July 20, 2016
"Smile-On Motorcycle Day 2016" Set for August 21
at Bellesalle Akihabara venue in Tokyo
The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) and the Japan Motorcycle Promotion & Safety Association (JMPSA) are pleased to announce their joint sponsorship of "Smile-On Motorcycle Day 2016" to be held on Sunday, August 21 at the Bellesalle Akihabara venue in Tokyo's popular Akihabara district.
This event is being held to mark Motorcycle Day, designated as such by the Japanese government in 1989 to help reduce motorcycle accident occurrence by raising motorcycle riders' and the general public's awareness of road safety and, at the same time, to highlight the appeal of motorcycle use.
Appointed to serve as a one-day goodwill ambassador for Motorcycle Day, former motorcycle racing rider Shinya Nakano will be on hand at the "Smile-On" event on August 21. That day's multiple attractions will include a "Road Safety Parade" down Akihabara's central Chuo Dori boulevard, which will feature several dozen women riders headed up by the elite "Queen Stars" female officers' motorcycle squad of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.
On the specially installed "Road Safety Stage," meanwhile, guest celebrity Yuko Mizuno will join the Queen Stars' squad members and the Tokyo police force's mascot Pipo-kun to provide the audience with tips and recommendations for safe motorcycle riding. The stage will be also used to host a talk show starring voice actors from the TV animation series Bakuon ("Explosive Roar") as well as a meeting of women riders who will discuss their enjoyment of motorcycle use.
Also scheduled is a "Kumamoto Earthquake Reconstruction Support Show" featuring the cuddly black-bear mascot Kumamon from Kumamoto Prefecture, which will be aimed at bolstering efforts to bounce back from the severe earthquakes that struck the Kumamoto region in April. This event will feature an exhibit of the latest vehicle models introduced to the motorcycle market.
The sponsors look forward to a strong turnout for "Smile-On Motorcycle Day 2016." No admission fee will be charged, but visitors are urged to come early because of limited stage-show seating capacity. See below for detailed information on this event.
"Smile-On Motorcycle Day 2016": Complete Event Information
- DATE & TIME: August 21 (Sunday), 2016, 11:00-16:00
- VENUE: Bellesalle Akihabara event hall in Tokyo's Akihabara district
Address: Sumitomo Realty & Development Akihabara Building, Ground floor (1F), 3-12-8 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo - SPONSORS: Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Japan Motorcycle Promotion & Safety Association
- Support provided by: The Cabinet Office (Japanese government), National Police Agency, Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Traffic Bureau, Ueno Police Department, Manseibashi Police Department, Japan Traffic Safety Association, Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association, Motorcycle Federation of Japan
"Smile-On Motorcycle Day 2016" secretariat
Tel: (03) 6801-6355
E-Mail: bike@eventas.co.jp
- FEATURED EVENTS
- 1. Stage events
- 11:00-11:30: Opening ceremony for the Road Safety Parade kickoff
Key participants & special guests:- Hiroyuki Yanagi, Chairman, JAMA Motorcycle Committee (President & Representative Director, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.)
- Shinobu Sato, Managing Director, Japan Motorcycle Promotion & Safety Association
- Representatives of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, Ueno Police Department, and Manseibashi Police Department
- 12:30-13:00: Bakuon TV animation talk show
Featuring director Junji Nishimura and voice actors Yumi Uchiyama and Ibuki Kido from the TV series' cast. - 13:30-14:00: Road safety presentation by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department
Guest celebrity Yuki Mizuno will moderate a discussion on road safety awareness with members of the department's "Queen Stars" female officers' motorcycle squad and police mascot Pipo-kun. - 14:30-15:00: "Kumamoto Earthquake Reconstruction Support Show"
Kumamon, the highly popular mascot character who serves as manager and "happiness director" of the Kumamoto prefectural government's marketing department, will lead a ceremony dedicated to ongoing efforts to recover from the Kumamoto earthquakes of this April and highlighting the tourist attractions that the region has to offer. - 15:30-16:00: Motorcycle talk from women riders
A talk-show segment with Motorcycle Day's goodwill ambassador Shinya Nakano, celebrity models Narumi Nobetoki and Risa Shimogawara, and motorcycle trial competitor Erika Kodama as special guest to this event.
- 11:00-11:30: Opening ceremony for the Road Safety Parade kickoff
- 2. Road Safety Parade
- 11:30-12:00: This gala motorcycle road safety procession will feature several dozen women riders, led by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's elite female officers' motorcycle squad.
- Scheduled route: About 1 kilometer on Chuo Dori, travelling from the Bellesalle Akihabara event hall to Ueno-Hirokoji Station
- Parade vehicles: About 60 motorcycles and three convertible cars
- Participants: Sponsor representatives and special guests, along with Shinya Nakano, Yuko Mizuno, Narumi Nobetoki, Risa Shimogawara and others
- 11:30-12:00: This gala motorcycle road safety procession will feature several dozen women riders, led by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's elite female officers' motorcycle squad.
- 3. Indoor & outdoor exhibits
- Indoor motorcycle display (11:00-16:00) & outdoor motorcycle display (outdoor exhibit on view starting from 10:00)
Display vehicles will include the latest models (about 20 vehicles) from Japan's four motorcycle manufacturers and two vehicles from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's motorcycle squad. - Indoor display booths (11:00-16:00)
Displays will include a Tokyo Metropolitan PD-organized road safety exhibit, a promotional exhibit for the Bakuon TV animation series, recommended good riding practices, Kumamoto Prefecture promotional materials, etc.
- 1. Stage events
Schedule Summary
| Time | 1) Stage events | 2) Road Safety Parade | 3) Indoor & outdoor exhibits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:00 | 10:00-16:00: Outdoor motorcycle display |
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| 11:00 | 11:00-11:30: Opening ceremony for Road Safety Parade kickoff |
11:00-16:00: Indoor motorcycle display & display booths on special topics (see 3. above) |
|
| 11:30-12:00: Road Safety Parade |
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| 12:00 | |||
| 12:30-13:00: Bakuon TV animation talk show |
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| 13:00 | |||
| 13:30-14:00: Road safety presen- tation by Tokyo Metropolitan PD |
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| 14:00 | |||
| 14:30-15:00: "Kumamoto Earthquake Reconstruction Support Show" (starring local mascot Kumamon) |
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| 15:00 | |||
| 15:30-16:00: Women riders' motorcycle talk |
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| 16:00 |
ACCESS TO EVENT HALL
Venue: Bellesalle Akihabara @ Sumitomo Realty & Development Akihabara Building, 1F, 3-12-8 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
By JR Line:
4-minute walk from Denkigai exit in Akihabara Station
By Tsukuba Express:
5-minute walk from A3 exit in Akihabara Station
By Hibiya Subway Line:
7-minute walk from Exit 2 in Akihabara Station
Note: No motorcycle or car parking space will be available inside the event hall.
Road Safety Parade route: About 1 kilometer along Chuo Dori, from the Bellesalle Akihabara event hall to Ueno-Hirokoji Station (see below).
