Kameoka City is full of mountains,
rivers, fog, and nature,
making it a great place for bicycling
Kameoka Cycling Track Competition Federation
Yoshimoto Akira
PROFILE
Kameoka Cycling Track Competition Federation Vice President and Executive Director Yoshimoto Akira
Started riding bicycles again at age 55 after a 30-year blank. Established the Kameoka Cycling Track Competition Federation in June 2020 with Hideyuki Yamada, a former bicycle racer who lives in Kameoka City (chairman and coach). 3rd place in the All-Japan Championship Track Masters in 2022. Second place in two events at Japan Masters Iwate.
Website
Kameoka City is full of nature
Kameoka City is surrounded by mountains and is the starting point for the Hozu River Rafting. The mountains, river, fog, and nature are perfect for biking. I ride hill climbs and flat roads along the river almost every day as training for competitions. Sometimes I meet and greet with the cyclists of the Kita-Kuwata High School Cycling Club and the Kyoto Branch. Aside from training, I also ride around Kameoka City in an event called "Healthy Cycling" for Kameoka citizens, which is held two or three times a year under the auspices of the federation.
Spectacular view at the end of a steep slope
About 7 km from JR Kameoka Station Sanga Stadium, there is "Foggy Terrace. Many of you may know it as a famous spot for sea of clouds on TV and other media. The road is flat until you pass the Kameoka Interchange on the Kyoto Longitudinal Expressway. From there, a 275-meter steep slope (simple calculation shows an average gradient of 9.2%) runs for 3 km to the "Terrace of Fog," where the Kameoka Basin can be seen as if in a diorama. Of course, you can see the "sea of clouds" during the foggy season. It is recommended for hill climbers.
Bicycle is the best way to see the sights of Kameoka
If you ride along the Kyoto Cycle Route Kameoka Sightseeing Short Course Route from JR Kameoka Station Sanga Stadium, you can visit "Tanba Shichifukujin" and "Izumo Daijingu Shrine". Since there are only a few public transportation buses in Kameoka City, it is recommended to ride a bicycle to see the sights while taking your time to admire the scenery. On the way back, take pictures at "Hiranosawa Pond" and "Kameoka Waterfront Park", and enjoy the pleasant feeling of cycling on the flat road in the countryside near "Kameoka Agricultural Park", and you will see Sanga Stadium. How about touring Kameoka City, which has declared itself an environmentally advanced city, with an eco-friendly bicycle?
The Kameoka City Cycling Track Competition Federation's website introduces "Kameoka City 1 lap course, approx. 68 km" as the Kameoka Cycle Road that I created. It does not pass outside of Kameoka City and does not follow the same road. You can ride around Kameoka City from Kyoto City, Nantan City, Takatsuki City, Ibaraki City, Minoh City, Ikeda City, Kawanishi City, and so on, which are adjacent to Kameoka City. Why not tour around the famous places in Kameoka City while practicing for a long ride?