Zwift is popular in Japan. I know so because my friends from Zwift Warrior Cycling (ZWC) told me so! The nation is stacked with good riders as witnessed by the fact that in the Nations Challenge last year, Japan was leading the event after the first day, eventually claiming 3rd position overall.
I have raced Zwift Racing League in the APAC Division 1 and I suffered, usually at the hands of riders from Japanese Team ZWC Blast. Despite my best efforts, I rarely beat any of their riders in my frequent races up the Epic KOM in the excellent ZWC Hill Climb Battle series which takes place every Monday. They are simply excellent riders, especially good at climbing.
So it was no surprise when I heard rumors that Zwift may launch a new map that ties in with the Tokyo Olympics, which would include Mount Fuji – the country’s tallest peak at 3,776 meters and a planned keynote in the Olympic cycling road races.
Talking of Mount Fuji, there is an annual race up the mountain called the “Mt.Fuji Hill Climb Race”. This is one of the largest hill climb races in Japan and it takes place on the Fuji Subaru Line, a World Heritage Site in Japan. The event has been held since 2004 as a hill climb race with an average finish rate of more than 98%, even for beginners.
To celebrate this, Zwift is hosting a series of training events called the “Mt. Fuji HC Dojo Series 2021.”
The Dojo and the Lessons
A dojo is a hall or place for immersive learning, the term means “place of the Way” so in this context it is about teaching us to be better climbers – something which many of us aspire to be.
This series of training events has been taking place every Wednesday at 8:00pm JST or 1pm CST since early March. These 1-hour events are designed to help you become a better climber, and there have also been monthly TTs to measure your progress up the Alpe du Zwift.
This is all leading up to the main event: a Zwift race on May 30. And this event is also designed to prepare people for the hill climb up Mount Fuji in real life on June 5.
So join the dojo to master the art of climbing and when you are tired, remember the old Japanese proverb 継続は力なり。 (keizoku wa chikara nari) English Translation: “Continuing on is power.”
Schedule of Events:
- 5/5 (Wed) 20:00 JST Mt.Fuji Hill Climb Dojo Workout Series #7 Specialty with Special Guest
- 5/12 (Wed) 20:00 JST Mt.Fuji Hill Climb Dojo Workout Series #8 Specialty
- 5/19 (Wed) 20:00 JST Mt.Fuji Hill Climb Dojo Workout Series #9 Specialty with Special Guest
- 5/26 (Wed) 20:00 JST Mt.Fuji Hill Climb Dojo Workout Series #10 Specialty
- 5/30 (Sun) 10:00 JST Virtual Mt. Fuji Hill Climb Race
See event schedule and sign up at zwift.com/events/series/fujihcdojo2021
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