Japan's Rural Life & Nature: Private Half Day Cycling Near Kyoto

Things to know

About the Activity
Pricing and Availability
Inclusions & Exclusions
More Activities in Shiga Prefecture
Itinerary
Meeting and Pickup
Additional Information
Language And Guide
Ticket Details
Cancellation & Refunds
Reviews from Travelers

About the Activity

Just a 20 minute shinkansen ride from Kyoto to our starting point, we offer an easy way to explore small town rural life in Japan on this leisurely beginner-friendly ride, with a local resident guide, fluent in English, to help you enjoy our area’s unique geographical and historical points of interest. This 13km course features a broad range of sights such as rice and agriculture fields, historic trade routes, local villages combining old and new ways of life, a temple and shrine, a brief hike, and the shores of Lake Biwa, all in about 3 hours. In our tours, we hope to both share and preserve our local culture and traditions. Toward this goal, we also work closely with municipalities and residents to ensure that we always respect the wishes and needs of the local communities that we visit. Our convenient location and short tour time make it easy to explore more before or after your tour too, such as visiting Hikone Castle, or Lake Biwa!

3 hours to 4 hours

Private Tour

Mobile ticket

Availability and Prices

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

Travel Date

Travelers

Adult : 1

Inclusions & Exclusions

Use of equipment : Bicycle use. Use of bicycle

Professional Guide

Food and drink : Tea and coffee. Coffee and/or Tea

Food and drink : Lunch. Lunch

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Travel Itinerary

Exclusive to travelers from this booking.

Locations in the itinerary

Maibara

Maibara, JapanOur tour starts and ends at Maibara Station, and the 13km course follows the farming areas and villages surrounding Maibara, which in the past few decades have been merged into Maibara itself for governing purposes. Throughout the tour, our guide will slowly introduce you to this rural community which is both exemplary of traditional small town life, but also has many uniquely defining points of local culture.1 hour • Admission Ticket FreeView Location

This Chinese-influenced Zen temple is also the name used to describe the surrounding small village community. We'll stop briefly to get a look at both, as this is a great example of a typical traditional rural village.15 minutes • Admission Ticket FreeView Location

Iwaya Zenkodo Temple

Iogi, Maibara, Japan, 521-0091We stop at this small 120-meter-high mountain for a short hike and refreshments. The temple was built into the side of the mountain! There's also an Inari Shrine here, as well as an old manmade cave with a unique history. The top of the mountain offers a beautiful view of Maibara and Lake Biwa. After this stop, we make our way through local rice and wheat fields to the shore of Lake Biwa with occasional stops, before circling back toward Maibara Station.30 minutes • Admission Ticket IncludedView Location

We'll stop at this natural spring well shared by the local community since long ago, as part of the underground waterway between Mt. Ibuki and Lake Biwa. This water is untreated and not for drinking, but many locals use it for washing vegetables and for gardening. This section of the course is great for getting an up-close look at a variety of local agriculture, and just after this stop, we'll also stop at the shore of Lake Biwa.10 minutes • Admission Ticket FreeView Location

In pre-war Japan, this farm area was actually a smaller inland lake near Lake Biwa, but was drained and converted to farm land to provide much needed rice for the recovering post-war nation. Enjoy the agricultural scenery of this historical area as we make our way back to Maibara Station.View Location

Meeting and Pickup

Starting point

To get to JR Maibara Station from JR Kyoto Station, please take the bullet train eastbound. Please note that some Hikari and all Nozomi do not stop at Maibara. We will inform you of the train schedule once confirmed. View Location

End point

Pickup details

Customers must make their own way to and meet at the start point

Travelers CANNOT choose a custom pickup or meeting location.

Additional Information

Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Language And Guide

Tour Guide Available In

English

Ticket Details

Mobile or paper ticket accepted
One per booking

Ticket Redemption

No redemption point. This is a direct entry ticket

Cancellation & Refunds

Cancellable up to 24 hours before the travel date (local supplier time) for a full refund. A 100% cancellation penalty applies for cancellations submitted less than 24 hours before the start time.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Suplier may cancel the activity on account of bad weather conditions.
Cancel at least 1 day before activity starts in Asia/Tokyo time to receive 100% refund.

Reviews from Travelers

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Operated by Biwako Backroads - Rural Japan ToursCreated on 18 Nov 2019Created on 01 Jul 2024

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