Where We Call Home.

Working passionately handcrafting custom one-of-a-kind bicycles...

...is Gerson Aizawa Hara, a third-generation Brazilian of Japanese descent.

I remember when I first
rode a bike as a kid.

That exhilarating feeling.
I wanted to keep going forever.

That feeling.

I want my customers to feel that
when they ride the bikes I make.

He fashions his original two-wheeled creations with unusual materials like wood and bamboo!

Making bicycles...

is like traveling: the ride is
more fun than the goal.

When I reach a goal, I go to the next.

Gerson loves to take on new challenges.

This time, he's developing a cargo bicycle...

...that'll be made with a material he's never used before.

Will he succeed?

Let's tag along for the ride to find out!

Located in northern Osaka Prefecture is the city of Toyonaka.

In a residential area, we find a bicycle shop popular with cycling aficionados.

- Long time no see!
- Yes!

I did 200km in a day for the first time.

Well done.

At this shop run by a friend, Gerson often helps out with bicycle repairs and assembly.

His true vocation though is the crafting of made-to-order bicycles.

- Long time no see, Gerson!
- Yes!

Back from a ride?

Mr. Yamauchi is the proud owner of a piece of Gerson's handiwork.

While most bicycles on the market have aluminum or carbon frames,

Gerson uses bamboo to create two-wheelers like none other.

His bikes are so easy on the riders.

He made mine specifically to my height,
weight and level of strength.

He went riding with me, checked how
I rode, and made my bike based on that.

It 'fits' me like a glove.

About twenty kilometers away from the bicycle shop is where Gerson's workshop is located.

Lining the walls is a selection from the many frames he's built.

This is the first one I made.

I didn't know much about types of bamboo.
I got some at a hardware store.

I made this, and figured out what parts
needed to be thicker or thinner.

I learned as I went along.

He explains that the frame is the heart of a bicycle and what impacts its functionality the most.

If the frame lacks precision,
it won't accommodate parts well.

It's all in the frame.
The rest is just accessories.

Gerson grew up in São Paulo.

A fervent cycling enthusiast, he took part in road races from the age of nineteen.

Drawn to the high-tech industrial nation that was Japan, his grandparents' homeland,

Gerson made the big move in 1999.

He was 21.

He found work at a factory producing automobile parts

where he was impressed by Japan's dedication to quality craftsmanship.

No matter how precisely a piece
would be grinded by machine...

the finishing work was always
done by hand.

I was amazed.

I wanted to make bikes, but I couldn't
do so with metal at the factory.

So, I made bicycles at home using bamboo.

I flew kites with bamboo frames as a kid.
I knew how sturdy the material was.

And so, he chose bamboo for his first bicycle,

which he completed in one year using a self-taught method.

Then, eleven years ago, Gerson quit his job at the factory to fully pursue his dream of crafting bicycles that would delight riders.

He made sure his bamboo bikes met international standards of sturdiness, thus certifying their safety.

Yet, when he went around to promote them, people were reluctant to trust a bamboo bicycle frame.

That's when he met Deguchi Ryuji, the owner of the bicycle shop, who had confidence in Gerson's crafting skills.

When I first rode his bike, I felt
a unique sense of comfort.

I'd never experienced anything like it.

It's an incredibly gentle
and smooth ride.

It feels like gliding
on a cushion of air.

I knew that if he perfected his bicycles,
more and more people would enjoy them.

So, I decided to help him.

Since they first met at a cycling event seven years ago,

the two have become inseparable business partners.

Deguchi sells Gerson's bicycles and receives orders for repairs and maintenance.

This gives Gerson more opportunities to research and develop all kinds of unique designs.

When Gerson first arrived in Japan, he had very few friends.

Now, thanks to his love of all things cycling, he's found many a kindred spirit.

One such fellow cyclist is Mr. Fukuba, who once asked Gerson to craft him a tandem bike.

Fukuba's very limited eyesight had made it impossible for him to ride alone.

Now, with their custom-made bamboo tandem bicycle, Fukuba and his wife enjoy cycling together.

They even participate in races.

Gerson didn't use to make tandem bikes.

I wondered if he could do it, then he put
all his thoughts and efforts into it.

And the result was amazing.

I lost a lot of hair on that one.

I didn't have much time, and it was
a new and quite difficult challenge.

And he keeps taking on one new challenge
after another. He's truly incredible.

He just keeps going.

As long as I'm alive.

To continuously push the boundaries of bicycle crafting is Gerson's personal mission.

When he hits a wall in his work, he hops on his bike and rides to a place

where he can find new inspiration in the natural world around him.

I look for things to photograph,
like lovely flowers and so on...

to get my mind off bikes for a bit.

I need that to find new ideas.

Ideas come from
where we least expect them.

Gerson's latest project is to develop what he calls a "cargo bicycle"

that would be able to carry a heavier and bigger load than conventional ones.

Having to carry heavy groceries,
like bags of rice, is a hassle.

It makes it hard to steer,
especially for the elderly.

A cargo bike wouldn't be a luxury.
There's a need for it.

This is his third prototype.

Its three-meter total length makes it rather unwieldy when turning.

Sharp turns are practically impossible.

He wants his next design to be easier to steer and fun for anyone to ride.

I look for new functions
to add to the bicycle.

I want to find new ways
to enjoy cycling.

For example, it would be great
for camping.

It could carry a lot of gear.
It would be good for fishing tackle, too.

To help in the development of his road-trip and camping-friendly cargo bike,

he seeks advice from a friend.

On two wheels, Nakanishi Daisuke has ventured on and off the roads in 130 countries.

With this bike, I cycled 3,000km
across the Nullarbor Plain in Australia.

I use it to carry my tent,
sleeping bag, clothes...

and some cooking gear,
among other things.

Keeping his balance with heavy bags attached to the front of the bicycle is quite a test of skill.

Gerson had the idea to put the baggage between the two wheels,

placing the load at a lower centered position for a more balanced ride.

With the baggage in front,
it's hard to steer, right?

This new bicycle won't have
much load in front.

It should feel much lighter when riding.

Almost like an ordinary bike.

Your bags are pretty low, right?

Yes, they make balancing hard.

Riding on rough roads abroad,
it ripped holes in my bags.

Will it be heavier than a regular bike?

If I made it with metal,
it would weigh more than 25 kg.

I'll try a much lighter material
I've never used before.

The result should be interesting.

The goal is a compact and easy to handle cargo-bicycle.

To facilitate steering, he shrinks down the front wheel,

and tries to keep the overall weight at 20 kilos or less.

For the frame, he will use fiberglass

- a lightweight material easier to work and more cost-effective than bamboo.

First, he layers sheets of fiberglass into the special mold he made.

Next, he creates a vacuum inside the mold and injects resin, then waits for it to harden.

It's hardened.

Here it is.

Next time, I'll have to
make sure no air gets in.

The white parts are air.

It got in when I injected the resin.

It should be better next time.

He uses several layers of the material to form the frame.

As fiberglass isn't a very common material for bicycles,

he used references on how it's employed in boats and aircraft.

Then finally, after three months of hard work, the frame is complete.

He installs the saddle, wheels and other components.

As the handlebars are separate from the front wheel, he created a special mechanism.

This connects the handlebars to the fork.

The previous prototype bike
used a single bar.

But I want this bike to be able
to go off road.

If the bar breaks, it can't be replaced.

I made a two-bar construction.
It's much sturdier.

He was able to keep the overall weight at twenty kilos,

and this version is seventy centimeters shorter than his previous prototype.

Will his cycling friends like it?

- Here it is. What do you think?
- It's quite unique!

- Your belly is the center of gravity.
- I see.

Put your weight on the pedals
rather than your hands.

Yeah, the core.

Though it may not balance the same way a regular bike does, he quickly gets the hang of it.

It feels quite different,
but it's fun once you get used to it.

- It's like a support bike.
- Yeah, to carry gear.

It's a perfect 'pit-stop' bike
for a team of tandem racers.

Moving on to the next test rider.

It's cycling adventurer Nakanishi's turn to take it for a spin.

- So?
- Really fun.

Does it feel lighter than
your usual bike?

Much lighter.

It's easy to steer.
It's much more practical.

With my bike, I can't turn well.

I have to make wide turns.

But this one turns much more sharply.
It's easier to use.

Seems like Gerson got a big step closer to his compact and easy-to-ride cargo bike.

In the "cargo hold" he put simple cooking implements.

This new bike can carry camping gear with ease.

It's a perfect partner to enjoy the great outdoors.

- What's on the menu?
- My original.

Bon appetit!

It's hot.

"- How is it?"
- Delicious.

A friend of mine wants to do cycling.

- For touring?
- Yes, touring.

He often hikes.

I'll recommend this bike.

Today, I could see how the bike performs.

I'm going to make some adjustments
and modifications to further improve it.

I'll be so happy if someone goes
on a trip on a bike I made.

I'll feel like I'm with them.

I want people to travel on my bikes.

Encouraged by his circle of cycling friends, Gerson rides onward on his crafting journey.

Please enjoy your stay.

Welcome.
I'm Thapa Magar Kumar, from Nepal.

I help guests check in and out...

and serve meals, among other things.

Japanese-style hospitality is amazing.
Please come. I'll show you my work.

Mimasaka, Okayama

Mimasaka has over 1,200 years of history
as a hot-spring resort town.

Thapa works at an inn
that's been 90 years in business.

Excuse me.

Thank you for your
continued patronage.

Shall I carry your luggage?

Please watch your step.
There's an incline.

Dinner will be served in the room
on the right at the end.

Go on in.

Here are some "kimonos,"
small sizes in the top drawer.

Here are medium and large sizes.

His Japanese is fluent and natural.

He told me to watch my step.

He was very nice.

- How tall is your daughter?
- 120cm.

Let me go get her size.

- He's just like a Japanese staff member.
- Better than a perfect 10.

In Japan, we observe guests...

and find how to better
satisfy their needs.

I do my best and think
how to better serve each guest.

In Nepal, the service to guests
isn't as thoughtful as it is here.

In Japan, everything we do,
like handing something to a guest...

we do it gracefully and politely.

I enjoy it.

Encouraged by a friend living in Japan,
Thapa moved here in 2016.

He studied Japanese, and became interested
in Japan's unique culture of hospitality.

That's when he found work at this inn.
Of the 65 employees, 5 are non-Japanese.

This is my wife.

He invited his wife Diya to come over.
She now works at the same inn.

She's only been in Japan two months.
She still can't speak Japanese fluently.

I do my best to teach her.

And I do my best to learn.

This is Michie-san.
She teaches me so much.

At first, I didn't know anything.
Michie-san diligently trained me.

She still teaches me.
I'm so grateful.

He's gentle and friendly
to kids as well as adults.

He's really kind and considerate
with elderly guests.

Some have autonomy issues.
He caters to their needs.

He's the first to help guests
with their luggage.

He's very thoughtful
when attending customers.

I still have much to learn.

I'm thankful Michie-san
is here to teach me.

dinner service

Here's the first course.

Cherry blossom tofu.

It's topped with raw sea urchin
and carrots.

Bon appétit.

It was hard to memorize the descriptions
for the various dishes.

I took a lot of notes and studied hard.

A pleasure to see you again.

Shall I bring your regular drinks?

- Yes, please.
- Coming right up.

Thapa makes special effort to memorize
the preferences of regular guests.

Excuse me.

Here you are.
Two lemon sours.

His service is gentle and warm.

He remembers our favorite drink.
It's so nice of him.

I think about what they like
to try to make their stay more pleasant.

Here are my treasures:
questionnaires guests filled up.

"Our daughter wanted to see
Mr. Thapa again, so we came back."

"The Nepalese staff member was so kind
and fluent in Japanese. It was amazing."

"Thank you, Thapa!"

All these messages from guests
motivate me to put effort in my work.

In the future, I want to run a small hotel
in Nepal where we'll serve guests...

with Japanese-style hospitality.
So, my wife and I work hard.