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. […]

Check out Race Report #01 here.https://globalride.jp/trip-travel/ehimemonitortour24_01_en/ Table of Contents 　1. ITOMACHI HOTEL0（Iyo Saijo City）　2. Ishizuchi Mountain’s UFO Line (Saijo City, Kumakogen Town)　3. Ozu Washi and Ukai Houseboat Cruise (Uchiko Town, Ozu City) 1. ITOMACHI HOTEL0（Iyo Saijo City） On the morning of the third day, refreshing light streamed into the hotel room, promising a good start to the day. Glimpses of the long-awaited blue sky through the window made waking up even better. The “ITOMACH HOTEL0 (Zero),” which opened in 2023 in Iyo Saijo City, is an eco-friendly complex hotel committed to low environmental impact through zero-energy operations. It fe […]

In mid-November, a group of international cyclists arrived at Matsuyama Airport, each carrying a bike travel bag. Invited by Ehime Prefecture to participate in a week-long cycling monitor tour aimed at promoting international cycle tourism, the group consisted of professional-level cyclists, including representatives from bicycle-focused travel agencies and media from North America and Australia.Over the course of seven days, we rode together around Ehime, documenting the experience in detail. This three-part series will provide a comprehensive account of the action-packed journey. What exactly does an international cycling monitor tour, a rarity in Japan, entail? Stay tuned to find out! Tex […]

What’s the farthest you’ve traveled by bike so far? Maybe it was the coffee shop two stations away, the office an hour away by train, or perhaps just across the prefectural border. Likely, readers of this article are thinking, “No way, that’s way too close. I can ride much farther than that!” When you get a road bike or any kind of sport bike, there’s this urge to go farther and farther. Before you know it, you’ve broken through the 50km, 100km, and even 200km barriers, and you find yourself thrilled as your world expands with each new distance. So, how about 1000 kilometers? Does that sound like an impossible distance? With 1000 kilometers, you coul […]

“It’s the largest event of its kind in Japan and the only one where participants ride on a highway,” announced Governor Tokihiro Nakamura of Ehime Prefecture. With his opening remarks, the starting horn sounded. Around 1,750 riders set off in waves from the Imabari Highway Interchange (Ehime Prefecture) toward Onomichi City (Hiroshima Prefecture). At the same time, an equal number of riders began their journey from the Mukai Island Interchange in Onomichi, aiming for Imabari. Sunday, October 27, 8:08 AM, under cloudy skies. This joint cycling event between the two prefectures is globally recognized as Japan’s largest cycling event, celebrated for showcasing the natural beauty, tourism resour […]

Hello, this is Onsen Tamago Negitoro. I’m here to share the second half of our ride through the Kumano Kodo and the Kii Peninsula. We had planned a two-night, three-day ride trip, and we were able to end the first day while gazing at the mountains that felt almost divine. On the second day, we are finally heading to Kumano Hongu Taisha. The excitement is building as we approach the Kumano Sanzan pilgrimage! Table of Contents 3. Following the Mountain Paths 4. Red Torii Gates and Lean Tuna 3. Following the Mountain Paths  On the first day, we planned to stay at a free campsite, and on the second day, we aimed to reach Kumano Hongu Taisha by evening, traveling along the forestr […]

Hello, this is Onsen Tamago Negitoro. I was reminded of a conversation I had with a Spanish hiker when I cycled the Camino de Santiago in Spain before the pandemic. He asked me, ‘Have you been to the Kumano Kodo? You really should go!’ The ‘Camino de Santiago’ in Spain, the ‘Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage,’ and the ‘Kumano Kodo’ are all incredibly popular among hikers from abroad. While I had cycled the first two, I had never ridden through the Kumano Kodo or the Kii Peninsula. Despite its proximity to my hometown of Osaka, the rugged nature of the Kii Mountain Range has always made it feel far away. This time, I rode a route following the ancien […]