Japanese Odyssey

A unique bike trip in a unique country

It is challenging to select the highlights of Bike Odyssey’s cycling tour in Japan – just imagine riding for 28 days: Setting off from the slopes of Mount Fuji, climbing the Misaka Pass, or staying the night in an 800-year-old, fully functioning Buddhist Temple – this trip feels like it has it all.

Bike Odyssey’s tours are authentic experiences that you will never forget, irrespective of the location you choose. However, their Japanese Odyssey is on another level entirely.

Sam Wood, the founder of Bike Odyssey Cycling Tours, summarizes the company’s vision and the trip in Japan: “The goal on all our trips is to explore and experience the best Japan has to offer through a challenging ride across the country combined with excellent local experiences – blending culture, gastronomy, wine, and accommodation.”

Japan turns out to be a cyclist-friendly destination. Known for being the birthplace of the famous cycling discipline Keirin, the Japanese cycling experience is genuinely unique, with bike paths to rival those in The Netherlands.

What sets the Japan trip apart is not just the unique experience, but also Bike Odyssey’s team. They carefully select empathetic, thoughtful, and top-notch individuals who love their jobs and the countries they represent. This passion greatly enhances the riders’ experience, creating a familial bond amongst the group. That’s why 80% of riders return to take part in further trips worldwide.

Whilst the main focus is cycling, the Bike Odyssey tour is not only about riding bikes; cycling in a foreign country like Japan is much more than that. “Bike Odyssey is all about a balance between a challenging ride (ranging from 50-140km a day depending on the tour), great food, wine, and hotels, and also an insight into the culture and history of the countries you are traveling through.

All tours have a historical context, and are led by guides who are not just local experts, but also mechanics, sommeliers, historians, linguists, and of course, soigneurs. What would a grand tour be without a massage therapist on board?”

Japan is the perfect cycling destination for this cycling philosophy. Amazing, high-quality, quiet backroads with ride options ranging from comfortable to very challenging. The local people are welcoming and generous, and the drivers are the most courteous of anywhere in the world. Combine this with a vibrant fascinating culture and history to explore, high-quality hotels such as traditional Ryokan Inns, and magnificent fresh food everywhere; and we have a textbook example of a bike odyssey.

This story is part of Nafent Magazine volume 10. Read the full story in our digital or paper magazine. Go to our webshop to get yours.