Mobara is a quiet city in central Chiba, on the eastern side of the Boso Peninsula, where the low hills of the interior meet the long, straight coast of Kujūkuri Beach. The landscape is a gentle mix of rice paddies, woods and small towns, with the hills rising gradually to the south and west.
A few kilometres north-west, at Chōnan, stands one of the most unusual temples in Japan. Kasamori-dera is built on top of a rocky outcrop, supported by a forest of wooden pillars, in a style that is said to be unique in the country. Climbing the steep stairs to the veranda gives you a view over the surrounding forest. To the east, Kujūkuri Beach stretches for some sixty kilometres along the Pacific, one of the longest beaches in Japan, popular with surfers.
The riding around Mobara is relaxed and pleasant. The roads through the hills are winding and wooded, with short climbs and descents, and the routes along the coast are flat and open, with the sea on one side and pine forests on the other. Traffic is light away from the main roads, though summer weekends bring crowds to the beach.
Mobara has fuel, food and basic services. As a start and finish, it offers a calm setting on the quieter side of the Boso Peninsula. The hills to the south, around Ōtaki and Isumi, offer more interesting riding through forests and valleys.