Grobal Ride

CLOSE
JP EN

What is the Rumored Japanese Odyssey? #05
The mastermind behind the “mystery”


Table of Contents

1 Birthplace: Strasbourg
2 Eco-Conscious Companions
3 Into Ultra-Distance

1. Birthplace: Strasbourg

Now, it’s about time to talk a bit about the organizers of TJO, the real masterminds behind the mysterious setup.

France, home to the world’s greatest cycling race, the Tour de France, has embodied and preserved the tradition, prestige, and pride of cycling like no other country since the invention of the bicycle’s prototype in Paris in 1791. Many races and events held across France boast over a century of history, with the Tour at the pinnacle. This cultural foundation nurtured the format of *brevets* and iconic events like Paris-Brest-Paris, leading the way for global cycling culture. For the French, the bicycle might be more than just a means of transportation.

Now, while the discussion about a Japanese cycling event has unexpectedly shifted to France, there’s a deep reason for it.

The story begins in Strasbourg, a major city in the Alsace region of northern France, near the German border.

This area, with its beautiful rolling hills perfect for cycling, is where Emmanuel Bastian and Guillaume Schaeffer grew up. These two individuals are the masterminds behind the tale.

In the foreground is Emmanuel, and in the background is Guillaume.

2. Eco-Conscious Companions

Jumping ahead in the story, from the 1990s to the early 2000s, the cycle messenger culture originating from North American streets was sweeping across the globe. Simply put, cycle messengers were urban bike couriers. Rooted in an independent and practical cyclist community, they embraced a creative DIY spirit and an eco-conscious mindset that preceded today’s SDGs philosophy. These ideals, carried solely by the cyclists themselves, spread through streets worldwide, influencing a generation of socially conscious youth.

The older of the two, Emmanuel, was deeply inspired by this movement and decided to make cycling his profession by founding a messenger company in his hometown. Eventually, Guillaume, a younger counterpart who shared the same passion, joined him in this endeavor.

Although Strasbourg is a regional city, it lies just across a river from Germany. As messengers, Emmanuel and Guillaume crossed the border daily, delivering packages by foot and bike. Living in continental Europe, where borders are connected by land, they may have always had a global outlook. While pushing their limits with their legs and wheels each day, they were searching for something more.

3. Into Ultra-Distance

One day, a new possibility in cycling appeared before them: the 2013 *Transcontinental Race*.
This race, conceived by the exceptional British endurance cyclist Mike Hall, marked the beginning of a growing excitement around “ultra-distance” cycling in Europe. Emmanuel and Guillaume resonated with this movement from its earliest days. Similarly, experienced veteran cycle messengers from around the world eagerly participated in *The Transcontinental Race*.

It was intriguing to see those who had been initiated into the messenger culture creating and leading a new realm known as “ultra-distance” after a decade. Regardless, the two of them, fueled by the excitement of this new wave of ultra-distance cycling, decided to organize their own ultra-distance race in a foreign land where they had no connections—specifically, in the far East, Japan.

“To be continued”

Next time
“Japan favoritism” or “Bias towards Japan”


🚴‍♂️The Japanese Odyssey Official Website
https://www.japanese-odyssey.com/

🚴‍♂️What is the Rumored Japanese Odyssey?
#01 Into the World of Ultra-Distance
#02 2015, aiming for July 18th.
#03 Toward The First Year of My “The Japanese Odyssey”
#04 A crazy setup.
#05 The mastermind behind the “mystery”
#06 “Japan favoritism” or “Bias towards Japan”


Text＆Photo_ Eigo Shimojo

Profile

Eigo Shimojo
Born in Nagano Prefecture in 1974
Belongs to IPU Japan Photographers Union
He became independent in 2000 as a freelancer and established Greenhouse Studio, which handles a wide range of photography and video production.
His life’s work is pursuing underground HIPHOP and bicycle culture around the world.

Post Date：2024.10.04

Category

Tag

#Akikazu Yamashita

#Bicycle

#Comtenporary Art

#Crack Is Wack

#Cycling Shimanami

#Dominic Miller

#Ehime

#Entry

#In every language there is Land

#MOMA

#Museum Mile

#No Control

#Oculus

#Red cube

#The Guggenheim Museum

#The Museum of Modern Art

#Toyoukedaijingu

#Zuccotti Park

#the New Museum

#the Whitney Museum of American Art

All Tags
What is the Rumored Japanese Odyssey?＃06
“Japan favoritism” or “Bias towards Japan”

Table of Contents 1 Haruki Murakami, Basho2 The Romantics 1. Haruki Murakami, Basho It is well known that the French have a fondness for Japan, and although Emmanuel and Guillaume (the organizers of The Japanese Odyssey) initially seemed to have no direct connection to the country, they were, in fact, deeply captivated by Japanese culture. What especially drew them in were the works of Haruki Murakami, which are highly popular in Europe, and the haiku of Basho—examples of Japan’s lyrical literary tradition. After the 2016 race, when I interviewed them for the first time, I was struck by their enthusiasm, which could not be explained by mere tourism or exoticism. If the emotional depth of lit […]
EVENT
What is the Rumored Japanese Odyssey? #01
Into the World of Ultra-Distance

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 […]
EVENT
What is the Rumored Japanese Odyssey? #02
2015, aiming for July 18th.

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 […]