This is the second installment in our series featuring trip notes from riders participating in the Honolulu Century Ride 2025.Our guest this time is Kinuyo, a passionate cyclist who has joined the HCR many times and loves Hawaii so much that she often visits with her family. As a tour support staff member for Tobu Top Tours, she is admired by many riders for her wealth of cycling knowledge and warm communication.Every year, she rides the full HCR course on her road bike—but this year, she decided, “I want to ride with my daughters!” Her plan: to place her 7-year-old on the back seat of an e-bike and have her 12-year-old pedal on her own. Joined by her husband, who would tackle the full round […]
*This page contains a promotion in collaboration with Jetstar Airways. In September 2025, our editorial team headed to Cairns in Queensland, Australia. The purpose? To take part in the “Port Douglas Gran Fondo” ride-and-run event (https://portdouglasgranfondo.com.au/). Now in its fourth year, the highlight of this event is undoubtedly its stunning highway route that runs along the Pacific coast—home to the world’s largest coral reef, the Great Barrier Reef. In this series, we’ll bring you a three-part story of cycling in Cairns—before, during, and after the event—featuring the exclusive highway ride, the vast natural beauty of Queensland, fresh local cuisine, and fascinating historical landm […]
To everyone still basking in the afterglow of the Honolulu Century Ride (HCR), and to those cyclists who couldn’t join this year—this month we bring you a special series of first-hand ride journals written by the participants themselves. Five groups of riders, each crossing the finish line in their own style, share their experiences of the HCR along with stories from the days they spent in Honolulu before and after the event. How did they make the most of their stay? What did they eat, see, and feel throughout their trip? The first story comes from Naohiko Matsumoto, who is approaching seventy and has completed the HCR 100-mile course—160 km—seven times.A former classmate and long-time frien […]
While Japan has been enduring days of heat that feel hotter than midsummer, far to the west on the European continent, France too is under an intense heatwave. And just recently, the grand festival no cycling lover can ignore — the Tour de France — had been in full swing there. Watching the riders circle the country under the blazing summer sun, who wouldn’t feel the urge to ride in France themselves? However, the vast farmlands blooming with sunflowers are scorching, and the legendary Mont Ventoux is known as “The Mountain of Death.” For beginners, such rides may seem a bit too demanding. Yet, there’s no need to give up so soon — France is full of cycling routes made for leisurely rides. Am […]
The Honolulu Century Ride is held annually on the fourth Sunday of September. Riders participate for various reasons:“We got excited thinking it would be amazing to ride in Hawaii.”“Seeing my partner enjoying cycling made me want to join too.”“I participate as a health benchmark, wondering how many more times I can join.” This year, a new course around Hanauma Bay was introduced, and the event was blessed with clear skies throughout. How was your ride? Following the first part of the photo album, we present the second part, showcasing the beautiful views of the Honolulu Century Ride 2025. Text_Global Ride Editorial TeamPhoto_HONOLULU CENTURY RIDE / HM-A＊HO […]
September 28 (Sun), 6:15 a.m. / Temperature about 25 °C This year, the Honolulu Century Ride started at sunrise as always.From start to finish, it was a ride under summer-like sunny skies, and the brilliance of the sea and the sky felt like the ultimate gift. Many riders paused again and again to take photos.The newly added Hanauma Bay route, which returned this year, offered breathtaking coastal views that truly evoke “the great nature of Hawaiʻi.”With riders’ radiant smiles, cheers, and sighs, we present the full panorama of HCR 2025 in this photo album. First, enjoy Part 1, covering the first half (up to 40 km) of the 80 km outward leg, showcasing the “Ike nani / ʻIke Nani” (Hawaiian for […]
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 […]
Are you familiar with “Rail Trails”?A Rail Trail is a path developed on the former tracks of disused railways, designed for cycling, walking, jogging, horseback riding, and other recreational activities. There are said to be thousands of such trails worldwide, particularly in Europe and North America. In Japan, a few examples exist, such as the remnants of the Ioki Forest Railway that once ran between Tokushima and Kochi Prefectures. However, their number and length are nothing compared to those in Western countries, where railways played a major role in opening up the land. The concept of Rail Trails began in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s. Following World War II, as air travel ex […]
The second installment of a cycling journey tracing the landscapes of Katsushika Hokusai’s Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji (in fact, forty-six works in total) by one of Japan’s most celebrated ukiyo-e artists. In the previous article, we introduced a cycling route around Fuji City in Shizuoka Prefecture, located at the very foot of Mount Fuji. This time, our journey skips over Kanagawa and Tokyo from Shizuoka, landing in Chiba Prefecture.The main highlight is “The Great Wave off Kanagawa,” the iconic face of “Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji.” To capture both the seas off Kanagawa and Mount Fuji together, the perspective must come either from above Tokyo Bay or from the Chiba side. In this cycl […]
I once had the chance to interview a Kabuki actor. Waiting in the designated tearoom, I sat formally in seiza and looked out the window. Soon, a figure in kimono appeared, lifting his gaze toward the sky. The scene unfolded like something out of a film. Before long, the actor himself entered the room. Glancing at me, he gently remarked, “You’re not used to sitting that way, are you? Please, stretch your legs.” This actor, recognized as a Living National Treasure, took the time to answer each of my questions with care, even though I knew little about Kabuki. A “Living National Treasure” is the common title given to individuals designated by the Japanese government as bearers of Important Inta […]
