Japan Cycle Sports Center

The Japan Cycle Sports Center (日本サイクルスポーツセンター, Nippon Cycle Sports Center), commonly abbreviated CSC, is a cycling sports facility and amusement park located in Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on the site of the former Shuzenji Town. It opened on June 21, 1965, and was built to promote the spread of cycle sports. Its construction and operating costs have been supported by donations and subsidies from keirin operating bodies such as JKA. The site was originally planned as a motorsport circuit, and after various twists and turns it became the location of the Japan Keirin Athlete Training Center (formerly the Japan Keirin School); some accounts suggest that Fuji Speedway could have been built here instead. The facility is adjacent to the Japan Keirin Athlete Training Center, and among cycling people the name "Shuzenji" is synonymous with either the Japan Cycle Sports Center or the Japan Keirin Athlete Training Center. Its main purpose is as a venue for bicycle racing, and it contains a 5 km road racing circuit, a 400 m track (piste), and mountain bike courses. Some active keirin racers use the site as their home bank, and the 400 m track is frequently used for practice by keirin racers, while trainee candidates from the nearby Japan Keirin Athlete Training Center also train there. The 5 km road circuit, family circuit, and MTB course are open to the general public, and paid rental bicycles are available; users may also bring their own bicycles for a fee, subject to restrictions such as height (140 cm or taller) and bicycle specifications (24-inch tires or larger, no gears) on the 5 km circuit. Individual facilities can be rented, and the road course is used not only for bicycle races but also as a venue for car and motorcycle test rides and for filming, including for the BS Asahi program "Car Graphic TV." In addition to the cycling facilities, the site includes a variety of amusement attractions, most of which are human-powered and apply bicycle technology in their construction. Attractions include "Omoshiro Jitensha" (interesting bicycles, including pedal-less and four-wheeled cycles), the FUJISAN jungle gym (described as Japan's largest wooden jungle gym), a bouncy dome trampoline, the 300 m Sky Roller roller slide, the Castle Adventure athletic maze, Cycle UFO, water bicycles, Cycle Monorail, Cycle Coaster, Cycle Go Land merry-go-round, a flowing pool, and a gymnasium. The site also has a multipurpose hall, the Saitel lodging facility, a par-3 golf course, the Genki no Mori day camp ground, and formerly the Cycle Onsen Yu-Salon hot spring facility, which closed on May 31, 2014. The Izu Velodrome is Japan's first indoor wooden-track cycling arena. Construction began in May 2010, it was completed on September 29, 2011, and it opened on October 1, 2011; the 14th All Japan Cycling Championships track race, held from October 14 of that year, was its inaugural event. It served as the venue for the track cycling events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. For the Tokyo Olympics, the cross-country mountain bike events were held at the Izu MTB Course, although BMX events were held at Ariake Urban Sports Park in Tokyo rather than here. Because of Olympic venue construction, the amusement zone "Bicycle Country" (自転車の国) closed from October 18, 2019, and only the par-3 golf course remained open during that period; "Bicycle Country" reopened on March 18, 2022, after restoration work was completed. The facility is operated by the General Foundation Japan Cycle Sports Center (一般財団法人日本サイクルスポーツセンター). In addition to operating the center, the foundation holds cycle sports promotion events, carries out activities to promote regional sports, cooperates in the strengthening and development of bicycle racers, conducts research on bicycles and related matters necessary for cycle sports, and studies measures to ensure the safe use of cycle sports.

The Japan Cycle Sports Center opened on June 21, 1965, in what was then Shuzenji Town, Shizuoka Prefecture (now part of Izu City). It was built to promote the spread of cycle sports, with construction and operating costs covered by donations and subsidies from keirin operating bodies such as JKA. The site had originally been planned as a motorsport circuit; after various changes, it became the location of the Japan Keirin Athlete Training Center (formerly the Japan Keirin School), and according to the book "Fuji Speedway: The First 40 Years," Fuji Speedway could have been built there instead. Over the decades the center developed into a multi-purpose cycling venue. Its main facilities include a 5 km road racing circuit, a 400 m track (piste), and mountain bike courses. The 400 m track is frequently used for practice by active keirin racers, some of whom use the center as their home bank, and trainee candidates from the adjacent Japan Keirin Athlete Training Center also train there. The 5 km road circuit, family circuit, and MTB course are open to the general public, with paid rental bicycles available and paid bring-your-own-bicycle access subject to restrictions. The road course has also been used for car and motorcycle test rides and for filming, including for the BS Asahi program "Car Graphic TV." A major addition came with the Izu Velodrome, Japan's first indoor wooden-track cycling arena. Construction began in May 2010, the venue was completed on September 29, 2011, and it opened on October 1, 2011. Its inaugural event was the 14th All Japan Cycling Championships track race, held from October 14, 2011. The velodrome later served as the venue for track cycling at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. For the Tokyo Olympics, the cross-country mountain bike events were held at the Izu MTB Course, while BMX events took place at Ariake Urban Sports Park in Tokyo. Because of Olympic venue construction, the amusement zone "Bicycle Country" (自転車の国) closed from October 18, 2019, and only the par-3 golf course remained in operation during that period. After restoration work was completed, "Bicycle Country" reopened on March 18, 2022. The center also formerly included the Cycle Onsen Yu-Salon hot spring facility, which closed on May 31, 2014. The facility is operated by the General Foundation Japan Cycle Sports Center (一般財団法人日本サイクルスポーツセンター). Beyond operating the center, the foundation organizes cycle sports promotion events, promotes regional sports, cooperates in the strengthening and development of bicycle racers, conducts research on bicycles and related matters necessary for cycle sports, and studies measures for the safe use of cycle sports. The center has hosted major competitions including the Challenge Cycle Road Race and the Shuzenji Cup Women's Open Track & Road Race, and in the past the Tour of Japan (Izu stage), the All Japan Team Cycling Competition, the 6th Asian Cycling Championships (1973), and the 44th All Japan Corporate Team Cycle Road Race for the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Cup.

• Japan Cycle Sports Center opens in Shuzenji Town, Shizuoka Prefecture (now Izu City).

• The 6th Asian Cycling Championships is held at the center.

• Construction of the Izu Velodrome begins.

• The Izu Velodrome is completed.

• The Izu Velodrome opens.

• The 14th All Japan Cycling Championships track race is held as the velodrome's inaugural event.

• Cycle Onsen Yu-Salon hot spring facility closes.

• The amusement zone "Bicycle Country" closes for Olympic venue construction; only the par-3 golf course remains open.

• The Izu Velodrome hosts track cycling at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games; the Izu MTB Course hosts Olympic cross-country mountain biking.

• "Bicycle Country" reopens after restoration work.

A public-facing cycling sports facility and amusement park that also serves as a high-performance training and competition venue, including as an Olympic venue.

• 5 km road racing circuit

  A full-scale road course used for bicycle races, car and motorcycle test rides, and filming.

• 400 m track (piste)

  A track used frequently for practice by keirin racers.

• Izu Velodrome

  Japan's first indoor wooden 250 m track cycling arena, opened in 2011 and used for Tokyo 2020 track cycling.

• Izu MTB Course

  A mountain bike course that hosted cross-country at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

• Family Circuit

  An easy paved course for casual riding.

• BMX Course

  A course for bicycle motocross.

• Strider Park

  A course for pedal-less Strider balance bikes.

• Omoshiro Jitensha

  Unusual bicycles including pedal-less and four-wheeled cycles.

• Sky Roller

  A 300 m roller slide.

• Cycle Coaster

  A roller coaster attraction.

• Saitel lodging facility

  A multipurpose lodging facility for school trips, company training, and sports camps.

• Restaurant Fujimi

  A restaurant with views of Mount Fuji, serving dishes such as Fujisan chashu ramen and Mishima croquettes.

1. 1自転車の国 サイクルスポーツセンターcsc.or.jp
2. 2料金・営業情報 | 自転車の国 サイクルスポーツセンターcsc.or.jp
3. 3Japan Cycle Sports Center - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4日本サイクルスポーツセンター - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org