Okutama and Chichibu Forest Roads

A 420 km loop

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Why this ride

A rider’s loop: clean exit, memorable middle, calm return. A 420 km loop that starts and ends near Honchō, about 8 h 44 of riding. The stops in between: Sano, near Nagatoro, near Hadano and Chōfu. The climb of the day is near Kimitsu.

Roadbook

1. Fuel stop near Honchō fuel

   Honchō is the central district of Funabashi, a big commuter city on the northern shore of Tokyo Bay in Chiba Prefecture. This is not riding country in itself; it is the urban sprawl you have to pass through to get from Tokyo towards the mountains and coasts beyond, and the best attitude is patience and a full tank.

   Funabashi has been a stop on the road for centuries. During the Edo period it was a post town on the routes leading east from the capital, and its old shrine, Funabashi Daijingū, is said to be very old. Today the city is a dense mix of apartments, shopping streets, railway lines and expressways, with the vast Lalaport shopping complex and the Sanbanze tidal flats on the bay, where shellfish gatherers still work and migratory birds gather. The area is also known for its nashi pears, sold in late summer at roadside stands on the outskirts.

   Riding here means traffic lights, scooters, delivery vans and lane splitting by locals. Routes 14 and 357 run along the bay, while the Keiyō Road and the Higashi-Kantō Expressway offer faster escapes. Expressways are tolled, and ETC cards make the process smoother, though cash lanes still exist. Summer heat and humidity can be oppressive in stop-start traffic, so plan an early departure.

   Fuel stations are plentiful, many of them self-service, others with attendants who will guide you in, fill up and even wipe your mirror. Convenience stores are everywhere and make great rest stops, with coffee, onigiri and clean toilets. Take a break here, check your route, and head out towards the Bōsō Peninsula or north towards the mountains of Tochigi and Fukushima, where the real riding begins.

2. Near Sano, on the way back swim

   Sano ramen is the first thing to say about this corner of Tochigi. The town is known across Japan for noodles that are flat, springy and kneaded by bamboo poles, served in a clear soy broth that tastes clean and slightly sweet. It also has a famous outlet mall and a temple devoted to warding off bad luck, so the town has a steady flow of visitors.

   The terrain is the plain of the Watarase and Tone rivers, marked by drainage channels, levees and rice, with the edge of the Ryōmō hills rising to the north. A few kilometres west, Tatebayashi is known for two things. In spring, the azaleas of Tsutsujigaoka Park bloom in thousands, some of them hundreds of years old, and a festival draws visitors from all over the Kantō. The Morin-ji temple preserves the folk tale of the Bunbuku Chagama, a tanuki that turned into a tea kettle and brought good fortune to a poor priest. It is a cheerful bit of local lore.

   South-east of here, the Watarase retention basin is a large wetland where four prefectures meet, built to control flooding and now registered as a Ramsar site, a good place for reeds, herons and migrating birds. In winter, harriers hunt over the reeds and the whole area has a stark beauty. This is not the Japan of mountains and temples but a quiet, productive heartland of vegetables and rice, and the landscape rewards slow looking.

   For riders, the roads are flat and straight, which suits an early start from Tokyo before heading to the hills. Fuel is easy, with Sano, Tatebayashi and Fujioka all within a short ride and plenty of stations along the main roads. Ride with attention to crossings, since farm traffic and local drivers do not always look. Pick a hot day and the plain can be oppressive, so take your time and keep water on the bike. In November, when the harvest is done and the air is clear, the views to the mountains are some of the best of the year.

3. Food stop near Nagatoro food

   Nagatoro is a small town in the hills of western Saitama where the Arakawa river squeezes through a gorge of layered grey-green rock, and that rock is the reason the place is famous. Along the riverbank lies the Iwadatami, a broad flat terrace of crystalline schist, worn smooth by the water and split into slabs like stepping stones, and it is a national natural monument. Japanese geologists have studied it since the late nineteenth century, and Nagatoro calls itself the birthplace of Japanese geology, with the Saitama Museum of Natural History right in town.

   The river is the show. Flat-bottomed wooden boats, steered by boatmen with long poles, carry visitors down the rapids between the rock walls, and in summer there is rafting and canoeing. The water is clear and green, and on hot days families sit on the rocks with their feet in it. In autumn, the maples along the gorge turn red, and in spring cherry blossoms line the river and the road. Above the town, a ropeway climbs Mount Hodo, where wintersweet flowers bloom in January and February, and the Hodosan shrine sits among old trees at its foot.

   As a food stop, Nagatoro and the Chichibu area have their own specialities. Kakigori, shaved ice, is a summer ritual here, made from natural ice harvested in winter from ponds in the mountains, light and fluffy and topped with syrups. Chichibu is also known for miso potatoes, fried and coated in sweet miso sauce, and for waraji katsu, huge breaded pork cutlets shaped like straw sandals. Soba noodles made from local buckwheat are another good choice, cold on a hot day or hot in winter.

   The riding to and from Nagatoro is a pleasure. Route 140 follows the Arakawa valley from Yorii, with gentle bends, good surfaces and views of the river, and the roads up into the Chichibu mountains climb through forests to passes and lookout points, with tight corners and very little traffic on weekdays. Chichibu Muse Park, on a ridge above the city of Chichibu, has wide views over the basin and the mountains. On weekends, the main roads can be busy with day-trippers from Tokyo.

   Nagatoro has fuel, convenience stores and many small restaurants and cafés along the main street near the station. Arrive early, before the tour buses, and watch the boats glide through the gorge in the morning light.

4. Photo stop near Hadano photo

   Hadano lies in a basin at the southern foot of the Tanzawa mountains, west of Tokyo, and for Kanto riders it means one thing: the Yabitsu Pass. Prefectural Route 70 climbs north from Hadano over the Yabitsu Pass into the Tanzawa and down to Lake Miyagase, a narrow, twisting road through dense forest, with countless tight bends and steep gradients. It is a legendary road among motorcyclists and cyclists, and on weekends it is busy with both.

   Hadano has a long agricultural history. It was once famous for tobacco, grown on the slopes of the basin, and today it is known for its peanuts, sold roasted in shops around the town. The Tanzawa mountains are popular with hikers, and the trails up to the peaks of Tōnodake and Ōyama offer views over the Kanto plain and Sagami Bay. Ōyama, to the east, is a sacred mountain with a shrine near its summit, a pilgrimage site since the Edo period.

   The Yabitsu Pass road demands respect. It is narrow, with blind corners, damp patches under the trees and gravel washed down from the slopes. Oncoming traffic can cut corners, and cyclists climb slowly. The road is sometimes closed after heavy rain or landslides, so check before you go. Wildlife, including deer, monkeys and wild boar, is common.

   As a photo stop and finish, the view over the Hadano basin from the lower slopes, with the town spread out below and the sea beyond, is lovely. Fuel and food are available in Hadano. The local hot spring at Tsurumaki is a good place to soak after a ride.

5. Near Chōfu finish

   Doraemon lives here, in a manner of speaking. The museum of Fujiko F. Fujio, the manga artist who created the robot cat, stands in the green hills of Kawasaki's Tama ward, a short ride south of the Tama River, and it is a pilgrimage site for anyone who grew up with the character. Next to it, the Ikuta Ryokuchi park preserves a collection of old farmhouses brought from all over Japan, with thatched roofs, earthen floors and open hearths, a world away from the city.

   This finish lies on the edge of Tokyo, between Komae and the Tama River, where the hills of the Tama area rise from the flat plain. The river is broad and gravelly, with wide banks used for sports, picnics and walking, and on summer evenings it is a cool, open space in the crowded city.

   Noborito, on the Kawasaki side, is a lively neighbourhood with a station, shops and restaurants, and the hills behind it are covered with woods and parks. The view from the hills over the river and the city is fine on a clear day.

   Coming back from Okutama and Chichibu, the last leg runs along the Tama River downstream, through the suburbs of western Tokyo, and the traffic can be heavy. Plan for delays on weekend evenings.

   The museum and folk-house park keep daytime hours, so this works best if you are back by mid-afternoon. Otherwise, settle for the river: park near the bank, watch the trains rumble across the bridge, and let the mountains of Okutama replay in your head.

6. High point near Kimitsu pass

   Kimitsu runs from the industrial shore of Tokyo Bay deep into the forested hills of the inner Boso peninsula, and the contrast is striking. On the coast, the Nippon Steel works stretches for kilometres, a tangle of furnaces, chimneys and cranes. Inland, within half an hour, you are among steep green hills, narrow valleys and reservoirs, with hardly a building in sight.

   The scenic heart of the area is Kanōzan, a low mountain with an old temple at the top and a viewpoint over the Kujūkutani, the ninety-nine valleys. On autumn and winter mornings, mist often fills the valleys below, creating a sea of clouds with the ridges rising like islands. It is a famous sight, and photographers gather at dawn to capture it.

   The Kameyama dam lake, further south, is a long, winding reservoir surrounded by forests, and in late November the autumn leaves turn the slopes red and gold. The roads around the lake are narrow and twisty, with little traffic and fine views.

   For riders, the inner Boso offers a network of quiet roads with tight bends, steep climbs and tunnels. The tarmac is decent on the whole, though leaves, moss and fallen branches can make the roads slippery, especially in autumn and after rain. Watch out for deer and monkeys, which are common in the forests.

   The Aqua-Line, the tunnel and bridge across Tokyo Bay from Kawasaki, lands in nearby Kisarazu, making the area easily accessible from Tokyo. Do your shopping on the coast. The hills are thinly populated, and the stations that do exist inland keep short hours, so leave the bay side with a full tank.

7. Scenic stretch near Kisarazu scenic

   Kisarazu is the Chiba end of the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line, and for riders that alone makes it special. The Aqua-Line crosses the bay from Kawasaki in two halves: a long tunnel under the water, then a low bridge that skims across the surface for several kilometres into Kisarazu. In the middle sits Umihotaru, an artificial island with a parking area, restaurants and a deck with views over the bay, where on a clear day you can see Mount Fuji to the west and the towers of Tokyo and Yokohama to the north. It is tolled, and crosswinds on the bridge section can be fierce.

   The town itself is an old port on the eastern shore of the bay. Its tidal flats are known for clam digging, shiohigari, a favourite family outing in spring and early summer, and asari clams turn up in local dishes. The temple of Shojoji is associated with a well-known folk song about dancing tanuki, the mischievous raccoon dogs of Japanese legend, and you will find tanuki statues around the town.

   As a food stop and finish, Kisarazu has plenty to offer, from seafood restaurants near the harbour to family restaurants and convenience stores along the main roads. A bowl of clam ramen or a seafood rice bowl makes a fine end to a day.

   The roads inland from Kisarazu lead into the Boso hills, with winding routes through forests and small valleys towards the Pacific coast. The hills are low but steep, and the roads can be narrow and twisting. Traffic is heavy around the Aqua-Line approaches on weekends, especially in the evening, when everyone heads back to Tokyo. Fuel is plentiful.

8. Back to Okutama and finish

   Pears are the local pride. This part of Chiba, east of Tokyo, has been growing Japanese pears since the Edo period, and the orchards of Ichikawa, Matsudo and Funabashi are among the oldest in the country, with roadside stalls selling fruit in late summer.

   For a ride that began in the Okutama and Chichibu mountains, it is a long way from the hills. The roads here are straight and busy, with traffic lights and roundabouts, and the surface is good. Route 16 and the Hokusō railway line cross the area, and Narita airport is thirty kilometres to the east, which means occasional aircraft overhead. The best riding is in early morning or late evening, when the traffic is thin and the autumn light is soft.

   The plateau has a quiet history. In the Edo period, the government kept horses on pasture land here, the Maki, and the long tradition of horse breeding gave Chiba a link to racing that continues at Nakayama racecourse in Funabashi. The soil is a fine volcanic loam, good for vegetables, peanuts and fruit, and small farms still cultivate it between the houses. A few old shrines and temples, with big trees, stand in hollows and provide some shade.

   Fuel and food are easy, with stations on every main road and family restaurants and convenience stores everywhere. In the pear season, from August to October, farm stands sell fresh fruit, and the juice and ice cream are good. The area also has small noodle shops and bakeries, and the local peanuts are boiled or roasted.

   Buy a pear and eat it on the roadside. It is cold, juicy and sweet, and a fine way to celebrate the end of the ride.

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