This article introduces the cycling route introduced in "Hareiro Cycling Okayama." Why not go cycling and check out the historical spots, natural scenery such as plateaus and limestone caves, hot springs, and unique local cuisine that you might want to stop by along the way?
2025.01.31-
Table of Contents
- 1. Kurashiki-Tamano Seaside Route (Kurashiki City and Tamano City)
- 2. History exploration route around Bitchu (Kasaoka City, Asakuchi City, Kurashiki City, Ibara City, Yakage Town)
- 3. Kibiji Bicycle Route (Soja City, Okayama City)
- 4. Katatetsu Romantic Highway Route (Bizen City, Wake Town, Mimasaka City, Tsuyama City)
- 5. Oku-Kibi Yamabiko Route (Takahashi City, Niimi City, Maniwa City)
- 6. Maniwa-Shinjo Mountain Range Route (Maniwa City and Shinjo Village)
- 7. Hiruzen-kogen Heights Bicycle Route (Maniwa City)
- 8. Okayama Kagamino Crossing Route (Kagamino Town, Tsuyama City, Misaki Town, Chuo Town, Okayama City)
- Come spring and go cycling to the charming Okayama!
1. Kurashiki-Tamano Seaside Route (Kurashiki City and Tamano City)
A 90km intermediate route where you can ride while feeling the blue sky, the calm Seto Inland Sea, and the atmosphere of a historic town. There are many places of interest such as Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, where traces of the Edo period Tenryo domain still remain, Mt. Washuzan Observatory overlooking the Seto Ohashi Bridge, and the Uno Port area dotted with art, and along the way you will also come across towns where you can try local delicacies such as Tama no Ontama Meshi and Kojima Tako Shio Yakisoba! It is a greedy and luxurious itinerary where you can enjoy scenery, food, history, and art all at once.
2. History exploration route around Bitchu (Kasaoka City, Asakuchi City, Kurashiki City, Ibara City, Yakage Town)
This 108km intermediate route starts at the reclaimed land of Kasaoka Bay, decorated with seasonal flowers. In addition to the world's only horseshoe crab museum and Sami Beach, which has been selected as one of the "100 Best Beaches in Japan," this route also allows you to experience history through sights such as Entsu-ji Temple, where the monk Ryokan trained, Medieval Yumegahara, a reproduction of a village on the Kibi Plateau from the Kamakura to Muromachi periods, and Yakage Town, where the honjin and wakihonjin inns where feudal lords and shogunate officials stayed during their alternate attendance in the Edo period remain. Don't miss the roadside station where you can try Kasaoka ramen and other dishes made with local ingredients!
3. Kibiji Bicycle Route (Soja City, Okayama City)
This 25km beginner route takes you around the historical spots of the Kibi region. The elevation difference is only 26m, so you can enjoy a leisurely cycling trip with a pottering feeling. You can get a glimpse of ancient and medieval history at Kibitsu-jinja Shrine, which is related to the Momotaro legend, Japan's largest keyhole-shaped burial mound and Zozan Kofun, where you can go up to the top of the mound, and Bitchu Kokubun-ji Tenmple, which has the only five-story pagoda in Okayama Prefecture. You can also enjoy a day trip to the hot springs at the National Guest House Sun Road Kibiji.
4. Katatetsu Romantic Highway Route (Bizen City, Wake Town, Mimasaka City, Tsuyama City)
Starting from the seaside, the long north-south route is a medium-level 76km route that runs along the abandoned railway tracks and the Yoshii River. It passes through Hinase, famous for its kakioko, and a town lined with Bizen Pottery kilns that have been designated as Japan Heritage sites. The old Katakami Railway, with its station building and platform still standing, is full of nostalgia. Along the way, you can also stop by Yunogo Onsen for a bath. After visiting Tsuyama Castle (Kakuzan Park), famous for its cherry blossoms, and Shurakuen, a garden said to be modeled after the Sento Imperial Palace in Kyoto Gyoen, don't forget to try the local delicacy, Tsuyama Hormone Udon!
5. Oku-Kibi Yamabiko Route (Takahashi City, Niimi City, Maniwa City)
This 83km advanced route has a maximum elevation difference of 451m and has many steep ups and downs that are also used for hill climbing. You can experience nature and history while riding through limestone caves such as Ikura-do Cave, which boasts a total length of 1,200m, and Maki Cave, where you can see Maki-do Cave in western Japan, Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, the only mountain castle in Japan with a surviving castle tower, and the townscape of Fukiya, which is unified with its copper-colored Sekishu roofing tiles and bengala-colored exterior.
6. Maniwa-Shinjo Mountain Range Route (Maniwa City and Shinjo Village)
This 100km intermediate route starts in the Hiruzen-kogen Heights, a resort area representing Okayama Prefecture. There are plenty of spots worth stopping at, such as Kanba Falls, the largest waterfall in Western Japan, and the mixed outdoor bath and sand bath at Yubara Onsen, with a huge dam in the background. Don't miss Katsuyama, with its plant-dyed curtains hanging from its eaves, and the townscape of Shinjo Village, where a tunnel of 137 cherry trees forms in spring. Roadside stations, where you can purchase fresh local produce and processed goods, are also great places to stop off and take a rest.
7. Hiruzen-kogen Heights Bicycle Route (Maniwa City)
This 29km beginner's route allows you to enjoy the idyllic highland scenery. The weather is especially refreshing from spring to summer, making it perfect for cycling. Hiruzen-kogen Heights Roadside Station has bicycles available for rent for both adults and children. There are also gourmet foods that can only be tasted here, such as rich soft serve ice cream made with Jersey cow milk, wine made from wild grapes, Hiruzen Yakisoba, a local delicacy that has been loved by locals for a long time, and Genghis Khan made with tender lamb meat!
8. Okayama Kagamino Crossing Route (Kagamino Town, Tsuyama City, Misaki Town, Chuo Town, Okayama City)
This 114km advanced route with a maximum elevation difference of 791m starts from Okayama City and heads towards Kagamino Town in the north of the prefecture. In Okayama City, you can visit historical sites such as Bitchu Takamatsu Castle, known for Toyotomi Hideyoshi's water siege, Saijo Inari, a temple established about 1200 years ago that still retains the form of Shinto-Buddhist syncretism, and Omizuen, a feudal lord's garden with a strolling pond. In the mountain area, we also recommend stopping by a specialty restaurant in the mountain area that has long queues for eggs on rice, and a roadside station where you can taste dishes made with an abundance of local vegetables. This route allows you to feel the changing seasons up close, with dam lakes and beautiful green forests.
Come spring and go cycling to the charming Okayama!
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 townscapes, and unique gourmet food.
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