Jan 24, 2015 - 1 min read

Autumn Scenery Between Uji & Otsu

Easy cycling through incredible riverside scenery

By Cathy Cawood

Community writer

A gravel slide into the river breaks up the autumn-hued trees

Parts of the road wind around, but the grade is mostly not steep

You can cross this bridge, but there is nothing on the other side any more

A derelict thatched cottage surrounded by trees

Pampas grass against the evening sky near Ishiyama

One of my favorite cycling day trips is the ride from Uji to Otsu. Although the road passes through the mountains, it is surprisingly flat and easy going. The scenery is wonderful, especially in autumn, when these photos were taken. The ride is about 32 kilometers from Uji Bridge to Hama-Otsu. The road takes you up to Amagase Dam, then along the Uji and Seta Rivers until you reach Lake Biwa. A wonderful bike path along the lake front will take you to Hama-Otsu. If you time your ride right, you can end your day with a beautiful Lake Biwa sunset!

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By Cathy Cawood

Community writer

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Fernando Kawai 5 days ago

Hi Cathy , Thank you for the excellent recommendation !
For those interested in this route :Just did this ride last week and the scenery was outstanding : beautiful Autumn Mountains with red,yellow and orange at peak , and not much traffic at all ( some areas had moderate traffic, most of route was cycle lanes or light trafic).
Ishiyama -Dera Temple had a wonderful fall colors and was on the way as well.

Highly recommend this ride on last week of November .

I was visiting from the US and did not have my bike , but was able to rent a great gravel bike at Biwaichi Bike in Lake Biwa, at the start of the trail . They also have road bikes and e bikes . The Giant store Biwako also has an excellent selection of road bikes . Enjoy cycling in Japan!