Why Japan, and why these two regions
Japan is the country most cyclists ask us about second, after Taiwan. The Shimanami Kaido and the Noto Peninsula are well-known — we deliberately chose other places.
Hokkaido in spring is quiet. The lavender hasn’t bloomed yet, the snow has just gone, and the roads from Asahikawa down through Furano and out toward the coast are the closest thing in Asia to riding in Norway. Wide-sky country, very little traffic, hot springs at the end of every day.
Tōhoku in autumn is the opposite. Tighter roads, denser forest, smaller villages, and food that has been refined to a single point over hundreds of years. The Sanriku coast got hit hard in 2011 and the rebuild has been a quiet, deliberate thing — the riding is excellent and the visitor numbers haven’t returned to what they were.
What’s confirmed
We’re running our first Pedal Japan tours in 2026:
- May 12 to 21, 2026 · Hokkaido Spring Loop · 12 riders, 10 days
- September 20 to 29, 2026 · Tōhoku Autumn · 12 riders, 10 days
Both are open for waitlist sign-up now. We’ll confirm dates and prices in early 2026; the waitlist gets first access.
The trickier bits we’ve thought about
Japanese-language barrier is real. Our local guides speak both, our menus get translated, our hotel reservations are pre-confirmed. The bike shop at the start of every tour is on a first-name basis with one of our team.
Bike transport between regions is via rinko bag on Shinkansen — well-established, fully supported. You will never carry your own bike up a flight of train station stairs.