New Tour

Coastal Japan: San-in Explorer

Day 1 Meet in Tottori

The meeting point for our tour is Tottori City, the gateway to the San-in region. We meet at our hotel by 12:00 hrs. (12:00 PM) for a bike fitting and an easy 27 km warmup ride to the Tottori Sand Dunes, the largest and most visually striking of their kind in Japan. We will also visit the Sand Museum with its impressive sand sculptures. In the evening we convene for a trip briefing and welcome dinner at a local izakaya restaurant. Please let us know if you require assistance with pre-tour hotel bookings.

Hotel Monarque Tottori (Western style)
Dinner
Ride 27km
+282m
-281m

Day 2 Tottori City - Misasa Onsen

Starting from our city hotel, we weave our way out of Tottori and within 10 km find ourselves riding along the shores of Lake Koyama, a picturesque lagoon with a shrine at its centre. From there, we head towards the Sea of Japan but don’t linger on the coast for too long (yet!). Instead, we wind through small, quiet country roads that pass through farmlands and forested hills. At 35 km, the day’s major climb begins: a steady 9 km ascent with a 4–5% gradient up to a forest-clad pass. After a well-earned breather at the top, we enjoy an exhilarating descent to Lake Togo, followed by a flatter stretch to the historic city of Kurayoshi. Here, we take a break from cycling for an exclusive temple visit and a stroll through the beautifully preserved warehouse district. From there, it’s just 10 km to Misasa Onsen, home to renowned 'miraculous' hot springs — an ideal place to soak and unwind after an exciting day on the bike!

Kiya Ryokan (Japanese style)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 71km
+1005m
-944m

Day 3 Misasa Onsen - Kaike Onsen

We head back to the coast by following the course of the Tenjin River for 20 km. Then we veer west, alternating between coast-hugging roads and rural stretches through pear farms and rice fields. Eventually we will begin to catch glimpses of the towering Mount Daisen, a dormant volcano once referred to as the “Mountain of the Great God” and bearing resemblance to the more well-known Mount Fuji. We cycle along the undulating roads on the lower and middle slopes of the volcano, stopping regularly to appreciate the natural beauty of the area and take pictures. Tackling the slopes will involve some gradual as well as steep uphill bursts, though these are always rewarded with refreshing descents downhill. We spend the night in the seaside town of Kaike, known for its onsens and seafood! Make sure to catch the sunset at the sandy Kaike Onsen Beach.

Bayside Square Kaike Hotel (Japanese style)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 73km
+556m
-618m

Day 4 Sakaiminato - Dogo Island

This morning we depart Kaike along a very pleasant coastal cycle path to Sakaiminato City. The city and its surrounding areas, sandwiched between the Sea of Japan to the east and the Nakaumi Inland Sea to the west, makes for a great cycling route. First we will cross the famous Eshima Bridge to the islands of Eshima and then Daikonshima where we will make a stop off at the Yuushien Gardens. These beautifully landscaped Japanese gardens are perfect for a refreshing stroll before looping back to the coast via a scenic road that seemingly floats on the Nakaumi Inland Sea and then continues to hug the edge of the Sakaiminato Strait. The ride concludes with a high-arched bridge crossing to the harbor where we’ll load our bikes and embark on a relaxing 4 ferry journey to the Oki Islands. Consisting of 180 islands and inlets, this volcanic archipelago in the Sea of Japan will be our home for the next two days. Tonight we sleep at a seaside hotel near the port of Dogojima, the largest inhabited island of Oki. We are now in a truly remote, offshore, part of Japan!

Hotel Miyabi
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 46km
+310m
-311m

Day 5 Dogo Island Ride - Chiburi Island

Considered by those in the know as one of Japan’s best cycling routes, today’s ride covers a large slice of Dogo Island’s craggy east coast and forested interior. From our hotel at Saigo Bay, the first half of the route carries us up the east coast on a stunning stretch of asphalt. This road hugs the shore, glides through forests, and burrows through tunnels beneath the coastal hills. We then veer inland, where the day’s toughest climb (5 km / 4-5%) takes us past an ancient cedar tree believed to be over 600 years old and has spiritual significance for the islanders. The final 15 km lead us back to the coast through dense forest cover, ending our ride at a small pier, home to traditional boat-building sites and a unique "bull sumo" stable. From here we board a private charter boat and zip across the Oki Strait to the island of Nakanoshima. Here we switch to a public inter-island ferry to reach Chiburi Island, the southernmost and smallest of the four inhabited Oki Islands. A short transfer then delivers us to our hotel with breathtaking views of the ruggedly beautiful seascape.

Hotel Chiburino Sato
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 46km
+1167m
-1173m

Day 6 Chiburi Island - Nakanoshima Ride - Sakaiminato

This morning, a quick transfer brings us back to the pier for a ferry to the island of Nakanoshima. Upon disembarking, our bikes await, and we'll spend the morning and early afternoon cycling around this stunning island. The ride offers a dynamic succession of 1-3 km ascents and descents with mostly gentle to moderate gradients, though be prepared for a few bursts creeping into double digits. We begin by riding down the east coast with lovely views over the bays of Oki’s inner islands. After curling around the island’s southern reaches, we head up the sparsely populated west coast, which is filled with dense forests of temperate broadleaf and towering cedar trees. At around 32 km, we reach the north of the island and complete our loop back to the pier, riding through the patchwork of rice paddies sprawling around Ama Town. In the mid-afternoon we board our final boat of the Oki Island stage, cruising back to the mainland for 2.5 hours. Upon arrival in Sakaiminato City we will be transferred to our hotel and reconvene for dinner in the evening.

Onyado Nono Sakaiminato (Mixed Western/Japanese style)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 44km
+1060m
-1062m

Day 7 Sakaiminato - Matsue

We begin with a 12 km ride over to the northern tip of the peninsula where we reach Miho Shrine. One of Japan’s most scenic shinto shrines, Miho is nestled on the slopes of Mount Atago and harbors intricate wooden architecture, including a gorgeous torii gate. We continue for another 3 km to the Mihonoseki Lighthouse where we can climb to the top to enjoy breathtaking vistas of the surrounding sea, lagoon and cliffs. We then backtrack a little bit before cutting 5 km across the hilly peninsula to its northern seashore. Here we’ll cycle along the nature-rich coastline, climbing up and down for 35 km between a scenic string of headlands jutting out into the Sea of Japan, separated by bays sheltering fishing villages. The final 10 km of the route takes us through rural areas leading into the historic city of Matsue on the shores of Lake Shinji. We’ll saddle-off and walk over to the “Black Castle”, one of only 12 original feudal-era castles left standing in Japan! Perched atop a hill and surrounded by a moat and thick walls, visiting Matsue castle makes for a great finale to the day.

Matsue Excel Hotel Tokyu (Western style)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 65km
+1267m
-1275m

Day 8 Matsue Rural Loop

With our hotel in Matsue as our base, we’ve got a fun loop today that covers a large swathe of the forest-covered rolling hills and flat farmlands of the surrounding countryside. For the first 15 km we’ve got some gradual climbing to do but after that it is all downhill and flat. The highlight of today’s ride is a visit to the Adachi Museum of Art in the lovely village of Hirose. The Adachi Museum is renowned for its integration of Japanese art within meticulously maintained gardens that feature lush greenery, carefully arranged rocks and serene ponds. Truly zen! We’ll spend some time here before circling back to Matsue via roads flanked by extensive farmlands. Back in Matsue the rest of the day is yours to explore more of the city or simply relax.

Matsue Excel Hotel Tokyu (Western style)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 47km
+556m
-555m

Day 9 Matsue - Izumo

Time for the home stretch as we cycle east from Matsue to the coastal city of Izumo. After departing Matsue, we ride for 25 km through a tightly packed sequence of small valleys north of Lake Shinki. Expect some sharp bursts up and down complemented by blissful rural surroundings. As we curve around the lake, the roads flatten and we skirt along the banks of two rivers - first the Hii and then the Kando – for 30 km before we are greeted, for the last time on our tour, by the turquoise waters of the Sea of Japan. The remaining few km take us north along the coast to the endpoint of the day’s ride: Izumo Taisha. This is one of Japan's oldest and most important Shinto Shrines and certainly one of the most impressive due to its grand architecture! We’ll spend some time exploring the beautiful grounds of the shrine and then hop on a local train for a 30 minute journey to our hotel near Izumo Train Station. We’ll enjoy a final dinner together as we celebrate the completion of our San-in cycling exploration.

Green Rich Hotel (Western style)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 63km
+446m
-444m

Day 10 Izumo Departure

Time to say goodbye! Depending on your onward travel plans, either head to the nearby airport or the train station. Daily flights are available to Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka. Kyoto and Osaka can be reached in half a day by train.

Breakfast

Disclaimer: The adventure cycling tours we operate often go beyond the beaten track, and the countries where we ride are not always predictable. Due to these reasons, it is occasionally necessary to reroute or update itineraries. Our guarantee is that we will not change a trip unless for safety or to improve it. Our listed hotels are always accurate at the time of writing, but should we have to change any hotel, it will always be for a similar or better one.