Experience the thrilling world of Japanese cycling and the keirin, which has evolved from post-war oddity to one of Japan's most popular and lucrative sporting events. The keirin, which means "war on wheels" in Japanese, is now a high profile Olympic sport and attracts millions of spectators.&nbsp; It is primed to be one of the must-see events of the 2021&nbsp;Tokyo Olympics. But its origins are humble, even strange. Like the Tour de France was originally conceived to sell newspapers, the keirin was invented in post-war Japan as a way to raise taxes on gambling. Now, more than $12 billion a year is wagered on it, and its stars are primed to make millions. Unlike a traditional race, a pacemaker leads eight riders up to speeds of 50mph on huge concrete velodromes.&nbsp; Then, they break away and fight to cross the line first, with riders pushing, shoving, and crashing in the final dramatic stretch. Long associated with the working class, even the notorious yakuza crime syndicates, riders today live in blacked-out dorms, with no access to technology, in order to prevent bet-rigging. These athlete's lives are ruled by ritual and competition, from their rookie days at the Mt. Fuji training camp to elite competitions that are the Japanese equivalent of the Grand National. Foreign riders sometimes compete, but rarely prosper in this intense environment, and the Olympic version is a mere child's play to the fierce environs of the velodromes in Tokyo and Osaka, where a specter of danger still looms. Vivid and completely absorbing, The War on Wheels explores a side of Japan we rarely see and reveals its uniquely fascinating sporting culture.

The War on Wheels: Inside the Keirin and Japan's Cycling Subculture

History

McCurry, Justin

Asia

Pegasus Books

The Olympic cycling sport of keirin was invented in Japan more than 70 years ago to raise money to rebuild the country after World War II. Now, fans bet billions of dollars a year on races, with the top riders earning huge sums. 
In each race, a pacemaker leads nine riders around a huge concrete velodrome, then leaves the track with around a lap and a half to go - the cue for a frantic finish as the competitors reach speeds of up to 70 kph. Along the way they block and shove each other, clash heads and often crash (the two Japanese characters used to write keirin mean "battle" and "wheel"). 
To prevent race fixing, the cyclists live in dorms, with no access to online technology. Their lives are ruled by ritual and fierce competition, from their rookie days at the Japan Keirin School near Mount Fuji to the annual Grand Prix final, whose winner takes home prize money of one million dollars. 
A small number of foreign riders are invited to compete in Japan every year and some, like Shane Perkins, have overcome culture shock to prosper in the home of keirin. 
The Olympic version - which has made stars of Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny and Victoria Pendleton - is being taken more seriously in Japan as Tokyo prepares to host the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. 
In Keirin: War on Wheels, Justin McCurry, the Guardian's Japan and Korea correspondent, explores blue-collar Japan from a fascinating new perspective. His encounters with punters, pundits, veterans and rookies reveal parts of Japanese society and psyche rarely examined, learning lessons about country and culture that go far beyond the sporting realm.

Keirin: War on Wheels – Inside Japan’s Cycling Subculture

Sports & Outdoors

Individual Sports

Pursuit Books

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