Samurai – Hokkaido – The Wild Heart of Japan

Cycling Hokkaido Highlights

>Ride smooth, winding roads through mountains, forests, and vast open plains where the horizon seems endless

> Immerse yourself in volcanic landscapes dotted with caldera lakes, steaming vents, and the towering peaks of Daisetsuzan and Niseko

> Taste the essence of Japan’s breadbasket with farm-to-table cuisine celebrating Hokkaido’s fresh seafood, rich dairy, and vibrant produce

> Soak in natural onsens, surrounded by serene mountain views and the soothing sounds of nature

> Experience the island’s seasonal magic — lavender fields in summer, golden harvests in autumn, and snow-dusted peaks beyond

> Indulge in world-class dishes, from melt-in-your-mouth sushi to hearty bowls of miso ramen and delicately prepared sea urchin

> Encounter red-crowned cranes, playful foxes, and deer roaming freely through Hokkaido’s wild heartlands

> Discover remote, peaceful routes that reveal Japan at its most pure and untouched

> Connect with the island’s cultural soul through Ainu traditions and warm, welcoming local communities

> Rest each night in charming inns and ryokans where heartfelt hospitality and exquisite cuisine complete the experience

Cycling Hokkaido Dates/Prices

Custom Tours

All our tours — and individual stages — are available as custom itineraries for private groups.
Contact us to tailor a journey perfectly suited to your riding style and interests.

What’s Included

Accommodation in carefully selected hotels (bed & breakfast)

Airport transfers on designated arrival and departure dates

Snacks en route and pre/post-ride nutrition

Most lunches

Multi-course group dinners showcasing local cuisine
(We include occasional independent dinners to give you flexibility.)

A Ride & Seek Kit

Garmin 1030 with all routes preloaded

Ride & Seek water bottle

Passionate, experienced, and knowledgeable guides always on hand

Not Included

Alcoholic beverages

Bike hire

Occasional lunches

Pre- and post-tour accommodation

Supplements

Single Supplement: Prices are based on twin/double occupancy.

Deposit

To secure your place on this tour or a stage, a US$500 deposit (or local currency equivalent) is required.
We accept payment in USD, GBP, AUD, and EUR.
Your final invoice will include any applicable single supplements and bike hire costs.

Cycling Hokkaido Cuisine

Hokkaido’s cuisine is as unforgettable as its landscapes — a true celebration of freshness, flavour, and regional pride. Known as the breadbasket of Japan, the island’s fertile plains and cool climate make it ideal for producing some of the country’s finest ingredients. From rich dairy and butter to sweet corn and melons, Hokkaido’s bounty fuels its well-earned culinary reputation. The surrounding seas provide an abundance of seafood, with local delicacies like crab, scallops, salmon roe, and uni (sea urchin) taking centre stage on many menus.

On tour, you’ll savour the best of Hokkaido’s seasonal fare — from steaming bowls of miso ramen in Sapporo to fresh sushi and sashimi on the coast, and grilled lamb “jingisukan” enjoyed with a cold local beer. Meals often feature farm-to-table produce, and there’s always a chance to unwind with sake or whisky from one of Hokkaido’s renowned distilleries. Combined with warm local hospitality and our handpicked dining stops, every meal on this cycling adventure offers a taste of Japan’s purest and most delicious region.

Cycling Hokkaido Accommodation

We present a range of accommodation options across this tour, but without doubt, our favourite abodes are the Japanese inns. As with all of our tours we have searched out places that are not only ‘best available’, but also reflect the essence of the area in which we travel. The inns are a wonderful way to immerse yourself in the culture of Japan with their straw mat floors and futon beds. Many of them also offer baths in natural hot springs to soothe those aching muscles at the end of a day on the bike. The traditional cuisine served up in these inns is also a real highlight. Our Samurai Hokkaido tour has a good mix of traditional inns and more western-oriented hotels.

Cycling Hokkaido History

Hokkaido’s history is distinct from the rest of Japan — a story shaped by its Indigenous Ainu people, vast wilderness, and later integration into the modern Japanese state. For centuries, Hokkaido (known to the Ainu as Ainu Mosir, meaning “Land of the Humans”) was inhabited by Ainu communities who lived in harmony with nature. They thrived through hunting, fishing, and trading, particularly with northern peoples and with Japan’s northern island of Honshu. The Ainu developed a rich spiritual culture rooted in reverence for the natural world, seeing gods, or kamuy, in rivers, animals, and mountains — traditions still honoured today.

Japan’s control of Hokkaido began relatively late in its history. During the Edo period (1603–1868), the island — then called Ezo — was only loosely connected to Japan through trade with the Matsumae clan, the southernmost samurai domain granted rights over limited Ainu relations and commerce. However, after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Japan formally annexed the island, renaming it Hokkaido (“Northern Sea Circuit”) and launching a massive settlement and development program. The new Meiji government encouraged migration from Honshu, built infrastructure, and sought to cultivate the land for agriculture, transforming Hokkaido into the country’s agricultural heartland — the “breadbasket of Japan.”

The samurai presence in Hokkaido was brief but historically notable. Following the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate, a group of loyalist samurai fled north and established the short-lived Republic of Ezo (1869) in Hakodate — Japan’s only attempt at a republican government led by former samurai. It lasted less than a year before surrendering to imperial forces, but it remains a fascinating footnote in Japan’s transition to modernity. Today, Hokkaido reflects this layered past — a land where Ainu heritage, pioneer spirit, and modern Japanese culture coexist amid stunning natural beauty and open landscapes that still feel a world apart from the rest of Japan.