The Best Cycling Climbs in Japan

Most who have never cycled in Japan know just one mountain, Mount Fuji. And though Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan at 3,776m high, it is far from the best cycling climb in Japan. Japan is actually home to hundreds of high mountains and passes all over the country. And while you can cycle to the 5th station on Mt Fuji (2,200m high), many roads in Japan have larger gains, higher summits, and far less traffic. In fact Mt Norikura, the highest road in Japan, summits some 500m higher at over 2,700m!

So, while many choose to ride between the busy bus lines of Mt Fuji’s Subaru or Fujinomiya Lines, countless epic car free roads await those cyclists who dare to go off the beaten path! So join us below as we take you on a virtual tour through our pick of the 14 best cycling climbs in Japan, and the criteria that makes a top cycling climb.

The Methodology

For those looking to get right into the climbs, feel free to skip this section. Otherwise, here is a deep dive into the criteria I am ranking the climbs on.

When assessing a cycling climb there seems to be an unlimited number of points you can assess on. There are the hard facts, such as gradients or distance, but also the less objective things like the views at the top or the feel of the area you are riding in. Though everyone has their preferences for these things, in this assessment of the best climbs in Japan I decided on 5 factors that I thought would best capture the climbing experience. These are the gain, views, accessibility, pavement quality, and most importantly the zen factor.

Gain – This is a pretty objective metric, the more total elevation gain, the higher the rating. Any climb with over 1,200m of elevation gain receives a 5, over 900m receives a 4, over 600m a 3, over 300m a 2, and the rest a 1.

Views – While more subjective, the greatest climbs should have a place to soak it all in once atop. Sweeping panoramas get top points. Summits without a viewpoint or at least some places to peak out along the way will get low scores.

Accessibility – Less influential to how amazing the climb is, but still important, the ease of getting to and from the climb will largely dictate who actually rides it. Top scores for a nearby train station with direct train access to Tokyo. Low scores for places that require complex transit or big miles just to reach the start of the climb.

Pavement – You heard right, are we talking non-stop pothole dodging & gravel, or sweet buttery smooth runway tarmac. While this can vary greatly on any long road, if the majority of the road is nicely paved, and there are no major stretches of rough/gravel/chip-seal than a high score is given. Interestingly, most of Japan’s smaller roads actually have amazing pavement, while the heavily trafficked and major roadways have some of the worst.

Zen Factor – The Zen Factor is the very essence of the climb. Does it feel like you are getting lost in a magical forest? Are you inspired to push on as you count the 100 turns to the top? As you round the final corner are you greeted by an unforgettable view? Have you been getting lost in birdsong & monkey sightings and not seen or heard a car for over two hours?

Indeed, the Zen Factor is a highly subjective rating, but it is meant to capture the actual feel of the climb and convey just how amazing the experience of the ride is beyond the accolades of “Highest Pass” or “steepest grade.”

Many of us have been there before, climbing “the epic passes”, the Stelvio, the Iseran, Alp D’Huez, the places of legend from the grand tours. And, while the spectacle of the Tour de France shows epic switchbacks covered in spectators and car free roads, us mere mortals are more often met with heavy motorists traffic instead of cheering fans.

This is not to say every climb on every day is this way, but in principle, certainly in the Alps of Europe (and the main routes up Mt Fuji) motorists & buses often command the roads. So, in the Zen Factor we will only give top scores to those that have that special magic that inspires from bottom to top. Alternatively, heavy traffic, lack of views, or unchanging terrain and foliage, will receive lower scores.

If you want to dig further into the scoring of any of the individual climbs, the link to the climb guide below each has a breakdown of the scorecard.

Finally, if you would like to tackle any of these climbs yourself, there is a full guide and Strava route file you can download to your favorite cycling computer or Strava app on your smartphone to do the ride yourself. Let’s get climbing!

The Climbs

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1) The Utsukushigahara Highlands 美ヶ原 2,034m | Nagano’s Alps, Cliffs, and Cows

Gain
5/5

Views
5/5

Accessibility
4/5

Pavement
3.5/5

Zen Factor
5/5

A mouthful for the non-Japanese speaker, the Utsukushigahara (Utsukushi-ga-hara) translates literally into the Beautiful Highlands. And it really lives up this name! A high plateau east of the inland city of Matsumoto, the Utsukushigahara is just opposite the high Alpine peaks of Nagano making it the ultimate view point.

Gaining some 1,400m from either side, once atop the highlands at over 1,900m above sea the final 7km to the summit of the Ougatou Radio Towers & Hotel are simply breathtaking. Couple that with an onsen hot spring bath at the summit and you have the ultimate Japanese climbing experience!

https://biketourjapan.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-cycling-the-utsukushigahara-highlands/

For more, check out our Ultimate Guide to Cycling the Utsukushigahara Highlands 美ヶ原

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2) Mt Akagi – Haccho Pass 赤城山八丁峠 1,497m | The Red Fortress Volcano &am