About the tour
For those who want to explore
This is a unique tour that goes way deeper than almost any visitor could ever do themselves, an organised exploration of a village perched on steep slopes that started as an isolated hidden village, and will end someday in a similar way.
We want to preserve its unique history by sharing it with you, and keeping the memory alive even outside of Japan.
Hear the story of Japan's (formerly) smallest village
With deep roots to powerful families and mountain monk culture, irreparable damage was done when the dam swallowed half the village. The proud locals that stayed hold onto their culture the best they can, and we want to help them with that.
Experience the outcomes of the declining rural population and ageing population up close, as we explore the once-bustling village.
Make the most of our local connections and see more than you ever could yourself.
A relaxing onsen after lunch
A passionate local is doing everything he can to keep the village alive, including running a restaurant on weekends that serves delicious local favourites.
After lunch we'll enjoy a soak in the onsen hot spring in the village, a truly special experience in such a special environment.
Take a step off the Golden Route
Make a stop along the popular Tokaido Shinkansen at Toyohashi, and begin your adventure to discover some of the most convenient but incredibly remote mountain scenery and culture in Japan.
The JR Iida line is your gateway to Okumikawa (we recommend staying at Yuyaonsen).
Okumikawa is a region where ancient culture still remains.
Tour highlights
- See just how deep you can go into the mountains without needing a car
- Hear about the village's unique mountain culture and help us keep it alive in the minds of curious visitors
- Enjoy cycling along quiet roads with incredible views of the massive river
- Find peace in the quaint onsen hot spring after lunch
- Truly explore deep Japan in a way you cannot do yourself
Please note this tour has special considerations coming from the incredibly remote location and unique challenges, please see the FAQs below.
Hidden Deep Mountain Village Cycling Day Tour
About your hosts
We are an Australian/Japanese couple that have loved this part of Japan for a long time. In 2023 we were able to buy our dream house in Okumikawa, and we've made it our mission to spread our love of this incredible place and its stories as much as we can.
We can't wait to share this place with you!
What we'll do in detail
Meet at Yuyaonsen Station at 9:30am
We'll meet, then take the train through countless tunnels and picturesque valleys and villages.
Pick up rental cycles and start our ride through the village and along the river.
As we ride towards the restaurant for a great lunch, we'll share the basics of the village and it's story as we enjoy the scenery.
Lunch, then a relaxing soak in the onsen nearby.
The restaurant in the village is run by a passionate local who does anything he can to keep it alive. His meals are great and the restaurant is a favourite for visitors to the deeper mountains of Okumikawa. After lunch we'll visit the tiny onsen hot spring for a soak, the kind of quaint onsen experience that you can't easily find in Japan.
Continue exploring the village, scaling tiny hidden pathways. Visit the Kumano Shrine that watches over the village.
On foot we'll walk through the steep and tiny pathways around the village, sharing the lifestyle in such an extreme place. If we're lucky, we can meet a local or two, and depending on the season, we can also explore the old school grounds (that feel surreal). Finally we'll visit the Kumano shrine that dates back to the start of the village, and pay respects to the kami that have been there for centuries. The atmosphere at the shrine is very special, something any fan of Japan needs to experience.
Leave on the train at 4pm, arriving at Yuyaonsen just after 5pm where we end the tour.
Not staying at Yuyaonsen after the tour? You can continue on the train to Toyohashi Station (arriving around 6:30pm) to transfer to the Shinkansen.
Price
¥16,000/person
Minimum 2 guests (please get in touch if you are a solo traveller). Maximum 4 guests. Please see inclusions/exclusions and special refund conditions in the FAQs on this page. Transport fares are not included. The day's train fares are roughly ¥1,720 per adult if starting the tour from Yuyaonsen Station.
Request this tour
FAQs and details
Tour dates
Possible Tour Dates
The tour does not run in January, and we will need to double check before offering tours in December/February. Tours run through Summer but please note that the weather will be very hot, and for many people it may be too hot for physical exercise. We apologise for any inconvenience in advance.
Tour is only available on weekends
The restaurant and onsen are only open on weekends, so this limits the tour to those days. Please contact us if you would like to do the tour on other days, and we may be able to work with you to create a no-lunch, no-onsen variation.
Transport - getting to/from the tour
This tour is a day trip from Yuyaonsen Station. The train ride from Yuyaonsen Station to the village is over an hour, and the return trip is roughly an hour.
Yuyaonsen has great accommodation, and we can help you choose the right place to stay.
The tour is possible from Toyohashi (Shinkansen service), but the times on the train are significant.
What is included/excluded in the price?
Included in the tour:
- Bike hire for the day
- Onsen (hot spring) entry
Not included in the tour:
- Train fares
- Drinks and water (please bring a large water bottle per person)
- Lunch
What do I need for the tour?
- An exploratory attitude. This is not your ordinary tour, we explore a village that is close to disappearing, and because of that we ask guests to bring a respectful and curious attitude to the tour - just like we guides do when we visit.
- Some fitness - this tour involves cycling on reasonably flat roads for about 1 hour total, and walking up steps and steep paths through the village.
- Shoes suitable for walking - preferably hiking shoes.
- A hat, and preferably a sun shirt, sunglasses, and sunscreen - especially in warmer months.
- A water bottle (even a reused drink bottle in a pinch).
- Sufficient travel insurance for this type of activity - we are not responsible for injuries that may occur on the tour, and in the case of injury we will make sure medical attention is received as quickly as possible. The Japanese medical system is quite fair, but some travel insurance companies are not.
Cancellations, refunds, and bad weather
Please see our page on Tour Policies and Conditions
This tour has additional conditions for refunds due to the remote nature of the tour. We ask for your cooperation as we work with the challenges of deep mountain Japan.
Refunds cannot be given in cases where:
- Bicycles are not available, and we must walk instead.
- The one restaurant closes unexpectedly (we bring some snacks as a backup but there are no other opportunities for food)
- The onsen closes unexpectedly
We thank you in advance for understanding - we're all in it together on the tour as we share this village with you.