Nara Prefecture

Although it may have a reputation for cars, motorbikes, and speedy trains, Japan is also a cycle-loving nation whose residents use a bicycle as their primary mode of transport. You can buy all kinds of bikes, either new or second-hand, and even rent them for short periods. Kansai is a beautiful part of the country, blessed with coastlines, mountain routes, and natural trails. It’s a great region to explore by cycle. Here are a handful of bike routes worth checking out. Lake Biwa Lake Biwa is Japan’s largest lake and is so popular for cycling that it forms one of the Japanese government’s three national cycling routes. The circumference of the whole lake is around 230 km, so cycling around the entire lake takes 2-3 days. Fortunately, there are plenty of rail stations and accommodation en route, making it easy to break the journey down into stages. A few bridges across the lake also allow for shorter mini-loops. For example, one mini loop is the southern lake route, where you start in the town of Otsu (close to Kyoto) and cross Lake Biwa Bridge partway along the journey and return to the town. This route is just under 50 km.…