Day 5 - The iconic Iroha-zaka climb — a masterfully engineered mountain road of sweeping, rhythmic switchbacks that gain elevation steadily, each bend revealing broader views of Nikko’s vast mountain amphitheatre. It’s a climb that feels purposeful, almost meditative.
At the summit, we ride alongside the brilliant blue waters of Lake Chuzenji, shimmering beneath volcanic peaks and crisp alpine skies. The road here rolls gently, offering moments to breathe in the scale and stillness of the landscape.
For those wanting a little more, a 6.5km climb rises from the waterfall toward Konsei Pass — Japan’s highest tunnel pass at 1,840m. Once used by ascetic mountain monks, this climb gains 400m at an average of 6.5% — steady, rewarding, and steeped in history.
