In the snowy, quiet town of Kumamoto, a few dozen Japanese office workers in safety helmets and sneakers crouched low in office chairs, eyes fixed on the starting line, ready to take off.
The horn sounds and they take off, using all the muscles in their legs to kick the ground and move backwards. Every time a rider zips through the streets or takes a sharp corner, people cheer in the background.
This is office chair racing, a growing sport in Japan where teams of three compete to complete as many laps of a 20km or more circuit as possible within two hours.
Tsuyoshi Tahara founded the first tournament in Kyotanabe City, Kyoto Prefecture in 2010, inspired by his childhood teacher who once scolded him for playing with an office chair.
Since then, the sport has spread throughout the country. It is held every year in 10 cities including Tokyo, Kyoto, and Shizuoka, and major companies such as Toyota also send teams to hold the event.
Office chair racer running through the streets of Japan
Office chair racer running through the streets of Japan
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Mr. Tahara said, “The biggest appeal is that anyone can participate. There are people working hard in offices around the world. I want them to get out of the office.”
What is the long-awaited prize? 90 kilograms (almost 200 pounds) of rice – Tahara chose this because it is available all over Japan and is easy to share. However, there are some regional differences. For example, the first prize in Tokyo is a 5 kilogram (11 pound) tuna.
Tahara said the unusual event allows contestants to temporarily return to their senses of childhood and enjoy something they wouldn’t normally get to do, providing an antidote to Japan’s harsh work culture.
“Japanese people may be overworked, but they can devote themselves to silly things like this and enjoy it even as they get older,” he says.
Like many office workers, Yasunori Miura spends long hours sitting at his desk. But when I have free time, I take my office chair out for a workout.
“A typical workout for me is 40 to 50 200 meters using a gym chair,” he said.
Miura trains four times a week on a heavy office chair to “put more stress” on his legs, and does strength training at the gym twice a week.
“You keep running around the same track, so you always run into other teams and racers,” he added.
“You have to overtake them, so you need both skill and physical strength.”
Racers must wear a helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, and gloves. You are also required to use only non-customized, off-the-shelf chairs. These chairs are not designed for street racing, so some of the weaker models end up cracking during races, Miura said.
Each route has its own level of difficulty. For example, Miura said that Shizuoka’s tracks are so uneven that chair wheels can easily get caught on the ground.
Miura said the winning team usually covers about 20 to 25 kilometers (12 to 15 miles), but this means each member will cover about 8 kilometers (about 5 miles).
“Even if one person practices a lot and is fast, he cannot win,” he said. “All three members have to be strong, so we try to train together as a team.”
He originally participated as a camera operator, but after seeing his teammates on the podium, he decided he wanted to be on the podium himself.
“It may look fun, but once you do it, you realize how serious and demanding it is,” he said.
The chair racing phenomenon shares many characteristics familiar to F1 fans. Similar to car races, races held throughout Japan are called Grand Prix.
Their ads and website are dotted with images that evoke speed, such as black-and-white checkered flags and sparks flying off chair wheels.
Mr. Tahara hopes to take this a step further and one day hold an office chair race on a circuit course in Monaco. Every year, wealthy and famous people from around the world gather in Monaco to watch F1 drivers race through the city.
Similar to F1, racers have to return to the pits to change riders, Tahara explained.
And just like in F1, the cars are important. Miura prefers chairs with small backs and light weights. Tahara highlighted the benefits of chairs with adjustable seat height, large wheels and short stems. Pointing to his red chair, Tahara joked, “This might look like a Ferrari. The color reflects that. It goes really fast.”
Police officers, firefighters and even members of the Japanese military are also participating in the event.
“It’s moving, it resonates, and you can make friends from all over the world. It’s open to people of all ages and genders, and it’s a fun experience you’ve never experienced before, so I hope as many people as possible can participate.”
