Let's go on a trip with your bike!
It’s not about traveling somewhere to ride your bike; it’s about taking your bike along when you travel somewhere. They may sound similar, but they are a little different.
Cyclists who love hard rides often forget the general sense of "travel." By bringing the mobility of a bicycle into that, you not only get to visit many places you want to see, but you also gain a physical grasp of the geography of the town or region, which is a major benefit.
The word "kanko" (sightseeing) means to see the prosperity or brilliance of a country or place, but when that is enhanced by movement attuned to your own body, the experience becomes even more special.
I want to go see the Nebuta Festival!
"Hey! Let's all go to Aomori to see the Nebuta Festival by bike! I’d love to stop by Keita’s parents' place, too!" That was the prompt from Junko, who runs a cooking class and shop called at the table in Okazaki and only recently started cycling. She also organizes the music and market festival "Mori, Michi, Ichiba," and I am always overwhelmed by her sheer energy and curiosity. The equally powerful staff from at the table and Mori, Michi, Ichiba joined us, taking their bikes along as we aimed for Aomori.
Some trips are only possible because of FDA flight transport
When it comes to going on a long trip with a bike, we use FDA (Fuji Dream Airlines). This is because they offer a service where you can borrow a box for transporting your bike by plane for free. For more details, please check out this post: "People of Nagoya have the privilege of being able to transport bikes by plane with FDA." This is truly a godsend of a service, and I highly recommend you try it at least once.
Start riding as soon as you leave the airport
Even when flying with a bike, it’s just a matter of removing the front and rear wheels and putting it in a box. That said, since it was everyone’s first time, it didn’t go perfectly, of course. But I kept my help to a minimum so they could learn the steps themselves. Once the bikes were finally built, we hit the road right away. There is something special about the excitement of starting a ride right from the airport.
Keita’s family home is a boarding house called "Pension Megumi"
After riding a bit through Aomori city, we headed to the home of Keita from Early Birds. He is from Aomori, and his family used to run a boarding house for high school students in the suburbs. Students lived in the many available rooms and ate meals together in the living room. This environment surely had something to do with Keita’s cooking and hospitality. It was great to feel like I had seen those roots.
At night, we went out into Aomori city to watch the Nebuta Festival. The sight of giant Nebuta floats passing by one after another to the shouts of "Rassera!" was truly breathtaking.
Hirosaki
The hidden theme of this trip was "Rinko" (bringing your bike on public transport). We also used the JR Ou Main Line for our journey from Aomori to Hirosaki. Since it was everyone’s first time bringing bikes on a train, they struggled with removing the wheels and carrying the heavy bikes, but they eventually made it on board. Again, I kept my help to a minimum. Since it’s the at the table crew, I knew they could learn to do it themselves.
While Aomori City, as the prefectural capital, is the current political and economic center, Hirosaki, the long-standing seat of the Tsugaru Clan, is a city of culture. It’s fascinating, with many old shops remaining centered around Hirosaki Castle.
After visiting the studio of my long-time friend, Sunday Seaside, we did our main ride: a hill climb to a lodging at the foot of Mount Iwaki. We were close to heat exhaustion on the way, which was dangerous, but we managed to arrive.
We were special guests at a building near Hyakuzawa Onsen that Miyu, who shares information about Aomori via Aomori & You, is preparing to open officially next year. It’s a great spot with hot springs featuring intense water quality and beautiful Mount Iwaki right nearby, and I definitely want to visit again.
Bicycles allow for a new kind of travel experience
Still, look at the chaotic, private vibe leaking from every photo. There’s nothing like the fun of traveling with good friends.
If you take a bus or taxi, you arrive in a flash. But if you spend a little time and physical effort pushing the pedals, all the different elements of the trip connect perfectly, and everything becomes fun—it’s truly magic. The goal of this trip was... right, the Nebuta Festival. But the journey connecting it all—the view of the apple orchards, the mysteriously shaped shimenawa ropes, the contrast between Mount Iwaki and the blue sky, the old-fashioned ice candy, the slopes climbed while drenched in sweat, and the conversations along the way—everything is connected as part of the travel experience.
You don’t have to do hard rides. Whether you are a cycling beginner or a veteran who usually rides hard, I hope you enjoy "the trip itself." Using a bicycle.
