Tourist From Tokyo

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31349, 20 April 1967, Page 1

Tourist From Tokyo

A 19-year-old university student from Tokyo, Shoji Kitaura, is cycling round the South Island by way of the Haast Pass.

Loaded with nearly 1001 b of camping gear of the latest Japanese design, he has no accommodation problems. His Japanese-made bicycle has plenty of gears for the steepest hills, and he travels about 60 miles a day. Mr Kitaura has already cycled through the North Island from Auckland to Wellington. His present route is through the Lewis Pass to Greymouth and through the Haast Pass as far south as Invercargill and then back to Christchurch by way of the east coast.

He originally intended to go to Australia, but “there are too many deserts there for cycling, so I came to New Zealand.”

He is very well organised for the trip. He speaks English, and his map, always be-

fore him when cycling, is in a weather-proof plastic envelope which is part of the beautifully-made bag strapped across the front of the bicycle’s handle-bars. To prepare for himself the food he likes, he carries Japanese condiments and his own favourite brand of Japanese tea. While in Christchurch he stayed at the Cora Wilding Youth Hostel. He became very well liked there during his stay, which lasted a day longer than he had planned. He set off for the West Coast, but after he had gone about 20 miles, spokes in the back wheel of his bicycle broke, and he had to return for an extra night in Christchurch. Mr Kitaura is the son of a Tokyo exporter. He has a brother and sister, one younger and one older than himself. Cycling is his main sport, but at high school he was a keen baseball player. He is studying economics.

He is scheduled to leave New Zealand by air from Christchurch on his return journey to Japan on May 17.