Cycling in the countryside of Nara prefecture

Cycling in the countryside of Nara prefecture

Let's cycle around the old castle town of Uda in the back country of Nara prefecture!

Located about an hour by train from Osaka, Uda city lies on a 300-meter-high plateau. From ancient times it had strong ties to the sacred places of Kumano and Yoshino, and to the former capitals in Japan. In the Middle Ages the Matsuyama district flourished as a castle town with a vivid merchants’ quarter. The streets lined with their shops look just as they did in the Edo period, 200-250 years ago, and it would be no surprise to see Samurai walking about. It has been designated as Conservation District of Traditional Buildings by the Japanese government.

Cycling through the satoyama landscape, experiencing calligraphy, one of Japan’s traditional arts, and getting a glimpse of how people lived 200 years ago are all part of this tour

Experience traditional Japan with all your five senses in Uda!

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Pass By: Uda City Tourist Information Center Uda Midokoro, 2427 Haibara Hagihara, Uda 633-0253 Nara Prefecture

Cycling in Satoyama

After renting an e-bike at Haibara station on the Kintetsu Line we enjoy a leisurely one-hour-ride in the Satoyama landscape with rice paddies, streams and hills.


Stop At: Udaji Ouda Michi-no-Eki, 714-1Hiro, Ouda-ku, Uda 633-2164 Nara Prefecture

Time for Lunch!

The water in Uda used to be considered ‘blessed water’ and was specially delivered to the Imperial Court in the old days. Its pureness is one reason why sake breweries came into existence in this region.  Let's sit down to a nice lunch cooked with this special spring water!

Duration: 1 hour

Pass By: Cultural Property of Matsuyama Area, Ouda, Uda Nara Prefecture

Strolling through the picturesque Old Town.

The old merchant buildings lining the streets in the Matsuyama district  have very impressive latticed windows. Find out what kind of shops they were and why the buildings and lattices differ slightly!

Stop At: Uda City History & Cultural Museum (Yakunokan), 2003 Oudakamishin, Uda 633-2161 Nara Prefecture

A visit to the former home of a wealthy medicine merchant shows us how the inside of a house back then looked like. The old furniture, the huge earthen cooking stove, the servants' quarters, two different baths, and the gorgeous Japanese-style warehouse let us imagine how people lived here 200 years ago. Can you find out what the rocks in the garden are representing?

Before heading back to Haibara station we pass one more time through the satoyama landscape on a slightly different route.

Duration: 40 minutes

Stop At: Uda City History & Cultural Museum (Yakunokan), 2003 Oudakamishin, Uda 633-2161 Nara Prefecture

Calligraphy experience

Under the guidance of a master, you can experience calligraphy using brush and ink. If you bring a white T-shirt, you can write kanji (Chinese characters) on it yourself. It will be a nice souvenir to bring back home.

Duration: 1 hour