Japan Bike Tour

Even at five-star, Western-style hotels in Japan, the local preference for ordered austere aesthetics is prioritized. This means simple rooms with fewer amenities than one might find at a typical Backroads Luxury Hotel and an emphasis on tranquility and refined onsen (Japanese-style spas).

Japan’s fierce pride in its cuisine offers many culinary riches. This same pride, however, also creates an inflexibility that can be challenging for Western guests. Menus are planned well in advance, and Japanese restaurants are not accustomed to or able to make substitutions or additions, even if requested several days in advance.

Japanese menus include a significant amount of seafood and beef in most meals. Crucially, soy sauce and bonito (made from smoked skipjack tuna) are used as base ingredients throughout Japanese cuisine. Because of this, Japanese cuisine is not conducive to celiac or kosher diets and adhering to strict vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets while in Japan requires careful planning so alternate dishes can be prepared. It is critical to ensure that the dietary information you provide to Backroads in advance of your trip is accurate and representative of what you want to eat in Japan, since changes or “cheats” will generally not be possible once on trip.

In order to access the most scenic routes and significant points of interest on this trip, strategic shuttles are incorporated into several days of our itinerary. Most will be limited to an hour or so at a time, but on some days you can expect to spend a bit more time in the shuttle—though always to reach a worthwhile destination!