All About Japan

Unicycle Trials in Tokyo

Sports Extreme Sports Tokyo Kanto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDke5GwoO5E

Go to any Japanese elementary school and you'll see that unicycling is quite popular among kids around the country. But how many of those kids take that passion into adulthood?

Wataru Miyasaka, for one, has taken his unicycle game to the next level: unicycle trials. Inspired by bike trials and motorcycle trials, unicycle trials see riders try to unicycle over challenging obstacles, frequently using the incidental "street furniture" found in an urban environment as platforms for astounding feats.

In this video from filmmaker Osamu Hasegawa, we see Miyasaka tear up various parts of Tokyo on one wheel, challenging slopes, steps, railings, ledges, rocks, bollards and even trees and playgrounds! Miyasaka laments that the sport is little-known in Japan, but hopes more people will look into it. Maybe this video will help the sport garner some attention!