Keirin Posters

A selection of  promotional keirin posters we have seen down at Nara Keirin over the past year...

Some of the posters are quite basic, often promoting the town or prefecture where the meeting is taking place...

While others promote the stadiums...

Some elect a seasonal theme...

And then some actually promote the sport and excitement...

And saving the best till last, the most popular poster we have seen this year promoting the Girl's Keirin...

Another Day At Nara Keirin

We were back at Nara Keirin yesterday for the second day of a three day meeting...

Just a usual day at the races really, we were not betting this time, our aim was to try to get some good shots of the bikes and the action...

Then on the run in of the final race of the day a bit of drama...

...A loud bang was heard as the riders sprinted for the line, then the sound of metal hitting metal, it turned out a spoke had popped in a rider's front wheel causing the tyre to blow. Thankfully no riders were injured or even fell off. Unfortunately our camera wasn't fast enough to capture the action but you can see the busted bike being carried off in the top left of the picture below...

Afternoon Spin

Three days of rain finally cleared this afternoon giving us the chance to take a brief local ride around Nara koen and Todai-ji...

There was a hint of autumn in the air, the temperature has dropped slightly and some of the trees were starting to change colour...

Rear view of Todai-ji temple

Naturally, there were shika everywhere...

The famous view of Todai-ji Temple 

Casualties Volume 8

Six more sad cases....

Desolation row, Matsuyamachi, Osaka.

This is the good side! Buckled rear wheel and a wrecked drive, Horie, Osaka.

Rust creeps, Horie, Osaka.

Rotted tyres and rusted spokes, Minamihonmachi, Osaka.

Our good friend Brad sent us this beautiful shot he took over in Mishima, Shizuoka during the Obon holidays...

Trashed, Saidaiji, Nara.

ENiSHY in SENDAI . 杜の都RIDE 2013.

A wet weekend here in Nara. A good time to catch up on some recent videos, including this from ENiSHY  and crew...

ENiSHY in SENDAI . 杜の都RIDE 2013. from ENiSHY on Vimeo.

Weekly Pictures

More random photos taken over the past week...

Dotonbori canal, Osaka.

Sunset over Nara.

Only The Strong, Graffiti, Osaka. 

Storm clouds over Nara.

More Graffiti, Horie, Osaka.

Riding through the Shiga night with the Guell Crew

Shadow shot, Nara.

Barbecue time at the GReeD natsumatsu.

And, of course, the shika shot...

Saitama Criterium 2013

Over in the east of Japan, Urawa to be precise, our good friend Hiroshi sent us some photos he took at a launch for the 2013 Saitama Criterium  that takes place in October.

The races are presented by Le Tour de France and will be one of many cycling related events taking place in Saitama prefecture during October.

We will report back in October with news and pictures from the races and activities.

An Everyday Nagasawa

Spotted out in Shinsaibashi, Osaka today, this well used Nagasawa. Certainly not one for the fixie purists-front and rear brakes, riser bars and shock, horror, no toe straps!!-but it is nice to see the bike being used as the owner chooses to do so...