2017 Japanese Odyssey

For the third edition of the Japanese Odyssey, organizers Emmanuel and Guillaume decided to take the riders to less known areas, emphasizing the beauty of rural Japan. There will be nine mandatory segments consisting of remote, beautiful, and often challenging routes. The specific roads and paths each rider uses are up to him or herself.

The route is roughly 3200 km/1988 miles and has to be completed in 13 days. The event starts in Tokyo on August 12th, 2017 and ends in Kitakyūshū. Riders will “go through places of cultural significance to Japanese people. And will experience the magic of the “rural” Japan. They will zig-zag all over the road on steep climbs. They will ride through big cities that may be an assault on their senses, and may possibly lose their way in those densely populated and futuristic downtown areas.”

The Japanese Odyssey is a demanding adventure, but it is not a competitive one. There will be no listed official finishing times or rankings.

Follow the riders below…