Oka Tours

Sado Island, located in the Sea of Japan, is a perfect destination to discover the unspoiled beauty of Japan. Despite its remote location, Sado Island is a treasure house of culture as it was an island of exile for intellectuals in the medieval times. You will ride along coasts and through fishing villages, enjoying spectacular ocean views and fresh seafood. We plan to include some extra-curricular activities such as Japanese drum lesson, pottery making lesson, and a ride on a taraibune (tub boat).

A Japanese proverb says, "Never say Kekko (meaning I am satisfied), until you've seen Nikko". Our ride starts in Nikko, a center of Shinto and Buddhist mountain worship for many centuries and the seat of Toshogu shrine, an UNESCO's world cultural heritage site. We then explore its surrounding area which offers magnificent landscapes, lakes, waterfalls, and hot springs. We spend the latter half of the trip in Aizu, which is a scenic region in northern Japan surrounded by beautiful mountains. The route takes us through quaint farm villages, rice fields, and on narrow mountain roads.

Our accommodations are mostly elegant ryokans (Japanese-style inns) which offer local charm and comfort as well as excellent onsen (natural hot spring bath). Our route encompasses several challenging hill climbs, and therefore is most suitable for intermediate to advanced riders.

This tour offers an excellent blend of cultural and historic attractions, and natural beauty. We spend the first half of the tour in the Noto Peninsula, which juts out into the Sea of Japan offering wild and picturesque scenery. En route we visit Wajima, a world famous center of traditional Japanese lacquerware production, and the castle city of Kanazawa which still maintains rows of historical houses and inherits traditional handicrafts. We spend the second half of the tour heading inland from Wakasa Bay, bicycling through quiet forests and farm villages until we reach the ancient capital of Kyoto where our tour ends. Accommodation is varied from casual inns to elegant Japanese-style inns (Ryokans). Some of the inns only have shared baths, and do not have private bath/showers in guest rooms. This itinerary is ideal for guests extending stay in Tokyo before the tour, or in Kyoto after the tour.

This tour is perfect if you are interested in Japan's traditional culture and enjoy relaxed bicycle rides. We explore Japan's ancient capitals, Nara and Kyoto, and their surrounding areas which are considered to be the best repositories of Japan's cultural legacy. We ride leisurely, making stops at temples and historical monuments. After two days in Nara we visit a ceramic town of Shigaraki. We spend the second half of the tour riding around Lake Biwa, the largest fresh water lake in Japan. En route we visit old merchant towns of Oumi-Hachiman and Gokasho, as well as the Hikone Castle which is one of the best preserved castles in Japan. Accommodation is varied from moderate western-style hotels to elegant Japanese-style inns (Ryokans). Some of the Japanese inns only have shared baths, and do not have private bath/showers in guest rooms. This itinerary is ideal for guests extending stay in Kyoto before or after the tour.

Hokkaido is the northernmost island of Japan. With its vast land space and relatively cool and dry weather during summer, Hokkaido is an ideal playground for cyclists. On this 8 days 7 nights trip, we explore the eastern parts of Hokkaido, which is considered to be some of the most beautiful areas of the island for its remoteness and untouched wilderness. A majority of our rides is in Akan national park and Shiretoko national park which has also been registered with the UNESCO's list of world natural heritage sites. You will be riding on undulating hills through rustic pastures and fields, around pristine caldera lakes, and magnificent coastlines. Hokkaido is also home to great food and onsens (natural hot spring baths). Accommodations are varied from casual western-style hotel, charming family-run pension, to deluxe Japanese- and Western-style hotels. Most of our inns have excellent onsens.

Hokkaido is the northernmost island of Japan. With its vast land space and relatively cool and dry weather during summer, Hokkaido is an ideal playground for cyclists. On this 5 days 4 nights trip, we explore the southwestern part of Hokkaido around Niseko and the surrounding areas. A majority of our rides is in Shikotsu Toya National Park. You will be riding around pristine crater lakes, on quiet mountain roads, and through rustic pastures and fields. Hokkaido is also home to great food and onsens (natural hot spring baths). Accommodations are varied from authentic ryokan (Japanese-style inn), to deluxe Japanese- and Western-style hotels. Most of our inns have excellent onsens.

Bound by the major islands of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, the Seto Inland Sea (Setonaikai) is the largest inland sea in Japan. With its calm sea surface and mild climate, the Sea and its surrounding areas have prospered as an important shipping lane since ancient times, and are full of sites of scenic and historical interest. On this trip, we explore islands and surrounding areas of the Seto Inland Sea, riding along picturesque coast of the Sea dotted with numerous islands, visiting historical and cultural sites, enjoying great food. En route, we ride across the Sea using the Shimanami Highway, the most popular cycling course in Japan which stretches across the Sea from Shikoku to Onomichi on Honshu. Our tour ends in Hiroshima with visits to the Peace Memorial Park and Miyajima, both registered with the list of UNESCO's world cultural heritage sites.

This tour is ideal if you are looking for a short getaway from Tokyo to enjoy some of the most beautiful natural sceneries in Japan. Mt. Fuji, rising above the clouds, is the symbol of Japan and has provided a spiritual basis for the Japanese since ancient times. There are five lakes along the northern foot of Mt. Fuji (collectively called Fuji-Goko), which offer the best and closest views of the mountain on a clear day. Located south of Mt. Fuji, Izu Peninsula extends out into the Pacific Ocean. With its mild climate, dynamic terrains, many scenic spots, and excellent natural hot spring spas, the area is one of the best cycling destinations in Japan. Our ride starts in the Fuji-Goko area approaching Izu Peninsula via the foot of Mt. Fuji. Our ride ends in Shimoda at the Peninsula's southeastern tip, where Commodore Perry visited in order to open Japan to the world at the end of 19th Century. You stay at a western-style hotel on the first night and at a ryokan (Japanese-style inn) with onsen (natural hot spring bath) on the second night, enjoying excellent local foods.