Private Electric Bike Tour & Soba Lunch
Description
Explore the city and its surroundings on this off-the-beaten-path bike tour! Far from the Japanese metropolises, enjoy a deep breath of fresh air and the magnificent landscapes of Matsumoto City. Ride an electric bicycle with your guide through the countryside of Matsumoto and discover the main historical sites of the city while enjoying a country ride through the vast fields surrounding the city. The ideal experience for all cycling enthusiasts! Matsumoto is centered in the Japanese countryside and is the ideal place to get on a bicycle for an exploration of the city and its surroundings! Beyond the city built around its historic castle, Matsumoto offers all kinds of magnificent rides. Explore the city's historic sites, take a deep breath of fresh air, as you cycle around the city, past rice fields and admire the beautiful and traditional Japanese farmhouses. The tour includes a soba noodle lunch at a traditional countryside restaurant.
Tour Options
Itinerary
With over 400 years of history, Matsumoto Castle is 1 of only 5 castles designated a “National Treasure” of Japan. The other 4 include Himeji, Hikone, Inuyama and Matsue Castles. The original construction dates from 1593 to 1594. The castle walls contain the oldest original five-tiered, six-story castle tower that still exists in Japan today.
East of town the Susuki-gawa River runs down from the mountains, past the vineyards and rice fields and the stunning colors of the quiet Yamabe Valley. Get lost for a while as you explore the rich beauty of this very special slice of Matsumoto around the Matsumoto Folkcraft Museum.
Located north of Matsumoto City, Asama-Onsen Village is the perfect place to experience one of the many natural hot springs in the area. Onsen are an integral part of Japanese culture and are recognized for their many therapeutic properties. Matsumoto is one of the best destinations in Japan today to enjoy these thermal springs.
Tucked up on a low hill just north of downtown, Joyama Park is one of those places that quietly rewards the curious. It’s not the most famous stop in Matsumoto, and maybe that’s what makes it special. But head uphill, by bike or on foot, and you’ll find more than just peaceful greenery. This is a place layered with history and blessed with some of the best panoramic views in town.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- 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
- This tour includes a moderate amount of cycling and is suitable for most fitness levels
- The tour is designed as a discovery bike tour. The pace is relaxed with plenty of breaks for sightseeing and taking photos.
- Helmets are provided and must be worn during the ride.
- Additional safety gear is not included. Please bring any other equipment you feel will be necessary.
- Be sure to prepare enough snacks, water, and sun protection, especially during the summer months
- From 18 years-old and up
Reviews(16)
Our tour with Shin on the 19th of October was probably one of the best things we did whilst in Japan. It was so much fun to ride bikes to less touristy and more rural areas. We got to see a quieter side of Matsumoto and enjoyed a local shop and an amazing viewpoint that we would not have seen if not for the guide. Shin was informative and very friendly and we all appreciated the little gift at the end of the trip. 10/10
Thank you for spending the day with us. We're glad the bike route gave you a different perspective on Matsumoto, one that moves beyond the central sites into the surrounding landscape. Shin enjoys showing visitors those hidden corners that don't make it into most itineraries. Safe travels and we hope to see you again in Matsumoto someday.
We did this tour on 9th September. We went to lots of spots outside of the city centre that we would never have seen without doing a tour. Would definitely recommend this tour. Clare & Oliver
Thank you, Clare and Oliver! We’re glad the tour gave you a chance to see a different side of Matsumoto. It’s a beautiful area to explore by bike, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and the recommendation. We hope to see you again.
Shin was a great tour guide. He was knowledgeable about the area and set a nice pace for the tour. The bikes were a nice quality and we felt safe in the tour. E-Bikes is a good way to see a lot of any city.
Thank you for taking the time to write us a review! We are so glad to hear you enjoyed exploring Matsumoto by e-bike with Shin. We agree, e-bikes are a great way to cover a lot of ground while taking in the sights. We hope to see you again in Matsumoto!
Nice riding location, great views and history. The guide was very flexible and was very informative. We spent more time at the onsen to share stories with local ladies.
Thank you very much for your lovely review! We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour! It is always our pleasure to answer great questions and share information about local culture. We hope the electric bike tour around Matsumoto and your overall trip in Japan has created many wonderful memories!
Great guide, awesome way to see a part of the city off the beaten path. I especially enjoyed learning about the local history.
Thank you so much for your kind words! We are delighted to hear that you had a nice experience with us and that you enjoyed touring the countryside while learning about local history. Thank you again for joining us and we hope to welcome you to Matsumoto again one day!
What a great way to leave the busy centre and wander around the quiet back lanes and countryside. Kevin took us to some remote shrines, hot springs, rice and soba fields. Thoroughly recommend 👍👍
Thank you so much for writing such a lovely review! We are happy to hear that you enjoyed your Electric Bike Tour with Kevin while visiting local shrines, rice and soba fields. It is great to know that our guide was able to provide interesting and enjoyable time in Matsumoto. Thank you for choosing us and taking the time to write a review. All the best with your continued travels around Japan!
I’ve enjoyed the tranquility in the countryside and some off the beaten path like visiting the historic shrines which are not well known to the foreign tourists. I also enjoy learning the history of the places through the guide.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us! It is fantastic to hear that you had a great time during your e-bike tour. It is always our hope to provide our guests with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the places they visit. Please do not hesitate to contact us again for any future tours or activities.
This is a really nice way to see you way around Matsumoto. The guide is knowledgeable about the area and history. Wished we could have had a few food or snack or drink stops . It was mainly riding .
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us. It is great to know that you enjoyed the tour while learning about the area. We have passed on your feedback to the guide and will use it to ensure all of our guides continue to develop their understanding how they can best enhance the experience of our guests.
A perfect way to see Matsumoto and the surroundings! Want to see rice fields, secluded temples and shrines? Want great views of the valley? Want to learn about the history of the area? Look no further. Our guide Kevin has extensive knowledge of the area and led us on a perfect day out.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review of the tour! We are delighted to know that Kevin was able to provide you with a fantastic experience while in Matsumoto. It is always our hope to provide our guests with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the places they visit. Thank you again and we look forward to welcoming you back to Matsumoto soon!
What a wonderful afternoon we had, together with our guide Kai (at least we think that’s his name). The guide was punctually on time at the agreed meeting point, bike helmets in hand. We went to see shrines, the amazing countryside with marvellous views on the snowcapped mountains of the Japanese alps, and biked through rice fields, which -we were lucky- were being planted at this very moment. Cool experience. Kai -the guide- was very well informed and we were able to learn a lot about various topics, such as Shintoism, Buddhism, agriculture, earthquakes, samurai in the Edo period and so on… Very informative! We would definitely recommend this experience to anyone who has a morning or afternoon available in Matsumoto…! The bike ride itself was very easy to do, so no need to be in ‘special physical form’ or something - haha… Thanks a lot mr. Kai, and who knows, maybe we will meet again! Best regards, Wim from Belgium
Thank you for the lovely review! We are delighted to know that Kei delivered a wonderful experience for you in Matsumoto. We are always working to provide the best possible experience for our guests, so we very much appreciate your feedback and recommendation. Thank you for your warm words and we hope to see you again!
