Japan cycling holidays guide

Thinking of seeing Japan? Three words: on yer bike! Cycling is one of the best ways to explore this complex, beguiling country. Jumping on a bike is about more than the physical challenge and fresh air. It’s a way to jump into the culture, the history and the rural landscapes. Follow undulating routes past remote fishing villages and lonely temples, then spend the night in a traditional inn, relaxing in a simple yukata kimono, soaking in the hot waters of an onsen and feasting on seafood.


No cycling holiday to Japan will place racking up the miles over soaking up the sights, so expect regular stops to dip into temples and poke around villages, plus time in Tokyo and Kyoto.![]()

On guided tours, a local guide will turn observing local life into understanding it. As well as ensuring your tyres stay pumped, a guide can steer you through Tokyo’s metro system, explain the differences between Shinto and Buddhism, fill you in on the flora and translate a chat with the women selling grilled fish, hamayaki, on the beach. You’ll be in the saddle and in the know, combining active discovery with in-depth insights.
Our Japan cycling Holidays
Cycling holiday in Japan
Sociable cycling tour of Japan's culture and nature
From
£5829 to £6299
16 days
inc UK flights
Japan cycling holiday, Lake Biwa
Scenic cycling around Lake Biwa and picturesque villages
From
£1260 to £1715
5 days
ex flights
Japan cycling holiday, small group
Get off the beaten track and experience old Japan
From
£4943 to £5124
14 days
inc UK flights
Japan self-guided cycling holiday, Noto Peninsula
Village-to-village cycling along the Noto Peninsula coast.
From
£1370 to £2235
7 days
ex flights
Is a cycling holiday in Japan for you?
Go on a Japan cycling holiday if…
Don’t go on a Japan cycling holiday if…
Our top Japan cycling Holiday
Cycling holiday in Japan
Sociable cycling tour of Japan's culture and nature
From
£5829 to £6299
16 days
inc UK flights
Small group travel:
2021: 20 Mar, 27 Mar, 10 Apr, 15 May, 29 May, 2 Oct, 16 Oct, 6 Nov
2022: 19 Mar, 26 Mar, 9 Apr, 28 May, 1 Oct, 8 Oct, 15 Oct, 5 Nov
2021: 20 Mar, 27 Mar, 10 Apr, 15 May, 29 May, 2 Oct, 16 Oct, 6 Nov
2022: 19 Mar, 26 Mar, 9 Apr, 28 May, 1 Oct, 8 Oct, 15 Oct, 5 Nov
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Japan cycling or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
Best time to go cycling in Japan

The Japanese cycle in all weathers, even holding an umbrella as they pedal through a summer shower, but cycling holidays stick to the mild and mostly dry spring and autumn.![]()

Spring and autumn are hands-down the best time to go cycling in Japan, avoiding winter’s freeze and summer’s humidity and rain. Most cycling holidays run in March, April and May, and October and November. Expect chilly temperatures and battering winds in early spring and November, particularly on the Noto Peninsula, but in April, May and October temperatures are comfortably into the teens centigrade. Late March to April is sakura season, when the cherry trees are in blossom and people party beneath their pink canopy, showered in petal confetti. Equally impressive are the changing autumn colours, the koyo, making mountainsides blush in late October and November.
Tokyo Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
0
10
43
FEB
1
10
58
MAR
4
13
94
APR
9
19
119
MAY
14
23
132
JUN
18
25
181
JUL
22
29
128
AUG
24
31
147
SEP
20
27
181
OCT
14
21
158
NOV
8
17
84
DEC
3
12
44