Shinya Fujiwara is heading to the Dakar Rally. The “Samurai Rider” earned his ticket to the 2026 race with solid outings at the 2024 Rallye du Maroc and 2025 Africa Eco Race despite no prior rally experience.

Fujiwara posted on Friday shortly after receiving his acceptance letter:

Incredibly, I’ve been officially selected as one of 130 riders from around the world!

This is the moment I’ve been waiting for.

My heart is trembling, my chest is burning.

This is the dream stage I’ve always dreamed of challenging as an off-road rider.

I’ve finally secured my ticket.

The Dakar Rally is a grueling race that pushes you to your limits. Born in 1978 as the Paris–Dakar Rally, it moved from the African continent, changed its name to the Dakar Rally, moved to South America in 2009, then to Saudi Arabia in 2020. In 2026, it will start from Yanbu on the Red Sea. The route includes two marathon bivouacs (unsupported stages), split stages by category, and the newly introduced “Power Stage,” all designed to test endurance and strategy.

An epic adventure of over 8,000 km will take place over volcanic terrain, sandy canyons, and massive dunes.

There are no co-drivers in the bike category. Riding and navigation are all done by yourself. The roadbook has evolved from paper to a tablet, and I’ll go through uncharted territory while making route decisions on the screen.

A single mistake can be fatal.

Speed, concentration, and above all, an “never give up mindset” are required.

The words of the founder, Thierry Sabine, resonate in my heart now: “I can lead you to the door to adventure. But it is up to you to open it.”

Now, let’s open that door.

Flying the Japanese flag on my back, I’ll race toward my future. The start is January 3, 2026, to the finish on January 17.

Thank you for your support!

Fujiwara revealed his Dakar project in April 2024, making the jump to rally raid from trials and hard enduro. He won the All-Japan Trial Championship in the International A class in 2014 followed by the All Japan Hard Enduro Championship’s selection tournament twice in 2021 and 2022.

His successes back home in Japan have also brought him abroad to the biggest hard enduro events like Red Bull Erzbergrodeo. He finished 65th at the latest edition in May.

He made his rally debut at the 2024 Rallye du Maroc. Riding for Fantic Rally Team, he finished 48th in Rally2 with a best outing of 43rd in Stage 4.

In January, Fujiwara entered the Africa Eco Race alongside his brother Yuki. While Yuki was unable to reach the finish at Lac Rose due to a crash on the Stage 11 liaison, Shinya placed 17th overall in 450cc and 22nd for all bikes.

Given the staggering length—the AER follows the route of the old Paris–Dakar Rally—and his relative inexperience in the discipline, it was far from an auspicious race. He crashed twice in Stage 3, the second of which knocked him out, then was plagued by mechanical issues in Stage 5 like a steering damper coming off at speed and the suspension breaking. On a clean day, he ran as high as fifth like he did in Stage 2.

Of course, he certainly hopes to finish together with his brother someday. Theoretically, it is possible even with him heading to the Dakar Rally in 2026 since it and the AER no longer clash, albeit with a difficult one-week turnaround.

Regardless, Fujiwara’s focus for January will be on Saudi Arabia.