Biking from Tokyo to Nikko

These mountain views of the Nikko area may only be accessible to bikers and drivers, but who would be caught dead these days in an automobile?

Tim Rudder of timrudder.com recently took a four-day round-trip voyage from Tokyo to the historic town of Nikko -- by bicycle.

The trip spans 416km through mountainous territory. But judging from Rudder's descriptions, the ride was a rewarding one. 2-3km inclines are followed by 15km of blissful downhill joyriding with very few cars on the road.

The four-day schedule was not all biking, however. Rudder was also able to go sightseeing in Nikko, stay at a traditional Japanese inn and a soak in an onsen hot spring.

The only downside of the trip was the arrival back in congested Tokyo. Tim Rudder's Nikko biking trip, however, seems like a great itinerary for the bicycling enthusiast who wants to get out of town over a long weekend.