Cyclist Ayaka, who lives in Brisbane, together with her partner Yoshi, will share the charm of the city and the “Brisbane Cycling Festival” from a local cyclist’s perspective. In this first part, we will report on cycling along the Brisbane River and the Cycle Expo. Table of Contents 1. The Sunshine State: Brisbane2. Access from Japan to Brisbane3. Enjoy Cycling on the Water with the Riverwalk4. The Cycle Expo Comes to Brisbane! 1. The Sunshine State: Brisbane Brisbane, the third-largest city in Australia after Sydney and Melbourne, is located in Queensland, which is known as the “Sunshine State” due to its high number of sunny days.This favorable weather condit […]

The Shimanami Kaido isn’t the only bike route in Ehime for serious cyclists and bicycling explorers alike. This weekend we venture south from the entrance to the most famous biking route of the prefecture, in the city of Imabari, to the capital of Matsuyama, ending at the oldest bath house in Japan and possibly the most famous in the world. This route is called the Imabari-Dogo Hamakaze (Sea Breeze) Cycling Road.Although this course is mostly utilitarian, with views of the coast for only about half the way, it is a vital path between many great historical sites, quaint and quirky lunch spots and a good night on the town. Table of Contents 　1. Scouting Expedition and Imabari Castle　2. Lunch a […]

*TOP Photo : There was a staff of great sense of coloring. At the FIVE BORO BIKE TOUR 2024 packet pickup venue. In New York, as more people began to avoid public transportation, taxis, Uber, and Lyft due to COVID-19, the perception that bicycles are a safer option spread. At that time, because the number of people buying bicycles suddenly increased, there was a situation where there was no inventory and it became very difficult to buy a bicycle.  With the constantly rising costs of subway and bus fares becoming frustrating, some people have started using bicycles for commuting and other mobile needs. The increase in the number of Citi Bike stations—750 in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Jer […]

Everyone has a place they dream of visiting. For me, that place has always been New York. It’s the city where Andy Warhol and Lou Reed lived, where John Lennon was tragically shot, where breakdancing was born, and where countless films have been set. In that very city, there’s a long-distance cycling event: the Five Boro Bike Tour, commonly known as Bike New York. The course spans 64 kilometers, taking riders from Manhattan through the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and finally to Staten Island. With traffic restricted, the streets are cleared of cars. The tickets sell out instantly, and with over 30,000 participants, it’s the largest cycling event in the Northern Hemisphere. Jus […]

A serialized essay by photographer Eigo Shimojo, who continues to follow ‘The Japanese Odyssey,’ an ultra-long-distance and intensely core ride event held in Japan. The second installment covers the spirit of self-support that sustains ultra-long-distance rides and the journey leading up to his first participation…? Table of Contents 1. Ultra-Distance and Self-Supported2. The Pioneering ‘The Transcontinental Race’ 1. Ultra-Distance and Self-Supported To succinctly describe the characteristics of ‘The Japanese Odyssey’ (TJO), there are two key terms: ‘ultra-distance’ and ‘self-supported.’ Most races involve covering a set route of hu […]

Far Away. For the past decade, events and races known as ultra-long-distance have been emerging worldwide, surpassing the realm of long-distance cycling. These events cover thousands of kilometers, taking riders across countries and prefectural borders, over mountains and rivers, over the course of a week to half a month. With no aid stations or support vehicles, cyclists must rely solely on themselves until they reach the finish line. These grueling rides have been steadily gaining attention among cyclists in the know. While ‘brevets’ are well-known in Japan, recently, a niche group of cyclists has turned their passionate gaze toward ‘The Japanese Odyssey.’ This even […]

Ever since this series began, I’ve always thought that if I were to write a column about cycling and music, I would eventually feature Kraftwerk’s “Tour de France” at just the right moment. With their live performance at FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL 2024 now making waves, I feel that now is the perfect time to introduce it. Formed in 1970, the German electronic music group Kraftwerk, known for designing their own album covers and visual images, is a quintessential example of so-called Krautrock (German rock) and a pioneer of techno-pop. They greatly influenced not only YMO but also the British new wave scene, particularly the electro-pop/synth-pop movement known as New Romantic […]

After cycling through Central Park and becoming impromptu New Yorkers, we had our next plan ready. We decided to go shopping in SOHO by bike. When traveling in an unfamiliar city, you often rely on the subway, buses, or Uber. However, this makes it difficult to take detours or get a good sense of the city as a whole. That’s why we decided to explore Manhattan by bike this time. I brought my Brompton from Japan, and my friends decided to rent Citi Bikes, a bike-sharing system with stations all over the city. That aside, there was something we had to do as impromptu New Yorkers: Have bagels for breakfast. It has nothing to do with bicycles, haha. New Yorkers and bagels go hand in hand, r […]