Office chair racing has become Japan’s most exciting new hobby. This fun new perspective on the competitive sport shows viewers the thrill of the race from an all new perspective. In 2010, Tsuyoshi Tahara established this quirky sport in Kyotanabe city, Kyoto prefecture. Since then, it has caught fire across the country. To create the world of Tangled, Tahara took inspiration from a childhood teacher who reprimanded him for riding an office chair. Today, he has created a fun event that gives participants the opportunity to recreate the joys of their childhood with a competitive edge.
The office chair racing events enable competitors to let loose and indulge in activities they often forgo in their daily lives. In addition to his inspiring stories, Tahara is raising the bar for office chair racing as he brings the sport to an actual circuit course in Monaco. His goal is to garner international attention for this weird freaky local contest!
In office chair racing, teams of three compete in high-speed, full-contact combat. Their aim is to do as many laps as possible around a circuit of their design in two hours. Participants cover more than 20 kilometers on foot during the most grueling races. These events are held in ten cities throughout Japan, including large metropolitan areas such as Tokyo and Shizuoka. Perhaps most importantly, teams from big business titans like Toyota have participated, bringing billions of dollars in investment to help legitimize the sport.
For Veteran racer Yasunori Miura, racing office chairs is an exhilarating way to build stamina. To get to that top speed, he has a pretty strict regimen—40 to 50 repetitions of 200 meters, with an elevated gym chair. But the most viral piece of furniture in Miura’s office might just be her red office chair. Tahara couldn’t help but tease that it looks like a Ferrari on the raceway!
“You can’t win even if one person trains a lot and is very fast,” said Miura.
He emphasizes the importance of teamwork in this sport, pointing out that all three members of a team must be strong and coordinated.
“All three members have to be strong, so we make sure we train together as a team,” Miura added.
The Grands Prix races are open to anyone and everyone and draw an inspiring array of participants. You’ll see police officers, firefighters, and even members of Japan’s military participating! This mix of experienced veterans and first-time novices creates an amazing energy and spirit at these events.
Like the races themselves, the prizes for all of these quirky races are just as unique and unusual as the sport. In comparison, the first-place winner in Tokyo is awarded 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of tuna. Another area offers a gigantic boon, 90 kg (nearly 200 lbs) of rice. These offbeat prizes embody the whimsical nature of the events.
“The biggest appeal is that anyone can participate,” Tahara remarked. “There are people working hard in offices all over the world, and we want them to step out of the office.”
As an outlet for Japan’s often grueling work ethic, Tahara hopes that office chair racing can be a fun escape. It gives them a chance to compete against their peers in a positive way and have fun while doing it.
Miura further emphasized the highly competitive environment of the races, explaining how difficult it was to deal with other teams on the racetrack.
“Since we keep looping around the same course, you constantly run into other teams and racers,” he explained. “You have to overtake them, which requires both technique and physical strength.”
Miura claims that right off the bat, you’ll learn that office chair racing is no joke. Its playful exterior quickly disappears the moment they sit down and begin to race.
“It may look funny, but once you try it, you realize how serious and demanding it really is,” he stated.
Tahara realizes that many people in Japan face severe work-related stress. They throw themselves into light-hearted endeavors—from office chair racing to decorating robots—eagerly.
“People in Japan may work too much, but they can still become fully dedicated to something silly like this and enjoy it even as they grow older,” he concluded.
