Route Overview: Yumezi

Welcome to Yumezi, of Makuri Islands

Brand new roads. Same fast fun. Say hello to Yumezi, the tranquil countryside within the new Makuri Islands world. Inspired by a collective lifelong love of Japanese tradition and pop culture, this brand new place is primed for future expansion, with all-new routes and regions to come.

There’s a certain magic to Yumezi, a land where fields and forests brim with hidden life. For years it’s been quiet, peaceful… but not anymore. Beneath its placid surface, the land rumbles with a new spirit. Of competition. Of adventure. Take off across green hills, explore a festival market, get lost in misty woods, experience a traditional village castle, and so much more. It’s all waiting to be discovered.

12 routes are in Yumezi, each a unique experience in this mystical landscape. Learn about these routes below, then log on and experience them firsthand!

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New to Makuri Islands, August 19

Valley To Mountaintop

Head to your garage and pull out your favorite gravel bike before starting this ride. Most of this route is a gradual dirt climb and you’ll get the best performance from a quality rig.

The route begins with a gentle climb through the Golden Forest next to a winding river. This section of Yumezi is a cult favorite thanks to the beautiful combination of trees and geography. It’s every gravel rider’s dream!

Once you leave the forest, you’ll cruise over a flat stretch of pavement toward the Castle area before turning left to begin the Temple KOM. This singletrack ribbons its way through a mystical forest full of friendly animals, shady trees, whimsical spirits, and sacred temples.

As you near the top of the KOM you’ll encounter wooden bridges leading you to the finish line inside the giant Mystical Tree Temple. Ride through the banner to complete the route. Give your legs a break as you descend back to the starting line. You’ve earned it, after all!

 

Farmland Loop

Farmland Loop is the perfect choice if you’re looking for a steady, multi-lap effort. This is one of the flattest and shortest routes in Yumezi with just a bit of climbing each time around.

Begin on a slight downhill at the lap banner before winding your way through the tranquil gardens and rice paddies of Yumezi’s farmlands.

Take the time to appreciate the homes, farm equipment, and crops surrounding the road. There’s something wonderfully comforting about this simple world, happily trapped in time.

A right turn highlights a road winding its way up to the Castle area. You’ll begin to climb the lower sections of the Castle KOM but will turn off before crossing the KOM banner. Instead, you’ll descend back to the lap banner. Ready for another loop?

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New to Makuri Islands, July 14

Kappa Quest Reverse

This mostly-dirt loop kicks off with a lead-in up the Temple KOM Reverse to the giant Mystical Tree, where the actual loop begins.

From there, you’ll descend through the mystical forest with shrines and mysterious lights, exiting the bamboo forest and returning to tarmac for a quick tour through the Fishing Village.

After a gentle climb up the Golden Forest’s idyllic dirt path, you’ll arrive at the outskirts of the Castle, where you’ll return to dirt roads and begin the Temple KOM Reverse once again.

Keep your eyes open as you climb, and spot some of the creatures who call this place home. You may even see a Kappa in the waters near the end of your lap.

Once you reach the Mystical Tree, you’ve completed the route.

 

Suki’s Playground

This route is named in memory of Senior Game Designer Richard Yeh’s dog Suki, who passed while Richard developed routes for the Yumezi map. (“Suki” is a Japanese verb meaning “love” or “like”.) Richard likes to imagine that Suki is running around the meadows of Yumezi.

“I adopted Suki when she was only 11 weeks old, and we had a wonderful 11 years together,” says Richard. “She passed away suddenly last September, but her spirit is always still with me. She loved to run and do zoomies when she got excited. The route was initially called ‘Zoomies for Suki’, but we changed it to ‘Suki’s Playground.’”

This figure 8 route begins on a descent through the lap start/finish banner, then flattens out as you wind through the gardens and rice paddies of the farmlands. Get those legs warmed up, because you’ll find yourself climbing up to the Castle area next, onto the marketplace before heading to the next village.

The Fishing Village is small – blink and you’ll miss the fishmongers selling your next meal. There’s no time to stop now, anyway. Island hop to the Village Onsen with hot springs and brilliantly colored floats, then continue your fast descent to the Country Sprint. Keep your speed up, put in a quick dig, and you may just nab the green jersey!

Turn again toward the Castle, climb for a bit, then veer right to descend to the lap start/finish to complete the route.

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Original routes, launched May 2021

Chain Chomper

There isn’t much level ground to be found on this aptly-named route. You’ll begin at the Country Sprint arch and make a counter-clockwise loop through the pitchiest portions of the map, including two back-to-back KOMs!

First comes the Castle KOM, which takes you into the heart of the Castle area—a bustling, vertically-layered village. Next, wind your way up to and through the giant Mystical Tree on the Temple KOM. You may want to swap to your mountain bike before you take on this trail!

After that, it’s all downhill. Enjoy your descent, wave to the townsfolk as you zip through small villages, before going all-in for the green jersey as you sprint to finish your lap.

 

Countryside Tour

This tour of the Yumezi map begins with a flat warmup through serene vegetable gardens and rice paddies. Vehicles and homes are rustic. And you might feel like you’re riding in a simpler time.

After you hit the short Countryside Sprint, then the climbing begins.  Ascend through the vibrant hot springs of Village Onsen and past the friendly merchants of the fishing village. A dirt path signals the start of the Temple KOM. Keep your mountain bike handy for the effort!

The climb takes you through an otherworldly bamboo forest to the giant Mystical Tree, complete with dramatic landscapes and wildlife in every direction. Once you reach the Tree, it’s all downhill through the marketplace to the lap banner.

 

Flatland Loop

The flattest Yumezi route is similar to the Countryside Tour. This route skips the Temple KOM, keeping you off the dirt roads.

Begin by travelling through the farmlands, before hitting the Country Sprint— the only timed segment on this route.

Next, you will pass through Village Onsen, a vibrant town centered around  hot springs. Watch for the food carts and Yōkai floats, and  visit at night, if you can because when the lights turn on, it’s something else!

After you cross the island bridges and through the cherry blossoms you’ll find yourself in the tiny Fishing Village. (We know what you’re thinking. Learn from our mistake: now is not the time to pick up dinner. Your jersey pockets aren’t big enough anyway.)

Descend  past the Castle area and through the marketplace, and you’ll soon find yourself at the lap banner.

 

Kappa Quest

Not a bit of flat ground to be found on this mostly-dirt loop! Begin with a challenging lead-in up the Temple KOM, before the official route begins at the Mystical Tree’s KOM banner.

Descend from the Tree, then hop back onto the tarmac for a bit as you pass the Castle area. You’ll soon find yourself navigating a narrow trail through a beautiful Golden Forest that feels like the type of gravel ride you’ve only dreamed about.
Enjoy it.

Back onto the tarmac, the climbing begins again as you cross the island bridges. Admire the cherry blossoms, and wave at the Fishing Village merchants as you get closer to the end of the lap. After a left turn, you’ll cross the Temple KOM start line yet again. Ready to have another go?

Keep your eyes open for Kappas in the waters near the top of the climb. Finish at the Mystical Tree and your loop is complete!

 

Sea to Tree

This is a short route that’s all up, up, up! You’ll want a gravel or mountain bike for this one.

Begin just before the Fishing Village, before turning onto the dirt path and beginning the Temple KOM climb. If you’re not hammering, be sure to look around and enjoy the sites. The forest is alive with native plants and animals as well as wispy spirits.The temple architecture is especially beautiful when the stars come out!

The route ends at the Temple KOM, at the arch hidden within the giant Mystical Tree.

 

Spirit Forest

This mystical figure 8 keeps you mostly on the dirt trails surrounding the heavily forested Temple area. You begin with a challenging lead-in up to the Giant Tree. The official route begins at the KOM arch found within.

Descend with the wispy blue spirits past the shrines and misty bamboo forest, then take the bypass trail toward the Castle area where you’ll find a short paved section before jumping back onto the trail and starting the climb up to the Mystical Tree once more.

While you’re climbing, see if you can spot some of the local wildlife,including a bore family, foxes, and tanuki.

Once you’re through the Tree’s arch you’ve completed the route. Why stop now? You’ve earned the right to descend from your perch, so go ahead,send it, while collecting practically-free XP!

 

Three Village Loop

Each village on this route has its own personality. First you climb up the Castle KOM, which finishes inside the Castle Village, a vertically-layered town containing ancient stone walls, walkways, and buildings along with more modern residences.

Then it’s across to the Fishing Village. A small and nicely decorated place. Fresh fish is always available,if you’re looking to pick up dinner.

Hop across the island and descend to Village Onsen, a vibrant town built on healing hot springs. This place comes to life at night: when the lanterns are lit, the festivities begin!

Finish your ride with a quick sprint to the line. Where do you want to go next?

 

Two Village Loop

This circuit visits the two largest Yumezi map villages, covering some short side-roads no other route visits.

You begin with a flat warm up heading into the Country Sprint Then it’s an easy climb up to Village Onsen, where you will ride on the low-traffic outer roads for 1.5 laps of the town. Look around and take in the sights of this vibrant village with its Yōkai floats, markets, and night time lights!

Next it’s a gentle climb up through the tree-tunnels of the Golden Forest, before you hop onto the road to the Castle. You’ll ride 1.5 “laps” here as well, beginning in the marketplace then spinning those legs to take on the Village Sprint. Head down through the marketplace once more and descend to the lap banner to complete the route.