Born in Maine, USA. Pursuing a dream he had held since childhood, he moved to Kyoto on his own after finishing secondary school and spent around three years studying the Japanese language and culture. After subsequently living in Buenos Aires and San Francisco, he returned to Japan in 2016 to start a new life there. Since arriving in Japan, he has held various roles within the tourism industry and is currently active as a freelance consultant, writer, photographer and guide. He possesses a profound knowledge of Japan, with his interests spanning a wide range of areas including history, language, culture, customs, and animism. As a tour producer and cycling guide for Ridas Co., Ltd., he organises tours throughout the country. He is also a keen cyclist and has visited countless regions; he remains captivated by the facets of Japan he has come to know through these travels.

Kevin Nel, an industrial designer originally from South Africa, came to Japan drawn by the appeal of Japanese culture and design. He realised that cycling was a fascinating way to experience Japan’s landscapes, history and the stories that live on in its regions. Driven by this passion, he launched ‘Asago Cycling’ in Asago City, where he was involved in planning and running cycling tours that allow participants to experience the region’s rich natural environment and culture. He is now based in Himeji City, where he founded ‘Roots & Routes’, working with a mission to connect visitors with local people. Drawing on his skills in design, photography and storytelling, he offers authentic travel experiences that allow visitors to deeply savour Japan’s rich history and culture. At RIDAS, he is in charge of escorted tours that cover a wide area over several days. He also has a deep understanding of the tourism industry in his home country, South Africa, and is actively working to attract cyclists there.

After studying industrial design, he came to Japan, captivated by Japanese crafts, art and design. This interest in creativity eventually broadened into a passion for travel, and he began to want to gain a deeper understanding of life in Japan and its regional cultures. After arriving in Japan, he lived in Sapporo, Hokkaido, for three years, during which time his hobbies—such as cycling, sightseeing and photography—eventually evolved into his profession. By combining his passion for design, photography and storytelling, he aims to create experiences that convey the unique charm of the region to visitors. He places particular emphasis on interacting with local people, and his warm personality has made him very popular with everyone. He currently runs a guesthouse in Ikuno Town, Hyogo Prefecture, housed in a renovated cultural heritage building; its unique accommodation experience and beautiful surroundings have been very well received by guests from both Japan and abroad.

Originally from Australia, he has lived in Japan for 25 years. He competed across Japan as a road cyclist for a Japanese corporate cycling team. He subsequently worked in the bicycle industry dealing with global brands, and is currently involved in the development, design and sales of ‘Muller’, a Japanese-based metal bicycle brand. Since 2019, he has been working in partnership with Ridas Co., Ltd. as a guide for their inbound cycling tours. His command of the Japanese language is excellent; he converses just as fluently as any Japanese person, uses even the most complex kanji with ease, and has integrated into local communities just as seamlessly as the locals. He has a keen interest in historic highways and continues to explore them whilst travelling to various regions for work. He is also a presenter on NHK’s overseas cycling programme ‘Cycle Around Japan’, demonstrating his multifaceted and extraordinary talents.

His passion for cycling led him to obtain a cycling guide qualification, after which he signed a contract with Ridas Co., Ltd. Thanks to his main profession in the trade industry, he is fluent in Chinese and specialises in looking after clients from Asia. He is known for his calm manner and guiding style; as a result, he often takes up a position in the middle of the group during tours. Should a puncture or other problem arise, he responds promptly, ensuring guests can rejoin the group without becoming unduly tired. He is highly regarded by guests as a reliable and reassuring leader. As a personal hobby, he enjoys long-distance cycling, such as long rides and brevet events, and is confident in his ability to cover long distances. Consequently, he is able to handle not only escorted tours and day trips for inbound tourists but also event-based tours, which are particularly popular amongst Japanese cyclists.

Representative Director of RIDAS Inc., the company that operates this service. He set up his own business in 2001, opening a sports bicycle shop. Since then, he has worked to expand the business and has opened a total of seven branches. He is passionate about various cycling disciplines, including road cycling, mountain biking, track racing and triathlon, and served as a mechanic for the Shiga Prefecture team at the National Sports Festival for six years. In 2016, drawing on his experience of travelling across Japan by bicycle since his student days, he established ‘RIDAS Inc.,., a travel agency specialising in cycling tours. Since then, the company has been offering full-service cycling tour packages, focusing primarily on guided tours for inbound tourists and day trips within Kyoto City.Having been captivated by Japan’s historic old highways and unspoilt landscapes since his student days, he currently writes articles and takes photographs for special issues on historic routes published by specialist cycling magazines.

Pursuing a childhood dream, Joshua left his native Maine after graduating high school and took residence in Kyoto, where he studied Japanese language and culture for 3 years. He returned to Japan in 2016, after living many years in both Buenos Aires and San Francisco, and has since taken on a variety of roles within the tourism industry. He currently works as a freelance consultant, writer, photographer, and guide. He continues to be fascinated by Japanese culture, and spends his free time cycling in Japan's countryside.

After mastering personal training techniques as a full-time trainer at a well-known fitness centre, he worked as a massage therapist before taking up the role of manager at a sports cycle shop. He was responsible for bike fitting—the most crucial aspect of cycling—and gained popularity for his distinctive fitting approach, which drew on his knowledge as a massage therapist. He has also taken up triathlon, competing in and completing an Ironman race. Thanks to his kind and approachable nature, he puts first-time participants on cycling tours at ease. During cycling tours, he primarily acts as a guide at the rear of the group, playing a vital role in looking after the participants’ well-being and ensuring the safety of the entire group. In addition to cycling tours, he organises yoga events using furoshiki at RIDAS Lab. in Kyoto, which have been well received as ‘yoga that everyone can enjoy’.

During his university days, he was an active rower. He became passionate about cycling, which he had incorporated into his training regime even back then, and as an amateur competitor, he has won numerous championships and achieved many podium finishes in road cycling, mountain biking and cyclo-cross. He currently runs advertising agencies in Osaka and Tokyo, and as a result, he is well-versed in regional information from all over the country. Alongside this, he runs a cycling business, operating a sports bicycle retail outlet, and is also dedicated to organising cycling events and tours. As he is particularly well-versed in the legends associated with the urban areas of Kyoto and Osaka, he specialises in guiding one-day tours categorised by various themes, such as water, prayer, festivals, customs and vengeful spirits. Many fans are captivated by his unique approach.