This series presents Honolulu ride trip notes from riders participating in the Honolulu Century Ride 2025.In this fourth installment, we feature Daisaku Kawase, Communication Director of Global Ride and a television producer, who is taking part in the Honolulu Century Ride (HCR) for the third time. With extensive experience in ride events across Japan, Kawase prefers to travel with his own bike whenever possible, relishing the freedom of exploring destinations by pedaling through them. He delights in local cuisine just as much as riding, seeking out great neighborhood spots along the way. On race day, his approach to HCR feels less like a competition and more like an extension of a cycling j […]

September 28, 5:45 a.m.At Kapiolani Park, along Waikiki Beach in Honolulu.Less than 30 minutes before the start, the area around the start zone was filled with cheerful greetings — “It’s been a year! How have you been?” “Let’s take it easy again this year!” — as if old friends were reuniting.There were also conversations celebrating new encounters: “He’s finally joining for the first time this year!” Though it was still dark and faces were barely visible under the event lights, the atmosphere was bright and full of energy.It felt like everyone was celebrating the chance to set off on their annual reward — riding through Honolulu. This year’s weather was on their side.Daytime temperatures rea […]

What kind of impression comes to your mind when you hear about Hawaii? I’ve disliked it for as long as I can remember. I thought it was a place where celebrities go to frolic, where people ride banana boats and make a lot of noise, and it was filled with “ignorance-based prejudice.” I’ve never been a fan of glitzy things. I originally studied literature, and I’m actually quite introverted. I thought I’d never go there in my life. However, life is unpredictable. I was invited to participate in the Honolulu Century Ride for an article on this website. At 54 years old, I unexpectedly found myself embarking on my first trip to Hawaii. When I wrote on Facebook […]