Pedal along old train tracks on a rail bike
On a few closed country railway lines the tracks have been left in place, and you can ride them on a rail bike, a small pedal-powered cart that runs on the rails. You roll through tunnels, over iron bridges and along river gorges, with the clack of the rail joints under your wheels. Rides need booking in advance and most stop for the winter, so check the season first.
When a dam lake was built here in Gunma, the railway was moved to a new route, and the old track now carries rail bikes along Agatsuma Gorge with views over the lake. The ride passes through Tarusawa Tunnel, once known as the shortest tunnel on any JR line. Book on the website, which opens about three months ahead; rides stop for the winter and are cancelled in bad weather.
This ride follows the old Kosaka Railway in Odate, in northern Akita, where the clack of the rail joints keeps time as you pedal. Depending on the season, the course runs through the trees of Nagaki Gorge or across a string of iron bridges. The season ends in late November, so book ahead if you are coming for the autumn leaves.
Local people run this rail bike on about 3 km of the old Iwaizumi Line, deep in the mountains of Iwate, from the former Wainai Station to the former Nakasato Station. The track winds through a quiet wooded valley where trains no longer pass. It runs only on certain days, so check the online booking calendar before you plan your trip.