With so little information available, The Japanese Odyssey (hereafter TJO) remains an ultra-distance cycling event that’s quietly—but intensely—beloved.This marks the final installment of the column series by photographer Eigo Shimojo, who set out to explore the riders who take on this mysterious event.And during the course of this series, the enigmatic TJO has unveiled details for its 2025 edition.This year’s tagline? “The Forgotten Tōge”—forgotten mountain passes!For full details, please check the official website, but here’s a quick overview for now. Schedule: October 3, 2025 (Friday) – 13 days and 12 hours (324 hours) A pre-event is scheduled for October 2 (Thursday) in Fukuoka.Start […]
Hello, I’m Ontama Negitoro.This time, I’d like to introduce a short cycling trip to the “Town of Shinobi” in Iga City, Mie Prefecture, a place famous for ninjas. When asked about famous historical spots in the Kansai region, most people would mention the ancient capitals of Nara and Kyoto. The “Town of Shinobi” is located along the route connecting these historic cities and major urban centers like Osaka to Mie Prefecture, home to the Ise Grand Shrine. Quite fitting for a place known for its stealth, don’t you think? Table of Contents 1. Onto the Iga Kaido, Where Ninjas Once Raced Through2. A Castle Fit for a Shinobi – Admiring Hakuho Castle3. That’s a Ninja House!4. […]
When you hear the words “painter” or “artist’s studio,” a certain image might come to mind: a chaotic desk cluttered with paintbrushes and tubes of paint, a large window flooding the room with sunlight, perhaps even a beautiful garden beyond. The film Anselm (2023), which depicts the German contemporary art giant Anselm Kiefer, takes the form of a documentary. However, it is directed by Wim Wenders—the renowned filmmaker behind Paris, Texas, Wings of Desire, and Perfect Days. In his hands, the film transcends a mere record of events, becoming a poetic visual experience where fact and fiction intertwine seamlessly. Kiefer is one of Germany’s most prominent […]
*Check out Race Report #01 & #02 here.https://globalride.jp/trip-travel/ehimemonitortour24_01_en/https://globalride.jp/trip-travel/ehimemonitortour24_02_en/ Table of Contents 1. Touring the Fishing Villages and Capes of Southern Ehime (Uwajima City) 2. Our Everyday Lives Become Someone’s Entertainment (Uwajima City – Matsuyama City) Already, the Ehime tour has reached its fifth morning. As we enjoy a homemade Japanese breakfast at Kokuriko, the cozy rural dormitory that has hosted us for the past two days in Uchiko, our conversation with the owners, spoken in the gentle lilt of the Ehime dialect, is just beginning to reach full bloom… Yet, it’s already time to say goodbye. Parting […]
The details for The Japanese Odyssey (TJO) 2025, set to take place this autumn, have finally been announced! This year, the journey starts in Kagoshima and finishes in Matsumoto City. Riders will navigate through 20 checkpoints over 13 and a half days, including ferry crossings along the way. The route spans 2,300 km with a total elevation gain of 46,000 m.For the full schedule and route details, please check the official website. In this column, we bring you a detailed report on the bikes and packing setups of three “intense” riders who took on TJO 2016. Their gear choices reflect their professions, nationalities, and personalities—so take notes and get inspired! ＊You can find the previous […]
The final installment of the Honolulu Century Ride 2024 rider interviews concludes with the experiences of advanced cyclists.What do veteran riders, who have participated in this event five, ten times, feel about it? What aspects keep drawing them back? We asked veteran participants about the allure and unique ways to enjoy the Honolulu Century Ride (HCR), often described as “the greatest ride event on Earth.”“Why do you keep coming back to cycle in Hawaii?” Table of Contents １. The Reason a New Employee Took on His First Ride / Keisuke-san２. A Goal Carried Over to 2025 / Kenji-san, Keiko-san３. Riding Solo, Yet Never Alone—A Story on the Road / Dankichi-san １. The Rea […]
Connecting cycling enthusiasts: the “Ring-Tomo!” series continues in 2025! Thank you for your continued support. This time, sports journalist Kazuyuki Yamaguchi introduces former professional cyclist Yoshimitsu Hiratsuka. After retiring from competitive cycling, Hiratsuka met Yamaguchi during a press tour while working at a hotel dedicated to riders. His road bike journey began in elementary school. With a professional photographer father who loved cycling, it was only natural for him to grow up surrounded by bikes. At the age of eight, he participated in a local race in Izu with his first mountain bike and soon became a dedicated racer, competing in races every weekend. We had t […]
Now that we have traversed almost the entirety of the northwest coastal roads, let’s take a look inland at one of the multitude of routes crisscrossing the heart the prefecture, Okuiyo-Hijikawa River Cycling Course. Since it is still summer and as hot as ever, I chose a relatively leisurely ride following a meandering river from the mountains near the border to Kochi Prefecture to a familiar port town I passed through during my last ride; an almost exclusively downhill valley cruise leading to the sea. If you’re looking for a little more exercise, simply start at Nagahama Port and make your way up the valley from there. Table of Contents 1. Starting from Kishimojin（the Goddess of Childbirth […]
This route, the Iyonada-Sadamisaki Seto Seaside Cycling Course, traverses a mountainous peninsula heading towards the most western point of Ehime and may be a bit of a challenge for some, but if you are a true masochist like me, why not try it during the summertime! Now, I’m of course not trying to discourage anyone from experiencing the excursion (it was a fun ride) but I must say that the time around July and August should probably be reserved for diehard cyclists of which I am no longer sure I’m a part of. In the end though, I survived riding over 80 kilometers in the heat of August. And I’d do it again, Table of Contents 1. The Starting Point, Shiosai Park 2. Futami Roadside Station 3. […]
The “CYCLE MUSIC” series, where I’ve shared brief columns about bicycles and my favourite music, reaches its 15th instalment, marking a natural break. From the next issue, it will be reborn under the title “Music Cycles Around The World”, with a focus on “city music,” inspired by the idea of travelling the world through both music and cycling. While I had originally intended to recommend this masterpiece back in December, symbolising the “perfect harmony between bicycles and music,” I missed the opportunity. So, as a fitting conclusion, allow me to introduce it now. It’s Norah Jones’ “Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones).R […]
