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).&#82 […]

Check out Race Report #01 here.https://globalride.jp/trip-travel/ehimemonitortour24_01_en/ Table of Contents 　1. ITOMACHI HOTEL0（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（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 Saijo City, is an eco-friendly complex hotel committed to low environmental impact through zero-energy operations. It features a sty […]

As January nears its end, bringing up stories from the holiday season might feel a bit stale, but how did you all ring in the New Year?Some may have spent the time tidying up for a fresh start. Others might have wrapped up the year with one final ride and taken a well-deserved breather. There are countless ways to spend the year’s end.Meanwhile, at Cape Soya, the northernmost tip of Hokkaido, travelers from all over Japan—by car, motorcycle, bicycle, and even on foot—gathered, braving the biting cold and huddling together, eagerly awaiting the New Year.Just thinking about it gives me chills… This time, I’ll share a glimpse of the unique way people welcome the New Year at Japan’s […]