KEEP "NAGOYA" WEIRD!!

Spring has finally arrived! Our staff members are so excited that they seem to be running around in high spirits.

Tomoda-san and Shiga-kun went to the Mt. Tado trail running event.

Jus-san went for a trail ride on his SHIN Hattori Fabrications ATB.

Shige-san went for a "Bike to Mountain" ride, followed by a cafe stop, wearing his brand-new Quoc shoes.

And Uno-chan seems to be up to something interesting, having brought out the beer bike.

The spring that has everyone excited and moving seems to have arrived not only here in Nagoya, but also in Portland, where Makoto-san is based.

Portland is known as the City of Roses because of the International Rose Test Garden, but it seems that cherry blossoms are also quite common there, with entire tree-lined streets to be seen.

Also, besides the cherry blossoms, there are magnificent old trees planted throughout the city, and there's even a slightly "eccentric" Portland rule that says you can't just cut down the trees in front of your own house. PDW, which makes those slightly eccentric bottle cages shaped like owls and birds, is also a Portland brand.

Truth be told, even though there are cars and trains that can get us around without walking, we and all of you who go out of our way to incorporate cycling into our lifestyles might be a little eccentric too... (and that’s a compliment!)

And the staff at Pine Fields Market, who are always making delicious bread rolls, baked goods, and coffee, sometimes go a little eccentric themselves—it seems they even rode their bikes to Kyoto.

But don't you have favorite shops and landscapes that you only discovered because you were cycling? The joy of focusing on local things and searching for various experiences on your own is truly special. It was the Portland motto, "Keep Portland Weird!", that made me think of this.

After all, eccentric is fun!

And as it happens, an event is being held that brings together some of Nagoya's own eccentric and fun people—no less than those in Portland.

Portland Living is an event that localizes the farmers' markets held year-round in Portland for Nagoya. Because the producers themselves are selling the vegetables, fruits, and coffee, you might even get to hear about their commitment, how to eat them deliciously, or maybe even a secret story or two. Of course, our very own Pine Fields Market will also have a stand. I heard through the grapevine that you'll be able to eat Portland Living-exclusive bread rolls.

If that's the case, we certainly won't stay silent. Since we're going anyway, let's ride our bikes to Portland (Living)!

Bike To Portland Living

Let's make some stops at Nagoya's hidden spots and work up a perfect appetite with a roughly one-hour urban ride! You don't have to worry about wearing anything too formal—casual clothes are totally fine. Of course, those who want to split off and ride further afterward are more than welcome. Why not enjoy some eccentric Portland-style spring in eccentric Nagoya?