NAHBS once wore the mantle of greatness in the world of custom bicycle shows. This was then shared by the Philly Bike Expo and Bespoked post-Covid, but the honor of longevity belongs elsewhere—to a custom bicycle show that showcases the finest of the Japanese artisans each year in the restless heart of Tokyo. 

Since its founding in 1987, Tokyo’s Hand Made Bicycle Exhibition (HMB) has been the quiet custodian of Japanese bicycle craftsmanship, guided by Shoichiro Morishita, a curator whose stewardship of the Bicycle Culture Center underpins his reverence for the craft of the framebuilder. Backed by the steadfast support of the Japan Keirin Auto-race Foundation (JKA), the HMB has endured, not with fanfare, but with a quiet authority that through longevity speaks loudest of all.

The 2025 edition is set for January 25 and 26, held once again in the Science Technology Museum (Kagaku-Gijyutukan), cloistered in Kitanomaru Park in the Chiyoda Ward. Here is a venue with a history dating back hundreds of years beyond that of the bicycle itself: the Imperial Palace complex. Fittingly this was once the site of the Edo Castle, but more on that later.

The Science and Technology Museum is just a stone's throw from the Imperial Palace. Photo: S. Kakegawa

From the nearby Takebashi Bridge, across the moat that encircles this hallowed complex, the museum looks to embody the very qualities it hosts: precision, tradition, and an understated kind of grandeur.

The exhibition itself mirrors these values. The displays at the HMB are uniform, with minimal if any decoration, putting the focus of attention on the bicycles, and not the distractions of an elaborate backdrop. It’s a philosophy that once inspired a handful of NAHBS builders to push for a similar aesthetic discipline—an effort that, like many bold ideas, came out in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The mix of brands at HMB is not solely a Japanese confection. In the 2024 edition, for example, a few French and Italian manufacturers attended the show. Yet since the great majority are Japanese, the HMB remains an excellent opportunity to gain knowledge of manufacturers little known outside Japan. Mr. Morishita expects between 40 and 50 exhibitors at this year's event, and between 2500-3000 attendees over the two days.

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Japan’s relationship with the bicycle stretches back to the 19th century. In the final years of the Edo period, the nation first embraced Western influences, opening the doors to the manufacture of bicycles during the Meiji period which followed. This was a time of great economic and cultural change in Japan, and the manufacture of the finest quality hand-built bicycles started much later, lagging behind the great traditions of Europe and America. 

Nowadays, however, that seems merely a detail of history. Japanese artisans, with their unerring attention to precision, detail, and reverence for form, have elevated their work to a level that rivals—and in some cases surpasses—the legends of the craft. Today, the creations of the Japanese frame building industry are among the most coveted in the world, a testament to the perfectionism and quiet ambition that define their approach.

This year’s Hand Made Bicycle exhibition beckons with the promise of an encounter with Japan’s bicycle makers, some famous and others obscure, and a close view of the precision and skill of their work. 

• The Hand Made Bicycle exhibition website URL is https://cycle-info.bpaj.or.jp
• A list of exhibitors is at http://cycle-info.bpaj.or.jp/?tid=100649

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