• The innovative tour combines bus transportation with cycling, allowing visitors to cycle only through preferred sections of Ishioka City.
  • The 25km route includes Edo-period sites, ancient temples, and popular cycling paths with cultural significance.
  • Tours will be launching on May 2025 and include bicycle fitting, hands-on cultural experiences, and transportation for up to ten bicycles

Tabbit Tours has unveiled an innovative tourism concept in Ishioka City, Ibaraki Prefecture, combining bus transportation with cycling to create a flexible sightseeing experience.

The "Sports Support Bus x Bicycle" tour allows visitors to cycle only through their preferred destinations in this ancient Japanese city while bus transportation is used for other portions.

The new day-trip tour, titled "Enjoy the Mito Kaido and Edo Culture with the Sports Support Bus and Active Bicycle Tour of Ishioka," is part of Japan's "Regional Tourism New Discovery Project" for 2024 and the "Edo Kaido Project" initiative.

These programs aim to revitalize regional tourism by highlighting the cultural heritage of the Kanto region.

What sets this tour apart is the specially designed Sports Support Bus that can transport up to ten bicycles and passengers.

This innovative approach allows participants to enjoy cycling through scenic and historically significant areas while skipping challenging terrain or less interesting sections.

The 25km cycling route includes visits to Fuchu-juku, a well-preserved Edo period post-town featuring traditional architecture, and Kokubunji Temple, a nationally designated Special Historic Site.

Participants will also visit Hitachi-no-Kuni Soshagu Shrine, known for hosting the "Ishioka no Omatsuri," one of the Kanto region's three major festivals.

Among the tour highlights are the popular Koiseyama Cycling Road, believed to bring couples closer together, and Asahi Pass, which offers views of Mount Fuji on clear days.

Beyond sightseeing, the tour includes a unique hands-on "flint-making experience" that connects visitors with Edo-period cultural practices.

Tours are scheduled for May 10 and May 18, 2025, with adult participation fees at ¥27,500 and children's rates at ¥26,000.

The full-day experience begins and ends at JR Ishioka Station, running from 9:30 AM to approximately 5:30 PM.

As demand for more flexible and personalized tourism experiences grows across Japan, Tabbit Tours plans to expand its Sports Support Bus offerings to additional destinations, with details to be announced on its website.

Edited By Annette George