Around Daisetsuzan 7 Day Cycling Tour

A cyclist rides above the tree tops over a bridge at Mikuni Pass in the Daisetsuzan National Park. The cyclist is dwarfed by the scale of the landscape.

Discover the majestic mountains, lush forests, and thermal springs of Daisetsuzan National Park on two wheels on this multi day guided cycling tour.

This guided cycling tour takes place in and around Daisetsuzan National Park, the largest national park in Japan. Located in the centre of Hokkaido, the Daisetsuzan mountain range features truly dramatic and stunning landscapes, and has a fascinating abundance of both flora and fauna. There is no better place to connect with the spirit of Hokkaido than here! Starting from Shirogane Onsen at the base of active volcano Mt. Tokachi, this guided cycling tour covers approximately 360 km / 223 miles over 7 days through seriously breathtaking landscapes. Pedal your way through an unforgettable journey.

We operate this tour in partnership with Cycling Japan.

Tour Highlights

Cycle through the best of Hokkaido’s high country roads

The Daisetsuzan National Park is home to vast birch and conifer forests that feel a world away from the hustle of your usual ride to work.

Travel on backroads through the rolling hills of "Japan's Tuscany"

The patchwork of farmland dotted with occasional trees gives the Biei and Furano area the nickname of Japan's Tuscany.

Relax in Hokkaido's prominent hot spring resorts

With nights in Shirogane Onsen, Nukabira Onsen and Sounkyo Onsen, there is plenty of opportunity to soak in rejuvenating natural hot springs - perfect for those tired legs.

Cycle over the scenic Mikuni Pass, Hokkaido’s highest National Road

The road up to Mikuni pass winds up above the tree tops, giving you expansive views along a valley with little sign of humans - a truly wild corner of Hokkaido.

Refuel with Hokkaido's fresh cuisine

Feast on fresh local produce and some of Japan's best dining. Despite all the cycling you will struggle to lose weight!

Itinerary

Day 1

Meet in Shirogane Onsen

We meet at 6:00 pm at our hotel in Shirogane Onsen and prepare ourselves for the following 6 days of adventure by going over the tour details and fitting our bikes before dinner. The first night’s accommodation will be in Shirogane Onsen, located at the foot of Mt. Tokachi, an active volcano.

If you plan on arriving at Shirogane Onsen earlier in the afternoon, we recommend enjoying the sight of the Shirahige Waterfall and the Biei River (also known as Blue River), which are both conveniently located in the village. We also recommend walking down the 2km forested trail to Fudo Waterfall.

Stay Hotel at Shirogane Onsen
Day 2

Cycle to Furano

Today’s cycle starts with a pleasant downhill ride along a beautiful road lined with Hokkaido silver birch trees, heading towards Biei town. Biei is well-known for its picturesque landscape featuring rolling hills and vast crop fields, often likened to Tuscany. The rolling terrain makes for great cycling as we warm up our legs.

We will visit a few of the iconic Biei destinations along the way, such as Shikisai-no-Oka Flower Park and vistas of lonely trees atop hills. After lunch we will also visit a local lavender farm before we continue riding to our accommodation in Furano.

Cycle 77 km with 600 m climbing
Stay Hotel in Furano
Day 3

Cycle from Furano to Sahoro

Setting out from Furano, we will ride through flat farmland and then gradually start climbing into the mountains alongside the Sorachi River. The road eventually climbs to Lake Kanayama, where we can cycle along the lakeshore. One of our favourite rest areas is located by the lake where you can hear the sound of songbirds.

At the eastern end of the lake, we will stop at a “Roadside Station” for lunch. The station is a rest area with parking, restaurants, and shops. We recommend filling up on food, recharging yourself for the afternoon climb. We will climb to our first mountain pass of the trip, “Karikachi Pass”, which is known for its magnificent views of the vast Tokachi Plains.

Cycle 75 km with 700 m climbing
Stay Hotel in Sahoro
Day 4

Cycle to Lake Nukabira

This morning we will cycle through the hills on the edge of the Tokachi Plains, with a short morning tea break at a local Roadside Station. Our journey will continue through the Tokachi farmland and on to Shirakaba Pass, where we enter the Daisetsuzan National Park. Lake Shikaribetsu, at 810m above sea level, awaits after conquering the pass.

After lunch by the lake, we will ride along the lakeshore before climbing beside a mountain stream then descending to Lake Nukabira at 525m . This evening we will be staying at a historic hotel that has been renovated into a modern Japanese-style inn run by a friendly, local family. Make sure you hit the outdoor onsen and enjoy a relaxing soak under the star-filled skies!

Cycle 72 km with 1200 m climbing
Stay Ryokan at Nukabira Onsen
Day 5

Cycle from Nukabira Onsen to Sounkyo Gorge

Today is a big day as we will take on the challenge of Mikuni Toge Pass, the highest National Road in Hokkaido at an elevation of 1,139m . We will ride along a White Birch lined road from Lake Nukabira to the foot of the pass. Several bridges along the climb give expansive views over the valley we just cycled up and the scenery is some of the best of the trip. We will then stop for lunch at the lookout to take in the fantastic views of the Kumaneshiri mountain range and the dense woodland at its foot.

After lunch, we cross the pass and have a rewarding 24km ride downhill to the finishing point of the day at the entrance to Sounkyo Gorge.

For the last 10km , we will travel in our van as there are a series of dark and narrow tunnels on the route. Our accommodation will be in Sounkyo Onsen, a hot spring resort village known for its scenic surroundings. We highly recommend wandering over to Sounkyo Gorge to marvel at the waterfalls cascading down cliff faces formed by columnar joint rocks. Enjoy a night in the village and re-energise yourself with a soak in the healing waters of the hot springs.

Cycle 53 km with 800 m climbing
Stay Hotel at Sounkyo Onsen
Day 6

Cycle from Sounkyo Gorge to Asahikawa

This morning we will say goodbye to Daisetsuzan National Park and cycle towards Asahikawa City. We continue along the Ishikari River, Hokkaido’s longest river at 268km in length. We will enjoy a leisurely ride on the flat purpose-built cycling road alongside the river that takes us directly to the centre of the city.

To celebrate the end of the trip, we will head to one of the local sake (rice wine) breweries. The region is well-known for its rice production and high-quality spring water, making it the perfect location to produce award-winning sake. We will learn about the brewing process of sake, and sample some of the sake produced on site.

Cycle 67 km with 300 m climbing
Stay Hotel in Asahikawa
Day 7

Breakfast & Farewells

The tour will wrap up after breakfast. Our hotel is conveniently located near Asahikawa JR Station, from where you can take a train to Sapporo, as well as the airport shuttle to Asahikawa Airport.

What Guests Say

A family of cyclists stopped by Lake Shikaribetsu, Hokkaido.

Roads were good and we loved the places we stayed.


We loved both the day in the mountains and the bike tour. Roads were good and we loved the places we stayed, in particular the traditional ones. We loved the guides and felt super safe with Ken, who understood we wanted to go a bit faster. We Loved Toby - he was such a lovely guy and made the trip brilliant, teaching us Japanese. Dustin was a hoot and Richard, our guide up the mountain, was just lovely too.

We loved getting up to Hokkaido and seeing a different side of Japan - it was definitely our favourite part of our trip. Cycling was relaxed with wonderful views and great places to stay.

Dates & Prices

+¥33,000pp for single room
  • 2024

    1. July 02, 2024 - July 08, 2024
      from ¥344,000pp
      Guaranteed
      Enquire
    2. July 18, 2024 - July 24, 2024
      Fully Booked
    3. August 25, 2024 - August 31, 2024
      from ¥344,000pp
      Guaranteed
      Enquire
    4. September 02, 2024 - September 08, 2024
      Fully Booked
  • Enquire About a Private Departure

Travel Style

We cycle from accommodation to accommodation on most days of this tour. We will provide a vehicle to support cyclists and carry water, snacks and any other items needed for cycling. You will load your luggage into the support vehicle, so you only need to carry daily necessities when you ride. If you need to stop cycling at any point during the day, you are welcome to take a rest in the support vehicle. Please be aware that the number of seats may be limited depending on the number of people and the vehicle we use.