SHINSHIRO, Aichi -- Cyclists "raided" a city hall in Aichi Prefecture on June 10, racing through the building between desks and shelves.
The cyclists were taking part in the Shinshiro X (Shinshiro Cross) event using a 1956 building that had until early May housed the city hall of Shinshiro, about 60 kilometers southeast of Nagoya. The city hall's functions had already been moved to a new adjacent building and other facilities.
The race was hosted by the Shinshiro city government, which is promoting sports tourism, and Da Monde, a general incorporated association working to revitalize local communities. The race was the first and last to run in the old city hall as it is scheduled to be demolished this summer.
About 100 bicycle lovers gathered from across the nation, from Hokkaido, Fukushima, Kumamoto and other prefectures. One by one, at 1-minute intervals, the cyclists started the race from the reception area of the former taxation department. The racers pedaled through a course set off by desks, steel shelves and other office equipment in the rooms where city hall staff used to work, then passed a narrow door of the revenue officer's room where a notice was still posted saying a meeting was taking place. Finally, they came out of the building through the front entrance before dashing for the finish line set in the parking lot. The rare time trial course was about 200 meters long. Riding on mountain, cyclo-cross and other sports bikes, it took less than 35 seconds for advanced riders to finish.
"Delight, anger, sorrow and pleasure -- tens of thousands of residents have felt various emotions at this hall for 60 years," Shinshiro Mayor Ryoji Hozumi said.
"This hall was full of drama. Many citizens visited here to register their marriage or the birth of their babies. When they unfortunately lost a family member, they came to fill out death registrations," the mayor continued.
"I hope all the racers will also share our countless emotions," Hozumi added. "May this event be a topic of conversation for you even after the hall is demolished."
Tatsunori Arishiro, head of Da Monde, was also involved in School Cross, an event in which a bicycle race was held in a closed school in the city in 2016. Arishiro had once moved away from Shinshiro, but returned to his hometown as a member of a local vitalization cooperation corps, a project initiated by the national government.
"This place may be a vacant lot when you pass by next time," he said at the Shinshiro X closing ceremony, "but I hope that memories of the race will remind you of the time when the hall existed."
(New Japan, Old Japan is a series exclusive to The Japan News)
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