Japan Cup (Cycle Road Race - UCI ProSeries)
ジャパンカップ （宇都宮市）
Watch the competition up close between the world’s top riders who compete in the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia.
DATE
TIME & SCHEDULE
19th (Sat) Oct – The Utsunomiya Japan Cup Criterium
The event starts: at 2:30 pm *Main Street
Race: 3:40 – 4:30 pm
Awards ceremony: 6:40 pm – *At Orion Square
20th (Sun) Oct – The Utsunomiya Japan Cup Cycle Road Race
The event starts: at 9:00 am
Race: 10:00 am – 2:10 pm
Awards ceremony: 2:30 pm
(Check here for buses that run from central Utsunomiya station)
COST
Entry: Free
(The start and finish area is ‘Exciting Zone’ and is restricted to paid visitors only. Tickets go on sale around the end of August. See here)
How to enjoy the Japan Cup (Cycle race) ?
Take photos
Exciting atmosphere (world class sports)
Cycle festival
Solo travelers
Enjoy for 3-5 hours
Cheer on the⚡ Fast and 🔥 Furious world's 🚴 cyclists in Utsunomiya
The 18th is “Team presentation”, when the excitement starts to build. Visitors can watch this at Orion Square, but the competition doesn’t start until the next day.
🏆 The 19th (①) is the 🚴🚴🚴💨JAPAN CUP CRITERIUM, which is a ⚡high-speed race where riders zoom down the main street of 🏢 Utsunomiya (Start and finish is in front of ⛩️ Futaarasan Shrine). – The race is only around 50min so don’t miss the start.
🏆The 20th (②) is the 🚴🚴🚴💨JAPAN CUP ROAD RACE, with a distance of 144.2 kilometers with an ⛰️elevation difference of 185 meters every 10 kilometers. You can get close up to the side of the road to cheer on the cyclists who are taking on the challenge of this extremely steep hill climb..
Other related cycle events also take place during these days around the race venue.
What to do nearby Japan Cup (Cycle race) ?
Eat delicious Gyoza
Enjoy bars & cocktails
Visit Jazz bars
Wakayama Farm
Utsunomiya City
Enjoy Gyoza (Utsunomiya is famous for it)
Utsunomiya has more than 300 Gyoza dumpling restaurants! And many are within walking distance from both JR and Tobu Utsunomiya stations. Have a look at the Top 5 Gyoza Restaurants we recommend in our Utsunomiya Night Guide.
Sip on delicious cocktails
After WW2, many Jazz and cocktail bars opened in Utsunomiya to cater for the allied forces in the area.
Since then, Utsunomiya’s reputation continued to grow and now has the best bartenders and mixologists in all of Japan. Check out the TOP 5 cocktail bars in our Utsunomiya Night Guide.
From Fine Dining to small Izakayas
Samurai Jugemu
Hachinojo Restaurant
Near The Japan Cup Criterium (First race day)
There are a lot of 2 & 3 star Western-style Hotels to chose from in the city center where (①) the Japan Cup Criterium is held.
Near Japan Cup Criterium (Second race day)
There is a Fairfield by Marriott near where (②) the Japan Cup Cycle Road Race is held. It is also a short 30 min drive from Central Nikko.
Access (How to get to the Japan Cup Bicycle Race)
① 19th October 2024 - The Japan Cup Criterium
How to get there
Public Transport
70 minutes from Tokyo by train
Car
1 h 50 min drive from Tokyo by car
Location & Address
Address
Center of Utsunomiya city (Main street ‘Baba Dori/Odori), west side of JR Utsunomiya station) near Futaarayama Shrine.
栃木県宇都宮市大通り（二荒山神社付近）
Baba Douri, Utsunomiya-city, Tochigi Pref
Tickets for the EXCITING ZONE
Most locations are free, but there are Exciting Zones in front of the start and finish area called ‘Exciting Zones’
Exciting zone tickets for the Criterium is between 6,000-12,000 yen. See here for details.
Access from Tokyo
By Public Transport
Via JR Utsunomiya Station
Take the JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line (JR Utsunomiya Line) to Utsunomiya station. Leave the Station via the west exit and walk for about 10 minutes down the main street towards Futaarayama Shrine.
Via Tobu Utsunomiya Station
Take the Tobu Utsunomiya Line to Utsunomiya station. Walk 5-10 minutes to the main street.
We recommend using a travel app like Google Maps or Japan Transit Planner to find train times.
By Car
Via Utsunomiya-Kaminokawa IC on Kita-Kanto Expressway or Kanuma IC on Tohoku Expressway
An approximately 30-minute drive from the Utsunomiya-Kaminokawa IC on the Kita-Kanto Expressway and Kanuma IC on the Tohoku Expressway.
We recommend using a travel app like Google Maps or Japan Transit Planner to find train times.
② 20th October 2024 - The Japan Cup Cycle Road Race
How to get there
Public Transport
1h 30min from Tokyo by train
Car
1 h 50min drive from Tokyo by car
Location & Address
Address
Around the parking lot for Utsunomiya-shi Shinrinkouen (Utsunomiya Forest Park)
栃木県宇都宮市森林公園駐車場周辺
Fukuokamachi, Utsunomiya-shi, Tochigi, 321-0342, Japan
〒321-0342 栃木県宇都宮市福岡町
Bus service from JR Utsunomiya sta.
There is a special bus service from JR Utsunomiya station’s East exit to the venue. The buses leave every 10min and costs around 1,000 yen one way.
Tickets for the EXCITING ZONE
Most locations are free, but there are Exciting Zones in front of the start and finish area called ‘Exciting Zones’
Exciting zone tickets for the Road Race is between 3,000-10,000 yen. See here for details.
Access from Tokyo
By Public Transport
Via JR Utsunomiya Station
Take the JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line (JR Utsunomiya Line) to Utsunomiya station. Leave the Station via the East exit and find the special bus service for the Japan cup departing from the Kanto Bus departure area.
Via Tobu Utsunomiya Station
Take the Tobu Utsunomiya Line to Utsunomiya station. Take a taxi to the East exit of JR Utsunomiya sta. and take the special bus service for the Japan cup cycle Road Race.
We recommend using a travel app like Google Maps or Japan Transit Planner to find train times.
By Car
Via Utsunomiya IC or Kanuma IC on the Tohoku Expressway
Approximately 20 minutes drive from the Utsunomiya IC or Kanuma IC on the Tohoku Expressway.
There are approximately 3,000 parking areas around the venue.
One location near to the venue is the Tochigi Prefecture Rifle Association with space of 500 cars (Google map)
We recommend using a travel app like Google Maps or Japan Transit Planner to find train times.
Contact Details (Event Organizer)
Official English Event Website (External Link – English)
Official Japanese Event Website (External Link – Japanese)
Contact Page (official website)
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