Recommended 10 Touring Roads and Spots in Kyoto Prefecture, selected by riders who have circumnavigated Japan twice.

Hello, Webike Plus readers! I am Sasu Rider, a Japanese who loves shrines and temples. Kyoto is probably the prefecture in Japan with the largest concentration of shrines and temples... I think the general perception is that Kyoto is a place for sightseeing (by train, bus, or on foot), not a place to go by bike. Of course, I had never thought of "Kyoto touring" before, but when I visited Kyoto during my motorcycle tour around Japan,that idea changed 180 degrees!Or rather, I only knew the center of Kyoto... In fact, Kyoto is a nice touring area that has the sea, mountains, and fast roads that riders like! So, this time, I would like to recommend some tours in Kyoto that will make you say, "Yes, let's go to Kyoto! Let's go to Kyoto!" We will introduce some of the recommended touring roads and spots in Kyoto.The information on each spot is current as of January 2026. The information is subject to change without notice. Please check before you go.

1 Spectacular winding road: Arashiyama-Takao Parkway

The Arashiyama-Takao Parkway is a 10.7 km long toll road connecting Arashiyama and Takao, two of Kyoto's most popular areas. For many years,the road was closed to motorcycles on weekends and holidays, which was a bit frustrating for riders, but... Therestriction was finally lifted on March 1, 2025, andnow motorcycles are allowed to ride on weekends and holidays (no access for riders under 125 cc).However, the overall road conditions are good, there are many types of corners, and the scenery is spectacular!

One point of advice from a Sasu rider

Arashiyama is one of the most famous places in Kyoto... No, it is known as one of the best places in Japan to view the autumn leaves, and you can enjoy the spectacular view from the observatories along the Arashiyama-Takao Parkway! From November to December each year, visitors can enjoy the spectacular view of autumn leaves from four observatories along the route:Ogurayama Observatory,HozukyoObservatory, Atagomae Observatory, and Shobugaoka Observatory! Incidentally, public restrooms and eating and drinking areas on the Arashiyama-Takao Parkway are located at the "Kankudai Amusement Park.

2 Regular touring road: Shuzan Highway (National Route 162)

The Shuyama Kaido is part of the "Saba Kaido," a trade route that once carried mackerel and other marine products from Fukui Prefecture to Kyoto. Specifically, National Route 162, which runs through the area north of Kyoto, is the Shuyama Kaido, and isa standard touring course for riders in the Kansai region!It is an easy winding road with moderate corners throughout, and the surrounding area is dotted with places of interest such as "Miyama Kayabuki-no-Sato," a village with thatched roofs that looks like Shirakawa-go, and the road is also known for its beautiful cherry blossoms in the spring.

One Point Advice for Sasu Riders

My personal recommendation for a stop and rest spot along the Shuzan Highway is "Roadside Station Woody Keihoku. It is a rider-friendly roadside station with a dedicated parking space for motorcycles (the location in the photo is different), a sales corner selling mainly local specialties, and a place where youcan taste rare soft-serve ice cream such as "miso, kuromoji, azuki, kabocha, and red shiso" (you should actually try it to see which flavor you are interested in). As the area was once part of the Saba Highway, we highly recommend tasting the "Saba Soba" on the diner's menu.

3 World Heritage Site: Mt.

Among the many World Heritage sites in Kyoto, you can ride your bike directly to the site and there is free parking available! The World Heritage site for riders is "Toganosan Kouzanji Temple". Located deep in the mountains, just outside the center of Kyoto, what a surprise! The temple was founded in the Nara period (710-794), and itsmain attraction is the "Shokusui-in (study and living quarters)"built in the precious architectural style of "Shinden-zukuri style architecture"! The veranda of the Seokusui-in, with its beautiful Japanese garden spread out in front of you and a nice faded red carpet.... This is Japan" at its finest, and you will want to stay here forever to soak up the elegance of the place.

One point of advice from a Sasu rider

Takayama-dera Temple is a World Heritage Site located along the National Route 162 (Shu-Yama Kaido) that I mentioned earlier, andyou can park your bike for free at the spacious and easy-to-park "Kyoto City Takao Tourist Parking Lot"(410 yen per day during the autumn foliage season). You will arrive at Kozan-ji Temple.... But..! Note that there is no admission fee to Kozanji Temple, buta 1,000 yen fee is required tovisit the Seoksuin Temple.

4 Power Spot: Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine

Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine, with its impressive vermilion torii gates that stand in a continuous line like a corridor, is a representative power spot in the ancient capital of Kyoto. Even if you have never been to theshrine, you have probably seen the "Senbon-torii" on TV, in magazines, or on social networking sites! Themost orthodoxroute from the main shrine to the Okusha Shrine via Senbon-torii (Senbon torii) takes 30 minutes at the shortest, while theroute to the summit takes 2-3 hours round trip. (You willprobably want to go to the summit).

One point of advice from a Sasu rider

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is located in the center of Kyoto, so it may seem difficult to get there by bike... In fact, it is possible to reach the site by bike, and there is a free parking lot for worshippers near the entrance to the approach to the shrine! However, because it is free, it is naturally always crowded, so Irecommend that you park your car at "Cycle Park Fushimi Inari Ekimae" whereyou can also park large bikes for 300 yen per day.

5 Spectacular view spot: Amanohashidate Ushamatsu Park

Along with Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture and Miyajima in Hiroshima Prefecture, Amanohashidate is one of the "Three Views of Japan" located on the Sea of Japan side of Kyoto.Amanohashidate is a beautiful 3.6-km-long sand spit that has been described as a "bridge over the sky" and a "dragon soaring into the sky," andKusamatsu Park offers a beautiful view of this beautifulspit!The park is located along Route 178, the main route on the Tango Peninsula with Amanohashidate,andcan be reached bycable car or lift tothe observation plaza.

One Point Advice for Sasu Riders

Both the cable car and lift in Kusanmatsu Park are available with a common ticket for 800 yen round trip, and you can, for example, go to and return from the park separately.For example,youcan choose to ride both the cablecar andtheliftseparatelyonthe way to and from the park. Motorcycles can be parked for 800 yen per day in the parking lot of "Motoise Kago-jinja Shrine," which is just a short walk from the cable car and lift stations.

6 Spectacular view spot: Ishidera tea plantation

Ishidera Tea Field is a superb view spot in Wazuka Town,the main production area of Uji green tea, one of Japan's most prized green teas, of which Kyoto is proud. The beautiful tea fields that cover the small hill are well worth a visit, andare designated as "Scenic Asset No. 1" by Kyoto Prefecture!In fact, the area is also famous as a filming location for tea commercials.Motorcycles can be parked for free at theIshidera Scenic Tourist Parking Lot(with public restrooms).

One Point Advice for Sasu Riders

If you are going to the tea fields of Ishidera, a place you should not miss isdan dan cafe, a cozy cafe located right in front of the tea fields of Ishidera!It offers a variety of delicious sweets using tea from Wazuka Town, as well as a food menu including curry and omelette rice.The cafe is naturally very popular, so the theory is to go on a weekday if at all possible.

7 Sightseeing Spots: Ine-no-Funaya

Ine-no-Funaya" is a first-class sightseeing spot on the Tango Peninsula, second only to Amanohashidate, which has exploded in popularity among inbound tourists in recent years.It is an "Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings" where "boathouses," where the first floor of a house is a boatyard and the second floor is a living space,stand side by side for a distance of about 5 km!Although there is a roadway in the area, it is "narrow and intricate, and is only a road for local people's daily lives," so itis smart to park your bike at "Michi-no-Eki: Funaya-no-sato Park" within walking distance and go sightseeing on foot.

One Point Advice from a Sasu Rider

A recommended place to stroll around the boathouses in Ine is "INE CAFE," which I personally consider to be "the closest cafe to the sea in Japan. It is a very popular store where you can enjoy delicious drinks and sweets while gazing at the boathouse villages with a great travel atmosphere.If you go out to the terrace, you can spend your time "almost on the sea"!By the way, just like "dan dan cafe" at Ishidera Tea Field, we recommend going here on a weekday if at all possible (on weekends and holidays, it is a good idea to skip it).

8 Roadside Station: Miyama Fureai Hiroba

Located along the National Route 162 (Shuyama Kaido) introduced earlier, Michi no Eki: Miyama Fureai Hiroba is one of the hangout spots for riders in the Kansai region. As a purely roadside station, it is a rather nondescript and rather small type of station, buton weekends it is always crowded with riders who enjoy touring along the Shuyama Kaido Road!So, as a matter of course, there is a dedicated parking space for motorcycles, and a popular rider's cafe, "ZERO-BASE," is located nearby.

One point of advice from a Sasu rider

Roadside Station Miyama Fureai Hiroba has a "soft ice cream deal" which is a duty that riders must fulfill andcan be purchased at the "Miyama no Megumi Milk Workshop" on the premises.In addition to soft-serve ice cream made with plenty of locally produced Miyama milk,gelato, which is always available in about 10 flavors, is also recommended, and riders must fulfill their duty here before proceeding (please do not take this seriously)!

9 Self-Defense Forces Spot: Self-Defense Forces Pier

Five minutes by motorcycle from the Shin Nihonkai Ferry Maizuru Ferry Terminal, the place where riders from the Kansai region depart for Hokkaido, "Isn't this what boys like? The Self-Defense Forces Pier (North Suction Mooring) is a place that embodies the concept of "boys like this, don't they? Maizuru has long developed as a "military port town," and theSelf-Defense Forces'destroyers and other vesselsdocked in the city canbe viewed at close range!Moreover, it is a divine spot where youcan visitfor free, andonly on the days listed "here".

One point of advice from a Sasu rider

The recommended parking lot for visiting the Self-Defense Forces pier is theAkarenga Park Parking Lot No. 1, although car parking has only recently been made available for a fee...Motorcycles can still park for free!Incidentally, it is about a 5-minute walk from here to the JSDF pier, and after visiting, it is recommended to stop by the commercial facility "Maizuru Akarenga Park", which is also within walking distance from the parking lot (public restrooms are available)

10 Emo-tastic spot: Drive-in Dharma

Located along Route 178 in Maizuru City, where the Self-Defense Forces pier mentioned earlier is located, Drive-in Dharma is an extremely emo, Showa-era retro spot. From its appearance, it has a strong aura of a "drive-in from the good old days," but... The reality is that it is an"auto restaurant (vending machine restaurant)," whichis now an endangered species! What a surprise!There isonly oneramen vending machinein operation in Japan atthis time, a rare udon vending machine, a rare hamburger vending machine, a retro bottled cola vending machine, and many other retro and rare vending machines.

One point of advice from a Sasu rider

In addition to a variety of vending machines, Drive-in Dharma also has aselection of retro arcade games such asInvader andPac-Man, providing a great emo experience for the Showa generation, including myself, and a retro look for the Z generation. It is not an automatic game but a normal game that is cooked by a human operator.There is alsoa regular diner where food is prepared by humans, butyou will be surprised at the prices and portions, which are not REIWA, but SHOWA!To be frank, this is a spot that has nothing to do with Kyoto, but for some reason, it is places like this that are the most memorable when touring (grin).

Kyoto was a touring paradise!

What the average tourist looks for in Kyoto is a variety of wonderful historical sites, including my favorite shrines and temples, but when it comes to motorcycle touring, things are a little different, aren't they? But Kyoto actually has more to offer than just historical sites: it also has the roads that touring riders love, spectacular views, fascinating sightseeing spots, soft-serve ice cream, and even some emo B-movie spots! Visit the gallery (20)