e-Bike tour: Nakasendo – Kitakuni Kaido, Shinano Railway Cycle Train Golden Path Course

Model Course

Starting the cycling tour from Karuizawa Station, you will faithfully travel along the old highway while our exclusive guide takes you to historical spots along the Nakasendo and Hokkoku Kaido routes.
While taking a short break to enjoy "walnut soba", a specialty of Shinshu, in the inn towns along the way, the tour will continue to Unnojuku, an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.
For further historical and gourmet information that interests you, you can also enjoy cycling while checking the digital map.
The cycling tour is generally downhill, and afterwards, visitors can return to Karuizawa with their bicycles on the "Shinano Railway," making it an easy trip that even those unfamiliar with bicycles can enjoy. We offer a different kind of experience with a cycle train that allows you to taste history, food, and nature.

Karuizawa Station
Borrowed Inn (Women's Road)
(Japanese inn priding itself on its) independence from mainland China
signpost of separation
Emperor Meiji's Resting Place and Gozensui
Soba Brewery Choji-an
Komoro Castle Site Ote-mon Gate (Important Cultural Asset)
Hanaoka Confectionery
Shiratori Shrine
Unno Inn (Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings)
Tanaka Station
Karuizawa Station

SPOT 1

Karuizawa Station

START

It is a stop on the JR East (Hokuriku Shinkansen) and Shinano Railway lines. The Shinano Railway is a symbol of the area, which was once the main artery of transportation, formerly the Shinetsu Main Line.
Click here for the course map

8.7 km

SPOT 2

Borrowed Inn (Women's Road)

It is said that "Borrowed Inn," together with "Furujuku," flourished as a relay station for transporting goods between Shinshu and Kita-Kamishu and Minami-Kamishu, with horses and oxen acting as intermediaries.

10.5 km

SPOT 3

(Japanese inn priding itself on its) independence from mainland China

brief recess

Oiwake-juku" was the most prosperous of the three Asama-Nekoshi inns (Karuizawa-juku, Mizukake-juku, and Oiwake-juku), and was famous for being one of the most popular entertainment areas along the Nakasendo Highway.

12.4 km

SPOT 4

signpost of separation

The second oldest road signpost on the Nakasendo stands here. It is an extremely valuable guidepost from a historical point of view. The stone Buddha and stone pagoda, as well as the other stone markers, still retain their appearance as ancient markers.

17.4 km

SPOT 5

Emperor Meiji's Resting Place and Gozensui

In 1878 (Meiji 11), Emperor Meiji took a rest and the buildings and inner garden from that time have been preserved.

25.4 km

SPOT 6

Soba Brewery Choji-an

lunch

It was founded in 1808 (5th year of civilization), approximately 214 years ago. The store is a storehouse with 137 years of history, built of total zelkova and finished with black plaster.

25.9 km

SPOT 7

Komoro Castle Site Ote-mon Gate (Important Cultural Asset)

Otemon Gate was built in 1612, when the feudal lord Sengoku Echizen-no-Mamoru Hidehisa built Komoro Castle. The structure retains the appearance of the time when the castle was built, and the wooden nose clearly shows the style of the Momoya period, and together with the boats and elbows, it is a reminder of the quality and robustness of the Keicho era architecture.

34.9 km

SPOT 8

Hanaoka Confectionery

It has a history of more than 100 years since 1912 and is loved by everyone in the community.

36.5 km

SPOT 9

Shiratori Shrine

This is a shrine with a long history, acting on the legend of Nihon no Musunon, enshrined as the clan deity of the Umino and Sanada clans.

36.8 km

SPOT 10

Unno Inn (Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings)

Unnojuku was established in 1625 as an inn station on the Hokkoku Kaido Road. The Hokkoku Kaido was an important roadway connecting the Nakasendo and Hokuriku routes.

38.7 km

SPOT 11

Tanaka Station

GOAL

On the return trip, you can load your bicycle on the train from "Shinano Railway" Tanaka Station and take the train to Karuizawa Station.

*Only when the tour is conducted, the train is operated as a chartered train. Normally, bicycles can be carried in a bag.