I love watching professional cycling, but given the choice, I’d much rather be riding myself. So when Emiko and I had the chance to watch a stage of the Tour de Kyushu and then ride part of the same course on our own bicycles, I was thrilled.
A bus would take us and our bikes from Fukuoka to Kumamoto, where we’d watch the professionals finish before heading out for a guided ride through Aso. The ride sounded wonderful. Being able to take my own bike, with the transport there and back taken care of, made it even better.
Our Bikes on Board
We met the group in Tenjin on October 11 and boarded Nishitetsu’s bright yellow Cycle Cargo bus. The bicycles travel inside the passenger cabin, fully assembled and secured in dedicated racks. You can actually see your bike from your seat!
There’s no dismantling the bike or wrestling it into a bag. You arrive with the bicycle you know and enjoy riding, ready to go. And at the end of the day, someone else does the driving back to Fukuoka. For me, that’s a big part of the appeal.
Cowbells at the Finish
By the time we reached the finish venue in Minamiaso, the crowd was already buzzing. There were souvenirs, promotional giveaways and plenty of food and drink stalls. Local tastes included dishes featuring Kumamoto’s red cattle beef, dairy treats such as ice cream, and citrus sweets.
Our tour included access to a paid viewing area right beside the course. Emiko and I headed straight over. We were only meters from the riders as they tackled the grueling uphill finish.
Watching them push for the line at such close range was thrilling. Then there was the noise: cheering fans, the announcers and all those miniature souvenir cowbells that had been handed out. It was crazy! Television doesn’t quite convey what it feels like to be standing in the middle of it.
After the race, we had time to mingle with the crowd and some of the riders. I could happily have stayed longer, but by then I was getting impatient to ride.
Finally, Our Turn!
Back on the bus, we headed up to Hakoishi Pass. Our bicycles came off the racks, helmets went on, and we were ready to ride back toward the finish we’d just been watching.
The 32.9-kilometer route was mostly downhill or flat, with mountain views, quiet country roads and very little traffic. What a pleasure to be out there on my own bike. With so little climbing, I could spend more time enjoying the scenery.
Our guide, Koichi Nakao, knows Aso well. Along the way he pointed out things we might otherwise have ridden straight past, including fields of white soba flowers in bloom.
We stopped for photographs, chatted and got to know the other participants. There was no pressure to race or keep up with a fast group. Everyone joined the ride, and by the end we’d made new friends.
That didn’t stop us from enjoying a little friendly sprint at the end! Everyone in our group crossed the same finish line as the professionals. A few hours earlier we’d been on the other side of the barriers, cheering. Now it was our turn, and I was surprised by how satisfying that felt.
A Day Worth Repeating
Our bikes went back on the bus and we settled in for the journey home. In Tenjin after dark, we unloaded them, said goodbye to our new friends and simply rode home.
I’ve enjoyed cycling around Kyushu for years, but this was a new way to spend a day on the bike. The race, the chance to meet riders afterward, the long downhill stretches through Aso and the company all added up. And the bus made the whole thing so easy. I’d happily do it again.
Similar rides may be offered alongside Tour de Kyushu in 2027. Follow Fukuoka Now from late summer 2027 for any announcements as plans become available.
Fukuoka Now’s Nick and Emiko participated in a trial tour held in conjunction with Tour de Kyushu 2026, part of a Cycling Island Kyushu initiative to promote cycling tourism, with travel arrangements by Nishitetsu Travel.
Photos and text: Nick Szasz