What's new

River Rides and Cycle Paths in Tokyo/Yokohama area

Chuck

Maximum Pace
Feb 7, 2011
1,617
1,877
Seems like there is some interest by folks new to the area on cycling paths along the rivers. Thought I'd post this ride here as a reference for new members and hopefully make it easier to get started on local rides that don't have such heavy traffic. If anyone has a better idea or improvements on the route, please post.

 
If anyone wants to post a ride on the Arakawa, then that would just about cover it.
 
If you're a 'westie,' living west of the Tama and you want to do a nice ride in the mountains, this is a nice loop. The description gives some alternatives but this route is good for avoiding traffic, especially if you take the train to or from Hadano station and skip the section on 246.

Going up to Yabitsu from Hadano is the steeper approach. Climbing up to Yabitsu from the north is more gradual. And, once you're on 70, there are few vending machines for water until you get near the top, so you might want to carry a bit more water.

So, if you're new to the area and would like a bit of a climb, this is a good one.

 
Last edited:
Thanks for these. That climb especially looks so great. I did the Tama/Tsurmi loop the other day and it was good! I think I skipped 156 as it was too hot and I got to where the course "ends" and just rode home from there (was only 4k from where I am). Seems like a solid training ride despite the traffic lights.
 
The upper part of the Tsurumi is still only wide enough for one way traffic due to the weeds that haven't been cut back. Hope they get them cut back soon. I did the route yesterday as well and enjoyed it, but there were a lot of folks out enjoying the Tama path so had to go slow. Anyway, glad you liked the route. There are a couple more of us 'westies' who do that route regularly, so maybe one of these days we should try to do it together.

If you are thinking about the Yabitsu climb, be advised that there has been a washout and 70 is closed somewhere up near the top of the north side approach. I saw that @joewein managed to find a way around the washout but not sure how much scrambling you'd have to do to do that.
 
@Karl, the "Yabitsu and Miyagase Loop" route above won't currently work because Rt70 south of Miyagase was first buried in a landslide and then collapsed. It's closed between km 48-50 on the map, with no reopening date in sight :(

The above mentioned detour around the Rt70 road closure between Miyagase and the land slide that I recently took is a closed rindo with gates at both ends. The gates can be circumvented if you can lift your bike to shoulder height and there are two of you. Like other closed rindos it doesn't get much traffic, so there are certain risks (e.g. if you break a leg, nobody will find you, except maybe the local critters). There's no cell phone reception, but even if you could call an ambulance they'd have difficulties reaching you because of the locked gates. I would only recommend that rindo if you ride it with others and all of you are comfortable with riding on roads with significant debris and broken up road surface in places. Definitely not a place where you'd want to have an accident!
 
Back
Top Bottom