News

LORO HPV Group (Operated by Modern Planet Co., Ltd.; Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto; Hiroshi Oishi, President) has launched a global online store that exclusively sells iruka, a folding bicycle from Japan. The developer, iruka Inc. (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Masaki Mark Kobayashi, Founder and President) , officially authorizes and supports it.

iruka Authorized Online Store by LORO

https://www.irukabike.shop/

LORO is the top dealer of iruka and one of the largest high-end folding bike retailer groups in Japan which currently runs 10 stores in Tokyo, Yokohama, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Onomichi, and Fukuoka since the first shop in Osaka in 1999. LORO also deals with all the major brands such as Brompton, Riese and Muller, Dahon and Tyrell, and those sales are also the top class.

Since the launch in the summer of 2019 after 10 years of development, iruka has been shipped to 11 countries. Its innovative design is highly praised worldwide as it combines roadbility, portability and minimally sophisticated appearance, and 49% was exported overseas.

Overseas customers have purchased iruka mainly through distributors in their countries so far. iruka Inc. and some Japanese dealers including LORO have received a request to purchase iruka from a number of customers in countries where there are no distributors yet. LORO and iruka Inc. found an opportunity to expand their global sales in that circumstance and the currency market situation is now more favorable for Japanese exporters than before, so it was decided to open the online store.

The website is built with Shopify, a cloud-based e-commerce platform used by more than 3 million online stores in 175 countries around the world. Consumers can pay for their purchases with major credit cards and PayPal. When LORO receives the order, LORO maintains the bicycles at the shops in Japan and ships them by air. iruka Inc. supports LORO by advising on the website operations, supplying the spare parts, and the promotions.

Initially, the delivery destinations will be limited to 41 countries below because there is some confusion due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The sales territory will be gradually expanded. All orders will start with free shipping.

Asia and Oceania

Australlia, Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, New Zealand, Qatar, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam

Europe

Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Swiss and United Kingdom

North and South America

Canada, Chile, Mexico, Peru and United States

Africa

Egypt and Morocco

“We, LORO, are the navigator to a world where human-powered vehicles fully achieve the potential for mankind. Our mechanics are continuously improving their skill with the philosophy that the bicycles we sold last for 100 years. I definitely believe iruka bicycle, created by Japanese intelligence, will cross the seven seas like dolphins as its name and be loved by people all over the world.”

Masaki Mark Kobaysahi, Founder and President of iruka Inc., posted the message to the visitors on the blog of the website below.

—

To pre-Flippers from the founder

Hi pre-Flippers, I’m Mark, the founder of iruka. We call iruka owners “Flipper” because iruka means dolphin in Japanese. So, as you are visiting iruka authorized online store and reading this post, you are a “pre-Flipper”.

Since the launch in 2019, we have shipped iruka to 11 countries through distributors/dealers in each country. That means there are now Flippers in 11 countries around the world. This is not so bad for an independent start-up brand to achieve in 3 years despite the pandemic, but we also feel a bit frustrated. We have actually received messages from customers in many more countries who want to buy iruka, but we had no way to live up to the demands. Maybe you are one of them. Of course we are trying to develop distributors/dealers in more countries, but, you know, B2B deals don’t go as fast.

Then, the idea of launching an authorized global online store came up from LORO HPV Group, Japan’s top dealer of iruka. We had no reason to say no. Then, this website was born.

You know Japanese people are amazingly careful and cautious, right? Of course LORO mechanics are too and also incredibly professional. When they receive your order, they first disassemble your iruka, carefully check and reassemble it, lubricating every single bolt, wrap it with tons of protection material, and then ship it in a carton. So I assure you that you can order without any worries.

Now that JPY is weaker to USD, LORO has decided to start offering free shipping on all orders as a special promotion of the launch. If the currency market situation changes, I think it will no longer be offered. Maybe now is not a bad time for you if you are considering buying our products.

On this blog, I will post some tips and development stories of iruka, and my friend and avid cyclist Kay will write the articles with beautiful photos of his ride in Tokyo with iruka. We would be happy if you sometimes come to read our posts, even if you don’t buy anything. Of course we would be even happier if you bought something!

—

LORO HPV Group (Modern Planet Co., Ltd.)

Hiroshi Oishi, President

190, Nishi-yashirocho, Rosanji-dori Omiya Nishi-iru, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto JAPAN

https://www.loro.co.jp/

info@irukabike.shop

iruka Inc.

Masaki Mark Kobayashi, Founder and President

3-18-6 #211, Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo JAPAN

https://www.iruka.tokyo/

info@iruka.tokyo

Official SNS
Twitter@irukabike_shop
Instagram@irukabike_shop
Facebook@irukabike.shop