To visit Japan is to travel in pursuit of the best.
A dedication to excellence pervades almost every aspect of Japanese life. The terrain is perfect for cycling, variously undulating and mountainous. Experience Japanese hospitality, eat remarkable food, all among some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.
19th - 26th août 2018
2nd - 9th septembre 2018
With the towering Mount Fuji dominating so many images of Japan, the first-time visitor might not realise that this sliver of a country is actually very mountainous and even contains its own Japanese Alps. This chain of peaks reaches 3,000m into the sky and provides unbridled cycling opportunities, largely traffic-free roads and the opportunity to explore remote mountain passes. Pick the right route through the mountains and you could take in a hot spring and spend the night in a ryokan - a traditional inn.
The ryokan offers an example of the friendly hospitality you will find all over Japan, a country which takes charm and courtesy to another level. The Japanese culture is also steeped in tradition, while remaining dedicated to innovation. It is these contrasting values that have created such a fascinating country.
Japanese cuisine is packed with rice and noodles, chicken and seafood, and cyclists will also take advantage of fresh fruit and dried vegetables available at the roadside. Japanese cyclists have their own favourite snack called Onigiri - rice wrapped in nori seaweed containing a variety of fillings.
Japan loves cycling and 85 per cent of the population owns or has a share in a bicycle. The country has a long and colourful background in track racing and in 1948 created the Keirin race, where riders draft a pacer motorbike around the track while spectators bet wildly on the outcome of the race.