京都競輪
Kyoto's local
Keirin bicycle racing track is a trip back in time.
Not to the Heian Period or the Meiji Period or even the Taisho Era, this is a trip to the 1970s.
The venue is heavy on concrete and green cloth awnings and hard edges - a developing country's idea of an Impressive Project.
Kyoto's track is 500 meters long, so races run for five laps (Keirin races tend to be 2,000 - 3,000 meters long).
On a recent Saturday, there were 12 races.
Each race featured nine racers, with the final race having the highest ranked racers. (Keirin is, like European soccer, broken into level. Based upon one's performance it is possible to be promoted - or demoted - to another level.)
Racers ranged in age from early twenties to a ripe 60. There were five racers in their 50s. The younger men clearly have an advantage in sudden full-on acceleration. However, Keirin is a cat-and-mouse game in which the racers use guile as much as physical power to position themselves and nip other racers at the finish line.
The strongest racers tend to be in their mid- or late-30s
For much of the beginning of the race, the pace is almost leisurely. By the third lap, however, the racers are all over the track frantically vying to position themselves for the final sprint to the finish.
Gambling takes place, and ninety percent of the crowd was made up of men between the ages of 50 - 80, racing forms and pencil in hand.
The entrance fee is a paltry 50 yen (55 US cents). The first race set off at 10:50 am; the last race began at roughly 4:20 pm. There are small stores that sell coffee, fish lunches, beer, ice cream, and more.
There was little open drinking, and the atmosphere was subdued. According to two punters we befriended, at a higher stakes race with top racers the vibe would be more charged. Still, it was never uncomfortable or threatening. A foreigner with a camera elicited no stares, and less interest.
Access
From JR Mukomachi Station (3 local stops from Kyoto Station), it is a 20-minute walk or 5-minute free shuttle bus ride.
From Hankyu Higashi Muko Station, it is a 15-minute walk or short shuttle bus ride.
Upcoming Keirin Races in Kyoto 2011
July 6 - 8
July 18 - 20
August 8 - 10
September 5 - 7
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Keirin
ラデュレ大阪三越伊勢丹
