I want to run when spring comes! 8 recommended cycling routes in Okayama Prefecture
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It's that time of year when the days are gradually getting warmer and the mood is rising. There are so many things to look forward to in the upcoming season, such as the clear skies and ocean, green buds, and colorful flowers. Ahead of spring, we would like to introduce you to the cycling routes int...
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Okayama Prefecture is located in the Chuo of Western Japan, and is known as the "Land of Sunshine" due to its warm climate and little rain throughout the year. It is conveniently located halfway between famous tourist spots such as Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima, and is also the gateway to Shikoku via the Great Seto Bridge. Okayama is also known as the "Fruit Kingdom," and the fruits that grow in the warm climate of the Seto Inland Sea and sunshine are of the highest quality in terms of sweetness, aroma, and flavor. You can enjoy seasonal fruits such as white peaches, Muscat grapes, and Pione grapes! Okayama is also home to world-famous tourist spots such as Okayama Castle, Okayama Korakuen Garden, one of Japan's three most famous gardens, and Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, which are renowned for their history, culture, and art!
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Table of Contents
- Kurashiki/Tamano Seaside Route (Kurashiki City/Tamano City)
- Bicchu History Exploration Route (Kasaoka City, Asakuchi City, Kurashiki City, Ibara City, Yakage Town)
- Kibiji bicycle path route (Soja City/Okayama City)
- Katatetsu Roman Highway Route (Bizen City, Wake Town, Mimasaka City, Tsuyama City)
- Oku-Kibi Yamabiko Route (Takahashi City, Niimi City, Maniwa City)
- Maniwa Shinjo Yamanami Route (Maniwa City/Shinjo Village)
- Hiruzen Plateau Bicycle Route (Maniwa City)
- Okayama Kagamino Traversal Route (Kagami no Town, Tsuyama City, Misaki Town, Kibichuo Town, Okayama City)
- When spring comes, let's go cycling to Okayama, which is full of charm!
Kurashiki/Tamano Seaside Route (Kurashiki City/Tamano City)
A 90km intermediate route where you can ride while enjoying the blue sky, the calm Seto Inland Sea, and the atmosphere of a historic town. There are many sights to see, such as the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, where traces of the Tenryochi area from the Edo period still remain, the Mt. Washuzan Observation Deck overlooking the Seto Ohashi Bridge, and the Uno Port area dotted with art. There are also towns where you can enjoy local gourmet food that interests you! It is a greedy and luxurious itinerary where you can enjoy the scenery, gourmet food, history, and art.
Bicchu History Exploration Route (Kasaoka City, Asakuchi City, Kurashiki City, Ibara City, Yakage Town)
A 108km intermediate route that starts from the reclaimed land of Kasaoka Bay, which is decorated with seasonal flowers. In addition to the world's only horseshoe crab museum and Sami Beach, which has been selected as one of Japan's 100 best beaches, Entsuji Temple, where the monk Ryokan trained, and medieval Yumegahara, a recreation of the village of Kibi Kogen from the Kamakura to Muromachi periods. , Yakage-cho, where the Honjin and Wakihonjin, where daimyo and shogunate officials stayed during the Edo period, is a route where you can experience history. Be sure to check out the roadside station where you can enjoy Kasaoka ramen and other dishes made with local ingredients!
Kibiji bicycle path route (Soja City/Okayama City)
A 25km beginner route that visits historical spots in the Kibi region. The difference in altitude is only 26m, so cycling can be done at a leisurely pace that feels like pottering around. You can get a glimpse of ancient and medieval history at Kibitsu Shrine, which is associated with the folk tale and legend of Momotaro, Japan's largest keyhole-shaped tumulus and mountain tumulus that you can climb up to the top of the tumulus, and Bicchu Branch Temple, which has the only five-storied pagoda in Okayama Prefecture. . At Kokuminshukusha Sunroad Kibiji, you can also enjoy day trip bathing.
Katatetsu Roman Highway Route (Bizen City, Wake Town, Mimasaka City, Tsuyama City)
Starting from the seaside, this long north-south route is a 76km intermediate route that runs along abandoned railroad tracks and along the Yoshii River. The route will pass through Hinase, famous for its kakioko, and a town lined with Bizen ware kilns, which have been designated as Japanese heritage sites. The old Katakami Railway, where the station building and platform remain, is full of nostalgia. There is also Yunogo Onsen along the way, where you can stop by and take a bath. After touring Tsuyama Castle (Tsuruyama Park), which is famous for its cherry blossoms, and Shuren Garden, a garden said to be modeled after the Sento Imperial Palace in Kyoto Gyoen, don't forget to try the local gourmet Tsuyama Hormone Udon!
Oku-Kibi Yamabiko Route (Takahashi City, Niimi City, Maniwa City)
An 83km advanced route with a maximum elevation difference of 451m and many ups and downs that are also used for hill climbs. Including limestone caves such as Ikura Cave, which boasts a total length of 1,200 meters, and Maki Cave, where you can see Senmaida, one of the best rim stones in western Japan, Bicchu Matsuyama Castle, the only mountain castle with a castle tower still in existence in Japan, and red copper-colored Sekishu tiles and red iron tiles. You can run while experiencing nature and history, such as the Fukiya townscape, which has a unified color exterior.
Maniwa Shinjo Yamanami Route (Maniwa City/Shinjo Village)
A 100km intermediate route that starts from Hiruzen Plateau, a resort area that represents Okayama Prefecture. There are plenty of spots to visit, such as Kanba Falls, the largest waterfall in western Japan, and the mixed open-air bath and sand bath at Yubara Onsen, which has a huge dam in the background. Don't miss Katsuyama, where the plant-dyed bricks line the eaves, and the townscape of Shinjo Village, where a tunnel of 137 cherry blossom trees forms in spring. Roadside stations, where you can purchase fresh locally produced agricultural products and processed products, are also great places to check out as resting spots.
Hiruzen Plateau Bicycle Route (Maniwa City)
A 29km beginner route where you can enjoy the idyllic highland scenery. The climate is refreshing, especially from spring to summer, making it perfect for cycling. Roadside Station Hiruzen Kogen also has rental bicycles for both adults and children. We also offer rich soft-serve ice cream made with Jersey cow milk, wine made from wild grapes, Hiruzen Yakisoba, a local gourmet dish that has been loved by locals for a long time, and Genghis Khan made with tender lamb meat. There are also gourmet foods that can only be tasted here!
Okayama Kagamino Traversal Route (Kagami no Town, Tsuyama City, Misaki Town, Kibichuo Town, Okayama City)
The advanced route, which has a maximum altitude difference of 791m and a distance of 114km, starts from Okayama City and aims for Kagamino Town in the northern part of the prefecture. In Okayama City, you can visit Bitchu Takamatsu Castle, known for Toyotomi Hideyoshi's water attacks, Mogami Inari, a temple that was opened about 1,200 years ago and still retains a form of syncretism between Shinto and Buddhism, and Kinsuien, a daimyo garden with a pond strolling garden. We also recommend visiting historical spots such as Omizuen (Omizuen), a restaurant specializing in egg-topped rice with long lines in the mountains, and a roadside station where you can enjoy dishes made with plenty of local vegetables. This is a route where you can experience the changing seasons closely, including dam lakes and beautiful green forests.
When spring comes, let's go cycling to Okayama, which is full of charm!
The "Hareiro Cycling OKAYAMA" project promotes the appeal of cycling in Okayama Prefecture. The official website introduces eight recommended routes where you can enjoy the sea, highlands, historic towns, and unique gourmet food.
Okayama Prefecture is located in the Chuo of Western Japan, and is known as the "Land of Sunshine" due to its warm climate and little rain throughout the year. It is conveniently located halfway between famous tourist spots such as Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima, and is also the gateway to Shikoku via the Great Seto Bridge. Okayama is also known as the "Fruit Kingdom," and the fruits that grow in the warm climate of the Seto Inland Sea and sunshine are of the highest quality in terms of sweetness, aroma, and flavor. You can enjoy seasonal fruits such as white peaches, Muscat grapes, and Pione grapes! Okayama is also home to world-famous tourist spots such as Okayama Castle, Okayama Korakuen Garden, one of Japan's three most famous gardens, and Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, which are renowned for their history, culture, and art!
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