cycling IN Gotemba & oyama
Gotemba & OYAMA have many great things to enjoy on & off the bike – ENJOY EVERYTHING THE AREA HAS TO OFFER with Mt Fuji as your backdrop.
Not only the majestic home of Mt.Fuji, Shizuoka has an abundance of riding options for all levels of cycle tourist. The Prefecture will also be home to nearly all of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games cycling events.
Cycling in Gotemba
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AREA
MT FUJI, SHOPPING, WHISKY, GOLF, HOT SPRINGS
Gotemba is a highland city that lies at the south-eastern side of Mount Fuji and is surrounded by a rich natural environment. It is located in the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park just over the hill from the famous Hakone area and close to Fuji 5 lakes and makes a great base from which to explore both of these areas with the ever present mountain providing a stunning vista to enjoy as you cycle.
As with many of the other areas around the iconic mountain there are also numerous onsen / hot springs in the area that will help soak away the aches and pains, great food options to enjoy, locally brewed beer and distilled whisky to help you kick back and relax.
With all of this on offer the Gotemba / Oyama area makes for a great cycling destination that is easily accessible from Tokyo.
HOW TO GET THERE AND AROUND
If you have a JR Rail Pass it is a 25 min Bullet Train ride from Shin-Yokohama station (55 min from Tokyo Station) to Mishima station, a 5 min trip on the local train to Numazu station and finally a 40 min local train to Gotemba station – some accommodation providers and the Outlet Mall have direct buses available from Mishima Station that take between 40 mins to 1 hour.
If you don’t have a rail pass, you are staying closer to Shinjuku Station or you only have 1 day free there is a direct Odakyu Romance Car train that leaves at 06:40 am will get you to Gotemba Station in 1 hr 40 mins.
There is a return Romance Car Train that leaves Gotemba Station at 18:47 pm getting you back to Shinjuku station at 20:20pm – leaving enough time for a decent day trip cycle up to Gotemba New 5th station, an onsen and some good food before heading back to the big city.
Check SHIZUOKA GUIDE for a detailed list of cycling courses, and associated downloadable route data, available in the Gotemba Area with a range from Beginner through to Expert level options.
The Gotemba area has many great things to enjoy off the bike – such as outlet mall shopping, horseback riding, trekking or a round of golf with Mt Fuji as your backdrop.
Mishima Station
Mishima Station has something for everyone - for active types who like to get out & moving AND the more laid back types or families who just want to get away from the hustle & bustle of everyday life or want to get your Mt Fuji moment.
Here are some examples of the many experiences accessible from Mishima Station -
FAMILY
If you are traveling with children the petting zoo in Rakujuen, Mishima Skywalk in and around Mishima or the Panorama Park gondola, Geisha experience and Naruyama tea picking in Izunagaoka are great options to keep the young ones amused.
REFRESH
If you enjoy gardens, shrines, parks and museums try a guided walk around Mishima and visit Mishima Taisha Shrine and Kajouen Park or try this one day model course for Mishima.
Travel to the ancient hot spring town of Shuzenji where people have been visiting for centuries to escape the pressures of everyday life and enjoy true Japanese hospitality.
ENERGIZE
If you are active and you like to get out and enjoy hiking, golf, cycling, horse riding there are a number of options for you. Teeing off with Mt Fuji as your background is possibly the ultimate for any golf lover - try this 2-day self guided model course for Gotemba for a mix of outdoor activities and experiences to get you energized.
CHECK MT FUJI TRAVEL FOR EXPERIENCES AND ACTIVITIES EASILY ACCESSIBLE FROM MISHIMA STATION
Cycling in Oyama
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AREA
MT FUJI, FUJI SPEEDWAY, OLYMPIC ROAD RACE FINISH & TIME-TRIAL EVENTS
Oyama is located in the far north-eastern corner of Shizuoka Prefecture, not far from Gotemba and very close to Kawaguchiko in neighbouring Yamanashi Prefecture.
Located in between the Tanzawa Mountains and the foothills of Mt Fuji, the town has an average altitude of 800 meters.
The region is quite hilly and suited to road cycling for intermediate to advanced levels providing a variety of challenging climb.
The most famous climb in the area is the ‘Azami Line’ up Mt Fuji.
The diabolically steep ‘Azami Line’ consists of 12 kms of road that snakes up to the 5th Station of Mt.Fuji.
With a ‘World Class’ difficulty rating it is used for several cycling events throughout the year where riders come to test themselves on the 12% average gradient.
HOW TO GET THERE AND AROUND
Oyama is accessible by train from Gotemba Station which is in turn easily accessible by train, bus or car from Tokyo.
Catching the early morning Romance Car from Shinjuku to Gotemba Station and then jumping on the bike and riding up to the Speedway and the Azami Line is popular with weekend Japanese cyclists looking for a challenging ride outside of Tokyo that is relatively easy to get to.
Check SHIZUOKA GUIDE for a detailed list of cycling courses available in the Oyama Area – which includes the Olympics Legacy Course Around Mt. Fuji.
Oyama is home to the iconic Mt Fuji Speedway – this legendary car racing circuit was selected as the finish line of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Road Race and to host Time-Trial events during the event.
Cycling In Shizuoka
Shizuoka is a great cycling destination for all levels. Temperate climate, good roads, steep climbs and… Mt Fuji. Choose from any of the following JR Bullet Train stations as a starting point for your Shizuoka Cycling adventure.
GOTEMBA & OYAMA
Heading North from Mishima Station you can easily get to Gotemba and Oyama at the Eastern Foothills of Mt Fuji… Head North and you can access the western coastline of Izu Peninsula. Take the train from Mishima Station to Izu Nagaoka and check out the Merida Showroom which is a cyclists dream come true… Read More
IZU PENINSULA
Atami Station is the gateway to Izu Peninsula rugged East coast road which boasts some of the best ocean coastal roads in Japan… Read More
FUJINOMIYA AREA
From Shin Fuji Station it is easy to access the town of Fujinomiya at the foothills of Mt Fuji on the JR Minoru Line. Once you arrive in Fujinomiya spend an hour or so cycling around this idyllic Japanese town, grab a coffee and marvel at… Read More
HAMAMATSU AREA
After arriving at Hamamatsu Station head to In Hamamatsu information desk to leave luggage, get information on local cycling areas – rental bikes are also available…Read More
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