Hirado Cycling Road

Feel the winds of Kyushu! Cycling Road Navigator

Enjoy a historical castle town and beautiful island scenery to the fullest

Hirado Cycling Road

20km

平戸オランダ館

平戸サイクリングコース

"Cycle in Kyushu" introduces cycling roads that allow you to personally experience the charms of the various regions of Kyushu.This time we'd like to introduce to "Hirado Cycling Road" which is located in Hirado City, at the westernmost end of Japan that is accessible by land routes.We'll guide you around the recommended visiting spots, including the numerous attractions of the Hirado City region and scenic locations that are worth going out of your way to visit.

平戸食事

平戸城

Departing from Hirado City, where the atmosphere of a castle town hangs in the air, heading towards the scenery of the Kawauchi Pass spreading beyond grassy plains. Furthermore, this is a course that covetously enjoys the seaside scenery along the east side of Hirado.At a total distance of 20km it is not too long, but the up-and-down undulation of the course is very intense, especially on the long upward-sloping hills near Kawauchi Pass. It's the type of course that is commonly visited by pro racers for training, so it's mostly recommended for those confident in their stamina. It's also recommended that visitors use electrically-assisted bicycles which can be rented at the tourism office inside the Hirado City Tourist Transport Terminal. Please note that it is not a bicycle-exclusive road, it is a course that runs along the roadway, so be sure to pay close attention to your surroundings as you enjoy cycling.

平戸お土産

平戸サイクリング平戸ザビエル記念教会

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Hirado Xavier Memorial Church

Hirado Xavier Memorial Church,a landscape where you can see both churches and temples

Standing on top of a slightly elevated hill overlooking Hirado City, the "Hirado Xavier Memorial Church" is one of the most-visited churches in Hirado. The current building is a gothic-styled structure built in 1931, with a characteristic green exterior. You can visit the inside of the church too. The interior of the church is wrapped in a wondrous atmosphere, a silent space filled with the colors of the stained glass windows. Nearby there is a location where you can 'see both churches and temples.' By walking along a stone-paved road you'll reach a spot where you can see the steeple and cross of Hirado Xavier Memorial Church beyond the tiled roofs of the Buddhist temples of Shoju-ji, Komyo-ji, and Zuiun-ji.

Hirado Xavier Memorial Church

Address
269 Kagamigawa-cho, Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Viewing Hours
9：00～16：00
Visiting Fee
Free (*There is a donation box.)
*When church events are being held, entry is not possible.
*The church is a place of prayer. Please be quiet when you visit.
*Photography is forbidden inside the church.

A landscape with both temples and a church

Address
269 Kagamigawa-cho, Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture

Hirado Xavier Memorial Church

  • Hirado Xavier Memorial Church
  • Hirado Xavier Memorial Church

Hirado Castle

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Hirado Castle, the castle townscape

Learn the history of the Matsuura family,who must be mentioned when talking about Hirado

In a hilly area surrounded by sea on 3 sides, "Hirado Castle" is the symbol of Hirado.In feudal times this was the castle of the Matsuura family, the lords of Hirado; the castle is sometimes referred to as "Kameoka Castle." The current castle is a restoration made by the city in 1962, with a collection of items related to the Matsuura family inside. It's worth going inside the castle tower to look at the scenery of Hirado Port. On the opposite shore, near the Hirado Port Exchange Plaza, there is a Dutch Trading Street with the feel of a castle town about it-- perfect for walking around.

Hirado Castle

Address
1458 Iwanoue-cho, Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Phone
0950-22-2201
Business Hours
8：30～17：30
Closed Days
12/30, 31
Fees
Adults 510 yen,high school studens 300 yen, elementary/middle school students 200 yen

Hirado Castle

  • Hirado Castle
  • Hirado Castle

平戸サイクリング平戸ザビエル記念教会

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Kawauchi Pass

The highlight of the course is the huge panorama waiting at the top

"Kawauchi Pass", where grassy plains at an elevation of 267m spread over an area 30 hectares in size.The view from the summit is breathtaking, an ideal viewing location that allows you to see Kujukushima and the Genkai Sea, and far in the distance, Iki Island and Tsushima Island. The mountain pass has different faces for every season; azaleas in spring, verdant green grasslands in summer, and pampas grass in fall. The road up to the summit continues up a gently-sloping hill, but once you reach the top, all of your exhaustion will be blown away by the magnificent view.

Kawauchi Pass

Address
Onocho, Hirado, Nagasaki Prefecture

Kawauchi Pass

  • Kawauchi Pass
  • Kawauchi Pass

Seaview Ranch

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Seaview Ranch

A seaside horseback riding club and restaurant overflowing with a feeling of freedom

This is a western-style horseback riding club that has been open for around 30 years. They offer a variety of experiences, such as casual draft horses (600 yen for one time around the horse-riding area) and a beach course for walking along the seaside (5,000 yen for 30 minutes).Even if you're not riding a horse you're welcome inside the restaurant, where you can enjoy lunch and dessert. They have plenty of items on the menu to satisfy you, including a hamburger plate (1,000 yen) with a soup and salad, as well as a curry plate (1,000 yen), and the Hirado Wagyu Steak Set (3,000 yen). Aside from food, they also have a sweets menu with items such as the homemade cake set (800 yen~), so feel free to drop in to relax for a moment.

Seaview Ranch

Address
35 Kawauchi-cho, Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Phone
0950-24-2338
Business Hours
Horse riding… 9:00 -17:00, Restaurant 11:00 - 20:00
Closed Days
Irregular closings

Seaview Ranch

  • Seaview Ranch
  • Seaview Ranch

平戸サイクリング平戸ザビエル記念教会

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Hirado Onsen Hand and Foot Baths

Easy on your wallet because it's free, hand and foot baths from a natural hot spring

Relatively close to the Hirado Port Exchange Plaza, this is a spot where you can casually enjoy Hirado Onsen.The water temperature is maintained at about 40~42 degrees, and the warmth will help to ease your tired arms and feet. You'll also be able to feel Hirado Onsen's characteristic slipperiness, and you might even expect your skin to become more beautiful.

Hirado Onsen Hand and Foot Baths

Address
776-9 Sakigatacho, Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Business Hours
8：00～21：00
Closed Days
None
Fees
Free

Hirado Onsen Hand and Foot Baths

  • Hirado Onsen Hand and Foot Baths
  • Hirado Onsen Hand and Foot Baths

Many more attractions!

Hirado Dutch Trade House

Around 400 years ago, Hirado prospered as a base for Western trade in East Asia. This is a reconstruction of the Dutch trading house that was located in Hirado for around 33 years until the center of Dutch trade moved to Dejima in Nagasaki.In addition to maintaining its appearance from that time, there's a collection of assets displaying how it would have looked back then.

Address
2477 Okubo-cho, Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Fees
300 yen for adults, 200 yen for children.

Hirado Dutch Trade House

Hirado Dutch Trade House

  • Hirado Dutch Trade House
  • Hirado Dutch Trade House

Saiwai-bashi Bridge

Designated as an Important Cultural Asset of Japan, this is an arch bridge spanning the Kagamigawa River that runs through the Hirado City region.In 1669 when it was first built it was just a wooden bridge, but in 1702 it was rebuilt as a stone bridge. It is commonly called a "Dutch Bridge" because it was built using the same technique that Dutch traders used to build their stone warehouses.

Address
228-1 Iwanoue-cho, Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture

Saiwai-bashi Bridge

Saiwai-bashi Bridge

Hirado Fresh Market

Direct sales of Hirado's agricultural and fish products, including freshly-harvested vegetables and fresh fish.Original processed goods are sold as well, such as side dishes, local sweets, and ginger miso (400 yen). Because of this, this is the perfect spot for snack or souvenir shopping.

Address
228-1 Iwanoue-cho, Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture

Hirado Fresh Market

Hirado Fresh Market

  • Hirado Fresh Market
  • Hirado Fresh Market

Hirado Champon

"Hirado Champon" is a dish that features lots of vegetables and thick noodles.It became popular in the early Showa period as a cheap but filling food. The soup varies depending on the store; some stores use only chicken bones for their broth, others use pork bones. Recently, several shops have started to use the Hirado specialty "agodashi" (a fish-based broth.)

平戸ちゃんぽん

Bicycle Rental Information

Rental Cycle

Bicycle Rental Information

Hirado City Tourist Information Office

At the tourist information office inside the Hirado City Tourist Exchange Terminal, you can rent electrically-assisted bicycles.The Hirado Cycling Road has many ups and downs, but with an electrically assisted bike it's a much smoother experience. Please note in advance that rentals are unavailable on rainy days or days where there's a high chance of precipitation. They have 10 bikes available for rental, and you can call in advance to make a reservation.

Hirado City Tourist Information Office

address
Inside of the Hirado City Tourist Exchange Terminal, 776-6 Sakigatacho, Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture
phone
0950-22-2015
Fees
500 yen for 4-hour rental of electrically assisted bicycles, or 1-day rental for 1,000 yen.
Business Hours
8：00～18：00
Closed Days
None

Parking information

See course information here