Hello everyone, how are you all doing?
It’s Tanaka here, and I find myself trying to turn a blind eye to the reality that as soon as the sweltering heat we were complaining about not long ago fades, we are already heading toward the end of the year.
When the annual request for this blog post arrives, I’m struck by the realization that another year has flown by in the blink of an eye. It forces me to look back at what I’ve accomplished this year. In other words, I, a dreamer, am inevitably pulled back into introspection about the real world.
This fiscal year marks an important milestone for Circles Company: our 15th anniversary. In last year's anniversary post, I wrote a somewhat lengthy essay called the Circles 100-Year Vision.
And so, I find myself writing my annual message of gratitude. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the power of all our on-site staff who take pride in keeping things running smoothly, the passion of our many Circles supporters spreading not just across Japan but the world, and the cooperation of our partner companies, all of which have made the years we have spent together possible.
I truly believe that if we can continue to take action together with all of you, using the bicycle—the most powerful and free means of transportation—as a base for new social change, it would be wonderful.
I think many of you have realized that people's thinking has also changed during the long-lasting COVID-19 pandemic.
Along with this, I believe it is clearly reflected in the major changes occurring in society as a whole, how corporate organizations operate, and how people work and meet one another.
In our bicycle industry, with the rise of health-consciousness and the SDGs movement, we are seeing an increase in electric-assist bicycles and various new standards of light vehicles in town. Personally, as an old-school person, I still love pure human-powered systems best, but since I assume I will eventually rely on some form of power to keep riding, I have no intention of preaching fundamentalism to no avail.
However, lately, there has been a sad situation where people with a high desire for ownership who focus only on trends are using highly illegal moped-style vehicles and electric scooters, and due to ignorance, we often see them riding the wrong way down one-way streets without lights. Hearing of this, the authorities have started to take the situation seriously and have begun to take action to define light vehicles in accordance with current reality.
Since our opening, Circles has believed in the importance of powerful actions from the grassroots level, such as grassroots movements and counter-culture, and we have been committed to promoting the use of bicycles.
I have often said that the fact that so many Japanese people already choose to travel by bicycle from among the many means of transportation is a "Japanese culture" that we can be proud of to the world.
However, contrary to this, I feel that the current state of road administration in Japan makes it difficult to say that the environment is one where everyone, young and old, can travel safely and securely by bicycle.
And still, many people in urban areas do not know that the bicycle is one of the best means of transportation available.
Many developed countries are working desperately to increase bicycle usage rates with a spirit of decarbonization, by expanding dedicated bicycle lanes and forming councils with cycling communities to develop plans and utilization methods tailored to each region.
Fortunately, Nagoya, where we live, is a hub for the automotive industry, and it has wide, grid-like roads, providing an excellent environment for riding bicycles as light vehicles.
I believe that for all of us involved in the bicycle industry, as well as for those who consider cycling a joy in life, we need to understand the rules for light vehicles correctly and act with a sense of gratitude that we are allowed to use "roads" as a shared resource. By letting more people know about this fact and increasing the number of people who use bicycles, we can change the cityscape and our way of life, and become a truly cultured nation.
And I believe that sharing the overwhelming convenience that bicycles inherently possess with the world in a positive way through various means—a society that can change through such grassroots influence—is what should be the "normal" for any developed nation.
To reiterate, December 1st is the founding date of Circles. In past years, we have held grand parties at the shop, but for the past three years, due to that pandemic, we have been keeping our spirits up with our supporters in modest ways through blogs and smaller club ride events.
This year, we have begun to see signs of society emerging from its shell, and as I reported recently, we have decided to hold an in-shop party for our 16th anniversary for the first time in a while. I hope that many of you will invite your friends and join the Circles staff in celebrating this occasion.
Finally, as I wrote last year, the dreams for Circles are still big and the road ahead is long. To lead Japan to become the world's number one cycling nation, I ask for the continued support of all cyclists and fun-loving people throughout Japan, and indeed, the world.
Circles believes in bicycles, and everything that revolves around them.
Circles Inc.
CEO Shinya Tanaka
Circles 16th Anniversary
Circles turns 16 in December! We will be hosting various events including a party, rides, and pop-ups on December 3rd and 4th (Sat/Sun)! Click the button below for details!