(This post is translated from the original Portuguese and Japanese. You can read the original here.)
Biwaichi is a cycling route that consists of going around Japan’s largest lake: Lake Biwa, which is located in Shiga prefecture. At the time I’m writing this, there are only 3 cycling routes that have been recognized by the Japanese government as “National Cycling Routes” and Biwaichi is the longest among them.
There are 3 ways to go around Lake Biwa:
A 160-kilometer-long route, that consists in going around the lake’s north portion.
A 40-kilometer-long route, in which you can enjoy its south area.
And Biwaichi, in which you can enjoy the whole thing.
Since it’s a long route, it’s recommended that you complete it in two or three days while enjoying the tourist spots along the way. However, if you are a cyclist used to long distances, it’s totally possible to make it in one day.
I love cycling, so for a long time I was looking forward to try that route. Then, one day, I had the opportunity to do it with my boss, who is a cyclist with a lot of experience doing Biwaichi.
On that day, we departed Otsu city at 6:00 in the morning and got back to the same place, after completing the course, at 8:00 PM, so it was a 14-hour trip!
This article’s main objective is just to give a general view about Biwaichi, but I also want to write about how it was to experience it for real!
I hope you come to read it when it’s ready!
Yo! Biwako 