BURSTTwo friends and filmmakers from Kelowna have set off on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure overseas, attempting to bike across Japan, all the way from Cape Soya to Kagoshima, a distance of more than 2,700 kilometres.
Lucas Cullen and Tommy DeWitt left Canada with nothing but their bikes, some camera gear, a laptop, a few clothes, and other essentials, ready to rediscover the beauty of Japan while capturing it on camera for a documentary called True Friends.
“The number one goal is to have an incredible adventure with my best friend that we’ll look back on for the rest of our lives,” explained Cullen the day before embarking on what’s expected to be a 30-day trek.
“But with the film and the daily videos on Instagram, we really want to inspire people and show them that they can go do whatever they want. Neither of us are really big cyclists, and we’ve never bike-packed before, but we’ve trained, and we’re in the best shape we’ve ever been in, and we’re doing it.”
Cullen and DeWitt have been great friends since 2021, connecting through a career in film. However, life choices now have them living across the country from one another, which ultimately led to the idea of doing something extraordinary.
With DeWitt now living in Vancouver and Cullen in Montreal, the idea sparked over the phone when one day, Cullen joked that they could theoretically bike across Japan. The thought came a couple of years after the two friends had travelled there together in 2023, when they fell in love with the country and have since dreamed of returning.
“Two days later, I called Lucas back and told him it actually wasn’t a bad idea,” said DeWitt.
“It feels crazy now that we’re here… We’re in the deep end, but we also know that it’s going to make the documentary and the stories that come with it so much better. Instead of filming other people’s stories, we’re turning the camera on ourselves and taking a deep look at our friendship and how that’s going to be tested across Japan.”
Through thick and thin, these two friends will have to rely on each other day in and day out, cycling around 100 kilometres per day.
Both riders told Black Press Media the adventure wouldn’t be possible without each other, and that it’ll be important to soak in the experience while still setting out to create a film for thrill-seekers to enjoy.
With limited space, the documentary will be filmed using a Sony A7S III, a couple of DJI Osmo Action cameras, a drone and their iPhones.
“We’ve been discussing how we can capture this trip in the best way possible for months now, because it’s extremely difficult to film yourself while biking – stopping, getting the tripod set up, flying the drone,” said DeWitt.
“Going to Japan, we stripped it all back and kept it as light as possible while still hoping to get some beautiful footage.”
The two friends plan to stay in hotels and meet people willing to house them overnight.
“We’re seeking cool experiences where we can interact with more locals. Get into some tiny towns, find the one inn that’s open, homes where people open their house to you, and you can have dinner with the family, walk the dog. We want an authentic Japanese experience, and we’re really excited about it,” said Cullen.
The adventurous duo will dip their wheels in the sea of Cape Soya on the morning of Sept. 4, officially kicking off their journey across what they call “the best country in the world.”
Those interested in following their journey across Japan can find them on Instagram at 2friends.tv, where they plan to post daily videos of their experience.