Join the Escape Collective team for five days (four nights) in Takayama, a small mountain city in the Japanese Alps known for its craft traditions, food culture, and stunning scenery.

This is an all-inclusive experience built around memorable riding, great food, and genuine time with the Escape team and your fellow members. You will ride alongside the journalists whose voices and bylines you know, sit in on live podcast recordings, and spend unstructured time together over long lunches, shared dinners, and evening drinks.

You’ll be riding alongside the journalists whose voices and bylines you know, sit in on live podcast recordings, and spend unstructured time together over long lunches, shared dinners, and evening drinks. Because this is a small group, there is real space for conversation. Not just a hello on the bike, but hours together across the week.

Riding sits at the heart of the summit. Our ‘queens stage’ centres on Mount Norikura, the highest paved road in Japan, a steady, beautiful climb that rises deep into the alpine landscape. It’s a ride people talk about for good reason, but it’s approached in the spirit of the week: thoughtfully, with options, and at a pace that suits you. Alongside it, we’ll explore quieter roads through the Hida region, with multiple route choices designed to suit different appetites for distance and elevation.

Everything below is included—so the days stay simple and the focus stays on riding, food, and connection.

• Four nights at Hotel Wood, our featured accommodation (single or shared occupancy).

• Professionally guided rides with full on-road vehicle support

• Ride nutrition and hydration: energy bars, mixes, and more

• Bike assembly support on arrival, plus on-hand mechanical assistance as needed.

• Daily breakfast, roadside feed stations, three group dinners, (1-night on-own) plus nightly beer and sake.

• Daily recovery support

• Escape Collective Commemorative Race-Fit Jersey

• All restaurant gratuities

• **Aug 22 & 23 - Arrival Add-On Optional two-night extension (Tokyo + Takayama), including Shinkansen ticket and guided assistance.

You ride. We handle the rest.

What's Not Included

• Airfare to and from your trip

• Travel insurance

• Airport transfers to/from Tokyo. *Review the Arrival Tokyo-Takayama Extension

• Personal expenses — souvenirs, extra drinks, etc.

• Bicycles: bring your own, or we’ll help arrange a limited number of rentals.

Tokyo has two international airports, and both work—but one is easier.

• Haneda Airport (HND) — Preferred

  Closer to the city, faster immigration on average, and simpler connections to trains and hotels. If you have the option, fly into Haneda.

• Narita International Airport (NRT) — Perfectly fine alternative

  Farther from central Tokyo, but well connected by train. Expect a longer transfer into the city.
  

Bottom line:

If you can choose, Haneda is best. If your flight arrives into Narita, no problem—we’ll plan accordingly.

Domestic Airport - Chubu Centrair (NGO), Nagoya.

The closest airport to Takayama is Chubu Centrair (NGO), Nagoya. It is a smaller domestic airport, but is an alternative if Tokyo is not ideal. You could elect to arrive and depart from Chubu Centrair (NGO), Nagoya.

CHOOSING YOUR ARRIVAL AIRPORT; NAGOYA vs TOKYO

Fly into Nagoya (Chubu Centrair – NGO) if you prefer the most direct and efficient route to Takayama. Nagoya is geographically closer, with a total travel time of approximately 3–3.5 hours to Takayama. It’s often the simplest option if flight connections align.

Fly into Tokyo (Narita – NRT or Haneda – HND) if you want the widest range of international flight options, more flexible routing, or plan to spend time in Tokyo before or after the summit. The train journey to Takayama takes approximately 4.5–5 hours.

Our Advice

Choose Nagoya for convenience and efficiency. Choose Tokyo for flight flexibility or if you’d like to incorporate time in the capital into your trip.