{"id":168565,"date":"2025-01-29T15:11:18","date_gmt":"2025-01-29T06:11:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/?p=168565&lang=en"},"modified":"2025-01-29T20:11:22","modified_gmt":"2025-01-29T11:11:22","slug":"cycling-sasebo-nagasaki","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/en\/cycling-sasebo-nagasaki\/","title":{"rendered":"Cycling Sasebo to Nagasaki (Northern Kyushu Winter Loop Part 2)"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article is part of our collection of cycling routes and reports for Fukuoka and Kyushu. Explore more rides on <\/span><\/i>our index page<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u2014and get out and discover Kyushu<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Text and photos by: <\/b>Tim Muzik \/ <\/span>Follow on Strava<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

The next phase of this trip sees us heading out of Sasebo toward Nagasaki via the Omura Bay Green Route. This stunning route avoids some of the busier roads along the Omura Coast, making it a great choice when cycling near Omura Bay. Cycling this route from north to south in the winter means a massive tailwind will help push you through the rolling hills along the way. Beautifully maintained tea fields, blue rivers, and a European village await!<\/p>\n

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Route Overview<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Route Highlights: Huis Ten Bosch, The Omura Green Route, Omura Bay, Nagasaki Kaido Roadside Station, Inasayama Lookout
\nLength: 90km
\nClimbing: 1200m
\nGPX File<\/a><\/p>\n

Route Options<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When cycling from Sasebo to Nagasaki, there are two main options for navigating around Omura Bay: hugging the eastern side via the Omura Bay Green Route or heading west down the sparsely populated Nishisonogi Peninsula along National Route 206. Rachel and I had initially planned to take Route 206, but after consulting with a helpful bike mechanic in Fukuoka, we were persuaded to reconsider due to the potential for higher traffic levels. In the end, we were happy with our choice of the Green Route, as the 90 km undulating road with 1,200 meters of elevation through Omura proved to be highly enjoyable.<\/p>\n

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Down the Haikeseto Strait to Huis Ten Bosch<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The ride leaves Sasebo heading down the Haikeseto Straight to the northern tip and crossroads of Omura Bay. Those doing this route for the first time will be surprised to be greeted by a massive European-style building as you approach the popular tourist destination, Huis Ten Bosch<\/a>. Opened in 1992, this Dutch-themed park is home to windmills, canals, rides, and seasonal flowers, for us it was enough to stop briefly in the European-styled train station before heading on.<\/p>\n

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The Omura Bay Green Route<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When route planning in Japan, we are often hesitant to choose new roads that fall into the category of \u201cNational Routes.\u201d While these can sometimes be great, they often have heavy traffic as well. For this particular route, I was thrilled to spot the Omura Bay Green Route on the map. Roads with names like this usually run parallel to busy roads, offering a scenic and virtually traffic-free alternative. The Omura Green Route does not disappoint. This 15 km rolling, empty road provides peaceful riding with views of Omura Bay, the surrounding tea plantations, and the Saikai Mountains in the distance. It\u2019s also part of a larger network of scenic roads called Rainbow Roads that wrap around Mt. Gokahara<\/a>, with plenty of great cycling opportunities in the area.<\/p>\n

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The farms along this route not only provide beautiful scenery but are also celebrated nationwide for producing some of Japan\u2019s finest tea. Taking a break at one of the many roadside cafes is the perfect chance to enjoy a taste of the famous Higashi Sonogi region.<\/p>\n

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After a smooth 15 km on the route, the Nagasaki-kaido Suzuta-toge Roadside Station<\/a> is perfectly located for a break, offering affordable local products and an incredible bakery that\u2019s well worth a visit.<\/p>\n

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Approaching Nagasaki<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Leaving the Green Route and rolling through the busy but lively urban streets of Omura brings you to the final approach to Nagasaki City. Starting from Hizen-Koga<\/a> Station, there\u2019s an easy 100-meter climb that offers glimpses of the Unzen volcano<\/a> in the distance. Near the top of this climb, you\u2019ll encounter the first of two large tunnels that provide access to the city. Both tunnels are fully navigable by bike, with wide, sidewalk-like shoulders to keep you safely away from traffic. Exiting the tunnels, a 130-meter descent carries you effortlessly into Nagasaki.<\/p>\n

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Exploring Nagasaki by Bike<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Any cyclist living in Nagasaki is truly spoiled with urban climbing routes. Rachel and I took a \u201crest\u201d day to explore some of these downtown climbs. The most notable, and likely the go-to climb in town, is the perfectly smooth ascent up the north side of Inasayama<\/a> to the observation deck overlooking the city. Starting from downtown, this climb is about 7 km long and reaches an elevation of 300 meters.<\/p>\n

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The summit is a popular tourist destination and home to one of Japan’s three legendary \u201cNight Views.\u201d Here, you\u2019ll find a visitor center with an observation deck and a surprisingly excellent caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n

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Manga fans will be thrilled to discover one of the nine secret Yowamushi Pedal-inspired manhole covers<\/a> located outside the visitor center. These designs, created by Nagasaki native Wataru Watanabe, pay tribute to the cycling-themed anime. While we were there, a group of fellow cyclists visiting from Singapore approached us to share the story behind the manholes.<\/p>\n

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There\u2019s no shortage of other fantastic cycling routes within Nagasaki city. The 1.3 km Megami Bridge<\/a> is a highlight, offering a safe, protected bike lane that connects the western and eastern parts of the city. As the sixth-longest cable-stayed bridge in Japan, it\u2019s also a favorite for walkers and runners.<\/p>\n

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Nagasaki should be at the top of any cyclist\u2019s list when visiting Kyushu, with its rich history, and small, punchy urban climbs with unique panoramic views.<\/p>\n

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This article is part of our collection of cycling routes and reports for Fukuoka and Kyushu. Explore more rides on <\/span><\/i>our index page<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u2014and get out and discover Kyushu<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The next phase of this trip sees us heading out of Sasebo toward Nagasaki via the Omura Bay Green Route. This stunning route avoids…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29305,"featured_media":168579,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/?p=168565&lang=en","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1769,5173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-168565","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-activity","category-travel","location-nagasaki-city","location-nagasaki-prefecture","location-sasebo","en-US"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/fn_cycling-sasebo-nagasaki_2025_cl-3068.jpg?fit=1400%2C1050&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168565","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29305"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=168565"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168565\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":168612,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168565\/revisions\/168612"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/168579"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=168565"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=168565"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fukuoka-now.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=168565"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}