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Tsuchiura Cycling
Tsuchiura Cycling
Tsuchiura has become a hub for cycling with numerous facilities, including a cycle resort, cycle roads, marked routes, and rest areas. Inside the station building PLAYatré Tsuchiura is billed as Japan's largest cycle resort. The resort includes a large cycle store which does bike rental, including road bikes. Unfortunately, it doesn't open until 10 a.m. There is also a cycling-specific hotel called BEB5. You can read an article about "Japan's New Bicycle Tourism Dimension" in Cycling Industry News about PLAYatré Tsuchiura, BEB5, and cycling in the area.
There are two main cycle routes in the area, Mt Tsukuba Area and Kasumigaura Area, which together make up the 180-km long Kasumigaura Ring-Ring Road. There is information in English about the routes here. There are also marked cycle hill climbs, such as the "Tsukuba Kasumigaura Lake-to-Summit Route" and the "Hojo Oike Fudo Challenge" cycle hill climb, but there doesn't seem to be much online information about these. The three routes below include the best of these cycle routes.
Tsuchiura Station is only 50 minutes from Tokyo Station by the Tokiwa Limited Express on the Hitachi and Tokiwa (Joban) Line . This train starts at Shinagawa and also stops at Ueno. You need a limited express ticket which is less than 1000 yen.
1. Kasumigaura Loop
1. Kasumigaura Loop
Clockwise loop, starting near Tsuchiura (120 km loop, road / TT)
Access: Starts & finishes near Tsuchiura Station.
Much of this route follows the lakeside cycle path, It is perfect for riding down on the aero bars.
The cycle path also goes around the north part of the lake.
2. Kasumigaura - Mt Tsukuba - Kasumigaura
2. Kasumigaura - Mt Tsukuba - Kasumigaura
Along the "Ring-Ring Road" cycle path to Mt Tsukuba with a loop up to the cable car station (550 metres climb)
Access: Starts & finishes near Tsuchiura Station.
The start of the ride is near Tsuchiura at our usual start point for the bike path that loops around Kasumigaura lake. From Tsuchiura to the foot of Mt Tsukuba, there is an excellent bike path along an old railway line. This bike path is signposted from the lake. There is information here:
mlit.go.jp/road/bicycleuse/good-cycle-japan/national_cycle_route/tsukuba.html
The climb of Mt. Tsukuba is probably best done anticlockwise up a narrow road which winds steeply up through the trees. It is marked as a cycle route.
3. Tsuchiura - Mt Tsukuba Area - Kasumigaura - Tsuchiura Loop
3. Tsuchiura - Mt Tsukuba Area - Kasumigaura - Tsuchiura Loop
123 km, all asphalt, but some poorly maintained forest roads (rindo) and cycle paths, road bike with wide tyres recommended
Access: Starts & finishes near Tsuchiura Station.
This is an excellent 123 km loop on virtually traffic-free roads & cycle paths starting at Tsuchiura Station and heading north through the mountains surrounding Mt Tsukuba and then back alongside Kasumigaura to the start. You head out from Tsuchiura on the "Ring-Ring Road" cycle path, and then climb up towards Mt Tsukuba on the "Hojo Oike Fudo Challenge" cycle hill climb route. At the top, you join the Omote Tsukuba Skyline as far as the base of Mt Tsukuba, and then head north on small mountain roads and forest roads with little to no traffic. There are several climbs, including Ippon Sugi Pass and Dosojin Mountain Pass. Some of the forest roads have a lot of leaves and branches, but there are no gates and they are all asphalt.
Once you have descended from the last mountain pass, the route winds through quiet farm roads before joining the Koise River cycle path which is rather overgrown in places but still rideable. You join Lake Kasumigaura at its far northern point from where you ride on the lakeside cycle route back to the start.
This route is 100% asphalt, but many of the cycle paths and forest roads are poorly maintained so wider tyres (at least 30 mm) are recommended. There are no shops or even drinks machines in the mountains, so you will need plenty of water and food.
Road bike version: The following 95 km route avoids the poorly-maintained forest roads in the Dosojin Mountain Pass area.
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