Hello everyone! I'm Justin from sokoiko! Hiroshima.

Hello everyone, my name is Justin Dobbs and as of August 2026 I'm the newest

member of sokoiko! Cycling Tours. I may be new to the company and to Hiroshima City,

but I'm excited to explore this amazingly beautiful place as both a guide and a writer!

Through our new online guide series, I hope to highlight not only Hiroshima's rich history,

but also the stories behind the many lesser-known hidden gems scattered throughout the prefecture.

I'm originally from the state of Georgia in the U.S.A. However, in the summer of

2023 I packed my bags and moved all the way to Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku to work as an English teacher. During that time I fell in love with Japan's rich culture,delicious food, and beautiful landscapes. I couldn't believe just how much there was to do and see in a prefecture most people outside of Japan have never heard of - much less moved to.

That curiosity eventually led me to start documenting my experiences by writing for a local travel website for foreigners living in Ehime. It was an incredibly rewarding time of my life. As I explored my newfound home and shared what I discovered,I developed a genuine love for travel. I learned that there's more to visiting a place thansimply seeing the sights—you have to understand the stories that make it special.

And after three years of teaching and writing in the Mikan Prefecture (Ehime), that

love stayed with me. As a result, I officially left English teaching to fully pursue my passion for travel writing and guiding in Hiroshima City. I haven't been here for long, but I can already tell just how many stories Hiroshima has to tell. From Hiroshima Castle and Peace Memorial Park to Miyajima and countless places in between, there's so much left to discover.

At sokoiko!, we specialize in telling the stories "not in guidebooks". If you'd like to discover a deeper side to Hiroshima's story for yourself, feel free to book a guided cycling tour with one of our highly knowledgeable guides!

But until then, allow me to be your guide through our new blog page. It's going to be a wild ride, but I hope you'll join me!