No set departures, no fixed templates. From your first conversation to your final descent,
everything is designed around your pace, your interests, your idea of the perfect journey.
Bespoke Cycling Journeys
Our Process
Dedicated experts with you from the beginning
We’re a small team here at Ride Nagano and your journey designer will be with you from the beginning to the end.
The more we can get to know how you like to travel, the easier it is for us to curate a unique experience for you.
Therefore the first thing we do is spend time learning about you and what you want to experience during your journey with us. So every choice of route, bike, accommodation, restaurant and experience is intentional and considered.
With years of cycling experience behind us, and deep connections into the local communities we work with, we will design a journey that is made for you.
01
02
03
Why ride with us
The difference is in the detail
Here’s what you won’t find anywhere else.
Deep Local Integration
This is not a surface-level experience of Japan. Through long-standing relationships, we open doors to people, places, and traditions that are normally out of reach. You’re not just passing through, you’re part of something, even if only for a short time.
Unmatched Expertise
Our routes are built from years of building and riding these roads ourselves, and our team brings a breadth of experience, local knowledge, and the ability to adapt seamlessly to you.
Beyond the Tourist Trail
We take you where others don’t go. Quiet mountain roads, hidden villages, and the everyday landscapes that define the real Japan. Cycling allows access in a way no other form of travel can, both physically and culturally.
Fully Bespoke
No set departures, no fixed templates. Every journey is designed around your pace, your interests, your expectations. We listen carefully and refine until it feels exactly right.
Considered Every Detail
From the riding itself to accommodation, food, and the people you encounter, everything is selected with care. The standard is consistently high, but never overstated. It’s thoughtful, precise, and grounded in genuine hospitality.
Responsible Travel
As locals, we understand what sustainability means here in practice. We work closely with communities, support local producers, and design experiences that respect and sustain the places we ride through.
Sample Journeys
What excites you the most?
01
Cultural & Historic
Ride quiet backroads into Nagano’s past, visiting hidden villages with ancient temples and shrines along pilgrimage routes. Meet local artisans and enter traditional farmhouses to see how people have lived for generations. Discover lacquerware and wood carving, and the rural rhythms shaping the region today.
02
Wellness
In Japan, wellness is about both mind and body. Ride through forests, join a Yamabushi monk for meditation and forest bathing. Visit Togakushi’s power spots, practise lakeside yoga, and relax in historic onsen. Wellness from centuries-old Japanese wisdom.
03
Agriculture & Gourmet
Nagano, Japan’s “rice basket,” is blessed with pure water, fertile soil, and a climate that brings out deep, rich flavors. Cycle through rice fields, try paddy planting, forage mountain ingredients, make soba, and visit local miso producers. Taste wasabi, explore chestnut towns, and meet winemakers. End days with refined seasonal kaiseki, blending local ingredients with a contemporary touch.
