Since Adam and Nick from SKLAR were coming to Japan for a POP UP event at the end of September, we thought it would be a perfect opportunity to get out for a bike tour together. So, we headed out with Toyoshige Ikeyama (a.k.a. Shige-chan), the very man who introduced SKLAR to Japan.
The POP UP was a great success with many SKLAR users coming by, and the group ride felt amazing as well.
Travel Plans
Initially, we planned to bike from the Nagoya POP UP to the Tokyo POP UP, but we changed that to a plan involving "Rinko" (taking bikes on trains) to enjoy some fun spots along the way.
So, we decided on these destinations:
Leg 1: Rinko from Nagoya to Mishima. Then, a forest road tour at the foot of Mt. Fuji, ending with a loop back to Mishima.
Leg 2: Rinko from Mishima to Atami. Then, a ferry ride to Izu Oshima.
We set off with just our accommodations and a rough route in mind.
Rinko was likely a first-time experience for those who came over from abroad, but I’m sure it turned into a special experience in its own right.
They were confused at first, but by the end, everyone had been promoted to "Rinko Pro" status.👏
Since getting seats with extra-large luggage space was an incredibly difficult task, taking the Green Car probably became a good memory too, haha.
Adam and Nick's close friends from SF also joined the tour as part of the SKLAR team.
We made sure to do some warm-up exercises first thing in the morning before starting.
We filled up on spring water and set off.
Riding along the coast and exploring through windbreak forests—it was a great variety of courses.
The coffee shop we stopped by along the way was also top-notch.
Since we were in Shizuoka, we also stopped by a tea plantation.
The cedar forests, which are such an everyday sight to us, were greeted with "Beautiful!" by them, which made us happy too.
We stayed at a pension at the foot of Mt. Fuji that night; we had a great time talking with the owner, who had visited San Francisco in his younger days.
And everyone was thrilled to enjoy the hot springs.
The next day, we met up with the Circles staff to explore the forest roads at the foot of Mt. Fuji.
It was great to see such crisp views of Mt. Fuji.
Since it was the end of September, it was a bit hot, but it was perfect cycling weather. We were lucky the typhoon stayed away!
The forest roads in this area are simply the best.
The SF team really loves snacks; whenever we stopped at a convenience store, they were constantly sharing snacks, saying things like "That looks delicious" or "This is the best," haha.
I’ll note here that "TOUGH GUMMY" was the most popular among them.
Then we headed back to Mishima and made our way to Atami.
They seemed to find Atami exotic and interesting.
The accommodation we stayed at was affordable, but it had an open-air bath on the roof, and the location was incredible. Shige-chan’s choice of accommodation never disappoints.
However, despite the nice weather, the ferry from Atami to Izu Oshima was canceled...!
So, we quickly took a train to Shinagawa and then headed to the Takeshiba Terminal in Tokyo.
Still, we had some time to spare, so for lunch, we went for ramen, which the SF crew had been looking forward to!
Nick said, "I can't forget the Hiyashi Chuka (chilled ramen) I had in Little Tokyo in SF when I was a kid," and he finally got to enjoy his long-awaited Hiyashi Chuka.
From Tokyo, we took a high-speed boat with our bikes. We did a lot of Rinko on this trip, but it was great for mobility.
By the time we arrived on the island and started riding, it was already near dusk.
It’s no exaggeration to say that I personally came here to see this: the famous Izu Oshima "Cross-section of Strata."
The real thing was much larger in scale than I imagined; it was startling. The Earth is huge.
Taking a walk at night was also an emotional and fond memory.
Regardless, it was clear skies. Regardless, it was the best.
There is nothing more fun than riding bikes with your best friends in the best locations.
Illuminated by the sun, the scenery was seriously sparkling.
We had been riding non-stop for a week, so by the end, we were all exhausted. But everyone had great expressions on their faces.
Blessed with good weather, it was a truly fulfilling Rinko journey.
Shige-chan will probably review the bikes they rode on this tour later, so look forward to that.
Also, this tour really taught me how to enjoy the PBJ, so I ended up buying one myself, and I’d like to review that later as well!
I want to go to Hokkaido with the PBJ next year. It should be incredibly fun.
Adam, Nick, thank you so much for coming! We’re coming to SF next year!
