The thrill of Japanese Boat Racing
Ask a few potential visitors to Japan about the kind of activities they might choose to take part in, and the chances are you'll hear about the same handful of cultural or sporting pursuits - a cookery class here, the chance to wear a traditional kimono there, and for the more adventurous perhaps a martial arts class or immersive experience. These are all good things and popular for a reason, but for every large group bound for the usual cookie-cutter experience, there will usually be one or two travelers who can't help but gravitate towards the gritty, authentic or lesser-known.
For travelers of this kind, there is one unique Japanese sport that seems overdue in finding its audience: an aquatic form of F1 using hydroplane craft, known simply as Boat Race. With races taking place year round at 24 locations throughout the country, it is surely one of the most easily accessible sports in Japan, and one of just a handful where spectators can place bets on the outcome.
In this exciting and easily repeatable day-trip, I set out to experience a different side to Tokyo through four alternative experiences, including a visit to the Boat Race Heiwajima.
When visiting a new city for the first time - especially one as breathtakingly vast as Tokyo - you can't go wrong with a view. With this in mind, I began my day in the Shiba-koen district with a visit to Japan's second tallest structure, the Tokyo Tower. Constructed in 1958, it stands just shy of 333 meters - about 33 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower.
While visitors to the city tend to gravitate to the taller Tokyo Skytree or more lavish Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, I've always found something charmingly old-school about this hulking white-and-orange beast - besides, one can usually pick both of these buildings out from the higher of its two observation decks
After purchasing my ticket, I took an elevator to the two-story main deck, which offers some impressive views over Zojoji Temple and the surrounding area despite its relatively modest height of just 150 meters. After a good look around, I bought a second ticket before stepping on the first of two elevators that would take me up to the 250-meter top deck. This turned out to be one of my favorite moments of the visit, as the elevator climbed at surprising speed, while offering a closer look at the tower's intricate steel structure.
From the top deck, the city opened up before me in spectacular fashion, and I spent a fun few minutes picking out landmarks, from the Rainbow Bridge leading across Tokyo Bay to the Tokyo Skytree, needle sized in the far distance.
Leaving the view behind, my next stop was at RED TOKYO TOWER - Japan's largest digital amusement park spread across four of Tokyo Tower's lower floors. Known for its wide range of gaming attractions, the center boasts everything from classic button-bashing arcade classics to state of the art VR and augmented reality experiences.
Starting on the ground floor, my first stop and the main reason for my visit was the Boat Race attraction - a VR racing simulator complete with full sized cockpit and realistic controls - with the first race free to Tokyo Tower observation deck ticket holders. After a few pointers and some help putting on my VR goggles, I was off - tearing around a virtual stadium with real wind and spray effects adding to the immersion.
Just like the real thing, the goal is to be the first of six pilots to complete three 600 meter laps, with a 180 degree turn at each end that always seemed to send me flying out to the side, reminding me of Mario Kart. As simple as it sounds, it was the sort of game I could easily imagine spending hours on, trying to perfect every movement.
I next made my way up to the fourth floor Attraction Zone, where I saw an impressive array of VR, augmented reality and motion capture games, from simulated roller coasters to very physical activities playing out in separate, projection mapped spaces.
While I was still absorbing it all, a tide of visiting schoolkids swept in and in no time at all were trying everything with their usual terrifying energy - videogames, it seems, are a universal language, and it never took more than a few moments for the children to figure out the mechanics of each game.
One of the highlights for me was another racing simulator on the fifth floor Ultimate Zone, with realistic, tactile controls and three large screens wrapping around to completely fill my vision - a hugely exciting, immersive experience, although sadly the technology did little to improve my racing skills.
Game center cuisine may not always have the best reputation, but I couldnft have been more impressed by my visit to RED SHOKUDO, a neatly designed diner on the ground floor with a futuristic look.
While the menu sticks to usual Japanese food court staples like rice bowls, curry and cream pasta, my food turned out to be both delicious and beautifully presented.
After my meal, it was time for the focus of my day in Tokyo and a visit to the Boat Race Heiwajima. Setting off from Tokyo Tower, I took the Toei Asakusa Line from nearby Daimon Station to Heiwajima Station, from where the stadium was a ten minute walk.
The stadium is a large, multi-story building overlooking a watercourse, containing the same essential elements as each of the other 24 found throughout the country - a giant clock and screen, the gpith from where the six one-man boats burst out onto the water, and a pair of connected buoys forming a 600-meter course. Beginning with a gflying starth - the boats are already on the move at the start of the race, and must pass the start line within a time window - pilots rush to complete three laps, using various strategies to block or maneuver around their opponents.
Although theoretically identical, the boats themselves and the motors attached to them are assigned by lottery ahead of every race - the past performance of each is scrupulously recorded, allowing spectators to factor this into their bets.
Visitors can choose from general seating either in the open at ground level or in an air conditioned seating area on the third floor, or can shell out a little extra for reserved seats complete with a personal data screen on the fourth. Spectators are rarely more than a few steps from a detailed information screen, but those with limited Japanese may find it easier to plan for the next race using the pilot entry sheet.
From basics like the pilot's name and grade to more obscure details like the motor's past performance stats, this free and readily available A3-sized document gives you everything you could possibly need to pick out a likely winner. Looking through the rankings, I was surprised to learn that women can compete as pilots on an equal footing with men - in fact, their agility and lower body weight is said to give them something of an edge - while pilot ages ranged from the late teens to late seventies.
Like most spectator sports, an afternoon at the Boat Race is improved even more by snacks and drinks. Feeling a bit pekish, I decided to try the stadium's most popular eatery - an unfussy spot known as Nikomi Ookoshi, specializing in gyu motsu or stewed beef tripe. While the sharp, tangy aroma took a moment or two to get used to, I persevered - and was rewarded with a rich, nourishing and surprisingly delicate stew that went perfectly with an ice cold whisky highball.
Betting itself can be done at any of the main seating areas and is a simple matter of filling in a paper slip called a funaken, and entering it along with your cash bet into one of the machines lined up in rows along the walls. The more complicated part may be choosing what kind of bet to place - these range from simply choosing who you think will win, to selecting the first, second and third place either in or out of precise order.
With the basics covered and some help from patient staff, I was soon able to get into the swing of things and spent a couple of very enjoyable hours watching the races while placing a few light bets. The races themselves were absorbing to watch, with short bursts of frenetic action as pilots spilled around the corners. Despite coming close a few times however, I never actually won anything!
As the afternoon gave way to early evening, it was time to leave the stadium behind and make my way to Tokyo's Shibuya district. Here I would be ending the day with a private sake tasting tour, booked online via City Unscripted.
Shouldering through the crowds at the main exit, I met my guide, Shoko-san, at the famous Hachiko Statue. From there, we made our way south-east along Meiji-dori to the first of three bars we would be visiting. This turned out to be Sakeba - a cozy, intimate space tucked away on the 7th floor of an anonymous office building.
With Shoko-san on hand to explain the basics, I tried a flight of three very different sakes, ranging from sweet and sparkling to very dry, paired with a couple of beautifully presented seafood plates. Whether by helping to break the ice with staff, interpreting or clarifying half-understood answers, my guide made a huge difference to my experience. At one point, our server encouraged us to pour a little clam flavored broth from a separate dish into the glass we were tasting - something that would have left me completely baffled on my own, but turned out to add an incredible depth to the flavor.
For something a bit more down to earth, we made a final stop for a few bites of sashimi and a last flask of light, fruity sake at Fujikishoten - a lively izakaya just a few steps west of the station, with an unfussy atmosphere as well as an impressive selection of bottles lining nearly the full length of one of its walls, said to represent each of Japan's 47 prefectures. It was the perfect finish to a day packed with new and interesting experiences - with a belly full of tasty sake, surrounded by the city's excited buzz.
