Mountain Bike Tours in Madarao: Get on your bike!
The Madarao Kogen area is home to some spectacular mountain biking. From single track downhills, gravel logging roads, rural agricultural roads and rugged alpine tracks, there is an abundance of variety that will keep riders of all levels entertained. We can connect you with local people to guide you and custom design a tour in the area. Include some amazing cultural experiences such as country restaurants serving local dishes and wonderful hot spring baths and we think that you will come to realize, like us, that the best way to see rural Japan in the green season is to just "get on your bike".
Madarao Old Trails Mountain Bike Club
Madarao Old Trails Mountain Bike Club is a group of Madarao locals who are dedicated to rejuvenating some of the original old trails around Mount Madarao for mountain biking. The Mount Madarao area has a history dating back over 800 years and has numerous traditional roads that still remain today. Most are overgrown and largely unused.
The roads traditionally were used for trade carrying goods such as medicine, salt and charcoal between Nagano and the Japan sea. In the Sengoku Period (1467 - 1615) of Japanese history, known in English as the `Warring States Period`, these roads were used by samurai warlords to transport armies. They were particularly prominent in the Kawanakajima Battles (1553-1564) where the forces of Kai (modern day Nagano and Yamanashi) fought with the forces of Echigo (modern day Niigata).
The roads traditionally were used for trade carrying goods such as medicine, salt and charcoal between Nagano and the Japan sea. In the Sengoku Period (1467 - 1615) of Japanese history, known in English as the `Warring States Period`, these roads were used by samurai warlords to transport armies. They were particularly prominent in the Kawanakajima Battles (1553-1564) where the forces of Kai (modern day Nagano and Yamanashi) fought with the forces of Echigo (modern day Niigata).
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Here are a couple of our favourite mountain bike trails in Madarao.
The Old Cow Trail |
Furusato No Mori Trail |
North Nagano Outdoor Sports Mountain Bike Tours
North Nagano Outdoor Sports, as well as doing back country ski and snowboard tours in winter, are also available to take mountain bike tours through the old trails around Mount Madarao. The cost is 5500 yen per person including bike and helmet rental for a half-day tour. Contact Aki Kitamura for more information.
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PHOTO GALLERY
"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”
