There’s something special about exploring Japan’s Kansai region together on two wheels, especially in a women-only group that quickly feels like a small community. Riding from the buzz of Osaka through Kyoto’s temples and Nara’s sacred forests toward the coast, the journey slows everything down. Quiet riverside paths, vibrant markets, and traditional meals shape each day, with nights spent in ryokan and even a Buddhist temple. It’s an unhurried, deeply cultural way to experience Kansai—authentic, meaningful, and shared.
This Kansai tour is designed for ease, comfort, and cultural immersion, with all the logistics handled so you can focus on the experience. Enjoy guided cycling through iconic cities and quiet countryside, luggage transfers between accommodations, and thoughtfully chosen stays ranging from ryokan to a Buddhist temple. Daily rides are supported by a local guide, with bikes fitted on arrival and routes planned to balance scenery, culture, and enjoyment. Traditional meals, market visits, and temple experiences are woven throughout, creating a seamless journey through Japan’s cultural heart.
Arrive in Osaka and check in to the hotel, where we will all meet together with our guide for introductions, trip orientation, and bike fitting. After settling in, we head out for a short warm-up ride to get comfortable on the bikes and ease into the journey. In the evening, we enjoy dinner together in the lively Temma district, known for its local food culture.
Distance: 10 km (6 mi)
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: Western-style hotel or Japanese ryokan
We cycle north toward Kyoto, following rivers and quiet paths out of the city. Along the way, we visit the Panasonic Museum and stop at the Sakura-deai Visitor Center before continuing on to a sake museum. Arriving in Kyoto, we explore gardens and temples before spending the evening near Nishiki Market, wandering its narrow lanes, food stalls, and small museums.
Distance: 60 km (37 mi)
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Western-style hotel or Japanese ryokan
A shorter day filled with iconic sights, we cycle through temple grounds and discover Ginkaku-ji and its beautifully designed Silver Pavilion gardens. We follow the Philosopher’s Path and continue on to Nanzen-ji, exploring its gardens, aqueducts, and temple complex before riding to the shores of Lake Biwa. We stay at a Buddhist temple on a hillside above Otsu, visit the Otsu-e Art Museum, and enjoy a special vegan temple meal in the evening.
Distance: 27 km (17 mi)
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: Buddhist temple
We ride south toward Nara, passing through the green tea town of Uji and visiting Byodo-in Temple and its famous Phoenix Hall. Wide cycling paths lead us past tea fields and through peaceful countryside before we arrive in Nara, where we spend time with the city’s free-roaming deer. We finish the day at our ryokan, enjoying a traditional evening atmosphere.
Distance: 55 km (34 mi)
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Japanese ryokan
We begin by exploring Yamatokoriyama, known for its centuries-old goldfish breeding tradition, before visiting Horyu-ji, one of Japan’s oldest temples and home to the world’s oldest surviving wooden buildings. Continuing on, we stop at Kashihara Jingu and pass beneath its giant torii gates before riding through rolling hills and rural landscapes on our way to Hashimoto.
Distance: 70 km (43 mi)
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Western-style hotel or Japanese ryokan
After warming up our legs, we visit the Kudoyama Sanada Museum to learn about a famous local samurai family, then stop at Jison-in Temple, dedicated to women’s health. We enjoy a scenic riverside cycle as the route winds toward the coast. In Wakayama, we explore Momijidani Garden and Wakayama Castle before settling into an oceanside ryokan for the night.
Distance: 61 km (38 mi)
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Japanese ryokan
Our final cycling day follows the ocean, crossing bridges and enjoying expansive coastal views. We stop at Awashima Shrine, admire seaside murals, and relax in a park where we can even try out a large slide. The ride ends in Rinku Town near Kansai International Airport. In the evening, we explore nearby shops and restaurants and take a ride on the waterfront Ferris wheel before our last night together.
Distance: 60 km (37 mi)
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: Western-style hotel or Japanese ryokan
After breakfast, we check out and say our goodbyes. With Kansai International Airport nearby, departures are smooth, and there’s time to reflect on a journey that blended cycling, culture, food, and landscapes across one of Japan’s most fascinating regions.
Meals: Breakfast
I feel sorry for people who don’t see Japan from the seat of a bicycle. See how people really live in Japan as you ride through neighbourhoods and farms, you can smell the rice as you ride through the rice fields. Shelley and Masato have curated an experience for you that is the perfect blend of culture, food, and sightseeing. From Shrines and Temples, Restaurants, Ocean views, and Castles to staying at a Monastery one night. The hotel onsens (hot baths) were the perfect salve after a day of biking. Don’t forget to stop at the Sake breweries!!
Included:
Add-ons:
Not included:
In order to join this women-only Kansai tour, great fitness is required. You have to be able to bike for longer periods of time, generally 4-6 hours per day. The most you’ll pedal within a day is up to 70 km (45 mi), but check out the itinerary to learn about day-by-day distances.
Want to see what else is there in the area? Discover more bike tours in Japan here!
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
Group sizes and pricing
Kansai tours can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements
The starting point of your Kansai tour is Osaka, Japan. To get there, most people fly into Kansai International Airport (KIX). From there, you can take a shuttle service or a train to reach downtown Osaka.
You will meet your guide at the first night’s hotel in Osaka on Day 1 of the tour.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout.
Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations! Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
Deposits
Secure your spot with a 30% deposit upon booking! The remaining 70% of the trip price must be paid 90 days prior to departure at the latest. If booking within 90 days of departure, the full amount is required at the time of booking.
Cancellations
Booking fees are non-refundable after a 48-hour grace period. During checkout, however, you can choose one of 57hours’ flexibility options—Basic, Flexible, or Super Flexible. Depending on which one you choose, a different cancellation policy will apply to your booking.
Basic
Flexible
Super Flexible
I feel sorry for people who don’t see Japan from the seat of a bicycle. See how people really live in Japan as you ride through neighbourhoods and farms, you can smell the rice as you ride through the rice fields. Shelley and Masato have curated an experience for you that is the perfect blend of culture, food, and sightseeing. From Shrines and Temples, Restaurants, Ocean views, and Castles to staying at a Monastery one night. The hotel onsens (hot baths) were the perfect salve after a day of biking. Don’t forget to stop at the Sake breweries!!