Oga City, Akita Prefecture, offers scenic views along the beautiful Tohoku coast and from the mountains. We introduce an 80-km cycling tour of Oga Peninsula, the home of Namahage, which can be completed in two days and one night from the Tokyo metropolitan area or Kansai region.

What is Oga Peninsula like?

Oga Peninsula juts out into the Sea of Japan in northwestern Akita Prefecture. Mt.Kanpu, which stands at the base of the peninsula, is a low but active volcano.
A coastal state extended out from Akita City in the south and Noshiro City in the north, depositing sand and connecting the former island of Oga to the land, forming Oga Peninsula.
Most of the peninsula belongs to Oga City, which has long been known as a place famous for Namahage, a folklore demon of Oga Peninsula.
Oga Station, the gateway to Oga City, is the terminal station of JR Oga Line.

If you take a flight departing from Haneda Airport at 7:45 a.m. (Itami Airport at 8:05 a.m.), you can connect Akita Airport to Akita Station and arrive at the station at 11:32 a.m.
If you take Shinkansen Komachi which departs from Tokyo Station at 6:32 a.m. and transfer at Akita Station, you can arrive at Oga Station at 11:32 a.m.

Oga Jitensha, a Base for Cycling

Oga Jitensha (bicycle), a base for cycling, is located on the first floor of Hotel Moroi, a one-minute walk from Oga Station.
Here, road bikes and e-bikes are available for rent.

Helmets can be rented, and a cycling map of Oga City is also available.
Beginners can rest assured that they will receive detailed advice on how to ride, positioning, and precautions to take on the course.
After completing the rental procedures, we will first have lunch at Roadside Staion Oga Namahage-no-Sato OGARE located on the south side of the station.

At Roadside Statio Oga Namahage-no-Sato OGARE, you will find tourist information, product sales, restaurants, and other stores.
We had lunch at a restaurant named “Oga Restaurant on the Best Coastline in the East”.

Oga’s specialty is Shottsuru yakisoba (1,180 yen with salad and miso soup).
Shottsuru is one of the three major fish sauces in Japan and has been a specialty of Akita since ancient times.
After eating, we started cycling at 12:30 p.m.

West Coast overlooking the Sea of Japan

You will ride along Prefectural Route 59, known as “Oga Shiokaze Kaido,” a road that runs along the Sea of Japan.

Unosaki Beach, about 5km from the road station, has been selected as one of the “100 Best Beaches in Japan” for its wonderful view of the 1.5 km-long coastline.

At low tide, the rocky surface of the seabed is exposed in the shallows, and in calm weather, the beautiful reflections on the mirror-like surface of the water can be photographed, which is becoming increasingly popular on social networking sites.

If you ride further along the coast from Unosaki Beach, you will come across “Godzilla Rock”.

The rock, located on a rocky beach called Shiozezaki in the Monzen area, is called Godzilla Rock because it looks as if it is about to erupt into fire toward the western sky.
During the beautiful sunset time, you can take pictures like this one.

About 700m from Godzilla Rock is a standing statue of Namahage.

You can find Namahage statues all around the peninsula. The 9.99m-tall statue in the Monzen area is named after the 999 stone steps of the nearby Gosha-do Hall.

The path up to this point has been relatively gentle, but from this point on, the slopes continue to make you feel as if you are cycling on a peninsula.
At the entrance of Gosha-do, about 900m up the hill from the standing Namahage statue, the scenery is already like this.

After enjoying the beautiful scenery and slopes for about 12km, we took a break at Toga Bay Observation Park.

From here, you can go down the hill to Oga Aquarium GAO. Then, running along Toga Bay, we will go up the slope again to “Oga Onsen-kyo”, hot spring resort.

Oga Hot Spring Resort

A standing statue of Namahage welcomes visitors at the entrance to the hot spring resort town, which has been around since ancient times.

At Oga Onsen Koryukan Gofu (community center), you can charge your e-bike battery. If you are worried about the remaining battery charge, we recommend charging the battery during business hours.

The e-bike has four modes, and we have ridden the distance of about 33km and altitude gain of 647m so far mainly in the lower two modes (Economy/Touring), so the battery still has plenty of juice left in it.

The hot spring hotel where we stayed allowed us to store our bicycles inside the hotel.

We soaked in the hot spring water, which has a salty brown color similar to that of the sea, enjoyed seafood from Oga, and spent a relaxing night in Oga.

Nyudozaki on the 40th parallel of north latitude

The morning of the second day starts at 8:30 a.m. We ride clockwise toward Nyudozaki at the tip of the peninsula.

Here, too, we are immediately greeted by a slope.

Once up the hill, the unobstructed road leads to Nyudozaki, a spectacular view where you can enjoy an exhilarating ride toward the sea.

Nyudozaki is located at the northwestern tip of Oga Peninsula, on the 40th parallel of north latitude, and Nyudozaki Lighthouse, selected as one of the “50 Best Lighthouses in Japan,” is one of only 16 lighthouses that can be climbed.

Namahage Line

After riding from Nyudozaki to the northern part of the peninsula and passing through Oga Onsen-kyo, you will take Namahage Line through the interior of the peninsula.

Namahage Line, which offers a different view of Oga’s satoyama landscape than the seaside area, is a fairly challenging 11-km stretch with a series of ups and downs with a 6% gradient.

World’s Three Great Views of Mt.Kanpu

From Namahage Line, the goal is Mt.Kanpu. The 5-km-long Panorama Line with an average gradient of more than 6% will take you up to Mt Kanpu.

Mt.Kanpu is known for its unusual topography, which is unparalleled in Japan.

The 360-degree panoramic view from Mt.Kanpu revolving observatory overlooking Oga Peninsula and Hachiro Lagoon is truly a spectacular sight worthy of being called one of the “World’s Three Great Views”.

In the fresh green season, the green grassland are a beautiful sight, and from mid to late July, visitors can enjoy the scenery of the mountain lily colony.

Route 101 to OGA Marine Park

From Mt.Kanpu, ride down the hill to National Route101. At the entrance to Oibanasaki Tunnel (toward Oga Station) on National Route101, a red Namahage is painted (blue Namahagein the opposite lane) .

Bicyclists are recommended to ride along the sidewalk of this tunnel. After passing through the tunnel, you will pass through a bright archway and continue along the beautiful coastline. (If you ride in the car lane, you will not be able to enter the sidewalk along the way.)

Turn left at the first intersection from the tunnel to Oga Kaisen Ichiba (Oga Seafood Market).

Oga Kaisen Ichiba offers a wide selection of fresh seafood from the Oga Peninsula.
Seasonal seafood is available in every season, and fresh seafood dishes are available at the market’s eatery.

▲Kaisen-don rice bowl (1,600 yen)

After Oga Kaisen Market, go to OGA Marine Park. From the park by the sea, you can see Mt.Kanpu.

The last stop on the trip was a sweet treat at Roadside Station Oga Namahage-no-Sato OARE.

The gelato made from Akita rice “sakihokore” at Oga Gelato has a savory flavor of roasted rice.

E-bike ride report

After passing Oga Station, we returned the bikes at Oga Jitensha and finished cycling at 1:30 pm.
Total distance of 80.5km and elevation gain of 1,102 m in two days, and as you can see, the remaining battery charge is as shown.

The hill climb from the West Coast area on the first day and Namahage Line to Mt.Kanpu on the second day are enjoyable courses for advanced cyclists with good stamina, but a bit difficult for those who are not good at hills.
However, the E-bike assists the rider’s pedaling, so the riders were able to fully enjoy the hilly terrain of Oga Peninsula.

Return to the Tokyo metropolitan area or Kansai region

For the return trip, you can take Oga Line departing from Oga Station at 1:54 p.m. and arriving at Haneda Airport at 5:55 p.m. (If you use Itami Airport (Itami International Airport), the train departs from Oga Station at 1:54 p.m. and arrives at Itami Airport at 7:55 p.m.)
If you use the train, depart from Oga Station at 1:54 p.m. and transfer to Shinkansen Komachi at Akita Station, arriving at Tokyo Station at 7:04 p.m.

Course Introduction

Total distance: 80.5km Elevation gained: 1102m
Day 1 / Distance: 33km Elevation gain: 647m
Day 2 / Distance: 47km Elevation gain: 455m

For those who want to enjoy a leisurely half-day ride along the coast from Oga Jitensha, a round-trip to Namahage Standing Statue is recommended.
If you love to enjoy hill climbing, the route to Mt.Kanpu is also recommended.

▼Oganavi (Oga City Tourist Information Website)
https://oganavi.com/en/

▼Oga Jitensha
https://ogajitensha.studio.site/

▼Oga Roadside Station Oga Namahage-no-Sato OGARE
https://michinoekioga.co.jp/

Summary

The west coast overlooks the majestic Sea of Japan from the undulating coastal landscape. Enjoy hot springs and Akita’s gourmet food at the inn, and the next day, cycle around Oga Peninsula from the satoyama of Oga to the three most scenic spots in the world.

You can choose your cycling style from a selection of rental bicycles, including road bikes and e-bikes, so you can ride together with friends of different levels and skills.

The scenery of Oga Peninsula, which can be accessed in two days and one night, changes with the seasons and time of day, so be sure to enjoy your visit more than once.

Text : HANADA