Stage 4. The soul of Kochi’s long line of innovative manufacturer
Yuki Tsugehara | 3. April 2025
The igus:bike has arrived in western Japan. Kochi prefecture is known for its rich nature, beautiful coastline, fresh seafood, the Yosakoi Festival and as the birthplace of the samurai who contributed to the modernisation of Japan.
We set our sight on the submerged bridge of the suburbs as our starting point. A submerged bridge is a bridge that sinks into the water during floods and is built low and without parapets. In this region, where rivers overflow due to frequent heavy rainfall, bridges with this structure were conceived so that they would not break easily. It is one of the symbolic landscapes of Kochi.
The igus:bike headed towards central Kochi along the Niyodo River, known for its clean water, before descending the mountain and arriving at GIKEN LTD., located in an industrial area by the sea.
GIKEN LTD. was founded in 1967. In order to solve construction pollution, the company developed the Silent Piler™, which enables vibration-free and noise-free pile installation. Since then, based on its press-in technology, the company has developed construction machinery and methods worldwide to solve social problems that arise with the changing times, such as the intensification of natural disasters and ageing infrastructure. The company continues to grow on a global scale, as evidenced by its adoption for a World Heritage canal revetment project in the Netherlands.
The EcoCycle™ bicycle parking system was created using the ease of underground construction due to its piling technology. This bicycle parking system, which arranges bicycles in a cylindrical shape, uses unique technology to achieve an average exit time of just 9.7 seconds. Bicycles can be stored and retrieved without waiting. The Mobile EcoCycle™ has evolved into a portable system.
It can be set up like a tent at an event site and can hold 58 bicycles on a 46㎡ area. igus’ Energy chain is instrumental in this fast operation. We also witnessed the technological prowess of GIKEN, including the Eco Park, a parking lot, and the EV Eco Park, which houses an EV that can seat two people.
After leaving GIKEN, we visited the city of Kochi. In front of the train station, bronze statues of samurai, known as the Shishi of the closing days of the Tokugawa Shogunate, stand side by side. The region has long prospered from fishing and trade and is known for producing important figures in the transition from the Edo period (government by samurai) to the modern Japanese government.
Samurai during this period were expected to be visionaries for the international community. How did the igus:bike appear in their eyes? Goto-san has completed this journey, which spanned from nature to the city, by arriving at Kochi Station.
Our rider: Takamasa Goto
I am Goto, e-chain systems sales department. I would be happy if I could tell you about the nature and cityscapes unique to Kochi Prefecture as one of the best sceneries in Japan, while enjoying them on igus:bike.
Map of the tour
