1. Booking and Paying for a tour

How do I confirm a tour?

To confirm a tour, first register your interest with us through our bookings page. We will be in touch shortly to confirm all details with you and answer any questions you may have. Once we have confirmed all the details, we will send you a link to our partner travel agencies booking website, where you can pay your deposit for the tour. 

How do I pay for the tour?

Our partner travel agency, Ehime Shinbun Travel, accepts all major credit cards and offers a secure online booking system. We also accept payments via bank transfer and use Wise (formerly TransferWise) for most transactions. A 20% deposit is required to confirm the booking, and full payment must be made at least 2 months prior to the tour start date.

What is your cancellation policy?

Cancellations made at least 21 days before the tour start date will receive a full refund. Cancellations after this date will be subject to the following cancellation policy:

2. Insurance

Do I need insurance for the tour?

While it is not a requirement we highly recommend you purchase travel insurance prior to your trip. 

Is my booking secure?

All payments are made through our partner travel agency Ehime Shinbun Travel. EST is a licensed travel agency in Japan (Commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency Registered Travel Agency No. 1819) and as such any bookings made through them are protected by Japanese law and the national tourism organisation JNTO. See here for more details. 

3. Accomodation

What kind of hotels do we stay in?

On all of our tours we stay in a mix of hotels and ryokan – a Japanese traditional inn. Ryokan usually have bedrooms with tatami flooring – a traditional matt often used in Japanese bedrooms, with comfy futon mattresses (on the floor).  You are provided with Yukata, a traditional dressing gown, which you can wear to dinner and breakfast if you wish.  They often have a public bath or hot spring (onsen) as well as a private shower in the room.

What does single supplement mean?

Single supplement is an optional upgrade for travellers who are travelling alone but do not wish to share with another traveller. The price of this upgrade varies by tour so please see the tour details for pricing. 

What is an onsen?

Onsen means natural hot spring and usually refers to a public spa. Some of the areas we pass through on our tours are famous for onsen and many of the places we stay have one that you can use. In Japan, bathing is ingrained into the culture and can be a real highlight of a trip here, especially a cycling one. Public baths are segregated by gender and swimsuits are not worn. For those who aren’t keen, all our accommodation has a private shower.

4. Food and Drink

What kind of food do we eat on tour?

Japanese cuisine has an incredible variety of fish, meat and vegetarian dishes and there is opportunity to sample many different kinds on this trip. At the hotels we stay at, dinner and breakfast are often buffet style. This is great because it allows you to try lots of different dishes and avoid the ones you don’t like. If you have any dietary requirements, please let us know in advance and we will do our best to accommodate.

5. Bike rental and bringing your own

What kind of bikes do you hire?

We have a great range of rental bikes available including road bikes, e-bikes, hybrid/cross bikes and kids bikes. See more details here

If I bring my own bike, how can I get it to the start of the tour?

If your bike is in a bag or box, you can take it on the train services in Japan, including the bullet train (shinkansen). There is also a courier service, allowing you to ship your bike to and from the airports of your arrival and departure. This service is specifically accessible from Tokyo (Narita and Haneda) and Osaka Kansai airports. By utilizing this service, you can travel without your bike and likewise, if you’re planning to extend your stay in Japan post-tour, but you do need to allow at least 3 working days for your bike to arrive. The approximate cost for this service is JPY 10,000 or $75 USD for a one-way shipment. Should you be interested in using this service, let us know and we’ll provide you with more details.

6. Tour grading/level

How are the tours graded?

Our tours are graded using a simple number system 1-5. Grade descriptions as follows:

Level 1: Light fitness –  Suitable for any level of cyclist but courses are designed with shorter distances and less climbing in mind. Folks who can cycle for 3-4 hours at a leisurly pace, upto and around 40km in distance. 

Level 2: Moderate – Similar to level 1 but will include a little more distance and climbing. Still perfectly achievable for someone with reasonable level of fitness and some cycling experience. Cycling upto 4-5 hours/ 50-60kms

Level 3:  Moderate to challenging – A good level of fitness required. While average distances will be around 60-70kms we will have some longer days (100km +) and some big climbs. Ride at your own pace and enjoy a nice balance of some big days in the saddle and plenty of time off the bike for cultural experiences. 

Level 4: Challenging – Similar to level 3 but with more big days and epic climbs and less time off the bike. Upto 150km days and some big mountain days. We are certainly not racing or going for any strava segments but you do need to be able to comfortably ride over 100kms with lots of climbing. 

Level 5: Epic – We dont have any itineraries in this category yet but we can cater for it, with our guides always keen for a challenge. If you have a group who are looking for a custom tour to really push the limit, get in touch – while we’re not interested in racing on our tours, we do like epic rides and Japan has plenty of options. Think upto 200km days with 3000+ meters vertical ascent. 

What kind of roads do we cycle on? 

Cycling is a fantastic way to explore the Japanese countryside and this is partly down to the wonderful roads we have here. We avoid highways and main roads, riding mainly on quiet country roads with very little traffic. Japanese drivers are generally extremely corteous to cyclists. 

7. Weather and Seasons

How is the weather in Japan?

Japan is a big country and climate varies greatly from North to South. Our tours are based around South Western Japan. Here we can cycle all year round with all seasons offering different experiences and highlights. Summers are hot and winters are short and relativley mild, although it can snow, especially up high in the mountains. We run most of our tours in the spring (March – May) and autumn (September – November). Both seasons are great for cycling with pleasant temperatures and stunning seasonal nature. The rainy season runs from early June to early July.  

8. Non-cyclist partners and children

I’m not a cyclist but my partner is. Can I join the tour?

Yes of course! While our tours are cycling tours, they still make for a fantastic trip even without the riding. The great thing about Japan, there is always a beautiful shrine or temple to explore, a local market to peruse or a short hike to do. There will also be opportunity to check into the hotel early and unwind in the spa.

Regarding children, for group tours we require that all children under the age of 18 be accompanied by an adult. On group guided cycling tours, the minimum age is 13 years old. For private tours, there is no age limit. We will work with you to accommodate your kids as best we can. We do have a limited number of kids bike, tag-along bikes and child seats. 

For any more questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch!