So I’m in tokyo at the moment, and I want to check out a keirin race but I can’t read (or speak very well) Japanese. Anyone got any advice?
I’m in Tokyo till the 28th, but have a JR pass so can travel
I’ve found it hard with my lack of Japanese… and the one track I went to was extremely disappointing (lots of guys standing around smoking looking at TV’s, no racing, just training. I felt like I was at the dog races. There’s a thread in here with tips, I’ll try and find it.
It is like the dog races to most Japanese people. It’s super controlled, simply to ensure the ‘integrity’ for the punters and to keep the revenue flowing. Your best bet to get to a keirin stadium is to either ask someone who works at a bike shop, or a 50yr old Salaryman who looks like he goes to the dog track mid-week. That all said, the races themselves are great.
Forgot to put this link in which should be helpful. http://bg.keirin.jp/en/sitemap/index.html
i went to one last year. bit of a dogs vibe but less seedy. i actually though it was really fun.
warm night, racing, picking 100Y multis for each race from the machines, little tasty food stalls around, the way they introduced the riders 1 by 1 to cheesy music and made them ride through the middle of the velodrome, the cheesey F1 type girls presenting medals. it was about half hour train ride into the burbs. for the $3.60 fare or whatever it is, would recommend.