This article is part of our collection of cycling routes and reports for Fukuoka and Kyushu. Explore more rides on our index page—and get out and discover Kyushu
Text and photos by: Tim Muzik / Follow on Strava / Follow on Youtube
Today we’re heading south for a ride from Fukuoka to Kashima and around the Taradake Volcanic Range. Day one follows an easy route toward Karatsu before turning inland along the Matsuura and Shiota Rivers into Kashima. On day two, we’ll tackle a gruelling circumnavigation of the ancient Taradake volcano, following the Orange, Rainbow, and Green Roads as they climb and descend along the coast. The ride offers great views of the Ariake Sea and Omura Bay, quiet climbs through tea fields, and a chance to see Kashima’s famous mudflat walking fish, the mutsugoro.
Along with the written report and GPX files below, check out this video which documents our entire trip around this million year old volcanic peninsula.
Route Overview
Day 1: Fukuoka to Kashima
Length: 100km
Climbing: 540m
GPX File
Day 2: Circumnavigating the Tara Volcanic Range
Length: 120km
Climbing: 2143m
GPX File
Day 1: Fukuoka to Kashima
This first day’s route is a flat, relatively easy cruise from Fukuoka to Kashima and makes for a great ride to get yourself south out of the city situated for a lot of good riding options. With mostly safe, quiet roads and a long stretch of bike path, it’s an ideal option for anyone looking for a fun overnight trip.
The Road to Karatsu
As mentioned in a few other articles in this series, the route heading west out of Fukuoka begins with a fairly busy but beautiful ride around Nagatare Point and down National Route 202. While this area can get congested, leaving early helps keep the traffic to a minimum. We always enjoy the brief break from the main road as the route passes through the rice fields near Ikisan.
The coastal stretch from Itoshima to Karatsu is always beautiful, though a little busy at times, and the Nijinomatsubara pine forest just before Karatsu is a highlight of any ride that passes through.
The Matsuura River
Heading south out of Karatsu the Matsuura River bike path is a great opportunity to get off the main roads and enjoy what is usually a ripping tailwind. The path lasts for around 9km and is well surfaced. We have never seen another human, or bike, on it.
At the confluence of the Kyuragi and Matsuura rivers, there’s a 7-Eleven and a Family Mart that make for a great stop to grab something to eat before heading into the quieter parts of Saga Prefecture. We always choose the Family Mart here, as it offers a better view of the passenger trains crossing the steel truss bridge along the Chikuhi Line.
Following the Chikuhi Line to Momonokawa
As the route follows the Matsuura River, you can either stay on the lightly traveled Route 38 or take the even quieter option of weaving from farm road to farm road, which we’ve found to be the nicer choice. This route has some unbelievable stretches of peaceful roads and views of the valley.
From here the route links a series of equally nice river lined, quiet roads as you pass through the outskirts of Imari and the mountains west of Takeo. For those looking to get back to Fukuoka, it’s easy to hop on the train at Takeo if needed.
The Shioto River & Kashima
The final stretch of road to Kashima follows the Shiota River as it flows toward the Ariake Sea. Opting for the south side of the river puts you on smaller, nicer, completely empty roads that follow the river and slink through the farms leading into Kashima.
Kashima is a quiet town but offers plenty of unique ways to explore and experience local sea life. If you’re lucky enough to visit in May, you might catch the annual Mudflat Olympics, or Gata-olympics, held in the tidal flats just outside of town. For those visiting outside of May, there’s still something special to see, the mutsugoro, a mudskipper that uses its fins to walk on water. This unique and now vulnerable little fish alone makes a trip to Kashima and the Ariake Sea worth it.
After checking out the mutsugoro, it’s best to get some rest for the massive day ahead.
Day 2: Circumnavigating the Tara Volcanic Range
This route is an interesting and somewhat challenging ride around the Taradake volcanic peninsula. Sticking to the national routes would make the ride much easier and flatter, but also far busier with traffic. A better option is to follow the agricultural roads; Orange Road, Rainbow Road, and Green Road, which wind higher up the mountains. These roads see far less commuter traffic and reward you with elevated views of the Unzen volcano and the Ariake and Omura Bays. Most of the route keeps you well clear of heavy traffic, though you can expect slightly higher levels between Kashima and Tara, as some trucks still make use of this stretch. Any cyclist looking at a map of Kyushu will quickly see this ride as a fun and unique challenge to take on.
The Taradake Orange Road
The first agricultural road on this route is the Taradake Orange Kaido, which runs along the east side of the peninsula before changing names at the Nagasaki Prefecture border to become the Taradake Rainbow Road. As mentioned above, this section had slightly more traffic than expected, but it remained safe and manageable. Overall, it’s a flowy yet demanding stretch, with constant rolling climbs and descents. There are several beautiful lookout points along the way, with views of the Ariake Sea framed by mountain ridges.
Reaching Nagasaki & The Taradake Rainbow Road
As you cruise into Nagasaki Prefecture, the road changes, not just in name, now called the Rainbow Road, but also in character. It narrows slightly, and the surface becomes a bit rougher, but that’s a small price to pay for the noticeable drop in traffic. This section rewards you with some of the best views of the Unzen Volcano and passes through beautiful terraced farmland. The climbs and descents also start coming more frequently here, adding a steady rhythm of effort and reward.
After some gruelling but nice sections we opted to descend down to the National Route so we could get some coffee and food for the second half of the ride. Note, that if you stick only to the agricultural roads there are limited to no food and drink options. A descent into the town of Isahaya offers lots of options to take a break.
The Omura Rainbow Road
From there, the climb back up to the smaller roads follows a steady push along the Honmyo River. The road once again changes names, becoming the Omura Rainbow Road, as you begin heading north along the western side of the peninsula beside Omura Bay. This section offers quiet, scenic riding, with only a brief stretch on the National Route before you’re back on peaceful farm roads, once again caught in the time-loop feeling rhythm of descending and climbing over the Taradake ridges.
About halfway up the peninsula there is another source for water and food, this time in a Michi-no-eki style farmers market called Omura Dream Farm. There is a nice bakery, local food, and a good lookout spot. The day we did the ride, the heat was too intense to take in the views but we welcomed the short break.
The Omura Green Road
The road makes another name change when it passes Nagasaki Prefectural Road 6 to the Omura Green Road. This section is likely the most beautiful of the day and is lined with the tea fields and views of the bay which have made it a popular tourism destination. This route has been previously covered in another article for more information.
One of the highlights of this section is the viewpoint which looks out over the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen tracks. If you are lucky you will get to see a shinkansen blasting its way toward Nagasaki. Even if you miss the train, there are some world class views of rice fields and green mountains in all directions.
Through Ureshino & To Taketa
Anyone who has completed this route knows that while beautiful, there is also a feeling of relief when you finally get off it and jump onto Saga Prefectural Road 106. This is again, one of the highlights of the ride not only because it means you are almost done, but also because it’s insanely beautiful. After a brief climb the road makes a 130m plunge into the town of Ureshino. There is a well located 7-Eleven here and a chance to take a final break before, in our case anyway, biking back to Kashima to pick up our bags and make the final flat push to Taketa.
Catching the Train in Takeo
The road between Kashima and Taketa is a great ride in its own right, after once again tracing the Shiota River you will go through some classic Japanese small towns that this area is known for. For anyone visiting Taketa for the first time, the 3000 year old Great Camphor Tree of Takeo is a tree lover’s dream, and one of our favourite places to visit in Kyushu. Unfortunately for us, we didn’t have time to make the short trek from Takeo Shrine to see the tree before catching our Train from Taketa to Hakata.
For anyone looking for a beautiful, and challenging overnight bike trip from Fukuoka, this route is nearly impossible to beat, maybe best to avoid the summer heat though.
This article is part of our collection of cycling routes and reports for Fukuoka and Kyushu. Explore more rides on our index page—and get out and discover Kyushu
