Connecting people who enjoy rides. This time, introduced by Kenichi Kawamura, the founder of CYCLING JAPAN, our “Ring-Tomo” is Akikazu Yamashita. Alongside modeling for outdoor magazines and commercials, Yamashita organizes an event called Bike & Camp due to his passion for cycling. Nearly commuting exclusively by bike, we had a chat with Yamashita about his cycling experiences. Table of Contents 　Profile　1. What’s your beloved bicycle?　2. What’s your favorite cycling route?　3. The most recent ride event you participated in and your thoughts about it?　4. The ride event you’d like to participate in next and why?　5. The most memorable moment in your cycling life?　6. Your f […]

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 […]

We’re pleased to present a guidebook featuring ride courses that extend beyond the Shimanami Kaido and across the entire Ehime Prefecture. “Ehime packs both sea and mountains into an incredibly compact area!”“It’s a world-class cycling destination, with climbs even higher than Alpe d’Huez!” These were just some of the impressions shared by cyclists from Australia who visited Japan to take part in a FAM (press) tour hosted by Ehime Prefecture. While Ehime is best known for the Shimanami Kaido, it also offers much more—from the Seto Inland Sea routes including the Yumeshima Kaido to the mountainous roads stretching toward Shikoku’s borders, all of which are highly regarded by internation […]