The "Nozawa Onsen Cycling Festival," an event aimed at energizing the community through cycling, will feature both road and mountain bike races held concurrently—a rare format for a participatory cycling event in Japan. It is scheduled to take place on October 9-10, 2021.

With over a century of history in skiing, Nozawa Onsen holds an unshakeable position as a destination for winter enjoyment of skiing and snowboarding.

At the same time, we considered whether it would be possible to create another core event for the summer season. Through this, we aim to promote activities in nature and establish them as the new standard post-COVID.

With this vision, the Nozawa Onsen Cycling Event Executive Committee decided to hold the "1st Nozawa Onsen Cycling Festival," a comprehensive sports cycling event, on October 9 (Sat) and 10 (Sun), 2021.

This event is a unique, large-scale festival that utilizes the vast, undulating terrain for both a road bike hill climb race and a mountain bike long downhill race. The village boasts 13 natural hot springs, perfect for relaxing and soothing fatigue after the event. Enjoying local cuisine made with regional ingredients would also be a delightful experience.

While sports bicycles might seem to imply strenuous exercise, cycling can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of athletic ability or fitness level, and many people continue it as a hobby well into their later years.

For each of the races offered, there are eight categories for both men and women: junior high school, high school, age groups from 20s to 50s, 60 and over, and an e-bike class with no age limit. This allows for participation across a wide range of generations.

The road bike hill climb is a race covering approximately 13 km with an elevation gain of 800 meters (time limit: 3 hours). For the descent, participants will ride the latest state-of-the-art gondola, ensuring safety while enjoying the scenery of Shinshu.

The mountain bike long downhill race involves descending approximately 6.5 km of trails and ski slopes with an 800-meter elevation drop. With time measurements for both a qualifying round and the final, participants can enjoy the race over two days.

The Nozawa Onsen Ski Club is responsible for the event's secretariat. Through community-based event management, they aim to invigorate the local area, make Nozawa Onsen more attractive to young people, and create employment opportunities during the summer.