Around Daisetsuzan 7 Day Cycling Tour

We meet at 5:00 pm at our hotel in Shirogane Onsen, nestled at the foot of Mt. Tokachi, an active volcano. We prepare ourselves for our upcoming adventure by going through the tour details and getting fitted for our bikes.

Early arrivals can explore the beautiful Shirahige Waterfall and the Biei River (known locally as the Blue River) in the village. There's also a lovely 2km forested trail leading to Fudo Waterfall (Fudonotaki) for those wanting to stretch their legs before dinner.

We begin with a scenic downhill ride along a birch-lined road towards Biei town, known for its stunning landscape of rolling hills and vast crop fields that remind visitors of Tuscany. The gently rolling terrain offers perfect cycling conditions as we warm up our legs.

During our journey, we visit some of Biei's famous landmarks, including Shikisai-no-Oka Flower Park and the iconic solitary trees perched atop hills. After lunch, we explore a local lavender farm before continuing to our accommodation in Furano.

We begin by cycling through flat farmland from Furano before gradually climbing into the mountains alongside the Sorachi River.

Our journey takes us to Lake Kanayama, where we enjoy cycling along the lakeshore and take a rest stop accompanied by birdsong. At the eastern end of the lake, we stop at a Roadside Station for lunch to fuel up for the afternoon's cycling.

The day's highlight is conquering Karikachi Pass, rewarding us with magnificent views across the vast Tokachi Plains.

We cycle through the hills on the edge of the Tokachi Plains, stopping for morning tea at a local Roadside Station. Our journey continues across farmland to Shirakaba Pass, where we enter Daisetsuzan National Park. After reaching Lake Shikaribetsu at 810m above sea level, we enjoy lunch by the water.

The afternoon takes us along the lakeshore and down to Lake Nukabira at 525m. Our day ends at a historic hotel renovated into a modern Japanese-style inn, where we can soak in the outdoor onsen beneath starlit skies.

Today we tackle Mikuni Pass, the highest National Road in Hokkaido at an elevation of 1139m. We ride along a White Birch-lined road from Lake Nukabira, with several bridges offering expansive valley views. After lunch at a scenic lookout overlooking the Kumaneshiri mountain range, we enjoy a rewarding 24km downhill ride to Sounkyo Gorge.

The final 10km is by van due to narrow tunnels. We stay in Sounkyo Onsen, a hot spring resort village, where we can explore the stunning gorge with its waterfalls cascading down columnar rock faces. The day ends with a relaxing soak in the healing hot spring waters.

We bid farewell to Daisetsuzan National Park and cycle towards Asahikawa City along the Ishikari River, Hokkaido's longest river at 268km in length. The route follows a flat, purpose-built cycling road beside the river, taking us directly to the city centre.

To celebrate our journey's end, we visit a local sake brewery, where we learn about the brewing process and sample their award-winning sake. The region's excellent rice production and high-quality spring water make it ideal for sake brewing.

After a final breakfast together, our cycling adventure comes to an end. We say our goodbyes at our conveniently located hotel near JR Asahikawa Station, with easy access to trains to Sapporo and shuttle buses to Asahikawa Airport.