Black Bear Brand - 2023 ride in Kyushu Japan

My Dearest Japan,

Once more on your hallowed ground, amidst the gentle embrace of your ancient traditions and the warm camaraderie of dear friends. With each return to your shores.

The beauty of this sacred land, the one so close to my heart. where the spirit of the samurai still lingers in the air.

Your history and traditions are like layers of an exquisite tapestry, and I am privileged to uncover a new thread with each visit.

I will miss you dearly, but I know that this farewell is temporary. We share a deep connection that transcends time and distance, A node to you and your unwavering passion

With love and gratitude, thank you, Japan, for the friends, the design, and the beloved experiences you have brought into my life. Until next time.

Yours forever,
Josh

Friends: Free Way Customer Motorcycle
Video by: Peter
Music: The Last Knife Fighter

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Back in the belly of the Japanese beast, a year-long wait had come to an end. Oita, the den of debauchery where my comrades and I had carved our wild tales, beckoned once more. A hot, restless sun bore down on the asphalt, unfurling before us like a sizzling crimson serpent. I straddled that vintage knucklehead, a roaring American monstrosity of steel and fury, in a land where the past gripped the future with an iron fist.

With me, a band of unhinged compatriots, wild and wired like a coked-up circus, ready to plunge headfirst into the madness. The annual pilgrimage was reborn, and I could almost taste the chaos on the horizon.

We delved into the land of mystic shrines, ancient temples, and cryptic treasures - mountains, forests, sleepy towns, and the infinite coastline. We knew the untamed wilderness was the key to waking the demons in our souls, shaking off the cobwebs of routine and monotony.

Beneath the looming giants of ancient mountains, we felt the pulse of nature herself. The forests closed in around us, whispering cosmic secrets into our ears. In response, we gunned our engines, a symphony of rebellion against the mundane. The serpentine trails sliced through Japan's heart, and our throttles answered with a defiant roar. The road was our elixir, a drug that pumped through our veins, uniting our hearts in a frenzied rhythm with the asphalt.

When we reached the end of this frenetic journey, exhaustion weighed on us like a shroud. We had carved a twisted path through the soul of Oita, revealing the savage, untamed spirits hidden within each of us.

As I bid farewell to my wild companions, I knew this wasn't goodbye, merely a "see you soon." "I'll miss you, but I'll be back to raise hell," I swore. With a hearty toast, we sealed our mad journey in the annals of history. We knew that the relentless call of the road, the chaos we embraced, and the elusive horizon would beckon us again in the coming year.