Private Tour
Japan's Rural Life & Nature: Private Half Day Cycling Near Kyoto
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Just a 20 minute shinkansen ride from Kyoto to our starting point, we offer an easy way to explore small town rural life in Japan on this leisurely beginner-friendly ride, with a local resident guide, fluent in English, to help you enjoy our area’s unique geographical and historical points of interest.
This 13km course features a broad range of sights such as rice and agriculture fields, historic trade routes, local villages combining old and new ways of life, a temple and shrine, a brief hike, and the shores of Lake Biwa, all in about 3 hours.
In our tours, we hope to both share and preserve our local culture and traditions. Toward this goal, we also work closely with municipalities and residents to ensure that we always respect the wishes and needs of the local communities that we visit.
Our convenient location and short tour time make it easy to explore more before or after your tour too, such as visiting Hikone Castle, or Lake Biwa!
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Maibara
Our tour starts and ends at Maibara Station, and the 13km course follows the farming areas and villages surrounding Maibara, which in the past few decades have been merged into Maibara itself for governing purposes. Throughout the tour, our guide will slowly introduce you to this rural community which is both exemplary of traditional small town life, but also has many uniquely defining points of local culture.
This Chinese-influenced Zen temple is also the name used to describe the surrounding small village community. We'll stop briefly to get a look at both, as this is a great example of a typical traditional rural village.
What‘s Included
Use of bicycle
Professional Guide
Coffee and/or Tea
Lunch
Options
Japan's Rural Life & Nature: Private Half Day Cycling Near Kyoto
Reviews
13 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
A great way to experience the beauty outside Japan’s tourist spots
jaredcX3554GC,,Nov 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Tako san is an amazing tour guide. She lived in the States for a while so she’s fully fluent in English. She really knows the history of Japan (complete with a handy binder), and of the local area (a very nice old man came out to greet her and ended up spending some time with us and showing us festival fare). The countryside is truly beautiful, but it can be intimidating in a foreign country to just go wandering by yourself. This tour was a perfect way to experience a slice of life and nature outside the big cities of Japan. Side note: Yu san was assisting on our tour, and she was a delight to talk to.
Enjoyable bike ride
Deep3245,,May 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Relaxing way to see a bit of rural Japan. Friendly, knowledgable and well prepared tour guide. Historical and cultural information is shared as well.
Tako was amazing.
G5958ODsusand,,Apr 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Tako was amazing. So great to escape the city and visit villages, lakeside, mountains, see agriculture and rice paddies and learn about country life. Everyone was so friendly in this area. Easy from Kyoto.. highly recommend as a change from the cities.
Rural country ride
720narelleb,,Nov 7, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Tako took us on a journey through the rural backstreets and provided great insight to the history of the town. Despite the rain we had an amazing day and would highly recommend the experience
Wonderful experience cycling in rural Japan
Nomad26108969890,,May 26, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The half-day cycling tour was one of the highlights of my recent trip to Japan. Tako was a fantastic guide, and seeing a side of Japan outside the tourist hotspots in Kyoto, Tokyo, and Osaka was (literally) a welcome breath of fresh air. I highly recommend booking one of these tours to get a small glimpse into life outside of the major cities or tourist hotspots. My only regret is that I didn't book one of the full-day tours instead!
Perfect Escape from Kyoto Crowds
T3244QKjennad,,Apr 1, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a wonderful time biking through multiple villages and the beautiful lakeside. Tako was a great host! Super friendly and knowledgeable about Japanese history and the area. The tour also included pit stops at a shrine, caves, and a lookout point where we enjoyed tea and delicious local snacks. We would highly recommend this tour as a great way to explore a beautiful rural area we otherwise would have missed if only hitting the major tourist areas of Japan!
Awesome break from the city.
heidio2020,,Nov 22, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a terrific bike tour with Tako. It was great to get out of the city and take a break from seeing temples for a day. Cycling through some small villages and along the lake was fun for my 11 year old daughter as well. At the end, Tako even gave us a ride to Hikone Castle--talk about above and beyond service!
Fun Cycle in countryside near Kyoto
Navigator29974424516,,Oct 31, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Taco met us at the station in Maibara. We noticed right away that her command of English was excellent. The bicycles were brand new . We enjoyed seeing the small villages and rice paddies of the local farmers . We had a nice ride down to Lake Biwa on a lot of backroads . Very safe and relatively easy for beginners. Nice break from hustle and bustle of Kyoto. Highly recommend this excursion.
Best way to experience Japan
70renaed,,May 23, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was hands down the best adventure I had ever taken. Touring around rural towns, the rice fields and the temple stops were just amazing. My friend and I had a great time and will definitely recommend.
"Beautiful Adventure"
madsh806,,Apr 8, 2020
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This tour is fantastic and a lot of fun. The guides are all very friendly and knowledgable about the area. If you're interested in having a more personal tour or having a more local experience in Japan this is a must do. Don't be afraid to ask your guide if you want to stop somewhere along the tour to take pictures or pop in a shop quickly
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