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 out on a challenging but scenic tour of some of the best roads Oita Prefecture has to offer.
Starting and finishing in the small town of Hita, this ride has a little bit of everything: a flowing riverside bike path on a converted railway line, a punchy out-and-back climb to a 360-degree viewpoint, and a journey through some of the most unique rocky landscapes you’ll find anywhere in Japan.
Cyclists can sometimes be guilty of exaggerating the quality of a route, but if I only had one chance to show a visitor the best of cycling in Kyushu, this would be a hard route to overlook.
Route Overview
Route Highlights: The Yamakuni River, The Maple Yaba Cycling Road, The old Yabakei Railway, Mt. Hachimen, Hitome Hakkei, Kusu, Hita
Length: 122km
Climbing: 2232m
GPX File
Thanks to Japan’s unbeatable rail infrastructure, this ride is easy enough to access from Fukuoka with a 90 minute train ride from Hakata to Hita on the Kyudai Line. Hita itself is a cool historic town popular with tourists for its Edo-era streets, onsens, and views of the Mikuma River.
Before linking up with the bike path, we opted to take the small rindo road on Oita Prefectural Route 720 rather than joining National Route 212. It’s a much better option than the more heavily driven 212, and also has a 300m climb which is a great warm up for what is, in all honesty, a massive day on the bike.
The Yamakuni River & The Maple Yaba Cycling Road
Coming into the town of Yamakuni, the ride takes a much easier turn as the river of the same name rushes down from the Hiko range and the route joins the Maple Yaba Cycling Road. This is one of the best pieces of cycling infrastructure that we have found in Kyushu.
A scenic bike path built on the old Yabakei Railway, which ran through the valley until 1975 before being converted into a cycling road in 1982. The full route stretches for around 35 km.
The path is made all the more interesting by the cliffs, tunnels, old bridges, and occasional detour through rice fields, while tracing the Yamakuni River.
Every few kilometres the path rolls through an abandoned station with an informative sign explaining the history of the line. While it’s a little sad to see a railway disappear in favour of cars, we were more than happy with what replaced it. Note that the path can get a little slippery from fallen leaves, so best to enjoy slowly.
While, based on the name of the route, this area is famous for its autumn colours, the scenery is just as impressive year-round thanks to the cliff walls and rock formations, carved over millions of years by the Yamakuni River as it cut through layers of volcanic rock.
Mt. Hachimen
After spending an hour cruising along the bike path, it’s worth making a stop at the Lawson or 7-Eleven (one of the only convenience store options on the route) before heading for the day’s main objective: the out-and-back climb up Mt. Hachimen. At 659 metres, Hachimen isn’t the biggest climb, but it packs a bit of a punch. Apparently the name (eight faces) comes from the fact that the mountain looks the same from every angle…it was hard to confirm this from the top.
Yabakei Mountains
With the climb up Hachimen done and dusted, the route heads into the mountains of central Oita and into one of the most scenic parts of the ride. A quick look at Google Maps around here shows the area is littered with those little purple tourist icons; gorges, waterfalls, strange rock formations, old tunnels, rivers, and viewpoints roll past every few kms.
This area is likely best labelled as the wider Yabakei area. Again, It’s best known as one of Kyushu’s big autumn foliage spots, but for cycling, it’s likely best to visit outside the koyo season as traffic is lighter, and the rocks are always there.
One of the main highlights is Hitome Hakkei, a viewpoint in Shin-Yabakei whose name roughly translates to “eight views at a glance.” From the lookout you can see a collection of jagged peaks and rock formations. Around the viewpoint there are a few old soba shops, and souvenir stores, so it’s a good place to stop, regroup, and bask in the fact that most of the climbing of the day is behind you.
Kusu & Back to Hita
Usually, on a big ride like this, there’s a transition section that isn’t as great. Not this ride. The final kilometres from Kusu back to Hita, using the small farming and rindo roads of Prefectural Routes 54 and 672, are some of the best of the entire day.
Leaving Kusu and the cool flat-topped shape of Mt. Kirikabu behind, the route exits the national road and slips back onto quiet roads. From there it’s some rolling climbs and descents through walls of terraced rice fields, narrow roads, and tiny farming villages. On any other ride this would be the highlight section, on this ride it’s the perfect end to a great loop.
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