Japan Randoneur

Furano is referred to as the ‘Navel of Hokkaido’ for its central location on Japan’s northern island. Your first impression will be of the impressive Daisetsuzan Range of mountains which rise up on one side of the valley and of the surrounding patchwork hills. There is an endless choice of quiet backroads which make this area one of the premier cycling destinations in Japan.

It wasn’t until the late 19th Century that pioneers from Japan’s mainland arrived in Hokkaido. The railroad paved the way for settlers to the region and the forestry industry resulted in cleared areas for farmland. Roads started to be built connecting the farms to the townships. These were gravel tracks, which over time were widely paved to deal with the abundant snow that falls during the winter months.

We came to Hokkaido focused on skiing the backcountry and the famous powder. Once the snow melted we looked at the potential for mountain biking. We were soon riding our mountain bikes on the myriad of quiet roads that can be found in the area, and our focus switched from singletrack dirt, to tar.

There are different terrain and route choices that  will suit any type of rider.  The valley is mostly flat, which contrasts to the gentle rolling terrain and punchy hills around the valley. There are also  hill climbs into the national park that offer some nice challenges.

There are plenty of restaurant and café choices on these routes and are designed to be ridden self-supported.

[Japan Randoneur YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCudBXvSwolrvm1QxJBSdpjw/videos)

[Furano/Biei Cycling Route Map](http://www.kamifurano.jp/exlang/go-cycling/furano-biei-cycling-road/)