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 onsen 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 Kaike Onsen - Dogo Island

This morning, we transfer approximately 30 minutes from Kaike to the ferry terminal at Shichirui Bay. Here, we load our bikes and embark on a relaxing 2.5-hour boat 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 three days as we explore all four of its inhabited islands. First up is Dogo Island, the largest of the group, where we head out on a fantastic loop starting from our portside hotel. The first half of the route carries us up the east coast on a stunning stretch of asphalt; the road hugs the shore, glides through forests, and burrows through tunnels beneath the coastal hills. We then veer inland, tackling a steady succession of climbs through the heavily forested interior — home to towering, ancient Japanese cedars. By the 45 km mark, we are back on the coastal plains for the return leg to the hotel. We settle in for our first night in a truly remote and beautiful offshore corner of Japan.

Hotel Miyabi (Japanese style)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 52km
+1250m
-1252m

Day 5 Dogo Island - Nakanoshima Island - Chiburi Island

The day begins with a 1 hr 15 min ferry ride across the Oki Strait to the island of Nakanoshima (the second of our four-island traverse). Upon disembarking, we 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, before switching to the sparsely populated west coast, filled with dense forests of temperate broadleaf and cedar trees. Eventually, we reach the north of the island and complete our loop back to the pier, cycling through the patchwork of rice paddies sprawling around Ama Town. We then roll our bikes onto a public inter-island ferry to reach Chiburi Island, the southernmost and smallest of the four inhabited Oki Islands. A short 8 km ride across the width of Chiburi delivers us to our hotel, which offers breathtaking views of the ruggedly beautiful seascape.

Hotel Chiburino Sato (Japanese Style)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 39km
+857m
-831m

Day 6 Chiburi Island - Nishinoshima Island - Sakaiminato

We begin with a 4 km ride back to the port and board a ferry to the final of Oki’s four inhabited islands: Nishinoshima. Coming off the boat with our bikes, we cut across the island’s rolling terrain for 10 km until we reach the spectacular Kuniga Coast, characterized by rugged cliffs, turquoise waters, and unique rock formations. We will walk along a coast-hugging trail to the top of the Matengai Cliffs; towering walls of volcanic rock reaching 257 metres which offer beautiful views of the sea and coastline. We then cycle the 10 km back to the port and board our final boat of the tour, a relaxing 2.5-hour journey back to the Japanese mainland. We spend the night in Sakaiminato, a bustling maritime city with a deep-rooted deep-sea fishing heritage.

Onyado Nono Sakaiminato (Mixed Western/Japanese style)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 23km
+481m
-507m

Day 7 Sakaiminato - Matsue

We make our way out of Sakaiminato which is sandwiched between the Sea of Japan to the east and the Nakaumi Inland Sea to the west. 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 peaceful morning stop before continuing north via a scenic road that seemingly floats on the Nakaumi Inland Sea. We cut across the hilly peninsula and 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 New Urban Hotel (Mixed Western/Japanese style)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 51km
+705m
-706m

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 New Urban Hotel (Mixed Western/Japanese style)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 48km
+507m
-506m

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.