The sky, the sea, and the river are all beautiful! Cycle trip through the Kujukuri area in early spring!

Although the Kujukuri area has a strong image of marine activities such as swimming and surfing, it is actually a popular cycling spot as well. The area is also close to Narita International Airport, and you can refresh your body and mind by cycling through the beautiful scenery of the blue sky, ocean, and rivers as airplanes fly overhead! In addition, you can enjoy gourmet food, hot springs, seasonal flowers, and other attractions unique to the Kujukuri area in early spring. In this issue, we will introduce the charms of a cycle trip in the Kujukuri area, as well as notable nearby spots and event information!

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＜Japan Eco-track "Kujukuri Round Trip Cycling Route

Kujukuri was the first area in the Tokyo metropolitan area to be registered as a "Kujukuri" area in "Japan Eco Track," which proposes trips to enjoy local history, culture, and interaction with people using trekking, kayaking, bicycles, and other means. This time, among the seven cycling routes, we will tour the "Kujukuri Round Trip Cycling Route," which allows you to fully enjoy the charms of the area from the sea to the satoyama. The official Japan EcoTrack app provides a route navigation function for worry-free enjoyment.

Kujukuri Cycling Route

Japan Eco Truck Kujukuri

URL: https://www.japanecotrack.net/area/1110

＜SPOT(1) Cycling base "Narita Airport Onsen Sora no Yu

Narita Airport Onsen Sora no Yu

Narita Airport Onsen Sora no Yu is a natural hot spring facility popular for its open-air baths that offer a view of airplanes. As its name suggests, it is located close to Narita International Airport, and is equipped with bike racks, air fills, and tools, making it an ideal starting and ending point for cycling. After cycling, we recommend that you relax your tired body in the spacious open-air bath while watching the airplanes take off and land at the airport, and fill your stomach at the restaurant, which offers a menu of dishes made from locally grown ingredients! You can also rent bicycles at the "Bicycle Shop KURIN," which is located inside the facility, so you can go cycling with nothing!

Location: 27-1 Kayama Shinden, Shibayama-cho, Yamato-gun

URL : https://soranoyu.com/

＜PickUp(1)＞

The power of airplanes is amazing! HIKOKI NO OUKA

Hikoki no Oka

Located approximately 600 meters from the runway of Narita International Airport, "Hikouki no Oka" is a great spot to stop by during a cycling tour, where you can see airplanes up close. Not only can you enjoy the powerful takeoffs and landings of airplanes, but you can also take collaborative photos of airplanes and your car! Flowers bloom seasonally in the surrounding area, and you can capture rape blossoms in spring and sunflowers in summer against the blue sky where airplanes fly.

Location: 2012-6 Iwayama, Shibayama-cho, Yamato-gun

URL : https://www.town.shibayama.lg.jp/0000002556.html

<SPOT(2) Take a break at "Roadside Station Kazawari Shibayama" and recharge your energy with sweets.

Roadside Station Kazawari Shibayama

With a wide selection of fresh local foods and souvenirs, "Michi no Eki Kazanosato Shibayama" is recommended as a rest spot for cyclists, with a coffee shop, snack corner, and open lawn. It is also equipped with bike racks and is fully equipped to accommodate cyclists. The agricultural products direct-sale shop sells about 2,000 varieties of vegetables and fruits grown with care by local producers, which can be purchased fresh and at reasonable prices.

■Renew your energy with our original baumkuchen

Ancient Rice Baumkuchen

The "Ancient Rice Baumkuchen" is an original product made from 100% black rice (ancient rice) produced in Shibayama Town and rice flour from Koshihikari rice grown in Chiba Prefecture. It is characterized by its dark baking color derived from black rice, and its moist and glutinous texture is addictive. Why don't you recharge your energy with this unique local sweet?

Store ： Roadside Station "Fuwari Shibayama

Location: 2568 Koike, Shibayama-cho, Yamato-gun

URL ： https://www.fuwarishibayama.com

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Yamato-shi Naruto Strawberry Picking Association, one of the largest strawberry picking spots in the Kanto region

Naruto Strawberry Picking Map

Around Route 126 running through Yamatake City, there are 19 strawberry orchards and direct sales stands, and it is one of the largest strawberry picking areas in the Kanto region, also known as "Strawberry Road". Visitors can enjoy more than 20 varieties of strawberries, including "Chibaberry" and "Crimson Misuzu," both born in Chiba Prefecture. You can also taste gelato, strawberry daifuku, and other sweets depending on the strawberry orchard.

A new way to enjoy strawberries? Arinomimi Farm

Kakiichigo Ori" at Arinomitsu Farm

At Arinomimi Farm, not only can you enjoy eating 11 different kinds of strawberries, but the "Kakiichigo Ori," a menu item that allows you to enjoy the true flavor of strawberries in their entirety, is also popular! The frozen strawberries are delicately shaved and eaten as they are, you can enjoy a new texture that melts in your mouth.

Yamatake City Naruto Tourism Strawberry Association

Location: Around JR Naruto Station

URL ： https://sanmu15.com/index.html

＜SPOT(3) If you come to Kujukuri, you must see the Honsuga Beach! Honsuga Beach

Honsuga Beach

Honsuga Beach, with its vast and beautiful sandy beach, is popular for marine sports and swimming, but it is also recommended as a scenic spot to stop by on a cycle trip! Palm trees are planted along the coastline, making you feel as if you are visiting a tropical country. In order to pass down the beautiful coastline to the next generation, we have conducted beach cleanups and other environmental activities, and in April 2019, we became the first beach in Chiba Prefecture and the third in Japan to receive "Blue Flag" certification from the International Fund for Environmental Education as a "clean beach" worldwide. Refresh yourself with a view of the beach that seems to go on forever.

Location: 3841-124 Honsuka, Yamatake City

URL : https://sammukanko.jp/attraction/123/

＜PickUp(3)>Notew spots around the area

Along the bank of the Kido River is a hidden flower spot!

The area along the bank of the Kido River near Honsuka Beach is a hidden flower spot! Kawazu cherry blossoms bloom in late February and Someiyoshino cherry blossoms bloom in early April every year. Take a side trip and feel the arrival of spring.

Location: Around Kido, Yamatake City

＜SPOT(4) Enjoy Kujukuri's specialty, sardines, at "Roadside Station Orai Hasunuma

(From left) "Sardine rice bowl" at "Roadside Station Orai-Hasunuma" and "Restaurant Hasuji

As we enter the midpoint of the course, we are starting to get hungry. We recommend "Roadside Station Orai-Hasunuma," which offers a variety of Kujukuri's local specialties and souvenirs. At the "Hasumi" restaurant, which offers a wide variety of original menus that make the most of local specialties, the famous "Iwashi-don" (sardine bowl) is very popular. The bowl of rice topped with crispy fried sardines from Chiba Prefecture and a special sweetened sauce is a gem that allows you to enjoy the bounty of Kujukuri, where sardine fishing is thriving! In addition to fresh local vegetables such as "seawater leeks," a specialty of the area, the "Ki Taiyo" product hall also offers a variety of local dishes such as thick sushi rolls with beautiful cross-sectional patterns and horse mackerel nameko (a specialty of the area).

The "Iwashi-don", the most popular dish at Restaurant Hasumi, is a must-try!

Location: 4826 Hasunuma-ha, Yamato-shi

URL : https://www.oraihasunuma.com/

<SPOT(5) Refresh yourself along the Kido River and Kuriyama River Cycling Route

Kido River/Kuriyama River Cycling Route

After experiencing the sky and the sea, you will want to ride along the riverside route! The "Kido River/Kuriyama River Cycling Route" is a recommended route where cyclists are surrounded by the leisurely flowing Kuriyama River and lush green scenery! The road on the bank of the Kuriyama River, which is well maintained, is a comfortable and refreshing place to ride a bicycle.

The road on the bank of the Kuriyama River, which is beautifully maintained, is a comfortable and refreshing place to ride a bike. It is sure to be a rich time for cyclists, as they can experience the beauty of nature that changes with the seasons, with people enjoying activities such as fishing and kayaking, and migratory birds flying in the winter.

Japan Eco-track Kujukuri "Kido River/Kuriyama River Cycling Route

URL: https://www.japanecotrack.net/activity/1229

＜PickUp(4)＞

Experience kayaking on the Kuriyama River! Yokopika Club

Kayaking experience at Yokopika Club

Kayaking is a popular activity on the Kuriyama River! The Kuriyama River, with its gentle current, is a spot where you can enjoy kayaking throughout the year. Yokoshibahikari Town and Chiba University have collaborated to establish the "Yokopika Club," a group of guides who convey the charm of the town's wonderful local resources. The club is certified as an official canoe school by JRCA (Japan Recreational Canoe Association), and experienced guides will give you a detailed lecture on basic skills such as how to paddle, so even beginners can enjoy kayaking in a fun and safe way! The kayak is a fun and safe way to enjoy kayaking. Paddling on the surface of the river, listening carefully to the sound of the water and the gentle breeze, you will feel as if you have become one with nature and have a special time that soothes your soul.

Location: 1355-2, Yokoshibahikari-cho, Yamato-gun

URL : https://yokopika.club/

<SPOT(6) Take a break at Yokoshiba Ekimae Information Exchange Center Yoridokoro

Yokoshiba Ekimae Information Exchange Center Yoridokoro

Opened in April 2018 to serve as a guide to the town and provide information on sightseeing and restaurants, the Yokoshiba Ekimae Information Exchange Center Yoridokoro has a waiting area and a store where visitors can purchase souvenirs, making it an ideal resting spot. In addition to local pamphlets and maps, the center also houses an immigration and settlement support center, making it truly a "Yoridokoro" for everyone. Bicycles can be rented and bike racks are permanently available, so beginners can use this as a base for touring the Kido River and Kuriyama River Cycling Route!

Take a break at the café space

Sundae with locally produced blueberry jam

Inside the facility, there is a café space where you can enjoy drinks and light meals. Recharge your energy with a sundae made with locally produced blueberry jam, and then make a last spurt to reach the goal at Narita Airport Onsen Sora no Yu (hot spring)!

＜Interview with a key person in the Cycle Tourism Project! The Attractiveness of the Kujukuri Area and its Future

Cycle tourism in the Kujukuri area was created through the collaboration of three cities and towns (Yamatake City, Yokoshibahikari Town, and Shibayama Town), Chiba University, Narita International Airport (NAA), and Montbell, Inc. Behind the enjoyable cycling experience in the Kujukuri area south of Narita International Airport was the passionate desire of the project members to utilize local resources to enliven the area. In this interview, we asked the project's key persons about how this initiative started, the appeal of the Kujukuri area as a cycling spot, and its future prospects.

(From left) Mr. Suzuki and Mr. Akiyama

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Masayuki Suzuki

Born in Tochigi Prefecture in 1967.

While teaching as a professor at Chiba University's Faculty of International Studies, he also serves as the city manager of Yokoshibamikari Town, and since 2015 has been working with the residents and staff of Yokoshibamikari Town to help develop and implement strategies for revitalizing the town to halt its population decline.

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Takeyasu Akiyama

Born in Chiba Prefecture in 1967.

After working as an SE, he joined Chiba Television Broadcasting, where he is currently the head of the technical bureau. He has conducted many projects with students in Chiba University's COC+ program. He served as a member of the town's Board of Education until last year, and currently serves as a local development officer, a youth advisor, and an advisor to the Tourism and Community Development Association. He engages in various exchanges through his hobby of cycling.

■The trigger was the promotion of new tourism in Yokoshibahikari Town.

-How did the cycle tourism project start?

(Mr. Suzuki) In 2015, I was involved in the formulation of the comprehensive strategy of Yokoshibamitsu Town, and in the process, I started an initiative to promote new tourism together with the townspeople, the town, and Chiba University. In the course of discussions with the town's residents, many of them suggested that the Kuriyama River was the town's greatest local resource, and that kayaking would be a good way to make use of this resource. We decided to explore a partnership with MontBell Inc. But since we didn't have any contacts, why not approach them through an inquiry form? The town made an attempt, and perhaps because of their enthusiasm and the potential of the town's local resources, they decided to start a partnership. In March 2019, Yokoshibahikari Town was registered as a Friend Town of Montbell Inc. I think this is a great opportunity for us.

(Mr. Akiyama) Due to my work, I was also involved in a project at Corona Disaster Relief to encourage people to enjoy local sightseeing by cycling around the three cities and towns. My relationship with Narita Airport Onsen Ku no Yu people and local cyclists grew, and we started talking about what we could do in this area using bicycles. At that time, the town of Yokoshibahikari asked me to get involved in the project as a local cyclist because they had established a good relationship with Montbell Inc. and would like to collaborate with us in the future in a wide area.

Scene of the meeting

The project has expanded to three cities and towns

-How did the "Montbell Friend Area Kujukuri" come into being?

(Mr. Suzuki) Chiba University had also started a partnership with Shibayama Town in 2018. The town had an idea to develop the town by utilizing local resources, so we proposed and worked on cycle tourism. So, Chiba University connected Yokoshibahikari Town and Shibayama Town, which are also engaged in new tourism, and also approached Yamatake City, and as a result, the three cities and towns developed a cycle tourism program in wide-area cooperation, and the "Montbell Friend Area Kujukuri" was born.

■Cycling can connect communities and regions and maximize their attractiveness.

-What is the appeal of cycling that is unique to the Kujukuri area?

(Mr. Akiyama) There is no other cycling route where you can fully enjoy the sky, the sea, and the river, each with its own unique natural features. Another attraction is the wide variety of courses that can be enjoyed by a wide range of cyclists, from beginners to intermediate cyclists. Personally, I love the route along the Kuriyama River. The roads along the Kuriyama River are beautifully paved for cyclists and very easy to ride, and it feels great whether you ride slow or fast. I also recommend Honsuka Beach in Yamatake City and Hikouki no Oka in Shibayama Town.

(Mr. Suzuki)According to cyclists who have actually visited the area, the region is dotted with delicious restaurants, sightseeing spots, and places to stay, and the ability to connect these and experience the charms of the region as a whole is a unique way to enjoy cycling, and is an attraction only possible in the Kujukuri We believe that this is a unique attraction of the Kujukuri area, which is linked to a wide area beyond its administrative borders.

We would like to take on further challenges in the entire area.

-What do you want to do in the Kujukuri area in the future?

Mr. Akiyama enjoying cycling

(Mr. Suzuki)In order to enable anyone to enjoy cycling and other self-driven travel from Narita International Airport and JR stations, we would like to consider establishing a system whereby anyone can rent a bicycle and drop it off at any of the locations in the area.

(Mr. Akiyama)In order for cyclists to enjoy local gourmet food, we would like to consider portable food for cyclists, such as one-hand gourmet food that is unique to each of the three cities and towns. We believe that if we can create something that makes it easy to enjoy local gourmet food, it will encourage people to visit the Kujukuri area.

＜NEWS Information on noteworthy events in the Kujukuri area! Held at one of the largest plum groves in Chiba Prefecture! Sakata Castle Ruins Ume Festival in the Sky

Sakata Castle Ruins Ume Festival in the Sky

The "Sakata Castle Ruins Plum Blossom Festival in the Sky" will be held at one of the largest plum groves in Chiba Prefecture! The Sakata Castle Ruins Plum Grove is a plum grove built on the ruins of a mountain castle from the Warring States Period, with approximately 1,300 white plum trees and other plants. Every spring, the view of plum blossoms blooming all at once against the sky is breathtaking. During the ume festival, ume farmers sell handmade processed ume products, and kitchen cars are open for business. Come and enjoy an event filled with ume blossoms and experience spring!

Date and Time: February 17 (Sat) - March 3 (Sun), 2024

Place: Sakata, Yokoshibamitsu-cho, Yamato-gun

＜Preserved version of the Kujukuri Cycling Route MAP

Preserved Version] "Kujukuri Cycling Route" MAP