Mixpression 9

By Eli Chessen
Photographs by Monmon

Inception
Three Tokyo messengers, GoGo, Kocho, and Tatsuya, were inspired by the now infamous Kyoto Loco, Japan’s first messenger events. They wanted to create a big fun messenger event in Tokyo, so in 2005, they held their first Mixpression alleycat race. In May 2008, they held their 8th race, Mixpression 9.

Oppression by 2-ch Aggression
Wait… Wait… Why is Mixpression 9 only the 8th race…?
There was a great deal of negativity on Japanese internet forums directed at track bikes at the beginning of the pisto boom. Much of this ignorant negativity wound up being targeted at Mixpression. Due to many strong anonymous threats and calls to the police, Mixpression 8 was unfortunately cancelled. After that, Mixpression was forced to “go legal” and went from being an underground street race to a closed circuit, brakes-and-helmets-required, legal event.

Progression
In 2007, a few Tokyo messengers placed a bid with the IFBMA (the folks in charge of CMWC) to bring CMWC to Tokyo in 2009. The newly created TKBMA (Tokyo Bike Messenger Association) was established to organize CMWC in Tokyo. They really want to bring CMWC to Tokyo in order to show their respect and gratitude to the international organizers of past CMWC events which Japanese messengers have attended. And, they want to show the world all the hospitality Japan has to offer.
But, before really preparing for CMWC, they had to prove to the IFBMA and the Tokyo Municipal Government that they could organize a legal, large scale, closed-circuit messenger race in Tokyo. They proved it by organizing Mixpression 9.

Preparation
For almost a year, the TKBMA held long meetings in preparation for Mixpression 9. There were a lot of challenges facing them. In Tokyo, a land of very strict rules, harsh laws, traditional business, image-is-everything social customs, closet-sized apartments and offices and the only somewhat mythical $10 cup of coffee, the two biggest problems with holding any big event are always space and money. There is no wasted space in Tokyo. The city wouldn’t agree to allow Mixpression 9 to be held on public grounds, but the TKBMA eventually found a privately-owned space; essentially a giant parking lot, next to the distinctive Fuji TV building on the man-made, futuristic island of Odaiba in Tokyo Bay. But, like everything in Tokyo, it didn’t come cheap. To use the space for one day, TKBMA needed to raise around 4,000,000 yen (about twice the yearly wages of many messengers).
Messengers aren’t businessmen, so it was difficult for them to negotiate and work with sponsors, but they learned the business side of things as they went along and gradually raised the needed funds. A total of 51 sponsors where eventually registered. Thousands of hard-working man hours went into organizing the event, so the TKBMA and the many volunteers deserve a good deal of praise. Many people may have thought it couldn’t be done… a fun, large, legal messenger race in Tokyo… but it happened and it was great.

Implementation
Most volunteers were expected to arrive at the site at 7AM to help set up. Waking up at 5AM on a weekend is not their normal style, but the long wet ride to Odaiba woke them up a bit. It had started raining the night before and didn’t let up. Most were soaked through before even crossing the bridges into Odaiba.
Because the TKBMA could only afford to get the space for one day, 120 volunteers were needed in order to set everything up and break it all down within 24 hours.

Session
Despite heavy, drenching rain, on May 10th, 2008, 162 racers (119 messengers and 43 non-messengers) and over a thousand paying spectators filed their way onto the event grounds.
Compared with most messenger events, Mixpression 9 started relatively promptly. The qualifying round was split up into about 12 heats with about 10 racers starting every 5 minutes or so. The race grounds were divided into a labyrinth of barricades and checkpoints. There was a slippery slope, a gravel road, and a muddy off-road section you had to carry your bike up.
The racecourse was wet and surprisingly difficult to navigate. Racers needed to make random pick-ups and drop-offs at all of the checkpoints to finish each manifest. The qualifying round had one manifest and the final round had five manifests. Zigging and zagging around the many tight turns and then zooming repeatedly down the long straightaway in the center of the course was never repetitive despite the fairly small size of the course. Newbies and non-messengers really didn’t stand much of a chance and only a couple made it to the finals.
Of the small handful of non-Japanese racers, only one qualified for the finals. Austin from NYC came in 4th out of the 50 finalists. Of course, Sino came in 1st, Juri came in 2nd, followed by the always-smiling Tao for 3rd, while Junko came in first for the ladies (the only female in the finals).
The prizes were truly amazing. A bunch of frames and a few complete bikes, dozens of bags, high-end bike parts, and a bunch of the usual t-shirts and such were given away. The top racer and the top skidder both won trips to Toronto for CMWC.

Situation
So, messengers and urban bike enthusiasts, start saving your money and buy your plane tickets early. CMWC will be in Tokyo in September 2009!!!! Cycle messengers and their buddies will descend upon Tokyo in herds from cities and countries all over the world. It will be a huge event celebrating international messenger culture. Messengers from across the globe have no excuse not to come. Japanese messengers have been saving their meager wages and attending international messenger events for many years. So, now it’s your turn. Besides, you know you’ve always wanted to visit Japan, anyway. You wanted to visit and ride a pro Keirin track, explore Akihabara’s “Electric Town”, see ladies walking around in kimono, witness people being shoved into rush-hour trains, and go to Shibuya and check out the busiest intersection in the world, flowing with the wackiest fashion and the coolest bikes. This is your excuse. This is your chance. And, you’ll probably get a free tour-guide. But, the only samurai and ninjas you’ll see will be stealthily pedaling on two wheels.

P.S. You can also come to Kyoto Loco this November 1st-2nd. That’s right! Kyoto Loco is back for 2008!