OVERVIEW

Immerse yourself into the gorgeous nature of rural Japan through four days gravel riding on off the beaten tracks in Aizu!
Discover a “hidden side” of Japanese culture and history in Aizu, a historical town famous as the former stronghold of the Last Samurai 150 years ago!
– An amazing adventure exploring nature, culture and local food through gravel cycling!

HIGHLIGHTS

• Long quiet Japanese gravel roads surrounded by deep forests
• Flat countryside gravel roads between large rice fields
• Visits to some “Samurai” related places such as beautiful castle and Japanese garden
• Gourmet traditional food made using fresh local ingredients
• Stays at spectacular traditional Japanese-style inns (ryokans)
• Knowledgeable cycling guide and Full support using a 4WD vehicle
• High-quality rental Gravel Bikes and Electric Mountain Bikes (e-MTB)

RIDING LEVEL

MODERATE – CHALLENGING, Cycling 50 – 75km (including 20 – 23 gravel roads) / day
A choice of e-mountain bike will make the mileage and ascents easier.

ITINERARY

Day 1 / Meet day – Cycle in Aizu-Wakamatsu [Cycle 10km, No Gravel]

Meet at JR Aizu-Wakamatsu Station or a ryokan (Japanese traditional style inn) in Aizu Higashiyama Onsen. After the reception, bike arrangement and briefing, you will enjoy a short cycling in Aizu-Wakamatsu, a small historical city known for its rich samurai legacy and tradition. You will visit a tranquil Japanese garden surrounding a pond which has 600 years history enjoy the seasonal beauty of Japan. You will also visit a unique pagoda-like temple with an innovative double spiral staircase built in 18’s century.
You will stay at a long-established onsen ryokan in Aizu Higashiyama Onsen which has traditional wooden construction with over 150 years history. Its onsen (natural hot spring) water soothing your body tired from biking.
(Overnight stay・Dinner provided)

Day 2 / Cycle around Aizu [Cycle 50km, Gravel: 20km in 3 sections]

Day 2 of cycling starts at the ryokan in Aizu Higashiyama Onsen. You will gradually climb up to the mountains behind Aizu-Wakamatsu along a river and ride into a gravel road surrounded by deep forests. Most of forest gravel roads on this day were originally developed for lumbering and most trees surrounding roads are Japanese Cedars. But nowdays only very few local people use these forest roads, and you can cycle in the very quiet atmosphere here. After 5km gravel uphill, you will enjoy exiting 10km gravel downhill including some technical sections. Once you down to the flat area and have a lunch at local restaurant, you will enjoy beautiful countryside sceneries during flat gravel rides between large rice fields. Before finishing, you will visit majestic Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle, also known as Tsuruga Castle, the former stronghold and center of life for the Aizu samurai and the cherished symbol of the city. Back to the same onsen ryokan in Aizu Higashiyama Onsen and stay one more night there.
(Overnight stay・Breakfast & Dinner provided)

Day 3 / Aizu-Wakamatsu to Minami-Aizu [Cycle 60km, Gravel: 23km in 2 sections]

After leaving the ryokan and short ride to the station, you will take a local train to Aizu-Tajima Station with your bike. The riverside sceneries from the window of the train will be fantastic.
You will re-start cycling from Aizu-Tajima Station and enjoy countryside ride heading to big mountains in Minami-Aizu. On this queen stage of the tour, you will ride beyond 2 big peaks but up-hills on gravel road is only the later-half of the first peak. It means that you will experience Two 8km long winding gravel downhills in the quiet primeval forests of Minami-Aizu.
You will also touch the local culture at a folk custom museum and taste local foods in a traditional style bento (lunch box) made by local people.
After the last short climb, you will down to a small village and stay at a modern hotel with relaxing onsen and comfortable beds.
(Overnight stay・Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner provided)

Day 4 / Minami-Aizu, Oku-Aizu to Aizu Wakamatsu [Cycle 75km, No Gravel]

On the final cycling day, you will enjoy cycling mainly on tarmac roads between peaceful rural villages, green / golden rice fields and scenic riverside roads in Oku-Aizu.
After morning spin in the flat rice field area, you will climb to a mountain and have a short hike in a protected forest of primitive Japanese beech trees. And then, you will down a winding mountain road to Tadami River, a big river in Oku-Aizu famous for many scenic bridges and local train along the river. After that, you will enjoy long exhilarating riverside cycling with some stops for local cuisine lunch and famous viewpoints. You will visit a 1,200 years old ancient temple built on a huge crag with the legend of the red-headed cow “Akabeko” in Yanaizu. After tasting a famous local Japanese cake named “Awa-Manju”, you will finish cycling at Yanaizu Station. Train back to Aizu-Wakamatsu Station by JR Tadami Line.
Stay at a simple casual hotel nearby Aizu-Wakamatsu Station and have a farewell dinner at local Izakaya in Aizu-Wakamatsu.
(Overnight stay・Breakfast provided)

Day 5 / Break-up day [No cycling]

Tour breakup at the hotel nearby Aizu-Wakamatsu Station.
(Breakfast provided)

ACCOMMODATION

The accommodation in Aizu Higashiyama Onsen on the day 1 and day 2 will be a really classic traditional Japanese style onsen ryokan with more than 150 yeas old wooden building. And you will stay at a modern well-designed resort hotel with onsen in the mountainside of Minami-Aizu on the day 3. Accommodation on the day 4 will be a simple casual hotel nearby Aizu-Wakamatsu Station for your convenience of transportation. All accommodations offer top-level hospitality and finely tuned Japanese style service. Every accommodation (except the day 4) has its own excellent onsen (natural hot spring) for your relaxation after a day of cycling.

FOOD

We proudly offer an amazing range of traditional Japanese food, kaiseki-ryori (a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner), bento style lunch, local specialties like grilled ayu or iwana (freshwater trout), seasonal mountain vegetables and casual cuisines like ramen or katsu-don etc. If you love to drink, many brands of Japanese Sake produced in Aizu will be another great highlight of this tour for you.

EQUIPMENT

A support 4WD vehicle will be available throughout the entire tour even on gravel roads in the deep mountainside. No need to carry your luggage on your bike during the ride – they will travel in a support vehicle between hotels.
Rental of a High-quality Gravel Bikes and Electric Mountain Bikes (e-MTB) are available.
In case that you bring your own gravel bike or mountain bike, your large bike bag for airplane can be stored during the tour and delivered to the last hotel on the day 4.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

• 4 nights’ accommodation on twin room share basis
• 4 breakfasts, 1 bento lunch and 3 dinners (Dinner on the day 4 is not included)
• Tour guide(s)
• Support vehicle
• Mechanical support
• Luggage transfer by vehicle
• Bike bag transfer to the final hotel
• Snacks and water during cycling
• Entrance fees
• Tickets for the trains in the itinerary
• Accident insurance (limited)

INQUIRY

If you have any questions about this tour, please contact us via the Contact form.

BOOKING

Tour：Aizu SAMURAI Gravel Tour

Price：¥473,000- /person (Twin room share basis) (Price for 4 or more people)

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Aizu SAMURAI Gravel Tour

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