Friday, Jan. 22, 2010
Let Your Inner Speed Racer Out
Get a feeling for what it's like to be fast and furious by joining the 1,300 teams that hit the Fuji International Speedway each January for the annual Super Mama Chari Japan Grand Prix. The race is a seven-hour endurance test at a top-class racing circuit. Your trusted steed? The ubiquitous Japanese mama chari, an ordinary city bike typically used for short trips like picking up some veggies in the neighborhood. If you're lucky, Mount Fuji will make one of her rare appearances to grace the track on the race day. But most likely, you'll have no energy to spare to enjoy the view. Racers usually face fierce conditions: wind, rain, snow, subzero temperatures. Dress warm, and be a champion. Admission: $200 per team.
— By Yuki Oda