Japan's First Use of Specialized Excavator Completes MTB Course in 3 Months, Integrating Disaster Response Capabilities into Park

Field Overview: Wakayama's First Permanent MTB Course Opens On April 29, 2026, the Kainan Haleame Citizen's Disaster Prevention Park opened in Kainan City, Wakayama Prefecture. A key feature is the new permanent "MTB Skill Park" and "MTB Trail Field," the first of their kind in the prefecture. The opening day attracted approximately 9,300 visitors, with over 200 participating in mountain bike experiences, marking a successful launch. Consulting and course construction for this field, which was featured in the cycling media outlet "Bicycle Club" on May 9, 2026, were handled by Yamamori-bito (Representative: Ryo Hazama), an organization based in Yamanashi Prefecture. The designated manager of the park is Oriental Consultants Co., Ltd.

Japan's First-of-its-Kind Technology: Drastic Cost and Time Reduction with Power-Tilt Bucket Excavator For this project, Yamamori-bito introduced a special excavator from Takeuchi Mfg., equipped with a power-tilt bucket, a first in Japan for MTB course construction. The power-tilt bucket mechanism allows the bucket to tilt significantly left and right during operation. This innovative technology enables a single heavy machine to precisely replicate complex terrain essential for MTB courses—such as banked corners called berms and undulating trail lines—a process that traditionally required extensive manual labor and time. The use of this specialized machine achieved: - Significant labor cost reduction: Mechanized processes that previously required manual labor for complex terrain shaping. - Drastic construction time reduction: Completed the course in just three months, a task that would normally take over six months. This level of cost performance and construction speed presents a potential new standard for course development for municipalities and designated managers facing tight budgets and deadlines.

MTB Use in a Disaster Park: A Key Precedent for Japan Kainan Haleame is noteworthy for being designed not just as a sports park but as a citizen disaster prevention park. From the outset, Yamamori-bito's representative, Ryo Hazama, clearly articulated the design concept of "positioning MTBs as a mobility tool for disaster response." During a disaster where roads are blocked, mountain bikes can traverse mountain paths, unpaved roads, and debris-covered terrain, making them valuable for safety checks, evacuations, rescues, and supply transport. This concept of developing an MTB field within a disaster park—serving as a recreational spot in normal times and a high-mobility asset in emergencies—is attracting attention from municipalities and disaster prevention officials across Japan as a crucial and advanced case study.

Course Design and Operational Support: Bringing Yamanashi's Expertise to Wakayama Yamamori-bito has extensive experience in creating fields that leverage local natural environments, including the new MTB course at "Ichikawa Park" in Ichikawamisato, Yamanashi. For the Kainan Haleame project, the organization provided comprehensive support from consulting and construction to personnel training, operational systems, and opening event support. The field consists of two areas: the "MTB Skill Park" and the "MTB Trail Field." After learning the basics in an initial lesson and practicing in the skill park, riders can choose from three trail courses (beginner, novice, and intermediate), making it accessible to a wide range of users from families with children to experienced riders. The organization also provides short-term instructor training.

Future Development: Expansion Survey and Ancient Path Restoration Oriental Consultants and Yamamori-bito are currently considering a survey of the surrounding mountain area for potential expansion and further development of the field. Mr. Hazama stated, "In the future, we want to work on restoring nearby ancient paths to be used as new MTB routes and as alternative routes for mobility during disasters. We aim to become a model case for the rest of Japan, fusing disaster prevention with outdoor sports." Expanding trails by utilizing ancient paths also holds significant potential for creating local tourism resources. Yamamori-bito will continue to collaborate with government bodies, designated managers, and local communities to build systems that generate new value for Japan's mountains.