[Event Report] Village Green Ride 2025 | A Day of Ride & Hike, Market, and Scenic Views at Kyomi Pass, Kyoto
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With perfect weather, beautiful scenery, and the smiles of participants, we successfully held VILLAGE GREEN 2025 again this year!
This event, where you can experience the charms of the outdoors—riding, hiking, a market, and camping—all at once, offers the greatest joy of creating a special day together with all our participants and exhibitors.
In this article, I will reflect on this year's VILLAGE GREEN from my personal perspective and share its highlights.
It is a special annual outdoor event hosted by "eirin Marutamachi Store," operated by our company, and its annex, "Cycle Hatena."
The stage is set on local Kyoto courses not found in tourist guides. After enjoying cycling and hiking, you'll find the "Takagamine Mercato," an open-air restaurant in the sky spread across the summit of Kyomi Pass. Here, you can savor exquisite cuisine while enjoying stunning views.
RIDE・HIKE・FOOD・MARKET・CAMP – VILLAGE GREEN delivers a superb day where you can experience the concentrated charms of the outdoors all at once.
This year's VILLAGE GREEN expanded from last year, offering 5 course options.
①【RIDE】On-road & Long Gravel ＜Distance: 71.4km / Elevation Gain: 1550m＞ An on-road & gravel course focused entirely on riding! While the distance and elevation gain are challenging, the sense of accomplishment is also at its maximum!
②【RIDE】On-road & Short Gravel ＜Distance: 51.6km / Elevation Gain: 1044m＞ Even short, it's packed with volume! This is a highly recommended route that can be enjoyed in a balanced way!
③【RIDE】On-road ＜Distance: 50.5km / Elevation Gain: 1023m＞ The exhilarating feeling of riding through Kyoto's satoyama landscape! With support cars almost fully accompanying the route, you can ride with peace of mind.
④【HIKE】"Hike to Village Green" Shakatanigama Edition ＜Distance: approx. 3km / Elevation Gain: approx. 260m＞ A hiking route organized by vivo barefoot You can rent vivo barefoot shoes and actually hike in them!! Includes local guided Takagamine nature tours / how to set up a hammock and find good spots / vivo barefoot try-ons & barefoot experience, etc.
⑤【RIDE & HIKE】BIKE and HIKE｜SADDLE TALK w/ MAKERS ＜Distance: 10.5km / Elevation Gain: 465m＞ A ride & hike route exploring with all the exhibiting brands!!
Last year, there were only two types of courses: an "on-road course on asphalt" and a "gravel course to enjoy with gravel bikes," but this year, the variations have further expanded. There are now three main courses: a tough gravel course, an easy-to-enjoy short course, and the classic on-road course.
Additionally, a hiking course hosted by vivo barefoot and a BIKE & HIKE course combining "seat talk" with brands exhibiting at the VILLAGE GREEN MARKET have been newly established. The content has evolved to offer a wider variety of ways to enjoy the event!
And this year's goal was also the "Takagamine Mercato" sky restaurant, with the best views and a reward of roast chicken (exclusive to VILLAGE GREEN RIDE participants)!!
VILLAGE GREEN MARKET held concurrently! A happy market with free admission, where you can see many luxury brands all at once. The content is enjoyable even for those who did not participate in the VILLAGE GREEN RIDE!
Of course, overnight camping is also an option, making it a packed event!
Enjoying both mishaps and encounters on the "BIKE & HIKE"
This year, I participated in "⑤【RIDE & HIKE】BIKE and HIKE｜SADDLE TALK w/ MAKERS" with the new Lit Trove (custom ver) that I introduced recently!
▼Click here for the article introducing Lit Trove (custom ver) Read the article
As mentioned in the blog post linked above, the Trove model is conceptualized for "local exploration." While it's not a model designed for reaching mountain summits, I really wanted to show it off, so I rode it!
Last year's VILLAGE GREEN RIDE was a style where "everyone started from the same place, rode different routes, and returned to the same goal."
This year, on the other hand, the starting point and routes varied for each course, with participants riding in their own style, ultimately aiming for the Takagamine Mercato as the finish line.
I participated in the BIKE & HIKE course. For this course, the starting point was also different from the exhibitors, and overall, it was a slightly more compact start (though still about 20 people).
Even though I had climbed this pass about a week before the event for weeding, the scenery had already turned decidedly autumnal in that short time, making me feel the shift of the seasons. The weather was also blessed, the temperature comfortable, truly a perfect day for a ride.
Moreover, thanks to secretly customizing my Trove with a smaller chainring this time, the climb up Kyomi Pass felt considerably more comfortable.
At the old road junction of Kyomi Pass, right at the entrance to Takagamine Mercato, I successfully met up with the exhibitor team we had arranged to meet. From there, the group instantly grew in number, and the journey became lively and bustling.
At the meeting point, with the kind offer from Circles, I was able to borrow a pair of BEDROCK SANDALS! They paired perfectly with the HIKER TRASH I had just bought, and I was surprised by how comfortable they were from the moment I put them on.
Actually, these BEDROCK SANDALS have been very popular among our staff for a while, and I had been thinking, "Someday I want to get a pair." Getting the chance to actually try them like this was truly a perfect opportunity.
After that, I led the group up Kyomi Pass and we took a short break.
Actually, the gradient from Kyomi Pass to the trail course becomes steeper from here...
With a large group and narrow path, everyone pushed their bikes. Let's take it easy!
Those who can climb, go ahead! It's great that VILLAGE GREEN has no skill barriers, allowing everyone to enjoy it at their own pace.
We successfully descended the pass to the planned location where we were supposed to park our bicycles for hiking.
However, a local resident approached us, saying, "We're going to take down and butcher a deer soon, so please park somewhere else." This unexpected turn of events put everyone in a bind!
But another resident kindly offered their land, and while there was a moment of commotion, we successfully secured a parking spot in the end.
Just as everyone finished parking, an unexpected shower of rain began... one hurdle after another.
I spotted an expert among the participants who brought a folding umbrella! Even small mishaps can turn into moments of laughter.
The rain was light and didn't disrupt the course, and finally, the anticipated hike began.
Unlike cycling, hiking fosters closer interaction and livelier conversations. It was a truly valuable experience for staff and customers, who usually only interact "through products," to share time and talk together.
The breathtaking view, glimpsed just a little from the mountaintop, was truly a hidden gem. The view from Takagamine Mercato is also wonderful, but this offered a different perspective of Kyoto. Everyone took turns enjoying the scenery.
It was a moment where I regretted only bringing a prime lens!
On the way back, of course, "what goes up must come down, and what comes down must go up."
The goal is Takagamine Mercato! We're aiming for roast chicken!
Exquisite lunch at Takagamine Mercato and a bustling MARKET
Everyone on the BIKE & HIKE course arrived right around lunchtime. Even though the exhibitors should have been preparing their stalls, the atmosphere was more like, "Let's eat first!"
I also got to eat before everyone else from the other courses returned! While I can't give a skilled food review, there's no doubt it was exquisite!
At the MARKET, there were familiar items, handcrafted goods that are rarely seen up close, unreleased products, and more. Even I, as staff, thoroughly enjoyed it!
Of course, it wasn't just me; exhibitors also went back and forth to other stalls. It felt like a school festival, which was wonderful!
Meanwhile, the overnight camping group was enjoying themselves to an enviable extent.
As more and more people from the other courses arrived at the finish line, the MARKET became very lively.
Admission to the MARKET itself is free, so even those who didn't participate in the VILLAGE GREEN RIDE joined in. Some intrepid individuals even walked up Kyomi Pass for a stroll!
Cyclists chatting with their bikes against a beautiful backdrop is a wonderful sight.
We are continuously uploading BIKE CHECK videos of all the riders who participated in this year's VILLAGE GREEN RIDE 2025 to YouTube!!
This year's VILLAGE GREEN was successfully held, with many participants joining us.
As the organizer, nothing made me happier than seeing everyone enjoying nature and the scenery through rides and hikes, and engaging with each other, exhibitors and participants alike, spending the day with smiles.
Although there were a few minor mishaps at times, thanks to everyone who even enjoyed those as part of the event, VILLAGE GREEN was enveloped in its characteristic warm atmosphere.
Once again, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the participants and the exhibiting brands and related parties who cooperated.
We will prepare to host an even more enhanced event next year, so we hope to see you again!
＼On YouTube, Ricky's perspective video is now available／
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