It’s been quite a busy autumn for handmade framebuilders. Six weeks ago, Bespoked Dresden held another successful edition at Dresden International Airport, with more than 110 independent makers and brands filling the venue. Now the show moves on, and much further than the usual hop across Europe. Tomorrow, Bespoked opens its inaugural Osaka edition, the first time it has landed in Asia. As the organizers call it, “a new meeting point for handmade cycling in the region”.

More than 70 exhibitors will fill the historic G Lion Museum, a red brick warehouse on Osaka’s waterfront, from 23rd to 25th October. The Japanese side of the lineup brings together some of the most respected names in the country’s cycling craft: Cherubim, Nitto, MKS, Izumi Chain and Equilibrium Cycle Works are all on the list. They’ll be joined by international names including Stayer Cycles, Moots, Brooks England, Silca and White Industries, and even the Tokyo of Cycle Design has a place on the floor. For a country whose influence on cycling culture is hard to overstate, it feels long overdue to have the independent builders and the legendary component makers under one roof.

The show floor is also set to be more than a row of beautiful bikes. MKS will demonstrate how its Sylvan Stream pedals are assembled, and visitors are invited to have a go themselves. Blue Lug is bringing a sewing machine to produce special triangle reflectors on the spot, alongside a bag collaboration with Bespoked.

Friday is Press & Industry Day, running from 10:00 to 18:00. The public can join from 15:00 for a preview, followed by the Bespoked Awards Ceremony from 17:00 to 18:00. The doors open to everyone on Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00 and on Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00.

The programme spills out of the museum, too. Show week kicked off on Wednesday with Bespoked Film Night at Brotures Osaka, which included the world premiere of Tamahagane – A Story About Japanese Steel by Petor Georgallou. On Friday evening, the fixed-gear criterium Natural Machine Vol.15 takes over the Maishima ISK Circuit in Osaka Bay, with racing from 19:00 to 22:00. Spectators can join a group ride from the G Lion Museum at 18:00, and watching is free.

We’ll be keeping an eye on the awards too as we’re curious to see which builders take the first Osaka trophies home.