Freestyle Now squad member Paul Chamberlain has been traveling around Japan for the last few weeks, he is what he has to say about his travels as well as a quick video. Enjoy.
“Hey all, I’ve been in Japan for a few weeks now travelling around. I haven’t ridden as much as I thought I would. I forgot that travelling gives you the same feelings as riding. The feel of exploring and doing something new you get on the bike all the time, but when you’re actually in a new place just jumping on and going for a pedal seems like a better option than rotating away the afternoon in the same location. Saying that I’ve actually learnt a few new tricks. One’s in the edit and the other can wait for the next edit. I went to the Circle of Balance and watched a Haro demo at a proper backyard setup where shady trannies meet wet gravel! Not the Japanese skatepark I imagined but I got to meet freestyle legend Dennis McCoy.”
Left – Paul and Dennis McCoy – Right – The Hiroshima monument.
“I was happy to see so many different bike setups and styles over the past few days. People always say that they ride freestyle here not flatland and street. I have been riding with some of the locals in Kobe, (two guys in the video) and the park rider is called Teisuke Shindoh. I got some clips of riding just across the river from the exact spot where the a-bomb exploded above the building in Hiroshima, the building now remains as a monument.
Japan isn’t as expensive as people think. If you stay in hostels and eat cheaply you can budget $40 a day no worries. I spent about half my time in the swag so I saved even more because the hostel is about $20 give or take $5 either side. Food, people and culture are amazing. There are so many riders here and not just flatlanders. For riding Kobe is definitely the best place. Osaka for riders and parties. Kyoto for culture. The Kumano Kodo for wilderness. Gonna head to Osaka to pick up gear, then go to a jam on Friday in Shizouka, then Hokkaido for some hiking and finally Tokyo.”
