We introduce about recommendation cycling route in Spring, Which is “Hakuba’s Best Scenic Spots Route”.

Let’s enjoy cycling in Hakuba Village with “Hakuba Cycling Map”!

About HAKUB Cycling Map

[About]

• Hakuba’s Best Scenic Spots Route is for those who want to see famous sights while enjoying Hakuba’s fantastic scenery. if you have energy to spare, go ahead and stroll around Himekawa Genryu Shizen Tanshoen park.
• Difficulty: Sport bike beginners to sports bike intermediates
• Total Distance: 27.4km
• Duration: 4 hours (including breaks)
• Elevation Gain: 349m
• Calories burned: 700kcal

View the route details and Bikemap

Attention: This report is based on cycling in 2019. Please contact the relevant local government for the latest information.

1. JR Hakuba station｜Departure at 10:00

You’ll start cycling from JR Hakuba station. You can rent a bicycle near the JR Hakuba station, There are e-BIKE.

The first destination is “A single track through fields”. It is about 5km from JR Hakuba station.

When you enter the prefectural road No. 33 Olympic Road, you will see Hime River, a clear stream that has been ranked number one in Japan in the water quality ranking of first-class rivers, on your left.

Along the Hime River, there is a “Himekawa Cycling Road” in the photo above. Although it is a short section, the road surface is clean and you can run safely by bicycle.

2. A single track through fields｜Arrival at 10:30

You will go south on the Himekawa Cycling Road and turn left at the small bridge with the sign “Hakuba-sanroku Botanical Garden” on your left.

The road that tickles the spirit of adventure is widening, You cannot help running around!

This is a single track through fields!

You ride a 1km straight road with a view of the beautiful mountains on our right.

Turn right at the traffic light in front of “Sunsun Park Hakuba” and turn left in front of Fukuyose Jizo.

This Jizo was built in hopes of the reconstruction of the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Northern Nagano Prefecture Earthquake, and the clothes and offerings of Jizo show that the local people take good care of it.

3. Shinmeisha shrine｜ Arrive at 10:50

Shinmeisha shrine is a nationally designated important cultural property.

It enshrines “Amaterasu Omikami”, the highest god in Japan.

Please be careful when walking with binding shoes, the road to the main shrine is a gravel road and slope.

This is the Aidono (a shrine that pairs with the main shrine) Suwasha shrine, and the main shrine of Shinmeisha shrine stands behind it.

Both shrines were designated as national important cultural properties in 1949.

4.Olympic Memorial Stone Carving Park｜Arrival at 11:10

At the Olympic Memorial Stone Carving Park, you can see sculptures such as stone windmills.

The view of the stone windmill, rice fields, and the Northern Japan Alps（Mt.Shiroumadake, Mt.Shakushidake, Mt.Shirouma-yarigatake）are beautiful.

5. Teirinji temple｜Arrival at 11:40

You ride about 4km from the Olympic Memorial Stone Carving Park, you will arrive at Teirinji Temple, there are the famous weeping cherry tree.

The weeping cherry tree in the precincts is an old tree that is over 400 years old and is also called “Omaki-Ito-Zakura（which means cherry tree for sowing hemp seeds）”.

This is because it was used as a guide for sowing hemp seeds when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.

It was too early for the cherry blossoms to be in full bloom on that day, but the flowers had already turned into a beautiful pink color.

The flowers of dog tooth violet (Erythronium japonicum) are also beautiful at Teirinji Temple.

Next, you will go to another cherry blossom spot, “Chokokuji Temple”. The distance to that point is about 4km.

Along the way, there are houses with thatched-roofs and the scenery is very beautiful.

Turn left at the intersection of Hakuba Goryu on Route 148 and ride a bicycle toward Hakuba Goryu.

As the climb continued, I kept pedaling my bike hard.

If you pass in front of the ski resort and go down the slope comfortably, you will reach Chokokuji Temple just a short distance away.

6. Chokokuji Temple｜Arrival at 12:15

Chokokuji Temple is known as a famous historical temple of “Shio no Michi（the Road of Salt）” where the main hall was built in 1682, and it is a designated cultural property of Hakuba Village.

The old cedar group in the precincts is over 500 years old, and this is a natural monument designated by the village.

And above all, this wonderful weeping cherry tree!

Many people came to see this majestic cherry blossom.

It’s about lunch time, so let’s go to the recommended cafe restaurant “Farmers’ Dining Hakuba Sodachi”, which is about 500m from Chokokuji Temple.

7. Farmers’ Dining Hakuba Sodachi｜Arrival at 12:40

This is a cafe restaurant where you can enjoy home-cooked farmer’s dishes using rice, fresh vegetables and fruits made in Hakuba Village.

The interior is wooden and has a calm atmosphere, and terrace seats are also available.

I ordered a rice ball set meal of 760 yen. While it is a simple rice ball set meal, you can enjoy the delicious taste of rice from Hakuba!

After tasting the delicious meal of Hakuba Village, it’s time to start!

The next destination is the Hakuba Olympic Ohashi, which is about 2.5km away.

We will pass through the scenic rice fields.

The surface of the water in the rice fields becomes a mirror and reflects the mountains of the Northern Alps! It is a scenery that can only be seen at this time.

It is the scenery of the ranch near the course. It’s like Switzerland.

8. The Hakuba Olympic Ohashi｜Arrival at 13:40

Before going to the Hakuba Olympic Ohashi, let’s take a short detour.

These are Koinobori（carp streamers）in Hirakawa River that can only be seen at this time of Golden Week.

The colorful carp streamers are very beautiful with the scenery of Hakuba.

And you can see the Hakuba Olympic Ohashi in the back of this photo.

This bridge was newly built on the Hirakawa River that runs through the area in 1998, when the Nagano Olympics and Paralympics were held.

9. Hakuba Ski Jumping Stadium｜Arrival at 13:50

As we headed north in Hakuba Village, we saw a large green building on our left.

This is “Hakuba Ski Jumping Stadium”.

It’s impressive even if you look at it nearby, but when you go up to the jumping platform, you can enjoy even more amazing scenery.

The scenery is here. The famous scene of the Olympic Games was born here.

Now, this course has 5km left.

Go around the famous spots “Hakuba Ohashi Bridge” and “Matsukawa Bridge” overlooking the Northern Alps and aim for the goal of JR Hakuba Station.

10. Hakuba Ohashi Bridge and Matsukawa Bridge｜Arrival at 14:30

It is about 2km from Hakuba Ski Jumping Stadium to Hakuba Ohash Bridge.

We ran through the village and arrived at Hakuba Ohash Bridge via Prefectural Road 322.

This is Hakuba Ohash Bridge! The season in the above picture is different from now, but you can enjoy such a wonderful view.

Hakuba Ohash Bridge is the most famous bridge spot in Hakuba Village, and you can see the bridge from the position closest to the Northern Alps.

Next, we went down the road called Matsukawa River Road along Matsukawa River to the downstream side with the magnificent Northern Alps as your back.

Looking back, you can see such a superb view!

Matsukawa Bridge is located down the Matsukawa River Road.

The view from Matsukawa Bridge is also wonderful!

Now, all you have to do is return to JR Hakuba Station.

Let’s ride safely on the last course Route 148.

11. Arrived at JR Hakuba Station｜Arrival at 15:00

About 1km from Matsukawa Bridge, we reached Hakuba Village.

How was the course we introduced this time?

Please enjoy the Hakuba highlights course in spring.

12. Himekawa Genryu Shizen Tanshoen Park｜If you have a time

As the name suggests, the Himekawa Genryu Shizen Tanshoen Park is a spot where the source of Hime River spring up.

Hime River originates from this area and flows out to the Sea of Japan via the mouth of Itoigawa City, which is 60 km away.

There is a wooden path inside the headwaters, so park your bicycle nearby before taking a walk.

During this time, I could see skunk cabbage and flaccid anemone.

Flaccid anemone is a small white flower.

You can also enjoy the yellow Fukujusou (Amur adonis) a little earlier.

Cycling is fun, but it’s also interesting to observe the vegetation while walking along the boardwalk.

13. Extra article: Sobajin Hakuba (Buckwheat Noodle Shop)

After the goal, we went to the famous soba noodles restaurant “Sobajin” in Hakuba village.

It is a popular restaurant in the local area where the soba noodles made from Hakuba’s fresh water are delicious.

The restaurant has counter seats, table seats and tatami room seats.

There are also Star Wars miniatures that the owner likes. They are so cute.

It was still cold that day, so I ordered warm soba noodles.

I ordered tempura soba for 1050 yen and soba tofu for 350 yen, which had an impact on the appearance.

Tempura soba made with seasonal wild plants is rich in flavor!

Because it is after the exercise, I felt the meal was very delicious.

And the taste of the buckwheat tofu that I was interested in was … a new texture of soba!

Something like caramel was made from mentsuyu（soup for soba）, and green onions and wasabi were good accents.

It’s delicious, so give it a try!

14. Other recommended spots

We didn’t stop by this time, but the following spots are also recommended on this route. Please drop in.

Oide Park

This park is one of the famous cherry blossom spots in Hakuba Village.

From the observatory, you can enjoy the scenery of the Northern Japan Alps, Hime River, and Hakuba Village, which has remained since ancient times.

Kappa-tei (Restaurant)

Close to Oide Park. A 100-year-old folk house cafe where you can enjoy Hakuba’s food and home-roasted coffee.

Michino-eki Hakuba

At the restaurant in Michino-eki Hakuba, you can enjoy Hakuba’s specialty “soba set meal”, Japanese and Western dishes using “Hakuba pork”.

15. Parking Information

Sunsun Park Hakuba

Address: Kamishiro, Hakuba-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano Prefecture
Capacity: 51 vehicles (including 15 for large vehicles and 2 for cars for handicapped)
Lot Fees: Free
Business hours: 24 hours

Hakuba Cross Country Stadium (Snow Harp)

Address: 3003 Kamishiro, Hakuba-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano Prefecture
TEL: +81-261-75-3934
website
Business hours: 9:00-17:00 (green season), 9:30-16:00 (winter season)
Regular holiday: Please check from the website

Wing 21 (Sports Arena)

Address: 2066 Hokujo, Hakuba-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano Prefecture
TEL: +81-261-72-8770
website
Business hours: 9: 00-21: 30
Regular holiday: December 29-January 3

[Another Report in HAKUBA]

[Project Supprted by Revitalization Subsidy of Reiwa 2.]

AUTHOR : Takashi KURISU