The last time it was held in Tokyo was in 2009, so it’s been 14 years!?
CMWC is the Cycle Messenger World Championships, held somewhere in the world every year. This year, it will take place in Yokohama, Japan, this September. It’s a massive event where messengers from all over the world gather for delivery races, markets, parties, and more.
SimWorks / Circles is supporting the event and plans to have a booth there, so we’d love for you to come by and hang out.
CMWC 2023 Yokohama
Dates: September 20–25, 2023 – Main events are on the 23rd–24th (Sat, Sun)
Location: Nissan Stadium
HP: https://cmwc2023.jpbma.org/
Messengers: A Profession with a Unique Culture
While many industries have competitions to test professional skills, the reason the Messenger World Championships are so interesting is that these people have their own unique occupational culture. They don't just deliver packages with their bodies; they foster a distinct messenger culture worldwide that is deeply intertwined with fashion, art, music, food, and other aspects of life. In modern times, where work and private life are often clearly separated, this is a rare profession where work, life, and play are incredibly close. I believe this appeal and character can be seen in how things like the fixed-gear bikes they first started riding on the streets, or their large, durable messenger bags, went on to become widely popularized beyond just their basic utility for the job.
And this occupational culture continues to evolve, extending beyond the mere pursuit of style. This event promises to make us feel the various new possibilities for the bicycle—as urban mobility, as a solution to traffic problems, and as a catalyst for shifting away from car-centric urban development.
That said, they are far too diverse to be uniformly defined as a specific type of person or culture. There really are all kinds of people in this world, and that is what makes it so interesting.
The CMWC Feature in the Free Paper "CYCLE" is Fascinating
The free paper "CYCLE" unravels this chaotic profession and culture in a CMWC special feature. The lead feature is an interview with Bunji Sunagawa, who won the Akutagawa Prize in 2022 for his novel "Black Box," which centers on a messenger. He talks about things that would surprise any messenger who has read the book. I also wrote a column for the end of it as a former messenger myself. We have copies at the Circles shop, so I hope you’ll check it out.
There are several other former messengers here at Circles, and we also provide bicycle delivery for our web shop using Daisy Messenger. Many other messengers are also active in various fields, both within and outside the cycling industry. The fact that messengers—who aren't even event professionals—go as far as to organize a festival like CMWC just for the fun of it is a testament to the DNA and spirit created by the profession and its culture. I believe the origin of that lies in those small, yet crucial, details I wrote about in my "CYCLE" column.
Everyone is welcome at CMWC Yokohama. Circles will have a booth there, and we'll be running a bike cloakroom service, so please consider riding your bike down to join us.
Also, Bikelore will be participating to run the cargo bike race, so be sure to check that out as well!
CMWC 2023 Yokohama Cargo Bike Race
https://bikelore.jp/cmwc-cargobike/
CMWC 2023 Yokohama
https://cmwc2023.jpbma.org/