soba costs ¥4,500 a person; children at primary and junior high school pay ¥700 less, and preschoolers aged three to five pay ¥1,800 with an adult. Plain soba and the vegan zaru soba start at ¥1,050. Reservations: Walk-ins are fine for wanko soba. Azumaya takes bookings for some tables on weekdays only, and on weekends, public holidays, Golden Week and from Marine Day to the end of August every seat goes to walk-ins. Vegetarian: Azumaya runs a separate vegan menu with soba and a broth made only from vegetables and seaweed. The standard wanko soba broth and side dishes include fish and chicken. Cuisine: Iwate soba, wanko soba Address: 1-8-3 Nakanohashi-dori, Morioka, Iwate 020-0871 Price from: ¥4,500 per person (2026), about CAD 40 or USD 28 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.wankosoba.jp/ Summary: Azumaya Honten suits anyone who wants wanko soba served the old Morioka way, with a server tipping mouthfuls into your bowl until you close the lid, and the trade-off is that weekend and holiday seats go to whoever turns up first. Azumaya has served soba in Morioka since 1907, and the main shop sits near the Morioka Bus Center on Nakanohashi-dori. Wanko soba cost ¥4,500 a person in 2026. A server stands beside you calling out "hai, don-don" and drops a mouthful of soba into your bowl each time you empty it, and fifteen of those bowls add up to roughly one ordinary bowl of kake soba. The table carries tuna sashimi, grated daikon with nameko mushrooms, minced chicken, sesame, nori and pickles to vary each round. You stop by putting the lid on your bowl while it is empty and the server is watching. Anyone who passes 100 bowls takes home a wooden certificate, and the shop's own records stand at 500 for men and 753 for women. Azumaya says there is no rule about speed, so pace yourself and talk to the server between bowls. A vegan menu uses a kombu and shiitake broth, with zaru soba from ¥1,050. Tips: - Check the shop's daily wanko soba notice on its website before you walk over, since the evening sitting can close its list early on busy days. - The Ekimae branch, on a second floor by exit A1 of the underpass in front of Morioka Station, serves the same wanko soba and closes on Tuesdays. Q: How much does Azumaya Honten cost? A: Prices at Azumaya Honten start at ¥4,500 per person (2026), about CAD 40 or USD 28 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Azumaya Honten? A: Azumaya Honten keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:00-15:00, 17:00-19:00. Q: What should you order at Azumaya Honten? A: At Azumaya Honten, order wanko soba, with the server refilling your bowl until you close the lid, or zaru soba from the vegan menu if you want one plain bowl. Q: Do you need a reservation at Azumaya Honten? A: Azumaya Honten: Walk-ins are fine for wanko soba. Azumaya takes bookings for some tables on weekdays only, and on weekends, public holidays, Golden Week and from Marine Day to the end of August every seat goes to walk-ins. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wankosoba.jp/ https://www.wankosoba.jp/wankosoba/ https://www.wankosoba.jp/contact/ https://www.wankosoba.jp/vegan/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%B2%A9%E6%89%8B%E7%9C%8C%E7%9B%9B%E5%B2%A1%E5%B8%82%E4%B8%AD%E3%83%8E%E6%A9%8B%E9%80%9A%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE8-3 ### Azuminoru Bakery URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/azuminoru-bakery Type: Place to eat Local name: あづみのるベーカリー (ja) Also known as: Azuminory Bakery, Azuminoru Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Azumino Address: 長野県安曇野市豊科南穂高5373-1 Coordinates: 36.32387, 137.91102 Kind: Bakery Hours: Thursday to Sunday 9:00–16:00, or until sold out. Prices changed on 24 September 2026. Closed: Monday to Wednesday Vegetarian: The breads are flour, water, salt and yeast; check fillings such as the cream cheese loaf. Cuisine: Bakery Address: 長野県安曇野市豊科南穂高5373-1 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: Five car spaces; no bike rack is listed. Website: https://azuminoru.com/ Summary: Azuminoru suits riders who want a loaf of country bread for the road in Azumino, and it opens only Thursday to Sunday until the shelves empty. Azuminoru bakes hard breads from Nagano-grown wheat using only flour, water, salt and yeast. The shelves hold pain au levain, baguettes, focaccia, rustique, campagne and a cranberry and cream cheese loaf. It opens 9:00 to 16:00, or until it sells out, from Thursday to Sunday, five minutes from the Azumino interchange. The bakery asks visitors not to stop or turn on the road in front of the neighbours' houses, so park in its five spaces or lean the bike out of the way. Q: What are the opening hours of Azuminoru Bakery? A: Azuminoru Bakery keeps these hours: Mon–Wed closed; Thu–Sun 09:00–16:00. Q: What should you order at Azuminoru Bakery? A: At Azuminoru Bakery, order pain au levain, or focaccia for a roadside lunch. Q: Can you park a bike at Azuminoru Bakery? A: Azuminoru Bakery: five car spaces; no bike rack is listed. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://azuminoru.com/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/12270740680 ### Bakudan Onigiri-ya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/bakudan-onigiri-ya Type: Place to eat Local name: 爆弾おにぎり家 (ja) Also known as: Bomb onigiri Ponshukan Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町湯沢2427-3 越後湯沢駅構内 Coordinates: 36.93610, 138.80990 Kind: Other Hours: Last order 18:30; hours change with the season. Reservations: Take orders of ten or more ahead in December to March and other peak periods. Cuisine: onigiri Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町湯沢2427-3 越後湯沢駅構内 Website: https://www.ponshukan.com/yuzawa/ Summary: Bakudan Onigiri-ya suits Shinkansen riders who want a giant rice ball of Minamiuonuma Koshihikari before the train, and its trade-off is a queue in the ski season. The onigiri counter inside Ponshukan cooks Minamiuonuma Koshihikari from contract farms in a traditional hagama pot every day, then shapes it to order into rice balls the size of a fist and more. It opens daily from 09:30 to 19:00 with last orders at 18:30, and the hours shift with the season. For ten or more onigiri in the winter peak and other busy weeks, order ahead. Q: What are the opening hours of Bakudan Onigiri-ya? A: Bakudan Onigiri-ya keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:30–19:00. Q: What should you order at Bakudan Onigiri-ya? A: At Bakudan Onigiri-ya, order a bakudan onigiri with a filling of your choice. Q: Do you need a reservation at Bakudan Onigiri-ya? A: Bakudan Onigiri-ya: Take orders of ten or more ahead in December to March and other peak periods. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ponshukan.com/yuzawa/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/gourmet_p/bakudan-onigiri-echigoyuzawaekit/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/gourmet/ ### Barikiya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/barikiya Type: Place to eat Local name: 焼肉酒房 馬力屋 (ja) Also known as: Yakiniku Barikiya, Barikiya Kusatsu, 馬力屋 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Address: 640-101 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Coordinates: 36.62203, 138.60837 Kind: Yakiniku Hours: Opens at 17:30, last order 21:45 and last entry 21:15, closing about 22:30 or earlier when the meat runs out. It closes on Mondays and on two more days a month shown on its calendar. Closed: Mondays, plus two irregular days a month Reservations: Book by phone from 14:00, opening one month ahead to the day. The shop does not take calls between 17:30 and 20:00, seats parties for 90 minutes, and does not seat solo diners. Late cancellations cost ¥3,000 a person. Payment: Cards and QR payments accepted Vegetarian: No. This is a meat grill. Cuisine: yakiniku, shochu Address: 640-101 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Website: https://barikiya.gunma.jp/ Summary: Barikiya suits groups who want a charcoal wagyu dinner after a day on the slopes in Kusatsu, and it fills up so fast that you need to book on the phone well ahead. Barikiya is a small charcoal yakiniku house on the east side of town, about 20 minutes' walk or three minutes by car from the bus terminal. The owner checks every cut by eye and hand, the sauce is the house's own, and a bowl of scooped tofu comes to the table on the house. Its own news page shows full houses on busy nights through 2026, so phone the day bookings open. Q: Do I need to book Barikiya in Kusatsu? A: Yes. Barikiya often fills, so phone from 14:00 on the day bookings open, one month ahead. Q: Can I eat alone at Barikiya? A: No. Barikiya does not seat solo diners. Q: What are the opening hours of Barikiya? A: Barikiya keeps these hours: Mon closed; Tue–Sun 17:30–22:30. Q: What should you order at Barikiya? A: At Barikiya, order charcoal-grilled wagyu with the house sauce, or sukui-dofu, the scooped tofu the shop serves with pride. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://barikiya.gunma.jp/ https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/kankou/1084.php ### Bashoen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/bashoen Type: Place to eat Local name: 芭蕉苑 (ja) Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Ikenotaira Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市関川2264-1 Coordinates: 36.86670, 138.17630 Kind: Soba Hours: Closed in winter. Closed: Winter Cuisine: soba Address: 新潟県妙高市関川2264-1 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: Bashoen suits walkers and cyclists who want hand-made soba on the shore of Imori Pond, and its trade-off is a winter closure. Bashoen sits on the edge of Imori Pond, where Mt. Myoko shows in the water on a still morning. The soba is hand-made from Myoko buckwheat, and the soft-serve is popular after a loop of the pond. Myoko Tourism lists opening from 08:00 to 17:00 and a closure through winter. Q: What are the opening hours of Bashoen? A: Bashoen keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Bashoen? A: At Bashoen, order hand-made soba, or soft-serve ice cream. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://myokotourism.jp/restaurants/%e8%8a%ad%e8%95%89%e8%8b%91/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?format=json&q=芭蕉苑%20妙高 ### BeerHouse Matatabi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/beerhouse-matatabi-nekoma Type: Place to eat Local name: BeerHouse またたび (ja) Also known as: Matatabi, またたび, Beerhouse MATATABI, Bandai Shokudo, 磐梯食堂 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Fukushima Town: Bandai Address: South Resort Center WEST 1F, NEKOMA Mountain South Area, 6838-68 Shimizudaira, Sarashina, Bandai-machi, Yama-gun, Fukushima Status: opening (opens 2027-01-08). New for 2026/27. NEKOMA lists the beer house from 8 January to 6 March 2027, opening at 16:00. Coordinates: 37.58588, 140.03339 Kind: Bar Hours: Opens at 16:00 from 8 January to 6 March 2027. NEKOMA has not published a closing time. Prices: NEKOMA has not published prices for the beer house. Reservations: No reservations needed. Cuisine: beer, bar snacks, après Address: South Resort Center WEST 1F, NEKOMA Mountain South Area, 6838-68 Shimizudaira, Sarashina, Bandai-machi, Yama-gun, Fukushima Website: https://www.nekoma.co.jp/food/ Summary: BeerHouse Matatabi suits NEKOMA skiers based at the South Area who want a drink straight off the slopes without driving anywhere, and the trade-off is a run of about eight weeks in the heart of winter. From 16:00 the Bandai Shokudo canteen in the South Area's resort centre turns into a beer house, with drinks and light snacks and no booking needed. NEKOMA pitches it as après for skiers and as a dinner stop for people staying nearby, including guests at the new BunkLodge NEKOMA at the South base. The counter is on the first floor of Resort Center WEST, with seating upstairs on the second. By day the same room serves curry and a Bandai sauce katsu-don that dips the pork cutlet in a sweet and savoury sauce, as Aizu does. Lunch runs from 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, with last orders at 14:00 on weekdays and 14:30 on weekends and holidays. Tips: - Dogs may enter the South Resort Center's rest areas; the restaurants are off limits to them. Q: When does BeerHouse Matatabi open? A: BeerHouse Matatabi is due to open in January 2027. New for 2026/27. NEKOMA lists the beer house from 8 January to 6 March 2027, opening at 16:00. Q: What should you order at BeerHouse Matatabi? A: At BeerHouse Matatabi, order a beer after your last run, or bandai sauce katsu-don at lunch, when the room is still Bandai Shokudo. Q: Do you need a reservation at BeerHouse Matatabi? A: BeerHouse Matatabi: No reservations needed. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nekoma.co.jp/food/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/feature/26-27season/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/fukushima/A0705/A070502/7012123/ ### Billiken Shokudo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/billiken-shokudo Type: Place to eat Local name: ビリケン食堂 (ja) Also known as: Cafe Billiken, Billiken Nozawa, Billiken Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Coordinates: 36.92424, 138.44704 Kind: Shokudo Hours: Dinner (Nozawa Hospitality). Reservations: Reservations only. Cuisine: Italian, Japanese Summary: Billiken suits families who want homemade pizza and big plates of pasta in Nozawa's old quarter, and dinner is by reservation. Billiken is a family-run restaurant near the Asagama bath in the old part of the village, a few minutes' walk from the main street. Nozawa Hospitality lists homemade pizza and pasta at dinner, with reservations only. Nozawa Holidays' guide describes the pasta servings as large. Q: When is Billiken Shokudo open? A: Billiken Shokudo is open dinner (Nozawa Hospitality). Q: What should you order at Billiken Shokudo? A: At Billiken Shokudo, order homemade pizza, or pasta. Q: Do you need a reservation at Billiken Shokudo? A: Billiken Shokudo: Reservations only. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nozawahospitality.com/restaurants https://www.nozawaholidays.com/news/a-guide-to-eating-out-in-nozawa-onsen/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4224990598 ### Biwako Daughters URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/biwako-daughters Type: Place to eat Local name: ビワコドーターズ (ja) Also known as: BIWAKO DAUGHTERS Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Coordinates: 35.13545, 136.00073 Kind: Other Hours: Hours are from the Biwaichi support-station listing. Closed: Wednesdays Price: ¥ Cuisine: lake fish, tsukudani On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: The Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, a toilet, a pump and tools here. Price band: ¥ Website: https://biwakodaughters.jp/ Summary: Biwako Daughters suits riders on the Yasu shore who want lake fish in a bento or a sandwich, and it is a small take-out counter. The daughters of a fishing family, now in its third generation, run this shop at Shobu in Yasu, on the east shore between Moriyama and Omihachiman. They sell what the boats bring in as bento and sandwiches, as tsukudani simmered in soy, as funazushi and even as gelato. The prefecture chose it for its Spring Biwaichi 2026 food rally, and the Biwaichi map lists a rack and a pump. Q: What are the opening hours of Biwako Daughters? A: Biwako Daughters keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 10:00–17:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 10:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Biwako Daughters? A: At Biwako Daughters, order lake-fish bento, or tsukudani of lake fish, or funazushi, or gelato. Q: Can you park a bike at Biwako Daughters? A: Biwako Daughters: the Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, a toilet, a pump and tools here. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/sa00/23924.html https://biwakodaughters.jp/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/13111263884 ### Butti Bakery URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/butti-bakery Type: Place to eat Also known as: Butti Bakery Onomichi, Onomichi U2 bakery, Buchi Bakery Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: 広島県尾道市西御所町5-11 ONOMICHI U2 Coordinates: 34.40242, 133.19045 Kind: Bakery Hours: Open daily from 9:30 to 18:30, year-round. Closed: Open year-round Price: ¥ Prices: Tabelog puts a visit under ¥1,000. Vegetarian: Bread makes meat-free eating easy here; check fillings and ask about dairy and egg. Cuisine: Bakery Address: 広島県尾道市西御所町5-11 ONOMICHI U2 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: Yard Café next door runs a cycle-through counter on the sea side with bottle refills for riders. Price band: ¥ Website: https://onomichi-u2.com/meal/ Summary: Butti Bakery suits riders stocking up on bread at the start of the Shimanami, and it opens at 9:30, which is late for anyone setting off at dawn. Butti takes its name from buchi, Hiroshima dialect for very, and it bakes everyday loaves on a natural levain starter inside ONOMICHI U2. The shelves also carry food from producers around the Seto Inland Sea and goods made with local farmers. Yard Café next door keeps the same hours and runs a cycle-through window on the sea side for bottle refills. Grab bread for the first island and a coffee to drink on the quay. Q: What are the opening hours of Butti Bakery? A: Butti Bakery keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:30–18:30. Q: What should you order at Butti Bakery? A: At Butti Bakery, order a loaf or roll made with the house levain, or a coffee from Yard Café next door to go with it. Q: Can you park a bike at Butti Bakery? A: Butti Bakery: yard Café next door runs a cycle-through counter on the sea side with bottle refills for riders. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://onomichi-u2.com/meal/ https://onomichi-u2.com/about/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/hiroshima/A3406/A340302/34020214/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E8%A5%BF%E5%BE%A1%E6%89%80%E7%94%BA5-11 ### Umibe no Cafe Delmar URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/cafe-delmar Type: Place to eat Local name: 海辺のカフェ デルマー (ja) Also known as: Cafe Delmar, Cafe Del Mar Aoya, デルマー Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Tottori Address: 271-1 Ide, Aoya-cho, Tottori, Tottori Coordinates: 35.52108, 133.98408 Kind: Cafe Hours: Lunch starts at 11:00 and ends when it sells out. The café says its days off vary and asks for calls before lunch or after 15:00. Closed: Varies Reservations: Lunch bookings are possible at some times; call ahead. Cuisine: café, lunch Address: 271-1 Ide, Aoya-cho, Tottori, Tottori On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: A Tottori cycle café with a bike rack, a pump and tools to borrow, toilets and free tap water. Website: http://cafe-delmar.com/ Summary: Delmar suits riders on the Aoya stretch of the Uminami Road who want lunch by the sea with a bike rack outside, and lunch ends when the kitchen sells out. Delmar sits on the shore at Aoya in western Tottori city, where it also rents stand-up paddleboards and runs surf lessons. Lunch starts at 11:00 and stops when the food runs out, and the phone goes unanswered at busy lunchtimes. Tottori lists it as a cycle café, so riders get a rack, a pump and tools and free water. Q: When is Umibe no Cafe Delmar open? A: Umibe no Cafe Delmar is open lunch starts at 11:00 and ends when it sells out. The café says its days off vary and asks for calls before lunch or after 15:00 and closed varies. Q: Do you need a reservation at Umibe no Cafe Delmar? A: Umibe no Cafe Delmar: Lunch bookings are possible at some times; call ahead. Q: Can you park a bike at Umibe no Cafe Delmar? A: Umibe no Cafe Delmar: a Tottori cycle café with a bike rack, a pump and tools to borrow, toilets and free tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://cafe-delmar.com/ https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/details_support https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%B3%A5%E5%8F%96%E7%9C%8C%E9%B3%A5%E5%8F%96%E5%B8%82%E9%9D%92%E8%B0%B7%E7%94%BA%E4%BA%95%E6%89%8B271-1 ### Cafe Mustache URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/cafe-mustache Type: Place to eat Also known as: Café Mustache, Cafe Mustache Hirayu Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Hirayu Onsen Address: 679 Hirayu, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1433 Coordinates: 36.19153, 137.55262 Kind: Cafe Closed: Irregular Price: ¥ From: ¥450 each (2026), about CAD 4 or USD 2.80 (October 2026 rates) Cuisine: Café Address: 679 Hirayu, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1433 Price from: ¥450 each (2026), about CAD 4 or USD 2.80 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Summary: Cafe Mustache suits a coffee while you wait for a bus at Hirayu, since it is right by the Hirayu Onsen stop. The trade-off is that its closing days are irregular. The café sits beside the Hirayu Onsen bus stop, about an hour from Takayama on the Nohi bus. A blend coffee costs ¥450 and a café au lait ¥480, and it opens from 8:00 to 19:00. Q: How much does Cafe Mustache cost? A: Prices at Cafe Mustache start at ¥450 each (2026), about CAD 4 or USD 2.80 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Cafe Mustache? A: Cafe Mustache keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:00–19:00. Q: What should you order at Cafe Mustache? A: At Cafe Mustache, order blend coffee. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3708.html ### Cafe Nisshoan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/cafe-nisshoan Type: Place to eat Local name: CAFE 日升庵 (ja) Also known as: Nisshoan, 日升庵, Cafe Nissho-an Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Town: Tsukuba Address: 1221-3 Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-4352 Coordinates: 36.21360, 140.09450 Kind: Cafe Hours: Listed at 11:00–18:00 and closed Fridays in an older guide; check before you ride up. Closed: Friday (older listing) Cuisine: burgers, senbei Address: 1221-3 Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-4352 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: Cafe Nisshoan suits riders who have climbed to the Mt. Tsukuba Shrine village and want a big burger, and its hours come from an older listing, so check before you count on it. Nisshoan sits partway up Mt. Tsukuba near the shrine village, and the prefecture's cycling site puts it on its shrine rides for its large burgers. You can also grill your own rice crackers over a hibachi. Q: When is Cafe Nisshoan open? A: Cafe Nisshoan is open listed at 11:00–18:00 and closed Fridays in an older guide; check before you ride up and closed friday (older listing). Q: What should you order at Cafe Nisshoan? A: At Cafe Nisshoan, order hamburger, or hand-grilled rice crackers. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ringring/gourmet/ https://tsukubasan.org/gourmet/155/ ### Champion Curry Nonoichi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/champion-curry-nonoichi Type: Place to eat Local name: カレーのチャンピオン 野々市本店 (ja) Also known as: Champion Curry, Chan Curry, Curry no Champion, チャンカレ, Champion Curry main store Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Address: 20-17 Takahashimachi, Nonoichi, Ishikawa Coordinates: 36.53027, 136.62460 Kind: Other Hours: 11:00–23:00, last orders 22:45. Open every day except the summer break and New Year. Closed: Summer break and New Year Reservations: Walk-ins. Cuisine: Japanese curry Address: 20-17 Takahashimachi, Nonoichi, Ishikawa Website: https://chancurry.com/ Summary: Champion Curry's main shop in Nonoichi suits anyone who wants Kanazawa curry from the company that traces the style to its founder, and its trade-off is a suburban setting south of Kanazawa. Yoshikazu Tanaka opened Yoshoku Tanaka in Kanazawa in 1961, and the business grew into Champion Curry. The company traces the Kanazawa curry style to Tanaka's recipe: thick roux over all the rice and a sauced cutlet on top. The main shop is in Nonoichi, the town next to Kanazawa, open 11:00 to 23:00 with last orders at 22:45. Locals call the chain Chan-Curry. The company itself says the name Kanazawa curry only came into use around 2005, and it lists several other old local houses that serve the style. Q: What are the opening hours of Champion Curry Nonoichi? A: Champion Curry Nonoichi keeps these hours: Daily 11:00–23:00. Q: What should you order at Champion Curry Nonoichi? A: At Champion Curry Nonoichi, order l-katsu curry, the cutlet curry the company calls the model for the style. Q: Do you need a reservation at Champion Curry Nonoichi? A: Champion Curry Nonoichi: Walk-ins. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://chancurry.com/area/ishikawa/ https://chancurry.com/history https://chancurry.com/ ### Cherry Pub URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/cherry-pub-hakuba Type: Place to eat Also known as: Cherry Pub Hakuba, チェリーパブ Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Coordinates: 36.68949, 137.84561 Kind: Bar Hours: 17:00–22:00 (Hakuba.com, 2025). Closed: Tuesdays and Wednesdays (Hakuba.com, 2025) Cuisine: American, Pub After skiing: A good stop after the last lift Summary: Cherry Pub suits a hungry après crowd that wants ribs, steak and cocktails at the edge of Echoland, and it opens only from 17:00. Cherry Pub is an American-style pub on the edge of Echoland. Hakuba.com lists chicken parmigiana, lasagna, ribs and steaks, and Japan Ski Experience adds tacos and cocktails. The 2025 list has it open from 17:00 to 22:00 on Monday and Thursday through Sunday. It is a walk from most Echoland lodges, which settles the question of who drives. Tips: - Après: Cherry Pub opens at 17:00, when the lifts close. Q: What are the opening hours of Cherry Pub? A: Cherry Pub keeps these hours: Mon 17:00–22:00; Tue closed; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 17:00–22:00. Q: What should you order at Cherry Pub? A: At Cherry Pub, order ribs, or chicken parmigiana. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakuba.com/blogs/50-hakuba-restaurants-to-try-in-summer https://japanskiexperience.com/news-and-articles/hakuba-restaurant-guide https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/6297005185 ### Chidori URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/chidori-setoda Type: Place to eat Local name: お食事処ちどり (ja) Also known as: Chidori Setoda, ちどり, Setoda tako-meshi, 御食事処ちどり Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Setoda Address: 広島県尾道市瀬戸田町瀬戸田530-2 Coordinates: 34.30525, 133.09053 Kind: Shokudo Hours: Public holidays follow the weekend lunch hours. Tabelog lists Monday as closed too, with lunch ending at 14:30, and Rurubu says evenings close on irregular days, so call ahead for dinner or a Monday. Closed: Tuesday (Tabelog also lists Monday) Price: ¥¥ From: ¥1,450 each (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The official menu lists tako-meshi at ¥1,450 and the Chidori gozen set at ¥3,500. Reservations: Book the Setoda lemon nabe ahead (three groups a day); other dishes need no booking. Payment: Cards accepted (Rurubu) Vegetarian: Very little; the menu is built on octopus and seafood. Cuisine: Seafood, Octopus Address: 広島県尾道市瀬戸田町瀬戸田530-2 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥1,450 each (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.20 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: http://chidori-onomichi.com/ Summary: Chidori suits riders who want a seated octopus lunch in Setoda right outside Kosanji's main gate, and weekday lunch stops at 15:00. Chidori stands in front of Kosanji's main gate, about eight minutes' walk from Setoda port, and builds its menu on the island's octopus and lemons. Tako-meshi is rice cooked with fresh octopus and costs ¥1,450 on the official menu, while the tako-ten don finished with egg is the dish the shop says sells best. The young chef came up with a single-portion lemon nabe at ¥1,400. The full Setoda lemon nabe with oysters and sea bream is for two or more and needs a booking. Q: How much does Chidori cost? A: Prices at Chidori start at ¥1,450 each (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Chidori? A: Chidori keeps these hours: Mon 11:00-15:00, 18:00-21:00; Tue closed; Wed–Fri 11:00-15:00, 18:00-21:00; Sat–Sun 11:00-16:00, 18:00-21:00. Q: What should you order at Chidori? A: At Chidori, order tako-meshi (rice cooked with local octopus), or tako-ten don with egg. Q: Do you need a reservation at Chidori? A: Chidori: Book the Setoda lemon nabe ahead (three groups a day); other dishes need no booking. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://chidori-onomichi.com/ http://chidori-onomichi.com/menu.html https://s.tabelog.com/en/hiroshima/A3406/A340603/34010672/ https://rurubu.jp/andmore/spot/80034539 https://www.mapple.net/spot/34012045/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E7%80%AC%E6%88%B8%E7%94%B0%E7%94%BA%E7%80%AC%E6%88%B8%E7%94%B0530-2 ### Chuka Soba Shu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/chuka-soba-shu Type: Place to eat Local name: 中華そば 朱 (ja) Also known as: Shu, 朱, Chukasoba Shu, 中華そば朱 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: 広島県尾道市十四日元町6-16 Coordinates: 34.40889, 133.20399 Kind: Ramen Hours: Closed on Thursdays and on the third Wednesday of each month (Tabelog). Closed: Thursday and the third Wednesday of the month Price: ¥ Prices: Tabelog puts a bowl under ¥1,000. Reservations: No reservations Payment: Cash at the ticket machine Vegetarian: None; the soup carries fish stock and pork back fat. Cuisine: Onomichi ramen Address: 広島県尾道市十四日元町6-16 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Summary: Shu suits ramen fans who want the taste of Shukaen, which closed after its owner died, and the trade-off is a cramped room where every seat feels like a counter stool. Shukaen helped define Onomichi ramen and closed for good after the owner's death. Retty reviewers say members of his family opened Shu near city hall to bring the bowl back, and Tabelog records the opening as 16 November 2020. The menu is short, written on wooden boards by the door and sold through a ticket machine inside. The light shoyu soup hides under a layer of back fat that keeps it scalding, so take the first sips slowly. Tips: - Seating is tight, so a big group does better splitting into twos and threes. Q: What are the opening hours of Chuka Soba Shu? A: Chuka Soba Shu keeps these hours: Mon–Wed 11:00–17:00; Thu closed; Fri–Sun 11:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Chuka Soba Shu? A: At Chuka Soba Shu, order wantan-men with pork wontons, or yakisoba, which a Retty reviewer says shares the ramen's stock. Q: Do you need a reservation at Chuka Soba Shu? A: Chuka Soba Shu: No reservations. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://s.tabelog.com/en/hiroshima/A3406/A340302/34027716/ https://retty.me/restaurant/100001585380/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E5%8D%81%E5%9B%9B%E6%97%A5%E5%85%83%E7%94%BA6-16 ### Dekonaru Yokocho URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/dekonaru-yokocho Type: Place to eat Local name: 高山まちなか屋台村 でこなる横丁 (ja) Also known as: Dekonaru, Takayama yatai village Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 24 Asahi-machi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14388, 137.25656 Kind: Bar Hours: 17:00 to 3:00, with hours and days off set by each stall. Closed: Varies by stall Payment: Cards at many stalls Cuisine: Izakaya, Bar Address: 24 Asahi-machi, Takayama, Gifu Website: https://dekonaru.com Summary: Dekonaru Yokocho suits a night out when you want to try several stalls in one alley, alone or in a group. The trade-off is that each stall keeps its own hours, so some may be shut on the night you go. Dekonaru is a lane of small food stalls eight minutes from the station, where locals and visitors share counters until late. Each stall sets its own hours and dishes, and the tourism office says solo travellers fit in easily. Q: What are the opening hours of Dekonaru Yokocho? A: Dekonaru Yokocho keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 17:00–03:00. Q: What should you order at Dekonaru Yokocho? A: At Dekonaru Yokocho, order local dishes from more than one stall. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3008.html ### Dewaya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/dewaya-nishikawa Type: Place to eat Local name: 出羽屋 (ja) Also known as: 出羽屋, Sansai Ryori Dewaya, 山菜料理 出羽屋, Soba Dokoro Dewaya, Dewa Ya Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Nishikawa Address: 山形県西村山郡西川町大字間沢58 Coordinates: 38.43059, 140.13176 Kind: Soba Hours: Tabelog gives 14:00 as the last lunch order and lists Tuesday plus the New Year holidays as closed. Closed: Tuesday and the New Year holidays (Tabelog) Price: ¥¥ From: ¥1,600 each (2026), about CAD 14 or USD 10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Soba-shop prices come from Dewaya's cuisine page and include tax. The inn's courses run from ¥8,800 to ¥28,000 and need booking. Reservations: Not needed for the soba shop; courses need booking by phone. Vegetarian: The vegetables are wild plants; the inn does not describe the soba broth, so ask before you order. Cuisine: soba, sansai Address: 山形県西村山郡西川町大字間沢58 Price from: ¥1,600 each (2026), about CAD 14 or USD 10 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.dewaya.com/ Summary: Dewaya suits anyone driving the Gassan road who wants mountain-vegetable soba at a lunch counter with no booking, and the trade-off is a kitchen that shuts at 14:00. Dewaya began more than ninety years ago as an inn for pilgrims heading into Dewa Sanzan, and it built its name on cooking sansai, the wild vegetables of Mt. Gassan. The inn's full courses need booking and cost from ¥8,800. The soba shop on the ground floor takes walk-ins at lunch. Its Gassan sansai soba comes in an iron pot loaded with whatever the mountain gave that season, so the bowl changes through the year. Tabelog gave the inn a Silver award for 2025 and 2026. Mazawa sits a few minutes from Nishikawa interchange on the Yamagata Expressway, and the town bus to Gassan Shizu Onsen stops two minutes away. Tips: - Late October brings new-season soba; nameko and mukitake mushrooms follow into November, according to the inn's seasonal calendar. Q: How much does Dewaya cost? A: Prices at Dewaya start at ¥1,600 each (2026), about CAD 14 or USD 10 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Dewaya? A: Dewaya keeps these hours: Mon 11:30–14:00; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:30–14:00. Q: What should you order at Dewaya? A: At Dewaya, order gassan sansai soba in the iron pot, or seasonal tempura. Q: Do you need a reservation at Dewaya? A: Dewaya: Not needed for the soba shop; courses need booking by phone. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.dewaya.com/ https://www.dewaya.com/cuisine/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/yamagata/A0605/A060505/6000120/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2%E7%9C%8C%E8%A5%BF%E6%9D%91%E5%B1%B1%E9%83%A1%E8%A5%BF%E5%B7%9D%E7%94%BA%E5%A4%A7%E5%AD%97%E9%96%93%E6%B2%A258 ### Dogo Beer Bar URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/dogo-beer-bar Type: Place to eat Local name: 道後BEER BAR (ja) Also known as: Dogo Beer Bar Minakuchi, 道後ビールバー Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Town: Matsuyama Address: 20-13 Dogo-yunomachi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0842 Coordinates: 33.85230, 132.78620 Kind: Bar Hours: The brewery does not publish the taproom's hours. Cuisine: Craft beer, Sake Address: 20-13 Dogo-yunomachi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0842 Website: https://minakuchi-shuzo.jp/pages/shoplist Summary: Dogo Beer Bar suits a cold beer right after the Honkan, and the brewery does not publish its hours. Minakuchi Shuzo lists this taproom next to Dogo Onsen among its own shops, and it pours Dogo Beer and Nikitatsu sake straight from the brewery. Q: When is Dogo Beer Bar open? A: Dogo Beer Bar is open the brewery does not publish the taproom's hours. Q: What should you order at Dogo Beer Bar? A: At Dogo Beer Bar, order a cold Dogo Beer straight from the brewery, or a glass of Nikitatsu sake. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://minakuchi-shuzo.jp/pages/shoplist https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%84%9B%E5%AA%9B%E7%9C%8C%E6%9D%BE%E5%B1%B1%E5%B8%82%E9%81%93%E5%BE%8C%E6%B9%AF%E4%B9%8B%E7%94%BA20-13 ### Dogo Ichie URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/dogo-ichie Type: Place to eat Local name: 道後一会 (ja) Also known as: Dogo Ichie Cafe Bar, Minakuchi Shuzo, Nikitatsu Kurabu, 水口酒造 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Town: Matsuyama Address: 3-18 Dogo-kitamachi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0848 Coordinates: 33.85140, 132.78210 Kind: Sake brewery Hours: The café bar opens 11:00 to 17:00 and the brewery shop 10:00 to 17:00, with no closing day. Closed: No closing day Price: ¥ From: ¥750 each (2026), about CAD 6.70 or USD 4.70 (October 2026 rates) Reservations: Brewery and beer-plant tours by arrangement. Cuisine: Sake, Craft beer Address: 3-18 Dogo-kitamachi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0848 Price from: ¥750 each (2026), about CAD 6.70 or USD 4.70 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://dogo-ichie.jp/ Summary: Dogo Ichie suits a late-afternoon drink after the bath at Dogo's only sake brewery, and it closes at 17:00. Minakuchi Shuzo is the only sake brewery in Dogo, and Dogo Ichie is its shop and café bar beside the brewery. The beers carry names from Soseki's Botchan: the Kolsch is Botchan Beer, the Alt is Madonna Beer, the stout is Soseki Beer and the Weizen is Nobosan Beer, at ¥750 a glass. Ask about a brewery or beer-plant tour while you are there. Q: How much does Dogo Ichie cost? A: Prices at Dogo Ichie start at ¥750 each (2026), about CAD 6.70 or USD 4.70 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Dogo Ichie? A: Dogo Ichie keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Dogo Ichie? A: At Dogo Ichie, order dogo Beer Kolsch, sold as Botchan Beer, or a tasting of the brewery's Nikitatsu sake. Q: Do you need a reservation at Dogo Ichie? A: Dogo Ichie: Brewery and beer-plant tours by arrangement. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://dogo-ichie.jp/ https://minakuchi-shuzo.jp/pages/shoplist https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%84%9B%E5%AA%9B%E7%9C%8C%E6%9D%BE%E5%B1%B1%E5%B8%82%E9%81%93%E5%BE%8C%E5%96%9C%E5%A4%9A%E7%94%BA3-18 ### Shimanami Dolce Setoda URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/dolce-setoda Type: Place to eat Local name: しまなみドルチェ 瀬戸田本店 (ja) Also known as: Dolce Setoda, Dolce, Setoda gelato, ドルチェ Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Setoda Address: 広島県尾道市瀬戸田町林20-8 Coordinates: 34.30925, 133.11688 Kind: Sweets Hours: Open every day. The Kosanji-mae branch closes at 16:30 and its closed days change with the season. Closed: Open year-round Price: ¥ Prices: Mapple lists a single scoop from ¥400 and a double from ¥600 in an undated entry. Reservations: No reservations Payment: Cards accepted (Mapple) Vegetarian: Gelato has no meat; most flavours contain milk. Cuisine: Gelato Address: 広島県尾道市瀬戸田町林20-8 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.setoda-dolce.com/ Summary: Dolce's main shop suits anyone who wants gelato made with Setoda citrus on the way round Ikuchijima, and it closes at 17:00 every day of the year. Dolce makes its gelato on Ikuchijima with citrus and fruit grown nearby, and the main shop sits in Hayashi on the north side of the island. Tabelog named it to its ice cream and gelato Top 100 in 2023 and 2026. The shop's own pick is the gelato made with Hakata salt, and its best-known flavours use Setoda lemon and deko-mikan. A second branch stands in front of Kosanji in Setoda town if that suits your route better. Q: What are the opening hours of Shimanami Dolce Setoda? A: Shimanami Dolce Setoda keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Shimanami Dolce Setoda? A: At Shimanami Dolce Setoda, order hakata no Shio salt gelato (the main shop's own recommendation), or setoda lemon or deko-mikan gelato. Q: Do you need a reservation at Shimanami Dolce Setoda? A: Shimanami Dolce Setoda: No reservations. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.setoda-dolce.com/shop-list.html https://www.setoda-dolce.com/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/hiroshima/A3406/A340603/34002088/ https://www.mapple.net/spot/34010705/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E7%80%AC%E6%88%B8%E7%94%B0%E7%94%BA%E6%9E%9720-8 ### Doma-nin URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/doma-nin-kakunodate Type: Place to eat Local name: 土間人 角館店 (ja) Also known as: Domanin, Doma Nin, 土間人, Michinoku Kokyoto Doma-nin Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Town: Kakunodate Address: 30 Shimonaka-cho, Kakunodate-machi, Semboku, Akita 014-0317 Coordinates: 39.59299, 140.56258 Kind: Izakaya Hours: Lunch last orders at 14:00. Dinner last orders at 21:00 for food and 21:20 for drinks. Closed: Tuesday; also 13 August, 31 December and 1 January Price: ¥¥ Prices: Prices come from the shop's own menu page, which carries no date. The same page also lists the oyakodon at ¥1,200 in another section, so expect small differences on the bill. Tabelog reviewers spend ¥1,000 to ¥1,999 at lunch and ¥3,000 to ¥3,999 at dinner. Reservations: Reservations by phone; Tabelog notes that staff may not pick up at busy times. Payment: Cash or card Cuisine: izakaya, Akita cooking, kiritanpo, Hinai chicken Address: 30 Shimonaka-cho, Kakunodate-machi, Semboku, Akita 014-0317 Price band: ¥¥ Website: http://oogiri.co.jp/domanin/ Summary: Doma-nin suits visitors who want kiritanpo nabe or Hinai chicken in Kakunodate after the day-trippers leave, because it reopens at 17:00 as an izakaya, and the trade-off is a Tuesday closure that catches midweek travellers. Doma-nin fills an old storehouse on Shimonaka-cho, about ten minutes on foot from Kakunodate Station, and serves lunch and coffee by day before turning into an izakaya at 17:00. At lunch the Hinai chicken oyakodon costs ¥1,650 and trades places with one other dish as the best seller, while the kiritanpo gozen set costs ¥2,200. In the evening the kiritanpo nabe is ¥1,850 on the menu page, and Hinai chicken grilled on the bone over charcoal runs to ¥4,200. The house pizza is spread with miso made by Ando Jozo in Kakunodate, and it makes a good snack with Akita sake. Evening tables pay a ¥330 starter charge, according to Tabelog. Tips: - Drivers should use the car park entrance on the north side of the building. - Kiritanpo nabe is the evening order, so come for dinner if that is the dish you are after. Q: What are the opening hours of Doma-nin? A: Doma-nin keeps these hours: Mon 11:00-15:00, 17:00-22:00; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:00-15:00, 17:00-22:00. Q: What should you order at Doma-nin? A: At Doma-nin, order hinai chicken oyakodon at lunch, or kiritanpo nabe in the evening, or miso pizza with a glass of Akita sake. Q: Do you need a reservation at Doma-nin? A: Doma-nin: Reservations by phone; Tabelog notes that staff may not pick up at busy times. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://oogiri.co.jp/domanin/ https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/spots/6106/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/akita/A0504/A050401/5000501/ ### Ekicha mogura URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/ekicha-mogura Type: Place to eat Local name: 駅茶mogura (ja) Also known as: Doai Station cafe, Mogura cafe Doai, DOAI VILLAGE cafe Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: Doai Station, 218-2 Yubiso, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Coordinates: 36.83154, 138.96692 Kind: Cafe Hours: Open 10:00–15:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with irregular closures. Closed: Weekdays other than holidays Reservations: Walk in; takeaway available. Vegetarian: Coffee and cake suit vegetarians. Cuisine: cafe Address: Doai Station, 218-2 Yubiso, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://villageinc.jp/doaivillage/ Summary: Ekicha mogura suits hikers and rail fans who want a coffee in the old station office at Doai, the deep tunnel station under Tanigawa-dake, and it opens on weekends and holidays only. The cafe fills the old station office at Doai, which still looks the part, and serves hand-drip coffee and a yogurt cake with Minakami jam. A weekend-only spicy chicken curry sells out most days. Doai's 462 steps lead down to the platform, and the cafe suggests carrying a Minakami squash down and back. Q: What are the opening hours of Ekicha mogura? A: Ekicha mogura keeps these hours: Mon–Fri closed; Sat–Sun 10:00–15:00. Q: What should you order at Ekicha mogura? A: At Ekicha mogura, order hand-drip coffee, or yogurt cake with Minakami jam, or weekend spicy chicken curry, which sells out. Q: Do you need a reservation at Ekicha mogura? A: Ekicha mogura: Walk in; takeaway available. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/8137/ ### Enza Cafe URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/enza-cafe Type: Place to eat Local name: 猿座カフェ (ja) Also known as: ENZA Café, Enza, 猿座 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Yamanouchi Address: 長野県下高井郡山ノ内町大字平穏1421-1 Coordinates: 36.73051, 138.44483 Kind: Cafe Hours: 9:30–17:00. Reservations: Reservations by phone. Cuisine: Café, Japanese Address: 長野県下高井郡山ノ内町大字平穏1421-1 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://enzacafe.com/ Summary: Enza Cafe suits a warm lunch before or after the Jigokudani Monkey Park walk, and it closes at 17:00. Enza sits at the entrance to the Jigokudani Monkey Park trail in Kanbayashi Onsen. From Yudanaka Station the Nagaden bus takes about 15 minutes, then it is an eight-minute walk, and the express bus from Nagano Station takes about 40 minutes. The café keeps 9:30 to 17:00 with lunch plates and takeaway. Its terrace reopened after a renovation in August 2025. It has 15 parking spaces, which helps on a cycling or driving day. Q: What are the opening hours of Enza Cafe? A: Enza Cafe keeps these hours: Daily 09:30–17:00. Q: What should you order at Enza Cafe? A: At Enza Cafe, order the lunch plate, or coffee on the terrace. Q: Do you need a reservation at Enza Cafe? A: Enza Cafe: Reservations by phone. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://enzacafe.com/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4424584192 ### Fugu Ankou Kisaku URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/fugu-ankou-kisaku Type: Place to eat Local name: ふぐ・あんこう 喜作 (ja) Also known as: Kisaku, 喜作, Kisaku Kandatsu Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Address: 2-18-1 Inayoshi, Kasumigaura, Ibaraki Coordinates: 36.12240, 140.24820 Kind: Kaiseki Hours: Lunch to 13:30 and dinner to 22:00, both last order. Closed Sundays, or the Monday when Sunday is a holiday. Closed: Sunday Price: ¥¥ From: ¥3,080 per person (2026), about CAD 28 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Ankou hotpot costs ¥3,080 a person, and the ankou course from October to March costs ¥6,600. Reservations: Book online or by phone, especially for private rooms. Cuisine: japanese, ankou, fugu Address: 2-18-1 Inayoshi, Kasumigaura, Ibaraki Price from: ¥3,080 per person (2026), about CAD 28 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.tsuchiura-kisaku.com/ Summary: Kisaku suits a winter dinner of ankou hotpot in private rooms near Kandatsu station north of Tsuchiura, and the course price puts it beyond a quick post-ride meal. Kisaku serves ankou and fugu in a range of private rooms in Kasumigaura city, near Kandatsu station on the Joban Line. The Tsuchiura tourism association lists its ankou hotpot at ¥3,080 a person, and the full ankou course runs from October to March. At lunch it also opens as a Japanese café. Q: How much does Fugu Ankou Kisaku cost? A: Prices at Fugu Ankou Kisaku start at ¥3,080 per person (2026), about CAD 28 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Fugu Ankou Kisaku? A: Fugu Ankou Kisaku keeps these hours: Mon–Sat 11:30-13:30, 17:00-22:00. Q: What should you order at Fugu Ankou Kisaku? A: At Fugu Ankou Kisaku, order ankou nabe, or ankou course (October to March). Q: Do you need a reservation at Fugu Ankou Kisaku? A: Fugu Ankou Kisaku: Book online or by phone, especially for private rooms. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tsuchiura-kisaku.com/ https://www.tsuchiura-kankou.jp/taberu/taberu_page ### Fujinomiya Yakisoba Antenna Shop URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/fujinomiya-yakisoba-antenna-shop Type: Place to eat Local name: 富士宮やきそばアンテナショップ (ja) Also known as: Fujinomiya Yakisoba Gakkai Antenna Shop, 富士宮やきそば学会 アンテナショップ, Omiya Yokocho yakisoba Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Address: 静岡県富士宮市宮町4-23 Coordinates: 35.22499, 138.61020 Kind: Other Hours: The operator lists 10:00–16:30. It closed for a day during Obon 2026 and occasionally shuts early. Closed: No regular closing day Price: ¥ From: ¥700 per person (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Regular ¥700, large ¥900; chilli versions ¥750–¥1,000. Reservations: Yakisoba pre-orders for groups of ten or more; no seat bookings. Vegetarian: None; the classic plate is built on pork fat crisps and sardine powder. Cuisine: Fujinomiya yakisoba Address: 静岡県富士宮市宮町4-23 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥700 per person (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://prosumer-inc.com/our-store/ Summary: The Antenna Shop suits anyone passing Fujinomiya who wants the town's yakisoba cooked on a griddle in front of them for ¥700, and the trade-off is food-court seating with no table service. Fujinomiya yakisoba uses firm steamed noodles fried with niku-kasu, the crisp pork pieces left after rendering lard, plus cabbage and spring onion, and it finishes under a dusting of sardine powder. This shop stands at the entrance to Omiya Yokocho across the street from Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha, and the operator says its classic plate keeps to exactly those ingredients. A regular plate costs ¥700 and a large one ¥900. The menu adds chilli versions and a yakisoba seasoned with fish sauce made from Fujinomiya rainbow trout. Most people eat at the shared tables in the yokocho or take the plate across to the shrine park. Park in the paid shrine car park or the Kandagawa tourist lot, since the shop has none of its own. Tips: - Groups of ten or more can pre-order yakisoba, though the shop cannot reserve seats. - The shop sometimes closes at 15:00 and posts the change on its social accounts the same morning. Q: How much does Fujinomiya Yakisoba Antenna Shop cost? A: Prices at Fujinomiya Yakisoba Antenna Shop start at ¥700 per person (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Fujinomiya Yakisoba Antenna Shop? A: Fujinomiya Yakisoba Antenna Shop keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–16:30. Q: What should you order at Fujinomiya Yakisoba Antenna Shop? A: At Fujinomiya Yakisoba Antenna Shop, order classic Fujinomiya yakisoba, or rainbow-trout fish-sauce yakisoba. Q: Do you need a reservation at Fujinomiya Yakisoba Antenna Shop? A: Fujinomiya Yakisoba Antenna Shop: Yakisoba pre-orders for groups of ten or more; no seat bookings. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://prosumer-inc.com/our-store/ https://prosumer-inc.com/ https://retty.me/area/PRE22/ARE328/SUB32803/100000817507/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%9D%99%E5%B2%A1%E7%9C%8C%E5%AF%8C%E5%A3%AB%E5%AE%AE%E5%B8%82%E5%AE%AE%E7%94%BA4-23 ### Fujiya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/fujiya-hakuba Type: Place to eat Local name: 藤屋 (ja) Also known as: Fujiya Diner, Fujiya Hakuba Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Coordinates: 36.69614, 137.86344 Kind: Shokudo Hours: Café 8:00–16:30; restaurant 11:00–15:00 and 17:30–19:30 (Hakuba.com, 2025). Closed: Thursdays (Hakuba.com, 2025) Cuisine: Japanese, Udon On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: Fujiya suits a bowl of udon or a curry while you wait for a train at Hakuba Station, and its dinner service ends early at 19:30. Fujiya faces the rotary in front of Hakuba Station and has served food there since 1932, according to Hakuba.com. The café side opens at 8:00, and the restaurant serves udon, rice bowls, curry and tempura from 11:00 to 15:00 and again from 17:30 to 19:30. It makes an easy end to a ride day that finishes on the Oito Line platform. Q: What are the opening hours of Fujiya? A: Fujiya keeps these hours: Fri–Wed 08:00-16:30, 17:30-19:30; Thu closed. Q: What should you order at Fujiya? A: At Fujiya, order tempura udon, or curry rice. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakuba.com/blogs/50-hakuba-restaurants-to-try-in-summer https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/5789519736 ### Chuka no Fukuraiken URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/fukuraiken Type: Place to eat Local name: 中華の福来軒 (ja) Also known as: Fukuraiken, 福来軒, lotus root ramen Tsuchiura Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Town: Tsuchiura Address: 1-12-23 Chuo, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Coordinates: 36.08330, 140.20060 Kind: Ramen Hours: Open 11:00 to 20:00 last order, closed Sundays. Closed: Sunday Price: ¥ From: ¥780 each (2026), about CAD 7 or USD 4.90 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Renkon ramen costs ¥780 and renkon curry ramen ¥880. Cuisine: chinese, ramen Address: 1-12-23 Chuo, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥780 each (2026), about CAD 7 or USD 4.90 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Summary: Fukuraiken suits riders on a Tsuchiura loop who want a cheap bowl of lotus-root ramen in a 1953 diner, and its Sunday closure rules it out for a classic weekend ride. Fukuraiken has fed central Tsuchiura since 1953. Its ramen comes topped with renkon, the lotus root Tsuchiura grows in the fields around the lake, and the prefecture's cycling site lists it among its recommended stops. A bowl costs ¥780. Tips: - Plan it for a Saturday or weekday ride; the diner closes on Sundays. Q: How much does Chuka no Fukuraiken cost? A: Prices at Chuka no Fukuraiken start at ¥780 each (2026), about CAD 7 or USD 4.90 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Chuka no Fukuraiken? A: Chuka no Fukuraiken keeps these hours: Mon–Sat 11:00–20:00. Q: What should you order at Chuka no Fukuraiken? A: At Chuka no Fukuraiken, order renkon ramen, or renkon curry ramen. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tsuchiura-kankou.jp/taberu/taberu_page https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ringring/gourmet/ ### Fukusuke URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/fukusuke-okage-yokocho Type: Place to eat Local name: ふくすけ (ja) Also known as: Fukusuke Ise udon, ふくすけ おかげ横丁 Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Mie Town: Ise Address: 52 Uji-Nakanokiri-cho, Ise, Mie Coordinates: 34.46214, 136.72227 Kind: Udon Hours: Last orders at 16:30; hours change with the season. Price: ¥ From: ¥650 each (2026), about CAD 5.80 or USD 4.10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Ise udon ¥650, tsukimi with egg yolk ¥750, handmade noodles ¥850. Vegetarian: The tare is made with bonito and kelp; the shop posts a separate vegan, gluten-free and halal menu. Cuisine: Ise udon Address: 52 Uji-Nakanokiri-cho, Ise, Mie On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: Leave the bike at the Naiku's bike lot in front of the Uji Bridge and walk up; the tourist association asks riders to push through the crowds on Oharai-machi. Price from: ¥650 each (2026), about CAD 5.80 or USD 4.10 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://okageyokocho.com/tenpo/fukusuke/ Summary: Fukusuke suits riders who want Ise udon a few minutes' walk from the Naiku, and the noodles are soft on purpose, which catches out anyone expecting firm udon. Fukusuke is the Ise udon shop in Okage Yokocho, styled after Dobu-roku, an Edo-period udon house on the pilgrim road. Ise udon is thick and soft with no bite, under a dark tare of tamari, kelp and bonito, and pilgrims ate it because the noodles sat ready on the boil. A bowl costs ¥650, or ¥850 for handmade noodles from Mie wheat. Last orders are at 16:30. Q: How much does Fukusuke cost? A: Prices at Fukusuke start at ¥650 each (2026), about CAD 5.80 or USD 4.10 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Fukusuke? A: Fukusuke keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Fukusuke? A: At Fukusuke, order ise udon, ¥650, or handmade Ise udon from Mie wheat, ¥850. Q: Can you park a bike at Fukusuke? A: Fukusuke: leave the bike at the Naiku's bike lot in front of the Uji Bridge and walk up; the tourist association asks riders to push through the crowds on Oharai-machi. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://okageyokocho.com/tenpo/fukusuke/ https://okageyokocho.com/about/ https://ise-kanko.jp/focus/rentacycle/ https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/iseudon_mie.html ### Funasaka Sake Brewery URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/funasaka-sake-brewery Type: Place to eat Local name: 舩坂酒造店 (ja) Also known as: Funasaka Shuzo, Aji no Yohei, 味の与平 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 105 Kami-Sannomachi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14092, 137.25994 Kind: Sake brewery Hours: Shop 8:30 to 18:00. The Aji no Yohei restaurant opens 11:00 to 14:30 and 17:00 to 20:00. Irregular closing days. Closed: Irregular Prices: The sake tasting machines take coins from ¥100. Cuisine: Sake, Hida local cuisine Address: 105 Kami-Sannomachi, Takayama, Gifu Website: https://www.funasaka-shuzo.co.jp/ Summary: Funasaka suits a sake tasting in the middle of Sanmachi, with a restaurant serving Hida beef next door. The trade-off is that its closing days are irregular. Funasaka has brewed sake in Sanmachi for about 200 years, since the end of the Edo period. The shop always has more than ten sake to try from coin-operated servers, from ¥100 a coin. The brewery also runs a restaurant called Aji no Yohei, which serves Hida beef and local dishes with its own sake. Q: What are the opening hours of Funasaka Sake Brewery? A: Funasaka Sake Brewery keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:30–18:00. Q: What should you order at Funasaka Sake Brewery? A: At Funasaka Sake Brewery, order a tasting flight from the coin servers, or hida beef at Aji no Yohei. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3022.html https://www.funasaka-shuzo.co.jp/ ### Gohan-ya Iyo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/gohanya-iyo Type: Place to eat Local name: ごはん屋 伊予 (ja) Also known as: Gohanya Iyo, ごはん屋伊予, HEGURI HUB eatery, Iyo HEGURI HUB Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Town: Minamiboso Address: HEGURI HUB, 224-3 Hegurinaka, Minamiboso, Chiba 299-2204 Coordinates: 35.10220, 139.91270 Kind: Shokudo Hours: Last orders at 13:45. Holidays follow the weekend hours of 11:30 to 14:00. Closed: Monday and Tuesday Price: ¥ From: ¥1,000 per person (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Single dishes with soup run ¥1,000 to ¥1,200, lunch sets ¥1,200 to ¥1,450, tax included. Cuisine: Japanese, yoshoku Address: HEGURI HUB, 224-3 Hegurinaka, Minamiboso, Chiba 299-2204 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: HEGURI HUB has a 20-car park, and the cyclists' clubhouse shares the site. Price from: ¥1,000 per person (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://hegurihub.com/eatery/ Summary: Gohan-ya Iyo suits riders who want a hearty lunch in the Boso hills at the cyclists' clubhouse, and its trade-off is a short window that closes at 14:00 and no service on Mondays or Tuesdays. Gohan-ya Iyo cooks lunch inside HEGURI HUB, which took over the old nursery school below Mt. Iyogatake and doubles as a clubhouse for riders. The menu leans on pork and fried fish. A steam-oven pork burger starts at ¥1,000 with soup, and the ¥1,430 Iyo special set pairs horse mackerel fry with a pork fillet cutlet. The baked curry hides wagyu tendon under egg and cheese. Coffee comes from the Minamiboso roaster maru, and you can order drinks only or take food away. Set lunches add a drink and side dishes. A daily board adds tonkotsu shoyu ramen, motsu ramen and gapao rice when the ingredients come in. Tips: - The clubhouse next door has a pump, bike tools and showers at weekends. Q: How much does Gohan-ya Iyo cost? A: Prices at Gohan-ya Iyo start at ¥1,000 per person (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Gohan-ya Iyo? A: Gohan-ya Iyo keeps these hours: Mon–Tue closed; Wed–Fri 12:00–14:00; Sat–Sun 11:30–14:00. Q: What should you order at Gohan-ya Iyo? A: At Gohan-ya Iyo, order steam-oven pork burger, 150 g to 250 g, ¥1,000 to ¥1,200 with soup, or iyo special set of horse mackerel fry and pork fillet cutlet, ¥1,430, or iyogatake fried rice with pork fillet steak, ¥1,000. Q: Can you park a bike at Gohan-ya Iyo? A: Gohan-ya Iyo: hEGURI HUB has a 20-car park, and the cyclists' clubhouse shares the site. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hegurihub.com/eatery/ https://hegurihub.com/ https://hegurihub.com/clubhouse/ ### Gomidori URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/gomidori Type: Place to eat Local name: 五味鳥 (ja) Also known as: 五味鳥, Gomi Dori, Gomidori Imabari Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: 愛媛県今治市南大門町1-1-13 Coordinates: 34.06490, 132.99720 Kind: Yakitori Hours: Last order 22:00. Closed Sundays and public holidays. Closed: Sundays and public holidays Cuisine: yakitori, Imabari Address: 愛媛県今治市南大門町1-1-13 Summary: Gomidori suits a first night of Imabari yakitori among regulars, and its trade-off is a 30-seat room with no car park. The Imabari tourism association credits it with starting the city's griddle style. Imabari cooks its yakitori flat on an iron griddle and presses it under a heavy lid, and the tourism association names Gomidori as the shop that started it about 60 years ago. A second-generation owner works the griddle now. For a first visit the association suggests the house kawa (chicken skin) and senzanki, Imabari's fried chicken, with a drink. Toribayashi stands in the same block of Minami-Daimon-cho, so two shops in one evening takes a few minutes on foot. Tips: - The tourism association lists no parking, so walk over from a hotel near Imabari Station. Q: What are the opening hours of Gomidori? A: Gomidori keeps these hours: Mon–Sat 17:00–22:30; Sun closed. Q: What should you order at Gomidori? A: At Gomidori, order kawa, the griddle-pressed chicken skin, or senzanki, Imabari-style fried chicken. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.oideya.gr.jp/gourmet-c/gomidori/ https://www.oideya.gr.jp/yakitori-bar/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/8204027564 ### Gorosaya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/gorosaya Type: Place to eat Local name: ごろさや (ja) Also known as: Gorosaya Shimoda, ごろさや 下田 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shimoda Address: 静岡県下田市1-5-25 Coordinates: 34.67698, 138.94453 Kind: Izakaya Closed: Thursday Price: ¥¥ From: ¥2,300 per person (2026), about CAD 21 or USD 15 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The sashimi and kinme-ni set cost ¥2,300 in September 2026. Retty puts dinner at up to ¥8,000. Reservations: Book ahead; reviewers found it full on weekdays. Payment: Cash (Retty lists no card payment) Vegetarian: None; the menu is fish and seafood. Cuisine: Seafood, Kinmedai Address: 静岡県下田市1-5-25 Price from: ¥2,300 per person (2026), about CAD 21 or USD 15 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Summary: Gorosaya suits food lovers staying in Shimoda who will book ahead for thick-cut simmered kinmedai, and the trade-off is a 24-seat room that fills even on weekdays. Gorosaya is a small fish restaurant three minutes on foot from Izukyu-Shimoda station. Its best-known order is the sashimi and kinme-ni set, which a September 2026 review priced at ¥2,300. A 2025 reviewer described a large fish cut from the belly and simmered sweet, with sashimi of local kinmedai and marlin beside it. Book well ahead for a summer weekend, because a 2024 review found the town booked out for the international billfish tournament. Kinmedai croquettes and seafood shumai make good sides at dinner. Tips: - Bring cash; Retty lists no card payment. Q: How much does Gorosaya cost? A: Prices at Gorosaya start at ¥2,300 per person (2026), about CAD 21 or USD 15 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Gorosaya? A: Gorosaya keeps these hours: Mon–Wed 11:30-14:00, 17:00-21:00; Thu closed; Fri–Sun 11:30-14:00, 17:00-21:00. Q: What should you order at Gorosaya? A: At Gorosaya, order sashimi and kinme-ni set, or kinmedai croquette. Q: Do you need a reservation at Gorosaya? A: Gorosaya: Book ahead; reviewers found it full on weekdays. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://retty.me/area/PRE22/ARE322/SUB7603/100000222961/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%9D%99%E5%B2%A1%E7%9C%8C%E4%B8%8B%E7%94%B0%E5%B8%82%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE5-25 ### Gotemba Kogen Beer Grand Table URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/gotemba-kogen-beer Type: Place to eat Local name: 御殿場高原ビール グランテーブル (ja) Also known as: Gotemba Kogen Beer, GKB, Grand Table, 御殿場高原ビール, Gotenba Kogen Beer Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Gotemba Address: 静岡県御殿場市神山719 時之栖内 Coordinates: 35.23521, 138.92586 Kind: Brewery Hours: November 2026 hours shown. Weekday lunch last orders 14:00 and dinner last orders 20:00. October runs Monday–Thursday dinner to 21:00; December weekday dinner opens 16:30. Hours are posted month by month on the website. Closed: No regular closing day Price: ¥¥ Prices: Spare ribs cost ¥2,680 for a half rack and ¥4,780 for a long rack; Retty puts lunch near ¥2,000. Reservations: Bookings taken online and by phone. Payment: Cards, PayPay and IC money (Retty) Vegetarian: Pizza and pasta give choices; ask about meat-free toppings. Cuisine: Craft beer, Grill, Pizza Address: 静岡県御殿場市神山719 時之栖内 Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.gkb.co.jp/restaurant/grandtable_1 Summary: Grand Table suits groups who want beer brewed in the room and a big grilled dinner after a day round Gotemba, and the trade-off is a 400-seat hall you share with a crowd. Gotemba Kogen Beer brews with Fuji spring water and German methods inside the Tokinosumika resort, and the brewing kettles stand in view of the tables. The kitchen grills steaks and spare ribs in an open kitchen and bakes Neapolitan pizza in a wood oven. The autumn 2026 menu runs a mushroom theme from 17 September, with half a rack of the big spare ribs at ¥2,680. A house band plays on Friday at 18:30 and Sunday at 18:00, two sets each night. Weekday lunch got a new menu in March 2026 with more pasta, pizza and hamburg steak. Free shuttle buses run from JR Mishima and Gotemba stations, which leaves the driving out of the evening. Tips: - From 13 October 2026 weekday dinner opens at 17:00; in December it moves to 16:30. - The shop by the entrance sells bottled beer to take home. Q: What are the opening hours of Gotemba Kogen Beer Grand Table? A: Gotemba Kogen Beer Grand Table keeps these hours: Mon–Fri 11:00-15:00, 17:00-21:30; Sat 11:00–22:00; Sun 11:00–21:30. Q: What should you order at Gotemba Kogen Beer Grand Table? A: At Gotemba Kogen Beer Grand Table, order a glass of the house beer with the spare ribs, or wood-fired pizza. Q: Do you need a reservation at Gotemba Kogen Beer Grand Table? A: Gotemba Kogen Beer Grand Table: Bookings taken online and by phone. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.gkb.co.jp/restaurant/grandtable_1 https://www.gkb.co.jp/restaurant/grandtable_1/%E5%96%B6%E6%A5%AD%E6%99%82%E9%96%93 https://www.gkb.co.jp/restaurant/grandtable_1/grandtablenews https://www.gkb.co.jp/restaurant/grandtable_1/%E3%83%A1%E3%83%8B%E3%83%A5%E3%83%BC https://retty.me/area/PRE22/ARE327/SUB7704/100000041868/ ### Goto Kosensho URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/goto-kosensho Type: Place to eat Local name: 後藤鉱泉所 (ja) Also known as: Goto Mineral Water, Marugo Cider, マルゴサイダー, Goto Inryosui Kogyosho Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Mukaishima Address: 広島県尾道市向島町兼吉755-2 Coordinates: 34.40005, 133.20375 Kind: Other Hours: Opens in the morning and closes at 17:00; closed on Sundays and on irregular days (Tabelog). Closed: Sunday and irregular days Price: ¥ Prices: Tabelog puts a visit under ¥1,000. Payment: Cash only (Tabelog) Vegetarian: Soft drinks only. Cuisine: Soft drinks Address: 広島県尾道市向島町兼吉755-2 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Website: https://gotokosensho.base.shop/ Summary: Goto Kosensho suits riders fresh off the short ferry from Onomichi who want a cold local soda, and you drink it on the spot because the returnable bottles cannot leave. Goto Kosensho has made soft drinks on Mukaishima since 1930 and calls itself a holy ground for local cider. The works sits about five minutes on foot from the Mukaishima ferry landing, and Tabelog reviewers put the crossing from Onomichi at around five minutes. Its Marugo cider comes in returnable glass bottles, so drink at the shop and hand the bottle back. Hours run from morning until 17:00, which makes it an easy first stop on the way to the Innoshima Bridge. Q: When is Goto Kosensho open? A: Goto Kosensho is open opens in the morning and closes at 17:00; closed on Sundays and on irregular days (Tabelog) and closed sunday and irregular days. Q: What should you order at Goto Kosensho? A: At Goto Kosensho, order a bottle of Marugo cider to drink at the shop, or any seasonal fruit soda in stock. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://gotokosensho.base.shop/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/hiroshima/A3406/A340302/34014800/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E5%90%91%E5%B3%B6%E7%94%BA755 ### Gyoza Masashi Miyajima-cho Honten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/gyoza-masashi-miyajima-honten Type: Place to eat Local name: 正嗣 宮島町本店 (ja) Also known as: Masashi, Masashi gyoza, 正嗣 Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Utsunomiya Address: 4-3-1 Baba-dori, Utsunomiya, Tochigi Coordinates: 36.56160, 139.88770 Kind: Other Hours: Opens at 11:30 and closes when the gyoza sell out. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Closed: Tuesday and Wednesday Price: ¥ From: ¥280 each (2026), about CAD 2.50 or USD 1.80 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Pan-fried or boiled gyoza cost ¥280 for six since April 2023. The shop serves no rice and no beer. Reservations: No bookings; queue and come early. Cuisine: gyoza Address: 4-3-1 Baba-dori, Utsunomiya, Tochigi Price from: ¥280 each (2026), about CAD 2.50 or USD 1.80 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.gyouzamasashi.com/ Summary: Masashi suits gyoza purists who want thin skins and a vegetable-heavy filling at ¥280 for six, and with no rice or beer and a sell-out close it makes a quick stop. Masashi has made gyoza for about 50 years and serves only two things in its shops, pan-fried and boiled, six to a plate. The skins are thin and the filling is mostly vegetables. The Miyajima-cho shop sits a few doors from Minmin, so you can eat at both on one walk. Tips: - Go at opening; the shop shuts when it runs out. Q: How much does Gyoza Masashi Miyajima-cho Honten cost? A: Prices at Gyoza Masashi Miyajima-cho Honten start at ¥280 each (2026), about CAD 2.50 or USD 1.80 (October 2026 rates). Q: When is Gyoza Masashi Miyajima-cho Honten open? A: Gyoza Masashi Miyajima-cho Honten is open opens at 11:30 and closes when the gyoza sell out. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays and closed tuesday and Wednesday. Q: What should you order at Gyoza Masashi Miyajima-cho Honten? A: At Gyoza Masashi Miyajima-cho Honten, order yaki gyoza, or sui gyoza. Q: Do you need a reservation at Gyoza Masashi Miyajima-cho Honten? A: Gyoza Masashi Miyajima-cho Honten: No bookings; queue and come early. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.gyouzamasashi.com/ https://www.gyouzamasashi.com/fr/2 ### Haguro-san Saikan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/haguro-san-saikan Type: Place to eat Local name: 羽黒山参籠所 斎館 (ja) Also known as: 斎館, Saikan, Hagurosan Saikan, 羽黒山 斎館, Kezoin, 華蔵院 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Tsuruoka Address: 山形県鶴岡市羽黒町手向字手向7 Coordinates: 38.70215, 139.98132 Kind: Other Hours: Meals are served by reservation only; the shrine page gives no fixed hours. Price: ¥¥ From: ¥2,750 per person (2026), about CAD 25 or USD 17 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Prices come from Dewa Sanzan Shrine's Saikan page. Overnight stays with two meals start at ¥13,200 a person. Reservations: Required for every meal; phone 0235-62-2357. Vegetarian: Shojin ryori is plant-based by tradition, and the shrine asks you to discuss vegan needs when you book. Cuisine: shojin ryori, temple cuisine Address: 山形県鶴岡市羽黒町手向字手向7 Price from: ¥2,750 per person (2026), about CAD 25 or USD 17 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: http://www.dewasanzan.jp/publics/index/64/ Summary: The Saikan suits travellers who want Haguro's shojin ryori in a shrine lodging on the mountain itself, and the trade-off is that every meal needs a phone booking. The Saikan is the pilgrims' lodging of Dewa Sanzan Shrine on Mt. Haguro, and it stands just past the top of the third slope on the stone-step approach. It began as Kezoin, one of the temple lodgings of the old Haguro shugendo order, and it is the only one of more than thirty such buildings left standing after the Meiji separation of Shinto and Buddhism. Tsuruoka named it a cultural property in 2005. The kitchen serves the plant-based temple cuisine of the mountain, built on wild vegetables and bamboo shoots gathered in the Dewa Sanzan foothills, and the shrine says this food was once set before Basho. This is a place of living worship, so dress for a shrine, keep voices low and follow the staff's lead. Tips: - By car, follow the Haguro toll road to the first car park at the Haguro-san rest house and go about 500 metres on; the shrine warns that map apps send drivers down an old closed road. - The shrine keeps the toll road open all winter and warns that it is not cleared early in the morning or at night. - For 2026 the kitchen serves a special Hakkei tray (八景膳) from 1 March to mid-December. Q: How much does Haguro-san Saikan cost? A: Prices at Haguro-san Saikan start at ¥2,750 per person (2026), about CAD 25 or USD 17 (October 2026 rates). Q: When is Haguro-san Saikan open? A: Haguro-san Saikan is open meals are served by reservation only; the shrine page gives no fixed hours. Q: What should you order at Haguro-san Saikan? A: At Haguro-san Saikan, order the ten-dish shojin ryori tray, or the 2026 Hakkei tray, with a small dish for each of the eight classic views of Mt. Haguro. Q: Do you need a reservation at Haguro-san Saikan? A: Haguro-san Saikan: Required for every meal; phone 0235-62-2357. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.dewasanzan.jp/publics/index/64/ http://www.dewasanzan.jp/publics/index/86/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/yamagata/A0603/A060302/6000445/ ### Hakata no Shio Ramen Sanwa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/hakata-no-shio-ramen-sanwa Type: Place to eat Local name: 伯方の塩ラーメン さんわ (ja) Also known as: Sanwa ramen, さんわ, Sanwa Hakatajima, Hakata salt ramen Sanwa Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Hakatajima Address: 愛媛県今治市伯方町木浦甲1650-1 Coordinates: 34.20370, 133.11600 Kind: Ramen Hours: Closed Sundays since October 2020. Holiday weeks change: on 21–23 September 2026 it opened 11:00–15:00 only. The tourism association lists irregular closures as well. Closed: Sundays Price: ¥ Prices: The tourism association lists about ¥800 a head. Cuisine: ramen Address: 愛媛県今治市伯方町木浦甲1650-1 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Website: https://sanwa.ocnk.net Summary: Sanwa suits riders willing to leave the Blue Line for the salt ramen Hakatajima is known for, and its trade-off is the detour across to the island's east side. The owner was born in 1958 beside Hakatajima's salt fields and created his Hakata no Shio Ramen in the autumn of 1998 to put the taste of the Seto Inland Sea into a bowl. The tourism association describes a light salt broth scented with iwa-nori rock seaweed, at about ¥800 a bowl. The island shop moved to its present building in Kiura in May 2015 and seats 39. A second branch near the Imabari-Kita interchange keeps separate hours. Tips: - The shop posts changed hours for holiday weeks on its website, so check there before riding over. Q: What are the opening hours of Hakata no Shio Ramen Sanwa? A: Hakata no Shio Ramen Sanwa keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 11:00–19:00; Wed 11:00–17:00; Thu–Sat 11:00–19:00; Sun closed. Q: What should you order at Hakata no Shio Ramen Sanwa? A: At Hakata no Shio Ramen Sanwa, order hakata no shio ramen. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://sanwa.ocnk.net https://www.oideya.gr.jp/gourmet-c/sanwa/ https://visitshimanami.com/area-guides/hakatajima/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/6980180437 ### Hamacho Sushi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/hamacho-sushi Type: Place to eat Local name: 浜長 (ja) Also known as: Hamacho Zushi, Hamacho, 浜長寿司 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Coordinates: 36.92300, 138.44670 Kind: Sushi Hours: Dinner only (Nozawa Hospitality). Reservations: Reservations only. Cuisine: Sushi Summary: Hamacho suits a sushi dinner in Nozawa Onsen with seasonal specials, and it takes reservations only. Hamacho is the sushi restaurant in the middle of Nozawa Onsen. Nozawa Hospitality lists sushi and sashimi with seasonal specials at dinner, and it marks Hamacho as reservations-only. Book before you leave for Nozawa in January and February, when the village fills. Q: When is Hamacho Sushi open? A: Hamacho Sushi is open dinner only (Nozawa Hospitality). Q: What should you order at Hamacho Sushi? A: At Hamacho Sushi, order omakase sushi, or the sashimi platter. Q: Do you need a reservation at Hamacho Sushi? A: Hamacho Sushi: Reservations only. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nozawahospitality.com/restaurants https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4682624539 ### Hana Sohonten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/hana-sohonten Type: Place to eat Local name: 波奈総本店 (ja) Also known as: Hana Tateyama, 波奈, Hana main store Tateyama Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Town: Tateyama Address: 2619-6 Hojo, Tateyama, Chiba Coordinates: 34.99310, 139.86120 Kind: Sushi Hours: Open on Mondays that fall on a public holiday. Closed: Monday Reservations: Book the aburi kaisendon by 10:00 the day before. Cuisine: sushi, seafood Address: 2619-6 Hojo, Tateyama, Chiba On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://hana-tateyama.co.jp/ Summary: Hana Sohonten suits groups who want a big sushi house with room to sit after a ride, and its trade-off is a Monday closing and a lunch bowl you book a day ahead. Hana Sohonten is a large sushi restaurant with 130 seats and a 50-car park, five minutes on foot from the east exit of Tateyama Station. It buys local fish at its peak, and the kitchen pairs it with vegetables grown on the peninsula. Its Tateyama aburi kaisendon comes as a three-tier box, limited to 20 a day and booked by 10:00 the day before. Lunch runs from 11:00 with last orders at 14:00, and dinner from 17:00 with last orders at 20:30. Tips: - The restaurant closes on Mondays and opens when a Monday falls on a public holiday. Q: What are the opening hours of Hana Sohonten? A: Hana Sohonten keeps these hours: Mon closed; Tue–Sun 11:00-14:30, 17:00-21:30. Q: What should you order at Hana Sohonten? A: At Hana Sohonten, order tateyama aburi kaisendon (booked ahead). Q: Do you need a reservation at Hana Sohonten? A: Hana Sohonten: Book the aburi kaisendon by 10:00 the day before. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tateyama-gourmet.com/shops/index.html https://hana-tateyama.co.jp/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%8D%83%E8%91%89%E7%9C%8C%E9%A4%A8%E5%B1%B1%E5%B8%82%E5%8C%97%E6%9D%A12619-6 ### Hassakuya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/hassakuya Type: Place to eat Local name: はっさく屋 (ja) Also known as: Hassaku Ya, Hassakuya Innoshima, はっさく大福, hassaku daifuku Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Innoshima Address: 広島県尾道市因島大浜町246-1（因島大橋記念公園内） Coordinates: 34.35592, 133.17366 Kind: Sweets Hours: The shop's site says it opens at 8:30 and closes when the daifuku sell out; Tabelog gives 17:00 as the latest close. Mapple notes extra closures in August and September and swapped closing days around Golden Week, Obon and New Year. Closed: Monday and Tuesday Price: ¥ Prices: Mapple lists hassaku daifuku at ¥200 each in an undated entry. Reservations: Tabelog lists phone reservations. Payment: Cards and QR payments accepted (Tabelog) Vegetarian: The daifuku has no meat; the soft-serve contains dairy. Cuisine: Wagashi Address: 広島県尾道市因島大浜町246-1（因島大橋記念公園内） On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: The shop lists a cycle stand and free drinking water for riders to refill bottles. Price band: ¥ Website: http://0845.boo.jp/hassaku/ Summary: Hassakuya suits riders coming off the Innoshima Bridge who want a citrus daifuku and a free bottle refill, and the daifuku can sell out before the afternoon. Hassakuya stands inside Innoshima Ohashi Memorial Park at the Innoshima end of the bridge, and the shop credits the island as the birthplace of the hassaku citrus. Its window counter seats ten and looks straight across the Mekari Strait to the bridge and the passing ships. Self-serve coffee is free, and riders can top up bottles with drinking water at no charge. Weekend mornings are the safe bet, since the shop opens at 8:30 and closes once the day's daifuku are gone. Q: What are the opening hours of Hassakuya? A: Hassakuya keeps these hours: Mon–Tue closed; Wed–Sun 08:30–17:00. Q: What should you order at Hassakuya? A: At Hassakuya, order hassaku daifuku with hassaku citrus and sweet bean paste, or hassaku soft-serve. Q: Do you need a reservation at Hassakuya? A: Hassakuya: Tabelog lists phone reservations. Q: Can you park a bike at Hassakuya? A: Hassakuya: the shop lists a cycle stand and free drinking water for riders to refill bottles. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://0845.boo.jp/hassaku/ http://0845.boo.jp/hassaku/hassakuya/shop.html https://s.tabelog.com/en/hiroshima/A3406/A340602/34003897/ https://www.mapple.net/spot/34011752/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E5%9B%A0%E5%B3%B6%E5%A4%A7%E6%B5%9C%E7%94%BA246-1 ### Hatsuhana Soba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/hatsuhana-soba Type: Place to eat Local name: はつ花そば 本店 (ja) Also known as: Hatsuhana, はつ花, Hatsuhana Hakone Yumoto, Hatsuhana soba honten Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Kanagawa Town: Hakone Address: 神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町湯本635 Coordinates: 35.23105, 139.10249 Kind: Soba Hours: Closed Wednesday; when Wednesday is a holiday it closes the day before or after instead. Closed: Wednesday Prices: The website lists no prices; Retty puts a meal at up to ¥2,000. Vegetarian: The noodles contain egg and the dipping sauce is likely fish-based; ask. Cuisine: Soba Address: 神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町湯本635 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://hatsuhana.co.jp/ Summary: Hatsuhana suits anyone starting or ending a Hakone day at Yumoto who wants soba made with wild mountain yam, and the trade-off is a weekend wait at a riverside room that seats fifty. Hatsuhana has made soba beside the Yumoto bridge since November 1934. Its noodles use buckwheat flour, jinenjo wild yam and egg with no water at all, which keeps them from going soft. Seiro soba is the best seller, served cold with a bowl of grated jinenjo to dip into. Teijo soba puts the yam and a raw egg straight on top. The main shop overlooks the Hayakawa river by the Yumoto bridge, six minutes on foot from Hakone-Yumoto station. Its annexe a hundred metres along the river was closed as of a 9 October 2026 notice, so the main shop carries all the trade. A bowl of hot yamakake soba on a cold winter evening suits the place. Tips: - Last orders are 18:45, and fried dishes stop at 18:30. - The yam soba keeps well, so the shop sells it to take home. Q: What are the opening hours of Hatsuhana Soba? A: Hatsuhana Soba keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 10:00–19:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 10:00–19:00. Q: What should you order at Hatsuhana Soba? A: At Hatsuhana Soba, order seiro soba with jinenjo, or teijo soba, or hot yamakake soba in winter. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hatsuhana.co.jp/access/ https://hatsuhana.co.jp/news/ https://hatsuhana.co.jp/menu/ https://hatsuhana.co.jp/history/ https://retty.me/area/PRE14/ARE30/SUB3002/100000090724/ ### Haus St. Anton URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/haus-st-anton Type: Place to eat Local name: ハウスサンアントン (ja) Also known as: Haus St Anton, St. Anton Jam Factory, Haus St. Anton Jam Factory & Cafe Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Address: 長野県下高井郡野沢温泉村豊郷9515 Coordinates: 36.92282, 138.44745 Kind: Cafe Hours: Café: weekdays 9:30–18:00, Saturday 9:30–18:30, Sunday 8:30–18:00. Hours can change without notice. Dinner starts at 18:00 for all guests. Closed: Wednesdays (café) Reservations: Dinner must be booked by the day before, with allergies stated; the café takes walk-ins. Vegetarian: Vegetarian and vegan dinners are available when booked at least two days ahead. Cuisine: Café, French, Japanese Address: 長野県下高井郡野沢温泉村豊郷9515 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://st-anton.jp/dine/ Summary: Haus St. Anton suits a mid-morning stop for steamed oyaki and coffee in the middle of Nozawa, and its chef's dinner needs booking by the day before. The jam factory café in the village centre sells Haus St. Anton's own jams and juices, gelato made with local raw milk and oyaki steamed in a bamboo basket, with Allpress espresso to go with them. It opens at 9:30 on weekdays and 8:30 on Sundays, and closes on Wednesdays. The hotel's dinner is an eight to ten course omakase by chef Kensaku Katagiri that mixes French technique with Shinshu and Asian flavours. Everyone sits down together at 18:00, and vegetarian or vegan menus need two days' notice. Q: What are the opening hours of Haus St. Anton? A: Haus St. Anton keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 09:30–18:00; Wed closed; Thu–Fri 09:30–18:00; Sat 09:30–18:30; Sun 08:30–18:00. Q: What should you order at Haus St. Anton? A: At Haus St. Anton, order steamed oyaki from the bamboo basket, or gelato from local raw milk, or the chef's degustation dinner. Q: Do you need a reservation at Haus St. Anton? A: Haus St. Anton: Dinner must be booked by the day before, with allergies stated; the café takes walk-ins. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://st-anton.jp/dine/ https://st-anton.jp https://nozawahospitality.com/restaurants https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4224990599 ### Himi Banya-gai URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/himi-banya-gai Type: Place to eat Local name: 氷見漁港場外市場 ひみ番屋街 (ja) Also known as: Himi Banyagai, Himi fish market, ひみ番屋街, Himi Banya Street Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Address: 25-5 Kita-omachi, Himi, Toyama 935-0004 Coordinates: 36.86441, 136.98702 Kind: Market Hours: Fish and shops 8:30–18:00 and the food court 8:30–18:00; sit-down restaurants 11:00–18:00; conveyor-belt sushi 10:00–20:00. Hours vary by shop. Closed: Fish stalls follow the port's New Year first-auction schedule; occasional maintenance days Prices: Each shop sets its own prices; the Sou-yu bath costs ¥950 for adults. Reservations: Walk-ins. Cuisine: Seafood, Sushi, Udon Address: 25-5 Kita-omachi, Himi, Toyama 935-0004 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://himi-banya.jp/ Summary: Himi Banya-gai suits riders starting or finishing the Toyama Bay route at its western end who want sushi and a hot bath under one roof, and its trade-off is tour-bus crowds at lunch on weekends. Himi Banya-gai takes its name from banya, the fishermen's huts of this coast, and gathers about 30 shops and restaurants outside Himi's fishing port. Fishmongers sell the morning catch from Himi port, and the restaurants serve conveyor-belt sushi, Himi udon, Himi beef and Himi curry. The Toyama Bay Cycling Route starts in Himi and runs east along the shore toward Asahi. Next to the market the Sou-yu public bath uses a strong salt spring and charges ¥950 for adults. A free foot bath on the way there looks across the bay to the Tateyama range on a clear day. The market sits about 12 minutes by Kaetsuno bus or 20 minutes on foot from JR Himi station. Q: What are the opening hours of Himi Banya-gai? A: Himi Banya-gai keeps these hours: Daily 08:30–18:00. Q: What should you order at Himi Banya-gai? A: At Himi Banya-gai, order conveyor-belt sushi from Himi port's catch, or himi udon. Q: Do you need a reservation at Himi Banya-gai? A: Himi Banya-gai: Walk-ins. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://himi-banya.jp/ https://himi-banya.jp/guide/ https://himi-banya.jp/onsen/ https://cycling-toyama.jp/ ### Hiraso Nara URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/hiraso-nara Type: Place to eat Local name: 柿の葉ずし 平宗 奈良店 (ja) Also known as: Hiraso, 平宗, Hiraso kakinoha-zushi Region: Kansai Prefecture: Nara Town: Nara Address: 30-1 Imamikado-cho, Nara 630-8374 Coordinates: 34.68010, 135.83030 Kind: Sushi Hours: Main building: shop 10:00 to 20:30, restaurant 11:30 to 20:00 with last orders at 19:30. Hanare: shop 10:00 to 15:00, restaurant 11:30 to 21:00 with last orders at 20:00. Closed on Mondays and other days marked on the shop's calendar; hours change with the season. Closed: Monday Vegetarian: Hiraso makes a seasonal daikon radish kakinoha-zushi; the rest carry fish or meat. Cuisine: kakinoha-zushi Address: 30-1 Imamikado-cho, Nara 630-8374 Website: https://hiraso.jp/ Summary: Hiraso suits a sit-down lunch of kakinoha-zushi in Nara from a maker founded in 1861, and its trade-off is a Monday closure and no car park. Hiraso began in 1861 in Kamiichi in Yoshino and turned the region's festival sushi into a shop product, first selling it in Osaka in 1962. Its Nara shop in Imamikado-cho has the main building and an annex called Hanare, both with dining rooms. The main building's restaurant takes last orders at 19:30, and Hanare's runs later. Order a set of kakinoha-zushi with mackerel and salmon, then try a seasonal piece. The shop counter sells boxes to take away from 10:00, which makes a good lunch for the train out of Nara. Tips: - The shop has no parking; come on foot or use a coin car park nearby. Q: What are the opening hours of Hiraso Nara? A: Hiraso Nara keeps these hours: Mon closed; Tue–Sun 11:30–20:00. Q: What should you order at Hiraso Nara? A: At Hiraso Nara, order kakinoha-zushi of mackerel and salmon, or a seasonal kakinoha-zushi such as kinmedai or daikon. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hiraso.jp/shop/ https://hiraso.jp/about/history/ https://hiraso.jp/products/feature/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%A5%88%E8%89%AF%E7%9C%8C%E5%A5%88%E8%89%AF%E5%B8%82%E4%BB%8A%E5%BE%A1%E9%96%80%E7%94%BA30 ### Hirome Market URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/hirome-market Type: Place to eat Local name: ひろめ市場 (ja) Also known as: Hirome Ichiba, ひろめ市場 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kochi Town: Kochi Address: 2-3-1 Obiyamachi, Kochi, Kochi 780-0841 Coordinates: 33.56010, 133.53600 Kind: Market Hours: The building opens 10:00 to 23:00 Monday to Saturday and from 9:00 on Sundays; each stall sets its own hours. The whole market closes a few days a year for cleaning, and it publishes next year's dates each September. Closed: A few cleaning days a year, listed on the market's site Price: ¥¥ Prices: Each stall prices its own dishes. Reservations: No reservations; find a seat at the shared tables. Vegetarian: Mixed; with dozens of stalls you can find rice and vegetable dishes, but ask about fish stock. Cuisine: Kochi, Seafood, Food hall Address: 2-3-1 Obiyamachi, Kochi, Kochi 780-0841 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://hirome.co.jp/ Summary: Hirome Market suits anyone who wants katsuo tataki and a beer at a crowded shared table, and each stall keeps its own hours. Hirome is a covered market of food stalls and shared tables in the Obiyamachi shopping area, open from mid-morning to 23:00. The Myojinmaru stall belongs to a bonito fishing company and sears its tataki over burning straw. Buy dishes from several stalls and carry them to any free seat. The Times car park sits on the second and third floors. Q: What are the opening hours of Hirome Market? A: Hirome Market keeps these hours: Mon–Sat 10:00–23:00; Sun 09:00–23:00. Q: What should you order at Hirome Market? A: At Hirome Market, order straw-seared katsuo no tataki from the Myojinmaru stall, or a local beer or Tosa sake to go with it. Q: Do you need a reservation at Hirome Market? A: Hirome Market: No reservations; find a seat at the shared tables. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hirome.co.jp/ https://hirome.co.jp/notice.php https://myojinmaru.jp/about/shop/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%AB%98%E7%9F%A5%E7%9C%8C%E9%AB%98%E7%9F%A5%E5%B8%82%E5%B8%AF%E5%B1%8B%E7%94%BA%E4%BA%8C%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE3-1 ### Hisadaya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/hisadaya Type: Place to eat Local name: 郷土料理 久田屋 (ja) Also known as: Hisadaya Takayama, 久田屋 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 12 Kami-Sannomachi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14086, 137.25957 Kind: Other Hours: Lunch only; closed Wednesdays and on some other days. Closed: Wednesday, plus irregular days Cuisine: Hida local cuisine Address: 12 Kami-Sannomachi, Takayama, Gifu Website: http://www.hisadaya-hida.com/ Summary: Hisadaya suits a long lunch of Hida cooking around a working irori in a late-Edo townhouse in Sanmachi. The trade-off is that it opens for lunch only. Hisadaya serves lunch in a townhouse built at the end of the Edo period, and an irori hearth still burns by the entrance. The Hida beef hoba miso uses a house blend of miso with koji, and the rest of the menu follows the season's mountain vegetables. Wisteria covers the front in early May. Q: What are the opening hours of Hisadaya? A: Hisadaya keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 10:30–15:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 10:30–15:00. Q: What should you order at Hisadaya? A: At Hisadaya, order hida beef hoba miso, or seasonal mountain vegetables. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3100.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/special/detail_131.html ### Hisago-zushi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/hisago-zushi Type: Place to eat Local name: ひさご寿し (ja) Also known as: Hisagozushi, ひさご寿司 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Omihachiman Address: 213-3 Sakuramiya-cho, Omihachiman, Shiga 523-0893 Coordinates: 35.12762, 136.09670 Kind: Sushi Hours: The Biwaichi listing gives 10:00–22:00 Monday and Wednesday to Saturday and 9:00–21:00 on Sunday; the restaurant posts monthly changes on its site. Closed: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which the restaurant's own holiday notices treat as its regular days off Price: ¥¥¥ From: ¥2,200 each (2026), about CAD 20 or USD 14 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Nigiri sets run ¥2,200 to ¥13,200; Shiga-ryori courses are ¥8,800 and ¥11,000. Reservations: Book online through Toreta or by phone; the Shiga-ryori courses need a booking. Vegetarian: Cucumber, pickled hino-na and plum-shiso rolls are on the menu; ask about the dashi. Cuisine: sushi, lake fish, Shiga Address: 213-3 Sakuramiya-cho, Omihachiman, Shiga 523-0893 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: The Biwaichi map lists a toilet, a pump and tools here. Price from: ¥2,200 each (2026), about CAD 20 or USD 14 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.hisagozushi.com/ Booking: https://yoyaku.toreta.in/hisago Summary: Hisago-zushi suits riders who want lake-fish sushi in Omihachiman, from Biwa masu to funazushi, and dinner here costs far more than a ride-stop lunch. Hisago-zushi is eight minutes on foot from JR Omi-Hachiman, and owner Kawanishi cooks the lake. Biwa masu is the lake's own trout, and here it comes as box sushi at ¥1,980 or as a bo-zushi on the menu since 2013 at ¥4,400. The single pieces include funazushi at ¥660 and baby ayu from the lake at ¥550. There is Omi beef too, rolled with toro since 2006. In winter the kitchen serves Omi duck hot pot cooked with thick Nobunaga leeks. The restaurant is a Biwaichi support station with a pump and tools at the door. Q: How much does Hisago-zushi cost? A: Prices at Hisago-zushi start at ¥2,200 each (2026), about CAD 20 or USD 14 (October 2026 rates). Q: When is Hisago-zushi open? A: Hisago-zushi is open the Biwaichi listing gives 10:00–22:00 Monday and Wednesday to Saturday and 9:00–21:00 on Sunday; the restaurant posts monthly changes on its site and closed tuesdays and Wednesdays, which the restaurant's own holiday notices treat as its regular days off. Q: What should you order at Hisago-zushi? A: At Hisago-zushi, order biwa masu bo-zushi, or omi beef toro roll, or koayu nigiri, or seta shijimi clam soup. Q: Do you need a reservation at Hisago-zushi? A: Hisago-zushi: Book online through Toreta or by phone; the Shiga-ryori courses need a booking. Q: Can you park a bike at Hisago-zushi? A: Hisago-zushi: the Biwaichi map lists a toilet, a pump and tools here. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hisagozushi.com/ https://www.hisagozushi.com/menu/ https://www.hisagozushi.com/access/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Hoto Fudo Higashi-Koiji URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/hoto-fudo-higashi-koiji Type: Place to eat Local name: ほうとう不動 東恋路店 (ja) Also known as: Hoto Fudo, Houtou Fudou, ほうとう不動, Fudo Higashi Koiji, Hoto Fudo cloud building Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Town: Kawaguchiko Address: 山梨県南都留郡富士河口湖町船津東恋路2458 Coordinates: 35.49160, 138.75710 Kind: Other Hours: Open daily 11:00–20:00. On weekdays the shop asks you to phone before coming after 16:00 to check closing time. Closed: No regular closing day Price: ¥ From: ¥1,320 per person (2026), about CAD 12 or USD 8.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The house hoto costs ¥1,320 with tax. Black-sugar inari is ¥550 and horse sashimi ¥1,320. Reservations: Most diners queue at the door. The website links an online reservation form. Payment: Cash only (Retty listing and an August 2026 review) Vegetarian: The hoto a 2026 reviewer described held vegetables and fried tofu with no meat, but the shop does not publish its stock, so ask about fish dashi. Cuisine: Hoto, Yamanashi home cooking Address: 山梨県南都留郡富士河口湖町船津東恋路2458 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥1,320 per person (2026), about CAD 12 or USD 8.30 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: http://www.houtou-fudou.jp/ Summary: Hoto Fudo's white cloud of a building suits anyone who wants Kawaguchiko's signature hot pot in one bowl with no decisions to make, and the trade-off is a queue that can run half an hour at lunch. Fudo serves one hoto. Thick, chewy house-made noodles simmer in a miso broth with pumpkin, mountain vegetables and whatever the season brings, and the pot arrives still bubbling. The Higashi-Koiji branch sits at the junction where Route 138 meets the road across the Kawaguchi-ko bridge, and architect Takeshi Hosaka designed its rounded white shell to look like a cloud settling at the foot of Fuji. A Retty reviewer in August 2026 waited close to thirty minutes, so arrive at the 11:00 opening on a winter weekend. Hoto is a cold-weather dish, and a January lunch here after a morning on the lake shore makes the most sense of it. Order the black-sugar inari on the side if you want something sweet against the miso. On weekdays the shop asks anyone arriving after 16:00 to phone first, because it can close before the posted 20:00 when the day is quiet. Tips: - Pay in cash and settle as one group; a 2026 review says the shop takes one bill per table. - Spoon the noodles onto the big ladle to cool them before each mouthful. Q: How much does Hoto Fudo Higashi-Koiji cost? A: Prices at Hoto Fudo Higashi-Koiji start at ¥1,320 per person (2026), about CAD 12 or USD 8.30 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Hoto Fudo Higashi-Koiji? A: Hoto Fudo Higashi-Koiji keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–20:00. Q: What should you order at Hoto Fudo Higashi-Koiji? A: At Hoto Fudo Higashi-Koiji, order fudo hoto, the only hoto on the menu, or black-sugar inari on the side. Q: Do you need a reservation at Hoto Fudo Higashi-Koiji? A: Hoto Fudo Higashi-Koiji: Most diners queue at the door. The website links an online reservation form. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.houtou-fudou.jp/location.html http://www.houtou-fudou.jp/menu.html http://www.houtou-fudou.jp/english.html https://retty.me/area/PRE19/ARE259/SUB37202/100000366698/ ### Hunter URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/hunter-akakura Type: Place to eat Local name: ハンター (ja) Also known as: Hunter Restaurant, Lodge Hunter restaurant, HUNTER Akakura Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市赤倉123 Coordinates: 36.89460, 138.17770 Kind: Cafe Hours: Myoko Tourism does not publish hours; the lodge restaurant has served from breakfast to late in past winters. Cuisine: Japanese, Western Address: 新潟県妙高市赤倉123 Summary: Hunter suits riders who want one room on Akakura's main street for coffee, a meal and a late drink, and its trade-off is a long menu with no single speciality. Hunter is the restaurant under Lodge Hunter at the main junction of Akakura Onsen. The room is all warm wood, and you can drop in for a coffee, a full meal or a drink at the bar. It sits fifty steps from the Akakura Kanko shuttle stop, so it works for a slow breakfast before the bus or an après beer after it. The lodge opened 2026/27 bookings in June 2026. Q: When is Hunter open? A: Hunter is open myoko Tourism does not publish hours; the lodge restaurant has served from breakfast to late in past winters. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://myokotourism.jp/restaurants/hunter/ http://hunter-myoko.com/ https://myoko-nagano.com/myoko-kogen/myoko-bars-restaurants-cafes/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?format=json&q=Hunter%20Restaurant%20Myoko ### Ichiniisan, Amu Plaza Kagoshima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/ichiniisan-amu-plaza-kagoshima Type: Place to eat Local name: 遊食豚彩 いちにぃさん アミュプラザ店 (ja) Also known as: Ichiniisan, Ichi Ni San Kagoshima, いちにいさん Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kagoshima Town: Kagoshima Address: 5F Amu Plaza Kagoshima, 1-1 Chuo-cho, Kagoshima Coordinates: 31.58420, 130.54220 Kind: Other Hours: 22:00 is last order. Closed: New Year only Cuisine: kurobuta, Kagoshima Address: 5F Amu Plaza Kagoshima, 1-1 Chuo-cho, Kagoshima Website: http://ichiniisan.jp/ Summary: Ichiniisan's station branch suits travellers who want Kagoshima black pork the moment they arrive, and it sits in a shopping mall above the tracks. Ichiniisan calls itself a Kagoshima black pork specialist and says it was the first to serve kurobuta shabu-shabu in soba broth. The Amu Plaza branch, five floors above Kagoshima-Chuo Station, is on the producers' council list of designated kurobuta restaurants. Beyond pork the menu carries Kagoshima beef, kibinago sardine sashimi and satsuma-age fish cakes, and it stays open until 22:00 every day except New Year. Tips: - Ichiniisan has a second Kagoshima branch downtown in Tenmonkan. Q: What are the opening hours of Ichiniisan, Amu Plaza Kagoshima? A: Ichiniisan, Amu Plaza Kagoshima keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–22:00. Q: What should you order at Ichiniisan, Amu Plaza Kagoshima? A: At Ichiniisan, Amu Plaza Kagoshima, order kurobuta shabu-shabu in soba broth, or kurobuta pork belly cutlet. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.k-kurobuta.com/?s=&prefecture=kagoshima&sale_cat%5B%5D=restaurant http://ichiniisan.jp/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=鹿児島市中央町1-1 ### Kani no Yakata Inaba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/inaba-kinosaki Type: Place to eat Local name: かにのやかた いなば鮮魚 (ja) Also known as: Inaba, Inaba Sengyo, Inaba Kinosaki, いなば鮮魚 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Hyogo Town: Kinosaki Onsen Address: 224 Yushima, Kinosaki-cho, Toyooka, Hyogo Coordinates: 35.62560, 134.81290 Kind: Shokudo Hours: Fish shop 8:00 to 17:30; dining room 10:30 to 16:30. Open every day. Payment: Cash only Cuisine: crab, seafood Address: 224 Yushima, Kinosaki-cho, Toyooka, Hyogo Website: https://inabasengyo.wixsite.com/index Summary: Inaba suits a crab lunch 150 m from Kinosaki Onsen station, and its trade-off is a dining room that closes at 16:30. Inaba is a fishmonger with its own dining room, and the crab sign stands about 150 m from Kinosaki Onsen station. It sells Kasumi crab and matsuba crab landed at Tsuiyama port, and it ships boxes home for you. The dining room serves the same crab, plus salmon roe dishes and drinks. Tips: - The shop takes cash only and has no parking. Q: What are the opening hours of Kani no Yakata Inaba? A: Kani no Yakata Inaba keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:30–16:30. Q: What should you order at Kani no Yakata Inaba? A: At Kani no Yakata Inaba, order a crab set from the dining room. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kinosaki-spa.gr.jp/directory/inaba/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%85%B5%E5%BA%AB%E7%9C%8C%E8%B1%8A%E5%B2%A1%E5%B8%82%E5%9F%8E%E5%B4%8E%E7%94%BA%E6%B9%AF%E5%B3%B6224 ### Inakaya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/inakaya-chichibu Type: Place to eat Local name: 田舎屋 (ja) Also known as: Inakaya Chichibu, 田舎屋 秩父, Inaka-ya Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Saitama Town: Chichibu Address: 1-16-4 Nosaka-machi, Chichibu, Saitama 368-0033 Coordinates: 35.99130, 139.08390 Kind: Shokudo Hours: Last orders at 20:30; the restaurant closes on irregular days. Closed: Irregular Cuisine: Japanese, soba Address: 1-16-4 Nosaka-machi, Chichibu, Saitama 368-0033 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: Inakaya suits riders coming off the Chichibu passes who want local dishes a minute from the Seibu platform, and its trade-off is a small room of 25 seats with no fixed day off posted. Inakaya sits one minute on foot from Seibu-Chichibu Station and two minutes from Ohanabatake on the Chichibu Railway. It cooks the town's standards: soba, waraji katsudon, pork marinated in miso over rice, and home-grown shiitake. It also serves game, venison and wild boar, when it has them. The room holds five tables of four and five counter seats, and the kitchen runs from 11:00 to 21:00 with last orders at 20:30. Tips: - Order the waraji katsudon after a long ride. Q: What are the opening hours of Inakaya? A: Inakaya keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–21:00. Q: What should you order at Inakaya? A: At Inakaya, order waraji katsudon, or buta-miso don, pork marinated in miso, or soba. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/spot/spot-syousai119/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%9F%BC%E7%8E%89%E7%9C%8C%E7%A7%A9%E7%88%B6%E5%B8%82%E9%87%8E%E5%9D%82%E7%94%BA1-16-4 ### Irori URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/irori-shirakawa-go Type: Place to eat Local name: お食事処 いろり (ja) Also known as: Irori Restaurant, Irori Shirakawa-go Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Shirakawa-go Address: 374-1 Ogimachi, Shirakawa-mura, Ono-gun, Gifu 501-5627 Coordinates: 36.26092, 136.90678 Kind: Shokudo Hours: 10:00 to 14:00, with irregular closing days; the tourist association suggests checking before you go. Closed: Irregular Payment: Cash, credit cards, PayPay, au PAY and Merpay Cuisine: Japanese, Soba Address: 374-1 Ogimachi, Shirakawa-mura, Ono-gun, Gifu 501-5627 Website: http://www.shirakawagou.jp/service/souvenir/ Summary: Irori suits a quick lunch in a gassho building one minute from the Shirakawa-go bus terminal. The trade-off is the lunch-only hours. Irori serves in a gassho-zukuri building a minute from the bus terminal, with 146 seats. The menu follows the seasons, with wild greens in spring, Hida highland vegetables in summer, mushrooms in autumn and pickles in winter. The grilled tofu set and the soba set are the ones the restaurant recommends. Q: What are the opening hours of Irori? A: Irori keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–14:00. Q: What should you order at Irori? A: At Irori, order grilled tofu set, or soba set. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/shop/16/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/shop/16/ ### Iwabee URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/iwabee Type: Place to eat Local name: いわべえ (ja) Also known as: Iwabe, いわべぇ, Aburaiwa, 油岩＆いわべえ Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: 広島県尾道市十四日元町1-23 Coordinates: 34.41003, 133.20252 Kind: Okonomiyaki Hours: Tabelog adds an evening sitting from 17:00 to 19:30. The shopping street's own page lists lunch only and closes Wednesday as well as Thursday, so phone before a Wednesday or an evening visit. Closed: Thursday (the shopping street's page lists Wednesday too) Price: ¥ Prices: Mapple's June 2024 guide listed Onomichi-yaki and Iwabee-yaki at ¥950 and negi-yaki at ¥750. No newer published price turned up. Reservations: No reservations (Tabelog) Payment: Cash only (Tabelog) Vegetarian: Not realistic; both house styles carry meat and seafood. Cuisine: Onomichi-yaki, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki Address: 広島県尾道市十四日元町1-23 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Website: https://onomichi-hondoori.jp/shop/detail.php?sp=123 Summary: Iwabee suits anyone who wants to try Onomichi-yaki with its chopped chicken gizzard, and the trade-off is a ten-seat griddle with no parking of its own. Half of the Aburaiwa shopfront sells lacquerware that the shopping street dates back 200 years, and the other half is Iwabee's okonomiyaki griddle. Onomichi-yaki builds on the layered Hiroshima style and adds chopped sunazuri gizzard and crunchy ika-ten with steamed noodles inside. Mapple's 2024 guide priced it at ¥950 and notes the local version runs a little small. The shop is about 15 minutes' walk east of Onomichi Station. Q: What are the opening hours of Iwabee? A: Iwabee keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 11:30–15:00; Thu closed; Fri–Sun 11:30–15:00. Q: What should you order at Iwabee? A: At Iwabee, order onomichi-yaki with sunazuri (chicken gizzard) and ika-ten, or iwabee-yaki (the house best seller) with mochi and pork. Q: Do you need a reservation at Iwabee? A: Iwabee: No reservations (Tabelog). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://onomichi-hondoori.jp/shop/detail.php?sp=123 https://s.tabelog.com/en/hiroshima/A3406/A340302/34002418/ https://www.mapple.net/article/63790/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E5%8D%81%E5%9B%9B%E6%97%A5%E5%85%83%E7%94%BA1-23 ### Izakaya Aokiya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/izakaya-aokiya Type: Place to eat Local name: 青木屋 (ja) Also known as: Aokiya, Aokiya Nozawa Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Coordinates: 36.92443, 138.44838 Kind: Izakaya Hours: OpenStreetMap lists 16:00–22:00; Nozawa Hospitality lists dinner. Price: ¥ Reservations: Reservations only; Nozawa Hospitality links an AutoReserve page. Vegetarian: Nozawa Hospitality lists it as vegetarian-friendly. Cuisine: Izakaya, Sake After skiing: A good stop after the last lift Price band: ¥ Booking: https://autoreserve.com/en/restaurants/4UGnzRNNW8uwKDP7ccXU Summary: Aokiya suits a sake-led dinner in Nozawa where vegetarians eat well, and it seats by reservation only. Aokiya is an izakaya in Nozawa Onsen that puts sake first. Nozawa Hospitality marks it as vegetarian-friendly, which is unusual for an izakaya, and lists dinner by reservation only. OpenStreetMap gives 16:00 to 22:00, so an early table after the last run is possible. Tips: - Après: Aokiya opens at 16:00 on OpenStreetMap's listing. Q: What are the opening hours of Izakaya Aokiya? A: Izakaya Aokiya keeps these hours: Daily 16:00–22:00. Q: What should you order at Izakaya Aokiya? A: At Izakaya Aokiya, order local sake by the glass, or small plates to share. Q: Do you need a reservation at Izakaya Aokiya? A: Izakaya Aokiya: Reservations only; Nozawa Hospitality links an AutoReserve page. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nozawahospitality.com/restaurants https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/8905740821 ### Izakaya Tsukushinbo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/izakaya-tsukushinbo Type: Place to eat Local name: つくしんぼ (ja) Also known as: Tsukushinbo, Tsukushimbo, Izakaya Tsukushimbo Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Coordinates: 36.92320, 138.44811 Kind: Izakaya Hours: 18:00–23:00, closed irregularly. Closed: Irregular Price: ¥¥ Prices: The Nozawa ski site lists ¥2,000–¥3,000 a person (undated). Reservations: Nozawa Hospitality says reservations are required. Payment: Cash, Visa, Mastercard Vegetarian: Agedashi tofu and soba are on the menu; ask about the dashi. Cuisine: Izakaya, Japanese After skiing: A good stop after the last lift Price band: ¥¥ Summary: Tsukushinbo suits an après-ski night of local fish, horse sashimi and hot sake under Oyu, and you need to book in winter. Tsukushinbo is a traditional izakaya in the basement of the Tokiwaya ryokan, next to the Oyu bathhouse. The Nozawa ski site lists Shinshu salmon and Sea of Japan sashimi, iwana trout grilled with salt, fried chicken, agedashi tofu, soba and udon, with 50 seats and a budget of ¥2,000 to ¥3,000 a head. Nozawa Hospitality adds horse sashimi to the list. The house tip is a ruby-red grapefruit chu-hi with the fried shiso and cheese spring rolls. Tips: - Après: Tsukushinbo opens at 18:00, an easy stumble from the Oyu bath. Q: What are the opening hours of Izakaya Tsukushinbo? A: Izakaya Tsukushinbo keeps these hours: Daily 18:00–23:00. Q: What should you order at Izakaya Tsukushinbo? A: At Izakaya Tsukushinbo, order salt-grilled iwana, or shinshu salmon sashimi, or basashi (horse sashimi), or grapefruit chu-hi with the shiso and cheese spring rolls. Q: Do you need a reservation at Izakaya Tsukushinbo? A: Izakaya Tsukushinbo: Nozawa Hospitality says reservations are required. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://en.nozawaski.com/shop_restaurant/2194 https://nozawahospitality.com/restaurants https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/8905740819 ### Izu Sengyosho Marutaka URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/izu-sengyosho-marutaka Type: Place to eat Local name: 伊豆鮮魚商 まるたか (ja) Also known as: Marutaka Ito, まるたか 伊東, Marutaka Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Ito Address: 静岡県伊東市湯川1-16-6 Coordinates: 34.97355, 139.09277 Kind: Izakaya Hours: Lunch last orders 14:30; dinner last orders 22:00. Closed: No regular closing day Price: ¥¥ From: ¥1,690 per person (2026), about CAD 15 or USD 11 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Lunch sets cost ¥1,690 in 2026; Retty puts dinner at up to ¥4,000. Payment: Cards and PayPay (Retty) Vegetarian: None to speak of; the menu is fish. Cuisine: Seafood, Izakaya Address: 静岡県伊東市湯川1-16-6 Price from: ¥1,690 per person (2026), about CAD 15 or USD 11 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Summary: Marutaka suits anyone arriving at Ito station who wants local fish at lunch or late into the evening, and the trade-off is a busy izakaya room more than a quiet dining room. Marutaka sits two minutes from Ito station and serves local fish from lunch until 23:00. The order here is uzuwa, the eastern Shizuoka name for frigate mackerel, which rarely reaches the market fresh. A May 2026 review priced the uzuwa set meal and the local-fish rice bowl at ¥1,690 each, alongside seared kinmedai sashimi. A June 2026 reviewer ate uzuwa-meshi mixed with green chilli and finished it with broth poured over. Yappata, the Ito name for a bycatch fish from the kinmedai lines, comes fried for ¥690. The sister shop Marugen is a little further along the same street. Tips: - Lunch runs to 15:00, so it suits a ride that ends at Ito station. Q: How much does Izu Sengyosho Marutaka cost? A: Prices at Izu Sengyosho Marutaka start at ¥1,690 per person (2026), about CAD 15 or USD 11 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Izu Sengyosho Marutaka? A: Izu Sengyosho Marutaka keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:00-15:00, 17:00-23:00. Q: What should you order at Izu Sengyosho Marutaka? A: At Izu Sengyosho Marutaka, order uzuwa set meal, or seared kinmedai sashimi, or yappata fry. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://retty.me/area/PRE22/ARE319/SUB7604/100000725257/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%9D%99%E5%B2%A1%E7%9C%8C%E4%BC%8A%E6%9D%B1%E5%B8%82%E6%B9%AF%E5%B7%9D%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE16-6 ### Jingisukan Lodge URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/jingisukan-lodge-zao Type: Place to eat Local name: 蔵王ジンギスカン ロッジ (ja) Also known as: ジンギスカンロッジ, Zao Jingisukan Lodge, Lodge Zao, ロッジ 蔵王 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: 山形県山形市蔵王温泉上ノ台758-2 Coordinates: 38.17186, 140.39777 Kind: Yakiniku Hours: Retty gives 12:00 to 20:00 from May to October and 11:00 to 15:00 plus 17:00 to 20:00 from December to March. Tabelog lists Tuesday and Wednesday as closed, and Retty adds Thursday, so check the lodge's calendar. Closed: Tuesday and Wednesday (Tabelog); Retty also lists Thursday Price: ¥¥¥ From: ¥3,000 per person (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Retty's menu (page updated May 2026) lists the Yamagata lamb sets at ¥5,000 to ¥7,800 and the Australian lamb at ¥3,000. The tier follows the house lamb, which is the reason to come. Reservations: Booking by phone, LINE or Retty is advised. Payment: JCB and AMEX, e-money and QR codes (Tabelog) Vegetarian: Hard; the menu we read offers curry, udon and vegetable plates, with no note on the broths. Cuisine: jingisukan, après Address: 山形県山形市蔵王温泉上ノ台758-2 Price from: ¥3,000 per person (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: http://www.jingiss68.com/ Summary: Jingisukan Lodge suits skiers who want lamb from the owners' own flock at the foot of the Uenodai slope, and the trade-off is a price well above the onsen-town average. The lodge raises its own sheep and feeds them the skins and seeds left from pressing mountain grapes, which the owners say keeps the meat clean-tasting. A Tabelog reviewer places it at the base of the Uenodai run, so you can click out of your bindings and walk in for lunch. The dining room has a Showa-era feel and the building also takes overnight guests. Yamagata-raised lamb comes in limited daily quantities, and the kitchen keeps an Australian lamb jingisukan as the cheaper fallback. Tips: - Ask for the Yamagata lamb when you book, since the menu marks every cut of it as limited. - The house mountain-grape cider comes from the same farm that feeds the sheep. Q: How much does Jingisukan Lodge cost? A: Prices at Jingisukan Lodge start at ¥3,000 per person (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Jingisukan Lodge? A: Jingisukan Lodge keeps these hours: Mon 12:00–20:00; Tue–Wed closed; Thu–Sun 12:00–20:00. Q: What should you order at Jingisukan Lodge? A: At Jingisukan Lodge, order yamagata lamb jingisukan with the rice set, or mountain-grape cider made from the farm's own fruit. Q: Do you need a reservation at Jingisukan Lodge? A: Jingisukan Lodge: Booking by phone, LINE or Retty is advised. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.jingiss68.com/ https://retty.me/area/PRE06/ARE162/SUB16201/100000874470/ https://retty.me/area/PRE06/ARE162/SUB16201/100000874470/menu/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/yamagata/A0601/A060101/6007116/ ### Jingoro Ramen Honten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/jingoro-ramen Type: Place to eat Local name: 甚五郎らーめん本店 (ja) Also known as: Jingoro Ramen, Jingoro Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 2-132-1 Nishinoishiki-machi, Takayama, Gifu 506-0031 Coordinates: 36.13827, 137.24950 Kind: Ramen Hours: Lunch every day; the night service runs 20:00 to 2:00 and skips Sundays and Mondays. Price: ¥ From: ¥800 each (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Cuisine: Ramen Address: 2-132-1 Nishinoishiki-machi, Takayama, Gifu 506-0031 Price from: ¥800 each (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Summary: Jingoro Ramen suits a late bowl after a night in town, since the night service runs until 2:00. The trade-off is that it sits west of the tracks, away from the old town. Jingoro makes everything in house, from the soup and noodles to the chashu and bamboo shoots. Lunch bowls start at ¥800 and night bowls at ¥1,200, and the shop is five minutes' walk from the station with ten parking spaces. Q: How much does Jingoro Ramen Honten cost? A: Prices at Jingoro Ramen Honten start at ¥800 each (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Jingoro Ramen Honten? A: Jingoro Ramen Honten keeps these hours: Mon 10:30–15:00; Tue–Sat 10:30-15:00, 20:00-02:00; Sun 10:30–15:00. Q: What should you order at Jingoro Ramen Honten? A: At Jingoro Ramen Honten, order ramen with house-made chashu. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3028.html ### Jomo-Kogen Station Ekisoba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/jomo-kogen-station-ekisoba Type: Place to eat Local name: 上毛高原駅 駅そば (ja) Also known as: Jomo Kogen ekisoba, Jomokogen station soba Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: Jomo-Kogen Station, 1756 Tsukiyono, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Coordinates: 36.69303, 138.97779 Kind: Soba Hours: Open 9:00–18:00 every day. Reservations: Walk in; standing counter. Cuisine: soba, udon Address: Jomo-Kogen Station, 1756 Tsukiyono, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: Jomo-Kogen Station Ekisoba suits Shinkansen passengers who want a fast bowl of soba before the bus to Minakami, and it is a standing counter. This standing soba counter inside Jomo-Kogen Shinkansen station uses thick country-style noodles, and the listing says locals know it for being fast and cheap. Udon and motsu-ni stew are on the menu too. Q: What are the opening hours of Jomo-Kogen Station Ekisoba? A: Jomo-Kogen Station Ekisoba keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–18:00. Q: What should you order at Jomo-Kogen Station Ekisoba? A: At Jomo-Kogen Station Ekisoba, order soba with country-style noodles, or motsu-ni stew. Q: Do you need a reservation at Jomo-Kogen Station Ekisoba? A: Jomo-Kogen Station Ekisoba: Walk in; standing counter. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/8115/ ### Kaba Sake Brewery URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kaba-sake-brewery Type: Place to eat Local name: 蒲酒造場 (ja) Also known as: Kaba Shuzojo, Shiramayumi, 白真弓 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Hida-Furukawa Address: 6-6 Ichinomachi, Furukawa-cho, Hida, Gifu 509-4234 Coordinates: 36.23494, 137.18705 Kind: Sake brewery Reservations: Book ahead to see inside the brewery and taste. Cuisine: Sake Address: 6-6 Ichinomachi, Furukawa-cho, Hida, Gifu 509-4234 Summary: Kaba Sake Brewery suits a stop on the canal walk to buy Shiramayumi sake from a house that has brewed in Furukawa for more than 300 years. The trade-off is that tours and tastings need a booking. Kaba brews with Hida Homare rice, which grows in the region's hard climate, and its labels run from Shiramayumi and Yancha-zake to the sparkling Janpan. The main house is a registered cultural property, and its storehouse on the Seto River canal is part of Furukawa's best-known view. It is five minutes' walk from Hida-Furukawa Station. Q: What are the opening hours of Kaba Sake Brewery? A: Kaba Sake Brewery keeps these hours: Mon–Fri 08:00–17:00; Sat–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Kaba Sake Brewery? A: At Kaba Sake Brewery, order shiramayumi, or janpan sparkling sake. Q: Do you need a reservation at Kaba Sake Brewery? A: Kaba Sake Brewery: Book ahead to see inside the brewery and taste. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hida-kankou.jp/spot/308 https://www.hida-kankou.jp/features/57 ### Kagami Ike Donguri House URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kagami-ike-donguri-house Type: Place to eat Local name: 鏡池どんぐりハウス (ja) Also known as: Donguri House, Kagamiike Donguri House, どんぐりハウス Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Togakushi Address: 長野県長野市戸隠2039-10 Status: seasonal. Closed for winter from about 25 November to mid-April. It was open with an exhibition running from 9 October to 23 November 2026. Coordinates: 36.74896, 138.06424 Kind: Cafe Hours: Restaurant 9:00–16:00; shop and gallery 9:00–16:30. Open through Golden Week and Obon. No closing day in the autumn leaf season. Closed: Wednesdays (Wednesdays and Thursdays in June and September); winter from about 25 November to mid-April Reservations: Book by phone or through Hot Pepper Gourmet. Cuisine: Galette, Café Address: 長野県長野市戸隠2039-10 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: Five free car spaces at the door and 30 at the Kagami-ike car park two minutes away; no bike rack is listed. Website: https://www.kagamiike.jp/ Summary: Donguri House suits a buckwheat galette beside Kagami-ike on a spring or autumn ride through Togakushi, and it shuts for the winter. Donguri House sits two minutes' walk from the big Kagami-ike car park, on the shore of Kagami-ike pond. The kitchen makes galettes from 100 percent buckwheat flour, savoury and sweet, and two set courses cost less than ordering the same dishes one by one. It opens 9:00 to 16:00 from mid-April to about 25 November and closes on Wednesdays outside the holiday weeks. In the autumn leaf season the road in runs under traffic controls, so check the Togakushi tourism association or the café's Instagram before you set off. Q: What are the opening hours of Kagami Ike Donguri House? A: Kagami Ike Donguri House keeps these hours: Mon 09:00–16:00; Tue 09:00–16:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 09:00–16:00. Q: What should you order at Kagami Ike Donguri House? A: At Kagami Ike Donguri House, order a savoury buckwheat galette, or course B with a sweet galette to finish. Q: Do you need a reservation at Kagami Ike Donguri House? A: Kagami Ike Donguri House: Book by phone or through Hot Pepper Gourmet. Q: Can you park a bike at Kagami Ike Donguri House? A: Kagami Ike Donguri House: five free car spaces at the door and 30 at the Kagami-ike car park two minutes away; no bike rack is listed. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kagamiike.jp/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/7880385885 ### Kamoshika-mura URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kamoshika-mura Type: Place to eat Local name: かもしか村 (ja) Also known as: Kamoshikamura soba, Kamoshika-mura Tokura Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Katashina Address: 266-1 Tokura, Katashina-mura, Tone-gun, Gunma Status: seasonal. Closed for the winter from late November to mid-April. Coordinates: 36.83663, 139.24444 Kind: Soba Hours: Open 11:30–15:00 with last order at 14:30, from mid-April to late November. It closes for the winter, and hours can change, so call first. Closed: Late November to mid-April Cuisine: soba Address: 266-1 Tokura, Katashina-mura, Tone-gun, Gunma On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: Kamoshika-mura suits Oze hikers and spring riders who want hand-made soba in Tokura, and it is closed from late November to mid-April. Kamoshika-mura sits in Tokura on the way to the Oze trailheads. The owner makes the soba by hand from local flour and serves the vegetables the owner grows as tempura. Plan it for a spring, summer or autumn visit. Q: What are the opening hours of Kamoshika-mura? A: Kamoshika-mura keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:30–15:00. Q: What should you order at Kamoshika-mura? A: At Kamoshika-mura, order hand-made soba of local flour, or tempura of vegetables from the owner's own field. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://oze-katashina.info/kanko/2748/ ### Kappa Tei URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kappa-tei-hakuba Type: Place to eat Local name: かっぱ亭 (ja) Also known as: Kappatei, Kappa-tei Hakuba Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Coordinates: 36.69771, 137.87314 Kind: Shokudo Hours: 11:00–16:00 (Hakuba.com, 2025). Closed: Tuesdays and Wednesdays (Hakuba.com, 2025) Cuisine: Japanese, Teishoku On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: Kappa Tei suits a tonkatsu lunch on a ride or walk out to Oide Park, and it serves daytime only. Kappa Tei sits across the Oide suspension bridge from Oide Park, east of Hakuba Station. Hakuba.com lists tonkatsu and seasonal fish set meals from 11:00 to 16:00. The park and the bridge make it an easy turnaround for a short spin from the station, with lunch at the far end. Q: What are the opening hours of Kappa Tei? A: Kappa Tei keeps these hours: Thu–Mon 11:00–16:00; Tue closed; Wed closed. Q: What should you order at Kappa Tei? A: At Kappa Tei, order tonkatsu set, or the seasonal fish set. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakuba.com/blogs/50-hakuba-restaurants-to-try-in-summer https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/840726720 ### Kappo Momoya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kappo-momoya-tazawako Type: Place to eat Local name: 割烹 桃屋 (ja) Also known as: Momoya, 桃屋, Momoya Tazawako Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Town: Tazawako Address: 79 Mizujiri, Obonai, Tazawako, Semboku, Akita 014-1201 Coordinates: 39.69946, 140.72386 Kind: Shokudo Hours: Lunch hours as Tabelog lists them; the tourism association confirms the Wednesday and Thursday closures. Evenings open only for banquets booked in advance. Closed: Wednesday and Thursday Prices: Momoya publishes no menu prices online. Tabelog reviewers in 2025 and 2026 spent between ¥1,000 and ¥2,999 a person. Reservations: Lunch reservations by phone; evening banquets by reservation only. Cuisine: Akita cooking, kiritanpo Address: 79 Mizujiri, Obonai, Tazawako, Semboku, Akita 014-1201 Summary: Momoya suits anyone arriving at Tazawako Station who wants house-made kiritanpo nabe before the bus up to Nyuto or the ski area, and the trade-off is lunch only, with the doors shut on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Momoya is a kappo restaurant about 150 metres from Tazawako Station, with a tatami hall where you take off your shoes and a few tables with chairs. The tourism association lists kiritanpo and a Hinai chicken hotpot among its regular dishes, along with daily set meals cooked from seasonal produce. A reviewer in March 2026 came for the kiritanpo nabe set and singled out the kiritanpo, which the kitchen makes itself. Akita sake such as Yuki no Bosha is on the list, and evenings are kept for booked banquets. Tips: - Coffee, tea and matcha are on the menu too if you are killing time before a train. - Book lunch ahead on a Shinkansen day; the restaurant takes reservations by phone. Q: What are the opening hours of Kappo Momoya? A: Kappo Momoya keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 11:00–14:00; Wed–Thu closed; Fri–Sun 11:00–14:00. Q: What should you order at Kappo Momoya? A: At Kappo Momoya, order the kiritanpo nabe set meal, or a daily set meal if you have already had kiritanpo. Q: Do you need a reservation at Kappo Momoya? A: Kappo Momoya: Lunch reservations by phone; evening banquets by reservation only. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/spots/6196/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/akita/A0504/A050401/5003015/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/akita/A0504/A050401/5003015/dtlrvwlst/B524475577/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/akita/A0504/A050401/5003015/dtlrvwlst/B498645645/ ### Karasawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/karasawa Type: Place to eat Local name: からさわ (ja) Also known as: Karasawa ice monaka, からさわ アイスモナカ, Karasawa Onomichi Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: 広島県尾道市土堂1-15-19 Coordinates: 34.40654, 133.19919 Kind: Sweets Hours: Also closed on the second Wednesday of each month, and on the next day when Tuesday is a public holiday. Tabelog says hours shift with the season and weekday, and lists 17:00 as the usual close. Closed: Tuesday and the second Wednesday Price: ¥ Prices: The shop's online set of ten ice monaka costs ¥1,810, and Tabelog puts a visit under ¥1,000. Reservations: No reservations Vegetarian: The ice monaka has no meat; it contains dairy. Cuisine: Ice cream, Japanese sweets Address: 広島県尾道市土堂1-15-19 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.ice.jcom.to/ Summary: Karasawa suits anyone walking the Onomichi waterfront who wants a cheap sweet stop, and it shuts on Tuesdays and the second Wednesday of each month. Karasawa presses vanilla ice cream between crisp wafer shells and sells the result as ice monaka from a shop ten minutes' walk east of Onomichi Station. Tabelog named it to its ice cream and gelato Top 100 in 2023 and again in 2026. The shop also serves cream zenzai with sweet red beans. Boxed sets can be posted home if you want to send some on. Q: What are the opening hours of Karasawa? A: Karasawa keeps these hours: Mon 10:00–17:30; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 10:00–17:30. Q: What should you order at Karasawa? A: At Karasawa, order ice monaka, or cream zenzai with sweet red beans. Q: Do you need a reservation at Karasawa? A: Karasawa: No reservations. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ice.jcom.to/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/hiroshima/A3406/A340302/34001124/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E5%9C%9F%E5%A0%82%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE15-19 ### Karoichi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/karoichi Type: Place to eat Local name: 鳥取港海鮮市場かろいち (ja) Also known as: Tottori Port Seafood Market, かろいち, Karo port market Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Tottori Address: 3-27-1 Karocho-nishi, Tottori, Tottori 680-0908 Coordinates: 35.53508, 134.17935 Kind: Market Hours: The fish market opens 9:00 to 16:00 every day except 1 January. Its restaurants keep their own hours: Shijo Ryori Karoko 9:30 to 18:00, Gochiso Kukan Wakabayashi and Ikataro 11:00 to 14:00, and the Sunaba Coffee terrace 10:00 to 15:00 at weekends and on holidays. Closed: 1 January; 20 October 2026 for maintenance Vegetarian: Hard going; the market and its restaurants centre on seafood. Cuisine: seafood, market Address: 3-27-1 Karocho-nishi, Tottori, Tottori 680-0908 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://karoichi.jp/ Summary: Karoichi suits anyone riding the coast west of Tottori who wants the port's fish at a market counter, and most of its restaurants stop serving at 14:00. Karoichi stands beside Karo port, where Tottori's boats land their catch, and its stalls sell fish every day from 9:00 to 16:00 except New Year's Day. Several restaurants cook the catch on site. Shijo Ryori Karoko stays open until 18:00, and Wakabayashi and Ikataro serve lunch from 11:00 to 14:00. Ask for mosa ebi, a sweet prawn that does not travel well, so you mostly find it in Tottori. Q: What are the opening hours of Karoichi? A: Karoichi keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–16:00. Q: What should you order at Karoichi? A: At Karoichi, order mosa ebi, the sweet local prawn from the trawl boats, raw or grilled, or matsuba-gani from 6 November. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://karoichi.jp/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%B3%A5%E5%8F%96%E7%9C%8C%E9%B3%A5%E5%8F%96%E5%B8%82%E8%B3%80%E9%9C%B2%E7%94%BA%E8%A5%BF3%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE27-1 ### Kasheru URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kasheru-zao Type: Place to eat Local name: かしぇる (ja) Also known as: Cashel, Kasheru Zao, かしぇる 蔵王 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: 山形県山形市蔵王温泉196 Coordinates: 38.16713, 140.39627 Kind: Soba Hours: Last orders are 13:30 and 20:30. The shop told Tabelog that Tuesday is its regular closed day and that dates can change around family hospital visits. Closed: Tuesday (shop note on Tabelog); check Instagram Price: ¥¥ Prices: Tabelog reviewers report ¥2,000 to ¥2,999 a head at lunch and dinner. The shop publishes no menu prices. Reservations: Bookings by phone; staff may miss calls during service. Payment: Cash only (Tabelog) Vegetarian: Ask before you order soba, because Japanese soba sauces almost always use bonito stock. Cuisine: soba, jingisukan Address: 山形県山形市蔵王温泉196 Price band: ¥¥ Summary: Kasheru suits families who want hand-cut soba at lunch and jingisukan at dinner under one roof, and the trade-off is a cash-only till. Kasheru opened in August 2022 on the onsen street and splits its menu between hand-made soba and jingisukan. It seats 34 across a short counter, tables and a tatami corner, and the terrace closes in winter. Children are welcome, and Tabelog reviewers from December 2024 and December 2025 came in for the lamb after a day on the snow. The shop has five parking spaces, and the owners point drivers to the second car park of Tsuraragi no Yu Hanayuran two minutes away when those fill. Tips: - The owners post closures on Instagram, so look there before you walk over. - Lunch orders stop at 13:30. Q: What are the opening hours of Kasheru? A: Kasheru keeps these hours: Mon 11:00-14:00, 18:00-21:00; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:00-14:00, 18:00-21:00. Q: What should you order at Kasheru? A: At Kasheru, order hand-cut soba at lunch, or jingisukan at dinner. Q: Do you need a reservation at Kasheru? A: Kasheru: Bookings by phone; staff may miss calls during service. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://zaomountainresort.com/author/kasheru/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/yamagata/A0601/A060101/6012031/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2%E7%9C%8C%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2%E5%B8%82%E8%94%B5%E7%8E%8B%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89196 ### Katashina Shokudo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/katashina-shokudo Type: Place to eat Local name: かたしな食堂 (ja) Also known as: Katashina dining, Oze meisui udon Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Katashina Address: 3967-1 Kamata, Katashina-mura, Tone-gun, Gunma Coordinates: 36.77292, 139.22571 Kind: Udon Hours: Open 11:00–14:00. Closed Fridays, except on holidays and in the busy seasons. Closed: Fridays, except holidays and peak seasons Reservations: Walk in. Cuisine: udon, tempura Address: 3967-1 Kamata, Katashina-mura, Tone-gun, Gunma On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: Katashina Shokudo suits a lunch stop in the village centre on the drive to Marunuma or Oze, and it serves lunch only. The shokudo in Kamata makes its Oze meisui udon with spring water from Japan's list of 100 famous waters of the Heisei era, served with tempura of local produce. It is non-smoking with its own car park. Q: What are the opening hours of Katashina Shokudo? A: Katashina Shokudo keeps these hours: Mon–Thu 11:00–14:00; Fri closed; Sat–Sun 11:00–14:00. Q: What should you order at Katashina Shokudo? A: At Katashina Shokudo, order oze meisui udon with local tempura. Q: Do you need a reservation at Katashina Shokudo? A: Katashina Shokudo: Walk in. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://oze-katashina.info/kanko/2750/ ### Café & Restaurant Kayaba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kayaba Type: Place to eat Also known as: Kayaba, カヤバ Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Ikenotaira Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市池の平温泉2457-1 Coordinates: 36.87250, 138.17260 Kind: Cafe Hours: Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the green season. Cuisine: Japanese, Western Address: 新潟県妙高市池の平温泉2457-1 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://alpenblick-resort.com/restaurant Summary: Kayaba suits families who want a slope-side lunch at the Alpen Blick ski area, and its trade-off is a 16:30 close. Kayaba faces the bottom of the Shirakaba capsule pair lift at the Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick ski area. About 70 seats look out over the run, and the menu is the hearty ski-lodge kind. All six Alpen Blick beers are on, and in summer the terrace opens. It keeps 08:30 to 16:30, and it closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the green season. Q: What are the opening hours of Café & Restaurant Kayaba? A: Café & Restaurant Kayaba keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:30–16:30. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://alpenblick-resort.com/restaurant https://myokotourism.jp/restaurants/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?format=json&q=Kayaba%20Myoko ### Kazane URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kazane-kusatsu Type: Place to eat Local name: やきとり居酒屋 香心 (ja) Also known as: Kazane Kusatsu, Yakitori Kazane, 香心 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Address: 139 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Coordinates: 36.62240, 138.59752 Kind: Yakitori Hours: Open 17:30–23:30, closed Wednesdays and on some other days. Closed: Wednesdays, plus irregular days Price: ¥¥¥ From: ¥4,000 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The tourism association lists ¥4,000 to ¥5,000 a person. Reservations: Book online from three days ahead, or phone for a table the same day. Cuisine: yakitori, izakaya Address: 139 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Price from: ¥4,000 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://kazane-kusatsu.com/ Summary: Kazane suits an evening of yakitori and sake near the Yubatake after the baths, and dinner runs ¥4,000–5,000 a head. Kazane grills Date-dori chicken from Tohoku over the coals and buys its fish straight from Toyosu market in Tokyo. It stays open until 23:30. Book online at least three days ahead or phone on the day. Q: How much does Kazane cost? A: Prices at Kazane start at ¥4,000 per person (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Kazane? A: Kazane keeps these hours: Mon 17:30–23:30; Tue 17:30–23:30; Wed closed; Thu 17:30–23:30; Fri 17:30–23:30; Sat 17:30–23:30; Sun 17:30–23:30. Q: What should you order at Kazane? A: At Kazane, order yakitori of Date-dori chicken from Tohoku, or morning-caught fish sent from Toyosu. Q: Do you need a reservation at Kazane? A: Kazane: Book online from three days ahead, or phone for a table the same day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kazane-kusatsu.com/ https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/kankou/1676.php ### Kaze no Restaurant at Sunrise Itoyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kaze-no-restaurant-sunrise-itoyama Type: Place to eat Local name: 風のレストラン (ja) Also known as: Sunrise Itoyama restaurant, サンライズ糸山 レストラン, 風のレストラン Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: 愛媛県今治市砂場町2丁目8-1 サンライズ糸山内 Status: temporarily-closed. Imabari City's project page scheduled refurbishment of the Sunrise Itoyama building to start on 15 September 2026, with reopening around winter of fiscal 2027 (2027/28). The city has published no plan to keep the restaurant serving during the works. Coordinates: 34.11030, 132.97740 Kind: Other Hours: Mapple lists 7:00–20:00 in an undated listing. Cuisine: western, Setouchi Address: 愛媛県今治市砂場町2丁目8-1 サンライズ糸山内 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: Kaze no Restaurant suited riders starting or finishing the Shimanami Kaido at Itoyama who wanted a seated meal facing the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge, and for winter 2026/27 it is out of action while the city rebuilds Sunrise Itoyama. The restaurant sits inside Sunrise Itoyama, Imabari City's cycling terminal at the foot of the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge, where Shimanami Japan runs its No. 9 Imabari Itoyama rental terminal. Mapple describes ocean-view dining with island paella and Ehime sea bream steamed with Shimanami lemon, though its listing carries no date. In April 2026 the city signed an agreement with a group led by Yonden Business to rebuild the site as a higher-end stay. The city's page set work on the existing building to start on 15 September 2026, and the plan reopens it around winter 2027/28 with 23 rooms and a restaurant. Tips: - For a meal at the Imabari end this winter, ride the extra stretch into the city or eat at Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan on the Oshima side of the bridge. Q: Is Kaze no Restaurant at Sunrise Itoyama open now? A: Kaze no Restaurant at Sunrise Itoyama is temporarily closed. Imabari City's project page scheduled refurbishment of the Sunrise Itoyama building to start on 15 September 2026, with reopening around winter of fiscal 2027 (2027/28). The city has published no plan to keep the restaurant serving during the works. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/cyclecity/sunrise-itoyama/ https://digitalpr.jp/r/133462 https://www.travelvoice.jp/20260513-159676 https://visitshimanami.com/bike-rental/ https://www.mapple.net/region/a0602090900/spot/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/162654199 ### Kazurabashi Yume Butai URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kazurabashi-yume-butai Type: Place to eat Local name: かずら橋夢舞台 (ja) Also known as: Kazurabashi-tei, Yume Butai, かずら橋亭 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Tokushima Address: 345-1 Imakubo, Nishiiyayama-son, Miyoshi, Tokushima Coordinates: 33.87320, 133.83580 Kind: Shokudo Hours: The building opens 9:00 to 18:00 from April to November and 9:00 to 17:00 from December to March. The Kazurabashi-tei canteen serves 11:00 to 15:00. Closed: Open year-round Price: ¥ Prices: Parking costs ¥500 a car and ¥210 a motorbike. Cuisine: Soba, Udon, Set meals Address: 345-1 Imakubo, Nishiiyayama-son, Miyoshi, Tokushima On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: Motorbikes park for ¥210; the vine bridge is five minutes on foot. Price band: ¥ Website: https://miyoshi-tourism.jp/spot/43/ Summary: Yume Butai suits a bowl of Iya soba before or after the vine bridge, and the canteen serves only from 11:00 to 15:00. Yume Butai is the big car park and visitor building for the Iya Kazurabashi, and the path to the bridge runs through it. Inside are a shop of local goods and the Kazurabashi-tei canteen, which serves Iya soba with udon and set meals. Buses from JR Oboke stop at the door. Q: What are the opening hours of Kazurabashi Yume Butai? A: Kazurabashi Yume Butai keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–18:00. Q: What should you order at Kazurabashi Yume Butai? A: At Kazurabashi Yume Butai, order iya soba, the valley's local buckwheat noodles. Q: Can you park a bike at Kazurabashi Yume Butai? A: Kazurabashi Yume Butai: motorbikes park for ¥210; the vine bridge is five minutes on foot. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://miyoshi-tourism.jp/spot/43/ https://miyoshi-tourism.jp/spot/46/ ### Kikyoya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kikyoya-takayama Type: Place to eat Local name: 桔梗屋 (ja) Also known as: Kikyoya ramen, Kikyoya Takayama Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 3-58 Honmachi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14345, 137.25704 Kind: Ramen Hours: Closes when sold out; open on Thursdays that fall on a public holiday. Closed: Thursday, except public holidays Cuisine: Ramen Address: 3-58 Honmachi, Takayama, Gifu Summary: Kikyoya suits a richer bowl of Takayama ramen in Honmachi, ten minutes from the station. The trade-off is the early close when the soup runs out. Kikyoya makes a deep soy-based broth with curly noodles that hold it well, and the tourism office says the shop has been building that broth for more than ten years. It is in Honmachi near the old town, ten minutes' walk from the station. There is no car park, but the shop gives a discount ticket for the city car parks. Q: What are the opening hours of Kikyoya? A: Kikyoya keeps these hours: Mon–Wed 11:00-14:30, 17:00-20:00; Thu closed; Fri–Sun 11:00-14:30, 17:00-20:00. Q: What should you order at Kikyoya? A: At Kikyoya, order chuka soba. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_5247.html ### Kiminoi Shuzo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kiminoi-shuzo Type: Place to eat Local name: 君の井酒造 (ja) Also known as: Kiminoi Brewery, 君の井 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Arai Address: 新潟県妙高市下町3-11 Coordinates: 37.02890, 138.25040 Kind: Sake brewery Closed: Weekends and holidays; call ahead Cuisine: sake Address: 新潟県妙高市下町3-11 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://www.kiminoi.com/ Summary: Kiminoi suits sake drinkers in Arai who want to buy from a 170-year-old brewery, and its trade-off is a shop that closes at weekends. Kiminoi has brewed in Arai since the Tenpo era of the 1830s and 1840s, and it makes sake to drink with food. It still brews Yamahai sake with the old slow starter method beside modern styles. In 2026 the brewery's sake took awards in Hong Kong and Milan, and an autumn junmai went on sale in August. Myoko Tourism lists the shop at 09:00 to 16:00 on weekdays, and the brewery publishes its own tour page. Q: What are the opening hours of Kiminoi Shuzo? A: Kiminoi Shuzo keeps these hours: Mon–Fri 09:00–16:00; Sat–Sun closed. Q: What should you order at Kiminoi Shuzo? A: At Kiminoi Shuzo, order yamahai junmai ginjo, or the autumn junmai, in season. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kiminoi.com/ https://www.kiminoi.com/kurakengaku.asp https://myokotourism.jp/restaurants/%e5%90%9b%e3%81%ae%e4%ba%95%e9%85%92%e9%80%a0/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県妙高市下町3-11 ### Kintokido URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kintokido Type: Place to eat Local name: 御菓子司 金時堂 (ja) Also known as: 金時堂, Kintokido Katata Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Otsu Coordinates: 35.11338, 135.92200 Kind: Sweets Price: ¥ Vegetarian: Rakugan is sugar and rice flour. Cuisine: wagashi On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Summary: Kintokido suits riders who want a box of rakugan from a century-old Katata confectioner near Ukimido, and it sells sweets to take away, with no café. Kintokido has made Japanese sweets in Honkatata for more than a hundred years, and it is known for rakugan, the dry pressed sweets made with fine wasanbon sugar. It sits close to Ukimido, where a small temple hall stands out over the lake at Katata. The prefecture picked it as one of six stops for its Spring Biwaichi 2026 food rally. Q: What should you order at Kintokido? A: At Kintokido, order rakugan pressed from wasanbon sugar. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/sa00/23924.html https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/sa00/press-release/24076.html https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/5839285606 ### Kirasse Honten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kirasse-honten Type: Place to eat Local name: 来らっせ 本店 (ja) Also known as: Kirasse, 来らっせ, Utsunomiya gyoza hall Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Utsunomiya Address: MEGA Don Quijote Lapark Utsunomiya B1F, 2-3-12 Baba-dori, Utsunomiya, Tochigi Coordinates: 36.56090, 139.88590 Kind: Other Hours: The five permanent counters open 11:00–20:30 on weekdays and to 21:00 on weekends and holidays. The rotating counter opens 11:00–21:00 daily. Each permanent shop takes its own day off. Closed: Open every day; individual counters close one day a week Price: ¥ Reservations: No bookings; entry may be limited when it is busy. Payment: Cards and e-money accepted, though the permanent counters do not take cards. Cuisine: gyoza Address: MEGA Don Quijote Lapark Utsunomiya B1F, 2-3-12 Baba-dori, Utsunomiya, Tochigi Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.gyozakai.com/kirasse/ Summary: Kirasse suits visitors with one meal in Utsunomiya who want to taste several gyoza shops at once, and the basement food-hall setting trades atmosphere for choice. The Utsunomiya Gyoza Association runs Kirasse in the basement of the MEGA Don Quijote building opposite Futarasan Shrine. Five member shops hold permanent counters, Minmin among them, and a rotating counter serves 27 kinds of gyoza across the week, including a plate that mixes five shops. A souvenir corner sells frozen gyoza and ships them across Japan. Tips: - Check which permanent counter is closed that day before you go for a specific shop. Q: What are the opening hours of Kirasse Honten? A: Kirasse Honten keeps these hours: Mon–Fri 11:00–20:30; Sat–Sun 11:00–21:00. Q: What should you order at Kirasse Honten? A: At Kirasse Honten, order the mixed plate at the rotating counter, with five shops' gyoza on one dish. Q: Do you need a reservation at Kirasse Honten? A: Kirasse Honten: No bookings; entry may be limited when it is busy. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.gyozakai.com/kirasse/ https://www.minmin.co.jp/ ### Kitanosho URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kitanosho-shirakawa-go Type: Place to eat Local name: 基太の庄 (ja) Also known as: Kita no Sho, Kita no syo Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Shirakawa-go Address: 2673 Ogimachi, Shirakawa-mura, Ono-gun, Gifu 501-5627 Coordinates: 36.25346, 136.90109 Kind: Other Hours: Opening hours are not published on the tourist association page. Cuisine: Hida local cuisine Address: 2673 Ogimachi, Shirakawa-mura, Ono-gun, Gifu 501-5627 Website: http://www.hidatakayama.ne.jp/kitanosyo/index.html Summary: Kitanosho suits a Hida beef miso steak in a 250-year-old gassho house at the south end of Ogimachi. The trade-off is the 13-minute walk from the bus terminal. Kitanosho cooks in a gassho house about 250 years old, with 150 seats for groups and walk-ins. The house-made hoba miso goes with Hida beef in the miso steak set, and the other favourite is a set of river fish grilled with salt. Q: When is Kitanosho open? A: Kitanosho is open opening hours are not published on the tourist association page. Q: What should you order at Kitanosho? A: At Kitanosho, order hida beef miso steak set, or salt-grilled river fish set. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/shop/22/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/shop/22/ ### Kochi Sunday Market URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kochi-sunday-market Type: Place to eat Local name: 日曜市 (ja) Also known as: Tosa Sunday Market, Nichiyoichi, Kochi Nichiyo Ichi, 土佐の日曜市 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kochi Town: Kochi Address: Otesuji, Kochi, Kochi Coordinates: 33.56160, 133.53590 Kind: Market Hours: Every Sunday from about 6:00 to about 14:00, setting up and packing away included. No market on 1–2 January or 10–12 August. Closed: Monday to Saturday, and 1–2 January and 10–12 August Price: ¥ Prices: Stallholders set their own prices. Vegetarian: Easy: most stalls sell produce. Cuisine: Market Address: Otesuji, Kochi, Kochi On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.city.kochi.kochi.jp/site/kanko/nichiyouichi.html Summary: The Sunday market suits early risers who like to graze along a street of farm stalls, and it runs on Sundays only. Kochi has held this street market since 1690. Every Sunday about 300 stalls set up along roughly 1 km of the Otesuji avenue below Kochi Castle, selling vegetables and fruit alongside hardware, hand-forged knives and garden plants. The city counts about 17,000 visitors on a market day. Q: What are the opening hours of Kochi Sunday Market? A: Kochi Sunday Market keeps these hours: Sun 06:00–14:00; Mon–Sat closed. Q: What should you order at Kochi Sunday Market? A: At Kochi Sunday Market, order fresh vegetables and fruit from the farm stalls, or a hand-forged knife from one of the blade stalls. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.kochi.kochi.jp/site/kanko/nichiyouichi.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%AB%98%E7%9F%A5%E7%9C%8C%E9%AB%98%E7%9F%A5%E5%B8%82%E8%BF%BD%E6%89%8B%E7%AD%8B%E4%BA%8C%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE ### Kojimaya Honten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kojimaya-honten Type: Place to eat Local name: 小嶋屋本店 (ja) Also known as: Kojimaya Tokamachi Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Tokamachi Address: 新潟県十日町市本町4-16-1 Coordinates: 37.13440, 138.76160 Kind: Soba Hours: Last order 19:30; open on Wednesday holidays; hours change with the season. Closed: Wednesdays except holidays; 1 January Cuisine: soba Address: 新潟県十日町市本町4-16-1 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: Kojimaya Honten suits rail travellers who want hegi soba eight minutes from Tokamachi Station, and its trade-off is a Wednesday closure. This Kojimaya calls itself the original Tokamachi hegi soba house, and it sits in the town centre eight minutes on foot from the east exit of Tokamachi Station. The soba is juwari, all buckwheat, held together with funori seaweed. Rice dishes use Niigata Koshihikari, with tendon and katsudon seasoned with the soba stock. It opens from 11:00 to 20:00 with last orders at 19:30, and closes on Wednesdays except holidays and on New Year's Day. Q: What are the opening hours of Kojimaya Honten? A: Kojimaya Honten keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 11:00–20:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 11:00–20:00. Q: What should you order at Kojimaya Honten? A: At Kojimaya Honten, order hegi soba, or katsudon made with soba stock. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tokamachishikankou.jp/spot/kojimaya_honten/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県十日町市本町4-16-1 ### Kojimaya Sohonten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kojimaya-sohonten Type: Place to eat Local name: 小嶋屋総本店 (ja) Also known as: Kojimaya, 小嶋屋 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Tokamachi Address: 新潟県十日町市中屋敷758-1 Coordinates: 37.16640, 138.73700 Kind: Soba Hours: Last order 20:00; occasional irregular closures. Cuisine: soba Address: 新潟県十日町市中屋敷758-1 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://www.kojimaya.com/ Summary: Kojimaya Sohonten suits soba pilgrims who want hegi soba from the house that says it invented it, and its trade-off is a location out in the Kawanishi fields. Kojimaya opened in 1922, and the house says its founder Jutaro took the idea for hegi soba from Tokamachi's weaving trade. The buckwheat is milled on stone in the house and bound with funori seaweed, which gives the noodles their slippery bite. A painted scroll of hegi soba history hangs at the door, and the walls are clay worked by the plasterer Nagumo Kenichi. It opens from 11:00 to a 20:00 last order with occasional closed days. Q: What are the opening hours of Kojimaya Sohonten? A: Kojimaya Sohonten keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–20:00. Q: What should you order at Kojimaya Sohonten? A: At Kojimaya Sohonten, order hegi soba for two or more. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tokamachishikankou.jp/spot/kojimaya_souhonten/ https://www.kojimaya.com/ https://www.mapple.net/region/a0302060300_g03050000/spot/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11460276 ### Kokutei Honten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kokutei-honten Type: Place to eat Local name: 熊本ラーメン 黒亭 本店 (ja) Also known as: Kokutei, Kokutei ramen, 黒亭 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kumamoto Town: Kumamoto Address: 2-1-23 Nihongi, Nishi-ku, Kumamoto 860-0051 Coordinates: 32.78610, 130.69170 Kind: Ramen Hours: Last orders at 20:30. Closed: None Price: ¥ Vegetarian: The soup is pork bone. Cuisine: ramen, Kumamoto Address: 2-1-23 Nihongi, Nishi-ku, Kumamoto 860-0051 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Website: https://kokutei.co.jp/access/ Summary: Kokutei's original shop suits riders who want a bowl of Kumamoto ramen from one of the city's oldest names, and it is a plain local ramen shop near Kumamoto Station. Hirabayashi Takeyoshi, an abstract painter who had trained at the first Kumamoto ramen shop, opened Kokutei with his wife Kinuko in Nihongi in 1957. The shop calls Kumamoto ramen a local branch of Kyushu's pork-bone ramen, set apart by roasted garlic and a garlic oil that takes the edge off the pork smell. The noodles, soup and roast pork are still made at Nihongi every day and sent to the branches downtown on Shimotori and at Sakura Machi. Tips: - The Shimotori branch stays open until 23:30 if you eat late. Q: What are the opening hours of Kokutei Honten? A: Kokutei Honten keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:30–21:00. Q: What should you order at Kokutei Honten? A: At Kokutei Honten, order kumamoto ramen with roasted garlic oil. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kokutei.co.jp/access/ https://kokutei.co.jp/for-international-guests/ https://kokutei.co.jp/about/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=熊本市西区二本木2丁目1-23 ### KOMOREBITO Sunset Cafe URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/komorebito-sunset-cafe Type: Place to eat Local name: KOMOREBITO サンセットカフェ (ja) Also known as: Sunset Cafe Daisen, KOMOREBITO, コモレビト Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Daisen Address: 45-5 Daisen, Daisen, Saihaku District, Tottori 689-3318 Coordinates: 35.39339, 133.52709 Kind: Cafe Hours: Last orders at 15:30. Hours change with the season, and the café posts its changing days off on its own site. Closed: Varies Cuisine: café, burgers Address: 45-5 Daisen, Daisen, Saihaku District, Tottori 689-3318 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: The Sunset Cafe suits riders and hikers starting or ending a Daisen day at the tourist office, and it closes at 16:00. The café fills the second floor of KOMOREBITO, the building with the Daisen tourist office below and a small hotel above. It looks down the mountain toward the sea, and its menu leans on Daisen produce, with an oversized burger as the house dish. The town's e-bike rentals and Nokatari's guided rides start downstairs. Q: What are the opening hours of KOMOREBITO Sunset Cafe? A: KOMOREBITO Sunset Cafe keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:30–16:00. Q: What should you order at KOMOREBITO Sunset Cafe? A: At KOMOREBITO Sunset Cafe, order the oversized burger made with Daisen produce. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tourismdaisen.com/spot/komorebito/ https://tourismdaisen.com/rental/climb-copy/ https://daisen-sando.jp/nokatari/tour/cycling/ ### Konnyaku Park URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/konnyaku-park Type: Place to eat Local name: こんにゃくパーク (ja) Also known as: Konjac Park, Konnyaku Park Kanra Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Address: 204-1 Obata, Kanra-machi, Kanra-gun, Gunma 370-2202 Coordinates: 36.24366, 138.92021 Kind: Other Hours: Open 9:00–18:00 with last entry at 17:30. The park posted shortened hours in January 2026 and marks closed and short days on its calendar. The factory lines usually stop at weekends. Closed: Days marked on the park calendar Price: ¥ From: Free Prices: Entry and the konnyaku buffet are free, and so is parking. A paid fast pass lets you skip the buffet queue. Reservations: No booking for the buffet. Hands-on classes were suspended for renovation from January 2026. Cuisine: konnyaku Address: 204-1 Obata, Kanra-machi, Kanra-gun, Gunma 370-2202 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥0 per person (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.konnyakupark.com/ Summary: Konnyaku Park suits families who want a free konnyaku buffet and a look at the factory lines, and the factory rarely runs at weekends. Konnyaku Park is a konnyaku theme park in Kanra with a factory tour and a free buffet of about 15 dishes, from plain konnyaku to sweets. Through windows you can watch the lines for slab konnyaku, shirataki and jelly, though in principle they stop on Saturdays and Sundays. The shop runs pack-a-bag deals on konnyaku and mini jellies every day. Parking is free in a string of car parks that open in turn on busy days. It is about 15 minutes by car from Gunma Safari Park. Q: How much does Konnyaku Park cost? A: Konnyaku Park is free to visit. Q: What are the opening hours of Konnyaku Park? A: Konnyaku Park keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–18:00. Q: What should you order at Konnyaku Park? A: At Konnyaku Park, order the free buffet of about 15 konnyaku dishes, from classic dengaku to desserts. Q: Do you need a reservation at Konnyaku Park? A: Konnyaku Park: No booking for the buffet. Hands-on classes were suspended for renovation from January 2026. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.konnyakupark.com/ https://www.konnyakupark.com/access/ https://www.konnyakupark.com/news/notice-of-shortened-business-hours/ https://www.konnyakupark.com/news/notice-of-suspension-of-experience-reservations-due-to-renovation-work/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/487737455 ### Korian URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/korian Type: Place to eat Local name: 鮒寿し懐石 近江懐石 湖里庵 (ja) Also known as: 湖里庵, Koriān, Uoji Korian, 魚治 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Takashima Address: 2307 Kaizu, Makino-cho, Takashima, Shiga 520-1811 Coordinates: 35.46400, 136.07420 Kind: Kaiseki Hours: Last entry is 13:00 at lunch and 18:00 at dinner. It also closes on the first and third Wednesdays. Closed: Tuesdays and the first and third Wednesdays Prices: Korian does not publish course prices on Uoji's site. Vegetarian: The courses are built on fish. Cuisine: kaiseki, funazushi, lake fish Address: 2307 Kaizu, Makino-cho, Takashima, Shiga 520-1811 Website: https://uoji.co.jp/korian Summary: Korian suits riders who want to eat funazushi properly, as a full kaiseki on the Kaizu shore, and it is a sit-down meal with fixed last-entry times. Uoji has made funazushi in Kaizu since 1784, and Korian is its restaurant on the lakeshore next to the shop. The writer Endo Shusaku named it, and his advice to serve something you could only eat here led to the funazushi kaiseki. Typhoon Jebi wrecked the building on 4 September 2018, and Korian reopened in a new building in April 2021. Lunch runs 12:00 to 15:00 with last entry at 13:00, and dinner 17:00 to 21:00 with last entry at 18:00. In cherry season the Kaizu-Osaki shore road north of here fills with traffic, and the Biwaichi map marks a detour around it. Q: What are the opening hours of Korian? A: Korian keeps these hours: Mon 12:00-15:00,17:00-21:00; Tue closed; Wed 12:00-15:00,17:00-21:00; Thu–Sun 12:00-15:00,17:00-21:00. Q: What should you order at Korian? A: At Korian, order funazushi kaiseki. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://uoji.co.jp/korian https://uoji.co.jp/news-korian https://uoji.co.jp/ ### Kosaku Kawaguchiko URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kosaku-kawaguchiko Type: Place to eat Local name: 甲州ほうとう 小作 河口湖店 (ja) Also known as: Kosaku, Koshu Hoto Kosaku, 小作, ほうとう小作, Hoto Kosaku Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Town: Kawaguchiko Address: 山梨県南都留郡富士河口湖町船津1638-1 Coordinates: 35.49614, 138.75714 Kind: Other Hours: Last orders 19:30. Open every day; the shop posts any closure on its website. Closed: No regular closing day Price: ¥ From: ¥1,400 per person (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 8.80 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Pumpkin hoto is ¥1,450, pork hoto ¥1,850 and oyster hoto ¥2,400 in season. Reservations: No reservations. Walk-ins are seated in order of arrival. Payment: Cash or credit card from 14 September 2026; no QR-code payment Vegetarian: Pumpkin and mushroom hoto carry no meat on the menu, but the miso broth may use fish stock; ask. Cuisine: Hoto, Yamanashi home cooking Address: 山梨県南都留郡富士河口湖町船津1638-1 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥1,400 per person (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 8.80 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.kosaku.co.jp/tenpo-kawagutikoten Summary: Kosaku suits riders and families who want to choose their hoto, with a dozen versions from pumpkin to wild boar, and the trade-off is a car park that fills fast with nowhere to wait on the road outside. Kosaku runs nine hoto restaurants across Yamanashi and Suwa, and the Kawaguchiko branch seats 250 with parking for 70 cars. Pumpkin hoto at ¥1,450 is the house favourite. Winter adds oyster hoto from November to March at ¥2,400, and the menu also carries duck, mushroom, boar and bear versions. The shop takes no bookings of any kind and seats walk-ins in order. On long weekends, Obon and the New Year holiday it may stop letting people in before last orders, according to a July 2026 notice. The prefectural road in front has no stopping, and police have asked the shop to keep cars off it, so come early or come on foot from Kawaguchiko station, about 17 minutes away. Tips: - Azuki hoto at ¥1,400 is sweet red-bean soup with hoto noodles, and it works as dessert for two. - Ozara, the chilled dipping hoto, is not served at this branch. Q: How much does Kosaku Kawaguchiko cost? A: Prices at Kosaku Kawaguchiko start at ¥1,400 per person (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 8.80 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Kosaku Kawaguchiko? A: Kosaku Kawaguchiko keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–20:00. Q: What should you order at Kosaku Kawaguchiko? A: At Kosaku Kawaguchiko, order pumpkin hoto, or oyster hoto from November to March, or torimotsu-ni, the Kofu chicken giblet dish. Q: Do you need a reservation at Kosaku Kawaguchiko? A: Kosaku Kawaguchiko: No reservations. Walk-ins are seated in order of arrival. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kosaku.co.jp/tenpo-kawagutikoten https://www.kosaku.co.jp/manu.html https://www.kosaku.co.jp/ https://retty.me/area/PRE19/ARE259/SUB37202/100000698885/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%B1%B1%E6%A2%A8%E7%9C%8C%E5%8D%97%E9%83%BD%E7%95%99%E9%83%A1%E5%AF%8C%E5%A3%AB%E6%B2%B3%E5%8F%A3%E6%B9%96%E7%94%BA%E8%88%B9%E6%B4%A51638-1 ### Kosendo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kosendo-kakunodate Type: Place to eat Local name: あごだし稲庭うどん 古泉洞 (ja) Also known as: 古泉洞, Agodashi Inaniwa Udon Kosendo, Kosendou Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Town: Kakunodate Address: 9 Higashi-katsurakucho, Kakunodate-machi, Semboku, Akita Coordinates: 39.59768, 140.56279 Kind: Udon Hours: Hours as Tabelog lists them. No closed day is published, and the shop has no website. Price: ¥ Prices: Kosendo publishes no prices online. Tabelog reviewers paid ¥1,230 for chicken Inaniwa udon in November 2025 and ¥1,200 in February 2026, and most spend ¥1,000 to ¥1,999. Reservations: Reservations by phone outside the busy seasons and for groups that are not too large. Payment: Cash only (Tabelog) Vegetarian: None listed; the broth is made from flying fish. Cuisine: Inaniwa udon, Akita cooking Address: 9 Higashi-katsurakucho, Kakunodate-machi, Semboku, Akita Price band: ¥ Summary: Kosendo suits anyone walking the samurai street who wants a light lunch of Inaniwa udon in an old wooden house, and the trade-off is a lunch-only kitchen that fills within minutes of opening on weekends. Kosendo serves the thin Akita wheat noodles called Inaniwa udon in a converted old house on the samurai residence street in Higashi-katsurakucho. The broth is agodashi, made from flying fish, and it pours clear and light. A reviewer paid ¥1,230 for the free-range chicken Inaniwa udon in November 2025, and you can have it hot or chilled. Diners in February 2026 still chose the cold noodles for their firmer bite, with a bowl of rice under shaved honkarebushi bonito and wasabi on the side. One Sunday in November 2025 the room was full within 15 minutes of the 11:00 opening, so arrive at the door or come after 13:00. Tips: - Park in the seven spaces behind the restaurant. - Bookings stop in the busy seasons, from cherry blossom time through Golden Week and again at Obon. Q: What are the opening hours of Kosendo? A: Kosendo keeps these hours: Mon–Fri 11:00–14:30; Sat–Sun 11:00–15:00. Q: What should you order at Kosendo? A: At Kosendo, order free-range chicken Inaniwa udon, cold if you want the firmest noodles, or honkarebushi wasabi rice on the side. Q: Do you need a reservation at Kosendo? A: Kosendo: Reservations by phone outside the busy seasons and for groups that are not too large. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://s.tabelog.com/en/akita/A0504/A050401/5000285/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/akita/A0504/A050401/5000285/dtlrvwlst/B517214839/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/akita/A0504/A050401/5000285/dtlrvwlst/B521957897/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/akita/A0504/A050401/5000285/dtlrvwlst/B523299313/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E7%A7%8B%E7%94%B0%E7%9C%8C%E4%BB%99%E5%8C%97%E5%B8%82%E8%A7%92%E9%A4%A8%E7%94%BA%E6%9D%B1%E5%8B%9D%E6%A5%BD%E4%B8%819 ### Kotte Ushi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kotte-ushi Type: Place to eat Local name: 森羅 こって牛 (ja) Also known as: Kotteushi, Shinra Kotte Ushi, こって牛 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 82 Kami-Sannomachi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14220, 137.25942 Kind: Sushi Hours: Closing days can change; the shop posts them on its site. Closed: Tuesday Cuisine: Sushi, Hida beef Address: 82 Kami-Sannomachi, Takayama, Gifu Website: https://takayama-kotteushi.jp/ Summary: Kotte Ushi suits a quick bite of A5 Hida beef sushi on a walk through Sanmachi. The trade-off is the queue outside. Kotte Ushi is a stand in the old town where people queue for Hida beef sushi made with A5 beef at a modest price. The rice is Hitomebore grown in Hida, and the beef is finished with bamboo-charcoal salt from the Noto peninsula. Q: What are the opening hours of Kotte Ushi? A: Kotte Ushi keeps these hours: Mon 10:00–17:00; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 10:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Kotte Ushi? A: At Kotte Ushi, order hida beef nigiri. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3109.html ### Kyoya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/kyoya-takayama Type: Place to eat Local name: 京や (ja) Also known as: Kyoya Takayama, Kyo-ya Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 1-77 Oshin-machi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14626, 137.25899 Kind: Other Closed: Tuesday Cuisine: Hida local cuisine Address: 1-77 Oshin-machi, Takayama, Gifu Website: http://www.kyoya-hida.jp/ Summary: Kyoya suits a first taste of Hida home cooking over charcoal in an old farmhouse past the morning market. The trade-off is the 15-minute walk from the station. Walk through the morning market and you reach Kyoya, which cooks in a farmhouse moved here from Echigo. The kitchen grills Hida dishes slowly over charcoal and changes the menu with the season. It has parking for 12 cars. Q: What are the opening hours of Kyoya? A: Kyoya keeps these hours: Mon 11:00-14:00, 17:00-20:00; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:00-14:00, 17:00-20:00. Q: What should you order at Kyoya? A: At Kyoya, order hoba miso with Hida beef, or whatever the season brings from the mountains. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_5288.html ### La Collina Omihachiman URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/la-collina-omihachiman Type: Place to eat Local name: ラ コリーナ近江八幡 (ja) Also known as: La Collina, Taneya La Collina, Club Harie La Collina, ラコリーナ Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Omihachiman Address: 615-1 Kitanosho-cho, Omihachiman, Shiga 523-8533 Coordinates: 35.14875, 136.09165 Kind: Sweets Hours: The food container stalls open 10:00–17:00. Closed: New Year's Day only, according to the Biwaichi support-station listing Price: ¥ Reservations: No booking for the shops. Vegetarian: Cakes and sweets contain egg and dairy. Cuisine: Japanese sweets, Western cakes Address: 615-1 Kitanosho-cho, Omihachiman, Shiga 523-8533 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: The Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, toilets, a pump and tools here. Price band: ¥ Website: https://taneya.jp/la_collina/ Summary: La Collina suits riders who want cake and a coffee in Taneya's grass-roofed flagship, and it sits about three kilometres north of Omi-Hachiman Station. Taneya and Club Harie opened La Collina in 2015 as the flagship for both brands. The main shop wears a roof of growing grass, and the baumkuchen comes hot from the oven. The Biwaichi map lists it as a cycle support station with a rack, a pump and tools. It is open 9:00 to 18:00 every day except New Year's Day. Q: What are the opening hours of La Collina Omihachiman? A: La Collina Omihachiman keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–18:00. Q: What should you order at La Collina Omihachiman? A: At La Collina Omihachiman, order baumkuchen mini baked on site, or freshly baked Taneya castella with honey butter, or club Harie's chestnut Mont Blanc in autumn. Q: Do you need a reservation at La Collina Omihachiman? A: La Collina Omihachiman: No booking for the shops. Q: Can you park a bike at La Collina Omihachiman? A: La Collina Omihachiman: the Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, toilets, a pump and tools here. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://taneya.jp/la_collina/ https://www.clubharie.jp/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/390748658 ### La Locanda del Pittore URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/la-locanda-del-pittore Type: Place to eat Local name: ラ・ロカンダ・デル・ピットーレ (ja) Also known as: Pittore, Pizzeria Pittore Iwappara Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町土樽731-53 Coordinates: 36.94120, 138.84340 Kind: Other Hours: Ski-season hours with last orders shown as closing times; green-season hours differ. Cuisine: pizza, Italian Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町土樽731-53 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: http://pittore.jp/ Summary: Pittore suits Iwappara skiers and summer riders who want wood-fired pizza on the mountain, and its trade-off is a Wednesday closure outside the peak weeks. Pittore has baked pizza in a wood-fired oven at Iwappara since 1984, and in winter it moves inside the Iwappara ski area. It makes an easy lunch off the slope or a dinner after the last lift. In the ski season lunch runs from 11:00 on weekdays and 10:30 at weekends to a 14:00 last order. Dinner starts at 17:00 with last orders at 20:30, or 21:00 on Saturdays. It closes on Wednesdays, except in the busiest weeks. Q: What are the opening hours of La Locanda del Pittore? A: La Locanda del Pittore keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 11:00-14:00,17:00-20:30; Wed closed; Thu–Fri 11:00-14:00,17:00-20:30; Sat 10:30-14:00,17:00-21:00; Sun 10:30-14:00,17:00-20:30. Q: What should you order at La Locanda del Pittore? A: At La Locanda del Pittore, order a wood-fired margherita. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://pittore.jp/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/gourmet_p/la-locanda-del-pittore/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/gourmet/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11474238 ### Little Rabbit URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/little-rabbit-appi Type: Place to eat Local name: リトルラビット (ja) Also known as: LITTLE RABBIT, Little Rabbit APPI, APPI Resort Center cafe, 安比リゾートセンター Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Town: APPI Address: APPI Resort Center, 117-1 Appi Kogen, Hachimantai, Iwate 028-7306 Coordinates: 40.00224, 140.97042 Kind: Cafe Hours: These are the 2025/26 winter hours. Food last orders came an hour before closing. Public holidays and night-skiing days followed the weekend hours, and the shop kept 08:30 to 16:00 from 5 to 19 December and from 23 March to 6 May. Price: ¥¥ From: ¥1,600 each (2025), about CAD 14 or USD 10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Winter 2025/26 prices ran from ¥1,600 to ¥1,800 for burgers and up to ¥3,800 for plates, with Costa coffee from ¥600 and craft beer at ¥1,200. The 2026 green-season menu is shorter, with burgers from ¥1,100. Reservations: APPI publishes no booking system for Little Rabbit; walk in. Cuisine: café, burgers, après Address: APPI Resort Center, 117-1 Appi Kogen, Hachimantai, Iwate 028-7306 Price from: ¥1,600 each (2025), about CAD 14 or USD 10 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.appi.co.jp/snow-mountain-resort/food/littlerabbit.php Summary: Little Rabbit suits APPI skiers who want coffee before first chair and a craft beer in the base resort centre once the lifts slow, and the trade-off is that it stays open into the evening only on weekends and night-skiing days. Little Rabbit is the café and restaurant in the APPI Resort Center at the foot of the main slopes, with a wooden floor and plenty of tables. APPI runs it directly and pours Costa Coffee from 08:30. On the 2025/26 winter menu a wagyu menchi-katsu burger cost ¥1,600, and a wagyu sirloin plate topped the list at ¥3,800. Poke bowls and a daily curry filled the space between. Four craft beers sold for ¥1,200 each that winter, with Baeren Classic at ¥1,000 and hot red wine at ¥800. From 20 December to 22 March the shop stayed open until 17:30 on weekdays. On weekends and holidays, and on nights when APPI ran its illuminated night skiing, it served dinner until 21:00, so you can eat here without leaving the base. Tips: - APPI had not posted its 2026/27 winter hours by October 2026, so check the Food & Shop page before you plan dinner here. - BLACK pass holders can order from Little Rabbit in their own lounge, with a 10% service charge. Q: How much does Little Rabbit cost? A: Prices at Little Rabbit start at ¥1,600 each (2025), about CAD 14 or USD 10 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Little Rabbit? A: Little Rabbit keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:30–16:00. Q: What should you order at Little Rabbit? A: At Little Rabbit, order a craft beer or hot wine after the lifts close, or mont Blanc soft serve, finished in front of you with APPI Kogen milk. Q: Do you need a reservation at Little Rabbit? A: Little Rabbit: APPI publishes no booking system for Little Rabbit; walk in. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.appi.co.jp/snow-mountain-resort/food/littlerabbit.php https://www.appi.co.jp/snow-mountain-resort/food/ http://web.archive.org/web/20260101145007/https://www.appi.co.jp/snow-mountain-resort/food/littlerabbit.php http://web.archive.org/web/20260120060214/https://www.appi.co.jp/snow-mountain-resort/food/ https://www.appi.co.jp/dining/appi/lunch/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/iwate/A0305/A030501/3012053/ ### Makino Pickland URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/makino-pickland Type: Place to eat Local name: マキノピックランド (ja) Also known as: Makino Pick Land, マキノ農業公園 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Takashima Coordinates: 35.47125, 136.03705 Kind: Other Hours: The park's site gives 9:00–16:00 for last admission and warns that weather can change it; it posts closing days for September to December. Closed: Wednesdays (the next day after a public holiday) and the New Year break, per the Biwaichi listing Price: ¥ Cuisine: café, gelato, farm shop On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: The Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, toilets, a pump, tools and rental bikes here. Price band: ¥ Website: https://pic-land.com/ Summary: Makino Pickland suits riders on the Metasequoia avenue who want gelato and a rest stop, and in autumn the avenue fills with cars. Makino Pickland is a fruit farm and park beside the Metasequoia avenue, with a restaurant, a café selling gelato and a farm shop. Autumn brings chestnut picking at ¥1,800, which includes a kilogram to take home. Rental bikes start at ¥300 for two hours. On 25 October 2026 the Biwako Takashima Chestnut Marathon closes roads around the avenue, so plan round it. Q: When is Makino Pickland open? A: Makino Pickland is open the park's site gives 9:00–16:00 for last admission and warns that weather can change it; it posts closing days for September to December and closed wednesdays (the next day after a public holiday) and the New Year break, per the Biwaichi listing. Q: What should you order at Makino Pickland? A: At Makino Pickland, order gelato at Namiki Cafe Metasequoia, or lunch at Namiki Shokudo Tsubame. Q: Can you park a bike at Makino Pickland? A: Makino Pickland: the Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, toilets, a pump, tools and rental bikes here. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://pic-land.com/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Masago Soba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/masago-soba Type: Place to eat Local name: まさごそば (ja) Also known as: Masago, Masagosoba Takayama Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 31-3 Yurakumachi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14133, 137.25755 Kind: Ramen Hours: Opening hours are not published on the tourism office page. Closed: Wednesday, plus irregular days Cuisine: Ramen Address: 31-3 Yurakumachi, Takayama, Gifu Summary: Masago Soba suits anyone who wants the bowl Takayama calls the origin of its chuka soba, from a shop that started as a street stall in 1938. The trade-off is a menu of one thing. Masago Soba opened in 1938 as a yatai stall, and the tourism office calls it the origin of Takayama chuka soba. The menu is chuka soba in large, regular or small and a bowl of rice. The soy base is boiled together with the stock in the old Takayama way, and the medium-thin curly noodles are rubbed loose before they go in the pot. It is nine minutes' walk from the station and close to the old town. The shop appeared with a Michelin Plate in the 2019 special edition of the Michelin Guide for Aichi, Gifu and Mie. Q: When is Masago Soba open? A: Masago Soba is open opening hours are not published on the tourism office page and closed wednesday, plus irregular days. Q: What should you order at Masago Soba? A: At Masago Soba, order chuka soba, regular size, or a bowl of rice on the side. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/special/detail_467.html ### Masunosushi Museum Minamoto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/masunosushi-museum-minamoto Type: Place to eat Local name: ますのすし本舗 源 ますのすしミュージアム (ja) Also known as: Minamoto, Masu no Sushi Museum, 源 ますのすし, Minamoto masu-zushi Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Toyama Address: 37-6 Nanocho, Toyama, Toyama 939-8232 Coordinates: 36.62727, 137.20374 Kind: Other Hours: 9:30–17:00 daily; in January and February 10:00–16:00 and closed Wednesdays. Sakura-tei restaurant 11:00–14:00 on weekends and holidays. Closed: Wednesdays in January and February Prices: Entry is free. The masu-zushi making class costs ¥2,200 including tax. Reservations: Book the making class at least a week ahead; the restaurant takes walk-ins. Cuisine: Sushi Address: 37-6 Nanocho, Toyama, Toyama 939-8232 Website: http://www.minamoto.co.jp Summary: Masunosushi Museum Minamoto suits families and food lovers who want to see masu-zushi made and try pressing one themselves, and its trade-off is a location near Toyama airport, 15 minutes by car from Toyama Station. Minamoto makes masu-zushi in Toyama, and its museum and factory shop are free to enter. Weekend and holiday visitors can make their own trout sushi in a hands-on class for ¥2,200, limited to 15 people and booked a week ahead. The Sakura-tei restaurant serves lunch from 11:00 to 14:00 on weekends and holidays only. The museum opens every day from 9:30 to 17:00. In January and February it opens 10:00 to 16:00 and closes on Wednesdays. It sits five minutes by car from Toyama airport and the Toyama interchange. Q: What are the opening hours of Masunosushi Museum Minamoto? A: Masunosushi Museum Minamoto keeps these hours: Daily 09:30–17:00. Q: What should you order at Masunosushi Museum Minamoto? A: At Masunosushi Museum Minamoto, order a one-tier masu-zushi to take on the train. Q: Do you need a reservation at Masunosushi Museum Minamoto? A: Masunosushi Museum Minamoto: Book the making class at least a week ahead; the restaurant takes walk-ins. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/11040 https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/103494 https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/37_20_toyama.html ### Masuya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/masuya-kinosaki Type: Place to eat Local name: 但馬生蕎麦 ますや (ja) Also known as: Masuya Kinosaki, Tajima Kisoba Masuya, ますや Region: Kansai Prefecture: Hyogo Town: Kinosaki Onsen Address: 654 Yushima, Kinosaki-cho, Toyooka, Hyogo Coordinates: 35.62670, 134.81070 Kind: Soba Hours: Lunch 11:00 to 14:30 and dinner 18:30 to 19:30; closes on irregular days. Closed: Irregular Payment: Cash only Cuisine: soba Address: 654 Yushima, Kinosaki-cho, Toyooka, Hyogo Summary: Masuya suits a bowl of handmade Tajima soba between baths in Kinosaki, and its trade-off is a short evening sitting and cash-only payment. Masuya makes its soba by hand from Hyogo buckwheat and Kinosaki's own water, which the shop says filters through the mountains after the winter snow. The tourism association's listing says buckwheat grew better than rice on this thin soil, so soba became the dish for guests, bound with grated mountain yam. The duck dipping soba is the shop's best seller: cold noodles in a hot duck broth. Crab rice porridge and a crab and sweet shrimp bowl cover the local seafood. Tips: - Dinner runs only from 18:30 to 19:30, so most visitors come at lunch. Q: What are the opening hours of Masuya? A: Masuya keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:00-14:30, 18:30-19:30. Q: What should you order at Masuya? A: At Masuya, order kamo zaru soba, cold soba with hot duck broth, or kani zosui, crab rice porridge. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kinosaki-spa.gr.jp/directory/masuya/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%85%B5%E5%BA%AB%E7%9C%8C%E8%B1%8A%E5%B2%A1%E5%B8%82%E5%9F%8E%E5%B4%8E%E7%94%BA%E6%B9%AF%E5%B3%B6654 ### Meguri Soba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/meguri-soba-matsumoto Type: Place to eat Local name: 信州小鉢と酒 巡蕎麦 (ja) Also known as: Matsumoto Public House, Matsupabu, 巡蕎麦, Shinshu Kobachi to Sake Meguri Soba Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Matsumoto Address: 長野県松本市中央3丁目5-9 藤蔵 Coordinates: 36.23382, 137.97304 Kind: Soba Hours: 10:00–21:00 (last order 20:30). Closed over the New Year holiday. Closed: New Year holiday Reservations: The site links a reservation page. Cuisine: Soba, Sake, Shinshu regional Address: 長野県松本市中央3丁目5-9 藤蔵 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://matsumotopublichouse.jp/ Summary: Meguri Soba suits an afternoon of Nagano sake and small plates that ends with a bowl of soba, and the name over the door changed from Matsumoto Public House. Meguri Soba runs from 10:00 to 21:00 in a storehouse building in central Matsumoto, and it has no regular closing day. The idea is to work through seasonal small dishes with Nagano sake and finish with soba made from 100 percent buckwheat. At lunch the soba comes first. By evening the place turns into a long sit over sake that still ends on noodles, and the food menu was rewritten in January 2026. Q: What are the opening hours of Meguri Soba? A: Meguri Soba keeps these hours: Daily 10:00–21:00. Q: What should you order at Meguri Soba? A: At Meguri Soba, order juwari (100 percent buckwheat) soba to finish, or a flight of Nagano sake with small plates. Q: Do you need a reservation at Meguri Soba? A: Meguri Soba: The site links a reservation page. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://matsumotopublichouse.jp/ https://matsumotopublichouse.jp/category/inform/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/13870931201 ### Meiji no Yakata URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/meiji-no-yakata Type: Place to eat Local name: 西洋料理 明治の館 (ja) Also known as: Meiji-no-Yakata, 明治の館, Meiji no Yakata Nikko Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Nikko Address: 2339-1 Sannai, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1431 Coordinates: 36.75670, 139.60270 Kind: Other Hours: The restaurant posts its schedule by quarter on its site; the October to December 2026 schedule was up on 11 October 2026. Reservations: Lunch bookings were not being taken in October 2026. Cuisine: western, yoshoku Address: 2339-1 Sannai, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1431 Website: https://www.meiji-yakata.com/ja/meiji/ Summary: Meiji no Yakata suits a sit-down Western lunch near the shrines, and since it takes no lunch bookings you may wait at peak times. Meiji no Yakata serves Western dishes in Nikko's Sannai shrine district near Toshogu. The same company runs a parlour, a café and a steakhouse nearby, and sells its cheesecake to take away. Tips: - Arrive before noon in autumn; the restaurant takes no lunch bookings. Q: When is Meiji no Yakata open? A: Meiji no Yakata is open the restaurant posts its schedule by quarter on its site; the October to December 2026 schedule was up on 11 October 2026. Q: Do you need a reservation at Meiji no Yakata? A: Meiji no Yakata: Lunch bookings were not being taken in October 2026. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.meiji-yakata.com/ https://www.meiji-yakata.com/ja/meiji/ ### Menkyo Kaiden URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/menkyo-kaiden Type: Place to eat Local name: 麺許皆伝 (ja) Also known as: 麺許皆伝 富士吉田, Menkyokaiden, Menkyo Kaiden Yoshida udon Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Town: Fujiyoshida Address: 山梨県富士吉田市上吉田東1-4-58 Coordinates: 35.47924, 138.80045 Kind: Udon Hours: Closes when the noodles sell out. Closed: Sunday Price: ¥ Prices: Retty puts lunch under ¥1,000; the city's menu page lists no prices. Reservations: No reservations Payment: Cash (Retty lists no card payment) Vegetarian: None; the broth is a miso and soy stock and most toppings are meat or fish cake. Cuisine: Yoshida udon Address: 山梨県富士吉田市上吉田東1-4-58 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Website: https://fujiyoshida.net/gourmet/121 Summary: Menkyo Kaiden suits anyone who wants Yoshida udon at its firm, chewy best before noon, and the trade-off is a three-hour lunch window that ends early when the noodles run out. Yoshida udon is Fujiyoshida's own noodle: thick, hard to bite and served in a broth of miso and soy with boiled cabbage on top. Menkyo Kaiden opens at 11:00 and closes at 14:00, and the city's tourism site says the popular toppings of seasoned egg and chikuten sell out first. The yokubari udon piles on beef, chikuten, wakame and fried tofu, and the house suridane chilli paste carries sesame oil and black sesame. Signed boards from famous visitors cover the walls. The shop sits about ten minutes on foot from Fujisan station and has twenty parking spaces. It closes on Sundays, which catches out weekend visitors from Tokyo. Tips: - Order the tsuke (dipping) version on a warm spring day to taste the noodle on its own. - Bring cash. Q: What are the opening hours of Menkyo Kaiden? A: Menkyo Kaiden keeps these hours: Mon–Sat 11:00–14:00; Sun closed. Q: What should you order at Menkyo Kaiden? A: At Menkyo Kaiden, order yokubari udon with every topping, or kinpira beef udon, or takikomi gohan on the side. Q: Do you need a reservation at Menkyo Kaiden? A: Menkyo Kaiden: No reservations. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://fujiyoshida.net/gourmet/index.php?p=121 https://retty.me/area/PRE19/ARE259/SUB25901/100000041479/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%B1%B1%E6%A2%A8%E7%9C%8C%E5%AF%8C%E5%A3%AB%E5%90%89%E7%94%B0%E5%B8%82%E4%B8%8A%E5%90%89%E7%94%B0%E6%9D%B1%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE4-58 ### Menya Iroha CiC URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/menya-iroha-cic Type: Place to eat Local name: 麺家いろは CiC店 (ja) Also known as: Menya Iroha, Iroha ramen, 麺屋いろは, Iroha Toyama station Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Toyama Address: CiC Building B1F, 1-2-3 Shintomicho, Toyama, Toyama Coordinates: 36.69967, 137.21263 Kind: Ramen Hours: Check the shop's site for CiC hours. The Imizu main shop opens 11:30–22:00 on weekdays and 11:00–22:00 on weekends and holidays, last orders 30 minutes before closing. Price: ¥ From: ¥1,120 each (2026), about CAD 10 or USD 7.10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Toyama black ramen with seasoned egg ¥1,120. Reservations: Walk-ins. Cuisine: Ramen Address: CiC Building B1F, 1-2-3 Shintomicho, Toyama, Toyama Price from: ¥1,120 each (2026), about CAD 10 or USD 7.10 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: http://www.menya-iroha.com/ Summary: Menya Iroha CiC suits travellers who want a bowl of Toyama black ramen within three minutes of the Shinkansen, and its trade-off is a basement shop that fills with visitors at mealtimes. Menya Iroha's CiC branch sits in the basement of the building opposite Toyama Station's south exit. The tourism association puts it three minutes from the exit through the underground passage. The black ramen with a seasoned egg costs ¥1,120. The main shop is in Imizu, open daily from 11:30 on weekdays and 11:00 on weekends with 20 parking spaces, and there is a branch at Toyama airport. Q: How much does Menya Iroha CiC cost? A: Prices at Menya Iroha CiC start at ¥1,120 each (2026), about CAD 10 or USD 7.10 (October 2026 rates). Q: When is Menya Iroha CiC open? A: Menya Iroha CiC is open check the shop's site for CiC hours. The Imizu main shop opens 11:30–22:00 on weekdays and 11:00–22:00 on weekends and holidays, last orders 30 minutes before closing. Q: What should you order at Menya Iroha CiC? A: At Menya Iroha CiC, order toyama black ramen with a seasoned egg. Q: Do you need a reservation at Menya Iroha CiC? A: Menya Iroha CiC: Walk-ins. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.toyamashi-kankoukyoukai.jp/gourmet/menya-iroha-cic-store/ https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/80154 https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/toyama-e/ ### Menya Shirakawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/menya-shirakawa Type: Place to eat Local name: 麺屋しらかわ (ja) Also known as: Shirakawa ramen Takayama, Menya Shirakawa Takayama Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 56-2 Aioi-cho, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14269, 137.25683 Kind: Ramen Hours: Lunch 11:00 to 13:30 and late nights 21:00 to 2:00, or to 1:00 in winter; closed Tuesdays and Monday nights, and it shuts early when the soup runs out. Closed: Tuesday; Monday night Cuisine: Ramen Address: 56-2 Aioi-cho, Takayama, Gifu Summary: Menya Shirakawa suits a clear, light bowl of Takayama chuka soba at lunch or after midnight. The trade-off is the queue, which the tourism office says is always there. Menya Shirakawa simmers its soy broth for 10 hours from bonito, chicken bones and vegetables, and makes it twice a day so it is always fresh. It is seven minutes' walk from the station and has no car park. When the day's soup is gone, the shop closes. Q: What are the opening hours of Menya Shirakawa? A: Menya Shirakawa keeps these hours: Mon 11:00–13:30; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:00-13:30, 21:00-02:00. Q: What should you order at Menya Shirakawa? A: At Menya Shirakawa, order chuka soba in the clear soy broth. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3118.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/special/detail_467.html ### Michi-no-Eki Shiotsu Kaido Ajikama no Sato URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-ajikama-no-sato Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅 塩津海道 あぢかまの里 (ja) Also known as: Ajikama no Sato, あぢかまの里 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Nagahama Address: 1765 Shiotsuhama, Nishiazai-cho, Nagahama, Shiga 529-0701 Coordinates: 35.52045, 136.16290 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: Public holidays get the extra hour too. The winter hours from December to February come from the Biwaichi listing. Closed: Tuesdays and the New Year break Price: ¥ Cuisine: local produce Address: 1765 Shiotsuhama, Nishiazai-cho, Nagahama, Shiga 529-0701 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: The Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, toilets, a pump, tools, water, tubes for sale and bike shipping here. Price band: ¥ Website: http://www.koti.jp/ Summary: Ajikama no Sato suits riders at the far north of the loop who need water, a tube or a rest, and it closes an hour earlier in winter. This roadside station sits at Shiotsuhama, the northernmost corner of Lake Biwa, where the loop turns south. It is one of the best-equipped stops on the route: the Biwaichi map lists a rack, a pump, tools, water, tubes for sale, and bike shipping. In holiday periods its rental bikes only start and finish at JR Omi-Shiotsu and Nagahara. In winter it closes at 16:00 on weekdays. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-Eki Shiotsu Kaido Ajikama no Sato? A: Michi-no-Eki Shiotsu Kaido Ajikama no Sato keeps these hours: Mon 09:00–17:00; Tue closed; Wed–Fri 09:00–17:00; Sat–Sun 09:00–18:00. Q: Can you park a bike at Michi-no-Eki Shiotsu Kaido Ajikama no Sato? A: Michi-no-Eki Shiotsu Kaido Ajikama no Sato: the Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, toilets, a pump, tools, water, tubes for sale and bike shipping here. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.koti.jp/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/sa00/press-release/24076.html ### Michi-no-Eki Akabane Loco Station URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-akabane-loco-station Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅 あかばねロコステーション (ja) Also known as: Akabane Loco Station, あかばねロコステーション Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Town: Tahara Address: 32-4 Onishi, Akabane-cho, Tahara, Aichi Coordinates: 34.60941, 137.20189 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: Shop and information desk 9:00 to 17:00 every day. The restaurant opens 11:00 to 16:00 on weekdays and 11:00 to 17:00 at weekends, and closes on Wednesdays in winter. Prices: The bring-your-own barbecue course on the deck costs ¥1,980 a person with tax. Reservations: The barbecue on the upstairs deck is by booking only, in two-hour slots. Payment: Cards accepted. Cuisine: seafood, local produce, barbecue Address: 32-4 Onishi, Akabane-cho, Tahara, Aichi On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: Tahara lists the station among its public facilities with a cycle rack and a repair kit. Rokkun e-bikes rent here at ¥500 an hour. Website: https://tahara-michinoeki.com/akabane/ Summary: Akabane Loco Station suits riders on the Pacific side of the Atsumi Peninsula who want a rest stop with a rack and a sea view, and the restaurant closes on Wednesdays in winter. Akabane Loco Station sits on the surf coast at Akabane, and its name comes from the Akabane Loco Park next door. Kamaage shirasu boiled at the processing plant beside it is the best seller, and local growers sell vegetables and flowers in the market hall. Tahara lists it as a public stop with a cycle rack and a repair kit, and the Rokkun e-bikes rent here. You can leave one at another roadside station on the peninsula for ¥2,000 extra. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-Eki Akabane Loco Station? A: Michi-no-Eki Akabane Loco Station keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-Eki Akabane Loco Station? A: At Michi-no-Eki Akabane Loco Station, order kamaage shirasu, whitebait boiled at the processing plant next door, or barbecue on the upstairs deck, booked ahead. Q: Do you need a reservation at Michi-no-Eki Akabane Loco Station? A: Michi-no-Eki Akabane Loco Station: The barbecue on the upstairs deck is by booking only, in two-hour slots. Q: Can you park a bike at Michi-no-Eki Akabane Loco Station? A: Michi-no-Eki Akabane Loco Station: tahara lists the station among its public facilities with a cycle rack and a repair kit. Rokkun e-bikes rent here at ¥500 an hour. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tahara-michinoeki.com/akabane/ https://www.taharakankou.gr.jp/special/rental_cycle/index.php https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/ccr9dq0000000nsd-att/khmf2300000000fu.pdf https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/about-pcr.html ### Michi-no-eki Amagigoe URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-amagigoe Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅 天城越え (ja) Also known as: Amagigoe roadside station, 天城越え, Amagi Wasabi no Sato, Showa no Mori Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Address: 静岡県伊豆市湯ヶ島892-6 Coordinates: 34.85594, 138.92217 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: Station hours 8:30–16:30, varying by shop. Retty lists Midori no Mori at 10:00–15:00 with irregular closures. Closed: Open daily, with occasional closures Price: ¥ Prices: Retty puts a meal at Midori no Mori under ¥1,000; wasabi soft serve cost ¥400 in December 2025. Reservations: Wasabi harvesting and pickling experiences need a booking. Payment: PayPay accepted at Midori no Mori (Retty) Vegetarian: Tororo rice and the wasabi rice bowl may suit; ask about the stock. Cuisine: Roadside station, Wasabi, Game Address: 静岡県伊豆市湯ヶ島892-6 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Website: http://amagi-wasabinosato.co.jp/ Summary: Michi-no-eki Amagigoe suits riders crossing the middle of Izu on Route 414 who want wasabi from the growers and a hot lunch before the Amagi climb, and the trade-off is a restaurant that stops serving at 15:00. This roadside station sits in the Amagi forest at Yugashima, the obvious halfway stop between Shuzenji and Kawazu. Growers sell fresh wasabi roots and pickles at the Amagi Wasabi no Sato shop from 8:30 to 16:30 every day. The station's restaurant, Midori no Mori, serves wasabi rice bowls, Izu beef curry and dishes of wild boar and venison. Wasabi soft serve is the order, and a December 2025 review paid ¥400 for it. Booked visitors can try wasabi harvesting and making wasabi pickles. The Amagi Green Garden next door fills with rhododendrons from early April to early June, which lines up with the spring riding season. Tips: - The Showa no Mori Kaikan building closes on the third Wednesday of each month. - Buy a root of wasabi here and grate it at dinner that evening. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-eki Amagigoe? A: Michi-no-eki Amagigoe keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:30–16:30. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-eki Amagigoe? A: At Michi-no-eki Amagigoe, order wasabi soft serve, or wasabi rice bowl, or fresh wasabi to take away. Q: Do you need a reservation at Michi-no-eki Amagigoe? A: Michi-no-eki Amagigoe: Wasabi harvesting and pickling experiences need a booking. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.cbr.mlit.go.jp/michinoeki/shizuoka/shizuoka07.html http://amagi-wasabinosato.co.jp/ https://www.michi-no-eki.jp/stations/views/19344 https://retty.me/area/PRE22/ARE323/SUB32305/100000917215/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%81%93%E3%81%AE%E9%A7%85%E5%A4%A9%E5%9F%8E%E8%B6%8A%E3%81%88 ### Michi-no-Eki Arai URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-arai Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅あらい (ja) Also known as: Roadside Station Arai, Arai Road Station Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Arai Address: 新潟県妙高市大字猪野山58-1 Coordinates: 37.02610, 138.22590 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: Each shop keeps its own hours; the station publishes a monthly schedule. Cuisine: seafood, ramen, soba Address: 新潟県妙高市大字猪野山58-1 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://www.eki-arai.com Summary: Michi-no-Eki Arai suits drivers and cyclists on Route 18 who want a big choice of food in one stop, and its trade-off is the bustle of an expressway-side complex. This roadside station sits on Route 18 beside the Arai parking area and smart interchange of the Joshin-etsu Expressway. It gathers a tourist office, a fish market, a farm stand and a string of restaurants, with a convenience store and a coin laundry. Shikisaikan Hidanan sells Myoko vegetables and Koshihikari rice, and the Japan Sea fish centre opens from 09:15 to 17:45. A wood-fired pizza café and two ramen counters keep longer hours, and each shop sets its own closed days. Q: When is Michi-no-Eki Arai open? A: Michi-no-Eki Arai is open each shop keeps its own hours; the station publishes a monthly schedule. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-Eki Arai? A: At Michi-no-Eki Arai, order myoko Koshihikari from Shikisaikan Hidanan, or fresh fish from the fish centre. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.eki-arai.com/ https://eki-arai.com/hours-holidays/ https://myokotourism.jp/restaurants/%e9%81%93%e3%81%ae%e9%a7%85%e3%81%82%e3%82%89%e3%81%84/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11640627 ### Michi-no-Eki Chikura Shiokaze Okoku URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-chikura-shiokaze-okoku Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅ちくら 潮風王国 (ja) Also known as: Shiokaze Okoku, Chikura Shiokaze Kingdom, 潮風王国, 道の駅ちくら・潮風王国 Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Town: Minamiboso Address: 1051 Senda, Chikura-machi, Minamiboso, Chiba Coordinates: 34.92990, 139.95230 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: Closed on Wednesdays except from January to March and in August. Closed: Wednesday, except January to March and August Cuisine: seafood, Japanese Address: 1051 Senda, Chikura-machi, Minamiboso, Chiba On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://shiokaze-oukoku.jp/ Summary: Shiokaze Okoku suits riders on the Pacific side of Boso who want a fish lunch and a look at the morning's catch, and its trade-off is a Wednesday closing for most of the year. Shiokaze Okoku sits on the shore at Chikura with fish counters, a restaurant and café, and gift shops under one roof. Its staff post what comes in from the boats, from small horse mackerel and isaki to rare shittaka sea snails and Boso abalone, whose season opens in May. The station opens 9:00 to 17:00 and closes on Wednesdays, except from January to March and in August, when it opens every day. It shut early on storm days in September 2026, so check the news page in typhoon season. Tips: - It opens every day in winter, from January to March. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-Eki Chikura Shiokaze Okoku? A: Michi-no-Eki Chikura Shiokaze Okoku keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 09:00–17:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-Eki Chikura Shiokaze Okoku? A: At Michi-no-Eki Chikura Shiokaze Okoku, order whatever the fish counter shows from the day's landing. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shiokaze-oukoku.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11640825 https://maruchiba.jp/feature/detail_517.html ### Michi-no-Eki Hakata S.C. Park URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-hakata-sc-park Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅 伯方S・Cパーク (ja) Also known as: Marine Oasis Hakata, マリンオアシスはかた, Hakata SC Park, Roadside Station Hakata S.C. Park Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Hakatajima Address: 愛媛県今治市伯方町叶浦甲1668-1 Coordinates: 34.20280, 133.07550 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: Shop 9:00–17:00 (10:00–16:00 in winter). Restaurant 11:00 to last order 14:00 all year. Food court 10:00–16:00 on weekdays and 9:00–17:00 at weekends and peak holidays. Closed: New Year's Day; Tuesdays from 12 January to 14 March 2027 Price: ¥ From: ¥800 each (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Reservations: Restaurant bookings are for groups of five or more, from the reservation menu. Cuisine: ramen, Japanese Address: 愛媛県今治市伯方町叶浦甲1668-1 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥800 each (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://imabari-shimanami.jp/hakata/ Summary: Hakata S.C. Park suits riders who want a salt soft serve and a bowl of Hakata salt ramen beside a beach, and its trade-off is a restaurant that takes last orders at 14:00. The Marine Oasis Hakata building stands a few steps from Hakata Beach with the Hakata-Oshima Bridge in view, and Shimanami Japan's English guide calls it the place for a salted vanilla soft serve by the water. The restaurant builds its menu on Hakata salt. Plain shio ramen costs ¥800, and a version topped with Oshima lemon and Imabari jakoten fish cake costs ¥850. Imabari's yakibuta tamago meshi, roast pork and fried egg over rice, costs ¥880. Groups of five or more can book a tai-meshi set for ¥1,850, while the everyday menu cannot be reserved. The shop sells Hakata salt in several grain sizes alongside Ehime citrus juices. Free showers serve the beach, two minutes away on foot. From 12 January to 14 March 2027 the station closes on Tuesdays, except 23 February, a holiday when it opens and closes on the Wednesday instead. The shop and food court keep 10:00 to 16:00 that season, and New Year's Day is closed. Tips: - Come before 14:00 if you want ramen; the food court stays open later for snacks and soft serve. Q: How much does Michi-no-Eki Hakata S.C. Park cost? A: Prices at Michi-no-Eki Hakata S.C. Park start at ¥800 each (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-Eki Hakata S.C. Park? A: Michi-no-Eki Hakata S.C. Park keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-Eki Hakata S.C. Park? A: At Michi-no-Eki Hakata S.C. Park, order hakata salt soft serve, or hakata no shio ramen, ¥800. Q: Do you need a reservation at Michi-no-Eki Hakata S.C. Park? A: Michi-no-Eki Hakata S.C. Park: Restaurant bookings are for groups of five or more, from the reservation menu. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://imabari-shimanami.jp/hakata/ https://imabari-shimanami.jp/hakara-restaurant/ https://imabari-shimanami.jp/hakata-shisetu/ https://imabari-shimanami.jp/hakata-shop/ https://visitshimanami.com/area-guides/hakatajima/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11641144 ### Michi-no-Eki Hota Shogakko URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-hota-shogakko Type: Place to eat Local name: 都市交流施設・道の駅 保田小学校 (ja) Also known as: Hota Elementary School roadside station, 道の駅保田小学校, Hotasho, 保田小 Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Address: 724 Hota, Kyonan-machi, Awa-gun, Chiba 299-1902 Coordinates: 35.14290, 139.84160 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: The station opens 9:00 to 17:00 every day, and each shop keeps its own hours. Hota Shokudo opens 9:00 to 17:00 on weekdays and 9:00 to 18:00 at weekends and on holidays, with no fixed closing day. Cuisine: seafood, Japanese Address: 724 Hota, Kyonan-machi, Awa-gun, Chiba 299-1902 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://hotasho.jp/ Summary: Hota Shogakko suits riders on the Tokyo Bay side of Boso who want fish lunch and a rental bike in a converted primary school, and its trade-off in autumn 2026 is Route 127 closed between Kanaya and Hota after typhoon damage. This roadside station took over Hota primary school in Kyonan, and the old classrooms now hold restaurants, a bakery and a market. Hota Shokudo serves fishermen's food from the local harbour, and the namero bukkake don piles four kinds of local fish and namero on rice with dashi to pour over at the end. The golden horse mackerel fry is the other order. The station rents cross bikes and folding e-bikes for ¥3,000 a day from 9:30 to 16:00, booked by phone by 15:00 the day before. In October 2026, typhoon damage had closed Route 127 between Kanaya and Hota, so riders coming down the coast from the ferry at Kanaya need another way in. The approach from Tateyama had no closures. Tips: - Hota Shokudo keeps longer hours at weekends, until 18:00. - Call 0470-29-5531 by 15:00 the day before to book a rental bike. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-Eki Hota Shogakko? A: Michi-no-Eki Hota Shogakko keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-Eki Hota Shogakko? A: At Michi-no-Eki Hota Shogakko, order namero bukkake don with four local fish at Hota Shokudo, or boso fry plate with golden horse mackerel fry. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hotasho.jp/ https://hotasho.jp/tenant/hota-shokudo/ https://hotasho.jp/play/bicycle/ https://hotasho.jp/news/%e5%85%83%e6%b0%97%e3%81%ab%e5%96%b6%e6%a5%ad%e4%b8%ad%e2%80%bc%e3%80%80%ef%bc%88%e5%91%a8%e8%be%ba%e9%81%93%e8%b7%af%e3%81%ae%e7%8a%b6%e6%b3%81%ef%bc%89/ https://maruchiba.jp/feature/detail_517.html ### Michi-no-Eki Irago Crystal Porto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-irago-crystal-porto Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅 伊良湖クリスタルポルト (ja) Also known as: Irago Crystal Porto, 伊良湖クリスタルポルト, Irago ferry terminal Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Town: Irago Address: 3000-65 Miyashita, Irago-cho, Tahara, Aichi Coordinates: 34.58343, 137.02029 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: Shop 8:00 to 17:30 and ferry tickets 7:40 to 17:40, every day. Misaki Meguri-tei serves noodles 9:00 to 16:00 and closes on Tuesdays. Payment: Cards accepted. Cuisine: soba, local produce Address: 3000-65 Miyashita, Irago-cho, Tahara, Aichi On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: The cycle station has racks, lockers, a changing space and a pump and tools to borrow, and it sells ride snacks and hands out route maps. Website: https://tahara-michinoeki.com/crystal Summary: Crystal Porto suits riders waiting for the Toba ferry who need a locker and a bowl of soba, and the noodle counter closes at 16:00. Crystal Porto is both the Irago ferry terminal and the roadside station at the tip of the peninsula, so it's where the Atsumi stage of the Pacific Cycling Road meets the boat. The cycle station lends a pump and tools and has a changing space. The tourist desk rents e-bikes at ¥500 an hour. Misaki Meguri-tei makes juwari soba and a soba with Irago's aosa sea lettuce, and the shop sells Tahara melons and local produce. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-Eki Irago Crystal Porto? A: Michi-no-Eki Irago Crystal Porto keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:00–17:30. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-Eki Irago Crystal Porto? A: At Michi-no-Eki Irago Crystal Porto, order aosa soba with Irago sea lettuce at Misaki Meguri-tei, or juwari soba made with buckwheat alone. Q: Can you park a bike at Michi-no-Eki Irago Crystal Porto? A: Michi-no-Eki Irago Crystal Porto: the cycle station has racks, lockers, a changing space and a pump and tools to borrow, and it sells ride snacks and hands out route maps. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tahara-michinoeki.com/crystal https://www.taharakankou.gr.jp/special/rental_cycle/index.php https://www.isewanferry.co.jp/ ### Michi-no-eki Ito Marine Town URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-ito-marine-town Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅 伊東マリンタウン (ja) Also known as: Ito Marine Town, 伊東マリンタウン, Marine Town Ito Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Ito Address: 静岡県伊東市湯川571-19 Coordinates: 34.98533, 139.09428 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: Shops 9:00–18:00; restaurants 11:00–21:00; Soba Dining Raku 9:00–18:00; spa restaurant 6:00–20:00. Hours change by shop and season. Closed: Open daily Prices: Prices vary by shop. Vegetarian: Soba, bread from Sandwich House Sazanka and the sweet shops give options. Cuisine: Roadside station, Seafood, Soba Address: 静岡県伊東市湯川571-19 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: Cycle racks on site; the station asks visitors who arrive by bike to use them. Website: https://ito-marinetown.co.jp/ Summary: Ito Marine Town suits riders on the east Izu coast who want a rack for the bike, a choice of seafood lunches and a hot spring bath in one stop, and the trade-off is weekend crowds off Route 135. Marine Town is the big roadside station on Ito's waterfront, with about twenty shops and restaurants, a day-use hot spring, sightseeing boats and a free foot bath. The station provides cycle racks for people who arrive by bike. For lunch, Soba Dining Raku serves soba and udon with sakura-ebi kakiage, Izu Marusu does sushi with a sea-view terrace, and Banban Shokudo cooks the fish of a himono wholesaler. Restaurants run 11:00 to 21:00 and the shops 9:00 to 18:00, though each shop sets its own times. The Asahi no Yu bath was closed for maintenance from 30 September to 13 October 2026, so check before you plan a post-ride soak. The spa's second-floor restaurant opens at 6:00 and accepts diners who skip the bath. Tips: - Izu Kogen Purin and Asagiri milk soft serve both sell here if you need sugar for the climb out of town. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-eki Ito Marine Town? A: Michi-no-eki Ito Marine Town keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–21:00. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-eki Ito Marine Town? A: At Michi-no-eki Ito Marine Town, order sakura-ebi kakiage soba at Raku, or sushi on the Marusu terrace. Q: Can you park a bike at Michi-no-eki Ito Marine Town? A: Michi-no-eki Ito Marine Town: cycle racks on site; the station asks visitors who arrive by bike to use them. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ito-marinetown.co.jp/ https://ito-marinetown.co.jp/facilities/ https://ito-marinetown.co.jp/restaurant/ https://www.cbr.mlit.go.jp/michinoeki/shizuoka/shizuoka14.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%81%93%E3%81%AE%E9%A7%85%E4%BC%8A%E6%9D%B1%E3%83%9E%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BF%E3%82%A6%E3%83%B3 ### Michi-no-eki Izu Gateway Kannami URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-izu-gateway-kannami Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅 伊豆ゲートウェイ函南 (ja) Also known as: Izu Gateway Kannami, 伊豆ゲートウェイ函南, Izu Gateway Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Address: 静岡県田方郡函南町塚本887-1 Coordinates: 35.07586, 138.92558 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: Produce hall and tourist desk 9:00–18:00 daily; Green Grill Kisetsu 9:30–17:00; Numazu Uogashi sushi 10:00–18:00; convenience store 24 hours. Closed: Open every day Reservations: No reservations Vegetarian: Tomato dishes at Green Grill Kisetsu and the convenience store give options. Cuisine: Roadside station, Sushi, Café Address: 静岡県田方郡函南町塚本887-1 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://www.izugateway.com/ Summary: Izu Gateway Kannami suits riders heading into Izu who want coffee, sushi and a full refuel at the top of the peninsula, and the trade-off is a busy roadside stop at the expressway exit. This roadside station sits one minute from the Kannami-Tsukamoto exit of the Izu Jukan expressway and calls itself the eighth michi-no-eki on the Izu peninsula. Inside you find Numazu Uogashi sushi from 10:00 to 18:00, a Tully's Coffee from 9:00 and Green Grill Kisetsu, which cooks with Tanna highland tomatoes. The produce hall sells Tanna milk, Kannami's own brand, and the soft serve made with it is the local order. A share-bike station for the Harenohi Cycle scheme stands on site, and the tourist desk hands out maps for short rides along the Kano river. The 7-Eleven never closes, which makes this a sure stop on an early start south. Tips: - Green Grill Kisetsu keeps shorter hours on 23, 28 and 30 October 2026. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-eki Izu Gateway Kannami? A: Michi-no-eki Izu Gateway Kannami keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–18:00. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-eki Izu Gateway Kannami? A: At Michi-no-eki Izu Gateway Kannami, order tanna milk soft serve, or sushi at Numazu Uogashi. Q: Do you need a reservation at Michi-no-eki Izu Gateway Kannami? A: Michi-no-eki Izu Gateway Kannami: No reservations. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.izugateway.com/ https://www.izugateway.com/floor/ https://www.izugateway.com/about/ https://www.cbr.mlit.go.jp/michinoeki/shizuoka/shizuoka24.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%81%93%E3%81%AE%E9%A7%85%E4%BC%8A%E8%B1%86%E3%82%B2%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88%E3%82%A6%E3%82%A7%E3%82%A4%E5%87%BD%E5%8D%97 ### Michi-no-Eki Kohoku Mizudori Station URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-kohoku-mizudori-station Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅 湖北みずどりステーション (ja) Also known as: Mizudori Station, みずどりステーション Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Nagahama Coordinates: 35.44490, 136.19072 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: Closed on the third Tuesday of each month. Closed: Third Tuesday of each month Price: ¥ Cuisine: local produce On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: The Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, toilets, a pump, tools, tubes for sale and luggage delivery here. Price band: ¥ Website: https://mizudori-st.co.jp/ Summary: Mizudori Station suits riders on the Kohoku shore who need a stamp, a tube or a rest, and its own website was down when we checked. Mizudori Station is the roadside station on the Kohoku lakeshore north of Nagahama; mizudori means waterbird. It is a checkpoint for the Biwaichi completion certificate, with the stamp at the entrance, and the Biwaichi map lists a rack, a pump, tools, tubes and luggage delivery. It opens 9:00 to 18:00 and closes on the third Tuesday. Its website had an expired certificate in October 2026. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-Eki Kohoku Mizudori Station? A: Michi-no-Eki Kohoku Mizudori Station keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–18:00. Q: Can you park a bike at Michi-no-Eki Kohoku Mizudori Station? A: Michi-no-Eki Kohoku Mizudori Station: the Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, toilets, a pump, tools, tubes for sale and luggage delivery here. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4213260389 ### Michi-no-Eki Marugoto Imizu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-marugoto-imizu Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅まるごと射水 (ja) Also known as: Marugoto Imizu, Roadside station Imizu, Kamon Park Shinminato Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Address: 296 Kagaminomiya, Imizu, Toyama 934-0049 Coordinates: 36.75201, 137.08497 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: Produce hall and Imizu Kitchen 8:00–19:00 (last orders 18:30); Imizu Café 10:00–19:00; Jigen Coffee 9:00–17:00, closed Wednesdays. Closed: New Year and occasional closures posted on the official site Reservations: Walk-ins. Cuisine: Japanese, Café Address: 296 Kagaminomiya, Imizu, Toyama 934-0049 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: The food hall car park lists a bicycle parking area. Summary: Michi-no-Eki Marugoto Imizu suits riders and drivers who want a long-hours food stop with bike parking near the Shinminato coast, and its trade-off is a setting inland of the bay itself. Marugoto Imizu is a roadside station with a produce hall and the Imizu Kitchen food hall, both open from 8:00 until 19:00. Jigen Coffee keeps its own hours, 9:00 to 17:00, and closes on Wednesdays. The food hall car park has a bicycle rack. Drivers come in from the Kosugi interchange on the Hokuriku Expressway in about 15 minutes. Without a car, take the Imizu community bus from Daimon or Kosugi stations on the Ainokaze line. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-Eki Marugoto Imizu? A: Michi-no-Eki Marugoto Imizu keeps these hours: Daily 08:00–19:00. Q: Do you need a reservation at Michi-no-Eki Marugoto Imizu? A: Michi-no-Eki Marugoto Imizu: Walk-ins. Q: Can you park a bike at Michi-no-Eki Marugoto Imizu? A: Michi-no-Eki Marugoto Imizu: the food hall car park lists a bicycle parking area. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/22007 ### Michi-no-Eki Mitsumata URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-mitsumata Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅みつまた (ja) Also known as: Roadside Station Mitsumata Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町三俣1000 Coordinates: 36.89970, 138.77710 Kind: Michi no eki Closed: Tuesdays Cuisine: Japanese Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町三俣1000 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://michieki-mitsumata.jp/ Summary: Michi-no-Eki Mitsumata suits drivers and riders on the road to Kagura and Naeba who want a warm stop with a footbath, and its trade-off is a small food choice. This roadside station stands on the Mikuni road in Mitsumata, between Yuzawa and the Kagura and Naeba resorts, and it has a footbath. Umamidokoro Shirakaba serves lunch and dinner from the same address. It opens from 10:00 to 18:00 from December to April and from 09:00 to 17:00 from May to November, closed on Tuesdays. In autumn 2026 it added extra days while the Naeba Dragondola ran for the leaves. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-Eki Mitsumata? A: Michi-no-Eki Mitsumata keeps these hours: Mon 09:00–17:00; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 09:00–17:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://michieki-mitsumata.jp/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/gourmet_p/michinoeki-mitsumata/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/gourmet/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17213309 ### Michi-no-eki Narusawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-narusawa Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅なるさわ (ja) Also known as: Narusawa roadside station, 道の駅 鳴沢, Michinoeki Narusawa Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Address: 山梨県南都留郡鳴沢村8532-63 Coordinates: 35.47792, 138.69197 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: The light-meal counter runs 10:00–17:30 per the national michi-no-eki listing; the information desk opens 9:00–17:00 and the produce hall 9:00–18:00. Retty lists longer summer hours, so phone ahead in the shoulder months. Closed: No regular closing day Price: ¥ Prices: Retty puts a meal under ¥1,000. Reservations: No reservations Vegetarian: Soba and udon are on the counter menu; ask whether the broth uses fish stock. Cuisine: Udon, Soba, Roadside station Address: 山梨県南都留郡鳴沢村8532-63 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.ja-narusawamura.com/facilities.html Summary: Michi-no-eki Narusawa suits riders on the western side of the Fuji Five Lakes who need toilets, a bowl of udon and a Fuji view in one stop, and the trade-off is a food counter that closes long before the shops do. This roadside station sits in Narusawa village, about 8.8 km from Kawaguchiko station, with more than 300 parking spaces and a farm shop run by the local agricultural co-op. The light-meal counter serves udon and soba, and a 2024 review found Koshu beef curry at ¥1,000 and a Narusawa-na greens rice set at ¥700 that sells only twenty a day. Fuji-zakura soft serve uses the fruit of the wild cherry that grows round the mountain's foot, and the station's national listing prices it at ¥400. Arrive before late morning if you want the greens rice set. Winter mornings here are cold, so the hot noodles earn their place more than the ice cream does. Tips: - The light-meal counter has its own phone line, 0555-85-3364, for checking hours. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-eki Narusawa? A: Michi-no-eki Narusawa keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–17:30. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-eki Narusawa? A: At Michi-no-eki Narusawa, order narusawa-na greens rice set, or fuji-zakura soft serve. Q: Do you need a reservation at Michi-no-eki Narusawa? A: Michi-no-eki Narusawa: No reservations. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ja-narusawamura.com/facilities.html https://www.michi-no-eki.jp/stations/views/19154 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%81%93%E3%81%AE%E9%A7%85%E3%81%AA%E3%82%8B%E3%81%95%E3%82%8F https://retty.me/area/PRE19/ARE259/SUB37206/100000919918/ ### Michi-no-Eki Omi Haha no Sato URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-omi-haha-no-sato Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅 近江母の郷 (ja) Also known as: Omi Haha no Sato, 近江母の郷 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Maibara Address: 1364-1 Ugano, Maibara, Shiga 521-0062 Coordinates: 35.34350, 136.27770 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: The roadside station posts a monthly opening calendar on its site. Price: ¥ Cuisine: soba, local produce Address: 1364-1 Ugano, Maibara, Shiga 521-0062 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: The Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, toilets, a pump and tools here. Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.omihahanosato.jp/ Summary: Omi Haha no Sato suits riders on the Maibara shore who want a bowl of Ibuki soba and a certificate stamp, and its hours change month to month. This roadside station sits on the lake road at Ugano in Maibara, between Hikone and Nagahama. Its restaurant, Kujiro, serves soba made from Ibuki heritage buckwheat that it grows itself. The station is a checkpoint for the Biwaichi completion certificate, with the board by the farm shop entrance, and the support-station listing adds a rack, a pump and tools. Q: When is Michi-no-Eki Omi Haha no Sato open? A: Michi-no-Eki Omi Haha no Sato is open the roadside station posts a monthly opening calendar on its site. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-Eki Omi Haha no Sato? A: At Michi-no-Eki Omi Haha no Sato, order ibuki soba made from home-grown Ibuki heritage buckwheat at the Kujiro restaurant. Q: Can you park a bike at Michi-no-Eki Omi Haha no Sato? A: Michi-no-Eki Omi Haha no Sato: the Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, toilets, a pump and tools here. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.omihahanosato.jp/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Michi-no-Eki Shinwa no Sato Shirousagi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-shinwa-no-sato-shirousagi Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅 神話の里 白うさぎ (ja) Also known as: Shirousagi roadside station, Hakuto michi-no-eki, 白うさぎ Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Tottori Address: 613 Hakuto, Tottori, Tottori 689-0206 Coordinates: 35.52405, 134.11327 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: The shop opens 8:00 to 19:00 every day. The second-floor seafood restaurant serves 11:00 to 16:00, until 17:00 at weekends and on holidays, and closes on Thursdays. The information corner stays open all night. Closed: Restaurant closed Thursdays Cuisine: seafood, local produce Address: 613 Hakuto, Tottori, Tottori 689-0206 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: Tottori lists it as a cycle café, so it has a bike rack, a pump and tools to borrow, toilets and free tap water. Website: http://sirousagi.com/ Summary: Shinwa no Sato Shirousagi suits riders on the Uminami Road west of Tottori who need a rack, a pump and lunch, and its seafood restaurant closes on Thursdays. This roadside station stands on the coast road at Hakuto, named for the white hare of Inaba in the Izumo myths. The shop opens every day from 8:00 to 19:00, and the restaurant upstairs cooks fish from live tanks with local produce. As one of Tottori's cycle cafés it keeps a bike rack, lends a pump and tools and gives out tap water. It was the last aid station on the Tottori Sugoi Ride in 2026. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-Eki Shinwa no Sato Shirousagi? A: Michi-no-Eki Shinwa no Sato Shirousagi keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:00–19:00. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-Eki Shinwa no Sato Shirousagi? A: At Michi-no-Eki Shinwa no Sato Shirousagi, order fish from the live tanks in the upstairs restaurant. Q: Can you park a bike at Michi-no-Eki Shinwa no Sato Shirousagi? A: Michi-no-Eki Shinwa no Sato Shirousagi: tottori lists it as a cycle café, so it has a bike rack, a pump and tools to borrow, toilets and free tap water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://sirousagi.com/ https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/details_support https://t5-inc.com/sugoiride/ https://izumooyashiro.or.jp/inaba/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%B3%A5%E5%8F%96%E7%9C%8C%E9%B3%A5%E5%8F%96%E5%B8%82%E7%99%BD%E5%85%8E613 ### Michi-no-Eki Tatara Shimanami Park URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-tatara-shimanami-park Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅 今治市多々羅しまなみ公園 (ja) Also known as: Tatara Shimanami Park, 多々羅しまなみ公園, Roadside Station Tatara Shimanami Park, Tatara Shimanami Koen Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Omishima Address: 愛媛県今治市上浦町井口9180-2 Coordinates: 34.25490, 133.05450 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: Shop and food court 9:00–17:00 (10:00–16:00 in winter); farm stand 9:00–16:00. Restaurant 11:00 to last order 15:00, 14:00 on winter weekdays. Closed: Thursdays from 12 January to 14 March 2027; 5 January 2027 Price: ¥¥ From: ¥1,000 each (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Reservations: Restaurant bookings are for groups of five or more, from the reservation menu. Cuisine: seafood, Japanese Address: 愛媛県今治市上浦町井口9180-2 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥1,000 each (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://imabari-shimanami.jp/tatara/ Summary: Tatara Shimanami Park suits every rider crossing Omishima as the biggest rest stop on the route, and its trade-off is a restaurant that stops taking orders at 15:00, earlier on winter weekdays. Shimanami Japan calls this the largest rest area on the Shimanami Kaido, with seaside terrace seating facing the Tatara Bridge and a rental cycle terminal on site. The Cyclist Sanctuary monument here has become a favourite photo stop. The restaurant cooks Setouchi fish and Ehime Amatoro pork. A tai-meshi set with chilled udon or soba costs ¥1,100 and the Kurushima set meal ¥2,200, and grouper dishes appear in limited numbers. The shop stocks more than 1,600 local products. Out front, the Kamiura Fureai Yataichi farm stand sells island vegetables and citrus from 9:00 to 16:00, with Beni Madonna and Harehime mandarins in December. From 12 January to 14 March 2027 the park closes on Thursdays, except 11 February, a holiday when it opens and closes on 9 February instead. It also closes on 5 January 2027. The shop and food court keep 10:00 to 16:00 that season, and the restaurant takes last orders at 14:00 on weekdays. Tips: - Shimanami Coffee overlooks the park, and WAKKA's cafe sits a short ride north-west. Q: How much does Michi-no-Eki Tatara Shimanami Park cost? A: Prices at Michi-no-Eki Tatara Shimanami Park start at ¥1,000 each (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-Eki Tatara Shimanami Park? A: Michi-no-Eki Tatara Shimanami Park keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-Eki Tatara Shimanami Park? A: At Michi-no-Eki Tatara Shimanami Park, order tai-meshi with chilled udon or soba, ¥1,100, or island citrus from the farm stand. Q: Do you need a reservation at Michi-no-Eki Tatara Shimanami Park? A: Michi-no-Eki Tatara Shimanami Park: Restaurant bookings are for groups of five or more, from the reservation menu. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://imabari-shimanami.jp/tatara/ https://imabari-shimanami.jp/tatara-restaurant/ https://imabari-shimanami.jp/tatara-fureaiichi/ https://visitshimanami.com/area-guides/omishima/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11641134 https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/11011361402 ### Michi-no-Eki Tomiura Biwa Club URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-tomiura-biwa-club Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅とみうら 枇杷倶楽部 (ja) Also known as: Biwa Club, Biwa Kurabu, 枇杷倶楽部, Roadside Station Tomiura, 道の駅とみうら Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Town: Minamiboso Address: 123-1 Aoki, Tomiura-machi, Minamiboso, Chiba 299-2416 Coordinates: 35.03760, 139.83720 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: Open every day of the year, though the restaurant closes on a few days each year. Cuisine: cafe, Japanese Address: 123-1 Aoki, Tomiura-machi, Minamiboso, Chiba 299-2416 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://www.biwakurabu.jp/ Summary: Biwa Club suits riders on the Tokyo Bay side of Boso who want a café stop built around Tomiura's loquats, and its trade-off is that the fresh fruit is only on the trees in May and June. Tomiura grows loquats good enough to send to the imperial household, and this roadside station fills its shelves with them. The café terrace serves loquat soft-serve, loquat curry and pasta with coffee dripped to order. The station won the top prize in the national roadside station awards in 2000. Fresh loquats come in May and June, when you can pick them on the trees. Strawberry picking runs from January to Golden Week, with bookings from 1 December. Tips: - Order the loquat soft-serve on the terrace. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-Eki Tomiura Biwa Club? A: Michi-no-Eki Tomiura Biwa Club keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:15–17:00. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-Eki Tomiura Biwa Club? A: At Michi-no-Eki Tomiura Biwa Club, order loquat soft-serve, or loquat curry. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.biwakurabu.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11640848 https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/about-pcr.html ### Michi-no-Eki Toyohashi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-toyohashi Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅とよはし (ja) Also known as: Roadside Station Toyohashi, Tomate, 道の駅 とよはし Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Town: Toyohashi Address: 113-2 Ichinosawa, Higashi-Nanane-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-3201 Coordinates: 34.69622, 137.41483 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: The Tomate hall opens 9:00 to 18:00 and closes only on 1 January. The farm market closes on the first Wednesday of each month. Toilets stay open round the clock. Closed: 1 January Reservations: Book e-bikes through the station's online form. Cuisine: udon, local produce Address: 113-2 Ichinosawa, Higashi-Nanane-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-3201 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: It is one of Toyohashi's cycle pits, with a pump and tools to borrow, and it rents e-bikes at ¥1,000 for four hours or ¥2,000 a day. Website: https://michinoeki-toyohashi.jp/ Summary: Michi-no-Eki Toyohashi suits riders heading for the Omotehama coast who want lunch and an e-bike to rent, and it sits about 20 minutes' ride inland from the sea. The national route council points riders to this roadside station as a rest stop on the Aichi stretch of the Pacific Cycling Road. It rents e-bikes at ¥1,000 for four hours or ¥2,000 a day, good for 70 to 110 km on assist, and the Omotehama coast is about 20 minutes away by bike. Tsuruan serves Toyohashi curry udon, and Yamasa grills chikuwa in front of you. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-Eki Toyohashi? A: Michi-no-Eki Toyohashi keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–18:00. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-Eki Toyohashi? A: At Michi-no-Eki Toyohashi, order toyohashi curry udon at Tsuruan, or chikuwa grilled to order at Yamasa. Q: Do you need a reservation at Michi-no-Eki Toyohashi? A: Michi-no-Eki Toyohashi: Book e-bikes through the station's online form. Q: Can you park a bike at Michi-no-Eki Toyohashi? A: Michi-no-Eki Toyohashi: it is one of Toyohashi's cycle pits, with a pump and tools to borrow, and it rents e-bikes at ¥1,000 for four hours or ¥2,000 a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://michinoeki-toyohashi.jp/ https://michinoeki-toyohashi.jp/activity/activity01 https://www.city.toyohashi.lg.jp/48143.htm https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/about-pcr.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q64064832 ### Michi-no-Eki Wave Park Namerikawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-wave-park-namerikawa Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅ウェーブパークなめりかわ (ja) Also known as: Wave Park Namerikawa, Hotaruika Museum roadside station, Namerikawa roadside station Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Address: 410 Nakagawara, Namerikawa, Toyama 936-0021 Coordinates: 36.77451, 137.34456 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: Shop 9:00–17:00; restaurant 11:00–18:00. Hours change by season, so check the official site. Closed: Tuesdays, except 20 March to 31 May; New Year; three days from the last Monday of January Reservations: Walk-ins. Cuisine: Seafood Address: 410 Nakagawara, Namerikawa, Toyama 936-0021 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: http://www.hotaruikamuseum.com/michieki/index.htm Summary: Wave Park Namerikawa suits riders on the Toyama Bay route who want a seaside lunch beside the Firefly Squid Museum, and its trade-off is a Tuesday closing outside spring. This roadside station sits on the shore at Namerikawa next to the Hotaruika Museum, which is dedicated to the firefly squid that light up Toyama Bay in spring. The shop sells firefly squid marinated alive in soy, and the restaurant opens from 11:00 to 18:00. It is eight minutes on foot from Namerikawa station on the Ainokaze line. The station stays open every day from 20 March to 31 May for the squid season. The rest of the year it closes on Tuesdays, and it shuts for three days from the last Monday of January. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-Eki Wave Park Namerikawa? A: Michi-no-Eki Wave Park Namerikawa keeps these hours: Daily 09:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-Eki Wave Park Namerikawa? A: At Michi-no-Eki Wave Park Namerikawa, order hotaruika no ikizuke, firefly squid marinated alive in soy. Q: Do you need a reservation at Michi-no-Eki Wave Park Namerikawa? A: Michi-no-Eki Wave Park Namerikawa: Walk-ins. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/51001 ### Michi-no-Eki Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-yoshiumi-ikiikikan Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅 よしうみいきいき館 (ja) Also known as: Yoshiumi Iki Iki Kan, Yoshiumi Ikiikikan, Roadside Station Yoshiumi, よしうみいきいき館 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: 愛媛県今治市吉海町名4520-2 Coordinates: 34.12740, 133.02200 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: Shop 9:00–17:00 (10:00–16:00 in winter). Restaurant 11:00 to last order 15:00, 14:00 on winter weekdays. The barbecue takes new guests 10:00–15:00 and closes at 16:00. Closed: New Year's Day; Wednesdays from 12 January to 14 March 2027 Price: ¥¥ From: ¥1,200 each (2026), about CAD 11 or USD 7.60 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Barbecue food is bought by the piece on top of the ¥500 seat fee. Reservations: Barbecue set courses need booking four days ahead for two or more. Restaurant bookings are for groups of five or more; walk-in barbecue tables go first come, first served. Cuisine: seafood, barbecue, Japanese Address: 愛媛県今治市吉海町名4520-2 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥1,200 each (2026), about CAD 11 or USD 7.60 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://imabari-shimanami.jp/ikiiki/ Summary: Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan suits riders who want a long seafood lunch below the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge, and its trade-off is that the barbecue set courses need booking four days ahead. This roadside station at the south end of Oshima runs a self-service seafood barbecue. You pay a ¥500 seat fee (free for primary-school children and younger), pick shellfish, fish or meat from the counter and grill it yourself over a shichirin charcoal brazier. Set courses from ¥2,500 to ¥10,000 a head need booking four days ahead for two or more, and plain rice is sold only to those who reserve. Shimanami Japan's English guide calls this the place to stock up before the climbs toward Miyakubo when riding north from Imabari. The sit-down restaurant serves set meals and rice bowls built on Ehime fish. Its tai-don in the Uwajima style, raw sea bream over rice, costs ¥1,900, and a bowl of boiled whitebait costs ¥1,200. From 1 December 2026 the winter menu adds oyster and red snow crab set meals, ten a day and booked five days ahead, while the barbecue adds all-you-can-eat oysters at ¥4,850. From 12 January to 14 March 2027 the station closes every Wednesday, and the shop and food court open 10:00 to 16:00. The restaurant takes last orders at 14:00 on winter weekdays, an hour earlier than usual. The station closes on New Year's Day, and the restaurant shuts on 30 and 31 December 2026. Tips: - Outside food, drinks and seasonings are not allowed at the barbecue; salt, pepper and soy sauce are free. - Shimanami Japan lists a cycle terminal here, which makes it a sensible place to swap or return a rental. Q: How much does Michi-no-Eki Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan cost? A: Prices at Michi-no-Eki Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan start at ¥1,200 each (2026), about CAD 11 or USD 7.60 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-Eki Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan? A: Michi-no-Eki Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-Eki Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan? A: At Michi-no-Eki Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan, order seafood barbecue over a shichirin brazier, or uwajima-style tai-don, ¥1,900. Q: Do you need a reservation at Michi-no-Eki Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan? A: Michi-no-Eki Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan: Barbecue set courses need booking four days ahead for two or more. Restaurant bookings are for groups of five or more; walk-in barbecue tables go first come, first served. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://imabari-shimanami.jp/ikiiki/ https://imabari-shimanami.jp/sengyo/ https://imabari-shimanami.jp/ikiiki-restaurant/ https://visitshimanami.com/area-guides/oshima/ https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/kanko/spot/?a=182 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11640993 ### Michi-no-Eki Yotte Nishitosa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/michi-no-eki-yotte-nishitosa Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅 よって西土佐 (ja) Also known as: Yotte Nishitosa, よって西土佐, Nishitosa Shokudo Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kochi Town: Shimanto Address: 2410-3 Nishitosa-Ekawasaki, Shimanto, Kochi 787-1601 Coordinates: 33.17320, 132.78680 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: Open 7:30 to 18:00. From December to February it closes on Tuesdays unless Tuesday is a public holiday. The Nishitosa Shokudo canteen serves 11:00 to 15:00 and the ayu counter runs 8:30 to 17:00. Closed: Tuesdays from December to February Price: ¥ Cuisine: River fish, Japanese Address: 2410-3 Nishitosa-Ekawasaki, Shimanto, Kochi 787-1601 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: It is a Rin Rin Cycle terminal, so you can drop off or pick up a rental mountain bike here. Price band: ¥ Website: https://yotte.jp/ Summary: Yotte Nishitosa suits riders on the upper Shimanto who want river fish for lunch, and it closes on Tuesdays through the winter. This roadside station at Ekawasaki trades on wild food from the Shimanto: ayu sweetfish, eel, tsugani river crab and river prawn. The canteen serves lunch from 11:00 to 15:00, and the ayu counter opens earlier. It is also a Rin Rin Cycle terminal, so riders can swap or return a rental mountain bike here before heading to the Iwama or Nagaoi sinking bridges. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-Eki Yotte Nishitosa? A: Michi-no-Eki Yotte Nishitosa keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 07:30–18:00. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-Eki Yotte Nishitosa? A: At Michi-no-Eki Yotte Nishitosa, order wild Shimanto ayu from the ayu counter, or lunch at Nishitosa Shokudo between 11:00 and 15:00. Q: Can you park a bike at Michi-no-Eki Yotte Nishitosa? A: Michi-no-Eki Yotte Nishitosa: it is a Rin Rin Cycle terminal, so you can drop off or pick up a rental mountain bike here. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://yotte.jp/ https://canoekan.com/rental/ ### Midoriya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/midoriya-katashina Type: Place to eat Local name: みどりや (ja) Also known as: Midoriya soba, Midoriya Katashina Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Katashina Address: 182-1 Higashiogawa, Katashina-mura, Tone-gun, Gunma Coordinates: 36.79068, 139.26197 Kind: Soba Hours: Open 11:00–13:00 and 16:00–18:00 until the soba sells out. Closed Tuesdays and Thursdays. Closed: Tuesdays and Thursdays Reservations: Walk in. Cuisine: soba Address: 182-1 Higashiogawa, Katashina-mura, Tone-gun, Gunma On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: Midoriya suits soba lovers on the way to Marunuma who want maitake tempura with two kinds of soba side by side, and its short hours mean an early arrival. Midoriya serves its soba two ways on one tray, nihachi with some wheat and juwari of pure buckwheat, with the owner's maitake tempura alongside. The lunch window runs only two hours, and it closes when the soba is gone. Q: What are the opening hours of Midoriya? A: Midoriya keeps these hours: Mon 11:00-13:00,16:00-18:00; Tue closed; Wed 11:00-13:00,16:00-18:00; Thu closed; Fri–Sun 11:00-13:00,16:00-18:00. Q: What should you order at Midoriya? A: At Midoriya, order the duo of nihachi and juwari soba with maitake tempura. Q: Do you need a reservation at Midoriya? A: Midoriya: Walk in. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://oze-katashina.info/kanko/2742/ ### Miyagawa Morning Market URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/miyagawa-morning-market Type: Place to eat Local name: 宮川朝市 (ja) Also known as: Miyagawa Asaichi, Takayama morning market, 飛騨高山宮川朝市 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: Shimo-Sannomachi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14337, 137.25817 Kind: Market Hours: Every day of the year: 7:00 to noon from April to November and 8:00 to noon from December to March. Closed: Open every day Cuisine: Market Address: Shimo-Sannomachi, Takayama, Gifu Website: http://www.asaichi.net/ Summary: The Miyagawa Morning Market suits an early walk with a snack in hand, along the river at the edge of the old town. The trade-off is the noon close. Stalls line about 700 m of the Miyagawa's east bank between Kajibashi and Yayoibashi bridges every morning. Local women sell vegetables, fruit, wild greens, pickles and flowers, and the river runs right beside you. It is ten minutes' walk from the station. Q: What are the opening hours of Miyagawa Morning Market? A: Miyagawa Morning Market keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 07:00–12:00. Q: What should you order at Miyagawa Morning Market? A: At Miyagawa Morning Market, order seasonal fruit and pickles from the farm stalls. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_1127.html ### Mocco URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/mocco-appi Type: Place to eat Local name: 畚 (ja) Also known as: MOCCO, Bar Mocco, Mokko, 畚／MOCCO, InterContinental Appi bar Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Town: APPI Address: ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort, 117-46 Appi Kogen, Hachimantai, Iwate 028-7306 Coordinates: 40.00137, 140.96834 Kind: Bar Hours: Last orders at 23:30. Tabelog lists the bar as open every day; the resort's own page names Sunday and Monday as closed days. Closed: Sunday and Monday Prices: The resort publishes no drinks prices for Mocco. Reservations: Walk-ins from outside the hotel are welcome, and the resort's English page links a table booking. Cuisine: cocktail bar, whisky Address: ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort, 117-46 Appi Kogen, Hachimantai, Iwate 028-7306 Website: https://www.appi.co.jp/dining/ana-intercontinental-appi-kogen-resort/mocco/ Summary: Mocco suits anyone staying at APPI who wants a quiet nightcap over whisky or a bartender's cocktail, and the trade-off is that it opens only from 19:00 and shuts on Sundays and Mondays. Mocco is the bar inside the ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort, and anyone can drink here, staying at the hotel or not. Bartenders pour whisky and wine and mix cocktails of their own, and two private rooms take groups who want a door that closes. Guests at the Crowne Plaza reach it by the connecting corridor, and anyone else asks at the InterContinental front desk to be shown the way. APPI sends drinkers here while Bar Grand Chariot in the Crowne Plaza stays closed. Tips: - The bar is non-smoking throughout. - Phone ahead if you want one of the private rooms. Q: What are the opening hours of Mocco? A: Mocco keeps these hours: Mon closed; Tue–Sat 19:00–24:00; Sun closed. Q: What should you order at Mocco? A: At Mocco, order a whisky or bourbon nightcap, or a bartender's own cocktail. Q: Do you need a reservation at Mocco? A: Mocco: Walk-ins from outside the hotel are welcome, and the resort's English page links a table booking. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.appi.co.jp/dining/ana-intercontinental-appi-kogen-resort/mocco/ https://www.appi.co.jp/en/dining/ana-intercontinental-appi-kogen-resort/mocco/ https://www.appi.co.jp/dining/ana-crowne-plaza-resort-appi-kogen/bar-grandchariot/ https://www.appi.co.jp/dining/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/iwate/A0305/A030501/3011786/ ### Monogusa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/monogusa-matsumoto Type: Place to eat Local name: そば処 ものぐさ (ja) Also known as: Soba Monogusa, Monogusa Matsumoto, ものぐさ Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Matsumoto Address: 長野県松本市深志3-5-23 中沢ビル1F Coordinates: 36.22867, 137.97249 Kind: Soba Hours: Lunch 12:00–14:00 (last order 13:45); dinner 17:30–21:00. Some Sunday and holiday evenings close when the soba runs out. Closed: Mondays, with irregular closures Price: ¥¥ Prices: Prices from the shop's site (year not stated): soba lunch set ¥1,890, yamakake soba ¥1,500, banquet courses from ¥3,700. Reservations: Banquet courses from ¥3,700 take bookings; check the website for closures. Cuisine: Soba, Shinshu regional Address: 長野県松本市深志3-5-23 中沢ビル1F On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.teutisoba.jp/ Summary: Monogusa suits a soba dinner with Shinshu small plates and sake near Matsumoto Station, and lunch lasts only two hours. Monogusa is a soba shop and local-food kitchen in Fukashi, south of Matsumoto's old centre. Alongside the soba it serves fried soba-gaki at ¥620, chicken offal stew at ¥910, nozawana pickles at ¥520 and fuki-miso, the butterbur bud paste, at ¥440. The ¥1,890 soba lunch set adds pickles and a salad. Lunch runs 12:00 to 14:00, and some Sunday evenings close early when the soba runs out. Tips: - Takeaway bento, including a sanzoku-yaki box, were paused when we checked the site. Q: What are the opening hours of Monogusa? A: Monogusa keeps these hours: Mon closed; Tue–Sun 12:00-14:00, 17:30-21:00. Q: What should you order at Monogusa? A: At Monogusa, order the soba lunch set, or fried soba-gaki, or nozawana pickles with a glass of local sake. Q: Do you need a reservation at Monogusa? A: Monogusa: Banquet courses from ¥3,700 take bookings; check the website for closures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.teutisoba.jp/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/14267146002 ### Hakata Motsunabe Ooyama, Hakata Deitos URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/motsunabe-ooyama-hakata-deitos Type: Place to eat Local name: 博多もつ鍋 おおやま 博多デイトス店 (ja) Also known as: Ooyama motsunabe, Oyama motsunabe, Motsunabe Ooyama Hakata Station Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Fukuoka Town: Fukuoka and Hakata Address: B1 Hakata Deitos, 1-1 Hakataeki-chuogai, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka Coordinates: 33.58990, 130.42040 Kind: Izakaya Hours: Open until 23:00. Price: ¥¥ From: ¥3,600 per person (2026), about CAD 32 or USD 23 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Set courses booked online start at ¥3,600 a person including tax, for two or more. Reservations: Book online through the restaurant's website, or walk in; the branch posts its seat availability on its news page most days. Vegetarian: Motsunabe is built on offal and a meat broth, so there is little for vegetarians. Cuisine: motsunabe, Kyushu Address: B1 Hakata Deitos, 1-1 Hakataeki-chuogai, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka Price from: ¥3,600 per person (2026), about CAD 32 or USD 23 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.motu-ooyama.com/shop/hakatadeitos/ Summary: Ooyama's Hakata Deitos branch suits travellers who want motsunabe right by the station gates, from a solo pot at the counter to a group dinner, and it is a busy chain dining room. Ooyama is a Fukuoka motsunabe chain built on a rich miso pot. Its Hakata Deitos branch sits in the basement of the station building, close to the ticket gates, and serves until 23:00, so you can eat right up to the last train. The branch reopened in a larger space on 4 October 2026 after a closure. A huge Yamakasa festival float stands in the middle of the dining room, and a counter takes solo diners. Tips: - Walk in for a solo pot at the counter; groups do better to book a course online. Q: How much does Hakata Motsunabe Ooyama, Hakata Deitos cost? A: Prices at Hakata Motsunabe Ooyama, Hakata Deitos start at ¥3,600 per person (2026), about CAD 32 or USD 23 (October 2026 rates). Q: When is Hakata Motsunabe Ooyama, Hakata Deitos open? A: Hakata Motsunabe Ooyama, Hakata Deitos is open open until 23:00. Q: What should you order at Hakata Motsunabe Ooyama, Hakata Deitos? A: At Hakata Motsunabe Ooyama, Hakata Deitos, order miso motsunabe, the house style. Q: Do you need a reservation at Hakata Motsunabe Ooyama, Hakata Deitos? A: Hakata Motsunabe Ooyama, Hakata Deitos: Book online through the restaurant's website, or walk in; the branch posts its seat availability on its news page most days. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.motu-ooyama.com/shop/hakatadeitos/ https://www.motu-ooyama.com/ ### Nagahama Roman Beer URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/nagahama-roman-beer Type: Place to eat Local name: 長濱浪漫ビール (ja) Also known as: Nagahama Romanbeer, 長浜浪漫ビール, Nagahama Distillery Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Nagahama Address: 14-1 Asahi-machi, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0056 Coordinates: 35.37695, 136.26781 Kind: Brewery Hours: Hours are from the Biwaichi sponsor listing, which warns they may change. Closed: Tuesdays Prices: Biwaichi riders get 5% off food, or 3% when paying by card, under the sponsor scheme. Cuisine: craft beer, Western Address: 14-1 Asahi-machi, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0056 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://www.romanbeer.com/ Summary: Nagahama Roman Beer suits riders finishing a day in Nagahama who want beer brewed on site, and it closes on Tuesdays. The brewery pours its beer in a converted rice storehouse a few streets from Nagahama Station, and the same company runs the Nagahama Distillery. In September 2026 it released Nagahama Amber Ale, the first beer in its revival of the old Wakasa Beer. The kitchen cooks with Shiga produce, Omi beef included. Biwaichi riders get 5% off food. Q: What are the opening hours of Nagahama Roman Beer? A: Nagahama Roman Beer keeps these hours: Mon 11:30–22:00; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:30–22:00. Q: What should you order at Nagahama Roman Beer? A: At Nagahama Roman Beer, order nagahama Amber Ale, released in September 2026, or dishes made with Omi beef. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.romanbeer.com/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/416847024 ### Nishicho Taiki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/nishicho-taiki Type: Place to eat Local name: 西町大喜 西町本店 (ja) Also known as: Taiki, Taiki ramen, 大喜, Taiki Nishicho Honten, Daiki ramen Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Toyama Address: 1-1-7 Otaguchi-dori, Toyama, Toyama Coordinates: 36.68826, 137.21464 Kind: Ramen Hours: 11:00–20:00. Closed Wednesdays unless a public holiday falls on one. Closed: Wednesdays (open on public holidays) Price: ¥ From: ¥950 each (2026), about CAD 8.50 or USD 6 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Chuka soba (regular) ¥950. Reservations: Walk-ins. Cuisine: Ramen Address: 1-1-7 Otaguchi-dori, Toyama, Toyama Price from: ¥950 each (2026), about CAD 8.50 or USD 6 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Summary: Nishicho Taiki suits anyone who wants Toyama black ramen at the address where it started, and its trade-off is a bowl salty enough that most people order rice with it. Toyama's tourism association names the original Taiki as the source of Toyama black, and this shop stands where it was founded. The first Taiki closed for a time, and a new team took over the name as Nishicho Taiki after customers asked for it back. The menma (bamboo shoots) are seasoned hard enough to eat with rice. The salty seasoning goes back to the bowls the shop made for manual workers who needed salt. A plain chuka soba costs ¥950. Stir the noodles, toppings and broth together before you start, as the tourism association advises, so the salt evens out. The shop is one minute from the Grand Plaza-mae tram stop and close to the Toyama Glass Art Museum. Q: How much does Nishicho Taiki cost? A: Prices at Nishicho Taiki start at ¥950 each (2026), about CAD 8.50 or USD 6 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Nishicho Taiki? A: Nishicho Taiki keeps these hours: Thu–Tue 11:00–20:00. Q: What should you order at Nishicho Taiki? A: At Nishicho Taiki, order chuka soba with a bowl of rice. Q: Do you need a reservation at Nishicho Taiki? A: Nishicho Taiki: Walk-ins. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.toyamashi-kankoukyoukai.jp/gourmet/taiki-nishicho-honten/ https://www.toyamashi-kankoukyoukai.jp/feature/feature-toyama-black-ramen-10/ ### Nishiki Market URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/nishiki-market Type: Place to eat Local name: 錦市場 (ja) Also known as: Nishiki Ichiba, Nishiki, Kyoto's Kitchen, 京の台所, 京都錦市場商店街 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Kyoto Town: Kyoto Address: 609 Nishidaimonji-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8054 (market association) Coordinates: 35.00430, 135.76460 Kind: Market Hours: Each shop sets its own hours and closed days. Cuisine: Kyoto food market Address: 609 Nishidaimonji-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8054 (market association) Website: https://www.kyoto-nishiki.or.jp/ Summary: Nishiki Market suits a walking lunch through Kyoto's food shops in the centre of the city, and its trade-off is a narrow arcade that packs tight in the middle of the day. Nishiki Market is a covered street of food shops 390 m long, and the market association says it has supplied Kyoto's kitchens for about 400 years. It sits three minutes' walk from Shijo on the Karasuma subway line and from Karasuma on the Hankyu line. Each shop keeps its own hours, and the association's site lists the shops with a map. Tips: - Lock your bike in a city bicycle park before you walk in; the arcade is narrow. Q: When is Nishiki Market open? A: Nishiki Market is open each shop sets its own hours and closed days. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kyoto-nishiki.or.jp/ https://www.kyoto-nishiki.or.jp/access/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E5%BA%9C%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E5%B8%82%E4%B8%AD%E4%BA%AC%E5%8C%BA%E8%A5%BF%E5%A4%A7%E6%96%87%E5%AD%97%E7%94%BA609 ### Nomugi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/nomugi-matsumoto Type: Place to eat Local name: 野麦 (ja) Also known as: Nomugi Soba, Soba Nomugi Matsumoto Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Matsumoto Address: 長野県松本市中央2丁目9-11 Coordinates: 36.23357, 137.97058 Kind: Soba Hours: 11:30–14:00, until sold out (Mapple, 2024). Price: ¥ From: ¥1,100 each (2024), about CAD 9.90 or USD 7 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Mapple (June 2024): zaru soba ¥1,100; kake soba ¥1,300 from late November to mid-April. Cuisine: Soba Address: 長野県松本市中央2丁目9-11 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥1,100 each (2024), about CAD 9.90 or USD 7 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Summary: Nomugi suits soba purists willing to queue for a short lunch service in central Matsumoto, and it closes when the soba sells out. Nomugi is a small soba shop about ten minutes' walk from Matsumoto Station. Mapple lists lunch only, from 11:30 to 14:00, with zaru soba at ¥1,100 and kake soba at ¥1,300 served from late November to mid-April. Reviewers describe a long line before opening because the room is small. Arrive early, order the zaru and give the next person your seat. Q: How much does Nomugi cost? A: Prices at Nomugi start at ¥1,100 each (2024), about CAD 9.90 or USD 7 (October 2026 rates). Q: When is Nomugi open? A: Nomugi is open 11:30–14:00, until sold out (Mapple, 2024). Q: What should you order at Nomugi? A: At Nomugi, order zaru soba, or kake soba in winter. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.mapple.net/original/490573/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4483456693 ### Noshima Suigun URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/noshima-suigun Type: Place to eat Local name: 能島水軍 (ja) Also known as: 能島水軍, Noshima Suigun restaurant, Suigun Restaurant Miyakubo Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: 愛媛県今治市宮窪町宮窪1293-2 Coordinates: 34.16970, 133.08760 Kind: Shokudo Hours: Opens 11:00, last order 15:00. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays since July 2026, moving to the next day when a holiday falls on one. Winter hours are not published. Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays Price: ¥¥ From: ¥2,800 per person (2026), about CAD 25 or USD 18 (October 2026 rates) Reservations: Table bookings depend on availability; phone ahead for the barbecue. Cuisine: seafood, Japanese Address: 愛媛県今治市宮窪町宮窪1293-2 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥2,800 per person (2026), about CAD 25 or USD 18 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.noshimasuigun.com Summary: Noshima Suigun suits riders who want Miyakubo's own catch beside the fastest tides on the route, and its trade-off is a Monday and Tuesday closure since July 2026. The restaurant faces the Murakami Kaizoku Museum in Miyakubo and looks onto the Miyakubo Strait, where the tide runs hard enough to raise whirlpools. It serves seafood rice bowls and sashimi set meals, and the local co-op's 10kt madai sea bream turns up on the menu. The charcoal shichirin barbecue costs ¥2,800 a head for two or more and takes 90 to 120 minutes, with shellfish, a squid skewer and prawns in each portion. You buy a ticket at the machine by the entrance and hand it to the staff. Shimanami Japan's guide puts the museum about a kilometre along the coast from Miyakubo Port, where the Blue Line turns inland, so lunch here is a short out-and-back. The same operator runs tidal-current boat trips from 9:00 to 15:00, and the covered barbecue tables stay usable in rain. Tips: - Phone ahead for the barbecue, which can sell out on busy days. Q: How much does Noshima Suigun cost? A: Prices at Noshima Suigun start at ¥2,800 per person (2026), about CAD 25 or USD 18 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Noshima Suigun? A: Noshima Suigun keeps these hours: Mon closed; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:00–15:00. Q: What should you order at Noshima Suigun? A: At Noshima Suigun, order seafood shichirin barbecue, ¥2,800 a head, or 10kt madai from the Miyakubo co-op. Q: Do you need a reservation at Noshima Suigun? A: Noshima Suigun: Table bookings depend on availability; phone ahead for the barbecue. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.noshimasuigun.com https://www.noshimasuigun.com/%E3%83%AC%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3 https://www.oideya.gr.jp/gourmet-c/noshimasuigun/ https://visitshimanami.com/area-guides/oshima/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/5603129925 ### Ochi Okonomiyaki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/ochi-okonomiyaki Type: Place to eat Local name: 越智お好み焼店 (ja) Also known as: Okonomi Ochi, 越智お好み焼, Ochi Innoshima, inoko Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Innoshima Address: 広島県尾道市因島土生町1902-3 Coordinates: 34.28593, 133.17860 Kind: Okonomiyaki Hours: Last orders at 16:30 (Innoshima gourmet map, July 2026). Closed: Thursday Price: ¥ From: ¥750 each (2026), about CAD 6.70 or USD 4.70 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The July 2026 Innoshima gourmet map lists udon niku-tama at ¥750. Reservations: Phone reservations listed on Tabelog Payment: Cash only (Tabelog) Vegetarian: Not without changes; the standard order has pork and egg. Cuisine: Inoko, Okonomiyaki Address: 広島県尾道市因島土生町1902-3 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥750 each (2026), about CAD 6.70 or USD 4.70 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Summary: Ochi suits riders curious about the udon-filled okonomiyaki Innoshima calls inoko, and it shuts at 17:00 with last orders half an hour earlier. Innoshima's okonomiyaki goes by the nickname inoko, and the standard version is fried with udon in place of soba. The island's 2026 gourmet map traces it to the shipyards of the late 1950s and early 1960s, when a filling plate kept workers going, and says Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs lists it among its 100-Year Foods. Ochi sits five minutes on foot from Habu port and keeps the recipe plain. Order the niku-tama with udon, and add squid and mochi if you want more. Q: How much does Ochi Okonomiyaki cost? A: Prices at Ochi Okonomiyaki start at ¥750 each (2026), about CAD 6.70 or USD 4.70 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Ochi Okonomiyaki? A: Ochi Okonomiyaki keeps these hours: Mon–Wed 11:00–17:00; Thu closed; Fri–Sun 11:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Ochi Okonomiyaki? A: At Ochi Okonomiyaki, order okonomiyaki niku-tama with udon, or niku-tama with squid and mochi. Q: Do you need a reservation at Ochi Okonomiyaki? A: Ochi Okonomiyaki: Phone reservations listed on Tabelog. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://in-no-shima.jp/map/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/gourmetmap_vol6.pdf https://s.tabelog.com/en/hiroshima/A3406/A340602/34016649/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E5%9B%A0%E5%B3%B6%E5%9C%9F%E7%94%9F%E7%94%BA1902-3 ### OCTONE Brewing URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/octone-brewing Type: Place to eat Local name: オクトワンブルーイング (ja) Also known as: Octone, Oct-1 Brewing, Octone Brewing Minakami, OCTONE taproom Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 702-2 Yubara, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma 379-1617 Coordinates: 36.76985, 138.97007 Kind: Brewery Hours: Taproom open 16:00–20:00 on weekdays and 14:00–20:00 on weekends and holidays. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Holiday weeks change the hours, posted on Instagram. Closed: Tuesdays and Wednesdays Reservations: Walk in. Cuisine: craft beer, hard cider Address: 702-2 Yubara, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma 379-1617 Website: http://oct-1.com/ Summary: OCTONE Brewing suits anyone who wants a local craft beer or a Minakami apple cider in the middle of Minakami Onsen, and its taproom keeps short hours and closes midweek. OCTONE began brewing in 2018 with water from the Minakami area, and the owners went on to grow their own hops and apples. In spring 2025 they moved the brewing into a disused town kindergarten and began making hard cider as well, with a 100% Minakami apple cider called Kigi wa Haru in 330 ml bottles. The taproom stands next to the brewery in the onsen town and fills growlers you bring. The lineup runs from Okutone Ale and Yamabito Ale to Mori-no Porter and Upstream IPA, and the Campfire steakhouse down the road pours it too. In October 2026 it poured at Mogura Beer Camp at Doai Station. Q: What are the opening hours of OCTONE Brewing? A: OCTONE Brewing keeps these hours: Mon 16:00–20:00; Tue closed; Wed closed; Thu 16:00–20:00; Fri 16:00–20:00; Sat–Sun 14:00–20:00. Q: What should you order at OCTONE Brewing? A: At OCTONE Brewing, order okutone Ale, or hard cider from Minakami apples, or a seasonal Tanigawa Sunrise if it is on. Q: Do you need a reservation at OCTONE Brewing? A: OCTONE Brewing: Walk in. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://oct-1.com/ https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/8169/ https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/8096/ ### Mikawaya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/oden-mikawaya Type: Place to eat Local name: 三河屋 (ja) Also known as: Oden Mikawaya, 三河屋 青葉横丁, Mikawaya Shizuoka oden, Mikawaya Aoba Yokocho Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Address: 静岡県静岡市葵区常磐町1-8-7 青葉横丁 Coordinates: 34.97212, 138.38167 Kind: Izakaya Hours: Each month the shop takes one Sunday–Monday off; check the calendar on its website. Closed: Sunday, plus one Monday a month Price: ¥¥ From: ¥150 each (2026), about CAD 1.30 or USD 0.90 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Skewers run ¥150–¥350. Retty puts an evening at up to ¥4,000. Reservations: Walk-ins are the norm. Bookings are taken for visitors from afar and larger groups. Payment: Cash (Retty lists no card payment) Vegetarian: Konnyaku and konbu skewers carry no meat, but every piece simmers in beef-tendon stock. Cuisine: Shizuoka oden, Izakaya Address: 静岡県静岡市葵区常磐町1-8-7 青葉横丁 Price from: ¥150 each (2026), about CAD 1.30 or USD 0.90 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.oden-mikawaya.com/ Summary: Mikawaya suits adults who want Shizuoka oden at a counter that has served it since 1948, and the trade-off is a small room that fills from 17:00 and admits no children of primary-school age or younger. Shizuoka oden simmers on skewers in a dark broth of beef-tendon stock and strong soy, and you finish each piece with dashi powder and green nori. Mikawaya began as a street stall in 1948 and now sits in Aoba Yokocho, a short walk from Shin-Shizuoka station. Beef tendon costs ¥300 a skewer and kuro-hanpen, the grey sardine cake that defines the dish, ¥150. The fried lotus root and the kuro-hanpen fry are the house favourites away from the pot. The shop says seats turn over at about 17:00, 18:45 and 20:20, and those are the best times to walk in. It takes bookings for out-of-town guests and larger groups, but it gives the table away when a booked party runs ten minutes late without calling. Tips: - Check the shop's online calendar before you go; it closes on Sundays and some Mondays. - Count your skewers: the shape of each stick tells the staff its price. Q: How much does Mikawaya cost? A: Prices at Mikawaya start at ¥150 each (2026), about CAD 1.30 or USD 0.90 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Mikawaya? A: Mikawaya keeps these hours: Mon–Sat 17:00–22:00; Sun closed. Q: What should you order at Mikawaya? A: At Mikawaya, order beef-tendon skewers, or kuro-hanpen with dashi powder and nori, or lotus-root fry. Q: Do you need a reservation at Mikawaya? A: Mikawaya: Walk-ins are the norm. Bookings are taken for visitors from afar and larger groups. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.oden-mikawaya.com/ https://www.oden-mikawaya.com/menu.html https://www.oden-mikawaya.com/oden.html https://retty.me/area/PRE22/ARE78/SUB7801/100000527626/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%9D%99%E5%B2%A1%E7%9C%8C%E9%9D%99%E5%B2%A1%E5%B8%82%E8%91%B5%E5%8C%BA%E5%B8%B8%E7%A3%90%E7%94%BA%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE8-7 ### Ogawa no Sho Daimon URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/ogawa-no-sho-daimon Type: Place to eat Local name: 小川の庄 大門店 (ja) Also known as: Ogawa no Sho, Ogawa-no-sho oyaki, 小川の庄 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nagano Address: 長野県長野市大門町53 ぱてぃお大門 蔵楽庭内 Coordinates: 36.65558, 138.18761 Kind: Other Hours: 10:00–17:00, all year (Mapple). Price: ¥ Prices: Mapple lists steamed oyaki at ¥165 and hearth-baked oyaki at ¥200 (undated listing). Reservations: Oyaki-making classes need a reservation. Vegetarian: The nozawana, vegetable, pumpkin and azuki fillings are vegetable-based; ask about the seasoning. Cuisine: Oyaki, Shinshu regional Address: 長野県長野市大門町53 ぱてぃお大門 蔵楽庭内 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Summary: Ogawa no Sho's Daimon shop suits a hand-held oyaki on the walk up to Zenko-ji, and it closes at 17:00. Ogawa no Sho's Daimon shop sits in the Patio Daimon courtyard on the approach to Zenko-ji. Mapple lists steamed oyaki with nozawana, shimeji and vegetables, pumpkin or azuki at ¥165, and oyaki baked at the irori hearth at ¥200. The shop opens 10:00 to 17:00 all year, and an oyaki-making class runs by reservation. The Gururin bus from Nagano Station takes about five minutes to the Zenkoji-iriguchi stop. Q: What are the opening hours of Ogawa no Sho Daimon? A: Ogawa no Sho Daimon keeps these hours: Daily 10:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Ogawa no Sho Daimon? A: At Ogawa no Sho Daimon, order nozawana oyaki baked at the hearth, or a steamed pumpkin oyaki. Q: Do you need a reservation at Ogawa no Sho Daimon? A: Ogawa no Sho Daimon: Oyaki-making classes need a reservation. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.mapple.net/region/a0306040101_g02000000_s-situation=family/spot/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/3136168429 ### Omicho Market URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/omicho-market Type: Place to eat Local name: 近江町市場 (ja) Also known as: Ohmicho Market, Oumicho Market, Omi-cho Market, Kanazawa fish market Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Town: Kanazawa Address: 50-1 Kamiomicho, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0905 Coordinates: 36.57117, 136.65717 Kind: Market Hours: Roughly 9:00–16:00, varying by shop. Closed: New Year holidays Prices: Each shop sets its own prices. Reservations: Walk-ins. Cuisine: Seafood Address: 50-1 Kamiomicho, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0905 Website: https://ohmicho-ichiba.com/ Summary: Omicho Market suits food lovers who want Sea of Japan seafood for breakfast or lunch in central Kanazawa, and its trade-off is queues at the best-known rice-bowl counters, worst in crab season. Omicho has been Kanazawa's kitchen since the Edo period, more than 300 years, and today it holds over 170 shops. Fishmongers sit beside greengrocers, and the refurbished Omicho Ichibakan building holds a number of popular restaurants. Crab and yellowtail season peaks around November, when the market is at its busiest. The market's general hours are 9:00 to 16:00, though each shop sets its own. The Musashigatsuji Omicho Market bus stop on the Loop Bus is a minute away. Q: What are the opening hours of Omicho Market? A: Omicho Market keeps these hours: Daily 09:00–16:00. Q: What should you order at Omicho Market? A: At Omicho Market, order kaisendon (seafood over rice), or crab in November. Q: Do you need a reservation at Omicho Market? A: Omicho Market: Walk-ins. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://visitkanazawa.jp/en/attractions/detail_10030.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11638507 ### Omido URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/omido Type: Place to eat Local name: 淡海堂 (ja) Also known as: 淡海堂, Oumidou Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Takashima Coordinates: 35.29558, 136.01222 Kind: Sweets Hours: Hours are from OpenStreetMap; confirm before a long detour. Closed: Wednesdays Price: ¥ Vegetarian: Cakes contain egg and dairy. Cuisine: Western sweets On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Summary: Omido suits riders at Katsuno near Omi-Takashima who want a cream puff and a roll cake, and it is a cake shop with little room to sit. Omido sells cakes at Katsuno in Takashima, and a long-established vinegar brewery runs alongside it. It is known for big cream puffs and roll cakes, and for sweets made with berries. In 2026 it was one of six stops on the prefecture's Biwaichi food rally and one of four capsule-toy stops on its sister rally. Q: What are the opening hours of Omido? A: Omido keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 09:00–18:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 09:00–18:00. Q: What should you order at Omido? A: At Omido, order a big cream puff, or roll cake, or berry sweets. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/sa00/23924.html https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/sa00/press-release/24076.html https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/9797576951 ### Omishima Brewery URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/omishima-brewery Type: Place to eat Local name: 大三島ブリュワリー (ja) Also known as: Ohmishima Brewery, 大三島ブルワリー, Omishima Beer Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Omishima Address: 愛媛県今治市大三島町宮浦5589 Coordinates: 34.24800, 132.99930 Kind: Brewery Hours: Last order 19:30. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with extra closures and openings posted on the website. Closed: Tuesdays and Wednesdays Price: ¥ From: ¥600 each (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) Vegetarian: Edamame and nuts are on the snack list. Cuisine: craft beer Address: 愛媛県今治市大三島町宮浦5589 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥600 each (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.omishima.beer/ Summary: Omishima Brewery suits riders ending the day near Oyamazumi Shrine who want a citrus-tinged craft beer, and its trade-off is that anyone still riding should buy the takeaway bottle, since Japan's drink-driving law covers bicycles. A husband-and-wife team brews in Miyaura, the village around Oyamazumi Shrine, and pours five beers in the taproom, among them a white ale made with island citrus. A US pint costs ¥1,100 and a half ¥600, with ¥100 extra for the IPA and the white ale. Snacks such as mixed nuts and pork-jowl bacon fill out the menu, and there is no kitchen. The brewery skips online sales so the beer stays tied to the island. A 500 ml takeaway bottle costs ¥980 and keeps ten days in the fridge. Tips: - Bring your own growler and you pay for the beer alone; drink it within two days. Q: How much does Omishima Brewery cost? A: Prices at Omishima Brewery start at ¥600 each (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Omishima Brewery? A: Omishima Brewery keeps these hours: Mon 12:00–20:00; Tue closed; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 12:00–20:00. Q: What should you order at Omishima Brewery? A: At Omishima Brewery, order white ale brewed with Omishima citrus, or a 500 ml takeaway bottle for the evening. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.omishima.beer/ https://www.omishima.beer/about/ https://beertengoku.com/2026/06/12/omishima-brewery-information/ https://visitshimanami.com/area-guides/omishima/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/10973352705 ### Onimen-an URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/onimen-an-sukayu Type: Place to eat Local name: 鬼面庵 (ja) Also known as: Kimen-an, Onimen An, Sukayu soba, 酸ヶ湯そば, Sukayu Onsen restaurant Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Town: Hakkoda Address: Sukayu Onsen Ryokan, 50 Sukayu-zawa, Minami-Arakawayama Kokuyurin, Arakawa, Aomori Coordinates: 40.65016, 140.85056 Kind: Soba Hours: Last orders at 16:15. Prices: Sukayu publishes no menu prices. A Tabelog reviewer paid ¥1,900 for tempura zaru soba in May 2026, plus ¥300 for the extra-large portion, and most reviewers spend ¥1,000 to ¥1,999. Reservations: No reservations (Tabelog). Payment: Cash only (Tabelog) Vegetarian: None listed; the broth is made from dried sardines. Cuisine: soba, Sukayu soba Address: Sukayu Onsen Ryokan, 50 Sukayu-zawa, Minami-Arakawayama Kokuyurin, Arakawa, Aomori Website: https://sukayu.jp/restaurant/ Summary: Onimen-an suits Hakkoda skiers and bathers who want a hot bowl of Sukayu's own soba after a morning on the mountain or a soak at the inn, and the trade-off is a long bus ride from Aomori if you come without a car. Onimen-an is the lunch restaurant of the Sukayu Onsen inn, high in the Hakkoda mountains south of Aomori city. Its Sukayu soba is made from buckwheat flour alone with no binder, and the broth is built on yakiboshi, which are grilled and dried sardines from Mutsu Bay. One May 2026 reviewer found the noodles soft, in the style of Tsugaru soba. Try the soba topped with an egg cooked in the Sukayu spring, or finish with the soba pudding. Service runs from 10:00 to 16:30 every day, with last orders at 16:15, which leaves room for a late lunch after the ropeway. JR's Mizuumi bus from Aomori Station takes between 80 and 100 minutes, so check the winter timetable before you set off. Tips: - Bring cash; Tabelog lists no card payment. - An extra-large serving of cold soba costs ¥300 more if you skied all morning. Q: What are the opening hours of Onimen-an? A: Onimen-an keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–16:30. Q: What should you order at Onimen-an? A: At Onimen-an, order sukayu gensen tamago soba, with an egg cooked in the hot spring, or soba pudding to finish. Q: Do you need a reservation at Onimen-an? A: Onimen-an: No reservations (Tabelog). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://sukayu.jp/restaurant/ https://www.sukayu.jp/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/aomori/A0201/A020104/2000327/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/aomori/A0201/A020104/2000327/dtlrvwlst/B528137446/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/aomori/A0201/A020104/2000327/dtlrvwlst/B527132342/ ### Onomichi Ramen Ichibankan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/onomichi-ramen-ichibankan Type: Place to eat Local name: 尾道ラーメン 壱番館 (ja) Also known as: Ichibankan, 壱番館, Ichibankan Onomichi Honten Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: 広島県尾道市土堂2-9-26 Coordinates: 34.40832, 133.20271 Kind: Ramen Hours: The shop's own site gives 11:00 to 18:00 and closes early when the soup runs out; Tabelog and Retty list 19:00. Friday is closed unless it falls on a public holiday. Closed: Friday (open when it is a public holiday) Price: ¥ Prices: Tabelog's listing puts a meal under ¥1,000, and reviewers who add gyoza spend between ¥1,000 and ¥2,000. Reservations: No reservations Payment: No credit cards (Tabelog) Vegetarian: None; the soup uses pork, chicken and fish. Cuisine: Onomichi ramen, Gyoza Address: 広島県尾道市土堂2-9-26 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Website: http://www.f-ichibankan.com Summary: Ichibankan suits groups and families who want Onomichi ramen at a table on the harbour road, and its limited kakuni bowls can sell out by mid-afternoon. Ichibankan stands on the harbour road about ten minutes' walk east of Onomichi Station, and Tsutafuji is a minute away. The soup starts from pork and chicken bones with small Setouchi fish, and the house makes its own flat, curly noodles with groundwater from Jōge. Most people order the kakuni ramen topped with braised pork belly, which the shop makes in limited numbers each day. With 33 seats at the counter, tables and a small terrace, the line moves quickly, and Retty reviewers report weekday waits under half an hour. Q: What are the opening hours of Onomichi Ramen Ichibankan? A: Onomichi Ramen Ichibankan keeps these hours: Mon–Thu 11:00–18:00; Fri closed; Sat–Sun 11:00–18:00. Q: What should you order at Onomichi Ramen Ichibankan? A: At Onomichi Ramen Ichibankan, order kakuni ramen with braised pork belly, or a ramen set with rice and gyoza on a hungry day. Q: Do you need a reservation at Onomichi Ramen Ichibankan? A: Onomichi Ramen Ichibankan: No reservations. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.f-ichibankan.com https://s.tabelog.com/en/hiroshima/A3406/A340302/34000116/ https://retty.me/restaurant/100000603483/ https://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ000528021/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E5%9C%9F%E5%A0%82%E4%BA%8C%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE9-26 ### Restaurant ORAE URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/orae-tazawako Type: Place to eat Local name: 湖畔の杜レストランORAE (ja) Also known as: ORAE, Orae, おらえ, Kohan no Mori Beer, 湖畔の杜ビール, Lounge Kuromori Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Town: Tazawako Address: 37-5 Haruyama, Tazawa, Tazawako, Semboku, Akita 014-1204 Coordinates: 39.73784, 140.69440 Kind: Brewery Hours: Lunch last orders at 15:00. The evening sitting runs on Fridays, weekends and public holidays by reservation, with last orders at 19:00. Closures are irregular and winter hours differ, so check the notices page or call. Closed: Irregular Price: ¥¥ Prices: ORAE posts its menu as a shared folder off the site. Tabelog gives a typical spend of ¥1,000 to ¥1,999 at lunch and ¥2,000 to ¥2,999 at dinner. Reservations: Required for the evening sitting. Payment: Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners and QR payments Cuisine: craft beer, Western, Inaniwa udon Address: 37-5 Haruyama, Tazawa, Tazawako, Semboku, Akita 014-1204 Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.orae.net/ Summary: ORAE suits anyone touring Lake Tazawa who wants a long lunch with house-brewed beer and a lake view from every seat, and the trade-off is that dinner runs only Friday to Sunday and on holidays, by reservation. ORAE sits on Lake Tazawa a minute's walk from the Horai no Matsu stop on the lake loop bus, and every seat in the dining room looks over the water. You can see the brewing plant from your table, and the Kohan no Mori beers use Akita rice and hops, with fruit juice in some brews. The kitchen builds Western plates around vegetables from local farmers and keeps Inaniwa udon on the menu. ORAE means "our house" in Akita dialect, and staff light the fireplace on cold evenings from autumn on. The restaurant stays open through the winter on a different timetable, which it posts on its notices page. In the ski season ORAE also runs Lounge Kuromori on the second floor of the Rera ski house at Tazawako Ski Area. Every seat there has underfloor heating, so you can drink the same beer in ski boots between runs. Tips: - Dogs can join you at the two garden tables outside the winter months. - Check the notices page before a winter visit, since private bookings sometimes close the dining room early. Q: What are the opening hours of Restaurant ORAE? A: Restaurant ORAE keeps these hours: Mon–Thu 11:00–15:30; Fri–Sun 11:00-15:30, 17:00-19:30. Q: What should you order at Restaurant ORAE? A: At Restaurant ORAE, order a flight of Kohan no Mori beer, or inaniwa udon if you want something local. Q: Do you need a reservation at Restaurant ORAE? A: Restaurant ORAE: Required for the evening sitting. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.orae.net/ https://www.orae.net/restaurant/ https://www.orae.net/business-hours/ https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/spots/5989/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/akita/A0504/A050401/5000286/ ### Osanai URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/osanai-aomori Type: Place to eat Local name: お食事処 おさない (ja) Also known as: Oshokuji Dokoro Osanai, おさない, Osanai Shokudo Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Town: Aomori Address: 1-1-17 Shinmachi, Aomori, Aomori Coordinates: 40.82793, 140.73592 Kind: Shokudo Hours: Hours as Tabelog lists them. Closed: Monday and Tuesday Price: ¥¥ Prices: Osanai publishes no menu online. Tabelog reviewers in August 2026 paid ¥1,800 for the kaiyaki miso set, ¥1,900 for the scallop fry set and ¥1,200 for the Towada pork set. Reservations: No reservations; join the queue. Payment: Cash only (Tabelog) Vegetarian: None listed; the menu is built on scallops and meat. Cuisine: seafood, scallops, teishoku Address: 1-1-17 Shinmachi, Aomori, Aomori Price band: ¥¥ Summary: Osanai suits scallop lovers passing through Aomori who want the city's classic set meals two minutes from the station, and the trade-off is a queue at almost every sitting and cash-only payment. Osanai is a plain set-meal diner on Shinmachi, a two-minute walk from Aomori Station, and Tabelog named it one of its 100 best shokudo in 2024. Scallops are the reason to come. The scallop fry set cost ¥1,900 in August 2026, and it arrives with the shells on the plate. Kaiyaki miso is Aomori's home dish of scallops cooked with egg and miso, and here it comes as a set for ¥1,800. Queues form before both sittings. One reviewer counted about 25 people outside before the 16:30 evening opening in August 2026 and waited half an hour, and a Sunday lunch line that month cleared in about ten minutes. Tips: - Bring cash. Tabelog lists no cards and no electronic payment. - Line up before 16:30 if you want a seat in the first evening round. Q: What are the opening hours of Osanai? A: Osanai keeps these hours: Mon–Tue closed; Wed–Sun 10:30-14:00, 16:30-20:00. Q: What should you order at Osanai? A: At Osanai, order hotate kaiyaki miso set, or scallop butter-grill set, with three scallops on the shell, or scallop fry set. Q: Do you need a reservation at Osanai? A: Osanai: No reservations; join the queue. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://s.tabelog.com/en/aomori/A0201/A020101/2000071/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/aomori/A0201/A020101/2000071/dtlrvwlst/B534113958/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/aomori/A0201/A020101/2000071/dtlrvwlst/B534648479/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/aomori/A0201/A020101/2000071/dtlrvwlst/B534792968/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/aomori/A0201/A020101/2000071/dtlrvwlst/B484960640/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%9D%92%E6%A3%AE%E7%9C%8C%E9%9D%92%E6%A3%AE%E5%B8%82%E6%96%B0%E7%94%BA%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE1-17 ### Otaki-no-yu Yunohana URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/otaki-no-yu-yunohana Type: Place to eat Local name: 大滝乃湯 御食事処 湯の華 (ja) Also known as: Yu-no-hana restaurant, Otaki-no-yu restaurant Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Address: 596-13 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Coordinates: 36.62296, 138.60188 Kind: Shokudo Hours: The bath's facility page gives weekdays 11:00–18:00 (last order 17:30) and weekends and holidays 11:00–19:30 (last order 19:00). Its guide page says weekdays close at 16:00, so arrive by mid-afternoon on a weekday. Price: ¥ From: ¥950 each (2026), about CAD 8.50 or USD 6 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Tsuke himokawa udon and Joshu jidori ramen each cost ¥950. Reservations: Walk in; bathers get priority when it is busy. Payment: Cash; cards and e-money are not accepted in the restaurant Cuisine: udon, ramen Address: 596-13 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Price from: ¥950 each (2026), about CAD 8.50 or USD 6 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://onsen-kusatsu.com/ohtakinoyu/facility/ Summary: Otaki-no-yu Yunohana suits bathers who want a bowl of Gunma noodles between soaks at Otaki-no-yu, and it now serves diners who skip the bath too. The restaurant inside Otaki-no-yu reopened after a renovation to diners who are not bathing. Order the tsuke himokawa udon, wide flat Gunma noodles served with a dipping broth of Joshu mochi-buta pork, or the Joshu jidori ramen, both ¥950. The bath's lounge cafe sells Kusatsu Onsen cider for ¥350. Q: How much does Otaki-no-yu Yunohana cost? A: Prices at Otaki-no-yu Yunohana start at ¥950 each (2026), about CAD 8.50 or USD 6 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Otaki-no-yu Yunohana? A: Otaki-no-yu Yunohana keeps these hours: Mon–Fri 11:00–18:00; Sat–Sun 11:00–19:30. Q: What should you order at Otaki-no-yu Yunohana? A: At Otaki-no-yu Yunohana, order tsuke himokawa udon, wide flat noodles with Joshu mochi-buta pork, or joshu jidori ramen in a soy broth. Q: Do you need a reservation at Otaki-no-yu Yunohana? A: Otaki-no-yu Yunohana: Walk in; bathers get priority when it is busy. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://onsen-kusatsu.com/ohtakinoyu/facility/ https://onsen-kusatsu.com/ohtakinoyu/guide/ ### Oto Chaya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/oto-chaya-zao Type: Place to eat Local name: 音茶屋 (ja) Also known as: 音茶屋, Otochaya, Oto-chaya Zao Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: 山形県山形市蔵王温泉935-24 Coordinates: 38.16351, 140.39524 Kind: Cafe Hours: The Zao Onsen Tourism Association lists 11:00 to 23:00 in winter with one irregular closed day a month, and 11:00 to 20:00 in summer with Wednesdays closed. Tabelog shows shorter split hours, so phone ahead for a late visit. Closed: One irregular day a month in winter; Wednesday in summer (tourism association) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Tabelog reviewers report ¥1,000 to ¥1,999 a head. We found no published menu prices. Reservations: Bookings are accepted by phone (Tabelog). Payment: Cards, IC cards and QR codes (Tabelog) Cuisine: curry, café, bar, après Address: 山形県山形市蔵王温泉935-24 Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.facebook.com/otochaya/ Summary: Oto Chaya suits riders who want a wood-stove café that turns into a late bar in winter, and the trade-off is hours that differ between every source. This café and bar sits about ten minutes on foot from the Zao Onsen bus terminal and runs on curry and a wood stove. Tabelog reviewers write about baked curry and a chicken and vegetable soup curry, with iced water you pour yourself from a pot on the stove. One reviewer in February 2026 found skiers already waiting outside before the evening opening. The tourism association lists winter hours to 23:00, which makes it one of the few places on the mountain where you can still eat after the last lift and stay for a drink. Tips: - Go early in the evening on a weekend, because the room fills with skiers as soon as the doors open. Q: What are the opening hours of Oto Chaya? A: Oto Chaya keeps these hours: Daily 11:00–23:00. Q: What should you order at Oto Chaya? A: At Oto Chaya, order baked curry, or soup curry with chicken and vegetables. Q: Do you need a reservation at Oto Chaya? A: Oto Chaya: Bookings are accepted by phone (Tabelog). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://zaomountainresort.com/author/otochaya/ https://zaomountainresort.com/gourmet/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/yamagata/A0601/A060101/6004356/ ### Pairon Honten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/pairon-honten Type: Place to eat Local name: 白龍 本店 (ja) Also known as: Pairon, Pailong, Hakuryu, 白龍, パイロン, Pairon jajamen Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Town: Morioka Address: 5-15 Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate Coordinates: 39.70226, 141.15224 Kind: Other Hours: Hours as Tabelog lists them. Pairon's own site gives none, so check before a late visit. Price: ¥ Prices: Pairon publishes no menu prices online. Most Tabelog reviewers in 2026 spent under ¥1,000 a person, and the egg for chiitantan is the only extra. Reservations: No reservations; join the line outside. Payment: Cards, transit IC cards and PayPay (Tabelog) Vegetarian: None; the miso paste is cooked with minced meat. Cuisine: jajamen, Morioka noodles Address: 5-15 Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.pairon.iwate.jp/ Summary: Pairon Honten suits anyone curious about Morioka's miso-topped jajamen noodles who wants them from the counter where the dish began, and the trade-off is a room of twenty seats with a queue that forms before it opens on weekends. Pairon sits on the lane leading up to Sakurayama Shrine, a short walk from the castle ruins in central Morioka. Founder Takashina Kansho ate zhajiangmian in prewar Manchuria and reworked it for Morioka tastes after he came home, selling it first from a street stall. The plate is thick white noodles under a dark miso paste cooked with minced meat and shiitake, with cucumber and ginger on top. Stir everything together and season it from the bottles on the table, and go easy on the chili oil, which reviewers call fierce. Leave a mouthful of noodles for chiitantan. Crack a raw egg from the table into your plate, stir it, and hand the plate and your chopsticks to the staff, who pour in the noodle cooking water and finish it with leek and miso. Pairon takes no bookings and has no car park. The Dendenmushi loop bus from Morioka Station stops at Kencho-Shiyakusho-mae, two minutes away, and taxi drivers know the place if you say "Pairon". Tips: - The Fezan branch inside the Morioka Station building serves the same jajamen if you only have time between trains. - Order the small size if you plan to eat again soon, since reviewers find the regular plate large. Q: What are the opening hours of Pairon Honten? A: Pairon Honten keeps these hours: Mon–Sat 09:00–20:45; Sun 11:30–16:00. Q: What should you order at Pairon Honten? A: At Pairon Honten, order jajamen, mixed with vinegar and grated garlic to taste, or chiitantan egg soup to finish. Q: Do you need a reservation at Pairon Honten? A: Pairon Honten: No reservations; join the line outside. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.pairon.iwate.jp/ https://www.pairon.iwate.jp/shop.html https://www.pairon.iwate.jp/jajamen.html https://s.tabelog.com/en/iwate/A0301/A030101/3000037/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/iwate/A0301/A030101/3000037/dtlrvwlst/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/iwate/A0301/A030101/3000037/dtlrvwlst/B534438554/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%B2%A9%E6%89%8B%E7%9C%8C%E7%9B%9B%E5%B2%A1%E5%B8%82%E5%86%85%E4%B8%B85-15 ### Pilar URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/pilar-happo-one Type: Place to eat Local name: ヨーロピアンレストラン＆カフェ ピラール (ja) Also known as: Restaurant Pilar, Pilar Happo, ピラール Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Coordinates: 36.69840, 137.80627 Kind: Cafe Hours: Café from 9:00 (last order 14:00, shifting with lift hours); restaurant from 11:00 (last order 13:00). Closed Tuesdays; Instagram lists the open days. Closed: Tuesdays Reservations: Book the restaurant course on Pilar's website; the café takes walk-ins. Cuisine: European, Italian, Café Summary: Pilar suits skiers who want a sit-down pasta course or a pizza at 1,680 metres on Happo-One, and you can only reach it by gondola and chairlift. Pilar sits at Kurobishi-daira, 1,680 metres up Happo-One, at the top of the Alpen Quad. Happo-One's own page splits it in two: a 20-seat restaurant serving a pasta course or a meat or fish main with starter, dessert and coffee, and a 60-seat café for plate lunches, hot dogs, pizza and a chicken curry with highland vegetables. Café service starts at 9:00 with last orders at 14:00. The restaurant opens at 11:00 and takes its last orders at 13:00. Book the restaurant course on the website, and check Instagram for the days it opens. Q: What are the opening hours of Pilar? A: Pilar keeps these hours: Mon 09:00–14:00; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 09:00–14:00. Q: What should you order at Pilar? A: At Pilar, order the pasta course in the restaurant, or chicken curry with highland vegetables in the café, or soft serve on a clear day. Q: Do you need a reservation at Pilar? A: Pilar: Book the restaurant course on Pilar's website; the café takes walk-ins. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.happo-one.jp/restaurant https://uchijapan.com/news/hakuba-restaurants https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/12308984002 ### Pizzeria Makino URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/pizzeria-makino Type: Place to eat Local name: 薪窯Pizza まっきーのお店 (ja) Also known as: Ci vediamo, Pizzeria Makino Ci vediamo Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Takashima Status: seasonal. Closed for winter from late December to March in 2025/26; check the monthly schedule for 2026/27. Coordinates: 35.44302, 136.04554 Kind: Other Hours: The couple post each month's schedule on their site and sometimes take the van to events. Dinner hours vary; the Biwaichi listing gives 17:30–19:00. Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays, and through the winter (the shop closed from late December 2025 and reopened in March 2026) Vegetarian: Ask for a pizza without meat. Cuisine: pizza, Italian On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: The Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, a toilet, a pump, tools and water here. Website: http://pizzeriacivediamo.com/ Summary: Pizzeria Makino suits riders around Makino who want a wood-fired pizza for lunch, and it closes for the winter. A married couple bake wood-fired pizza here in Makino and also run a pizza van called Ci vediamo. They post the month's opening days on their site. The shop shut for winter at the end of 2025 and reopened in March 2026, so expect the same pattern this winter. The Biwaichi map lists a rack, a pump and water for riders. Q: What are the opening hours of Pizzeria Makino? A: Pizzeria Makino keeps these hours: Mon–Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:30-14:00,17:30-20:00. Q: What should you order at Pizzeria Makino? A: At Pizzeria Makino, order wood-fired pizza. Q: Can you park a bike at Pizzeria Makino? A: Pizzeria Makino: the Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, a toilet, a pump, tools and water here. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://pizzeriacivediamo.com/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/11237728837 ### Ponshukan Echigo-Yuzawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/ponshukan-echigo-yuzawa Type: Place to eat Local name: ぽんしゅ館 越後湯沢驛店 (ja) Also known as: Ponshukan, ぽんしゅ館, Ponshukan Sake Museum Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町湯沢2427-3 CoCoLo湯沢 Coordinates: 36.93610, 138.80990 Kind: Market Hours: From 1 July to 30 September 2026 the shop opened 09:30 to 19:00, later on peak days; it announces winter hours separately. Cuisine: sake Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町湯沢2427-3 CoCoLo湯沢 Website: https://www.ponshukan.com/yuzawa/ Summary: Ponshukan suits anyone with an hour at Echigo-Yuzawa Station who wants to taste sake from every Niigata brewery, and its trade-off is a crowd at the tasting machines on ski weekends. Ponshukan fills a corner of the CoCoLo Yuzawa mall inside Echigo-Yuzawa Station. At the kikizake corner ¥1,000 buys a borrowed cup and five tasting coins for a wall of machines pouring the flagship sake of every brewery in Niigata. Staff called kikizake concierges help you choose, and the rankings board shows what other visitors liked. Under-20s cannot enter the tasting corner, and adults cannot bring children in. The shop around it sells sake, sweets and rice crackers from across the prefecture. Q: When is Ponshukan Echigo-Yuzawa open? A: Ponshukan Echigo-Yuzawa is open from 1 July to 30 September 2026 the shop opened 09:30 to 19:00, later on peak days; it announces winter hours separately. Q: What should you order at Ponshukan Echigo-Yuzawa? A: At Ponshukan Echigo-Yuzawa, order five tasting coins for ¥1,000. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ponshukan.com/yuzawa/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1188630 ### Pontaro URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/pontaro Type: Place to eat Local name: ぽん太郎 (ja) Also known as: Izakaya Pontaro, Pon Taro Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市田切218-2 Coordinates: 36.88700, 138.17880 Kind: Izakaya Reservations: Takes reservations. Payment: Cash only Cuisine: Japanese, izakaya Address: 新潟県妙高市田切218-2 Summary: Pontaro suits après crowds who want an izakaya with an English menu at the foot of Akakura Kanko, and its trade-off is a cash-only bill. Pontaro is an izakaya two minutes down the slope from the Akakura Kanko ski area. It pours draft beer, shochu and Niigata jizake (local sake), with small plates to share. Myoko Tourism lists it open every evening from 18:00 to 22:00 through the year, with English spoken and an English menu. Q: What are the opening hours of Pontaro? A: Pontaro keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 18:00–22:00. Q: What should you order at Pontaro? A: At Pontaro, order a flight of Niigata jizake, or small plates to share. Q: Do you need a reservation at Pontaro? A: Pontaro: Takes reservations. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://myokotourism.com/restaurants/pontaro/ https://myoko-nagano.com/myoko-kogen/myoko-bars-restaurants-cafes/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県妙高市田切218-2 ### Pyonpyonsha Morioka Ekimae URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/pyonpyonsha-morioka-ekimae Type: Place to eat Local name: ぴょんぴょん舎 盛岡駅前店 (ja) Also known as: Pyonpyonsha, Pyon Pyon Sha, Pyonpyonsya, ぴょんぴょん舎, Jaran Building Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Town: Morioka Address: 9-3 Moriokaekimae-dori, Morioka, Iwate 020-0034 Coordinates: 39.70221, 141.13798 Kind: Yakiniku Hours: Last orders at 22:00. The shop lists no closed day. Closed: No regular closed day Price: ¥¥ From: ¥1,210 each (2025), about CAD 11 or USD 7.60 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Reimen costs ¥1,210, with a half bowl at ¥990 and a large at ¥1,430. A noodle and beef yakiniku set costs ¥2,310, and Hot Pepper gives a typical spend of about ¥3,000 a person. Reservations: Bookings go through Hot Pepper Gourmet, and walk-ins are fine. The third floor is held for reserved groups. Payment: Visa, Mastercard and JCB (Hot Pepper) Vegetarian: No vegetarian reimen is listed. The broth is made from beef, beef bones and chicken. Cuisine: Morioka reimen, yakiniku, Korean Address: 9-3 Moriokaekimae-dori, Morioka, Iwate 020-0034 Price from: ¥1,210 each (2025), about CAD 11 or USD 7.60 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.pyonpyonsya.co.jp/shop/shop02/ Summary: Pyonpyonsha's station shop suits anyone with a short stop in Morioka who wants the city's cold reimen two minutes from the trains, and the trade-off is a big yakiniku hall over three floors where tour groups book the top one. The cold noodles that took the name Morioka reimen at the 1986 Nippon Men Summit in Morioka came from Pyonpyontei, which reopened as Pyonpyonsha the following year. The Ekimae branch fills the Jaran Building on the main road out of Morioka Station and stays open from 11:00 to 23:00 every day. Noodles are pressed to order from wheat flour and potato starch, so they come out chewy and glassy, and they sit in a chilled broth of beef and chicken with the house cabbage and daikon kimchi. A slice of watermelon goes on top in summer, and nashi pear in winter. A bowl of reimen cost ¥1,210 on the December 2025 menu, and most tables order it alongside a plate of grilled beef. Pick your heat when you order. The kimchi comes in three strengths, or on the side (betsu-kara) so you can stir it in a spoonful at a time. The Iwate Zanmai plate lays Maezawa, Iwate Tankaku and Shizukuishi wagyu side by side for ¥4,400 if you want to taste the prefecture's beef. Tips: - The lunch menu runs on weekdays only. On weekends and public holidays the dinner menu applies from opening. - Ask for the half bowl (¥990) if you plan to eat yakiniku first, since the noodles are filling. Q: How much does Pyonpyonsha Morioka Ekimae cost? A: Prices at Pyonpyonsha Morioka Ekimae start at ¥1,210 each (2025), about CAD 11 or USD 7.60 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Pyonpyonsha Morioka Ekimae? A: Pyonpyonsha Morioka Ekimae keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–23:00. Q: What should you order at Pyonpyonsha Morioka Ekimae? A: At Pyonpyonsha Morioka Ekimae, order morioka reimen, with the kimchi on the side if you are unsure about the heat, or a noodle and yakiniku set with beef and namul (¥2,310), or kuwa-no-ha reimen, with Iwate mulberry leaf worked into the noodles. Q: Do you need a reservation at Pyonpyonsha Morioka Ekimae? A: Pyonpyonsha Morioka Ekimae: Bookings go through Hot Pepper Gourmet, and walk-ins are fine. The third floor is held for reserved groups. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.pyonpyonsya.co.jp/shop/shop02/ https://www.pyonpyonsya.co.jp/shop/ https://www.pyonpyonsya.co.jp/remen/about/ https://www.pyonpyonsya.co.jp/remen/noodle/ https://www.pyonpyonsya.co.jp/remen/other/ https://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ000273390/ https://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ000273390/food/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%B2%A9%E6%89%8B%E7%9C%8C%E7%9B%9B%E5%B2%A1%E5%B8%82%E7%9B%9B%E5%B2%A1%E9%A7%85%E5%89%8D%E9%80%9A9-3 ### Restaurant Fujimi (Japan Cycle Sports Center) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/restaurant-fujimi-csc Type: Place to eat Local name: レストラン富士見 (ja) Also known as: CSC restaurant, Cycle Sports Center Restaurant Fujimi, サイクルスポーツセンター レストラン富士見 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shuzenji Address: 静岡県伊豆市大野1826 サイクルスポーツセンター内 Coordinates: 35.00997, 139.01042 Kind: Shokudo Hours: Hours shown are the park's; CSC says some facilities keep different times. Holidays open 9:30 in autumn. The park opens every day from 25 December to 3 January. Closed: Wednesday and Thursday (public holidays open) Price: ¥ From: ¥710 per person (2026), about CAD 6.40 or USD 4.50 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Noodles ¥710–¥870 and katsu curry ¥1,020; park admission ¥850 per adult is extra. Reservations: No reservations for individual diners Payment: Cash only inside the park Vegetarian: Kakiage udon is the nearest choice, though the broth is likely fish-based. Cuisine: Noodles, Canteen Address: 静岡県伊豆市大野1826 サイクルスポーツセンター内 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥710 per person (2026), about CAD 6.40 or USD 4.50 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.csc.or.jp/eat/restaurant/ Summary: Restaurant Fujimi suits riders and families spending the day at the Japan Cycle Sports Center who want a bowl of noodles with Fuji in the window, and the trade-off is the park admission you pay to reach it. This self-service canteen inside the Japan Cycle Sports Center looks across to Mount Fuji. The Fujisan chashu-men costs ¥870 and kakiage udon ¥710, and the menu adds udon topped with Ito mackerel and croquettes made from Mishima potatoes. Adult admission to the park is ¥850, and the restaurant takes cash only. Plan around the 2026 Asian Games. The 5 km circuit and the Izu MTB course are closed from 1 July to 7 December 2026, and the park shut on several weekdays in late September and October for the events. From 1 December the park runs winter hours of 10:00 to 16:00, with Wednesday and Thursday closures outside the New Year period, and it takes a maintenance break from 1 to 5 February 2027. Tips: - Riders can bring their own bikes onto the circuit once it reopens: road bikes need wheels of 24 inches or more and gears. - Groups of fifteen or more can order bento seven days ahead. Q: How much does Restaurant Fujimi (Japan Cycle Sports Center) cost? A: Prices at Restaurant Fujimi (Japan Cycle Sports Center) start at ¥710 per person (2026), about CAD 6.40 or USD 4.50 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Restaurant Fujimi (Japan Cycle Sports Center)? A: Restaurant Fujimi (Japan Cycle Sports Center) keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 10:00–16:30; Wed–Thu closed; Fri 10:00–16:30; Sat–Sun 09:30–16:30. Q: What should you order at Restaurant Fujimi (Japan Cycle Sports Center)? A: At Restaurant Fujimi (Japan Cycle Sports Center), order fujisan chashu-men, or saba-o-kun udon with Ito mackerel. Q: Do you need a reservation at Restaurant Fujimi (Japan Cycle Sports Center)? A: Restaurant Fujimi (Japan Cycle Sports Center): No reservations for individual diners. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.csc.or.jp/eat/restaurant/ https://www.csc.or.jp/about/ https://www.csc.or.jp/faq/ https://www.csc.or.jp/information/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11506471 ### Restaurant Shibata URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/restaurant-shibata Type: Place to eat Local name: 食堂しばた (ja) Also known as: Shibata Akakura, Shokudo Shibata Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市赤倉549-8 Coordinates: 36.89260, 138.17730 Kind: Shokudo Hours: Winter season only; Myoko Tourism gives these hours without dates. Price: ¥¥ Prices: Myoko Tourism puts mains between ¥1,000 and ¥2,500. Payment: Cards accepted Vegetarian: Vegetarian and vegan dishes are on the menu. Cuisine: Japanese Address: 新潟県妙高市赤倉549-8 Price band: ¥¥ Summary: Shibata suits families who want a filling Japanese dinner with an English menu on Akakura's main street, and its trade-off is a winter-only season. The family has run Shibata in Akakura for more than half a century, and it moved to its present spot on the main street in 2008. The menu is long and written in English, with vegetarian and vegan dishes. The rice is Koshihikari from the Yamakawa family farm in Myoko, cooked fresh each evening with mountain water from behind Akakura. Myoko Tourism lists lunch from 11:00 to 14:00 and dinner from 17:00 to 21:00 in the winter season. Q: What are the opening hours of Restaurant Shibata? A: Restaurant Shibata keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:00-14:00,17:00-21:00. Q: What should you order at Restaurant Shibata? A: At Restaurant Shibata, order katsudon with a bowl of Myoko rice, or agedashi tofu. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://myokotourism.com/restaurants/restaurant-shibata/ https://myoko-nagano.com/myoko-kogen/myoko-bars-restaurants-cafes/ https://wanderlog.com/place/details/2675799/食堂しばた https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?format=json&q=Shibata%20Myoko ### Riki Soba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/riki-soba-hakuba Type: Place to eat Local name: 蕎麦処りき (ja) Also known as: Soba-dokoro Riki, Sobadokoro Riki, りき Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Coordinates: 36.69452, 137.84829 Kind: Soba Hours: Hakuba.com's 2025 list gives 11:00–15:00, ending when the soba sells out. Closed: Thursdays and Fridays (Hakuba.com, 2025) Cuisine: Japanese, Soba On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: Riki Soba suits a quiet lunch with a view of Happo-One from the window, and it closes for the day once the soba sells out. Riki is a small soba shop on the Happo side of the valley, and Hakuba.com singles out its window seats for the view across to Happo-One. It opens for lunch only, from 11:00 until 15:00 or until the noodles run out. The 2025 list has it closed on Thursdays and Fridays, so plan a ride day around the other five. Cold soba on a warm day shows off the buckwheat best. Q: What are the opening hours of Riki Soba? A: Riki Soba keeps these hours: Sat–Wed 11:00–15:00; Thu closed; Fri closed. Q: What should you order at Riki Soba? A: At Riki Soba, order cold zaru soba. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakuba.com/blogs/50-hakuba-restaurants-to-try-in-summer https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/7824650766 ### Robata URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/robata-zao Type: Place to eat Local name: お食事処・お泊まり処・お湯処 ろばた (ja) Also known as: ろばた, Zao Robata, Robata Zao Onsen, 蔵王 ろばた Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: 山形県山形市蔵王温泉字川原42-5 Coordinates: 38.16766, 140.39703 Kind: Yakiniku Hours: The Zao Onsen Tourism Association lists lunch to 15:00 with last entry at 14:00 and dinner from 17:00 with last entry at 20:00. It also lists the first and third Wednesdays as closed outside the busy season. Closed: Thursday; first and third Wednesdays outside peak season (tourism association) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Robata's own menu priced one portion of jingisukan at ¥1,430 and the set meal at ¥2,200 in October 2019. Tabelog reviewers in 2026 put a meal at ¥2,000 to ¥3,999 a head. No newer published menu turned up. Reservations: Phone ahead; Tabelog says same-day bookings close at noon. Payment: Cards, e-money and PayPay (Tabelog) Vegetarian: Hard here; the mountain-vegetable side dishes are the only meat-free plates on the menu we read. Cuisine: jingisukan, Yamagata home cooking, après Address: 山形県山形市蔵王温泉字川原42-5 Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://t023.com Summary: Robata suits anyone who wants Zao's own style of jingisukan in a small family inn, and the trade-off is a kitchen that closes its lunch door at 14:00 and shuts on Thursdays. Zao Onsen tells a story that jingisukan, the lamb grilled on a domed iron pan, took its modern shape here in the late 1940s, and Robata sells itself on that story. The owners hand-cut Suffolk lamb thick and make one year's supply of tare each November, then age it for half a year before it reaches the table. The room seats 28 across tables and a sunken-hearth tatami area, and the inn above it rents out only three rooms a night. It sits in the Kawara part of the onsen town, about three minutes on foot from the Zao Onsen bus terminal according to Tabelog. Come at lunch straight off the slopes or book a table for the 17:00 sitting. Last entry falls an hour before closing, so a 14:30 arrival at lunch is too late. The owner holds mountain-guide and onsen-sommelier credentials, and the inn has its own spring feeding a foot bath and a private bath. Tips: - Tabelog says the shop takes reservations until noon on the day, which is worth doing on a powder Saturday. - Check the inn's Instagram before a Wednesday visit, because the tourism association lists the first and third Wednesdays as closed outside the busy season. Q: What are the opening hours of Robata? A: Robata keeps these hours: Mon–Wed 11:00-15:00, 17:00-21:00; Thu closed; Fri–Sun 11:00-15:00, 17:00-21:00. Q: What should you order at Robata? A: At Robata, order jingisukan teishoku with rice and miso soup, or akebi-yaki or the seasonal mountain-vegetable plates on the side, or a Yamagata sake with the lamb. Q: Do you need a reservation at Robata? A: Robata: Phone ahead; Tabelog says same-day bookings close at noon. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://zaomountainresort.com/author/robata/ https://t023.com/meal0.html https://t023.com/meal1.html https://t023.com/meal2.html https://t023.com/access.html https://s.tabelog.com/en/yamagata/A0601/A060101/6000693/ ### Sakaguchiya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/sakaguchiya-takayama Type: Place to eat Local name: 御食事処 坂口屋 (ja) Also known as: Sakaguchiya Takayama, 坂口屋 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 90 Kami-Sannomachi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14198, 137.25941 Kind: Other Hours: Last order 14:30; extra closing days are posted on the shop's Instagram. Closed: Tuesday, plus irregular days Price: ¥ From: ¥800 each (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Hida beef nigiri from ¥800 and a Hida beef steak bowl at ¥1,950 on the tourism office listing. Cuisine: Hida beef Address: 90 Kami-Sannomachi, Takayama, Gifu Price from: ¥800 each (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Summary: Sakaguchiya suits families who want Hida beef nigiri and steak bowls in the middle of Sanmachi, with tatami seats and an English menu. The trade-off is lunch hours only. Sakaguchiya opened in the middle of the Meiji era and serves in a converted inn that still shows its irori and old clocks. It sells three kinds of Hida beef nigiri, from lean to premium, from ¥800, and the steak bowl costs ¥1,950. A full-size karakuri puppet from the Takayama Festival stands inside, and the shop has an English menu and a barrier-free toilet with a baby-changing table. Q: How much does Sakaguchiya cost? A: Prices at Sakaguchiya start at ¥800 each (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Sakaguchiya? A: Sakaguchiya keeps these hours: Mon 11:00–15:00; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:00–15:00. Q: What should you order at Sakaguchiya? A: At Sakaguchiya, order hida beef nigiri, or hida beef steak bowl. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3009.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/special/detail_131.html ### Sakuramido URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/sakuramido Type: Place to eat Local name: 桜味堂 (ja) Also known as: Sakura Mido, 桜味堂 松崎, Sakuramido Matsuzaki Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Matsuzaki Address: 静岡県賀茂郡松崎町宮内259-1 Coordinates: 34.75293, 138.78181 Kind: Sweets Hours: Retty lists 9:00–16:00 with irregular closures; the shop posts temporary closures on its blog. Closed: Irregular Price: ¥ From: ¥380 each (2025), about CAD 3.40 or USD 2.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: A two-piece pack cost ¥380 in 2025; a box of eight is ¥1,520 online. Vegetarian: The mochi holds rice, azuki, sugar, salt and cherry leaves only. Cuisine: Wagashi Address: 静岡県賀茂郡松崎町宮内259-1 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥380 each (2025), about CAD 3.40 or USD 2.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://sakuramidou.thebase.in/ Summary: Sakuramido suits riders on the west Izu coast who want Matsuzaki's sakura-leaf mochi made fresh that morning, and the trade-off is stock that can run short by mid-afternoon. Matsuzaki grows about 70 percent of Japan's salted cherry leaves, and Sakuramido wraps its Kansai-style domyoji mochi in two of them. Inside goes a half-mashed bean paste of Hokkaido azuki. The shop makes them every day of the year and says to eat the leaf whole from the tip. A 2025 review paid ¥380 for a pack of two, and the online shop sells a box of eight for ¥1,520. A September 2025 reviewer ate at the shop's tables shortly before 15:00 and was told stock might not stretch to the whole group. They keep three days, unrefrigerated, so buy for the road. Tips: - Do not chill them; the shop says the mochi hardens in the fridge. - Two other Matsuzaki confectioners make their own sakura-leaf mochi if you want to compare. Q: How much does Sakuramido cost? A: Prices at Sakuramido start at ¥380 each (2025), about CAD 3.40 or USD 2.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Sakuramido? A: Sakuramido keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–16:00. Q: What should you order at Sakuramido? A: At Sakuramido, order sakura-ba mochi. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://sakuramidou.thebase.in/ https://retty.me/area/PRE22/ARE324/SUB32404/100001695837/ ### Sendai Asaichi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/sendai-asaichi Type: Place to eat Local name: 仙台朝市 (ja) Also known as: 仙台朝市商店街, Sendai Morning Market, Sendai Asaichi market Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Miyagi Town: Sendai Address: 宮城県仙台市青葉区中央3-8-5 Coordinates: 38.25890, 140.87894 Kind: Market Hours: Hours vary a little from shop to shop, and some shops open on market holidays. Closed: Sundays and public holidays Vegetarian: Fruit and vegetable stalls make this easy. Cuisine: market, seafood Address: 宮城県仙台市青葉区中央3-8-5 Website: https://sendaiasaichi.com/ Summary: Sendai Asaichi suits anyone with an hour to spare near the station who wants to see what Miyagi eats, and the trade-off is that it shuts on Sundays and holidays. The market grew out of the open-air stalls that went up beside Sendai Station after the 1945 air raids, and locals still call it Sendai's kitchen. Around seventy shops line the lanes five minutes on foot from the station with fish, vegetables and fruit, and a few counters cook for you on the spot. Shops keep their own hours inside the market's 8:00 to 18:00 window. The union posts its closed days each month, and the October and November 2026 lists add the Monday holidays to the usual Sundays. Tips: - On selected Saturdays the market runs a bargain day; the union announces each date on its site. Q: What are the opening hours of Sendai Asaichi? A: Sendai Asaichi keeps these hours: Mon–Sat 08:00–18:00; Sun closed. Q: What should you order at Sendai Asaichi? A: At Sendai Asaichi, order whatever the fishmongers have in season. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://sendaiasaichi.com/ https://sendaiasaichi.com/about/union https://sendaiasaichi.com/information/view/146 https://www.sentabi.jp/spots/38 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%AE%AE%E5%9F%8E%E7%9C%8C%E4%BB%99%E5%8F%B0%E5%B8%82%E9%9D%92%E8%91%89%E5%8C%BA%E4%B8%AD%E5%A4%AE%E4%B8%89%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE8-5 ### Sennaritei Yume-Kyobashi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/sennaritei-yumekyobashi Type: Place to eat Local name: 千成亭 夢京橋店 (ja) Also known as: Sennaritei, 千成亭, Hikone GYUSEUM Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Hikone Address: 1-1-26 Hon-machi, Hikone, Shiga 522-0064 (Hikone GYUSEUM, ground floor) Coordinates: 35.27171, 136.25218 Kind: Other Hours: Hours are from Sennaritei's own shop page; the older Biwaichi listing says 10:00–19:00. Closed: Wednesdays Vegetarian: This is a beef shop. Cuisine: Omi beef Address: 1-1-26 Hon-machi, Hikone, Shiga 522-0064 (Hikone GYUSEUM, ground floor) On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: The Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, toilets, a pump, tools and water here. Website: https://www.sennaritei.jp/shop/shop_yumekiyoubashi Summary: Sennaritei's Yume-Kyobashi shop suits riders who want Omi beef from Hikone's own butcher in the castle-town street, and it shuts on Wednesdays. Sennaritei is a designated Omi beef shop from Hikone that buys whole animals, and its Yume-Kyobashi branch sits on the old castle-town street below Hikone Castle. The shop fills the ground floor of the company's Hikone GYUSEUM. It opens 9:30 to 18:00 and closes on Wednesdays. The Biwaichi map lists a rack, a pump, tools and water for riders. Q: What are the opening hours of Sennaritei Yume-Kyobashi? A: Sennaritei Yume-Kyobashi keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 09:30–18:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 09:30–18:00. Q: What should you order at Sennaritei Yume-Kyobashi? A: At Sennaritei Yume-Kyobashi, order omi beef from a designated Omi beef shop that buys whole animals. Q: Can you park a bike at Sennaritei Yume-Kyobashi? A: Sennaritei Yume-Kyobashi: the Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, toilets, a pump, tools and water here. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.sennaritei.jp/shop/shop_yumekiyoubashi https://www.sennaritei.jp/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/5870334786 ### Setouchi Minato Marche URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/setouchi-minato-marche Type: Place to eat Local name: せとうちみなとマルシェ (ja) Also known as: Setouchi Minato Marché, Imabari Port market, せとうちみなとマルシェ Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: 愛媛県今治市片原町1丁目100-3 みなと交流センター はーばりー Coordinates: 34.06970, 133.00510 Kind: Market Hours: Second and fourth Sundays, 9:00–14:00. In summer it moves to second and fourth Saturdays, 17:00–21:30. Closed: Every day except the second and fourth Sundays Prices: Entry is free; stall prices vary. Payment: Varies by stall Cuisine: market, seafood Address: 愛媛県今治市片原町1丁目100-3 みなと交流センター はーばりー On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: The organisers direct visitors to Imabari Port's bicycle parking. Website: https://setouchi-mm.com/ Summary: Setouchi Minato Marche suits anyone in Imabari on a second or fourth Sunday morning who wants to graze on island fish and citrus by the ferry piers, and its trade-off is that it runs only two mornings a month. The market sets up around Harbary, the black ship-shaped terminal building at Imabari Port, from 9:00 to 14:00 on the second and fourth Sundays, with up to 100 stalls of fish, vegetables, cooked food and crafts. On 11 October 2026 the programme opened with a public fish auction at 9:30 run by the Miyakubo branch of the Ehime fisheries co-op, and the market kitchen would clean and fillet whatever you won. Summer swaps the Sunday mornings for Saturday evening markets on the same weeks. It goes ahead in rain and is called off for storms, with notice on its website and social accounts. Tips: - The organisers send cyclists to Imabari Port's bicycle parking, and there is no car park for visitors. - Payment methods vary by stall, so carry some cash. Q: When is Setouchi Minato Marche open? A: Setouchi Minato Marche is open second and fourth Sundays, 9:00–14:00. In summer it moves to second and fourth Saturdays, 17:00–21:30 and closed every day except the second and fourth Sundays. Q: What should you order at Setouchi Minato Marche? A: At Setouchi Minato Marche, order fish from the morning auction, filleted at the market kitchen, or island citrus in season. Q: Can you park a bike at Setouchi Minato Marche? A: Setouchi Minato Marche: the organisers direct visitors to Imabari Port's bicycle parking. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://setouchi-mm.com/ https://setouchi-mm.com/marche/ https://setouchi-mm.com/qa1/ https://setouchi-mm.com/placeguide/ https://setouchi-mm.com/2026/1011/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/recommend/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/618019055 ### Shichino Tsuchiura Honten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/shichino-tsuchiura-honten Type: Place to eat Local name: 志ち乃 土浦本店 (ja) Also known as: Shichino, 志ち乃, Shichino dorayaki Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Town: Tsuchiura Address: 60-3 Teno-machi, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Coordinates: 36.09910, 140.22740 Kind: Sweets Hours: Open 9:00–17:30 from December to February and 9:00–18:00 from March to November. Closed: New Year's Day only Price: ¥ Prices: A box of five dorayaki costs ¥1,200 and ten cost ¥2,250. Vegetarian: Dorayaki are pancake, bean paste and fillings such as chestnut or butter. Cuisine: wagashi Address: 60-3 Teno-machi, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.shichino.jp/ Summary: Shichino suits riders on the lake shore who want a chestnut dorayaki as fuel or a gift, and it sells by the box to take away. Shichino makes dorayaki stuffed with chestnut, plum or butter as well as plain red bean, and the prefecture's cycling site names its kuri-dora among the chestnut stops on its Kasumigaura marron ride. The main shop stands in Teno-machi east of central Tsuchiura and opens every day of the year but New Year's Day. Q: What are the opening hours of Shichino Tsuchiura Honten? A: Shichino Tsuchiura Honten keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–18:00. Q: What should you order at Shichino Tsuchiura Honten? A: At Shichino Tsuchiura Honten, order kuri-dora (chestnut dorayaki), or ume-dora. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tsuchiura-kankou.jp/taberu/taberu_page https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/stay/hoshinoresorts/ ### Shikairo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/shikairo Type: Place to eat Local name: 中華料理 四海樓 (ja) Also known as: Shikairou, Shikairo Nagasaki, 四海楼 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Nagasaki Town: Nagasaki Address: 4-5 Matsugae-machi, Nagasaki 850-0921 Coordinates: 32.73660, 129.87000 Kind: Other Hours: Last entry is at 14:00 for lunch and 19:00 for dinner, earlier when it is busy. The restaurant closes on two Wednesdays a month and posts the dates on its site. Closed: Two Wednesdays a month Reservations: The restaurant takes no bookings. Private rooms can be booked two working days ahead for four or more on a set course, by phone or fax only. Vegetarian: Both signature dishes use pork and seafood with a meat soup. Cuisine: Chinese, Nagasaki Address: 4-5 Matsugae-machi, Nagasaki 850-0921 Website: https://shikairou.com/ Summary: Shikairo suits anyone who wants chanpon in the restaurant that invented it, and with no bookings a queue at lunch is part of the visit. Shikairo opened in 1899 on the site of Nagasaki's old Chinese quarter, and its Fujian-born founder Chen Pingshun created both chanpon and sara udon there for the city's Chinese students and community. The restaurant now stands at Matsugae-machi near Oura and Glover Garden. Lunch runs from 11:30 and dinner from 17:00, and the restaurant warns that last entry comes early when queues build. A shop on the ground floor opens from 10:00 to 17:30. Tips: - The restaurant does not take bookings by internet, app or agent, so turn up in person. Q: What are the opening hours of Shikairo? A: Shikairo keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:30-15:00, 17:00-20:00. Q: What should you order at Shikairo? A: At Shikairo, order chanpon, or sara udon. Q: Do you need a reservation at Shikairo? A: Shikairo: The restaurant takes no bookings. Private rooms can be booked two working days ahead for four or more on a set course, by phone or fax only. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shikairou.com/ https://shikairou.com/information/info/ https://shikairou.com/champon/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=長崎市松が枝町4-5 ### Shimagokoro Setoda URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/shimagokoro-setoda Type: Place to eat Local name: 島ごころSETODA (ja) Also known as: Shimagokoro, 島ごころ, Setoda lemon cake, Patisserie Okumoto Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Setoda Address: 広島県尾道市瀬戸田町沢209-32 Coordinates: 34.30683, 133.09181 Kind: Sweets Hours: Open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, with occasional temporary closures. Closed: Open year-round Price: ¥ Prices: Mapple lists one lemon cake at ¥270 in an undated entry. Reservations: Tour groups can book bus parking by phone. Payment: Cards accepted (Visa, Mastercard, JCB) Vegetarian: Cakes and jams have no meat. Cuisine: Western sweets Address: 広島県尾道市瀬戸田町沢209-32 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.patisserie-okumoto.com/ Summary: Shimagokoro suits anyone buying edible souvenirs in Setoda and wanting a free glass of lemon water, and the shop courts tour buses, so expect groups. Shimagokoro's lemon cake comes from Patisserie Okumoto, and its Tabelog listing says the main shop sells more than a million a year. The Setoda shop opened in April 2016 in Sawa, close to Kosanji and the Hirayama Ikuo Museum of Art, and it has 40 seats for eating in. Lemon water is free, with self-serve coffee and cocoa beside it. Lemon jam and other lemon goods sold only here fill the shelves. Q: What are the opening hours of Shimagokoro Setoda? A: Shimagokoro Setoda keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–18:00. Q: What should you order at Shimagokoro Setoda? A: At Shimagokoro Setoda, order setoda lemon cake, or setoda lemon jam to take home. Q: Do you need a reservation at Shimagokoro Setoda? A: Shimagokoro Setoda: Tour groups can book bus parking by phone. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://s.tabelog.com/en/hiroshima/A3406/A340603/34021786/ https://www.patisserie-okumoto.com/ https://www.mapple.net/spot/34011785/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E7%80%AC%E6%88%B8%E7%94%B0%E7%94%BA%E6%B2%A2209-32 ### Hakata Ramen Shin-Shin, Hakata Deitos URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/shin-shin-hakata-deitos Type: Place to eat Local name: 博多らーめん Shin-Shin 博多デイトス店 (ja) Also known as: ShinShin, Shin Shin ramen, Shin-Shin Hakata Station Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Fukuoka Town: Fukuoka and Hakata Address: 2F Hakata Deitos (Hakata Men Kaido), 1-1 Hakataeki-chuogai, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka Coordinates: 33.58990, 130.42040 Kind: Ramen Hours: Open every day of the year. The shop posts its hours on a monthly calendar on its website. Closed: None Price: ¥ Reservations: No bookings; queue at the door. Vegetarian: The soup is pork bone, so there is nothing for vegetarians. Cuisine: ramen Address: 2F Hakata Deitos (Hakata Men Kaido), 1-1 Hakataeki-chuogai, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.hakata-shinshin.com/tenpo_deitos Summary: Shin-Shin's Hakata Deitos branch suits anyone stepping off the Shinkansen who wants Hakata ramen within a few minutes' walk, and at meal times it fills fast. Shin-Shin opened its first shop in Tenjin in October 2003, and the chain now runs several branches around Fukuoka. The Deitos branch sits in the Hakata Men Kaido noodle street on the second floor of the station's Deitos building, on the Shinkansen side. It has 42 seats and opens every day. The branch closed for maintenance from 27 May to 5 August 2026 and reopened on 6 August. Tips: - The Shinkansen exit side of Hakata Station is the closest way in. Q: When is Hakata Ramen Shin-Shin, Hakata Deitos open? A: Hakata Ramen Shin-Shin, Hakata Deitos is open open every day of the year. The shop posts its hours on a monthly calendar on its website and closed none. Q: What should you order at Hakata Ramen Shin-Shin, Hakata Deitos? A: At Hakata Ramen Shin-Shin, Hakata Deitos, order hakata ramen with thin noodles, and a kaedama refill when the first serving runs out. Q: Do you need a reservation at Hakata Ramen Shin-Shin, Hakata Deitos? A: Hakata Ramen Shin-Shin, Hakata Deitos: No bookings; queue at the door. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hakata-shinshin.com/tenpo_deitos https://www.hakata-shinshin.com/tenpo_tenjin https://www.hakata-shinshin.com/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=福岡市博多区博多駅中央街1-1 ### Shinminato Kittokito Ichiba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/shinminato-kittokito-ichiba Type: Place to eat Local name: 新湊きっときと市場 (ja) Also known as: Kittokito Market, Shinminato fish market, きっときと市場 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Address: 1 Kaiocho, Imizu, Toyama 934-0023 Coordinates: 36.78137, 137.09978 Kind: Market Hours: The market opens 9:00–17:00, varying by season; Umiya serves 10:30–16:00 with last orders at 15:30. Closed: Open daily; some tenants take days off. Umiya closes on 1 January. Reservations: Walk-ins. Cuisine: Seafood Address: 1 Kaiocho, Imizu, Toyama 934-0023 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: http://kittokito-ichiba.co.jp/ Summary: Shinminato Kittokito Ichiba suits riders on the Toyama Bay route who want shiro-ebi and red snow crab at the port where they land, and its trade-off is a slow public-transport link from Toyama. The market belongs to Shinminato's fishing port in Imizu, one of the two ports where Toyama's shiro-ebi comes ashore. Its separate restaurant building, Umiya, serves seafood bowls from 10:30 to 16:00. The Hamakaze grill inside closed on 31 July 2026. Next door the port runs visits to its midday fish auction. From Takaoka the Manyosen tram takes about 40 minutes to Higashi-Shinminato, then it is a 10-minute walk. Staff at Tanabe Suisan peel shiro-ebi by hand behind glass from 8:00 to 10:30, a minute's walk from Kaiwomaru tram stop, and the shop closes on Wednesdays. Q: What are the opening hours of Shinminato Kittokito Ichiba? A: Shinminato Kittokito Ichiba keeps these hours: Daily 09:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Shinminato Kittokito Ichiba? A: At Shinminato Kittokito Ichiba, order a shiro-ebi or seafood rice bowl at Umiya, or red snow crab in season. Q: Do you need a reservation at Shinminato Kittokito Ichiba? A: Shinminato Kittokito Ichiba: Walk-ins. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/80032 https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/103673 https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/22009 https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/80503 https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/37_9_toyama.html ### Shiomachi-tei URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/shiomachi-tei Type: Place to eat Local name: 自転車カフェ＆バー 汐待亭 (ja) Also known as: Shiomachitei, 汐待亭, Lemon Cafe Shiomachitei, Jitensha Cafe & Bar Shiomachi Tei Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Setoda Address: 広島県尾道市瀬戸田町瀬戸田425 Coordinates: 34.30418, 133.08646 Kind: Cafe Hours: Mapple lists evening bar hours from 19:00 to 21:30 by reservation only. When Monday is a public holiday the café closes on Tuesday instead (Mapple). Closed: Monday Price: ¥¥ Prices: Mapple lists the Shiomachi lemonades at ¥630 in an undated entry, and Tabelog reviewers spend ¥1,000 to ¥1,999. Reservations: Evenings by reservation only (Mapple) Payment: Cards accepted (JCB, Amex, Diners per Tabelog) Cuisine: Café, Curry Address: 広島県尾道市瀬戸田町瀬戸田425 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥¥ Summary: Shiomachi-tei suits riders who want a lemonade and a seat five minutes from Setoda port, and it closes on Mondays. Shiomachi-tei calls itself a bicycle café and bar, and it sits on the Shiomachi street about five minutes on foot from Setoda port. Mapple files it as a lemon café, and its Shiomachi lemonades come in several flavours. Lunch leans on curry. In the evening it turns into a bar that Mapple says opens by reservation only. Q: What are the opening hours of Shiomachi-tei? A: Shiomachi-tei keeps these hours: Mon closed; Tue 11:00–16:30; Wed 11:00–16:00; Thu–Sun 11:00–16:30. Q: What should you order at Shiomachi-tei? A: At Shiomachi-tei, order a Shiomachi lemonade, or curry at lunch. Q: Do you need a reservation at Shiomachi-tei? A: Shiomachi-tei: Evenings by reservation only (Mapple). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://s.tabelog.com/en/hiroshima/A3406/A340603/34020744/ https://www.mapple.net/spot/34011968/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E7%80%AC%E6%88%B8%E7%94%B0%E7%94%BA%E7%80%AC%E6%88%B8%E7%94%B0425 ### Shohei Soba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/shohei-soba Type: Place to eat Local name: 手打 庄平そば (ja) Also known as: Shouhei Soba, Shohei Soba Nozawa, 庄平そば Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Coordinates: 36.92254, 138.44699 Kind: Soba Hours: OpenStreetMap lists 11:00–19:00 daily; Nozawa Hospitality lists lunch and dinner. Reservations: Walk-ins welcome. Cuisine: Japanese, Soba On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: Shohei Soba suits a walk-in bowl of hot or cold soba in Nozawa when Daimon has a queue, and it sits upstairs where it is easy to walk past. Shohei serves hand-made soba upstairs above Sumo Nabe, near the middle of the village. Nozawa Hospitality's guide lists it for lunch and dinner with walk-ins welcome, and recommends the tempura prawns with either cold or hot soba. OpenStreetMap gives 11:00 to 19:00 every day. Q: What are the opening hours of Shohei Soba? A: Shohei Soba keeps these hours: Daily 11:00–19:00. Q: What should you order at Shohei Soba? A: At Shohei Soba, order cold soba with tempura prawns, or hot soba after a cold morning. Q: Do you need a reservation at Shohei Soba? A: Shohei Soba: Walk-ins welcome. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nozawahospitality.com/restaurants https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/8905740519 ### Shojiya Honten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/shojiya-honten Type: Place to eat Local name: そば処 庄司屋 本店 (ja) Also known as: 庄司屋, Shojiya, Soba Dokoro Shojiya, Shoujiya Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Yamagata Address: 山形県山形市幸町14-28 Coordinates: 38.24288, 140.32596 Kind: Soba Hours: Last orders are 15:30 and 20:00 on weekdays and 20:00 at weekends and on holidays. When Monday is a holiday the shop closes the next weekday instead. Closed: Monday, plus extra days posted monthly on the shop's site Price: ¥¥ Prices: Tabelog reviewers report ¥2,000 to ¥2,999 a head. The shop's menu page posts no prices we could read. Reservations: Bookings by phone; the soba kaiseki course may not be available at weekends. Payment: Visa, Mastercard, JCB, PayPay and Rakuten Pay (Tabelog) Vegetarian: The shop says its dipping sauce uses Tosa bonito and Rishiri kelp, so it is not vegetarian. Cuisine: soba, ita soba Address: 山形県山形市幸町14-28 Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.shojiya.jp/ Summary: Shojiya suits anyone who wants Yamagata's ita soba from the city's oldest soba house, and the trade-off is a ten-minute walk from the station plus closing days that change each month. Shojiya opened as a soba teahouse in the third enclosure of Yamagata Castle in the Keio era (1865 to 1868), and the fifth generation now runs the kitchen. The house grinds domestic buckwheat on a stone mill and cuts soba by hand every day. Ita soba arrives heaped on a long wooden board, a country style that Shojiya traces to the custom of serving soba to guests. Order the sarashina aimori ita soba to get the thick, chewy country noodle beside the pale sarashina cut that the fourth generation learned in Tokyo. The room seats 86 and includes tatami rooms set inside an old storehouse. New-season soba arrived in October 2026, according to the shop's news page. Tabelog named it one of its 100 best soba shops in eastern Japan for 2024. Tips: - Check the closing-day list on the shop's home page before you go; October 2026 shows two Tuesdays shut alongside the usual Mondays. - An English menu is available. Q: What are the opening hours of Shojiya Honten? A: Shojiya Honten keeps these hours: Mon closed; Tue–Fri 11:00-16:00, 17:00-20:30; Sat–Sun 11:00–20:30. Q: What should you order at Shojiya Honten? A: At Shojiya Honten, order sarashina aimori ita soba, the house pairing of country and sarashina noodles on one board, or tempura on the side. Q: Do you need a reservation at Shojiya Honten? A: Shojiya Honten: Bookings by phone; the soba kaiseki course may not be available at weekends. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shojiya.jp/ https://www.shojiya.jp/soba https://www.shojiya.jp/about https://www.shojiya.jp/honten https://www.shojiya.jp/2026/10/07/5637/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/yamagata/A0601/A060101/6000003/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2%E7%9C%8C%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2%E5%B8%82%E5%B9%B8%E7%94%BA14-28 ### Shokudokoro Tamura URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/shokudokoro-tamura Type: Place to eat Local name: 食処たむら (ja) Also known as: Tamura Kusatsu, Tamura unagi Kusatsu Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Address: 284-18 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Coordinates: 36.62303, 138.60570 Kind: Shokudo Hours: Lunch 11:00–14:00 and dinner 17:00–20:30 with last order at 19:30. Closed Wednesdays and Thursdays. Closed: Wednesdays and Thursdays Price: ¥¥ From: ¥3,000 per person (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The tourism association lists meals from ¥3,000. Reservations: Phone for groups and banquets. Vegetarian: Limited. Tempura of seasonal vegetables and maitake is on the menu. Cuisine: unagi, tempura, koi Address: 284-18 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Price from: ¥3,000 per person (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://tamura.scty.net/ Summary: Shokudokoro Tamura suits diners who want unagi in Kusatsu from eels the kitchen prepares alive, and it closes two days a week. Tamura stands near the Yukawa stream and says it is the only shop in Kusatsu that kills and opens live eels in its own kitchen. Beyond unagi it cooks tempura with maitake, chicken rice bowls in its own sauce and koi three ways. A private tatami room seats about ten. Q: How much does Shokudokoro Tamura cost? A: Prices at Shokudokoro Tamura start at ¥3,000 per person (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Shokudokoro Tamura? A: Shokudokoro Tamura keeps these hours: Mon 11:00-14:00,17:00-20:30; Tue 11:00-14:00,17:00-20:30; Wed closed; Thu closed; Fri 11:00-14:00,17:00-20:30; Sat 11:00-14:00,17:00-20:30; Sun 11:00-14:00,17:00-20:30. Q: What should you order at Shokudokoro Tamura? A: At Shokudokoro Tamura, order unagi from eels the kitchen kills and prepares in-house, or koi as arai or koi-koku, the old mountain way. Q: Do you need a reservation at Shokudokoro Tamura? A: Shokudokoro Tamura: Phone for groups and banquets. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tamura.scty.net/ https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/kankou/1251.php ### Soba-dokoro Kubota URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/soba-dokoro-kubota Type: Place to eat Local name: そば処 くぼ田 (ja) Also known as: Kubota soba, Kubota Minakami Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 70-15 Kanosawa, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Coordinates: 36.77875, 138.96844 Kind: Soba Hours: Opens at 10:00 and closes when the soba sells out. Closed Thursdays. Closed: Thursdays Reservations: Walk in, early. Cuisine: soba, okkirikomi Address: 70-15 Kanosawa, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: http://www.kubota-soba.com/ Summary: Soba-dokoro Kubota suits a soba lunch by Minakami Station before or after a train, and it closes as soon as the day's soba runs out. Kubota has stood in front of Minakami Station for over 60 years and is now run by the third generation, a husband and wife. They grind Minakami buckwheat on stone each morning and bind it with rice flour for a nihachi soba, and the sanshoku kinoko soba, three local mushrooms with a big maitake tempura, is the most popular bowl. In winter they add okkirikomi, wide Joshu-flour noodles stewed with local vegetables, mushrooms and mugi-buta pork. Q: What are the opening hours of Soba-dokoro Kubota? A: Soba-dokoro Kubota keeps these hours: Mon 10:00-; Tue 10:00-; Wed 10:00-; Thu closed; Fri 10:00-; Sat 10:00-; Sun 10:00-. Q: What should you order at Soba-dokoro Kubota? A: At Soba-dokoro Kubota, order sanshoku kinoko soba with three local mushrooms, or okkirikomi in winter, or agesaku ice to finish. Q: Do you need a reservation at Soba-dokoro Kubota? A: Soba-dokoro Kubota: Walk in, early. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/8121/ http://www.kubota-soba.com/ ### Soba-dokoro Maruyoshi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/soba-dokoro-maruyoshi Type: Place to eat Local name: そば処まるよし (ja) Also known as: Maruyoshi Minakami, Maruyoshi soba Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 810-2 Yubara, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Coordinates: 36.76971, 138.96989 Kind: Soba Hours: Open 11:00–15:00 and 17:00–19:00, staying open to 20:00 at weekends. Closed Thursdays. Closed: Thursdays Cuisine: soba Address: 810-2 Yubara, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Summary: Soba-dokoro Maruyoshi suits an evening soba in the middle of Minakami Onsen, since it reopens for dinner, and it closes on Thursdays. Maruyoshi sits in the centre of the onsen town and makes everything by hand. Its own sansai oroshi soba, with mountain vegetables and grated radish, is the dish it recommends. Q: What are the opening hours of Soba-dokoro Maruyoshi? A: Soba-dokoro Maruyoshi keeps these hours: Mon–Wed 11:00-15:00,17:00-19:00; Thu closed; Fri 11:00-15:00,17:00-19:00; Sat–Sun 11:00-15:00,17:00-20:00. Q: What should you order at Soba-dokoro Maruyoshi? A: At Soba-dokoro Maruyoshi, order sansai oroshi soba, the house's own mountain-vegetable and grated-radish soba. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/8109/ ### Soba Harie URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/soba-harie Type: Place to eat Local name: 手打そば 蕎麦舗 はり江 (ja) Also known as: はり江, Sobaho Harie Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Takashima Address: 5-314 Harie, Shin-Asahi-cho, Takashima, Shiga 520-1502 Coordinates: 35.36368, 136.05130 Kind: Soba Hours: Hours are from the Biwaichi sponsor listing. Closed: Tuesdays and Wednesdays Prices: Biwaichi riders can refill bottles and borrow a pump under the sponsor scheme. Cuisine: soba Address: 5-314 Harie, Shin-Asahi-cho, Takashima, Shiga 520-1502 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: Riders come in by bike; the shop offers bottle refills and a pump. Summary: Soba Harie suits riders passing the spring-water village of Harie who want hand-cut soba, and we could not confirm it is still trading. The shop makes soba by hand with groundwater from the Hira mountains in a Finnish log house at Harie, the village known for its spring-fed kitchens. It sits close to the lakeshore road. It is on the Biwaichi sponsor list, which promises a bottle refill and a pump, but its own web page has gone, so ring before you plan lunch around it. Q: What are the opening hours of Soba Harie? A: Soba Harie keeps these hours: Mon 11:00–16:00; Tue–Wed closed; Thu–Sun 11:00–16:00. Q: What should you order at Soba Harie? A: At Soba Harie, order hand-cut soba made with Hira groundwater. Q: Can you park a bike at Soba Harie? A: Soba Harie: riders come in by bike; the shop offers bottle refills and a pump. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k ### Soba Sekigawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/soba-sekigawa Type: Place to eat Local name: そば処 御宿せきがわ (ja) Also known as: Oyado Sekigawa Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 新潟県妙高市関川271 Coordinates: 36.85530, 138.19530 Kind: Soba Hours: Open from mid-April to the end of November. Closed: Wednesdays; December to mid-April Price: ¥ Prices: Myoko Tourism lists ¥700 to ¥1,200. Payment: Cash only Cuisine: soba Address: 新潟県妙高市関川271 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: The barrier history museum's car park next door has room for about 30 cars. Price band: ¥ Summary: Soba Sekigawa suits spring and autumn riders who want soba in a farmhouse from the late Edo period, and its trade-off is a lunch-only kitchen shut all winter. The restaurant fills a farmhouse built in the late Edo period beside the old Sekigawa barrier on the Hokkoku road. The earth-floored hall, the run of tatami rooms and the sunken hearth are still in place. The soba is ni-hachi, hand-made with two parts wheat to eight of buckwheat, with seasonal tempura. It opens from mid-April to the end of November, 11:00 to 15:00, closed on Wednesdays, and takes cash only. Park at the barrier history museum next door. Q: What are the opening hours of Soba Sekigawa? A: Soba Sekigawa keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 11:00–15:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 11:00–15:00. Q: What should you order at Soba Sekigawa? A: At Soba Sekigawa, order ni-hachi soba with seasonal tempura. Q: Can you park a bike at Soba Sekigawa? A: Soba Sekigawa: the barrier history museum's car park next door has room for about 30 cars. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://myokotourism.jp/restaurants/%e3%81%9d%e3%81%b0%e5%87%a6%e3%80%80%e5%be%a1%e5%ae%bf%e3%81%9b%e3%81%8d%e3%81%8c%e3%82%8f/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?format=json&q=そば処御宿せきがわ ### Shinbashi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/soba-shinbashi Type: Place to eat Local name: 越後本手打そば しんばし (ja) Also known as: Soba Shinbashi Yuzawa Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町大字湯沢488-1 Coordinates: 36.94140, 138.80530 Kind: Soba Hours: Closes early when the soba sells out; closed day can change with the season. Payment: Cash or PayPay Cuisine: soba Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町大字湯沢488-1 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: http://www.soba-shinbashi.net/ Summary: Shinbashi suits soba lovers who want noodles milled and cut in the house, and its trade-off is an early close on days it sells out. Shinbashi has made soba by hand in Yuzawa for 85 years to a family method. It mills its own flour from buckwheat grown around Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma and Ojiya, and uses Uonuma spring water for every step. It opens from 11:00 to 20:00, closes once the day's soba runs out, and shuts on Wednesdays with seasonal changes. Payment is cash or PayPay. Q: What are the opening hours of Shinbashi? A: Shinbashi keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 11:00–20:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 11:00–20:00. Q: What should you order at Shinbashi? A: At Shinbashi, order cold soba. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.soba-shinbashi.net/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/gourmet_p/shinbashi/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/gourmet/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町湯沢493-8 ### Soba Subaru URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/soba-subaru Type: Place to eat Local name: そば処すばる (ja) Also known as: Sobadokoro Subaru, Subaru soba Gujo Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Gujo-Hachiman Address: 70 Ono, Hachiman-cho, Gujo, Gifu 501-4221 Coordinates: 35.75293, 136.96445 Kind: Soba Hours: Lunch 11:00 to 15:00; closing days are not published on the Gujo tourism page. Cuisine: Soba Address: 70 Ono, Hachiman-cho, Gujo, Gifu 501-4221 Summary: Soba Subaru suits a hand-cut soba lunch in Gujo-Hachiman with parking beside the shop. The trade-off is lunch hours only. Subaru cuts its noodles by hand every morning from Hokkaido buckwheat and Gujo's spring water, which gives them a chewy bite and a strong aroma. The set menus are generous and fairly priced, and five parking spaces sit next to the shop. Q: What are the opening hours of Soba Subaru? A: Soba Subaru keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–15:00. Q: What should you order at Soba Subaru? A: At Soba Subaru, order a soba set. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tabitabigujo.com/spots/hachiman/%E3%81%9D%E3%81%B0%E5%87%A6%E3%81%99%E3%81%B0%E3%82%8B/ ### Sobadokoro Daimon URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/sobadokoro-daimon Type: Place to eat Local name: そば処 大茂ん (ja) Also known as: Daimon Soba, Soba Dokoro Daimon, 大茂ん Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Address: 長野県下高井郡野沢温泉村大字豊郷9509 Coordinates: 36.92308, 138.44747 Kind: Soba Hours: 11:30–15:00 and 17:30–21:00. Closed: Tuesdays Reservations: Walk-ins only. Payment: No credit cards Cuisine: Japanese, Soba Address: 長野県下高井郡野沢温泉村大字豊郷9509 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: Sobadokoro Daimon suits a soba lunch in the centre of Nozawa Onsen, and its 20 seats fill fast in ski season with no way to book. Daimon makes its soba with Nozawa's spring water and fries its tempura to order, according to the village tourism page. The menu stays short: zaru soba, zaru with maitake mushroom, nameko soba, tempura soba and a tendon. Nozawa Hospitality calls it the busiest soba shop in the village and lists it as walk-in only. It opens 11:30 to 15:00 and 17:30 to 21:00, so a late lunch after the morning on the hill works. Q: What are the opening hours of Sobadokoro Daimon? A: Sobadokoro Daimon keeps these hours: Mon 11:30-15:00, 17:30-21:00; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:30-15:00, 17:30-21:00. Q: What should you order at Sobadokoro Daimon? A: At Sobadokoro Daimon, order zaru soba with maitake, or nameko soba on a cold day, or tempura soba. Q: Do you need a reservation at Sobadokoro Daimon? A: Sobadokoro Daimon: Walk-ins only. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nozawakanko.jp/spot/spot-5169 https://nozawahospitality.com/restaurants https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/8427367523 ### Nakanoya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/sobadokoro-nakanoya Type: Place to eat Local name: そば処 中野屋 (ja) Also known as: Nakanoya Yuzawa Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町大字湯沢2-6-3 Coordinates: 36.93780, 138.80880 Kind: Soba Hours: Last order 19:30. Reservations: No group bookings. Payment: Cards, PayPay, Suica and others Cuisine: soba Address: 新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町大字湯沢2-6-3 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: Nakanoya suits couples and small parties who want a soba house near Echigo-Yuzawa Station that takes cards, and its trade-off is no room for groups. Nakanoya is a soba house a short walk from Echigo-Yuzawa Station. Yuzawa's tourism office lists it open from 11:00 to 20:00 with last orders at 19:30, closed on Thursdays. It takes cards, PayPay and Suica, and it does not seat groups. Q: What are the opening hours of Nakanoya? A: Nakanoya keeps these hours: Mon–Wed 11:00–20:00; Thu closed; Fri–Sun 11:00–20:00. Q: Do you need a reservation at Nakanoya? A: Nakanoya: No group bookings. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/gourmet_p/sobadokoro-nakanoya/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/gourmet/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県南魚沼郡湯沢町湯沢2-6-3 ### Sounds Like Cafe URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/sounds-like-cafe Type: Place to eat Also known as: Sounds Like Cafe Hakuba, サウンズライクカフェ Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: 長野県北安曇郡白馬村北城3020-504 Coordinates: 36.69075, 137.84156 Kind: Cafe Hours: Monday to Friday 9:30–16:00; weekends irregular; night service suspended. Closed: Public holidays, irregular weekends, and two to three weeks in spring and autumn Reservations: No reservations. Vegetarian: A vegetable burger is on the takeaway menu. Cuisine: Café, Burgers Address: 長野県北安曇郡白馬村北城3020-504 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: http://www.sounds-like-cafe.com/ Summary: Sounds Like Cafe suits a weekday breakfast or a burger lunch in Echoland, and it keeps irregular weekend hours and closes for a few weeks each spring and autumn. Sounds Like Cafe has been an Echoland fixture for coffee and burgers, and it posts each month's opening days on its site, with the October 2026 schedule already up. The weekday hours are 9:30 to 16:00. The menu runs from a smoked salmon wrap and a BLAT sandwich to gapao rice and a beef burger, with a vegetable burger on the takeaway list. It takes no reservations and asks callers to wait until it opens, so walk in and order at the counter. Tips: - The café asks drivers not to use other businesses' car parks nearby. Q: What are the opening hours of Sounds Like Cafe? A: Sounds Like Cafe keeps these hours: Mon–Fri 09:30–16:00. Q: What should you order at Sounds Like Cafe? A: At Sounds Like Cafe, order smoked salmon wrap, or beef burger, or caffè latte. Q: Do you need a reservation at Sounds Like Cafe? A: Sounds Like Cafe: No reservations. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.sounds-like-cafe.com/ https://hakuba.com/blogs/50-hakuba-restaurants-to-try-in-summer https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/771633760 ### Sukeza URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/sukeza-gohei-mochi Type: Place to eat Local name: 助さ (ja) Also known as: Sukesa, Sukeza gohei mochi Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 165 Kiyomi-cho Mikkamachi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.12207, 137.18198 Kind: Sweets Hours: Opening hours are not published on the tourism office page. Cuisine: Japanese snacks Address: 165 Kiyomi-cho Mikkamachi, Takayama, Gifu Website: https://ameblo.jp/oyasumitokoro-sukesa Summary: Sukeza suits anyone who wants gohei mochi grilled to order with Hida's egoma sauce. The trade-off is the drive, since the shop sits in Kiyomi outside central Takayama. Sukeza makes only gohei mochi. It prepares them each morning and grills them to order with a sauce made from egoma, which is the perilla seed Hida grows. In spring 2024 it moved to the Wood Forum Hida car park in Kiyomi. Q: When is Sukeza open? A: Sukeza is open opening hours are not published on the tourism office page. Q: What should you order at Sukeza? A: At Sukeza, order gohei mochi with egoma sauce. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3518.html ### Suzuya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/suzuya-takayama Type: Place to eat Local name: 民芸食事 寿々や (ja) Also known as: Suzuya Takayama, 寿々や Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 24 Hanakawa-cho, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14244, 137.25569 Kind: Other Hours: The tourism office's Hida beef feature lists 11:00 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 21:00 with last orders at 20:00; days can change with bookings. Closed: Tuesday Cuisine: Hida local cuisine Address: 24 Hanakawa-cho, Takayama, Gifu Website: http://suzuyatakayama.ec-net.jp Summary: Suzuya suits a hoba miso steak in a dining room built in the old Takayama style, six minutes from the station. The trade-off is a fairly early dinner, with last orders at 20:00. Suzuya serves the mountain and river food of Hida in a room built in the old local style. The house special is hoba miso steak, where Hida beef, leeks and mushrooms cook on a magnolia leaf in a sweetish miso made with sesame oil, sake and sugar. It is six minutes from the station and has five parking spaces. Q: What are the opening hours of Suzuya? A: Suzuya keeps these hours: Mon 11:00-15:00, 17:00-21:00; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:00-15:00, 17:00-21:00. Q: What should you order at Suzuya? A: At Suzuya, order hoba miso steak with Hida beef. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3105.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/special/detail_269.html ### Tachinomi En URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/tachinomi-en-yamagata Type: Place to eat Local name: 立ち飲み 円 (ja) Also known as: 立ち飲み円, Tachinomi En Yamagata, En standing bar Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Yamagata Address: 山形県山形市香澄町1-6-1 Coordinates: 38.24832, 140.33006 Kind: Bar Closed: Sunday Price: ¥¥ Prices: Tabelog reviewers in 2026 report ¥2,000 to ¥3,999 a head. The bar publishes no menu. Reservations: No reservations (Tabelog). Payment: Cards, e-money and QR codes (Tabelog) Cuisine: sake, standing bar Address: 山形県山形市香澄町1-6-1 Price band: ¥¥ Summary: Tachinomi En suits a solo traveller who wants a glass of Yamagata sake within sight of the station, and the trade-off is a standing room that allows smoking. En is a standing bar about 230 metres from Yamagata Station, and Tabelog put it on its list of the 100 best standing bars for 2025. Two women run the counter and pour a long list of Yamagata sake by the glass. Reviewers through the summer of 2026 describe a room that fills soon after the 17:30 opening, with imoni and small plates to eat standing up. A Tabelog reviewer paid ¥600 for a glass of Asahi Taka in June 2026. Tips: - A ¥220 cover charge comes with a small dish; reviewers say you can decline it. - Arrive near opening to get a spot at the counter. Q: What are the opening hours of Tachinomi En? A: Tachinomi En keeps these hours: Mon–Sat 17:30–23:00; Sun closed. Q: What should you order at Tachinomi En? A: At Tachinomi En, order yamagata sake by the glass, or imoni when it is on the board. Q: Do you need a reservation at Tachinomi En? A: Tachinomi En: No reservations (Tabelog). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://s.tabelog.com/en/yamagata/A0601/A060101/6010930/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/yamagata/A0601/A060101/6010930/dtlrvwlst/ ### Takahashi-ke URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/takahashi-ke-hakuba Type: Place to eat Local name: 髙橋家 (ja) Also known as: Takahashike, Takahashi Ke Ramen, 高橋家 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Coordinates: 36.65600, 137.84794 Kind: Ramen Hours: Hakuba.com (2025): weekdays 11:30–15:00 and 17:00–20:00; weekends 11:30–21:00, last order 20:00. OpenStreetMap lists Monday to Wednesday as 14:00–20:00 instead. Closed: Thursdays and Fridays Cuisine: Ramen, Gyoza On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: Takahashi-ke suits Goryu skiers and valley riders who want a bowl of tantan ramen and a draft beer at the bottom of the hill, and it shuts on Thursdays and Fridays. Takahashi-ke runs out of a container building at the edge of Goryu, according to Japan Ski Experience, and pours draft beer with its ramen and gyoza. The spicy tantan bowl is the one people come back for. Hakuba.com's 2025 list gives weekday hours of 11:30 to 15:00 and 17:00 to 20:00, with weekends running straight through to 21:00. It sits close to the Goryu base, which makes it an easy last stop before the drive or the bus home. Q: What are the opening hours of Takahashi-ke? A: Takahashi-ke keeps these hours: Mon–Wed 11:30-15:00, 17:00-20:00; Thu closed; Fri closed; Sat–Sun 11:30–21:00. Q: What should you order at Takahashi-ke? A: At Takahashi-ke, order tantan ramen, or miso ramen with gyoza, or a draft beer after the last run. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakuba.com/blogs/50-hakuba-restaurants-to-try-in-summer https://japanskiexperience.com/news-and-articles/hakuba-restaurant-guide https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/13615928601 ### Takino URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/takino-aizu-wakamatsu Type: Place to eat Local name: 田季野 (ja) Also known as: 田季野, Ganso Wappa-meshi Takino, 元祖輪箱飯 田季野, Takino wappa meshi Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Fukushima Town: Aizu-Wakamatsu Address: 5-31 Sakaemachi, Aizu-Wakamatsu, Fukushima 965-0871 Coordinates: 37.49645, 139.93098 Kind: Other Hours: Last orders an hour before closing. Hours change over New Year, Obon and Silver Week, and Takino posts them on its news page. Closed: Open every day Price: ¥¥ From: ¥2,420 each (2026), about CAD 22 or USD 15 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Wappa-meshi runs from ¥2,420 to ¥3,520 with sides. Single dishes start at ¥660, and the Aizu kaiseki course costs ¥5,500 by reservation. Reservations: Reservations accepted, and needed for kaiseki and for breakfast. Vegetarian: The zenmai fern and mushroom boxes carry no meat or fish on top. Takino does not say whether the rice is cooked in stock. Cuisine: Aizu cooking, wappa-meshi Address: 5-31 Sakaemachi, Aizu-Wakamatsu, Fukushima 965-0871 Price from: ¥2,420 each (2026), about CAD 22 or USD 15 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: http://www.takino.jp/ Summary: Takino suits anyone in Aizu-Wakamatsu who wants wappa-meshi (rice steamed with toppings in a round cypress box) at the restaurant that calls itself the dish's originator, and the trade-off is a walk of about a kilometre from Nanukamachi Station. Takino's building first stood at Itozawa on the Shimotsuke Kaido road towards Nikko, where it served as the magistrate's office, and it was moved to Aizu-Wakamatsu and rebuilt, so you eat among heavy beams and dark timber. The salmon box and the mushroom box each cost ¥2,420 with two small starters and miso soup. The seven-topping yokubari box costs ¥2,750, and crab or salmon roe raises the price to ¥3,520. Add a bowl of the Aizu soup called kozuyu for ¥660. Takino opens every day of the year from 11:00 to 20:00 and closes an hour earlier on Sundays. It sits on Kanetsukido-koji lane in Sakaemachi, about 1.2 km from Nanukamachi Station, with parking for 40 cars across two lots. Breakfast has run by reservation since April 2026. Tips: - Order the Aizu Monogatari set (¥2,750) if you want local soba alongside the five-topping box. - Book ahead for the Aizu kaiseki course, which costs ¥5,500 and changes with the season. Q: How much does Takino cost? A: Prices at Takino start at ¥2,420 each (2026), about CAD 22 or USD 15 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Takino? A: Takino keeps these hours: Mon–Sat 11:00–20:00; Sun 11:00–19:00. Q: What should you order at Takino? A: At Takino, order gosshu wappa with five toppings (¥2,530), or herring pickled with sansho leaf (nishin sansho-zuke, ¥1,100). Q: Do you need a reservation at Takino? A: Takino: Reservations accepted, and needed for kaiseki and for breakfast. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.takino.jp/ http://www.takino.jp/menu/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/fukushima/A0705/A070501/7000102/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E7%A6%8F%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E4%BC%9A%E6%B4%A5%E8%8B%A5%E6%9D%BE%E5%B8%82%E6%A0%84%E7%94%BA5-31 ### Tamamura Honten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/tamamura-honten Type: Place to eat Local name: 玉村本店 (ja) Also known as: Shiga Kogen Beer, Engi sake, 志賀高原ビール, 縁喜 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Yamanouchi Address: 長野県下高井郡山ノ内町大字平穏1163 Coordinates: 36.73272, 138.43216 Kind: Sake brewery Hours: Monday to Saturday 9:00–17:30. Hours can change without notice. Closed: Sundays Reservations: No booking needed; large tour buses are refused. Cuisine: Sake, Craft beer Address: 長野県下高井郡山ノ内町大字平穏1163 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://www.tamamura-honten.co.jp/?mode=f1 Summary: Tamamura Honten suits anyone curious about the sake and beer of the Shiga Kogen foothills, and the shop closes on Sundays. Tamamura Honten has brewed Engi sake in Yamanouchi since 1805, and it started brewing Shiga Kogen Beer in 2004. The brewery's gallery and shop sit a minute's walk from the Kutsuno bus stop and sell Engi, New Engi, Shiga Kogen Beer and Yamabushi, with paid tastings at the counter. It opens Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 17:30. The brewery asks tour coaches to stay away because it has no facilities for large groups. Tips: - Tamamura's winter beer pub TEPPA ROOM at Ichinose in Shiga Kogen did not open for the 2025 season, according to the brewery's page. Q: What are the opening hours of Tamamura Honten? A: Tamamura Honten keeps these hours: Mon–Sat 09:00–17:30; Sun closed. Q: What should you order at Tamamura Honten? A: At Tamamura Honten, order a paid tasting of Engi sake, or shiga Kogen Beer to take back to the hotel. Q: Do you need a reservation at Tamamura Honten? A: Tamamura Honten: No booking needed; large tour buses are refused. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tamamura-honten.co.jp/?mode=f1 https://www.tamamura-honten.co.jp/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4687974407 ### Tamaruya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/tamaruya Type: Place to eat Local name: 麺彩房 田丸屋 (ja) Also known as: Tamaruya Mizusawa udon, Mizusawa udon Tamaruya, 田丸屋 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Address: 206-1 Mizusawa, Ikaho-machi, Shibukawa, Gunma 377-0103 Coordinates: 36.47966, 138.92899 Kind: Udon Hours: Open 9:00–15:00 until the noodles sell out. Closed Wednesdays. Closed: Wednesdays Cuisine: udon Address: 206-1 Mizusawa, Ikaho-machi, Shibukawa, Gunma 377-0103 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://mizusawaudontamaruya.jp/ Summary: Tamaruya suits a Mizusawa udon pilgrimage to the shop that calls itself the founder of the style, and it closes mid-afternoon or earlier. Tamaruya has kept a shop at the gate of Mizusawa Kannon since Tensho 10 (1582) and calls itself the original Mizusawa udon house. It makes two noodles: a white udon of domestic flour only, and Koden Kirimugi, a whole-wheat noodle from wheat it stone-grinds itself. Both use Mizusawa water and natural salt, and the broth draws on three kinds of kelp. Buses run from Shibukawa Station toward Ikaho and stop at Mizusawa after about 20 minutes. The shop opened every day through Golden Week in 2026. Q: What are the opening hours of Tamaruya? A: Tamaruya keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 09:00–15:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 09:00–15:00. Q: What should you order at Tamaruya? A: At Tamaruya, order white juwari Mizusawa udon, cold, with dipping sauce, or koden Kirimugi, whole-wheat udon stone-ground in-house. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://mizusawaudontamaruya.jp/ https://mizusawaudontamaruya.jp/access.html https://mizusawaudontamaruya.jp/info.html https://www.ikaho-kankou.com/eat/udon/ ### Tamura Ginkatsutei URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/tamura-ginkatsutei Type: Place to eat Local name: 田むら銀かつ亭 本店 (ja) Also known as: Ginkatsutei, 銀かつ亭, Ginkatsu-tei Gora, Tamura Ginkatsu-tei Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Kanagawa Town: Hakone Address: 神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町強羅1300-739 Coordinates: 35.25060, 139.04928 Kind: Other Hours: Times are last entry; the shop closes at 21:00, or 16:00 on Tuesday. It announces temporary closures on its website. Closed: Wednesday, and Tuesday evening Price: ¥¥ From: ¥1,793 per person (2026), about CAD 16 or USD 11 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Tofu katsu-ni set ¥1,793; the full tofu katsu-ni gozen ¥2,805. Reservations: No reservations Vegetarian: The tofu katsu-ni is built on tofu, but ask whether minced meat or meat stock goes into it. Cuisine: Tonkatsu, Tofu Address: 神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町強羅1300-739 Price from: ¥1,793 per person (2026), about CAD 16 or USD 11 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: http://ginkatsutei.jp/ Summary: Ginkatsutei suits visitors to Gora who want its tofu katsu-ni, a Hakone dish this shop made famous, and the trade-off is a no-booking room of twenty seats with long lunchtime queues. Ginkatsutei has fed Gora since 1972, two minutes from Gora station at the top of the Hakone Tozan line. Its signature is tofu katsu-ni, fried tofu katsu simmered and served bubbling in an iron pot. The set meal costs ¥1,793, and loin katsu sets start at ¥3,135. The shop takes no reservations, so aim for the 11:00 opening or the 17:00 evening sitting. Wednesday is the day off, and Tuesday it serves lunch only. Winter is a good season to come, because a hot iron pot after the cold ride up on the Hakone Tozan train makes sense of the dish. Tips: - Last entry is 14:30 for lunch and 19:00 for dinner. - The company runs other branches in Odawara and at Gotemba Premium Outlets if Gora is full. Q: How much does Tamura Ginkatsutei cost? A: Prices at Tamura Ginkatsutei start at ¥1,793 per person (2026), about CAD 16 or USD 11 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Tamura Ginkatsutei? A: Tamura Ginkatsutei keeps these hours: Mon 11:00-14:30, 17:00-19:00; Tue 11:00–14:30; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 11:00-14:30, 17:00-19:00. Q: What should you order at Tamura Ginkatsutei? A: At Tamura Ginkatsutei, order tofu katsu-ni set meal, or loin katsu gozen with Fuji black pork. Q: Do you need a reservation at Tamura Ginkatsutei? A: Tamura Ginkatsutei: No reservations. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://ginkatsutei.jp/ http://ginkatsutei.jp/ginkatsutei-menu/ https://retty.me/area/PRE14/ARE30/SUB3002/100000056236/ ### Tanabe-ya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/tanabeya-sendai Type: Place to eat Local name: 牛タン牛テール料理 たなべ家 (ja) Also known as: たなべ家, Tanabeya, Tanabe Ya, 牛タン たなべ家 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Miyagi Town: Sendai Address: 宮城県仙台市青葉区上杉1-7-27 Coordinates: 38.27113, 140.87085 Kind: Yakiniku Hours: The shop's site gives last orders at 13:30, 20:00 and 14:30 on weekends and holidays, and posts a monthly calendar of irregular closures. Sendai's tourism guide still lists weekends as closed, so trust the shop's calendar. Closed: Monday plus irregular days Price: ¥¥ From: ¥1,550 each (2026), about CAD 14 or USD 9.80 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Prices come from the shop's own menu page. Reservations: Tabelog says bookings are taken; the city guide says they are not, so phone first. Payment: Cards, e-money and QR codes Vegetarian: None. Cuisine: gyutan, oxtail Address: 宮城県仙台市青葉区上杉1-7-27 Price from: ¥1,550 each (2026), about CAD 14 or USD 9.80 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.tanabeya-sendai.jp/ Summary: Tanabe-ya suits gyutan fans who want the Tasuke recipe from a founder's grandson at a neighbourhood price, and the trade-off is a weekend menu cut down to a few dishes. The owner of Tanabe-ya is a grandson of Sano Keishiro, the Aji Tasuke founder credited with the Sendai gyutan set. He has cooked for 45 years and run this room in the government district for 28, and he calls it a town set-meal shop now. The traditional set brings three slices of grilled tongue, and the menu adds oxtail ramen that took five years to develop along with house corned tongue. It sits three minutes on foot from Kita-Yobancho subway station, well away from the station queues. Tips: - Come on a weekday for the full menu; Saturday, Sunday and holidays run a short list with tongue katsu. - Parties of eight or more can book the whole room. Q: How much does Tanabe-ya cost? A: Prices at Tanabe-ya start at ¥1,550 each (2026), about CAD 14 or USD 9.80 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Tanabe-ya? A: Tanabe-ya keeps these hours: Mon closed; Tue–Fri 11:30-14:00, 17:00-20:30; Sat–Sun 11:00–15:00. Q: What should you order at Tanabe-ya? A: At Tanabe-ya, order the gyutan set with barley rice and tail soup, or oxtail ramen. Q: Do you need a reservation at Tanabe-ya? A: Tanabe-ya: Tabelog says bookings are taken; the city guide says they are not, so phone first. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tanabeya-sendai.jp/ https://www.sentabi.jp/features/42 https://s.tabelog.com/en/miyagi/A0401/A040101/4003572/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%AE%AE%E5%9F%8E%E7%9C%8C%E4%BB%99%E5%8F%B0%E5%B8%82%E9%9D%92%E8%91%89%E5%8C%BA%E4%B8%8A%E6%9D%89%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE7-27 ### Tatra-kan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/tatra-kan Type: Place to eat Local name: タトラ館 (ja) Also known as: Tatra, Tatora, Myokokogen Beer Hall Tatra Kan, Alpen Blick Beer Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Ikenotaira Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市池の平温泉2457-2 Coordinates: 36.86760, 138.16820 Kind: Brewery Hours: Last entry 19:30 for a 90-minute sitting; closed days follow Hotel Alpen Blick's calendar. Reservations: Book by the day before unless you are staying at Hotel Alpen Blick. Cuisine: buffet, craft beer Address: 新潟県妙高市池の平温泉2457-2 Website: https://alpenblick-resort.com/restaurant Summary: Tatra-kan suits families and groups who want a big buffet with beer brewed on site, and its trade-off is a 90-minute slot you must book the day before. Tatra-kan is the brewery restaurant of Hotel Alpen Blick in Ikenotaira, a 400-seat hall styled on a European town square with the brew kit in view. The house makes Myoko Kogen Alpen Blick Beer from local snowmelt water, with three year-round styles and three limited ones. Dinner is a buffet of tempura and teppanyaki with local dishes such as sasa-zushi. It runs from 17:30 to 21:00 with last entry at 19:30, and each table gets 90 minutes. If you are not staying at the hotel, book by the day before. Q: What are the opening hours of Tatra-kan? A: Tatra-kan keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 17:30–21:00. Q: What should you order at Tatra-kan? A: At Tatra-kan, order the dark lager, or sasa-zushi from the buffet. Q: Do you need a reservation at Tatra-kan? A: Tatra-kan: Book by the day before unless you are staying at Hotel Alpen Blick. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://alpenblick-resort.com/restaurant https://alpenblick-resort.com/beer https://myokotourism.com/restaurants/tatra/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?format=json&q=タトラ館 ### Tenka Chaya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/tenka-chaya Type: Place to eat Local name: 天下茶屋 (ja) Also known as: Tenkachaya, Misaka Pass teahouse, 御坂峠 天下茶屋, Tenka-chaya Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Town: Kawaguchiko Address: 山梨県南都留郡富士河口湖町河口2739 Coordinates: 35.55650, 138.76360 Kind: Other Hours: Open 10:00–17:00 with no fixed closing day. In winter it may close when weather shuts the pass road. Closed: No fixed closing day; weather closures in winter Price: ¥ From: ¥580 per person (2026), about CAD 5.20 or USD 3.70 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Mushroom hoto nabe costs ¥1,350 and sansho miso dengaku ¥580 (March 2026 listing). Payment: Cash only Vegetarian: The hoto uses no meat, according to Yamanashi's tourism board. Check the stock if you avoid fish. Cuisine: Hoto, Teahouse Address: 山梨県南都留郡富士河口湖町河口2739 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥580 per person (2026), about CAD 5.20 or USD 3.70 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.tenkachaya.jp/ Summary: Tenka Chaya suits riders who climb the old Misaka Pass for the view of Fuji over Lake Kawaguchi, and the trade-off is a winter road that can close for snow and take the teahouse's opening with it. The teahouse opened in 1934 to feed people crossing Misaka Pass, and it still sits at the top of the old road at about 1,300 metres. On a clear day the window frames Mount Fuji above Lake Kawaguchi. Dazai Osamu set part of his story Fugaku Hyakkei here, and the upstairs memorial room keeps the desk and brazier he used during his stay. The hoto is vegetable only. Yamanashi's tourism board says the kitchen simmers house-made noodles with plenty of vegetables in local miso and uses no meat at all, and its March 2026 listing prices the mushroom hoto nabe at ¥1,350. Sansho miso dengaku at ¥580 makes a quick snack at the top of the climb. In winter the shop's own site says snow closures on the pass road mean some days off, and it suggests a clear day for the snow-covered Fuji with a cup of warm amazake. Tips: - Bring cash; the teahouse takes no cards. - Parking holds about ten cars, so weekend afternoons in autumn fill it quickly. - A branch called Toge no Chaya sits partway up the mountain road. Q: How much does Tenka Chaya cost? A: Prices at Tenka Chaya start at ¥580 per person (2026), about CAD 5.20 or USD 3.70 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Tenka Chaya? A: Tenka Chaya keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Tenka Chaya? A: At Tenka Chaya, order mushroom hoto nabe, or sansho miso dengaku, or amazake on a cold day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tenkachaya.jp/ https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/special/gourmet_hoto.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11488874 https://retty.me/area/PRE19/ARE259/SUB37202/100000844011/ ### Tenmonkan Mujyaki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/tenmonkan-mujyaki Type: Place to eat Local name: 天文館むじゃき (ja) Also known as: Mujaki, Mujyaki shirokuma, Shirokuma Kagoshima, 白熊 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kagoshima Town: Kagoshima Address: 1F Tenmonkan Mujyaki Building, 5-8 Sennichi-cho, Kagoshima Coordinates: 31.58920, 130.55610 Kind: Sweets Hours: Last orders 18:15 for food and 18:30 for shirokuma and drinks. Hours change with the season and the weather. Closed: Irregular, with seasonal changes Reservations: No bookings. Vegetarian: Shirokuma is milk, ice and fruit. Cuisine: sweets, Kagoshima Address: 1F Tenmonkan Mujyaki Building, 5-8 Sennichi-cho, Kagoshima Website: https://mujyaki.co.jp/wp/honten1f/ Summary: Mujyaki suits anyone in Kagoshima on a warm afternoon who wants shirokuma where it was invented, and the queue is longest in summer. Mujyaki's founder Kubo Takeshi created shirokuma in 1947 and began selling it in 1949. The shaved ice comes under a house condensed milk, and raisins, cherries and green angelica sit on top so that, seen from above, the bowl looks like a polar bear's face, which gave it the name. The family keeps the milk recipe secret. The first floor of the Tenmonkan building is the shirokuma café, refitted in 2015, with 14 kinds on the menu, and a window by the entrance sells a smaller cup to carry. Tips: - A second branch in the basement of Amu Plaza at Kagoshima-Chuo Station opens until 20:00. Q: What are the opening hours of Tenmonkan Mujyaki? A: Tenmonkan Mujyaki keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–19:00. Q: What should you order at Tenmonkan Mujyaki? A: At Tenmonkan Mujyaki, order shirokuma, the original shaved ice with condensed milk and fruit, or a handy shirokuma to eat on the street from the window by the door. Q: Do you need a reservation at Tenmonkan Mujyaki? A: Tenmonkan Mujyaki: No bookings. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://mujyaki.co.jp/wp/honten1f/ https://mujyaki.co.jp/wp/about/ https://mujyaki.co.jp/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=鹿児島市千日町5-8 ### Meibutsu Tenmusu Senju URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/tenmusu-senju-osu Type: Place to eat Local name: めいふつ天むす 千寿 (ja) Also known as: Senju, Tenmusu Senju, 千寿, 天むす千寿 Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Town: Nagoya Address: 4-10-82 Osu, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 460-0011 Coordinates: 35.15963, 136.90624 Kind: Other Hours: Takeaway 8:30 to 18:00; the eat-in counter serves 12:00 to 14:00. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Closed: Tuesdays and Wednesdays Price: ¥ From: ¥825 per person (2026), about CAD 7.40 or USD 5.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Eat in for ¥825 with extra pieces at ¥165. Takeaway boxes run from ¥810 for five to ¥2,430 for fifteen. Vegetarian: No. Every rice ball holds a prawn tempura. Cuisine: tenmusu Address: 4-10-82 Osu, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 460-0011 Price from: ¥825 per person (2026), about CAD 7.40 or USD 5.20 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Summary: Senju suits anyone who wants tenmusu from the shop that brought it to Nagoya in 1981, and the counter only serves from noon to 14:00. Tenmusu began in the 1950s as a staff lunch at Senju, a tempura restaurant in Tsu, Mie, when the owner tucked cut prawn tempura into a rice ball. In 1980 a Nagoya watchmaker's wife spent a month persuading the founders to teach her, and she opened this Senju in Osu in 1981. Nagoya's tourism site says it uses small local prawns and Koshihikari rice from Hokuriku. Takeaway boxes sell from 8:30, and the eat-in counter opens 12:00 to 14:00. It's three minutes from Kamimaezu subway station. Q: How much does Meibutsu Tenmusu Senju cost? A: Prices at Meibutsu Tenmusu Senju start at ¥825 per person (2026), about CAD 7.40 or USD 5.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Meibutsu Tenmusu Senju? A: Meibutsu Tenmusu Senju keeps these hours: Mon 08:30–18:00; Thu–Sun 08:30–18:00. Q: What should you order at Meibutsu Tenmusu Senju? A: At Meibutsu Tenmusu Senju, order the eat-in set, ¥825, or a takeaway box of five for the train, ¥810. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nagoya-info.jp/gourmet/detail/21/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A9%E3%82%80%E3%81%99 ### Grill & Bar The Campfire Minakami URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/the-campfire-minakami Type: Place to eat Also known as: The Campfire Minakami, Campfire Minakami, MIDORI SOW Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 963 Yubara, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Coordinates: 36.76612, 138.96973 Kind: Other Hours: Lunch 11:30–14:30 (last order 14:00), dinner 17:30–21:30 (last order 21:00) and the bar 20:00–23:00. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays Cuisine: steak, grill, bar Address: 963 Yubara, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Website: https://thecampfire.jp/restrantbar-minakami/ Summary: The Campfire Minakami suits a big steak dinner and cocktails above the Tone River in Minakami Onsen, and it closes on Mondays and Tuesdays. The Campfire takes the upper floor of MIDORI SOW, a small complex beside the Tone River, under bare roof beams with river views at lunch. Gunma beef, Masuda beef above all, goes on an iron plate in the open kitchen as steak or hamburg. OCTONE beer from the brewery up the road is on tap, and the bar stays open until 23:00. Q: What are the opening hours of Grill & Bar The Campfire Minakami? A: Grill & Bar The Campfire Minakami keeps these hours: Mon closed; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:30-14:30,17:30-23:00. Q: What should you order at Grill & Bar The Campfire Minakami? A: At Grill & Bar The Campfire Minakami, order masuda beef steak off the iron plate, or a hamburg steak of Gunma beef with an OCTONE beer. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/8096/ ### The City Bakery Hakuba Mountain Harbor URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/the-city-bakery-hakuba-mountain-harbor Type: Place to eat Local name: THE CITY BAKERY 白馬マウンテンハーバー (ja) Also known as: City Bakery Hakuba, Hakuba Mountain Harbor bakery, Iwatake City Bakery Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: 長野県北安曇郡白馬村大字北城12056 Coordinates: 36.72962, 137.83831 Kind: Bakery Hours: 9:00–15:30, varying by season, with temporary closures. Cuisine: Bakery, Café Address: 長野県北安曇郡白馬村大字北城12056 Website: https://thecitybakery.jp/shop/hakuba.html Summary: The City Bakery at Hakuba Mountain Harbor suits coffee and fresh bread on Iwatake's summit terrace at 1,289 metres, and its hours change with the season and the lifts. The City Bakery runs its Hakuba branch at Hakuba Mountain Harbor on the summit of Hakuba Iwatake, with 40 seats and a terrace at 1,289 metres facing the Northern Alps. The shop page gives 9:00 to 15:30 and points to the Mountain Harbor site for the current timetable. Hakuba.com's 2025 list adds sandwiches and baked goods from the deli. Go on a clear morning, because the view is the reason to be up there. Q: What are the opening hours of The City Bakery Hakuba Mountain Harbor? A: The City Bakery Hakuba Mountain Harbor keeps these hours: Daily 09:00–15:30. Q: What should you order at The City Bakery Hakuba Mountain Harbor? A: At The City Bakery Hakuba Mountain Harbor, order coffee and a pastry on the terrace, or a deli sandwich. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://thecitybakery.jp/shop/hakuba.html https://hakuba.com/blogs/50-hakuba-restaurants-to-try-in-summer https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/6722950186 ### The Farmhouse URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/the-farmhouse-shiga Type: Place to eat Local name: ザ・ファームハウス (ja) Also known as: The Farmhouse Shiga Kogen, Farmhouse Kanbayashi, ザ・ファームハウス Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Yamanouchi Address: 長野県下高井郡山ノ内町平穏1403-2 Coordinates: 36.72942, 138.44173 Kind: Bar Hours: The brewery publishes hours on Instagram (@the.farmhouse.shiga). OpenStreetMap still shows Wednesday to Monday 12:00–23:00 from before the reopening. Cuisine: Craft beer, Bar Address: 長野県下高井郡山ノ内町平穏1403-2 After skiing: A good stop after the last lift Website: https://www.tamamura-honten.co.jp/?mode=f1 Summary: The Farmhouse suits a Shiga Kogen Beer on tap after the snow monkeys, and it posts its hours on Instagram only. The Farmhouse is Tamamura Honten's own taproom and bar, and it reopened in July 2026 in the old Shiga-yama Bunko building. It sits about five minutes' walk from the Snow Monkey Park bus stop, which is eight to ten minutes by Nagaden bus from Yudanaka Station or about 50 minutes on the direct express from Nagano Station's east exit. The brewery's page sends visitors to Instagram for opening times. Pair it with the Jigokudani walk and let someone else drive. Tips: - Après: the bus stop for the snow monkeys is five minutes' walk away. Q: When is The Farmhouse open? A: The Farmhouse is open the brewery publishes hours on Instagram (@the.farmhouse.shiga). OpenStreetMap still shows Wednesday to Monday 12:00–23:00 from before the reopening. Q: What should you order at The Farmhouse? A: At The Farmhouse, order shiga Kogen Beer on tap. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tamamura-honten.co.jp/?mode=f1 https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/5311537521 ### The Fujiya Gohonjin URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/the-fujiya-gohonjin Type: Place to eat Local name: 藤屋御本陳 (ja) Also known as: Fujiya Gohonjin, Fujiya Ryokan, THE FUJIYA GOHONJIN Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nagano Address: 長野県長野市大門町80 Coordinates: 36.65707, 138.18805 Kind: Other Hours: OpenStreetMap lists lunch 11:00–15:00 every day, with dinner from 17:30 Monday to Friday and from 19:00 at weekends. The restaurant posts monthly hours on its site. Closed: No regular closing day Reservations: Reservations open on the first day of the month before; weekday seats can be booked online. Cuisine: Italian, Western Address: 長野県長野市大門町80 Website: https://www.thefujiyagohonjin.com/ Summary: The Fujiya Gohonjin suits a long lunch or a dinner in an old inn on the approach to Zenko-ji, and popular dates book out from the first of the month before. The Fujiya Gohonjin occupies the old Fujiya ryokan in Daimon-cho, on the approach to Zenko-ji, and serves lunch and dinner with a café beside the dining room. Children are welcome and there is no dress code, and the restaurant keeps no regular closing day. Bookings for each month open on the first day of the month before, and weekday seats can be booked online. The 2026 calendar has carried wine dinners and seasonal lunches, so look at the events page before you pick a date. Q: When is The Fujiya Gohonjin open? A: The Fujiya Gohonjin is open openStreetMap lists lunch 11:00–15:00 every day, with dinner from 17:30 Monday to Friday and from 19:00 at weekends. The restaurant posts monthly hours on its site and closed no regular closing day. Q: What should you order at The Fujiya Gohonjin? A: At The Fujiya Gohonjin, order the lunch course, or a glass at the bar after dinner. Q: Do you need a reservation at The Fujiya Gohonjin? A: The Fujiya Gohonjin: Reservations open on the first day of the month before; weekday seats can be booked online. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.thefujiyagohonjin.com/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/663467729 ### The Restaurant at Onomichi U2 URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/the-restaurant-onomichi-u2 Type: Place to eat Also known as: The RESTAURANT, Onomichi U2 restaurant, KOG BAR, U2 The Restaurant Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: 広島県尾道市西御所町5-11 ONOMICHI U2 Coordinates: 34.40242, 133.19045 Kind: Other Hours: Weekday lunch takes last orders at 14:30. On weekends and holidays food stops at 15:00 and desserts and drinks at 15:30. Dinner takes last orders at 21:00, and breakfast from 7:30 is for hotel guests only. Open year-round. Closed: Open year-round Price: ¥¥ Prices: Tabelog lists lunch at ¥2,000 to ¥2,999 a head and dinner at ¥4,000 to ¥4,999. Reservations: Bookings by phone on 0848-21-0563 or through the U2 site. Payment: Cards accepted (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners) Vegetarian: The lunch salad bar and the pizza and pasta list give some choice; ask staff which dishes are meat-free. Cuisine: Grill, Italian, Seafood Address: 広島県尾道市西御所町5-11 ONOMICHI U2 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: Yard Café in the same building runs a cycle-through counter on the sea side with bottle refills for riders. Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://onomichi-u2.com/meal/ Summary: The Restaurant suits riders who want a proper sit-down meal with harbour views at the Onomichi end of the Shimanami, and it costs well over what a ramen counter charges. ONOMICHI U2 began life in 1943 as a prefectural shipping warehouse, and since March 2014 it has held a cyclists' hotel and a GIANT store alongside this restaurant. Lunch centres on wood-fired pizza and seasonal pasta, served with a salad bar of local vegetables and bread from Butti Bakery a few steps away. At dinner the kitchen grills local fish and game over charcoal. KOG BAR at the counter seats you on stools with pedals and saddles facing the Onomichi Channel. The building is a five-minute walk west of Onomichi Station. Tips: - Spending ¥2,000 or more across U2's shops earns an hour of free parking at the harbour car park next door. Q: What are the opening hours of The Restaurant at Onomichi U2? A: The Restaurant at Onomichi U2 keeps these hours: Mon–Fri 11:30-15:00, 17:30-21:30; Sat–Sun 11:30-16:00, 17:30-21:30. Q: What should you order at The Restaurant at Onomichi U2? A: At The Restaurant at Onomichi U2, order wood-fired pizza or seasonal pasta at lunch, or charcoal-grilled Setouchi fish or the local seafood paella at dinner. Q: Do you need a reservation at The Restaurant at Onomichi U2? A: The Restaurant at Onomichi U2: Bookings by phone on 0848-21-0563 or through the U2 site. Q: Can you park a bike at The Restaurant at Onomichi U2? A: The Restaurant at Onomichi U2: yard Café in the same building runs a cycle-through counter on the sea side with bottle refills for riders. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://onomichi-u2.com/meal/ https://onomichi-u2.com/about/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/spot/onomichi-u2-hotel-cycle https://s.tabelog.com/en/hiroshima/A3406/A340302/34019254/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E8%A5%BF%E5%BE%A1%E6%89%80%E7%94%BA5-11 ### Tokuzomaru Honten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/tokuzomaru-honten Type: Place to eat Local name: 網元料理 徳造丸 本店 (ja) Also known as: Tokuzomaru, Tokuzoumaru, 徳造丸, Tokuzomaru Inatori Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Address: 静岡県賀茂郡東伊豆町稲取798 Coordinates: 34.77066, 139.04355 Kind: Other Hours: Weekday last orders 16:00; weekend and holiday hours 10:30–20:30 with last orders 19:45. Open on Thursday when it is a holiday. Closed: Thursday Price: ¥¥ Prices: Retty puts a meal at up to ¥3,000; a reviewer paid ¥3,200 for a kinmedai tasting set. Reservations: No table bookings at peak times. Payment: Cards, PayPay and IC cards (Retty) Vegetarian: None; the menu is fish and seafood. Cuisine: Seafood, Kinmedai Address: 静岡県賀茂郡東伊豆町稲取798 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: The shop lists about ten motorcycle spaces beside 40 car spaces. It publishes nothing about bicycles. Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://1930.bz/amimoto/honten/ Summary: Tokuzomaru's original shop suits anyone riding or driving the east Izu coast who wants simmered kinmedai beside the boats that land it, and the trade-off is a no-booking rule at busy times. Tokuzomaru opened on the Inatori harbour front in August 1971, and kinmedai, the red-skinned splendid alfonsino landed along this coast, still anchors the menu. The building has namako-kabe walls of black tile and white plaster, with a fish shop on the ground floor where you wait for a table upstairs. Kinmedai nitsuke, the fish simmered whole in sweet soy, is the dish to order. Weekday service ends at 16:45, so a late lunch works better than dinner unless it is a weekend. The shop has parking for 40 cars and about ten motorcycles, which makes it one of the easier stops on Route 135 for anyone on two wheels. Tips: - Recent reviews put the kinmedai set meals around ¥3,200. - The company runs a second Inatori restaurant, Gyoan, on the main road if this one is full. Q: What are the opening hours of Tokuzomaru Honten? A: Tokuzomaru Honten keeps these hours: Mon–Wed 09:30–16:45; Thu closed; Fri 09:30–16:45; Sat–Sun 10:30–20:30. Q: What should you order at Tokuzomaru Honten? A: At Tokuzomaru Honten, order kinmedai nitsuke set meal, or kinmedai sashimi. Q: Do you need a reservation at Tokuzomaru Honten? A: Tokuzomaru Honten: No table bookings at peak times. Q: Can you park a bike at Tokuzomaru Honten? A: Tokuzomaru Honten: the shop lists about ten motorcycle spaces beside 40 car spaces. It publishes nothing about bicycles. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://1930.bz/amimoto/honten/ https://1930.bz/ https://retty.me/area/PRE22/ARE321/SUB32101/100000060548/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%9D%99%E5%B2%A1%E7%9C%8C%E8%B3%80%E8%8C%82%E9%83%A1%E6%9D%B1%E4%BC%8A%E8%B1%86%E7%94%BA%E7%A8%B2%E5%8F%96798 ### Tokuzomaru Shimoda URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/tokuzomaru-shimoda Type: Place to eat Local name: 網元料理 徳造丸 下田店 (ja) Also known as: Tokuzomaru Shimoda Ekimae, 徳造丸 下田, Tokuzoumaru Shimoda Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shimoda Address: 静岡県下田市東本郷1-1-23 Coordinates: 34.67867, 138.94501 Kind: Other Hours: Weekday last orders 16:00; weekend last orders 19:45. Open on Wednesday when it is a holiday. Closed: Wednesday Price: ¥¥ Prices: Retty puts a meal at up to ¥3,000; an Ise lobster sashimi set cost ¥5,995 in 2024. Reservations: No table bookings at peak times. Payment: Cards, PayPay and IC cards (Retty) Vegetarian: None; the menu is fish and seafood. Cuisine: Seafood, Kinmedai Address: 静岡県下田市東本郷1-1-23 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://1930.bz/amimoto/ashimoda/ Summary: Tokuzomaru Shimoda suits anyone finishing an Izu ride or day trip at Izukyu-Shimoda station who wants kinmedai before the train, and the trade-off is a station-front dining room that serves tour groups as well. This branch of the Inatori kinmedai house faces the bus rotary at Izukyu-Shimoda station, with a fish and souvenir shop downstairs and 88 seats above. The kitchen leans toward lunch sets and rice bowls more than the original shop does. A March 2025 reviewer called its kinmedai nitsuke the best of their life, and a March 2026 review came back for the kinmedai feast. Weekday service ends at 16:45, which fits a train home in the late afternoon. Weekends run on into the evening. Tips: - The shop has ten car spaces and five more in a monthly lot near the rotary. Q: What are the opening hours of Tokuzomaru Shimoda? A: Tokuzomaru Shimoda keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 09:30–16:45; Wed closed; Thu–Fri 09:30–16:45; Sat–Sun 10:30–20:30. Q: What should you order at Tokuzomaru Shimoda? A: At Tokuzomaru Shimoda, order kinmedai nitsuke, or kinmedai donburi. Q: Do you need a reservation at Tokuzomaru Shimoda? A: Tokuzomaru Shimoda: No table bookings at peak times. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://1930.bz/amimoto/ashimoda/ https://retty.me/area/PRE22/ARE322/SUB7603/100000009664/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%9D%99%E5%B2%A1%E7%9C%8C%E4%B8%8B%E7%94%B0%E5%B8%82%E6%9D%B1%E6%9C%AC%E9%83%B7%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE1-23 ### Tonjiru Tachibana URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/tonjiru-tachibana Type: Place to eat Local name: とん汁の店 たちばな (ja) Also known as: Tachibana Arai, Tontachi Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Arai Address: 新潟県妙高市栗原2-3-10 Coordinates: 37.04240, 138.26090 Kind: Shokudo Closed: Mondays (Tuesday when Monday is a holiday) Cuisine: Japanese Address: 新潟県妙高市栗原2-3-10 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://tontachi.com/ Summary: Tachibana suits anyone passing Arai who wants the town's own pork soup, and its trade-off is short daytime hours. Tachibana has served tonjiru, a pork and miso soup, since 1972, and Arai people call it their soul food. The bowl keeps to pork and onion with tofu, and the tonjiru ramen is the other dish people come for. Myoko Tourism lists shortened hours of 11:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays or on Tuesday after a holiday. The car park holds 20. Q: What are the opening hours of Tonjiru Tachibana? A: Tonjiru Tachibana keeps these hours: Mon closed; Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Tonjiru Tachibana? A: At Tonjiru Tachibana, order tonjiru with rice, or tonjiru ramen. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://myokotourism.jp/restaurants/%e3%81%a8%e3%82%93%e6%b1%81%e3%81%ae%e5%ba%97-%e3%81%9f%e3%81%a1%e3%81%b0%e3%81%aa/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県妙高市栗原2-3-10 ### Toretore Ichiba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/toretore-ichiba Type: Place to eat Local name: とれとれ市場 (ja) Also known as: Toretore Market, Toretore Park, Toretore Ichiba Minami-Kishu, とれとれ市場南紀白浜 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Wakayama Town: Shirahama Address: 2521 Katata, Shirahama, Nishimuro District, Wakayama 649-2201 Coordinates: 33.68110, 135.37480 Kind: Market Hours: Open 8:30 to 18:30; food orders stop around 17:30. Cuisine: seafood Address: 2521 Katata, Shirahama, Nishimuro District, Wakayama 649-2201 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://www.toretore.com/ichiba/ Summary: Toretore Ichiba suits a seafood lunch on the way into Shirahama, and its trade-off is a location five minutes' drive from the station and away from the beach. Toretore Ichiba is a big seafood market run with the local fishing co-op, with fish counters, a food court, souvenir stalls and a barbecue area under one roof. It opens from 8:30 to 18:30, and the eating areas take last orders around 17:30. The market sits five minutes by car from JR Shirahama station and about ten from Nanki-Shirahama airport. Parking is free. The same Toretore Park site runs an onsen and a sushi restaurant next door. Tips: - The market refuses entry to anyone in swimwear or shirtless, so change after the beach. Q: What are the opening hours of Toretore Ichiba? A: Toretore Ichiba keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:30–18:30. Q: What should you order at Toretore Ichiba? A: At Toretore Ichiba, order fresh sashimi or a seafood bowl from the food corner. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.toretore.com/ https://www.toretore.com/ichiba/ https://www.toretore.com/ichiba/access.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%92%8C%E6%AD%8C%E5%B1%B1%E7%9C%8C%E8%A5%BF%E7%89%9F%E5%A9%81%E9%83%A1%E7%99%BD%E6%B5%9C%E7%94%BA%E5%A0%85%E7%94%B02521 ### Toribayashi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/toribayashi-imabari Type: Place to eat Local name: 鳥林 (ja) Also known as: 鳥林, Toribayashi Imabari, Toririn Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: 愛媛県今治市南大門町1丁目6-17 Coordinates: 34.06570, 132.99620 Kind: Yakitori Hours: The tourism association's shop page gives Thursday as the closed day, while its older yakitori feature page says Sunday. Phone 0898-32-1262 before a Thursday or Sunday visit. Closed: Thursdays, per the tourism association's shop page Price: ¥¥ Prices: The tourism association lists ¥1,000 to ¥3,000 a head. Cuisine: yakitori, Imabari Address: 愛媛県今治市南大門町1丁目6-17 Price band: ¥¥ Summary: Toribayashi suits riders who want old-school Imabari yakitori close to the station, and its trade-off is a closed day that two tourism pages give differently. Toribayashi has cooked only griddle yakitori for close to 40 years by the tourism association's count, and the second-generation owner kept the founder's recipe on taking over. The kitchen uses mature hens (oyadori), which give a chewier bite and a deeper flavour than young birds. Regulars order the kawa first for its crunch. The house senzanki carries a seasoning of its own, and many of the customers come in every day. Tips: - Mapple puts the shop five minutes on foot from Imabari Station, and it has two parking spaces. Q: What are the opening hours of Toribayashi? A: Toribayashi keeps these hours: Mon–Wed 17:00–22:00; Thu closed; Fri–Sun 17:00–22:00. Q: What should you order at Toribayashi? A: At Toribayashi, order kawa, crunchier than at most griddle shops, or senzanki in the house seasoning. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.oideya.gr.jp/gourmet-c/toribayashi/ https://www.oideya.gr.jp/yakitori/index.html https://www.mapple.net/region/a0603070301_g03050500/spot/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/8202530597 ### Restaurant Toyoken URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/toyoken Type: Place to eat Local name: レストラン 東洋軒 (ja) Also known as: Toyoken Beppu, Toyoken toriten, 東洋軒 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Oita Town: Beppu Address: 7-8-22 Ishigaki-higashi, Beppu, Oita 874-0919 Coordinates: 33.30100, 131.49950 Kind: Other Hours: Last orders at 15:00 and 21:00. On weekends and holidays the kitchen serves only its original toriten between 15:00 and 17:00. When the wait is long, reception for lunch can close earlier than the posted time. Closed: Second Tuesday of the month and the New Year holiday Prices: Set courses for groups of four or more cost ¥6,600, ¥8,800 or ¥11,000 a person and need booking ahead. Reservations: Bookings only for set courses for four or more, starting 17:00 to 20:00. Everyone else walks in. Cuisine: Chinese, Oita Address: 7-8-22 Ishigaki-higashi, Beppu, Oita 874-0919 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://www.toyoken-beppu.co.jp/ Summary: Toyoken suits anyone who wants toriten where it started, and it is a big, busy family restaurant away from the station. Miyamoto Shiro, who had cooked at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo and in the imperial household kitchens, opened Toyoken on 1 April 1926 as Oita's first restaurant. Japan's ministry of agriculture credits his kitchen with the first toriten, boneless chicken fried like tempura so that diners did not have to wrestle with bone-in karaage. The family has run it for four generations, and the menu is Chinese at heart with toriten as the star. The restaurant now stands at Ishigaki-higashi in north Beppu, with a second branch in the Tokiwa department store. Tips: - From Beppu Station, Kamenoi bus 24 to Funakoji stops a five-minute walk away. - The restaurant has a 60-space car park. Q: What are the opening hours of Restaurant Toyoken? A: Restaurant Toyoken keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:00-15:30, 17:00-22:00. Q: What should you order at Restaurant Toyoken? A: At Restaurant Toyoken, order honke toriten, the original, as a plate or a set meal. Q: Do you need a reservation at Restaurant Toyoken? A: Restaurant Toyoken: Bookings only for set courses for four or more, starting 17:00 to 20:00. Everyone else walks in. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.toyoken-beppu.co.jp/ https://www.toyoken-beppu.co.jp/about/ https://www.toyoken-beppu.co.jp/menu/ https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/toriten_oita.html ### Tsuruya Kihachi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/tsuruya-kihachi Type: Place to eat Local name: 手打蕎麦 鶴屋喜八 (ja) Also known as: Honke Tsuruki Soba, 本家鶴喜そば, 鶴喜そば, Tsuruki Soba Sakamoto Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Otsu Address: 4-11-40 Sakamoto, Otsu, Shiga Coordinates: 35.07056, 135.87028 Kind: Soba Hours: Last order 15:30. Private rooms in the annex run 11:30–15:00 for a fee. Closed: Fixed dates only: 26 January, 16 February, 23 March, 20 April, 25 May, 29 June, 27 July, 24 and 25 August, 28 September, 26 October and 21 December Price: ¥¥ From: ¥1,180 each (2026), about CAD 11 or USD 7.50 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Bowls run ¥1,180 to ¥2,380 with tax included; tempura sets reach ¥3,500. Reservations: Walk in for soba; groups and the paid annex rooms book ahead. Vegetarian: Zaru and oroshi soba come without meat; soba sauce is normally made with bonito stock, so ask. Cuisine: soba, Japanese Address: 4-11-40 Sakamoto, Otsu, Shiga On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: The free car park holds 16 cars; the shop publishes nothing about bike parking. Price from: ¥1,180 each (2026), about CAD 11 or USD 7.50 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.tsurukisoba.com/ Summary: Tsuruya Kihachi suits riders who want hand-cut soba in an 1887 house at Sakamoto, and it closes at 16:00 with last orders half an hour earlier. This is the old Honke Tsuruki Soba, which merged its branches in 2026 into the Sakamoto house and went back to its first trading name, Tsuruya Kihachi. The family traces itself to a Tsuruya Kihachi who cooked for Enryaku-ji and died in 1632. The two-storey irimoya house dates from 1887 and has been a registered tangible cultural property since 1997. Zaru soba is ¥1,280 and the kamo-nanban with Takashima's Omi duck is ¥2,380. The shop is a minute from Keihan Sakamoto-hieizanguchi and about 10 minutes on foot from JR Hieizan-Sakamoto. It closes only on a fixed list of dates through the year, so check the list before you plan around it. Q: How much does Tsuruya Kihachi cost? A: Prices at Tsuruya Kihachi start at ¥1,180 each (2026), about CAD 11 or USD 7.50 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Tsuruya Kihachi? A: Tsuruya Kihachi keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–16:00. Q: What should you order at Tsuruya Kihachi? A: At Tsuruya Kihachi, order zaru soba, or kamo-nanban soba made with Omi duck from Takashima, or koayu tsukudani (sweet-simmered baby ayu from the lake) on the side. Q: Do you need a reservation at Tsuruya Kihachi? A: Tsuruya Kihachi: Walk in for soba; groups and the paid annex rooms book ahead. Q: Can you park a bike at Tsuruya Kihachi? A: Tsuruya Kihachi: the free car park holds 16 cars; the shop publishes nothing about bike parking. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tsurukisoba.com/shop/ https://www.tsurukisoba.com/about/ https://www.tsurukisoba.com/menu/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/5828955702 ### Tsuruya Pan Kinomoto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/tsuruya-pan-kinomoto Type: Place to eat Local name: つるやパン 木之本本店 (ja) Also known as: Tsuruya Pan, つるやパン, salad pan Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Nagahama Address: 1105 Kinomoto, Kinomoto-cho, Nagahama, Shiga 529-0425 Coordinates: 35.50531, 136.22543 Kind: Bakery Hours: Public holidays follow Sunday hours, 9:00–17:00. Closed: No regular closing day; the shop posts holiday closures such as New Year Price: ¥ Prices: The bakery announced a price revision in September 2026. Vegetarian: Salad pan has pickled radish and mayonnaise with no meat; the mayonnaise has egg. Cuisine: bakery Address: 1105 Kinomoto, Kinomoto-cho, Nagahama, Shiga 529-0425 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: The Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, a pump and tools here. Price band: ¥ Website: https://tsuruyapan.jp/ Summary: Tsuruya Pan suits riders on the north shore who want the salad pan that made Kinomoto famous, and the town sits inland from the lake road. Tsuruya Pan's main shop stands in the middle of Kinomoto. Its salad pan is a soft roll filled with chopped takuan pickle and mayonnaise, and it travels well in a jersey pocket. The shop opens from 8:00 Monday to Saturday and has no regular closing day. A second shop near Nagahama Station bakes round loaves. Q: What are the opening hours of Tsuruya Pan Kinomoto? A: Tsuruya Pan Kinomoto keeps these hours: Mon–Sat 08:00–18:00; Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Tsuruya Pan Kinomoto? A: At Tsuruya Pan Kinomoto, order salad pan, the takuan-and-mayonnaise roll the shop is known for. Q: Can you park a bike at Tsuruya Pan Kinomoto? A: Tsuruya Pan Kinomoto: the Biwaichi map lists a bike rack, a pump and tools here. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tsuruyapan.jp/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/5517520342 ### Tsutafuji URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/tsutafuji Type: Place to eat Local name: つたふじ (ja) Also known as: Tsutafuji Honten, つたふじ本店, Tsuta Fuji Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: 広島県尾道市土堂2-10-17 Coordinates: 34.40859, 133.20338 Kind: Ramen Hours: Tabelog shows 11:00 to 16:00 every day and the shop closes when the soup runs out. Retty lists Tuesday as the closed day and Mapple's 2024 guide lists Monday and Tuesday. Closed: Tuesday (Mapple's 2024 guide also lists Monday) Price: ¥ Prices: Mapple's guide listed a regular bowl at ¥650 in June 2024, and a Retty reviewer paid ¥750 for a large that month. No newer published price turned up. Reservations: No reservations; join the line outside. Payment: Cash only (Tabelog) Vegetarian: None; the soup is pork and seafood with pork back fat on top. Cuisine: Onomichi ramen Address: 広島県尾道市土堂2-10-17 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Summary: Tsutafuji suits anyone who wants Onomichi ramen from a shop that started as a street stall, and the trade-off is a lunchtime queue for one of its eleven counter seats. Tsutafuji began as a yatai stall in the late 1940s and now runs a counter-only room on the harbour road, about 15 minutes on foot east of Onomichi Station. The soup is a mild pork and seafood shoyu with minced back fat floating on top, poured over thin straight noodles that keep their bite. Retty reviewers report waits from twenty minutes to well over an hour, so arrive at 11:00 or come mid-afternoon. Photos of the room are not allowed, though staff have let diners photograph the bowl. Tips: - Tuesday is the one closed day every listing agrees on, so plan a Monday visit with a phone call first. Q: What are the opening hours of Tsutafuji? A: Tsutafuji keeps these hours: Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:00–16:00. Q: What should you order at Tsutafuji? A: At Tsutafuji, order chūka soba in a regular (nami) or large (ō) bowl, or chūka udon if you want the same soup over udon. Q: Do you need a reservation at Tsutafuji? A: Tsutafuji: No reservations; join the line outside. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://s.tabelog.com/en/hiroshima/A3406/A340302/34000081/ https://retty.me/area/PRE34/ARE285/SUB28502/100000025224/ https://www.mapple.net/article/63790/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E5%9C%9F%E5%A0%82%E4%BA%8C%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE10-17 ### Tsuzumi Soba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/tsuzumi-soba Type: Place to eat Local name: つづみそば (ja) Also known as: Tsudumi Soba, Tsuzumi Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 52 Asahi-machi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14312, 137.25603 Kind: Ramen Hours: Closes early when the noodles sell out. Closed: Tuesday Cuisine: Ramen Address: 52 Asahi-machi, Takayama, Gifu Website: http://j47.jp/tsudumi/ Summary: Tsuzumi Soba suits a quiet, old-style bowl of Takayama chuka soba five minutes from the station. The trade-off is no beer, since the shop serves no alcohol. Tsuzumi has served Takayama chuka soba since 1956: a clear soy broth with thin curly noodles. It opens for lunch and again in the evening and closes on Tuesdays. When the day's batch sells out, it stops serving. There is no car park, and the shop serves no alcohol. Q: What are the opening hours of Tsuzumi Soba? A: Tsuzumi Soba keeps these hours: Mon 11:30-14:00, 17:00-22:00; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:30-14:00, 17:00-22:00. Q: What should you order at Tsuzumi Soba? A: At Tsuzumi Soba, order chuka soba. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_5246.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/special/detail_467.html ### Two Pines URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/two-pines Type: Place to eat Also known as: Two Pines Pizza Bar, Two Pines Myoko Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Suginosawa Address: 新潟県妙高市杉野沢2436-3 Coordinates: 36.84860, 138.16230 Kind: Other Payment: Cards accepted Vegetarian: Myoko Tourism marks vegetarian options. Cuisine: pizza Address: 新潟県妙高市杉野沢2436-3 Summary: Two Pines suits Suginohara skiers who want stone-baked pizza and a glass of wine in a village that empties at dusk, and its trade-off is a winter-only season. Two Pines is a pizza bar and snowboard rental in the middle of Suginosawa village, five minutes from the Suginohara lifts. It serves stone-baked pizza from afternoon après into dinner. Guides suggest the teriyaki chicken pizza and a kabocha pie with miso dressing. Bottles of wine go out to take away, which helps in a village with very few evening tables. Q: What should you order at Two Pines? A: At Two Pines, order teriyaki chicken pizza, or kabocha pizza with miso dressing. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://myokotourism.com/restaurants/two-pines/ https://uchijapan.com/news/best-restaurants-myoko https://wanderlog.com/place/details/11650453/two-pines-pizza-bar--snowboard-rental https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=新潟県妙高市杉野沢2436-3 ### Michi-no-Eki Uchiko Fresh Park Karari URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/uchiko-fresh-park-karari Type: Place to eat Local name: 道の駅 内子フレッシュパークからり (ja) Also known as: Karari, Uchiko Fresh Park Karari, からり Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Town: Uchiko Address: 2452 Uchiko, Uchiko-cho, Kita-gun, Ehime 791-3301 Coordinates: 33.55490, 132.65830 Kind: Michi no eki Hours: The farm shop opens 8:00 to 17:00. The restaurant serves 11:00 to 15:00 (last order 14:30) and closes on Tuesdays, and the bakery runs 9:00 to 16:00. Hours can change with the weather. Closed: Restaurant closed Tuesdays Price: ¥ Vegetarian: The salad bar and the bakery are your best options. Cuisine: Japanese, Western, Farm shop Address: 2452 Uchiko, Uchiko-cho, Kita-gun, Ehime 791-3301 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.karari.jp/ Summary: Karari suits riders who want a fill-up on local produce on the way through Uchiko, and its restaurant shuts on Tuesdays. Karari is Uchiko's roadside station, with a farm shop selling the valley's produce from 8:00 and a sorbet stand from 8:30. The restaurant cooks Uchiko's SPF pork and local vegetables in Japanese and Western dishes, each with the salad bar. Its bakery sends any loaves left at closing to the farm shop. Q: What are the opening hours of Michi-no-Eki Uchiko Fresh Park Karari? A: Michi-no-Eki Uchiko Fresh Park Karari keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Michi-no-Eki Uchiko Fresh Park Karari? A: At Michi-no-Eki Uchiko Fresh Park Karari, order a lunch of Uchiko pork with the salad bar that comes with every main, or bread from the bakery for the next stretch. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.karari.jp/ https://karari.jp/info/374/ https://www.karari.jp/facility/restaurant.php https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%84%9B%E5%AA%9B%E7%9C%8C%E5%96%9C%E5%A4%9A%E9%83%A1%E5%86%85%E5%AD%90%E7%94%BA%E5%86%85%E5%AD%902452 ### Udon Bakaichidai URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/udon-bakaichidai Type: Place to eat Local name: 手打十段 うどんバカ一代 (ja) Also known as: Bakaichidai, Baka Ichidai, うどんバカ一代, Udon Baka Ichidai Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kagawa Town: Takamatsu Address: 1-6-7 Taga-machi, Takamatsu, Kagawa Coordinates: 34.33670, 134.05860 Kind: Udon Hours: Open every day from 6:00 to 18:00 except New Year's Day. Closed: 1 January Price: ¥ From: ¥380 each (2026), about CAD 3.40 or USD 2.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: A bowl costs ¥380 to about ¥1,000, tax included, after the July 2026 price rise. Reservations: No reservations; it is self-service. Vegetarian: Udon broth in Kagawa is made with dried fish, so ask before you order. Cuisine: Sanuki udon Address: 1-6-7 Taga-machi, Takamatsu, Kagawa On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥380 each (2026), about CAD 3.40 or USD 2.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: http://www.udonbakaichidai.co.jp/ Summary: Udon Bakaichidai suits riders who want a bowl of Sanuki udon at 6:00 before the ride, and at holiday peaks the queue runs long. Bakaichidai is a self-service udon counter in Takamatsu's Taga-machi that opens at 6:00 every day but New Year's Day. Bowls come plain, so you add toppings yourself. The kama-butter udon tops the shop's own list of best sellers. The shop puts its Golden Week crowds on its own website, so expect to wait on holidays. Q: How much does Udon Bakaichidai cost? A: Prices at Udon Bakaichidai start at ¥380 each (2026), about CAD 3.40 or USD 2.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Udon Bakaichidai? A: Udon Bakaichidai keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 06:00–18:00. Q: What should you order at Udon Bakaichidai? A: At Udon Bakaichidai, order kama-butter udon, hot noodles straight from the pot with butter, the shop's best seller, or cold onsen-tamago niku bukkake, the owner's second pick. Q: Do you need a reservation at Udon Bakaichidai? A: Udon Bakaichidai: No reservations; it is self-service. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.udonbakaichidai.co.jp/ http://www.udonbakaichidai.co.jp/company.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%A6%99%E5%B7%9D%E7%9C%8C%E9%AB%98%E6%9D%BE%E5%B8%82%E5%A4%9A%E8%B3%80%E7%94%BA1-6-7 ### Umi-no-Eki Shinkiro URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/umi-no-eki-shinkiro Type: Place to eat Local name: 海の駅蜃気楼 (ja) Also known as: Uozu Umi no Eki, Shinkiro sea station, Uozu mirage market Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Address: 2500-2 Muraki Jobowari, Uozu, Toyama 937-0053 Coordinates: 36.82500, 137.39405 Kind: Market Hours: 9:00–18:00, closing earlier in winter. The hama-yaki grill stops from December to February. Closed: Second Wednesday of the month (open every day in May, August and December) Reservations: Walk-ins. Cuisine: Seafood Address: 2500-2 Muraki Jobowari, Uozu, Toyama 937-0053 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: http://www.shinkirou.jp/ Summary: Umi-no-Eki Shinkiro suits riders on the Toyama Bay route who want a weekend beach barbecue and a rental e-bike in Uozu, and its trade-off is that the grill stands close from December to February. Umi-no-Eki Shinkiro is Uozu's seaside market on the stretch of shore known for mirages over the bay. It sells fresh fish and local produce, and on weekends a hama-yaki stand grills shellfish and fish over charcoal. Uozu's Miracle rental scheme keeps e-bikes and cross bikes here for pick-up and return. It opens from 9:00 to 18:00 and closes earlier in winter. It shuts on the second Wednesday of each month except in May, August and December. Q: What are the opening hours of Umi-no-Eki Shinkiro? A: Umi-no-Eki Shinkiro keeps these hours: Daily 09:00–18:00. Q: What should you order at Umi-no-Eki Shinkiro? A: At Umi-no-Eki Shinkiro, order hama-yaki, shellfish and fish grilled over charcoal, on weekends, or shinkiro soft-serve. Q: Do you need a reservation at Umi-no-Eki Shinkiro? A: Umi-no-Eki Shinkiro: Walk-ins. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/51002 https://uozu-cycling.jp/miracle/ ### Oshare Sushi Umi no Hana URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/uminohana-tateyama Type: Place to eat Local name: おしゃれ鮨 海の花 (ja) Also known as: Umi no Hana, Tateyama Shun Sushi Umi no Hana, たてやま旬鮨 海の花, 海の花 館山 Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Town: Tateyama Address: Malaga Mall 1F, 2903 Hojo, Tateyama, Chiba Coordinates: 34.99560, 139.86150 Kind: Sushi Hours: Lunch takes last orders at 14:30 and dinner at 21:30. The aburi kaisendon is served at lunch only. Closed: Thursday Reservations: Book the aburi kaisendon by 10:00 the day before. Cuisine: sushi, seafood Address: Malaga Mall 1F, 2903 Hojo, Tateyama, Chiba On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://uminohana.com/ Summary: Umi no Hana suits riders who return a rental bike at Tateyama Station and want a seafood lunch a minute away, and its trade-off is a signature bowl that needs booking by 10:00 the day before. Umi no Hana sits on the ground floor of the Malaga Mall, one minute from the west exit of Tateyama Station and the tourism association's rental desk. The company runs its own set nets offshore, and the fish comes straight from them. Its version of the Tateyama aburi kaisendon arrives in a three-tier box of thick, lightly seared sashimi. The kitchen makes 20 a day at lunch only, and you book by 10:00 the day before. The tourism association's lunch and rental plan sends riders here or to Hana Sohonten. Tips: - The restaurant closes on Thursdays. - The 3-hour rental and kaisendon plan from the Tateyama tourism association costs ¥7,000 a person and includes luggage storage. Q: What are the opening hours of Oshare Sushi Umi no Hana? A: Oshare Sushi Umi no Hana keeps these hours: Mon–Wed 11:15-15:00, 17:00-22:00; Thu closed; Fri–Sun 11:15-15:00, 17:00-22:00. Q: What should you order at Oshare Sushi Umi no Hana? A: At Oshare Sushi Umi no Hana, order tateyama aburi kaisendon, the three-tier seared seafood box (lunch, booked ahead). Q: Do you need a reservation at Oshare Sushi Umi no Hana? A: Oshare Sushi Umi no Hana: Book the aburi kaisendon by 10:00 the day before. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tateyama-gourmet.com/shops/index.html https://tateyamacity.com/archives/34259 https://uminohana.com/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%8D%83%E8%91%89%E7%9C%8C%E9%A4%A8%E5%B1%B1%E5%B8%82%E5%8C%97%E6%9D%A12903 ### Unagi Sakuraya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/unagi-sakuraya Type: Place to eat Local name: うなぎ桜家 (ja) Also known as: Sakuraya Mishima, 桜家, Sakura-ya, Mishima unagi Sakuraya Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Mishima Address: 静岡県三島市広小路町13-2 Coordinates: 35.11880, 138.91195 Kind: Other Hours: Closes when sold out. The kitchen may pause 15:30–17:00. Closed every Wednesday plus one Tuesday a month, and for five days in the first week of September. Closed: Wednesday, plus one Tuesday a month Price: ¥¥¥ From: ¥5,500 per person (2026), about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) Prices: One-eel box ¥5,500, one and a half ¥7,700, two eels ¥9,900, tax included. Payment: Cash or PayPay (Retty) Vegetarian: Vegetable and prawn tempura dishes exist, but the menu centres on eel. Cuisine: Unagi Address: 静岡県三島市広小路町13-2 Price from: ¥5,500 per person (2026), about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://sakura-ya.net/ Summary: Sakuraya suits anyone willing to spend on Mishima's grilled eel at a shop founded in 1856, and the trade-off is a price that starts at ¥5,500 for a single eel box. Mishima's eel reputation rests on its spring water, which the shop describes as Fuji snowmelt filtered through lava laid down about ten thousand years ago. Sakuraya keeps each eel in that cold water for three to four days before it reaches the grill, and the shop says this clears the muddy taste and firms the flesh. It has cooked eel on the same corner by Mishima-Hirokoji station since Ansei 3, the year 1856. The jubako box with one eel costs ¥5,500 and the two-eel box ¥9,900. Seating runs to about a hundred, mostly on tatami, and the shop closes when the day's eel is gone. Plan a late-morning arrival from Mishima station, a ten-minute walk. Between 15:30 and 17:00 the kitchen may pause to prepare, so phone before an afternoon visit. Tips: - Order the liver soup rice (kimosui gohan, ¥750) on the side. - Shirayaki, eel grilled without sauce, shows off the spring-water flavour best. Q: How much does Unagi Sakuraya cost? A: Prices at Unagi Sakuraya start at ¥5,500 per person (2026), about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Unagi Sakuraya? A: Unagi Sakuraya keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 11:00–20:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 11:00–20:00. Q: What should you order at Unagi Sakuraya? A: At Unagi Sakuraya, order unagi jubako, or shirayaki, or kimosui gohan. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://sakura-ya.net/ https://sakura-ya.net/menu.html https://sakura-ya.net/info.html https://sakura-ya.net/water.html https://retty.me/area/PRE22/ARE326/SUB7701/100000390108/ ### Uo-no-Eki Ikuji URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/uo-no-eki-ikuji Type: Place to eat Local name: 魚の駅「生地」 (ja) Also known as: Sakana no Eki Ikuji, Ikuji fish station, Uonoeki Ikuji, Restaurant Kokaito Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Kurobe Address: 265 Ikuji Nakaku, Kurobe, Toyama 938-0072 Coordinates: 36.89108, 137.41900 Kind: Market Hours: Toretate-kan shop 9:00–18:00; Kokaito restaurant 11:00–15:00 (last orders 14:30); Banya 17:00–22:00 by reservation only. Closed: Wednesdays and 1 January Reservations: Lunch is walk-in; the evening Banya dining room takes reservations only. Cuisine: Seafood Address: 265 Ikuji Nakaku, Kurobe, Toyama 938-0072 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: http://www.jf-kurobe.jp/sakananoeki-ikuji/ Summary: Uo-no-Eki Ikuji suits riders on the eastern half of the Toyama Bay route who want a fish lunch run by the local fishermen's cooperative, and its trade-off is a Wednesday closing and a 25-minute walk from the nearest station. Kurobe's fishermen's cooperative runs this pair of buildings in the old harbour quarter of Ikuji. Toretate-kan sells the catch from 9:00 to 18:00, and the Kokaito restaurant in Dekitate-kan serves lunch from 11:00 to 15:00 with last orders at 14:30. The Banya dining room opens in the evening by reservation only. Ikuji is a district of spring-water wells, and the tourism bureau publishes a walking map of them. The market is 25 minutes on foot from Ikuji station and seven minutes by car from Kurobe station. Q: What are the opening hours of Uo-no-Eki Ikuji? A: Uo-no-Eki Ikuji keeps these hours: Thu–Tue 09:00–18:00. Q: What should you order at Uo-no-Eki Ikuji? A: At Uo-no-Eki Ikuji, order the seasonal fish set at Kokaito. Q: Do you need a reservation at Uo-no-Eki Ikuji? A: Uo-no-Eki Ikuji: Lunch is walk-in; the evening Banya dining room takes reservations only. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/51010 https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/51018 ### Uonuma no Sato URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/uonuma-no-sato Type: Place to eat Local name: 魚沼の里 (ja) Also known as: Hakkaisan Uonuma no Sato, 八海山 魚沼の里 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Minamiuonuma Address: 新潟県南魚沼市長森 Coordinates: 37.10850, 138.93180 Kind: Sake brewery Hours: Each building keeps its own hours; check the site before a weekday visit. Cuisine: soba, sake, craft beer Address: 新潟県南魚沼市長森 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://www.uonuma-no-sato.jp/ Summary: Uonuma no Sato suits sake lovers and cyclists who want a whole afternoon at Hakkaisan's village of shops below the mountains, and its trade-off is that you need a car or a bike to get there. Hakkaisan Brewery built Uonuma no Sato at Nagamori as a cluster of buildings among the rice fields. Soba-ya Nagamori serves noodles, and the Sarukurayama brewery makes beer. The Hakkaisan Yukimuro holds sake in a snow-cooled store, and you can apply to tour it. A sweets shop and the brewery's staff canteen round out a slow lunch, and the site runs seasonal events such as a new-rice festival in autumn. Q: When is Uonuma no Sato open? A: Uonuma no Sato is open each building keeps its own hours; check the site before a weekday visit. Q: What should you order at Uonuma no Sato? A: At Uonuma no Sato, order lunch at Soba-ya Nagamori, or sake from the Yukimuro shop. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.uonuma-no-sato.jp/ https://www.hakkaisan.co.jp/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?format=json&q=魚沼の里 ### Utsunomiya Minmin Honten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/utsunomiya-minmin-honten Type: Place to eat Local name: 宇都宮みんみん 本店 (ja) Also known as: Minmin, Min Min, みんみん Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Utsunomiya Address: 4-2-3 Baba-dori, Utsunomiya, Tochigi Coordinates: 36.56170, 139.88730 Kind: Other Hours: Open 11:00–20:30 with last orders at 20:00. In October 2026 it closed on Tuesdays. Closed: Tuesdays, posted month by month Price: ¥ From: ¥380 each (2026), about CAD 3.40 or USD 2.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Each portion of gyoza costs ¥380. A double sui with rice costs ¥1,360. Reservations: No bookings. Take a number from the machine at the door and wait to be called. Vegetarian: The menu is gyoza with pork and vegetable filling, so there is nothing meat-free. Cuisine: gyoza Address: 4-2-3 Baba-dori, Utsunomiya, Tochigi Bike parking: Riders can use the city's bicycle parks, which are free for four hours. Price from: ¥380 each (2026), about CAD 3.40 or USD 2.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.minmin.co.jp/ Summary: Minmin's main shop suits a first gyoza stop in Utsunomiya, with three kinds of dumpling and a queue that moves fast, and the menu is so short that you will eat the same thing as everyone else. Minmin has served gyoza on Baba-dori since 1958, and the main shop still keeps the menu to three kinds of gyoza plus drinks and rice. The filling leans on vegetables and the pan-fried ones crisp in sesame oil. Order a double sui and you get two plates of pan-fried and one plate of boiled. Tips: - Minmin also runs counters at the JR station and in the Kirasse hall if the main shop's line is long. Q: How much does Utsunomiya Minmin Honten cost? A: Prices at Utsunomiya Minmin Honten start at ¥380 each (2026), about CAD 3.40 or USD 2.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Utsunomiya Minmin Honten? A: Utsunomiya Minmin Honten keeps these hours: Mon 11:00–20:30; Wed–Sun 11:00–20:30. Q: What should you order at Utsunomiya Minmin Honten? A: At Utsunomiya Minmin Honten, order yaki (pan-fried), or sui (boiled), or double sui rice: two plates of yaki, one of sui and rice. Q: Do you need a reservation at Utsunomiya Minmin Honten? A: Utsunomiya Minmin Honten: No bookings. Take a number from the machine at the door and wait to be called. Q: Can you park a bike at Utsunomiya Minmin Honten? A: Utsunomiya Minmin Honten: riders can use the city's bicycle parks, which are free for four hours. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.minmin.co.jp/ https://www.minmin.co.jp/shop/index.html https://www.minmin.co.jp/gyoza/index.html https://www.utsunomiya-cvb.org/feature/gyoza ### Uzuraya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/uzuraya-togakushi Type: Place to eat Local name: うずら家 (ja) Also known as: Uzuraya Soba, Togakushi Uzuraya, 蕎麦処 うずら家 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Togakushi Address: 長野県長野市戸隠中社3229 Coordinates: 36.74146, 138.08535 Kind: Soba Hours: 10:30–16:00, or until the soba sells out. Closed: Wednesdays and the second Tuesday (only the second Tuesday in August); about three weeks from late November to mid-December; some Tuesday–Wednesday pairs in winter Price: ¥ Prices: Rurubu lists zaru soba at ¥1,000, Miyama-oroshi at ¥1,950 and soba-gaki at ¥1,200 (undated listing). Cuisine: Soba, Togakushi soba Address: 長野県長野市戸隠中社3229 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: 22 car spaces; no bike rack is listed. Price band: ¥ Summary: Uzuraya suits a pilgrimage to Togakushi soba at the Chusha shrine, and the soba runs out and the queue builds on weekends. Uzuraya stands a minute's walk from the Nakasha-mae bus stop at Togakushi's middle shrine, about an hour and five minutes from Nagano Station on the Kawanakajima Bus Bird Line. Rurubu lists zaru soba from local flour at ¥1,000, soba-gaki from hand-ground flour and mixed tempura at ¥1,200 each, and Miyama-oroshi at ¥1,950. Mapple says the shop stone-grinds local buckwheat in the coldest weeks and freezes it to keep the flavour, and it closes for about three weeks from late November to mid-December. It opens 10:30 to 16:00 and closes earlier when the soba is gone, so come at opening on a weekend. Tips: - By car it is about 17 km and 30 minutes from the Shinshu-Nagano interchange on Prefectural Route 36. Q: What are the opening hours of Uzuraya? A: Uzuraya keeps these hours: Mon 10:30–16:00; Tue 10:30–16:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 10:30–16:00. Q: What should you order at Uzuraya? A: At Uzuraya, order zaru soba from local flour, or soba-gaki, or mixed tempura. Q: Can you park a bike at Uzuraya? A: Uzuraya: 22 car spaces; no bike rack is listed. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://rurubu.jp/andmore/spot/80018661 https://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/7stlive/2025/01/post-3108.html https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/661373615 ### Vegan Visai Ramen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/vegan-visai-ramen Type: Place to eat Local name: Vegan 美菜ラーメン (ja) Also known as: Visai Ramen, Vegan Bisai Ramen, 美菜ラーメン Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 5-15-3 Hanasato-machi, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14105, 137.25256 Kind: Ramen Hours: Last order 15:00. Closed: Wednesday Price: ¥¥ From: ¥2,800 per person (2026), about CAD 25 or USD 18 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Ramen courses at ¥2,800 and ¥4,800. Vegetarian: The whole menu is vegan. Cuisine: Ramen, Vegan Address: 5-15-3 Hanasato-machi, Takayama, Gifu Price from: ¥2,800 per person (2026), about CAD 25 or USD 18 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://takayama.creative-r.com/visai Summary: Vegan Visai Ramen suits vegans and vegetarians who want ramen in Takayama, and it serves its bowls as a short course near the station. The trade-off is the price, from ¥2,800. Visai builds its ramen on vegetables alone and serves it as a course, at ¥2,800 or ¥4,800. It is in Hanasato-machi near the station and opens for lunch and the afternoon, with last orders at 15:00. Q: How much does Vegan Visai Ramen cost? A: Prices at Vegan Visai Ramen start at ¥2,800 per person (2026), about CAD 25 or USD 18 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Vegan Visai Ramen? A: Vegan Visai Ramen keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 11:00–16:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 11:00–16:00. Q: What should you order at Vegan Visai Ramen? A: At Vegan Visai Ramen, order the ¥2,800 course. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_6182.html https://takayama.creative-r.com/visai ### Wajima Morning Market URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/wajima-morning-market Type: Place to eat Local name: 輪島朝市 (ja) Also known as: Wajima Asaichi, Wajima Asa-ichi, Wajima Morning Market at Wai Plaza, 出張輪島朝市 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Town: Wajima Address: Power City Wajima Wai Plaza, 41 Takuta-machi, Wajima, Ishikawa 928-0022 Coordinates: 37.38604, 136.90483 Kind: Market Hours: 9:00–13:00; some vegetable sellers close early. The market rests on Wednesdays, with occasional extra days off, while the Wai Plaza store itself stays open. Closed: Wednesdays, plus occasional days Prices: Each stall sets its own prices. Reservations: Walk in. Cuisine: Seafood, Local produce Address: Power City Wajima Wai Plaza, 41 Takuta-machi, Wajima, Ishikawa 928-0022 Website: https://asaichi.info/ Summary: The Wajima Morning Market suits visitors who want to buy dried fish, produce and crafts from the market's own members, and today it trades from 9:00 to 13:00 inside the Wai Plaza store in Takuta-machi, closing on Wednesdays. The cooperative counts its market among Japan's three great morning markets and wants, in its own words, to pass on "a market with 1,200 years of history" to the next generation. Members who could not travel to markets elsewhere asked for a place to sell at home, and the Wai Plaza store lent them space free of charge. From August 2026 the cooperative runs a Challenge Shop scheme at the Wai Plaza site, so new sellers and returning traders can try a stall. It has asked the city and prefecture for a market square near the old Asaichi street, and the cooperative says both are considering it. Tips: - Come early on a day other than Wednesday; the market closes at 13:00 and some stalls sooner. Q: What are the opening hours of Wajima Morning Market? A: Wajima Morning Market keeps these hours: Mon 09:00–13:00; Tue 09:00–13:00; Thu 09:00–13:00; Fri 09:00–13:00; Sat 09:00–13:00; Sun 09:00–13:00. Q: What should you order at Wajima Morning Market? A: At Wajima Morning Market, order himono (dried fish) made by members, or seasonal vegetables from local growers. Q: Do you need a reservation at Wajima Morning Market? A: Wajima Morning Market: Walk in. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://asaichi.info/ https://asaichi.info/about_asaichi/ https://asaichi.info/fukkou_ayumi/ https://asaichi.info/2026/08/01/%e3%80%8c%e3%83%81%e3%83%a3%e3%83%ac%e3%83%b3%e3%82%b8%e3%82%b7%e3%83%a7%e3%83%83%e3%83%97%e3%80%8d%e3%81%ae%e5%8f%96%e3%82%8a%e7%b5%84%e3%81%bf%e3%82%92%e9%96%8b%e5%a7%8b%e3%81%84%e3%81%9f%e3%81%97/ https://wajimanavi.jp/ ### WAKKA Cafe URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/wakka-cafe Type: Place to eat Local name: しまなみ海道WAKKA カフェ (ja) Also known as: WAKKA CAFE, Wakka Cafe Omishima, Shimanami WAKKA Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Omishima Address: 愛媛県今治市上浦町井口6691-1 Coordinates: 34.26390, 133.04260 Kind: Cafe Hours: Summer 11:00–16:00, closed Tuesdays unless a holiday; food last order 14:00, drinks 15:30. Winter 11:00–15:00 with irregular closures; drinks last order 14:30. Closed: Tuesdays (open on holidays); irregular in winter Prices: The tourism association lists from ¥1,000 a head. Cuisine: cafe, coffee Address: 愛媛県今治市上浦町井口6691-1 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Bike parking: Bikes can be wheeled in to your seat, and WAKKA lists a bicycle parking area as well. Website: https://wakka.site/cafe/ Summary: WAKKA Cafe suits riders who want lunch facing the Tatara Bridge without leaving the bike outside, and its trade-off is shorter winter hours with irregular closures. WAKKA's cafe sits on the Kamiura shore a short ride north-west of Tatara Shimanami Park, looking across the water to the Tatara Bridge. You can wheel your bike right up to your seat. The tourism association singles out the coffee, which a leading Japanese barista designed, and a tomato curry made with local shrimp that sells in limited numbers. On weekends the kitchen adds wakka-meshi, its take on Imabari's yakibuta tamago meshi of roast pork and fried egg over rice. The same site runs a hotel and a cycling support desk with bike taxis and same-day luggage delivery. Shimanami Japan's English guide adds that WAKKA offers showers and laundry to anyone passing through. Tips: - WAKKA posts each month's cafe opening days on its news page, which matters most in winter. Q: What are the opening hours of WAKKA Cafe? A: WAKKA Cafe keeps these hours: Mon 11:00–16:00; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:00–16:00. Q: What should you order at WAKKA Cafe? A: At WAKKA Cafe, order coffee, or local shrimp tomato curry, while it lasts. Q: Can you park a bike at WAKKA Cafe? A: WAKKA Cafe: bikes can be wheeled in to your seat, and WAKKA lists a bicycle parking area as well. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://wakka.site/cafe/ https://wakka.site/ https://www.oideya.gr.jp/gourmet-c/wakka/ https://visitshimanami.com/area-guides/omishima/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/11011406606 ### Wanaka Sennichimae URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/wanaka-sennichimae Type: Place to eat Local name: たこ焼道楽 わなか 千日前本店 (ja) Also known as: Wanaka, Takoyaki Wanaka, わなか, Wanaka Sennichimae Honten Region: Kansai Prefecture: Osaka Town: Osaka Address: 11-19 Nanba-Sennichimae, Chuo-ku, Osaka Coordinates: 34.66530, 135.50370 Kind: Other Hours: Weekdays 10:30 to 21:00; weekends and holidays 9:30 to 21:00. Price: ¥ Prices: The menu page gives box sizes without prices; two special takoyaki on the home page cost ¥850 each. Reservations: No reservations. Vegetarian: None; every takoyaki holds octopus. Cuisine: takoyaki Address: 11-19 Nanba-Sennichimae, Chuo-ku, Osaka Price band: ¥ Website: https://takoyaki-wanaka.com/ Summary: Wanaka suits a takoyaki stop in Namba with sauce and toppings, and its trade-off is a queue on weekend evenings at the main shop. Wanaka's main shop stands in Sennichimae in Namba. It serves takoyaki in boxes of 8, 12 or 15 depending on the shop, and adds specials such as a takoyaki topped with an omelette. The chain runs shops across Osaka, including Dotonbori and Kuromon market. If you are catching a train, the Shin-Osaka shop sits in the Alde Shin-Osaka mall outside the JR ticket gates, one floor below them, and opens from 10:00 to 21:00. Tips: - The Sennichimae shop opens at 9:30 at weekends and on holidays, an hour earlier than on weekdays. Q: What are the opening hours of Wanaka Sennichimae? A: Wanaka Sennichimae keeps these hours: Mon–Fri 10:30–21:00; Sat–Sun 09:30–21:00. Q: What should you order at Wanaka Sennichimae? A: At Wanaka Sennichimae, order a box of 8 takoyaki with sauce, or the takoyaki topped with omelette. Q: Do you need a reservation at Wanaka Sennichimae? A: Wanaka Sennichimae: No reservations. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://takoyaki-wanaka.com/ https://takoyaki-wanaka.com/tenpo-sennichimae.html?241225 https://takoyaki-wanaka.com/02_menu02.html https://takoyaki-wanaka.com/tenpo-shinosaka.html?250514 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA%E5%BA%9C%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA%E5%B8%82%E4%B8%AD%E5%A4%AE%E5%8C%BA%E9%9B%A3%E6%B3%A2%E5%8D%83%E6%97%A5%E5%89%8D11 ### Waremoko URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/waremoko Type: Place to eat Local name: お食事処われもこう (ja) Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 新潟県妙高市田切 Coordinates: 36.88670, 138.17910 Kind: Shokudo Price: ¥ Cuisine: Japanese Address: 新潟県妙高市田切 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Summary: Waremoko suits hungry skiers who want a cheap hot lunch across from the Akakura Kanko lifts, and its trade-off is a plain room built for speed. Waremoko faces the entrance to Akakura Kanko Resort, which makes it the quickest sit-down lunch off the slope. In winter the menu runs to hot ramen, set meals and house curry. In summer the kitchen adds soba and galettes. Myoko Tourism puts most dishes between ¥800 and ¥1,200. Q: What should you order at Waremoko? A: At Waremoko, order miso ramen, or katsu curry. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://myokotourism.com/restaurants/waremoko/ https://myokotourism.jp/restaurants/ https://myoko-nagano.com/myoko-kogen/myoko-bars-restaurants-cafes/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?format=json&q=われもこう%20妙高 ### Yabaton Yabacho Honten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/yabaton-yabacho-honten Type: Place to eat Local name: 矢場とん 矢場町本店 (ja) Also known as: Yabaton, 矢場とん, Yabaton main branch Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Town: Nagoya Address: 3-6-18 Osu, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Coordinates: 35.16163, 136.90625 Kind: Other Hours: Open 11:00 to 21:00 with no closing day. After 20:00, call 052-684-8100 for takeaway or questions. Prices: Prices vary by branch; each branch page links its own menu. Reservations: Book a table through the link on the branch page, which also shows the live wait. Cuisine: miso katsu, tonkatsu Address: 3-6-18 Osu, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Website: https://www.yabaton.com/stores/yabacho-honten Summary: Yabaton's Yabacho main branch suits anyone who wants Nagoya's miso katsu from a house that has served it since 1947, and it sits a subway ride from the Shinkansen. Nagoya's miso katsu goes back to post-war street stalls, where customers dipped skewered cutlets into doteni, offal stewed in red miso, and Yabaton put it on the menu when it opened in 1947. The Yabacho main branch in Osu seats 135 and opens 11:00 to 21:00 every day, five minutes from exit 4 of Yabacho subway station. The waraji cut covers the plate, and you can ask for it half miso and half sauce. For a meal by the train, the Esca branch under the Shinkansen side of Nagoya Station stays open to 22:00 and takes bookings. Q: What are the opening hours of Yabaton Yabacho Honten? A: Yabaton Yabacho Honten keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–21:00. Q: What should you order at Yabaton Yabacho Honten? A: At Yabaton Yabacho Honten, order waraji tonkatsu, a broad flat loin cutlet you can have half miso and half sauce, or miso katsu don with a heap of green onion. Q: Do you need a reservation at Yabaton Yabacho Honten? A: Yabaton Yabacho Honten: Book a table through the link on the branch page, which also shows the live wait. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.yabaton.com/stores/yabacho-honten https://www.yabaton.com/stores/nagoyaeki-esca https://www.yabaton.com/menu/1 https://www.yabaton.com/company https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%91%B3%E5%99%8C%E3%82%AB%E3%83%84 ### Yabu Soba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/yabu-soba-myoko Type: Place to eat Local name: 霧下そば やぶ (ja) Also known as: Kirishita Soba Yabu, やぶそば Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 新潟県妙高市関川720-1 Coordinates: 36.86820, 138.20510 Kind: Soba Price: ¥ Prices: Myoko Tourism puts dishes between ¥600 and ¥1,500. Payment: Cash only Cuisine: soba, udon Address: 新潟県妙高市関川720-1 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price band: ¥ Summary: Yabu Soba suits rail travellers and cyclists who want tempura soba near Myoko-Kogen Station, and its trade-off is a cash-only counter. A family has run Yabu near Myoko-Kogen Station for more than 60 years. It serves kirishita soba, buckwheat grown on the misty highland where cold nights and morning fog sharpen the flavour. Tempura soba and tempura udon sell best, and the menu also covers ramen and rice bowls with local sake. Myoko Tourism lists 11:00 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 20:00, closed on Tuesdays. Q: What are the opening hours of Yabu Soba? A: Yabu Soba keeps these hours: Mon 11:00-14:00,17:00-20:00; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:00-14:00,17:00-20:00. Q: What should you order at Yabu Soba? A: At Yabu Soba, order tempura soba, or tempura udon. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://myokotourism.com/restaurants/yabu-soba/ https://myokotourism.jp/restaurants/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?format=json&q=やぶそば%20妙高 ### Yakiniku Banri URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/yakiniku-banri Type: Place to eat Local name: 焼肉 萬里 (ja) Also known as: Banri, Restaurant Banri, 萬里 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Address: 長野県下高井郡野沢温泉村豊郷横落9579 Coordinates: 36.92254, 138.44651 Kind: Yakiniku Hours: OpenStreetMap lists 18:00–21:00; TableCheck showed 19:00 seatings in October 2026. Price: ¥¥ Prices: TableCheck lists ¥3,500 (October 2026); the page does not say whether that is per person. Reservations: Reservations required; book on TableCheck. Cuisine: Yakiniku, Jingisukan Address: 長野県下高井郡野沢温泉村豊郷横落9579 Price band: ¥¥ Booking: https://tablecheck.com/ja/yakiniku-banri Summary: Banri suits a group dinner of yakiniku and Genghis Khan lamb in the middle of Nozawa, and tables go early, so book. Banri has grilled meat in the centre of Nozawa Onsen for 50 years, according to its TableCheck page, with a hotplate at every table. The menu covers yakiniku and jingisukan, the lamb barbecue. Nozawa Hospitality marks it as reservations-only and good for groups. TableCheck takes bookings and listed a ¥3,500 budget in October 2026. Q: What are the opening hours of Yakiniku Banri? A: Yakiniku Banri keeps these hours: Daily 18:00–21:00. Q: What should you order at Yakiniku Banri? A: At Yakiniku Banri, order yakiniku for the table, or jingisukan lamb. Q: Do you need a reservation at Yakiniku Banri? A: Yakiniku Banri: Reservations required; book on TableCheck. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tablecheck.com/ja/yakiniku-banri https://nozawahospitality.com/restaurants https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/8905740531 ### Yakitori Seto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/yakitori-seto-imabari Type: Place to eat Local name: 焼き鳥 世渡 (ja) Also known as: 世渡, 焼き鳥の世渡, Seto yakitori Imabari Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: 愛媛県今治市黄金町1-5-20 Coordinates: 34.06640, 133.00200 Kind: Yakitori Hours: Last order 20:30. The tourism association gives these hours; Mapple lists 17:00–22:00, so phone ahead. Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays Reservations: Phone bookings are taken from 12:00 to 17:00. Cuisine: yakitori, Imabari Address: 愛媛県今治市黄金町1-5-20 Website: https://yakitoriseto.studio.site Summary: Yakitori Seto suits families and groups who want Imabari yakitori in a big, clean room with its own car park, and its trade-off is an early 21:00 close with two closed days a week. The tourism association calls Seto the standard-bearer of Imabari griddle yakitori, and Mapple counts it among the city's four best-known shops. The kawa keeps plenty of meat on it, and the seseri (neck) comes topped with sliced onion. The association says the plate people order most is renkon: lotus root with minced chicken packed inside. With 40 seats and room for 10 cars, Seto is the easiest of the griddle shops to bring a family to. Tips: - Book by phone between 12:00 and 17:00 on the day you want to eat. Q: What are the opening hours of Yakitori Seto? A: Yakitori Seto keeps these hours: Mon closed; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 17:00–21:00. Q: What should you order at Yakitori Seto? A: At Yakitori Seto, order renkon, lotus root stuffed with minced chicken, or kawa from the griddle. Q: Do you need a reservation at Yakitori Seto? A: Yakitori Seto: Phone bookings are taken from 12:00 to 17:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.oideya.gr.jp/gourmet-c/seto-2/ https://www.mapple.net/region/a0603070301_g03050500/spot/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/8226939591 ### Yakumo-an URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/yakumo-an Type: Place to eat Local name: 出雲そば処 八雲庵 (ja) Also known as: Yakumoan, 八雲庵, Yakumo-an Matsue Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Shimane Town: Matsue Address: 308 Kitahori-cho, Matsue, Shimane Coordinates: 35.47875, 133.05051 Kind: Soba Hours: Service may end early when the soba sells out. Closed: Thursday Reservations: No bookings for groups of 13 or more. Cuisine: Izumo soba Address: 308 Kitahori-cho, Matsue, Shimane On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: https://www.yakumoan.jp/ Summary: Yakumo-an suits anyone touring the castle moats who wants Izumo soba in a samurai garden, and it serves only from 10:30 to 13:30. Yakumo-an occupies the old residence of Oishi Gennai, the Matsue clan's fencing instructor, on Shiomi Nawate along the north moat of Matsue Castle. A 450-year-old Izumo black pine shades the garden, with bamboo on the hill behind. The soba is hand-cut, dark and firm, and the warigo dashi is made sharp so it stands up to the noodle. Kamo nanban with duck and leek is the house speciality. Q: What are the opening hours of Yakumo-an? A: Yakumo-an keeps these hours: Mon–Wed 10:30–13:30; Thu closed; Fri–Sun 10:30–13:30. Q: What should you order at Yakumo-an? A: At Yakumo-an, order warigo soba in stacked rounds with the sharp dashi poured over, or kamo nanban, soba in a rich broth with duck and leek. Q: Do you need a reservation at Yakumo-an? A: Yakumo-an: No bookings for groups of 13 or more. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.yakumoan.jp/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%B3%B6%E6%A0%B9%E7%9C%8C%E6%9D%BE%E6%B1%9F%E5%B8%82%E5%8C%97%E5%A0%80%E7%94%BA308 ### Yamabiko URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/yamabiko-gero Type: Place to eat Local name: 民芸食事処 山びこ (ja) Also known as: Yamabiko Gero, 山びこ Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Gero Onsen Address: 1088 Mori, Gero, Gifu 509-2202 Coordinates: 35.80791, 137.24334 Kind: Other Closed: Monday Cuisine: Hida local cuisine Address: 1088 Mori, Gero, Gifu 509-2202 Summary: Yamabiko suits a country-style lunch in Gero built on the miso the shop has made since its first owner. The trade-off is a short lunch window. Yamabiko's house miso goes back to the shop's first owner, and it is the thing the shop is known for. The rest of the menu follows the seasons. It opens for lunch only, 11:30 to 14:00, and closes on Mondays. Q: What are the opening hours of Yamabiko? A: Yamabiko keeps these hours: Mon closed; Tue–Sun 11:30–14:00. Q: What should you order at Yamabiko? A: At Yamabiko, order a set made with the house miso. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.gerogle.jp/gourmet/detail_36.html https://www.gerogle.jp/hidagyu ### Yamagata Imoniya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/yamagata-imoniya Type: Place to eat Local name: 山形いも煮ヤ (ja) Also known as: 山形いも煮ヤ, Yamagata Imoni Ya, Imoniya Yamagata, 名代 山形いも煮ヤ Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Yamagata Address: 山形県山形市香澄町1-8-8 山形第1ビル 2F Coordinates: 38.24882, 140.32910 Kind: Izakaya Hours: Open every day of the year. Tabelog gives last orders at 23:00 for food and 23:30 for drinks. Closed: Open year-round Price: ¥¥ From: ¥1,980 per person (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Prices come from the shop's own menu page and include tax. Tabelog reviewers report ¥2,000 to ¥2,999 a head. Reservations: Online booking through the shop's site or Tabelog. Payment: Cards, e-money and QR codes Vegetarian: Every imoni on the menu uses beef, pork or dried cod. Cuisine: imoni, Yamagata regional cooking, sake Address: 山形県山形市香澄町1-8-8 山形第1ビル 2F Price from: ¥1,980 per person (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://yamagata-imoniya.com/ Booking: https://booking.resty.jp/webrsv/vacant/s014002504/9351?isfixshop=true Summary: Yamagata Imoniya suits visitors who want imoni outside the riverbank party season, and the trade-off is an evening-only room with a ¥660 table charge. This izakaya opened in March 2026 on the second floor of a building two minutes from the east exit of Yamagata Station. It cooks five kinds of imoni, the taro stew Yamagata families boil in huge pots on the riverbanks each autumn. The list covers the Murayama style with beef and soy sauce, Shonai's pork and miso, and an original pot from Nakayama town made with dried cod, the ingredient the stew's origin story begins with. The menu also runs through Yamagata pickles, cold soba and sake from every brewery in the prefecture. Each style costs the same, and a one-person pot is the easy way to taste two. Tips: - Order two different one-person pots to compare the Murayama and Shonai styles side by side. - Book online through the shop's site on weekend nights. Q: How much does Yamagata Imoniya cost? A: Prices at Yamagata Imoniya start at ¥1,980 per person (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Yamagata Imoniya? A: Yamagata Imoniya keeps these hours: Daily 16:45–24:00. Q: What should you order at Yamagata Imoniya? A: At Yamagata Imoniya, order a one-person pot of Murayama imoni, or nakayama's original dried-cod imoni, or tama konnyaku and dashi tofu to start. Q: Do you need a reservation at Yamagata Imoniya? A: Yamagata Imoniya: Online booking through the shop's site or Tabelog. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://yamagata-imoniya.com/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/yamagata/A0601/A060101/6013422/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2%E7%9C%8C%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2%E5%B8%82%E9%A6%99%E6%BE%84%E7%94%BA1-8-8 ### Yamagata Sake Museum URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/yamagata-sake-museum Type: Place to eat Local name: 山形酒のミュージアム (ja) Also known as: YAMAGATA SAKE MUSEUM, Yamagata Sake no Museum, 山形酒のミュージアム 蔵王, Zao sake museum Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: 山形県山形市蔵王温泉951 Coordinates: 38.16672, 140.39702 Kind: Bar Hours: The museum's footer and the tourism association both give 11:00 to 17:00 with irregular closures. A banner on the same site still reads 11:00 to 22:00. Closed: Irregular Price: ¥ Prices: Tabelog reviewers report spending under ¥1,000. The museum publishes no glass prices on its site. Reservations: Walk in. Payment: Cards, e-money and QR codes (Tabelog) Cuisine: sake, après Address: 山形県山形市蔵王温泉951 Price band: ¥ Website: http://www.zao-sake.com/ Summary: The Yamagata Sake Museum suits anyone who wants to taste the prefecture's sake by the glass on a stroll through the onsen town, and the trade-off is a 17:00 close that ends the session before dinner. The museum opened in February 2018 on the onsen street and pours sake from 49 Yamagata breweries. Yamagata was the first prefecture to win a geographical indication for its sake in 2016, and the museum's menu leans on the ginjo styles that made that name. Inns and the bus terminal hand out a coupon for one free tasting a person a day, so pick one up when you check in. The Yukemuri Yatai Tsumami stall shares the operation and serves Yamagata snacks to go with the glass. Tips: - Bring the free tasting coupon from your inn or the bus terminal; it covers one glass a person a day. - There is no car park, so walk over from the ski-area lots. Q: What are the opening hours of Yamagata Sake Museum? A: Yamagata Sake Museum keeps these hours: Daily 11:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Yamagata Sake Museum? A: At Yamagata Sake Museum, order a flight of Yamagata ginjo, or snacks from the Tsumami stall. Q: Do you need a reservation at Yamagata Sake Museum? A: Yamagata Sake Museum: Walk in. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.zao-sake.com/ https://zaomountainresort.com/author/sake-museum/ https://s.tabelog.com/en/yamagata/A0601/A060101/6009758/ ### Yayoiza URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/yayoiza Type: Place to eat Local name: 門前茶寮 弥生座 (ja) Also known as: Monzen Saryo Yayoiza, Yayoi-za Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nagano Address: 長野県長野市大門町503 Coordinates: 36.65738, 138.18709 Kind: Other Hours: 11:30–14:00 and 17:00–20:30. Closed: Tuesdays, the second Wednesday and the third Monday of each month Cuisine: Japanese, Shinshu regional Address: 長野県長野市大門町503 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Website: http://www.yayoiza.jp/ Summary: Yayoiza suits a sit-down meal of Shinano dishes beside Zenko-ji, and its closing days rotate through the month. Yayoiza stands next to Zenko-ji on the Daimon side and describes its food as creative local Shinano cooking. Lunch runs 11:30 to 14:00 and dinner 17:00 to 20:30. It closes on Tuesdays, the second Wednesday and the third Monday, so check the calendar before a temple morning. Q: What are the opening hours of Yayoiza? A: Yayoiza keeps these hours: Mon 11:30-14:00, 17:00-20:30; Tue closed; Wed–Sun 11:30-14:00, 17:00-20:30. Q: What should you order at Yayoiza? A: At Yayoiza, order the seasonal Shinano set at lunch. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.yayoiza.jp/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/598208024 ### Yubatake Souan Ashiyu Cafe URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/yubatake-souan-ashiyu-cafe Type: Place to eat Local name: 足湯カフェ 湯畑草菴 (ja) Also known as: Souan foot bath cafe, Ashiyu Cafe Kusatsu, Yubatake Souan cafe Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Address: 118-1 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Coordinates: 36.62284, 138.59715 Kind: Cafe Hours: Opens 10:00, last order 21:00, closes 21:30. Reservations: Walk in. Vegetarian: Some drinks and parfaits suit vegetarians; the burgers do not. Cuisine: cafe Address: 118-1 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Website: https://www.kusatsu-souan.co.jp/cafe Summary: Yubatake Souan Ashiyu Cafe suits walkers who want to sit with their feet in hot spring water a step off the Yubatake, and it is a cafe menu of burgers and parfaits. The cafe sits on the ground floor of the Souan inn just off the Yubatake, and you eat with your feet in a hot foot bath. It has free Wi-Fi, sockets at the counter and coin lockers for bags while you walk the town. The menu runs from a Kusatsu Onsen burger to an onsen-egg honey parfait, with a konnyaku bubble soda for something local. Q: What are the opening hours of Yubatake Souan Ashiyu Cafe? A: Yubatake Souan Ashiyu Cafe keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–21:30. Q: What should you order at Yubatake Souan Ashiyu Cafe? A: At Yubatake Souan Ashiyu Cafe, order kusatsu Onsen burger, or onsen-tamago honey parfait, or konnyaku bubble soda. Q: Do you need a reservation at Yubatake Souan Ashiyu Cafe? A: Yubatake Souan Ashiyu Cafe: Walk in. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kusatsu-souan.co.jp/cafe https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/kankou/1626.php ### Yushima-an URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/yushima-an Type: Place to eat Local name: 湯島庵 (ja) Also known as: Yushimaan, Yushima An Gero Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Gero Onsen Address: 547-7 Yunoshima, Gero, Gifu 509-2207 Coordinates: 35.80978, 137.24163 Kind: Sushi Hours: Last order 16:45. Closed: Wednesday Payment: PayPay accepted Cuisine: Sushi, Hida beef Address: 547-7 Yunoshima, Gero, Gifu 509-2207 Summary: Yushima-an suits a takeaway taste of Hida beef on a walk through Gero. The trade-off is that there is nowhere to sit for a meal. An old butcher runs this takeaway counter, and the set to get is three pieces of meat sushi: A5 Hida beef and Gero-raised pork. It also pours Gero craft beer on tap. Q: What are the opening hours of Yushima-an? A: Yushima-an keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 10:00–17:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 10:00–17:00. Q: What should you order at Yushima-an? A: At Yushima-an, order three-piece Hida beef and Gero pork sushi set. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.gerogle.jp/gourmet/detail_13.html https://www.gerogle.jp/hidagyu ### Zen Soba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/zen-soba-hakuba Type: Place to eat Local name: 手打ち蕎麦 膳 (ja) Also known as: Zen Hakuba, Teuchi Soba Zen, 膳 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Coordinates: 36.69490, 137.84813 Kind: Soba Hours: Hakuba.com's 2025 list gives 11:00–14:00 and 17:30–20:00 (last order 19:30). Winter hours were not published. Closed: Tuesdays and Wednesdays on Hakuba.com's 2025 list; Uchi Japan's December 2025 guide repeats Tuesdays only Reservations: No booking channel is published; walk in at opening. Vegetarian: Vegan and vegetarian options are listed by Hakuba.com and Japan Ski Experience. Cuisine: Japanese, Soba On a ride: A good stop on a ride Summary: This Hakuba soba shop suits anyone after hand-cut soba and crisp tempura in Hakuba with a vegetarian or vegan in the group, and its two short services leave no room for a late lunch. The shop makes its soba by hand and serves it in a traditional room, with seasonal tempura on the side. Hakuba.com and Japan Ski Experience both list vegan and vegetarian options, which is rare in a Hakuba soba shop. Lunch ran 11:00 to 14:00 and dinner 17:30 to 20:00 on the 2025 list, with last orders at 19:30. In winter the shop fills with skiers coming off the Happo side, so arrive at opening or come back for dinner. Q: What are the opening hours of Zen Soba? A: Zen Soba keeps these hours: Mon 11:00-14:00, 17:30-20:00; Tue closed; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 11:00-14:00, 17:30-20:00. Q: What should you order at Zen Soba? A: At Zen Soba, order cold soba with seasonal tempura, or ask for the vegan soba if you skip fish dashi. Q: Do you need a reservation at Zen Soba? A: Zen Soba: No booking channel is published; walk in at opening. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakuba.com/blogs/50-hakuba-restaurants-to-try-in-summer https://japanskiexperience.com/news-and-articles/hakuba-restaurant-guide https://uchijapan.com/news/hakuba-restaurants https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/6297006685 ### Zenpuutei Nanaban URL: https://ridingjapan.com/eat/zenpuutei-nanaban Type: Place to eat Local name: 禅風亭なゝ番 (ja) Also known as: Nanaban, Zen Fuu Tei Nanaban, Zenputei Nanaban, なゝ番, 七番 修善寺 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shuzenji Address: 静岡県伊豆市修善寺761-1-3 Coordinates: 34.97192, 138.93072 Kind: Soba Hours: When Thursday is a holiday the shop closes the day before or after. Open through Golden Week, Obon and the year end; closed on 1 January. Closed: Thursday Price: ¥ From: ¥1,430 per person (2025), about CAD 13 or USD 9 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Zendera soba cost ¥1,430 with tax in August 2025. Reservations: No reservations Payment: Cash only (August 2025 review) Vegetarian: The tray is meat-free, but the dipping sauce is likely bonito-based; ask. Cuisine: Soba Address: 静岡県伊豆市修善寺761-1-3 On a ride: A good stop on a ride Price from: ¥1,430 per person (2025), about CAD 13 or USD 9 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Summary: Nanaban suits anyone in Shuzenji who wants soba with a whole root of fresh wasabi to grate at the table, and the trade-off is a queue that forms by 11:00 even on weekdays. Zendera soba is Nanaban's claim to fame, and the shop calls itself the original. One tray holds cold soba alongside chilled grated yam soba with a raw egg, mountain vegetables, sesame to grind into the dipping sauce and a stick of fresh Amagi wasabi with its leaves on. A Retty reviewer in August 2025 paid ¥1,430 and grated the wasabi from the stem end as the staff showed. You keep what you do not use, and the shop hands over a bag to carry it home. The room has an irori hearth and sunken kotatsu tables, and it opens at 10:00, earlier than most soba shops in town. That early start makes it the obvious lunch after a morning loop of the Shuzenji roads. Tips: - Bring cash. - The car park has nine spaces on the west side and five across the road, numbered in kanji. Q: How much does Zenpuutei Nanaban cost? A: Prices at Zenpuutei Nanaban start at ¥1,430 per person (2025), about CAD 13 or USD 9 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Zenpuutei Nanaban? A: Zenpuutei Nanaban keeps these hours: Mon–Wed 10:00–16:00; Thu closed; Fri–Sun 10:00–16:00. Q: What should you order at Zenpuutei Nanaban? A: At Zenpuutei Nanaban, order zendera soba with a whole wasabi root. Q: Do you need a reservation at Zenpuutei Nanaban? A: Zenpuutei Nanaban: No reservations. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://retty.me/area/PRE22/ARE323/SUB7602/100000822305/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%9D%99%E5%B2%A1%E7%9C%8C%E4%BC%8A%E8%B1%86%E5%B8%82%E4%BF%AE%E5%96%84%E5%AF%BA761-1 ## Sights ### Arakurayama Sengen Park URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/arakurayama-sengen-park Type: Sight Local name: 新倉山浅間公園 (ja) Also known as: Chureito Pagoda, Chureito, Chureito Pagoda viewpoint, Arakura Sengen Park, 忠霊塔, 新倉山浅間公園 忠霊塔 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Town: Fujiyoshida Address: 2-4-1 Asama, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0031 Coordinates: 35.50120, 138.80140 Kind: Viewpoint Hours: The park and its viewing deck stay open around the clock. Fujiyoshida lights the pagoda from dusk until 21:50, starting at 16:00 in December, January and February and as late as 19:00 from June to September. Prices: Entry to the park is free. Since 1 April 2025 the city charges for its car parks: ¥1,500 for up to six hours at P1 and P4, ¥1,000 at P2 and P3, and ¥750 for a motorbike at P4. P1 shuts during the spring traffic controls. Best time: Clear winter mornings give the sharpest view of Fuji with snow to its shoulders, and the city counts the white season among the park's best. Cherry blossom in April brings the biggest crowds of the year. Early on a weekday in May or June the deck is quieter, and the city calls the new-leaf season a good time to come. Address: 2-4-1 Asama, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0031 By bike: Lock the bike at one of the city car parks below the hill and climb on foot, because the lanes round the park are narrow and the city asks every vehicle to stay off the pagoda square. Website: https://fujiyoshida.net/spot/12 Summary: Arakurayama Sengen Park in Fujiyoshida gives the postcard view of Mt. Fuji rising behind a five-storey pagoda, and it suits anyone willing to climb 398 steps at dawn; the trade-off is a crowd that has strained the homes below, so come early and carry your rubbish home. The red pagoda is Fujiyoshida's Chureito, a memorial tower built in 1962 to enshrine 1,055 people from the city who died in war. It stands below Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine, which makes the whole hillside sacred ground, and the city holds a service for the war dead there each September. Keep your voice down on the deck, because this is a place of remembrance. From the deck the city of Fujiyoshida spreads out below, and Fuji sits square behind it. The deck reopened after rebuilding on 1 February 2022. Before that, crowds had pushed onto stone walls and slopes on private land beside the park, and the city fenced the edge in 2015. Fujikyu's Shimoyoshida Station is the stop for the park, about 25 minutes on foot from the tower by the city tourism office's count. Coaches may only drop people at the station and must then move on to the bus car park, so tour groups walk the same lanes as everyone else. The city also bars coaches from Taisho-ji temple nearby and asks drivers not to stop in the surrounding streets, where they block residents. Tips: - Spread the load: Oishi Park on the north shore of Lake Kawaguchi gives Fuji across the water with lavender in early summer and red kochia in autumn. - Use the toilets in the park. The city asks coach passengers to stay out of the toilets at Shimoyoshida Station. - Carry your rubbish down with you, since litter was one of the reasons the city started charging for parking. Q: What is the Chureito Pagoda? A: The Chureito is a memorial tower in Arakurayama Sengen Park, finished in 1962 to honour 1,055 people from Fujiyoshida who died in war. It takes the form of a five-storey pagoda. Q: How many steps are there to the Chureito Pagoda viewpoint? A: The Sakuya-hime stairway has 398 steps from the foot of the park to the viewing deck. Q: Is there parking at Arakurayama Sengen Park? A: Yes. Since April 2025 the city's four car parks charge ¥1,000 or ¥1,500 for up to six hours, and P1 closes during the spring traffic controls. Q: What are the opening hours of Arakurayama Sengen Park? A: Arakurayama Sengen Park is open the park and its viewing deck stay open around the clock. Fujiyoshida lights the pagoda from dusk until 21:50, starting at 16:00 in December, January and February and as late as 19:00 from June to September. Q: When is the best time to visit Arakurayama Sengen Park? A: Arakurayama Sengen Park: Clear winter mornings give the sharpest view of Fuji with snow to its shoulders, and the city counts the white season among the park's best. Cherry blossom in April brings the biggest crowds of the year. Early on a weekday in May or June the deck is quieter, and the city calls the new-leaf season a good time to come. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://fujiyoshida.net/spot/12 https://www.city.fujiyoshida.yamanashi.jp/page/8788.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%96%B0%E5%80%89%E5%B1%B1%E6%B5%85%E9%96%93%E5%85%AC%E5%9C%92 https://fujisan.ne.jp/feature/1209/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21652375 ### Mt. Aso Nakadake Crater URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/aso-nakadake-crater Type: Sight Local name: 阿蘇山中岳火口 (ja) Also known as: Nakadake Crater, Aso crater, Mt Aso crater, Aso Sanjo, 中岳 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kumamoto Town: Aso Address: Kurokawa, Aso, Kumamoto Status: temporarily-closed. JMA alert level 2 since 16:00 on 1 September 2026: no entry within about 1 km of the Nakadake first crater and the park road to the rim is shut. The road to Aso Sanjo Plaza has been open since 2 September. JMA's Aso page: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/503.html Coordinates: 32.88350, 131.09700 Kind: Volcano Hours: These are the hours of the Aso Mountain Park Road to the crater rim, and they apply only when the alert level allows it. The entry gate shuts 30 minutes before closing, and bikes must pass it an hour before closing (17:00 in summer, 16:30 in November, 16:00 in winter). The whole area is closed at night. Closed: Closed at alert level 2 and above Prices: The park road to the crater is free by bicycle. Motorcycles pay ¥400 and cars ¥1,000. Parking at Aso Sanjo Plaza and Kusasenri costs ¥500 for a car or ¥200 for a motorcycle on one ticket for both lots. The crater shuttle bus from the plaza costs ¥1,600 return for adults when it runs. Best time: Check the Aso Volcano Disaster Prevention Council's crater page on the morning you go. Even at alert level 1 the crater area closes when volcanic gas drifts toward the viewing zones or the weather turns. Address: Kurokawa, Aso, Kumamoto By bike: Bikes ride the park road to the crater free when it is open, and they must pass the entry gate an hour before closing. At alert level 2, as now, the park road is shut and you can ride only as far as Aso Sanjo Plaza. Website: https://www.aso.ne.jp/~volcano/ Summary: Nakadake's crater suits anyone who wants to look into an active volcano when Aso is quiet, and since 1 September 2026 alert level 2 keeps everyone at least 1 km from the crater. Nakadake is the active cone among the five peaks of Aso, inside a caldera that runs about 18 km east to west and 25 km north to south. Its crater is a line of vents about 1,100 metres long from north to south, and in recent years only the northernmost, the first crater, has been active. In quiet spells a hot crater lake called the yudamari fills the bottom. When the volcano stirs the lake dries up and the vent throws out black, sandy ash that locals call yona. JMA raised Aso to alert level 2 on 21 June 2026 and to level 3 on 14 August, when volcanic tremor grew and sulphur dioxide output jumped. It lowered the level to 2 at 16:00 on 1 September after the tremor eased. The council reopened the road to Aso Sanjo Plaza at 9:00 on 2 September, and the ground within about 1 km of the crater stays closed. JMA's September report finds the volcano still in a heightened state, with high gas output, and warns of eruptions that reach about 1 km from the crater. Here is what each level means on the ground. At level 1 only the inside of the crater is off limits, and the park road and crater rim open in good conditions. Level 2 closes the area within about 1 km of the first crater and the park road with it. Level 3 closes about 2 km, with the trails to Nakadake and Takadake, and can widen toward the inhabited areas about 4 km out. Levels 4 and 5 move people out of the homes most at risk. Tips: - People with asthma, bronchial illness or a heart condition, and anyone feeling unwell, are barred from the crater at all times because the gas can kill. - Kusasenri and the Aso Volcano Museum sit about 4 km west of the crater and stay open at level 2. Q: Can you see the Aso crater right now? A: No. JMA has kept Aso at alert level 2 since 1 September 2026, which closes the area within about 1 km of the Nakadake first crater and the park road to its rim. You can still reach Aso Sanjo Plaza and Kusasenri. Check the Aso Volcano Disaster Prevention Council's page before you go. Q: Can you cycle up to the Aso crater? A: Yes, when the alert level allows. The Aso Mountain Park Road is free for bicycles, and bikes must enter an hour before the road closes: by 17:00 in summer, 16:30 in November and 16:00 from December to 19 March. Q: What are the opening hours of Mt. Aso Nakadake Crater? A: Mt. Aso Nakadake Crater keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:30–18:00. Q: When is the best time to visit Mt. Aso Nakadake Crater? A: Mt. Aso Nakadake Crater: Check the Aso Volcano Disaster Prevention Council's crater page on the morning you go. Even at alert level 1 the crater area closes when volcanic gas drifts toward the viewing zones or the weather turns. Q: Can you get to Mt. Aso Nakadake Crater by bike? A: Bikes ride the park road to the crater free when it is open, and they must pass the entry gate an hour before closing. At alert level 2, as now, the park road is shut and you can ride only as far as Aso Sanjo Plaza. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.aso.ne.jp/~volcano/ https://www.aso.ne.jp/~volcano/html/attention.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/503.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/filing/level/PDF/level_503.pdf https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/monthly_v-act_doc/fukuoka/26m09/503_26m09.pdf https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/monthly_v-act_doc/fukuoka/26m08/503_26m08.pdf https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/fukuoka/503_Asosan/503_index.html https://www.city.aso.kumamoto.jp/tourism/spot/park_road_fee/ https://www.city.aso.kumamoto.jp/tourism/spot/mt_aso/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11364338 ### Beppu Jigoku Meguri URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/beppu-jigoku-meguri Type: Sight Local name: べっぷ地獄めぐり (ja) Also known as: Beppu Hells, Hells of Beppu, Umi Jigoku, Chinoike Jigoku, Tatsumaki Jigoku, 海地獄, 血の池地獄 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Oita Town: Beppu Address: 559-1 Kannawa, Beppu, Oita 874-0045 Coordinates: 33.31620, 131.47780 Kind: Hot spring vents Hours: All seven hells open every day of the year. Entry: ¥2,400 per adult (2025), about CAD 22 or USD 15 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The joint ticket for all seven hells costs ¥2,400 from high school age and ¥1,200 for primary and junior high school students, the prices in force since 1 February 2025. Buy it at the first hell you visit; every hell sells it. Best time: Any day of the year. Come on a weekend at 10:00 if you want to see the staff at Oniyama Jigoku feed its crocodiles. Rainy days: Works in the rain With children: Good with children Address: 559-1 Kannawa, Beppu, Oita 874-0045 Price from: ¥2,400 per adult (2025), about CAD 22 or USD 15 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.beppu-jigoku.com/ Summary: The Beppu hells suit families and first-time visitors who want to see Beppu's springs boil up out of the ground, and they are hot springs to look at, with foot baths the only place to dip in. Seven hells make up the tour. Umi Jigoku is a cobalt-blue pond at 98 °C, Chinoike Jigoku runs red with iron oxide down to its steam, and Tatsumaki Jigoku throws out boiling water and steam at regular intervals. Shiraike, Oniishibozu, Oniyama and Kamado Jigoku complete the set. Umi, Chinoike, Tatsumaki and Shiraike are national Places of Scenic Beauty for their colours and forms. The Bungo Fudoki, written more than a thousand years ago, already records steam, hot mud and boiling water bursting from the ground at Kannawa and Kamegawa. People shunned the land and called it hell, and in Kannawa a spring vent is still called a jigoku today. Five of the hells sit together in Kannawa, and Chinoike and Tatsumaki stand side by side about 3 km away. Umi, Chinoike, Oniishibozu and Kamado each have a foot bath. Tips: - From JR Beppu Station's west exit, Kamenoi buses 2, 5, 24 and 41 reach the Umi Jigoku-mae stop in about 20 minutes, and bus 16 runs on from Kannawa to Chinoike Jigoku-mae. - The Jigoku association suggests a car or bus for the 3 km between the two groups, and each hell has free parking. Q: How much does it cost to see all of the Beppu hells? A: The joint ticket for all seven hells costs ¥2,400 for adults and ¥1,200 for primary and junior high school students, in force since 1 February 2025. All seven open from 8:00 to 17:00 every day. Q: What are the opening hours of Beppu Jigoku Meguri? A: Beppu Jigoku Meguri keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:00–17:00. Q: When is the best time to visit Beppu Jigoku Meguri? A: Beppu Jigoku Meguri: Any day of the year. Come on a weekend at 10:00 if you want to see the staff at Oniyama Jigoku feed its crocodiles. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.beppu-jigoku.com/ https://www.beppu-jigoku.com/fee/index.html https://www.beppu-jigoku.com/access/index.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q30921762 ### Chikubu Island URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/chikubu-island Type: Sight Local name: 竹生島 (ja) Also known as: Chikubushima, Chikubu-shima, Chikubu Island Lake Biwa, 竹生島 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Nagahama Address: Nagahama, Shiga (reached by boat only) Coordinates: 35.42330, 136.14360 Kind: Island Hours: Visits follow the boat timetable. Biwako Kisen's Nagahama boat leaves at 8:50, 10:15, 11:40, 13:05 and 14:30 on most days of the regular season, with extra sailings on busy weekends. Entry: ¥600 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Fares are from 1 April 2026 and include tax. Children of elementary age pay half. Time needed: 1.5 hours Best time: Spring and autumn, when the full timetable runs. Address: Nagahama, Shiga (reached by boat only) By bike: Leave the bike at Nagahama or Imazu port. The crossing ticket lets you start on one shore and finish on the other. Price from: ¥600 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.biwakokisen.co.jp/cruise/chikubu/ Booking: https://www.biwakokisen.co.jp/cruise/chikubu/price_time/ Summary: Chikubu Island suits anyone with half a day in Nagahama or Imazu and an interest in temples, though the boats thin out to two a day in winter and the landing fee comes on top of the fare. People have worshipped on Chikubu Island since ancient times, and the temple Hogon-ji and Tsukubusuma Shrine share the small island. Hogon-ji's Kara-mon gate and the shrine's main hall are national treasures, and the covered Funa-roka corridor between them is an important cultural property. Visiting the temple and shrine costs a landing fee of ¥600 for adults and ¥300 for children. Biwako Kisen sails from Nagahama port in 35 minutes and from Imazu on the west shore in 25 to 30. The Nagahama return fare is ¥3,800 for adults and the Imazu return is ¥3,400. The crossing ticket from one port to the other via the island costs ¥3,600, which is the one to buy if you're riding around the lake. You get about 90 minutes ashore on the Nagahama return. Ohmi Marine also sails from Hikone port. Winter cuts the timetable hard. From 7 to 25 December 2026 and from 4 January to 5 March 2027, the Nagahama boat runs two return sailings a day, leaving at 10:15 and 13:05. The Imazu boat runs only on weekends and holidays then, also twice a day. Ohmi Marine runs two sailings a day on weekdays from December into January. Tips: - Buy the Imazu to Nagahama crossing if you're riding the lake, and check the timetable for how long you get ashore. - Neither boat company's page says anything about bikes on board, so plan to leave yours at the port. - On the day of the Biwako fireworks in Otsu, both Biwako Kisen routes cancel their afternoon sailings. Q: How do I get to Chikubu Island? A: By boat. Biwako Kisen sails from Nagahama port in 35 minutes and from Imazu in about 25 to 30, and Ohmi Marine sails from Hikone. Q: Do Chikubu Island boats run in winter? A: Yes, on a reduced timetable. In winter 2026/27 the Nagahama boat makes two return trips a day, and the Imazu boat runs only on weekends and holidays. Q: How much does Chikubu Island cost? A: Prices at Chikubu Island start at ¥600 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Chikubu Island? A: Chikubu Island keeps these hours: Mon–Sun by boat timetable. Q: How long do you need at Chikubu Island? A: Plan about 1.5 hours at Chikubu Island. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.biwakokisen.co.jp/cruise/chikubu/ https://www.biwakokisen.co.jp/cruise/chikubu/price_time/ https://www.ohmitetudo.co.jp/marine/time-price/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2975401 ### Chirihama Nagisa Driveway URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/chirihama-nagisa-driveway Type: Sight Local name: 千里浜なぎさドライブウェイ (ja) Also known as: Chirihama Beach, Chirihama Beach Driveway, Chirihama Nagisa Drive Way, 千里浜 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Town: Hakui Address: Chirihama-machi, Hakui, to Imahama, Hodatsushimizu, Ishikawa Coordinates: 36.89533, 136.76927 Kind: Coast Closed: Closed to cars whenever the prefecture judges the waves unsafe Best time: Come before dawn, when the Ishikawa tourism body says the beach is quiet and morning mist sometimes lies on the sand. With children: Good with children Address: Chirihama-machi, Hakui, to Imahama, Hodatsushimizu, Ishikawa By bike: The tourism body invites motorbikes and bicycles on fine days and says stopping on the sand takes some practice. Chirihama Rest House rents bicycles. Website: https://www.hot-ishikawa.jp/spot/detail_5818.html Summary: The Chirihama Nagisa Driveway is the beach on the Noto Peninsula's west coast that you drive along at the water's edge, and the Ishikawa tourism body calls it the only one in Japan. The prefecture closes it in high waves, so check the road map before you set out. The sand here is fine, damp and packed hard, so ordinary cars run on ordinary tyres between Chirihama in Hakui and Imahama in Hodatsushimizu. You can pull up by the waves to paddle or picnic, and in the evening you can watch the sun set into the Sea of Japan. The Hakui civil engineering office of Ishikawa Prefecture manages the beach and decides each closure. Leave the Noto Satoyama Kaido at Imahama IC or Chirihama IC to reach it. Tips: - Read the live status on Ishikawa's road map before you drive out, since a closure can come at short notice. Q: When is the best time to visit Chirihama Nagisa Driveway? A: Chirihama Nagisa Driveway: Come before dawn, when the Ishikawa tourism body says the beach is quiet and morning mist sometimes lies on the sand. Q: Can you get to Chirihama Nagisa Driveway by bike? A: The tourism body invites motorbikes and bicycles on fine days and says stopping on the sand takes some practice. Chirihama Rest House rents bicycles. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hot-ishikawa.jp/spot/detail_5818.html https://douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/ https://douro.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/api/getRegulation ### Daikanbo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/daikanbo Type: Sight Local name: 大観峰 (ja) Also known as: Daikanbo Lookout, Mount Daikanbo, Daikanbou Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kumamoto Town: Aso Address: Yamada, Aso, Kumamoto Coordinates: 32.99640, 131.06720 Kind: Viewpoint Hours: The lookout is open ground on the caldera rim and has no gate. Prices: There is no charge to stand at the lookout. With children: Good with children Address: Yamada, Aso, Kumamoto Website: https://www.city.aso.kumamoto.jp/tourism/spot/view_place/ Summary: Daikanbo suits anyone who wants the whole Aso caldera in one view, and it sits on the northern rim more than 12 km from the active crater, far outside the zones the volcanic alert levels close. Daikanbo is a high point on the northern rim of the Aso caldera, and Aso City calls it the best place to see the five peaks of Aso, whose outline people compare to a reclining Buddha. Below you spreads the Aso valley with its farmland, and the view runs from the caldera's eastern wall right round to the western one. The Meiji-era writer Tokutomi Soho gave the lookout its name. Stones carved with poems by Soho, Yoshii Isamu and Takahama Kyoshi stand on the hill. Across the caldera you can pick out Nakadake, the active cone, steaming among the five peaks. Tips: - Pair Daikanbo with Kurokawa Onsen, which lies in the hills to the north east of the caldera. Q: Who named Daikanbo? A: The Meiji-era writer Tokutomi Soho named the lookout, according to Aso City. Stones carved with poems by Soho, Yoshii Isamu and Takahama Kyoshi stand there. Q: What are the opening hours of Daikanbo? A: Daikanbo is open the lookout is open ground on the caldera rim and has no gate. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.aso.kumamoto.jp/tourism/spot/view_place/ https://www.city.aso.kumamoto.jp/tourism/spot/mt_aso/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11438960 ### Daio Wasabi Farm URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/daio-wasabi-farm Type: Sight Local name: 大王わさび農場 (ja) Also known as: Daio Wasabi, Daio Farm, Daio wasabi farm Azumino, 大王農場, Daio Wasabi Nojo, 大王わさび Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Azumino Address: 3640 Hotaka, Azumino, Nagano 399-8303 Coordinates: 36.33860, 137.90990 Kind: Farm Hours: Open 8:00–17:00 from March to November and 9:00–16:00 from December to February. Nobody is let in outside those hours. Closed: 31 December; also 27 January 2027 Entry: Free Prices: Entry is free. Meals at the farm's restaurants and anything from the shop cost extra. Best time: The white wasabi flowers bloom on the beds around March. The spring water stays near 14.5°C all year, so the fields look green in every season. With children: Good with children Address: 3640 Hotaka, Azumino, Nagano 399-8303 Price from: ¥0 per person (2026) Website: https://www.daiowasabi.co.jp/ Summary: Daio Wasabi Farm in Azumino is Japan's largest flatland wasabi farm, and it suits anyone after a free, easy walk among spring-fed fields with the Northern Alps behind; it's 2.3 km from JR Hotaka Station, a 30-minute walk or a 10-minute taxi. Clearing began in 1917 on the gravel of an alluvial fan below the Northern Alps, and the founders worked for about 20 years before the last field was done. The farm now covers 15 hectares. Snowmelt from the Alps soaks underground and surfaces here at around 14.5°C, about 120,000 tonnes a day, and wasabi needs exactly that cold, clean flow. Poplar and acacia shade the beds, and black nets go up in summer to keep the temperature steady. Three water wheels turn on the clear stream along the farm's edge, and the scene has turned up in so many photos and films that people call it Azumino's original landscape. Daio Shrine stands on the grounds, and the farm holds a festival there every 8 May to give thanks for the harvest. The flowers on the wasabi beds come out white around March. Entry costs nothing, and the farm feeds you in four places. Daio-an cooks its rice in iron pots with the spring water, Restaurant Oasis serves meat with fresh wasabi, DAIO's CAFE makes all its own sweets, and the WASABI WONDER food court puts wasabi in its oyaki. The shop sells fresh grated Azumino wasabi. Outside food isn't allowed, and dogs on a lead may join you on the restaurant terraces but not in the shop. Tips: - Walk or ride from JR Hotaka Station on the Oito Line, 2.3 km away. - Come for lunch on a ride across the flat Azumino valley floor, and order the pot-cooked rice at Daio-an or a wasabi oyaki from the food court. - Bring the dog if you like; it can join you on a lead and sit with you on the restaurant terraces. - Check the farm's news page in winter, when it closes on 31 December and on 27 January 2027. Q: Is Daio Wasabi Farm free? A: Yes. Entry to Daio Wasabi Farm in Azumino is free. Q: How do I get to Daio Wasabi Farm by train? A: Take the JR Oito Line to Hotaka Station, 2.3 km from Daio Wasabi Farm. The farm says it is about 30 minutes on foot or 10 minutes by taxi. Q: What are Daio Wasabi Farm's opening hours? A: Daio Wasabi Farm opens 8:00–17:00 from March to November and 9:00–16:00 from December to February. It closes on 31 December and, in 2027, on 27 January. Q: How much does Daio Wasabi Farm cost? A: Daio Wasabi Farm is free to visit. Q: When is the best time to visit Daio Wasabi Farm? A: Daio Wasabi Farm: The white wasabi flowers bloom on the beds around March. The spring water stays near 14.5°C all year, so the fields look green in every season. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.daiowasabi.co.jp/ https://www.daiowasabi.co.jp/about/ https://www.daiowasabi.co.jp/history/ https://www.daiowasabi.co.jp/daio-shrine/ https://www.daiowasabi.co.jp/%e8%87%a8%e6%99%82%e4%bc%91%e5%a0%b4%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/7299686 https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/11377287924 ### Doai Station URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/doai-station Type: Sight Local name: 土合駅 (ja) Also known as: Doai, Doai mole station, Japan's mole station, 土合, 日本一のモグラ駅 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 218-2 Yubiso, Minakami, Tone District, Gunma Coordinates: 36.83140, 138.96710 Kind: Station Hours: Doai is an unstaffed JR East station on the Joetsu line, so the stairs are open whenever trains run. Few local trains stop here, so check the JR timetable before you plan a ride. Rainy days: Works in the rain With children: Good with children Address: 218-2 Yubiso, Minakami, Tone District, Gunma Website: https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/7971/ Summary: Doai Station suits rail fans and anyone with a spare hour near the Tanigawadake ropeway, and its famous down platform takes about ten minutes of stair climbing to get out of. Doai is the northernmost railway station in Gunma, and its down platform sits deep inside the Shin-Shimizu Tunnel. The Minakami tourism association counts 462 steps and about 70 m of height between that platform and the station house, which earned it the nickname Japan's top mole station. The climb takes about ten minutes up a long stairway inside the tunnel. The up platform sits outside at ground level beside a station house built to look like a mountain hut. The station lies a short walk below the Tanigawadake ropeway base, and the Kan-etsu Kotsu bus stops at Doai Ekimae. Arriving by train means a local Joetsu line service, and few of those stop here. Tips: - Walk down to the platform and back up for the full experience, and allow about ten minutes for the climb out. - The Kan-etsu Kotsu bus from Jomo-Kogen stops at Doai Ekimae on its way to the ropeway. Q: What are the opening hours of Doai Station? A: Doai Station is open doai is an unstaffed JR East station on the Joetsu line, so the stairs are open whenever trains run. Few local trains stop here, so check the JR timetable before you plan a ride. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/7971/ https://kan-etsu.net/files/libs/14053/202603051656145737.pdf https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%9C%9F%E5%90%88%E9%A7%85 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5286466 ### Dogashima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/dogashima Type: Sight Local name: 堂ヶ島 (ja) Also known as: Dogashima Tensodo, Tensodo Cave, Dogashima tombolo, Sanshiro Island, Dogashima blue cave, 天窓洞, 三四郎島 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Address: 2910-2 Nishina, Nishiizu, Kamo District, Shizuoka 410-3514 Coordinates: 34.78270, 138.76620 Kind: Coast Hours: The cave boats run 10:00–16:00, leaving every 15 to 20 minutes with no fixed timetable, and the operator posts each day's sailing status after 9:30. In 2026 the boats ran 9:00–16:30 over Golden Week, the summer holidays and Silver Week. Entry: ¥1,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The 20-minute cave boat costs ¥1,500 for adults and ¥750 for children on Dogashima Marine's site in October 2026, with group fares from 15 people. The coastal path, the view down into the cave and the four car parks are free. Best time: The tombolo to Sanshiro Island only shows in daylight from March to September, when the tide drops to 30 cm or lower; from October to February it stays under water during the day. Sunsets over Suruga Bay are the other draw on this west-facing coast. Address: 2910-2 Nishina, Nishiizu, Kamo District, Shizuoka 410-3514 By bike: Dogashima lies on National Route 136 down the west coast of Izu. Free parking near the boat pier and the tombolo is limited to about 60 spaces across four car parks, so a bike saves the hunt for a space. Price from: ¥1,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.nishiizu-kankou.com/sightseeing/cwincave Summary: Dogashima on Izu's west coast is a cluster of white tuff islands where a small boat noses into Tensodo, a sea cave with a hole in its roof, and it suits anyone with an hour to spare on the coast road; the walk-out tombolo to Sanshiro Island needs the right low tide, and from October to February it never shows in daylight. Tensodo is a sea cave cut into white tuff, with three entrances and a main passage about 147 metres long. Boats go in through the south entrance to the middle of the cave, where the roof has fallen away and a shaft of daylight drops onto the water. It became a natural monument in 1935, and the poets Tekkan and Akiko Yosano wrote tanka about it that same spring. The Dogashima walking path also passes the skylight, so you can look down into the cave from above. Offshore lie the four islets of Sanshiro-jima, which look like three from some angles and take their name from that. At a low tide of 30 cm or less a bar of sand and stones joins the shore to Denbe-jima, the nearest of them, for about an hour either side of low water. Shizuoka lists this tombolo as a prefectural natural monument. Nishiizu's tourism office publishes the tide tables for 2026 and 2027, and you should check them before you go. Tips: - Use the free car parks at Dogashima Park and the town car park, because the spaces south of the traffic lights belong to the restaurants. - Check the boat operator's status page after 9:30, since rough sea stops the cave boats. Q: How much is the Dogashima cave boat? A: The Tensodo cave boat at Dogashima costs ¥1,500 for adults and ¥750 for children, and the trip takes about 20 minutes. Q: When can you walk to Sanshiro Island at Dogashima? A: Only at low tides of about 30 cm or less, roughly an hour either side of low water. In daylight that happens on some days from March to September, and never from October to February. Q: What are the opening hours of Dogashima? A: Dogashima keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–16:00. Q: When is the best time to visit Dogashima? A: Dogashima: The tombolo to Sanshiro Island only shows in daylight from March to September, when the tide drops to 30 cm or lower; from October to February it stays under water during the day. Sunsets over Suruga Bay are the other draw on this west-facing coast. Q: Can you get to Dogashima by bike? A: Dogashima lies on National Route 136 down the west coast of Izu. Free parking near the boat pier and the tombolo is limited to about 60 spaces across four car parks, so a bike saves the hunt for a space. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nishiizu-kankou.com/sightseeing/cwincave https://www.nishiizu-kankou.com/sightseeing/sanshirou https://www.nishiizu-kankou.com/news/archive_178 https://dogashimamarine.jp/ https://dogashimamarine.jp/route/cave https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q92141457 ### Hakkoda Ropeway URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/hakkoda-ropeway Type: Sight Local name: 八甲田ロープウェー (ja) Also known as: Hakkoda Ropeway green season, Hakkoda gondola, Mt. Hakkoda ropeway, Hakkoda Gold Line, 八甲田ゴードライン Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Address: Kansuizawa, Arakawa, Aomori, Aomori Coordinates: 40.67820, 140.84650 Kind: Ropeway Hours: First car up at 9:00. The last car up leaves at 16:20 from March to early November and at 15:40 from mid-November to February, and cars run every 15 to 20 minutes. Winds of 25 m/s or more stop the ropeway. It closes from 8 to 20 November 2026 for maintenance and power work, and from 25 to 31 May 2027. Closed: 8–20 November 2026 and 25–31 May 2027 Entry: ¥2,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 22 or USD 16 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Fares rose on 1 August 2026: adults pay ¥1,550 one way and ¥2,500 return, primary-school children ¥450 and ¥700, and preschoolers ride free. The ropeway's Q&A page still shows the older ¥2,200 return. Time needed: 1.5 hours Best time: Foliage starts near the summit in late September. The Gold Line walk at the top peaks in early October, and the view from the cabins peaks around 10 October. Mid-October brings waits of up to 90 minutes. Snow lies on the summit trails from mid-November to late June. With children: Good with children Address: Kansuizawa, Arakawa, Aomori, Aomori Price from: ¥2,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 22 or USD 16 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/ Summary: The Hakkoda Ropeway suits walkers and families in Aomori who want an easy ride to 1,324 metres and a loop through alpine wetland; snow covers the summit trails until late June, so the green-season walk belongs to July to October. The ropeway climbs from the base station to Sancho Koen station in about ten minutes. Cars leave every 15 to 20 minutes from 9:00. At the top the Hakkoda Gold Line, a promenade through the summit wetland, takes about an hour to an hour and a half round trip. Green season here runs from snowmelt in late June until the first snow. Autumn is the busiest time: the leaves turn from late September and the cabins peak around 10 October, when queues reach 90 minutes. The ropeway raised its fares on 1 August 2026 to ¥2,500 return, and it closes for maintenance from 8 to 20 November 2026. Hikers set off from the summit station, but no trail leads back down to the base station, so plan a route that ends at a road. Fill in the climbing plan form at the summit station. In 2026 the prefecture's special bear warning closed the Hakkoda trails until 31 July after a bear attacked a man in late June. Hakkoda is an active volcano, and JMA has kept it at alert level 1 since it started using levels there in 2019. JMA's leaflet maps a danger zone of about 1 km around the Jigokunuma crater and about 2 to 3 km around the Odake crater for larger eruptions. Aomori City and Towada City set the actual closures at each level. Tips: - Go early on weekdays in mid-October. Queues at the base station can reach 90 minutes around the foliage peak. - Fit winter tyres if you drive up between November and April, which the operator asks of every driver. Q: How much is the Hakkoda Ropeway? A: From 1 August 2026 a return ticket costs ¥2,500 for adults and ¥700 for children. One way costs ¥1,550. Q: How long does the Hakkoda Ropeway take? A: About ten minutes each way. The Gold Line walk at the top takes an hour to an hour and a half. Q: When is the Hakkoda Ropeway closed? A: It closes from 8 to 20 November 2026 and from 25 to 31 May 2027, and stops whenever winds reach 25 m/s. Q: When is the best time to visit Hakkoda Ropeway? A: Hakkoda Ropeway: Foliage starts near the summit in late September. The Gold Line walk at the top peaks in early October, and the view from the cabins peaks around 10 October. Mid-October brings waits of up to 90 minutes. Snow lies on the summit trails from mid-November to late June. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/fare_time/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/qa/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/ski/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/2026/09/24/%e4%bb%a4%e5%92%8c%ef%bc%98%e5%b9%b4%e5%ba%a6%e3%81%ae%e9%81%8b%e4%bc%91%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b-2/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/2026/09/24/%e4%bb%a4%e5%92%8c%ef%bc%99%e5%b9%b4%e5%ba%a6%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b/ https://sukayu.jp/information1/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/203.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/filing/level/PDF/level_203.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5640557 ### Hakone Ropeway URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/hakone-ropeway Type: Sight Local name: 箱根ロープウェイ (ja) Also known as: Hakone Ropeway Owakudani, Owakudani ropeway, Hakone cable car, 大涌谷 ロープウェイ Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Kanagawa Town: Hakone Address: Owakudani Station, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Coordinates: 35.24430, 139.01990 Kind: Ropeway Hours: The ropeway runs 9:00–17:00 from February to November and 9:00–16:15 at every station in December and January. Gondolas leave about once a minute. Bad weather, maintenance or a rise in volcanic gas at Owakudani can stop it. Entry: ¥2,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Since 1 October 2025 every one-way ride costs ¥2,000 for adults and ¥700 for children, however many stations you pass. A return valid for two days costs ¥3,000 and ¥1,000. The Hakone Freepass covers the ropeway as well. Best time: Save it for a clear day, when the gondola looks out over the Owakudani vents and down to Lake Ashi. In December and January the last ride leaves earlier, so plan to finish by 16:15. Address: Owakudani Station, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Price from: ¥2,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.hakonenavi.jp/hakone-ropeway/ Booking: https://www.hakonenavi.jp/transportation/ticket/ropeway/ Summary: The Hakone Ropeway carries 18-seat gondolas over the steaming vents of Owakudani between Sounzan and Lake Ashi, and suits anyone crossing Hakone on the classic loop; rising volcanic gas can stop it, so keep the bus in mind as a fallback. Four stations make up the line: Sounzan at the top of the Hakone Tozan cable car, then Owakudani, Ubako and Togendai on Lake Ashi. Each section takes about 10 minutes. At Owakudani you change gondolas, since the Sounzan and Togendai lines leave from different platforms. Togendai is where the Hakone sightseeing cruise boats, the Odakyu highway buses and the Hakone Tozan buses meet. Owakudani is an active crater on Hakoneyama, and the ropeway publishes its own gas readings on the operator's site. Read them along with the JMA bulletin for Hakoneyama before you set out. The operator says the gas readings and the volcanic alert level are separate measures, and either can change the day's plans. Hakoneyama's alert plan, revised in March 2025, sets out what closes at each level. At Level 1 the authorities may restrict entry inside the expected crater zone as conditions require. Level 2 shuts the ground round the crater zone along with the Owakudani roads and the ropeway through it, though you can still reach Ubako and Sounzan stations. Level 3 bars entry up to about 600 metres from the crater zone. At Level 4 Hakone town orders an evacuation, because so many visitors would need moving and homes sit close to the crater zone. Tips: - Buy the return ticket only if you plan to come back the same way within two days. - Check the operator's gas readings on the morning you travel, since the ropeway suspends service when readings rise. Q: How much is the Hakone Ropeway? A: Since 1 October 2025 a one-way ride on the Hakone Ropeway costs ¥2,000 for adults and ¥700 for children, whatever the distance. A two-day return costs ¥3,000 and ¥1,000. Q: What time does the Hakone Ropeway close? A: The Hakone Ropeway runs 9:00–17:00 from February to November and 9:00–16:15 in December and January. Q: Why does the Hakone Ropeway stop running? A: Bad weather, maintenance and rising volcanic gas at Owakudani can all stop the Hakone Ropeway. The operator measures gas at several points and suspends service when the readings rise. Q: What are the opening hours of Hakone Ropeway? A: Hakone Ropeway keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: When is the best time to visit Hakone Ropeway? A: Hakone Ropeway: Save it for a clear day, when the gondola looks out over the Owakudani vents and down to Lake Ashi. In December and January the last ride leaves earlier, so plan to finish by 16:15. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hakonenavi.jp/hakone-ropeway/ https://www.hakonenavi.jp/transportation/ticket/ropeway/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/315_Hakoneyama/315_index.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/filing/level/PDF/level_315.pdf https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/volcano/data/warning.json https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1049195 ### Hakuba Iwatake URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/hakuba-iwatake Type: Sight Local name: 白馬岩岳 (ja) Also known as: Iwatake, Hakuba Iwatake Mountain Resort, Hakuba Mountain Harbor, HAKUBA MOUNTAIN HARBOR, Iwatake gondola, 白馬岩岳マウンテンリゾート Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Status: seasonal. The 2026 green season runs from 23 April to 15 November. The winter season opens in mid-December. Coordinates: 36.72970, 137.83830 Kind: Viewpoint Hours: In the 2026 green season the gondola runs 8:30–17:00, with the last car down at 16:50; on 11 October 2026 it ran 8:30–16:20. The No. 5 South lift runs until 8 November, and from 9 to 15 November only the gondola operates. Closed: 16 November to mid-December, and 30 March to 22 April 2026 (between seasons) Entry: ¥2,900 per adult (2026), about CAD 26 or USD 18 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Green-season entry costs ¥2,900 for adults and ¥1,600 for primary school children in 2026, including the gondola and the No. 5 South lift both ways; a one-way ride costs the same. Children under six ride free, one per paying adult. Pets ride for ¥800 each. Best time: The terrace faces the Hakuba Sanzan, so pick a clear day; the operator's live camera shows the view from Hakuba Mountain Harbor before you buy a ticket. With children: Good with children By bike: Iwatake runs an MTB park with a downhill course from the summit and a cross-country course at the base, and rents bikes at the top. In 2026 it operates until 8 November. Price from: ¥2,900 per adult (2026), about CAD 26 or USD 18 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://iwatake-mountain-resort.com/green/ Summary: Hakuba Iwatake is a 1,289-metre summit above Hakuba village with a seven-minute gondola and a terrace facing the Hakuba Sanzan, and it suits families and anyone who wants the big Alps view without a hike; the 2026 green season ends on 15 November. The Iwatake gondola climbs to the 1,289-metre summit in seven minutes, and the top opens onto lawns with a view all the way round over the Northern Alps and Hakuba village. Hakuba Mountain Harbor is a terrace about eight minutes from the gondola's base station that looks straight at the Hakuba Sanzan. The City Bakery, the New York bakery, runs the counter there. Entry costs ¥2,900 for adults and ¥1,600 for primary school children in 2026, which covers the gondola and the No. 5 South lift in both directions. Dogs ride the gondola too, and the terrace lets them in. The No. 5 South lift carries you over to Hakuba Hitotoki no Mori, a second viewing area with a tea and scone shop. Nezuko no Mori is a trekking loop of about 90 minutes through beech, oak and Japanese thuja up to 200 years old. In October 2026 tree felling kept it open on weekends and holidays only. Mountain carts, a giant swing, buggy tours and the MTB park keep the faster crowd busy, and most of them close for the year on 8 November. Tips: - A free village shuttle runs to the gondola from 4 to 15 November 2026. - On a cloudy day, check the live camera first; the view is the reason to ride up. - Pay for activities in cash; the summit's other shops take cards and IC transit cards. Q: How much is the Hakuba Iwatake gondola in summer? A: In the 2026 green season Hakuba Iwatake's resort entry costs ¥2,900 for adults and ¥1,600 for primary school children, including the gondola and the No. 5 South lift both ways. Q: When does Hakuba Iwatake's green season end? A: The 2026 green season at Hakuba Iwatake runs to 15 November. From 9 November only the gondola operates. Q: Can I take my dog up the Hakuba Iwatake gondola? A: Yes. Dogs ride the Hakuba Iwatake gondola for ¥800 each in 2026 and may join you on the Hakuba Mountain Harbor terrace. Q: What are the opening hours of Hakuba Iwatake? A: Hakuba Iwatake keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:30–17:00. Q: Can you get to Hakuba Iwatake by bike? A: Iwatake runs an MTB park with a downhill course from the summit and a cross-country course at the base, and rents bikes at the top. In 2026 it operates until 8 November. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://iwatake-mountain-resort.com/green/ https://iwatake-mountain-resort.com/hmh/ https://iwatake-mountain-resort.com/access/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/690859436 ### Happo-ike Pond URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/happo-ike Type: Sight Local name: 八方池 (ja) Also known as: Happo-ike, Happoike, Happo Pond, Happo Alpen Line, Happo-one green season, 八方尾根 八方池 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Status: seasonal. The 2026 lift season ends on 3 November. The toilet at the second cairn closes for winter on 18 October 2026, after which only the toilet beside Happo-ike Sanso is open. Coordinates: 36.69420, 137.78450 Kind: Viewpoint Hours: The Happo Alpen Line ran on 30 and 31 May and from 6 June to 3 November in 2026, with hours that change by the day on the operator's calendar. The last chairlift down from Happo-ike Sanso leaves at 16:30, and the operator recommends starting the walk by 13:00. Closed: Early November to late May (lifts closed for the green season) Entry: ¥3,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 31 or USD 22 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The Happo Alpen Line costs ¥3,500 return for adults and ¥2,300 for primary school children in 2026. Preschoolers ride free, one per paying adult. The gondola ticket window sells same-day tickets only, and the return half stays valid for three days. Time needed: 3.5 hours Best time: Alpine flowers bloom from June to September, and the species named for Happo flower mostly in July and August. Pick a calm, clear morning, when the Hakuba Sanzan shows upside down on the water. Price from: ¥3,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 31 or USD 22 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.happo-one.jp/happo-ike/ Booking: https://ticket-hakubahappo.book.ntmg.com/top?lng=ja-JP Summary: Happo-ike is a pond at 2,060 metres on the Happo-one ridge in Hakuba that mirrors the Hakuba Sanzan on a still day; it suits fit walkers from June to early November, since the lifts take you only to 1,830 metres and the rest is a rocky 90-minute climb. Happo-one's gondola and two chairlifts, together called the Happo Alpen Line, lift walkers 1,060 metres to the first cairn at 1,830 metres in under 40 minutes. From Happo-ike Sanso, the hut at the top, the trail to the pond takes about 90 minutes on the gentler left-hand route with its boardwalk. The right-hand route goes straight up the rocky ridge in about an hour. Allow an hour to come down. The pond formed where snow shoved rubble into a hollow that now fills with meltwater and rain. Happo-one is serpentine rock, which lets alpine plants grow far lower than usual, and the operator counts 347 species on the ridge, some of them found nowhere else and named for Happo. Japanese serow and rock ptarmigan live up here as well. Above Kurobishi the ridge sits inside Chubu Sangaku National Park and is a Nagano prefectural natural monument, so keep to the path. Pack rain gear and a warm layer, because weather on the ridge turns fast, and wear hiking boots or sturdy trainers you don't mind getting muddy. Karamatsu-dake (2,696 m) rises beyond the pond. Anyone heading on from Happo-ike must file a climbing plan first, online or at the gondola station or the hut. Tips: - Drivers can take the Kurobishi Skyline to the mid-mountain car park and ride two chairlifts to the hut instead of the gondola. - Happo-ike Sanso serves lunch from 10:00 to 14:00. - Start the walk by 13:00 so you make the last chair down at 16:30. Q: How long is the hike to Happo-ike? A: About 90 minutes up and 60 minutes down from Happo-ike Sanso at the top of the Happo Alpen Line. Allow about 2 hours 30 minutes on foot for the round trip. Q: How much is the Happo Alpen Line to Happo-ike? A: A return ticket on the Happo Alpen Line costs ¥3,500 for adults and ¥2,300 for primary school children in 2026. Q: When can I hike to Happo-ike? A: In 2026 the Happo Alpen Line ran on 30 and 31 May and from 6 June to 3 November. The last chairlift down from Happo-ike Sanso leaves at 16:30. Q: Is Happo-ike Pond open all year? A: Happo-ike Pond opens for part of the year. The 2026 lift season ends on 3 November. The toilet at the second cairn closes for winter on 18 October 2026, after which only the toilet beside Happo-ike Sanso is open. Q: When is the best time to visit Happo-ike Pond? A: Happo-ike Pond: Alpine flowers bloom from June to September, and the species named for Happo flower mostly in July and August. Pick a calm, clear morning, when the Hakuba Sanzan shows upside down on the water. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.happo-one.jp/happo-ike/ https://www.happo-one.jp/trekking/alpenline https://www.happo-one.jp/news-green/32559/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/626228134 ### Inubosaki Lighthouse URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/inubosaki-lighthouse Type: Sight Local name: 犬吠埼灯台 (ja) Also known as: Inubōsaki Lighthouse, Inubozaki Lighthouse, Inubo Lighthouse, 犬吠埼灯台 Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Town: Choshi Coordinates: 35.70780, 140.86860 Kind: Lighthouse Hours: Open 8:30 to 16:00 from October to February and 8:30 to 17:00 from March to September, until 17:30 in Golden Week and 10 to 19 August. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. Inubosaki is one of the two climbable lighthouses that skip the noon break the operator added in March 2026. Entry: ¥300 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The Tokokai asks a ¥300 visiting donation from junior-high age up. Primary-school children, visitors with a disability certificate and one companion go free. Best time: Early morning, before you ride south from Choshi on the Pacific Cycling Road. With children: Good with children By bike: COGICOGI share bikes from Choshi Station can be returned at the Inubosaki hotels nearby or at Inubo Station. Price from: ¥300 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.tokokai.org/tourlight/tourlight03/ Summary: Inubosaki Lighthouse suits riders starting the Pacific Cycling Road who want the cape's view before they head south, and its trade-off is a climb of a 31 m brick tower that closes at 16:00 in winter. Inubosaki Lighthouse first shone on 15 November 1874, and the white brick tower still works. It stands 31 m tall on the eastern point of Choshi. Japan named the tower and its foghorn house Important Cultural Properties in December 2020, and the lens is one of the country's largest first-order Fresnel lenses. Its light reaches about 36 km out to sea. The rocks off the cape have long wrecked ships. The shogunate warship Mikaho-maru ran aground on the Kurohae reef here while sailing from Edo to Hakodate in Enomoto Takeaki's fleet, and 13 of its crew died. The Tokokai counts more visitors here than at any other lighthouse in Japan. Tips: - Climb before the 16:00 close in winter; the last entry is 30 minutes earlier. Q: Can you climb Inubosaki Lighthouse? A: Yes. The Tokokai opens it daily from 8:30, until 16:00 from October to February and 17:00 from March to September, for a ¥300 donation from junior-high age up. Q: How much does Inubosaki Lighthouse cost? A: Prices at Inubosaki Lighthouse start at ¥300 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Inubosaki Lighthouse? A: Inubosaki Lighthouse keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:30–16:00. Q: When is the best time to visit Inubosaki Lighthouse? A: Inubosaki Lighthouse: Early morning, before you ride south from Choshi on the Pacific Cycling Road. Q: Can you get to Inubosaki Lighthouse by bike? A: COGICOGI share bikes from Choshi Station can be returned at the Inubosaki hotels nearby or at Inubo Station. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tokokai.org/tourlight/tourlight03/ https://www.tokokai.org/tourlight/tourlight04/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6059232 https://www.choshikanko.com/info/0306/ ### Irohazaka URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/irohazaka Type: Sight Local name: いろは坂 (ja) Also known as: Iroha-zaka, Irohazaka Winding Road, Iroha Slope, 第一いろは坂, 第二いろは坂 Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Nikko Coordinates: 36.73730, 139.51620 Kind: Mountain road Prices: The roads are free to use. Time needed: 20 min Best time: Weekday mornings in late October for the leaves, before the traffic builds. By bike: The second Irohazaka carries all uphill traffic and the first carries all downhill traffic, so a rider climbs one road and descends the other. Summary: Irohazaka suits drivers and riders who want the 48 hairpins between Nikko and Lake Chuzenji, and on autumn holidays its traffic jams can turn a 20-minute climb into hours. Two one-way roads link Nikko town with Lake Chuzenji, and between them they turn 48 hairpins, one for each syllable of the old iroha poem. Signs at each bend count you through the kana. The climb gains about 440 m. The second road carries traffic up and passes the Akechidaira viewpoint, which looks across to the bends of the first road. A ropeway also starts from Akechidaira. Nikko's tourism office says the climb normally takes about 20 minutes and often takes two to three hours in the leaf season, and on long weekends the queue has reached six hours. Tips: - Go early on a weekday in October, or take the bus and let someone else sit in the queue. Q: How many bends does Irohazaka have? A: The two Irohazaka roads have 48 hairpins between them, one for each kana of the iroha poem. Q: How long do you need at Irohazaka? A: Plan about 20 min at Irohazaka. Q: When is the best time to visit Irohazaka? A: Irohazaka: Weekday mornings in late October for the leaves, before the traffic builds. Q: Can you get to Irohazaka by bike? A: The second Irohazaka carries all uphill traffic and the first carries all downhill traffic, so a rider climbs one road and descends the other. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nikko-kankou.org/spot/9 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5364231 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4700568 ### Iya Kazurabashi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/iya-kazurabashi Type: Sight Local name: 祖谷のかずら橋 (ja) Also known as: Iya Vine Bridge, Kazura Bridge, Iya no Kazurabashi, かずら橋 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Tokushima Address: 162-2 Zentoku, Nishiiyayama-son, Miyoshi, Tokushima Coordinates: 33.87530, 133.83530 Kind: Bridge Hours: The bridge entrance closes at closing time. It opens in rain but can close for heavy-rain warnings. The bridge is lit from 19:00 to 21:30 every night, when crossing is not allowed. Closed: Open year-round Entry: ¥550 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.90 or USD 3.50 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Cards and e-money are accepted at the toll booth. Groups of 20 or more pay ¥500. Parking at Kazurabashi Yume Butai costs ¥500 a car and ¥210 a motorbike. Best time: Check the city's live queue camera before you set off. Address: 162-2 Zentoku, Nishiiyayama-son, Miyoshi, Tokushima By bike: Leave the bike at Kazurabashi Yume Butai, five minutes' walk away; the route from Ikeda follows national road 32 and prefectural roads 45 and 32 into the valley. Price from: ¥550 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.90 or USD 3.50 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://miyoshi-tourism.jp/spot/46/ Summary: The Iya Kazurabashi suits anyone who can handle a swaying 45-metre walk 14 metres above the river, and it takes about an hour by road from the Ikawa-Ikeda interchange. The bridge is woven from about six tonnes of shirakuchi kazura, a hardy vine gathered on the frozen hillsides in winter, and it hangs 45 metres across the Iya River, 2 metres wide and 14 metres above the water. Gaps between the slats show the river below. It is rebuilt every three years and is a national Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property. Stories differ on why it was built. One says the Heike, fleeing after their defeat at Yashima, made a bridge they could cut down behind them. Another credits Kobo Daishi with building it for villagers on his travels. Biwa Falls, about 40 metres high, is 50 metres to the left once you cross. Take the JR line to Oboke and the Shikoku Kotsu bus to the Kazurabashi Yume Butai stop, or drive about an hour from the Ikawa-Ikeda interchange. Upstream in Higashi-Iya, the Oku-Iya double vine bridges hang as a pair called the husband and wife bridges. Tips: - Eat Iya soba at the Kazurabashi-tei canteen in the Yume Butai building, open 11:00 to 15:00. Q: How much does Iya Kazurabashi cost? A: Prices at Iya Kazurabashi start at ¥550 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.90 or USD 3.50 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Iya Kazurabashi? A: Iya Kazurabashi keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:00–17:00. Q: When is the best time to visit Iya Kazurabashi? A: Iya Kazurabashi: Check the city's live queue camera before you set off. Q: Can you get to Iya Kazurabashi by bike? A: Leave the bike at Kazurabashi Yume Butai, five minutes' walk away; the route from Ikeda follows national road 32 and prefectural roads 45 and 32 into the valley. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://miyoshi-tourism.jp/spot/46/ https://miyoshi-tourism.jp/spot/43/ https://miyoshi-tourism.jp/spot/107/ https://miyoshi-tourism.jp/extra/kazurabashi_live_cam/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11263836 ### Jigokudani Yaen-koen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/jigokudani-yaen-koen Type: Sight Local name: 地獄谷野猿公苑 (ja) Also known as: Snow Monkey Park, Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, Jigokudani Monkey Park, Jigokudani Wild Snow Monkey Park, snow monkeys, Jigokudani Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Address: 6845 Hirao, Yamanouchi, Shimotakai District, Nagano 381-0401 Coordinates: 36.73280, 138.46230 Kind: Park Hours: Open every day, 8:30–17:00 from April to October and 9:00–16:00 from November to March. The park may close without notice when weather or the monkeys' movements make it necessary. Reach the gate at least 30 minutes before closing. Entry: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Until 30 November 2026 adults pay ¥800 and children from primary to high school ¥400, and children under six enter free with a guardian. From 1 December 2026 the window charges adults ¥1,000 and children ¥500, and a web ticket costs ¥880 for adults and ¥440 for children. The ticket window takes credit cards and e-money. Best time: The monkeys get into their hot spring mainly from December to March, when the valley is coldest. Spring brings the year's babies. In autumn the mountains hold plenty of food and some days the troop never comes down. With children: Good with children Address: 6845 Hirao, Yamanouchi, Shimotakai District, Nagano 381-0401 Price from: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/ Booking: https://jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/webticket/ Summary: Jigokudani Yaen-koen is a gorge in Yamanouchi where a wild troop of Japanese macaques comes to feed and, in the cold months, to sit in a hot spring; it suits anyone who can walk 35 minutes each way on a snowy forest path, and the park warns that some days the monkeys never come. The park lies at 850 metres in the gorge of the Yokoyu River below Shiga Kogen, where steam rises constantly from vents in the cliffs. Winter brings more than a metre of snow and nights below minus 10°C. Jigokudani Yaen-koen opened in 1964. Staff put out food so the troop stays where people can watch it, and no fence or cage stands between you and the animals. The bathing started by chance. Once feeding kept the troop around the valley, a young monkey learned to climb into the rotenburo at Korakukan, the inn next door, and others copied it. The park built a separate pool for the monkeys, and each generation has picked up the habit since. They use it to get through the winter cold and rarely bother with it in the warm months. Keep food out of sight and hand any snacks in at the ticket window before you enter. Give the monkeys room: a long stare from close by reads as a threat to them, and a curious youngster that wanders up is your cue to step away. Selfie sticks and drones are banned, as is holding a camera over the bathing pool. Staff can send anyone out who ignores the rules. Parking is short, so the park asks visitors to come by public transport. The Nagano Electric Railway reaches Yudanaka in 38 minutes on the limited express from Nagano, and a 15-minute bus runs on to the Snow Monkey Park stop. The express bus from Nagano Station toward Shiga Kogen also stops there, in about 41 minutes. In winter wear snow boots and carry light crampons for the walk in. Tips: - Check the park's live camera and its weekly monkey forecast before you set out. - Buy a date-specific ticket online for any visit between December and April. - Keep small children within reach the whole time; the monkeys are wild animals. Q: Do the snow monkeys bathe all year? A: No. The Jigokudani macaques use their hot spring mainly from December to March to escape the cold, and they rarely get in during the warm months. Q: How much is Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park? A: Until 30 November 2026 entry to Jigokudani Yaen-koen costs ¥800 for adults and ¥400 for children from primary to high school. From 1 December 2026 it costs ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for children at the window, or ¥880 and ¥440 with a web ticket. Q: Do I need to book Jigokudani tickets in winter? A: Yes, booking ahead is the safe choice. From December to April Jigokudani Yaen-koen gives entry priority to date-specific online tickets, and visitors without one can face a wait or be turned away when it's crowded. Q: Can I bring a stroller or wheelchair to the snow monkeys? A: No. The path to Jigokudani Yaen-koen and the park itself have unpaved slopes and steps, and the park does not allow wheelchairs or carts. Q: What are the opening hours of Jigokudani Yaen-koen? A: Jigokudani Yaen-koen keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:30–17:00. Q: When is the best time to visit Jigokudani Yaen-koen? A: Jigokudani Yaen-koen: The monkeys get into their hot spring mainly from December to March, when the valley is coldest. Spring brings the year's babies. In autumn the mountains hold plenty of food and some days the troop never comes down. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/guide/ https://jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/about/ https://jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/caution/ https://jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/access/ https://jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/flow/ https://jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/information/information-3104/ https://jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/8e706a84d13cb2800302700fed5ffb5d-834x1180.jpg https://en.jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/guide/ https://en.jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/information/1533/ https://en.jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1234130305 ### Jogasaki Coast URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/jogasaki-coast Type: Sight Local name: 城ヶ崎海岸 (ja) Also known as: Jogasaki Kaigan, Jogasaki, Kadowaki Suspension Bridge, Kadowaki Tsuribashi, 門脇つり橋, 城ケ崎海岸 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Ito Address: Futo, Ito, Shizuoka 413-0231 Coordinates: 34.89310, 139.13970 Kind: Coast Hours: The coast paths are open at all times. Ito's car park at Kadowaki is free for the first 15 minutes. Prices: Walking the coast is free. The Kadowaki car park holds 123 cars and three minibuses and charges ¥500 a day after the first 15 minutes. Best time: Hydrangeas flower along the path in June, and day lilies and lilies follow in July. Late autumn brings sea chrysanthemums and the yellow tsuwabuki into flower on the cliffs. Address: Futo, Ito, Shizuoka 413-0231 By bike: The Picnical Course is a footpath, so leave the bike at the Kadowaki car park and walk out to the bridge. Website: https://itospa.com/spot/detail_54002.html Summary: Jogasaki Coast in Ito is a run of black lava cliffs that walkers cross on a 48-metre suspension bridge slung 23 metres above the surf, and it suits anyone happy on uneven ground for an hour or two; the trail is rough underfoot and the bridge is no place for vertigo. About 4,000 years ago Mt. Omuro erupted and its lava ran into the sea here, cooling into the cliffs and inlets of the coast. The Picnical Course and the nature study path together run for about 9 km along the top. From the Kadowaki car park a short walk brings you to the Kadowaki suspension bridge, 48 metres long and about 23 metres above the water. Climb the observation deck of Kadowaki-zaki lighthouse for a view round the full circle, out to the Izu Islands at sea and back to the Amagi range inland. Ito's tourism office also sends walkers to look for the potholes worn into the lava. From Jogasaki-Kaigan Station on the Izukyu line the walk to the coast takes about 35 minutes. Tips: - Mt. Omuro poured out the lava that made this coast, and a chairlift climbs to its 580-metre summit for the view back over it. - Wear proper shoes, since the lava path is sharp and slippery after rain. Q: How long is the Kadowaki suspension bridge at Jogasaki? A: The Kadowaki suspension bridge on the Jogasaki Coast is 48 metres long and hangs about 23 metres above the sea. Q: How do I get to Jogasaki Coast by train? A: Take the Izukyu line to Jogasaki-Kaigan Station. Ito's tourism office puts the walk from the station to the coast at about 35 minutes. Q: What are the opening hours of Jogasaki Coast? A: Jogasaki Coast is open the coast paths are open at all times. Ito's car park at Kadowaki is free for the first 15 minutes. Q: When is the best time to visit Jogasaki Coast? A: Jogasaki Coast: Hydrangeas flower along the path in June, and day lilies and lilies follow in July. Late autumn brings sea chrysanthemums and the yellow tsuwabuki into flower on the cliffs. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://itospa.com/spot/detail_54002.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%9F%8E%E3%83%B6%E5%B4%8E%E6%B5%B7%E5%B2%B8 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11425937 ### Jomon Sugi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/jomon-sugi Type: Sight Local name: 縄文杉 (ja) Also known as: Jomonsugi, Jomon cedar, Arakawa trail, 荒川登山口 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kagoshima Town: Yakushima Address: Yakushima, Kumage-gun, Kagoshima Coordinates: 30.36080, 130.53190 Kind: Tree Hours: The Arakawa trail bus leaves from the Yakusugi Museum stop before dawn. The ticket counter at the stop opens from 4:30 to 5:40, and the bus takes about 40 minutes to the Arakawa trailhead. Entry: ¥3,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) Prices: A return ticket on the Arakawa trail bus costs ¥3,000 from junior high school age, made up of ¥2,000 for the bus and the ¥1,000 mountain conservation contribution for a day hike, or ¥2,000 if you sleep on the mountain. Buy it by the day before at a tourist association counter. Best time: Go between March and November with a guide, and check the mountain conservation council's trail page and the trail bus account the evening before. Address: Yakushima, Kumage-gun, Kagoshima By bike: No. From 1 March to 30 November the town road to the Arakawa trailhead is closed all day to private vehicles, rental cars, motorcycles and bicycles. Ride or drive to the Yakusugi Museum stop and change to the trail bus. Price from: ¥3,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) Website: http://yakushima-tozan.com/ Summary: Jomon Sugi suits fit hikers who want to stand before Yakushima's largest cedar, and the round trip is a full day on foot that starts on a pre-dawn bus. Jomon Sugi is the largest yakusugi, the island's ancient cedars, at 22.2 metres tall and 16.1 metres round at chest height. Yakushima Town gives its age as somewhere between 2,170 and 7,200 years. It became known in 1966, and visitors came in numbers after Yakushima joined the World Natural Heritage list in 1993. From the Arakawa trailhead the path runs about 11 km each way and climbs about 700 metres to the tree at 1,328 metres. You see the cedar from a viewing deck built to protect it. Typhoon No. 24 closed the island's mountain roads and trails in early September 2026. The Arakawa trail bus and the route to Jomon Sugi reopened on 17 September. The bio-toilet at Kosugidani remains out of use, so carry a portable toilet, and the council recommends going with a mountain guide while the ground stays unstable after the rain. Tips: - Visitors who are not hiking can still pay the conservation contribution at tourist association counters. - Book a guide through the Yakushima Tourism Association or the island's guide directory, as the council recommends after the 2026 typhoon. Q: Can you drive or cycle to the Jomon Sugi trailhead? A: Not from 1 March to 30 November. The town road to the Arakawa trailhead is closed to all private vehicles and bicycles in that period, so you change to the Arakawa trail bus at the Yakusugi Museum stop. The bus takes about 40 minutes. Q: How long is the hike to Jomon Sugi? A: About 11 km each way from the Arakawa trailhead with about 700 metres of climbing, which Yakushima Town puts at eight to ten hours for the round trip. Q: How much does Jomon Sugi cost? A: Prices at Jomon Sugi start at ¥3,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Jomon Sugi? A: Jomon Sugi is open the Arakawa trail bus leaves from the Yakusugi Museum stop before dawn. The ticket counter at the stop opens from 4:30 to 5:40, and the bus takes about 40 minutes to the Arakawa trailhead. Q: When is the best time to visit Jomon Sugi? A: Jomon Sugi: Go between March and November with a guide, and check the mountain conservation council's trail page and the trail bus account the evening before. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.town.yakushima.kagoshima.jp/kanko/kankospot/6/2631.html http://yakushima-tozan.com/ http://yakushima-tozan.com/page-2157/ http://yakushima-tozan.com/bus/ http://yakushima-tozan.com/2026/09/08/post-2155/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q589967 ### Joren Falls URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/joren-falls Type: Sight Local name: 浄蓮の滝 (ja) Also known as: Joren no Taki, Joren Waterfall, Jorennotaki, 浄蓮滝 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Address: 892-14 Yugashima, Izu, Shizuoka 410-3206 Coordinates: 34.87180, 138.92210 Kind: Waterfall Hours: The falls, the free car park and the public toilets are open at all hours. The visitor centre shop at the top opens 8:30–16:30 and its restaurant 10:30–15:00, with last orders at 14:30. Closed: The visitor centre closes on Tuesdays, or Wednesday when Tuesday is a holiday. The falls stay open. Prices: Seeing the falls is free, and so is the car park of about 100 spaces, which fills on holidays. Time needed: 30 min Best time: After a run of rain the falls carry the most water. The spray keeps the gorge cool even in summer, and the visitor centre recommends the new-leaf season in the Amagi hills for walking. Address: 892-14 Yugashima, Izu, Shizuoka 410-3206 By bike: The falls sit just off National Route 414 on the climb towards Amagi Pass. Lock up at the visitor centre car park and take the steps on foot. Website: https://jourenfalls.com/ Summary: Joren Falls drops 25 metres off a basalt cliff into a fern-hung gorge on the upper Kano River in Izu, and suits a 30-minute leg stretch on any drive or ride over Amagi; the price is 200 steps back up from the pool. The falls are 25 metres high and 7 metres wide, and Japan lists them among its hundred finest waterfalls. Haikomochi-shida, a fern protected as a natural monument, grows in colonies on the basalt behind the water. Downstream of the pool lies a trout-fishing ground, and the wasabi terraces of Amagi line the stream. Those wasabi beds belong to Shizuoka's traditional water-grown wasabi system, which the UN Food and Agriculture Organization lists as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System. The visitor centre at the top has sold wasabi soft-serve for more than 40 years and says it was the first in Izu to do so. Sayuri Ishikawa sings of the falls in the enka song Amagi-goe, and a stone carved with her song stands at the photo point. Swimming and diving are banned. The river below the falls is a fishing ground, so wading in is off limits as well. The operator also bans drones, since the gorge is too narrow to fly one safely. Tips: - On holiday weekends come early, because the car park of about 100 spaces fills. - Try the green wasabi soft-serve at the visitor centre, which says it has sold it for more than 40 years. Q: How high is Joren Falls? A: Joren Falls is 25 metres high and 7 metres wide, on the upper Kano River in Izu city. Q: Is Joren Falls free to visit? A: Yes. The falls, the car park and the toilets are free and open at all hours. Q: Can you swim at Joren Falls? A: No. Swimming and diving are banned, and the river below is a fishing ground that visitors may not enter. Q: What are the opening hours of Joren Falls? A: Joren Falls keeps these hours: Mon–Sun open at all hours. Q: How long do you need at Joren Falls? A: Plan about 30 min at Joren Falls. Q: When is the best time to visit Joren Falls? A: Joren Falls: After a run of rain the falls carry the most water. The spray keeps the gorge cool even in summer, and the visitor centre recommends the new-leaf season in the Amagi hills for walking. Q: Can you get to Joren Falls by bike? A: The falls sit just off National Route 414 on the climb towards Amagi Pass. Lock up at the visitor centre car park and take the steps on foot. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://jourenfalls.com/ https://jourenfalls.com/access/ https://kanko.city.izu.shizuoka.jp/sightseeing/jourenfalls/ https://kanko.city.izu.shizuoka.jp/sightseeing/jourenfallskankoucenter/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q38148 ### Kagikake Pass URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/kagikake-pass Type: Sight Local name: 鍵掛峠 (ja) Also known as: Kagikake Toge, Kagikake viewpoint, 鍵掛峠展望所 Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Daisen Address: Prefectural Road 45, Kofu and Daisen towns, Tottori Coordinates: 35.34611, 133.54944 Kind: Viewpoint Hours: A roadside lookout with parking and toilets. Entry: Free Best time: Fresh green in spring and autumn colour, when the pass also gets crowded. With children: Good with children Address: Prefectural Road 45, Kofu and Daisen towns, Tottori By bike: The pass is the high point of the Daisen loop road on Prefectural Road 45, so riders reach it on the climb round the south side of the mountain. Check Tottori's road information before riding it in winter. Price from: ¥0 per person (2026) Summary: Kagikake Pass suits riders and drivers circling Mt. Daisen who want the best roadside view of its south face, and it fills up in the autumn colour season. Kagikake Pass sits at 912 m on Prefectural Road 45 and is the highest point of the road that loops round Mt. Daisen. Beech forest falls away in front of the lookout, and behind it the south face of Daisen shows its scree and the gullies left by huge rock falls. The lookout has a car park and toilets. Without a car, take the JR Hakubi Line to Ebi and a bus of about 30 minutes to the Ohirabara-shita stop. Q: How much does Kagikake Pass cost? A: Kagikake Pass is free to visit. Q: What are the opening hours of Kagikake Pass? A: Kagikake Pass is open a roadside lookout with parking and toilets. Q: When is the best time to visit Kagikake Pass? A: Kagikake Pass: Fresh green in spring and autumn colour, when the pass also gets crowded. Q: Can you get to Kagikake Pass by bike? A: The pass is the high point of the Daisen loop road on Prefectural Road 45, so riders reach it on the climb round the south side of the mountain. Check Tottori's road information before riding it in winter. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/鍵掛峠 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11650789 https://tourismdaisen.com/tour/daisen_gurutto/ ### Kamikochi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/kamikochi Type: Sight Local name: 上高地 (ja) Also known as: Kamikouchi, Kappa-bashi, Kappabashi, 上高地 河童橋 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Status: seasonal. The 2026 season closes with a ceremony on 15 November. Valley hotels take their last guests between 31 October and 14 November 2026. Coordinates: 36.24880, 137.63780 Kind: National park Hours: The road through the Kama Tunnel opens to buses, taxis and bicycles from mid-April to 15 November, between 5:00 and 19:00 (the 2025 schedule ran from 17 April). From 16 November to mid-April every inn and shop in the valley shuts and no transport runs beyond the Kama Tunnel. Closed: 16 November to mid-April Prices: Drivers pay to park before switching to the shuttle bus: ¥800 a day for a car at Sawando on the Matsumoto side and ¥600 a day at Hirayu Akandana on the Takayama side, per the inn association's access page in October 2026. Best time: The inn association picks late May to early June for fresh leaves and July and August for flowers, with autumn colour through October. June's rainy season brings less rain here than most visitors expect, and fewer crowds. With children: Good with children By bike: Bicycles count as light vehicles under the Kamikochi traffic rules, so riders may use the road through the Kama Tunnel from 5:00 to 19:00 in the open season, sharing it with the shuttle buses and taxis. Keep the bike off the walking trails once you arrive. Website: https://www.kamikochi.or.jp/ Summary: Kamikochi is a high valley in the Northern Alps west of Matsumoto that private cars can never enter, and it suits walkers from late April to mid-November; the road and everything in the valley close from 16 November to mid-April. Private cars, rental cars and motorbikes are banned beyond the Kama Tunnel all year. Coming from Matsumoto, you park at Sawando and change to a shuttle bus or taxi. From the Takayama side the change happens at the Akandana car park in Hirayu. Direct buses from several cities run straight into the valley in season with no change at all. The season opens with a ceremony in late April and closes with another on 15 November. In 2026 most hotels take their last guests on 13 or 14 November, and a few huts deeper up the valley close at the start of the month. Over winter the inns and shops shut, transport stops at the tunnel, and anyone heading in must file a plan and treat it as winter mountaineering. Kamikochi sits inside Chubu Sangaku National Park, and its rules are short: feed no wildlife, carry out all your litter, stay on the paths, leave pets at home and fly no drones. Yakedake, the active volcano above the valley, sat at Japan Meteorological Agency eruption alert level 1 on 11 October 2026, after JMA lowered it from level 2 on 4 March 2026. At level 2 JMA restricts the area around the crater, so check its Yakedake page before you hike toward the summit. Tips: - Check the Kamikochi news page after heavy rain; several riverside paths closed for parts of late August 2026. - Bring a layer more than you think you need. The valley runs cooler than the lowlands below. Q: Can I drive to Kamikochi? A: No. Private cars, rental cars and motorbikes cannot pass the Kama Tunnel into Kamikochi at any time of year. Park at Sawando from Matsumoto or at Hirayu Akandana from Takayama and take the shuttle bus or a taxi. Q: When is Kamikochi open? A: Kamikochi's season runs from late April to the closing ceremony on 15 November. From 16 November to mid-April the inns and shops close and no transport runs beyond the Kama Tunnel. Q: Can I cycle to Kamikochi? A: Yes, during the open season. Bicycles count as light vehicles and may use the road through the Kama Tunnel between 5:00 and 19:00, and they stay off the walking trails in Kamikochi. Q: When is the best time to visit Kamikochi? A: Kamikochi: The inn association picks late May to early June for fresh leaves and July and August for flowers, with autumn colour through October. June's rainy season brings less rain here than most visitors expect, and fewer crowds. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kamikochi.or.jp/access/restrictions https://www.kamikochi.or.jp/access/car https://www.kamikochi.or.jp/access/ https://www.kamikochi.or.jp/learn/faq https://www.kamikochi.or.jp/learn/rules https://www.kamikochi.or.jp/news/9170/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/310.html https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/150718102 ### Kegon Falls URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/kegon-falls Type: Sight Local name: 華厳滝 (ja) Also known as: Kegon Waterfall, Kegon no Taki, 華厳の滝 Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Nikko Address: Chugushi, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1661 Coordinates: 36.73790, 139.50200 Kind: Waterfall Hours: The elevator to the lower viewing deck runs 8:00–17:00 from March to November and 9:00–16:30 from December to February. Last entry is 20 minutes before closing, and bad weather can stop it without notice. Entry: ¥600 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The free upper viewpoint needs no ticket. The elevator down to the deck by the plunge pool costs ¥600 return for adults and ¥400 for primary school children. Best time: January and February, when the twelve small falls beside the main drop freeze blue, and June, when swallows nest on the cliff. Rainy days: Works in the rain With children: Good with children Address: Chugushi, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1661 By bike: The falls sit at the top of the second Irohazaka road, a few minutes from the Chuzenji Onsen bus stop. Price from: ¥600 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) Website: http://kegon.jp/ Summary: Kegon Falls suits anyone who has made the climb to Lake Chuzenji and wants its signature view in under an hour, and the falls draw such crowds in the autumn leaves that the drive up can take longer than the visit. Lake Chuzenji empties over a cliff here in a single drop of about 97 m. An elevator takes you down through the rock to a deck that looks straight into the plunge pool, where the roar and the spray hit you together. From January into February the twelve thin falls beside the main one freeze into blue ice. Buses to Chuzenji Onsen take about 50 minutes from the Nikko stations, and the falls are a five-minute walk from the stop. The prefecture publishes the current flow, and the water can be cut back at night when the level is low. Tips: - Check the prefecture's flow page before you go if you want the full curtain of water. Q: How much is the Kegon Falls elevator? A: The Kegon Falls elevator costs ¥600 return for adults and ¥400 for primary school children, and children under school age ride free. Q: What are the opening hours of Kegon Falls? A: Kegon Falls keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:00–17:00. Q: When is the best time to visit Kegon Falls? A: Kegon Falls: January and February, when the twelve small falls beside the main drop freeze blue, and June, when swallows nest on the cliff. Q: Can you get to Kegon Falls by bike? A: The falls sit at the top of the second Irohazaka road, a few minutes from the Chuzenji Onsen bus stop. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nikko-kankou.org/spot/5 https://www.pref.tochigi.lg.jp/h07/kegonnotaki_rakusuiryo.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q37580 ### Kenroku-en URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/kenroku-en Type: Sight Local name: 兼六園 (ja) Also known as: Kenrokuen, Kenroku-en Garden, Kenrokuen Garden, Kenroku Garden Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Town: Kanazawa Address: 1 Kenrokumachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Coordinates: 36.56194, 136.66250 Kind: Garden Hours: 7:00–18:00 from 1 March to 15 October and 8:00–17:00 from 16 October to the end of February; last entry 30 minutes before closing. Evening openings run in the cherry and autumn seasons. Closed: Open every day Entry: ¥320 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.90 or USD 2 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Free for visitors aged 65 and over with ID, and on set free days: about a week in the cherry season, three days at the Hyakumangoku festival in June, 14 to 16 August, 3 November and 31 December to 3 January. Best time: Come at opening time to walk the ponds before the tour groups arrive. With children: Good with children Address: 1 Kenrokumachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Price from: ¥320 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.90 or USD 2 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://shiro-niwa.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/kenrokuen-garden/ Summary: Kenroku-en suits garden lovers and families who want one of Japan's three great gardens in the middle of Kanazawa, and its trade-off is heavy crowds by mid-morning. Kenroku-en ranks with Kairakuen in Mito and Korakuen in Okayama as one of Japan's three great gardens. Generations of Kaga lords shaped it as a stroll garden of ponds and artificial hills linked by paths and streams. The fifth lord, Tsunanori, built three islands of the immortals in Hisago-ike pond, and the garden took the name Kenroku-en in 1822. The garden opened fully to the public in 1874 and today belongs to Ishikawa Prefecture. It faces Kanazawa Castle Park across a single road, and a joint ticket covers the castle's restored turrets as well. Inside the garden the Shigure-tei teahouse opens from 9:00 to 16:30 (last entry 16:00), except from 29 December to 3 January. Tips: - Residents of Ishikawa enter free on Saturdays and Sundays with ID, so weekends are the busiest days. - From 16 October the garden opens at 8:00, an hour later than in summer. Q: How much does Kenroku-en cost? A: Prices at Kenroku-en start at ¥320 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.90 or USD 2 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Kenroku-en? A: Kenroku-en keeps these hours: Daily 07:00–18:00. Q: When is the best time to visit Kenroku-en? A: Kenroku-en: Come at opening time to walk the ponds before the tour groups arrive. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shiro-niwa.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/kenrokuen-garden/info.html https://shiro-niwa.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/kenrokuen-garden/about.html https://shiro-niwa.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/kenrokuen-garden/history.html https://visitkanazawa.jp/en/attractions/detail_10106.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q998239 ### Kirosan Observatory Park URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/kirosan-observatory-park Type: Sight Local name: 亀老山展望公園 (ja) Also known as: Kirosan, Mt. Kiro, Kiro-san Panorama Park, Kirosan Observatory, 亀老山 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Address: 487-4 Yoshiumi-cho Minamiura, Imabari, Ehime Coordinates: 34.11990, 133.03350 Kind: Viewpoint Hours: The park stays open around the clock. Closed: Open every day of the year Prices: Entry and parking are free. Best time: Sunset and after dark, when the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge lighting is on. Address: 487-4 Yoshiumi-cho Minamiura, Imabari, Ehime By bike: The park sits on the 307.8-metre summit at the south end of Oshima, so reaching it means a climb of about 300 metres off the cycle route. Giant Store Imabari suggests it as a half-day round trip from Imabari. Website: https://www.shimanamiartmuseum.com/kirousan Summary: Kirosan Observatory Park suits anyone who wants the widest view over the Kurushima Strait and its bridge, and the trade-off for riders is a climb of about 300 metres to the summit. Kirosan rises 307.8 metres above the south tip of Oshima, and its summit park looks straight down the length of the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge toward Imabari. Kengo Kuma designed the observation deck in 1994 to make the building disappear, so most of it lies buried in the mountaintop and you walk out along a bridge into the view. Below you the currents of the strait race between the islands. On clear days Mt. Ishizuchi shows on the skyline, and it is the highest peak in western Japan. The park never closes and costs nothing. A small shop by the car park sells drinks, snacks and souvenirs. The bridge is lit up on a regular schedule, and the night view of Imabari brings people up after dark. Tips: - Pair it with the Kurushima Kaikyo Observatory on the Imabari side, which looks at the same bridge from the other shore. - Check your battery before the climb if you are on a rental E-bike or battery-assisted bike. Q: Is Kirosan Observatory Park free? A: Yes. Kirosan Observatory Park on Oshima in Imabari is free and open 24 hours a day, every day, with a free car park. Q: What are the opening hours of Kirosan Observatory Park? A: Kirosan Observatory Park keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 00:00–24:00. Q: When is the best time to visit Kirosan Observatory Park? A: Kirosan Observatory Park: Sunset and after dark, when the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge lighting is on. Q: Can you get to Kirosan Observatory Park by bike? A: The park sits on the 307.8-metre summit at the south end of Oshima, so reaching it means a climb of about 300 metres off the cycle route. Giant Store Imabari suggests it as a half-day round trip from Imabari. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shimanamiartmuseum.com/kirousan https://www.visitehimejapan.com/en/things-to-do/spots/0009/ https://visitshimanami.com/attractions/554/ https://bicyclerental.jp/en/area/ehime/1/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4680152767 ### Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/kiyotsu-gorge-tunnel Type: Sight Local name: 清津峡渓谷トンネル (ja) Also known as: Kiyotsu Gorge, Kiyotsukyo, Tunnel of Light, Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel of Light, 清津峡, 清津峡トンネル Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 2119-2 Koide, Tokamachi, Niigata 949-8433 Coordinates: 36.97250, 138.74980 Kind: Gorge Hours: March to November the ticket desk takes visitors 8:30–16:30 and the tunnel closes at 17:00. From December to February the desk runs 9:00–15:30 and the tunnel closes at 16:00. No regular closing day, but heavy snow closes it at short notice in winter. Closed: No regular closing day; winter snow closures Entry: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: High school age and up pays ¥1,200 from 21 April to 20 November 2026 and ¥1,000 the rest of the year; school-age children pay ¥500 or ¥400. Preschoolers and holders of disability certificates go free. Time needed: 40 min Best time: A weekday from December to March brings snow on the cliffs and the lower fare, with no reservation-only days. Autumn colour from October into November falls in the high season, when the busiest days are reservation-only. Rainy days: Works in the rain With children: Good with children Address: 2119-2 Koide, Tokamachi, Niigata 949-8433 Price from: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://nakasato-kiyotsu.com/ Summary: Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel is a 750 m walking tunnel into one of Japan's three great gorges, with viewpoints over cliffs of columnar rock, and it suits anyone staying in Yuzawa or Tokamachi in any weather; in autumn it sells out on reservation-only days and in winter snow can close it without warning. Kiyotsu Gorge sits with Kurobe in Toyama and Osugidani in Mie on the usual list of Japan's three great gorges, and the state made it a Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument in 1941. The cliffs are columnar jointing, cooled magma that cracked into stacked four- to six-sided columns. After the gorge trail was closed in the 1980s, the former village of Nakasato worked with the national and prefectural governments on a walking tunnel so people could still see them. The tunnel runs 750 m with three viewing windows and a final Panorama Station, and the round trip takes 30 to 40 minutes. For the 2018 Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, Ma Yansong and MAD Architects remade the entrance and tunnel as an artwork called Tunnel of Light. At the end a shallow pool of water mirrors the gorge, and the edges are shallow enough to walk through in shoes you don't mind getting wet. From December the fare drops to ¥1,000 and the tunnel closes at 16:00. Snow shuts it on bad days, so check the official news page before the drive. Tips: - Bring spare socks or a towel for the water mirror at the far end. - The tunnel and its entrance building are a registered artwork, and commercial photography or filming needs a permit from Tokamachi City plus a copyright fee agreed with the art field's NPO. - The foot bath on the entrance building's second floor runs only from April to November. - From Echigo-Yuzawa Station an express bus toward Morimiyanohara takes about 25 minutes to the Kiyotsukyo Iriguchi stop, and the walk from there is about 30 minutes. Q: How much does the Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel cost? A: Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel costs ¥1,200 for high school age and up from 21 April to 20 November 2026 and ¥1,000 from 21 November to 20 April; school-age children pay ¥500 or ¥400. Q: Do I need to book the Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel? A: Only on reservation-only days in the April to November high season, when the gate sells no tickets. The official calendar marks those days. Q: Is Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel open in winter? A: Yes. Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel opens 9:00–16:00 from December to February, with last entry at 15:30, but heavy snow can close it for the day. Q: How long does Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel take? A: The 750 m Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel takes 30 to 40 minutes there and back. Q: When is the best time to visit Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel? A: Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel: A weekday from December to March brings snow on the cliffs and the lower fare, with no reservation-only days. Autumn colour from October into November falls in the high season, when the busiest days are reservation-only. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://nakasato-kiyotsu.com/ https://nakasato-kiyotsu.com/tunnel/ https://nakasato-kiyotsu.com/about/ https://niigata-kankou.or.jp/spot/6950 https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/1660681151 ### Kosanji Temple and the Hill of Hope URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/kosanji-hill-of-hope Type: Sight Local name: 耕三寺・未来心の丘 (ja) Also known as: Kosan-ji, Kousanji, Kosanji Museum, Miraishin no Oka, Hill of Hope, 耕三寺博物館 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Setoda Address: 553-2 Setoda, Setoda-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima Coordinates: 34.30330, 133.08880 Kind: Temple garden Hours: Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. The Choseikaku villa opens 10:00 to 16:00. Closed: Open every day of the year Entry: ¥1,800 per adult (2026), about CAD 16 or USD 11 (October 2026 rates) Prices: One ticket covers the temple grounds, the Hill of Hope and the Kongo gallery. Junior high pupils and younger enter free, and visitors with a disability certificate enter free with one companion. Best time: Spring, when cherry blossom frames the Koyomon gate. With children: Good with children Address: 553-2 Setoda, Setoda-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima By bike: The Setoda tourist information rental terminal lists the Kosanji bus stop as its nearest stop, so you can swap or return a Shimanami Japan bike close by. Price from: ¥1,800 per adult (2026), about CAD 16 or USD 11 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.kousanji.or.jp/ Booking: https://www.e-tix.jp/kousanji/ Summary: Kosanji suits anyone riding through Setoda who wants an hour among bright temple halls and white marble, and the trade-off is an adult ticket of ¥1,800. Kozo Kosanji was an Osaka industrialist who pioneered French-style welding, and in 1936 he founded this Jodo Shinshu temple in Setoda as a family temple in memory of his mother. He spent more than 30 years building it and entered the priesthood himself. The halls and gates recreate famous Buddhist buildings from around Japan in strong colour. The whole precinct is a registered museum holding Important Cultural Properties. The Hill of Hope rises behind the temple. Sculptor Itto Kuetani spent 16 years on it, and it opened in October 2000 with 5,000 square metres of white marble from Carrara, about 3,000 tonnes shipped from near his studio in Italy. Kuetani wanted people to walk over it and touch it, so you can. From the Tower of Hope at the top you look out across Setoda and the islands. The grounds open 9:00 to 17:00 every day. Adults pay ¥1,800, students ¥1,200, and children of junior high age and younger go in free, and the Choseikaku villa costs ¥500 more. Kozo Kosanji built that villa in 1927 as a retreat for his mother, and its sliding doors carry paintings by leading modern Japanese artists. Tips: - Kosanji's own price list shows ¥1,800 for adults, while older guides and the Visit Shimanami page still give ¥1,400. - Adults who come with a child of junior high age or younger pay the group rate. - Cards and electronic money work at the ticket desk, the shop and Café Cuore. Q: How much does Kosanji cost? A: Kosanji costs ¥1,800 for adults and ¥1,200 for high school and university students in 2026, and children of junior high age and younger enter free. The ticket includes the Hill of Hope. Q: What is the Hill of Hope at Kosanji? A: The Hill of Hope (Miraishin no Oka) is a 5,000-square-metre garden of white Carrara marble behind Kosanji in Setoda. Sculptor Itto Kuetani made it over 16 years, and it opened in October 2000. Q: What are the opening hours of Kosanji Temple and the Hill of Hope? A: Kosanji Temple and the Hill of Hope keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: When is the best time to visit Kosanji Temple and the Hill of Hope? A: Kosanji Temple and the Hill of Hope: Spring, when cherry blossom frames the Koyomon gate. Q: Can you get to Kosanji Temple and the Hill of Hope by bike? A: The Setoda tourist information rental terminal lists the Kosanji bus stop as its nearest stop, so you can swap or return a Shimanami Japan bike close by. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kousanji.or.jp/ https://www.kousanji.or.jp/english/ https://www.kousanji.or.jp/hill_of_hope.html https://www.kousanji.or.jp/info.html https://visitshimanami.com/attractions/442/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/terminal/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3201305 https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4572948429 ### Kurobe Gorge Railway URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/kurobe-gorge-railway Type: Sight Local name: 黒部峡谷鉄道 (ja) Also known as: Kurobe Gorge Torokko, Torokko train, 黒部峡谷トロッコ電車, Kurobe trolley train, Kurotetsu Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Unazuki Onsen Address: 11 Kurobe Kyokokuguchi, Kurobe, Toyama (Unazuki station) Status: seasonal. The 2026 season runs from 20 April to 30 November. The full line to Keyakidaira reopened on 1 October 2026 after earthquake repairs; at Keyakidaira visitors may use only the station and the visitor centre, and Nekomata station no longer takes passengers. Coordinates: 36.81463, 137.58635 Kind: Scenic railway Hours: Trains run on the season timetable; the operator recommends about an hour at Keyakidaira while the area is restricted. Closed: December to mid-April (2026 season 20 April to 30 November) Entry: ¥2,480 per adult (2026), about CAD 22 or USD 16 (October 2026 rates) Prices: One-way adult fares for 2026. The enclosed Relax cars cost ¥600 extra each way. Return tickets are valid for two days. Best time: Bookings open three months ahead and close at 15:00 the day before you ride, so book early for October and November. With children: Good with children Address: 11 Kurobe Kyokokuguchi, Kurobe, Toyama (Unazuki station) Price from: ¥2,480 per adult (2026), about CAD 22 or USD 16 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.kurotetu.co.jp/ Summary: The Kurobe Gorge Railway suits families and train lovers who want an open-sided ride up the Kurobe Gorge, and its trade-off is a season that ends on 30 November and a restricted stop at Keyakidaira while repairs continue. The narrow-gauge line climbs from Unazuki up the Kurobe Gorge to Keyakidaira and carries visitors from spring to late autumn. The January 2024 earthquake damaged the line, and in 2025 and until 30 September 2026 trains turned back at Nekomata. The full run to Keyakidaira came back on 1 October 2026, and repair work continues on Kanetsuri Bridge and the slopes below Keyakidaira station. In 2026 an adult paid ¥2,480 one way from Unazuki to Keyakidaira and ¥600 more for an enclosed Relax car. At Keyakidaira you may only use the station forecourt, its roof and the visitor centre, and the railway caps the number of passengers getting off. From 1 October the stops are Unazuki, Kuronagi, Kanetsuri and Keyakidaira. In winter, when the line is closed, the railway runs short tours from Unazuki across the Shin-Yamabiko bridge about 530 m up the line, and the tours also visit the locomotive depot. One version adds snow play and a masu-zushi making class. Tips: - Book Keyakidaira seats online; web booking for the full line opened on 7 October 2026 after a period of phone-only sales. - Visitors on a Japan Rail Pass can get a discount; ask at the Unazuki ticket office. Q: How much does Kurobe Gorge Railway cost? A: Prices at Kurobe Gorge Railway start at ¥2,480 per adult (2026), about CAD 22 or USD 16 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Kurobe Gorge Railway open all year? A: Kurobe Gorge Railway opens for part of the year. The 2026 season runs from 20 April to 30 November. The full line to Keyakidaira reopened on 1 October 2026 after earthquake repairs; at Keyakidaira visitors may use only the station and the visitor centre, and Nekomata station no longer takes passengers. Q: When is the best time to visit Kurobe Gorge Railway? A: Kurobe Gorge Railway: Bookings open three months ahead and close at 15:00 the day before you ride, so book early for October and November. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kurotetu.co.jp/ https://www.kurotetu.co.jp/fare/ https://www.kurotetu.co.jp/news-detail/?post=616 https://www.kurotetu.co.jp/news-detail/?post=624 https://www.kurotetu.co.jp/news-detail/?post=572 https://www.kurotetu.co.jp/news-detail/?post=646 https://www.kurotetu.co.jp/news-detail/?post=644 https://www.kurotetu.co.jp/news-detail/?post=648 https://www.kurotetu.co.jp/news-detail/?post=637 ### Kurushima Kaikyo Observatory URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/kurushima-kaikyo-observatory Type: Sight Local name: 来島海峡展望館 (ja) Also known as: Kurushima Strait Observatory, Itoyama Park, 糸山公園, Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge viewpoint, Sunrise Itoyama Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: Itoyama Park, Imabari, Ehime Coordinates: 34.11400, 132.97760 Kind: Viewpoint Hours: Closes at 17:00 from December to February. Closed: 29 to 31 December Prices: Entry is free. Best time: Sunset, when the bridge and the islands catch the light. Address: Itoyama Park, Imabari, Ehime By bike: The Imabari Itoyama rental terminal at Sunrise Itoyama stands beside the park, though the building has been under renovation since 15 September 2026, and the bridge's cycle ramp starts close by. Summary: The Kurushima Kaikyo Observatory suits riders at the Imabari end who want a close look at the bridge and the tide race, and the trade-off is an 18:00 closing that comes an hour earlier in winter. The observatory stands in Itoyama Park about 400 metres from where the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge leaves Shikoku. The bridge runs 4,105 metres to Oshima and was the world's first triple-tower suspension bridge. From the terraces you watch ships pass beneath it while the strait's currents churn below. Inside, displays explain the tides and the long maritime history of the strait, and a small shop sells drinks and Shimanami goods. Entry is free. Halfway across the bridge, a lift drops from the cycle path to the small island of Umashima. Many riders have started or finished here, because the Imabari Itoyama rental terminal at Sunrise Itoyama sits next to the park. Kirosan on Oshima shows the same bridge from above on the far side of the strait. Tips: - The Imabari Itoyama terminal keeps the same 8:00 to 19:00 hours as Imabari Station from March to November and closes at 18:00 in winter. - Sunrise Itoyama next door closed for renovation from 15 September 2026, and Imabari city expects it back around winter 2027/28. The city's project covers the land around the building too, so phone the observatory before you go to check it is open. Q: What are the opening hours of Kurushima Kaikyo Observatory? A: Kurushima Kaikyo Observatory keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–18:00. Q: When is the best time to visit Kurushima Kaikyo Observatory? A: Kurushima Kaikyo Observatory: Sunset, when the bridge and the islands catch the light. Q: Can you get to Kurushima Kaikyo Observatory by bike? A: The Imabari Itoyama rental terminal at Sunrise Itoyama stands beside the park, though the building has been under renovation since 15 September 2026, and the bridge's cycle ramp starts close by. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://visitshimanami.com/attractions/570/ https://visitshimanami.com/attractions/568/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/terminal/ https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/cyclecity/sunrise-itoyama/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/162654186 ### Kusasenri URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/kusasenri Type: Sight Local name: 草千里ヶ浜 (ja) Also known as: Kusasenrigahama, Kusa-Senrigahama, Kusasenri Plateau, 草千里 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kumamoto Town: Aso Address: Kusasenrigahama, Aso, Kumamoto Coordinates: 32.88180, 131.05380 Kind: Alpine plateau Hours: The grassland is open ground. The Aso Volcano Museum, the cafés and the shops around the car park keep their own hours. Prices: Parking costs ¥500 for a car or ¥200 for a motorcycle, on one ticket that covers both the Kusasenri and Aso Sanjo Plaza lots. Best time: Summer turns the grass a deep green. In a hard winter the pond freezes and rime ice coats the trees, often until about mid-February. With children: Good with children Address: Kusasenrigahama, Aso, Kumamoto Website: https://kumamoto.guide/spots/detail/210 Summary: Kusasenri suits anyone who wants a wide, easy stop high on Aso with the steaming Nakadake crater in view, and it stays open at alert level 2, when the crater itself is closed. Kusasenri is a broad grassland at about 1,100 metres on the slopes of Aso, with a rain-fed pond in the middle and horses grazing across it. From the lookout above the car park you see Nakadake smoking to the east and the farmland of the Aso valley and the outer rim to the north. On a clear day the view to the west runs over the Kumamoto plain to the Ariake Sea and Unzen. Horses graze loose here and spook easily, so keep well back, keep your voice down and never feed them. Kumamoto's tourism office lists all three as rules. The Aso Volcano Museum beside the car park explains how the caldera formed and how people live inside it. Kusasenri lies about 4 km west of the Nakadake crater, outside the 1 km zone that alert level 2 closes. At level 3 the closed zone grows to about 2 km and the road beyond Kusasenri to Aso Sanjo Plaza shuts. Tips: - Route buses from JR Aso Station take about 30 minutes to the Kusasenri Aso Kazan Hakubutsukan-mae stop. - Check the Aso Volcano Disaster Prevention Council's page for the day's crater status before you head up. Q: Is Kusasenri open while the Aso crater is closed? A: Yes. At alert level 2, in force since 1 September 2026, only the area within about 1 km of the Nakadake crater is closed, and Kusasenri lies about 4 km west of it. Q: When is the best time to visit Kusasenri? A: Kusasenri: Summer turns the grass a deep green. In a hard winter the pond freezes and rime ice coats the trees, often until about mid-February. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kumamoto.guide/spots/detail/210 https://kumamoto.guide/en/spots/detail/210 https://www.city.aso.kumamoto.jp/tourism/spot/view_place/ https://www.city.aso.kumamoto.jp/tourism/spot/mt_aso/ https://www.aso.ne.jp/~volcano/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/filing/level/PDF/level_503.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q31454860 ### Lake Biwa Museum URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/lake-biwa-museum Type: Sight Local name: 滋賀県立琵琶湖博物館 (ja) Also known as: Biwahaku, びわ博, 琵琶湖博物館, Lake Biwa Museum Kusatsu Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Address: 1091 Oroshimo-cho, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-0001 Coordinates: 35.07410, 135.93490 Kind: Museum Hours: Last entry 16:00. Open on Mondays that fall on a public holiday. Closed: Mondays (open on holidays) and other temporary closures Entry: ¥840 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Visitors under 18 and adults 65 and over who live in Shiga get into the permanent exhibits free. Special exhibitions cost extra. Cards and IC transit cards work at the desk. Best time: A weekday morning, before the Discovery Room tickets run out. Rainy days: Works in the rain With children: Good with children Address: 1091 Oroshimo-cho, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-0001 Price from: ¥840 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.30 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.biwahaku.jp/ Summary: The prefecture's lake museum suits families and anyone who wants to know what lives in Lake Biwa, though some aquarium tanks are shut for repairs and there's almost nowhere inside to eat a packed lunch. The museum looks at how lakes and people shape each other, with Lake Biwa and its long history at the centre. The aquarium holds the lake's own fish, and children get their own Discovery Room. Adults pay ¥840 for the permanent exhibits, university students ¥470, and everyone under 18 gets in free. The ticket is good all day, so you can leave for lunch and come back. Some tanks are closed while the museum replaces their acrylic panels, including the catfish tanks and the Lake Malawi tank, and you may hear building work in the aquarium hall. Apart from the Malawi fish, you can find the same species in other tanks. The Discovery Room runs timed sessions from 10:00 with tickets handed out at its door, closing from noon to 13:00. School groups get the room first on some weekday slots. From JR Kusatsu Station, take the Ohmi Railway bus from stop 2 at the west exit for about 25 minutes. Kusatsu is about 20 minutes from Kyoto on the special rapid. On weekends and holidays a small boat runs from Ogoto Onsen port in about 20 minutes for ¥1,000 one way. Tips: - The museum closes on Mondays, opening when Monday is a holiday. - It closes on 14 March 2027 for the Biwako Marathon, which finishes on the Karasuma Peninsula. - Car parking costs ¥550, and museum visitors get a free-parking voucher at the information desk. Q: How much is the Lake Biwa Museum? A: The permanent exhibits cost ¥840 for adults and ¥470 for university students. Visitors under 18 get in free, and special exhibitions cost extra. Q: Is the Lake Biwa Museum open on Mondays? A: No, except when Monday is a public holiday. It opens 9:30 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:00. Q: When is the best time to visit Lake Biwa Museum? A: Lake Biwa Museum: A weekday morning, before the Discovery Room tickets run out. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.biwahaku.jp/ https://www.biwahaku.jp/guide/price.html https://www.biwahaku.jp/guide/access.html https://www.biwahaku.jp/guide/open.html https://www.biwahaku.jp/english/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11564667 ### Lake Tazawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/lake-tazawa Type: Sight Local name: 田沢湖 (ja) Also known as: Tazawako, Lake Tazawako, Tazawa Lake, Tatsuko statue, 田沢湖 たつこ像 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Address: Tazawako, Semboku, Akita Coordinates: 39.72720, 140.66230 Kind: Lake Prices: The lake shore is free. Sightseeing boats and bike rental charge their own fares. Best time: The lake changes through the year, and Semboku's autumn colour starts on Mt. Akita-Komagatake before moving down to the lake shore. With children: Good with children Address: Tazawako, Semboku, Akita By bike: Semboku's tourism office lists cycling round the lakeside, and Tazawako bicycle rental hires bikes on the shore. Website: https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/en/spots/9554/ Summary: Lake Tazawa suits travellers on the Akita Shinkansen who want a lakeside afternoon on the way to Nyuto Onsen; it's a scenic stop more than a full day, so pair it with the onsen or Kakunodate. Lake Tazawa is the deepest lake in Japan at 423.4 metres. The basin is almost round and about 20 kilometres around. Semboku's tourism office describes its water as deep blue. The legend of Princess Tatsuko lives on at the shore in her statue and at Gozanoishi Shrine. Ugo Kotsu's Tazawako loop and Nyuto line buses reach the shore from JR Tazawako Station in about 15 minutes, and the Akita Airport Liner shared taxi takes about 100 minutes from the airport. Haruyama has two car parks with room for 260 cars between them. Sightseeing boats, a bike rental and stand-up paddleboarding all work from the shore. The lake makes an easy half day between Kakunodate and a night at Nyuto Onsen, since the Nyuto line bus serves both. The Tazawa Kunimasu Trout Museum and the old Omoide-no-Kata branch school also stand by the shore. Tips: - Park at Haruyama, where two car parks hold 260 cars between them. - Combine the lake with an overnight at Nyuto Onsen. The Nyuto line bus from Tazawako Station passes the lake on the way up. Q: How deep is Lake Tazawa? A: 423.4 metres, which makes it the deepest lake in Japan. Q: How do I get to Lake Tazawa? A: Take the Akita Shinkansen to JR Tazawako Station, then the Ugo Kotsu Tazawako loop or Nyuto line bus to the lake, about 15 minutes. Q: When is the best time to visit Lake Tazawa? A: Lake Tazawa: The lake changes through the year, and Semboku's autumn colour starts on Mt. Akita-Komagatake before moving down to the lake shore. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/en/spots/9554/ https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/en/spots/15147/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q174309 ### Metasequoia Avenue URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/metasequoia-avenue-makino Type: Sight Local name: メタセコイア並木 (ja) Also known as: Makino Metasequoia, Metasequoia Namiki, メタセコイヤ並木, Makino Metasequoia tree avenue Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Takashima Address: Makino-cho Hiruguchi to Makino, Takashima, Shiga Coordinates: 35.46680, 136.03590 Kind: Tree avenue Hours: The avenue is a public road and has no lighting at night beyond street lamps. Prices: It's a public road. Parking at Makino Pick Land is free. Best time: Late November to early December for autumn colour, late April and May for new leaves. Address: Makino-cho Hiruguchi to Makino, Takashima, Shiga By bike: The Takashima rental desk at JR Makino Station is the nearest start. Biwaichi Bike and the Maibara Station shop take mid-route returns at the Makino Bussan Kaikan, and Maibara also at Okubiwako Makino Grand Park Hotel. Website: https://takashima-kanko.jp/spot/metasequoia.html Summary: Makino's 2.4 km avenue of about 500 metasequoias suits a slow ride or walk in any season, though it's a local road with traffic and the autumn colour weeks bring jams. About 500 metasequoias line 2.4 km of the prefectural road through Makino Pick Land and up towards Makino Kogen. The Makino fruit growers' cooperative planted the first ones in 1981 for a children's farm project, and locals and the prefecture kept planting until the line reached its present length. In 1994 the Yomiuri newspaper picked it for its 'new 100 roadside tree landscapes of Japan'. The Nosaka mountains close off the view at the far end. Each season looks different. New leaves turn the avenue pale green from late April into May, and it stays deep green from June through October. Autumn colour peaks from late November to early December, and the tourism association calls the shade brick or brown, since metasequoias don't turn maple red. Snow on the branches needs the right weather, though the bare trees in white fields are a winter scene of their own. This is a road people live on. The tourism association asks visitors not to stop or park on it and to watch for cars while taking photos. Park at Makino Pick Land, which is free and adds temporary car parks in the colour season. There are no lights along the avenue at night beyond the street lamps. Tips: - From JR Makino Station the Makino Kogen line community bus takes about six minutes to the Makino Pick Land stop. - Through the colour season, from 14 November to 13 December 2026, the Makino Station rental desk takes no advance bookings and no bikes from other stations. - Namiki Cafe Metasequoia inside Makino Pick Land looks out over the trees if the weather turns. Q: When is the autumn colour at the Metasequoia avenue in Makino? A: The tourism association gives late November to early December for most years, with the trees turning brick or brown. Q: Where do I park for the Metasequoia avenue? A: At Makino Pick Land, which is free. Don't stop or park on the avenue itself. Q: What are the opening hours of Metasequoia Avenue? A: Metasequoia Avenue is open the avenue is a public road and has no lighting at night beyond street lamps. Q: Can you get to Metasequoia Avenue by bike? A: The Takashima rental desk at JR Makino Station is the nearest start. Biwaichi Bike and the Maibara Station shop take mid-route returns at the Makino Bussan Kaikan, and Maibara also at Okubiwako Makino Grand Park Hotel. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://takashima-kanko.jp/spot/metasequoia.html https://takashima-kanko.jp/spot/2018/06/post_155.html https://takashima-kanko.jp/guide/rentalcycle.html https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4989568221 ### Murodo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/murodo Type: Sight Local name: 室堂 (ja) Also known as: Murodo-daira, Murodo plateau, Tateyama Murodo, 室堂平, Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, Alpine Route Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Tateyama Address: Ashikuraji, Tateyama, Toyama Status: seasonal. The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route runs from 15 April to 30 November in 2026 and shuts for winter after that. It reopened on 15 April in recent years, and the 2027 date was not announced when we checked on 11 October 2026. Coordinates: 36.57745, 137.59612 Kind: Alpine plateau Hours: Reached only on the Alpine Route's cable cars and buses while the route is open. The snow-wall walk ran 9:30–15:00 from 15 April to 25 June 2026. Closed: 1 December to mid-April, when the Alpine Route is shut Entry: ¥4,090 per adult (2026), about CAD 37 or USD 26 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Fares from the operator's 27 February 2026 table, valid from 15 April 2026. Children of primary-school age pay about half, and under-sixes ride free. Best time: The operator puts the snow walls at their best from 15 April to late June and recommends late May to late June for milder weather and smaller crowds. Mikurigaike pond thaws and mirrors the peaks from June to October. With children: Good with children Address: Ashikuraji, Tateyama, Toyama Price from: ¥4,090 per adult (2026), about CAD 37 or USD 26 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.alpen-route.com/en/ Summary: Murodo suits sightseers and spring skiers who want the top of the Alpine Route at 2,450 m without climbing it, and its trade-off is weather that can turn to blizzard in spring and a route closed from December to mid-April. Murodo is the high plateau at the top of the Alpine Route, reached by the Tateyama cable car to Bijodaira and the highland bus beyond, about 50 minutes up the toll road from Bijodaira. The road in is cleared each winter, and from mid-April the bus drives between the snow walls of the Yuki-no-Otani, which the operator says can stand up to 20 m. Visitors walk a stretch of the cleared road on foot until late June. Mikurigaike pond lies 15 minutes' walk from the terminal and stays under snow until about June. Spring ski tourers come for April and May snow above the terminal, and Toyama Prefecture runs the area under its own safety rules. Anyone going beyond the marked zone around the terminal in April, May or November must file an entry form, online through Compass or at the safety desk in Murodo Terminal. Carry an avalanche beacon and a portable toilet, and keep out of the snow-clearing work zones. The prefecture also asks for mountain insurance, and it reminds visitors that Murodo has no managed slopes and that avalanches can release at any time. Jigokudani, the steaming valley north of the terminal, belongs to Midagahara volcano, which JMA keeps at alert level 1 with strong heat and volcanic gas around the vents. Toyama's snow-season rules close Jigokudani and the ptarmigan protection zones to everyone. At level 2 the assumed crater area closes, and at level 3 JMA's plan restricts entry within about 1.5 km to 2.5 km of Jigokudani. The Hotel Tateyama inside Murodo Terminal stopped taking overnight guests on 31 August 2026, and its shop and restaurant remain open. Mikurigaike Onsen and other lodges on the plateau take guests while the route is open. Tateyama is sacred ground for Oyama Shrine, whose summit shrine on Mt. Oyama at 3,003 m is staffed from 1 July to 30 September. Tips: - Check the Murodo mountain-skiing information site and JMA's Midagahara page before a spring tour; both list current restrictions. - From 1 December to 15 May anyone climbing or skiing in the Mt. Tsurugi area must file a climbing plan with Toyama Prefecture in advance. - Drones are banned everywhere on the Alpine Route, toy drones included. Q: When is the Tateyama snow wall open? A: In 2026 the snow-wall walk at Murodo ran from 15 April to 25 June, 9:30 to 15:00. The 2027 dates were not out in October 2026. Q: Can I drive to Murodo? A: No. Only the Alpine Route's own buses use the road above Katsuradai, so park at Tateyama Station and take the cable car and bus. Q: How much does Murodo cost? A: Prices at Murodo start at ¥4,090 per adult (2026), about CAD 37 or USD 26 (October 2026 rates). Q: When is the best time to visit Murodo? A: Murodo: The operator puts the snow walls at their best from 15 April to late June and recommends late May to late June for milder weather and smaller crowds. Mikurigaike pond thaws and mirrors the peaks from June to October. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.alpen-route.com/en/ https://www.alpen-route.com/en/how-to-enjoy/landmarks/ https://www.alpen-route.com/access_new/fare/person/ https://www.alpen-route.com/enjoy_navi/snow_otani/ https://www.alpen-route.com/information/use_manners.html https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/30003 https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/31035 https://toyamaken-sotaikyo.jp/rule/ https://toyamaken-sotaikyo.jp/ https://h-tateyama.alpen-route.co.jp/en/ https://h-tateyama.alpen-route.co.jp/en/enjoy/enjoy02.php https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/309.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/filing/level/PDF/level_309.pdf http://www.oyamajinja.org/minehonsha.htm https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11452989 ### Naeba Dragondola URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/naeba-dragondola Type: Sight Local name: 苗場ドラゴンドラ (ja) Also known as: Dragondola, Dragon Dola, Naeba gondola, ドラゴンドラ Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 202 Mikuni, Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma District, Niigata 949-6292 Status: seasonal. The Dragondola's autumn sightseeing season runs 10 October to 8 November 2026. Coordinates: 36.80260, 138.78040 Kind: Gondola Hours: Autumn running 10 October to 8 November 2026: upward rides 9:00–15:00 and the last ride down at 16:00. The Tashiro Ropeway, Panorama Lift and Rakuraku Lift stop after 3 November. Closed: Outside the autumn season; the 2026 run ends on 8 November Entry: ¥4,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥4,000 and primary school children ¥2,300; the ticket covers the Dragondola and Tashiro Ropeway in any of four up-and-down combinations, the Rakuraku Lift and the free connecting bus. The operator's page marks parts of its fare table as carried over from earlier seasons. Parking costs ¥1,000 on weekdays and ¥2,000 at weekends. Best time: Colour peaks at the summit in early October, mid-slope in mid-October and at the base in late October, in a typical year, according to Walkerplus's autumn guide. With children: Good with children Address: 202 Mikuni, Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma District, Niigata 949-6292 Price from: ¥4,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/naeba/dragondola/ Summary: The Naeba Dragondola is a 5,481 m gondola that climbs from Naeba toward the Kagura side in about 25 minutes, and it suits families and walkers in October's autumn colour; it runs for sightseeing only from 10 October to 8 November in 2026 and fills up on fine weekends. The eight-seat cabins ride 5.5 km to a top station at 1,346 m. Prince Hotels bills a day here as two Japanese records in one, and the Tashiro Ropeway claims the greatest height above the ground. One ticket covers both, so you can ride one up and the other down and take the free bus back to the start. You cannot drive to the base station. Park at the Schnee day centre at Naeba, buy tickets there between 8:45 and 15:00, and take the free shuttle bus to the gondola. On busy days the operator suggests starting from the Tashiro side instead. Up top you can walk about 20 minutes to the Rakuraku Lift or 25 minutes to the Tashiro Ropeway's top station. At ¥4,000 for adults it is a dear ride, and the parking fee comes on top. Tips: - Ticket desks at Schnee and at the Tashiro Ropeway base open at 8:45. - The Tashiro Ropeway stops after 3 November 2026, so a loop between the two needs an earlier date. - Tickets bought online still have to be exchanged at the Schnee or Tashiro ticket desks; the base station sells nothing. Q: When does the Naeba Dragondola run in autumn 2026? A: The Naeba Dragondola runs from 10 October to 8 November 2026, with upward rides from 9:00 to 15:00 and the last ride down at 16:00. Q: How long is the Naeba Dragondola? A: The Naeba Dragondola is 5,481 m long and takes about 25 minutes each way. Q: How much is the Naeba Dragondola? A: The Naeba Dragondola costs ¥4,000 for adults and ¥2,300 for primary school children, including the Tashiro Ropeway and the connecting bus. Q: What are the opening hours of Naeba Dragondola? A: Naeba Dragondola keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–16:00. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/naeba/dragondola/autumn/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/naeba/dragondola/autumn/naeba.html https://koyo.walkerplus.com/detail/ar0415e12614/data.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5305347 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/390181229 ### Nojimasaki Lighthouse URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/nojimasaki-lighthouse Type: Sight Local name: 野島埼灯台 (ja) Also known as: Nojimazaki Lighthouse, Nojima-zaki Lighthouse, 野島埼灯台, Shirahama lighthouse Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Town: Minamiboso Coordinates: 34.90170, 139.88830 Kind: Lighthouse Hours: Since 1 March 2026 the lighthouse closes from noon to 13:00. Weekend hours also apply on public holidays, in Golden Week, from 10 to 19 August and from 29 December to 3 January. Last entry is 20 minutes before each closing time. Entry: ¥300 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The Tokokai asks a ¥300 visiting donation from junior-high age up. Primary-school children, visitors with a disability certificate and one companion go free. Best time: Morning, so you are not caught by the noon closure on a ride round the cape. With children: Good with children Price from: ¥300 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.tokokai.org/tourlight/tourlight04/ Summary: Nojimasaki Lighthouse suits riders rounding the southern tip of the Boso Peninsula who want a short climb for the view, and its trade-off is a lunch-hour closure from noon to 13:00 since March 2026. Nojimasaki Lighthouse stands on the southernmost point of the Boso Peninsula at Shirahama in Minamiboso. The white octagonal tower copies the first lighthouse here, lit in 1869 as the second in Japan, which fell in the Great Kanto Earthquake. From its balcony you look back along the peninsula. The Tokokai brought in a lunch break at 14 of its climbable lighthouses on 1 March 2026, and this is one of them. The tower closes from noon to 13:00, so time a ride round the cape to arrive in the morning or after one. Tips: - Arrive before noon or after 13:00, when the lighthouse reopens. Q: When is Nojimasaki Lighthouse open? A: In the morning from 9:00 on weekdays and 8:30 at weekends until noon, and in the afternoon from 13:00 until 16:00 in October to February. Afternoon closing moves to 16:30 on weekdays and 17:00 at weekends from March to September. Q: How much does Nojimasaki Lighthouse cost? A: Prices at Nojimasaki Lighthouse start at ¥300 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates). Q: When is the best time to visit Nojimasaki Lighthouse? A: Nojimasaki Lighthouse: Morning, so you are not caught by the noon closure on a ride round the cape. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tokokai.org/tourlight/tourlight04/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11645357 ### Mt. Nokogiri URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/nokogiriyama Type: Sight Local name: 鋸山 (ja) Also known as: Nokogiriyama, Mount Nokogiri, Nokogiri-yama, Nihon-ji, 日本寺, Jigoku Nozoki, 地獄のぞき Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Coordinates: 35.16030, 139.84080 Kind: Mountain Hours: The ropeway runs 9:00 to 17:00 from 16 February to 15 November and 9:00 to 16:00 in winter, and it stops for a week to a month from mid-January for its annual inspection. Nihon-ji opens 9:00 to 16:00 with last entry at 15:00. Entry: ¥1,200 per adult (2026), about CAD 11 or USD 7.60 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The ropeway costs ¥650 one way or ¥1,200 return for an adult, tax included. Nihon-ji charges ¥700 for adults and ¥400 for children aged four to under junior-high age. Time needed: 1.5 hours Best time: A clear winter morning, when the view across the Uraga Channel reaches Mt. Fuji. The ropeway's first car leaves at 9:00. With children: Good with children By bike: The ropeway's lower station is eight minutes on foot from JR Hama-Kanaya Station. In autumn 2026 typhoon damage closed Route 127 south of Hama-Kanaya toward Hota. Price from: ¥1,200 per adult (2026), about CAD 11 or USD 7.60 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.mt-nokogiri.co.jp/pc/p010000.php Summary: Mt. Nokogiri suits anyone who wants a short climb by ropeway to a cliff-edge view over Tokyo Bay, and its trade-off is a temple circuit of steep stone steps that takes about an hour and a half. Nokogiriyama rises behind Hama-Kanaya on the Tokyo Bay side of Boso. Quarrymen cut Boshu building stone here, and the old cutting faces still show about 30 minutes' walk from the top station. The ropeway climbs in about four minutes, with cars every 15 minutes or as often as every five when it gets busy. A stone-cutting display in the summit restaurant shows the tools. Nihon-ji spreads over the southern slope. The temple says the monk Gyoki founded it in 725 by imperial order, and the walk takes in the Great Buddha of Yakushi Nyorai, the 1,500 arhat statues, the Hyakushaku Kannon and the ledge called Jigoku Nozoki, whose name means a peek into hell. Allow about 90 minutes for the circuit, and wear shoes with grip for the stairs. The Tokyo Wan Ferry from Kurihama lands at Kanaya, below the mountain, and takes bikes. In autumn 2026 the coast road south from Kanaya to Hota was closed by landslides, so check the road before you plan a ride round the cape from here. Tips: - Pay the Nihon-ji entry fee separately from the ropeway. - Keep your temple ticket if you leave and come back in by another entrance. Q: How much does the Mt. Nokogiri ropeway cost? A: The ropeway costs ¥650 one way or ¥1,200 return for an adult. Entry to Nihon-ji on the mountain costs ¥700 more. Q: How long does it take to see Nihon-ji on Mt. Nokogiri? A: The temple suggests about an hour and a half to walk the circuit, which includes long flights of steps. Q: What are the opening hours of Mt. Nokogiri? A: Mt. Nokogiri keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: When is the best time to visit Mt. Nokogiri? A: Mt. Nokogiri: A clear winter morning, when the view across the Uraga Channel reaches Mt. Fuji. The ropeway's first car leaves at 9:00. Q: Can you get to Mt. Nokogiri by bike? A: The ropeway's lower station is eight minutes on foot from JR Hama-Kanaya Station. In autumn 2026 typhoon damage closed Route 127 south of Hama-Kanaya toward Hota. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.mt-nokogiri.co.jp/pc/p040000.php https://www.mt-nokogiri.co.jp/pc/p020000.php https://www.mt-nokogiri.co.jp/pc/p010000.php https://www.nihonji.jp/ https://www.nihonji.jp/%E6%8B%9D%E8%A6%B3%E6%99%82%E9%96%93-%E6%96%99%E9%87%91/ https://www.nihonji.jp/%E3%82%88%E3%81%8F%E3%81%82%E3%82%8B%E3%81%94%E8%B3%AA%E5%95%8F/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5120896 ### Notojima Aquarium URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/notojima-aquarium Type: Sight Local name: のとじま水族館 (ja) Also known as: Notojima Suizokukan, Noto Island Aquarium, Ishikawa Prefectural Notojima Aquarium Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Town: Nanao Address: 15-40 Magari-machi, Notojima, Nanao, Ishikawa 926-0216 Coordinates: 37.13769, 136.97951 Kind: Aquarium Hours: 9:00–17:00 from 20 March to 30 November and 9:00–16:30 from 1 December to 19 March; last entry 30 minutes before closing. Closed: 29 to 31 December Entry: ¥1,890 per adult (2026), about CAD 17 or USD 12 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥1,890 and children from age 3 to junior high ¥510; under-3s enter free. Convenience stores and the aquarium's online shop sell tickets, and the ticket desk takes cards and IC cards. Rainy days: Works in the rain With children: Good with children Address: 15-40 Magari-machi, Notojima, Nanao, Ishikawa 926-0216 Price from: ¥1,890 per adult (2026), about CAD 17 or USD 12 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.notoaqua.jp/ Summary: Notojima Aquarium suits families who want a full day of sea life on an island in Nanao Bay, with whale sharks, dolphin and sea-lion shows and penguin walks, and the drive from Wakura Onsen takes about 15 minutes. Ishikawa's aquarium on Notojima keeps the fish that live in or pass through the seas around the Noto Peninsula, with whale sharks as the headline. The day runs on a timetable of dolphin and sea-lion shows and a penguin walk, and many tanks let you get close. Its own directions run from Wakura Onsen across the Notojima Ohashi bridge, about 15 minutes by car. The nearest station is JR Wakura Onsen, about an hour from Kanazawa on the Noto Kagaribi limited express. Tips: - Check the event and show schedule on the aquarium's site before you go. Q: How much does Notojima Aquarium cost? A: Prices at Notojima Aquarium start at ¥1,890 per adult (2026), about CAD 17 or USD 12 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Notojima Aquarium? A: Notojima Aquarium keeps these hours: Daily 09:00–17:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.notoaqua.jp/ https://www.notoaqua.jp/guide/ https://www.notoaqua.jp/access/ ### Oirase Gorge URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/oirase-gorge Type: Sight Local name: 奥入瀬渓流 (ja) Also known as: Oirase Stream, Oirase Keiryu, Oirase River, Choshi Otaki, Ashura no Nagare, 奥入瀬 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Address: Okuse, Towada, Aomori Coordinates: 40.52530, 140.97450 Kind: Gorge Prices: The riverside path is free. Best time: Fresh green and murasaki-yashio azaleas on the boulders peak in mid-May, and the gorge turns red and gold in autumn. In winter the side falls freeze, and Towada's tourism body runs frozen-gorge tours; the 2025/26 tours ran from 20 December to 1 March. With children: Good with children Address: Okuse, Towada, Aomori By bike: Route 102 runs beside the stream. In 2026 the road between the Sobe junction and Nenokuchi, about 10 km, closed to private cars from 7 to 13 September for a trial week, and the Oirase bypass carried through traffic. Website: https://www.towada.travel/en/area/oirase-yakeyama Summary: Oirase suits walkers who want a long, easy riverside walk through old forest below Lake Towada; the road runs beside the path the whole way, so weekend traffic follows you in autumn. The Oirase stream drains Lake Towada at Nenokuchi and runs about 14 kilometres down to Yakeyama through a U-shaped valley of beech, katsura and horse chestnut. The gradient is gentle, about one metre in 70, and moss and shrubs grow on every rock and fallen trunk. A path follows the water at stream level the whole way. The road runs beside it. The famous stretches come one after another. Ashura no Nagare is the fast, white rapid you see on posters and on TV. Kumoi Falls drops 20 metres in three steps from a side valley, and Choshi Otaki is the only waterfall on the main stream. It stands 7 metres high and 20 metres wide and kept fish from swimming up to the lake, so for a long time people said no fish could live in Lake Towada. A water gate at Nenokuchi releases lake water into the stream by day and almost closes at night and in winter, when side streams carry most of the flow. In 2026 Aomori Prefecture tried a week with no private cars on the road beside the stream, from 7 to 13 September. Shuttle buses ran from designated car parks that week. Tips: - Go in mid-May to see murasaki-yashio azaleas flowering on the boulders at Sanran no Nagare. - Keep to the path and stay quiet near the water. Japanese serow live in the forest here. Q: How long is the Oirase Gorge walk? A: The path along the stream runs about 14 kilometres from Nenokuchi on Lake Towada to Yakeyama. Q: What is the best season for Oirase Gorge? A: Mid-May for fresh green and azaleas, autumn for colour, and winter for frozen waterfalls on guided tours. Q: Can you get to Oirase Gorge by bike? A: Route 102 runs beside the stream. In 2026 the road between the Sobe junction and Nenokuchi, about 10 km, closed to private cars from 7 to 13 September for a trial week, and the Oirase bypass carried through traffic. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://towadako.or.jp/sansaku-map/oirase-nenokuchi/ https://www.towada.travel/news/oirase-ecotourism2026 https://www.towada.travel/en/area/oirase-yakeyama https://www.towada.travel/en/season/winter https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q10942580 ### Oishi Park URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/oishi-park Type: Sight Local name: 大石公園 (ja) Also known as: Oishi Park Kawaguchiko, Ooishi Park, Lake Kawaguchi Oishi Park, 大石公園 河口湖 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Town: Kawaguchiko Address: 2525-11 Oishi, Fujikawaguchiko, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi 401-0305 Coordinates: 35.52330, 138.74650 Kind: Viewpoint Hours: Oishi Park is a public lakeside park with no gate, open at all hours every day of the year. Prices: Entry is free. Best time: Lavender flowers here in early summer, and the kochia bushes turn red in autumn. In winter the flower beds lie bare, and Fuji wears its full coat of snow across the lake on clear mornings. With children: Good with children Address: 2525-11 Oishi, Fujikawaguchiko, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi 401-0305 By bike: Oishi Park sits on the north shore on the road round Lake Kawaguchi, an easy stop for anyone circling the lake by bike. The town puts one lap of the lake at a little under 20 km. Website: https://fujisan.ne.jp/sightseeing/1652/ Summary: Oishi Park on the north shore of Lake Kawaguchi frames Mt. Fuji across the water above beds of lavender and kochia, and suits families and riders lapping the lake who want the view without a climb; between 10:00 and 16:00 on spring and autumn weekends the lakeside road jams with traffic. Fuji stands straight across the lake from here with little in the way, and the town's tourism office lists the park as one of its best-known photo spots. The flower walk runs for about 350 metres beside the water, purple with lavender in early summer and red with kochia once autumn arrives. Kawaguchiko Natural Living Center next door sells local produce and light meals. Fujikawaguchiko's tourism office warns that early April to May and late October to mid-November bring the heaviest traffic, worst on weekends and holidays between about 10:00 and 16:00. It suggests leaving the car behind for the sightseeing buses and rental bikes that start from Kawaguchiko Station. The town also asks photographers to keep paths clear with their tripods and to stay off private land. Tips: - Rent a bike in Funatsu near Kawaguchiko Station, where the town's list puts a standard bike at about ¥600 an hour. - Come on a weekday morning in the autumn leaf season, since the town names that window as the way round the jams. Q: Is Oishi Park free? A: Yes. Oishi Park is a public park on Lake Kawaguchi with free entry, open at all hours. Q: When does lavender bloom at Oishi Park? A: The Fujikawaguchiko tourism office says the lavender at Oishi Park flowers in early summer, and the kochia turns red in autumn. Q: What are the opening hours of Oishi Park? A: Oishi Park is open oishi Park is a public lakeside park with no gate, open at all hours every day of the year. Q: When is the best time to visit Oishi Park? A: Oishi Park: Lavender flowers here in early summer, and the kochia bushes turn red in autumn. In winter the flower beds lie bare, and Fuji wears its full coat of snow across the lake on clear mornings. Q: Can you get to Oishi Park by bike? A: Oishi Park sits on the north shore on the road round Lake Kawaguchi, an easy stop for anyone circling the lake by bike. The town puts one lap of the lake at a little under 20 km. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://fujisan.ne.jp/sightseeing/1652/ https://fujisan.ne.jp/feature/611/ https://fujisan.ne.jp/feature/1209/ https://www.town.fujikawaguchiko.lg.jp/ka/info.php?if_id=2346 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q125680709 ### Omishima Museum of Art URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/omishima-museum-of-art Type: Sight Local name: 大三島美術館 (ja) Also known as: Oomishima Museum of Art, Omishima Bijutsukan Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Omishima Address: 9099-1 Omishima-cho Miyaura, Imabari, Ehime Coordinates: 34.24910, 133.00340 Kind: Museum Closed: Mondays (the next day when Monday is a public holiday) and 27 to 31 December Entry: ¥520 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.70 or USD 3.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Visitors of high school age or younger, or under 18, enter free. Rainy days: Works in the rain Address: 9099-1 Omishima-cho Miyaura, Imabari, Ehime By bike: The museum stands beside Oyamazumi Shrine in Miyaura, so park the bike once for both. Price from: ¥520 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.70 or USD 3.30 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.shimanamiartmuseum.com/oomishimamuseum Summary: The Omishima Museum of Art suits visitors at Oyamazumi Shrine who want a quiet hour with modern Japanese painting next door, and the trade-off is a collection centred on one school of work. The museum opened in July 1986 beside Oyamazumi Shrine as a museum of contemporary nihonga (Japanese-style painting). Its gabled roof and thick columns stand out on the approach, and the walls inside are lined with washi paper. Most of the collection is early work from the 1970s to the 2000s by painters who now lead the field, and temporary shows bring in younger artists. A room added for the tenth anniversary holds the work of Toshio Tabuchi, with sketches and studies beside the finished paintings. Adults pay ¥520, students ¥260 and visitors under 18 nothing. Q: How much does Omishima Museum of Art cost? A: Prices at Omishima Museum of Art start at ¥520 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.70 or USD 3.30 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Omishima Museum of Art? A: Omishima Museum of Art keeps these hours: Mon closed; Tue–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: Can you get to Omishima Museum of Art by bike? A: The museum stands beside Oyamazumi Shrine in Miyaura, so park the bike once for both. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shimanamiartmuseum.com/oomishimamuseum https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11377193 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%A4%A7%E4%B8%89%E5%B3%B6%E7%BE%8E%E8%A1%93%E9%A4%A8 ### Sada Chinkabashi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/sada-chinkabashi Type: Sight Local name: 佐田沈下橋 (ja) Also known as: Sada Sinking Bridge, Sada Submersible Bridge, Imanari Bridge, 今成橋, Shimanto sinking bridges, chinkabashi Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kochi Town: Shimanto Address: Sada, Shimanto, Kochi Coordinates: 33.01540, 132.88530 Kind: Bridge Hours: Open at all times. The bridge carries local traffic and is closed whenever the river covers it. Prices: No charge. A free car park on prefectural road 340 takes six buses and cars. Best time: After a dry spell, since heavy rain can put the bridge under water. Golden Week and Obon bring traffic marshals to the bridge. Address: Sada, Shimanto, Kochi By bike: About 50 minutes by bike from the Shimanto City Tourism Association next to Nakamura Station, which rents bikes. Riders from Ekawasaki reach the Nagaoi, Nakahage and Hage bridges on a quiet 20 km return route. Website: https://www.shimanto-kankou.com/kanko/shimanto-river/shimantoriver.html Summary: The Sada Chinkabashi suits riders and families who want to cross the Shimanto River on a bridge with no railings, and it is a working road, so give way to local cars. A chinkabashi, or sinking bridge, is built low with no railings so that floodwater flows over it and drift has nothing to catch on. The Shimanto runs 196 km and is the longest river in Shikoku, and Shimanto city alone has nine of these bridges. Sada, officially the Imanari Bridge, is the one nearest the sea and the longest, at 291.6 metres and 4.2 metres wide, built in 1972. Upstream, the Iwama bridge is the one on the posters, and it reopened in April 2021 after closing in November 2017. The Katsuma bridge stands on three piers. Around Ekawasaki, the Nakahage bridge is for walkers and bikes only and sits beside a road bridge and a railway bridge. From 19 October to 19 November 2026 the Sada Tunnel on the car route to the bridge closes completely on weekdays from 8:30 to 17:00, then runs one lane at a time until 10 December. Work is not planned on weekends. Tips: - Local cars use the bridge, so stop at the side to take photos and keep other people and their cars out of your frame. - Come by national road 441 from the city; road 340 from the town centre is closed to large vehicles. Q: What are the opening hours of Sada Chinkabashi? A: Sada Chinkabashi is open open at all times. The bridge carries local traffic and is closed whenever the river covers it. Q: When is the best time to visit Sada Chinkabashi? A: Sada Chinkabashi: After a dry spell, since heavy rain can put the bridge under water. Golden Week and Obon bring traffic marshals to the bridge. Q: Can you get to Sada Chinkabashi by bike? A: About 50 minutes by bike from the Shimanto City Tourism Association next to Nakamura Station, which rents bikes. Riders from Ekawasaki reach the Nagaoi, Nakahage and Hage bridges on a quiet 20 km return route. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shimanto-kankou.com/kanko/shimanto-river/shimantoriver.html https://www.shimanto-kankou.com/travel/ https://www.shimanto-kankou.com/route_cycle/ https://www.shimanto-kankou.com/news/%e5%9b%9b%e4%b8%87%e5%8d%81%e5%b8%82%e9%83%b7%e5%9c%9f%e5%8d%9a%e7%89%a9%e9%a4%a8%e8%87%a8%e6%99%82%e4%bc%91%e9%a4%a8%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b%ef%bc%8811-12%ef%bd%9e11-19-3-3-2-2.html https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/134616300 ### Senkoji Temple and Park URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/senkoji Type: Sight Local name: 千光寺・千光寺公園 (ja) Also known as: Senko-ji, Senkoji Park, Senkoji Ropeway, PEAK Onomichi, 千光寺山ロープウェイ Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: Higashitsuchido-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima Coordinates: 34.41040, 133.19870 Kind: Park Hours: The park and the PEAK deck stay open around the clock. The ropeway runs every 15 minutes from 9:00 to 17:15, every day of the year. Closed: Open every day of the year Prices: The park and the PEAK deck are free; parking and the museums in the park charge. Best time: Late March and early April, when the park's cherry trees flower. Address: Higashitsuchido-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima By bike: The lanes up Senkoji-yama are steep stone steps, so lock the bike in town by the ropeway station and walk or ride the ropeway. Summary: Senkoji suits anyone with a spare hour in Onomichi who wants the view over the channel to Mukaishima, and the trade-off is a steep climb on stone steps unless you take the ropeway. Senkoji is a temple said to date from 806, set high on Senkoji-yama above the old port. The park around it covers the hilltop, which is one of Japan's 100 best places for cherry blossom. Along the Path of Literature, poems by Onomichi writers are carved into the rocks. The Mt Senkoji Ropeway climbs from the town in three minutes, passing over the old camphor trees of Ushitora Shrine. A single costs ¥500 and a return ¥700, with children under 12 at half price. At the top the PEAK observation deck opens around the clock for free, and its plain design keeps it from crowding the temple. Walking up through the lanes is the other way, and it joins the temple walk and Cat Alley on the way. The steps are steep and uneven in places, so take it slowly and save the ropeway for the way down if your legs are tired from the ride. Tips: - On cherry-blossom weekends the city restricts traffic round the park; in 2026 it did so from 10:00 to 17:00 on 28 and 29 March and on 4 and 5 April. - The Senkoji Park car park raised its fees on 1 December 2024. - Senkoji is the third stop on the Onomichi Shichibutsu Meguri pilgrimage of seven temples. Q: How much is the Senkoji Ropeway in Onomichi? A: The Mt Senkoji Ropeway costs ¥500 one way and ¥700 return for anyone 12 or older, and half that for children. It runs every 15 minutes from 9:00 to 17:15 every day. Q: What are the opening hours of Senkoji Temple and Park? A: Senkoji Temple and Park keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 00:00–24:00. Q: When is the best time to visit Senkoji Temple and Park? A: Senkoji Temple and Park: Late March and early April, when the park's cherry trees flower. Q: Can you get to Senkoji Temple and Park by bike? A: The lanes up Senkoji-yama are steep stone steps, so lock the bike in town by the ropeway station and walk or ride the ropeway. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://visitshimanami.com/attractions/607/ https://visitshimanami.com/attractions/691/ https://visitshimanami.com/attractions/681/ https://shichibutsu.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3478566 ### Shin-Hotaka Ropeway URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/shin-hotaka-ropeway Type: Sight Local name: 新穂高ロープウェイ (ja) Also known as: Shinhotaka Ropeway, Shin Hotaka Ropeway, Shinhotaka Ropeway Okuhida, Nishi-hotakaguchi, 新穂高 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Shin-Hotaka Onsen Address: Shinhotaka Onsen, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1421 Coordinates: 36.28280, 137.58040 Kind: Ropeway Hours: Open all year. From 1 December to 31 March the first car leaves Shinhotaka Onsen at 9:00 and the last at 15:30, and the last car down leaves Nishi-hotakaguchi at 16:15. From April to November the first car goes up at 8:30, the last at 16:00 and the last down at 16:45, with 8:00 starts in August and at weekends in October. The first ropeway leaves on the hour and half hour, the second at a quarter past and a quarter to. Closed: Bad weather and scheduled inspections Entry: ¥3,800 per adult (2025), about CAD 34 or USD 24 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥3,800 return for both ropeways and children ¥1,900; preschool children ride free with an adult. Upward tickets are valid on the day of issue and downward tickets for three days, which matters for climbers. Parking at Shinhotaka Onsen costs ¥800 for six hours, and the Nabedaira car park by the second ropeway closes in the snow season, from early November to late April. Best time: Autumn colour peaks around mid-October in a typical year, according to the operator, and from December the peaks and forest below lie under snow. With children: Good with children Address: Shinhotaka Onsen, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1421 Price from: ¥3,800 per adult (2025), about CAD 34 or USD 24 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://shinhotaka-ropeway.jp/ Summary: The Shin-Hotaka Ropeway lifts you to a 2,156 m rooftop deck facing the Hotaka peaks in about 25 minutes, and it suits anyone staying in Okuhida who wants the Northern Alps without climbing; skis and snowboards are not allowed on board. Two ropeways climb from Shinhotaka Onsen at 1,117 m. The first runs to Nabedaira Kogen, and a short walk leads to Shirakabadaira, where the second ropeway's double-decker cars rise to Nishi-hotakaguchi. The rooftop deck at 2,156 m looks straight at the Hotaka range, and the Michelin Green Guide Japan gives the view two stars. In winter the cars run from 9:00, and the last one down leaves at 16:15. The operator lists skis, snowboards and uncovered ice axes among the things you cannot carry, so the ride serves sightseers and climbers. Climbers must hand in a climbing plan before they set out from the top station. A return ticket for both ropeways costs ¥3,800 for adults. The drive from Takayama IC takes about 1 hour 10 minutes, and buses from the Takayama bus centre take about 1 hour 40 minutes. Fit winter tyres; snow can fall here from mid-November until early April. Tips: - Pack proper winter layers; the summit deck stands above 2,000 m. - Take crampons off inside the stations and cover the tips of ice axes. - Park at Shinhotaka Onsen in winter; the Nabedaira car park closes from early November. - Allow about 10 extra minutes from Takayama: a landslide has closed part of Route 158 in Nyukawa since February 2026, and cars and buses use a city-road detour. Q: How much is the Shin-Hotaka Ropeway? A: A return ticket on both ropeways costs ¥3,800 for adults and ¥1,900 for primary school children, at fares in force from December 2025. Q: What are the Shin-Hotaka Ropeway winter hours? A: From 1 December to 31 March the first car leaves Shinhotaka Onsen at 9:00 and the last at 15:30, and the last car down leaves the top at 16:15. Q: Can I take skis on the Shin-Hotaka Ropeway? A: No. The ropeway does not carry skis, snowboards or ice axes without tip covers. Q: When is the best time to visit Shin-Hotaka Ropeway? A: Shin-Hotaka Ropeway: Autumn colour peaks around mid-October in a typical year, according to the operator, and from December the peaks and forest below lie under snow. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shinhotaka-ropeway.jp/ https://shinhotaka-ropeway.jp/price/ https://shinhotaka-ropeway.jp/pdf/pamphlet/ja.pdf https://shinhotaka-ropeway.jp/access/ https://shinhotaka-ropeway.jp/climber/ https://shinhotaka-ropeway.jp/faq/ https://shinhotaka-ropeway.jp/about/ https://shinhotaka-ropeway.jp/season/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7497511 https://okuhida.or.jp/p/topics/%e5%9b%bd%e9%81%93158%e5%8f%b7%e3%80%80%e5%9c%9f%e7%a0%82%e5%b4%a9%e3%82%8c%e3%81%ab%e4%bc%b4%e3%81%86%e9%80%9a%e8%a1%8c%e6%ad%a2%e3%82%81%e3%81%ab%e3%81%a4%e3%81%84%e3%81%a6/ ### Shirahige Shrine Lake Torii URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/shirahige-shrine-lake-torii Type: Sight Local name: 白鬚神社 湖中大鳥居 (ja) Also known as: Shirahige Shrine, Shirahige torii, 白髭神社, 白鬚神社 鳥居, floating torii Lake Biwa Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Takashima Address: 215 Ukawa, Takashima, Shiga 520-1122 Coordinates: 35.27450, 136.01110 Kind: Lakeside torii Best time: Early morning; the shrine's own photo shows the sun rising through the gate. Address: 215 Ukawa, Takashima, Shiga 520-1122 By bike: West-shore riders pass the shrine on Route 161. Get the bike well off the road and walk to the deck, and don't cross the highway. Website: http://shirahigejinja.com/ Summary: Shirahige Shrine's red gate in Lake Biwa suits anyone riding or driving the west shore who will stop properly and look from the shrine's own deck, since the shrine warns that crossing Route 161 in front of it is very dangerous. Shirahige Shrine is an active shrine, the oldest grand shrine in Omi by its own account, and its main hall dates from a rebuilding that Toyotomi Hideyori ordered under his father's will. The shrine's gate stands in the lake on the other side of Route 161. A medicine wholesaler from Osaka, Konishi Kyubei, paid for the first lake gate in 1937, and the one you see now replaced it in 1981. Folding screens and the shrine's own picture scrolls show a gate in the water centuries before either. The shrine and Takashima's tourism association both say the same thing about the road: don't cross it. Route 161 runs between the shrine and the shore, and the shrine calls crossing it very dangerous. Use the Oumi Shirahige-dai deck beside the shrine office, which the Takashima Rotary Club gave the shrine in December 2021. From there the whole gate sits in view with the lake behind it. Come early if you can, because the shrine's own photo shows the sun rising through the gate. Treat the grounds as a place of worship and give way to anyone at the hall. The autumn grand festival on 5 and 6 September draws families from across Kansai and beyond for naruko-mairi, a naming rite for small children, and the shrine car park closes for festival stalls. Tips: - Never stop on the Route 161 shoulder for a photo; pull into the shrine car park and walk to the deck. - From JR Omi-Takashima Station the shrine is about 3 km, roughly 40 minutes on foot or a short ride on a station rental bike. - On festival days the shrine asks drivers to use the temporary Shirahige-hama car park about 1 km north. Q: Where should I photograph Shirahige Shrine's lake torii? A: From the Oumi Shirahige-dai deck beside the shrine office. The shrine and Takashima's tourism association warn that crossing Route 161 in front of the shrine is very dangerous. Q: How old is the torii in the lake at Shirahige Shrine? A: The first lake gate went up in 1937 and the current one replaced it in 1981, though old paintings show a gate in the water much earlier. Q: When is the best time to visit Shirahige Shrine Lake Torii? A: Shirahige Shrine Lake Torii: Early morning; the shrine's own photo shows the sun rising through the gate. Q: Can you get to Shirahige Shrine Lake Torii by bike? A: West-shore riders pass the shrine on Route 161. Get the bike well off the road and walk to the deck, and don't cross the highway. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://shirahigejinja.com/ http://shirahigejinja.com/%e6%b9%96%e4%b8%ad%e9%b3%a5%e5%b1%85%e3%83%bb%e5%a2%83%e5%86%85/kotyutorii/ http://shirahigejinja.com/%e6%b9%96%e4%b8%ad%e9%b3%a5%e5%b1%85%e3%83%bb%e5%a2%83%e5%86%85/%e8%97%8d%e6%b9%96%e7%99%bd%e9%ac%9a%e5%8f%b0/ https://takashima-kanko.jp/spot/2018/06/post_89.html https://takashima-kanko.jp/2026/08/8_5.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q705303 ### Ogimachi Castle Site Observatory URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/shirakawa-go-viewpoint Type: Sight Local name: 荻町城跡展望台 (ja) Also known as: Shirakawa-go viewpoint, Shirakawago observation deck, Shiroyama viewpoint, Ogimachi Castle Ruins Observatory, 白川郷 展望台, 城山展望台 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Shirakawa-go Address: Ogimachi, Shirakawa-mura, Ono-gun, Gifu Coordinates: 36.26300, 136.90800 Kind: Viewpoint Hours: The observatory shuttle bus runs uphill from 9:00 to 15:40 and back down from 9:10 to 16:10. On the four light-up evenings in January 2027 the walking route closes at 15:45, the deck shuts at 16:10 and only holders of an observatory ticket go up after that. Prices: The village-run observatory has no entry charge listed by the tourist association; the shuttle bus fare was not published on the pages read. Parking in the village costs ¥2,000 a car at Seseragi Park. Best time: Snow lies deep in February, when it can pass 170 cm, and the village's autumn colour peaks from late October to mid-November. With children: Good with children Address: Ogimachi, Shirakawa-mura, Ono-gun, Gifu Website: https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/ Summary: The Ogimachi Castle Site Observatory looks down on the thatched gassho houses of Shirakawa-go, and it suits anyone who wants the village's best-known view in one short climb; on light-up nights only ticket holders reach it. The village runs the observatory on the old Ogimachi castle site above the World Heritage settlement. You can ride the observatory shuttle bus or walk the trail behind the Wada house in 15 to 20 minutes. The tourist association suggests two to three hours for the village itself, and the observatory fits at the end of that loop. Cars may not drive up on light-up days, and on those evenings tripods are banned on the cramped deck, which takes visitors in three timed groups. The deck looks over a living village where families still re-thatch their roofs together, and residents refuse drone filming over the settlement, so leave the drone at home. Tips: - Walk up from behind the Wada house; the trail takes 15 to 20 minutes. - The toilet at the Ogimachi Tenshukaku Observatory shop closes when the shop does. - Fit snow tyres for any winter visit; the village and the national road office require them from December to March. Q: How do I get to the Shirakawa-go viewpoint? A: Take the observatory shuttle bus, which runs up from 9:00 to 15:40, or walk the trail behind the Wada house in 15 to 20 minutes. Q: Can I go up to the Shirakawa-go viewpoint during the light-up? A: Only with an observatory ticket, which comes with certain village stays and certain route-bus light-up tours. It is not sold on its own. Q: What are the opening hours of Ogimachi Castle Site Observatory? A: Ogimachi Castle Site Observatory is open the observatory shuttle bus runs uphill from 9:00 to 15:40 and back down from 9:10 to 16:10. On the four light-up evenings in January 2027 the walking route closes at 15:45, the deck shuts at 16:10 and only holders of an observatory ticket go up after that. Q: When is the best time to visit Ogimachi Castle Site Observatory? A: Ogimachi Castle Site Observatory: Snow lies deep in February, when it can pass 170 cm, and the village's autumn colour peaks from late October to mid-November. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/events/441/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/events/142/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/access/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/highlights/ https://www.vill.shirakawa.lg.jp/2882.htm https://www.vill.shirakawa.lg.jp/2866.htm https://www.vill.shirakawa.lg.jp/2881.htm https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/2325707789 ### Shiratani Unsuikyo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/shiratani-unsuikyo Type: Sight Local name: 白谷雲水峡 (ja) Also known as: Shiratani Unsui Gorge, Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine, Moss Forest, 苔むす森, 太鼓岩 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kagoshima Town: Yakushima Address: Miyanoura, Yakushima, Kumage-gun, Kagoshima Status: temporarily-closed. Closed until further notice: the prefectural road to Shiratani has been shut by a landslide since 4 September 2026 (status table updated 1 October 2026). Coordinates: 30.38000, 130.57420 Kind: Gorge Closed: Closed until further notice since 4 September 2026 Entry: ¥800 per person (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The forest conservation contribution rose from ¥500 to ¥800 a person in April 2026, with groups of 20 or more paying ¥600 each. Address: Miyanoura, Yakushima, Kumage-gun, Kagoshima Price from: ¥800 per person (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.town.yakushima.kagoshima.jp/kanko/kankospot/6/2632.html Summary: Shiratani Unsuikyo suits walkers who want Yakushima's moss forest without the full day to Jomon Sugi, and it is closed for now after a landslide cut its access road in September 2026. Shiratani Unsuikyo is a forest of clear streams, ferns and deep moss about 12 km from Miyanoura. Its Moss Forest, Tsuji Pass and Taiko-iwa rock are the places people link to the animated film Princess Mononoke, and in a normal year a bus runs up seven times a day. Since 19:00 on 4 September 2026 the prefectural road to Shiratani has been closed by a landslide during Typhoon No. 24, and the mountain conservation council lists the gorge as closed for the time being. You cannot enter by the Kusukawa trail either. Yakusugi Land, on the other side of the island, reopened on 16 September with some course changes. Tips: - Check the Yakushima mountain conservation council's road and trail table before you plan around Shiratani. - Courses shorten when streams run high after rain, even in a normal season. Q: Is Shiratani Unsuikyo open? A: No. A landslide closed the prefectural road to Shiratani Unsuikyo on 4 September 2026 during Typhoon No. 24, and the gorge stays closed until further notice. Yakusugi Land reopened on 16 September 2026. Q: How much does Shiratani Unsuikyo cost? A: Prices at Shiratani Unsuikyo start at ¥800 per person (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://yakushima-tozan.com/page-2157/ https://www.town.yakushima.kagoshima.jp/kanko/kankospot/6/2632.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11580376 ### Takayama Old Town URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/takayama-old-town Type: Sight Local name: 飛騨高山 古い町並 (ja) Also known as: Sanmachi, Sanmachi Suji, Sannomachi, Takayama old streets, Hida-Takayama old town, 三町, さんまち, 古い町並 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: Kami-sannomachi and neighbouring streets, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.14020, 137.25950 Kind: Old town Hours: The streets are open at all hours. The morning markets in front of Takayama Jinya and along the Miyagawa River run every morning from about 7:00 to noon, and the shops and sake breweries keep their own hours. Prices: Walking the streets costs nothing, and the Hida Takayama town museum and the town hands-on craft centre nearby are free to enter. Best time: Come between 7:00 and noon, when the morning markets run, or on 14–15 April and 9–10 October, when the festival floats come out. With children: Good with children Address: Kami-sannomachi and neighbouring streets, Takayama, Gifu Website: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/spot/detail_1101.html Summary: Takayama's old town is a grid of Edo-period merchant streets with sake breweries and craft shops, and it suits a slow morning walk from JR Takayama Station; drivers have to use the city's paid car parks. Takayama grew as a castle town and merchant town in the Edo period, and three parallel streets of the upper and lower town are a nationally selected preservation district for traditional buildings. Latticed fronts line the streets and clear water runs in channels under the eaves. Outside each sake brewery hangs a ball of cedar sprigs called a sakabayashi. Seven sake breweries still trade inside the old town, and several pour tastings. The food stalls sell Hida beef nigiri and skewers, and Takayama's mitarashi dango come glazed in a lightly salty soy sauce. Craft shops sell Hida shunkei lacquer, and the red sarubobo folk dolls make an easy souvenir. Start at the vermilion Nakabashi bridge over the Miyagawa, then walk to the morning markets by Takayama Jinya and along the river, which run from about 7:00 to noon. Hie Shrine, founded in 1141, guards the southern half of the old castle town and holds the spring festival. Tips: - Visit a morning market first, since both wind down at about noon. - Ask before you photograph inside a shop or a brewery. - In winter, wear boots with grip for snow and ice on the streets. Q: Is it free to visit Takayama's old town? A: Yes. The streets are public, and the town museum nearby is free; you pay only for what you buy or taste. Q: What time are the Takayama morning markets? A: The Jinya-mae and Miyagawa morning markets run every morning from about 7:00 until noon. Q: What are the opening hours of Takayama Old Town? A: Takayama Old Town is open the streets are open at all hours. The morning markets in front of Takayama Jinya and along the Miyagawa River run every morning from about 7:00 to noon, and the shops and sake breweries keep their own hours. Q: When is the best time to visit Takayama Old Town? A: Takayama Old Town: Come between 7:00 and noon, when the morning markets run, or on 14–15 April and 9–10 October, when the festival floats come out. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/spot/detail_1101.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/spot/detail_1127.html https://www.takayama-yatai.jp/about/spring-festival.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11356789 ### Tanigawadake Ropeway URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/tanigawadake-ropeway Type: Sight Local name: 谷川岳ロープウェイ (ja) Also known as: Tanigawadake Joch, Tanigawadake Joch by Hoshino Resorts, Mt. Tanigawa ropeway, 谷川岳ヨッホ, Tenjindaira ropeway Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: Yubukiyama National Forest, Yubiso, Minakami, Tone District, Gunma 379-1728 Status: seasonal. The ropeway closes from 16 November to 4 December 2026, car park included, then runs for the winter from 5 December 2026 to 4 April 2027. Coordinates: 36.83130, 138.95970 Kind: Ropeway Hours: In the 2026 green season the ropeway ran from 8:00 on weekdays and 7:00 at weekends and holidays, with the last ride up at 16:30 and the last lift up at 16:00. Winter hours from 5 December 2026 had not been posted on 11 October 2026. Closed: 16 November to 4 December 2026 Entry: ¥3,000 per adult (2025), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) Prices: In the ski season the ropeway sells no one-way tickets, and the sightseeing lift opens only from 10 March to 4 April 2027. Anyone carrying skis or a board needs a Mt.T lift ticket. Winter parking is free on floors 1 to 5 of the base plaza. Time needed: 1.5 hours Best time: The autumn colour peaks at the top in early October and moves down the mountain over about a month. In winter go on a clear morning before the ski crowds fill the cabins. With children: Good with children Address: Yubukiyama National Forest, Yubiso, Minakami, Tone District, Gunma 379-1728 Price from: ¥3,000 per adult (2025), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://tanigawadake-joch.com/en/ Summary: The Tanigawadake Ropeway suits anyone who wants Mt. Tanigawa's ridges without a climb, and in winter it carries skiers too, so walkers lose the chairlift and the one-way ticket. The ropeway climbs 2,300 m from the Doai-guchi base to Tenjindaira at 1,319 m in about 10 to 15 minutes, and cabins leave every three minutes or so. Hoshino Resorts renamed the whole site Tanigawadake Joch in December 2024; joch is German for a mountain saddle. At the top, View Terrace Tenjin serves the house speciality, a bread gratin overflowing with sauce. From April to November the Tenjin-toge lift carries you on to a viewpoint at 1,502 m. From 5 December 2026 to 4 April 2027 the ropeway runs for sightseeing beside the Mt.T ski area, and visitors can ride only round trips. The Tenjin-toge lift stays closed to walkers until 10 March. Bring warm layers, because the operator says the top runs about 5 degrees colder than Minakami town. Tips: - Allow about 90 minutes for the ropeway and lift, or 30 minutes for a round trip on the ropeway alone. - The Kan-etsu Kotsu bus from Jomo-Kogen reaches the Tanigawadake Joch stop in about 45 minutes for ¥1,600. - Fit winter tyres or chains from December to March, because the operator says the road can freeze even when it looks clear. Q: How much does Tanigawadake Ropeway cost? A: Prices at Tanigawadake Ropeway start at ¥3,000 per adult (2025), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Tanigawadake Ropeway? A: Tanigawadake Ropeway keeps these hours: Mon 08:00–17:00; Tue 08:00–17:00; Wed 08:00–17:00; Thu 08:00–17:00; Fri 08:00–17:00; Sat 07:00–17:00; Sun 07:00–17:00. Q: How long do you need at Tanigawadake Ropeway? A: Plan about 1.5 hours at Tanigawadake Ropeway. Q: When is the best time to visit Tanigawadake Ropeway? A: Tanigawadake Ropeway: The autumn colour peaks at the top in early October and moves down the mountain over about a month. In winter go on a clear morning before the ski crowds fill the cabins. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tanigawadake-joch.com/ https://tanigawadake-joch.com/en/ https://tanigawadake-joch.com/faq/ https://tanigawadake-joch.com/access/ https://tanigawadake-joch.com/facilities/ https://tanigawadake-joch.com/information/20260907/ https://kan-etsu.net/files/libs/13586/202509160957248456.pdf https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B0%B7%E5%B7%9D%E5%B2%B3%E3%83%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%97%E3%82%A6%E3%82%A7%E3%82%A4 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7683295 ### Togakushi Forest Botanical Garden URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/togakushi-forest-botanical-garden Type: Sight Local name: 戸隠森林植物園 (ja) Also known as: Togakushi forest walk, Togakushi botanical garden, Midori-ga-ike, Hachijuni Mori no Manabiya, Togakushi Kotori no Mori, 戸隠森林植物園 みどりが池 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Status: seasonal. The 2026 season runs from 25 April to 23 November. Coordinates: 36.75150, 138.07730 Kind: Park Hours: The garden is open from 25 April to 23 November in 2026. Hachijuni Mori no Manabiya, the visitor centre, opens 9:30–16:30 and closes on Mondays (Tuesday when Monday is a holiday). In winter the centre shuts from about 24 November to the fourth Friday of April. Closed: Late November to late April; visitor centre closed on Mondays Entry: Free Prices: The garden and its visitor centre are free. Best time: The garden is open from late April to late November. Ask at the visitor centre which plants are flowering and which birds are about that week. With children: Good with children Price from: ¥0 per person (2026) Website: https://www.pref.nagano.lg.jp/nagachi/nagachi-rimmu/shokonorin/togakusisinrinsyokubutuen.html Summary: Togakushi Forest Botanical Garden is a free 71-hectare spread of woodland and wetland at the foot of Mt. Togakushi, and it suits walkers and birdwatchers from late April to late November; it is also home to many Asian black bears, so carry a bell. Nagano Prefecture created the garden to mark the national tree-planting festival it hosted in 1964, and it opened in August 1968. Footpaths link a plant observation garden, a fir grove, the skunk cabbage wetland and Midori-ga-ike pond across 71 hectares. The whole garden forms part of the Togakushi bird forest. Paths lead in from the start of the Okusha approach of Togakushi Shrine and from its Zuishinmon gate, so a walk here joins easily with a visit to the shrine. Staff at Hachijuni Mori no Manabiya, the visitor centre, keep track of what's flowering and which birds are around, and they lend bear bells. Asian black bears live throughout the garden and gather in July and August to eat skunk cabbage fruit along the streams and wetlands. If you see one, keep well back, skip the photo and move away calmly, then tell the centre where it was. Tips: - Borrow a bear bell at the visitor centre before you set out. - Combine the garden with the walk to Togakushi Shrine's Okusha; paths link the two at the approach entrance and at the Zuishinmon gate. - Never feed wildlife, and take all your litter home. Q: Is Togakushi Forest Botanical Garden free? A: Yes. Togakushi Forest Botanical Garden and its visitor centre, Hachijuni Mori no Manabiya, are free to use. Q: Are there bears at Togakushi Forest Botanical Garden? A: Yes. Asian black bears live throughout Togakushi Forest Botanical Garden and gather in July and August for skunk cabbage fruit. Borrow a bear bell at the visitor centre and ask there about recent sightings. Q: When is Togakushi Forest Botanical Garden open? A: In 2026 Togakushi Forest Botanical Garden is open from 25 April to 23 November. Its visitor centre opens 9:30–16:30 and closes on Mondays. Q: How much does Togakushi Forest Botanical Garden cost? A: Togakushi Forest Botanical Garden is free to visit. Q: When is the best time to visit Togakushi Forest Botanical Garden? A: Togakushi Forest Botanical Garden: The garden is open from late April to late November. Ask at the visitor centre which plants are flowering and which birds are about that week. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.pref.nagano.lg.jp/nagachi/nagachi-rimmu/shokonorin/togakusisinrinsyokubutuen.html https://www.pref.nagano.lg.jp/nagachi/nagachi-rimmu/shokonorin/kenerin/manabiya01.html https://www.pref.nagano.lg.jp/nagachi/nagachi-rimmu/shokonorin/kenerin/manabiya07.html https://www.togakushi-jinja.jp/english https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/10696134368 ### Tokoro Museum Omishima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/tokoro-museum-omishima Type: Sight Local name: ところミュージアム大三島 (ja) Also known as: Tokoro Museum, Tokoro Museum of Art Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Omishima Address: 2362-3 Omishima-cho Urado, Imabari, Ehime Coordinates: 34.21500, 132.95200 Kind: Museum Closed: Mondays (the next day when Monday is a public holiday) and 27 to 31 December Entry: ¥310 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.80 or USD 2 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Visitors of high school age or younger, or under 18, enter free. Groups of 20 or more pay ¥250. Address: 2362-3 Omishima-cho Urado, Imabari, Ehime By bike: The museum stands on a hillside off Omishima's west coast road, so expect a short climb from the shore. Price from: ¥310 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.80 or USD 2 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.shimanamiartmuseum.com/tokoromuseum Summary: Tokoro Museum Omishima suits riders willing to detour to Omishima's west coast for sculpture with a sea view, and the trade-off is a climb to its hillside site. Atsuo Tokoro opened this museum of contemporary art in spring 2004 on a rise above the Seto Inland Sea. Its design borrows from Noah's Ark after the landing on Mount Ararat. You move between rooms by stepping out onto a promenade, so the sea and the weather become part of the visit. About 30 works are on show by artists who include Noe Katz, whose Kissing Doors greet you at the entrance, Marisol, Tom Wesselmann and Giacomo Manzu. Japanese sculpture by Norichika Hayashi and Takashi Fukai sits among them. Adults pay ¥310, and anyone under 18 goes in free. The Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture is a few minutes along the same road. Q: How much does Tokoro Museum Omishima cost? A: Prices at Tokoro Museum Omishima start at ¥310 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.80 or USD 2 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Tokoro Museum Omishima? A: Tokoro Museum Omishima keeps these hours: Mon closed; Tue–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: Can you get to Tokoro Museum Omishima by bike? A: The museum stands on a hillside off Omishima's west coast road, so expect a short climb from the shore. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shimanamiartmuseum.com/tokoromuseum https://visitshimanami.com/attractions/538/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11273158 ### Tottori Sand Dunes URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/tottori-sand-dunes Type: Sight Local name: 鳥取砂丘 (ja) Also known as: Tottori Sakyu, Tottori dunes, 鳥取砂丘 Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Tottori Address: Tottori Sand Dunes Visitor Center, 2164-971 Yuyama, Fukube-cho, Tottori 689-0105 Coordinates: 35.54360, 134.23500 Kind: Dunes Hours: The dunes stay open at all hours; the times shown are the visitor centre's. The car park has no entry limits, early or late. Entry: Free Prices: The dunes are free and have no gate. The Tottori Sakyu car park charges ¥500 a car and ¥200 a motorcycle for each 24 hours. With children: Good with children Address: Tottori Sand Dunes Visitor Center, 2164-971 Yuyama, Fukube-cho, Tottori 689-0105 By bike: Bikes stay off the sand. The Uminami Road passes on the coast road, and the Tottori Sugoi Ride starts and finishes at a special venue by the dunes. Price from: ¥0 per person (2026) Website: https://www.sakyu-vc.com/ Summary: The Tottori Sand Dunes suit anyone who wants to walk across a sea of sand inside a national park on the Sea of Japan, and swimming off the dunes is banned by ordinance. The dunes lie on the coast north of Tottori, inside the San'in Kaigan National Park and Geopark. Entry is free, and there is no gate or fence. The visitor centre opens 9:00 to 17:00 with guides on hand, a seven-minute dome film that starts every 20 minutes and exhibits on how the sand arrived and what lives in it. Buses run from Tottori Station on the Iwami-Iwai and Sakyu lines. Graffiti on the sand and swimming off the dunes are both banned by ordinance, and the visitor centre publishes its own rules for photography. Tips: - Park at the Tottori Sakyu car park by the visitor centre; it opens round the clock. Q: Do you pay to enter the Tottori Sand Dunes? A: No. The Tottori Sand Dunes are free and have no entry gate. The car park costs ¥500 a car for 24 hours. Q: How much does Tottori Sand Dunes cost? A: Tottori Sand Dunes is free to visit. Q: What are the opening hours of Tottori Sand Dunes? A: Tottori Sand Dunes keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: Can you get to Tottori Sand Dunes by bike? A: Bikes stay off the sand. The Uminami Road passes on the coast road, and the Tottori Sugoi Ride starts and finishes at a special venue by the dunes. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.sakyu-vc.com/jp/access/ https://www.sakyu-vc.com/jp/visitor/ https://www.sakyu-vc.com/jp/faq/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q780905 ### Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture, Imabari URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/toyo-ito-museum-of-architecture Type: Sight Local name: 今治市伊東豊雄建築ミュージアム (ja) Also known as: Toyo Ito Museum, TIMA, Steel Hut, Silver Hut Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Omishima Address: 2418 Omishima-cho Urado, Imabari, Ehime 794-1308 Coordinates: 34.21390, 132.95040 Kind: Museum Closed: Mondays (the next day when Monday is a public holiday) and 27 to 31 December Entry: ¥840 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Visitors of high school age or younger, or under 18, enter free. Address: 2418 Omishima-cho Urado, Imabari, Ehime 794-1308 By bike: It sits on the same west-coast road as the Tokoro Museum, so the two make one detour from Omishima's main route. Price from: ¥840 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.30 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.tima-imabari.jp/ Summary: The Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture suits anyone curious about design who is riding Omishima's west coast, and the trade-off is an ¥840 ticket for two small buildings. Imabari city bills this as Japan's first architecture museum. Toyo Ito designed both of its buildings. The Steel Hut shows his drawings and models, and the Silver Hut recreates the Tokyo house he once lived in and holds a workshop space. Atsuo Tokoro, who gave the nearby Tokoro Museum to the city, proposed the museum to Ito. It opens 9:00 to 17:00 and closes on Mondays. Tickets cost ¥840 for adults and ¥420 for students, and visitors under 18 enter free. Q: How much does Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture, Imabari cost? A: Prices at Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture, Imabari start at ¥840 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.30 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture, Imabari? A: Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture, Imabari keeps these hours: Mon closed; Tue–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: Can you get to Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture, Imabari by bike? A: It sits on the same west-coast road as the Tokoro Museum, so the two make one detour from Omishima's main route. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tima-imabari.jp/access https://www.shimanamiartmuseum.com/itotoyoomuseum https://visitshimanami.com/attractions/803/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11377188 ### Zao Snow Monsters URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/zao-juhyo Type: Sight Local name: 蔵王の樹氷 (ja) Also known as: Zao juhyo, Zao snow monsters, Zao ice monsters, juhyo, snow monsters Yamagata, Zao Ropeway snow monsters, 樹氷 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: Zao Ropeway Jizo Sancho Station, Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata Status: seasonal. The trees form from late November and usually stand until March. The ropeway runs all year, so outside winter you see fir forest instead. Coordinates: 38.15460, 140.43110 Kind: Viewpoint Hours: In winter (11 December to 31 March) the Zao Ropeway's lower line runs 8:15–16:45 and the upper line to Jizo Sancho Station 8:30–16:30, according to the English page. The Japanese page lists 8:30–17:00 and 8:45–16:45 with the last return trip up at 16:00, so check the day's times at the station. Wind or heavy snow can stop the ropeway. The evening light-up runs 17:00–21:00, with the last ride up at 19:50. Entry: ¥4,400 per adult (2026), about CAD 40 or USD 28 (October 2026 rates) Prices: A return ticket to Jizo Sancho Station at 1,661 metres costs ¥4,400 for adults and ¥2,200 for primary-school children. Going only as far as Juhyo Kogen Station costs ¥2,200 return. Skiers ride on their lift pass, and one pair of skis or a board travels free. Best time: Zao Ropeway's own guide to the trees puts their peak in February, when rime and snow build fastest. The fir trees start to ice over in November and December and grow through January. In March warmer air thins them and rain can bring them down in a day. January and February also bring few clear days, winds of 10–15 m/s and average temperatures of −10 to −15°C at the top. With children: Good with children Address: Zao Ropeway Jizo Sancho Station, Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata Price from: ¥4,400 per adult (2026), about CAD 40 or USD 28 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/juhyo.php Summary: Zao's snow monsters suit anyone in Yamagata from January to early March, skier or not, who can ride a ropeway; the summit is often in a blizzard at −10°C or colder, so the view depends on the weather on the day. Zao's snow monsters are Maries fir trees buried in rime and snow on the upper slopes above Zao Onsen. Supercooled cloud droplets freeze onto the branches as shrimp-tail ice, snow packs into the gaps and the whole mass hardens. The cycle repeats all winter until the trees turn into hunched white figures. The Zao Ropeway runs from the village to Jizo Sancho Station at 1,661 metres, right among them. You don't need to ski to see them. Buy a return to Jizo Sancho, ride the lower ropeway for seven minutes and the funitel for ten, and walk out onto the snow beside the station. The stone Zao Jizo statue stands at the top station too. After dark the ropeway lights the trees in colour from 17:00 to 21:00 during the winter light-up. A heated snowcat called the Night Cruiser carries small groups from Juhyo Kogen Station into the lit forest on a 75-minute tour, about 30 minutes of it on board. Book it through JTB's website from seven days ahead, since the ropeway takes no phone bookings. Zao is an active volcano and JMA keeps it at alert level 1. The Okama crater lies on the far side of the range from the ropeway. Tips: - Dress for −10°C or colder at the top even on a sunny day in the village, and bring goggles for the wind. - Skis and boards aren't allowed on the evening light-up, which is for sightseeing only. Q: When is the best time to see the Zao snow monsters? A: Zao Ropeway puts the peak in February. The trees build through January and start to thin and collapse in March. Q: How much is the Zao Ropeway to see the snow monsters? A: A return ticket to Jizo Sancho Station costs ¥4,400 for adults and ¥2,200 for children. Q: Do I need to ski to see the Zao snow monsters? A: No. The Zao Ropeway takes sightseers to Jizo Sancho Station at 1,661 metres, where the snow monsters stand around the station. Q: What are the opening hours of Zao Snow Monsters? A: Zao Snow Monsters keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:15–16:45. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/juhyo.php https://zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/guide.php https://zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/en.php https://zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/juhyo_illusion.php https://zaomountainresort.com/spot/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/212.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%9C%B0%E8%94%B5%E5%B1%B1%E9%A0%82%E9%A7%85 ### Okama Crater URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sights/zao-okama Type: Sight Local name: 御釜 (ja) Also known as: Zao Okama, Okama crater lake, Okama Zao, Goshiki-numa, Zao crater lake, 蔵王の御釜, お釜, 五色沼 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Miyagi Status: seasonal. The Zao Echo Line and Zao Highline close for winter from 17:00 on 4 November 2026 until 23 April 2027, and you can't reach the viewpoint by road in that period. Bad weather, ice or snow can also close the Echo Line at any time during the open season. Coordinates: 38.13640, 140.44940 Kind: Crater lake Hours: The Zao Highline toll road to the Katta summit car park and the Okama viewpoint opens 7:30–17:00, with last entry at 16:30. From 13 October 2026 the Echo Line closes every night from 17:00 to 8:00, and the Highline then takes its last cars at 16:00. Closed: From 17:00 on 4 November 2026 until 23 April 2027 (winter road closure) Prices: The Zao Highline is a toll road. The Zao town tourism association doesn't list the toll. Best time: Come between late April and early November while the roads are open. Autumn colour along the Echo Line peaks in October. On fine weekends in Golden Week, summer and the foliage season the queue for the Highline toll gate can stretch far down the Miyagi side, and the tourism association suggests driving up from Yamagata and down to Togatta Onsen. With children: Good with children Website: https://www.zao-machi.com/news/257.html Summary: Okama suits drivers and riders on the Zao Echo Line between late April and early November who want to look into an active volcano's crater lake; the road shuts all winter and the summit often sits in cloud. Okama is the crater lake at the heart of the Zao range, on the Miyagi side of the ridge. The Yamagata tourism association says the crater opened in an eruption in 1182 and started holding water after rumblings in 1820. People also call it Goshiki-numa, which means five-colour pond, because its water changes colour through the day. You look down on it from a viewpoint by the Katta summit rest house. Nobody may go down to the water. The road up is the Zao Echo Line from Togatta Onsen in Miyagi or from Bodaira in Yamagata, then the short Zao Highline toll road to the summit car park. In 2026 the Echo Line opened on 24 April. From 13 October it closes every night from 17:00 to 8:00, and from 17:00 on 4 November it closes for winter until 23 April 2027. From the Yamagata side the Zao Katta lift also climbs from the Katta pass car park. Zao is an active volcano. JMA has held it at alert level 1 since 6 March 2018, and fumaroles and volcanic gas vent in the Maruyamazawa and Furikozawa valleys inside the Umanose caldera that holds Okama. At level 2, JMA's warning covers about 1.2 km from the caldera, which takes in the viewpoint. At level 3 it reaches about 3.5 km from Okama. Check JMA's Zao page before you set off, and leave the caldera at once if you notice anything unusual. Tips: - Leave time before 16:00 if you visit after mid-October, because the Highline gate takes its last cars then and the Echo Line closes at 17:00. - The Echo Line closes on wet or icy days even in season. Zao town's tourism association posts the day's decision by 8:00. Q: When can you visit Okama crater in Zao? A: From late April to early November, when the Zao Echo Line and Zao Highline are open. In 2026 the roads close for winter at 17:00 on 4 November and reopen on 23 April 2027. Q: Is Okama crater safe to visit? A: JMA has held Zao at alert level 1 since March 2018. At level 2 the warning covers about 1.2 km from the Umanose caldera, which takes in the viewpoint, so check JMA's Zao page first. Q: What are the opening hours of Okama Crater? A: Okama Crater keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 07:30–17:00. Q: When is the best time to visit Okama Crater? A: Okama Crater: Come between late April and early November while the roads are open. Autumn colour along the Echo Line peaks in October. On fine weekends in Golden Week, summer and the foliage season the queue for the Highline toll gate can stretch far down the Miyagi side, and the tourism association suggests driving up from Yamagata and down to Togatta Onsen. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.zao-machi.com/news/257.html https://zaomountainresort.com/spot/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/212.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/filing/level_kijunn/212_level_kijunn.pdf https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/filing/level/PDF/level_212.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11489343 ## Culture and history ### Atomic Bomb Dome URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/atomic-bomb-dome Type: Culture Local name: 原爆ドーム (ja) Also known as: Hiroshima Peace Memorial, Genbaku Dome, A-Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Hiroshima Address: 1-10 Otemachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima Coordinates: 34.39550, 132.45350 Kind: Memorial Period: Completed 1915; preserved as it stood after 6 August 1945; World Heritage since December 1996 UNESCO: World Heritage Site Access: Partly open Hours: The Dome stands in the open on the bank of the Motoyasu River. Prices: There is no charge. Topics: Atomic bombing, Second world war, Peace Website: https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/english/peace/1029869/1010014.html Summary: The Atomic Bomb Dome is where every visit to Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park should begin, and you see the ruin only from the paths outside its fence. In 1910 Hiroshima Prefecture asked the Czech architect Jan Letzel to design a hall for showing and selling local products. Building began on the bank of the Motoyasu River in 1914, and the hall opened the next year. Its domed tower made it one of the best-known sights in the city. Renamed the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, it was part of daily life in Hiroshima for 30 years. At 8:15 am on 6 August 1945 an atomic bomb exploded about 600 metres above central Hiroshima. The hall stood 160 metres from the hypocentre, and its walls and the bare frame of its dome survived. The city estimates that about 140,000 people had died by the end of December 1945, when the acute effects of radiation had largely subsided. The exact number is still unknown. For years people argued over whether to keep the ruin or pull it down. The City Council resolved to preserve it in 1966, and donations from across Japan and abroad paid for the first preservation work in 1967 and a second campaign from 1989. In December 1996 UNESCO inscribed it on the World Heritage List as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome). Tips: - The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum stands at the south end of Peace Memorial Park, on the far side of the Motoyasu River from the Dome. Q: What was the Atomic Bomb Dome before 1945? A: The Atomic Bomb Dome was the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, designed by the Czech architect Jan Letzel and completed in 1915. It stood 160 metres from the hypocentre of the atomic bomb that exploded over Hiroshima at 8:15 am on 6 August 1945. Q: When did the Atomic Bomb Dome become a World Heritage site? A: UNESCO inscribed the Atomic Bomb Dome on the World Heritage List in December 1996 as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome), after Hiroshima City Council had resolved in 1966 to preserve it. Q: Can you visit Atomic Bomb Dome? A: Partly open. The ruin is fenced, and visitors see it from the riverside paths around it. Q: What are the opening hours of Atomic Bomb Dome? A: Atomic Bomb Dome is open the Dome stands in the open on the bank of the Motoyasu River. Q: How should you behave at Atomic Bomb Dome? A: At Atomic Bomb Dome: Keep voices low and leave room for people praying or laying flowers. Ask before you photograph anyone at the memorials. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/english/peace/1029869/1010014.html https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/english/peace/1029875/1010074.html https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/en/R1-00492.html https://hpmmuseum.jp/modules/info/index.php?action=PageView&page_id=67&lang=eng https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q231140 https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/1506282 ### Chiran Peace Museum URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/chiran-peace-museum Type: Culture Local name: 知覧特攻平和会館 (ja) Also known as: Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots, Chiran Tokko Peace Museum, 知覧特攻平和会館 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kagoshima Address: 17881 Kori, Chiran-cho, Minamikyushu, Kagoshima 897-0302 Coordinates: 31.36330, 130.43440 Kind: Memorial Period: Chiran was an army airfield for the special attack sorties of the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 Access: Open to visitors Hours: Open every day of the year from 9:00, with last entry at 16:30. The museum closes when a typhoon comes through. Closed: Typhoon days only Entry: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥500 and primary and junior high school students ¥300. A joint ticket with Museum Chiran next door costs ¥600 for adults. From 1 April 2027 adults pay ¥800 and children ¥400, and the joint ticket rises to ¥1,000. The audio guide goes up from ¥200 to ¥500 on the same day. Topics: Second world war, Battle of okinawa, Peace Price from: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.chiran-tokkou.jp/ Summary: The Chiran Peace Museum suits anyone who wants to understand the army's special attack missions flown from this airfield in 1945, and it is a museum of letters and portraits to be read slowly and in silence. Chiran was an army airfield at the end of the Second World War, and in the Battle of Okinawa young pilots flew from here on missions to crash their bomb-laden planes into enemy ships. The museum keeps their belongings and records with the help of the families. Its own statement says such an attack, which ignored the worth of a life, must never be used again. The main room shows the portraits of the 1,036 army pilots who died in the Okinawa special attack operations, hung in the order of the day each one died. Cases beside them hold the letters, poems and last notes they wrote to family and friends. A Hayabusa fighter, a model of the airfield as it was and filmed accounts from people who lived through those months, Tome Torihama among them, fill the rest of the hall. Since 1990 the city has held a speech contest every 15 August, the anniversary of the end of the war, that asks students from across Japan to send a message of peace from Chiran. It began after a high school student wrote to the museum about what her visit had changed in her. Tips: - Buses for Chiran leave from stop East 16 outside Kagoshima-Chuo Station; get off at Tokko Kannon Iriguchi and walk about five minutes. A taxi from the station covers the 32 km in about 45 minutes, and the museum puts the fare at around ¥9,500. Q: What does the Chiran Peace Museum show? A: It shows the belongings, letters and portraits of the army pilots who flew special attack missions in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, including portraits of the 1,036 pilots who died, displayed in the order of the date each one died. Q: Can you take photos in the Chiran Peace Museum? A: No photographs, video or recording are allowed of the exhibits, films or talks. You may take photographs without flash in the lobby and the Zero fighter room. Q: Can you visit Chiran Peace Museum? A: Open to visitors. No photographs, video or sound recording of the exhibits, the films or the talks. Photographs without flash are allowed in the lobby and the Zero fighter room. Q: How much does Chiran Peace Museum cost? A: Prices at Chiran Peace Museum start at ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Chiran Peace Museum? A: Chiran Peace Museum keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: How should you behave at Chiran Peace Museum? A: At Chiran Peace Museum: Read the letters and portraits in silence, since many visitors come to remember a relative. Keep cameras away in the exhibition rooms. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.chiran-tokkou.jp/heiwakaikan.html https://www.chiran-tokkou.jp/museum.html https://www.chiran-tokkou.jp/access_centralstation.html https://www.chiran-tokkou.jp/relics.html https://www.chiran-tokkou.jp/informations/2026/10/content-2.html https://www.chiran-tokkou.jp/en/heiwakaikan.html https://www.city.minamikyushu.lg.jp/soshikikarasagasu/rekishibunkazaika/chirantokkouheiwakaikan/262.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4458048 https://www.chiran-tokkou.jp/images/39c02239272f345b80c861319a2941f24ff7ef70.jpg ### Chuson-ji URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/chuson-ji Type: Culture Local name: 関山 中尊寺 (ja) Also known as: Chusonji, Chuson-ji Temple, Chusonji Konjikido, Konjikido, Golden Hall Hiraizumi, Hiraizumi, Hiraizumi UNESCO, 中尊寺, 金色堂, 平泉 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Address: 202 Koromonoseki, Hiraizumi, Iwate 029-4102 Coordinates: 39.00140, 141.09970 Kind: Temple Period: Founded 850; rebuilt by the Oshu Fujiwara from the early 12th century UNESCO: World Heritage Site Access: Open to visitors Hours: Open every day, 8:30–17:00 from 1 March to 3 November and 8:30–16:30 from 4 November to the end of February. Buy your ticket at least ten minutes before closing; late arrivals may be asked to see only the Konjikido. Entry: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: One ticket covers the Konjikido, the Sankozo museum, the sutra repository and the old shelter hall: ¥1,000 for adults, ¥700 for high-school students, ¥500 for junior-high students and ¥300 for primary pupils. When the temple shows its hidden Buddha the combined ticket costs ¥1,600 for adults. Topics: Temple, Tendai, Unesco, Pure land, Fujiwara Price from: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.chusonji.or.jp/language_en/index.html Summary: Chuson-ji suits anyone travelling the Tohoku Shinkansen who wants Hiraizumi's gold-covered Amida hall and the treasures of the Oshu Fujiwara; give it one to two hours and climb the Tsukimizaka slope on foot. Temple records say Ennin founded Chuson-ji in 850, but its great age began in the early 12th century, when Fujiwara no Kiyohira built a complex of more than 40 halls and pagodas on Kanzan hill. He meant it to console the dead of the wars that had torn Tohoku apart and to found a peaceful state on Buddhist lines. Hiraizumi flourished for about a century, until Minamoto no Yoritomo destroyed the Fujiwara in 1189. The Konjikido is the reason most people come. Completed in 1124, it is the only 12th-century building at Chuson-ji to survive in its original form, and gold leaf covers it inside and out apart from the roof. It was the first building ever named a National Treasure in Japan. The Sankozo museum beside it holds most of the temple's more than 3,000 National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. The approach up Tsukimizaka runs under cedars the Date clan planted three to four centuries ago. Nearby Motsu-ji keeps the Pure Land garden Kiyohira's son Motohira began and his grandson Hidehira completed. Wikidata records the temple as part of the Hiraizumi World Heritage Site. Tips: - Allow one to two hours, which the temple suggests for a typical visit. - The temple gives goshuin seals at the main hall, the Sankozo and the Konjikido all year. Q: How much is entry to Chuson-ji? A: ¥1,000 for adults covers the Konjikido, the Sankozo museum, the sutra repository and the old shelter hall. Q: What are Chuson-ji's opening hours? A: 8:30–17:00 from 1 March to 3 November and 8:30–16:30 from 4 November to the end of February, every day of the year. Q: How long should I spend at Chuson-ji? A: The temple says a typical visit takes one to two hours. Q: Can you visit Chuson-ji? A: Open to visitors. Pets may walk the grounds but can't go into the Konjikido, the Sankozo or their surroundings. The temple has no coin lockers; leave bags at Hiraizumi Station. Q: How should you behave at Chuson-ji? A: At Chuson-ji: Chuson-ji was built to console the spirits of everyone who died in the wars of 11th-century Tohoku, friend and foe, so keep the halls quiet. About 20 monks serve at the main hall, and services go on during opening hours. Step aside for them and don't photograph people at prayer. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.chusonji.or.jp/language_en/index.html https://www.chusonji.or.jp/ https://www.motsuji.or.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2660144 ### Daisen-ji URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/daisen-ji Type: Culture Local name: 大山寺 (ja) Also known as: Daisenji Temple, Kakukeizan Daisen-ji, 角磐山大山寺 Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Daisen Address: 9 Daisen, Daisen, Saihaku District, Tottori 689-3318 Coordinates: 35.39099, 133.53489 Kind: Temple Period: Founded in the Yoro era (717–724) by the temple's account Access: Open to visitors Hours: Hours apply from 1 April to 30 November and change with the season. You can visit at other times, but the Reihokaku treasure hall closes from 1 December to 31 March. Closed: Treasure hall closed 1 December to 31 March Entry: ¥300 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The temple ended its group discount in August 2026. Topics: Tendai, Mountain worship, Important cultural property Price from: ¥300 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://daisenji.jp/ Summary: Daisen-ji suits anyone walking up from the Daisen village who wants a mountain temple of 1,300 years' standing, and its treasure hall shuts all winter. Daisen-ji says the monk Kinren founded it in the Yoro era, about 1,300 years ago, and it remains a head temple of the Tendai school. People across the Chugoku region know it as the temple where you meet your ancestors. The main hall burned in 1928 and was rebuilt in 1951, and ten sub-temples and the Amida-do survive on the mountain. The Amida-do and its Amida triad are Important Cultural Properties. Visitors leave a ¥300 offering, which also opens the Reihokaku treasure hall from April to November. The temple's year runs from New Year services through Setsubun on 3 February and the spring festival on 24 May to Obon in mid August. Q: Can you visit Daisen-ji? A: Open to visitors. The treasure hall closes from December to March. Q: How much does Daisen-ji cost? A: Prices at Daisen-ji start at ¥300 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Daisen-ji? A: Daisen-ji keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–16:00. Q: How should you behave at Daisen-ji? A: At Daisen-ji: Bow at the gate and keep voices low in the halls. Ask before photographing inside any hall or during a service. Leave the bike below the stone approach and walk up. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://daisenji.jp/ https://daisenji.jp/pages/11/ https://tourismdaisen.com/spot/21/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3012163 ### Dewa Sanzan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/dewa-sanzan Type: Culture Local name: 出羽三山 (ja) Also known as: Three Mountains of Dewa, Dewa Sanzan Shrine, Dewa Sanzan pilgrimage, Gassan Shrine, Yudonosan Shrine, Sanjin Gosaiden, 出羽三山神社, 月山神社, 湯殿山神社, 三神合祭殿 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Address: 7 Toge, Haguro-machi, Tsuruoka, Yamagata 997-0292 Coordinates: 38.70260, 139.98140 Kind: Pilgrimage Period: Opened in 593, by the shrine's account Access: Partly open Hours: The shrine office on Haguro-san takes enquiries 8:30–17:00, and prayer services run on the hour from 9:00 to 16:00. Gassan Shrine's summit hall opens from 1 July to 15 September and Gassan Mitahara Shrine at the eighth station from 1 July to 23 September. Yudono-san Shrine opens from 1 June to 3 November. Closed: Gassan and Yudono-san close in winter; Haguro-san stays open all year Prices: The Haguro-san and Yudono-san toll roads charge their own fees, which Shonai Kotsu sets. Topics: Pilgrimage, Shugendo, Mountain worship, Shrine, Sacred mountain Website: http://www.dewasanzan.jp/ Summary: Dewa Sanzan suits travellers who want to walk an old pilgrimage across three sacred mountains near Tsuruoka; only Haguro-san opens all year, so the full round of Gassan and Yudono-san belongs to summer. Dewa Sanzan is the name for three mountains of Yamagata: Haguro-san at 414 metres, Gassan at 1,984 metres and Yudono-san at 1,500 metres. By the shrine's account Prince Hachiko, son of Emperor Sushun, came here in 593, followed a three-legged crow up Haguro-san and founded the first shrine. Over centuries the mountains became a centre of Shugendo mountain asceticism, and until 1868 Buddhist and Shinto worship ran together here. Haguro's yamabushi practice continues today. Pilgrims read the three mountains as a passage through life. In the shrine's telling, Haguro-san brings blessings in this life and Gassan holds the experience of death. Yudono-san returns the pilgrim to a new life. Gassan Shrine honours the moon deity Tsukuyomi. Yudono-san Shrine honours three deities including Oyamatsumi, and Dewa Shrine on Haguro-san honours the spirit of the old Dewa province. Because Gassan and Yudono-san lie under snow most of the year, the Sanjin Gosaiden on Haguro-san's summit enshrines all three mountains' deities together. That makes Haguro-san the year-round entrance. Gassan Shrine's summit hall opens only from 1 July to 15 September and Yudono-san from 1 June to 3 November. Gassan's ski area runs on the mountain's snowfields from April into June. 2026 is a Year of the Horse, Haguro-san's own sacred year, and the shrine has drawn bigger crowds than usual. In spring and summer the rare akashobin kingfisher nests by the Kagami-ike pond at the summit. The shrine now confines bird photographers to a marked area there, because rows of long lenses had blocked the main hall. Tips: - Start at Haguro-san, which opens all year, and add Gassan and Yudono-san between July and mid-September when all three are open. - Take the Shonai Kotsu bus from Tsuruoka Station to Gassan's eighth station, about 90 minutes, for the Haguro side of the Gassan climb. Q: When can you visit all three Dewa Sanzan mountains? A: Between 1 July and 15 September, when Gassan Shrine's summit hall is open. Yudono-san opens from 1 June to 3 November, and Haguro-san opens all year. Q: Which shrine can I visit at Dewa Sanzan in winter? A: The Sanjin Gosaiden on Haguro-san's summit, which enshrines the deities of all three mountains together through the winter. Q: What are the opening hours of Dewa Sanzan? A: Dewa Sanzan is open the shrine office on Haguro-san takes enquiries 8:30–17:00, and prayer services run on the hour from 9:00 to 16:00. Gassan Shrine's summit hall opens from 1 July to 15 September and Gassan Mitahara Shrine at the eighth station from 1 July to 23 September. Yudono-san Shrine opens from 1 June to 3 November, closed gassan and Yudono-san close in winter; Haguro-san stays open all year. Q: How should you behave at Dewa Sanzan? A: At Dewa Sanzan: Dewa Sanzan is a living place of worship, and Haguro yamabushi still train on these mountains each year. Bow at the gates and keep your voice down on the approaches. Don't photograph worshippers or yamabushi, and keep to every opening and closing date the shrine sets for Gassan and Yudono-san. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.dewasanzan.jp/ http://www.dewasanzan.jp/publics/index/6/ http://www.dewasanzan.jp/publics/index/86/ http://www.dewasanzan.jp/publics/index/44/ http://www.dewasanzan.jp/publics/index/1/detail=1/b_id=3/r_id=496 http://www.dewasanzan.jp/publics/index/1/detail=1/b_id=3/r_id=490 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1155726 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q135194465 ### Enryaku-ji URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/enryaku-ji Type: Culture Local name: 比叡山延暦寺 (ja) Also known as: Enryakuji, Enryaku-ji Temple, Mt. Hiei, Hieizan, 延暦寺, Konpon Chudo, 根本中堂 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Otsu Address: 4220 Sakamoto-honmachi, Otsu, Shiga 520-0116 Coordinates: 35.07060, 135.84110 Kind: Temple Period: Founded 788 by Saicho; Konpon Chudo rebuilt 1642 UNESCO: World Heritage Site Access: Partly open Hours: Todo and the Sakamoto foot temples open 9:00 to 16:00 all year. Saito and Yokawa open 9:00 to 16:00 from March to November and 9:30 to 16:00 from December to February. Reception closes at 15:45, and storms or snow can close the halls early. Entry: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Groups of 20 or more pay ¥800. Tickets also sell online. Topics: Tendai Buddhism, World Heritage, Mountain temple, Temple lodging Price from: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.hieizan.or.jp/ Booking: https://www.hieizan.or.jp/tickets/ Summary: Enryaku-ji suits anyone who wants to see where Japanese Buddhism trained its founders, on a mountaintop above Lake Biwa, though its main hall is under renovation and snow can close the halls early in winter. Saicho founded the temple on Mt. Hiei in 788, and it trained so many great monks that people call it the mother mountain of Japanese Buddhism. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto World Heritage listing. Enryaku-ji is the name for the halls spread across three areas of the mountain: Todo, Saito and Yokawa. One ticket at ¥1,000 for adults covers all three. Todo holds the Konpon Chudo, the main hall that Tokugawa Iemitsu had rebuilt in 1642. Its Eternal Dharma Light has burned for about 1,200 years. The hall is under a long renovation, and the temple runs visits to see the work. From 8 January 2026, for a limited time, the stand-in for the hall's hidden Yakushi image and the Eternal Light sit in the Manpaido, where you can see them up close. From the lake side, take the Sakamoto cable car up from near JR Hieizan-Sakamoto or Keihan Sakamoto-Hieizanguchi, about 40 minutes to the temple. The shuttle bus between the three areas stops in winter, so plan to walk between them or keep to Todo. The temple lodge, Enryakuji Kaikan, serves shojin vegetarian meals and offers zazen and sutra copying with a booking. Tips: - Hall reception closes at 15:45 all year. - Saito and Yokawa open at 9:30 in December, January and February. - Ogoto Onsen sits at the foot of the mountain if you want a bath after the cable car down. Q: How much does it cost to visit Enryaku-ji? A: The common ticket for Todo, Saito and Yokawa costs ¥1,000 for adults, ¥600 for junior high and high school students and ¥300 for elementary pupils. The National Treasure Hall costs ¥500 extra for adults. Q: Can I see the Konpon Chudo at Enryaku-ji during the renovation? A: The temple runs visits to see the renovation work. From 8 January 2026, for a limited period, the Manpaido holds the stand-in for the main image and the Eternal Dharma Light. Q: Can you visit Enryaku-ji? A: Partly open. Halls may limit entry during services and ceremonies. The Konpon Chudo is under renovation; follow the visitor route the temple marks. Q: What are the opening hours of Enryaku-ji? A: Enryaku-ji keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–16:00. Q: How should you behave at Enryaku-ji? A: At Enryaku-ji: These halls are places of daily practice. Keep your voice low and follow any sign or monk asking you not to photograph. Bow at the threshold of a hall and keep to the edges if a service is under way. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hieizan.or.jp/ https://www.hieizan.or.jp/tickets/ https://www.hieizan.or.jp/access/ https://www.hieizan.or.jp/grounds/toudou.html https://www.hieizan.or.jp/news/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q917195 ### Fushimi Inari Taisha URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/fushimi-inari-taisha Type: Culture Local name: 伏見稲荷大社 (ja) Also known as: Fushimi Inari, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Inari Taisha, Senbon Torii, 千本鳥居, Oinari-san Region: Kansai Prefecture: Kyoto Town: Kyoto Address: 68 Fukakusa Yabunouchi-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto 612-0882 Coordinates: 34.96720, 135.77340 Kind: Shrine Period: Enshrined 711 Access: Open to visitors Topics: Shinto, Inari faith, Torii Website: https://inari.jp/en/ Summary: Fushimi Inari suits an early-morning ride from Kyoto Station to the head shrine of Japan's Inari shrines, and its trade-off is dense crowds on the lower torii paths later in the day. Fushimi Inari Taisha is the head shrine of about 30,000 Inari shrines across Japan, and its deity was enshrined here in 711. Around 10,000 torii line the paths up Inariyama, the southernmost of Kyoto's Higashiyama hills. People offered them in thanks for prayers answered, a custom that had spread by the start of the Edo period. The shrine sits next to JR Inari station, two stops and five minutes from Kyoto Station, and five minutes' walk from Fushimi-Inari station on the Keihan line. Kyoto Cycling Tour Project rents bikes from a Fushimi terminal near the shrine, which the company puts about 15 minutes by bike from Kyoto Station. Cycle Kyoto's early e-bike tour rides here first, before the crowds. Tips: - Arrive early if you want the torii paths quiet. - The shrine's own festivals fill the calendar in autumn, including the Hitaki-sai on 8 November. Q: How do I get to Fushimi Inari Taisha from Kyoto Station? A: Take the JR Nara line two stops to Inari, about five minutes. The shrine stands next to the station. Q: How many torii gates are at Fushimi Inari Taisha? A: The shrine says around 10,000 torii of all sizes line the mountain paths to Fushimi Inari Taisha. Q: Can you visit Fushimi Inari Taisha? A: Open to visitors. The shrine's parking is for worshippers only, and the shrine asks visitors to come by public transport. Q: How should you behave at Fushimi Inari Taisha? A: At Fushimi Inari Taisha: Fushimi Inari is a working shrine with daily worship. Let people praying at the halls and the small shrines on the mountain go first, and keep your voice down near them. The torii are offerings from worshippers. Keep off them and leave the small stone shrines and fox statues alone. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://inari.jp/en/ https://inari.jp/en/faq/ https://inari.jp/en/access/ https://inari.jp/ https://kctp.net/en/rental/access http://www.cyclekyoto.net/ebike-tours https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q714828 ### Futago-ji URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/futago-ji Type: Culture Local name: 両子寺 (ja) Also known as: Futagoji Temple, Futago Temple, Ashibikisan Futago-ji, 足曳山両子寺 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Oita Town: Kunisaki Address: 1548 Futago, Aki-machi, Kunisaki, Oita Coordinates: 33.57400, 131.60320 Kind: Temple Period: Rokugo Manzan temples trace their founding to the monk Ninmon in 718 Access: Open to visitors Entry: ¥300 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Entry costs ¥300, with a discount on showing a disability certificate. Prayer services are by appointment, so phone ahead if you want one. Topics: Rokugo manzan, Tendai buddhism, Autumn colour Price from: ¥300 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Website: http://www.futagoji.jp/ Summary: Futago-ji suits riders crossing the Kunisaki peninsula who want a mountain temple at the centre of its old Buddhist world, and in autumn colour season the crowds come too. Mt. Futago, 721 metres high, rises in the middle of the Kunisaki peninsula, and some 28 valleys fall away from it to the sea like spokes. The Tendai temples spread through those valleys go by the name Rokugo Manzan, and under the protection of Usa Hachiman they grew into a faith that joined Buddhism with the native kami. At their height the peninsula held 185 temples and about 800 halls, caves and lodgings, with stone Buddhas all over the hills. Futago-ji stands halfway up the mountain and served as the root training hall for mountain practice. From the Edo period it ran the whole Rokugo Manzan. The separation of Buddhism and Shinto at the start of Meiji, the war years and disasters wore down its halls, and the priests and parishioners have kept it going since. The grounds lie inside the Setonaikai National Park and are an Oita prefectural historic site. New spring leaves and the autumn maples draw the most visitors. Tips: - Combine the temple with a ride round the peninsula; the Oita cycling site lists several Kunisaki courses. Q: How much does Futago-ji cost to enter? A: Entry costs ¥300, and the temple opens to visitors from 8:30 to 16:30. Q: Can you visit Futago-ji? A: Open to visitors. Q: What are the opening hours of Futago-ji? A: Futago-ji keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:30–16:30. Q: How should you behave at Futago-ji? A: At Futago-ji: Keep quiet near the halls while prayers and memorial services are going on. Ask before you photograph a service. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.futagoji.jp/top.htm https://www.cycling-oita.jp/cycle-friendly/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3091228 ### Futarasan Shrine URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/futarasan-shrine Type: Culture Local name: 日光二荒山神社 (ja) Also known as: Nikko Futarasan Shrine, Futarasan Jinja, 二荒山神社, Shinkyo Bridge Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Nikko Address: 2307 Sannai, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1431 Coordinates: 36.75890, 139.59640 Kind: Shrine UNESCO: World Heritage Site Access: Open to visitors Hours: Open 8:00–17:00 from April to October and 9:00–16:00 from November to March, with reception closing 30 minutes earlier. Entry: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The grounds are free. The shin-en garden behind the main hall costs ¥500 for adults and students and ¥200 for school children. Topics: Shrine, Mountain worship, Unesco Price from: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Website: http://www.futarasan.jp/ Summary: Futarasan Shrine suits visitors who want the older, quieter heart of Nikko's mountain worship a few minutes' walk from Toshogu, and its free grounds hold less carving and colour than its famous neighbour. Nikko's tourism office traces the shrine to Shodo Shonin, who opened the mountains here more than 1,200 years ago. It worships Mt. Nantai, which the shrine calls Futarasan, as its deity, and it was long the first shrine of the old Shimotsuke province. Today many visitors come to pray for a good match. The Shinkyo bridge across the Daiya River at the entrance to the shrine precinct belongs to Futarasan, and the shrine sits inside the World Heritage Shrines and Temples of Nikko. The World Heritage loop bus stops at Taiyuin and Futarasan-jinja-mae, about 15 minutes from the stations. Tips: - Walk over from Toshogu; the two shrines stand a few minutes apart. Q: Is Futarasan Shrine free? A: Yes. The grounds of Futarasan Shrine are free, and the garden behind the main hall costs ¥500 for adults. Q: Can you visit Futarasan Shrine? A: Open to visitors. Q: How much does Futarasan Shrine cost? A: Prices at Futarasan Shrine start at ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Futarasan Shrine? A: Futarasan Shrine keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:00–17:00. Q: How should you behave at Futarasan Shrine? A: At Futarasan Shrine: The shrine's deity is the mountain Nantai-san, so bow toward it at the hall and keep to the paths. The red Shinkyo bridge belongs to the shrine; treat it as a sacred approach. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nikko-kankou.org/spot/4 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q701927 ### Gokayama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/gokayama Type: Culture Local name: 五箇山 (ja) Also known as: Ainokura, Suganuma, 相倉, 菅沼, Gokayama gassho villages, Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Address: Nanto, Toyama Coordinates: 36.42556, 136.93572 Kind: Old town UNESCO: World Heritage Site Access: Open to visitors Hours: The villages are lived in; the tourism office asks visitors to avoid early mornings and the hours after dusk except on light-up evenings. Prices: The Gokayama Folk Museum at Suganuma costs ¥300 for adults and ¥150 for children. The saltpetre museum next to it closed for repairs from 31 July 2026. Topics: Gassho zukuri, UNESCO World Heritage, Folk song, Living village Website: https://gokayama-info.jp/en/ Summary: Gokayama suits travellers who want steep-roofed gassho villages that people still live in, and its trade-off is a bus journey into the mountains and villages that ask visitors to stay away after dusk. Gokayama is a cluster of 40 small hamlets in five valleys along a river that runs 115 km from the Hida highlands to the Sea of Japan, and winter brings 2 to 3 m of snow. Two of them, Ainokura and Suganuma, joined Shirakawa-go's Ogimachi on UNESCO's World Heritage list in 1995 for their gassho-zukuri farmhouses. People still live in both villages, and the tourism office posts rules that come down to staying in the lanes and keeping clear of homes and fields. At Suganuma the Gokayama Folk Museum stays open at ¥300 for adults. Ainokura lights its houses for two evenings at a time, three times a year, and the winter dates are 20 and 21 February 2027. Gokayama is also home to Kokiriko, one of Japan's oldest folk songs, performed on set dates through the year. The World Heritage Bus serves the villages, and the tourism office's access page covers routes from Kanazawa. Tips: - Ainokura's ordinary evenings of window light, without the light-up, fall on 13 and 27 January 2027, 17:00–20:00. Q: Can you visit Gokayama? A: Open to visitors. Smoke only in designated areas. Keep out of private property, fields and the space under the eaves. Leave plants alone, and step aside for residents' cars. Avoid visiting early in the morning or after dusk. Q: What are the opening hours of Gokayama? A: Gokayama is open the villages are lived in; the tourism office asks visitors to avoid early mornings and the hours after dusk except on light-up evenings. Q: How should you behave at Gokayama? A: At Gokayama: Ainokura and Suganuma are working villages where families live in the gassho houses, so photograph from the lanes and keep your voice down. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://gokayama-info.jp/en/sightseeingspots/gokayama.php https://gokayama-info.jp/en/history https://gokayama-info.jp/en/archives/3510 https://gokayama-info.jp/en/archives/3466 https://gokayama-info.jp/en/archives/3506 https://gokayama-info.jp/en/access https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1203890 ### Gujo Hachiman URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/gujo-hachiman Type: Culture Local name: 郡上八幡 (ja) Also known as: Gujo-Hachiman, Gujo Hachiman castle town, Gujohachiman, 郡上八幡城, 宗祇水 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Gujo-Hachiman Address: Hachiman-cho, Gujo, Gifu Coordinates: 35.75340, 136.95590 Kind: Old town Period: Edo period castle town; castle keep rebuilt in wood in 1933 Access: Open to visitors Hours: The streets are open at all hours. Gujo Hachiman Castle opens 9:00–17:00 from March to May and in September and October, 8:00–18:00 from June to August and 9:00–16:30 from November to February, with last entry 15 minutes before closing. The castle closes from 20 December to 10 January. Closed: Castle closed 20 December to 10 January Entry: ¥400 per adult (2026), about CAD 3.60 or USD 2.50 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Walking the castle town costs nothing. The castle charges ¥400 for adults, and a ¥750 joint ticket adds the Hakurankan museum, which costs ¥540 on its own. Topics: Castle town, Water, Gujo odori, Castle Price from: ¥400 per adult (2026), about CAD 3.60 or USD 2.50 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.gujohachiman.com/ Summary: Gujo Hachiman is a small castle town where spring water runs through the streets below a wooden castle, and it suits a slow day or a summer night of dancing; the castle closes from 20 December to 10 January. Gujo Hachiman stands where the Yoshida and Kodara rivers meet in the upper Nagara basin. Around 1660 the lord Endo Tsunetomo spent four years building the Goyo canal through the grid of streets as a fire defence. Houses still use weir boards in the Yanagi-machi channel to raise the water for washing, and the Sogi-sui spring was the first entry on the national list of Japan's 100 famous waters. The castle on the hill was torn down after the Meiji Restoration, and in 1933 the town rebuilt a wooden mock keep on the old stone walls. It calls the keep the oldest wooden castle reconstruction in Japan. In November the maples around it turn red, and the castle lights them up for its autumn festival. Summer belongs to Gujo Odori, a dance of more than 30 nights in which visitors join the circle. The Hakurankan museum in a 1920 tax office explains the water, the crafts and the dance, and it makes a good first stop. In winter the town is the base for Meiho Snow Resort, whose free shuttle starts here. Tips: - Fill a bottle at one of the public mizubune; the first tank of each is for drinking water. - Drivers can park at the Shiroyama park lot about 10 minutes' walk below the keep, or at the small free lot at the top when the road is open. - From Nagoya, Gifu Bus's Kosoku Nagoya Gujo Hachiman line reaches the town, and Nohi Bus stops at Gujo Hachiman IC, about 7 minutes from the centre by taxi. Q: How much is Gujo Hachiman Castle? A: ¥400 for adults and ¥200 for primary and junior high school children, or ¥750 with the Hakurankan museum. Q: Is Gujo Hachiman Castle open in winter? A: Yes, from 9:00 to 16:30 between November and February, except for the closure from 20 December to 10 January. Q: What is Sogi-sui? A: A spring in Gujo Hachiman named after the poet Iio Sogi, and the first water chosen for Japan's list of 100 famous waters. Q: Can you visit Gujo Hachiman? A: Open to visitors. Buses cannot drive up to the castle; park at Jokamachi Plaza and walk about 20 minutes. The road to the summit car park is narrow and may be closed to cars at busy times. Q: How should you behave at Gujo Hachiman? A: At Gujo Hachiman: Most mizubune water tanks sit inside private homes; use the ones set out for visitors. Ask before you photograph residents at the riverside washing places; the town notes that many now dislike cameras. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.gujohachiman.com/kanko/ https://www.gujohachiman.com/kanko/water.html https://www.gujohachiman.com/kanko/odori.html https://www.gujohachiman.com/access/bus/ https://hachiman-castle.com/ https://hachiman-castle.com/guide/ https://hachiman-castle.com/access/ https://www.meihoski.co.jp/access/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2969384 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%B2%90%E9%98%9C%E7%9C%8C%E9%83%A1%E4%B8%8A%E5%B8%82%E5%85%AB%E5%B9%A1%E7%94%BA%E8%81%B7%E4%BA%BA%E7%94%BA ### Hachiman-bori Canal URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/hachiman-bori-omi-hachiman Type: Culture Local name: 八幡堀 (ja) Also known as: Hachiman Moat, Hachimanbori, Omi-Hachiman canal, Omi-Hachiman old town, Shinmachi-dori, 新町通り Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Omihachiman Address: Miyauchi-cho, Omi-Hachiman, Shiga 523-0837 Coordinates: 35.13960, 136.08810 Kind: Old town Period: Late 16th-century canal; Edo to Meiji merchant houses Access: Open to visitors Hours: The canal path is open at all hours and lit at night from Hakuun-bashi to Shinmachi-hama. Canal boats run 10:00 to 16:00. Closed: Open every day Prices: Walking the canal and the merchant streets is free. Several boat operators work the canal. Topics: Merchant town, Canal, Omi merchants, Preserved district Website: https://www.omi8.com/spot/detail_1228.html Summary: Omi-Hachiman's canal and merchant streets suit a slow afternoon on foot or by boat, though this is a lived-in town and the canal crowds up in cherry season. Hachiman-bori is the moat below the castle that Toyotomi Hidetsugu, Hideyoshi's nephew, built on Hachimanyama, and the town grew rich on it as a port for Lake Biwa's shipping. White-walled storehouses and stone paving still line the water, and the stretch from Hakuun-bashi to Meiji-bashi turns up often in period dramas and films. Local people clean the canal themselves, and it shows. At night lights run from Hakuun-bashi to Shinmachi-hama. A short walk away, Shinmachi-dori and the streets around it hold the old houses of the Omi merchants. It was the first district in Shiga that the state chose as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. Look up for udatsu, the raised firewalls on the roofs, and for the pines leaning over garden walls. The former Nishikawa residence, an Important Cultural Property, opens as part of the city museum. Boats leave the canal pier from 10:00 to 16:00 every day without booking, weather permitting. The ride costs ¥1,500 for adults and ¥1,000 for children in 2026, and a dog you can hold rides free. From JR Omi-Hachiman Station the Chomeiji-bound Ohmi Railway bus takes about seven minutes. Tips: - Park in the paid Taga or Obata tourist car parks; the old streets have no room for cars. - Come in mid-March for the Sagicho festival at Himure Hachimangu, beside the canal. Q: How much is the Hachiman-bori boat ride? A: ¥1,500 for adults and ¥1,000 for children in 2026. Boats run 10:00 to 16:00 every day without booking, unless the weather stops them. Q: Can you visit Hachiman-bori Canal? A: Open to visitors. Q: What are the opening hours of Hachiman-bori Canal? A: Hachiman-bori Canal is open the canal path is open at all hours and lit at night from Hakuun-bashi to Shinmachi-hama. Canal boats run 10:00 to 16:00, closed open every day. Q: How should you behave at Hachiman-bori Canal? A: At Hachiman-bori Canal: People live and work in the merchant houses, so keep doorways and gateways clear. Residents look after the canal, so carry your rubbish out with you. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.omi8.com/spot/detail_1228.html https://www.omi8.com/spot/detail_1030.html https://www.omi8.com/spot/detail_1177.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11390933 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11638463 ### Haguro-san URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/haguro-san Type: Culture Local name: 羽黒山 (ja) Also known as: Mt. Haguro, Mount Haguro, Hagurosan, Haguro five-storied pagoda, Haguro pagoda, Haguro stone steps, 羽黒山五重塔, 出羽神社 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Address: Toge, Haguro-machi, Tsuruoka, Yamagata Coordinates: 38.70480, 139.96760 Kind: Shrine Access: Open to visitors Hours: The paths are open at all hours. The shrine office answers enquiries 8:30–17:00, and prayer services start on the hour from 9:00 to 16:00, with the desk open 8:40–15:50. Prices: The steps, the pagoda and the summit shrines cost nothing to visit. The toll road to the summit car park charges a fee that Shonai Kotsu sets. Topics: Shrine, Shugendo, Pagoda, Pilgrimage, Stone steps Website: http://www.dewasanzan.jp/ Summary: Haguro-san suits walkers near Tsuruoka who want a cedar-lined stone stairway past an old pagoda to a mountaintop shrine; the climb takes up to 90 minutes each way and the steps turn slick in rain and snow. Haguro-san is the gateway to Dewa Sanzan and the only one of the three mountains open all year. Pilgrims pass through the Zuishinmon gate at the foot and follow the stone path into the forest. The five-storied pagoda is a National Treasure and stands in the forest about 10 to 15 minutes from the gate. From the pagoda the steps climb on to the summit in about an hour to an hour and a half, with some steep stretches. At the top the Sanjin Gosaiden enshrines the deities of Haguro-san, Gassan and Yudono-san together. Prayer services start on the hour from 9:00 to 16:00. The shrine runs the Saikan pilgrim lodge on the mountain for meals and overnight stays, and the Dewa Sanzan History Museum sits near the summit. In winter the steps carry snow, so wear boots with grip or drive up the toll road during gate hours. Tips: - Take the Shonai Kotsu bus from Tsuruoka and get off at Zuishinmon for the steps and the pagoda. It's about 50 minutes to the summit stop. - Climb up and ride the bus down if your knees prefer it. Q: How long does it take to climb Haguro-san's stone steps? A: About an hour to an hour and a half from the Zuishinmon gate to the summit, according to the shrine. Q: How do I get to Haguro-san from Tsuruoka? A: Take the Shonai Kotsu bus bound for the Haguro summit, about 50 minutes. Get off at Zuishinmon to walk the steps past the five-storied pagoda. Q: Can you visit Haguro-san? A: Open to visitors. The stone steps get slippery in rain and snow. Skip revealing clothes and high heels on the climb, which the shrine asks of visitors. The toll road to the summit is open all year but isn't ploughed early in the morning or at night; drive it during gate hours. Q: What are the opening hours of Haguro-san? A: Haguro-san is open the paths are open at all hours. The shrine office answers enquiries 8:30–17:00, and prayer services start on the hour from 9:00 to 16:00, with the desk open 8:40–15:50. Q: How should you behave at Haguro-san? A: At Haguro-san: Haguro-san is the first of the three sacred mountains of Dewa Sanzan and a training ground for yamabushi, so walk the steps quietly and bow at the gates. Don't photograph worshippers or yamabushi, and keep bird cameras within the marked area at Kagami-ike. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.dewasanzan.jp/publics/index/86/ http://www.dewasanzan.jp/publics/index/44/ http://www.dewasanzan.jp/publics/index/6/ http://www.dewasanzan.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11610424 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q65249244 ### Hida Folk Village URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/hida-folk-village Type: Culture Local name: 飛驒民俗村 飛驒の里 (ja) Also known as: Hida no Sato, Hida Minzoku Mura, Hida Folk Village Takayama, 飛騨の里, 飛騨民俗村 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 1-590 Kamiokamoto-machi, Takayama, Gifu 506-0055 Coordinates: 36.13180, 137.23580 Kind: Museum Access: Open to visitors Hours: Open every day of the year. Evening light-ups run 17:30–20:30 at weekends and on holidays from 10 October to 8 November 2026, every evening from 19 to 25 December 2026, and from 9 January to 28 February 2027. Entry: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥700 and school-age children ¥200, with group rates of ¥600 and ¥150 for 20 or more. Parking costs ¥300 a car and is free during light-up hours. A joint ticket with the Hida Takayama Museum of Art costs ¥2,500 and lasts three days. Topics: Open air museum, Folk architecture, Gassho zukuri, Crafts Price from: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://hidanosato.com/ Summary: Hida Folk Village gathers farmhouses from across the Hida mountains close to central Takayama, and it suits families and anyone who will not reach Shirakawa-go; the winter paths lie under snow, so dress for it. Hida Folk Village is the umbrella name for Hida no Sato and the Minzokumura folk museum. Farmhouses from villages across Hida were moved here and rebuilt, four of them national Important Cultural Properties, and the staff keep up the seasonal rites that once filled them. Allow 40 minutes to an hour for a walk round, longer if you go inside each house. Craftspeople demonstrate Ichii itto-bori yew carving and Hida shunkei lacquer, and visitors can join classes in kumihimo braiding or pottery. In winter the evening light-up runs from 9 January to 28 February 2027, from 17:30 to 20:30, and entry then costs ¥300. The Sarubobo Bus loops the city's sights from the Nohi Bus Center, and the bus centre sells a set ticket that combines the return ride with entry. Drivers park in the village's own car park a minute from the gate. Tips: - Wear boots with grip in winter; the paths stay snowy and the lent wheelchairs stop from December. - Buy the Hida no Sato set ticket at the Nohi Bus Center if you are coming by bus. - Borrow an umbrella from the stand beside the office; they are free. Q: How much is Hida Folk Village admission? A: ¥700 for adults and ¥200 for primary and junior high school children. Q: Is Hida Folk Village open in winter? A: Yes, every day from 8:30 to 17:00, with an evening light-up from 9 January to 28 February 2027. Q: Can I bring my dog to Hida Folk Village? A: Yes. Dogs enter free on a lead, and owners carry them inside the buildings. Q: Can you visit Hida Folk Village? A: Open to visitors. Dogs may walk the grounds on a lead and enter free, but owners carry them inside the houses. Media and research photography needs an application form. Q: How should you behave at Hida Folk Village? A: At Hida Folk Village: Treat the farmhouses as homes; several are national Important Cultural Properties. Ask the craftspeople before you photograph them at work. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hidanosato.com/ https://hidanosato.com/access/ https://hidanosato.com/facility-introduction/ https://hidanosato.com/faq/ https://hidanosato.com/news/lightup2026 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5751493 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%B2%90%E9%98%9C%E7%9C%8C%E9%AB%98%E5%B1%B1%E5%B8%82%E4%B8%8A%E5%B2%A1%E6%9C%AC%E7%94%BA1-590 ### Hikone Castle URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/hikone-castle Type: Culture Local name: 彦根城 (ja) Also known as: Hikone-jo, Hikonejo, Konki Castle, 金亀城, 国宝彦根城 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Hikone Address: 1-1 Konki-cho, Hikone, Shiga Coordinates: 35.27640, 136.25170 Kind: Castle Period: Edo; built 1604–1622 by the Ii clan Access: Open to visitors Hours: Last entry 16:30. The keep, the Tenbin turret, the drum gate turret, the Nishi-no-maru turret and the stable close at 16:45. Closed: Open every day Entry: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Rates from 1 October 2024. The castle's home page still showed the old ¥800 table when this page was checked. Topics: Castle, Edo period, National treasure, Garden Price from: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://hikonecastle.com/ Summary: Hikone Castle suits anyone who wants to stand inside one of Japan's original keeps, though the keep's stairs climb at 60 degrees and holiday crowds mean a queue to get in. Work on the castle began in 1604 and took about 20 years, and the Ii family held it through the Edo period. Its three-tier keep is one of the few left standing from that age, and it became a national treasure on 29 March 1952. The keep stands 20.5 m including its 5 m stone base. Inside, the stairs climb at 62 degrees to the second floor and 60 degrees to the third. Getting there is a climb too. About 140 stone steps rise some 50 m from each gate to the inner citadel, and the grounds inside the middle moat cover about 500,000 square metres. The ticket includes Genkyu-en, the garden on the castle's north side. On 3 September 2026 the Agency for Cultural Affairs' council recommended that Japan nominate the castle for World Heritage, and the city is aiming for inscription in 2028. Adults pay ¥1,000 and children ¥300 since October 2024. The castle opens every day from 8:30 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:30 and the keep and turrets shutting at 16:45. The castle office warns that the keep fills on long weekends and runs a night opening on some of them. Tips: - Arrive at opening on a holiday weekend, when the castle office expects queues for the keep. - The combined ticket with the Hikone Castle Museum costs ¥1,500 for adults. - The castle grounds are about 13 minutes on foot from JR Hikone Station. Q: How much is Hikone Castle? A: ¥1,000 for adults and ¥300 for elementary and junior high students, including Genkyu-en garden. Groups of 30 or more get 20 percent off. Q: Is Hikone Castle a World Heritage Site? A: Not yet. In September 2026 the Agency for Cultural Affairs' council backed it as Japan's nomination, and Hikone is aiming for inscription in 2028. Q: Can you visit Hikone Castle? A: Open to visitors. The keep's stairs climb at 60 to 62 degrees, so carry bags on your back and keep a hand on the rail. Some paths close while herons nest on the Yamazaki enclosure, and the castle posts each closure. Q: What are the opening hours of Hikone Castle? A: Hikone Castle keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:30–17:00. Q: How should you behave at Hikone Castle? A: At Hikone Castle: The castle grounds are a special wildlife protection zone, so leave the birds and plants alone. Drivers should use the city's tourist car parks around the castle. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hikonecastle.com/ https://hikonecastle.com/information.html https://hikonecastle.com/news.html https://www.city.hikone.lg.jp/kakuka/kanko_bunka/7/2_1/30825.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1012374 ### Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/hiroshima-peace-memorial-museum Type: Culture Local name: 広島平和記念資料館 (ja) Also known as: Hiroshima Peace Museum, Peace Memorial Museum, 原爆資料館 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Hiroshima Address: 1-2 Nakajima-cho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima 730-0811 Coordinates: 34.39160, 132.45250 Kind: Museum Period: Opened 24 August 1955; Main Building an Important Cultural Property since 2006 Access: Open to visitors Hours: Entering in the first hour (7:30 to 8:30) and in the last hour needs an online booking. Tickets go on sale online up to 90 days ahead. Closed: 30 and 31 December; the museum's hours page also lists a closure in mid-February Entry: ¥200 per adult (2026), about CAD 1.80 or USD 1.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Junior high school students and younger enter free. Groups of 30 or more adults pay ¥160 each. Topics: Atomic bombing, Second world war, Peace Price from: ¥200 per adult (2026), about CAD 1.80 or USD 1.30 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://hpmmuseum.jp/?lang=eng Summary: The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum suits every visitor to the city who wants to understand what the atomic bomb did to people, and the trade-off is long queues at busy times unless you book an early or late slot online. The museum opened on 24 August 1955 in Peace Memorial Park, with the geologist Shogo Nagaoka as its first director. Kenzo Tange's group had won the design competition for the park in 1949, and in 2006 the Main Building became the first postwar building in Japan designated an Important Cultural Property. The East Building covers Hiroshima before the bombing and the dangers of nuclear weapons. The Main Building holds victims' belongings and photographs. Opening hours follow the season: 7:30 to 19:00 from March to July and from September to November, 7:30 to 20:00 in August and 7:30 to 18:00 from December to February. On 5 and 6 August it stays open until 21:00. Entry in the first and last hour needs an online booking, which you can make up to 90 days ahead. Adults pay ¥200 and high school students ¥100, and children of junior high age and younger enter free. Photography without flash is fine for personal use. Tripods and selfie sticks stay outside, and staff ask visitors to keep shutter sounds down. Hiroshima Peace Volunteers give guided tours, and A-bomb legacy successors give talks that pass on survivors' testimony. Tips: - Visitors aged 65 and over pay ¥100 on showing a passport. - The museum posts its congestion levels online, so check them before you queue. - The Atomic Bomb Dome is across the Motoyasu River at the north end of the park. Q: Do I need to book the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum? A: You can buy a ticket on the day for normal hours. Entry to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in the first hour (7:30 to 8:30) and the last hour needs an online booking, which opens 90 days ahead. Q: How much is the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum? A: The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum costs ¥200 for adults and ¥100 for high school students in 2026, and junior high students and younger enter free. Q: Can you visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum? A: Open to visitors. Do not touch the exhibits or the display cases, except in the hands-on exhibits. Large bags are not allowed in; coin lockers are on the first floor of the East Building. Photography and video without flash are allowed for personal use, and tripods and selfie sticks are not. No phone calls in the exhibition rooms, and food and drink only in the designated areas. Smoking is banned throughout Peace Memorial Park and the museum. Q: What are the opening hours of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum? A: Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 07:30–19:00. Q: How should you behave at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum? A: At Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum: The galleries hold the belongings and photographs of people who died, so move through them quietly. Give survivors and A-bomb legacy successors your full attention at their talks. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hpmmuseum.jp/modules/info/index.php?action=PageView&page_id=47&lang=eng https://hpmmuseum.jp/modules/news/index.php?action=PageView&page_id=601&lang=eng https://hpmmuseum.jp/modules/info/index.php?action=PageView&page_id=67&lang=eng https://hpmmuseum.jp/?lang=eng https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1200076 https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/9521566 ### Ise Jingu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/ise-jingu Type: Culture Local name: 神宮 (ja) Also known as: Ise Grand Shrine, Ise Shrine, Ise Jingū, 伊勢神宮, Jingu, Naiku, Geku, 内宮, 外宮, Kotaijingu, Toyouke Daijingu, お伊勢さん Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Mie Town: Ise Address: 1 Ujitachi-cho, Ise, Mie (Naiku); 279 Toyokawa-cho, Ise, Mie (Geku) Coordinates: 34.45498, 136.72516 Kind: Shrine Period: The Naiku about 2,000 years by the shrine's account; Shikinen Sengu rebuilds since 690 Access: Partly open Hours: Open 5:00 to 17:00 from October to December, to 18:00 from January to April and in September, and to 19:00 from May to August. Topics: Shinto, Shikinen Sengu, Pilgrimage Website: https://www.isejingu.or.jp/en/ Summary: Ise Jingu suits anyone who wants to see the centre of Shinto worship on foot and at an early hour, and its inner sanctuaries stay closed to visitors, with no photographs where people pray. Ise Jingu, officially just Jingu, is a group of 125 shrines centred on the Naiku and the Geku. At the Naiku, also called Kotaijingu, the shrine worships Amaterasu-Omikami, whom the Imperial family counts as its ancestor. The Geku, or Toyouke-daijingu, is home to Toyouke-no-Omikami, who provides her sacred food. By the shrine's own account Amaterasu has been worshipped at the Naiku for about 2,000 years and Toyouke at the Geku for about 1,500, and its priests hold more than 1,500 rituals a year. Every 20 years the main sanctuaries are rebuilt on the plot beside them and the sacred mirror moves across. The shrine calls this Shikinen Sengu. The first was held in 690 and the 62nd in 2013. The 63rd began in May 2025. From May to July in 2026, and again in 2027, Ise people haul the timber in by the old methods, up the Isuzu River to the Naiku and by cart to the Geku. The Uji Bridge gets its new span in November 2029, and the transfer itself falls in October 2033. The gates open at 5:00 all year and close at 17:00 from October to December, 18:00 from January to April and in September, and 19:00 from May to August. The shrine asks you to pray at the Geku first. Bikes from the Ise City Tourist Association cover the 6 km between the two, and the Naiku has a bike lot in front of the Uji Bridge. Worshippers pray at the gate in the third fence, and the courtyard of the main sanctuary is closed to visitors. Tips: - Arrive at 5:00 for a quiet walk across the Uji Bridge before Okage Yokocho opens at 9:30. - Leave the bike at the Uji Bridge lot and do as the guards ask; the precinct itself is on foot. Q: Can I take photos at Ise Jingu? A: The shrine asks visitors not to take pictures at the places of prayer. Photograph the approach and the grounds, and put the camera away at the sanctuary gates. Q: What time does Ise Jingu open? A: The gates open at 5:00 every day. They close at 17:00 from October to December, 18:00 from January to April and in September, and 19:00 from May to August. Q: Which shrine should I visit first at Ise? A: The shrine asks visitors to pray at the Geku first and then at the Naiku. The Geku is about five minutes' walk from Iseshi Station, and the Naiku is about 6 km away. Q: Can you visit Ise Jingu? A: Partly open. Visitors may not enter the courtyard of the main sanctuary at either the Naiku or the Geku; worshippers pray at the gate in the third fence. No photographs at the places of prayer. Eating, drinking and smoking are allowed only in the designated areas. Ceremonies of the 63rd Shikinen Sengu run until 2033; follow any closure or route the shrine posts for them. Q: How should you behave at Ise Jingu? A: At Ise Jingu: Purify your hands and mouth at the temizusha before you approach a sanctuary: rinse the left hand, then the right, then pour water into your cupped left hand to rinse your mouth. The dipper never touches your lips. Pray with two deep bows and two claps, and finish with one more deep bow. Ise Jingu is a place of daily worship for the Imperial family and for people across Japan. Keep your voice low and give priests and ceremonies room. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.isejingu.or.jp/en/about/index.html https://www.isejingu.or.jp/en/pray/index.html https://www.isejingu.or.jp/en/access/index.html https://www.isejingu.or.jp/en/ritual/index.html https://www.isejingu.or.jp/sengu/the63rd/schedule.html https://ise-kanko.jp/focus/rentacycle/ https://okageyokocho.com/about/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q687168 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11581011 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11633343 ### Izumo Taisha URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/izumo-taisha Type: Culture Local name: 出雲大社 (ja) Also known as: Izumo Oyashiro, Izumo Grand Shrine, Izumo-taisha, 出雲大社 Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Shimane Town: Izumo Coordinates: 35.40194, 132.68544 Kind: Shrine Period: Present main hall built at the 1744 rebuilding Access: Open to visitors Hours: The area behind the main hall closes at 16:30, so visit Soga-no-yashiro before then. After 19:00 the inner fence closes and prayers are made from the copper torii. The shrine office opens 8:30 to 16:30. Entry: Free Prices: The grounds are free. Topics: Shinto, En musubi, Kamiarisai, National treasures Price from: ¥0 per person (2026) Website: https://izumooyashiro.or.jp/ Summary: Izumo Taisha suits anyone who wants to see one of Japan's oldest and most revered shrines in daily worship, and the grounds behind the main hall close at 16:30. Izumo Taisha, properly read Izumo Oyashiro, enshrines Okuninushi, honoured as the god of en-musubi, which the shrine explains as every tie that links people and good fortune. The present main hall dates from the 1744 rebuilding and is a National Treasure. The shrine says its origin reaches back to the age of the gods, as the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki tell it. Worship here uses four claps where most shrines use two. At the great festival on 14 May the priests clap eight times, a number standing for the infinite. The shrine's black and white curtains follow an old rule that ranks black as the most honoured colour. In November the shrine holds Kamiarisai for the gods who gather in Izumo. In 2026 the welcoming rite falls at 19:00 on 18 November and the sending-off rite at 16:00 on 25 November. Tips: - Arrive near 6:00 for a quiet walk round the inner fence. - Buses from JR Izumoshi Station take about 25 minutes, and the Ichibata line ends at Izumo Taisha-mae. Q: How do you pray at Izumo Taisha? A: Bow twice, clap four times and bow once. Izumo Taisha uses this form at every hall, and its priests clap eight times only at the great festival on 14 May. Q: What time does Izumo Taisha open? A: The grounds open from 6:00 to 19:00. The area behind the main hall closes at 16:30. Q: Can you visit Izumo Taisha? A: Open to visitors. The grounds open 6:00 to 19:00, and the area behind the main hall closes at 16:30. Drones are banned over the grounds and the shrine's land. Smart glasses are banned for privacy reasons. Charging a phone from a mobile battery is banned, and devices without a Japanese safety mark may not be brought in. Selling sand from Soga-no-yashiro, or listing it online, is banned. Pets may not enter the inner fence or the worship and kagura halls. Q: How much does Izumo Taisha cost? A: Izumo Taisha is free to visit. Q: How should you behave at Izumo Taisha? A: At Izumo Taisha: Worship with two bows, four claps and one bow, the shrine's own form, at every hall. Pray first at the Yatsuashi gate in front of the main hall, then walk anticlockwise round the inner fence. Keep cameras off people at prayer and off the rites in the worship and kagura halls. Leave the bike outside the precinct and walk the approach. Treat the main hall as a place you see from outside the fence. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://izumooyashiro.or.jp/archives/news/12552 https://izumooyashiro.or.jp/attention1/ https://izumooyashiro.or.jp/faq/ https://izumooyashiro.or.jp/access/ https://izumooyashiro.or.jp/?post_type=news&p=12000&preview=true https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q696362 ### Kakunodate Bukeyashiki Street URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/kakunodate-bukeyashiki Type: Culture Local name: 角館武家屋敷通り (ja) Also known as: Kakunodate samurai district, Kakunodate samurai street, Kakunodate samurai houses, Kakunodate Bukeyashiki, Uchimachi, Kakunodate, 角館武家屋敷 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Address: Omotemachi, Kakunodate, Semboku, Akita Coordinates: 39.60120, 140.56170 Kind: Old town Period: Laid out in 1620 Access: Open to visitors Hours: The streets are open at all hours. Each house sets its own times; the former Ishiguro (Kei) house, for one, opens 9:00–16:30 and closes on Mondays and Wednesdays. Prices: Walking the streets costs nothing. The former Ishiguro (Kei) house is free to enter, and the other houses set their own fees. A seasonal car park at the entrance charges ¥500 a car per day, cash only. Topics: Old town, Edo period, Cherry blossom, Historic houses Website: https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/en/spots/5997/ Summary: Kakunodate's Bukeyashiki Street suits travellers on the Akita Shinkansen who like Edo-period house plots and weeping cherries; it's busiest by far in cherry season, so come early in late April or in quieter months. Kakunodate was replanned in 1620 by the Ashina clan, and the town later grew as a castle town under the Satake. The quarter where the retainers lived is called Uchimachi. It still keeps the late-Edo layout of each house, with a main house, a gate and a storehouse arranged on a square plot. Tamachi holds a second street of these houses. The former Ishiguro (Kei) house, built in 1935 as a branch of the Ishiguro family's main house, mixes a Japanese house with a Western-style room. Entry is free from 9:00 to 16:30, and it closes on Mondays and Wednesdays and over New Year. The Kakunodate Cherry Blossom Festival fills the town in spring, and in festival season the car park at the entrance can stay open until 22:00 when the bloom allows. The car park opens at 7:30 in April and May and at 8:30 from July to November. Tips: - Pair Kakunodate with Lake Tazawa and a night at Nyuto Onsen; all three sit on the Akita Shinkansen side of Semboku City. - Walk from JR Kakunodate Station or hire a bike at Shimoda Rental Cycle, which is a minute's walk from the station. Q: Is the Kakunodate samurai district free? A: Walking the streets is free, and so is the former Ishiguro (Kei) house. Other houses charge their own fees. Q: When was Kakunodate's samurai quarter built? A: The Ashina clan laid out the town in 1620, and the Uchimachi quarter keeps its late-Edo layout today. Q: Can you visit Kakunodate Bukeyashiki Street? A: Open to visitors. Enter only the houses that open to visitors, and check each one's days; the former Ishiguro (Kei) house closes on Mondays and Wednesdays. The seasonal car park at the entrance runs from April to November and holds 400 cars. Q: What are the opening hours of Kakunodate Bukeyashiki Street? A: Kakunodate Bukeyashiki Street is open the streets are open at all hours. Each house sets its own times; the former Ishiguro (Kei) house, for one, opens 9:00–16:30 and closes on Mondays and Wednesdays. Q: How should you behave at Kakunodate Bukeyashiki Street? A: At Kakunodate Bukeyashiki Street: Step through a gate only where a house is open to visitors, and walk on the edge of the lane so cars can pass. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/en/spots/5997/ https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/en/spots/6786/ https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/en/spots/17478/ https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/en/spots/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11545902 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11587311 ### Kanazawa Castle URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/kanazawa-castle Type: Culture Local name: 金沢城 (ja) Also known as: Kanazawa Castle Park, 金沢城公園, Kanazawajo, Ishikawa-mon Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Town: Kanazawa Address: 1-1 Marunouchi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0937 Coordinates: 36.56594, 136.65883 Kind: Castle Period: 1583 onward (Maeda rule); Ishikawa-mon gate rebuilt 1788 Access: Partly open Hours: The park opens 7:00–18:00 from 1 March to 15 October and 8:00–17:00 from 16 October to the end of February. Gates open earlier for walkers, from 6:00 in winter. Evening openings run to 21:00. Closed: Open every day Prices: The park and the rebuilt Kahoku-mon and Nezumita-mon gates are free. The restored turrets cost ¥320 for adults and ¥100 for children, and joint tickets with Kenroku-en are sold too. Topics: Castle, Kaga domain, Maeda clan, Stone walls Website: https://shiro-niwa.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/kanazawa-castle/ Summary: Kanazawa Castle suits history lovers and families who want a free park of rebuilt gates and old stone walls, and its trade-off is that no keep survives. Maeda Toshiie entered Kanazawa Castle in 1583, and his clan ruled the Kaga domain from here until the end of the Edo period. Lightning burned the original keep in 1602, and the lords never rebuilt it. Ishikawa-mon, rebuilt in 1788 after a great fire, survives as an Important Cultural Property, and Ishikawa Prefecture has rebuilt other turrets and gates, among them Kahoku-mon in 2010 and Nezumita-mon in 2020. Work is now under way to restore the Ninomaru palace. The castle's walls are known for their variety of stonework, and several sections were damaged in the January 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake. The prefecture shows the repairs on its castle site and runs tours of the work. The park is free and sits across the road from Kenroku-en. Tips: - Walk the park at dawn; the gates open as early as 4:00 from April to August for walkers, before the turrets open. Q: Can you visit Kanazawa Castle? A: Partly open. Stone walls damaged in the 2024 earthquake are under repair, and some areas are fenced off while work continues. Q: What are the opening hours of Kanazawa Castle? A: Kanazawa Castle keeps these hours: Daily 07:00–18:00. Q: How should you behave at Kanazawa Castle? A: At Kanazawa Castle: Stay off the old stone walls; many are under repair after the 2024 earthquake. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shiro-niwa.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/kanazawa-castle/ https://shiro-niwa.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/kanazawa-castle/about/history.php https://shiro-niwa.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/kanazawa-castle/info/open.php https://shiro-niwa.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/kanazawa-castle/info/fee.php https://www.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/kouen/events/20261114.html https://visitkanazawa.jp/en/attractions/detail_10060.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q140317473 ### Kanazawa chaya districts URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/kanazawa-chaya-districts Type: Culture Local name: 金沢の茶屋街 (ja) Also known as: Higashi Chaya, Higashi Chaya District, Higashi Chayagai, ひがし茶屋街, Nishi Chaya, にし茶屋街, Kazuemachi, 主計町, Kanazawa geisha district Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Town: Kanazawa Address: Higashiyama, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0831 (Higashi Chaya) Coordinates: 36.57245, 136.66716 Kind: Old town Period: From 1820 Access: Open to visitors Hours: The streets are public at all hours. Shima teahouse opens 9:30–17:30 from March to November and 9:30–17:00 from December to February, every day. Entry: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The streets are free. Shima charges ¥500 for adults and ¥300 for visitors 16 and under. Tea and sweets cost extra. Topics: Geisha, Teahouses, Edo period architecture Price from: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://visitkanazawa.jp/en/attractions/detail_10212.html Summary: Kanazawa's chaya districts suit couples and photographers who want lanes of latticed Edo-period teahouses, and their trade-off is crowds at Higashi Chaya from late morning. In 1820 Kanazawa gathered its chaya (teahouses where geisha entertained wealthy guests) into districts away from the centre. Higashi Chaya, across the Asano River, is the largest, and its two-storey houses keep the fine lattices called kimusuko on the ground floor and guest rooms upstairs. Visit Kanazawa notes that Higashi Chaya and Kazuemachi, along with Kyoto's Gion, are the only geisha districts in Japan protected as cultural heritage. Shima, built in 1820 when the district opened, is an Important Cultural Property and the best way inside. You see the upstairs guest rooms and a small courtyard where tea and sweets are served for an extra charge. Nishi Chaya lies 500 m from the Saigawa Ohashi bridge, and the city's Nishi Chaya Shiryokan museum reproduces a teahouse guest room. The Kanazawa City Tourism Association stages geisha performances in the three districts on set Saturdays. The Loop Bus stops at Hashiba-cho, and Higashi Chaya is five minutes' walk from there. Tips: - Come before 10:00 for the lanes at their emptiest; Higashi Chaya is marked for early-morning sightseeing. Q: Can you visit Kanazawa chaya districts? A: Open to visitors. Enter only the houses open to the public as museums, shops or cafés. Q: How much does Kanazawa chaya districts cost? A: Prices at Kanazawa chaya districts start at ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Kanazawa chaya districts? A: Kanazawa chaya districts is open the streets are public at all hours. Shima teahouse opens 9:30–17:30 from March to November and 9:30–17:00 from December to February, every day. Q: How should you behave at Kanazawa chaya districts? A: At Kanazawa chaya districts: Ask before you photograph a person. Keep voices low in the lanes after dark, when the teahouses entertain. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://visitkanazawa.jp/en/attractions/detail_10212.html https://visitkanazawa.jp/en/attractions/detail_10199.html https://visitkanazawa.jp/en/attractions/detail_10094.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5897562 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11274768 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11368794 ### Kotoku-in (Great Buddha of Kamakura) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/kotoku-in Type: Culture Local name: 高徳院 (ja) Also known as: Kamakura Daibutsu, Great Buddha of Kamakura, 鎌倉大仏, Kotokuin, Kōtoku-in Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Kanagawa Town: Kamakura Address: 4-2-28 Hase, Kamakura, Kanagawa 248-0016 Coordinates: 35.31690, 139.53570 Kind: Temple Access: Open to visitors Hours: Open 8:00 to 17:30 from April to September and 8:00 to 17:00 from October to March, with last entry 15 minutes before closing. The inside of the statue opens 8:00 to 16:30. No reservation is needed. Entry: ¥300 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Entry costs ¥300 for adults and ¥150 for children aged 6 to 12, and going inside the statue costs ¥50 more. Children under six go free. Topics: Buddhism, Amida, Casting Price from: ¥300 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.kotoku-in.jp/en/ Summary: Kotoku-in suits anyone in Kamakura who wants to stand before the open-air Great Buddha and step inside it, and its trade-off is a temple with no car park, so you arrive by Enoden, bus or bike. Kotoku-in's main image is a colossal copper Amida Buddha that sits in the open air, which makes it unusual among Japan's large Buddhas. For ¥50 more than the ¥300 entry you can climb inside the hollow statue until 16:30. The temple stands in Hase, seven minutes on foot from Hase Station on the Enoden line, three stops from Kamakura. There is no car park, so come by train or bike. The temple's cycle park takes bicycles and mopeds, and Hase-dera is five minutes' walk away. Tips: - Arrive at the 8:00 opening to see the statue before the tour groups. - The handwritten goshuin seal is written from 9:00 to 15:00; on some autumn holiday dates the temple gives printed seals only. Q: Can you go inside the Great Buddha of Kamakura? A: Yes. Kotoku-in opens the inside of the statue from 8:00 to 16:30 for ¥50 on top of the ¥300 entry fee. Q: Can I park a bike at Kotoku-in? A: Yes. The temple has a cycle park for bicycles and mopeds, though it takes no responsibility for theft. Q: Can you visit Kotoku-in (Great Buddha of Kamakura)? A: Open to visitors. Eating and drinking on the grounds, and bringing food or drink in, are restricted. Smoking is banned everywhere on the grounds. Drones may not fly over the precincts, and selfie sticks may not be used inside the statue. Pets may enter only in a cage or carrier; service dogs are the exception. Q: How much does Kotoku-in (Great Buddha of Kamakura) cost? A: Prices at Kotoku-in (Great Buddha of Kamakura) start at ¥300 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Kotoku-in (Great Buddha of Kamakura)? A: Kotoku-in (Great Buddha of Kamakura) keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:00–17:00. Q: How should you behave at Kotoku-in (Great Buddha of Kamakura)? A: At Kotoku-in (Great Buddha of Kamakura): The Great Buddha is the main image of a working temple, so stand quietly before it and keep the path in front clear for people who come to pray. Personal photos are welcome. A commercial shoot needs the temple office's written permission first. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kotoku-in.jp/en/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q672056 ### Koyasan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/koyasan Type: Culture Local name: 高野山 (ja) Also known as: Mount Koya, Mt. Koya, Koya-san, Kongobu-ji, 金剛峯寺, Okunoin, 奥之院 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Wakayama Coordinates: 34.21780, 135.58330 Kind: Temple Access: Open to visitors Hours: Kongobu-ji, the Kondo and the Konpon Daito open 8:30 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:30. The Reihokan treasure hall opens 9:00 to 17:00. At Okunoin the Toro-do lantern hall opens 6:00 to 17:00, and the offering office opens 8:00 to 17:00 from May to October and 8:30 to 16:30 from November to April. Entry: ¥500 per person (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Primary school children enter the halls free. Groups of 20 or more get a discount. Topics: Shingon Buddhism, Kukai, Temple lodging, Pilgrimage Price from: ¥500 per person (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.koyasan.or.jp/ Summary: Koyasan suits travellers who want a night in a working mountain temple town and the walk through Okunoin at dusk, and its trade-off is a long climb by train and cable car from Osaka. Koyasan is the mountain-top home of Shingon Buddhism, with Kongobu-ji as its head temple. Okunoin, the cemetery that leads to the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi, is the heart of the place for pilgrims. Its Toro-do lantern hall opens at 6:00, and monks chant there at set times through the day. Many temples on the mountain take overnight guests as shukubo. You sleep inside a working temple and live by its hours, and Kongobu-ji's site links to the shukubo association for bookings. From Osaka you take the Nankai Koya line to Gokurakubashi and then the Koyasan cable car to the top. The temple's shared ticket covers five halls, Kongobu-ji among them, for ¥2,500. Tips: - Buy the ¥2,500 shared ticket if you plan to see Kongobu-ji, the Kondo, the Konpon Daito and the Tokugawa mausoleum. - The Okunoin offering office opens later in winter, at 8:30, and closes at 16:30. Q: How do I get to Koyasan from Osaka? A: Take the Nankai Koya line from Namba to Gokurakubashi and change to the Koyasan cable car. From KIX, take the Nankai airport line and change to the Koya line at Tengachaya. Q: Can you stay overnight at a temple in Koyasan? A: Yes. Many Koyasan temples take overnight guests as shukubo, and you follow the temple's meal and bath times during your stay. Q: Can you visit Koyasan? A: Open to visitors. Halls can change times or close for ceremonies; the temple warns that service times move. Okunoin is a cemetery and the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi; behave as you would at a grave. Q: How much does Koyasan cost? A: Prices at Koyasan start at ¥500 per person (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Koyasan? A: Koyasan is open kongobu-ji, the Kondo and the Konpon Daito open 8:30 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:30. The Reihokan treasure hall opens 9:00 to 17:00. At Okunoin the Toro-do lantern hall opens 6:00 to 17:00, and the offering office opens 8:00 to 17:00 from May to October and 8:30 to 16:30 from November to April. Q: How should you behave at Koyasan? A: At Koyasan: Koyasan is the headquarters of Shingon Buddhism and a place of daily practice. Keep your voice low in the halls and at Okunoin. If you stay in a temple lodging, keep to the temple's meal and bath times and ask before you join a morning service. Ask before photographing monks or services. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.koyasan.or.jp/ https://www.koyasan.or.jp/kongobuji/charges/ https://www.koyasan.or.jp/access/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q535065 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1203429 ### Kumamoto Castle URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/kumamoto-castle Type: Culture Local name: 熊本城 (ja) Also known as: Kumamoto-jo, 熊本城特別公開 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kumamoto Town: Kumamoto Address: 1-1 Honmaru, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto Coordinates: 32.80610, 130.70600 Kind: Castle Period: Completed 1607 by Kato Kiyomasa; keep burned in 1877 and rebuilt in 1960; under repair since the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes Access: Partly open Hours: Last entry is an hour before closing, and the keep takes its last climbers 30 minutes before closing. During the autumn castle festival, from 2 October to 1 November 2026, the grounds stay open until 21:00 with last entry at 20:00. On weekdays you go in and out by the south gate only. Closed: 29 December Entry: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Entry costs ¥800 from high school age and ¥300 for primary and junior high school students. You can buy a timed e-ticket online up to the day before. Topics: Castle, Earthquake recovery, Edo period Price from: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://castle.kumamoto-guide.jp/ Summary: Kumamoto Castle suits anyone who wants to see a great castle being rebuilt stone by stone, and the repair works keep visitors to a set viewing route. Kato Kiyomasa finished the castle on the Chausuyama plateau in 1607, using the best building methods of his day, and the Hosokawa lords ruled from it after 1632. In 1877 a fire just before the Satsuma Rebellion burned the keep and the main palace. The city rebuilt the large and small keeps in steel-framed concrete in 1960. The earthquakes of April 2016 brought down whole stretches of stone wall and toppled turrets. In 2019 the city opened the castle again as a special public viewing, so visitors could see the damage and the repairs as they went on, and that set route is still how you see the castle today. The keep is open to climb. The earthquake of 28 July 2026 shook Kumamoto again. The castle grounds reopened on 13 August after checks, and this autumn the city lights the castle at night for the Shiro Akari event, held for the recovery from the 2026 earthquake. Tips: - Buy the web ticket ahead in festival season, when queues at the gates run long. - The Sakuranobaba Josaien food and souvenir lanes below the castle are open as usual. Q: Is Kumamoto Castle open after the July 2026 earthquake? A: Yes. The castle grounds reopened on 13 August 2026 and run as usual, with the keep open to climb. The Wakuwakuza museum below the castle remains closed for now. Q: How much does Kumamoto Castle cost? A: Entry costs ¥800 from high school age and ¥300 for primary and junior high school students in 2026, and children under school age go in free. Q: Can you visit Kumamoto Castle? A: Partly open. Visitors follow the special viewing route, which keeps clear of the repair works. The north gate opens on weekends and holidays only, and works can close it. Q: How should you behave at Kumamoto Castle? A: At Kumamoto Castle: Keep off the fallen and roped-off stone walls, which are numbered for rebuilding. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://castle.kumamoto-guide.jp/ https://castle.kumamoto-guide.jp/info/ https://castle.kumamoto-guide.jp/news/detail/1459 https://castle.kumamoto-guide.jp/news/detail/1478 https://castle.kumamoto-guide.jp/news/detail/1480 https://www.bousai.go.jp/updates/r8kumamoto_jishin/status/index.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q613355 https://www.kumamoto.guide/events/detail/7823 ### Kurokabe Square URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/kurokabe-square-nagahama Type: Culture Local name: 黒壁スクエア (ja) Also known as: Kurokabe, Nagahama Kurokabe, Kurokabe Glass House, 黒壁ガラス館, Kurokabe quarter Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Nagahama Address: 12-38 Motohama-cho, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0059 (Kurokabe Glass House) Coordinates: 35.38110, 136.26670 Kind: Old town Period: Meiji-era bank building (1900), relaunched as a glass quarter in 1989 Access: Open to visitors Hours: Hours are for the Kurokabe Glass House; each shop in the quarter sets its own. Prices: Walking the quarter is free. Workshops and the museums charge. Topics: Glass, Merchant town, Hokkoku Kaido, Crafts Website: https://www.kurokabe.co.jp/ Summary: Nagahama's Kurokabe quarter suits a browse through glass shops and old streets close to the station, though it's busiest on weekends and most shops close at 17:00. Kurokabe Square is the name for a cluster of glass shops, studios, galleries and cafes in the old streets along the Hokkoku Kaido. Its centre is the Kurokabe Glass House, a Western-style bank built in 1900 that locals called the 'black wall bank'. It reopened around glass in 1989 and now anchors the quarter. The Glass House opens from 10:00 to 17:00. You can blow glass or try sandblasting in the workshops, and 96 Cafe makes its pancakes from Nagahama produce. The Kaiyodo Figure Museum sits in the quarter too. A short walk away in the same street grid, the Hikiyama Museum keeps real festival floats from the Nagahama Hikiyama festival on display all year. JR Nagahama Station is a five-minute walk southwest. The tour centre at Eki-machi Terrace rents e-assist bikes for ¥1,000 a day if you want to ride on to the lakeshore or Nagahama Hachimangu. Tips: - The Hikiyama Museum closes on Mondays and costs ¥600 for adults. - Tour buses use Kurokabe's own car park; everyone else uses the paid lots on the quarter's map. Q: How far is Kurokabe Square from Nagahama Station? A: About five minutes on foot northeast of JR Nagahama Station. Q: Can you visit Kurokabe Square? A: Open to visitors. Q: What are the opening hours of Kurokabe Square? A: Kurokabe Square keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–17:00. Q: How should you behave at Kurokabe Square? A: At Kurokabe Square: The quarter's lanes are working streets, so walk bikes through when they're crowded. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kurokabe.co.jp/ https://www.kurokabe.co.jp/about_kurokabe/ https://www.kurokabe.co.jp/shopping/glasshouse/ https://www.kurokabe.co.jp/access/ https://nagahama-hikiyama.or.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11678068 ### Matsue Castle URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/matsue-castle Type: Culture Local name: 松江城 (ja) Also known as: Matsue-jo, 国宝松江城 Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Shimane Town: Matsue Coordinates: 35.47498, 133.05056 Kind: Castle Access: Open to visitors Hours: The keep takes last entry 30 minutes before closing. The honmaru gates open 8:00 to 18:30 from April to September and 8:00 to 17:30 from October to March, free. Events can change the hours. Closed: Open every day of the year Entry: ¥1,200 per adult (2026), about CAD 11 or USD 7.60 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Matsue raised the keep fee to ¥1,200 on 1 July 2026 to fund a large repair and made it free for school-age children. Cards, transport IC cards and other cashless payments work at the ticket office. Topics: Castles, National treasures, Edo period Price from: ¥1,200 per adult (2026), about CAD 11 or USD 7.60 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.matsue-castle.jp/ Summary: Matsue Castle suits anyone who wants to climb an original keep listed as a National Treasure, and you carry your shoes in a bag up the steep wooden stairs. Matsue Castle's keep is a National Treasure. It stands above moats that still circle the old samurai quarter, with Shiomi Nawate on the north side. Visitors leave their shoes at the door and climb in socks. The keep opens at 8:30 every day of the year and closes at 18:00 in summer and 17:00 in winter. Adults pay ¥1,200 from 1 July 2026, and a ten-day web ticket for ¥1,760 adds two other sites tied to Lafcadio Hearn and samurai life. Bikes go in the bike park behind the tourist office. Q: How much does Matsue Castle cost? A: Adult entry to Matsue Castle's keep costs ¥1,200 from 1 July 2026, and primary and junior high pupils go free. Q: Can you visit Matsue Castle? A: Open to visitors. Take off your shoes at the keep door and carry them in the bag provided. Park bicycles in the bike park behind the tourist office. Motorcycles enter the grounds only from Inari Bridge. Q: What are the opening hours of Matsue Castle? A: Matsue Castle keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:30–17:00. Q: How should you behave at Matsue Castle? A: At Matsue Castle: Walk the keep's wooden floors and steep stairs slowly and keep to the marked route. Leave the bike in the bike park and walk the grounds. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.matsue-castle.jp/userguide/index https://www.matsue-castle.jp/access/index https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q151776 ### Matsumoto Castle URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/matsumoto-castle Type: Culture Local name: 松本城 (ja) Also known as: Matsumoto-jo, Matsumoto Jo, National Treasure Matsumoto Castle, 国宝松本城 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Address: 4-1 Marunouchi, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-0873 Coordinates: 36.23860, 137.96890 Kind: Castle Period: Main keep built 1593–94; turrets added in the early Edo period Access: Open to visitors Hours: Open 8:30–17:00 with last entry at 16:30, every day except 29–31 December. From 1 to 3 January hours run 10:00–15:30. Hours stretch longer in Golden Week and in mid-August. Closed: 29–31 December Entry: ¥1,200 per adult (2026), about CAD 11 or USD 7.60 (October 2026 rates) Prices: In 2026 adults pay ¥1,200 for a date-specified e-ticket or ¥1,300 for a paper ticket on the day, and primary and junior high students pay ¥400. Preschoolers enter free. A combined e-ticket with the Former Kaichi School costs ¥1,600 for adults. Topics: Castle, National treasure, Sengoku period, Edo period Price from: ¥1,200 per adult (2026), about CAD 11 or USD 7.60 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.matsumoto-castle.jp/ Summary: Matsumoto Castle holds Japan's oldest surviving five-tier, six-storey keep, and it suits anyone passing through central Nagano with an hour to spare; inside, the stairs are narrow and steep, and Golden Week and Obon bring entry limits. Ishikawa Kazumasa and his son Yasunaga, retainers of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, built the main keep, the smaller Inui keep and the covered passage that joins them in 1593–94, which the City of Matsumoto gives as its official date. The Tatsumi turret and the Tsukimi moon-viewing turret followed early in the Edo period. All five buildings were named National Treasures in 1936 and designated again in 1952 under the postwar law. Of the 12 original keeps still standing in Japan, this is the oldest with five tiers outside and six floors inside. Entry costs ¥1,300 for adults on a paper ticket or ¥1,200 for a date-specified e-ticket in 2026, and ¥400 for primary and junior high students. You take off your shoes at the door and climb about 140 steps through six floors, some of them pitched at 61 degrees. Most visitors spend 45 minutes to an hour inside. Every year from late August to the end of October crews renew the black and red lacquer, so scaffolding and white sheeting cover parts of the outside while the keep stays open. The castle's official site also calls the nickname Karasu-jo, or Crow Castle, a mistake. Tips: - Buy the date-specified e-ticket ahead for Golden Week or mid-August. - Wear socks you're happy to walk around in, since shoes come off at the door. - Leave the dog with someone outside the castle grounds. Q: How much is Matsumoto Castle? A: In 2026 Matsumoto Castle costs ¥1,300 for adults on a paper same-day ticket or ¥1,200 for a date-specified e-ticket, and ¥400 for primary and junior high students. Q: How long does a visit to Matsumoto Castle take? A: Most visitors spend 45 to 60 minutes inside the Matsumoto Castle keep, plus time in the honmaru garden. Q: Is Matsumoto Castle called Crow Castle? A: No. The official Matsumoto Castle site says the name Karasu-jo, or Crow Castle, is a mistake. Q: When is Matsumoto Castle closed? A: Matsumoto Castle closes from 29 to 31 December. It opens every other day, 8:30–17:00, with last entry at 16:30. Q: Can you visit Matsumoto Castle? A: Open to visitors. Shoes come off at the keep entrance; staff hand out a bag to carry them in. Pets may not enter the honmaru garden or the keep, even in a bag or carrier. Photography is not allowed near the stairs inside the keep. Kuromon is the only entrance; the Uzumi-mon gate by the red bridge is closed. Q: How should you behave at Matsumoto Castle? A: At Matsumoto Castle: The keep is a wooden National Treasure, so keep your hands off the walls and carry your shoes in the bag the staff give you. The stairs are narrow and steep, about 140 steps at up to 61 degrees, so climb with both hands free and let people coming down pass. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.matsumoto-castle.jp/info https://www.matsumoto-castle.jp/about/tower https://www.matsumoto-castle.jp/topics/10043.html https://www.matsumoto-castle.jp/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/300077872 ### Matsuyama Castle URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/matsuyama-castle Type: Culture Local name: 松山城 (ja) Also known as: Matsuyama-jo, Iyo Matsuyama Castle, Katsuyama Castle, 伊予松山城 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Town: Matsuyama Address: Marunouchi, Matsuyama, Ehime Coordinates: 33.84550, 132.76570 Kind: Castle Period: Begun 1602; keep rebuilt from 1847 and finished in 1854 after a lightning fire in 1784 Access: Open to visitors Hours: The keep and the Ninomaru garden open 9:00 to 17:00, until 17:30 in August and 16:30 in December and January, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. The ropeway runs 8:30 to 17:30 (18:00 in August, 17:00 in December and January) and the chairlift 8:30 to 17:00, stopping in rain. Closed: Third Wednesday of December (keep and Ninomaru garden) Entry: ¥520 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.70 or USD 3.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The Honmaru square at the top is free. Matsuyama residents aged 65 and over enter the keep free with ID. Topics: Castle, Edo period, Original keep Price from: ¥520 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.70 or USD 3.30 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.matsuyamajo.jp/ Summary: Matsuyama Castle suits anyone who wants an Edo-period keep with a view over the city to the Seto Inland Sea, and a bike has to stay at the bottom of the hill. Kato Yoshiaki began building on Katsuyama, a 132-metre hill in the middle of the Matsuyama plain, in January 1602, and named the place Matsuyama the next year. He was moved to Aizu in 1627 before the castle was finished. Lightning burned the keep on New Year's Day 1784, and the one you climb today went up between 1847 and 1854. Matsuyama counts it among the twelve keeps in Japan that survive from the Edo period or earlier. The ropeway or the chairlift from Shinonomeguchi is the usual way up, and the keep is about 10 minutes on foot from the top station. The walking paths from the Kencho-ura, Kuromon and Furumachi sides take 25 to 40 minutes. If you want the keep, buy the ¥1,040 combined ticket at the station machines before 14:00 and you skip the queue at the top. Tips: - Lock the bike near Shinonomeguchi ropeway station; no path up the hill takes bicycles. - Come before the keep's last entry, 30 minutes before closing, and leave an hour from the ropeway station. Q: How much is Matsuyama Castle? A: In 2026 the keep costs ¥520 for adults, and the ropeway or chairlift costs ¥520 return. A combined ticket for both costs ¥1,040 at the Shinonomeguchi station machines until 14:00. Q: Can I cycle up to Matsuyama Castle? A: No. Bicycles and motorbikes are barred from every path up the castle hill, so lock up below and take the ropeway, the chairlift or a walking path. Q: Can you visit Matsuyama Castle? A: Open to visitors. Bicycles and motorbikes may not use any of the paths up the castle hill. The Kencho-ura path is closed to vehicles from 12 September to 27 November 2026 while works are prepared; walkers can still use it with care. Q: What are the opening hours of Matsuyama Castle? A: Matsuyama Castle keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: How should you behave at Matsuyama Castle? A: At Matsuyama Castle: Leave the bike locked below the hill, since the paths are closed to bicycles. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.matsuyamajo.jp/guide/ https://www.matsuyamajo.jp/discover/history.html https://www.matsuyamajo.jp/guide/access.html https://www.matsuyamajo.jp/info/post-15.html https://www.matsuyamajo.jp/info/post-116.html https://www.velo-city-conference.com/en/ehime/about-ehime/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q981357 ### MonET (Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/monet-echigo-tsumari Type: Culture Local name: 越後妻有里山現代美術館 MonET (ja) Also known as: MonET, Museum on Echigo-Tsumari, Kinare, Echigo-Tsumari Art Field, Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum, キナーレ, 大地の芸術祭 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 6-1-71-2 Honcho, Tokamachi, Niigata Coordinates: 37.13890, 138.76030 Kind: Museum Period: 2003 building, renewed 2021 Access: Open to visitors Hours: 10:00–17:00 with last entry at 16:30. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays unless they fall on a holiday. Closed: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, except holidays Entry: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The permanent collection costs ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for school children; with a special exhibition it rises to ¥1,200 and ¥600 (2026). The works in the open corridor are free. Topics: Contemporary art, Echigo Tsumari Art Field, Architecture, Satoyama Price from: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/travelinformation/monet/ Summary: MonET in Tokamachi is the main museum of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Field, and it suits anyone exploring the art across Tokamachi and Tsunan who wants a starting point that stays open in winter; it closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Hiroshi Hara and Atelier Phi designed the building around a central pool and an open corridor, and it opened in 2003 as the Kinare exchange centre. It became a contemporary art museum in 2012 and took the name MonET after a refit in 2021. The permanent collection includes site-specific works by Leandro Erlich, Antony Gormley, Kohei Nawa and Ilya and Emilia Kabakov. MonET is the hub for the Echigo-Tsumari Art Field, which spreads outdoor works over about 760 square kilometres of Tokamachi and Tsunan. In 2026 the year-round programme opened the outdoor works from 25 April to 8 November, and they shut on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The next full triennale runs from 17 July to 7 November 2027. The Akashi no Yu hot spring shares the building, and a roadside station selling local food stands next door. Tokamachi Station is about ten minutes away on foot. Tips: - Pick up the common ticket at MonET's desk if you bought it online; the art field exchanges online tickets for paper ones here. - Plan winter visits around the art field's winter programme, which for 2027 runs from 30 January to 7 March. Q: When is MonET in Tokamachi open? A: MonET opens 10:00–17:00 with last entry at 16:30 and closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays unless they are holidays. Q: How much is MonET? A: MonET's permanent collection costs ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for school children in 2026, or ¥1,200 and ¥600 with a special exhibition. Q: Can I photograph the Echigo-Tsumari artworks? A: Mostly yes for personal use. The art field says most works allow photography and asks you to check with it before any commercial use, though caretakers may refuse photos at some works. Q: Can you visit MonET (Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art)? A: Open to visitors. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/travelinformation/monet/ https://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/contact/faq/ https://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/news/gift-for-frozen-village-2027/ https://nakasato-kiyotsu.com/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q28686072 ### Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/nagasaki-atomic-bomb-museum Type: Culture Local name: 長崎原爆資料館 (ja) Also known as: Nagasaki A-Bomb Museum, Atomic Bomb Museum Nagasaki, 原爆資料館 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Nagasaki Town: Nagasaki Address: 7-8 Hirano-machi, Nagasaki 852-8117 Coordinates: 32.77270, 129.86450 Kind: Museum Period: The atomic bomb exploded over Nagasaki at 11:02 am on 9 August 1945 Access: Partly open Hours: Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. From 7 to 9 August the museum stays open until 20:00. Closed: 29 to 31 December Entry: ¥200 per adult (2026), about CAD 1.80 or USD 1.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Entry to the permanent exhibition costs ¥200 for anyone 15 or older, and high school students and younger go in free. Since 1 April 2026 there is no group rate. An audio guide in 12 languages costs ¥160. Topics: Atomic bombing, Second world war, Peace Price from: ¥200 per adult (2026), about CAD 1.80 or USD 1.30 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://nabmuseum.jp/genbaku/ Summary: The Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum suits anyone who wants to understand what happened to this city on 9 August 1945, and the exhibition renewal running through March 2027 screens off parts of the rooms while the work goes on. A B-29 named Bockscar dropped a plutonium bomb over Nagasaki, and it exploded at 11:02 am on 9 August 1945, about 500 metres above the Matsuyama-machi district. The city's records committee counted 73,884 people killed and 74,909 injured by the end of December 1945, out of a population of about 240,000. The city says plainly that the true number of deaths is still unknown. The rooms sit two floors underground. The walk begins with the city before the bombing and moves through a recreated wall of Urakami Cathedral, a wall clock from Sakamoto-machi stopped at 11:02, burned and melted objects, and the testimony of survivors, before it turns to nuclear weapons today. Captions on the main pieces come in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean, and QR codes open notes in 11 languages. The city's peace guides stand in the museum from 10:00 to 16:00 and walk you through the exhibits here and at the national memorial hall next door at no charge. Ask at the entrance desk. Afterwards the hypocentre in Peace Park is a few minutes' walk down the hill. Tips: - Take the tram toward Akasako from Nagasaki Ekimae to the Genbaku Shiryokan stop, about 12 minutes, and walk five minutes up to the entrance. - The Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims stands beside the museum and has no entry fee. Q: When did the atomic bomb explode over Nagasaki? A: The bomb exploded at 11:02 am on 9 August 1945, about 500 metres above the Matsuyama-machi district. Nagasaki City's 1950 records committee counted 73,884 people killed and 74,909 injured by the end of December 1945. Q: How much does the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum cost? A: Entry to the permanent exhibition costs ¥200 for visitors aged 15 and over in 2026, and high school students and younger go in free. Card, IC and QR payments work at the ticket desk. Q: Can you visit Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum? A: Partly open. No flash, tripods or selfie sticks in the exhibition rooms. Photography is banned at two works: the Genbaku no Zu panels in front of the B2 ticket machines and the photograph known as the boy standing at the crematorium by the B1 exit. No food or drink inside the building. Q: What are the opening hours of Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum? A: Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:30–17:30. Q: How should you behave at Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum? A: At Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum: Keep your voice low in the exhibition rooms, where staff will ask a noisy group to quieten down. Ask before you photograph anyone at the memorials outside. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nabmuseum.jp/genbaku/ https://nabmuseum.jp/oshirase/exhibition/ https://nagasakipeace.jp/en/search/record/photo/part_2_01.html https://nagasakipeace.jp/en/search/record/photo/part_2_02.html https://www.at-nagasaki.jp/spot/126 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1099077 ### Nagasaki Peace Park and the Hypocentre URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/nagasaki-peace-park Type: Culture Local name: 平和公園 (ja) Also known as: Peace Park Nagasaki, Hypocenter Park, Atomic Bomb Hypocenter, Peace Statue, 原爆落下中心地, 平和祈念像 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Nagasaki Town: Nagasaki Address: Matsuyama-machi, Nagasaki Coordinates: 32.77690, 129.86400 Kind: Memorial Period: Hypocentre of the bomb of 11:02 am, 9 August 1945; part of a National Historic Site since 3 October 2016 Access: Open to visitors Hours: The park is open at all hours. Prices: There is no charge. Topics: Atomic bombing, Second world war, Peace Website: https://nagasakipeace.jp/en/search/survivors/ruins.html Summary: Nagasaki's Peace Park suits anyone who wants to stand at the place where the bomb exploded, and it reads best after the museum next door has told you what happened here. At 11:02 am on 9 August 1945 the atomic bomb exploded about 500 metres above Matsuyama-machi. A black granite column now marks the point below the blast, and beside it a cut in the ground shows the layer of earth from that day, packed with roof tiles, brick and glass that melted in the heat. Part of the south wall of the old Urakami Cathedral was moved here, and you can still see where the blast shifted its stone pillars. Across the road and up the steps from the tram stop, the Peace Statue sits at the top of the park. The Nagasaki-born sculptor Seibo Kitamura made it in bronze, 9.7 metres tall, with the right hand raised toward the threat of the bomb and the left hand stretched out for peace. The city holds its Peace Memorial Ceremony in front of it every 9 August. On the way up you pass the Fountain of Peace, built in 1969 for the survivors who died calling for water. The stone in front of it carries the words of Sachiko Yamaguchi, who was nine in 1945 and drank water covered in an oily film because she was so thirsty. The park itself stands on the site of the Urakami branch of Nagasaki Prison, and a line of its old wall still shows in the ground. Tips: - Take tram line 1 or 3 from Nagasaki Ekimae to the Heiwa Koen stop, about 15 minutes. The hypocentre is a minute's walk from the stop and the Peace Statue about three minutes up the steps. - The Nagasaki Oath Fire burns from 9:00 to 17:00 on the 9th of every month and from 6 to 9 August, at the torch stand between the hypocentre and the museum. Q: Where exactly did the atomic bomb explode over Nagasaki? A: The bomb exploded about 500 metres above the Matsuyama-machi district at 11:02 am on 9 August 1945. A black granite column in the Prayer Zone of Peace Park marks the point below it. Q: When is the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony? A: Nagasaki City holds the ceremony every year on 9 August in front of the Peace Statue, and the mayor reads a peace declaration to the world. Q: Can you visit Nagasaki Peace Park and the Hypocentre? A: Open to visitors. The Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony takes the Peace Statue area on 9 August each year. Q: What are the opening hours of Nagasaki Peace Park and the Hypocentre? A: Nagasaki Peace Park and the Hypocentre is open the park is open at all hours. Q: How should you behave at Nagasaki Peace Park and the Hypocentre? A: At Nagasaki Peace Park and the Hypocentre: Keep voices low at the hypocentre column and leave room for people laying flowers or praying. Ask before you photograph anyone at the memorials. Stay on the paths around the exposed layer of earth, which still holds tiles, bricks and glass melted in the bombing. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.at-nagasaki.jp/spot/124 https://www.at-nagasaki.jp/spot/130 https://nagasakipeace.jp/en/search/survivors/ruins.html https://nagasakipeace.jp/en/search/record/photo/part_2_01.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11482256 ### Narai-juku URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/narai-juku Type: Culture Local name: 奈良井宿 (ja) Also known as: Narai, Narai post town, Naraijuku, Narai-jyuku, Nakasendo Narai, Kiso no Ohashi Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 35.96810, 137.81430 Kind: Post town Period: Edo period (1603–1868) Access: Open to visitors Prices: Walking the street is free. Parking at Narai Station costs ¥500 and at the Narai Gonbei car park ¥500 for a car, and the lots at the Kiso no Ohashi and the Michi-no-eki are free. Topics: Nakasendo, Post town, Preservation, Lacquerware Website: https://www.naraijuku.com/ Summary: Narai-juku is the Nakasendo post town at the exact midpoint of the road between Edo and Kyoto, and its kilometre of Edo-era houses suits an unhurried stop on the way through the Kiso Valley; the Kiso no Ohashi footbridge is under repair until the end of March 2027. Counting the 67 stations that belong to the Nakasendo alone, Narai is 34th from either end, which puts it at the road's middle. It sits highest of the eleven Kiso post towns, at the foot of Torii Pass, and in its busiest years travellers filled it so thickly that people called it Narai Senken, Narai of a thousand houses. The street runs about 1 km along the Narai River from Shizume Shrine, and the town calls it the longest post town in Japan. A row in 1968 over moving a prized house, the Nakamura residence, out of town started a joint campaign by the town and outside scholars to keep the street whole. The state selected it as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings in 1978, and the Kiso area became Japan Heritage in 2016. Inn lanterns and fine wooden latticework still front the houses. The Kiso no Ohashi, a wooden arched footbridge 33 m long, is getting its first major repair since it was built 35 years ago. Work runs until the end of March 2027, with no night lighting until then, and the deck is being relaid through December 2026. Cars stay out of the post town, so park at the Michi-no-eki or the free lots by the bridge. Coin lockers beside Narai Station cost ¥300 or ¥500, and the information office at the station holds bags for ¥700 each from 8:40 to 16:40. A local guide costs ¥2,000 per guide, booked at least a month ahead. Tips: - Leave bags at Narai Station before you walk the street. - Book a guide a month ahead through the tourism association if you want the history house by house. - Parking at Narai Station is unavailable on 12 August each year for the summer festival. Q: Can I drive into Narai-juku? A: No. Only residents may drive into Narai-juku. Visitors park around it, including at the free lots by the Kiso no Ohashi bridge and the Michi-no-eki. Q: Is there luggage storage at Narai-juku? A: Yes. Coin lockers beside Narai Station cost ¥300 or ¥500, and the station's information office holds bags for ¥700 each from 8:40 to 16:40. Q: Can I fly a drone at Narai-juku? A: No. Drones are banned over and around Narai-juku, and the tourism association reports flights to the police. Q: Can you visit Narai-juku? A: Open to visitors. Only residents may drive into the post town; visitors park outside it. Drones may not fly over or near Narai-juku, and the tourism association reports any flight to the police. Ask shop staff, homeowners and anyone in the frame before photographing inside a shop or house, and get their permission before posting it. Media, wedding and cosplay shoots need an application to the Narai-juku tourism association at least five days ahead. Q: How should you behave at Narai-juku? A: At Narai-juku: People live and run businesses in the houses along the street, so treat it as their village and keep the doorways clear. Leave the car outside the post town; the street belongs to the people who live on it. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.naraijuku.com/narai/ https://www.naraijuku.com/narai/history/ https://www.naraijuku.com/access/ https://www.naraijuku.com/faq/ https://www.naraijuku.com/notice/ https://www.naraijuku.com/news/2026/08/6027/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/5844056587 ### Nikko Toshogu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/nikko-toshogu Type: Culture Local name: 日光東照宮 (ja) Also known as: Toshogu, Tosho-gu, Toshogu Shrine, Nikko Toshogu Shrine, 東照宮 Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Nikko Address: 2301 Sannai, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1431 Coordinates: 36.75920, 139.59860 Kind: Shrine Period: 1617; main halls rebuilt 1636 UNESCO: World Heritage Site Access: Partly open Hours: Open 9:00–17:00 from April to October and 9:00–16:00 from November to March. Entry closes 30 minutes before the gates. Entry: ¥1,600 per adult (2026), about CAD 14 or USD 10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Entry costs ¥1,600 for adults and high school students and ¥550 for children. A set with the Treasure House costs ¥2,400. An audio guide in Japanese, English or Chinese rents for ¥500 a day. Topics: Shrine, Tokugawa, Unesco Price from: ¥1,600 per adult (2026), about CAD 14 or USD 10 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://toshogu.jp/ Summary: Toshogu suits anyone who wants to see the Tokugawa shogunate's richest shrine in the cedar woods above Nikko, and its crowds peak so hard in autumn and at holidays that an opening-time visit makes the day. Tokugawa Ieyasu died in April 1616 and asked to be moved here, and his remains came from Kunozan the following year. The shrine took the name Toshogu in 1645. Most of the halls you see were rebuilt in 1636 under the third shogun, Iemitsu, and they sit within the Shrines and Temples of Nikko, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The paid route runs from the Omotemon gate past Yomeimon to the Okumiya, and a set ticket adds the Treasure House. On 17 and 18 May the spring festival brings mounted archery and a procession of about 1,200 people in armour and costume, and the autumn festival repeats both on 16 and 17 October. Tips: - Arrive at 9:00 when the gates open, before the tour coaches. - In autumn, take the World Heritage loop bus from JR Nikko or Tobu Nikko station. Q: How much does Nikko Toshogu cost? A: Entry to Nikko Toshogu costs ¥1,600 for adults and high school students and ¥550 for primary and junior high school children. Q: What are Nikko Toshogu's opening hours? A: Nikko Toshogu opens 9:00–17:00 from April to October and 9:00–16:00 from November to March, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. Q: Can you visit Nikko Toshogu? A: Partly open. Festivals, rites and repair work can close parts of the precinct; the shrine asks visitors to check ahead. Paid entry covers the route from the Omotemon gate through Yomeimon to the Okumiya. Q: How should you behave at Nikko Toshogu? A: At Nikko Toshogu: Toshogu is a working shrine where Tokugawa Ieyasu is enshrined as a deity, so bow at the gates and keep your voice down in front of the halls. Leave the ritual spaces to worshippers during the May and October festivals, and watch the processions from the roadside. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://toshogu.jp/pages/25/ https://toshogu.jp/pages/26/ https://toshogu.jp/pages/27/ https://toshogu.jp/pages/28/ https://www.nikko-kankou.org/spot/4 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q696641 ### Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/nirayama-reverberatory-furnace Type: Culture Local name: 韮山反射炉 (ja) Also known as: Nirayama Reverberatory Furnaces, Nirayama Hansharo, Nirayama furnace, 韮山反射炉 世界遺産 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Address: 260-1 Naka, Izunokuni, Shizuoka 410-2113 Coordinates: 35.03940, 138.96200 Kind: Museum Period: Built 1853–1857, in service until 1864 UNESCO: World Heritage Site Access: Partly open Hours: Open 9:00–17:00 from March to September and 9:00–16:30 from October to February. The site closes on the third Wednesday of each month, or the next day when that Wednesday is a holiday, and on 31 December and 1 January. Closed: Third Wednesday of each month; 31 December and 1 January Entry: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Entry costs ¥500 for adults and ¥50 for school pupils, with a group rate of ¥450 from 20 people. A joint ticket with the Egawa residence costs ¥900 for adults and ¥250 for pupils, sold at the guidance centre and the residence. People with a disability and one companion enter free. Topics: Industrial heritage, Bakumatsu, Unesco, Meiji industrial revolution Price from: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.city.izunokuni.shizuoka.jp/bunka_bunkazai/manabi/bunkazai/hansyaro/ Summary: The Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace in Izunokuni is the only furnace of its kind in Japan that both worked and survives, and it now belongs to the Meiji Industrial Revolution World Heritage listing; it suits history readers with an hour to spare between Mishima and Shuzenji, though the visit amounts to the furnace and a short film. After Perry's ships arrived in 1853, the shogunate ordered the Nirayama magistrate Egawa Hidetatsu, also known as Tan'an, to build a furnace that could melt iron for cannon. Work began near Shimoda that December. In the spring of 1854 sailors from Perry's fleet walked onto the building site, and the project moved inland to Naka, close to the magistrate's office at Nirayama. Egawa had only a Dutch book to go on, Huguenin's manual on casting at the Royal Iron Cannon Foundry. He died early in 1855, and his son Hidetoshi finished the job in November 1857 with engineers sent by the Saga domain. The design sets two twin-hearth furnaces at right angles so that four hearths could fire at once, and the brick chimneys rise about 15.7 metres. Until 1864 the furnace cast iron 18-pounder cannon and bronze field guns. UNESCO inscribed it in July 2015 as part of the Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution. Allow 45 minutes to an hour: about half an hour for the film and exhibits in the guidance centre and 20 minutes with a guide at the furnace. Tips: - Buy the joint ticket and add the Egawa residence, home of the magistrate who designed the furnace. - Check the closure dates before a Wednesday visit, since the site shuts on the third Wednesday of each month. Q: How much does it cost to visit the Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace? A: Entry costs ¥500 for adults and ¥50 for primary and junior high pupils. A joint ticket with the Egawa residence costs ¥900 for adults. Q: Is the Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace a World Heritage Site? A: Yes. It was inscribed in July 2015 as part of the Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution. Q: How long does a visit to the Nirayama furnace take? A: Izunokuni city suggests 45 minutes to an hour, with about 30 minutes in the guidance centre and 20 minutes at the furnace with a guide. Q: Can you visit Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace? A: Partly open. Visitors see the furnace from the grounds around it after passing through the guidance centre. Groups of ten or more are asked to book ahead, and a guide comes free with a booking. Q: What are the opening hours of Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace? A: Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: How should you behave at Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace? A: At Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace: The furnace is a National Historic Site and a World Heritage property, and its brickwork was repaired in 2020–2021, so keep to the paths and off the structure. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.izunokuni.shizuoka.jp/bunka_bunkazai/manabi/bunkazai/hansyaro/ https://www.city.izunokuni.shizuoka.jp/bunka_bunkazai/manabi/bunkazai/hansyaro/documents/hansyarotoha.html https://www.city.izunokuni.shizuoka.jp/bunka_bunkazai/manabi/bunkazai/hansyaro/documents/hansyarokengaku.html https://www.city.izunokuni.shizuoka.jp/bunka_bunkazai/manabi/bunkazai/hansyaro/documents/kyoutsuuken.html https://www.city.izunokuni.shizuoka.jp/bunka_bunkazai/hozonsyurikouzi.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q20042067 ### Okunoshima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/okunoshima Type: Culture Local name: 大久野島 (ja) Also known as: Okuno-shima, Okunoshima Poison Gas Museum, 大久野島毒ガス資料館, Rabbit Island Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Takehara Address: Okunoshima Poison Gas Museum, 5491 Tadanoumi-cho, Takehara, Hiroshima 729-2311 Coordinates: 34.30590, 132.99410 Kind: Memorial Period: Army poison gas plant from 1929 until Japan's defeat in 1945; museum opened in 1988 Access: Open to visitors Hours: Hours are the museum's, with last entry at 15:40. The museum can change its hours or close at short notice. Closed: 29 December to 3 January Entry: ¥150 per adult (2026), about CAD 1.30 or USD 0.90 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Visitors under 19 enter free, as do holders of disability certificates. Topics: Chemical weapons, Second world war, Peace education Price from: ¥150 per adult (2026), about CAD 1.30 or USD 0.90 (October 2026 rates) Summary: Okunoshima suits visitors who want to learn how Japan's army made poison gas in secret on this island from 1929, and the trade-off is a small museum and ruins that tell the story in fragments. In 1929 the Imperial Japanese Army built a secret plant on Okunoshima to make poison gas. To hide it the island was left off maps, and workers were forbidden to tell even their families what they did there. Late in the war, students mobilized for war work were sent to the factory, and many workers and islanders were harmed by the gas. International treaties had banned chemical weapons after the First World War, and the army used them mainly in its fighting in China. After the surrender much of the evidence was destroyed. The Okunoshima Poison Gas Museum opened in 1988 to set out the suffering the plant caused and to call for lasting peace, and schools now come here for peace education. Ruins of the gas storage sheds and the old power plant stand among the trees, and three gun batteries survive from the island's Meiji-era fortress. The museum opens 9:00 to 16:00 with last entry at 15:40, and adults of 19 and over pay ¥150. Ferries cross from Tadanoumi port in Takehara, where the public car park holds about 200 cars for free. Today the island is a national-park resort, and about a thousand wild rabbits live on it. Tips: - Visit the museum before you walk the island, so the ruins make sense when you reach them. - The Ministry of the Environment asks anyone who finds metal debris on the beaches to leave it alone and report it to the visitor centre, after fragments that may come from gas canisters were found on the shore. - Visitors are asked to leave pets at home to protect the rabbits. Q: Why was Okunoshima removed from maps? A: From 1929 the Imperial Japanese Army made poison gas in secret on Okunoshima, and the island was left off maps to hide the plant. The Okunoshima Poison Gas Museum, opened in 1988, tells that history. Q: How much is the Okunoshima Poison Gas Museum? A: The Okunoshima Poison Gas Museum costs ¥150 for visitors aged 19 and over, and younger visitors enter free. It opens 9:00 to 16:00, with last entry at 15:40, and closes from 29 December to 3 January. Q: Can you visit Okunoshima? A: Open to visitors. The poison gas museum charges ¥150 for visitors aged 19 and over, and younger visitors enter free. The museum closes from 29 December to 3 January. Visitors are asked not to bring pets to the island. Q: What are the opening hours of Okunoshima? A: Okunoshima keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–16:00. Q: How should you behave at Okunoshima? A: At Okunoshima: Treat the plant ruins as a memorial to the workers, students and islanders the gas harmed. If you find metal debris on the shore, leave it untouched and tell the visitor centre. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://dive-hiroshima.com/explore/130/ https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/common/001557812.pdf https://www.env.go.jp/content/900409202.pdf https://www.ywca.or.jp/news/peace/hiroshima50th/peace-report/post025/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q385313 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/508699824 ### Onomichi Temple Walk URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/onomichi-temple-walk Type: Culture Local name: 尾道 古寺めぐり (ja) Also known as: Onomichi Historic Temple Walking Course, Onomichi Shichibutsu Meguri, Onomichi Seven Temples Pilgrimage, 尾道七佛めぐり Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: Jiko-ji, Onomichi, Hiroshima (east end of the Shichibutsu route) Coordinates: 34.40720, 133.19580 Kind: Pilgrimage Access: Open to visitors Prices: Walking the path is free. Temples charge for goshuin and for any halls or gardens they open. Topics: Buddhism, Walking Website: https://shichibutsu.jp/ Summary: The Onomichi temple walk suits anyone with half a day in Onomichi and comfortable shoes, and the trade-off is a hillside of steps through a neighbourhood where people live. Onomichi's old temples climb the slope above the channel, and a walking path of about three kilometres links 25 of them. Jiko-ji is known for its stone gate and its nigiri-butsu (small clay Buddhas shaped in the palm of the hand). The path passes wooden houses, narrow stone steps and lookouts over the Seto Inland Sea. The Onomichi Shichibutsu Meguri pilgrimage takes in seven of the temples in a set order: Jiko-ji, Tennei-ji, Senko-ji, Taisan-ji, Saikoku-ji, Jodo-ji and Kairyu-ji. Pilgrims collect a stamp or goshuin at each one, and the temples sell a mounting sheet for the set. The route is compact and easy to follow. The lanes are residential and full of steps, so give it a slow morning. If you ride the Senkoji Ropeway to the top first, the walk runs mostly downhill. Tips: - On cherry-blossom weekends the city restricts traffic round Senkoji Park; in 2026 it ran from 10:00 to 17:00 on 28 and 29 March and on 4 and 5 April. - The Shichibutsu temples run a priest-guided version of the pilgrimage; the official site lists the dates. Q: Can you visit Onomichi Temple Walk? A: Open to visitors. Q: How should you behave at Onomichi Temple Walk? A: At Onomichi Temple Walk: Keep voices low in the lanes, since the path runs past people's homes. Pay for a goshuin at the temple office and wait while it is written. Leave the bike at the foot of the hill, because the path is mostly steps. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://visitshimanami.com/attractions/609/ https://visitshimanami.com/attractions/612/ https://shichibutsu.jp/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/6371696824 ### Oyama Shrine URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/oyama-shrine Type: Culture Local name: 雄山神社 (ja) Also known as: Oyama Jinja, Tateyama Oyama Shrine, Oyama Shrine Minehonsha, 雄山神社峰本社, Ashikuraji Chugu Kiganden, Iwakuraji Maedate Shadan Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Tateyama Address: 1 Tateyama-mine, Ashikuraji, Tateyama, Toyama (summit shrine) Coordinates: 36.57318, 137.61792 Kind: Shrine Period: Founded 701 by the shrine's account Access: Partly open Hours: The summit shrine on Mt. Oyama is staffed from 1 July to 30 September. Prayers are offered 8:00–15:00, and the shrine office opens at 6:00. Closed: Summit shrine unstaffed from October to June Entry: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The summit shrine asks ¥700 from adults and ¥300 from school-age children as a worship fee. Toilets at the summit cost ¥100 a visit. Topics: Mountain worship, Tateyama faith, Pilgrimage, Shinto Price from: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Website: http://www.oyamajinja.org/ Summary: Oyama Shrine suits hikers and pilgrims who want to understand the faith behind Tateyama, one of Japan's three sacred mountains, and its trade-off is a summit shrine that is staffed only from July to September. Oyama Shrine worships Tateyama itself. Its Minehonsha stands on the 3,003 m summit of Mt. Oyama, and two lower shrines sit in the villages of Ashikuraji and Iwakuraji. The shrine's own history says Saeki no Ariyori, son of the governor of Etchu, opened the mountain in 701 after a white hawk and a black bear led him to a cave where the deities appeared. The faith joined Shinto and Buddhism until the Meiji era, and Ashikuraji grew into a village of temples and the guides who led pilgrims up. Toyotomi Hideyoshi's army burned Ashikuraji in 1585, and the Meiji government's separation of Shinto and Buddhism after 1868 closed its temples. The lecture hall of the old central temple survives as the shrine's Kiganden. The summit shrine is staffed from 1 July to 30 September, and outside that season the peak belongs to ski tourers and winter climbers who must follow Toyama's rules. Tips: - The shrine office at the summit opens at 6:00, so climbers who arrive for sunrise must wait outside. Q: Can you visit Oyama Shrine? A: Partly open. The summit shrine is open to worshippers only from 1 July to 30 September. Outside that season the summit is winter mountain terrain under Toyama's Murodo rules: file an entry form in April, May and November and carry a beacon. Jigokudani and the ptarmigan protection zones around Murodo are closed to all visitors in the snow season. Q: How much does Oyama Shrine cost? A: Prices at Oyama Shrine start at ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Oyama Shrine? A: Oyama Shrine is open the summit shrine on Mt. Oyama is staffed from 1 July to 30 September. Prayers are offered 8:00–15:00, and the shrine office opens at 6:00, closed summit shrine unstaffed from October to June. Q: How should you behave at Oyama Shrine? A: At Oyama Shrine: Tateyama is a living sacred mountain; the summit is the shrine's inner sanctuary, so behave on top as you would inside a shrine hall. Skiers and climbers who pass the summit outside the shrine season should leave nothing behind and keep to every closure. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.oyamajinja.org/ http://www.oyamajinja.org/minehonsha.htm http://www.oyamajinja.org/minehonsha_005.htm http://www.oyamajinja.org/oyamajinja_002.htm http://www.oyamajinja.org/oyamajinja_003.htm https://toyamaken-sotaikyo.jp/rule/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11659204 ### Oyamazumi Shrine URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/oyamazumi-shrine Type: Culture Local name: 大山祇神社 (ja) Also known as: Oyamazumi Jinja, Ohyamazumi Shrine, Omishima Shrine, Oomishimagu Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Omishima Address: 3327 Omishima-cho Miyaura, Imabari, Ehime 794-1393 Coordinates: 34.24790, 133.00570 Kind: Shrine Period: Enshrined at Miyaura in 719; main hall and worship hall rebuilt in the early Muromachi period Access: Open to visitors Hours: Hours shown are the treasure hall's, with last entry at 16:00, under a shrine notice of 1 March 2024. The shrine office answers the phone from 9:00 to 16:00. Closed: Open all year Entry: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The shrine grounds are free. The treasure hall charges; the prices come from Visit Shimanami because the shrine's site does not print them. Topics: Shinto, Armour, National treasures Price from: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://oomishimagu.jp/ Summary: Oyamazumi Shrine suits anyone crossing Omishima who wants to see the island's great shrine and Japan's largest store of old armour, and the trade-off is a detour of a few kilometres off the blue line. Oyamazumi Shrine is the first shrine of old Iyo Province, and it has long been honoured as Nihon Sochinju (guardian shrine of all Japan). It enshrines Oyamatsumi no Okami, a mountain god in the old chronicles, and the Iyo fudoki also calls him a god of the sea and of crossings. The shrine moved to its present site at Miyaura in 719. Its main hall and worship hall were rebuilt in the early Muromachi period and are Important Cultural Properties. The camphor in front of the main hall is the sacred tree. Tradition says Ochi no Mikoto planted it before Emperor Jimmu's eastern campaign, and the shrine gives its age as about 2,600 years. Three hills rise behind the halls, and an old shrine map shows them as the sacred mountains of the three shrines. Washigato-san is the tallest of them and the highest point on the island at 436.5 metres. About 80 percent of the armour and weapons in Japan designated National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties are kept in the treasure hall, and that is why Omishima is called the island of national treasures. Japan's oldest armour, from the mid-Heian period, is here. So is a cuirass that shrine tradition says Tsuruhime wore in the Omishima battle of 1541, and she was the daughter of the shrine's priest Ohori Yasumochi. Tips: - The Omishima Museum of Art stands next to the shrine and makes an easy second stop. - Shimanami Japan's Omishima rental terminal is at the Tatara Shimanami Park rest stop on the east side of the island, so the shrine is a ride across the island from the route. Q: Is Oyamazumi Shrine free to visit? A: Yes. The grounds of Oyamazumi Shrine on Omishima are free. The treasure hall charges ¥1,000 for adults according to Visit Shimanami, and it opens 9:00 to 16:30 with last entry at 16:00. Q: Why is Omishima called the island of national treasures? A: Oyamazumi Shrine's treasure hall holds about 80 percent of the armour and weapons in Japan that are designated National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties, including Japan's oldest armour from the mid-Heian period. Q: Can you visit Oyamazumi Shrine? A: Open to visitors. Entry to the shrine grounds is free, and the treasure hall charges an entry fee. The treasure hall opens 9:00 to 16:30 with last entry at 16:00. The shrine's notice asks visitors to wear a mask inside the treasure hall. Q: How much does Oyamazumi Shrine cost? A: Prices at Oyamazumi Shrine start at ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Oyamazumi Shrine? A: Oyamazumi Shrine keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–16:30. Q: How should you behave at Oyamazumi Shrine? A: At Oyamazumi Shrine: Bow at the torii and rinse your hands and mouth at the water basin before you approach the worship hall. Leave the bike outside the precinct and walk in. Step back from prayers and rites in progress, and keep cameras pointed at the buildings from outside. Leave the sacred camphor and its fence untouched. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://oomishimagu.jp/ https://oomishimagu.jp/about/ https://oomishimagu.jp/treasure/ https://oomishimagu.jp/information/post-154/ https://visitshimanami.com/attractions/536/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/terminal/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q703904 ### Perry Road URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/perry-road Type: Culture Local name: ペリーロード (ja) Also known as: Perry Road Shimoda, Perry Rd, Shimoda Perry Road, ペリーロード 下田 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shimoda Address: 3-chome, Shimoda, Shizuoka Coordinates: 34.67170, 138.94300 Kind: Old town Period: 1854 (Perry's marches to Ryosen-ji); buildings mostly late Edo to Taisho Access: Open to visitors Hours: Perry Road is a public lane open at all hours. The gas lamps along it light the paving after dark. Prices: Walking the lane is free. Shimoda's tourism association runs a one-hour guided Perry Road walk for ¥2,200 for up to three people, or ¥800 a head from four people. Topics: Bakumatsu, Kurofune, Namako kabe, Treaty history, Old town Website: https://www.city.shimoda.shizuoka.jp/category/100100midokoro/110766.html Summary: Perry Road in Shimoda follows the Hiraname River to Ryosen-ji, the temple where the shogunate and Commodore Perry signed the Shimoda Treaty in 1854, and it suits an unhurried evening walk under willows and gas lamps; the lane has no parking, so come by train or leave the car at the free car park of Michi-no-Eki Kaikoku Shimoda Minato. Perry's sailors marched this way to Ryosen-ji more than once while they negotiated the Shimoda Treaty, the 13 supplementary articles to the Kanagawa Treaty. On the first day of talks, 13 May 1854 by the old calendar, about 300 sailors with fixed bayonets paraded behind four cannon and a band, to the astonishment of the town. The treaty was signed in Ryosen-ji's main hall on 22 May, and the Japanese delegates are said to have sat on stacked tatami so their eyes met those of the Americans in chairs. The lane keeps the look of Shimoda's old pleasure quarter from the days when songs counted three thousand ships in and out of the port. Stone paving runs beside the Hiraname River under a line of willows, with stone balustrades and gas lamps. The houses use namako-kabe, walls of flat tiles set in raised white plaster joints that look like sea cucumbers, and Izu stone, which is soft to carve and resists fire. Most of them date from the late Edo period through Taisho. Shizuoka gave the lane its top townscape award in 1994. Ryosen-ji keeps a treasure museum of Shimoda's history and re-enacts the treaty signing during the Kurofune Matsuri each May. Choraku-ji, where the Japan–Russia treaty was signed, and Shimoda Park, known for its hydrangea festival, sit in the same district. Tips: - Walk it after dark as well, when the gas lamps light the stone paving. - Book the one-hour guided walk two weeks ahead through Shimoda's tourism association; in summer heat the association runs only the one-hour courses. Q: Why is it called Perry Road? A: Commodore Perry and his men marched along this lane to Ryosen-ji in 1854 to negotiate the Shimoda Treaty, which was signed in the temple's main hall on 22 May. Q: How far is Perry Road from Shimoda Station? A: Shimoda city puts Perry Road about 15 minutes on foot from Izukyu-Shimoda Station. There is no parking on the lane. Q: Can you visit Perry Road? A: Open to visitors. There is no parking on Perry Road; it lies about 15 minutes on foot from Izukyu-Shimoda Station. Q: What are the opening hours of Perry Road? A: Perry Road is open perry Road is a public lane open at all hours. The gas lamps along it light the paving after dark. Q: How should you behave at Perry Road? A: At Perry Road: Ryosen-ji at the end of the lane is a working temple and a nationally designated cultural property, so treat its main hall as a place of worship as well as the room where the treaty was signed. Many of the namako-kabe houses are homes and working shops, so take photos from the lane and keep doorways clear. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.shimoda.shizuoka.jp/category/100100midokoro/110766.html https://www.city.shimoda.shizuoka.jp/category/100100midokoro/110768.html https://www.city.shimoda.shizuoka.jp/category/100400shimodanorekishi/110778.html https://www.city.shimoda.shizuoka.jp/category/100100midokoro/110762.html https://www.city.shimoda.shizuoka.jp/category/100100midokoro/110763.html https://www.shimoda-city.info/guide https://www.shimoda-city.info/post/20261006 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%9D%99%E5%B2%A1%E7%9C%8C%E4%B8%8B%E7%94%B0%E5%B8%82%E4%B8%89%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE13-13 ### Sado Gold Mine (Sado Kinzan) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/sado-gold-mine Type: Culture Local name: 史跡 佐渡金山 (ja) Also known as: Sado Kinzan, Sado Island Gold Mines, Sado Mine, Sodayu Tunnel, Doyu Tunnel, 佐渡島の金山, 佐渡金山 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: Aikawa, Sado, Niigata Coordinates: 38.04160, 138.25560 Kind: Museum Period: Edo period to the modern era UNESCO: World Heritage Site Access: Open to visitors Hours: Open every day. From April to October last entry is 16:00 and closing 17:30; from November to March last entry is 15:30 and closing 17:00. Repair work on the listed tunnels can stop visits at short notice. Closed: Open all year Entry: ¥1,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The basic course through both tunnels costs ¥1,500 for junior high age and up and ¥750 for primary school children (2026). Any ticket includes the attached museum. Topics: Mining, World Heritage, Edo period, Meiji industry Price from: ¥1,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.sado-kinzan.com/ Summary: Sado Gold Mine at Aikawa is the visitor site of the Sado Island Gold Mines that UNESCO listed on 27 July 2024, and it suits travellers on Sado for a day or more who want to walk through Edo-era and Meiji-era tunnels; the tunnels stay at about 10°C all year, so bring a jacket in August. The basic course takes 60 to 90 minutes through two tunnels. Sodayu is an Edo-period hand-dug drift where about seventy figures act out gold and silver mining from the old Sado scrolls. Doyu was cut by machine from 1899 and keeps its trolleys and crushing plant as they stood. Above the tunnels rises Doyu no Warito, where Edo-era open-cut digging split a mountain in two, and the operator calls it the symbol of the mine. UNESCO inscribed the Sado Island Gold Mines as a World Cultural Heritage site on 27 July 2024, and Aikawa's mining-town streets of Kami-machi and Kyo-machi belong to the listing. For more, the guided Yamashi tour at 10:30 and 14:30 takes people of junior high age and up into the dark Okiriyama tunnel for ¥5,000 and lends helmets and boots. It runs from April to November and needs booking by 16:00 the day before. Tips: - Pack a long-sleeved layer even in summer; the tunnels hold at about 10°C. - Riders on the Sado Long Ride's 40 km gold mine fun ride pass the site in May. Q: Is the Sado gold mine a World Heritage Site? A: Yes. UNESCO inscribed the Sado Island Gold Mines on the World Heritage List on 27 July 2024. Q: How much is the Sado Gold Mine? A: The Sado Gold Mine's basic course through the Sodayu and Doyu tunnels costs ¥1,500 for junior high age and up and ¥750 for primary school children in 2026. Q: How long does a visit to the Sado Gold Mine take? A: The basic Sado Gold Mine course takes about 60 to 90 minutes. Q: Can you visit Sado Gold Mine (Sado Kinzan)? A: Open to visitors. Some sections have many stairs and cannot take wheelchairs. Q: What are the opening hours of Sado Gold Mine (Sado Kinzan)? A: Sado Gold Mine (Sado Kinzan) keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:00–17:30. Q: How should you behave at Sado Gold Mine (Sado Kinzan)? A: At Sado Gold Mine (Sado Kinzan): Stay on the marked route inside the tunnels, which are a national historic site and an important cultural property. The guided Yamashi tour goes into a dark, muddy working tunnel; follow the guide and keep the lent helmet and lamp on. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.sado-kinzan.com/price/ https://www.sado-kinzan.com/ https://www.pref.niigata.lg.jp/site/sado-goldmine/ https://www.city.sado.niigata.jp/site/mine/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11248197 https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/9960966750 ### Sakitsu Village URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/sakitsu-village Type: Culture Local name: 天草の﨑津集落 (ja) Also known as: Sakitsu, Sakitsu Church, Sakitsu Village in Amakusa, 崎津集落, 﨑津教会 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kumamoto Town: Amakusa (Hondo) Address: 539 Sakitsu, Kawaura-machi, Amakusa, Kumamoto Coordinates: 32.31240, 130.02570 Kind: Old town Period: Hidden Christian community through the ban on Christianity; church built 1934; World Heritage since 2018 UNESCO: World Heritage Site Access: Restricted access Hours: Church visits run from 9:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 17:00, and the inside closes to visitors during Mass and other services. Topics: Hidden christians, World heritage, Fishing village Website: https://kyoukaigun.jp/archives/culture/884-2 Summary: Sakitsu suits riders on Ama-Ichi who want to understand how Amakusa's Hidden Christians kept their faith, and a visit inside the church needs advance notice and quiet manners. Sakitsu sits on Yokaku Bay on the west coast of Amakusa's Shimoshima island. Christianity reached Amakusa in the 1560s, and after the ban the faithful here kept their belief in secret in small communities for generations. In 2018 the village became one of the Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region on the World Heritage list. The present church went up in 1934 under the French priest Augustin Halbout, built by Tetsukawa Yosuke with a Gothic concrete front and a timber nave, because the money ran out partway through. Inside, the floor is laid with tatami. It stands on the site of the village headman's house, where people were once made to tread on Christian images to prove they had given up the faith. Houses crowd the slope across the road from the water. Look for the kake, wooden platforms built out over the sea for work space on a cramped shore, and the toya, the narrow lanes that run between the houses. Tips: - Park at the Sakitsu Village Guidance Centre, which also serves as the Michi-no-Eki, or at the Kintsu Ichiba market lot. - Ama-Ichi runs down the west coast past Sakitsu on its way to Ushibuka. Q: Do you need to book to visit Sakitsu Church? A: Yes. The Hidden Christian Sites information centre asks visitors to give advance notice through Kyushu Sanko Tourism, and visits run from 9:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 17:00 outside services. Q: When was Sakitsu Church built? A: The present Sakitsu Church was built in 1934 under Father Augustin Halbout of the Paris Foreign Missions Society. The first church of 1888 stood about 80 metres east, beside Sakitsu Suwa Shrine. Q: Can you visit Sakitsu Village? A: Restricted access. Give advance notice before you visit Sakitsu Church, through the booking desk the Hidden Christian Sites information centre names (Kyushu Sanko Tourism). No photographs or video inside the church. No entry past the rails, near the altar or into the choir loft. Take off your hat and shoes before you enter the church, which has a tatami floor. Do not ring the bell or touch the books and objects inside. Q: What are the opening hours of Sakitsu Village? A: Sakitsu Village is open church visits run from 9:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 17:00, and the inside closes to visitors during Mass and other services. Q: How should you behave at Sakitsu Village? A: At Sakitsu Village: Keep your voice and footsteps quiet inside, where parishioners and clergy may be praying. Dress for a place of worship and avoid bare shoulders and short shorts. Walk the narrow lanes between houses quietly, since people live in every one of them. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kyoukaigun.jp/archives/culture/884-2 https://kyoukaigun.jp/manners https://kyoukaigun.jp/ https://kirishitan.jp/components/com004 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21653164 ### Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/shikoku-henro Type: Culture Local name: 四国八十八箇所 (ja) Also known as: Shikoku Pilgrimage, Henro, Ohenro, O-henro, 88 Temple Pilgrimage, 四国遍路, お遍路 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Kind: Pilgrimage Period: About 1,200 years of practice, tied to the monk Kukai (Kobo Daishi) Access: Open to visitors Hours: Temple offices that write the stamp in the pilgrim's book (nokyo) work from about 7:00 to 17:00, every day of the year. Topics: Pilgrimage, Buddhism, Kukai, Henro Website: https://88shikokuhenro.jp/en/ Summary: The Shikoku henro suits riders who want a long route with a purpose, and the temples ask riders to behave as guests among people who are there to pray. The henro links 88 temples around Shikoku that are tied to Kukai, the monk later called Kobo Daishi, who was born and trained on the island. The full walking route runs to about 1,200 km and takes most walkers 30 to 60 days. Plenty of pilgrims use cars, buses, bicycles and trains for some or all of it, and many split it into sections over years. Local people call a pilgrim o-henro-san and sometimes offer food or a drink as osettai, which you accept with thanks. At each temple a pilgrim bows at the gate, washes hands and mouth, rings the bell if the temple allows it, then lights a candle and incense and chants at the main hall and again at the Daishi hall. The temple office then writes and stamps the nokyo book. The association reminds visitors that the stamp records a prayer at the temple. Riding the henro by bike means sharing temple car parks and narrow lanes with walkers in white. Lock up outside the gate and take your helmet off before you go in. The association warns that winter light goes early and parts of the route turn dangerous after dark, so plan short days. Tips: - Temple offices close at about 17:00, so time the last temple of the day with room to spare. - Ishite-ji in Matsuyama is one of the 88 temples and sits close to Dogo Onsen. - Spring and autumn are the busiest seasons at the temple offices. Q: Do I have to visit the 88 temples in order? A: No. The Shikoku 88 temple association says pilgrims can start at any temple and follow any route; numbering from 1 to 88 is only the most common way. Q: Can you do the Shikoku pilgrimage by bicycle? A: Yes. Pilgrims travel on foot, by car, by bus and by bicycle, and many mix them. The walking route is about 1,200 km. Q: Can I take photos at the temples? A: Photograph buildings and gardens where the temple allows it, but never take pictures of pilgrims while they pray or chant. Q: Can you visit Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage? A: Open to visitors. Pray first and collect the nokyo stamp afterwards; ask the office if you arrive just before 17:00. Put incense in the middle of the burner and candles high up so later pilgrims have room. Leave offerings and name slips where you find them; they belong to the Buddha and the Daishi. Q: What are the opening hours of Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage? A: Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage is open temple offices that write the stamp in the pilgrim's book (nokyo) work from about 7:00 to 17:00, every day of the year. Q: How should you behave at Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage? A: At Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage: Never photograph pilgrims while they pray or chant, and keep the camera down at the main hall and the Daishi hall. Bow at the main gate on the way in and on the way out. Walk the bike inside temple grounds and park it where it blocks no path. No horns or revving engines near temples early in the morning, and take your litter with you. Speak quietly and give way to pilgrims on narrow stairs and bridges. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://88shikokuhenro.jp/en/basic-knowledge/understanding-pilgrimage/ https://88shikokuhenro.jp/en/basic-knowledge/worship-method/ https://88shikokuhenro.jp/en/faq/ https://88shikokuhenro.jp/en/about-world-heritage-registration https://www.velo-city-conference.com/en/ehime/about-ehime/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikoku_Pilgrimage https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1972399 ### Shirakawa-go URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/shirakawa-go Type: Culture Local name: 白川郷 (ja) Also known as: Shirakawago, Shirakawa-go Ogimachi, Ogimachi gassho village, Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama, 白川郷合掌造り集落, 荻町 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Shirakawa-go Address: Ogimachi, Shirakawa-mura, Ono-gun, Gifu Coordinates: 36.25670, 136.90500 Kind: Old town UNESCO: World Heritage Site Access: Open to visitors Hours: The village has no gate or opening hours outside the light-up evenings. The public Seseragi Park car park opens 8:00–17:00 with last entry at 16:30, and the houses open as museums keep their own hours. Prices: Walking through the village costs nothing. Parking at Seseragi Park costs ¥2,000 for a car, ¥500 for a motorbike and ¥10,000 for a bus, and part of the fee goes to preserving the World Heritage site. Topics: Gassho zukuri, World heritage, Thatched roofs, Yui mutual aid, Snow country Website: https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/ Summary: Shirakawa-go is a farming village of steep thatched gassho houses that people still live in, and it suits travellers who want Japan's snow country at its most traditional; it is a UNESCO site with heavy day-tour traffic, so arrive early or stay the night. Ogimachi is the main settlement of Shirakawa village and sits in a narrow valley of the Sho River in one of Japan's heaviest snow belts, where snow can pass 170 cm in February. Its gassho-zukuri houses carry tall thatched roofs built to shed that weight. The state selected the village as a preservation district for traditional buildings in 1976, and UNESCO listed it with Gokayama in Toyama as a World Heritage site in 1995. Residents agreed three rules for their houses: do not sell them, do not rent them out and do not pull them down. The tourist association credits the World Heritage listing to the village's mutual aid as well as its houses. Locals call that help yui, and the whole village still turns out to re-thatch a roof, with volunteers welcome on the November thatch and grass-cutting days. The tourist association suggests two to three hours for the village. Highway buses reach the bus terminal in about 50 minutes from Takayama and about 2 hours 30 minutes from Meitetsu Bus Center in Nagoya. Drivers park at Seseragi Park across the Deai Bridge, and staff send cars on to other lots when it fills. Tips: - Stay overnight in a gassho inn to see the village after the day buses leave. - Book light-up visits months ahead; the first round of parking reservations for 2027 sold out on its first day. - The Shirakawa-go no Yu hot spring sits two minutes' walk from the bus terminal and charges adults ¥900. Q: Is Shirakawa-go a UNESCO World Heritage Site? A: Yes. The Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama were listed in 1995. Q: How much is parking in Shirakawa-go? A: The village's Seseragi Park car park charges ¥2,000 for a car, open 8:00 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:30. Q: How long do you need in Shirakawa-go? A: The tourist association suggests two to three hours to see the World Heritage village. Q: Can you visit Shirakawa-go? A: Open to visitors. No drone filming over the settlement; people live and work here. On light-up evenings entry is by advance reservation only, with a ticket worn on a neck strap, and no tickets are sold on the day. Cars need snow tyres from December to March. Tour buses must reserve parking from 1 December 2026. Q: What are the opening hours of Shirakawa-go? A: Shirakawa-go is open the village has no gate or opening hours outside the light-up evenings. The public Seseragi Park car park opens 8:00–17:00 with last entry at 16:30, and the houses open as museums keep their own hours. Q: How should you behave at Shirakawa-go? A: At Shirakawa-go: Most gassho houses are family homes; go inside only those open as museums, shops or inns. Leave the drone at home. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/highlights/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/access/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/events/441/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/events/443/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/events/457/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/active/3/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/events/138/ https://www.vill.shirakawa.lg.jp/2897.htm https://www.vill.shirakawa.lg.jp/2881.htm https://www.vill.shirakawa.lg.jp/2205.htm https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/734/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1002193 ### Shuzen-ji URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/shuzen-ji Type: Culture Local name: 修禅寺 (ja) Also known as: Shuzenji Temple, Shuzen-ji Temple, Fukuchizan Shuzen-ji, Shuzenji Izu, 修禅寺 伊豆, 福地山修禅萬安禅寺 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shuzenji Address: 964 Shuzenji, Izu, Shizuoka 410-2416 Coordinates: 34.97150, 138.92760 Kind: Temple Period: Founded 807, by temple tradition Access: Partly open Hours: The temple gate opens at 5:00 and closes at 17:00. The temple office, where you receive goshuin and amulets, and the treasure hall take visitors 8:30–16:30; Izu city's tourism site gives 16:00 as the treasure hall's closing time from October to March. Prices: Entering the grounds and praying at the main hall is free. The treasure hall costs ¥300 for adults. A limited-edition goshuin costs ¥500 as an offering. Topics: Temple, Soto, Kamakura history, Onsen town Website: https://www.shuzenji-temple.jp/ Summary: Shuzen-ji is the Soto school temple at the heart of Shuzenji Onsen, said to have been founded by Kukai in 807, and it suits a quiet hour on any Izu trip with a stroll through the onsen town; the temple has no car park, so arrive on foot or by the bus from Shuzenji Station. Temple tradition says Kobo Daishi founded Shuzen-ji in 807 and opened the hot spring that gave the town its start. The Hojo clan patronised it in the Kamakura period, and it later passed to the Rinzai school. A war in 1409 burned the halls, and Hojo Soun rebuilt it as the Soto temple you see now. The Kamakura shogunate's darkest family story played out here. Minamoto no Noriyori was confined at Shuzen-ji in 1194 and is said to have taken his own life when Kajiwara Kagetoki's men attacked. In 1204 the second shogun, Minamoto no Yoriie, was held here and murdered in the bath. Hojo Masako gave the seated Shaka in the Shigetsuden hall to pray for her son, and the temple calls the hall the oldest wooden building in Izu. The treasure hall shows a carved wooden mask that legend says Yoriie had made to show his mother how a plot had left his face swollen. It gave Okamoto Kido the idea for Shuzenji Monogatari, published in 1911 and still staged in kabuki. Kawabata Ryushi's dragon glares down from the ceiling. Each November the hall unveils the main image, a seated Dainichi Nyorai, for a short viewing. From Mishima the Izuhakone Railway reaches Shuzenji Station in about 32 minutes, and the bus to Shuzenji Onsen takes about 10 more. The temple also runs sutra-copying sessions for up to 12 people with brush pens, booked through Shuzenji SGG; the October 2026 session cost ¥2,000 and lasted about two hours. Tips: - Come in late November or early December for the abbot's garden, which opens to the public only then. - On 20 August the autumn Kobo-ki festival carries lanterns from the temple to Tokko Park, and on the 21st it closes with a river service for the drowned and fireworks. Q: Is Shuzen-ji free to visit? A: Yes. Shuzen-ji's grounds and main hall are free from 5:00 to 17:00. The treasure hall costs ¥300 for adults. Q: Is there parking at Shuzen-ji? A: No. Shuzen-ji has no car park, so drivers use the paid car parks in Shuzenji Onsen. Q: How do I get to Shuzen-ji from Tokyo? A: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Mishima, then the Izuhakone Railway to Shuzenji Station in about 32 minutes, and the bus to Shuzenji Onsen in about 10 minutes. Q: Can you visit Shuzen-ji? A: Partly open. The grounds and the front of the main hall are open to everyone from 5:00 to 17:00. The abbot's garden, which tradition says the future Emperor Taisho called the finest in the Tokai region, opens only for a special viewing from late November to early December. Q: What are the opening hours of Shuzen-ji? A: Shuzen-ji keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 05:00–17:00. Q: How should you behave at Shuzen-ji? A: At Shuzen-ji: Shuzen-ji is a working temple of the Soto school whose priests hold the morning service before the main image and the statue of Kobo Daishi every day, so keep your voice low near the hall. The temple's Kobo-ki festivals in April and August are religious services with processions and lantern rites, so give way to the mikoshi and the priests and watch from the side. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shuzenji-temple.jp/ https://www.shuzenji-temple.jp/treasurehall-shuzenji https://www.shuzenji-temple.jp/gyouji-zaiji-shuzenji https://www.shuzenji-temple.jp/access-shuzenji https://kanko.city.izu.shizuoka.jp/sightseeing/shuzenji-temple/ https://kanko.city.izu.shizuoka.jp/annual-events/annual-events-1227/ https://kanko.city.izu.shizuoka.jp/events/shakyo/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11386345 ### Takada Castle Site Park URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/takada-castle-site-park Type: Culture Local name: 高田城址公園 (ja) Also known as: Takada Castle, Takada Park, Takada Koen, Takada Castle ruins, 高田公園, 高田城 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 44-1 Honjo-cho, Joetsu, Niigata Coordinates: 37.10990, 138.25590 Kind: Castle Period: Edo Access: Open to visitors Hours: The park is always open. The three-storey turret opens 9:00–17:00 from April to November and 10:00–16:00 from December to March, with tickets sold until 30 minutes before closing. Closed: Turret: Mondays (Tuesday when Monday is a holiday), the day after a holiday, 29 December to 3 January, and Monday to Thursday in January and February except holidays. Open daily in the cherry festival and Golden Week. Entry: ¥310 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.80 or USD 2 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The park is free. The turret costs ¥310 for adults and ¥160 for high school students and for school children from outside the city; local school children and preschoolers go free. Joetsu City's page was updated on 21 April 2026. Topics: Castle, Cherry blossom, Edo period, Skiing history Price from: ¥310 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.80 or USD 2 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.city.joetsu.niigata.jp/site/museum/takada-castle.html Summary: Takada Castle Site Park in Joetsu is the moated park where Tokugawa Ieyasu's sixth son built his castle, and its rebuilt three-storey turret and moats suit travellers on the Hokuriku Shinkansen in early April when about 4,000 cherry trees bloom; the turret shuts Monday to Thursday in January and February. Tokugawa Ieyasu's sixth son Matsudaira Tadateru built Takada Castle as his seat. Today the inner and outer moats ring a public park with a history museum, an art museum, a library and sports grounds. The three-storey turret was rebuilt on the old site, and its first two floors show things that belonged to the Takada domain while the third looks out over the park. In April about 4,000 cherry trees bloom around the moats and paper lanterns light them at night. People count the scene among Japan's three great night-time cherry views. In summer lotus covers the outer moat. In January and February the turret opens only from Friday to Sunday and on holidays. Joetsu calls itself the place where skiing began in Japan, and the city runs a ski history museum with a section on Theodor von Lerch, whom the city credits with bringing skiing to Japan. The museum shares a five-venue pass with the turret. Tips: - Takada Station on the Echigo TOKImeki Railway's Myoko Haneuma Line is about 15 minutes' walk away, and a cherry-season shuttle runs to the Takada Library stop. - Buy the ¥1,000 five-venue pass if you also want the city's history and ski museums. Q: When are the cherry blossoms at Takada Castle Site Park? A: The Takada Castle Site Park cherry festival ran from 3 to 19 April in 2026, with lantern lighting from 18:00 to 21:00 and until 22:00 at peak bloom. Q: How much is the Takada Castle turret? A: The Takada Castle three-storey turret costs ¥310 for adults and ¥160 for high school students in 2026, and the park itself is free. Q: Is Takada Castle open in winter? A: Partly. The Takada Castle turret opens 10:00–16:00 from December to March and closes Monday to Thursday in January and February, while the park stays open. Q: Can you visit Takada Castle Site Park? A: Open to visitors. Q: How should you behave at Takada Castle Site Park? A: At Takada Castle Site Park: The cherry festival's lantern nights draw huge crowds along the moats, so keep to the paths and take your rubbish home. Joetsu has reserved parking at the temporary cherry-season car parks on weekends; park only where the city's signs send you. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.city.joetsu.niigata.jp/site/museum/takada-castle.html https://www.city.joetsu.niigata.jp/site/museum/ https://niigata-kankou.or.jp/location/site/41084 https://niigata-kankou.or.jp/event/2332 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11672057 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/406611425 ### Takayama Jinya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/takayama-jinya Type: Culture Local name: 高山陣屋 (ja) Also known as: Takayama Jinya Historical Government House, Takayama Jin'ya, Takayama Jinya Office, Jinya-mae morning market, 陣屋 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: 1-5 Hachiken-machi, Takayama, Gifu 506-0012 Coordinates: 36.13960, 137.25770 Kind: Museum Period: Edo period (1692–1868) Access: Open to visitors Hours: Last entry is 30 minutes before closing: 16:30 from April to October and 16:00 from November to March. A visit takes about 30 minutes. Closed: Over the New Year holidays, and in bad weather or for maintenance Entry: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Admission rose to ¥500 on 1 April 2026. High school students and younger enter free, and so do holders of disability and similar certificates. The free guided tours cost nothing either. Topics: Edo period, Shogunate administration, National historic site, Architecture Price from: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://jinya.gifu.jp/ Summary: Takayama Jinya is the only Edo-period government office in Japan whose main buildings still stand, and it suits anyone in Takayama with half an hour and an interest in how the shogunate ran a province; the rooms have no heating in winter. In 1692 the shogunate moved the Kanamori lords out of Hida to Kaminoyama in Dewa and took the province under its own rule. For the next 176 years, until 1868, 25 intendants governed Hida from this compound, and in 1777 the post rose from daikan to gundai. Of the 60 or so such offices in Japan at the end of the Edo period, only this one keeps its main buildings. After 1868 the compound stayed at the centre of Hida's government, and Gifu Prefecture used it as a local office until 1969. Restoration to its Edo-period form then took about 26 years and finished in 1996, and the site has been a national historic site since 1929. In September 2026 Gifu Prefecture opened a crowdfunding appeal to buy the wooden shingles for re-roofing the rice storehouse. Free guided tours run in Japanese and other languages, from a 5-minute overview to an hour-long walk, though not between 11:30 and 13:30. The Jinya-mae morning market sets up in the square outside from about 7:00 to noon, and the station is a 10-minute walk away. Tips: - Wear thick socks in winter; the house lends no slippers and has no heating. - Call ahead on 0577-32-0643 if you want a guided tour in English. - Pair it with the morning market in the square outside, which runs until about noon. Q: How much is Takayama Jinya admission? A: ¥500 for adults from 1 April 2026; high school students and younger enter free. Q: What are Takayama Jinya's opening hours? A: 8:45 to 17:00 from April to October and 8:45 to 16:30 from November to March, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. Q: Does Takayama Jinya have free guided tours? A: Yes, in Japanese and other languages, except between 11:30 and 13:30 and at busy times. Q: Can you visit Takayama Jinya? A: Open to visitors. Take off your shoes at the entrance and carry them in a bag; bring your own shoe bag if you can. No pets inside except assistance dogs; staff show owners where to leave a pet. Magazine and television filming needs an application in advance. Q: How should you behave at Takayama Jinya? A: At Takayama Jinya: Walk the tatami rooms in socks and carry your shoes in a bag. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://jinya.gifu.jp/ https://jinya.gifu.jp/about/ https://jinya.gifu.jp/guide/info/ https://jinya.gifu.jp/guide/access/ https://jinya.gifu.jp/guide/guidetour/ https://jinya.gifu.jp/news/information/p642/ https://jinya.gifu.jp/news/information/p686/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/spot/detail_1101.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11669454 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%B2%90%E9%98%9C%E7%9C%8C%E9%AB%98%E5%B1%B1%E5%B8%82%E5%85%AB%E8%BB%92%E7%94%BA1-5 ### Todai-ji URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/todai-ji Type: Culture Local name: 東大寺 (ja) Also known as: Todaiji, Todai-ji Temple, Great Buddha Hall, Daibutsuden, 大仏殿, Nara Daibutsu Region: Kansai Prefecture: Nara Town: Nara Coordinates: 34.68920, 135.83970 Kind: Temple Period: Nara period (8th century) Access: Open to visitors Hours: The Great Buddha Hall opens 7:30 to 17:30 from April to October and 8:00 to 17:00 from November to March. Hokke-do and the Kaidan-in ordination hall open 8:30 to 16:00, and the Todai-ji Museum 9:30 to 17:30 (17:00 in winter). The temple opens every day unless a special ceremony or emergency intervenes. Entry: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The Great Buddha Hall, Hokke-do, the Kaidan-do and the museum each charge their own entry, ¥800 for adults at the hall. Payment is cash only. Topics: Buddhism, Great Buddha, Nara period Price from: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.todaiji.or.jp/ Summary: Todai-ji suits a morning in Nara with the Great Buddha before the tour groups arrive, and its trade-off is a separate cash fee at each hall. Todai-ji dates from the Nara period, and its Great Buddha Hall opens earlier than most sights in the city, at 7:30 from April to October. In winter the doors open at 8:00 and close at 17:00. An adult pays ¥800 at the hall in cash. Hokke-do, also called Sangatsu-do, and the Kaidan-in ordination hall keep shorter hours, 8:30 to 16:00. The Todai-ji Museum sells a set ticket with the Great Buddha Hall, which you can buy at either. Tips: - Carry cash; every hall at Todai-ji takes cash only. - An audio guide is available just past the Great Buddha Hall's ticket gate. Q: What time does Todai-ji open? A: Todai-ji's Great Buddha Hall opens at 7:30 from April to October and at 8:00 from November to March. It closes at 17:30 in summer and 17:00 in winter. Q: How much does it cost to enter Todai-ji? A: Entry to Todai-ji's Great Buddha Hall costs ¥800 for adults and ¥400 for primary school children, cash only. Other halls charge separately. Q: Can you visit Todai-ji? A: Open to visitors. Pay entry in cash at each hall. Q: How should you behave at Todai-ji? A: At Todai-ji: Todai-ji is a working temple with daily services. Keep your voice low inside the halls and give way to anyone praying. Follow the signs inside each hall on photographs and on where you may walk. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.todaiji.or.jp/ https://www.todaiji.or.jp/information/haikan/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q460367 ### Togakushi Shrine URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/togakushi-shrine Type: Culture Local name: 戸隠神社 (ja) Also known as: Togakushi Jinja, Togakushi Okusha, Togakushi Chusha, Togakushi Hokosha, Togakushi five shrines, 戸隠神社奥社, 戸隠五社 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 36.74250, 138.08500 Kind: Shrine Access: Partly open Hours: The shrine offices at Hokosha, Chusha and Okusha take prayers and give goshuin from 9:00 to 17:00, with shorter winter hours. The Okusha hall closes from 7 January to late April. Closed: Okusha hall closed 7 January to late April Prices: The paid car park at the Okusha entrance charges ¥600 for three hours. Topics: Shrine, Mountain worship, Shugendo, Pilgrimage Website: https://www.togakushi-jinja.jp/ Summary: Togakushi Shrine is five shrines spread across the foot of Mt. Togakushi above Nagano City, and it suits walkers who want a half-day pilgrimage through old cedar forest; the Okusha inner shrine closes from 7 January to late April. The five shrines, Okusha, Chusha, Hokosha, Kuzuryusha and Hinomikosha, honour deities from the myth of Ama-no-Iwato, the cave where the sun goddess Amaterasu hid. In the shrine's telling, the rock door of that cave fell to earth and became Mt. Togakushi. People worshipped the mountain and its water first. The site later became Kenkoji, a Tendai temple and a centre of Shugendo mountain asceticism, until the Meiji government's 1868 order separating Shinto from Buddhism made it a shrine. The Okusha approach runs about 2 km from the road. The first stretch to the thatched red Zuishinmon gate is almost flat and takes about 15 minutes. Past the gate an avenue of kumasugi cedars more than 400 years old lines the path for about 500 metres. The last 20 to 25 minutes climb rough stone steps to Okusha and to Kuzuryusha, which honours a nine-headed dragon deity of water. Walking all five shrines takes about half a day. The Kanmichi, the old pilgrims' path up from Zenko-ji, links the lower shrines to Chusha through the forest, and Chusha is a 30-minute walk from the Okusha entrance. Chusha's hall has a ceiling dragon first painted by Kawanabe Kyosai and restored in 2003, and three cedars over 800 years old stand together in its grounds. In 2027 the shrine holds its Shikinen Taisai, its largest festival, from 25 April to 25 May. Mid-August brings the heaviest traffic of the year, and in 2026 a local council trialled shuttle buses to ease it. Tips: - Take the Alpico bus bound for Togakushi Kogen from stop No. 7 at Nagano Station; it takes about an hour. - Avoid 14 and 15 August if you can; Obon brings the year's worst traffic and parking around the shrines. - The toilets at the Okusha entrance and the large car park west of Chusha were closed for renovation in September 2026. Q: How long is the walk to Togakushi Okusha? A: About 40 minutes each way from the Okusha entrance: 15 minutes to the Zuishinmon gate, then 20 to 25 minutes up the cedar avenue and stone steps. Q: Is Togakushi Okusha open in winter? A: The Togakushi Okusha hall closes from 7 January to late April, and its goshuin is given at Chusha in that period. In winter the bus does not stop at the Okusha entrance. Q: How do I get to Togakushi Shrine from Nagano Station? A: Take the Alpico bus bound for Togakushi Kogen from stop No. 7 at Nagano Station. The ride to Togakushi Shrine takes about an hour. Q: Can you visit Togakushi Shrine? A: Partly open. No private cars on the Okusha approach; walk the 2 km from the entrance, about 40 minutes each way. The Okusha hall closes from 7 January to late April, and Okusha and Kuzuryusha goshuin are given at Chusha in that period. Snow can close the shrine car parks in winter. The Okusha forest, cedar avenue included, is a Nagano prefectural historic site and natural monument. Q: How should you behave at Togakushi Shrine? A: At Togakushi Shrine: Mt. Togakushi itself is the object of worship here, so keep to the paths around Okusha and Kuzuryusha and leave the forest as you find it. Daidai kagura, the sacred dance offered at Chusha, is a prayer to the deities; watch it quietly. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.togakushi-jinja.jp/english https://www.togakushi-jinja.jp/about/ https://www.togakushi-jinja.jp/allRound https://www.togakushi-jinja.jp/access https://www.togakushi-jinja.jp/festival-news/post-927.php https://www.togakushi-jinja.jp/news/post-966.php https://www.togakushi-jinja.jp/news/post-967.php https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/305201359 ### Tomioka Silk Mill URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/tomioka-silk-mill Type: Culture Local name: 富岡製糸場 (ja) Also known as: Tomioka, Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Industrial Heritage, 富岡製糸場と絹産業遺産群, Tomioka Seishijo Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Address: 1-1 Tomioka, Tomioka, Gunma 370-2316 Coordinates: 36.25530, 138.88770 Kind: Museum Period: Meiji era, founded in 1872 UNESCO: World Heritage Site Access: Open to visitors Hours: Last entry is at 16:30. The mill can close at short notice for inspections. Closed: 29 to 31 December Entry: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: A free smartphone audio guide covers English, Chinese, French and Korean among other languages. Topics: Silk, Industrial heritage, Meiji era, World Heritage Price from: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.tomioka-silk.jp/_tomioka-silk-mill/ Summary: Tomioka Silk Mill suits a rest day or a stop on the way to the mountains for anyone curious how Japan industrialised, and it lies well south of the ski areas, so you change trains at Takasaki to reach it. The Meiji government opened Tomioka in 1872 as a model mill, bringing in Western machinery to reel silk for export. Private owners took it over later and kept improving the reeling, and in 2014 UNESCO inscribed it with related sericulture sites as the Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Industrial Heritage. Its west cocoon warehouse is a National Treasure. It makes a good half-day from Takasaki, where the Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen stop. The Joshin line takes about 40 minutes to Joshu-Tomioka, and the mill is a 15-minute walk from there. Adults pay ¥1,000, and guides lead 40-minute walks through the site for ¥200 more. A free app gives the commentary in English. Tips: - Download the free audio guide app before you arrive for commentary in English. - Check the news page for special openings of the west cocoon warehouse and the iron water tank. Q: Can you visit Tomioka Silk Mill? A: Open to visitors. Visitors who guide their own group must not give talks inside the exhibition rooms. Q: How much does Tomioka Silk Mill cost? A: Prices at Tomioka Silk Mill start at ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Tomioka Silk Mill? A: Tomioka Silk Mill keeps these hours: Mon 09:00–17:00; Tue 09:00–17:00; Wed 09:00–17:00; Thu 09:00–17:00; Fri 09:00–17:00; Sat 09:00–17:00; Sun 09:00–17:00. Q: How should you behave at Tomioka Silk Mill? A: At Tomioka Silk Mill: Give any talk to your own group outside the exhibition rooms, as the mill asks. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tomioka-silk.jp/_tomioka-silk-mill/ https://www.tomioka-silk.jp/_tomioka-silk-mill/visit/ https://www.tomioka-silk.jp/_tomioka-silk-mill/access/ https://worldheritage.pref.gunma.jp/en/ https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1449 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7818931 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7769551 ### Tomonoura URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/tomonoura Type: Culture Local name: 鞆の浦 (ja) Also known as: Tomo no Ura, Tomo, Taichoro, Joyato lantern, 鞆 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Tomonoura Address: Tomo-cho, Fukuyama, Hiroshima Coordinates: 34.38090, 133.38030 Kind: Old town Period: Harbour since the Man'yoshu era; Edo-period port works and townscape Access: Open to visitors Prices: The streets and harbour are free. Taichoro, the Ota residence and the museums charge their own fees. Topics: Port town, Edo period, Korean envoys Website: https://www.city.fukuyama.hiroshima.jp/soshiki/kanko/85749.html Summary: Tomonoura suits anyone with a spare day near Fukuyama who wants an Edo-period port town on the Inland Sea, and the trade-off is a 30-minute bus ride from Fukuyama Station. Tomonoura has served as a harbour since the age of the Man'yoshu, because ships in the middle of the Seto Inland Sea waited here for the tide to turn. It grew into a town of merchants, blacksmiths, brewers and fishermen. Ashikaga Yoshiaki was the last shogun of the Muromachi period, and in 1576 he fled to Tomo and tried to revive his government from here. The harbour keeps its Edo-period works almost whole. People of Nishimachi gave the stone Joyato lantern in 1859, and at more than 10 metres from its foundation it is the tallest of its kind left from that era. Below it the stepped gangi landing let boats load at any tide, and the cut-stone walls of the old coastguard post still stand on Taigashima. Taichoro is the reception hall of Fukuzenji, built in the Genroku era (1688 to 1703) on a stone wall over the sea. Korean envoys stayed here, and in 1711 the official Yi Bang-won called the view the finest east of Korea; the chief envoy Hong Gye-hui named the hall in 1748. In April 1867 Sakamoto Ryoma's ship Irohamaru sank off Tomo, and the talks over the wreck took place partly at Taichoro while he hid in an attic room of the Masuya Seiemon house. Tips: - Buses for Tomonoura leave JR Fukuyama Station and take about 30 minutes. - The Tomonoura Tourist Information Center stands in front of the Tomonoura bus stop. - The Ota residence belonged to brewers of homeishu, a herbal liquor that was Tomo's speciality, and it is an Important Cultural Property. Q: Can you visit Tomonoura? A: Open to visitors. Q: How should you behave at Tomonoura? A: At Tomonoura: The lanes are homes and workplaces, so step aside for residents' vans and keep voices down early and late. Ask before you photograph people working in the harbour. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.fukuyama.hiroshima.jp/soshiki/kanko/85749.html https://dive-hiroshima.com/en/explore/1780/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8194022 https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4006849893 ### Mt. Tsukuba Shrine URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/tsukubasan-shrine Type: Culture Local name: 筑波山神社 (ja) Also known as: Tsukubasan Shrine, Tsukubasan Jinja, Mount Tsukuba Shrine, 筑波山 Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Town: Tsukuba Address: 1 Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-4352 Coordinates: 36.21380, 140.10140 Kind: Shrine Access: Partly open Hours: The shrine office answers the phone 9:00–17:00. Prices: The grounds are free. The shrine car park charges ¥500 a day, free for those booking a prayer. Topics: Shrine, Mountain worship Website: https://tsukubasanjinja.jp/ Summary: Mt. Tsukuba Shrine suits walkers and riders who want to pay their respects at the foot of the twin peaks before the climb, and its real sanctuaries sit on the two summits, so a visit to the hall alone sees only the threshold. Mt. Tsukuba has been worshipped since people first lived in the Kanto plain, says the shrine. Its two peaks are a male and a female deity, Izanagi on Nantai-san at 871 m and Izanami on Nyotai-san at 877 m, each with a sanctuary on its summit rock. The worship hall stands at 270 m on the southern slope, and the mountain above it is the shrine's sacred body. Tokugawa Iemitsu gave the shrine its Zuishinmon gate and roofed sacred bridge in 1633. Twice a year, on 1 April and 1 November, the shrine holds its Ozagawari festival, and only then may walkers cross the bridge. From Tsukuba station the Mt. Tsukuba shuttle bus takes about 40 minutes to the shrine. The cable car up Nantai-san starts from Miyawaki station above it. Tips: - Visit the hall first, then take the cable car or walk up to the summit shrines. Q: How do I get to Mt. Tsukuba Shrine? A: Take the Tsukuba Express from Akihabara to Tsukuba, about 45 minutes, then the Mt. Tsukuba shuttle bus, about 40 minutes to the shrine. Q: Can you visit Mt. Tsukuba Shrine? A: Partly open. The roofed sacred bridge, given by Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1633, opens to walkers only at the spring and autumn Ozagawari festivals on 1 April and 1 November and at the setsubun festival on 10 and 11 February. The whole mountain above the hall is shrine ground, with the main sanctuaries on the two summits. Q: What are the opening hours of Mt. Tsukuba Shrine? A: Mt. Tsukuba Shrine is open the shrine office answers the phone 9:00–17:00. Q: How should you behave at Mt. Tsukuba Shrine? A: At Mt. Tsukuba Shrine: Mt. Tsukuba itself is the object of worship, so treat the trails to Nantai-san and Nyotai-san as shrine paths and keep to them. Bow at the gate and the hall before you start a climb from the shrine. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tsukubasanjinja.jp/history/ https://tsukubasanjinja.jp/keidai/ https://tsukubasanjinja.jp/access/ https://mt-tsukuba.com/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11602876 ### Tsumago-juku URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/tsumago-juku Type: Culture Local name: 妻籠宿 (ja) Also known as: Tsumago, Tsumago post town, Tsumagojuku, Nakasendo Tsumago, Magome to Tsumago walk Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 35.57700, 137.59540 Kind: Post town Period: Edo period (post station from 1601) Access: Open to visitors Hours: Tsumago Tourist Information Centre opens 8:30–17:00. Prices: Walking the street costs nothing. Luggage forwarding to or from Magome costs ¥1,000 a bag in 2026. Topics: Nakasendo, Post town, Preservation, Hiking Website: https://tsumago.jp/ Summary: Tsumago-juku is the 42nd post town on the old Nakasendo from Edo, kept as a lived-in Edo-period street by its own residents, and it suits walkers who pair it with the 9 km trail to Magome. Cars stay out from 10:00 to 16:00, and the car parks sit along Route 256. Tsumago grew where the Nakasendo, the inland road between Edo and Kyoto, met the Ina road, and it counted 42nd of the route's 69 stations from Edo. Once the railway and new roads bypassed it in the Meiji era, the town sank into decline. Residents started one of the country's first preservation movements, formed a society in 1968 and in 1971 adopted a charter that keeps every house and field in local hands and standing. The state selected the street as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings in 1976. The old Nakasendo runs 9 km from Tsumago over Magome Pass (790 m) on the Nagano–Gifu border to Magome-juku in Gifu, and the walk takes two and a half to three hours. From Tsumago the climb to the pass is long and gentle, and the Magome side is short and steep. For a shorter day, ride a bus or car to the pass and walk downhill to Tsumago in about 90 minutes. The old Ichikokutochi tea house on the way is a free rest stop. From 20 March to 30 November 2026 the tourist information centres forward bags between Tsumago, Otsumago and Magome for ¥1,000 each. Drop them off between 8:30 and 11:30 and collect them from 13:00. Bears have been reported coming down near villages lately, so the Tsumago and Magome information centres rent bells for a ¥100 fee. JR Nagiso Station is about 10 minutes away by taxi or 40 minutes on foot along the old road, and a local bus also runs. Nagiso sits on the Shinano limited express line, about 2 hours 40 minutes from Tokyo via Nagoya by Shinkansen. Tips: - Pick up a cypress-wood certificate for finishing the Tsumago–Magome walk at either information centre for ¥300, or ¥150 with a hiking ticket from your inn. - Take the downhill-only version if knees are a worry: start at Magome Pass and walk 90 minutes down to Tsumago. Q: How long is the walk from Tsumago to Magome? A: About 9 km on the old Nakasendo, which takes two and a half to three hours. The stretch from Tsumago up to Magome Pass is a long, gentle climb. Q: Can I send my luggage between Tsumago and Magome? A: Yes. From 20 March to 30 November 2026 the Tsumago and Magome tourist information centres forward bags for ¥1,000 each; drop them off between 8:30 and 11:30. Q: Can I drive into Tsumago-juku? A: No. Vehicles are banned inside Tsumago-juku from 10:00 to 16:00. Use the car parks along Route 256. Q: Can you visit Tsumago-juku? A: Open to visitors. Vehicles are banned inside the post town from 10:00 to 16:00 by order of the prefectural public safety commission. Cars park at the No. 2 or Central car parks on Route 256, and tour buses use the No. 1 car park. Q: What are the opening hours of Tsumago-juku? A: Tsumago-juku is open tsumago Tourist Information Centre opens 8:30–17:00. Q: How should you behave at Tsumago-juku? A: At Tsumago-juku: People live and work in the houses along the street, so photograph the streetscape freely and ask before pointing a camera into a shop or home. Old stone paving on the Nakasendo turns slippery after rain; walk it slowly and keep to the trail through the fields and forest. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tsumago.jp/learn https://tsumago.jp/walk https://tsumago.jp/access https://tsumago.jp/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/2481029864 ### Tsuruga Castle URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/tsuruga-castle Type: Culture Local name: 鶴ヶ城 (ja) Also known as: Tsurugajo, Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle, Wakamatsu Castle, Aizuwakamatsu Castle, Tsurugajo Castle, 若松城 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Fukushima Address: 1-1 Otemachi, Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima 965-0873 Coordinates: 37.48780, 139.92970 Kind: Castle Period: Built about 630 years ago Access: Open to visitors Hours: The keep museum opens every day from 8:30 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:30. Entry: ¥410 per adult (2026), about CAD 3.70 or USD 2.60 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The keep museum costs ¥410 for adults and ¥150 for children. A joint ticket with the Rinkaku tea house costs ¥520, and one that adds the Oyakuen garden costs ¥730. Pay cash at the window or buy a web ticket by card. The castle car parks charge ¥200 for the first hour and ¥100 for each hour after. Topics: Castle, Boshin war, Museum, Tea house, Cherry blossom Price from: ¥410 per adult (2026), about CAD 3.70 or USD 2.60 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.tsurugajo.com/tsurugajo/ Summary: Tsuruga Castle suits visitors to Aizu who want a red-tiled castle keep with a museum inside and a tea house in the grounds; the keep holds a museum of Aizu's history, and cherry season brings the biggest crowds. Tsuruga Castle has stood in Aizu for about 630 years, and its formal name is Wakamatsu Castle. In the Boshin War of 1868 it held out through heavy attack, and it is known as the impregnable castle. Its five-tier keep wears red roof tiles, and it ranks among Japan's 100 fine castles. Inside, the keep is a museum of Aizu's history. The Rinkaku tea house in the grounds is said to have been built by Shoan, son of the tea master Sen no Rikyu. After the war it was kept safe in the town, and in 1990 it came back to the castle grounds. You can sit for matcha and a sweet there. The Oyakuen garden of the Matsudaira lords lies about 15 minutes' walk east and grows medicinal herbs around its pond. About 1,000 cherry trees surround the keep, and they bloom from mid-April to early May. In autumn 2026 the museum shows 'Aizu in Kyoto' from 12 September to 3 November. An English guided walk runs in the grounds too. Tips: - Rent a bike at the castle's town rental station to ride between the keep, the Oyakuen garden and the old town. - Buy the ¥730 three-site ticket if you plan to see the tea house and the Oyakuen garden too. Q: How much is Tsuruga Castle? A: The keep museum costs ¥410 for adults and ¥150 for children. A ticket with the Rinkaku tea house costs ¥520. Q: What are Tsuruga Castle's opening hours? A: 8:30–17:00 every day, with last entry at 16:30. Q: Can you visit Tsuruga Castle? A: Open to visitors. Pay for the keep in cash at the ticket window, or buy a web ticket ahead by card. Visitors with a disability certificate enter free, with one companion where the certificate allows. Q: How should you behave at Tsuruga Castle? A: At Tsuruga Castle: The castle's story includes the young Byakkotai soldiers who died in the 1868 Boshin War. Treat the exhibits on them as a memorial. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tsurugajo.com/tsurugajo/ https://www.tsurugajo.com/ https://www.tsurugajo.com/tsurugajo/cycle/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1365061 ### Yamadera (Risshaku-ji) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/yamadera Type: Culture Local name: 宝珠山 立石寺 (ja) Also known as: Yamadera, Yama-dera, Risshakuji, Risshaku-ji, Rissyakuji, Yamadera temple, Yamadera Godaido, 山寺, 立石寺 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Address: 4456-1 Yamadera, Yamagata, Yamagata 999-3301 Coordinates: 38.31260, 140.43740 Kind: Temple Period: Founded 860 Access: Open to visitors Hours: The climb opens 8:00–16:00 from April to September and 8:00–15:30 in October and November. From December to March it opens 8:30–15:00 and the gate shuts at 16:00, and snow or ice can close it earlier. Entry: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Entry costs ¥500 for adults (junior high and older) and ¥200 for children from age four. These prices took effect on 1 April 2025. The temple takes cash only. Topics: Temple, Tendai, Basho, Mountain temple Price from: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://rissyakuji.jp/ Summary: Yamadera suits anyone near Yamagata or Zao who can manage 1,015 stone steps for a mountain temple and a cliff-edge view; the climb takes about 90 minutes round trip, and winter ice can shorten the day. Everyone calls Risshaku-ji by its nickname Yamadera, which means mountain temple. Ennin founded it in 860, and he served as the third abbot of the Tendai school. He brought a flame from Enryaku-ji on Mt. Hiei, and the temple says it still burns in the Konponchudo hall. When Oda Nobunaga burned Enryaku-ji, Yamadera's flame went back to relight it. The Konponchudo itself was rebuilt in 1356 and is said to be the oldest beech building in Japan. The climb starts at the Sanmon gate and runs up 1,015 stone steps. The poet Matsuo Basho wrote his haiku about cicadas and stillness here, and a statue of him stands near the Konponchudo. The Niomon gate went up again in 1848, and past it the path reaches the Okunoin at the top in about 15 minutes more. Leave time for the Godaido. The hall juts from the cliff and looks out over the valley. Close by stand the Kaisando, which enshrines Ennin, and the small red Nokyodo on its rock. The Nokyodo is the oldest building on the mountain. From December to March the climb opens 8:30–15:00, and the temple warns that weather can bring the closing time forward. Wear boots with grip on snowy days and start early. Tips: - Bring cash for the ¥500 entry. The temple doesn't take cards. - Allow about 90 minutes for the round trip, and more if you stop at every hall. Q: How many steps are there at Yamadera? A: 1,015 stone steps. The round trip to the Okunoin takes about an hour and a half. Q: How much does Yamadera cost? A: ¥500 for adults and ¥200 for children from age four, cash only, since 1 April 2025. Q: What time does Yamadera close in winter? A: From December to March the climb opens 8:30–15:00 and the gate shuts at 16:00, earlier in bad weather. Q: Can you visit Yamadera (Risshaku-ji)? A: Open to visitors. The whole climb is stone steps, 1,015 of them, and the round trip takes about an hour and a half. From December to March weather can close the gate before the usual time. The temple grounds, the trail and the area around them are a no-fly zone for drones. Pay the entry fee in cash. Q: What are the opening hours of Yamadera (Risshaku-ji)? A: Yamadera (Risshaku-ji) keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:00–16:00. Q: How should you behave at Yamadera (Risshaku-ji)? A: At Yamadera (Risshaku-ji): Yamadera is a working Tendai temple that has kept a lamp burning and a continuous sutra-copying practice for centuries, so keep your voice down in the halls. Stay on the stepped path, and don't photograph monks or people at prayer. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://rissyakuji.jp/ https://rissyakuji.jp/sanpai/ https://www.yamaderakankou.com/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1760419 ### Zenko-ji URL: https://ridingjapan.com/culture/zenko-ji Type: Culture Local name: 善光寺 (ja) Also known as: Zenkoji, Zenkoji Temple, Zenko-ji Temple, Zenkoji Nagano, 善光寺 長野 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 36.66140, 138.18770 Kind: Temple Access: Partly open Hours: The Hondo's inner sanctuary opens an hour before the daily O-asaji morning service and closes at 16:30 from April to October, 16:15 in March and November and 16:00 from December to February. The Sanmon gate, the sutra hall and the temple museum open 9:00–16:00. On 31 December everything closes at 13:00. Entry: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Prayer in the outer hall needs no ticket. The combined ticket costs ¥1,500 for adults, ¥600 for middle and high school students and ¥200 for primary pupils, and covers the inner sanctuary with the Okaidan, the Sanmon gate, the sutra hall and the museum. The inner sanctuary ticket alone is ¥800 for adults. Topics: Temple, Buddhism, Pilgrimage, National treasure Price from: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.zenkoji.jp/ Summary: Zenko-ji in Nagano City is a working temple whose National Treasure main hall keeps a hidden Buddha that no one is shown, and it suits visitors who come for the morning service and quiet time in the hall; in 2027 it holds the Gokaicho, the temple's largest event. The Hondo is a National Treasure, and its main image, the Zenko-ji Nyorai, is an absolute hidden Buddha that stays out of sight. Worshippers pray in the naijin, a tatami hall of about 150 mats facing the nainaijin where the priests chant. O-asaji, the morning service, runs every day, and the inner sanctuary opens an hour before it starts. From the nainaijin a passage leads down to the Okaidan, a pitch-dark corridor under the altar. You walk it with one hand on the wall, feeling for the Gokuraku no Jomae, the lock of the Pure Land, that hangs directly beneath the hidden Buddha. The temple teaches that touching it binds you to the Buddha and promises rebirth in the Pure Land. In earlier times pilgrims walked it chanting, dressed as they would be in their coffins. A combined ticket covers the inner sanctuary and Okaidan, the Sanmon gate, the sutra hall and the temple museum for ¥1,500 for adults in 2026. The inner sanctuary ticket alone costs ¥800. From Tokyo, the Hokuriku Shinkansen reaches Nagano Station in about 1 hour 30 minutes. In 2027 Zenko-ji holds its Gokaicho. The temple brings the Maedachi Honzon, an Important Cultural Property that stands in for the hidden Buddha, from its treasury into the main hall. A pillar about 10 metres tall goes up in front of the Hondo, tied to the Buddha by a cord, and touching it is said to join you to the Buddha. Check the Gokaicho site for the dates. Tips: - Go early: the inner sanctuary opens an hour before the morning service. - On 31 December the halls close at 13:00. - Ask the temple office about wheelchair loans before you visit. Q: How much does it cost to visit Zenko-ji? A: Praying in Zenko-ji's outer hall needs no ticket. In 2026 the combined ticket for the inner sanctuary, Okaidan, Sanmon gate, sutra hall and museum costs ¥1,500 for adults, and the inner sanctuary ticket alone costs ¥800. Q: What is the Okaidan at Zenko-ji? A: The Okaidan is a pitch-dark passage beneath Zenko-ji's altar. Worshippers feel along the wall for a lock hanging under the hidden Buddha, which the temple teaches binds them to the Buddha. Q: When is the next Zenko-ji Gokaicho? A: Zenko-ji holds its next Gokaicho in 2027. The temple's Gokaicho site gives the schedule. Q: Can you visit Zenko-ji? A: Partly open. The naijin (inner sanctuary) and the Okaidan need a ticket from the machine to the right as you enter the Hondo from the front. The nainaijin beyond the naijin is where priests chant and where the temple holds prayers and memorial services. Q: What are the opening hours of Zenko-ji? A: Zenko-ji is open the Hondo's inner sanctuary opens an hour before the daily O-asaji morning service and closes at 16:30 from April to October, 16:15 in March and November and 16:00 from December to February. The Sanmon gate, the sutra hall and the temple museum open 9:00–16:00. On 31 December everything closes at 13:00. Q: How should you behave at Zenko-ji? A: At Zenko-ji: Zenko-ji is a working temple with services every day, so keep your voice low in the Hondo and leave the space before the altar to people at prayer. Worshippers rub the wooden Binzuru statue in the outer hall on the spot where their own body aches, hoping for healing, so touch it gently and with that purpose. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.zenkoji.jp/meguru/sanpai/ https://www.zenkoji.jp/about/jin/ https://www.zenkoji.jp/about/nainaijin/ https://www.zenkoji.jp/access/ https://www.zenkoji.jp/press/ https://www.zenkoji.jp/annual/ https://www.gokaicho.zenkoji.jp/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/220401982 ## Dishes and drinks ### Ankou nabe URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/ankou-nabe Type: Food Local name: あんこう鍋 (ja) Also known as: anko nabe, monkfish hotpot, anglerfish hotpot, dobu-jiru, どぶ汁, 鮟鱇鍋 Kind: Dish From: Ibaraki Season: November to March, when the anglerfish build up their livers for winter. How to order: Ask for ankou nabe for the classic hotpot, or dobu-jiru for the richer version with the liver melted into the broth. Many places serve it as a course, so book for the evening. Vegetarian: No; the broth and the meal are built on the fish. Summary: Ankou nabe suits anyone in Ibaraki in winter who wants the coast's prized hotpot, and its liver-rich broth is heavy going for anyone who likes their fish light. The prefecture brands anglerfish of 2 kg and more, landed by its own trawlers and chilled at once, as Ibaraki ankou. Cooks use the whole fish, which locals call the seven tools: liver, stomach, skin, fins, gills, ovaries and flesh. The rich liver earns the nickname foie gras of the sea. Hotpot season runs from November to March. Dobu-jiru melts the liver into the broth, and ankou tomozu dresses the parts in a liver and vinegar sauce. Q: How do you order Ankou nabe? A: Ask for ankou nabe for the classic hotpot, or dobu-jiru for the richer version with the liver melted into the broth. Many places serve it as a course, so book for the evening. Q: When is Ankou nabe in season? A: Ankou nabe: November to March, when the anglerfish build up their livers for winter. Q: Where can you eat Ankou nabe in Japan? A: Places we list for Ankou nabe include Fugu Ankou Kisaku. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ibaraki-shokusai.net/brand/anko/ https://www.ibarakiguide.jp/gourmet/ibaraki_major_food.html https://www.tsuchiura-kankou.jp/taberu/taberu_page ### Basashi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/basashi Type: Food Local name: 馬刺し (ja) Also known as: horse sashimi, sakura sashimi, sakura-sashi, さくら刺, 馬刺 Kind: Dish From: Nagano Season: All year. How to order: Order basashi (馬刺し) as a mixed platter to try several cuts, with soy sauce and ginger or garlic. In Nozawa Onsen, Izakaya Tsukushinbo lists horse sashimi among its local plates. Vegetarian: No. Basashi is raw horse meat. Summary: Basashi is raw horse meat sliced like sashimi, a speciality of central and southern Nagano that grew out of the region's working horses, and it suits diners who are comfortable eating both raw meat and horse. Nagano began eating horse in the late Meiji period, when farmers started eating their old work horses, according to Go Nagano, the prefecture's tourism site. The habit spread through central and southern Shinshu, where horses hauled freight on the Sanshu Kaido toward Mikawa and travelling horse dealers called bakuro bought animals across the country. Nagano ranks third for horse meat after Kumamoto and Fukushima and produces about 4 percent of the national total. Cuts run from lean akami and marbled shimofuri to fatty belly, liver, heart and tategami, the white fat from under the mane. Japanese Wikipedia gives the usual way to eat it: dipped in soy sauce with grated ginger or garlic and chopped spring onion. Shin-Miyoshi in Matsumoto opened as the ryotei Miyoshi near Matsumoto Castle in 1899 and serves a five-cut platter and sakura nabe, the horse hot pot. Its chef buys the best meat available on the day from Nagano, Kumamoto, Canada or Italy, so ask where yours came from. Basashi is raw meat. Japan's health ministry guidance, quoted on Japanese Wikipedia, says freezing horse meat to a core temperature of −20°C for 48 hours or more lowers the risk from the Sarcocystis fayeri parasite. Sakura nabe cooks the same meat in a hot pot for anyone who would rather eat it hot. Q: Why do people in Nagano eat horse meat? A: Horse meat eating in Nagano began in the late Meiji period, when farmers ate their aged work horses. It spread through central and southern Shinshu, where horses carried freight on the Sanshu Kaido, according to the prefecture's tourism site. Q: Is basashi safe to eat? A: Basashi is raw meat. Japan's health ministry guidance says freezing horse meat to a core temperature of −20°C for 48 hours or more lowers the risk from the Sarcocystis fayeri parasite. Sakura nabe, the horse hot pot, cooks the meat. Q: How do you order Basashi? A: Order basashi (馬刺し) as a mixed platter to try several cuts, with soy sauce and ginger or garlic. In Nozawa Onsen, Izakaya Tsukushinbo lists horse sashimi among its local plates. Q: When is Basashi in season? A: Basashi: All year. Q: Where can you eat Basashi in Japan? A: Places we list for Basashi include Izakaya Tsukushinbo. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.go-nagano.net/food-and-drink/id22158 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%A6%AC%E5%88%BA%E3%81%97 https://nozawahospitality.com/restaurants ### Biwa masu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/biwa-masu Type: Food Local name: ビワマス (ja) Also known as: Biwa trout, Biwa salmon, amenouo, アメノウオ, Oncorhynchus biwaensis Kind: Ingredient From: Lake Biwa Season: Fish in June and July carry the most fat and are the ones to eat. Troll fishing stops from 1 October to 30 November while the fish run up the northern rivers to spawn. Hisago-zushi has told diners that the wild net season ends on 30 September. How to order: Ask for biwamasu as sashimi or sushi. In the Kohoku north it comes cooked whole with rice as masu-meshi, and in the south and west as amenoio gohan. Summary: Biwa masu suits anyone who likes salmon sashimi and wants to taste Lake Biwa itself, and the fish is scarce on autumn menus while the fishery closes. Biwa masu lives naturally only in Lake Biwa, and in 2025 scientists described it as a species of its own named Oncorhynchus biwaensis. Locals also call it amenouo, and it runs up the northern rivers when autumn rain raises them. Adults reach 40 to 45 centimetres, and the flesh is a deep red with a lot of fat. From September into early November the fish climb the Ane, Inukami and Ado rivers to spawn, and every one dies afterwards. Troll fishing on the lake stops from 1 October to 30 November. Early summer fish are the ones the cooks want, and Hisago-zushi in Omihachiman puts them in box sushi. Q: When is Biwa masu in season? A: Biwa masu is best in June and July, when the fish carry the most fat. Troll fishing on Lake Biwa closes from 1 October to 30 November. Q: How do you order Biwa masu? A: Ask for biwamasu as sashimi or sushi. In the Kohoku north it comes cooked whole with rice as masu-meshi, and in the south and west as amenoio gohan. Q: Where can you eat Biwa masu in Japan? A: Places we list for Biwa masu include Hisago-zushi. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ビワマス https://www.hisagozushi.com/menu/ https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/12426/?active=stay ### Omi chanpon URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/chanpon-noodles Type: Food Local name: 近江ちゃんぽん (ja) Also known as: Ohmi chanpon, Omi champon, Hikone chanpon, 近江ちゃんぽん亭, chanpon-tei Kind: Noodle From: Hikone, Shiga Season: All year. How to order: Order the plain Omi chanpon and drink the broth first. Halfway down the bowl add about half a spoonful of the vinegar on the table, then try the pickled ginger or chilli sauce. Vegetarian: The broth is bonito and kombu dashi, so it is not vegetarian. Summary: Omi chanpon suits riders who want a big, light bowl of vegetables and noodles after a day on the bike, and most bowls you will find come from one chain. Omi chanpon was born in 1963 at a noodle shop called Okabe in Hikone's Ginza arcade, after the owner tasted chanpon on a trip to Nagasaki. The Hikone bowl uses a light dashi of bonito and kombu, with plenty of vegetables simmered on top of medium-thick noodles and no seafood. Regulars add vinegar halfway through. From the 1990s Chanpon-tei spread the bowl around Shiga and into the neighbouring prefectures. The original Okabe shop closed in June 2012 when its lease ran out. Its owners had already opened another branch in Hikone to keep the recipe going. Q: How is Omi chanpon different from Nagasaki champon? A: Omi chanpon uses a light bonito and kombu dashi and simmers its vegetables. Nagasaki champon fries its toppings in lard and uses a cloudy pork and chicken broth. In Shiga people add vinegar halfway through. Q: How do you order Omi chanpon? A: Order the plain Omi chanpon and drink the broth first. Halfway down the bowl add about half a spoonful of the vinegar on the table, then try the pickled ginger or chilli sauce. Q: When is Omi chanpon in season? A: Omi chanpon: All year. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/近江ちゃんぽん https://chanpontei.com/menu/ https://chanpontei.com/ ### Dango-jiru URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/dango-jiru Type: Food Local name: だんご汁 (ja) Also known as: dangojiru, dago-jiru, dagojiru, だご汁 Kind: Dish From: Oita, Kumamoto, Fukuoka Season: Families make it most from early autumn through winter, though restaurants serve it all year. How to order: Look for dango-jiru in Oita and dago-jiru in Kumamoto and Fukuoka. Aosora Shokudo in Aso serves it as a set meal. Vegetarian: The broth is usually dried sardine and kombu or shiitake, and many bowls add pork, so ask before you order. Summary: Dango-jiru suits riders who want a cheap, filling bowl on a cold day in Oita or Aso, and its chewy hand-pulled noodles are thicker and plainer than udon. Oita has always had more upland fields than rice paddies, so wheat and barley went into flour, and dango-jiru is the best-known dish of that flour culture. Cooks knead flour and water, rest it in balls, then stretch it by hand into flat ribbons and drop them into a miso soup with vegetables. The ministry of agriculture says that resting stage is why a ribbon of dough is still called a dango, or dumpling. It was everyday food when rice ran short, and taro is the favourite partner in the pot. Next door in Kumamoto and Fukuoka the same dish goes by dago-jiru, and it turns up at school lunches and in big pots at local festivals. Q: Why is dango-jiru called dango when the noodles are flat? A: According to Japan's ministry of agriculture, the dough rests in balls before it is pulled into flat ribbons, and the name for dumpling stuck from that stage. Q: How do you order Dango-jiru? A: Look for dango-jiru in Oita and dago-jiru in Kumamoto and Fukuoka. Aosora Shokudo in Aso serves it as a set meal. Q: When is Dango-jiru in season? A: Dango-jiru: Families make it most from early autumn through winter, though restaurants serve it all year. Q: Where can you eat Dango-jiru in Japan? A: Places we list for Dango-jiru include Aosora Shokudo at Aso Shikisai. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/dangojiru_oita.html http://4kisai.com/restaurant/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11271624 ### Echizen soba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/echizen-soba Type: Food Local name: 越前そば (ja) Also known as: Echizen oroshi soba, Oroshi soba, 越前おろしそば, おろしそば, Fukui soba Kind: Noodle From: Fukui Season: Eaten all year and served cold in winter. New-crop soba festivals run across Fukui at harvest time in autumn. How to order: Ask for oroshi soba and pour the broth over the noodles, or dip them, as the shop shows you. Vegetarian: The broth is usually made with bonito, so ask before you order. Summary: Echizen soba suits skiers coming off the hill at JAM Fukui Katsuyama who want a light lunch, and its one catch is that Fukui serves it cold even in midwinter. Fukui's everyday soba is oroshi soba: cold buckwheat noodles under cold broth with grated daikon and bonito flakes. Many cooks use Echizen karami daikon, a hot local radish. Households differ on whether the daikon goes in grated or only as squeezed juice. The ministry traces Fukui's buckwheat to the 1470s, when the Asakura clan grew it at Ichijodani as food for sieges. From 1601 Honda Tomimasa brought soba makers with him to Fuchu, now Echizen city, and the thin noodles under daikon spread from there. The Echizen name stuck after the Showa emperor praised the soba on a visit. Fukui people still eat it at Buddhist Hoonko gatherings and as their New Year's Eve soba. Q: How do you order Echizen soba? A: Ask for oroshi soba and pour the broth over the noodles, or dip them, as the shop shows you. Q: When is Echizen soba in season? A: Echizen soba: Eaten all year and served cold in winter. New-crop soba festivals run across Fukui at harvest time in autumn. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/oroshi_soba_fukui.html https://www.fuku-e.com/fukutabi/detail_601.html ### Ehime Mikan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/ehime-mikan Type: Food Local name: 愛媛みかん (ja) Also known as: mikan, satsuma mandarin, unshu mikan, Ehime citrus, みかん Kind: Ingredient From: Ehime Season: Unshu mikan ripen from September to December by variety, with the earliest kinds picked in September and October. How to order: Buy a bag at a farm stand or michi-no-eki, or ask for mikan juice wherever you stop. Vegetarian: Yes. Summary: Ehime mikan are the sweet, easy-peel satsuma mandarins the prefecture has grown on a large scale since the Meiji era, and autumn into winter is their season. Ehime started growing unshu mikan on a large scale in the Meiji era and led Japan's mikan harvest until 2003, and Wakayama overtook it in 2004. The prefecture still ranks second, and the southern Nanyo area farms citrus and fish above all. Iyokan is the other Ehime citrus most people know. After a soak at Dogo Onsen Honkan, the bathhouse shop sells mikan juice for ¥180 and small bars of mikan soap for ¥70. Q: How do you order Ehime Mikan? A: Buy a bag at a farm stand or michi-no-eki, or ask for mikan juice wherever you stop. Q: When is Ehime Mikan in season? A: Ehime Mikan: Unshu mikan ripen from September to December by variety, with the earliest kinds picked in September and October. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://dogo.jp/onsen/honkan https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/愛媛県 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/温州みかん https://www.velo-city-conference.com/en/ehime/about-ehime/ ### Fujinomiya yakisoba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/fujinomiya-yakisoba Type: Food Local name: 富士宮やきそば (ja) Also known as: Fujinomiya fried noodles, 富士宮焼きそば Kind: Noodle From: Fujinomiya Season: Year-round. How to order: Ask for Fujinomiya yakisoba. Some shops add squid, minced meat or sakura shrimp. Vegetarian: No. Nikukasu pork fat and sardine powder are part of the dish. Summary: Fujinomiya yakisoba suits riders passing the west side of Fuji who want a cheap, chewy plate of noodles, and only shops the trademark holder approves may sell it under the name. Fujinomiya yakisoba is the fried noodle dish of Fujinomiya, the shrine town on Fuji's south-west side. The Fujinomiya Yakisoba Gakkai, the town's promotion society, names what sets it apart: firm steamed noodles from local makers, nikukasu, the crisp bits left after rendering pork back fat into lard, and a finishing shake of dried sardine powder. Cooks fry the noodles with little or no water to keep the bite. People in Fujinomiya ate it for decades at sweet shops and okonomiyaki counters before the society formed in 2000 and began selling it as a local brand. It won the B-1 Grand Prix for local food in 2006 and 2007, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs now lists it as a 100-year food. Selling yakisoba under the name needs the trademark holder's permission, and the society lists its shops on its site. Tips: - Look for shops on the society's list; the society publishes them on its site. Q: What makes Fujinomiya yakisoba different? A: It uses firm steamed noodles from Fujinomiya makers, nikukasu pork fat bits and a sprinkle of dried sardine powder, and the noodles are fried with little or no water. Q: How do you order Fujinomiya yakisoba? A: Ask for Fujinomiya yakisoba. Some shops add squid, minced meat or sakura shrimp. Q: When is Fujinomiya yakisoba in season? A: Fujinomiya yakisoba: Year-round. Q: Where can you eat Fujinomiya yakisoba in Japan? A: Places we list for Fujinomiya yakisoba include Fujinomiya Yakisoba Antenna Shop. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.umya-yakisoba.com/fujinomiyayakisoba/ https://www.umya-yakisoba.com/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/富士宮やきそば ### Funazushi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/funazushi Type: Food Local name: 鮒寿司 (ja) Also known as: 鮒寿し, ふなずし, fermented crucian carp, funa-zushi Kind: Dish From: Shiga, Lake Biwa Season: Fishers take the spawning nigorobuna in spring. The fish are salted, packed in rice around midsummer and left to ferment, so the first new funazushi comes ready from late autumn; some batches age for one to three years. How to order: Ask for funazushi and expect thin slices with the orange roe in the middle. Eat a slice on its own with sake, or pour hot tea over it on rice as ochazuke. Vegetarian: It is fish fermented in rice. Summary: Funazushi suits curious eaters who like strong cheese and old sake, and its sour, ripe smell puts plenty of people off at the first slice. Funazushi is narezushi, the old form of sushi where rice ferments the fish. The fish is the nigorobuna carp, which lives only in Lake Biwa. Makers salt it with the roe left in and pack it in rice until lactic fermentation does its work. The rice is scraped off and the fish sliced thin, and the roe tastes like a sharp aged cheese. Wooden tablets from the Nara period already name it. Shiga counts it among its food cultural assets. On a ride, the easy way in is one piece of funazushi nigiri at Hisago-zushi in Omihachiman. For the full thing, book the funazushi kaiseki at Korian in Kaizu, where Uoji has fermented carp since 1784. Q: What does funazushi taste like? A: Funazushi is sour and salty with a ripe, cheesy smell from the fermentation. The roe is the prized part. Q: Where can I try funazushi near Lake Biwa? A: Try a single piece of funazushi nigiri at Hisago-zushi in Omihachiman, or the funazushi kaiseki at Korian in Kaizu, Takashima. Q: How do you order Funazushi? A: Ask for funazushi and expect thin slices with the orange roe in the middle. Eat a slice on its own with sake, or pour hot tea over it on rice as ochazuke. Q: When is Funazushi in season? A: Funazushi: Fishers take the spawning nigorobuna in spring. The fish are salted, packed in rice around midsummer and left to ferment, so the first new funazushi comes ready from late autumn; some batches age for one to three years. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/鮒寿司 https://uoji.co.jp/ https://uoji.co.jp/korian https://www.hisagozushi.com/menu/ https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/sa00/23924.html ### Gohei mochi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/gohei-mochi Type: Food Local name: 五平餅 (ja) Also known as: Goheimochi, Gohei-mochi, ごへい餅 Kind: Snack From: Gifu and Hida Season: All year; it began as an offering after the autumn rice harvest. How to order: Buy a skewer hot from the grill and eat it standing. Ask for the egoma version in Hida. Vegetarian: The ministry's recipe uses rice, peanuts, walnuts, sesame, soy sauce, sugar, sake and mirin, so it is usually meat-free; ask about the sauce. Summary: Gohei mochi is pounded rice pressed onto a skewer, grilled, brushed with a sweet nutty sauce and grilled again, and in Hida the sauce often carries egoma seeds. The agriculture ministry's page says gohei mochi belongs to the mountains from Nagano's Kiso and Ina valleys through eastern Gifu to Mikawa, and it lists Hida among the places that keep it. The story goes that woodcutters in the Kiso area in the mid-Edo period pressed rice onto offcuts of timber and grilled it by the fire with miso. The shape changes from valley to valley, from a flat sandal to round dumplings, and north of the Nakasendo the sauce is usually soy-based. In Hida, look for egoma, the perilla seed grown here. Sukeza in Kiyomi makes nothing but gohei mochi, preps it every morning and grills it to order in an egoma sauce. In Hida-Furukawa, Ajidokoro Furukawa sells it through the afternoon with its café menu. Q: How do you order Gohei mochi? A: Buy a skewer hot from the grill and eat it standing. Ask for the egoma version in Hida. Q: When is Gohei mochi in season? A: Gohei mochi: All year; it began as an offering after the autumn rice harvest. Q: Where can you eat Gohei mochi in Japan? A: Places we list for Gohei mochi include Ajidokoro Furukawa, Sukeza. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/38_8_gifu.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3518.html https://www.hida-kankou.jp/spot/254 ### Gunma konnyaku URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/gunma-konnyaku Type: Food Local name: こんにゃく (ja) Also known as: konjac, konjak, devil's tongue, 蒟蒻, sashimi konnyaku, shirataki Kind: Ingredient From: Gunma Season: Year-round. The corms are planted in spring and lifted in autumn, three years running, before they are big enough to make konnyaku. How to order: Order sashimi konnyaku as a side, or miso dengaku konnyaku on a skewer at a festival stall or a rest stop. Vegetarian: Konnyaku itself is plant-based, made from konjac and an alkaline setting agent. Check the sauce or broth it comes in. Summary: Gunma konnyaku is the firm, springy jelly made from konjac corms grown across the prefecture, and it tastes of little on its own, so it lives or dies by its sauce. Konnyaku comes from the corm of a taro-family plant that needs three years to grow, planted each spring, dug each autumn and stored over winter above 13 °C. The raw corm is too harsh to eat. Makers boil and grate it, swell it with water and set it with an alkaline lye, which turns the starch called konjac mannan into the grey slab sold in Japanese supermarkets. Gunma grew 93.2% of Japan's 55,900-tonne konjac harvest in 2018, according to the figures Wikipedia cites. When the 2025 harvest fell to 38,500 tonnes, down 25% and the lowest since 1954, the Japan Konnyaku Association put it down to Gunma's summer: a May to September average of 25.6 °C, the hottest in about 130 years, with almost no rain. At Konnyaku Park in Kanra you can eat about 15 konnyaku dishes free and watch the factory lines on weekdays. Tips: - Takaragawa Sanso's canteen sells sashimi konnyaku, which it calls a Gunma speciality, for ¥400. Q: Why is Gunma known for konnyaku? A: Gunma grows almost all of Japan's konjac: 93.2% of the 2018 harvest of 55,900 tonnes. The Japan Konnyaku Association tied the poor 2025 national harvest to Gunma's hot, dry summer. Q: Is konnyaku vegan? A: Yes, konnyaku itself is made from konjac and an alkaline setting agent. Check the sauce or broth, which can contain fish stock. Q: When is Gunma konnyaku in season? A: Gunma konnyaku: Year-round. The corms are planted in spring and lifted in autumn, three years running, before they are big enough to make konnyaku. Q: Where can you eat Gunma konnyaku in Japan? A: Places we list for Gunma konnyaku include Konnyaku Park, Yubatake Souan Ashiyu Cafe. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.konnyaku.or.jp/ https://www.konnyaku.or.jp/konw/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/こんにゃく原料不足HPリリース原稿HP.pdf https://kan-etsu.com/knowledge/konnyakuimo/about.php https://www.konnyakupark.com/ https://www.takaragawa.com/sp/dayuse.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/コンニャク ### Gyutan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/gyutan Type: Food Local name: 牛たん (ja) Also known as: Sendai gyutan, beef tongue, 牛タン, gyutan yaki, 牛たん焼き, gyu tan Kind: Dish From: Sendai, Miyagi Season: All year. How to order: Order the gyutan yaki teishoku, the set meal with barley rice and oxtail soup, and choose salt or miso where the shop offers both. Vegetarian: No. The dish is beef tongue. Summary: Gyutan is Sendai's charcoal-grilled beef tongue, cut thick and seasoned with salt or miso, and it suits any meat eater on a first night in Tohoku. The trade-off is choice, because every specialist shop cuts, seasons and grills it its own way. Sendai's official tourism guide says gyutan yaki was worked out by trial and error after the war by Sano Keishiro, owner of Tasuke. His shop, now Aji Tasuke, dates its opening to 1948 and still serves the set he devised: grilled salted tongue with oxtail soup and barley rice. Kisuke, founded in 1975, helped turn the dish into the city's signature and made it known across Japan, and Tanabe-ya near Kita-Yobancho Station is run by Sano's grandson. The guide compares shops on three things: how strongly they season it, how far they grill it and how thick they cut it. Some keep to salt, others marinate in Sendai miso or a spicy miso, and several make stews, curries and oxtail dishes from the same cuts. Most serve it as a teishoku, a set meal, and the classic version comes with barley rice and oxtail soup. Tips: - Try two shops on a two-night stay. Sendai's guide groups them by seasoning, cooking and thickness, which makes a comparison easy. Q: Who invented Sendai gyutan? A: Sendai's official tourism guide credits Sano Keishiro, owner of Tasuke, who developed gyutan yaki after the Second World War. His shop, Aji Tasuke, dates its opening to 1948. Q: What does gyutan mean? A: Gyu means beef, and tan comes from the English word tongue. Q: How do you order Gyutan? A: Order the gyutan yaki teishoku, the set meal with barley rice and oxtail soup, and choose salt or miso where the shop offers both. Q: When is Gyutan in season? A: Gyutan: All year. Q: Where can you eat Gyutan in Japan? A: Places we list for Gyutan include Aji Tasuke Honten, Tanabe-ya. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.sentabi.jp/features/42 http://www.aji-tasuke.co.jp/history.php http://www.aji-tasuke.co.jp/menu.php https://kotobank.jp/word/%E7%89%9B%E3%82%BF%E3%83%B3 ### Hakata ramen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/hakata-ramen Type: Food Local name: 博多ラーメン (ja) Also known as: Hakata tonkotsu ramen, tonkotsu ramen, Fukuoka ramen, kaedama Kind: Noodle From: Hakata, Fukuoka Season: All year. How to order: Say how firm you want the thin noodles: yawa for soft, kata for firm, barikata for very firm and harigane for barely cooked. Keep some soup back, and when the noodles run out order a kaedama, a second serving of noodles dropped into the same bowl. Vegetarian: The broth is boiled pork bone, so it is not vegetarian. Summary: Hakata ramen suits anyone arriving in Fukuoka hungry, a fast bowl of cloudy pork-bone soup and thin noodles, and it is pork through and through. Fukuoka's city tourism office calls Hakata ramen the summit of the city's food: a rich, milky soup of pork bones with thin, springy noodles. You choose how firm the noodles come, and the firmest setting, harigane, means wire. The kaedama is the habit that sets it apart. Leave soup in the bowl, ask for more noodles, and a fresh portion lands in what you have left. The city's yatai, the open-air food stalls that set up at night, serve it too, and most close in bad weather. Q: What is kaedama? A: Kaedama is a second serving of noodles ordered into the soup left in your bowl of Hakata ramen, a habit Fukuoka's tourism office singles out as the city's own. Q: How do you order Hakata ramen? A: Say how firm you want the thin noodles: yawa for soft, kata for firm, barikata for very firm and harigane for barely cooked. Keep some soup back, and when the noodles run out order a kaedama, a second serving of noodles dropped into the same bowl. Q: When is Hakata ramen in season? A: Hakata ramen: All year. Q: Where can you eat Hakata ramen in Japan? A: Places we list for Hakata ramen include Hakata Ramen Shin-Shin, Hakata Deitos. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://yokanavi.com/gourmet/ https://www.hakata-shinshin.com/tenpo_deitos https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8194132 ### Hegi soba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/hegi-soba Type: Food Local name: へぎそば (ja) Also known as: Hegisoba, Funori soba, 布海苔そば Kind: Noodle From: Uonuma, Tokamachi Season: Served all year. New-crop buckwheat, called akishin, arrives in autumn and has the best colour and aroma. How to order: Trays are sold by the number of people, so order one for the table. Ask for karashi (mustard) if it does not come with the condiments. Vegetarian: The noodles are buckwheat, wheat and seaweed. The dipping sauce is usually made with bonito stock, so ask before you order. Summary: Hegi soba suits anyone eating their way through Uonuma, and its one catch is the size of the tray, which is built for sharing. Hegi soba is buckwheat noodles bound with funori, a seaweed, and laid out in bite-sized bundles on a square wooden tray called a hegi. The agriculture ministry's record of regional dishes traces it to the Uonuma area, where weavers already used funori to stiffen the weft threads on their looms. The seaweed gives the noodles a smooth, firm bite. In Tokamachi, Kojimaya Sohonten says its founder created the dish after opening in 1922, and Kojimaya Honten in the town centre calls itself the original hegi soba house. Each bundle is folded by hand in a motion the ministry likens to winding yarn. Dip it deep in the cold dashi and put a dab of mustard on the noodles themselves, the local way, with spring onion and sesame as the other condiments. Q: How do you order Hegi soba? A: Trays are sold by the number of people, so order one for the table. Ask for karashi (mustard) if it does not come with the condiments. Q: When is Hegi soba in season? A: Hegi soba: Served all year. New-crop buckwheat, called akishin, arrives in autumn and has the best colour and aroma. Q: Where can you eat Hegi soba in Japan? A: Places we list for Hegi soba include Kojimaya Honten, Kojimaya Sohonten. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/hegisoba_niigata_niigata.html https://www.tokamachishikankou.jp/charm/ https://www.tokamachishikankou.jp/spot/kojimaya_souhonten/ https://www.tokamachishikankou.jp/spot/kojimaya_honten/ ### Hida beef URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/hida-beef Type: Food Local name: 飛騨牛 (ja) Also known as: Hida-gyu, Hidagyu, Hida wagyu, 飛騨和牛 Kind: Ingredient From: Gifu and Hida Season: All year. How to order: Ask for Hida-gyu nigiri for a taste at a counter, or a hoba miso steak, where the beef cooks with miso on a magnolia leaf at your table. Many menus give the grade, often A4 or A5. Vegetarian: This is beef. Hoba miso, the dish it often comes in, can be made with only leeks and mushrooms if you ask. Summary: Hida beef is Gifu's wagyu brand, and Takayama is the place to eat it as nigiri, steak, yakiniku or grilled with miso on a magnolia leaf. Hida-gyu is the name for beef from Japanese Black cattle raised in Gifu Prefecture for at least 14 months. The Hida Beef Brand Promotion Conference confirms it, and the Japan Meat Grading Association must grade it A or B for yield and 3 to 5 for firmness and texture. Beef from the same cattle that misses those grades sells as Hida wagyu. Takayama traces today's herd to a bull called Yasufuku that a farmer came across in 1981, and the city says he sired 39,000 calves. In Takayama the cheapest way in is nigiri. Sakaguchiya in Sanmachi sells Hida beef nigiri from ¥800 and a steak bowl for ¥1,950, and Kotte Ushi nearby makes its sushi with A5 beef. JA Hida's own Ajikura Tengoku grills it as yakiniku a minute from the station, with lunch from ¥1,980. In Gero, the takeaway counter Yushima-an sells a three-piece set of Hida beef and Gero pork sushi. Q: What makes beef Hida beef? A: It must come from Japanese Black cattle raised in Gifu Prefecture for at least 14 months and graded A or B for yield and 3 to 5 for firmness and texture. Lower grades from the same cattle are sold as Hida wagyu. Q: Where can you eat Hida beef cheaply in Takayama? A: Try the nigiri in Sanmachi: Sakaguchiya sells Hida beef nigiri from ¥800. JA Hida's Ajikura Tengoku near the station serves yakiniku lunches from ¥1,980. Q: How do you order Hida beef? A: Ask for Hida-gyu nigiri for a taste at a counter, or a hoba miso steak, where the beef cooks with miso on a magnolia leaf at your table. Many menus give the grade, often A4 or A5. Q: When is Hida beef in season? A: Hida beef: All year. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hida.jp/english/localspeciality/food/4000195.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3009.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3109.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3025.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/special/detail_269.html https://www.gerogle.jp/hidagyu https://www.gerogle.jp/gourmet/detail_13.html ### Hiroshima okonomiyaki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/hiroshima-okonomiyaki Type: Food Local name: 広島お好み焼き (ja) Also known as: Hiroshima-yaki, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, 広島風お好み焼き Kind: Dish From: Hiroshima Season: Year-round. How to order: Choose soba or udon for the noodle layer, then add squid, cheese or green onion as you like. Vegetarian: Not as served, since pork is a layer and the sauce and noodles may hold animal products. Ask the cook to leave the pork out. Summary: Hiroshima okonomiyaki stacks a thin batter crêpe with a heap of cabbage, pork and noodles on the griddle, and it makes a filling, cheap meal anywhere in the prefecture. Before the war, Hiroshima ate issen yoshoku, a thin pancake topped with green onion and bonito flakes. After the atomic bombing in August 1945 it became cheap food for survivors, and vendors made it with whatever they could find. Stalls that sprang up around 1950 during the city's recovery, later Okonomimura, turned it into the layered dish known today. The cook layers the ingredients instead of mixing them: batter, a tall pile of cabbage that cooks down, pork, then yakisoba or udon, a fried egg and plenty of sauce. A Hiroshima okonomiyaki uses three to four times the cabbage of the Osaka style. Islands on the route have their own versions, such as Innoshima's in-oko with udon, and Onomichi-yaki. Q: How is Hiroshima okonomiyaki different from Osaka okonomiyaki? A: Hiroshima okonomiyaki is layered on the griddle, with noodles and far more cabbage. Osaka okonomiyaki mixes the cabbage into the batter. Q: How do you order Hiroshima okonomiyaki? A: Choose soba or udon for the noodle layer, then add squid, cheese or green onion as you like. Q: When is Hiroshima okonomiyaki in season? A: Hiroshima okonomiyaki: Year-round. Q: Where can you eat Hiroshima okonomiyaki in Japan? A: Places we list for Hiroshima okonomiyaki include Iwabee, Ochi Okonomiyaki. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okonomiyaki https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/お好み焼き https://www.otafuku.co.jp/okonomiyaki/ ### Hitsumabushi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/hitsumabushi Type: Food Local name: ひつまぶし (ja) Also known as: 櫃まぶし, Nagoya eel rice, hitsu mabushi Kind: Dish From: Nagoya Season: All year. How to order: Split the tub into quarters: one plain, one with green onion and wasabi, one with dashi, and the last the way you liked best. Vegetarian: No. The dish is eel. Summary: Hitsumabushi is grilled eel cut into strips over rice in a wooden tub, eaten in rounds that end with dashi poured over, and at Atsuta Horaiken a tub costs ¥4,950. The cook grills the eel kabayaki style, cuts it into strips and lays it over rice in an ohitsu, a wooden rice tub. You scoop it into a bowl and eat the first plain. Condiments go on the second, and the third gets dashi or green tea poured over. Aichi's tare is built on tamari soy, so the eel keeps its flavour even under the stock. Atsuta Horaiken dates the dish to the Meiji era and Ibasho in Nishiki to the Taisho era, and Tsu in Mie tells a story of its own. Horaiken registered the name as a trademark in 1987. In 2008 the patent office ruled the word a common dish name, so any restaurant can serve hitsumabushi. Q: How do you order Hitsumabushi? A: Split the tub into quarters: one plain, one with green onion and wasabi, one with dashi, and the last the way you liked best. Q: When is Hitsumabushi in season? A: Hitsumabushi: All year. Q: Where can you eat Hitsumabushi in Japan? A: Places we list for Hitsumabushi include Atsuta Horaiken Honten. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%B2%E3%81%A4%E3%81%BE%E3%81%B6%E3%81%97 https://www.nagoya-info.jp/gourmet/digest/ https://www.houraiken.com/history.html https://www.houraiken.com/honten/index.html ### Hoba miso URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/hoba-miso Type: Food Local name: 朴葉味噌 (ja) Also known as: Hoba-miso, Houba miso, magnolia leaf miso, ほう葉みそ Kind: Dish From: Gifu and Hida Season: All year; it began as a winter dish. How to order: Order a hoba miso set and stir the leeks and mushrooms through the miso as it bubbles, then eat it with rice. For the beef version, ask for Hida beef hoba miso or hoba miso steak. Vegetarian: The basic dish is miso, leeks and shiitake on the leaf, so ask for it without beef. Summary: Hoba miso is miso grilled on a dried magnolia leaf over a little stove at your table, and it is the dish of a Hida winter. The agriculture ministry's regional food page traces hoba miso to the woodcutters of Hida, who used the big leaves of the hoba magnolia as plates and grilled miso on them in the mountains. The leaves are gathered brown in autumn and kept for the winter. In Takayama's hard winters families set a leaf over the irori fire to warm miso and pickles, and shops began selling it as a souvenir between 1965 and 1974. The classic version is home-made koji miso with leeks and shiitake, and today many restaurants add Hida beef. Takayama's city guide describes it cooking on a Hida konro, a small earthenware stove, so the smell of grilling miso reaches you before the first bite. Suzuya in Takayama sweetens its miso with sesame oil, sake and sugar, and Hisadaya serves it with a house koji blend in a late-Edo townhouse. Q: What is hoba miso? A: Hoba miso is miso grilled on a dried hoba magnolia leaf over a small stove at the table, often with leeks, mushrooms and Hida beef. It comes from the Hida and Takayama area of Gifu. Q: How do you order Hoba miso? A: Order a hoba miso set and stir the leeks and mushrooms through the miso as it bubbles, then eat it with rice. For the beef version, ask for Hida beef hoba miso or hoba miso steak. Q: When is Hoba miso in season? A: Hoba miso: All year; it began as a winter dish. Q: Where can you eat Hoba miso in Japan? A: Places we list for Hoba miso include Ajidokoro Furukawa, Hisadaya, Kitanosho, Kyoya, Suzuya. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/38_10_gifu.html https://www.hida.jp/english/localspeciality/food/4000215.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3105.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/special/detail_131.html ### Hoshi-imo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/hoshi-imo Type: Food Local name: ほしいも (ja) Also known as: hoshiimo, dried sweet potato, 干し芋, 乾燥いも, kanso-imo Kind: Snack From: Ibaraki, Hitachinaka Season: Made through the dry coastal winter, and best from January; the prefecture named 10 January Hoshi-imo Day. How to order: Look for hira-boshi slices for snacking and maru-boshi, whole potatoes dried longer, as a richer treat. The variety name on the pack tells you the texture. Vegetarian: Steamed and dried sweet potato with nothing added. Summary: Hoshi-imo suits riders who want a chewy, sweet ride snack that keeps in a jersey pocket, and the best batches appear only from midwinter. Ibaraki makes about nine in ten of Japan's dried sweet potatoes, and most come from Hitachinaka on the coast. The prefecture says farmers there started in the late Meiji era, helped by sandy soil and a dry winter wind off the sea. The potatoes are steamed, sliced or left whole, and dried in the sun or in drying rooms. Packs name the variety, such as tamayutaka or beni-haruka. Hira-boshi slices are the everyday kind. Maru-boshi dry whole for longer and cost more. Q: How do you order Hoshi-imo? A: Look for hira-boshi slices for snacking and maru-boshi, whole potatoes dried longer, as a richer treat. The variety name on the pack tells you the texture. Q: When is Hoshi-imo in season? A: Hoshi-imo: Made through the dry coastal winter, and best from January; the prefecture named 10 January Hoshi-imo Day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ibarakiguide.jp/gourmet/ibaraki_major_food.html https://www.ibarakiguide.jp/gourmet/hoshiimo.html https://www.ibaraki-shokusai.net/brand/hoshiimo/ ### Hoto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/hoto Type: Food Local name: ほうとう (ja) Also known as: Houtou, Hōtō, hoto noodles, 餺飥, hoto nabe Kind: Noodle From: Yamanashi Season: Year-round, and a winter dish at heart. Shops simmer each bowl in its own iron pot, which suits a cold day at Lake Kawaguchi after a ride over Misaka Pass. How to order: Order hoto by name; most shops serve it in a single iron pot per person, and some offer a pork or mushroom version. Vegetarian: The vegetables and noodles are vegetarian, but many shops add pork or chicken and use fish stock, so ask for a version without meat and check the stock. Summary: Hoto suits hungry riders on a cold day at Fuji Five Lakes, and one iron pot of flat noodles and pumpkin in miso is a heavy meal to ride on. Hoto is Yamanashi's home dish: thick, flat wheat noodles simmered with pumpkin and other vegetables in a miso broth, served hot. The noodle goes into the pot still dusted with flour, so the soup thickens and clings to every strand. The farm ministry put it on its list of the 100 best rural home dishes in 2007, and the prefecture's tourism office calls it the soul food of Yamanashi. Restaurants serve hoto one portion at a time in an iron pot. Around Lake Kawaguchi a bowl runs about ¥1,300 to ¥1,650 on the prefecture's 2026 list, from Hoto Fudo's single Fudo hoto at ¥1,320 to Funari's golden hoto with pork at ¥1,650. Tenka Chaya, the teahouse at the top of Misaka Pass, serves a mushroom hoto pot for ¥1,350 with a view of Fuji when the sky is clear. In summer some shops serve ozara, cold hoto noodles dipped in a warm broth. Fujiyoshida's Yoshida udon comes from the same flour-eating culture of the Fuji foothills, where rice was hard to grow on the lava plateau. Tips: - Leave room before a ride: a full pot of hoto sits heavy, so eat it at the end of the day. Q: What is hoto? A: Hoto is a Yamanashi dish of thick, flat wheat noodles simmered with pumpkin and vegetables in miso broth, served in an iron pot. Q: Where can I eat hoto at Lake Kawaguchi? A: Yamanashi's tourism office lists Hoto Fudo and Hoto-gura Funari by the lake, and Tenka Chaya at the top of Misaka Pass. Q: How do you order Hoto? A: Order hoto by name; most shops serve it in a single iron pot per person, and some offer a pork or mushroom version. Q: When is Hoto in season? A: Hoto: Year-round, and a winter dish at heart. Shops simmer each bowl in its own iron pot, which suits a cold day at Lake Kawaguchi after a ride over Misaka Pass. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/special/gourmet_hoto.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ほうとう ### Imabari yakitori URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/imabari-yakitori Type: Food Local name: 今治焼鳥 (ja) Also known as: teppan yakitori, 鉄板焼鳥, 今治焼き鳥 Kind: Dish From: Imabari Season: Year-round, mostly as an evening meal with beer. How to order: Order by the plate at the counter. Start with kawa, the chicken skin, and add senzanki, the local fried chicken. Vegetarian: No. Ask for vegetable plates or onigiri if you are not eating meat. Summary: Imabari yakitori is chicken pressed flat on an iron griddle with no skewer and glazed in a sweet and salty tare, and it suits an evening after the ride, since most shops open only at dinner. Most of Japan grills yakitori on skewers. In Imabari many shops press the meat flat against a teppan, an iron griddle, with no skewer, and locals call it Imabari yakitori or teppan yakitori. The Imabari tourism association says the fast griddle suits the town's impatient eaters, and the meat comes glazed in a sweet and salty tare. Gomidori, which the association credits as the originator, has cooked this way for about 60 years. The association suggests kawa, the chicken skin, with senzanki, Imabari's fried chicken, alongside. Imabari counts among the Japan Seven Great Yakitori towns with Bibai and Muroran in Hokkaido, Fukushima, Higashimatsuyama, Nagato and Kurume, a group that runs the Yakitorinpic festival. Q: How do you order Imabari yakitori? A: Order by the plate at the counter. Start with kawa, the chicken skin, and add senzanki, the local fried chicken. Q: When is Imabari yakitori in season? A: Imabari yakitori: Year-round, mostly as an evening meal with beer. Q: Where can you eat Imabari yakitori in Japan? A: Places we list for Imabari yakitori include Gomidori, Toribayashi, Yakitori Seto. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.oideya.gr.jp/yakitori-bar/ https://www.oideya.gr.jp/gourmet-c/gomidori/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/焼き鳥 ### Imoni URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/imoni Type: Food Local name: 芋煮 (ja) Also known as: imoni-kai, 芋煮会, Yamagata imoni, taro stew, imoni soup Kind: Dish From: Yamagata Season: Autumn into winter, when the taro is dug. The riverside parties belong to autumn, and inns and restaurants serve it through the cold months. How to order: Ask for imoni by name. In Yamagata city expect beef in soy broth; in Tsuruoka and the rest of Shonai expect pork in miso. If the pot is shared, save room for the udon at the end. Vegetarian: No. Inland imoni uses beef and the Shonai version pork, and the meat flavours the broth. Summary: Imoni is Yamagata's autumn pot of taro, beef, konnyaku and leeks in a sweet soy broth, and it suits anyone who wants to eat the way the prefecture gathers. The trade-off is setting: the classic bowl comes from a pot on a riverbank in autumn, so a ski-season bowl comes from an inn or restaurant kitchen instead. The agriculture ministry traces imoni to the mid-1600s at Nagasaki in Nakayama, the last landing for boats on the Mogami River. Boatmen waiting days for merchants to collect their cargo cooked taro from the nearby village of Koshio with dried cod from the hold in a pot on the bank. Beef went in from around 1930, at the start of the Showa era. Inland Yamagata still makes it with beef and soy sauce. On the Shonai coast round Tsuruoka the pot takes pork and miso, since the area raised pigs, and in the Mogami area it fills with wild vegetables and mushrooms. Once the pot is half eaten people tip in udon, and lately curry roux, to finish it. Imoni-kai, the outdoor imoni party, is how Yamagata eats it. Supermarkets sell the ingredients and rent pots, firewood and mats in the season, and each mid-September Yamagata city cooks for thousands at the Japan's No.1 Imoni Festival in a pot 6.5 metres across, stirred with a new excavator. Soba shops also put imoni soba and imoni ramen on their menus. Tips: - Visit in mid-September for the Japan's No.1 Imoni Festival on the riverbank in Yamagata city. Q: What is in Yamagata imoni? A: Taro, beef, konnyaku and green onions in a soy broth sweetened with sugar and sake. Some households add mushrooms or burdock. Q: What is the difference between inland and Shonai imoni? A: Inland Yamagata uses beef and soy sauce. The Shonai coast uses pork and miso, a habit the agriculture ministry links to the area's pig farms. Q: How do you order Imoni? A: Ask for imoni by name. In Yamagata city expect beef in soy broth; in Tsuruoka and the rest of Shonai expect pork in miso. If the pot is shared, save room for the udon at the end. Q: When is Imoni in season? A: Imoni: Autumn into winter, when the taro is dug. The riverside parties belong to autumn, and inns and restaurants serve it through the cold months. Q: Where can you eat Imoni in Japan? A: Places we list for Imoni include Tachinomi En, Yamagata Imoniya. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/e/policies/market/k_ryouri/search_menu/553/index.html https://yamagatakanko.com/local-foods https://yamagata-imoniya.com/ https://kotobank.jp/word/%E8%8A%8B%E7%85%AE%E4%BC%9A ### Ise udon URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/ise-udon Type: Food Local name: 伊勢うどん (ja) Also known as: Iseudon, 伊勢うどん Kind: Noodle From: Ise, Toba Season: All year. How to order: Order Ise udon plain and mix the tare up from the bottom of the bowl before you eat. Vegetarian: The noodles are wheat, but the tare uses bonito. Fukusuke in Okage Yokocho posts a vegan menu. Summary: Ise udon suits anyone who wants the pilgrims' noodle of Ise, thick and soft under a black tamari tare, and the lack of bite surprises people used to firm udon. Ise udon noodles run about three times the thickness of ordinary udon and have no bite at all. The tare is kelp, mixed bonito flakes, mirin, tamari soy and sugar, and you stir it through the noodles yourself. Japan's agriculture ministry says Ise cooks long made thick udon without the work of stretching it, and in the Edo period shops kept noodles on the boil so pilgrims could eat the moment they sat down. The name is young. The Ise noodle restaurant association adopted Ise udon as the dish's name in 1972, after a lyricist suggested it on the radio. Sachets of boiled noodles and tare arrived in 1968 and took the dish into home kitchens. Q: How do you order Ise udon? A: Order Ise udon plain and mix the tare up from the bottom of the bowl before you eat. Q: When is Ise udon in season? A: Ise udon: All year. Q: Where can you eat Ise udon in Japan? A: Places we list for Ise udon include Fukusuke. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/iseudon_mie.html https://okageyokocho.com/tenpo/fukusuke/ ### Izumo soba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/izumo-soba Type: Food Local name: 出雲そば (ja) Also known as: warigo soba, 割子そば, kamaage soba, 釜揚げそば Kind: Noodle From: Shimane Season: New-crop soba arrives in autumn, and Kamiarisai in November brings kamaage soba stalls to the streets round Izumo Taisha. How to order: Order warigo soba for three stacked rounds. Pour the dashi over the top round, eat it, then tip what is left into the next round. Kamaage comes unrinsed in its cooking water, and you add the dashi yourself. Vegetarian: The dashi uses bonito, so it is not vegetarian. Summary: Izumo soba is the dark buckwheat noodle of Matsue and Izumo, and it suits anyone visiting the castle or the shrine, though the warigo dashi is poured over the noodle and takes a round to get used to. Izumo soba counts as one of Japan's three great soba. Tradition says Matsudaira Naomasa brought soba makers with him from Matsumoto when he moved to Matsue in 1638. The buckwheat is milled whole with the husk, so the noodle is dark and smells strongly of the grain. Warigo soba comes in round lacquer stacks, a form Matsue adopted around 1907 after square boxes proved hard to clean. Kamaage soba is served straight from the pot without rinsing. Garnishes include green onion, nori, bonito flakes and grated daikon with chilli. Q: How do you order Izumo soba? A: Order warigo soba for three stacked rounds. Pour the dashi over the top round, eat it, then tip what is left into the next round. Kamaage comes unrinsed in its cooking water, and you add the dashi yourself. Q: When is Izumo soba in season? A: Izumo soba: New-crop soba arrives in autumn, and Kamiarisai in November brings kamaage soba stalls to the streets round Izumo Taisha. Q: Where can you eat Izumo soba in Japan? A: Places we list for Izumo soba include Yakumo-an. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/出雲そば https://www.yakumoan.jp/ ### Jingisukan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/jingisukan Type: Food Local name: ジンギスカン (ja) Also known as: Genghis Khan, Zao jingisukan, 蔵王ジンギスカン, lamb barbecue, jingiskan Kind: Dish From: Zao Onsen, Yamagata Season: All year, and the standard après dinner in ski season. How to order: Order jingisukan by the portion. Each Zao shop makes its own tare, so ask what goes into theirs. Vegetarian: No. The dish is lamb or mutton grilled with vegetables. Summary: Jingisukan is lamb grilled with vegetables on a domed iron pan, and at Zao Onsen it is the village's own dinner after a ski day. The trade-off is that its origin is argued over, and the version Zao tells is its own local account. Robata, an inn and restaurant on the Zao onsen street, sets down the story the village tells. Around 1915 the head of the Japan Sheep Association, who lived in Zao, encouraged sheep farming and saw meat cooked in a helmet on a visit to Mongolia. When wool prices collapsed around 1945, the village looked for ways to sell lamb, a helmet-shaped pan was cast in Yamagata's Dogamachi foundry district around 1947, and the style people eat today had settled by about 1948. In 1950 Zao Onsen took first place in the mountain section of a national poll of new tourist sites, the inns held tare-making classes, and from 1951 they served jingisukan as the local speciality. When the winter National Sports Festival came to Zao in 1959 the athletes ate it, and Robata says skiers then went home asking for the pans. A Retty page for Jingisukan Lodge dates the tourist poll to 1949, a year earlier. Three places on the onsen street keep the habit going. Robata hand-cuts thick Suffolk lamb and makes a year's tare each November, aging it at least six months. Jingisukan Lodge raises its own sheep at the foot of the Uenodai slope, and Kasheru pairs it with hand-cut soba. Tips: - Book Jingisukan Lodge ahead in the season, since its own Yamagata lamb comes in limited daily quantities. Q: Did jingisukan start at Zao Onsen? A: Zao Onsen says its modern form took shape there in the late 1940s, and Robata publishes that local account. The Kotobank dictionary of regional heritage notes several theories about the name and treats the dish as a Hokkaido speciality, so the question stays open. Q: Where can you eat jingisukan in Zao Onsen? A: Robata, Jingisukan Lodge and Kasheru all serve it on or near the onsen street. Q: How do you order Jingisukan? A: Order jingisukan by the portion. Each Zao shop makes its own tare, so ask what goes into theirs. Q: When is Jingisukan in season? A: Jingisukan: All year, and the standard après dinner in ski season. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://t023.com/meal2.html https://zaomountainresort.com/author/robata/ https://retty.me/area/PRE06/ARE162/SUB16201/100000874470/ https://kotobank.jp/word/%E3%82%B8%E3%83%B3%E3%82%AE%E3%82%B9%E3%82%AB%E3%83%B3 ### Kakinoha-zushi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/kakinoha-zushi Type: Food Local name: 柿の葉ずし (ja) Also known as: kakinoha sushi, persimmon leaf sushi, 柿の葉寿司, 柿の葉すし Kind: Dish From: Nara Season: Year-round in shops. In Yoshino homes it began as a summer festival dish. How to order: Buy a box by the number of pieces. Hiraso's range runs from mackerel and salmon to anago and kinmedai, and its Nara restaurant serves sets. Vegetarian: The classic pieces carry mackerel or salmon. Hiraso also sells a seasonal daikon radish version. Summary: Kakinoha-zushi is pressed sushi of vinegared rice and thin-sliced mackerel wrapped in a persimmon leaf, and it comes from the mountain homes of Yoshino in Nara Prefecture. Hiraso says kakinoha-zushi was a home-made feast for summer festivals in Yoshino from the middle of the Edo period. The maker lays thin slices of mackerel on the rice, wraps each piece in a persimmon leaf and presses the pieces in a box. It says tannin in the leaf firms the fish and keeps it, and the leaf's scent soaks into the rice. Hiraso began in 1861 in Kamiichi in Yoshino, selling sushi and river fish. It later ran a ryokan and served the sushi to guests from far away. Its Nara shop in Imamikado-cho still sells the boxes and has a dining room. Tips: - A box travels well on the train; buy one in Nara for the ride back to Osaka or Kyoto. Q: What fish is in kakinoha-zushi? A: Classic kakinoha-zushi uses thin slices of mackerel, and salmon is the other common choice. Hiraso also wraps anago and kinmedai. Q: How do you order Kakinoha-zushi? A: Buy a box by the number of pieces. Hiraso's range runs from mackerel and salmon to anago and kinmedai, and its Nara restaurant serves sets. Q: When is Kakinoha-zushi in season? A: Kakinoha-zushi: Year-round in shops. In Yoshino homes it began as a summer festival dish. Q: Where can you eat Kakinoha-zushi in Japan? A: Places we list for Kakinoha-zushi include Hiraso Nara. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hiraso.jp/about/history/ https://hiraso.jp/about/tradition/ https://hiraso.jp/products/feature/ https://hiraso.jp/shop/ ### Kanazawa curry URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/kanazawa-curry Type: Food Local name: 金沢カレー (ja) Also known as: Kanazawa-style curry, Kanazawa kare, 金澤カレー Kind: Dish From: Kanazawa, Ishikawa How to order: Order the L-katsu curry, the cutlet curry Champion Curry names as the model for the style, and eat it with the fork it comes with. Summary: Kanazawa curry suits hungry skiers and riders who want a heavy, cheap plate, and its one catch is that the thick roux leaves no room for anything else. Kanazawa curry is a diner style from Ishikawa. The thick roux covers all the rice and a pork cutlet sits on top under a line of sauce. Shredded cabbage comes on the side of an oval stainless-steel plate, and you eat with a fork or a split-tipped spoon. Champion Curry notes that not every shop follows every rule. Champion Curry says the name itself only came into use around 2005. Its own history traces the cooks behind several of the old houses to a postwar Kanazawa restaurant called New Kanazawa, around 1955, where its founder Yoshikazu Tanaka worked. Tanaka opened Yoshoku Tanaka in 1961, and the company counts his recipe as the start of the style. In 2013 NTT's Town Page found that Ishikawa had more curry houses per 100,000 people than any other prefecture. Q: How do you order Kanazawa curry? A: Order the L-katsu curry, the cutlet curry Champion Curry names as the model for the style, and eat it with the fork it comes with. Q: Where can you eat Kanazawa curry in Japan? A: Places we list for Kanazawa curry include Champion Curry Nonoichi. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://chancurry.com/history https://chancurry.com/area/ishikawa/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11647361 ### Katsuo no Tataki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/katsuo-no-tataki Type: Food Local name: 鰹のタタキ (ja) Also known as: seared bonito, bonito tataki, warayaki katsuo, Tosa-zukuri, かつおのタタキ, 藁焼き Kind: Dish From: Kochi Season: Bonito comes through twice: the lean first catch in spring and the fattier returning fish in autumn. Japan's food trade dates the first bonito of the year by Kochi's catch, around April to June. How to order: Ask for katsuo no tataki, and for shio (salt) or tare (sauce). Many counters sear it in front of you. Vegetarian: No. It is raw fish. Summary: Katsuo no tataki is bonito seared over a fierce straw fire and sliced thick, and Kochi is where it comes from and where it tastes of smoke. Cooks cut the bonito into long loins with the skin on, sear the outside over burning rice straw so the middle stays raw, cool it and slice it about a centimetre thick. The straw gives a smoky edge. In Kochi you eat it with salt or with a citrus and soy sauce, piled with sliced garlic and onion. Locals also call it Tosa-zukuri, after the old name of the province. Nobody agrees on how it started. One story credits fishermen's meals, and another says the domain lord Yamauchi Kazutoyo banned raw bonito, so people seared the outside and called it grilled fish. A bonito fishing company opened the Myojinmaru restaurants in 1999 to sear it over straw, and they have a stall inside Kochi's Hirome Market. Tips: - Try the salt version first (shio tataki) and then the sauce version so you taste the difference. Q: How do you order Katsuo no Tataki? A: Ask for katsuo no tataki, and for shio (salt) or tare (sauce). Many counters sear it in front of you. Q: When is Katsuo no Tataki in season? A: Katsuo no Tataki: Bonito comes through twice: the lean first catch in spring and the fattier returning fish in autumn. Japan's food trade dates the first bonito of the year by Kochi's catch, around April to June. Q: Where can you eat Katsuo no Tataki in Japan? A: Places we list for Katsuo no Tataki include Hirome Market. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/鰹のタタキ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/カツオ https://myojinmaru.jp/ https://myojinmaru.jp/about/shop/ ### Kinmedai URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/kinmedai Type: Food Local name: 金目鯛 (ja) Also known as: Kinme, golden eye snapper, splendid alfonsino, Inatori kinme, 金目, キンメ, 稲取キンメ Kind: Ingredient From: Shimoda, Inatori Season: October to late March, when the farm ministry says kinme carries the most fat. Winter is also when the boats lose the most days to rough weather. How to order: Order kinme no nitsuke for the simmered fish or kinme sashimi; set meals often add rice and miso soup. Vegetarian: No. Summary: Kinmedai suits seafood lovers riding the Izu coast in winter, when the red fish is at its fattest, and rough winter seas can keep the boats in port. Kinmedai is a deep-water red fish with large golden eyes, and the farm ministry calls Shimoda the port that lands more of it than any other in Japan. Izu fishers sort it three ways: ji-kinme from close inshore, shima-kinme from around the islands and oki-kinme from offshore. Ji-kinme rates highest, and the line-caught fish landed at Inatori in Higashiizu sell as Inatori kinme. The classic dish is kinme no nitsuke, fillets or the whole fish simmered sweet in soy, sake and sugar with sliced ginger. At celebrations families serve the fish whole on a big platter. Restaurants along the coast also sell it raw as sashimi and turn it into croquettes, burgers and ramen. Tips: - Ask for nitsuke for the classic sweet simmered fish, and check whether the menu price is for a fillet or the whole fish. Q: When is kinmedai in season in Izu? A: The farm ministry puts the fattest kinme from October to late March. Q: What is Inatori kinme? A: Inatori kinme is line-caught ji-kinme landed at Inatori port in Higashiizu, the top grade of Izu kinmedai. Q: How do you order Kinmedai? A: Order kinme no nitsuke for the simmered fish or kinme sashimi; set meals often add rice and miso soup. Q: Where can you eat Kinmedai in Japan? A: Places we list for Kinmedai include Gorosaya, Izu Sengyosho Marutaka, Tokuzomaru Honten, Tokuzomaru Shimoda. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/36_17_shizuoka.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/キンメダイ ### Kiritanpo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/kiritanpo Type: Food Local name: きりたんぽ (ja) Also known as: kiritanpo nabe, きりたんぽ鍋, kiritampo, Akita kiritanpo, tanpo Kind: Dish From: Odate, Kazuno, Akita Season: Autumn, when the new rice comes in, and through the cold months in Akita's restaurants. How to order: Order kiritanpo nabe for the hot pot. Some places also grill the sticks and brush them with miso, sansho miso or walnut soy sauce. Vegetarian: No. The broth is made from chicken bones, and chicken goes into the pot. Summary: Kiritanpo is Akita's pounded rice, packed round a cedar stick, grilled and cut into a chicken hot pot, and it suits anyone who wants a warming meal on a cold night. The trade-off is that it is a dish of the new-rice season, so the festivals and the home pots cluster in autumn. Kiritanpo comes from Odate and Kazuno in northern Akita. The agriculture ministry says charcoal burners and loggers working in the mountains mashed their leftover rice onto skewers, grilled it and cooked it with chicken and vegetables. The Nipponica encyclopedia adds a story of a lord's inspection visit to Hanawa, when villagers served the grilled rice on cedar sticks and named it on the spot, and it credits a restaurant in Noshiro with first selling it in the early Showa era. The pot is built on a chicken-bone broth seasoned with soy sauce, with chicken, burdock, maitake, konnyaku noodles, scallions and seri, the Japanese parsley that goes in last. The chicken that belongs in it is Hinai-jidori. The original Hinai breed was protected as a national treasure and could not be eaten, and a crossbred line restored the taste. Odate holds the Honba Odate Kiritanpo Festival and Kazuno the Kiritanpo Hassho Festival, and both cities claim to be its home. Around Odate, households gather round a kiritanpo pot at the end of each rice harvest. Tips: - Ask whether the pot uses Hinai-jidori, which is the chicken Akita cooks consider the proper one. Q: What does kiritanpo mean? A: Tanpo is the padded tip of a practice spear, which the grilled rice on its stick resembles, and kiri means cut, for the short lengths that go into the pot. Q: Where does kiritanpo come from? A: The agriculture ministry places its origin in Odate and Kazuno in northern Akita Prefecture. Q: How do you order Kiritanpo? A: Order kiritanpo nabe for the hot pot. Some places also grill the sticks and brush them with miso, sansho miso or walnut soy sauce. Q: When is Kiritanpo in season? A: Kiritanpo: Autumn, when the new rice comes in, and through the cold months in Akita's restaurants. Q: Where can you eat Kiritanpo in Japan? A: Places we list for Kiritanpo include Doma-nin, Kappo Momoya. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/e/policies/market/k_ryouri/search_menu/2602/index.html https://kotobank.jp/word/%E3%81%8D%E3%82%8A%E3%81%9F%E3%82%93%E3%81%BD ### Kure kaiji curry URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/kure-kaigun-curry Type: Food Local name: 呉海自カレー (ja) Also known as: Kure kaigun curry, Kure navy curry, 海軍カレー, JMSDF curry Kind: Dish From: Kure Season: Year-round. How to order: Order the curry by the ship's name on the menu. Vegetarian: No. The curries use meat or seafood stock. Summary: Kure kaiji curry is the curry of individual Maritime Self-Defense Force ships and bases, cooked in Kure restaurants from the ship cooks' own recipes, and each shop serves one ship's version. Every ship and base in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force keeps its own curry recipe, and many units eat curry for lunch on Fridays. In Kure, restaurants learn a particular ship's recipe from its cooks, and the ship's commander tastes the result and certifies it as the ship's own. The Kure Kaiji Curry traders' group lists the shops and runs a sticker rally, with prizes collected at the tourist office in the Kure station building. The traders' group repeats the story that Friday curry keeps sailors from losing track of the days at sea. Former JMSDF chief of staff Kawano Katsutoshi has said Saturday lunch was curry because it was quick to make before the afternoon off, and it moved to Friday when Saturdays became days off. The navy's oldest printed curry recipe dates from 1908. Tips: - Pick up a sticker rally card at the tourist office in the Kure station building and collect a sticker at each shop. Q: How do you order Kure kaiji curry? A: Order the curry by the ship's name on the menu. Q: When is Kure kaiji curry in season? A: Kure kaiji curry: Year-round. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kure-kaijicurry.com/?page_id=35 https://kure-kaijicurry.com/ https://kure-kaijicurry.com/?page_id=44 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/海軍カレー ### Kagoshima kurobuta URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/kurobuta Type: Food Local name: かごしま黒豚 (ja) Also known as: kurobuta, Kagoshima black pork, Kagoshima Berkshire, 黒豚 Kind: Ingredient From: Kagoshima Season: All year. How to order: Try it as shabu-shabu, as tonkatsu or slow-braised as kakuni. The producers' council lists designated restaurants on its website. Vegetarian: It is pork. Summary: Kagoshima kurobuta suits anyone who wants to taste the prefecture's prized black pork where it is raised, and it costs more than ordinary pork. Kagoshima's producers' council traces the breed to pigs the Shimazu lord Iehisa brought to Satsuma about 400 years ago. In the early Meiji years farmers crossed them with Berkshires from England, and by the late 1950s Kagoshima black pork was the byword for good pork in Tokyo. The prefecture's tourism site says the pigs are finished on sweet potato, which gives meat that tastes clean and tender, without greasiness. Black pork numbers fell sharply after cheaper white breeds arrived in the late 1950s, and the council credits the farmers who kept the black pigs going for its return. Q: What makes Kagoshima kurobuta different? A: Kagoshima kurobuta is a black Berkshire-cross pork raised in Kagoshima and finished on sweet potato. The prefecture's tourism site describes the meat as tender and clean-tasting. Q: How do you order Kagoshima kurobuta? A: Try it as shabu-shabu, as tonkatsu or slow-braised as kakuni. The producers' council lists designated restaurants on its website. Q: When is Kagoshima kurobuta in season? A: Kagoshima kurobuta: All year. Q: Where can you eat Kagoshima kurobuta in Japan? A: Places we list for Kagoshima kurobuta include Ichiniisan, Amu Plaza Kagoshima. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.k-kurobuta.com/about/ https://www.kagoshima-kankou.com/gourmet/meat/top https://www.k-kurobuta.com/?s=&prefecture=kagoshima&sale_cat%5B%5D=restaurant https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q28067665 ### Masu-zushi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/masu-zushi Type: Food Local name: ます寿司 (ja) Also known as: Masuzushi, Masu no sushi, Trout sushi, ますのすし, 鱒寿司 Kind: Dish From: Toyama Season: Eaten all year. How to order: Buy it by the round box in one tier or two, fold back the bamboo leaves and cut it into wedges. Summary: Masu-zushi suits anyone who wants Toyama's best-known dish packed for a train or a picnic, and its one catch is choosing between dozens of makers who each press it differently. Masu-zushi is salted trout laid over vinegared rice in a round wooden box lined with bamboo leaves, then pressed under a weight. The agriculture ministry traces it to the Kyoho era of the early 1700s, when a samurai cook made sweetfish sushi for the third Toyama lord, Maeda Toshioki, who sent it to the shogun Yoshimune. Later makers switched to the cherry trout that run up the Jinzu River in spring. The dish spread across Japan as a station lunch box in the Taisho era. Toyama city alone has more than 20 specialist makers, and each sets its own thickness of fish and sharpness of vinegar. Most people in Toyama buy it from a shop and save it for festivals and New Year. Q: How do you order Masu-zushi? A: Buy it by the round box in one tier or two, fold back the bamboo leaves and cut it into wedges. Q: When is Masu-zushi in season? A: Masu-zushi: Eaten all year. Q: Where can you eat Masu-zushi in Japan? A: Places we list for Masu-zushi include Masunosushi Museum Minamoto. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/37_20_toyama.html https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/11040 ### Matsuba-gani URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/matsuba-gani Type: Food Local name: 松葉がに (ja) Also known as: Matsuba crab, snow crab, zuwai-gani, 松葉ガニ, oyagani, 親がに Kind: Ingredient From: Tottori, Shimane Season: The season opens on 6 November. National rules west of Toyama let boats land males until 20 March and females until 10 January, and the fishers' own agreements cut some of that back. How to order: Ask for matsuba-gani for the large males and oyagani for the smaller females. Tottori crab carries a Tottori matsuba-gani tag on the leg, and the top grade sells under the Itsukiboshi brand. Summary: Matsuba-gani is the male snow crab landed along the San'in coast, and it suits a winter trip, since the season opens only on 6 November. San'in calls the male snow crab matsuba-gani and the female oyagani. Tottori boats land both, and each crab gets a tag naming the port, which lets buyers trace it. Recently moulted males go by wakamatsuba-gani in Tottori, and fishers in the region agree among themselves to limit the catch beyond the national rules. Plan a crab meal between November and March, when port markets like Karoichi sell it and inns add it to dinner. Q: How do you order Matsuba-gani? A: Ask for matsuba-gani for the large males and oyagani for the smaller females. Tottori crab carries a Tottori matsuba-gani tag on the leg, and the top grade sells under the Itsukiboshi brand. Q: When is Matsuba-gani in season? A: Matsuba-gani: The season opens on 6 November. National rules west of Toyama let boats land males until 20 March and females until 10 January, and the fishers' own agreements cut some of that back. Q: Where can you eat Matsuba-gani in Japan? A: Places we list for Matsuba-gani include Karoichi. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ズワイガニ https://karoichi.jp/ https://www.naniwa-i.com/ ### Miso katsu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/miso-katsu Type: Food Local name: 味噌カツ (ja) Also known as: Misokatsu, みそかつ, Nagoya miso katsu, waraji tonkatsu Kind: Dish From: Nagoya, Tsu Season: All year. How to order: At Yabaton, ask for the waraji tonkatsu, and order it half miso and half sauce if you want both. Vegetarian: No. The cutlet is pork, and the sauce usually carries bonito stock. Summary: Miso katsu is a pork cutlet under a sweet, dark sauce of the region's bean miso, and Nagoya and Tsu both say they served it first. Nagoya cooks make the sauce from mame miso, the dark soybean miso of the Tokai region, mixed with stock and sugar until each shop's version tastes its own. Some pour it over the cutlet. Others dip the cutlet in a pot of sauce, and Western-style restaurants may bring it on the side. Nobody agrees where it started. A Nagoya guidebook described a miso-sauced cutlet in 1967, and Tsu's Cattleya says it plated the dish in 1965. Another Nagoya story begins at post-war stalls where customers dipped kushikatsu into doteni, and Yabaton served miso katsu from its opening in 1947. Q: How do you order Miso katsu? A: At Yabaton, ask for the waraji tonkatsu, and order it half miso and half sauce if you want both. Q: When is Miso katsu in season? A: Miso katsu: All year. Q: Where can you eat Miso katsu in Japan? A: Places we list for Miso katsu include Yabaton Yabacho Honten. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nagoya-info.jp/gourmet/digest/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%91%B3%E5%99%8C%E3%82%AB%E3%83%84 https://www.yabaton.com/menu/1 https://www.yabaton.com/company ### Mitarashi dango (Hida style) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/mitarashi-dango Type: Food Local name: みたらし団子 (ja) Also known as: Mitarashi dango, Hida mitarashi dango, Takayama dango Kind: Sweet From: Gifu and Hida Season: All year. How to order: Buy by the skewer and eat them hot from the grill. Vegetarian: Rice dumplings and soy sauce, so they are meat-free. Summary: Takayama's mitarashi dango are rice dumplings grilled on a skewer and basted with plain soy sauce, so they taste savoury where most of Japan's are sweet. Takayama's city guide says people have eaten mitarashi dango for more than 600 years. In most of Japan the dumplings come under a sweet, sticky glaze, and in Takayama they are grilled and brushed with soy sauce with no sugar. Ankina Dango in Kiyomi, ten minutes' drive from the Takayama-nishi interchange, sells mitarashi as its best seller in a savoury soy-based sauce. Q: How do you order Mitarashi dango (Hida style)? A: Buy by the skewer and eat them hot from the grill. Q: When is Mitarashi dango (Hida style) in season? A: Mitarashi dango (Hida style): All year. Q: Where can you eat Mitarashi dango (Hida style) in Japan? A: Places we list for Mitarashi dango (Hida style) include Ankina Dango. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hida.jp/english/localspeciality/food/4000215.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3503.html ### Mizusawa udon URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/mizusawa-udon Type: Food Local name: 水沢うどん (ja) Also known as: Mizusawa noodles, Ikaho udon, 水澤うどん Kind: Noodle From: Mizusawa, Ikaho machi, Shibukawa Season: Year-round. Most shops serve it cold on a bamboo tray, and they close by mid-afternoon or when the noodles run out. How to order: Ask for zaru udon, the cold noodles on a tray, and choose a soy or sesame dipping sauce where the shop offers both. Summary: Mizusawa udon is a firm, glossy white udon served cold at the old udon houses by Mizusawa Kannon near Ikaho, and the shops on the udon road close in mid-afternoon. The Shibukawa-Ikaho tourism association traces the noodle to the temple. Tradition says a monk from Goguryeo who helped found Mizusawa-dera taught the method in the Asuka period, and around Tensho 4 (1576) the houses at the gate began serving pilgrims and bathers udon made with local wheat and Mizusawa spring water. Tamaruya, which has kept a shop at the temple gate since Tensho 10 (1582), calls itself the original house. The noodle is a little thinner than most udon, springy and partly translucent, and it usually comes cold with a soy or sesame dip. Osawaya, which opened in 1970, uses only flour and salt and puts the dough through 27 steps over two days. Mizusawa is often counted among Japan's three great udon with Sanuki and Inaniwa, though accounts of the three differ. Tips: - Go before noon at weekends; the busy houses close when the day's noodles are gone. - Buses from Shibukawa Station toward Ikaho stop at Mizusawa in about 20 minutes. Q: Where is Mizusawa udon from? A: Mizusawa udon comes from Mizusawa in Ikaho-machi, Shibukawa, in Gunma, where udon houses line the road by Mizusawa Kannon. Q: Is Mizusawa udon served hot or cold? A: Mostly cold. The usual order is zaru udon on a tray with a soy or sesame dipping sauce. Q: How do you order Mizusawa udon? A: Ask for zaru udon, the cold noodles on a tray, and choose a soy or sesame dipping sauce where the shop offers both. Q: When is Mizusawa udon in season? A: Mizusawa udon: Year-round. Most shops serve it cold on a bamboo tray, and they close by mid-afternoon or when the noodles run out. Q: Where can you eat Mizusawa udon in Japan? A: Places we list for Mizusawa udon include Tamaruya. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ikaho-kankou.com/eat/udon/ https://mizusawaudontamaruya.jp/ https://www.osawaya.co.jp/ https://www.osawaya.co.jp/shop.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/水沢うどん ### Morioka Reimen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/morioka-reimen Type: Food Local name: 盛岡冷麺 (ja) Also known as: Morioka cold noodles, reimen, 冷麺, Morioka naengmyeon Kind: Noodle From: Morioka, Iwate Season: All year. How to order: Ask for reimen and say how hot you want it. Pyonpyonsha serves its kimchi at three heat levels or on the side. Vegetarian: No. The broth is made from beef, beef bones and chicken. Summary: Morioka reimen is a cold, springy noodle of wheat flour and potato starch in a beef and chicken broth with kimchi, and it suits anyone who wants something sharp and clean after a soak or a heavy meal. The trade-off is heat from the kimchi, so ask for it mild or on the side. Morioka reimen began in 1954, when the noodle cook Aoki Teruhito opened Shokudoen in Morioka and combined the Hamhung and Pyongyang styles of Korean cold noodles. Pyongyang's version used a dark buckwheat noodle, and Aoki made his from wheat flour and potato starch, which gives the dish its chew. Locals first complained the noodles were like rubber, and then kept coming back for them. The broth is drawn from beef and beef bones with chicken, and the bowl comes topped with kimchi, cucumber, a boiled egg and a slice of seasonal fruit, which at Pyonpyonsha means watermelon in summer and nashi pear in winter. From the late 1960s more Korean residents of Morioka opened reimen shops, and the city's yakiniku houses came to be seen as places you go for the noodles. The name Morioka reimen dates from the 1986 Nippon Men Summit, a national noodle event held in the city, where the bowl on show came from Pyonpyon-tei, the forerunner of today's Pyonpyonsha. The agriculture ministry lists it among its hundred local dishes of rural Japan, and Morioka counts it as one of its three noodles with wanko soba and jajamen. Tips: - Eat it at a yakiniku house the way Morioka does, with grilled beef first and the noodles to finish. Q: What is Morioka reimen made of? A: The noodles are wheat flour and potato starch, without the buckwheat used in Korean cold noodles. The cold broth is made from beef and chicken, and the bowl is topped with kimchi, cucumber, egg and fruit. Q: What are Morioka's three noodles? A: Wanko soba, Morioka reimen and jajamen, which is thick noodles with meat miso. Q: Who created Morioka reimen? A: Aoki Teruhito, who opened the restaurant Shokudoen in Morioka in 1954 and adapted Korean cold noodles to a wheat and potato-starch noodle. Q: How do you order Morioka Reimen? A: Ask for reimen and say how hot you want it. Pyonpyonsha serves its kimchi at three heat levels or on the side. Q: When is Morioka Reimen in season? A: Morioka Reimen: All year. Q: Where can you eat Morioka Reimen in Japan? A: Places we list for Morioka Reimen include Pyonpyonsha Morioka Ekimae. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.pyonpyonsya.co.jp/remen/about/ https://www.pyonpyonsya.co.jp/remen/ https://kotobank.jp/word/%E7%9B%9B%E5%B2%A1%E5%86%B7%E9%BA%BA https://kotobank.jp/word/%E3%81%98%E3%82%83%E3%81%98%E3%82%83%E9%BA%BA ### Motsunabe URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/motsunabe Type: Food Local name: もつ鍋 (ja) Also known as: Hakata motsunabe, motsu nabe, offal hot pot Kind: Dish From: Hakata, Fukuoka Season: All year. Locals eat it in summer as well as winter. How to order: Order by the portion for the table and pick the soup; Ooyama's signature is a rich miso. Vegetarian: The pot is built on beef or pork offal and a meat broth, so it is not vegetarian. Summary: Motsunabe suits groups who want a cheap, hearty pot of offal and greens to share in Fukuoka, and the texture of the offal is the part some visitors need to warm to. Motsunabe is a pot of offal simmered with heaps of cabbage and garlic chives at the table. Fukuoka's tourism office traces it to the years after the Second World War, when coal miners cooked offal and chives in soy in aluminium pots. It became a craze across Japan for being cheap, filling and full of vegetables. People in Fukuoka eat it in the heat of summer as readily as in winter, sweating it out over the burner, according to the city's tourism office. Q: Where does motsunabe come from? A: Motsunabe comes from Fukuoka. The city's tourism office says it grew from a postwar dish of offal and garlic chives cooked in soy in aluminium pots, made by coal miners. Q: How do you order Motsunabe? A: Order by the portion for the table and pick the soup; Ooyama's signature is a rich miso. Q: When is Motsunabe in season? A: Motsunabe: All year. Locals eat it in summer as well as winter. Q: Where can you eat Motsunabe in Japan? A: Places we list for Motsunabe include Hakata Motsunabe Ooyama, Hakata Deitos. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://yokanavi.com/gourmet/ https://www.motu-ooyama.com/shop/hakatadeitos/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3775525 ### Nagasaki chanpon URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/nagasaki-chanpon Type: Food Local name: 長崎ちゃんぽん (ja) Also known as: champon, Nagasaki champon, chanpon, sara udon, 皿うどん Kind: Noodle From: Nagasaki Season: All year. Clams go in during summer and oysters in winter. How to order: Order the chanpon for the soup version or sara udon for crisp fried noodles under a thick sauce of the same toppings. Vegetarian: The soup is chicken and pork bone with pork and seafood on top, so it is not vegetarian. Summary: Nagasaki chanpon suits anyone who wants a whole meal in one big bowl, pork, seafood and vegetables over thick noodles, and it is heavier than most ramen. In 1899 Chen Pingshun, the founder of the Chinese restaurant Shikairo, set out to feed Chinese students in Nagasaki something cheap and nourishing. He fried scraps of meat and vegetables in one pan, added noodles and simmered them in a strong chicken and pork-bone soup. The noodles cook in the soup, so the whole dish comes out of a single wok. Japan's ministry of agriculture traces the idea to a light Fujian noodle soup with pork, shiitake and bamboo shoot, made richer and heavier in Nagasaki. Typical toppings are pork, cabbage, spring onion, bean sprouts, squid, prawns and the city's pink-and-white fish cake, with clams in summer and oysters in winter. Shikairo also invented sara udon, the same toppings over fried noodles with less liquid. The name has two stories. Shikairo says it comes from a Fujianese greeting used by Nagasaki's Chinese community that meant to eat a meal, and other accounts point to a Portuguese word for mixing. In Shiga, Omi chanpon is a separate, lighter dish that grew from a Hikone cook's trip to Nagasaki. Q: Who invented Nagasaki chanpon? A: Chen Pingshun, founder of the Chinese restaurant Shikairo in Nagasaki, created it in 1899 as a cheap, filling meal for Chinese students in the city. Q: How do you order Nagasaki chanpon? A: Order the chanpon for the soup version or sara udon for crisp fried noodles under a thick sauce of the same toppings. Q: When is Nagasaki chanpon in season? A: Nagasaki chanpon: All year. Clams go in during summer and oysters in winter. Q: Where can you eat Nagasaki chanpon in Japan? A: Places we list for Nagasaki chanpon include Shikairo. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shikairou.com/champon/ https://shikairou.com/ https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/46_8_nagasaki.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q703286 ### Namero URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/namero Type: Food Local name: なめろう (ja) Also known as: namerou, nameroo, なめろう, oki-namasu, 沖鱠 Kind: Dish From: Kanto and Boso Season: All year, made with whatever horse mackerel or other blue fish the boats bring in. How to order: Ask for namero (なめろう) as a side plate, or as a bowl over rice where the menu lists a namero don. Vegetarian: No. Namero is raw fish. Summary: Namero is the Boso fishermen's chopped raw fish with miso and herbs, and it suits anyone happy to eat raw horse mackerel at a harbour lunch counter on the Chiba coast. Namero began on the fishing boats of the Boso Peninsula. Fishermen took fresh horse mackerel, sardine, saury or flying fish, laid miso, sake and herbs such as spring onion, shiso, ginger and myoga on the fillets, and chopped the lot on the board until it turned sticky. Japanese Wikipedia traces the name to that sticky texture. Fishermen also called it oki-namasu, meaning namasu made out at sea. Grill namero and it becomes sanga-yaki, often packed into an abalone or scallop shell. Spoon it over rice and pour on tea and you have magocha. At Hota Shokudo in Kyonan, the namero bukkake don comes with four local fish on top and dashi for the last few mouthfuls. Q: What is namero? A: Namero is a Boso Peninsula dish of raw blue fish such as horse mackerel, chopped with miso and herbs until it turns sticky. It began as food that fishermen made on their boats. Q: What is sanga-yaki? A: Sanga-yaki is namero cooked on a grill or in a shell, and it also comes from the Boso Peninsula. Q: How do you order Namero? A: Ask for namero (なめろう) as a side plate, or as a bowl over rice where the menu lists a namero don. Q: When is Namero in season? A: Namero: All year, made with whatever horse mackerel or other blue fish the boats bring in. Q: Where can you eat Namero in Japan? A: Places we list for Namero include Michi-no-Eki Hota Shogakko. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%AA%E3%82%81%E3%82%8D%E3%81%86 https://hotasho.jp/tenant/hota-shokudo/ ### Niigata sake URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/niigata-sake Type: Food Local name: 新潟清酒 (ja) Also known as: Niigata jizake, Niigata nihonshu, 新潟の地酒 Kind: Sake From: Niigata Season: Breweries release seasonal bottles through the year, such as Kiminoi's autumn junmai from August. How to order: Ask for jizake, the local sake, and say karakuchi if you want it dry. Small breweries' bottles turn up in izakaya before they reach the shops. Summary: Niigata sake suits drinkers who want to work through a whole prefecture's cellar on one trip, and its catch is the sheer number of labels, with 91 member breweries in the prefecture's guild. The Niigata Sake Brewers Association counted 91 member sake breweries in February 2026, far more than any visitor could get through in a week. The quickest survey is the kikizake corner at Ponshukan in Echigo-Yuzawa Station, where ¥1,000 buys five tastes from machines covering every brewery in the prefecture. In Minamiuonuma, Hakkaisan's Uonuma no Sato stores sake in a snow-cooled warehouse you can tour. In Arai, Kiminoi has brewed since the 1830s and still makes Yamahai sake the slow way. The guild has announced the next Niigata Sake no Jin festival for 2027, and Myoko Tourism advertised a chartered sake train tour round the breweries of Joetsu, Itoigawa and Myoko for 1 November 2026. Q: How do you order Niigata sake? A: Ask for jizake, the local sake, and say karakuchi if you want it dry. Small breweries' bottles turn up in izakaya before they reach the shops. Q: When is Niigata sake in season? A: Niigata sake: Breweries release seasonal bottles through the year, such as Kiminoi's autumn junmai from August. Q: Where can you eat Niigata sake in Japan? A: Places we list for Niigata sake include Kiminoi Shuzo, Ponshukan Echigo-Yuzawa, Pontaro, Uonuma no Sato. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.niigata-sake.or.jp/about/ https://www.niigata-sake.or.jp/ https://www.ponshukan.com/yuzawa/ https://www.uonuma-no-sato.jp/ https://www.kiminoi.com/ https://myokotourism.jp/ ### Nozawana URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/nozawana Type: Food Local name: 野沢菜 (ja) Also known as: Nozawana-zuke, Nozawana zuke, 野沢菜漬, nozawana pickles, o-hazuke Kind: Ingredient From: Nagano Season: Harvested in November after the frosts. Fresh pickles come from December and peak around New Year; aged pickles turn sour by spring. Sold all year. How to order: Ask for nozawana-zuke (野沢菜漬) as a side or with sake. Asa-zuke is the mild, fresh pickle of early winter, and furu-zuke is the sour, aged pickle of spring that is often stir-fried. Vegetarian: The ministry's household recipe uses only greens, salt, kelp, chilli and shochu. Shop-bought packs print their own ingredients on the label. Summary: Nozawana is the leafy turnip green behind Nagano's favourite pickle, and the pickle is at its best around New Year after a month of fermenting. The agriculture ministry's regional food page traces nozawana to 1756, when a priest from Nozawa Onsen brought Tennoji turnip seed back from Kyoto. In the village's cold air at about 600 metres the turnip never formed a proper root and grew large leaves and stems instead. The new plant spread under the village's name. Farmers sow it in September and it can reach about a metre. Harvest waits until after the November frosts, which make the leaves sweeter and softer. Families in northern Shinshu then hold o-na-arai, washing each leaf by hand, and the ministry's recipe starts the barrel on or after 23 November. The pickle is ready in two or three weeks and turns a tortoiseshell colour by New Year as lactic fermentation takes hold. Left until spring it goes yellow and sour, and cooks fry the old pickle in oil. Shops and supermarkets sell nozawana-zuke all year, and the ministry lists it as a filling for onigiri and oyaki. Monogusa in Matsumoto serves it as a small plate with sake, and Ogawa no Sho near Zenko-ji puts it inside oyaki. Q: Where does nozawana come from? A: Nozawana comes from Nozawa Onsen village in northern Nagano. The agriculture ministry says a village priest brought Tennoji turnip seed from Kyoto in 1756, and in the cold climate it grew into a leafy green named after the village. Q: When is nozawana pickle at its best? A: Nozawana pickle is at its best around New Year. Pickling starts in late November after the frosts, and about a month of lactic fermentation turns the greens a tortoiseshell colour. Q: How do you order Nozawana? A: Ask for nozawana-zuke (野沢菜漬) as a side or with sake. Asa-zuke is the mild, fresh pickle of early winter, and furu-zuke is the sour, aged pickle of spring that is often stir-fried. Q: When is Nozawana in season? A: Nozawana: Harvested in November after the frosts. Fresh pickles come from December and peak around New Year; aged pickles turn sour by spring. Sold all year. Q: Where can you eat Nozawana in Japan? A: Places we list for Nozawana include Monogusa, Ogawa no Sho Daimon. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/nozawana_zuke_nagano.html https://www.teutisoba.jp/ ### Okkirikomi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/okkirikomi Type: Food Local name: おっきりこみ (ja) Also known as: okirikomi, okkiri-komi, nibouto, niboto, Joshu hoto, おきりこみ, おっ切り込み, 煮ぼうとう Kind: Noodle From: Gunma, Northern Saitama Season: Winter. The flour on the noodles thickens the broth, which makes it a cold-weather dish, and some restaurants serve it only in winter. How to order: Look for okkirikomi on winter menus at soba and udon shops; it comes as a single bubbling bowl or pot. Summary: Okkirikomi is Gunma's farmhouse stew of wide, unsalted wheat noodles simmered raw with root vegetables in a miso or soy broth, and it is mostly a home dish that a few restaurants serve in winter. The cook rolls wheat dough without salt, cuts wide noodles straight into the pot and lets them simmer raw with daikon, taro or potato and other vegetables. That cutting-in gives the dish its name. Because the noodles go in unboiled, their flour thickens the broth, so a bowl holds its heat on a snowy evening. Northern and western Gunma mostly make it with miso, and the soy-brewing east uses soy. Gunma treats it as part of its wheat-flour food culture, and on 20 March 2014 the prefecture selected the dish for recording as an intangible folk cultural property. It is also on the national list of 100 local dishes of farming, mountain and fishing villages. Tips: - Leftover okkirikomi reheated the next morning has its own name, okkirikomi no tatekkaeshi, and some people pour it over rice. Q: What is the difference between okkirikomi and udon? A: Okkirikomi noodles are made without salt and go into the broth raw, so they thicken it. Udon noodles are salted and boiled first. Q: Where can I eat okkirikomi in Minakami? A: Soba-dokoro Kubota, in front of Minakami Station, serves okkirikomi in winter with local vegetables, mushrooms and mugi-buta pork. Q: How do you order Okkirikomi? A: Look for okkirikomi on winter menus at soba and udon shops; it comes as a single bubbling bowl or pot. Q: When is Okkirikomi in season? A: Okkirikomi: Winter. The flour on the noodles thickens the broth, which makes it a cold-weather dish, and some restaurants serve it only in winter. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/おっきりこみ https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/8121/ ### Omi beef URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/omi-beef Type: Food Local name: 近江牛 (ja) Also known as: Omi-gyu, Ohmi beef, 近江牛, Omi wagyu Kind: Ingredient From: Shiga Season: All year. Winter menus around the lake turn to sukiyaki and shabu-shabu. How to order: Look for the certificate and seal shown with the meat, and ask for Omi beef sukiyaki, steak or a toro roll at a sushi bar. Summary: Omi beef suits riders who want one big wagyu dinner on the loop, and the certified cuts are expensive. Omi beef is Japanese Black cattle raised for the longest part of their lives in Shiga. Carcasses graded A4 or B4 and above get a certificate and seal, and the name has been a registered regional trademark since 2007 and a Geographical Indication since 2017. The Hikone domain had a licence to slaughter cattle in the Edo period, and its pickled beef went as gifts to other lords. After 1893 dressed beef shipped by rail from Omi-Hachiman Station made the name famous in Tokyo. Today you meet it all round the lake, from a whole-carcass butcher in Hikone's castle-town street to a sushi roll in Omihachiman. Q: What makes beef Omi beef? A: Omi beef must be Japanese Black cattle that spent the longest part of their rearing in Shiga. Meat graded A4 or B4 and above carries a certificate and seal. Q: How do you order Omi beef? A: Look for the certificate and seal shown with the meat, and ask for Omi beef sukiyaki, steak or a toro roll at a sushi bar. Q: When is Omi beef in season? A: Omi beef: All year. Winter menus around the lake turn to sukiyaki and shabu-shabu. Q: Where can you eat Omi beef in Japan? A: Places we list for Omi beef include Hisago-zushi, Nagahama Roman Beer, Sennaritei Yume-Kyobashi. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/近江牛 https://www.sennaritei.jp/ https://www.hisagozushi.com/menu/ https://www.biwalake-otsuka.com/ https://www.hamakogetsu.co.jp/ ### Onomichi ramen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/onomichi-ramen Type: Food Local name: 尾道ラーメン (ja) Also known as: Onomichi chuka soba, 尾道中華そば Kind: Noodle From: Onomichi Season: Year-round. A hot bowl suits a cold winter ride, and the shops fill at weekend lunchtimes. How to order: Order a bowl of ramen, or chuka soba where the menu uses that name, at the counter or from the ticket machine. Vegetarian: No. The broth is chicken or pork with fish, and the topping is pork back fat. Summary: Onomichi ramen is a soy-based broth with flat noodles and minced pork back fat floating on top, and the style has two roots: the Shukaen stall of 1947 and a Fukuyama souvenir maker's small-fish broth of the 1990s. Two stories explain the bowl. One source says a man from Fujian named Zhang sold noodles from a stall in Onomichi in 1928. The other credits Zhu Ajun, from Taiwan, who served chuka soba from a stall in 1947 and later opened Shukaen, where the soy broth, flat noodles and minced back fat became the template. Shukaen closed on 18 June 2019, and a relative of its owners opened Chuka Soba Shu in November 2020. In the 1990s Amo Chinmi, a seafood-snack maker in Tomonoura, sold a souvenir Onomichi ramen with chicken stock and dried sardines, and many shops took up that line. Bowls vary a lot from counter to counter: some use pork bone and seafood stock with thin straight noodles, and older shops serve it as plain chuka soba without the fat. Some add a tempura fritter on top as tempura chuka. Tips: - Ask for 'chuka soba' at the older shops, where the menu often uses that name. Q: What makes Onomichi ramen different? A: Onomichi ramen uses a soy-based broth with flat noodles and minced pork back fat on top. Many shops build the broth on chicken stock with small dried fish from the Inland Sea. Q: Is Shukaen in Onomichi still open? A: No. Shukaen closed on 18 June 2019. A relative of its owners opened Chuka Soba Shu in Onomichi in November 2020. Q: How do you order Onomichi ramen? A: Order a bowl of ramen, or chuka soba where the menu uses that name, at the counter or from the ticket machine. Q: When is Onomichi ramen in season? A: Onomichi ramen: Year-round. A hot bowl suits a cold winter ride, and the shops fill at weekend lunchtimes. Q: Where can you eat Onomichi ramen in Japan? A: Places we list for Onomichi ramen include Chuka Soba Shu, Onomichi Ramen Ichibankan, Tsutafuji. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/尾道ラーメン ### Oyaki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/oyaki Type: Food Local name: おやき (ja) Also known as: Shinshu oyaki, Nagano oyaki, お焼き, yakimochi Kind: Snack From: Nagano Season: All year. Fillings follow the season, and oyaki are part of Obon in the Hokushin area in August. How to order: Buy oyaki one at a time from a counter and eat them hot. Ask whether each one is steamed (蒸し, mushi) or baked (焼き, yaki); Ogawa no Sho's Daimon shop sells both, and Daio Wasabi Farm's food court makes a wasabi one. Vegetarian: The dough is flour and water, and the classic fillings are vegetables seasoned with miso or soy sauce. Ask about each filling before you order. Summary: Oyaki are Nagano's stuffed dumplings of wheat or buckwheat dough, and they are the prefecture's everyday hand-held snack, with fillings that change through the year. The agriculture ministry's regional food page describes the dough as wheat or buckwheat flour mixed with water, rolled thin and wrapped round a filling. Rice was hard to grow in Nagano's cold mountains, so wheat and buckwheat filled the gap, and oyaki stood in for a rice meal. The ministry traces the dish to the Nishiyama area of Kamiminochi District. It also notes that grain dough cooked the same way has turned up at a Jomon site in Ogawa Village. Cooks steam oyaki, bake them, or do one and then the other. Baking dries the skin to a crisp shell and steaming leaves it soft and chewy. The old Nishiyama way was to sear each one on an iron pan called a horoku and then bury it in the hot ash of the irori hearth, brushing off the ash before eating. On the Azumi plain a rice and wheat version filled with brown sugar and miso goes by yakimochi, and Iiyama makes chanoko with mugwort in early spring. Fillings follow the season: eggplant, mushrooms, pumpkin and dried daikon seasoned with miso or soy sauce, with nozawana pickle in winter. In the Hokushin area families make oyaki on 1 August, the day graves are cleaned, and offer them at the household altar on the morning of 14 August for Obon. Twenty makers formed the Shinshu Oyaki Association in October 2009 to protect the tradition. Q: What is oyaki? A: Oyaki is a Nagano dumpling of wheat or buckwheat dough wrapped round a filling such as eggplant, pumpkin, mushrooms or nozawana pickle, then steamed, baked or both. Q: Where can I eat oyaki in Nagano? A: Oyaki are sold across Nagano Prefecture, from expressway service areas to souvenir shops. Ogawa no Sho's shop on the approach to Zenko-ji in Nagano city bakes them at an irori hearth. Q: How do you order Oyaki? A: Buy oyaki one at a time from a counter and eat them hot. Ask whether each one is steamed (蒸し, mushi) or baked (焼き, yaki); Ogawa no Sho's Daimon shop sells both, and Daio Wasabi Farm's food court makes a wasabi one. Q: When is Oyaki in season? A: Oyaki: All year. Fillings follow the season, and oyaki are part of Obon in the Hokushin area in August. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/oyaki_nagano.html https://www.mapple.net/region/a0306040101_g02000000_s-situation=family/spot/ https://st-anton.jp/dine/ https://www.daiowasabi.co.jp/ ### Sanuki Udon URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/sanuki-udon Type: Food Local name: 讃岐うどん (ja) Also known as: Kagawa udon, Sanuki-udon, Udon Prefecture, うどん県 Kind: Noodle From: Takamatsu Season: Year-round. Many Kagawa families eat udon on Hangesho, around 2 July, which the Sanuki udon cooperative marks as Sanuki Udon Day. How to order: Say how many balls of noodles you want and whether you want them hot or cold. Kake comes in hot broth, and kamatama is tossed with raw egg straight from the pot. Vegetarian: The broth is made with iriko dried sardines, so plain udon is not vegetarian; ask for noodles with soy sauce only (shoyu udon) and check the toppings. Summary: Sanuki udon is Kagawa's thick, springy wheat noodle, eaten at counters across the prefecture from early morning, and the best way in is a self-service shop. Kagawa grew wheat as a second crop after rice for centuries, and the old province of Sanuki also made salt, soy sauce and the dried sardines called iriko, so everything for udon was close at hand. A folding screen of the Konpira shrine town from around 1700 already shows udon shops. In 2011 the prefecture and its tourism body started branding Kagawa as Udon Prefecture. At a self-service shop you take a bowl of noodles at the counter, add tempura or rice balls, pay, then pour broth and add spring onion and ginger yourself. At a noodle maker's counter you eat inside the factory, and many close as soon as the day's batch sells out. Tips: - At a self-service shop, return your bowl and tray to the counter when you finish. - Noodle-maker counters keep short hours, so check the time before you ride out. Q: How do you order Sanuki Udon? A: Say how many balls of noodles you want and whether you want them hot or cold. Kake comes in hot broth, and kamatama is tossed with raw egg straight from the pot. Q: When is Sanuki Udon in season? A: Sanuki Udon: Year-round. Many Kagawa families eat udon on Hangesho, around 2 July, which the Sanuki udon cooperative marks as Sanuki Udon Day. Q: Where can you eat Sanuki Udon in Japan? A: Places we list for Sanuki Udon include Udon Bakaichidai. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.my-kagawa.jp/udon https://www.my-kagawa.jp/udon/feature/sanukiudon/TOP https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/讃岐うどん http://www.udonbakaichidai.co.jp/company.html ### Sanzoku-yaki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/sanzoku-yaki Type: Food Local name: 山賊焼 (ja) Also known as: Sanzokuyaki, Sanzoku yaki, Matsumoto sanzoku-yaki, 山賊焼き, bandit chicken Kind: Dish From: Nagano Season: All year. How to order: Ask for sanzoku-yaki (山賊焼) and expect one large piece. Ganso Sanzoku in Shiojiri opens 17:00–23:00 and closes on Wednesdays. Kasho at Asama Onsen serves weekday lunch from 11:30 to 13:30 and weekend and holiday dinner from 17:30 to 19:30, and closes on Tuesdays. Vegetarian: No. Sanzoku-yaki is fried chicken. Summary: Sanzoku-yaki is the fried chicken of Matsumoto and Shiojiri, a whole thigh or breast marinated in garlic and soy and fried in one piece, and one order feeds a hungry rider. The cook marinates boneless chicken thigh or breast in a garlic and soy sauce, first for about an hour and then overnight in the fridge, then coats it thickly in potato starch and fries it whole, according to Nap Camp's regional food guide. That makes it bigger and crunchier than karaage, which is cut into bites before frying. Yaki means grilled, and the story goes that oil was scarce in the 1940s, so cooks shallow-fried the chicken on both sides in a little oil. Two cities claim the dish. In Shiojiri, Ganso Sanzoku near the station says its first owners looked so much like bandits, sanzoku, that the shop and the dish took the name. Matsumoto credits Kasho, now in Asama Onsen. The Matsumoto Sanzoku-yaki Ouendan supporters' group sets five rules for member shops, among them one whole piece of thigh or breast and ginger in the sauce. Yamaguchi has a grilled dish with the same name, and it is a different thing altogether. Q: What is sanzoku-yaki? A: Sanzoku-yaki is a Nagano dish of a whole boneless chicken thigh or breast marinated in garlic and soy sauce, coated in potato starch and deep-fried in one piece. Matsumoto and Shiojiri both claim it. Q: Why is it called sanzoku-yaki? A: Sanzoku means mountain bandit. In Shiojiri the story is that the first owners of Ganso Sanzoku looked like bandits, and yaki (grilled) is said to come from the 1940s, when scarce oil meant the chicken was shallow-fried. Q: How do you order Sanzoku-yaki? A: Ask for sanzoku-yaki (山賊焼) and expect one large piece. Ganso Sanzoku in Shiojiri opens 17:00–23:00 and closes on Wednesdays. Kasho at Asama Onsen serves weekday lunch from 11:30 to 13:30 and weekend and holiday dinner from 17:30 to 19:30, and closes on Tuesdays. Q: When is Sanzoku-yaki in season? A: Sanzoku-yaki: All year. Q: Where can you eat Sanzoku-yaki in Japan? A: Places we list for Sanzoku-yaki include Monogusa. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nap-camp.com/mag/100128 https://www.teutisoba.jp/ ### Sasa dango URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/sasa-dango Type: Food Local name: 笹団子 (ja) Also known as: Sasadango, 笹だんご Kind: Sweet From: Chuetsu, Kaetsu, Niigata Season: Sold all year; home cooks once made it in early summer and in the spring and autumn mugwort seasons. How to order: Buy a bundle at a station shop. Untie the string and peel back the leaves before you bite. Vegetarian: The usual filling is red bean paste, so it is vegetarian. Summary: Sasa dango suits anyone who wants a Niigata snack for the train, and its one catch is the bamboo leaf, which you peel away and never eat. Sasa dango is a mugwort rice dumpling filled with sweet red bean paste, wrapped in bamboo leaves and tied in a bale shape with sedge string. The agriculture ministry's record says people in central and northern Niigata have made it for about 500 years, and the leaves kept it fresh as a travel food. Niigata pushed it as the official souvenir of the 1964 national sports festival, and the bale shape now stands for the rice country. Families once filled it with savoury kinpira as an everyday meal. In Myoko, the old souvenir shop facing Myoko-Kogen Station sells it beside chimaki and nozawana pickles. Q: How do you order Sasa dango? A: Buy a bundle at a station shop. Untie the string and peel back the leaves before you bite. Q: When is Sasa dango in season? A: Sasa dango: Sold all year; home cooks once made it in early summer and in the spring and autumn mugwort seasons. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/sasa_dango_niigata.html https://myokotourism.jp/restaurants/ ### Setoda lemon URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/setoda-lemon Type: Food Local name: 瀬戸田レモン (ja) Also known as: Setouchi Hiroshima lemon, 瀬戸内・広島レモン, Ikuchijima lemon Kind: Ingredient From: Setoda Season: Japanese lemons are picked mainly from September to December, and green lemons reach the market before the fruit turns yellow. How to order: Buy whole fruit at farm stands and shops, or order lemon desserts and drinks at the cafés on Setoda's Shiomachi street. Vegetarian: Yes as fruit. Check cakes and gelato for egg and dairy. Summary: Setoda lemons come from Ikuchijima's groves in the Geiyo islands, the heart of Japan's biggest lemon-growing prefecture, and you taste them in cakes, gelato and drinks all along the island road. Lemon seedlings reached the Geiyo islands from Wakayama in 1899, and the islands became Japan's main lemon country. Cold waves in 1976 and 1981 damaged the crop, and growing recovered as buyers sought fruit free of the post-harvest fungicides used on imports. Hiroshima grew about 61% of Japan's lemons in 2013, and the prefecture ships them as Setouchi Hiroshima lemons. Ikuchijima, the old town of Setoda, and Osakishimojima in Kure rank as the best-known growing areas. Most Japanese lemons are picked unripe in autumn and ripened after harvest, and green lemons sell too. Along Setoda's streets you meet the fruit in lemon cake, gelato and lemonade. Tips: - Look for green lemons in autumn and early winter. Q: How do you order Setoda lemon? A: Buy whole fruit at farm stands and shops, or order lemon desserts and drinks at the cafés on Setoda's Shiomachi street. Q: When is Setoda lemon in season? A: Setoda lemon: Japanese lemons are picked mainly from September to December, and green lemons reach the market before the fruit turns yellow. Q: Where can you eat Setoda lemon in Japan? A: Places we list for Setoda lemon include Chidori, Shimanami Dolce Setoda, Shimagokoro Setoda, Shiomachi-tei. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/レモン ### Shinshu miso URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/shinshu-miso Type: Food Local name: 信州味噌 (ja) Also known as: Shinshu miso, Nagano miso, 信州みそ Kind: Ingredient From: Nagano Season: All year. How to order: Look for miso ramen at Takahashi-ke in Hakuba, fuki-miso with sake at Monogusa in Matsumoto, or an oyaki with a miso-seasoned filling. Vegetarian: Miso itself is soybeans, rice koji and salt. Miso soup and ramen are made with stock, so ask what kind. Summary: Shinshu miso is the pale, salty rice miso that Nagano makes for most of Japan, and you will taste it in oyaki and ramen long before you see a tub of it. Shinshu miso is a rice miso made from rice koji and soybeans, pale in colour and dry and salty on the tongue. Nagano shipped 214,971 tonnes of miso in 2025, about 60 percent of the national total, according to the Nissyoku food-industry paper's March 2026 miso report, and nearly 100 makers work in the prefecture. The name is a trademark held by the prefecture's miso makers' cooperative. Japanese Wikipedia names Anyo-ji in Saku, the temple founded by the monk Kakushin in the Kamakura period, as the birthplace of Shinshu miso. In the Meiji era the silk mills around Lake Suwa needed food for their workers, and miso went into mass production. After the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, Shinshu miso took over the Tokyo market. Miso seasons a lot of what you eat on a Nagano trip. The agriculture ministry lists it among the seasonings for oyaki fillings, and Ina's Takato soba adds grilled miso to the dipping sauce. Monogusa in Matsumoto serves fuki-miso, made with butterbur buds, as a small plate with sake. Q: What is Shinshu miso? A: Shinshu miso is a pale, salty rice miso from Nagano Prefecture, made from rice koji and soybeans. Nagano supplied about 60 percent of Japan's miso shipments in 2025. Q: Why is so much of Japan's miso made in Nagano? A: Nagano's miso industry grew in the Meiji era to feed silk-mill workers around Lake Suwa, and after the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake Shinshu miso took over the Tokyo market. Nearly 100 makers work in the prefecture today. Q: How do you order Shinshu miso? A: Look for miso ramen at Takahashi-ke in Hakuba, fuki-miso with sake at Monogusa in Matsumoto, or an oyaki with a miso-seasoned filling. Q: When is Shinshu miso in season? A: Shinshu miso: All year. Q: Where can you eat Shinshu miso in Japan? A: Places we list for Shinshu miso include Monogusa, Takahashi-ke. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BF%A1%E5%B7%9E%E5%91%B3%E5%99%8C https://news.nissyoku.co.jp/news/nishizawa20260316070807416 https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/oyaki_nagano.html https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/teuchi_soba_nagano.html ### Shinshu soba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/shinshu-soba Type: Food Local name: 信州そば (ja) Also known as: Shinshu soba, Nagano soba, Togakushi soba, 信州蕎麦, teuchi soba Kind: Noodle From: Nagano Season: All year. New autumn soba reaches the market from mid-October to early November, and the summer crop, natsu-shin, comes earlier. How to order: Order zaru or mori soba to taste the noodles cold with tsuyu, chopped spring onion and wasabi. Kake soba comes hot in broth, and some shops serve it only in winter: Nomugi in Matsumoto listed it from late November to mid-April. Many shops close when the day's soba runs out, so go at lunch. Vegetarian: The noodles are buckwheat and wheat flour with water, and the ministry's recipe builds the dipping sauce on dashi, mirin and soy sauce. Ask whether the dashi contains fish; one hand-cut soba shop in Hakuba's Echoland area lists vegan and vegetarian options. Summary: Shinshu soba is the buckwheat noodle Nagano is known for across Japan, and the best bowls arrive in autumn, when the new harvest reaches the shops from mid-October. Nagano grows buckwheat in cool, high fields where rice and wheat struggle. The agriculture ministry's regional food page says the morning mist over fields at about 700 metres shields the frost-shy crop, and it calls the prefecture a birthplace of soba-kiri, buckwheat cut into thin noodles. Nagano has more soba shops than any other prefecture. Buckwheat comes in twice a year, and the autumn crop, aki-shin, beats the summer one for aroma and colour. Togakushi soba, known locally as 霜下そば, comes in small bundles called bocchi-mori, and Uzuraya at the middle shrine stone-grinds local buckwheat in the coldest weeks of winter. In Ina, Takato soba goes into a dip of grated daikon juice with grilled miso. Nagawa's toji soba is swished through a hot pot of chicken and vegetables in a little bamboo basket. The wasabi on the side most likely comes from Azumino, which grows more than 90 percent of Nagano's crop in Northern Alps snowmelt and leads Japan in production, according to the ministry. Daio Wasabi Farm in Hotaka lets you see the beds before lunch. Q: What is Shinshu soba? A: Shinshu soba is buckwheat soba from Nagano Prefecture, which the agriculture ministry calls a birthplace of soba-kiri, soba cut into noodles. Nagano has more soba shops than any other prefecture. Q: When is new soba season in Nagano? A: New autumn soba reaches Nagano's market from mid-October to early November. Buckwheat is also harvested in summer, and the autumn crop is valued more for its aroma and colour. Q: How do you order Shinshu soba? A: Order zaru or mori soba to taste the noodles cold with tsuyu, chopped spring onion and wasabi. Kake soba comes hot in broth, and some shops serve it only in winter: Nomugi in Matsumoto listed it from late November to mid-April. Many shops close when the day's soba runs out, so go at lunch. Q: Where can you eat Shinshu soba in Japan? A: Places we list for Shinshu soba include Izakaya Tsukushinbo, Meguri Soba, Monogusa, Nomugi, Riki Soba. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/teuchi_soba_nagano.html https://rurubu.jp/andmore/spot/80018661 https://www.mapple.net/original/490573/ ### Shiro-ebi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/shiro-ebi Type: Food Local name: 白えび (ja) Also known as: Shiroebi, White shrimp, Toyama white shrimp, Glass shrimp, シロエビ, 白エビ Kind: Ingredient From: Toyama Bay, Imizu, Toyama Season: Boats fish for shiro-ebi from April to November. The catch is frozen fast, so restaurants serve it all year. How to order: Ask for shiro-ebi sashimi or a shiro-ebi don to eat it raw, and shiro-ebi kakiage to have it fried. Vegetarian: It is shellfish, so it suits no vegetarian diet. Summary: Shiro-ebi suits anyone eating their way round Toyama Bay, and its one catch is the price of the peeled raw kind, which is shelled by hand. Shiro-ebi is a small translucent shrimp that glows a pale pink when it comes out of the water, and fishermen call it the jewel of Toyama Bay. Deep sea canyons run close to Toyama's shore, and the agriculture ministry says Toyama is the only place in Japan where enough are caught to support a fishery. Most of the catch lands at Shinminato and Iwase, and the prefecture lists shiro-ebi with yellowtail and firefly squid among its official fish. Families once dried it whole to make stock. Better freezing made peeling practical, and now restaurants serve it raw on rice and as sushi. At home people fry it as kakiage (a loose fritter with onion and carrot), and the shell stays pale when it cooks. At Tanabe Suisan in Imizu you can watch staff peel shiro-ebi by hand behind glass between 8:00 and 10:30. The Toyama Bay Shiro-ebi Club runs dawn boat trips to watch the fishing from late April to mid-May and again from July to September, for ¥5,000 an adult. Q: How do you order Shiro-ebi? A: Ask for shiro-ebi sashimi or a shiro-ebi don to eat it raw, and shiro-ebi kakiage to have it fried. Q: When is Shiro-ebi in season? A: Shiro-ebi: Boats fish for shiro-ebi from April to November. The catch is frozen fast, so restaurants serve it all year. Q: Where can you eat Shiro-ebi in Japan? A: Places we list for Shiro-ebi include Shinminato Kittokito Ichiba. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/37_9_toyama.html https://shiroebiclub.net/ https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/80565 https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/80503 ### Shizuoka oden URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/shizuoka-oden Type: Food Local name: 静岡おでん (ja) Also known as: Shizuoka-style oden, black oden, 黒おでん Kind: Dish From: Shizuoka Season: Year-round, and a winter favourite. Sweet shops and delis sell it by the skewer all year. How to order: Point at the skewers you want from the pot, then shake fish powder and green laver over them and add mustard. Vegetarian: Mostly no. The broth uses beef tendon stock, though daikon and konnyaku skewers carry no meat themselves. Summary: Shizuoka oden suits anyone passing through Shizuoka city who wants a cheap hot snack by the skewer, and its dark broth and fish powder taste stronger than oden elsewhere. Shizuoka oden is the city's own oden. Every item goes on a skewer, from beef tendon and kuro hanpen, a grey fish cake made from Suruga Bay fish paste, to daikon and eggs. It simmers in a dark broth, and you sprinkle green laver and fish powder over it before eating. The farm ministry says people in the city grow up buying it by the skewer at old sweet shops. The ministry dates the dish to the Taisho era and says it took off after the war, when cooks started using beef tendon and pork offal that butchers used to throw away. Fish from Suruga Bay went into the paste for kuro hanpen from the start. The city centre has its own oden street. Tips: - Shops sell it one skewer at a time, so try a few kinds before you commit to a plate. Q: What is Shizuoka oden? A: Shizuoka oden is skewered oden simmered in a dark broth with beef tendon, then topped with fish powder and green laver. Q: How do you order Shizuoka oden? A: Point at the skewers you want from the pot, then shake fish powder and green laver over them and add mustard. Q: When is Shizuoka oden in season? A: Shizuoka oden: Year-round, and a winter favourite. Sweet shops and delis sell it by the skewer all year. Q: Where can you eat Shizuoka oden in Japan? A: Places we list for Shizuoka oden include Mikawaya. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/36_16_shizuoka.html ### Taimeshi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/taimeshi Type: Food Local name: 鯛めし (ja) Also known as: sea bream rice, tai meshi, 鯛飯 Kind: Dish From: Imabari Season: Year-round. How to order: Order a taimeshi set and allow time for the pot. Pour tea over the last bowl as tai chazuke. Vegetarian: No. It is fish cooked with fish and kelp stock. Summary: Taimeshi is sea bream with rice, and on the Imabari side of the route it means a whole grilled bream cooked into the rice, served from the pot or in the Imabari Station ekiben. Ehime has two taimeshi. In the east and centre of the prefecture, which takes in Imabari, a grilled sea bream is cooked into the rice with kelp stock, and the flesh is flaked through it once the pot comes off the heat. Around Uwajima in the south, taimeshi means raw sea bream sashimi dressed in a soy sauce with raw egg and sesame and spooned over hot rice. The cooked version is the one you find at Japanese restaurants in Imabari and Matsuyama as a single-portion kamameshi set, and the Imabari Station ekiben mixes flaked bream into seasoned rice. Tips: - A pot taimeshi takes time to cook, so order it at the start of the meal. Q: How do you order Taimeshi? A: Order a taimeshi set and allow time for the pot. Pour tea over the last bowl as tai chazuke. Q: When is Taimeshi in season? A: Taimeshi: Year-round. Q: Where can you eat Taimeshi in Japan? A: Places we list for Taimeshi include Michi-no-Eki Hakata S.C. Park, Michi-no-Eki Tatara Shimanami Park, Michi-no-Eki Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/鯛めし ### Takayama ramen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/takayama-ramen Type: Food Local name: 高山ラーメン (ja) Also known as: Takayama chuka soba, Hida chuka soba, 高山中華そば, 飛騨中華そば, Takayama Ramen Kind: Noodle From: Gifu and Hida Season: All year. How to order: Ask for chuka soba. Masago Soba sells it in large, regular and small, and several shops close early when the soup sells out, so go at lunch. Vegetarian: The broth is made with meat and fish stock. Vegan Visai Ramen in Takayama makes plant-based bowls. Summary: Takayama ramen is thin curly noodles in a clear soy broth, and the local habit is to boil the soy base in the pot with the stock. Most ramen shops put the seasoning base, the kaeshi, in each bowl and pour the stock over it. Takayama's city guide says the shops here boil the base and the stock together, which gives a clear, rounded soy broth over thin curly noodles. Locals call it chuka soba, and each shop has its own taste. Masago Soba began as a street stall in 1938, and the tourism office calls it the origin of the style; it still serves only chuka soba in three sizes and rice. Tsuzumi Soba has made it since 1956. Menya Shirakawa simmers bonito, chicken bones and vegetables for 10 hours and opens again late at night. Q: What is different about Takayama ramen? A: Takayama shops boil the soy seasoning base together with the stock, where most ramen shops mix the base into each bowl. The result is a clear soy broth with thin curly noodles, which locals call chuka soba. Q: How do you order Takayama ramen? A: Ask for chuka soba. Masago Soba sells it in large, regular and small, and several shops close early when the soup sells out, so go at lunch. Q: When is Takayama ramen in season? A: Takayama ramen: All year. Q: Where can you eat Takayama ramen in Japan? A: Places we list for Takayama ramen include Jingoro Ramen Honten, Kikyoya, Masago Soba, Menya Shirakawa, Tsuzumi Soba. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hida.jp/english/localspeciality/food/4000215.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/special/detail_467.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_3118.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_5246.html ### Takoyaki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/takoyaki Type: Food Local name: たこ焼き (ja) Also known as: octopus balls, tako-yaki, たこ焼, 蛸焼 Kind: Snack From: Osaka Season: Year-round. Stands sell them hot all day, and a box keeps a winter hand warm on the walk back to the station. How to order: Order by the number of balls; Wanaka sells boxes of 8, 12 or 15, depending on the shop. Ask for no sauce at Aizuya to taste the original style. Vegetarian: No. Each ball holds octopus, and the batter uses dashi stock. Summary: Takoyaki are Osaka's batter balls with octopus inside, fried in round moulds, and Aizuya in Tamade says its founder made the first ones in 1935. Aizuya opened in Osaka in 1933, and two years later its founder Tomekichi Endo created takoyaki. Before that he sold radio-yaki, the same kind of ball filled with beef tendon and konnyaku. Aizuya still serves its takoyaki plain, with the flavour in the stock-rich batter, and offers vinegar soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce on the side. Wanaka fries at Sennichimae near Namba and serves its takoyaki with sauce and a long list of toppings. It has shops across the city, including one in the Alde mall at Shin-Osaka station. Tips: - Let the first one cool; the centre stays molten long after the outside sets. Q: Where was takoyaki invented? A: Takoyaki comes from Osaka. Aizuya says its founder Tomekichi Endo created it in 1935, two years after he opened the shop in 1933. Q: How do you order Takoyaki? A: Order by the number of balls; Wanaka sells boxes of 8, 12 or 15, depending on the shop. Ask for no sauce at Aizuya to taste the original style. Q: When is Takoyaki in season? A: Takoyaki: Year-round. Stands sell them hot all day, and a box keeps a winter hand warm on the walk back to the station. Q: Where can you eat Takoyaki in Japan? A: Places we list for Takoyaki include Aizuya Honten, Wanaka Sennichimae. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.aiduya.com/ https://www.aiduya.com/menu/ https://takoyaki-wanaka.com/ https://takoyaki-wanaka.com/tenpo-shinosaka.html?250514 ### Tare katsudon URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/tare-katsudon Type: Food Local name: タレかつ丼 (ja) Also known as: Niigata katsudon, Tarekatsu-don, タレカツ丼 Kind: Dish From: Niigata city, Kaetsu Season: Eaten all year. How to order: Order it by name and expect no egg. Vegetarian: Not vegetarian; it is pork in a soy sauce glaze. Summary: Tare katsudon suits anyone who finds the egg-topped katsudon too heavy, and its catch is that you mostly find it in Niigata city, a long way from the ski towns. Niigata's katsudon has no egg. Thin cutlets of pork come out of the fryer, go through a sweet soy sauce and land on rice, usually two or more to a bowl. The agriculture ministry's record traces it to an old Western-food house in Niigata city's Furumachi in the early Showa years, when dipping a cutlet in soy sauce was a bold idea. Cooks trained there opened their own shops, and the style spread across the city. In the snow towns the dish turns up on a few menus. Myoko Tourism's listing for Hanako in Ikenotaira includes a tare katsudon, but that entry dates from 2021. Q: How do you order Tare katsudon? A: Order it by name and expect no egg. Q: When is Tare katsudon in season? A: Tare katsudon: Eaten all year. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/tare_katsudon_niigata.html https://myokotourism.com/restaurants/hanako/ ### Tateyama aburi kaisendon URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/tateyama-aburi-kaisendon Type: Food Local name: 館山炙り海鮮丼 (ja) Also known as: Tateyama seared seafood bowl, 館山炙り海鮮丼, aburi kaisen don Tateyama Kind: Dish From: Kanto and Boso Season: All year, with the fish changing by what the boats land. How to order: Book with the restaurant by 10:00 the day before, or three days ahead at Kyukamura Tateyama, and ask for the Tateyama aburi kaisendon (館山炙り海鮮丼) at lunch. Vegetarian: No. It is a raw and seared seafood bowl. Summary: The Tateyama aburi kaisendon is a seared seafood bowl that Tateyama's restaurants serve as the town's premium dish, and it suits riders who can book lunch a day ahead. A council of Tateyama restaurants created the aburi kaisendon as a new local dish, and it marked its 14th year with a thank-you campaign in February 2026. Each kitchen sears the local fish lightly and builds its own version. Umi no Hana and Hana Sohonten serve theirs as three-tier boxes. Every restaurant takes the dish by reservation only, since the boats decide what is landed. Umi no Hana, Hana Sohonten and Senri no Kaze want your booking by 10:00 the day before, and Kyukamura Tateyama needs three days. Most serve it at lunch only and make 20 or 30 a day. Q: Do I need to book the Tateyama aburi kaisendon? A: Yes. Every restaurant serves it by reservation only, mostly by 10:00 the day before, and Kyukamura Tateyama needs three days' notice. Q: How do you order Tateyama aburi kaisendon? A: Book with the restaurant by 10:00 the day before, or three days ahead at Kyukamura Tateyama, and ask for the Tateyama aburi kaisendon (館山炙り海鮮丼) at lunch. Q: When is Tateyama aburi kaisendon in season? A: Tateyama aburi kaisendon: All year, with the fish changing by what the boats land. Q: Where can you eat Tateyama aburi kaisendon in Japan? A: Places we list for Tateyama aburi kaisendon include Hana Sohonten, Oshare Sushi Umi no Hana. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tateyama-gourmet.com/ https://www.tateyama-gourmet.com/shops/index.html https://tateyamacity.com/archives/34259 ### Tenmusu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/tenmusu Type: Food Local name: 天むす (ja) Also known as: Ten-musu, てんむす, tempura onigiri Kind: Snack From: Tsu, Nagoya Season: All year. How to order: Buy a box of five to take away and eat them cold on the road. Vegetarian: No. Each rice ball holds a prawn tempura. Summary: Tenmusu is a small rice ball wrapped round prawn tempura, born in Tsu and sold as a Nagoya snack, and it keeps its taste cold, so a box travels well on a ride. A tenmusu is about half the size of an ordinary rice ball, with a small prawn tempura inside and a band of nori round the outside. Shops serve it with kyarabuki, butterbur simmered in soy. It began in the 1950s as a staff lunch at Senju, a tempura restaurant in Tsu, Mie, which trademarked the name in 1965. A branch opened in Osu, Nagoya in 1981, and television coverage the next year made it a Nagoya hit. In Tsu the tempura hides inside the rice and is seasoned with salt. Nagoya's Jiraiya style leaves the tail showing on top with a soy-based seasoning. Q: How do you order Tenmusu? A: Buy a box of five to take away and eat them cold on the road. Q: When is Tenmusu in season? A: Tenmusu: All year. Q: Where can you eat Tenmusu in Japan? A: Places we list for Tenmusu include Meibutsu Tenmusu Senju. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A9%E3%82%80%E3%81%99 https://www.nagoya-info.jp/gourmet/digest/ https://www.nagoya-info.jp/gourmet/detail/21/ ### Toriten URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/toriten Type: Food Local name: とり天 (ja) Also known as: tori-ten, chicken tempura, Beppu toriten, Oita toriten Kind: Dish From: Beppu, Oita Season: All year. How to order: Order it as a set meal or a plate on its own, and dip each piece in vinegar and soy with a dab of mustard. Some places offer ponzu or kabosu citrus instead. Vegetarian: It is chicken, so it is not vegetarian. Summary: Toriten suits anyone in Oita who wants the local answer to fried chicken, and it is chicken in a light tempura batter that most people eat with vinegar, soy and mustard. Oita eats a lot of chicken. In Japan's 2019 household survey of prefectural capitals and major cities, Oita City came top for chicken bought per household. Toriten, chicken thigh or breast seasoned with soy and garlic and fried in tempura batter, is as common across the prefecture as karaage. Japan's ministry of agriculture credits Toyoken in Beppu, which opened as Oita's first restaurant in 1926. In the early Showa years the bone-in karaage on its menu was hard to eat neatly, so the kitchen cut boneless thigh into bite-size pieces and fried them like tempura. The idea spread to other restaurants quickly. Q: What do you dip toriten in? A: Most people in Oita dip toriten in vinegar and soy sauce with a little mustard. Ponzu and kabosu, a local citrus, are common too. Q: How do you order Toriten? A: Order it as a set meal or a plate on its own, and dip each piece in vinegar and soy with a dab of mustard. Some places offer ponzu or kabosu citrus instead. Q: When is Toriten in season? A: Toriten: All year. Q: Where can you eat Toriten in Japan? A: Places we list for Toriten include Restaurant Toyoken. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/toriten_oita.html https://www.toyoken-beppu.co.jp/about/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1067542 ### Tottori beef-bone ramen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/tottori-gyukotsu-ramen Type: Food Local name: 鳥取牛骨ラーメン (ja) Also known as: gyukotsu ramen, beef bone ramen, 牛骨ラーメン Kind: Noodle From: Tottori Season: All year. How to order: Ask for gyukotsu ramen; shops serve it with soy or salt, and some make a beef-bone champon. Vegetarian: No; the broth is made from beef bones. Summary: Tottori beef-bone ramen suits riders crossing central and western Tottori who want the local bowl, and you find it mostly between Sakaiminato and Misasa, with few shops in the east. Tottori's ramen stock comes from beef bones, which give the soup a sweet, toasty beef fat. The noodles are medium-thick and curly, and the toppings stay simple, with kamaboko in place of naruto at many shops. Most shops sit in central and western Tottori, from Sakaiminato and Yonago through Kotoura to Kurayoshi and Misasa. A Yonago shop called Masumi ran Tottori's first newspaper advert for chuka soba on 29 March 1951, with a beef and pork stock, and local researchers treat it as the start of the style. A group of fans formed to promote the ramen in 2009. Q: How do you order Tottori beef-bone ramen? A: Ask for gyukotsu ramen; shops serve it with soy or salt, and some make a beef-bone champon. Q: When is Tottori beef-bone ramen in season? A: Tottori beef-bone ramen: All year. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/牛骨ラーメン ### Toyama black ramen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/toyama-black-ramen Type: Food Local name: 富山ブラックラーメン (ja) Also known as: Toyama Black, Toyama black, 富山ブラック, Black ramen Kind: Noodle From: Toyama How to order: Order chuka soba (the plain bowl) with a bowl of rice beside it, and stir everything together before you start. Summary: Toyama black ramen suits riders who want their salt back after a long day, and its one catch is a broth so salty that most people eat it with rice. Toyama black is a soy-sauce ramen with a broth close to black. Coarse-cut spring onion and plenty of black pepper go on top. Toyama's tourism association traces it to Taiki in Nishicho, where the bowls fed manual workers who needed salt, and the shop's menma (bamboo shoots) are still seasoned hard enough to eat with rice. The tourism association's advice is to stir the noodles and toppings into the broth before the first mouthful, which takes the edge off the salt. Its list of recommended shops runs from Nishicho Taiki to Menya Iroha's branch under the station. Q: How do you order Toyama black ramen? A: Order chuka soba (the plain bowl) with a bowl of rice beside it, and stir everything together before you start. Q: Where can you eat Toyama black ramen in Japan? A: Places we list for Toyama black ramen include Menya Iroha CiC, Nishicho Taiki. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.toyamashi-kankoukyoukai.jp/feature/feature-toyama-black-ramen-10/ https://www.toyamashi-kankoukyoukai.jp/gourmet/taiki-nishicho-honten/ https://www.toyamashi-kankoukyoukai.jp/gourmet/menya-iroha-cic-store/ ### Uonuma Koshihikari URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/uonuma-koshihikari Type: Food Local name: 魚沼産コシヒカリ (ja) Also known as: Uonuma rice, Minamiuonuma Koshihikari, 南魚沼産コシヒカリ Kind: Ingredient From: Uonuma, Minamiuonuma, Tokamachi, Yuzawa Season: New rice reaches tables from September; sold all year. How to order: Ask for shinmai (new rice) in autumn. At an onigiri counter, order one ball with a single filling so the rice carries it. Vegetarian: Plain rice is vegetarian; check onigiri fillings. Summary: Uonuma Koshihikari suits anyone who wants to taste why Niigata calls itself rice country, and its catch is that menus rarely name the rice they serve. Koshihikari is the rice variety, and Uonuma is the snow country of southern Niigata that gives this rice its name. Tokamachi's tourism office lists it with the region's spring greens and autumn mushrooms as the food the land gives after the long winter. You meet it everywhere in the region. NASPA New Otani in Yuzawa started serving 2026 Minamiuonuma Koshihikari in September, and at Echigo-Yuzawa Station the onigiri counter in Ponshukan cooks contract-farm rice in a hagama pot and shapes it to order. Inns in Myoko and Suginosawa grow and serve their own Koshihikari too, so ask your host where the rice on the table came from. Q: How do you order Uonuma Koshihikari? A: Ask for shinmai (new rice) in autumn. At an onigiri counter, order one ball with a single filling so the rice carries it. Q: When is Uonuma Koshihikari in season? A: Uonuma Koshihikari: New rice reaches tables from September; sold all year. Q: Where can you eat Uonuma Koshihikari in Japan? A: Places we list for Uonuma Koshihikari include Bakudan Onigiri-ya. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ponshukan.com/yuzawa/ https://www.naspa.co.jp/ https://www.tokamachishikankou.jp/charm/ https://www.tabataya.net/ https://myokotourism.com/restaurants/restaurant-shibata/ ### Utsunomiya gyoza URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/utsunomiya-gyoza Type: Food Local name: 宇都宮餃子 (ja) Also known as: Utsunomiya dumplings, Utsunomiya gyoza dumplings, 宇都宮ぎょうざ Kind: Dish From: Utsunomiya Season: All year. The gyoza festival fills Utsunomiya Castle Ruins Park on the first weekend of November. How to order: Regulars order a double sui: two plates of pan-fried gyoza and one of boiled. Taste one plain, then mix vinegar, soy and chilli oil in the dish yourself. Vegetarian: The classic filling mixes pork with cabbage and other vegetables, so ask before you assume a meat-free plate. Summary: Utsunomiya gyoza suits anyone in Tochigi who wants a cheap, filling lunch with a local argument attached, since no single recipe defines it and every shop defends its own. The city's gyoza association holds the Utsunomiya Gyoza trademark, and only its member shops may use it. The city's tourism bureau says there is no fixed definition. The old shops have kept the same recipe for more than 60 years. Newer shops fold in cheese or mala sauce. Yaki are pan-fried and age are deep-fried. Sui come in plain hot water that you season yourself. The Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival on the first weekend of November sells member shops' plates at ¥200 each, and in 2026 it runs on 7 and 8 November. Q: How do you order Utsunomiya gyoza? A: Regulars order a double sui: two plates of pan-fried gyoza and one of boiled. Taste one plain, then mix vinegar, soy and chilli oil in the dish yourself. Q: When is Utsunomiya gyoza in season? A: Utsunomiya gyoza: All year. The gyoza festival fills Utsunomiya Castle Ruins Park on the first weekend of November. Q: Where can you eat Utsunomiya gyoza in Japan? A: Places we list for Utsunomiya gyoza include Gyoza Masashi Miyajima-cho Honten, Kirasse Honten, Utsunomiya Minmin Honten. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.utsunomiya-cvb.org/feature/gyoza https://www.gyozakai.com/about/ https://www.minmin.co.jp/gyoza/index.html https://www.tochigiji.or.jp/news/n39795 ### Wanko Soba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/wanko-soba Type: Food Local name: わんこそば (ja) Also known as: wankosoba, 椀子そば, all-you-can-eat soba, Iwate wanko soba Kind: Noodle From: Morioka, Hanamaki, Iwate Season: All year. How to order: Order wanko soba and put on the apron. Hold your bowl up so the server can drop in each mouthful, and close the lid on an empty bowl when you have had enough. Vegetarian: No. The soba comes in a fish-based broth with meat and fish condiments. Azumaya in Morioka runs a separate vegan soba menu. Summary: Wanko soba is Iwate's soba served a mouthful at a time, tossed into your bowl by a server until you cover it with the lid. It suits anyone who wants a meal that doubles as a game, and the trade-off is that it can turn into an eating contest if you let the pace run away. The Nipponica encyclopedia traces wanko soba to the old Iwate custom of soba-burumai, treating guests to soba, which began with soba served in shallow lidded bowls. Another account credits Nanbu Toshinao, the Edo-period lord, who stopped at Hanamaki Castle and kept asking for more bowls. The dish grew famous through eating contests that a Hanamaki soba business started, and today Morioka serves more of it than Hanamaki does. At Azumaya in Morioka, a server stands by your table and drops a mouthful of kake soba into your bowl each time you empty it, calling out as she goes, and fifteen bowls make roughly one ordinary bowl. Condiments such as tuna sashimi, grated daikon and minced chicken change the taste between rounds. Azumaya's own records are 500 bowls for men and 753 for women, and one old Morioka shop puts the average at 30 to 40 for women and 50 to 60 for men. The New York Times named Morioka second on its 52 places to go in 2023 and put wanko soba in front of a world audience. Hanamaki holds the All-Japan Wanko Soba Championship every year. Tips: - Eat at your own pace. Azumaya says there is no rule that you must eat fast, and talking with your server is part of the meal. Q: How many bowls of wanko soba make a normal serving? A: Azumaya in Morioka says fifteen wanko bowls make about one ordinary bowl of kake soba. Q: How do you stop eating wanko soba? A: Put the lid on your bowl while it is empty and the server can see it. If any soba is left inside, the server keeps going. Q: How do you order Wanko Soba? A: Order wanko soba and put on the apron. Hold your bowl up so the server can drop in each mouthful, and close the lid on an empty bowl when you have had enough. Q: When is Wanko Soba in season? A: Wanko Soba: All year. Q: Where can you eat Wanko Soba in Japan? A: Places we list for Wanko Soba include Azumaya Honten. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kotobank.jp/word/%E3%82%8F%E3%82%93%E3%81%93%E3%81%9D%E3%81%B0 https://www.wankosoba.jp/wankosoba/ https://www.wankosoba.jp/ ### Izu wasabi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/wasabi Type: Food Local name: わさび (ja) Also known as: Amagi wasabi, Shizuoka wasabi, fresh wasabi, 山葵, 天城わさび, 伊豆わさび Kind: Ingredient From: Shizuoka, Izu Season: Year-round. Wasabi grows in cold spring water, and fresh roots are on sale through the year around Amagi and Nakaizu. How to order: Order zaru soba or a wasabi rice bowl where the menu says nama wasabi, fresh wasabi, and grate the root at the table. Vegetarian: Yes. Fresh wasabi is a plant, though the soba dipping sauce served with it uses fish stock. Summary: Izu wasabi suits food lovers who want to grate the fresh root themselves over soba, and the real thing costs far more than the paste in a tube. Wasabi cultivation began in Shizuoka. The prefecture's heritage site says villagers in Utogi, up the Abe River, first planted wild wasabi in spring water in the Keicho era, between 1596 and 1615. In 1744 Itagaki Kanshiro, a forest keeper from Amagi-Yugashima, brought seedlings back to Izu as thanks for teaching shiitake growing, and Izu became a growing area of its own. Wasabi from Amagi went to Edo by ship from Ito harbour from the 1780s. Growers in Nakaizu built the first tatami-ishi wasabi fields around 1892, terraced beds of layered stone that keep cold, oxygen-rich water moving through the roots. That method spread across Japan, and in 2018 the FAO named the traditional Shizuoka wasabi growing system a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System. Izu city, Matsuzaki, Kawazu and Higashiizu all sit in the heritage area. Fresh wasabi gives a clean, cool heat that fades within minutes of grating, so grate it at the table. On the Izu roads look for menus that say nama wasabi, fresh wasabi, beside the soba. Tips: - Grate slowly in small circles and eat it soon after; the bite fades within minutes. Q: Where did wasabi farming start? A: Shizuoka's heritage site says wasabi farming began in Utogi, in today's Shizuoka city, in the Keicho era (1596–1615), and reached Amagi in Izu in 1744. Q: Is Shizuoka wasabi a World Agricultural Heritage system? A: Yes. The FAO named Shizuoka's traditional wasabi growing a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System in 2018. Q: How do you order Izu wasabi? A: Order zaru soba or a wasabi rice bowl where the menu says nama wasabi, fresh wasabi, and grate the root at the table. Q: When is Izu wasabi in season? A: Izu wasabi: Year-round. Wasabi grows in cold spring water, and fresh roots are on sale through the year around Amagi and Nakaizu. Q: Where can you eat Izu wasabi in Japan? A: Places we list for Izu wasabi include Michi-no-eki Amagigoe, Zenpuutei Nanaban. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shizuoka-wasabi.jp/about/ https://www.shizuoka-wasabi.jp/about/history.php https://www.shizuoka-wasabi.jp/area/ https://kanko.city.izu.shizuoka.jp/amagift/wasa/ ### Yakimanju URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/yakimanju Type: Food Local name: 焼きまんじゅう (ja) Also known as: yaki manju, yaki-manju, grilled manju, 焼まんじゅう, 焼き饅頭 Kind: Snack From: Gunma, Maebashi Season: Year-round, and best hot off the grill, since the buns harden as they cool. How to order: Order a skewer and eat it at the counter while it is hot. Vegetarian: Usually. The buns are steamed wheat and koji, and the glaze is miso with brown sugar and syrup. Some shops sell versions filled with red bean paste. Summary: Yakimanju is Gunma's grilled skewer of plain steamed buns brushed with a thick, sweet miso glaze, and it has to be eaten hot because it turns hard as it cools. A yakimanju shop steams buns of wheat flour fermented with koji, threads them on a bamboo skewer, brushes on a thick miso sauce sweetened with brown sugar and starch syrup, and grills them until the glaze catches. Most have no filling. Shops sell take-home packs with the sauce in a separate packet so you can grill them fresh. The snack dates from the late Edo period. Maebashi has the strongest claim: Harashima Kumazo of Harashimaya wrote that his ancestor Harashima Ruizo first sold it there in 1857, though shops in Isesaki and Numata also call themselves the originals. Wheat grew as a winter crop across southern Gunma, which helps explain why the prefecture eats so many flour foods. In 2022 the Agency for Cultural Affairs recognised yakimanju as a traditional 100-year food. Tips: - Isesaki Shrine offers a giant yakimanju at the Joshu Yakimanju Festival on 11 January each year. Q: What is yakimanju? A: Yakimanju is a Gunma snack of plain steamed buns on a skewer, brushed with a sweet miso glaze and grilled. Q: Does yakimanju have a filling? A: Usually no. Most yakimanju are plain buns, though a few shops make them with red bean paste inside. Q: How do you order Yakimanju? A: Order a skewer and eat it at the counter while it is hot. Q: When is Yakimanju in season? A: Yakimanju: Year-round, and best hot off the grill, since the buns harden as they cool. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/焼きまんじゅう https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/5512786522 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1421534119 ### Yamagata Soba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/yamagata-soba Type: Food Local name: 山形そば (ja) Also known as: ita soba, 板そば, itasoba, niku soba, 肉そば, tsumetai niku soba, 冷たい肉そば, tsuttai niku soba Kind: Noodle From: Yamagata, Murayama, Kahoku Season: All year. Cold niku soba is a summer favourite in one of Japan's hottest inland basins, and ita soba is served through the winter. How to order: Ask for ita soba to share a board, or tsuttai niku soba for the cold chicken soba. In Yamagata city, Shojiya's sarashina aimori board pairs the thick country noodle with a pale sarashina cut. Vegetarian: The noodles are buckwheat, but dipping sauces are usually made with bonito, and niku soba comes in a chicken broth. Summary: Yamagata soba is darker, thicker and firmer than the Shinshu kind, and it suits anyone who likes a noodle with real chew. The trade-off is that the famous soba roads run through small towns north of Yamagata city, so a proper crawl needs a car or a day. The prefecture's tourism portal describes Yamagata soba as a little harder, thicker and darker than Shinshu soba, cut thick from a dark flour. Ita soba, several servings heaped on a long wooden board or a big wooden box, comes from the Murayama area's custom of treating people to soba after farm work. The Nihon Kokugo Daijiten adds that the noodles run thicker than ordinary country soba and the dipping sauce lighter. Shojiya in Yamagata city, open since the 1860s, still serves its boards with a sauce of Tosa bonito and Rishiri kelp. Niku soba is the other half of the story. Kahoku is credited with it: soba in a soy broth topped with chicken and leeks, and the cold version began as a way to keep the noodles from going soft. Ask for tsuttai niku soba to get it cold, and niku chuka if you want the same bowl with ramen noodles. The prefecture's soba roads, the Mogamigawa Sannansho, Oishida and Obanazawa routes, each line up more than ten soba shops. Tips: - Drive one of the soba roads north of Yamagata city on a rest day between Zao ski days; the Mogamigawa Sannansho road calls itself the first of them. Q: What is ita soba? A: Ita soba is soba heaped for several people on a long wooden board or box. Yamagata's tourism portal traces it to the Murayama custom of serving soba after farm work. Q: How do you order cold niku soba in Yamagata? A: Ask for tsuttai niku soba. The prefecture's portal uses that local word for the cold version of Kahoku's chicken soba. Q: When is Yamagata Soba in season? A: Yamagata Soba: All year. Cold niku soba is a summer favourite in one of Japan's hottest inland basins, and ita soba is served through the winter. Q: Where can you eat Yamagata Soba in Japan? A: Places we list for Yamagata Soba include Dewaya, Shojiya Honten, Yamagata Imoniya. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://yamagatakanko.com/local-foods https://www.shojiya.jp/soba https://www.shojiya.jp/about https://kotobank.jp/word/%E6%9D%BF%E3%81%9D%E3%81%B0 ### Nikko yuba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/food/yuba Type: Food Local name: 日光湯波 (ja) Also known as: yuba, tofu skin, 湯波, 湯葉, Nikko yuba Kind: Ingredient From: Nikko Season: All year. How to order: Try fresh yuba first with wasabi and soy or ponzu, then look for it simmered in broth or rolled and fried on a set lunch. Vegetarian: Yuba is soy milk and nothing else, though the broths it comes in may use bonito stock. Summary: Nikko yuba suits food lovers and vegetarians who want the town's signature ingredient, and its mild taste needs a quiet palate. Yuba is the skin that forms on soy milk as it heats. Kyoto writes it 湯葉 and lifts a single sheet, while Nikko writes 湯波 and lifts the skin folded double so a little soy milk stays inside. The Nikko maker says that is the difference you taste. Yuba has long fed monks in temple cooking, and the Nikko maker says it offers yuba at Toshogu. Fresh yuba wants only wasabi and soy or ponzu, and some Kinugawa inns serve it at breakfast. Q: How do you order Nikko yuba? A: Try fresh yuba first with wasabi and soy or ponzu, then look for it simmered in broth or rolled and fried on a set lunch. Q: When is Nikko yuba in season? A: Nikko yuba: All year. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nikkoyuba.net/ https://www.nikko-kankou.org/spot/817 ## Tours, guides and rentals ### Aizuwakamatsu Castle Town Rental Cycle URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/aizuwakamatsu-rental-cycle Type: Operator Local name: 城下町レンタサイクル (ja) Also known as: Aizu rental cycle, Tsuruga Castle bike rental, Aizuwakamatsu bike rental, 城下町レンタサイクル Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Fukushima Address: Tsuruga Castle station, 1-1 Otemachi, Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima Status: seasonal. Rentals run from early April to 30 November. Kind: Bike rental Works in: Aizuwakamatsu, Tsuruga Castle, Oyakuen Off season: No rentals from December to March. Phone: 0242-27-4005 Fleet: City bike from ¥600, about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: accident insurance One way: Drop the bike at any of the three stations in town. Website: https://www.tsurugajo.com/tsurugajo/cycle/ Summary: Aizuwakamatsu's castle-town bikes suit visitors who want to ride between Tsuruga Castle, the Oyakuen garden and the old streets for ¥600 a day; the bikes run only from April to November and go back by 16:00. The Aizuwakamatsu Tourism Bureau rents bikes from three stations in town, one of them at Tsuruga Castle and another at the Oyakuen garden. A day costs ¥600 with accident insurance, and you can return the bike to any station by 16:00. Staff copy your photo ID when you rent. The castle town's lanes twist, and a bike makes them easy. The season runs from early April to the end of November. Tips: - Start at the Tsuruga Castle station and drop the bike at Oyakuen if you end the day at the garden. - Bring a passport or other photo ID, which the bureau copies before it hands over a bike. Q: How much is bike rental in Aizuwakamatsu? A: ¥600 a day with insurance, from early April to the end of November. Return the bike by 16:00 to any of the three stations. Q: Is Aizuwakamatsu Castle Town Rental Cycle open out of season? A: Aizuwakamatsu Castle Town Rental Cycle: No rentals from December to March. Q: What bikes does Aizuwakamatsu Castle Town Rental Cycle rent? A: Aizuwakamatsu Castle Town Rental Cycle rents city bikes from ¥600 (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tsurugajo.com/tsurugajo/cycle/ https://www.tsurugajo.com/2026/03/07/24106/ ### Amagi Rental Cycle URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/amagi-rental-cycle Type: Operator Local name: 天城支部レンタサイクル (ja) Also known as: Amagi Cycling, Izu City Tourism Association Amagi branch rental, 天城サイクリング, 伊豆市観光協会天城支部 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Address: 176-2 Yugashima, Izu, Shizuoka 410-3206 Coordinates: 34.89400, 138.92670 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Amagi, Yugashima Off season: The office closes on Tuesdays. Phone: 0558-85-1056 Fleet: E-bike from ¥3,000, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day; Mountain bike from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day; Cross from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: helmet, gloves, lock, insurance Website: https://kanko.city.izu.shizuoka.jp/sightseeing/amagi-byclerental/ Summary: The Izu City Tourism Association's Amagi office in Yugashima rents Bianchi mountain and cross bikes and two e-bikes for the climbs of the Amagi hills, and suits riders who want a day among the wasabi valleys without bringing a bike; the fleet is only seven bikes, so book by the day before. The Amagi branch office of the tourism association started its rental service so visitors could see the forests of Amagi at bicycle speed. An e-bike costs ¥3,000 a day and a Bianchi mountain or cross bike ¥2,000, with insurance, helmet, gloves and lock in the price. Bikes go out from 9:30 and come back by 16:00, and the office publishes a set of Amagi cycling routes on its website. Joren Falls lies on the road south from Yugashima. Tips: - Take an e-bike for the mountain routes, which is why the office added two in 2024. - Bring cash, because the office takes no cards or QR payments. Q: How much does it cost to rent a bike in Amagi, Izu? A: The Izu City Tourism Association's Amagi office charges ¥3,000 a day for an e-bike and ¥2,000 for a Bianchi mountain or cross bike, including insurance, helmet, gloves and lock. Q: Does Amagi Rental Cycle speak English? A: Amagi Rental Cycle works in Japanese. Q: Is Amagi Rental Cycle open out of season? A: Amagi Rental Cycle: The office closes on Tuesdays. Q: What bikes does Amagi Rental Cycle rent? A: Amagi Rental Cycle rents e-bikes from ¥3,000 (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day, mountain bikes from ¥2,000 (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day, crosss from ¥2,000 (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kanko.city.izu.shizuoka.jp/sightseeing/amagi-byclerental/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%9D%99%E5%B2%A1%E7%9C%8C%E4%BC%8A%E8%B1%86%E5%B8%82%E6%B9%AF%E3%82%B1%E5%B3%B6176-2 ### Bamboo Tail URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/bambootail Type: Operator Local name: 番亭 (ja) Also known as: BAMBOOTAIL, bamboo tail, 番亭, Bantei Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: 5249-4 Hokujo, Hakuba, Kitaazumi District, Nagano 399-9301 Status: seasonal. A guest died on a Bamboo Tail tour in March 2026. The company paused all tours, reviewed its safety management and resumed guiding on 1 April 2026. Bookings for 2026/27 opened on 1 October 2026. Kind: Guide Certifications: JMGA Ski and Snowboard Guide Stage II (two guides), JMGA Ski and Snowboard Guide Stage I, JMGA Mountain Guide Stage II (three guides), Shinshu Mountain Guide (信州登山案内人), JAN Avalanche Level 1 Works in: Hakuba valley, Omachi, Otari, Itoigawa Phone: +81-80-1885-6589 Website: https://bambootail.com/ Summary: Bamboo Tail (番亭) is a Japanese backcountry guide service in Hakuba led by JMGA-certified ski and snowboard guides, and suits riders who read Japanese or travel with someone who does. A one-day tour costs ¥17,050 a person, which runs well below the English-language outfits in the valley. Organizer Yu Takeo is a former JSBA pro snowboarder who holds JMGA Ski and Snowboard Guide Stage II and JMGA Mountain Guide Stage II. Tours range across Hakuba, Otari and Omachi and reach over the prefectural line into Itoigawa. The standard One-Day Tour meets at 7:45 in the No. 3 car park at Happo-one and spends two to four hours climbing before the ride out. The site and the booking system are in Japanese only. Bamboo Tail asks first-timers to start on its Beginner or Light One-Day tours, and every guest needs mountain or hiking insurance before the day. The same company runs a second base at Takasu in Gifu. Tips: - Bamboo Tail requires mountain insurance; if you have none, the company points you to short-term cover when you book. Q: Are Bamboo Tail's guides JMGA certified? A: Yes. Bamboo Tail lists two guides with JMGA Ski and Snowboard Guide Stage II, one with Stage I and three with JMGA Mountain Guide Stage II. Several also hold JAN Avalanche Level 1. Q: How much does Bamboo Tail charge? A: Bamboo Tail lists One-Day Tour (ワンデーツアー) from ¥17,050 per person (2026), about CAD 153 or USD 108 (October 2026 rates) (Meet 7:45, finish 14:00–16:00 with 2–4 hours of climbing). Q: Is Bamboo Tail open all year? A: Bamboo Tail opens for part of the year. A guest died on a Bamboo Tail tour in March 2026. The company paused all tours, reviewed its safety management and resumed guiding on 1 April 2026. Bookings for 2026/27 opened on 1 October 2026. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://bambootail.com/ https://bambootail.com/staff/ https://bambootail.com/tour_3/ https://bambootail.com/2026/03/06/%e3%83%90%e3%83%83%e3%82%af%e3%82%ab%e3%83%b3%e3%83%88%e3%83%aa%e3%83%bc%e3%83%84%e3%82%a2%e3%83%bc%e4%b8%ad%e3%81%ae%e4%ba%8b%e6%95%85%e3%81%ab%e3%81%a4%e3%81%84%e3%81%a6/ https://bambootail.com/2026/03/30/%e5%86%8d%e9%96%8b%e5%be%8c%e3%81%ae%e3%83%84%e3%82%a2%e3%83%bc%e6%96%b9%e9%87%9d%e3%81%a8%e5%86%8d%e7%99%ba%e9%98%b2%e6%ad%a2%e7%ad%96%e3%81%ab%e3%81%a4%e3%81%84%e3%81%a6/ ### Biwaichi Bike URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/biwaichi-bike Type: Operator Local name: ビワイチバイク (ja) Also known as: Otsu Port Cycle Station, 大津港サイクルステーション, O-PORT-able, Biwako Rental Bike Shop, Biwaichi Bike Otsu Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Otsu Address: Otsu Port passenger terminal, 5-1-7 Hamaotsu, Otsu, Shiga 520-0047 Coordinates: 35.01270, 135.86590 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese, English, Chinese Certifications: Tours led by guides certified by the Japan Cycling Guide Association (JCGA) Works in: Otsu, Biwaichi Off season: The shop closed for winter from 16 December 2025 to 19 February 2026, and its O-PORT-able page gives the same 16 December to 19 February break as the yearly pattern. Plan an Otsu start for late February or later. Phone: 050-1784-8483 Fleet: Cross from ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) a day; Road bike from ¥7,700, about CAD 69 or USD 49 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥7,700, about CAD 69 or USD 49 (October 2026 rates) a day; Gravel e bike from ¥9,900, about CAD 89 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) a day; Cross e bike from ¥11,000, about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates) a day; Junior from ¥4,400, about CAD 40 or USD 28 (October 2026 rates) a day; Tandem from ¥8,800, about CAD 79 or USD 56 (October 2026 rates) a day; Child trailer from ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: helmet, lock, light, third-party liability insurance One way: For ¥3,300 a bike you can return at partner sites around the lake: the Kinomoto tourist office and Kosoan in Kinomoto, Takashima's Makino Bussan Kaikan (no returns on Tuesdays), Hotel Biwa Lake Otsuka, Kitaomi no Yu hot spring in Takatsuki, Biwako Tourism Base in Seta, the Gokasho tourist centre, Nagahama Dome, Pension Lakeside in Kitahira, Omi-Hachiman Youth Hostel, Ogoto Onsen's Biwako Hanakaido, Shigaraki Toen Tanuki-mura, Hotel Boston Plaza Kusatsu and WanderCycle Kyoto. Repairs: Yes Website: https://biwaichi.bike/ Booking: https://book.biwaichi.bike/ Summary: Biwaichi Bike suits riders who want to start at Otsu Port and finish somewhere else on the lake, though it shuts every winter from mid-December to mid-February. The cycle station fills part of the Otsu Port passenger terminal, a three-minute walk from Biwako-Hamaotsu Station on the Keihan line, and it keeps about 400 bikes. Day rates for 2026 start at ¥5,500 for a flat-bar cross bike and ¥7,700 for a basic road bike or a folding e-bike. Every plan includes a helmet, a lock, a light and liability insurance. Prices go up on the shop's high-season dates, which in 2026 covered Golden Week, the September holidays and three long weekends in October and November. Most riders book here for the mid-route return. Pay ¥3,300 a bike on top of the rental and you can leave it at one of more than a dozen partner sites, from the Kinomoto tourist office in Nagahama to Ogoto Onsen's Biwako Hanakaido. Put the return site in the booking by 15:00 the day before, because the shop won't add one once you've ridden off. Every partner site wants the bike back by 17:00. JCGA-certified guides lead the tours. A family ride along the shore with a picnic starts at ¥15,000 a person. The Enryaku-ji day pairs the ride with a hike on Mt. Hiei from ¥31,000, and a temple ride to Ishiyama-dera and Mii-dera sits between the two at ¥20,000. Tips: - Pick the cross bike with a rear rack, ¥6,400 a day, if you're carrying a change of clothes. - The shop stores bags for ¥1,100 a day, and the terminal has paid coin lockers if you'd rather hold your own key. - From Kyoto, ride the JR one stop to Yamashina and change to the Keihan Keishin line for Biwako-Hamaotsu. Q: Can I return a Biwaichi Bike rental somewhere other than Otsu Port? A: Yes. Partner sites around the lake take returns for ¥3,300 a bike on top of the rental. Add the return site to your booking by 15:00 the day before and drop the bike by 17:00. Q: Is Biwaichi Bike open in winter? A: No. The shop takes a winter break from 16 December to 19 February and reopens on 20 February. Q: How much does Biwaichi Bike charge? A: Biwaichi Bike lists Bag storage from ¥1,100 per day (2026), about CAD 9.90 or USD 7 (October 2026 rates). Q: Does Biwaichi Bike speak English? A: Yes. Biwaichi Bike works in Japanese and English and Chinese. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://biwaichi.bike/ https://biwaichi.bike/plan.html https://biwaichi.bike/rental-model.html https://biwaichi.bike/return.html https://biwaichi.bike/access.html https://biwaichi.bike/about.html https://oportable.jp/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/rental https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/kensei/koho/e-shinbun/oshirase/334558.html https://pluscycle.shiga.jp/rental/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/kml?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k&forcekml=1 ### Biwaichi Rental Cycle Maibara URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/biwaichi-rental-cycle-maibara Type: Operator Local name: びわこ一周レンタサイクル (ja) Also known as: Biwako Isshu Rental Cycle, Maibara Cycle Station, 米原駅サイクルステーション, BIWAICHI Rental Cycle Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Maibara Address: JR Maibara Station east exit 1F, 413-1 Maibara, Maibara, Shiga 521-0012 Coordinates: 35.31450, 136.29050 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese, English Works in: Maibara, Biwaichi Off season: The station closes for winter from mid-December to mid-February and on Wednesdays outside busy periods. It posts the exact dates on the calendar on its home page. Phone: 090-3863-8453 Fleet: Cross from ¥4,700, about CAD 42 or USD 30 (October 2026 rates) a day; Road bike from ¥6,200, about CAD 56 or USD 39 (October 2026 rates) a day; Kids' bike from ¥4,700, about CAD 42 or USD 30 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike Includes: helmet, light, lock, cycle computer, bottle cage One way: For ¥3,500 a booked bike you can finish at nine sites: the Kinomoto Station tourist office, Takashima's Makino Bussan Kaikan (closed Tuesdays), Okubiwako Makino Grand Park Hotel, Hotel Biwa Lake Otsuka, Pension Lakeside in Kitahira, Jitensha-dokoro Doterushi in Ono (from 13:00, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays), Giant Store Biwako Moriyama (closed Tuesdays), Omi-Hachiman Youth Hostel (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays) and Hikochari in Hikone (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Returns run from 9:00 to 17:00. Website: https://biwaichi-cycling.com/ Booking: https://biwaichi-cycling.com/rentalfee/ Summary: This Maibara Station shop suits first-timers who want a Shinkansen-side start and a mid-route return, though you pay in cash or PayPay and it closes from mid-December to mid-February. The NPO Gokan Seikatsu opened the Maibara Station cycle station on 1 October 2016, after running its rentals in Hikone. It sits inside the east exit of JR Maibara Station, in front of the Ohmi Railway platforms. Maibara is the only Shinkansen stop in Shiga, so this is the quickest start from Tokyo or Nagoya. A weekday day costs ¥4,700 for a cross bike and ¥6,200 for a road bike in 2026. Weekend and peak days cost more. The mid-route return lets a beginner try part of the loop. Book it ahead for ¥3,500 a bike and finish at one of nine sites, such as Giant Store Biwako Moriyama or the Kinomoto Station tourist office. Several of them close on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, so match your finish to the day. The service stops in peak periods. Staff set the saddle to your inseam and walk you through the bike before you leave. They also flag the spots where riders tend to lose the Biwaichi route. The shop's own sample plans take two nights over the 150 km north loop from Maibara. Tips: - Book two days ahead. A same-day rental costs ¥550 extra and may mean a wait. - Bring cash or PayPay, since the counter takes no cards. - Leave big bags in the coin lockers on Maibara Station's second floor; the shop won't hold them. Q: Can I end a Biwaichi ride somewhere other than Maibara with this shop? A: Yes, at nine partner sites for ¥3,500 a bike if you book the return ahead. Returns run from 9:00 to 17:00 and the service isn't offered in peak periods. Q: How much does Biwaichi Rental Cycle Maibara charge? A: Biwaichi Rental Cycle Maibara lists Mid-route return from ¥3,500 per bike (2026), about CAD 31 or USD 22 (October 2026 rates). Q: Does Biwaichi Rental Cycle Maibara speak English? A: Yes. Biwaichi Rental Cycle Maibara works in Japanese and English. Q: Is Biwaichi Rental Cycle Maibara open out of season? A: Biwaichi Rental Cycle Maibara: The station closes for winter from mid-December to mid-February and on Wednesdays outside busy periods. It posts the exact dates on the calendar on its home page. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://biwaichi-cycling.com/ https://biwaichi-cycling.com/rentalfee/ https://biwaichi-cycling.com/rentalstore https://biwaichi-cycling.com/wp-content/themes/biwaichi/doc/Bicycle_Return_Options2026_05_jp.pdf https://www.biwako1.jp/support/rental https://pluscycle.shiga.jp/rental/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/kml?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k&forcekml=1 ### Biwako Backroads URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/biwako-backroads Type: Operator Also known as: Biwako Backroads tours, ビワコバックローズ Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Maibara Address: Meets at JR Maibara Station, Maibara, Shiga Coordinates: 35.31480, 136.29000 Kind: Bike tour Languages: English, Japanese Works in: Maibara, Nagahama, Kinomoto, Nakasendo Off season: The cycling tours pause from mid-December into March and again from mid-July to mid-September for the heat. Fleet: E-bike; Mountain bike Website: https://www.biwakobackroads.com/ Booking: https://www.biwakobackroads.com/booking/ Summary: Biwako Backroads runs private e-bike tours from Maibara Station into the farm villages and brewery towns of northern Shiga, which suits a Kyoto day trip with a local guide, though a half day for two starts at ¥40,000. Every tour is private, for one to four guests, and starts at JR Maibara Station, about 20 minutes from Kyoto on the Shinkansen. Local guides lead the rides and walks, and the company keeps visitor numbers low in the villages it visits. The lakeshore e-bike half day covers about 15 mostly flat kilometres. It costs ¥40,000 for up to two people and ¥12,000 for each extra guest. The Nakasendo ride links two old post towns over 14 km in about five and a half hours and ends at a station, so the train brings you back to Maibara. The company also runs walking tours along Kinomoto's brewery street and through Hikone's castle town, which work in the hot months when the cycling tours pause. Tips: - Book the 9:00 lakeshore start in late spring, before the July heat closes the season. - Riders must be 13 or older and at least 152 cm tall. Q: Are Biwako Backroads tours private? A: Yes. Every tour is for your group only, one to four guests, and prices are set per group. Q: How much does Biwako Backroads charge? A: Biwako Backroads lists Cycling Northern Lake Biwa: A Relaxed Ride by the Water from ¥40,000 per group (2026), about CAD 360 or USD 253 (October 2026 rates) (about 3.5 hours, 15 km). Q: Does Biwako Backroads speak English? A: Yes. Biwako Backroads works in English and Japanese. Q: Is Biwako Backroads open out of season? A: Biwako Backroads: The cycling tours pause from mid-December into March and again from mid-July to mid-September for the heat. Q: What bikes does Biwako Backroads rent? A: Biwako Backroads rents e-bikes, mountain bikes. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.biwakobackroads.com/ https://www.biwakobackroads.com/course/lake-shore-bike/ https://www.biwakobackroads.com/course/backorads-cycling/ https://www.biwakobackroads.com/course/nakasendo-cycling/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/tourguide ### Biwako Takashima Rental Cycles URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/biwako-takashima-rental-cycles Type: Operator Local name: びわ湖高島レンタサイクル (ja) Also known as: Takashima rental cycle, Makino Station rental cycle, マキノ駅レンタサイクル, Biwako Takashima Tourism Association Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Takashima Address: Takashima City Tourism and Products Plaza 1F, 1-10-1 Shin-Asahi-cho Asahi, Takashima, Shiga 520-1501 Coordinates: 35.35590, 136.03500 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese, English Works in: Takashima, Makino, Imazu, Shin Asahi Off season: All four desks close from 29 December to 3 January. Through the Metasequoia autumn season, from 14 November to 13 December 2026, Makino Station takes no advance bookings and no bikes from other stations. Phone: 0740-33-7101 Fleet: City bike from ¥1,000, about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) a day; Cross from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥3,000, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day One way: City bikes move freely between the desks at JR Makino, JR Omi-Imazu, JR Omi-Takashima and the Shin-Asahi plaza, and cross bikes can finish at any of them. E-bikes return to Shin-Asahi. The bikes must stay inside Takashima city. Website: https://takashima-kanko.jp/guide/rentalcycle.html Summary: Takashima's tourism association rents bikes at three JR Kosei line stations and Shin-Asahi for a day on the west shore, which suits the Metasequoia avenue and Shirahige Shrine, though bikes can't leave the city. The Biwako Takashima Tourism Association runs four desks: JR Makino, JR Omi-Imazu, JR Omi-Takashima and its own office at the Shin-Asahi plaza. From April 2026 a city bike costs ¥1,000 a day, a cross bike ¥2,000 and an e-bike ¥3,000. City bikes can be hired and returned at any desk, which makes a one-way ride along the west shore easy. Every rental runs between 9:00 and 17:00, including multi-day hires. Makino Station is the start for the Metasequoia avenue. From 14 November to 13 December 2026, through the colour season, its desk takes no bookings and no bikes from other stations. The Imazu and Omi-Takashima desks close for an hour at lunch, from 13:00 to 14:00. Shirahige Shrine sits about 3 km from Omi-Takashima Station, an easy ride on a city bike. The shrine warns that crossing Route 161 in front of it is very dangerous, so look at the lake gate from the viewing deck beside the shrine office. Tips: - Cross bikes and e-bikes leave only from Shin-Asahi, so start there if you want gears. - Bring ID; the desks check it at hire. Q: Can I rent a bike at Makino Station for the Metasequoia avenue? A: Yes, a city bike costs ¥1,000 a day from 9:00 to 17:00. From 14 November to 13 December 2026 the Makino desk takes no advance bookings and won't accept bikes from other stations. Q: How much does Biwako Takashima Rental Cycles charge? A: Biwako Takashima Rental Cycles lists City bike, one day from ¥1,000 per day (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) (09:00–17:00). Q: Does Biwako Takashima Rental Cycles speak English? A: Yes. Biwako Takashima Rental Cycles works in Japanese and English. Q: Is Biwako Takashima Rental Cycles open out of season? A: Biwako Takashima Rental Cycles: All four desks close from 29 December to 3 January. Through the Metasequoia autumn season, from 14 November to 13 December 2026, Makino Station takes no advance bookings and no bikes from other stations. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://takashima-kanko.jp/guide/rentalcycle.html https://pluscycle.shiga.jp/rental/ ### Shimanto River Station Canoe-kan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/canoe-kan Type: Operator Local name: 四万十・川の駅 カヌー館 (ja) Also known as: Canoe-kan, Canoekan, Rin Rin Cycle, りんりんサイクル, カヌー館 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kochi Town: Shimanto Address: 1111-11 Nishitosa-mochii, Shimanto, Kochi 787-1603 Coordinates: 33.16870, 132.79240 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Nishitosa, Ekawasaki, Shimanto River Off season: Canoe-kan's own terminal closes 1–3 January, and the Rin Rin Cycle network closes from 29 December to 3 January. The campsite is shut on 16–18 October 2026. Phone: 0880-52-2121 Fleet: Mountain bike from ¥1,500, about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) a day; City bike One way: Terminals at JR Ekawasaki Station, Michi-no-Eki Yotte Nishitosa, Canoe-kan, Shimanto Gakusha, Kawarakko, Shin Royal Hotel Shimanto and the Shimanto City Tourism Association by Nakamura Station. Allow at least four hours between the Ekawasaki or Canoe-kan terminals and the Nakamura one. Website: https://canoekan.com/ Summary: Canoe-kan suits riders who want to ride the Shimanto one way and leave the bike downstream, and the mountain bikes come in one 26-inch size. Canoe-kan opened in 1990 at Nishitosa as a base for paddling the middle Shimanto, and it runs the Rin Rin Cycle rental network. Take a mountain bike at Ekawasaki or Canoe-kan, ride past the sinking bridges and hand it in at Nakamura, which the operator says needs four hours or more. Some terminals keep their own closing days, so check before you plan an evening drop. Canoe-kan can also send your bags by Yu-Pack to the post office in Nakamura, and Hotel Seira Shimanto is a five-minute walk away. Q: How much does Shimanto River Station Canoe-kan charge? A: Shimanto River Station Canoe-kan lists City bike from ¥500 per bike (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) (3 hours). Q: Does Shimanto River Station Canoe-kan speak English? A: Shimanto River Station Canoe-kan works in Japanese. Q: Is Shimanto River Station Canoe-kan open out of season? A: Shimanto River Station Canoe-kan: Canoe-kan's own terminal closes 1–3 January, and the Rin Rin Cycle network closes from 29 December to 3 January. The campsite is shut on 16–18 October 2026. Q: What bikes does Shimanto River Station Canoe-kan rent? A: Shimanto River Station Canoe-kan rents mountain bikes from ¥1,500 (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) a day, city bikes. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://canoekan.com/ https://canoekan.com/rental/ https://www.shimanto-kankou.com/route_cycle/ ### Canyons URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/canyons Type: Operator Local name: キャニオンズ (ja) Also known as: Canyons Minakami, Canyons Japan, Canyons Snowsports School, Canyons Nozawa, キャニオンズみなかみ Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 45 Yubiso, Minakami, Tone District, Gunma 379-1728 Coordinates: 36.80110, 138.98690 Kind: Guide Languages: English, Japanese, Chinese, Thai Certifications: Head guide Toshi: Japan Ski Guide Level 1, Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1, Wilderness First Aid, Guides include a New Zealand Mountain Guides' Association ski guide and professional members of the Canadian Avalanche Association Works in: Minakami, Tenjindaira, Hodaigi, Nozawa onsen, Shiga kogen, Myoko kogen, Yuzawa, Kagura Off season: From spring to autumn Canyons runs rafting, canyoning and packrafting from the same Minakami base. Phone: +81 50-4560-3800 Website: https://canyons.jp/en/winter-tours/snowsports-school/ Booking: https://canyons.jp/en/winter-tours/backcountry-tours/ Summary: Canyons suits English-speaking riders who want a guide for Mt.T's backcountry or private lessons at Hodaigi, and its Mt.T tours run only as private bookings priced for four. Canyons runs rafting and canyoning in Minakami in summer, and its base sits in Yubiso on the road up to the Tanigawadake ropeway. In winter it guides backcountry tours at Mt.T, which it still calls Tenjin, from 15 January to 15 March. A private day costs ¥120,000 for up to four people, and booked guests ride up 30 minutes before the public. Canyons also works as the official English-language partner of Nozawa Onsen's ski school, and it teaches private lessons across Shiga Kogen, Myoko and Yuzawa. In Minakami it teaches at Hodaigi, leads snowshoe walks along the Yubiso River and runs snow canyoning, its own winter invention. Its shuttle collects guests from Jomo-Kogen or Minakami station when booked ahead. Tips: - Book Mt.T tours early, because Canyons guides only private groups there and instructor time runs short in the holiday weeks. - Rent touring skis or a splitboard for ¥10,000 instead of snowshoes; the guides strongly recommend it. - Buy your lift ticket on the morning of the tour, once the guide tells you which ticket you need. Q: How much does Canyons charge? A: Canyons lists Private snowshoe tour in Minakami from ¥33,000 per group (2026), about CAD 297 or USD 209 (October 2026 rates) (3 hours to Machigasawa, or 6 hours to Ichinokura for ¥66,000). Q: Does Canyons speak English? A: Yes. Canyons works in English and Japanese and Chinese and Thai. Q: Is Canyons open out of season? A: Canyons: From spring to autumn Canyons runs rafting, canyoning and packrafting from the same Minakami base. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://canyons.jp/en/winter-tours/backcountry-tours/ https://canyons.jp/en/winter-tours/hodaigi-ski-resort/ https://canyons.jp/en/winter-tours/snowshoe-tour/ https://canyons.jp/en/winter-tours/snow-canyoning/ https://canyons.jp/en/winter-tours/snowsports-school/ https://canyons.jp/en/areas/minakami/access/ https://canyons.jp/ ### Charichari URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/charichari-nagoya Type: Operator Local name: チャリチャリ (ja) Also known as: Charichari Nagoya, チャリチャリ 名古屋, Charichari bike share Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Town: Nagoya Kind: Bike rental Works in: Nagoya Fleet: City bike; E assist One way: Ride from one Charichari port to any other. Website: https://charichari.bike/ Summary: Charichari suits short hops round central Nagoya on a red share bike, and the per-minute price makes a whole day on one expensive. Charichari's red share bikes park at ports across Nagoya. You find one on the app's map, scan the QR code on the lock and ride it to any other port, where you lock it and the app ends the ride. The basic bike costs ¥6.5 a minute and the e-assist bike ¥20.5, so an hour on the e-assist comes to ¥1,230. Q: What bikes does Charichari rent? A: Charichari rents city bikes, e assists. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://charichari.bike/ ### Cog Station Kaike URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/cog-station-kaike Type: Operator Local name: コグステーション皆生（米子市観光センター） (ja) Also known as: Yonago City Tourist Center rental cycles, 米子市観光センター, Kaike rental cycle Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Yonago Address: Yonago City Tourist Center, 3-1-1 Kaike Onsen, Yonago, Tottori 683-0001 Coordinates: 35.45624, 133.36151 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Kaike Onsen, Yumigahama, Sakaiminato Phone: 0859-35-0175 Fleet: E-bike; Cross; Mountain bike; Mini velo; Kids' bike Includes: helmet Website: https://www.kaike-onsen.jp/rental Summary: Cog Station Kaike suits riders who want the widest choice of rental bikes in western Tottori at the start of the flat Yumigahama course, and bikes must be back by 17:30. Yonago's tourist centre at Kaike Onsen runs Cog Station Kaike, the biggest rental fleet in western Tottori, with e-bikes, electric city bikes, cross bikes, mountain bikes, minivelos and children's bikes from ¥1,200 a day. The centre suggests the Yumigahama course, about 16 km one way along the flat coast, and a ride to the hilltop ruins of Yonago Castle. As a Cog Station it also lends a pump and tools and keeps a rack and toilets for passing riders. Q: How much does Cog Station Kaike charge? A: Cog Station Kaike lists Bike rental, day from ¥1,200 per day (2026), about CAD 11 or USD 7.60 (October 2026 rates) (1 day). Q: Does Cog Station Kaike speak English? A: Cog Station Kaike works in Japanese. Q: What bikes does Cog Station Kaike rent? A: Cog Station Kaike rents e-bikes, crosss, mountain bikes, mini velos, kids' bikes. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kaike-onsen.jp/rental https://www.kaike-onsen.jp/ https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/details_support ### Cycle Kyoto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/cycle-kyoto Type: Operator Also known as: Cycle Kyoto tours, Cycle Japan Kyoto Region: Kansai Prefecture: Kyoto Town: Kyoto Address: 7 Higashikujo Nishisanno-cho, Minami-ku, Kyoto 601-8003 Coordinates: 34.98270, 135.76020 Kind: Bike tour Languages: English Works in: Kyoto, Kasagi, Wazuka, Yagyu Off season: The early-bird e-bike tour does not run in January and February. Phone: +81 50-8896-7291 Fleet: Cross bike Includes: helmet, guide Website: http://www.cyclekyoto.net/ Summary: Cycle Kyoto suits visitors who want a guide to lead them through Kyoto's backstreets on a good bike, and its trade-off is tour prices well above a day's rental. Cycle Kyoto has guided riders round the city since 2015, from a base two minutes' walk from the Hachijo East exit on the south side of Kyoto Station. Its tours start at ¥12,000, in small groups or privately, on Giant and Trek cross bikes. The early-bird e-bike tour leaves at 8:00 and reaches Fushimi Inari before the crowds, then rides north to the Path of Philosophy and Ginkaku-ji, about 25 km in six to seven hours. It costs ¥21,000 with lunch and runs every month but January and February. For countryside, the sister company Cycle Kasagi takes e-bikes through the tea villages of Wazuka and Yagyu. Tips: - Message ahead if you need to visit the base; it is not always staffed. Q: How much does Cycle Kyoto charge? A: Cycle Kyoto lists Small-group and private city tours from ¥12,000 per person (2026), about CAD 108 or USD 76 (October 2026 rates). Q: Does Cycle Kyoto speak English? A: Yes. Cycle Kyoto works in English. Q: Is Cycle Kyoto open out of season? A: Cycle Kyoto: The early-bird e-bike tour does not run in January and February. Q: What bikes does Cycle Kyoto rent? A: Cycle Kyoto rents cross bikes. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.cyclekyoto.net http://www.cyclekyoto.net/ebike-tours http://www.cyclekyoto.net/rural http://www.cyclekyoto.net/location http://www.cyclekyoto.net/our-bikes https://www.cyclejapan.jp https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E5%BA%9C%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E5%B8%82%E5%8D%97%E5%8C%BA%E6%9D%B1%E4%B9%9D%E6%9D%A1%E8%A5%BF%E5%B1%B1%E7%8E%8B%E7%94%BA7 ### Cycle Osaka URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/cycle-osaka Type: Operator Also known as: Cycle Osaka tours, Cycle Japan Osaka Region: Kansai Prefecture: Osaka Town: Osaka Address: 1-10-7 Tenma, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-0043 Coordinates: 34.69380, 135.52000 Kind: Bike tour Languages: English Works in: Osaka, Minoh, Ikeda Phone: +81 50-8896-7292 Fleet: Cross bike; E-bike from ¥10,000, about CAD 90 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: helmet Website: https://www.cycleosaka.com/ Summary: Cycle Osaka suits visitors who want a guided ride through Osaka's old neighbourhoods and riverside paths, and its trade-off is a base in Tenma that needs a subway ride from Shin-Osaka. Cycle Osaka has run small-group bike tours since 2013 from a base in Tenma, a 10-minute walk from exit 1 of Temmabashi on the Tanimachi subway line. The half-day loop covers about 15 km past Osaka Castle and the Japan Mint for ¥11,000. The full day adds Shitenno-ji and Shinsekai, about 24 km with lunch, for ¥16,000. The rural e-bike tour is private and costs ¥75,000 a group. It follows the Yodo and Kanzaki rivers north to the temple of Katsuo-ji and Minoh's falls, drops into Ikeda for coffee and returns along the Ina River past Itami airport, about 55 km in all. The same Specialized Vado SL e-bikes rent for ¥10,000 a day. Tips: - Public tours cap groups at eight, so book ahead. Q: How much does Cycle Osaka charge? A: Cycle Osaka lists Specialized Vado SL 4.0 e-bike rental from ¥10,000 per day (2026), about CAD 90 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) (1 day). Q: Does Cycle Osaka speak English? A: Yes. Cycle Osaka works in English. Q: What bikes does Cycle Osaka rent? A: Cycle Osaka rents cross bikes, e-bikes from ¥10,000 (2026), about CAD 90 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.cycleosaka.com/ https://www.cycleosaka.com/bike-tours-half https://www.cycleosaka.com/bike-tours-full https://www.cycleosaka.com/rural-ebike-tour https://www.cycleosaka.com/our-bikes https://www.cycleosaka.com/directions https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA%E5%BA%9C%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA%E5%B8%82%E5%8C%97%E5%8C%BA%E5%A4%A9%E6%BA%80%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE10 ### Daisen Tourist Information Rental URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/daisen-tourist-information-rental Type: Operator Local name: 大山町観光案内所 レンタサイクル (ja) Also known as: Daisen e-bike rental, 大山観光局, Daisen Tourism Organization Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Daisen Address: KOMOREBITO, 45-5 Daisen, Daisen, Saihaku District, Tottori 689-3318 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 35.39339, 133.52709 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Mt. Daisen, Daisen downhill routes Off season: No rentals in winter, from late November to early April. Phone: 0859-52-2502 Fleet: E-mountain bike from ¥5,000, about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥4,000, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) a day One way: The office collects bikes from downhill finishes for ¥5,000 a trip within 20 km, up to four bikes. Website: https://tourismdaisen.com/rental/climb-copy/ Summary: The Daisen tourist office rental suits riders who want an e-MTB for the long downhill routes to the coast, and it rents for the same day only and closes for winter. The Daisen Tourism Organization rents six MIYATA e-MTBs and four Bridgestone electric cross bikes from the tourist office in KOMOREBITO. A day costs ¥5,000 or ¥4,000, and three hours costs ¥3,000 or ¥2,000. Signed downhill routes run from the office to San'in Line stations on the coast, and the office will fetch up to four bikes from the bottom for ¥5,000 if you book the pick-up. Q: How much does Daisen Tourist Information Rental charge? A: Daisen Tourist Information Rental lists Electric cross bike from ¥4,000 per day (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) (3 hours or a day). Q: Does Daisen Tourist Information Rental speak English? A: Daisen Tourist Information Rental works in Japanese. Q: Is Daisen Tourist Information Rental open out of season? A: Daisen Tourist Information Rental: No rentals in winter, from late November to early April. Q: What bikes does Daisen Tourist Information Rental rent? A: Daisen Tourist Information Rental rents e-mountain bikes from ¥5,000 (2026), about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) a day, e-bikes from ¥4,000 (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tourismdaisen.com/rental/climb-copy/ https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/details_rental https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/ ### Docomo Bike Share (Tokyo) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/docomo-bike-share-tokyo Type: Operator Local name: ドコモ・バイクシェア バイクシェアサービス（東京広域） (ja) Also known as: Docomo bike share, Tokyo bike share, ドコモ・バイクシェア, Docomo Cycle Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Tokyo Town: Tokyo Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese, English Works in: Tokyo wide area Fleet: City e bike from ¥1,650, about CAD 15 or USD 10 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: Insurance One way: Return the bike to any port in the Tokyo wide area; it cannot be returned outside a port. Website: https://docomo-cycle.jp/tokyo/?lang=en Summary: Docomo Bike Share suits visitors who want an e-assist city bike for short hops between Tokyo neighbourhoods, and its trade-off is a bike that only goes back to a port, with the meter running while it is parked anywhere else. Docomo's e-assist bikes stand at ports across central Tokyo, and you can return a bike to any port in the Tokyo wide area. A single ride costs ¥165 for the first 30 minutes and ¥165 for every 30 minutes after. For a day of hopping round the city, the one-day pass costs ¥1,650 from a convenience store, though it needs a phone that receives SMS. A ¥2,200 pass on an IC card sells for cash at counters marked on the port map. Insurance comes with every ride, and the time a bike sits away from a port still counts. Tips: - Switch the battery on and check the charge before you ride, and turn the light on after dark. Q: How much is Docomo Bike Share in Tokyo? A: A ride costs ¥165 for 30 minutes and ¥165 for each extra 30 minutes. A one-day pass costs ¥1,650 from a convenience store or ¥2,200 on an IC card. Q: Does Docomo Bike Share (Tokyo) speak English? A: Yes. Docomo Bike Share (Tokyo) works in Japanese and English. Q: What bikes does Docomo Bike Share (Tokyo) rent? A: Docomo Bike Share (Tokyo) rents city e bikes from ¥1,650 (2026), about CAD 15 or USD 10 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://docomo-cycle.jp/tokyo/price https://docomo-cycle.jp/tokyo/about https://docomo-cycle.jp/tokyo/?lang=ja https://docomo-cycle.jp/onedaypass/ ### Evergreen Backcountry Guides URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/evergreen-backcountry-guides Type: Operator Also known as: Evergreen Backcountry, EBG, Evergreen Hakuba backcountry Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Address: The Alps View Hotel, 12840-1 Chikuniotsu, Otari, Kitaazumi District, Nagano 399-9422 Status: seasonal. The office is staffed every day from mid-December to late March, 7:30–16:00. Kind: Guide Languages: English, Mandarin Certifications: CSGA Level 3 Full Ski Guide (three guides, including director Dave Enright), ACMG Assistant Ski Guide (Stefan Kreuzer), CAA Level 3 Professional Member (Dave Enright), AMGA Aspirant Ski Guide and Apprentice Ski Guide, Avalanche Canada AST provider Works in: Hakuba valley, Tsugaike, Otari Off season: The backcountry office closes from April to November and its phone line rolls over to Evergreen Outdoor Center, which runs summer trips from Hakuba with canyoning and guided mountain biking on the list. Phone: +81-70-1041-1464 Website: https://www.evergreen-backcountry.com/ Summary: Evergreen Backcountry Guides runs English-language backcountry tours and avalanche courses from Tsugaike in the Hakuba Valley, and suits strong skiers and splitboarders who want a Canadian-trained guide and a loaned avalanche pack. Group days in the 2026/27 season cost ¥31,000 to ¥35,000 a person, and you supply the touring gear and the lift ticket. Group tours leave the Tsugaike base twice a week through January and February 2027 and never take more than six guests. The Introductory day climbs 250 to 400 metres for ¥31,000 a person. Experienced parties climb up to 600 metres for ¥33,000, and the Advanced day goes higher for ¥35,000. Every guest carries a loaned beacon pack and is covered by basic rescue insurance. You pay on top for touring gear and the lift ticket. Director Dave Enright holds CSGA Level 3 and CAA Level 3 and teaches Avalanche Canada's AST courses himself. The team of 16 guides also includes Stefan Kreuzer, an ACMG Assistant Ski Guide, and two more Level 3 CSGA guides. Evergreen's published roster lists no JMGA qualification. The three-day AST 1 course runs nine times between December 2026 and March 2027 at ¥59,500, and one February session comes with a Mandarin translator. Tips: - Book rentals online at least two days before a tour or AST course and the code TOURGUEST takes 25% off. - Premium private tours pick you up from your hotel at about 7:15, which saves the early drive to Tsugaike. Q: Are Evergreen Backcountry Guides certified? A: Yes. Three of Evergreen's 16 guides are CSGA Level 3 Full Ski Guides, and Stefan Kreuzer is an ACMG Assistant Ski Guide. The roster Evergreen published in October 2026 names Canadian and American qualifications and no JMGA certificate. Q: How much does a backcountry tour with Evergreen in Hakuba cost? A: A group backcountry day with Evergreen Backcountry Guides costs ¥31,000 to ¥35,000 a person in January and February 2027, depending on the level. Private tour prices sit in an image on Evergreen's site, so ask for the figure when you book. Q: Can I take an avalanche course in Hakuba in English? A: Yes. Evergreen Backcountry Guides runs the three-day AST 1 course in English for ¥59,500 in the 2026/27 season, with nine sessions from December to March. Q: Is Evergreen Backcountry Guides open out of season? A: Evergreen Backcountry Guides: The backcountry office closes from April to November and its phone line rolls over to Evergreen Outdoor Center, which runs summer trips from Hakuba with canyoning and guided mountain biking on the list. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.evergreen-backcountry.com/ https://www.evergreen-backcountry.com/backcountry-group-tours-in-hakuba/ https://www.evergreen-backcountry.com/hakuba-backcountry-tours/ https://www.evergreen-backcountry.com/off-piste-tours/ https://www.evergreen-backcountry.com/avalanche-safety-training/ https://www.evergreen-backcountry.com/meet-the-guides-ebg/ https://www.evergreen-backcountry.com/contact/ https://www.evergreen-hakuba.com/ ### Evergreen International Ski School URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/evergreen-international-ski-school Type: Operator Also known as: Evergreen Ski School, EISS, Evergreen Hakuba ski school Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: Happo-one, about 100 m from the bottom of the Kokusai chairlift, Hakuba Status: seasonal. Lessons run through the Hakuba ski season; the office keeps 8:00–17:00 seven days a week. Kind: School Languages: English, Mandarin, Thai, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Danish Certifications: Every instructor holds at least Level 1 with CSIA, NZSIA, APSI, BASI, CASI or an equivalent body Works in: Hakuba, Happo one, Iwatake, Tsugaike, Cortina Phone: +81-261-72-3200 Website: https://www.evergreen-skischool.com/ Summary: Evergreen International Ski School teaches in English at Happo-one, Iwatake, Tsugaike and Cortina, and suits families who want lessons that every instructor can give in English. Private lessons are the expensive part, with a six-hour day for up to three people listed at ¥79,000. Evergreen calls itself Hakuba's first English-language ski school, and the office sits on Happo-one a short walk from the Kokusai chairlift. Every instructor holds at least a Level 1 ticket from a body such as CSIA or BASI, and you can filter by language or certification when you book. Children aged 3 to 6 go into Yeti Club. Older kids up to 14 join Hakuba Heroes. Private prices are per group, so a family of three pays the same ¥79,000 for a full day as a single skier. The 80-minute Jump Start at 8:30 costs ¥22,500. From 1 March a five-hour Spring Special drops to ¥59,000 for up to five people. Tips: - The early slots fill first in the New Year weeks, so book the 8:30 Jump Start or First Tracks as soon as your dates are fixed. Q: Does Evergreen International Ski School teach in English? A: Yes. Evergreen International Ski School says every instructor is fluent in English, and the Platinum private day can be booked in Mandarin, Thai and several European languages. Q: How much is a private ski lesson in Hakuba with Evergreen? A: A six-hour private lesson with Evergreen International Ski School costs ¥79,000 for one to three people, and a two-hour morning private costs ¥39,000. Prices are per group and exclude the lift ticket. Q: Is Evergreen International Ski School open all year? A: Evergreen International Ski School opens for part of the year. Lessons run through the Hakuba ski season; the office keeps 8:00–17:00 seven days a week. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.evergreen-skischool.com/ https://www.evergreen-skischool.com/private-lessons/ https://www.evergreen-hakuba.com/ ### Fuji City Cycle Station Fujikuru URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/fuji-city-cycle-station Type: Operator Local name: 富士市サイクルステーション ふじクル (ja) Also known as: Fujikuru, Fuji Cycle Station, Fujishi Cycle Station, MERIDA X BASE Fuji, ふじクル Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Address: 4-30 Yashiro-cho, Fuji, Shizuoka 417-0024 Coordinates: 35.15360, 138.69220 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Fuji city, Suruga bay Off season: Closed on Wednesdays (Thursday when Wednesday is a holiday) and from 29 December to 3 January. Phone: 0545-50-9770 Fleet: E-bike; Cross; Road bike; Kids' bike Includes: route advice, fitting Repairs: Yes Website: https://fuji-cycling.com/ Summary: Fujikuru is Fuji city's cycle station near Jatco-mae Station, renting MERIDA road bikes and e-bikes with showers and lockers on site, and suits riders who want a proper road bike for the tea fields and Fuji's lower slopes; every rider needs cycle insurance, so sort that out before you arrive. The city-owned station, run for Fuji by BC Create, rents only sports bikes for riding the foot of the mountain. A cross or road bike costs ¥1,000 for three hours and an e-bike ¥2,000. The MERIDA X BASE carbon and alloy road bikes start at ¥5,500 with damage cover included. Lockers and showers cost ¥100 each, and the ROUVY indoor trainer is free if you book it by phone the day before. Staff fit each bike and go through the road rules before you leave, and if something breaks out on the road the station's mechanic is the one to call. Its course list ranges from easy seaside loops to a Fuji hill climb drawn up by the local pro team Levante Fuji Shizuoka. Every so often it runs guided e-bike rides, such as the 35 km return climb to the tea fields of Obuchi Sasaba on 15 November 2026. Jatco-mae Station on the Gakunan Railway is a five-minute walk away, and six cars can park on site. The station says renters need cycle accident insurance and asks for photo ID and an insurance card at the desk, so ask when you book whether cover can be arranged there. Tips: - Japanese cycle insurance from a convenience store counts, and so does cycle cover attached to car insurance, according to the station's tour rules. - Book ahead for the MERIDA X BASE bikes, since most sizes have only one bike. Q: How much is road bike rental at Fuji City Cycle Station? A: A standard road or cross bike costs ¥1,000 for up to three hours and ¥2,000 for up to eight. The MERIDA X BASE premium road bikes start at ¥5,500 for three hours, including damage cover. Q: Do I need insurance to rent a bike at Fujikuru? A: Yes. The station requires cycle accident insurance for every rental and asks for photo ID and an insurance card at the desk. Q: Does Fuji City Cycle Station Fujikuru speak English? A: Fuji City Cycle Station Fujikuru works in Japanese. Q: Is Fuji City Cycle Station Fujikuru open out of season? A: Fuji City Cycle Station Fujikuru: Closed on Wednesdays (Thursday when Wednesday is a holiday) and from 29 December to 3 January. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://fuji-cycling.com/ https://fuji-cycling.com/rental https://fuji-cycling.com/facility https://fuji-cycling.com/service https://fuji-cycling.com/archives/1355 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%9D%99%E5%B2%A1%E7%9C%8C%E5%AF%8C%E5%A3%AB%E5%B8%82%E5%85%AB%E4%BB%A3%E7%94%BA4-30 ### Fuji Cycle Gate URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/fuji-cycle-gate Type: Operator Local name: フジサイクルゲート (ja) Also known as: Suruga-Oyama Station Exchange Center, Oyama e-bike rental, 駿河小山駅前交流センター, 小山町 レンタサイクル Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Address: 599-5 Oyama, Oyama-cho, Sunto District, Shizuoka 410-1311 Coordinates: 35.35870, 138.99680 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Oyama, Subashiri, Gotemba Off season: Bikes go back by 17:00 from April to September and by 16:00 from October to March. Phone: 0550-75-7800 Fleet: E-bike from ¥1,000, about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) a day; City bike from ¥500, about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) a day Website: https://fuji-cyclegate.com/ Summary: Fuji Cycle Gate is Oyama town's exchange centre in front of JR Suruga-Oyama Station, renting sports e-bikes for ¥1,000 a day, and suits riders who come by train to try the climbs on Fuji's east side; the fleet is small and all electric, so anyone who wants a road bike brings their own. Oyama's tourism association runs the centre beside Suruga-Oyama Station, with a shower at ¥100, a rest area selling food and souvenirs and a few tools for light repairs. Its rental fleet is all electric, from ¥500 a day for a Panasonic city bike to ¥1,000 for a Corratec or Miyata sports e-bike. The centre opens 8:00–18:00 in summer and 8:00–17:00 in winter. The centre publishes four routes, from a 13 km loop to neighbouring Ashigara Station up to a 50 km lap of the town that climbs to Fuji Sengen Shrine and Michi-no-Eki Subashiri. Oyama is home to the Fuji Azami Line, which averages 10 per cent and finishes the Tour of Japan's Fujisan stage at Subashiri fifth station. Fuji Speedway, the main venue of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic road races, lies in the same town. Tips: - Return the bike by 16:00 from October to March, an hour earlier than in summer. Q: Can I rent an e-bike at Suruga-Oyama Station? A: Yes. Fuji Cycle Gate in front of Suruga-Oyama Station rents Corratec and Miyata sports e-bikes for ¥1,000 a day and a Panasonic electric city bike for ¥500. Q: How much does Fuji Cycle Gate charge? A: Fuji Cycle Gate lists Electric city bike day rental from ¥500 per day (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) (1 day). Q: Does Fuji Cycle Gate speak English? A: Fuji Cycle Gate works in Japanese. Q: Is Fuji Cycle Gate open out of season? A: Fuji Cycle Gate: Bikes go back by 17:00 from April to September and by 16:00 from October to March. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://fuji-cyclegate.com/ https://fuji-cyclegate.com/rentalcycle https://fuji-cyclegate.com/space https://www.fuji-oyama.jp/site/kanko/4297.html https://www.toj.co.jp/?tid=101478 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%9D%99%E5%B2%A1%E7%9C%8C%E9%A7%BF%E6%9D%B1%E9%83%A1%E5%B0%8F%E5%B1%B1%E7%94%BA%E5%B0%8F%E5%B1%B1599-5 ### fujisanbike Kawaguchiko URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/fujisanbike-kawaguchiko Type: Operator Local name: fujisanbike河口湖 (ja) Also known as: Fujisan Bike, fujisanbike, Fujisanbike Kawaguchiko rental bike, fujisanbike studio, 河口湖 レンタサイクル Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Town: Kawaguchiko Address: Front desk of Shiki no Yado Fujisan, 6713-19 Funatsu, Fujikawaguchiko, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Coordinates: 35.50570, 138.76010 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Certifications: Registered bicycle rental business, Yamanashi Prefecture Works in: Kawaguchiko, Fuji five lakes Off season: The shop posts its monthly closing days on the website calendar, and it has closed on set days in winter months. Phone: 090-5789-3776 Fleet: City bike from ¥1,500, about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) a day; Cross from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥3,000, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: luggage storage Website: https://fujisanbike.com/ Summary: fujisanbike rents Bridgestone city bikes and e-bikes from a hotel front desk in Funatsu on Lake Kawaguchi, from ¥500 an hour, and suits a lap of the lake at your own pace; its bikes are built for comfort, so riders after a road bike for the climbs should look elsewhere. The shop works from the front desk of Shiki no Yado Fujisan in Funatsu, right by the Kawaguchiko Herb Hall stop on the lake sightseeing bus, and opens 9:00–18:00. A standard Bridgestone city bike costs ¥500 an hour or ¥1,500 for the day, and a 21-speed cross bike ¥2,000. Its e-bikes drive both wheels, with a motor brake on the front that keeps the speed in check downhill. The town puts one lap of Lake Kawaguchi at a little under 20 km. Tips: - Rent overnight if you want an early start: the bike stays with you until 17:00 the next day for ¥2,700 on a standard bike. Q: How much is bike rental at Lake Kawaguchi? A: At fujisanbike a standard bike costs ¥500 an hour or ¥1,500 a day, a cross bike ¥2,000 a day and an electric-assist bike ¥3,000 a day. The Fujikawaguchiko tourism office puts standard bikes around the lake at about ¥600 an hour. Q: Does fujisanbike Kawaguchiko speak English? A: fujisanbike Kawaguchiko works in Japanese. Q: Is fujisanbike Kawaguchiko open out of season? A: fujisanbike Kawaguchiko: The shop posts its monthly closing days on the website calendar, and it has closed on set days in winter months. Q: What bikes does fujisanbike Kawaguchiko rent? A: fujisanbike Kawaguchiko rents city bikes from ¥1,500 (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) a day, crosss from ¥2,000 (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day, e-bikes from ¥3,000 (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://fujisanbike.com/ https://fujisanbike.com/menu https://fujisanbike.com/about https://fujisan.ne.jp/feature/611/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%B1%B1%E6%A2%A8%E7%9C%8C%E5%8D%97%E9%83%BD%E7%95%99%E9%83%A1%E5%AF%8C%E5%A3%AB%E6%B2%B3%E5%8F%A3%E6%B9%96%E7%94%BA%E8%88%B9%E6%B4%A56713-19 ### Fukuoka Cycling Tour Concierge URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/fukuoka-cycling-tour-concierge Type: Operator Local name: FUKUOKAサイクリングツアーコンシェルジュ (ja) Also known as: Fukuoka Cycling Concierge, Fukuoka bike rental concierge Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Fukuoka Town: Fukuoka and Hakata Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese, English Certifications: Run by the Fukuoka Prefecture Tourism Association, Guides certified by the Japan Cycling Guide Association Works in: Fukuoka, Itoshima, Fukuoka Prefecture Phone: 050-3033-2246 Delivery: Some bikes can be delivered and collected around Fukuoka city for ¥5,500 on top of the rental. Website: https://fukuoka-cyclingtour-concierge.jp Summary: The Fukuoka Cycling Tour Concierge suits riders landing in Fukuoka who want rental bikes, a guide or a support car sorted in one place, and every request is an enquiry that the team confirms before you pay. The Fukuoka Prefecture Tourism Association set up the concierge in October 2024 because riders found it hard to rent a bike for a multi-day tour. It books bikes and e-bikes from five rental hubs around Fukuoka, can deliver some of them, and finds certified cycling guides and support cars for groups. It also helps riders who arrive with their own bike: a mechanic can build it up from its box at the start and pack it for the flight home, and the service stores boxes and bags in between. Planning advice in English or Japanese is free. Tips: - Phone 050-3033-2246 between 9:00 and 17:00 if the web form does not suit you. Q: How much does Fukuoka Cycling Tour Concierge charge? A: Fukuoka Cycling Tour Concierge lists Route and tour planning from Free. Q: Does Fukuoka Cycling Tour Concierge speak English? A: Yes. Fukuoka Cycling Tour Concierge works in Japanese and English. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.crossroadfukuoka.jp/feature/concierge https://www.crossroadfukuoka.jp/feature/cycle https://fukuoka-cyclingtour-concierge.jp ### Giant Store Beppu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/giant-store-beppu Type: Operator Local name: ジャイアントストア別府 (ja) Also known as: Giant Beppu, Giant bike rental Beppu Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Oita Town: Beppu Address: 7-19 Mochigahama-machi, Beppu, Oita Coordinates: 33.29280, 131.50270 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Beppu, Beppu Bay, Kunisaki peninsula, Yufuin Phone: 0977-84-7877 Fleet: Cross; Aluminium road; Carbon road; Premium carbon road Repairs: Yes Website: https://giant-store.jp/beppu/ Summary: Giant Store Beppu suits riders who want a proper road or cross bike for the Beppu Bay coast and the climbs toward Yufuin, and it is a 20-minute walk from the station with days off midweek. Giant's Beppu store rents cross bikes and road bikes from aluminium up to premium carbon, with a minimum of five hours, and books them through the brand's rental site. It is also a full bike shop, so it can fix what goes wrong on the road. Oita's cycling site lists the store as a cycle-friendly stop and gives its hours as 10:00 to 19:00, from 9:00 on weekends and holidays. It closes on Tuesdays and the second and fourth Wednesdays, and it posts changes, such as days at events and late openings for staff training, on its own site. Tips: - Check the store's news page before you go; it closes for events such as the Oita Cycle Fes and opens late on training days. Q: Does Giant Store Beppu speak English? A: Giant Store Beppu works in Japanese. Q: What bikes does Giant Store Beppu rent? A: Giant Store Beppu rents crosss, aluminium roads, carbon roads, premium carbon roads. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://giant-store.jp/beppu/ https://bicyclerental.jp/area/oita/11/ https://www.cycling-oita.jp/cycle-friendly/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=別府市餅ヶ浜町7-19 ### Giant Store Biwako Moriyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/giant-store-biwako-moriyama Type: Operator Local name: ジャイアントストアびわ湖守山 (ja) Also known as: Giant Store Moriyama, Giant Moriyama, ジャイアントストア守山 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Moriyama Address: Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel 1F, 2876 Imahama-cho Jukkenya, Moriyama, Shiga 524-0101 Coordinates: 35.12540, 135.95450 Kind: Bike shop Languages: Japanese, English Certifications: The store manager is a JCGA-certified cycling guide Works in: Moriyama, Biwaichi Off season: The store stays open through winter, closing on Tuesdays and from 28 December 2026 to 6 January 2027. Phone: 077-584-2033 Fleet: Cross from ¥3,960, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) a day; Road bike from ¥4,950, about CAD 44 or USD 31 (October 2026 rates) a day; Carbon road from ¥6,930, about CAD 62 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥9,900, about CAD 89 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) a day; Kids' bike from ¥2,970, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: helmet, insurance One way: Giant's one-way rentals run only between its Imabari and Onomichi stores, so Moriyama bikes come back here. The store does take mid-route returns for the Maibara Station shop's rentals. Repairs: Yes Pedals: Bring clipless pedals and staff will fit them. Website: https://giant-store.jp/moriyama/ Booking: https://bicyclerental.jp/area/shiga/5/ Summary: Giant's lakeside store suits riders who want a newer road bike and a proper fitting on the Moriyama shore, though every bike has to come back here. The store fills a corner of the Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel's ground floor in Moriyama, and the lakeside cycling path starts right outside the door. Nagisa Park in front of the store holds the 'cyclists' sacred place' monument that Biwaichi riders stop to photograph. Rentals start at ¥3,960 a day for a cross bike and ¥4,950 for an aluminium road bike, with insurance and a helmet included. Staff fit each bike to the rider before you leave. Giant runs one-way rentals only between Imabari and Onomichi, so plan a loop from here. The store's own answer for the 150 km north lake loop is 10 to 12 hours of riding. The store does take mid-route returns for the Maibara Station shop, which helps if you start there and want to finish on the south shore. The Sunday morning ride leaves at 7:00 and costs nothing, but you have to sign up by 19:00 the day before through the store's LINE or Instagram. The late-August ride ran a flat 35 km out to the Omi-Ohashi bridge and back by 8:45. Tips: - From JR Katata Station on the Kosei line, a local bus takes about 15 minutes to the hotel. - Renting? Ask for the discount at the Marriott's hot-spring bath when you get back. - The store closes on Tuesdays. It opens on Tuesday 3 November 2026 for the holiday and closes on Wednesday the 4th instead. Q: Can I rent a Giant bike in Moriyama and return it elsewhere on Lake Biwa? A: No. Giant's one-way service covers only Imabari and Onomichi. Moriyama rentals return to the store by 18:00 on day plans. Q: How long does the north Lake Biwa loop take from Giant Store Biwako Moriyama? A: The store puts the 150 km north loop at 10 to 12 hours of riding. Q: How much does Giant Store Biwako Moriyama charge? A: Giant Store Biwako Moriyama lists Kids' bike rental, one day from ¥2,970 per day (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) (1 day). Q: Does Giant Store Biwako Moriyama speak English? A: Yes. Giant Store Biwako Moriyama works in Japanese and English. Q: Is Giant Store Biwako Moriyama open out of season? A: Giant Store Biwako Moriyama: The store stays open through winter, closing on Tuesdays and from 28 December 2026 to 6 January 2027. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://giant-store.jp/moriyama/ https://bicyclerental.jp/area/shiga/5/ https://bicyclerental.jp/lineup/ https://bicyclerental.jp/guide/ https://www.biwako1.jp/support/tourguide https://pluscycle.shiga.jp/rental/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111406749 https://www.google.com/maps/d/kml?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k&forcekml=1 ### Giant Store Imabari URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/giant-store-imabari Type: Operator Local name: ジャイアントストア今治 (ja) Also known as: Giant Imabari, Giant rental Imabari Station Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: 1-729-8 Kitahorai-cho, Imabari, Ehime 794-0028 (inside JR Imabari Station) Coordinates: 34.06420, 132.99360 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Imabari, Shimanami Kaido Off season: The store closes on Tuesdays and moves its closing day around public holidays; it announced a closure on Wednesday 4 November 2026. Phone: +81 898-25-1175 Fleet: Premium carbon road from ¥12,870, about CAD 116 or USD 81 (October 2026 rates) a day; Carbon road from ¥6,930, about CAD 62 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) a day; Aluminium road from ¥4,950, about CAD 44 or USD 31 (October 2026 rates) a day; Cross bike from ¥3,960, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥9,900, about CAD 89 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) a day; Kids' bike from ¥2,970, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: Helmet, Chain lock, Free shower with one towel for renters One way: Road bikes rented for a day or more can be returned at Giant Store Onomichi for ¥3,300, booked ahead and limited in number. Bikes cannot be returned to Imabari on Tuesdays, when the store is shut. Repairs: Yes Pedals: Bring your own pedals if you like. Website: https://www.giant-store.jp/imabari/ Booking: https://bicyclerental.jp/en/area/ehime/1/ Summary: Giant Store Imabari suits riders who start or finish Shimanami at JR Imabari Station, where it sits inside the station with showers for its renters, and the trade-off is a Tuesday closing. Giant opened this store in April 2012 inside JR Imabari Station, where the Ehime side of the Shimanami Kaido begins. Limited expresses on the JR Yosan Line reach the station from Matsuyama in about 40 minutes. The store keeps a full range of sizes and sells lights, tubes, tools and clothing, so you can turn up with very little. Renters shower free in separate rooms for men and women, with one towel, and riders who rented in Onomichi pay ¥440. A few lockers measure 30 by 49.5 by 86.5 cm for rental customers. The lounge stocks guidebooks and brochures for planning the day. The rate card matches Onomichi's: ¥6,930 to ¥9,240 a day for carbon road bikes, ¥4,950 to ¥6,600 for aluminium and ¥9,900 to ¥13,200 for E-bikes. Road bikes rented for a day or more can finish at Giant Store Onomichi for ¥3,300 if you book the one-way return. Tips: - The store opens 9:00 to 19:00 and closes on Tuesdays. - Staff suggest a half-day round trip to Kirosan for the view over the Kurushima Strait. - Spend ¥3,000 or more in the shop, rentals excluded, and the store gives you an hour in its partner car park on the station's west side. - The store blog explains how to send luggage from the Imabari station area to Onomichi. Q: Where is Giant Store Imabari? A: Giant Store Imabari is inside JR Imabari Station in Ehime, on the station's east side. It opens 9:00 to 19:00 and closes on Tuesdays. Q: How much does Giant Store Imabari charge? A: Giant Store Imabari lists One-way return to Giant Store Onomichi from ¥3,300 per bike (2026), about CAD 30 or USD 21 (October 2026 rates). Q: Does Giant Store Imabari speak English? A: Giant Store Imabari works in Japanese. Q: Is Giant Store Imabari open out of season? A: Giant Store Imabari: The store closes on Tuesdays and moves its closing day around public holidays; it announced a closure on Wednesday 4 November 2026. Q: What bikes does Giant Store Imabari rent? A: Giant Store Imabari rents premium carbon roads from ¥12,870 (2026), about CAD 116 or USD 81 (October 2026 rates) a day, carbon roads from ¥6,930 (2026), about CAD 62 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) a day, aluminium roads from ¥4,950 (2026), about CAD 44 or USD 31 (October 2026 rates) a day, cross bikes from ¥3,960 (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) a day, e-bikes from ¥9,900 (2026), about CAD 89 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) a day, kids' bikes from ¥2,970 (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.giant-store.jp/imabari/ https://bicyclerental.jp/en/area/ehime/1/ https://bicyclerental.jp/en/lineup/ https://bicyclerental.jp/en/guide/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q875869 ### Giant Store Matsuyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/giant-store-matsuyama Type: Operator Local name: ジャイアントストア松山 (ja) Also known as: Giant Matsuyama, Giant rental Matsuyama Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Town: Matsuyama Address: 5-1 Dogo-kitadai, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0846 Coordinates: 33.85230, 132.77610 Kind: Bike rental Works in: Matsuyama, Dogo, Okudogo Off season: Closed every Tuesday. The store also closes on 14 and 15 October 2026 for staff training. Phone: 089-923-3196 Fleet: Road bike; E-bike Repairs: Yes Website: https://giant-store.jp/matsuyama/ Summary: Giant Store Matsuyama suits riders who want a proper road bike or e-bike near Dogo, and it shuts on Tuesdays. Giant's Matsuyama store sits in Dogo-kitadai, close to the bathhouse district, and rents road bikes and e-bikes from five hours. It opens 10:00 to 19:00 on weekdays and from 9:00 at weekends and on holidays. The shop also runs group rides and workshops, including a semi-gravel ride in the Okudogo hills, so ask what is on during your stay. Q: Is Giant Store Matsuyama open out of season? A: Giant Store Matsuyama: Closed every Tuesday. The store also closes on 14 and 15 October 2026 for staff training. Q: What bikes does Giant Store Matsuyama rent? A: Giant Store Matsuyama rents road bikes, e-bikes. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://giant-store.jp/matsuyama/ https://bicyclerental.jp/en/area/ehime/14/ https://cycling-ehime.com/shimanami-kaido/rental-bike/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%84%9B%E5%AA%9B%E7%9C%8C%E6%9D%BE%E5%B1%B1%E5%B8%82%E9%81%93%E5%BE%8C%E5%8C%97%E4%BB%A35-1 ### Giant Store Nanki-Shirahama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/giant-store-nanki-shirahama Type: Operator Local name: ジャイアントストア南紀白浜 (ja) Also known as: Giant Shirahama, Giant Store Shirahama, Giant rental Shirahama Region: Kansai Prefecture: Wakayama Town: Shirahama Address: Shirahama Key Terrace Hotel Seamore 1F, 1821 Shirahama, Nishimuro District, Wakayama 649-2211 Coordinates: 33.67610, 135.33730 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Shirahama, Pacific Cycling Road, Kii peninsula Off season: The store closes on Tuesdays and Fridays all year, opening on some of those days around holidays. Phone: +81 739-34-3196 Fleet: Carbon road from ¥6,930, about CAD 62 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) a day; Aluminium road from ¥4,950, about CAD 44 or USD 31 (October 2026 rates) a day; Cross bike from ¥3,960, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) a day; Kids' bike from ¥2,970, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥9,900, about CAD 89 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) a day One way: Road bikes only, limited numbers, booked ahead, ¥3,300. Repairs: Yes Website: https://giant-store.jp/nankishirahama/ Summary: Giant Store Nanki-Shirahama suits riders who want a carbon road bike or an e-bike for the Wakayama coast without bringing their own, and its trade-off is a store that closes two weekdays a week. This Giant store sits on the ground floor of the Shirahama Key Terrace Hotel Seamore in Shirahama. It rents Giant road bikes, cross bikes, e-bikes and children's bikes through the brand's national rental site, from five hours upward. A carbon TCR Advanced 2 costs from ¥6,930 a day and an aluminium Contend from ¥4,950. Road bikes can go one way for ¥3,300 in limited numbers if you book ahead. The store opens 9:00 to 18:00 and closes on Tuesdays and Fridays, so plan a long weekend ride around those days. It also services bikes. Tips: - Wakayama's cycle trains let you ride south from Shirahama and come back on the Kuroshio Cycle limited express from Shingu. Q: How much does Giant Store Nanki-Shirahama charge? A: Giant Store Nanki-Shirahama lists Cross bike rental from ¥3,960 per day (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) (5 hours, 1 day or more). Q: Does Giant Store Nanki-Shirahama speak English? A: Giant Store Nanki-Shirahama works in Japanese. Q: Is Giant Store Nanki-Shirahama open out of season? A: Giant Store Nanki-Shirahama: The store closes on Tuesdays and Fridays all year, opening on some of those days around holidays. Q: What bikes does Giant Store Nanki-Shirahama rent? A: Giant Store Nanki-Shirahama rents carbon roads from ¥6,930 (2026), about CAD 62 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) a day, aluminium roads from ¥4,950 (2026), about CAD 44 or USD 31 (October 2026 rates) a day, cross bikes from ¥3,960 (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) a day, kids' bikes from ¥2,970 (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day, e-bikes from ¥9,900 (2026), about CAD 89 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://giant-store.jp/nankishirahama/ https://bicyclerental.jp/area/wakayama/12/ https://bicyclerental.jp/area/wakayama/12/lineup/ https://bicyclerental.jp/area/kyoto/ https://wakayama800.jp/cycle-train/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%92%8C%E6%AD%8C%E5%B1%B1%E7%9C%8C%E8%A5%BF%E7%89%9F%E5%A9%81%E9%83%A1%E7%99%BD%E6%B5%9C%E7%94%BA1821 ### Giant Store Onomichi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/giant-store-onomichi Type: Operator Local name: ジャイアントストア尾道 (ja) Also known as: Giant Onomichi, Giant Liv Store Onomichi, Giant rental Onomichi U2 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: ONOMICHI U2, 5-11 Nishigosho-machi, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-0037 Coordinates: 34.40240, 133.19040 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Onomichi, Shimanami Kaido, Tobishima Kaido, Yumeshima Kaido Off season: The store closes on Tuesdays outside its runs of daily opening. In 2026 it opened every day from 17 March to 31 May and from 1 September to 30 November, and over New Year 2025/26 it closed only on Tuesday 30 December. Phone: +81 848-21-0068 Fleet: Premium carbon road from ¥12,870, about CAD 116 or USD 81 (October 2026 rates) a day; Carbon road from ¥6,930, about CAD 62 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) a day; Aluminium road from ¥4,950, about CAD 44 or USD 31 (October 2026 rates) a day; Cross bike from ¥3,960, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥9,900, about CAD 89 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) a day; Kids' bike from ¥2,970, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: Helmet, Chain lock, Spare tube (¥900 plus tax if used) One way: Road bikes rented for a day or more can be returned at Giant Store Imabari for ¥3,300, booked ahead and limited in number. One-way returns are not possible from Onomichi on Tuesdays, and a rider cannot switch the return store mid-rental. Repairs: Yes Pedals: Bring your own pedals if you like; staff fit them. Website: https://www.giant-store.jp/onomichi/ Booking: https://bicyclerental.jp/en/area/hiroshima/8/ Summary: Giant Store Onomichi suits riders who want a road bike fitted to them for Shimanami, and the trade-off is a price well above the public rentals and a Tuesday closing for much of the year. Giant's Onomichi store sits at the east end of ONOMICHI U2. The building is a converted harbour warehouse about six minutes on foot from JR Onomichi Station, close to the ferry piers for Mukaishima, and it also holds Hotel Cycle. The store rents Giant's own road bikes, cross bikes and E-bikes for five hours or more, with a helmet and lock at no charge. Staff set the saddle and show newcomers the gears before they leave. A carbon road bike costs ¥6,930 to ¥9,240 for a day depending on the model, and an aluminium road bike costs ¥4,950 to ¥6,600. E-bikes run ¥9,900 to ¥13,200 a day, and the premium carbon range starts at ¥12,870. Prices include tax and insurance. A road bike rented for a day or more can be left at Giant Store Imabari for ¥3,300, which needs a booking. Bookings open 60 days ahead and close at 15:00 two days before pickup. Bring photo ID and arrive 30 minutes before your slot. Day rentals go back by 18:00, and late returns are charged by the hour. Tips: - Change in the store's fitting room or the public restrooms next door, and use the paid coin showers and lockers beside ONOMICHI U2. - Riders who rent in Onomichi can shower at Giant Store Imabari for ¥440, towel included. - The store has no car park, so drivers use the Onomichi station-front harbour car park next to ONOMICHI U2. - A mini pump costs ¥550 to rent, and staff suggest it for riders who have changed a tube before. Q: Can I rent a Giant bike in Onomichi and return it in Imabari? A: Yes, for road bikes rented for a day or more. Giant Store Onomichi charges ¥3,300 for the one-way return to Giant Store Imabari, it has to be booked ahead, and it is not available from Onomichi on Tuesdays. Q: What are Giant Store Onomichi's hours? A: Giant Store Onomichi opens 9:00 to 18:00 and normally closes on Tuesdays. In 2026 it opened every day from 17 March to 31 May and from 1 September to 30 November. Q: How much does Giant Store Onomichi charge? A: Giant Store Onomichi lists One-way return to Giant Store Imabari from ¥3,300 per bike (2026), about CAD 30 or USD 21 (October 2026 rates). Q: Does Giant Store Onomichi speak English? A: Giant Store Onomichi works in Japanese. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.giant-store.jp/onomichi/ https://bicyclerental.jp/area/hiroshima/8/ https://bicyclerental.jp/en/lineup/ https://bicyclerental.jp/en/guide/ https://bicyclerental.jp/en/area/ehime/1/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E8%A5%BF%E5%BE%A1%E6%89%80%E7%94%BA5-11 ### Giant Store Toyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/giant-store-toyama Type: Operator Local name: ジャイアントストア富山 (ja) Also known as: Giant Toyama, Giant rental Toyama Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Toyama Address: Ushijima Park West, 1-30 Meirincho, Toyama, Toyama Coordinates: 36.70204, 137.21176 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Toyama, Toyama Bay Cycling Route Off season: Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays all year. Phone: 076-443-7522 Fleet: Carbon road from ¥6,930, about CAD 62 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) a day; Aluminium road from ¥4,950, about CAD 44 or USD 31 (October 2026 rates) a day; Cross bike; E-bike from ¥9,900, about CAD 89 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: insurance One way: Giant's one-way service runs only between its Onomichi and Imabari stores, so Toyama rentals come back to Toyama. Website: https://www.giant-store.jp/toyama/ Booking: https://bicyclerental.jp/en/area/toyama/15/ Summary: Giant Store Toyama suits riders who want a fitted carbon road bike or e-bike for the Toyama Bay route, seven minutes from the Shinkansen, and its trade-off is a store that closes on both Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Giant's Toyama store sits in the Ushijima Park West building, about seven minutes on foot from Toyama Station. It rents Giant's own carbon and aluminium road bikes, cross bikes and e-bikes. Kids' bikes fit children from about 135 cm. Rentals start at five hours, and prices include insurance. A carbon road bike cost ¥6,930 to ¥9,240 for a day in October 2026, and an e-bike ¥9,900 to ¥13,200. The store opens 9:00 to 19:00 and closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Plan a Thursday-to-Monday ride, or pick up the day before. Tips: - Toyama Prefecture requires cycle insurance from 1 October 2026; Giant's rental price includes insurance, so ask what it covers. Q: How much does Giant Store Toyama charge? A: Giant Store Toyama lists Aluminium road bike rental from ¥4,950 per day (2026), about CAD 44 or USD 31 (October 2026 rates) (5 hours, 1 day or more). Q: Does Giant Store Toyama speak English? A: Giant Store Toyama works in Japanese. Q: Is Giant Store Toyama open out of season? A: Giant Store Toyama: Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays all year. Q: What bikes does Giant Store Toyama rent? A: Giant Store Toyama rents carbon roads from ¥6,930 (2026), about CAD 62 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) a day, aluminium roads from ¥4,950 (2026), about CAD 44 or USD 31 (October 2026 rates) a day, cross bikes, e-bikes from ¥9,900 (2026), about CAD 89 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.giant-store.jp/toyama/ https://bicyclerental.jp/area/toyama/15/ https://bicyclerental.jp/area/toyama/15/lineup/ https://bicyclerental.jp/en/area/toyama/15/lineup/ https://cycling-toyama.jp/rental/ https://cycling-toyama.jp/news/3724/ ### Gujo International Snow School URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/gujo-international-snow-school Type: Operator Local name: 郡上インターナショナルスノースクール (ja) Also known as: GISS, Gujo International Ski School, Gujo Snow School, 郡上インターナショナル Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Okumino Address: Takasu Snow Park, 3086-1 Nishibora, Takasu-cho, Gujo, Gifu Coordinates: 35.99800, 136.87730 Kind: School Languages: English, Chinese Works in: Takasu Snow Park, Dynaland, Washigatake Website: https://www.takasu.gr.jp/school/ Summary: Gujo International Snow School teaches private ski and snowboard lessons in English and Chinese at Takasu Snow Park, Dynaland and Washigatake, and it suits families and beginners who want an instructor who speaks their language; a half day cost ¥45,000 for one person in 2025/26, before lift tickets. Takasu Snow Park and Washigatake both list the school for visitors who need lessons in English or Chinese. It ran from 13 December 2025 to 31 March 2026 and teaches at Dynaland, Takasu Snow Park and Washigatake. Every lesson is private, priced per instructor and per group size. A three-hour half day cost ¥45,000 for one person and ¥60,000 for six in 2025/26, and a full day ¥70,000 to ¥95,000. Arrive on time, since late arrivals can lose the lesson, and bring travel insurance that covers third-party accidents. Tips: - If ages or levels in your group differ a lot, book a second instructor, as the school advises. - Complete beginners may not need a lift ticket for the first lesson, so ask your instructor when you meet. - Expect the school to ask you to skip the lesson if you have a fever of 37.5°C or more. Q: Are there English ski lessons at Takasu Snow Park? A: Yes. Gujo International Snow School teaches private ski and snowboard lessons in English and Chinese at Takasu Snow Park, Dynaland and Washigatake. Q: How much is a private lesson with Gujo International Snow School? A: In 2025/26 a three-hour lesson cost ¥45,000 for one person, rising to ¥60,000 for six, and a full day ¥70,000 to ¥95,000. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.takasu.gr.jp/school/ https://ski.washigatake.jp/ ### Hachimantai Cat Tours URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/hachimantai-cat-tours Type: Operator Local name: 八幡平キャットツアーズ (ja) Also known as: Tohoku cat skiing, Hachimantai cat skiing, Hachimantai CAT, Daikokumori cat skiing, Daikokumori Management Cooperative, 大黒森管理協同組合, 八幡平 キャットスキー Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Kind: Cat skiing Works in: Hachimantai, Daikokumori, Gozaisho, APPI Website: https://www.hachimantai-cat.jp/ Summary: Hachimantai Cat Tours suits strong powder skiers who want snowcat access in Tohoku on the slopes of the closed Hachimantai ski area; the cat broke down in 2025/26 and ended that season early, so check the 2026/27 plan before you book. The snowcat on Hachimantai belongs to the Daikokumori Management Cooperative, which nine local guides own together. It runs the cat on Daikokumori, where the Hachimantai ski area used to operate, and looks after the slopes. It also teaches avalanche workshops and records the weather there every day of the season. It shares that data with the guide companies that bring riders up. Guests book through a guide company. APPI's nature school ran a Cat & Ride tour from the ANA Crowne Plaza in 2025/26 for ¥35,000 per Japan resident and ¥42,000 for overseas visitors. In 2025/26 the cat broke down and APPI ended its tours for the season. Iwate Backcountry Guides also lists cat tours here, and Clubman Mountain Guide guides in the area. Riders need an avalanche transceiver, probe, shovel, pack and helmet and powder skis or a board. Daikokumori is the site of a ski area that has closed, so treat it as backcountry and let the guide decide where you ride on the day. Tips: - Read the cooperative's Gozaisho weather observations before you commit to a date, which it asks of everyone entering the area. - Ask your guide company whether the cat is running before you travel. Its 2026/27 plans were not public on 11 October 2026. Q: Is there cat skiing in Tohoku? A: Yes. On Hachimantai in Iwate a guide-owned cooperative runs a snowcat on the closed Hachimantai ski area, and guide companies including APPI sell Cat & Ride and Cat & Hike tours on it. Q: How much is cat skiing at Hachimantai? A: APPI's 2025/26 Cat & Ride tour cost ¥35,000 for Japan residents and ¥42,000 for overseas visitors. The 2026/27 price wasn't published by 11 October 2026. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hachimantai-cat.jp/ https://www.hachimantai-cat.jp/info/6556506 https://visit-hachimantai.jp/ski/backcountry-skiing.html https://www.appi.co.jp/activity/hachimantai-cat-ride-tour/ https://www.iwatebackcountry.com/guide_menu.html ### Hitsujiya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/hitsujiya-azumino Type: Operator Local name: ひつじ屋 (ja) Also known as: Hitsujiya Azumino, ひつじ屋 安曇野 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Azumino Address: Opposite JR Hotaka Station, Hotaka, Azumino, Nagano Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Azumino, Hotaka Phone: +81-263-82-3888 Fleet: City bike; E-bike; Mountain bike; Kids' bike Includes: liability insurance, luggage storage, parking, map Delivery: Hitsujiya ended its delivery service. One way: Hitsujiya ended its drop-off service. Website: https://www.hitsujiya-azumino.com/ Summary: Hitsujiya is a café and rental shop opposite JR Hotaka Station that rents bikes from 7:00 for riders who book ahead, and suits early risers who want Azumino's lanes before the tour buses. Prices start around ¥200 an hour for a standard bike. Hitsujiya runs a café and a car-rental desk beside the bikes, and it keeps your bags free while you ride. Its main draw is the 7:00 start for riders who book, since mornings in Azumino stay cool even in August. Every rental carries liability insurance up to ¥50 million for injury to others. Tips: - Hitsujiya recommends an e-bike for the slopes around Azumino, and it has front and rear child seats for them. Q: How much does Hitsujiya charge? A: Hitsujiya lists Bike rental from ¥200 per bike (2025), about CAD 1.80 or USD 1.30 (October 2026 rates) (From 1 hour). Q: Does Hitsujiya speak English? A: Hitsujiya works in Japanese. Q: What bikes does Hitsujiya rent? A: Hitsujiya rents city bikes, e-bikes, mountain bikes, kids' bikes. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hitsujiya-azumino.com/bicycle https://www.hitsujiya-azumino.com/%E3%83%AC%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BF%E3%82%B5%E3%82%A4%E3%82%AF%E3%83%AB-%E3%82%AB%E3%83%BC https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16548 ### Ise City Tourist Association Rental Cycles URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/ise-city-rental-cycles Type: Operator Local name: 伊勢市観光協会 レンタサイクル (ja) Also known as: Ise rental bikes, Ise rent-a-cycle, 伊勢市駅 レンタサイクル Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Mie Town: Ise Address: Iseshi Station baggage room, 1-1-1 Fukiage, Ise, Mie Coordinates: 34.49062, 136.71007 Kind: Bike rental Works in: Ise, Futami Phone: +81-596-65-6861 Fleet: City bike from ¥1,000, about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) a day; E assist from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: helmet Website: https://ise-kanko.jp/purpose/rentacycle/ Summary: The tourist association's bikes suit visitors riding between the Geku and the Naiku, and only the plain city bikes can be kept overnight. The Ise City Tourist Association rents bikes from the baggage room on the JR side of Iseshi Station, open 9:00 to 17:00, and from its service centre outside the Geku, open 8:30 to 16:30. A third counter at the Futami information office rents e-bikes only. City bikes cost ¥800 for four hours or ¥1,000 a day, e-assist bikes ¥1,500 or ¥2,000. Helmets are free. The association's Miyuki road loop runs 11 km from the Geku to the Naiku and back by the Mikimoto road, past Yamatohime-no-miya and Tsukiyomi-no-miya. A shorter 9 km route takes the old Furuichi road to the Naiku. At the Naiku, leave the bike in the lot in front of the Uji Bridge, and walk it along crowded Oharai-machi. Q: How much does Ise City Tourist Association Rental Cycles charge? A: Ise City Tourist Association Rental Cycles lists City bike from ¥800 per bike (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) (4 hours or a day). Q: What bikes does Ise City Tourist Association Rental Cycles rent? A: Ise City Tourist Association Rental Cycles rents city bikes from ¥1,000 (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) a day, e assists from ¥2,000 (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day, e-bikes from ¥2,000 (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ise-kanko.jp/purpose/rentacycle/ https://ise-kanko.jp/focus/rentacycle/ https://www.isejingu.or.jp/en/access/index.html ### Iwate Backcountry Guides URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/iwate-backcountry-guides Type: Operator Local name: 岩手バックカントリーガイズ (ja) Also known as: IWATE BACKCOUNTRY GUIDES, Iwate BC Guides, Hachimantai backcountry guide, 岩手バックカントリーガイズ Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Address: 2-4-10 Kashiwadai, Hachimantai, Iwate Kind: Guide Certifications: Japan Mountain Guides Association certified guide (Kosei Takahashi) Works in: Hachimantai, Ura Iwate range, Daikokumori, Shimokura, APPI Phone: 080-1814-3192 Website: https://www.iwatebackcountry.com/ Summary: Iwate Backcountry Guides suits riders based at APPI or Hachimantai who want a local guide on foot or by snowcat; the website hasn't posted since 2023, so confirm 2026/27 tours and prices before you plan around them. Kosei Takahashi grew up at the foot of Hachimantai and trained as a guide with Powder Company Guides in Niseko before starting Iwate Backcountry Guides in 2015/16. He holds Japan Mountain Guides Association certification. The office is in Kashiwadai, about ten minutes from the Matsuo-Hachimantai interchange. The menu runs from beginner tours with gear included to full days on foot in the Ura-Iwate range and snowcat days on Daikokumori. In spring the guide uses the Aspite Line once it opens toward the summit. The guide recommends mountain rescue insurance and sells a ¥500 day policy at check-in. Tips: - Email or phone before you book, because the website's tour prices carry no season and its blog last updated in 2023. - Ask about pick-up if you're staying in the Hachimantai onsen villages or at APPI, which the guide offers when bookings allow. Q: Does Iwate Backcountry Guides run cat tours? A: Its menu lists Cat Hike and Cat Ride tours on the Daikokumori snowcat at Hachimantai for groups of three or more. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.iwatebackcountry.com/ https://www.iwatebackcountry.com/guide_menu.html https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/winter/backcountry/ https://visit-hachimantai.jp/ski/backcountry-skiing.html ### Japan Biking URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/japan-biking Type: Operator Local name: ジャパンバイキング (ja) Also known as: Japan Biking Tours, japanbiking.com Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kagoshima Address: 22-43 Fumoto, Izumi, Kagoshima 899-0204 Kind: Bike tour Languages: English, Dutch, Japanese Certifications: Travel agency registered with Kagoshima Prefecture, no. 2-254, Member of the All Nippon Travel Agents Association Works in: Kyushu, Amakusa, Kagoshima, Izumi, Chiran, Ibusuki Phone: +81 80 3226 1830 Fleet: Hybrid; E-bike Includes: panniers Pedals: Bring your own pedals, saddle and helmet if you prefer them. Website: https://www.japanbiking.com/ Summary: Japan Biking suits riders who want a guided, van-supported tour through southern Kyushu's hot springs and islands, and its website has not posted a tour calendar since 2024. Thomas, a Belgian who moved to Kyushu, started Japan Biking in 2010 and runs it from Izumi in northern Kagoshima as a registered travel agency. Its tours lean on southern Kyushu: hot springs, the Amakusa islands, Satsuma's samurai towns and Kagoshima's volcanoes, with a support van and a cycling guide on the guided departures. The company also builds custom and private tours and rents its touring bikes and e-bikes to riders going alone. Its published tour calendar and price list date from 2023 and 2024, so ask for current dates and prices before you plan around a departure. Tips: - Write ahead with your dates; the operator offers help with travel arrangements before and after a tour. Q: Does Japan Biking speak English? A: Yes. Japan Biking works in English and Dutch and Japanese. Q: What bikes does Japan Biking rent? A: Japan Biking rents hybrids, e-bikes. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.japanbiking.com/ https://www.japanbiking.com/about/ https://www.japanbiking.com/prices/ https://www.japanbiking.com/tours-2/tours/ https://www.japanbiking.com/tours-2/rental/bike-rental/ ### Japan Cycle Sports Center URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/japan-cycle-sports-center Type: Operator Local name: 日本サイクルスポーツセンター (ja) Also known as: CSC, Izu CSC, Cycle Sports Center Shuzenji, Jitensha no Kuni Cycle Sports Center, Izu Velodrome, 自転車の国 サイクルスポーツセンター, 伊豆ベロドローム Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shuzenji Address: 1826 Ono, Izu, Shizuoka 410-2402 Coordinates: 35.01000, 139.01040 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Shuzenji, Izu Off season: The park closes on Wednesdays and Thursdays except in holiday periods, and for maintenance from 1 to 5 February. Winter hours from December to February run 10:00–16:00. The 5 km circuit and the MTB course often close for races and training camps, so check the operator's calendars before you travel. Phone: 0558-79-0001 Fleet: Road bike; Cross; E-bike; Mountain bike; Kids' bike Includes: helmet Website: https://www.csc.or.jp/ Summary: The Japan Cycle Sports Center in the hills above Shuzenji is a cycling theme park built round a 5 km road circuit used for racing, with the Izu Velodrome across the road, and suits families and riders who want laps without traffic; the circuit and MTB course stay shut until 7 December 2026 for the Asian Games. The 5 km circuit is a proper road course used for races and events, and visitors can ride it by the hour on a rental road or cross bike or bring their own. The park sells entry at ¥850 for adults, and the Toku Pass at ¥2,700 opens every eligible attraction and halves the circuit rental. A 2 km family loop takes children from toddlers upwards, and the Izu MTB course runs through the woods. The centre also runs races. The CSC Criterium Series uses a special course on the 5 km circuit, and its third round falls on 7 March 2027. The Tour of Japan's Izu stage raced on the centre's roads for years until the Sagamihara stage replaced it. Across the road, the Izu Velodrome with its 250-metre wooden track hosted track cycling at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics and at the 2026 Asian Games. On holidays and school breaks a bus leaves stop 7 at Shuzenji Station at 8:20 and returns from the centre at 17:06. On other days take a taxi from Shuzenji Station. Cars park free in a 700-space car park, about 35 minutes from the Numazu interchange. Tips: - Check the operator's Google calendars for the circuit and MTB course before you go, because races and training camps book them out often. - Restaurant Fujimi in the park looks out to Mt. Fuji, and the on-site lodge Saitel takes sports training camps and groups overnight. Q: Can I ride the 5 km circuit at the Japan Cycle Sports Center? A: Yes, when it reopens after 7 December 2026. Rental road or cross bikes cost ¥800 an hour on top of the ¥850 adult entry, or ¥1,400 buys entry and a day on the circuit with your own bike. Q: When is the Japan Cycle Sports Center closed? A: It closes on Wednesdays and Thursdays outside holiday periods, and from 1 to 5 February for maintenance. In 2026 the 5 km circuit and MTB course are closed from 1 July to 7 December for the Asian Games. Q: How much does Japan Cycle Sports Center charge? A: Japan Cycle Sports Center lists Family circuit from ¥450 per bike (2026), about CAD 4 or USD 2.80 (October 2026 rates) (30 minutes). Q: Does Japan Cycle Sports Center speak English? A: Japan Cycle Sports Center works in Japanese. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.csc.or.jp/ride/ https://www.csc.or.jp/about/ https://www.csc.or.jp/access/ https://www.csc.or.jp/2026/07/post-13139/ https://www.csc.or.jp/2023/09/post-2734/ https://www.csc.or.jp/tournament/tournament-12018/ https://kanko.city.izu.shizuoka.jp/sightseeing/sightseeing-1796/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11506471 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BC%8A%E8%B1%86%E3%83%99%E3%83%AD%E3%83%89%E3%83%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A0 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%84%E3%82%A2%E3%83%BC%E3%83%BB%E3%82%AA%E3%83%96%E3%83%BB%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A3%E3%83%91%E3%83%B3 ### Kamijima Adventures URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/kamijima-adventures Type: Operator Also known as: Kamijima Collective, Kamijima Tours, Yuge Sea Station rentals Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Town: Kamijima Address: Yuge Sea Station, 203-1 Yuge-shimoyuge, Kamijima-cho, Ochi-gun, Ehime 794-2506 Coordinates: 34.25830, 133.20440 Kind: Bike rental Languages: English Works in: Yugejima, Sashima, Ikinajima, Iwagijima, Yumeshima Kaido Off season: No walk-in hours; every rental is arranged by email first. Fleet: E-bike from ¥8,000, about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates) a day; Cross from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day Website: https://adventures.kamijimacollective.com/ Summary: Kamijima Adventures suits riders who want a Tern e-bike and a route plan for the Yumeshima islands, and every booking starts with an email. Kamijima Collective runs a handful of island businesses on Yugejima, and its founders trace their roots to Aotearoa New Zealand. Its rental arm, Kamijima Adventures, hires out Tern e-bikes and cross bikes by the hour, day or week from Yuge Sea Station by Yuge port and sketches self-guided routes over the Yumeshima Kaido's three bridges. There are no walk-in hours, so write first with your dates and ferry times. For a guided day, its sister business Kamijima Tours runs private journeys from ¥60,000, and it took the cycling prize at the 2026 Setouchi DMO Awards. Q: How much does Kamijima Adventures charge? A: Kamijima Adventures lists Tern Clutch cross bike from ¥500 per bike (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) (Hour, half day, day or week). Q: Does Kamijima Adventures speak English? A: Yes. Kamijima Adventures works in English. Q: Is Kamijima Adventures open out of season? A: Kamijima Adventures: No walk-in hours; every rental is arranged by email first. Q: What bikes does Kamijima Adventures rent? A: Kamijima Adventures rents e-bikes from ¥8,000 (2026), about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates) a day, crosss from ¥2,000 (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://adventures.kamijimacollective.com/ https://kamijimatours.com/ https://yugeseastation.com/ https://kamijima.info/cycling/oasis/ https://maps.app.goo.gl/kvdvMGR6UzmW4Tr78 ### Kamochari+ URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/kamochari-plus Type: Operator Local name: かもチャリ＋ (ja) Also known as: Kamochari Plus, Kamochari, かもチャリ, Welkamo Cycle, Kamogawa rental cycle Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Town: Kamogawa Address: Awa-Kamogawa Station information desk, Kamogawa, Chiba Coordinates: 35.10760, 140.10370 Kind: Bike rental Works in: Kamogawa, Kominato, Boso Peninsula Phone: +81-90-4463-5763 Fleet: E-mountain bike; Road bike; Gravel bike; Mountain bike; Cross bike; Mini velo e bike; Kids' bike One way: Bikes go back to the desk you hired from, at Awa-Kamogawa Station or Kominato Satoumi Gakko. Website: https://www.welkamo.jp/kamochari Summary: Kamochari+ suits riders on the Pacific side of Boso who want a road, gravel or e-MTB hire at Awa-Kamogawa Station, and its trade-off is a web form that closes two days before your ride. Kamochari+ began test runs in January 2026, when the Kamogawa tourism association's Kamochari merged with Wellnesports Kamogawa's own rental fleet. You hire from the information desk at Awa-Kamogawa Station or from Kominato Satoumi Gakko, and you bring the bike back to the same desk. Prices start from a 4-hour hire: ¥3,000 for a MERIDA road or gravel bike and ¥4,000 for an Asahi e-MTB that runs up to 80 km on a charge. The desk recommends riders 145 cm and taller. Staff copy your ID, or you leave a ¥10,000 deposit, and they show you the bike before you go. Tips: - Phone the station desk on 090-4463-5763 for a bike the day before or on the day. - The desks close in typhoon warnings and lend no bikes in bad weather. Q: Can I rent a road bike in Kamogawa? A: Yes. Kamochari+ rents MERIDA road bikes from ¥3,000 for 4 hours at the Awa-Kamogawa Station information desk and at Kominato Satoumi Gakko. Q: How much does Kamochari+ charge? A: Kamochari+ lists Cross bike from ¥2,000 per bike (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) (From 4 hours). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.welkamo.jp/kamochari https://wellspo.jp/rental/kamochariplus/ https://www.kamonavi.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q552842 ### Konan Cycling Terminal URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/konan-cycling-terminal Type: Operator Local name: 香南市サイクリングターミナル (ja) Also known as: Shioyajuku Cycling Terminal, Yasu Cycling Terminal, しおや宿 レンタサイクル Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kochi Address: 1304 Yasu-cho Teiyama, Konan, Kochi 781-5622 (at Umi no Yado Shioyajuku) Coordinates: 33.52350, 133.76100 Kind: Cycle terminal Languages: Japanese Works in: Konan, Yasu coast Phone: 0887-55-3196 Fleet: Road bike; E assist; Tandem; Kids' bike Includes: tools, pumps Website: https://shioyajuku.com/facilities.php Summary: The Konan Cycling Terminal suits families and casual riders who want an easy coastal spin east of Kochi, and the bikes go out for six hours at most. Konan's cycling terminal shares a building with the Shioyajuku inn on the Yasu coast. Rentals cost ¥500 for up to six hours and cover road bikes, e-assist bikes, tandems and children's sizes, with tools and pumps on hand. The coastal cycling course from the door runs about 15 km. Q: How much does Konan Cycling Terminal charge? A: Konan Cycling Terminal lists Bike rental from ¥500 per bike (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) (Up to 6 hours). Q: Does Konan Cycling Terminal speak English? A: Konan Cycling Terminal works in Japanese. Q: What bikes does Konan Cycling Terminal rent? A: Konan Cycling Terminal rents road bikes, e assists, tandems, kids' bikes. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shioyajuku.com/facilities.php https://shioyajuku.com/ https://cycling-island-shikoku.com/hotel_inn/no026.html ### Kunisaki Cycling Terminal URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/kunisaki-cycling-terminal Type: Operator Local name: 国東市サイクリングターミナル (ja) Also known as: Kunisaki rental cycle, Michi-no-Eki Kunisaki bike rental Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Oita Town: Kunisaki Address: Michi-no-Eki Kunisaki, 2662-1 Obara, Kunisaki-machi, Kunisaki, Oita 873-0511 Coordinates: 33.54500, 131.74000 Kind: Cycle terminal Languages: Japanese Works in: Kunisaki, Kunisaki peninsula Phone: 0978-72-5173 Fleet: E-bike from ¥500, about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) a day; Mountain bike from ¥500, about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) a day; Kids' bike from ¥300, about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: helmet on request One way: No one-way returns. Website: https://www.city.kunisaki.oita.jp/site/kanko/kunisakicycle.html Summary: Kunisaki's cycling terminal suits families and easy riders who want a cheap bike for the coast path by the roadside station, and bikes go back by 17:00 the same day. Kunisaki City runs the terminal inside the Michi-no-Eki Kunisaki roadside station, where the tourism association keeps its office. A day costs ¥500 for adults whether you take a city bike, an e-bike or a mountain bike. The city's free route map shows two rides that start and finish at the terminal: a 3 km loop round the Kurotsuzaki shore and a ride of about 13 km each way, more than two thirds of it on a dedicated cycle path along the Iyo Sea coast. Tips: - Pick up the Kunisaki cycling route map at the terminal before you set off. Q: How much does Kunisaki Cycling Terminal charge? A: Kunisaki Cycling Terminal lists Bike rental from ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) (8:30 to 17:00). Q: Does Kunisaki Cycling Terminal speak English? A: Kunisaki Cycling Terminal works in Japanese. Q: What bikes does Kunisaki Cycling Terminal rent? A: Kunisaki Cycling Terminal rents e-bikes from ¥500 (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) a day, mountain bikes from ¥500 (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) a day, kids' bikes from ¥300 (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.kunisaki.oita.jp/site/kanko/kunisakicycle.html https://www.cycling-oita.jp/rental-cycle/619/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=国東市国東町小原2662-1 ### Kyoto Cycling Tour Project URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/kyoto-cycling-tour-project Type: Operator Local name: 京都サイクリングツアープロジェクト (ja) Also known as: KCTP, Kyoto Cycling Tour Project KCTP, 京都サイクリングツアープロジェクト Region: Kansai Prefecture: Kyoto Town: Kyoto Address: 552-13 Higashi-Aburanokoji-cho, Aburanokoji-dori Shiokoji-sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8235 Coordinates: 34.98630, 135.75460 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese, English Works in: Kyoto Station, Fushimi, Nijo, Shijo Horikawa, Gojo Horikawa, Karasuma Gojo Off season: The company opens every day of the year, 9:00 to 18:00. Phone: +81 75-354-3636 Fleet: City bike from ¥1,400, about CAD 13 or USD 8.80 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day; Kids' bike from ¥1,000, about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: helmet One way: Pedal bikes can go back to any terminal; e-bikes return to the terminal they left from. Website: https://kctp.net/en/ Summary: Kyoto Cycling Tour Project suits visitors who want a city bike for a day from three minutes' walk of Kyoto Station, and its trade-off is a fleet of city bikes with no road bikes. Kyoto Cycling Tour Project has rented bikes in Kyoto since 2001, and its main terminal sits about three minutes' walk from the north side of Kyoto Station. It runs terminals at the station, Fushimi, Nijo, Shijo Horikawa, Gojo Horikawa and Karasuma Gojo, several of them inside Urban Hotel branches. Pedal bikes can go back to any of them. The best bike in the fleet is the Ginrin, the company's own design with an internal 8-speed hub and mountain-bike tyres, at ¥1,700 a day. E-bikes cost ¥2,700 and carry riders about 40 km on a charge. Helmets come free with every rental. The company also runs guided cycling and walking tours. Tips: - Book the Fushimi terminal if you want to start at Fushimi Inari; it sits about 15 minutes by bike from Kyoto Station. Q: How much does Kyoto Cycling Tour Project charge? A: Kyoto Cycling Tour Project lists Children's mountain bike from ¥1,000 per day (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) (1 day). Q: Does Kyoto Cycling Tour Project speak English? A: Yes. Kyoto Cycling Tour Project works in Japanese and English. Q: Is Kyoto Cycling Tour Project open out of season? A: Kyoto Cycling Tour Project: The company opens every day of the year, 9:00 to 18:00. Q: What bikes does Kyoto Cycling Tour Project rent? A: Kyoto Cycling Tour Project rents city bikes from ¥1,400 (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 8.80 (October 2026 rates) a day, e-bikes from ¥2,000 (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day, kids' bikes from ¥1,000 (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kctp.net/en/ https://kctp.net/en/rental/price https://kctp.net/en/rental/access https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E5%BA%9C%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E5%B8%82%E4%B8%8B%E4%BA%AC%E5%8C%BA%E6%9D%B1%E6%B2%B9%E5%B0%8F%E8%B7%AF%E7%94%BA552 ### Lion Adventure Hakuba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/lion-adventure-hakuba Type: Operator Local name: ライオンアドベンチャー (ja) Also known as: Lion Adventure, LION ADVENTURE Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: 5746-3 Hokujo, Hakuba, Kitaazumi District, Nagano 399-9301 Kind: Tour Languages: Japanese, English Works in: Hakuba Phone: +81-261-72-5061 Fleet: E-bike; City bike; Mountain bike; Kids' bike Website: https://hakuba.lion-adventure.com/ Summary: Lion Adventure runs rafting and e-bike rides from a café base at the Happo-one crossroads in Hakuba, and suits families who want a guided day out of the mountains in summer. Prices show only in its booking system. Lion Adventure's base at the Happo-one intersection doubles as a café and an outdoor information desk. The bike side covers e-bikes for the valley and kids' mountain bikes, with guided MTB rides in spring and autumn. Hakuba Village lists the shop as an official cycle station, so you can stop for air or a tool even without renting. Q: Does Lion Adventure Hakuba speak English? A: Yes. Lion Adventure Hakuba works in Japanese and English. Q: What bikes does Lion Adventure Hakuba rent? A: Lion Adventure Hakuba rents e-bikes, city bikes, mountain bikes, kids' bikes. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakuba.lion-adventure.com/ https://www.vill.hakuba.nagano.jp/hakuba-cycling/en/rental/%e3%83%a9%e3%82%a4%e3%82%aa%e3%83%b3%e3%82%a2%e3%83%89%e3%83%99%e3%83%b3%e3%83%81%e3%83%a3%e3%83%bc/ ### Meiho Ski and Snowboard School URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/meiho-ski-school Type: Operator Local name: めいほうスキースクール (ja) Also known as: Meiho Ski School, Meiho Snowboard School, Meiho Ski & Snowboard School Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Address: Meiho Snow Resort, Meiho, Gujo, Gifu Coordinates: 35.94180, 137.04300 Kind: School Languages: Japanese, English Certifications: SAJ (Ski Association of Japan) certified school Works in: Meiho Snow Resort Phone: 0575-87-3045 Website: https://www.meiho-skischool.com/ Summary: Meiho Ski and Snowboard School is the SAJ-certified school at Meiho Snow Resort, and it suits first-time visitors from overseas who want a short lesson in simple English; the English lessons last 90 minutes and start only from 20 December. The school teaches skiing and snowboarding at Meiho and runs the SAJ badge tests, whose 2026/27 dates it has already published. For first-time visitors from abroad it offers a 90-minute lesson in simple English at 10:50 or 13:30, priced per group of up to four. Book from 1 December. A ¥5,000 card payment holds the place and comes off the fee, and the rest is paid on the day. Arrive 60 minutes before the lesson to check in, with rental sorted at the resort's own shop. Tips: - Pay the ¥5,000 deposit within the deadline; unpaid bookings are cancelled a week before the lesson. - Allow an hour before the lesson for check-in and rental. Q: Does Meiho Snow Resort have English ski lessons? A: Yes. Meiho Ski and Snowboard School runs 90-minute lessons in simple English for one to four people from 20 December, costing ¥33,000 for one or two. Q: How much does Meiho Ski and Snowboard School charge? A: Meiho Ski and Snowboard School lists Private ski lesson (Japanese) from ¥20,000 per group (2025), about CAD 180 or USD 126 (October 2026 rates) (Half day (2 hours) or full day (4 hours)). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.meiho-skischool.com/ https://www.meiho-skischool.com/for-foreign-tourists-1/ https://www.meiho-skischool.com/%E3%82%B9%E3%82%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AC%E3%83%83%E3%82%B9%E3%83%B3/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/めいほうスキー場 ### Miya Cycle Station URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/miya-cycle-station Type: Operator Local name: 宮サイクルステーション (ja) Also known as: Miya Cycle, 宮サイ, Utsunomiya cycle station Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Utsunomiya Address: 1-48 Kawamuko-cho, Utsunomiya, Tochigi (west of the city bicycle park at JR Utsunomiya west exit) Coordinates: 36.56010, 139.89770 Kind: Cycle terminal Languages: Japanese Works in: Utsunomiya Off season: Closed from 29 December to 3 January. Phone: +81 28-627-3196 Fleet: Road bike from ¥1,030, about CAD 9.30 or USD 6.50 (October 2026 rates) a day; Cross from ¥1,030, about CAD 9.30 or USD 6.50 (October 2026 rates) a day Website: https://miya-cyclestation.jp/ Summary: Miya Cycle Station suits riders arriving by Shinkansen who want a road bike, a shower and a locker at the station for about ¥1,000, and day rentals go back by 19:00. The city of Utsunomiya set up this cycle station beside the JR west exit, and its sports foundation runs it. Road and cross bikes rent for ¥510 for four hours or ¥1,030 for the day, and showers and lockers cost ¥100 each. Tools and a pump cost nothing. The station works with Utsunomiya Blitzen, the city's professional team, and sells its goods. Staff run maintenance classes most months. Tips: - Return a day rental by 19:00; the station closes at 20:00. Q: How much does Miya Cycle Station charge? A: Miya Cycle Station lists Shower from ¥100 each (2026), about CAD 0.90 or USD 0.60 (October 2026 rates). Q: Does Miya Cycle Station speak English? A: Miya Cycle Station works in Japanese. Q: Is Miya Cycle Station open out of season? A: Miya Cycle Station: Closed from 29 December to 3 January. Q: What bikes does Miya Cycle Station rent? A: Miya Cycle Station rents road bikes from ¥1,030 (2026), about CAD 9.30 or USD 6.50 (October 2026 rates) a day, crosss from ¥1,030 (2026), about CAD 9.30 or USD 6.50 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://miya-cyclestation.jp/ https://miya-cyclestation.jp/about/ https://miya-cyclestation.jp/access/ https://www.utsunomiya-cvb.org/access/inside.html ### Myoko Guiding Co. URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/myoko-guiding-co Type: Operator Also known as: Myoko Guiding Company, Tanoshii Myoko, Myoko Guiding Co Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 585-63 Akakura, Myoko, Niigata 949-2113 Coordinates: 36.89150, 138.17830 Kind: Guide Languages: English, Japanese Certifications: IFMGA guides, as the operator states Works in: Myoko Kogen, Akakura, Hikarigahara Website: https://myokoguidingco.com/ Summary: Myoko Guiding Co. is an Akakura-based backcountry and sidecountry guiding outfit whose private full day costs ¥141,000 for up to four riders in 2026/27, and it suits strong riders who want local terrain with transport handled; every guest must carry avalanche gear, which the shop rents. The company runs out of a shop and headquarters at 585-63 Akakura and pairs its guiding with the Tanoshii lodging brand. Its guides hold IFMGA qualifications, the operator says. The fee includes transport and one après drink; the lift pass, food, rentals and avalanche gear cost extra. A private day costs ¥141,000 for up to four, plus ¥37,500 for each extra rider. Riding solo, the open group day costs the same as a private one; with three or more people it falls to ¥47,500 each. The night before, you meet your guide at 18:00 at the headquarters to talk through the snowpack and check your avalanche gear. For something bigger, a seven-night Beyond the Boundaries trip pairs two snowcat days at Hikarigahara in Joetsu with four guided days in Myoko. It starts from ¥698,000 a head for four people. Tips: - Bring a helmet, which the operator makes mandatory, and an avalanche kit, which you can hire. - A 50% deposit secures the booking and the balance falls due 30 days before. Q: How much does Myoko Guiding Co. charge for a private day? A: Myoko Guiding Co. charges ¥141,000 for a private full day for up to four riders in 2026/27, tax included, plus ¥37,500 per extra rider. Q: Do I need avalanche gear for Myoko Guiding Co. tours? A: Yes. Myoko Guiding Co. requires every guest to carry avalanche gear and a helmet, and it hires the gear out. Q: Is there cat skiing near Myoko? A: Myoko Guiding Co. sells a seven-night package with two snowcat days at Hikarigahara in Joetsu, from ¥698,000 per person for four guests. Q: Does Myoko Guiding Co. speak English? A: Yes. Myoko Guiding Co. works in English and Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://myokoguidingco.com/ https://myokoguidingco.com/ja/ https://www.powderhounds.com/ski-shop/travel-services/tour-operators/myoko-guiding-co.aspx https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%96%B0%E6%BD%9F%E7%9C%8C%E5%A6%99%E9%AB%98%E5%B8%82%E8%B5%A4%E5%80%89585 ### Myoko Snowsports URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/myoko-snowsports Type: Operator Also known as: Myoko Snow Sports, MSS, Myoko Snowsports Akakura, Myoko Snowsports Arai Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 585-74 Akakura, Myoko, Niigata 949-2111 Coordinates: 36.89150, 138.17830 Kind: School Languages: English Certifications: Member of the Myoko Official School Alliance recognised by the Akakura Kanko and Akakura Onsen resorts Works in: Akakura Kanko, Akakura Onsen, Arai, Myoko Suginohara Phone: +81 645-80-9292 Website: https://myokosnowsports.com/ Summary: Myoko Snowsports is an English-language ski and snowboard school with its main base in Akakura and two more at Arai and Suginohara, and it suits families and improving riders who want instruction plus rental in Akakura village; a private morning costs ¥40,000 for up to four in 2026/27 and the lift pass is extra. Directors Nozomi and Tom Langtry run the school from a rental shop in Akakura Onsen village that opens 7:30 to 18:00 every day in winter, and from a lesson base in the Ibis building at the Akakura ski area. It belongs to the alliance of schools that the Akakura Kanko and Akakura Onsen resorts allow to teach on their slopes. The school says it has won the Ski Asia Awards prize for Japan's best snowsports school six times, most recently in 2025. Private lessons at Akakura run from a ¥22,000 Fresh Tracks session at first lift to a ¥75,000 full day, and the price covers up to four people of similar ability. Rentals start at ¥5,500 a day in store for skis and poles or a board, or ¥4,400 booked online. At Arai the school runs private powder programmes inside the resort for up to four people. A morning from 8:15 costs ¥65,000 and comes with a transceiver. Tips: - Book rental online to save 20% on the counter price. - Private lessons meet five minutes early at the blue flag behind the Akakura Snowsports building. Q: How much is a private ski lesson in Akakura with Myoko Snowsports? A: Myoko Snowsports charges ¥40,000 for a 2.5-hour morning private lesson for up to four people in 2026/27, and ¥75,000 for a full day. Q: Does Myoko Snowsports rent skis? A: Yes. Myoko Snowsports rents skis and snowboards in Akakura from ¥5,500 a day in store or ¥4,400 online for 2026/27. Q: Does Myoko Snowsports guide at Arai? A: Yes. Myoko Snowsports runs private powder and guiding programmes inside Arai's resort from ¥65,000 for a morning for up to four people, from 26 December 2026 to 7 March 2027. Q: Does Myoko Snowsports speak English? A: Yes. Myoko Snowsports works in English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://myokosnowsports.com/ https://myokosnowsports.com/akakura/ https://myokosnowsports.com/akakura/snowsports-school/private-lessons/ https://myokosnowsports.com/akakura/equipment-rental/adult-equipment-15/ https://myokosnowsports.com/arai/ https://myokosnowsports.com/arai/snowsports-school/powder-freeride-programs/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%96%B0%E6%BD%9F%E7%9C%8C%E5%A6%99%E9%AB%98%E5%B8%82%E8%B5%A4%E5%80%89585 ### Nagahama and Maibara Station Rental Cycles URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/nagahama-maibara-station-rental-cycles Type: Operator Local name: 長浜・米原レンタサイクル (ja) Also known as: Kitabiwako Rental Cycle, 北びわこレンタサイクル, Nagahama Tour Center rental cycle, 長浜観光協会ツアーセンター Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Nagahama Address: Eki-machi Terrace Nagahama 1F, 3-24 Kitafune-cho, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0057 (tour centre) Coordinates: 35.37900, 136.26620 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese, English Works in: Nagahama, Maibara, Kohoku Off season: The tour centre closes from 29 December to 3 January. Omi-Shiotsu and Nagahara take no returns from other stations from 24 December to 5 January or from 25 March to 11 May. Phone: 0749-53-2500 Fleet: E-bike from ¥1,000, about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) a day; City bike from ¥500, about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) a day; Cross from ¥1,000, about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) a day One way: Bikes move between the station desks the Nagahama Maibara Tourism Association runs: the Nagahama tour centre, Maibara Station's tourist office, the community houses at Sakata, Torahime and Kawake, Takatsuki, Kinomoto, Yogo, Omi-Shiotsu and Nagahara. The tour centre suspends mid-route returns in busy periods. Website: https://kitabiwako.jp/spot/spot_21298/ Summary: These station desks rent e-assist bikes for ¥1,000 a day along the JR line north of Nagahama, which suits a day in the Kohoku villages, though every bike goes back the same day. Most JR stations in Nagahama and Maibara, from Maibara north to Omi-Shiotsu, share one rental scheme. The biggest desk sits in the Nagahama Maibara Tourism Association's tour centre on the ground floor of Eki-machi Terrace, right at Nagahama Station. An e-assist bike costs ¥1,000 a day and a city bike ¥500, plus a ¥1,000 deposit that you get back on return. Only the tour centre rents cross bikes. You can finish at a different station desk and ride the train back. The deposit then stays with them as the drop fee, and you need to say so when you hire the bike. Rentals end the same day, and Omi-Shiotsu and Nagahara refuse returns from other stations through cherry season and over New Year. These bikes suit short hops between villages and temples. Riders after the full Biwaichi loop will want the road bikes at the Maibara Station shop or at Biwaichi Bike in Otsu. Tips: - Kitaomi no Yu hot spring is seven minutes by bus from JR Takatsuki Station, which has a rental desk at its east exit. - Several desks close for an hour or so around lunch, so check the leaflet before you plan a midday return. Q: Can I rent an e-bike at Nagahama Station? A: Yes. The tour centre at Eki-machi Terrace Nagahama rents e-assist bikes for ¥1,000 a day plus a ¥1,000 refundable deposit, from 9:00 to 17:00. Q: How much does Nagahama and Maibara Station Rental Cycles charge? A: Nagahama and Maibara Station Rental Cycles lists City bike, one day from ¥500 per day (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) (same day only). Q: Does Nagahama and Maibara Station Rental Cycles speak English? A: Yes. Nagahama and Maibara Station Rental Cycles works in Japanese and English. Q: Is Nagahama and Maibara Station Rental Cycles open out of season? A: Nagahama and Maibara Station Rental Cycles: The tour centre closes from 29 December to 3 January. Omi-Shiotsu and Nagahara take no returns from other stations from 24 December to 5 January or from 25 March to 11 May. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kitabiwako.jp/spot/spot_21298/ https://pluscycle.shiga.jp/rental/ https://takashima-kanko.jp/guide/rentalcycle.html ### Nagano Snow Shuttle URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/nagano-snow-shuttle Type: Operator Also known as: NSS, JHN Travel Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: JHN Travel Ltd, 2587-1 Hokujo, Hakuba, Nagano 399-9301 Status: seasonal. The site showed no 2026/27 fares or dates on 11 October 2026; prices appear in the booking engine. Kind: Shuttle Languages: English Works in: Hakuba valley, Nozawa onsen, Shiga kogen, Madarao, Myoko kogen, Nagano Website: https://naganosnowshuttle.com/ Summary: Nagano Snow Shuttle is a Hakuba-based transfer company running winter buses from Narita and Haneda to the Nagano and Myoko ski towns, and suits groups with board bags who would rather skip the Shinkansen change at Nagano. Fares show only in its booking engine. JHN Travel runs the service from an office in Hokujo, Hakuba, and the buses link both Tokyo airports with Hakuba Valley, Nozawa Onsen, Shiga Kogen, Madarao and Myoko. It also runs shared transfers from Nagano Station and between resorts, which helps on a trip that splits a week between Hakuba and Nozawa. Contact goes through a support portal, with no phone number published. Tips: - Fares and timetables load only inside the booking engine, so price your dates there before you compare with the train. Q: Does Nagano Snow Shuttle speak English? A: Yes. Nagano Snow Shuttle works in English. Q: Is Nagano Snow Shuttle open all year? A: Nagano Snow Shuttle opens for part of the year. The site showed no 2026/27 fares or dates on 11 October 2026; prices appear in the booking engine. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://naganosnowshuttle.com/ https://naganosnowshuttle.com/snow-shuttle/ ### Nasu & Shiobara E-bike Trip URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/nasu-shiobara-ebike-trip Type: Operator Local name: 那須＆塩原Eバイクトリップ (ja) Also known as: Nasu e-bike tour, ebike-nasu, Nasu Shiobara E-bike Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Nasu Address: Ride Experience tour desk, Nasu Garden Outlet South Area, 184-7 Shionosaki, Nasushiobara, Tochigi Coordinates: 36.96590, 139.99140 Kind: Bike tour Languages: Japanese Works in: Nasu, Shiobara, Nasushiobara Fleet: E-bike; E-mountain bike Includes: helmet, lock, insurance, navigation unit Website: https://ebike-nasu.com/ Summary: These self-guided e-bike tours suit couples and families who want to ride the Nasu and Shiobara highlands without a guide, and each tour has a set return time that caps long lunches. Three local tourism bodies run the tours from three bases: the Nasu Kogen Visitor Center, Shiobara Onsen and a desk at Nasu Garden Outlet near Nasushiobara station. You rent a Miyata e-bike with a navigation unit, staff brief you on the route, and you ride on your own and stop wherever you like. The shortest tour climbs the old Volcano Highway on the flank of Nasu-dake to Ominaru. Nasu-dake is an active volcano, so check JMA's alert level before you book. Tips: - Return to your base by the tour's set end time; the outlet tours ask riders back by 16:00. Q: Does Nasu & Shiobara E-bike Trip speak English? A: Nasu & Shiobara E-bike Trip works in Japanese. Q: What bikes does Nasu & Shiobara E-bike Trip rent? A: Nasu & Shiobara E-bike Trip rents e-bikes, e-mountain bikes. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ebike-nasu.com/ https://ebike-nasu.com/tours https://www.tochigiji.or.jp/activity_cycling/2023summer_route1/ ### Nokatari Daisen Guided Tours URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/nokatari-daisen Type: Operator Local name: のかたり（株式会社さんどう） (ja) Also known as: Nokatari, のかたり, Sando Inc., 株式会社さんどう, Daisen guides Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Daisen Address: KOMOREBITO, 45-5 Daisen, Daisen, Saihaku District, Tottori 689-3318 Coordinates: 35.39339, 133.52709 Kind: Guide Languages: Japanese Works in: Mt. Daisen, Daisen ji Off season: The cycling tours run from April to November and the guided climb from after Golden Week to October; winter climbs are by arrangement. Website: https://daisen-sando.jp/nokatari/ Summary: Nokatari suits visitors who want a local guide on Mt. Daisen's summer trail or an e-bike on its long descents, and a solo climber pays the full group fee of ¥25,000. Nokatari is the tour brand of Sando Inc., which works from KOMOREBITO in the Daisen-ji village. Its guides lead a six-hour climb of the summer trail that mixes the route with local stories, for ¥25,000 a group plus ¥1,000 for each extra climber, booked 14 days ahead. The cycling tours use MIYATA Ridge-Runner e-MTBs. The three-hour descent drops 500 m over 17 km for ¥9,000 a person. The full lap of the mountain covers about 65 km and 2,000 m of climbing for ¥25,000 with lunch, on the course of the Tour de Daisen, with a support car behind. Q: How much does Nokatari Daisen Guided Tours charge? A: Nokatari Daisen Guided Tours lists Daisen short guided walk from ¥3,000 per person (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates). Q: Does Nokatari Daisen Guided Tours speak English? A: Nokatari Daisen Guided Tours works in Japanese. Q: Is Nokatari Daisen Guided Tours open out of season? A: Nokatari Daisen Guided Tours: The cycling tours run from April to November and the guided climb from after Golden Week to October; winter climbs are by arrangement. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://daisen-sando.jp/nokatari/ https://daisen-sando.jp/nokatari/tour/climbing/ https://daisen-sando.jp/nokatari/tour/cycling/ https://daisen-sando.jp/nokatari/tour/daisen-gurutto/ https://tourismdaisen.com/spot/komorebito/ https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/guide-tour ### Northern Heights Guiding URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/northern-heights-guiding Type: Operator Also known as: Northern Heights, Northern Heights Hakuba Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Status: seasonal. Taking bookings for the 2026/27 winter. Kind: Guide Languages: English, Japanese Certifications: Avalanche rescue certification, Wilderness first aid Works in: Hakuba valley Phone: +81-90-1828-2276 Website: https://northernheightsguiding.com/ Summary: Northern Heights Guiding runs private backcountry and off-piste days in Hakuba for groups of up to five, with door-to-door transport in its own vehicle. It suits a group of friends who ski at the same level, since the ¥130,000 day rate covers the whole party. Every Northern Heights day is private and starts with a pickup at your lodging. The backcountry day climbs 800 to 1,500 metres and usually fits in two or three runs, and the off-piste day stays near the lifts at a resort you pick from six in the valley. Both cost ¥130,000 for up to five people. Split five ways, that is ¥26,000 each. The company says its guides have more than 20 years of guiding between Hakuba and Canada and hold avalanche rescue and wilderness first-aid training. Its site names no guiding body such as the ACMG or the JMGA, so ask which tickets your guide holds before you book. Tips: - Off-piste days need a beacon, probe and shovel, and the guide can help you rent them in Hakuba. Q: How much is a private backcountry guide in Hakuba with Northern Heights? A: Northern Heights Guiding charges ¥130,000 for a full private backcountry day in Hakuba for up to five people. The price includes the guide and a private vehicle and leaves out lift tickets and rental gear. Q: Does Northern Heights Guiding speak English? A: Yes. Northern Heights Guiding works in English and Japanese. Q: Is Northern Heights Guiding open all year? A: Northern Heights Guiding opens for part of the year. Taking bookings for the 2026/27 winter. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://northernheightsguiding.com/ https://northernheightsguiding.com/backcountry-guiding/ https://northernheightsguiding.com/off-piste-guiding/ ### Nozawa Holidays URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/nozawa-holidays Type: Operator Also known as: Nozawa Holidays Ski School, Nozawa Holidays shuttle Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Address: 6739-11 Oaza Toyosato, Nozawa Onsen, Shimotakai District, Nagano 389-2502 Kind: School Languages: English Works in: Nozawa onsen Off season: In summer Nozawa Holidays rents mountain bikes from the third floor of Nagasaka Centre House for the 10 km of trail down Mt. Kenashi, and sells three- to seven-day bike packages with lodging. Phone: +81-90-9669-6026 Fleet: Mountain bike from ¥7,000, about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) a day; Mountain bike from ¥11,000, about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates) a day; Kids' bike from ¥4,500, about CAD 40 or USD 28 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: helmet, gloves, water bottle Website: https://www.nozawaholidays.com/ Summary: Nozawa Holidays is an English-speaking ski school and travel desk in Nozawa Onsen that also runs the airport shuttle bus, and suits families who want lessons and transport booked in one place. A two-hour afternoon private lesson costs ¥26,000 for up to four people. The private lessons are priced per instructor, so four friends share one fee, and the morning slots cost more than the afternoon. Kids aged 5 to 12 can join group lessons through January for ¥18,000 a day. Book three days at least and make sure each child already has a lift pass. Nozawa Holidays also sells seats on the airport shuttle. In the 2026/27 season buses run from Haneda Terminal 3 and Narita Terminal 2 from 19 December to 7 March, with late-evening departures that drop you at your lodging after 1:00 in the morning. A seat is only confirmed by a second email after the first automatic reply, so watch your inbox. Tips: - Allow 75 minutes between landing and the bus at Haneda T3 or Narita T2, and 120 minutes from the other terminals. - Shuttle cancellations inside ten days get no refund, so buy travel insurance that covers delayed flights. Q: How do I get from Haneda Airport to Nozawa Onsen by bus? A: Nozawa Holidays runs a shuttle bus from Haneda Terminal 3 to Nozawa Onsen from 19 December 2026 to 7 March 2027, with one-way fares from ¥14,850. The trip takes about five and a half hours. Q: Is there a shuttle from Hakuba to Nozawa Onsen? A: Yes. Nozawa Holidays runs a Hakuba to Nozawa shuttle from 26 December 2026 to 7 March 2027, with fares from ¥9,240 before lodging pickup surcharges. Q: How much does Nozawa Holidays charge? A: Nozawa Holidays lists Hakuba to Nozawa shuttle from ¥9,240 per person (2026), about CAD 83 or USD 58 (October 2026 rates) (About 3 hours). Q: Does Nozawa Holidays speak English? A: Yes. Nozawa Holidays works in English. Q: Is Nozawa Holidays open out of season? A: Nozawa Holidays: In summer Nozawa Holidays rents mountain bikes from the third floor of Nagasaka Centre House for the 10 km of trail down Mt. Kenashi, and sells three- to seven-day bike packages with lodging. Q: What bikes does Nozawa Holidays rent? A: Nozawa Holidays rents mountain bikes from ¥7,000 (2026), about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) a day, mountain bikes from ¥11,000 (2026), about CAD 99 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates) a day, kids' bikes from ¥4,500 (2026), about CAD 40 or USD 28 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nozawaholidays.com/ https://www.nozawaholidays.com/lesson-registration/ https://www.nozawaholidays.com/shuttle-bus/ https://www.nozawaholidays.com/mountain-biking/ ### Nozawa Onsen Ski School URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/nozawa-onsen-ski-school Type: Operator Also known as: Nozawa Ski School, Nozawaonsen Ski School, Canyons Nozawa Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Address: 8005-2 Toyosato, Nozawa Onsen, Shimotakai District, Nagano 389-2502 Status: seasonal. Bookings for 2026/27 opened on 1 September 2026. Outside the group-lesson window only private lessons run. Kind: School Languages: English, Japanese Certifications: NZMGA Ski Guide (head guide Pete Ozich), Japan Ski Guide Level 1 (head guide Toshi Shiokawa), CAA Level 1 and Professional Member Works in: Nozawa onsen Phone: +81-50-4560-3800 Website: https://canyons.jp/en/winter-tours/nozawa-onsen-ski-resort Summary: Nozawa Onsen Ski School is the resort's own school, with English bookings handled by Canyons, and suits families who want group lessons for every age from 4 upward. An adult group morning costs ¥13,000 in 2026/27, and group lessons run only from 21 December to 21 March. The school registers guests at the Hikage gondola, and Canyons handles the English-language bookings and the backcountry side. Adults join groups from age 15 and kids from 7. Children of 4 to 6 get a ski-only infant group with lunch on the full day. Private lessons are priced per instructor for up to six people, so a family shares one ¥34,000 two-hour slot. From 15 January to 15 March the school's guides take private groups into Nozawa's backcountry. The head guides hold New Zealand and Japanese ski-guide tickets and Canadian avalanche qualifications. A seven-hour day costs ¥120,000 for four and includes the beacon pack, and the lift ticket comes on top. Tips: - Register for a backcountry day at the ski school by the Hikage gondola the afternoon before, and meet at 8:00 on the day. Q: Does Nozawa Onsen have English ski lessons? A: Yes. Nozawa Onsen Ski School takes English bookings through Canyons, and its instructors come from around the world. Group lessons run from 21 December to 21 March, with an adult morning group at ¥13,000 in 2026/27. Q: Can I hire a backcountry guide in Nozawa Onsen? A: Yes. Nozawa Onsen Ski School runs private backcountry tours with Canyons guides from 15 January to 15 March. A seven-hour day costs ¥120,000 for four people in 2026/27. Q: How much does Nozawa Onsen Ski School charge? A: Nozawa Onsen Ski School lists Adult group lesson (15+) from ¥13,000 per person (2026), about CAD 117 or USD 82 (October 2026 rates) (2.5 or 4.5 hours). Q: Is Nozawa Onsen Ski School open all year? A: Nozawa Onsen Ski School opens for part of the year. Bookings for 2026/27 opened on 1 September 2026. Outside the group-lesson window only private lessons run. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://canyons.jp/en/winter-tours/nozawa-onsen-ski-resort https://canyons.jp/en/winter-tours/backcountry-tours ### Oku Japan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/oku-japan Type: Operator Also known as: Oku Japan Shimanami, Shimanami Kaido Cycling: Island-hopping Adventure Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Kind: Tour Languages: English Works in: Onomichi, Ikuchijima, Imabari Website: https://www.okujapan.com/ Summary: Oku Japan's three-day Shimanami trip suits travellers who want the hotels, e-bikes and bag transfers arranged before they arrive, and the trade-off is a fixed self-guided itinerary sold as a package. Oku Japan sells a self-guided trip called Shimanami Kaido Cycling: Island-hopping Adventure. Day one is spent in Onomichi, and the next two cross the islands by e-bike with a night on Ikuchijima before you finish in Imabari. One piece of luggage moves ahead each day, so you ride with a day bag. The trip page lists it from US$1,225 a person, or ¥162,580 in yen. It runs year-round and can go the other way, from Imabari to Onomichi, and Oku's staff can join it to the company's self-guided Shikoku trips. Q: How much does Oku Japan charge? A: Oku Japan lists Shimanami Kaido Cycling: Island-hopping Adventure (self-guided) from ¥162,580 per person (2026), about CAD 1,500 or USD 1,000 (October 2026 rates) (3 days). Q: Does Oku Japan speak English? A: Yes. Oku Japan works in English. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.okujapan.com/trips/shimanami-kaido-cycling-island-hopping-adventure/ https://www.okujapan.com/region/western-japan/ ### Onomichi Base URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/onomichi-base Type: Operator Local name: 尾道ベース (ja) Also known as: Shimanami Teburabin, しまなみ手ぶら便, Onomichi Base rental cycle Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: 1F, 3-24 Higashigosho-machi, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-0036 Coordinates: 34.40530, 133.19580 Kind: Luggage Languages: Japanese Works in: Onomichi, Mukaishima, Innoshima, Ikuchijima, Omishima, Hakatajima, Oshima, Imabari Phone: +81 848-21-5120 Website: https://teburabin.com/ Booking: https://teburabin.com/teburabin/ Summary: Onomichi Base suits riders who want bags moved island by island at prices set by distance, and the trade-off is a noon cut-off with no compensation if anything breaks. Onomichi Base is a bike shop and rental station a few minutes' walk from Onomichi Station, and it runs the Shimanami Teburabin bag service for riders on any rental. You book online by 16:00 the day before and hand the bag in by noon at the shop or at your lodging. It waits at the next lodging that evening, and one booking can cover several nights in a row. Fares go by distance, per bag. A hop within one island costs ¥1,500, Onomichi Base to Omishima costs ¥3,000 and Onomichi Base to Imabari costs ¥4,500. Bags can measure up to 160 cm in total and weigh up to 15 kg. In Imabari the service delivers only to lodgings within 2 km of Imabari Station, and pickups at Onomichi lodgings within 2 km of the station add ¥500. The shop rents E-bikes too, among them small-wheel models with rear suspension, and it charges batteries for ¥500 a time at its stations on Ikuchijima and Omishima. It sells Riese & Müller and other E-bike brands, and it opens from 9:00 to 18:00. Tips: - The service refuses bags with fragile items and pays nothing for damage, so carry anything breakable yourself. - Delivery times cannot be chosen, so plan to collect your bag in the evening. - Tell your hotel desk that the bag is for Shimanami Teburabin; the shop warns that guests often mix it up with Sagawa's service. Q: How much does Onomichi Base charge? A: Onomichi Base lists Shimanami Teburabin same-day bag delivery from ¥1,500 each (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) (same day). Q: Does Onomichi Base speak English? A: Onomichi Base works in Japanese. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://teburabin.com/teburabin/ https://teburabin.com/ https://teburabin.com/rental/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/question/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E6%9D%B1%E5%BE%A1%E6%89%80%E7%94%BA3-24 ### Rent-a-Cycle Kamakura URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/rent-a-cycle-kamakura Type: Operator Local name: レンタサイクル鎌倉駅前店（レンタサイクルくらりん） (ja) Also known as: Rental Cycle Kurarin, レンタサイクルくらりん, Kamakura Rent a Cycle, JR Bus Tech Kamakura rental Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Kanagawa Town: Kamakura Address: 1-1 Komachi, Kamakura, Kanagawa 248-0006 Coordinates: 35.31860, 139.54940 Kind: Bike rental Works in: Kamakura, Enoshima, Shonan coast Off season: Open all year except 1 to 3 January, 8:30 to 17:00, with hours that shift by season. Phone: +81-467-24-2319 Fleet: E-bike from ¥2,800, about CAD 25 or USD 18 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: Adult helmet (free) Delivery: If you get a flat in the Kamakura area, the shop brings a replacement bike where it can. One way: A ¥3,500 day plan ends at Koike Shoten beside Enoshima Station by 17:00. Website: https://www.jrbustech.co.jp/wp/shop_service Summary: Rent-a-Cycle Kamakura suits visitors who want an e-bike from the station to the temples and the coast, and its trade-off is an all e-assist fleet that takes phone bookings only for a weekday day hire. JR Bus Tech's rental shop has worked from behind the police box at the east exit of Kamakura Station since 1974. All 77 bikes are e-assist, which helps on Kamakura's short, steep climbs between the temples. A day costs ¥2,800, and the hourly rate starts at ¥1,200. The one-way plan suits a ride along the coast. You pay ¥3,500 and leave the bike at Koike Shoten beside Enoshima Station on the Enoden by 17:00, then take the train back. The shop also holds bags that will not fit a locker, from ¥500 for a backpack. Tips: - Walk out of the east exit, turn right along the station building and climb the steps behind the police box. - Otona no Kyujitsu Club members get ¥250 off hires of two hours or more. Q: Can I rent a bike in Kamakura and leave it at Enoshima? A: Yes. Rent-a-Cycle Kamakura's one-way day plan costs ¥3,500 for an e-assist bike, returned to Koike Shoten beside Enoshima Station by 17:00. Q: How much does Rent-a-Cycle Kamakura charge? A: Rent-a-Cycle Kamakura lists Luggage storage from ¥500 each (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) (8:30–16:00). Q: Is Rent-a-Cycle Kamakura open out of season? A: Rent-a-Cycle Kamakura: Open all year except 1 to 3 January, 8:30 to 17:00, with hours that shift by season. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.jrbustech.co.jp/wp/shop_service ### Rhythm Japan Hakuba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/rhythm-hakuba Type: Operator Also known as: Rhythm Hakuba, Rhythm Happo, Rhythm Wadano, Rhythm MTB Hakuba Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: Rhythm Happo: 5090 Hokujo, Hakuba, Kitaazumi District, Nagano 399-9301 Status: seasonal. Rhythm Happo and Rhythm Wadano were closed for summer in October 2026 and open for the 2026/27 winter. Coordinates: 36.70134, 137.84324 Kind: Rental Works in: Hakuba, Happo, Wadano Off season: Rhythm MTB opens beside evo Hotel Hakuba at 5736-1 Hokujo from late May to mid-October, renting Specialized bikes with a helmet included and running a weekly community ride. Phone: +81-261-72-3288 Fleet: E-bike; Mountain bike; Hybrid; Kids' bike Includes: standard helmet Delivery: Staff can pick you up and drop you off in Hakuba when they have someone free. Repairs: Yes Website: https://rhythmjapan.com/hakuba-winter Summary: Rhythm Japan Hakuba rents skis and snowboards from two stores at Happo and Wadano and suits visitors who want to swap gear as the snow changes. An adult standard package with boots costs ¥9,500 a day in 2026/27, and online bookings 48 hours ahead save 10%. Rhythm Happo sits in the heart of Hakuba at 5090 Hokujo and fits boots by appointment. The larger Rhythm Wadano store at 4683-2 Hokujo adds a tuning workshop and the Rhythm and Beans café. Both let you swap between skis and snowboards as often as you like, so a powder morning on fat skis can turn into an afternoon on a board. On the first rental day Rhythm sends a free van to Happo, Wadano, Echoland, Goryu and Sierra Resort, and you call 20 to 30 minutes ahead because it takes no advance bookings. Backcountry gear goes out only with a guided tour. Helmets cost ¥3,300 a day on top, and goggles and gloves are for sale only. Tips: - Book online at least 48 hours before you arrive to take 10% off, and cancel free up to the same cut-off. - Rhythm offers no delivery in winter, so plan to visit a store for the fitting. Q: How much does it cost to rent skis in Hakuba at Rhythm? A: An adult standard ski or snowboard package with boots costs ¥9,500 for one day at Rhythm Japan Hakuba in the 2026/27 season. The premium package costs ¥11,800, and booking online 48 hours ahead takes 10% off. Q: Can I rent a mountain bike in Hakuba in summer? A: Yes. Rhythm MTB in Hakuba rents Specialized e-bikes, mountain bikes and hybrids from 30 May to 18 October in 2026, with a standard helmet included. Q: Is Rhythm Japan Hakuba open out of season? A: Rhythm Japan Hakuba: Rhythm MTB opens beside evo Hotel Hakuba at 5736-1 Hokujo from late May to mid-October, renting Specialized bikes with a helmet included and running a weekly community ride. Q: What bikes does Rhythm Japan Hakuba rent? A: Rhythm Japan Hakuba rents e-bikes, mountain bikes, hybrids, kids' bikes. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://rhythmjapan.com/rhythm-happo-hakuba https://rhythmjapan.com/rhythm-wadano-hakuba https://rhythmjapan.com/winter-rentals-services https://rhythmjapan.com/jp/rhythm-mtb,-hakuba https://rhythmjapan.com/summer-rentals-services https://rhythmjapan.com/store-finder https://www.vill.hakuba.nagano.jp/hakuba-cycling/en/rental/ ### Ring-Ring Road Shared Rental Cycle URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/ring-ring-road-rental-cycle Type: Operator Local name: つくば霞ヶ浦りんりんロード広域レンタサイクル (ja) Also known as: Ring-Ring Road rental, Rinrin Road rental cycle, 広域レンタサイクル Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Town: Tsuchiura Address: Twelve sites along the route; main counter at Ring-Ring Square Tsuchiura, 1-30 Ariake-cho, Tsuchiura Coordinates: 36.07780, 140.20560 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Tsuchiura, Tsukuba, Ishioka, Kasumigaura, Namegata, Itako, Sakuragawa, Ami, Kamisu Off season: Most sites close over New Year. Fleet: Cross from ¥2,500, about CAD 22 or USD 16 (October 2026 rates) a day; Road bike from ¥3,000, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥3,500, about CAD 31 or USD 22 (October 2026 rates) a day; Kids' bike from ¥1,000, about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) a day; Tandem from ¥4,000, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: helmet, insurance (TS mark) One way: Pick up and return at any of twelve sites along the route for ¥500 a bike a day: Iwase station's Takasago Ryokan, the Tsukuba station tourist office, Ring-Ring Square and the Daitoku storehouse in Tsuchiura, Ring-Ring Port Tsuchiura, the Yokaren Peace Memorial Museum in Ami, Izumiso in Takahama, the Kasumigaura city exchange centre, the Niji no To tower in Namegata, the Itako station tourist office, Art Hotel Kashima Central and the Mt. Tsukuba Gate Park. Most run 9:00–16:00; the Gate Park closes on Tuesdays. Website: https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ringring/rental/ Summary: The Ring-Ring Road's shared rental suits riders who want to ride the lake or the old railway path one way and hand the bike back at another site, and its small frames stop at riders about 175 cm tall. Ibaraki and nine towns along the Ring-Ring Road run this shared rental, with twelve sites from Iwase at the top of the old Tsukuba Railway path to Kamisu by the coast. A cross bike costs ¥2,500 a day, a road bike ¥3,000 and an e-bike ¥3,500, and helmets come free. Return the bike to any other site for ¥500 a bike a day. Book online three days ahead and carry ID. The fleet tops out at medium frames sized for riders up to 175 cm, so taller riders should email the support desk about a longer seat post before booking. Tips: - Plan a one-way day from Tsuchiura to Iwase on the railway path and take the JR Mito Line home. - Check each site's payment rules; Ring-Ring Square and some lakeside sites take cash only. Q: How much does Ring-Ring Road Shared Rental Cycle charge? A: Ring-Ring Road Shared Rental Cycle lists One-way return from ¥500 per bike (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: Does Ring-Ring Road Shared Rental Cycle speak English? A: Ring-Ring Road Shared Rental Cycle works in Japanese. Q: Is Ring-Ring Road Shared Rental Cycle open out of season? A: Ring-Ring Road Shared Rental Cycle: Most sites close over New Year. Q: What bikes does Ring-Ring Road Shared Rental Cycle rent? A: Ring-Ring Road Shared Rental Cycle rents crosss from ¥2,500 (2026), about CAD 22 or USD 16 (October 2026 rates) a day, road bikes from ¥3,000 (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day, e-bikes from ¥3,500 (2026), about CAD 31 or USD 22 (October 2026 rates) a day, kids' bikes from ¥1,000 (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) a day, tandems from ¥4,000 (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ringring/rental/ https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ringring/square/ ### Ring-Ring Square Tsuchiura URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/ring-ring-square-tsuchiura Type: Operator Local name: りんりんスクエア土浦 (ja) Also known as: Rinrin Square Tsuchiura, Ring Ring Square, Le Cycle Tsuchiura, ル・サイク土浦 Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Town: Tsuchiura Address: PLAYatre Tsuchiura 1F and B1F, 1-30 Ariake-cho, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Coordinates: 36.07780, 140.20560 Kind: Cycle terminal Languages: Japanese Works in: Tsuchiura, Ring Ring Road Phone: +81 47-701-5532 One way: Rentals here belong to the Ring-Ring Road shared rental, which takes bikes back at any of its sites for ¥500 a bike a day. Repairs: Yes Website: https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ringring/square/ Summary: Ring-Ring Square suits riders arriving at Tsuchiura by train who want to change, stash a bag and set off on the Ring-Ring Road without leaving the station, and the rental counter keeps shorter hours than the shop. Ibaraki built Ring-Ring Square with Tsuchiura city and JR East, and it opened on 29 March 2018 as Japan's first cycling base joined to a station. On the ground floor the Le Cycle shop sells and fixes bikes and runs the rental counter. Downstairs you find showers at ¥300, lockers from ¥400 a day, changing rooms and a powder room. The ground floor opens 10:00–20:00 and the basement 5:00 to 1:00. Blue arrows on the road outside lead to the Ring-Ring Road. Tips: - Book a rental at least three days ahead; the shared rental counter here opens 10:30–16:00 and takes cash only. Q: How much does Ring-Ring Square Tsuchiura charge? A: Ring-Ring Square Tsuchiura lists Shower from ¥300 each (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates). Q: Does Ring-Ring Square Tsuchiura speak English? A: Ring-Ring Square Tsuchiura works in Japanese. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ringring/square/ https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ringring/rental/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q24870967 ### Sagawa Cycling Without Baggage URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/sagawa-cycling-without-baggage Type: Operator Local name: 佐川急便 しまなみ海道 手ぶらサイクリング (ja) Also known as: Sagawa hands-free cycling, Tebura Cycling, 手ぶらサイクリング, Shimanami luggage delivery Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Kind: Luggage Languages: Japanese, English Works in: Onomichi, Ikuchijima, Omishima, Hakatajima, Oshima, Imabari Off season: Pickup at the Onomichi Station rental terminal runs from 17:00 to 19:00 between March and November and ends at 18:00 from December to February, and the Imabari Station cycling terminal follows the same seasonal closing time. Website: https://www.sagawa-exp.co.jp/stc/english/ Summary: Sagawa's Cycling Without Baggage suits riders who want their bags moved between Onomichi and Imabari the same day, and the trade-off is an early drop-off with collection only from late afternoon. Sagawa Express takes bags at a partner hotel or terminal where your ride starts and delivers them to a partner where it ends, on the same day. The fee is ¥2,200 a piece for anything up to 160 cm in length, width and height added together and up to 30 kg, from a single bag up. Valuables, cash and fragile items are refused, and bags that are poorly packed can be turned away at the ferry. Partner hotels in Onomichi take bags until 9:00 and hand them back after 18:00, and most serve only their own guests. Riders staying elsewhere can use the Onomichi Station rental terminal, which takes bags from 8:00 to 9:00 and returns them from 17:00. At the Imabari end the cycling terminal beside Imabari Station takes bags from 8:00 to 10:00 and releases them from 16:00. Sagawa's Imabari branch office does the same until 20:00. Sagawa also ships bikes home from partners that handle them, cash on delivery and on its normal schedule. Its bike box costs ¥6,600 and needs ordering a week ahead, and a packed bike can measure up to 260 cm in total. Tips: - Groups book ahead through Sagawa's Imabari office for the Ehime side or its Fukuyama office for the Onomichi side. - Onomichi Base runs a separate service called Shimanami Teburabin, and its own notice says hotel guests often hand bags to the wrong company, so tell the desk which service you booked. - Traffic and weather can delay a delivery to the next day, so keep a change of clothes in your day bag. Q: How much does it cost to send luggage along the Shimanami Kaido? A: Sagawa's Cycling Without Baggage service costs ¥2,200 per bag in 2026 for bags up to 160 cm and 30 kg, delivered the same day between partner hotels and terminals in Onomichi, on the islands and in Imabari. Q: Does Sagawa Cycling Without Baggage speak English? A: Yes. Sagawa Cycling Without Baggage works in Japanese and English. Q: Is Sagawa Cycling Without Baggage open out of season? A: Sagawa Cycling Without Baggage: Pickup at the Onomichi Station rental terminal runs from 17:00 to 19:00 between March and November and ends at 18:00 from December to February, and the Imabari Station cycling terminal follows the same seasonal closing time. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.sagawa-exp.co.jp/hands-freetravel/service/cycling/ https://www.sagawa-exp.co.jp/stc/english/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/question/ https://visitshimanami.com/bike-rental/ https://teburabin.com/ ### Satoyama Experience URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/satoyama-experience Type: Operator Also known as: SATOYAMA EXPERIENCE, Hida Satoyama Cycling, Satoyama Cycling, Satoyama Experience Hida Furukawa Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Hida-Furukawa Address: 11-32 Furukawa-cho Ninomachi, Hida, Gifu Coordinates: 36.23660, 137.18330 Kind: Bike tour Languages: English, Japanese Works in: Hida Furukawa, Takayama Off season: Cycling tours stop from December to mid-March, and snowshoe tours run from 6 January to 23 February 2027. Fleet: Mountain Includes: helmet, rain gear, guide, tea break Website: https://satoyama-experience.com/ Summary: Satoyama Experience runs guided rides through the rice fields and villages around Hida-Furukawa, and it suits travellers who want rural Hida with an English-speaking guide; the cycling season runs only from 20 March to 30 November. The company has guided overseas visitors around Hida since 2010 from a desk on Ninomachi street in Hida-Furukawa. Its signature ride covers 22 km of farm roads in about three and a half hours, with a stop at a local market and at springs where the water is free to drink. Group rides cost ¥14,300 a person in 2026, or ¥15,400 in peak weeks, and take two to eight riders on brightly painted Louis Garneau mountain bikes. Riders need to be comfortable on a bike, and families with small children take the 2.5-hour route. In winter the guides switch to snowshoe walks in the frozen forest outside town, from 6 January to 23 February 2027. The company also runs the Nino-machi and Tono-machi guest houses in Hida-Furukawa. Tips: - Bring a water bottle; the desk and the springs on the route fill it for free. - Book the morning slot in July and August, when afternoon thunderstorms are more likely. - Cancel up to two days before the tour without a fee. Q: How much is the Hida Satoyama Cycling tour? A: The 3.5-hour group tour costs ¥14,300 a person in 2026, or ¥15,400 in peak season, including the bike, helmet, rain gear and an English-speaking guide. Q: When does Hida Satoyama Cycling run? A: From 20 March to 30 November. In winter the company runs snowshoe tours instead. Q: Where does the Satoyama cycling tour start? A: At the Satoyama Experience desk, 11-32 Furukawa-cho Ninomachi in Hida-Furukawa. Q: Does Satoyama Experience speak English? A: Yes. Satoyama Experience works in English and Japanese. Q: Is Satoyama Experience open out of season? A: Satoyama Experience: Cycling tours stop from December to mid-March, and snowshoe tours run from 6 January to 23 February 2027. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://satoyama-experience.com/ https://satoyama-experience.com/activity/standard/ https://satoyama-experience.com/activity/half/ https://satoyama-experience.com/activity/satoyamasnowshoeing/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%B2%90%E9%98%9C%E7%9C%8C%E9%A3%9B%E9%A8%A8%E5%B8%82%E5%8F%A4%E5%B7%9D%E7%94%BA%E5%BC%90%E4%B9%8B%E7%94%BA11-32 ### Satoyama Minikuru URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/satoyama-minikuru Type: Operator Local name: 里山ミニクル (ja) Also known as: Minikuru, Muikamachi bike rental, Urasa bike rental, 里山ミニクル Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: MUSUBI-BA, JR Muikamachi Station east exit 1F, Minamiuonuma, Niigata Coordinates: 37.06680, 138.87580 Kind: Bike rental Works in: Minamiuonuma, Muikamachi, Urasa, Yukiguni Uonuma Golden Cycle Route Phone: 025-778-0511 Fleet: Mini velo from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day; Sport from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day; City bike from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: accident insurance, repair cover Summary: Satoyama Minikuru rents mini-velos and sport bikes at JR Muikamachi and city bikes at JR Urasa from ¥1,000 for two hours, and it suits Minamiuonuma visitors who want a few flat hours among the rice fields on the Yukiguni Uonuma route; it lists no e-bikes. MUSUBI-BA on the ground floor at Muikamachi Station's east exit has mini-velos and sport bikes, and the MYU tourist desk upstairs at Urasa Station on the Joetsu Shinkansen has city bikes. Both charge ¥1,000 for two hours and ¥2,500 overnight. Insurance and repair cover come with every hire. Overnight bikes go back to Muikamachi by noon the next day and to Urasa by 17:00. Tips: - Start at Urasa if you arrive by Shinkansen; Muikamachi is on the local Joetsu Line. Q: Can I rent a bike at Urasa Station? A: Yes. The MYU tourist desk on the second floor of JR Urasa Station rents city bikes through Satoyama Minikuru from 9:00 to 17:00 every day except Tuesday. Q: How much is Satoyama Minikuru bike rental? A: Satoyama Minikuru charges ¥1,000 for two hours, ¥1,500 for four, ¥2,000 for six and ¥2,500 overnight. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://yukiguni-gcr.jp/rental/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3660544 ### Shimanami Japan Rental Cycles URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/shimanami-japan-rental-cycles Type: Operator Local name: しまなみレンタサイクル (ja) Also known as: Shimanami Rental Cycle, Shimanami Japan bike rental, Shimanami rental bikes, しまなみジャパン Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: 1-10 Higashigosho-machi, Onomichi, Hiroshima (No. 1 Onomichi Station terminal) Coordinates: 34.40430, 133.19290 Kind: Cycle terminal Languages: Japanese, English Works in: Onomichi, Mukaishima, Innoshima, Ikuchijima, Omishima, Hakatajima, Oshima, Imabari Off season: From December to February the terminals at Onomichi Station, Imabari Itoyama and Imabari Station close at 18:00, and from March to November they stay open until 19:00. The seven island terminals keep 9:00 to 17:00 all year. Phone: +81 848-22-3911 Fleet: Cross bike from ¥3,000, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day; City bike from ¥3,000, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day; E assist from ¥4,000, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥8,000, about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates) a day; Tandem from ¥4,000, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) a day; Kids' bike from ¥1,000, about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: Helmet, free with any rental and worn by every rider, Accident cover that pays a daily sum if a rider goes into hospital One way: Every bike except the tandem can go back to any of the ten terminals between Onomichi and Imabari. Guests of some Imabari hotels can also drop a bike at their hotel, which cannot hire bikes out. Repairs: Yes Website: https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/ Booking: https://www.shimanami-bike-rental.com/booking?lang=en Summary: Shimanami Japan's rental network suits anyone who wants to ride the Shimanami Kaido one way and leave the bike at the far end, and its trade-off is that the E-bikes go back the same day and the island terminals shut at 17:00. Shimanami Japan runs the public rental bikes on the route from ten terminals between Onomichi Station and Imabari Station. You can collect a bike at one and return it at any other, so most people ride from Onomichi to Imabari and take the bus back. The terminals at Onomichi Station and the two in Imabari open at 8:00. The seven on the islands work from 9:00 to 17:00. Cross bikes and city bikes cost ¥3,000 a day for adults and ¥1,000 for children, and you can keep them for several days. Battery-assisted bikes cost ¥4,000 and can also stay out overnight. The sports E-bike costs ¥8,000 a day and has to be back before the terminal closes that evening. You collect it at Onomichi Station or at one of the Imabari terminals, and riders need to be at least 145 cm tall. Neither of Shimanami Japan's rental pages listed a deposit on 11 October 2026. Booking ahead matters most in spring, autumn, Golden Week and Obon. Each terminal holds some bikes for walk-ups, first come first served, and battery-assisted bikes tend to go early even on weekdays. On a busy holiday the stock can be gone by about 10:00. If a bike breaks down, call Shimanami Japan on 0848-22-3911 and staff will bring a replacement out to the route between 9:00 and 17:00. Tips: - Bicycles cross the Shimanami Kaido bridges toll-free until 31 March 2028, after Hiroshima Prefecture announced a two-year extension of the Shimanami Cycling Free scheme from April 2026. Motorized bikes still pay. - The Onomichi Station terminal is about 130 metres to the right as you leave the station's south exit. - A bike returned after the terminal has closed costs extra, so check the hours of the terminal you are heading for before you set out. - Plan the day to finish at a terminal, because rental bikes may not travel on trains, buses, cars or taxis. - The Onomichi Station terminal also takes bags for Sagawa's same-day luggage service from 8:00 to 9:00. - Sunrise Itoyama, the building that houses the Imabari Itoyama terminal, closed for renovation from 15 September 2026 and Imabari city expects it back around winter 2027/28. Shimanami Japan's terminal list still showed the Itoyama terminal on 11 October 2026 with no closure notice, so phone 0848-22-3911 before planning to collect or drop a bike there, or use the Imabari Station terminal. - On Sunday 25 October 2026 the expressway main line closes for Cycling Shimanami, from 6:00 to 12:40 between Imabari IC and Innoshima-kita IC, and the cycle and moped paths stay open as usual. Q: How much is an E-bike from Shimanami Japan? A: The sports E-bike from Shimanami Japan costs ¥8,000 a day in 2026 and goes back the same day. Battery-assisted bikes cost ¥4,000 a day and can be kept for several days. Q: Can I return a Shimanami rental bike at a different terminal? A: Yes. Cross bikes, city bikes, battery-assisted bikes and E-bikes can go back to any of the ten Shimanami Japan terminals during that terminal's opening hours. Tandems have to return to the terminal they came from. Q: Do I need to book a Shimanami rental bike? A: Booking is optional, and Shimanami Japan keeps some bikes for walk-ups. In spring, autumn, Golden Week and Obon the bikes can all be out by about 10:00, so book ahead or arrive early. Q: Does Shimanami Japan Rental Cycles speak English? A: Yes. Shimanami Japan Rental Cycles works in Japanese and English. Q: Is Shimanami Japan Rental Cycles open out of season? A: Shimanami Japan Rental Cycles: From December to February the terminals at Onomichi Station, Imabari Itoyama and Imabari Station close at 18:00, and from March to November they stay open until 19:00. The seven island terminals keep 9:00 to 17:00 all year. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/rental/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/terminal/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/question/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/trouble/ https://visitshimanami.com/bike-rental/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/news/ https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/cyclecity/sunrise-itoyama/ https://cycling-shimanami.jp/trafic-regulation.html https://www.pref.hiroshima.lg.jp/soshiki/97/shimanamikaido-cyclingfree2024.html https://www.sagawa-exp.co.jp/hands-freetravel/service/cycling/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E6%9D%B1%E5%BE%A1%E6%89%80%E7%94%BA1-10 ### Shimanto City Tourism Association Rental Cycles URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/shimanto-city-tourism-association Type: Operator Local name: 四万十市観光協会 レンタサイクル (ja) Also known as: Shimanto rental cycle, Shimanto City Tourism Association, 四万十市観光協会 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kochi Town: Shimanto Address: 8-3 Ekimae-machi, Shimanto, Kochi 787-0014 (next to Nakamura Station) Coordinates: 32.98400, 132.94410 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Nakamura, Shimanto River Off season: Closed over New Year; in 2025/26 that ran from 30 December to 3 January. Bikes go back by 17:30. Phone: 0880-35-4171 Fleet: Mountain bike from ¥1,500, about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike; E assist; Tandem One way: One-way mountain bikes can be left at any Rin Rin Cycle terminal; call the association on 0880-35-4171 to check stock. Website: https://www.shimanto-kankou.com/route_cycle/ Summary: The tourism association's rental suits riders arriving at Nakamura Station for a half day on the river, and the bikes must be back by 17:30. The Shimanto City Tourism Association rents bikes from its office next to Nakamura Station, open 8:30 to 17:30. Its half-day route runs past the red iron bridge and the willow woods at Iruta to the Sada sinking bridge, about 50 minutes away, and back via Ichijo shrine. Staff mark the route on a map before you leave, and a one-way mountain bike lets you finish upriver. Q: How much does Shimanto City Tourism Association Rental Cycles charge? A: Shimanto City Tourism Association Rental Cycles lists Mountain bike from ¥1,000 per bike (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) (5 or 24 hours). Q: Does Shimanto City Tourism Association Rental Cycles speak English? A: Shimanto City Tourism Association Rental Cycles works in Japanese. Q: Is Shimanto City Tourism Association Rental Cycles open out of season? A: Shimanto City Tourism Association Rental Cycles: Closed over New Year; in 2025/26 that ran from 30 December to 3 January. Bikes go back by 17:30. Q: What bikes does Shimanto City Tourism Association Rental Cycles rent? A: Shimanto City Tourism Association Rental Cycles rents mountain bikes from ¥1,500 (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) a day, e-bikes, e assists, tandems. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shimanto-kankou.com/route_cycle/ https://www.shimanto-kankou.com/kanko/shimanto-river/shimantoriver.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%AB%98%E7%9F%A5%E7%9C%8C%E5%9B%9B%E4%B8%87%E5%8D%81%E5%B8%82%E9%A7%85%E5%89%8D%E7%94%BA8-3 ### Shimoda City Tourism Association Rental Cycles URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/shimoda-tourism-association-rental Type: Operator Local name: 下田市観光協会 レンタサイクル (ja) Also known as: Shimoda bike rental, Shimoda e-bike rental, Michi-no-Eki Kaikoku Shimoda Minato rental bikes, 道の駅開国下田みなと レンタサイクル Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shimoda Address: 2F Michi-no-Eki Kaikoku Shimoda Minato, 1-1 Sotogaoka, Shimoda, Shizuoka Coordinates: 34.67480, 138.95090 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Shimoda Off season: Both offices open every day of the year. Phone: 0558-25-3500 Fleet: E-bike from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day Website: https://www.shimoda-city.info/access-bicycle Summary: Shimoda's tourism association rents electric-assist bikes from its desks at the harbour roadside station and by Izukyu-Shimoda Station, from ¥500 an hour or ¥2,000 a day, and suits a loop of Perry Road and the old port; there are no bookings, so bring a passport and turn up. The association's harbour desk sits on the second floor of Michi-no-Eki Kaikoku Shimoda Minato, a ten-minute walk from Izukyu-Shimoda Station, and rents by the hour or the day. Its desk in front of the station rents by the day only, from 9:00 to 16:30. Both offices have electric-assist bikes. The roadside station has free parking and a harbour museum on its fourth floor that tells Shimoda's story with film and detailed models. Tips: - Start at the roadside station if you drive, since it has free parking and Perry Road has none. Q: Can I rent a bike in Shimoda? A: Yes. Shimoda's tourism association rents bikes, including electric-assist bikes, at Michi-no-Eki Kaikoku Shimoda Minato from ¥500 an hour or ¥2,000 a day, and by the day at its office in front of Izukyu-Shimoda Station. It takes no advance bookings. Q: How much does Shimoda City Tourism Association Rental Cycles charge? A: Shimoda City Tourism Association Rental Cycles lists Rental bike, one hour from ¥500 per bike (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) (1 hour). Q: Does Shimoda City Tourism Association Rental Cycles speak English? A: Shimoda City Tourism Association Rental Cycles works in Japanese. Q: Is Shimoda City Tourism Association Rental Cycles open out of season? A: Shimoda City Tourism Association Rental Cycles: Both offices open every day of the year. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shimoda-city.info/access-bicycle https://www.shimoda-city.info/access https://www.city.shimoda.shizuoka.jp/category/100100midokoro/110763.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11641540 ### Shinano-an URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/shinano-an Type: Operator Local name: しなの庵 (ja) Also known as: Shinanoan, しなの庵, Rental Cycle Shinano-an, Azumino rental cycle Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Azumino Address: 5951-2 Hotaka, Azumino, Nagano 399-8303 (opposite JR Hotaka Station) Status: seasonal. Open 8:30 to sunset in the warm months; closed on rainy days and from mid-December to mid-March. Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Azumino, Hotaka Off season: Shinano-an closes from mid-December to mid-March and on rainy days. Phone: +81-263-82-3730 Fleet: City bike from ¥1,500, about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day; Trekking bike from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day; Mountain bike from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day; Kids' bike from ¥1,500, about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) a day; Tandem from ¥3,000, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: luggage storage, parking, cycling map Delivery: Delivery to lodging inside Azumino for rentals of three hours or more, booked by 8:30 for a drop between 9:00 and 9:30. Some lodgings now carry a delivery charge. One way: You can leave the bike at your Azumino lodging, and the shop moves your luggage there free. Stations and sights do not take drop-offs. Repairs: Yes Website: https://shinano-an.com/ Summary: Shinano-an rents bikes opposite JR Hotaka Station in Azumino and suits riders stepping off the Oito Line for a day among the wasabi fields and shrines. An e-bike costs ¥2,000 a day, and the shop closes from mid-December to mid-March. Hotaka Station is where most people start riding Azumino, and Shinano-an sits right across the road. Standard bikes cost ¥200 an hour and e-bikes ¥300. A whole day on an e-bike comes to ¥2,000, and three days to ¥4,800. Staying a few nights in Azumino? The shop will bring a bike to your lodging and collect it there, so you can ride straight from breakfast. It also stores suitcases free while you ride. If something breaks, call and staff bring a fresh bike or battery to you at no charge. Tips: - Book delivery by 8:30 on the day and the bike reaches your Azumino lodging by about 9:30. Q: Can I rent an e-bike at Hotaka Station in Azumino? A: Yes. Shinano-an, opposite JR Hotaka Station, rents e-bikes for ¥300 an hour or ¥2,000 a day. It opens from mid-March to mid-December and closes on rainy days. Q: How much does Shinano-an charge? A: Shinano-an lists Bike rental from ¥200 per bike (2026), about CAD 1.80 or USD 1.30 (October 2026 rates) (From 1 hour). Q: Does Shinano-an speak English? A: Shinano-an works in Japanese. Q: Is Shinano-an open out of season? A: Shinano-an: Shinano-an closes from mid-December to mid-March and on rainy days. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shinano-an.com/ https://shinano-an.com/reservation_of_bike-3 https://shinano-an.com/repair-2 https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16548 ### Shin'etsu Shizenkyo Activity Center URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/shinetsu-shizenkyo-activity-center Type: Operator Local name: 信越自然郷アクティビティセンター (ja) Also known as: SAC, Shinetsu Activity Center, Iiyama Station bike rental, 信越自然郷アクティビティセンター Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Iiyama Address: 1F, JR Iiyama Station, 771-1 Iiyama, Iiyama, Nagano Coordinates: 36.84520, 138.35890 Kind: Bike rental Languages: English, Japanese Works in: Iiyama, Madarao, Nozawa onsen, Lake nojiri Off season: In winter the centre rents snowshoes, snow boots and avalanche gear from the same desk in Iiyama Station. Phone: +81-269-62-7001 Fleet: Road bike from ¥4,500, about CAD 40 or USD 28 (October 2026 rates) a day; Gravel bike from ¥5,000, about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥4,000, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) a day; Trekking bike from ¥3,000, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day; Mountain bike from ¥3,000, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day; City bike from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day; Tandem from ¥3,000, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day; Kids' bike from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: helmet One way: Return to a designated cycle station elsewhere in the area for ¥2,000 a bike. Website: https://www.shinetsu-activity.jp/en/ Summary: The Shin'etsu Shizenkyo Activity Center rents bikes inside JR Iiyama Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, and suits riders heading for Madarao or Nozawa who want to start pedalling off the train. A road bike costs ¥4,500 a day and the helmet comes free. The centre sits on the first floor of Iiyama Station, the Shinkansen stop for Nozawa Onsen. Its fleet runs from ¥2,000 city bikes to an electric-assist gravel bike at ¥5,000 a day, and road bikes come in two sizes. Riders who do not want to ride back can leave the bike at a designated cycle station for ¥2,000. Guided e-bike trail days run from April to November. In winter the same desk rents avalanche sets and snowshoes, which helps anyone heading to Madarao or Nozawa without their own kit. Tips: - Riders taller than 178 cm should ask before booking a road bike, since the largest frame suits riders up to that height. Q: Can I rent a bike at Iiyama Station? A: Yes. The Shin'etsu Shizenkyo Activity Center inside JR Iiyama Station rents road, gravel, e-bike and city bikes, with a road bike at ¥4,500 a day and a helmet included. Q: How much does Shin'etsu Shizenkyo Activity Center charge? A: Shin'etsu Shizenkyo Activity Center lists Avalanche gear set from ¥3,000 per day (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) (1 day). Q: Does Shin'etsu Shizenkyo Activity Center speak English? A: Yes. Shin'etsu Shizenkyo Activity Center works in English and Japanese. Q: Is Shin'etsu Shizenkyo Activity Center open out of season? A: Shin'etsu Shizenkyo Activity Center: In winter the centre rents snowshoes, snow boots and avalanche gear from the same desk in Iiyama Station. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shinetsu-activity.jp/en/rental/ https://www.shinetsu-activity.jp/en/cycling/ https://www.shinetsu-activity.jp/en/access/ https://www.shinetsu-activity.jp/en/contact/ https://www.go-nagano.net/en/trip-idea/explore-nagano-on-two-wheels https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5995045 ### SPICY Hakuba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/spicy-hakuba Type: Operator Also known as: SPICY, Spicy Rentals, SPICY Rental Iwatake, Spicy Hakuba rental Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: SPICY Iwatake: 12056 Hokujo, Hakuba, Kitaazumi District, Nagano Kind: Rental Works in: Hakuba, Iwatake, Happo, Tsugaike Off season: In summer the Iwatake store next to the gondola rents bikes from 8:00 to 17:00 and runs guided rides from beginner downhill to forest trails. Phone: +81-261-72-2479 Fleet: Mountain bike from ¥12,100, about CAD 109 or USD 76 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥3,960, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) a day; City bike from ¥2,970, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day; Kids' bike from ¥6,600, about CAD 59 or USD 42 (October 2026 rates) a day; Tandem from ¥3,520, about CAD 32 or USD 22 (October 2026 rates) a day Repairs: Yes Website: https://spicy.co.jp/en/ Summary: SPICY is a Hakuba-owned rental chain that has hired out ski gear since 1984, and suits riders who want winter skis and summer mountain bikes from one shop by the Iwatake gondola. A standard ski or snowboard package costs ¥9,000 a day in 2026/27. SPICY's prices undercut the big international chains a little, with a standard package at ¥9,000 a day and a High Performance set at ¥11,000. Step On boots and bindings rent from the Echoland and Iwatake shops. The Iwatake store stands next to the gondola about 2 km from JR Hakuba Station and is the one that stays open in summer. From late spring the Iwatake shop turns into a bike base for the MTB Park on the hill above. Full-suspension bikes from Giant and Rocky Mountain rent from ¥12,100 a day. An e-bike costs ¥3,960, which makes it a cheap way to ride the valley roads to the Happo side. Tips: - Helmets are not included with SPICY's bikes, so add one when you pick up. Q: How much is ski rental in Hakuba at SPICY? A: A standard ski or snowboard package costs ¥9,000 for one adult day at SPICY Hakuba in the 2026/27 season, and ¥5,000 for children under 13. Q: Is SPICY Hakuba open out of season? A: SPICY Hakuba: In summer the Iwatake store next to the gondola rents bikes from 8:00 to 17:00 and runs guided rides from beginner downhill to forest trails. Q: What bikes does SPICY Hakuba rent? A: SPICY Hakuba rents mountain bikes from ¥12,100 (2026), about CAD 109 or USD 76 (October 2026 rates) a day, e-bikes from ¥3,960 (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) a day, city bikes from ¥2,970 (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day, kids' bikes from ¥6,600 (2026), about CAD 59 or USD 42 (October 2026 rates) a day, tandems from ¥3,520 (2026), about CAD 32 or USD 22 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://spicy.co.jp/en/winter/ https://spicy.co.jp/en/mtb https://spicy.co.jp/en/shop/ https://www.vill.hakuba.nagano.jp/hakuba-cycling/en/rental/spicy-iwatake-gondola-store/ ### Sukayu Guide URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/sukayu-guide Type: Operator Local name: 酸ヶ湯ガイド (ja) Also known as: Sukayu backcountry tour, Hakkoda backcountry tour, Hakkoda guide, Sukayu Onsen guide, 酸ヶ湯 バックカントリーツアー Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Address: Sukayu Onsen front desk, 50 Sukayusawa, Arakawa, Aomori, Aomori 030-0197 Kind: Guide Works in: Hakkoda, Sukayu, Hakkoda Ropeway Off season: From May to December the guides run green-season walks and look after the Sukayu campground. Phone: 017-738-6002 Website: https://sukayu.jp/information4/ Summary: Sukayu Guide suits confident off-piste skiers and splitboarders who want Hakkoda's tour routes with a local guide at a low daily price; groups run large, up to 30 a day, so it's a shared tour more than a private one. Sukayu Onsen's own guides lead backcountry tours on Hakkoda from 19 December 2026 to 6 May 2027. Tours start at the guide counter by the front desk, ride the bus up to the Hakkoda Ropeway and come down through Hakkoda's tour routes. A full day costs ¥7,000 and a half day ¥5,000, plus ¥100 for insurance and your own ropeway ticket. Every rider needs an avalanche transceiver and poles, snowboarders included, plus skins or snowshoes. The guides ask you to carry a probe and shovel too. Rentals cost ¥2,000 for a transceiver, ¥1,000 each for poles or a pack, ¥3,000 for snowshoes and ¥4,000 for a ski set with skins. Boots aren't for hire. The tour routes lie outside Hakkoda's patrolled area. The Hakkoda Mountains Ski Safety Convention asks everyone entering them to file a mountain entry form, and it bills rescues at ¥30,000 per rescuer per day plus ¥50,000 for each emergency ropeway run. Tips: - Book ahead for weekends, when the guides cap shared tours at 30 to 40 riders and booked riders go first. - Bring your own boots, since Sukayu rents skis and snowshoes but not ski or snowboard boots. Q: How much is a Hakkoda backcountry tour with Sukayu Guide? A: ¥7,000 for a full day and ¥5,000 for a half day in 2026/27, plus ¥100 insurance and your Hakkoda Ropeway ticket. Q: When does the Sukayu backcountry tour season run? A: From 19 December 2026 to 6 May 2027, depending on snow. Q: Is Sukayu Guide open out of season? A: Sukayu Guide: From May to December the guides run green-season walks and look after the Sukayu campground. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://sukayu.jp/information4/ https://sukayu.jp/information1/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/en/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/rule_en.pdf https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/ski/ ### Tahara Rental Cycles URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/tahara-rental-cycles Type: Operator Local name: 田原市レンタサイクル (ja) Also known as: Rokkun Rental Cycle, ろっくんレンタサイクル, Irago Rental Cycle, 伊良湖レンタサイクル, Machinaka Rental Cycle Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Town: Tahara Address: Michi-no-Eki Tahara Mekkun House, 5-74 Higashi-Akashi, Tahara, Aichi Coordinates: 34.66130, 137.27261 Kind: Bike rental Works in: Tahara, Akabane, Irago Off season: Hours may change over the New Year holidays and at individual counters. Phone: +81-531-23-2525 Fleet: City bike; E assist from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: helmet One way: E-assist bikes from the three roadside stations, Mekkun House, Akabane Loco Station and Crystal Porto, can be left at another of them for ¥2,000 extra; numbers are limited. Website: https://www.taharakankou.gr.jp/special/rental_cycle/index.php Summary: Tahara's rental bikes suit riders exploring the Atsumi Peninsula without their own bike, and the published list dates from June 2024, so phone the counter before you count on one. Tahara city and its partners rent bikes at eleven counters across the peninsula. In the town centre the Machinaka bikes are free from Mikawa-Tahara Station and four other counters, and you return them by 19:00. The Rokkun e-assist bikes go out from Mekkun House and Akabane Loco Station at ¥500 an hour, and at Irago the ferry terminal and three hotels rent e-assist bikes at ¥500 an hour or ¥2,000 a day. E-bikes from the three roadside stations can be left at another one for ¥2,000 extra, which makes a one-way ride along the Pacific coast possible. No counter takes bookings. The bikes have to stay inside Tahara city. Q: How much does Tahara Rental Cycles charge? A: Tahara Rental Cycles lists Rokkun e-assist bike from ¥500 per bike (2024), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) (By the hour, back by 17:00). Q: Is Tahara Rental Cycles open out of season? A: Tahara Rental Cycles: Hours may change over the New Year holidays and at individual counters. Q: What bikes does Tahara Rental Cycles rent? A: Tahara Rental Cycles rents city bikes, e assists from ¥2,000 (2024), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.taharakankou.gr.jp/special/rental_cycle/index.php https://tahara-michinoeki.com/crystal https://tahara-michinoeki.com/akabane/ ### Takuwa Cycle URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/takuwa-cycle Type: Operator Local name: タクワサイクル (ja) Also known as: Takuwa Cycle Matsue, タクワサイクル Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Shimane Town: Matsue Address: 445-1 Nishihamasada-cho, Matsue, Shimane 690-0122 (next to Matsue English Garden) Coordinates: 35.47637, 133.00624 Kind: Bike shop Languages: Japanese Works in: Matsue, Lake Shinji, Izumo Taisha Phone: 0852-36-7775 Fleet: Road bike from ¥3,500, about CAD 31 or USD 22 (October 2026 rates) a day; Cross from ¥2,500, about CAD 22 or USD 16 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) a day; Tandem from ¥5,000, about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: insurance One way: Riders finishing in central Matsue can leave the bike at Kissa MG near the prefectural office after buying at least a coffee there. Repairs: Yes Website: https://takuwacycle.com/ Summary: Takuwa Cycle suits riders who want a proper road bike for a Lake Shinji ride to Izumo Taisha with the train back, and its price list varies between pages, so confirm the rate when you book. Takuwa Cycle is a Pinarello and Shimano dealer beside Matsue English Garden Station on the Ichibata line's north shore of Lake Shinji. It rents road bikes from ¥3,500 a day with insurance, cross bikes from ¥2,500, e-bikes at ¥5,500 and tandems. The shop's suggested day rides out to Izumo Taisha for lunch and comes back on the Ichibata line with the bike aboard, an arrangement the owner says he negotiated with the railway. Its own pages quote slightly different prices for the same bikes, so agree the rate up front. Q: How much does Takuwa Cycle charge? A: Takuwa Cycle lists Cross bike, day from ¥2,500 per day (2026), about CAD 22 or USD 16 (October 2026 rates) (1 day). Q: Does Takuwa Cycle speak English? A: Takuwa Cycle works in Japanese. Q: What bikes does Takuwa Cycle rent? A: Takuwa Cycle rents road bikes from ¥3,500 (2026), about CAD 31 or USD 22 (October 2026 rates) a day, crosss from ¥2,500 (2026), about CAD 22 or USD 16 (October 2026 rates) a day, e-bikes from ¥5,500 (2026), about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) a day, tandems from ¥5,000 (2026), about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://takuwacycle.com/ https://takuwacycle.com/%e3%81%8a%e5%95%8f%e3%81%84%e5%90%88%e3%82%8f%e3%81%9b https://takuwacycle.com/%e3%82%a2%e3%82%af%e3%82%bb%e3%82%b9 https://www.visit-matsue.com/info/moving ### Tateyama City Tourism Association Rental Cycles URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/tateyama-city-tourism-rental-cycles Type: Operator Local name: 館山市観光協会 レンタサイクル (ja) Also known as: Tatechari, たてチャリ, Tateyama rental cycle, Tateyama Station rental bikes, 館山駅西口観光案内所 Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Town: Tateyama Address: Tateyama Station west exit tourist information centre, 1879-2 Hojo, Tateyama, Chiba 294-0045 Coordinates: 34.99630, 139.86230 Kind: Bike rental Works in: Tateyama, Minamiboso, Boso Flower Line Off season: The desk opens every day of the year, 9:30 to 17:00. The association dropped all its rental discounts on 1 May 2026. Phone: +81-470-22-2000 Fleet: Carbon road from ¥5,000, about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥4,000, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) a day; Cross bike from ¥3,000, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day; Folding e bike from ¥3,000, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day; Mini velo from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: Helmet (free on request) One way: Under the Minamiboso Kurukuru Shararan scheme, an e-assist rental can end at another station in Tateyama or Minamiboso, such as the Minamiboso tourist information centre or the Chikura tourist office, for ¥3,300. Website: https://tateyamacity.com/rental-cycle Booking: https://tateyamacity.com/sportsbike-rental Summary: The Tateyama tourism association's rental desk suits riders who arrive by train and want a road bike or e-bike at the station, and its trade-off is a 17:00 return and bookings that close at 15:00 the day before. The desk at the west exit of Tateyama Station keeps more than 50 bikes, from city bikes to ISAAC carbon road bikes at ¥5,000 a day and e-assist cross bikes at ¥4,000. Helmets are free, and the fleet list gives rider heights for each frame so you can ask for the right size when you book. Bikes go out from 9:30 and come back by 17:00. Bring photo ID for the desk to copy. The road and cross bikes brake the front wheel with the left lever, so check the levers before you roll out. An e-assist bike can finish at another station in Tateyama or Minamiboso for ¥3,300. Tips: - Fill in the rental form in advance from the association's site to save time at the desk. - JBT Shop Tateyama, the other rental by the station, closed on 23 September 2026. Q: How much is a road bike rental in Tateyama? A: The Tateyama tourism association rents carbon road bikes for ¥5,000 a day from the desk at the west exit of Tateyama Station, open 9:30 to 17:00. Q: Can I book a rental bike in Tateyama on the day? A: Bookings close at 15:00 the day before. On the day itself, you can take any bike that is still free. Q: Is Tateyama City Tourism Association Rental Cycles open out of season? A: Tateyama City Tourism Association Rental Cycles: The desk opens every day of the year, 9:30 to 17:00. The association dropped all its rental discounts on 1 May 2026. Q: What bikes does Tateyama City Tourism Association Rental Cycles rent? A: Tateyama City Tourism Association Rental Cycles rents carbon roads from ¥5,000 (2026), about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) a day, e-bikes from ¥4,000 (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) a day, cross bikes from ¥3,000 (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day, folding e bikes from ¥3,000 (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day, mini velos from ¥2,000 (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tateyamacity.com/rental-cycle https://tateyamacity.com/sportsbike-rental https://tateyamacity.com/archives/34259 https://maruchiba.jp/feature/detail_517.html https://www.jrbustech.co.jp/wp/jbt-shop-tateyama%ef%bc%88%e9%a4%a8%e5%b1%b1%e5%a3%b2%e5%ba%97%ef%bc%89%e9%96%89%e5%ba%97%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%8D%83%E8%91%89%E7%9C%8C%E9%A4%A8%E5%B1%B1%E5%B8%82%E5%8C%97%E6%9D%A11879-2 ### Tateyama Guide Association URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/tateyama-guide-association Type: Operator Local name: 立山ガイド協会 (ja) Also known as: Tateyama Guides, Tateyama mountain guides, 立山案内人組合 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Tateyama Address: 119-2 Ashikuraji, Tateyama, Nakaniikawa, Toyama 930-1406 (secretariat) Kind: Guide Languages: Japanese Certifications: Japan Mountain Guides Association mountain guides, Japan Mountain Guides Association ski guides, International mountain guide (two members) Works in: Tateyama, Murodo, Mt. Tsurugi, Midagahara, Kurobe Off season: The Alpine Route closes from December to mid-April, so trips that start at Murodo fit the route's season. Website: https://www.tateyamaguide.com/ Summary: The Tateyama Guide Association suits spring ski tourers and climbers who want a certified local guide for Murodo and Mt. Tsurugi, and its trade-off is a referral service in Japanese that needs about two weeks' notice. The association formed in April 1991, and its roots go back to the Tateyama Guides' Union of 1921 and to the chugo who led pilgrims up the sacred mountain in the Edo period. The association works as a referral office: it matches you with one of its members, and each member works as an independent guide. Several hold ski-guide certification from the Japan Mountain Guides Association, and two are international mountain guides. Fees are set per guide per day. Standard summer trails start at ¥33,000, and snow above the tree line or harder routes start at ¥44,000, before the guide's lodging and travel. A guide who meets you at a hut the night before charges from ¥11,000, and a weather reserve day costs ¥10,000 to ¥30,000. For Mt. Tsurugi the association asks you to contact its listed guides directly. Send the association your recent climbing record, how your times compare with guidebook times and any health conditions when you ask for a guide. Allow about half a month. Among the members, Tomohiko Saeki was born in Ashikuraji and leads walks that tell the history of Tateyama worship. Tips: - Read the fee and terms pages on the association's site before you write; it asks every client to agree to them first. Q: How much does Tateyama Guide Association charge? A: Tateyama Guide Association lists Guided climb on standard summer trails from ¥33,000 per day (2026), about CAD 297 or USD 209 (October 2026 rates) (1 day). Q: Does Tateyama Guide Association speak English? A: Tateyama Guide Association works in Japanese. Q: Is Tateyama Guide Association open out of season? A: Tateyama Guide Association: The Alpine Route closes from December to mid-April, so trips that start at Murodo fit the route's season. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tateyamaguide.com/ https://www.tateyamaguide.com/fee https://www.tateyamaguide.com/guide https://www.tateyamaguide.com/contact ### Toba Cycle Station URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/toba-cycle-station Type: Operator Local name: 鳥羽サイクルステーション (ja) Also known as: Toba 1-bangai Cycle Station, 鳥羽1番街 サイクルステーション, Ama-chari, 海女チャリ Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Mie Town: Toba Address: Toba 1-bangai, 1-2383-13 Toba, Toba, Mie 517-0011 Coordinates: 34.48742, 136.84338 Kind: Cycle terminal Works in: Toba Phone: +81-599-26-3331 Fleet: E-bike from ¥1,500, about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) a day; E assist from ¥1,000, about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) a day; City bike from ¥600, about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: helmet Repairs: No Website: https://www.toba1ban.co.jp/cyclestation/ Summary: Toba Cycle Station suits riders who arrive by train or ferry with a bagged bike and need somewhere to build it, and its rental bikes can't leave Toba city. Toba 1-bangai opened the cycle station on its ground floor after the Pacific Cycling Road became a National Cycle Route in 2021 and Toba Station was named a gateway. It has racks indoors, work mats and a stand, and the tools on the racks are free. You're welcome to rebuild a bagged bike there, though the staff won't do the work for you. Lockers cost ¥500 and the luggage desk takes bags at ¥300 each. The station rents Ama-chari e-bikes at ¥300 an hour and plainer Kamome bikes from ¥600 a day. They have to stay inside Toba, so ride your own bike or rent in Ise for the shrines. The entrance faces away from the station side of the building. Q: How much does Toba Cycle Station charge? A: Toba Cycle Station lists Ama-chari e-bike from ¥300 per bike (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) (Hourly, or ¥1,500 for five hours or more). Q: What bikes does Toba Cycle Station rent? A: Toba Cycle Station rents e-bikes from ¥1,500 (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) a day, e assists from ¥1,000 (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) a day, city bikes from ¥600 (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.toba1ban.co.jp/cyclestation/ https://www.toba1ban.co.jp/ https://mie-cycling-road.jp/model/course01/ https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/iseshima.pdf ### Toi Rental Cycle URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/toi-rental-cycle Type: Operator Local name: 土肥レンタサイクル (ja) Also known as: Toi Tourist Information rental bikes, Toi Onsen bike rental, 土肥観光案内所 レンタサイクル Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Address: 2657-6 Toi, Izu, Shizuoka 410-3302 (next to Matsubara Park) Coordinates: 34.91070, 138.79040 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Toi, Nishi izu Off season: The tourist office closes on Wednesdays. Phone: 0558-98-1152 Fleet: Cross from ¥1,000, about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) a day; Mountain bike; E-bike Website: https://kanko.city.izu.shizuoka.jp/sightseeing/toirentalbicycle/ Summary: The tourist office beside Matsubara Park in Toi Onsen rents Louis Garneau cross bikes and e-bikes from ¥500 for three hours, and suits a few hours on the west Izu coast between the beach and the old gold mine; the office closes on Wednesdays and every bike is back by 16:00. Toi sits on the west coast of Izu facing Suruga Bay, and its tourist office in Matsubara Park lends Louis Garneau cross bikes for ¥500 for three hours or ¥1,000 for the day, with a ¥1,000 deposit you get back. Izu city's tourism site suggests riding the coast to the Tabibito-misaki lookout and the Toi gold mine, and on to Koibito-misaki if your legs allow. The Suruga Bay ferry crosses from Shimizu to Toi in about 90 minutes, so a day trip from the Shizuoka side can start here. Tips: - Book the morning plan if you want to ride before the heat: it starts at 9:00 and the bike goes back by noon. Q: How much is bike rental in Toi Onsen? A: The Toi tourist office rents bikes for ¥500 for three hours or ¥1,000 for the day, plus a ¥1,000 deposit returned with the bike. Q: Does Toi Rental Cycle speak English? A: Toi Rental Cycle works in Japanese. Q: Is Toi Rental Cycle open out of season? A: Toi Rental Cycle: The tourist office closes on Wednesdays. Q: What bikes does Toi Rental Cycle rent? A: Toi Rental Cycle rents crosss from ¥1,000 (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) a day, mountain bikes, e-bikes. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kanko.city.izu.shizuoka.jp/sightseeing/toirentalbicycle/ https://kanko.city.izu.shizuoka.jp/sightseeing/surugawanferry/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%9D%99%E5%B2%A1%E7%9C%8C%E4%BC%8A%E8%B1%86%E5%B8%82%E5%9C%9F%E8%82%A52657-6 ### Tokyo and Ueno station baggage storage (JR East Logistics) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/tokyo-station-baggage-storage Type: Operator Local name: ジェイアール東日本物流 手荷物一時預かり（東京駅・上野駅） (ja) Also known as: Tokyo Station Baggage Service Counter, 東京駅お荷物サービスカウンター, BAGGAGE STORAGE+, Tokyo Station luggage storage, Ueno Station luggage storage Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Tokyo Town: Tokyo Address: Tokyo Station, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Coordinates: 35.68080, 139.76690 Kind: Luggage Works in: Tokyo Station, Ueno Station Off season: Every counter opens daily. At Tokyo Station the Baggage Service Counter outside the Yaesu South gate and BAGGAGE STORAGE+ inside the GranSta underground north gate take bags from 9:30 to 20:00, the counter at the Shinkansen South transfer gate from 9:00 to 21:00 and the Marunouchi Central counter from 10:00 to 20:00. Ueno's counter on the third-floor concourse inside the Park gate opens 10:00 to 20:00. Phone: +81-80-4130-9106 Website: http://www.jrbutsuryu.jregroup.ne.jp/business/baggage.html Summary: JR East Logistics' baggage counters suit riders who want to leave a bike box inside Tokyo or Ueno station while they tour, and its trade-off is ¥2,000 a day for a box, which adds up fast over a long trip. JR East Logistics runs left-luggage counters inside Tokyo Station and Ueno Station, and both keep items for up to 30 days. A bike box or bag over 200 cm in length, width and height added together counts as large at ¥2,000 a day, so a week costs ¥14,000. The counters charge for every piece you hand in, so a bag strapped to a box costs extra. Pick up by the counter's closing time, since a late train does not stop the overnight charge. The Tokyo Station counter outside the Yaesu South gate also sends Hakobyun Quick parcels by Shinkansen with no booking, and some counters take ecbo cloak reservations, which need an ecbo account. Tips: - Book through ecbo cloak at weekends and in holiday weeks, when the counters fill up. - Use the counter inside the Shinkansen gates if you are changing trains, since it stays open until 21:00. Q: Can I store a bike box at Tokyo Station? A: JR East Logistics' counters in Tokyo Station keep luggage for up to 30 days, and anything over 200 cm in combined length, width and height costs ¥2,000 a day. Some items cannot be taken, so confirm a bike box with the counter staff. Q: How much is luggage storage at Ueno Station? A: The counter on the third-floor concourse inside the Park gate charges ¥500, ¥1,000 or ¥2,000 a day by size, opens 10:00 to 20:00 and keeps items up to 30 days. Q: Is Tokyo and Ueno station baggage storage (JR East Logistics) open out of season? A: Tokyo and Ueno station baggage storage (JR East Logistics): Every counter opens daily. At Tokyo Station the Baggage Service Counter outside the Yaesu South gate and BAGGAGE STORAGE+ inside the GranSta underground north gate take bags from 9:30 to 20:00, the counter at the Shinkansen South transfer gate from 9:00 to 21:00 and the Marunouchi Central counter from 10:00 to 20:00. Ueno's counter on the third-floor concourse inside the Park gate opens 10:00 to 20:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.jrbutsuryu.jregroup.ne.jp/business/baggage.html https://www.tokyostationcity.com/information/ ### Tokyobike Rentals URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/tokyobike-rentals Type: Operator Local name: トーキョーバイク レンタル (ja) Also known as: Tokyobike, tokyobike rental, トーキョーバイク, Tokyobike Yanaka, tokyobike Soil Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Tokyo Town: Tokyo Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese, English Works in: Yanaka, Kiyosumi Shirakawa, Nakameguro, Gotokuji, Kichijoji Off season: Each shop keeps its own days. Yanaka Soil opens Monday and Friday 12:00 to 19:00 and at weekends 10:00 to 18:00, closed Tuesday to Thursday. Kiyosumi-Shirakawa opens Wednesday to Friday 11:00 to 17:30 and at weekends 10:00 to 17:30, closed Monday and Tuesday. Fleet: City bike from ¥2,500, about CAD 22 or USD 16 (October 2026 rates) a day One way: Bikes go back to the shop you rented from. Website: https://tokyobike.com/tokyobikerentals/ Summary: Tokyobike Rentals suits visitors who want a light city bike for a slow day in Yanaka or along the rivers of the east side, and its trade-off is shops with short hours and several closed days a week. Tokyobike builds bikes for getting round the city and rents them from five Tokyo shops for ¥2,500 a day whatever the model. The Yanaka shop, Soil, sits in the old streets near Ueno Park and the museums, and Kiyosumi-Shirakawa puts you by the canals and coffee shops of the east side. Book up to 30 days ahead and keep the bike for several days if you like. It goes back to the same shop during opening hours. Check the closed days first: Yanaka shuts from Tuesday to Thursday, and Kiyosumi-Shirakawa on Mondays and Tuesdays. In October 2026 renters got a ¥100 drink voucher for partner coffee shops. Tips: - Pick the Yanaka shop for a loop of Yanaka, Nezu and Sendagi and a run down to Ueno Park. Q: How much does Tokyobike rental cost? A: Every model costs ¥2,500 a day at all five Tokyobike shops, and you can book up to 30 days ahead. Q: Does Tokyobike Rentals speak English? A: Yes. Tokyobike Rentals works in Japanese and English. Q: Is Tokyobike Rentals open out of season? A: Tokyobike Rentals: Each shop keeps its own days. Yanaka Soil opens Monday and Friday 12:00 to 19:00 and at weekends 10:00 to 18:00, closed Tuesday to Thursday. Kiyosumi-Shirakawa opens Wednesday to Friday 11:00 to 17:30 and at weekends 10:00 to 17:30, closed Monday and Tuesday. Q: What bikes does Tokyobike Rentals rent? A: Tokyobike Rentals rents city bikes from ¥2,500 (2026), about CAD 22 or USD 16 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tokyobike.com/tokyobikerentals/ https://tokyobike.com/ ### Tomioka Town Tourism Association Rental Cycle URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/tomioka-rental-cycle Type: Operator Local name: 富岡町観光協会 レンタサイクル (ja) Also known as: Tomioka rental cycle, Tomioka e-bike rental, TURTLE CYCLE gateway, Hamadori cycle route rental, 富岡町観光協会 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Fukushima Address: 15 Ekimae, Tomioka, Futaba District, Fukushima 979-1123 Kind: Bike rental Works in: Tomioka, Fukushima Hamadori Cycle Route Phone: 0240-23-7366 Fleet: E-bike from ¥1,500, about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: folding chair Website: https://hamadori-coast.com/spot/tomioka/ Summary: Tomioka's tourism association suits riders who arrive by train and want an e-bike for a few hours along the Hamadori coast; it has only five bikes and closes on Sundays, so arrive early. The Tomioka Town Tourism Association rents five electric-assist bikes from its office in front of Tomioka Station on the JR Joban Line. Three hours or less costs ¥500, and anything up to a full day costs ¥1,500. No booking is taken, so the first five riders get the bikes. The association pairs the bikes with a folding chair, so you can ride to a spot by the sea and sit for a while. Staff suggest places when you ask. Tomioka is the central gateway of the Fukushima Hamadori Cycle Route, which MLIT named Tohoku's first National Cycle Route. Tips: - Arrive soon after 9:00 on Saturdays, because there are only five bikes and no bookings. - Plan your Tomioka ride for Monday to Saturday, since the association closes on Sundays. Q: Can I rent a bike in Tomioka for the Hamadori Cycle Route? A: Yes. The Tomioka Town Tourism Association by Tomioka Station rents five e-assist bikes from 9:00 to 16:30, closed Sundays, for ¥500 under three hours or ¥1,500 for the day. Q: How much does Tomioka Town Tourism Association Rental Cycle charge? A: Tomioka Town Tourism Association Rental Cycle lists E-assist bike rental from ¥500 per bike (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) (Up to a day). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hamadori-coast.com/spot/tomioka/ https://hamadori-cycle.jp/gateway https://hamadori-cycle.jp/news/787 ### Tottori Station Rental Cycles URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/tottori-station-rental-cycles Type: Operator Local name: 鳥取市観光レンタサイクル (ja) Also known as: Tottori tourist rental cycle, 鳥取駅高架下第2自転車駐車場 Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Tottori Address: Tottori Station second bicycle garage, 111-1 Higashi-honji-machi, Tottori Coordinates: 35.49491, 134.22345 Kind: Bike rental Works in: Tottori, Tottori Sand Dunes Phone: 0857-21-8899 Fleet: City bike from ¥500, about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-bike from ¥1,000, about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: helmet One way: Return at the station garage or the city's Katahara car park. Website: https://www.torican.jp/access/detail_1128.html Summary: Tottori Station Rental Cycles suits visitors who want a cheap bike for the dunes and the city from the station door, and it takes no bookings and wants the bike back the same day. The city rents 8 standard and 8 electric bikes from its second bicycle garage under the elevated tracks, a minute's walk east of Tottori Station's north exit. A day costs ¥500 or ¥1,000 for the electric bike, and the counter opens 8:30 to 18:30 every day. From 1 August to 30 November 2026 a JR ticket from far away makes the standard bike free and halves the electric one. Q: How much does Tottori Station Rental Cycles charge? A: Tottori Station Rental Cycles lists Standard bike, day from ¥500 per day (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) (Same day). Q: What bikes does Tottori Station Rental Cycles rent? A: Tottori Station Rental Cycles rents city bikes from ¥500 (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) a day, e-bikes from ¥1,000 (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.torican.jp/access/detail_1128.html https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/details_rental https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%B3%A5%E5%8F%96%E7%9C%8C%E9%B3%A5%E5%8F%96%E5%B8%82%E6%9D%B1%E5%93%81%E6%B2%BB%E7%94%BA111-1 ### Uonuma Rental Cycle URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/uonuma-rental-cycle Type: Operator Local name: うおぬまレンタサイクル (ja) Also known as: Uonuma e-bike rental, Koide bike rental, うおぬまレンタサイクル Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: Fujiya, in front of JR Koide Station, Uonuma, Niigata Coordinates: 37.23350, 138.95370 Kind: Bike rental Works in: Uonuma, Koide, Yunotani, Echigo Suhara, Yukiguni Uonuma Golden Cycle Route Phone: 025-792-0038 Fleet: E-bike from ¥2,000, about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) a day Includes: accident insurance, repair cover Summary: Uonuma Rental Cycle hires electric-assist sport bikes at three points around Koide in Uonuma from ¥1,000 for two hours, and it suits riders on the northern stage of the Yukiguni Uonuma Golden Cycle Route who want help on the climbs; the fleet is ten bikes in all, so ring ahead on weekends. Uonuma Rental Cycle spreads its e-bikes across three counters. Fujiya is a liquor shop facing JR Koide Station with three bikes, and it opens 9:00 to 17:00 except Thursdays. Four more wait at the Uonuma City Information Center next to Michi-no-Eki Yunotani, and Genki Sumon near Echigo-Suhara Station lends its three on weekends only. Rates include tax and cover both accidents and repairs. Two hours costs ¥1,000, six hours ¥2,000 and an overnight hire ¥2,500, which runs to 17:00 the next day at Fujiya. Tips: - Carry cash for Fujiya and Genki Sumon, which take no cards. Q: Where can I rent an e-bike in Uonuma? A: Uonuma Rental Cycle hires electric-assist sport bikes at Fujiya by JR Koide Station and at two more counters, by Michi-no-Eki Yunotani and near Echigo-Suhara Station. Q: How much is Uonuma Rental Cycle? A: Uonuma Rental Cycle charges ¥1,000 for two hours, ¥1,500 for four, ¥2,000 for six and ¥2,500 overnight, with insurance included. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://yukiguni-gcr.jp/rental/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3660515 ### Uozu Rental Cycle Miracle URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/uozu-rental-cycle-miracle Type: Operator Local name: 魚津レンタサイクル みらくる (ja) Also known as: Miracle rental cycles, Uozu bike rental, Uozu e-bike rental, みらくる Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Address: Uozu Station tourist information centre, Umi-no-Eki Shinkiro and Kintaro Onsen, Uozu, Toyama Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Uozu, Toyama Bay Cycling Route Fleet: E-bike from ¥3,000, about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day; Cross bike from ¥800, about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) a day; E-mountain bike from ¥800, about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) a day; Kids' bike from ¥300, about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) a day One way: Return to another of the three stations for ¥500 a bike. Website: https://uozu-cycling.jp/miracle/ Summary: Uozu Rental Cycle Miracle suits riders who want a cheap e-bike or cross bike for the middle of the Toyama Bay route, and its trade-off is a 15:00 cut-off for rentals and battery swaps only where you hired. Uozu's city rental scheme lends bikes from the tourist office at Uozu Station and the seaside market Umi-no-Eki Shinkiro, and e-assist bikes also from Kintaro Onsen. Prices rose on 1 April 2026, and an e-bike now costs ¥3,000 for up to eight hours. Cross bikes and e-assist bikes cost ¥800 for the day, and you can keep a bike for up to seven days. Rentals run from 9:00, and the last bike goes out at 15:00. The e-bike carries enough battery for more than 100 km, by the operator's figure, and only the station where you rented can swap it. The scheme publishes a 6.2 km bay course and a 15.9 km course through the rice fields from Uozu. Tips: - Bring photo ID; the stations will not lend a bike without it. Q: How much does Uozu Rental Cycle Miracle charge? A: Uozu Rental Cycle Miracle lists Cross bike, e-assist city bike or e-assist mountain bike from ¥800 per day (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) (4 hours to 7 days). Q: Does Uozu Rental Cycle Miracle speak English? A: Uozu Rental Cycle Miracle works in Japanese. Q: What bikes does Uozu Rental Cycle Miracle rent? A: Uozu Rental Cycle Miracle rents e-bikes from ¥3,000 (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) a day, cross bikes from ¥800 (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) a day, e-mountain bikes from ¥800 (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) a day, kids' bikes from ¥300 (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://uozu-cycling.jp/miracle/ https://uozu-cycling.jp/course/ https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/102634 ### W-Asobi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/w-asobi Type: Operator Also known as: Hike & Bike W-Asobi, W-asobi Azumino Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Azumino Address: 9636-1 Hotaka, Azumino, Nagano 399-8303 Status: seasonal. The prefecture listed the 2025 season as 20 March to 30 November. Kind: Bike tour Works in: Azumino, Hotaka, Matsumoto Website: https://w-asobi.com/ Summary: W-Asobi is a small Azumino company of local guides whose half-day bike tour from Hotaka Station suits first-time visitors who want the water and wasabi story with someone who lives there. Nagano Prefecture's listing put the 2025 tour at ¥10,000. The cycling tour starts and ends at Hotaka Station and takes three and a half hours. Its theme is Azumino's water and the wasabi it grows, with stops at Hotaka Shrine and Daio Wasabi Farm. W-Asobi also guides hikes up Yakedake and overnight trips to Nakabusa Onsen, so a rider can add a mountain day to the same booking. Nagano's tourism listing names Dutch among the guides' languages and the company's own site is in English, so say which language you need when you write. Tips: - Send your dates and group size through the contact form, and the guides confirm a slot before you apply. Q: How much does W-Asobi charge? A: W-Asobi lists Half-day Azumino cycling tour from ¥10,000 (2025), about CAD 90 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) (3.5 hours from Hotaka Station). Q: Is W-Asobi open all year? A: W-Asobi opens for part of the year. The prefecture listed the 2025 season as 20 March to 30 November. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://w-asobi.com/ https://w-asobi.weebly.com/ https://db.go-nagano.net/en/topics_detail6/id=16548 ### Y's Road Nagoya Honkan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/ys-road-nagoya Type: Operator Local name: ワイズロード 名古屋本館 (ja) Also known as: Y's Road Nagoya, Ysroad Nagoya, ワイズロード名古屋 Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Town: Nagoya Address: Nagoya Center Building 1-101, 2-2-13 Nishiki, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Coordinates: 35.17264, 136.89931 Kind: Bike shop Works in: Nagoya Off season: Open every day of the year, 12:00 to 20:00. Phone: +81-52-220-3977 Website: https://ysroad.co.jp/nagoya/ Summary: Y's Road Nagoya Honkan suits riders who need a spare tube or a whole new bike in central Nagoya, and it opens at noon, so an early start means shopping the evening before. Y's Road opened this store as its first in the Chukyo area, and the chain calls its stock one of the largest of any sports-bike shop in Japan. It occupies unit 1-101 on the ground floor of the Nagoya Center Building in Nishiki 2-chome. The doors open at 12:00 and close at 20:00 every day of the year. Q: Is Y's Road Nagoya Honkan open out of season? A: Y's Road Nagoya Honkan: Open every day of the year, 12:00 to 20:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ysroad.co.jp/nagoya/ https://ysroad.co.jp/ ### Y's Road Ueno Honkan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/ysroad-ueno-honkan Type: Operator Local name: ワイズロード 上野本館 (ja) Also known as: Ys Road Ueno, Y's Road Ueno, ワイズロード上野, YsRoad Ueno Honkan Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Tokyo Town: Tokyo Address: Suzuki Building 1F–2F, 3-16-3 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo Coordinates: 35.70540, 139.77220 Kind: Bike shop Works in: Ueno, Okachimachi, Akihabara Off season: Open every day: 12:00 to 20:00 on weekdays and 11:00 to 19:00 at weekends and on holidays. Phone: +81-3-3836-6168 Repairs: Yes Website: https://ysroad.co.jp/ueno/ Summary: Y's Road Ueno Honkan suits riders who land in Tokyo without a rinko bag or need a part before a train ride out, and its trade-off is a site that lists no service for boxing a visitor's bike. Y's Road is Japan's big sports-bike chain, and its Ueno Honkan fills two floors a short walk from Ueno and Okachimachi stations. The shop's own column of 9 October 2026 lists rinko bags for road, cross and mountain bikes, plus the end fittings and disc-brake spacers you need to pack a bike for the train. Staff help match a bag to your frame. The Ueno Wear-kan and Ueno Asazo shops of Y's Road sit nearby. On Sundays the Honkan runs a small folding-bike session for up to three people. You ride from the shop to Ueno Station, fold and bag the bike for one stop to Okachimachi, and ride back, all for ¥350. Tips: - Bring your bike's axle and brake details so staff can match the right rinko bag and spacers. Q: Where can I buy a rinko bag near Ueno? A: Y's Road Ueno Honkan at 3-16-3 Ueno stocks rinko bags for road, cross and mountain bikes, along with end fittings and spacers. It opens every day. Q: How much does Y's Road Ueno Honkan charge? A: Y's Road Ueno Honkan lists Folding-bike rinko experience from ¥350 per person (2026), about CAD 3.10 or USD 2.20 (October 2026 rates) (About an hour, Sundays from 11:00). Q: Is Y's Road Ueno Honkan open out of season? A: Y's Road Ueno Honkan: Open every day: 12:00 to 20:00 on weekdays and 11:00 to 19:00 at weekends and on holidays. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ysroad.co.jp/ueno/ https://ysroad.co.jp/ueno/shop https://ysroad.co.jp/ueno/2026/10/09/148424 https://ysroad.co.jp/ueno/rinko-experience https://portal.ysroad.co.jp/shop/ https://ysroad.co.jp/service/ ### Yufuin Tsukahara Kogen Tourism Association URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/yufuin-tsukahara-kogen-tourism-association Type: Operator Local name: 湯布院塚原高原観光協会 (ja) Also known as: Tsukahara Kogen tourist information centre, Tsukahara bike rental, 塚原高原観光案内所 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Oita Town: Yufuin Address: 4-31 Tsukahara, Yufuin-cho, Yufu, Oita 879-5101 Kind: Bike rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Tsukahara Kogen, Yufuin Phone: 0977-85-2254 Fleet: City bike; E-bike; Tandem Includes: helmet One way: No one-way returns. Repairs: No Website: https://yufuin-tsukahara.com/ Summary: The Tsukahara Kogen tourism association suits riders who want a gentle two-hour spin on the plateau below Mt. Yufu, and it rents only a handful of bikes and closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The association's information centre sits on prefectural road 616 across the Tsukahara plateau, about 20 minutes by car from central Yufuin, near the line with Beppu. It lends TOKYOBIKE city bikes and e-bikes for ¥1,000 for two hours, plus tandems and helmets. Yufu City's tourism bureau describes the plateau roads as gentle, with few big hills, and suited to beginners. Spring and summer, with fresh green and cool wind, are the seasons it picks for riding there. Tips: - Fill a bottle at the spring beside Kirishima Shrine on the plateau, and leave a coin at the shrine if you do. Q: How much does Yufuin Tsukahara Kogen Tourism Association charge? A: Yufuin Tsukahara Kogen Tourism Association lists Bike rental for the Tsukahara plateau from ¥1,000 each (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) (2 hours). Q: Does Yufuin Tsukahara Kogen Tourism Association speak English? A: Yufuin Tsukahara Kogen Tourism Association works in Japanese. Q: What bikes does Yufuin Tsukahara Kogen Tourism Association rent? A: Yufuin Tsukahara Kogen Tourism Association rents city bikes, e-bikes, tandems. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://yufuin.gr.jp/feature/feature-3424/ https://www.cycling-oita.jp/rental-cycle/593/ ### Tabichari Bike Rental (Yukiguni Kankosha, Echigo-Yuzawa) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/yukiguni-kankosha-tabichari Type: Operator Local name: 雪国観光舎 旅チャリ (ja) Also known as: Tabichari, Yukiguni Kankosha, Snow Country Tourism, Echigo-Yuzawa bike rental, 雪国観光舎, 旅チャリ Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: West exit, Echigo-Yuzawa Station, Yuzawa, Niigata Coordinates: 36.93580, 138.80870 Kind: Bike rental Works in: Yuzawa, Yukiguni Uonuma Golden Cycle Route Phone: 025-785-5353 Fleet: City bike from ¥2,750, about CAD 25 or USD 17 (October 2026 rates) a day; Cross from ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) a day; Mountain bike from ¥6,600, about CAD 59 or USD 42 (October 2026 rates) a day Summary: Tabichari is the bike rental at the Yukiguni Kankosha tourist desk by Echigo-Yuzawa Station's west exit, with bikes from a ¥1,100 two-hour city bike up to mountain bikes, and it suits Shinkansen arrivals who want to ride the Yukiguni Uonuma route without bringing a bike; it has no e-bikes listed. The desk sits in the station's west exit plaza and rents from 9:00 to 17:00. A cross bike costs ¥1,300 for two hours or ¥5,500 for 24 hours, and a mountain bike ¥2,200 for two hours or ¥6,600 for the day. Yuzawa is the southern gateway to the Yukiguni Uonuma Golden Cycle Route, which runs north through Minamiuonuma and Uonuma. Riders who want electric assistance pick up in Uonuma at Koide, Yunotani or Echigo-Suhara further up the valley. Tips: - Pick a cross bike over a city bike for the Golden Cycle Route's longer stages; two hours cost only ¥200 more. Q: Can you rent a bike at Echigo-Yuzawa Station? A: Yes. Tabichari at the Yukiguni Kankosha desk by Echigo-Yuzawa Station's west exit rents bikes from city bikes to mountain bikes between 9:00 and 17:00. Q: How much is bike rental at Echigo-Yuzawa? A: Tabichari charges ¥1,100 for two hours on a city bike, ¥1,300 on a cross bike and ¥2,200 on a mountain bike, as listed on the Golden Cycle Route rental page. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://yukiguni-gcr.jp/rental/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/396314500 ### Zao Utopia Ski School URL: https://ridingjapan.com/operators/zao-utopia-ski-school Type: Operator Local name: ZAOユートピアスキースクール (ja) Also known as: ZAO Utopia Ski School, Utopia Ski School Zao, Zao Ropeway ski school, Yokokura ski school Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: Yokokura Ski Center, Zao Ropeway, 229-3 Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata Kind: School Certifications: SAJ (Ski Association of Japan) school Works in: Zao Onsen, Yokokura Off season: The school's phone line works only in winter. Phone: 023-694-2128 Website: https://zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/skischool.php Summary: Zao Utopia Ski School suits families and beginners who want an SAJ lesson right beside the Zao Ropeway; the school doesn't say which languages its instructors teach in, so ask before you book. The Zao Ropeway company runs this SAJ school from its Yokokura Ski Center, beside the ropeway's base station. Group lessons cost ¥5,500 for a half day and ¥7,000 for a full day, and private lessons for up to two cost ¥23,000 and ¥27,000. Kids aged six to ten take a half-day lesson for ¥10,000. The school takes credit cards. Zao Onsen changes its rules for teaching from 2026/27. Every school or guide working on the mountain has to register with the resort, and instructors must ride on a special lift ticket. In 2025/26 registered instructors wore green and yellow bibs. Book with a school on the resort's list, such as this one. Tips: - Sign up at the Yokokura Ski Center by 13:15 for the afternoon class. - Rent at the Yokokura Ski Center too. The ropeway company runs rental there and at the Omori ski centre. Q: How much is a ski lesson at Zao Onsen? A: At Zao Utopia Ski School a group lesson costs ¥5,500 for a half day and ¥7,000 for a full day. A private lesson for up to two costs from ¥23,000. Q: Is Zao Utopia Ski School open out of season? A: Zao Utopia Ski School: The school's phone line works only in winter. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/skischool.php https://zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/en.php https://zaomountainresort.com/school/ https://zaomountainresort.com/rental/ https://zaomountainresort.com/ski_news/ski_news-7201/ https://zaomountainresort.com/ski_news/ski_news-7284/ https://zaomountainresort.com/ski_news/ski_news-6777/ ## Ways to get around ### Akita Shinkansen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/akita-shinkansen Type: Transport Local name: 秋田新幹線 (ja) Also known as: Komachi, Akita bullet train Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Kind: Shinkansen Via: Ueno, Omiya, Sendai, Morioka, Shizukuishi, Tazawako, Kakunodate, Omagari, Akita Operator: JR East Fastest: 3 h 53 min Fare from: ¥18,460 (2026), about CAD 166 or USD 117 (October 2026 rates) Booking: JR-EAST Train Reservation online, reserved-seat ticket machines or a JR ticket office Book ahead: Seats go on sale one month ahead. Bikes: In a bike bag (rinko bag) Board bags: Carried Largest item: 250 cm (length, width and height added) Oversized seat: No booking needed Where to bag: JR East's trains have luggage areas on some cars and they fill first come, first served. A bagged bike goes at your feet or in a luggage area, and JR East asks riders to keep heavy or oddly shaped bags off the overhead racks. Bike rules: JR East lets each passenger carry two items free of charge, each up to 30 kg with length, width and height adding up to 250 cm or less and no side over 2 metres. Skis, snowboards and other sports gear may run longer as long as they travel upright in their own bag or case. A bike has to be taken apart or folded so every part, seat and wheels included, sits inside a dedicated bag. JR East runs no oversized-baggage booking on any of its Shinkansen lines. Website: https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/routemaps/akitashinkansen.html Summary: The Akita Shinkansen brings Tazawako and Kakunodate within about three hours of Tokyo by Komachi. Akita itself lies another 99 minutes on from Morioka. Komachi 3 left Tokyo at 07:32 on 16 October 2026, called at Sendai and Morioka, and reached Tazawako at 10:26. Kakunodate came 14 minutes later and Akita at 11:25, 233 minutes after Tokyo. Board bags and bike bags ride free and need no luggage booking. Each passenger can carry two items up to 30 kg with length, width and height adding to 250 cm or less, and skis or boards may run longer if they stand upright in their case. Tips: - Get off at Tazawako for the Tazawako ski area. Q: How long does Akita Shinkansen take? A: Komachi takes about 3 h 53 min. Q: How much is Akita Shinkansen? A: Tokyo to Akita, reserved seat on Akita Shinkansen costs ¥18,460 (2026), about CAD 166 or USD 117 (October 2026 rates). Q: Do you need to book Akita Shinkansen ahead? A: Akita Shinkansen: Seats go on sale one month ahead. Q: Can you take a bike on Akita Shinkansen? A: Yes. Akita Shinkansen carries bikes in a bike bag (rinko bag). Q: Can you bring a ski or snowboard bag on Akita Shinkansen? A: Yes. Akita Shinkansen carries ski and snowboard bags up to 250 cm, length, width and height added. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/routemaps/akitashinkansen.html https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/luggage-area/ https://timetables.jreast.co.jp/en/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E7%A7%8B%E7%94%B0&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 ### Atsumi Line cycle train URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/atsumi-line-cycle-train Type: Transport Local name: 渥美線サイクルトレイン (ja) Also known as: Toyotetsu cycle train, Toyotetsu Atsumi Line, Atsumi Line bikes, 豊鉄サイクルトレイン, 渥美線 Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Town: Tahara Coordinates: 34.66689, 137.26917 Kind: Rinko Via: Shin Toyohashi, Takashi, Mikawa Tahara Operator: Toyohashi Railroad (Toyotetsu) Fastest: 34 min Fare from: ¥100 (2026), about CAD 0.90 or USD 0.60 (October 2026 rates) Booking: No booking. Pay the ¥100 bike charge on top of the fare, or buy the Atsumi Peninsula Cycle Ticket as a mobile ticket before boarding. Book ahead: A group bringing five or more bikes onto one train calls Takashi Station on 0532-45-4927 by 17:00 the day before. Bikes: Carried, bagged or not Bike fee: ¥100 per bike (2026), about CAD 0.90 or USD 0.60 (October 2026 rates) Bike booking: None for one to four bikes. Five or more bikes from one group on one train need a call to Takashi Station by 17:00 the day before. Bike rules: Up to 10 bikes ride whole on each train during cycle-train hours. Riders load and unload the bike themselves, walk it on platforms and hold it by hand in the car, since the train can stop hard. Staff may move a cyclist to a later train when a car fills up. Bikes: Unbagged Oversized seat: No booking needed Hand-baggage fee: ¥100 (2026), about CAD 0.90 or USD 0.60 (October 2026 rates) Unbagged days: Every train on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, and on weekdays every train timetabled to leave between 10:00 and 14:59. Toyotetsu stops the service on the Toyohashi Gion Festival fireworks day (a Saturday in mid-July) and for the Toyohashi Matsuri on the third Saturday and Sunday of October, which are 17 and 18 October in 2026. Where to bag: The line runs 16 stations from Shin-Toyohashi, the Toyotetsu terminus in Toyohashi, to Mikawa-Tahara in Tahara. Toyotetsu's page marks a space inside the car for bikes and says it gives cyclists no claim on the seats there. Bike rules: Ten bikes per train at most, each paying ¥100. Toyotetsu bans riding on platforms and in cars, asks riders to hold the bike upright the whole way and takes no responsibility for loading or for the bike in the car. Toyotetsu's page publishes no rule for bagged bikes outside cycle-train hours. Website: https://www.toyotetsu.com/atsumisen/cycletrain.html Summary: The Atsumi Line cycle train carries a whole bike from Toyohashi to Mikawa-Tahara for ¥100, and it suits anyone starting the Atsumi Peninsula or the Pacific Cycling Road's Aichi stage without a bike bag. On weekdays the bike rides only on trains leaving between 10:00 and 14:59. Toyohashi Railroad, which everyone calls Toyotetsu, runs its Atsumi Line 16 stations from Shin-Toyohashi out to Mikawa-Tahara in about 34 minutes. At weekends every train takes bikes from first to last. On weekdays the window opens with the 10:00 departure and closes after the 14:59, which keeps bikes off the school and commuter trains. Mikawa-Tahara is the place to start. Ise-wan Ferry puts its Irago terminal about 30 km on from the station, so a rider can roll off the train, follow the peninsula's ocean shore on stage 4 of the Pacific Cycling Road and catch the boat to Toba the same afternoon. Toyotetsu also sells a Toyohashi-Toba discount ticket that bundles the train or bus with the ferry crossing for the rider. The Atsumi Peninsula Cycle Ticket costs ¥1,200 for an adult and buys a day of train rides, a day of bike carriage and a coupon for the Tahara roadside stations. It only exists as a mobile ticket, so set up the app before you reach the platform. Tips: - Buy the Atsumi Peninsula Cycle Ticket if you plan two rides in a day; it costs the same as the plain day pass and covers the bike. - Avoid 17 and 18 October 2026, when the Toyohashi Matsuri closes the cycle train. - Carry the bike's weight yourself in the car and keep a hand on it when the train brakes. Q: Can I take a bike on the Atsumi Line on a weekday? A: Yes, on Atsumi Line trains timetabled to leave between 10:00 and 14:59. Outside those hours on weekdays Toyotetsu does not carry unbagged bikes. Q: How much does the Atsumi Line charge for a bike? A: Toyotetsu charges ¥100 per bike on top of the fare, and the Shin-Toyohashi to Mikawa-Tahara adult fare is ¥550 in 2026. Q: Do I need to book the Atsumi Line cycle train? A: No booking is needed for one to four bikes. A group bringing five or more bikes onto one train calls Takashi Station by 17:00 the day before. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.toyotetsu.com/atsumisen/cycletrain.html https://www.toyotetsu.com/atsumisen/charges.html https://www.toyotetsu.com/atsumisen/timetable.html https://www.toyotetsu.com/atsumisen/timetable01.html https://www.toyotetsu.com/stay/ticket_005.html https://www.toyotetsu.com/stay/ticket_007.html https://www.toyotetsu.com/stay/ticket_008.html https://www.isewanferry.co.jp/publics/index/19/ https://www.isewanferry.co.jp/publics/index/422/ https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/cycletrain/index.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6845749 ### B.B.BASE URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/bb-base Type: Transport Also known as: BB BASE, Boso Bicycle Base, BOSO BICYCLE BASE, B.B.BASE cycle train Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Kind: Train Via: Ryogoku Operator: JR East Booking: Reserved-seat ticket on Eki-net (ticketless on most dates), at reserved-seat machines or at a JR ticket office, plus a normal ticket for the journey Book ahead: Eki-net takes advance requests from 14:00 one month and one week before the run, and stations sell seats from 10:00 one month before. Bikes: Unbagged Oversized seat: Booking required Unbagged days: 17 October 2026 (B.B.BASE Teganuma) is the only remaining run on JR East's calendar for 2026, which lists no runs in November. The calendar also listed 5 and 12 September and 3 and 4 October, and typhoon damage cancelled the 26 September and 10 October runs. Where to bag: At Ryogoku the train leaves from platform 3, reached through a dedicated B.B.BASE gate on the north side with no stairs. Walk out of the west exit by the rotary and follow the signs. Tap your IC card at a normal gate first, since the B.B.BASE gate has no card reader. Ryogoku, Tateyama, Awa-Kamogawa and Choshi have B.B.BASE gates; other stops use the normal ticket gates, open ten minutes before departure. Bike rules: Bikes ride whole in racks inside the cars. Racks refuse bikes with mudguards front or rear, stands that wrap the rear wheel, block-pattern tyres or more than two wheels, and some folding or home-modified bikes. A bike that cannot go in a rack must be taken apart and bagged. JR East asks every rider to bring a bike bag anyway. Website: https://www.jreast.co.jp/railway/joyful/bbbase.html Summary: B.B.BASE is JR East's cycle train out of Ryogoku, where your bike rides whole in a rack and you ride beside it to the Boso Peninsula. It runs only on set days, and the next one is B.B.BASE Teganuma on 17 October 2026. B.B.BASE has run since January 2018 as a six-car train with 99 seats, and car 4 is open free space. You wheel the bike aboard, set it in a rack and strap the frame, and the train carries you both out of Ryogoku. The floors are grippy rubber for cleated shoes, and the tables have power sockets for lights and phones. The 2026 calendar has been thin. Runs went out in September and early October, and typhoon damage cancelled the 26 September and 10 October trains. The last run JR East lists for the year is B.B.BASE Teganuma on 17 October, running out to Fusa for rides round Lake Teganuma, with nothing scheduled in November. Every seat is reserved. Eki-net opens requests at 14:00 one month and one week before a run, and ticket offices start selling at 10:00 a month before. Check the rack rules before you go, because a bike with mudguards or knobbly tyres has to travel bagged. Tips: - Tap your Suica at a normal gate before you walk to the B.B.BASE gate at Ryogoku. - Bring a bike bag even on B.B.BASE, as JR East asks. Q: When does B.B.BASE run next? A: JR East's calendar lists B.B.BASE Teganuma on 17 October 2026 and no runs in November 2026. Q: Do you need to book B.B.BASE ahead? A: B.B.BASE: Eki-net takes advance requests from 14:00 one month and one week before the run, and stations sell seats from 10:00 one month before. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.jreast.co.jp/railway/joyful/bbbase.html https://media.jreast.co.jp/articles/6739 https://media.jreast.co.jp/articles/6767 ### Hokuriku Shinkansen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/hokuriku-shinkansen Type: Transport Local name: 北陸新幹線 (ja) Also known as: Nagano Shinkansen, Kagayaki, Hakutaka, Asama, Hokuriku bullet train Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Kind: Shinkansen Via: Ueno, Omiya, Takasaki, Karuizawa, Nagano, Iiyama, Joetsu Myoko, Toyama, Kanazawa, Tsuruga Operator: JR East (Tokyo to Joetsu-Myoko) and JR West (Joetsu-Myoko to Tsuruga) Fastest: 1 h 17 min Fare from: ¥8,450 (2026), about CAD 76 or USD 53 (October 2026 rates) Booking: JR-EAST Train Reservation online, reserved-seat ticket machines or a JR ticket office Book ahead: Seats go on sale one month ahead. Bikes: In a bike bag (rinko bag) Board bags: Carried Largest item: 250 cm (length, width and height added) Oversized seat: No booking needed Where to bag: JR East's trains have luggage areas on some cars and they fill first come, first served. A bagged bike goes at your feet or in a luggage area, and JR East asks riders to keep heavy or oddly shaped bags off the overhead racks. Bike rules: JR East lets each passenger carry two items free of charge, each up to 30 kg with length, width and height adding up to 250 cm or less and no side over 2 metres. Skis, snowboards and other sports gear may run longer as long as they travel upright in their own bag or case. A bike has to be taken apart or folded so every part, seat and wheels included, sits inside a dedicated bag. JR East runs no oversized-baggage booking on any of its Shinkansen lines. Website: https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/routemaps/hokurikushinkansen.html Summary: The Hokuriku Shinkansen carries skiers from Tokyo into the Nagano and Myoko snow country in under two hours. Check the train name before you book, because only the Hakutaka stops at Iiyama for Nozawa Onsen and at Joetsu-Myoko for Myoko and Arai. JR East runs the line from Tokyo as far as Joetsu-Myoko, and JR West takes it on to Kanazawa and Tsuruga. On a Friday in October 2026 the 07:20 Kagayaki pulled into Nagano 77 minutes after leaving Tokyo, with one stop at Omiya. Nagano is where the Alpico express bus leaves for Hakuba. The Asama makes every stop to Nagano and took 109 minutes on the same morning. For Nozawa Onsen get off at Iiyama, and for Myoko or Arai ride on to Joetsu-Myoko. Hakutaka trains cover Tokyo to Iiyama in about 98 minutes. Joetsu-Myoko took 111 minutes on the fastest Hakutaka we found. The Kagayaki runs through both stations without stopping, so a Kagayaki ticket to Iiyama means changing at Nagano. Board bags and bike bags ride free on JR East's half of the line, and nobody books a luggage seat. Each passenger can bring two items up to 30 kg, with length, width and height adding to 250 cm or less. Skis and snowboards may run longer if they stand upright in their case. A bike has to be fully inside its bag, wheels and seat included. Tips: - Look for Hakutaka in the train name when you book Iiyama or Joetsu-Myoko. - Get to the platform early with a board bag, since JR East's luggage areas fill first come, first served. - Reserved seats cost a little more on JR's busy dates; Tokyo to Nagano came to ¥8,450 on a regular day in October 2026 and ¥8,250 on a quiet day in November. Q: How long does the train take from Tokyo to Nagano? A: The fastest Kagayaki took 77 minutes in the 2026 timetable, and a reserved seat cost ¥8,450 on a regular-season day. Q: Which Shinkansen stops at Iiyama for Nozawa Onsen? A: The Hakutaka. It took about 98 minutes from Tokyo in October 2026. The Kagayaki passes Iiyama without stopping. Q: How long does Hokuriku Shinkansen take? A: Kagayaki takes about 1 h 17 min. Q: How much is Hokuriku Shinkansen? A: Tokyo to Nagano, reserved seat on Hokuriku Shinkansen costs ¥8,450 (2026), about CAD 76 or USD 53 (October 2026 rates). Q: Do you need to book Hokuriku Shinkansen ahead? A: Hokuriku Shinkansen: Seats go on sale one month ahead. Q: Can you take a bike on Hokuriku Shinkansen? A: Yes. Hokuriku Shinkansen carries bikes in a bike bag (rinko bag). Q: Can you bring a ski or snowboard bag on Hokuriku Shinkansen? A: Yes. Hokuriku Shinkansen carries ski and snowboard bags up to 250 cm, length, width and height added. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/routemaps/hokurikushinkansen.html https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/luggage-area/ https://timetables.jreast.co.jp/en/ https://jr-shinkansen.net/articles/fare-hokuriku/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E9%95%B7%E9%87%8E&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E9%A3%AF%E5%B1%B1&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=12&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E4%B8%8A%E8%B6%8A%E5%A6%99%E9%AB%98&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E9%87%91%E6%B2%A2&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 ### Ise-wan Ferry URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/ise-wan-ferry Type: Transport Local name: 伊勢湾フェリー (ja) Also known as: Isewan Ferry, Irago-Toba ferry, Toba-Irago ferry, Ise Bay ferry, 伊良湖 鳥羽 フェリー Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Mie Town: Toba Address: 1484-111 Toba 3-chome, Toba, Mie Coordinates: 34.48040, 136.84680 Kind: Ferry Via: Irago, Toba Operator: Ise-wan Ferry Co. Fastest: 1 h Fare from: ¥1,400 (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 8.80 (October 2026 rates) Booking: Buy tickets at the terminal on the day; the Irago counter is on the second floor of the Irago Crystal Porto roadside station. Ise-wan Ferry sells no tickets in advance and takes no online bookings, and its phone bookings cover cars and motorcycles. Foot passengers board without a booking. Book ahead: No advance purchase. Cards, transit IC cards, iD, QUICPay and PayPay work at the ticket counter. Bikes: Carried, bagged or not Bike fee: ¥1,400 per bike (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 8.80 (October 2026 rates) Bike booking: None. The phone booking line takes cars and motorcycles only, and everyone else is boarded on the day. Bike rules: An unbagged bicycle pays the ¥1,400 special-luggage fare one way, or ¥2,660 return, on top of the rider's ticket. A bike taken apart and packed in a rinko bag rides on the passenger fare alone. Bikes: Unbagged Oversized seat: No booking needed Hand-baggage fee: ¥1,400 (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 8.80 (October 2026 rates) Where to bag: At Irago the ferry leaves from the Irago Crystal Porto roadside station, which runs a cycle station with racks, lockers, a changing space, free Wi-Fi and tools on loan. At Toba the terminal sits a short ride from Kintetsu and JR Toba Station. Bike rules: Ise-wan Ferry carries bikes whole for ¥1,400 one way and bagged bikes free with a passenger ticket. Website: https://www.isewanferry.co.jp/ Summary: Ise-wan Ferry crosses the mouth of Ise Bay from Cape Irago to Toba in an hour, and it is the link that joins the Pacific Cycling Road's Aichi and Mie stages. A whole bike costs ¥1,400 on top of the ¥1,980 adult fare, while a bagged bike rides free. The boat runs eight or nine times a day each way, from 08:10 to the 17:40 departure, and both ports send a ship at the same minute for most of the day. Ise-wan Ferry publishes a colour-coded calendar for April 2026 to March 2027 that says which days run the fuller B timetable. Check it before you plan a late crossing in winter, because the last boat leaves at 17:40 all year. Riders coming off the Atsumi Peninsula reach the Irago terminal at the Irago Crystal Porto roadside station, about 30 km from Mikawa-Tahara Station. The ferry company runs a cycle station there with racks, lockers and a pump to borrow. On the Toba side you land beside the town, and Kintetsu's cycle train runs from Toba Station toward Ise and Kashikojima. Fares went up on 1 October 2025. An unbagged bike now pays ¥1,400 one way, which costs more than packing it into a rinko bag and paying nothing extra. The return tickets save about five percent and last seven days. Tips: - Pack the bike into a rinko bag for the crossing if you carry one, since a bagged bike rides on the passenger fare. - Plan to reach Irago by 17:00 at the latest; the 17:40 sailing is the last of the day all year. - Pair the crossing with the Atsumi Line cycle train from Toyohashi, which takes whole bikes as far as Mikawa-Tahara. Q: How much does the Irago to Toba ferry charge for a bicycle? A: Ise-wan Ferry charges ¥1,400 one way for an unbagged bicycle on top of the ¥1,980 adult fare. A bicycle packed in a rinko bag travels on the passenger fare alone. Q: Do I need to book the Irago to Toba ferry with a bike? A: No. Ise-wan Ferry takes phone bookings only for cars and motorcycles, and foot passengers buy tickets at the terminal on the day. Q: How long does the Ise-wan Ferry take? A: The crossing from Irago to Toba takes about 60 minutes on the operator's timetable. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.isewanferry.co.jp/publics/index/477/ https://www.isewanferry.co.jp/publics/index/175/ https://www.isewanferry.co.jp/files/libs/19426/202601271657522210.pdf https://www.isewanferry.co.jp/publics/index/17/ https://www.isewanferry.co.jp/publics/index/19/ https://www.isewanferry.co.jp/publics/index/23/ https://www.isewanferry.co.jp/publics/index/123/ https://www.isewanferry.co.jp/publics/index/121/ https://www.isewanferry.co.jp/publics/index/292/ https://www.toyotetsu.com/stay/ticket_008.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11379095 ### Izu Kyuko Line URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/izu-kyuko-line Type: Transport Local name: 伊豆急行線 (ja) Also known as: Izukyu, Izu Kyu line, Izukyu cycle train, 伊豆急, 伊豆急サイクルトレイン Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Ito Kind: Train Via: Ito, Minami Ito, Kawana, Jogasaki kaigan, Izu Kogen, Izu Atagawa, Izu Inatori, Kawazu, Izukyu Shimoda Operator: Izukyu Co., Ltd. Fastest: 1 h 19 min Fare from: Free Booking: No booking for the cycle train. Report to the staff at a staffed station before boarding; they check space and record your destination. Limited express seats from Tokyo book through JR East. Book ahead: Izukyu takes no advance bookings for bikes, so reach the station early. Bikes: Carried, bagged or not Bike fee: ¥0 per bike (2026) Bike booking: None. Sign in with station staff before boarding; unstaffed stations and stations with the window closed cannot take a cycle-train rider. Bike rules: Unbagged bikes ride free on the 8000 series locals in Izukyu's cycle-train timetable, up to six per train and one per person. At other times, and on any train, a bike taken apart and packed in a bag rides free within 250 cm and 30 kg. Bikes: Unbagged Board bags: Carried Largest item: 250 cm (length, width and height added) Oversized seat: No booking needed Hand-baggage fee: ¥0 (2026) Unbagged days: Cycle-train runs in the timetable revised 24 April 2026, every day except the dates Izukyu crosses out on its calendar: 19 to 23 September, 10 to 12 October and 21 to 23 November 2026. Izukyu bars bikes in busy periods and publishes the calendar a few months at a time. Where to bag: Bikes go by the crew cabs: at the Shimoda-end door of car 1 and the Atami-end door of car 3, three bikes in each. The three cars at the Atami end of a six-car train take none. Every station except Izukyu-Shimoda has stairs; Izu-Kogen, Izu-Atagawa and Kawazu have lifts that may be too small for some bikes, and Izukyu bans bikes on the Izu-Kogen escalator. Bike rules: Bagged bikes and boards ride free as hand luggage within 250 cm in length, width and height combined, 30 kg and 2 m long, two items per person; sports gear longer than 2 m that stands upright in its bag is allowed. On the cycle train hold the bike by hand, since the car has no fixings, and never push it along the aisle. Website: https://www.izukyu.co.jp/ Summary: The Izu Kyuko Line runs down Izu's east coast from Ito to Shimoda, and its free cycle train suits riders who want to ride one way along the coast and train back. Its cycle train covers listed local trains south of Minami-Ito, and the bike goes in a bag anywhere north of there. Izukyu runs the coast line from Ito to Izukyu-Shimoda, and JR trains from Atami and the Odoriko expresses from Tokyo run through onto it. The cycle train uses the 8000 series locals only. From the timetable revised on 24 April 2026 there are seven southbound runs a day and eight heading north, and a local takes about 79 minutes from Minami-Ito to Shimoda. You report to the station staff first, because Izukyu books nothing ahead and records each rider's destination. Board at Minami-Ito, Kawana, Jogasaki-kaigan, Izu-Kogen, Izu-Atagawa, Izu-Inatori, Kawazu or Izukyu-Shimoda while the window is open. Six bikes fit per train, three by the crew cab in car 1 and three in car 3. Coming from Atami or Ito, pack the bike in a rinko bag; Izukyu bars unbagged bikes north of Minami-Ito and on the JR Ito Line, and it will not let you unpack in the car. The adult fare from Ito to Shimoda is ¥1,860 since the revision of 14 March 2026. The east coast is the hilly half of the Izuichi loop and stage 3 of the Pacific Cycling Road, so the train makes a good bail-out. Tips: - Start a cycle-train trip at Minami-Ito rather than Ito, since Izukyu only accepts unbagged bikes from Minami-Ito southward. - Avoid the crossed-out dates on Izukyu's calendar, which in 2026 include 10 to 12 October and 21 to 23 November. - Look at the cycle-train timetable before you ride; trains without a time at your station will not take the bike. Q: Can I take a bike on the Izu Kyuko Line without a bag? A: Yes, on the 8000 series local trains in Izukyu's cycle-train timetable between Minami-Ito and Izukyu-Shimoda, free of charge. North of Minami-Ito and on limited expresses the bike must be taken apart and bagged. Q: Do I need to book the Izukyu cycle train? A: No. Izukyu takes no bookings for the cycle train; you report to the staff at a staffed station, and each train takes up to six bikes. Q: How much is the train from Ito to Shimoda? A: The Izu Kyuko Line charges ¥1,860 for an adult from Ito to Izukyu-Shimoda in 2026, and the bike rides free. Q: How long does Izu Kyuko Line take? A: Cycle-train locals, Minami-Ito to Izukyu-Shimoda takes about 1 h 19 min, seven southbound and eight northbound cycle-train runs a day in the timetable revised 24 April 2026. Q: Do you need to book Izu Kyuko Line ahead? A: Izu Kyuko Line: Izukyu takes no advance bookings for bikes, so reach the station early. Q: Can you bring a ski or snowboard bag on Izu Kyuko Line? A: Yes. Izu Kyuko Line carries ski and snowboard bags up to 250 cm, length, width and height added. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.izukyu.co.jp/train/cycle.php https://camel3.com/cms/files/izukyu/MASTER/1330/M8fQjucA.pdf https://camel3.com/cms/files/izukyu/MASTER/1330/tfomJaNb.pdf https://camel3.com/cms/files/izukyu/MASTER/1330/q50QG2tH.pdf https://www.izukyu.co.jp/fares/index.php https://www.izukyu.co.jp/faq/index.php?id=train https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/cycletrain/index.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q864265 ### Joetsu Shinkansen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/joetsu-shinkansen Type: Transport Local name: 上越新幹線 (ja) Also known as: Joetsu bullet train, Toki, Tanigawa Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Kind: Shinkansen Via: Ueno, Omiya, Takasaki, Jomo Kogen, Echigo Yuzawa, GALA Yuzawa, Nagaoka, Niigata Operator: JR East Fastest: 1 h 6 min Fare from: ¥6,130 (2026), about CAD 55 or USD 39 (October 2026 rates) Booking: JR-EAST Train Reservation online, reserved-seat ticket machines or a JR ticket office Book ahead: Seats go on sale one month ahead. Bikes: In a bike bag (rinko bag) Board bags: Carried Largest item: 250 cm (length, width and height added) Oversized seat: No booking needed Where to bag: JR East's trains have luggage areas on some cars and they fill first come, first served. A bagged bike goes at your feet or in a luggage area, and JR East asks riders to keep heavy or oddly shaped bags off the overhead racks. Bike rules: JR East lets each passenger carry two items free of charge, each up to 30 kg with length, width and height adding up to 250 cm or less and no side over 2 metres. Skis, snowboards and other sports gear may run longer as long as they travel upright in their own bag or case. A bike has to be taken apart or folded so every part, seat and wheels included, sits inside a dedicated bag. JR East runs no oversized-baggage booking on any of its Shinkansen lines. Website: https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/routemaps/joetsushinkansen.html Summary: The Joetsu Shinkansen puts Yuzawa and Minakami about an hour from Tokyo, close enough for a day on the snow. Ride a Toki when you can, because the all-stops Tanigawa adds 20 minutes or more. On 16 October 2026 the 07:04 Toki left Tokyo and reached Echigo-Yuzawa in 66 minutes. Toki 305 called at Jomo-Kogen in 64 minutes, and Jomo-Kogen is the station for Minakami. Tanigawa trains stop everywhere and end at Echigo-Yuzawa, and the ones we checked took 84 to 90 minutes. JR East's timetable lists GALA Yuzawa as a seasonal station. Check its winter dates on the timetable before you plan to ride straight to the resort. Board bags and bike bags ride free and need no luggage booking. Each passenger may carry two items of up to 30 kg whose length, width and height add to 250 cm or less, and skis or boards may run longer if they stand upright in a case. Tips: - Pick a Toki over a Tanigawa for Echigo-Yuzawa, since the Toki saved about 20 minutes on the October 2026 samples. - Get off at Jomo-Kogen for Minakami. Q: How long is the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Echigo-Yuzawa? A: The fastest Toki took 66 minutes in the 2026 timetable, and a reserved seat cost ¥6,900 on a regular-season day. Q: How much is Joetsu Shinkansen? A: Tokyo to Echigo-Yuzawa, reserved seat on Joetsu Shinkansen costs ¥6,900 (2026), about CAD 62 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates). Q: Do you need to book Joetsu Shinkansen ahead? A: Joetsu Shinkansen: Seats go on sale one month ahead. Q: Can you take a bike on Joetsu Shinkansen? A: Yes. Joetsu Shinkansen carries bikes in a bike bag (rinko bag). Q: Can you bring a ski or snowboard bag on Joetsu Shinkansen? A: Yes. Joetsu Shinkansen carries ski and snowboard bags up to 250 cm, length, width and height added. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/routemaps/joetsushinkansen.html https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/luggage-area/ https://timetables.jreast.co.jp/en/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E8%B6%8A%E5%BE%8C%E6%B9%AF%E6%B2%A2&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E8%B6%8A%E5%BE%8C%E6%B9%AF%E6%B2%A2&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=17&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E4%B8%8A%E6%AF%9B%E9%AB%98%E5%8E%9F&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E6%96%B0%E6%BD%9F&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 ### Kinokuni Line cycle trains URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/kinokuni-line-cycle-trains Type: Transport Local name: きのくに線わかやま線サイクルトレイン (ja) Also known as: Kuroshio Cycle, くろしおサイクル, Cycle Train Plus, サイクルトレインプラス, Kisei Line cycle train, Wakayama cycle train, JR West cycle train Region: Kansai Prefecture: Wakayama Town: Wakayama Coordinates: 34.23210, 135.19100 Kind: Rinko Via: Wakayama, Gobo, Kii Tanabe, Shirahama, Kushimoto, Kii Katsuura, Shingu Operator: JR West Fastest: 1 h 5 min Fare from: ¥990 (2026), about CAD 8.90 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Booking: Cycle Train Plus: free online booking through JR West's form, then show the booking to staff at a staffed gate. Gobo to Shingu: no booking. Kuroshio Cycle: reserve a seat in car 6 on the Kuroshio between Shirahama and Shingu. Book ahead: Book Cycle Train Plus once you have picked a train from JR West's list, which can change without notice. Bikes: Carried, bagged or not Bike fee: ¥0 per bike (2026) Bike booking: Cycle Train Plus between Wakayama and Gobo or Gojo needs a free online booking. Kuroshio Cycle needs a reserved seat in car 6. The Gobo to Shingu locals take bikes without a booking. Bike rules: Bring your own straps and tie the bike to a handrail; staff may refuse a rider who cannot secure it. The cars have no bike area. JR West turns away e-bikes, tandems and other bikes one person cannot carry safely, with about 30 kg as the guide. On any other train the bike must be taken apart and bagged. Bikes: Unbagged Largest item: 250 cm (length, width and height added) Oversized seat: Booking required Hand-baggage fee: ¥0 (2026) Unbagged days: Gobo to Shingu locals carry whole bikes every day on all but a few listed trains, with no booking. Cycle Train Plus runs on set trains between Wakayama and Gobo every day and between Wakayama and Gojo on Sundays and holidays. Kuroshio Cycle runs on every Kuroshio between Shirahama and Shingu except 2 to 6 May, 8 to 16 August, 19 to 23 September and 1 to 7 October 2026 and 29 December 2026 to 4 January 2027. Where to bag: On Cycle Train Plus wait at the rearmost door of the last car, where a marker shows the spot. On Gobo to Shingu one-man trains use the front door of car 1 at unstaffed stations. Kuroshio Cycle riders borrow a cover at the gate at Shirahama, Kushimoto, Kii-Katsuura or Shingu, fit it on the platform rack and lift the bike into car 6. Bike rules: Booking is required on Cycle Train Plus and Kuroshio Cycle and not needed between Gobo and Shingu. The 250 cm and 30 kg limits apply to a bike taken apart and bagged for any other JR West train, with no side longer than 2 m. Kuroshio Cycle takes bikes that fit its 200 cm cover and that one person can lift, from road bikes to folding bikes. Website: https://www.jr-odekake.net/railroad/kuroshio/cycletrain/ Summary: JR West's Wakayama cycle trains let you ride the coast and take a whole bike back on the train, and they suit anyone doing the Pacific Cycling Road's Wakayama stage between Shingu and Wakayama. The trade-off is that each stretch of line has its own booking rule, so check which train you need before you set off. South of Gobo the arrangement is simple. Any local train between Gobo and Shingu takes a whole bike on the ordinary fare, apart from a few JR West lists, and nobody asks for a booking. These are one-man trains, so at an unstaffed halt you get on and off by the driver's door at the front of car 1. North of Gobo, Cycle Train Plus covers the busier run into Wakayama. You book a named train online for free, wait at the last door of the last car and strap the bike to a handrail with your own bands. The same scheme runs inland on the Wakayama Line to Gojo, on Sundays and holidays only. Kuroshio Cycle is the fast option. Every Kuroshio limited express between Shirahama and Shingu sets aside car 6 for cyclists, and one booked seat gets you a row of four with room to stand the bike in a cover lent free at the gate. It stops only at Shirahama, Kushimoto, Kii-Katsuura and Shingu, and JR West drops it over Golden Week, Obon, the September holidays, early October and New Year. Tips: - Pack bands or straps before you leave; JR West's cars have no bike racks and staff can refuse a bike you cannot tie down. - Check JR West's train list on the morning you travel, since it can change without notice. - Book Kuroshio Cycle around the excluded dates in 2026: 1 to 7 October and 29 December to 4 January among them. Q: Do I need to book a bike on the Kinokuni Line? A: You book north of Gobo and on the express. Cycle Train Plus between Wakayama and Gobo needs a free online booking, Kuroshio Cycle needs a car 6 seat, and the local trains between Gobo and Shingu take bikes without one. Q: Does JR West charge extra for a bike on the Kinokuni Line cycle trains? A: No. JR West charges only the rider's ticket on the Kinokuni Line cycle trains, and Kuroshio Cycle adds only the reserved limited express charge. Q: Where does Kuroshio Cycle stop? A: Kuroshio Cycle stops at Shirahama, Kushimoto, Kii-Katsuura and Shingu, where staff lend and take back the bike covers. Q: How long does Kinokuni Line cycle trains take? A: Cycle Train Plus, Wakayama to Gobo (local trains) takes about 1 h 5 min, set trains every day, and the list changes between weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays or holidays; JR West's list dated 3 October 2026 marks them. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.jr-odekake.net/railroad/kuroshio/cycletrain/ https://www.jr-odekake.net/railroad/kuroshio/cycletrain/cycletrain_plus.html https://www.jr-odekake.net/railroad/kuroshio/cycletrain/cycletrain.html https://www.jr-odekake.net/railroad/kuroshio/cycletrain/kuroshio_cycle.html https://www.jr-odekake.net/railroad/kuroshio/cycletrain/cycletrain_plus_gojo.html https://www.jr-odekake.net/railroad/kuroshio/cycletrain/assets/pdf/cycletrainplus.pdf https://www.jr-odekake.net/railroad/kuroshio/cycletrain/assets/pdf/close-day.pdf https://www.jr-odekake.net/railroad/kuroshio/cycletrain/assets/pdf/allowed_bicycles.pdf https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/train/cycletrain/ https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/cycletrain/index.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1044107 ### Kintetsu rinko and cycle trains URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/kintetsu-rinko-and-cycle-trains Type: Transport Local name: 近鉄サイクルトレイン (ja) Also known as: Kintetsu cycle train, Ise-Shima cycle train, KettA, Cycle Train KettA, サイクルトレイン KettA, Tawaramoto Line cycle train, Kintetsu bike rules Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Mie Town: Ise Kind: Rinko Via: Matsusaka, Iseshi, Ujiyamada, Isuzugawa, Toba, Shima Isobe, Ugata, Kashikojima Operator: Kintetsu Railway Fastest: 1 h Fare from: Free Booking: Ordinary trains and cycle trains need no booking. Limited expresses are all reserved seats, and Kintetsu sells no luggage-space reservation; a bagged bike goes on the rack or at your feet. Hinotori carries free lockers for large luggage and Shimakaze has lockers too, but Kintetsu publishes no locker size. KettA sells digital tickets on its own booking site, one ticket per purchase. Book ahead: Limited express tickets go on sale at 10:30 on the same date one month before travel. KettA tickets also open at 10:30 one month ahead, so 31 October 2026 went on sale on 1 October. Bikes: Carried, bagged or not Bike fee: ¥0 per bike (2026) Bike booking: None for bagged bikes or the Ise-Shima and Tawaramoto cycle trains. KettA needs a digital ticket bought ahead. Bike rules: Off the cycle trains a bike must be taken apart or folded and packed in a dedicated bag. On the Ise-Shima cycle train bikes up to 180 cm long and 45 cm wide (not counting the bars) ride whole in the second car from the front, about eight per train. E-bikes are fine; bikes without brakes, mopeds and tandems are turned away. Bikes: In a bike bag (rinko bag) Board bags: Carried Largest item: 250 cm (length, width and height added) Oversized seat: No booking needed Hand-baggage fee: ¥0 (2026) Unbagged days: Ise-Shima cycle train: weekdays between Isuzugawa and Kashikojima on trains from about 09:00 to 15:00, and weekends and holidays between Matsusaka and Kashikojima from about 08:40 into the 17:00 hour, except days crossed out on Kintetsu's calendar (19 to 23 September 2026 among them). Tawaramoto Line: trains leaving 09:00 to 15:00 every day. KettA from Osaka on 31 October and 1, 7 and 8 November 2026, and from Nagoya on 24 and 25 October and 22 and 23 November 2026. Where to bag: Cycle-train riders use the second car from the front in either direction and wait by the cycle marker on the platform. Lifts or slopes only; Kintetsu bans bikes on stairs and escalators. Matsusaka and Iseshi bikes must use the Kintetsu gates. On limited expresses Hinotori has free lockers for large luggage, Shimakaze has lockers too, and some other cars have a luggage space; Kintetsu publishes no locker size. Bike rules: Kintetsu carries free hand luggage up to 250 cm in length, width and height combined, 30 kg and 2 m long, two pieces per person, and a bike counts only when taken apart or folded into its bag. Staff may refuse luggage on a crowded train. On the cycle trains bring your own strap to tie the bike to a strap or handrail, hold it as well, and keep children under 12 with an adult. Website: https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/cycle/cycletrain/ Summary: Kintetsu carries bagged bikes free on every train and whole bikes on its Ise-Shima cycle train between Matsusaka and Kashikojima, and it suits riders landing at Toba off the Irago ferry or riding the Pacific Cycling Road's Mie stage. On weekdays the cycle train covers only Isuzugawa to Kashikojima between about 09:00 and 15:00. The Ise-Shima cycle train is the one most riders use. On weekdays it runs on the Toba and Shima lines from Isuzugawa, near the Inner Shrine, down to Kashikojima, and at weekends it stretches back along the Yamada Line to Matsusaka. There is no charge and no booking. Bring a strap, because Kintetsu wants the bike tied to a handrail in the second car from the front. Limited expresses are a different matter. Every seat on a Kintetsu limited express is reserved, and the company sells no space for a bike bag, so it goes on the rack or at your feet. Hinotori has free lockers for big luggage and Shimakaze has lockers as well, though Kintetsu gives no size for them. Some other cars have a luggage space depending on the train. Kintetsu's own limit for hand luggage is 250 cm and 30 kg. KettA is a seasonal treat for riders based in Osaka or Nagoya. Kintetsu runs its Tsudoi sightseeing train with bike racks to Kashikojima on four autumn days from each city in 2026, leaving early in the morning and returning in the evening. A ¥1,000 digital ticket secures a rack, and the racks take road, cross and mountain bikes up to 15 kg. Yoro Railway runs the line from Kuwana to Ogaki and Ibi as a separate company with its own free cycle train, covered in its own entry. Tips: - Check Kintetsu's cycle-train calendar before a holiday weekend; the service stopped for 19 to 23 September 2026. - Get on and off at the stations Kintetsu lists, since several small halts on the Shima Line take no cycle-train riders. - Buy KettA tickets at 10:30 one month before the run; each purchase covers one ticket and one direction. Q: Can I take a bike on a Kintetsu train? A: Yes. Kintetsu carries a bike free on any train when it is taken apart or folded into a dedicated bag, and whole bikes ride free on the Ise-Shima and Tawaramoto Line cycle trains. Q: Do I need to reserve space for a bike bag on a Kintetsu limited express? A: No. Kintetsu sells no luggage reservations, so a bagged bike goes on the rack or at your feet. Hinotori and Shimakaze also carry lockers for large luggage. Q: When does the Kintetsu cycle train run between Toba and Kashikojima? A: Kintetsu's Ise-Shima cycle train runs on weekdays between about 09:00 and 15:00, and at weekends and on holidays from about 08:40 into the 17:00 hour, apart from days its calendar crosses out. Q: How much is Kintetsu rinko and cycle trains? A: KettA digital ticket with a cycle rack, one way on Kintetsu rinko and cycle trains costs ¥1,000 (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates). Q: Can you take a bike on Kintetsu Railway? A: Yes. Kintetsu Railway carries bikes in a bike bag (rinko bag). A hand-baggage ticket costs ¥0 (2026). Q: Can you bring a ski or snowboard bag on Kintetsu Railway? A: Yes. Kintetsu Railway carries ski and snowboard bags up to 250 cm, length, width and height added. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/cycle/cycletrain/ https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/cycle/cycletrain/common/pdf/iseshima_attention.pdf https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/cycle/cycletrain/common/pdf/iseshima_train.pdf https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/cycle/cycletrain/common/pdf/iseshima_date.pdf https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/cycle/cycletrain/common/pdf/ketta_information.pdf https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/cycle/cycletrain/common/pdf/tawara_attention.pdf https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/gyoumu/kippu/nyuujouken/nyuujouken.html https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/gyoumu/Express/A10002.html https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/senden/hinotori/ https://kintetsu-faq.dga.jp/faq_detail.html?id=13 https://kintetsu-faq.dga.jp/faq_detail.html?id=75 https://www.isewanferry.co.jp/publics/index/267/ ### Kyushu Shinkansen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/kyushu-shinkansen Type: Transport Local name: 九州新幹線 (ja) Also known as: Mizuho, Sakura, Tsubame, Kyushu bullet train Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Fukuoka Kind: Shinkansen Via: Hakata, Shin Tosu, Kurume, Kumamoto, Kagoshima Chuo Operator: JR Kyushu Fastest: 32 min Fare from: ¥5,840 (2026), about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) Booking: JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation, smartEX, reserved-seat machines or a JR ticket office; pick a seat with an oversized-baggage area for a big bag Book ahead: Reservations open one month ahead. Bikes: In a bike bag (rinko bag) Board bags: Carried Largest item: 250 cm (length, width and height added) Oversized seat: Booking required from 160 cm Where to bag: Seats with an oversized-baggage area sit in the last row of some cars, and the space behind that row belongs to the five people booked into it. Bags up to 160 cm go on the overhead rack or at your feet. Bike rules: A bag whose length, width and height add up to more than 160 cm and no more than 250 cm needs a seat with an oversized-baggage area booked ahead, at no extra cost over a normal reserved seat. Without that booking the conductor charges a ¥1,000 carry-on fee and moves the bag to a set space, and a full train can mean waiting for the next one. Anything over 250 cm stays off the train. JR Central's page exempts sports equipment such as bicycles from the oversized rule, yet you still need the booking to use the oversized space or compartment. Bikes travel taken apart and fully bagged. Website: https://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/english/ Summary: The Kyushu Shinkansen puts Kumamoto, the gateway to Aso and Amakusa, half an hour south of Hakata on a Mizuho. Oversized bags need a booked seat, just as on the Tokaido and Sanyo lines. JR Kyushu runs the line from Hakata to Kagoshima-Chuo. Mizuho 601 reached Kumamoto in 32 minutes in the 2026 timetable, and Sakura trains took 38 with stops at Shin-Tosu and Kurume. The all-stations Tsubame takes 48 to 50 minutes and fills the gaps between them. JR Central's oversized-baggage page covers the Kyushu Shinkansen too. A bag over 160 cm in length, width and height combined needs a seat with an oversized-baggage area booked ahead, and anything over 250 cm stays off the train. Tips: - Take the quickest train going to Kumamoto, since the Mizuho cost the same as the all-stations Tsubame on 10 November 2026. Q: How long does Kyushu Shinkansen take? A: Mizuho takes about 32 min. Q: How much is Kyushu Shinkansen? A: Hakata to Kumamoto, reserved seat on Kyushu Shinkansen costs ¥5,840 (2026), about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates). Q: Do you need to book Kyushu Shinkansen ahead? A: Kyushu Shinkansen: Reservations open one month ahead. Q: Can you take a bike on Kyushu Shinkansen? A: Yes. Kyushu Shinkansen carries bikes in a bike bag (rinko bag). Book a seat with an oversized-baggage area for anything from 160 cm. Q: Can you bring a ski or snowboard bag on Kyushu Shinkansen? A: Yes. Kyushu Shinkansen carries ski and snowboard bags up to 250 cm, length, width and height added. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/oversized-baggage/ https://www.jrkyushu-timetable.jp/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E5%8D%9A%E5%A4%9A&to=%E7%86%8A%E6%9C%AC&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=08&m1=2&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E5%8D%9A%E5%A4%9A&to=%E7%86%8A%E6%9C%AC&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=06&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 ### Nagano to Hakuba express bus URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/nagano-hakuba-express-bus Type: Transport Local name: 特急バス 長野－白馬線 (ja) Also known as: Alpico Nagano Hakuba bus, Nagano Hakuba bus, Hakuba express bus Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Kind: Bus Operator: Alpico Kotsu Fastest: 1 h 10 min Fare from: ¥2,900 (2026), about CAD 26 or USD 18 (October 2026 rates) Booking: Buy on the day at the counter or on the bus; the April to November 2026 timetable takes no reservations Website: https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/express/nagano_hakuba/ Summary: Alpico's express bus is the simplest link from the Nagano Shinkansen to Hakuba, 70 minutes from Nagano Station to Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal for ¥2,900. The winter timetable for December 2026 onward had not been published on 11 October 2026. Buses leave from Nagano Station's East Exit and call at Hakuba Goryu, Hakuba Station and Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal before some carry on to Iwatake, Tsugaike Kogen and Hakuba Norikura. On the timetable that runs to 30 November 2026 the 08:20 from Nagano reaches Happo at 09:30. Seven buses run toward Hakuba each day and six come back, the first leaving Happo at 06:30. Alpico's fare from Nagano Station to Hakuba Goryu, Hakuba Station or Happo is ¥2,900, and Tsugaike or Hakuba Norikura costs ¥3,200. Children pay half. The buses have Wi-Fi but no toilet, and they make no rest stops on the way. Winter brings a different timetable, and Alpico had not posted the December 2026 to March 2027 version when we checked. Check the route page before you plan a connection from the Kagayaki. Tips: - Use the toilet at Nagano Station first, since the bus has none. - Check Alpico's page in late November for the winter timetable. Q: How much is the bus from Nagano to Hakuba? A: ¥2,900 to Hakuba Goryu, Hakuba Station or Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal, and ¥3,200 to Tsugaike Kogen or Hakuba Norikura, on the fare table in force to 30 November 2026. Q: How long does Nagano to Hakuba express bus take? A: Nagano to Hakuba takes about 1 h 10 min, seven departures a day toward Hakuba on the timetable to 30 November 2026. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/express/nagano_hakuba/ https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/datas/files/2026/02/27/f9ca1214c42dd546bf07b0c324bbee4e6a1a2d07.pdf https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/datas/files/2026/02/27/20a4830a77100e7703ed252ff093fb99343ce8ec.pdf ### Nozawa Onsen Liner URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/nozawa-onsen-liner Type: Transport Local name: 野沢温泉ライナー (ja) Also known as: Iiyama Nozawa bus, Nozawa Onsen shuttle bus, Nozawa Liner Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Kind: Bus Operator: Nozawa Onsen Kotsu Fastest: 25 min Fare from: ¥300 (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Booking: No booking; pay on the bus, by Suica for one person or at the ticket machine for two or more Book ahead: Groups over 20 must tell the operator ahead with the date, time, numbers and luggage. Website: https://nozawaonsen.info/nozawa-onsen-liner/ Summary: The Nozawa Onsen Liner runs from the Shinkansen at Iiyama to the village's central terminal in about 25 minutes for ¥600. Check the connection before you book a train, since the bus does not wait for late Shinkansen. Nozawa Onsen Kotsu runs the Liner all year without bookings. On the timetable valid to 30 November 2026, ten buses a day leave Iiyama Station's Senkakugawa exit from stop 4, the first at 08:45 and the last at 21:20. The ride to Chuo Terminal takes about 25 minutes. Going back, the first bus leaves Nozawa at 06:30. Adults pay ¥600 and children ¥300. A Suica works for one person, and groups of two or more buy tickets at the machine before boarding. The operator states plainly that the bus does not guarantee a connection with the Shinkansen or the Iiyama Line. Tips: - Match your Hakutaka to a Liner departure before you book. - Buy tickets at the machine if you travel as a pair, since a Suica covers one fare per tap. Q: How do I get from Iiyama Station to Nozawa Onsen? A: Take the Nozawa Onsen Liner from stop 4 at the Senkakugawa exit. It takes about 25 minutes and costs ¥600 for adults. Q: How long does Nozawa Onsen Liner take? A: Iiyama Station to Nozawa Onsen takes about 25 min, ten departures a day each way on the timetable to 30 November 2026. Q: How much is Nozawa Onsen Liner? A: Adult, one way on Nozawa Onsen Liner costs ¥600 (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates). Q: Do you need to book Nozawa Onsen Liner ahead? A: Nozawa Onsen Liner: Groups over 20 must tell the operator ahead with the date, time, numbers and luggage. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nozawaonsen.info/nozawa-onsen-liner/ https://www.nozawakanko.jp/access/ ### Rinko at Onomichi Station URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/rinko-at-onomichi-station Type: Transport Local name: 尾道駅 (ja) Also known as: Onomichi Station, Onomichi rinko, Shimanami rinko Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Address: 1-1 Higashigosho-machi, Onomichi, Hiroshima Coordinates: 34.40480, 133.19370 Kind: Rinko Operator: JR West Bikes: In a bike bag (rinko bag) Largest item: 250 cm (length, width and height added) Oversized seat: No booking needed Where to bag: Both the South and North gates are step-free from the street. Platform 1, for Mihara and Hiroshima, is level with the South Gate, and a lift serves platforms 2 and 3 for Fukuyama and Okayama. JR West marks no bagging area, so riders pack and unpack outside the gates. Bike rules: JR West carries two items per passenger, each up to 30 kg and 250 cm in length, width and height combined with no side over 2 metres. A bike must be taken apart and carried in a dedicated bag, and a folding bike folded and bagged. Website: https://eki.jr-odekake.net/top?id=0650623 Summary: Onomichi Station sits by the port where the Shimanami Kaido begins, and riders arrive on the Sanyo Line. The Shinkansen stops at Shin-Onomichi instead, so plan a change at Fukuyama. JR West rebuilt the station in 2019, and its barrier-free listing shows both gates step-free from the street. Trains for Mihara and Hiroshima use platform 1, level with the South Gate. Trains for Fukuyama and Okayama use platform 2, and a lift serves it and platform 3. The staffed ticket office at the South Gate opens from 08:00 to 20:00. Shimanami Japan counts more than 100 coin lockers beside the main gates, at ¥400, ¥600 and ¥800 a day, plus three extra-large lockers at ¥1,000. Bags can stay up to 72 hours, and Suica, PASMO or cash all work. The Yamato office in the shopping arcade holds bags for ¥500 a piece. JR West's rule for the train is simple. Take the bike apart, put every part inside a dedicated bag, and keep it within 250 cm and 30 kg. Tips: - Change from the Shinkansen to the Sanyo Line at Fukuyama to arrive at Onomichi Station itself. - Leave the empty bike bag in a station locker if you plan to ride back to Onomichi. Q: Is there a lift at Onomichi Station? A: Yes. JR West lists a lift to platforms 2 and 3, and platform 1 is level with the South Gate. Q: Can you take a bike on JR West? A: Yes. JR West carries bikes in a bike bag (rinko bag). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://eki.jr-odekake.net/top?id=0650623 https://eki.jr-odekake.net/barrierfree?id=0650623 https://www.westjr.co.jp/travel-information/en/train-usage-guide/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/go-shimanami/experience/572 https://www.westjr.co.jp/press/article/2018/12/page_13558.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q861547 ### Sanyo Shinkansen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/sanyo-shinkansen Type: Transport Local name: 山陽新幹線 (ja) Also known as: San'yo Shinkansen, Sanyou Shinkansen, Nozomi, Mizuho, Sakura Region: Kansai Prefecture: Osaka Kind: Shinkansen Via: Shin Kobe, Himeji, Okayama, Fukuyama, Shin Onomichi, Mihara, Hiroshima, Hakata Operator: JR West Fastest: 1 h 1 min Fare from: ¥8,000 (2026), about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates) Booking: JR-WEST Online Train Reservation, smartEX, reserved-seat machines or a JR ticket office; pick a seat with an oversized-baggage area for a big bag Book ahead: Reservations open one month ahead. Bikes: In a bike bag (rinko bag) Board bags: Carried Largest item: 250 cm (length, width and height added) Oversized seat: Booking required from 160 cm Where to bag: Seats with an oversized-baggage area sit in the last row of some cars, and the space behind that row belongs to the five people booked into it. Bags up to 160 cm go on the overhead rack or at your feet. Bike rules: A bag whose length, width and height add up to more than 160 cm and no more than 250 cm needs a seat with an oversized-baggage area booked ahead, at no extra cost over a normal reserved seat. Without that booking the conductor charges a ¥1,000 carry-on fee and moves the bag to a set space, and a full train can mean waiting for the next one. Anything over 250 cm stays off the train. JR Central's page exempts sports equipment such as bicycles from the oversized rule, yet you still need the booking to use the oversized space or compartment. Bikes travel taken apart and fully bagged. Website: https://www.westjr.co.jp/travel-information/en/ Summary: The Sanyo Shinkansen is the fast way from Osaka to Fukuyama and Onomichi for the Shimanami Kaido, about an hour on a Nozomi. Big bags follow the same booking rule as the Tokaido Shinkansen. JR West runs the Sanyo Shinkansen west from Shin-Osaka to Hakata. Nozomi 101 took 61 minutes to Fukuyama in the 2026 timetable. Only the Kodama stops at Shin-Onomichi. A Nozomi to Fukuyama with a change to the Kodama reached Shin-Onomichi 73 minutes after Shin-Osaka. JR West asks riders on the Sanyo Shinkansen to book a seat with an oversized-baggage area for any bag over 160 cm in length, width and height combined. Bikes travel taken apart in a dedicated bag, and JR West lists a bagged bike among the items carried free. Tips: - For Onomichi Station on the waterfront, change at Fukuyama to the Sanyo Line. Q: How long does Sanyo Shinkansen take? A: Nozomi takes about 1 h 1 min. Q: How much is Sanyo Shinkansen? A: Shin-Osaka to Fukuyama by Nozomi, reserved seat on Sanyo Shinkansen costs ¥8,530 (2026), about CAD 77 or USD 54 (October 2026 rates). Q: Do you need to book Sanyo Shinkansen ahead? A: Sanyo Shinkansen: Reservations open one month ahead. Q: Can you take a bike on Sanyo Shinkansen? A: Yes. Sanyo Shinkansen carries bikes in a bike bag (rinko bag). Book a seat with an oversized-baggage area for anything from 160 cm. Q: Can you bring a ski or snowboard bag on Sanyo Shinkansen? A: Yes. Sanyo Shinkansen carries ski and snowboard bags up to 250 cm, length, width and height added. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.westjr.co.jp/travel-information/en/train-usage-guide/ https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/oversized-baggage/ https://www.westjr.co.jp/travel-information/en/plan-your-trip/routes-schedule/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%96%B0%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA&to=%E7%A6%8F%E5%B1%B1%28%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%29&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%96%B0%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA&to=%E6%96%B0%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%96%B0%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA&to=%E5%8D%9A%E5%A4%9A&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 ### Shin-Osaka Station URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/shin-osaka-station Type: Transport Local name: 新大阪駅 (ja) Also known as: Shin Osaka, Shinosaka, New Osaka Station Region: Kansai Prefecture: Osaka Address: 5-16-1 Nishinakajima, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka Kind: Station Operator: JR West and JR Central Bikes: In a bike bag (rinko bag) Board bags: Carried Largest item: 250 cm (length, width and height added) Oversized seat: Booking required from 160 cm Where to bag: JR West lists step-free routes with lifts and escalators from the central entrance to every Shinkansen platform, 20 to 27, and from the East Gate to conventional platforms 1 to 10. JR West marks no spot for bagging a bike. Oversized-baggage seats sit in the last row of some cars on each Shinkansen. Bike rules: Every Shinkansen from here falls under the oversized-baggage rule shared by the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu lines: book a seat with an oversized-baggage area for any bag over 160 cm in length, width and height combined, and nothing over 250 cm rides. JR West's conventional trains take two items each up to 250 cm and 30 kg, with bikes taken apart in a dedicated bag. Website: https://eki.jr-odekake.net/top?id=0610155 Summary: Shin-Osaka is the hub for Kansai riders heading west to Onomichi or north to Lake Biwa and Hokuriku. Lifts reach every platform, which makes it a straightforward station to cross with a bike bag. JR West's barrier-free listing shows lifts on the step-free route to every Shinkansen platform from the central entrance. Westbound Sanyo trains use platforms 20 to 22, and trains toward Nagoya and Tokyo use 23 to 27. The conventional side has its own lifts from the East Gate to platforms 1 to 10. The Thunderbird for Kanazawa leaves from platform 4. For Lake Biwa, Hikari trains reached Maibara in 33 to 34 minutes in the 2026 timetable. Tips: - Book a seat with an oversized-baggage area for any bag over 160 cm before you reach the station. Q: Can you take a bike on Shin-Osaka Station? A: Yes. Shin-Osaka Station carries bikes in a bike bag (rinko bag). Book a seat with an oversized-baggage area for anything from 160 cm. Q: Can you bring a ski or snowboard bag on Shin-Osaka Station? A: Yes. Shin-Osaka Station carries ski and snowboard bags up to 250 cm, length, width and height added. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://eki.jr-odekake.net/barrierfree?id=0610155 https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/oversized-baggage/ https://www.westjr.co.jp/travel-information/en/train-usage-guide/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%96%B0%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA&to=%E7%B1%B3%E5%8E%9F&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 ### Oversized baggage on the Shinkansen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/shinkansen-oversized-baggage Type: Transport Local name: 特大荷物スペースつき座席 (ja) Also known as: oversized baggage reservation, Shinkansen luggage rule, 160 cm rule, seat with oversized baggage area Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Tokyo Kind: Rinko Operator: JR Central, JR West and JR Kyushu Fare from: ¥1,000 (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Booking: Ask at a JR ticket office, choose a seat with an oversized-baggage area at a reserved-seat machine, or book online through smartEX, JR-WEST Online Train Reservation or JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation Book ahead: Bookings open one month ahead, and Japan Rail Pass holders can book through JAPAN RAIL PASS Reservation. Bikes: In a bike bag (rinko bag) Board bags: Carried Largest item: 250 cm (length, width and height added) Oversized seat: Booking required from 160 cm Where to bag: Oversized-baggage seats sit in the last row of some cars, and the space behind that row belongs to the five passengers booked into it. Bags up to 160 cm go on the overhead rack, at your feet or in the deck storage areas, which need no booking. Bike rules: On the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen, a bag whose length, width and height add up to more than 160 cm and no more than 250 cm needs a seat with an oversized-baggage area booked ahead. Each passenger may carry two items of 30 kg or less, up to 250 cm combined and 2 metres long. Without the booking the conductor charges ¥1,000 and moves the bag to a set space, and a full train can mean a later departure. JR Central's page exempts sports gear such as bicycles from the rule, and still requires the booking to use the oversized space or compartment. Sports gear over the length limit can ride standing upright in its case. Website: https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/oversized-baggage/ Summary: Anyone taking a ski bag, a big suitcase or a boxed bike on the Shinkansen west or south of Tokyo should book a seat with an oversized-baggage area. JR East's lines north of Tokyo run no such booking. JR Central, JR West and JR Kyushu share one rule on the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen. A bag whose length, width and height add up to more than 160 cm needs a seat with an oversized-baggage area, and 250 cm is the most the train will take. The seat costs the same as any reserved seat. Turn up without one and the conductor charges ¥1,000 and finds the bag a space, or asks you to wait for a later train when the car is full. The seats sit in the last row of some cars, and the five people in that row share the space behind it. A 16-car Nozomi has 57 of them, a Hikari 42 and a Kodama 17. JR Central's page lifts the rule for sports gear such as bicycles, yet still only booked passengers may put anything in the oversized space. JR East's Shinkansen to Nagano, Niigata and Tohoku ask for no such booking. There, each passenger carries two items of up to 250 cm and 30 kg free, and the luggage areas fill first come, first served. Tips: - Book the oversized seat when you book the train, since a Kodama has only 17 of them. - Measure a ski bag as length plus width plus height before you book. Q: What size bag needs a reservation on the Shinkansen? A: On the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen, any bag whose length, width and height add up to more than 160 cm needs a seat with an oversized-baggage area. Bags over 250 cm cannot ride at all. Q: Does the 160 cm rule apply on the train to Nagano or Niigata? A: No. JR East runs no oversized-baggage booking on its Shinkansen, and each passenger may carry two items up to 250 cm and 30 kg free of charge. Q: How much is Oversized baggage on the Shinkansen? A: Carry-on fee without a booking on Oversized baggage on the Shinkansen costs ¥1,000 (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates). Q: Can you take a bike on JR Central, JR West and JR Kyushu? A: Yes. JR Central, JR West and JR Kyushu carries bikes in a bike bag (rinko bag). Book a seat with an oversized-baggage area for anything from 160 cm. Q: Can you bring a ski or snowboard bag on JR Central, JR West and JR Kyushu? A: Yes. JR Central, JR West and JR Kyushu carries ski and snowboard bags up to 250 cm, length, width and height added. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/oversized-baggage/ https://www.westjr.co.jp/travel-information/en/train-usage-guide/ https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/luggage-area/ ### Takkyubin for boards and bikes URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/takkyubin-for-boards-and-bikes Type: Transport Local name: 宅急便 (ja) Also known as: takkyubin, TA-Q-BIN, Ski Takkyubin, luggage forwarding, Yamato, Sagawa, Kuroneko Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Tokyo Kind: Luggage forwarding Operator: Yamato Transport and Sagawa Express Fare from: ¥400 (2026), about CAD 3.60 or USD 2.50 (October 2026 rates) Booking: Yamato: book a pickup or hand over at a Yamato office or agent shop. Sagawa: phone your local office for a pickup Book ahead: Yamato asks for skis and boards two days before you ski, three in some areas. Carries: ski bag, snowboard bag, suitcase, golf bag, bike box Carriers: Yamato Transport, Sagawa Express Send from: home pickup, Yamato office, Yamato agent shop, hotel front desk, ski resort Forwarding rules: Yamato takes ski and snowboard bags only inside its own cover, at the 180 size rate, up to 30 kg and two sets per cover. Boards over 170 cm go in its multi cover, 84 by 246 cm. Convenience stores will not take skis or boards. A bike goes by ordinary Takkyubin only when you box it yourself within 200 cm combined and 30 kg; e-bikes travel by land and sea and take longer. Yamato ended its Cycling Yamato service for bagged bikes on 3 October 2021. Sagawa's round-trip service charges ski and snowboard bags at the 160 size rate up to 30 kg when they are in a cover, and its October 2026 pages for personal customers list parcels up to 160 cm and 30 kg. Website: https://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/ytc/customer/send/services/ski/ Summary: Sending skis and boards ahead by takkyubin lets you travel to the snow with a day bag and pick your gear up at the resort desk. Hand it over two days before you ski, and use Yamato for a boxed bike. With Yamato's Ski Takkyubin you hand the bag over at a Yamato office, an agent shop or a home pickup two days before you ski, three in some areas, and it waits at the resort from the day before. Yamato wants every ski or board bag inside its own cover, ¥400 for skis and ¥600 for a snowboard, and charges it at the 180 size rate. Convenience stores will not take board bags. Sagawa sells a round trip for skis, boards, golf bags and suitcases. The driver collects the bag and both fares at your door and hands you the return waybill. Leave the bag at the hotel front desk with that waybill on it when you go home. The return waybill is valid for ten days after pickup, so check with Sagawa before a longer stay. Bikes are harder. Yamato takes a bike you have boxed yourself, as long as the box stays within 200 cm in length, width and height combined and 30 kg. An e-bike goes by land and sea and takes longer. Sagawa's personal-customer pages top out at 160 cm and 30 kg as of October 2026, which rules out most bike boxes. Tips: - Buy the cover when you book, since Yamato and Sagawa both refuse a bare board bag. - Phone Sagawa for a pickup while its web booking stays suspended. Q: Can I send my bike with Yamato? A: Yes, if you box it yourself within 200 cm combined and 30 kg. Yamato ended its bagged-bike service on 3 October 2021, and e-bikes travel by land and sea. Q: How much is Takkyubin for boards and bikes? A: Yamato ski cover on Takkyubin for boards and bikes costs ¥400 (2026), about CAD 3.60 or USD 2.50 (October 2026 rates). Q: Do you need to book Takkyubin for boards and bikes ahead? A: Takkyubin for boards and bikes: Yamato asks for skis and boards two days before you ski, three in some areas. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/ytc/customer/send/services/ski/ https://faq.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/app/answers/detail/a_id/3524/ https://faq.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/app/answers/detail/a_id/1253/ https://faq-en.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/app/answers/detail/a_id/3084/ https://www.sagawa-exp.co.jp/customer/send/service/h-ofuku/ https://www.sagawa-exp.co.jp/customer/send/service/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/go-shimanami/experience/572 ### Tohoku Shinkansen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/tohoku-shinkansen Type: Transport Local name: 東北新幹線 (ja) Also known as: Tohoku bullet train, Hayabusa, Yamabiko Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Kind: Shinkansen Via: Ueno, Omiya, Utsunomiya, Koriyama, Fukushima, Sendai, Morioka, Hachinohe, Shin Aomori Operator: JR East Fastest: 1 h 16 min Fare from: ¥8,450 (2026), about CAD 76 or USD 53 (October 2026 rates) Booking: JR-EAST Train Reservation online, reserved-seat ticket machines or a JR ticket office Book ahead: Seats go on sale one month ahead. Bikes: In a bike bag (rinko bag) Board bags: Carried Largest item: 250 cm (length, width and height added) Oversized seat: No booking needed Where to bag: JR East's trains have luggage areas on some cars and they fill first come, first served. A bagged bike goes at your feet or in a luggage area, and JR East asks riders to keep heavy or oddly shaped bags off the overhead racks. Bike rules: JR East lets each passenger carry two items free of charge, each up to 30 kg with length, width and height adding up to 250 cm or less and no side over 2 metres. Skis, snowboards and other sports gear may run longer as long as they travel upright in their own bag or case. A bike has to be taken apart or folded so every part, seat and wheels included, sits inside a dedicated bag. JR East runs no oversized-baggage booking on any of its Shinkansen lines. Website: https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/routemaps/tohokushinkansen.html Summary: The Tohoku Shinkansen takes skiers north from Tokyo to Morioka for APPI and on to Shin-Aomori for Hakkoda. Pick the Hayabusa that skips the most stops, since the gap between the fastest and slowest Hayabusa to Shin-Aomori ran to 22 minutes in our October 2026 checks. The 08:18 Hayabusa 5 called only at Omiya, Sendai and Morioka on 16 October 2026 and reached Shin-Aomori in 178 minutes. Hayabusa 3 left 46 minutes earlier with more stops and got in 24 minutes ahead of it. Morioka took 130 minutes on the faster train. For NEKOMA Mountain and Alts Bandai, the line's first big stop is Koriyama. Yamabiko trains covered Tokyo to Koriyama in 76 to 78 minutes on the October samples. Board bags and bike bags ride free and nobody books a luggage seat on JR East's lines. Each passenger can carry two items up to 30 kg with length, width and height adding to 250 cm or less, and skis or boards may run longer if they stand upright in a case. Tips: - Compare the stop lists when you book Shin-Aomori, since the Hayabusa that stops at Hachinohe and Ninohe adds around 20 minutes. Q: How long is the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Morioka? A: The fastest Hayabusa took 130 minutes in the 2026 timetable, and a reserved seat cost ¥15,450 on a regular-season day. Q: How much is Tohoku Shinkansen? A: Tokyo to Koriyama, reserved seat on Tohoku Shinkansen costs ¥8,450 (2026), about CAD 76 or USD 53 (October 2026 rates). Q: Do you need to book Tohoku Shinkansen ahead? A: Tohoku Shinkansen: Seats go on sale one month ahead. Q: Can you take a bike on Tohoku Shinkansen? A: Yes. Tohoku Shinkansen carries bikes in a bike bag (rinko bag). Q: Can you bring a ski or snowboard bag on Tohoku Shinkansen? A: Yes. Tohoku Shinkansen carries ski and snowboard bags up to 250 cm, length, width and height added. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/routemaps/tohokushinkansen.html https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/luggage-area/ https://timetables.jreast.co.jp/en/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E7%9B%9B%E5%B2%A1&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E6%96%B0%E9%9D%92%E6%A3%AE&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E9%83%A1%E5%B1%B1%28%E7%A6%8F%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%29&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 ### Tokaido Shinkansen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/tokaido-shinkansen Type: Transport Local name: 東海道新幹線 (ja) Also known as: Nozomi, Hikari, Kodama, Tokaido bullet train Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Tokyo Kind: Shinkansen Via: Shinagawa, Shin Yokohama, Mishima, Shizuoka, Nagoya, Maibara, Kyoto Operator: JR Central Fastest: 53 min Fare from: ¥4,600 (2026), about CAD 41 or USD 29 (October 2026 rates) Booking: Tokaido Sanyo Kyushu Shinkansen Online Reservation (smartEX), reserved-seat machines or a JR ticket office; pick a seat with an oversized-baggage area for a big bag Book ahead: Reservations open one month ahead. Bikes: In a bike bag (rinko bag) Board bags: Carried Largest item: 250 cm (length, width and height added) Oversized seat: Booking required from 160 cm Where to bag: Seats with an oversized-baggage area sit in the last row of some cars, and the space behind that row belongs to the five people booked into it. Bags up to 160 cm go on the overhead rack or at your feet. Bike rules: A bag whose length, width and height add up to more than 160 cm and no more than 250 cm needs a seat with an oversized-baggage area booked ahead, at no extra cost over a normal reserved seat. Without that booking the conductor charges a ¥1,000 carry-on fee and moves the bag to a set space, and a full train can mean waiting for the next one. Anything over 250 cm stays off the train. JR Central's page exempts sports equipment such as bicycles from the oversized rule, yet you still need the booking to use the oversized space or compartment. Bikes travel taken apart and fully bagged. Website: https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/ Summary: The Tokaido Shinkansen runs Tokyo to Shin-Osaka in under two and a half hours and stops at Mishima for Izu on the way. A bag measuring more than 160 cm in length, width and height combined needs a seat with an oversized-baggage area booked ahead. JR Central runs the Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka. Nozomi 117 made the run in 147 minutes in the 2026 timetable. The Nozomi passes Mishima and Maibara, so riders bound for Izu or Lake Biwa take a Hikari or Kodama. Kodama trains reached Mishima from Tokyo in 53 minutes. The luggage rule here differs from JR East's. JR Central sells seats with an oversized-baggage area in the last row of some cars. On a 16-car Nozomi that means five seats in each of cars 3 to 6 and 12 to 16, plus four in each Green car from 8 to 10. Bring a bag over 160 cm without that booking and the conductor charges ¥1,000. JR Central's page sets bicycles and other sports gear outside the oversized rule. A bike bag still needs the booking if you want the space behind the back row, and the page notes that sports gear over the length limit may ride standing in its case. Tips: - Book an oversized-baggage seat as soon as sales open a month ahead, since a Kodama carries only 17 of them. - Take a Hikari or Kodama for Mishima and Maibara. Q: Do I need to book space for a ski bag on the Tokaido Shinkansen? A: A bag over 160 cm in length, width and height combined needs a seat with an oversized-baggage area. JR Central exempts sports gear from the ¥1,000 charge, yet only passengers holding that booking may use the oversized space. Q: How long does Tokaido Shinkansen take? A: Nozomi takes about 2 h 27 min. Q: How much is Tokaido Shinkansen? A: Tokyo to Shin-Osaka by Nozomi, reserved seat on Tokaido Shinkansen costs ¥14,720 (2026), about CAD 132 or USD 93 (October 2026 rates). Q: Can you take a bike on Tokaido Shinkansen? A: Yes. Tokaido Shinkansen carries bikes in a bike bag (rinko bag). Book a seat with an oversized-baggage area for anything from 160 cm. Q: Can you bring a ski or snowboard bag on Tokaido Shinkansen? A: Yes. Tokaido Shinkansen carries ski and snowboard bags up to 250 cm, length, width and height added. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/oversized-baggage/ https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/timetable/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E6%96%B0%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E6%96%B0%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E4%B8%89%E5%B3%B6&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=10&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%96%B0%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA&to=%E7%B1%B3%E5%8E%9F&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 ### Tokyo Station URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/tokyo-station Type: Transport Local name: 東京駅 (ja) Also known as: Tokyo Sta., Tokyo eki Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Tokyo Coordinates: 35.68080, 139.76690 Kind: Station Operator: JR East and JR Central Bikes: In a bike bag (rinko bag) Board bags: Carried Largest item: 250 cm (length, width and height added) Oversized seat: No booking needed Where to bag: JR East's station page shows step-free routes by lift from the ticket gates to every platform, with transfers possible on and between platforms. Neither JR East nor JR Central marks a spot for bagging a bike, so pack it before you reach the gates. On the Tokaido side, oversized-baggage seats sit in the last row of some cars: on a 16-car Nozomi, cars 3 to 6 and 12 to 16, plus Green cars 8 to 10. Bike rules: The rule follows the train. JR East's Shinkansen take board bags and bike bags with no booking, up to 250 cm and 30 kg per item. JR Central's Tokaido Shinkansen asks for a seat with an oversized-baggage area for any bag over 160 cm. Website: https://www.jreast.co.jp/estation/stations/1039.html Summary: Tokyo Station is where the Shinkansen to Nagano, Niigata, Tohoku and Shin-Osaka all begin, with JR East's trains and JR Central's under one roof. Allow time to cross between the two halves with a board bag. JR East's Shinkansen for Nagano, Niigata and Tohoku left from platforms 20 to 23 in our October 2026 timetable checks. JR Central's Tokaido Shinkansen leaves from its own platforms, which were 14 to 16 in the same checks. JR East's station page lists lifts and escalators on step-free routes from the gates to every platform. Riders who need help can use a dedicated waiting room at the Marunouchi South Exit. Tickets booked on JR East's Eki-net can be picked up at JR East's machines and ticket offices and at JR Central's reserved-seat machines. JR Central's staffed windows cannot hand them over, so a rider heading for the Tokaido side should collect at a machine. Tips: - Pack the bike into its bag before you reach the gates, since neither railway marks a bagging spot inside. - Collect Eki-net tickets at a machine if you are boarding the Tokaido Shinkansen. Q: Can you take a bike on Tokyo Station? A: Yes. Tokyo Station carries bikes in a bike bag (rinko bag). Q: Can you bring a ski or snowboard bag on Tokyo Station? A: Yes. Tokyo Station carries ski and snowboard bags up to 250 cm, length, width and height added. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.jreast.co.jp/estation/stations/1039.html https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/luggage-area/ https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/oversized-baggage/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E9%95%B7%E9%87%8E&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E4%B8%89%E5%B3%B6&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q283196 ### WILLER night buses URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/willer-night-buses Type: Transport Also known as: Willer Express, WILLER EXPRESS, pink bus, night bus to Nagano, night bus to Niigata Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Kind: Bus Operator: WILLER EXPRESS Fare from: ¥1,840 (2026), about CAD 17 or USD 12 (October 2026 rates) Booking: WILLER TRAVEL online Bikes: Not carried Board bags: Carried Oversized seat: No booking needed Bike rules: WILLER EXPRESS refuses every bicycle, folding bikes included, and has ended its bike-loading service. Skis, snowboards and golf bags go in the trunk, one per passenger, even when they run over the trunk size limit. Each passenger may put two pieces of luggage in the trunk. Website: https://travel.willer.co.jp/ Summary: WILLER's night buses get you from Tokyo to Nagano by dawn for a fraction of the Shinkansen fare, with your board bag in the trunk. Bikes cannot ride at all, and WILLER runs no Hakuba bus of its own. WILLER EXPRESS runs its own overnight buses from Tokyo to Nagano and Niigata, and sells an Osaka and Kyoto to Niigata run operated by Osaka Sayama Kotsu. The Prime-seat WN5553 leaves Tokyo Station's JR Bus Terminal at 23:20 and pulls into Nagano Station East Exit at 05:05. From Nagano the Alpico express bus heads for Hakuba. For Niigata, WG5151 leaves Tokyo Disneyland at 21:20 and reaches Niigata Station South Exit at 05:15. Hakuba is the gap. WILLER EXPRESS publishes no Hakuba route, and WILLER TRAVEL resells other companies' Hakuba buses. On 11 October 2026 it listed no Osaka to Hakuba night bus for October 2026. Skis and snowboards ride in the trunk, one set each, and WILLER takes them even when they exceed its trunk size limit. Bicycles are refused outright, folding bikes included, because WILLER has ended its bike-loading service. Tips: - Pick WN5553 from Tokyo Station for the earliest arrival in Nagano, at 05:05. - Send a bike ahead by takkyubin, since WILLER will not carry one. Q: Can I take a snowboard on a WILLER night bus? A: Yes. WILLER EXPRESS puts one snowboard or ski bag per passenger in the trunk, even when it runs over the trunk size limit. Q: How much is WILLER night buses? A: Tokyo to Nagano, lowest adult fare on WILLER night buses costs ¥1,840 (2026), about CAD 17 or USD 12 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://travel.willer.co.jp/wex/timetable/detail/?route=2301019 https://travel.willer.co.jp/wex/timetable/detail/?route=2301004 https://travel.willer.co.jp/wex/timetable/detail/?route=2301013 https://travel.willer.co.jp/guide/reservation/stuff.html https://travel.willer.co.jp/wex/timetable/ https://travel.willer.co.jp/campaign/ski/ https://travel.willer.co.jp/bus_search/osaka/all/nagano/hakuba/time-division_night/ ### Yamagata Shinkansen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/yamagata-shinkansen Type: Transport Local name: 山形新幹線 (ja) Also known as: Tsubasa, Yamagata bullet train Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Kind: Shinkansen Via: Ueno, Omiya, Utsunomiya, Koriyama, Fukushima, Yonezawa, Kaminoyama Onsen, Yamagata, Shinjo Operator: JR East Fastest: 2 h 41 min Fare from: ¥11,670 (2026), about CAD 105 or USD 74 (October 2026 rates) Booking: JR-EAST Train Reservation online, reserved-seat ticket machines or a JR ticket office Book ahead: Seats go on sale one month ahead. Bikes: In a bike bag (rinko bag) Board bags: Carried Largest item: 250 cm (length, width and height added) Oversized seat: No booking needed Where to bag: JR East's trains have luggage areas on some cars and they fill first come, first served. A bagged bike goes at your feet or in a luggage area, and JR East asks riders to keep heavy or oddly shaped bags off the overhead racks. Bike rules: JR East lets each passenger carry two items free of charge, each up to 30 kg with length, width and height adding up to 250 cm or less and no side over 2 metres. Skis, snowboards and other sports gear may run longer as long as they travel upright in their own bag or case. A bike has to be taken apart or folded so every part, seat and wheels included, sits inside a dedicated bag. JR East runs no oversized-baggage booking on any of its Shinkansen lines. Website: https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/routemaps/yamagatashinkansen.html Summary: The Yamagata Shinkansen runs from Tokyo to Yamagata in under three hours with no change, and Yamagata is the station for Zao Onsen. Pick the Tsubasa with the fewest stops, since the slowest one we checked took 17 minutes longer. Tsubasa trains share the Tohoku Shinkansen with the Hayabusa as far as Fukushima, then carry on to Yamagata and Shinjo. Tsubasa 123 made the trip from Tokyo to Yamagata in 161 minutes on 16 October 2026. Others we checked took up to 178 minutes with extra stops at Takahata, Akayu and Kaminoyama-Onsen. Board bags and bike bags ride free and need no luggage booking. Each passenger can carry two items up to 30 kg with length, width and height adding to 250 cm or less, and skis or boards may run longer if they stand upright in their case. Tips: - Ride to Yamagata for Zao Onsen. Q: How long is the train from Tokyo to Yamagata? A: The fastest Tsubasa took 161 minutes in the 2026 timetable, and a reserved seat cost ¥11,670 on a regular-season day. Q: How long does Yamagata Shinkansen take? A: Tsubasa takes about 2 h 41 min. Q: How much is Yamagata Shinkansen? A: Tokyo to Yamagata, reserved seat on Yamagata Shinkansen costs ¥11,670 (2026), about CAD 105 or USD 74 (October 2026 rates). Q: Do you need to book Yamagata Shinkansen ahead? A: Yamagata Shinkansen: Seats go on sale one month ahead. Q: Can you take a bike on Yamagata Shinkansen? A: Yes. Yamagata Shinkansen carries bikes in a bike bag (rinko bag). Q: Can you bring a ski or snowboard bag on Yamagata Shinkansen? A: Yes. Yamagata Shinkansen carries ski and snowboard bags up to 250 cm, length, width and height added. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/routemaps/yamagatashinkansen.html https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/luggage-area/ https://timetables.jreast.co.jp/en/ https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=07&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=12&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC&to=%E5%B1%B1%E5%BD%A2&y=2026&m=10&d=16&hh=17&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=2&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=0&lb=1&sr=1 ### Yoro Railway cycle train URL: https://ridingjapan.com/transport/yoro-railway-cycle-train Type: Transport Local name: 養老鉄道サイクルトレイン (ja) Also known as: Yoro Line cycle train, Yoro Railway bikes, 養老線, Yotetsu Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Coordinates: 35.36681, 136.61767 Kind: Rinko Via: Kuwana, Tado, Komano, Yoro, Nishi Ogaki, Ogaki, Ibi Operator: Yoro Railway Fare from: Free Booking: No booking. Board with any valid ticket for the journey; a group of 10 or more asks the station first. Book ahead: Groups of 10 or more check with the station before travelling, and the station says each time whether they can ride. Bikes: Carried, bagged or not Bike fee: ¥0 per bike (2026) Bike booking: None for individuals. Groups of 10 or more ask the station first. Bike rules: One bike per ticket rides free and whole in the second car from the front. Staff can refuse bikes on a train crowded by an event. Bikes: Unbagged Oversized seat: No booking needed Hand-baggage fee: ¥0 (2026) Unbagged days: Every train on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and substitute holidays, and on other weekdays the marked trains from about 09:00 to about 15:00. Where to bag: Every station on the line takes bikes. Ride in the second car from the front in the direction of travel. Bike rules: One bike per passenger, free with a single, coupon or season ticket valid for the journey. Yoro Railway publishes no size or weight limit on its cycle-train page. Website: https://www.yororailway.co.jp/ Summary: Yoro Railway carries whole bikes free on every train at weekends and on midday weekday trains, and it suits riders crossing from the Nagoya side at Kuwana toward Ogaki and the Ibi valley. The weekday window runs only from about 09:00 to 15:00. Yoro Railway is its own company, separate from Kintetsu, and runs the Yoro Line from Kuwana in Mie north to Ogaki and Ibi in Gifu. Its cycle train costs nothing beyond the fare. At weekends and on holidays every train takes bikes; on other weekdays the marked trains from about 09:00 to 15:00 do. Ride in the second car from the front, one bike per ticket, and look for the round bike headmark on the train. Groups of 10 or more check with the station first. Kuwana to Ogaki costs ¥830 for an adult, and the line also hires out bikes at Tado, Komano, Yoro, Nishi-Ogaki, Ibi and Hirogodo. Tips: - Rent a bike at Yoro or Ibi station if you arrive by train without one. - Check the bike symbol on the station timetable before a weekday trip. Q: Can I take a bike on the Yoro Railway? A: Yes. Yoro Railway carries one whole bike per passenger free on every train at weekends and on holidays, and on marked trains from about 09:00 to 15:00 on other weekdays. Q: Is Yoro Railway part of Kintetsu? A: No. Yoro Railway runs the Yoro Line between Kuwana, Ogaki and Ibi as a separate company with its own cycle-train rules. Q: How much is Yoro Railway cycle train? A: Kuwana to Ogaki, single on Yoro Railway cycle train costs ¥830 (2026), about CAD 7.50 or USD 5.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: Do you need to book Yoro Railway cycle train ahead? A: Yoro Railway cycle train: Groups of 10 or more check with the station before travelling, and the station says each time whether they can ride. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.yororailway.co.jp/enjoy/bicycle/cycletrain/ https://www.yororailway.co.jp/enjoy/bicycle/ https://www.yororailway.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/cycletrain-data01.pdf https://www.yororailway.co.jp/ticket/fare/ https://www.yororailway.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/fare-data01.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q871579 ## Events and seasons ### Alps Azumino Century Ride URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/alps-azumino-century-ride Type: Event Local name: アルプスあづみのセンチュリーライド (ja) Also known as: AACR, Sakura AACR, Midori AACR, 桜のアルプスあづみのセンチュリーライド, 緑のアルプスあづみのセンチュリーライド Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Azumino Coordinates: 36.32090, 137.84510 Kind: Cycling When: In 2026 the ride ran on two Sundays: the Sakura edition in mid-April and the Midori edition in late May. Next dates: May 24, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: Groups start between 5:30 and 6:40, depending on the edition and the course. Each aid station has a cut-off, and a support vehicle collects riders who miss one. Venue: Shisuien, Matsumoto (160 km start and check-in) and Alps Azumino National Park, Horikane-Hotaka area (120 km start) Entry opens: General entry for the 2026 rides opened on 5 January 2026 at 10:00 on Sports Entry. Entry: ¥13,000 per person (2026), about CAD 117 or USD 82 (October 2026 rates) Courses: 160 km: Shisuien to Hakuba and back (160 km); 120 km: Alps Azumino National Park to Hakuba and back (120 km) Price from: ¥13,000 per person (2026), about CAD 117 or USD 82 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://aacr.jp/ Summary: The Alps Azumino Century Ride is a long ride from Matsumoto and Azumino up the valley to Hakuba and back, held twice in spring 2026, and suits fit riders who want the Northern Alps with free aid stations along the way. Entry in 2026 started at ¥13,000, and fees are not refunded if the ride is cancelled. The ride runs up the Azumino valley past Matsukawa and Omachi to a turn in Hakuba, then back the same way. The 160 km course starts at Shisuien in Matsumoto and the 120 km course at Alps Azumino National Park. In 2026 each edition took up to 1,500 riders on the long course and 600 on the shorter one. Ride Nagano produces the event with the tourism associations of the four towns on the route. The April ride carries the name Sakura for the cherry blossom. Midori means green, and the May ride runs through the valley's new leaves. The Midori edition also sold a cycle-train option for 110 riders, who rode from the park to JR Hakuba Station and took the train back to Azumi-Oiwake. Children of primary-school age can ride the 120 km course with an entered adult. Tips: - Early entry in January saves ¥2,000 against the late rate, and every entry is non-refundable. - Check-in is the day before at Shisuien, so plan a night in Matsumoto or Azumino. Q: When is the Alps Azumino Century Ride? A: The Alps Azumino Century Ride runs twice each spring. In 2026 the Sakura edition ran on 19 April and the Midori edition on 24 May, and the 2027 dates had not been posted on 11 October 2026. Q: How much does the Alps Azumino Century Ride cost to enter? A: Adult early entry for the 2026 Alps Azumino Century Ride cost ¥13,000 for the 120 km course and ¥14,000 for the 160 km course. Late entry cost ¥2,000 more. Q: What are the opening hours of Alps Azumino Century Ride? A: Alps Azumino Century Ride is open groups start between 5:30 and 6:40, depending on the edition and the course. Each aid station has a cut-off, and a support vehicle collects riders who miss one. Q: How long are the Alps Azumino Century Ride courses? A: Alps Azumino Century Ride publishes 2 courses: 160 km: Shisuien to Hakuba and back at 160 km, 120 km: Alps Azumino National Park to Hakuba and back at 120 km, by the organiser's figures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://aacr.jp/outline.html https://aacr.jp/ https://aacr.jp/entry.html https://www.go-nagano.net/en/trip-idea/id16842 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11420634 ### Biwako Marathon URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/biwako-marathon Type: Event Local name: びわ湖マラソン (ja) Also known as: Biwako Marathon 2027, Lake Biwa Marathon, BIWAKO MARATHON Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Otsu Address: Ojiyama athletics stadium, Otsu, Shiga Coordinates: 35.01710, 135.85680 Kind: Race When: A Sunday in mid-March, starting at Ojiyama in Otsu and finishing on the Karasuma Peninsula in Kusatsu. Next dates: March 14, 2027 (confirmed) Hours: The gun goes at 8:20 and the course closes six hours later. Venue: Start at Ojiyama athletics stadium, Otsu; finish on the Karasuma Peninsula, Kusatsu Entry opens: 2026-08-03 Entry: ¥15,000 per person (2026), about CAD 135 or USD 95 (October 2026 rates) Courses: Marathon (42.195 km) (42.195 km) Website: https://biwako-marathon.com/ Summary: The Biwako Marathon suits runners who planned a year ahead, since all 8,000 places for 14 March 2027 have gone, though anyone riding the south shore that day should expect road closures. Shiga prefecture, the Shiga athletics association and the cities of Otsu, Kusatsu and Moriyama put on the race over a JAAF-certified course. It starts at Ojiyama athletics stadium in Otsu and finishes on the Karasuma Peninsula in Kusatsu, crossing the lake on the Omi-Ohashi bridge on the way. The 2027 race on 14 March is the fifth edition, with 8,000 runners and a six-hour limit. Five cut-off points sit along the course. Entry cost ¥15,000 plus a 6 percent booking charge, and every place sold out by 30 September 2026. Overseas entries closed on 20 September with no waiting list. Runners have to be born on or before 1 April 2008 and able to finish within 5 hours 50 minutes. Riders should plan around the south lake on race day. The organisers publish road closures along the course, and the Lake Biwa Museum shuts for the day. Tips: - Race bibs and timing chips arrive by post; there's no pickup the day before or on the day. - Riders planning a south-lake loop around 14 March should check the organisers' traffic-restriction page first. Q: When is the Biwako Marathon 2027? A: Sunday 14 March 2027, starting at 8:20 from Ojiyama athletics stadium in Otsu. Q: Can I still enter the Biwako Marathon 2027? A: No. All 8,000 places sold out by 30 September 2026, and overseas entries closed on 20 September with no waiting list. Q: What are the opening hours of Biwako Marathon? A: Biwako Marathon is open the gun goes at 8:20 and the course closes six hours later. Q: How long are the Biwako Marathon courses? A: Biwako Marathon publishes one course: Marathon (42.195 km) at 42.195 km, by the organiser's figures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://biwako-marathon.com/ https://biwako-marathon.com/outline-marathon/ https://biwako-marathon.com/info/%e3%80%90overseas-entry%e3%80%91registration-closed/ https://www.biwahaku.jp/guide/open.html ### Chichibu Night Festival URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/chichibu-night-festival Type: Event Local name: 秩父夜祭 (ja) Also known as: Chichibu Yomatsuri, 秩父夜祭, Chichibu Matsuri, Myoken-sama festival Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Saitama Town: Chichibu Coordinates: 35.99790, 139.08400 Kind: Festival When: 2 and 3 December every year, with the peak on the evening of the 3rd. Next dates: December 2, 2026 to December 3, 2026 (announced) Hours: On 2 December four floats tour the town from the morning and the evening ends with fireworks around 20:00. On 3 December all six floats come out, and the peak runs from just after 19:00, when the procession leaves Chichibu Shrine, until about 22:00 at the Otabisho. Venue: Chichibu Shrine and the streets of central Chichibu Website: https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/event/yomatsuri/ Summary: The Chichibu Night Festival suits anyone in Tokyo in early December who wants a float festival with winter fireworks, and its trade-off is a packed town on the night of 3 December. The Chichibu Night Festival is the annual festival of Chichibu Shrine, and records show it running in the Kanbun years of 1661 to 1672. Two kasaboko and four yatai floats, all national Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties, are hauled through the streets to the beat of the float drums. On some floats, stages fold out from the sides for Chichibu kabuki. The eve on 2 December brings four floats out from the morning and ends with fireworks at about 20:00. On 3 December the six floats gather, and the procession leaves the shrine after 19:00 for the Otabisho, with star mines bursting overhead until about 22:00. UNESCO inscribed the festival in 2016 among the Yama, Hoko and Yatai float festivals of Japan. Tips: - Stay in Chichibu on the night of the 3rd, since the peak runs until about 22:00. - Watch the Seibu-Chichibu Station live camera on the tourism association's site to judge the crowds. Q: When is the Chichibu Night Festival? A: It falls on 2 December for the eve and 3 December for the main festival, every year. The peak runs from after 19:00 to about 22:00 on the 3rd. Q: Is the Chichibu Night Festival a UNESCO heritage event? A: Yes. It was inscribed on 1 December 2016 as part of the Yama, Hoko and Yatai float festivals of Japan. Q: What are the opening hours of Chichibu Night Festival? A: Chichibu Night Festival is open on 2 December four floats tour the town from the morning and the evening ends with fireworks around 20:00. On 3 December all six floats come out, and the peak runs from just after 19:00, when the procession leaves Chichibu Shrine, until about 22:00 at the Otabisho. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/event/yomatsuri/ https://www.chichibu-jinja.or.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11596116 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2963366 ### CSC Criterium Series URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/csc-criterium-series Type: Event Local name: CSCクリテリウムシリーズ (ja) Also known as: Izu CSC Criterium, Cycle Sports Center criterium, CSCクリテ Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shuzenji Address: Japan Cycle Sports Center, 1826 Ono, Izu, Shizuoka Coordinates: 35.01000, 139.01040 Kind: Race When: The final round of each season falls in early March, with entries taken over two weeks in February. Next dates: March 7, 2027 (announced) Venue: Special course on the 5 km circuit, Japan Cycle Sports Center Entry opens: For round 3 on 7 March 2027, entries run from 13 to 27 February 2027 through the centre's online form. Riders can also enter on the day for the entry fee, the park admission and ¥500 more. Entry: ¥3,000 per person (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) Courses: Class 1 (JCF licence holders) (21 km); Class 2 (JCF licence holders) (12.6 km); Class 3 (open) (8.4 km) Price from: ¥3,000 per person (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.csc.or.jp/tournament/tournament-12018/ Summary: The CSC Criterium Series races on a short special loop of 840 metres inside the Japan Cycle Sports Center's 5 km circuit near Shuzenji, and suits visiting riders who want a low-key spring race on closed roads in Izu; the two longer classes need a JCF licence or a temporary registration, while the 8.4 km class 3 takes anyone. The centre runs the series itself, with classes for licensed adults down to toddlers on balance bikes, each capped at 30 riders. Class 1 races 25 laps for 21 km and class 2 races 15 laps for 12.6 km, both for JCF-registered riders. Class 3 covers 10 laps and 8.4 km with no licence rule. Riders of junior age and older can take out a temporary registration for classes 1 and 2 for ¥1,000, and under-15s for ¥500. Adults pay ¥3,000, and the centre emails a pass to show at the gate. Pay the entry fee at the desk inside the circuit on the day. Day entries pay the park admission at the gate on top of the fee and a ¥500 surcharge. Tips: - Round 3 on 7 March 2027 makes a good early-season target, and the entry window from 13 to 27 February is short. Q: Can visitors without a licence race the CSC Criterium Series? A: Yes. Class 3 is open to riders without a JCF licence and covers 8.4 km in 10 laps. Classes 1 and 2 need a JCF registration or a temporary one for ¥1,000. Q: When is the next CSC Criterium? A: Round 3 of the 2026–2027 series runs on 7 March 2027 at the Japan Cycle Sports Center in Izu, with entries from 13 to 27 February. Q: How much does CSC Criterium Series cost? A: Prices at CSC Criterium Series start at ¥3,000 per person (2026), about CAD 27 or USD 19 (October 2026 rates). Q: How long are the CSC Criterium Series courses? A: CSC Criterium Series publishes 3 courses: Class 1 (JCF licence holders) at 21 km, Class 2 (JCF licence holders) at 12.6 km, Class 3 (open) at 8.4 km, by the organiser's figures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.csc.or.jp/tournament/tournament-12018/ https://www.csc.or.jp/2026/07/post-13139/ ### Cycling Shimanami URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/cycling-shimanami Type: Event Local name: サイクリングしまなみ (ja) Also known as: Cycling Shimanami 2026, Setouchi Shimanami Kaido International Cycling Event, 瀬戸内しまなみ海道・国際サイクリング大会 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Kind: Cycling When: Even-numbered years, with past editions from 2014 to 2024; the 2026 ride falls on a Sunday in late October with check-in the day before. Next dates: October 24, 2026 to October 25, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: On 25 October 2026 the expressway main line closes in both directions from 6:00 to 12:40 between Imabari IC and Innoshima-kita IC, and from 6:00 to 10:00 between the Onomichi Ohashi junction and Innoshima-kita IC. The cycle and moped paths stay open as usual. Venue: Setouchi Shimanami Kaido (Nishiseto Expressway) between Imabari and Onomichi Entry opens: 2026 general entry was a lottery that closed on 18 May 2026; the Japanese page gives 20 April as the opening date and the English page 13 April. Entry: ¥8,000 per person (2026), about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates) Courses: A: Imabari 70, Onomichi (Mukaishima) to Imabari (70 km); B: Innoshima 70, Onomichi (Mukaishima) to Iwagijima and back (70 km); C: Around Omishima 100, Imabari and an Omishima loop (100 km); D: Complete Shimanami 140, Imabari to Onomichi (Mukaishima) and back (140 km); E: Onomichi 65, Imabari to Onomichi (Mukaishima) (65 km); F: Omishima 70, Imabari to Omishima and back (70 km); G: Yumeshima 75, Imabari to Yugejima (75 km); H: Oshima 30, Imabari to Oshima and back (30 km) Price from: ¥8,000 per person (2026), about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://cycling-shimanami.jp/english/ Summary: Cycling Shimanami suits riders who want the one day in two years when bikes ride the expressway itself across the Shimanami bridges, and the trade-off is a spring lottery for most places. Cycling Shimanami is a non-competitive ride held once every two years, when up to 7,000 cyclists ride the Nishiseto Expressway's main carriageway, which is closed to bikes on every other day. The 2026 edition runs on Sunday 25 October, with check-in the day before at Onomichi, Imabari and Matsuyama. Eight courses run from about 30 to 140 km. They start at Imabari IC, Kurushima Kaikyo SA or Mukaishima IC and finish at Hirokoji by Imabari port, Mukaishima Sports Park or Yuge port. Entry goes through JTB Sports Station, which has an English member registration, and riders from abroad enter through the same system as everyone else. The organisers publish no separate quota or lottery for overseas entrants. For 2026, premium entry sold first come first served from 13 April to 18 May. General entry was a lottery that closed on 18 May, with results emailed on 8 June, and a second first-come round ran from 22 June to 13 July for the courses with places left. Fees for 2026 run from ¥8,000 for the 30 km Oshima course to ¥28,000 for the 140 km round trip, plus a handling fee. Courses A to G take sports bikes only, for riders of 15 and over who have already finished an event of the same distance. Course H also takes city bikes with gears and tandems, from age nine. Every bike needs a front light, a rear light or reflector, a bell and a helmet, and disc wheels are banned because of the crosswinds. E-bikes may ride, and the organisers do not charge batteries on the day, so bring a spare. Riders must carry a passport, or a My Number card if they live in Japan. Stopping on the expressway for photos is forbidden. Tips: - Register as a JTB Sports Station member before entry opens, and register the friends or family you plan to enter with. - Groups of up to five can apply for general entry and up to two for premium entry. - Premium entry adds ¥24,000 to the fee for guaranteed entry, a made-to-order jersey and local produce, and no fee is refunded if you withdraw. - The English and Japanese pages gave different opening dates for the 2026 general lottery, so check both when the next edition opens. - Riders who are not entered can still use the Shimanami cycle paths on event day, which stay open while the expressway closes. Q: Can foreigners enter Cycling Shimanami? A: Yes. Riders from abroad enter Cycling Shimanami through the JTB Sports Station system, which has English registration, and they join the same general lottery or first-come premium entry as everyone else. They must carry a passport on the day. Q: When is Cycling Shimanami 2026? A: Cycling Shimanami 2026 is on Sunday 25 October 2026, with check-in on Saturday 24 October at Onomichi, Imabari and Matsuyama. The event runs once every two years. Q: What are the opening hours of Cycling Shimanami? A: Cycling Shimanami is open on 25 October 2026 the expressway main line closes in both directions from 6:00 to 12:40 between Imabari IC and Innoshima-kita IC, and from 6:00 to 10:00 between the Onomichi Ohashi junction and Innoshima-kita IC. The cycle and moped paths stay open as usual. Q: How much does Cycling Shimanami cost? A: Prices at Cycling Shimanami start at ¥8,000 per person (2026), about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates). Q: How long are the Cycling Shimanami courses? A: Cycling Shimanami publishes 8 courses: A: Imabari 70, Onomichi (Mukaishima) to Imabari at 70 km, B: Innoshima 70, Onomichi (Mukaishima) to Iwagijima and back at 70 km, C: Around Omishima 100, Imabari and an Omishima loop at 100 km, D: Complete Shimanami 140, Imabari to Onomichi (Mukaishima) and back at 140 km, E: Onomichi 65, Imabari to Onomichi (Mukaishima) at 65 km, F: Omishima 70, Imabari to Omishima and back at 70 km, G: Yumeshima 75, Imabari to Yugejima at 75 km, H: Oshima 30, Imabari to Oshima and back at 30 km, by the organiser's figures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://cycling-shimanami.jp/english/about.html https://cycling-shimanami.jp/about.html https://cycling-shimanami.jp/english/guide-entry.html https://cycling-shimanami.jp/guide-entry.html https://cycling-shimanami.jp/english/faq.html https://cycling-shimanami.jp/english/rules.html https://cycling-shimanami.jp/trafic-regulation.html https://cycling-shimanami.jp/ ### Daisen Hamanasu Cycling URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/daisen-hamanasu-cycling Type: Event Local name: 大山はまなすサイクリング (ja) Also known as: Hamanasu Cycling, 大山はまなすサイクリング Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Daisen Address: Tottori Furusato Forum Nakayama, 760 Akasaka, Daisen, Saihaku District, Tottori Kind: Cycling When: A Sunday in early November. Next dates: November 1, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: Both courses start at 9:30. Venue: Tottori Furusato Forum Nakayama Entry opens: September (10 September in 2026) Entry: ¥4,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) Courses: A course (Hitoikizaka) (32 km); B course (Hamanasu) (20 km) Price from: ¥2,000 per child (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) Summary: Daisen Hamanasu Cycling suits families and easy riders who want a short supported ride on the Daisen coast with lunch and an onsen at the finish, and its longest course is 32 km. The 36th Hamanasu Cycling runs on 1 November 2026 from the Furusato Forum in Nakayama, on the coast of Daisen town. The A course covers 32 km over the Hitoikizaka climb and the B course 20 km, and primary school riders come with a parent. Every entrant gets a Nakayama Onsen bath ticket and a lunch ticket for the barbecue or the food trucks, and a prize draw follows at the finish. Adults pay ¥4,000 and riders of junior high age and younger ¥2,000, with no refunds after entry. Q: When is Daisen Hamanasu Cycling? A: Daisen Hamanasu Cycling takes place a Sunday in early November. The next dates we have are November 1, 2026, confirmed. Q: What are the opening hours of Daisen Hamanasu Cycling? A: Daisen Hamanasu Cycling is open both courses start at 9:30. Q: How much does Daisen Hamanasu Cycling cost? A: Prices at Daisen Hamanasu Cycling start at ¥2,000 per child (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates). Q: How long are the Daisen Hamanasu Cycling courses? A: Daisen Hamanasu Cycling publishes 2 courses: A course (Hitoikizaka) at 32 km, B course (Hamanasu) at 20 km, by the organiser's figures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.sportsentry.ne.jp/event/t/106812/ https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/event https://tourismdaisen.com/spot/58/ ### Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/echigo-tsumari-art-triennale Type: Event Local name: 大地の芸術祭 越後妻有アートトリエンナーレ (ja) Also known as: Echigo-Tsumari Art Field, Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial, Daichi no Geijutsusai, Echigo-Tsumari 2027, 大地の芸術祭 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: Tokamachi and Tsunan, Niigata Kind: Festival When: Mid-July to early November, every third year. Next dates: July 17, 2027 to November 7, 2027 (announced) Hours: Each work keeps its own days and hours. In the 2026 off-year programme most works opened 10:00–17:00, closing at 16:00 in October and November, and closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Venue: About 760 square kilometres of villages, fields and towns across Tokamachi and Tsunan Website: https://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/ Summary: The Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale returns from 17 July to 7 November 2027 across Tokamachi and Tsunan, and it suits travellers with a car and two or three days to find art in old farmhouses and rice terraces; the works lie far apart, so plan on a car or one of the art field's bus tours. The triennale puts contemporary art into the villages and fields of Echigo-Tsumari, which cover about 760 square kilometres of snow country, and the 2024 edition ran from 13 July to 10 November. Between triennales a year-round programme keeps many works open. In 2026 it ran from 25 April to 8 November and shut on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. MonET in Tokamachi and the Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel are the two big anchors, and both open outside the festival. The Echigo-Tsumari Snow Fireworks ticket already includes a voucher for the 2027 passport. The art field asks visitors to respect the people who live among the works. Park in the marked spots and keep your camera away from people's homes. Tips: - Hire a car at Echigo-Yuzawa or Tokamachi; the works spread over two municipalities. - Check each work's page for its opening days, which differ between summer and winter. Q: When is the next Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale? A: The next Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale runs from 17 July to 7 November 2027. Q: Where is the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale? A: The Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale spreads across about 760 square kilometres of villages and farmland in Tokamachi and Tsunan, Niigata. Q: Can you see Echigo-Tsumari art outside the triennale? A: Yes. A year-round programme opens many works between triennales, and in 2026 it ran from 25 April to 8 November with Tuesdays and Wednesdays off. Q: What are the opening hours of Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale? A: Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale is open each work keeps its own days and hours. In the 2026 off-year programme most works opened 10:00–17:00, closing at 16:00 in October and November, and closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/ https://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/news/gift-for-frozen-village-2027/ https://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/contact/faq/ https://nakasato-kiyotsu.com/ https://www.city.tokamachi.lg.jp/material/files/group/17/2027ikoutyousa.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5332426 ### Echigo-Tsumari Snow Fireworks URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/echigo-tsumari-yuki-hanabi Type: Event Local name: 越後妻有 雪花火 (ja) Also known as: Yuki Hanabi, Echigo-Tsumari Yukihanabi, Gift for Frozen Village, 雪花火 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: Nakago Green Park, Kamino, Tokamachi, Niigata Coordinates: 37.18850, 138.73080 Kind: Festival When: One Saturday evening in late February. Next dates: February 27, 2027 (announced) Hours: Shuttle bus check-in opens at 15:30, food stalls at 16:00 and the light field at 17:00, when outbound shuttle check-in closes. Fireworks start around 18:00 to 18:30, and return buses leave from 19:00. Venue: Nakago Green Park, Tokamachi Entry opens: 2026-09-20 Entry: ¥8,000 per adult (2027), about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates) Price from: ¥8,000 per adult (2027), about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/news/gift-for-frozen-village-2027/ Summary: Echigo-Tsumari Snow Fireworks lights a snowfield at Nakago Green Park in Tokamachi on 27 February 2027, and it suits art-minded winter visitors who want fireworks over snow and an early pass to the 2027 triennale; the ¥8,000 adult ticket is dear unless you also plan to see the summer festival, and you can only get there by the official shuttle. Light artist Kyota Takahashi covers the snowfield with coloured 'seeds of light' for his work Gift for Frozen Village 2027, and the piece brings an early spring to a village under snow. After dark, fireworks go up over it, including a three-shaku shell and a starmine set to music. The art field says this is the first Snow Fireworks in six years. On the night the venue is closed to all vehicles and to walkers, and everyone rides the shuttle buses from the listed pick-up points such as Tokamachi City Hall. Food stalls open at 16:00 and the fireworks begin around 18:00. Adult tickets cost ¥8,000 and also cover the 2027 triennale passport and the winter programme from 30 January to 7 March 2027. Sales run from 20 September 2026 to 26 February 2027 or until they sell out. Tips: - Photographers with tripods check in from 15:00 at Tokamachi City Hall for their own shuttle to a dedicated area. - Board early; the art field warns that the last outbound buses are the most crowded. Q: When is the Echigo-Tsumari Snow Fireworks 2027? A: Echigo-Tsumari Snow Fireworks takes place on Saturday 27 February 2027 at Nakago Green Park in Tokamachi. Q: How much is an Echigo-Tsumari Snow Fireworks ticket? A: An Echigo-Tsumari Snow Fireworks ticket costs ¥8,000 for adults, ¥6,000 for high school students and ¥3,000 for school children, including the 2027 triennale passport voucher. Q: Can I drive to the Echigo-Tsumari Snow Fireworks? A: No. On the night the venue is closed to all vehicles and to walkers, and everyone uses the official shuttle buses. Q: What are the opening hours of Echigo-Tsumari Snow Fireworks? A: Echigo-Tsumari Snow Fireworks is open shuttle bus check-in opens at 15:30, food stalls at 16:00 and the light field at 17:00, when outbound shuttle check-in closes. Fireworks start around 18:00 to 18:30, and return buses leave from 19:00. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/news/gift-for-frozen-village-2027/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E3%83%8A%E3%82%AB%E3%82%B4%E3%82%B0%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%83%B3%E3%83%91%E3%83%BC%E3%82%AF ### Gassan Spring Ski Season URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/gassan-ski-season Type: Event Local name: 月山スキー場 営業期間 (ja) Also known as: Gassan opening day, Gassan spring skiing, Gassan summer ski, Gassan ski season dates, 月山 春スキー, 月山夏スキー Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Address: Ubasawa, Shizu, Nishikawa, Yamagata 990-0734 Status: seasonal. The 2027 opening date wasn't public on 11 October 2026. Coordinates: 38.52780, 140.00560 Kind: Ski When: Gassan opens in early April, when most Japanese resorts are closing, and skiing runs into mid-June. Next dates: April 10, 2026 to June 14, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: Lifts run 8:00–16:30, weather permitting. Venue: Gassan Ski Area, Ubasawa Entry: ¥5,800 per adult (2026), about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) Price from: ¥5,800 per adult (2026), about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://mt-gassan.com/snow/ Summary: Gassan's opening suits skiers and ski tourers who want to extend the season into spring on a sacred mountain's snowfields; it has just a pair lift and a T-bar, and tourers head beyond them onto open snow. Gassan opens when other resorts close. Its lift starts running in early April and keeps going into June. In 2026 the season ran from 10 April to 14 June. After that the pair lift kept carrying hikers on single and return tickets. The patrolled area covers the slopes west of the lift, including Ubagatake. Everything else is unmanaged backcountry, and Gassan's local rule asks every tourer to file an entry form at the lower lift station. Rescues outside the patrolled area or after hours are charged at cost; a groomer or snowmobile costs ¥10,000 an hour. Gassan is also one of the three sacred mountains of Dewa Sanzan. Gassan Shrine on the summit opens only from 1 July to 15 September, so spring skiers pass a closed mountain shrine. A 2026 day pass cost ¥5,800 for adults and ¥3,500 for primary-school children. During the opening week from 10 to 17 April it dropped to ¥5,000. A return ride on the pair lift cost ¥1,800 for hikers and tourers. Tips: - Use the cheaper opening-week pass if you're there in the first week. In 2026 it cost ¥5,000 from 10 to 17 April. - Fill in the entry form at the lower lift station before you tour beyond the lift, which the local rule requires. Q: When does Gassan ski area open? A: In early April each year. In 2026 it opened on 10 April and closed for skiing on 14 June. Q: How much is a Gassan lift pass? A: A 2026 day pass cost ¥5,800 for adults and ¥3,500 for children. Q: When is Gassan Spring Ski Season? A: Gassan Spring Ski Season takes place gassan opens in early April, when most Japanese resorts are closing, and skiing runs into mid-June. The latest dates we have are April 10, 2026 to June 14, 2026, confirmed. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://mt-gassan.com/snow/info/ https://mt-gassan.com/snow/local-rule/ https://mt-gassan.com/snow/ http://www.dewasanzan.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11516048 ### Ainokura light-up URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/gokayama-ainokura-light-up Type: Event Local name: 世界遺産相倉合掌造り集落ライトアップ (ja) Also known as: Gokayama light-up, Ainokura illumination, Gokayama winter light-up, 相倉ライトアップ Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Address: Ainokura, Nanto, Toyama Coordinates: 36.42556, 136.93572 Kind: Festival When: Two evenings in late May, two in mid-September and two in February, from sunset to 20:00. Next dates: February 20, 2027 to February 21, 2027 (announced) Hours: From sunset to 20:00. Ordinary window-light evenings, without the light-up, fall on 13 and 27 January 2027 from 17:00 to 20:00. Venue: Ainokura gassho-zukuri village, Gokayama Website: https://gokayama-info.jp/en/archives/3466 Summary: The Ainokura light-up suits photographers and couples who want a UNESCO gassho village lit after dark, and its trade-off is a short window of six evenings a year. Ainokura is one of Gokayama's two World Heritage villages, and it lights up its thatched gassho houses on two evenings at a time, three times a year. The winter edition on 20 and 21 February 2027 is the one most likely to show the roofs under snow, since Gokayama gets 2 to 3 m each winter. The lights run from sunset to 20:00. People live in these houses, so stay on the lanes and keep clear of the eaves and fields. Coaches need a parking reservation from the Gokayama Tourist Information Center, which also handles questions by fax and email. Tips: - On 13 and 27 January 2027 the village keeps its ordinary window lights on from 17:00 to 20:00, a chance to see the village by its own window light. Q: When is Ainokura light-up? A: Ainokura light-up takes place two evenings in late May, two in mid-September and two in February, from sunset to 20:00. The next dates we have are February 20, 2027 to February 21, 2027, announced. Q: What are the opening hours of Ainokura light-up? A: Ainokura light-up is open from sunset to 20:00. Ordinary window-light evenings, without the light-up, fall on 13 and 27 January 2027 from 17:00 to 20:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://gokayama-info.jp/en/archives/3466 https://gokayama-info.jp/en/history https://gokayama-info.jp/en/sightseeingspots/gokayama.php ### Gujo Odori URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/gujo-odori Type: Event Local name: 郡上おどり (ja) Also known as: Gujo Odori dance festival, Gujo Hachiman Odori, Tetsuya Odori, Gujo all-night dance, 徹夜おどり, 郡上踊り Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Gujo-Hachiman Address: Hachiman-cho, Gujo, Gifu Kind: Festival When: From mid-July to early September, one venue a night, with four all-night dances over Obon. Next dates: August 13, 2027 to August 16, 2027 (projected from past years) Hours: Most nights run 20:00 to 22:30, and Saturdays to 23:00. The all-night dances run from 20:00 until 4:00 or 5:00 the next morning. Venue: A different street, square or shrine in the Gujo Hachiman castle town each night Website: https://www.gujohachiman.com/kanko/odori.html Summary: Gujo Odori is a summer dance where visitors join residents in the circle for more than 30 nights, and it suits travellers who want to dance at a festival as well as watch one; the climax is the all-night dancing of 13 to 16 August. People in Gujo Hachiman have danced this bon odori for about 400 years. In the Edo period the lord gathered the dances of the villages into his castle town and told everyone to dance together for the four nights of Obon regardless of rank. The town calls it a dance for dancing, and anyone can step in. UNESCO added it to its intangible heritage list in 2022. The circle moves to a new venue each night, from shrine grounds to street corners and the square in front of the old town hall. There are ten dances, and every night opens with Kawasaki. Haru-koma is the quick one. Men and women dance the same steps, and men make up a large share of the circle. No costume is needed, though a yukata suits the town, and shops rent them. The wooden geta clatter keeps the beat, and the town's geta makers will fit a pair while you wait. The 2026 season ran 30 nights from 11 July to 5 September. Tips: - Learn the first dance, Kawasaki, before you go; it opens every night. - Buy geta in town and wear them in the circle; their clack is part of the music. - For an all-night dance, rest in the afternoon; the town says the dancing peaks near dawn as the sky lightens. Q: When is Gujo Odori? A: From mid-July to early September each year. In 2026 it ran from 11 July to 5 September, and the all-night dances fall on 13 to 16 August. Q: Can tourists join Gujo Odori? A: Yes. Visitors and residents dance in the same circle, and no costume or registration is needed. Q: What time does Gujo Odori start? A: At 20:00. It usually ends at 22:30, or 23:00 on Saturdays, and the all-night dances go on until 4:00 or 5:00. Q: What are the opening hours of Gujo Odori? A: Gujo Odori is open most nights run 20:00 to 22:30, and Saturdays to 23:00. The all-night dances run from 20:00 until 4:00 or 5:00 the next morning. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.gujohachiman.com/kanko/odori.html https://www.gujohachiman.com/kanko/odori_schedule.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6430768 ### Hachimantai Hill Climb URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/hachimantai-hill-climb Type: Event Local name: 八幡平ヒルクライム (ja) Also known as: Hachimantai Hillclimb, Aspite Line hill climb, Hachimantai Hill Climb 2026, 八幡平ヒルクライム2026 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Address: Matsuo-Hachimantai Visitor Center, Hachimantai, Iwate Coordinates: 39.92030, 140.96720 Kind: Cycling When: Early September, over one weekend. Next dates: September 5, 2026 to September 6, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: In 2026 the main climb started at 7:20 with the road closed from 7:00 to 11:30. Riders on the main course had to pass Gozaisho by 8:45 and the point before Kuroyachi bridge by 9:20. Venue: Hachimantai Aspite Line, from the Matsuo-Hachimantai Visitor Center Entry opens: In 2026 entries opened on 22 May and closed on 7 August, or when full. Entry: ¥8,400 per person (2026), about CAD 76 or USD 53 (October 2026 rates) Courses: Main course (19 km); Short course (beginner and junior) (8 km) Price from: ¥5,775 per person (2026), about CAD 52 or USD 36 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://hachimantai-hillclimb.com/ Summary: The Hachimantai Hill Climb suits road riders who want a closed-road race up the Aspite Line at the start of autumn; it takes 500 riders and sets strict cut-off times on the climb. The Hachimantai Hill Climb closes the Hachimantai Aspite Line for a Sunday morning race from the Matsuo-Hachimantai Visitor Center toward the summit. The main course climbs about 19 km to a lay-by short of the summit car park, and the short course stops after about 8 km at Gozaisho. The 2026 race took 500 riders across eleven classes, including e-bikes and mountain bikes. The day before, a 100-rider time trial runs on the Iwate-san Panorama Line. The 2026 event ran on 5 and 6 September, and the main race started from 7:20 in waves by age. Riders who didn't reach Gozaisho by 8:45 were stopped and brought down. In 2026 the main climb cost ¥8,400 and the 8 km beginner and junior course ¥5,775. The Saturday time trial cost ¥5,250 on its own, or ¥11,550 together with the main course. Tips: - Book a room early in Hachimantai's onsen villages; the race site lists lodging for the weekend. - Carry proof of cycling insurance, which entry requires. Q: When is the Hachimantai Hill Climb? A: In early September. The 2026 race ran on 5 and 6 September, and the 2027 date wasn't public by 11 October 2026. Q: How long is the Hachimantai Hill Climb? A: The main course climbs about 19 km up the Aspite Line, and the short course about 8 km. Q: What are the opening hours of Hachimantai Hill Climb? A: Hachimantai Hill Climb is open in 2026 the main climb started at 7:20 with the road closed from 7:00 to 11:30. Riders on the main course had to pass Gozaisho by 8:45 and the point before Kuroyachi bridge by 9:20. Q: How much does Hachimantai Hill Climb cost? A: Prices at Hachimantai Hill Climb start at ¥5,775 per person (2026), about CAD 52 or USD 36 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hachimantai-hillclimb.com/outline/ https://hachimantai-hillclimb.com/ https://www.hachimantai.or.jp/event/09.html https://www.hachimantai.or.jp/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%9D%BE%E5%B0%BE%E5%85%AB%E5%B9%A1%E5%B9%B3%E3%83%93%E3%82%B8%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BB%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC ### Hakkoda Spring Tour Season URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/hakkoda-spring-tour-season Type: Event Local name: 八甲田 春スキー ツアールート開放 (ja) Also known as: Hakkoda spring skiing, Hakkoda tour routes opening, Hakkoda Miyasama route, Hakkoda backcountry season, 八甲田 ツアールート Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Address: Hakkoda Ropeway base station, Kansuizawa, Arakawa, Aomori, Aomori Status: seasonal. The ropeway gives only typical opening times for the routes. Snow decides the actual dates each spring. Coordinates: 40.67820, 140.84650 Kind: Season When: The Hakkoda Ropeway's tour routes open in stages from early March, and the ski courses usually run until mid-May. Hours: The ropeway's last car up leaves at 16:20 from March. Venue: Hakkoda Ropeway and the Hakkoda tour routes Entry: ¥1,550 per adult (2026), about CAD 14 or USD 9.80 (October 2026 rates) Price from: ¥1,550 per adult (2026), about CAD 14 or USD 9.80 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/ski/ Summary: Hakkoda's spring season suits experienced ski tourers who want long descents from the ropeway to onsen and roads below; every tour route lies outside the patrolled area, so go with a guide or with full avalanche gear and a plan. From the Hakkoda Ropeway's summit station at 1,324 metres, six tour routes run down off the patrolled area to roads and onsen far below. Three open in early March in a typical year. The Miyasama route drops 424 metres to Sukayu. The Chuo route is 4 km long, and the Jogakura route branches off it down to Hotel Jogakura. Three longer routes open in early April, among them the Hokibadai route, which falls 850 metres toward Tashiro Kogen. None of the routes ends at the ropeway, and the operator asks that nobody go alone. The Hakkoda Mountains Ski Safety Convention requires an entry form for all of them and bills rescues at ¥30,000 per rescuer per day. Sukayu Onsen's guides run shared tours through the season to 6 May 2027. Hakkoda is an active volcano at JMA alert level 1. Bears live here too, and in summer 2026 Aomori's special bear warning closed the Hakkoda trails until 31 July. A one-way ropeway ride costs ¥1,550 and the snow-season pass ¥72,500 for 1 December to 5 May. Sukayu's guided tours cost ¥7,000 a day. Tips: - Join a Sukayu Guide tour for ¥7,000 a day if you don't know the routes. - Fill in the mountain entry form before you leave the summit station, as the local rules require. Q: When do the Hakkoda tour routes open? A: In a typical year the Miyasama, Chuo and Jogakura routes open in early March and the Dozo, Hakkoda Onsen and Hokibadai routes in early April, snow permitting. Q: When is Hakkoda Spring Tour Season? A: Hakkoda Spring Tour Season takes place the Hakkoda Ropeway's tour routes open in stages from early March, and the ski courses usually run until mid-May. Q: How much does Hakkoda Spring Tour Season cost? A: Prices at Hakkoda Spring Tour Season start at ¥1,550 per adult (2026), about CAD 14 or USD 9.80 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/ski/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/fare_time/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/qa/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/en/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/rule_en.pdf https://sukayu.jp/information4/ https://sukayu.jp/information1/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/203.html ### Hakuba Happo-one Fire Festival URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/hakuba-happo-one-fire-festival Type: Event Also known as: Happo Fire Festival, Happo-one Fire Festival, Hakuba fire festival Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Coordinates: 36.70208, 137.83713 Kind: Festival When: One evening in February at the foot of Happo-one; the 2026 edition fell on Friday 20 February. Next dates: February 20, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: In 2026 the gates opened at 19:15, the torchlight descent and bonfire lighting began at 19:30, fireworks went up at 20:30 and the night ended at 20:40. Venue: Nakiyama slope, Hakuba Happo-one Website: https://www.hakubavalley.com/ Summary: The Hakuba Happo-one Fire Festival is a February evening of torchlight skiing, a bonfire and fireworks on the Nakiyama slope, and suits families staying in Happo who want a short night out. The 2027 date had not been announced by October 2026. The 2026 festival was the 56th and ran for under an hour and a half. Skiers carried torches down the Nakiyama slope at 19:30 while the ombe bonfire was lit at the bottom, and a ski and snowboard demonstration followed the stage show. Fireworks closed the night at 20:30, which leaves time for dinner in the village afterwards. Tips: - Watch Hakuba Valley's news page from January for the 2027 date, since the 2026 notice went up two days before the night. Q: When is the Happo-one fire festival? A: The Hakuba Happo-one Fire Festival takes place on one February evening, and in 2026 it ran on Friday 20 February from 19:15 to 20:40. The 2027 date had not been announced on 11 October 2026. Q: What are the opening hours of Hakuba Happo-one Fire Festival? A: Hakuba Happo-one Fire Festival is open in 2026 the gates opened at 19:15, the torchlight descent and bonfire lighting began at 19:30, fireworks went up at 20:30 and the night ended at 20:40. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hakubavalley.com/info_en/5982 ### Hata-Shimanto Area Doppuri Ride URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/hata-shimanto-doppuri-ride Type: Event Local name: 幡多・四万十エリア どっぷりライド (ja) Also known as: Doppuri Ride, Shimanto Doppuri Ride, どっぷりライド Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kochi Address: Sukumo City General Sports Park, 4024 Yamana-cho Hona, Sukumo, Kochi Coordinates: 32.96870, 132.78110 Kind: Cycling When: A weekend in early March, with entries opening the December before. Next dates: March 7, 2026 to March 8, 2026 (confirmed) Venue: Sukumo City General Sports Park Entry opens: Entries for 2026 opened on 1 December 2025 through Sports Entry and closed on 16 February 2026. Courses: Ashizuri middle (day 1) (108 km); Ashizuri long (day 1) (135 km); Shimanto long (day 2) (152.5 km); Doppuri long (both days) (287.5 km) Website: https://cycling.hata-kochi.jp/event/ Summary: The Doppuri Ride suits strong riders who want two long days of coast and river in southwest Kochi with food at every aid station, and the Shimanto day is 152.5 km with a time limit. Seven towns and villages of the Hata area run this non-competitive long ride from the sports park in Sukumo. Day one loops out to the Ashizuri coast and back to Sukumo on a 108 or 135 km course, climbing forest roads before the Pacific shoreline. Day two takes 152.5 km out to Shimanto and Kuroshio along the Shimanto River and back. Riding both days makes the Doppuri course of 260.5 or 287.5 km. Roads stay open to traffic, so riders stop at red lights, and anyone outside the time limit leaves the course. About 450 places were offered in 2026, for riders of high-school age and older who can finish the Shimanto course. Tips: - Watch the Hata cycling site from late autumn; 2026 entries opened on 1 December the year before. Q: When is Hata-Shimanto Area Doppuri Ride? A: Hata-Shimanto Area Doppuri Ride takes place a weekend in early March, with entries opening the December before. The latest dates we have are March 7, 2026 to March 8, 2026, confirmed. Q: How long are the Hata-Shimanto Area Doppuri Ride courses? A: Hata-Shimanto Area Doppuri Ride publishes 4 courses: Ashizuri middle (day 1) at 108 km, Ashizuri long (day 1) at 135 km, Shimanto long (day 2) at 152.5 km, Doppuri long (both days) at 287.5 km, by the organiser's figures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://cycling.hata-kochi.jp/event/ https://www.shimanto-kankou.com/news/latest-event/ ### Ibaraki K1 Ride URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/ibaraki-k1-ride Type: Event Local name: いばらきK1ライド (ja) Also known as: K1 Ride, Ibaraki K1 Ride 2026, Kasumigaura ride Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Town: Tsuchiura Address: J:COM Field Tsuchiura (Kawaguchi Sports Park athletics stadium), 2-12-75 Kawaguchi, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Coordinates: 36.08010, 140.21060 Kind: Cycling When: A Sunday at the end of November. Next dates: November 29, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: In 2026 the event runs from 5:30 to 16:00. Venue: J:COM Field Tsuchiura Courses: Long Ride (126 km); Middle Ride (94 km); Half Ride plus Cycruise boat (57 km); Cycruise boat plus Half Ride (47 km); Beginner Ride (36 km) Website: https://k1ride.com/ Summary: The K1 Ride suits riders who want to circle Kasumigaura with food stops on the Ring-Ring Road at the end of November, and its 5:30 start means a night in Tsuchiura first. The Ring-Ring Road's council runs the K1 Ride around Kasumigaura, and the 2026 ride on 29 November is its fifth. Courses run from a 36 km beginner ride to the 126 km long ride, which takes 1,250 riders, and two options swap part of the ride for the Cycruise boat across the lake. Aid stations hand out food from the towns along the route. Standard entries run until 31 October 2026 or until each course fills. A premium plan for 50 riders adds a commemorative jersey and parking near the start. Tips: - Stay in Tsuchiura the night before; the start opens at 5:30. Q: When is the 2026 Ibaraki K1 Ride? A: The 2026 Ibaraki K1 Ride takes place on Sunday 29 November, starting and finishing at J:COM Field Tsuchiura. Q: What are the opening hours of Ibaraki K1 Ride? A: Ibaraki K1 Ride is open in 2026 the event runs from 5:30 to 16:00. Q: How long are the Ibaraki K1 Ride courses? A: Ibaraki K1 Ride publishes 5 courses: Long Ride at 126 km, Middle Ride at 94 km, Half Ride plus Cycruise boat at 57 km, Cycruise boat plus Half Ride at 47 km, Beginner Ride at 36 km, by the organiser's figures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/event/event-8480/ https://k1ride.com/ ### Okihiki Gyoji URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/ise-jingu-okihiki-gyoji Type: Event Local name: 御木曳行事 (ja) Also known as: Okihiki, Ise Okihiki, 御木曳, timber-hauling festival Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Mie Town: Ise Coordinates: 34.45498, 136.72516 Kind: Festival When: May to July in 2026 and again in 2027, for the 63rd Shikinen Sengu. Venue: The Isuzu River to the Naiku, and the streets of Ise to the Geku Website: https://www.isejingu.or.jp/sengu/the63rd/schedule.html Summary: The Okihiki suits visitors who want to see Ise's own people haul timber for the new shrine, and it comes round only twice in a 20-year cycle, next from May to July 2027. For each Shikinen Sengu, the people of Ise's old shrine lands and worshippers from across Japan haul the timber for the new sanctuaries into both precincts the old way. At the Naiku the logs come up the Isuzu River, and at the Geku they ride carts through the streets. Ise Jingu calls it the liveliest of all the Sengu events. The first round ran from May to July 2026, and the second runs over the same months in 2027. The shrine's schedule gives the months and leaves the days for later. Watch from the riverbank or the roadside and do as the stewards say. Q: When is Okihiki Gyoji? A: Okihiki Gyoji takes place may to July in 2026 and again in 2027, for the 63rd Shikinen Sengu. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.isejingu.or.jp/sengu/the63rd/schedule.html https://www.isejingu.or.jp/en/ritual/index.html ### Utsunomiya Japan Cup Cycle Road Race URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/japan-cup-cycle-road-race Type: Event Local name: 宇都宮ジャパンカップサイクルロードレース (ja) Also known as: Japan Cup, Japan Cup Cycle Road Race, Utsunomiya Japan Cup, Japan Cup Criterium, ジャパンカップ Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Utsunomiya Coordinates: 36.62160, 139.78900 Kind: Race When: A Friday-to-Sunday weekend in mid-October, with the criterium on Saturday afternoon and the road race on Sunday morning. Next dates: October 16, 2026 to October 18, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: In 2026 the criterium runs 15:40 to about 16:30 under road closures from 14:00 to 17:00, and the road race runs 10:00 to about 13:40 under closures from 9:50 to 14:30. Venue: Utsunomiya Forest Park circuit (road race) and Odori avenue (criterium), Utsunomiya Courses: Road race: Utsunomiya Forest Park circuit, 14 laps of 10.3 km (144.2 km); Criterium: Odori circuit, 15 laps of 2.25 km (33.75 km) Website: https://www.japancup.gr.jp/ Summary: The Japan Cup suits cycling fans who want to see WorldTour teams race in Asia's top one-day event a train ride from Tokyo, and the Sunday road race on the Kogashi climb draws crowds that make the shuttle buses the only sane way in. The 2026 race is the 33rd edition and the race has held UCI ProSeries status since 2020. Nineteen teams start the road race, five of them from the WorldTour. The Sunday race covers 144.2 km on 14 laps of a 10.3 km circuit from the Forest Park car park, and each lap crosses the mountain prize on the Kogashi forest road. In 2025 Lenny Martinez won alone after attacking on the final climb. Saturday's criterium closes Odori in the city centre for 15 laps of 2.25 km between the Banba square start and turns at the Tobu Bashamichi entrance and Kamigawara. In 2025 Jonathan Milan won it at an average of 50.7 km/h, the fastest in its history, for Lidl-Trek's sixth win in a row there. A women's criterium and the Hopeful Criterium run before the main event. For the road race take the shuttle from JR Utsunomiya east exit stop 5. It runs every five to ten minutes from 6:30 until about 9:50 and charges ¥1,200 each way, or ¥600 for children. The ride takes about 40 minutes and buses back start after the finish from the Tsuru Country Club rotary 400 m from the course. Tips: - Buy the shuttle ticket at the temporary booth by stop 5; it is sold on the day only. - Watching from the roadside is free. Paid grandstand seats in the Exciting Zone went on sale on 14 August 2026. - Riders in town for the criterium can use the city bicycle parks, free for four hours. Q: When is the 2026 Japan Cup? A: The 2026 Utsunomiya Japan Cup runs from 16 to 18 October, with the criterium on 17 October and the road race on 18 October. Q: How long is the Japan Cup road race? A: The 2026 Japan Cup road race covers 144.2 km on 14 laps of a 10.3 km circuit at the Utsunomiya Forest Park. Q: When is Utsunomiya Japan Cup Cycle Road Race? A: Utsunomiya Japan Cup Cycle Road Race takes place a Friday-to-Sunday weekend in mid-October, with the criterium on Saturday afternoon and the road race on Sunday morning. The next dates we have are October 16, 2026 to October 18, 2026, confirmed. Q: What are the opening hours of Utsunomiya Japan Cup Cycle Road Race? A: Utsunomiya Japan Cup Cycle Road Race is open in 2026 the criterium runs 15:40 to about 16:30 under road closures from 14:00 to 17:00, and the road race runs 10:00 to about 13:40 under closures from 9:50 to 14:30. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.japancup.gr.jp/ https://www.japancup.gr.jp/y2026/roadrace/ https://www.japancup.gr.jp/y2026/criterium/ https://www.japancup.gr.jp/y2026/roadrace-access/ https://www.tochigiji.or.jp/news/n65422 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1536607 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107018978 ### Kumamoto Castle Shiro Akari URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/kumamoto-shiro-akari Type: Event Local name: 城あかり (ja) Also known as: Shiro Akari, Kumamoto Castle illumination, Autumn Kumamoto Castle Festival, 秋のくまもとお城まつり Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kumamoto Town: Kumamoto Address: Kumamoto Castle, 1-1 Honmaru, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto Coordinates: 32.80610, 130.70600 Kind: Festival When: October into early November, during the autumn castle festival. Next dates: October 2, 2026 to November 1, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: The castle grounds stay open until 21:00, with last entry at 20:00, while the event runs. Venue: The square in front of the keep and the castle grounds Entry: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.kumamoto.guide/events/detail/7823 Summary: Shiro Akari suits anyone in Kumamoto this autumn who wants to see the castle lit at night, and the evening crowds make a pre-bought ticket worth having. For a month this autumn Kumamoto Castle opens at night for Shiro Akari, a light event the city holds as part of the recovery from the July 2026 earthquake. Projection mapping, lasers, searchlights and bamboo lanterns fill the square in front of the keep and the grounds around it. The castle stays open until 21:00 while it runs, and the north gate ticket office opens in the evenings. Tips: - Buy your castle ticket online the day before to skip the evening queue. Q: When is Kumamoto Castle Shiro Akari? A: Kumamoto Castle Shiro Akari takes place october into early November, during the autumn castle festival. The latest dates we have are October 2, 2026 to November 1, 2026, confirmed. Q: What are the opening hours of Kumamoto Castle Shiro Akari? A: Kumamoto Castle Shiro Akari is open the castle grounds stay open until 21:00, with last entry at 20:00, while the event runs. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kumamoto.guide/events/detail/7823 https://castle.kumamoto-guide.jp/news/detail/1480 ### Metasequoia Avenue Autumn Colour URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/metasequoia-avenue-autumn-colour Type: Event Local name: メタセコイア並木 紅葉 (ja) Also known as: Makino Metasequoia autumn leaves, Metasequoia koyo, メタセコイア 紅葉 Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Takashima Address: Makino-cho, Takashima, Shiga Coordinates: 35.46680, 136.03590 Kind: Season When: Late November to early December most years. Hours: The avenue has no lighting at night beyond street lamps. Venue: Metasequoia avenue, Makino, Takashima Website: https://takashima-kanko.jp/spot/metasequoia.html Summary: The Metasequoia avenue's autumn weeks suit anyone who can come on a weekday, since the colour is brick-brown and the weekend traffic jams are long. The 500 or so metasequoias along Makino's 2.4 km avenue turn from late November to early December in most years. The tourism association calls the colour brick or brown and warns that it never goes maple red. The light and the weather change the shade from hour to hour. This is the busiest stretch of the year, and the association asks visitors to help ease the traffic. Free temporary car parks open near the avenue for the season. From 14 November to 13 December 2026 the rental desk at JR Makino Station takes no advance bookings and no bikes from other stations. Tips: - Come on a weekday morning, and take the community bus from JR Makino Station if you can. - Never stop on the avenue for photos; it's a local road with cars on it. Q: When do the Makino metasequoias change colour? A: Usually from late November to early December, turning a brick or brown shade. Q: When is Metasequoia Avenue Autumn Colour? A: Metasequoia Avenue Autumn Colour takes place late November to early December most years. Q: What are the opening hours of Metasequoia Avenue Autumn Colour? A: Metasequoia Avenue Autumn Colour is open the avenue has no lighting at night beyond street lamps. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://takashima-kanko.jp/spot/metasequoia.html https://takashima-kanko.jp/guide/rentalcycle.html ### Mt. Fuji Hill Climb URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/mt-fuji-hill-climb Type: Event Local name: Mt.富士ヒルクライム (ja) Also known as: Fuji Hill Climb, Fujihill, Fuji HC, Mt Fuji Hillclimb, 富士ヒル, 富士ヒルクライム, Fuji Subaru Line hill climb Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Town: Fujiyoshida Address: Fuji Hokuroku Park, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Coordinates: 35.45410, 138.76800 Kind: Race When: Early June on a Sunday, with registration and the Cycle Expo at Fuji Hokuroku Park the day before. Entries for the general classes open in mid-February. Next dates: June 6, 2027 (projected from past years) Hours: In 2026 the Fuji Subaru Line closed to all traffic from 3:00 to 13:45. The first wave started at 6:30 and the last group left by 9:10. Cut-offs closed at 11:00 at the 10.5 km gate, 11:20 at the 17.2 km gate and 12:00 at the finish. Venue: Fuji Hokuroku Park, Fujiyoshida, to the Fuji Subaru Line fifth station Entry opens: In 2026 general entry ran from 20:00 on 13 February to 23:59 on 13 March, with a priority window from 3 to 10 February and the organiser-selected class from 5 to 12 January. Overseas riders entered through RUNNET's international site in the same February–March window. Entry: ¥12,500 per person (2026), about CAD 112 or USD 79 (October 2026 rates) Courses: Fuji Hokuroku Park to the Fuji Subaru Line fifth station (24 km, 1255 m up) Price from: ¥12,500 per person (2026), about CAD 112 or USD 79 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://www.fujihc.jp/ Summary: The Mt. Fuji Hill Climb sends about 8,500 riders up the closed Fuji Subaru Line each June, 24 timed kilometres and 1,255 metres to the fifth station, and suits any fit rider who wants a mass climb on Fuji with a forgiving cut-off; the fifth station can sit near 6°C at the finish, so pack winter gloves for the group descent. Riders start in waves from Fuji Hokuroku Park in Fujiyoshida, with the organiser-selected men and women first at 6:30 and the age-group riders following in blocks of 1,600 every half hour. The full course runs 25 km with 1,270 metres of climbing, timed over the last 24 km from the Tainai cave entrance junction, at an average of 5.2 per cent and never more than 7.8. A timed mountain sprint covers the steepest kilometre, between 19 and 20 km. The gradient stays gentle enough that more than 98 per cent of starters have finished in each of the last four years, and the oldest finisher in 2025 was 83. Age-group men averaged 1 hour 43 minutes and women 2 hours 5 minutes that year. A pacer in the fifth wave rides for the 90-minute mark that many people chase. Nobody descends alone. From 8:30 groups of 200 to 300 riders leave the fifth station every 15 minutes behind descent leaders, and the 25 km run down chills you faster than you expect. You hand in a bag of warm clothes the day before, no larger than 40 by 60 by 10 cm, and it waits for you at the top. Riders who enter from overseas pay ¥20,000 through RUNNET's international site, and the Fuji Hill Ride Tour adds a guided ride on the Friday before. Cars cannot park at the venue, and the organisers sell places in designated car parks with the entry. From Shinjuku the train runs to Otsuki and on to Fujikyu's Fujisan Station, and with no regular bus to the park, riders take a taxi or ride about 30 minutes on the open road. The organisers give 3 per cent of entry fees to Fuji conservation, ¥3,073,797 in 2025. Tips: - Racers must wear a helmet and gloves, and leather or cloth helmets are banned. Take off baskets, mirrors and kickstands before race day. - Registration happens only on the Saturday before the race, so book a bed nearby that night; Fujikyu Travel sells participant packages through the race website. Q: When is the Mt. Fuji Hill Climb in 2027? A: The organisers had not announced the 2027 date on 11 October 2026. The 2025 and 2026 races fell on the first Sunday of June, which points to 6 June 2027. Q: How long is the Mt. Fuji Hill Climb? A: The course is 25 km with 1,270 m of climbing from Fuji Hokuroku Park to the Fuji Subaru Line fifth station. The timed section covers 24 km and 1,255 m at an average of 5.2 per cent. Q: How much does it cost to enter the Mt. Fuji Hill Climb? A: In 2026 general entry cost ¥12,500 and student entry ¥6,500. Riders entering from overseas paid ¥20,000. Q: What is the cut-off time for the Mt. Fuji Hill Climb? A: In 2026 the finish closed at 12:00, 2 hours 50 minutes after the final start. Gates at 10.5 km and 17.2 km closed at 11:00 and 11:20. Q: What are the opening hours of Mt. Fuji Hill Climb? A: Mt. Fuji Hill Climb is open in 2026 the Fuji Subaru Line closed to all traffic from 3:00 to 13:45. The first wave started at 6:30 and the last group left by 9:10. Cut-offs closed at 11:00 at the 10.5 km gate, 11:20 at the 17.2 km gate and 12:00 at the finish. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.fujihc.jp/outline/ https://www.fujihc.jp/english/ https://www.fujihc.jp/ https://www.fujihc.jp/about/ https://www.fujihc.jp/course/ https://www.fujihc.jp/faq/ https://www.fujihc.jp/info/ https://past.fujihc.jp/2025/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q100401180 ### Nagahama Hikiyama Matsuri URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/nagahama-hikiyama-matsuri Type: Event Local name: 長浜曳山祭 (ja) Also known as: Nagahama Hikiyama Festival, 長浜曳山まつり, Nagahama children's kabuki, Hikiyama festival Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Nagahama Address: Nagahama Hachimangu, Miya-machi, Nagahama, Shiga Coordinates: 35.38250, 136.27410 Kind: Festival When: 13 to 16 April every year, with rehearsals and rites from 9 April. Next dates: April 13, 2027 to April 16, 2027 (projected from past years) Hours: The 15 April performances start around 7:00 with the procession to the shrine. Venue: Nagahama Hachimangu and the streets of central Nagahama Website: https://nagahama-hikiyama.or.jp/ Summary: Nagahama's Hikiyama festival suits anyone near the lake in mid-April who wants to watch children perform kabuki on gilded floats, though the 15 April high point starts at dawn and the streets pack tight. When Toyotomi Hideyoshi, lord of Nagahama castle, had a son, he handed out gold dust to the townspeople, and they are said to have built floats with it for the Nagahama Hachimangu festival. The floats in use today date from the Edo period, when each neighbourhood competed to make its float grander. The draw is the children's kabuki, played on the float stages by boys aged 5 to 12. The main days run from 13 to 16 April. On the 14th the floats gather at the shrine in the afternoon, and at 19:00 the young actors walk through town showing off their moves. On the 15th, the highlight, four floats perform in an order drawn by lot at the shrine. They then play again along the approach and at the otabisho resting place, and the floats go home after dark with their lanterns lit. Each float performs in its own street again on the 16th. The Hikiyama Museum near Kurokabe shows real floats all year, for ¥600, if you can't make April. It closes on Mondays. Tips: - Arrive early on 15 April; the procession to the shrine starts around 7:00. - The Hikiyama Museum also runs an autumn float procession each October, when it swaps the floats on display. Q: When is the Nagahama Hikiyama festival? A: The main days fall on 13 to 16 April every year, with the shrine performances on 15 April. Q: Can I see the Nagahama hikiyama floats outside the festival? A: Yes. The Hikiyama Museum in central Nagahama displays real floats all year for ¥600, closing on Mondays. Q: What are the opening hours of Nagahama Hikiyama Matsuri? A: Nagahama Hikiyama Matsuri is open the 15 April performances start around 7:00 with the procession to the shrine. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nagahama-hikiyama.or.jp/ https://nagahama-hikiyama.or.jp/matsuri-event/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11653306 ### Nagasaki Kunchi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/nagasaki-kunchi Type: Event Local name: 長崎くんち (ja) Also known as: Kunchi, Okunchi, Nagasaki Okunchi Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Nagasaki Town: Nagasaki Address: Suwa Shrine and central Nagasaki Coordinates: 32.75410, 129.88210 Kind: Festival When: 7 to 9 October every year. Next dates: October 7, 2027 to October 9, 2027 (projected from past years) Venue: Suwa Shrine and the streets of central Nagasaki Website: https://www.at-nagasaki.jp/feature/festival Summary: Nagasaki Kunchi suits visitors in early October who want to see the city's biggest shrine festival, and its dates never move from 7 to 9 October. Kunchi is the autumn festival of Suwa Shrine. Nagasaki City counts it with the Shoro Nagashi lantern procession and the spring kite-flying contest among the great events of the city's year, and it runs from 7 to 9 October every year. Q: When is Nagasaki Kunchi? A: Nagasaki Kunchi takes place 7 to 9 October every year. The next dates we have are October 7, 2027 to October 9, 2027, projected from past years. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.at-nagasaki.jp/feature/festival https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q114712 ### Nagasaki Lantern Festival URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/nagasaki-lantern-festival Type: Event Local name: 長崎ランタンフェスティバル (ja) Also known as: Nagasaki Lantern Fest, Lantern Festival Nagasaki, 春節祭 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Nagasaki Town: Nagasaki Address: Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown and the city centre, Nagasaki Coordinates: 32.74130, 129.87740 Kind: Festival When: About two weeks from late January to late February, timed to the Lunar New Year. Next dates: February 5, 2027 to February 21, 2027 (confirmed) Venue: Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown, the Hamanomachi and Kanko-dori arcades and other venues in the city centre Website: https://www.at-nagasaki.jp/lantern-festival Summary: The Nagasaki Lantern Festival suits winter visitors who want the city at its most colourful, and the centre gets very crowded on the opening night and weekends. The Chinese community of Nagasaki's Shinchi Chinatown used to celebrate the Lunar New Year with a Spring Festival, and in 1994 the city widened it into the Lantern Festival. It is now one of the big events of Nagasaki's winter. About 15,000 Chinese lanterns hang across Chinatown, the Hamanomachi and Kanko-dori arcades and the streets in between, with lantern figures up to about 10 metres tall. The Confucian shrine decorates its halls for New Year prayers, and parades and shows run through the 17 days. Q: When is Nagasaki Lantern Festival? A: Nagasaki Lantern Festival takes place about two weeks from late January to late February, timed to the Lunar New Year. The next dates we have are February 5, 2027 to February 21, 2027, confirmed. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.at-nagasaki.jp/lantern-festival https://www.at-nagasaki.jp/feature/festival https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11652390 ### Norikura Hill Climb URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/norikura-hill-climb Type: Event Local name: 乗鞍ヒルクライム (ja) Also known as: Norikura Hillclimb, 全日本マウンテンサイクリングin乗鞍, Mountain Cycling in Norikura, Mt. Norikura hill climb Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 36.11070, 137.56260 Kind: Race When: The last Sunday of August, with check-in the day before at the Norikura Kanko Center. Next dates: August 29, 2027 (projected from past years) Hours: In 2026 the course was closed to all traffic, bicycles included, from 6:00 to 12:30. The final cut-off at the finish was 11:40. Venue: Norikura Kanko Center, Norikura Kogen, Matsumoto Entry opens: In 2025 the Norikura-only entry window ran from 7 to 23 March. Entry: ¥12,000 per person (2026), about CAD 108 or USD 76 (October 2026 rates) Courses: Norikura Kanko Center to the Nagano–Gifu border (20.5 km, 1260 m up) Price from: ¥12,000 per person (2026), about CAD 108 or USD 76 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://norikura-hc.com/ Summary: The Norikura Hill Climb is a 20.5 km uphill time trial on the Norikura Echo Line with 1,260 m of climbing to the Nagano–Gifu border, and suits riders who want to race to about 2,720 m on a road closed to traffic. The 2026 race on 30 August was cancelled for heavy rain, and entry fees are not refunded. The race was long known as the All-Japan Mountain Cycling in Norikura, and the 2026 edition would have been the 41st. Riders start in waves from the Norikura Kanko Center and climb to a finish at about 2,720 metres on the prefectural border. Matsumoto's tourism site puts the field at about 4,000. The Champion class starts together, and every other class takes a timed slot by bib number. In 2026 the organisers called it off before dawn when rain on the Echo Line passed 80 mm and triggered the road closure. Fees stay with the organiser whether the race is shortened or cancelled, so travel insurance with event cover is worth having. Pack warm clothes in the luggage you hand over on Saturday, because finishers wait near the top until the road reopens and no water is handed out there. Wheels in a wheel bag go up separately and come back to the start after 12:30. Tips: - Racers need an SG or JCF helmet and gloves, and the rules ban music players and speakers. - Count the Tour de Utsukushigahara in June as well, since finishers of both races score in the Matsumoto Hill Climb series. Q: How long is the Norikura Hill Climb? A: The Norikura Hill Climb covers 20.5 km with 1,260 m of climbing, from the Norikura Kanko Center to the Nagano–Gifu border at about 2,720 m. Q: Was the 2026 Norikura Hill Climb cancelled? A: Yes. The organisers cancelled the Norikura Hill Climb on the morning of 30 August 2026 after heavy rain passed 80 mm on the Norikura Echo Line. Q: When is the Norikura Hill Climb in 2027? A: The Norikura Hill Climb runs on the last Sunday of August, which points to 29 August 2027. The organisers had not announced the 2027 date on 11 October 2026. Q: What are the opening hours of Norikura Hill Climb? A: Norikura Hill Climb is open in 2026 the course was closed to all traffic, bicycles included, from 6:00 to 12:30. The final cut-off at the finish was 11:40. Q: How much does Norikura Hill Climb cost? A: Prices at Norikura Hill Climb start at ¥12,000 per person (2026), about CAD 108 or USD 76 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://norikura-hc.com/outline https://norikura-hc.com/ https://norikura-hc.com/info260831.html https://matsumoto-hc.com/ https://visitmatsumoto.com/en/event/detail_3006.html https://norikura.gr.jp/en/content/20250130/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11369849 ### Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Fire Festival URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/nozawa-onsen-dosojin-fire-festival Type: Event Local name: 野沢温泉の道祖神祭り (ja) Also known as: Nozawa Fire Festival, Dosojin Matsuri, Dosojin Festival, 道祖神祭り, Nozawa Onsen fire festival Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Coordinates: 36.92280, 138.44060 Kind: Festival When: The festival falls on 15 January each year and ends with the shrine burning through the night into 16 January. Next dates: January 15, 2027 (projected from past years) Hours: In 2026 the fire source left at 20:00 and the head of Nozawa-gumi made the first lighting at about 20:30. The adults' attack ran from 20:50 until about 22:00, and the shrine burned until morning. All times were approximate. Venue: The Dosojin festival ground (道祖神祭り会場) in Nozawa Onsen village Entry opens: In 2026 tickets went only to village residents and guests staying in Nozawa Onsen, through their lodging. Website: https://nozawakanko.jp/ Summary: The Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Fire Festival is a fire festival held every 15 January and listed as a national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, and it suits visitors staying in the village who can stand in the cold for a few hours. In 2026 entry tickets went only to residents and overnight guests, so book a room in Nozawa first. The festival belongs to the men of the village in their unlucky years, the yakudoshi. Men of 42 sit on top of a wooden shrine built by hand without nails or wire, and the 25-year-olds guard its base with pine branches. For about an hour and a half the rest of the village rushes it with torches. After the fight the shrine is set alight, and the lanterns that families raise for a first-born son burn with it. Building starts the autumn before, when the men of 25 and 42 cut a beech of about 20 metres in mid-October. On 13 January the trunks come down through the hot-spring streets with sake offered from the houses along the way, and the shrine is built from the morning of 14 January until noon on the 15th. On the morning of 16 January people grill mochi in the embers at the festival ground, which the village says keeps colds away for the year. The organisers, the neighbourhood association Nozawa-gumi, describe it as a religious festival for the village. Visitors watch and only villagers light the fire. You cannot carry drinks into the ground, alcohol included, and flying a drone near the site breaks Japanese law. Every road in the village is a no-parking zone during the festival, so arrive on foot. Tips: - Ask your lodging for a festival ticket when you book, since the 2026 tickets went out through village inns and hotels. - Dress for a long night outside in deep snow, with boots that grip on packed ice. - Go back after dawn on 16 January with your own mochi and tongs to grill them over the embers. Q: When is the Nozawa Onsen fire festival in 2027? A: The Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Fire Festival falls on 15 January every year, so the 2027 festival is expected on Friday 15 January 2027. The village had not posted its 2027 notice by 11 October 2026. Q: Can tourists attend the Nozawa fire festival? A: Yes, as spectators. In 2026 entry tickets went only to village residents and guests staying in Nozawa Onsen, through their lodging, and only villagers take part in lighting the fire. Q: Can I fly a drone at the Dosojin festival? A: No. The organisers say flying a drone near or over the Nozawa Onsen Dosojin festival ground is against Japanese law, and offenders face prosecution. Q: What are the opening hours of Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Fire Festival? A: Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Fire Festival is open in 2026 the fire source left at 20:00 and the head of Nozawa-gumi made the first lighting at about 20:30. The adults' attack ran from 20:50 until about 22:00, and the shrine burned until morning. All times were approximate. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nozawakanko.jp/event/the-nozawa-onsen-dosojin-festival/ https://nozawakanko.jp/about/ https://nozawakanko.jp/event/event-14311/ https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/H30-00630.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1354760 ### Off-Road Triathlon in Tahara URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/off-road-triathlon-in-tahara Type: Event Local name: オフロードトライアスロン in 田原 (ja) Also known as: Offtra Tahara, オフトラ田原, Tahara Off-Road Triathlon Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Town: Tahara Address: Shiroya Beach Park, 5 Shiroiso, Tahara, Aichi Coordinates: 34.68580, 137.23290 Kind: Race When: The first Sunday of November in 2026, from Shiroya Beach Park into the Tahara Alps. Next dates: November 1, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: Mountain-bike check-in opens at 7:00 on race day. It goes ahead in rain. Venue: Shiroya Beach Park and the Tahara Alps Entry opens: 2026-05 Entry: ¥25,000 per person (2026), about CAD 225 or USD 158 (October 2026 rates) Courses: Full: 1,000 m swim, 23.0 km MTB, 6.0 km run (23 km); Light: 500 m swim, 12.0 km MTB, 2.5 km run (12 km); Bike×Run: 23.0 km MTB, 6.0 km run (23 km) Website: https://www.wsresult.com/offtratahara/ Summary: The Off-Road Triathlon in Tahara suits mountain bikers who can swim, with a 23 km bike leg in the Tahara Alps, and entries close on 13 October 2026. The race starts with a sea swim at Shiroya Beach Park and climbs into the Tahara Alps for the mountain-bike and trail-run legs. The full distance is a 1,000 m swim, 23.0 km on the bike and a 6.0 km run for ¥25,000, and a Bike×Run entry skips the swim for ¥15,000. Takahiro Ogasawara oversees the course. He grew up in Tahara, and the organisers list him as an XTERRA Japan champion and a coach of Japan's national mountain-bike team. The 7th edition runs on Sunday 1 November 2026 with room for 260 riders and teams. The organisers extended entries to 13 October. On Saturday 31 October riders can join a ¥3,000 MTB skills clinic and practise on the course, and the first Atsumi Peninsula Relay Marathon runs the same day. Q: When is the 2026 Off-Road Triathlon in Tahara? A: Sunday 1 November 2026, from Shiroya Beach Park in Tahara. Entries close on 13 October. Q: What are the opening hours of Off-Road Triathlon in Tahara? A: Off-Road Triathlon in Tahara is open mountain-bike check-in opens at 7:00 on race day. It goes ahead in rain. Q: How long are the Off-Road Triathlon in Tahara courses? A: Off-Road Triathlon in Tahara publishes 3 courses: Full: 1,000 m swim, 23.0 km MTB, 6.0 km run at 23 km, Light: 500 m swim, 12.0 km MTB, 2.5 km run at 12 km, Bike×Run: 23.0 km MTB, 6.0 km run at 23 km, by the organiser's figures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wsresult.com/offtratahara/ https://www.wsresult.com/offtratahara/raceinfo/ https://www.taharakankou.gr.jp/event/detail.php?event_id=134 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q130643467 ### Sado Long Ride 210 URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/sado-long-ride-210 Type: Event Local name: 佐渡ロングライド210 (ja) Also known as: Sado Long Ride, Sado Longride, Sado 210, 佐渡ロングライド Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: Kawarada Elementary School ground, Sado, Niigata Coordinates: 38.00010, 138.32020 Kind: Cycling When: A Sunday in mid-May, with fun rides on the days either side. Next dates: May 17, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: In 2026 the A course started at 5:30 and closed at 18:00, the B course ran 6:00–16:00 and the C course 6:20–13:30. The event goes ahead in rain. Venue: Sado City Kawarada Elementary School ground Entry: ¥12,000 per person (2026), about CAD 108 or USD 76 (October 2026 rates) Courses: A course (round the island) (210 km); B course (half lap across the satoyama) (130 km); C course (to Ryotsu port) (100 km) Price from: ¥8,000 per person (2026), about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates) Website: http://www.sado-longride.com/ Summary: Sado Long Ride 210 is a mass ride round Sado Island held in mid-May, with courses from 100 km up to a 210 km lap, and it suits fit riders who want a closed-loop island day with aid stations stocked by local volunteers; the island's many unlit tunnels make a bright rear light essential. Sado City, the city sports association, Sado Kisen and an organising committee run the event, and the 2026 edition went out from Kawarada Elementary School on Sunday 17 May. The A course laps the island for 210 km and costs ¥12,000. The B course cuts across the island's farmland for 130 km, and the C course runs 100 km and finishes at Ryotsu port. Volunteers at eight aid stations hand out local specialities. The rules ban aero bars and tandems and ask for a helmet, a bell, a rear light or reflector and a front light that stays on in tunnels. In 2026 the organisers urged every rider to fit a bright LED rear light because the tunnels are very dark. In 2026 a 110 km Kosado tour and a 40 km ride past the Sado gold mine went out on the Saturday, and a 33 km gravel ride through crested ibis country closed things on the Monday. Tips: - Get your bike checked at a shop beforehand; the 2026 entry needed a bike inspection certificate at registration. - Book the ferry and a bed early, since most riders cross to the island on the same days. Q: When is the Sado Long Ride 210? A: The Sado Long Ride 210 ran on Sunday 17 May 2026; the 2027 date has not been announced. Q: How long is the Sado Long Ride? A: The Sado Long Ride's A course is 210 km round Sado Island, with a 130 km B course and a 100 km C course. Q: How much does the Sado Long Ride cost to enter? A: In 2026 the Sado Long Ride cost ¥12,000 for the 210 km course, ¥9,000 for 130 km and ¥8,000 for 100 km for general entrants. Q: What are the opening hours of Sado Long Ride 210? A: Sado Long Ride 210 is open in 2026 the A course started at 5:30 and closed at 18:00, the B course ran 6:00–16:00 and the C course 6:20–13:30. The event goes ahead in rain. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: http://www.sado-longride.com/info/ http://www.sado-longride.com/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%B2%B3%E5%8E%9F%E7%94%B0%E5%B0%8F%E5%AD%A6%E6%A0%A1 ### Sagicho Matsuri URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/sagicho-matsuri Type: Event Local name: 左義長まつり (ja) Also known as: Sagicho Festival, Omi-Hachiman Sagicho, 左義長祭り, Sagicho Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Omihachiman Address: 257 Miyauchi-cho, Omi-Hachiman, Shiga 523-0828 (Himure Hachimangu) Coordinates: 35.14100, 136.08970 Kind: Festival When: A Saturday and Sunday in mid-March at Himure Hachimangu. Next dates: March 14, 2026 to March 15, 2026 (confirmed) Venue: Himure Hachimangu and the old town of Omi-Hachiman Website: https://www.omi8.com/event/detail_1186.html Summary: Omi-Hachiman's Sagicho festival suits anyone in Shiga in mid-March who wants to see a fire festival up close, though the old town fills up and parking runs out. Sagicho marks the arrival of spring in Omi-Hachiman. The story goes that it began in the castle town of Azuchi, and that Oda Nobunaga himself danced in it in flamboyant dress. Young men carry floats called sagicho, about 3 m tall, through the old town, and at the end they set them alight at Himure Hachimangu as a prayer against fire and bad luck. At the heart of each float sits the dashi, a figure of the year's zodiac animal. Each neighbourhood designs its own and builds it from food: beans, kelp, dried squid and katsuobushi. The work takes two to three months. In 2026 the festival ran on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 March. Tips: - Use the free shuttle bus from the temporary car park at Omi-Hachiman city hall, which runs about every 15 minutes during the festival. - From JR Omi-Hachiman Station, the Chomeiji-bound Ohmi Railway bus takes about five minutes to the Obata-cho Shiryokan-mae stop. Q: When is the Sagicho festival in Omi-Hachiman? A: On a weekend in mid-March. In 2026 it ran on 14 and 15 March at Himure Hachimangu. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.omi8.com/event/detail_1186.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11509681 ### Shimano Suzuka Road URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/shimano-suzuka-road Type: Event Local name: シマノ鈴鹿ロード (ja) Also known as: Shimano Suzuka Road Race, シマノ鈴鹿ロードレース, Suzuka Road Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Mie Town: Suzuka Address: Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Mie Coordinates: 34.84167, 136.53889 Kind: Race When: A two-day weekend at Suzuka Circuit; the 41st edition ran on 26 and 27 September 2026. Next dates: September 26, 2026 to September 27, 2026 (confirmed) Venue: Suzuka Circuit international racing course Courses: Full international course (5.807 km) Website: https://suzukaroad.shimano.com/ Summary: The Shimano Suzuka Road suits amateur racers and families who want to ride Suzuka Circuit across a full weekend, and the 2027 dates hadn't been posted by October 2026. Shimano Suzuka Road is the big amateur cycling weekend at Suzuka Circuit, open to everyone from children and beginners up to top racers from Japan and abroad. The programme runs from road races, team and individual time trials and stage races to a one-hour cycle marathon and a two-hour endurance ride on the full course. Sponsors set up booths and test-ride areas. The 41st edition ran on 26 and 27 September 2026. Riders and their teams could rent air-conditioned team offices for ¥36,000 to ¥40,000 a day, and bikes aren't allowed inside the pit building's upper floors. Q: When is Shimano Suzuka Road? A: Shimano Suzuka Road takes place a two-day weekend at Suzuka Circuit; the 41st edition ran on 26 and 27 September 2026. The latest dates we have are September 26, 2026 to September 27, 2026, confirmed. Q: How long are the Shimano Suzuka Road courses? A: Shimano Suzuka Road publishes one course: Full international course at 5.807 km, by the organiser's figures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.suzukacircuit.jp/bicycle_s/ https://suzukaroad.shimano.com/index.html ### Shirakawa-go Winter Light-Up URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/shirakawa-go-light-up Type: Event Local name: 白川郷ライトアップ (ja) Also known as: Shirakawa-go Light Up, Shirakawago illumination, Shirakawa-go light-up 2027, 白川郷ライトアップイベント Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Shirakawa-go Address: Ogimachi, Shirakawa-mura, Ono-gun, Gifu Coordinates: 36.25670, 136.90500 Kind: Festival When: Four Sunday or holiday evenings in January, 17:30 to 19:30. Next dates: January 11, 2027 (announced) Hours: Lights on 17:30–19:30. From 15:30 a gate stops anyone without an entry ticket from entering the village, and day visitors' car parks stop admitting cars at 15:00. Venue: Ogimachi village, Shirakawa Entry opens: Village stays by lottery: applications 1–31 October 2026, winners told on 10 November. Car parking reservations: second round from 13:00 on 1 December 2026. Route-bus tours: sales open 13 October to 2 November 2026, staggered by date. Entry: ¥7,000 each (2026), about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/ Summary: Shirakawa-go's light-up shows the thatched village under snow and lamplight on four January evenings in 2027, and it suits anyone who plans months ahead; every visitor needs a reservation, and the famous view from the observatory comes only with a village stay or a route-bus tour. The 41st light-up runs on 11, 17, 24 and 31 January 2027, from 17:30 to 19:30. Every visitor wears an entry ticket on a neck strap, coloured by date and valid for that evening only. A heavy cold wave that threatens wide traffic disruption can cancel an evening. There are five ways in, and the tourist association sells three of them. A night in the village by lottery includes an observatory ticket. Reserved parking at the Midashima car park and a taxi booked into that car park give village entry only. The other two are tours: the route-bus companies Nohi Bus, Kaetsuno Bus, Toyama Chitetsu Bus, Hokutetsu Bus and Iruka Kotsu run special evening tours, some with observatory tickets, and travel agents sell coach tours without them. The observatory takes visitors in three timed groups and bans tripods and pets. Staff check tickets at a gate before the walk up. Reserved parking costs ¥7,000 a car for one to five people in the December round, it cannot be cancelled or refunded, and cars must arrive from 15:00 and leave by 20:00. Tips: - Apply for the village stay lottery between 1 and 31 October 2026, one application per person and in the name of the guest who will stay. - Day visitors on a light-up date must park by 15:00 and leave the day car parks by 17:00, and bus riders need a bus that reaches the village by 15:20. - Fit studless winter tyres; the village requires them for the event. - Leave the drone at home; the village refuses drone filming over the settlement. Q: When is the Shirakawa-go light-up in 2027? A: On 11, 17, 24 and 31 January 2027, from 17:30 to 19:30. Q: Do I need a reservation for the Shirakawa-go light-up? A: Yes. Entry is by advance reservation only, through a village stay, a reserved parking space, a booked taxi or a bus tour, and no tickets are sold on the day. Q: Can I see the light-up from the Shirakawa-go observatory? A: Only with an observatory ticket, which comes with lottery-allocated village stays and some route-bus tours. It is not sold separately. Q: When is Shirakawa-go Winter Light-Up? A: Shirakawa-go Winter Light-Up takes place four Sunday or holiday evenings in January, 17:30 to 19:30. The next dates we have are January 11, 2027, announced. Q: What are the opening hours of Shirakawa-go Winter Light-Up? A: Shirakawa-go Winter Light-Up is open lights on 17:30–19:30. From 15:30 a gate stops anyone without an entry ticket from entering the village, and day visitors' car parks stop admitting cars at 15:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/events/441/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/events/443/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/events/452/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/events/140/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/events/142/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/events/144/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/events/145/ ### Snow Machine Japan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/snow-machine-hakuba Type: Event Also known as: Snow Machine Hakuba, Snow Machine festival, SnowMachine Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Kind: Music When: Early March in Hakuba, with the Main Arena near Happo and Lower Wadano. Next dates: March 2, 2027 to March 7, 2027 (announced) Venue: Main Arena, Hakuba, within walking distance of Happo and Lower Wadano Website: https://hakuba.snow-machine.com/ Summary: Snow Machine Japan is an electronic music festival that takes over Hakuba from 2 to 7 March 2027, and suits groups who want DJ sets after a day on the hill. Anyone after quiet spring skiing should pick another week. The festival runs a Main Arena with side events and après stages at the resorts, plus after-parties across the valley. The first 2027 line-up named 23 acts, with Patrick Topping and TOKiMONSTA among them. Happo and Lower Wadano are the lodging areas within walking distance of the Main Arena. Buses serve most other areas, Donguri excepted. Tips: - Stay in Happo or Lower Wadano to walk home from the Main Arena. Q: When is Snow Machine in Hakuba in 2027? A: Snow Machine Japan runs in Hakuba from 2 to 7 March 2027, according to the organiser's festival site. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakuba.snow-machine.com/ https://snow-machine.com/ ### Suzuka 8-Hour Enduro URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/suzuka-8-hour-enduro Type: Event Local name: スズカ8時間エンデューロ (ja) Also known as: Suzuka 8 Hours Enduro, Suzuka 8h Enduro, スズカ8耐エンデューロ, Suzuka Enduro Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Mie Town: Suzuka Address: Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Mie Coordinates: 34.84167, 136.53889 Kind: Cycling When: An autumn Saturday on the full Suzuka Circuit racing course; the 2026 race is the 27th. Next dates: November 14, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: The 8-hour races run 8:00 to 16:00 and the 4-hour races 8:03 to 12:03. Venue: Suzuka Circuit international racing course Entry opens: 2026-07-17 Entry: ¥16,800 per person (2026), about CAD 151 or USD 106 (October 2026 rates) Courses: 8-hour and 4-hour enduro, laps of the full course (5.807 km); Attack 240, 40 laps inside 8 hours (232.28 km) Website: https://suzuka8h.powertag.jp/ Summary: The Suzuka 8-Hour Enduro suits riders who want a long, sociable day lapping a Formula 1 circuit, and entries for 14 November 2026 closed on 5 October. Teams and solo riders count laps of Suzuka's full 5.807 km international course in four or eight hours, and the most laps wins. The organisers set out to make it a day for taking part, with costumed teams and a prize draw beside the racing. Team riders swap in and out, so a newcomer can share the eight hours. For 2026 the 8-hour solo class returns as a double entry with Attack 240, a target of 40 laps or 232.28 km inside the eight hours. The organisers say last year's fastest finishers took about 5 hours 30 minutes, and 116 riders completed all 240 km. More than half the solo field made it. The solo entry cost ¥16,800 and sold out. Entries closed on 5 October; a rider who drops out can name a substitute until 11 November. Tips: - Air-conditioned team offices by the pits go on sale on 20 October 2026 at 11:00 through Asoview. - Suzuka city's inn association points enduro riders to its own lodging site, and the Suzuka Circuit Hotel takes event bookings. Q: When is the Suzuka 8-Hour Enduro in 2026? A: Saturday 14 November 2026 at Suzuka Circuit. The 8-hour races start at 8:00 and finish at 16:00. Q: Can I still enter the 2026 Suzuka 8-Hour Enduro? A: No. Entries closed on 5 October 2026. Registered riders who can't race can name a substitute until 11 November. Q: What are the opening hours of Suzuka 8-Hour Enduro? A: Suzuka 8-Hour Enduro is open the 8-hour races run 8:00 to 16:00 and the 4-hour races 8:03 to 12:03. Q: How long are the Suzuka 8-Hour Enduro courses? A: Suzuka 8-Hour Enduro publishes 2 courses: 8-hour and 4-hour enduro, laps of the full course at 5.807 km, Attack 240, 40 laps inside 8 hours at 232.28 km, by the organiser's figures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://suzuka8h.powertag.jp/ https://suzuka8h.powertag.jp/2026/01_1.html https://suzuka8h.powertag.jp/2026/02_2.html https://www.suzukacircuit.jp/bicycle_s/ ### Takada Castle Site Park Cherry Blossom Festival URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/takada-castle-cherry-blossom-festival Type: Event Local name: 高田城址公園観桜会 (ja) Also known as: Takada cherry blossom festival, Takada Kanokai, Takada Castle cherry blossoms, 高田城百万人観桜会, 観桜会 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 44-1 Honjo-cho, Joetsu, Niigata Coordinates: 37.11010, 138.25650 Kind: Festival When: Early to mid-April, following the bloom. Next dates: April 3, 2026 to April 19, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: Lanterns light the trees from 18:00 to 21:00, until 22:00 at peak bloom. Venue: Takada Castle Site Park, Joetsu Website: https://joetsukankonavi.jp/ Summary: The Takada Castle Site Park Cherry Blossom Festival lights about 4,000 cherry trees around the castle moats in Joetsu each April, and it suits couples and families on the Hokuriku Shinkansen who want night-time blossom; the 2027 dates are not out yet and weekend parking needs booking. About 4,000 cherry trees grow around the inner and outer moats, and at night lanterns light them with the three-storey turret behind. People count the scene among Japan's three great night-time cherry views. In 2026 the 101st festival ran from 3 to 19 April. Takada Station on the Myoko Haneuma Line is 15 minutes' walk away, and at peak bloom a shuttle bus runs from the station to the Takada Library stop. Weekend drivers book one of the temporary car parks in advance: ¥1,500 at the Sekikawa Chuo bridge or ¥2,000 at the Joetsu South fire station in 2026. Tips: - Weekday evenings after 18:00 give you the lanterns with thinner crowds. - The turret stays open every day during the festival. Q: When is the Takada cherry blossom festival? A: The Takada Castle Site Park Cherry Blossom Festival ran from 3 to 19 April in 2026, and the 2027 dates have not been announced. Q: What time are the Takada cherry blossoms lit up? A: The Takada cherry trees are lit from 18:00 to 21:00 during the festival, and until 22:00 at peak bloom. Q: What are the opening hours of Takada Castle Site Park Cherry Blossom Festival? A: Takada Castle Site Park Cherry Blossom Festival is open lanterns light the trees from 18:00 to 21:00, until 22:00 at peak bloom. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://niigata-kankou.or.jp/event/2332 https://joetsukankonavi.jp/kanoukai/parking_reservation/ https://www.city.joetsu.niigata.jp/site/museum/takada-castle.html https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/9651698322 ### Takayama Festival URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/takayama-festival Type: Event Local name: 高山祭 (ja) Also known as: Takayama Matsuri, Sanno Matsuri, Hachiman Matsuri, Spring Takayama Festival, Autumn Takayama Festival, 山王祭, 八幡祭 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Takayama Address: Takayama old town, Gifu Kind: Festival When: Two days in mid-April and two days in early October, on the same dates every year. Next dates: April 14, 2027 to April 15, 2027 (projected from past years) Hours: The puppet floats perform twice a day, in the morning and the afternoon, on both days of each festival. The spring night festival runs on the evening of 14 April and the autumn Yoimatsuri on the evening of 9 October. Venue: Spring: the upper town south of Yasugawa-dori, around Hie Shrine. Autumn: the streets north of Yasugawa-dori and the approach to Sakurayama Hachimangu. Website: https://www.takayama-yatai.jp/ Summary: The Takayama Festival brings out Edo-era floats in April and October, and it suits travellers who want one of Japan's great float festivals inside a walkable old town; the dates never move to a weekend, so plan the trip around them. Takayama Festival is the shared name for two separate festivals that began in the late 16th and 17th centuries. The spring Sanno Matsuri belongs to Hie Shrine and the southern half of the old town, and the autumn Hachiman Matsuri to Sakurayama Hachimangu and the north. The float procession was named an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 1979, and in 2016 UNESCO added it to its list of float festivals. In spring, 12 floats line up in the upper town on 14 and 15 April. Three of them, Sanbaso, Ryujin-tai and Shakkyo-tai, stage marionette shows in front of the otabisho, where teams pull dozens of strings to work each puppet. On the night of the 14th each float lights about 100 lanterns and rolls slowly back to its storehouse while the teams sing Takai Yama. In autumn, 11 floats gather on 9 and 10 October, and Hotei-tai performs twice a day in the shrine grounds. On the afternoon of the 9th four floats roll through the town, an event only the autumn festival has, and the Yoimatsuri lights them up that evening. Tips: - Stand near the otabisho in spring or the Hachimangu grounds in autumn for the puppet shows, and arrive well before the morning performance. - See the night festival on 14 April or the Yoimatsuri on 9 October, when each float carries about 100 lanterns. - Two of the four floats that roll through town on 9 October change each year by lottery, while Kagura-tai and Hoo-tai roll every year. Q: When is the Takayama Festival in 2027? A: The spring festival falls on 14 and 15 April 2027 and the autumn festival on 9 and 10 October 2027, the dates it keeps every year. Q: What is the difference between the spring and autumn Takayama Festivals? A: The spring festival belongs to Hie Shrine and brings 12 floats to the southern old town. In autumn Sakurayama Hachimangu hosts 11 floats in the north. Q: Is the Takayama Festival free? A: Yes. The floats, processions and puppet shows take place in the streets and shrine grounds. Q: What are the opening hours of Takayama Festival? A: Takayama Festival is open the puppet floats perform twice a day, in the morning and the afternoon, on both days of each festival. The spring night festival runs on the evening of 14 April and the autumn Yoimatsuri on the evening of 9 October. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.takayama-yatai.jp/ https://www.takayama-yatai.jp/about/spring-festival.html https://www.takayama-yatai.jp/about/autumn-festival.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/event/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7677467 ### Tokamachi Snow Festival URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/tokamachi-snow-festival Type: Event Local name: 十日町雪まつり (ja) Also known as: Tokamachi Yuki Matsuri, Tokamachi Snow Festival 2027, 十日町雪まつり Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: Tokamachi, Niigata Kind: Festival When: Three days in February, Friday to Sunday. Next dates: February 19, 2027 to February 21, 2027 (announced) Hours: Daily times and the main venues are set later; the snow sculptures are finished for judging on the first evening and stay on show until the festival ends. Venue: Festival plazas across central Tokamachi and the surrounding districts Website: https://www.snowfes.jp/ Summary: Tokamachi Snow Festival runs from 19 to 21 February 2027 across Tokamachi in Niigata's deep-snow country, and it suits families and snow-country first-timers who want residents' snow sculptures and local food in the open air; the venues spread over a wide area, so you rely on the free shuttle buses. Residents started the festival in 1950 with the idea of making friends with the snow and enjoying it, and the 2027 edition is the 78th. Every snow sculpture in the art exhibition is built by local people. They work towards judging on the first evening, so the finished pieces are on show from Friday evening to the end on Sunday. The festival has no single site. Plazas open across the town centre and outlying districts with snow games and hot food, and free shuttle buses link them to temporary car parks. In the mountains around Tokamachi the snow can lie more than 3 m deep. From Tokyo take the Joetsu Shinkansen to Echigo-Yuzawa and change to the Hokuhoku Line for Tokamachi, about two hours in all. Drivers need winter tyres. Tips: - Watch the sculptors at work on Friday daytime from a safe distance; heavy machinery is still moving. - Wear waterproof boots with grip; the organisers single out non-slip, waterproof footwear. Q: When is the Tokamachi Snow Festival 2027? A: The 78th Tokamachi Snow Festival runs from Friday 19 to Sunday 21 February 2027. Q: How do I get to the Tokamachi Snow Festival from Tokyo? A: Take the Joetsu Shinkansen to Echigo-Yuzawa and the Hokuhoku Line to Tokamachi, about two hours from Tokyo Station. Q: When can you see the finished snow sculptures in Tokamachi? A: From the first evening of the Tokamachi Snow Festival, after Friday's judging, until the festival closes on Sunday. Q: What are the opening hours of Tokamachi Snow Festival? A: Tokamachi Snow Festival is open daily times and the main venues are set later; the snow sculptures are finished for judging on the first evening and stay on show until the festival ends. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://niigata-kankou.or.jp/event/3599 https://www.snowfes.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q48754955 ### Tottori Sugoi! Ride URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/tottori-sugoi-ride Type: Event Local name: 鳥取すごい！ライド (ja) Also known as: Tottori Sugoi Ride, 鳥取すごいライド Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Tottori Address: Tottori Sand Dunes special venue, Tottori Coordinates: 35.54360, 134.23500 Kind: Cycling When: A Sunday in late September or October, with entries opening in early summer. Next dates: October 18, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: Day-before check-in runs 13:00 to 16:00 at the dunes and race-day check-in 5:30 to 7:30. The long course starts at 7:00 and the short course at 8:00, both in waves, and the last finish is 16:00. Venue: Tottori Sand Dunes special venue Entry opens: Early June (5 June in 2026) Entry: ¥8,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 76 or USD 54 (October 2026 rates) Courses: Long course (108 km, 1091 m up); Short course (59.8 km, 480 m up) Price from: ¥6,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://t5-inc.com/sugoiride/ Summary: The Tottori Sugoi Ride suits riders who want a supported autumn tour from the sand dunes through Iwami and Yazu, and entries close about six weeks before the day. The ride starts and finishes at the Tottori Sand Dunes and aims to cut accidents between cars and bikes to zero. The 108 km long course climbs 1,091 m with aid at Uradome beach, Tono Dam, Hayabusa Lab, RICOH and the Shirousagi roadside station, and the 59.8 km short course climbs 480 m. Fees include a T-shirt, insurance, the food at aid stations and mechanical help, which costs ¥1,000 plus parts. In 2026 the long course cost ¥8,500 for adults and capacity was 500 long and 200 short. Riders park at the Miharashi-no-oka car park by the dunes from 5:30. Q: When is Tottori Sugoi! Ride? A: Tottori Sugoi! Ride takes place a Sunday in late September or October, with entries opening in early summer. The next dates we have are October 18, 2026, confirmed. Q: What are the opening hours of Tottori Sugoi! Ride? A: Tottori Sugoi! Ride is open day-before check-in runs 13:00 to 16:00 at the dunes and race-day check-in 5:30 to 7:30. The long course starts at 7:00 and the short course at 8:00, both in waves, and the last finish is 16:00. Q: How much does Tottori Sugoi! Ride cost? A: Prices at Tottori Sugoi! Ride start at ¥6,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates). Q: How long are the Tottori Sugoi! Ride courses? A: Tottori Sugoi! Ride publishes 2 courses: Long course at 108 km with 1091 m of climbing, Short course at 59.8 km with 480 m of climbing, by the organiser's figures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://t5-inc.com/sugoiride/ https://www.sportsentry.ne.jp/event/t/105901 https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/event ### Tottori Uminami Road Festival URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/tottori-uminami-road-festival Type: Event Local name: 鳥取うみなみロードフェスティバル (ja) Also known as: Uminami Ride, うみなみライド, Cycle Carnival, サイクルカーニバル Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Yonago Address: Hiezu Village Seaside Sports Park, 1864-1 Hiezu, Hiezu, Saihaku District, Tottori Kind: Cycling When: Tottori staged it once, in October 2026, and had not announced another edition by 11 October 2026. Next dates: October 10, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: Check-in from 10:00 for the 11:30 Uminami Ride; check-in from 7:00 for the 8:00 Cycle Carnival. Venue: Hiezu Village Seaside Sports Park, multipurpose ground Entry: ¥2,000 per person (2026), about CAD 18 or USD 13 (October 2026 rates) Courses: Uminami Ride, out and back on the Yumigahama course (33.4 km); Cycle Carnival round the Daisen foothills (70 km) Price from: ¥0 per person (2026) Website: https://www.pref.tottori.lg.jp/item/1436526.htm Summary: The Tottori Uminami Road Festival suits families and new riders who want a gentle 33 km group ride on the Yumigahama shore, and the 2026 edition was a one-off with no date set for another. Tottori held the festival on 10 October 2026 at the Hiezu seaside park near Kaike to celebrate the Uminami Road's designation as a National Cycle Route. The Uminami Ride covered 33.4 km out and back on the Yumigahama course, with aid stations at Yumigahama Park and the Miho Bay lookout, for ¥2,000 or ¥3,000 with a rental e-bike. Stronger riders took the Cycle Carnival's 70 km lap of the Daisen foothills for ¥6,500. Entry to the ground was free, with a market of local food, test rides on sports bikes and e-bikes and a balance-bike session for children. Q: When is Tottori Uminami Road Festival? A: Tottori Uminami Road Festival takes place tottori staged it once, in October 2026, and had not announced another edition by 11 October 2026. The latest dates we have are October 10, 2026, confirmed. Q: What are the opening hours of Tottori Uminami Road Festival? A: Tottori Uminami Road Festival is open check-in from 10:00 for the 11:30 Uminami Ride; check-in from 7:00 for the 8:00 Cycle Carnival. Q: How much does Tottori Uminami Road Festival cost? A: Tottori Uminami Road Festival is free to visit. Q: How long are the Tottori Uminami Road Festival courses? A: Tottori Uminami Road Festival publishes 2 courses: Uminami Ride, out and back on the Yumigahama course at 33.4 km, Cycle Carnival round the Daisen foothills at 70 km, by the organiser's figures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.pref.tottori.lg.jp/item/1436526.htm https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/event ### Tour de Kumano URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/tour-de-kumano Type: Event Local name: ツール・ド・熊野 (ja) Also known as: TOUR de KUMANO, Tour of Kumano, Wakayama Castle Criterium, 和歌山城クリテリウム Region: Kansai Prefecture: Wakayama Kind: Race When: The race history says it usually runs over four days between late May and early June; in 2026 it ran from 6 to 10 May. Next dates: May 6, 2026 to May 10, 2026 (confirmed) Venue: Wakayama Castle (criterium); loop courses at Inami, Kozagawa and Taiji in Wakayama and a mountain stage at Kumano in Mie Courses: Wakayama Castle Criterium (30 km); Stage 1: Inami Kaeru-bashi circuit; Stage 2: Kozagawa river circuit; Stage 3: Kumano mountain course; Stage 4: Taiji peninsula circuit Website: https://www.tourdekumano.jp/ Summary: The Tour de Kumano suits fans who want to watch a UCI stage race on the roads of the Kii peninsula, and its trade-off is courses spread far apart along the coast with slow transport between them. The Tour de Kumano is a four-day professional stage race through the World Heritage country of the Kumano Kodo, rated 2.2 on the UCI Asia Tour since 2008. The 2026 race was the 26th, run from 7 to 10 May after a 30 km UCI criterium at Wakayama Castle on 6 May with 16 teams. The stages loop round Inami and along the Kozagawa river, then a mountain stage climbs at Kumano in Mie before the finale on the Taiji peninsula. For spectators the circuits are the easier choice, since the race passes many times. The nearest station to the Kumano course is JR Kumanoshi. Tips: - Check the race site in spring for 2027 dates; the organisers had not posted them by October 2026. Q: When is the Tour de Kumano? A: The 2026 Tour de Kumano ran from 7 to 10 May, after the Wakayama Castle Criterium on 6 May. The 2027 dates had not been posted on 11 October 2026. Q: How long are the Tour de Kumano courses? A: Tour de Kumano publishes one course: Wakayama Castle Criterium at 30 km, by the organiser's figures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tourdekumano.jp/ https://www.tourdekumano.jp/race/ https://www.tourdekumano.jp/about/ https://www.tourdekumano.jp/course/ ### Tour de Kyushu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/tour-de-kyushu Type: Event Local name: マイナビ ツール・ド・九州 (ja) Also known as: Mynavi Tour de Kyushu, Tour de Kyushu 2026, Ganbaro Kumamoto Mynavi Tour de Kyushu 2026 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Fukuoka Kind: Race When: Four days in early to mid October across several Kyushu prefectures. Next dates: October 9, 2026 to October 12, 2026 (confirmed) Venue: Sasebo criterium, then road stages across Saga, Fukuoka, Oita, Kumamoto and Miyazaki Entry: Free Courses: Sasebo Criterium (30 laps of about 1.5 km) (45 km); Saga–Fukuoka stage, Hado Misaki to Tenjin (152 km); Oita–Kumamoto stage, Bungo-Ono to Minamiaso village office (127.8 km); Miyazaki Nichinan stage (123.6 km) Website: https://tourdekyushu.asia/ Summary: The Tour de Kyushu suits fans who want to watch international road racing through Kyushu's cities and the Aso caldera, and its rolling road closures cut across ordinary traffic on race days. The Mynavi Tour de Kyushu has run every October since 2023 as an international stage race through Kyushu's cities and countryside. For 2026 the organisers renamed it Ganbaro Kumamoto, a message of support for the people rebuilding after the July earthquake. The 2026 race opened with a criterium in Sasebo on 9 October. The Saga–Fukuoka stage on the 10th ran 152 km from Hado Misaki along the Genkai Sea and the Itoshima coast to a finish on Meiji-dori at Tenjin Bridge. The Oita–Kumamoto stage on the 11th crossed Minamioguni, Ubuyama and Aso to finish at the Minamiaso village office, and Nichinan in Miyazaki hosted the last day on the 12th. On the Aso stage the course closed to all traffic between 8:00 and 14:00, and from 10:30 to 13:15 inside Aso City. Check the organisers' traffic pages before you ride or drive near the course on race days. Tips: - The finish on Meiji-dori in central Fukuoka is the easiest stage to watch without a car. Q: When is Tour de Kyushu? A: Tour de Kyushu takes place four days in early to mid October across several Kyushu prefectures. The latest dates we have are October 9, 2026 to October 12, 2026, confirmed. Q: How long are the Tour de Kyushu courses? A: Tour de Kyushu publishes 4 courses: Sasebo Criterium (30 laps of about 1.5 km) at 45 km, Saga–Fukuoka stage, Hado Misaki to Tenjin at 152 km, Oita–Kumamoto stage, Bungo-Ono to Minamiaso village office at 127.8 km, Miyazaki Nichinan stage at 123.6 km, by the organiser's figures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tourdekyushu.asia/ https://tourdekyushu.asia/stage/nagasaki/ https://tourdekyushu.asia/stage/oita-kumamoto/ https://tourdekyushu.asia/stage/miyazaki/ https://www.crossroadfukuoka.jp/feature/cycle_guide https://www.city.aso.kumamoto.jp/tourism/event_tourist/tu-rudo2026/ ### Tour de Utsukushigahara URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/tour-de-utsukushigahara Type: Event Local name: ツール・ド・美ヶ原高原自転車レース大会 (ja) Also known as: Tour de Utsukushigahara Highlands, ツール・ド・美ヶ原, Utsukushigahara hill climb Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Matsumoto Coordinates: 36.25810, 137.98870 Kind: Race When: A Sunday at the end of June, with check-in the day before at the Matsumoto stadium. Next dates: June 28, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: In 2026 the race ran from 7:00 to 11:45 and the last cut-off at the finish was 11:30. Venue: Sekisui Heim Matsumoto Stadium car park, Asama Onsen area, Matsumoto Entry: ¥10,000 per person (2026), about CAD 90 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) Courses: Matsumoto Stadium to the Utsukushigahara plateau (21.6 km, 1270 m up) Price from: ¥10,000 per person (2026), about CAD 90 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://utsukushigahara-hc.jp/ Summary: The Tour de Utsukushigahara is a 21.6 km uphill time trial from Matsumoto to the Utsukushigahara plateau with 1,270 m of climbing, and suits riders based in Matsumoto who want a June hill climb. It has an e-bike class, and entry in 2026 cost ¥10,000. The course leaves the stadium car park near Asama Onsen and climbs past Lake Misuzu and over Takeishi Pass to the plateau car park. The first 4 km gain about 400 metres, so pace the opening ramps. Riders can enter one of 15 classes, among them recumbent and e-bike classes alongside the age groups. On race morning in 2026 the organisers reported bears seen near the course and ran noise and safety checks before the start. The race pairs with the Norikura Hill Climb in August, and riders who finish both are scored in the Matsumoto Hill Climb series. Tips: - Hand your warm layers in at the Saturday luggage drop, since bags travel to the finish and riders descend later. Q: How long is the Tour de Utsukushigahara? A: The Tour de Utsukushigahara climbs 21.6 km with 1,270 m of elevation gain, from the Matsumoto stadium near Asama Onsen to the Utsukushigahara plateau. Q: Can I race the Tour de Utsukushigahara on an e-bike? A: Yes. The Tour de Utsukushigahara has an e-bike class, with a 2026 entry fee of ¥10,000. Q: When is Tour de Utsukushigahara? A: Tour de Utsukushigahara takes place a Sunday at the end of June, with check-in the day before at the Matsumoto stadium. The latest dates we have are June 28, 2026, confirmed. Q: What are the opening hours of Tour de Utsukushigahara? A: Tour de Utsukushigahara is open in 2026 the race ran from 7:00 to 11:45 and the last cut-off at the finish was 11:30. Q: How much does Tour de Utsukushigahara cost? A: Prices at Tour de Utsukushigahara start at ¥10,000 per person (2026), about CAD 90 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://utsukushigahara-hc.jp/outline https://utsukushigahara-hc.jp/ https://matsumoto-hc.com/ https://visitmatsumoto.com/en/event/detail_3005.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11531054 ### Tour of Japan Fujisan Stage URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/tour-of-japan-fujisan-stage Type: Event Local name: ツアー・オブ・ジャパン 富士山ステージ (ja) Also known as: TOJ Fujisan stage, Tour of Japan Mt. Fuji stage, Suruga Bank Fujisan Stage, Fuji Azami Line stage, スルガ銀行 富士山ステージ, TOJ 富士山 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Address: Fuji Reien entrance, Oyama-cho, Sunto District, Shizuoka Coordinates: 35.37280, 138.91330 Kind: Race When: The sixth of the Tour of Japan's eight stages in late May. In 2026 it fell on Friday 29 May, and the Tour of Japan had not named its 2027 dates on 11 October 2026. Next dates: May 29, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: In 2026 spectators driving to the finish had to be on the Fuji Azami Line by 11:30, when the road closed. Anyone already on it had to carry on to the fifth station and could not come down until the closure lifted at 14:30. Venue: Fuji Reien entrance to the Subashiri fifth station, Oyama Courses: 2026 Fujisan stage: Fuji Reien circuit to the Subashiri fifth station (62.1 km) Website: https://www.tojfujisan.com/ Summary: The Fujisan stage is the Tour of Japan's queen stage, a 62 km race that ends with 11.4 km up the Fuji Azami Line to Subashiri at an average of 10 per cent, and it suits fans who want to watch the pros on a climb the organisers rate above Alpe d'Huez; the road closes before the riders arrive, so whoever goes up to watch stays up until mid-afternoon. In 2026 the stage started at the entrance to Fuji Reien with an 8.1 km parade, then raced 62.1 km round a circuit near the cemetery before heading through Subashiri town to the climb. The Tour of Japan puts the Azami Line ascent at 11.4 km with 1,160 metres of height gain, an average of 10 per cent and pitches of 22, and the organisers compare it with Alpe d'Huez. A last wall of steep road waits about 500 metres from the line, and the weather and temperature at the top can differ sharply from the start. The stage's circuit uses part of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic road race course, and Oyama is also home to Fuji Speedway, which hosted the Olympic road races. The Tour of Japan once raced an Izu stage at the Japan Cycle Sports Center near Shuzenji every year, until the Sagamihara stage took its place, so the Fujisan stage is now the race's only day in the region. For the 2026 race Oyama ran paid spectator bus tours and course walks, and the finish car park at Subashiri fifth station holds only about 20 cars. Spectators may not step onto or cross the course while the race is on. JR Gotemba Station and Suruga-Oyama Station both connect to the start by bus in about 25 minutes. Tips: - Ride the Azami Line yourself outside race day from Fuji Cycle Gate at Suruga-Oyama Station, which rents sports e-bikes. - Bring rain gear and warm layers to the finish, since the stage committee warns of big swings in weather between start and top. Q: How steep is the Fuji Azami Line? A: The Tour of Japan gives the Fuji Azami Line climb as 11.4 km with 1,160 m of height gain, an average of 10 per cent and a maximum of 22 per cent. Q: When was the 2026 Tour of Japan Fujisan stage? A: The 2026 Fujisan stage ran on 29 May as stage 6 of the Tour of Japan, starting at 10:30 at the entrance to Fuji Reien in Oyama. Q: When is Tour of Japan Fujisan Stage? A: Tour of Japan Fujisan Stage takes place the sixth of the Tour of Japan's eight stages in late May. In 2026 it fell on Friday 29 May, and the Tour of Japan had not named its 2027 dates on 11 October 2026. The latest dates we have are May 29, 2026, confirmed. Q: What are the opening hours of Tour of Japan Fujisan Stage? A: Tour of Japan Fujisan Stage is open in 2026 spectators driving to the finish had to be on the Fuji Azami Line by 11:30, when the road closed. Anyone already on it had to carry on to the fifth station and could not come down until the closure lifted at 14:30. Q: How long are the Tour of Japan Fujisan Stage courses? A: Tour of Japan Fujisan Stage publishes one course: 2026 Fujisan stage: Fuji Reien circuit to the Subashiri fifth station at 62.1 km, by the organiser's figures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.toj.co.jp/?tid=101470 https://www.toj.co.jp/?tid=101478 https://www.toj.co.jp/ https://www.tojfujisan.com/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%84%E3%82%A2%E3%83%BC%E3%83%BB%E3%82%AA%E3%83%96%E3%83%BB%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A3%E3%83%91%E3%83%B3 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11395092 ### Tour of Japan Tokyo Stage URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/tour-of-japan-tokyo-stage Type: Event Local name: ツアー・オブ・ジャパン 東京ステージ (ja) Also known as: TOJ Tokyo stage, SPEED Channel Tokyo Stage, ツアー・オブ・ジャパン東京ステージ, Tour of Japan Oi Futo Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Tokyo Town: Tokyo Coordinates: 35.59220, 139.75280 Kind: Race When: The final Sunday of the Tour of Japan in late May, the day after the Sagamihara stage in Kanagawa. Next dates: May 31, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: In 2026 the race started at 11:00 and was due to finish at about 13:20. Venue: Oi Futo (Oi wharf) circuit, Tokyo Courses: Oi Futo circuit, 16 laps of 6.5 km after a 3.8 km neutral parade (104 km) Website: https://www.toj.co.jp/ Summary: The Tour of Japan's Tokyo stage suits anyone in Tokyo at the end of May who wants to watch a pro race close up for free, and its trade-off is a wharf venue about 25 minutes on foot from the nearest monorail station. The Tour of Japan is a UCI stage race that ran eight stages in 2026, from Sakai on 24 May to Tokyo on 31 May. The Tokyo stage closed it with 16 laps of a 6.5 km circuit on the Oi wharf, 104 km after a 3.8 km neutral parade. Kinan Racing's Lucas Carstensen won the bunch sprint, and Matteo Fabbro of Solution Tech NIPPO Rali took the overall. The organisers ran shuttle buses from Shinagawa Station to the venue between 8:30 and 12:00 and back between 12:00 and 15:00. The Tokyo Monorail's Oi Keibajo-mae Station is about 25 minutes' walk from the start and finish. The organisers ask spectators to stay off company land along the course and to use the toilets in Minatogaoka Futo Park or at the main venue. Tips: - Take the free shuttle bus from Shinagawa Station on race morning. - Toei buses round Oi Futo stop running on race day, so check the organiser's notice. Q: When is the Tour of Japan Tokyo stage? A: The Tokyo stage is the last day of the Tour of Japan, held on 31 May in 2026. No 2027 date had been posted on 11 October 2026. Q: Where is the Tour of Japan Tokyo stage? A: The race laps a 6.5 km circuit at Oi Futo on the Tokyo Bay waterfront. In 2026 the organisers ran shuttle buses from Shinagawa Station. Q: What are the opening hours of Tour of Japan Tokyo Stage? A: Tour of Japan Tokyo Stage is open in 2026 the race started at 11:00 and was due to finish at about 13:20. Q: How long are the Tour of Japan Tokyo Stage courses? A: Tour of Japan Tokyo Stage publishes one course: Oi Futo circuit, 16 laps of 6.5 km after a 3.8 km neutral parade at 104 km, by the organiser's figures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.toj.co.jp/ https://www.toj.co.jp/?tid=100130 https://www.toj.co.jp/?tid=102648 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11432120 ### Toyama Bay Cycling URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/toyama-bay-cycling Type: Event Local name: 富山湾岸サイクリング (ja) Also known as: Toyama Bay Cycling event, Toyama Wangan Cycling, 富山湾岸サイクリング2027 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Address: Ariso Dome, 2898-3 Kitaonie, Uozu, Toyama (2026 start and finish) Coordinates: 36.83024, 137.40074 Kind: Cycling When: A spring Sunday with four courses along Toyama Bay and aid stations serving local food. Next dates: May 30, 2027 (announced) Hours: In 2026 the 180 km course started at 6:15 and the final finish cut-off was 17:30. Venue: Ariso Dome, Uozu (2026); Toyama city (2027) Entry opens: Entries for 2026 ran from 10 January to 8 March 2026 or until full. Entry: ¥13,000 per person (2026), about CAD 117 or USD 82 (October 2026 rates) Courses: 180 km course (180 km); 120 km course (120 km); 80 km course (80 km); Enjoy course (35–50 km) Price from: ¥7,000 per person (2026), about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) Website: https://toyama-bay-cycling.jp/ Summary: Toyama Bay Cycling suits riders who want a supported spring day on the National Cycle Route with local food at every aid station, and its trade-off is an entry window that closes as soon as the places fill. Toyama Bay Cycling uses the Toyama Bay Cycling Route, which follows 102 km of shore from Himi to Asahi and became a National Cycle Route in May 2021. The 2026 edition, the twelfth, started and finished at Ariso Dome in Uozu on 19 April with four courses from about 35 km to 180 km. Aid stations along the bay served spring food from each town. Entry for 2026 opened on 10 January and closed on 8 March or when full. The 180 km and 120 km courses shared 1,000 places, and the 80 km course took 400. Fees ran from ¥7,000 for the Enjoy course to ¥13,000 for the 180 km. The organisers have set the 2027 ride for Sunday 30 May, starting in Toyama city. Tips: - Watch the site from January; 2026 entries opened on 10 January and closed when the places ran out. Q: When is Toyama Bay Cycling? A: Toyama Bay Cycling takes place a spring Sunday with four courses along Toyama Bay and aid stations serving local food. The next dates we have are May 30, 2027, announced. Q: What are the opening hours of Toyama Bay Cycling? A: Toyama Bay Cycling is open in 2026 the 180 km course started at 6:15 and the final finish cut-off was 17:30. Q: How much does Toyama Bay Cycling cost? A: Prices at Toyama Bay Cycling start at ¥7,000 per person (2026), about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates). Q: How long are the Toyama Bay Cycling courses? A: Toyama Bay Cycling publishes 3 courses: 180 km course at 180 km, 120 km course at 120 km, 80 km course at 80 km, by the organiser's figures. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://toyama-bay-cycling.jp/ https://toyama-bay-cycling.jp/about/ https://toyama-bay-cycling.jp/entry/ https://toyama-bay-cycling.jp/2026/04/25076/ https://toyama-bay-cycling.jp/2026/10/25649/ ### Uesugi Snow Lantern Festival URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/uesugi-snow-lantern-festival Type: Event Local name: 上杉雪灯篭まつり (ja) Also known as: Yonezawa snow lantern festival, Uesugi Yukidoro Matsuri, Yonezawa snow festival, 上杉雪灯籠まつり Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Address: Around Uesugi Shrine, Marunouchi, Yonezawa, Yamagata Coordinates: 37.90930, 140.10150 Kind: Festival When: A weekend in mid-February, with a pre-lighting on the Friday evening. Next dates: February 14, 2026 to February 15, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: In 2026 the memorial rite began at 17:00 on Saturday 14 February and the lanterns were lit at 17:30. Venue: Around Uesugi Shrine in central Yonezawa Website: https://yukidourou.yonezawa-matsuri.jp/ Summary: The Uesugi Snow Lantern Festival suits travellers in Yamagata in mid-February who want a quiet candlelit evening in a castle town; it lasts one weekend, so plan around the dates once the committee sets them. Each February Yonezawa builds about 200 snow lanterns and around 1,000 small snow bonbori around Uesugi Shrine in central Yonezawa. At dusk the candles inside them are lit, and the site glows orange against the snow. The festival began in 1978 with a snow tower raised to console the spirits of those who died in the Pacific War. The memorial rite still opens the lighting each year, and visitors are welcome to watch it quietly. A candle zone and a tent market of local food fill the rest of the grounds. 2027 brings the 50th festival, and the committee says it is planning anniversary events. The organisers expect crowds and ask visitors to use the shuttle buses, paid car parks or public transport. In 2026 a paid shuttle ran from Yonezawa Station and the city hall for ¥200 one way (primary pupils ¥100). The city loop bus to Uesugi-jinja-mae cost ¥210. Tips: - Arrive before 17:00 to see the memorial rite before the lanterns are lit. - Take the city loop bus or the festival shuttle from Yonezawa Station; the organisers expect the roads round the shrine to be busy. Q: When is the Uesugi Snow Lantern Festival? A: On a weekend in mid-February. In 2026 it ran on 14 and 15 February. The 2027 festival is the 50th, and its dates weren't set by 11 October 2026. Q: What are the opening hours of Uesugi Snow Lantern Festival? A: Uesugi Snow Lantern Festival is open in 2026 the memorial rite began at 17:00 on Saturday 14 February and the lanterns were lit at 17:30. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://yukidourou.yonezawa-matsuri.jp/ https://yukidourou.yonezawa-matsuri.jp/schedule/ https://yukidourou.yonezawa-matsuri.jp/log/?l=561246 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E4%B8%8A%E6%9D%89%E7%A5%9E%E7%A4%BE ### Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/utsunomiya-gyoza-festival Type: Event Local name: 宇都宮餃子祭り (ja) Also known as: Gyoza Festival, Utsunomiya Gyoza Matsuri, 餃子祭り Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Utsunomiya Address: Utsunomiya Castle Ruins Park, 1-15 Honmaru-cho, Utsunomiya, Tochigi Coordinates: 36.55480, 139.88600 Kind: Food When: The first Saturday and Sunday of November. Next dates: November 7, 2026 to November 8, 2026 (confirmed) Venue: Utsunomiya Castle Ruins Park Entry: Free Price from: ¥200 each (2026), about CAD 1.80 or USD 1.30 (October 2026 rates) Summary: The gyoza festival suits anyone who wants to taste two dozen Utsunomiya gyoza shops in one afternoon at ¥200 a plate, and the 150,000 or so visitors it draws mean long queues at the famous names. The festival has run since 1999 as a thank-you to the city's gyoza fans. In 2026 its 26th edition brings 24 member shops of the gyoza association to Utsunomiya Castle Ruins Park on 7 and 8 November, each selling pan-fried, deep-fried or boiled gyoza at ¥200 a plate. Stage shows run through both days and entry costs nothing. Tips: - Arrive at opening and split up; each of you queues at a different stall. Q: When is the 2026 Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival? A: The 2026 Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival runs on 7 and 8 November at Utsunomiya Castle Ruins Park. Q: How much does Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival cost? A: Prices at Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival start at ¥200 each (2026), about CAD 1.80 or USD 1.30 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tochigiji.or.jp/news/n39795 https://www.utsunomiya-cvb.org/feature/gyoza ### Velo-city 2027 Ehime URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/velo-city-2027 Type: Event Also known as: Velo-city Ehime, Velo-city 2027, Velo-city Matsuyama Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Town: Matsuyama Address: 551 Ichitsubo-nishimachi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0948 Coordinates: 33.80880, 132.74520 Kind: Cycling When: Four days of conference sessions, an exhibition, technical tours by bike and a bike parade. Next dates: May 25, 2027 to May 28, 2027 (confirmed) Venue: Ehime Prefectural Budokan, Matsuyama Entry opens: Not yet open on 11 October 2026; the organisers announce registration by newsletter. Website: https://www.velo-city-conference.com/ Summary: Velo-city 2027 suits planners, advocates and anyone who works on cycling in cities, and you need a delegate ticket, which goes on sale later. The European Cyclists' Federation runs Velo-city every year with a host city, and the 2027 edition comes to Matsuyama from 25 to 28 May 2027, under the theme Kyosei: Co-creating a Future with Cycling. Sessions take place in the Ehime Prefectural Budokan, which the organisers describe as one of Japan's largest wooden buildings. Copenhagen and Vancouver are among the earlier hosts, and Rimini held the 2026 edition in June. Ehime pitches itself on everyday cycling as well as the Shimanami Kaido. The organisers say bikes take about 12% of trips in the prefecture and about 70% of high-school commutes. Expect technical tours by bike around the city and a public bike parade during the week. Tips: - Book a bed early for late May 2027: Velo-city draws more than 1,600 delegates from over 60 countries. Q: When is Velo-city 2027 Ehime? A: Velo-city 2027 Ehime takes place four days of conference sessions, an exhibition, technical tours by bike and a bike parade. The next dates we have are May 25, 2027 to May 28, 2027, confirmed. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.velo-city-conference.com/ https://www.velo-city-conference.com/en/tickets-info/faq/ https://www.velo-city-conference.com/en/ehime/conference-venue/ https://www.velo-city-conference.com/en/ehime/about-ehime/ https://www.velo-city-conference.com/en/programme/call-for-abstracts/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%84%9B%E5%AA%9B%E7%9C%8C%E6%9D%BE%E5%B1%B1%E5%B8%82%E5%B8%82%E5%9D%AA%E8%A5%BF%E7%94%BA551 ### Yubatake Candle Yume no Akari URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/yubatake-candle-yume-no-akari Type: Event Local name: 湯畑キャンドル「夢の灯り」 (ja) Also known as: Yubatake Candle, Yume no Akari, Kusatsu candle night, 夢の灯り Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Address: Steps below the Kosen-ji gate, Yubatake, Kusatsu, Agatsuma District, Gunma Coordinates: 36.62230, 138.59510 Kind: Festival When: One evening a month, usually a Saturday, on the stone steps of Kosen-ji above the Yubatake. Next dates: November 14, 2026 (announced) Hours: From October to April the candles burn from 18:30 to 21:00, and from May to September from 19:00 to 21:30. Rain or wind can cancel a night, even after the candles are lit. Venue: The steps below the Kosen-ji temple gate, facing the Yubatake Summary: The Yubatake candle nights suit anyone staying in Kusatsu on the right Saturday, and they last only an evening, so plan the trip around the date. Once a month the Kusatsu Onsen Tourism Association sets out more than 1,200 clear cup candles on the steps of Kosen-ji, the temple above the Yubatake. The candlelight mixes with the steam rising off the hot-spring source below. In winter the steps light at 18:30, and the 2026/27 ski season brings nights on 19 December, 16 January, 20 February and 20 March. The association warns that rain or wind can cancel a night, even after the candles are lit. Dress for the cold, because the steps stand in the open air on a winter night. Tips: - Come down to the Yubatake after dinner, since the lighting runs until 21:00. - Check the association's page on the day, because weather can cancel the lighting. Q: When is Yubatake Candle Yume no Akari? A: Yubatake Candle Yume no Akari takes place one evening a month, usually a Saturday, on the stone steps of Kosen-ji above the Yubatake. The next dates we have are November 14, 2026, announced. Q: What are the opening hours of Yubatake Candle Yume no Akari? A: Yubatake Candle Yume no Akari is open from October to April the candles burn from 18:30 to 21:00, and from May to September from 19:00 to 21:30. Rain or wind can cancel a night, even after the candles are lit. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/event/1878.php https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/event/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11388492 ### Yuki-no-Otani snow wall walk URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/yuki-no-otani-walk Type: Event Local name: 雪の大谷ウォーク (ja) Also known as: Tateyama snow wall, Tateyama snow corridor, Yuki no Otani, 雪の大谷, 雪の大谷フェスティバル, Snow wall walk, Tateyama Kurobe snow corridor Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Tateyama Address: Murodo, Ashikuraji, Tateyama, Toyama 930-1406 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.57608, 137.59159 Kind: Season When: From the Alpine Route's opening in mid-April until late June. Next dates: April 15, 2027 to June 25, 2027 (projected from past years) Hours: The walk ran 9:30–15:00 in 2026. A snow play area opened from 15 April to 6 May. Venue: Murodo, Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route Website: https://www.alpen-route.com/enjoy_navi/snow_otani/ Summary: The Yuki-no-Otani walk suits sightseers and families who want to stand between snow walls up to 20 m high at Murodo, and its trade-off is Golden Week crowds and winter weather at 2,450 m. Each winter crews clear the Alpine Route road through the deep snow at Murodo, and the cut leaves walls that the operator says can reach 20 m. For about ten weeks from the mid-April opening, visitors walk a stretch of the road between the walls. In 2026 the walk ran from 15 April to 25 June, 9:30 to 15:00. The walk itself is free, and the Alpine Route fare from Tateyama Station to Murodo was ¥4,090 one way for adults. The operator suggests late May to late June for kinder weather and fewer people. In April the plateau can still turn to blizzard, so dress for winter even on a sunny morning in Toyama. Crews put their snowplough Tateyama Kumataro on display at Murodo in spring. Tips: - Buy web tickets with a timed cable-car slot for Golden Week. Same-day tickets stay on sale even when advance tickets sell out. Q: When is Yuki-no-Otani snow wall walk? A: Yuki-no-Otani snow wall walk takes place from the Alpine Route's opening in mid-April until late June. The next dates we have are April 15, 2027 to June 25, 2027, projected from past years. Q: What are the opening hours of Yuki-no-Otani snow wall walk? A: Yuki-no-Otani snow wall walk is open the walk ran 9:30–15:00 in 2026. A snow play area opened from 15 April to 6 May. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.alpen-route.com/enjoy_navi/snow_otani/ https://www.alpen-route.com/en/how-to-enjoy/landmarks/ https://www.alpen-route.com/en/ https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/30003 https://www.mikuri.com/en/ ### Zao Snow Monster Light-Up URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/zao-juhyo-light-up Type: Event Local name: 蔵王樹氷ライトアップ (ja) Also known as: Zao juhyo light up, Zao snow monster illumination, Zao night snow monsters, Juhyo Gensō Kairō tour, Night Cruiser Zao, 樹氷幻想回廊ツアー Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: Zao Ropeway Juhyo Kogen Station, Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata Status: seasonal. The Zao Ropeway posted its 2026/27 light-up and Night Cruiser schedule on 4 October 2026 as a scanned notice. Read the dates there before you book. Coordinates: 38.15450, 140.41040 Kind: Season When: The light-up runs on winter evenings while the snow monsters stand. The 2025/26 light-up and Night Cruiser tours ended on 22 February 2026. Hours: The light-up runs 17:00–21:00, with the last ropeway up at 19:50. Night Cruiser snowcat tours leave Juhyo Kogen Station at 17:00, 18:00, 19:00 and 20:00 and take about 75 minutes, around 30 of them on the snowcat. Venue: Zao Ropeway, Juhyo Kogen Station and the slopes above it Entry opens: Night Cruiser tours sell through JTB's website from seven days before the date, from 14:00. The ropeway takes no phone bookings. Website: https://zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/juhyo.php Summary: The Zao light-up suits anyone staying in Zao Onsen who wants to see the snow monsters lit in colour after dark; it's bitterly cold at the top and skis aren't allowed, so dress for −10°C and come as a sightseer. On winter evenings the Zao Ropeway lights the snow monsters around Juhyo Kogen Station in colour from 17:00 to 21:00. You ride the ropeway up as a sightseer, since skis and boards aren't allowed on the evening runs. The ropeway warns the temperature falls below −10°C. The Night Cruiser is a heated snowcat that carries small groups from Juhyo Kogen Station up to the fourth tower of the upper line and back through the lit trees. Departures leave at 17:00, 18:00, 19:00 and 20:00. JTB sells the tickets online from seven days ahead, and the ropeway cancels tours if the trees along the route have collapsed. The ropeway's 2026/27 notice shows the fares only as an image, so read it before you go. Tips: - Book the Night Cruiser on JTB's site the moment sales open, seven days before your date at 14:00. - Ride up early in the evening. The last car up leaves at 19:50. Q: When is the Zao snow monster light-up? A: On winter evenings from 17:00 to 21:00. The 2025/26 run ended on 22 February 2026, and the ropeway posted its 2026/27 dates on 4 October 2026. Q: How do I book the Zao Night Cruiser snowcat tour? A: Book online through JTB from seven days before your date. The Zao Ropeway takes no phone bookings. Q: What are the opening hours of Zao Snow Monster Light-Up? A: Zao Snow Monster Light-Up is open the light-up runs 17:00–21:00, with the last ropeway up at 19:50. Night Cruiser snowcat tours leave Juhyo Kogen Station at 17:00, 18:00, 19:00 and 20:00 and take about 75 minutes, around 30 of them on the snowcat. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/juhyo.php https://zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/juhyo_illusion.php https://zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/info_detail.php?q=4217 https://zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/info_detail.php?q=4503 https://zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/info_detail.php?q=5241 https://zaomountainresort.com/spot/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%A8%B9%E6%B0%B7%E9%AB%98%E5%8E%9F%E9%A7%85 ### Zao Juhyo Festival URL: https://ridingjapan.com/events/zao-juhyo-matsuri Type: Event Local name: 蔵王樹氷まつり (ja) Also known as: Zao Snow Monster Festival, Zao Juhyo Matsuri, Zao torch skiing, Zao winter fireworks, 樹氷まつり Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata Coordinates: 38.16870, 140.39700 Kind: Festival When: The festival runs from late December to late February, with its torch-skiing night in early February. Next dates: December 27, 2025 to February 23, 2026 (confirmed) Hours: In 2026 the torch run started at 20:00 on 7 February at the Uenodai slope after sign-up from 17:00, with about five minutes of fireworks after it. The Yukemuri Akari lights the Donbiki channel and the three public baths from sunset to 21:00 every night of the festival. Venue: Zao Onsen village and the Zao Onsen Ski Resort Entry opens: The torch run takes its first 350 sign-ups. Website: https://zaomountainresort.com/juhyo-fes/ Summary: The Zao Juhyo Festival suits families and skiers in Zao Onsen between late December and late February, when the village lights its baths and holds a torch run down the slopes; most events are small and local, so treat it as a bonus to a ski trip. The Zao Juhyo Festival fills the heart of the snow-monster season. In 2026 it ran from 27 December 2025 to 23 February. Every evening the Yukemuri Akari lit the steam rising from the Donbiki channel and the three public baths from sunset until 21:00. The big night is the torch run on the Uenodai slope. In 2026 up to 350 skiers carried LED lights down the hill in one long line at 20:00 on 7 February, and a few minutes of fireworks followed. Children get a snow park, and on two days working snow vehicles lined up for them while junior-high students and younger skied on ¥1,000 day passes. Tips: - Sign up early for the torch run, which takes the first 350 skiers. - Walk the village after dark during the festival, when the public baths and the Donbiki channel are lit. Q: When is the Zao Juhyo Festival? A: The 2026 festival ran from 27 December 2025 to 23 February 2026. The 2027 dates hadn't been announced by 11 October 2026. Q: What are the opening hours of Zao Juhyo Festival? A: Zao Juhyo Festival is open in 2026 the torch run started at 20:00 on 7 February at the Uenodai slope after sign-up from 17:00, with about five minutes of fireworks after it. The Yukemuri Akari lights the Donbiki channel and the three public baths from sunset to 21:00 every night of the festival. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://zaomountainresort.com/juhyo-fes/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7159554 ## Weather stations ### Ajiro URL: https://ridingjapan.com/climate/ajiro Type: Climate Local name: 網代 (ja) Region: Izu and Fuji Coordinates: 35.04500, 139.09170 Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Station: 50/47668 Period: 1991-2020 Q: What is the weather like in Ajiro in January to February and April to May? A: In January to February and April to May, Ajiro averages daily highs of 10.7 to 22.7 °C and lows of 3.9 to 15.3 °C, with 76 to 173 mm of rain a month, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. The most frequent wind in January comes from the WSW at a mean 3.4 m/s. Q: Which month is warmest in Ajiro? A: August is the warmest month in Ajiro, with an average daily high of 30.2 °C, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Q: Which month is wettest in Ajiro? A: September is the wettest month in Ajiro, with 263.9 mm of rain on average, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=50&block_no=47668&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=50&block_no=47668&year=&month=&day=&view=a1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=50&block_no=47668&year=&month=&day=&view=a2 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=50&block_no=47668&year=&month=&day=&view=a3 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/select/prefecture.php?prec_no=50&block_no=&year=&month=&day=&view= ### Aso-Otohime URL: https://ridingjapan.com/climate/aso-otohime Type: Climate Local name: 阿蘇乙姫 (ja) Region: Kyushu Coordinates: 32.94670, 131.04000 Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Station: 86/1240 Period: 1991-2020 Q: What is the weather like in Aso-Otohime in January to February and April to May? A: In January to February and April to May, Aso-Otohime averages daily highs of 7.1 to 22.5 °C and lows of -2.7 to 11 °C, with 93 to 261 mm of rain a month, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. The most frequent wind in January comes from the SW at a mean 2.1 m/s. Q: Which month is warmest in Aso-Otohime? A: August is the warmest month in Aso-Otohime, with an average daily high of 29.3 °C, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Q: Which month is wettest in Aso-Otohime? A: June is the wettest month in Aso-Otohime, with 667.9 mm of rain on average, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=86&block_no=1240&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=86&block_no=1240&year=&month=&day=&view=a1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=86&block_no=1240&year=&month=&day=&view=a2 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=86&block_no=1240&year=&month=&day=&view=a3 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/select/prefecture.php?prec_no=86&block_no=&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/fukuoka/503_Asosan/503_index.html ### Hakuba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/climate/hakuba Type: Climate Local name: 白馬 (ja) Region: Nagano Coordinates: 36.69830, 137.86170 Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Station: 48/0396 Period: 1991-2020 Q: What is the weather like in Hakuba in January to February and April to May? A: In January to February and April to May, Hakuba averages daily highs of 1.4 to 20.8 °C and lows of -7.3 to 7.8 °C, with 126 to 142 mm of rain a month, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. The most frequent wind in January comes from the NNE at a mean 1.2 m/s. Q: Which month is warmest in Hakuba? A: August is the warmest month in Hakuba, with an average daily high of 28.4 °C, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Q: Which month is wettest in Hakuba? A: July is the wettest month in Hakuba, with 280.8 mm of rain on average, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=48&block_no=0396&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=48&block_no=0396&year=&month=&day=&view=a1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=48&block_no=0396&year=&month=&day=&view=a2 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=48&block_no=0396&year=&month=&day=&view=a3 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/select/prefecture.php?prec_no=48&block_no=&year=&month=&day=&view= ### Hikone URL: https://ridingjapan.com/climate/hikone Type: Climate Local name: 彦根 (ja) Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Coordinates: 35.27500, 136.24330 Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Station: 60/47761 Period: 1991-2020 Q: What is the weather like in Hikone in January to February and April to May? A: In January to February and April to May, Hikone averages daily highs of 7.1 to 22.6 °C and lows of 1 to 13.5 °C, with 100 to 147 mm of rain a month, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. The most frequent wind in January comes from the NW at a mean 3.7 m/s. Q: Which month is warmest in Hikone? A: August is the warmest month in Hikone, with an average daily high of 32.1 °C, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Q: Which month is wettest in Hikone? A: July is the wettest month in Hikone, with 219 mm of rain on average, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=60&block_no=47761&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=60&block_no=47761&year=&month=&day=&view=a1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=60&block_no=47761&year=&month=&day=&view=a2 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=60&block_no=47761&year=&month=&day=&view=a3 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/select/prefecture.php?prec_no=60&block_no=&year=&month=&day=&view= ### Ikuchijima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/climate/ikuchijima Type: Climate Local name: 生口島 (ja) Region: Setouchi Coordinates: 34.27830, 133.12330 Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Station: 67/0687 Period: 1991-2020 Q: What is the weather like in Ikuchijima in January to February and April to May? A: In January to February and April to May, Ikuchijima averages daily highs of 9.5 to 22.9 °C and lows of 1.3 to 13.4 °C, with 40 to 108 mm of rain a month, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. The most frequent wind in January comes from the WNW at a mean 1.7 m/s. Q: Which month is warmest in Ikuchijima? A: August is the warmest month in Ikuchijima, with an average daily high of 31.9 °C, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Q: Which month is wettest in Ikuchijima? A: July is the wettest month in Ikuchijima, with 177.6 mm of rain on average, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=67&block_no=0687&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=67&block_no=0687&year=&month=&day=&view=a1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=67&block_no=0687&year=&month=&day=&view=a2 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=67&block_no=0687&year=&month=&day=&view=a3 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/select/prefecture.php?prec_no=67&block_no=&year=&month=&day=&view= ### Imabari URL: https://ridingjapan.com/climate/imabari Type: Climate Local name: 今治 (ja) Region: Setouchi Coordinates: 34.05330, 132.97500 Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Station: 73/1077 Period: 1991-2020 Q: What is the weather like in Imabari in January to February and April to May? A: In January to February and April to May, Imabari averages daily highs of 9.8 to 23.6 °C and lows of 1.7 to 13.7 °C, with 50 to 112 mm of rain a month, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. The most frequent wind in January comes from the WSW at a mean 1.9 m/s. Q: Which month is warmest in Imabari? A: August is the warmest month in Imabari, with an average daily high of 32.2 °C, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Q: Which month is wettest in Imabari? A: June is the wettest month in Imabari, with 196.2 mm of rain on average, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=73&block_no=1077&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=73&block_no=1077&year=&month=&day=&view=a1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=73&block_no=1077&year=&month=&day=&view=a2 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=73&block_no=1077&year=&month=&day=&view=a3 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/select/prefecture.php?prec_no=73&block_no=&year=&month=&day=&view= ### Iwate-Matsuo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/climate/iwate-matsuo Type: Climate Local name: 岩手松尾 (ja) Region: Tohoku Coordinates: 39.95170, 141.06500 Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Station: 33/0214 Period: 1991-2020 Q: What is the weather like in Iwate-Matsuo in January to February and April to May? A: In January to February and April to May, Iwate-Matsuo averages daily highs of 0.8 to 19.8 °C and lows of -7.9 to 7.8 °C, with 42 to 76 mm of rain a month, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. The most frequent wind in January comes from the WNW at a mean 1.7 m/s. Q: Which month is warmest in Iwate-Matsuo? A: August is the warmest month in Iwate-Matsuo, with an average daily high of 27.7 °C, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Q: Which month is wettest in Iwate-Matsuo? A: August is the wettest month in Iwate-Matsuo, with 158.3 mm of rain on average, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=33&block_no=0214&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=33&block_no=0214&year=&month=&day=&view=a1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=33&block_no=0214&year=&month=&day=&view=a2 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=33&block_no=0214&year=&month=&day=&view=a3 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/select/prefecture.php?prec_no=33&block_no=&year=&month=&day=&view= ### Kusatsu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/climate/kusatsu Type: Climate Local name: 草津 (ja) Region: Gunma Coordinates: 36.61670, 138.59170 Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Station: 42/0343 Period: 1991-2020 Q: What is the weather like in Kusatsu in January to February and April to May? A: In January to February and April to May, Kusatsu averages daily highs of -0.4 to 17 °C and lows of -7.8 to 6.5 °C, with 66 to 151 mm of rain a month, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. The most frequent wind in January comes from the NNW at a mean 1.7 m/s. Q: Which month is warmest in Kusatsu? A: August is the warmest month in Kusatsu, with an average daily high of 24.2 °C, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Q: Which month is wettest in Kusatsu? A: July is the wettest month in Kusatsu, with 263.5 mm of rain on average, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=42&block_no=0343&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=42&block_no=0343&year=&month=&day=&view=a1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=42&block_no=0343&year=&month=&day=&view=a2 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=42&block_no=0343&year=&month=&day=&view=a3 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/select/prefecture.php?prec_no=42&block_no=&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/305_Kusatsu-Shiranesan/305_index.html ### Minakami URL: https://ridingjapan.com/climate/minakami Type: Climate Local name: みなかみ (ja) Region: Gunma Coordinates: 36.77330, 138.96500 Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Station: 42/1019 Period: 1991-2020 Q: What is the weather like in Minakami in January to February and April to May? A: In January to February and April to May, Minakami averages daily highs of 2.6 to 20.2 °C and lows of -4.4 to 8.5 °C, with 100 to 155 mm of rain a month, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. The most frequent wind in January comes from the ENE at a mean 2 m/s. Q: Which month is warmest in Minakami? A: August is the warmest month in Minakami, with an average daily high of 28.2 °C, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Q: Which month is wettest in Minakami? A: July is the wettest month in Minakami, with 215.8 mm of rain on average, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=42&block_no=1019&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=42&block_no=1019&year=&month=&day=&view=a1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=42&block_no=1019&year=&month=&day=&view=a2 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=42&block_no=1019&year=&month=&day=&view=a3 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/select/prefecture.php?prec_no=42&block_no=&year=&month=&day=&view= ### Nozawa Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/climate/nozawa-onsen Type: Climate Local name: 野沢温泉 (ja) Region: Nagano Coordinates: 36.91170, 138.44170 Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Station: 48/0393 Period: 1991-2020 Q: What is the weather like in Nozawa Onsen in January to February and April to May? A: In January to February and April to May, Nozawa Onsen averages daily highs of 1.7 to 20.8 °C and lows of -4.9 to 9.2 °C, with 77 to 254 mm of rain a month, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. The most frequent wind in January comes from the SE at a mean 1.1 m/s. Q: Which month is warmest in Nozawa Onsen? A: August is the warmest month in Nozawa Onsen, with an average daily high of 28.9 °C, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=48&block_no=0393&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=48&block_no=0393&year=&month=&day=&view=a1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=48&block_no=0393&year=&month=&day=&view=a2 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=48&block_no=0393&year=&month=&day=&view=a3 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/select/prefecture.php?prec_no=48&block_no=&year=&month=&day=&view= ### Sekiyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/climate/sekiyama Type: Climate Local name: 関山 (ja) Region: Niigata Coordinates: 36.93330, 138.22170 Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Station: 54/0998 Period: 1991-2020 Q: What is the weather like in Sekiyama in January to February and April to May? A: In January to February and April to May, Sekiyama averages daily highs of 3.3 to 20.7 °C and lows of -3 to 11 °C, with 74 to 284 mm of rain a month, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. The most frequent wind in January comes from the SSW at a mean 2.1 m/s. Q: Which month is warmest in Sekiyama? A: August is the warmest month in Sekiyama, with an average daily high of 28.6 °C, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Q: Which month is wettest in Sekiyama? A: January is the wettest month in Sekiyama, with 284.2 mm of rain on average, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=54&block_no=0998&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=54&block_no=0998&year=&month=&day=&view=a1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=54&block_no=0998&year=&month=&day=&view=a2 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=54&block_no=0998&year=&month=&day=&view=a3 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/select/prefecture.php?prec_no=54&block_no=&year=&month=&day=&view= ### Sukayu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/climate/sukayu Type: Climate Local name: 酸ケ湯 (ja) Region: Tohoku Coordinates: 40.64830, 140.84830 Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Station: 31/1079 Period: 1991-2020 Q: What is the weather like in Sukayu in January to February and April to May? A: In January to February and April to May, Sukayu averages daily highs of -5.1 to 13.1 °C and lows of -10 to 5.1 °C, with 80 to 118 mm of rain a month, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. The most frequent wind in January comes from the WNW at a mean 3.2 m/s. Q: Which month is warmest in Sukayu? A: August is the warmest month in Sukayu, with an average daily high of 21.9 °C, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Q: Which month is wettest in Sukayu? A: September is the wettest month in Sukayu, with 223 mm of rain on average, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=31&block_no=1079&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=31&block_no=1079&year=&month=&day=&view=a1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=31&block_no=1079&year=&month=&day=&view=a2 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=31&block_no=1079&year=&month=&day=&view=a3 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/select/prefecture.php?prec_no=31&block_no=&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/rank_a.php?prec_no=31&block_no=1079&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/sendai/203_Hakkodasan/203_index.html ### Takayama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/climate/takayama Type: Climate Local name: 高山 (ja) Region: Gifu and Hida Coordinates: 36.15500, 137.25330 Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Station: 52/47617 Period: 1991-2020 Q: What is the weather like in Takayama in January to February and April to May? A: In January to February and April to May, Takayama averages daily highs of 3.2 to 22.9 °C and lows of -4.9 to 9.4 °C, with 94 to 125 mm of rain a month, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. The most frequent wind in January comes from the NNW at a mean 1.3 m/s. Q: Which month is warmest in Takayama? A: August is the warmest month in Takayama, with an average daily high of 31 °C, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Q: Which month is wettest in Takayama? A: July is the wettest month in Takayama, with 260.9 mm of rain on average, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=52&block_no=47617&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=52&block_no=47617&year=&month=&day=&view=a1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=52&block_no=47617&year=&month=&day=&view=a2 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=52&block_no=47617&year=&month=&day=&view=a3 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/select/prefecture.php?prec_no=52&block_no=&year=&month=&day=&view= ### Yamagata URL: https://ridingjapan.com/climate/yamagata Type: Climate Local name: 山形 (ja) Region: Tohoku Coordinates: 38.25500, 140.34500 Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Station: 35/47588 Period: 1991-2020 Q: What is the weather like in Yamagata in January to February and April to May? A: In January to February and April to May, Yamagata averages daily highs of 3.3 to 22.6 °C and lows of -3.1 to 10.7 °C, with 63 to 88 mm of rain a month, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. The most frequent wind in January comes from the SSW at a mean 1.6 m/s. Q: Which month is warmest in Yamagata? A: August is the warmest month in Yamagata, with an average daily high of 30.5 °C, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Q: Which month is wettest in Yamagata? A: July is the wettest month in Yamagata, with 187.2 mm of rain on average, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=35&block_no=47588&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=35&block_no=47588&year=&month=&day=&view=a1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=35&block_no=47588&year=&month=&day=&view=a2 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=35&block_no=47588&year=&month=&day=&view=a3 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/select/prefecture.php?prec_no=35&block_no=&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/sendai/212_Zaozan/212_index.html ### Yuzawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/climate/yuzawa Type: Climate Local name: 湯沢 (ja) Region: Niigata Coordinates: 36.94170, 138.81000 Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Station: 54/0544 Period: 1991-2020 Q: What is the weather like in Yuzawa in January to February and April to May? A: In January to February and April to May, Yuzawa averages daily highs of 2.8 to 21.9 °C and lows of -3.4 to 10.1 °C, with 100 to 315 mm of rain a month, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. The most frequent wind in January comes from the NW at a mean 1.6 m/s. Q: Which month is warmest in Yuzawa? A: August is the warmest month in Yuzawa, with an average daily high of 29.9 °C, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Q: Which month is wettest in Yuzawa? A: January is the wettest month in Yuzawa, with 314.9 mm of rain on average, by the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=54&block_no=0544&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=54&block_no=0544&year=&month=&day=&view=a1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=54&block_no=0544&year=&month=&day=&view=a2 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=54&block_no=0544&year=&month=&day=&view=a3 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/select/prefecture.php?prec_no=54&block_no=&year=&month=&day=&view= ## Cycling routes ### Ama-Ichi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/ama-ichi Type: Route Local name: あまいち (ja) Also known as: Amaichi, Amakusa cycling route, Amakusa Ichi Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kumamoto Coordinates: 32.60752, 130.46961 Level: Hard Kind: Point to point Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-bike Distance: 148 km Climbing: 1,377 m High point: 163 m Longest climb: 1.9 km at 6.2% Hairpins: 5 Start: JR Misumi Station Finish: Ushibuka Port Published distance: 152 km (MLIT National Cycle Routes) Routed with: BRouter fastbike-asia-pacific Summary: Ama-Ichi suits riders who want to cross the Amakusa islands from Misumi to Ushibuka over the Amakusa Five Bridges and past the World Heritage sites at Misumi West Port and Sakitsu, and the trade-off is a run of narrow bridges between the second and fifth crossings. Kumamoto Prefecture's course leaves JR Misumi Station and crosses the Amakusa Five Bridges to Oyano and Kamishima. It then reaches Shimoshima, swings up to Reihoku and Tomioka on the north coast, and runs down the west coast through Sakitsu to Ushibuka Port at the southern tip. The name folds together the hope that the Amakusa towns pull as one and the idea of riding right across the islands to find your own favourite spot. The prefecture sets it up so you can take on the whole course or ride it one area at a time. Misumi West Port belongs to the Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution, and the fishing village of Sakitsu belongs to the Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region. Both are on the World Heritage list. In between, the route takes in hot springs and seafront cafés. Mio Camino Amakusa in Hondo serves as the route's gateway, and ferries and passenger boats link Amakusa with Nagasaki and Kagoshima for riders who want to keep going. Tips: - Pack a rinko bag. It is the one way to be sure a bus or boat will take your bike in Amakusa. - Kumamoto publishes the course on Ride with GPS, and the line on this page follows it. Q: Can you cycle across the Amakusa Five Bridges? A: Yes. Ama-Ichi uses the Amakusa Five Bridges, though bridges 2 to 5 have narrow sections in a row, and a cruise boat that carries bikes offers a way round them. Q: Where does Ama-Ichi start and finish? A: Ama-Ichi starts at JR Misumi Station in Uki and finishes at Ushibuka Port in Amakusa, following Kumamoto Prefecture's official course. Q: Can you take a bike on buses and boats in Amakusa? A: Yes, in a rinko bag. MLIT's review notes that buses and boats accept bagged bikes, and each boat operator sets its own rules for bikes that aren't bagged. Q: How long is the Ama-Ichi ride? A: The Ama-Ichi ride is 148 km with 1,377 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 163 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 12.9%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Ama-Ichi ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 17 points within reach of the Ama-Ichi line, and drinking water at none. The longest stretch without konbini is 59.3 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Which way should you ride Ama-Ichi in April to May and October to November? A: In April to May and October to November the most frequent wind at the nearest weather station blows from the south-west at about 2.1 m/s on average. By our calculation the Ama-Ichi ride finishes with less headwind either way. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/ https://ridewithgps.com/routes/53960630 https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/ir/ir-council/ncr-root/pdf07/03_6.pdf https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/model_route/pdf/28.pdf https://www.mlit.go.jp/report/press/content/002012547.pdf ### Aso Daikanbo and Milk Road Loop URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/aso-caldera Type: Route Local name: 阿蘇地域サイクリングルート Bルート 大観峰展望ルート (ja) Also known as: Milk Road, ミルクロード, Daikanbo, 大観峰, Aso route B, Aso outer rim ride Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kumamoto Coordinates: 32.93687, 131.08094 Level: Moderate Kind: Loop Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-bike Distance: 35.9 km Climbing: 566 m High point: 906 m Longest climb: 9 km at 4.7% Hairpins: 3 Start: Michi-no-eki Aso Finish: Back at the start Published distance: 36.6 km (Aso Regional Cycle Tourism Promotion Council) Routed with: BRouter fastbike-asia-pacific Summary: The Aso Daikanbo and Milk Road loop is route B of Aso's official cycling network, and it suits riders who want the classic view over the caldera from the northern rim in a half day from JR Aso Station; the trade-off is one sustained climb up the caldera wall. Aso's towns and villages formed the Aso Regional Cycle Tourism Promotion Council in March 2019 with the national transport and road bureaus, the police, JR Kyushu and Minamiaso Railway, and it publishes five cycling routes round the caldera. Route B climbs to the Daikanbo lookout on the northern rim. From the roadside station by JR Aso Station the route crosses the caldera floor to Uchinomaki Onsen and climbs Route 212 to the rim. After the Daikanbo spur it follows the Milk Road east along the rim, drops down the Yamanami Highway to Aso Shrine in Ichinomiya, and rolls back along the valley to the start. The council has been giving bikes more of the road, adding route signs, opening up sight lines and smoothing steps in the road surface on its chosen routes. It has also been looking at trial runs of cycle trains on the local lines. Tips: - Ride the loop clockwise so the climb comes early and the long descent on the Yamanami Highway ends at Aso Shrine. - Check JMA's Aso page on the morning of the ride; it posts the current alert level and the zone round the crater. Q: Is it safe to cycle at Aso while the volcano is at alert level 2? A: Yes, on this route. JMA's level 2 warning since 1 September 2026 covers about 1 km round Nakadake's first crater, and the Aso Daikanbo and Milk Road loop stays on the northern rim and the caldera floor. Check JMA's page on the day. Q: What is the Milk Road at Aso? A: The Milk Road is the road along Aso's northern outer rim past Daikanbo. Route B of Aso's official cycling network rides its eastern part between Daikanbo and the Yamanami Highway. Q: How long is the Aso Daikanbo and Milk Road Loop ride? A: The Aso Daikanbo and Milk Road Loop ride is 35.9 km with 566 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 906 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 11.3%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Aso Daikanbo and Milk Road Loop ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 6 points within reach of the Aso Daikanbo and Milk Road Loop line, and drinking water at none. The longest stretch without konbini is 24.8 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Which way should you ride Aso Daikanbo and Milk Road Loop in April to May and October to November? A: In April to May and October to November the most frequent wind at the nearest weather station blows from the south-west at about 2.1 m/s on average. By our calculation the Aso Daikanbo and Milk Road Loop ride finishes with less headwind against the direction we describe. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/model_route/pdf/54.pdf https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/503.html https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1287075988 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/414638915 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/158518495 ### Azumino Water Course URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/azumino Type: Route Local name: 安曇野市サイクリングコース Aコース「水」 (ja) Also known as: Azumino cycling course A, Azumino A course, Azumino wasabi loop, 安曇野サイクリング Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Azumino Coordinates: 36.34044, 137.88172 Level: Easy Kind: Loop Bikes: City bike, E-bike, Touring, Road bike Distance: 29.3 km Climbing: 68 m High point: 573 m Longest climb: 7.8 km at 0.6% Hairpins: 5 Start: JR Hotaka Station Finish: Back at the start Published distance: 31.3 km (Azumino City) Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: The Azumino Water Course is Azumino city's own easy loop past wasabi fields and irrigation channels under the Northern Alps, and it suits a Hakuba or Matsumoto rider who wants a spring day on the flat; the trade-off is a fiddly line through lanes that you'll want the city's map to follow. Azumino city set three cycling courses with the help of Kanako Kobayashi, who rode mountain bikes for Japan at the Olympics and lives in the city, and the A course is the one it themes on water. It rides the Azumino Yamabiko cycleway along the river and cuts through Hotaka town. From there it heads out to the wasabi fields with the Northern Alps behind them, then follows the Jukkaseki irrigation channel. The channel is listed as a World Heritage Irrigation Structure. The city allows about four hours with stops. Hotaka Shrine and the Rokuzan Art Museum come early, and Daio Wasabi Farm sits on the loop's east side before the line swings south towards Toyoshina. For a spring ride from Hakuba or Matsumoto, the JR Oito Line drops you at Hotaka Station, where Hitsujiya and Shinano-an rent bikes opposite the platform. That makes it a good day out while the high roads on Norikura and Shibu Pass are still closed. Tips: - Open the city's Google map of the A course on your phone; it marks every turn, the gravel stretch and the gaps in the arrow markings. - Azumino's share-cycle scheme has e-bike docks at Hotaka, Toyoshina, Akashina and Daio Wasabi Farm if you'd rather ride a short piece of the loop. Q: Where can you rent a bike for the Azumino cycling course? A: Opposite JR Hotaka Station. Hitsujiya and Shinano-an both rent bikes there, e-bikes included, and Azumino's share-cycle scheme has docks at Hotaka and other stations on the Oito Line. Q: Is the Azumino A course suitable for beginners? A: Yes. Azumino city set its three courses so that anyone can ride them safely, and it allows about four hours for the A course with stops. Q: How long is the Azumino Water Course ride? A: The Azumino Water Course ride is 29.3 km with 68 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 573 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 5%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Azumino Water Course ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 3 points within reach of the Azumino Water Course line, and drinking water at none. The longest stretch without konbini is 16.3 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Which way should you ride Azumino Water Course in April to May and October to November? A: In April to May and October to November the most frequent wind at the nearest weather station blows from the north-north-east at about 1.2 m/s on average. By our calculation the Azumino Water Course ride finishes with less headwind either way. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.azumino.nagano.jp/soshiki/1300/59638.html https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1gWTrmKt3bvSXZLwhmPfkQMmrHXRgEZ4 https://azumino-e-tabi.net/cycling https://japanalpscycling.jp/about ### Biwaichi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/biwaichi Type: Route Local name: ビワイチ (ja) Also known as: Biwa-ichi, Lake Biwa cycling loop, Lake Biwa loop, びわ湖一周, 琵琶湖一周サイクリング Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Coordinates: 34.97322, 135.90568 Level: Hard Kind: Loop Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-bike, City bike Distance: 186.5 km Climbing: 396 m High point: 149 m Longest climb: 3.2 km at 2% Hairpins: 3 Start: Seta no Karahashi bridge, Otsu Finish: Back at the start Published distance: 193 km (MLIT National Cycle Routes) Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: Biwaichi suits riders who want a mostly flat lap of Lake Biwa over two or three days with the water on their left the whole way round, and its trade-off is the busy road on the west shore between Takashima and Kita-Komatsu and again from Katata into Otsu. Shiga lays the lap out counterclockwise. Bikes keep left in Japan, so that direction puts you on the lake side of the road with fewer junctions to cross. The full lap runs as far south as the Seta no Karahashi bridge, and plenty of riders count the northern lake alone from the Biwako Ohashi bridge as their Biwaichi. Two lines are signed. The low-speed course for families and newer riders keeps to quiet roads and the shared paths along the shore, and the advanced course this page follows sits mostly on the road. Expect hills between Kinomoto and Shiotsu and again on the way over to Nagahara. The east shore from Otsu Port up to Kinomoto has a lakeside path most of the way. On the far side of the lake the route passes the Metasequoia avenue turn near Makino, then runs through Takashima on the national road before the back lanes to Katata. Strong riders can do the lap in a day. Shiga suggests at least one night, with a stop near Kinomoto if you start in Otsu, or near Omi-Maiko if you start in Maibara, and Ohmi Railway lets you roll a bike straight onto its cycle train out of Maibara. Tips: - Start early and plan to be off the bike by mid-afternoon, which is how Shiga suggests you ride the lap. - Riders with children can switch to the low-speed course on Shiga's official web map. - Look up the Shiga Cyclist-Friendly Inns before booking; the prefecture certifies them for bike storage. Q: Which way do you ride Biwaichi? A: Counterclockwise. Shiga's Biwaichi site sets the lap that way so that riders keeping left stay on the lake side of the road with fewer junctions to cross. Q: How many days does Biwaichi take? A: Shiga recommends two days or more. Strong riders can finish Biwaichi in one day, and the prefecture suggests at least one night so you have time for the sights and food along the shore. Q: When is the best season for Biwaichi? A: Spring into early summer, May above all, and autumn. Shiga warns of heatstroke on summer laps and says snow on the north shore makes winter riding difficult. Q: Where can you park for Biwaichi? A: Pieri Moriyama and nearby Misaki Park at the east end of the Biwako Ohashi bridge open free parking for Biwaichi riders. Shiga asks riders not to leave cars all day at lakeside car parks or roadside stations. Q: How long is the Biwaichi ride? A: The Biwaichi ride is 186.5 km with 396 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 149 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 12.1%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Biwaichi ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 36 points within reach of the Biwaichi line, and drinking water at 4. The longest stretch without konbini is 25.5 km, so carry what you need for it. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/biwaichi.html https://www.biwako1.jp/basic/plan https://www.biwako1.jp/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/ ### Fuji Five Lakes from Lake Yamanaka to Lake Motosu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/fuji-five-lakes Type: Route Local name: 富士五湖（山中湖〜本栖湖） (ja) Also known as: Fuji Five Lakes, Fujigoko, Fuji Goko cycling, 富士五湖サイクリング Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Coordinates: 35.40690, 138.87594 Level: Moderate Kind: Point to point Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-bike Distance: 67.9 km Climbing: 688 m High point: 999 m Longest climb: 1.9 km at 4.4% Start: Yamanakako Asahigaoka bus stop Finish: Lake Motosu bus stop Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: This Fuji Five Lakes ride links Lake Yamanaka to Lake Motosu in one day along the official Fujiichi lines, and it suits riders who want every lake and Fuji views from a bus stop to a bus stop; the trade-off is forest climbs between the western lakes. This ride strings all five Fuji lakes together on the lines that Yamanashi and Shizuoka publish for the third and fourth sections of the Fujiichi route round Mt. Fuji. It joins Fujiichi at Lake Yamanaka and follows it through Oshino and Fujiyoshida to Lake Kawaguchi. From there it runs on past Lakes Sai and Shoji and finishes with a lap of Lake Motosu. Lake Yamanaka sits closest to Fuji of the five, and the Fujiichi notes mention a stretch of cycle path round its shore with gentle grades. Oshino Hakkai's spring-fed ponds sit just off the line on the way to Fujiyoshida. The Fujiichi team describes the western lakes as calm lakeside roads with ups and downs through the forest between them. It singles out Lake Motosu for its clear water and the Fuji view across it, and Oishi Park on Lake Kawaguchi's north shore makes the obvious photo stop on the way. Tips: - Benifuji no Yu at Lake Yamanaka is shut for renovation until March 2027, so plan your bath for another day or another lake. - If you'd rather ride a single lake, fujisanbike rents city bikes and e-bikes by the hour in Funatsu on Lake Kawaguchi. Q: Can you cycle all five Fuji lakes in one day? A: Yes. This Fuji Five Lakes line links Lake Yamanaka to Lake Motosu along the official Fujiichi route and ends with a lap of Lake Motosu. Q: Where can you rent a bike at Lake Kawaguchi? A: In Funatsu. fujisanbike rents city bikes and e-bikes from a hotel front desk by Lake Kawaguchi, by the hour. Q: How long is the Fuji Five Lakes from Lake Yamanaka to Lake Motosu ride? A: The Fuji Five Lakes from Lake Yamanaka to Lake Motosu ride is 67.9 km with 688 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 999 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 11.2%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Fuji Five Lakes from Lake Yamanaka to Lake Motosu ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 14 points within reach of the Fuji Five Lakes from Lake Yamanaka to Lake Motosu line, and drinking water at none. The longest stretch without konbini is 18.2 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Which way should you ride Fuji Five Lakes from Lake Yamanaka to Lake Motosu in April to May and October to November? A: In April to May and October to November the most frequent wind at the nearest weather station blows from the west-south-west at about 2.8 m/s on average. By our calculation the Fuji Five Lakes from Lake Yamanaka to Lake Motosu ride finishes with less headwind either way. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/fujiichi/route/index.html https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/fujiichi/route/section03.html https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/fujiichi/route/section04.html https://ridewithgps.com/routes/53027758 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/53027919 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/314.html https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/2149971082 https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/7106597286 ### Fukushima Hamadori Cycle Route URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/fukushima-hamadori Type: Route Local name: ふくしま浜通りサイクルルート (ja) Also known as: Hamadori Cycle Route, Hama-Sai, 浜サイ, Fukushima coast cycling route Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Fukushima Coordinates: 36.86477, 140.78090 Level: Hard Kind: Point to point Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-bike Distance: 176.3 km Climbing: 1,223 m High point: 109 m Longest climb: 7.5 km at 1.3% Hairpins: 10 Start: Nakoso, Iwaki Finish: JR Shinchi Station Published distance: 179 km (MLIT National Cycle Routes) Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: The Fukushima Hamadori Cycle Route suits riders who want Fukushima's Pacific coast from Iwaki north to Shinchi, with beaches, the Matsukawaura lagoon and towns that are rebuilding and welcoming visitors, and the trade-off is a few narrow tunnels and some roads that stay closed to bikes under evacuation orders. The route follows the Hamadori coast from Nakoso in Iwaki to Shinchi near the Miyagi border. It mixes seawall paths, the Iwaki Nanahama Kaido cycling road along Iwaki's beaches and quieter roads inland, and it became Tohoku's first National Cycle Route on 23 July 2026. Fukushima calls a trip here hope tourism. Hamadori lived through the compound disaster of March 2011, and the route passes the places where the region tells that story itself. These include the Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum in Futaba and the preserved Ukedo Elementary School in Namie, along with the Fukushima Reconstruction Memorial Park and J-Village. Towns along the coast are open and want riders to stay. People from the gateway hotels and rental desks spoke at the council's September 2026 meeting, and they kept calling the designation a starting line for the route. The council invites you to come for the coast and the food as well as the recovery. In the north the route skirts Matsukawaura lagoon near Soma, with Hama-no-Eki Matsukawaura for seafood, and in the south it runs past the Iwaki beaches and Aquamarine Fukushima. Look for Iwaki's mehikari fish on menus. Tips: - Ride north from Nakoso if you want the sea on your right and the Matsukawaura lagoon near the finish. - Tomioka's tourism association rents bikes in the middle of the route, which makes a two-day ride with a train back easy. Q: Can you cycle the whole Fukushima Hamadori coast? A: Yes, on the signed route. Some other roads in the area stay closed to bicycles under evacuation orders, so keep to the Fukushima Hamadori Cycle Route and check the prefecture's road restriction pages first. Q: Where can you rent a bike for the Hamadori Cycle Route? A: At the gateways. Shinchi's tourism association and Hotel Grad Shinchi rent bikes in the north, Tomioka's tourism association rents them in the middle, and Iwaki Shinmaiko Heights rents them in the south. Q: Can you ride the Hamadori coast in winter? A: Usually. Hamadori gets very little snow by Fukushima standards, and the route council warns of ice on some roads in winter. Q: How long is the Fukushima Hamadori Cycle Route ride? A: The Fukushima Hamadori Cycle Route ride is 176.3 km with 1,223 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 109 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 16.2%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Fukushima Hamadori Cycle Route ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 16 points within reach of the Fukushima Hamadori Cycle Route line, and drinking water at none. The longest stretch without konbini is 49.7 km, so carry what you need for it. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/ https://hamadori-cycle.jp/course/ https://hamadori-cycle.jp/ https://hamadori-cycle.jp/gateway https://hamadori-cycle.jp/news/787 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/49641836 https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/ir/ir-council/ncr-root/pdf07/03_1.pdf https://www.pref.fukushima.lg.jp/sec/41035c/20190301-.html https://www.mlit.go.jp/report/press/content/002012547.pdf ### Izuichi Izu Peninsula Loop URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/izu-peninsula Type: Route Local name: 伊豆半島１周ルート「イズイチ」 (ja) Also known as: Izuichi, Izu-ichi, Izu peninsula loop, 伊豆いち, イズイチ, 伊豆半島一周サイクリングルート Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Coordinates: 35.10521, 138.86478 Level: Epic Kind: Loop Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-road bike Distance: 229.7 km Climbing: 3,650 m High point: 451 m Longest climb: 7.4 km at 6.1% Hairpins: 43 Start: JR Numazu Station Finish: Back at the start Published distance: 227.6 km (Shizuoka Prefectural Tourism Association (prefectural model route)) Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: Izuichi is Shizuoka's official cycling loop round the Izu Peninsula from Numazu, and it suits strong riders with two days who want the wild west coast and the onsen towns of the east; the trade-off is a hilly route rated advanced, with no railway on the west side. Shizuoka's tourism association publishes Izuichi as the prefecture's model route round the Izu Peninsula and rates it advanced. Its route data leaves Numazu Station, runs down the west coast past Toi and Dogashima to Matsuzaki and Shimoda, and comes back up the east coast through Kawazu and Ito before crossing inland to Izunokuni. The prefecture has finished painting blue arrow markings along the whole loop as part of its work on the Pacific Cycling Road. It has added route signs and cycle pictograms. Warning boards stand at tunnels and on steep grades, and the prefecture certifies bicycle pits and cyclist-friendly inns along the way. The association budgets just over 15 hours of riding time, so plan a night on the way; Matsuzaki and Shimoda both sit on the loop. It also suggests cycle trains and buses with bike racks for skipping parts of it, and on the east coast the Izukyu Line follows the shore from Ito to Shimoda. If the full loop is too much, Toi's tourist office and Shimoda's tourism association both rent e-bikes on the route, and the association points to e-bike rental as the way in for riders less sure of their legs. Tips: - Ride it counter-clockwise as the prefecture draws it and you take the west coast while you're fresh. - Book the night at Matsuzaki or Shimoda before you set out. Q: How long does it take to cycle around the Izu Peninsula? A: Shizuoka's tourism association budgets 15 hours and 10 minutes of riding for the Izuichi loop round the Izu Peninsula. Split it over two days with a night in Matsuzaki or Shimoda. Q: Can you skip part of the Izu loop by train? A: Yes. Shizuoka's tourism association suggests cycle trains and buses with bike racks for parts of the Izuichi loop, and on the east coast the Izukyu Line runs from Ito to Izukyu-Shimoda. Q: Where does Izuichi start? A: At JR Numazu Station. Shizuoka's route data for Izuichi starts and finishes at Numazu Station on the Tokaido Line. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Izuichi Izu Peninsula Loop ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 61 points within reach of the Izuichi Izu Peninsula Loop line, and drinking water at 3. The longest stretch without konbini is 29.5 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Which way should you ride Izuichi Izu Peninsula Loop in April to May and October to November? A: In April to May and October to November the most frequent wind at the nearest weather station blows from the west-south-west at about 2.8 m/s on average. By our calculation the Izuichi Izu Peninsula Loop ride finishes with less headwind either way. Q: How busy are the roads on the Izuichi Izu Peninsula Loop ride? A: By road class in OpenStreetMap, 21% of the Izuichi Izu Peninsula Loop ride runs on quiet roads or paths and 69% on trunk or primary roads. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hellonavi.jp/feature/cycling_izuichi https://hellonavi.jp/feature/cycling https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/model_route/pdf/10.pdf https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1000088880 ### Japan Alps Cycling Road URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/japan-alps-cycling-road Type: Route Local name: 長野県一周サイクリング Japan Alps Cycling Road (ja) Also known as: JACR, Japan Alps Cycling, Nagano loop, Nagano prefecture loop, 長野県一周サイクリング Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 36.39410, 138.24951 Level: Epic Kind: Loop Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-road bike Distance: 817.8 km Climbing: 13,533 m High point: 2,156 m Longest climb: 10.2 km at 6.2% Hairpins: 173 Start: JR Ueda Station Finish: Back at the start Published distance: 800 km (Japan Alps Cycling Project (Nagano Prefecture)) Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: The Japan Alps Cycling Road is Nagano Prefecture's official loop round the whole prefecture, and it suits strong touring riders with a week or more who can break it at Shinkansen and JR stations; the trade-off is a mountain route that links valleys by long climbs. Nagano Prefecture set up the Japan Alps Cycling Project in 2019 with tourism associations, cycling groups, towns and Ride Nagano, and this loop is its signature route. The project calls it Expedition Nagano. MLIT's summary of the route lists Zenkoji, the castle sites at Ueda and Matsumoto, Lake Suwa, the Kiso valley and Hakuba among the places it ties together, and the route runs beneath all three of Japan's Alps ranges. The official Ride with GPS maps break the loop into six sections between stations: Ueda to Nagano, Nagano to Iiyama, Iiyama to Shinshu Matsumoto Airport, the airport to Tenryukyo, Tenryukyo to Kami-Suwa, and Kami-Suwa back to Ueda. Our line follows those sections in the project's counter-clockwise order. At two points you get a choice. Between Azumino and Shiojiri one line runs through central Matsumoto past JR Matsumoto Station and the other goes round by the airport, and between Nagiso and Achi you can cross the Ohira Pass or the Seinaiji Pass. Our line takes the airport and the Ohira Pass. The prefecture fixed the full route in fiscal 2022 after trial rides and meetings in each of its ten districts, and since then it has been painting arrow markings, putting up signs, widening shoulders and smoothing out steps at the road edge where the route is settled. Roadside stations on the loop are being turned into cycle stations with toilets and bike racks. The project says the loop works in either direction, and a few stretches change when you ride it clockwise. The Hokuriku Shinkansen stops at Ueda, Nagano, Iiyama and Sakudaira, and all four sit on the loop, so it's easy to ride a section or two and take the train home. Tips: - Download the six official sections from the project's route page and ride them as separate days; each one starts and ends at a station. - Pick the Matsumoto city line between Azumino and Shiojiri if you want the castle and a night in town, and the airport line if you'd rather skip the city traffic. Q: Can you ride the Japan Alps Cycling Road in sections? A: Yes. The Japan Alps Cycling Project publishes the Japan Alps Cycling Road as six sections that start and end at railway stations, from Ueda to Nagano round to Kami-Suwa and back to Ueda. Q: Which way round should you ride the Japan Alps Cycling Road? A: Either way works. The Japan Alps Cycling Project draws the Japan Alps Cycling Road counter-clockwise and says a few stretches differ when you ride it the other way. Q: Who runs the Japan Alps Cycling Road? A: Nagano Prefecture and the Japan Alps Cycling Project run it. The prefecture set up the project in 2019 with tourism associations, cycling groups, towns and Ride Nagano, and it fixed the full route in fiscal 2022. Q: How long is the Japan Alps Cycling Road ride? A: The Japan Alps Cycling Road ride is 817.8 km with 13,533 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 2,156 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 21.3%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Japan Alps Cycling Road ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 55 points within reach of the Japan Alps Cycling Road line, and drinking water at one. The longest stretch without konbini is 88.7 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Which way should you ride Japan Alps Cycling Road in April to May and October to November? A: In April to May and October to November the most frequent wind at the nearest weather station blows from the north-north-west at about 1.8 m/s on average. By our calculation the Japan Alps Cycling Road ride finishes with less headwind either way. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/model_route/pdf/44.pdf https://japanalpscycling.jp/cycling-root https://japanalpscycling.jp/about https://ridewithgps.com/routes/32020881 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42356121 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42356272 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42356371 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31976186 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/32008835 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42514793 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42514867 https://www.env.go.jp/nature/choju/effort/effort12/effort12.html ### Kunisaki Peninsula Loop URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/kunisaki-peninsula Type: Route Local name: 国東半島サイクルルート「仁王輪道」半島１周コース (ja) Also known as: Nio Rindo, 仁王輪道, Kunisaki cycle route, Kunisaki loop, 国東半島一周 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Oita Coordinates: 33.47642, 131.73223 Level: Hard Kind: Loop Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-road bike Distance: 132.2 km Climbing: 1,392 m High point: 374 m Longest climb: 5.5 km at 6.7% Hairpins: 3 Start: Oita Airport Finish: Back at the start Published distance: 130 km (Kunisaki Peninsula Promotion Council (Nio Rindo)) Routed with: BRouter fastbike-asia-pacific Summary: The Kunisaki Peninsula loop is the longest of the Nio Rindo courses that Kunisaki's four towns publish, and it suits riders who want castle towns and coast roads in one long day from Oita Airport; the trade-off is a hilly western half. Kitsuki, Hiji, Bungotakada and Kunisaki drew up nine cycling courses on the peninsula under the name Nio Rindo, and the full loop is the longest of them. The peninsula hosted the Tour de Kunisaki for 40 editions until 2023, and the event drew about 2,500 riders. From Oita Airport the loop heads south to the castle town of Kitsuki and the old streets of Hiji. It turns inland towards Maki Odo temple and the Showa-era shopping streets of Bungotakada, then follows the north and east coasts home past the Matama coast, Nagasakibana, the roadside station at Kunimi and the beaches at Aki. The organisers note that Route 213 carries many of the main sights and aid stops, and that the western roads around Yamaga have more hills, so they suggest an onsen inn to wash off the day. Cycle Oasis stops along the way lend repair kits and bike stands. Ninomaru-kan in Hiji and the cycling terminal at the Kunisaki roadside station are two of them. Tips: - Maki Odo and Nagasakibana sit a little off the line; the course page lists both, so add the detours if you have the legs. - Take the train to Yokoku Station in Hiji and join the loop there if you'd rather skip the airport. Q: Where does the Kunisaki Peninsula loop start? A: At Oita Airport. The official Nio Rindo full-loop course starts and finishes there, and it passes Yokoku Station in Hiji on the JR Nippo Line for riders arriving by train. Q: Is there a shorter Kunisaki cycling course? A: Yes. Nio Rindo also publishes half-loop courses and short courses on the Kunisaki Peninsula, among them the Bungotakada Showa Retro course and the Hiji and Kitsuki castle-town course. Q: How long is the Kunisaki Peninsula Loop ride? A: The Kunisaki Peninsula Loop ride is 132.2 km with 1,392 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 374 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 19.5%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Kunisaki Peninsula Loop ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 15 points within reach of the Kunisaki Peninsula Loop line, and drinking water at none. The longest stretch without konbini is 39.2 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Which way should you ride Kunisaki Peninsula Loop in April to May and October to November? A: In April to May and October to November the most frequent wind at the nearest weather station blows from the south-west at about 2.1 m/s on average. By our calculation the Kunisaki Peninsula Loop ride finishes with less headwind either way. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kunisakicycle.jp/courses/hantou_full/ https://kunisakicycle.jp/ https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/model_route/pdf/30.pdf https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=14i183IGDn0-PBXWPb3xLvXwmbMAE4F4i https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/114630840 ### Norikura Echo Line from Sanbondaki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/norikura Type: Route Local name: 乗鞍エコーライン（三本滝〜畳平） (ja) Also known as: Norikura, Norikura Echo Line, 乗鞍エコーライン, 乗鞍岳, Mt. Norikura climb Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Status: seasonal. Open to bicycles until 31 October 2026, then closed above Sanbondaki for the winter. Coordinates: 36.11355, 137.59619 Level: Hard Kind: Pass ascent Bikes: Road bike, E-road bike Distance: 13.9 km Climbing: 899 m High point: 2,715 m Longest climb: 13.2 km at 6.8% Hairpins: 20 Start: Sanbondaki gate Finish: Tatamidaira (Norikura Tsurugaike car park) Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: The Norikura Echo Line from Sanbondaki climbs a car-free road to the Tatamidaira bus terminal on the Gifu border, and it suits fit riders who want a high mountain climb shared only with buses and taxis; the trade-off is a short season, from July to October. Nagano's Norikura Echo Line climbs from the Norikura Kogen plateau to the summit car park at Tatamidaira, and above the Sanbondaki gate the prefecture keeps private cars off to protect the mountain. From July to October that leaves the road to bikes and the buses. The Norikura Hill Climb races up the same road each August from lower down the plateau. In autumn Nagano bans stopping and parking between Kuraigahara Sanso and the border gate, so plan your photo stops at the car parks. Nagano opens the road to the spring bus in late April, when snow walls still line the upper section, and riders get it from 1 July. The prefecture shuts it above Sanbondaki on 1 November, and early snow can close it sooner. Tips: - Take a warm layer and a jacket for the top at Tatamidaira. - Leave the car at Norikura Kogen's free car parks and ride up to the Sanbondaki gate to start. Q: Can you cycle the Norikura Echo Line? A: Yes, from 1 July to 31 October. Nagano bans private cars on the Norikura Echo Line above the Sanbondaki gate all season, and from July bicycles may ride it alongside the buses. Q: When does the Norikura Echo Line close for winter? A: On 1 November. Nagano shuts the Norikura Echo Line above Sanbondaki for the winter, and the last day for bikes in 2026 is 31 October. Q: How long is the Norikura Echo Line from Sanbondaki ride? A: The Norikura Echo Line from Sanbondaki ride is 13.9 km with 899 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 2,715 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 11.7%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Norikura Echo Line from Sanbondaki ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at no point within reach of the Norikura Echo Line from Sanbondaki line, and drinking water at none. The longest stretch without konbini is 13.9 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Is Norikura Echo Line from Sanbondaki open all year? A: Norikura Echo Line from Sanbondaki opens for part of the year. Open to bicycles until 31 October 2026, then closed above Sanbondaki for the winter. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.pref.nagano.lg.jp/shizenhogo/infra/doro/joho/norikuradake.html https://norikura.gr.jp/2026/09/%e4%b9%97%e9%9e%8d%e3%82%a8%e3%82%b3%e3%83%bc%e3%83%a9%e3%82%a4%e3%83%b3-%e7%b4%85%e8%91%89%e6%9c%9f%e9%96%93%e4%b8%ad%e9%a7%90%e5%81%9c%e8%bb%8a%e7%a6%81%e6%ad%a2%e3%81%ae%e3%81%94%e6%a1%88%e5%86%85/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/311.html https://norikura.gr.jp/2026/04/235693/ https://norikura-hc.com/info260831.html https://www.env.go.jp/nature/choju/effort/effort12/effort12.html ### Pacific Cycling Road Stage 1 from Choshi to Hamakanaya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/pacific-cycling-road-1 Type: Route Local name: 太平洋岸自転車道 千葉県区間（銚子〜浜金谷） (ja) Also known as: Pacific Cycling Road Chiba, 太平洋岸自転車道 千葉県 Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Chiba Coordinates: 35.72964, 140.82751 Level: Hard Kind: Stage Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-bike Distance: 224.7 km Climbing: 969 m High point: 67 m Longest climb: 1.2 km at 4.1% Hairpins: 3 Start: Choshi Station Finish: Hamakanaya port (Tokyo Wan Ferry) Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: Stage 1 of the Pacific Cycling Road takes the whole Chiba coast from Choshi Station round the Boso Peninsula to the Tokyo Wan Ferry at Hamakanaya, and it suits riders who like flat beach roads first and a rolling coast after. Wind costs you most on the open Kujukuri shore, where JMA's normals give Choshi a west-north-west prevailing wind all winter. The line leaves Choshi for Inubozaki, where MLIT says the lighthouse headland sees Japan's earliest sunrise outside the mountains and remote islands. From Iioka it drops onto the Kujukuri shore and follows the sand south to Cape Taito. Chiba built two prefectural cycleways here for the original plan, Route 408 from Iioka to Kujukuri and Route 405 on toward Isumi, and the beach road stays flat the whole way. South of Cape Taito the coast turns rocky and the road starts to roll through Ohara, Onjuku, Katsuura and Kamogawa. Katsuura and Awa-Kamogawa stations both serve as official gateways. Round the southern tip the line passes Nojimazaki lighthouse and turns north to Tateyama, another gateway, and the council points riders to Haraoka pier in Minamiboso, an old wooden jetty that photographers seek out at sunset. The last stretch follows Route 127 up the Uchibo coast through Kyonan to Kanaya, where the Mt. Nokogiri ropeway starts beside the road and the ferry waits. Michi-no-Eki Hota Shogakko, a closed primary school that now works as a roadside station, makes a good last stop before the boat. Tips: - Book B.B.BASE seats ahead. The council lists it as reserved-seat only, with services from Ryogoku to Choshi, Awa-Kamogawa, Wadaura and Tateyama. - Split the stage at Katsuura or Awa-Kamogawa, where the stations double as council gateways. - At Hamakanaya buy your ticket at the terminal and wheel the bike aboard. Tokyo Wan Ferry charges a bike fee and takes no bookings. Q: How do you get to the start of the Pacific Cycling Road at Choshi? A: Take JR to Choshi Station, the official start. B.B.BASE, JR East's cycle train, runs from Ryogoku to Choshi on reserved seats, so the bike travels assembled. Q: Is the Chiba stage of the Pacific Cycling Road flat? A: Mostly. The Kujukuri shore from Iioka to Cape Taito is flat beach road, and the coast south of Cape Taito through Katsuura and Kamogawa rolls more. Q: How long is the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 1 from Choshi to Hamakanaya ride? A: The Pacific Cycling Road Stage 1 from Choshi to Hamakanaya ride is 224.7 km with 969 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 67 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 12.7%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 1 from Choshi to Hamakanaya ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 54 points within reach of the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 1 from Choshi to Hamakanaya line, and drinking water at 3. The longest stretch without konbini is 24.3 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Which way should you ride Pacific Cycling Road Stage 1 from Choshi to Hamakanaya in April to May and October to November? A: In April to May and October to November the most frequent wind at the nearest weather station blows from the west-south-west at about 2.8 m/s on average. By our calculation the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 1 from Choshi to Hamakanaya ride finishes with less headwind either way. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/Route_chiba.kml https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/bwrm_chibakana.pdf https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/cycletrain/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/about-pcr.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/trouble/chiba.html https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/pacific.html https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/assets/pdf/jitensha_detail.pdf https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1PXy8-pHyxbCMHrwvibrp7abjJP7x01Js https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=45&block_no=47648&year=&month=&day=&view= https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%AA%E5%B9%B3%E6%B4%8B%E5%B2%B8%E8%87%AA%E8%BB%A2%E8%BB%8A%E9%81%93 ### Pacific Cycling Road Stage 2 from Kurihama to Yugawara URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/pacific-cycling-road-2 Type: Route Local name: 太平洋岸自転車道 神奈川県区間（久里浜〜湯河原） (ja) Also known as: Pacific Cycling Road Kanagawa, 太平洋岸自転車道 神奈川県 Region: Kanto and Boso Prefecture: Kanagawa Coordinates: 35.22031, 139.71293 Level: Moderate Kind: Stage Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-bike Distance: 103.2 km Climbing: 642 m High point: 85 m Longest climb: 1.7 km at 3.3% Start: Kurihama port (Tokyo Wan Ferry) Finish: Kanagawa–Shizuoka border at Yugawara Published distance: 100 km (Kanagawa Prefecture) Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: Stage 2 of the Pacific Cycling Road crosses Kanagawa from the Tokyo Wan Ferry at Kurihama round the Miura Peninsula and along the Shonan coast to the Shizuoka border at Yugawara, and it suits a long day out of Tokyo with a train home from almost every town. Expect town riding through Shonan, where the line follows the coastal national road past a string of beach-front cafés. The boat lands at Kurihama and the line heads south round the Miura Peninsula to Misaki, a fishing port known for tuna, then turns up the west shore toward Hayama and Zushi. Misakiguchi Station on the Keikyu line is listed as a gateway. Urari Marche at Misaki port sells tuna and local vegetables and rents bikes as well. From Inamuragasaki in Kamakura the road runs along Shichirigahama toward Enoshima, and the council picks this as the view to stop for, with Enoshima and Mt. Fuji in one frame on a clear day. Past Enoshima an alternative beach path runs between Fujisawa and Chigasaki. Yanagishima Sports Park in Chigasaki is a council gateway. West of Chigasaki the line passes Hiratsuka and Oiso, where a dedicated cycle path runs beside the Seisho Bypass, then reaches Odawara and its castle. The final stretch follows the cliffs past Manazuru to Yugawara. The council sends riders to Kogome-no-yu, the town-run hot spring with an outdoor bath, and to the plum festival at Makuyama Park from early February to mid-March. Tips: - Start at Misakiguchi on the Keikyu line if you want the Miura and Shonan coasts without the ferry. - Odawara's fishing-port station TOTOCO is a council gateway beside the harbour, and it makes an easy lunch stop before the cliffs. - Ride Shonan on a weekday morning when you can, and save the beach-front cafés for after. Q: Where does the Pacific Cycling Road go in Kanagawa? A: In Kanagawa the Pacific Cycling Road runs from Kurihama port in Yokosuka round the Miura Peninsula and along Sagami Bay to the Shizuoka border at Yugawara. Kanagawa Prefecture gives this section as about 100 km. Q: Can you see Mt. Fuji from the Pacific Cycling Road in Kanagawa? A: Yes, on a clear day. The council names Shichirigahama, between Inamuragasaki and Enoshima, as the place where Enoshima and Mt. Fuji line up across the water. Q: How long is the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 2 from Kurihama to Yugawara ride? A: The Pacific Cycling Road Stage 2 from Kurihama to Yugawara ride is 103.2 km with 642 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 85 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 13.8%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 2 from Kurihama to Yugawara ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 51 points within reach of the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 2 from Kurihama to Yugawara line, and drinking water at 8. The longest stretch without konbini is 8.5 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Which way should you ride Pacific Cycling Road Stage 2 from Kurihama to Yugawara in April to May and October to November? A: In April to May and October to November the most frequent wind at the nearest weather station blows from the west-south-west at about 2.8 m/s on average. By our calculation the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 2 from Kurihama to Yugawara ride finishes with less headwind either way. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/docs/m2g/cnt/f417344/p1204583.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/Route_kanagawa.kml https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/bwrm_chibakana.pdf https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/bwrm_k_e.pdf https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/bwrm_k_w.pdf https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/about-pcr.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/trouble/kanagawa.html https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/pacific.html https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1PXy8-pHyxbCMHrwvibrp7abjJP7x01Js https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%AA%E5%B9%B3%E6%B4%8B%E5%B2%B8%E8%87%AA%E8%BB%A2%E8%BB%8A%E9%81%93 ### Pacific Cycling Road Stage 3 from Atami to Shiomizaka URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/pacific-cycling-road-3 Type: Route Local name: 太平洋岸自転車道 静岡県区間（熱海〜潮見坂） (ja) Also known as: Pacific Cycling Road Shizuoka, Pacific Cycling Road Izu, 太平洋岸自転車道 静岡県 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Coordinates: 35.14156, 139.11042 Level: Epic Kind: Stage Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-bike Distance: 448.4 km Climbing: 4,222 m High point: 271 m Longest climb: 3 km at 6.9% Hairpins: 28 Start: Kanagawa–Shizuoka border at Atami Finish: Shizuoka–Aichi border at Shiomizaka Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: Stage 3 of the Pacific Cycling Road is the long Shizuoka stage, from Atami down the east coast of Izu, round the peninsula's tip and up its west coast to Numazu, then along Suruga Bay and the Enshu coast to the Aichi border at Shiomizaka. It suits strong riders with several days, and the west Izu coast between Matsuzaki and Heda is the hardest riding on the route with no railway to fall back on. From Atami the line follows the east coast of Izu through Ito and Izu-Kogen, whose station is a gateway, to Shimoda. Izu Kyuko lets bikes ride unbagged on its 8000-series local trains between Minami-Ito and Izukyu-Shimoda, so you can hop on a train anywhere along this coast. Past Shimoda the line rounds the southern tip of the peninsula and turns north through Matsuzaki, Dogashima, Toi and Heda. The council recommends the sunset coast from Koganezaki through Toi to Koibito Misaki to newer riders, and it calls the rest of Izu's terrain punishing. At Toi the Suruga Bay Ferry crosses to Shimizu if you would rather skip the Numazu shore; book a bike space, since the council lists a limit of eight per sailing. Beyond Numazu the line follows Suruga Bay past Fuji City to Shimizu, a gateway station and the ferry port, then swings out to Miho and on through Shizuoka City and Yaizu. It runs down the coast to Omaezaki and turns west along the Enshu coast, where Shizuoka's prefectural cycleway follows the dunes toward Hamamatsu. At Bentenjima, another gateway, the line crosses the mouth of Lake Hamana, and MLIT points out the red torii that stands in the lake beside the beach park. Tips: - Book the Suruga Bay Ferry ahead for the bike. The council lists eight bikes as the limit on each sailing between Shimizu and Toi. - Stock up on spare tubes before you leave Ito. The council's repair list names only one shop on the west Izu coast, in Matsuzaki. - Ride the Enshu coast from west to east in winter if your plan allows, with the prevailing wind behind you. Q: Does the Pacific Cycling Road go round the Izu Peninsula? A: Yes. The Shizuoka section runs down the east coast of Izu from Atami to Shimoda, round the southern tip and up the west coast to Numazu. The council's line also includes a shortcut across the peninsula's neck, and the Suruga Bay Ferry links Toi with Shimizu. Q: Can you take a bike on the train in Izu? A: Yes, on Izu Kyuko. Its 8000-series local trains carry unbagged bikes between Minami-Ito and Izukyu-Shimoda with no booking and no bike fee, according to the council's cycle train list. Other trains take a bike in a rinko bag. Q: How long is the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 3 from Atami to Shiomizaka ride? A: The Pacific Cycling Road Stage 3 from Atami to Shiomizaka ride is 448.4 km with 4,222 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 271 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 28.3%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 3 from Atami to Shiomizaka ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 117 points within reach of the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 3 from Atami to Shiomizaka line, and drinking water at 20. The longest stretch without konbini is 34.6 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Which way should you ride Pacific Cycling Road Stage 3 from Atami to Shiomizaka in April to May and October to November? A: In April to May and October to November the most frequent wind at the nearest weather station blows from the west-south-west at about 2.8 m/s on average. By our calculation the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 3 from Atami to Shiomizaka ride finishes with less headwind either way. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/Route_shizuoka_.kml https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/bwrm_shizuai.pdf https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/shizuoka.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/cycletrain/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/about-pcr.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/ncr.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/trouble/shizuoka.html https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/pacific.html https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1PXy8-pHyxbCMHrwvibrp7abjJP7x01Js https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=50&block_no=47666&year=&month=&day=&view= https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=50&block_no=47655&year=&month=&day=&view= https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%AA%E5%B9%B3%E6%B4%8B%E5%B2%B8%E8%87%AA%E8%BB%A2%E8%BB%8A%E9%81%93 ### Pacific Cycling Road Stage 4 from Shiomizaka to Cape Irago URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/pacific-cycling-road-4 Type: Route Local name: 太平洋岸自転車道 愛知県区間（潮見坂〜伊良湖岬） (ja) Also known as: Pacific Cycling Road Aichi, Pacific Cycling Road Atsumi, 太平洋岸自転車道 愛知県 Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Aichi Coordinates: 34.68289, 137.48481 Level: Easy Kind: Stage Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-bike Distance: 47.9 km Climbing: 273 m High point: 77 m Longest climb: 1.4 km at 4% Start: Shizuoka–Aichi border at Shiomizaka Finish: Irago port (Ise-wan Ferry) Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: Stage 4 of the Pacific Cycling Road follows the Pacific shore of the Atsumi Peninsula from the Shizuoka border at Shiomizaka to the ferry at Cape Irago, and it suits anyone who wants an easy coastal day between two bigger stages. The open shore gives the wind a free run, and JMA's normals put Irago's winter wind in the north-north-west. Most of this stage follows Aichi Prefectural Cycleway 497, which Aichi built along the peninsula's Pacific shore between Toyohashi and Irago. Michi-no-Eki Toyohashi, inland of the shore, is Aichi's gateway and rents e-bikes. Toward the tip the council picks out the Hiizuru stone gate, where the sunrise shows through an arch in the rock, and Koijigahama beach, the setting of the poem Yashi no Mi about a coconut washed ashore. Irago lighthouse stands at the cape, and the council notes the rape-blossom fields that cover the peninsula in spring. Toyohashi Railway's Atsumi Line takes bikes on board for a small fee between Shin-Toyohashi and Mikawa-Tahara with no booking. The Ise-wan Ferry from Irago to Toba takes bikes without a booking too, so this stage links easily with the Mie coast. Tips: - Rent an e-bike at Michi-no-Eki Toyohashi, Michi-no-Eki Tahara Mekkun House or Michi-no-Eki Akabane Roco Station, which the council lists for electric bike hire. - Stay at the cape and catch the sunrise at the Hiizuru stone gate before the first ferry. Q: How do you get from Irago to Toba with a bike? A: Take the Ise-wan Ferry from Irago port to Toba, which takes about 55 minutes on the council's map. Bikes pay a handling fee and need no booking, and a bike in a rinko bag rides on a passenger ticket. Q: Is the Pacific Cycling Road on the Atsumi Peninsula flat? A: Yes, for the most part. The line follows the prefectural cycleway along the Omotehama shore, the Pacific side of the Atsumi Peninsula, to Cape Irago. Q: How long is the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 4 from Shiomizaka to Cape Irago ride? A: The Pacific Cycling Road Stage 4 from Shiomizaka to Cape Irago ride is 47.9 km with 273 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 77 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 8.9%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 4 from Shiomizaka to Cape Irago ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 8 points within reach of the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 4 from Shiomizaka to Cape Irago line, and drinking water at none. The longest stretch without konbini is 10.7 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Which way should you ride Pacific Cycling Road Stage 4 from Shiomizaka to Cape Irago in April to May and October to November? A: In April to May and October to November the most frequent wind at the nearest weather station blows from the north-west at about 2.8 m/s on average. By our calculation the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 4 from Shiomizaka to Cape Irago ride finishes with less headwind either way. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/Route_aichi.kml https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/bwrm_shizuai.pdf https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/aichi.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/cycletrain/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/about-pcr.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/trouble/aichi.html https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/pacific.html https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1PXy8-pHyxbCMHrwvibrp7abjJP7x01Js https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=51&block_no=47653&year=&month=&day=&view= https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%AA%E5%B9%B3%E6%B4%8B%E5%B2%B8%E8%87%AA%E8%BB%A2%E8%BB%8A%E9%81%93 ### Pacific Cycling Road Stage 5 from Toba to the Kumano River URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/pacific-cycling-road-5 Type: Route Local name: 太平洋岸自転車道 三重県区間（鳥羽〜熊野川） (ja) Also known as: Pacific Cycling Road Mie, Pacific Cycling Road Ise-Shima, 太平洋岸自転車道 三重県 Region: Nagoya and Ise Prefecture: Mie Coordinates: 34.48056, 136.84574 Level: Hard Kind: Stage Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-bike Distance: 198.7 km Climbing: 2,858 m High point: 423 m Longest climb: 10 km at 3.6% Hairpins: 6 Start: Toba port (Ise-wan Ferry) Finish: Kumano River at Shingu Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: Stage 5 of the Pacific Cycling Road crosses Mie from the ferry at Toba down the Ise-Shima and Kumano-nada coasts to the Kumano River at the Wakayama border, and it suits riders who like ria coast with steep coves between long beaches. From Toba the council offers a coastal course and an inland one, which meet at Kii-Nagashima; this stage traces the coastal course. South of Toba the coastal course heads round the Shima Peninsula to Ago Bay, where Yokoyama Observatory looks over the inlets and islands of what Mie's site calls one of Japan's finest ria coasts. Mie's first model course follows this stretch from the Toba ferry terminal to the observatory. From Ago Bay the line runs west along the Minami-Ise coast, a long chain of fishing coves with no railway, and joins the inland course at Kii-Nagashima. From there it meets the Kisei Main Line again and again on its way south through Owase and Kumano. The council names the sea-carved cliffs of Onigajo and the long beach of Shichiri Mihama before the Kumano River. The inland course from Toba runs by Futami and Ise, then through Watarai and Odai. MLIT notes that at Futami's Meoto Iwa the sun rises between the two rocks from May to July and the moon from November to January around the full moon. Tips: - Kintetsu carries unbagged bikes on local trains between Matsusaka and Kashikojima with no fee, so you can ride Shima's coast as a day trip by train. - The Ago Bay boat between Kashikojima and Wagu takes a limited number of bikes for a fee, according to the council's table. - Mie's own site, mie-cycling-road.jp, splits the Ise-Shima coast into model day rides with stops and timings. Q: Which way does the Pacific Cycling Road go south of Toba? A: Either way. The council offers a coastal course through Shima and Minami-Ise and an inland course through Ise, Watarai and Odai, and the two meet at Kii-Nagashima. This stage follows the coastal one. Q: Can you take a bike on Kintetsu in Ise-Shima? A: Yes. The council's cycle train list says Kintetsu local trains between Matsusaka and Kashikojima carry bikes unbagged with no fee and no booking. Q: How long is the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 5 from Toba to the Kumano River ride? A: The Pacific Cycling Road Stage 5 from Toba to the Kumano River ride is 198.7 km with 2,858 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 423 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 13.3%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 5 from Toba to the Kumano River ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 24 points within reach of the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 5 from Toba to the Kumano River line, and drinking water at none. The longest stretch without konbini is 31 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Which way should you ride Pacific Cycling Road Stage 5 from Toba to the Kumano River in April to May and October to November? A: In April to May and October to November the most frequent wind at the nearest weather station blows from the north-west at about 2.8 m/s on average. By our calculation the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 5 from Toba to the Kumano River ride finishes with less headwind either way. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/Route_mie.kml https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/bwrm_miewaka.pdf https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/mie.html https://mie-cycling-road.jp/ https://mie-cycling-road.jp/model/course01/ https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/cycletrain/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/about-pcr.html https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/pacific.html https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1PXy8-pHyxbCMHrwvibrp7abjJP7x01Js https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=53&block_no=47663&year=&month=&day=&view= https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%AA%E5%B9%B3%E6%B4%8B%E5%B2%B8%E8%87%AA%E8%BB%A2%E8%BB%8A%E9%81%93 ### Pacific Cycling Road Stage 6 from Shingu to Kada URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/pacific-cycling-road-6 Type: Route Local name: 太平洋岸自転車道 和歌山県区間（新宮〜加太） (ja) Also known as: Pacific Cycling Road Wakayama, 太平洋岸自転車道 和歌山県 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Wakayama Coordinates: 33.73418, 135.98784 Level: Hard Kind: Stage Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-bike Distance: 307.9 km Climbing: 3,100 m High point: 152 m Longest climb: 2.3 km at 6.5% Hairpins: 12 Start: Kumano River at Shingu Finish: Kada port, Wakayama City Published distance: 311 km (Wakayama Prefecture and the Wakayama Tourism Federation (WAKAYAMA800)) Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: Stage 6 of the Pacific Cycling Road follows the Wakayama coast from the Kumano River at Shingu round Kushimoto at Honshu's southern tip and up the Kii Channel to the finish at Kada port in Wakayama City. It suits riders who want Kumano's World Heritage shrines and a mild winter coast in one stage, and Wakayama's route page recommends it in every season with a warning about ice in winter. The stage starts at Shingu, home of Kumano Hayatama Taisha, and runs down the coast through Nachikatsuura and Taiji to Kushimoto. There the Hashigui-iwa rock pillars stand in a line out toward Oshima. Nachi Falls and Kumano Nachi Taisha sit inland of the line up a side road, and the council suggests them as a detour. West of Kushimoto the line runs along the open coast through Susami to Shirahama. Engetsu Island, the Sandanbeki cliffs and the Senjojiki rock shelf all sit beside the road there, and Shirarahama's white sand beach curves round the bay. Nanki-Shirahama Airport is an official gateway. North of Tanabe the line follows the coast past Minabe and Gobo to the Shirasaki coast, whose cliffs shine white in the sun, then through Yuasa, which the council calls the birthplace of soy sauce, and along the Arita mikan coast to Wakayama City. Kinokuni Line cycle trains cover the coast from Wakayama to Shingu. Unbagged bikes ride local trains between Gobo and Shingu with no booking, and the Kuroshio Cycle limited express carries reserved bikes between Shirahama and Shingu. Tips: - Book the Kuroshio Cycle ahead. It loads bikes only at Shirahama, Kushimoto, Kii-Katsuura and Shingu. - Between Wakayama and Gobo the Cycle Train Plus local service needs a booking and takes four bikes at most. - The prefecture's WAKAYAMA800 site links this stretch on Ride with GPS and Strava if you want a file for your bike computer. Q: Where does the Pacific Cycling Road end? A: The Pacific Cycling Road ends at Kada port in Wakayama City, where a monument stands by the Ebisuya shop. Nankai's Kada Station is the nearest railhead. Q: Can you take a bike on the train along the Wakayama coast? A: Yes. JR West's cycle trains on the Kinokuni Line carry unbagged bikes on local trains between Gobo and Shingu without a booking, the Cycle Train Plus runs between Wakayama and Gobo with a booking, and the Kuroshio Cycle limited express takes reserved bikes between Shirahama and Shingu. Q: Is the Wakayama coast good for winter cycling? A: Yes. Wakayama's route page recommends the coast in every season and warns of ice in winter, and JMA's 1991–2020 normals give Shionomisaki a January mean of 8.3 °C. Q: How long is the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 6 from Shingu to Kada ride? A: The Pacific Cycling Road Stage 6 from Shingu to Kada ride is 307.9 km with 3,100 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 152 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 15.3%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 6 from Shingu to Kada ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 61 points within reach of the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 6 from Shingu to Kada line, and drinking water at none. The longest stretch without konbini is 55 km, so carry what you need for it. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://wakayama800.jp/routemap/%e5%a4%aa%e5%b9%b3%e6%b4%8b%e5%b2%b8%e8%87%aa%e8%bb%a2%e8%bb%8a%e9%81%93/ https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/Route_wakayama.kml https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/ccr9dq0000000e7c-att/bwrm_miewaka.pdf https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/cycletrain/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/enjoy/about-pcr.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/trouble/wakayama.html https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/pacific.html https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1PXy8-pHyxbCMHrwvibrp7abjJP7x01Js https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=65&block_no=47778&year=&month=&day=&view= https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%AA%E5%B9%B3%E6%B4%8B%E5%B2%B8%E8%87%AA%E8%BB%A2%E8%BB%8A%E9%81%93 ### Shibu Pass from Yudanaka URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/shibu-pass Type: Route Local name: 渋峠（国道292号 湯田中から） (ja) Also known as: Shibu Toge, Shibutoge, Shiga-Kusatsu Road, 志賀草津道路, Route 292, 渋峠 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Yamanouchi Status: seasonal. Open until the winter closure starts in mid November; the 2026–27 dates were not out on 11 October 2026. Coordinates: 36.74165, 138.41446 Level: Hard Kind: Pass ascent Bikes: Road bike, E-road bike Distance: 25.8 km Climbing: 1,591 m High point: 2,154 m Longest climb: 14.6 km at 6.9% Hairpins: 4 Start: Yudanaka Station Finish: Shibu Pass Routed with: BRouter fastbike-asia-pacific Summary: Shibu Pass from Yudanaka climbs Route 292 through Shiga Kogen to the highest point on Japan's national road network, and it suits fit riders who want a big alpine climb from a railway terminus; the trade-off is a season from late April to mid November. Route 292 climbs out of Yudanaka and Shibu Onsen through the Shiga Kogen ski villages to Shibu Pass. Nagano Prefecture lists the pass as the highest point on any Japanese national road. Beyond the Hiizaka gate the road is the Shiga-Kusatsu Road. It opened as a toll road in 1965 and has been free since 1992, and every winter it shuts. Nagano's own note on the pass points to the view over Shiga Kogen from the top and to the snow walls that line the road just after it reopens in spring. The pass also has a lodge built across the prefectural border. Riding on down to Kusatsu means crossing the slopes of Kusatsu-Shirane, so read the volcano notes below before you commit to the far side. Tips: - Start from Yudanaka Station on the Nagano Electric Railway and finish with a soak at Kaede no Yu beside the platform. - Ride in late April or May for the snow walls, and check Gunma's closure list for the exact reopening day. Q: When is Shibu Pass open? A: From late April to mid November. In 2025–26 Gunma closed Shibu Pass at 13:00 on 12 November and reopened it at 10:00 on 22 April, and the 2026–27 dates had not been posted on 11 October 2026. Q: Is Shibu Pass the highest road in Japan? A: It's the highest point on Japan's national roads. Nagano Prefecture lists Shibu Pass on Route 292 as the highest point of any national road, with the true top a little way over on the Gunma side. Q: Can you ride from Shibu Pass down to Kusatsu? A: Yes, since 13:00 on 29 May 2026. Gunma had closed Route 292 from Sesshogawara to the Manza junction in August 2025 under a level 2 volcanic alert, and it reopened the section after JMA lowered Yugama to level 1 on 15 May 2026. The Manza Highway detour bans bicycles, so check JMA and Gunma on the day you ride in case the alert rises again. Q: How long is the Shibu Pass from Yudanaka ride? A: The Shibu Pass from Yudanaka ride is 25.8 km with 1,591 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 2,154 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 17.4%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Shibu Pass from Yudanaka ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at one point within reach of the Shibu Pass from Yudanaka line, and drinking water at one. The longest stretch without konbini is 25.7 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Which way should you ride Shibu Pass from Yudanaka in April to May and October to November? A: In April to May and October to November the most frequent wind at the nearest weather station blows from the north-north-west at about 1.1 m/s on average. By our calculation the Shibu Pass from Yudanaka ride finishes with less headwind either way. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.pref.nagano.lg.jp/hokuken/documents/66shibutoge.pdf https://www.pref.gunma.jp/page/11074.html https://www.pref.gunma.jp/page/716190.html https://www.pref.gunma.jp/site/houdou/758987.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/305_Kusatsu-Shiranesan/305_index.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B8%8B%E5%B3%A0 https://www.env.go.jp/nature/choju/effort/effort12/effort12.html ### Shimanami Kaido Cycling Road URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/shimanami-kaido Type: Route Local name: しまなみ海道サイクリングロード (ja) Also known as: Shimanami Kaido, Shimanami, Shimanami cycling route, しまなみ海道, Nishiseto Expressway cycling road Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Coordinates: 34.40482, 133.19311 Level: Moderate Kind: Point to point Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-bike, City bike Distance: 68.1 km Climbing: 514 m High point: 79 m Longest climb: 3.5 km at 2.2% Hairpins: 14 Start: JR Onomichi Station Finish: Sunrise Itoyama Published distance: 70 km (MLIT National Cycle Routes) Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: The Shimanami Kaido Cycling Road suits anyone who wants to cross the Seto Inland Sea by bike from Onomichi in Hiroshima to Imabari in Ehime over six expressway bridges, and the one catch is a climb up a ramp to every bridge deck. Bicycles cross the bridges free under the Shimanami Cycling Free scheme until 31 March 2028. The route leaves JR Onomichi Station and crosses the narrow Onomichi Channel by ferry to Mukaishima, since the expressway bridge there has no bike path. From Mukaishima a blue line on the road leads you over Innoshima, Ikuchijima, Omishima, Hakatajima and Oshima, and the last bridge carries you over the Kurushima Strait to Itoyama on the edge of Imabari. Each bridge has its own path, and the rules change from one to the next. Mopeds use the same path as you on the Innoshima Bridge and on both bridges at Hakatajima. On the Ikuchi and Tatara bridges and on the long Kurushima-Kaikyo crossing you share the deck with people on foot, and they go first. The Murakami pirates controlled these straits in the Sengoku period, and Japan Heritage now tells their story. Innoshima Suigun Castle and the Murakami Kaizoku Museum near the route keep their armour and papers, and boats run tide-race trips round their old base on Noshima. Look out for kaizoku musubi, the rice balls the area serves in their honour. Shimanami Japan rents bikes from ten terminals that include Onomichi and Imabari, and you can hand a bike back at a different terminal from the one you took it from. When you get a puncture, their staff come out to you and swap the bike. Tips: - Ride south from Onomichi so the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge comes last, then take the train home from JR Imabari Station. - Book a one-way rental and return the bike at the Imabari Station terminal. Sunrise Itoyama closed for renovation on 15 September 2026, so phone Shimanami Japan before you plan to use the Itoyama terminal. - Set aside a night on the islands if you want time for Setoda or the Murakami Kaizoku Museum. Q: Do you pay a toll to cycle the Shimanami Kaido bridges? A: No. Bicycles cross the six bridges free under JB Honshi Expressway's Shimanami Cycling Free scheme, which runs until 31 March 2028. Electric kick scooters still pay. Q: Can you cycle from Onomichi to Mukaishima over the bridge? A: No. The Shin-Onomichi Bridge has no bike path, and JB Honshi Expressway recommends the short ferry across the Onomichi Channel over the busy Onomichi Bridge. Q: Can you return a Shimanami rental bike in Imabari? A: Yes. Shimanami Japan lets you return its rental bikes at a different terminal from the one you rented at, and Imabari is one of its ten terminals. Q: Is the Shimanami Kaido windy? A: It can be. JB Honshi Expressway warns that strong winds blow over the straits, which you feel most on the bridge decks. Q: How long is the Shimanami Kaido Cycling Road ride? A: The Shimanami Kaido Cycling Road ride is 68.1 km with 514 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 79 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 14.7%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Shimanami Kaido Cycling Road ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 15 points within reach of the Shimanami Kaido Cycling Road line, and drinking water at 2. The longest stretch without konbini is 18.7 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Which way should you ride Shimanami Kaido Cycling Road in April to May and October to November? A: In April to May and October to November the most frequent wind at the nearest weather station blows from the north-west at about 1.5 m/s on average. By our calculation the Shimanami Kaido Cycling Road ride finishes with less headwind either way. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/shimanami.html https://www.jb-honshi.co.jp/customer_index/guide/zihodo/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/202606/9848 https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/202606/9843 https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/shimap/pamphlet/ https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/2236106 ### Shimanto River Sinking Bridges from Ekawasaki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/shimanto-river Type: Route Local name: 江川崎駅から3つの沈下橋をめぐるコース (ja) Also known as: Shimanto River cycling, 四万十川サイクリング, Shimanto sinking bridges, chinkabashi, 沈下橋 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Kochi Coordinates: 33.17809, 132.78320 Level: Easy Kind: Out and back Bikes: City bike, E-bike, Touring, Mountain bike Distance: 18.4 km Climbing: 244 m High point: 88 m Longest climb: 0.7 km at 5.2% Hairpins: 12 Start: JR Ekawasaki Station Finish: Back at the start Published distance: 20 km (Shimanto City Tourism Association) Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: The Shimanto River sinking bridges course is a short out-and-back from JR Ekawasaki Station that the Shimanto tourism association publishes, and it suits families and easy riders who want three railing-free bridges in two hours; the trade-off is a narrow lane that keeps the pace slow. Shimanto's tourism association sets this course in the middle reaches of the river from JR Ekawasaki Station, and it allows about two hours for the ride there and back. It crosses the bridge beside Canoe-kan and heads upstream on the far bank, on a narrow lane with little traffic, under trees as far as the Nagaoi and Naka-Hage sinking bridges. Naka-Hage carries only people and bikes, and from the middle you look straight at the high road bridge and the railway bridge, so it's worth waiting for a train. The course carries on past the Kiminofuchi pool to the Hage sinking bridge. Beside it stands Hage Tenmangu, whose shrine gate frames the bridge, and at the autumn festival a bull-demon float called the ushi-oni crosses it. Sinking bridges are the Shimanto's signature. They're built without railings so floods can pass over them, and in the rainy season they go under. Tips: - Rent from Canoe-kan's Rinrin Cycle if you want to drop the bike at Ekawasaki Station afterwards. - Time your stop on Naka-Hage for a Yodo Line train crossing the railway bridge. Q: Can you cycle to the Shimanto River sinking bridges from a station? A: Yes. Shimanto's tourism association publishes a course from JR Ekawasaki Station past the Nagaoi and Naka-Hage sinking bridges to the Hage bridge and Hage Tenmangu, and back, and it allows about two hours. Q: Why do the Shimanto River bridges have no railings? A: So floods can pass over them. Shimanto's tourism association explains that the sinking bridges are built low and without railings so debris doesn't catch and the water flows over, and they go under in the heavy-rain season. Q: How long is the Shimanto River Sinking Bridges from Ekawasaki ride? A: The Shimanto River Sinking Bridges from Ekawasaki ride is 18.4 km with 244 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 88 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 16.4%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Shimanto River Sinking Bridges from Ekawasaki ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at no point within reach of the Shimanto River Sinking Bridges from Ekawasaki line, and drinking water at none. The longest stretch without konbini is 18.4 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Which way should you ride Shimanto River Sinking Bridges from Ekawasaki in April to May and October to November? A: In April to May and October to November the most frequent wind at the nearest weather station blows from the east-north-east at about 1.7 m/s on average. By our calculation the Shimanto River Sinking Bridges from Ekawasaki ride finishes with less headwind either way. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shimanto-kankou.com/route_cycle/ https://www.shimanto-kankou.com/kanko/shimanto-river/shimantoriver.html https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/134604103 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/134604105 ### Akinada Tobishima Kaido URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/tobishima-kaido Type: Route Local name: 安芸灘とびしま海道 (ja) Also known as: Tobishima Kaido, Tobishima Kaido Cycling Route, とびしま海道, とびしま海道サイクリングロード, Akinada Tobishima Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Kure Coordinates: 34.23271, 132.69145 Level: Moderate Kind: Point to point Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-bike Distance: 33.7 km Climbing: 295 m High point: 57 m Longest climb: 3.3 km at 1.5% Hairpins: 4 Start: JR Aki-Kawajiri Station Finish: Okamura Port Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: The Akinada Tobishima Kaido is a day ride from Kure across seven bridges to Okamura island in Ehime, and it suits riders who want old port towns and sea views across the islands; the catch is the far end, where you need a ferry or the same road back. Hiroshima's prefectural road corporation describes the Tobishima Kaido as a chain of seven bridges from Kure across the Akinada islands to Okamura island in Imabari, Ehime. The islands sit in the sea like the stepping stones of a garden, and that picture gave the route its name. Six of the islands are part of Kure. The cycling road begins in Kawajiri at the Akinada Bridge, and that's the one toll bridge on the chain. Kure city says you can keep to the gentle coast roads or go looking for the climbs the islands throw up. Its cycle stations lend simple tools and stands to passing riders, and two sit right on the way: Umi-eki Sannoseki on Shimo-kamagari and the Mitarai rest house on Osaki-shimojima. The city also points to the beaches and a preserved historic townscape along the way. Mitarai is the stop to plan the day round. The road corporation's map marks its Tenmangu shrine and a lookout over the old harbour, and the rest house there is one of Kure's cycle stations. From there the road crosses to Okamura, where the line ends at the ferry port. Tips: - Load the road corporation's Google map of the route before you go; it marks the public toilets and rest stops island by island. - Start at JR Aki-Kawajiri on the Kure Line, which puts you on the mainland side of the Akinada Bridge without riding through central Kure. Q: Where does the Tobishima Kaido start and finish? A: The Tobishima Kaido starts at the Akinada Bridge in Kure's Kawajiri district and finishes on Okamura island in Imabari, Ehime. JR Aki-Kawajiri Station on the Kure Line is the nearest station to the start, and the route ends at Okamura Port. Q: Is the Tobishima Kaido hilly? A: It can be either. Kure city says riders on the Tobishima Kaido can keep to gentle coast roads or take on the climbs the islands offer. Q: How long is the Akinada Tobishima Kaido ride? A: The Akinada Tobishima Kaido ride is 33.7 km with 295 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 57 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 9.1%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Akinada Tobishima Kaido ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at one point within reach of the Akinada Tobishima Kaido line, and drinking water at one. The longest stretch without konbini is 26.5 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Which way should you ride Akinada Tobishima Kaido in April to May and October to November? A: In April to May and October to November the most frequent wind at the nearest weather station blows from the east-north-east at about 1.7 m/s on average. By our calculation the Akinada Tobishima Kaido ride finishes with less headwind either way. Q: How busy are the roads on the Akinada Tobishima Kaido ride? A: By road class in OpenStreetMap, 27% of the Akinada Tobishima Kaido ride runs on quiet roads or paths and 11% on trunk or primary roads. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hprc.or.jp/go_tobishima_kaido/ https://www.hprc.or.jp/go_tobishima_kaido/cycling_info/ https://www.hprc.or.jp/bicycle/1016/ https://www.hprc.or.jp/akinada-bridge/ https://www.city.kure.lg.jp/soshiki/67/tobishima-island-cycling.html https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1T12Ch6X65V0h7ldqJ9BqDia0ZF9Xzxgx https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/9646244 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/43007719 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11451215 ### Tottori Uminami Road URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/tottori-uminami-road Type: Route Local name: 鳥取うみなみロード (ja) Also known as: Uminami Road, Tottori cross-prefecture cycling route, とっとり横断サイクリングルート Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Coordinates: 35.59972, 134.36268 Level: Hard Kind: Point to point Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-bike Distance: 151.5 km Climbing: 896 m High point: 131 m Longest climb: 4.5 km at 2.8% Hairpins: 9 Start: JR Higashihama Station Finish: JR Sakaiminato Station Published distance: 152 km (MLIT National Cycle Routes) Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: The Tottori Uminami Road suits riders who want to cross Tottori Prefecture along the Sea of Japan from Higashihama to Sakaiminato past the Tottori Sand Dunes, and the trade-off is that most of it runs on ordinary roads beside the traffic. Tottori opened the whole route on 22 March 2020 to bring visitors back to the towns along National Route 9 after the San'in Expressway drew the through traffic away. Because it follows that main road for much of the way, the prefecture says riders new to the area can find their way without trouble. Riding west from Higashihama you pass the Uradome coast and the Tottori Sand Dunes, then the Hakuto shore and Lake Togo. The hot springs at Hawai and Kaike both sit near the line. The last stretch runs down the pine-backed white sand of Yumigahama to Sakaiminato and Mizuki Shigeru Road. Plan meals round Sea of Japan seafood and Tottori's beef-bone ramen. Tips: - Tottori posts both directions on Ride with GPS, including the current detour, so load the one you plan to ride. - Four signed local routes leave the main line, including one round Lake Koyama and one up to the Mukibanda Yayoi-period site. Q: Which way should you ride the Tottori Uminami Road? A: Either way. Tottori Prefecture publishes the Tottori Uminami Road in both directions, from JR Higashihama Station to JR Sakaiminato Station and back. Q: Is the Tottori Uminami Road on cycle paths? A: Mostly no. Apart from a few sections it runs on ordinary roads, and the prefecture has been painting arrow markings and bicycle pictograms on them since 2023. Q: Is any of the Tottori Uminami Road closed? A: Yes. Part of the town road near the Nishiwaki lookout car park is closed, and Tottori posts a detour on Prefectural Road 178 to Higashihama Station. Q: How long is the Tottori Uminami Road ride? A: The Tottori Uminami Road ride is 151.5 km with 896 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 131 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 11.4%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Tottori Uminami Road ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 27 points within reach of the Tottori Uminami Road line, and drinking water at none. The longest stretch without konbini is 16.1 km, so carry what you need for it. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/ https://www.pref.tottori.lg.jp/282838.htm https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44868055 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41443593 https://www.tottori-guide.jp/cycling/archives/16 https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/ir/ir-council/ncr-root/pdf07/03_5.pdf https://www.mlit.go.jp/report/press/content/002012547.pdf ### Toyama Bay Cycling Route URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/toyama-bay-cycling-route Type: Route Local name: 富山湾岸サイクリングコース (ja) Also known as: Toyama Bay cycling course, Toyama Wangan cycling, 富山湾岸サイクリング Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Coordinates: 36.95947, 137.05164 Level: Moderate Kind: Point to point Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-bike, City bike Distance: 102.8 km Climbing: 176 m High point: 47 m Longest climb: 1.7 km at 2.5% Start: Himi, at the Ishikawa border Finish: Asahi, near the Niigata border Published distance: 102 km (MLIT National Cycle Routes) Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: The Toyama Bay Cycling Route suits riders who want a flat day along the bay with the Tateyama range across the water, and the trade-off is that the full route runs one way from Himi to Asahi, so you will need the train to get back. Toyama Bay belongs to the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club, and the prefecture laid this route along its shore on the roads with the best views. The official site says the gentle gradients suit riders of every age. The view everyone comes for is the Tateyama range rising behind the sea, which you see best from the Himi and Amaharashi end on a clear morning. At Shinminato the route crosses the harbour mouth under the Shinminato Ohashi bridge, and the free Koshinokata ferry takes bikes over the same gap when you want to see the bridge from the water. East of Toyama the route runs past the Uozu mirage coast and Kurobe toward Nyuzen and Asahi. Stop for Toyama Bay sushi, which the prefecture makes only with local fish landed in season. Tips: - Ainokaze Toyama Railway runs a cycle train that needs no booking, picking up at Toyama, Higashi-Toyama and Namerikawa and setting down at Kurobe, Nyuzen and Tomari. Check its operating days first. - Toyama Chiho Railway carries bikes on its trains at weekends, on public holidays and over the New Year break. - Cycle taxis that carry a bike inside work out of Takaoka, Imizu, Uozu and Kurobe if a mechanical ends your day. Q: Can you take a bike on the train along Toyama Bay? A: Yes. Ainokaze Toyama Railway's cycle train needs no booking and runs from Toyama, Higashi-Toyama and Namerikawa to Kurobe, Nyuzen and Tomari on its operating days. Q: How do cyclists cross Shinminato harbour on the Toyama Bay Cycling Route? A: Under the Shinminato Ohashi bridge on its walkway, or on the free Koshinokata ferry, which carries bikes between Koshinokata and Horioka. Q: Is the Toyama Bay Cycling Route flat? A: Yes. Toyama Prefecture describes the route's gradients as slight, and it says riders of every age can enjoy it. Q: How long is the Toyama Bay Cycling Route ride? A: The Toyama Bay Cycling Route ride is 102.8 km with 176 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 47 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 9.8%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Toyama Bay Cycling Route ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 13 points within reach of the Toyama Bay Cycling Route line, and drinking water at one. The longest stretch without konbini is 23.8 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: Which way should you ride Toyama Bay Cycling Route in April to May and October to November? A: In April to May and October to November the most frequent wind at the nearest weather station blows from the north-north-east at about 1.2 m/s on average. By our calculation the Toyama Bay Cycling Route ride finishes with less headwind either way. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/toyama-bay.html https://cycling-toyama.jp/course/wangan/ https://cycling-toyama.jp/cycletrain/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1DOivAna5J8QLH0Lp6wCD08CVdtxX15cY https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/ ### Tsukuba-Kasumigaura Ring-Ring Road URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/tsukuba-kasumigaura-ring-ring-road Type: Route Local name: つくば霞ヶ浦りんりんロード (ja) Also known as: Ring Ring Road, Rinrin Road, Tsukuba Kasumigaura Rinrin Road, りんりんロード, Ibaraki Prefectural Cycle Route 505 Region: Ibaraki and Tsukuba Prefecture: Ibaraki Coordinates: 36.35936, 140.10782 Level: Hard Kind: Point to point Bikes: Road bike, Touring, E-bike, City bike Distance: 164.4 km Climbing: 53 m High point: 62 m Hairpins: 9 Start: JR Iwase Station Finish: JR Tsuchiura Station Published distance: 176 km (MLIT National Cycle Routes) Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: The Tsukuba-Kasumigaura Ring-Ring Road suits riders who want a car-free start on an old railway line under Mt. Tsukuba before a long lap of Lake Kasumigaura, and the trade-off comes on the lake section, where the route joins ordinary roads and the embankments have no guard rails. The route begins at JR Iwase Station and follows the bed of the old Tsukuba Railway south to Tsuchiura. Cars stay off this stretch, and the old station buildings along it now serve as rest stops. Ibaraki pitches it as the part beginners will enjoy most, and a hill-climb course up Mt. Tsukuba branches off it for riders who want to go up. At Tsuchiura the route meets Lake Kasumigaura and runs right round it on the lakeshore road. On a clear day you look across the water to Mt. Tsukuba and the Ushiku Daibutsu, and lotus fields and rice paddies run along much of the shore. Rinrin Square Tsuchiura at JR Tsuchiura Station serves as the route's main base. The lake section passes Kasumigaura's water villages inside Suigo-Tsukuba Quasi-National Park, and Kashima Jingu shrine lies within reach to the east. Tips: - Ride the railway path first and keep the lake for the next day if you want an easy opener. - Ibaraki's 'Cyclist-Friendly Inns' list helps you find somewhere that will take the bike in for the night. Q: Is the Tsukuba-Kasumigaura Ring-Ring Road car-free? A: Only in part. The old Tsukuba Railway section from Iwase to Tsuchiura keeps cars off, and round Lake Kasumigaura the route also uses ordinary roads. Q: Where do you start the Ring-Ring Road? A: JR Iwase Station is the start of the railway path, and JR Tsuchiura Station beside Rinrin Square Tsuchiura is the base for the Lake Kasumigaura loop. Both stations sit on the official route. Q: Is the Ring-Ring Road good for beginners? A: The railway path is. Ibaraki says the car-free stretch past Mt. Tsukuba suits beginners, and it warns that the lake embankments have no guard rails. Q: How long is the Tsukuba-Kasumigaura Ring-Ring Road ride? A: The Tsukuba-Kasumigaura Ring-Ring Road ride is 164.4 km with 53 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 62 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 4.7%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Tsukuba-Kasumigaura Ring-Ring Road ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 11 points within reach of the Tsukuba-Kasumigaura Ring-Ring Road line, and drinking water at 8. The longest stretch without konbini is 37.6 km, so carry what you need for it. Q: How busy are the roads on the Tsukuba-Kasumigaura Ring-Ring Road ride? A: By road class in OpenStreetMap, 99% of the Tsukuba-Kasumigaura Ring-Ring Road ride runs on quiet roads or paths and 0% on trunk or primary roads. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/tsukuba.html https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/ringring/ https://cycling.pref.ibaraki.jp/wp-content/themes/nowandthen/pdf/ringring-en.pdf https://www.ringringroad.com/ https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/17492163 ### Yukiguni Uonuma Golden Cycle Route URL: https://ridingjapan.com/routes/yukiguni-uonuma-gcr Type: Route Local name: 雪国魚沼Golden Cycle Route (ja) Also known as: GCR, Golden Cycle Route, Yukiguni-Uonuma Golden Cycle Route, Uonuma cycling route, 雪国魚沼ゴールデンサイクルルート Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Coordinates: 37.16690, 138.92521 Level: Epic Kind: Loop Bikes: Road bike, E-road bike, E-bike, Touring Distance: 199.7 km Climbing: 1,582 m High point: 573 m Longest climb: 11.4 km at 1.4% Hairpins: 27 Start: JR Urasa Station Finish: Back at the start Published distance: 193 km (MLIT National Cycle Routes) Routed with: BRouter trekking Summary: The Yukiguni Uonuma Golden Cycle Route suits riders who want quiet roads through the rice country of Uonuma under the Echigo mountains, with a dam hill climb thrown in, and the trade-off is the snow, since some roads on the route close for the winter in one of Japan's snowiest districts. Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma and Uonuma set the route up together in August 2021 as Niigata's first model cycle-tourism route. This page rides it as one figure from JR Urasa Station, taking the northern loop through Uonuma first and then the southern loop through Minamiuonuma and Yuzawa with the dam climb folded in. The North Uonuma stage follows the Tadami Line up into mountain villages. The official site calls it easy going for beginners in spite of the height you gain, because traffic stays light, and it passes the Meguro residence, which the state lists as an Important Cultural Property, and Michi-no-Eki Yunotani for local food. The South Uonuma stage crosses open paddy country with the Echigo range behind it. Uesugi Kagekatsu and Naoe Kanetsugu grew up at Sakado Castle, and a park now covers the ruins. Further south you ride down Bokushi-dori, an old post-town street, before the loop reaches the hot-spring town of Echigo-Yuzawa that Kawabata wrote into Snow Country. The Sagurigawa Dam course is the hard part. Road races use it, and the official site sends riders there once they have outgrown the beginner label. Tips: - Ride the route in late summer if you want to see the rice turn gold. - Split it over two days with a night near Urasa, since both loops start close to the station. Q: Can you ride the Yukiguni Uonuma Golden Cycle Route in winter? A: Not all of it. Some roads on the Golden Cycle Route close for the winter snow, and road managers sweep them before they reopen in spring. Q: Where does the Golden Cycle Route start? A: JR Urasa Station on the Joetsu Shinkansen is the route's gateway, and Echigo-Yuzawa Station is the other main way in. Q: Why is it called the Golden Cycle Route? A: The name comes from the Koshihikari rice that turns the Uonuma valley gold before the harvest, and from the hope that it becomes one of Japan's leading cycling routes. Q: How long is the Yukiguni Uonuma Golden Cycle Route ride? A: The Yukiguni Uonuma Golden Cycle Route ride is 199.7 km with 1,582 m of climbing by our route data, routed over OpenStreetMap and measured against Copernicus DEM GLO-30 30 m. The highest point is 573 m, and the steepest 200 m averages 11.8%. Q: Where can you buy food and water on the Yukiguni Uonuma Golden Cycle Route ride? A: OpenStreetMap lists konbini at 14 points within reach of the Yukiguni Uonuma Golden Cycle Route line, and drinking water at none. The longest stretch without konbini is 38.3 km, so carry what you need for it. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/ https://yukiguni-gcr.jp/about/ https://yukiguni-gcr.jp/course/main_route/ https://yukiguni-gcr.jp/course/course_map/ https://yukiguni-gcr.jp/access/ https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/ir/ir-council/ncr-root/pdf07/03_3.pdf https://www.mlit.go.jp/report/press/content/002012547.pdf ## Ride days ### Ski Happo-one in the morning and ride Azumino after lunch URL: https://ridingjapan.com/ride-days/azumino-after-a-hakuba-morning Type: Ride day Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Kind: Rail and ride Route: Azumino Water Course Riding: 29.3 km, 68 m up Level: Easy Base: Hakuba Tokyu Hotel Who it suits: Spring skiers in Hakuba who want to swap the afternoon slush for wasabi fields and flooded paddies on a rented e-bike. Summary: This spring day suits skiers who want a few firm morning runs at Happo-one and a flat afternoon ride among Azumino's wasabi fields, and its catch is the Oito Line, whose sparse trains set the pace of the whole day. On a spring day the morning gives you the firmest snow, and late morning is the moment to leave. Hakuba Tokyu Hotel runs its own car to the Happo bus terminal and to Hakuba Station, so the skis go back to the room and you go down the valley by train. Shinano-an waits across the road from Hotaka Station with e-bikes from mid-March. Azumino city drew this course with Kanako Kobayashi, who rode mountain bikes for Japan at the Olympics, and it allows about four hours with stops. Daio Wasabi Farm comes early on the loop's east side, which puts lunch in the right place. The run south along the Jukkaseki channel follows an irrigation structure on the World Heritage list. Ride it in April or the first days of May, while Happo-one still sells spring tickets and the high roads on Norikura stay shut. Tips: - Hitsujiya, also opposite the station, rents e-bikes and keeps bags too, if Shinano-an is full. - Azuminoru Bakery sits on the loop south of the farm and opens Thursday to Sunday until 16:00. Q: How much riding is the Ski Happo-one in the morning and ride Azumino after lunch day? A: The day rides the Azumino Water Course, 29.3 km with 68 m of climbing by our route data, and stops 7 times between 08:00 and the end of the day. Q: Where do you eat lunch on the Ski Happo-one in the morning and ride Azumino after lunch day? A: Lunch at 13:30 is this: eat pot-cooked rice at Daio Wasabi Farm. Daio-an cooks its rice in iron pots with the farm's spring water, and the food court sells wasabi oyaki. Entry to the farm costs nothing. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.city.azumino.nagano.jp/soshiki/1300/59638.html https://shinano-an.com/ https://www.daiowasabi.co.jp/ https://www.happo-one.jp/en/ticket/ https://www.tokyuhotels.co.jp/hakuba-h/index.html https://hakuba-happo-onsen.jp/dayuse/ https://www.hitsujiya-azumino.com/bicycle ### Ride the north shore of Lake Biwa from Nagahama to Kinomoto URL: https://ridingjapan.com/ride-days/biwaichi-north-shore-half-day Type: Ride day Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Nagahama Kind: Half day Route: Biwaichi Riding: 186.5 km, 396 m up Level: Hard Base: Kita Biwako Hotel Grazie Who it suits: Couples and families who want a gentle morning on the lake path with an e-assist bike, a famous bakery and a long bath before lunch is over. Summary: This half day suits riders who want the easy northern stretch of Biwaichi on a cheap e-assist bike, ending in a hot bath and a short train ride, and its catch is a north shore where snow settles in winter, so ride it in spring or autumn. Kita Biwako Hotel Grazie stands by Nagahama Port and holds Shiga's certification for cyclist-friendly stays, so your bags wait at the desk while you ride. The tourism association's tour centre in Nagahama opens at 9:00. From there the east-shore path runs north beside the water most of the way to Kinomoto, which keeps the morning flat. Tsuruya Pan's salad pan made Kinomoto's name, and it travels well in a jersey pocket. Kitaomi no Yu sits a short ride south of town and opens from 6:00 until midnight, so the bath never rushes you. Shiga asks riders to be off the road by 17:00 from October to April, and this plan has you back in Nagahama well before then. Tips: - Omi-Shiotsu and Nagahara take no returns from other stations from 25 March to 11 May and over New Year, which matters only if you ride on past Kinomoto. - The desks close from 29 December to 3 January. Q: How much riding is the Ride the north shore of Lake Biwa from Nagahama to Kinomoto day? A: The day rides the Biwaichi, 186.5 km with 396 m of climbing by our route data, and stops 7 times between 08:45 and the end of the day. Q: Where do you eat lunch on the Ride the north shore of Lake Biwa from Nagahama to Kinomoto day? A: Lunch at 11:30 is this: buy salad pan at Tsuruya Pan in Kinomoto. The bakery opens from 8:00 Monday to Saturday and 9:00 on Sundays. Kinomoto sits a little inland of the lake road, and the hills toward Shiotsu start beyond it, so turn back here. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.biwako1.jp/basic/plan https://www.biwako1.jp/support/accommodation https://www.k-grazie.co.jp/ https://kitabiwako.jp/spot/spot_21298/ https://pluscycle.shiga.jp/rental/ https://tsuruyapan.jp/ https://kitaoumi.com/open-fee https://www.romanbeer.com/ https://www.westjr.co.jp/travel-information/en/train-usage-guide/ ### Soak at sunrise in Ito and ride the Izu coast to Shimoda URL: https://ridingjapan.com/ride-days/izu-coast-and-onsen-day Type: Ride day Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Ito Kind: Big day Route: Pacific Cycling Road Stage 3 from Atami to Shiomizaka Riding: 448.4 km, 4,222 m up Level: Epic Base: K's House Ito Onsen Who it suits: Fit road riders with their own bike who don't mind steep coastal climbs and want kinmedai at both ends of the afternoon. Summary: This coast day suits strong riders who want a sunrise soak, the lava cliffs at Jogasaki and two kinmedai meals between Ito and Shimoda, and its catch is the steady climbing on Route 135 with traffic beside you. K's House Ito Onsen puts you in a century-old ryokan with its own hot spring, a short ride from the Seaside Spa at Ito Marine Town. Go early. On a clear winter morning the sun rises out of Sagami Bay while you sit in the outdoor bath. Then the day turns south on the Pacific Cycling Road along the east coast. Kinmedai is the red-skinned fish this coast lands, and the farm ministry calls Shimoda the country's biggest port for it. It carries the most fat from October to late March. Tokuzomaru has simmered it on the Inatori harbour front since 1971, so time the ride to reach Inatori hungry. Thursday is the wrong day for this plan, since both Tokuzomaru and Gorosaya close. Shimoda sits about two and a half hours from Tokyo on the Odoriko or the Saphir Odoriko, says the city's tourism office, and the Izukyu line takes about an hour and a half to Atami if you want the Shinkansen. The oversized-baggage seat applies on the Shinkansen leg alone. Tips: - Shimoda's tourism association rents electric-assist bikes by the station if a friend wants to join for the Perry Road loop. - Kurofune Hotel's bay-view baths take day visitors from 15:00 if you'd rather finish with a second soak. Q: How much riding is the Soak at sunrise in Ito and ride the Izu coast to Shimoda day? A: The day rides the Pacific Cycling Road Stage 3 from Atami to Shiomizaka, 448.4 km with 4,222 m of climbing by our route data, and stops 6 times between 06:30 and the end of the day. Q: Where do you eat lunch on the Soak at sunrise in Ito and ride the Izu coast to Shimoda day? A: Lunch at 11:45 is this: order kinmedai nitsuke at Tokuzomaru in Inatori. The original shop on the harbour closes on Thursdays and takes no bookings at busy times. Weekday service ends at 16:45. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/index.html https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/pcr/map/index.html https://kshouse.jp/ito-e/faq.html https://ito-marinetown.co.jp/seasidespa/ https://itospa.com/spot/detail_54002.html https://1930.bz/amimoto/honten/ https://retty.me/area/PRE22/ARE322/SUB7603/100000222961/ https://www.city.shimoda.shizuoka.jp/category/100100midokoro/110766.html https://www.shimoda-city.info/access/ https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/36_17_shizuoka.html https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/oversized-baggage/ ### Ride the Shimanami to Imabari on a rented e-bike URL: https://ridingjapan.com/ride-days/shimanami-e-bike-day Type: Ride day Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Onomichi Kind: E bike Route: Shimanami Kaido Cycling Road Riding: 68.1 km, 514 m up Level: Moderate Base: Hotel Cycle Who it suits: Couples and friends of mixed fitness who want the whole crossing in one day, with a motor for the bridge ramps and their bags sent ahead. Summary: This e-bike day suits riders who want the whole Shimanami crossing from Onomichi to Imabari in one go, with a motor to take the sting out of every bridge ramp, and its catch is a firm deadline, since the E-bike has to reach a terminal before it closes that evening. Shimanami Japan hands out its sports E-bikes from 8:00 at the Onomichi Station terminal for ¥8,000 a day in 2026. You collect it at opening and give it back the same day at any terminal, and this plan uses the one beside Imabari Station. Book online before a spring or autumn weekend. On a busy holiday the bikes can all be gone by about 10:00. Lunch lands in Setoda on Ikuchijima, where Chidori serves tako-meshi right outside Kosanji's main gate. Leave Setoda by about 13:30 in winter. The rental rules forbid riding after dark, and from December the light goes early over the Kurushima Strait. Bicycles cross all six bridges free under the Shimanami Cycling Free scheme until 31 March 2028. The route officially ends at Sunrise Itoyama, at the Imabari end of the last bridge. That building closed for renovation on 15 September 2026 and the city expects it back around winter 2027/28. Shimanami Japan still listed its Itoyama terminal in October without a closure notice. Ring 0848-22-3911 before you plan a drop there, or carry on into town to the station terminal as this day does. Tips: - If the E-bike stock runs out, a battery-assisted bike costs ¥4,000 a day and its battery can be swapped at the Setoda and Omishima terminals. - Rental bikes may not travel on trains, buses, cars or taxis, so the day only works if you finish at a terminal. Q: How much riding is the Ride the Shimanami to Imabari on a rented e-bike day? A: The day rides the Shimanami Kaido Cycling Road, 68.1 km with 514 m of climbing by our route data, and stops 10 times between 07:45 and the end of the day. Q: Where do you eat lunch on the Ride the Shimanami to Imabari on a rented e-bike day? A: Lunch at 11:30 is this: eat tako-meshi at Chidori outside Kosanji. Chidori cooks rice with octopus and opens at 11:00. It closes on Tuesdays, and on that day the food court at Tatara Shimanami Park on Omishima takes over as lunch. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/rental/ https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/terminal/ https://www.sagawa-exp.co.jp/hands-freetravel/service/cycling/ https://www.jb-honshi.co.jp/customer_index/guide/zihodo/ https://www.pref.hiroshima.lg.jp/soshiki/97/shimanamikaido-cyclingfree2024.html https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/cyclecity/sunrise-itoyama/ http://chidori-onomichi.com/ https://imabari-shimanami.jp/tatara/ https://visitshimanami.com/attractions/939/ https://www.oideya.gr.jp/gourmet-c/toribayashi/ ### Ride Toyama Bay to Ikuji and climb to the baths at Unazuki URL: https://ridingjapan.com/ride-days/toyama-bay-and-unazuki-day Type: Ride day Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Toyama Kind: Rail and ride Route: Toyama Bay Cycling Route Riding: 102.8 km, 176 m up Level: Moderate Base: ANA Crowne Plaza Toyama Who it suits: Riders with their own bike on a spring weekend who want a flat seafood morning on the bay, a gentle climb up the Kurobe River and the train back with the bike unbagged. Summary: This day suits riders who want the flattest stretch of Toyama Bay with three seafood stops and an onsen at the end, and its catch is the calendar, since the railway carries unbagged bikes only at weekends and on holidays. Ride it on a Saturday or Sunday between late March and May. Wave Park Namerikawa opens every day for the firefly squid season then. A weekend also keeps you clear of the Wednesday closing at Ikuji and lets the Toyama Chiho Railway carry the bike home without a bag. The bay route runs east from Toyama past Namerikawa and the Uozu mirage coast to Ikuji, the old harbour quarter of Kurobe. After lunch the plan leaves the bay route and follows the Kurobe River inland to Unazuki Onsen, at the mouth of the gorge. Most of the ten inns look into the gorge, and the public bath has an open-air tub on its third floor. The railway's Unazuki-Onsen station is in the town, so you ride straight from the bath to the platform. Tips: - Ainokaze Toyama Railway also runs a cycle train with no booking, picking up at Toyama and Namerikawa and setting down at Kurobe, Nyuzen and Tomari, on its own operating days. - Cycle taxis that take a bike inside work out of Uozu and Kurobe if a mechanical ends the day early. Q: How much riding is the Ride Toyama Bay to Ikuji and climb to the baths at Unazuki day? A: The day rides the Toyama Bay Cycling Route, 102.8 km with 176 m of climbing by our route data, and stops 6 times between 08:00 and the end of the day. Q: Where do you eat lunch on the Ride Toyama Bay to Ikuji and climb to the baths at Unazuki day? A: Lunch at 11:45 is this: eat the fishermen's catch at Uo-no-Eki Ikuji. Kokaito serves lunch from 11:00 with last orders at 14:30. The market closes on Wednesdays. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://cycling-toyama.jp/course/wangan/ https://cycling-toyama.jp/cycletrain/ https://cycling-toyama.jp/hotel/ https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/51001 https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/51002 https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/51010 https://www.unazuki-onsen.com/about https://yumedokoro-unazuki.jp/ https://www.toyamashi-kankoukyoukai.jp/gourmet/taiki-nishicho-honten/ https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/oversized-baggage/ ## Resorts ### Akakura Kanko Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/akakura-kanko Numbers: 760 m vertical, top 1500 m, base 740 m, 10 runs, 6 lifts, 9.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 32.1° over 60 m, adult day ¥7,000, about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 赤倉観光リゾートスキー場 (ja) Also known as: AKAKAN, Akakan, Akakura Kanko, Akakura Kanko Ski Resort, 赤倉観光 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 216 Tagiri, Myoko, Niigata 949-2102 Coordinates: 36.88700, 138.17720 Season: 19 December 2026 to 5 May 2027 Lift hours: Myokokogen Skycable 08:30–15:45; the Hotel and Champion quads run from 08:30 or 08:45 to 16:00. Night riding: No Adult day: ¥7,000, about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 40%, Intermediate 30%, Advanced 30% Website: https://akr-ski.com/ Summary: Akakura Kanko suits strong carvers and hotel guests who want long groomed fall lines under the old Akakura Kanko Hotel, and its trade-off is a short list of runs with no night riding. Akakura Kanko opened in 1937 as one of Japan's first European-style ski areas, and the Akakura Kanko Hotel still sits halfway up the slope with the runs at its door. The resort brands itself AKAKAN. The Myokokogen Skycable climbs from the base car park to the upper restaurant, and a set of quads works the slopes around the hotel. The top sits at about 1,500 metres and looks out over Lake Nojiri. The Champion side is the reason to come. Champion B is a sanctioned race course with a view from the start that runs to the Sea of Japan on a clear day. Champion A is the steepest run on the map and stays ungroomed. Hotel A is the other ungroomed line, and Joshi Kokutai often keeps powder on its upper half because the crews leave it alone after snowfall. Beginners have the Hotel Beginner Course along the No.1 lift, with parking right beside it, and a netted snow play area at the bottom of the hotel slope. Bakery & Table Akakura near the Skycable base serves pizza and pasta beside bread from the hotel bakery. A free AKAKAN shuttle loops from Akakura Onsen village to the Skycable base every day of the main season, which makes it easy to stay in the village and skip the car. Tips: - Buy the Akakura joint day ticket if you want to cross into Akakura Onsen, where the lights came on every evening in 2025/26. Arai Mountain Resort also ran night riding that season and has not yet published its 2026/27 night schedule. - From 23 March the spring day ticket drops to ¥4,000, and the season runs to 5 May. - The free shuttle from Akakura Onsen village runs from 19 December 2026 to 22 March 2027 (planned), with extra midday runs on weekends. - Buy tickets at the resort counter or on the official site; the operator warns that resold tickets cause problems at the gates. Q: How big is Akakura Kanko? A: Akakura Kanko has 10 runs and 6 lifts over 760 m of vertical, from 740 m at the base to 1,500 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 9.4 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Akakura Kanko? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Akakura Kanko is about 32.1° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 3 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Akakura Kanko? A: An adult day ticket at Akakura Kanko costs ¥7,000, about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥4,000, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: Does Akakura Kanko have night riding? A: No. Akakura Kanko closes its lifts at dusk. Q: How do you get to Akakura Kanko from Tokyo Station? A: Akakura Kanko is about three hours from Tokyo by the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Myoko-Kogen IC, then eight minutes to the resort by car from Tokyo Station. Q: When is the season at Akakura Kanko? A: Akakura Kanko usually opens 19 December 2026 and closes 5 May 2027. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://akr-ski.com/ https://akr-ski.com/slope https://akr-ski.com/access https://akr-ski.com/facility https://akr-ski.com/news/post339/ https://myokotourism.com/ski-resorts/akakura-kanko-resort/ https://myokotourism.jp/akakura-kanko-ski-resort https://myokotourism.com/season-passes/ ### Akakura Onsen Ski Area URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/akakura-onsen Numbers: 550 m vertical, top 1200 m, base 650 m, 17 runs, 14 lifts, 15.8 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 28.9° over 60 m, adult day ¥7,000, about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 赤倉温泉スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Akakura Onsen, Akakura Onsen Ski Resort, Akakura, 赤倉温泉 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 51-3 Akakura-kita, Myoko, Niigata 949-2111 Coordinates: 36.89860, 138.17220 Lift hours: In 2025/26 the lifts ran 08:30–16:30 by day and 17:00–21:00 for night riding, with the night lifts running to 22:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. Night riding: 17:00–21:00 in 2025/26, to 22:00 on Fridays and Saturdays Adult day: ¥7,000, about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 50%, Intermediate 30%, Advanced 20% Website: https://akakura-ski.com/ Summary: Akakura Onsen suits guests in the onsen village who want to keep riding after dark, and its trade-off is a top at about 1,200 metres, well below its Myoko neighbours. Akakura Onsen ski area climbs the slope above the onsen village of the same name. Myoko Tourism describes three areas called Yodel, Kumado and Ginrei, with fourteen chairs between them and a top at about 1,200 metres. The resort calls its slopes 100% natural snow. Night riding sets it apart. The lights come on at Kumado at the far end of the resort, and in 2025/26 they stayed on until 21:00, or 22:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. That gives village guests a way to ride after dinner without driving anywhere. Ungroomed courses wait for powder days, and wide, gentle runs give first-timers room. The ski area borders Akakura Kanko, and a joint day ticket covers both. For 2026/27 the operator is still building its new website, and the dates and prices on this page come from Mt. MYOKO's early-bird sales. Check the new site in December before you plan a night session. Tips: - The Kumado area holds the night riding, so ride there in the afternoon if you plan to stay on after 17:00. - The 2026/27 early-bird day ticket drops from ¥5,000 to ¥6,000 after 31 October and stops selling on 10 December. - The Mt. MYOKO shuttle stops at Akakura Onsen on its way to Ikenotaira and Suginohara. Q: How big is Akakura Onsen? A: Akakura Onsen has 17 runs and 14 lifts over 550 m of vertical, from 650 m at the base to 1,200 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 15.8 km of piste there. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Akakura Onsen? A: An adult day ticket at Akakura Onsen costs ¥7,000, about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does Akakura Onsen have night riding? A: Yes. Akakura Onsen runs night lifts 17:00–21:00 in 2025/26, to 22:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. Myoko Tourism listed Akakura Onsen in 2025/26 as the only resort in Myoko with night riding every day. Arai Mountain Resort also ran night riding that season. The night area sits at Kumado on the far end of the resort. The 2025/26 night ticket cost ¥3,500. Q: How do you get to Akakura Onsen from Tokyo Station? A: Akakura Onsen is joshin-etsu Expressway to Myoko-Kogen IC by car from Tokyo Station. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://akakura-ski.com/ https://myokotourism.com/ski-resorts/akakura-onsen-ski-resort/ https://myokotourism.jp/akakura-onsen-ski-resort https://myokotourism.com/season-passes/ https://akr-ski.com/slope ### Aomori Spring URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/aomori-spring Numbers: 545 m vertical, top 921 m, base 396 m, 14 runs, 5 lifts, 19 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 31.3° over 60 m, adult day ¥10,800, about CAD 97 or USD 68 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 青森スプリング・スキーリゾート (ja) Also known as: Aomori Spring Resort, Aomori Spring Ski Resort, Ajigasawa, Rockwood Hotel, 青森スプリング, 鰺ヶ沢スキー場 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Address: Ajigasawa-kogen, Ajigasawa-machi, Nishitsugaru-gun, Aomori 038-2793 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 40.69510, 140.28220 Season: 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027 Best snow: 23 January to 14 February 2027 (high-season prices) Night riding: No Adult day: ¥10,800, about CAD 97 or USD 68 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Operator: Aomori Spring Website: https://aomorispring.com/ski Summary: Aomori Spring suits riders who want powder in the beech trees of Mt. Iwaki with a ski-in hotel, and its high-season day ticket costs ¥10,800. Aomori Spring sits on the north-west flank of Mt. Iwaki above the Sea of Japan, with the Rockwood Hotel & Spa at its foot. The gondola climbs to 921 m, and Quad 1 starts at 396 m, which gives a 545 m drop across 14 trails. Beech forest covers the mountain, and the resort says it has everything from family slopes to steep tree skiing. Most runs are long and easy. Skyline runs 3.4 km down to the gondola station, and the Sunshine course is the wide main run. The steeper terrain is short and sharp. Corkscrew reaches 30°, and Diamond keeps its natural powder and a mogul zone. The resort caps day sales at 1,200 tickets, so book ahead on busy weekends unless you're staying at the hotel. The season runs from 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, and there's no night skiing. Guided backcountry tours go above the tree line on Mt. Iwaki with a JMGA-qualified guide, and they're private bookings only. Tips: - Buy tickets online before a weekend visit. The daily cap of 1,200 doesn't apply to advance tickets. - Book the Aomori Spring Liner shuttle from Shin-Aomori Station or Aomori Airport ahead with its operator, YKT. - The hotel no longer runs a shuttle from Ajigasawa Station. Taxis wait outside the station for the 20-minute ride. - Mt. Iwaki is a JMA-monitored volcano at Level 1. JMA's Iwakisan page carries the current level. Q: How big is Aomori Spring? A: Aomori Spring has 14 runs and 5 lifts over 545 m of vertical, from 396 m at the base to 921 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 19 km of piste there. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Aomori Spring? A: An adult day ticket at Aomori Spring costs ¥10,800, about CAD 97 or USD 68 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,000, about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: How do you get to Aomori Spring from Tokyo Station? A: Aomori Spring is about 60 minutes from Owani-Hirosaki IC by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Aomori Spring Liner runs from Shin-Aomori Station and Aomori Airport for 2026/27, operated by YKT with advance booking. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://aomorispring.com/ski/lift-passes https://aomorispring.com/ski/season-pass https://aomorispring.com/ski/mountain https://aomorispring.com/ski/guided-tours https://aomorispring.com/access https://aomorispring.com/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/202.html ### APPI URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/appi-kogen Numbers: 708 m vertical, top 1328 m, base 620 m, 21 runs, 8 lifts, 33.8 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 31.9° over 60 m Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 安比高原スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Appi Kogen, Appi Kogen Ski Resort, APPI Resort, APPI All Season Resort, Appi, 安比高原, 安比 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Address: 117 Appi Kogen, Hachimantai, Iwate 028-7306 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 40.00110, 140.97150 Season: 6 December 2026 (opening day announced on APPI's winter page) to 6 May 2027 at the latest, the last day the season pass is valid Night riding: Yes Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 30% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Iwate Hotel and Resort Website: https://www.appi.co.jp/snow-mountain-resort/ Summary: APPI suits skiers who want long groomed cruisers and a ski-in hotel stay in northern Iwate, and its 2026/27 day-ticket prices are still to be announced. APPI spreads across Mt. Maemori and Mt. Nishimori in northern Iwate, with 21 courses and 43.1 km of runs between 620 m at the resort centre and 1,328 m on Nishimori. The ANA InterContinental and the ANA Crowne Plaza open straight onto the slopes. Yamabato runs 5.5 km from the summit to the Shirakaba slope and stays gentle enough for a confident beginner. Hayabusa is the main course of the resort, and Okutaka's top section is left ungroomed for powder. On the Sailer side, 2nd Sailer A reaches 34° near the top and stays ungroomed. No run at APPI is steeper. Sailer Long runs 3 km to the Sailer base. Inuwashi and Yamagara on the Nishimori side are advanced runs that APPI leaves ungroomed. The resort is pulling out the Red House and the Central No. 3 lift to build a new gondola, and some course layouts change this season, so check the 2026/27 map before you plan a day. APPI hadn't published 2026/27 day tickets in early October 2026. The season pass runs from 6 December 2026 to 6 May 2027, which gives the likely shape of the season. In 2025/26 the resort ran four lifts in early season, seven in the main season and five in spring. Tips: - Take the JR Hanawa Line from Morioka to Appi Kogen Station, about an hour, then the area shuttle bus to your hotel. - Hotel guests can book APPI's chartered winter shuttle from Morioka Station and four airports for stays from 5 December 2026 to 4 April 2027. - Check the new 2026/27 course map once it's out. Building work for the new gondola moves some runs around the Central area. - The Ikon Pass covers APPI with seven days on the full pass and five on the Base Pass. Q: How big is APPI? A: APPI has 21 runs and 8 lifts over 708 m of vertical, from 620 m at the base to 1,328 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 33.8 km of piste there. Q: How steep is APPI? A: The steepest mapped pitch at APPI is about 31.9° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 6.3 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at APPI? A: APPI opens a tree-run zone for advanced riders and the gate-controlled Magic Forest. Every other stand of trees is outside the managed area or fully closed, and riding there is banned. Q: How do you get to APPI from Tokyo Station? A: APPI is about an hour from Morioka on the Tohoku Expressway by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: APPI's chartered shuttle for hotel guests runs from Morioka Station West Exit and from Hanamaki, Odate-Noshiro, Sendai and Aomori airports for winter stays from 5 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, booked through the IHR site. Q: When is the season at APPI? A: APPI usually opens 6 December 2026 (opening day announced on APPI's winter page) and closes 6 May 2027 at the latest, the last day the season pass is valid. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.appi.co.jp/snow-mountain-resort/ https://www.appi.co.jp/snow-mountain-resort/course/ https://www.appi.co.jp/snow-mountain-resort/ticket/ https://www.appi.co.jp/snow-mountain-resort/ticket/seasonpass.php https://www.appi.co.jp/snow-mountain-resort/safety-guide/ https://www.appi.co.jp/snow-mountain-resort/access/ https://www.appi.co.jp/offer/2026-27-winter-season-early-bird-discount-with-lift-pass/ https://www.appi.co.jp/news/2026winter-shuttle-bus-booking-news/ https://www.appi.co.jp/ https://www.ikonpass.com/en/destinations ### Arai Mountain Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/arai-mountain-resort Numbers: 951 m vertical, top 1280 m, base 329 m, 14 runs, 5 lifts, 15.8 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 34.2° over 60 m Type: Resort Also known as: Lotte Arai, Lotte Arai Resort, Arai, ARAI SNOW RESORT, Arai Snow Resort, アライ, ロッテアライリゾート Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 1966 Ryozenji, Myoko, Niigata 944-0062 Coordinates: 36.99080, 138.18020 Season: 19 December 2026 (first valid day of the 2026/27 early-bird pass) to 9 May 2027 (last valid day of the 2026/27 early-bird pass) Lift hours: Day passes run 08:30–16:00 Night riding: 16:30–20:00 in 2025/26 Terrain: Beginner 25%, Intermediate 45%, Advanced 30% Operator: Lotte Hotels & Resorts Website: https://www.lottehotel.com/arai-resort/en/ski-webzine.html Summary: Arai suits strong riders who want lift-served freeride terrain and a hotel at the gondola, and its trade-off is a network of only five lifts. Arai sits on Mt. Okenashi in the north of Myoko city, looking out toward the Sea of Japan. It ran as Lotte Arai Resort until 2023/24 and now goes by Arai Mountain Resort, and many riders still use the old name. A gondola and four chairs serve the mountain, and the 257-room hotel stands at the foot of the slopes. Ikon says Arai gets one of the heaviest snowfalls in Japan. Myoko Tourism counts the official courses alongside eight free-ride zones, and Ikon describes most of the terrain as ungroomed. The groomed runs fill in the rest for anyone who wants a long cruise. The hotel has spas and pools on site, and the resort's zip tour is 1,501 metres long. Night riding returned in 2025/26 after a three-season gap. Ikon Pass holders ride here on their pass without buying a ticket. Tips: - Children aged six and under ride free. - Book the early-bird Economy pass before 30 November 2026 if you know your dates. - WAmazing vouchers are swapped for passes at the ticket centre in Village Station. Q: How big is Arai? A: Arai has 14 runs and 5 lifts over 951 m of vertical, from 329 m at the base to 1,280 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 15.8 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Arai? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Arai is about 34.2° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 3.1 km of the mapped total. Q: Does Arai have night riding? A: Yes. Arai runs night lifts 16:30–20:00 in 2025/26. Night riding came back in 2025/26 after three seasons off, with groomed runs, ungroomed snow and a kids' course under the lights. The 2026/27 night schedule is not yet published. Q: When is the season at Arai? A: Arai usually opens 19 December 2026 (first valid day of the 2026/27 early-bird pass) and closes 9 May 2027 (last valid day of the 2026/27 early-bird pass). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.lottehotel.com/arai-resort/en/ski-webzine.html https://www.ikonpass.com/en/destinations/arai-mountain-resort https://myokotourism.com/ski-resorts/arai-snow-resort/ https://www.wamazing.com/snow/items/15362 https://steep.jp/en/ski-area/lotte-arai ### Daisen Mountain Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/daisen-mountain-resort Numbers: 424 m vertical, top 1100 m, base 676 m, 13 lifts, 0.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 11.3° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,300, about CAD 57 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 大山マウンテンリゾート (ja) Also known as: Daisen White Resort, だいせんホワイトリゾート, Daisen ski area, 大山スキー場, Daisen Kokusai, Nakanohara, Uenohara, Gouenzan Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Daisen Address: 96 Daisen, Daisen, Saihaku District, Tottori Status: seasonal. Daisen White Resort ended its operation under the Nihon Kotsu group at the end of March 2026 and reopens as Daisen Mountain Resort. The new site gave 18 December as the planned opening and was selling 2026/27 season passes in October. Coordinates: 35.39750, 133.53940 Adult day: ¥6,300, about CAD 57 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Website: https://daisen-mountain.jp/ Summary: Daisen Mountain Resort suits skiers in western Japan who want sea views from the slopes above the Daisen-ji village, and its new operator had published few facts for 2026/27 by October. The ski area on Mt. Daisen's north slope spreads across four areas: Kokusai, Nakanohara, Uenohara and Gouenzan, which has the beginner and kids' slopes. Its lift list names triple chairs in the Nakanohara area, pairs across Uenohara and Kokusai and an access lift from the village. Champion and Riesen are the advanced runs, and the Nakanohara course is the intermediate cruise. Daisen White Resort, run by the Nihon Kotsu group, ended its operation at the end of March 2026, and the slopes return under the name Daisen Mountain Resort. In October the new site listed an adult day ticket from ¥6,300 and season passes from ¥39,000, and gave 18 December as the planned opening. The site's course count reads 9 in one place and 28 in another, so treat any total with care until the operator settles it. Tips: - Buses from JR Yonago Station take about 50 minutes to Daisen-ji. - Hotel Daisen's rental shop sits under the access lift, 200 m from the Hakurouza car park. Q: What happened to Daisen White Resort? A: Daisen White Resort ended its operation under the Nihon Kotsu group at the end of March 2026. The slopes reopen for 2026/27 as Daisen Mountain Resort, with 18 December given as the planned opening. Q: Is Daisen Mountain Resort open all year? A: Daisen Mountain Resort opens for part of the year. Daisen White Resort ended its operation under the Nihon Kotsu group at the end of March 2026 and reopens as Daisen Mountain Resort. The new site gave 18 December as the planned opening and was selling 2026/27 season passes in October. Q: How steep is Daisen? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Daisen is about 11.3° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Daisen? A: An adult day ticket at Daisen costs ¥6,300, about CAD 57 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Q: How do you get to Daisen from Shin-Osaka Station? A: Daisen is about 15 minutes from Yonago IC on the Yonago Expressway by Prefectural Road 24 to the Hakurouza car park by car from Shin-Osaka Station. By bus: Buses run from JR Yonago Station to Daisen-ji. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.daisen-resort.jp/ https://daisen-mountain.jp/ https://hotel-daisen.jp/facilities/rental https://hotel-daisen.jp/access https://tourismdaisen.com/spot/15/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1458699771 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11434570 ### Dynaland URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/dynaland Numbers: 447 m vertical, top 1430 m, base 983 m, 18 runs, 5 lifts, 15.3 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 30° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,400, about CAD 58 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: ダイナランド (ja) Also known as: Dyna Land, Dynaland Gifu, Yoru Dyna, ダイナ, ヨルダイナ Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Okumino Address: 3035-2 Nishibora, Takasu-cho, Gujo, Gifu Status: seasonal. Dynaland had not announced its 2026/27 opening day by 11 October 2026; its 2026/27 price list and night schedule are published. Coordinates: 35.99070, 136.86970 Lift hours: 8:00–16:30 on weekdays; from 6:00 on weekends and holidays from 19 December 2026 to 14 March 2027 and over New Year (7:00 on 1 January); the Gamma Liner and Karamatsu pair start at 8:30 or 9:00 Night riding: 18:00–23:00, last lift 22:30 Adult day: ¥6,400, about CAD 58 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 40%, Intermediate 32%, Advanced 28% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Chubu Snow Alliance Co. (中部スノーアライアンス株式会社) Website: https://www.dynaland.co.jp/ Summary: Dynaland suits families and Nagoya day-trippers who want to ride from dawn to 23:00 on one ticket, and the trade-off is that the night session covers only the lower slopes off a single quad. Dynaland spreads 18 courses over about 80 ha on the south side of Dainichigatake, from a base at 983 m to the Beta Liner top at 1,430 m. Its own count puts 40% of the terrain at beginner level, and the longest route runs 3,600 m from the Beta Liner top through the Paradise A course. Hotel Villa Montsaint stands next to the slopes with a large bath. The hours set it apart. Weekend lifts start at 6:00 from 19 December 2026 to 14 March 2027, and night riding runs to 23:00 every evening from 26 December to 21 March. A night ticket costs ¥3,900, and the 2,800 m Downhill course is lit with LED floodlights. The shared ticket with Takasu Snow Park costs ¥6,400 for 2026/27, and the two resorts link at the top in the high season. On Wednesdays the Dynaland-only day ticket falls to half price at ¥2,950. In the Baboon family area children can borrow any of six kinds of sled, and an indoor play corner beside the slope covers a sudden change in the weather. Tips: - Get off the slopes by 17:00 if you rode in the day; groomers work the hill until night riding starts at 18:00. - Show your day ticket when you buy a night ticket and it drops from ¥3,900 to ¥3,400. - Dynaland asks people walking up Dainichigatake to start from Takasu, whose gondola carries passengers back down. Q: When is night skiing at Dynaland in 2026/27? A: Every night from 26 December 2026 to 21 March 2027 except 31 December and 1 January, from 18:00 to 23:00 with the last lift at 22:30. Q: How much is a Dynaland lift ticket for 2026/27? A: The shared Dynaland and Takasu Snow Park day ticket costs ¥6,400 for an adult, the Dynaland-only day ticket ¥5,900 and the night ticket ¥3,900. Q: What time does Dynaland open in the morning? A: Lifts start at 8:00 on weekdays and at 6:00 on weekends and holidays from 19 December 2026 to 14 March 2027, with a 7:00 start on 1 January. Q: How big is Dynaland? A: Dynaland has 18 runs and 5 lifts over 447 m of vertical, from 983 m at the base to 1,430 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 15.3 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Dynaland? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Dynaland is about 30° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.4 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Dynaland? A: Dynaland asks walkers to use Takasu's gondola for Dainichigatake (1,709 m), since its own lifts carry no one downhill. Climbers starting here hand in a climbing notice and ride the Alpha Liner on a two-point ticket. Outside the open courses the resort says it generally cannot rescue anyone, and it bills for rescue and transport whenever it has to step in. Q: How do you get to Dynaland from Nagoya Station? A: Dynaland is about 1 hour 30 minutes from Nagoya on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway, then 10 minutes from Takasu IC or 15 from the Hirugano Kogen Smart IC (ETC only) by car from Nagoya Station. By bus: Day tour buses leave JR Nagoya Station's west side at 7:50 and return about 19:10, from mid-December to late March. Gifu Bus highway coaches reach the Hirugano Kogen stop in about 1 hour 40 minutes, where the free Takasu Snow Shuttle starts. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.dynaland.co.jp/ https://www.dynaland.co.jp/charge/ https://www.dynaland.co.jp/night/ https://www.dynaland.co.jp/faq/ https://www.dynaland.co.jp/gelande/ https://www.dynaland.co.jp/access/ https://www.dynaland.co.jp/news/2024/12/21/6356/ https://www.dynaland.co.jp/news/2026/07/17/8811/ https://www.dynaland.co.jp/company/ https://www.takasumountains.com/ski/ https://www.takasumountains.com/access/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11316885 ### Edelweiss Ski Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/edelweiss-ski-resort Numbers: 231 m vertical, top 1480 m, base 1249 m, 11 runs, 5 lifts, 8.7 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 27.5° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,000, about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) (2025/26) Type: Resort Local name: エーデルワイススキーリゾート (ja) Also known as: Edelweiss, Edelweiss Ski, エーデルワイス Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Nikko Address: Keichozan, Kawaji Onsen Kogen, Nikko, Tochigi 321-2612 Status: seasonal. The 2025/26 season opened on 20 December 2025 and ended in late March 2026. Edelweiss had not posted 2026/27 dates or prices on 11 October 2026. Coordinates: 36.91890, 139.75260 Best snow: 27 December to 5 January and weekends in 2025/26 Lift hours: Half-day tickets cover 8:30–12:30 or 12:00–16:10 Night riding: No Adult day: ¥6,000, about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) (2025/26) Car-free village: Yes Website: https://edelsnow.com/ Summary: Edelweiss suits families and weekday skiers who want cheap tickets and a kids' park two hours from Tokyo, and with no gondola and no night skiing it holds little for strong riders. Edelweiss sits on Keichozan above Kawaji Onsen and shares the Nichien road with Hunter Mountain. Nikko's tourism site counts eleven courses, served by five chairlifts, from the 400 m Family slope to the 1,800 m Technical course and the Dynamic, which pitches up to 30 degrees. A mogul course opens when snow allows. Weekdays are the draw. A 2025/26 adult day ticket cost ¥3,500 from Monday to Friday against ¥6,000 at weekends. The car park holds 1,500 cars and costs nothing. On weekends and holidays a free shuttle leaves the Kinugawa Line Kudari boat landing at 9:00 and Ryuokyo at 9:10, and returns at 16:00. Book it online by the day before, since seats are limited. Tips: - Come on a weekday; the adult day ticket cost ¥2,500 less than at weekends in 2025/26. - Snow scooters are banned on the slopes, and the resort stopped taking dogs in 2018/19. Q: Is there a shuttle to Edelweiss Ski Resort? A: Yes, on weekends and holidays. It leaves the Kinugawa Line Kudari landing at 9:00 and Ryuokyo at 9:10, and you book it online by the day before. Q: Is Edelweiss Ski Resort open all year? A: Edelweiss Ski Resort opens for part of the year. The 2025/26 season opened on 20 December 2025 and ended in late March 2026. Edelweiss had not posted 2026/27 dates or prices on 11 October 2026. Q: How big is Edelweiss? A: Edelweiss has 11 runs and 5 lifts over 231 m of vertical, from 1,249 m at the base to 1,480 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 8.7 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Edelweiss? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Edelweiss is about 27.5° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.6 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Edelweiss? A: An adult day ticket at Edelweiss costs ¥6,000, about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) in the 2025/26 main season and ¥3,500, about CAD 31 or USD 22 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: Does Edelweiss have night riding? A: No. Edelweiss closes its lifts at dusk. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://edelsnow.com/ https://edelsnow.com/information/fee.php https://edelsnow.com/information/coursemap.php https://edelsnow.com/access/ https://edelsnow.com/q_and_a.php https://www.nikko-kankou.org/spot/570 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1458424098 ### GALA Yuzawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/gala-yuzawa Numbers: 823 m vertical, top 1181 m, base 358 m, 16 runs, 11 lifts, 19.3 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 32.6° over 60 m, adult day ¥8,000, about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: GALA湯沢スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Gala Yuzawa, Gala, GALA Yuzawa Snow Resort, ガーラ湯沢, ガーラ Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 1039-2 Aza Kayadaira, Oaza Yuzawa, Yuzawa, Niigata 949-6101 Coordinates: 36.95140, 138.77860 Season: 19 December 2026 for riding; the gondola runs for sightseeing from 12 December to 5 May 2027 Lift hours: Gondola 08:30–16:30; Ski Center Kawabanga opens 07:30–17:10. Night riding: No Adult day: ¥8,000, about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 35%, Intermediate 45%, Advanced 20% Car-free village: Yes Operator: GALA Yuzawa Corporation (JR East group) Website: https://gala.co.jp/winter/ Summary: GALA suits day-trippers from Tokyo who want to step off the Shinkansen and onto a gondola, and its trade-off for 2026/27 is a smaller mountain with the ungroomed South area closed. GALA Yuzawa belongs to the JR East group, and its base building doubles as a Shinkansen station. The Joetsu Shinkansen stops at GALA Yuzawa station in winter, and you walk straight off the platform into Ski Center Kawabanga with its big rental floor and hot baths. GALA says the fastest train takes 71 minutes from Tokyo. The Dilligence gondola then carries you up to the Cheers rest house at about 800 metres, where all the riding starts. GALA has closed its South area for the whole 2026/27 season. Four courses close with it. GALA promotes 2.6 Million Dollar and Bronco as its ungroomed natural-terrain runs, and Eliza and Batman go too. The Wagonette pair lift and the Landau ropeway to Yuzawa Kogen stop too. GALA says the area depends heavily on snowfall and that it has been surveying the ground there since the 2004 Chuetsu earthquake. Ageing equipment weighed on the decision as well. A shuttle bus now links GALA with Yuzawa Kogen. What stays open is the Central area with five courses and the North area with six. Super Swan in the North stays ungroomed and is the steepest pitch at GALA. Roman Holiday leads across to Ishiuchi Maruyama. Falcon brings you back down to the base and the station, and GALA puts it at 2.5 kilometres. Tips: - JR runs GALA Yuzawa station only in winter and had not announced its 2026/27 dates by 11 October 2026. Check the JR East timetable before booking a day trip; Echigo-Yuzawa is one stop away with a free shuttle bus to the resort. - Buy the YUZAWA SNOW LINK ticket if you plan to ski across to Ishiuchi Maruyama through Roman Holiday. - The gondola runs for sightseeing from 12 to 18 December 2026, before the slopes open. - Super Swan is GALA's steepest run and the place to go after a snowfall now that the South area is shut. Q: How big is GALA Yuzawa? A: GALA Yuzawa has 16 runs and 11 lifts over 823 m of vertical, from 358 m at the base to 1,181 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 19.3 km of piste there. Q: How steep is GALA Yuzawa? A: The steepest mapped pitch at GALA Yuzawa is about 32.6° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.7 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at GALA Yuzawa? A: An adult day ticket at GALA Yuzawa costs ¥8,000, about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does GALA Yuzawa have night riding? A: No. GALA Yuzawa closes its lifts at dusk. Q: How do you get to GALA Yuzawa from Tokyo Station? A: GALA Yuzawa is kan-etsu Expressway to Yuzawa IC, then about 3 km (5 minutes) by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: Free shuttle bus from Echigo-Yuzawa, about 10 minutes. Q: When is the season at GALA Yuzawa? A: GALA Yuzawa usually opens 19 December 2026 for riding; the gondola runs for sightseeing from 12 December and closes 5 May 2027. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://gala.co.jp/winter/ https://gala.co.jp/winter/gelande/ https://gala.co.jp/winter/hours-pricing/ https://gala.co.jp/winter/access/ https://gala.co.jp/winter/information/2026-2027wintersouthareaclosed/ https://gala.co.jp/winter/information/liftticketearlysale20261015/ https://gala.co.jp/winter/information/lifttickethayawarisale20261015/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/ski/ ### Gassan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/gassan Numbers: 269 m vertical, top 1500 m, base 1231 m, 2 runs, 2 lifts Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 月山スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Gassan Ski Area, Mt. Gassan, Mt. Gassan ski, Gassan summer ski, 月山, 月山夏スキー Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Address: Ubasawa, Shizu, Nishikawa-machi, Nishimurayama-gun, Yamagata 990-0734 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 38.52350, 140.00650 Season: Early April 2027; the date isn't set yet (the 2026 season opened on 10 April) to The 2026 ski season ran to 14 June, with single and return rides on the lift after that Lift hours: 8:00–16:30 Car-free village: Yes Operator: Gassan Kanko Kaihatsu Website: https://mt-gassan.com/snow/ Summary: Gassan suits skiers who want to keep riding into early summer on a huge open snowfield, and it closes for the whole of winter. Gassan opens in April as other ski areas close, on 10 April in 2026. The 2026 ski season ran to 14 June, and the town's tourism site says skiing lasts into July. A 1,000 m pair lift climbs to about 1,500 m, and a T-bar on the big slope runs on weekends and holidays. The Large Slope is the reason to come. It's a huge open bowl that turns into moguls in its middle and lower parts as the season goes on. Hike about 15 minutes from the top of the lift to the summit above it, or traverse across to the middle of the slope. The Valley course is the groomed alternative, cut through natural terrain by snowcat. Mt. Gassan is one of the Dewa Sanzan, three mountains of living Shugendo worship, and Gassan Shrine stands on its summit. Climbers reach it in about two and a half to three hours from the top of the lift. In April and May guides lead long ski tours from the summit area toward the villages below. Book a guide for that, since the Gassan local rules leave everything outside the lift area unmanaged. In 2026 a day ticket cost ¥5,800. Parking at Ubasawa costs a ¥1,000 contribution per car per day, and a free shuttle runs from the Shizu overflow car park when Ubasawa fills. Tips: - Check the 2027 opening date on Gassan's site in March. The ski area opened on 10 April in 2026. - The road from Shizu Onsen to Ubasawa closes from 19:00 to 7:00 while there's a risk of ice. Plan to be off the mountain by evening. - The car park is a 15-minute walk from the lift. Until late in the season you can ski back down to it at the end of the day. - Asian black bears live on Gassan. The visitor centre asks walkers to carry a bell or radio, which matters most once the trails melt out. - Treat the summit and its shrine with the care any place of worship deserves, and keep to every trail closure. Q: How big is Gassan? A: Gassan has 2 runs and 2 lifts over 269 m of vertical, from 1,231 m at the base to 1,500 m at the top. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Gassan? A: Gassan's managed area covers only the slopes west of the lift, including Mt. Ubagatake. The Gassan local rules leave everything else, from the climbing trails to the backcountry lines, to the rider's own judgement, and they ask every party to file a mountain entry form. Q: How do you get to Gassan from Tokyo Station? A: Gassan is about 20 minutes from Gassan IC on the Yamagata Expressway, or 40 minutes from Sagae IC by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: From Nishikawa, walk to the Nishikawa IC stop for the town bus to the Ubasawa car park. On Gassan's 2026 timetable the 7:23 bus from Yamagata Station reaches Ubasawa at 9:39. Q: When is the season at Gassan? A: Gassan usually opens early April 2027; the date isn't set yet (the 2026 season opened on 10 April) and closes the 2026 ski season ran to 14 June, with single and return rides on the lift after that. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://mt-gassan.com/snow/ https://mt-gassan.com/snow/info/ https://mt-gassan.com/snow/guide/ https://mt-gassan.com/snow/local-rule/ https://mt-gassan.com/snow/access/ https://www.gassan-info.com/facility/694b14f7ce6aabb5628bed34b9ffe28a045568de.html https://www.gassan-info.com/facility/42171a9b0c794e37f781132adf5a9b8bfe97ebac.html https://www.gassan-info.com/faq/ https://gassan.jp/ ### Geto Kogen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/geto-kogen Numbers: 429 m vertical, top 1068 m, base 639 m, 14 runs, 5 lifts, 13.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 32.3° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,900, about CAD 62 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 夏油高原スキー場 (ja) Also known as: GETO KOGEN, Geto Kogen Ski Resort, Geto Kogen Resort, Geto, 夏油高原, 夏油 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Address: Iwasaki-shinden National Forest, Waga-cho, Kitakami, Iwate 024-0322 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 39.23710, 140.90520 Season: 28 November 2026 at the earliest, on the No. 1 gondola only until 4 December (snow permitting) to 5 May 2027 Best snow: 5 December 2026 to 28 March 2027 (regular season, all lifts) Lift hours: 8:30–16:30 in the regular season Night riding: 16:00–20:00 Adult day: ¥6,900, about CAD 62 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Operator: Kitanihon Resort Website: https://www.getokogen.com/winter/ Summary: Geto Kogen suits powder riders who want ungroomed steeps and 14 tree-run areas in deep Iwate snow, and the 2026/27 station shuttle now charges a fare. Geto Kogen sits deep in the forest west of Kitakami, with two gondolas, a quad and two pairs serving 14 courses. Its own tagline calls it the king of snow. Geto's draw is the ungroomed terrain, with 14 tree-run areas graded from level 1 to level 3 on top of the marked courses. B2 branches off B1 and stays ungroomed, and its last steep pitch is the powder hotspot. B3 drops north-facing off the C4 course at up to 36°, the steepest run Geto lists. C5 is short and steep all the way, and C1 is a varied ungroomed run back to the quad. A1 gives the long cruise, 2.1 km past the Heart Forest, and it's lit for night riding. Day tickets cost ¥6,900 for eight hours in 2026/27, and early and late season days drop to ¥5,300. The season can open as early as 28 November and runs to 5 May 2027, with only the gondola and the pair lifts turning in spring. From 2026/27 the shuttle from Kitakami Station charges ¥1,000 each way, and riders up to high-school age go free. Tips: - Start with the level 1 tree-run areas, Heart and Rookie 2. Geto asks riders to work up the levels gradually. - Carry cash for the Kitakami shuttle. It takes no cards or electronic money. - The access road closes from 23:00 to 5:00 for snow clearing, and sleeping in your car at the resort is banned. - Bring snowshoes on a snowboard for the deep tree areas. Geto recommends them after fresh snow. Q: How big is Geto Kogen? A: Geto Kogen has 14 runs and 5 lifts over 429 m of vertical, from 639 m at the base to 1,068 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 13.4 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Geto Kogen? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Geto Kogen is about 32.3° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 3 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Geto Kogen? A: Geto Kogen opens 14 patrolled tree-run areas inside the resort and leaves the land outside the managed area to the rider. The resort publishes hourly rescue rates and bills them whatever the reason. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Geto Kogen? A: An adult day ticket at Geto Kogen costs ¥6,900, about CAD 62 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥5,300, about CAD 48 or USD 33 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: How do you get to Geto Kogen from Tokyo Station? A: Geto Kogen is about 25 minutes from Kitakami-nishi IC, 30 minutes from Kitakami-Kanegasaki IC or 40 minutes from Kitakami-Ezuriko IC by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The 2026/27 shuttle charges ¥1,000 from Kitakami Station and the town stops, or ¥500 from the stops nearer the resort. Riders up to high-school age go free, and a season pass costs ¥15,000. Fares are cash only. Q: When is the season at Geto Kogen? A: Geto Kogen usually opens 28 November 2026 at the earliest, on the No. 1 gondola only until 4 December (snow permitting) and closes 5 May 2027. The deepest, most reliable snow comes 5 December 2026 to 28 March 2027 (regular season, all lifts). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.getokogen.com/winter/ https://www.getokogen.com/winter/01trail/index.html https://www.getokogen.com/winter/01trail/treerun.html https://www.getokogen.com/winter/02service/index.html https://www.getokogen.com/winter/02service/advance.html https://www.getokogen.com/winter/05access/index.html https://www.getokogen.com/winter_en/index.html ### Grandeco URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/grandeco Numbers: 388 m vertical, top 1400 m, base 1012 m, 11 runs, 4 lifts, 12.8 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 28° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: グランデコスノーリゾート (ja) Also known as: Grandeco Snow Resort, EN RESORT Grandeco, Grandeco Resort, Urabandai Grandeco, グランデコ Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Fukushima Address: 1082 Arasuzawayama, Hibara, Kitashiobara-mura, Yama-gun, Fukushima 969-2701 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 37.69600, 140.13290 Season: 21 November 2026, the start of the pre-season ticket period to 11 April 2027, the end of the spring ticket period Best snow: 12 December 2026 to 22 March 2027 (on-season prices) Adult day: ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Operator: Grandeco Resort Website: https://grandecoresort.co.jp/snow/ Summary: Grandeco suits families and powder riders who want a compact, high Urabandai resort with a long season, and its four lifts make for a small mountain. Grandeco sits high above the Urabandai lakes, and the resort gives its base as above 1,040 m, the highest in the area. A gondola and three quads serve 11 named runs, with EN RESORT Grandeco Hotel at the bottom. Main Street starts at 1,400 m with Mt. Bandai and Lake Inawashiro in front of you. Main Street links into Forest to give a gentle run of about 4 km back to the centre, which suits beginners and families. Powder is the run the staff call a store of natural fresh snow, reached by the Road to Powder. Fall Line is groomed at 33°, and Freeride carries permanent moguls with ungroomed snow on some days. The Rock follows three landmark boulders on a long, rolling advanced run. Prices for 2026/27 run from ¥4,300 to ¥5,500 for an adult day. The season stretches from 21 November 2026 to 11 April 2027. A free shuttle runs from Inawashiro Station on the Ban-etsu West Line through the whole winter. Tips: - Book the free Inawashiro Station shuttle by 17:00 the day before. It runs from 28 November 2026 to 11 April 2027 and takes about 45 minutes. - Buy tickets online ahead to save ¥500 on the gate price, and register as a member for a further ¥500 off each visit. - Ski on weekdays in the on-season. An adult day costs ¥1,200 less than at weekends. - Parking costs ¥1,000 a car on weekends, holidays and over New Year. Q: How big is Grandeco? A: Grandeco has 11 runs and 4 lifts over 388 m of vertical, from 1,012 m at the base to 1,400 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 12.8 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Grandeco? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Grandeco is about 28° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Grandeco? A: An adult day ticket at Grandeco costs ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥4,300, about CAD 39 or USD 27 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: How do you get to Grandeco from Tokyo Station? A: Grandeco is about 30 minutes from Inawashiro-Bandaikogen IC on the Ban-etsu Expressway by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The free shuttle runs from Inawashiro Station from 28 November 2026 to 11 April 2027 and needs booking by 17:00 the day before. The winter timetable puts the trip at about 45 minutes. Q: When is the season at Grandeco? A: Grandeco usually opens 21 November 2026, the start of the pre-season ticket period and closes 11 April 2027, the end of the spring ticket period. The deepest, most reliable snow comes 12 December 2026 to 22 March 2027 (on-season prices). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://grandecoresort.co.jp/snow/ https://grandecoresort.co.jp/snow/course/ https://grandecoresort.co.jp/snow/ticket/ https://grandecoresort.co.jp/snow/access/ https://grandecoresort.co.jp/snow/en/ https://grandecoresort.co.jp/ ### Hachi Kita URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/hachi-kita Numbers: 544 m vertical, top 1221 m, base 677 m, 15 runs, 9 lifts, 5.9 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 31.9° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,000, about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: ハチ北高原スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Hachikita, Hachi-Kita, Hachikita Highlands, Hachi Kita Kogen, ハチ北, ハチ北スキー場 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Hyogo Town: Kami Address: 580-1 Osasa, Muraoka-ku, Kami, Mikata District, Hyogo 667-1344 (Hachi Kita office) Status: seasonal. Hachi Kita had not posted its 2026/27 opening date on 11 October 2026. The operator's Q&A says the season usually runs from late December to late March or the first Sunday in April. Coordinates: 35.40560, 134.54560 Season: Late December (usual pattern; 2026/27 date not posted) to Late March or early April (usual pattern) Lift hours: 8:30 to between 16:10 and 16:50 by lift on weekdays, from 8:00 at weekends and on holidays Adult day: ¥6,000, about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Operator: Hachibuse Development Co., Ltd. Website: https://www.hachi-hachikita.co.jp/hachikita/ Summary: Hachi Kita suits stronger riders who want moguls and long top-to-bottom runs within reach of Osaka, and its trade-off is two car parks whose roads do not join in winter. Hachi Kita covers the north face of Mt. Hachibuse above the old ryokan village of Osasa in Kami town. Its fifteen courses run from the 1,221 m summit down to the inns, and the Panorama slope sits near 1,000 m with some of the driest snow in Kansai by the operator's account. Kita-kabe is the steep mogul face below the summit that the resort rates above expert. The Juhyo course gives a gentler way down from the top with the same views. The Central A course runs beside a high-speed quad and has new snowmaking, so it is the run most likely to be open early. Central B is wide and rolling, and Central C splits off it with a few ungroomed patches. The Alpine course keeps one half groomed and leaves the other to moguls, and the Challenge course stays ungroomed after a snowfall. Hachi Kita shares its ticket with Hachi on the far side of the mountain. You cross by lift and summit when the top has enough snow, and the shared ticket lets you spend a morning on each side. Driving between the two takes much longer, so pick one car park and ride across. Tips: - Choose your car park before you leave. The slope car park and the ryokan-town car park have separate entrances, and Japanese Wikipedia says the road that looks like it links them on map apps closes in winter, turning the transfer into a 20-minute drive. - The slope car park costs ¥1,500 on weekdays and ¥1,800 at weekends; the ryokan-town car park costs ¥1,000 and ¥1,500. - Ticket windows at the Noma quad, the family pair and both ryokan-town lifts take credit cards and PayPay. Q: Is Hachi Kita good for advanced riders? A: Yes. Hachi Kita has Kita-kabe, a steep mogul face below the summit that the resort rates above expert, plus the Alpine and Challenge courses with moguls and ungroomed snow after storms. Q: When does Hachi Kita open for 2026/27? A: Hachi Kita had not posted a 2026/27 opening date on 11 October 2026. The operator says the season usually starts in late December. Q: How big is Hachi Kita? A: Hachi Kita has 15 runs and 9 lifts over 544 m of vertical, from 677 m at the base to 1,221 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 5.9 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Hachi Kita? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Hachi Kita is about 31.9° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.7 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Hachi Kita? A: An adult day ticket at Hachi Kita costs ¥6,000, about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥5,000, about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: How do you get to Hachi Kita from Shin-Osaka Station? A: Hachi Kita is kitakinki-Toyooka Expressway toward Yoka-Hyonosen IC, then Route 9 west toward Muraoka. The resort's own driving directions appear only as images by car from Shin-Osaka Station. Q: When is the season at Hachi Kita? A: Hachi Kita usually opens late December (usual pattern; 2026/27 date not posted) and closes late March or early April (usual pattern). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hachi-hachikita.co.jp/hachikita/ https://www.hachi-hachikita.co.jp/hachikita/slope.html https://www.hachi-hachikita.co.jp/hachikita/lift.html https://www.hachi-hachikita.co.jp/hachi/rate.html https://www.hachi-hachikita.co.jp/ticket/ https://www.hachi-hachikita.co.jp/qa/index.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ハチ北スキー場 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11326401 ### Hachi Kogen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/hachi-kogen Numbers: 662 m vertical, top 1221 m, base 559 m, 10 runs, 11 lifts, 2.3 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 21.4° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,000, about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: ハチ高原スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Hachi, Hachi Highlands, Hachi Kogen Ski Resort, Hachi-Hachikita, ハチ高原, ハチ Region: Kansai Prefecture: Hyogo Address: 909-1 Tando, Yabu, Hyogo 667-1124 (Hachi office) Status: seasonal. Hachi had not posted its 2026/27 opening date on 11 October 2026. Its Q&A says the season usually runs from late December to late March or the first Sunday in April. Coordinates: 35.38330, 134.53510 Season: Late December (usual pattern; 2026/27 date not posted) to Late March or early April (usual pattern) Lift hours: 8:30 to between 16:00 and 16:40 by lift on weekdays, from 8:00 at weekends and on holidays Adult day: ¥6,000, about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Operator: Hachibuse Development Co., Ltd., with some lifts run by Hachi Kogen Co., Ltd. Website: https://www.hachi-hachikita.co.jp/hachi/ Summary: Hachi suits families and park riders from Kansai who want wide, gentle slopes and a big terrain park, and its trade-off is a bus ride from Yoka Station with no timetable on the resort's own pages. Hachi spreads over the south side of Mt. Hachibuse in Yabu, northern Hyogo, and it shares the 1,221 m summit with Hachi Kita on the other side. The resort lists ten courses, and every one of them in its live table is beginner or intermediate. The Central slope is wide and gentle, and the slow-loading quad keeps the getting on and off easy for children. The Rinkan course winds down through the trees from the Central slope to the foot of the mountain. Two expert areas open only after heavy snow. Highland View runs from the summit of Mt. Hachibuse down into Hachi, and on most days you ride a lift down that stretch instead. Superstar drops off Takamaru-yama. The resort announces both on its site and social feeds just before they open. Most riders come for THE PARKS, which the resort calls one of the largest snow parks in Kansai. Snow Land next door has tube runs and sleds for children over four, and it costs ¥3,000 or comes free with a day or afternoon lift ticket. A Lacuna moving walkway serves a learning area under 10 degrees. Tips: - Buy the early-bird day ticket online before 13 December 2026; it costs ¥4,800 against ¥6,000 at the window and stays valid until the end of January 2028. - The car park at the base stays open 24 hours, and the hamlets of Tando and Okubo below the slopes have more parking. - Check the Hachi site on the morning you ride if you want Highland View or Superstar; both open only with deep snow. Q: Can I ride Hachi and Hachi Kita on one ticket? A: Yes. Hachi and Hachi Kita share one lift ticket, and you cross between them over the summit of Mt. Hachibuse when there is enough snow up top. Weather can stop the crossing on the day. Q: How much is a day ticket at Hachi in 2026/27? A: A weekday adult day ticket at Hachi costs ¥5,000 and a weekend or New Year day ¥6,000. Children from 4 to the end of primary school pay ¥3,500, and the online early-bird ticket costs ¥4,800 until 13 December 2026. Q: Is Hachi Kogen open all year? A: Hachi Kogen opens for part of the year. Hachi had not posted its 2026/27 opening date on 11 October 2026. Its Q&A says the season usually runs from late December to late March or the first Sunday in April. Q: How big is Hachi Kogen? A: Hachi Kogen has 10 runs and 11 lifts over 662 m of vertical, from 559 m at the base to 1,221 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 2.3 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Hachi Kogen? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Hachi Kogen is about 21.4° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: How do you get to Hachi Kogen from Shin-Osaka Station? A: Hachi Kogen is kitakinki-Toyooka Expressway to Yoka-Hyonosen IC, then Route 9 and prefectural road 87 by car from Shin-Osaka Station. By bus: Zentan bus from Yoka Station toward Hachibuse; get off at Hachibuse-guchi or the terminus. Q: When is the season at Hachi Kogen? A: Hachi Kogen usually opens late December (usual pattern; 2026/27 date not posted) and closes late March or early April (usual pattern). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hachi-hachikita.co.jp/hachi/ https://www.hachi-hachikita.co.jp/hachi/slope.html https://www.hachi-hachikita.co.jp/hachi/lift.html https://www.hachi-hachikita.co.jp/hachi/rate.html https://www.hachi-hachikita.co.jp/ticket/ https://www.hachi-hachikita.co.jp/qa/index.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ハチ高原スキー場 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11326405 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11649843 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA&to=%E5%85%AB%E9%B9%BF&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=1&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=1&lb=1&sr=1 ### Hachimantai Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/hachimantai Numbers: 422 m vertical, top 980 m, base 558 m, 14 runs, 7 lifts, 10.2 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 20.9° over 60 m Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 八幡平リゾート パノラマスキー場・下倉スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Hachimantai, Hachimantai Resort Panorama, Hachimantai Resort Shimokura, Panorama Ski Area, Shimokura Ski Area, 八幡平リゾート, 下倉スキー場 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Address: 1-509-1 Matsuo Yoriki, Hachimantai, Iwate 028-7302 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 39.89330, 140.97720 Season: Not yet announced; the free shuttle between the two areas starts on 19 December 2026 to Not yet announced; the shuttle runs until 22 March 2027, the day the 2025/26 season ended Car-free village: Yes Operator: Tohoku Resort Service Website: https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/winter/ Summary: Hachimantai Resort suits families at Panorama and tree riders at Shimokura, and the two areas sit apart with a free shuttle linking them. Hachimantai Resort runs two ski areas below Mt. Hachimantai, joined by a free shuttle that takes ten minutes each way. Panorama opens right in front of the Hachimantai Mountain Hotel. Its seven runs are mostly beginner and intermediate slopes for children and adults learning together. Shimokura is the steeper area, and in late June 2026 its board still showed 280 cm at the top against 180 cm at Panorama. Shimokura's draw is its six tree-run areas. FUN suits first-timers, and FUN+ and CASCADE are new for 2026/27. EDGE gets little sun and holds good snow for longer, and DROP pairs deep snow with steep pitches. The areas reach 37° at their steepest. You register at the centre lodge before riding any of them, and the pink tape marks every edge. Iwate Backcountry Guides and Yoripy Tour run guided trips beyond the boundary, from first backcountry tours to gentle ski hikes on Mt. Nakakura. The resort hadn't set 2026/27 opening dates or day prices in early October, and its shuttle timetable runs from 19 December 2026 to 22 March 2027. Tips: - Ride the free shuttle between Panorama and Shimokura. It runs hourly in each direction. - Register for the tree-run areas at the Shimokura centre lodge as soon as you arrive. They open at 9:30 on powder days. - Mt. Iwate, south of the resort, returned to JMA Level 1 on 27 August 2026 after a spell at Level 2. JMA's Iwatesan page carries the current level. Q: How big is Hachimantai? A: Hachimantai has 14 runs and 7 lifts over 422 m of vertical, from 558 m at the base to 980 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 10.2 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Hachimantai? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Hachimantai is about 20.9° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Hachimantai? A: At Hachimantai: Shimokura opens six tree-run areas on powder days for riders who register at the centre lodge. Outside the managed area the resort takes no responsibility and charges for rescues, and it recommends a local guide. Q: How do you get to Hachimantai from Tokyo Station? A: Hachimantai is about 15 minutes from Matsuo-Hachimantai IC on the Tohoku Expressway by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: Iwate Kenpoku Bus runs from Morioka Station in about 90 minutes. Q: When is the season at Hachimantai? A: Hachimantai usually opens not yet announced; the free shuttle between the two areas starts on 19 December 2026 and closes not yet announced; the shuttle runs until 22 March 2027, the day the 2025/26 season ended. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/winter/ https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/winter/panorama/course/ https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/winter/panorama/lift/ https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/winter/shimokura/course/ https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/winter/shimokura/lift/ https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/winter/shimokura/tree-run-area/ https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/winter/backcountry/ https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/winter/shuttle-bus/ https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/207.html ### Hakkoda URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/hakkoda Numbers: 657 m vertical, top 1324 m, base 667 m, 2 runs, 1 lifts, 2.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 27.2° over 60 m Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 八甲田スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Hakkoda Ropeway, Hakkoda Ski Area, Mt. Hakkoda, Hakkouda, 八甲田ロープウェー, 八甲田 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Address: Kansuizawa, Arakawa, Aomori, Aomori (Hakkoda Ropeway base station) Status: seasonal. The ropeway stops for maintenance and power-line work from 8 to 20 November 2026. Hakkoda had not set its 2026/27 ski opening on 11 October 2026. Coordinates: 40.68090, 140.83190 Season: Early December in a typical year; the ropeway hadn't set a 2026/27 date by 11 October 2026 to Early May in a typical year; the snow season pass runs to 5 May Lift hours: 9:00–15:40 from mid-November to February, 9:00–16:20 from March Car-free village: Yes Operator: Hakkoda Ropeway Website: https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/en/ski/ Summary: Hakkoda suits strong riders who want ungroomed powder off a single ropeway with tour routes beyond, and it offers almost nothing for beginners. Hakkoda is one ropeway and two long ungroomed courses on Mt. Tamoyachi, south of Aomori city. The cabin climbs to Sancho Koen Station at 1,324 m in about ten minutes. On a clear day the summit looks out over the Tsugaru and Shimokita peninsulas toward Hokkaido. Both courses are left ungroomed, and the ropeway grades them intermediate to advanced. The Direct course runs 3.5 km beside the field of rime-crusted trees. The Forest course drops steeply for about a kilometre, then eases into a long tree-lined run to the base, 5 km in all. Poles, nets and signs keep riders on line, and patrol sweeps both. Beginners use the Hakkoda Kokusai ski area beside the base station, which grooms its runs. The named tour routes start at the summit and come down at Sukayu Onsen, Hotel Jogakura, Hakkoda Onsen or the Tashiro plateau. The Miyasama, Chuo and Jogakura routes usually open in early March, and the Dozo, Hakkoda Onsen and Hokibadai routes in early April. They sit outside the managed area, with no patrol, so go with a guide. The ropeway runs every 15 to 20 minutes and stops when the wind reaches 25 m/s. Riders pay by the ride. From 1 August 2026 a one-way adult ticket costs ¥1,550. Hakkoda doesn't rent gear or teach lessons. Tips: - Buy the eleven-ride ticket if you plan four or more laps over your stay. It covers one rider only. - In winter the JR Bus from Aomori Station takes about 80 minutes and costs ¥1,290. In winter the route ends at Sukayu Onsen because the road beyond is closed. - Check the ropeway's summit weather and visibility report on its homepage before you leave town. - Arrange rental gear before you arrive. The ropeway's ski page links to a rental and ski school service nearby. Q: What do Hakkodasan's volcanic alert levels mean for the ropeway? A: Hakkodasan is at JMA Level 1, which means quiet activity with possible ash or gas inside the craters. At Level 2 JMA restricts access around the craters, about 2 km from Odake and about 1 km from Jigokunuma. Level 3 brings entry restrictions on the mountain. JMA's scenario for that level covers large blocks up to about 3 km from Odake and pyroclastic flows up to about 6 km, with meltwater mudflows possible within about 6 km in the snow season. JMA's map of the restriction zones marks the facilities around the Hakkoda Ropeway. Q: Can beginners ski at Hakkoda? A: The ropeway's two courses are ungroomed and graded intermediate to advanced. Beginners ride at Hakkoda Kokusai next to the base station, which grooms its runs. Q: Is Hakkoda open all year? A: Hakkoda opens for part of the year. The ropeway stops for maintenance and power-line work from 8 to 20 November 2026. Hakkoda had not set its 2026/27 ski opening on 11 October 2026. Q: How big is Hakkoda? A: Hakkoda has 2 runs and 1 lifts over 657 m of vertical, from 667 m at the base to 1,324 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 2.4 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Hakkoda? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Hakkoda is about 27.2° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Hakkoda? A: Only the Direct and Forest courses are patrolled. The tour routes and the rest of the mountain fall outside the managed area under the Mt. Hakkoda Local Rules. Everyone entering that terrain files a mountain entry form, and the safety council bills any search and rescue. Q: How do you get to Hakkoda from Tokyo Station? A: Hakkoda is about 24 km from Aomori city on Route 103, or about 19 km from Aomori-chuo IC by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: JR Bus Tohoku runs from Aomori Station to the ropeway in about 80 minutes in winter for ¥1,290 one way. Q: When is the season at Hakkoda? A: Hakkoda usually opens early December in a typical year; the ropeway hadn't set a 2026/27 date by 11 October 2026 and closes early May in a typical year; the snow season pass runs to 5 May. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/ski/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/en/ski/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/fare_time/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/en/fare_time/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/2026/09/24/%e4%bb%a4%e5%92%8c%ef%bc%98%e5%b9%b4%e5%ba%a6%e3%81%ae%e9%81%8b%e4%bc%91%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b-2/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/access/ https://hakkoda-ropeway.jp/en/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/rule_en.pdf https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/203.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/filing/level/PDF/level_203.pdf ### Hakuba47 URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/hakuba-47 Numbers: 794 m vertical, top 1614 m, base 820 m, 8 runs, 7 lifts, 12.3 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 31.7° over 60 m, adult day ¥10,000, about CAD 90 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: Hakuba47ウィンタースポーツパーク (ja) Also known as: Hakuba 47, Hakuba47 Winter Sports Park, Hakuba47 Mountain Resort, 47, Goryu47 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.68500, 137.82830 Season: Snow permitting; Hakuba47 had not announced its 2026/27 opening date by 11 October 2026 to About 6 May 2027 on the shared Goryu47 ticket Night riding: No Adult day: ¥10,000, about CAD 90 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 30% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Hakuba47 Website: https://www.hakuba47.co.jp/winter/en/ Summary: Hakuba47 is the park and tree-riding hill of the valley for riders who like features and steep trees, and it shares one ticket with Goryu. Hakuba47 sits just north of Goryu, and the gondola from its base climbs to the same ridge. The two resorts link at the top, so most visitors ride them as one area on the shared Goryu47 ticket and use the free Triangle Bus at the bottom. The park is the reason people come. 47 PARKS runs a halfpipe and a line of kickers that grows from small to about 20 m, with rails and boxes between them. Japan Park School teaches from the base of it, so a newer rider can learn the basics right beside the big jumps. The Tree Riding Zone covers steep, unpatrolled trees that only armband holders may enter. Membership takes a safety video and a signed waiver, and the ¥500 armband lasts from year to year. The resort closed the zone early in 2025/26 because the snow was poor, so check its status before you plan around it. Hakuba47 runs no night session, and its own backcountry access is closed. Riders heading for the peaks walk out from above Jizo's Head after filing a climbing registration. Tips: - Keep your Tree Riding Zone armband from last season; you do not have to pay for it again. - Registration for the Tree Riding Zone runs at Restaurant Alice from 9:00 to 10:00, and you need ¥500 in cash. - The shared Goryu47 ticket and the Hakuba Valley pass both work here, so pick whichever covers the other resorts you plan to ride. Q: How big is Hakuba47? A: Hakuba47 has 8 runs and 7 lifts over 794 m of vertical, from 820 m at the base to 1,614 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 12.3 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Hakuba47? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Hakuba47 is about 31.7° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.3 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Hakuba47? A: Hakuba47 has no backcountry gate of its own. The nearest trailhead sits above Jizo's Head, reached by Line E or by Goryu's Alps No. 4 lift. Inside the resort the Tree Riding Zone opens steep unpatrolled trees to members who sign up for the season. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Hakuba47? A: An adult day ticket at Hakuba47 costs ¥10,000, about CAD 90 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥9,000, about CAD 81 or USD 57 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Epic Pass and Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Day Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Hakuba47 from Tokyo Station? A: By bus: Alpico's Nagano–Hakuba express stops at Goryu Escal Plaza on the way into the valley. Direct buses from Shinjuku reach the Hakuba Goryu stop in about five hours. Q: When is the season at Hakuba47? A: Hakuba47 usually opens snow permitting; Hakuba47 had not announced its 2026/27 opening date by 11 October 2026 and closes about 6 May 2027 on the shared Goryu47 ticket. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hakuba47.co.jp/winter/en/ https://www.hakuba47.co.jp/winter/en/mountain/mountain_info/ https://www.hakuba47.co.jp/winter/en/mountain/patrol/ https://www.hakuba47.co.jp/winter/en/mountain/terrain_park/ https://www.hakuba47.co.jp/winter/en/activity_trz/treeridingzone/ https://www.hakuba47.co.jp/winter/en/mountain/trail_map/ https://www.hakubaescal.com/winter-en/tickets/lift/ https://www.hakubaescal.com/winter-en/access/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ski_resort_info_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ticket_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/access_en/shuttlebus_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/safetytips_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/about_hakubavalley_en/epicpass_en/ https://nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/hakuba/latest?locale=en ### Hakuba Cortina URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/hakuba-cortina Numbers: 530 m vertical, top 1402 m, base 872 m, 16 runs, 6 lifts, 13.1 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 38.8° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,500, about CAD 58 or USD 41 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 白馬コルチナスキー場 (ja) Also known as: Cortina, Hakuba Cortina Snow Resort, Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba, コルチナ Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Address: 12860-1 Chikuni-otsu, Otari-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-9422 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.77630, 137.88790 Season: 12 December 2026 (planned) to 29 March 2027 (planned) Lift hours: Day tickets run from opening to 16:30 Night riding: Yes Adult day: ¥6,500, about CAD 58 or USD 41 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 40%, Intermediate 30%, Advanced 30% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Hotel Green Plaza Website: https://www.hgp.co.jp/cortina/ski/ Summary: Cortina suits powder riders who want deep snow and trees at the cheapest ticket in Hakuba, and its short season ends in March. Cortina is the last resort at the north end of the valley, and the 253-room Hotel Green Plaza Hakuba stands at the foot of its slopes. Nearly every run drains back into the Ikenota slope in front of the hotel, so families can let children ride and still find them. The resort uses only natural snow, and Hakuba Valley says it gets more of it than anywhere else in the valley. That snow is what brings riders up from Hakuba village on storm days. Hiedayama No. 2 is the steepest pitch, and Itadaira drops off its ridge at a steady angle. For 2026/27 Cortina and Hakuba Norikura sell only one joint ticket, ¥6,500 a day for 15 lifts and 30 runs across both. The season is planned from 12 December to 29 March, and night riding runs over New Year and on winter Saturdays. Tips: - Book a web ticket to save ¥400 on your first day and recharge online after that. - The Alpico bus from Nagano needs a reservation and takes about two hours. Rail riders coming through Hakuba can change to the Oito Line for Minami-Otari and take the hotel's free shuttle. - Go early on a powder day. The trees off the top get tracked out by late morning. Q: How big is Hakuba Cortina? A: Hakuba Cortina has 16 runs and 6 lifts over 530 m of vertical, from 872 m at the base to 1,402 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 13.1 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Hakuba Cortina? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Hakuba Cortina is about 38.8° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 3.9 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Hakuba Cortina? A: Cortina is one of the five Hakuba Valley resorts with a designated backcountry gate, and its trees and steep top pitches draw riders from abroad on storm days. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Hakuba Cortina? A: An adult day ticket at Hakuba Cortina costs ¥6,500, about CAD 58 or USD 41 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Epic Pass and Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Day Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Hakuba Cortina from Tokyo Station? A: By bus: The Nagano–Cortina bus needs a booking; Cortina warns that road conditions can delay it. Q: When is the season at Hakuba Cortina? A: Hakuba Cortina usually opens 12 December 2026 (planned) and closes 29 March 2027 (planned). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hgp.co.jp/cortina/ski/ https://www.hgp.co.jp/cortina/ski/charge/ https://www.hgp.co.jp/cortina/ski/gelande/ https://www.hgp.co.jp/cortina/ski/access/ https://www.hgp.co.jp/cortina/ski/hvsafety/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ski_resort_info_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ticket_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/access_en/shuttlebus_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/safetytips_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/about_hakubavalley_en/epicpass_en/ https://nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/hakuba/latest?locale=en ### Hakuba Goryu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/hakuba-goryu Numbers: 926 m vertical, top 1676 m, base 750 m, 15 runs, 12 lifts, 11.9 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 32.7° over 60 m, adult day ¥10,000, about CAD 90 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: エイブル白馬五竜 (ja) Also known as: ABLE Hakuba Goryu, Goryu, Hakuba Goryu Snow Resort, Goryu Toomi, Iimori, Escal Plaza, 白馬五竜 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: 22184-10 Kamishiro, Hakuba-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-9211 (Escal Plaza) Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.66280, 137.83670 Season: 21 November 2026 on the Toomi No. 1 lift area, announced 1 October 2026 to About 6 May 2027; the ticket centre plans to sell until then or until the resort closes Lift hours: Toomi opens at 7:00 on weekends, holidays and over New Year for sunrise skiing; 2026/27 hours are announced closer to opening Night riding: 18:00–21:30 in 2025/26 (Iimori until 21:20) Adult day: ¥10,000, about CAD 90 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 35%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 25% Car-free village: Yes Website: https://www.hakubaescal.com/winter-en/ Summary: Goryu suits families and night riders who want the gentle Toomi slope at the door, and the best snow sits a gondola ride up at Alps-daira. Goryu has two bases on the south side of Hakuba village. Escal Plaza sits at the foot of the Toomi slope with the ticket centre and a hot spring inside, and the eight-seat Telecabin gondola climbs from beside it to Alps-daira. Iimori lies a little further north with its own base centre and a gentle slope for lessons. The two bases join on the hill, and from the top of Alps-daira the runs link across to Hakuba47. Alps-daira is where the riding gets good. Grand Prix is the big open groomer, and the sides of it hold powder and bumps after snowfall. Champion Expert is the steep one on the trail map and Goryu leaves Technical ungroomed on purpose. The upper mountain also keeps its snow long enough for Goryu to run until the end of Golden Week. Goryu is the valley's main night hill. The lights go on over Toomi and part of Iimori at six, after an hour's grooming, and in 2025/26 they stayed on nightly from late December to mid-March. Sunrise sessions start at seven on weekends and holidays. For 2026/27 Goryu has a new ice-snow system and has fixed an opening date for the first time, 21 November, on the Toomi No. 1 lift area. That makes it one of the earliest places to ride in Hakuba, though the upper mountain still waits for natural snow. Tips: - Buy the Goryu47 pre-season day pass online before 15 December 2026 for up to 25% off the counter price. - Keep your IC card from year to year and recharge it online, since recharges are the cheapest way to buy a day. - Night tickets are separate. A day ticket stops working at the end of the afternoon session. - Hand in your climbing registration at the Toomi gondola station before heading for the Alps No. 4 trailhead. Q: How big is Hakuba Goryu? A: Hakuba Goryu has 15 runs and 12 lifts over 926 m of vertical, from 750 m at the base to 1,676 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 11.9 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Hakuba Goryu? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Hakuba Goryu is about 32.7° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.4 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Hakuba Goryu? A: At Hakuba Goryu: Goryu's backcountry trailhead sits at the top of the Alps No. 4 lift and is signed. Patrol triggers avalanches on more than 20 known slide paths around the resort before opening, and the terrain outside the ropes slides into the runs, so ducking a rope here endangers people below. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Hakuba Goryu? A: An adult day ticket at Hakuba Goryu costs ¥10,000, about CAD 90 or USD 63 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥9,000, about CAD 81 or USD 57 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Epic Pass and Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Day Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Hakuba Goryu from Tokyo Station? A: By bus: Alpico's Nagano–Hakuba express stops at Goryu Escal Plaza on the way into the valley. Direct buses from Shinjuku reach the Hakuba Goryu stop in about five hours. Q: When is the season at Hakuba Goryu? A: Hakuba Goryu usually opens 21 November 2026 on the Toomi No. 1 lift area, announced 1 October 2026 and closes about 6 May 2027; the ticket centre plans to sell until then or until the resort closes. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hakubaescal.com/winter-en/ https://www.hakubaescal.com/winter-en/information/2026/10/01/opening-date-announced-for-the-2026-27-season/ https://www.hakubaescal.com/winter-en/tickets/lift/ https://www.hakubaescal.com/winter/tickets/lift/ https://www.hakubaescal.com/winter-en/gelande/course/ https://www.hakubaescal.com/winter-en/gelande/nighter/ https://www.hakubaescal.com/winter-en/gelande/patrol/ https://www.hakubaescal.com/winter-en/gelande/hours/ https://www.hakubaescal.com/winter-en/access/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ski_resort_info_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ticket_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/access_en/shuttlebus_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/safetytips_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/about_hakubavalley_en/epicpass_en/ https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/express/nagano_hakuba/ https://nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/hakuba/latest?locale=en ### Hakuba Happo-one URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/hakuba-happo-one Numbers: 1071 m vertical, top 1831 m, base 760 m, 16 runs, 21 lifts, 32.5 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 37.4° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,800, about CAD 88 or USD 62 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 白馬八方尾根スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Happo One, Happoone, Happo, Hakuba Happo-one Snow Resort, 八方尾根 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.70190, 137.83730 Season: 1 December 2026, the first day of the early-season ticket period (snow permitting) to 5 May 2027, the last day of the spring ticket period Best snow: 19 December 2026 to 22 March 2027 (peak ticket period) Night riding: No Adult day: ¥9,800, about CAD 88 or USD 62 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 20% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Happo-one Kaihatsu and Hakuba Kanko Kaihatsu Website: https://www.happo-one.jp/en/ Summary: Happo-one suits strong riders who want the biggest vertical in Hakuba, and a storm can shut the upper ridge for the day. Happo climbs a long east-facing ridge straight out of Hakuba village, so the lifts start a short walk from the Happo bus terminal. The Adam gondola and the Riesen quad both carry you to the middle mountain. From there a chain of quads takes you up to the Grat quad, which tops out at 1,831 m with the Hakuba Sanzan peaks filling the view. Happo says the Adam gondola retires after the 2026/27 winter, so this is its last season. The famous terrain sits on the upper half. Kurobishi is the mogul face everyone watches from the chair, and after a storm the bumps fill in and it skis like a powder bowl. Usagidaira gets steeper and more broken the further down you go. The two 1998 Olympic downhill courses drop off the Panorama area toward Kokusai and Sakka. Tenbo is the short expert pitch under the old men's super-G start. Once patrol has checked the slope it opens Omusubi. This ungroomed face is reached by the traverse from Skyline toward Panorama. Urakuro on the north side of the Kurobishi No. 3 pair is the other designated off-piste area. Beyond the boundary the resort has designated backcountry gates, and the Hakuba Valley rules ask you to file a climbing registration before you use them. Wind is the catch. The upper quads close when it blows, and on those days the mountain shrinks to the Riesen Slalom and the lower slopes, which still give a long cruise back to the village. Peak-season tickets run from 19 December to 22 March, and spring skiing carries on at the lower price until Golden Week ends on 5 May. Tips: - Check the Grat and Alpen quad status on the Hakuba Valley lift page before you buy a Happo-only ticket on a windy day. The Hakuba Valley pass lets you switch to a sheltered resort by shuttle. - Buy your ticket online or top up an IC card you already have; top-ups only work online and save ¥300 a day in peak season. - The Happo Debut ticket at ¥4,900 covers the beginner lifts at the foot of the mountain, which is all a first-timer needs. - Submit your mountain-climbing registration online before you buy a ticket if you plan to use the backcountry gates. - Ride the Adam gondola this winter if it matters to you. Happo has announced it retires after the 2026/27 season. Q: How big is Hakuba Happo-one? A: Hakuba Happo-one has 16 runs and 21 lifts over 1,071 m of vertical, from 760 m at the base to 1,831 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 32.5 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Hakuba Happo-one? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Hakuba Happo-one is about 37.4° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 7.7 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Hakuba Happo-one? A: Happo is one of the five Hakuba Valley resorts with designated backcountry gates, marked G on the trail map. Inside the boundary, patrol opens the Omusubi freeride area through its own gate for advanced and expert riders. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Hakuba Happo-one? A: An adult day ticket at Hakuba Happo-one costs ¥9,800, about CAD 88 or USD 62 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥6,400, about CAD 58 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Epic Pass and Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Day Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Hakuba Happo-one from Tokyo Station? A: Hakuba Happo-one is about 3 hr from Nerima IC to Nagano IC on the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways, then about 1 hr on Route 18 and the Olympic Road by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: Alpico's Nagano–Hakuba express takes from 70 minutes to just over two hours depending on the stop. Direct buses from Shinjuku reach Hakuba in about five hours. Q: When is the season at Hakuba Happo-one? A: Hakuba Happo-one usually opens 1 December 2026, the first day of the early-season ticket period (snow permitting) and closes 5 May 2027, the last day of the spring ticket period. The deepest, most reliable snow comes 19 December 2026 to 22 March 2027 (peak ticket period). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.happo-one.jp/en/gelande/ https://www.happo-one.jp/en/ticket/ https://www.happo-one.jp/en/gelande/lift/ https://www.happo-one.jp/en/access/tokyo/ https://www.happo-one.jp/winter/ https://www.happo-one.jp/en/news/39420/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ski_resort_info_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ticket_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/access_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/access_en/shuttlebus_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/safetytips_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/about_hakubavalley_en/epicpass_en/ https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/express/nagano_hakuba/ https://www.hakubaescal.com/winter-en/access/ https://nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/hakuba/latest?locale=en ### Hakuba Iwatake URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/hakuba-iwatake Numbers: 539 m vertical, top 1289 m, base 750 m, 13 runs, 9 lifts, 20.5 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 27.9° over 60 m, adult day ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 白馬岩岳スノーフィールド (ja) Also known as: Iwatake, Hakuba Iwatake Snow Field, Hakuba Iwatake Mountain Resort, 岩岳 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: 12056 Hokujo, Hakuba-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-9301 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.71690, 137.85870 Night riding: No Adult day: ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 20% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Iwatake Resort Co. Website: https://iwatake-mountain-resort.com/winter/ Summary: Iwatake suits families and mixed groups who want the best view in Hakuba from a short gondola ride, and its low summit means a thin early season. Iwatake is the round hill in the middle of the valley floor, so its gondola top gives a full circle of views over the Hakuba peaks. The resort built its HAKUBA MOUNTAIN HARBOR terrace and café at the summit for that view. It opens all year, and the hot chocolate comes from The City Bakery. Walkers can ride the gondola and the No. 5 South lift without skis, and IWATAKE WHITE PARK gives them snow to play on up top. The riding splits into a mountain side and a village side. The Back Bowl and the Hikage gully hold the most interesting terrain on the mountain side. The Sunny Valley course runs the long way down the village side for confident beginners. At 1,289 m the summit is low for Hakuba, and in 2025/26 the season only started on 19 December and finished on 29 March. Come in January or February and the trade-off disappears. Tips: - Buy the 2026/27 early-bird day ticket before 13 December to pay ¥5,700 instead of ¥7,500. - Bring ¥1,000 for the IC card deposit, which you get back when you return the card. - On a clear morning ride up early for the view before cloud builds on the Alps. Q: How big is Hakuba Iwatake? A: Hakuba Iwatake has 13 runs and 9 lifts over 539 m of vertical, from 750 m at the base to 1,289 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 20.5 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Hakuba Iwatake? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Hakuba Iwatake is about 27.9° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 6.1 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Hakuba Iwatake? A: Iwatake has no backcountry gate. The Hakuba Valley rules list it among the five resorts where leaving the ski area is prohibited. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Hakuba Iwatake? A: An adult day ticket at Hakuba Iwatake costs ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥5,700, about CAD 51 or USD 36 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Epic Pass and Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Day Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Hakuba Iwatake from Tokyo Station? A: By bus: Alpico's Nagano–Hakuba express takes from 70 minutes to just over two hours depending on the stop. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://iwatake-mountain-resort.com/winter/ https://iwatake-mountain-resort.com/winter/rates/ https://iwatake-mountain-resort.com/winter/course_lift/ https://iwatake-mountain-resort.com/2026/08/31/2026-2027%e6%97%a9%e5%89%b2%e3%83%aa%e3%83%95%e3%83%88%e5%88%b8%e3%80%80%e8%b2%a9%e5%a3%b2%e4%b8%ad%ef%bc%81 https://iwatake-mountain-resort.com/2026/09/10/hakuba-s-class-2026-2027%e3%82%b7%e3%83%bc%e3%82%ba%e3%83%b3%e3%80%80%e5%90%84%e7%a8%ae%e3%83%81%e3%82%b1%e3%83%83%e3%83%88%e5%85%88%e8%a1%8c%e8%b2%a9%e5%a3%b2%e9%96%8b%e5%a7%8b%ef%bc%81 https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ski_resort_info_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ticket_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/access_en/shuttlebus_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/safetytips_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/about_hakubavalley_en/epicpass_en/ https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/express/nagano_hakuba/ ### Hakuba Norikura Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/hakuba-norikura Numbers: 798 m vertical, top 1598 m, base 800 m, 14 runs, 9 lifts, 10.9 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 30° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,500, about CAD 58 or USD 41 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 白馬乗鞍温泉スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Hakuba Norikura, Hakunori, Norikura Onsen, Hakuba Norikura Onsen Snow Resort Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Address: Hakuba Norikura Kogen, Otari-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-9422 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.76490, 137.87620 Season: 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027; only the Wakaguri area runs from 22 March Night riding: No Adult day: ¥6,500, about CAD 58 or USD 41 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 30% Car-free village: Yes Website: https://www.hakunori.com/en/ Summary: Norikura suits riders who want quiet slopes and a hot spring at the bottom, and it shares one cheap ticket with Cortina next door. Hakuba Norikura Onsen spreads over the slopes below Cortina at the northern edge of the valley, and the two areas link on the mountain. The wide Wakaguri and Satomi slopes at the bottom are gentle and uncrowded, and the onsen at the base is part of the name. Above them the Expert, Snake and Highway courses get steep fast, and Norikura leaves some of its slopes ungroomed for powder days. The No. 11 pair lift at the top serves the backcountry, so you have to file a mountaineering report or sign a disclaimer before you ride it. From 2026/27 Norikura and Cortina sell a single joint ticket at ¥6,500 a day. Norikura plans to open on 12 December and keeps the Wakaguri area running until 4 April. Tips: - Fill in the No. 11 Pair Lift form online before you arrive if you plan to tour. - Free parking by the Wakaguri area holds 1,000 cars and stays open around the clock. - Late March means Wakaguri only, so plan spring days elsewhere if you want the upper lifts. Q: How big is Hakuba Norikura Onsen? A: Hakuba Norikura Onsen has 14 runs and 9 lifts over 798 m of vertical, from 800 m at the base to 1,598 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 10.9 km of piste there. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Hakuba Norikura Onsen? A: Norikura is one of the five Hakuba Valley resorts with a designated backcountry gate. Riders must hand in a mountaineering report or sign a disclaimer before they can ride the No. 11 pair lift at the top of the area. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Hakuba Norikura Onsen? A: An adult day ticket at Hakuba Norikura Onsen costs ¥6,500, about CAD 58 or USD 41 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Epic Pass and Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Day Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Hakuba Norikura Onsen from Tokyo Station? A: By bus: Alpico's Nagano–Hakuba express ends at the Hakuba Norikura stop. Q: When is the season at Hakuba Norikura Onsen? A: Hakuba Norikura Onsen usually opens 12 December 2026 and closes 4 April 2027; only the Wakaguri area runs from 22 March. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hakunori.com/en/ https://www.hakunori.com/en/tickets/ https://www.hakunori.com/en/trailguide/ https://www.hakunori.com/en/getting/ https://www.hgp.co.jp/cortina/ski/charge/ https://www.hgp.co.jp/cortina/ski/gelande/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ski_resort_info_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ticket_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/access_en/shuttlebus_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/safetytips_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/about_hakubavalley_en/epicpass_en/ https://nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/hakuba/latest?locale=en ### Hakuba Sanosaka URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/hakuba-sanosaka Numbers: 460 m vertical, top 1200 m, base 740 m, 10 runs, 4 lifts, 5.5 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 24° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,700, about CAD 51 or USD 36 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: White Resort 白馬さのさか (ja) Also known as: Sanosaka, White Resort Hakuba Sanosaka, 白馬さのさかスキー場 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: 458 Kamishiro, Hakuba-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-9211 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.62300, 137.83800 Season: 18 December 2026 (planned) to 22 March 2027 (planned); the 2025/26 season ended on 15 March 2026 Night riding: No Adult day: ¥5,700, about CAD 51 or USD 36 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 40%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 20% Operator: White Resort Hakuba Sanosaka Co. Website: https://sanosaka.jp/ Summary: Sanosaka suits families and groups who want a quiet, cheap day above Lake Aoki, and its low slopes depend on natural snow. Sanosaka sits at the southern end of Hakuba village above Lake Aoki. You park beside Route 148, cross the Oito Line tracks and walk straight into Castor Plaza at the foot of the slopes, which makes it an easy place to bring small children. The slopes are mostly gentle to moderate and look out over the lake and the snow-covered peaks. Tickets cost a little over half what the big Hakuba resorts charge, and the crowds stay away. With a top of 1,200 m and natural snow only, Sanosaka has a short season. It plans to run from 18 December to 22 March, and in 2025/26 it shut on 15 March. Tips: - Buy the early-bird day ticket before 7 December for ¥4,900. - Use parking lots 1 and 2 by the main road; lots 3 and 4 sit up a steep narrow lane. Q: How big is Hakuba Sanosaka? A: Hakuba Sanosaka has 10 runs and 4 lifts over 460 m of vertical, from 740 m at the base to 1,200 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 5.5 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Hakuba Sanosaka? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Hakuba Sanosaka is about 24° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.4 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Hakuba Sanosaka? A: Sanosaka has no backcountry gate, and the Hakuba Valley rules forbid leaving the ski area here. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Hakuba Sanosaka? A: An adult day ticket at Hakuba Sanosaka costs ¥5,700, about CAD 51 or USD 36 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥4,900, about CAD 44 or USD 31 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Epic Pass and Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Day Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Hakuba Sanosaka from Tokyo Station? A: Hakuba Sanosaka is about 60 minutes from Azumino IC or Nagano IC by car from Tokyo Station. Q: When is the season at Hakuba Sanosaka? A: Hakuba Sanosaka usually opens 18 December 2026 (planned) and closes 22 March 2027 (planned); the 2025/26 season ended on 15 March 2026. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://sanosaka.jp/ https://sanosaka.jp/lift https://sanosaka.jp/access https://sanosaka.jp/company https://sanosaka.jp/%e6%97%a9%e5%89%b2%e3%83%aa%e3%83%95%e3%83%88%e5%88%b8%e7%99%ba%e5%a3%b2%e9%96%8b%e5%a7%8b%e3%81%97%e3%81%be%e3%81%97%e3%81%9f%e3%80%82/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ski_resort_info_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ticket_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/access_en/shuttlebus_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/safetytips_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/about_hakubavalley_en/epicpass_en/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/ ### Tsugaike Mountain Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/hakuba-tsugaike Numbers: 904 m vertical, top 1704 m, base 800 m, 10 runs, 14 lifts, 34.3 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 28° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,800, about CAD 88 or USD 62 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: つがいけマウンテンリゾート (ja) Also known as: Tsugaike, Tsugaike Kogen, Hakuba Tsugaike, Tsugaike Kogen Ski Resort, 栂池高原スキー場, 栂池 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Address: Tsugaike Kogen, Otari-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-9422 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.74940, 137.87110 Season: Snow permitting; the 2026/27 ticket table starts its early-season prices at 'season in' and its web top-ups on 1 December 2026 to 5 May 2027, the end of the spring discount period (the 2025/26 season closed on 6 May 2026) Best snow: 12 December 2026 to 22 March 2027 (regular ticket period) Night riding: No Adult day: ¥9,800, about CAD 88 or USD 62 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 50%, Intermediate 30%, Advanced 20% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Tsugaike Gondola Lift Co. with Tsugaike Kanko Kaihatsu and Hakubakan Website: https://www.tsugaike.gr.jp/snow Summary: Tsugaike suits families and beginners on its enormous base slopes, and strong riders head for the gated powder of TSUGA POW, though there is no night skiing this winter. Tsugaike sits at the north end of the Hakuba Valley in Otari village. The bottom of the mountain is the widest beginner terrain in Hakuba: the Kane-no-naruoka slope runs more than 1,200 m across, and the Karamatsu and Oyanohara slopes beside it lead straight into the lodge and restaurant streets of Tsugaike Kogen. The gondola rides about 4 km to Tsuga-no-mori at 1,704 m, where the snow is deepest and the old forest closes in. From the top, Hannoki is the long run most intermediates take home, and its upper section is still skiable through the May holidays. Umanose runs along a narrow ridge with huge bumps, and Champion is the steep open face. TSUGA POW is the resort's managed powder area. Riders watch a lecture video first, then sign the agreement at Kitchen Tsuga-no-mori by the gondola top and collect an armband. The area closes at 14:00. The Hakuba Valley rules also list Tsugaike among the five resorts with a designated gate to the backcountry beyond. Tsugaike has dropped night riding for 2026/27, so plan your evenings around the onsen in the village. Tips: - Pick up the TSUGA POW armband at the gondola top on your first powder day; it lasts the season. - Senior tickets need ID showing you are 60 or older on the day. - Spring skiing on the upper mountain runs into Golden Week at the discounted day price. Q: How big is Tsugaike? A: Tsugaike has 10 runs and 14 lifts over 904 m of vertical, from 800 m at the base to 1,704 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 34.3 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Tsugaike? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Tsugaike is about 28° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 3.2 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Tsugaike? A: Tsugaike is one of the five Hakuba Valley resorts with a designated backcountry gate. Inside the boundary the TSUGA POW area opens ungroomed powder to riders who take its lecture and wear its armband. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Tsugaike? A: An adult day ticket at Tsugaike costs ¥9,800, about CAD 88 or USD 62 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥8,000, about CAD 72 or USD 51 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Epic Pass and Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Day Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Tsugaike from Tokyo Station? A: By bus: Alpico's Nagano–Hakuba express ends at Hakuba Norikura and stops at Tsugaike Kogen on the way. Q: When is the season at Tsugaike? A: Tsugaike usually opens snow permitting; the 2026/27 ticket table starts its early-season prices at 'season in' and its web top-ups on 1 December 2026 and closes 5 May 2027, the end of the spring discount period (the 2025/26 season closed on 6 May 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes 12 December 2026 to 22 March 2027 (regular ticket period). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tsugaike.gr.jp/snow https://www.tsugaike.gr.jp/gelande https://www.tsugaike.gr.jp/price https://www.tsugaike.gr.jp/snow/gelande/tsugapow https://www.tsugaike.gr.jp/access https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ski_resort_info_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ticket_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/access_en/shuttlebus_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/safetytips_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/about_hakubavalley_en/epicpass_en/ https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/express/nagano_hakuba/ https://nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/hakuba/latest?locale=en ### Hida Honokidaira URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/hida-honokidaira Numbers: 300 m vertical, top 1550 m, base 1250 m, 17 runs, 4 lifts, 8.9 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 34.3° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,000, about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 飛騨ほおのき平スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Honokidaira, Hounoki-daira, Hida Honoki Daira Winter Resort, Honoki-daira Ski Area, ほおのき平, 朴の木平 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Address: 447 Kute, Nyukawa-cho, Takayama, Gifu 506-2252 Status: seasonal. Honokidaira plans to run from 12 December 2026 to 28 March 2027, depending on the snow. Coordinates: 36.17570, 137.49190 Season: 12 December 2026 (planned) to 28 March 2027 (planned) Lift hours: 8:30–16:30 on weekdays; 8:00–16:30 at weekends, on holidays and from 29 December to 1 January Night riding: No Adult day: ¥5,000, about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 35%, Advanced 35% Car-free village: Yes Website: https://hounoki-daira.com/ Summary: Hida Honokidaira suits Takayama visitors who want a real mountain day 40 minutes from the station by bus, and the trade-off is a 300 m vertical spread over short courses. Honokidaira climbs from 1,250 m to 1,550 m below the Northern Alps on the road from Takayama towards Hirayu. It has 17 courses on four lifts, from the Panorama and Air Turn runs that combine for 1,600 m to the Mount and Champion courses, where pitches pass 40° and peak at 42°. The resort leans towards technical skiing. The Alpine and Kamoshika courses host races and stay groomed, and a free pole-training course sits beside them. Families get a separate Kids Land with a sled run, and a snow taxi carries passengers to the summit. A Nohi Bus service from JR Takayama Station stops right at the base in about 40 minutes. Drivers from Takayama IC follow Route 158 towards Hirayu for about 30 km, about 45 minutes in all. Tips: - Weekday tickets cost ¥1,000 less than weekend tickets for adults. - Rent at the base: a ski or board set costs ¥4,500 a day for adults. Q: When is Hida Honokidaira open in 2026/27? A: The planned season runs from 12 December 2026 to 28 March 2027. Q: How do I get to Honokidaira from Takayama? A: Take the Nohi Bus from JR Takayama Station; it stops at the ski area in about 40 minutes. Q: How big is Hida Honokidaira? A: Hida Honokidaira has 17 runs and 4 lifts over 300 m of vertical, from 1,250 m at the base to 1,550 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 8.9 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Hida Honokidaira? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Hida Honokidaira is about 34.3° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.3 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Hida Honokidaira? A: An adult day ticket at Hida Honokidaira costs ¥5,000, about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥4,000, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: Does Hida Honokidaira have night riding? A: No. Hida Honokidaira closes its lifts at dusk. Q: When is the season at Hida Honokidaira? A: Hida Honokidaira usually opens 12 December 2026 (planned) and closes 28 March 2027 (planned). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hounoki-daira.com/ https://hounoki-daira.com/gelande/ https://hounoki-daira.com/price/ https://hounoki-daira.com/access/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11665875 https://okuhida.or.jp/p/topics/%e5%9b%bd%e9%81%93158%e5%8f%b7%e3%80%80%e5%9c%9f%e7%a0%82%e5%b4%a9%e3%82%8c%e3%81%ab%e4%bc%b4%e3%81%86%e9%80%9a%e8%a1%8c%e6%ad%a2%e3%82%81%e3%81%ab%e3%81%a4%e3%81%84%e3%81%a6/ ### Hida Takayama Ski Area URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/hida-takayama-ski Numbers: 234 m vertical, top 1542 m, base 1308 m, 1 lifts, 4.2 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 30.4° over 60 m, adult day ¥1,880, about CAD 17 or USD 12 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 飛騨高山スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Hida Takayama Ski Resort, Hidataka, ヒダタカ, 飛騨高山スキー場 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Address: 914 Iwai-machi, Takayama, Gifu 506-0815 Status: seasonal. The ski area ran one pair lift in 2025/26, from 20 December to a planned 31 March, and its ski school says it will be back for the 2027 season. Dates for 2026/27 were not published by 11 October 2026. Coordinates: 36.14130, 137.42970 Lift hours: 8:30–16:30 every day (2025/26) Night riding: No Adult day: ¥1,880, about CAD 17 or USD 12 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Website: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/spot/detail_1193.html Summary: Hida Takayama Ski Area suits families and beginners staying in Takayama who want a cheap and unhurried half day on the snow, and the trade-off is a single pair lift since the 2020 storm damage. The ski area sits at about 1,300 m on the flank of Mt. Norikura, 21 km and about 45 minutes by car from JR Takayama Station. Torrential rain in July 2020 brought landslides that closed it for the 2020/21 season, and it reopened in 2021/22 with one lift. The high-speed pair lift to the top has stayed out of service since. With one pair lift running, a weekend day ticket cost ¥1,880 in 2025/26 and ¥1,040 on weekdays for any age. The ski school runs lessons and badge camps for children, and the Ine rental shop in the Mominoki Lodge rents ski sets from ¥3,450 for adults. The restaurant opens only at weekends and on holidays, so on weekdays bring lunch or use the shop. Tips: - Book snowboard lessons ahead; the school cannot always find an instructor. - Fit winter tyres for the drive up from Takayama, which climbs to about 1,300 m. Q: Is Hida Takayama Ski Area open? A: It ran in 2025/26 with one pair lift from 20 December, and its ski school expects to return for the 2027 season. Check the 2026/27 dates before you go. Q: How far is Hida Takayama Ski Area from Takayama Station? A: About 21 km, roughly 45 minutes by car. Q: How steep is Hida Takayama? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Hida Takayama is about 30.4° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 0.4 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Hida Takayama? A: An adult day ticket at Hida Takayama costs ¥1,880, about CAD 17 or USD 12 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥1,040, about CAD 9.30 or USD 6.60 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: Does Hida Takayama have night riding? A: No. Hida Takayama closes its lifts at dusk. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/spot/detail_1193.html https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/lsc/upfile/spot/0000/1193/1193_3_file.pdf https://hidatakaski.jimdofree.com/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/飛騨高山スキー場 https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/access/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11665927 ### Hirugano Kogen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/hirugano-kogen Numbers: 150 m vertical, top 1034 m, base 884 m, 7 runs, 3 lifts, 4.8 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 17.8° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,200, about CAD 47 or USD 33 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: ひるがの高原スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Hirugano Kogen Ski Resort, Hirugano, Hirugano Kogen Ski Area, ひるがの, 蛭ヶ野 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Okumino Address: 4670-75 Hirugano, Takasu-cho, Gujo, Gifu Status: seasonal. Hirugano Kogen has published its 2026/27 prices but had not announced an opening day by 11 October 2026. It opened on 26 December in 2025/26. Coordinates: 36.00580, 136.91380 Lift hours: 8:30–16:30 on weekdays and 8:00–16:30 at weekends, on holidays and over New Year Night riding: No Adult day: ¥5,200, about CAD 47 or USD 33 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 45%, Intermediate 55%, Advanced 0% Car-free village: Yes Website: https://www.hiruganokogen.com/ Summary: Hirugano Kogen suits families and first-timers who want wide gentle slopes and a huge sledding area five minutes from the expressway, and the trade-off is a 150 m vertical with no advanced terrain. Hirugano sits beside the main road through the Hirugano plateau, about five minutes from the Hirugano Kogen Smart IC. Its seven courses are all beginner or intermediate, and a quad and two pair lifts serve them. Hirugano calls Kids Land the largest snow play area in the district. The sled slope alone covers the space of about 40 tennis courts and the netted area adds a snow escalator and realistic animal and dinosaur figures for photos. Snow rafting runs at weekends and on holidays, and Kids Hirugano teaches skiing to children of primary school age and younger. For 2026/27 a day ticket costs ¥5,200 with the entry charge included. Gifu Bus runs a direct winter coach from Nagoya to the ski area in about 2 hours 30 minutes, and no other resort in the TAKASU MOUNTAINS group gets a direct coach from the city. Tips: - Women ride the lifts free on Thursdays with a ¥1,000 entry ticket. - Buy the Fast Pass early on busy days; only 80 are sold each day. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Hirugano Kogen for 2026/27? A: An adult day ticket costs ¥5,200 including the entry charge, and a child ticket ¥3,000. Q: Is there a bus from Nagoya to Hirugano Kogen ski area? A: Yes. Gifu Bus runs a winter direct service from Nagoya to the Hirugano Kogen ski area stop in about 2 hours 30 minutes. Q: Is Hirugano Kogen open all year? A: Hirugano Kogen opens for part of the year. Hirugano Kogen has published its 2026/27 prices but had not announced an opening day by 11 October 2026. It opened on 26 December in 2025/26. Q: How big is Hirugano Kogen? A: Hirugano Kogen has 7 runs and 3 lifts over 150 m of vertical, from 884 m at the base to 1,034 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 4.8 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Hirugano Kogen? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Hirugano Kogen is about 17.8° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: Does Hirugano Kogen have night riding? A: No. Hirugano Kogen closes its lifts at dusk. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hiruganokogen.com/ https://www.hiruganokogen.com/about/ https://www.hiruganokogen.com/price/ https://www.takasumountains.com/ski/ https://www.takasumountains.com/access/ https://seasonpass.chubu-snow.com/tms/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1189279617 ### Hodaigi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/hodaigi Numbers: 570 m vertical, top 1400 m, base 830 m, 16 runs, 7 lifts, 3 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 22.7° over 60 m, adult day ¥7,400, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 群馬みなかみほうだいぎスキー場 (ja) Also known as: Houdaigi, Hodaigi Ski Resort, Minakami Hodaigi, Gunma Minakami Hodaigi, ほうだいぎ, 宝台樹, 宝台樹スキー場 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 3839-1 Fujiwara, Minakami, Tone District, Gunma 379-1721 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.84160, 139.07480 Lift hours: 8:30–16:30 Night riding: No Adult day: ¥7,400, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Operator: Minakami Hodaigi Resort Co., Ltd. (Open House Group) Website: https://hodaigi.jp/ Summary: Hodaigi suits families and intermediate riders who want the biggest piste network in Minakami, and its lift system has no gondola to shelter you on a stormy day. Hodaigi sits at the head of the Tone River valley above Fujiwara, the furthest of Minakami's resorts from the station. Its 16 courses spread across seven chairlifts, and the top of the No. 9 quad reaches 1,400 m. The resort publishes 570 m of vertical and a longest run of 2,600 m. Beginners spend their days on the Family gelande, a 1,100 m main slope at a gentle 8 degrees on average. Stronger riders head up the No. 7 pair to the Eagle course, which hits 40 degrees and stays partly ungroomed. Its neighbours Downhill and Paradise are left unpacked, so they hold powder after a storm. From the top of the No. 9 quad the Narudaira ridge run looks out over Mt. Tanigawa and the Tone headwaters. A weekend day ticket costs ¥7,400 for 2026/27 and a weekday ¥7,100. The season opens on 12 December 2026, and the first week runs at ¥4,500 with free parking. Hodaigi belongs to POWDER5 Gunma, so one hour ticket also covers Kawaba, Marunuma Kogen, Oze Iwakura and Oguna Hotaka. Tips: - Buy the October web day ticket before 31 October 2026 for ¥5,400 against ¥7,400 at the window. - Ride Downhill and Paradise on the morning after snowfall, because neither gets groomed. - Children ride for ¥2,000 on the third Saturday of each month from December to March. - Wear a helmet in the tree-run area, because the resort requires one there. Q: How big is Hodaigi? A: Hodaigi has 16 runs and 7 lifts over 570 m of vertical, from 830 m at the base to 1,400 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 3 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Hodaigi? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Hodaigi is about 22.7° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 0.9 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Hodaigi? A: Hodaigi opens a tree-run area inside the resort and keeps every area marked out of bounds on its map closed at all times. Rescue inside the tree-run area or in a closed area is billed at cost. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Hodaigi? A: An adult day ticket at Hodaigi costs ¥7,400, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,100, about CAD 64 or USD 45 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: How do you get to Hodaigi from Tokyo Station? A: By bus: On days without the free shuttle, take the Kan-etsu Kotsu bus towards Yunokoya to the Takaragawa Iriguchi stop, where a connecting resort bus meets set services. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hodaigi.jp/ https://hodaigi.jp/lift-price/ https://hodaigi.jp/gelande-guide/ https://hodaigi.jp/access/ https://hodaigi.jp/shuttle-bus/ https://hodaigi.jp/news-event/2076/ https://hodaigi.jp/news-event/2080/ https://hodaigi.jp/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/25%EF%BC%8D26%E3%83%91%E3%83%B3%E3%83%95%E3%83%AC%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%83%9E%E3%83%83%E3%83%97ol.pdf https://canyons.jp/en/winter-tours/hodaigi-ski-resort/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11548212 ### Hunter Mountain Shiobara URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/hunter-mountain-shiobara Numbers: 500 m vertical, top 1638 m, base 1138 m, 12 runs, 6 lifts, 8.7 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 27.5° over 60 m, adult day ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: ハンターマウンテン塩原 (ja) Also known as: Hunter Mountain, Huntama, ハンタマ, Hunter Mountain Shiobara Ski Resort Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Shiobara Onsen Address: Maeguro, Yumoto-Shiobara, Nasushiobara, Tochigi 329-2922 Status: seasonal. The 2026/27 season runs from 28 November 2026 to 5 May 2027, subject to snow. Last season the lifts ran until 23 April 2026. Coordinates: 36.93830, 139.75360 Season: 28 November 2026 to 5 May 2027 Best snow: 26 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 and weekends Lift hours: Weekdays 8:30–16:00; weekends, holidays and New Year 8:00–16:00 Night riding: No Adult day: ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Operator: Tokyu Resorts & Stays Website: https://www.hunter.co.jp/winter/ Summary: Hunter Mountain Shiobara suits families and intermediate skiers who want a long groomed day out of Tokyo with a free Shinkansen shuttle, and its 500 m of vertical on mostly made snow gives powder hunters little to chase. Hunter Mountain sits at 1,138 m on the Nichien Momiji Line between Shiobara and Kinugawa, and its 2,400 m gondola rises to a summit at 1,638 m. Tokyu Resorts & Stays runs it. Twelve courses carry Manhattan names, from the gentle West Side Street and Broadway near the base to Wall Street and New Madison, which reach 25 degrees. Start on the Hunter Quad or the No. 1 Quad and string West Side Street into Broadway for about 2 km of easy cruising. Once that feels comfortable, take the gondola to the top for the 3 km run back to the base. Snowmaking covers every course, which is how Hunter opens in late November and has run into late April. Train riders book the free shuttle. From 12 December 2026 to 28 March 2027 it leaves JR Nasushiobara at 8:10 on weekends and 8:30 on weekdays, and a weekend and New Year bus runs from JR Utsunomiya at 8:00 via Tobu Kinugawa-Onsen. After skiing, the baths of Shiobara wait back down the mountain road. Tips: - Book the free shuttle on the resort's site before your trip; it runs on reservations only and seats are limited. - Bring chains or fit winter tyres. The resort says the roads up can ice over even when no snow has fallen. - Weekday tickets cost ¥1,500 less than peak-date tickets, and primary school children ride free on weekdays. Q: When does Hunter Mountain Shiobara open for 2026/27? A: Hunter Mountain Shiobara plans to open on 28 November 2026 and close on 5 May 2027, depending on snow. Q: Can I reach Hunter Mountain Shiobara by train? A: Yes. Take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Nasushiobara and the free booked shuttle, which takes about an hour to the base from 12 December 2026 to 28 March 2027. Q: How big is Hunter Mountain Shiobara? A: Hunter Mountain Shiobara has 12 runs and 6 lifts over 500 m of vertical, from 1,138 m at the base to 1,638 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 8.7 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Hunter Mountain Shiobara? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Hunter Mountain Shiobara is about 27.5° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.6 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Hunter Mountain Shiobara? A: An adult day ticket at Hunter Mountain Shiobara costs ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥6,000, about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: Does Hunter Mountain Shiobara have night riding? A: No. Hunter Mountain Shiobara closes its lifts at dusk. Q: When is the season at Hunter Mountain Shiobara? A: Hunter Mountain Shiobara usually opens 28 November 2026 and closes 5 May 2027. The deepest, most reliable snow comes 26 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 and weekends. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hunter.co.jp/winter/ https://www.hunter.co.jp/winter/ticket/ https://www.hunter.co.jp/winter/gelande/ https://www.hunter.co.jp/winter/course/ https://www.hunter.co.jp/winter/access/ https://www.hunter.co.jp/winter/faq/ https://www.nikko-kankou.org/spot/650 https://www.tokyu-snow-resort.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/20231213%E3%80%90%E3%83%9E%E3%82%A6%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88%E3%82%B8%E3%83%BC%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BA%E3%80%91%E3%82%B9%E3%82%AD%E3%83%BC%E5%A0%B4OPEN%EF%BC%86%E9%96%89%E9%8E%96%E3%81%AB%E3%81%A4%E3%81%84%E3%81%A6final-2.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5944501 ### Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick Ski Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/ikenotaira-onsen Numbers: 656 m vertical, top 1416 m, base 760 m, 16 runs, 5 lifts, 13.5 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 23.4° over 60 m, adult day ¥7,400, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 池の平温泉アルペンブリックスキー場 (ja) Also known as: Ikenotaira, Ikenotaira Onsen, Alpen Blick, Alpenblick, 池の平 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Ikenotaira Onsen Address: 2452 Ikenotaira Onsen, Myoko, Niigata 949-2112 Coordinates: 36.87250, 138.17190 Season: 19 December 2026 (first valid day of the 2026/27 early-bird ticket) to 28 March 2027 (last valid day of the 2026/27 early-bird ticket) Lift hours: 08:30–16:00, earlier or later with the weather Night riding: No Adult day: ¥7,400, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 40%, Intermediate 45%, Advanced 15% Operator: ALPEN BLICK Resort Website: https://alpenblick-resort.com/ski Summary: Ikenotaira suits families and park riders who want wide open slopes in the middle of Myoko Kogen, and its trade-off is that four of its five chairs are pairs. Ikenotaira Onsen sits on the broad lower skirt of Mt. Myoko, and the operator says its slopes rank among the widest in Japan. Five chairs serve sixteen courses, from the gentle Happy and Dream slopes at the bottom to short tree runs beside the Ikenotaira Quad. The operator quotes a four-kilometre cruise from the top. The wide slopes look out over Mt. Myoko and Lake Nojiri. Two sides make up the resort. The main Ikenotaira slope spreads out under the quad and the Shirakaba capsule pair. Over on the Alpen Blick side, two slow pairs climb to shorter, steeper runs such as Alpen Dynamic and Kaname. Myoko Tourism notes more ungroomed snow on this side. The operator lists the Kayaba course as closed. The Kids Garden runs on weekends and holidays with a moving walkway inside a netted area. Alpen Blick Spa beside Hotel Alpen Blick draws on the Minami-Jigokudani spring, and the brewery restaurant pours the resort's own Alpen Blick beer. Myoko Snow Academy teaches skiing here, led by a former national demonstrator. Tips: - Bring your IC card back at the end of the day to get the ¥500 deposit refunded. - Head to the Alpen Blick side after a snowfall, where Myoko Tourism points to more ungroomed snow and openings into the trees. - The Kids Garden costs ¥500 and is free for lift-ticket holders and children aged three and under. Q: How big is Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick? A: Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick has 16 runs and 5 lifts over 656 m of vertical, from 760 m at the base to 1,416 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 13.5 km of piste there. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick? A: An adult day ticket at Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick costs ¥7,400, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick have night riding? A: No. Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick closes its lifts at dusk. Q: How do you get to Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick from Tokyo Station? A: Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick is joshin-etsu Expressway to Myoko-Kogen IC by car from Tokyo Station. Q: When is the season at Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick? A: Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick usually opens 19 December 2026 (first valid day of the 2026/27 early-bird ticket) and closes 28 March 2027 (last valid day of the 2026/27 early-bird ticket). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://alpenblick-resort.com/ski https://alpenblick-resort.com/ https://myokotourism.com/ski-resorts/alpen-blick-ikenotaira-onsen-ski-resort/ https://myokotourism.com/season-passes/ https://myokotourism.com/winter-bus-service/ ### Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/ishiuchi-maruyama Numbers: 659 m vertical, top 919 m, base 260 m, 25 runs, 14 lifts, 16.8 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 28° over 60 m Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 石打丸山スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Ishiuchi Maruyama, Ishiuchi, 石打丸山, 石打 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 1699 Ishiuchi, Minamiuonuma, Niigata 949-6372 Coordinates: 36.97610, 138.79470 Night riding: 16:00–20:00 during the night period Car-free village: Yes Website: https://ishiuchi.or.jp/winter/ Summary: Ishiuchi Maruyama suits groups who want one of the largest areas along the Kan-etsu Expressway with tree runs and night riding, and its trade-off is that its 2026/27 dates and prices were still unpublished in October. Ishiuchi Maruyama spreads over 236 hectares of natural snow, with 14 lifts and 25 courses. Recent seasons brought a new combination lift and a day centre where you can rent everything you need. The Veranda Ishiuchi Maruyama terrace and café gives non-skiers a place to sit up on the slope. The marked tree-run courses are the draw for strong riders. The resort rules ask everyone to stay inside the managed area and on the marked courses. Night riding runs from 16:00 to 20:00 in its set period. GALA Yuzawa's Roman Holiday course connects across, and the YUZAWA SNOW LINK ticket lets you ride Ishiuchi, GALA and Yuzawa Kogen on one pass. From Echigo-Yuzawa on the Joetsu Shinkansen a free shuttle takes about 10 minutes. By car it sits five minutes from the Shiozawa-Ishiuchi interchange with no mountain pass to cross. Send your boards ahead to the resort centre by courier and they will hold them for you. Tips: - Ship skis or boards to the Ishiuchi Maruyama Resort Center at least two days before you arrive, with your arrival or riding date written on the slip; cash-on-delivery parcels are refused. - Park at P1 for the central entrance, or P2 when P1 fills. - Check the price page later in the autumn for the 2026/27 table. Q: How big is Ishiuchi Maruyama? A: Ishiuchi Maruyama has 25 runs and 14 lifts over 659 m of vertical, from 260 m at the base to 919 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 16.8 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Ishiuchi Maruyama? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Ishiuchi Maruyama is about 28° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.6 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Ishiuchi Maruyama? A: Ishiuchi Maruyama's rules tell riders to stay inside the managed area, and to stay off ground that is not a marked course even inside it. Its tree-run courses are the marked off-piste. Q: How do you get to Ishiuchi Maruyama from Tokyo Station? A: Ishiuchi Maruyama is about 120 minutes from Nerima IC on the Kan-etsu Expressway to Shiozawa-Ishiuchi IC, then 5 minutes on Route 17 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: Free direct shuttle from Echigo-Yuzawa and a free loop bus around the resort. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ishiuchi.or.jp/winter/ https://ishiuchi.or.jp/winter/about https://ishiuchi.or.jp/winter/ski https://ishiuchi.or.jp/winter/price https://ishiuchi.or.jp/winter/rule/ https://ishiuchi.or.jp/winter/access/ https://ishiuchi.or.jp/winter/introduce/ https://gala.co.jp/winter/gelande/ ### Iwappara Ski Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/iwappara Numbers: 586 m vertical, top 983 m, base 397 m, 20 runs, 7 lifts, 10.2 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 28.7° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 岩原スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Iwappara, Iwa-ppara, 岩原 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Coordinates: 36.93890, 138.84440 Season: 19 December 2026 to 28 March 2027 Lift hours: Day tickets run 08:00–17:00. Night riding: 17:00–19:00, to 20:00 on Saturdays Adult day: ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Website: https://iwa-ppara.com/ Summary: Iwappara suits families and first-timers who want a huge, gentle main slope close to Echigo-Yuzawa, and its trade-off is a short season that ends in late March. Iwappara sits on the east side of the Yuzawa valley, and its Main Bahn spreads up to 200 metres wide on a gentle pitch. The resort grooms it flat and wide on purpose, which suits nervous beginners. Iwappara lists 20 courses, from that main slope up to its advanced pitches. A beginner can string courses together from the top for a long run all the way to the base. Strong riders head for the Challenge course, which the resort leaves ungroomed on weekdays and grooms on busy weekends. The resort rates the snow on the Fine Snow Bahn and the Romance course beside it among its best. Night riding lights the Main, Grand and West slopes until 19:00, or 20:00 on Saturdays, and the Grand Bahn looks down on the town lights and the expressway. Prices stayed the same for 2026/27, and the day ticket costs ¥5,500. The resort has also renamed its lift tickets entry tickets. A free shuttle runs from Echigo-Yuzawa on weekends, holidays and over New Year, with loop buses on two routes through the valley. The kids' snow area costs ¥1,000 a day. Tips: - Cross the road from the Echigo-Yuzawa arcade to find the Iwappara shuttle stop. - Buy the day-plus ticket if you plan to stay for the night session; it costs only ¥300 more. - Your Iwappara day ticket also works at Joetsu Kokusai on a different day. Q: How big is Iwappara? A: Iwappara has 20 runs and 7 lifts over 586 m of vertical, from 397 m at the base to 983 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 10.2 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Iwappara? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Iwappara is about 28.7° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.1 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Iwappara? A: An adult day ticket at Iwappara costs ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does Iwappara have night riding? A: Yes. Iwappara runs night lifts 17:00–19:00, to 20:00 on Saturdays. Night riding runs from 19 December 2026 to 27 March 2027 on the Main, Grand and West slopes. There is no night session on 28 March. Q: How do you get to Iwappara from Tokyo Station? A: By bus: Free shuttle on weekends, holidays and 28 December to 1 January; loop buses on the Echigo-Yuzawa and Nakazato-Iwappara routes. Q: When is the season at Iwappara? A: Iwappara usually opens 19 December 2026 and closes 28 March 2027. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://iwa-ppara.com/ https://iwa-ppara.com/gelande/ https://iwa-ppara.com/price/ https://iwa-ppara.com/access/ https://iwa-ppara.com/anzen/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/ski/ ### Jigatake URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/jigatake Numbers: 260 m vertical, top 1200 m, base 940 m, 7 runs, 4 lifts, 5.5 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 18.1° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 爺ガ岳スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Jiigatake, Jigatake Snow Resort, Jiigatake Ski Resort, 爺ヶ岳スキー場 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Omachi Address: 4819 Taira, Omachi-shi, Nagano 398-0001 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.55860, 137.80370 Night riding: Yes Adult day: ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 70%, Intermediate 30%, Advanced 0% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Omachi Onsen Kanko Co. Website: https://jiigatake.com/ Summary: Jigatake suits first-timers and young families who want wide gentle slopes and free parking, and there is little here for strong riders. Jigatake is the southernmost resort in the Hakuba Valley, just above the Omachi Onsen village. Most of its slopes are gentle and wide, so it is the place to put a whole family on snow for the first time. The 800-space car park is free every day. Raicho and Rabbit at the top are the intermediate runs, with a little tree riding near the summit and a view over Azumino on clear days. The resort allows almost anything that slides, from snowskates to snow scoots. Night sessions run on Fridays, Saturdays and holiday eves, and the onsen hotels of Omachi are ten minutes away by car. Tips: - A weekday day ticket is ¥600 cheaper than the weekend price. - Free shuttle buses run from Shinano-Omachi Station and the Omachi Onsen village. Q: How big is Jigatake? A: Jigatake has 7 runs and 4 lifts over 260 m of vertical, from 940 m at the base to 1,200 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 5.5 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Jigatake? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Jigatake is about 18.1° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Jigatake? A: Jigatake has no backcountry gate, and the Hakuba Valley rules forbid leaving the ski area here. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Jigatake? A: An adult day ticket at Jigatake costs ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥4,900, about CAD 44 or USD 31 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Epic Pass and Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Day Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Jigatake from Tokyo Station? A: Jigatake is about 140 minutes from Hachioji IC to Azumino IC on the Chuo and Nagano expressways, then 45 minutes on local roads by car from Tokyo Station. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://jiigatake.com/ https://jiigatake.com/price/ https://jiigatake.com/access/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ski_resort_info_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ticket_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/access_en/shuttlebus_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/safetytips_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/about_hakubavalley_en/epicpass_en/ ### Joetsu Kokusai Ski Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/joetsu-kokusai Numbers: 713 m vertical, top 929 m, base 216 m, 4 runs, 19 lifts, 23.1 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 29.9° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,800, about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 上越国際スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Joetsu Kokusai, Jokoku, 上国, 上越国際 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Coordinates: 37.03420, 138.79370 Season: 12 December 2026 (planned) to 4 April 2027 (planned) Lift hours: 08:00–21:00 including night riding; lifts start at the base and open toward the top in turn. Night riding: 17:00–21:00 Adult day: ¥5,800, about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Website: https://jkokusai.co.jp/ski/ Summary: Joetsu Kokusai suits families who want a big hotel on the slopes and night riding every evening, and its trade-off for park riders is that the halfpipe and snow park are gone from 2026/27. Joetsu Kokusai spreads over the Minami-Uonuma side of the valley, and Hotel Green Plaza Joetsu stands at its centre. The hotel turns 45 in December 2026 and opens a new Mothers wing. The resort maps its slopes in zones, from the Mothers zone for families out to the Touma slopes on the Tokamachi side. The resort calls itself Jokoku for short. It has its own station on the JR Joetsu Line, and the station sits right at the bottom of the slopes. Beginners can follow the Panorama Family Rinkan course through the forest from the top of the Panorama zone to the Annex day centre. The resort puts that route at six kilometres. Obetto Champion is the steepest run. The resort leaves half of it ungroomed, so natural bumps form and powder riders line up first thing after a snowfall. It opens on weekends only. The Osawa Giant course carries an SAJ-sanctioned giant slalom line. Night riding runs every evening of the main season until 21:00. The Touma slopes open only over New Year, on weekends and on holidays. The halfpipe and snow park have closed from 2026/27, so park riders should look elsewhere. Tips: - Joetsu Kokusai and Iwappara accept each other's day tickets, one resort per day. - The Touma lifts and car park run only over New Year, weekends and holidays. - Buy the eight-day early-bird set before 5 December if you ride often. Q: How big is Joetsu Kokusai? A: Joetsu Kokusai has 4 runs and 19 lifts over 713 m of vertical, from 216 m at the base to 929 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 23.1 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Joetsu Kokusai? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Joetsu Kokusai is about 29.9° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.3 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Joetsu Kokusai? A: An adult day ticket at Joetsu Kokusai costs ¥5,800, about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does Joetsu Kokusai have night riding? A: Yes. Joetsu Kokusai runs night lifts 17:00–21:00. Night riding runs every day from 19 December 2026 to 22 March 2027 (planned). Q: How do you get to Joetsu Kokusai from Tokyo Station? A: Joetsu Kokusai is kan-etsu Expressway to Shiozawa-Ishiuchi IC, then about 6 km (7 minutes) by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: Hotel bus between Joetsukokusai-Skijomae station and Hotel Green Plaza Joetsu. Q: When is the season at Joetsu Kokusai? A: Joetsu Kokusai usually opens 12 December 2026 (planned) and closes 4 April 2027 (planned). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://jkokusai.co.jp/ski/ https://jkokusai.co.jp/ski/gelande_course/ https://jkokusai.co.jp/ski/lift/ https://jkokusai.co.jp/ski/lift/hayawariticket/ https://jkokusai.co.jp/ski/gelande_course/nighter/ https://jkokusai.co.jp/ski/news/20260901/ https://jkokusai.co.jp/ski/access/ https://iwa-ppara.com/price/ ### Kagura Ski Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/kagura Numbers: 1225 m vertical, top 1845 m, base 620 m, 30 runs, 17 lifts, 5.7 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 18.3° over 60 m, adult day ¥8,500, about CAD 76 or USD 54 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: かぐらスキー場 (ja) Also known as: Kagura, Kagura Mitsumata, Kagura Tashiro, Mitsumata, Tashiro, かぐら, みつまた, 田代 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 742 Mitsumata, Yuzawa, Niigata 949-6211 (Mitsumata Station) Coordinates: 36.89310, 138.77500 Season: 28 November 2026 (Kagura and Mitsumata areas) to 16 May 2027 (Kagura and Mitsumata areas) Lift hours: 08:00–16:30 across the resort; the Mitsumata Ropeway takes its last uphill ride at 14:00 and the Kagura Gondola at 15:00. The Kagura No.5 Romance lift runs from 1 January. Night riding: No Adult day: ¥8,500, about CAD 76 or USD 54 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Operator: Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide (Prince Snow Resorts) Website: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/kagura/winter/ Summary: Kagura suits powder hunters and spring riders who want the highest terrain and the longest season around Yuzawa, and its trade-off is a chain of ropeway, chairs and gondola from the Mitsumata car park before you reach the high bowl. Kagura spreads across three linked areas on the flank of Kaguragamine. Mitsumata sits by Route 17 and starts with a 121-person ropeway. Kagura is the high bowl at the centre, and Tashiro climbs from its own ropeway on the Naeba side. Prince counts 30 courses and 17 lifts across the whole resort, with 1,225 metres of vertical. The Dragondola links Tashiro with Naeba in the main winter. The Kagura area is where to spend your day. The high bowl holds snow late, and Prince runs the Kagura and Mitsumata areas from late November to the middle of May. Expert Trail in the Forest drops from close to 1,800 metres through conifers and is left ungroomed. Technical and Giant stay off the groomer schedule, so they hold powder in January and turn to moguls in spring. The No.5 lift opens from 1 January. The Kaguragamine gate gives Kagura a published way into the backcountry. Go with a guide or with the full kit Prince lists, and read the closures before you leave. The Wada Goya hut in the Kagura area takes overnight guests on winter weekends, holidays and in Golden Week from 19 December 2026 to 4 May 2027. Tips: - Mitsumata's car park holds 1,200 cars beside the ropeway. Tashiro's suits days when you want the Dragondola to Naeba. - The Descending Trail back to Mitsumata is narrow and graded for experts. Take the ropeway down if you are unsure. - Buy the Mt. Naeba ticket only on days the Dragondola runs, from 26 December 2026 to 22 March 2027. - Early-season and final-period day tickets have come with a ¥1,000 voucher for food at the resort. Q: How big is Kagura? A: Kagura has 30 runs and 17 lifts over 1,225 m of vertical, from 620 m at the base to 1,845 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 5.7 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Kagura? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Kagura is about 18.3° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Kagura? A: Kagura's backcountry gate toward Kaguragamine stands at the top of the Kagura No.5 Romance lift. Nobody staffs it, and every rider who goes through must first drop a climbing plan into the box there. Some directions are closed outright, and the rider pays for any rescue. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Kagura? A: An adult day ticket at Kagura costs ¥8,500, about CAD 76 or USD 54 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Q: How do you get to Kagura from Tokyo Station? A: Kagura is kan-etsu Expressway to Yuzawa IC, then Route 17 south to Mitsumata or Tashiro by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: Express bus from Echigo-Yuzawa via Kagura Mitsumata and Tashiro to Naeba in season. Local buses stop on Route 17 and do not enter the car parks. Q: When is the season at Kagura? A: Kagura usually opens 28 November 2026 (Kagura and Mitsumata areas) and closes 16 May 2027 (Kagura and Mitsumata areas). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/kagura/winter/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/kagura/winter/coursemap/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/kagura/winter/lift/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/kagura/winter/access/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/kagura/winter/coursemap/safety.html https://www.princehotels.com/en/ski/kagura/ ### Kandatsu Snow Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/kandatsu-kogen Numbers: 529 m vertical, top 1000 m, base 471 m, 16 runs, 6 lifts, 11.2 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 34.4° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,800, about CAD 61 or USD 43 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 神立スノーリゾート (ja) Also known as: Kandatsu, Kandatsu Kogen, Kandatsu Kogen Ski Resort, 神立, 神立高原スキー場 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 4121-1 Kandatsu, Yuzawa, Niigata 949-6102 Coordinates: 36.90560, 138.80830 Season: 11 December 2026 (pre-season) to 11 April 2027 Best snow: 19 December 2026 to 28 March 2027 (top season) Lift hours: Top season 08:00–16:00 on weekdays and 07:00–16:00 on weekends and holidays; pre-season and spring 08:00–16:00. Night riding: 18:00–02:00 Adult day: ¥6,800, about CAD 61 or USD 43 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Website: https://www.kandatsu.com/ Summary: Kandatsu suits Tokyo day-trippers and night owls who want natural snow seven minutes from Echigo-Yuzawa, and its trade-off is a modest top at about 1,000 metres. Kandatsu sits just above the Yuzawa interchange, about one kilometre from the exit ramp, and calls itself the closest natural-snow resort to the Kanto region. A free shuttle covers the seven minutes from Echigo-Yuzawa station. The Ground Base building at the car park holds the ticket desk, rental, the Pegasus restaurant and the Kami no Yu baths and sauna on its top floors. Kandatsu turns 40 this season. The resort lays out 16 courses on 130 hectares, and each one takes the name of a star or a constellation. Pollux and Castor form the wide main slope at the bottom. Orion drops off Shiraitayama as the hardest run on the map, and Hercules beside it has held mogul contests. Super Antares stays ungroomed, and Tree Hercules is a tree run cut beside the C lift in 2019/20. Milky Way follows the ridge for a long run, with the best views on a clear day. Night riding goes on until 02:00 on Fridays, Saturdays and nights before holidays. Riders can take a Friday-evening train from Tokyo, ride until late and sleep in Yuzawa. Expect only part of the lift network to run after dark. Tips: - Take the Friday-evening Shinkansen to Echigo-Yuzawa and the free shuttle for a night session that runs to 02:00. - The 40th-anniversary weeks in January and March bring the day ticket down to ¥4,400. - Kids ride free on their birthday with a day ticket from the counter. - Kami no Yu & Sauna sits on the upper floors of Ground Base, so you can bathe before the train home. Q: How big is Kandatsu Snow? A: Kandatsu Snow has 16 runs and 6 lifts over 529 m of vertical, from 471 m at the base to 1,000 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 11.2 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Kandatsu Snow? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Kandatsu Snow is about 34.4° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 4.1 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Kandatsu Snow? A: An adult day ticket at Kandatsu Snow costs ¥6,800, about CAD 61 or USD 43 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥5,800, about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: Does Kandatsu Snow have night riding? A: Yes. Kandatsu Snow runs night lifts 18:00–02:00. Night riding runs on Fridays, Saturdays and nights before holidays from 18 December 2026 to 27 March 2027, plus a run of nights over New Year; the operator's two pages give the New Year nights as 29 December to 2 January and as 30 December to 2 January. Only some lifts run at night. Q: How do you get to Kandatsu Snow from Tokyo Station? A: Kandatsu Snow is kan-etsu Expressway to Yuzawa IC, then about 1 km (3 minutes) by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: Free shuttle bus from Echigo-Yuzawa east exit, about 7 minutes. Q: When is the season at Kandatsu Snow? A: Kandatsu Snow usually opens 11 December 2026 (pre-season) and closes 11 April 2027. The deepest, most reliable snow comes 19 December 2026 to 28 March 2027 (top season). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kandatsu.com/ https://www.kandatsu.com/about/ https://www.kandatsu.com/course-guide/ https://www.kandatsu.com/price/ https://www.kandatsu.com/earlybird-ticket/ https://www.kandatsu.com/access/ ### Kashimayari URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/kashimayari Numbers: 490 m vertical, top 1320 m, base 830 m, 12 runs, 5 lifts, 11.9 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 34° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,200, about CAD 56 or USD 39 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 鹿島槍スキー場ファミリーパーク (ja) Also known as: Kashimayari Ski Resort Family Park, Kashimayari Snow Resort, HAKUBA VALLEY Kashimayari, 鹿島槍スキー場 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Omachi Address: 20490-4 Taira, Omachi-shi, Nagano 398-0001 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.59690, 137.82550 Season: 12 December 2026 to 22 March 2027 Lift hours: 8:30–16:00 Night riding: No Adult day: ¥6,200, about CAD 56 or USD 39 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 33%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 17% Operator: Nippon Ski Resort Development (NSD) Website: https://www.kashimayari.net/snow/ Summary: Kashimayari suits families with young children who want a winter theme park beside the slopes, and keen riders will run out of terrain by lunch. Kashimayari calls itself a winter theme park, and the family focus shows. Pokemon Snow Adventure brings a tubing run and a snow escalator for small children, and the base lodge Central Plaza 1130 has the ticket desk and the season-pass counter. Above the play areas the runs climb to Toomi Grand View at the top of the resort. Half the terrain is rated intermediate, so parents get proper runs in while the children are at ski school. The 2026/27 season runs from 12 December to 22 March, with lifts turning from 8:30 to 16:00 every day. Tips: - Nagano residents save ¥1,500 a day with photo ID showing their address. - Bring ¥1,000 for the IC card deposit; you get it back when you hand the card in. Q: How big is Kashimayari? A: Kashimayari has 12 runs and 5 lifts over 490 m of vertical, from 830 m at the base to 1,320 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 11.9 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Kashimayari? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Kashimayari is about 34° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.7 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Kashimayari? A: Kashimayari has no backcountry gate, and the Hakuba Valley rules forbid leaving the ski area here. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Kashimayari? A: An adult day ticket at Kashimayari costs ¥6,200, about CAD 56 or USD 39 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥4,700, about CAD 42 or USD 30 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Epic Pass and Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Day Pass holders ride here too. Q: When is the season at Kashimayari? A: Kashimayari usually opens 12 December 2026 and closes 22 March 2027. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kashimayari.net/snow/ https://www.kashimayari.net/snow/tickets/ https://www.kashimayari.net/snow/fields/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ski_resort_info_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ticket_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/access_en/shuttlebus_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/safetytips_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/about_hakubavalley_en/epicpass_en/ ### Kawaba URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/kawaba Numbers: 580 m vertical, top 1870 m, base 1290 m, 12 runs, 5 lifts, 10.3 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 29.2° over 60 m, adult day ¥7,900, about CAD 71 or USD 50 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 川場スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Kawaba Ski Resort, Kawaba Resort, Kawaba Snow, 川場 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Address: Kawaba Kogen, Kawaba, Tone District, Gunma 378-0101 Status: seasonal. Kawaba ran 135 days in 2025/26 and closed on 19 April 2026. Its site was being rebuilt for 2026/27 in October 2026, and some pages still showed 2025/26 details. Coordinates: 36.76890, 139.10810 Lift hours: 8:00–16:00 at weekends and on holidays, 8:30–16:00 on weekdays (2025/26 regular season) Night riding: No Adult day: ¥7,900, about CAD 71 or USD 50 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Operator: Kawaba Resort Co., Ltd. (Nippon Ski Resort Development group) Website: https://www.kawaba.co.jp/ Summary: Kawaba suits park riders and powder chasers who drive from Tokyo, because its slopes start high and its tree areas open by permit, and it is hard to reach by train since the station shuttles ended. Kawaba sits on the slopes of Mt. Hotaka above Kawaba village, close to the Numata interchange on the Kan-etsu Expressway. The base sits at 1,290 m, and five chairlifts climb to 1,870 m. The Crystal course runs 2,000 m from the summit and joins the lower slopes for a 3,300 m descent. A multi-storey car park keeps your car clear of snow at the base. For 2026/27 Kawaba expands its OFF THE PISTE system to seven tree and powder areas and runs them as ZONE FWT under the Freeride World Tour's Japan arm. You watch a safety video, sign in at the counter and rent a COCOHELI locator, and then you can enter through the marked gates. One of the two new areas is spaced widely for riders new to trees. The park side gets a new 1,500 m terrain line designed by the snowboarder Reira Iwabuchi. Takate Skyline turns ungroomed from its midpoint at up to 29 degrees, and Mumeiho Trial keeps a permanent mogul course at 34 degrees. Weekend day tickets cost ¥7,900 for 2026/27. Tips: - Buy the ¥5,800 early-bird web day ticket before 30 November 2026. - Watch the OFF THE PISTE training video before you arrive, because the counter will not issue an armband without it. - Nishimine Downhill sits near the summit and holds the best steep powder the morning after a storm. - Drivers can park free at Michi-no-eki Kawaba Denen Plaza and take the free shuttle up. Q: Is Kawaba open all year? A: Kawaba opens for part of the year. Kawaba ran 135 days in 2025/26 and closed on 19 April 2026. Its site was being rebuilt for 2026/27 in October 2026, and some pages still showed 2025/26 details. Q: How big is Kawaba? A: Kawaba has 12 runs and 5 lifts over 580 m of vertical, from 1,290 m at the base to 1,870 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 10.3 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Kawaba? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Kawaba is about 29.2° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.5 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Kawaba? A: Kawaba opens ungroomed powder and tree areas inside the resort through its OFF THE PISTE system, which grows to seven areas for 2026/27 under the FWT Japan label ZONE FWT. Entry needs a training video, a signed agreement, an armband and a rented COCOHELI locator. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Kawaba? A: An adult day ticket at Kawaba costs ¥7,900, about CAD 71 or USD 50 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,600, about CAD 68 or USD 48 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: How do you get to Kawaba from Tokyo Station? A: Kawaba is the resort calls itself the closest ski area to the Numata IC on the Kan-etsu Expressway by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: Day-trip bus tours run from central Tokyo stations in the morning. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kawaba.co.jp/ https://www.kawaba.co.jp/lift-prices/ https://www.kawaba.co.jp/topics/9686/ https://www.kawaba.co.jp/topics/9667/ https://www.kawaba.co.jp/topics/9645/ https://www.kawaba.co.jp/topics/9660/ https://www.kawaba.co.jp/topics/9398/ https://www.kawaba.co.jp/gelande/ https://www.kawaba.co.jp/gelande/course/ https://www.kawaba.co.jp/activity/off-the-piste/ https://www.kawaba.co.jp/access/ https://www.kawaba.co.jp/en/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11478144 ### Kurumayama Kogen SKYPARK URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/kurumayama-kogen Numbers: 341 m vertical, top 1911 m, base 1570 m, 6 runs, 5 lifts, 7.3 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 29.8° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 車山高原SKYPARKスキー場 (ja) Also known as: Kurumayama, Kurumayama Kogen, Kurumayama Skypark, 車山高原スキー場, 車山 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.10280, 138.20830 Season: 12 December 2026 (planned) to 31 March 2027 (planned) Lift hours: 8:30–16:30 every day Night riding: Yes Adult day: ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Operator: Kurumayama Skypark Resort Inc. Website: https://winter.kurumayama-skypark.com/ Summary: Kurumayama suits families and day-trippers from Tokyo who want sunshine and big views over the Shinshu mountains, and its runs depend on snowmaking from top to bottom. Kurumayama is a wide open hill on the Kirigamine highlands above Chino. The slopes face the open sky with no trees to speak of, and on a clear day the summit shows the mountains of Shinshu all around. Six named runs cover the hill. Family and Panorama suit beginners, and Venus and Sportsman are the steep ones. Snowmaking covers the hill from top to bottom, which keeps the runs open in a dry winter. For 2026/27 a new direct bus runs from Ueno Station's Park Exit to Kurumayama once a day from 12 December, leaving at 7:00 and arriving at 10:50, with seats at ¥4,400 one way. Tips: - Book the Ueno bus ahead; it runs on set dates and needs a reservation. - The early-bird day ticket at ¥4,600 sells online until 31 December. Q: How big is Kurumayama Kogen SKYPARK? A: Kurumayama Kogen SKYPARK has 6 runs and 5 lifts over 341 m of vertical, from 1,570 m at the base to 1,911 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 7.3 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Kurumayama Kogen SKYPARK? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Kurumayama Kogen SKYPARK is about 29.8° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.2 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Kurumayama Kogen SKYPARK? A: An adult day ticket at Kurumayama Kogen SKYPARK costs ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥4,600, about CAD 41 or USD 29 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: Does Kurumayama Kogen SKYPARK have night riding? A: Yes. Kurumayama Kogen SKYPARK runs night lifts. Night sessions are occasional events: in 2025/26 they ran on 31 December from 18:00 to 21:00 and on 22 February from 17:00 to 20:00. Q: How do you get to Kurumayama Kogen SKYPARK from Tokyo Station? A: By bus: From 12 December 2026 a reservation-only direct bus runs once a day from JR Ueno Station's Park Exit to Kurumayama Kogen, 7:00 to 10:50, ¥4,400 one way or ¥7,700 return. Q: When is the season at Kurumayama Kogen SKYPARK? A: Kurumayama Kogen SKYPARK usually opens 12 December 2026 (planned) and closes 31 March 2027 (planned). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://winter.kurumayama-skypark.com/ https://winter.kurumayama-skypark.com/gelende https://winter.kurumayama-skypark.com/archives/4493 https://winter.kurumayama-skypark.com/archives/4495 https://winter.kurumayama-skypark.com/access https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11637301 ### Kusatsu Onsen Ski Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/kusatsu-onsen-ski-resort Numbers: 355 m vertical, top 1600 m, base 1245 m, 5 runs, 7 lifts, 5.6 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 27.4° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,000, about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 草津温泉スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Kusatsu, Kusatsu Kokusai, Kusatsu International Ski Resort, Kusatsu ski area, 草津国際スキー場, 草津 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Address: Shirane National Forest, Kusatsu, Agatsuma District, Gunma 377-1711 Status: seasonal. Kusatsu had not posted its 2026/27 opening date on 11 October 2026. In 2025/26 the opening days began on 18 December 2025. Coordinates: 36.62910, 138.58580 Lift hours: Lifts open between 8:30 and 9:10 and close between 15:50 and 16:30, depending on the lift Night riding: 16:30–20:00 on the Tenguyama slope Adult day: ¥6,000, about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 50%, Intermediate 30%, Advanced 20% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Kusatsu Kanko Kosha (owned by Kusatsu town) Website: https://www.932-onsen.com/winter/ Summary: Kusatsu Onsen Ski Resort suits beginners and families who want an easy slope above one of Japan's great hot-spring towns, and advanced riders will finish its five courses by lunch. Kusatsu Onsen Ski Resort is the town's own ski area, run by a company Kusatsu owns, five minutes' drive from the Yubatake. A gondola and six chairs serve five courses between 1,245 m and 1,600 m. The resort calls half of its terrain beginner ground. The Shakunage course runs 3.2 km through larch forest at an average 8 degrees, and the R292 course follows the winter-closed national road for 2 km. The mountain changed after 23 January 2018. Motoshirane erupted that morning for the first time in about 3,000 years, a few hundred metres from the top runs, and rocks rained onto the slopes and the Shirane ropeway. JMA counts one dead and eleven injured, and the man who died was a Self-Defense Force member training on the slopes. The ropeway and the summit runs never reopened, and the ski area took its present name that April. JMA has held Motoshirane at alert level 1 since April 2019, and lowered Yugama on Shirane from level 2 to level 1 on 15 May 2026. Check both levels before you go, because JMA tracks the two craters on separate scales. At Motoshirane level 2 closes the ground within 1 km of the 2018 craters and level 3 within 2 km. A day ticket costs ¥6,000 for 2026/27, and ¥4,500 if you buy online in October. Saturday nights bring lit riding on Tenguyama until 20:00. A free town bus links the bus terminal and the slopes. Tips: - Buy the early web ticket in October 2026 for ¥4,500, or in November for ¥5,000. - Look up JMA's warnings for Kusatsu-Shiranesan before each visit, since levels can change within a day. - The free town shuttle runs between the Kusatsu bus terminal and the ski area, so a stay in town works without a car. Q: Is it safe to ski at Kusatsu after the 2018 eruption? A: The ski area runs below the closed summit zone, and JMA held both Motoshirane and Yugama at alert level 1 in October 2026. Check JMA's current level for both craters before you go, because the closed zone grows at level 2 and level 3. Q: How do I get to Kusatsu Onsen Ski Resort from Tokyo? A: Take the limited express Kusatsu-Shima from Ueno to Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi, about 2 hours 33 minutes, and the JR bus to Kusatsu in 25 minutes. The Hokuriku Shinkansen to Karuizawa and a bus of 78 to 115 minutes also work. Q: Is Kusatsu Onsen Ski Resort open all year? A: Kusatsu Onsen Ski Resort opens for part of the year. Kusatsu had not posted its 2026/27 opening date on 11 October 2026. In 2025/26 the opening days began on 18 December 2025. Q: How big is Kusatsu Onsen? A: Kusatsu Onsen has 5 runs and 7 lifts over 355 m of vertical, from 1,245 m at the base to 1,600 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 5.6 km of piste there. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Kusatsu Onsen? A: Kusatsu keeps riders inside its managed area, which sits on the flank of the active Kusatsu-Shirane volcano. Under the resort's terms, anyone rescued after leaving the managed area pays every cost of the rescue. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Kusatsu Onsen? A: An adult day ticket at Kusatsu Onsen costs ¥6,000, about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.932-onsen.com/winter/ https://www.932-onsen.com/winter/course/ https://www.932-onsen.com/winter/ryokin/ https://www.932-onsen.com/winter/news/712.php https://www.932-onsen.com/winter/news/501.php https://www.932-onsen.com/winter/news/719.php https://www.932-onsen.com/common/access/ https://www.932-onsen.com/pdf/safety/e53a3fe042221c2b9bb80541cc45976456ac912a.pdf https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/305_Kusatsu-Shiranesan/305_index.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/filing/level/PDF/level_351.pdf https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/filing/level/PDF/level_350.pdf https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/305_Kusatsu-Shiranesan/305_history.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/volinfo/volinfo.php?info=ALL&id=351 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/volinfo/volinfo.php?info=ALL&id=350 https://www.town.kusatsu.gunma.jp/s001/110/060/20261008/kaihou20261008.pdf https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/access/train.php https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%8D%89%E6%B4%A5%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89%E3%82%B9%E3%82%AD%E3%83%BC%E5%A0%B4 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11618170 ### Madarao URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/madarao Numbers: 474 m vertical, top 1381 m, base 907 m, 32 runs, 10 lifts, 21.6 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 34.4° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,000, about CAD 81 or USD 57 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 斑尾高原スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Madarao Mountain Resort, Madarao Kogen, THE MADARAO, Madarao Kogen Ski Resort, 斑尾 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Madarao Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.85250, 138.28970 Season: 12 December 2026 to 28 March 2027 Lift hours: 8:30–16:30 on the base lifts; upper lifts from 8:45 or 9:30 to between 15:30 and 16:00 in 2026/27 Night riding: 16:30–21:00 on the No. 1 lift and 16:30–20:30 on the No. 2 quad Adult day: ¥9,000, about CAD 81 or USD 57 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 35%, Advanced 35% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Madarao Kogen Ski Resort and Madarao Kogen Hotel Website: https://www.madarao.jp/en/ Summary: Madarao suits tree and powder riders who want marked tree runs and a quiet lift line, and it is new to the Ikon Pass for 2026/27. Madarao sits on the Nagano–Niigata border between Nozawa Onsen and Myoko Kogen, and its bowl-shaped ski area drops off Mt. Madarao at 1,381 m. The resort leaves about 60% of its courses ungroomed and has twelve official tree runs, more than any other ski area in Japan by its own count. Japan's first freestyle skiing competition was held here. The tree runs are inside the managed area, so you can try riding among trees without leaving the resort. The courses are short and the exits are easy, which makes this a good first stop before you head into the backcountry. Look for Powder Theater and Crystal Bowl on the status board. A ridge links Madarao with Tangram Ski Circus, and a Mountain Pass covers both. The link closes in the first week of the season and again from 23 March, so check before you plan a day across both. Madarao opens on 12 December 2026 and closes on 28 March 2027. Madarao joins the Ikon Pass for 2026/27 with seven days on the full pass and five on the Base Pass, and no reservations are needed. Tips: - Bring cash or exchange money before you arrive; there are no ATMs in Madarao Kogen. - Buses from Iiyama Station are limited, so check the timetable. A taxi takes about 30 minutes and costs about ¥5,000. - The Nagano Snow Shuttle runs from Narita and Haneda straight to Madarao for ¥10,800 to ¥16,800 one way. Q: How big is Madarao? A: Madarao has 32 runs and 10 lifts over 474 m of vertical, from 907 m at the base to 1,381 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 21.6 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Madarao? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Madarao is about 34.4° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 7.2 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Madarao? A: Madarao does not ban riders from leaving the ski area, and it sets no designated exit gate. Beyond the boundary there is no grooming, patrol, avalanche control or rescue. The resort's twelve official tree runs and its ungroomed courses are part of the managed area and are a different thing from the backcountry. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Madarao? A: An adult day ticket at Madarao costs ¥9,000, about CAD 81 or USD 57 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Ikon Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Madarao from Tokyo Station? A: By bus: The Nagano Snow Shuttle and the Myoko Shuttle run from Narita and Haneda airports to Madarao. Q: When is the season at Madarao? A: Madarao usually opens 12 December 2026 and closes 28 March 2027. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.madarao.jp/en/ https://www.madarao.jp/en/course https://www.madarao.jp/en/tickets https://www.madarao.jp/en/ikon/ https://www.madarao.jp/information/14065 https://www.madarao.jp/information/14106 https://www.madarao.jp/information/14062 https://www.madarao.jp/en/location-access https://www.madarao.jp/for-safe-skiing https://www.madarao.jp/system/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/JP_Madarao_Kogen_Ski_Resort_Terms_and_Conditions_of_Use_and_Lift_Transportation_September_2026_Consolidated_Revision.pdf https://www.ikonpass.com/en/destinations/madarao-mountain-resort https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11500723 https://nadare.jp/ ### Maiko Snow Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/maiko-snow-resort Numbers: 651 m vertical, top 910 m, base 259 m, 26 runs, 10 lifts, 20 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 30.7° over 60 m, adult day ¥7,300, about CAD 66 or USD 46 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 舞子スノーリゾート (ja) Also known as: Maiko, Maiko Kogen, 舞子, 舞子高原 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Coordinates: 36.98220, 138.82440 Night riding: Yes Adult day: ¥7,300, about CAD 66 or USD 46 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Website: https://www.maiko-resort.com/winter/ Summary: Maiko suits groups who want long cruising and a hotel on the slopes one minute from the expressway, and its trade-off is a 20 to 30-minute shuttle ride from Echigo-Yuzawa for anyone coming by train. Maiko sits right beside the Shiozawa-Ishiuchi interchange, and the operator says you reach the slopes one minute after leaving the expressway. Its 26 courses spread across three areas called Maiko, Nagamine and Okusoechi, served by a gondola and nine chairs. The operator quotes a longest run of about 6,000 metres. The day centre at the base holds rental, lockers and tickets, and the gondola leaves from there. The gondola climbs to the Okusoechi area at the top, where the summit café ITADAKI stands next to the Sky Dome restaurant. Okusoechi has ungroomed snow after storms and the Haglöfs tree-run area. Nagamine holds the long cruise back down, plus an ungroomed expert course that opens only when conditions allow. The resort publishes an off-piste map that marks the closed areas. Maiko Kogen Hotel sits on the slopes, and its guests can ride the night sessions and the early starts. Night riding runs on weekends from January to mid-March. Free shuttles leave Echigo-Yuzawa for the hotel, about 20 minutes, and the ski centre, about 30. Guided backcountry tours climb Iiji-san behind the resort. Tips: - Read the off-piste map before you ride the trees; it marks the closed areas. - Buy the gondola fast-lane pass for ¥2,500 on busy weekends. - 13 March 2027 is fireworks night, with extended lift hours and no shuttle bus. Q: How big is Maiko Snow? A: Maiko Snow has 26 runs and 10 lifts over 651 m of vertical, from 259 m at the base to 910 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 20 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Maiko Snow? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Maiko Snow is about 30.7° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 3.2 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Maiko Snow? A: An adult day ticket at Maiko Snow costs ¥7,300, about CAD 66 or USD 46 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does Maiko Snow have night riding? A: Yes. Maiko Snow runs night lifts. Night riding runs from 29 December 2026 to 1 January 2027 and on weekends from 2 January to 13 March 2027, with no weekday or holiday sessions. Night tickets sell at the Maiko No.1 pair lift counter until 18:30 on Saturdays and 17:30 on Sundays, or at the hotel front desk. Q: How do you get to Maiko Snow from Tokyo Station? A: Maiko Snow is about two hours from Nerima IC on the Kan-etsu Expressway to Shiozawa-Ishiuchi IC, then one minute to the slopes by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: Free shuttle bus from Echigo-Yuzawa. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.maiko-resort.com/winter/ https://www.maiko-resort.com/winter/gelande.html https://www.maiko-resort.com/winter/lift.html https://www.maiko-resort.com/winter/access.html https://www.maiko-resort.com/winter/guide-tour.html https://www.maiko-resort.com/news/gelandeguidemap.html ### Marunuma Kogen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/marunuma-kogen Numbers: 614 m vertical, top 2000 m, base 1386 m, 22 runs, 8 lifts, 10.2 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 33.9° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,300, about CAD 57 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 丸沼高原スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Marunuma, Marunuma Kogen Ski Resort, Marunuma Kougen, 丸沼高原, 丸沼 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Katashina Address: 4658-58 Higashiogawa, Katashina, Tone District, Gunma 378-0414 Status: seasonal. Marunuma had not posted its 2026/27 dates or prices on 11 October 2026. The 2025/26 season ran from 5 December 2025 to 6 May 2026. Coordinates: 36.81490, 139.33030 Lift hours: 8:30–16:30 at most; 8:30–16:00 from opening to 9 January and from 6 April to the close (2025/26) Night riding: No Adult day: ¥6,300, about CAD 57 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Website: https://www.marunuma.jp/winter/ Summary: Marunuma Kogen suits riders who want Gunma's highest lift-served snow and a season that runs into May, and it sits 50 minutes up the road from the nearest expressway exit. Marunuma Kogen spreads across the lower flanks of Mt. Nikko-Shirane in Katashina village, and the resort calls the mountain the highest peak north of Kanto. A ropeway lifts you to about 2,000 m and the longest run drops 4 km back to the base. The resort counts 22 courses on eight lifts. That altitude lets it open early in December and run into May. Marunuma grooms most of its slopes and leaves some unpacked after a storm. The 755 m Silver course stays ungroomed with a long 32 degree mogul pitch. Riding outside the marked area is banned. Centre Station at the base has a day-use onsen and sauna, and Chalet Marunuma rents simple rooms on the slopes. Come from the Numata interchange in winter, because navigation can send you round the Nikko side, where the road is closed from Yumoto Onsen and the detour adds about three hours. The 2026/27 prices were still unpublished on 11 October 2026; in 2025/26 a weekend day cost ¥6,300. Tips: - Set your navigation to come via Numata, because the Nikko approach is closed in winter. - The Friendly Pass covers only the gentle lifts 1, 4 and Chuo, and suits a beginner's first day. - Marunuma does not wrap its trees in padding, so give them room at speed. Q: Is Marunuma Kogen open all year? A: Marunuma Kogen opens for part of the year. Marunuma had not posted its 2026/27 dates or prices on 11 October 2026. The 2025/26 season ran from 5 December 2025 to 6 May 2026. Q: How big is Marunuma Kogen? A: Marunuma Kogen has 22 runs and 8 lifts over 614 m of vertical, from 1,386 m at the base to 2,000 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 10.2 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Marunuma Kogen? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Marunuma Kogen is about 33.9° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 0.8 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Marunuma Kogen? A: Marunuma forbids riding outside its marked area and closes courses and zones when it needs to. It leaves some courses ungroomed after snowfall, including the 755 m Silver course. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Marunuma Kogen? A: An adult day ticket at Marunuma Kogen costs ¥6,300, about CAD 57 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥5,600, about CAD 50 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: How do you get to Marunuma Kogen from Tokyo Station? A: Marunuma Kogen is about 50 minutes from the Numata IC on the Kan-etsu Expressway, or about 2 hours 30 minutes from the Nerima IC in Tokyo by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The seasonal Katashina Snow Express runs once a day from Busta Shinjuku to Michi-no-eki Oze Katashina, and Marunuma's booked shuttle carries its passengers on to the resort. In 2025/26 it ran from 20 December to 22 March for ¥4,500 one way, leaving Shinjuku at 7:35. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.marunuma.jp/winter/ https://www.marunuma.jp/winter/ticket https://www.marunuma.jp/winter/attractive https://www.marunuma.jp/winter/course-guide https://www.marunuma.jp/winter/course-map https://www.marunuma.jp/winter/safety https://www.marunuma.jp/winter/access https://www.marunuma.jp/green/wp/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/anzen2026.pdf https://www.marunuma.jp/winter/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2026wcoursemap.jpg https://cloud.wp.winterplus.jp/powder5 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108129864 ### Masumizu Kogen Ski Area URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/masumizu-kogen Numbers: 160 m vertical, top 869 m, base 709 m, 1 runs, 1 lifts, 1.3 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 20.7° over 60 m Type: Resort Local name: 大山ますみず高原スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Masumizu Snow Park, Daisen Masumizu Kogen, 桝水高原スキー場, ますみず高原 Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Address: 1069-50 Ouchi, Hoki, Saihaku District, Tottori Status: seasonal. The ski page still showed the 2024/25 opening of 21 December 2024 on 11 October 2026. The summer Tenku lift runs daily until 23 November 2026. Coordinates: 35.36944, 133.51667 Lift hours: 9:00–17:00 daily in 2024/25, with night skiing 17:30–22:00 on Fridays, Saturdays and holiday eves Night riding: 17:30–22:00 on Fridays, Saturdays and holiday eves (2024/25) Website: https://www.masumizu.net/ski.html Summary: Masumizu Kogen suits families and night skiers from Yonago who want one wide run with a view to the sea, and it had posted nothing for 2026/27 by October. Masumizu Kogen sits on Mt. Daisen's west slope in Hoki town, with the car park a minute's walk from the snow. One pair lift with a mid-station serves a wide run of about 700 m with 160 m of drop and a pitch near 30 degrees at its steepest, looking out over Yonago to the Sea of Japan. In 2024/25 it ran night skiing on Friday and Saturday evenings and holiday eves until 22:00. A day cost ¥4,700 for adults in 2024/25, entry included. In summer the same lift runs as the Tenku lift for sightseers. Q: Is Masumizu Kogen Ski Area open all year? A: Masumizu Kogen Ski Area opens for part of the year. The ski page still showed the 2024/25 opening of 21 December 2024 on 11 October 2026. The summer Tenku lift runs daily until 23 November 2026. Q: How big is Masumizu Kogen? A: Masumizu Kogen has 1 runs and 1 lifts over 160 m of vertical, from 709 m at the base to 869 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 1.3 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Masumizu Kogen? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Masumizu Kogen is about 20.7° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: Does Masumizu Kogen have night riding? A: Yes. Masumizu Kogen runs night lifts 17:30–22:00 on Fridays, Saturdays and holiday eves (2024/25). No night skiing on 31 December. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.masumizu.net/ski.html https://www.masumizu.net/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11538256 ### Meiho Snow Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/meiho Numbers: 679 m vertical, top 1577 m, base 898 m, 12 runs, 5 lifts, 12.7 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 33.8° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,300, about CAD 57 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: めいほうスキー場 (ja) Also known as: Meiho, Meiho Ski Resort, Meiho Ski Area, MEIHO SNOW RESORT, めいほう, 明宝 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Address: 3447-1 Okuzumi Mizusawagami, Meiho, Gujo, Gifu 501-4304 Status: seasonal. Meiho has published 2026/27 lift prices and new lift hours but had not announced its opening day by 11 October 2026. Coordinates: 35.94180, 137.04300 Lift hours: 8:00–16:30 from 2026/27, and 7:30–16:30 at weekends and on holidays in February; the upper lifts close earlier, the No. 2 quad at 15:15 Night riding: No Adult day: ¥6,300, about CAD 57 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Operator: Meiho Kogen Kaihatsu Co. (めいほう高原開発株式会社), part of Nippon Ski Resort Development Website: https://www.meihoski.co.jp/winter/ Summary: Meiho suits skiers who want one long run and steep moguls an hour and a quarter from Ichinomiya, and the trade-off is that it sits apart from the Takasu resorts and their shared ticket. Meiho lies on the northeast face of Mt. Eboshi in Gujo's Meiho district, east of the Takasu cluster. Its signature course α5000 runs 5,000 m from the top at a gentle 8° average, with terrain features dotted along it. Four quads and a pair lift serve 12 named courses. The steep end is short and serious. γ800 hits 38° and the resort calls it its toughest pitch, and γ900 is a long mogul field from the top that turns to powder on fresh mornings. On weekdays dogs can ride the No. 3 and No. 4 quads, and a pet course lets owners ski with them. Meiho changes its lift hours for 2026/27, with the first lifts at 8:00 and at 7:30 on February weekends. A free shuttle bookable from Gujo Hachiman runs from mid-December to late March, so a stay in the castle town works without a car. Tips: - Weekday parking is free, and season pass holders park free at weekends too. - Book the free Gujo Hachiman shuttle ahead; it leaves the Fairfield by Marriott Gifu Gujo at 8:15 and takes about 75 minutes. - Season pass holders get half-price entry at Meiho Onsen Yuseikan, ¥400 instead of ¥800. Q: How much is a Meiho lift ticket for 2026/27? A: An adult day ticket costs ¥5,300 on weekdays, ¥6,300 at weekends in December, January, March and April, and ¥6,500 at weekends in February. Q: How long is the longest run at Meiho? A: The α5000 course runs 5,000 m from the top of the resort. Q: Can you bring a dog to Meiho Snow Resort? A: Yes, on weekdays. A dog day pass costs ¥1,800 for the No. 3 and No. 4 quads, and a pet course lets owners ski with their dogs. Q: Is Meiho Snow Resort open all year? A: Meiho Snow Resort opens for part of the year. Meiho has published 2026/27 lift prices and new lift hours but had not announced its opening day by 11 October 2026. Q: How big is Meiho Snow? A: Meiho Snow has 12 runs and 5 lifts over 679 m of vertical, from 898 m at the base to 1,577 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 12.7 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Meiho Snow? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Meiho Snow is about 33.8° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.1 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Meiho Snow? A: Meiho bans riding past the boundary line, into closed areas or across ropes, nets and signs for any reason. Anyone caught loses every ticket they hold, season passes included. Tracks inside a closed area belong to the ski patrol's safety checks. Q: How do you get to Meiho Snow from Nagoya Station? A: Meiho Snow is about 1 hour 15 minutes from Ichinomiya JCT on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway, leaving at Gujo Hachiman IC by car from Nagoya Station. By bus: Reserved day tour buses run from Nagoya, Ichinomiya, Gifu and Mikawa. A free reserved shuttle links Gujo Hachiman with the resort from mid-December to late March. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.meihoski.co.jp/winter/ https://www.meihoski.co.jp/price/ https://www.meihoski.co.jp/gelande/ https://www.meihoski.co.jp/access/ https://www.meihoski.co.jp/company/ https://www.meihoski.co.jp/season26/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/めいほうスキー場 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11279646 ### Minakami Kogen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/minakami-kogen Numbers: 395 m vertical, top 1248 m, base 853 m, 12 runs, 4 lifts, 7.8 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 30.8° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 水上高原スキーリゾート (ja) Also known as: Minakami Kogen Ski Resort, Minakami Kogen 200, Hotel Minakami Kogen 200, 水上高原, 水上高原ホテル200 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.85530, 139.07610 Season: 18 December 2026 to 4 April 2027 Best snow: 26 December 2026 to 28 March 2027 (regular ticket period) Night riding: No Adult day: ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Website: https://www.minakami-ski.jp/ Summary: Minakami Kogen suits families who want a hotel on the slopes and gentle runs for small children, and confident riders will tire of its four lifts in a morning. Minakami Kogen is the ski area of the Hotel Minakami Kogen 200, high on the Fujiwara side of Minakami. Four lifts serve 12 courses, and the top of the No. 1 Romance lift reaches 1,248 m. Two of the courses stay fully ungroomed, and their names come from Minakami dialect for tumbling down. The season runs from 18 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, and a regular day ticket costs ¥5,500. Hotel guests ride for ¥1,000 in the opening and closing weeks. The resort also runs dog sledding, a sled-ride course and two kids' parks, which makes it an easy pick for a family with mixed abilities. Tips: - Book the Minakami Kogen Liner by 17:00 the day before, because the station bus takes reservations only. - The Sled Ride course opens from mid-January on the No. 3 Romance lift, and it accepts only the resort's own rental sleds. Q: How big is Minakami Kogen? A: Minakami Kogen has 12 runs and 4 lifts over 395 m of vertical, from 853 m at the base to 1,248 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 7.8 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Minakami Kogen? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Minakami Kogen is about 30.8° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Minakami Kogen? A: An adult day ticket at Minakami Kogen costs ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥2,500, about CAD 22 or USD 16 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: Does Minakami Kogen have night riding? A: No. Minakami Kogen closes its lifts at dusk. Q: When is the season at Minakami Kogen? A: Minakami Kogen usually opens 18 December 2026 and closes 4 April 2027. The deepest, most reliable snow comes 26 December 2026 to 28 March 2027 (regular ticket period). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.minakami-ski.jp/ https://www.minakami-ski.jp/gerande/ https://www.minakami-ski.jp/price/ https://www.minakami-ski.jp/access/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11548242 ### Mizuho Highland URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/mizuho-highland Numbers: 708 m vertical, top 1200 m, base 492 m, 5 runs, 5 lifts, 14.5 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 33.6° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,500, about CAD 58 or USD 41 (October 2026 rates) (2025/26) Type: Resort Local name: 瑞穂ハイランド (ja) Also known as: Mizuho Highland Snow Resort, 瑞穂ハイランド Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Shimane Address: 6242-19 Ichigi, Ohnan, Ochi District, Shimane 697-0631 Status: seasonal. Mizuho Highland plans to open for 2026/27 on 24 December 2026 and had not posted 2026/27 lift prices by 11 October. Coordinates: 34.80417, 132.38417 Adult day: ¥6,500, about CAD 58 or USD 41 (October 2026 rates) (2025/26) Website: https://mizuhohighland.com/ Summary: Mizuho Highland suits Hiroshima-side skiers who want the longest run in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions, and that 3,700 m line needs the Chestnut course open, which depends on snow. Mizuho Highland sits in Ohnan, in the Shimane mountains on the Hiroshima border, with a gondola up to a 1,200 m summit. Its five courses run from the 500 m Naster beginner slope to the 2,600 m Chestnut, and the 1,000 m Rabbit averages 21 degrees. When Chestnut opens, the resort strings it into a 3,700 m run, which it calls the longest in Chugoku and Shikoku. The resort says the drive from Hiroshima JCT takes 55 minutes to the lift and from Hamada JCT 45 minutes. It has no winter lodging and ran no crèche last season, so plan it as a day trip or stay elsewhere. Tips: - The Rabbit and Chestnut courses open only with enough snow; check the resort's snow report before you go. Q: Is Mizuho Highland open all year? A: Mizuho Highland opens for part of the year. Mizuho Highland plans to open for 2026/27 on 24 December 2026 and had not posted 2026/27 lift prices by 11 October. Q: How big is Mizuho Highland? A: Mizuho Highland has 5 runs and 5 lifts over 708 m of vertical, from 492 m at the base to 1,200 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 14.5 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Mizuho Highland? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Mizuho Highland is about 33.6° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 4.3 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Mizuho Highland? A: An adult day ticket at Mizuho Highland costs ¥6,500, about CAD 58 or USD 41 (October 2026 rates) in the 2025/26 main season and ¥5,400, about CAD 49 or USD 34 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: How do you get to Mizuho Highland from Hiroshima Station? A: Mizuho Highland is 55 minutes from Hiroshima JCT to the lift, by the resort's figure; 45 minutes from Hamada JCT by car from Hiroshima Station. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://mizuhohighland.com/ https://mizuhohighland.com/news/detail?id=5140 https://mizuhohighland.com/price/ https://mizuhohighland.com/course/ https://mizuhohighland.com/information/detail?id=310 https://mizuhohighland.com/access/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q82764063 ### Myoko Suginohara URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/myoko-suginohara Numbers: 1124 m vertical, top 1855 m, base 731 m, 16 runs, 5 lifts, 21.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 35.2° over 60 m Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 妙高杉ノ原スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Suginohara, Myoko Suginohara Ski Resort, Suginohara Ski Resort, 杉ノ原, 妙高杉ノ原 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Suginosawa Address: Suginosawa, Myoko, Niigata 949-2113 Coordinates: 36.85670, 138.15560 Season: 19 December 2026 (planned) to 28 March 2027 (planned) Lift hours: 08:30–16:00 on the 2025/26 day ticket. The gondola and the two Mitahara high-speed lifts start later and stop earlier than the base chairs. Night riding: No Terrain: Beginner 40%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 20% Operator: Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide (Prince Snow Resorts) Website: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/myoko/winter/ Summary: Suginohara suits families and cruisers who want the longest top-to-bottom run in Myoko, and its trade-off is a short season that Prince ends in late March. Suginohara spreads up the slopes of Mt. Myoko above the village of Suginosawa. The Suginohara Gondola lifts you out of the base, and two high-speed quads on the Mitahara side carry you on to the top at 1,855 metres. Prince quotes 1,124 metres of vertical and a longest run of about 8.5 kilometres. On a clear day you look straight down onto Lake Nojiri with the mountains of northern Nagano behind it. Most of the mountain is wide and gentle. The Shirakaba Trail winds from the top of the gondola almost to the base, and Panorama Trail gives beginners a way down from the high lifts. The steep ground sits right at the top. Super Giant and Super Mogul drop off the top of the Mitahara lifts, and Myoko Tourism points to tree runs up there as well. Prince is running Suginohara differently in 2026/27. The resort has stopped its own season passes and early-bird tickets. Its car park is smaller this winter and charges a fee every day. Children up to elementary-school age still ride free. Suginohara joined the Ikon Pass in winter 2025, and its pass holders scan straight in at the gates without a reservation. Tips: - Ikon Pass holders can go straight to the lift gates. If the card will not scan, the ticket counter issues a local pass. - The Mt. MYOKO shuttle links Suginohara with Ikenotaira and Akakura in the main season. - Prince recommends helmets on every slope here. Q: How big is Myoko Suginohara? A: Myoko Suginohara has 16 runs and 5 lifts over 1,124 m of vertical, from 731 m at the base to 1,855 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 21.4 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Myoko Suginohara? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Myoko Suginohara is about 35.2° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.7 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Myoko Suginohara? A: At Myoko Suginohara: Suginohara lets riders out of the managed area only through its gates, after they file a climbing plan with the patrol office. The resort takes no responsibility for anyone beyond the boundary, and the rider pays for any search or rescue. Q: How do you get to Myoko Suginohara from Tokyo Station? A: Myoko Suginohara is joshin-etsu Expressway to Myoko-Kogen IC, then up to Suginosawa by car from Tokyo Station. Q: When is the season at Myoko Suginohara? A: Myoko Suginohara usually opens 19 December 2026 (planned) and closes 28 March 2027 (planned). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/myoko/winter/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/myoko/winter/coursemap/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/myoko/winter/lift/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/myoko/winter/access/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/myoko/winter/coursemap/safety.html https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/myoko/informations/seasonpass_earlybirdticket https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/myoko/informations/ikonpass https://www.princehotels.com/en/ski/myoko_kogen/ https://myokotourism.com/ski-resorts/suginohara-ski-resort/ https://myokotourism.com/season-passes/ https://www.ikonpass.com/en/destinations/myoko-suginohara-ski-resort ### Naeba Ski Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/naeba Numbers: 889 m vertical, top 1789 m, base 900 m, 24 runs, 12 lifts, 19.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 37.1° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,800, about CAD 88 or USD 62 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 苗場スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Naeba, Naeba Prince, 苗場 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Coordinates: 36.79320, 138.78410 Season: 18 December 2026 to 4 April 2027 Lift hours: Lifts open from 08:30; night riding runs to 20:30 every day of the night period. Night riding: to 20:30 Adult day: ¥9,800, about CAD 88 or USD 62 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Operator: Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide (Prince Snow Resorts) Website: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/naeba/winter/ Summary: Naeba suits groups who want a big hotel at the lifts and night riding every evening, and its trade-off is a season that ends in early April while Kagura next door runs into May. Naeba is Prince's big hotel resort on Route 17, and the Naeba Prince Hotel sits right at the base of the lifts. Two Prince gondolas climb from the hotel toward the summit of Takenokoyama at 1,789 metres. The Dragondola starts near the Hiuchi slopes and crosses the valley to Tashiro at Kagura. Prince counts 24 courses and 12 lifts with 889 metres of vertical. Most of the steep ground sits on the upper mountain. Splash Bowl and the Men's Riesen are left ungroomed, and the World Cup Mogul course sits right above the hotel. The Large Trail runs a long way down from the top for intermediates. Beginners stay around the hotel slopes and the Hiuchi area, which has its own pair lift. Night riding runs every evening of the main season to 20:30 on the slopes in front of the hotel. Book the Mt. Naeba ticket on a clear day and ride the Dragondola to Kagura for its higher terrain. The Dragondola runs from 26 December to 22 March in 2026/27. Tips: - Non-riders can take the Dragondola as a sightseeing round trip for ¥4,000. - Prince warns of drops, cracks, bushes and rocks on Splash Bowl when snow is short. - Children up to elementary-school age ride free, but they still need a ticket from the counter. Q: How big is Naeba? A: Naeba has 24 runs and 12 lifts over 889 m of vertical, from 900 m at the base to 1,789 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 19.4 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Naeba? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Naeba is about 37.1° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 4.7 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Naeba? A: Prince asks anyone leaving Naeba's managed area by lift to file a climbing plan at the patrol post and leave only through the designated gates. The rider pays for any rescue outside the area. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Naeba? A: An adult day ticket at Naeba costs ¥9,800, about CAD 88 or USD 62 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Q: How do you get to Naeba from Tokyo Station? A: Naeba is kan-etsu Expressway to Yuzawa IC or Tsukiyono IC, then Route 17 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: Express bus from Echigo-Yuzawa via Kagura Mitsumata and Tashiro to Naeba in season. Q: When is the season at Naeba? A: Naeba usually opens 18 December 2026 and closes 4 April 2027. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/naeba/winter/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/naeba/winter/coursemap/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/naeba/winter/lift/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/naeba/winter/coursemap/safety.html https://www.princehotels.com/en/ski/naeba/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/kagura/winter/access/ ### NEKOMA Mountain URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/nekoma Numbers: 638 m vertical, top 1338 m, base 700 m, 33 runs, 13 lifts, 23.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 31.4° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,500, about CAD 58 or USD 41 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 星野リゾート ネコマ マウンテン (ja) Also known as: Nekoma Mountain, Hoshino Resorts NEKOMA Mountain, Nekoma, Alts Bandai, Alts, Nekoma Ski Resort, ネコマ, アルツ磐梯, 猫魔スキー場 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Fukushima Address: 6838-68 Shimizudaira, Sarashina, Bandai-machi, Yama-gun, Fukushima 969-3302 (South Area) Status: seasonal Coordinates: 37.58700, 140.03400 Season: 28 November 2026 in the North Area and 12 December 2026 in the South Area (snow permitting) to 9 May 2027 in the North Area and 4 April 2027 in the South Area Night riding: 16:30–20:00 Adult day: ¥6,500, about CAD 58 or USD 41 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Snowfall: 8.0 m a season (NEKOMA's English page gives 800 cm of annual snowfall without saying where it is measured.) Car-free village: Yes Operator: Hoshino Resorts Website: https://www.nekoma.co.jp/englp/ Summary: NEKOMA Mountain suits powder riders and park riders who want two connected ski areas on one ticket, and the South Area closes a month before the North Area in spring. NEKOMA Mountain joined two old ski areas on Mt. Nekoma above Lake Inawashiro. The South Area is the former Alts Bandai, with the big resort centre and the Bandaisan Onsen Hotel at its foot, and the North Area is the former Nekoma ski area on the Urabandai side. The Nyalts chair links them in both directions. Hoshino Resorts counts 33 courses on 189 ha between 700 m and 1,338 m. The South Area holds the steeps. Black Valley 1, 2, 4 and 5 are what the resort calls its four steep brothers, and Black Valley 5 stays ungroomed under its big rock all season. Frozen 3 runs through a tunnel of rime-coated trees from the Frozen chair, with views back over Lake Inawashiro and Mt. Bandai. For 2026/27 the tree-run zones grow from three to five, adding 7.5 ha in Black Valley and White Valley to make 27.5 ha. The North Area faces north and sits above 1,000 m, so its snow stays light and keeps late into spring. Deep 1 is where the resort sends people looking for the deepest powder. NEKOMA closes the lifts to its deep area when more than 30 cm falls in three days, then reopens them so riders get first tracks. The North Area stays open until 9 May 2027. Day tickets cost ¥6,500 at the counter and ¥5,900 online. Night riding on the 2 km Zunai run comes on set evenings from January to early March, and the Matatabi beer house takes over the South Area canteen from late afternoon. Tips: - Buy multi-day tickets before 3 November 2026. The super early bird five-day ticket works out at ¥3,800 a day, and the days don't need to run in a row. - Park in the free South B to D lots. The South A lot by the centre charges ¥1,000 on weekends and over New Year, and entry after 14:00 is free. - Book the Koriyama bus ahead. It runs only with a reservation and stops taking bookings 15 minutes before departure. - Use the North Area for spring days after 4 April, when the South Area has closed. - Mt. Bandai next door is a JMA-monitored volcano at Level 1. JMA's Bandaisan page carries the current level. Q: How big is NEKOMA Mountain? A: NEKOMA Mountain has 33 runs and 13 lifts over 638 m of vertical, from 700 m at the base to 1,338 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 23.4 km of piste there. Q: How steep is NEKOMA Mountain? A: The steepest mapped pitch at NEKOMA Mountain is about 31.4° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.1 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at NEKOMA Mountain? A: NEKOMA treats everything outside the boundary and every unmarked area inside it as unmanaged terrain. It asks anyone leaving the resort to go with a guide and file a climbing notice through Compass. Inside the boundary five roped tree-run zones open once the snow is deep enough. Q: How much is a lift ticket at NEKOMA Mountain? A: An adult day ticket at NEKOMA Mountain costs ¥6,500, about CAD 58 or USD 41 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥4,200, about CAD 38 or USD 27 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to NEKOMA Mountain from Tokyo Station? A: NEKOMA Mountain is about 15 minutes from the nearest Ban-etsu Expressway interchange to the South Area and about 35 minutes to the North Area by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Koriyama Station shuttle runs from 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, takes about 70 minutes on the expressway and costs ¥1,800 for adults and ¥900 for children. Fukushima Kotsu takes the bookings online. A route bus also runs from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station in about 45 minutes for ¥1,000, with no booking. Q: When is the season at NEKOMA Mountain? A: NEKOMA Mountain usually opens 28 November 2026 in the North Area and 12 December 2026 in the South Area (snow permitting) and closes 9 May 2027 in the North Area and 4 April 2027 in the South Area. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nekoma.co.jp/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/englp/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/liftguide/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/price/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/feature/26-27season/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/feature/treerun/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/feature/safety/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/feature/nightski/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/feature/ikon-pass/ https://www.nekoma.co.jp/access/ https://www.ikonpass.com/en/destinations https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/215.html ### Nikko Yumoto Onsen Ski Park URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/nikko-yumoto-onsen-ski-park Numbers: 175 m vertical, top 1679 m, base 1504 m, 4 runs, 3 lifts, 2.5 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 15.2° over 60 m, adult day ¥4,000, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) (2025/26) Type: Resort Local name: 日光湯元温泉スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Nikko Yumoto Ski, Yumoto Ski Park, 日光湯元スキー場 Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Nikko Address: Yumoto Onsen, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1662 Status: seasonal. In 2025/26 the ski park planned to open on 26 December but held off for lack of snow, and it closed early on 18 March 2026. No 2026/27 dates were posted on 11 October 2026. Coordinates: 36.80470, 139.41250 Lift hours: Weekdays and Saturdays 9:00–16:00; Sundays and holidays 8:30–16:00 Night riding: No Adult day: ¥4,000, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) (2025/26) Car-free village: Yes Operator: Tobu Kogyo Co., Ltd. Website: https://nikkoyumoto-ski.com/ Summary: Nikko Yumoto Onsen Ski Park suits families who want a gentle first day on snow beside a sulphur hot-spring village, and its four short courses and thin recent winters give keen skiers no reason to travel. The ski park sits behind Yumoto Onsen at the head of Lake Yunoko, about 90 minutes by bus from Nikko station. Tobu Kogyo runs three pair lifts and four courses, A to D, plus a flat snow park in front of the Nikko Yumoto Lodge where children learn to walk on skis. It caters to families and school ski trips. Natural snow is all it has. In 2025/26 the opening slipped past Christmas and the season ended on 18 March, two weeks early, so watch the site before you book. Lift tickets cost ¥4,000 for an adult day in 2025/26, and the lodge rents skis or a board for ¥4,000 a day. Mt. Nikko-Shirane rises behind the village, and the ski park publishes an evacuation plan in case it erupts. Check JMA's volcanic warnings before you go. Tips: - Combine a morning on the snow with a soak in Yumoto's milky sulphur water in the village. Q: Is Nikko Yumoto Onsen Ski Park open all year? A: Nikko Yumoto Onsen Ski Park opens for part of the year. In 2025/26 the ski park planned to open on 26 December but held off for lack of snow, and it closed early on 18 March 2026. No 2026/27 dates were posted on 11 October 2026. Q: How big is Nikko Yumoto Onsen Ski Park? A: Nikko Yumoto Onsen Ski Park has 4 runs and 3 lifts over 175 m of vertical, from 1,504 m at the base to 1,679 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 2.5 km of piste there. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Nikko Yumoto Onsen Ski Park? A: An adult day ticket at Nikko Yumoto Onsen Ski Park costs ¥4,000, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) in the 2025/26 main season. Q: Does Nikko Yumoto Onsen Ski Park have night riding? A: No. Nikko Yumoto Onsen Ski Park closes its lifts at dusk. Q: How do you get to Nikko Yumoto Onsen Ski Park from Tokyo Station? A: Nikko Yumoto Onsen Ski Park is about 40 minutes from the Kiyotaki IC on the Nikko-Utsunomiya Road by car from Tokyo Station. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nikkoyumoto-ski.com/ https://nikkoyumoto-ski.com/info.html https://nikkoyumoto-ski.com/guide.html https://www.nikko-kankou.org/spot/569 https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=volcano https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1221236963 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109594461 ### Mt. Norikura Snow Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/norikura-kogen Numbers: 500 m vertical, top 2000 m, base 1500 m, 20 runs, 8 lifts, 13.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 27.8° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,200, about CAD 56 or USD 39 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: Mt.乗鞍スノーリゾート (ja) Also known as: Norikura Kogen, Norikura Kogen Onsen Ski Resort, Mt Norikura, Blue Resort Norikura, 乗鞍高原温泉スキー場 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Address: 4294-3 Azumi, Matsumoto-shi, Nagano 390-1520 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.12000, 137.61250 Season: 12 December 2026 (first day on the 2026/27 price calendar) to 4 April 2027 (last day on the 2026/27 price calendar) Best snow: 26 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 and 9 to 11 January 2027 (peak prices) Adult day: ¥6,200, about CAD 56 or USD 39 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 40%, Intermediate 45%, Advanced 15% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Blue Resort Norikura Co. Website: https://www.brnorikura.jp/ Summary: Mt. Norikura suits quiet-seeking riders and ski tourers who want milky hot springs at the foot of a high volcano, and it is a long way from the Shinkansen. Mt. Norikura Snow Resort sits at the foot of Mt. Norikura in Chubu Sangaku National Park. It takes an hour to drive there from Matsumoto IC. Its 20 runs climb from 1,500 m to 2,000 m, and the Norikura Kogen onsen village at the bottom has milky white water. The Kamoshika slope is the powder and sidecountry side of the area, and the national ski area cruisers suit everyone else. The resort's own leaflet treats anyone past the boundary as an independent mountaineer, so carry full avalanche gear and file a climbing plan. Mt. Norikura is an active volcano. Check the Japan Meteorological Agency's warnings before you tour above the lifts. Tips: - Take the Matsumoto Electric Railway to Shin-Shimashima and the bus from there, about 60 minutes. - The resort runs a free shuttle bus; check its page for the route. - Riders aged 18 and under ride free in 2026/27. High-school and university students need photo ID at the ticket window, and primary-school children get a free bath at Yukemurikan if they ask there. Q: How big is Mt. Norikura Snow? A: Mt. Norikura Snow has 20 runs and 8 lifts over 500 m of vertical, from 1,500 m at the base to 2,000 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 13.4 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Mt. Norikura Snow? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Mt. Norikura Snow is about 27.8° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.4 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Mt. Norikura Snow? A: Mt. Norikura describes its Kamoshika slope as the place for powder and sidecountry, and it hands backcountry users the Japan Association for Skiing Safety leaflet. Beyond the boundary you travel as an independent mountaineer. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Mt. Norikura Snow? A: An adult day ticket at Mt. Norikura Snow costs ¥6,200, about CAD 56 or USD 39 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥3,700, about CAD 33 or USD 23 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: How do you get to Mt. Norikura Snow from Tokyo Station? A: Mt. Norikura Snow is about 60 minutes from Matsumoto IC on the Nagano Expressway by car from Tokyo Station. Q: When is the season at Mt. Norikura Snow? A: Mt. Norikura Snow usually opens 12 December 2026 (first day on the 2026/27 price calendar) and closes 4 April 2027 (last day on the 2026/27 price calendar). The deepest, most reliable snow comes 26 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 and 9 to 11 January 2027 (peak prices). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.brnorikura.jp/ https://www.brnorikura.jp/news/90/ https://www.brnorikura.jp/about.php https://www.brnorikura.jp/patrol.php https://www.brnorikura.jp/assets/pdf/toBackcountryUsers.en.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11233807 ### Norn Minakami URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/norn-minakami Numbers: 400 m vertical, top 1220 m, base 820 m, 5 runs, 4 lifts, 5.5 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 26.6° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,300, about CAD 57 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: ノルンみなかみスキー場 (ja) Also known as: Norn, Norn Minakami Ski Resort, Norn Snow, ノルン水上, ノルン水上スキー場, ノルンみなかみ Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 479-139 Terama, Minakami, Tone District, Gunma 379-1614 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.74330, 138.94220 Best snow: 8 January to 21 March 2027, the weekend night-riding period Lift hours: 8:30–16:30 from 18 December 2026 to 7 January 2027. From 8 January to 21 March 2027 the lifts open at 7:00 at weekends and run to 22:00 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Night riding: 16:30–22:00 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays Adult day: ¥6,300, about CAD 57 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 20% Car-free village: Yes Website: https://norn.co.jp/winter/ Summary: Norn Minakami suits families and after-work riders who want the closest slopes to Minakami and long weekend nights, and its five short courses run out after a morning for strong riders. Norn Minakami sits 3 km from the Minakami interchange on the Kan-etsu Expressway, which makes it the quickest resort in the valley to reach by car. It is a small hill of five courses on four chairlifts between 820 m and 1,220 m. The longest line links the C and D courses for 2 km. From 8 January to 21 March 2027 the lifts run until 22:00 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and parking is free for those sessions. The A course holds the only steep pitch at 30 degrees, and the rest suits beginners and cruising intermediates. Riders without a car have two free shuttles. A booked bus meets the Shinkansen at Jomo-Kogen, about 30 minutes away, and a walk-on bus runs from Minakami station in about 20 minutes. Tips: - Book the Jomo-Kogen shuttle by 15:00 the day before, because it runs only for booked times. - Come after 13:00 on a weekend and the parking is free. - Norn needs skis or a board on your feet to ride the lifts, so sleds belong in the paid Snowland area. Q: How big is Norn Minakami? A: Norn Minakami has 5 runs and 4 lifts over 400 m of vertical, from 820 m at the base to 1,220 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 5.5 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Norn Minakami? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Norn Minakami is about 26.6° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Norn Minakami? A: Norn keeps riders on its five marked courses and closes the trees, the lift lines and anything behind a rope or sign. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Norn Minakami? A: An adult day ticket at Norn Minakami costs ¥6,300, about CAD 57 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥3,800, about CAD 34 or USD 24 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: How do you get to Norn Minakami from Tokyo Station? A: Norn Minakami is 3 km from the Minakami IC on the Kan-etsu Expressway by car from Tokyo Station. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://norn.co.jp/winter/ https://norn.co.jp/winter/gerande/ https://norn.co.jp/winter/lift/ https://norn.co.jp/winter/access/ https://norn.co.jp/winter/english_ski_information/ https://norn.co.jp/winter/safety/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11325790 ### Nozawa Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/nozawa-onsen Numbers: 1087 m vertical, top 1650 m, base 563 m, 40 runs, 16 lifts, 41.9 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 35.4° over 60 m, adult day ¥7,800, about CAD 70 or USD 49 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 野沢温泉スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Nozawa, Nozawa Onsen Snow Resort, Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort, Nozawaonsen, 野沢温泉 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.90830, 138.48190 Season: 28 November 2026 (start of the 2026/27 fare period, snow permitting) to 5 May 2027 Best snow: 19 December 2026 to 28 March 2027 (regular ticket period) Lift hours: Lower lifts 8:00–16:40 and upper lifts from 8:30 or 8:45 in 2025/26; each Uenotaira lift keeps its own hours Night riding: 16:30–20:00 on the Nagasaka quad in 2025/26 Adult day: ¥7,800, about CAD 70 or USD 49 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Website: https://en.nozawaski.com/ Summary: Nozawa suits riders who want a big, varied mountain above a hot-spring village with free public baths, and it sits outside both the Ikon and Epic passes. Nozawa Onsen is a farming and spa village first, and the ski area grew up on Mt. Kenashi behind it. The Yu Road moving walkway carries you from the top of the village to the Hikage base, and the Nagasaka gondola climbs from its own base and centre house. In the evenings you walk the lanes between the free public bathhouses. The best snow sits at the top. The Yamabiko A to E courses mix groomers with ungroomed sections and open trees between them, and they all funnel back to the same lift. Lower down, Schneider gives one of the fastest ways off the mountain and turns steep and ungroomed halfway. Challenge 39 is the steepest run in Nozawa, short and sheltered from sun and wind. A day ticket costs ¥7,800 for 2026/27, among the cheapest for a mountain this size. The season runs from 28 November to 5 May, and the Dosojin fire festival from 13 to 15 January fills the village, so book well ahead for mid-January. Nozawa has gates for the backcountry at the top of Yamabiko and nowhere else. The resort is blunt about the danger: patrol does not go beyond the gates, and three riders died out there in 2023. Tips: - Ride Schneider and Utopia A early. Both soften and get chopped up by the afternoon sun. - Hachiman and Mukobayashi at the bottom of Skyline face south, so ride them in the morning. - The night ticket is separate from the day ticket, and night riding runs only on set dates. - Leave a mountain entry report at the patrol station before you head through the Yamabiko gates. Q: How big is Nozawa Onsen? A: Nozawa Onsen has 40 runs and 16 lifts over 1,087 m of vertical, from 563 m at the base to 1,650 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 41.9 km of piste there. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Nozawa Onsen? A: Nozawa allows backcountry access only through two gates at the top of the Yamabiko area, beside the Yamabiko No. 4 lift summit station. Three people died in the backcountry here in 2023, and the resort asks every rider to prepare properly before going out. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Nozawa Onsen? A: An adult day ticket at Nozawa Onsen costs ¥7,800, about CAD 70 or USD 49 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Q: When is the season at Nozawa Onsen? A: Nozawa Onsen usually opens 28 November 2026 (start of the 2026/27 fare period, snow permitting) and closes 5 May 2027. The deepest, most reliable snow comes 19 December 2026 to 28 March 2027 (regular ticket period). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://en.nozawaski.com/ https://en.nozawaski.com/the-mountain/lift-ticket/ticket-prices/ https://en.nozawaski.com/the-mountain/moutain-info/slopes-lifts/ https://en.nozawaski.com/the-mountain/moutain-info/to-all-back-country-skiers-and-snowborders/ https://en.nozawaski.com/the-mountain/mountain-facilities/powder-snow-areas/ https://en.nozawaski.com/access/coming-train-bus/ https://nozawaski.com/winter/lift_price/lift_time/ https://nozawaski.com/winter/charm/location/ https://nozawaski.com/winter/course/ https://nozawaski.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/hp-gerende_j.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7067399 https://nadare.jp/ ### Oguna Hotaka URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/oguna-hotaka Numbers: 584 m vertical, top 1828 m, base 1244 m, 14 runs, 6 lifts, 9.6 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 26.8° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,900, about CAD 53 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: オグナほたかスキー場 (ja) Also known as: Oguna Hotaka Ski Resort, Ogna Hotaka, Snow Pal Oguna Hotaka, スノーパル・オグナ武尊, オグナほたか Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Katashina Address: Hotakasan, Hanasaku, Katashina, Tone District, Gunma 378-0408 Status: seasonal. Oguna Hotaka was selling 2026/27 early-bird tickets until 18 December 2026 and had not posted its opening day on 11 October 2026. Coordinates: 36.78080, 139.16800 Lift hours: 8:30–16:00 on weekdays, 8:00–16:00 at weekends and on holidays Night riding: No Adult day: ¥5,900, about CAD 53 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Operator: Katashina Village Promotion Corporation Website: https://k-hotaka.jp/ogna/ Summary: Oguna Hotaka suits drivers who want a long cruise from 1,828 m and a busy park, and it sits an hour by taxi from the nearest JR station. Oguna Hotaka spreads over the slopes of Mt. Hotaka in Katashina village, run by the village's own promotion company. The top sits at 1,828 m, and the longest run cruises 3.5 km to the base. Its snow park carries kickers and jib features. It belongs to POWDER5 Gunma, so one hour ticket also works at Kawaba, Marunuma Kogen, Hodaigi and Oze Iwakura. Tips: - Fit winter tyres, because the resort says the access road ices and snows over and makes them compulsory. Q: Is Oguna Hotaka open all year? A: Oguna Hotaka opens for part of the year. Oguna Hotaka was selling 2026/27 early-bird tickets until 18 December 2026 and had not posted its opening day on 11 October 2026. Q: How big is Oguna Hotaka? A: Oguna Hotaka has 14 runs and 6 lifts over 584 m of vertical, from 1,244 m at the base to 1,828 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 9.6 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Oguna Hotaka? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Oguna Hotaka is about 26.8° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.6 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Oguna Hotaka? A: An adult day ticket at Oguna Hotaka costs ¥5,900, about CAD 53 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥5,600, about CAD 50 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: Does Oguna Hotaka have night riding? A: No. Oguna Hotaka closes its lifts at dusk. Q: How do you get to Oguna Hotaka from Tokyo Station? A: Oguna Hotaka is about 28 km from the Numata IC on the Kan-etsu Expressway, 45 minutes in normal conditions by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The seasonal Katashina Snow Express runs from Busta Shinjuku at 7:35 to Michi-no-eki Oze Katashina, arriving at 11:15, and leaves for Shinjuku at 16:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://k-hotaka.jp/ogna/ https://k-hotaka.jp/ogna/price https://k-hotaka.jp/ogna/news/3019/ https://k-hotaka.jp/ogna/access https://cloud.wp.winterplus.jp/powder5 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11312602 ### Okukannabe URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/okukannabe Numbers: 7 runs, 5 lifts, adult day ¥5,800, about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 奥神鍋スキー場 (ja) Also known as: OKUKAN, Okukan, Oku-Kannabe, Okukannabe Ski Resort, 奥神鍋 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Hyogo Address: 710 Yamada, Hidaka-cho, Toyooka, Hyogo 669-5377 Status: seasonal. Okukannabe plans to open for 2026/27 on Saturday 19 December 2026 and close on Monday 22 March 2027. Coordinates: 35.50220, 134.65000 Season: 19 December 2026 (planned) to 22 March 2027 (planned) Lift hours: 8:30–16:40 Night riding: No Adult day: ¥5,800, about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Website: https://okukan.com/ Summary: Okukannabe suits confident riders who want the steepest pitches on Kannabe Kogen and a quiet weekday, and its trade-off is a smaller lift system with no night riding. Okukannabe is the farthest of the three Kannabe Kogen resorts from the expressway, about 13 km from Hidaka-Kannabe-Kogen IC, and Japanese Wikipedia puts its top at 940 m, the highest on the plateau. Locals call it Okukan. The resort runs seven courses on five lifts, and it hosts technical ski championships most seasons. The Dangan course is the steepest at 35 degrees, and the off-piste course next to it runs at 30. Tochinoki, at 1,200 m, is the longest run, and its upper half grades as advanced. Beginners still reach the bottom from the top by the Romance course, and the Family course lets children ride the lift holding a sled. The resort says powder sometimes lingers after a snowfall. Japanese Wikipedia reports that Okukannabe stopped running its snowmaking from 2022/23 and that the old pair lift link to Manba has not run since at least 2025/26. That makes the season hang on natural snow, so check the TODAY'S OKUKAN page before you drive. Tips: - Parking costs ¥1,500 a car at weekends, on holidays and over New Year, and nothing on weekdays. - The Shiki-no-Mori restaurant halfway up opens from 10:00 to 16:00. - Fit winter tyres or carry chains; the resort requires them in the snow season. Q: When does Okukannabe open for 2026/27? A: Okukannabe plans to open on 19 December 2026 and run until 22 March 2027, with lifts from 8:30 to 16:40. Q: Does the Okukannabe season pass work at Up Kannabe? A: Yes. The 2026/27 Okukannabe season pass also covers Up Kannabe, and it costs ¥55,000, or ¥45,000 in the early-bird sale. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Okukannabe? A: An adult day ticket at Okukannabe costs ¥5,800, about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does Okukannabe have night riding? A: No. Okukannabe closes its lifts at dusk. Q: How do you get to Okukannabe from Shin-Osaka Station? A: Okukannabe is from Osaka, the Chugoku Expressway to Yokawa JCT, the Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway to Kasuga IC and the Kitakinki-Toyooka Expressway to Hidaka-Kannabe-Kogen IC, then about 13 km. Only the Toosaka Tunnel charges a toll, ¥310 for a car by car from Shin-Osaka Station. By bus: Zentan bus Kannabe Kogen line from Ebara toward Higashi-Kochi; get off at Yamada. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://okukan.com/ https://okukan.com/gelande/ https://okukan.com/access/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/奥神鍋スキー場 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11446084 ### Okutone Snow Park URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/okutone-snow-park Numbers: 409 m vertical, top 962 m, base 553 m, 5 lifts, 6.1 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 31.5° over 60 m Type: Resort Local name: 奥利根スノーパーク (ja) Also known as: Okutone, Okutone Snow Park Minakami, 奥利根 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 39 Mukaiyama, Minakami, Tone District, Gunma 379-1724 Status: seasonal. Okutone was selling 2026/27 season passes in October 2026 and planned to publish its new season site in early December. Coordinates: 36.80430, 139.00840 Website: https://okutone.jp/ Summary: Okutone Snow Park suits Minakami regulars who want a small hill close to the Yunokoya road, and it had published almost nothing for 2026/27 by October. Okutone Snow Park sits on the road from Minakami towards Fujiwara and Yunokoya. In October 2026 it was selling 2026/27 season passes and said its new season site would go live in early December, so lift prices and opening dates were still unknown. Tips: - The Kan-etsu Kotsu bus towards Yunokoya stops at Okutone Snow Park Iriguchi; on the 2026 timetable the 8:00 from Jomo-Kogen arrives at 8:43. Q: Is Okutone Snow Park open all year? A: Okutone Snow Park opens for part of the year. Okutone was selling 2026/27 season passes in October 2026 and planned to publish its new season site in early December. Q: How steep is Okutone? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Okutone is about 31.5° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 0.9 km of the mapped total. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://okutone.jp/ https://kan-etsu.net/files/libs/14053/202603051656145737.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11445623 ### Oze Iwakura URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/oze-iwakura Numbers: 659 m vertical, top 1703 m, base 1044 m, 16 runs, 11 lifts, 13.9 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 33.6° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,700, about CAD 60 or USD 42 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: ホワイトワールド尾瀬岩鞍 (ja) Also known as: White World Oze Iwakura, Oze Iwakura Ski Resort, Iwakura, 尾瀬岩鞍, 岩鞍 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Katashina Address: 2609 Tsuchide, Katashina, Tone District, Gunma 378-0412 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.81510, 139.21730 Season: 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027 Best snow: Special-price days from 29 December 2026 to 2 January 2027 and on Saturdays from 9 January to 27 February Lift hours: 8:30–16:45, last ride 16:30 Night riding: To 20:00 on 11 nights; No. 3 quad 16:30–19:45 and No. 7 Romance lift 17:20–19:30 Adult day: ¥6,700, about CAD 60 or USD 42 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Operator: Oze Iwakura Resort Co., Ltd. Website: https://www.oze-iwakura.co.jp/ski/ Summary: Oze Iwakura suits families and carvers who want a big, varied mountain with a hotel at the slopes, and it stays a long drive or bus ride from any Shinkansen station. Oze Iwakura calls itself one of the biggest ski areas in the Kanto region. Its 16 courses run off a gondola and ten chairs in Katashina village, and the top sits at 1,703 m. The longest run is 3.2 km. Several courses carry the name of the Kokutai, Japan's national sports festival, and the resort hosts races on them. The Expert course drops at 40 degrees from the top and stays ungroomed, and the men's Kokutai course runs 1,800 m at up to 29 degrees. Families get the Family and Romance courses and a netted kids' area with a nursery. Night riding runs to 20:00 on 11 dates between New Year's Eve and late February. A weekend day costs ¥6,700 at the window and ¥6,500 online for 2026/27, and the season runs from 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027. Riding off the courses is banned. The resort publishes an hourly rescue tariff that starts at ¥20,000 for each patroller. Tips: - Buy online before you go, because every web price runs ¥200 under the window. - Fill the car with four or more people and weekend parking is free. - Ride the ungroomed Kokutai men's course in the morning before the crowds chop it up. Q: How big is Oze Iwakura? A: Oze Iwakura has 16 runs and 11 lifts over 659 m of vertical, from 1,044 m at the base to 1,703 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 13.9 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Oze Iwakura? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Oze Iwakura is about 33.6° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 3.6 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Oze Iwakura? A: Oze Iwakura bans riding off its courses and charges by the hour for any search or rescue from the closed areas, whatever the reason or the result. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Oze Iwakura? A: An adult day ticket at Oze Iwakura costs ¥6,700, about CAD 60 or USD 42 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥6,000, about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: How do you get to Oze Iwakura from Tokyo Station? A: Oze Iwakura is about 2 hours 30 minutes from Tokyo, by the resort's figure by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: A highway bus runs from Busta Shinjuku to Michi-no-eki Oze Katashina, and the resort's free bus carries riders on from there. Q: When is the season at Oze Iwakura? A: Oze Iwakura usually opens 12 December 2026 and closes 4 April 2027. The deepest, most reliable snow comes special-price days from 29 December 2026 to 2 January 2027 and on Saturdays from 9 January to 27 February. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.oze-iwakura.co.jp/ski/ https://www.oze-iwakura.co.jp/ski/price/ https://www.oze-iwakura.co.jp/ski/price/hours/ https://www.oze-iwakura.co.jp/ski/slopeguide/ https://www.oze-iwakura.co.jp/ski/slopeguide/today/ https://www.oze-iwakura.co.jp/ski/access/ https://www.oze-iwakura.co.jp/ski/assets/documents/warning.pdf https://cloud.wp.winterplus.jp/powder5 ### Ryuoo Ski Park URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/ryuoo-ski-park Numbers: 1063 m vertical, top 1930 m, base 867 m, 8 lifts, 13.8 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 39.4° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,000, about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 竜王スキーパーク (ja) Also known as: Ryuoo, Ryuo, Ryuo Ski Park, Ryuoo Mountain Resort, 竜王 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Yamanouchi Address: 11700 Yomase, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano 381-0405 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.78250, 138.46250 Season: 5 December 2026 to 4 April 2027 Best snow: 19 December 2026 to 22 March 2027 (regular ticket period) Lift hours: 8:15–17:00; on days when only the summit area runs, from 9:00 Night riding: 17:00–20:00 Adult day: ¥6,000, about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Operator: Nippon Ski Resort Development (NSD) Website: https://ryuoo.com/winter/ Summary: Ryuoo suits riders who want a long top-to-bottom run and dry snow near the summit at a low ticket price, and the best of that snow sits a ropeway ride above the base. Ryuoo climbs from the Yomase valley near the Yudanaka and Shibu onsen villages to a top of 1,930 m, with more than 1,000 m of vertical. Its ropeway carries 166 people a car to the 1,770 m top station, and on the right morning the sea of cloud lies below you there. The summit area is high and inland, so the snow stays dry, and its runs average a gentle pitch that newer riders can handle. Kiotoshi Bowl is the resort's signature ungroomed run, and helmets are compulsory on it. Tree areas sit beside it and around the summit. The main slopes at the base are flat and wide with two terrain parks. Night riding runs most evenings from late December to late March, and a day ticket costs ¥6,000 on weekdays. Tips: - Wear a helmet if you plan to ride Kiotoshi Bowl; Ryuoo will not let you in without one. - Buy an advance day ticket online for ¥6,500 including the card deposit. - Night riding is off on Sundays and Mondays outside the New Year holidays. Q: How steep is Ryuoo Ski Park? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Ryuoo Ski Park is about 39.4° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 5.9 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Ryuoo Ski Park? A: An adult day ticket at Ryuoo Ski Park costs ¥6,000, about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥4,700, about CAD 42 or USD 30 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: Does Ryuoo Ski Park have night riding? A: Yes. Ryuoo Ski Park runs night lifts 17:00–20:00. Night riding is planned from 22 December 2026 to 21 March 2027, nightly over the New Year holidays to 3 January and otherwise closed on Sundays, Mondays and the last day of long weekends. The Base lift runs every night and the Mid chair on Saturdays. The night ticket costs ¥2,600, and day tickets do not cover the evening. Q: How do you get to Ryuoo Ski Park from Tokyo Station? A: Ryuoo Ski Park is about 16 km from Shinshu-Nakano IC by car from Tokyo Station. Q: When is the season at Ryuoo Ski Park? A: Ryuoo Ski Park usually opens 5 December 2026 and closes 4 April 2027. The deepest, most reliable snow comes 19 December 2026 to 22 March 2027 (regular ticket period). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ryuoo.com/winter/ https://ryuoo.com/winter/gelande/ https://ryuoo.com/winter/price_w/ https://ryuoo.com/access/ https://www.madarao.jp/information/14062 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11598348 ### Seki Onsen Ski Area URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/seki-onsen Numbers: 310 m vertical, top 1210 m, base 900 m, 4 runs, 2 lifts, 3.6 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 33.2° over 60 m Type: Resort Local name: 関温泉スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Seki Onsen, Seki, Seki Onsen Ski Resort, 関温泉 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: Seki Onsen, Myoko, Niigata 949-2235 Coordinates: 36.90610, 138.16030 Lift hours: 09:00–16:30 in 2025/26 Night riding: No Terrain: Beginner 20%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 30% Website: http://sekionsen.jp/ Summary: Seki Onsen suits experienced riders chasing deep, ungroomed snow on a tiny two-lift hill, and its trade-off is that a couple of dry days leave it tracked out with little else to ride. Seki Onsen is a small hot-spring hamlet north of Akakura, and its ski area has just two chairs and four courses. Myoko Tourism puts the top at 1,210 metres and the base at 900. The crews groom very little, so the snow stays deep and wild after a storm. A local guide site notes that the upper single chair often stays shut on quiet days. When it has not snowed for a day or two the whole hill can be tracked by mid-morning. Guide outfits such as ITADAKI TOURS and SARC work from here and lead trips beyond the ski area into the surrounding peaks. The resort's own website lists them under backcountry. Tickets cost less than at the bigger Myoko resorts. Parking at P2 is free every day and P1 charges on weekends. The resort ran until 12 April in 2026, and Myoko Tourism says it often keeps going into early May when the other resorts have shut. Tips: - Go the morning after a storm; the hill is too small to hide fresh snow for long. - Book a guide if you plan to ride beyond the area. The resort publishes no gate system of its own. - The Keinan bus runs between Sekiyama station and Seki Onsen; check the timetable on the resort's access page. Q: How big is Seki Onsen? A: Seki Onsen has 4 runs and 2 lifts over 310 m of vertical, from 900 m at the base to 1,210 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 3.6 km of piste there. Q: Does Seki Onsen have night riding? A: No. Seki Onsen closes its lifts at dusk. Q: How do you get to Seki Onsen from Tokyo Station? A: By bus: Keinan bus between Sekiyama station and Seki Onsen. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://sekionsen.jp/ http://sekionsen.jp/price.html http://sekionsen.jp/access.html http://sekionsen.jp/bc.html https://myokotourism.com/ski-resorts/seki-onsen-ski-resort/ https://niigata-kankou.or.jp/ski/10673 https://myokoskiresort.com/seki-onsen-ski-resort/ ### Shiga Kogen Giant URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shiga-kogen-giant Numbers: 260 m vertical, top 1590 m, base 1330 m, 3 runs, 1 lifts, 2.5 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 27.3° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: ジャイアントスキー場 (ja) Also known as: Giant, ジャイアントスキー場 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.71810, 138.49690 Season: The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows to In 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March Night riding: No Adult day: ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 20%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 40% Car-free village: Yes Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/giant/ Summary: Giant suits strong riders who want one long, steep, open face, and there is little else on the hill. Giant is one big steep slope, the kind that has hosted many top-level races. It is groomed well in the morning, so intermediates can enjoy it early before it gets cut up. The Shiga Kogen Resort Gondola from Shiga Kogen Yama-no-eki serves the area, and Hasuike links to it by a connecting trail. Tips: - Ride Giant first thing, while the grooming is fresh. Q: How big is Shiga Kogen Giant? A: Shiga Kogen Giant has 3 runs and 1 lifts over 260 m of vertical, from 1,330 m at the base to 1,590 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 2.5 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shiga Kogen Giant? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shiga Kogen Giant is about 27.3° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 0.5 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shiga Kogen Giant? A: Shiga Kogen marks its side-country exits with a warning sign that tells you that you are leaving the ski area. The resort-wide side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated, and everything outside that mapped area is closed. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shiga Kogen Giant? A: An adult day ticket at Shiga Kogen Giant costs ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass and Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Shiga Kogen Giant from Tokyo Station? A: Shiga Kogen Giant is about 3 hr 30 min (about 240 km) from Nerima IC via the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Shinshu-Nagano IC, then Route 292 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Nagaden direct bus from Nagano Station runs about four times a day outside the main winter season. Q: When is the season at Shiga Kogen Giant? A: Shiga Kogen Giant usually opens the All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows and closes in 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/giant/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/nighter/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/safety/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60986831 ### Shiga Kogen Hasuike URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shiga-kogen-hasuike Numbers: 85 m vertical, top 1590 m, base 1505 m, 5 runs, 1 lifts, 2.9 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 29.7° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 蓮池スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Hasuike, 蓮池スキー場 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.71250, 138.49110 Season: The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows to In 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March Night riding: No Adult day: ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 30% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Shiga Kogen Resort Development Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/hasuike/ Summary: Hasuike suits children and beginners on gentle slopes in the middle of Shiga Kogen, and one triple lift is all there is. Hasuike's gentle runs suit children and first-timers, and the terrain makes good use of the natural ground. A trail near the lift links it to Giant, and another comes in from the top of Giant. Tips: - Use Hasuike as a warm-up before the Giant face next door. Q: How big is Shiga Kogen Hasuike? A: Shiga Kogen Hasuike has 5 runs and 1 lifts over 85 m of vertical, from 1,505 m at the base to 1,590 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 2.9 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shiga Kogen Hasuike? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shiga Kogen Hasuike is about 29.7° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 0.3 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shiga Kogen Hasuike? A: Shiga Kogen marks its side-country exits with a warning sign that tells you that you are leaving the ski area. The resort-wide side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated, and everything outside that mapped area is closed. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shiga Kogen Hasuike? A: An adult day ticket at Shiga Kogen Hasuike costs ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass and Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Shiga Kogen Hasuike from Tokyo Station? A: Shiga Kogen Hasuike is about 3 hr 30 min (about 240 km) from Nerima IC via the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Shinshu-Nagano IC, then Route 292 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Nagaden direct bus from Nagano Station runs about four times a day outside the main winter season. Q: When is the season at Shiga Kogen Hasuike? A: Shiga Kogen Hasuike usually opens the All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows and closes in 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/hasuike/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/nighter/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/safety/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60986846 ### Shiga Kogen Higashidateyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shiga-kogen-higashidateyama Numbers: 430 m vertical, top 1970 m, base 1540 m, 1 runs, 1 lifts, 3.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 20.2° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 東館山スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Higashidateyama, 東館山スキー場, Higashidateyama, Higashitateyama Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.72610, 138.51440 Season: The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows to In 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March Night riding: No Adult day: ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 40%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 20% Car-free village: Yes Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/higashitateyama/ Summary: Higashidateyama suits riders who want a gondola top with an Olympic run and a long tree-lined way down, and it is the way up to Terakoya. A single gondola lifts you to the summit, where a monument from the Nagano Olympics marks a favourite photo spot. From the top you can take the Olympic course or a relaxed tree-lined run. Keep linking runs and you can ride all the way to the bottom of Giant. Shiga Kogen says no other descent in the resort runs as far. Tips: - Have lunch at THE ROOFTOP DINING by the gondola top station. Q: How big is Shiga Kogen Higashidateyama? A: Shiga Kogen Higashidateyama has 1 runs and 1 lifts over 430 m of vertical, from 1,540 m at the base to 1,970 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 3.4 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shiga Kogen Higashidateyama? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shiga Kogen Higashidateyama is about 20.2° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shiga Kogen Higashidateyama? A: Shiga Kogen marks its side-country exits with a warning sign that tells you that you are leaving the ski area. The resort-wide side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated, and everything outside that mapped area is closed. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shiga Kogen Higashidateyama? A: An adult day ticket at Shiga Kogen Higashidateyama costs ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass and Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Shiga Kogen Higashidateyama from Tokyo Station? A: Shiga Kogen Higashidateyama is about 3 hr 30 min (about 240 km) from Nerima IC via the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Shinshu-Nagano IC, then Route 292 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Nagaden direct bus from Nagano Station runs about four times a day outside the main winter season. Q: When is the season at Shiga Kogen Higashidateyama? A: Shiga Kogen Higashidateyama usually opens the All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows and closes in 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/higashitateyama/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/nighter/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/safety/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60986764 ### Shiga Kogen Hoppo Bunadaira URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shiga-kogen-hoppo-bunadaira Numbers: 240 m vertical, top 1570 m, base 1330 m, 3 runs, 1 lifts, 3 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 21.5° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 発哺ブナ平スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Hoppo Bunadaira, 発哺ブナ平スキー場, Bunadaira, Hoppo Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.72060, 138.50330 Season: The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows to In 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March Night riding: No Adult day: ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 70%, Intermediate 20%, Advanced 10% Car-free village: Yes Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/hoppobunadaira/ Summary: Hoppo Bunadaira suits beginners and families on one very wide slope, and its restaurants are a lift ride away. Bunadaira's main slope is up to 160 m wide, and its gentle upper half is a good place to practise. The bottom links to Nishidateyama and Giant, and the top joins Higashidateyama by its gondola. There is no restaurant on the slope itself. Ride up to THE ROOFTOP DINING at the Higashidateyama gondola top or across to Restaurant Dakekanba at Takamagahara. Tips: - Bring a snack; the nearest restaurants are a lift or two away. Q: How big is Shiga Kogen Hoppo Bunadaira? A: Shiga Kogen Hoppo Bunadaira has 3 runs and 1 lifts over 240 m of vertical, from 1,330 m at the base to 1,570 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 3 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shiga Kogen Hoppo Bunadaira? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shiga Kogen Hoppo Bunadaira is about 21.5° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 0.7 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shiga Kogen Hoppo Bunadaira? A: Shiga Kogen marks its side-country exits with a warning sign that tells you that you are leaving the ski area. The resort-wide side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated, and everything outside that mapped area is closed. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shiga Kogen Hoppo Bunadaira? A: An adult day ticket at Shiga Kogen Hoppo Bunadaira costs ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass and Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Shiga Kogen Hoppo Bunadaira from Tokyo Station? A: Shiga Kogen Hoppo Bunadaira is about 3 hr 30 min (about 240 km) from Nerima IC via the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Shinshu-Nagano IC, then Route 292 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Nagaden direct bus from Nagano Station runs about four times a day outside the main winter season. Q: When is the season at Shiga Kogen Hoppo Bunadaira? A: Shiga Kogen Hoppo Bunadaira usually opens the All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows and closes in 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/hoppobunadaira/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/nighter/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/safety/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60986814 ### Shiga Kogen Ichinose Diamond URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shiga-kogen-ichinose-diamond Numbers: 85 m vertical, top 1700 m, base 1615 m, 3 runs, 2 lifts, 3.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 20.8° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 一の瀬ダイヤモンドスキー場 (ja) Also known as: Ichinose Diamond, 一の瀬ダイヤモンドスキー場 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.73940, 138.50940 Season: The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows to In 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March Night riding: No Adult day: ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 20% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Shiga Kogen Resort Development Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/ichinosediamond/ Summary: Ichinose Diamond suits intermediates and families who want a wide open slope with views, and its short vertical makes it a stop on the way rather than a full day. Ichinose Diamond is a broad open hill beside Ichinose Family, popular with intermediates and families for its width and its views. A short pair lift links it to Ichinose Family, so the two work as one base area. Tips: - Use the short connecting pair to hop over to Ichinose Family without unclipping. Q: How big is Shiga Kogen Ichinose Diamond? A: Shiga Kogen Ichinose Diamond has 3 runs and 2 lifts over 85 m of vertical, from 1,615 m at the base to 1,700 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 3.4 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shiga Kogen Ichinose Diamond? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shiga Kogen Ichinose Diamond is about 20.8° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shiga Kogen Ichinose Diamond? A: Shiga Kogen marks its side-country exits with a warning sign that tells you that you are leaving the ski area. The resort-wide side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated, and everything outside that mapped area is closed. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shiga Kogen Ichinose Diamond? A: An adult day ticket at Shiga Kogen Ichinose Diamond costs ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass and Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Shiga Kogen Ichinose Diamond from Tokyo Station? A: Shiga Kogen Ichinose Diamond is about 3 hr 30 min (about 240 km) from Nerima IC via the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Shinshu-Nagano IC, then Route 292 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Nagaden direct bus from Nagano Station runs about four times a day outside the main winter season. Q: When is the season at Shiga Kogen Ichinose Diamond? A: Shiga Kogen Ichinose Diamond usually opens the All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows and closes in 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/ichinosediamond/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/nighter/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/safety/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60986470 ### Shiga Kogen Ichinose Family URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shiga-kogen-ichinose-family Numbers: 320 m vertical, top 1940 m, base 1620 m, 4 runs, 4 lifts, 5.1 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 26.1° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 一の瀬ファミリースキー場 (ja) Also known as: Ichinose Family, 一の瀬ファミリースキー場, Ichinose Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.73670, 138.52080 Season: The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows to In 2025/26 the planned closing date was 26 April Night riding: 18:30–21:00 in 2025/26 (to 20:45 on March weekdays) Adult day: ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 40%, Intermediate 30%, Advanced 30% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Shiga Kogen Resort Development Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/ichinosefamily/ Summary: Ichinose Family suits mixed groups who want a wide central slope with an easy way down from the top, and the upper pitch is steeper than the name suggests. Ichinose Family sits in the middle of Shiga Kogen's Ichinose village, where many of the lodges are. The central slope is wide and easy, and the top is steep. The Tengu course takes a long detour from the summit so beginners can ride down from the top too. It is also one of the areas that lights up at night, and in 2025/26 it stayed open until the end of April. Tips: - Night riding dates are announced each season, so check before you plan an evening session. Q: How big is Shiga Kogen Ichinose Family? A: Shiga Kogen Ichinose Family has 4 runs and 4 lifts over 320 m of vertical, from 1,620 m at the base to 1,940 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 5.1 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shiga Kogen Ichinose Family? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shiga Kogen Ichinose Family is about 26.1° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 0.6 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shiga Kogen Ichinose Family? A: Shiga Kogen marks its side-country exits with a warning sign that tells you that you are leaving the ski area. The resort-wide side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated, and everything outside that mapped area is closed. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shiga Kogen Ichinose Family? A: An adult day ticket at Shiga Kogen Ichinose Family costs ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass and Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Shiga Kogen Ichinose Family from Tokyo Station? A: Shiga Kogen Ichinose Family is about 3 hr 30 min (about 240 km) from Nerima IC via the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Shinshu-Nagano IC, then Route 292 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Nagaden direct bus from Nagano Station runs about four times a day outside the main winter season. Q: When is the season at Shiga Kogen Ichinose Family? A: Shiga Kogen Ichinose Family usually opens the All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows and closes in 2025/26 the planned closing date was 26 April. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/ichinosefamily/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/nighter/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/safety/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60986647 ### Shiga Kogen Ichinose Yamanokami URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shiga-kogen-ichinose-yamanokami Numbers: 105 m vertical, top 1700 m, base 1595 m, 4 runs, 1 lifts, 3.6 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 28° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 一の瀬山の神スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Ichinose Yamanokami, 一の瀬山の神スキー場 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.74310, 138.50610 Season: The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows to In 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March Night riding: No Adult day: ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 50%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 0% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Shiga Kogen Resort Development Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/ichinoseyamanokami/ Summary: Ichinose Yamanokami suits riders crossing toward Yakebitaiyama and Okushiga, and on its own it is a single lift of easy slopes. Yamanokami works as the gateway from the Ichinose areas to the northern half of Shiga Kogen. From the top you can ride straight down toward Yakebitaiyama and Okushiga, and you come back from Yakebitaiyama by lift. Tips: - Check the lift closing times before you cross to Yakebitaiyama so you can get back. Q: How big is Shiga Kogen Ichinose Yamanokami? A: Shiga Kogen Ichinose Yamanokami has 4 runs and 1 lifts over 105 m of vertical, from 1,595 m at the base to 1,700 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 3.6 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shiga Kogen Ichinose Yamanokami? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shiga Kogen Ichinose Yamanokami is about 28° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.1 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shiga Kogen Ichinose Yamanokami? A: Shiga Kogen marks its side-country exits with a warning sign that tells you that you are leaving the ski area. The resort-wide side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated, and everything outside that mapped area is closed. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shiga Kogen Ichinose Yamanokami? A: An adult day ticket at Shiga Kogen Ichinose Yamanokami costs ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass and Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Shiga Kogen Ichinose Yamanokami from Tokyo Station? A: Shiga Kogen Ichinose Yamanokami is about 3 hr 30 min (about 240 km) from Nerima IC via the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Shinshu-Nagano IC, then Route 292 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Nagaden direct bus from Nagano Station runs about four times a day outside the main winter season. Q: When is the season at Shiga Kogen Ichinose Yamanokami? A: Shiga Kogen Ichinose Yamanokami usually opens the All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows and closes in 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/ichinoseyamanokami/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/nighter/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/safety/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60986468 ### Shiga Kogen Kumanoyu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shiga-kogen-kumanoyu Numbers: 270 m vertical, top 1960 m, base 1690 m, 14 runs, 5 lifts, 7.7 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 29.4° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 熊の湯スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Kumanoyu, 熊の湯スキー場, Kumanoyu Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.67890, 138.49640 Season: The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows to In 2025/26 the planned closing date was 6 May Night riding: 18:30–21:00 in 2025/26 Adult day: ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 30% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Kumanoyu Lift Co. Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/kumanoyu/ Summary: Kumanoyu suits powder riders who want north-facing snow and a hot spring at the bottom, and it sits apart from the central areas. Kumanoyu fans out across a north-facing slope between 1,690 m and 1,960 m, so little direct sun reaches the snow and it stays dry. Five lifts serve runs for every level, and they all meet at the bottom. The Kumanoyu hot spring hotel sits beside the slopes, and the centre house has a free shoes-off rest room on the third floor. Kumanoyu runs night sessions on set dates and stays open until early May. Tips: - The Night Plus option adds evening riding to a day pass for less than a separate night ticket. - Ride on from the top of Yokoteyama and you can finish here. Q: How big is Shiga Kogen Kumanoyu? A: Shiga Kogen Kumanoyu has 14 runs and 5 lifts over 270 m of vertical, from 1,690 m at the base to 1,960 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 7.7 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shiga Kogen Kumanoyu? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shiga Kogen Kumanoyu is about 29.4° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.8 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shiga Kogen Kumanoyu? A: Shiga Kogen marks its side-country exits with a warning sign that tells you that you are leaving the ski area. The resort-wide side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated, and everything outside that mapped area is closed. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shiga Kogen Kumanoyu? A: An adult day ticket at Shiga Kogen Kumanoyu costs ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass and Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Shiga Kogen Kumanoyu from Tokyo Station? A: Shiga Kogen Kumanoyu is about 3 hr 30 min (about 240 km) from Nerima IC via the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Shinshu-Nagano IC, then Route 292 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Nagaden direct bus from Nagano Station runs about four times a day outside the main winter season. Q: When is the season at Shiga Kogen Kumanoyu? A: Shiga Kogen Kumanoyu usually opens the All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows and closes in 2025/26 the planned closing date was 6 May. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/kumanoyu/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/nighter/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/safety/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105320204 ### Shiga Kogen Maruike URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shiga-kogen-maruike Numbers: 100 m vertical, top 1565 m, base 1465 m, 1 runs, 2 lifts, 0.7 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 20.3° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 丸池スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Maruike, 丸池スキー場 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.71500, 138.48970 Season: The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows to In 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March Night riding: No Adult day: ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 20%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 40% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Shiga Kogen Resort Development Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/maruike/ Summary: Maruike suits families with a kids' park and riders who want the famous steep Maruike A course, and parking here is tiny. Maruike faces the well-known steep Maruike A course, and it also has runs for beginners and families. The Maruike Snow Land kids' park and kids' school run here. Tips: - The Maruike car park holds only about five cars, so arrive by bus. Q: How big is Shiga Kogen Maruike? A: Shiga Kogen Maruike has 1 runs and 2 lifts over 100 m of vertical, from 1,465 m at the base to 1,565 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 0.7 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shiga Kogen Maruike? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shiga Kogen Maruike is about 20.3° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shiga Kogen Maruike? A: Shiga Kogen marks its side-country exits with a warning sign that tells you that you are leaving the ski area. The resort-wide side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated, and everything outside that mapped area is closed. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shiga Kogen Maruike? A: An adult day ticket at Shiga Kogen Maruike costs ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass and Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Shiga Kogen Maruike from Tokyo Station? A: Shiga Kogen Maruike is about 3 hr 30 min (about 240 km) from Nerima IC via the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Shinshu-Nagano IC, then Route 292 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Nagaden direct bus from Nagano Station runs about four times a day outside the main winter season. Q: When is the season at Shiga Kogen Maruike? A: Shiga Kogen Maruike usually opens the All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows and closes in 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/maruike/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/nighter/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/safety/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60986845 ### Shiga Kogen Nishidateyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shiga-kogen-nishidateyama Numbers: 270 m vertical, top 1730 m, base 1460 m, 3 runs, 3 lifts, 4.6 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 26.2° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 西館山スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Nishidateyama, 西館山スキー場, Nishitateyama, Nishidate Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.73020, 138.50140 Season: The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows to In 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March Night riding: No Adult day: ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 30% Car-free village: Yes Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/nishitateyma/ Summary: Nishidateyama suits riders who want a race-pedigree giant slalom run and a long forest beginner run on one hill, and it shares parking with Giant. Everything at Nishidateyama starts from the same summit, from easy cruisers to the giant slalom course, so you can switch pace from run to run. The beginner course winds through the trees. International races use the area, and Shiga Kogen invites you to try the World Cup course for yourself. Tips: - Park at the Giant car park, which serves Nishidateyama too. Q: How big is Shiga Kogen Nishidateyama? A: Shiga Kogen Nishidateyama has 3 runs and 3 lifts over 270 m of vertical, from 1,460 m at the base to 1,730 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 4.6 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shiga Kogen Nishidateyama? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shiga Kogen Nishidateyama is about 26.2° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shiga Kogen Nishidateyama? A: Shiga Kogen marks its side-country exits with a warning sign that tells you that you are leaving the ski area. The resort-wide side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated, and everything outside that mapped area is closed. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shiga Kogen Nishidateyama? A: An adult day ticket at Shiga Kogen Nishidateyama costs ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass and Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Shiga Kogen Nishidateyama from Tokyo Station? A: Shiga Kogen Nishidateyama is about 3 hr 30 min (about 240 km) from Nerima IC via the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Shinshu-Nagano IC, then Route 292 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Nagaden direct bus from Nagano Station runs about four times a day outside the main winter season. Q: When is the season at Shiga Kogen Nishidateyama? A: Shiga Kogen Nishidateyama usually opens the All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows and closes in 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/nishitateyma/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/nighter/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/safety/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E8%A5%BF%E9%A4%A8%E5%B1%B1 ### Shiga Kogen Okushiga Kogen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shiga-kogen-okushiga-kogen Numbers: 530 m vertical, top 2000 m, base 1470 m, 15 runs, 6 lifts, 11.9 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 29.1° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 奥志賀高原スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Okushiga Kogen, 奥志賀高原スキー場, Okushiga Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.77000, 138.52250 Season: The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows to In 2025/26 the planned closing date was 3 May Night riding: No Adult day: ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 20%, Intermediate 60%, Advanced 20% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Okushiga Kogen Resort Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/okushigakogen/ Summary: Okushiga suits powder riders and families who want natural snow at the quiet northern end of Shiga Kogen, though it lies a long way from the central areas. Okushiga Kogen is the most northerly area in Shiga Kogen and runs on natural snow alone. The gondola climbs from the base to 2,000 m, and the runs range from family slopes to steep upper pitches, with most of the mountain rated intermediate. The season runs long here, from mid-December to Golden Week, and spring brings the popular Kobu Dojo mogul sessions and early-morning openings. The Okushiga Kogen Hotel and Restaurant St. Christophe sit at the base. Tips: - Okushiga runs no night sessions, so plan to finish by the last lift. - Spring early-morning sessions need a ticket bought from the area itself; the All-Mountain pass does not cover them. Q: How big is Shiga Kogen Okushiga Kogen? A: Shiga Kogen Okushiga Kogen has 15 runs and 6 lifts over 530 m of vertical, from 1,470 m at the base to 2,000 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 11.9 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shiga Kogen Okushiga Kogen? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shiga Kogen Okushiga Kogen is about 29.1° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.8 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shiga Kogen Okushiga Kogen? A: Shiga Kogen marks its side-country exits with a warning sign that tells you that you are leaving the ski area. The resort-wide side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated, and everything outside that mapped area is closed. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shiga Kogen Okushiga Kogen? A: An adult day ticket at Shiga Kogen Okushiga Kogen costs ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass and Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Shiga Kogen Okushiga Kogen from Tokyo Station? A: Shiga Kogen Okushiga Kogen is about 3 hr 30 min (about 240 km) from Nerima IC via the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Shinshu-Nagano IC, then Route 292 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Nagaden direct bus from Nagano Station runs about four times a day outside the main winter season. Q: When is the season at Shiga Kogen Okushiga Kogen? A: Shiga Kogen Okushiga Kogen usually opens the All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows and closes in 2025/26 the planned closing date was 3 May. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/okushigakogen/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/nighter/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/safety/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11445804 ### Shiga Kogen Sun Valley URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shiga-kogen-sun-valley Numbers: 170 m vertical, top 1585 m, base 1415 m, 4 runs, 1 lifts, 2.7 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 25.6° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: サンバレースキー場 (ja) Also known as: Sun Valley, サンバレースキー場, Sunvalley Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.71580, 138.48440 Season: The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows to In 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March Night riding: 18:30–21:00 in 2025/26 Adult day: ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 20%, Intermediate 60%, Advanced 20% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Shiga Kogen Resort Development Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/sunvalley/ Summary: Sun Valley suits riders who want a technical slope at the entrance to Shiga Kogen, and it often keeps running when the wind closes higher areas. Sun Valley is the first area you reach on the road up, and its technical runs are popular with intermediate and advanced riders. Shiga Kogen recommends it on stormy days, since the wind here often differs from the rest of the mountain. Tips: - Head here when a blizzard closes the higher lifts. Q: How big is Shiga Kogen Sun Valley? A: Shiga Kogen Sun Valley has 4 runs and 1 lifts over 170 m of vertical, from 1,415 m at the base to 1,585 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 2.7 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shiga Kogen Sun Valley? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shiga Kogen Sun Valley is about 25.6° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 0.5 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shiga Kogen Sun Valley? A: Shiga Kogen marks its side-country exits with a warning sign that tells you that you are leaving the ski area. The resort-wide side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated, and everything outside that mapped area is closed. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shiga Kogen Sun Valley? A: An adult day ticket at Shiga Kogen Sun Valley costs ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass and Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Shiga Kogen Sun Valley from Tokyo Station? A: Shiga Kogen Sun Valley is about 3 hr 30 min (about 240 km) from Nerima IC via the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Shinshu-Nagano IC, then Route 292 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Nagaden direct bus from Nagano Station runs about four times a day outside the main winter season. Q: When is the season at Shiga Kogen Sun Valley? A: Shiga Kogen Sun Valley usually opens the All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows and closes in 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/sunvalley/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/nighter/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/safety/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60986847 ### Shiga Kogen Takamagahara Mammoth URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shiga-kogen-takamagahara-mammoth Numbers: 230 m vertical, top 1900 m, base 1670 m, 6 runs, 3 lifts, 5.7 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 26.9° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 高天ヶ原マンモススキー場 (ja) Also known as: Takamagahara Mammoth, 高天ヶ原マンモススキー場, Takamagahara, Mammoth Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.73000, 138.51390 Season: The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows to In 2025/26 the planned closing date was 19 April Night riding: 18:30–21:00 in 2025/26 Adult day: ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 30% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Shiga Kogen Resort Development Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/takamagahara/ Summary: Takamagahara suits fast carvers and parents who need childcare, and the moguls on the left are harder than they look. Takamagahara is one wide, flat-groomed face that rewards fast turns. The left side is a mogul slope that looks easier than it is. The area has its own childcare centre, and Restaurant Dakekanba is the place to stop. It lights up for night riding on set dates and stays open into the middle of April. Tips: - Book childcare here if you want a few hours on the mountain without the children. Q: How big is Shiga Kogen Takamagahara Mammoth? A: Shiga Kogen Takamagahara Mammoth has 6 runs and 3 lifts over 230 m of vertical, from 1,670 m at the base to 1,900 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 5.7 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shiga Kogen Takamagahara Mammoth? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shiga Kogen Takamagahara Mammoth is about 26.9° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 0.5 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shiga Kogen Takamagahara Mammoth? A: Shiga Kogen marks its side-country exits with a warning sign that tells you that you are leaving the ski area. The resort-wide side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated, and everything outside that mapped area is closed. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shiga Kogen Takamagahara Mammoth? A: An adult day ticket at Shiga Kogen Takamagahara Mammoth costs ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass and Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Shiga Kogen Takamagahara Mammoth from Tokyo Station? A: Shiga Kogen Takamagahara Mammoth is about 3 hr 30 min (about 240 km) from Nerima IC via the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Shinshu-Nagano IC, then Route 292 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Nagaden direct bus from Nagano Station runs about four times a day outside the main winter season. Q: When is the season at Shiga Kogen Takamagahara Mammoth? A: Shiga Kogen Takamagahara Mammoth usually opens the All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows and closes in 2025/26 the planned closing date was 19 April. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/takamagahara/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/nighter/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/safety/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60986690 ### Shiga Kogen Tanne no Mori Okojo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shiga-kogen-tanne-no-mori-okojo Numbers: 155 m vertical, top 1815 m, base 1660 m, 2 runs, 1 lifts, 3.8 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 28.8° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: タンネの森オコジョスキー場 (ja) Also known as: Tanne no Mori Okojo, タンネの森オコジョスキー場, Tannenomori Okojo, Okojo Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.73300, 138.51340 Season: The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows to In 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March Night riding: No Adult day: ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 30% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Shiga Kogen Resort Development Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/tannenomoriokojo/ Summary: Tanne no Mori Okojo suits riders who like runs through the forest, and it has one lift and no ticket office of its own. This small area runs through untouched stands of Japanese hemlock and birch, and Shiga Kogen calls it the place to feel closest to nature on the whole mountain. The riding weaves between the trees and gets a little thrilling in places. There is no ticket office here. Buy your pass at Ichinose Family or Takamagahara. Tips: - Buy your ticket at Ichinose Family or Takamagahara before you come. Q: How big is Shiga Kogen Tanne no Mori Okojo? A: Shiga Kogen Tanne no Mori Okojo has 2 runs and 1 lifts over 155 m of vertical, from 1,660 m at the base to 1,815 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 3.8 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shiga Kogen Tanne no Mori Okojo? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shiga Kogen Tanne no Mori Okojo is about 28.8° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 0.5 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shiga Kogen Tanne no Mori Okojo? A: Shiga Kogen marks its side-country exits with a warning sign that tells you that you are leaving the ski area. The resort-wide side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated, and everything outside that mapped area is closed. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shiga Kogen Tanne no Mori Okojo? A: An adult day ticket at Shiga Kogen Tanne no Mori Okojo costs ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass and Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Shiga Kogen Tanne no Mori Okojo from Tokyo Station? A: Shiga Kogen Tanne no Mori Okojo is about 3 hr 30 min (about 240 km) from Nerima IC via the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Shinshu-Nagano IC, then Route 292 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Nagaden direct bus from Nagano Station runs about four times a day outside the main winter season. Q: When is the season at Shiga Kogen Tanne no Mori Okojo? A: Shiga Kogen Tanne no Mori Okojo usually opens the All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows and closes in 2025/26 the planned closing date was 31 March. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/tannenomoriokojo/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/nighter/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/safety/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E3%82%BF%E3%83%B3%E3%83%8D%E3%81%AE%E6%A3%AE ### Shiga Kogen Terakoya URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shiga-kogen-terakoya Numbers: 155 m vertical, top 2060 m, base 1905 m, 3 runs, 2 lifts, 3.5 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 17.8° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 寺小屋スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Terakoya, 寺小屋スキー場 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.72920, 138.52640 Season: The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows to In 2025/26 the planned closing date was 19 April Night riding: No Adult day: ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 30% Car-free village: Yes Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/terakoya/ Summary: Terakoya suits riders who want high snow and the classic Shiga Kogen view, and its two lifts make it a place to visit rather than stay all day. Terakoya sits above Higashidateyama, so you reach it by going up again from the top of the gondola. At over 1,900 m the snow stays good, and on a clear day the view is the one Shiga Kogen itself calls the essence of the place. The sun deck at the Terakoya Rest House is the place for a draught beer on a fine spring day, and the area stays open into the middle of April. Tips: - Pair Terakoya with Higashidateyama; the gondola there is the way up. Q: How big is Shiga Kogen Terakoya? A: Shiga Kogen Terakoya has 3 runs and 2 lifts over 155 m of vertical, from 1,905 m at the base to 2,060 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 3.5 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shiga Kogen Terakoya? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shiga Kogen Terakoya is about 17.8° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shiga Kogen Terakoya? A: Shiga Kogen marks its side-country exits with a warning sign that tells you that you are leaving the ski area. The resort-wide side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated, and everything outside that mapped area is closed. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shiga Kogen Terakoya? A: An adult day ticket at Shiga Kogen Terakoya costs ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass and Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Shiga Kogen Terakoya from Tokyo Station? A: Shiga Kogen Terakoya is about 3 hr 30 min (about 240 km) from Nerima IC via the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Shinshu-Nagano IC, then Route 292 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Nagaden direct bus from Nagano Station runs about four times a day outside the main winter season. Q: When is the season at Shiga Kogen Terakoya? A: Shiga Kogen Terakoya usually opens the All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows and closes in 2025/26 the planned closing date was 19 April. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/terakoya/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/nighter/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/safety/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60986738 ### Shiga Kogen Yakebitaiyama URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shiga-kogen-yakebitaiyama Numbers: 445 m vertical, top 2000 m, base 1555 m, 20 runs, 5 lifts, 15.6 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 32.5° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 焼額山スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Yakebitaiyama, 焼額山スキー場, Yakebitai, Yakebi, Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.75310, 138.51670 Season: The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows to In 2025/26 the planned closing date was 1 May Night riding: 18:00–20:00 in 2025/26 Adult day: ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 20%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 30% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Prince Hotels Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/yakebitaiyama/ Summary: Yakebitaiyama suits strong intermediates who want dry powder at 2,000 m and the Prince Hotels at the base, though its YAKEBI powder areas are for advanced riders only. Yakebitaiyama rises above the three Prince Hotel wings in the Okushiga direction, and two gondolas carry you to the 1,995 m summit station. Conifer forest lines the runs, and the snow at this height is some of the driest on Honshu. Intermediate and advanced runs make up 80% of the mountain. Regulars keep coming back to the Olympic and Giant Slalom courses. The YAKEBI powder areas are kept for advanced riders. The long Panorama to South run takes the gentle way down, and the area has 20 courses in all. Ichinose Yamanokami links in by a run, and you return by lift, so Yakebitaiyama works as the eastern end of a day across the Ichinose areas. Tips: - Yakebitaiyama publishes its own side-country terms; read them before you leave the runs. - Night riding on the D2 East course runs only on set dates, so check the calendar before planning around it. Q: How big is Shiga Kogen Yakebitaiyama? A: Shiga Kogen Yakebitaiyama has 20 runs and 5 lifts over 445 m of vertical, from 1,555 m at the base to 2,000 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 15.6 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shiga Kogen Yakebitaiyama? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shiga Kogen Yakebitaiyama is about 32.5° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.7 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shiga Kogen Yakebitaiyama? A: Shiga Kogen marks its side-country exits with a warning sign that tells you that you are leaving the ski area. The resort-wide side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated, and everything outside that mapped area is closed. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shiga Kogen Yakebitaiyama? A: An adult day ticket at Shiga Kogen Yakebitaiyama costs ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass and Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Shiga Kogen Yakebitaiyama from Tokyo Station? A: Shiga Kogen Yakebitaiyama is about 3 hr 30 min (about 240 km) from Nerima IC via the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Shinshu-Nagano IC, then Route 292 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Nagaden direct bus from Nagano Station runs about four times a day outside the main winter season. Q: When is the season at Shiga Kogen Yakebitaiyama? A: Shiga Kogen Yakebitaiyama usually opens the All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows and closes in 2025/26 the planned closing date was 1 May. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/yakebitaiyama/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/nighter/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/safety/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60985314 ### Shiga Kogen Yokoteyama and Shibutoge URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shiga-kogen-yokoteyama-shibutoge Numbers: 602 m vertical, top 2307 m, base 1705 m, 12 runs, 8 lifts, 12 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 27.7° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 横手山・渋峠スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Yokoteyama and Shibutoge, 横手山・渋峠スキー場, Yokoteyama, Shibutoge, Shibu Pass, 横手山 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.67280, 138.51890 Season: The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows to Until mid-May in 2025/26 Night riding: No Adult day: ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 50%, Intermediate 35%, Advanced 15% Car-free village: Yes Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/yokoteyama-shibutoge/ Summary: Yokoteyama suits anyone who wants to ski the highest lift-served slopes in Japan into late May, and the top is exposed to wind and close to an active volcano. Yokoteyama's summit stands at 2,307 m, the highest point of any ski area in Japan, and the season here runs into late May. On a clear day the Northern Alps line up behind Mt. Kasa. The lift and skiing scenes of the film Watashi wo Ski ni Tsuretette were shot here. Shibutoge sits by Shibu Pass on the border with Gunma. Ride all the way down to Kumanoyu for one of the longest descents in Shiga Kogen. Kusatsu-Shirane volcano lies just south of Shibu Pass, and the road over the pass closes in winter. Check the Japan Meteorological Agency's volcanic warnings and the prefecture's access limits before you visit. Tips: - Bring layers. Wind on the summit can make it the coldest place you ride all trip. - In May the All-Mountain pass no longer applies, so buy Yokoteyama's own ticket. Q: How big is Shiga Kogen Yokoteyama and Shibutoge? A: Shiga Kogen Yokoteyama and Shibutoge has 12 runs and 8 lifts over 602 m of vertical, from 1,705 m at the base to 2,307 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 12 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shiga Kogen Yokoteyama and Shibutoge? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shiga Kogen Yokoteyama and Shibutoge is about 27.7° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.8 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shiga Kogen Yokoteyama and Shibutoge? A: Shiga Kogen marks its side-country exits with a warning sign that tells you that you are leaving the ski area. The resort-wide side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated, and everything outside that mapped area is closed. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shiga Kogen Yokoteyama and Shibutoge? A: An adult day ticket at Shiga Kogen Yokoteyama and Shibutoge costs ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,500, about CAD 67 or USD 47 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass and Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass holders ride here too. Q: How do you get to Shiga Kogen Yokoteyama and Shibutoge from Tokyo Station? A: Shiga Kogen Yokoteyama and Shibutoge is about 3 hr 30 min (about 240 km) from Nerima IC via the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways to Shinshu-Nagano IC, then Route 292 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: The Nagaden direct bus from Nagano Station runs about four times a day outside the main winter season. Q: When is the season at Shiga Kogen Yokoteyama and Shibutoge? A: Shiga Kogen Yokoteyama and Shibutoge usually opens the All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December 2026; each area opens when its snow allows and closes until mid-May in 2025/26. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/lift/yokoteyama-shibutoge/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/nighter/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/safety/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q110654002 https://www.pref.nagano.lg.jp/bosai/kurashi/shobo/bosai/bosai/kazankatsudou.html#kusatsushiranesan ### Shizukuishi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/shizukuishi Numbers: 720 m vertical, top 1150 m, base 430 m, 20 runs, 6 lifts, 20.7 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 31.4° over 60 m Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 雫石スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Shizukuishi Ski Resort, Shizukuishi Prince, Shizukuishi Ski Area, 雫石 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Address: Takakura Onsen, Shizukuishi, Iwate-gun, Iwate 020-0593 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 39.78390, 140.93700 Season: 19 December 2026 (planned) to 22 March 2027 Best snow: 27 December 2026 to 4 January 2027 (New Year ticket prices) Lift hours: 8:30–16:30, or until sunset Car-free village: Yes Operator: Seibu Prince Hotels & Resorts Website: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/shizukuishi/winter/ Summary: Shizukuishi suits families and cruisers who want a quiet Prince resort with long runs facing Mt. Iwate, and its season ends early, on 22 March 2027. Shizukuishi sits at Takakura Onsen, west of Morioka, with Shizukuishi Prince Hotel at the foot of the slopes. Prince lists 20 courses on 86 ha and a 720 m drop, served by a 101-person ropeway and five chairs. The Downhill course runs 2.6 km from 1,150 m almost to the base. The upper mountain belongs to good skiers. The Giant Slalom and Sunshine runs both start at 1,145 m, and the two lower Downhill pitches reach 29° and 33°. Beginners stay up at the ropeway top, where the Family slope and the Crystal course give gentle snow at around 800 m. Prince plans to open on 19 December 2026 and close on 22 March 2027, six weeks before APPI's season pass runs out. The 2026/27 day prices weren't out in early October. In 2025/26 a day cost ¥6,500, and children up to primary school rode free. Tips: - Stay at Shizukuishi Prince Hotel for the free shuttle from Morioka or Shizukuishi Station. Book it at least three days ahead, since the bus runs only with a reservation. - Join Seibu Prince Global Rewards before you buy. Members paid ¥600 less for a day ticket in 2025/26. - Mt. Iwate rose to Level 2 in 2026 and returned to Level 1 on 27 August 2026. JMA's Iwatesan page carries the current level. Q: How big is Shizukuishi? A: Shizukuishi has 20 runs and 6 lifts over 720 m of vertical, from 430 m at the base to 1,150 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 20.7 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shizukuishi? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shizukuishi is about 31.4° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 6 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Shizukuishi? A: Shizukuishi lets riders leave the area only through its gates, after filing a mountain plan with the patrol office. Everything past the gates is unpatrolled. Q: How do you get to Shizukuishi from Tokyo Station? A: By bus: The hotel's winter shuttle runs from 18 December 2026 to 28 March 2027 and must be booked three days ahead. Q: When is the season at Shizukuishi? A: Shizukuishi usually opens 19 December 2026 (planned) and closes 22 March 2027. The deepest, most reliable snow comes 27 December 2026 to 4 January 2027 (New Year ticket prices). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/shizukuishi/winter/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/shizukuishi/winter/coursemap/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/shizukuishi/winter/coursemap/safety.html https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/shizukuishi/winter/lift/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/shizukuishi/informations/20260919 https://www.princehotels.co.jp/shizukuishi/access/ https://www.princehotels.com/en/ski/shizukuishi/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/207.html ### JAM Fukui Katsuyama Mountain Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/ski-jam-katsuyama Numbers: 710 m vertical, top 1320 m, base 610 m, 12 runs, 6 lifts, adult day ¥6,200, about CAD 56 or USD 39 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: JAM福井勝山マウンテンリゾート (ja) Also known as: Ski Jam Katsuyama, Skijam Katsuyama, スキージャム勝山, JAM Fukui Katsuyama, JAM Resort, Ski Jam Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Fukui Town: Katsuyama Address: 170-70 Katsuyama, Fukui 911-0000 Coordinates: 36.07333, 136.55556 Season: 19 December 2026 (planned) to 4 April 2027 (planned) Lift hours: 8:30–16:30 on weekdays and 8:00–16:30 on weekends and holidays. Adult day: ¥6,200, about CAD 56 or USD 39 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 30% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Katsuyama Kogen Kaihatsu Website: https://jamresort.jp/activity-white/ Summary: JAM Fukui Katsuyama suits families and western Japan skiers who want long runs and marked tree runs beside a ski-in hotel, and its trade-off is a modest 1,320 m summit. JAM Fukui Katsuyama Mountain Resort is the new name of Ski Jam Katsuyama, and it calls itself one of the biggest ski areas in western Japan. Six chairlifts serve a 710 m drop from 1,320 m to 610 m, and the longest run covers 5,800 m. The course guide lists 12 courses with a 30-40-30 split from beginner to advanced; the resort's overview page gives 16. The Rindo course winds 3 km down through the woods at an average 4 degrees, which suits nervous beginners. Experts head to the ungroomed Extreme course at 37 degrees and to three marked tree runs inside the boundary. JAM Mid Base sits at about 1,000 m at the top of the Variety quad. It looks over Katsuyama and runs snow rafting for people who do not ski. For 2026/27 the resort plans to open on 19 December 2026 and close on 4 April 2027. A weekend day ticket costs ¥6,200, or ¥4,500 bought online before 18 December. In October 2026 the operator named the Olympic skier Kentaro Minagawa as vice-president in charge of the resort. Tips: - Buy the early-bird all-day ticket on the resort's site before 18 December 2026; it costs ¥4,500 even on set days. - Book the free shuttle from Katsuyama Station or the Dinosaur Museum online; it is open to day visitors. Q: How big is JAM Fukui Katsuyama? A: JAM Fukui Katsuyama has 12 runs and 6 lifts over 710 m of vertical, from 610 m at the base to 1,320 m at the top. Q: Can you ride off-piste at JAM Fukui Katsuyama? A: At JAM Fukui Katsuyama: Riding outside the managed boundary, the red dotted line on the trail map, is forbidden for any reason, and the area outside it gets no safety management. The resort bills searches and rescues outside the boundary at cost. Q: How much is a lift ticket at JAM Fukui Katsuyama? A: An adult day ticket at JAM Fukui Katsuyama costs ¥6,200, about CAD 56 or USD 39 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: How do you get to JAM Fukui Katsuyama from Tokyo Station? A: JAM Fukui Katsuyama is about 15 km and 20 minutes from Katsuyama IC on the Chubu Jukan Expressway; about 69 km from Shirotori IC on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: Free shuttle from Katsuyama Station and the Dinosaur Museum, open to everyone, booked online; hotel guests also get a free bus from JR Fukui Station. Q: When is the season at JAM Fukui Katsuyama? A: JAM Fukui Katsuyama usually opens 19 December 2026 (planned) and closes 4 April 2027 (planned). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://jamresort.jp/ https://jamresort.jp/activity-white/ https://jamresort.jp/activity-white/lift-ticket/ https://jamresort.jp/activity-white/course-guide/ https://jamresort.jp/hayawari2026/ https://jamresort.jp/access/ https://jamresort.jp/about/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11311432 ### Takasu Snow Park URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/takasu-snow-park Numbers: 600 m vertical, top 1550 m, base 950 m, 13 runs, 4 lifts, 15.3 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 30° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,400, about CAD 58 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 高鷲スノーパーク (ja) Also known as: Takasu, Takasu Snowpark, Takasu Snow Park Gifu, 高鷲, タカス Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Okumino Address: 3086-1 Nishibora, Takasu-cho, Gujo, Gifu 501-5305 Status: seasonal. Takasu had not announced its 2026/27 opening day by 11 October 2026. The Takasu Mountains season pass page says it plans to run until late April 2027. Coordinates: 35.99800, 136.87730 Lift hours: Gondola 8:00–16:00, Panorama and Champion quads 8:00–16:30, Diamond quad 8:15–16:15, as listed for 2025/26 Night riding: No Adult day: ¥6,400, about CAD 58 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 42%, Intermediate 30%, Advanced 28% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Chubu Snow Alliance Co. (中部スノーアライアンス株式会社) Website: https://www.takasu.gr.jp/ Summary: Takasu Snow Park suits Nagoya riders who want long cruising runs off one gondola and a proper halfpipe, and the trade-off is that the lifts stop at 16:30 with no night session on this side of the mountain. Takasu shares the slopes of Dainichigatake with Dynaland in Gujo's Takasu district, and a single 15-seat gondola climbs to the top station at 1,550 m. From there the Bamboo course joins the Beginners course for a 4,900 m run to the base. The resort counts 13 courses over about 100 ha with 600 m of vertical, and 42% of the terrain is graded beginner. In the high season the two resorts connect at the top and one shared day ticket covers 31 courses. Dynaland's 2026/27 list prices that ticket at ¥6,400 for an adult. Wind or thin snow can close the link at short notice, and the last lift back is the Champion quad. The pipe crew builds a regular halfpipe and a 7 m superpipe, both about 120 m long, and riders preparing for world events train here. Powder days send the regulars to the Super and Technical courses, where the snow on the north faces holds longest. Four tree-run areas open on the north side, and riding outside them or off the courses is banned. Takasu runs later into spring than its neighbours. It closed on 19 April in 2025/26, a week short of its 26 April target after a warm and thin winter, and it plans to stay open until late April in 2026/27. Takasu Terrace, the café at the gondola top, sells a burger made with Hida beef and Meiho ham. Tips: - If you only want the view or lunch at Takasu Terrace, buy the ¥2,000 gondola round trip; there is no one-way ticket (2025/26 price). - The free Takasu Snow Shuttle links the Hirugano Kogen highway bus stop with the resorts, and in February the morning and evening runs can fill with reservations, so book early or drive. - Bring your own accident insurance, since the resort carries none for visitors. Q: Does the Takasu Snow Park ticket cover Dynaland? A: Yes. The standard Takasu and Dynaland day ticket covers both resorts, and for 2026/27 it costs ¥6,400 for an adult on Dynaland's price list. The link at the top can close in bad weather. Q: Does Takasu Snow Park have night skiing? A: No. Takasu runs 8:00 to 16:30. Dynaland next door lights its slopes until 23:00 from 26 December 2026 to 21 March 2027. Q: How long is the longest run at Takasu Snow Park? A: The longest run is 4,900 m, from the gondola top down the Bamboo course and onto the Beginners course. Q: Is Takasu Snow Park open all year? A: Takasu Snow Park opens for part of the year. Takasu had not announced its 2026/27 opening day by 11 October 2026. The Takasu Mountains season pass page says it plans to run until late April 2027. Q: How big is Takasu? A: Takasu has 13 runs and 4 lifts over 600 m of vertical, from 950 m at the base to 1,550 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 15.3 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Takasu? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Takasu is about 30° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.4 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Takasu? A: Takasu opens four tree-run areas inside the resort and bans riding off the courses anywhere else. Hikers bound for Dainichigatake take the gondola on a ¥2,000 round-trip climbing ticket and hand in a climbing notice first. Takasu publishes no rescue fee, and its neighbour Dynaland warns that it charges for any rescue it carries out beyond the open courses. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Takasu? A: An adult day ticket at Takasu costs ¥6,400, about CAD 58 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Q: How do you get to Takasu from Nagoya Station? A: Takasu is about 1 hour 30 minutes and 110 km from JR Nagoya Station on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway, leaving at Takasu IC for the last 10 minutes by car from Nagoya Station. By bus: Gifu Bus highway coaches run from Meitetsu Bus Center to the Kosoku Hirugano Kogen stop in about 1 hour 40 minutes, where the free Takasu Snow Shuttle picks up. Day tour buses leave JR Nagoya Station at 7:50 and return about 19:10. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.takasu.gr.jp/ https://www.takasu.gr.jp/gelande/ https://www.takasu.gr.jp/features/ https://www.takasu.gr.jp/faq/ https://www.takasu.gr.jp/charge/ https://www.takasu.gr.jp/access/ https://www.takasu.gr.jp/emergency/ https://www.takasu.gr.jp/news/2026/04/19/10315/ https://www.takasu.gr.jp/company/ https://www.dynaland.co.jp/charge/ https://www.dynaland.co.jp/news/2024/12/21/6356/ https://www.takasumountains.com/ski/ https://www.takasumountains.com/access/ https://seasonpass.chubu-snow.com/tms/ https://seasonpass.chubu-snow.com/mej/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7677408 ### Tangram Ski Circus URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/tangram-ski-circus Numbers: 514 m vertical, top 1316 m, base 802 m, 23 runs, 5 lifts, 14.2 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 35.6° over 60 m, adult day ¥7,000, about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: タングラムスキーサーカス (ja) Also known as: Tangram, Tangram Madarao, Tangram Madarao Tokyu Resort, タングラム斑尾 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Address: 3575-8 Furumi, Shinano-machi, Kamiminochi-gun, Nagano 389-1302 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.85000, 138.26530 Season: 19 December 2026 (kids' park from 12 December) to 28 March 2027 Lift hours: 8:30–16:30 on the main quads in 2025/26; the No. 1 pair, which links to Madarao, ran 9:00–16:00 Night riding: No Adult day: ¥7,000, about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Operator: Tokyu Resorts & Stay (Tangram Madarao Tokyu Resort) Website: https://www.tangram.jp/ski/ Summary: Tangram suits families who want a ski-in hotel with an onsen and Lake Nojiri views, and stronger riders will want the joint ticket for Madarao next door. Tangram spreads over the north-northwest face of Mt. Madarao, and almost every run ends at the door of Hotel Tangram. The hotel holds the hot spring, an indoor pool, restaurants and the ticket office, so a family can spend the whole week without a car. The No. 6 pair on the right of the map serves the pension area instead. The No. 5 quad doubles as the sightseeing lift to Nojiriko Terrace at 1,100 m, a deck looking over Lake Nojiri and the five peaks of northern Shinano. The ungroomed powder zones include King's Slalom and Jack Downhill, and the tree runs carry fruit names such as Anzu Downhill and Momo Downhill. The left-hand ridge connects with Madarao, and with the joint ticket the riding area grows two and a half times. Tangram opens on 19 December 2026 and runs to 28 March 2027, with the slopes open until 18:00 on busy Saturdays. Tips: - Buy the Madarao Mountain Pass at the Tangram ticket centre if you want both resorts. - Watch the lift closing time on the link lifts. Tangram's No. 1 and Madarao's No. 15 connect the two, and missing the last one means a long way round. - Buses run from Nagano Station East Exit and Iiyama Station, and also stop at Kurohime Station and Lake Nojiri. Q: How big is Tangram Ski Circus? A: Tangram Ski Circus has 23 runs and 5 lifts over 514 m of vertical, from 802 m at the base to 1,316 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 14.2 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Tangram Ski Circus? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Tangram Ski Circus is about 35.6° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 5.3 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Tangram Ski Circus? A: An adult day ticket at Tangram Ski Circus costs ¥7,000, about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does Tangram Ski Circus have night riding? A: No. Tangram Ski Circus closes its lifts at dusk. Q: How do you get to Tangram Ski Circus from Tokyo Station? A: By bus: Buses leave from the Yumeria bus park at Nagano Station East Exit and from stop 1 on the Chikuma River side of Iiyama Station. Q: When is the season at Tangram Ski Circus? A: Tangram Ski Circus usually opens 19 December 2026 (kids' park from 12 December) and closes 28 March 2027. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tangram.jp/ https://www.tangram.jp/ski/ https://www.tangram.jp/ski/ski/map.php https://www.tangram.jp/ski/ski/lift.php https://www.tangram.jp/ski/ski/treerun.php https://www.tangram.jp/ski/ticket/ticket.php https://www.tangram.jp/ski/access/train.php https://www.madarao.jp/en/tickets https://www.madarao.jp/information/14062 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11316479 ### Tateyama Sanroku Ski Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/tateyama-sanroku Numbers: 687 m vertical, top 1176 m, base 489 m, 9 runs, 7 lifts, 10.6 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 29.7° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,400, about CAD 49 or USD 34 (October 2026 rates) (2025/26) Type: Resort Local name: 立山山麓スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Tateyama Sanroku, Gokurakuzaka, Raicho Valley, 極楽坂スキー場, らいちょうバレースキー場, Tateyama 36 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Tateyama Address: 55 Hara, Toyama, Toyama 930-1454 Coordinates: 36.57472, 137.41694 Lift hours: 8:00–16:10 on most lifts; Raicho Valley night lift 16:30–20:30. Night riding: 16:30–20:30 Adult day: ¥5,400, about CAD 49 or USD 34 (October 2026 rates) (2025/26) Car-free village: Yes Operator: Ohyama Kanko Kaihatsu Website: https://www.tateyama36.co.jp/winter/ Summary: Tateyama Sanroku suits families and Toyama locals who want two ski areas below the Alpine Route, and its trade-off is a low hill whose season depends on early snow; 2025/26 opened only on 28 December. Gokurakuzaka and Raicho Valley make up Tateyama Sanroku, and both sit inside Toyama city near Tateyama Station. Ohyama Kanko Kaihatsu runs seven chairlifts across them, and the longest runs measure 3 km in each area. Raicho Valley leans toward beginners and families and has night riding on the Utopia slope until 20:30. Gokurakuzaka's Giant and Expert courses reach 32 degrees. Snow decides the season here. In 2025/26 the planned 13 December opening slipped for lack of snow, and the full area opened on 28 December. The season ended on 15 March 2026. The 2026/27 opening and ticket prices were not published when we checked in October 2026. A loop bus links Tateyama Station with both areas, and the operator posts the timetable in English. Raicho Valley has about 1,400 free parking spaces and Gokurakuzaka about 1,200. Tips: - Raicho Valley's kids' park costs ¥1,000 for ages three and up, and Gokurakuzaka's sledging area is free. - Check the lift status panel on the resort's winter page before you drive up; it shows each lift running or stopped. Q: How big is Tateyama Sanroku? A: Tateyama Sanroku has 9 runs and 7 lifts over 687 m of vertical, from 489 m at the base to 1,176 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 10.6 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Tateyama Sanroku? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Tateyama Sanroku is about 29.7° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 4.8 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Tateyama Sanroku? A: An adult day ticket at Tateyama Sanroku costs ¥5,400, about CAD 49 or USD 34 (October 2026 rates) in the 2025/26 main season and ¥5,000, about CAD 45 or USD 32 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: Does Tateyama Sanroku have night riding? A: Yes. Tateyama Sanroku runs night lifts 16:30–20:30. Night riding runs on the Utopia slope at Raicho Valley, served by the 2B pair lift. Q: How do you get to Tateyama Sanroku from Tokyo Station? A: By bus: Loop bus from Tateyama Station via Raicho Valley, Awasuno and Gokurakuzaka; timetable in English on the Alpine Route operator's site. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tateyama36.co.jp/ https://www.tateyama36.co.jp/winter/ https://www.tateyama36.co.jp/price/ https://www.tateyama36.co.jp/course/ https://www.tateyama36.co.jp/access/ https://www.tateyama36.co.jp/news/2121/ https://www.tateyama36.co.jp/news/2091/ https://www.tateyama36.co.jp/news/514/ https://www.tateyama36.co.jp/news/2289/ https://www.tateyama36.co.jp/news/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11597831 ### Tazawako URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/tazawako Numbers: 600 m vertical, top 1175 m, base 575 m, 13 runs, 6 lifts, 13 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 28.6° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,800, about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: たざわ湖スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Tazawako Ski Resort, Tazawako Ski Area, Tazawa-ko, Akita Tazawako Snow Resort, たざわ湖, 田沢湖スキー場 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Address: Mizusawa Onsenkyo, Tazawako, Semboku, Akita 014-1201 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 39.76230, 140.77070 Season: 19 December 2026 (planned) to 28 March 2027 (planned) Adult day: ¥5,800, about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Website: https://www.tazawako-ski.com/ Summary: Tazawako suits skiers who want powder and moguls above Japan's deepest lake, and the season is a short one, from 19 December 2026 to 28 March 2027. Tazawako climbs the side of Akita-Komagatake above Lake Tazawa, which the resort calls Japan's deepest lake, and the lake fills the view from the slopes. Six chairs serve 13 courses, with the Lera ski centre at the bottom. Three courses stay ungroomed for powder. Mizusawa Champion is the steepest at up to 38°, and Komagatake No. 3 and Ginrei Paradise hold fresh snow after a storm. Kuromoriyama, a short advanced run of groomed and deep snow, hosts the Moguls World Cup. The Kokutai course gives a long run with the lake below you. The resort plans to open on 19 December 2026 and close on 28 March 2027. Its 2026/27 flyer puts a regular day ticket at ¥5,800. Tazawako Camp's outdoor guides run hike-up backcountry tours from late December to early April, at ¥5,200 for a half day and ¥9,500 for a full day. Tips: - Order the five-day ticket set by 30 November 2026 if you'll ski Tazawako for a week. It saves ¥1,000 on each day. - From Tazawako Station the Ugo Kotsu bus takes about 30 minutes, and a taxi about 20. - The ticket office halfway up the mountain at Kamoshika sells tickets on weekends and holidays only. Kamoshika House takes cash only. Q: How big is Tazawako? A: Tazawako has 13 runs and 6 lifts over 600 m of vertical, from 575 m at the base to 1,175 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 13 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Tazawako? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Tazawako is about 28.6° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 3.7 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Tazawako? A: The AKITA Tazawako local rules allow riders out of the managed area only from the top of the Ginrei No. 3 lift or along the climbing route from Alpa Komakusa to the Akita-Komagatake 8th-station hut. Semboku City bills search and rescue costs to the person who asked for help or their family. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Tazawako? A: An adult day ticket at Tazawako costs ¥5,800, about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Q: How do you get to Tazawako from Tokyo Station? A: Tazawako is about an hour from Morioka IC on Route 46 by car from Tokyo Station. By bus: Ugo Kotsu's Lake & Port overnight highway bus runs from the Tokyo area with reserved seats. Q: When is the season at Tazawako? A: Tazawako usually opens 19 December 2026 (planned) and closes 28 March 2027 (planned). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tazawako-ski.com/ https://www.tazawako-ski.com/ger/ https://www.tazawako-ski.com/cou/ https://www.tazawako-ski.com/lif/ https://www.tazawako-ski.com/acc/ https://www.tazawako-ski.com/post-3724/ https://www.tazawako-ski.com/post-4459/ https://www.tazawako-ski.com/pdf/20200110_localrules.pdf https://www.tazawako-ski.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/87092be8866958b08f7605824bb4ca46.pdf https://www.tazawako-ski.com/pdf/digital_pamphlet.pdf https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/208.html ### Tenjindaira URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/tenjindaira Numbers: 756 m vertical, top 1502 m, base 746 m, 4 lifts, 6.6 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 33.6° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,000, about CAD 81 or USD 57 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: Mt.T by 星野リゾート (ja) Also known as: Mt.T, Mt T, Mt.T by Hoshino Resorts, Tanigawadake Tenjindaira, Tanigawadake Tenjindaira Ski Resort, Tenjindaira Ski Resort, Tenjin, 谷川岳天神平スキー場, 天神平 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: Yubukiyama National Forest, Yubiso, Minakami, Tone District, Gunma 379-1728 Status: seasonal. The ski area opens on 19 December 2026. The ropeway itself runs for winter sightseeing from 5 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, and everything including the car park closes from 16 November to 4 December 2026. Coordinates: 36.83130, 138.95970 Season: 19 December 2026 to 4 April 2027 Best snow: 9 January to 28 February 2027, when entry is capped at 150 riders a day Night riding: No Adult day: ¥9,000, about CAD 81 or USD 57 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Snowfall: 15.0 m a season (Mt.T publishes 1,500 cm of annual snowfall and does not say where it measures it. The Minakami tourism association says the resort makes no artificial snow.) Car-free village: Yes Operator: Tanigawadake Ropeway Inc. (Hoshino Resorts) Website: https://tanigawadake-joch.com/en/mt-t/ Summary: Mt.T suits strong riders who want steep powder and backcountry gates on a day trip from Tokyo, and it gives beginners very little room to learn. Mt.T is the winter name for the ski area on the Tanigawadake ropeway, above Minakami in northern Gunma. Hoshino Resorts bought the ropeway company in 2022 and renamed the old Tenjindaira ski area for the 2024/25 season. The ropeway climbs from the Doai-guchi base to Tenjindaira at 1,319 m, and the chairs above it reach Tenjin-toge at 1,502 m. The resort publishes 1,500 cm of snowfall a year. The marked terrain is small. Pistes run from 15 to 38 degrees, and on a good snow year the 3 km Tajirizawa course carries you all the way down to the base station. On those days your ticket covers as many uphill ropeway rides as you like. When Tajirizawa stays shut, every run ends back at the ropeway and you download at the end of the day. From 9 January to 28 February 2027 Mt.T lets in only 150 riders a day on the ¥14,000 Ultimate 1Day Pass. Bookings open in December, and Ikon Pass holders can turn up on any day without one. Outside those weeks a day ticket costs ¥9,000, and spring riding from 10 March drops to ¥6,000. Most riders come for what lies past the gates. The resort lists slopes of 30 to 50 degrees out there and leaves them unmanaged, so a guide makes sense unless you know the mountain. The slopes on both sides of the Tajirizawa A course are a Forest Office no-entry zone. Anyone who calls for rescue from outside the boundary gets the bill for the whole search. Tips: - Take the 6:36 Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo and the 7:58 direct bus from Jomo-Kogen. It reaches Mt.T at 8:33, runs from 5 December 2026 to 4 April 2027 and goes one way only, so come home on the Kan-etsu Kotsu bus. - Book the Ultimate 1Day Pass the day reservations open in December if you plan a January or February trip without an Ikon Pass. - The rental counter hires a beacon for ¥2,000 or a full beacon, probe, shovel and pack set for ¥3,500 a day. It takes rentals from 8:30 to 13:00. - Parking on floors 1 to 5 of the base plaza is free in winter, and the open sixth floor costs ¥1,000. - Read the Japan Avalanche Network bulletin for Kagura, Tanigawa and Hotaka before you head through a gate. Q: Is Mt.T on the Ikon Pass? A: Yes. Mt.T joined the Ikon Pass, and Ikon holders skip the reservation every other rider needs from 9 January to 28 February 2027. Q: Can I reach Mt.T without a car? A: Yes. Take the Joetsu Shinkansen to Jomo-Kogen, about 75 minutes from Tokyo, then the 7:58 direct bus or the Kan-etsu Kotsu Minakami line bus to the Tanigawadake Joch stop. Q: Is Tenjindaira open all year? A: Tenjindaira opens for part of the year. The ski area opens on 19 December 2026. The ropeway itself runs for winter sightseeing from 5 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, and everything including the car park closes from 16 November to 4 December 2026. Q: How steep is Tenjindaira? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Tenjindaira is about 33.6° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.3 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Tenjindaira? A: At Tenjindaira: Mt.T opens its backcountry through designated gates, and the terrain beyond them is unmanaged, with slopes of 30 to 50 degrees by the resort's own figures. Under its terms of use, anyone rescued from outside the managed area pays every cost of the search. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Tenjindaira? A: An adult day ticket at Tenjindaira costs ¥9,000, about CAD 81 or USD 57 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥6,000, about CAD 54 or USD 38 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass holders ride here too. Q: When is the season at Tenjindaira? A: Tenjindaira usually opens 19 December 2026 and closes 4 April 2027. The deepest, most reliable snow comes 9 January to 28 February 2027, when entry is capped at 150 riders a day. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tanigawadake-joch.com/en/mt-t/ https://tanigawadake-joch.com/mt-t/ https://tanigawadake-joch.com/mt-t/news/2026-27%e3%82%b7%e3%83%bc%e3%82%ba%e3%83%b3-%e5%96%b6%e6%a5%ad%e6%9c%9f%e9%96%93%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b/ https://tanigawadake-joch.com/en/mt-t/event/bookingrequired/ https://tanigawadake-joch.com/en/mt-t/event/directbus/ https://tanigawadake-joch.com/en/mt-t/event/ikon-pass/ https://tanigawadake-joch.com/mt-t/backcountry/ https://tanigawadake-joch.com/mt-t/conditions/ https://tanigawadake-joch.com/en/mt-t/route/ https://tanigawadake-joch.com/information/20260907/ https://tanigawadake-joch.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/a7528fa2d1ad8c202815bdda4a36a9f7.pdf https://kan-etsu.net/pages/20/ https://kan-etsu.net/files/libs/14053/202603051656145737.pdf https://kan-etsu.net/files/libs/13586/202509160957248456.pdf https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/season/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B0%B7%E5%B7%9D%E5%B2%B3%E3%83%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%97%E3%82%A6%E3%82%A7%E3%82%A4 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11632877 https://nadare.jp/ ### Togakushi URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/togakushi Numbers: 528 m vertical, top 1748 m, base 1220 m, 19 runs, 7 lifts, 16.2 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 29.8° over 60 m, adult day ¥7,000, about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 戸隠スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Togakushi Ski Resort, Togakushi Ski Field, Togakushi Snow Resort, 戸隠 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Togakushi Address: 3682 Togakushi, Nagano-shi, Nagano 381-4101 Status: seasonal Coordinates: 36.74920, 138.09890 Season: 12 December 2026 to 31 March 2027 Lift hours: 8:30–16:15 Night riding: No Adult day: ¥7,000, about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Website: https://www.togakusi.com/ski/ Summary: Togakushi suits families and mogul riders who want a day trip from Nagano city with the Togakushi range in view, and its season ends in March. Togakushi spreads over two mountains, Mt. Menou and Mt. Kenashi, with the jagged Togakushi range straight in front of the summit at 1,748 m. On a clear day the Northern Alps line the horizon and you can pick out Mt. Fuji. Nineteen runs cover every level. Champion is the steepest. Mogul riders split their time between Challenge and the long bump line on Adventure. The Ninja Slope gives children a run of their own built on the area's ninja stories. The restaurants serve Togakushi soba made from local buckwheat. Togakushi Shrine and its cedar-lined approach to the Okusha are close by, and the shrine is a place of living worship, so keep to the paths and respect any closures. Tips: - Buy online to save ¥500 a day. - Ask about the bus pack that bundles the ticket with the direct bus from Nagano Station. Q: How big is Togakushi? A: Togakushi has 19 runs and 7 lifts over 528 m of vertical, from 1,220 m at the base to 1,748 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 16.2 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Togakushi? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Togakushi is about 29.8° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 3.5 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Togakushi? A: An adult day ticket at Togakushi costs ¥7,000, about CAD 63 or USD 44 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does Togakushi have night riding? A: No. Togakushi closes its lifts at dusk. Q: How do you get to Togakushi from Tokyo Station? A: By bus: Togakushi sells bus packs that combine the lift ticket with a return bus from Nagano Station. Q: When is the season at Togakushi? A: Togakushi usually opens 12 December 2026 and closes 31 March 2027. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.togakusi.com/ski/ https://www.togakusi.com/ski/about/ https://www.togakusi.com/ski/course/ https://www.togakusi.com/ski/charge/ https://www.madarao.jp/information/14062 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11496656 ### Up Kannabe URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/up-kannabe Numbers: 185 m vertical, top 469 m, base 284 m, 4 runs, 5 lifts, 1.1 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 14.5° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,800, about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: アップかんなべ (ja) Also known as: Up Kannabe Ski Resort, Kannabe Kogen, Kannabe, UP Kannabe, アップかんなべスキー場, 神鍋高原 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Hyogo Address: 59-78 Kurisuno, Hidaka-cho, Toyooka, Hyogo (central car park) Status: seasonal. Up Kannabe's 2026/27 price calendar runs from 19 December 2026 to 14 March 2027, so it opens the same day as Okukannabe. Coordinates: 35.50280, 134.67720 Season: 19 December 2026 (planned) to 14 March 2027 (planned); weekdays from 8 March are closed Lift hours: 8:30–16:40 Night riding: 18:00–21:30 Adult day: ¥5,800, about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Car-free village: Yes Operator: Advance Co., Ltd. Website: https://www.kannabe.co.jp/ Summary: Up Kannabe suits families and first-timers from Kansai who want gentle slopes and Saturday night riding, and its trade-off is a small hill with only four courses. Up Kannabe lies on the slopes of Kannabe-yama, a small volcano on the Kannabe Kogen plateau in Toyooka. The plateau has skied since the 1920s, and Japanese Wikipedia calls it the oldest ski area in western Japan. Today three resorts share it, and Up Kannabe sits closest to the expressway: 11 km and about 15 minutes from Hidaka-Kannabe-Kogen IC. Uenodaira is one of the gentlest slopes in Japan, averaging 7 degrees, and a 150 m covered moving walkway called Super Kidsway carries children up it. The 680 m Central course is wide enough for a whole family to spread out under the fast quad. Kita-kabe is the one steep run, fast and flat when groomed, with ungroomed snow on mornings after a snowfall. Night riding runs from 18:00 to 21:30 on Saturdays under lights on Central and Miyanomori, with two extra nights over New Year. The day-use onsen Yutorogi stands by the Michi-no-eki Kannabe Kogen, and the Zentan bus from Ebara stops at its door. Tips: - Show a same-day lift ticket at Yutorogi and the bath costs ¥700 for adults instead of ¥800. It opens at 13:00 on weekdays and 12:00 at weekends, until 21:00. - Add the resort on LINE before a weekday visit; the day ticket drops to ¥4,500. - If the expressway backs up near Hidaka, the resort suggests leaving at Wadayama IC and taking Route 9. Q: Does Up Kannabe have night skiing? A: Yes. In 2026/27 Up Kannabe runs night riding from 18:00 to 21:30 on Saturdays from 19 December to 27 February, on the Central and Miyanomori courses. An adult night ticket costs ¥3,500. Q: Can I reach Up Kannabe by train? A: Yes. Take the JR San'in line to Ebara, then the Zentan bus on the Kannabe Kogen line to the Kannabe Onsen Yutorogi-mae stop, about 25 to 35 minutes. The Central rental shop is a five-minute walk from the stop. Q: Is Up Kannabe open all year? A: Up Kannabe opens for part of the year. Up Kannabe's 2026/27 price calendar runs from 19 December 2026 to 14 March 2027, so it opens the same day as Okukannabe. Q: How big is Up Kannabe? A: Up Kannabe has 4 runs and 5 lifts over 185 m of vertical, from 284 m at the base to 469 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 1.1 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Up Kannabe? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Up Kannabe is about 14.5° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Up Kannabe? A: An adult day ticket at Up Kannabe costs ¥5,800, about CAD 52 or USD 37 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥4,500, about CAD 40 or USD 28 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Q: Does Up Kannabe have night riding? A: Yes. Up Kannabe runs night lifts 18:00–21:30. The 2026/27 night calendar lights the Miyanomori and Central courses on Saturdays from 19 December 2026 to 27 February 2027, plus 29 and 30 December and 10 January. Q: When is the season at Up Kannabe? A: Up Kannabe usually opens 19 December 2026 (planned) and closes 14 March 2027 (planned); weekdays from 8 March are closed. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kannabe.co.jp/ https://www.kannabe.co.jp/gelande https://www.kannabe.co.jp/charge https://www.kannabe.co.jp/en https://www.kannabe.co.jp/seasonpass-early https://www.kannabe.co.jp/access https://kannabe.co.jp/topics/13527.html https://okukan.com/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/アップかんなべスキー場 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/神鍋高原スキー場 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11283830 https://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search/result?from=%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA&to=%E6%B1%9F%E5%8E%9F&y=2026&m=11&d=10&hh=08&m1=0&m2=0&type=1&ticket=normal&expkind=1&userpass=1&ws=3&s=0&al=1&shin=1&ex=1&hb=1&lb=1&sr=1 ### Wakasa Hyonosen Ski Resort URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/wakasa-hyonosen Numbers: 417 m vertical, top 1189 m, base 772 m, 5 lifts, 4.1 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 33.4° over 60 m Type: Resort Local name: わかさ氷ノ山スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Wakasa Hyounosen, Hyonosen Tottori, わかさ氷ノ山 Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Address: Wakasa, Yazu District, Tottori Status: seasonal. The resort had not posted 2026/27 dates by 11 October 2026, and its price page carries no season. Coordinates: 35.34944, 134.49111 Car-free village: Yes Website: http://www.hyounosen.co.jp/ Summary: Wakasa Hyonosen suits Kansai and Tottori skiers who want the Tottori side of Mt. Hyonosen at a modest day price, and its website publishes almost nothing beyond prices and directions. Wakasa Hyonosen sits on the Tottori side of Mt. Hyonosen in Wakasa town. Its undated price page lists an adult day ticket at ¥4,000 and an adult season pass at ¥40,000. The resort counts about three hours by car from Osaka by the Chugoku Expressway at Yamasaki IC and Route 29, and about an hour from Tottori. Without a car, take the Super Hakuto from Osaka to Koge, change to the Wakasa Railway for Wakasa, then ride a bus for 20 minutes. The resort puts the whole trip at about three and a half hours, and a daily Nihon Kotsu express bus from Osaka takes about three. Tips: - The resort's undated price page lists an adult day ticket at ¥4,000, a child day at ¥2,500, an under-22 day at ¥3,000 and an adult season pass at ¥40,000; confirm them for 2026/27 at http://www.hyounosen.co.jp/contents/lift.html. Q: Is Wakasa Hyonosen Ski Resort open all year? A: Wakasa Hyonosen Ski Resort opens for part of the year. The resort had not posted 2026/27 dates by 11 October 2026, and its price page carries no season. Q: How steep is Wakasa Hyonosen? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Wakasa Hyonosen is about 33.4° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.5 km of the mapped total. Q: How do you get to Wakasa Hyonosen from Shin-Osaka Station? A: Wakasa Hyonosen is about 3 hours from Osaka via Yamasaki IC on the Chugoku Expressway and Route 29; about 1 hour from Tottori by car from Shin-Osaka Station. By bus: A daily Nihon Kotsu limited express bus from Osaka takes about 3 hours. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.hyounosen.co.jp/ http://www.hyounosen.co.jp/contents/lift.html http://www.hyounosen.co.jp/contents/access.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17216179 ### Washigatake URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/washigatake Numbers: 410 m vertical, top 1342 m, base 932 m, 13 runs, 4 lifts, 8.8 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 24.3° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 鷲ヶ岳スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Washigatake Ski Resort, Washigatake Ski Area, Washitopia, 鷲ヶ岳, ワシトピア Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Okumino Address: 3250 Owashi, Takasu-cho, Gujo, Gifu Status: opening (opens 2026-11-21). Washigatake plans to open the 2026/27 season on Saturday 21 November 2026. Coordinates: 35.94240, 136.91970 Lift hours: 8:00–16:30, with early-morning riding from 6:00 on early-morning days Night riding: 16:00–22:30 on designated Saturdays in 2025/26 Adult day: ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 30% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Towa Kanko Co. (東和観光株式会社) Website: https://ski.washigatake.jp/ Summary: Washigatake suits park riders and early-season skiers who want to start in November five minutes from the expressway, and the trade-off is a modest 410 m of vertical with no gondola. Washigatake sits 3 km from Takasu IC on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway, the closest of the Takasu resorts to the motorway. Its 13 courses drop 410 m, and the signature slope opens to 400 m wide. The Washitopia ticket adds Whitepia Takasu over the ridge for 26 courses and 110 ha in all. Washigatake opened on 21 November in 2025/26 and plans the same date for 2026/27. On designated Saturdays the lights stay on until 22:30, and an all-night ticket runs through to 6:00 the next morning. THE ACTIVE park runs 1,200 m with jumps and jib sections for every level. A bath called Washi no Yu with a sauna and an outdoor tub fills the ground floor of the centre house, and Hotel Rainbow opens straight onto the slope. Tips: - Ski Tuesdays on the half-price day ticket; it cost ¥2,750 for adults in 2025/26. - Season pass holders bathe at Washi no Yu for ¥500. - The summit link to Whitepia runs only from about late December to early March, between 8:30 and 16:00. Q: When does Washigatake open for 2026/27? A: Washigatake plans to open on Saturday 21 November 2026. Q: Does Washigatake have night skiing? A: Yes, on designated Saturday nights until 22:30, with an all-night ticket that runs from 16:00 to 6:00 the next morning. Q: Can I ski Washigatake and Whitepia Takasu on one ticket? A: Yes. The Washitopia shared day ticket covers both, and it cost ¥6,000 for adults in 2025/26. The summit link runs from about late December to early March. Q: How big is Washigatake? A: Washigatake has 13 runs and 4 lifts over 410 m of vertical, from 932 m at the base to 1,342 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 8.8 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Washigatake? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Washigatake is about 24.3° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.1 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Washigatake? A: Washigatake treats staying on the marked courses as a rule. Its manners page warns that riding off the courses risks trees, avalanches and getting lost, and that a rider rescued from an avalanche or a search outside the courses may have to pay the rescue costs. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Washigatake? A: An adult day ticket at Washigatake costs ¥5,500, about CAD 49 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Q: How do you get to Washigatake from Nagoya Station? A: Washigatake is about 1 hour 30 minutes from Nagoya on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway, then 3 km and about 5 minutes from Takasu IC by car from Nagoya Station. By bus: Gifu Bus highway coaches reach the Hirugano Kogen stop in about 1 hour 40 minutes, and the Washigatake line of the free Takasu Snow Shuttle runs from there. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ski.washigatake.jp/ https://ski.washigatake.jp/news/2026/08/11/5655/ https://ski.washigatake.jp/charge/ https://ski.washigatake.jp/gelande/ https://ski.washigatake.jp/about/ https://ski.washigatake.jp/manners/ https://ski.washigatake.jp/access/ https://ski.washigatake.jp/assets/pdf/agreement.pdf https://www.takasumountains.com/ski/ https://www.takasumountains.com/access/ https://seasonpass.chubu-snow.com/tms/ https://seasonpass.chubu-snow.com/mej/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11676214 https://whitepia.jp/liftticket/ ### Whitepia Takasu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/whitepia-takasu Numbers: 355 m vertical, top 1396 m, base 1041 m, 13 runs, 4 lifts, 10.1 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 30.3° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,600, about CAD 50 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: ホワイトピアたかす (ja) Also known as: White Pia Takasu, Whitepia, Washitopia, ホワイトピア Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Okumino Address: 512 Sumi, Takasu-cho, Gujo, Gifu Status: seasonal. Whitepia plans to open the 2026/27 season on 28 November 2026 and has published its 2026/27 lift prices. Coordinates: 35.95590, 136.93500 Season: 28 November 2026 (planned) to 28 March 2027 (end of the 2026/27 price table) Lift hours: 8:00–16:30, with sunrise sessions from 7:00 on some days (2025/26) Night riding: No Adult day: ¥5,600, about CAD 50 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 30% Car-free village: Yes Website: https://whitepia.jp/ Summary: Whitepia Takasu suits riders who want views of Mt. Hakusan from a smaller hill joined to Washigatake, and the trade-off is that the lifts close at 16:30 with no night session. Whitepia faces Mt. Hakusan from its summit, and the resort encourages riders to hunt for viewpoints as they ride its 13 courses. The vertical is 355 m and the longest course runs 2,600 m. Thirty percent of the terrain is graded advanced, with a 38° pitch at the steepest. Non-skiers can ride the Bravo quad up and down to a lookout above the snowfields. A snowshoe trail of about 50 minutes links the Alpha lift top with the Bravo quad top for walkers with the legs for it. The centre has a big bath and dormitory rooms, and season pass holders pay ¥500 for two hours in the bath. Over the ridge, the Washitopia ticket links Whitepia with Washigatake from about late December to early March. Tips: - Fridays are half-price days in 2026/27, when an adult day ticket costs ¥2,800. - Check the Washitopia link dates before you buy the shared ticket; outside them you drive between the two resorts. Q: Is Whitepia Takasu open in 2026/27? A: Yes. Whitepia sells 2026/27 season passes and plans to open in late November 2026. Q: Can non-skiers go up the mountain at Whitepia Takasu? A: Yes. The Bravo quad takes foot passengers up and back to a lookout, and a snowshoe trail of about 50 minutes runs between the lift tops. Q: How big is Whitepia Takasu? A: Whitepia Takasu has 13 runs and 4 lifts over 355 m of vertical, from 1,041 m at the base to 1,396 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 10.1 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Whitepia Takasu? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Whitepia Takasu is about 30.3° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.6 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Whitepia Takasu? A: An adult day ticket at Whitepia Takasu costs ¥5,600, about CAD 50 or USD 35 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does Whitepia Takasu have night riding? A: No. Whitepia Takasu closes its lifts at dusk. Q: How do you get to Whitepia Takasu from Nagoya Station? A: Whitepia Takasu is about 1 hour 30 minutes from Nagoya on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway, then about 15 minutes from Takasu IC or 10 from the Hirugano Kogen Smart IC by car from Nagoya Station. By bus: Gifu Bus highway coaches reach the Hirugano Kogen stop in about 1 hour 40 minutes, and the Washigatake line of the free Takasu Snow Shuttle calls at Whitepia. Q: When is the season at Whitepia Takasu? A: Whitepia Takasu usually opens 28 November 2026 (planned) and closes 28 March 2027 (end of the 2026/27 price table). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://whitepia.jp/ https://whitepia.jp/liftticket/ https://whitepia.jp/post-1636/ https://whitepia.jp/post-1642/ https://whitepia.jp/attention/ https://www.takasumountains.com/ski/ https://www.takasumountains.com/lift/ https://www.takasumountains.com/access/ https://seasonpass.chubu-snow.com/tms/ https://seasonpass.chubu-snow.com/mej/ https://ski.washigatake.jp/charge/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11338116 ### Zao Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resorts/zao-onsen Numbers: 881 m vertical, top 1661 m, base 780 m, 26 runs, 30 lifts, 39.3 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 32.8° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,000, about CAD 81 or USD 57 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 蔵王温泉スキー場 (ja) Also known as: Zao Onsen Ski Resort, Zao Onsen Mountain & Snow Resort, Zao, Yamagata Zao, Zao snow monsters, 蔵王温泉, 蔵王 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: 709-1 Doai, Zao Onsen, Yamagata 990-2301 (Zao Sakudo Kyokai) Status: seasonal Coordinates: 38.16160, 140.39530 Season: 12 December 2026, the planned opening day (snow permitting) to 5 May 2027 at the latest Best snow: 26 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, then 30 January to 28 February 2027 (peak ticket periods) Night riding: 17:00–21:00 Adult day: ¥9,000, about CAD 81 or USD 57 (October 2026 rates) (2026/27) Terrain: Beginner 40%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 20% Car-free village: Yes Operator: Zao Sakudo Kyokai, the association of the Zao Onsen ropeway and lift companies Website: https://zaomountainresort.com/winter/ Summary: Zao Onsen suits anyone who wants to ski through the snow monsters and soak in a sulphur onsen town at the end of the day, and the snow monsters bring sightseers onto the same summit ropeway. Zao's 305 ha of slopes rise above the hot-spring village of Zao Onsen in the hills behind Yamagata city. The ski area's lowest point sits at 780 m down in the village, and the tourism association puts the village itself at about 900 m. Three ropeways, the Sky Cable gondola and 26 chairs link 14 open slopes with 12 connecting courses. The Zao Ropeway and the Chuo Ropeway both leave from the village itself. The top of the mountain is the reason people come. The Zao Ropeway's upper line climbs to Jizo Sancho Station at 1,661 m, where the Aomori fir trees turn into juhyo, rime-crusted shapes everyone calls snow monsters. The Juhyogen course starts there and winds about 10 km back to the village. It's an intermediate run, and the tourism association says beginners can manage it if they take the upper section slowly in a snowplough. Lower down the mountain changes character. Uwanodai was Zao's first slope, and it still runs lessons by day and night riding until 21:00. The Hanenkamm A and B courses above it are the FIS-certified expert runs, and their top is a 38° wall. Only the Yokokura Wall matches that pitch. The Chuo slope opens early and usually keeps its snow until May. Peak tickets cost ¥9,000 a day in 2026/27, and early December and April days fall to ¥4,800. The summit ropeway carries sightseers as well as skiers, so ride up first thing and save the village slopes for the afternoon. Tips: - Ride the Zao Ropeway's upper line early. Sightseers ride it to the snow monsters too. - The summit sits on an active volcano. Check JMA's Zaozan page before you go up. - Buy one- to three-day tickets online through WAmazing or Asoview and scan the QR code at the machines by the ticket windows. - A child's day ticket costs ¥1,000 on Kids' Ski Days, which fall on set weekends and holidays from January to March 2027. - Bring warm layers for the summit. Zao Ropeway says the snow-monster area falls below minus 10 degrees at night. Q: When are Zao's snow monsters at their best? A: Zao Ropeway's guide says rime starts coating the fir trees in November and December and builds through January. The trees reach full size in February, then thin and collapse as March warms up. The 2026 Zao Juhyo Festival ran from 27 December 2025 to 23 February 2026, and the 2026/27 festival dates were not yet posted on the tourism association's site on 11 October 2026. Q: Can I see the snow monsters lit up at night? A: Yes. Zao Ropeway lights the juhyo field after dark and runs a Night Cruiser snowcat tour through it. It posted its 2026/27 light-up notice on 4 October 2026. Skis and boards can't come up for the light-up. Q: Is the Zao volcano a risk for skiers? A: Zaozan is an active volcano, and JMA rates it at Level 1, the level JMA labels as a reminder that it is an active volcano. JMA's criteria tie Level 2 to restrictions within about 1.2 km of the expected crater zone, the Umanose caldera around Okama. Level 3 calls for entry restrictions and covers eruptions affecting ground up to about 3.5 km from Okama. Check JMA's Zaozan page for the current level before you ride the summit ropeway. Q: How big is Zao Onsen? A: Zao Onsen has 26 runs and 30 lifts over 881 m of vertical, from 780 m at the base to 1,661 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 39.3 km of piste there. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Zao Onsen? A: An adult day ticket at Zao Onsen costs ¥9,000, about CAD 81 or USD 57 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 main season and ¥4,800, about CAD 43 or USD 30 (October 2026 rates) early or late in the season. Ikon Pass holders ride here too. Q: Does Zao Onsen have night riding? A: Yes. Zao Onsen runs night lifts 17:00–21:00. Night riding runs on the Uwanodai slope every evening from 19 December 2026 to 28 February 2027, plus 6 and 7 March 2027. One- to three-day tickets work at night too. Q: How do you get to Zao Onsen from Tokyo Station? A: By bus: Yamako buses leave Yamagata Station about hourly from early morning to evening, with no booking. Q: When is the season at Zao Onsen? A: Zao Onsen usually opens 12 December 2026, the planned opening day (snow permitting) and closes 5 May 2027 at the latest. The deepest, most reliable snow comes 26 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, then 30 January to 28 February 2027 (peak ticket periods). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://zaomountainresort.com/winter/ https://zaomountainresort.com/gerende/ https://zaomountainresort.com/chrage/ https://zaomountainresort.com/spot/ https://www.yamakobus.jp/91bd76e81be6bf8dcfe9d51412af0ce8e63ad8de.pdf https://www.zao-ski.or.jp/ https://www.zao-spa.or.jp/english/ski/ https://www.zao-spa.or.jp/english/access/ https://zaomountainresort.com/juhyo-fes/ https://zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/juhyo.php https://zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/index.php https://www.nekoma.co.jp/feature/26-27season/ https://www.ikonpass.com/en/destinations https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/212.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/filing/level_kijunn/212_level_kijunn.pdf ## Resort groups ### Hachimantai and APPI URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resort-groups/hachimantai-appi Type: Resort group Local name: 八幡平・安比高原 (ja) Also known as: Hachimantai, APPI, Appi Kogen, Hachimantai City ski resorts, 八幡平, 安比 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Coordinates: 40.00110, 140.97150 Resorts: 2 Summary: The Hachimantai ski areas suit a week in northern Iwate with APPI's long runs and Hachimantai Resort's tree riding, and no shared ticket or shuttle links them. APPI and Hachimantai Resort both lie in Hachimantai City on the Iwate side of the Hachimantai plateau. APPI is the big resort, with 21 courses on Mt. Maemori and Mt. Nishimori and two ANA hotels at the foot of the slopes. Hachimantai Resort runs the Panorama and Shimokura ski areas next to the Hachimantai Mountain Hotel, with a free shuttle between them. Each sells its own tickets, and the Ikon Pass covers APPI only. Trains on the JR Hanawa Line stop at Appi Kogen Station, about an hour from Morioka. Hachimantai Resort is about 90 minutes from Morioka Station by Iwate Kenpoku Bus. Tips: - Neither resort had published 2026/27 day-ticket prices on 11 October 2026. - Mt. Iwate to the south returned to JMA Level 1 on 27 August 2026. JMA's Iwatesan page carries the current level. Q: Which resorts make up Hachimantai and APPI? A: Hachimantai and APPI links 2 resorts: APPI, Hachimantai Resort. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.appi.co.jp/snow-mountain-resort/course/ https://www.appi.co.jp/snow-mountain-resort/access/ https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/winter/ https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/winter/shuttle-bus/ https://www.ikonpass.com/en/destinations https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/207.html ### Hakuba Valley URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resort-groups/hakuba-valley Type: Resort group Local name: 白馬バレー (ja) Also known as: Hakuba, HAKUBA VALLEY, Hakuba Valley ski resorts, 白馬 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: 5723 Hokujo, Hakuba-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-9301 (Hakuba Valley Promotion Board) Coordinates: 36.69400, 137.86170 Resorts: 10 Shared ticket: Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Day Pass, ¥11,100, about CAD 100 or USD 70 (October 2026 rates) a day Season: 2026/27 Website: https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ Summary: Hakuba Valley strings ten ski resorts along one valley under a single ticket, and a free shuttle with that ticket links them all, so you can chase the snow and dodge the wind from one base. The valley runs about north to south under the Northern Alps, with Jigatake and Kashimayari above Omachi in the south, Goryu, Hakuba47, Happo-one and Iwatake around Hakuba village in the middle, and Tsugaike, Norikura and Cortina in Otari village to the north. Each resort keeps its own operator, and the Hakuba Valley Promotion Board ties them together with the All-Mountain pass and the valley shuttle. All ten use the same boundary signs. Epic Pass holders get five consecutive days at all ten resorts for 2026/27, with no blackout dates. You collect a Hakuba Valley card at a designated ticket window with photo ID, and it also rides the shuttle free. Crowds gather at Happo and Goryu. The quieter resorts at either end of the valley hold just as much snow on a storm day, and the shuttle reaches all of them. Tips: - Plan around the wind. When Happo's upper lifts close, the pass and the shuttle let you move to another resort without buying a new ticket. - Only five resorts have designated backcountry gates: Goryu, Happo-one, Tsugaike, Norikura and Cortina. Leaving the ski area anywhere else is prohibited. - Submit a mountain-climbing registration before you buy a ticket if you plan to use a gate. - Check the Japan Avalanche Network's Hakuba bulletin each morning; Hakuba Valley advises inexperienced riders to stay inside the boundaries once the danger reaches level 3. Q: Does the Epic Pass work in Hakuba? A: Yes. Epic Pass, Epic Local Pass and Epic Australia Pass holders get one free five-consecutive-day Hakuba Valley ticket for 2026/27, valid at all ten resorts with no blackout dates. Collect it at a designated ticket window with photo ID. Q: How much is the Hakuba Valley pass for 2026/27? A: The All-Mountain Day Pass costs ¥11,100 for one adult day, ¥32,200 for three days and ¥53,400 for five days. It includes the valley shuttle on the days you ride. Q: Which Hakuba resorts have backcountry gates? A: Goryu, Happo-one, Tsugaike, Norikura and Cortina. Jigatake, Kashimayari, Sanosaka, Hakuba47 and Iwatake have no gate, and leaving the ski area there is prohibited. Q: Which resorts make up Hakuba Valley? A: Hakuba Valley links 10 resorts: Jigatake, Kashimayari, Hakuba Sanosaka, Hakuba Goryu, Hakuba47, Hakuba Happo-one, Hakuba Iwatake, Tsugaike Mountain Resort, Hakuba Norikura Onsen, Hakuba Cortina. Q: How do you get between the resorts of Hakuba Valley? A: The Hakuba Valley shuttle links all ten resorts, with Line V running the length of the valley and shorter lines feeding each resort. In 2025/26 a ride cost ¥800 for adults and ¥400 for children, paid online only, and holders of a Hakuba Valley day or season pass rode free; the first shuttle ride counts as a day on the pass. The VN night bus cost ¥500 and took cash. Buses fill up after snowfall and on the last runs of the afternoon, and full buses do not stop. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ticket_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ski_resort_info_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/access_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/access_en/shuttlebus_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/about_hakubavalley_en/epicpass_en/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/safetytips_en/ https://nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/hakuba/latest?locale=en ### Minakami URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resort-groups/minakami Type: Resort group Local name: みなかみ (ja) Also known as: Minakami ski resorts, Minakami Snow, 水上, みなかみ町, Minakami Gunma Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Coordinates: 36.69330, 138.97750 Resorts: 5 Website: https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/ Summary: Minakami suits riders who want several small resorts and an onsen town within 75 minutes of Tokyo by Shinkansen, and it sells no shared lift ticket, so each hill needs its own pass. Minakami is the town at the head of the Tone River in northern Gunma, and Jomo-Kogen station on the Joetsu Shinkansen is its gateway. Its ski areas run from Norn Minakami by the expressway up to Hodaigi and Minakami Kogen in the Fujiwara valley. Mt.T sits on the Tanigawadake ropeway, and Okutone lies on the road to Yunokoya. The resorts share no lift ticket. Mt.T is on the Ikon Pass, and Hodaigi joins Kawaba, Marunuma Kogen, Oze Iwakura and Oguna Hotaka in the POWDER5 Gunma hour tickets. Each resort runs its own bus or shuttle from Jomo-Kogen, so pick a base near the bus line you will use most. Minakami counts 18 hot-spring areas in the town, and Mt.T calls Minakami 18 Onsen the largest hot-spring resort in Gunma. Tips: - Pair Mt.T's 7:58 direct bus with the 6:36 Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo for first lifts on a day trip. - Buy the POWDER5 Gunma hour ticket if you plan to mix Hodaigi with Kawaba or the Katashina resorts. Q: Which resorts make up Minakami? A: Minakami links 5 resorts: Tenjindaira, Hodaigi, Norn Minakami, Minakami Kogen, Okutone Snow Park. Q: How do you get between the resorts of Minakami? A: Each resort runs its own link from Jomo-Kogen on the Joetsu Shinkansen. Mt.T has a direct morning bus at 7:58 from 5 December 2026, and the Kan-etsu Kotsu line bus reaches the Tanigawadake ropeway in about 45 minutes. Norn runs a booked free shuttle of about 30 minutes, Hodaigi a free shuttle on set days of about 85 minutes, and Minakami Kogen its booked paid liner. Okutone sits on the Kan-etsu Kotsu bus route towards Yunokoya. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/ https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/season/ https://tanigawadake-joch.com/en/mt-t/event/directbus/ https://tanigawadake-joch.com/en/mt-t/event/bookingrequired/ https://kan-etsu.net/pages/20/ https://norn.co.jp/winter/access/ https://hodaigi.jp/shuttle-bus/ https://www.minakami-ski.jp/access/ https://okutone.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1138087 ### Myoko Kogen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resort-groups/myoko-kogen Type: Resort group Local name: 妙高高原 (ja) Also known as: Myoko, Mt. MYOKO, Mt. Myoko, Myoko ski resorts, 妙高 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Coordinates: 36.87250, 138.17190 Resorts: 5 Shared ticket: Mt. MYOKO Super Season Pass Season: 2026/27 Website: https://myokotourism.com/ski-resorts/ Summary: Myoko Kogen suits riders who want several resorts and onsen villages on one volcano with a shared season pass, and its trade-off is that no single day ticket covers them all. Myoko Kogen is the highland at the foot of Mt. Myoko, and four of its resorts sell a joint season pass under the Mt. MYOKO name. Akakura Onsen and Akakura Kanko share a border above the Akakura bathhouse village. Ikenotaira Onsen lies in the middle, and Myoko Suginohara climbs highest of all with the longest run in the area. Seki Onsen sits apart north of Akakura with two lifts and a following among powder riders. Day visitors buy tickets resort by resort. The Mt. MYOKO Shuttle ties the four pass resorts together through the main season, so it is easy to stay in Akakura and ride Suginohara or Ikenotaira the next day. Suginohara takes the Ikon Pass. In 2025/26 Akakura Onsen was the only one of the group with night riding every day. Trains reach Myoko-Kogen station from Nagano on the Shinano Railway, or from Joetsu-Myoko on the Myoko Haneuma Line. Buses and taxis cover the climb to each village. Arai Mountain Resort is also in Myoko city but sits on its own mountain to the north, so it is not part of this group. Tips: - Add the shuttle when you buy the season pass; it cannot be added later. - Repeat season-pass holders get the lowest price only until 23 November 2026. Q: Which resorts make up Myoko Kogen? A: Myoko Kogen links 5 resorts: Akakura Onsen Ski Area, Akakura Kanko Resort, Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick Ski Resort, Myoko Suginohara, Seki Onsen Ski Area. Q: How do you get between the resorts of Myoko Kogen? A: The Mt. MYOKO Shuttle links the Myoko bus terminal, Akakura Onsen, Akakura Kanko, Ikenotaira and Suginohara with no reservation. In 2025/26 it cost ¥1,000 one way. Its planned 2026/27 run is 19 December 2026 to 22 March 2027. Akakura Kanko also runs a free shuttle of its own from Akakura Onsen village. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://myokotourism.com/season-passes/ https://myokotourism.com/ski-resorts/ https://myokotourism.com/winter-bus-service/ https://akr-ski.com/access https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/myoko/informations/seasonpass_earlybirdticket ### Okumino (Takasu Mountains) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resort-groups/okumino Type: Resort group Local name: 奥美濃 (ja) Also known as: Takasu Mountains, TAKASU MOUNTAINS, Okumino Big 5, Takasu ski area, タカスマウンテンズ, 奥美濃 BIG 5, 高鷲 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Address: Takasu-cho, Gujo, Gifu Coordinates: 35.99800, 136.87730 Resorts: 5 Shared ticket: TAKASU MOUNTAINS TICKET, ¥6,500, about CAD 58 or USD 41 (October 2026 rates) a day Season: 2026/27 Website: https://www.takasumountains.com/ Summary: Okumino's Takasu resorts suit Nagoya and Kansai riders who want five ski areas on one IC card about 90 minutes from Nagoya, and the trade-off is that no train line reaches the district, so a car-free trip means a highway coach and the free shuttle. Five resorts in Gujo's Takasu district sell themselves together as TAKASU MOUNTAINS, and the season pass calls them the Okumino Big 5. Takasu Snow Park and Dynaland share Dainichigatake and link at the top, Washigatake and Whitepia Takasu join over their own ridge, and Hirugano Kogen sits on the plateau by the Hirugano Kogen service area. Meiho lies to the southeast in Gujo's Meiho district and sells its own tickets under another operator. The five resorts spread the season wide. Washigatake plans to open on 21 November 2026 and Whitepia in late November, while Takasu aims to keep running until late April 2027. Dynaland lights its slopes until 23:00 every night from 26 December, and Washigatake runs Saturday night and all-night sessions. The six-resort day ticket cost ¥6,500 for adults in 2025/26. The 2026/27 TAKASU MOUNTAINS season pass for the five resorts sold for ¥77,000 for adults until 15 October 2026, and the wider MAC EARTH JAPAN pass covers 25 ski areas across Japan, four of them here. Tips: - Keep your morning parking receipt; it gets you in free at the next resort the same day. - Return your IC card at whichever resort you finish at to get the ¥500 deposit back. Q: Which resorts make up Okumino (Takasu Mountains)? A: Okumino (Takasu Mountains) links 5 resorts: Takasu Snow Park, Dynaland, Hirugano Kogen, Whitepia Takasu, Washigatake. Q: How much is a TAKASU MOUNTAINS TICKET? A: An adult day on the TAKASU MOUNTAINS TICKET costs ¥6,500, about CAD 58 or USD 41 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 season and covers every resort in Okumino (Takasu Mountains). Q: How do you get between the resorts of Okumino (Takasu Mountains)? A: The free Takasu Snow Shuttle ran from 20 December 2025 to 22 March 2026 on three loops. The Dainichigatake line links Dynaland, Hotel Villa Montsaint, Takasu Snow Park, Hirugano Kogen and the Hirugano Kogen service area bus stop. Two Washigatake lines link Washigatake and Hotel Rainbow with Whitepia, the service area stop and Dynaland. Morning and evening runs in February can fill with reservations. Highway coaches from Nagoya, Gifu and Takayama stop at Kosoku Hirugano Kogen. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.takasumountains.com/ https://www.takasumountains.com/lift/ https://www.takasumountains.com/ski/ https://www.takasumountains.com/access/ https://seasonpass.chubu-snow.com/tms/ https://seasonpass.chubu-snow.com/mej/ https://www.takasu.gr.jp/news/2026/09/01/10361/ https://www.takasu.gr.jp/news/2026/09/15/10421/ https://www.dynaland.co.jp/news/2026/07/17/8811/ https://www.dynaland.co.jp/night/ https://ski.washigatake.jp/news/2026/08/11/5655/ https://www.takasu.gr.jp/charge/ ### POWDER5 Gunma URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resort-groups/powder5-gunma Type: Resort group Local name: POWDER5 ぐんま (ja) Also known as: POWDER5, Powder 5 Gunma, POWDER 5 ぐんま Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Resorts: 5 Shared ticket: POWDER5 Gunma common hour ticket Season: 2026/27 Website: https://cloud.wp.winterplus.jp/powder5 Summary: POWDER5 Gunma suits drivers who want to hop between five Gunma resorts on one hour ticket, and its hours run out fast if you spend them on a single long day. POWDER5 Gunma is a shared hour ticket for Kawaba, Marunuma Kogen, Hodaigi, Oze Iwakura and Oguna Hotaka. The card counts one hour from each gate touch, so a 10-hour card can cover a morning at one resort and an afternoon at another. Leftover hours carry over to other days in the same season. For 2026/27 the early-bird 10-hour card costs ¥13,500 and the 20-hour card ¥25,000 until 30 November 2026, rising to ¥16,500 and ¥30,000 from December. The tickets sell through WINTER PLUS in limited numbers, and the ¥120,000 shared season pass sells through Nippon Ski Resort Development's site, capped at 100. Tips: - Carry only the card you are using through the gates, because the operators warn that a second card in the same pocket can be charged too. - Hodaigi is the POWDER5 resort closest to Minakami; the other four sit around Kawaba and Katashina. Q: Which resorts make up POWDER5 Gunma? A: POWDER5 Gunma links 5 resorts: Kawaba, Marunuma Kogen, Hodaigi, Oze Iwakura, Oguna Hotaka. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://cloud.wp.winterplus.jp/powder5 https://www.nippon-ski.jp/powder5/ https://hodaigi.jp/news-event/2076/ https://hodaigi.jp/lift-price/ https://www.kawaba.co.jp/topics/9660/ ### Shiga Kogen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resort-groups/shiga-kogen Type: Resort group Local name: 志賀高原 (ja) Also known as: Shiga Kogen Mountain Resort, Shiga Highlands, Shigakogen, 志賀高原スキー場 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Shiga Kogen Coordinates: 36.73330, 138.51670 Resorts: 17 Shared ticket: Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass, ¥9,500, about CAD 85 or USD 60 (October 2026 rates) a day Season: 2026/27 Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ Summary: Shiga Kogen joins 18 ski areas on one high plateau under a single key ticket, and its snow between 1,325 m and 2,307 m keeps the season going from December into May. Shiga Kogen calls itself the largest ski resort in Japan. Its 18 areas spread across a high plateau inside Joshin'etsu Kogen National Park, from Sun Valley at the entrance to Okushiga Kogen in the north and Yokoteyama by Shibu Pass. Most link on the snow, and buses fill the gaps. Height is the advantage. Yokoteyama tops out at 2,307 m, the highest ski area in Japan, and Yakebitaiyama and Okushiga reach 2,000 m. The All-Mountain pass runs from 5 December to 5 May, and some areas carry on selling their own tickets after that. The plateau became a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1981. The Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park lies below it, and Shiga Kogen is the closest ski area to the monkeys. Tips: - Ikon Pass holders scan straight in at the lift gates; there are no reservations. - Keep your key ticket and recharge it online for the next visit. - Read the side-country map before you leave the runs. Everything outside its marked area is closed. Q: Is Shiga Kogen on the Ikon Pass? A: Yes. Ikon Pass holders use their pass as a Shiga Kogen All-Mountain ticket at all 18 areas, with no reservation needed. Q: How much is a Shiga Kogen lift ticket for 2026/27? A: The All-Mountain 1-day pass costs ¥9,500 for adults, or ¥7,500 in early season and spring. Multi-day passes run up to ten days. Q: Which resorts make up Shiga Kogen? A: Shiga Kogen links 17 resorts: Shiga Kogen Okushiga Kogen, Shiga Kogen Yakebitaiyama, Shiga Kogen Terakoya, Shiga Kogen Takamagahara Mammoth, Shiga Kogen Tanne no Mori Okojo, Shiga Kogen Ichinose Family, Shiga Kogen Ichinose Diamond, Shiga Kogen Ichinose Yamanokami, Shiga Kogen Nishidateyama, Shiga Kogen Higashidateyama, Shiga Kogen Hoppo Bunadaira, Shiga Kogen Giant, Shiga Kogen Hasuike, Shiga Kogen Maruike, Shiga Kogen Sun Valley, Shiga Kogen Kumanoyu, Shiga Kogen Yokoteyama and Shibutoge. Q: How do you get between the resorts of Shiga Kogen? A: Shuttle buses link the ski areas along the plateau, and the lifts join most of them on the snow. Shiga Kogen asks visitors to look up bus times on Google Maps with the bus option. The Nagaden direct bus runs from Nagano Station East Exit, and local buses come up from Yudanaka on the Nagano Electric Railway. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/about/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/access/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/bus/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/spring-skiing/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/2026/08/2026-2027.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/side-country/pdf/SideCountry01_j.pdf https://www.shigakogen.gr.jp/ https://www.madarao.jp/information/14106 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11491193 ### Yuzawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resort-groups/yuzawa Type: Resort group Local name: 湯沢 (ja) Also known as: Echigo-Yuzawa, Yuzawa ski resorts, Minami-Uonuma, 越後湯沢, 湯沢 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: Echigo-Yuzawa station, Yuzawa, Niigata Coordinates: 36.93610, 138.80990 Resorts: 8 Website: https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/ski/ Summary: Yuzawa suits Tokyo riders who want to ride the same day they leave the city, with resorts a short shuttle from Echigo-Yuzawa, and its trade-off is that no single ticket covers the whole valley. Echigo-Yuzawa sits on the Joetsu Shinkansen, and a cluster of resorts spreads out from its east exit. Yuzawa town's own list runs from Naeba and Kagura in the south up through Iwappara, Kandatsu and GALA Yuzawa. Across the town line in Minami-Uonuma, Ishiuchi Maruyama, Maiko and Joetsu Kokusai fill the valley farther north. Most of them meet the train with free shuttle buses. Shared tickets join some neighbours. The Mt. Naeba ticket covers Naeba and Kagura with the Dragondola between them. YUZAWA SNOW LINK covers GALA Yuzawa, Ishiuchi Maruyama and Yuzawa Kogen, and Iwappara and Joetsu Kokusai accept each other's day tickets. No pass covers the whole valley. For 2026/27, GALA has closed its South area, and Joetsu Kokusai has dropped its halfpipe and park. Kagura opens first, on 28 November 2026, and runs latest into mid-May. Kandatsu runs night riding to 02:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, and Joetsu Kokusai and Naeba light their slopes every evening of the main season. Tips: - Check which resorts your ticket covers before you ride the shuttle; the valley has three separate shared tickets. - GALA Yuzawa station runs only in winter, and JR had not announced its 2026/27 dates by 11 October 2026. Q: Which resorts make up Yuzawa? A: Yuzawa links 8 resorts: Naeba Ski Resort, Kagura Ski Resort, Iwappara Ski Resort, Kandatsu Snow Resort, GALA Yuzawa, Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski Resort, Maiko Snow Resort, Joetsu Kokusai Ski Resort. Q: How do you get between the resorts of Yuzawa? A: Most resorts run free shuttle buses from the east exit of Echigo-Yuzawa station: about 7 minutes to Kandatsu, about 10 to GALA Yuzawa and Ishiuchi Maruyama, and 20 to 30 to Maiko. An in-season express bus runs from Echigo-Yuzawa via Kagura Mitsumata and Tashiro to Naeba. Joetsu Kokusai has its own station on the JR Joetsu Line. In 2026/27 a shuttle bus replaces GALA's Landau ropeway to Yuzawa Kogen. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/ski/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/kagura/winter/lift/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/naeba/winter/lift/ https://gala.co.jp/winter/gelande/ https://gala.co.jp/winter/information/2026-2027wintersouthareaclosed/ https://www.kandatsu.com/access/ https://ishiuchi.or.jp/winter/access/ https://www.maiko-resort.com/winter/access.html https://iwa-ppara.com/price/ https://jkokusai.co.jp/ski/news/20260901/ ### Zao URL: https://ridingjapan.com/resort-groups/zao Type: Resort group Local name: 蔵王 (ja) Also known as: Zao Onsen, Zao ski resorts, Yamagata Zao, Mt. Zao, 蔵王温泉 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Coordinates: 38.16160, 140.39530 Resorts: 1 Shared ticket: Zao Onsen all-mountain ticket, ¥9,000, about CAD 81 or USD 57 (October 2026 rates) a day Season: 2026/27 Website: https://zaomountainresort.com/winter/ Summary: Zao suits riders who want one big ticketed mountain above an onsen town with the snow monsters at the top, and sightseers share the summit ropeway with riders. Zao is a volcanic range on the line between Yamagata and Miyagi. On the Yamagata side Zao Onsen covers the mountain with three ropeways, the Sky Cable gondola and 26 chairs, all on one ticket. The Zao Ropeway's top station at 1,661 m stands among the juhyo, the rime-crusted fir trees known as snow monsters, which grow through January and peak in February. The village at the bottom grew up around a strongly acidic sulphur spring, and its three public baths charge ¥300 for an adult in 2026. Night riding on Uwanodai runs until 21:00 through the main season. Tips: - Zaozan is an active volcano at JMA Level 1. Check JMA's Zaozan page before you ride to the summit. - Peak days cost ¥9,000 in 2026/27. Early December and April days drop to ¥4,800. Q: Which resorts make up Zao? A: Zao links 1 resorts: Zao Onsen. Q: How much is a Zao Onsen all-mountain ticket? A: An adult day on the Zao Onsen all-mountain ticket costs ¥9,000, about CAD 81 or USD 57 (October 2026 rates) in the 2026/27 season and covers every resort in Zao. Q: How do you get between the resorts of Zao? A: Yamako buses link Yamagata Station with the Zao Onsen bus terminal, and the ropeway stations sit within the village. NEKOMA Mountain plans a ski shuttle between its slopes and Zao Onsen for 2026/27 with the timetable still to come. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://zaomountainresort.com/gerende/ https://zaomountainresort.com/chrage/ https://zaomountainresort.com/about/ https://www.zao-spa.or.jp/english/about/ https://www.zao-spa.or.jp/english/access/ https://zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/juhyo.php https://www.nekoma.co.jp/feature/26-27season/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/212.html ## Lift passes ### Epic Pass URL: https://ridingjapan.com/lift-passes/epic-pass Type: Lift pass Also known as: Epic, Epic Local Pass, Epic Australia Pass, Epic Japan Season: 2026/27 At each resort: Hakuba Valley: 5 consecutive days on one free all-mountain ticket covering all ten resorts, no blackouts. Rusutsu: 5 consecutive days. Resorts here: 10 Sold by: Vail Resorts Website: https://www.epicpass.com/region/partners Summary: The Epic Pass suits a skier whose Japan trip centres on Hakuba, with five consecutive days across all ten Hakuba Valley resorts on one free ticket. The days run back to back from the first scan, so a storm day or a rest day still uses one. Epic covers two places in Japan for 2026/27: Hakuba Valley's ten resorts, and Rusutsu in Hokkaido, which our sister guide Ride Hokkaido covers. At Hakuba you show your Epic Pass and photo ID at a ticket window and leave with a free Hakuba Valley consecutive 5-day ticket on an RFID card. Staff accept the My Epic app's mobile pass as proof at the window. The five days start with your first lift ride or your first ride on the Hakuba Valley Shuttle Bus, whichever comes first. From there they run on consecutive days. The ticket opens every Hakuba Valley resort, so a morning at Happo-one and an afternoon at Tsugaike count as one day. Night skiing and the night shuttle sit outside it. Hakuba accepts the 2026-27 Epic Pass, Epic Local Pass, Lifetime Pass and Epic Adaptive Pass. The 2026 Epic Australia Pass and its adaptive version also work for this Hakuba winter. Children aged 5 and under can't get the 5-day ticket, and they collect a free one-day ticket at the window on each day they ski. Hakuba Valley's own 5-day all-mountain ticket costs ¥53,400 for an adult this winter, which is the nearest window price to the Epic benefit. The Epic ticket's days run back to back, so pick the start day with the forecast in hand. Tips: - Start your five days on a morning you plan to ride, since a shuttle ride on a rest day starts the count. - Keep the RFID card in your left jacket pocket, where most Hakuba gates read it. At Jigatake you swap it for a local ticket at the ticket centre first. - The lift gates in Hakuba don't read the mobile pass in the My Epic app. - Rusutsu's five days also run consecutively, so leave a travel day between Hakuba and Hokkaido when you plan both. Q: Is the Epic Pass valid at every Hakuba Valley resort? A: Yes. The free 5-day ticket covers Jigatake, Kashimayari Family Park, Sanosaka, Goryu, Hakuba47, Happo-one, Iwatake, Tsugaike, Norikura Onsen and Cortina, and you can ride more than one in a day. Q: Are there blackout dates on the Epic Pass in Hakuba? A: No. Hakuba says you can claim the ticket any time in the 2026/27 winter, with no blackout dates and no accommodation booking needed. Q: Do Epic discounts on lessons or rentals apply in Hakuba? A: No. Epic's discounts on lessons, rentals, food and lodging work only at resorts Vail owns, and Hakuba Valley is a partner. Q: Does the Epic Pass cover Nozawa Onsen or Shiga Kogen? A: No. Epic's Japanese partners for 2026/27 are Hakuba Valley and Rusutsu. Shiga Kogen is on the Ikon Pass. Q: Which resorts in this guide take Epic Pass? A: Epic Pass covers Jigatake, Kashimayari, Hakuba Sanosaka, Hakuba Goryu, Hakuba47, Hakuba Happo-one, Hakuba Iwatake, Tsugaike Mountain Resort, Hakuba Norikura Onsen, Hakuba Cortina, with hakuba valley: 5 consecutive days on one free all-mountain ticket covering all ten resorts, no blackouts. rusutsu: 5 consecutive days at each. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hakubavalley.com/about_hakubavalley/epicpass/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/about_hakubavalley_en/epicpass_en/ https://www.epicpass.com/region/partners https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ticket/ https://rusutsu.com/en/epic-pass/ https://www.onthesnow.com/news/a/619177/buyer-s-guide-to-the-epic-pass ### Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Day Pass URL: https://ridingjapan.com/lift-passes/hakuba-valley-ticket Type: Lift pass Local name: Hakuba Valley全山共通リフト券 (ja) Also known as: Hakuba Valley ticket, Hakuba Valley all-mountain pass, Hakuba Valley common lift ticket, Hakuba Valley Season Pass, Hakuba all mountain pass Region: Nagano Season: 2026/27 From: ¥6,400, about CAD 58 or USD 40 (October 2026 rates) (1 day, child (6–12)) At each resort: Every day on the ticket opens all ten Hakuba Valley resorts. Multi-day tickets run inside a window from first use: 2 days within 4, 5 within 10, 10 within 16. Resorts here: 10 Sold by: Hakuba Valley Promotion Board Website: https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ticket/ Summary: The Hakuba Valley ticket suits anyone spending a week in Hakuba who wants to follow the snow between resorts, since every day opens all ten and the shuttle between them. An adult day costs ¥11,100 this winter, and a rest day spent riding the shuttle still uses a day. Hakuba Valley's ten resorts sell one shared ticket that opens the gates at every one of them. From south to north they run Jigatake, Kashimayari Family Park, Sanosaka, Goryu, Hakuba47, Happo-one, Iwatake, Tsugaike, Norikura Onsen and Cortina. The free Hakuba Valley Shuttle Bus links them on the days you ski, so you can start at Goryu and finish the afternoon at Happo-one. Prices for 2026/27 start at ¥11,100 for an adult day and ¥6,400 for a child aged 6 to 12. Longer tickets shave a little off the daily rate, with five days at ¥53,400 and ten at ¥106,100. Each multi-day ticket runs inside a window that opens with your first lift or shuttle ride, so a 5-day ticket has to be used within 10 days and a 10-day ticket within 16. Hakuba Valley sells the day pass through its official webshop and expects to open sales for this season around November. Night skiing sits outside the ticket. Buy a separate night ticket at the resort running lights that evening, and plan your own way home once the daytime shuttle stops. Riders staying the whole winter can buy the all-mountain season pass, valid from opening day in December 2026 until the resorts close in early May 2027. The early adult price of ¥158,900 holds until 29 October 2026, and from 30 October to 2 February 2027 the pass costs ¥188,900. Pickup needs your QR code, your confirmation email and photo ID, and at Jigatake you swap the pass for a local day ticket at the ticket centre. Tips: - Ride the shuttle only on days you plan to ski, because a shuttle-only day counts as a ticket day. - Epic Pass holders should collect the free 5-day Epic ticket first, since Hakuba won't sell them discounted tickets once it's used. - A 2-day ticket gives you four days to use it, which leaves room to sit out a storm. Q: Do Hakuba Valley multi-day tickets have to be used on consecutive days? A: No. Each one runs inside a window from its first use: 2 days within 4, 3 within 6, 5 within 10, 7 within 12 and 10 within 16. Days left when the window closes are lost. Q: Is the shuttle bus included in the Hakuba Valley ticket? A: Yes, on the days you use the ticket. The night shuttle isn't covered. Q: How much is the Hakuba Valley ticket for 2026/27? A: An adult day costs ¥11,100 and a child day ¥6,400. A 5-day ticket costs ¥53,400 for an adult and ¥29,700 for a child aged 6 to 12. Q: Which resorts in this guide take Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Day Pass? A: Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Day Pass covers Jigatake, Kashimayari, Hakuba Sanosaka, Hakuba Goryu, Hakuba47, Hakuba Happo-one, Hakuba Iwatake, Tsugaike Mountain Resort, Hakuba Norikura Onsen, Hakuba Cortina, with every day on the ticket opens all ten hakuba valley resorts. multi-day tickets run inside a window from first use: 2 days within 4, 5 within 10, 10 within 16 at each. Q: What does Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Day Pass leave out? A: Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Day Pass leaves out night skiing needs a separate ticket, and the night shuttle bus isn't covered; days left unused when a multi-day ticket's window closes are lost; a day spent riding only the shuttle still counts as a ticket day; the season pass's resident-only and repeat-customer prices closed in August 2026. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/ticket/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/ticket/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/en/seasonpass/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/seasonpass/ https://www.hakubavalley.com/about_hakubavalley/epicpass/ ### Ikon Pass URL: https://ridingjapan.com/lift-passes/ikon-pass Type: Lift pass Also known as: Ikon, Ikon Base Pass, Ikon Base, Ikon Session Pass, Ikon Japan Season: 2026/27 At each resort: Ikon Pass: 7 days at each of the ten Japanese mountains, no blackouts. Ikon Base Pass: 5 days at each. Ikon Session Pass: Niseko United only (2, 3 or 4 day options). Resorts here: 24 Sold by: Alterra Mountain Company Website: https://www.ikonpass.com/en/destinations Summary: The Ikon Pass suits a skier planning a long Japan trip across several mountains, because the full pass gives seven days at each of ten Japanese resorts. Hakuba Valley is the big name missing from the list, since Hakuba sells its pass days through Epic. Ikon lists ten Japanese mountains for 2026/27, and eight of them are on Honshu, the main island. APPI in Iwate and Zao Onsen in Yamagata hold the northern end, with NEKOMA Mountain further south in Fukushima. Mt.T sits on Tanigawadake near Minakami in Gunma. Madarao and Shiga Kogen are in northern Nagano, and Myoko Suginohara and Arai Mountain Resort are both in Myoko in Niigata. Madarao is new to the pass this winter. Every Japanese mountain gives the full Ikon Pass seven days, counted at each mountain on its own, and the Base Pass gets five. At Shiga Kogen a single Ikon day covers all eighteen areas, since the resort treats the pass as its all-mountain ticket and scans it at the gates. Niseko United and Furano are the two Hokkaido mountains on the list, and Ride Hokkaido covers them. Ikon sells the pass in US dollars and publishes no yen price. On 11 October 2026 ikonpass.com listed the adult Ikon Pass at US$1,529 and the Base Pass at US$1,099, and the refundable Ikon Pass at US$1,834.80 can be cancelled for any reason until 15 January 2027. For a yardstick in yen, a 7-day all-mountain ticket at Shiga Kogen costs ¥63,500 at the window this winter. Shiga Kogen and Myoko Suginohara scan the Ikon card straight at the lift gates, with no reservation. If your card hasn't arrived before the trip, a ticket counter at either resort will issue a local ticket when you show your pass details and photo ID in person. Myoko's shuttle bus links Suginohara with Ikenotaira, Akakura, Madarao, Tangram and Arai, which makes a base in Myoko good for three Ikon mountains. Tips: - Pair Ikon days with a Hakuba Valley day ticket if you want Hakuba on the same trip, because Hakuba's resorts are on Epic. - Myoko Suginohara is running smaller car parks this winter and charges for parking, so the Myoko shuttle bus is the easier way in. - Ask the mountain about Base Pass blackouts before booking a New Year trip on the Base Pass, since Ikon's Japan listing doesn't settle it. Q: Does the Ikon Pass work in Hakuba? A: No. Hakuba Valley's ten resorts are on the Epic Pass for 2026/27. The Ikon mountains in Nagano are Madarao and Shiga Kogen. Q: Are Ikon days at Shiga Kogen counted per area? A: One Ikon day at Shiga Kogen covers every lift in all eighteen areas. You can ride from Yakebitaiyama to Okushiga Kogen and it still uses one of your seven days. Q: Can I use the Ikon Session Pass in Japan? A: Only at Niseko United in Hokkaido, with two, three or four days. The eight Honshu mountains on the Ikon list give the Session Pass no access. Q: Do I need to reserve Ikon days in Japan? A: Shiga Kogen and Myoko Suginohara say you need no reservation and can go straight to the gates with your pass. Check the Ikon page of any other mountain before you travel. Q: Which resorts in this guide take Ikon Pass? A: Ikon Pass covers APPI, Zao Onsen, NEKOMA Mountain, Tenjindaira, Madarao, Myoko Suginohara, Arai Mountain Resort, Shiga Kogen Giant, Shiga Kogen Hasuike, Shiga Kogen Higashidateyama, Shiga Kogen Hoppo Bunadaira, Shiga Kogen Ichinose Diamond, Shiga Kogen Ichinose Family, Shiga Kogen Ichinose Yamanokami, Shiga Kogen Kumanoyu, Shiga Kogen Maruike, Shiga Kogen Nishidateyama, Shiga Kogen Okushiga Kogen, Shiga Kogen Sun Valley, Shiga Kogen Takamagahara Mammoth, Shiga Kogen Tanne no Mori Okojo, Shiga Kogen Terakoya, Shiga Kogen Yakebitaiyama, Shiga Kogen Yokoteyama and Shibutoge, with ikon pass: 7 days at each of the ten japanese mountains, no blackouts. ikon base pass: 5 days at each. ikon session pass: niseko united only (2, 3 or 4 day options) at each. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ikonpass.com/en/destinations https://www.ikonpass.com/en/shop-passes https://www.ikonpass.com/en/compare-passes https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/myoko/informations/ikonpass/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/myoko/informations/seasonpass_earlybirdticket/ https://www.kpcw.org/ski-resorts/2026-09-14/ikon-expands-pass-holder-access-in-japan-china https://selfguidejapan.com/blog/ikon-pass-japan ### NAGANO7 Powder Dream Pass URL: https://ridingjapan.com/lift-passes/nagano-7-powder-dream-pass Type: Lift pass Local name: ナガノセブン パウダードリームパス (ja) Also known as: NAGANO 7, NAGANO7, Nagano 7 Powder Dream Pass, Nagano 7 season pass, NAGANO 6, Powder Dream Pass, NAGANO7 共通シーズン券 Region: Nagano Season: 2026/27 From: ¥110,000, about CAD 989 or USD 695 (October 2026 rates) (Season pass, child (high school or younger), Super Early Bird online (1–31 October 2026)) At each resort: Unlimited daytime riding at all seven resorts through each one's own pass period: Shiga Kogen 1 December 2026 to 5 May 2027, Nozawa Onsen 28 November 2026 to 5 May 2027, Ryuoo 5 December 2026 to 28 March 2027, Madarao 12 December 2026 to 28 March 2027, Togakushi 12 December 2026 to 31 March 2027, Romance no Kamisama 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027 and Tangram 19 December 2026 to 28 March 2027. Resorts here: 5 Sold by: The seven participating resorts, with sales and enquiries run by the Shinshu Iiyama Tourism Bureau Website: https://powderdreampass.com/en/ Summary: The NAGANO7 Powder Dream Pass suits a skier or snowboarder spending a whole winter in northern Nagano, since one 2026/27 season pass opens Shiga Kogen, Nozawa Onsen, Madarao, Tangram, Ryuoo, Togakushi and Romance no Kamisama. It starts at ¥140,000 for an adult, and you have to collect it in Japan in person with your passport. Seven resorts in northern Nagano sell one season pass between them, and for 2026/27 Snow Resort Romance no Kamisama joins the six from last season, so NAGANO 6 becomes NAGANO7. The Shinshu Iiyama Tourism Bureau runs the sales from its activity centre inside Iiyama Station. The pass covers daytime riding at Shiga Kogen, Nozawa Onsen, Madarao, Tangram Ski Circus, Ryuoo Ski Park, Togakushi and Romance no Kamisama for each resort's whole pass period. Prices climb as the season gets closer. An adult pays ¥140,000 online from 1 to 31 October 2026, ¥150,000 online through November and ¥160,000 from 1 December 2026 to 31 January 2027. Children up to high-school age pay ¥110,000, ¥115,000 and ¥120,000 over the same three windows. Paying by bank transfer in October or November takes ¥2,000 off, and every price leaves out the IC card deposit. Buying takes two steps. You register on the application page with a photo for the pass and the resort where you want to collect it, then pay through the link they email you. A Shiga Kogen or Nozawa Onsen pickup during the online windows is posted from mid-November for ¥1,000. Nothing ships abroad, so a visitor from overseas picks Madarao, Ryuoo, Tangram, Togakushi or Romance no Kamisama and collects the pass at the counter after that resort opens. The season lengths differ a lot. Shiga Kogen and Nozawa Onsen run their pass periods to 5 May 2027, so spring riders get the most from those two. Madarao, Tangram and Ryuoo stop on 28 March, Togakushi on 31 March and Romance no Kamisama on 4 April. Tips: - Pick your home resort as the pickup, because a lost pass can only be reissued there. - Bring your passport to collect the pass. Residents outside Japan must show one, and nobody else can collect it for you. - Compare it with the Shiga Kogen all-area season pass on its own. If you'll ride Shiga Kogen nearly every day, that pass costs less. Q: Which resorts does the NAGANO7 Powder Dream Pass cover in 2026/27? A: The NAGANO7 Powder Dream Pass covers seven resorts in 2026/27: Shiga Kogen, Nozawa Onsen, Madarao, Tangram Ski Circus, Ryuoo Ski Park, Togakushi and Snow Resort Romance no Kamisama, which joined this season. Q: How much is the NAGANO7 Powder Dream Pass? A: An adult NAGANO7 pass costs ¥140,000 online in October 2026, ¥150,000 online in November and ¥160,000 from 1 December 2026 to 31 January 2027. Children up to high-school age pay ¥110,000, ¥115,000 or ¥120,000. Q: Can the NAGANO7 pass be shipped overseas? A: No. The NAGANO7 pass doesn't ship outside Japan, so overseas buyers collect it in person at a resort counter with their passport. Q: Does the NAGANO7 pass work for night skiing? A: No. The NAGANO7 pass covers daytime lift hours only, and early morning and night sessions need separate tickets. Q: Which resorts in this guide take NAGANO7 Powder Dream Pass? A: NAGANO7 Powder Dream Pass covers Nozawa Onsen, Madarao, Ryuoo Ski Park, Tangram Ski Circus, Togakushi, with unlimited daytime riding at all seven resorts through each one's own pass period: shiga kogen 1 december 2026 to 5 may 2027, nozawa onsen 28 november 2026 to 5 may 2027, ryuoo 5 december 2026 to 28 march 2027, madarao 12 december 2026 to 28 march 2027, togakushi 12 december 2026 to 31 march 2027, romance no kamisama 12 december 2026 to 4 april 2027 and tangram 19 december 2026 to 28 march 2027 at each. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://powderdreampass.com/en/ https://powderdreampass.com/ https://powderdreampass.com/assets/docs/terms2026_en.pdf https://www.madarao.jp/information/14062 ### Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass URL: https://ridingjapan.com/lift-passes/shiga-kogen-all-area-ticket Type: Lift pass Local name: 志賀高原全18スキー場共通リフト券 (ja) Also known as: Shiga Kogen all area ticket, Shiga Kogen all-mountain pass, Shiga Kogen Common Lift Pass, Shiga Kogen Key Ticket, Shiga Kogen season pass, 志賀高原共通リフト券 Region: Nagano Season: 2026/27 From: ¥4,000, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) (1 day, child 0–12, ticket window) At each resort: Every day opens all 18 areas and their 45 lifts and gondolas. Tickets of 2 to 10 days work on any days in the season, consecutive or not; early-season and spring tickets run on consecutive days. Resorts here: 17 Sold by: Shiga Kogen Lift Association Website: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html Summary: The Shiga Kogen ticket suits a skier who wants to roam one big mountain for several days, since a single ticket opens all 18 areas and their 45 lifts and gondolas. Early morning and night riding sit outside it and need a ticket of their own. Shiga Kogen in Yamanouchi spreads across eighteen ski areas, and the Shiga Kogen Lift Association sells one ticket for all of them. It comes as a Key Ticket with no deposit that you take home. Load your next ticket onto it online through the Direct In service and you can walk straight to the lifts on a later trip. A day that starts at Sun Valley and ends at Okushiga Kogen uses one day on the ticket. At the window an adult day costs ¥9,500 for 2026/27, five days cost ¥45,500 and ten cost ¥90,500. Buying online saves about ten percent, at ¥8,500 for a day and ¥40,500 for five, and those sales open on 1 November 2026. A student aged 13 to 18 pays ¥6,500 a day at the window. Seniors from 60 pay ¥8,000, and a child's day is ¥4,000. Tickets from 2 to 10 days can be used on any days inside the season, which runs from 5 December 2026 to 5 May 2027. Early-season tickets for 5 to 18 December and spring tickets from 1 April cost ¥7,500 for an adult day, and those run on consecutive days only. The lifts turn from 8:30 to 16:30, with the hours shifting by area and weather. On the third Sunday of each month from December to April, children aged 12 and under get a free one-day ticket at any ticket counter. The adult and child package gives one adult and one child a day for ¥12,000 at the window. The all-area season pass runs from 1 December 2026 to 5 May 2027. Its early adult price of ¥105,000 holds until 31 October 2026, and from 1 November to 22 December it costs ¥110,000. You buy it online and collect it at any open ticket counter by showing the confirmation on a phone or tablet with photo ID, since printed receipts aren't accepted. Tips: - Buy online after 1 November and collect the Key Ticket at a SKIOSK machine or a ticket counter with the QR code to save ¥1,000 on an adult day. - Keep your Key Ticket after the trip, because it lets you buy your next ticket online and skip the counter. - Ikon Pass holders need no Shiga Kogen ticket. The Ikon card works at the gates, and a ticket counter issues a local ticket if your card hasn't arrived. Q: How many areas does the Shiga Kogen ticket cover? A: All 18 ski areas and their 45 lifts and gondolas, from Sun Valley and Maruike to Yakebitaiyama, Okushiga Kogen and Yokoteyama. Q: Do Shiga Kogen multi-day tickets need consecutive days? A: No. The 2- to 10-day tickets work on any days in the 2026/27 season. Early-season and spring tickets are the exception and run on consecutive days. Q: Is there a deposit on the Shiga Kogen Key Ticket? A: No. You keep the Key Ticket after your trip and can load your next ticket onto it online. Q: Does the Ikon Pass work at Shiga Kogen? A: Yes. Shiga Kogen treats the Ikon Pass as its all-mountain ticket, with seven days on the full pass and five on the Base Pass, and each day covers all 18 areas. Q: How much does Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass cost? A: Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass for 2026/27 starts at ¥4,000, about CAD 36 or USD 25 (October 2026 rates) for the 1 day, child 0–12, ticket window. Q: Which resorts in this guide take Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass? A: Shiga Kogen All-Mountain Ski Pass covers Shiga Kogen Giant, Shiga Kogen Hasuike, Shiga Kogen Higashidateyama, Shiga Kogen Hoppo Bunadaira, Shiga Kogen Ichinose Diamond, Shiga Kogen Ichinose Family, Shiga Kogen Ichinose Yamanokami, Shiga Kogen Kumanoyu, Shiga Kogen Maruike, Shiga Kogen Nishidateyama, Shiga Kogen Okushiga Kogen, Shiga Kogen Sun Valley, Shiga Kogen Takamagahara Mammoth, Shiga Kogen Tanne no Mori Okojo, Shiga Kogen Terakoya, Shiga Kogen Yakebitaiyama, Shiga Kogen Yokoteyama and Shibutoge, with every day opens all 18 areas and their 45 lifts and gondolas. tickets of 2 to 10 days work on any days in the season, consecutive or not; early-season and spring tickets run on consecutive days at each. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/ticket/index.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ticket/online.html https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/winter/news/ArticalImages/2026-27%20Shiga%20Kogen%20Season%20Pass%20%284%29.pdf https://shigakogen-ski.or.jp/english/ikon-pass/index.html https://www.ikonpass.com/en/destinations ## Hot springs ### Akakura Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/akakura-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 赤倉温泉 (ja) Also known as: Akakura, Akakura Hot Spring, 赤倉 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: Akakura, Myoko, Niigata Coordinates: 36.89260, 138.17850 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥600 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Hotel day bathing runs from ¥600 to ¥1,200 for adults on Myoko Tourism's list updated in April 2026. The public Taki no Yu charges ¥600 and opens only from late April to early November. Hours: Each hotel sets its own day-bathing window, mostly from mid-afternoon to the evening. Hotels stop taking day guests when they are busy or booked for maintenance, so ring first. Water: Akakura draws its water from Kitajigokudani on Mt. Myoko and Myoko Tourism lists it as a calcium, magnesium and sodium sulphate and bicarbonate spring. The tourism office puts the flow at about 3,000 litres a minute and calls it the largest in Niigata. Spring types: sulphate spring, bicarbonate spring Outdoor bath: Yes Tattoos: Not published. Myoko Tourism's day-bathing list gives no tattoo rule for Akakura's hotels, so ask each front desk. Bring: Bring your own towel. Myoko Tourism notes that some places charge for towels and some have none. Address: Akakura, Myoko, Niigata Price from: ¥600 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: http://www.akakura.gr.jp/ Summary: Akakura Onsen is the hot-spring village at the foot of Myoko's Akakura ski areas, and in winter you bathe in hotel baths that take day visitors because the public Taki no Yu closes from early November to late April. Takada's domain lord Sakakibara Masanaga opened Akakura in 1816, and it is the biggest of the seven spa villages Myoko Tourism groups on the mountain's flanks. Its water travels down by pipe from the Kitajigokudani valley high on Mt. Myoko. The tourism office says writers and other notable figures loved the place. From December to March your bath is a hotel bath. On the tourism office's April 2026 list Akakura Wakui Hotel charges ¥600 from 15:00 to 20:00 and Kogen Hotel Taizan ¥800 from 15:00 to 21:00. Akakura Hotel opens its bath from 10:00 for ¥1,000, and Hotel Taiko asks ¥1,200 between 14:00 and 18:00 but closes in summer. Any of them can turn day guests away on a busy night. Once the snow has gone, the public Taki no Yu opens its rock pools, and a free covered foot bath in the village runs from late April to late November before it too shuts for winter. Tips: - Ring the hotel before you walk over in a snowstorm, since day bathing stops whenever a hotel fills up. - Kogakuro's day bath also appears on the list at ¥800, but only outside the winter months. Q: Can you use Akakura Onsen's baths without staying the night? A: Yes. Several Akakura Onsen hotels take day bathers for ¥600 to ¥1,200 on Myoko Tourism's April 2026 list, and the outdoor Taki no Yu takes them from late April to early November. Q: Is Taki no Yu in Akakura Onsen open in winter? A: No. Taki no Yu closes for winter and opens from late April to early November, so winter visitors to Akakura Onsen use hotel baths. Q: Do Akakura Onsen's baths allow tattoos? A: Myoko Tourism publishes no tattoo rule for Akakura Onsen, so ask at each hotel's front desk before you pay. Q: How much does Akakura Onsen cost? A: Prices at Akakura Onsen start at ¥600 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://myokotourism.jp/onsen/ https://myokotourism.jp/onsen-yado-list https://myokotourism.jp/tourist-spots/%E5%A4%A7%E9%87%8E%E5%A4%A9%E9%A2%A8%E5%91%82%E3%80%80%E6%BB%9D%E3%81%AE%E6%B9%AF/ https://myokotourism.jp/tourist-spots/%E8%B5%A4%E5%80%89%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89-%E8%B6%B3%E6%B9%AF%E5%85%AC%E5%9C%92 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11635355 ### Taki no Yu (Akakura Onsen) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/akakura-onsen-taki-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 大野天風呂 滝の湯 (ja) Also known as: Taki no Yu, Takinoyu, Akakura Onsen Taki no Yu, 滝の湯 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Akakura Onsen Address: 585-1 Akakura, Myoko, Niigata 949-2111 Status: seasonal. Taki no Yu shuts for the ski season and reopens in late April. Coordinates: 36.89520, 138.17270 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥600 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥600 and children ¥400 on Myoko Tourism's page, which prints no year. Hours: Open from late April to early November, 10:00–16:00, until 17:00 at weekends and 15:30 on Thursdays. Closed all winter. Closed: Closed from early November to late April Water: Sulphate and bicarbonate water piped from Kitajigokudani like the water in Akakura's hotels; Myoko Tourism calls it a skin-smoothing bath. Spring types: sulphate spring, bicarbonate spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. Myoko Tourism's page for Taki no Yu gives no tattoo rule. Bring: Bring a towel and soap; the page lists no rentals. Address: 585-1 Akakura, Myoko, Niigata 949-2111 Price from: ¥600 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Summary: Taki no Yu is Akakura Onsen's public outdoor bath with one rock pool for men and one for women, and it suits hikers and cyclists between late April and early November because it closes for the whole ski season. Akakura built these pools in 1986 for the 170th year of its springs, and about 3,000 boulders went into them. Each side gets one open-air pool. Inside there is a free rest room of about fifty tatami mats where you can cool off after the soak. Adults pay ¥600 and children ¥400. The season ends in early November. Skiers arriving in December use the village's hotel baths. Tips: - Thursday closes earlier, at 15:30, so plan a late soak for another day. - The free Akakura Onsen foot bath park nearby has both hot and cold water and opens from late April to late November. Q: When is Taki no Yu in Akakura Onsen open? A: Taki no Yu opens from late April to early November, 10:00–16:00 on most days, until 17:00 at weekends and until 15:30 on Thursdays. It is closed in winter. Q: How much does Taki no Yu cost? A: Taki no Yu costs ¥600 for adults and ¥400 for children on Myoko Tourism's page. Q: Can you visit Taki no Yu (Akakura Onsen) without staying the night? A: Yes. Taki no Yu (Akakura Onsen) sells day entry at ¥600 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://myokotourism.jp/tourist-spots/%E5%A4%A7%E9%87%8E%E5%A4%A9%E9%A2%A8%E5%91%82%E3%80%80%E6%BB%9D%E3%81%AE%E6%B9%AF/ https://myokotourism.jp/onsen/ https://myokotourism.jp/tourist-spots/%E8%B5%A4%E5%80%89%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89-%E8%B6%B3%E6%B9%AF%E5%85%AC%E5%9C%92 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/684986996 ### Arima Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/arima-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 有馬温泉 (ja) Also known as: Arima, Kin no Yu, Gin no Yu, 金の湯, 銀の湯 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Hyogo Town: Kobe Address: 833 Arima-cho, Kita-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 651-1401 (Kin no Yu) Coordinates: 34.79810, 135.24750 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Kin no Yu charges children ¥350 and Gin no Yu ¥300. The joint ticket for both bathhouses costs ¥1,200. Hours: Kin no Yu opens 8:00 to 22:00 with last entry at 21:30 and closes on the second and fourth Tuesday. Gin no Yu opens 9:00 to 21:00 with last entry at 20:30 and closes on the first and third Tuesday. When a closing Tuesday is a holiday the bath opens and closes the next day instead. Both close on 1 January. Closed: Kin no Yu: 2nd and 4th Tuesday; Gin no Yu: 1st and 3rd Tuesday; both 1 January Water: Kin no Yu runs Kinsen, an iron and sodium chloride strong-salt hot spring. Gin no Yu runs Ginsen, carbonated and radium water; it recirculates the water and adds tap water only when the spring's flow drops. The water at Kin no Yu is not for drinking. Spring types: iron-bearing sodium chloride spring, carbon dioxide spring, radioactive spring Mixed bathing: No Tattoos: Not published. The Kin no Yu and Gin no Yu pages publish no tattoo rule. Address: 833 Arima-cho, Kita-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 651-1401 (Kin no Yu) Price from: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.arima-onsen.com/ Summary: Arima suits a half-day bath trip from Kobe or Osaka with two kinds of water in one town, and its trade-off is entry limits at both public baths on busy days. Arima Onsen sits on the north side of the Rokko range within Kobe, and the town calls itself the oldest onsen in Japan. Its water carries seven of the nine main components Japan's environment ministry lists for therapeutic springs. The town splits it into two kinds: Kinsen, heavy with iron and salt, and Ginsen, which holds carbonic acid or radon. Kin no Yu, a city-run bathhouse, pipes in Kinsen and opens from 8:00. Gin no Yu runs Ginsen and opens at 9:00. A joint ticket for both costs ¥1,200, and a free foot bath stands beside Kin no Yu. Tips: - Weekdays are cheaper: Kin no Yu drops to ¥650 and Gin no Yu to ¥550. - Check the Tuesday closures before you go; each bathhouse shuts on two Tuesdays a month. Q: What is the difference between Kinsen and Ginsen at Arima? A: Kinsen is Arima's iron-rich salty spring, served at Kin no Yu. Ginsen is the town's carbonated and radium water, served at Gin no Yu. Q: How do I get to Arima Onsen from Osaka? A: From Shin-Osaka take JR to Sannomiya, the Kobe subway to Tanigami and the Kobe Electric Railway via Arimaguchi to Arima Onsen. The trip takes about 1 hour 10 minutes. Q: Can you visit Arima Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Arima Onsen sells day entry at ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: How much does Arima Onsen cost? A: Prices at Arima Onsen start at ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Arima Onsen? A: Arima Onsen keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:00–22:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://arimaspa-kingin.jp/kin-01.htm https://arimaspa-kingin.jp/gin-01.htm https://arimaspa-kingin.jp/ https://www.arima-onsen.com/about/spring_quality https://www.arima-onsen.com/access/osaka https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4790673 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11646262 ### Aso Bochu Onsen Yume no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/aso-bochu-onsen-yume-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 阿蘇坊中温泉 夢の湯 (ja) Also known as: Yume no Yu Aso, Bochu Onsen, 夢の湯 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kumamoto Town: Aso Address: 1538-3 Kurokawa, Aso, Kumamoto Coordinates: 32.93630, 131.07750 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥400 per adult (2026), about CAD 3.60 or USD 2.50 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥400 and children ¥200. Hours: Last entry is at 21:20. Closed: First and third Monday of the month (the next day when that is a holiday) Mixed bathing: No Tattoos: Not published. Aso City's listing gives no tattoo rule. Ask at the counter. Address: 1538-3 Kurokawa, Aso, Kumamoto Price from: ¥400 per adult (2026), about CAD 3.60 or USD 2.50 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.city.aso.kumamoto.jp/tourism/spot/accommodation_hot-springs/spa_center-2/ Summary: Yume no Yu suits riders finishing a day on the caldera roads who want a cheap soak beside the station before the train, and it closes two Mondays a month. Aso City lists Yume no Yu among its hot spring centres, the everyday public baths that locals use. It sits by JR Aso Station at the foot of the climb to Kusasenri and the crater, and it stays open until 22:00. Tips: - Check that your Monday is not the first or third of the month before you plan a soak after the ride. Q: How much is Yume no Yu in Aso? A: Adults pay ¥400 and children ¥200. The bath opens from 10:00 to 22:00 with last entry at 21:20 and closes on the first and third Monday of each month. Q: Can you visit Aso Bochu Onsen Yume no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Aso Bochu Onsen Yume no Yu sells day entry at ¥400 per adult (2026), about CAD 3.60 or USD 2.50 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Aso Bochu Onsen Yume no Yu? A: Aso Bochu Onsen Yume no Yu keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–22:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.aso.kumamoto.jp/tourism/spot/accommodation_hot-springs/spa_center-2/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=阿蘇市黒川1538-3 ### Benifuji no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/benifuji-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 山中湖温泉 紅富士の湯 (ja) Also known as: Benifuji Onsen, Yamanakako Onsen Benifuji no Yu, 紅富士の湯 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Address: 山梨県南都留郡山中湖村山中865-776 Status: temporarily-closed. The bath closed for renovation on 28 September 2026 and plans to reopen in March 2027, so it is shut for the whole 2026/27 winter. Its sister bath Ishiwari no Yu stays open. Coordinates: 35.43070, 138.84100 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥900, including ¥150 bathing tax. Junior and senior high school students pay ¥700 and primary school children ¥350. Hours: Before the closure the bath opened 11:00 to 19:00 on weekdays and 11:00 to 20:00 at weekends and holidays, and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays; closed for renovation from 28 September 2026 to March 2027 Water: An alkaline simple spring with a pH of 10.3, leaving the ground at 26.1 °C and flowing at 150 litres a minute. Spring types: alkaline simple spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not allowed. The bath refuses anyone with a tattoo of any size, including fake tattoos, stickers and body paint. Address: 山梨県南都留郡山中湖村山中865-776 Price from: ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.benifuji.co.jp/ Summary: Benifuji no Yu suits Lake Yamanaka riders who want Fuji over the open-air tubs, and it is shut for renovation until March 2027. Benifuji no Yu takes its name from beni-fuji, the red Fuji of winter that its own page names as the season's view. Its cypress and stone open-air tubs face the mountain across the trees, the operator says every tub has a Fuji view, and the indoor bath has a wall of glass on the Fuji side. The spring is unusually alkaline at pH 10.3 and feels smooth on the skin. The bath closed for renovation on 28 September 2026 and plans to reopen in March 2027. In the meantime the same operator runs Ishiwari no Yu on the other side of the lake, also at ¥900. Check the reopening date on the bath's news page before a spring ride. Tips: - Use Ishiwari no Yu, run by the same operator, until Benifuji reopens. Q: Is Benifuji no Yu open in winter 2026/27? A: No. Benifuji no Yu closed for renovation on 28 September 2026 and plans to reopen in March 2027. Q: Can you bathe at Benifuji no Yu with tattoos? A: No. Benifuji no Yu turns away bathers with visible tattoos. Q: Can you visit Benifuji no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Benifuji no Yu sells day entry at ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Benifuji no Yu mixed bathing? A: No. Benifuji no Yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: How much does Benifuji no Yu cost? A: Prices at Benifuji no Yu start at ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.benifuji.co.jp/ https://www.benifuji.co.jp/news/info.php?new_id=765 https://www.benifuji.co.jp/news/info.php?new_id=584 https://www.benifuji.co.jp/spa/ https://www.benifuji.co.jp/faq/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=山梨県南都留郡山中湖村山中865-776 ### Dogo Onsen Honkan URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/dogo-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 道後温泉本館 (ja) Also known as: Dogo Onsen, Dogo Onsen Main Building, Dogo Honkan, 道後温泉 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Town: Matsuyama Address: 5-6 Dogo-yunomachi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0842 Coordinates: 33.85200, 132.78620 Kind: Public bath Day visit: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Prices include tax. The two new third-floor rooms cost ¥6,000 (Shirasagi-no-Ma) or ¥3,000 (Hisho-no-Ma) a group plus ¥1,300 an adult, and neither room has a bath of its own. Hours: Kami-no-Yu downstairs runs 6:00 to 23:00 with the last ticket at 22:30. The courses with a lounge or room run 6:00 to 22:00 and stop selling between 20:30 and 21:00. Closed: One day each December for the annual big clean Water: The alkaline water comes from 18 wells at 20 to 55°C and is blended to about 42°C, and the bath adds no heat and no water. Spring types: alkaline simple spring Colour: clear Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. The current Japanese and English pages publish no tattoo rule, and the English FAQ's old line saying tattoos were welcome is now hidden in the page code. Ask at the ticket window. The baths accept the purpose-made bathing wear that covers surgical scars, and the shop sells it for ¥500. Bring: Soap and shampoo are in both baths. Downstairs and in the Kami-no-Yu hall you need your own towel or a rental one (¥110, bath towel ¥320). Address: 5-6 Dogo-yunomachi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0842 Price from: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://dogo.jp/onsen/honkan Booking: https://dogo.jp/onsen/honkan Summary: Dogo Onsen Honkan suits anyone who wants to bathe in a working Meiji-era bathhouse that is also a national Important Cultural Property, and the trade-off is a wait at peak times, which the operator posts live on its website. Isaniwa Yukiya, the first mayor of Dogo-yunomachi, pushed the rebuilding of the Honkan through against fierce local opposition, and it was finished in 1894. In December 1994 it became the first public bath in Japan named an Important Cultural Property. Matsuyama kept it open in stages through a repair programme that started in January 2019 and finished on 20 December 2024, so the building now runs at full strength again. The ¥700 ticket gets you into Kami-no-Yu downstairs, where some locals come almost every day as they would to a neighbourhood sento. If you pay more you get a yukata, tea and a sweet in the big tatami hall upstairs, or a Tama-no-Yu lounge with heron lamps from the Taisho era. The third-floor rooms were once called joto, and the narrator of Natsume Soseki's novel Botchan says he always took the joto. Private rooms book from 90 days ahead online until 22:00 the night before, and same-day only by phone. The water is alkaline and gentle on the skin. Eighteen wells deliver it at 20 to 55°C, and blending brings it to about 42°C with nothing heated or added. Tips: - Buy the ¥1,440 three-bath ticket if you want to try the Honkan, Tsubaki-no-Yu and Asuka-no-Yu over two days. - Ride to Dogo and leave the bike at the free rack by the Honkan's east square, which is open 24 hours. - The Yushinden imperial bath is for viewing only, on a guided 30-minute visit between 9:00 and 17:00. Q: Is Dogo Onsen Honkan open after the restoration? A: Yes. The preservation and repair work that began in January 2019 finished on 20 December 2024, and the whole Honkan is open with Kami-no-Yu running 6:00 to 23:00. Q: How much does Dogo Onsen Honkan cost? A: A bath in Kami-no-Yu downstairs costs ¥700 for adults and ¥350 for children aged 2 to 11 in 2026. Courses with a lounge, yukata and tea cost ¥1,300 to ¥2,500. Q: Can I bathe at Dogo Onsen with a tattoo? A: The Honkan's current pages state no tattoo rule, so ask at the ticket window. It does allow the special bathing wear made to cover surgical scars. Q: Can you visit Dogo Onsen Honkan without staying the night? A: Yes. Dogo Onsen Honkan sells day entry at ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://dogo.jp/onsen/honkan https://dogo.jp/en/honkan.php https://dogo.jp/faq https://dogo.jp/en/faq.php https://dogo.jp/en/about.php https://dogo.jp/en/manners.php https://dogo.jp/access https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%84%9B%E5%AA%9B%E7%9C%8C%E6%9D%BE%E5%B1%B1%E5%B8%82%E9%81%93%E5%BE%8C%E6%B9%AF%E4%B9%8B%E7%94%BA5-6 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11641713 ### Dogo Onsen Asuka-no-Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/dogo-onsen-asuka-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 道後温泉別館 飛鳥乃湯泉 (ja) Also known as: Asuka no Yu, Asuka-no-Yu Annex, Dogo Onsen Annex, 飛鳥乃湯泉 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Town: Matsuyama Address: 19-22 Dogo-yunomachi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0842 Coordinates: 33.85220, 132.78520 Kind: Public bath Day visit: ¥610 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.50 or USD 3.90 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Prices include tax. Every course except the plain bath runs 90 minutes in all. Hours: The ground-floor bath runs 6:00 to 23:00 with last entry at 22:30. The hall, private rooms and special bath close at 22:00, with last entry between 20:30 and 21:00. Closed: One day each December for the annual big clean Water: It draws the same unheated, undiluted Dogo water as the Honkan. Spring types: alkaline simple spring Colour: clear Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: Yes, to book Tattoos: Not published. The operator's current pages publish no tattoo rule. Scar-cover bathing wear is allowed. Bring: Soap, shampoo and conditioner are in the ground-floor bath. The special bath upstairs has none, so wash downstairs first. Address: 19-22 Dogo-yunomachi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0842 Price from: ¥610 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.50 or USD 3.90 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://dogo.jp/onsen/asuka Booking: https://dogo.jp/onsen/asuka Summary: Asuka-no-Yu suits bathers who want Dogo's water with an outdoor bath and a calmer room, and its special family bath upstairs needs a booking. Matsuyama built Asuka-no-Yu as Dogo's new bathhouse in the style of the Asuka period, to go with the stories of Prince Shotoku and Empress Saimei visiting the spring. It has the outdoor bath the Honkan lacks. Big Tobe-ware tile murals of old Dogo poems wrap the indoor baths, and a camellia garden fills the courtyard. Upstairs, the special family bath copies the Honkan's imperial Yushinden and comes with an old-style bathing robe called a yuchō. You can book it 90 days ahead online or by phone. The large hall is about 60 tatami mats, close to the size of the Kami-no-Yu hall in the Honkan, and five private rooms each take a Dogo legend as their theme. Tips: - The three-bath ticket at ¥1,440 covers Asuka-no-Yu's ground-floor bath, so buy it here if you plan to try all three. - If you book the special bath, go straight to the ticket booth staff 10 minutes early and skip the ticket queue. Q: Can you visit Dogo Onsen Asuka-no-Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Dogo Onsen Asuka-no-Yu sells day entry at ¥610 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.50 or USD 3.90 (October 2026 rates). Q: How much does Dogo Onsen Asuka-no-Yu cost? A: Prices at Dogo Onsen Asuka-no-Yu start at ¥610 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.50 or USD 3.90 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Dogo Onsen Asuka-no-Yu? A: Dogo Onsen Asuka-no-Yu keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 06:00–23:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://dogo.jp/onsen/asuka https://dogo.jp/faq https://dogo.jp/en/faq.php https://dogo.jp/en/manners.php https://dogo.jp/access https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%84%9B%E5%AA%9B%E7%9C%8C%E6%9D%BE%E5%B1%B1%E5%B8%82%E9%81%93%E5%BE%8C%E6%B9%AF%E4%B9%8B%E7%94%BA19-22 ### Dogo Onsen Tsubaki-no-Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/dogo-onsen-tsubaki-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 道後温泉 椿の湯 (ja) Also known as: Tsubaki no Yu, Tsubakinoyu, 椿の湯 Region: Shikoku Prefecture: Ehime Town: Matsuyama Address: 19-22 Dogo-yunomachi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0842 Coordinates: 33.85220, 132.78520 Kind: Public bath Day visit: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Changing-room lockers cost ¥10 and hair dryers ¥10 for three minutes on top of the bath fee. Hours: Open 6:30 to 23:00 with the last ticket at 22:30, and a one-hour limit. Closed: One day each December for the annual big clean Water: Tsubaki-no-Yu uses the same unheated, undiluted Dogo water as the Honkan, in granite tubs with Dogo's traditional stone yugama spout. Spring types: alkaline simple spring Colour: clear Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. The operator's current pages publish no tattoo rule. Scar-cover bathing wear is allowed and sold at the counter for ¥500. Bring: Bring soap and shampoo or buy them at the counter (¥50 each for shampoo and conditioner), and a towel or a rental one for ¥110. Address: 19-22 Dogo-yunomachi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0842 Price from: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://dogo.jp/onsen/tsubaki Summary: Tsubaki-no-Yu suits bathers who want Dogo's water for ¥500 among Matsuyama locals, and you bring your own soap. Matsuyama calls Tsubaki-no-Yu its locals' bath. It was built in 1953 when the national sports festival came to Shikoku, rebuilt in 1984 and reopened after a renewal on 26 December 2017. The L-shaped building looks like an old storehouse from the arcade, and inside the tubs are granite. The washing area has no soap or shampoo, and lockers and dryers cost ¥10 each. Keep to the one-hour limit. Q: Can you visit Dogo Onsen Tsubaki-no-Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Dogo Onsen Tsubaki-no-Yu sells day entry at ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: How much does Dogo Onsen Tsubaki-no-Yu cost? A: Prices at Dogo Onsen Tsubaki-no-Yu start at ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Dogo Onsen Tsubaki-no-Yu? A: Dogo Onsen Tsubaki-no-Yu keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 06:30–23:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://dogo.jp/onsen/tsubaki https://dogo.jp/faq https://dogo.jp/en/faq.php https://dogo.jp/en/manners.php https://dogo.jp/access https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%84%9B%E5%AA%9B%E7%9C%8C%E6%9D%BE%E5%B1%B1%E5%B8%82%E9%81%93%E5%BE%8C%E6%B9%AF%E4%B9%8B%E7%94%BA19-22 ### Echigo-Yuzawa Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/echigo-yuzawa-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 越後湯沢温泉 (ja) Also known as: Yuzawa Onsen, Echigo Yuzawa, Yuzawa soto-yu, 越後湯沢, 湯沢温泉 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma District, Niigata Coordinates: 36.93770, 138.80840 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥850 including the ¥150 bathing tax, children aged four to primary school ¥350, and under-fours go free (2026). The ¥2,500 soto-yu meguri ticket covers one visit to each of the five public baths and never expires. Hours: The five public baths open 10:00–21:00 with last entry at 20:30. Each closes on one weekday: Yama no Yu and Kaido no Yu on Tuesdays, Iwa no Yu on Wednesdays, Komako no Yu and Shukuba no Yu on Thursdays, with the day moved when it falls on a holiday. Water: Each public bath has its own source: simple sulphur water at Yama no Yu and Shukuba no Yu, sodium-calcium chloride at Komako no Yu and alkaline simple water at Iwa no Yu and Kaido no Yu. Spring types: simple sulphur spring, chloride spring, alkaline simple spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Tattoos: Not published. Neither the town tourism board nor the public baths' own site publishes a tattoo rule. Bring: Bring a towel and soap; the public baths' pages list a lobby and rest space but no rentals. Address: Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma District, Niigata Price from: ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://yuzawaonsen.com/ Summary: Echigo-Yuzawa Onsen is the spa town around the Joetsu Shinkansen's Echigo-Yuzawa Station, and its five town-run public baths at ¥850 each suit skiers at Gala and Iwappara who want a soak on the way back; three of the five sit outside town, so you need a car or a taxi for the full set. The town runs five public baths that locals call soto-yu, and a ¥2,500 ticket buys one visit to each against ¥4,250 at the door. Yama no Yu is the oldest and the closest to the old hot-spring quarter where Kawabata Yasunari wrote Snow Country. Komako no Yu takes its name from that novel's heroine and has a small exhibit about the book in its rest room. Iwa no Yu sits out in the Tsuchitaru valley near the Yuzawa Fishing Park, with a stone tub that looks over a stream. Kaido no Yu in Mitsumata has the only outdoor rock pool of the five and shares its site with a roadside station on Route 17. Shukuba no Yu at the old post town of Futai adds a sauna from 13:00 to 20:00 and a big rest room, and the tourism board says the ski slopes are right beside it. Station visitors in a hurry have two easier choices. Ponshukan inside the station runs a sake bath, and a free foot bath stands in the west exit plaza. Tips: - In November 2026 Kaido no Yu opens for the Tuesday 3 November holiday and closes on Wednesday 4 November in its place. - Kaido no Yu closes from 16 to 18 November 2026 for repairs to its entrance and outdoor-bath fence, and Shukuba no Yu loses three or four days in December 2026 to septic-tank work. Q: How much are Echigo-Yuzawa's public baths? A: Each of Echigo-Yuzawa's five public baths costs ¥850 for adults and ¥350 for children in 2026, and a ¥2,500 ticket covers one visit to all five. Q: Which Yuzawa public bath has an outdoor bath? A: Kaido no Yu in Mitsumata has a rock rotenburo for about ten people and is the only one of Yuzawa's five public baths with an outdoor pool. Q: Are Yuzawa's public baths open every day? A: No. Each Yuzawa public bath closes one weekday, so on any given day at least three of the five are open from 10:00 to 21:00. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://yuzawaonsen.com/ https://yuzawaonsen.com/?page_id=310 https://yuzawaonsen.com/?page_id=200 https://yuzawaonsen.com/?page_id=212 https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/hotspring/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/hotspring_p/%e4%b8%89%e4%bf%a3%e5%85%b1%e5%90%8c%e6%b5%b4%e5%a0%b4-%e3%80%8c%e8%a1%97%e9%81%93%e3%81%ae%e6%b9%af%e3%80%8d/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11636518 ### Fuji-chobo no Yu Yurari URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/fuji-chobo-no-yu-yurari Type: Onsen Local name: 富士眺望の湯 ゆらり (ja) Also known as: Yurari, Yurari onsen, Fuji Yurari, ゆらり Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Address: 山梨県南都留郡鳴沢村8532-5 Coordinates: 35.47620, 138.68960 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥1,400 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 8.80 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥1,400 on weekdays and ¥1,700 at weekends and on holidays, with a bath towel and face towel included. After 19:00 the prices drop to ¥1,200 and ¥1,500. Spring, summer, Golden Week and New Year count as weekend days. Hours: Weekdays 10:00 to 21:00 with last entry at 20:00; weekends and holidays 10:00 to 22:00 with last entry at 21:00. Golden Week, summer and New Year follow weekend hours. Water: The spring rises from about 1,000 metres down under the Aokigahara forest. The bath posts each tub's temperature, with the open-air tubs at 42 °C and a 16 °C spring-water plunge. Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: Yes, to book Tattoos: Not allowed. The bath refuses entry to anyone with a tattoo, in its words 'イレズミ・タトゥーのある方'. Its private baths are for guests of the Fuji Midori no Kyukamura hotel only. Bring: Nothing. Towels, shampoo, soap and hair dryers are all supplied. Address: 山梨県南都留郡鳴沢村8532-5 Price from: ¥1,400 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 8.80 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.fuji-yurari.jp/ Summary: Yurari suits riders on the Fuji Five Lakes loop who want a Fuji view from the tub, and it costs more than the local baths and bans tattoos. Yurari sits beside Michi-no-eki Narusawa on Route 139, on the forest road between Kawaguchiko and Lake Saiko, and its open-air bath faces Mt. Fuji straight on. The Panorama bath upstairs looks the same way, and the operator counts sixteen tubs in all, with saunas and a 16 °C plunge of Fuji spring water. Towels, soap and shampoo come with the ticket, so you can arrive with nothing. Adults pay ¥1,400 on weekdays and ¥1,700 at weekends, and the price drops after 19:00. Winter brings the clearest views of the mountain, though the forest roads around Narusawa ice up on cold mornings. The bath turns away anyone with a tattoo. Tips: - Time a winter visit for mid-afternoon, when Fuji tends to stay clear and the lights come on over the open-air bath at dusk. Q: Can you see Mt. Fuji from the bath at Yurari? A: Yes. The open-air bath and the upstairs Panorama bath both face Mt. Fuji. Q: Does Yurari allow tattoos? A: No. Yurari refuses entry to anyone with a tattoo. Q: Can you visit Fuji-chobo no Yu Yurari without staying the night? A: Yes. Fuji-chobo no Yu Yurari sells day entry at ¥1,400 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 8.80 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Fuji-chobo no Yu Yurari mixed bathing? A: No. Fuji-chobo no Yu Yurari keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: How much does Fuji-chobo no Yu Yurari cost? A: Prices at Fuji-chobo no Yu Yurari start at ¥1,400 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 8.80 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Fuji-chobo no Yu Yurari? A: Fuji-chobo no Yu Yurari keeps these hours: Mon–Fri 10:00–21:00; Sat–Sun 10:00–22:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.fuji-yurari.jp/ https://www.fuji-yurari.jp/charge-plan.html https://www.fuji-yurari.jp/spa.html https://www.fuji-yurari.jp/facility.html https://www.fuji-yurari.jp/access.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11640869 ### Fuku no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/fuku-no-yu-shiobara Type: Onsen Local name: 森のいで湯 福のゆ (ja) Also known as: Fukunoyu, Shiobara Green Village Fuku no Yu, 福のゆ Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Shiobara Onsen Address: 1230 Shiobara, Nasushiobara, Tochigi Coordinates: 36.96260, 139.84700 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥750 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.70 or USD 4.70 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Entry costs ¥750 for adults, ¥430 for children aged 3 to primary school and ¥380 for seniors 65 and over. Hours: Open 10:00–20:00 every day, with a few maintenance closures a year. Closed: Open daily except maintenance days Water: A sodium and calcium chloride-bicarbonate spring from the village's own source. Spring types: sodium-calcium chloride-bicarbonate spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Address: 1230 Shiobara, Nasushiobara, Tochigi Price from: ¥750 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.70 or USD 4.70 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Summary: Fuku no Yu suits skiers and cyclists coming down from Hunter Mountain or the Shiobara climbs who want a cheap soak with a view of the gorge, and it sits in a campground with simple facilities. Fuku no Yu is the bathhouse of the Shiobara Green Village campground. It draws on its own spring, and the outdoor bath looks over the Shiobara gorge. The Shiobara tourism association lists it among the town's day baths at ¥750 for adults. Q: Can you visit Fuku no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Fuku no Yu sells day entry at ¥750 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.70 or USD 4.70 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Fuku no Yu mixed bathing? A: No. Fuku no Yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: How much does Fuku no Yu cost? A: Prices at Fuku no Yu start at ¥750 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.70 or USD 4.70 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Fuku no Yu? A: Fuku no Yu keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–20:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.siobara.or.jp/spa/daytrip/ ### Gero Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/gero-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 下呂温泉 (ja) Also known as: Gero, Gero Hot Springs, Gero spa Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Gero Onsen Coordinates: 35.80889, 137.24358 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥470 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.20 or USD 3 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Day baths from ¥470 at Shirasagi-no-Yu; ¥800 at Kur Garden Rotenburo; foot baths free (2026). Water: An alkaline simple spring at about pH 9.1. Twelve sources feed one shared supply that leaves the ground at 55.6°C and reaches the tubs at about 42°C, and it leaves the skin slick and smooth. Spring types: alkaline simple spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: Yes, to book Tattoos: Not published. The public baths publish no tattoo rule. Suimeikan refuses all tattoos, covered or not, so ask each inn, or book one with private baths. Bring: A towel; the public baths sell towels but do not rent them. Price from: ¥470 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.20 or USD 3 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.gero-spa.com/ Summary: Gero Onsen suits anyone who wants a soft alkaline soak with an easy ride from Nagoya, with about 70 places to stay along the Hida River. The trade-off is that the open-air pool on the river bed at Funsenchi no longer allows bathing. Gero's water is famous for its feel: an alkaline simple spring at about pH 9.1 that the town calls a beauty bath. The spring was first found near the summit of Mt. Yugamine, about 4 km away, and legend says a white heron showed people where it had reappeared in the Hida River bed after it dried up. The monk Banri Shukyu bathed here in 1489 and ranked Gero with Kusatsu and Arima. Funsenchi is the open pool on the river bed, and bathing there has been banned since 1 December 2021, though it is free to look at. For a day bath use Shirasagi-no-Yu or Kur Garden Rotenburo, and use the Yumeguri Tegata pass to try the baths of three member inns. Seven free foot baths dot the streets. Tips: - Walk between the foot baths with a small towel to dry your feet. - The Yumeguri Tegata pass covers three inn baths and makes a good souvenir. Q: What kind of water does Gero Onsen have? A: An alkaline simple spring at about pH 9.1. It feels slick on the skin, which is why the town calls it a beauty bath. Q: Is Funsenchi open for bathing? A: No. Bathing at Funsenchi has been banned since 1 December 2021; you can still see it from the river bank for free. Q: How much does Gero Onsen cost? A: Prices at Gero Onsen start at ¥470 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.20 or USD 3 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.gero-spa.com/onsen/ https://www.gero-spa.com/spot/detail_1.html https://www.gero-spa.com/spot/detail_2.html https://www.gero-spa.com/spot/detail_118.html https://gero-onsen.com/kua-garden-rotenburo/ https://www.suimeikan.co.jp/hotspring/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11360701 ### Ginzan Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/ginzan-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 銀山温泉 (ja) Also known as: Ginzan, Ginzan hot spring, Ginzan Onsen Yamagata, Obanazawa Ginzan Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Address: Ginzan Shinhata, Obanazawa, Yamagata Coordinates: 38.56970, 140.53110 Kind: Onsen town Prices: For winter 2026/27 the inns' union plans a Priority Pass for the shuttle from the Taisho Roman-kan car park: ¥1,300 for outbound buses from 9:00 to 10:40, ¥1,000 from 11:00 to 13:40 and ¥1,500 from 14:00 to 18:00. The union says these repeat last winter's terms and will confirm them before the season. Tattoos: Not published. The Ginzan Onsen union publishes no tattoo rule. Bring: In winter bring boots with grip. The street is packed snow and the union asks you to walk on the river side. Address: Ginzan Shinhata, Obanazawa, Yamagata Website: https://www.ginzanonsen.jp/ Summary: Ginzan Onsen suits travellers who want to see a wooden Taisho-era inn street under snow and can stay the night; winter day trips now run on timed shuttle tickets from a car park 2 km away. Ginzan Onsen is a narrow street of wooden inns along the Ginzan river in Obanazawa. Gas lamps light it at dusk. The union describes its look as Taisho-era nostalgia, and its snow scenes draw day trippers all winter. That popularity brought the winter rules. The only road in narrows between snow banks in winter, and one stuck car can block an ambulance, so the union limits cars and paces day visitors. For 2026/27 it plans timed shuttle buses every 20 minutes from the Taisho Roman-kan. Each outbound ticket comes with a set return bus an hour and 20 minutes later. Spend the night if you can. Overnight guests get the street after the shuttles stop, and they have the inn baths to themselves. Tips: - Book the winter Priority Pass as soon as the union opens it, because it expects very few same-day places. - If you take the 11:00–14:00 outbound bus you may return on any bus until 15:20, which leaves time for lunch. Q: Can I drive to Ginzan Onsen in winter? A: Day visitors can't drive into the village from December to early March. Park at the Taisho Roman-kan and take the shuttle bus, and don't walk the road. Q: How much is the Ginzan Onsen winter shuttle? A: For 2026/27 the union plans ¥1,300, ¥1,000 or ¥1,500 depending on the outbound time. Those prices match last winter's, and the union will confirm them before the season. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ginzanonsen.jp/winter/2026/ https://www.ginzanonsen.jp/ https://www.ginzanonsen.jp/access/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5563313 ### Gozanoyu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/gozanoyu Type: Onsen Local name: 御座之湯 (ja) Also known as: Goza-no-yu, Gozanoyu Kusatsu, Goza no Yu bathhouse Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Address: 421 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Coordinates: 36.62234, 138.59598 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Entry costs ¥900 for adults and ¥450 for children from age 3 through primary school. A private 12-mat room upstairs costs ¥2,000 an hour, and a yukata to walk the town in rents for ¥2,500 for three hours with entry included. Hours: Open 7:00–21:00 from April to November and 8:00–21:00 from December to March, with last entry at 20:30. The upstairs hall is open 9:00–20:00. Closed: No regular closing day; it shuts for maintenance on occasion Water: Two baths run side by side on different sources: Ki-no-yu, the wooden bath, and Ishi-no-yu, the stone bath, take the Yubatake source (acidic sulphur, pH 2.08) and the Bandai source (acidic chloride-sulphate, pH 1.7). Men and women swap rooms by the day. Spring types: acidic sulphur spring, acidic chloride-sulphate spring Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Welcome. The operator states that Otaki-no-yu, Gozanoyu and Sai-no-kawara do not refuse guests with tattoos. Bring: Towels are for sale at the desk. Shampoo and body soap are in the bath. Address: 421 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Price from: ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://onsen-kusatsu.com/gozanoyu/ Summary: Gozanoyu suits a first-time visitor who wants a quick, easy soak right on the Yubatake with two kinds of Kusatsu water, and it has no outdoor pool. Gozanoyu rebuilds an Edo and Meiji-era public bath on the Yubatake, and its story goes back to Minamoto no Yoritomo, who is said to have bathed here and sat on the stone that gave it its name. The wooden bath uses hinoki for the tub, hiba for the pillars and cedar overhead. The stone bath is granite. Each takes a different source, so two visits on two days let you feel the difference. Upstairs, a 45-mat hall that bathers can use free looks straight over the Yubatake. The desk rents a yukata with a basket and geta for a three-hour walk around town, and the price includes your bath. Q: How much is Gozanoyu in Kusatsu? A: Entry is ¥900 for adults and ¥450 for children from age 3 through primary school. Q: Can I use Gozanoyu with tattoos? A: Yes. The operator states that Gozanoyu does not refuse guests with tattoos. Q: Can you visit Gozanoyu without staying the night? A: Yes. Gozanoyu sells day entry at ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Gozanoyu mixed bathing? A: No. Gozanoyu keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Gozanoyu? A: Gozanoyu keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 07:00–21:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://onsen-kusatsu.com/gozanoyu/guide/ https://onsen-kusatsu.com/gozanoyu/hot-spring/ https://onsen-kusatsu.com/sainokawara/faq/ https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/kankou/1090.php https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/954786837 ### Hako-yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/hako-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 筥湯 (ja) Also known as: Hakoyu, Hako yu, Shuzenji Hakoyu, 筥湯 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shuzenji Address: 静岡県伊豆市修善寺924-1 Coordinates: 34.97050, 138.92850 Kind: Public bath Day visit: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥700 and primary school children ¥400. Guests at ryokan in the Shuzenji Onsen ryokan union pay ¥350. A towel in a bag costs ¥200 at the counter. Hours: Open 10:00 to 21:00 with last entry at 20:30. On the second Thursday of each month, except August, the water is off for maintenance and the bath opens at 15:00. Closed: Irregular days; the second Thursday of each month opens at 15:00 Water: Hako-yu runs on Shuzenji's alkaline simple spring water. Spring types: alkaline simple spring Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. Neither the tourism association nor the Izu city tourism page publishes a tattoo rule for Hako-yu. Bring: Nothing is needed for washing, since body soap, shampoo and conditioner are supplied. Bring a towel or buy one for ¥200. Address: 静岡県伊豆市修善寺924-1 Price from: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.shuzenji-kankou.com/spa.html Summary: Hako-yu suits riders who want a cheap, quick soak in the middle of Shuzenji without booking a ryokan, and it has indoor tubs only. Hako-yu opened in 2002 so day visitors could bathe in Shuzenji again after the old riverside baths closed. The building uses a lot of cypress, cedar and pine, and on a clear day light falls through the skylight onto the tubs. A 12-metre tower called Gyokuro, named for a poem by Natsume Soseki, stands next door and costs nothing to climb. Legend says Minamoto no Yoriie, the second Kamakura shogun, bathed at a bath called Hako-yu by the temple gate, and the tourism association says he was killed there at 23. The new building takes the old name. It closed from 22 August for repairs and reopened on 7 November with stone tubs, a new washing area and the old timber kept. A book of 14 tickets went on sale from 1 January 2026 for ¥7,000. Tips: - Climb the tower next door before your bath for a view over the onsen roofs. Q: How much is Hako-yu in Shuzenji? A: Adults pay ¥700 and primary school children ¥400. Guests of Shuzenji Onsen union ryokan pay ¥350. Q: What time does Hako-yu open? A: Hako-yu opens 10:00 to 21:00, with last entry at 20:30. On the second Thursday of each month, except August, it opens at 15:00. Q: Can you visit Hako-yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Hako-yu sells day entry at ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Hako-yu mixed bathing? A: No. Hako-yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shuzenji-kankou.com/spa.html https://kanko.city.izu.shizuoka.jp/sightseeing/hakoyu/ https://kanko.city.izu.shizuoka.jp/news/post-4917/ https://www.shuzenji-kankou.com/enjoy.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=静岡県伊豆市修善寺924-1 ### Hakone Yuryo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/hakone-yuryo Type: Onsen Local name: 箱根湯寮 (ja) Also known as: Yuryo, Hakone Yuryou Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Kanagawa Town: Hakone Address: 神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町塔之澤4 Coordinates: 35.23470, 139.09450 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥1,700 per adult (2026), about CAD 15 or USD 11 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥1,700 to ¥1,800 on weekdays and ¥2,000 to ¥2,200 at weekends and holidays; primary school children pay ¥1,000. Towels are for sale, with a bath towel at ¥550. Hours: Weekdays 10:00 to 20:00 with last entry at 19:00; weekends and holidays 10:00 to 21:00 with last entry at 20:00. Closed: Maintenance days announced on the site Water: The water comes from Tonosawa Onsen, one of the seven old springs of Hakone. It is an alkaline simple spring that the bath reheats and circulates. Spring types: alkaline simple spring Mixed bathing: No Private baths: Yes, to book Tattoos: Covered with a patch. The large baths turn away tattoos, including painted stickers, unless a cover sticker sold at the bath (10 by 14 cm) hides them all. The private open-air rooms, Hanare Yuya Kaden, take bathers with tattoos. Bring: A towel, since the bath sells them and rents none. Address: 神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町塔之澤4 Price from: ¥1,700 per adult (2026), about CAD 15 or USD 11 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.hakoneyuryo.jp/ Summary: Hakone Yuryo suits riders ending a Hakone climb at Yumoto who want a big bath close to the station, and it costs about twice a public bath. Hakone Yuryo sits in the woods above Hakone-Yumoto, three minutes by free shuttle from the station. The large bath building, Honden Yurakuan Oyu, holds the shared tubs and a sauna with loyly sessions, and the private open-air rooms of Hanare Yuya Kaden sit apart from it. The water comes from Tonosawa, one of Hakone's seven old springs. Adults pay ¥1,700 to ¥2,200 depending on the day, and towels cost extra. The private rooms suit riders with tattoos, since the large baths only take tattoos covered by the bath's sticker. For a ride over the Hakone pass on Route 1, Yumoto is the downhill finish and the Odakyu train home leaves from the same station. Tips: - Book a private room ahead at weekends, when they sell out. Q: Can you use Hakone Yuryo with a tattoo? A: The large baths take tattoos only when a cover sticker sold at the bath hides them all. The private open-air rooms take bathers with tattoos. Q: Can you visit Hakone Yuryo without staying the night? A: Yes. Hakone Yuryo sells day entry at ¥1,700 per adult (2026), about CAD 15 or USD 11 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Hakone Yuryo mixed bathing? A: No. Hakone Yuryo keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: How much does Hakone Yuryo cost? A: Prices at Hakone Yuryo start at ¥1,700 per adult (2026), about CAD 15 or USD 11 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Hakone Yuryo? A: Hakone Yuryo keeps these hours: Mon–Fri 10:00–20:00; Sat–Sun 10:00–21:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hakoneyuryo.jp/price/ https://www.hakoneyuryo.jp/qa/ https://www.hakoneyuryo.jp/spa/hotspring/ https://www.hakoneyuryo.jp/access/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町塔之澤4 ### Happo no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/happo-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 白馬八方温泉 八方の湯 (ja) Also known as: Happo-no-Yu Onsen, Happo-no-yu, Hakuba Happo Onsen, Happo Onsen, 八方の湯 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: 5701-2 Hokujo, Hakuba, Kitaazumi District, Nagano Coordinates: 36.70080, 137.84590 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥1,000, primary school children ¥600 and children from three to school age ¥400, tax included (2026). It is the dearest of the four Hakuba Happo Onsen day baths. Hours: Open every day of the year, 10:00–21:00, with last entry at 20:30. Water: Happo no Yu takes water from Hakuba Happo Onsen's blended wells, an alkaline simple spring that leaves the source at 49.7°C with a pH of 11.2 when sampled. Water from the serpentine rock under Happo-one gives it a slippery feel, and Tokyo Institute of Technology researchers measured dissolved hydrogen in the outdoor bath here. Spring types: alkaline simple spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Covered with a patch. A multilingual sign text written in 2018 for Happo no Yu by the Hakuba Happo-one multilingual council, published in the Japan Tourism Agency and MLIT database, says tattoos are strictly banned in the water unless small enough to cover with a skin-coloured waterproof sticker. The bath's own 2026 pages give no tattoo rule, so ask at the counter. Bring: Body soap, shampoo, conditioner and hair dryers are free. Towels sell for ¥300, and a rental set of bath and face towels costs ¥600. Address: 5701-2 Hokujo, Hakuba, Kitaazumi District, Nagano Price from: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://hakuba-happo-onsen.jp/dayuse/ Summary: Happo no Yu is the biggest of Hakuba Happo Onsen's four day baths, and it suits skiers coming off Happo-one who want a long soak with a mountain view; at ¥1,000 for adults in 2026 it costs more than the other three. Happo no Yu sits at the entrance to the Happo onsen streets, about ten minutes' walk from the Happo-one gondola. Its rotenburo looks out on the Hakuba Sanzan and the rest of the range. Happo-one Kaihatsu owns the Hakuba Happo Onsen source and runs this bath along with Mimizuku no Yu, Obinata no Yu and Sato no Yu. The water comes from serpentine rock on the Itoigawa-Shizuoka tectonic line and tests at pH 11.2 at the source, which makes it feel slick on the skin. The operator calls it Japan's only natural hydrogen hot spring, after Tokyo Institute of Technology researchers found dissolved hydrogen in the samples, including in this bath's rotenburo. Entry is ¥1,000 for adults, and the bath opens every day from 10:00 to 21:00. Soap, shampoo and dryers are free, so all you need is a towel, which you can buy at the counter for ¥300. Tips: - Mimizuku no Yu, nearer Hakuba Station, costs ¥800 and also has a rotenburo with a view of the Hakuba Sanzan. - Cover a small tattoo with a skin-coloured waterproof patch and ask at the counter before you go in. Q: How much is Happo no Yu in Hakuba? A: Happo no Yu costs ¥1,000 for adults, ¥600 for primary school children and ¥400 for children aged three to school age in 2026. Q: Can I use Happo no Yu with a tattoo? A: Only if it is small enough to cover. A 2018 sign text written for Happo no Yu bans tattoos in the water unless they fit under a skin-coloured waterproof sticker, so check at the counter. Q: What are Happo no Yu's opening hours? A: Happo no Yu opens every day of the year from 10:00 to 21:00, with last entry at 20:30. Q: Can you visit Happo no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Happo no Yu sells day entry at ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Happo no Yu mixed bathing? A: No. Happo no Yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakuba-happo-onsen.jp/dayuse/ https://hakuba-happo-onsen.jp/about/ https://hakuba-happo-onsen.jp/english/ https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/H30-00618.html https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/330480075 ### Higaku no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/higaku-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: ひがくの湯と登山者食堂 (ja) Also known as: Higaku no Yu, Higakunoyu, Tozansha Shokudo Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Shin-Hotaka Onsen Address: 442-7 Nakao, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1422 Status: seasonal. Open from late April to mid-December. Coordinates: 36.26716, 137.56660 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥950 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.50 or USD 6 (October 2026 rates) Hours: Late April to mid-December, 9:00 to 20:00, with hours shifting by season; reception closes an hour before. Irregular maintenance days. Closed: Mid-December to late April Water: A simple spring. Spring types: simple spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. Higaku no Yu publishes no tattoo rule. Bring: A towel. The shop sells yuami-gi wraps for Shin-Hotaka no Yu at ¥350. Address: 442-7 Nakao, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1422 Price from: ¥950 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.50 or USD 6 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://okuhida.or.jp/ Summary: Higaku no Yu suits hikers and ropeway visitors who want outdoor baths and a big plate of food under the Northern Alps. The trade-off is the winter closure from mid-December. Higaku no Yu has separate outdoor baths for men and women and an indoor bath for women only, with a diner that feeds climbers coming down from the Alps. A model railway diorama fills one room. It stays open into mid-December, well after Shin-Hotaka no Yu has shut for the year. Q: Is Higaku no Yu open in winter? A: Only until mid-December. It opens from late April to mid-December, 9:00 to 20:00, for ¥950. Q: Can you visit Higaku no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Higaku no Yu sells day entry at ¥950 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.50 or USD 6 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Higaku no Yu mixed bathing? A: No. Higaku no Yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: How much does Higaku no Yu cost? A: Prices at Higaku no Yu start at ¥950 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.50 or USD 6 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://okuhida.or.jp/p/hot-spring/%e3%81%b2%e3%81%8c%e3%81%8f%e3%81%ae%e6%b9%af%e3%81%a8%e7%99%bb%e5%b1%b1%e8%80%85%e9%a3%9f%e5%a0%82/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/eat/detail_1721.html https://okuhida.or.jp/hot-springs/ ### Hirayu no Mori URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/hirayu-no-mori Type: Onsen Local name: ひらゆの森 (ja) Also known as: Hirayunomori, Hirayu Forest Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Hirayu Onsen Address: 763-1 Hirayu, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1433 Coordinates: 36.18896, 137.55114 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: ¥700 for adults and ¥500 for children (2026). Private baths ¥3,000 for 45 minutes, 12:00 to 15:00, first come. Hours: Last entry 20:30; open every day apart from maintenance closures. Closed: Maintenance days only Water: Two sources, one milky white and one clear, give about 600 litres a minute at 67°C. It flows through without circulation or chlorine, and stream water cools it. Spring types: calcium-sodium-magnesium bicarbonate-chloride spring Colour: milky white to clear Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: Yes, to book Tattoos: Not published. Hirayu no Mori publishes no tattoo rule. Bring: Nothing needed beyond a towel; soap and shampoo are provided. Lockers take ¥100. Address: 763-1 Hirayu, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1433 Price from: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.hirayunomori.co.jp/ Summary: Hirayu no Mori suits anyone who wants to bath-hop between outdoor pools in the forest for ¥700. The trade-off is the bus ride from Takayama. Hirayu no Mori spreads 16 rotenburo through the woods, seven on the men's side and nine on the women's, and each pool has its own temperature and its own shade of white. A large indoor bath with a high open ceiling holds about 30 people, and there is a sauna. The two private baths are big iron pots, half indoors and half out. It opens every day until 21:00, so it works after a day at Kamikochi or on the small Hirayu ski area next door. Tips: - Arrive early in the afternoon if you want a private iron-pot bath; they are first come, 12:00 to 15:00. Q: How many outdoor baths does Hirayu no Mori have? A: Sixteen: seven on the men's side and nine on the women's. It costs ¥700 for adults. Q: Can you visit Hirayu no Mori without staying the night? A: Yes. Hirayu no Mori sells day entry at ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Hirayu no Mori mixed bathing? A: No. Hirayu no Mori keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: How much does Hirayu no Mori cost? A: Prices at Hirayu no Mori start at ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Hirayu no Mori? A: Hirayu no Mori keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–21:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.hirayunomori.co.jp/onsen/ https://www.hirayunomori.co.jp/en/ https://okuhida.or.jp/p/hot-spring/%e3%81%b2%e3%82%89%e3%82%86%e3%81%ae%e6%a3%ae/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/spot/detail_1716.html ### Hirayu no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/hirayu-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 平湯の湯 (ja) Also known as: Hirayuno-yu, Hirayu Minzokukan bath, 平湯民俗館 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Hirayu Onsen Address: 29 Hirayu, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu Coordinates: 36.19184, 137.55461 Kind: Public bath Day visit: ¥300 per person (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Prices: A donation of about ¥300 in the box. Hours: 6:00 to 21:00, and 8:00 to 21:00 in winter; closed on some days without notice. The tourism office gives no exact season dates. Closed: Irregular Water: A simple spring with brown water that the locals call nukutomari-yu, which means the bath that warms you through. Spring types: simple spring Colour: brown Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. The Okuhida tourism association publishes no tattoo rule for Hirayu no Yu. Bring: A towel and coins for the donation box. Address: 29 Hirayu, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu Price from: ¥300 per person (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://okuhida.or.jp/ Summary: Hirayu no Yu suits a quick, cheap soak in a village outdoor bath for a donation of about ¥300. The trade-off is that there is no washing area. Hirayu no Yu is the village's outer bath, with one outdoor pool for men and one for women beside the thatched Hirayu Folk Museum. The water runs brown and holds its heat. Afterwards you can rest on the tatami of the old farmhouse by its irori. Tips: - Pour water over yourself at the edge before you get in, since there are no taps. Q: How much is Hirayu no Yu? A: It asks for a donation of about ¥300 in the box. Q: Can you visit Hirayu no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Hirayu no Yu sells day entry at ¥300 per person (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Hirayu no Yu mixed bathing? A: No. Hirayu no Yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Hirayu no Yu? A: Hirayu no Yu keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 06:00–21:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://okuhida.or.jp/p/hot-spring/%e5%b9%b3%e6%b9%af%e3%81%ae%e6%b9%af/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/spot/detail_1717.html https://www.hirayunomori.co.jp/en/ ### Hoshi Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/hoshi-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 法師温泉 (ja) Also known as: Houshi Onsen, Hoshi Onsen Chojukan, Hoshi-no-yu, 法師温泉 長寿館, 法師乃湯 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 650 Nagai, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma 379-1401 Coordinates: 36.74404, 138.83052 Kind: Ryokan Day visit: ¥1,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Day bathing costs ¥1,500 from middle-school age and ¥500 for children aged 3 to primary school. The inn also serves lunch-and-bath sets, and a 24 September 2026 notice says lunch is now priced on its own, with the bath charged separately; the notice lists the new menu. Hours: Day visitors check in 11:00–13:30 and may stay until 14:00. Day bathing stops on Wednesdays for cleaning, and on some other days. Lunch is served until 12:30. Closed: Wednesdays for day visitors, plus irregular days Water: Hoshi-no-yu and Chojunoyu are ashimoto-yushutsu baths, where water at about 40 °C rises through gravel under the tubs straight into the bath without touching air. The inn describes the water as reducing, which keeps it close to its state at the source. Tamaki-no-yu uses a separate simple spring that the inn heats and recirculates. Spring types: simple spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: Yes Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. Hoshi Onsen Chojukan publishes no tattoo rule on its site. Ask the inn on 0278-66-0005 before you go. Bring: Bath towels rent at the desk and face towels are for sale. Address: 650 Nagai, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma 379-1401 Price from: ¥1,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://hoshi-onsen.com/ Summary: Hoshi Onsen suits bathers who want one of Japan's great old wooden bathhouses, with water rising through the gravel under the tub, and its main bath is mixed with no bathing wear allowed. Hoshi Onsen is a single inn, Chojukan, in the mountains of western Minakami, and it has run for about 150 years. Its main bathhouse, Hoshi-no-yu, has a high wooden roof and arched Meiji-era windows in the style of the Rokumeikan, and the government listed it in 2006 as a registered tangible cultural property with the main building and the annex. The tubs sit on the riverbed itself, with wooden frames round the gravel, and the water rises through them at about 40 °C. Hoshi-no-yu is mixed, and the inn does not allow bathing garments or wrapped towels in it. Women who would rather bathe apart have their own windows in the day: 20:00 to 22:00 in Hoshi-no-yu, and Chojunoyu, the smaller spring-fed bath, is women-only for day visitors and for overnight guests from 20:00. Tamaki-no-yu, a cypress bath with an open-air pool, opens for women 15:00–20:00 and for men from 20:00 to 7:00. Day visitors get the baths from 11:00 to 14:00 except on Wednesdays. In winter the inn reports about a metre of snow, and from 16 to 17 December 2026 it holds a women's day for overnight guests, with every bath open to women at any hour. Tips: - Book overnight if you want Hoshi-no-yu late in the evening; day visitors leave by 14:00. - The inn opens bookings four months ahead. Q: Is Hoshi Onsen mixed bathing? A: Yes. The main bath, Hoshi-no-yu, is mixed, and the inn asks bathers to go in without bathing wear or a wrapped towel. Hoshi-no-yu turns women-only from 20:00 to 22:00, and two smaller baths keep set hours for women. Q: Can I visit Hoshi Onsen for the day? A: Yes. Day bathing runs from 11:00 to 14:00, with check-in until 13:30, and costs ¥1,500 for adults. It stops on Wednesdays for cleaning. Q: Does Hoshi Onsen allow tattoos? A: Hoshi Onsen does not publish a tattoo rule, so call the inn on 0278-66-0005 before you visit. Q: How much does Hoshi Onsen cost? A: Prices at Hoshi Onsen start at ¥1,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Hoshi Onsen? A: Hoshi Onsen keeps these hours: Mon 11:00–14:00; Tue 11:00–14:00; Wed closed; Thu 11:00–14:00; Fri 11:00–14:00; Sat 11:00–14:00; Sun 11:00–14:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hoshi-onsen.com/ https://hoshi-onsen.com/onsen/ https://hoshi-onsen.com/rooms/ https://hoshi-onsen.com/%e3%80%90%e3%81%8a%e8%a9%ab%e3%81%b3%e3%81%a8%e8%a8%82%e6%ad%a3%e3%80%91%e5%bd%93%e9%a4%a8%e5%85%ac%e5%bc%8f%e3%83%9a%e3%83%bc%e3%82%b8%e5%86%85%e3%81%ab%e3%81%82%e3%82%8b%e7%8e%89%e5%9f%8e%e4%b9%83/ https://www.enjoy-minakami.jp/spot/7464/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4987541303 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/法師温泉 ### Ieyasu no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/ieyasu-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 家康の湯 (ja) Also known as: Atami station foot bath, 熱海駅前足湯 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Atami Address: 静岡県熱海市田原本町9 Coordinates: 35.10340, 139.07900 Kind: Foot bath Day visit: Free Prices: Free. A vending machine sells an original towel for ¥200. Hours: Open 09:00 to 16:00 every day. Staff drain it after 16:00 and clean it each morning. Water: The water reaches the bath at about 41 °C from a 68 °C source, and it is a sodium-calcium chloride spring. Spring types: sodium-calcium chloride spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: Yes Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. The Atami tourism site publishes no rule for the foot bath. Bring: A small towel, or buy one for ¥200. Address: 静岡県熱海市田原本町9 Price from: ¥0 per person (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.ataminews.gr.jp/spot/138 Summary: Ieyasu no Yu suits anyone waiting for a train at Atami who wants hot feet for free, and it closes at 16:00. Atami built this foot bath in front of the station in 2004 to mark 400 years since Tokugawa Ieyasu came to bathe here. The water arrives at about 41 °C, and staff drain the bath after 16:00 and refill it fresh each morning. It costs nothing, and a vending machine sells towels for ¥200. Tips: - Use it while you wait for a Tokaido Shinkansen or the Ito line, since the platforms are a two-minute walk away. Q: Is the foot bath at Atami station free? A: Yes. Ieyasu no Yu in front of JR Atami station is free and opens 09:00 to 16:00. Q: Can you visit Ieyasu no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Anyone may bathe at Ieyasu no Yu, and entry is free. Q: Is Ieyasu no Yu mixed bathing? A: Yes. Ieyasu no Yu has mixed bathing (konyoku). Q: How much does Ieyasu no Yu cost? A: Ieyasu no Yu is free to visit. Q: What are the opening hours of Ieyasu no Yu? A: Ieyasu no Yu keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–16:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ataminews.gr.jp/spot/138 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=静岡県熱海市田原本町9 ### Ishiwari no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/ishiwari-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 山中湖平野温泉 石割の湯 (ja) Also known as: Ishiwari Onsen, Yamanakako Hirano Onsen, 石割の湯 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Yamanashi Address: 山梨県南都留郡山中湖村平野1450 Coordinates: 35.44460, 138.91270 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥900, including ¥150 bathing tax. Junior high students pay ¥700 and primary school children ¥350. Hours: Open 11:00 to 19:00 with last entry at 18:15, closed on Thursdays. The bath posts each month's hours on its news page. Closed: Thursdays Water: A high-alkaline spring with a pH of 10.2. Spring types: alkaline simple spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not allowed. The bath refuses anyone with a tattoo, including fashion tattoos, small ones and stickers. Address: 山梨県南都留郡山中湖村平野1450 Price from: ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.ishiwarinoyu.jp/ Summary: Ishiwari no Yu suits riders finishing at Lake Yamanaka who want a cheap soak while Benifuji is shut, and it closes on Thursdays. Ishiwari no Yu sits at the east end of Lake Yamanaka, under the trail up Mt. Ishiwari. The building is a timber dome of local chestnut and cypress, with indoor baths, a sleeping bath, a lukewarm source tub, a sauna and rock and cypress open-air tubs. The spring runs at pH 10.2, as alkaline as its sister bath Benifuji no Yu. With Benifuji closed for renovation until March 2027, Ishiwari carries the lake's day bathing through the winter. Entry costs ¥900, and it closes on Thursdays. Tips: - Check the monthly hours on the news page before a winter visit. Q: Is Ishiwari no Yu open while Benifuji no Yu is closed? A: Yes. Ishiwari no Yu stays open, 11:00 to 19:00 and closed on Thursdays, while Benifuji no Yu is shut until March 2027. Q: Can you bathe at Ishiwari no Yu with tattoos? A: No. Ishiwari no Yu turns away bathers with visible tattoos. Q: Can you visit Ishiwari no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Ishiwari no Yu sells day entry at ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Ishiwari no Yu mixed bathing? A: No. Ishiwari no Yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: How much does Ishiwari no Yu cost? A: Prices at Ishiwari no Yu start at ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ishiwarinoyu.jp/ https://www.ishiwarinoyu.jp/info/info.php?new_id=766 https://www.ishiwarinoyu.jp/hotspring/ https://www.ishiwarinoyu.jp/intro/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=山梨県南都留郡山中湖村平野1450 ### Ito Marine Town Seaside Spa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/ito-marine-town-seaside-spa Type: Onsen Local name: 道の駅伊東マリンタウン シーサイドスパ (ja) Also known as: Seaside Spa Ito, Ito Marine Town onsen, 伊東マリンタウン 朝日の湯, シーサイドスパ Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Ito Address: 静岡県伊東市湯川571-19 Coordinates: 34.98470, 139.09360 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥1,000 on weekdays. At weekends, on holidays and on peak days adults pay ¥1,500 with towels or ¥1,400 without. Entry after 20:00 costs ¥100 less. Hours: Open 05:00 to 21:00 with last entry at 20:30; on some peak days it stays open to 22:00. It closes for whole days of maintenance, listed on its calendar. Closed: Maintenance days listed on the spa's calendar Water: The spa draws its own spring, Yukawa No. 68, from 1,000 metres under the site and runs it partly free-flowing and partly reheated. The water is a calcium-sodium chloride sulphate spring. Spring types: calcium-sodium chloride sulphate spring Mixed bathing: No Private baths: Yes, to book Tattoos: Not published. The spa's pages publish no tattoo rule. Bring: Towels come with the weekend ticket; bring your own on weekdays. Address: 静岡県伊東市湯川571-19 Price from: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://ito-marinetown.co.jp/seasidespa/ Summary: Ito Marine Town's Seaside Spa suits riders on Route 135 who want a sea-view soak at a roadside station, and it costs more at weekends. Seaside Spa sits inside Michi-no-eki Ito Marine Town, the roadside station on Route 135 at the north end of Ito, with shops and restaurants under the same roof. The big bath looks straight out over the sea, and the spa opens at 05:00, so you can watch the sunrise from the water. A dry sauna with a round window onto the sea sits beside a cold plunge. The spring rises from 1,000 metres under the site at 38 °C, and the spa reheats it. Private sea-view baths take three groups a day. For riders on the east coast it makes an easy stop, with a car park, food and Ito station a 13-minute walk away. Tips: - Go before 08:00 on a winter weekday, when the price is lowest and the sun comes up over Sagami Bay. Q: How much is the Seaside Spa at Ito Marine Town? A: Adults pay ¥1,000 on weekdays, and ¥1,500 with towels or ¥1,400 without at weekends and on holidays. Q: Can you visit Ito Marine Town Seaside Spa without staying the night? A: Yes. Ito Marine Town Seaside Spa sells day entry at ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Ito Marine Town Seaside Spa mixed bathing? A: No. Ito Marine Town Seaside Spa keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Ito Marine Town Seaside Spa? A: Ito Marine Town Seaside Spa keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 05:00–21:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://ito-marinetown.co.jp/seasidespa/ https://ito-marinetown.co.jp/seasidespa/aboutspa/ https://www.itospa.com/spa/detail_50001.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=静岡県伊東市湯川571-19 https://ito-marinetown.co.jp/ ### Kaede no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/kaede-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 湯田中駅前温泉 楓の湯 (ja) Also known as: Kaede-no-yu, Yudanaka Ekimae Onsen, Yudanaka station onsen, 楓の湯 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Address: 3227-1 Hirao, Yamanouchi, Shimotakai District, Nagano 381-0401 Coordinates: 36.74170, 138.41490 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Entry costs ¥500 from junior high age up and ¥300 for primary school children, bathing tax included (2026). Since 1 January 2026 you get in free on your birthday with proof of the date. Hours: Open 10:00–21:00 with last entry at 20:30. The foot bath outside stays open 10:00–22:30. Closed: First Tuesday of each month (the following day when that Tuesday is a public holiday) Water: Kaede no Yu runs natural hot-spring water straight through its tubs without recirculating it. Outdoor bath: Yes Tattoos: Not published. The Yamanouchi tourism bureau's page for Kaede no Yu gives no tattoo rule. Address: 3227-1 Hirao, Yamanouchi, Shimotakai District, Nagano 381-0401 Price from: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.info-yamanouchi.net/about/kaede/ Summary: Kaede no Yu is the day bath right beside Yudanaka Station, and it suits travellers with an hour to fill between the train and the snow-monkey bus. It costs ¥500 for adults in 2026 and closes on the first Tuesday of each month. Kaede no Yu sits on the station forecourt at Yudanaka, so you can step off the Nagano Electric Railway and into a tub within minutes. It runs free-flowing spring water and has a rotenburo. The foot bath out front stays open until 22:30 for anyone waiting on a late train. Entry costs ¥500 from junior high age up and ¥300 for primary school children, with the bathing tax included. Kaede no Yu is also one of the baths on the Yudanaka Onsen soto-yu pass, which pass holders can use until 20:30. Tips: - Check the calendar before a midweek visit; the bath closes on the first Tuesday of each month. - Bring proof of your birth date if you're visiting on your birthday, when entry is free. Q: How much is Kaede no Yu at Yudanaka Station? A: Kaede no Yu costs ¥500 for adults and ¥300 for primary school children in 2026, bathing tax included. Q: When is Kaede no Yu closed? A: Kaede no Yu closes on the first Tuesday of each month, or the following day when that Tuesday is a public holiday. Otherwise it opens 10:00–21:00 with last entry at 20:30. Q: Can you visit Kaede no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Kaede no Yu sells day entry at ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.info-yamanouchi.net/about/kaede/ https://www.info-yamanouchi.net/event/8079/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/813778567 ### Kaike Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/kaike-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 皆生温泉 (ja) Also known as: Kaike, Kaike hot spring, OU Land Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Yonago Address: Kaike Onsen, Yonago, Tottori Coordinates: 35.45630, 133.36180 Kind: Onsen town Prices: Yonago's tourism site lists inns and bathhouses that take day bathers, each charging at its own desk. Inns may turn day bathers away when full or closed. Hours: Day-bathing hours vary by inn and bathhouse. Water: Sodium-calcium chloride water from 19 sources at 63 to 83°C, flowing at about 4,456 litres a minute. Spring types: sodium-calcium chloride spring Outdoor bath: Yes Private baths: Yes, to book Tattoos: Not published. The Kaike Onsen ryokan union publishes no common tattoo rule. Address: Kaike Onsen, Yonago, Tottori Website: https://www.kaike-onsen.com/ Summary: Kaike Onsen suits riders who want hot salty baths beside the Yumigahama shore after a flat coastal ride, and day bathing depends on which inns take visitors that day. Kaike Onsen lines the Sea of Japan at Yonago, and its inns build outdoor baths that look out over the water. The water is salty and hot, and the ryokan union says it is good for the skin. In summer the beach doubles as a swimming beach with lifeguards. Kaike calls itself the birthplace of the Japanese triathlon, first held here in 1981 and run each July since. The flat Yumigahama cycling course starts from the same shore. Q: Can you visit Kaike Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Kaike Onsen sells day entry. Q: What are the opening hours of Kaike Onsen? A: Kaike Onsen: day-bathing hours vary by inn and bathhouse. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kaike-onsen.com/ https://www.yonago-navi.jp/onsen/ https://www.kaike-onsen.jp/ https://www.ou-kaike.co.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11580978 ### Kinosaki Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/kinosaki-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 城崎温泉 (ja) Also known as: Kinosaki, Kinosaki soto-yu, Kinosaki seven baths, Kinosaki public baths, 城崎温泉 外湯 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Hyogo Town: Kinosaki Onsen Coordinates: 35.62780, 134.80000 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Guests at Kinosaki inns usually receive a bath pass at check-in; ask your inn. Day visitors buy Yumepa at any bathhouse window. Hours: Kono-yu, Gosho no Yu, Ichi no Yu and Jizo-yu open 7:00 to 23:00; Mandara-yu and Yanagi-yu open 15:00 to 23:00. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. Each bath closes on its own weekday: Jizo-yu on Monday, Kono-yu on Tuesday, Mandara-yu and Ichi no Yu on Wednesday, Gosho no Yu and Yanagi-yu on Thursday. Closed: Varies by bath Water: Every public bath runs the same sodium-calcium chloride high-temperature spring at 42°C, according to the tourism association. Spring types: sodium-calcium chloride spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Tattoos: Welcome. Visit Kinosaki says all seven public bathhouses accept tattoos of any size without covers. Baths inside inns set their own rules. Price from: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://kinosaki-spa.gr.jp/about/spa/ Summary: Kinosaki's public baths suit anyone who wants to bathe in several old bathhouses in one evening with a single pass, and their trade-off is that two of the seven are closed for renovation in 2026. Kinosaki has seven public bathhouses, called soto-yu, and locals use them like the bath at home. Mandara-yu marks the founding story: the tourism association says the monk Dochi prayed for a thousand days and the water rose. Gosho no Yu takes its name from a 1267 visit by an imperial princess and opens onto an outdoor bath under the hill behind it. Ichi no Yu got its name in the Edo period, after the physician Kagawa Shutoku praised the spring as the best in the land. Yanagi-yu is the smallest of the set, built where a willow brought from China's West Lake stood. Jizo-yu was known in the Edo period as the villagers' bath. Only five of the seven open in October 2026. Sato no Yu has been closed since April 2024, and Kono-yu is shut for renovation until 30 October 2026, so check the tourism association's live status page before you walk to it. Tips: - The 15:00 starts at Mandara-yu and Yanagi-yu mean a morning bath round works best at Gosho no Yu, Ichi no Yu and Jizo-yu. - The tourism association posts each bath's crowding live, which helps on a busy winter Saturday. Q: Can you go to Kinosaki's public baths with tattoos? A: Yes. Visit Kinosaki says all seven public bathhouses in Kinosaki Onsen accept tattoos of any size without covers, though baths inside inns set their own rules. Q: How much is the Kinosaki onsen day pass? A: The Yumepa day pass costs ¥1,500 for adults and ¥750 for children and covers every open public bath for one day. A single entry to one bath costs ¥800. Q: Can you visit Kinosaki Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Kinosaki Onsen sells day entry at ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Kinosaki Onsen? A: Kinosaki Onsen keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 07:00–23:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kinosaki-spa.gr.jp/about/spa/ https://visitkinosaki.com/about-kinosaki/the-7-mystic-onsen/ https://visitkinosaki.com/faqs-visitor-info/guides/tattoos-in-kinosaki-onsen/ https://kinosaki-spa.gr.jp/congestion/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11426141 ### Shimanami Onsen Kisuke no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/kisuke-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: しまなみ温泉 喜助の湯 (ja) Also known as: Kisuke no Yu, Kisukenoyu, Imabari Onsen Kisuke no Yu, 喜助の湯 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Imabari Address: Near JR Imabari Station, Imabari, Ehime Coordinates: 34.06290, 132.99250 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Prices as listed by Visit Shimanami in October 2026. Hours: Early bathing from 6:00 to 10:00 costs ¥100 less. Water: Natural hot spring water feeds every bath, according to Visit Shimanami. Outdoor bath: Yes Tattoos: Not published. The listings we read give no tattoo rule, so ask at the desk. Address: Near JR Imabari Station, Imabari, Ehime Price from: ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Summary: Kisuke no Yu suits riders finishing in Imabari who want a long soak a few minutes from the station, and the trade-off is that it publishes no tattoo rule. Shimanami Onsen Kisuke no Yu stands a short walk from JR Imabari Station and opens from 6:00 until midnight. Natural hot spring water feeds large indoor baths, carbonated baths, saunas and open-air baths on the roof. A capsule hotel joins the bathhouse for riders who want to sleep on site. Day entry costs ¥850 on weekdays and ¥900 at weekends and on holidays, with ¥100 off before 10:00. Children from four to primary-school age pay ¥300. There is bicycle parking, a lounge for resting, massage and a restaurant serving Japanese meals. Tips: - Come at 6:00 before an early ride north, when entry is ¥100 cheaper. Q: Can you visit Shimanami Onsen Kisuke no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Shimanami Onsen Kisuke no Yu sells day entry at ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: How much does Shimanami Onsen Kisuke no Yu cost? A: Prices at Shimanami Onsen Kisuke no Yu start at ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Shimanami Onsen Kisuke no Yu? A: Shimanami Onsen Kisuke no Yu keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 06:00–24:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://visitshimanami.com/attractions/939/ https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/onsen/details/1977/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/699356400 ### Kitaomi no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/kitaomi-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 北近江リゾート 天然温泉 北近江の湯 (ja) Also known as: Kitaomi Resort, 北近江リゾート, 北近江の湯, Kita-Omi no Yu Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Nagahama Address: 89 Karakawa, Takatsuki-cho, Nagahama, Shiga Coordinates: 35.48600, 136.22680 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Membership costs ¥500 to join with no annual fee. A night stay on the lounge course adds ¥2,000. Hours: Bathing 6:00 to 24:00, last entry 23:00. The building stays open 24 hours for the lounge course. It closes on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month for maintenance. Closed: Second and fourth Wednesdays Water: Sodium chloride and hydrogen carbonate spring from 1,500 m underground, hypotonic and weakly alkaline. Spring types: sodium chloride, hydrogen carbonate Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not allowed. The bath turns away anyone with tattoos. Bring: A towel, since the bath course doesn't include one. Shampoo, conditioner and body soap are in the bathrooms. Address: 89 Karakawa, Takatsuki-cho, Nagahama, Shiga Price from: ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://kitaoumi.com/ Summary: Kitaomi no Yu suits riders finishing in the north of the lake, since it opens early and takes Biwaichi Bike returns, though it bars tattoos and charges more on weekends. This big bathhouse near the Hokuriku Expressway in Takatsuki pumps its water from 1,500 m down. The spring is a sodium chloride and hydrogen carbonate type, weakly alkaline, and the operator calls it a bath for beautiful skin because it feels soft and keeps you warm. Both sides have an outdoor bath, jacuzzis and a lie-down bath. The women's side adds a herb mist sauna, and the men's side has a hot sauna and a far-infrared one. Bathing runs from 6:00 to midnight, with last entry at 23:00, and the building stays open around the clock for the lounge course. A bath costs ¥900 for adults on weekdays and ¥1,200 on weekends and holidays, or ¥700 and ¥900 with a membership card that costs ¥500 to join. Children aged 4 to 12 pay ¥500 or ¥700. The bath course comes without towels or loungewear. Biwaichi Bike in Otsu accepts mid-route returns here, so you can finish a north-shore ride with a bath and leave the bike behind. JR Takatsuki Station is seven minutes away by bus. Tips: - Join the membership at the front desk for ¥500; it pays back on your second weekend visit. - The lounge course, from ¥1,200 for members and ¥1,600 for others on weekdays, lets you stay up to 27 hours. Q: Does Kitaomi no Yu allow tattoos? A: No. The bath turns away anyone with tattoos. Q: Can I return a Biwaichi Bike rental at Kitaomi no Yu? A: Yes. It's on Biwaichi Bike's list of mid-route return sites, which costs ¥3,300 a bike and has to be booked by 15:00 the day before. Q: Can you visit Kitaomi no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Kitaomi no Yu sells day entry at ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Kitaomi no Yu mixed bathing? A: No. Kitaomi no Yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: How much does Kitaomi no Yu cost? A: Prices at Kitaomi no Yu start at ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Kitaomi no Yu? A: Kitaomi no Yu keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 06:00–24:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://kitaoumi.com/ https://kitaoumi.com/open-fee https://kitaoumi.com/spa https://kitabiwako.jp/spot/spot_630 https://biwaichi.bike/return.html https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/490231270 https://www.google.com/maps/d/kml?mid=1CrwvPKSp-YLNtLzsBPKsbF0NrZW1d0k&forcekml=1 ### Kur Garden Rotenburo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/kur-garden-rotenburo Type: Onsen Local name: クアガーデン露天風呂 (ja) Also known as: Kua Garden Rotenburo, Kur Garden, Gero Kur Garden Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Gero Onsen Address: 894-2 Yunoshima, Gero, Gifu Coordinates: 35.81040, 137.23912 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: ¥800 for adults (2026). Joint tickets with Shirasagi-no-Yu cost ¥1,000 against ¥1,270 bought separately. Hours: Last entry 20:00. Closed: Thursday Water: Gero's shared alkaline simple spring, pH 9.1, 55.6°C at the source and about 42°C in the tubs. Spring types: alkaline simple spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. Kur Garden publishes no tattoo rule. Bring: A towel; towels are sold but not rented. Cash only. Hair dryers are free. Address: 894-2 Yunoshima, Gero, Gifu Price from: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://gero-onsen.com/kua-garden-rotenburo/ Summary: Kur Garden Rotenburo suits a morning outdoor soak by the Hida River, since it opens at 8:00. The trade-off is that it closes on Thursdays. Kur Garden has rock pools under an arbour on the men's side and partly roofed pools on the women's side, with the river below. Inside the grounds you also find a hot waterfall shower, three tubs at different temperatures including a cold spring, and a box steam bath you sit in with only your head out. The rest room is roomy, and the first two hours in the town car park are free. Tips: - Bring your parking ticket to the counter for two free hours in the car park. Q: Is Kur Garden Rotenburo open in the morning? A: Yes. It opens at 8:00 and runs to 20:45, with last entry at 20:00, every day but Thursday. Q: Can you visit Kur Garden Rotenburo without staying the night? A: Yes. Kur Garden Rotenburo sells day entry at ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Kur Garden Rotenburo mixed bathing? A: No. Kur Garden Rotenburo keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: How much does Kur Garden Rotenburo cost? A: Prices at Kur Garden Rotenburo start at ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://gero-onsen.com/kua-garden-rotenburo/ https://www.gero-spa.com/spot/detail_4.html ### Kurokawa Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/kurokawa-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 黒川温泉 (ja) Also known as: Kurokawa, Kurokawa hot spring, Nyuto Tegata, 入湯手形 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Kumamoto Address: Manganji, Minamioguni-machi, Aso-gun, Kumamoto Coordinates: 33.07840, 131.14130 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥1,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The nyuto tegata, a wooden bath pass, costs ¥1,500 and lets one person into three of the 25 inns' outdoor baths, or two baths and one food or souvenir stop. It is good for six months from the day you buy it and cannot be shared. Buy it at any member inn or at the Kaze no Ya information centre. Hours: Pass holders can bathe from 8:30 to 21:00. After 15:00 the inns give their own guests priority, and maintenance can close a bath or cap numbers on the day. The inns post live day-bath availability on the association's website. Water: Each inn draws its own water, so the colour and feel change from bath to bath across the village. Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: Yes, to book Tattoos: Not published. The association says each inn sets its own tattoo rule and asks you to state your tattoo on its contact form before you come, so it can tell you which baths will take you. Booking a private family bath is the other way in. Address: Manganji, Minamioguni-machi, Aso-gun, Kumamoto Price from: ¥1,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.kurokawaonsen.or.jp/ Summary: Kurokawa suits couples and bath lovers who want to hop between riverside outdoor baths in a quiet mountain village, and buses are so few that you need to book a seat or drive. Kurokawa started after the war with six inns that set out to build a hot spring village of outdoor baths and to shape its look together. The nyuto tegata pass grew from that idea, to help two inns that had no room for an outdoor bath of their own. Today the 30 inns treat the whole valley as one ryokan, with the lanes as corridors and the trees as the garden. With a pass you pick three of 25 outdoor baths. Each inn stamps the wooden tag at its front desk, and when you are done you can keep it or leave it at the village's Jizo hall as an offering. Winter is cold at 700 metres, and nights run three to five degrees colder than the lowlands. From late December to the end of March the Yuakari event lights the village with bamboo lanterns, which look best with snow on the ground. The toilets at the Kurokawa car park close from December to March. Tips: - Send your tattoo question through the association's contact form a few days ahead, since the answer depends on the inn. - Daikanbo, the great lookout over the Aso caldera, makes a stop on the road between Aso and Kurokawa. Q: Can you bathe at Kurokawa Onsen with tattoos? A: It depends on the inn. The Kurokawa Onsen ryokan association asks you to note your tattoo on its contact form so it can point you to baths that accept you, or you can book a private bath. Q: How much is the Kurokawa Onsen bath pass? A: The nyuto tegata costs ¥1,500 and covers three of 25 outdoor baths, or two baths and one food or souvenir stop. It lasts six months from purchase, and bathing hours are 8:30 to 21:00. Q: Is Kurokawa Onsen open after the 2026 Kumamoto earthquake? A: Yes. The ryokan association reported no major damage and has run as usual since 29 July 2026. Q: Can you visit Kurokawa Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Kurokawa Onsen sells day entry at ¥1,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kurokawaonsen.or.jp/tegata/ https://www.kurokawaonsen.or.jp/faq/ https://kurokawaonsen.or.jp/posts/free_page.php?intKey=340&intKKey=3 https://www.kurokawaonsen.or.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11678251 ### Kusatsu Onsen Yubatake URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/kusatsu-yubatake Type: Onsen Local name: 湯畑 (ja) Also known as: Yubatake, Kusatsu Yubatake, hot water field, 草津温泉 湯畑, Kusatsu public baths, Kusatsu kyodo yokujo, 共同浴場 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Address: Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Coordinates: 36.62294, 138.59673 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: Free Prices: Looking at the Yubatake costs nothing, and the Yukemuri-tei foot bath beside it is free and open 24 hours. The locals' public baths such as Shirahata-no-yu, Chiyo-no-yu and Jizo-no-yu are free too. The paid day baths nearby charge ¥800 to ¥1,200 an adult, or ¥2,100 for a pass to all three. Hours: The Yubatake and its foot bath never close. Shirahata-no-yu opens 8:00–23:00, Chiyo-no-yu 6:00–23:00 and Jizo-no-yu 8:00–22:00, and each shuts for cleaning for a while, mostly in the morning. Water: The Yubatake source is acidic sulphur water at pH 2.1, and the tourism association puts its flow at about 4,000 litres a minute. Its wooden channels cool the water as it runs to the inns and baths around the square. Spring types: acidic sulphur spring Colour: Clear with green tints in the channels and white flecks of yunohana Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. The locals' public baths publish no tattoo rule. The three paid day baths run by the town's tourism corporation (Otaki-no-yu, Gozanoyu and Sai-no-kawara) state that they do not refuse tattooed bathers. Bring: Bring your own towel and soap to the public baths, and leave valuables at the inn, since they have no locking lockers. Address: Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Price from: ¥0 per person (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/onsen/index.php Summary: Kusatsu Onsen's Yubatake is the free, steaming centre of the town and the source that feeds the inns around it, and the locals' free public baths a few steps away suit visitors who can take very hot, very acidic water with nothing but a tub and a tap. The Yubatake is a long bed of wooden channels in the middle of Kusatsu where the hottest water in town runs out to cool before it reaches the inns. Tiled paths and stone railings run round it, and a cypress pavilion called Yukemuri-tei on one side rebuilds an Edo-period public bath, with a free foot bath and a basin for your hands. Shirahata-no-yu, the biggest of the free public baths, sits on the edge of the Yubatake and draws from the Shirahata source. Chiyo-no-yu, two minutes away, keeps a separate room for the old Kusatsu bathing method beside its men's and women's tubs. Jizo-no-yu, three minutes off, runs slightly cloudy water from the Jizo source. These baths have no locking lockers and close for cleaning for part of each day. JMA's account of the volcano lists Kusatsu's many fumaroles and hot springs among its features, and JMA keeps Kusatsu-Shirane under 24-hour watch, with two separate alert scales for the Yugama crater and for Motoshirane, and the town's own notices set what is open on the summit road. In winter the Shiga-Kusatsu road over the top closes from mid-November, and the summit area shuts with it. Tips: - Chiyo-no-yu opens at 6:00 and Shirahata-no-yu at 8:00, so an early bath fits in before breakfast. - Buy the three-bath pass for ¥2,100 if you plan to use Otaki-no-yu, Gozanoyu and Sai-no-kawara; it has no expiry date. Q: Is it free to see the Yubatake in Kusatsu? A: Yes. The Yubatake is an open public square, and the Yukemuri-tei foot bath beside it is free and open 24 hours. Q: Are the public baths in Kusatsu free? A: Yes. Shirahata-no-yu, Chiyo-no-yu and Jizo-no-yu charge nothing. Bring your own towel and soap, and leave valuables behind because there are no locking lockers. Q: What is the pH of the Yubatake water? A: The Yubatake source measures pH 2.1, according to the Kusatsu Onsen Tourism Association. Q: Is Kusatsu Onsen safe to visit with the Kusatsu-Shirane volcano nearby? A: Yes, the town is open. JMA lowered the alert level for Kusatsu-Shirane's Yugama crater from 2 to 1 on 15 May 2026, and the town keeps a 500 m exclusion around the crater. The restricted zones at levels 1 to 3 cover the summit area above town, so check JMA's Kusatsu-Shiranesan page before any trip up Route 292. Q: How much does Kusatsu Onsen Yubatake cost? A: Kusatsu Onsen Yubatake is free to visit. Q: What are the opening hours of Kusatsu Onsen Yubatake? A: Kusatsu Onsen Yubatake keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 00:00–24:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/onsen/index.php https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/kankou/1094.php https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/kankou/1097.php https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/kankou/1098.php https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/kankou/1099.php https://onsen-kusatsu.com/tickets/ https://onsen-kusatsu.com/sainokawara/faq/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/305_Kusatsu-Shiranesan/305_index.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/filing/level/PDF/level_350.pdf https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/filing/level/PDF/level_351.pdf https://www.town.kusatsu.gunma.jp/s001/110/060/20261008/index.html https://onsen-kusatsu.com/news/ https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/volcano/data/warning.json https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/湯畑 ### Makino Kogen Onsen Sarasa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/makino-kogen-onsen-sarasa Type: Onsen Local name: マキノ高原温泉さらさ (ja) Also known as: Sarasa, Onsen Sarasa, 温泉さらさ, Makino Highland Onsen Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Takashima Address: 931-3 Makino, Makino-cho, Takashima, Shiga 520-1836 Coordinates: 35.49630, 136.03460 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Prices include bath tax and consumption tax. The Bade pool costs ¥800 on weekdays when it's open. Hours: Last entry 20:30. Open on a Wednesday holiday and closed the following day. Closed: Wednesdays (from April 2026) Water: Low-temperature alkaline simple spring with radon and fluoride ions, hypotonic and gentle on the skin. Spring types: alkaline simple, radon Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not allowed. The rules turn away anyone with tattoos. Bring: A towel, or buy one for ¥250. Bring a swimsuit for the Bade pool, or rent one for ¥360. Address: 931-3 Makino, Makino-cho, Takashima, Shiga 520-1836 Price from: ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://makinokougen.co.jp/pages/224/ Summary: Sarasa suits a soak at the top of the Metasequoia avenue after a day in Makino, though it turns away anyone with tattoos and closes every Wednesday. Sarasa sits at the top of the Metasequoia avenue on the Makino Kogen plateau, below Mt. Akasaka. It takes its name from the sarasa-dodan azalea that grows wild on the mountain and the Kurokoto pass. Each of the two single-sex bathhouses holds up to 50 people, with a main bath, a cooler shiki-yu tub, a lie-down jacuzzi, a sauna and an outdoor bath. The Dodan side is built from natural stone and the Furin side is tiled. The water is a low-temperature alkaline simple spring with radon and fluoride, mild on the skin. A bath costs ¥850 for adults and ¥450 for children aged 3 to 11. The swimsuit Bade pool shuts from 1 October until late April. Shampoo and body soap are in the bathrooms, and a towel costs ¥250. Opening runs from 10:00 to 21:00 with last entry at 20:30. Since April 2026 Sarasa closes every Wednesday, opening on a Wednesday holiday and closing the next day instead. Tips: - Mondays are senior day, with ¥200 off for anyone 65 or over who brings ID. - The Makino Kogen line bus from JR Makino Station takes about 13 minutes to the Makino Kogen Onsen Sarasa stop. - Once you leave the building you can't come back in on the same ticket, though the restaurant is open to bathers. Q: Does Makino Kogen Onsen Sarasa allow tattoos? A: No. Sarasa's rules turn away anyone with tattoos. Q: How much is Makino Kogen Onsen Sarasa? A: ¥850 for adults and ¥450 for children aged 3 to 11, including bath tax. Q: Can you visit Makino Kogen Onsen Sarasa without staying the night? A: Yes. Makino Kogen Onsen Sarasa sells day entry at ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Makino Kogen Onsen Sarasa? A: Makino Kogen Onsen Sarasa keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 10:00–21:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 10:00–21:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://makinokougen.co.jp/pages/224/ https://makinokougen.co.jp/pages/33/ https://makinokougen.co.jp/pages/74/ https://makinokougen.co.jp/pages/34/ https://makinokougen.co.jp/pages/35/ https://makinokougen.co.jp/pages/228/ https://makinokougen.co.jp/pages/267/ https://takashima-kanko.jp/spot/2018/06/post_140.html https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/686694821 ### Mare Gracia Omishima URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/mare-gracia-omishima Type: Onsen Local name: マーレ・グラッシア大三島 (ja) Also known as: Mare Gracia, Mare Grassia Omishima, Mare Gracia Onsen Omishima Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Ehime Town: Omishima Address: 5902 Omishima-cho Miyaura, Imabari, Ehime Coordinates: 34.24170, 132.99390 Kind: Public bath Day visit: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Pay at the ticket machine. Hours: Last entry at 19:30. Closed on Wednesdays and on the first Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of February. Closed: Wednesdays; first Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of February Water: The baths use clean seawater drawn from about 400 metres offshore, called shioyu (salt bath). Outdoor bath: Yes Tattoos: Not published. The listings we read give no tattoo rule, so ask at the desk. Bring: Towel, soap and shampoo, or coins to buy them from the vending machine. Address: 5902 Omishima-cho Miyaura, Imabari, Ehime Price from: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Summary: Mare Gracia Omishima suits riders on Omishima's west coast who want a sea-view soak near Oyamazumi Shrine, and the trade-off is a seawater bath with a Wednesday closing. The Omishima branch of the Ehime fisheries cooperative runs this bath on the island's west coast, next to the Hakata salt works and close to Oyamazumi Shrine. Its signature is the shioyu, a bath of clean seawater drawn from about 400 metres offshore. Six baths include an outdoor rock bath, a view bath, a massage bath and a walking bath, and they all look over the Inland Sea. Adults pay ¥700 on any day, children from three pay ¥350 and over-65s pay ¥560. Hours run 10:00 to 20:00 with last entry at 19:30, and it closes every Wednesday and for an overhaul early in February. Towels, soap and shampoo are not supplied. A restaurant serves local fish and vegetables, and a farm stand sells fresh fish and citrus. Tips: - Plan around the Wednesday closing if you ride through Omishima midweek. Q: Can you visit Mare Gracia Omishima without staying the night? A: Yes. Mare Gracia Omishima sells day entry at ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: How much does Mare Gracia Omishima cost? A: Prices at Mare Gracia Omishima start at ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Mare Gracia Omishima? A: Mare Gracia Omishima keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 10:00–20:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 10:00–20:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://visitshimanami.com/attractions/541/ https://news.allabout.co.jp/articles/o/119215/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/699404887 ### Takanoyu (Matsunoyama Onsen) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/matsunoyama-onsen-takanoyu Type: Onsen Local name: 松之山温泉センター 鷹の湯 (ja) Also known as: Takanoyu, Taka no Yu, Matsunoyama Onsen, 松之山温泉, 鷹の湯 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 18-1 Matsunoyama Yumoto, Tokamachi, Niigata Coordinates: 37.06500, 138.60060 Kind: Public bath Day visit: ¥600 per adult (2025), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥600 and primary school children ¥300, with younger children free; a twelve-visit ticket costs ¥6,000. These are the newest figures found, from 2025. Hours: 11:00–20:00 with last entry at 19:30 since 18 July 2025, 'for the time being'. Closed Thursdays, with a substitute day when Thursday is a holiday. Closed: Thursdays Water: Sodium-calcium chloride water with a high salt content, counted among Japan's three great medicinal springs. Matsunoyama has five sources in all. Spring types: chloride spring Mixed bathing: No Tattoos: Not published. The prefecture's page gives no tattoo rule. Bring: Bring a towel; face towels sell for ¥200. Address: 18-1 Matsunoyama Yumoto, Tokamachi, Niigata Price from: ¥600 per adult (2025), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Summary: Takanoyu is the public bath in the middle of Matsunoyama Onsen and charged adults ¥600 in 2025. It suits Echigo-Tsumari art visitors and snow-country drivers who want the area's famously salty water; it closes on Thursdays and sits far from any Shinkansen stop. Takanoyu stands in the middle of Matsunoyama Onsen's hot-spring street. The water is a salty sodium-calcium chloride spring, and people count it among the three great medicinal springs of Japan. The prefecture's page says it warms you to the core. Adults paid ¥600 in 2025. Since July 2025 the bath has opened at 11:00 and closed at 20:00, and it shuts every Thursday. Tips: - Matsunoyama's salt turns up in other places too: a crêpe stand at Kiyotsu Gorge mixes salt made from this water into its batter. Q: How much is Takanoyu in Matsunoyama Onsen? A: Takanoyu charged ¥600 for adults and ¥300 for primary school children in 2025, and no newer price is published. Q: When is Takanoyu closed? A: Takanoyu closes on Thursdays and has opened 11:00–20:00 on other days since July 2025. Q: Can you visit Takanoyu (Matsunoyama Onsen) without staying the night? A: Yes. Takanoyu (Matsunoyama Onsen) sells day entry at ¥600 per adult (2025), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://niigata-kankou.or.jp/spot/43127 https://nakasato-kiyotsu.com/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/696196791 ### Mikurigaike Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/mikurigaike-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: みくりが池温泉 (ja) Also known as: Mikuri, Japan's highest onsen, Mikurigaike hot spring Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Tateyama Address: Murodo-daira, Tateyama, Toyama Status: seasonal. Open 15 April to 24 November in 2026. Coordinates: 36.58194, 137.59611 Kind: Ryokan Day visit: ¥1,100 per adult (2026), about CAD 9.90 or USD 7 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Day bathing costs ¥1,100 for adults and ¥800 for children. Towels cost ¥400 to buy or rent. Hours: Day bathing 9:00–16:00 while the lodge is open. Overnight guests can bathe at any hour except 8:00 to 9:00. Closed: 25 November to 14 April (the lodge's winter closure) Water: Acidic simple spring from Jigokudani at pH 2.28 and 45°C at the source, flowing through with no water or heat added. It is pale milky and smells of sulphur. Spring types: acidic simple spring Colour: Pale milky white Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Tattoos: Not published. The lodge publishes no tattoo rule. Bring: Bring a towel or pay ¥400 for one. In April and May wear boots for the walk over snow from Murodo Terminal. Address: Murodo-daira, Tateyama, Toyama Price from: ¥1,100 per adult (2026), about CAD 9.90 or USD 7 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.mikuri.com/ Summary: Mikurigaike Onsen suits hikers and spring ski tourers who want a milky sulphur bath at 2,410 m, and its trade-off is indoor tubs only and a short walk over snow in spring. Mikurigaike Onsen opened in 1957 and calls itself the highest natural hot spring in Japan at 2,410 m. The source is in Jigokudani, the steaming valley below, and the water reaches the men's and women's indoor baths with nothing added to it. There is no open-air bath, though big windows look out over the mountains. Jigokudani is part of Midagahara volcano, which JMA keeps at alert level 1 with active heat and volcanic gas around the vents. In the snow season Toyama's rules close Jigokudani to everyone, and at level 2 the assumed crater area closes as well. At level 3 entry is restricted within about 1.5 km to 2.5 km of Jigokudani, a radius that covers the Murodo plateau. Tips: - Check JMA's Midagahara page and the Murodo mountain-skiing site before a spring tour; both list current restrictions. Q: Can you visit Mikurigaike Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Mikurigaike Onsen sells day entry at ¥1,100 per adult (2026), about CAD 9.90 or USD 7 (October 2026 rates). Q: How much does Mikurigaike Onsen cost? A: Prices at Mikurigaike Onsen start at ¥1,100 per adult (2026), about CAD 9.90 or USD 7 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Mikurigaike Onsen? A: Mikurigaike Onsen keeps these hours: Daily 09:00–16:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.mikuri.com/onsen/ https://www.mikuri.com/en/ https://www.mikuri.com/stay/ https://www.mikuri.com/access/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/309.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/filing/level/PDF/level_309.pdf https://toyamaken-sotaikyo.jp/rule/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11278813 ### Mimizuku no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/mimizuku-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: みみずくの湯 (ja) Also known as: Mimizuku-no-Yu Onsen, Mimizuku-no-yu, Hakuba Happo Onsen Mimizuku Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: 5480-1 Hokujo Happoguchi, Hakuba, Kitaazumi District, Nagano Coordinates: 36.69740, 137.85560 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥800, primary school children ¥500 and children from three to school age ¥300, tax included (2026). Hours: Open every day of the year, 10:00–21:00, with last entry at 20:30. Water: Mimizuku no Yu draws on the Hakuba Happo Onsen source, an alkaline simple spring at pH 11.2 that feels slippery on the skin. Spring types: alkaline simple spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. The Hakuba Happo Onsen site gives no tattoo rule for Mimizuku no Yu. Bring: Body soap, shampoo, conditioner and hair dryers are free. Towels sell for ¥300, and a rental towel set costs ¥600. Address: 5480-1 Hokujo Happoguchi, Hakuba, Kitaazumi District, Nagano Price from: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://hakuba-happo-onsen.jp/dayuse/ Summary: Mimizuku no Yu is the Hakuba Happo Onsen day bath closest to Hakuba Station, and it suits anyone with a gap before a train or bus; it costs ¥800 for adults in 2026 and has an outdoor bath facing the Hakuba Sanzan. Mimizuku no Yu stands on the road between JR Hakuba Station and the Happo area, a ten-minute walk from the platform. Each side has an indoor bath and a rotenburo, and from the outdoor tub you see the Hakuba Sanzan rising behind the Happo-one ridge. In cherry season the trees are lit at night and you can soak under them. The water comes from the same alkaline Hakuba Happo Onsen source as Happo no Yu, and entry costs ¥200 less. Soap, shampoo and dryers are free. Towels are ¥300 at the counter. Tips: - Walk here from Hakuba Station with a daypack and leave the skis at your lodge; it's the easiest bath to reach without a car. Q: How much is Mimizuku no Yu in Hakuba? A: Mimizuku no Yu costs ¥800 for adults, ¥500 for primary school children and ¥300 for children aged three to school age in 2026. Q: How far is Mimizuku no Yu from Hakuba Station? A: Mimizuku no Yu is about ten minutes on foot from JR Hakuba Station, on the road toward Happo. Q: Can you visit Mimizuku no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Mimizuku no Yu sells day entry at ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Mimizuku no Yu mixed bathing? A: No. Mimizuku no Yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Mimizuku no Yu? A: Mimizuku no Yu keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–21:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakuba-happo-onsen.jp/dayuse/ https://hakuba-happo-onsen.jp/english/ https://hakuba-happo-onsen.jp/about/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/686866556 ### Misasa Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/misasa-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 三朝温泉 (ja) Also known as: Misasa, Kabuyu, 株湯, Kawara-buro, 河原風呂 Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Tottori Town: Misasa Address: Misasa, Misasa, Tohaku District, Tottori Coordinates: 35.41075, 133.89308 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥400 per adult (2026), about CAD 3.60 or USD 2.50 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Kabuyu charges ¥400 for adults and ¥250 for children. The foot bath and drinking fountain beside it are free. Some inns take day bathers, such as Ryokan Ohashi at ¥1,500. Hours: Kabuyu takes last entry at 20:15. The Kawara-buro river bath stays open round the clock but closes for cleaning on the mornings of odd-numbered dates. Water: Misasa's water carries radon from radium in the rock, and the onsen association rates it among the strongest radioactive springs in the world. It is also drunk, and locals queue with bottles at the fountain by Kabuyu. Spring types: radioactive spring (radium) Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: Yes Tattoos: Not published. The onsen association publishes no tattoo rule for Kabuyu or the river bath. Bring: Bring your own towel for Kabuyu and the river bath. Address: Misasa, Misasa, Tohaku District, Tottori Price from: ¥400 per adult (2026), about CAD 3.60 or USD 2.50 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://misasaonsen.jp/ Summary: Misasa Onsen suits travellers who want an old radium spring town with a public bath for ¥400, and its famous river bath is mixed and sits in the open by Misasa Bridge. Misasa Onsen lines the Mitoku River, and the town's history starts at Kabuyu, the public bath fed by the source said to have been revealed to a samurai who spared a white wolf more than 850 years ago. That spring still rises from the roots of an old camphor tree. Kabuyu opens from 9:00, from 10:00 on Mondays, until 20:45. Kawara-buro sits on the riverbank by the 1934 granite Misasa Bridge and serves as the town's symbol. It is a mixed outdoor bath open day and night, except on odd-numbered mornings when it is cleaned. A free foot bath, Kawara no Yu, sits beside it. Q: Can you visit Misasa Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Misasa Onsen sells day entry at ¥400 per adult (2026), about CAD 3.60 or USD 2.50 (October 2026 rates). Q: How much does Misasa Onsen cost? A: Prices at Misasa Onsen start at ¥400 per adult (2026), about CAD 3.60 or USD 2.50 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Misasa Onsen? A: Misasa Onsen keeps these hours: Mon 10:00–20:45; Tue–Sun 09:00–20:45. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://misasaonsen.jp/about/ https://misasaonsen.jp/sightseeings/sightseeing-1072/ https://misasaonsen.jp/sightseeings/sightseeing-1057/ https://misasaonsen.jp/stay/32/ https://www.tottori-cycling.jp/details_support https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11355561 ### Nakazaki Sanso Okuhida no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/nakazaki-sanso-okuhida-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 中崎山荘 奥飛騨の湯 (ja) Also known as: Nakazaki Sanso, Okuhida no Yu Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Shin-Hotaka Onsen Address: 710 Kansaka, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1421 Coordinates: 36.28414, 137.57474 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Hours: Reception closes at 17:00; irregular closing days. Closed: Irregular Water: A simple spring; the outdoor pool is fed with source water cooled as it runs down bamboo branches. Spring types: simple spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. Nakazaki Sanso publishes no tattoo rule. Bring: A towel. The shop sells yuami-gi wraps for Shin-Hotaka no Yu at ¥350. Address: 710 Kansaka, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1421 Price from: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.instagram.com/nakazakisanso_okuhidanoyu/ Summary: Nakazaki Sanso Okuhida no Yu suits a soak and a meal before or after the Shin-Hotaka Ropeway. The trade-off is the ¥1,000 price. Nakazaki Sanso sits by the lower station of the Shin-Hotaka Ropeway, with one indoor bath and one outdoor bath on each side. The hot source runs down bamboo branches to cool before it reaches the rotenburo, and spring water flows in the bathroom too. A restaurant and a rest room make it an easy stop before or after the ropeway. Q: How much is Nakazaki Sanso Okuhida no Yu? A: ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for children. It opens 9:00 to 18:00, with reception until 17:00. Q: Can you visit Nakazaki Sanso Okuhida no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Nakazaki Sanso Okuhida no Yu sells day entry at ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Nakazaki Sanso Okuhida no Yu mixed bathing? A: No. Nakazaki Sanso Okuhida no Yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Nakazaki Sanso Okuhida no Yu? A: Nakazaki Sanso Okuhida no Yu keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–18:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://okuhida.or.jp/p/hot-spring/%e4%b8%ad%e5%b4%8e%e5%b1%b1%e8%8d%98%e5%a5%a5%e9%a3%9b%e9%a8%a8%e3%81%ae%e6%b9%af/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/spot/detail_1722.html ### Nozawa Onsen Oyu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/nozawa-onsen-oyu Type: Onsen Local name: 大湯 (ja) Also known as: Oyu, O-yu, Oyu bathhouse, Nozawa Oyu, Inukai no Miyu, 野沢温泉 大湯, 犬養の御湯 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Coordinates: 36.92320, 138.44830 Kind: Public bath Day visit: Free Prices: Oyu charges nothing, like the other twelve soto-yu. A donation box by the door collects coins for the villagers who look after it. Hours: Open 5:00–23:00 from April to November and 6:00–23:00 from December to March. Water: Oyu has its own source, a weakly alkaline simple sulphur spring that leaves the ground at 66°C. The bath splits into a hot tub and a cooler one. Spring types: simple sulphur spring Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. The Nozawa Onsen tourism bureau publishes no tattoo rule for Oyu or the other soto-yu. Bring: Bring a towel and soap; the bath supplies neither. Price from: ¥0 per person (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://nozawakanko.jp/hotspring/ Summary: Oyu is the bathhouse at the heart of Nozawa Onsen and the one to try first; it costs nothing, and its two tubs run hot enough to need a slow start. Oyu stands in the middle of the village, and its wooden bathhouse has kept the same Edo-period form for generations. Villagers also call it Inukai no Miyu. Inside, a high ceiling rises over a hot tub and a cooler one, so you can move between them as your skin adjusts. The bath enshrines the Yakushi triad, the healing Buddha with two attendants, as guardian of the village's waters. The spring under Oyu is weakly alkaline simple sulphur water that comes out at 66°C, and the tourism bureau credits it with easing tired muscles and loosening tension. Entry is free, with a donation box by the door. Bring your own towel and soap, and if Oyu is full there are twelve more soto-yu within a few minutes' walk. Tips: - Pour water over your shoulders for a minute before getting in. The resort's guide puts soto-yu tubs at 45–49°C. - Collect Oyu's stamp at the stand outside if you're doing the village stamp trail. Q: Is Oyu in Nozawa Onsen free? A: Yes. Oyu charges no entry fee like the other Nozawa Onsen soto-yu, and a donation box by the door takes coins for upkeep. Q: What are the opening hours of Oyu in Nozawa Onsen? A: Oyu opens from 5:00 to 23:00 between April and November and from 6:00 to 23:00 between December and March. Q: How much does Nozawa Onsen Oyu cost? A: Nozawa Onsen Oyu is free to visit. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nozawakanko.jp/hotspring/ https://en.nozawaski.com/the-village/onsen/onsen-trail/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/1074587418 ### Nozawa Onsen Soto-yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/nozawa-onsen-soto-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 野沢温泉 外湯 (ja) Also known as: Nozawa sotoyu, Nozawa public baths, Nozawa 13 baths, soto-yu meguri, 外湯めぐり, 十三の外湯 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Nozawa Onsen Coordinates: 36.92470, 138.44890 Kind: Public bath Day visit: Free Prices: Every soto-yu is free to enter. The tourism bureau asks visitors to leave a few coins in the donation box at the door for the yunakama who keep the baths. Hours: Most of the thirteen baths open 5:00–23:00 from April to November and 6:00–23:00 from December to March. Shinyu and Juodo-no-yu keep 6:00–22:00 all year, Yokochi-no-yu keeps 6:00–23:00, and Taki-no-yu closes at 21:00 from April to November and at 22:00 in winter. Late-night bathing is off limits. Closed: Akiha-no-yu closed for demolition work from 11 May to 30 October 2026 (planned) Water: Every soto-yu runs straight from a natural spring with no pumping, and most draw from Ogama, the 90°C source in the middle of the village. The water is simple sulphur or sulphur-bearing sodium-calcium sulphate spring, and the resort's English guide puts tub temperatures at 45–49°C. Spring types: simple sulphur spring, sulphur-bearing sodium-calcium sulphate spring Colour: Mostly clear with white flecks of yunohana; Shinyu shifts between milky white and emerald, and Taki-no-yu turns deep green with black and white flecks Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. Neither the Nozawa Onsen tourism bureau nor the resort's English guide publishes a tattoo rule for the soto-yu. These are the villagers' own baths, so cover a small tattoo where you can and follow any notice at the door. Bring: Bring your own towel and soap. Each bath is a raised changing area, a tub and a tiled floor where you sit to wash. Price from: ¥0 per person (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://nozawakanko.jp/hotspring/ Summary: Nozawa Onsen's thirteen soto-yu are free bathhouses that village families have kept since the Edo period, and they suit anyone who can take very hot water with nothing more than a tub and a tap. Bring your own towel and soap. Each soto-yu belongs to a yunakama, a group of neighbours who clean it and keep it running under a system that dates from the Edo period. Anyone staying in or passing through the village can use them. You pay nothing at the door, though every bath has a donation box and the tourism bureau asks for a few coins toward upkeep. Oyu is the landmark in the middle of town, and the other twelve houses sit in the lanes around it. The water comes straight from the spring and overflows all day, so the tubs run between 45 and 49°C. Pour water over yourself for a minute before stepping in. Several baths split into an atsuyu (hot tub) and a nuruyu (cooler tub), and Kumanotearayu has the gentlest water in the village. Kawahara-yu runs hot enough that the bureau suggests it as a morning bath. Outside each bath stands a stamp stand, part of a village trail of 27 stamps. Ten stamps earn a towel at the end, and with twenty you can choose a towel or a tenugui. Kamitera-yu, Kumanotearayu, Matsuba-no-yu and Juodo-no-yu keep a pot of spring water by the door where you can cook onsen tamago in about 20 minutes. Tips: - Carry small coins for the donation boxes. - Ogama, the boiling source in the middle of the village, is for villagers only. Look from the edge and stay out. - The Yurari foot bath next to Ogama is free from 6:00 to 21:00 in the warm months and closes under winter snow. - Furusato no Yu, the village's paid day bath, sells towels if you forget yours. Q: Are the Nozawa Onsen soto-yu free? A: Yes. All thirteen soto-yu in Nozawa Onsen charge no entry fee, and a donation box at each door collects coins for their upkeep. Q: What time do the Nozawa Onsen soto-yu open in winter? A: From December to March most Nozawa Onsen soto-yu open from 6:00 to 23:00. Shinyu, Juodo-no-yu and Taki-no-yu close at 22:00 in winter. Q: Can people with tattoos use the Nozawa Onsen soto-yu? A: The village publishes no tattoo rule for the Nozawa Onsen soto-yu. Cover a small tattoo where you can and follow any notice posted at the bathhouse door. Q: Do I need to bring a towel to the Nozawa soto-yu? A: Yes. The Nozawa Onsen soto-yu supply no towels or soap, so bring both. Q: How much does Nozawa Onsen Soto-yu cost? A: Nozawa Onsen Soto-yu is free to visit. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://nozawakanko.jp/hotspring/ https://nozawakanko.jp/13524/ https://en.nozawaski.com/the-village/onsen/onsen-trail/ https://en.nozawaski.com/the-village/onsen/onsen-guide/ https://en.nozawaski.com/the-village/welcome/hotspring-cooking-and-bathing/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/6026458586 ### Nyuto Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/nyuto-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 乳頭温泉郷 (ja) Also known as: Nyuto Onsenkyo, Nyuto Onsen Village, Nyuto hot springs, Nyuto Hot Spring Village, 乳頭温泉 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Address: Tazawako, Semboku, Akita Coordinates: 39.80370, 140.79140 Kind: Onsen town Prices: Each inn sets its own day-bathing price. Guests staying at a member inn can buy the Yumeguri-cho pass for ¥2,500 (children ¥1,000) at the front desk, which covers a bath at each of the seven union inns. It is sold for cash only. Hours: Each inn sets its own day-bathing hours. Tsurunoyu, for one, takes day bathers from 10:00 to 15:00 and closes for them on Mondays. Water: The seven inns each draw their own water, and the union counts more than ten sources between them. Semboku's tourism office lists acidic sulphate water at Taenoyu and Ogama, simple sulphur water at Kaniba and sulphur-bearing chloride water at Tsurunoyu, among others. Spring types: sulphur spring, acidic sulphate spring, simple spring, sodium bicarbonate spring Colour: milky white at several inns Outdoor bath: Yes Tattoos: Not published. The Nyuto Onsen union publishes no tattoo rule, and each inn sets its own. Bring: Carry cash. The bath pass is cash-only, and some inns take only certain cards. Address: Tazawako, Semboku, Akita Website: http://www.nyuto-onsenkyo.com/ Summary: Nyuto Onsen suits travellers who want to stay a night or two in the beech forest above Lake Tazawa and hop between old inns; it's a cluster of separate lodgings with no town around them, so plan meals at your inn. Nyuto Onsen is seven inns scattered through beech forest at the foot of Mt. Nyuto in the Towada-Hachimantai National Park. Each one draws water from its own sources, and the Environment Ministry lists the area as a national health spa. The seven union members are Tsurunoyu, Taenoyu, Kaniba, Ogama, Magoroku, Kuroyu and the Kyukamura lodge. Staying guests can buy the Yumeguri-cho pass at any member inn for ¥2,500. It covers one bath at each of the seven, and the union posts a timetable for the bus that links them. The pass is sold only to people sleeping in the village. Tsurunoyu is the oldest inn and the one most people picture, with its thatched Honjin building and four sources within 50 metres. Take the Akita Shinkansen to Tazawako and then the hourly Nyuto line bus, which Ugo Kotsu runs from the station. Ask your inn about its pick-up point before you travel. Tips: - Buy the Yumeguri-cho pass on your first afternoon so you can use it across your stay. - Phone Tsurunoyu with the bus you're taking if you're staying there. Its car meets guests at the Arupa Komakusa stop. Q: How many inns are in Nyuto Onsen? A: Seven inns belong to the Nyuto Onsen union: Tsurunoyu, Taenoyu, Kaniba, Ogama, Magoroku, Kuroyu and Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo. Q: Can day visitors buy the Nyuto Onsen bath pass? A: No. The Yumeguri-cho pass is sold only to guests staying at a member inn, for ¥2,500 (children ¥1,000). Q: What are the opening hours of Nyuto Onsen? A: Nyuto Onsen: each inn sets its own day-bathing hours. Tsurunoyu, for one, takes day bathers from 10:00 to 15:00 and closes for them on Mondays. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: http://www.nyuto-onsenkyo.com/ https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/en/spots/7316/ https://www.tsurunoyu.com/english.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E4%B9%B3%E9%A0%AD%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11370596 ### Obinata no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/obinata-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: おびなたの湯 (ja) Also known as: Obinata-no-Yu Onsen, Obinata-no-yu, Hakuba Happo Onsen Obinata Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: 9346-1 Hokujo Happo, Hakuba, Kitaazumi District, Nagano Status: seasonal. The 2026 season ends on 31 October. Dates for 2027 were not yet published on 11 October 2026. Coordinates: 36.71950, 137.82730 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥800, primary school children ¥500 and children from three to school age ¥300, tax included (2026). Hours: Open 12:00–18:00 with last entry at 17:30, from 25 April to 31 October in 2026. The English page says the bath takes only private charters in winter. Closed: November to late April (private charter only in winter) Water: Obinata no Yu sits closest to the Hakuba Happo Onsen source, about 3 km up the valley from Happo, and the operator says the alkaline water feels different at each bath depending on how long ago it left the ground. Researchers from Tokyo Institute of Technology measured dissolved hydrogen in the water here. Spring types: alkaline simple spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. The Hakuba Happo Onsen site gives no tattoo rule for Obinata no Yu. Bring: Body soap, rinse-in shampoo and hair dryers are free. Towels sell for ¥300, and a rental towel set costs ¥600. Address: 9346-1 Hokujo Happo, Hakuba, Kitaazumi District, Nagano Price from: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://hakuba-happo-onsen.jp/dayuse/ Summary: Obinata no Yu is an outdoor bath built around huge natural boulders above Hakuba, and it suits summer and autumn hikers driving to or from the Daisekkei trailhead; it opens only from late April to the end of October. Obinata no Yu lies about 3 km up the road from Happo toward the Hakuba Daisekkei, the long snow gully on Shirouma-dake. The baths are open-air only, one each for men and women, set among enormous boulders left where they sit. Being the closest bath to the Hakuba Happo Onsen source, it gets the alkaline water at its freshest. In 2026 the season ran from 25 April to 31 October, with the doors open 12:00–18:00. Entry is ¥800 for adults. Shampoo and soap are free, and the counter sells towels for ¥300. Tips: - Last entry is 17:30, so time a descent from the Daisekkei trail to arrive before then. - Out of season, Happo no Yu and Mimizuku no Yu are open all year. Q: Is Obinata no Yu open in winter? A: No. Obinata no Yu opens to day visitors from late April to 31 October, and the operator's English page says it takes only private charters in winter. Q: How much is Obinata no Yu? A: Obinata no Yu costs ¥800 for adults, ¥500 for primary school children and ¥300 for children aged three to school age in 2026. Q: Can you visit Obinata no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Obinata no Yu sells day entry at ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Obinata no Yu mixed bathing? A: No. Obinata no Yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakuba-happo-onsen.jp/dayuse/ https://hakuba-happo-onsen.jp/english/ https://hakuba-happo-onsen.jp/about/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/686873795 ### Ogoto Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/ogoto-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: おごと温泉 (ja) Also known as: Ogoto Hot Springs, Ogoto, 雄琴温泉, Ogoto-onsen Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Otsu Address: Ogoto, Otsu, Shiga Coordinates: 35.09690, 135.89470 Kind: Onsen town Prices: Prices for a bath vary by inn. The foot bath at the Kanko Koen park is free. Water: Alkaline simple spring, pH 9.0, 36°C at source, hypotonic, 2.36 Mache/kg of radon, about 393 cubic metres a day. Colourless and odourless. Spring types: alkaline simple Colour: clear Outdoor bath: Yes Private baths: Yes, to book Tattoos: Not published. Each inn sets its own rule; ask the inn before you book. Address: Ogoto, Otsu, Shiga Website: https://www.ogotoonsen.com/ Summary: Ogoto Onsen suits a lakeside night after Enryaku-ji or the west-shore Biwaichi, with nine ryokan and a free foot bath, though its water comes out at 36°C and most of the baths belong to the inns. Nine ryokan face the lake at Ogoto, at the foot of Mt. Hiei, and the town says it's the closest hot spring to Kyoto and the mountain. The English page credits Saicho, Enryaku-ji's founder, with opening the spring about 1,200 years ago. The Japanese history page tells it later: a healing pond at the Tendai temple Hoko-ji turned out in the Taisho era to be radium water, and building began. Since the 1990s the inns have added rooftop baths and private open-air tubs looking over the lake. The water is a strongly alkaline simple spring at pH 9.0, which leaves skin smooth and is the reason the town sells itself as a bath for beautiful skin. It rises at 36°C with no colour or smell. It's hypotonic and gentle, and the association says it suits sensitive skin. The town is one of the few hot springs where you can watch the sun come up over the water from an outdoor bath. You don't need a room to try it. The Ogoto Onsen Kanko Koen park has a free foot bath for 22 people, open 9:00 to 18:00, and the town lists day-use baths. JR Ogoto-onsen Station is the fifth stop from Kyoto on the Kosei line, on the local train. Tips: - The park's foot bath sells towels for ¥150 and closes over New Year. - The park rents e-assist bikes for ¥1,000 for two hours to ride to Sakamoto or Katata's Ukimido. - Biwaichi Bike takes mid-route returns at the Biwako Hanakaido inn. Q: What kind of water does Ogoto Onsen have? A: An alkaline simple spring at pH 9.0 that rises at 36°C, colourless and odourless, with a little radon. Q: How do I get to Ogoto Onsen from Kyoto? A: Take the JR Kosei line local train to Ogoto-onsen Station, the fifth stop from Kyoto. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ogotoonsen.com/ https://www.ogotoonsen.com/ogoto https://www.ogotoonsen.com/history https://www.ogotoonsen.com/access https://www.ogotoonsen.com/english https://www.ogotoonsen.com/spot/kanko-koen/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11659228 ### Ogoto Onsen Kanko Koen Foot Bath URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/ogoto-onsen-kanko-koen-foot-bath Type: Onsen Local name: おごと温泉観光公園 足湯 (ja) Also known as: Ogoto foot bath, おごと温泉 足湯, Ogoto Onsen tourist park Region: Shiga and Lake Biwa Prefecture: Shiga Town: Otsu Address: 1-2-17 Ogoto, Otsu, Shiga 520-0101 Coordinates: 35.08900, 135.89370 Kind: Foot bath Day visit: Free Prices: Free. Towels cost ¥150. Hours: Closed over New Year and on some maintenance days, such as 8 and 19 October 2026. Closed: New Year holidays Water: Ogoto's alkaline simple spring, pH 9.0, about 36°C, colourless. Spring types: alkaline simple Colour: clear Private baths: No Bring: A small towel, or buy one for ¥150. Address: 1-2-17 Ogoto, Otsu, Shiga 520-0101 Price from: ¥0 per person (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.ogotoonsen.com/spot/kanko-koen/ Summary: This free foot bath by the lake suits a riding break on the west shore, though you'll need your own towel or ¥150 to buy one. The Kanko Koen park pipes Ogoto's pH 9.0 alkaline water into a wide foot bath that seats 22 people, and it costs nothing. Locals come every day, so expect a chat. The park also has a lawn and benches facing the lake, a tourist desk and a shop of local goods. The Coto Coto Cotton cafe next to the bath serves Omi beef rice bowls and Omi rice curry from 11:00, open 10:00 to 16:00. It's self-service, so you can eat between soaks. The park rents four e-assist bikes from 9:00 to 17:00 for riders 150 cm and taller. Tips: - Towels cost ¥150 at the desk, and there's a changing room. - Coming south on Route 161, bear right at the Ogoto-ko-guchi junction. That entry is closed to southbound traffic on weekday mornings from 7:30 to 9:00. Q: Is the Ogoto Onsen foot bath free? A: Yes. The foot bath at Ogoto Onsen Kanko Koen is free and opens 9:00 to 18:00, closing over New Year. Q: How much does Ogoto Onsen Kanko Koen Foot Bath cost? A: Ogoto Onsen Kanko Koen Foot Bath is free to visit. Q: What are the opening hours of Ogoto Onsen Kanko Koen Foot Bath? A: Ogoto Onsen Kanko Koen Foot Bath keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–18:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.ogotoonsen.com/spot/kanko-koen/ https://www.ogotoonsen.com/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/585711663 ### Otaki-no-yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/otaki-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 大滝乃湯 (ja) Also known as: Ohtakinoyu, Otakinoyu, Ootaki no yu, Kusatsu Otaki-no-yu Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Address: 596-13 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Coordinates: 36.62296, 138.60188 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥1,200 per adult (2026), about CAD 11 or USD 7.60 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Entry costs ¥1,200 for adults and ¥600 for children from age 3 through primary school. A towel and bath towel set rents for ¥250. The private bath costs ¥2,000 an hour on top of entry, and the three-bath pass for ¥2,100 includes one visit here. Hours: Open 9:00–21:00 every day with last entry at 20:00, apart from maintenance closures. The private bath runs 9:00–19:00 with last booking at 18:00. Closed: No regular closing day; it shuts for maintenance on occasion Water: Otaki-no-yu uses the Nikawa source, an acidic sulphur spring at pH 2.1 that the operator says only it and the Nikawa-no-yu public bath draw. The water is usually clear and turns milky on the second and fourth Saturday of the month, when staff flush the pipes before opening. Spring types: acidic sulphur spring Colour: Clear most days; milky white on the second and fourth Saturdays, strongest in the morning Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: Yes, to book Tattoos: Welcome. The operator states that Otaki-no-yu, Gozanoyu and Sai-no-kawara do not refuse guests with tattoos. Bring: Nothing essential: shampoo, conditioner and body soap are in the bath, and towels rent at the desk. Address: 596-13 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Price from: ¥1,200 per adult (2026), about CAD 11 or USD 7.60 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://onsen-kusatsu.com/ohtakinoyu/ Summary: Otaki-no-yu suits bathers who want Kusatsu's full bathhouse with an indoor hall, an outdoor pool under a hot waterfall and a row of graded hot tubs, and it costs more than the other two town baths. The draw here is the awase-yu, a set of five linked tubs in the men's bath where the source runs from one to the next and cools as it goes. You start in the coolest and work up, the old Kusatsu way of getting used to the heat, and the hottest tub is the cloudiest. The women's awase-yu has a different, more Western-styled room. Outside, a hot waterfall pours into the open-air pool, and the bath's name is said to come from that fall. Plan a visit for the second or fourth Saturday morning if you can. That is when staff drag a rope through the supply pipes to clear the mineral build-up, and the normally clear Nikawa water turns milky, clearing again as the day goes on. The building has a restaurant, a cafe and a big tatami rest room in the basement, so it works for a whole wet afternoon. Tips: - Come before noon on the second and fourth Saturdays for the milky water. - The private bath takes phone bookings on 0279-88-2600. Q: How much is Otaki-no-yu in Kusatsu? A: Entry is ¥1,200 for adults and ¥600 for children from age 3 through primary school. Q: Can I use Otaki-no-yu with tattoos? A: Yes. The operator states that Otaki-no-yu does not refuse guests with tattoos. Q: When is the water at Otaki-no-yu milky? A: On the second and fourth Saturday of each month, after staff flush the pipes. The water is at its cloudiest in the morning. Q: Can you visit Otaki-no-yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Otaki-no-yu sells day entry at ¥1,200 per adult (2026), about CAD 11 or USD 7.60 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Otaki-no-yu mixed bathing? A: No. Otaki-no-yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Otaki-no-yu? A: Otaki-no-yu keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–21:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://onsen-kusatsu.com/ohtakinoyu/guide/ https://onsen-kusatsu.com/ohtakinoyu/hot-spring/ https://onsen-kusatsu.com/ohtakinoyu/cloudy-white/ https://onsen-kusatsu.com/ohtakinoyu/facility/ https://onsen-kusatsu.com/sainokawara/faq/ https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/kankou/1092.php https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/954651338 ### Ponshukan Sake Bath (Echigo-Yuzawa Station) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/ponshukan-sake-bath Type: Onsen Local name: ぽんしゅ館 酒風呂 (ja) Also known as: Ponshukan, sake bath Yuzawa, Echigo-Yuzawa station onsen, 酒風呂, 駅の中の温泉 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: CoCoLo Yuzawa, Echigo-Yuzawa Station, 2427-3 Yuzawa, Yuzawa, Niigata Coordinates: 36.93680, 138.80860 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥950 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.50 or USD 6 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥950 including bathing tax, primary school children ¥400 and preschoolers nothing. A towel set rents for ¥200 (2026). Hours: Yuzawa's tourism board lists 10:30–18:30 with last entry at 18:00 and no closing day, and says hours change with the season. Ponshukan posts its hours from 1 October separately. Water: Hot spring water, listed as weakly alkaline and hypotonic, with bathing-only sake added to the tub. Spring types: alkaline simple spring Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. Ponshukan's page gives no tattoo rule. Bring: Nothing: shampoo, body soap, a dryer and towels for rent are all there. Large lockers take a ¥100 coin that comes back. Address: CoCoLo Yuzawa, Echigo-Yuzawa Station, 2427-3 Yuzawa, Yuzawa, Niigata Price from: ¥950 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.50 or USD 6 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.ponshukan.com/yuzawa/ Summary: Ponshukan's sake bath is the hot spring inside Echigo-Yuzawa Station, ¥950 for adults, and it suits travellers with an hour before the Shinkansen who want a soak without leaving the building; its hours change with the season, so check before you plan around it. Ponshukan is the station's sake hall, where ¥1,000 buys five tokens for the tasting machines, and the bath sits in the same complex. The tub holds hot spring water with a dose of sake made for bathing, and the shop says the smell helps you relax. Men get seven showers and women four, so expect a short wait at busy times. The ¥950 entry covers shampoo and soap, and a towel set is another ¥200. Tips: - Leave the sake tasting until after your bath so you board the train with a clear head. - Ponshukan sets new hours from 1 October each year, so check the shop's page in winter. Q: Is there an onsen inside Echigo-Yuzawa Station? A: Yes. Ponshukan inside Echigo-Yuzawa Station runs a sake bath that costs ¥950 for adults. Q: Can children use the Ponshukan sake bath? A: Yes. Primary school children pay ¥400 and preschoolers go free, and Ponshukan says the sake bath is safe for children. Q: What are the opening hours of Ponshukan Sake Bath (Echigo-Yuzawa Station)? A: Ponshukan Sake Bath (Echigo-Yuzawa Station): yuzawa's tourism board lists 10:30–18:30 with last entry at 18:00 and no closing day, and says hours change with the season. Ponshukan posts its hours from 1 October separately. Q: How much does Ponshukan Sake Bath (Echigo-Yuzawa Station) cost? A: Prices at Ponshukan Sake Bath (Echigo-Yuzawa Station) start at ¥950 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.50 or USD 6 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.ponshukan.com/yuzawa/ https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/hotspring_p/sakeburo_yunosawa_echigoyuzawastation/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/6538374459 ### Sai-no-kawara Rotenburo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/sai-no-kawara-rotenburo Type: Onsen Local name: 西の河原露天風呂 (ja) Also known as: Sainokawara, Sainokawara Rotenburo, Sai-no-kawara open-air bath, Sainokawara Park bath, 西の河原 Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Kusatsu Onsen Address: 521-3 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Coordinates: 36.62425, 138.58832 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Entry costs ¥800 for adults and ¥400 for children from age 3 through primary school. The three-bath pass covers one visit each to Sai-no-kawara, Otaki-no-yu and Gozanoyu for ¥2,100. Towels are for sale at ¥380, with no rentals. Hours: Open 7:00–20:00 from April to November and 9:00–20:00 from December to March, with last entry at 19:30. On the second Wednesday of each month the bath closes at 17:00 for cleaning. The men's side turns mixed on Friday evenings from 17:30 to 20:00, except on certain days. Water: The water comes from the Bandai source, which the operator says rises at 94–95 °C and runs at pH 1.7 as an acidic chloride-sulphate spring. It flows straight into the pools without recirculation. Spring types: acidic chloride-sulphate spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: Yes Private baths: No Tattoos: Welcome. The operator states that its three baths, Otaki-no-yu, Gozanoyu and Sai-no-kawara, do not refuse guests with tattoos, and asks everyone to keep the house manners. Bring: Bring a towel and wash at your inn first, because the bath has no washing area, soap or hair dryers. Women joining a Friday mixed session can rent bathing wear for ¥400 or bring a swimsuit, and children need their own swimsuit. Address: 521-3 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 Price from: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://onsen-kusatsu.com/sainokawara/ Summary: Sai-no-kawara Rotenburo suits anyone who wants a very big outdoor bath in the woods at the edge of Kusatsu, and it has no washing area, so you rinse at your inn before you come. Sai-no-kawara sits at the far end of Sai-no-kawara Park, west of the Yubatake, and its two pools add up to about 500 square metres, with the men's side at 333.5 and the women's at 166. The pools sit among trees, and at night the operator lights up the hill of Maruyama behind them. The operator promotes it in winter as a snow-viewing bath. Beyond the changing rooms and lockers there is nothing to it, so it is a place to soak and leave. The water is the Bandai source at pH 1.7. Come on a Friday evening if you want to bathe as a couple: from 17:30 the men's pool turns mixed, with bathing wear for both sexes. Tips: - Check the second-Wednesday cleaning dates, when the bath shuts at 17:00. - Re-entry is not allowed, so finish your walk in the park before you pay. Q: How much is Sai-no-kawara Rotenburo? A: Entry is ¥800 for adults and ¥400 for children from age 3 through primary school. Q: Can I use Sai-no-kawara with tattoos? A: Yes. The operator states that Sai-no-kawara, Otaki-no-yu and Gozanoyu do not refuse guests with tattoos. Q: Is Sai-no-kawara mixed bathing? A: On Friday evenings from 17:30 to 20:00 it is, except on certain days. The men's pool becomes mixed and everyone wears bathing wear; women can rent it for ¥400 and men borrow it free. The women's pool stays women-only. Q: Does Sai-no-kawara have showers? A: No. There is no washing area, soap or hair dryer, so wash at your inn first. Q: Can you visit Sai-no-kawara Rotenburo without staying the night? A: Yes. Sai-no-kawara Rotenburo sells day entry at ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Sai-no-kawara Rotenburo? A: Sai-no-kawara Rotenburo keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 07:00–20:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://onsen-kusatsu.com/sainokawara/guide/ https://onsen-kusatsu.com/sainokawara/hot-spring/ https://onsen-kusatsu.com/sainokawara/mixed-bathing/ https://onsen-kusatsu.com/sainokawara/faq/ https://onsen-kusatsu.com/news/ https://onsen-kusatsu.com/tickets/ https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/kankou/1091.php https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/954811503 ### Sato no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/sato-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 郷の湯 (ja) Also known as: Sato-no-yu Onsen, Sato-no-yu, Hakuba Happo Onsen Sato no Yu Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Town: Hakuba Address: 5170 Hokujo Happo, Hakuba, Kitaazumi District, Nagano Status: seasonal. Dates for the 2026/27 winter season were not yet posted on 11 October 2026. Coordinates: 36.70030, 137.84250 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥800, primary school children ¥500 and children from three to school age ¥300, tax included (prices as listed in 2026). Hours: Open 16:00–20:00 with last entry at 19:30, in winter only. The Japanese page gave the 2025/26 season as 27 October 2025 to 31 March 2026, while the English page says 1 December to 31 March. Closed: April to late autumn Water: Sato no Yu uses the alkaline simple spring water of Hakuba Happo Onsen, pH 11.2 at the source. Spring types: alkaline simple spring Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. The Hakuba Happo Onsen site gives no tattoo rule for Sato no Yu. Bring: Body soap, shampoo, conditioner and hair dryers are free. Towels sell for ¥300. Address: 5170 Hokujo Happo, Hakuba, Kitaazumi District, Nagano Price from: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://hakuba-happo-onsen.jp/dayuse/ Summary: Sato no Yu is a small winter-only bathhouse in the Happo streets of Hakuba, and it suits skiers walking back from Happo-one at the end of the day; it opens only 16:00–20:00 and has indoor baths alone. Sato no Yu opened in 1988 in a six-sided building on the street between the Happo bus stop and the gondola. The operator calls it the bath that feels most like an old onsen, and plenty of people staying in Hakuba use it. Inside there is one indoor bath for men and one for women, with no rotenburo. It opens from 16:00 to 20:00 through the ski season, which makes it an easy stop on foot after the lifts close. Entry is ¥800 for adults. Soap and shampoo are free. Tips: - Walk in; Sato no Yu has no car park. - Check the Hakuba Happo Onsen site for the 2026/27 opening date before planning an early-season visit. Q: When is Sato no Yu open? A: Sato no Yu opens in the ski season only, from 16:00 to 20:00 with last entry at 19:30. In 2025/26 it ran until 31 March. Q: How much is Sato no Yu in Hakuba? A: Sato no Yu costs ¥800 for adults, ¥500 for primary school children and ¥300 for children aged three to school age. Q: Can you visit Sato no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Sato no Yu sells day entry at ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Sato no Yu mixed bathing? A: No. Sato no Yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://hakuba-happo-onsen.jp/dayuse/ https://hakuba-happo-onsen.jp/english/ https://hakuba-happo-onsen.jp/about/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/6438548172 ### Sawada Koen Rotenburo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/sawada-koen-rotenburo Type: Onsen Local name: 沢田公園露天風呂 (ja) Also known as: Sawada Park open-air bath, Sawada Park Rotenburo, Dogashima rotenburo Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Address: 静岡県賀茂郡西伊豆町仁科2817-1 Coordinates: 34.77730, 138.76560 Kind: Public bath Day visit: ¥600 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥600 and children aged 6 to 11 pay ¥200. Hours: Open 09:00 to 18:00 from October to February, to 19:00 in spring and September, and to 20:00 in summer. Closed on Wednesdays and in rough weather. Closed: Wednesdays, and in rough weather Water: The water is a sodium-calcium sulphate spring. Spring types: sodium-calcium sulphate spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. The Nishiizu tourism association publishes no tattoo rule. Bring: A towel. Soap and shampoo are not allowed. Address: 静岡県賀茂郡西伊豆町仁科2817-1 Price from: ¥600 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.nishiizu-kankou.com/spa/sawadapark Summary: Sawada Koen Rotenburo suits riders on the west Izu coast who want a cliff-top bath at sunset, and its small tubs fill fast at sundown. Sawada Koen's open-air bath sits on a sea cliff in Nishiizu, and the tourism association sells it on the sunset over Suruga Bay. Entry costs ¥600, and soap and shampoo are banned, so it is a rinse and a soak. In winter it closes at 18:00, which still catches the early sunset from November to January. Sawada sits on Route 136, the west coast road, a short way south of the Dogashima caves. The bath closes on Wednesdays and whenever the sea runs rough. Tips: - Arrive half an hour before sunset in winter, before the cliff tubs fill. Q: What time does Sawada Koen Rotenburo close in winter? A: From October to February it opens 09:00 to 18:00, closed on Wednesdays. Q: Can you visit Sawada Koen Rotenburo without staying the night? A: Yes. Sawada Koen Rotenburo sells day entry at ¥600 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Sawada Koen Rotenburo mixed bathing? A: No. Sawada Koen Rotenburo keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: How much does Sawada Koen Rotenburo cost? A: Prices at Sawada Koen Rotenburo start at ¥600 per adult (2026), about CAD 5.40 or USD 3.80 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Sawada Koen Rotenburo? A: Sawada Koen Rotenburo keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 09:00–18:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 09:00–18:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.nishiizu-kankou.com/spa/sawadapark https://nishiizu-kankou.com/spa/ ### Seki Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/seki-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 関温泉 (ja) Also known as: Seki, Seki Onsen Myoko, 関温泉 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: Sekiyama, Myoko, Niigata Coordinates: 36.90630, 138.16210 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Inn baths cost ¥500 to ¥800 for adults on Myoko Tourism's list updated in April 2026. Seki has no public day bathhouse. Hours: Each inn sets its own hours, between 9:00 and 18:00 on the April 2026 list. Nakamuraya and Asahiya close their outdoor baths in winter. Water: Sodium chloride and bicarbonate water from the Otagiri gorge above the village. It carries iron and turns reddish-brown as it sits, and locals say it keeps you warm long after you get out. Spring types: chloride spring, bicarbonate spring Colour: Clear at the source, turning reddish-brown Outdoor bath: Yes Tattoos: Not published. Myoko Tourism's list gives no tattoo rule for Seki's inns; ask each one. Bring: Bring a towel. Myoko Tourism says some places charge for one and some have none. Address: Sekiyama, Myoko, Niigata Price from: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Summary: Seki Onsen is the iron-rich hot spring above Akakura where small inns sell day baths from ¥500, and it suits skiers at the Seki Onsen ski area who want rust-coloured water without a bathhouse crowd; there is no public bath, so you depend on the inns' hours. Myoko Tourism counts Seki as the oldest of the mountain's seven spa villages, with bathing traced to the Kyoho era of the early 1700s. The water rises in the Otagiri gorge and carries enough iron to turn brown as it sits. Myoko Tourism names that reddish-brown as one of the colours on its Myoko Nagomi no Yu trail. You bathe at the inns. Nakamuraya and Asahiya charge ¥500, Tomiya ¥700 and Kyukamura Myoko ¥800 on the April 2026 list. Nakamuraya and Asahiya have outdoor baths, and both shut those in winter, which leaves indoor pools for the ski season. The Seki Onsen ski area starts at the edge of the village, and Tsubame Onsen's milky water lies a short drive further up the road. Tips: - Phone Nakamuraya or Tomiya first; the list marks both as 'confirm in advance'. - Asahiya cleans its bath on Monday mornings. Q: Does Seki Onsen have a public bath? A: No. Seki Onsen has no day bathhouse, and visitors use inn baths that cost ¥500 to ¥800 on Myoko Tourism's April 2026 list. Q: Why is Seki Onsen's water red? A: Seki Onsen's water carries iron, which turns it reddish-brown as it meets the air. Q: What are the opening hours of Seki Onsen? A: Seki Onsen: each inn sets its own hours, between 9:00 and 18:00 on the April 2026 list. Nakamuraya and Asahiya close their outdoor baths in winter. Q: How much does Seki Onsen cost? A: Prices at Seki Onsen start at ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://myokotourism.jp/onsen/ https://myokotourism.jp/onsen-yado-list https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11656127 ### Setoda Tarumi Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/setoda-tarumi-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 瀬戸田垂水温泉 (ja) Also known as: Tarumi Onsen, 垂水温泉 Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Setoda Address: 58-1 Tarumi, Setoda-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-2404 Coordinates: 34.28380, 133.07520 Kind: Ryokan Prices: The inn publishes no day-bathing price. Water: The inn describes a natural hot spring carrying radon and metasilicic acid, and calls it the only one on the island. Spring types: radon, metasilicic acid Address: 58-1 Tarumi, Setoda-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-2404 Website: https://tarumionsen.jp/ Summary: Setoda Tarumi Onsen suits riders who want natural hot-spring water on Ikuchijima with the sun going down over Sunset Beach, and the trade-off is that the inn publishes no day-bathing terms. Tarumi Onsen calls its bath the only natural hot spring on Ikuchijima, and the water carries radon and metasilicic acid. The inn faces the sand at Setoda Sunset Beach, where Shimanami Japan keeps one of its rental terminals. Its pages describe the bath for staying guests, so phone ahead if you hope to bathe without a room. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://tarumionsen.jp/ https://tarumionsen.jp/about.html https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/rental/terminal/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E7%80%AC%E6%88%B8%E7%94%B0%E7%94%BA%E5%9E%82%E6%B0%B458-1 ### Shibu Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/shibu-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 渋温泉 (ja) Also known as: Shibu, Shibu Onsen nine baths, kyuto meguri, Shibu O-yu, Shibu Oyu, 九湯めぐり, 渋大湯 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 36.73460, 138.43300 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Guests staying at any Shibu Onsen inn borrow a key and use all nine baths free. Day visitors may use only the ninth bath, Shibu O-yu, at ¥800 for adults and ¥500 for children in 2026. Hours: Day visitors can use Shibu O-yu from 10:00 to 17:00. Overnight guests can use all nine baths from 6:00 to 22:00, apart from cleaning times. Closed: Occasional closures of O-yu for repairs, posted on the ryokan association's news page Water: Each of the nine baths has its own source. Most are sodium-calcium sulphate-chloride springs that leave the ground between 50 and 86.5°C, and they reach the tubs unmixed and very hot. O-yu's water runs brown with iron. Spring types: sodium-calcium sulphate-chloride spring, sodium-calcium sulphide-sulphate spring Colour: Varies by bath: O-yu runs brown with iron, Wata-no-yu carries white flecks and Nanakuri-no-yu black ones Tattoos: Not published. The Shibu Onsen ryokan association publishes no tattoo rule for the nine soto-yu or for O-yu. Bring: Bring a bath towel and a tenugui. The baths have no showers, soap or lockers, so leave valuables at your inn. Price from: ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.shibuonsen.net/onsen/ Summary: Shibu Onsen is a lane of old inns with nine public baths, and it suits travellers who stay the night; day visitors get only the ninth bath, Shibu O-yu, for ¥800 (adults, 2026). Shibu's nine soto-yu belong to the people of the town, and every inn lends its guests a key that opens all of them for free. Guests walk between the baths in yukata and geta and press a stamp onto a prayer tenugui at each door. Locals call the round kyuto meguri. The circuit ends with a climb to Shibu Takayakushi, the temple hall above the town, and the ryokan association says finishing it washes away hardship and brings a long life. Each bath draws on its own source and carries its own cure in local lore. Hatsuyu, the first, is known as the stomach bath. Mearai-no-yu got its name from people bathing sore eyes, Take-no-yu is the one for gout, and Shinmeitaki-no-yu has a name as the bath for women hoping for children. The water is very hot, so the association warns of burns and asks you to cool a tub with the tap before getting in. Day visitors buy an O-yu ticket at the Shibu Onsen tourist information centre or at one of the inns near the bath, then have the door unlocked at a listed shop or inn. O-yu holds brown, iron-rich water and a steam room heated by the spring under the floor. Up on the roof sits a foot bath fed from the same source. Tips: - Plan Shibu around a night's stay if you want the nine-bath circuit; the key comes with a room at any inn in town. - Buy the prayer tenugui at your inn before setting out. - If a small tub is full, move on to another bath and come back later. Q: Can day visitors use Shibu Onsen's nine baths? A: No. Only guests staying at Shibu Onsen's inns can use all nine soto-yu. Day visitors can bathe at the ninth bath, Shibu O-yu, from 10:00 to 17:00 for ¥800 (adults, 2026). Q: How much does Shibu O-yu cost for a day visit? A: Shibu O-yu costs ¥800 for adults and ¥500 for children in 2026. Buy the ticket at the Shibu Onsen tourist information centre or a nearby inn, then have the door unlocked at a listed shop or inn. Q: Can I wash my hair at Shibu O-yu? A: No. Hair washing is banned at Shibu O-yu, and none of Shibu Onsen's nine baths supply shampoo or soap. Q: What are the opening hours of Shibu Onsen? A: Shibu Onsen keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–17:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shibuonsen.net/onsen/ https://www.shibuonsen.net/onsen/sotoyu/ https://www.shibuonsen.net/onsen/manner/ https://www.shibuonsen.net/guide/day-use-onsen/ https://shibuonsen.net/news/2211/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/12331062851 ### Shika no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/shika-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 鹿の湯 (ja) Also known as: Shikanoyu, Nasu Onsen Shika no Yu, Deer Bath Region: Tochigi and Nikko Prefecture: Tochigi Town: Nasu Address: 181 Yumoto, Nasu, Nasu District, Tochigi 325-0301 Coordinates: 37.08930, 140.00530 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Entry costs ¥500 for adults and ¥300 for primary school children. A seven-ticket book costs ¥2,800, and lockers cost ¥100 or ¥200. Hours: Open 8:00–18:00 with last entry at 17:30. It closes on some days for maintenance and posts each month's closures on its site. Closed: Open daily except posted maintenance days Water: A milky single acidic sulphur spring (hydrogen sulphide type) with a pH under 3, piped into separate tubs from 41 to 46 degrees. Spring types: acidic sulphur spring Colour: milky white Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Bring: Bring a towel or buy the souvenir towel for ¥400. Soap does not lather in this water and the bath bans it. Address: 181 Yumoto, Nasu, Nasu District, Tochigi 325-0301 Price from: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.shikanoyu.jp/ Summary: Shika no Yu suits bathers who want Nasu's oldest public bath with scalding milky sulphur water for ¥500, and with no outdoor pool and tubs up to 46 degrees it rewards patience more than lingering. The tourism site for Tochigi calls Shika no Yu the birthplace of Nasu Onsen, with about 1,390 years of history. The wooden bathhouse dates from the Meiji era and its entrance from Taisho. Inside, the milky water runs into separate tubs set at temperatures from 41 to 46 degrees, and boards on the wall explain how to bathe without overheating. Basho stopped here on the journey he wrote up as Oku no Hosomichi, and his verse stone stands by the Sessho-seki boulder up the lane. Bathe little and often, as the house rules suggest, and pick a cooler tub first. Tips: - Start in the 41-degree tub and work up; the hottest tubs hit 46 degrees. Q: How much is Shika no Yu in Nasu? A: Entry to Shika no Yu costs ¥500 for adults and ¥300 for primary school children. Q: Can you visit Shika no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Shika no Yu sells day entry at ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Shika no Yu mixed bathing? A: No. Shika no Yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Shika no Yu? A: Shika no Yu keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:00–18:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shikanoyu.jp/ https://www.shikanoyu.jp/time-charge/ https://www.shikanoyu.jp/hotspa/ https://www.tochigiji.or.jp/spot/s12764/ ### Shin-Hotaka no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/shin-hotaka-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 新穂高の湯 (ja) Also known as: Shinhotaka no Yu, Shin Hotaka river bath Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Shin-Hotaka Onsen Address: Shin-Hotaka Onsen, Kansaka, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1421 Status: seasonal. Open 18 April to 30 October in 2026; closed for winter from 31 October to late April. Coordinates: 36.26522, 137.56247 Kind: Public bath Day visit: ¥300 per person (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Prices: A cleaning contribution of about ¥300. Hours: 8:00 to 18:00 in season. Cleaned on Mondays and Fridays, and closed 13:00 to 15:00 on Mondays. Closes when the river runs high. Closed: Winter, from 31 October to late April Water: A simple spring in a pool beside the Kamata River. Spring types: simple spring Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: Yes Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. The Okuhida tourism association publishes no tattoo rule for Shin-Hotaka no Yu. Bring: A swimsuit or a yuami-gi bathing wrap. Higaku no Yu and Nakazaki Sanso sell wraps for ¥350, and the Okuhida training centre pool rents swimsuits for ¥3,000 a day with ¥2,500 back on return. Address: Shin-Hotaka Onsen, Kansaka, Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama, Gifu 506-1421 Price from: ¥300 per person (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://okuhida.or.jp/p/hot-spring/%e6%96%b0%e7%a9%82%e9%ab%98%e3%81%ae%e6%b9%af/ Summary: Shin-Hotaka no Yu suits bathers who want a riverside rotenburo in the gorge and do not mind wearing a swimsuit or wrap. The trade-off is that it is a mixed bath and closes for the winter. Shin-Hotaka no Yu sits beside the Kamata River, and it is the only mixed bath among Okuhida's day-use baths. The changing rooms are separate for men and women. After a decline in bathers' manners, everyone has had to wear a swimsuit or a bathing wrap since July 2025, and patrols check. It is lit up at night in the new-leaf season. Tips: - Plan around the cleaning on Monday and Friday, when the bath shuts from 13:00 to 15:00 on Mondays. Q: Is Shin-Hotaka no Yu mixed bathing? A: Yes. It is mixed, with separate changing rooms, and since July 2025 everyone must wear a swimsuit or a yuami-gi bathing wrap. Q: When is Shin-Hotaka no Yu open? A: From 18 April to 30 October in 2026, 8:00 to 18:00. It closes for winter from 31 October. Q: Can you visit Shin-Hotaka no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Shin-Hotaka no Yu sells day entry at ¥300 per person (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates). Q: How much does Shin-Hotaka no Yu cost? A: Prices at Shin-Hotaka no Yu start at about ¥300 per person (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://okuhida.or.jp/p/hot-spring/%e6%96%b0%e7%a9%82%e9%ab%98%e3%81%ae%e6%b9%af/ https://www.hidatakayama.or.jp/spot/detail_1720.html ### Shirahama Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/shirahama-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 南紀白浜温泉 (ja) Also known as: Nanki-Shirahama Onsen, Sakinoyu, Saki no Yu, 崎の湯, 白浜温泉 Region: Kansai Prefecture: Wakayama Town: Shirahama Address: 1668 Shirahama, Nishimuro District, Wakayama (Sakinoyu) Coordinates: 33.67580, 135.38700 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥500 per person (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Sakinoyu charges ¥500 for anyone aged 3 and over. Towels cost ¥200 and lockers ¥100. Hours: Sakinoyu opens 8:00 to 17:00 from October to March, 8:00 to 18:00 in spring and September, and 7:00 to 19:00 in July and August. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing, and the town may change hours or limit entry. Closed: Open every day, with closures for maintenance Water: Sakinoyu is a free-flowing sodium chloride spring fed from the Miyuki source. The town describes it as clear and moderately salty. Spring types: sodium chloride spring Colour: clear Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. The town's Sakinoyu page publishes no tattoo rule. Bring: Bring a towel or rent one for ¥200. Soap and shampoo are not allowed because the bathwater drains straight into the sea. Address: 1668 Shirahama, Nishimuro District, Wakayama (Sakinoyu) Price from: ¥500 per person (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.town.shirahama.wakayama.jp/kanko/onsen/1454046714439.html Summary: Shirahama's Sakinoyu suits riders who want a seaside soak in rock pools after the Wakayama coast, and its trade-off is an early closing time of 17:00 through the winter. Shirahama counts with Dogo and Arima as one of the three oldest hot springs in Japan, and the town traces it to Sakinoyu. The Nihon Shoki records Prince Arima visiting the spring in 657, and Empress Saimei came the following year. Its rock basins date back to the Manyo era, the town says, and they sit at the water's edge. The pools sit so close to the Pacific that spray reaches them on rough days. The town keeps the price at ¥500, and bathers rinse with hot water only. Plan a winter soak for early afternoon because the gate shuts at 17:00 from October to March. Tips: - The Meiko bus to Yuzaki takes about 15 minutes from Shirahama station, and the bath is a 5-minute walk from the stop. - Leave soap and shampoo in your bag; Sakinoyu drains into the sea and bans them. Q: How much does Sakinoyu in Shirahama cost? A: Sakinoyu costs ¥500 for anyone aged 3 and over. Towels cost ¥200 to rent. Q: What are Sakinoyu's winter hours? A: From October to March Sakinoyu opens from 8:00 to 17:00, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. Q: Can you visit Shirahama Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Shirahama Onsen sells day entry at ¥500 per person (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.town.shirahama.wakayama.jp/kanko/onsen/1454046714439.html https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11408352 ### Shirakawago no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/shirakawago-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 白川郷の湯 (ja) Also known as: Shirakawa-go no Yu, Shirakawago Onsen Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Shirakawa-go Address: 337 Ogimachi, Shirakawa-mura, Ono-gun, Gifu 501-5627 Coordinates: 36.26104, 136.90627 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates) Prices: ¥900 for adults and ¥500 for children aged 4 to 12; guests at a gassho house in Shirakawa-go get ¥100 off. Hours: Last entry 21:00. The sauna runs all day on weekends and holidays and from 15:00 on weekdays. Water: A natural hot spring inside the World Heritage village. Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. Shirakawago no Yu publishes no tattoo rule. Bring: A towel. Address: 337 Ogimachi, Shirakawa-mura, Ono-gun, Gifu 501-5627 Price from: ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: http://www.shirakawagou-onsen.jp/ Summary: Shirakawago no Yu suits a warm-up after a cold walk round Ogimachi, two minutes from the bus terminal. The trade-off is the ¥900 price. Shirakawago no Yu is a natural hot spring inside the Ogimachi World Heritage village, and its outdoor bath looks out over the Sho River. It opens from 7:00, so gassho minshuku guests can soak before breakfast, and it has a restaurant and its own inn. Q: Is there an onsen in Shirakawa-go village? A: Yes. Shirakawago no Yu is two minutes' walk from the bus terminal and costs ¥900 for adults; it opens 7:00 to 21:30. Q: Can you visit Shirakawago no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Shirakawago no Yu sells day entry at ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Shirakawago no Yu mixed bathing? A: No. Shirakawago no Yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: How much does Shirakawago no Yu cost? A: Prices at Shirakawago no Yu start at ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Shirakawago no Yu? A: Shirakawago no Yu keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 07:00–21:30. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/active/3/ https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/highlights/ http://www.shirakawagou-onsen.jp/ ### Shirasagi-no-Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/shirasagi-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 白鷺乃湯 (ja) Also known as: Shirasagi no Yu, Shirasaginoyu, 白鷺の湯 Region: Gifu and Hida Prefecture: Gifu Town: Gero Onsen Address: 856-1 Yunoshima, Gero, Gifu Coordinates: 35.80929, 137.24127 Kind: Public bath Day visit: ¥470 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.20 or USD 3 (October 2026 rates) Hours: Last entry 20:00. When Wednesday is a public holiday it closes on Friday instead. Closed: Wednesday Water: Gero's shared alkaline simple spring, pH 9.1, 55.6°C at the source and about 42°C in the tub. Spring types: alkaline simple spring Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. Shirasagi-no-Yu publishes no tattoo rule. Bring: A towel, soap and shampoo; none are provided, though they are sold at the counter. Cash only. Address: 856-1 Yunoshima, Gero, Gifu Price from: ¥470 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.20 or USD 3 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://gero-onsen.com/shirasagi-no-yu/ Summary: Shirasagi-no-Yu suits a cheap, old-fashioned soak in the middle of Gero for ¥470. The trade-off is that it has an indoor bath only. Shirasagi-no-Yu opened in 1926 in a white Romanesque-style building on the main street, and locals have bathed here ever since. You undress upstairs and walk down to a cypress tub big enough for ten, set on a tatami floor that is less slippery than tile. A ground-floor changing room serves bathers who cannot manage the stairs. Tips: - Buy the joint ticket with Kur Garden Rotenburo if you want an outdoor bath too. Q: How much is Shirasagi-no-Yu? A: ¥470 for adults, ¥180 for primary-school children and ¥100 for infants (2026). It opens 10:00 to 20:45 and closes on Wednesdays. Q: Can you visit Shirasagi-no-Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Shirasagi-no-Yu sells day entry at ¥470 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.20 or USD 3 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Shirasagi-no-Yu mixed bathing? A: No. Shirasagi-no-Yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Shirasagi-no-Yu? A: Shirasagi-no-Yu keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 10:00–20:45; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 10:00–20:45. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://gero-onsen.com/shirasagi-no-yu/ https://www.gero-spa.com/spot/detail_3.html https://www.gero-spa.com/spot/detail_9.html ### Shuzenji Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/shuzenji-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 修善寺温泉 (ja) Also known as: Shuzenji, Shuzenji hot spring, 修善寺 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shuzenji Address: 静岡県伊豆市修善寺 Coordinates: 34.97050, 138.92750 Kind: Onsen town Prices: The town itself costs nothing to walk. Hako-yu, the public bath, charges ¥700 an adult, and the foot baths by the river are free. Water: The town's springs are alkaline simple springs, the type the Izu city tourism page gives for Hako-yu. Spring types: alkaline simple spring Tattoos: Not published. Each ryokan and the public bath set their own rule, and the tourism association publishes no town-wide one. Bring: A small towel for the foot baths, since the river terraces supply none. Address: 静岡県伊豆市修善寺 Website: https://www.shuzenji-kankou.com/ Summary: Shuzenji Onsen suits riders who want an old temple town with hot water at the end of an Izu day, and its narrow lanes fill with day-trippers on autumn weekends. The tourism association calls Shuzenji one of the oldest hot spring towns in Izu, and the story starts with the monk Kukai, who is said to have founded Shuzen-ji temple in 807. The ryokan line the Shuzenji River, which most people call the Katsura, and the Bamboo Grove Path follows the water upstream from Tokko-no-yu past an old fire lookout. After dark the path stays lit until 23:00. Seven communal baths once stood along the river. In the decade after the war only Tokko-no-yu was left, and in 2002 the town opened Hako-yu, a timber bathhouse with a 12-metre lookout tower beside it, so visitors could bathe without staying at a ryokan. Two free foot baths sit by the river at Kawara-yu and the River Terrace Sugi-no-yu. Riders reach Shuzenji from Mishima on the Izuhakone Railway, and the Japan Cycle Sports Center sits on the hills north-east of town. That puts a ryokan bath within half an hour of the Shinkansen for a winter ride in Izu. Tips: - Park a bike at your ryokan before walking the river, because the lanes by Tokko-no-yu are narrow and busy with cars. - Guests of the ryokan in the Shuzenji Onsen ryokan union pay ¥350 at Hako-yu instead of ¥700. Q: Can you bathe in Tokko-no-yu at Shuzenji? A: No. The Shuzenji tourism association says Tokko-no-yu is not a licensed bath, so you cannot bathe or soak your feet in it. Use the free Kawara-yu foot bath next to it. Q: Is there a public bath in Shuzenji Onsen? A: Yes. Hako-yu, a short walk from Tokko-no-yu, takes day visitors from 10:00 to 21:00 for ¥700 an adult. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shuzenji-kankou.com/enjoy.html https://www.shuzenji-kankou.com/spa.html https://www.shuzenji-kankou.com/history-top.html https://kanko.city.izu.shizuoka.jp/sightseeing/hakoyu/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11386312 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/修善寺温泉 ### Naena no Yu (Suginohara Onsen) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/suginohara-naena-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 苗名の湯 (ja) Also known as: Naena no Yu, Naenanoyu, Suginohara Onsen, 杉野沢温泉, 苗名の湯 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: 2030 Suginosawa, Myoko, Niigata 949-2113 Coordinates: 36.85020, 138.16340 Kind: Public bath Day visit: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults (junior high and up) pay ¥500 and children ¥300; preschoolers go free. Myoko Tourism's page prints no year. Hours: 10:00–19:00, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Closed: Tuesdays and Wednesdays Water: Sodium, calcium and magnesium bicarbonate and chloride water that Myoko Tourism says cleans the skin well. Suginohara's spring opened in 1997 and is the newest on Mt. Myoko. Spring types: bicarbonate spring, chloride spring Mixed bathing: No Tattoos: Not published. Myoko Tourism's page gives no tattoo rule. Bring: Bring a towel. Body soap, shampoo and a dryer are provided, and the desk sells face towels for ¥200 and bath towels for ¥500. Address: 2030 Suginosawa, Myoko, Niigata 949-2113 Price from: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://sugi-kan.com Summary: Naena no Yu is the only hot-spring bath in Suginosawa village and costs ¥500 for adults. It suits skiers coming off Myoko Suginohara or hikers back from Sasagamine; it closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Suginosawa's spring is too new and too small to supply the inns, so the village built one public bath in the middle of town, and this is it. Myoko Tourism calls it the only hot spring you can use in Suginosawa. Soap, shampoo and a dryer come with the ¥500 entry, which makes it an easy stop after a day at Myoko Suginohara. Myoko Tourism singles out the view of Mt. Myoko across Suginosawa's rice fields. Tips: - Pack a towel; buying one at the desk costs ¥200 or ¥500. - Midweek skiers should note the Tuesday and Wednesday closure. Q: How much is Naena no Yu in Suginosawa? A: Naena no Yu costs ¥500 for adults, ¥300 for children, and preschoolers go free. Q: When is Naena no Yu closed? A: Naena no Yu closes every Tuesday and Wednesday and opens 10:00–19:00 on other days. Q: Can you visit Naena no Yu (Suginohara Onsen) without staying the night? A: Yes. Naena no Yu (Suginohara Onsen) sells day entry at ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://myokotourism.jp/tourist-spots/%E8%8B%97%E5%90%8D%E3%81%AE%E6%B9%AF/ https://myokotourism.jp/onsen/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/430911710 ### Sukayu Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/sukayu-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 酸ヶ湯温泉 (ja) Also known as: Sukayu, Sukayu Onsen Ryokan, Hiba Sennin-buro, Sennin-buro, Sukayu thousand-person bath, 酸ヶ湯温泉旅館, ヒバ千人風呂 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Aomori Address: 50 Sukayusawa, Arakawa Minami-Arakawayama Kokuyurin, Aomori, Aomori 030-0197 Coordinates: 40.64990, 140.85210 Kind: Ryokan Day visit: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Day bathing costs ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for primary-school children until 30 November 2026. From 1 December 2026 it rises to ¥1,500 for adults and ¥500 for children, preschoolers bathe free, and a rental bath towel and a face towel to keep come with the ticket. Tickets come from a cash-only machine. Hours: Until 30 November 2026 the mixed Sennin-buro takes day bathers from 7:00 to 18:00 (last entry 17:30), with 8:00–9:00 kept for women only, and the Tama-no-yu baths run from 9:00 to 17:00. From 1 December 2026 day bathing runs from 9:00 to 16:00 with last entry at 15:30, and the ticket covers both baths. The ryokan has not said whether the women-only hour continues for day visitors under the new times. Closed: 16–18 November 2026 for maintenance Water: All five of Sukayu's sources are acidic sulphur water that the ryokan classes as therapeutic. The Sennin-buro alone holds four different sources: a hot pool, a cooler pool, a mid-strength pool and a hot-water fall. The milky water smells strongly of sulphur. Spring types: acidic sulphur spring, acidic hydrogen sulphide spring Colour: milky white Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: Yes Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. Sukayu publishes no tattoo rule. Bring: From 1 December 2026 the ticket includes a rental bath towel and a face towel to take home. Bring cash for the ticket machine. Address: 50 Sukayusawa, Arakawa Minami-Arakawayama Kokuyurin, Aomori, Aomori 030-0197 Price from: ¥1,000 per adult (2026), about CAD 9 or USD 6.30 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://sukayu.jp/ Booking: https://www.489pro-x.com/en/s/sukayu/search/ Summary: Sukayu suits anyone who wants to bathe the way Japan's mountain spas have for 300 years, in one huge cypress hall; the main bath is mixed, so women who want privacy use the separate Tama-no-yu or the women-only hour. Sukayu has taken bathers since 1684, and in 1954 it became the first spa the government named a national health resort. Its centrepiece is the Hiba Sennin-buro, whose name means thousand-person bath. The 160-mat hall is built entirely of Aomori cypress and has no pillars in the bathing space. Four sources feed it. You move from the hot pool to the cooler one and stand under the hot-water fall at the end. The Sennin-buro is mixed, and men and women share the water. Sukayu rents yuami-gi bathing wraps to men and women for ¥500 and sells a women's wrap for ¥1,300, and wearing one is your choice. Until 30 November 2026 the hall keeps 8:00 to 9:00 for women only. Tama-no-yu is a smaller pair of separate men's and women's baths with similar milky water, and the women's side has showers. Day bathing changes on 1 December 2026. Hours shorten to 9:00–16:00 and the price goes to ¥1,500 with towels included, and day visitors can still use both baths and the rest lounge. Sukayu closes completely from 16 to 18 November 2026 for maintenance. Sukayu sits inside the Towada-Hachimantai National Park on an active volcano that JMA keeps at alert level 1. JMA's alert-level leaflet names the hot-spring buildings on Hakkoda's west side, near the Jigokunuma crater, as a zone that may need early evacuation if the volcano stirs. Bears live on these slopes too. After a bear attacked a man at the end of June 2026, the prefecture's special bear warning kept the Hakkoda trails closed until 31 July. The ryokan lends bear spray to hikers. Tips: - Come before 15:30 if you're day bathing after 1 December 2026, because the last ticket sells at that time. - Rent the yuami-gi at the shop counter if you want to try the mixed bath covered; home-made or store-bought wraps aren't allowed. Q: Is Sukayu Onsen a mixed bath? A: Yes. The Hiba Sennin-buro is mixed, and until 30 November 2026 it keeps 8:00–9:00 for women only. The separate Tama-no-yu baths split men and women. Q: Can I wear a towel or swimsuit in Sukayu's mixed bath? A: You can wear a yuami-gi bathing wrap, but only one Sukayu rents for ¥500 or sells for ¥1,300. Wraps brought from home aren't allowed. Q: How much is day bathing at Sukayu Onsen? A: ¥1,000 for adults until 30 November 2026. From 1 December 2026 it costs ¥1,500 with towels included, from 9:00 to 16:00. Q: What are the opening hours of Sukayu Onsen? A: Sukayu Onsen keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 07:00–18:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://sukayu.jp/ https://sukayu.jp/facility/ https://sukayu.jp/information1/ https://sukayu.jp/information2/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/203.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/filing/level/PDF/level_203.pdf https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E9%85%B8%E3%83%B6%E6%B9%AF https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7635737 ### Takaragawa Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/takaragawa-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 宝川温泉 (ja) Also known as: Takaragawa, Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku, Takaragawa Sanso, 宝川温泉 汪泉閣, 宝川山荘, Takaragawa rotenburo Region: Gunma Prefecture: Gunma Town: Minakami Address: 1899 Fujiwara, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma 379-1721 Coordinates: 36.84775, 139.04783 Kind: Ryokan Day visit: ¥1,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Day entry through Takaragawa Sanso costs ¥1,500 for anyone of middle-school age or older and ¥1,000 for primary-school children, with preschoolers free. The price includes the bath's own bathing wear. A bath towel rents for ¥100 and a face towel sells for ¥200. Hours: Day visitors enter through Takaragawa Sanso, 10:00–16:30 with last entry at 16:00, for up to four hours. The inn suggests arriving by about 15:00. The outdoor pools and garden open every day, and the inn closed for 1–3 September 2026 and has closed for electrical work on 30 June in past notices. Water: Four wells feed the pools so freely that they run as kake-nagashi, with the water flowing straight through. Inn guests also have two indoor baths, Tono-yu and Hime-yu, open 24 hours. Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: Yes Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. Takaragawa Onsen publishes no tattoo rule on its Japanese or English pages. Ask the inn on 0278-75-2611 before you go. Bring: The day fee includes Takaragawa's own bathing wear. You cannot wear bathing wear you bring yourself. Address: 1899 Fujiwara, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma 379-1721 Price from: ¥1,500 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.50 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.takaragawa.com/ Summary: Takaragawa Onsen suits couples and families who want to bathe together in huge riverside pools in the snow, with bathing wear provided for everyone, and it sits at the end of a mountain road a long way above Minakami. Takaragawa is a single inn at the top of the Tone River system, and its four outdoor pools spread along both banks of the Takaragawa, with a suspension bridge from the inn to the pools. Together they cover about 470 tatami mats. Kodakara-no-yu, at 200 mats, has the Hotaka shrine set in its roof. Maka-no-yu, at 120 mats, is the pool that appears on the posters, and Hannya-no-yu, at 50, has a shallow half where children can sit. The three big pools are mixed, and the inn hands everyone bathing wear so men and women can share them comfortably. Maya-no-yu was built in 1970 after women asked for a pool of their own, and it stays women-only at 100 mats. The inn marks its 100th year on its front page. Day visitors use Takaragawa Sanso, a separate building with its own indoor baths, a hall for about 100 people to rest and a canteen cooking kamameshi to order and grilled iwana until 15:30. Arrive before 15:00 to get your four hours in. A trail behind the main building climbs about 30 minutes to a lookout. Tips: - Book the courtesy car when you book a room; it meets guests at a set afternoon time. - Bring a bag for wet bathing wear if you are staying, or hand it back at the desk on a day visit. Q: Is Takaragawa Onsen mixed bathing? A: Yes. Three of its four outdoor pools are mixed, and the inn provides bathing wear for men and women. Maya-no-yu is a women-only pool. Q: How much is a day visit to Takaragawa Onsen? A: Day entry costs ¥1,500 from middle-school age and ¥1,000 for primary-school children, including bathing wear. Preschoolers enter free. Q: Can I bring my own swimsuit to Takaragawa? A: No. Takaragawa asks everyone to wear the bathing wear it provides, and it does not allow bathing wear you bring yourself. Q: Does Takaragawa Onsen allow tattoos? A: Takaragawa does not publish a tattoo rule, so call the inn on 0278-75-2611 before you visit. Q: What are the opening hours of Takaragawa Onsen? A: Takaragawa Onsen keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–16:30. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.takaragawa.com/sp/onsen.html https://www.takaragawa.com/sp/facilities.html https://www.takaragawa.com/sp/dayuse.html https://www.takaragawa.com/sp/ https://www.takaragawa.com/higaeri.html https://www.takaragawa.com/kotu.html https://www.takaragawa.com/english.html https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/688114481 ### Takegawara Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/takegawara-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 竹瓦温泉 (ja) Also known as: Takegawara, Takegawara sand bath, 竹瓦温泉 砂湯 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Oita Town: Beppu Address: 16-23 Motomachi, Beppu, Oita 874-0944 Coordinates: 33.27750, 131.50600 Kind: Public bath Day visit: ¥300 per adult (2025), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The ordinary bath costs ¥300 from junior high school age and ¥100 for younger children, and the sand bath costs ¥1,500 from age six. The city last updated these prices on its page in November 2025. Shampoo sets and towels are on sale at the counter. Hours: The sand bath runs from 8:00 to 22:30 with last entry at 21:30, and takes up to eight people at a time, so expect a wait at busy times. The sand bath takes no bookings of any kind. Closed: Third Wednesday of the month (the next day when that is a holiday) Water: Both tubs and the sand bath run straight from the source with no recirculation. The men's bath is a chloride spring and the women's a sodium bicarbonate spring, and the city swaps the two for a week now and then so you can try the other. Spring types: sodium-calcium-magnesium chloride-bicarbonate spring, sodium bicarbonate spring Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Welcome. Beppu City's official tourism site lists Takegawara Onsen as tattoo-friendly. Bring: Bring a towel and soap, or buy them at the counter. Washing bowls are free. Address: 16-23 Motomachi, Beppu, Oita 874-0944 Price from: ¥300 per adult (2025), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.city.beppu.oita.jp/sisetu/shieionsen/detail4.html Summary: Takegawara suits anyone who wants Beppu's public bath at its most traditional, a short walk from the station, and the sand bath often has a queue. Takegawara opened in 1879 with a bamboo roof, and the name comes from the bamboo and the tiles that replaced it. The present building dates from 1938, with a curved karahafu gable over the entrance that has become a symbol of Beppu's hot springs. Inside, the high-ceilinged lobby still looks much as it did in the early Showa years. The famous part is the sand bath. You put on a yukata and lie down, and an attendant heaps sand warmed by the hot spring over you. The ordinary baths are plain city-run tubs, open from 6:30 in the morning until 22:30. Tips: - The sand bath opens at 8:00. Come then if you want the shortest wait. Q: Can you go into Takegawara Onsen with tattoos? A: Yes. Beppu City's official tourism site lists Takegawara Onsen as tattoo-friendly. Q: How much is the sand bath at Takegawara Onsen? A: The sand bath costs ¥1,500 from age six, and it runs from 8:00 with last entry at 21:30. It takes no bookings, so you queue at the counter. Q: Can you visit Takegawara Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Takegawara Onsen sells day entry at ¥300 per adult (2025), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Takegawara Onsen? A: Takegawara Onsen keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 06:30–22:30. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.city.beppu.oita.jp/sisetu/shieionsen/detail4.html https://beppu-tourism.com/onsen/takegawara-onsen/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11599290 ### Tamatsukuri Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/tamatsukuri-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 玉造温泉 (ja) Also known as: Tamatsukuri, Tamatsukuri Onsen Yuyu, 玉造温泉ゆ～ゆ Region: San'in and Tottori Prefecture: Shimane Town: Matsue Coordinates: 35.41630, 133.01000 Kind: Onsen town Prices: Visit Matsue lists day bathing at most inns for ¥500 to ¥1,600, and adult entry to Tamatsukuri Onsen Yuyu at ¥600. Its page carries no date, so confirm at the desk. Hours: Visit Matsue gives Yuyu's hours as 10:00 to 22:00 with last entry at 21:20, closed Mondays or the following day after a holiday. Closed: Yuyu: Mondays Water: Visit Matsue says the water is known for its effect on the skin; the Izumo fudoki of 733 already describes the gods bathing here. Tattoos: Not published. No tattoo rule is published for Yuyu or the inns as a group. Bring: A small bottle if you want to take onsen water home from the Yuyakushi square; empty sprays sell there for ¥200. Summary: Tamatsukuri Onsen suits travellers who want one of Japan's oldest hot springs a short ride from Matsue, and day-bathing prices change from inn to inn. Tamatsukuri Onsen lines the Tamayu River south of Lake Shinji, and the Izumo fudoki of 733 already records it. The river runs under about 400 cherry trees that flower from late March to mid April. Two free foot baths sit along the river and a third on Himegami Square. Tamatsukuri means bead making, and agate magatama have come from here since ancient times. The Izumo Tamatsukuri Historical Park above the town holds the largest remains of bead workshops found in Japan. Q: Can you visit Tamatsukuri Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Tamatsukuri Onsen sells day entry. Q: What are the opening hours of Tamatsukuri Onsen? A: Tamatsukuri Onsen: visit Matsue gives Yuyu's hours as 10:00 to 22:00 with last entry at 21:20, closed Mondays or the following day after a holiday. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.visit-matsue.com/discover/outer_matsue/south_of_lake_shinji https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3514711 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3611066 ### Tenzan Tohji-kyo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/tenzan-tohji-kyo Type: Onsen Local name: 天山湯治郷 (ja) Also known as: Tenzan, Tenzan Onsen, Tenzan Tojikyo, 天山 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Kanagawa Town: Hakone Address: 神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町湯本茶屋208 Coordinates: 35.22590, 139.08820 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥1,450 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥1,450 and children ¥700, with taxes included. Tenzan takes cash only. Hours: Open 09:00 to 23:00 with last entry at 22:00, every day except about five days in mid-December. Closed: About five days in mid-December Water: Tenzan pipes water from seven of its own sources, about 347 litres a minute in all. Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Welcome. Tenzan admits a person with a tattoo only if they come alone. If two or more tattooed people are inside, even separately, they are asked to leave. Bring: Cash, and a light layer to wear in the lounges. Address: 神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町湯本茶屋208 Price from: ¥1,450 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.20 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.tenzan.jp/ Summary: Tenzan suits riders who want a quiet soak after Hakone's climbs and need a bath that takes a tattoo, and it admits tattooed bathers only one at a time. Tenzan Tohji-kyo sits up the Sukumo valley above Hakone-Yumoto and calls itself a tohjiba, a place to rest and recover, which explains the house rules. It takes no groups over about six adults and no tour parties, and nobody can book. Adults pay ¥1,450 in cash. Tenzan is one of the few Hakone baths that takes tattoos, on one condition: only one tattooed person can be inside at a time, so two friends with tattoos cannot go together. The baths include an indoor bath, the Miharashi-yu and rock baths fed by seven of Tenzan's own sources. The café makes its coffee with spring water from source No. 74. Tips: - Come on a weekday morning after 09:00, before the Yumoto day crowd arrives. Q: Does Tenzan in Hakone allow tattoos? A: Yes, for one person at a time. Tenzan does not refuse a tattooed bather who comes alone, but turns away two or more tattooed people inside together. Q: How much is Tenzan? A: Adults pay ¥1,450 and children ¥700, cash only. Q: Can you visit Tenzan Tohji-kyo without staying the night? A: Yes. Tenzan Tohji-kyo sells day entry at ¥1,450 per adult (2026), about CAD 13 or USD 9.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Tenzan Tohji-kyo mixed bathing? A: No. Tenzan Tohji-kyo keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Tenzan Tohji-kyo? A: Tenzan Tohji-kyo keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–23:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tenzan.jp/ https://www.tenzan.jp/tenzan/ https://www.tenzan.jp/point/ https://www.tenzan.jp/qa/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町湯本茶屋208 ### Tokaikan Bath URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/tokaikan-bath Type: Onsen Local name: 東海館 お風呂 (ja) Also known as: Tokaikan, Ito Tokaikan, 東海館 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Ito Address: 静岡県伊東市東松原町12-10 Coordinates: 34.97170, 139.09710 Kind: Public bath Day visit: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥500 and children ¥300. Children under three bathe free once out of nappies. Hours: The bath opens only on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, 11:00 to 19:00. Men and women swap between the large and small baths through the day: men take the large bath 11:00 to 12:45 and 15:00 to 16:45, and women 13:00 to 14:45 and 17:00 to 19:00. Closed: Weekdays, except public holidays Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. The Ito tourism page publishes no tattoo rule for the Tokaikan bath. Bring: Bring a towel and soap. Address: 静岡県伊東市東松原町12-10 Price from: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.itospa.com/spa/detail_54227.html Summary: Tokaikan's bath suits weekend visitors who want to soak inside an old wooden ryokan building, and it opens only on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Tokaikan is an old timber ryokan on the Matsukawa River that the city now runs as a cultural building. Its large bath is tiled from floor to walls, and the water pours from a dark lion-head spout by the sculptor Morita Toko. The two baths swap between men and women through the afternoon, so check the time on the door. The bath only opens at weekends and on holidays, from 11:00 to 19:00. That timing suits a Saturday ride down the east coast on Route 135, with a soak before the train back from Ito station seven minutes away. On weekdays Wada Jurojin no Yu, one of Ito's seven public baths, takes bathers for ¥400. Tips: - Pair the bath with a walk through the building's upper floors, which the city opens as a museum. Q: Can you bathe at Tokaikan in Ito? A: Yes, on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 11:00 to 19:00. Adults pay ¥500. Q: Can you visit Tokaikan Bath without staying the night? A: Yes. Tokaikan Bath sells day entry at ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: How much does Tokaikan Bath cost? A: Prices at Tokaikan Bath start at ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Tokaikan Bath? A: Tokaikan Bath keeps these hours: Mon–Fri closed; Sat–Sun 11:00–19:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.itospa.com/spa/detail_54227.html https://www.itospa.com/spa/index.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/東海館 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=静岡県伊東市東松原町12-10 ### Tokko-no-yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/tokko-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 独鈷の湯 (ja) Also known as: Tokko no Yu, Tokkonoyu, Tokko-no-Yu, とっこの湯 Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Shuzenji Address: 静岡県伊豆市修善寺 Coordinates: 34.97040, 138.92760 Kind: Wild Day visit: Guests only Prices: Tokko-no-yu is free to look at, and the Kawara-yu foot bath beside it is free too. Outdoor bath: Yes Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. Nobody bathes here, so no rule applies. The tourism association publishes none for the nearby foot baths. Bring: A small towel if you plan to use the Kawara-yu foot bath next to it. Address: 静岡県伊豆市修善寺 Website: https://www.shuzenji-kankou.com/enjoy.html Summary: Tokko-no-yu suits anyone who wants to see the spring Shuzenji grew from, and you can only look at it, since bathing and foot-soaking are both banned. Tokko-no-yu is the small pavilion over a spring in the middle of the Katsura River, and the town treats it as the place Shuzenji Onsen began. The legend says Kukai saw a boy washing his sick father in the cold river, struck the rock with his tokko, a Buddhist ritual tool, and brought up hot water. The tourism association now says the spring is not a licensed bath, so you may not bathe in it or dip your feet. For a soak, walk a few steps to Kawara-yu, a free foot bath for six in the pocket park in front of Tokko-no-yu. The River Terrace Sugi-no-yu, a little upstream, seats ten at tables, and the Bamboo Grove Path starts beside it. Some older guides and Japanese Wikipedia still describe Tokko-no-yu itself as a free foot bath, which the official page now contradicts. Tips: - Come after dark, when the Bamboo Grove Path and the river are lit and the day-trippers have gone. Q: Can you put your feet in Tokko-no-yu? A: No. The Shuzenji tourism association says Tokko-no-yu cannot be used for bathing or as a foot bath. The free Kawara-yu foot bath sits right in front of it. Q: Can you visit Tokko-no-yu without staying the night? A: No. The baths at Tokko-no-yu are for staying guests only. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.shuzenji-kankou.com/enjoy.html https://www.shuzenji-kankou.com/spa.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/独鈷の湯 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11571712 ### Toshichi Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/toshichi-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 藤七温泉 彩雲荘 (ja) Also known as: Toshichi Onsen Saiunso, Toushichi Onsen, Saiunso, 藤七温泉, 彩雲荘 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Iwate Address: Kitanomata Kokuyurin, Matsuo-Yoriki, Hachimantai, Iwate Status: seasonal. The inn closes for winter in late October, when the Hachimantai roads close, and reopens in late April. Coordinates: 39.94180, 140.86150 Kind: Ryokan Day visit: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Day bathing costs ¥700 for adults and ¥350 for primary-school children and younger. Hachimantai's tourism association still lists ¥650, so expect the inn's own figure at the door. Hours: Day bathers can use the baths from 8:00 to 17:00 while the inn is open, from late April to late October. Staying guests can bathe around the clock. Closed: Late October to late April Water: Simple sulphur water comes out of the ground at 91°C and goes into every tub without dilution or recirculation. Mud settles on the pool floors and bathers use it as a face pack. Spring types: simple sulphur spring Colour: milky white Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: Yes Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. Toshichi Onsen publishes no tattoo rule. Bring: Bring cash and a towel. The inn sells large bath towels women can wrap themselves in for the mixed pools, and you can wear your own yuami-gi. Address: Kitanomata Kokuyurin, Matsuo-Yoriki, Hachimantai, Iwate Price from: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://toushichi.com/ Booking: https://saiunso.rwiths.net/r-withs/tfi0010a.do Summary: Toshichi suits hikers and drivers on the Hachimantai Aspite Line who want a milky open-air soak at 1,400 metres; it opens only from late April to late October and the main outdoor pools are mixed. Toshichi Onsen Saiunso is a single inn at 1,400 metres on the Hachimantai plateau, and it calls itself the highest hot spring in Tohoku. The open-air pools look across to Mt. Iwate, and on some mornings the inn sits above a sea of cloud. The source comes out at 91°C and the inn runs it straight into the tubs. It also has no mains power or phone line, so a generator runs the lights. The large outdoor pools are mixed. The inn keeps them for women from 19:30 to 20:30, sells large towels women can wrap in, and lets bathers wear their own yuami-gi. A walled women-only pool sits beyond the mixed area. Men's and women's indoor baths and a guests-only pair of outdoor pools fill out the rest. In spring the Jukai Line runs between snow walls more than 8 metres high, and in autumn the leaves on the plateau turn from mid-September. Day bathers pay ¥700 between 8:00 and 17:00. The inn closes in late October and reopens with the roads in late April. Tips: - Stay away from the Oku-Toshichi pools above the inn. The inn bans bathing there because scalding water bursts through the ground. - Check the Hachimantai road status before you drive. In October 2026 a landslide had closed part of the Jukai Line between the Matsukawa and Horaikyo gates. Q: When is Toshichi Onsen open? A: From late April to late October. Day bathing runs from 8:00 to 17:00. Q: Is Toshichi Onsen a mixed bath? A: The main open-air pools are mixed, with 19:30–20:30 kept for women. There is also a walled women-only outdoor pool and separate indoor baths. Q: How much does Toshichi Onsen cost? A: Prices at Toshichi Onsen start at ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://toushichi.com/ https://toushichi.com/onsen/ https://toushichi.com/rooms-facilities/ https://www.data-space.site/kankou/onsen/search.cgi?mode=list https://www.hachimantai.co.jp/winter/backcountry/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E8%97%A4%E4%B8%83%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11622635 ### Tsubame Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/tsubame-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 燕温泉 (ja) Also known as: Tsubame, Tsubame Hot Spring, 燕温泉 河原の湯, Kawara no Yu, 河原の湯 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: Sekiyama Tsubame Onsen, Myoko, Niigata 949-2235 Status: seasonal. Kawara no Yu reopened in September 2024 after a bridge on the path collapsed; the crossing is a temporary bridge. Coordinates: 36.90210, 138.14620 Kind: Onsen town Prices: The two wild baths, Kogane no Yu and Kawara no Yu, are free. Hotel Iwatoya charges ¥800 at weekends and Hotel Hanabun ¥600 to ¥1,200 on Myoko Tourism's April 2026 list. Hours: The wild baths open from sunrise to sunset in the snow-free months and close on Monday and Friday mornings for cleaning. Kawara no Yu closes from about November to June. Closed: Wild baths closed in winter under snow Water: Milky white sulphur water with floating white flakes, listed by Myoko Tourism as a sulphur-bearing sodium and calcium bicarbonate, sulphate and chloride spring. Spring types: sulphur spring, bicarbonate spring, sulphate spring, chloride spring Colour: Milky white Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: Yes Tattoos: Not published. No rule is posted for the free wild baths or the two hotels on Myoko Tourism's pages. Bring: Bring a towel and a bag for wet things. Myoko Tourism says rubber boots are a must when Kogane no Yu opens with snow still on the ground. Address: Sekiyama Tsubame Onsen, Myoko, Niigata 949-2235 Price band: ¥ Summary: Tsubame Onsen is Myoko's highest hot spring at about 1,100 m, with milky sulphur water and two free wild baths, and it suits hikers coming off Mt. Myoko between late spring and early November; the wild baths shut for winter under snow. A few inns stand at the trailhead for Mt. Myoko here, and Myoko Tourism calls the village the highest of the mountain's seven spa villages. Legend credits the monk Kobo Daishi with finding the water. The tourism office also repeats the story that warlord Uesugi Kenshin bathed here in secret. Kogane no Yu sits ten minutes from the car park with separate pools for men and women. Kawara no Yu draws more people. It is a mixed rock pool beside the river about fifteen minutes down the gorge, and it stayed closed for years after the bridge on the path fell until it reopened in September 2024 over a temporary crossing. Both wild baths are free and both close on Monday and Friday mornings for cleaning. The prefecture's guide gives Kogane no Yu from April and Kawara no Yu from July. Myoko Tourism adds that dates move with the snow, so ring the Myoko Kogen tourist office before a spring trip. Tips: - From 1 October to 30 November 2026 the Tsubame Onsen trailhead trials a voluntary digital entry fee paid through the YAMAP app; Myoko City spends it on ptarmigan protection and trail work. Q: Are Tsubame Onsen's wild baths free? A: Yes. Tsubame Onsen's Kogane no Yu and Kawara no Yu cost nothing to use. Q: Is Kawara no Yu at Tsubame Onsen mixed bathing? A: Yes. Kawara no Yu is a mixed outdoor bath; Kogane no Yu next to the village has separate pools for men and women. Q: Can you bathe at Tsubame Onsen in winter? A: Not in the wild baths, which close under snow. Hotel Iwatoya and Hotel Hanabun list day bathing, and Hanabun's outdoor bath is closed in winter. Q: What are the opening hours of Tsubame Onsen? A: Tsubame Onsen: the wild baths open from sunrise to sunset in the snow-free months and close on Monday and Friday mornings for cleaning. Kawara no Yu closes from about November to June. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://myokotourism.jp/onsen/ https://myokotourism.jp/tourist-spots/%E9%BB%84%E9%87%91%E3%81%AE%E6%B9%AF/ https://myokotourism.jp/tourist-spots/%E6%B2%B3%E5%8E%9F%E3%81%AE%E6%B9%AF/ https://myokotourism.jp/onsen-yado-list https://myokotourism.jp/news/%e7%87%95%e6%b8%a9%e6%b3%89%e7%99%bb%e5%b1%b1%e5%8f%a3%e3%81%a7%e3%81%ae%e3%83%87%e3%82%b8%e3%82%bf%e3%83%ab%e5%85%a5%e5%9f%9f%e6%96%99%e5%ae%9f%e8%a8%bc%e5%ae%9f%e9%a8%93%e3%81%ab%e3%81%a4%e3%81%84/ https://niigata-kankou.or.jp/spot/11635 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11569271 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1204885603 ### Kogane no Yu (Tsubame Onsen) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/tsubame-onsen-kogane-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 黄金の湯 (ja) Also known as: Kogane no Yu, Koganenoyu, Ogon no Yu, Tsubame Onsen Kogane no Yu, 黄金の湯 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Address: Sekiyama Tsubame Onsen, Myoko, Niigata 949-2235 Status: seasonal. The prefecture's guide lists April to November, and Myoko Tourism says the dates shift with the snow. Coordinates: 36.90270, 138.14390 Kind: Wild Prices: Free. Hours: Sunrise to sunset in the snow-free months. Monday and Friday mornings are kept for cleaning, and Myoko Tourism does not say what hour the bath reopens. Closed: Closed in winter under snow Water: Milky white sulphur water from the Tsubame Onsen source, with white flakes floating in it. Spring types: sulphur spring Colour: Milky white Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. No rule is posted for this free bath. Bring: A towel, a bag for wet things and rubber boots in the snowmelt weeks, which Myoko Tourism calls a must. Address: Sekiyama Tsubame Onsen, Myoko, Niigata 949-2235 Price band: ¥ Summary: Kogane no Yu is the free outdoor bath at Tsubame Onsen with separate pools for men and women, and it suits walkers on Mt. Myoko from spring to autumn who want milky sulphur water in the open air; it is closed in winter. The pools sit ten minutes above the village car park, and Myoko Tourism says the fresh green of early summer and the autumn colour bring crowds. Locals have long bathed here for nerve pain, rheumatism, skin trouble and stomach complaints. Expect slush on the path when the bath first opens in spring; the tourism office says rubber boots are essential then. On Monday and Friday mornings the pools are drained and cleaned. Tips: - Come on a weekday morning outside Monday and Friday for the emptiest pools. Q: Is Kogane no Yu at Tsubame Onsen mixed bathing? A: No. Kogane no Yu has separate pools for men and women. Q: When does Kogane no Yu open? A: Kogane no Yu opens from sunrise to sunset once the snow clears, from about April to November, and closes on Monday and Friday mornings for cleaning. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://myokotourism.jp/tourist-spots/%E9%BB%84%E9%87%91%E3%81%AE%E6%B9%AF/ https://myokotourism.jp/onsen/ https://niigata-kankou.or.jp/spot/11635 https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/3786002487 ### Tsurunoyu Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/tsurunoyu-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 鶴の湯温泉 (ja) Also known as: Tsurunoyu, Tsuru no Yu, Tsuru-no-yu, Tsurunoyu Nyuto, 鶴の湯 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Akita Address: 50 Sendatsuzawa Kokuyurin, Tazawa, Tazawako, Semboku, Akita 014-1204 Coordinates: 39.80510, 140.78010 Kind: Ryokan Day visit: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Day bathing costs ¥700 for adults and ¥300 for children, and towels sell for ¥200. From November 2026 a night with dinner and breakfast costs ¥11,700 to ¥24,350 a person for two sharing, starting in Building No. 2, and each room pays a winter heating charge of ¥1,320. The inn takes Visa and Mastercard only. Hours: Day bathing runs from 10:00 to 15:00. It stops every Monday for cleaning, and when Monday is a holiday the nearest weekday takes its place. Closed: Mondays for day bathing Water: Four sources rise within 50 metres of each other: Shiro-yu, Kuro-yu, Naka-no-yu and Taki-no-yu. They look alike and feel different. Shiro-yu is sulphur-bearing sodium-calcium chloride and bicarbonate water. Spring types: sulphur spring, sodium chloride spring, sodium bicarbonate spring Colour: milky white Outdoor bath: Yes Tattoos: Not published. Tsurunoyu publishes no tattoo rule. Bring: Bring a towel or buy one for ¥200, and carry cash or a Visa or Mastercard. Coin lockers by the Building No. 2 entrance take valuables. Address: 50 Sendatsuzawa Kokuyurin, Tazawa, Tazawako, Semboku, Akita 014-1204 Price from: ¥700 per adult (2026), about CAD 6.30 or USD 4.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.tsurunoyu.com/ Summary: Tsurunoyu suits travellers who want the oldest inn at Nyuto Onsen and its four milky springs; it fills with day visitors from 10:00 to 15:00, so the quietest soak belongs to overnight guests. Tsurunoyu is the oldest of the Nyuto inns. The second lord of the Akita domain, Satake Yoshitaka, came here to bathe in 1638, and records show the inn taking ordinary guests from the Genroku era around 1700. The thatched Honjin building housed the lord's guards and is the one on every poster. Every few decades thatchers from Jindai Umezawa re-roof it with susuki grass cut in Obonai. Four different springs rise within 50 metres here, and the inn names them Shiro-yu, Kuro-yu, Naka-no-yu and Taki-no-yu. Day visitors pay ¥700 and bathe from 10:00 to 15:00. The inn closes the baths to them on Mondays for cleaning. Overnight guests eat yam hotpot and char grilled at the irori hearth. The Yamanoyado annex stands a kilometre away in a new timber building made for heavy snow. Its rooms have their own toilets and baths, and a free bus takes its guests to the main baths. In winter both buildings add a heating charge to the room price. Tips: - Pay with cash, Visa or Mastercard; the inn takes no other cards. Q: How much is day bathing at Tsurunoyu Onsen? A: ¥700 for adults and ¥300 for children, from 10:00 to 15:00. Day bathing stops on Mondays. Q: Can I bring a towel into the bath at Tsurunoyu? A: No. The inn doesn't allow towels in any of its baths. Q: What are the opening hours of Tsurunoyu Onsen? A: Tsurunoyu Onsen keeps these hours: Tue–Sun 10:00–15:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.tsurunoyu.com/english.html https://www.tsurunoyu.com/FONDMENT/t-onsen.html https://www.tsurunoyu.com/FONDMENT/t-annai.html https://www.tsurunoyu.com/FONDMENT/t-heya.html https://tazawako-kakunodate.com/en/spots/6981/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11675866 ### Unazuki Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/unazuki-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 宇奈月温泉 (ja) Also known as: Unazuki, Yumedokoro Unazuki, 湯めどころ宇奈月, Unazuki Onsen Sou-yu Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Toyama Town: Unazuki Onsen Address: 256-11 Unazuki Onsen, Kurobe, Toyama 938-0282 (Yumedokoro Unazuki public bath) Coordinates: 36.81708, 137.58153 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥510 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.60 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The public bath charges ¥510 for high-school age and up and ¥250 for primary and junior-high pupils. Inn day baths cost more. Hours: Yumedokoro Unazuki opens 9:00–22:00 with last entry at 21:00. Closed: Yumedokoro Unazuki closes on the fourth Tuesday of each month Water: Clear, weakly alkaline simple spring piped from Kuronagi Onsen up the gorge. The source runs at 87.8°C and gives about 3,000 tonnes a day, and the town promotes it as one of the clearest hot springs in Japan. Spring types: simple spring, alkaline Colour: Clear Outdoor bath: Yes Private baths: Yes, to book Tattoos: Not published. Neither the public bath nor the town's cooperative publishes a tattoo rule; ask at the counter. Address: 256-11 Unazuki Onsen, Kurobe, Toyama 938-0282 (Yumedokoro Unazuki public bath) Price from: ¥510 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.60 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.unazuki-onsen.com/ Summary: Unazuki Onsen suits couples and families who want a clear, gentle bath beside the Kurobe Gorge with a ¥510 public bathhouse in town, and its trade-off is a quiet winter once the gorge railway stops. Unazuki has piped its water down from Kuronagi Onsen since it opened in 1923. The source runs at about 88°C, and the weakly alkaline water comes out clear enough that the town calls it among the clearest in Japan. Ten inns belong to the town's cooperative, and most of them look into the gorge. The public bath Yumedokoro Unazuki has a third-floor open-air bath and the town's tourist information desk on the ground floor. Foot baths sit at the station and at Omokage in the town. Walking tours of the hot-spring town start from the public bath at 10:30 and 13:00. Tips: - Day bathing at the inns depends on how full they are, so ring ahead in October and November. Q: Can you visit Unazuki Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Unazuki Onsen sells day entry at ¥510 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.60 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: How much does Unazuki Onsen cost? A: Prices at Unazuki Onsen start at ¥510 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.60 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Unazuki Onsen? A: Unazuki Onsen keeps these hours: Daily 09:00–22:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.unazuki-onsen.com/about https://www.unazuki-onsen.com/matiaruki https://www.kurobe-unazuki.jp/tourism/895/ https://yumedokoro-unazuki.jp/ https://www.kurobe-unazuki.jp/tourism/118/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11449258 ### Wada Jurojin no Yu URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/wada-jurojin-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 和田寿老人の湯 (ja) Also known as: Wada Jurojin, Wada-no-yu, Ito Shichifukujin no Yu Region: Izu and Fuji Prefecture: Shizuoka Town: Ito Address: 静岡県伊東市竹の内2-7-24 Coordinates: 34.96880, 139.09850 Kind: Public bath Day visit: ¥400 per adult (2026), about CAD 3.60 or USD 2.50 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥400 and children ¥200. Hours: Open 14:00 to 22:00 since 4 January 2025, closed on Wednesdays, with a run of consecutive closing days each month. Closed: Wednesdays, plus consecutive closing days each month Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. The Ito tourism page publishes no tattoo rule for this bath. Bring: Bring a towel and soap. Address: 静岡県伊東市竹の内2-7-24 Price from: ¥400 per adult (2026), about CAD 3.60 or USD 2.50 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.itospa.com/spa/detail_54040.html Summary: Wada Jurojin no Yu suits riders who want the cheapest hot bath in Ito with the locals, and it opens only from mid-afternoon. Wada Jurojin no Yu is the oldest of Ito's Shichifukujin no Yu, the seven public baths named for the seven lucky gods. The Ito tourism page says water from this spring went to the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, in the Edo period. Today it is a plain local bathhouse where ¥400 buys a soak. Hours moved to 14:00 to 22:00 from 4 January 2025, and it closes on Wednesdays. That timing suits the end of a ride on the coast, when you want to wash off before dinner in town. Tips: - Bring coins and your own towel, since neighbourhood baths in Ito sell little at the door. Q: How much is Wada Jurojin no Yu in Ito? A: Adults pay ¥400 and children ¥200. Q: Can you visit Wada Jurojin no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Wada Jurojin no Yu sells day entry at ¥400 per adult (2026), about CAD 3.60 or USD 2.50 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Wada Jurojin no Yu mixed bathing? A: No. Wada Jurojin no Yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Wada Jurojin no Yu? A: Wada Jurojin no Yu keeps these hours: Mon–Tue 14:00–22:00; Wed closed; Thu–Sun 14:00–22:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.itospa.com/spa/detail_54040.html https://www.itospa.com/spa/index.html https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=静岡県伊東市竹の内2-7-24 ### Wakura Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/wakura-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 和倉温泉 (ja) Also known as: Wakura, Wakura Onsen Soyu, 和倉温泉総湯, Wakura Pokemon Ashiyu, わくらポケモン足湯 Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Town: Wakura Onsen Address: Wakura-machi, Nanao, Ishikawa Coordinates: 37.08659, 136.91843 Kind: Onsen town Prices: The Pokemon foot bath is free. The Soyu public bath publishes no current price online, so ask at the counter. Hours: The Wakura Pokemon foot bath opens 7:00–19:00 and closes all day when the Japan Meteorological Agency issues a weather warning for Nanao. Closed: The Soyu public bath closes on the fourth Thursday of each month (rule since April 2025) Water: A sodium-calcium chloride spring, hypertonic and weakly alkaline, that comes out clear and odourless at 82.7°C and pH 7.6. Pumps lift 990 litres a minute, and one company pipes it to every inn. Soyu cools the water through a heat exchanger without adding cold water and drains its pools each night. Spring types: chloride, weakly alkaline Colour: Clear Tattoos: Not published. Neither the association nor Soyu publishes a tattoo rule; ask at the counter. Bring: A towel for the foot bath. Address: Wakura-machi, Nanao, Ishikawa Website: https://www.wakura.or.jp/about/ Summary: Wakura Onsen suits travellers who want a hot, salty sea-side spring on Nanao Bay, with the Soyu public bath reopened and a free foot bath by the water. Eleven inns take guests again, and some of them still run from temporary quarters. Wakura calls itself the hot spring of the sea. The association traces it to around 806 to 810 and tells the legend of a white heron healing itself in the bubbling bay. The water carries so much salt that Soyu holds its pools at about 42°C in spring and autumn, 41°C in summer and 43°C in winter, and suggests three to ten minutes for a first soak. Nanao city and the Pokemon With You Foundation opened the free Wakura Pokemon foot bath in Yuttari Park on 12 May 2026. At the Yumoto plaza, where a bronze heron marks the source, you can lower a raw egg into the spring and lift out a lightly salted onsen egg in 13 to 16 minutes from spring to autumn, or 18 to 25 minutes in winter. Tips: - Buy eggs at a shop nearby and cook them at the Yumoto plaza source; the water is very hot, so keep hands clear. Q: Can you visit Wakura Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Wakura Onsen sells day entry. Q: What are the opening hours of Wakura Onsen? A: Wakura Onsen: the Wakura Pokemon foot bath opens 7:00–19:00 and closes all day when the Japan Meteorological Agency issues a weather warning for Nanao. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.wakura.or.jp/brochure/brochure-3739/ https://www.wakura.or.jp/about/ http://www.wakura.co.jp/spa.html http://www.wakura.co.jp/facilities.html http://www.wakura.co.jp/access.html https://www.wakura.or.jp/news/news-4009/ https://www.city.nanao.lg.jp/koryu-s/pokemon-ashiyu.html ### Yamanaka Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/yamanaka-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 山中温泉 (ja) Also known as: Yamanaka, Kikunoyu, Kiku no Yu, 総湯 菊の湯, Yamanaka Onsen Kikunoyu Region: Hokuriku and Noto Prefecture: Ishikawa Address: Yamanaka Onsen, Kaga, Ishikawa Coordinates: 36.24712, 136.37280 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Kikunoyu charges ¥500 for adults. Guests at member inns of the ryokan cooperative pay half. Hours: Kikunoyu opens 7:00–22:00 and closes on the second and fourth Tuesdays for maintenance. Closed: Second and fourth Tuesdays of the month Water: Weakly alkaline, hypotonic simple spring that comes out hot. Spring types: simple spring, alkaline Mixed bathing: No Tattoos: Not published. The tourism association publishes no tattoo rule for Kikunoyu. Address: Yamanaka Onsen, Kaga, Ishikawa Price from: ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.yamanaka-spa.or.jp/ Summary: Yamanaka Onsen suits couples who want a gorge-side hot-spring town with a ¥500 public bath and old craft streets, and its trade-off is a long trip from Toyama and the mountains. Kikunoyu, the town's public bath, stands where the first communal bathhouse was built after the spring was found. Men and women bathe in separate buildings, which is rare in Japan. The men's bath is a heavy Tenpyo-style hall with a tub deep enough to stand in to the waist, and the women's side has deep and shallow pools. Matsuo Basho stopped here on his Narrow Road to the Deep North journey and praised the water in a haiku, and his travelling companion Sora left him at Yamanaka. Galleries of Yamanaka lacquer and Kutani pottery line the Yuge Kaido, which runs about 600 m from Kikunoyu toward Korogi Bridge. Its shops look after bags and let walkers use their toilets free. Tips: - Watch the Yamanaka-bushi folk dances at Yamanaka-za, next to the women's bath, on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Q: Can you visit Yamanaka Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Yamanaka Onsen sells day entry at ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: How much does Yamanaka Onsen cost? A: Prices at Yamanaka Onsen start at ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Yamanaka Onsen? A: Yamanaka Onsen keeps these hours: Daily 07:00–22:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.yamanaka-spa.or.jp/highlights/landmark/ https://www.yamanaka-spa.or.jp/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3571451 ### yubune URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/yubune Type: Onsen Also known as: Yubune Setoda, Yubune bathhouse, ゆぶね Region: Setouchi Prefecture: Hiroshima Town: Setoda Address: 269 Setoda, Setoda-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-2411 Coordinates: 34.30410, 133.08510 Kind: Sento Day visit: ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Special prices apply in Golden Week, August and over New Year. Hotel guests bathe free. Hours: Hours are for day bathers, with last entry at 19:30. Hotel guests bathe from 7:00 to 22:00. Closed: Occasional closures for cleaning and maintenance Water: A sento bath with seasonal citrus baths made with Setoda fruit, according to Visit Shimanami. Outdoor bath: No Tattoos: Not published. yubune's site gives no tattoo rule, so ask at the desk. Bring: Nothing; body soap, shampoo and conditioner are provided, and a towel set costs ¥350. Address: 269 Setoda, Setoda-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-2411 Price from: ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://yubune.co/ Summary: yubune suits riders stopping in Setoda who want a modern sento with a sauna on the old shopping street, and the trade-off is a ¥1,200 weekend price. yubune is a sento (public bathhouse) and inn on Setoda's Shiomachi shopping street, and a tiled mural of island scenes covers the wall of the bath. Visit Shimanami describes seasonal baths made with local citrus such as Setoda lemons. There is an indoor tub with jets, a sauna and a cold plunge, and lemon water comes from a dispenser. Day bathers can come in from 10:00 to 20:00, with last entry at 19:30, except on Tuesdays when day bathing starts at 17:00. Adults pay ¥900 on weekdays and ¥1,200 at weekends and on holidays. Upstairs, the yuagari lounge serves drinks after the bath. Tips: - Tuesday afternoons are closed to day bathers until 17:00. Q: Can you visit yubune without staying the night? A: Yes. yubune sells day entry at ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates). Q: How much does yubune cost? A: Prices at yubune start at ¥900 per adult (2026), about CAD 8.10 or USD 5.70 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of yubune? A: yubune keeps these hours: Mon 10:00–20:00; Tue 17:00–20:00; Wed–Sun 10:00–20:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://yubune.co/ https://yubune.co/en/ https://visitshimanami.com/attractions/769/ https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E7%9C%8C%E5%B0%BE%E9%81%93%E5%B8%82%E7%80%AC%E6%88%B8%E7%94%B0%E7%94%BA%E7%80%AC%E6%88%B8%E7%94%B0269 ### Yudanaka Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/yudanaka-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 湯田中温泉 (ja) Also known as: Yudanaka, Yudanaka soto-yu pass, Yudanaka Onsen Sotoyu Meguri Tegata, 湯田中温泉 外湯巡り手形 Region: Nagano Prefecture: Nagano Coordinates: 36.74170, 138.41460 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥1,800 per adult (2026), about CAD 16 or USD 11 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The Yudanaka Onsen soto-yu pass costs ¥1,800 for adults and ¥1,000 for children aged 7 to 12 (2026). It covers Yudanaka O-yu, Yudanaka Wata-no-yu and Kaede no Yu. Hours: Pass holders can use Yudanaka O-yu and Yudanaka Wata-no-yu from 10:00 to 17:00 and Kaede no Yu from 10:00 to 20:30. The last pass is issued at 15:30, and the communal baths shut on their cleaning days. Closed: Cleaning days at the communal baths Tattoos: Not published. The Yamanouchi tourism bureau publishes no tattoo rule for the baths on the pass. Bring: Bring photo ID for every bather; the information centre checks it before lending a key. Price from: ¥1,800 per adult (2026), about CAD 16 or USD 11 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.info-yamanouchi.net/event/8079/ Summary: Yudanaka Onsen is the hot-spring town around Yudanaka Station, and its soto-yu pass suits snow-monkey visitors who want two of its communal baths without staying the night; keys are limited and the last pass goes out at 15:30. Since 6 February 2026 the Yamanouchi tourism bureau has sold a pass that opens two of Yudanaka's communal baths, Yudanaka O-yu and Yudanaka Wata-no-yu. Kaede no Yu, the day bath beside the station, comes on the same pass. You collect a key at the Yamanouchi Information Centre in front of Yudanaka Station. The pass costs ¥1,800 for adults and ¥1,000 for children aged 7 to 12. Bring photo ID for each person in your group. The bureau has only a set number of keys to lend, and the communal baths close on cleaning days, so go early in the day. Tips: - Pair the pass with Jigokudani Yaen-koen: the bus from Yudanaka to the Snow Monkey Park stop takes about 15 minutes. - The communal baths close at 17:00, so do them before Kaede no Yu, which takes pass holders until 20:30. Q: Can day visitors bathe in Yudanaka Onsen's communal baths? A: Yes, with the Yudanaka Onsen soto-yu pass. It costs ¥1,800 for adults in 2026 and opens Yudanaka O-yu and Yudanaka Wata-no-yu from 10:00 to 17:00, plus Kaede no Yu by the station. Q: Where do I buy the Yudanaka Onsen soto-yu pass? A: At the Yamanouchi Information Centre in front of Yudanaka Station. Bring photo ID for every bather; the last pass is issued at 15:30. Q: How much does Yudanaka Onsen cost? A: Prices at Yudanaka Onsen start at ¥1,800 per adult (2026), about CAD 16 or USD 11 (October 2026 rates). Q: What are the opening hours of Yudanaka Onsen? A: Yudanaka Onsen keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–17:00. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.info-yamanouchi.net/event/8079/ https://www.info-yamanouchi.net/about/kaede/ https://jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/access/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/8250220902 ### Yufuin Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/yufuin-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 由布院温泉 (ja) Also known as: Yufuin, Yufuin hot springs, 湯布院温泉 Region: Kyushu Prefecture: Oita Town: Yufuin Address: Yufuin-cho, Yufu, Oita Coordinates: 33.26600, 131.36860 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥200 per adult (2026), about CAD 1.80 or USD 1.30 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Day baths range from ¥200 at Otomaru Onsenkan, a plain local bath, to ¥1,000 at hotels such as Yama no Hotel Musouen and Yufuin Sansuikan. Private sauna and bath suites cost from ¥5,000 for two hours. Hours: Each bath keeps its own hours. Otomaru Onsenkan opens 6:00 to 22:00 and closes on the third Thursday. Musouen takes day bathers from 10:00 to 14:30, with last entry at 14:00. Outdoor bath: Yes Private baths: Yes, to book Tattoos: Not published. Yufu City's tourism bureau publishes no town-wide tattoo rule, and each inn and bathhouse decides for itself. Ask before you go, or book one of the private family baths many inns offer. Bring: Bring a towel for the small local baths. Hotel day baths such as Sansuikan include a face towel. Address: Yufuin-cho, Yufu, Oita Price from: ¥200 per adult (2026), about CAD 1.80 or USD 1.30 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://yufuin.gr.jp/yufuin Summary: Yufuin suits couples and slow travellers who want a hot spring town in a quiet basin under Mt. Yufu, and its baths are spread across the valley and run by many owners. Yufuin fills a small basin ringed by 1,000-metre peaks with Mt. Yufu over the top of it, and water and hot springs come up all over the valley floor. Mornings in autumn often start in fog, and on the coldest winter mornings mist rises off Lake Kinrin. Bathing here means picking from many small owners. Otomaru Onsenkan is a no-frills local bath that opens at 6:00. Yama no Hotel Musouen has a large outdoor bath for women facing Mt. Yufu and family baths that need no booking. Yufuin Sansuikan lets men use the bath with a view of Mt. Yufu and women the upper-floor bath with ceramic tubs during day-bath hours. Tips: - Rent a bike at the Tsukahara Kogen tourist information centre on the plateau above town for gentle riding below Mt. Yufu. Q: What is the cheapest bath in Yufuin? A: Otomaru Onsenkan charges ¥200 and is open from 6:00 to 22:00, closing on the third Thursday of each month, according to Yufu City's tourism bureau. Q: What are the opening hours of Yufuin Onsen? A: Yufuin Onsen: each bath keeps its own hours. Otomaru Onsenkan opens 6:00 to 22:00 and closes on the third Thursday. Musouen takes day bathers from 10:00 to 14:30, with last entry at 14:00. Q: How much does Yufuin Onsen cost? A: Prices at Yufuin Onsen start at ¥200 per adult (2026), about CAD 1.80 or USD 1.30 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://yufuin.gr.jp/yufuin https://yufuin.gr.jp/feature/feature-5464/ https://yufuin.gr.jp/feature/feature-3424/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11264855 ### Iwa no Yu (Yuzawa) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/yuzawa-iwa-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 土樽共同浴場 岩の湯 (ja) Also known as: Iwa no Yu, Iwanoyu, Tsuchitaru public bath, 岩の湯 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 6191-87 Tsuchitaru, Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma District, Niigata 949-6103 Coordinates: 36.90340, 138.84620 Kind: Public bath Day visit: ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥850 including the ¥150 bathing tax, children aged four to primary school ¥350, and under-fours go free (2026). The ¥2,500 soto-yu meguri ticket covers one visit to each of the five public baths and never expires. Hours: 10:00–21:00, last entry 20:30. Closed Wednesdays, with the day moved when it falls on a holiday, at New Year or in the Obon week. Closed: Wednesdays Water: Alkaline simple water at a lower temperature than the town's other sources. Spring types: alkaline simple spring Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. The Yuzawa public baths' site publishes no tattoo rule. Bring: Bring a towel and soap. The bath lists a lobby and rest space and no rentals. Address: 6191-87 Tsuchitaru, Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma District, Niigata 949-6103 Price from: ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://yuzawaonsen.com/ Summary: Iwa no Yu is the Yuzawa public bath out in the Tsuchitaru valley with a stone tub for about fifteen people and a view over a mountain stream, and it suits skiers and hikers coming back from Tsuchitaru and the Daigenta Canyon; you need a car or taxi to reach it. The baths' site pitches Iwa no Yu at people coming back from a day outdoors in the Tsuchitaru valley, where the Yuzawa Fishing Park and the Daigenta Canyon lie close by. You soak in a stone tub and look out at the stream. It costs ¥850 like the other four. From 25 to 27 November 2026 it shuts for equipment checks. Tips: - Book a taxi back if you come without a car; the bath is about 10 minutes' drive from the station. Q: When is Iwa no Yu in Yuzawa closed? A: Iwa no Yu closes on Wednesdays and opens 10:00–21:00 on other days, with last entry at 20:30. Q: Can you walk to Iwa no Yu from Echigo-Yuzawa Station? A: Iwa no Yu is about 10 minutes from Echigo-Yuzawa Station by car, and the baths' site gives no walking route. Q: Can you visit Iwa no Yu (Yuzawa) without staying the night? A: Yes. Iwa no Yu (Yuzawa) sells day entry at ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Iwa no Yu (Yuzawa) mixed bathing? A: No. Iwa no Yu (Yuzawa) keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: How much does Iwa no Yu (Yuzawa) cost? A: Prices at Iwa no Yu (Yuzawa) start at ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://yuzawaonsen.com/?page_id=182 https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/hotspring_p/%e5%9c%9f%e6%a8%bd%e5%85%b1%e5%90%8c%e6%b5%b4%e5%a0%b4-%e3%80%8c%e5%b2%a9%e3%81%ae%e6%b9%af%e3%80%8d/ https://yuzawaonsen.com/?page_id=310 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%96%B0%E6%BD%9F%E7%9C%8C%E5%8D%97%E9%AD%9A%E6%B2%BC%E9%83%A1%E6%B9%AF%E6%B2%A2%E7%94%BA%E5%9C%9F%E6%A8%BD6191 ### Komako no Yu (Yuzawa) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/yuzawa-komako-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 下湯沢共同浴場 駒子の湯 (ja) Also known as: Komako no Yu, Komakonoyu, Koma no Yu, 駒子の湯 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 148 Yuzawa, Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma District, Niigata 949-6101 Coordinates: 36.94370, 138.80450 Kind: Public bath Day visit: ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥850 including the ¥150 bathing tax, children aged four to primary school ¥350, and under-fours go free (2026). The ¥2,500 soto-yu meguri ticket covers one visit to each of the five public baths and never expires. Hours: 10:00–21:00, last entry 20:30. Closed Thursdays, with the day moved when it falls on a holiday, at New Year or in the Obon week. Closed: Thursdays Water: Sodium-calcium chloride water, weakly alkaline and hot. Spring types: chloride spring Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. The Yuzawa public baths' site publishes no tattoo rule. Bring: Bring a towel and soap. The bath lists a lobby and rest space and no rentals. Address: 148 Yuzawa, Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma District, Niigata 949-6101 Price from: ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://yuzawaonsen.com/ Summary: Komako no Yu is the Echigo-Yuzawa public bath named for the heroine of Snow Country, with a tub for about fifteen people and a tatami rest room, and it suits travellers who want a roomier town bath for ¥850; it closes on Thursdays. The tub here takes about fifteen people and the washing stations have partitions between them, which makes it roomier than Yama no Yu. The rest room has a corner about Kawabata Yasunari's Snow Country and the woman the town believes inspired Komako. Entry is ¥850 with the bathing tax. Opening hours run 10:00 to 21:00, and on Thursday 26 November 2026 the bath opens on its usual day off to cover for Iwa no Yu. Tips: - Pair it with Yama no Yu on foot; the two sit in the same part of town, about 20 minutes from the station. Q: Why is it called Komako no Yu? A: Komako no Yu is named after Komako. She is the heroine of Kawabata Yasunari's novel Snow Country, which is set in Yuzawa. Q: When is Komako no Yu closed? A: Komako no Yu closes on Thursdays and opens 10:00–21:00 on other days. Q: Can you visit Komako no Yu (Yuzawa) without staying the night? A: Yes. Komako no Yu (Yuzawa) sells day entry at ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Komako no Yu (Yuzawa) mixed bathing? A: No. Komako no Yu (Yuzawa) keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: How much does Komako no Yu (Yuzawa) cost? A: Prices at Komako no Yu (Yuzawa) start at ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://yuzawaonsen.com/?page_id=160 https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/hotspring_p/%e4%b8%8b%e6%b9%af%e6%b2%a2%e5%85%b1%e5%90%8c%e6%b5%b4%e5%a0%b4-%e3%80%8c%e9%a7%92%e5%ad%90%e3%81%ae%e6%b9%af%e3%80%8d/ https://yuzawaonsen.com/?page_id=310 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%96%B0%E6%BD%9F%E7%9C%8C%E5%8D%97%E9%AD%9A%E6%B2%BC%E9%83%A1%E6%B9%AF%E6%B2%A2%E7%94%BA%E5%A4%A7%E5%AD%97%E6%B9%AF%E6%B2%A2148 ### Yama no Yu (Yuzawa) URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/yuzawa-yama-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 湯元共同浴場 山の湯 (ja) Also known as: Yama no Yu, Yamanoyu, Yamanbocha, やまんぼちゃ, 山の湯 Region: Niigata Prefecture: Niigata Town: Yuzawa Address: 930 Yuzawa, Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma District, Niigata 949-6101 Coordinates: 36.94250, 138.79820 Kind: Public bath Day visit: ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Adults pay ¥850 including the ¥150 bathing tax, children aged four to primary school ¥350, and under-fours go free (2026). The ¥2,500 soto-yu meguri ticket covers one visit to each of the five public baths and never expires. Hours: 10:00–21:00, last entry 20:30. Closed Tuesdays, with the day moved when it falls on a holiday, at New Year or in the Obon week. Closed: Tuesdays Water: Simple sulphur water, alkaline and hot, flowing straight from the source without recirculation. Spring types: simple sulphur spring Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Private baths: No Tattoos: Not published. The Yuzawa public baths' site publishes no tattoo rule. Bring: Bring a towel and soap. The bath lists a lobby and rest space and no rentals. Address: 930 Yuzawa, Yuzawa, Minamiuonuma District, Niigata 949-6101 Price from: ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://yuzawaonsen.com/ Summary: Yama no Yu is the oldest of Echigo-Yuzawa's five public baths and charges ¥850 for a small sulphur soak. It suits anyone who wants the Snow Country town as it was; the tub holds only five or six people and the bath closes on Tuesdays. Locals call this bath yamanbocha. It stands in the Yumoto quarter near the inn where Kawabata Yasunari wrote Snow Country, and the baths' own site says the writer soaked here himself. The building looks like a mountain hut. The sulphur water runs straight from the source into a tub that fills up with five or six bathers. Entry costs ¥850 for adults with the bathing tax, and the five-bath ticket sold at the counter brings each visit down to ¥500. Tips: - Yama no Yu closes from 9 to 11 November 2026 for leak repairs. Q: Is Yama no Yu in Yuzawa open on Tuesdays? A: No. Yama no Yu closes on Tuesdays and opens 10:00–21:00 on other days, with last entry at 20:30. Q: How far is Yama no Yu from Echigo-Yuzawa Station? A: Yama no Yu is about 20 minutes on foot from Echigo-Yuzawa Station. Q: Can you visit Yama no Yu (Yuzawa) without staying the night? A: Yes. Yama no Yu (Yuzawa) sells day entry at ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates). Q: Is Yama no Yu (Yuzawa) mixed bathing? A: No. Yama no Yu (Yuzawa) keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: How much does Yama no Yu (Yuzawa) cost? A: Prices at Yama no Yu (Yuzawa) start at ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://yuzawaonsen.com/?page_id=62 https://www.e-yuzawa.gr.jp/sys/hotspring_p/%e6%b9%af%e5%85%83%e5%85%b1%e5%90%8c%e6%b5%b4%e5%a0%b4-%e3%80%8c%e5%b1%b1%e3%81%ae%e6%b9%af%e3%80%8d/ https://yuzawaonsen.com/?page_id=310 https://msearch.gsi.go.jp/address-search/AddressSearch?q=%E6%96%B0%E6%BD%9F%E7%9C%8C%E5%8D%97%E9%AD%9A%E6%B2%BC%E9%83%A1%E6%B9%AF%E6%B2%A2%E7%94%BA%E5%A4%A7%E5%AD%97%E6%B9%AF%E6%B2%A2930 ### Zao Onsen URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/zao-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 蔵王温泉 (ja) Also known as: Zao hot springs, Zao Onsen public baths, Kamiyu, Shimoyu, Kawarayu, 上湯共同浴場, 下湯共同浴場, 川原湯共同浴場 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata 990-2301 Coordinates: 38.16870, 140.39700 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥300 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Prices: The three public baths cost ¥300 for adults and ¥100 for children, paid into the box at each door. The tourism association's English page still lists ¥200, so carry a few extra coins. The foot baths at Shimoyu and Robata are free. Hours: Kamiyu, Shimoyu and Kawarayu open every day of the year from 6:00 to 22:00. Five other places in the village sell day entry with their own hours, and the Dai-Rotenburo opens only from late April to late November. Water: Zao's springs are strongly acidic sulphur water at pH 1.25 to 1.6. The sources come out at 45 to 66°C and the village draws about 5,700 litres a minute between them. The water is milky and smells of sulphur from the edge of town. Spring types: acidic sulphur spring Colour: milky white Outdoor bath: Yes Tattoos: Not published. The Zao Onsen Tourism Association publishes no tattoo rule for the public baths. Bring: Bring your own towel and coins for the box at the door. The public baths have no parking of their own. Address: Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata 990-2301 Price from: ¥300 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥ Website: https://zaomountainresort.com/about/ Summary: Zao Onsen is the hot-spring village at the foot of the Zao ski area, and it suits skiers who want a cheap soak after the lifts close; the three public baths are small and basic, so bring your own towel. The tourism association puts Zao Onsen at about 900 metres on the Yamagata side of the Zao range, and the ski area's lowest point lies lower down the village at 780 metres. The tourism association dates the springs back 1,900 years to Kibi no Takayu, who marched with Yamato Takeru on his eastern campaign, and calls that a founding legend. In the Edo period the village grew as the western trailhead for pilgrims climbing to Zao Gongen. Today the ski area and three ropeways start from its upper streets. Kamiyu, Shimoyu and Kawarayu are the village's public baths. All three open from 6:00 to 22:00 every day and charge ¥300, which you drop in a box at the door. Shimoyu and Robata also run free foot baths on the street. During the 2025/26 Juhyo Festival the village lit up its three public baths and the Donbiki channel from sunset until 21:00 between 27 December and 23 February. The festival returns each winter, and the 2026/27 dates had not been announced by 11 October 2026. Tips: - Take off your watch and any silver before you go in. The acid can tarnish metal in a single soak. - The Dai-Rotenburo above the village is closed from late November to mid-April, so in ski season the public baths and inn baths are your options. Q: How much are the public baths in Zao Onsen? A: Kamiyu, Shimoyu and Kawarayu each charge ¥300 for adults and ¥100 for children, paid into a box at the door. Q: When are the Zao Onsen public baths open? A: All three open every day of the year from 6:00 to 22:00. Q: Can you visit Zao Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Zao Onsen sells day entry at ¥300 per adult (2026), about CAD 2.70 or USD 1.90 (October 2026 rates). Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://zaomountainresort.com/about/ https://www.zao-spa.or.jp/english/about/ https://zaomountainresort.com/spot/ https://zaomountainresort.com/gerende/ https://zaomountainresort.com/juhyo-fes/ https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7159554 ### Zao Onsen Dai-Rotenburo URL: https://ridingjapan.com/onsen/zao-onsen-dai-rotenburo Type: Onsen Local name: 蔵王温泉大露天風呂 (ja) Also known as: Zao Onsen big open-air bath, Zao Dai Rotenburo, Zao Onsen Big Open-Air Spa, Zao rotenburo, 蔵王大露天風呂 Region: Tohoku Prefecture: Yamagata Town: Zao Onsen Address: 853-3 Arashiki, Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata 990-2301 Status: seasonal. The bath shuts for winter from late November until it reopens in the second half of April, so it is closed for the whole Zao ski season. Coordinates: 38.16620, 140.40180 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates) Prices: Day entry costs ¥850 for adults and ¥400 for children aged 1 to 11. The evening starry-sky sessions cost ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for children, and neither discount tickets nor the usual lodging bath tickets work for them. Hours: Open 9:30–17:00 on weekdays and 9:30–18:00 on weekends and holidays, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. Heavy snowfall can close it at short notice. The 2026 season opened on 25 April. Closed: Late November to mid-April Water: The bath runs straight off its own source with nothing added or recirculated. The water is strongly acidic sulphur water that leaves the ground at 50.8°C with a pH of 1.9, about 735 litres a minute. Spring types: acidic sulphur spring Colour: milky white Outdoor bath: Yes Tattoos: Not published. The operator and the Zao Onsen Tourism Association publish no tattoo rule for the Dai-Rotenburo. Bring: Nothing is required. Towels are sold at the counter and coin lockers take your things, but there are no showers and soap or shampoo can't be used. Address: 853-3 Arashiki, Zao Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata 990-2301 Price from: ¥850 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.60 or USD 5.40 (October 2026 rates) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.jupeer-zao.com/roten/ Summary: The Dai-Rotenburo suits anyone in Zao between late April and late November who wants a big wild bath by a mountain stream; it closes for the whole ski season, so winter visitors use the village's public baths instead. The Dai-Rotenburo is a set of stone-lined outdoor pools along a stream at the top end of Zao Onsen. You pass the counter and changing rooms in a timber building that the operator says went up without nails, then walk out to the water. The pools are fed straight from the source at 50.8°C. The water is strongly acidic sulphur water at pH 1.9. On selected Saturdays from June to early October the bath reopens after dark for a starry-sky session from 18:30 to 21:00. Guests carry lanterns down to the water. The 2026 sessions ran on 6 June and finished on 11 October. There are no showers here, and you can't use soap. Bring nothing more than a small towel, or buy one at the counter. Take your rings and earrings off before you go in, because the acid turns metal black. Tips: - The village's foliage peaks in early October, and the bath stays open until 17:00 on weekdays and 18:00 at weekends. - If you're in Zao in winter, head to Kamiyu, Shimoyu or Kawarayu in the village instead. They open all year from 6:00 to 22:00. Q: Is the Zao Onsen Dai-Rotenburo open in winter? A: No. The Dai-Rotenburo closes from late November until mid-April each year. In 2026 it opened on 25 April. Q: How much is the Zao Onsen Dai-Rotenburo? A: Day entry costs ¥850 for adults and ¥400 for children aged 1 to 11 in the 2026 season. Q: Can I use soap at the Zao Onsen Dai-Rotenburo? A: No. The bath has no showers and doesn't allow soap or shampoo, because the water flows straight from the source. Checked: 2026-10-11 Sources: https://www.jupeer-zao.com/roten/ https://zaomountainresort.com/author/dairoten/ https://zaomountainresort.com/about/ https://www.zao-spa.or.jp/english/play/ ## Sister guides ### Hokkaido URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sister-guides/hokkaido Covered by: Ride Hokkaido (https://ridehokkaido.com/) Hokkaido has the driest, deepest snow in Japan, and Ride Hokkaido covers every resort, touring zone, onsen and town on the island. Riding Japan sends you there for the Hokkaido part of a trip and picks you up again in Tokyo. On ridehokkaido.com: - Niseko United: https://ridehokkaido.com/resort-groups/niseko-united - Rusutsu Resort: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/rusutsu - Furano Ski Resort: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/furano - Kiroro Snow World: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/kiroro - Otaru: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/otaru - Jozankei Onsen: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/jozankei-onsen - Akan Lakeside National Ski Area (Utara): https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/akan-lakeside - Akan Royal Valley: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/akan-royal-valley - Daisetsuzan Asahidake Ropeway: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/asahidake - Otaru Asarigawa Onsen Ski Resort: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/asarigawa - Canmore Ski Village: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/canmore-ski-village - Chisenupuri Ski Area: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/chisenupuri ### Okinawa URL: https://ridingjapan.com/sister-guides/okinawa Covered by: Ride Okinawa (https://rideokinawa.com/) Okinawa is where Japan rides in winter, with warm coast roads and island loops from December to March, and Ride Okinawa covers every island from the main island to Yonaguni and Yoron. Riding Japan sends you there for the island part of a trip. On rideokinawa.com: - Irabu Ohashi and the Irabu–Shimoji loop: https://rideokinawa.com/routes/miyako-bridges - Motobu Peninsula loop from Nago: https://rideokinawa.com/routes/motobu-peninsula-loop - Yanbaru hills loop over the Fungawa dam road: https://rideokinawa.com/routes/yanbaru-hills-loop - An e-bike morning round Kouri and Yagaji: https://rideokinawa.com/ride-days/kouri-e-bike-morning - Ishigaki-jima: https://rideokinawa.com/islands/ishigaki - Yoron-jima: https://rideokinawa.com/islands/yoron - Aka-jima: https://rideokinawa.com/islands/aka - Geruma-jima: https://rideokinawa.com/islands/geruma - Hamahiga-jima: https://rideokinawa.com/islands/hamahiga - Hateruma-jima: https://rideokinawa.com/islands/hateruma - Hatoma-jima: https://rideokinawa.com/islands/hatoma - Henza-jima: https://rideokinawa.com/islands/henza ## Route collections - [Japan's National Cycle Routes](https://ridingjapan.com/collections/national-cycle-routes): Japan's twelve National Cycle Routes are the rides MLIT holds to a national standard for signs, rest stops, rental and rail links, from the 70 km Shimanami Kaido to the 1,487 km Pacific Cycling Road. Eleven run through the ground this guide covers, and Tokapuchi 400 in Hokkaido links out. Routes: Shimanami Kaido (70 km); Biwaichi (193 km); Tsukuba-Kasumigaura Ring-Ring Road (176 km); Tokapuchi 400 (403 km); Pacific Cycling Road (1487 km); Toyama Bay Cycling Route (102 km); Fukushima Hamadori Cycle Route (179 km); Fujiichi (163 km); Yukiguni Uonuma Golden Cycle Route (193 km); Ishikawa Satoyama-Satoumi Cycling Route (517 km); Tottori Uminami Road (152 km); Ama-Ichi (152 km). ## Practical guides ### Can you do the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage by bike? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/shikoku-pilgrimage-by-bike Updated: 2026-10-11 Yes. The temples' association lets pilgrims choose how they travel and in what order, and riders follow the roads round about 1,400 km of island. Arrive at each temple as a pilgrim: bow at the gate, worship before the stamp and leave the camera away while people pray. Yes. Shikoku's pilgrimage to 88 temples, which people call the henro (遍路) or o-henro, has no fixed way of travelling, and the temples' own association lists walking, driving and public transport as ways people go. Riders take the roads. The circuit runs about 1,400 km round Shikoku from Ryozen-ji (temple 1) in Tokushima to Okubo-ji (temple 88) in Kagawa, according to the Shikoku Henro World Heritage Registration Promotion Council. The Shikoku Pilgrimage Information Center puts its standard walking course at about 1,142 km, which takes 40 to 60 days on foot. On a bike that walking course works out at about 12 to 17 days of riding, so plan two to three weeks with rest days, or ride it a prefecture at a time. The henro is a living practice, and the people at each temple are there to pray. We built this guide from the pages of the Shikoku 88 temples' association (四国八十八ヶ所霊場会), the heritage council, whose office sits in Kagawa Prefecture's culture division, and the Shikoku Pilgrimage Information Center, in October 2026. Where a temple posts its own rule, the temple's rule comes first. #### What is the Shikoku pilgrimage? It is a circuit of 88 sacred temples linked to Kobo Daishi (Kukai). The association records that he was born in 774 at Byobugaura in Sanuki (today's Zentsuji in Kagawa) and entered eternal meditation on Mt. Koya in 835. Tradition holds that he chose the 88 temples and opened the circuit. Pilgrims speak of dōgyō ninin (同行二人), "two travelling together". The association explains that even in a group, each pilgrim travels with Kobo Daishi. The four prefectures each form a stage of the path, which the heritage council names this way: | Prefecture | Stage (道場, dōjō) | Meaning | |---|---|---| | Tokushima | 発心の道場 (hosshin) | Awakening | | Kochi | 修行の道場 (shugyō) | Training | | Ehime | 菩提の道場 (bodai) | Enlightenment | | Kagawa | 涅槃の道場 (nehan) | Nirvana | The council notes that residents still welcome pilgrims with tea and fruit, a custom called o-settai (お接待). #### How long does the henro take by bike? About 12 to 17 days of riding for the whole circuit, computed from the Information Center's 1,142 km walking course at 70 to 100 km a day, so two to three weeks once you add rest days. Temple time sets the real pace. Each visit means worship at the main hall and at the Daishi hall before the stamp office, and the association gives the stamp offices' hours as generally 8:00 to 17:00. A rider who wants every stamp plans each day around reaching the last temple before 17:00. You need not go in order, and you need not go all at once. The association says pilgrims choose their own start and route, and many go a prefecture at a time or in halves. That suits a rider with a week, and Ehime is the stage you can reach on two wheels from Honshu: the [Shimanami Kaido](/routes/shimanami-kaido) comes down into [Imabari](/towns/imabari) from Onomichi in a day. #### How should a cyclist behave at the temples? As a pilgrim, from the bike park onward. The association asks pilgrims who travel by car to put on their pilgrim clothes at the car park before they approach the temple, and the same courtesy suits a rider. Leave the bike where the temple directs, out of the approach, and walk in. At the gate (山門, sanmon), put your palms together and bow once, and take off your hat. The Information Center asks pilgrims to keep to the left on the approach and up the stone steps. At the water basin, rinse the left hand, then the right, then your mouth from the left hand. Ask before you ring the temple bell, ring it once before you worship, and leave it alone on your way out, which the Information Center says brings bad luck. At the main hall and then the Daishi hall, light a candle and incense, drop your name slip (納札, osamefuda) in its box and place your offering with care. Set incense near the centre of the burner and candles at the top so later visitors have room, and never put a used match in the burner. Photography is banned at some temples, and the Information Center asks visitors to follow the posted signs. Our own rule goes further: never photograph a pilgrim at prayer. On the road, the association asks pilgrims to leave borrowed toilets clean and carry all rubbish out. Keep quiet near homes in the early morning, and greet other pilgrims with a silent bow. If a resident offers o-settai, accept it with thanks, and give a name slip if you carry them. Stay on the roads, and keep out of private land and farm fields. #### What is the stamp book for? The stamp book (納経帳, nōkyōchō) records your worship at each temple, and the association asks you to receive each stamp with care, since the book becomes a keepsake for life. Receive the stamp at the temple office (納経所, nōkyōjo) after you have worshipped at both halls. If you arrive near closing time, tell the staff, and they may stamp it first. Each temple also offers a print of its main image (御影, miei), at ¥200 for a colour print and ¥100 for black and white in 2026. Pay the stamp fee each office posts. #### What should a cycling pilgrim wear and carry? The association's standard dress is white. A pilgrim in lighter dress wears a white vest (白衣, hakui) and a stole (輪袈裟, wagesa) over ordinary clothes, which works over cycling kit. Take the stole and the sedge hat off before you use a temple toilet. The association lists the stamp book, a sutra book, prayer beads, candles and incense and name slips as the basic supplies. Not every temple sells them, so buy a set at the first temple you reach that does. Book temple lodgings (宿坊, shukubō) ahead, as the association asks. The association also posts road works and parking changes near the temples on its [news page](https://88shikokuhenro.jp/archive/), and it is worth a look before each stage. #### Quick answers ##### Can you do the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage on a bicycle? Yes. The Shikoku 88 temples' association sets no fixed way of travelling, and pilgrims choose their own route and order. Cyclists follow the roads and worship at each temple as any pilgrim does. ##### How long is the Shikoku pilgrimage? The Shikoku pilgrimage runs about 1,400 km round the island, according to the Shikoku Henro World Heritage Registration Promotion Council. The Shikoku Pilgrimage Information Center gives its standard walking course as about 1,142 km. ##### How many days does the Shikoku pilgrimage take by bike? The Shikoku pilgrimage takes about 12 to 17 days of riding by bike, computed from the 1,142 km walking course at 70 to 100 km a day, or two to three weeks with rest days. Stamp offices generally open 8:00 to 17:00, which limits how many temples fit in a day. ##### Do you have to visit the Shikoku temples in order? No. The Shikoku 88 temples' association says pilgrims may start where they like and need not visit in order, and many split the circuit by prefecture. ##### Can I take photos at the Shikoku 88 temples? Some temples ban photography, so follow each temple's posted signs. Never photograph pilgrims at prayer. ### Can you go in an onsen in Japan with a tattoo? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/onsen-etiquette-and-tattoos Updated: 2026-10-11 Some of Japan's baths take tattoos, some want them under a cover sticker, and most publish no rule at all. Here is the routine at the taps and in the tub, the baths that say yes, and the ones that say no. Yes, at the baths that say so. Kinosaki's public bathhouses take tattoos of any size without covers, and the day baths Kusatsu's tourism corporation runs say they don't refuse them either. Plenty of other baths want the ink hidden under a cover sticker or turn it away outright. Most publish no rule, so ask at the window before you pay. Wherever you go, wash at the taps before you get in and keep your towel out of the water. We read the published tattoo rule of every bath and every onsen hotel on Riding Japan on 11 October 2026. Of 82 onsen pages, 13 carry a published rule; of 263 stays, 24 do. The rest publish nothing we could find. This guide covers Japan from Aomori to Kagoshima. For Hokkaido's baths, read [Ride Hokkaido's onsen guide](https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/onsen-etiquette). #### Which baths take tattoos? These day baths publish that they take tattooed bathers, or take them under a cover. Prices are each bath's published adult fare. | Bath | Where | Tattoo rule as published | Adult price | What to know | |---|---|---|---|---| | [Kinosaki Onsen](/onsen/kinosaki-onsen) public baths | Kinosaki, Hyogo | Visit Kinosaki says all seven public bathhouses take tattoos of any size without covers | ¥800 for one bath, ¥1,500 for the Yumepa day pass (2026) | Two of the seven are shut in October 2026, and baths inside the inns set their own rules | | [Takegawara Onsen](/onsen/takegawara-onsen) | Beppu, Oita | Beppu's official tourism site lists it as tattoo-friendly | ¥300 (city price, updated November 2025) | The sand bath costs ¥1,500 and often has a queue | | [Otaki-no-yu](/onsen/otaki-no-yu) | Kusatsu, Gunma | The operator says it does not refuse tattooed guests | ¥1,200 (2026) | It costs the most of Kusatsu's three town baths | | [Gozanoyu](/onsen/gozanoyu) | Kusatsu, Gunma | Same operator, same rule | ¥900 (2026) | It has no outdoor pool | | [Sai-no-kawara Rotenburo](/onsen/sai-no-kawara-rotenburo) | Kusatsu, Gunma | Same operator, same rule | ¥800 (2026) | It has no taps, so wash at your inn first | | [Tenzan Tohji-kyo](/onsen/tenzan-tohji-kyo) | Hakone, Kanagawa | Takes a tattooed bather who comes alone; two or more are asked to leave | ¥1,450, cash only (2026) | It takes no bookings and no groups over about six adults | | [Hakone Yuryo](/onsen/hakone-yuryo) | Hakone, Kanagawa | Large baths only if the bath's own 10 by 14 cm cover sticker hides every tattoo; the private open-air rooms take tattoos | ¥1,700 to ¥2,200 (2026) | It costs about twice a public bath | | [Happo no Yu](/onsen/happo-no-yu) | Hakuba, Nagano | A 2018 sign text bans tattoos in the water unless a skin-coloured waterproof sticker covers them; the bath's 2026 pages say nothing | ¥1,000 (2026) | Ask at the counter, because the current rule is unpublished | Kusatsu's operator puts it plainly on its FAQ: the three baths do not refuse tattoos, and it wants bathers from every background to enjoy Kusatsu as long as they keep the house manners. Tenzan explains its own rule as a matter of rest and cure. It accepts one tattooed person on their own, and its FAQ says it will ask anyone who causes trouble to leave. #### Which onsen hotels and inns take tattoos? Staying at an inn that takes tattoos solves the question for the whole trip. These stays on our pages publish a rule that lets you bathe. | Stay | Town | Rule as published | What it means for you | |---|---|---|---| | [KAI Okuhida](/stays/kai-okuhida) | Hirayu Onsen, Gifu | Hoshino Resorts does not restrict tattoos | Staff may refuse the big bath if they judge other guests would be frightened | | [Risonare Atami](/stays/risonare-atami) | Atami, Shizuoka | Hoshino Resorts policy, with cover seals offered | Same proviso as every Hoshino hotel | | [Ryokan Asunaro](/stays/ryokan-asunaro) | Takayama, Gifu | The FAQ says tattooed guests may use the large bath | Indoor baths only, with no rotenburo | | [K's House Ito Onsen](/stays/ks-house-ito-onsen) | Ito, Shizuoka | The hostel calls itself tattoo friendly | Hostel rooms, at a hostel price | | [Fuji View Hotel](/stays/fuji-view-hotel) | Kawaguchiko, Yamanashi | Two free cover seals of 10 by 15 cm, a trial rule since July 2017 | A tattoo bigger than two seals stays out | | [Ubuya](/stays/ubuya) | Kawaguchiko, Yamanashi | Two cover seals of 10 by 10 cm from the front desk | Same limit, slightly smaller seals | | [ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Appi Kogen](/stays/ana-crowne-plaza-appi-kogen) | Appi, Iwate | Shirakaba no Yu sells 8 by 10 cm seals for ¥200 | Anything the seals can't hide goes to MAKIBA, a paid private bath you book ahead | | [Kusatsu Onsen Hotel Village](/stays/kusatsu-onsen-hotel-village) | Kusatsu, Gunma | Small tattoos a sticker covers completely | Stickers sell at reception | | [Naraya](/stays/naraya) | Kusatsu, Gunma | Paid private baths; a small tattoo fully under a sticker may use the large baths | Book the private bath when you book the room | | [Fujiya Hotel](/stays/fujiya-hotel) | Hakone, Kanagawa | Tattooed guests stay out of the spa baths and the pool | Every room's bath runs on Miyanoshita onsen water | | [Hida Hotel Plaza](/stays/hida-hotel-plaza) | Takayama, Gifu | Refused at the large baths | Some designer rooms have a private onsen tub | | [Kounkaku](/stays/kounkaku) | Akakura Onsen, Niigata | One group rents the whole house and its bath | You cook your own meals | Hoshino Resorts publishes its rule on one page for all its hotels. It respects guests' cultural backgrounds and does not restrict tattoos, and it keeps the right to refuse the big bath when staff think another guest could be frightened. #### Which baths turn tattoos away? These places publish a refusal, so plan your soak somewhere else. [Suimeikan](/stays/suimeikan) in Gero refuses tattoos at every bath and rejects stickers and body paint too. [Minakami Hotel Juraku](/stays/minakami-hotel-juraku) refuses any tattoo, temporary sticker tattoos included. In Kusatsu, Hotel Sakurai and Hotel Ichii keep tattoos out of their baths, which makes the town's three day baths the place to go. The list goes on with NASPA New Otani in Yuzawa, Zao Kokusai Hotel, Zao Shiki no Hotel and Oomiya Ryokan at Zao Onsen, Matsukawa-so at Hachimantai and Imabari Kokusai Hotel. NASPA's paid private baths are the alternative to ask about. Dormy Inn Mishima and Dormy Inn Express Fujisan Gotemba turn tattoos away on their bath pages, though the chain's FAQ says some hotels lend cover seals for small ones. Among day baths, [Benifuji no Yu](/onsen/benifuji-no-yu) on Lake Yamanaka refuses any tattoo, fake tattoos and stickers included, and it is shut for renovation until March 2027 anyway. Ishiwari no Yu and Fuji-chobo no Yu Yurari near the Fuji lakes refuse tattoos, and so do Kitaomi no Yu and Makino Kogen Onsen Sarasa on Lake Biwa. #### How do you bathe at an onsen? Shoes come off at the door and go in a locker or on a shelf. Tickets come from a machine or a window, and the changing rooms split by the curtain: 男 for men and 女 for women. Everything comes off in the changing room, and a small towel is the only thing you carry into the bathing area. Sit on a stool at the taps and wash properly, hair included, then rinse off every trace of soap. Japan's Ministry of the Environment suggests pouring water over yourself from the feet and hands inwards before you get in, so your body gets used to the heat. Kusatsu's [Otaki-no-yu](/onsen/otaki-no-yu) builds that idea into the building: its linked tubs cool as the water runs from one to the next, and you start in the coolest. At [Nozawa Onsen's soto-yu](/onsen/nozawa-onsen-soto-yu), which run at 45–49°C by the resort's guide, ask the bathers already in before you run the cold tap, and turn it off once the tub is bearable. Keep your towel out of the water. The ministry's onsen leaflet says so, and so does nearly every bath's posted rules. Fold it on your head or leave it on the edge. Keep your head above the surface and your voice low. Phones and cameras stay in the locker: Happo no Yu's sign text bans photos anywhere in the bathing area, and Hoshi Onsen and Sukayu keep cameras out of the bathhouse. Dry off with your small towel before you walk back into the changing room. The ministry suggests leaving the onsen water on your skin rather than showering it off, with one exception. Rinse after acidic water such as Kusatsu's, where [Sai-no-kawara](/onsen/sai-no-kawara-rotenburo) runs at pH 1.7, or whenever your skin is sensitive. #### What should you bring to an onsen? Bring a small towel and cash. Town-run and village baths often supply nothing: the [Nozawa Onsen soto-yu](/onsen/nozawa-onsen-soto-yu) are free and ask you to bring your own towel and soap, and the locals' baths around the [Kusatsu Yubatake](/onsen/kusatsu-yubatake) have no locking lockers, so leave valuables at the inn. Bigger day baths sell towels at the desk; Hakone Yuryo sells a bath towel for ¥550 and rents none. Cash matters at the small places. Tenzan takes cash only, and Sukayu's ticket machine takes nothing else. Our [money guide](/guides/money-cards-and-ic-cards-in-japan) covers where cards stop working. Take off rings and watches before acidic or sulphur water. Toshichi Onsen above Hachimantai warns that its acid changes the colour of jewellery. #### How do cover stickers and private baths work? A cover sticker is a skin-coloured waterproof patch that hides a small tattoo, so a sleeve or a back piece won't fit under one. The bath decides whether it counts, and the published sizes run from 8 by 10 cm at Appi's Shirakaba no Yu to 10 by 15 cm at Fuji View Hotel, which allows two. Buy them at the bath when it sells its own, since Hakone Yuryo accepts only the sticker it sells. A private bath (kashikiri-buro) is the way round any rule. Naraya in Kusatsu and Appi's MAKIBA rent them out, and Gozanoyu charges ¥2,000 an hour for a private 12-mat room upstairs. At Fujiya Hotel every room's own bath runs on onsen water. When a bath publishes nothing, ask at the window before you pay. Our [phrase guide](/guides/japanese-phrases-for-the-lift-line-and-the-road) gives you the line in Japanese: > **タトゥーがあるんですが、入浴できますか？** > Tatū ga aru n desu ga, nyūyoku dekimasu ka? > I have a tattoo. Can I bathe here? If the answer is no, thank them and go to the next bath on your list. #### What happens at a mixed bath? Mixed bathing (kon'yoku) survives at a handful of old mountain inns, and each one sets its own rule on what you wear. [Takaragawa Onsen](/onsen/takaragawa-onsen) above Minakami hands everyone its own bathing wear for the three mixed river pools and keeps the lowest pool for women. At [Sukayu](/onsen/sukayu-onsen) in Aomori you may wear a yuami-gi bathing wrap, but only one Sukayu rents for ¥500 or sells for ¥1,300. [Hoshi Onsen](/onsen/hoshi-onsen) in Gunma bans bathing wear and towel wraps in its mixed bath, and keeps 20:00 to 22:00 for women. In any mixed pool, keep your eyes to yourself and give people room to get in and out. Sai-no-kawara opens a mixed session on Friday evenings, and men must wear the bathing wear it lends for free. #### How soon after a ride or a ski day can you get in? Wait half an hour. The Ministry of the Environment's onsen leaflet tells bathers to avoid the water when they are worn out or within 30 minutes after exercise. It also says to drink water before and after, and to skip the bath straight after a meal or a drink. The ministry advises older bathers and anyone with high blood pressure or a heart condition to stay out of water at 42°C or hotter and to start with 3 to 10 minutes at a time. #### Quick answers ##### Can you use public baths in Japan with a tattoo? Some public baths in Japan take tattoos, and most publish no rule. Kinosaki's public bathhouses and Kusatsu's town-run day baths publish that they accept tattooed bathers, so ask at the window anywhere else. ##### Do tattoo cover stickers work at Japanese onsen? Cover stickers work only where the bath says so, and only for small tattoos. Fuji View Hotel allows two free 10 by 15 cm seals, Ubuya two 10 by 10 cm seals, and Appi's Shirakaba no Yu sells 8 by 10 cm seals for ¥200. Suimeikan in Gero and Minakami Hotel Juraku refuse covered tattoos too. ##### Do Hoshino Resorts hotels allow tattoos in the bath? Yes. Hoshino Resorts does not restrict guests with tattoos, and its staff may still refuse the big bath when they judge other guests would be frightened. ##### Do you wear a swimsuit in an onsen? No. At most onsen you bathe naked and keep a small towel out of the water. A few mixed baths hand out their own bathing wear, such as Takaragawa Onsen in Gunma, and Sukayu lets you rent a yuami-gi wrap for ¥500. ##### How long should you wait after exercise before an onsen? Wait at least 30 minutes after exercise before an onsen. The Ministry of the Environment's onsen leaflet gives that figure and tells bathers to drink water before and after. ##### Where can I read about onsen rules in Hokkaido? Ride Hokkaido covers Hokkaido's onsen and their tattoo rules in its own onsen etiquette guide at ridehokkaido.com. ### Can you take a bike on the Shinkansen? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/bikes-on-the-shinkansen Updated: 2026-10-11 Every Shinkansen takes a bike packed as rinko, wheels off and fully bagged, up to 250 cm and 30 kg. West of Tokyo you should book the seat with the space behind it, and north of Tokyo there is nothing to book. Yes. Every Shinkansen line takes a bike as long as it travels as rinko (輪行): taken apart or folded, with every part inside a dedicated bike bag. The bag has to stay within 250 cm in length, width and height added together, with no side over 2 metres and a weight of 30 kg or less, and each passenger may carry two such items free. On the Tokaido, Sanyo, Kyushu and Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen, book a seat with an oversized-baggage area so the bag can ride in the space behind the last row. On JR East's lines to Tohoku, Niigata and Nagano there is no luggage booking at all. We read the luggage pages of JR Central, JR West and JR East and our own files for every Shinkansen line in October 2026. The rules below are each railway's published rules for 2026. #### Which Shinkansen lines need a booking for a bike bag? The line decides it, so check which railway runs your train. | Line | Railway | Booking for a big bag | Where a bike bag rides | Cost of the booking | The catch | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | [Tokaido](/transport/tokaido-shinkansen) (Tokyo to Shin-Osaka) | JR Central | Seat with an oversized-baggage area for bags over 160 cm | Behind the last row of some cars | Same as any reserved seat | A Kodama has 17 such seats, and 12 of them are in the Green cars | | [Sanyo](/transport/sanyo-shinkansen) (Shin-Osaka to Hakata) | JR West | Same rule as the Tokaido | Behind the last row of some cars | Same as any reserved seat | Only the Kodama stops at Shin-Onomichi | | [Kyushu](/transport/kyushu-shinkansen) (Hakata to Kagoshima-Chuo) | JR Kyushu | Same rule as the Tokaido | Behind the last row of some cars | Same as any reserved seat | Bookings open only one month ahead | | [Tohoku](/transport/tohoku-shinkansen), [Yamagata](/transport/yamagata-shinkansen), [Akita](/transport/akita-shinkansen) | JR East | None | At your feet or in a luggage area | Nothing to book | Luggage areas fill first come, first served | | [Joetsu](/transport/joetsu-shinkansen) (Tokyo to Niigata) | JR East | None | At your feet or in a luggage area | Nothing to book | The all-stops Tanigawa adds 20 minutes or more | | [Hokuriku](/transport/hokuriku-shinkansen) (Tokyo to Tsuruga) | JR East, then JR West | None | At your feet or in a luggage area | Nothing to book | Only the Hakutaka stops at Iiyama and Joetsu-Myoko | Skipping the booking costs ¥1,000. On the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu lines, a passenger who boards with a bag over 160 cm and no booking pays that carry-on fee on board. The conductor then puts the bag where it fits, and on a full train that can mean waiting for a later one ([JR Central](https://global.jr-central.co.jp/en/info/oversized-baggage/)). #### Does the 160 cm rule apply to bicycles? No. Book the seat anyway. JR Central's page says the oversized-baggage rule does not cover sports equipment such as bicycles, so a bike bag over 160 cm draws no ¥1,000 charge. The same page says only passengers holding a seat with an oversized-baggage area may use the space behind the last row. JR Central sizes its overhead racks for bags up to 160 cm, about 42 cm deep, and the space at your feet for about 120 cm. A packed bike that will not go on the rack needs the back-row space, and only the booking guarantees it. JR Central adds that sports gear longer than the length limit can still ride if it stands upright in its bag or case. #### Where are the oversized-baggage seats on the Tokaido Shinkansen? They are the last row of some cars. On a 16-car Nozomi, JR Central puts five in each of ordinary cars 3 to 6 and 12 to 16, and four in each of Green cars 8 to 10, which makes 57 a train. A Hikari carries 42, with 30 in ordinary cars. The Kodama has 17, and only five of those are in ordinary cars, so a rider on a budget books early or pays for Green. Ten more seats on a Nozomi come with a lockable oversized-baggage compartment, and each compartment takes one item up to 80 by 60 by 40 cm. A bagged road bike is longer than that, so the back-row seat is the one to book. Choose "seat with oversized baggage area" at a JR ticket office, at a reserved-seat machine, or online through [smartEX](https://smart-ex.jp/en/), JR-WEST Online Train Reservation or JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation. Bookings open a month ahead, and Japan Rail Pass holders can book through JAPAN RAIL PASS Reservation. #### How does JR East treat a bike bag? JR East runs no oversized-baggage booking on any of its Shinkansen. Each passenger carries two items free, each up to 250 cm and 30 kg, and a bike has to be taken apart or folded with every part in the bag, wheels and seat included. Some cars have luggage areas, which fill in the order people board. A bagged bike otherwise goes at your feet, and JR East asks riders to keep heavy or awkward bags off the overhead racks ([JR East luggage rules](https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/luggage-area/)). Get to the platform early on a ski-season weekend, when board bags compete for the same corners. #### How long does it take to bag a bike for the train? No railway publishes a time for it. Pack and unpack the bike at home before the trip, because the first try on a busy concourse runs slowest, and add your own time at both ends of every train you plan. Leave more margin for a change of trains, since a full bike bag slows you down on stairs and in crowds. #### Where do you bag a bike at the station? Outside the ticket gates, and out of the flow of people. Neither JR East nor JR Central marks a spot for bagging a bike at [Tokyo Station](/transport/tokyo-station), and JR West marks none at [Shin-Osaka](/transport/shin-osaka-station) or [Onomichi](/transport/rinko-at-onomichi-station). Tokyo puts JR East's Shinkansen and JR Central's Tokaido line under one roof, with lifts on the step-free routes to every platform. Allow time to walk between the two halves with a full bag. Shin-Osaka has lifts from the central entrance to every Shinkansen platform. At Onomichi, both gates are step-free from the street, and platform 1 for Mihara and Hiroshima is level with the South Gate. The empty box or hard case needs a home while you ride. JR East Logistics keeps items for up to 30 days at its [counters in Tokyo and Ueno stations](/operators/tokyo-station-baggage-storage), and a bike box over 200 cm counts as large at ¥2,000 a day in 2026. #### Can you take a bike on a train without bagging it? On JR East's B.B.BASE you can. This cycle train leaves Ryogoku in Tokyo for the Boso Peninsula and Lake Teganuma, and the bike rides whole in a rack inside the car beside your reserved seat. It runs on set days only. On 11 October 2026 JR East's calendar listed B.B.BASE Teganuma on 17 October as the last run of the year, with nothing in November, and typhoon damage had already cancelled the 26 September and 10 October trains ([B.B.BASE](/transport/bb-base)). The racks refuse bikes with mudguards, block-pattern tyres or stands that wrap the rear wheel, and JR East asks every rider to bring a bike bag anyway. WILLER EXPRESS refuses every bicycle on its night buses, folding bikes included, so the overnight bus drops out of a bike trip ([WILLER](/transport/willer-night-buses)). #### Which trains suit a rider heading for the big routes? For the [Shimanami Kaido](/routes/shimanami-kaido), take the Sanyo Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Fukuyama, 61 minutes on Nozomi 101 in the 2026 timetable, and change to the Sanyo Line for Onomichi Station by the ferry piers. For Lake Biwa, only the Hikari and Kodama stop at Maibara, and the Hikari took 33 minutes from Shin-Osaka. North of Tokyo the JR East rule makes life simpler, and the Hokuriku Shinkansen gets you to Nagano in 77 minutes on the fastest Kagayaki with nothing to book for the bike. #### Quick answers ##### Do I need to reserve a seat for my bike on the Shinkansen? On the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen, book a seat with an oversized-baggage area so a bike bag can ride behind the last row. JR Central exempts bicycles from the ¥1,000 charge, yet only booked passengers may use that space. JR East's Shinkansen have no luggage booking. ##### What size bike bag can go on the Shinkansen? A bike bag on the Shinkansen can measure up to 250 cm in length, width and height added together, with no side over 2 metres and a weight up to 30 kg. Anything bigger stays off the train. ##### Can I take an unbagged bike on the Shinkansen? No. Every Shinkansen needs the bike taken apart or folded with every part inside a dedicated bag. JR East's B.B.BASE cycle train from Ryogoku carries bikes whole on its set days. ##### How much does the oversized-baggage seat on the Tokaido Shinkansen cost? A seat with an oversized-baggage area on the Tokaido Shinkansen costs the same as any reserved seat in that class in 2026. Boarding with a bag over 160 cm and no booking costs a ¥1,000 carry-on fee. ##### How many oversized-baggage seats does a Kodama have? A 16-car Kodama on the Tokaido Shinkansen has 17 seats with an oversized-baggage area, 12 in the Green cars and 5 in ordinary cars, according to JR Central in 2026. ### Do you still need cash in Japan? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/money-cards-and-ic-cards-in-japan Updated: 2026-10-11 Cards and a tap-to-pay travel card cover most of a trip to Japan, and plenty of village baths, soba counters, temple gates and bike-hire desks still want yen. This guide sets out what to carry and how tax-free shopping changes on 1 November 2026. Yes, carry some yen. A credit card covers hotels and resort ticket windows, and a tap-to-pay IC card such as Suica covers local trains and convenience stores. Cash still pays at the places riders end up at the end of the day: town baths, mountain inns' ticket machines, soba counters and bike-hire desks. Take out enough for two days before you head into the mountains, because some resort villages have no ATM at all. We compared the ways to pay using the official pages of the IC card operators, Seven Bank, Japan Post Bank, the National Tax Agency and the Japan Tourism Agency, all read on 11 October 2026, and the payment rules on the baths, buses, shops and rental desks in Riding Japan's own listings. | How you pay | Where it works | Where it falls short | What it costs you | |---|---|---|---| | Yen in cash | Everywhere, including cash-only baths, temples and rental desks | Carrying it is your own risk, and village ATMs can be missing | Japan Post Bank may charge ¥220 a withdrawal on a foreign card, plus your own bank's fee | | Credit or debit card | Hotels, chain restaurants, resort ticket windows, most train ticket machines | Small baths and rental desks on our pages that take cash only | Your card's foreign transaction fee | | IC card (Suica, PASMO, ICOCA and the regional cards) | Trains and buses across Japan, convenience stores, coin lockers, some shops | One tap pays one fare, and the balance tops up with cash | A ¥500 deposit on most cards, by JNTO's count; the visitor cards charge none | | IC card in a phone wallet | The same places, with no plastic to lose | You need a phone the operator supports | Same fares as the card | #### Where will you still need cash? You'll need it at the small places, and on a ride or a ski trip those are the places you use most. [Tenzan Tohji-kyo](/onsen/tenzan-tohji-kyo) above Hakone-Yumoto takes cash only for its ¥1,450 entry. [Sukayu Onsen](/onsen/sukayu-onsen) in the Hakkoda mountains sells day tickets from a cash-only machine, and [Kur Garden Rotenburo](/onsen/kur-garden-rotenburo) in Gero takes nothing else. [Yamadera](/culture/yamadera) in Yamagata collects its ¥500 entry in cash, and [Biwaichi Rental Cycle Maibara](/operators/biwaichi-rental-cycle-maibara) takes cash or PayPay with no cards. PayPay is a Japanese QR-code wallet, so treat a counter that lists only cash and PayPay as cash-only unless you already use it. Cards turn up in unexpected places too. [Nakanoya](/eat/sobadokoro-nakanoya), a soba house by Echigo-Yuzawa Station, takes cards, PayPay and Suica. [Tsurunoyu Onsen](/onsen/tsurunoyu-onsen) at Nyuto takes Visa and Mastercard and no other brand. Plan your cash before you go up the hill. [Madarao](/resorts/madarao) has no ATMs anywhere in Madarao Kogen, so take money out in the city or at the station on your way. #### Which IC card should a visitor get? Get whichever card is sold where you land, because they all work across Japan. JNTO says the regional IC cards can be used nationwide on trains and buses and at convenience stores and some taxis. Suica comes from JR East and ICOCA from JR West, so a Suica bought at Narita works on the trains in Osaka. PASMO is the card of the private railways and buses around Tokyo. The visitor cards save you the deposit. [TOURIST PASMO](https://www.pasmo.co.jp/tourist-pasmo/) sells at Haneda's Keikyu ticket machines and tourist centre in values from ¥1,000 to ¥10,000, and at Narita's Skyliner and Keisei information centres for ¥2,000. It carries no deposit and lasts 28 days from the day you buy it. PASMO refunds none of the balance and can't reissue a lost card. The balance tops out at ¥20,000. JR West sells a visitor-only ICOCA design at the JR ticket office in Kansai Airport station for ¥2,000, which includes a ¥500 deposit. You need a foreign passport and a Temporary Visitor stamp, and it's one card per person. Welcome Suica is JR East's card for visitors, and JNTO lists it among the cards that need no deposit. JR East also sells a phone version called Welcome Suica Mobile, and sets how long each lasts and what it refunds on its [Welcome Suica page](https://www.jreast.co.jp/multi/welcomesuica/welcomesuica.html). PASMO's page lists station ticket machines and convenience store tills for topping up, and bus drivers take ¥1,000 notes for it. Here is how the cards play out on our pages: - The [Nozawa Onsen Liner](/transport/nozawa-onsen-liner) from Iiyama costs ¥600 for an adult, and a Suica pays for one person per tap. A pair buys paper tickets at the machine before boarding. - At [Onomichi Station](/transport/rinko-at-onomichi-station), the coin lockers by the gates take Suica, PASMO or cash, from ¥400 a day. - On the [B.B.BASE](/transport/bb-base) cycle train from Ryogoku, tap your card at a normal gate first, because the B.B.BASE gate has no card reader. - [Rent-a-Cycle Kamakura](/operators/rent-a-cycle-kamakura) takes cash or a Suica-type IC card from walk-ins. For a Shinkansen seat, and for a seat with an [oversized-baggage area](/transport/shinkansen-oversized-baggage) on the lines west of Tokyo, book a ticket ahead. #### Can you put Suica or ICOCA on your phone? Yes, on a supported phone. JR West offers ICOCA on Apple Pay for iPhone, PASMO runs its own Apple Pay version, and JNTO lists Welcome Suica Mobile among the visitor cards. Check the operator's page for your phone model before you fly. #### Which ATMs take foreign cards? Use the ATMs at 7-Eleven and at post offices. Seven Bank says it runs more than 28,000 ATMs at 7-Eleven stores across Japan that pay out yen on overseas cards day or night, with machines at Narita, Haneda, Chubu, Kansai and Fukuoka airports among other places. It warns that some cards carrying the right logos may still be refused. Japan Post Bank ATMs take Visa, Plus, Mastercard, Maestro, Cirrus, JCB, UnionPay and Discover cards. At post offices they run 7:00 to 23:00 from Monday to Saturday and 7:00 to 21:00 on Sundays and holidays, and its compact machines in FamilyMart stores run 0:05 to 23:55. The bank may charge ¥220 a withdrawal and limits each one to ¥50,000. It also warns that some foreign cards settle in your home currency at the machine. #### Do prices in Japan include tax? Yes. Japanese law requires shops to show the tax-included price, and the National Tax Agency's guidance gives forms such as ¥11,000 (tax included) as the standard. Consumption tax runs at 10%, and 8% on food and drink you take away. Every price on Riding Japan is the tax-included yen figure with its year. The cabinet agreed on 15 September 2026 to cut the rate on food and drink to 1% from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2029. That plan becomes law only when the Diet passes the bill, so treat it as a proposal until then. Onsen add a bathing tax, and the prices they publish usually carry it. [Ishiwari no Yu](/onsen/ishiwari-no-yu) near Lake Yamanaka charges adults ¥900 with ¥150 of bathing tax inside that figure. #### How does tax-free shopping work from November 2026? From 1 November 2026, you pay the full price with tax at the shop and get the tax back after customs checks your goods on the way out. The National Tax Agency calls this the refund method. Purchases made up to 31 October 2026 follow the old system, where the shop takes the tax off at the till. Under the new system, as the National Tax Agency and the Japan Tourism Agency set it out: 1. Show your passport at a tax-free shop and spend at least ¥5,000 before tax in one shop on one day. 2. Within 90 days of the purchase, show your passport at the tax-free kiosk in the departure lobby when you leave Japan. Do it before you check your bags, because the kiosk can't confirm goods already on the plane and airlines won't hand checked bags back. 3. If the kiosk shows green, you're done. If it shows red, customs inspects the goods. 4. The shop, or the refund company it uses, pays you the tax back. Ask the shop how it refunds when you buy. Customs checks one receipt at a time. If you no longer have one item from a receipt, you lose the refund on everything else on that receipt too. If you have eaten or used tax-free goods before you fly, tell the customs desk and leave those out. The new rules end the split between general goods and consumables, so the ¥500,000 limit on consumables and their sealed bags go too. Buy only what you can carry out yourself. At Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, Fukuoka, New Chitose and Naha you can also do the check online through Visit Japan Web on the departure lobby's dedicated wireless network, up to the security gate. If you connect from a domestic flight, do the check at the last airport you leave Japan from. Riders flying home with a board bag or a bike box should keep the tax-free goods out of the big bag and visit the kiosk before queuing at check-in. Allow time for a red light, because the Japan Tourism Agency says nobody compensates a traveller who misses a flight over the check. #### Quick answers ##### Do you need cash in Japan in 2026? Yes, you need some cash in Japan in 2026. Cards and IC cards cover hotels and trains, and many baths, temples and rental desks still take cash only, such as Tenzan Tohji-kyo in Hakone and Yamadera in Yamagata. ##### Can tourists use Suica in Japan? Yes. Tourists can buy and use a Suica, and JR East sells Welcome Suica to visitors with no deposit. A Suica pays fares on trains and buses across Japan, as JNTO notes for all the regional IC cards. ##### How much is the deposit on an IC card in Japan? Most IC cards in Japan carry a ¥500 deposit, according to JNTO. TOURIST PASMO and Welcome Suica charge no deposit, and the visitor ICOCA at Kansai Airport costs ¥2,000 including its ¥500 deposit. ##### Which ATMs in Japan accept foreign cards? Seven Bank ATMs at 7-Eleven stores and Japan Post Bank ATMs at post offices accept foreign cards in Japan. Seven Bank counts more than 28,000 machines, and Japan Post Bank limits each withdrawal to ¥50,000. ##### Do prices in Japan include tax? Yes. Shops in Japan must show tax-included prices, with consumption tax at 10% and 8% on food and drink to take away. ##### How does the tax refund work in Japan from November 2026? From 1 November 2026, visitors to Japan pay tax at the till and get it refunded after customs confirms the goods at departure. Show your passport at the airport's tax-free kiosk within 90 days of buying and before you check your bags. ##### What is the minimum spend for tax-free shopping in Japan? The minimum spend for tax-free shopping in Japan is ¥5,000 before tax in one shop on one day, under the rules that start on 1 November 2026. ### How do backcountry gates and rescue costs work at Japan's ski resorts? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/avalanche-gates-and-rescue-costs Updated: 2026-10-11 Japanese resorts let riders out only through designated gates once a climbing plan is filed, and every resort here that publishes a rescue rule bills the rider. Zao bans riding off its courses altogether. Leave a Japanese ski resort only through a designated gate, with a climbing plan filed and a beacon, probe and shovel you know how to use. Every resort in this guide that publishes a rescue rule bills the person rescued. Goryu in Hakuba charges ¥20,000 an hour for each patroller, and Hakkoda charges ¥30,000 a day for each rescuer. Zao Onsen bans riding off its courses altogether, and from 2026/27 it makes anyone who guides for pay register with the resort first. We read the published boundary rules of 18 resorts on Honshu and in Tohoku, as they stood when we checked in October 2026, along with the Japan Avalanche Network's bulletin list and our guide operators' pages. This guide names gates and the rules around them. It gives no routes, stashes or lines, and every resort below asks you to read its own rules before you leave the lifts. Hokkaido belongs to our sister site, and Ride Hokkaido's [gates and rules guide](https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/gates-and-rules) and [avalanche safety guide](https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/avalanche-safety) cover Niseko and the rest of the island. #### Which resorts let you leave the boundary? | Resort | Policy | How you leave | Before you go | Rescue | |---|---|---|---|---| | [Happo-one](/resorts/hakuba-happo-one) | Gates | Designated gates marked G on the map | Climbing registration with the Nagano police; beacon, probe, shovel | Billed to the rider | | [Goryu](/resorts/hakuba-goryu) | Gates | Signed trailhead at the top of the Alps No. 4 lift; out by 14:00 | Registration at the Toomi gondola station or Alps station | Hourly rates, from ¥20,000 per patroller | | [Tsugaike](/resorts/hakuba-tsugaike) | Gates | Designated gate | Climbing plan; beacon, probe, shovel | Billed to the rider | | [Hakuba Norikura](/resorts/hakuba-norikura) | Gates | Designated gate | Report or disclaimer before the No. 11 pair lift | Billed when a private team goes out | | [Hakuba Cortina](/resorts/hakuba-cortina) | Gates | Designated gate; never partway down a run | Tour plan; beacon, probe, shovel | Billed when a private team goes out | | [Nozawa Onsen](/resorts/nozawa-onsen) | Gates | Two access points at the top of Yamabiko | Entry report recommended | Patrol doesn't rescue past the gates; costs repaid | | [Myoko Suginohara](/resorts/myoko-suginohara) | Gates | Gates only | Climbing plan with the patrol office | Full cost to the rider | | [Madarao](/resorts/madarao) | Open | No designated gate | Tour plan, insurance, landowner's permission | No patrol or rescue past the boundary | | [Shiga Kogen](/resort-groups/shiga-kogen) | Gates | Exits marked with the side-country sign | Read the side-country map | Full cost to the rider | | [Kagura](/resorts/kagura) | Gates | Kaguragamine gate at the top of the No.5 Romance lift | Plan in the box at the gate; beacon, shovel, probe, helmet | Charged to the rider | | [Naeba](/resorts/naeba) | Gates | Designated gates | Climbing plan at the patrol post | Every cost to the rider | | [Mt.T](/resorts/tenjindaira) | Gates | Designated gates | Beacon essential; guide recommended | Staff, machines, ropeway and lighting billed | | [Zao Onsen](/resorts/zao-onsen) | Banned | Riding off the courses is prohibited | Not applicable | Patrol rescues; check costs with the resort | | [NEKOMA](/resorts/nekoma) | Open | Outside the boundary is unmanaged | Climbing notice through Compass; go with a guide | Billed, including rescues it joins | | [Hakkoda](/resorts/hakkoda) | Open | Only two courses are patrolled | Mountain entry form; never alone | ¥30,000 per rescuer a day | | [Gassan](/resorts/gassan) | Open | Managed area west of the lift only | Entry form at the lift's bottom station | Billed at cost outside the area | Arai Mountain Resort hadn't posted 2026/27 boundary rules on any page we could read by 11 October 2026, so ask its patrol before you ride its free-ride zones or leave the area. #### How do the gates work in Hakuba? Five of Hakuba Valley's ten resorts have designated backcountry gates: Goryu, Happo-one, Tsugaike, Norikura and Cortina. At Jigatake, Kashimayari, Sanosaka, Hakuba47 and Iwatake you stay inside the boundary, and leaving the ski area anywhere else in the valley is prohibited. Hakuba Valley asks you to submit a mountain-climbing registration before you buy a ticket if you plan to use a gate, and it advises inexperienced riders to stay inside the boundaries once the danger rating reaches level 3. [Goryu](/resorts/hakuba-goryu) puts its trailhead at the top of the Alps No. 4 lift. Patrol triggers avalanches on more than 20 known slide paths around the resort before opening, and the terrain outside the ropes slides into the runs, so ducking a rope there puts people below at risk. You may not leave after 14:00 or come back in after the last lift. [Tsugaike](/resorts/hakuba-tsugaike) keeps its TSUGA POW area of ungroomed powder inside the boundary and opens it until 14:00 to riders 18 and over who watch the lecture video, sign the agreement and wear the season's armband. [Norikura](/resorts/hakuba-norikura) asks for a mountaineering report or a signed disclaimer before you ride its No. 11 pair lift. At [Cortina](/resorts/hakuba-cortina), crossing the boundary partway down a run is forbidden. #### What are Nozawa Onsen's rules? [Nozawa Onsen](/resorts/nozawa-onsen) opens the backcountry through two access points at the top of the Yamabiko area, beside the Yamabiko No. 4 lift's summit station. Close the gate behind you, and never duck the ropes. Patrol doesn't rescue beyond the gates, and you may not come back into the ski area after operating hours. The resort recommends dropping a mountain entry report at a patrol station or the Nagasaka information centre, and its ski area rules make anyone rescued from outside the ski area repay the search and rescue costs. Three people died in the backcountry here in 2023. #### What do Myoko, Madarao and Shiga Kogen ask? [Myoko Suginohara](/resorts/myoko-suginohara) lets riders out only through its gates, after they file a climbing plan with the patrol office. Riders who leave anywhere else can be asked to hand back their lift ticket. Filing a plan puts no search duty on the resort, and anyone rescued off the courses or outside the area pays the full cost. [Madarao](/resorts/madarao) sets no designated exit and doesn't ban riders from leaving. Beyond its boundary there is no grooming, patrol, avalanche control or rescue. It asks you to check with the landowner before you enter the land outside and to carry insurance that covers search and rescue. Riders new to the area should go with a local guide, and Madarao lists guide services on its site. Its twelve official tree runs sit inside the managed area. [Shiga Kogen](/resort-groups/shiga-kogen) marks its side-country exits with a warning sign telling you that you're leaving the ski area, and its side-country map shows where riding outside the runs is tolerated. Everything outside that mapped area is closed, and the resort bills the full cost of any search or rescue beyond the ski area. #### How do Kagura, Naeba and Mt.T handle it? [Kagura](/resorts/kagura) has one gate, toward Kaguragamine at the top of the No.5 Romance lift, which runs from 1 January. Nobody staffs it. Post a climbing plan in the box there, and carry a beacon, shovel, probe, food and water, GPS and a helmet. The Kirinoto and Karigamine directions are closed to entry, and the resort tells riders never to cross the Kaguragamine ridge. Keep out of stream beds, where snow holes trap riders. Rescues are charged to the rider. [Naeba](/resorts/naeba) asks for a climbing plan at the patrol post and allows exits only through its gates, and the rider pays every cost of a search outside the area. [Mt.T](/resorts/tenjindaira) opens unmanaged terrain of 30 to 50 degrees by its own figures through designated gates. The slopes on both sides of the Tajirizawa A course belong to the Tone-Numata Forest Office, which has made them a no-entry zone. Mt.T marks a beacon as essential and recommends a guide for anyone new to this terrain. Under its terms of use it bills a rescued rider for search staff, snow machines, ropeway running costs, lighting and electricity. In an emergency, call the police on 110. #### What changed at Zao Onsen for 2026/27? Zao Onsen prohibits riding anywhere off its slopes and courses. The resort repeated the ban on 3 February 2026, after patrol rescued a seriously injured rider who had left the course near the Diamond No. 2 pair lift in Diamond Valley the day before. From 2026/27 Zao also requires every company, group and individual who teaches, guides or leads riders for business on the mountain to register, whether the business is Japanese or based overseas. Applications run from 2 November to 2 December 2026. Registered instructors ride on a dedicated lift ticket, and the resort bans lessons on an ordinary ticket. It is also capping new operators who mainly serve overseas visitors. Book lessons with a school on Zao's registered list. The ski area's rescue line is 023-694-9215. #### What does a rescue cost? You pay at every resort here that publishes a rule. These are the rates the resorts published, as they stood in October 2026. | Resort | Published rescue rates | |---|---| | [Goryu](/resorts/hakuba-goryu) | Per hour: ¥20,000 per patroller, ¥10,000 per assistant, ¥5,000 per headquarters staff member, ¥50,000 per grooming machine, ¥10,000 per snowmobile | | [Geto Kogen](/resorts/geto-kogen) | Per hour in a no-ride area: ¥18,000 per patroller, ¥6,000 per support staff, ¥20,000 per snowmobile, ¥50,000 per snowcat, ¥135,000 for night lighting | | [Hakkoda](/resorts/hakkoda) | ¥30,000 per rescuer per day, ¥50,000 per emergency ropeway run, ¥10,000 an hour per snowcat, ¥10,000 per emergency lift run | | [Tazawako](/resorts/tazawako) | Semboku City bills ¥30,000 per searcher per day, plus ¥2,000 for meals and ¥5,000 per vehicle | | [Gassan](/resorts/gassan) | At cost outside the managed area; inside it after hours, ¥2,000 an hour per worker with at least five on duty and ¥10,000 an hour per snowcat or snowmobile | | Happo-one, Tsugaike, Norikura, Cortina, Nozawa Onsen, Suginohara, Shiga Kogen, Kagura, Naeba, Mt.T, NEKOMA | The full cost goes to the rider, with no rate published | The bill adds up quickly. A two-hour search at Goryu by four patrollers with one snowmobile comes to ¥180,000 at its published rates, by our sum. Check that your travel insurance covers off-piste search and rescue before you leave the boundary, as Madarao and Gassan both advise. #### Which avalanche bulletin covers which mountains? The Japan Avalanche Network publishes daily bulletins in English at [data.nadare.jp](https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en) for Hakuba, Myoko, Kagura, Tanigawa, Hotaka and Tateyama on Honshu, plus two areas in Hokkaido. The nearest areas to the gates in this guide are Hakuba for the valley, Myoko for Suginohara, Kagura for Kagura and Naeba, and Tanigawa for Mt.T. Zao, Gassan, Hakkoda and the other Tohoku mountains sit outside JAN's named areas. There, check JMA's [warnings and advisories](https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/warning/#lang=en) for the town below the mountain, which carry an avalanche advisory when JMA issues one. Nozawa Onsen, Madarao and Shiga Kogen each tell riders to read the JAN bulletin before going out, so pick the nearest area and read it with the local signs and patrol boards. Hakkoda and Zao are also active volcanoes, so check JMA's volcano level before you ride to the top. #### Should you hire a guide? Yes, for anyone new to Japanese snow or to the mountain, and several resorts say so themselves. Guides know which gates patrol has opened and where the closures sit. These operators publish 2026/27 prices. - **Hakuba:** [Bamboo Tail](/operators/bambootail) runs Japanese-language tours with JMGA-certified guides from ¥17,050 a person. [Evergreen Backcountry Guides](/operators/evergreen-backcountry-guides) works from Tsugaike in English, with group days from ¥31,000 a person. [Northern Heights Guiding](/operators/northern-heights-guiding) charges ¥130,000 for a private day for up to five. - **Myoko:** [Myoko Guiding Co.](/operators/myoko-guiding-co) in Akakura charges ¥141,000 for a private day for up to four, or ¥47,500 a person on an open group day. - **Mt.T:** [Canyons](/operators/canyons) runs private tours from 15 January to 15 March at ¥120,000 for four, with a 30-minute start before the ropeway opens to the public. - **Hakkoda:** [Sukayu Guide](/operators/sukayu-guide) runs shared tours from ¥7,000 a person, with up to 30 riders a day. #### Quick answers ##### Is off-piste skiing allowed in Japan? Off-piste skiing in Japan depends on the resort. Hakuba's five gated resorts, Nozawa Onsen, Myoko Suginohara, Kagura, Naeba and Mt.T allow it only through designated gates. Madarao, NEKOMA, Hakkoda and Gassan leave the land outside the boundary to the rider, and Zao Onsen bans riding off its courses altogether. ##### Who pays for a ski rescue in Japan? The rider pays at every Japanese resort in this guide that publishes a rule. Goryu bills ¥20,000 an hour per patroller and Hakkoda ¥30,000 a day per rescuer. In Hokkaido, Niseko bills from ¥100,000 according to Ride Hokkaido. ##### Do you need an avalanche beacon in Hakuba? Yes, to use a gate. Hakuba's gated resorts ask riders to carry an avalanche transceiver, a probe and a shovel and to file a climbing plan before leaving the boundary. ##### Where is the avalanche forecast for Japan? The Japan Avalanche Network publishes daily bulletins in English at data.nadare.jp for Hakuba, Myoko, Kagura, Tanigawa, Hotaka and Tateyama, plus two Hokkaido areas. Elsewhere, JMA's warnings and advisories carry avalanche advisories by town. ##### What are Zao's new rules for 2026/27? Zao Onsen prohibits riding off its slopes and courses, and from 2026/27 every business or person who teaches or guides on the mountain must register with the resort and use a dedicated lift ticket. Applications run from 2 November to 2 December 2026. ### How do you cycle Japan end to end, from Cape Soya to Cape Sata? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/cycling-japan-end-to-end Updated: 2026-10-11 Japan's National Cycle Routes stop well short of joining the northern and southern capes, so riders link them with ordinary roads. Ride Hokkaido covers the island, this guide picks you up at Aomori, and the season decides the direction. To cycle Japan end to end, you link Cape Soya at the top of Hokkaido to Cape Sata at the southern tip of Kagoshima's Osumi Peninsula on a route of your own. MLIT's National Cycle Routes do not join the two capes into one signed line, so most of the way through Honshu and Kyushu you ride ordinary roads. The routes give you signed, serviced stretches to string along the way, from the 1,487 km Pacific Cycling Road to the 70 km Shimanami Kaido. Ride Hokkaido at [ridehokkaido.com](https://ridehokkaido.com/) covers the island, and this guide picks the ride up at Aomori. Ride it north to south from September, or south to north in spring to stay ahead of the rainy season. We built this from MLIT's list of National Cycle Routes, our own route files, JMA's rainy-season normals for 1991 to 2020 and the railways' bike rules, in October 2026. Route lengths are the organisers' published figures. The seasonal advice is our reading of JMA's normals, and the dates show what an average year looks like. #### Which routes can you string together between Aomori and Cape Sata? These signed routes lie along the natural lines south. Each length is the organiser's published figure. | Route | Where | Length (published) | Why it fits an end-to-end ride | The catch | |---|---|---|---|---| | [Fukushima Hamadori Cycle Route](/routes/fukushima-hamadori) | Fukushima's Pacific coast, Shinchi to Iwaki | 179 km | The Pacific line south through Tohoku | A few narrow tunnels, and some roads stay closed to bikes under evacuation orders | | [Tsukuba-Kasumigaura Ring-Ring Road](/routes/tsukuba-kasumigaura-ring-ring-road) | Ibaraki | 176 km | A car-free old railway line on the way to Chiba | A loop, so you ride only part of it heading south | | Pacific Cycling Road, from [stage 1](/routes/pacific-cycling-road-1) to [stage 6](/routes/pacific-cycling-road-6) | Choshi in Chiba to Kada port in Wakayama City | 1,487 km | Six prefectures of the Pacific coast in one signed line | Two ferries, across the mouths of Tokyo Bay and Ise Bay | | Akinada Tobishima Kaido or [Shimanami Kaido](/routes/shimanami-kaido) | The Seto Inland Sea islands | Shimanami 70 km | Island bridges between Honshu and Shikoku | Each runs across the sea, so plan where you rejoin the mainland | | [Ama-Ichi](/routes/ama-ichi) | Amakusa, Kumamoto | 152 km | The Amakusa islands on the way south through Kyushu | Narrow bridges between the second and fifth crossings | A rider who prefers the Sea of Japan coast can swap the Pacific line for the [Toyama Bay Cycling Route](/routes/toyama-bay-cycling-route) at 102 km and the [Tottori Uminami Road](/routes/tottori-uminami-road) at 152 km. The Ishikawa Satoyama-Satoumi route between them runs 517 km, and on the Noto peninsula it still carries closures and detours after the 2024 earthquake. Check [Ishikawa Prefecture's road map](https://www.pref.ishikawa.jp/michi/cycling/cycling-web/route.html) before you go and ride with care for towns that are rebuilding. Long gaps sit between these routes, through northern Tohoku and from Wakayama to the Inland Sea. Our [collection of National Cycle Routes](/collections/national-cycle-routes) lists all twelve with MLIT's lengths. #### Who covers the Hokkaido part of the ride? Ride Hokkaido, our sister guide, covers every place on the island, from its towns to its onsen. Cape Soya and the roads south to the strait belong to that site, and this guide starts again at Aomori. A rider skipping Hokkaido can begin at Shin-Aomori, which Hayabusa 5 reached from Tokyo in 178 minutes in the 2026 timetable on the [Tohoku Shinkansen](/transport/tohoku-shinkansen). Check the bike rules of whichever ferry or train you take across the Tsugaru Strait before you book it. #### When is the best season to cycle Japan end to end? September to November north to south, or April to early June south to north. JMA's normals for 1991 to 2020 put the start of the rainy season (梅雨, tsuyu) around 30 May in southern Kyushu, 5 June in Shikoku, 7 June in Kanto and 15 June in northern Tohoku. It ends around 15 July in southern Kyushu and 28 July in northern Tohoku. A spring rider who leaves Cape Sata in early April has about ten weeks before the rain reaches northern Tohoku, computed from those normals. | Region | Rainy season starts (JMA normal) | Rainy season ends (JMA normal) | What else to watch | |---|---|---|---| | Southern Kyushu | Around 30 May | Around 15 July | Aso's crater area closes at volcanic alert level 2 and above | | Shikoku | Around 5 June | Around 17 July | Typhoons in late summer and autumn | | Kanto and Koshin | Around 7 June | Around 19 July | Summer heat and humidity on the coast | | Northern Tohoku | Around 15 June | Around 28 July | Zao's mountain road, further south in Tohoku, shut for winter on 4 November 2026 | An autumn rider heading south meets the typhoon season on the Pacific coast, which runs through late summer and autumn, and should check JMA's warnings and the ferry operators' notices each morning. Our route file for the Pacific Cycling Road gives August means between 25.5 °C at Choshi and 27.4 °C at Irago on JMA's coastal stations, with high humidity, which is the main reason to avoid midsummer. Mountain roads close from the end of October: Norikura's high roads take their last traffic on 31 October 2026, and the Zao Echo Line shuts for the season on 4 November. JMA moved Aso from volcanic alert level 3 to level 2 on 1 September 2026, and at level 2 the ground around Nakadake's first crater stays closed. The [Aso caldera ride](/routes/aso-caldera) sits well outside that zone. Check [JMA's page for Aso](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/503.html) before you ride, because the level can change within a day. #### How do trains and takkyubin help on a ride this long? The Shinkansen skips a gap and takkyubin moves what you are not carrying. Every Shinkansen takes a bagged bike up to 250 cm and 30 kg. On the Sanyo and Kyushu lines, book a seat with an oversized-baggage area for the space behind the last row. On JR East's lines north of Tokyo there is nothing to book. [Hakata to Kumamoto](/transport/kyushu-shinkansen) took 32 minutes on Mizuho 601 in 2026, and Shin-Osaka to Fukuyama for the Inland Sea took 61 minutes on Nozomi 101. Our guide to [bikes on the Shinkansen](/guides/bikes-on-the-shinkansen) sets out each line's rule. Yamato will carry a bike you box yourself within 200 cm and 30 kg, and a 200 size parcel from Kanto to Kyushu cost ¥6,540 cash on 11 October 2026. Ship the empty box to your last hotel near the finish and you can pack the bike there for the trip home. Smaller bags go cheaper: Yamato's 160 size from Kanto to Kyushu cost ¥3,630. Our [takkyubin guide](/guides/takkyubin-for-boards-and-bikes) has the sizes and the Sagawa suspension that followed its September 2026 breach. #### Quick answers ##### Is there an official end-to-end cycle route in Japan? No. MLIT's twelve National Cycle Routes do not join Cape Soya to Cape Sata, and riders link them with ordinary roads. The longest of them is the 1,487 km Pacific Cycling Road. ##### What is the best time of year to cycle the length of Japan? Spring from April riding north, or autumn from September riding south. JMA's normals put the rainy season's start around 30 May in southern Kyushu and 15 June in northern Tohoku, so a spring rider leaving the south in early April has about ten weeks before it reaches northern Tohoku. ##### Where does a Cape Soya to Cape Sata ride start and finish? A Cape Soya to Cape Sata ride starts at Japan's northern cape in Hokkaido and finishes at Cape Sata on the Osumi Peninsula in Kagoshima, at the southern tip of Kyushu. ##### Can I skip part of a Japan end-to-end ride by train? Yes. Every Shinkansen takes a bike packed as rinko, within 250 cm and 30 kg. On the Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen, book a seat with an oversized-baggage area for the bike bag. ### How do you send skis, boards and bikes ahead in Japan? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/takkyubin-for-boards-and-bikes Updated: 2026-10-11 Hand a covered ski or board bag to Yamato two days before you ride and it waits at the resort desk. A bike goes only boxed, within 200 cm and 30 kg, and Sagawa's web booking stays down after its September 2026 breach. Send skis and snowboards ahead with Yamato's Ski Takkyubin: hand the bag over two days before you ride, three in some areas, and Yamato delivers it to the resort the day before for you to collect at the front desk. The bag has to travel inside Yamato's own cover, and Yamato charges it at the 180 size rate up to 30 kg, which came to ¥3,680 cash from Kanto to Nagano or Niigata on 11 October 2026. A bike goes by ordinary takkyubin only when you box it yourself within 200 cm in length, width and height added together and 30 kg. Sagawa Express still collects by phone, though it suspended web pickup requests, online tracking and online redelivery after reporting unauthorised access to its parcel-enquiry service from 30 September 2026. Takkyubin (宅急便, takkyūbin) is Yamato Transport's name for its door-to-door parcel service, and this guide uses the word for any send-ahead service, Sagawa's included. We read the published rules and fare tables of Yamato and Sagawa in October 2026, and every price here is the carrier's own figure for 2026. #### What does each service take, and what does it cost? | Service | What it takes | Size and weight | Price (published, 2026) | Timing | The catch | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Yamato Ski Takkyubin | Skis, snowboards, boots and poles in Yamato's cover | 180 size rate, up to 30 kg, two sets per cover | Cover ¥400 for skis, ¥600 for a snowboard; the 180 size fare from Kanto to Nagano or Niigata was ¥3,680 cash | Hand over 2 days before you ski (3 in some areas), delivered the day before | Convenience stores refuse skis and boards | | Yamato takkyubin for a bike | A bike you have boxed yourself | Up to 200 cm and 30 kg | 200 size fare from Kanto: ¥4,470 to Nagano or Niigata, ¥6,220 to Hiroshima or Okayama, ¥6,540 to Kyushu (cash) | Normal parcel days; e-bikes take longer | A bike in a soft bag is refused | | Sagawa round trip | Skis, boards, golf bags and suitcases, home to hotel and back | 160 size rate up to 30 kg, in a cover | Snowboard bag cover ¥803; golf bag cover ¥726 | Pay both ways at pickup; return valid 10 days | Web bookings suspended; phone the local office | | Sagawa Cycling Without Baggage | Bags between partner hotels and terminals on the Shimanami Kaido | Up to 160 cm and 30 kg | ¥2,200 a bag | Same day: drop early, collect late afternoon | Partner hotels mostly serve their own guests | Yamato's fares in the table come from its [cash fare table](https://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/ytc/search/estimate/ichiran.html) as it stood on 11 October 2026, sending from Kanto (Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma and Yamanashi). Drop the parcel at a Yamato office yourself and Yamato takes ¥100 off each one. Paying by card, e-money or code puts you on Yamato's separate cashless table instead. #### How do you send skis or a snowboard to a Japanese ski resort? Book a pickup or take the bag to a Yamato office or agent shop two days before your first ski day, or three in some areas, before that counter's cutoff. Yamato puts it at the resort's front desk the day before you ski. Bring your copy of the waybill to collect it ([Yamato Ski Takkyubin](https://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/ytc/customer/send/services/ski/)). Yamato refuses a bare board bag, so buy the cover when you send: ¥400 for the 33 by 215 cm ski cover and ¥600 for a snowboard. Boards over 170 cm go in Yamato's multi cover, 84 by 246 cm, which takes up to two pairs. The 180 size rate applies whatever the cover, and three or more pairs in one parcel are refused. Yamato caps its liability at ¥300,000 a parcel. Book the return at the same time and Yamato's round-trip service lets you leave the bag at the resort with nothing to fill in or pay on the way home. The return is valid for a month from the day Yamato took the outbound bag. #### Can you send a bike by takkyubin in Japan? Yes, boxed. Yamato carries a bicycle by ordinary takkyubin when you pack it yourself in a box strong enough to ship, within its 200 size (200 cm in length, width and height combined) and 30 kg. It refuses unpacked bikes and anything over the size. E-bikes and other electric bicycles can go too, though Yamato treats them as small vehicles and sends them by land and sea, so they take longer ([Yamato](https://faq.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/app/answers/detail/a_id/1253/)). Yamato ended its Cycling Yamato service for bagged bikes on 3 October 2021, and a soft rinko bag no longer qualifies. Sagawa's pages for personal customers listed parcels up to 160 cm and 30 kg in October 2026, which rules out most bike boxes. The exception is the Shimanami Kaido. There, Sagawa's partners ship bikes home in a ¥6,600 Sagawa bike box ordered a week ahead, taking a packed bike up to 260 cm, cash on delivery ([Sagawa Cycling Without Baggage](/operators/sagawa-cycling-without-baggage)). #### What happened to Sagawa's online services? Sagawa reported unauthorised access to its parcel-enquiry service from 30 September 2026 and suspended web pickup requests, online tracking and online redelivery. Pickups booked by phone still run, so call your local Sagawa office. Sagawa's round-trip service brings both waybills to your door at pickup, and you pay both ways there. On the way home you stick on the return waybill and leave the bag at the hotel desk. The return leg is valid for ten days after pickup, and Sagawa will not deliver on the day you arrive or ski, so plan around both limits. #### Can you send bags from a hotel or an airport? From a hotel, yes. The front desk takes a parcel with a completed waybill for both Yamato and Sagawa, and ski resorts take them too. A resort's own counter rules and cutoff time apply, so ask at check-in. Airports run carrier counters as well. Yamato's [hands-free travel page](https://www.global-yamato.com/en/hands-free-travel/) lists its storage and same-day delivery counters, and it was advertising a same-day delivery offer to Haneda Airport when we checked in October 2026. Riders flying into Okinawa will find Naha Airport's Yamato and Sagawa counters, with their day rates for bike boxes, in Ride Okinawa's guide to [bringing your bike](https://rideokinawa.com/guides/bringing-your-bike). #### Where can you leave an empty bike box while you ride? At JR East Logistics' counters inside Tokyo and Ueno stations, which hold items for up to 30 days. A box over 200 cm counts as large at ¥2,000 a day in 2026, so a week costs ¥14,000 ([JR East Logistics](/operators/tokyo-station-baggage-storage)). On the Shimanami Kaido, Onomichi Station's three extra-large lockers cost ¥1,000 a day and hold bags for up to 72 hours. A rider finishing in a different town from the start can skip storage and ship the box to the last hotel instead. #### Quick answers ##### How many days ahead should I send skis with Yamato? Send skis or a snowboard with Yamato's Ski Takkyubin two days before your first ski day, or three days ahead in some areas. Yamato delivers to the resort the day before you ski. ##### How much does it cost to send a snowboard by takkyubin in Japan? Yamato charged its 180 size rate for a snowboard in 2026, which was ¥3,680 cash from Kanto to Nagano or Niigata, plus ¥600 for the required snowboard cover. ##### Can I send a bike with Yamato? Yes, if you box it yourself within 200 cm in length, width and height combined and 30 kg. Yamato ended its bagged-bike service on 3 October 2021, and e-bikes travel by land and sea. ##### Is Sagawa taking online bookings in October 2026? No. Sagawa suspended web pickup requests, online tracking and online redelivery after reporting unauthorised access from 30 September 2026. Phone pickups still run. ##### Can I send a ski bag from a convenience store in Japan? No. Yamato's convenience-store partners refuse skis and snowboards, so take the bag to a Yamato office or agent shop or book a pickup. ### How do you stay safe on a cycling trip in Japan? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/ride-safety-in-japan Updated: 2026-10-11 Heat sends far more people to hospital than anything with teeth, so the heatstroke alert is the first thing to read on a summer morning. After that come hornets and bears on forest roads, dark tunnels, typhoons from August, and what to do when the ground shakes near the sea. Check the heat first. From May to September, Japan's heat sends far more people to hospital than any animal on the roadside, and the Ministry of the Environment publishes a heatstroke alert for every prefecture each day. On forest roads, give hornet nests and long grass a wide berth, and carry a bell where bears live. Turn your lights on in every tunnel. Typhoons come mostly in August and September, and if the ground shakes hard near the coast, ride uphill without waiting for the warning. This guide covers Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. We built it from the official pages of the Ministry of the Environment, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, the Forestry Agency, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the Japan Tourism Agency and the National Police Agency, read on 11 October 2026, and from the alerts on Riding Japan's own route and town pages. Ride Okinawa's [road guide](https://rideokinawa.com/guides/riding-on-okinawa-main-island) covers habu and the island's typhoons, and our [cycling rules guide](/guides/japan-cycling-rules-2026) covers the fines. | Hazard | When | Where riders meet it | What to check | What to do | |---|---|---|---|---| | Heat | May to September, by the ambulance figures | Everywhere, worst on low roads and lake loops | The Ministry of the Environment's heatstroke alert map | Ride at dawn, stop often, drink and take salt | | Hornets | Summer, when the nests are big | Road banks and bushes on forest roads | Nothing published per road | Back away slowly from any hornet buzzing round you | | Mamushi | Spring to autumn; they hibernate from November to March | Long grass, stone walls, paddy edges and streams | Nothing published per road | Stay on the tarmac, and call 119 if bitten | | Bears | Spring and autumn above all | Forests in Tohoku and the Alps | Prefecture sighting maps and our alerts | Carry a bell, and leave quietly if you see one | | Tunnels | All year | Mountain passes and rocky coasts | Your own lights | Lights on front and back before you enter | | Typhoons | July to October, peaking in September | Every region, hardest on the Pacific side | JMA's typhoon map | Stay off the bike and plan around train cuts | | Earthquake and tsunami | Any time | Coast roads | The Safety tips app | Head for high ground at once after strong or long shaking | #### How dangerous is the summer heat for cyclists in Japan? Very dangerous on the hottest days. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency counted 100,510 people taken to hospital by ambulance with heatstroke between May and September 2025, the most since its survey began in 2008. About 20% of them were on roads when it struck. The agency notes that summer 2025 was Japan's hottest on record and that heat alerts went out more often than ever before. The Ministry of the Environment issues its heatstroke alert (熱中症警戒アラート) for a forecast area when the day's maximum heat index there is forecast to reach 33. The index is WBGT, which folds temperature, humidity and sunshine into one number. A special alert (熱中症特別警戒アラート) goes out when every observation point in a prefecture is forecast to reach 35, and towns then open their designated cooling shelters. The [alert map](https://www.wbgt.env.go.jp/alert.php) updates at 05:00 for the day and at 14:00 and 17:00 for the next day. On an alert day the ministry tells people to stop exercising anywhere that isn't cool. For a rider that means starting at first light and finishing before the worst of it, with water and salt at every stop. Shiga Prefecture warns that long hours in strong sun on a summer lap of [Biwaichi](/routes/biwaichi) carry a high risk of heatstroke. Convenience stores make good rest stops, with cold drinks and air conditioning. Watch your riding partners as well as yourself. The ministry's first-aid chart lists the signs, among them dizziness or fainting, cramp, heavy sweating, a headache, nausea and a high temperature. If the rider doesn't answer when you speak to them, call 119 and don't force water on them. If they answer, get them into the shade, loosen their clothes and cool them down, with ice at the neck, armpits and groin if you have it. A rider who can't drink by themselves needs a doctor, and one who can should take water and salt and rest until they recover. Our [phrase guide](/guides/japanese-phrases-for-the-lift-line-and-the-road) has the line for "I think it's heatstroke". #### What should you do about hornets on forest roads? Keep away from the nest and back off slowly when a hornet starts circling you. The Forestry Agency counts 18 people in Japan who died from bee and wasp stings in 2024, and names hornets (suzumebachi) and paper wasps as the dangerous ones. It flags summer as the time to watch, and the nests stay busy on into the autumn. The agency describes how hornets warn before they attack. Guards at the nest first watch whatever comes near, then fly at it and buzz loudly around it. Ignore that, or shake the nest, and many come out at once and sting. If a hornet starts buzzing round your head, don't swat at it. Move slowly back the way you came. The agency lists the signs that need help at once: struggling to breathe, trouble swallowing, a hoarse voice, weakness all over and feeling faint. Call 119 straight away. If you carry an adrenaline auto-injector at home, bring it. #### Are there venomous snakes on Japan's roads? Yes. The mamushi is a pit viper that lives across Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and Hokkaido. It keeps to forest and scrub from the lowlands to the mountains, often near water, and turns up at the edges of hill paddies and small streams. It hibernates from November to March. In Kyushu it moves about by day in spring and October and mostly at night from June to September. Bites mostly happen to hands and feet, often to people weeding or picking mountain vegetables, and to feet in sandals. On a ride that means staying on the tarmac and looking before you reach into long grass or sit on a stone wall. If you're bitten, call 119, keep as still as you can and don't cut the bite or try to suck it out. Hospitals give mamushi antivenom, and treatment within six hours is the standard advice. Ride Okinawa covers the habu on its own islands. #### How do you ride safely where bears live? Make noise as you ride, and leave quietly if you see one. Asian black bears live in the forests of Honshu, and injuries from bears rose sharply in the 2025 fiscal year. The Ministry of the Environment's provisional figures, updated on 2 October 2026, count 238 people injured and 13 killed by bears across Japan in the year from April 2025 to March 2026. Between April and August 2026, 62 people were injured and 6 died. Most of those injuries happened in Tohoku, where Akita counted 67 people hurt and Iwate 40. The ministry's table records no bear injuries in Shikoku, and it leaves Kyushu out because there have been no recent sightings or captures there. The ministry's leaflet for people heading into the mountains gives this advice: - Carry a bell or a radio, and call out or clap where you can't see far ahead or can't hear over a stream. - Keep away from places with recent sightings, which prefectures and visitor centres post online. - Take extra care in spring and autumn, when accidents happen most. - If a bear hasn't noticed you, leave quietly. If it's about 50 m away, wave your arms so it knows you're there, and back away slowly without taking your eyes off it. Closer than that, don't run or shout; back away slowly and try to put a tree or a rock between you. - A cub means its mother is close, and she'll defend it. Our alert for Tohoku tells riders to use forest roads in daylight and keep to busier roads at dawn and dusk. Iwate has had a bear warning in force since 22 April 2026, and Aomori's runs to 30 November 2026. Akita added an advisory for October. You'll see the alert on our pages for [Hachimantai](/towns/hachimantai), [Hakkoda](/towns/hakkoda) and [Lake Tazawa](/towns/tazawako). Our pages for the [Norikura](/routes/norikura) climb, the [Shibu Pass](/routes/shibu-pass) and the [Japan Alps Cycling Road](/routes/japan-alps-cycling-road) in Nagano, and for [Gassan](/resorts/gassan) in Yamagata, all carry bear notes. At the [Tour de Utsukushigahara](/events/tour-de-utsukushigahara) in 2026, organisers ran safety checks before the start after bears were seen near the course. The information centres at [Tsumago](/culture/tsumago-juku) report bears coming down near the villages too. #### What do you need for tunnels in Japan? Switch on your front and rear lights before you go in. Japanese law requires vehicles to show lights at night, and in tunnels and other dark places where visibility on an ordinary road drops to 50 m or less, under the Road Traffic Act and Article 19 of its enforcement order. A bicycle counts as a vehicle. Since 1 April 2026 a rider aged 16 or over can get a ¥5,000 blue-ticket fine for riding without a light at night, by the National Police Agency's rulebook. Many tunnels have a raised footway along one side. A footway is a pavement, and you ride on it only where a sign allows bicycles; otherwise stay in the lane, as far left as is safe, or walk the bike on the footway. MLIT's National Cycle Route guide uses a narrow Route 127 tunnel in Kyonan on the [Pacific Cycling Road](/routes/pacific-cycling-road-1) as its example of signs warning drivers about cyclists inside. On the Noto peninsula, Hosaka Tunnel on the Ishikawa Satoyama Satoumi route reopened on 18 September 2026, and Ishikawa warns of sharp curves and steep grades through the works section. Read the prefecture's current road map before you plan a Noto ride. #### When are typhoons, and what do you do when one is coming? Typhoons come mostly from July to October. By JMA's 1991–2020 averages, 25.1 typhoons form each year and 11.7 of them come within 300 km of a Japanese weather station. An average of 3.0 a year make landfall on Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu or Shikoku. Approaches to the main islands peak in September (1.9 a year) and August (1.6), with 1.0 in July and 0.9 in October. When one is forecast, plan a day off the bike and check your trains, because rail lines and roads can stay cut for weeks afterwards. Typhoon No. 25 damaged the JR Uchibo line on the Boso peninsula in late September 2026, and landslides closed Route 127 between Hama-Kanaya and Hota. Our pages for [Nokogiriyama](/sights/nokogiriyama) and the [Pacific Cycling Road](/routes/pacific-cycling-road-1) carry the current detour. Rental desks shut too: [Kamochari+](/operators/kamochari-plus) in Kamogawa lends no bikes during typhoon warnings. Follow the storm on [JMA's typhoon map](https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=typhoon). JMA's warnings step up to emergency warnings for the rarest storms, and the Japan Tourism Agency's Safety tips app pushes them to your phone. #### What should a visitor do in an earthquake or a tsunami warning? Install the Safety tips app before you go, and on the coast, head for high ground the moment strong or long shaking stops. The Japan Tourism Agency's [Safety tips app](https://www.jnto.go.jp/safety-tips/eng/app.html) pushes alerts for earthquakes and tsunami, along with JMA's weather warnings, in English and 14 other languages, with an evacuation flowchart and phrases for asking people around you. An earthquake early warning sounds on phones and TV seconds before strong shaking arrives. The agency's advice is to stay calm and protect yourself first, even if you can't feel anything yet. On a bike, stop and get off, away from anything that could fall on you. JMA issues a tsunami warning about three minutes after a quake when it expects damage. The agency tells people on the coast to start for higher ground as soon as they feel strong shaking, or weak shaking that goes on a long time, without judging the risk for themselves. Stay there until the warning is lifted, because tsunami strike again and again over a long period. On coast routes such as the [Pacific Cycling Road](/routes/pacific-cycling-road-1) and the [Toyama Bay Cycling Route](/routes/toyama-bay-cycling-route), look out for signs marking tsunami evacuation areas (津波避難場所, tsunami hinan basho), and note the nearest one when you stop for lunch. Local councils name schools and community centres as evacuation shelters, and some hotels and inns take evacuated people too, so ask yours. #### Which volcano alerts affect riders right now? These alerts on our pages touch riders in October 2026. JMA keeps Mt. Aso at level 2, which closes the ground around Nakadake's first crater and the roads up to it, and the [Aso caldera](/routes/aso-caldera) rim roads sit well outside that zone. Kusatsu-Shirane sits at level 1 with Yugama's crater area closed, which matters for the Shibu Pass road and the upper slopes at [Kusatsu Onsen](/resorts/kusatsu-onsen-ski-resort). The Zao Echo Line past [Okama](/sights/zao-okama) closes at night from 13 October and for the winter from 4 November. Each page carries the alert with JMA's link, and the level can change within a day. #### Who do you call in an emergency in Japan? Call 119 for an ambulance or a fire, and 110 for the police. JNTO's Japan Visitor Hotline on 050-3816-2787 answers in English, Chinese and Korean 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and helps with accidents, illness and natural disasters. #### Quick answers ##### What is a heatstroke alert in Japan? A heatstroke alert in Japan is the Ministry of the Environment's warning that the heat index (WBGT) in an area is forecast to reach 33. A special alert follows when every point in a prefecture is forecast to reach 35, and the alert map updates at 05:00, 14:00 and 17:00. ##### Is it safe to cycle in Japan in summer? Cycling in Japan in summer is manageable if you plan around the heat. Check the Ministry of the Environment's heatstroke alert and start at dawn; ambulances took 100,510 people to hospital with heatstroke between May and September 2025. ##### Are bears a danger to cyclists in Japan? Bears are a real risk on forest roads in Tohoku and the Alps, mostly in spring and autumn. The Ministry of the Environment's provisional figures count 238 people injured and 13 killed by bears in Japan from April 2025 to March 2026, so carry a bell and ride in daylight. ##### Do you need lights in tunnels when cycling in Japan? Yes. Japanese law requires lights in tunnels and other dark places where you can see 50 m or less, and a rider without a light at night can get a ¥5,000 fine. ##### When is typhoon season in Japan? Typhoon season in Japan runs from July to October and peaks in September. JMA's 1991–2020 averages put 11.7 typhoons a year within 300 km of Japan and 3.0 making landfall on the four main islands. ##### What app warns visitors about earthquakes in Japan? The Japan Tourism Agency's Safety tips app warns visitors about earthquakes in Japan. It pushes earthquake early warnings, tsunami warnings and weather warnings in English and 14 other languages. ### How long does it take to cycle the Shimanami Kaido? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/how-long-does-shimanami-take Updated: 2026-10-11 Most riders cross from Onomichi to Imabari in one full day. Split it with a night on Ikuchijima or Omishima if you want the islands, or take a sports e-bike and ride it in a morning, as long as it goes back before the terminal closes. Plan one full day. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) publishes the [Shimanami Kaido](/routes/shimanami-kaido) at 70 km from Onomichi in Hiroshima to Imabari in Ehime, and at a steady 15 km/h that is about 4 hours 40 minutes of riding. Add the ferry across the Onomichi Channel, the climb up a ramp to every bridge deck, lunch and the stops you will want. That fills a day from a morning start to a late-afternoon train. Two days suit riders who want a night in Setoda or on Omishima. A sports e-bike can carry you across in a morning or an afternoon, and Shimanami Japan wants it back the same day before the terminal closes. We worked the riding times from MLIT's 70 km and the speeds in the table, which are our own assumptions for each kind of rider. Prices and hours are Shimanami Japan's, Giant's and Sagawa's published figures for 2026. Our [route page](/routes/shimanami-kaido) carries the distance, climbing and wind that our own build measured along the line. #### How long does the Shimanami Kaido take, by plan? | Plan | Who it suits | Riding time (computed from MLIT's 70 km) | Bike and price (published, 2026) | The catch | |---|---|---|---|---| | One day on a cross bike | Fit riders who want the whole crossing and a train home | About 4 h 40 min at 15 km/h | Shimanami Japan cross bike, ¥3,000 a day | Island terminals close at 17:00, so a late lunch squeezes the end | | One day at an easy pace | Riders who stop for every view | About 5 h 50 min at 12 km/h | Shimanami Japan city bike, ¥3,000 a day | Little time left for the shrines or a swim | | Two days with a night on the islands | Couples and riders who want Setoda or Omishima | About 2 h 20 min a day at 15 km/h | Cross or city bike kept two days, ¥6,000 (computed from ¥3,000 a day) | Carry your bags, or send them ahead at ¥2,200 a bag with Sagawa | | E-bike half day | Riders short on time or legs | About 3 h 30 min at 20 km/h | Shimanami Japan sports E-bike, ¥8,000 a day | Same-day return only, and riders must be 145 cm or taller | | A fitted road bike | Riders who want a proper road bike set up for them | About 3 h 30 min at 20 km/h | Giant Store Onomichi, ¥4,950 to ¥9,240 a day, plus ¥3,300 to finish in Imabari | Giant's one-way return needs booking, and Onomichi usually closes on Tuesdays | The times count only the riding. A rider who stops for an hour at lunch and a few short breaks on the bridges should add two hours or more to each figure. #### Can you ride the Shimanami Kaido in one day? Yes. Start at JR Onomichi Station, where Shimanami Japan's terminal opens at 8:00, and take the short ferry across to Mukaishima, since the expressway bridge there has no bike path. From Mukaishima a blue line on the road leads over Innoshima, Ikuchijima, Omishima, Hakatajima and Oshima, and the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge brings you down at the edge of Imabari. Every bridge starts with a ramp up from the island road. JB Honshi Expressway warns that strong winds blow over the straits, and you feel them most on the bridge decks. Finish at a terminal in Imabari during its hours, then take the train from JR Imabari Station or the bus back to Onomichi. Shimanami Japan's bikes may not travel on trains, buses, cars or taxis, so the bike has to end its day at a terminal. #### Is it better to take two days? Two days suit anyone who wants the islands as much as the bridges. Setoda on Ikuchijima makes the natural stop mid-route, with its lemon groves and the Shiomachi shopping street. Omishima holds Oyamazumi Shrine on its west coast, which means a detour off the bridge route. A cross or city bike from Shimanami Japan can stay out for several days at ¥3,000 a day, and a battery-assisted bike at ¥4,000 can stay out overnight too. Send your bags ahead so you ride light. [Sagawa's Cycling Without Baggage](/operators/sagawa-cycling-without-baggage) moves a bag up to 160 cm and 30 kg between partner hotels and terminals the same day for ¥2,200. From the Onomichi Station terminal it takes bags from 8:00 to 9:00 and hands them back from 17:00. Most partner hotels serve only their own guests. #### Can you do the Shimanami Kaido on an e-bike in half a day? Yes. Shimanami Japan's sports E-bike costs ¥8,000 a day in 2026, and you collect it at Onomichi Station or at one of the two Imabari terminals. It has to go back before the terminal closes that same evening. Riders need to be at least 145 cm tall. At 20 km/h the full 70 km takes about 3 hours 30 minutes in the saddle, so a rider who picks the bike up at 8:00 can be in Imabari by lunch. A battery-assisted city bike at ¥4,000 is slower and can stay out overnight, which suits a relaxed two-day trip better. #### Do you pay a toll to cycle the bridges? No. Bicycles cross all six expressway bridges free under the Shimanami Cycling Free scheme, which Hiroshima Prefecture extended to 31 March 2028. Electric kick scooters fall outside it and pay the toll. #### Where do you return a rental bike in Imabari? Return it at the Imabari Station terminal unless you have checked the Itoyama one first. Imabari city closed the Sunrise Itoyama building for renovation on 15 September 2026. It stands at the foot of the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge and houses Shimanami Japan's Itoyama terminal, and the city expects it back around winter 2027/28. Shimanami Japan's terminal list still showed the Itoyama terminal on 11 October 2026 with no closure notice, so phone Shimanami Japan on 0848-22-3911 before you plan to finish there. [Giant Store Imabari](/operators/giant-store-imabari) sits inside JR Imabari Station, and riders who rented from Giant in Onomichi can shower there for ¥440. #### How do you get to Onomichi? By the [Sanyo Shinkansen](/transport/sanyo-shinkansen) to Fukuyama, 61 minutes from Shin-Osaka on Nozomi 101 in the 2026 timetable, then the Sanyo Line to [Onomichi Station](/transport/rinko-at-onomichi-station) by the ferry piers. Only the Kodama stops at Shin-Onomichi. Riders bringing their own bike bag it for the train under JR's rinko rules, and Onomichi Station's coin lockers will hold the empty bag. #### Where should you stay on the Shimanami Kaido? Stay in Onomichi the night before so you start fresh, and on Ikuchijima or Omishima if you split the ride. | Stay | Where | Price (published, 2026) | Suits | The catch | |---|---|---|---|---| | [Hotel Cycle](/stays/hotel-cycle) | Onomichi U2, by the ferry piers | ¥19,800 a Standard Twin for two | Riders who wheel the bike into the room | Costs more than the hotels by the station | | [Hotel Beacon Onomichi](/stays/hotel-beacon-onomichi) | Above JR Onomichi Station | Not published in our file | Riders arriving by train | Only the three cycle room types take a bike inside | | [Anago no Nedoko](/stays/anago-no-nedoko) | Onomichi's shopping arcade | ¥3,000 a dorm bed | Backpackers on a budget | Shared showers and a 22:00 check-in cut-off | | [yubune](/stays/yubune) | Setoda's Shiomachi street | Not published in our file | Riders who want a bath and a room the bike rolls into | No restaurant on site | | [Cycle Guesthouse Shiokaze](/stays/cycle-guesthouse-shiokaze) | Ikuchijima's north shore | ¥3,500 a weekday dorm bed | Riders on a budget who want a barrel sauna | Bikes stay outside on racks | | [WAKKA](/stays/wakka-omishima) | Inokuchi port on Omishima | ¥4,800 a bunk bed, guide price | Riders who want bag transfers and a pickup if the ride goes wrong | Shuts every Tuesday | | [Imabari Station Hotel](/stays/imabari-station-hotel) | A minute from the Imabari Station terminal | From ¥4,000 a person, room only | Riders finishing late who want a bike hanger | Compact rooms and one bath shared by turns | #### When is the Shimanami Kaido busiest? Spring, autumn, Golden Week and Obon. Shimanami Japan keeps some bikes for walk-ups, and on a busy holiday the stock can be gone by about 10:00, so book ahead in those weeks. [Cycling Shimanami](/events/cycling-shimanami) rides the expressway itself on Sunday 25 October 2026. The main line closes from 6:00 to 12:40 that day between Imabari IC and Innoshima-kita IC, and the cycle paths stay open as usual. #### Quick answers ##### How long does it take to cycle the Shimanami Kaido? Plan one full day for the Shimanami Kaido. MLIT publishes the route at 70 km, which is about 4 hours 40 minutes of riding at 15 km/h before stops, the ferry and lunch. ##### Can you cycle the Shimanami Kaido in half a day? Yes, on an e-bike. At 20 km/h the 70 km takes about 3 hours 30 minutes of riding, and Shimanami Japan's ¥8,000 sports E-bike has to go back the same day before the terminal closes. ##### How much does it cost to rent a bike for the Shimanami Kaido? Shimanami Japan charged ¥3,000 a day for a cross or city bike in 2026, ¥4,000 for a battery-assisted bike and ¥8,000 for the sports E-bike. Cross, city, battery-assisted and E-bikes go back to any of its ten terminals. ##### Is the Shimanami Kaido toll-free for bicycles? Yes. Bicycles cross the six bridges free under the Shimanami Cycling Free scheme until 31 March 2028. Electric kick scooters still pay the toll. ##### Can I return a Shimanami rental bike at Sunrise Itoyama? Phone first. Sunrise Itoyama closed for renovation from 15 September 2026, and Shimanami Japan's list still showed its Itoyama terminal on 11 October 2026, so call 0848-22-3911 or finish at the Imabari Station terminal. ### How much does a ski trip to Japan cost? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/japan-ski-trip-cost Updated: 2026-10-11 One adult sharing a room spends about ¥90,000 on a budget week in Yuzawa and from about ¥178,000 for a mid-range week in Hakuba, before flights and rental. A ryokan-hotel week in Myoko runs to about ¥286,000. A week of skiing on Honshu costs one adult sharing a room about ¥90,000 on a tight budget and from about ¥178,000 for a mid-range hotel week in Hakuba, by our estimate from 2026/27 prices. A week in a top-tier hotel with dinner and breakfast in Myoko comes to about ¥286,000. Those figures cover six nights, five days on the lifts, the train from Tokyo Station and food, and they leave out flights, rental, lessons and insurance. We built each week from published figures in our resort, lift pass, stay and transport pages, all checked in October 2026, and we added a food estimate where no published price exists. Every input below carries its year and says whether it is published, computed by us or an estimate. Yen convert at the European Central Bank's rates for 9 October 2026, when US$1 bought ¥158.25, C$1 ¥111.24 and A$1 ¥110.48. #### What does a week cost at each budget? | Line (one adult, two sharing) | Budget: Yuzawa | Mid-range: Hakuba | Upper: Akakura, Myoko | |---|---|---|---| | Train, return from Tokyo | ¥13,800 to Echigo-Yuzawa (published fares, 2026) | ¥16,900 to Nagano, plus ¥5,800 on Alpico's bus (published, 2026) | ¥16,900 to Nagano (published, 2026), plus the onward train and bus | | Lifts, five days | ¥34,600 across Kandatsu, GALA and Kagura (published, 2026/27) | ¥53,400 Hakuba Valley 5-day (published, 2026/27) | ¥29,500 at Akakura Kanko (published, 2026/27) | | Six nights | ¥24,000 room only at Guesthouse Senwa (published, 2026) | ¥69,000 with breakfast at Hakuba Tokyu Hotel's lowest listed rate (published, 2025) | ¥231,000 with dinner and breakfast at Akakura Kanko Hotel (published, 2026) | | Food | ¥18,000 for lunch and dinner (estimate) | ¥33,000 for lunch and dinner (estimate) | ¥9,000 for lunch (estimate) | | **Week total** | **about ¥90,400** | **about ¥178,100** | **about ¥286,400, plus the local fares** | | In US dollars | about US$571 | about US$1,125 | about US$1,810 | | In Canadian dollars | about C$813 | about C$1,601 | about C$2,575 | | In Australian dollars | about A$818 | about A$1,612 | about A$2,592 | Each total is our sum of the lines above it and counts as an estimate, since the food line is ours and the rooms move with the date. The Yuzawa lifts are two weekdays at Kandatsu, a web-ticket day at GALA and a 2-day Kagura ticket, with Kagura's express bus fare left out. The Myoko lifts are Akakura Kanko's 3-day and 2-day consecutive tickets. Hakuba Tokyu Hotel lists rates from ¥11,500 to ¥36,200 per adult with breakfast. At the top of that range the Hakuba week reaches about ¥326,300. #### What do lift tickets cost in 2026/27? A day on the lifts costs ¥5,800 to ¥11,100 for an adult at the window this winter, and Hakuba's ten-resort ticket is the dearest. These are the resorts' published 2026/27 prices. | Ticket | Adult day | Longer tickets | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | [Hakuba Valley](/lift-passes/hakuba-valley-ticket) | ¥11,100 | 5 days ¥53,400 within 10 | All ten resorts and the daytime shuttle | | [Shiga Kogen](/lift-passes/shiga-kogen-all-area-ticket) | ¥9,500 window, ¥8,500 online | 5 days ¥45,500 window, ¥40,500 online | All 18 areas; online sales from 1 Nov 2026 | | [Happo-one](/resorts/hakuba-happo-one) | ¥9,800 | not listed here | ¥9,500 online | | [Naeba](/resorts/naeba) | ¥9,800 | Mt. Naeba day ¥11,800 with Kagura | Night ticket price not yet out | | [Zao Onsen](/resorts/zao-onsen) | ¥9,000 peak, ¥8,000 regular | 3 days ¥26,800 at peak | Spring days ¥7,000, then ¥4,800 from 1 Apr | | [Madarao](/resorts/madarao) | ¥9,000 | 3 days ¥24,000 | Covers Tangram too | | [Mt.T](/resorts/tenjindaira) | ¥9,000 | ¥14,000 booked day, 9 Jan–28 Feb | Spring ticket ¥6,000 from 10 Mar | | [Kagura](/resorts/kagura) | ¥8,500 | 2 days ¥15,500 | Opens 28 Nov 2026 | | [GALA Yuzawa](/resorts/gala-yuzawa) | ¥8,000 window, ¥7,500 web | not listed here | ¥4,800 early-bird day on sale to 30 Nov | | [Nozawa Onsen](/resorts/nozawa-onsen) | ¥7,800 | 3 days ¥21,200 | Night ticket ¥2,850 | | [Akakura Kanko](/resorts/akakura-kanko) | ¥7,000 | 3 days ¥17,200 | ¥4,000 spring day from 23 Mar | | [NEKOMA](/resorts/nekoma) | ¥6,500 | not listed here | ¥5,900 online | | [Kandatsu](/resorts/kandatsu-kogen) | ¥5,800 weekday, ¥6,800 Saturday | not listed here | Night ticket ¥4,900 | A global pass changes the sums. The [Epic Pass](/lift-passes/epic-pass) replaces Hakuba's ¥53,400 5-day ticket with five free days. The [Ikon Pass](/lift-passes/ikon-pass) lists at US$1,099 for the Base Pass, about ¥173,900 by our conversion, and pays its way on a Japan trip at around 18 or 19 days of ¥9,000 to ¥9,500 tickets. Our [Ikon and Epic guide](/guides/ikon-vs-epic-in-japan) does that arithmetic in full. #### What does a place to stay cost? From ¥4,000 a person room only at a Yuzawa guesthouse to ¥41,000 a person at APPI's top hotel, using the published rates in our stay pages. Rates are per person with two sharing unless the row says otherwise, and the column marked tier is our own band. | Stay | Town | Tier | From | What's included | Rate's year and source | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | [Guesthouse Senwa](/stays/guesthouse-senwa) | Yuzawa | 1 | ¥4,000 | Room only | 2026, Yuzawa tourism listing | | [Bed n Onsen Hammond](/stays/bed-n-onsen-hammond) | Zao Onsen | 1 | ¥6,000 | Room only | 2026, Jalan | | [Meitoya-so](/stays/meitoya-so) | Zao Onsen | 1 | ¥8,800 | Room only; ¥10,450 with dinner and breakfast | 2026, Jalan | | [Yuzawa Toei Hotel](/stays/yuzawa-toei-hotel) | Yuzawa | 2 | ¥12,100 | Dinner and breakfast | 2026, Yuzawa tourism listing | | [Naeba Prince Hotel](/stays/naeba-prince-hotel) | Naeba | 2 | ¥14,475 | Dinner and breakfast, full room | 2026, Yuzawa tourism listing | | [Hakuba Tokyu Hotel](/stays/hakuba-tokyu-hotel) | Hakuba | 3 | ¥11,500 to ¥36,200 per adult | Breakfast; onsen tax extra | 2025, Nagano Tourism Organization | | [Hatago Isen](/stays/hatago-isen) | Yuzawa | 3 | ¥19,570 | Dinner and breakfast | 2026, Yuzawa tourism listing | | [KAI Zao](/stays/kai-zao) | Zao Onsen | 2 | ¥26,125 | Dinner and breakfast | 2026, Jalan | | [Akakura Kanko Hotel](/stays/akakura-kanko-hotel) | Akakura Onsen | 4 | ¥38,500 | Dinner and breakfast | October 2026, the hotel's booking page | | [ANA InterContinental APPI](/stays/ana-intercontinental-appi-kogen) | APPI | 3 | ¥41,000 | Breakfast, booked 30 days ahead | Stays 1 Dec 2026–31 Mar 2027, Rakuten Travel | Many ryokan and resort hotels sell rooms with dinner and breakfast, so a higher room rate often covers two meals you'd otherwise buy. Busy dates cost more than the "from" rates above. [Hakkoda Hotel](/stays/hakkoda-hotel)'s dinner-and-breakfast plans start at ¥39,600 a person and run to ¥55,000 on busy dates, and [Ryokan Sakaya](/stays/ryokan-sakaya) in Nozawa Onsen takes winter 2026/27 bookings for three nights or more. #### What do the trains cost? The Shinkansen from Tokyo costs ¥6,130 to ¥18,110 one way to the ski towns in our rail data, for a regular-season reserved seat sampled on 16 October 2026. Double it for the return. | Tokyo Station to | Line | Time | One-way fare (2026, published) | For | |---|---|---|---|---| | Jomo-Kogen | Joetsu Shinkansen | 64 min | ¥6,130 | Minakami and Mt.T | | Echigo-Yuzawa | Joetsu Shinkansen | 66 min | ¥6,900 | GALA, Naeba, Kagura | | Nagano | Hokuriku Shinkansen | 77 min | ¥8,450 | Hakuba, Shiga Kogen | | Koriyama | Tohoku Shinkansen | 76 min | ¥8,450 | NEKOMA | | Iiyama | Hokuriku Shinkansen | 98 min | ¥8,890 | Nozawa Onsen, Madarao | | Joetsu-Myoko | Hokuriku Shinkansen | 111 min | ¥9,660 | Myoko Kogen, Arai | | Yamagata | Yamagata Shinkansen | 161 min | ¥11,670 | Zao Onsen | | Morioka | Tohoku Shinkansen | 130 min | ¥15,450 | APPI | | Shin-Aomori | Tohoku Shinkansen | 178 min | ¥18,110 | Hakkoda | The last leg adds a little. Alpico's express bus from Nagano to Hakuba costs ¥2,900 on its fare table to 30 November 2026, and the [Nozawa Onsen Liner](/transport/nozawa-onsen-liner) from Iiyama costs ¥600. Free shuttles run from Echigo-Yuzawa to Kandatsu, GALA, Ishiuchi Maruyama and Maiko. Sending your skis or board ahead by [takkyubin](/transport/takkyubin-for-boards-and-bikes) lets you travel with a day bag. Yamato wants the bag two days before you ski and sells a snowboard cover for ¥600. #### What does food cost at a ski town? Expect roughly ¥1,500 for a simple lunch and ¥1,500 to ¥4,000 for dinner out, by our estimate. We file a restaurant in our first price tier when a meal costs under ¥1,500 a person and in the second when it costs under ¥4,000. The budget week counts lunch and dinner at ¥1,500 each for six days. The Hakuba week counts a ¥1,500 lunch and a ¥4,000 dinner, since its room rate covers breakfast, and the Myoko week counts only lunch because the hotel serves dinner and breakfast. Published prices in our pages sit inside those bands. Myoko Tourism puts mains at [Restaurant Shibata](/eat/restaurant-shibata) in Akakura between ¥1,000 and ¥2,500. The Nozawa ski site lists [Izakaya Tsukushinbo](/eat/izakaya-tsukushinbo) at ¥2,000 to ¥3,000 a person. In Zao Onsen, Tabelog reviewers report ¥2,000 to ¥2,999 a head at [Kasheru](/eat/kasheru-zao)'s soba counter, and [Jingisukan Lodge](/eat/jingisukan-lodge-zao) starts its lamb at ¥3,000 on a menu page updated in May 2026. #### What does the estimate leave out? Flights, airport transfers to Tokyo Station, ski or board rental, lessons, guides and travel insurance all sit outside the totals. Night tickets and onsen tax are extra too, and so are the Shinano Railway and bus fares from Nagano up to Akakura, which aren't in our pages yet. A guided backcountry day in Hakuba starts at ¥17,050 a person with Bamboo Tail and runs to ¥130,000 for a private group, and our [gates and rescue guide](/guides/avalanche-gates-and-rescue-costs) explains why rescue cover belongs on your insurance. #### Quick answers ##### How much does a week skiing in Japan cost? A week skiing on Honshu costs one adult sharing a room about ¥90,000 on a budget in Yuzawa and from about ¥178,000 in a mid-range Hakuba hotel, by our 2026/27 estimate. Both include six nights, five lift days, the Shinkansen from Tokyo and food, and exclude flights and rental. ##### How much is a lift ticket in Japan in 2026/27? An adult day lift ticket in Japan costs ¥5,800 to ¥11,100 at the window in 2026/27 at the resorts in this guide. The Hakuba Valley ticket for all ten resorts is ¥11,100, and Nozawa Onsen charges ¥7,800. ##### How much is the Shinkansen from Tokyo to the ski resorts? The Shinkansen from Tokyo to the ski towns costs ¥6,130 one way to Jomo-Kogen, ¥6,900 to Echigo-Yuzawa and ¥8,450 to Nagano for a regular-season reserved seat in 2026. Zao Onsen's station at Yamagata costs ¥11,670. ##### Is Hakuba more expensive than other Japanese ski areas? Hakuba's shared ticket is the dearest day in this guide at ¥11,100 for 2026/27, and it opens ten resorts. Single-resort days elsewhere run from ¥5,800 at Kandatsu to ¥9,800 at Naeba. ##### Is it cheaper to stay in a ryokan with meals? Often, because many ryokan sell rooms with dinner and breakfast for a little more than room only. At Meitoya-so in Zao Onsen, Jalan listed ¥8,800 a person room only and ¥10,450 with both meals in 2026. ### Is the Ikon Pass or the Epic Pass better for skiing in Japan? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/ikon-vs-epic-in-japan Updated: 2026-10-11 Ikon gives seven days at each of ten Japanese mountains for 2026/27, eight of them on Honshu. Epic gives five back-to-back days across Hakuba's ten resorts, plus Rusutsu in Hokkaido. The Ikon Pass covers more of Japan. For 2026/27 it gives seven days at each of ten Japanese mountains, and eight of them sit on Honshu, from Iwate in the north to Gunma, Nagano and Niigata. On Honshu the Epic Pass covers Hakuba Valley alone, with five back-to-back days across its ten resorts and the shuttle between them. A week based in Hakuba points to Epic, and Ikon makes more sense for a trip that moves between Myoko, Shiga Kogen, Minakami and Tohoku. Neither pass works at Nozawa Onsen or the Yuzawa resorts by Echigo-Yuzawa station. We compared the two from our [Ikon Pass](/lift-passes/ikon-pass) and [Epic Pass](/lift-passes/epic-pass) pages, which we checked against ikonpass.com, epicpass.com and each mountain's own pass page on 11 October 2026. The three Hokkaido mountains on these passes belong to our sister site, so we name them and link to Ride Hokkaido for the detail. #### Which pass covers which mountain? | Mountain | Prefecture | Pass | Days on the full pass | Base or local option | Worth knowing | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | [APPI](/resorts/appi-kogen) | Iwate | Ikon | 7 | Base: 5 | APPI hadn't published 2026/27 day prices by 11 Oct 2026 | | [Zao Onsen](/resorts/zao-onsen) | Yamagata | Ikon | 7 | Base: 5 | Peak day ticket ¥9,000 (2026/27) | | [NEKOMA Mountain](/resorts/nekoma) | Fukushima | Ikon | 7 | Base: 5 | Day ticket ¥6,500 (2026/27) | | [Mt.T](/resorts/tenjindaira) | Gunma | Ikon | 7 | Base: 5 | Ikon holders skip the 9 Jan–28 Feb booking cap | | [Shiga Kogen](/resort-groups/shiga-kogen) | Nagano | Ikon | 7 | Base: 5 | One Ikon day opens all 18 areas | | [Madarao](/resorts/madarao) | Nagano | Ikon | 7 | Base: 5 | New to Ikon for 2026/27 | | [Myoko Suginohara](/resorts/myoko-suginohara) | Niigata | Ikon | 7 | Base: 5 | Scans the Ikon card at the gate | | [Arai Mountain Resort](/resorts/arai-mountain-resort) | Niigata | Ikon | 7 | Base: 5 | Five lifts serve the whole mountain | | [Niseko United](https://ridehokkaido.com/resort-groups/niseko-united) | Hokkaido | Ikon | 7 | Base: 5; Session Pass: 2–4 | Covered by Ride Hokkaido | | [Furano](https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/furano) | Hokkaido | Ikon | 7 | Base: 5 | Covered by Ride Hokkaido | | [Hakuba Valley](/resort-groups/hakuba-valley), ten resorts | Nagano | Epic | 5 in a row | Epic Local and Epic Australia also work | Covers the daytime shuttle; night riding is extra | | [Rusutsu](https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/rusutsu) | Hokkaido | Epic | 5 in a row | Epic Local and Epic Australia also work | Covered by Ride Hokkaido | The day counts are the passes' own figures for 2026/27, counted at each mountain on its own. Ikon's Session Pass works only at Niseko United, so it gives no days at any of the eight Honshu mountains. #### What does the Ikon Pass give you in Japan? Seven days at each of the ten mountains on the full Ikon Pass, and five at each on the Ikon Base Pass. The full pass has no blackout dates. Ikon's 2026/27 Base Pass blackouts in the northern hemisphere fall on 26–30 December 2026, 16–17 January 2027 and 13–14 February 2027, and Ikon's Japan listing doesn't say whether those dates apply here. Ask the mountain before you plan Base days around New Year. At Shiga Kogen a single Ikon day opens every lift and gondola across all 18 areas, so a day that starts at Sun Valley and ends at Okushiga Kogen uses one. Shiga Kogen and Myoko Suginohara scan the Ikon card straight at the lift gates with no reservation. If your card hasn't arrived before the trip, a ticket counter at either resort will issue a local ticket when you show your pass details and photo ID in person. Madarao asks for no reservation either. Mt.T gives Ikon holders the biggest edge. From 9 January to 28 February 2027 it caps entry at 150 riders a day on a booked ¥14,000 Ultimate 1Day Pass, and Ikon holders need no booking. Shiga Kogen doesn't sell Ikon's discounted friends-and-family tickets, so anyone riding with you there buys the ¥9,500 window day or the ¥8,500 online day. Ikon suits a rider planning two weeks or more across several mountains, or someone who already holds the pass at home. Hakuba Valley and Nozawa Onsen sit outside the Ikon list, so an Ikon trip to Nagano runs through Shiga Kogen and Madarao. #### What does the Epic Pass give you in Japan? Five consecutive days across all ten Hakuba Valley resorts, plus five consecutive days at Rusutsu in Hokkaido. At Hakuba you show your Epic Pass and photo ID at a ticket window and leave with a free Hakuba Valley 5-day ticket on an RFID card with no deposit. Staff accept the My Epic app's mobile pass as proof at the window, and the lift gates don't read it. At Jigatake you swap the card for a local ticket at the ticket centre first. The five days start with your first lift ride or your first ride on the Hakuba Valley Shuttle Bus, whichever comes first, and they run on consecutive days from there. A storm day or a rest day still uses one. The ticket opens every resort in the valley, so a morning at [Happo-one](/resorts/hakuba-happo-one) and an afternoon at Tsugaike count as one day. Night skiing and the night shuttle sit outside it. Hakuba lists no blackout dates for the Epic benefit in 2026/27. Hakuba accepts the 2026-27 Epic Pass, Epic Local Pass, Lifetime Pass and Epic Adaptive Pass, and the 2026 Epic Australia Pass also works this winter. The Epic Day Pass and the Military Epic Pass get no days in Japan. Epic's discounts on lessons, rentals, food and lodging apply only at resorts Vail owns, and Hakuba is a partner, so none of them work there. Once the free ticket is used, Hakuba won't sell an Epic holder discounted lift tickets. Epic suits a skier whose Japan trip is a week in Hakuba. Its drawback is that the five days run in a row, which leaves no room to sit out a storm, and the pass gives nothing anywhere else on Honshu. #### What are the passes worth against local tickets? Ikon sells in US dollars and publishes no yen price. On 11 October 2026 ikonpass.com listed the adult 2026/27 Ikon Pass at US$1,529, or US$1,834.80 for the refundable version you can cancel for any reason until 15 January 2027, and the Ikon Base Pass at US$1,099. At the European Central Bank's rates for 9 October 2026, US$1 bought ¥158.25. That puts the Ikon Pass at about ¥242,000 and the Base Pass at about ¥173,900, both computed by us. | Comparison (2026/27, adult) | Figure | Kind | |---|---|---| | Ikon Base Pass in yen | about ¥173,900 | computed from US$1,099 | | Shiga Kogen window day | ¥9,500 | published | | Days of ¥9,500 tickets the Base Pass replaces | about 18 | computed | | Zao Onsen or Madarao day | ¥9,000 | published | | Days of ¥9,000 tickets the Base Pass replaces | about 19 | computed | | Hakuba Valley 5-day ticket at the window | ¥53,400 | published | | Epic's Hakuba benefit in local tickets | ¥53,400 | computed (equals the 5-day ticket) | On a single Japan trip the Ikon Base Pass pays its way at around 18 or 19 ski days, before you count any days at home. The Epic benefit in Hakuba is worth the ¥53,400 that Hakuba Valley charges for its own 5-day ticket. We haven't recorded Epic's 2026/27 US-dollar price, so check [epicpass.com](https://www.epicpass.com/) for it. Riders without either pass buy local tickets, and our [ski trip cost guide](/guides/japan-ski-trip-cost) lays out what they cost. #### Can you use both passes on one trip? Yes, and the two cover different valleys. One pairing that works is an Ikon trip through Myoko and Shiga Kogen with a few days on a [Hakuba Valley ticket](/lift-passes/hakuba-valley-ticket) bought locally, at ¥11,100 an adult day this winter. Riders who hold Epic for Hakuba can add Shiga Kogen's own [all-mountain ticket](/lift-passes/shiga-kogen-all-area-ticket), whose 2- to 10-day tickets work on any days in the season. Nozawa Onsen needs its own ticket on either plan, at ¥7,800 a day for 2026/27. Ride Hokkaido's [lift pass guide](https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/lift-passes) covers how Ikon, Epic and Mountain Collective work at Niseko United, Furano and Rusutsu, and what their day tickets cost. #### Quick answers ##### Does the Ikon Pass work in Hakuba? No. Hakuba Valley's ten resorts are on the Epic Pass for 2026/27. The Ikon Pass mountains in Nagano are Shiga Kogen and Madarao. ##### Which Japanese resorts are on the Ikon Pass for 2026/27? The Ikon Pass covers APPI, Zao Onsen, NEKOMA Mountain, Mt.T, Shiga Kogen, Madarao, Myoko Suginohara and Arai Mountain Resort on Honshu, plus Niseko United and Furano in Hokkaido. The full pass gives seven days at each and the Base Pass five. ##### How many days does the Epic Pass give in Japan? The Epic Pass gives five consecutive days in Hakuba Valley, valid at all ten resorts, and five consecutive days at Rusutsu in Hokkaido for 2026/27. Hakuba lists no blackout dates. ##### Does the Ikon Pass need a reservation at Mt.T? No. Mt.T caps entry at 150 riders a day on a booked ¥14,000 pass from 9 January to 28 February 2027, and Ikon Pass holders are exempt from the booking. ##### Is Nozawa Onsen on the Ikon or Epic Pass? No. Nozawa Onsen is on neither pass for 2026/27, and its adult day ticket costs ¥7,800. ### Should you ski Hakuba or Niseko? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/hakuba-vs-niseko Updated: 2026-10-11 Hakuba suits riders who want big alpine vertical and ten resorts on one ticket, a train ride from Tokyo. Niseko suits riders who want four linked resorts, lift-served gates under one set of rules and lights on every evening. Hakuba wins on mountain size and on access from Tokyo, which is about 2 hours 50 minutes away by Shinkansen and bus. Happo-one alone drops 1,071 m, and one valley ticket covers ten resorts. Niseko's four resorts join across one summit with gates straight off the lifts and night riding at every base, and Niseko gets more snow by the figures each side publishes. Its peak-season ticket costs ¥2,400 a day more than Hakuba's valley ticket in 2026/27. The Hakuba half of this comparison comes from our own resort and transport pages. Hokkaido belongs to our sister site Ride Hokkaido, so every Niseko figure below comes from its pages and links back to them. We checked both in October 2026, and where a resort hasn't posted 2026/27 numbers we give last season's with the year. #### How do Hakuba and Niseko compare? | | Hakuba Valley | Niseko United | |---|---|---| | Getting there | From Tokyo: Kagayaki to Nagano in 77 min (¥8,450), then Alpico's bus to Happo in 70 min (¥2,900) | From New Chitose Airport: about 2 hr by car, or about 3.5 hr on the Hokkaido Resort Liner bus at ¥6,000 (2025/26), per [Ride Hokkaido](https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu) | | Resorts on the shared ticket | Ten, spread along the valley and joined by shuttle bus | Four, linked across the top of the mountain, per [Ride Hokkaido](https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/hirafu) | | Lifts and runs | 91 lifts and 121 runs across the ten (our sum of each resort's published counts) | 28 lifts and 76 runs across the four (our sum of Ride Hokkaido's figures) | | Biggest vertical | 1,071 m at Happo-one, from a 1,831 m top | 940 m at Grand Hirafu, from a 1,200 m top, per [Ride Hokkaido](https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu) | | Adult day on the shared ticket | ¥11,100 (2026/27, published) | ¥13,500 in peak season, 24 Dec–28 Feb (2026/27), per [Ride Hokkaido](https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu) | | Five days | ¥53,400 (2026/27) | ¥58,000 (2025/26), per [Ride Hokkaido](https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu) | | Global pass | Epic: five consecutive days | Ikon: seven days; Mountain Collective also works, per [Ride Hokkaido](https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/lift-passes) | | Snow on the valley floor | 651 cm a season at JMA's Hakuba station (our sum of JMA's 1991–2020 monthly normals) | 12.6 m a season in Kutchan by the town's own records, per [Ride Hokkaido](https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/kutchan) | | Off-piste | Gates at five of the ten resorts, each with its own rules | Numbered gates under the Niseko Rules, helmet and transceiver required, per [Ride Hokkaido](https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/gates-and-rules) | | Night riding | Goryu ran 18:00–21:30 in 2025/26, on a separate ticket | All four resorts; Hirafu ran 16:00–19:00 nightly in 2025/26, per [Ride Hokkaido](https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu) | | Season | 21 Nov 2026 at Goryu's Toomi slope to about 6 May 2027 | Late November (4 Dec in 2025) to 6 May 2026 at Hirafu, per [Ride Hokkaido](https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/snow-season) | | Main drawback | Storms can shut Happo-one's upper ridge, and full shuttle buses don't stop | Peak-week queues and dinner tables that book out, per [Ride Hokkaido](https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/hirafu) | The two snow figures are measured differently. JMA's normals come from a station at 703 m on Hakuba's valley floor, and Kutchan's 12.6 m comes from the town's own records below the Niseko lifts, so treat the gap between them as rough. #### Which is easier to reach? Hakuba, for anyone starting in Tokyo. The Kagayaki reaches Nagano in 77 minutes on the fastest morning train, at ¥8,450 for a regular-season reserved seat in 2026, and Alpico's [express bus](/transport/nagano-hakuba-express-bus) runs on to Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal in 70 minutes for ¥2,900. That's 147 minutes of riding before you count the change at Nagano, and the Hakuba Valley tourism board puts the whole trip at about 2 hours 50 minutes at best. Alpico hadn't posted its winter timetable from December 2026 on 11 October, so check the bus before you book a train. Niseko starts with a flight to New Chitose Airport. From there [Ride Hokkaido](https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu) puts Grand Hirafu about two hours away by car, or about three and a half hours on the Hokkaido Resort Liner bus at ¥6,000 one way in 2025/26. JR trains run through Sapporo and Otaru to Kutchan in three to three and a half hours for ¥2,880, with a 15-minute taxi or a 20-minute bus to finish. #### Which has the better terrain? Hakuba has more of it and more height. Its ten resorts carry 91 lifts and 121 runs by their own counts, and [Happo-one](/resorts/hakuba-happo-one) alone drops 1,071 m from a 1,831 m top on 21 lifts. [Goryu](/resorts/hakuba-goryu) and [Hakuba47](/resorts/hakuba-47) share one mountain with 926 m of vertical at Goryu, and [Tsugaike](/resorts/hakuba-tsugaike) opens its TSUGA POW area of ungroomed powder inside the boundary to riders who watch its lecture and wear the armband. The resorts sit kilometres apart along the valley, so a day across two of them depends on the shuttle. Niseko's four resorts connect across the top of one mountain. [Ride Hokkaido](https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu) gives Grand Hirafu 940 m of vertical from a 1,200 m top, with 22 runs on 9 lifts. Niseko Village adds 890 m and 29 runs, Annupuri 756 m and 13 runs, and Hanazono 724 m and 12 runs, by Ride Hokkaido's figures on its [Village](https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/niseko-village), [Annupuri](https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/niseko-annupuri) and [Hanazono](https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/niseko-hanazono) pages. Niseko's top lift station sits more than 600 m below Happo-one's. #### How do the lift tickets and passes compare? Hakuba costs less a day on its shared ticket. The [Hakuba Valley All-Mountain Day Pass](/lift-passes/hakuba-valley-ticket) costs ¥11,100 for an adult in 2026/27 and opens all ten resorts plus the shuttle on the days you use it. Five days cost ¥53,400 within a 10-day window. Night riding needs a separate ticket at whichever resort runs lights that evening. Niseko United's All Mountain ticket rises to ¥13,500 a day from 24 December 2026 to 28 February 2027 under a new peak tier, according to [Ride Hokkaido](https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu). In 2025/26 the regular day cost ¥12,000 at the counter or ¥11,400 online, and five days cost ¥58,000. Day tickets at Hirafu stay valid into the night session. Global passes split the two cleanly. The [Epic Pass](/lift-passes/epic-pass) gives five consecutive days at all ten Hakuba resorts, with no blackout dates in 2026/27. The [Ikon Pass](/lift-passes/ikon-pass) gives seven days at Niseko United, and Mountain Collective also works there, per Ride Hokkaido's [lift pass guide](https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/lift-passes). Our [Ikon and Epic guide](/guides/ikon-vs-epic-in-japan) covers the rest of each pass in Japan. #### Which gets more snow? Niseko, by the figures each side publishes, and the two are measured differently. Kutchan, the town below the Niseko lifts, averages 12.6 m of snow a season by its own records, which [Ride Hokkaido](https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/kutchan) puts at about two and a half times Sapporo's total. JMA's [Hakuba station](/climate/hakuba) sits at 703 m on the valley floor, and its 1991–2020 normals add up to 651 cm of new snow from November to April by our sum, with 216 cm in January alone. The lifts in both places climb well above the measuring points. Both valleys get their winter snow from the cold northwesterly flow that JMA describes crossing the Sea of Japan. At Hakuba's station January's mean daily low is −7.2 °C, and the normal snow depth on the valley floor peaks at 97 cm in February. #### How do the off-piste rules compare? Each of Hakuba's five gated resorts sets its own rules, while Niseko's four share the Niseko Rules. In Niseko, patrol decides each morning which numbered gates open. You need a helmet and an avalanche transceiver to go through, and search and rescue is billed from ¥100,000, according to Ride Hokkaido's [gates guide](https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/gates-and-rules). In Hakuba the designated gates sit at Goryu, Happo-one, Tsugaike, Norikura and Cortina, and leaving the ski area anywhere else is prohibited. Each resort asks for a climbing plan and a beacon, probe and shovel. Goryu publishes hourly rescue rates of ¥20,000 per patroller, ¥10,000 per assistant, ¥50,000 per grooming machine and ¥10,000 per snowmobile, and the others bill the person rescued. Read the Japan Avalanche Network's [Hakuba bulletin](https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en) each morning. Our [gates and rescue guide](/guides/avalanche-gates-and-rescue-costs) sets out every resort's rules. #### Which is more crowded? Both get crowded in midwinter. Ride Hokkaido's [snow season guide](https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/snow-season) cites Niseko Village putting its gondola queue at about 20 minutes between Christmas and late January and again around Lunar New Year, which falls on 6 February 2027, and its [Hirafu page](https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/hirafu) warns that the good dinner tables go weeks ahead in peak weeks. Hakuba's busy months are January and February, and the queues bunch at Happo-one's gondola on powder mornings, and Goryu gets busy too. The valley ticket and the shuttle make it easy to spread out. [Hakuba Norikura](/resorts/hakuba-norikura) and [Cortina](/resorts/hakuba-cortina) in Otari share their own cheaper ticket and hold deep snow on a storm day. [Iwatake](/resorts/hakuba-iwatake) sits in the village with a short gondola ride to its top, and [Sanosaka](/resorts/hakuba-sanosaka) runs quiet slopes above Lake Aoki to the south. Shuttle buses fill after snowfall and on the last runs of the afternoon, and a full bus doesn't stop. #### Who should choose which? Choose Hakuba if you're coming from Tokyo without a flight and like the idea of a different resort each day on one ticket. Epic Pass holders get their five days here. Its drawback is wind on the high ridge, which can shut Happo-one's upper lifts and push the day down the valley. Niseko suits riders who want to cross four resorts without boarding a bus and finish under lights most evenings, and Ikon Pass holders get seven days there. Expect to pay more for the peak-season ticket and to book dinner before you land. Ride Hokkaido's [Niseko United page](https://ridehokkaido.com/resort-groups/niseko-united) and our [Hokkaido overview](/sister-guides/hokkaido) are the places to start. #### Quick answers ##### Is Hakuba or Niseko cheaper for lift tickets? Hakuba is cheaper. The Hakuba Valley adult day costs ¥11,100 for 2026/27 across ten resorts, and Niseko United's All Mountain day costs ¥13,500 in its peak season from 24 December 2026 to 28 February 2027, according to Ride Hokkaido. ##### Does Niseko get more snow than Hakuba? Niseko gets more by the published figures. Kutchan below Niseko averages 12.6 m a season by the town's records, and JMA's normals at Hakuba's valley station add up to 651 cm, measured differently. ##### How long does it take to get from Tokyo to Hakuba? Tokyo to Hakuba takes about 2 hours 50 minutes at best, by the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano in 77 minutes and Alpico's express bus to Happo in 70 minutes. The two fares came to ¥11,350 one way at October 2026 prices. ##### Which pass works at Hakuba and which at Niseko? The Epic Pass works at Hakuba, with five consecutive days at all ten resorts for 2026/27. The Ikon Pass works at Niseko United with seven days, and Mountain Collective also covers Niseko. ##### Is there night skiing in Hakuba and Niseko? Yes. All four Niseko United resorts run night riding, with Hirafu open 16:00–19:00 nightly in 2025/26. In Hakuba, Goryu ran night riding from 18:00 to 21:30 in 2025/26 on a separate ticket. ### What are Japan's cycling rules and fines in 2026? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/japan-cycling-rules-2026 Updated: 2026-10-11 Since 1 April 2026 the police can hand any rider aged 16 or over a blue ticket with a fixed fine. Holding a phone costs ¥12,000 and a red light ¥6,000, and the rules apply on a rental bike the same as on your own. Since 1 April 2026, a police officer in Japan can give any cyclist aged 16 or over a blue ticket (青切符, aokippu) with a fixed fine. Holding a phone while you ride costs ¥12,000, and running a red light or riding against the traffic costs ¥6,000. The National Police Agency (NPA) says officers will go on stopping riders and warning them in most cases, and they will ticket the riding they judge malicious or dangerous. The NPA prints its leaflet on the new system in English and Chinese for riders from abroad, and the Road Traffic Act draws no line between a resident and a visitor on a rental bike. We read the NPA's table of offences and fines, its English and Japanese leaflets and its summary of the main rules for cyclists in October 2026. Every fine on this page is the NPA's published figure for 2026, and each rule links to the NPA document that sets it. #### Which fines can a cyclist get in Japan? The NPA's table covers every offence a bicycle or other light vehicle can commit, and the rows below are the ones a touring rider is most likely to meet. The full list sits in the NPA's [table of offences and fines](https://www.npa.go.jp/bureau/traffic/bicycle/pdf/jitensyahansokukoui.pdf), in Japanese. | Offence | Japanese term | Fine (published, 2026) | What it looks like on the road | |---|---|---|---| | Holding a phone while riding | 携帯電話使用等（保持） | ¥12,000 | Calling with the phone in your hand, or looking at its screen while you move | | Entering a level crossing as the gate closes | 遮断踏切立入り | ¥7,000 | Riding under a barrier that is coming down | | Running a red light | 信号無視 | ¥6,000 | A flashing red costs ¥5,000 | | Riding on the wrong side or on a closed pavement | 通行区分違反 | ¥6,000 | Riding on the right, or on a pavement with no sign allowing bikes | | Getting in the way of people on a crossing | 横断歩行者等妨害等 | ¥6,000 | Riding through a zebra crossing while someone walks across it | | Missing a stop sign | 指定場所一時不停止等 | ¥5,000 | Rolling through where the 止まれ sign says stop | | No light at night | 無灯火 | ¥5,000 | Riding after sunset with the front light off | | Faulty brakes | 自転車制動装置不良 | ¥5,000 | A fixed-gear bike with no brake, or brakes that do not work | | Breaking a prefecture's own rules | 公安委員会遵守事項違反 | ¥5,000 | Riding with an umbrella in your hand where the prefecture bans it | | Riding two abreast | 並進禁止違反 | ¥3,000 | Riding side by side where no sign allows it | | Riding fast on a pavement | 歩道徐行等義務違反 | ¥3,000 | Riding a permitted pavement at speed, or away from the road side | | Carrying a passenger | 軽車両乗車積載制限違反 | ¥3,000 | Two people on a bike built for one | #### Who gets a blue ticket, and how do you pay? A rider aged 16 or over who commits one of the listed offences in front of an officer can get the ticket. It is a written note of what you did, and it comes with a notice to pay the fixed fine. Pay it and the case ends there, with no prosecution and no criminal record, as the NPA's [English leaflet](https://www.npa.go.jp/english/bureau/traffic/document/r7_leaflet_jitensya_en.pdf) explains. Leave it unpaid and the case goes on to the criminal process. Officers never collect the money at the roadside. Toyama Prefectural Police warn that people posing as officers have demanded cash from cyclists in other prefectures since the blue ticket began, and they ask anyone in that spot to refuse and call 110 ([Toyama police warning](https://police.pref.toyama.jp/6115/anzen/koutsuuanzen/jitensha/jitenshasagi.html)). A rider caught again and again for dangerous riding can be ordered onto a cyclists' training course by the prefecture's public safety commission. Running a red light, missing a stop sign, phone use and riding on the wrong side all count toward that order. Skip the course and the fine runs up to ¥50,000. #### Which offences skip the blue ticket? The serious ones go straight to the red ticket and the criminal courts. The NPA names riding after drinking, aggressive riding that obstructs others, phone use that puts traffic in danger and leaving the scene of a crash. For riding after drinking, the NPA's [rule summary](https://www.npa.go.jp/bureau/traffic/bicycle/pdf/3-11.pdf) gives a maximum of five years in prison or a ¥1,000,000 fine. #### Where do you ride: on the road, on the left or on the pavement? Ride on the road and keep to its left edge. Where a road has marked lanes, use the leftmost one, and where it has a cycle track, ride in the cycle track. The NPA's [five rules for safe cycling](https://www.npa.go.jp/english/bureau/traffic/document/4eigo.pdf) put this first, and riding on the right side of the road is the ¥6,000 offence in the table. A pavement opens to bikes where a blue sign or a road marking says ordinary bicycles may use it (普通自転車歩道通行可). Under the NPA's summary, children and older riders may also use pavements, and so may anyone when the road is too busy or narrow to ride safely. On a pavement you ride slowly on the half nearest the road and stop whenever you would hold up someone walking. Riding a pavement with no reason to be there is the ¥6,000 offence, and riding a permitted one too fast costs ¥3,000. #### Do you have to wear a helmet when cycling in Japan? The law asks every rider to make an effort to wear a helmet, and there is no fine for riding without one. Article 63-11 of the Road Traffic Act sets that duty, and it also asks parents to put helmets on their children. The NPA's [helmet leaflet](https://www.npa.go.jp/english/bureau/traffic/AllBicycleRidersShouldWearHelmets.pdf) says about 60% of the cyclists killed in Japanese traffic accidents die of head injuries. It also found that in 2020 riders without helmets died about 3.0 times as often in crashes as riders who wore them. Giant Store Onomichi and Biwaichi Bike both include a helmet in every hire. #### Do you need lights on a bike in Japan? Yes. From sunset to sunrise a bike on the road needs its front light on, and it needs a rear reflector unless the rear light is lit. The fine for riding without a light is ¥5,000. Long routes run through tunnels, and a front light that stays on all day makes sense there even in daylight. #### Can you ride two abreast in Japan? No, unless a road sign allows it. Bikes ride single file, and on the roads where a sign does allow pairs, three across is still against the law. The fine is ¥3,000. Keep to a line on the Shimanami Kaido's bridges in particular, where mopeds or people on foot share the path. #### Do you need cycle insurance in Japan? Some prefectures require it by their own ordinance, and Toyama joined them on 1 October 2026. From that date [Toyama Prefecture](https://www.pref.toyama.jp/810211/jitensya/20220106.html) requires every rider to carry insurance that pays out if the rider kills or injures someone, and parents carry it for riders under age. Rental businesses in Toyama must hold cover that includes accidents caused by the people who hire their bikes. The prefecture's page sets no minimum amount and names no fine, and it does not say how the rule treats visitors. Check that your travel insurance includes liability for cycling before you ride in Toyama, and ask the rental desk what its own cover pays. #### How do the rules work for visitors on rental bikes? The same way they work for everyone else. The blue ticket applies to any rider aged 16 or over, whatever the passport. An electric-assist bike counts as a bicycle only when its motor meets the Road Traffic Act's standard for assistance. The NPA warns that some products sold as e-bikes fall outside that standard, so they count as motorised bikes and need a licence. Our guide to [bikes on the Shinkansen](/guides/bikes-on-the-shinkansen) covers the separate rules for taking a bike by train. #### Quick answers ##### What is the fine for using a phone while cycling in Japan? The fine for holding a phone while cycling in Japan is ¥12,000 under the blue-ticket system that began on 1 April 2026. Phone use that puts traffic in danger goes to the criminal courts instead, with a maximum of one year in prison or a ¥300,000 fine. ##### How much is the fine for running a red light on a bike in Japan? Running a red light on a bike in Japan costs ¥6,000 under the 2026 blue-ticket system, and ignoring a flashing red costs ¥5,000. The fines apply to riders aged 16 and over. ##### Can I ride a bike on the pavement in Japan? Only where a sign allows it, or where the road is too dangerous to ride. On a permitted pavement you ride slowly on the road side and stop for people on foot. Riding a pavement with no reason costs ¥6,000. ##### Is a helmet compulsory for cyclists in Japan? No. Japan's Road Traffic Act asks every cyclist to make an effort to wear a helmet and sets no fine for riding without one. ##### Do the 2026 cycling fines apply to tourists in Japan? Yes. The blue-ticket fines apply to every cyclist aged 16 or over on a Japanese road, and the NPA publishes its leaflet on the system in English and Chinese for riders from abroad. ##### Will a police officer in Japan ask me to pay a cycling fine on the spot? No. Japanese police never collect a blue-ticket fine at the roadside. Toyama Prefectural Police ask anyone asked for cash this way to refuse and call 110. ### What does JaPow mean? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/what-japow-means Updated: 2026-10-11 JaPow is skier slang for Japan's powder snow, a blend of Japan and pow. The snow comes from cold northwesterly winds that cross the Sea of Japan and unload on the mountains facing it, with January the snowiest month at every JMA station we keep near a ski area. JaPow is skier and snowboarder slang for the powder snow of Japan's mountains. The word blends "Japan" with "pow", which riders say for powder, and Wiktionary records it as that blend and defines it as the low-humidity powder of Japan's Snow Country. The snow behind the word comes from the winter monsoon. JMA describes cold northwesterly winds carrying Siberian air across the Sea of Japan and bringing heavy snow to the side of the country that faces it, and its normals put more than 3.5 m of new snow into an average January at four of the stations in our files. This guide explains the word from the dictionary record and the weather from JMA's own climate pages and its 1991–2020 normals, which we keep for ten stations near ski areas across Honshu and Tohoku. Every snow figure below is JMA's, measured on valley floors and at mountain onsen below the lifts. Hokkaido's snow belongs to our sister site, and Ride Hokkaido covers it. #### Where does the word JaPow come from? It's a blend of two English words, Japan and pow, and riders spell it JaPow, Japow or japow. Wiktionary files it as English skiing slang, and one of its editors has proposed moving the entry to a capital J because the books that use the word spell it that way. We found no source that names who first used it or dates its first appearance, so we won't guess at either. The dictionary's phrase "Snow Country" has a home of its own. Kawabata Yasunari wrote his novel Snow Country in the Kasumi room at the [Takahan](/stays/takahan) inn above [Yuzawa](/towns/yuzawa) between 1934 and 1937, and Yuzawa's valley station records 377 cm of new snow in an average January. #### What makes Japan's snow? The winter monsoon. As JMA explains on its [climate of Japan page](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/cpd/longfcst/en/tourist_japan.html), the Siberian High builds over the Eurasian continent in winter while the Aleutian Low deepens over the North Pacific. Northwesterly winds between them carry cold air from Siberia across the Sea of Japan, where it picks up moisture. When that air reaches Japan's mountains it drops heavy snow on the Sea of Japan side, upstream of the mountains, and leaves the Pacific side downstream in sunshine. JMA's regional pages say the same for [Hokuriku](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/cpd/longfcst/en/tourist/file/Hokuriku.html), where the snow falls hardest in the mountains, and for [Tohoku](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/cpd/longfcst/en/tourist/file/Tohoku.html). JMA also notes that cold northwesterly flows and snow or rain on the Sea of Japan side start increasing in November, and the first lifts turn late that month. #### What do JMA's figures show? They show deep snow and very little sun on the Sea of Japan side of the mountains in January. These are JMA's 1991–2020 normals for the month. | JMA station (height) | Mountains above it | New snow in January | Sunshine in January | Mean daily low and high | |---|---|---|---|---| | [Sukayu](/climate/sukayu) (890 m) | Hakkoda | 454 cm | 11.8 h | −10.0 °C to −5.1 °C | | [Sekiyama](/climate/sekiyama) (350 m) | Myoko Kogen | 385 cm | 58.1 h | −2.7 °C to 3.3 °C | | [Yuzawa](/climate/yuzawa) (340 m) | Naeba and Kagura | 377 cm | 45.8 h | −3.2 °C to 2.8 °C | | [Nozawa Onsen](/climate/nozawa-onsen) (576 m) | Nozawa Onsen | 366 cm | 58.9 h | −4.7 °C to 1.7 °C | | [Minakami](/climate/minakami) (524 m) | Tanigawadake | 296 cm | 81.1 h | −4.4 °C to 2.6 °C | | [Hakuba](/climate/hakuba) (703 m) | Hakuba Valley | 216 cm | 71.3 h | −7.2 °C to 1.4 °C | | [Kusatsu](/climate/kusatsu) (1,223 m) | Kusatsu-Shirane | 175 cm | 153.0 h | −7.8 °C to −0.4 °C | | [Iwate-Matsuo](/climate/iwate-matsuo) (275 m) | APPI and Hachimantai | 122 cm | 82.7 h | −7.9 °C to 0.8 °C | | [Takayama](/climate/takayama) (560 m) | Okuhida | 117 cm | 92.9 h | −4.8 °C to 3.2 °C | | [Yamagata](/climate/yamagata) (152.5 m) | Zao | 103 cm | 79.6 h | −3.1 °C to 3.3 °C | | [Ajiro](/climate/ajiro) (66.9 m) | Izu coast, Pacific side | no snow normal | 147.4 h | 3.9 °C to 10.7 °C | The pattern matches JMA's description. The stations that face the Sea of Japan storms sit under cloud for most of January, with 45.8 hours of sunshine at Yuzawa and 11.8 at Sukayu, and they log the heaviest snow. Ajiro on the Pacific coast of the Izu peninsula gets 147.4 hours of January sun and keeps no snow normal at all. JMA's most frequent wind direction is west-northwest at Sukayu all winter, and northwest at Yuzawa and at [Hikone](/climate/hikone) on Lake Biwa in January and February, in line with the monsoon. Valley stations such as Hakuba's read their local valley winds instead, so we don't read much into those. The cold holds the snow through the season. Sukayu's mean daily high in January is −5.1 °C, so an average January day there never climbs above freezing. The snowpack builds through the winter, and the deepest snow on the ground peaks in February at every snow station in the table, at 373 cm at Sukayu and 202 cm at Yuzawa. #### Where in Japan is the snow deepest? Of the stations in our files, Sukayu in the Hakkoda mountains of Aomori gets the most, with 454 cm of new snow in an average January and 373 cm on the ground at its February peak. The [Hakkoda](/resorts/hakkoda) Ropeway climbs above that station, and outside its two patrolled courses the resort leaves the mountain to the rider. On the Niigata side, Sekiyama below [Myoko Kogen](/resort-groups/myoko-kogen) and Yuzawa below [Kagura](/resorts/kagura) both pass 3.7 m of new snow in January. Every one of these figures comes from a valley floor or an onsen below the lifts, and the slopes above them run colder. In Hokkaido, Kutchan below the Niseko resorts averages 12.6 m of snow a season by the town's own records, according to [Ride Hokkaido](https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/kutchan). The town keeps its own records, so compare them with JMA's normals with care. Our [Hokkaido page](/sister-guides/hokkaido) hands you over to Ride Hokkaido for the island. #### When is the best time for powder? January and February. January brings the most new snow at all ten JMA stations we keep near ski areas, and the snow on the ground runs deepest in February. Our [month-by-month guide](/guides/when-to-ski-in-japan) lays out the season with the holidays to avoid, and it points to JMA's seasonal outlook for winter 2026/27, which JMA issued in September with El Niño at a record strength. Off-piste powder sits behind resort gates with rules and rescue bills of their own, and our [gates and rescue guide](/guides/avalanche-gates-and-rescue-costs) covers each one. #### Quick answers ##### What does JaPow mean? JaPow means Japanese powder snow. The word blends "Japan" with the riders' slang "pow" for powder, and Wiktionary defines it as the low-humidity powder snow of Japan's Snow Country. ##### Why does Japan get so much snow? Japan gets heavy snow because cold northwesterly winds from Siberia pick up moisture over the Sea of Japan in winter and drop it on the mountains that face the sea, as JMA describes. Yuzawa's JMA station averages 377 cm of new snow in January. ##### Which month has the most snow in Japan? January has the most new snow at all ten JMA stations we keep near Japanese ski areas, from 103 cm at Yamagata to 454 cm at Sukayu in the Hakkoda mountains. The snow on the ground peaks in February. ##### Is Japanese powder only in Hokkaido? No. Honshu's mountains facing the Sea of Japan get heavy snow too, and JMA's January normals give 385 cm of new snow at Sekiyama below Myoko and 366 cm at Nozawa Onsen. Ride Hokkaido covers Hokkaido's resorts. ##### Is Japanese snow dry? Japan's powder falls in deep cold, and Wiktionary defines the word as low-humidity powder. Sukayu in the Hakkoda mountains averages a January daily high of −5.1 °C, and Hakuba's valley station a daily low of −7.2 °C. ### What is a rinko bag, and which one do you need for Japan's trains? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/rinko-bags Updated: 2026-10-11 A rinko bag is the soft cover that turns a bike into luggage for Japan's trains. JR wants every part inside it and the whole bag within 250 cm and 30 kg, and a shop like Y's Road in Ueno will match one to your frame. A rinko bag (輪行袋, rinkōbukuro) is a soft bike cover that lets you carry a bicycle onto a Japanese train as hand luggage. Rinko means travelling with your bike by rail, and the railways set one condition for it. The bike comes apart or folds, and every part goes inside a dedicated bag, wheels and saddle included. JR's limits are 250 cm for the bag's length, width and height added together, 2 metres on the longest side and 30 kg. Most road and gravel riders want a bag that takes the frame with both wheels off. Y's Road Ueno Honkan in Tokyo stocks bags for road, cross and mountain bikes and will match one to your frame. We read the luggage rules of JR West, JR Central and JR East, Y's Road's own rinko column of 9 October 2026 and our files for the stations riders use most. Bag sizes vary by maker and model, so this guide tells you how to measure your own and leaves the catalogue figures to the shop. #### What does JR require of a rinko bag? JR West puts it plainly: a sports bike must be dismantled and carried in a dedicated bag, and a folding bike must be folded and bagged ([JR West](https://www.westjr.co.jp/travel-information/en/train-usage-guide/)). JR East asks for the same, with the seat and wheels inside. Y's Road's column adds the practical warning: keep every part inside the bag, and never drape a bag over a whole bike and roll it along on its wheels. Each passenger may carry two items free on JR, each within the 250 cm, 2 m and 30 kg limits. JR East, JR Central and JR West charge no fee for a rinko bag inside those limits. On the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen, JR Central's oversized-baggage rule exempts bicycles, though you still book the seat with the space behind it if the bag needs that space. Our guide to [bikes on the Shinkansen](/guides/bikes-on-the-shinkansen) has the line-by-line detail. #### Which kind of rinko bag should you buy? Pick the design by the bike and the trains you will ride. Shops in Japan sell the bags below, and Y's Road's column sorts them by priority, from the lightest models to the ones that protect a frame best. | Design | How the bike goes in | Suits | The catch | |---|---|---|---| | Both wheels off, tall shape (縦型, tategata) | Frame stands on end with a wheel strapped either side, so the bag is tall and narrow | Road and gravel bikes on crowded trains | Needs an end fitting to protect the rear derailleur | | Both wheels off, long shape (横型, yokogata) | Frame stays level with a wheel strapped either side, so the bag is long and low | Riders who want the simplest pack | Takes more floor than the tall shape | | Front wheel only | Front wheel off and strapped to the frame, rear wheel stays in | Bikes whose rear wheel is slow to remove | The packed bag is bigger, so measure it against 250 cm | | Folding-bike bag | Bike folded and dropped into a fitted sack | Brompton, DAHON, Tyrell and other folders | Fits only the folded shape it was cut for | The tall shape sets the bike on a smaller patch of floor, which counts on a train where you stand beside it in the vestibule. The long shape sits lower and wider. A front-wheel-only bag still meets JR's rule as long as the whole bike sits inside the bag, though it uses more space. #### What else do you need with the bag? An end fitting (エンド金具, endo kanagu) screws into the empty rear dropouts. It keeps the frame off the derailleur when the bike stands on its end. A disc-brake bike needs a pad spacer in each caliper so the pads cannot close with the wheel out, and a cover for each rotor. Y's Road's Ueno column lists both alongside its bags. Add straps to bind the wheels to the frame, and a shoulder strap for the stations where stairs stand between you and the platform. #### How big is a packed rinko bag against the 250 cm limit? Measure your own, because it depends on the frame size and the bag. Pack the bike at home, stand the bag up and measure its length, width and height, then add the three. Under 250 cm and under 2 metres on the longest side, it meets JR's limit. Weigh it as well, since 30 kg is the limit for each item. Some numbers matter beyond the train: - Yamato's ordinary takkyubin parcel service takes a bike only boxed, within 200 cm and 30 kg, and refuses a bike in a soft bag ([Yamato](https://faq.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/app/answers/detail/a_id/1253/)). - On the Shimanami Kaido, Sagawa sells a bike box for ¥6,600 in 2026 that takes a packed bike up to 260 cm, ordered a week ahead ([Sagawa Cycling Without Baggage](/operators/sagawa-cycling-without-baggage)). Flying is another set of rules. Ride Okinawa's guide to [bringing your bike to Okinawa](https://rideokinawa.com/guides/bringing-your-bike) compares the size and weight limits of the domestic airlines into Naha, and the same airlines fly to the hub's airports. #### Where can you buy a rinko bag in Japan? At a sports-bike shop, and Y's Road is the big chain. [Y's Road Ueno Honkan](/operators/ysroad-ueno-honkan) fills two floors a short walk from Ueno and Okachimachi stations. Its column of 9 October 2026 lists rinko bags for road, cross and mountain bikes along with the end fittings and spacers, and its staff match a bag to your frame. Bring the bike's axle type and brake type so they can pick the right parts. On Sundays the shop runs a rinko session for folding bikes for up to three people. You ride from the shop to Ueno Station, fold and bag the bike for one stop to Okachimachi and ride back, for ¥350 in 2026 including the fare. Y's Road's [shop list](https://portal.ysroad.co.jp/shop/) finds a branch nearer your start. #### Where do you pack the bike at the station? Outside the ticket gates, on a wide bit of concourse away from the flow. None of the big stations in our files mark a bagging area. At [Tokyo Station](/transport/tokyo-station), JR East and JR Central both leave it to you, so pack before you reach the gates. At [Onomichi](/transport/rinko-at-onomichi-station), the start of the Shimanami Kaido, riders pack and unpack outside the step-free South Gate. Y's Road asks riders to keep stations passable while they work and to think of the people around them on the train. The empty bag folds small enough to ride along on the bike. A box or a hard case needs storing. Onomichi Station has more than 100 coin lockers, three of them extra-large at ¥1,000 a day in 2026. JR East Logistics holds a bike box for up to 30 days at its [Tokyo and Ueno counters](/operators/tokyo-station-baggage-storage) for ¥2,000 a day. On JR East's [B.B.BASE](/transport/bb-base) cycle train the bike rides whole in a rack, though JR East still asks riders to bring a bag in case the rack refuses the bike. #### Quick answers ##### What is a rinko bag? A rinko bag is a dedicated bike bag that lets you take a bicycle on a Japanese train as hand luggage. The bike comes apart or folds, and every part goes inside the bag. ##### What size can a rinko bag be on JR trains? A rinko bag on JR trains can measure up to 250 cm in length, width and height added together, with no side over 2 metres and a weight up to 30 kg. Each passenger may carry two such items free. ##### Can I use a rinko bag with the rear wheel still on? Yes, if the whole bike sits inside the bag. A front-wheel-only rinko bag meets JR's rule when nothing sticks out, though the packed bag is bigger than a wheels-off one. ##### Where can I buy a rinko bag in Tokyo? Y's Road Ueno Honkan, near Ueno and Okachimachi stations, stocks rinko bags for road, cross and mountain bikes in 2026, along with the end fittings and disc-brake spacers that go with them. ##### Can Yamato ship a bike in a rinko bag? No. Yamato's takkyubin takes a bicycle only when it is boxed, within 200 cm and 30 kg, and refuses a bike packed in a soft bag. ### When is the best time to ski in Japan? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/when-to-ski-in-japan Updated: 2026-10-11 Mid-January to the end of February brings the most snow on Honshu and in Tohoku. Book around New Year and the 2027 holiday weekends, or wait for March and April, when the days run long and spring prices kick in. Go between mid-January and the end of February if you want powder on Honshu, and keep clear of the New Year week and the holiday weekends inside that window. January brings the most new snow at all ten JMA stations we keep near ski areas, and the snow lying on the ground peaks in February at every one of them. New snow falls away in March, when Hakuba's normal drops to 110 cm from 216 cm in January, and several resorts switch to cheaper spring tickets. The high areas run into May. Gassan opens in April as most others wind down, and in 2026 its ski season lasted until 14 June. We built this calendar from the 2026/27 opening and closing dates each resort has published, the ticket periods that mark its busy weeks, JMA's 1991–2020 normals for the valley stations below the lifts and the 2027 holiday list from Japan's Cabinet Office. It covers Honshu and Tohoku. Hokkaido belongs to our sister site, and Ride Hokkaido's [snow season guide](https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/snow-season) walks through its months. #### How does the season run month by month? | Month | New snow at Nozawa Onsen (JMA normal) | What's open in 2026/27 | Crowds and holidays | Ticket periods | |---|---|---|---|---| | November | 16 cm | Hakuba Goryu's Toomi slope from 21 Nov; Kagura, Nozawa Onsen, NEKOMA's North Area and Geto Kogen from 28 Nov, snow permitting | Quiet | Early-season prices | | December | 223 cm | Most resorts open between 5 and 19 Dec | New Year rush from 28 Dec; NSW school holidays start 18 Dec | Happo-one's peak period starts 19 Dec | | January | 366 cm | Everything that opens | New Year to 3 Jan; Coming of Age weekend 9–11 Jan; Nozawa's fire festival 15 Jan | Mt.T caps entry from 9 Jan | | February | 282 cm | Everything that opens | Lunar New Year 6 Feb; holidays on 11 and 23 Feb | Zao's second peak runs 30 Jan–28 Feb | | March | 170 cm | Madarao and Myoko Suginohara close 28 Mar, Cortina 29 Mar | Snow Machine fills Hakuba 2–7 Mar; three-day weekend 20–22 Mar | Spring prices from 10 Mar at Mt.T and 23 Mar at Akakura Kanko | | April | 35 cm | Naeba and Mt.T close 4 Apr; Gassan opened 10 Apr in 2026 | Golden Week starts 29 Apr | Shiga Kogen's spring day costs ¥7,500, Zao's ¥4,800 | | May | 0 cm | Happo-one, Nozawa Onsen, Zao and Shiga Kogen run to 5 May; Kagura to 16 May; Gassan into June | Golden Week ends 5 May | Spring prices throughout | The snow column comes from JMA's station beside [Nozawa Onsen](/climate/nozawa-onsen) village at 576 m. It's a valley figure, and the slopes above it get more. Every opening date in the table is the resort's own plan, and most carry the words "snow permitting". #### When do Japan's ski resorts open? The first lifts turn in late November, and most of Honshu is open by the third week of December. [Hakuba Goryu](/resorts/hakuba-goryu) announced 21 November 2026 for its Toomi No. 1 lift. [Kagura](/resorts/kagura) opens its Kagura and Mitsumata areas on 28 November, the day [Nozawa Onsen](/resorts/nozawa-onsen) starts its 2026/27 fare period and [NEKOMA](/resorts/nekoma) plans to open its North Area. [Geto Kogen](/resorts/geto-kogen) aims for 28 November at the earliest, running only its No. 1 gondola until 4 December. The rest follow through December. Shiga Kogen's all-mountain ticket starts on 5 December. [Zao Onsen](/resorts/zao-onsen) and Madarao plan 12 December, and GALA Yuzawa, Myoko Suginohara, Arai and [Mt.T](/resorts/tenjindaira) open on 19 December. Early December is the gamble. Nozawa's JMA station averages 16 cm of new snow in November and 223 cm in December, so the base builds through the month, and a trip in the first week leans on the high slopes. #### Why do January and February bring the most snow? Cold northwesterly winds out of Siberia pick up moisture crossing the Sea of Japan and drop it as heavy snow on the mountains facing the sea. JMA describes that pattern on its [climate pages](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/cpd/longfcst/en/tourist_japan.html), and its station normals show the result. Our [guide to the snow and its nickname](/guides/what-japow-means) goes through the weather in more detail. | JMA station (height) | Resorts above it | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | [Sukayu](/climate/sukayu) (890 m) | Hakkoda | 376 cm | 454 cm | 341 cm | 234 cm | 97 cm | | [Sekiyama](/climate/sekiyama) (350 m) | Myoko Kogen | 220 cm | 385 cm | 291 cm | 159 cm | 18 cm | | [Yuzawa](/climate/yuzawa) (340 m) | Naeba, Kagura, GALA | 210 cm | 377 cm | 288 cm | 159 cm | 20 cm | | [Nozawa Onsen](/climate/nozawa-onsen) (576 m) | Nozawa Onsen | 223 cm | 366 cm | 282 cm | 170 cm | 35 cm | | [Minakami](/climate/minakami) (524 m) | Mt.T, Hodaigi | 187 cm | 296 cm | 241 cm | 145 cm | 30 cm | | [Hakuba](/climate/hakuba) (703 m) | Hakuba Valley | 130 cm | 216 cm | 174 cm | 110 cm | 7 cm | | [Yamagata](/climate/yamagata) (152.5 m) | Zao Onsen | 66 cm | 103 cm | 79 cm | 35 cm | 2 cm | Each figure is JMA's 1991–2020 normal for total new snow in the month. All seven stations sit on valley floors well below the lifts. Their deepest snow on the ground peaks in February, at 202 cm in Yuzawa and 97 cm in Hakuba, so late February rides on the fullest base of the winter. #### When are the lifts busiest in 2026/27? The New Year week from 28 December to 3 January is the busiest stretch of the winter, and resorts price it that way. Zao Onsen charges its peak ¥9,000 day from 26 December to 3 January. After that the crowds come in waves. - **18 December to 27 January.** New South Wales schools break from 18 December 2026 and Victoria's from 21 December, and both go back after 27 January 2027. - **9–11 January.** Coming of Age Day falls on Monday 11 January 2027, which makes a three-day weekend. Mt.T starts its 150-rider daily cap on 9 January. - **15 January.** The [Dosojin fire festival](/events/nozawa-onsen-dosojin-fire-festival) fills Nozawa Onsen, and in 2026 only residents and overnight guests got entry tickets. - **6 February.** Lunar New Year falls on a Saturday in 2027. - **11 and 23 February.** National Foundation Day lands on a Thursday and the Emperor's Birthday on a Tuesday. - **2–7 March.** [Snow Machine](/events/snow-machine-hakuba) brings an electronic music festival to Hakuba. - **20–22 March.** The spring equinox holiday falls on Sunday 21 March, so Monday 22 March is a substitute holiday. Happo-one's and Tsugaike's peak and regular ticket periods end that day. - **29 April to 5 May.** Golden Week closes out the season at the resorts still running. Weekdays between those dates are the quiet ones. In Hakuba the crowds gather at Happo-one and Goryu, and the shuttle reaches the quieter resorts at either end of the [valley](/resort-groups/hakuba-valley) on the same ticket. #### What is March like? March keeps a deep base with fewer storms, and spring prices start partway through the month. Nozawa's normal snow depth is still 164 cm in March, against 199 cm in February, while its new snow falls to 170 cm from 282 cm. Mt.T drops to a ¥6,000 spring ticket from 10 March, and Zao charges ¥7,000 a day from 15 to 31 March. [Akakura Kanko](/resorts/akakura-kanko) cuts its day ticket to ¥4,000 from 23 March. A few resorts stop early. Madarao and Myoko Suginohara plan to close on 28 March and Hakuba Cortina on 29 March, so check the closing date before you plan a late-March week in Myoko. #### How late can you ski in spring? Into May at the high areas and into June at Gassan. Happo-one, Nozawa Onsen, Zao Onsen and Shiga Kogen sell tickets to 5 May 2027. NEKOMA's North Area and Arai run to 9 May, and Kagura keeps going until 16 May. In 2025/26 Shiga Kogen's [Yokoteyama–Shibutoge](/resorts/shiga-kogen-yokoteyama-shibutoge) area stayed open until mid-May. [Gassan](/resorts/gassan) shuts for the whole of winter and opens in April, on 10 April in 2026. Its 2026 ski season ran to 14 June, and the pair lift kept running for single and return rides after that. Mt. Gassan is one of the three Dewa Sanzan mountains of living Shugendo worship, with Gassan Shrine on its summit, so keep to every trail closure and treat the shrine as a place of worship. The road from Shizu Onsen up to the Ubasawa car park closes from 19:00 to 7:00 while there's a risk of ice. Gassan hadn't set its 2027 dates by 11 October 2026. Spring is also when riding and skiing fit into one trip. The Shibu Pass road above Yudanaka reopens in late April, on the day Gunma's closure list gives, and Nagano's own note on the pass points to the snow walls lining the road just after it opens. Yokoteyama's lifts sit at the top of that climb. In the Hakuba area the flat [Azumino Water Course](/routes/azumino) makes an easy valley ride on a rest day while Happo-one is still open. #### Will El Niño mean less snow in winter 2026/27? Riding Japan publishes no snow forecast of its own, so read JMA's. Its [seasonal outlook](https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/season/), issued on 18 September 2026 for December to February, gives a 50% chance of below-normal snowfall on the Sea of Japan side of eastern Japan. JMA counts Niigata, Nagano and Gunma in eastern Japan. Tohoku sits in its northern Japan region, where the outlook puts normal and below-normal snowfall at 40% each. The same outlook gives eastern Japan a 60% chance of a warmer winter than normal. JMA's Tokyo Climate Center reported on 9 October 2026 that the El Niño running since spring 2026 reached its strongest on record in September, with sea temperatures in the NINO.3 region 4.0 °C above normal. That beat the previous record of +3.6 °C, set in December 1997. The [El Niño outlook](https://ds.data.jma.go.jp/tcc/tcc/products/elnino/outlook.html) calls it virtually certain to last through the winter, and its next update is due on 10 November 2026. An outlook gives odds for a three-month average, and a single week can still go either way. If your dates are fixed, book rooms you can cancel and read JMA's monthly update before you pay. #### Quick answers ##### What is the best month to ski in Japan? January and February are the best months for powder in Japan outside Hokkaido. JMA's 1991–2020 normals put the most new snow in January at all ten JMA stations we keep near ski areas, with 366 cm at Nozawa Onsen, and snow depth peaks in February. ##### When does the Japanese ski season start in 2026/27? The 2026/27 ski season in Japan starts on 21 November 2026 at Hakuba Goryu's Toomi slope, snow permitting. Kagura and Nozawa Onsen follow on 28 November, and most Honshu resorts open between 5 and 19 December. ##### When are Japanese ski resorts most crowded? Japanese ski resorts are most crowded from 28 December to 3 January. The 2027 peaks after that are the Coming of Age weekend of 9–11 January, Lunar New Year on 6 February, the holidays on 11 and 23 February and the 20–22 March long weekend. ##### Can you ski in Japan in May? Yes. In 2027 Happo-one, Nozawa Onsen, Zao Onsen and Shiga Kogen sell tickets to 5 May, Arai and NEKOMA's North Area run to 9 May, and Kagura runs to 16 May. Gassan opens in April, and its 2026 ski season lasted until 14 June. ##### Will El Niño reduce Japan's snow in 2027? JMA's outlook issued on 18 September 2026 gives a 50% chance of below-normal snowfall from December to February on the Sea of Japan side of eastern Japan, which includes Niigata and Nagano. JMA reports the strongest El Niño on its record and updates both outlooks monthly. ### Where can you ride gravel in Japan? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/gravel-riding-in-japan Updated: 2026-10-11 Japan's gravel lives on forest roads built for forestry, and in national forests the Forestry Agency asks you to clear entry with the local forest office first. Published gravel rides are few, so start from a station that rents gravel bikes and ask locally. Japan's gravel riding happens mostly on forest roads, called rindō (林道), which were cut to work the forests. Some are sealed and some are dirt, and the Forestry Agency warns that bad weather brings down rock and trees on them. In national forests the Forestry Agency asks anyone entering to complete an entry procedure with the local forest office first, except in some cases it sets out, and it says entry is at your own risk. We found few published gravel routes and one published gravel ride at an organised event, so this page sets out where gravel bikes are for hire, what to check before you ride and where the rules sit. We looked through our files for every route, event and rental desk that mentions gravel, and read the Forestry Agency's and the Ministry of the Environment's guidance for people entering forests, in October 2026. The evidence is thin, and we say so where it runs out. #### Can you ride on forest roads (rindo) in Japan? Sometimes, and the forest owner decides. For national forests, the [Forestry Agency](https://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/j/kokusei/nyuurin.html) asks you to contact the regional forest office or district office that manages the forest and complete its entry procedure before you go. Its page lists the office for each prefecture, and it asks riders and walkers to keep out of any area marked closed. Prefectures, towns and private owners manage other forest roads, and a locked gate means that road is shut. The same page asks everyone to stay out of the forest in typhoons, heavy rain and blizzards, when rockfall, fallen trees and debris flows get likelier. It also tightened the fire rules from 1 January 2026. A town can now issue a forest-fire warning that bans open fires and smoking in set areas, with penalties. Check the local warning before you light a stove by the trail. #### Where can you hire a gravel bike in Japan? At a handful of station desks. All the prices here are the operators' own for 2026. | Where | Who rents it | Bike and price (published, 2026) | Suits | The catch | |---|---|---|---|---| | Awa-Kamogawa Station, Boso | [Kamochari+](/operators/kamochari-plus) | MERIDA SILEX 200 gravel bike from ¥3,000 for 4 hours | Riders exploring the hills behind the Pacific coast of Chiba | Two gravel bikes only, and the web form closes two days ahead | | Iiyama Station, Nagano | [Shin'etsu Shizenkyo Activity Center](/operators/shinetsu-shizenkyo-activity-center) | Electric-assist gravel bike, ¥5,000 a day | Riders getting off the Shinkansen for Nozawa Onsen country | Sized for riders 165 to 178 cm | | Otsu Port, Lake Biwa | [Biwaichi Bike](/operators/biwaichi-bike) | Gravel e-bike, ¥9,900 a day | Riders who want a lakeside day with a little dirt | Shuts every winter from mid-December to mid-February | The Boso hills also have [HEGURI HUB](/stays/heguri-hub), a guesthouse below Mt. Iyogatake in Minamiboso that lists gravel riders among its guests. Its clubhouse keeps a pump, tools and changing rooms for anyone riding through, and it hires Giant cross bikes and e-bikes at weekends. #### Are there published gravel routes or events in Japan? A few. The Sado Long Ride 210 programme on [Sado Island](/events/sado-long-ride-210) closed its 2026 weekend with a 33 km gravel ride through crested ibis country on the Monday. Azumino's city course in Nagano flags a short gravel stretch on its map as of March 2024 ([Azumino Water Course](/routes/azumino)). Our file for the Ishikawa Satoyama-Satoumi route lists gravel bikes among the bikes it suits. Parts of it on the Noto peninsula still carry closures and detours after the 2024 earthquake, so check [Ishikawa Prefecture's road map](https://www.pref.ishikawa.jp/michi/cycling/cycling-web/route.html) and ride with care for towns that are rebuilding. #### How do you stay safe from bears on a gravel ride? Make noise and let the bear move off first. The Ministry of the Environment and the Japan Tourism Agency publish an [English leaflet for visitors](https://www.env.go.jp/nature/choju/effort/effort12/kuma-warning-english.pdf). It says most bears in Japan avoid people, and it asks you to carry a bear bell, clap where you cannot see far ahead and talk as you go. If you meet one, never feed it or walk toward it, and back away slowly without running. Take every bit of rubbish home. A bike rolls fast and silent on a forest road, so ring the bell on blind bends and slow down where the road climbs through thick cover. #### What closes a gravel road? Snow and storms. High mountain roads shut for winter: Nagano lists the Norikura Skyline and Echo Line closing after their last traffic on 31 October 2026, and early snow can close them sooner. Typhoons and landslides close roads too. Check the prefecture's road page and the forest office before you leave, and carry enough food and water to turn back. #### Quick answers ##### Are there published gravel routes in Japan? Few. On the evidence we found in 2026, Japan's gravel riding runs mostly on forest roads, a few station desks rent gravel bikes, and the Sado Long Ride programme included a 33 km gravel ride. ##### Can I ride a bike on a forest road (rindo) in Japan? Sometimes. In national forests, Japan's Forestry Agency asks you to complete an entry procedure with the local forest office first, and a gate or a closure sign means the road is shut that day. ##### Where can I rent a gravel bike in Japan? Kamochari+ at Awa-Kamogawa Station rents a MERIDA gravel bike from ¥3,000 for 4 hours, the Shin'etsu Shizenkyo Activity Center at Iiyama Station rents an e-gravel bike for ¥5,000 a day, and Biwaichi Bike in Otsu rents a gravel e-bike for ¥9,900 a day, all in 2026. ##### What should I do if I see a bear while cycling in Japan? Keep your distance and back away slowly, and never run or feed it. Japan's Ministry of the Environment asks visitors to carry a bear bell and make noise where they cannot see far ahead. ### Where can you ski on a day trip from Tokyo? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/ski-day-trips-from-tokyo Updated: 2026-10-11 In winter the Shinkansen stops inside GALA Yuzawa's base building. Kagura has the biggest terrain within reach of Echigo-Yuzawa, and Mt.T in Minakami has the steepest, an hour from Tokyo plus a bus. GALA Yuzawa is the easiest ski day trip from Tokyo, because in winter the Joetsu Shinkansen stops inside its base building and GALA quotes 71 minutes on the fastest train. Kagura has the biggest terrain within reach of Echigo-Yuzawa and the longest season, from 28 November 2026 to 16 May 2027. Strong riders after steep snow should look at Mt.T in Minakami, where a direct bus meets the morning train at Jomo-Kogen. Every resort below sits on the Joetsu Shinkansen, so a day on the snow takes a little over two hours of train time there and back. We compared seven ski areas a Tokyo rider can reach and ride in one day by train. Ticket prices come from each resort's published 2026/27 table, and train times and fares come from our rail data, sampled from JR East's timetable for 16 October 2026. Karuizawa's slopes aren't in our resort pages yet, so this guide stays on the Joetsu line. #### Which resorts work as a day trip from Tokyo? | Resort | Train from Tokyo Station | Last leg | Adult day, 2026/27 | Season 2026/27 | Suits | Drawback | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | [GALA Yuzawa](/resorts/gala-yuzawa) | Toki to Echigo-Yuzawa, 66 min, ¥6,900; direct to GALA Yuzawa station in winter | Free shuttle, about 10 min, or none from GALA's own station | ¥8,000 window, ¥7,500 web | 19 Dec–5 May | First-timers and a quick day | South area and the ropeway to Yuzawa Kogen closed all season | | [Kandatsu](/resorts/kandatsu-kogen) | Toki to Echigo-Yuzawa, 66 min, ¥6,900 | Free shuttle, about 7 min | ¥5,800 weekday, ¥6,800 Saturday | 11 Dec–11 Apr | Night riders and budget days | Top at about 1,000 m | | [Ishiuchi Maruyama](/resorts/ishiuchi-maruyama) | Toki to Echigo-Yuzawa, 66 min, ¥6,900 | Free shuttle, about 10 min | Not published by 11 Oct | Not published by 11 Oct | Groups after tree runs | 2026/27 dates and prices still unset | | [Naeba](/resorts/naeba) | Toki to Echigo-Yuzawa, 66 min, ¥6,900 | In-season express bus | ¥9,800; Mt. Naeba ticket ¥11,800 | 18 Dec–4 Apr | Night riding every evening | Season ends in early April | | [Kagura](/resorts/kagura) | Toki to Echigo-Yuzawa, 66 min, ¥6,900 | In-season express bus to Mitsumata or Tashiro | ¥8,500 | 28 Nov–16 May | Powder and spring snow | A ropeway, chairs and a gondola before the high bowl | | [Mt.T](/resorts/tenjindaira) | Toki to Jomo-Kogen, 64 min, ¥6,130 | Direct bus 7:58–8:33, about ¥2,000; line bus about 45 min, ¥1,600 | ¥9,000; ¥14,000 booked from 9 Jan to 28 Feb | 19 Dec–4 Apr | Steep powder and gates | Little room for beginners | | [Norn Minakami](/resorts/norn-minakami) | Toki to Jomo-Kogen, 64 min, ¥6,130 | Free booked shuttle, about 30 min | ¥3,800 opening days; regular 2026/27 table not out | From 18 Dec | Families and weekend nights | Five short courses | Train times are morning samples from 16 October 2026, and fares are one-way regular-season reserved seats. Every ticket price is the resort's published 2026/27 figure unless the table says otherwise. #### Why is GALA Yuzawa the easiest? GALA has its own Shinkansen station inside the ski centre, so you step off the train and onto the gondola. The station runs only in winter, and JR East hadn't published its 2026/27 dates by 11 October 2026. Outside those dates, ride to Echigo-Yuzawa and take GALA's free shuttle bus, about 10 minutes. GALA is smaller this season. On 15 September 2026 it [announced](https://gala.co.jp/winter/information/2026-2027wintersouthareaclosed/) that its South area, the four courses on it and the Landau ropeway to Yuzawa Kogen stay shut all season, with a shuttle bus in place of the ropeway. A day ticket costs ¥8,000 at the window or ¥7,500 on the web. GALA's early-bird day ticket at ¥4,800 sells on Webket and JRE MALL from 15 October to 30 November 2026. GALA suits first-timers and anyone with only a few hours, and a ¥6,500 non-rider ticket for the gondola and the Barouche makes it easy to bring a friend who won't ski. The drawback for 2026/27 is a smaller mountain with its ungroomed side closed. #### Which Yuzawa resorts are worth the shuttle? [Kandatsu](/resorts/kandatsu-kogen) sits seven minutes from Echigo-Yuzawa's east exit on a free shuttle. It opens on 11 December 2026 and charges ¥5,800 for a weekday and ¥6,800 on Saturdays. Night riding runs from 18:00 to 02:00 on Fridays, Saturdays and nights before holidays from 18 December to 27 March, on a ¥4,900 night ticket. The top sits at about 1,000 m, so strong riders run out of vertical quickly. [Ishiuchi Maruyama](/resorts/ishiuchi-maruyama) is one of the largest areas along the Kan-etsu Expressway, with 25 runs on 14 lifts, including marked tree-run courses, and a free shuttle reaches it from Echigo-Yuzawa in about 10 minutes. It hadn't set its 2026/27 dates or prices by 11 October 2026. The YUZAWA SNOW LINK ticket covers Ishiuchi Maruyama, GALA Yuzawa and Yuzawa Kogen on one pass, and Ishiuchi keeps every rider inside its managed area. [Naeba](/resorts/naeba) runs from 18 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, and Prince lights the slopes in front of the hotel every evening to 20:30 from 18 December to 21 March. Its ¥9,800 day ticket covers Naeba, and the ¥11,800 Mt. Naeba ticket adds Kagura by the Dragondola, which runs from 26 December to 22 March. An in-season express bus from Echigo-Yuzawa's east exit runs via Kagura to Naeba. The drawback is the early close, while Kagura next door keeps going into May. #### Is Kagura worth the extra time? Yes, if you want the highest terrain and the longest season around Yuzawa. [Kagura](/resorts/kagura) climbs to 1,845 m with 1,225 m of vertical over 30 runs, and its season runs longest of the Yuzawa resorts, from 28 November 2026 to 16 May 2027. A day ticket costs ¥8,500 and covers the Kagura, Mitsumata and Tashiro areas. The express bus from Echigo-Yuzawa stops at Mitsumata and Tashiro, and local buses on Route 17 don't enter the car parks. From Mitsumata you ride a ropeway, chairs and the Kagura Gondola before the high bowl, and the Mitsumata Ropeway takes its last uphill ride at 14:00. Leave early. Kagura's backcountry gate toward Kaguragamine stands at the top of the No.5 Romance lift, which runs from 1 January, and every rider through it posts a climbing plan in the box there and carries a beacon, shovel and probe. Our [gates and rescue guide](/guides/avalanche-gates-and-rescue-costs) covers its rules. #### Can you ski Mt.T on a day trip? Yes, with an early start. Mt.T is the ski area at the Tanigawadake ropeway in Minakami, and its Doai-guchi base station is 35 minutes from Jomo-Kogen on a direct bus that leaves at 7:58 from 5 December 2026 to 4 April 2027. The bus costs about ¥2,000 and runs outbound only. Catch the 6:36 Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo to make it. Coming home, the Kan-etsu Kotsu line bus takes about 45 minutes to Jomo-Kogen for ¥1,600. The 1Day Pass costs ¥9,000 from 19 December 2026 to 8 January 2027 and from 1 to 9 March. From 9 January to 28 February the only adult day ticket is the Ultimate 1Day Pass at ¥14,000, limited to 150 riders a day with a reservation that opens in December 2026. Ikon Pass holders need no booking. Spring tickets cost ¥6,000 from 10 March to 4 April. Mt.T publishes 1,500 cm of annual snowfall without saying where it measures it, and the Minakami tourism association says the resort makes no artificial snow. Mt.T suits strong riders who want steep snow, and its gates open onto unmanaged slopes of 30 to 50 degrees by the resort's own figures. Beginners will find very little room to learn. #### What about Norn Minakami? [Norn Minakami](/resorts/norn-minakami) is the closest ski area to Minakami town, three kilometres from the expressway, with a free booked shuttle from Jomo-Kogen of about 30 minutes. It opens on 18 December 2026 with ¥3,800 day tickets for the first three days. From 8 January to 21 March 2027 its lifts run to 22:00 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Norn had posted only its opening prices by 11 October 2026, and its 2025/26 regular day cost ¥6,300. Its five short courses run out after a morning for strong riders. #### What does a ski day trip from Tokyo cost? About ¥19,000 to ¥30,000 an adult for the train and the lift ticket, before rental and food, by our sums of the published 2026/27 fares and tickets. | Day trip | Return train | Bus | Lift ticket | Total (computed) | |---|---|---|---|---| | Kandatsu on a weekday | ¥13,800 | free shuttle | ¥5,800 | ¥19,600 | | GALA Yuzawa, web ticket | ¥13,800 | none | ¥7,500 | ¥21,300 | | Kagura | ¥13,800 | express bus fare not in our files | ¥8,500 | ¥22,300 plus the bus | | Naeba | ¥13,800 | express bus fare not in our files | ¥9,800 | ¥23,600 plus the bus | | Mt.T in late December | ¥12,260 | about ¥3,600 | ¥9,000 | about ¥24,900 | | Mt.T from 9 January to 28 February | ¥12,260 | about ¥3,600 | ¥14,000 | about ¥29,900 | The train column doubles the one-way regular-season reserved fare from Tokyo Station, and the Mt.T bus adds the roughly ¥2,000 direct bus out to the ¥1,600 line bus back. #### How do you carry skis or a board on the Shinkansen? In its own bag, standing upright. JR East lets each passenger carry two items free, each up to 30 kg with length, width and height adding up to 250 cm or less, and skis and boards may run longer when they travel upright in a bag or case. JR East runs no oversized-baggage booking on its Shinkansen, and the luggage areas on some cars fill first come, first served. On a busy Saturday morning, board early and claim a spot. #### Quick answers ##### What is the closest ski resort to Tokyo by Shinkansen? GALA Yuzawa is the quickest ski area to reach by Shinkansen. In winter the Joetsu Shinkansen stops at GALA Yuzawa station inside the ski centre, and GALA quotes 71 minutes from Tokyo on the fastest train. Echigo-Yuzawa, 66 minutes from Tokyo, serves it the rest of the season. ##### Can you do a day trip to Yuzawa from Tokyo? Yes. The Toki reaches Echigo-Yuzawa in 66 minutes from Tokyo for ¥6,900 each way in 2026, and free shuttles run from the east exit to Kandatsu in about 7 minutes and to GALA Yuzawa and Ishiuchi Maruyama in about 10. ##### How much is a ski day trip from Tokyo? A ski day trip from Tokyo costs about ¥19,600 to ¥29,900 an adult for the return Shinkansen and a 2026/27 lift ticket, by our sums. Kandatsu on a weekday sits at the low end and Mt.T during its capped weeks at the top. ##### Which day-trip resort stays open latest in spring? Kagura stays open latest, to 16 May 2027 in its Kagura and Mitsumata areas. GALA Yuzawa runs to 5 May, and Naeba and Mt.T close on 4 April. ##### Do you need to book Mt.T? Yes, from 9 January to 28 February 2027. Mt.T caps entry at 150 riders a day on a booked ¥14,000 Ultimate 1Day Pass, and Ikon Pass holders are exempt from the booking. ### Which Japanese phrases help on a ski or cycling trip in Japan? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/guides/japanese-phrases-for-the-lift-line-and-the-road Updated: 2026-10-11 Two words carry most of a trip, and about forty more get you a lift pass, a new inner tube, a seat for a bagged bike and help when something goes wrong. Each line comes with its kana and a romaji reading you can say out loud. Start with すみません (sumimasen) and ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu). The first gets attention and opens almost any request, and the second closes it. Staff at big resorts and city stations often speak some English. The lines below are for the village baths and country stations where the English runs out. We wrote each line in plain polite Japanese, the desu and masu form you'd use with a stranger behind a counter. Every phrase has the Japanese as it's written, the reading in kana, the romaji in modified Hepburn and the meaning in English. A line over a vowel in the romaji (ā, ē, ō, ū) means you hold that vowel for twice as long. The u at the end of desu and masu nearly disappears, so desu sounds like "dess". #### What do you say at the lift ticket window? Point at the price board if you need to, and ask for the ticket by type and number. Many resorts load passes onto an IC card with a deposit: ¥500 at [Hakuba Goryu](/resorts/hakuba-goryu) and ¥1,000 at [Hakuba Iwatake](/resorts/hakuba-iwatake) on their published 2026 prices. Hand the card back at the end and ask for the deposit. | English | Japanese | Kana | Romaji | |---|---|---|---| | Two adult one-day passes, please. | 一日券を大人二枚ください。 | いちにちけんを おとな にまい ください。 | Ichinichi-ken o otona nimai kudasai. | | Do you have a half-day pass? | 半日券はありますか？ | はんにちけんは ありますか？ | Hannichi-ken wa arimasu ka? | | Is there night skiing? | ナイターはありますか？ | ナイターは ありますか？ | Naitā wa arimasu ka? | | Can I pay by card? | カードは使えますか？ | カードは つかえますか？ | Kādo wa tsukaemasu ka? | | Can I get the deposit back? | デポジットは返金されますか？ | デポジットは へんきん されますか？ | Depojitto wa henkin saremasu ka? | | Do you speak English? | 英語は話せますか？ | えいごは はなせますか？ | Eigo wa hanasemasu ka? | #### What do you say on the chairlift? Chairlift talk is short. In a singles line, ask before you join someone's chair, and say so before you lower the safety bar. | English | Japanese | Kana | Romaji | |---|---|---|---| | Mind if I ride with you? | 一緒に乗ってもいいですか？ | いっしょに のっても いいですか？ | Issho ni notte mo ii desu ka? | | I'm lowering the bar. | バーを下ろします。 | バーを おろします。 | Bā o oroshimasu. | | What time does the lift close? | リフトは何時までですか？ | リフトは なんじまで ですか？ | Rifuto wa nanji made desu ka? | | Is it windy up top? | 上は風が強いですか？ | うえは かぜが つよいですか？ | Ue wa kaze ga tsuyoi desu ka? | The signs at the top station matter more than anything you'll say. Learn these before your first run: | Sign | Kana | Romaji | Meaning | |---|---|---|---| | 運休 | うんきゅう | unkyū | Not running today | | 強風のため運休 | きょうふうのため うんきゅう | kyōfū no tame unkyū | Stopped because of strong wind | | コース外 | コースがい | kōsu-gai | Outside the marked runs | | 立入禁止 | たちいりきんし | tachiiri kinshi | No entry | | 滑走禁止 | かっそうきんし | kassō kinshi | No skiing or riding here | | 雪崩注意 | なだれちゅうい | nadare chūi | Avalanche danger | #### What do you say at a bike shop? Say what broke, then ask for the part. Japanese shops name the three valve types by country, so knowing yours saves a lot of pointing. | English | Japanese | Kana | Romaji | |---|---|---|---| | I've got a flat tyre. | パンクしました。 | パンクしました。 | Panku shimashita. | | Do you have inner tubes? | チューブはありますか？ | チューブは ありますか？ | Chūbu wa arimasu ka? | | Can I borrow a pump? | 空気入れを借りてもいいですか？ | くうきいれを かりても いいですか？ | Kūkiire o karite mo ii desu ka? | | Presta valve | 仏式バルブ | ふつしき バルブ | futsushiki barubu | | Schrader valve | 米式バルブ | べいしき バルブ | beishiki barubu | | Woods (Dunlop) valve | 英式バルブ | えいしき バルブ | eishiki barubu | | Could you adjust my brakes? | ブレーキを調整してもらえますか？ | ブレーキを ちょうせい して もらえますか？ | Burēki o chōsei shite moraemasu ka? | | An e-bike, please. | 電動アシスト自転車をお願いします。 | でんどう アシスト じてんしゃを おねがいします。 | Dendō ashisuto jitensha o onegai shimasu. | On the road, two signs come up again and again. 通行止め (つうこうどめ, tsūkōdome) means the road is closed. 自転車通行可 (じてんしゃつうこうか, jitensha tsūkō-ka) on a pavement sign means bikes may ride there. When you're unsure whether a road goes through, ask: | English | Japanese | Kana | Romaji | |---|---|---|---| | Can I get through on this road? | この道は通れますか？ | この みちは とおれますか？ | Kono michi wa tōremasu ka? | #### What do you say on the train with a rinko bag? A rinko bag (輪行袋, rinkō-bukuro) is the bag a dismantled bike rides in on Japanese trains. On the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen, a bag over 160 cm in length, width and height combined needs a seat with an [oversized-baggage area](/transport/shinkansen-oversized-baggage), and a bagged bike goes in that space only with the booking, so ask for the seat at the ticket window. Our [rinko bag guide](/guides/rinko-bags) covers the bag itself. | English | Japanese | Kana | Romaji | |---|---|---|---| | One adult to Onomichi, please. | 尾道まで、大人一枚。 | おのみちまで、おとな いちまい。 | Onomichi made, otona ichimai. | | A seat with an oversized-baggage area, please. | 特大荷物スペースつき座席をお願いします。 | とくだいにもつ スペースつき ざせきを おねがいします。 | Tokudai nimotsu supēsu-tsuki zaseki o onegai shimasu. | | The bike is in a rinko bag. | 自転車は輪行袋に入れてあります。 | じてんしゃは りんこうぶくろに いれて あります。 | Jitensha wa rinkō-bukuro ni irete arimasu. | | May I put my bag here? | 荷物をここに置いてもいいですか？ | にもつを ここに おいても いいですか？ | Nimotsu o koko ni oite mo ii desu ka? | | Where is the elevator? | エレベーターはどこですか？ | エレベーターは どこですか？ | Erebētā wa doko desu ka? | | I'd like to send this by courier. | 宅急便で送りたいです。 | たっきゅうびんで おくりたいです。 | Takkyūbin de okuritai desu. | The courier line is the one for sending a board bag or a boxed bike ahead with [takkyubin](/transport/takkyubin-for-boards-and-bikes). Swap in your own station for Onomichi on the ticket line. #### What do you say at an onsen? At an onsen the lines you need are mostly about tattoos and towels. Ask about a tattoo at the window before you pay, since most baths publish no rule. Our [onsen guide](/guides/onsen-etiquette-and-tattoos) lists the baths that take tattoos, such as Kusatsu's [Otaki-no-yu](/onsen/otaki-no-yu). | English | Japanese | Kana | Romaji | |---|---|---|---| | I have a tattoo. Can I bathe here? | タトゥーがあるんですが、入浴できますか？ | タトゥーが あるんですが、にゅうよく できますか？ | Tatū ga aru n desu ga, nyūyoku dekimasu ka? | | Do you have stickers to cover a tattoo? | タトゥーを隠すシールはありますか？ | タトゥーを かくす シールは ありますか？ | Tatū o kakusu shīru wa arimasu ka? | | Can I rent a towel? | タオルを借りられますか？ | タオルを かりられますか？ | Taoru o kariraremasu ka? | | Is the private bath free? | 貸切風呂は空いていますか？ | かしきりぶろは あいて いますか？ | Kashikiri-buro wa aite imasu ka? | Read these on the curtains and signs: | Sign | Kana | Romaji | Meaning | |---|---|---|---| | 男湯 | おとこゆ | otoko-yu | Men's bath | | 女湯 | おんなゆ | onna-yu | Women's bath | | 混浴 | こんよく | kon'yoku | Mixed bath | | 源泉かけ流し | げんせん かけながし | gensen kakenagashi | Water straight from the source, flowing through | At a village bath such as the [Nozawa Onsen soto-yu](/onsen/nozawa-onsen-soto-yu), nobody sits at a window, so the polite move is a nod and a quiet すみません as you join the bathers already in the tub. #### What do you say in an emergency? Call 119 for an ambulance or a fire and 110 for the police. JNTO runs the Japan Visitor Hotline on 050-3816-2787 in English, Chinese and Korean, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and it helps with accidents and illness as well as travel questions. Use these lines to get a stranger to help you: | English | Japanese | Kana | Romaji | |---|---|---|---| | Please help me. | 助けてください。 | たすけて ください。 | Tasukete kudasai. | | Please call an ambulance. | 救急車を呼んでください。 | きゅうきゅうしゃを よんで ください。 | Kyūkyūsha o yonde kudasai. | | Please call the police. | 警察を呼んでください。 | けいさつを よんで ください。 | Keisatsu o yonde kudasai. | | I'm hurt. | 怪我をしました。 | けがを しました。 | Kega o shimashita. | | I think it's heatstroke. | 熱中症かもしれません。 | ねっちゅうしょう かもしれません。 | Netchūshō kamo shiremasen. | | I've been stung by a hornet. | 蜂に刺されました。 | はちに さされました。 | Hachi ni sasaremashita. | | I've been bitten by a snake. | 蛇に噛まれました。 | へびに かまれました。 | Hebi ni kamaremashita. | | I'm lost. | 道に迷いました。 | みちに まよいました。 | Michi ni mayoimashita. | | Where is the hospital? | 病院はどこですか？ | びょういんは どこですか？ | Byōin wa doko desu ka? | | Is there someone who speaks English? | 英語が話せる人はいますか？ | えいごが はなせる ひとは いますか？ | Eigo ga hanaseru hito wa imasu ka? | The Japan Tourism Agency's Safety tips app carries its own list of disaster phrases and pushes earthquake and tsunami warnings in English. Our [ride safety guide](/guides/ride-safety-in-japan) covers heat, hornets and the rest. #### Quick answers ##### How do you say thank you in Japanese? Say ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu) to thank someone politely in Japanese. In a shop or at a ticket window, it's the form to use with staff. ##### How do you ask for a lift ticket in Japanese? Ask for a lift ticket in Japanese with 一日券を大人一枚ください (ichinichi-ken o otona ichimai kudasai), which means "one adult one-day pass, please". Change 一枚 (ichimai) to 二枚 (nimai) for two. ##### How do you ask if tattoos are allowed at an onsen in Japanese? Ask タトゥーがあるんですが、入浴できますか？ (tatū ga aru n desu ga, nyūyoku dekimasu ka?), which means "I have a tattoo; can I bathe here?" Ask at the onsen window before you pay. ##### What is a rinko bag called in Japanese? A rinko bag is called 輪行袋 (rinkō-bukuro) in Japanese. It's the bag a dismantled bike travels in on Japanese trains. ##### What number do you call for an ambulance in Japan? Call 119 for an ambulance or a fire in Japan, and 110 for the police. The Japan Visitor Hotline on 050-3816-2787 answers in English 24 hours a day. ## Journal ### How do you ride the Tobishima Kaido as a quieter day after Shimanami? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/journal/tobishima-kaido-after-shimanami Updated: 2026-10-11 Start at JR Aki-Kawajiri and cross seven bridges to Okamura, where a 23-minute ferry carries you over to Omishima for the night. The boats set the shape of the day, so plan lunch around them. Ride the [Akinada Tobishima Kaido](/routes/tobishima-kaido) from JR Aki-Kawajiri to Okamura island, then put the bike on the ferry to Munakata on [Omishima](/towns/omishima) and sleep there. Our build measures the line at 33.7 km with 295 m of climbing, so a rider at 15 km/h spends about 2 hours 15 minutes in the saddle (computed). That leaves most of the day for the old harbour at Mitarai and a long lunch. Plan the afternoon around the boats at the far end. Kure city's timetable shows five sailings a day from Okamura to Munakata, and the last one leaves at 18:05. The Tobishima Kaido suits a rider who has crossed the Shimanami and wants the same sea with fewer bikes on it. Hiroshima's prefectural road corporation describes it as a chain of seven bridges from Kure across the Akinada islands to Okamura, which belongs to Imabari in Ehime. Six of the islands are part of Kure. We took the distance, the climbing, the tunnels and the wind from our own build along the route, the bridge rules from the road corporation, the sailings from Kure city's timetable dated January 2026, and the rooms and their dated prices from our stay files. #### How do you get off Okamura island? Take the ferry to Munakata if you are sleeping on Omishima, and the Sekizen passenger boat if you want Imabari and a train. Kure city prints all three boats on one sheet and calls the departure times a guide, since the season and the weather can move them. | Way off Okamura | Where it lands | Sailings (Kure city timetable, January 2026) | Suits | The catch | |---|---|---|---|---| | Omishima Blue Line ferry | Munakata on Omishima | Five a day at 9:15, 10:05, 15:00, 15:50 and 18:05; 23 minutes | Riders sleeping on Omishima or heading for Oyamazumi Shrine | Nothing leaves Okamura between 10:05 and 15:00, and the timetable prints no fares | | Sekizen passenger boat Tobishima | Imabari port via Kooge, Oge and Munakata | Four a day at 6:20, 8:30, 12:30 and 17:35; 58 minutes to Imabari | Riders finishing in Imabari | Nothing sails between 12:30 and 17:35 | | Sekizen car ferry Dai-ni Sekizen | Imabari port via Kooge and Oge on most sailings | Four a day at 6:50, 9:35, 13:30 and 16:15; 60 to 80 minutes | Riders who miss the passenger boat | Our route file asks you to check with Imabari city that it takes bikes on your sailing | | Ride back the way you came | JR Aki-Kawajiri | No boat | Riders with a train to catch in Hiroshima | Our build counts one konbini on the line and a 26.5 km stretch without one | Kure's timetable notes that the Tobishima passenger boat carries bicycles and no other vehicles. It lists no bike rule for the other two boats, so ring the Omishima Blue Line on 0898-32-6713 or Sekizen on 0897-88-2252 before you rely on them. No fare for a rider or a bike appears on the sheet. #### What does the Tobishima Kaido ride like? It rides low and close to the water. Our build puts the highest point at 57 m and measures 5.4 km of the line on bridges. Three tunnels add up to 1,225 m, and the longest runs 800 m, so carry a rear light even on a bright day. The road mix we computed from OpenStreetMap comes out at 62% moderate traffic, 20% quiet road, 7% car-free path and 11% busy road. Kure city says you can keep to the gentle coast roads or go looking for the climbs the islands throw up, and our line takes the coast. The day begins on the [Akinada Bridge](https://www.hprc.or.jp/akinada-bridge/). The road corporation opened it on 18 January 2000 and gives its length as 1,175 m, with towers about 130 m above the sea. It's the one toll road on the chain, and the corporation's toll table lists bicycles as free. Start at JR Aki-Kawajiri on the Kure Line, which puts you on the mainland side of the bridge without riding through central Kure. Riders coming from Osaka take the [Sanyo Shinkansen](/transport/sanyo-shinkansen), which ran Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima in 86 minutes on Nozomi 101 in the 2026 timetable. Bag the bike for the trains under JR's rinko rules, and our [rinko bag guide](/guides/rinko-bags) covers how. Our build reads the Imabari weather station and puts the average wind at 1.7 m/s, mostly from the east-northeast, across April, May, October and November. Ridden from Kure toward Okamura, that comes out as a headwind on 53% of the line by our count. Our route file lists no rental shop on the islands, so this day suits riders who bring their own bike. Load the road corporation's [Google map of the route](https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1T12Ch6X65V0h7ldqJ9BqDia0ZF9Xzxgx) before you go, since it marks the public toilets and rest stops island by island. #### Where should you stop on the way? Stop at Mitarai on Osaki-shimojima and stay for lunch. The road corporation's map marks its Tenmangu shrine and the Rekishi no Mieru Oka lookout above the old harbour. The Mitarai rest house is one of Kure's cycle stations, where passing riders borrow simple tools and a bike stand, and Umi-eki Sannoseki on Shimo-kamagari is the other one right on the way. From Mitarai the road crosses to Okamura and ends at the ferry port. The 15:00 and 15:50 boats to Munakata leave a good gap for a slow afternoon, and the 12:30 passenger boat to Imabari suits a rider who has eaten early. Kure itself rewards a morning before the ride. The city grew around the naval district founded in 1889, and the battleship Yamato was launched there in 1940. Its restaurants serve curries made to the recipes of individual ships and bases. Our [Kure page](/towns/kure) has the story. #### Where should you sleep on Omishima? Sleep at Omishima Ikoi no Ie in Munakata, where the ferry lands. Ryokan Sawaki in Miyaura sits on the approach to Oyamazumi Shrine. Every stay below comes from our files, with its price and the year it applies to. We have no stays on the Tobishima islands themselves yet. | Stay | Where on Omishima | Price (published, 2026) | Suits | The catch | |---|---|---|---|---| | [Omishima Ikoi no Ie](/stays/omishima-ikoi-no-ie) | Munakata on the west coast | From ¥14,520 a person room only for two sharing; dinner-and-breakfast plans from ¥21,230 | Riders off the ferry who want a seafood dinner and a sea-view bath in an old school | No shop or restaurant stands nearby, check-in ends at 19:00, and its bike policy is unpublished | | [Ryokan Sawaki](/stays/ryokan-sawaki) | Miyaura on the approach to Oyamazumi Shrine | ¥11,500 an adult with dinner and breakfast, guide price | Riders who want a big fish dinner and an indoor bike storeroom | An old Showa-era building with tatami rooms | | [WAKKA](/stays/wakka-omishima) | Inokuchi port by the Tatara Bridge | ¥4,800 a bunk bed, guide price | Riders who want bag transfers and a bike taxi by car or boat | Closed every Tuesday | | [I-Link Hostel & Cafe Shimanami](/stays/i-link-hostel-and-cafe-shimanami) | Inokuchi, near the Tatara Shimanami Park rest stop | From ¥5,220 a person, room only | Riders on a budget who want the bike in the room | No breakfast, and the curtain walls let sound through | | [Imabari Station Hotel](/stays/imabari-station-hotel) | Imabari on Shikoku, where the Sekizen boats land | From ¥4,000 a person, room only | Riders catching an early train | Compact rooms and one bath shared by turns | Ikoi no Ie fills a former primary school, and its bath called Umi no Yu looks straight out to sea. The hotel warns that island restaurants close between 20:00 and 22:30, so take the dinner plan or bring supplies. Sawaki runs its guests to the seawater baths at [Mare Gracia Omishima](/onsen/mare-gracia-omishima), which charges adults ¥700 in 2026 and closes on Wednesdays. #### What do you ride on the second day? Walk into [Oyamazumi Shrine](/culture/oyamazumi-shrine) at Miyaura early, then choose how you leave the island. The shrine enshrines a mountain god whom the Iyo fudoki also calls a god of the sea and of crossings, and it has stood at Miyaura since 719. Its treasure hall holds about 80 percent of the armour and weapons in Japan designated National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties. The hall opens at 9:00 and charges adults ¥1,000 in 2026. People come here for prayers and life rites, so leave the bike outside the precinct and step back from any service under way. From the shrine you can ride east across the island to the Tatara Bridge and pick up the Shimanami Kaido you already know. The other way off runs north by car ferry from Omishima to Tadanoumi port in Takehara. [Takehara](/towns/takehara) grew rich on salt in the second half of the Edo period, and its preserved quarter of warehouses and merchant houses rewards an evening on foot. Ferries also cross from Tadanoumi to [Okunoshima](/culture/okunoshima). From 1929 the Imperial Japanese Army made poison gas in secret on that island, and the gas harmed many of the workers and islanders. The Okunoshima Poison Gas Museum, which Takehara city runs, opened in 1988 to set out that suffering and to call for lasting peace. It opens 9:00 to 16:00 with last entry at 15:40 and charges ¥150 to visitors aged 19 and over in 2026. Go to the museum first so the ruins make sense when you reach them. The Ministry of the Environment asks anyone who finds metal debris on the beaches to leave it alone and tell the visitor centre. #### Quick answers ##### How long is the Tobishima Kaido? Our build measures the Tobishima Kaido at 33.7 km from JR Aki-Kawajiri Station to Okamura Port, with 295 m of climbing. At 15 km/h that is about 2 hours 15 minutes of riding before stops (computed). ##### Do bicycles pay the Akinada Bridge toll? No. The Hiroshima Prefectural Road Public Corporation lists bicycles as free on the Akinada Bridge toll road, which is the only toll bridge on the Tobishima Kaido. ##### How do you get from Okamura to Omishima? Take the Omishima Blue Line ferry from Okamura to Munakata, which takes 23 minutes. Kure city's January 2026 timetable shows five sailings a day from Okamura between 9:15 and 18:05. ##### Can you take a bike on the ferry from Okamura to Imabari? Yes, on the Sekizen passenger boat Tobishima. Kure city's timetable notes that it carries bicycles and no other vehicles, and it reaches Imabari port in 58 minutes. Phone Sekizen on 0897-88-2252 before you rely on the car ferry. ##### Where should you stay after riding the Tobishima Kaido? Stay on Omishima. Omishima Ikoi no Ie sits at Munakata, where the Okamura ferry lands, and Ryokan Sawaki serves dinner and breakfast from ¥11,500 an adult (guide price, 2026) on the approach to Oyamazumi Shrine. ### Should you stay in Nozawa Onsen instead of Hakuba? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/journal/nozawa-onsen-as-a-ski-village Updated: 2026-10-11 Nozawa suits riders who want to walk from the inn to the lifts in the morning and to a free village bath at night, on one big mountain at ¥7,800 a day. Hakuba suits anyone who wants ten resorts on one ticket and Epic Pass days. Stay in Nozawa Onsen if you want to walk from your inn to the lifts in the morning and to a free public bath at night. The ski area starts at the top of the village street, and a day ticket costs ¥7,800 for 2026/27. JMA's gauge beside the village also records far more snow than Hakuba's. Hakuba makes more sense for riders who want ten resorts on one ticket or five Epic Pass days, and for anyone who would trade the walkable village for a bigger après scene. We set Nozawa's village, mountain and festival pages against our Hakuba pages, all checked on 11 October 2026. The snow figures are our sums of JMA's 1991–2020 monthly normals at each valley station, and Nozawa's vertical is our subtraction of the resort's base height from its summit, since the resort publishes no vertical figure. #### How do Nozawa Onsen and Hakuba compare? | | Nozawa Onsen | Hakuba | |---|---|---| | From Tokyo | Hakutaka to Iiyama in 98 min (¥8,890, 2026), then the Nozawa Onsen Liner in about 25 min (¥600, 2026) | Kagayaki to Nagano in 77 min (¥8,450, 2026), then Alpico's bus to Happo in 70 min (¥2,900) | | Lifts on one ticket | 16, with two gondolas, over 297 ha | 91 across ten resorts on the valley ticket (our sum of each resort's counts) | | Biggest vertical | 1,087 m by our subtraction, from Mt. Kenashi's 1,650 m to the Karasawa base at 563 m | 1,071 m at Happo-one, from a 1,831 m top | | Adult day, 2026/27 | ¥7,800 (published) | ¥11,100 on the valley ticket (published) | | Global pass | Neither Ikon nor Epic | Epic: five consecutive days | | New snow, November to April | 1,092 cm at JMA's station at 576 m | 651 cm at JMA's station at 703 m | | Night riding | Nagasaka quad, 17:00–20:00 on set dates, ¥2,850 | Goryu ran 18:00–21:30 in 2025/26 on a separate ticket | | Getting around | On foot, with a free village shuttle to the lift bases | Free valley shuttles between lodges and resorts kilometres apart | | Main drawback | Steep, icy lanes and a full village from late December to mid-February | You live by the shuttle timetable | Both snow figures come from JMA's valley stations measured the same way, and the lifts in both places climb well above them. Nozawa's station sits 127 m lower than Hakuba's and still records 366 cm of new snow in a normal January, against 216 cm at Hakuba. #### How do Nozawa's soto-yu work? Walk in and wash, then soak for nothing. Residents look after Nozawa's 13 [soto-yu](/onsen/nozawa-onsen-soto-yu) and bathe in them every day. Each bathhouse belongs to its yunakama, which is the group of neighbours who clean it and keep it running under a system that dates from the Edo period. Nobody takes money at the door, though every bath has a donation box, and the tourism bureau asks visitors for a few coins toward upkeep. The water comes straight from the springs and overflows all day, so the tubs run between 45 and 49 °C by the resort's English guide. Pour water over yourself for a minute before you step in. If a tub is too hot, ask the people already in it before you run the cold tap, and turn it off once the water is bearable. Bring your own towel and soap, since the baths supply neither. Most of them open from 6:00 to 23:00 between December and March. Start at [Oyu](/onsen/nozawa-onsen-oyu) in the middle of the village. Its wooden bathhouse keeps an Edo-period form, and its own source leaves the ground at 66 °C into a hot tub and a cooler one. Kumanotearayu has the gentlest water in the village, and four of the baths keep a pot of spring water by the door where an onsen egg cooks in about 20 minutes. The 90 °C source called Ogama belongs to the villagers, so look from the edge and stay out. Neither the tourism bureau nor the resort publishes a tattoo rule for the soto-yu, and our [onsen etiquette guide](/guides/onsen-etiquette-and-tattoos) covers what to do. #### What happens at the Fire Festival on 15 January? The village holds the [Dosojin Fire Festival](/events/nozawa-onsen-dosojin-fire-festival) on 15 January every year, so the 2027 festival falls on a Friday. Japan lists it as a national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, and its organisers at the neighbourhood association Nozawa-gumi describe it as a religious festival for the village. It belongs to the village men in their yakudoshi, or unlucky years. The work starts the autumn before, when the men of 25 and 42 cut a beech of about 20 metres in mid-October. On 13 January the trunks come down through the hot-spring streets as houses along the way offer sake, and the men build a wooden shrine by hand without nails or wire from the morning of the 14th until noon on the 15th. That night the 42-year-olds sit on top of it and the 25-year-olds guard its base with pine branches while the rest of the village rushes it with torches. In 2026 the first lighting came at about 20:30 and the attack ran from 20:50 until about 22:00. The shrine burns through the night with the lanterns families raise for a first-born son. Visitors watch, and only villagers light the fire. In 2026 entry tickets went only to residents and to guests staying in Nozawa Onsen through their lodging, so book a room in the village and ask for a ticket when you do. Drinks stay outside the ground, alcohol included, and flying a drone near the site breaks Japanese law. Every road in the village is a no-parking zone that night. On the morning of the 16th, people grill mochi in the embers, which the village says keeps colds away for the year. #### What are the runs from the village like? The mountain is big and varied, and the best snow sits at the top. The Yu Road moving walkway carries you from the top of the village to the Hikage base, and the [Nozawa Onsen](/resorts/nozawa-onsen) lifts climb from there and from the Nagasaka gondola base toward Mt. Kenashi. The Uenotaira plateau in the middle holds the snow park and the halfpipe. Up in Yamabiko, the A to E courses mix groomers with ungroomed sections and open trees between them, and all of them funnel back to the same lift. Lower down, Schneider gives one of the fastest ways off the mountain and turns steep and ungroomed halfway. Challenge 39 drops off the top of Schneider as the steepest run in Nozawa. It is short, and it stays sheltered from sun and wind. Ride Schneider and Utopia A early, because the afternoon sun softens and chops them. The south-facing Hachiman and Mukobayashi runs at the bottom of Skyline want a morning visit too. Tickets run from ¥7,800 for a day to ¥21,200 for three consecutive days in 2026/27, and the downhill gondola ride is free. The season runs from 28 November 2026 to 5 May 2027, snow permitting. Night riding needs its own ¥2,850 ticket and runs only on set dates. For a whole winter in northern Nagano, the [NAGANO7 Powder Dream Pass](/lift-passes/nagano-7-powder-dream-pass) covers Nozawa with six other resorts from ¥140,000 bought online in October 2026. #### What do the backcountry gates ask? Nozawa opens the backcountry through two gates at the top of Yamabiko, beside the Yamabiko No. 4 lift's summit station, and nowhere else. Close the gate behind you, and never duck the ropes. Patrol doesn't rescue beyond the gates, and the ski area rules make anyone rescued from outside pay the cost. You may not come back into the ski area after operating hours either. Three riders died in the backcountry here in 2023. Drop a mountain entry report at a patrol station or the Nagasaka information centre, and read the Japan Avalanche Network's bulletin at [data.nadare.jp](https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en) before you go out. The [Nozawa Onsen Ski School](/operators/nozawa-onsen-ski-school) guides private groups beyond the gates from 15 January to 15 March, at ¥120,000 for a seven-hour day for four with the beacon pack included and the lift ticket on top. #### Where do you eat and sleep? Book everything early for January and February, when the village fills. [Sobadokoro Daimon](/eat/sobadokoro-daimon) makes its soba with Nozawa's spring water in a 20-seat room that takes no bookings, open 11:30 to 15:00 and 17:30 to 21:00. [Izakaya Tsukushinbo](/eat/izakaya-tsukushinbo) sits in the basement of the Tokiwaya ryokan next to Oyu and serves salt-grilled iwana trout and Sea of Japan sashimi for ¥2,000 to ¥3,000 a head by the Nozawa ski site's undated listing. [Hamacho](/eat/hamacho-sushi) takes sushi bookings only. Vegetarians eat well at the sake-led [Aokiya](/eat/izakaya-aokiya), which Nozawa Hospitality marks as vegetarian-friendly. Order a side of [nozawana](/food/nozawana) somewhere along the way. The agriculture ministry traces the pickled turnip green to seed a village priest brought from Kyoto in 1756. For a room, the same family has run [Kiriya Ryokan](/stays/kiriya-ryokan) for five generations. It sits three minutes' walk from the Yu Road and runs its baths on its own untreated spring. [Ryokan Sakaya](/stays/ryokan-sakaya) on the main onsen street has passed through 18 generations, and its winter stays need three nights or more, paid in full online. [Nozawa Grand Hotel](/stays/nozawa-grand-hotel) at the top of the village listed dinner-and-breakfast stays from ¥12,000 an adult in 2025, and eight of its rooms have their own open-air bath. [Haus St. Anton](/stays/haus-st-anton) fits its rooms with reclaimed timber and sits six minutes on foot from the Yu Road. #### How do you get to Nozawa from Tokyo? The fastest Hakutaka in our sample reaches Iiyama in 98 minutes on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, for ¥8,890 with a regular-season reserved seat in 2026. The Kagayaki doesn't stop there. The [Nozawa Onsen Liner](/transport/nozawa-onsen-liner) leaves stop 4 on the Senkakugawa side of Iiyama Station for the 25-minute run to the village, and adults paid ¥600 in 2026. The operator states plainly that the bus doesn't wait for late trains, so match your Shinkansen to a Liner departure before you book. Nothing public runs from the JR Iiyama Line stations at Kamisakai or Togari-Nozawaonsen, so come through Iiyama. Alpico and Nagaden run an express bus from Nagano Station in about 1 hour 20 minutes. For winter 2026/27 the village lists a ride-share service from 11 December 2026 to 25 March 2027, running 8:00 to 22:00 around Nozawa and Iiyama Station. #### Who should pick Nozawa over Hakuba? Couples and families on a slow ski week get the most from Nozawa, along with anyone who wants the festival on 15 January. The village is small enough to walk end to end, and a different bath waits each evening. Pack boots or slip-on cleats with real grip, because the lanes are steep and freeze hard at night. Pick [Hakuba](/towns/hakuba) when you want a different resort most days on the [valley ticket](/lift-passes/hakuba-valley-ticket), or when your Epic Pass carries the lift days. Its 91 lifts and Happo-one's 1,071 m make it the bigger ski destination, and the valley has a big English-speaking après scene. Plan around the shuttles, since lodges and lifts sit kilometres apart. Our [Hakuba and Niseko guide](/guides/hakuba-vs-niseko) covers the valley in full. #### Quick answers ##### Are the public baths in Nozawa Onsen free? Yes. All 13 soto-yu in Nozawa Onsen charge no entry fee, and a donation box at each door collects coins for the residents who keep them. Most open from 6:00 to 23:00 between December and March. ##### When is the Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival in 2027? The Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Fire Festival falls on Friday 15 January 2027, by the village's rule that it is held on 15 January every year. The village had not posted its 2027 notice by 11 October 2026. ##### Can visitors watch the Nozawa fire festival? Visitors can watch the Nozawa fire festival, and only villagers light the fire. In 2026 entry tickets went only to residents and to guests staying in Nozawa Onsen, through their lodging. ##### How much is a Nozawa Onsen lift ticket for 2026/27? A Nozawa Onsen adult day ticket costs ¥7,800 for 2026/27, two days cost ¥14,500 and three days ¥21,200. Nozawa sits on neither the Ikon nor the Epic pass. ##### Does Nozawa Onsen get more snow than Hakuba? Nozawa's valley gets more by JMA's normals. Its station at 576 m adds up to 1,092 cm of new snow from November to April by our sum, against 651 cm at Hakuba's station at 703 m. ##### How do you get from Tokyo to Nozawa Onsen? The Hakutaka reaches Iiyama in 98 minutes for ¥8,890 in 2026, and the Nozawa Onsen Liner bus takes about 25 minutes from there at ¥600. The bus doesn't wait for late trains. ### When can you ride Norikura, Shibu Pass and the Japan Alps Cycling Road? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/journal/japan-alps-high-roads-in-summer Updated: 2026-10-11 Norikura's car-free road opens to bikes from 1 July to 31 October. Shibu Pass runs from late April to mid November, and the 800 km loop round Nagano breaks into station-to-station days. Ride the Norikura Echo Line between 1 July and 31 October, when Nagano lets bicycles onto the road above the Sanbondaki gate and keeps private cars off it all season. Shibu Pass has the longer season, from late April to mid November, and it climbs straight out of a railway terminus at Yudanaka. The Japan Alps Cycling Road is the one to plan a week around, since Nagano Prefecture's loop runs about 800 km and splits into six sections that start and end at stations. Norikura's 2026 season ends on 31 October, so anyone reading this in autumn is planning for July 2027. We compared the three on when each opens to bikes, how big the climb is, who else uses the road and how you get up or home. Every distance and climbing figure below comes from our own build, which routes a line through the waypoints and reads the heights off the Copernicus 30 m elevation model. Organisers' and race figures appear beside them under their own names, because they were measured from different starting points or in a different way. | Ride | Open to bikes (2026) | The climb (computed by our build) | Traffic | Getting up or home | The catch | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | [Norikura Echo Line from Sanbondaki](/routes/norikura) | 1 July to 31 October | 12.4 km and 899 m from the gate to Tatamidaira at 2,715 m | Bikes, buses and taxis; private cars banned all season | Shuttle buses run between Norikura Kogen and the summit; ask about bikes first | A four-month season, and heavy rain closes the road | | [Shibu Pass from Yudanaka](/routes/shibu-pass) | Late April to mid November; reopened 22 April 2026 at 10:00 | 25.8 km and 1,591 m from 601 m at Yudanaka to 2,154 m | Open to all traffic | Yudanaka Station on the Nagano Electric Railway at the bottom | The Kusatsu side crosses ground below an active volcano | | [Japan Alps Cycling Road](/routes/japan-alps-cycling-road) | No closure dates in our file | 817.8 km and 15,886 m round the loop; the project publishes 800 km and 12,000 m | A mix; our build reads 48% quiet road and 30% busy road | Hokuriku Shinkansen stations at Ueda, Nagano, Iiyama and Sakudaira sit on the loop | It takes a week or more, and long climbs link the valleys | #### When does the Norikura Echo Line open to bikes? From 1 July to 31 October. Above the Sanbondaki gate the Echo Line runs through Chubu Sangaku National Park, and Nagano bans private cars there to protect the mountain's plants and animals. Bicycles, buses, taxis, exempt vehicles and holders of a Matsumoto police permit share the road through the season. In spring the road belongs to the bus first: from 27 April to 30 June 2026 only the spring route bus and permit holders could use it. Nagano shuts the road above Sanbondaki from 1 November, and early snow can close it sooner. Our build measures the climb from the gate to the Tatamidaira bus terminal at 12.4 km with 899 m of gain. Its longest unbroken climb runs 11.7 km at an average of 7.7%, and it counts 15 hairpins. The start sits at about 1,815 m on the elevation model and the top at 2,715 m, just over the Gifu border where the Echo Line meets the Norikura Skyline. The gate stands on Nagano Prefectural Route 84. Leave the car at Norikura Kogen's free car parks and ride up to it. The [Norikura Hill Climb](/events/norikura-hill-climb) races the same road from lower down, and its organisers publish 20.5 km with 1,260 m of climbing from the Norikura Kanko Center to the border. It runs on the last Sunday of August. The 2026 race was called off at 4:50 on race morning, after more than 80 mm of rain on the Echo Line closed the road. Heavy rain closes the road on any day, so check its status before you set out. Pack a warm layer and a jacket for Tatamidaira. In autumn Nagano bans stopping and parking between Kuraigahara Sanso and the border gate, and in 2026 the ban ran from 12 September to 12 October, so take your photos at the car parks. #### How do the private-car bans and shuttle buses work? Drivers park at the foot and take the bus. On the Nagano side the shuttle buses leave from Norikura Kogen and run up to Tatamidaira. Our route file has no published rule on carrying bikes, so ask before you count on a ride down. The Norikura Skyline climbs the Gifu side from Hirayu Pass, and Nagano's notice lists it under the same rules: no private cars in season, and the last traffic on 31 October 2026. [Hirayu Onsen](/towns/hirayu-onsen) is the village at the Gifu end, and its bus terminal is where people change for Norikura, Kamikochi and Shin-Hotaka. Private cars cannot drive to Kamikochi either. Drivers park at Akandana for ¥600 a day and ride the bus, which runs from late April to 15 November. Hirayu suits a rider coming up the Skyline side who wants a big bath at the end of the day. [Hirayu no Mori](/stays/hirayu-no-mori) gives staying guests its 16 forest pools until 8:00 the next morning. Dinner and breakfast cost from ¥11,000 a person in 2026, and the rooms have no air conditioning. Shibu Pass carries ordinary traffic. Our build reads 79% of the line as busy road, so ride it early on a summer weekend. #### How hard is Shibu Pass from Yudanaka? Shibu Pass climbs a long way from the valley floor. Our build measures 25.8 km from Yudanaka Station to the pass with 1,591 m of climbing, and the line rises from 601 m to 2,154 m. Its longest unbroken climb runs 14.6 km at an average of 6.9% and gains 1,001 m. Five short tunnels add up to 575 m, and the longest is 175 m. Nagano Prefecture lists Shibu Pass as the highest point on any Japanese national road, and it notes the true top sits a little way over on the Gunma side. The road climbs out of Yudanaka and Shibu Onsen through the Shiga Kogen ski villages. Beyond the Hiizaka gate it becomes the Shiga-Kusatsu Road, which opened as a toll road in 1965 and has been free since 1992. In 2025–26 Gunma closed it at 13:00 on 12 November and reopened it at 10:00 on 22 April. The 2026–27 dates had not been posted on 11 October 2026. Ride in late April or May for the snow walls that line the road just after it reopens, and check Gunma's closure list for the day. The far side needs a check before you commit. Riding down to Kusatsu crosses the slopes of Kusatsu-Shirane, and JMA watches that volcano around the clock. JMA lowered the Yugama crater from alert level 2 to level 1 on 15 May 2026, and Kusatsu town keeps everyone 500 m back from that crater. At level 2 the closed ground widens to 1 km, and at level 3 to 2 km. When Yugama sat at level 2, Gunma restricted Route 292 between the Sesshogawara car park and the Manza junction, and the Manza Highway detour bans bicycles. Gunma [reopened that stretch](https://www.pref.gunma.jp/site/houdou/758987.html) at 13:00 on 29 May 2026, and the whole Shiga-Kusatsu Road has been open since. Read [JMA's Kusatsu-Shirane page](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/305_Kusatsu-Shiranesan/305_index.html) and Gunma's road page on the morning you ride. Finish where you started. [Kaede no Yu](/onsen/kaede-no-yu) sits on the forecourt at Yudanaka Station and charges ¥500 in 2026 for free-flowing spring water and an outdoor bath. It closes on the first Tuesday of each month. Sleep down the hill in Shibu, where [Shibu Onsen Kokuya](/stays/shibu-onsen-kokuya) runs a free shuttle from Yudanaka Station from 15:00 and its guests borrow the key to the town's nine public baths. [Kanaguya](/stays/kanaguya) has its own source-fed baths in a tall wooden inn on the same lane. Stone-paving works limit vehicles in Shibu from 29 June 2026 into early December, so walk the last stretch. Riders who want to start high can sleep at [Shiga Palace Hotel](/stays/shiga-palace-hotel) at Kumanoyu, where the Nagano Tourism Organization listed half board from ¥8,500 a person in 2025. #### How do you ride the Japan Alps Cycling Road? Ride it in sections. Nagano Prefecture set up the Japan Alps Cycling Project in 2019, fixed the full route in fiscal 2022 and publishes the loop as six sections between stations: Ueda to Nagano, Nagano to Iiyama, Iiyama to Shinshu Matsumoto Airport, the airport to Tenryukyo, Tenryukyo to Kami-Suwa, and Kami-Suwa back to Ueda. The [Hokuriku Shinkansen](/transport/hokuriku-shinkansen) stops at Ueda, Nagano, Iiyama and Sakudaira, and all four sit on the loop, so you can ride a section or two and take the train home. Our line follows the project's counter-clockwise order from Ueda and measures 817.8 km, which sits 2.2% above the 800 km in MLIT's summary of the project. For climbing our build counts 15,886 m against the project's published 12,000 m. The two figures come from different methods, and ours adds up every rise it reads on a 30 m elevation model, so plan your days on the larger one. Our build also counts 173 hairpins round the loop. At two points the project gives you a choice. Between Azumino and Shiojiri one line runs through central Matsumoto and the other goes round by the airport, and our line takes the airport. Between Nagiso and Achi you cross either the Ohira Pass or the Seinaiji Pass, and the project asks riders to check the weather and the road surface before picking one. The project says the loop works in either direction, and a few stretches change when you ride it clockwise. For a gentler taste of the same mountains, the [Azumino](/routes/azumino) water course rides flat farm roads under the Northern Alps. The [Alps Azumino Century Ride](/events/alps-azumino-century-ride) runs up the valley to Hakuba and back twice each spring, and in 2026 it ran on 19 April and 24 May. #### What should you check before a high-road ride? Check for bears and for volcano alerts before you go. Asian black bears live in the forests along all three rides. The [Ministry of the Environment](https://www.env.go.jp/nature/choju/effort/effort12/effort12.html) posts national sightings and advice, so read it before an early-morning or late-season ride. Mt. Norikura is an active volcano that JMA keeps at alert level 1, and [its JMA page](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/311.html) posts any change. The Shibu Pass section above covers Kusatsu-Shirane and its alert levels. Our [ride safety guide](/guides/ride-safety-in-japan) covers the rest. #### Quick answers ##### When can you cycle the Norikura Echo Line? Bicycles may ride the Norikura Echo Line above the Sanbondaki gate from 1 July to 31 October. Nagano bans private cars on that section all season and closes it for the winter from 1 November. ##### How long is the climb up Norikura from Sanbondaki? Our build measures the Norikura Echo Line from the Sanbondaki gate to Tatamidaira at 12.4 km with 899 m of climbing, to a top of 2,715 m. The Norikura Hill Climb starts lower and publishes 20.5 km with 1,260 m. ##### When is Shibu Pass open? Shibu Pass is open from late April to mid November. In 2025–26 Gunma closed it at 13:00 on 12 November and reopened it at 10:00 on 22 April, and the 2026–27 dates had not been posted on 11 October 2026. ##### How much climbing is Shibu Pass from Yudanaka? Our build measures Shibu Pass from Yudanaka Station at 25.8 km with 1,591 m of climbing, from 601 m to 2,154 m. Nagano Prefecture lists the pass as the highest point on Japan's national roads. ##### How long is the Japan Alps Cycling Road? The Japan Alps Cycling Project publishes the Japan Alps Cycling Road at 800 km with 12,000 m of climbing. Our own build of the line measures 817.8 km. ### When should you ride Zao and Hakkoda for the snow monsters? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/journal/zao-and-hakkoda-in-the-snow-monster-weeks Updated: 2026-10-11 February is the month. Zao Ropeway puts its snow monsters at full size then, on a big ticketed mountain above a sulphur onsen village. Hakkoda gives one ropeway and two ungroomed courses through its own fir groves, with tour routes opening from early March. Go in February. Zao Ropeway's own guide puts its snow monsters at full size that month, after the firs start icing over in November and December and build through January, and warmer air thins them through March. Zao suits riders who want a big ticketed mountain with a 10 km run through the trees and a sulphur onsen village at the bottom. Strong riders head north to Hakkoda for a single ropeway and its ungroomed courses past rime-crusted groves, and its tour routes open from early March. Hakkoda's ropeway publishes no calendar for its juhyo, so the February advice rests on Zao's guide. We wrote this from our pages for both mountains, which draw on the Zao Ropeway, the Zao Onsen tourism association, the Hakkoda Ropeway, Sukayu Onsen and JMA, all checked on 11 October 2026. Both mountains are active volcanoes, and the access limits at each alert level come from JMA's own criteria. #### What are the snow monsters? They are Maries firs, which Zao calls Aomori firs, buried in rime and snow on the upper slopes. Supercooled cloud droplets freeze onto the branches as shrimp-tail ice, and snow packs into the gaps until the whole mass hardens. That cycle repeats all winter. By the end the trees have turned into the hunched white figures Japan calls juhyo. The weather that builds them makes for hard days at the top. Zao Ropeway warns that January and February bring few clear days at its summit station, with winds of 10–15 m/s and average temperatures of −10 to −15 °C. Rain in March can bring the trees down in a day. Dress for −10 °C or colder even when the village sits in sunshine, and bring goggles for the wind. #### How do Zao and Hakkoda compare? | | Zao Onsen | Hakkoda | |---|---|---| | Getting there from Tokyo | Tsubasa to Yamagata in 161 min (¥11,670, 2026), then the Yamako bus to Zao Onsen in 37 min (¥1,200, October 2026) | Hayabusa to Shin-Aomori in 178 min, Aomori Station in 3 hr 46 min (¥18,110, 2026), then the JR bus in about 80 min (¥1,290) | | Lift to the snow monsters | Zao Ropeway: 7 min on the lower line, 10 min on the upper funitel to Jizo Sancho Station at 1,661 m | Hakkoda Ropeway: about 10 min to Sancho Koen Station at 1,324 m | | Skiing | 30 lifts over 305 ha; the Juhyogen course winds about 10 km from the summit | One ropeway; the Direct course runs 3.5 km and the Forest course 5 km, both ungroomed | | Adult ticket, 2026/27 | ¥9,000 a day at peak, ¥8,000 regular (published) | Rides only: ¥1,550 one way, ¥12,000 for eleven rides (from 1 August 2026, published) | | Ikon Pass | Seven days on the full pass, five on Base | No | | Night | Uwanodai slope 17:00–21:00 nightly, 19 December 2026 to 28 February 2027 | None | | Leaving the courses | Banned | Open under the Mt. Hakkoda Local Rules, with an entry form and billed rescue | | Season | 12 December 2026 (planned) to 5 May 2027 at the latest | Early December to early May in a typical year; no 2026/27 date set by 11 October 2026 | | Main drawback | Sightseers share the summit ropeway | The ropeway stops in winds of 25 m/s or more | #### How does Zao's ropeway reach the snow monsters? Ride the Zao Ropeway out of the village. The lower line takes seven minutes to Juhyo Kogen Station at 1,331 m, and the upper funitel takes ten more to [Jizo Sancho Station](/sights/zao-juhyo) at 1,661 m, right among the trees. Skiers ride on their lift ticket, and a sightseer's return to the top costs ¥4,400 for an adult in 2026. The upper line has no step or gap at the platform, and the operator says wheelchair users can ride it. The sightseers matter for your morning. Ride up first thing and save the village slopes for the afternoon, because the summit ropeway fills with visitors who came only for the view. The English and Japanese pages give slightly different winter hours, so check the day's times at the station. After dark the ropeway lights the trees in colour from 17:00 to 21:00, with the last car up at 19:50. Skis and boards stay down for the [light-up](/events/zao-juhyo-light-up). A heated snowcat called the Night Cruiser takes small groups from Juhyo Kogen Station into the lit forest on a 75-minute tour. JTB sells its seats online from 14:00 seven days ahead, and the ropeway takes no phone bookings. The 2025/26 light-up ended on 22 February 2026, and the ropeway posted its 2026/27 dates as a scanned notice on 4 October 2026. #### What is the skiing like at Zao? Zao is the bigger mountain by far, and the resort grades 80 per cent of it for beginners and intermediates. Thirty lifts link 14 open slopes over 305 ha on one [Zao Onsen](/resorts/zao-onsen) ticket, and four of them are the ropeways and the Sky Cable gondola. The Juhyogen course leaves Jizo Sancho Station through the snow monsters and winds about 10 km back toward the village. The tourism association says beginners can manage it if they take the upper section slowly in a snowplough. Lower down the pitch changes. The Hanenkamm A and B courses are the FIS-certified expert runs, and they open with a 38° wall that only the Yokokura Wall matches. The Chuo slope opens early and usually keeps its snow until May. Peak days cost ¥9,000 from 26 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 and again from 30 January to 28 February 2027, which covers the snow-monster weeks. Regular days in January cost ¥8,000. Zao prohibits riding anywhere off its slopes and courses. From 2026/27 it also makes anyone who teaches or guides for pay register with the resort, so book lessons only with a school on its registered list. #### What is the skiing like at Hakkoda? Hakkoda suits strong riders only, since its single ropeway serves two long ungroomed courses. The cabin climbs to Sancho Koen Station at 1,324 m on Mt. Tamoyachi in about ten minutes. The ropeway describes the [Direct course](/resorts/hakkoda) as lined with snow monsters, with groves of rime-crusted firs spreading right beside you for its 3.5 km. The Forest course drops steeply for about a kilometre and then eases into a long run through the trees, 5 km in all. Both are graded intermediate to advanced. Poles and nets mark their edges, and patrol sweeps them. You pay by the ride. From 1 August 2026 an adult pays ¥1,550 one way or ¥2,500 return, and the eleven-ride ticket at ¥12,000 covers one rider only. Cars run every 15 to 20 minutes, with the last one up at 15:40 until the end of February and 16:20 from March. Hakkoda rents no gear and teaches no lessons, and beginners ride at the groomed Hakkoda Kokusai area beside the base station. The snow is the draw. JMA's [Sukayu station](/climate/sukayu) stands at 890 m below the ropeway, and its 1991–2020 normals add up to 1,645 cm of new snow from November to April by our sum, with 454 cm in January. The normal deepest snow on the ground reaches 373 cm in February, and JMA's record depth there of 566 cm came on 26 February 2013. Wind is the catch. The ropeway stops at 25 m/s, so check the summit report on the operator's homepage before you leave Aomori. #### What do the tour routes ask of you? They ask for a guide or full avalanche gear and a plan. Six named routes leave the summit and come down at Sukayu Onsen, Hotel Jogakura, Hakkoda Onsen or the Tashiro plateau, never at the ropeway base. The routes to Sukayu and Jogakura usually open in early March, and the longer routes toward Hakkoda Onsen and Tashiro wait until early April. The ropeway warns of cornices and crevasses out there, and nobody patrols them. The Mt. Hakkoda Local Rules require a mountain entry form for every route and forbid entering alone. Search and rescue anywhere outside the two courses is billed at ¥30,000 per rescuer per day, ¥50,000 for each emergency ropeway run and ¥10,000 an hour per snowcat, plus logistics and meals. [Sukayu Guide](/operators/sukayu-guide) runs shared tours from 19 December 2026 to 6 May 2027 at ¥7,000 a day, and [Hotel Jogakura](/stays/hotel-jogakura)'s guide charges ¥6,600. The Japan Avalanche Network's daily bulletins don't cover Hakkoda or Zao. Check JMA's [warnings and advisories](https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/warning/#lang=en) for Aomori city, which carry an avalanche advisory when JMA issues one, and ask the guides about the day's snowpack. Aomori Prefecture says black bears wake from hibernation in early spring, so carry a bell on the April routes and check the prefecture's Kuma Log Aomori map. Our [gates and rescue guide](/guides/avalanche-gates-and-rescue-costs) covers both mountains' rules. #### What do the volcanic alert levels mean on each mountain? Both volcanoes sat at JMA's Level 1 on 11 October 2026. JMA labels that level a reminder that the volcano is active. Read JMA's [Zaozan page](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/212.html) and [Hakkodasan page](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/activity_info/203.html) on the morning you ride up. On Zao, JMA's criteria tie Level 2 to restrictions within about 1.2 km of the Umanose caldera around the Okama crater. Level 3 calls for entry restrictions and covers eruptions that reach up to about 3.5 km from Okama. The crater lies on the far side of the range from the ropeway, and the Zao Echo Line road to it shuts for the winter from 4 November 2026 to 23 April 2027. On Hakkoda, Level 2 restricts access within about 2 km of Odake and about 1 km of Jigokunuma. Level 3 brings entry restrictions on the mountain, and JMA's scenario for that level carries large blocks up to about 3 km from Odake and pyroclastic flows up to about 6 km, with meltwater mudflows possible within about 6 km in the snow season. JMA's map of the restriction zones marks the facilities around the Hakkoda Ropeway, and its leaflet names the hot-spring buildings on the west side near Jigokunuma as a zone that may need early evacuation. #### Where do you soak at the end of the day? Zao's three public baths and Sukayu's great cypress hall are the two soaks to plan around. The three public baths in [Zao Onsen](/onsen/zao-onsen) open from 6:00 to 22:00 every day, and you drop ¥300 into the box at the door. The water runs strongly acidic at pH 1.25 to 1.6 by the tourism association's count, so take off rings and watches before you get in, because the acid turns metal black. The big Dai-Rotenburo above the village closes for the whole ski season. At [Sukayu](/onsen/sukayu-onsen), the Hiba Sennin-buro is a 160-mat hall of Aomori cypress with no pillars in the bathing space, and it has taken bathers since 1684. The bath is mixed. Sukayu rents yuami-gi bathing wraps for ¥500, and only its own wraps may go in the water. From 1 December 2026 day bathing runs 9:00 to 16:00 for ¥1,500 with towels included, and the separate Tama-no-yu baths stay split by sex. The inn has not said whether the 8:00 women-only hour continues for day visitors under the new times. #### Where should you stay and eat? Sleep in Zao Onsen village, or beside the ropeway at Hakkoda. [KAI Zao](/stays/kai-zao) opens on 15 October 2026 directly in front of the Chuo Ropeway, so this winter is its first. Jalan lists room-only stays from ¥20,350 a person when two share. [Zao Kokusai Hotel](/stays/zao-kokusai-hotel) sits across a bridge from the Yokokura slope, though guests with tattoos cannot use its baths. [Le Vert Zao](/stays/le-vert-zao) sits a minute's walk from the Nakamori slope, with room-only stays from ¥11,000 a person. Jingisukan is lamb grilled on a domed iron pan, and Zao Onsen tells its own story of the dish taking shape here in the late 1940s. [Robata](/eat/robata-zao) sells itself on that story, and [Jingisukan Lodge](/eat/jingisukan-lodge-zao) at the foot of Uwanodai raises its own sheep. At Hakkoda, [Sukayu Onsen Ryokan](/stays/sukayu-onsen-ryokan) starts at ¥11,495 a person with dinner and breakfast for two sharing a plain toji-wing room with the toilet down the hall. The winter JR bus from Aomori ends at its door, and the ropeway is about 15 minutes back down the road for ¥460. [Hotel Jogakura](/stays/hotel-jogakura) leans hardest toward skiers, with a drying room and a free 8:45 bus to the ropeway on tour days. Dinner and breakfast there start at ¥16,300 a person. [Hakkoda Hotel](/stays/hakkoda-hotel) costs from ¥39,600 a person with dinner and breakfast, and its guests bathe free in Sukayu's great hall. Lunch at Sukayu means a bowl of its buckwheat-only soba at [Onimen-an](/eat/onimen-an-sukayu), open 10:00 to 16:30. #### Which mountain suits you? Pick Zao if your group mixes skiers with people who only want to see the trees, or if you hold an Ikon Pass. The ropeway carries everyone to the same summit, and the evening light-up and the village baths keep non-skiers busy. The trade-off is a summit ropeway shared with sightseers and a ban on leaving the marked courses. Hakkoda rewards confident riders with deep, ungroomed snow and a guide's company on the March routes. Plan a spare day into any Hakkoda trip, because a windy forecast can keep the ropeway shut. Riders with both weeks to spare can take the Tsubasa to Yamagata in February and the Hayabusa north to Aomori in March. #### Quick answers ##### When are the Zao snow monsters at their best? Zao's snow monsters peak in February, according to Zao Ropeway's guide. The trees grow through January and start to thin and collapse as March warms up. ##### How much is the Zao Ropeway to see the snow monsters? A return on the Zao Ropeway to Jizo Sancho Station at 1,661 m costs ¥4,400 for an adult in 2026. Skiers ride on their 2026/27 lift ticket, which costs ¥9,000 a day at peak. ##### Can you see snow monsters at Hakkoda? Yes. The Hakkoda Ropeway's Direct course runs 3.5 km beside groves of rime-crusted firs below Sancho Koen Station at 1,324 m. The ropeway publishes no peak dates for them. ##### Can you ski off-piste at Zao or Hakkoda? Zao Onsen bans riding off its slopes and courses. Hakkoda leaves the land beyond its two patrolled courses open under its local rules, with a mountain entry form and rescues billed at ¥30,000 per rescuer per day. ##### Are Zao and Hakkoda active volcanoes? Yes. JMA kept both Zaozan and Hakkodasan at volcanic alert Level 1 on 11 October 2026. Level 2 restricts access around each crater, and Level 3 brings entry restrictions on the mountain. ##### How much does the Hakkoda Ropeway cost for skiers? The Hakkoda Ropeway charges ¥1,550 for an adult one way from 1 August 2026. An eleven-ride ticket costs ¥12,000 and a snow-season pass for 1 December to 5 May costs ¥72,500. ### Where should you base a week of deep snow in Myoko? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/journal/myoko-for-a-week-of-deep-snow Updated: 2026-10-11 Akakura Onsen makes the best base for most riders, with two ski areas above its main street and the Mt. MYOKO shuttle to Ikenotaira and Suginohara. Save Seki Onsen for the morning after a storm and Arai for a day of lift-served freeride. Book Akakura Onsen for a week in Myoko. Two ski areas climb straight off its main street, and the Mt. MYOKO shuttle runs on to Ikenotaira and Suginohara whenever you want a different hill. Keep Seki Onsen for the morning after a storm and Arai for a day of lift-served freeride, since the shuttle reaches neither. Myoko's valley gauge also beats Hakuba's for snow: JMA's 1991–2020 normals give its Sekiyama station 1,085 cm of new snow from November to April by our sum, against 651 cm at Hakuba, though Sekiyama sits 353 m lower. We compared the six ski areas from our resort, town and onsen pages, which draw on each operator's 2026/27 notices and on Myoko Tourism, all checked on 11 October 2026. Where an operator hadn't posted 2026/27 prices, we give last season's with the year. Nobody publishes lift-queue counts for Myoko or for Hakuba, so this piece judges crowding by what each lift map and timetable shows. #### How do Myoko's six ski areas compare? | | Top and vertical | Lifts and runs | Adult day | Night riding | Pass | Main drawback | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | [Akakura Kanko](/resorts/akakura-kanko) | 1,500 m top, 760 m | 6 lifts with a gondola, 10 runs | ¥7,000 to 22 March, ¥4,000 from 23 March (2026/27, published) | None | Mt. MYOKO season pass | A short list of runs | | [Akakura Onsen](/resorts/akakura-onsen) | 1,200 m top, 550 m | 14 chairs, 17 runs | ¥7,000 (2026/27, as Mt. MYOKO lists it) | 17:00–21:00, to 22:00 on Fridays and Saturdays (2025/26) | Mt. MYOKO season pass | The lowest top of the four pass resorts | | [Ikenotaira Onsen](/resorts/ikenotaira-onsen) | Not published | 5 chairs, 16 courses | ¥7,400 plus a ¥500 card deposit you get back (2026/27, published) | None | Mt. MYOKO season pass | Four of the five chairs are slow pairs | | [Myoko Suginohara](/resorts/myoko-suginohara) | 1,855 m top, 1,124 m | 5 lifts with a gondola, 16 runs | Not yet published; ¥8,000 in 2025/26 | None open to the public | Ikon Pass and Mt. MYOKO season pass | Prince plans to close on 28 March 2027 | | [Seki Onsen](/resorts/seki-onsen) | 1,210 m top, 310 m | 2 chairs, 4 courses | Not yet published; ¥4,500 in 2025/26 | None | None | Tracked out after two dry days | | [Arai Mountain Resort](/resorts/arai-mountain-resort) | 1,280 m top, 951 m | 5 lifts with a gondola, 14 courses | Not yet published; ¥7,500 for an adult aged 19 to 49 in the 2025/26 high season | 16:30–20:00 (2025/26) | Ikon Pass | No village outside the hotel | Akakura Kanko's ¥7,000 buys the regular day to 22 March 2027. A joint day ticket for both Akakura areas costs ¥10,000 in 2026/27, and no single day ticket covers all of Myoko. The [Mt. MYOKO Super Season Pass](/resort-groups/myoko-kogen) covers the four resorts on the shuttle for ¥130,000 at the regular price, or ¥110,000 bought early by 30 November 2026. Seki Onsen sits outside it. #### How much snow does Myoko get? More than Hakuba's valley floor, measured the same way. JMA's [Sekiyama station](/climate/sekiyama) stands at 350 m in Myoko city, below every ski area, and its normals add up to 1,085 cm of new snow from November to April by our sum. January alone brings 385 cm, and the snow on the ground peaks at a normal 192 cm in February. JMA's [Hakuba station](/climate/hakuba) at 703 m adds up to 651 cm over the same six months, with 216 cm in January. Both figures are JMA's valley normals, so the comparison holds on method. The gauges stand in the valleys below the lifts, and none of the Myoko resorts publishes a snowfall figure of its own. Sekiyama's January air stays mild for so much snow, with highs of 3.3 °C and lows of −2.7 °C, and JMA's station notes say the resorts above it run colder. #### Why does Akakura Onsen make the best base? It puts the most riding and the most dinner tables inside walking distance. Lodges on the main street put the lifts four or five minutes away on foot, and the village has sat at about 800 m on Mt. Myoko's eastern slope since its spring opened in 1816. The water comes down a pipeline from Kita-Jigokudani high on the volcano, and Myoko Tourism puts the flow at about 3,000 litres a minute and calls it the largest in Niigata. [Akakura Onsen ski area](/resorts/akakura-onsen) rises off the top of the street with 14 chairs, and its night area sits at Kumado on the far end. Myoko Tourism lists it as the only resort in Myoko Kogen with night riding every day. In 2025/26 the lights stayed on until 21:00, or 22:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, for a ¥3,500 night ticket. Its top at about 1,200 m is the lowest of the four shuttle resorts. [Akakura Kanko](/resorts/akakura-kanko) next door opened in 1937, and its hotel still stands halfway up the slope. The Myokokogen Skycable climbs from the base car park, and the steepest skiing waits on the Champion side, where Champion A stays ungroomed beside the sanctioned race course on Champion B. After snowfall the crews often leave the top of Joshi Kokutai alone, so powder survives there. A free AKAKAN shuttle loops from the village to the Skycable base from 08:00 to 16:40, and it plans to run from 19 December 2026 to 22 March 2027. From 23 March the day ticket drops to ¥4,000, and the season runs to 5 May 2027. The main street is where Myoko eats after dark. [Shibata](/eat/restaurant-shibata) has served big Japanese dinners with an English menu for decades. Down in Shin-Akakura the izakaya [Pontaro](/eat/pontaro) pours Niigata jizake below the lifts, and [Hunter](/eat/hunter-akakura) at the main junction runs from morning coffee to a late drink. Tour buses and queues fill that street on powder weekends, so book a peak Saturday dinner or take your inn's dinner plan. For a room, [Akakura Kanko Hotel](/stays/akakura-kanko-hotel) is the one place in town you can ski to the door. Its own booking page priced dinner and breakfast from ¥38,500 a person for two sharing in October 2026. [Akakura Hotel](/stays/akakura-hotel) in the middle of the village runs every bath on free-flowing Akakura water and takes day bathers for ¥1,000. The public outdoor bath at Taki no Yu closes from early November to late April, so winter bathing in Akakura means hotel baths at ¥600 to ¥1,200 on Myoko Tourism's April 2026 list. #### When should you ride Ikenotaira and Suginohara? Ride Suginohara on a clear day and Ikenotaira when you want room to spread out. [Myoko Suginohara](/resorts/myoko-suginohara) climbs highest of them all. The gondola and two Mitahara quads reach 1,855 m for 1,124 m of vertical by Prince's figures, and the longest run winds about 8.5 km back down. Most of the mountain is wide and gentle, with the steep ground at the very top on Super Giant and Super Mogul. Prince runs Suginohara differently in 2026/27. It has stopped selling its own season passes and early-bird tickets, and the car park has shrunk and now charges every day. The planned closing date of 28 March 2027 falls five weeks before Akakura Kanko's. Children up to elementary-school age still ride free, and Ikon Pass holders scan straight in at the gates. The farming village of Suginosawa below has almost nowhere to eat at night, so book a dinner plan. [Drifter Myoko](/stays/drifter-myoko) runs a first-lift shuttle at 08:00, and the village bath [Naena no Yu](/onsen/suginohara-naena-no-yu) costs ¥500 and closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. [Ikenotaira Onsen](/resorts/ikenotaira-onsen) spreads over the broad lower skirt of Mt. Myoko, and its operator calls the slopes among the widest in Japan. Five chairs serve 16 courses for ¥7,400 a day in 2026/27. Head for the Alpen Blick side after a snowfall, where Myoko Tourism points to more ungroomed snow and openings into the trees. The village onsen runs black with volcanic mud from Minami-Jigokudani, and Alpen Blick Spa charges ¥800 from 07:00 to 22:30 in the snow season. [LIME RESORT MYOKO](/stays/lime-resort-myoko) has the shuttle stop at its door. The Mt. MYOKO Shuttle ties these two to Akakura with no reservation. It cost ¥1,000 one way in 2025/26 and plans to run from 19 December 2026 to 22 March 2027. Plan your moves between villages for the last weeks of the season, after the shuttle stops. #### Is Seki Onsen worth the trip? Yes, the morning after a storm, if you ride ungroomed snow well. [Seki Onsen](/resorts/seki-onsen) is a handful of inns on the road above Akakura, where two chairs climb to a top at 1,210 m. The crews groom very little. A local guide site notes that the upper single chair often stays shut on quiet days, and after a day or two without snow the whole hill can be tracked by mid-morning. It runs cheap and late. The 2025/26 day ticket cost ¥4,500 and the afternoon ticket ¥3,500, and the season closed on 12 April 2026. Myoko Tourism says it often keeps going into early May. The Keinan bus climbs from Sekiyama station, and you can park free at P2 every day. Afterwards, the inns sell baths in [Seki's iron-rich water](/onsen/seki-onsen), which turns red-brown as it sits, for ¥500 to ¥800 on Myoko Tourism's April 2026 list. Nakamuraya and Asahiya shut their outdoor baths in winter. Seki publishes no gate system of its own. Guide outfits such as ITADAKI TOURS and SARC work from here, and the resort lists them under backcountry on its website, so book one before you ride beyond the area. #### What does Arai add to a Myoko week? Arai adds big lift-served freeride on its own mountain north of the Myoko Kogen villages. [Arai Mountain Resort](/resorts/arai-mountain-resort) drops 951 m from the top of Mt. Okenashi on a gondola and four chairs, and Myoko Tourism counts eight free-ride zones beside the official courses. Ikon describes most of the terrain as ungroomed and says Arai gets one of the heaviest snowfalls in Japan, though the resort publishes no snowfall figure we could check. Ikon Pass holders ride on their pass. The resort had not posted its 2026/27 window prices on any page we could read by 11 October 2026. Early-bird Economy day passes sell through WAmazing until 30 November 2026 for use between 19 December 2026 and 9 May 2027. Children aged six and under ride free. Night riding came back in 2025/26 after three seasons off. Arai also hadn't posted 2026/27 boundary rules, so ask patrol before you ride the free-ride zones. The 257-room [Lotte Arai Resort](/stays/lotte-arai-resort) stands at the base, and there is nothing to walk to beyond it. Down in Arai town, Kiminoi has brewed sake since the 1830s. Stop at [Michi-no-Eki Arai](/eat/michi-no-eki-arai) on Route 18 on the drive in, where a fish market sits beside the farm stand and the ramen counters. #### How do you get to Myoko from Tokyo? The fastest morning Hakutaka reaches Joetsu-Myoko in 111 minutes on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, for ¥9,660 with a regular-season reserved seat in 2026. From there the Myoko Haneuma Line climbs to Myoko-Kogen station in about 35 minutes, and a local bus or a taxi covers the last stretch to each village. The other way in runs through Nagano on the Kagayaki and then the Shinano Railway Kita-Shinano Line to Myoko-Kogen. Akakura Kanko Hotel's own shuttle takes about ten minutes from Myoko-Kogen station. The direct bus Nagaden ran from Nagano Station to Akakura in summer 2026 took about 80 minutes for ¥2,500, and the company had planned a winter service. For Seki Onsen get off at Sekiyama, and for Arai stay on the Shinkansen to Joetsu-Myoko and check the resort's winter shuttle. #### What about riding beyond the boundary? Leave only through a gate with a plan filed, or with a guide. Suginohara lets riders out only through its gates after they file a climbing plan with the patrol office, and anyone rescued off the courses pays the full cost of the search. The Japan Avalanche Network publishes a daily English bulletin for its Myoko area at [data.nadare.jp](https://data.nadare.jp/?locale=en), so read it before you leave the lifts. [Myoko Guiding Co.](/operators/myoko-guiding-co) in Akakura charges ¥141,000 for a private day for up to four in 2026/27 and rents the avalanche gear every guest must carry. Our [gates and rescue guide](/guides/avalanche-gates-and-rescue-costs) sets out each resort's rules. #### Which Myoko base suits you? Stay in Akakura Onsen if you want night riding after a dinner you walked to, with the shuttle on hand for other hills. Its drawback shows on powder weekends, when the main street fills. Families who want quiet nights and wide slopes do well in Ikenotaira, though every evening comes down to the inn dinner or the brewery buffet at Tatra-kan. Suginosawa puts Ikon Pass holders and long-run cruisers at the foot of the 8.5 km run, though its season ends in late March. Strong riders with a guide booked get the most from a night at Seki Onsen. A family that wants one big hotel at the lifts can settle at Arai and give up village life for the week. #### Quick answers ##### How much is a day ticket in Myoko for 2026/27? Myoko day tickets run from ¥7,000 at the two Akakura areas to ¥7,400 at Ikenotaira for an adult in 2026/27. The other ski areas had not published 2026/27 day prices by 11 October 2026, and Suginohara charged ¥8,000 in 2025/26. ##### Does Myoko get more snow than Hakuba? Myoko's valley gets more by JMA's normals. The Sekiyama station at 350 m adds up to 1,085 cm of new snow from November to April by our sum, against 651 cm at Hakuba's station at 703 m. ##### Which Myoko resorts take the Ikon Pass? Myoko Suginohara and Arai Mountain Resort take the Ikon Pass in 2026/27. The Akakura areas and Ikenotaira sit on the Mt. MYOKO season pass instead. ##### Is there night skiing in Myoko? Akakura Onsen ran night riding every evening in 2025/26, from 17:00 to 21:00 and until 22:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. Arai Mountain Resort ran night riding from 16:30 to 20:00 the same season. ##### How long does it take to get from Tokyo to Myoko? Tokyo to Myoko-Kogen takes about two and a half hours at best: 111 minutes on the Hakutaka to Joetsu-Myoko, then about 35 minutes on the Myoko Haneuma Line. The Shinkansen fare was ¥9,660 with a reserved seat in 2026. ##### Does one ticket cover every Myoko resort? No single day ticket covers Myoko. Akakura Kanko and Akakura Onsen share a ¥10,000 joint day ticket for 2026/27, and the Mt. MYOKO season pass covers four resorts from ¥110,000. ### Which ski-hill onsen towns are best for a soak after the last lift? URL: https://ridingjapan.com/journal/ski-onsen-towns-after-the-last-lift Updated: 2026-10-11 Nozawa puts thirteen free public baths a short walk from the lifts. Kusatsu is the clearest answer for tattooed riders, and Shibu and Ginzan give their best baths to the people who stay the night. For a soak you can walk to straight off the hill, stay in [Nozawa Onsen](/towns/nozawa-onsen). The ski area starts at the top of the village street, and thirteen free public baths stay open until 23:00 in winter. Tattooed riders get the clearest answer in [Kusatsu](/towns/kusatsu-onsen), where the town's three big day baths state that they do not refuse guests with tattoos. Shibu and Ginzan give their best baths to overnight guests, so book a room there and plan the evening around the inn. We compared eight onsen towns that sit beside ski areas or on a skier's route, using our own files for each bath, town and ski area. For each town we set down the bath to start with and its 2026 adult price, who it suits, its one drawback, how far it sits from the lifts and the tattoo rule exactly as the bath publishes it. Where a bath publishes no rule, the table says so. Our [onsen etiquette guide](/guides/onsen-etiquette-and-tattoos) covers the washing routine and the manners. | Town | Bath to start with (adult, 2026) | Who it suits | The drawback | Distance to the lifts | Tattoo rule as published | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Nozawa Onsen | Oyu, free with a donation box | Riders who want a different public bath every evening | Tubs run at 45–49°C, and the lanes freeze hard at night | The ski area starts at the top of the village street | No rule published for the soto-yu | | Shibu Onsen | Shibu O-yu, ¥800 for day visitors | Overnight guests who want the nine-bath circuit with the inn's key | Day visitors get one bath, open only 10:00 to 17:00 | Shiga Kogen's lifts are 30 to 40 minutes up by bus | No rule published | | Yudanaka Onsen | Kaede no Yu, ¥500 | Shiga Kogen skiers coming down for the evening train | The communal baths on the pass close at 17:00 | Shiga Kogen's lifts are 30 to 40 minutes up by bus | No rule published | | Zao Onsen | Kamiyu, Shimoyu or Kawarayu, ¥300 in the box | Skiers who want strong sulphur water for coins | The big outdoor bath shuts for the whole ski season | The Zao and Chuo ropeways leave from the village | No rule published for the public baths; Zao Kokusai Hotel refuses tattooed bathers | | Akakura Onsen | Hotel day baths from ¥600 | Myoko riders who want dinner on a walkable main street | Hotels stop taking day bathers when they fill up | Lodges on the main street put the lifts four or five minutes away on foot | No rule published; ask each front desk | | Kusatsu Onsen | Otaki-no-yu, ¥1,200 | Tattooed riders and anyone who wants a full bathhouse | The ski area is small, with five courses | Five minutes' drive from the Yubatake, with a free town bus | Otaki-no-yu, Gozanoyu and Sai-no-kawara do not refuse tattoos | | Ginzan Onsen | Inn baths for staying guests | Travellers who want the lamp-lit street after the day visitors leave | Winter day visits run on timed shuttle tickets | No ski area appears near Ginzan in our files | No rule published | | Nyuto Onsen | Tsurunoyu, ¥700 | Riders who stay a night or two and hop between old inns | Tsurunoyu's day bathing ends at 15:00 and stops on Mondays | Rakuten Travel puts the Tazawako ski area about 15 minutes by car from Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo | No rule published by the union; each inn sets its own | #### Why is Nozawa Onsen the easiest soak after skiing? The baths sit in the lanes between your inn and the lifts. The village keeps thirteen soto-yu. Neighbourhood groups called yunakama clean and run these public bathhouses under a system that dates from the Edo period. You pay nothing at the door, though every bath has a donation box and the tourism bureau asks for a few coins toward upkeep. Most open 6:00 to 23:00 from December to March. [Oyu](/onsen/nozawa-onsen-oyu) stands in the middle of the village, and inside it a hot tub and a cooler one sit under a high ceiling. The water comes straight from the spring and overflows all day, and the resort's English guide puts the tubs at 45 to 49°C. Pour water over yourself for a minute before you step in, and ask the people already soaking before you run the cold tap. Bring your own towel and soap. Neither the tourism bureau nor the resort's English guide publishes a tattoo rule for the soto-yu, and our file suggests covering a small tattoo where you can and following any notice at the door. The [Nozawa Onsen ski area](/resorts/nozawa-onsen) runs from 28 November 2026 to 5 May 2027, and the Yu Road moving walkway carries you from the top of the village to the Hikage base. The hill itself is the drawback, since the lanes are steep and freeze hard at night. Pack slip-on cleats or boots with real grip. #### Should you stay in Shibu or Yudanaka? Stay a night in Shibu for the baths. A rider who only has the evening can soak at Yudanaka Station before the train. Shibu's nine soto-yu belong to the people of the town, and every inn lends its guests a key that opens all nine free from 6:00 to 22:00. Each bath draws on its own source, and most carry sodium-calcium sulphate-chloride water that leaves the ground between 50 and 86.5°C. Day visitors may use only Shibu O-yu for ¥800, from 10:00 to 17:00, and that window closes before most riders are off the hill. [Shibu Onsen Kokuya](/stays/shibu-onsen-kokuya) keeps nine baths of its own and meets guests at Yudanaka Station from 15:00. [Kaede no Yu](/onsen/kaede-no-yu) sits on the forecourt at Yudanaka Station and suits a skier heading for the train. It costs ¥500 in 2026, opens until 21:00 with last entry at 20:30 and closes on the first Tuesday of each month. Since February 2026 the [Yudanaka soto-yu pass](/onsen/yudanaka-onsen) has opened two of the town's communal baths along with Kaede no Yu for ¥1,800. The last pass goes out at 15:30, and the communal baths close at 17:00. The town of [Yamanouchi](/towns/yamanouchi) holds both villages below the ski areas, and it puts Shiga Kogen's lifts 30 to 40 minutes up the mountain by bus. Skiers who want to be first on the lifts every day should sleep up in [Shiga Kogen](/towns/shiga-kogen). Neither Shibu's ryokan association nor the Yamanouchi tourism bureau publishes a tattoo rule. #### What makes Zao Onsen's water different? Zao's springs give strongly acidic sulphur water. The tourism association measures them at pH 1.25 to 1.6, and the water comes out at 45 to 66°C and runs milky white. About 5,700 litres flow every minute. The public baths at Kamiyu, Shimoyu and Kawarayu open 6:00 to 22:00 every day, and you drop ¥300 into the box at the door in 2026. The association's English page still lists ¥200, so carry spare coins. Take off rings, watches and silver before you get in, because the acid turns metal black. The [Zao ski area](/resorts/zao-onsen) plans to open on 12 December 2026, and the Zao Ropeway and Chuo Ropeway both leave from the village itself. The drawback is the [Dai-Rotenburo](/onsen/zao-onsen-dai-rotenburo). Zao's big river bath above town closes from late November to mid April and misses the whole ski season. The public baths publish no tattoo rule. [Zao Kokusai Hotel](/stays/zao-kokusai-hotel) says in its FAQ that guests with tattoos cannot bathe, so check your own inn before you book. Zao is an active volcano. JMA has held it at alert level 1 since 6 March 2018, and at level 2 its warning covers about 1.2 km from the Umanose caldera around the Okama crater. At level 3 it reaches about 3.5 km from Okama. Check [JMA's Zao page](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/sendai/212_Zaozan/212_index.html) before you ride the summit ropeway. #### Where do you bathe in Akakura Onsen in winter? Akakura's hotels sell day baths through the winter. The public outdoor bath at [Taki no Yu](/onsen/akakura-onsen-taki-no-yu) closes from early November to late April, so from December to March you buy a day bath at a hotel. Myoko Tourism's list updated in April 2026 has Akakura Wakui Hotel at ¥600 from 15:00 to 20:00 and Kogen Hotel Taizan at ¥800 from 15:00 to 21:00. Akakura Hotel opens its bath from 10:00 for ¥1,000 if you call ahead, and Hotel Taiko asks ¥1,200 between 14:00 and 18:00. Any of them can turn day guests away on a busy night, so ring before you walk over in a snowstorm. The water comes down a pipeline from Kitajigokudani high on Mt. Myoko, and Myoko Tourism lists it as a calcium, magnesium and sodium sulphate and bicarbonate spring. The [Akakura Onsen ski area](/resorts/akakura-onsen) rises straight off the top of the main street. In 2025/26 its night lights at Kumado stayed on until 21:00, or 22:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, so a rider can bathe before dinner and ride after it. Myoko Tourism's list gives no tattoo rule for the hotels, so ask each front desk. #### Is Kusatsu the best onsen town for tattooed riders? Yes, going by what the baths publish. The town's tourism corporation runs three day baths, and it states that [Otaki-no-yu](/onsen/otaki-no-yu), [Gozanoyu](/onsen/gozanoyu) and [Sai-no-kawara](/onsen/sai-no-kawara-rotenburo) do not refuse guests with tattoos. Otaki-no-yu costs ¥1,200 in 2026 and opens 9:00 to 21:00. Its men's bath has five linked tubs called awase-yu, and the water cools from one to the next so you work up to the hottest. Gozanoyu stands on the Yubatake for ¥900, and Sai-no-kawara is an outdoor bath in a wooded park for ¥800. A pass for one visit to each costs ¥2,100. Hotel rules differ. [Naraya](/stays/naraya) keeps tattooed guests out of its large baths and lets them use the paid private baths. [Kusatsu Onsen Hotel Village](/stays/kusatsu-onsen-hotel-village) allows small tattoos that stickers cover completely. The locals' free public baths around the [Yubatake](/onsen/kusatsu-yubatake) publish no rule. The [Kusatsu Onsen Ski Resort](/resorts/kusatsu-onsen-ski-resort) sits five minutes' drive from the Yubatake, and a free town bus links the bus terminal and the slopes. Its five courses run between 1,245 m and 1,600 m, and the resort calls half of its terrain beginner ground, so advanced riders finish it by lunch. In winter the Shiga-Kusatsu road over Shibu Pass is shut, and you come and go from the Naganohara or Karuizawa side. Kusatsu-Shirane is an active volcano. JMA lowered the Yugama crater to level 1 on 15 May 2026, and the town keeps everyone 500 m back from it. Level 2 widens the closed ground to 1 km and level 3 to 2 km. The Yubatake sits in the town centre, well outside every zone that levels 1 to 3 close. Check [JMA's Kusatsu-Shirane page](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/305_Kusatsu-Shiranesan/305_index.html) before you head up the mountain. #### Is Ginzan Onsen worth a night on a ski trip? Yes, as a night off the skis in Yamagata. Ginzan is a narrow street of wooden inns along the Ginzan river in Obanazawa, and gas lamps light it at dusk. Our files show no ski area near it. Zao sits in the same prefecture: the union's rail route to Ginzan runs from Yamagata Station, and the Zao bus leaves from there too. For winter 2026/27 the inns' union plans to keep private cars out from December to early March and to bring day visitors in by shuttle on timed tickets. Its planned 2026/27 Priority Pass for the shuttle from the Taisho Roman-kan car park costs ¥1,000 to ¥1,500, depending on the departure. Overnight guests get the street after the shuttles stop, and they have the inn baths to themselves. In winter keep to the river side of the diamond-shaped tiles down the middle of the street, because snow slides off the inn roofs. The union publishes no tattoo rule. #### How do you combine Nyuto Onsen with skiing at Tazawako? Sleep at Nyuto and travel down to Tazawako's slopes each morning. [Nyuto Onsen](/onsen/nyuto-onsen) is seven inns scattered through beech forest at the foot of Mt. Nyuto, and each one draws on its own sources. Rakuten Travel's listing for [Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo](/stays/kyukamura-nyuto-onsenkyo) puts the [Tazawako ski area](/resorts/tazawako) about 15 minutes away by car, and the ski area plans to run from 19 December 2026 to 28 March 2027. Staying guests can buy the Yumeguri-cho pass for ¥2,500 in cash, and it covers one bath at each of the seven union inns. [Tsurunoyu](/onsen/tsurunoyu-onsen) is the oldest inn, and four milky springs rise within 50 metres of each other there. Day bathers pay ¥700 for a window from 10:00 to 15:00, and the baths close to them on Mondays. That window ends before the lifts stop, so the after-skiing soak at Nyuto belongs to people sleeping there. The union publishes no tattoo rule, and each inn sets its own. Mt. Akita-Komagatake above Tazawako is an active volcano, so check [JMA's page](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/sendai/208_Akitakomagatake/208_index.html) before you tour above the lifts. #### Quick answers ##### Which ski onsen town allows tattoos? Kusatsu Onsen has the clearest rule. Its tourism corporation states that Otaki-no-yu, Gozanoyu and Sai-no-kawara do not refuse guests with tattoos, and the three cost ¥800 to ¥1,200 an adult in 2026. ##### Are Nozawa Onsen's public baths free? Yes. Nozawa Onsen's thirteen soto-yu charge nothing at the door, and each one has a donation box for the neighbours who keep it. Most open 6:00 to 23:00 from December to March. ##### Can day visitors use Shibu Onsen's nine baths? No. Day visitors to Shibu Onsen may use only Shibu O-yu, for ¥800 an adult in 2026, from 10:00 to 17:00. The other eight baths open with a key lent to guests of Shibu's inns. ##### Is the Zao Onsen Dai-Rotenburo open in ski season? No. The Zao Onsen Dai-Rotenburo closes from late November to mid April. In ski season the three public baths in the village charge ¥300 and open 6:00 to 22:00. ##### How far is Kusatsu Onsen from the ski slopes? Kusatsu Onsen Ski Resort sits five minutes' drive from the Yubatake in the centre of Kusatsu, and a free town bus links the bus terminal and the slopes.