Keita from Ariba here.
There are all sorts of joys in riding a bike: the exhilaration of riding freely into unfamiliar places, the community of people you connect with through a bike shop, feeling the seasons on your skin. But the thing I look forward to most is, after all, "eating."
At Circles, the relationship with "food" is a very close one. In fact, EARLYBIRDS sits right next door to Circles, and the sight of customers having a meal while they're in for a bit of bike maintenance is simply part of everyday life.
In Matsubara, where Culture Club used to be, there is also PINE FIELDS MARKET. As a starting point for group rides and the like, it's loved by lots of cyclists and by the neighbors in town too.
And next door to Circles Tailored is CERCHI, a restaurant where you can eat delicious pasta. Many customers use it as the finish line after a ride.
On top of that, the community among restaurants is wide too. We have many close friends all over the country, and many friends who went on from each of our shops to open restaurants of their own.
Looked at this way, Circles Company has become a company that no longer fits inside the frame of a "bike shop" alone. That's what I think.
A ride for enjoying delicious "food"
That was a long preamble, but at "RIDEALIVE2026" the food side of things is very lavish too.
The event ticket includes three meals: "Day 1 dinner," "Day 2 breakfast" and "Day 2 dinner."
First, "Day 1 dinner"
The destination on Day 1 is Kuwanoki Shinsui Park Campground.
The main meal here is in the hands of "CERCHI." With pasta as the main, plus an appetizer plate and meat grilled in bold style, their pop-up kitchen at the campground is sure to fill everyone's stomachs. The food team will also be serving alcohol, hot drinks and more. Ride hard, work up an appetite, and we'll be waiting for you at the campground.
"Day 2 breakfast"
On the morning of Day 2, breakfast will be served by the EARLYBIRDS and PFM teams.
This time we're preparing a classic breakfast plate: freshly made pancakes with eggs and bacon, eaten with maple syrup. There will be freshly ground coffee and other drinks too. We'd like you to enjoy the slow morning hours at the campground.
"Day 2 dinner"
The after-party for the Day 2 ride is at Yaizu PORTERS.
Here, six restaurants run by close friends of ours will come together and set up booths in the venue.
We'll hand out food tickets at the venue reception, and we'd be happy if you use them to enjoy whatever food you like.
So, let me introduce those six.
Cacashi
https://www.instagram.com/cacashi_store
An izakaya near Meijo Park in Nagoya, run by Fuwa-chan, formerly of EARLYBIRDS, and Kit. It started out as a pop-up in borrowed space at Ariba, and it's a wonderful place run by a married couple and loved by everyone. One of its specialties is tacos, a dish they have polished even further after a trip to Mexico. This time too they'll be bringing those tacos and original drinks.
They bring home to their own shop the flavors they meet on their travels. Getting to eat that accumulation is part of what makes Cacashi interesting. Having just finished a journey by bike, you'll find yourself wanting to hear the travel stories behind the food too.
Spice Hour
https://www.instagram.com/spicehour
Spice Hour, too, started as a pop-up at EARLYBIRDS, and is now a curry and spice restaurant with its own place in Sengencho, Nagoya.
Beyond curry, of course, they put spices to work in all sorts of dishes: appetizers made with seasonal ingredients, fried chicken fragrant with cardamom, mutton kebabs cooked in the tandoor.
On the day they'll be serving Spice Hour's original curry and drinks. The gentle atmosphere that Jomi and Kana create together is another thing that makes it so great.
Garage Coffee Company
https://www.instagram.com/garagecoffeecompany
A coffee shop in Gamagori, Aichi Prefecture, in a spot where a single-story house and a garage stand side by side.
With a direct-fire roaster, they produce a bold flavor that lets you taste the character of the beans. We also ask Garage to roast the coffee beans for Ariba and PFM. They helped us out at the early RIDEALIVE events too, and we very much wanted them again this time, so we made the offer.
After your meal, have a coffee made for you and let the owner, Akiyoshi, thank you for your two days of effort.
Ginkai Ramen
https://www.instagram.com/ginkai_ramen
Ginkai, on the second floor of a building in Okazaki, is a shop where ramen and music on vinyl share the same space. Clean-tasting ramen, plus limited menus for each season. The owner's tastes show in the bowls and the music as well, so when you go to eat there you also get a feel for the things that person loves.
They plan to bring a perfect recreation of the ramen we served together in Portland this summer.
Gyoza Slappy
https://www.instagram.com/gyoza_slappy
Gyoza Slappy, in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka.
Its gyoza are known for their thick, chewy wrappers and a filling heavy on vegetables. Each one is wrapped by hand, and when you bite in, the savory flavor of the vegetables comes bursting out. These are gyoza where it's a pleasure to eat not just the seared side but the wrapper itself.
Happy, a former Circles staff member who runs a bike shop and gyoza shop in one, is someone many of you in the Circles circle already know.
He's another friend who went to Portland with us this year. We want you all to try the gyoza that were a huge hit in America too.
Zoumeshiya
https://www.instagram.com/zoumeshiya
Zoumeshiya is run by Imai Jozo, a miso maker in Nishio, Aichi Prefecture. The shop is best known for its dishes made with meat miso, but this time they're coming with their famous crepes. Enjoy them as a sweet dessert after you've had your fill of the food.
We've known the owner, Imadai, since before Ariba opened. He's a big brother we can count on, who has helped us out time and again at stalls and pop-ups.
These crepes are so popular that the line never lets up even at Fuji Rock and other big festivals, so do look forward to them.
Introducing all six has made this really long. Looking at it like this, it truly is a lavish lineup, and every one of them is a restaurant I deeply respect. Isn't it more than enough to brighten up our 20th anniversary party?
Please look forward to the day and come and join us.
See you then.
RIDEALIVE 2026 event details and entry here
