Take the Road
Less Traveled
to Experience the Rich
Rural Culture of Lake Biwa.

Take the Road
Less Traveled
to Experience the
Rich Rural Culture
of Lake Biwa.

As featured in the 2024 Lonely Planet guide of Japan!

Refresh with Nature

Perfect getaway from the city to explore the rich rural environment of Lake Biwa and surrounding mountains.

Support Culture

As traditions and crafts slowly disappear, we work to support this local lifeblood.

Enjoy Local Life

Our guides are also local residents, working to give an immersive experience of local life.

Just 20 min. from Kyoto by Shinkansen!

Meet your guide right at JR Maibara Station!

Featured Private Tour Courses


Perfect Kyoto Daytrip off the Beaten Path on Strictly Private Tours!

Unique local tours through the authentic countryside of Japan with immersive experiences for adventurous travelers. Discover charming rural villages and refreshing nature on our mountain bike or e-bike cycling tours. Explore scenic brewery towns or hidden artisanal villages on walking and hiking tours, or immerse yourself in local food with cooking workshops. Our mission is to ensure the sustainability of our local culture, while providing unforgettable experiences!

One-Day Courses

Half-Day Courses


Explore More of Northern Shiga

Custom Private Tours


History & Culture

Local Foods

Mountain Hiking

In addition to our featured tours, we’re also happy to show you more of our favorite local spots on a custom tour course. Go on a sacred mountain hike, visit an island sanctuary within Lake Biwa, and more. Flexible itineraries designed around your interests, and guided by our local experts for a truly special experience.

Custom Tours

from our guests

Testimonials

Jenna D
Jenna D
April 1, 2024
Perfect Escape from Kyoto Crowds We had a wonderful time biking through multiple villages and the beautiful lakeside. Tako was a great host! Super friendly and knowledgeable about Japanese history and the area. The tour also included pit stops at a shrine, caves, and a lookout point where we enjoyed tea and delicious local snacks. We would highly recommend this tour as a great way to explore a beautiful rural area we otherwise would have missed if only hitting the major tourist areas of Japan!
Shawn K
Shawn K
March 22, 2024
Perfect ending to our week in Kyoto We loved this experience. Our guide, Ryoko, was so excited to share some of the history and culture of her home town and despite the chilly rainy day, the whole experience was very warming. There was not one part we did not enjoy. Getting away from a city, doing the bike tour, and then going to soy and sake breweries that were many generations old along with being welcomed into her home was just what we were looking for to end our visit to the Kyoto area. In our donabe cookbook I came across the phrase ichigo-ichie, which I believe means every moment in life is a life time treasure. We felt this experience was just that for us. We would highly recommend getting away from the bigger sights for a day for something like this.
MB_Japan
MB_Japan
December 7, 2023
Amazing experience in rural Shiga This itinerary was Day 2 of a two day trip with Biwako Backroads and it was an amazing experience from start to finish. Our guide Ryoko was the perfect ambassador for her hometown area of Shiga, introducing us to the most scenic countryside spots on our morning cycle and then helping us connect with locals in Kinomoto brewery town in the afternoon. Golden rice fields, fall foliage, an ancient tea field, local sake and soy sauce tasting ... this was a memorable day.
HKO
HKO
November 22, 2023
Awesome break from the city. We had a terrific bike tour with Tako. It was great to get out of the city and take a break from seeing temples for a day. Cycling through some small villages and along the lake was fun for my 11 year old daughter as well. At the end, Tako even gave us a ride to Hikone Castle--talk about above and beyond service!
lazy_tiger81
lazy_tiger81
November 1, 2023
A wonderful 2 day private tour. Booked a solo private tour for 2 days. In short, the experience was fantastic. I had 2 wonderful guides, Takako and Ryoko, who are locals with intimate knowledge of the history, culture and geography of the area. They spared no effort to ensure tour participants are comfortable and engaged. We toured on foot and bike, covering many interesting features of the lake area, each with their own unique back story (I won't share any spoilers here!). If you are in the area or want to escape the maddening crowds in Kyoto, their guided tours should certainly be on your list. T & R, thanks again for sharing your time and places with me!
Jan
Jan
October 31, 2023
Fun Cycle in countryside near Kyoto Taco met us at the station in Maibara. We noticed right away that her command of English was excellent. The bicycles were brand new . We enjoyed seeing the small villages and rice paddies of the local farmers . We had a nice ride down to Lake Biwa on a lot of backroads . Very safe and relatively easy for beginners. Nice break from hustle and bustle of Kyoto. Highly recommend this excursion.
Sightseer826111
Sightseer826111
August 31, 2023
The highlight of our trip! My daughter and I did an ebike tour of Nagahama City with Biwako Backroads. It was by far our FAVORITE experience from the entire trip. Our guide was knowledgeable and kind. The ebikes were super fun - what a wonderful way to experience village life in Japan outside of the major cities! The tour provided us with opportunities to learn about Shinto and Buddhist shrines, visit a pure land Buddhist temple, see some beautiful countryside, and we made and ate amazing food! If you're looking for a unique and memorable experience where you'll be well cared for, don't miss the chance to take one of their tours!
Renae D
Renae D
May 23, 2023
Best way to experience Japan This was hands down the best adventure I had ever taken. Touring around rural towns, the rice fields and the temple stops were just amazing. My friend and I had a great time and will definitely recommend.
Cidean B.
Cidean B.
May 23, 2023
The Well-Needed Break: Riding through the Countryside I work in a profession where taking a break sometimes feels like a luxury. There’s always so much to plan, so much to execute and so little time for everything to be done that it’s easy to overlook the fact that breaks are needed. That’s basically what this tour was for me. It was an chance for me to disconnect from the hustle called “life” and take a moment to pause, and appreciate those moments my friend and I spent cycling through the beautiful and peaceful towns between Takatsuki and Kinomoto Station. PROS - We were provided one of the warmest individuals as a tour guide. She met us at the Takatsuki JR Station and guided us all the way to Kinomoto Juzo-in Joshin-Jo Temple we’re we met a few locals and paid tributes (very, very optional). She rode ahead of us and stopped intermittently to allow us an opportunity to rehydrate and learn a bit about the various places we visited. - Lunch was included. The best way for me to describe this meal is a “Taste of Nagahama.” (see picture attached). I understand - quite generic - but, it’s truly what this felt like to me. We had a mix of sweet and savory items. And of course, soup and rice. This was a meal that was prepared by the wife of a Buddhist at the Kinomoto Juzo-in Joshin-Jo Temple. - Nature. It was everywhere. Tall, towering trees, rice paddy fields that spread for miles and the sounds of birds everywhere. Just riding through nature was de-stressing for me. It allowed me to calm down and I found myself saying several times: “I would really live here” because I enjoyed that moment so much. CONS - To be very honest, I can’t think of any at this time. If any does come up, I’ll be sure to update this. But, overall, it was a day well spent outdoors and I’d definitely do this again; whether by myself or with a friend or few. It’s a nice way to bond, de-stress and relax while being surrounded by nature and getting in some exercise.
TGaede
TGaede
April 16, 2023
Great rural ebike tour Highlight of our trip! I wanted to experience rural Japan culture during our recent family trip. Understanding other cultures is a large part of why I travel, and just seeing the popular sights doesn't capture that on it's own for me. So I went searching on the internet and found Bawako Backroads and I'm so glad i did! Things like this can be challenging since I have a very high energy 11 year old and a moody 13 year old, but Tako & our guide Ryo did splendidly. My wife eats on the keto diet and they were accommodating for that during the cooking session too, which is a feat. We customized a full day tour of the countryside to include an ebike ride, a visit to a local farm, cooking a meal, and visiting a temple. During each one our guide would talk about various aspects of Japanese culture - in a way that actually engaged our picky girls - and even had a binder with illustrations prepared. So cool. Tako is also a great communicator and very organized when customizing the tour and having a clear itinerary. Ryo was a wonderful guide - very knowledgeable and so kind. She even invited us into her home! They also suprised us by having a birthday cake made for my daughter since it was her birthday on the day of our tour - all without asking - and we got to meet the main chef at the bakery! If you are looking to experience rural Japan, do not hesitate and reach out to Bawako now.
Local Expert Team

Our Primary Guides

We value real local culture. So, we rely on guides who are from the area and have strong local knowledge to guide you. Rather than simply introducing sightseeing spots, guides involved in the community can act as mediators and create opportunities to experience the values and communal ties that have brought prosperity to this charming little town since ancient times.

Takako Matsui-Leidy
Takako (Tako) Matsui-Leidy

Tako is the main manager of the Biwako Backroads project as well as a fully licensed English guide. Aside from 11 years living in the US, Tako has spent most of her life in Shiga and is happy to share the local culture with you!

Ryoko Vick Kitano
Ryoko Vick Kitano

A Nagahama native who has spent time as a translator, and is a licensed English guide. She’s into local nature, culture, history and food. She loves sharing the unique local culture that you won’t find anywhere else in Japan!

Asami Higashiyama
Asami Higashiyama

Asami is a travel lover, and licensed English guide. Her husband is a Buddhist monk, so she has all kinds of knowledge about Japanese temples. She loves meeting travelers, learning about their country and cultural exchange. She also speaks both English and Spanish fluently.

Yuta Fukuhara
Yuta Fukuhara

Yuta is an outdoor explorer at heart and local forestry worker by trade. He’s been a great help to our team as the resident nature and hiking guide, and having grown up nearby, he knows the local region very well.

Support Guides
Support Guides

In addition to our primary guides, we also have a small network of friendly and knowledgeable guides providing back up and support as needed to ensure tour availability and a positive experience for our guests.

Access & Meeting Point

Meet Up and Go!

Working Together for Progress

Memberships & Partners

Japan Ecotourism Society
Yu Tour
Biwaichi Rental Cycle
Questions Welcome!

Contact Us


All questions welcome! To book a tour, please use the Booking Page form. Thanks, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!

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