Food & Dining on Your Cycling Tours in Japan

Japan is a world-class culinary destination, and the food you experience on an Air Bike Tours cycling adventure is part of the journey. Whether you are riding through the fertile plains of Hokkaido, the rice-rich landscapes of Tohoku, or other regions, every meal becomes a chance to explore local culture through fresh, seasonal ingredients, traditional flavours, and regional specialties.

What’s Included on Tours

Your tour includes a carefully curated selection of meals, designed to nourish your ride and expand your taste horizons:

  • Hearty breakfasts: start your day with a balanced Japanese breakfast usually featuring steamed rice, miso soup, grilled fish, pickles, and seasonal sides (included on all tours).

  • Fresh dinners: enjoy regional specialties sourced from Hokkaido’s rich farmland and seas, often in traditional ryokan inns or local restaurants. Think fresh seafood, grilled meats, local vegetables, and farm-to-table produce from the region you are exploring (usually included on guided tours).

  • Lunches & snacks: depending on your tour, lunches may be included or enjoyed at local eateries that serve teishoku (set meals), soba, udon, or other classic dishes.

  • On-ride nutrition: riders on guided tours can expect water, energy bars, fruit, and electrolytes shared throughout the day

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Food.jpg
Traditional Japanese meal with a bowl of soba noodles, a bowl of crispy fried tempura, a small dish of dipping sauce, a small dish of green onions and wasabi, and a small bowl of pickled ginger, served on a tray in front of a Japanese-style charcoal
A slice of cheesecake topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, strawberry sauce, and garnished with strawberries, mint, and fruit slices on a glass plate. Next to it, there's a cup of black coffee on a saucer with a small spoon.
A glass mug filled with dark coffee with a frothy top, sitting on a blue glass saucer with a metal stirrer inside, on a wooden table.
Assorted plates of appetizers including sausages, fried fish, stuffed olives, and a dish garnished with fresh herbs.

Regional Culinary Highlights

Each region has its own food culture, making your ride a gastronomic as well as scenic adventure:

Hokkaido Delights

  • Famous for fresh seafood: crab, scallops, salmon, and uni (sea urchin).

  • Rich dairy products — butter, cheese, and creamy soft serve ice cream.

Tohoku Specialties

  • Celebrated for its quality rice, sake, and comforting regional hot pots like kiritanpo nabe.

  • Seasonal produce and local comfort foods that reflect the countryside you pedal through.

These culinary experiences enrich your tour and introduce you to the flavours of Japan’s north.

A bowl of Thai curry with vegetables, boiled egg, and noodles.
Several whole brown crabs on ice at a seafood market display.
Group of four friends raising glasses for a toast at a dining table with sushi and drinks in a cozy restaurant
Sea shells filled with cooked snails, served on a green and white textured plate.
Group of seven people sitting around a low table enjoying a traditional Japanese meal with various dishes, some making peace signs and smiling.
Traditional Japanese meal with soba noodles, tempura, dipping sauce, and pickled vegetables at a restaurant with a teapot in the background.
A bowl of melon soup with a hollowed-out cantaloupe, garnished with herbs, and surrounded by small dishes of sashimi, pickles, and other Japanese appetizers.
Skewered raw chicken, green bell pepper, potato, and mushroom arranged around a bowl of dipping sauce on a red tray with a bamboo border.
A close-up view of a tea urn or brewing device with a metallic, ridged interior, containing dark amber-colored liquid and white sticks, possibly stirring sticks or skewers.
Two elderly women in traditional Japanese yukatas enjoying a meal of sushi and sashimi at a table with various small dishes and a portable grill.

Tips for Self-Guided & Self-Supported Riders

If you’re riding independently:

  • Explore local convenience stores (konbini) for quick snacks like onigiri, bento boxes, or drinks between towns.

  • Small cafés and regional markets along your route can be memorable stops — especially for craft coffee, local sweets, or sake tastings.

  • Don’t miss regional ekiben — specialty bento boxes sold at train stations featuring local ingredients.

Ready to taste your way through Japan on two wheels?

Explore our tours with included meals

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