À vélo de Tokyo à Wako

Roll out from central Tokyo and thread your way north on mostly quiet neighborhood streets—think residential backroads through Itabashi and Nerima—before slipping over the border into Saitama and into Wako. It’s a short city-to-suburb hop at about 18.5 km with gentle elevation changes (roughly 110 m up, 125 m down), so it feels pretty flat overall.

Surfaces are largely paved, but expect the occasional mixed or unknown stretch; wider tires won’t hurt. Traffic is light almost the entire way, with just a brief busy segment near major crossings. If you fancy extra scenery, you can detour to the Arakawa riverside path for a breezy, car-free section.

Tokyo needs no intro—skyscrapers, shrines, and endless snacks. Wako, your finish, is a laid-back gateway to Saitama and home to RIKEN, Japan’s flagship research institute. Wako-shi Station is also a handy hub for the Tobu Tojo Line and the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho/Fukutoshin lines for an easy ride back.