Tour de Nippon is an event organized by Paper Sky, a magazine and web media outlet built around the concept of an "in-flight magazine to read on the ground."
It is a wonderful tour where you can enjoy traveling around the various local regions of Japan using your bicycle as a tool.
This time, we are touring Koka and Shigaraki in Shiga Prefecture.
The previous tour in Hokuto, Yamanashi, was a test run, but starting with this Koka-Shigaraki event, Circles will be providing official support! 👏
Our support system will be:
- Circles for mechanical support and equipment troubleshooting
- KONA, a brand also carried by Circles, for rental bikes
We will be providing solid support with this structure!
It would take too long to write about how this came to be, but I think it’s fair to say that having the experienced Circles team on board will make for a great ride. Plus, it’s a perfect time for us since Keita from Alibi and I are planning our own event called WONDER HOPPER, and we’ve been looking to host it in various locations soon. This gives us a chance to study other events, which I believe will help level up our own Circles-presented events.
And above all, I believe there should be more diversity in how we enjoy rides, so I really want those of you who read the Circles blog or follow our social media to participate in Tour de Nippon.
How about a different kind of charm from your usual ride events?
I joined the previous tour in Hokuto, Yamanashi, and it made me realize values we had previously overlooked.
When you decide to go for a ride, you get hyped and tend to think it's all about how much you ride! Recently, we’ve learned to slow down and enjoy the scenery, which has made riding even more fun, but Paper Sky’s events also include time to interact with the local people.
That is such a rich experience, and it feels like they’ve set things up in a way that makes you want to visit those places again on your own.
Great places always have great food and great people.
For those used to cycling who focus solely on "riding," Tour de Nippon might not be enough to satisfy you. However, I believe there is a value that can only be experienced because you are using a bicycle as your tool.
Tour de Nippon allows you to experience not just the land and climate, but the lives and even the culture of the people there. I am very interested in how we can incorporate these elements into our own events. After all, it wouldn’t be fun to just copy the same plan.
Tour de Nippon Koka Shigaraki
Event summary is as follows.
Exploring the "Koka Shigaraki" home of craftsmanship through Bike & Food
A trip to savor tradition, modernity, and delicious flavors
We head toward the town of Shigaraki, lined with nostalgic kilns, passing through hilly areas with landscapes of pastoral scenery and vast tea plantations. Along the way, we’ll encounter "Koka-ryu Ninjas," visit the producers of Koka’s unique foods, and race through the area on our bikes while feeling the spirit of craftsmanship that has been passed down through this land. Come join us for a cycling trip in search of the people, culture, and delicious food that you can only encounter in Koka Shigaraki.Highlights of PAPERSKY Tour de Nippon in Koka Shigaraki
＜DAY 1＞
● Tour the "Koka-ryu Ninjutsu Yashiki," the only authentic ninja residence remaining in the country.
● Cycling to explore Koka’s cuisine, featuring local specialties like kanpyo (dried gourd), Omi tea, and sake.
● After the ride, a toast with sake and Omi tea! A small banquet with a tasting of local drinks.＜DAY 2＞
● Aiming for Shigaraki, the town of pottery! Satoyama cycling to enjoy rich nature.
● Experience products that reconstruct tradition and the present at "NOTA_SHOP".
● The final and main event of the trip is a special lunch party featuring Koka’s finest food!
[Event Overview]＜DAY 1: Saturday, November 25, 2023＞
Meeting point: Saturday, November 25, 11:00 AM at "JR Kibukawa Station" (Mushono, Minakuchi-cho, Koka City, Shiga Prefecture)
End time: Saturday, November 25, approx. 6:00 PM at Koka City Community Center "Maroom" (6009-1 Minakuchi, Minakuchi-cho, Koka City, Shiga Prefecture)
Distance: approx. 36km
Participation fee: 10,000 yen ★Special price for participating on both days (Residents of Shiga Prefecture: 8,000 yen)
*Add 3,000 yen for KONA BICYCLES rentalIncludes: Cycling guide fee, meals (lunch / snacks & drinks after the ride), snacks, support car (luggage transport available), commemorative gift, insurance premium.
*Accommodation costs are not included in the participation fee.
＜DAY 2: Sunday, November 26, 2023＞Meeting point: Sunday, November 26, 9:30 AM at "Shigaraki Kogen Railway Chokushi Station" (Chokushi, Shigaraki-cho, Koka City, Shiga Prefecture)
End time: Sunday, November 26, 3:30 PM at "Ogama" (947 Nagano, Shigaraki-cho, Koka City, Shiga Prefecture)
Distance: approx. 26km
Participation fee: 16,000 yen ★Special price for participating on both days (Residents of Shiga Prefecture: 14,000 yen)
*Add 3,000 yen for KONA BICYCLES rentalIncludes: Cycling guide fee, meals (lunch), snacks, support car (luggage transport available), commemorative gift, insurance premium.
*Accommodation costs are not included in the participation fee.
・Participants are responsible for their own round-trip transportation costs to the location.
・Registration is complete upon payment of the participation fee.
・If you have your own cycling helmet, please bring it; free rentals are also available.
・For accommodation on Saturday, Nov 25, we can recommend hotels around "Ohmi Railway Minakuchi Station," so please contact the PAPERSKY Tour de Nippon Office (https://papersky.jp/contact/).
・KONA BICYCLE rentals are available for 3,000 yen even if you participate on both days.
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[Inquiries]
https://papersky.jp/contact
(PAPERSKY Tour de Nippon Office)
＜Co-hosted by＞Koka City
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＜Tour de Nippon Supporters＞KONA BICYCLES
https://papersky.jp/project/tour-de-nippon-koka-shigaraki/
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