Nozawa Onsen Village Route

After a short ride through town from Iiyama Station, first cross the Chuo Bridge to the far side of the Chikuma River. As you make the refreshing ride over the flat, straight 4.5 km causeway, Nanohana Park will come into view. While it is a famous spot for blooming rapeseed flowers in spring and sunflowers in summer, it has also become popular as a scenic point offering a view of the Chikuma River and the surrounding mountains at the same time.

Next up is the Kosuge area, home to Kosuge Shrine. One thing to take note of here is that the stretch from Nanohana Park to the Kosuge area is a slope with an average incline of 10%, and exceeding 20% in places, so you may need to push your bicycle uphill. While it may seem a little difficult, with each step forward, you can get a sense of the mountain ascetic training known as shugendo, and experience the depth and weight of history and culture at length.
The entire area is designated a national important cultural landscape called the Cultural Landscape of Kosuge no sato and Mt. Kosuge, and there are many surviving buildings which preserve traces from times long ago when it flourished as a center of mountain asceticism. They include Kosuge Shrine’s rear shrine building and associated shrine, erected in the middle of the Muromachi period and reached by an approach up a mountain trail lined with rows of sublime cedar trees more than 300 years old, and these precious buildings are designated national important cultural properties. This area is worth visiting just to bask in its solemnly dignified atmosphere.

The next destination is Lake Hokuryu, a heart-shaped lake surrounded by forest. Riding along the lake shore is refreshing all on its own, but we also recommend stopping off for a break or activities like taking a hot spring bath or enjoying canoeing. You can also drop off your rental cycle here and take a bus back to Iiyama Station.
Next, it is onward to the final destination of the route, Nozawa Onsen. There are more than 30 naturally-occurring springs in the village, and you can enjoy visiting all of the public baths. Onsen are great for sampling all kinds of food and souvenir hunting, but do not forget to savor the old-fashioned traditional ambiance of the hot spring district as well. Since this is a one-way route, the guide says to drop off your bicycles here and return to Iiyama Station by bus, but of course, you also have the option heading back to Iiyama Station the way you came if you are confident in your stamina. If you want to enjoy cycling from Iiyama Station and then stay overnight at Nozawa Onsen, luggage delivery service from Iiyama Station to local hotels is available. After you have had your fill of carefree cycling, be sure to enjoy your stay in the atmospheric hot spring district.