The Red Bulletin EN

BEYOND THE ORDINARY
TOKYO
GUIDE
New sports,
new heroes
and Tokyo’s
best-kept
secrets
#GIVING WINGS TO NEW SPORTS
BRING IT HOME
Kanoa Igarashi faces
the biggest moment
of his career

250ml
気 分 で
えらべる 翼 。
※Purple Edition is only available in Japan.

EDITOR’S LETTER
AHEAD OF
THE GAMES
For 11,000 athletes, this summer could represent the
pinnacle of their career. For 226 of those athletes, the
stakes are arguably even higher. They are set to make
history when their sports – surfing, skateboarding,
freestyle BMX and sport climbing – will get the chance to
shine on the world’s largest sporting stage for the very
first time. In this magazine, we want to give you an
insight into these new disciplines – where they come
from, how they work and, most importantly, their heroes.
CONTRIBUTORS
THIS ISSUE
JUSTIN
JAY
“December is usually a hectic
time for surfers because of the
contests,” says the New Yorkbased
photographer who shot
Kanoa Igarashi for our cover
feature at Hawaii’s North Shore.
“I was thrilled to be able to
arrange a quiet afternoon with
him. Surfing has a dedicated but
relatively small audience, so I’m
excited to see these amazing
athletes perform on the world’s
stage this summer.” Page 16
JUSTIN JAY(COVER)
American photographer Steven Lippman with Letícia Bufoni at Venice skatepark
in Los Angeles, California. “It’s a magical place to shoot,” he says. “The light was
great, the background was ocean and sky – and Letícia is a cool skateboader.”
From profiles of athletes such as surfer Kanoa Igarashi,
who has the chance to make his family’s journey come
full circle (page 16), to special insights about skateboarders
including Sakura Yosozumi, who reveals her bag of gear
(page 48), or our city guide that lists some of Tokyo’s most
exciting hotspots (page 81), this magazine aims to prepare
and equip you for a summer to remember. Enjoy…
MIKE
SUNDA
When offered the chance to
interview Japanese climber
Kai Harada, the Tokyo-based
writer jumped at the chance.
Sunda felt inspired by Harada’s
attitude during the past year:
“Even more so than seeing his
steadfast dedication throughout
a period of such uncertainty, it
was his adaptability and ability
to find creative ways to train
throughout lockdowns that
left an impression.” Page 76
THE RED BULLETIN 03

CONTENTS
SURFING
16 Kanoa Igarashi
He’s been on an upward trajectory
since an early age – now he wants
success on the biggest stage
27 Need to know
Learn all about the sport, from the
key parts of various surf boards to
the rules, format and scoring
28 Carissa Moore
The four-time world champion talks
about a self-discovery process that
she’s hoping helps her to a medal
32 Caroline Marks
The youngest surfer ever to qualify
for the women’s Championship tour
details how she prepares for events
SKATEBOARDING
36 Letícia Bufoni
How the Brazilian-born star became
the most famous athlete ever to
grace women’s skateboarding
43 Need to know
Learn all about the sport, from the
basic components of a board to the
most gnarly obstacles and more
44 Sakura Yosozumi
One of the sport’s most promising
heroes explains how origami makes
her a better skateboarder
03 Editor’s note and contributors
06 Surfing – know your sport: From
Polynesian pioneers to rising stars
08 Skateboarding – know your sport:
Who invented the Ollie anyway?
10 BMX– know your sport: Palm Park
and Schwinn via Nicole Kidman ay
12 Climbing – know your sport: Who
was scaling heights back in 1492?
BMX
52 Saya Sakakibara
How her brother’s bike accident
in 2020 made her more mindful
and faster than ever for 2021
56 Need to know
Learn all about the sport, from the
two disciplines to the number of
athletes, contest format and more
58 Rim Nakamura
The rising rider explains why
motivation can go some way to
making up for natural disadvantages
CLIMBING
66 Shauna Coxsey
The world champion bouldering
specialist explains how she’s had to
become a student of her sport again
73 Need to know
Learn all about the sport making its
debut, from its three disciplines to
the format and scoring criteria
76 Kai Harada
Get to grips with how he goes the
extra mile to score more success,
with training goals, fasting and more
81 City guide: Where to watch the
action, find the best nightlife and
seek out the most exclusive eateries
96 Learn all about various editions of
The Red Bulletin around the world
97 Action highlight: B-Boy Shigekix
looks forward to competitive
breaking making its debut in 2024
GETTY IMAGES, STEVEN LIPPMANN, ANDY GREEN, RICK GUEST
04 THE RED BULLETIN

16
36
52 66
THE RED BULLETIN 05

KNOW YOUR SPORT
SURFING
ORIGINS: The first recorded description of
surfing (or he’e nalu in Hawaiian) was by a
lieutenant aboard James Cook’s first voyage which
anchored in Tahiti in 1769. Surfing was a central
part of ancient Polynesian culture and a popular
pastime often used as part of warriors’ training.
FIRST COMPETITION: The first major surf
competition took place in 1928 in Corona del Mar.
Swimming legend Duke Kahanamoku (the man
credited with popularising surfing) considered the
waves there to be the best on the California coast.
GAME CHANGER: The introduction of wetsuits
in the 1950s made it possible to surf all year and
practise in cold water for longer. This allowed for
the development of new and more radical tricks.
POPULARITY: There are over 25 million surfers
around the world.
FUN FACT: Materials initially invented for use in
the Second World War – such as Styrofoam and
fibreglass – revolutionised the construction of
surfboards, making them lighter and more sturdy.
RYAN MILLER/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
06 THE RED BULLETIN

Kanoa Igarashi
is a rising star
of the World
Surf League
Championship
Tour and is
representing
Japan
THE RED BULLETIN 07

KNOW YOUR SPORT
SKATEBOARDING
ORIGIN: The first skateboards emerged in California
in the early 1900s, when kids attached roller skate
wheels to wooden boards and crates. Skateboarding
as we know it today started in the 1940s, when surfers
looked for an activity for when the waves were flat.
GAME CHANGER: Skateboard wheels used to be
made of metal or clay. Polyurethane, a soft rubber-like
plastic, was initially used in everything from protective
clothing to paints but provided the ideal traction for
riding on pavement in the early 1970s. Its introduction
caused a rapid rise in the popularity of the sport.
FIRST TRICK: In 1978, a young skateboarder named
Alan ‘Ollie’ Gelfand executed a popping jump he called
‘the Ollie Air’ in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and thus
invented the sport’s most important trick: The Ollie.
POPULARITY: It’s been estimated that there are
around 85 million skateboarders worldwide.
FUN FACT: In the late 1990s, the US Marine Corps
tested the use of ‘combat skateboards’ for detecting
tripwires and sniper fire inside buildings and urban
settings. The programme was called Urban Warrior.
08 THE RED BULLETIN

KEISUKE KATO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
Sakura Yosozumi
reached the top
of the Women’s
Park category
of Global
Skateboard
Rankings in
2020 and
represents Japan
THE RED BULLETIN 09

KNOW YOUR SPORT
BMX
ORIGINS: Around 1970, motocross was at the
height of its popularity and kids in Southern
California were seeking to imitate their heroes by
racing their modified wheelie bikes on dirt tracks.
FIRST COMPETITION: Ron Mackler, a park
superintendent in Santa Monica, organised the
first-ever registered BMX race at the request of
a group of local kids. Mackler, today nicknamed
the Grandfather of BMX in the USA, ran the Palm
Park races from 1969 to 1984.
GAME CHANGER: The Schwinn Sting-Ray was
marketed as “the bike with the sports car look”
when it was released in 1963. With its stronger
springs and tyres, the bike quickly became the
natural choice for early BMX. But some changes
were due: the fenders and banana seat had to go.
POPULARITY: There are around 3.44 million
BMX riders in the world.
FUN FACT: Nicole Kidman landed her first
starring role in 1983 with the film BMX Bandits.
Her stunts in the movie were performed by an
18-year-old man who was wearing a wig because
the production team couldn’t find a female stunt
double that looked like her.
SUGURU SAITO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
10 THE RED BULLETIN

Saya Sakakibara
is a five-time
BMX world
champion who
represents
Australia
THE RED BULLETIN 11

KNOW YOUR SPORT
CLIMBING
ORIGIN: The earliest recorded climb was in 1492:
Charles VIII, King of France, ordered his servant
Antoine de Ville to climb Mont Aiguille, also
known as Mount Inaccessible, a rock tower near
Grenoble. De Ville succeeded by using a
combination of ladders, ropes and other aids.
PIONEER: Walter Parry Haskett Smith became
known as the father of climbing back in 1886,
when he achieved the first ascent of Napes Needle,
a pinnacle of Great Gable mountain in the UK.
GAME CHANGER: In 1953, German firm
Edelrid invented the Kernmantle rope, which
revolutionised the sport by dramatically improving
the prevention of falls. More reliable than its
hemp-made predecessor, the Kernmantle had
a protective, synthetic sheath over woven core,
which made the rope lighter and more elastic.
POPULARITY: There are around 25 million
people who undertake regular climbing activities
in one form or another all over the world each year.
FUN FACT: Certain types of climbing can burn up
to 900 calories per hour, making it one of the best
sports for those who are looking to reduce fat.
SUGURU SAITO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
12 THE RED BULLETIN

Kai Harada is
a bouldering
champion who
represents Japan
THE RED BULLETIN 13

SURFING
MEET THE HOPEFULS, LEARN THE BASICS, FIND THE HOTSPOTS
MARK ALLEN MILLER
IN THIS SECTION
Why Kanoa Igarashi feels one
with the ocean on page 16,
Carissa Moore’s biggest year
on page 28 and Caroline Marks
reveals her training on page 32.
THE RED BULLETIN 15

SURFING/KANOA IGARASHI
16
THE RED BULLETIN

THE
FREE
ONE
For
fast-rising
pro surfer
Kanoa
Igarashi,
home
is where
the waves
are
Words PETER FLAX
Photography JUSTIN JAY
THE RED BULLETIN 17

K
anoa means freedom. It’s
a Hawaiian name that literally
translates to The Free One, which
is a fitting way to characterise the
bare-footed 23-year-old watching
waves roll onto Oahu’s North
Shore. It’s the morning after a
contest at the island’s Sunset
Beach and Kanoa Igarashi is
enjoying a rare rest day, lounging
on the deck of an oceanfront
house that has a panoramic view
of the beach and the break. The
ocean looks like an undulating
patchwork of turquoise and white
froth, and he’s sitting close
enough to the water’s edge to
hear the thrum of the surf, to
smell and taste the salty mist.
Igarashi likes to talk about the
physics and the metaphysics of
the water. “I have a relationship
with the ocean,” he says. “I spend
four to six hours a day in the
water. I feel like I get to go out
there and play games with the
ocean. I have this spiritual
connection, which might sound
like ridiculous craziness to an
outsider, but I really do.”
This isn’t the usual blather
of a professional athlete, but the
lean surfer with the beach-blond
highlights has a candid side
that hasn’t been washed away by
his success. Igarashi has been
foreshadowing and showcasing
elite talent for more than a
decade. His storyline – a lifelong
march to the top of his sport –
sounds like something out of the
Tiger Woods or Serena Williams
mould. Igarashi learned how
to surf as a toddler, he signed
sponsorship deals by the age of
seven, won more scholastic surf
contests than anyone else and
secured his first pro contest
victory when he was only 15.
This is a surfer who consistently
ranks highly on the WSL’s
Championship Tour, the biggest
league in his sport. When
he attacks a wave, even the
uninitiated can appreciate the
extraordinary precision and
improvisation of his movements.
The wave whisperer
Normally, successful athletes
as brilliant as Igarashi are more
reticent and less philosophical
when talking about their ability.
“It’s like a pro tennis player is
not going to talk about caressing
the net, you know?” he explains.
“But when you’re in the ocean,
you’re totally surrounded by it
– you feel it inside your fingers.
The waves are crashing at you
and it’s like this force of nature.
So it might sound pretty weird,
but there are days where I get
out of the water and I just tell
the ocean how grateful I am to
have it in my life.”
Igarashi spends large chunks
of time feeling the love among
“I’ve been coming
here since I pretty
much started
surfing,” says
Igarashi of Oahu’s
North Shore
18 THE RED BULLETIN

SURFING/KANOA IGARASHI
Igarashi finished
the 2019 season
ranked in sixth
place overall
LEO FRANCIS/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
the waves of Oahu every year.
He surfs at Sunset Beach and
legendary local breaks like
Pipeline and Backdoor; he works
out at a local gym and takes
himself off on a long hike two
or three times each week. And
he always focuses his day around
the ocean, of course. “The first
thing I do when I wake up every
morning is to go for a swim right
in front of the house here,” he
says, referring to the morning
rituals which make up his daily
routine. “I always just jump in
and let the water go over me.
No matter what’s going on, as
soon as my feet touch the water,
I know I’m good.”
The island of Oahu is the
perfect place to trace Igarashi’s
journey to this point in his life.
If traffic is light, Sunset Beach
is only an hour’s drive from the
gleaming surfing community of
Waikiki, where Igarashi was
given his first surfboard as a
gift for his third birthday. The
family, on holiday from Los
Angeles, went into a surf shop
and a neon-yellow board caught
the youngster’s eye. “The board
was US $720 – a lot of money for
a family that was barely getting
by on vacation,” he recalls. “I had
no idea how much it cost but
I loved yellow at the time.”
The first time
His parents said no at the shop
but went back the next day
and bought the board. That
afternoon, Tsutomu Igarashi,
a devoted surfer himself, took
his three-year-old son and that
neon-yellow board out on the
predictably placid surf at Waikiki
Beach. “It was like a beautiful
crystal-blue swimming pool
with tiny waves and I loved it,”
Igarashi says. “It was like the
best place to learn surfing ever.”
Igarashi clearly feels at home
on the waves in Oahu. But his
upbringing was complicated. Just
before he was born in 1997, his
parents emigrated to the US state
of California from Japan, so it’s
not surprising that he has a
strong Japanese identity and an
intense connection to his family’s
homeland. But he also has deep
roots in Southern California,
where he grew up. Igarashi was
born in Santa Monica, and the
Igarashi family ultimately ended
up settling just across Los Angeles
in the Orange County surf mecca
of Huntington Beach.
On paper, Huntington could
have been a difficult place for
a Japanese-American kid in an
immigrant family to grow up
– after all, the community is
roughly 80 per cent white – but
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SURFING/KANOA IGARASHI
Igarashi surfing at the age of five – he’s been on an upward
trajectory since he learned to surf when he was three
surfing gave the youngster a
route to success. “Growing up
in Huntington, I always stood
out, because I was Japanese –
I was different,” he says. “But
surfing was the thing that put
that racism aside and brought
my world together. It definitely
helped me fit in.”
Igarashi’s school in
Huntington was close to the
beach – close enough that his
mother could pick him up after
school with his wetsuit and board
in the car, and he could be in the
water five minutes later. “Surfing
was like my playtime, my recess
back then,” he says.
But before long, his playtime
seemed to have serious potential.
He was featured on a local news
show on TV when he was six.
Educated admirers began calling
him “the next Kelly Slater,”
referencing the legendary pro.
Sponsors came. Wins at local
youth tournaments came. Flights
to faraway places came.
By the time Igarashi was in
high school, surfing was a way
of life. He was travelling nine
months a year and the pressure
of balancing that with his
schoolwork was getting rough.
His mother, who prioritised his
academic performance, wanted
him to finish high school but
Igarashi felt he was ready to join
the Qualifying Series Tour, a pro
circuit that is also the pathway to
the World Surf League’s senior
Championship Tour. When he
was 17, he convinced his mother
to let him take the his high-school
equivalency exam. “That was
crazy,” he says, recalling what
happened after he passed. “I was
17. One minute I was travelling
and surfing with friends and
bang, the next minute I’m on
tour. Suddenly I was on a roll,
and it hasn’t stopped since then.”
Pipeline dreams
Igarashi says he’s come to the
North Shore every year since he
was nine, and you can trace his
rise in competitive surfing over
those years. “I’ve been coming
here since I pretty much started
surfing, and every year I come
here I’m catching bigger waves,”
he says. He caught a wave at
Pipeline when he was nine;
caught a “proper barrel” when he
was 13; and paddled out for
“bigger days” when he was 16.
If anything, his progression
only accelerated from there. Just
two years later, when he was 18,
Igarashi was back at Pipeline as
a pro on the Championship Tour,
and made the finals – beating
his idol Kelly Slater in the semifinals
along the way.
As Igarashi’s consistency and
explosiveness improved, so did
his ranking on the Championship
Tour. In 2017, he finished as the
world’s 17th-ranked surfer and
the following year he concluded
the season in 10th place overall.
2019 represented yet another
breakthrough, as Igarashi
finished the season in sixth place
overall, notching his first
Championship Tour event win
along the way. (After five
competitions of the new season,
he’s ranked ninth.)
There’s a side to Igarashi that
has a sharper edge than his lovethe-water
philosophy. “I love that
feeling of wanting to rip that
guy’s head off,” he says. “I love
that feeling of wanting to be
better than my opponent that
day. There’s this competitive
side of me that’s like this animal
that shines on contest days.”
Nestled somewhere in
between his mentality as a
trained killer and his emotional
connection to the ocean lies
a methodical athlete who’s
20 THE RED BULLETIN

THE RED BULLETIN 21

SURFING/KANOA IGARASHI
realising that it will take more
than simply natural talent and
conspicuous energy to reach the
top of his sport. “I feel like I’m
maturing – I’m professionalising
myself,” he says. “If I’m going to
be completely honest, I probably
put in 60 or 70 per cent effort last
year. And in the years prior, I was
probably putting in about 20 or
30 per cent. I think slowly I’m
getting closer to giving it my all
– I’m going to go all in.”
Turning pro
To that end, Igarashi is focusing
on lots of the granular details
that will bump his effort ever
closer to perfection. He’s working
on getting more regular sleep.
(“I normally get around seven
hours, but I think eight is closer
to optimal. I just spent a week
sleeping nine hours and I didn’t
really like it.”) Igarashi says that
he’d eaten meat every day of his
life until he recently underwent
a two-week experiment with a
vegan diet. (“It felt amazing and
I woke up feeling sharper, but I
had to come out of the water
earlier every day because I felt so
hungry.”) Through nutrition and
weight training, he’s worked hard
to bulk up a little. (“I just got over
170 pounds [77kg] for the first
time and think that something
around 173 would be ideal.”)
Igarashi has the maturity to
understand that he can’t just flip
a switch to become the ultimate
professional who tackles every
detail of his training perfectly.
“It’s going to be a gradual pace
up,” he says. “But I’m committed
to the little things that I think will
make a huge difference.”
Now the biggest challenge of
his career beckons.
This summer, all eyes in the
surf world – and a larger audience
that doesn’t usually watch the
sport – will be on Tsurigasaki
Beach in Chiba, Japan.
“Finally,” Igarashi says
with relief, referring to the
postponement. “My initial
reaction? I was upset and
confused,” he says. “But right
after that, I started to see a lot of
positives.” It gave Igarashi the
opportunity to spend more time
in Portugal, where he has a lot of
GETTY IMAGES
22 THE RED BULLETIN

SURFING/SPORTS GUIDE
Gunma
Tochigi
Ibaraki
Saitama
Tokyo
Kanagawa
2 Chiba 1
“I love going out
into heats with no
plan. You know,
I just let it flow”
Find the best
waves close
to Tokyo
1 Chiba
About two hours from
Tokyo by car, the
Chiba coastline offers
many miles of surf
spots. “It’s a big
stretch of beach,” says
Igarashi. “Saying
you’re surfing Chiba is
kind of like saying
you’re surfing the
North Shore.” One
spot there that’s on
Igarashi’s mind these
days is Tsurigasaki
Beach, the site of the
big competition this
year. ”It’s actually a
very friendly wave to
surf,” he says. “It’s a
forgiving and basic
wave. In the contest,
the neutral wave will
give everyone a level
playing field and a
chance to shine. And
the break is really
close to the beach.”
2 Shonan
Located 60km
southwest of Tokyo,
Igarashi says this is
one of the two best
go-to surf spots near
the city. “It’s all
beach,” he says.
“Depending on the
wind and the swell
direction and stuff, it
picks up more waves
than Chiba.” Shonan
is considered the
birthplace of Japanese
surfing; American
soldiers stationed
nearby in the 1960s
introduced the sport
to locals. Hardcore
surfers flock to Shonan
if a big Pacific typhoon
drives swells into the
reef breaks there, but
many recreational
surfers love the
dependable small and
clean waves. The area
is full of quality surf
shops, and not
surprisingly the water
is crowded on good
surf days.
THE RED BULLETIN 23

SURFING/KANOA IGARASHI
”I feel like I’m maturing –
I’m professionalising myself.
Like I’m going to go all in”
friends and, more importantly,
feels like he’s able to make the
best improvements in his surfing.
“During this extra year, I have
gotten stronger and faster, and
become a better surfer. It was
a step in the right direction to
get closer to my goal of winning
an Olympic gold medal.”
In October 2019, Igarashi was
named in the Japanese team, but
the die had been cast 18 months
earlier, when he announced that
he’d decided to become the first
surfer to represent Japan on the
Championship Tour. Those
decisions attracted a lot of
attention, sometimes for the
wrong reasons. Some people
speculated, incorrectly, that
Igarashi was seeking an easy
shortcut to the event; in the end,
with his impressive year-ending
Championship Tour ranking,
Igarashi would have qualified
for the US team anyway.
Family affair
When asked about deciding
to represent Japan instead of
the USA and all of the resulting
controversy, Igarashi answers
with certainty. “I love Huntington
Beach – it’s always going to be
home in my heart because I grew
up there,” he says. “But if people
ask me where I’m from, it gets
more complicated. Representing
Japan felt like a comfortable,
solid decision. My blood is
a 100 per cent Japanese. That’s
something you don’t change.”
Family is obviously important
to Igarashi, and he understands
how much this opportunity
means to his extended family,
especially his grandparents – who
have a calendar on which they
are counting the days until the
first day of his competition.
They’re among many of his
relatives in Japan who get up
in the middle of the night to
watch him compete over the
internet, but who have never
actually seen him surf in person.
“My grandma told me, ‘All
I want to do is stay alive until the
Olympics, and after that I don’t
care if I die.’ I was like, ‘What?
Don’t say that.’ But she said,
‘I’ve gone through a lot in my
life. I’ve done everything that I
wanted to do. But once they were
announced and you told me that
you were going to be in it, that’s
the last thing on my bucket list.
Then my life will be complete.’”
Igarashi admits that such talk,
even if intended with humour,
stirs a deep sense of national
pride in him. “I feel privileged
and honoured to just have them
be so proud of me,” he says. “It
makes me want to do my best.”
Outsiders might have trouble
understanding how popular
Igarashi is in Japan. He’s the
focal point of a reality show that’s
been on TV for years, he’s got
some major sponsorship deals
from outside the surfing realm,
he’s the first Japanese surfer in
the Championship Tour and he’s
become a breakout star in a surfcrazy
country where the sport
is more popular per capita than
it is in the US.
After one big tournament
result in 2018, Japan’s former
Prime Minister Shinzō Abe asked
to meet with Igarashi and the
surfer still has trouble getting
his head around that high-profile
encounter – on a skyscraper
rooftop with helicopter blades
thwacking, with bodyguards
patting him down and the best
wishes and expectations of
a nation being delivered.
The heat is on
As much as he loves the fame that
comes with his achievements,
Igarashi knows how important
it will be to make the most of
his big opportunity this year.
There will never be another surf
24 THE RED BULLETIN

Igarashi says he’s
“committed to all the
little things” to reach
the top of his sport
THE RED BULLETIN 25

SURFING/KANOA IGARASHI
event in his life like this one.
Igarashi is the kind of guy for
whom every break and every
wave has meaning. But the break
in Chiba isn’t like any other
break. His father, Tsutomu, and
his pals were the among the
surfers who discovered that spot
decades ago. “Yeah it’s true,”
says Igarashi. “He and his friends
discovered that wave. They
climbed through fences and
hiked through the grass to find
it, and they called [it] the dojo
[a Japanese term for a training
facility], and it was their secret
spot. It’s such a crazy full circle.”
When asked to assess the
Chiba break, Igarashi smiles. “It’s
definitely a wave that suits my
surfing,” he says. “It’s technical
and precise. It’s just in my blood,
being Japanese, to be precise and
technically sound. Every little
arm movement and movement
will make a big difference, and
there will be little room for error.
And the break is really close to
the beach, close to the fans.
“I’ve always been kind of a
show-off. I want people to be
close. I want people to feel it.”
One with the water
Kanoa meaning freedom isn’t just
the etymology of his name; it’s
the story of how he lives his life.
When asked if he paddles out
into competition visualising what
he wants to accomplish, Igarashi
shakes his head and it’s very
clear that this isn’t the case at all.
“I love going into the ocean and
going into heats with no plan,”
he explains with a smile. “I take
my heats and competitions these
days as if they’re just another
day of surfing with my friends
– I just go out there and
everything’s just on the fly.”
Igarashi says he doesn’t have a
conventional homeland like most
people do. But he also says he has
a real home: the water.
“People come up to me and
tell me how they can just see
that I naturally look like I’m
really calm in the ocean,” he says.
“And it’s true. No doubt the truest
form of myself is when I’m
surfing in the water.”
The ascendant surfer whose
name means The Free One
stares out across the Pacific
Ocean, where waves tumble
towards the shore, and he
ponders how he’s inhabited the
word Kanoa. “I feel most free
when I surf and I’ve felt this
freedom since I was young,” he
says with conviction. “Being in
the ocean is where I feel free.”
“It’s a huge opportunity for surfers to showcase our sport on a different level,” says Igarashi
26 THE RED BULLETIN

SURFING/EDUCATION
THE RED BULLETIN’S GUIDE TO
SURFING
What you need to know about the competition in a nutshell
40
COMPETITORS:
20 men
20 women
FORMAT
All athletes compete
in one discipline, with
one overall winner in
each gender
SCORING
5 judges use a 0-10
point scale to score
the manoeuvres
performed
DISCIPLINE
SHORTBOARD
COMPETITION STRUCTURE:
3 initial rounds (2-8 heats each) bring
the number of surfers down to 8. In
3 1-on-1 final rounds the winner is
determined. 1 heat lasts 25-30 min.
PARTS OF THE BOARD
Nose
Rail
Rocker
Rules:
• A maximum of 25 waves per heat,
with the 2 highest scoring waves
determining the heat result
• One surfer only is allowed to ride a
wave at any given time. The surfer who
is closest to the peak has right of way
Criteria:
Commitment and degree of difficulty
Innovative manoeuvres
Combination of manoeuvres
Variety of manoeuvres
• Speed, power and flow
Deck
Fin
Tail
Leash
ANATOMY
OF A WAVE
SPRAY
The misty spray
of water the wave
produces when
it breaks
LIP
Top part of the breaking
wave that pitches from
above the surfer
CREST
Highest point of
the wave
BOARD
TYPES
LONGBOARD
Length: 2.5-3m
Waves: All sizes
FUN BOARD
Length: 2-2.5m
Waves: 0.5m and up
SHORTBOARD
Length: 1.8-2m
Waves: 1-2m
FISH
Length: 1.5-1.8m
Waves: 1-2m
FACE
The front part of a wave
that has not broken yet
TROUGH
Lowest region of the
wave (opposite: crest)
BARREL
Hollow part of the wave
formed by the top
travelling faster than
the bottom (also called
tube or curl)
Core (foam)
Stinger (wood)
PAUL DUARTE
TRICKS AND
MANOEUVRES:
1. SUPERMAN
2. AIR/AERIAL
3. RODEO FLIP
4. TUBE RIDE
1 2 3 4
THE RED BULLETIN 27

BACK ON BOARD
FOR THE BIG TIME
As four-time world champion surfer Carissa Moore
has discovered, the quest for greatness sometimes
begins with a journey to figure out who you really are
Words JEN SEE
Photography TREVOR PIKHART
28 THE RED BULLETIN

SURFING/CARISSA MOORE
F
our days before Christmas of
2019, Carissa Moore made an
announcement that shook the
surfing world. Via Instagram,
she explained in a video message
that she’d decided to take a year
off from the World Surf League
(WSL) Championship Tour. “This
is something that I have given a
lot of thought,” said the pro surfer
from Hawaii. The post came only
three weeks after she won the
championship for the fourth time.
Only five female surfers before her
have ever achieved this feat. Being
interviewed right after taking the
trophy, she seemed overwhelmed
and visibly touched. “This has not
only been a year of work but three
years of growing and learning,”
she said. “It’s been a journey.”
Why would a top athlete who
just scored what’s arguably the
most important victory of their
career decide to take a break?
Why not trying to sustain the
momentum and enter the next
season full of self-confidence?
It seemed that Moore had
figured out that balance is the key
to her long-term success. Balance
that she planned to improve in a
year of just being Carissa. “I have
dedicated the last ten years of my
life competing at the highest level
and want to continue to do that
well into my thirties,” she said in
the Instagram video. “This break
is a press-refresh so that I can
come back to the tour happier and
more excited than ever in 2021.”
This is the story of how Carissa
Moore set out to find herself, and
how she turned this past year into
a personal victory.
First steps
Born in Honolulu, Moore learned
to surf at Queen’s Waikiki Beach
when she was four years old. Her
father, Chris, who competed in
open-water swimming, wanted to
share his love for the ocean with
his daughter, so he taught her to
surf. Moore believes that her
father wanted to strengthen the
bond between them. “He wanted
to find a way to keep me home,”
she says. “If I fell in love with the
ocean, I wouldn’t move very far.”
It would be easy to assemble
snapshots of an idyllic childhood.
She surfed in the clear waters of
Waikiki next to the Diamondhead
volcano, where people have surfed
for centuries. Surfing history
infused Moore’s childhood.
But the truth is it wasn’t always
an idyllic childhood. When Moore
was 10 years old, her parents got
divorced. “I didn’t surf when I was
with my mom,” she says. “Just on
my dad’s days.” She bounced
between her parents until her
senior year in high school.
Surfing brought Moore closer
to her dad, who drove her to the
beach before and after school.
When she was about 12, surfing
switched from being a fun afterschool
activity to a competitive
passion. “I remember having
a conversation with my dad on
a car ride home from the beach,”
she says, recalling being asked
how far she wanted to go with
surfing. “I told him, ‘I want to
be the best in the world.’ ”
Moore was a precocious talent
from the start. “We saw her as the
next Kelly Slater when she was 12
years old,” says seven-time world
champion Stephanie Gilmore. As
a teenager, Moore travelled to
contests around the world. By the
time she’d turned 17, Moore had
reached the Championship Tour,
an elite selection of the top 17
female surfers. During her first
year on the tour in 2010, Moore
won two events and finished the
season ranked third overall.
The following year Moore
stormed to her first world title.
She opened the 2011 season with
a win at Snapper Rocks, a righthand
point break on Australia’s
Gold Coast. By year’s end, she’d
won three of the tour’s seven
events. With her world title
secured, Moore accepted wildcard
invitations to compete with the
men at Haleiwa and Sunset Beach
on Oahu’s North Shore. She was
the first woman to compete in
a prestigious Triple Crown event.
THE RED BULLETIN 29

“Look at the surf industry at that
point in time,” she says. “They
were like, ‘Hey if you gain too
much weight, you’re not going
to have sponsors, and if your
boobs are too big, your surfing is
going to be off.’ ” Like many elite
athletes, Moore is intensely selfcritical
and demands perfection
in a way that made it difficult to
shut out all of the criticism.
Food became the one thing
Moore felt she could control. She
fell into an unhealthy cycle of
overeating, starving herself and
overtraining. “No one really
understood why I was gaining
weight, because I wasn’t really
truthful about it,” she says. She’d
binge on food, feel guilty and then
try to deprive herself. Hurtful
comments about her appearance
followed her on the internet. No
matter how beautifully she surfed,
Moore feared that she couldn’t
succeed if she wasn’t thin.
As she claimed her first world
title, she struggled with her
weight and eating disorders
behind the scenes. “I was still
working very hard,” she says. “But
because people were judging a
book by its cover, they didn’t see
all that training behind the layers
of fat that were there because of a
lot of different things that nobody
understood.” Though Moore says
she was heavier than she’d ever
been before (or has been since),
she still won a world title.
Moore, who won
her fourth world
championship in
2019, is hardly
afraid to address
her journey to get
back on top and
find herself
Under pressure
As she rocketed up the rankings,
Moore struggled to navigate life
outside of surfing. The shape of
her body changed very quickly
– unpredictably, it seemed to
her. She was trying to finish high
school and enjoy a normal social
life, but her competitive career
took up an ever larger part of
her life. She missed parties with
her friends and her high school
prom. While she loved surfing,
she felt uneasy about its demands
and uncertain about how to strike
a healthy balance.
With the various stresses of
her life and career escalating,
the relationship between Moore
and her mother, Carol Moore,
deteriorated. They were
frequently at odds, and Carissa
recalls feeling overwhelmed. “And
just feeling like you want that
acceptance from your mom and
that love from your mom, but you
guys are on two opposite ends of
the spectrum,” she says.
Things felt out of control, and
her changing body became the
focal point of her anxiety. She felt
a lot of pressure to excel in her
sport and unmoored in her life out
of the water, despite the support
from her father. Surfing’s culture
imposed its own set of pressures.
Surfing magic
Time has helped Moore move past
the stresses that drove her to
obsess about her weight. She’s
come to understand that her
strong body gives her surfing its
distinctive style. Thinking back
to her first World Championship
victory in 2011 gives Moore some
perspective. “Hey, this body has
won me several world titles,” says
the 28-year-old with a laugh.
An unpredictable dynamism
makes Moore’s surfing magic.
“She’s coiled up and then, when
the right section comes, she’ll just
open up her whole body, her
whole strength and power,” says
Gilmore. But Moore is also one
of the few women who can
consistently complete the aerials
that now define high-performance
surfing. While Kelly Slater’s
30 THE RED BULLETIN

SURFING/CARISSA MOORE
“If you think too much
about the future, you
can get anxiety”
vertical turns set his generation’s
standard, younger surfers such as
two-time world champion John
John Florence have taken surfing
to the air. Moore isn’t far behind.
“She’s willing to risk a good score
on a wave, because she wants to
do an air and prove to everyone
that girls can do this as well,” says
Gilmore. The same power that
Moore harnesses for her big arcing
carves launches her into the air,
where she spins above the water.
Moore achieves her best results
when waves are good and tactical
gamesmanship is minimal. She
isn’t a fan of safety surfing, the
tactic of performing just well
enough to win a heat. “Just doing
the same stuff – I don’t want to do
that,” says Moore. She often feels
torn between her desire to land
big manoeuvres and the need to
win heats that add up to titles.
As Moore has pushed her own
boundaries and expanded her
repertoire of turns and airs, the
sport has grown around her. The
level of women’s surfing is far
higher than when Moore’s career
began, with the likes of Gilmore,
two-time world champion Tyler
Wright and Caroline Marks all
performing well. “The rivalries
aren’t just the two or three girls
at the top,” says Gilmore.
Time for balance
“A lot of people look at pro surfing
and it can seem glamorous, and it
is in a lot of ways. But there is a lot
of blood, sweat, tears and sacrifice
that goes into it,” said Moore in an
interview with The Lineup podcast
in 2019. “It’s a lot, mentally and
physically. These girls are
competing at the highest level,
they give their best every day.”
The constant level of stress and
the constant pressure to compete
led Moore to make a decision a
year and a half ago at the surfing
event in Jeffreys Bay in South
Africa, a moment she considers
the lowest point in her career.
“I lost in the event, I was really
unhappy with everything I was
doing, and it was this turning
point where I asked myself:
What am I doing? This isn’t why
I started surfing. Something’s got
to change,” she remembers.
As a result, she promised
herself to take a time out after
the 2019 season. When it became
clear in early 2020 that the rest of
the world would join her in taking
a break due to the pandemic,
Moore tried to see the positives.
“It would have been really tough
for me to watch the tour happen
and not be a part of it,” she says.
“I knew that was going to be
something I was going to struggle
with. Not to have it happen
allowed me to really just relax.”
In Moore’s case, that meant
spending more time with her
husband Luke Untermann,
who she married in 2017, doing
some skateboarding and bingewatching
Peaky Blinders. But it
was also a challenge for her to sit
still. “I enjoyed my break, but I
also came to a new appreciation
for living the competitive lifestyle
and being an athlete,” she says.
This time, though, her goal
is to re-enter competition with
a new mindset. She works with a
mental coach, is quick to highlight
the importance of mental health
and sounds excited when she talks
about strategies that she’s been
practising recently. “I try to focus
on being present,” she says. “If
you think too much about the
future, you can get anxiety. The
stress can also come from the
past, when you overthink things
that have already happened. But
the present, that’s what you can
control, it’s when you should give
everything that you have.”
This more holistic approach
seems to work for her, and she
scored second place at the first
event of the 2021 WSL season in
Hawaii. “There was expected
nerves and a little bit of cobwebs,”
she says. “But the challenge of
performing under pressure, I
enjoy that.” The successful
comeback has also boosted her
confidence ahead of the big
competition getting under way in
Tokyo. “When I was a little girl,
I never dreamed of competing in
the Olympics. I’m just excited to
be a part of the movement. To
have my name tossed into the
conversation is really special.”
Moore considers the past year
one of the most important of her
career, despite or perhaps because
she didn’t compete in any mayor
tournaments. It’s the mental work
that’s made her a calmer, more
mature and happier person, she
says. It’s also equipped her for
the next season and ones to come.
“I’d love to win another world
title, sure. But more importantly,
I would like to perform at a level
that is timeless, and I want to
continue to help the progression
of women’s surfing,”she explains.
“Basically, I want this to be the
start of my second chapter.”
After a struggle with eating disorders, Moore has found peace:
“Hey, this body has won me several world titles”
THE RED BULLETIN 31

TRAIN LIKE
A PRO
Caroline Marks, 19, is
the youngest surfer
ever to qualify for the
women’s Championship
Tour. Here she reveals
how she prepares for
competition at the
sport’s highest level.
To earn a high score from the judges,
Marks must flow through a series of
powerful turns, performing a quick
dance across the face of the wave as
churning water explodes behind her.
She uses her strong and compact body
to spin her surf board into a tight arc,
throwing her fins up through the wave’s
crest and launching herself into the air.
So far, so good: In 2019, her second year
on the World Surf League Championship
tour, she finished in second place after
fellow American Carissa Moore.
32 THE RED BULLETIN

SURFING/CAROLINE MARKS
GET GREAT
AT PADDLING
“I have to be in great
paddling shape, and you
can’t get that unless you
surf a lot. If it’s flat, I find
it’s super good to bring
out a bigger board and
go for a long paddle.
That helps me stay in
paddle shape.”
SPEED
“I do tonnes
of footwork to
keep me fast”
MENTAL FOCUS
“I have to be
ready to go with
the flow”
PAT NOLAN/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, JONAS JUNGBLUT/RED BULL CONTENT POOL JEN SEE
American surfer
Caroline Marks must
be ready for anything
each time she paddles
out for a 30-minute
contest heat
“Ideally, I surf and do gym work
each day – that’s where I work
on balance and fitness. Let’s
say I’m going to a long-point
break like Jeffreys Bay, South
Africa. I have to make the last
turn as strong as the first turn.
It’s really hard to do, because
my legs get tired. Sometimes,
I have to surf four heats in a
day, and I obviously can’t just
stop. There’s a big agility ladder
at my gym and I try to keep
my feet going as fast as I can.
I want to keep my heart rate
up as long as possible. It’s a lot
of fast-twitch motions, too.”
NUTRITION
“I pretty much
eat whatever
I want to eat”
“I just did some tests with Red
Bull, because I want to learn
more about what I should eat. If
I eat something in the morning
and I win, then I’ll eat that again.
Avocado toast is my go-to in the
morning right now. I just do a
piece of organic toast, avocado,
salt and pepper and cherry
tomatoes. I definitely bring
snacks like trail mix and protein
bars everywhere I go. I don’t
have set things I have to have. If
I really want avocado and turkey
on a rice cake, I’ll have that.”
“A lot of the most important
work is done before the contest
even starts, but I also don’t
like to over-think things and
I always try to keep it simple.
As a surfer, it’s hard to make
a game plan, because you
never know how the waves are
going to be. I have to be on it
even when I’m fatigued during
a heat. At the gym, I stand on
a balance ball on one leg. My
trainer will throw a medicine
ball to me and I have to catch
it one-handed. He doesn’t tell
me which side he’s throwing
to – it’s super random.”
FLEXIBILITY
“I have to make
sure to stretch
every day”
“I try to surf four hours a day
minimum – it’s a really good
work-out that makes you use
your whole body constantly.
I stand really low on my board
and I’m always using my legs.
They get tight, but fortunately
rolling out [my muscles] with
the foam roller helps. I’m still
young and I don’t feel pain or
anything, but I want to avoid
that. Being flexible also makes
my turns better. I stretch my
whole body and use the roller
just about everywhere.”
THE RED BULLETIN 33

PERFECT WAVES ARE HARD TO FIND,
NOT HARD TO REACH.
NIHON MICHELIN TIRE CO.,LTD
日 本 ミシュランタイヤ 株 式 会 社
お 客 様 相 談 室 TEL. --
WHAT ARE YOU BUILDING FOR?

SKATE
BOARDING
MEET THE HOPEFULS, LEARN THE BASICS, FIND THE HOTSPOTS
MARK ALLEN MILLER
IN THIS SECTION
Why Letícia Bufoni is top of
her game on page 36 and
Sakura Yosozumi opens her
bag of tricks on page 48.
THE RED BULLETIN 35

SKATEBOARDING/LETÍCIA BUFONI
GOING GNARLY
Letícia Bufoni is the most famous female skateboarder
in the world, and Ryan Sheckler is a fan of the Brazilian.
This is her success story in 10 chapters
Words JEN SEE
Photography STEVEN LIPPMAN
36

“I just want to be
me – I don’t want
to do what other
people say,” says
Letícia Bufoni

SKATEBOARDING/LETÍCIA BUFONI
1. Getting started
When she was growing up in the Brazilian city of
São Paulo, Bufoni played in the streets with the boys
from her local area. They spent their days playing
soccer, skateboarding and riding bikes. “Everyone
had a skateboard, and after two months I was
begging my parents and my grandmother to buy me
one,” she says. “That’s how everything got started.”
Bufoni was the only girl in the neighbourhood
who liked to skate. Her father wanted her to play
soccer with the other girls. “He didn’t want to see
people calling me a tomboy or a lesbian anymore,”
she says. Bufoni’s dad was so determined to stop her
from skating that he cut her board in half. She cried
for over a day. Then she scraped together parts from
friends to put together a new board. “You know
what? I love skateboarding, and I’m going to skate.”
2. Entering her first contest
Her first contest took place in São Paulo and
included girls who were competing from all over
Brazil. But her father didn’t want her to compete,
so Bufoni almost didn’t get to go at all. A friend
who had seen her skate and believed in her talent
argued that she deserved a chance – he convinced
Bufoni’s father to let her enter the competition.
“He never really saw me skating before that
contest,” Bufoni says of her father. “When he took
me to that contest, he saw that I had potential.”
From then on, her father willingly took her to all
the contests and events that he could. “He started
taking me to the skatepark every day, and he
became my biggest supporter.”
Nike sponsored that first competition in São
Paulo. At the time, she didn’t imagine the brand
would become one of her sponsors.
3. Moving to Los Angeles
At the age of 14, Bufoni relocated to Los Angeles.
From her home country of Brazil, she viewed the
Californian city as the centre of the skateboarding
universe. “Everything happens in Los Angeles,”
she explains. “You’re skating with the best pros
and skating in the best skateparks.” Los Angeles
“I HAVE DREAMS ABOUT CONTESTS
AND EVERY TIME I VISUALISE
MY RUN, I GET SUPER NERVOUS”
always featured in the skateboarding videos she
obsessively watched and many of the sport’s most
important and influential brands were based there.
“LA was always the dream city,” she says.
The city’s pull intensified with Bufoni’s success.
Her confidence in her talent grew, but when she
looked around her home country, sponsorship
opportunities seemed sparse. “I had no sponsors
and it got to a moment where I was like, ‘Should
I keep doing this or focus on school?’” Though her
father continued to support her, Bufoni worried
that her family’s financial resources would run out.
Bufoni’s ticket to LA came in 2007 with an
invitation to compete at the X-Games. Her father
travelled with her and paid their expenses. Once
there, Bufoni knew she had to find a way to stay.
Her eighth-place finish in the X-Games street event
hinted at her future promise, but she still needed to
38 THE RED BULLETIN

Bufoni moved to
Los Angeles when
she was 14 and
mostly fended for
herself after that

“I have a skater’s
eye for everything,”
says Bufoni, who
skates in school
playgrounds when
no one’s looking

SKATEBOARDING/LETÍCIA BUFONI
convince her dad, who was reluctant to allow his
young daughter to move so far from home. After
weeks of cajoling, he relented. “You’re right, you
should stay,” she recalls him saying.
With her family back home in Brazil, Bufoni
acclimatised to her new surroundings. At first the
English language confounded her. “It was really
hard to learn it coming from Portuguese,” she says.
In what would become a familiar pattern, Bufoni
persevered. She wanted to skate professionally and
she believed she could make it in Los Angeles.
4. Breaking boundaries
As she began winning contests and seeking support
from sponsors, she realised that skateboard brands
simply didn’t sponsor women. She recalls a brand
stringing her along for three years, and eventually
walking away without offering her anything. Then
it happened again with another brand. “At that
point, I was like, ‘You know what? If these guys
don’t want to support me, I’m going to make my
own company,’” she says. Bufoni was all set to start
her own skateboard company when Plan B offered
her a sponsorship contract. The brand has sponsored
some of the biggest names in men’s skateboarding
and Bufoni is the first woman to ride for them.
Bufoni’s career stretches across something of
a generational divide in women’s skateboarding.
For teenage girls coming into the sport today,
there are fewer barriers. “It’s changed a lot,” says
Bufoni, who’s now 28. “I remember back in the
day, I was one of the few women who was getting
a pay cheque. Now every company has more women
on the team.” Her pioneering career has helped
forge a path that didn’t necessarily exist before
she kickflipped her way into the spotlight.
5. Skateboarding is
not a crime – usually
Street skating has a specific geography all its own.
As she drives around LA, Bufoni is always looking
for places to hone her craft. She says, “I have a
skater’s eye for everything,” like metal handrails
that are the perfect height and pitch for boardslides.
Any kind of school looks entirely different
through the eyes of a skateboarder. “There’s no
other place that you’re going to find school yards
like you do in LA,” says Bufoni. “Every school
here has perfect spots” – staircases to jump and
picnic benches to tailslide. Designed as temporary
classrooms, pale pink wooden bungalows are
a feature at most schools in LA, and their access
ramps make excellent launchpads for skaters’ tricks.
Many skateparks are often locked or located
on private property. For pro street skaters, avoiding
security is part of the job. “The other day we drove
an hour to get to a spot, and the moment we got
there, security came and kicked us out,” says Bufoni.
Sometimes she has to hit two or three spots before
she can get her clips, which in LA can mean hours of
driving. Typically security guards are mellow and just
ask Bufoni and her crew to leave. “But sometimes
they yell and get really mad,” she explains. Has she
ever been arrested? “Thank God, no, but it could
happen at any moment,” she says, laughing.
6. Rolling with the injuries
Bufoni has undergone four or five operations – she
struggles to keep count. She’s broken five bones
during the course of her career. At one competition
in 2014, Bufoni fell on her final run as she was
trying to jump from second into first place. While
her family watched from Brazil, she suffered a
concussion on live television. The risks don’t deter
her, though. She does skydiving for fun because she
enjoys the adrenaline rush that comes with fear, and
she isn’t going to stop skateboarding any time soon.
“I’ve never had a moment that I was like, ‘I’m
going to quit, I can’t do this anymore,’” she says.
“I always love skating so much that every time I get
hurt, I just think about getting back to it right away.”
Bufoni became
a skater way before
the sport achieved
global popularity
THE RED BULLETIN 41

SKATEBOARDING/LETÍCIA BUFONI
“I LOVE SKATING SO MUCH. EVERY
TIME I GET HURT, I THINK ABOUT
GETTING BACK TO IT RIGHT AWAY”
8. Dealing with fame
Bufoni’s Instagram feed depicts a glamorous LA
scene that looks a long way from the gritty reality
of regular street skating. She skates through the a
fancy hotel, with its luxurious décor as her stage.
She takes part in photoshoots for her high-profile
sponsors. And she goes to the beach to do some
surfing before rolling out for a night on the town.
Bufoni manages her own social media accounts,
and she says she posts a largely unfiltered stream
of her day-to-day life. “I always wanted to do all my
own social media, so people can see from my eyes
and hear my own words,” she says. “I just want to
be me – I don’t want to do what other people say.”
Just as she stubbornly resisted her parents’
efforts to end her love affair with skateboarding,
Bufoni determinedly follows her own instincts as
she creates her public profile.
She has 2.8 million followers on Instagram and
her reach extends well beyond skateboarding. She’s
no longer surprised when kids at the skatepark ask
for a selfie. “People are there because they skate,
so they know me,” she says. But she’s still not quite
used to having people ask for a photo with her.
“Somebody coming up to you in an airport, they
have no idea what skateboarding is,” she says.
Bufoni is accustomed to the attention her stardom
commands but remains bewildered by it.
Bufoni has won
11 X-Games medals
representing Brazil
7. Becoming gnarly
To understand what makes Bufoni stand out, listen
to skateboarding legend Ryan Sheckler: “Letícia is
gnarly,” says the three-time X-Games gold medalist.
“She’s really talented. I’m just a fan. If she wants
to learn a trick, she’s going to learn that trick.
She’s also got style – that’s the thing that’s really
appealing about her skateboarding. She looks really
good on a skateboard. It’s fun to watch her skate. If
she continues to go for it, the sky’s the limit.”
9. Explaining those tattoos
The tattoo along the length of her right hand reads:
Trouble. She says it’s because she gets into trouble
all the time. (A counterpoint: Her finger tattoos
spell out Hope.) She also has tattoos of skulls, the
number 13 (because she was born on April 13) and
an aeroplane (because she’s constantly travelling).
An eagle, carrying a skateboard in its talons, covers
her upper arm. “My dad has the same eagle,” she
explains. “He got the tattoo just before I moved to
LA, and it says, ‘Good Luck, Letícia.’”
10. Forging ahead
With skateboarding stepping into the mainstream
this year, Bufoni can’t escape a nagging sense that
something’s being lost. “I feel like many kids now,
they’re only thinking about being a professional
skateboarder to make money and win – but when
I started, it was like, ‘I skateboarded because
skateboarding is awesome,’” she says, pointing out
that she viewed it as a lifestyle rather than a sport.
She wanted to be out in the streets, skateboarding
all day, exploring with her friends, getting kicked
out of school playgrounds and car parks. She looked
at skating and saw a way of life and a culture that
she wanted to join – and to spend her life chasing.
That isn’t to say that she doesn’t like competing.
“Every time I compete, I compete to win,” Bufoni
says. “A lot of people like competing and all, but
they don’t really care – they just go to have fun.”
The chance to represent her country this year
is beyond anything Bufoni has ever imagined.
“Every athlete, they dream to be in this event,” she
says. “I just want to win the first medal.”
42 THE RED BULLETIN

SKATEBOARDING/EDUCATION
THE RED BULLETIN’S GUIDE TO
SKATEBOARDING
What you need to know about the competition in a nutshell
80
COMPETITORS
40 men
40 women
FORMAT
20 athletes compete
per category; two
overall winners in
each gender
PARK
CATEGORIES
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
Park competitions take place on
a hollowed-out course featuring a
series of complicated curves –
some resembling large dishes
and dome-shaped bowls.
Rounds: 2 (prelims and finals)
Prelims: 20 skaters (4 heats of
5 skaters)
Finals: 8 skaters (from the combined
ranking of the heats)
Scoring: In each round, the skater’s
best of three 45-second runs count
as their final round score.
5 judges use a 0-100 point scale.
Criteria:
Difficulty
Quality of Execution
• Use of course
STREET
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
This competition is held on
a straight ‘street-like’ course
featuring stairs, handrails, curbs,
benches, walls and slopes.
Rounds: 2 (prelims and finals)
Prelims: 20 skaters (4 heats of
5 skaters)
Finals: 8 skaters (from the
combined ranking of the heats)
Scoring: In each round, the skaters
will perform two 45-second runs
and five tricks.
5 judges use a 0-10 point scale.
Criteria:
Difficulty
Execution
Use of Course
• Flow
TRICKS
(CATEGORIES)
1. OLLIE
2. GRABS
3. FLIP TRICKS
4. SLIDES AND GRINDS
5. STALLS AND
PLANTS
1 2 3 4 5
SKATEBOARD PARTS
Skate deck (1)
COMMON
OBSTACLES
Handrail, half pipe,
quarter pipe, funbox
Trucks (2) Risers (2) Wheels (4)
Bearings (8)
Hardware (8)
PAUL DUARTE
THE RED BULLETIN 43

NEW KID ON
THE BLOCK
A whole new generation of
skateboarders is taking control.
They’re athletic, focused, disciplined
– and love competition. Sakura
Yosozumi is one of the sport’s
brightest new heroes. Here she
explains why bloody knees
aren’t her thing and how origami
makes her a better skater
Words HISANORI KATO
44 THE RED BULLETIN

JASON HALAYKO/
RED BULL CONTENT POOL
Sakura Yosozumi is
an up-and-coming
skateboarder from
Wakayama, Japan
SKATEBOARDING/SAKURA YOSOZUMI
Skateboarders in the 1970s might
were usually considered misfits.
This was especially the case in
California, where the sport was
invented, and where the Z-Boys
crew (named after the Zephyr
Surf Shop in Santa Monica) were
notorious for their guerrilla
approach to the sport. They
would scour their neighbourhood
looking for empty swimming
pools to use as secret skateparks,
sometimes even carrying pumps
with them to drain the last drops
of scummy water. Coinciding
with the advent of punk music,
which was a perfect match with
new and aggressive style of
skateboarding associated with
the Z-Boys, this nascent and edgy
subculture soon took the USA
and the world by storm.
Today, skateboarding still has
an aura of rebellion about it, even
though it’s become established as
a mainstream sport that features
in the some of the world’s biggest
events. In recent years, a new
generation of skateboarders has
sprung up, with its practitioners
focused on the sport’s athletic
and competitive nature instead
of its old subcultural elements.
Child prodigy
One of the most promising stars
coming out of skateboarding’s
bold new era is Sakura Yosozumi.
She started her journey at the
age of 11. After three years of
honing her craft, she won the
All Japan Ladies Skateboarding
Championship, followed by
victories in major international
competitions, including the
Vans Park Series, the X-Games
and the Park Skateboarding
World Championship.
For a 19-year-old, that’s quite
an impressive inventory of
achievements. So where does she
get her love for crazy tricks and
this steely determination to be
the best skateboarder from, you
wonder? The answer can
be found in her childhood. At the
moment when her older brother,
who is 13 years older than her,
picked up his skateboard.
Getting hooked
“We used to play together a lot,
but once he got hooked on
skateboarding, he didn’t have
time for me anymore,” says
Yosozumi with a grin. “I thought
that if I get good at skating, he’d
hang out with me again.”
Sure enough, her plan worked.
“Even when I was starting out, I
could easily jump over a plastic
bottle – that impressed my
brother,” she says. “At first, I just
wanted him to pay attention to
me, but at some point, I just
wanted to improve.” That’s when
her passion for skateboarding
went into overdrive. She began
getting out of bed at 6am each
day to practise before school.
After a year of hard training,
Yosozumi was certain: she
wanted to become a skateboard
pro. But her dream didn’t fall
on sympathetic ears initially
because her parents – like most
– weren’t fond of the idea.
The objection from her parents
stemmed from the fact that
Japan’s skateboarding scene is
still very male-dominated. They
felt like it was a too-dangerous
hobby for her and that the
daredevil image of the sport
wouldn’t suit their little girl. As
her parents didn’t want to simply
prohibit her from skateboarding,
they gave her challenges they
thought were unachievable, such
as executing a trick which
involved jumping over a plastic
bottle 50 times in a day. If she
managed to complete their tasks,
she was allowed to continue.
Yosozumi easily cleared every
one of their challenges – and
instead of discouraging her, they
improved her technique.
THE RED BULLETIN 45

SKATEBOARDING/SAKURA YOSOZUMI
Against all odds
Yosozumi’s parents watched with
astonishment and gave in. If they
couldn’t stop her skateboarding,
they decided the best course of
action was to give her their full
backing. They wouldn’t do things
by half-measures, either, and
they hired a construction
company to pour concrete over
their garden to build their
daughter her own skatepark.
But the Yosozumi family soon
ran into obstacles in the form of
financial difficulties. It’s easy to
think that all you need to go
skateboarding is the board, but
that doesn’t help you achieve the
status of a top athlete. A board
can end up worn out after a few
days of intense practice. Plus,
there were the travelling costs.
As she outgrew the skatepark
in her back garden, her mother
drove her to a bigger park located
in Osaka – a one-hour drive away
from their home in Wakayama –
almost every day. The costs
associated with those journeys
soon started to add up quite
substantially, and the savings
that the family set aside for
skateboarding were quickly
depleted. But against all odds,
Yosozumi kept pushing forward.
She was invited to take part in
a high-profile competition
overseas and won. The prize
money from that victory allowed
her to attend another big
tournament, so she gradually
started getting sponsored by
companies and was able to
concentrate solely on competing.
Yosozumi enjoys the new freedom of having her very own
skatepark (above) to prepare for the event this summer
Next generation
Yosozumi is driven to take part in
contests and improve her skills
while avoiding injuries. This
would be considered lame by
skateboarders from the 1980s
and ’90s, but she’s undeterred.
“Skateboard magazines
sometimes show pictures of
skaters covered in blood – that’s
a part of the culture,” she says.
“People who think that’s cool are
probably more ‘street’ than me,
but I think it’s scary – I don’t want
to get hurt. Also, I promised my
parents that I would always wear
[protective] gear. I just want to
enter as many events as possible.”
As a result, Yosozumi doesn’t
live the hedonistic life often seen
in skateboard videos. When she
wants to take a break from her
tough training schedule – a
minimum of five hours of every
day – instead of partying, she
does origami. (“My grandmother
taught me that origami is a way
to keep my calm and in control
of my mind.”) She also plays
with her brother’s children, and
sharing her skateboarding skills
with the next generation is one
of her goals outside of her career.
“One day I want to teach kids
that age to skateboard,” she says.
“I want to see one of my future
students reach the top as well.”
That ambition might have been
accelerated by chance as a result
of the pandemic. With skateparks
46 THE RED BULLETIN

SKATEBOARDING/SPORTS GUIDE
In 2018, Yosozumi
won a gold medal in the
park event of the Asian
Games in Indonesia
JASON HALAYKO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
closed, Yosozumi asked around
and found a sake distillery that
allowed her to turn a warehouse
into a skatepark. With a range
of ramps, it’s the ideal place to
prepare for this year’s big event.
“Right now, I’m busy training,”
she says. “But one day I’d love to
use the space to hold skateboard
workshops for kids if possible.”
This is the kind of positivity her
parents wanted for their daughter,
and it’s why they named her
Sakura, which means cherry
blossom in Japanese. “We wanted
her to be [like] a cherry blossom
that never wilts and is always is
in bloom,” says her mother. With
Yosozumi’s career on the up, that
name seems like a wise choice.
Get on your
skateboard
1. Bashi Burger
Chance Kawaguchi
Bashi Burger Chance
Kawaguchi is where
you’ll find Sakura when
she’s in Tokyo. “It’s
easier to concentrate
and get a good session
in at spots that I’m
used to,” she says.
“That’s why I always
come here when I’m in
the Kanto. Not only
does Bashi Burger
have great facilities,
you can also have
delicious burgers
during practice.
And Bashi, the owner,
is the best! It’s like a
dream spot for skaters
and BMX riders!”
The location also
offers classes
once a month for both
kids and adults to
learn skateboarding
and BMX riding.
Address:
332-0003 Saitama,
Kawaguchi 5–15–14,
Higashiryoke
2. Kugenuma Seaside
Park Skate Park
This is the largest
skateboarding and
BMX facility on the
Kanto plain. The vast
15,000 square-metre
space is equipped with
a variety of sections,
large and small, for all
levels, from beginner
right up to top street
skater. In November of
2018, construction of
the Kugenuma Combi
Pool, one of the largest
skate bowls in Japan,
was completed.
Located basically on
the Kugenuma coast,
it is also a choice
destination to get out
and enjoy nature.
Address:
251-0037 Kanagawa,
Fujisawa 4– 4–1,
Kugenumakaigan
Gunma
3. Komazawa
Skate Park
In the Komazawa
Olympic Park in
Setagaya Ward lies the
Komazawa Skate Park.
It consists of ramps,
kickers, benches and
manny pads, Here’s
the best thing: It’s free
to use. And because
it’s close to the
Shibuya and Harajuku
fashion areas, it’s
a gathering spot for
some of Tokyo’s most
interesting street
skaters. It’s also
a place where you
can see members of
the new generation
of skateboarders
doing their thing.
Address:
154-0013 Tokyo,
Setagaya City, 1–1
Komazawakoen
Saitama
Tokyo
Kanagawa
2
3
Tochigi
1
Ibaraki
Chiba
THE RED BULLETIN 47

A. Pads
Vital gear Yosozumi
always wears while
skating, a nonnegotiable
promise
made to her parents.
B. Mouthguard
“I’ve been using this
since my dentist told
me that I can exert
more power with it.
Also, it is my lucky
colour – pink.”
C&F. Tools
“I always carry these
with me because
I need them to
assemble a deck.”
D. Wax
This is used on the
deck and trucks for
grinding and sliding
on rails and boxes.
“Rubbing this on the
parts allows me
to slide smoother
with less frictional
resistance. I’ve used it
a lot, so it’s hard to
tell what it is, but when
I bought it was a cute
bear shape.”
A
C
D
E. Keychain
“I’ve been teaching
girls younger than me
how to skateboard
lately. One of those
girls gave me this
keychain as a gift, and
she even wrote my
name on it.”
B
E
F
What’s in
Sakura
Yosozumi’s bag
when she goes
to work?
FLIPPING GEAR
48 THE RED BULLETIN

SKATEBOARDING/SAKURA YOSOZUMI
L
G
K
G. Glove
Worn during warm-ups
and when assembling
a deck for safety. “I like
for the gloves to have
holes in the fingertips
so I can do more
detailed work.”
H
M
H. Contact lenses
“Parks near the sea
have strong winds that
make my contacts
come out, so I always
carry one-day type
back-ups with me.”
I
J
I. Adhesive bandages
“When you do grab
tricks [where your
hands touch the
board], sometimes
your hand gets cut,
so I always carry some
bandages in my pocket
with me.”
J. Compress
K. Skatepark ticket
L. Tape
N
YUSUKE KASHIWAZAKI
M. Hair band
N. Stickers
“I carry stickers from
my sponsors to put
on my deck in case
one comes off while
performing a trick.”
THE RED BULLETIN 49

BMX
MEET THE HOPEFULS, LEARN THE BASICS, FIND THE HOTSPOTS
MARK ALLEN MILLER
IN THIS SECTION
Saya Sakakibara faces her
big challenge alone on page
52 and Rim Nakamura lives
up to his name on page 58.
THE RED BULLETIN 51

BMX/SAYA SAKAKIBARA
CHASING SAYA
The going had to get tough for 21-year-old
BMX superstar Saya Sakakibara to really get
going. Here’s how her brother’s bike accident
made her more mindful – and faster than ever
Words BEN SMITHURST
52 THE RED BULLETIN

In January, 2020, BMX racer
Saya Sakakibara was at a
BMX track near her home in
Helensburgh – 40km south of
Sydney, Australia – with her
brother, Kai. When we met up
with the siblings there for an
interview and photoshoot,
they were among the top 10
BMX racers in the world and
brimming with excitement in
anticipation of the months
ahead. The top goal, of course,
was winning a medal in Tokyo.
But two months later the
circumstances changed
drastically. All events were
postponed or cancelled and
Kai, at 23, was fighting for his
life after a sickening mid-race
crash ruined his chances of
riding his bike competitively
– and, perhaps, ever again.
ANDY GREEN/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
Not for the faint hearted
“BMX racing is a contact
sport,” said Saya on that hot
day in 2020 before tragedy
hit. “It gets violent. Eight
riders, everyone’s trying to
win. It’s carnage.” Her
brother added: “It does feel
like a fight, especially in the
first two-and-a-half seconds
– it’s a battle to get to that
bottom of the hill and in front
of the person next to you.”
BMX racing: it’s not for the
faint hearted. Pro BMX events
are held on Motocross-style
tracks, 300m-400m in length,
over berms and whoops and
jumps. Each race begins with
the field jostling for position
down an eight-metre entry
ramp into their first jump,
a 10-metre gap. Tangles are
common: handlebars, elbows,
knees. Launching skywards
at 55kph, one rider’s pedal
interlocked with an adjacent
bike’s frame, results in
spectacular crashes. Races
are 30-second adrenaline
hits. Mayhem is unavoidable;
THE RED BULLETIN 53

BMX/SAYA SAKAKIBARA
Saya Sakakibara’s brother Kai
crashed his BMX last year and
suffered serious injuries
it’s part of the sport’s thrill.
“But I think that’s the beauty
of BMX,” said Saya. “There’s
a lot of unknowns.”
BMX racing has been an
official event since 2008, but
Freestyle BMX will make its
debut in Tokyo. “Introducing
Freestyle into the Olympics
is not a mistake at all,” said
Saya, “but I feel like, if you
have more knowledge of
BMX, racing is still cooler.”
Born to a Japanese mother
and British father, the
Sakakibaras have always been
about as different as two
siblings could be, even if
they’re both pro athletes.
From the start, Saya was an
overachiever. But Kai – older,
fastidious and obsessive – was
a committed over-analyser.
Sibling symbiosis
Saya and Kai’s relationship
had its tensions. As in most
sports, graduating to the elite
division is a baptism of fire.
Three years Saya’s senior, Kai
reached the professional
ranks before his sister. His
was a typical story of rookie
shock: clambering onto to
the main stage only to be
pole-axed by the big boys.
He was slowly learning to
compete on the big stage.
Elite-level rookie success
seemed impossible at the time
for Saya. “It wasn’t for me,”
she said. But even though she
was still a rookie at the time,
Saya managed to claim Junior
Elite BMX Supercross podium
54 THE RED BULLETIN

“I HAVE DREAMS ABOUT CONTESTS.
AND EVERY TIME I VISUALIZE MY
RUN, I GET SUPER NERVOUS.”
was just like, why does she
train half as much as me,
but is so good?” he said.
Kai had talent and a
monster work ethic. Saya had
incandescent talent, but a
tendency to rest on her
laurels. With the big event
looming, though, they
realised that they’d only be
able to succeed if they figured
out how to get the best out of
each other. For example, Kai
would introduce Saya to new
routines, such as consuming
protein powder supplements
after training, while she
would calm him down during
contests when he felt tense.
Saya took Kai’s advice
to heart. She trained and
trained. She visualised and
diarised. Slowly, things
started to come together in
2019, and her performance
level improved and became
steadier with each event.
literally. No coach, no teammates
and, most crucially,
no brother. When events
called off, she decided to
knuckle down. “Before,” she
says now, “I was very much
piggybacking off Kai. Just
plodding along, doing what
I needed to do. All these years
I’ve grown up having an older
brother and now it feels like
those roles have changed and
I don’t have that person to rely
on anymore. I struggled with
that – sometimes I
still do.”
More ready than ever
By necessity, says Saya, she’s
“kind of inherited Kai’s more
intense characteristics” –
being more independent and
more self-driven, and keeping
herself accountable for every
aspect of her training schedule
and her personal life. “Kai
was motivating us as well as
motivating himself,” she says.
“But now I need to own it.”
It was tough year for the
athlete and blanking out her
brother’s accident during
training has proven
understandably difficult.
“I was worried about what
would happen when I had
my next crash,” she says.
But that hasn’t happened yet.
And for now, Saya considers
herself ready to take on the
challenge of representing
Australia this summer – more
ready than ever. “What I can
say,” she says, ominously, “is
that I’m definitely faster now
than I was last year.”
ANDY GREEN/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
places at her two World Cup
appearances, finishing with
four podiums in her first year.
And she missed only two
finals. Amazingly, in the final
event of her rookie year, Saya
scored first place. “I wouldn’t
really say I was coasting, but
I definitely didn’t expect it,”
she said. “I definitely wasn’t,
you know, going after it.”
According to Saya, her
big brother was frustrated,
irritated and even a little rude
about Saya’s early success. “It
On her own
Then disaster struck. On a
windy February 2020 day at a
World Cup event in Bathurst,
Australia, Kai went down
heavily, his bike folding
beneath him. Saya – who was
awaiting her own race – saw
him fall. A year after Kai’s
crash, the recollection remains
raw for Saya. “I knew it was
bad,” she tells us over the
phone. “I knew straightaway.”
After his crash, Kai was
airlifted to an intensive care
unit in Canberra with critical
head injuries. He didn’t leave
that hospital for two months.
Kai’s recovery – what Saya
calls his “new normal” – is
painstaking. Re-learning to
use his limbs, being able to
speak and dealing with alienlooking
equipment.
All through the pandemic,
Saya trained alone – often
THE RED BULLETIN 55

BMX/EDUCATION
THE RED BULLETIN’S GUIDE TO
What you need to know about the competition in a nutshell
66
COMPETITORS
33 men
33 women
FORMAT
18/48 athletes
compete in each
category; two overall
winners from each
gender
PARK
BMX
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
Riders perform tricks over ramps and
transitions.
Participants: 18 (9 men; 9 women)
Competition structure:
2 runs per rider
• 1 minute per run
Scoring: 5 judges use a 0-99 point
scale to score both runs (the average
of the score from both runs decides
each rider’s final score)
Criteria:
• Style
Height
Variety of tricks
• Creativity
Originality
BMX RACING CLOTHING
AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT
Helmet:
Full-face, with padding and
mouthguard
Clothing:
Gloves, long-sleeve jersey,
long trousers
Footwear:
Closed-toe shoes
CATEGORIES
RACE
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
The goal is to cross the finish line
before anyone else. Tricks aren’t
taken into account and speed is
the only factor that matters.
Participants: 48 (24 men;
24 women)
Race time: Around 40 seconds
Competition structure:
• Quarter-finals: 24 athletes
(4 heats of 6 riders)
• Semi-finals: 16 athletes
(2 heats of 8 riders)
• Finals: 8 athletes
THE TRACK
Overall length: 370 m (men);
350 m (women)
Start ramp: 8m high
First straight 8-10m wide
Rest of the track: No thinner than
5m wide at any point
THE FLAGS:
Green flag: The course is not
obstructed and racing can begin
Yellow flag: The course is
obstructed, competitors should be
held at the gate
Red flag: All competitors
must stop racing instantly
and return to the start to
await further instructions
TRICKS
(PARK)
1. TAILWHIP
2. BACKFLIP
3. TOBOGGAN
4. BARSPIN
5. DOUBLE PEG
1 2 3 4 5
PAUL DUARTE
56 THE RED BULLETIN

RISING HIGH
Kyoto might not be the epicentre of BMX
culture, but that hasn’t kept Rim Nakamura
from chasing his dream. Here, the rising
rider explains how his name shaped his
career and why motivation can make up for
natural disadvantages
Words MIKE SUNDA

BMX/RIM NAKAMURA
SUGURU SAITO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
59

BMX/RIM NAKAMURA
Nearly two decades ago, Rim Nakamura’s father
picked out two kanji characters [Chinese characters
used in Japanese writing] for his son’s first name
that reflected his own long-standing passion for all
things BMX: “wheel” and “dream”. It’s these two
characters that comprise the name Rim, and, as the
19-year-old Japanese rising star goes from strength
to strength, lighting up competitions throughout the
world with his incredible combinations of tricks,
there could not be a more textbook example of
nominative determinism in action.
Not only that, but as he prepares for the big
competition in his home country, in the year that
freestyle BMX makes its big debut, it’s also
remarkably prescient that the first character in
Nakamura’s first name has another meaning that
would seem to suggest that fate is in his favour
when it comes to this summer’s most anticipated
sporting event: “ring”.
“I get asked this a lot recently,” explains his
father, Casa Nakamura. “I never thought about all of
that when I gave him the characters for his name.
But I do think I did a good job in choosing them!”
Like father, like son
It’s fair to say that Nakamura senior deserves to
give himself a pat on the back, even if he’d probably
point out that his son’s accomplishments have
resulted from a combination of absolute talent
and sheer hard work, rather than merely that
fortuitous name. But his father has been an
ever-present pivotal figure in Nakamura’s life,
and integral to his son’s interest in all things BMX.
An institution in their hometown of Kyoto, Casa
built a skatepark for local university students by
hand, and the BMX shop that he still runs to this
day continues to be a beacon for all the riders in
the neighbourhood’s BMX community. It was in
this niche that Nakamura was raised.
“I’ve been BMXing since I was three years old
– it’s something I’ve been doing my whole life,”
he explains. “From as far back as I can remember,
I would be in my dad’s shop with my friends, where
we’d watch BMX DVDs and hang out. Even when
”THERE’S SOMETHING ‘COOL’
ABOUT BMX, IT’S ALL ABOUT
CHALLENGING YOURSELF“
60

JASON HALAYKO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

BMX/RIM NAKAMURA
I was still in school, it was a completely separate
world to my school life. BMX was my world.”
It’s rare to hear stories comparable to
Nakamura’s. The culture surrounding BMX in
Japan remains one that exists firmly outside of the
mainstream, and its community is a tight-knit one,
attracting fervent enthusiasts rather than fairweather
riders. “If the environment here was better,
then the level [among local riders] would naturally
be higher,” Nakamura suggests. “There isn’t much
infrastructure around, so even if you buy a BMX,
there aren’t enough places to practise, and that
doesn’t help the scene’s growth. I hear a lot about
places like California and the Gold Coast in
Australia, where the environment for BMX is
great and the level is really high as a result.”
But inclusion in the big events is helping the
sport attract a broader audience. The second annual
Ark League, an international competition in
Samukawa, Kanagawa, comprising flatland BMX,
skateboarding and breakdance competitions,
attracted an audience of 25,000 people over three
days in 2019, and recent public demonstrations of
flatland BMX in prominent areas like Shibuya’s
Stream Square will only help raise awareness.
Innocence and experience
Nakamura, however, has had a head start, inheriting
his father’s love for BMX, and then also finding
himself inspired by big-name international riders
that would occasionally pass through Japan.
“Dennis Enarson has long been a favourite of mine,”
Nakamura says. “I saw him live in the flesh when I
was younger, when he came to Kyoto, to our local
skatepark. Watching him, you get the feeling like
there’s absolutely nothing that he isn’t able to do. He
can do everything. That’s something I aspire to, also.”
Nakamura speaks with such youthful exuberance
and single-minded passion about the sport of BMX
that it’s easy to think of him as someone taking his
HOW TO BECOME SUPERMAN
The Superman is one of the most iconic air tricks in any freestyle BMX rider’s repertoire, but
it’s also a trick that requires serious panache to pull off. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
2
As you’re jumping,
at the peak of your
elevation, kick your
legs out backwards.
3
Push your arms
forward horizontally,
forming a straight line.
4
As you snap your
elbows and
knees, bring your
bike back down.
1
As you go up the
lip, pull up and
back hard
enough that
you’ll get extra
air than normal.
RIM NAKAMURA’S ADVICE:
“The most important thing about the
Superman trick is you really want to
look like Superman. It’s a simple trick
on paper, but if there’s any bend at all
in your arms or legs, it doesn’t look
cool, so you need to make sure you’re
completely straight!”
5
Go straight
back to your
pedals.
PAUL DUARTE

BMX/SPORTS GUIDE
GARTH MILAN/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
first steps into the competitive arena, but his
attitude belies the wealth of experience that he
already has under his belt.
Despite his young age, he’s already registered
major victories at domestic tournaments such as the
All Japan Championships in 2016, and the prestige
of an X Games gold medal only narrowly evaded
him at Minneapolis 2019, when he came second in
BMX Park. “My main goal has always been to win at
the X Games, and that’s something that I’m striving
towards constantly,” he says. “It’s just a case of
training, being disciplined, and utilising the
experience that I’m constantly building up.”
Pushing the very limit
While eagerly training to achieve another big goal –
a medal this summer – he suffered a tough setback:
In September, he broke a bone in his left heel while
filming a BMX video. “As soon as I hit the ground,
I knew I broke my heel, and I was like, holy crap,” he
says. After the surgery, he found himself on crutches
with his foot in a brace. Only months before the
Games, this could be a spirit-crushing outlook. But
Nakamura found a way to use the unfortunate
situation to his advantage. “I’ve never been a gym guy
before, but due to the accident, I had to refocus, put
all my effort to work on my physical fitness properly,”
he says. “It was a great way to realise the importance
of physical training. I feel very confident now.”
BMX in Japan might not yet compete with the
sport’s traditional heartlands abroad, but it’s this
kind of indestructible positive attitude that sets
Nakamura apart from many of his international
peers. His motivations even transcend the material
side of the sport. “Of course, there’s something
inherently ‘cool’ about BMX, but more than that, it’s
about challenging yourself to do things that you
wouldn’t think you’re able to do,” says Nakamura.
“It’s about finding the satisfaction of accomplishing
things that you’ve been practising for so long and
pushing yourself to the very limit.”
Nerima
Suginami
Setagaya
Nakano
The BMX spots
where Rim rides
1. Murasaki Park
Tokyo
Murasaki Park is one
of Rim’s favourite BMX
spots in Tokyo, and
home to a strong local
community that often
congregates there.
Located in an area
called Kita-Senju, the
outdoor skatepark
boasts a larger
repertoire of street
and transition
obstacles than most,
and lays claim to a
four-metre vert ramp
that’s much bigger
than other ramps in
the city’s other parks.
There’s also a section
for inline, with spines,
jump ramps and
banks that are lined up,
park style, making this
one of the city’s best
locations for beginners
and advanced BMX
riders alike.
Address:
120-0024 Tokyo,
Senjusekiyacho,
19−1 Amazing Square
2
Itabashi
Shibuya
3
Toshima
Shinjuku
Meguro
Bunkyo
Chiyoda
Minato
Shinagawa
Ota
Kita
Chuo
2. Trinity B3
Skate Park
Easily accessible
from some of Tokyo’s
biggest transit hubs
like Ikebukuro and
Shinjuku, Trinity B3 is
an all-weather indoor
skate park in Itabashi
that caters to
practitioners of all
types of action sports,
and across all levels.
They also have a
school with instructors
for both street and
flatland styles of BMX,
making this a great
spot for young budding
riders.
Address:
174-0041 Tokyo,
Itabashi,
Funado 4–12–20
Taito
Adachi
Arakawa
1
Sumida
Koto
Katsushikaiku
Edogawa
3. Setagaya
Skate Park
Whereas the majority
of public parks in
Tokyo are notorious
for their ubiquity of
signs that decry ‘no
ball games’, ‘no
skateboarding’, and,
essentially, no fun,
Setagaya park is
both delightfully
idiosyncratic and
also still conveniently
located in the west
of the city. It’s home
to a mini steam train
that loops around the
park grounds (a
favourite for small
children), a DIY
playground for older
kids and a skatepark
that has a flatrail, a
manny pad and lots
of curb to grind on,
making this a great
option for a quick
ride at weekends.
Address:
154-0001 Tokyo,
Setagaya,
Ikejiri 1–5–27
THE RED BULLETIN 63

COMMITTED.
There’s only one way to reach the top. You try and try again. There’s always failure. You learn
from your past mistakes. Train some more. Gain experience. Then you try harder. Fail and fall
again. You take a beating. Get hurt. And keep coming back. But in the end, when you pull past
the point of no return, steady your breath, and stare down what’s between you and success,
you know what you have to do. Commit. We know what it takes. At Black Diamond, we’re
committed to catching the falls along the way.
BD Athlete Adam Ondra, Hachioji, Japan
Lukas Biba

CLIMBING
MEET THE HOPEFULS, LEARN THE BASICS, FIND THE HOTSPOTS
MARK ALLEN MILLER
IN THIS SECTION
Shauna Coxsey reveals how
injuries make her stronger
on page 66 and Kai Harada
explains why setting himself
new challenges helps him
achieve his goals on page 76.
THE RED BULLETIN 65

CLIMBING/SHAUNA COXSEY
THE ONLY WAY IS UP
Shauna Coxey’s bouldering skills have made her the UK’s
most successful competition climber. Now she faces a new
challenge: This summer, Coxey and her peers will compete
in three disciplines, two of which she has no high-level
experience in. This is the story of a world champion that had
to become a student again. Words MATT BLAKE Photography RICK GUEST

Gripping stuff:
Coxsey has her eye
on the gold medal
67

CLIMBING/SHAUNA COXSEY
“IT’S ONLY
20 PER CENT
ABOUT STRENGTH”
hauna Coxsey has no respect for
gravity. The most successful
competitive climber in British
history has spent her entire life
flouting the Earth’s planetary
pull. Right now, she’s dangling
breezily from an overhanging
wedge of artificial rock at a
bouldering cavern in Plymouth,
Devon. Yet Coxsey seems as
relaxed as a bat at bedtime.
She hoiks her right foot onto
a fluorescent pink handhold
above her head, sways her body
right, then left to gain momentum
– setting her long, blonde ponytail
swinging like a pendulum – and
launches herself into the air with
a dynamic move that appears to
be another breach of natural law.
Then, using just three fingers
on her right hand, she catches
herself on a hold the size of a hot
cross bun. Climbers call this a
‘dyno’, but to mere mortals she
might as well be flying.
The 28-year-old from
Runcorn, Cheshire, is the best
female climber there is right now.
Or, more accurately, the best
female boulderer. Bouldering is a
climbing discipline that involves
the gymnastic negotiation of
short routes, or ‘problems’, close
to the ground and without a
rope. This demanding sport
68 THE RED BULLETIN

equires climbers to think quickly
in competition to plot a route to
the top of a wall, against the
clock – and Coxsey excels at it.
In June 2017, she won the
Women’s Bouldering title at the
International Federation of Sport
Climbing (IFSC) World Cup
for the second year in a row.
Then, in 2019, she won two
bronze medals at the IFSC
Climbing World Championships
in Hachioji, Japan, in bouldering
and the combined event. She’s
also the third woman ever to
scale a V14-difficulty rock face.
Oh, and she has an MBE for
services to the sport.
Three is the magic number
But, surprisingly for someone at
the forefront of a professional
sport, when in August 2016 it was
announced that climbing would
make its debut this summer,
Coxsey knew that she would have
to become a student again for
what will be, without doubt,
the toughest test of her career
so far. The catch is: athletes
must compete in three separate
climbing disciplines – lead, speed
and bouldering – and Coxsey has
almost no top-level experience in
two of them. “It’s like asking Usain
Bolt to run a marathon, then do
an egg-and-spoon race,” she
laughs. “They’re not just different
disciplines, they’re completely
different sports.”
Unlike bouldering, lead
climbing requires competitors
to tether themselves to a 15m
wall for safety as they climb as
high as they can. Competitive
lead-climbing events were first
established in the mid-’80s in
Italy and were staged on real
rock, but in their modern form
they take place on towering,
eye-catching structures. Then
there’s speed climbing, which
is not only the oldest of the
disciplines – its competitive
origins date back to 1940s Russia
– but also the most explosive
as climbers scurry up 15m-high
walls in under eight seconds.
The triathlon format has
proved controversial; purists
have branded it a gimmick that
ridicules the art of each specialist
discipline. But, after a lot of
thought, Coxsey has accepted
the challenge. “In a lot of ways
it makes sense,” she says. “It will
showcase our sport. And I never
imagined in my wildest dreams
that climbing would be an
Olympic sport. It’s such a young
sport. This is like someone going,
‘Oh, you can go to Mars if you
want.’ It feels that unlikely.”
Coxsey decided to approach
the task with characteristic gusto.
“I can’t think of one person
who stands out in all three
disciplines. But I’ve always
been a person who, if I’m
motivated to do something, is
willing to give 110 per cent.”
THE RED BULLETIN 69

Coxsey has been
climbing since the
age of four

CLIMBING/SHAUNA COXSEY
“IT’S ALMOST
LIKE PLAYING
CHESS AGAINST
THE WALL”
Finding her forte
Coxsey has always been this way
when it comes to her sport.
“Asking me what I love about
climbing is like asking someone
why they like walking or
breathing,” she shrugs. Her
obsession began at the age of
four. “She was sat on my knee,
watching TV,” recalls her dad
Mike, an IT consultant. “And a
film about [French freeclimber]
Catherine Destivelle came on.
Shauna looked up at me and said,
‘Daddy, can I do that?’ I said,
‘I don’t see why not.’” And so it
began. “It became a thing we
did on a Sunday,” recalls Mike.
“She’d come over and we’d spend
all day climbing. She wanted to
learn. She never tired of it. Not
once.” They would spend the
next decade driving across the
UK, to and from competitions. As
bouldering became more widely
recognised as a distinct climbing
discipline thanks to YouTube
videos and specialist blogs,
Coxsey was part of an explosion
in popularity of this accessible,
equipment-light sport. By the
time she was 19, it was clear she
had a rare ability to overcome its
mental and physical tests, and
she decided to spend her gap year
seeing if she could make it as a
pro. Nine years on, Coxsey still
hasn’t made it to university. As
well as advancing her own skills,
she’s furthered her sport by
founding the Women’s Climbing
Symposium, an annual event
aimed at inspiring more women
to take up the sport that now
attracts hundreds of female
climbers each year.
Winning is about
mind and body
So what makes Coxsey better
than all those other dedicated
climbers? “A lot of people
think climbing is about upper
body strength, but you don’t need
to do a pull-up to climb a wall,”
she says, before effortlessly
performing a pull-up to prove her
point. “Bouldering is only 20 per
cent about strength. To win, you
have to be in control of your
mind even more than your body.
It’s about working out routes
before you climb, like a puzzle.”
This, it seems, is one of the
things that sets Coxsey apart from
other climbers. “What makes
Shauna the best isn’t her
strength,” says her trainer and
long-term friend Leah Crane. “It’s
an understanding of the climb
before she does it. It’s about route
reading, finger strength and
coordination. And it’s the ability
to bring them out first go – not
third go and not fifth go – that’s
leaving everyone else behind.”
When Coxsey looks at
a boulder, she doesn’t see a
boulder but a Rubik’s Cube –
unfurled and made of plywood
and resin. And her ability to
quickly solve these mental
conundrums translates into
physical grace: she doesn’t so
much climb a wall as dance across
it, swinging, twisting, thrusting
and gliding. “When I’m on a wall,
I’m not thinking about what I
need to do because I’ve already
worked it out,” she says. “It’s
almost like playing chess against
the wall. You’re always thinking
two or three moves ahead.”
71

CLIMBING/SHAUNA COXSEY
At 163cm tall, Coxsey
is petite but strong,
and her muscular grip
and agility are key to
her success
Injuries are a blessing
There are few people who could
be described as having athletic
fingers, but Coxsey is one of them.
They’re key to her success, as well
Coxsey knows from trying to get
by without one of them. In
January 2018, she snapped the
tendon inside her right ring
finger almost clean in half. “I was
climbing outdoors and I went to
go for a move and it went bang!
Actually, it was more of a pop;
a really loud, satisfying pop.
Everyone heard it go. It turned
out to be a rupture of my A2
pulley tendon.”
There aren’t many sports in
which a pulled finger would be
more disruptive. But Coxsey finds
new possibilities in such setbacks.
“Injuries are always a blessing
in disguise,” she says. “They
give you an opportunity to work
on something you wouldn’t
otherwise have time for.”
That injury forced her to work
on “glute strength, leg strength,
explosivity”. That, and climbing
one-handed. “Not being able to
climb makes me want to climb
even more,” she says. Over the
years, the world champion has
had plenty of practice at resisting
that urge. She’s broken her leg,
dislocated shoulders, had a litany
of muscle tears up and down her
arms, damaged cartilage in her
knees and ruptured fingers.
“If you can stay positive, you can
make use of the time and come
back stronger,” Coxsey says.
“I never want to come back and
just be as good as I was – I want to
come back better. And now I am.”
Learning and improving
Like many people, Coxsey saw
her optimism tested in 2020.
When COVID-19 struck, events
were called off and most climbing
centres in the UK were closed.
On top of that, she and her fiancé,
fellow climber Ned Feehally, had
to postpone their wedding. “I am
good at focusing on what I can
control and accepting what I
can’t,” she says. “For sure it hasn’t
been easy during the pandemic,
but I have been focusing on what
I can train at home. Physically
I am way fitter on the wall than
I have ever been and that’s entirely
down to my coaching team being
so innovative and passionate.”
Although her training routine
has changed in a lot of ways, her
goals haven’t changed at all. “The
focus still remains for me and my
team to ensure that my body is as
resilient as possible and that I feel
healthy, fit, strong and, most
importantly, happy [competing]
across all three disciplines,”
she explains.
A victory this year would
be the pinnacle of a climbing
career that already contains some
extraordinary accomplishments,
but Coxsey isn’t counting. So
what is it about her approach
that brings her so much success?
“The Games still feel so surreal to
me and there is a lot of pressure,”
she says. “But I just want to be
the best possible climber I can be.
Learning and improving are all
that motivate me.”
HAIR AND MAKE-UP: KATIE BEVERIDGE USING CLINIQUE
72 THE RED BULLETIN

CLIMBING/EDUCATION
THE RED BULLETIN’S GUIDE TO
SPORT CLIMBING
What you need to know about the competition in a nutshell
40
COMPETITORS
20 men
20 women
FORMAT
Athletes compete in
all three disciplines,
one overall winner
in each gender
SCORING
Calculated by taking the
multiplication of the
climbers’ rankings in
each climbing discipline,
with the best score being
the lowest one
Qualification
round:
20 athletes
Final round:
8 athletes
DISCIPLINES
BOULDERING
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
Climb as many problems as
possible in the least possible moves
Wall height: 4m
Rope: No
Time restriction: Four minutes
for each problem
Skills needed: Power, flexibility,
dynamic, technical
SPEED CLIMBING
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
Two competitors; fastest to
the top wins
Wall height: 15m with 5-degree
overhang
Rope: Yes
Time restriction: N/A. The
current world record is 5.48s
Skills needed: Athleticism,
explosive power
LEAD CLIMBING
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
Climb as high as possible in
the time limit
Wall height: 15m with
at least a 7m overhang
Rope: Yes
Time restriction: Six minutes
Skills needed:
Power, endurance
EQUIPMENT
Shoes
Belay device
Rope
Harness
Quickdraws
Chalk bag
SHOW THE
ROPES
LENGTH
Ropes range from 30-80m in length; a length
of 60m is considered standard.
THICKNESS
Generally speaking, a thinner rope is lighter.
The diameter ranges from heavy-duty ropes
(10-11mm) to standard (9.5-10mm) and skinny
(8-9.5mm) being the weakest type.
COILING
Beginners use the butterfly coil to
avoid twists; advanced climbers prefer
the mountaineer’s coil.
HOLDS
1. PINCH
2. UNDERCLING
3. CRIMP
4. JUG
5. SLOPER
6. POCKET
1 2 3 4 5
A hold you need
to ‘pinch’ with
the whole hand,
requiring a lot
of strength.
The hold’s
grabby bit faces
downwards, so
bicep strength
is beneficial.
A small and
shallow hold
that can only
be held by the
finger tips.
Shaped like
a cupboard
handle; only
the fingers
can fit inside.
A hold with no
obvious gripping
point, held using
the friction of
your hand.
6
Holds with
an opening,
grip with
three or
less fingers.
THE RED BULLETIN 73

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BEYOND
THE WALL
Kai Harada has gone
to great lengths to
earn his reputation
as one of Japan’s
best young climbers,
from setting himself
mammoth challenges
in the gym to fasting
for two weeks – get
to know him here
Words MIKE SUNDA
76 THE RED BULLETIN

CLIMBING/KAI HARADA
SUGURU SAITO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
Should you ever feel like you could
do with a jaw drop, watch one of
Kai Harada’s climbing videos.
There’s this particular
one from the 2019 World
Championship’s Men Finals in
Hachioji, Japan, where Harada
hangs in the overhanging wall,
contemplates for a moment,
looks up and then, with an
energetic outburst, lunges onto
a small hold one metre up and
then pulls his body up with
only two fingers. Gravity?
Absent, apparently. Even the
commentator is flabbergasted:
“Ohhh! I do not know how
he held onto that,” he shouts.
“Breathtaking stuff from
Kai Harada, you can see world
champion calibre here.”
A year before that, the then
19-year-old Harada unexpectedly
won the Bouldering Climbing
World Championships 2018 in
Innsbruck, Austria, beating title
contenders like Adam Ondra
and Tomoa Narasaki. For Harada,
who’s admired by his peers for
his quick moves and calmness
during competitions, this victory
marked the first first peak of
a journey that started when he
was ten years old in his home
of Kanagawa Prefecture.
Now Harada is intent on
establishing his name among the
pantheon of climbing’s top stars.
THE RED BULLETIN 77

CLIMBING/KAI HARADA
the red bulletin: How did
you first get into climbing?
kai harada: When I was young,
I always loved playing outdoors,
and I just loved sports in general.
It was actually by chance that I
got into climbing at ten years old,
when I went to a climbing gym
near my house. I thought I’d just
try it out, but from the first day
I was hooked – I stayed there the
whole day and that was it.
What did you enjoy about it?
It was just simply the thrill of
climbing up something tall. It
doesn’t take much more than
that when you’re a kid.
What was the climbing scene
like back then?
It wasn’t popular at all back then
– my friends had no idea what
climbing even was. There
basically weren’t any other kids
“It’s going to be very special
to compete at home”
my age at the climbing gym
I went to – just guys in their
twenties and thirties, but they
were all welcoming and really
supportive.
Why did you decide to start
your own YouTube climbing
channel? Was it to give back
to the community?
The main thing was just that
I wanted more people to know
about climbing. I couldn’t find
any other climbers making videos
on YouTube, and I thought it
could be useful for people getting
into the sport. There’s more
than just the competitive aspect,
though – there’s also the beauty
of the outdoors, along with all
SUGURU SAITO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
78 THE RED BULLETIN

CLIMBING/SPORTS GUIDE
of those other amazing aspects
that draw people to climbing too;
they’re all important to share.
When did you realise that
climbing could become more
than just a hobby for you?
It’s actually only very recently
that I started to think about
dedicating myself and my future
to the sport of climbing. I’ve been
participating in competitions
since I was in high school, but
even then, I hadn’t thought about
it as a career – that’s a decision
that’s come about recently.
Taking any sport from hobby
to pro level obviously requires
an incredible amount of focus
and training. How have you
kept yourself motivated?
Since the very beginning it’s
always been as simple as just
setting myself challenges in the
climbing gyms and then trying
to overcome as many of them as
possible. If it’s set up as a route in
a gym, then I figure that it should
be doable, so I always approach
it from that perspective and then
I get really annoyed if I’m not
able to complete it. And then
that becomes the fun part in itself
– figuring out what I need to do
to overcome that challenge, and
then the next one, and the one
after that. It’s never-ending!
Speaking of taking on new
challenges, is it true you
undertook a two-week-long
fast. What was that about?
It was actually my first time
trying it, and it was not so much
me doing it specifically for
climbing-related reasons; rather,
it was more of a holistic approach
to making sure that my body was
detoxed and to make sure that
I’m physically in peak condition
to then step up my training.
Is this something that athletes
typicially do a lot in the
climbing community?
I haven’t really heard of anyone
else in my peer group doing
similar – I think I’m the first!
How are you feeling about the
big event ahead?
It’s going to be very special to
compete at home, but I don’t feel
any extra pressure in terms of
expectations with it being here.
Gunma
Climb like Kai
1. B-PUMP Ogikubo
Situated out west in
the quiet confines of
Ogikubo, B-Pump is
one of the most wellknown
climbing gyms
in Tokyo, offering
something for both
beginners and
seasoned climbers
alike. “I like B-Pump
because you can do
everything there,”
explains Harada.
“Whether it’s the
size of the walls, or
the breadth of inclines
that you’re looking
for, B-Pump has it
all, which makes it
somewhere I often
go to train.”
Address:
167-0043 Tokyo,
Suginami City,
Kamiogi 1−10−12,
Ogikubo Toa, 3F
Saitama
Tokyo
Kanagawa
1 2
Tochigi
Ibaraki
Chiba
2. Rocky Climbing &
Fitness Gym
Of all Tokyo’s 23
wards, Shinjuku could
be the one that least
promotes a healthy
lifestyle, given its
reputation for nightlife.
But it’s also home to
one of Tokyo’s largest
climbing gyms, Rocky
Climbing & Fitness
Gym, which spreads
over 500 square
metres. Harada trains
there frequently: “I just
practised there today
– it has relatively large
walls and lots of
inclines, which makes
it great for the more
punishing, physical
aspects of training.”
Address:
162-0066 Tokyo,
Shinjuku City, 14-6
Ichigayadaimachi, B1
THE RED BULLETIN 79

GUIDE
TOKYO’S FINEST RESTAURANTS, (SPORTS) BARS AND NIGHT CLUBS
GETTY IMAGES
IN THIS SECTION
How to start your night on page
82, where to watch the action
on page 90 and what to do for
a big night out on page 92.
THE RED BULLETIN 81

EAT&DRINK
From intimate gig venues to fancy eateries and stunning
rooftop bars, Tokyo has got it all.
CÉ LA VI TOKYO
Even though Cé La Vi Tokyo opened
quite recently (December 2019), it feels
like a throwback to the sort of nightlife
institutions that thrived during the city’s
economic bubble in its hedonistic heyday
of the late 1980s. With a smart-casual
dress code, a panoramic cityscape view
and a sophisticated mixology lounge,
Cé La Vi Tokyo brings back an air of
extravagance that was largely absent
during the country’s so-called ‘lost
decade’ that took place following the
Japanese asset price bubble’s collapse in
late 1991 and early 1992. Try the bar’s
signature cocktail, Nagomi, which uses
generous amounts of top-quality matcha
(green tea) powder from one of its
spiritual homes, the hilly terrains of Uji
in Kyoto, or their bao burgers, which
feature premium ingredients like softshell
crab and Japanese wagyu beef.
Address
150-0043 Tokyo, Shibuya City,
Dogenzaka 1−2−3, Tokyu Plaza Shibuya 17F/18F
Website
celavitokyo.com
Tokyo’s branch
of Singapore’s
popular rooftop
bar covers the
the building’s
17th and 18th
floor and offers
stunning views
of the Shibuya
skyline
82 THE RED BULLETIN

EAT & DRINK
AZUMAYA
Wander up the gentle slope of
Dogenzaka, Shibuya’s main road for
nightlife, and at the top, just off to
the right-hand side, you’ll find O-East,
a sizeable live music venue. Although
known for attracting head-banging
rockers to its frequent punk shows,
these days you’ll also see a more
unassuming crowd wearing stylish
plain-black T-shirts and jeans. That’s
because tucked inside O-East is
Azumaya, a techno-oriented club space
that’s at the forefront of a new wave
of Tokyo’s music bars. The focus here
is firmly on local DJs: from techno
mainstays like Wata Igarashi to younger
crews such as CYK, everyone gets
a turn here. On top of all that, there
are licensed sake sommeliers working
behind the bar who will happily
recommend bottles that aren’t
listed on the menu.
Address
150-0043 Tokyo, Shibuya City,
Dogenzaka 2−14−8, TSUTAYA O-EAST 2F
Website
azumaya.jp
LIVING ROOM
CAFE
Unless the founders of Living Room Cafe
are living in a radically different world to
the rest of us, its title is quite the misnomer.
Boasting a huge 1,200 square metres of
floorspace and 300 seats, this live music
venue in Shibuya is bigger than most
Tokyoite’s apartments, let alone their
living rooms. But the whole thing makes
for a fantastically comfortable and
convenient option for whenever you’re in
the neighbourhood and fancy sitting down
for a concert. The venue is split into six
different sections, so ask to be seated in
the Patio, which offers the best view of the
stage, and from which you can expect to
hear classically trained pianists and jazz
ensembles in the vein of a classy hotel bar.
Built on the
concept of
artists inviting
their friends into
their apartment,
Living Room
Café is a unique
gem, even at a
place that is rich
with live music
venues like
Shibuya
Address
150-0043 Tokyo, Shibuya City,
Dogenzaka 2−29−5, Shibuya Prime 5F
Website
livingroomcafe.jp
THE RED BULLETIN 83

EAT & DRINK
NISHIAZABU
IMADOKI
TRIP BAR
Since opening in October 2019, Trip Bar
in Nishiazabu has claimed to be Tokyo’s
first ever VDJ Bar and Lounge, which
refers to a DJ that mixes tracks with
a combination of both live visuals and
audio. The former are displayed across
seven different oversized screens
throughout the bar, making this a multisensory
experience even before you
engage your taste buds – no wonder the
menu skews towards attention-grabbing
dishes, like a delightfully rich caviar
and sea urchin tagliatelle, as well as
a premium katsu sandwich made with
the highest-quality Hida beef, from
cattle raised in Gifu Prefecture.
Address
106-0031 Tokyo, Minato City,
Nishiazabu 1−14−17, WAVE Nishiazabu 1-2F
Website
nishiazabu-tripbar.com
Imadoki is an example of an izakaya,
a Japanese establishment that’s halfway
between a restaurant and bar, where
you’ll typically go with a group of friends
and while away an evening by sharing
numerous small plates of food and even
more numerous rounds of drinks. This
particular izakaya is swankier than most,
located in central Tokyo’s Nishiazabu,
one of the posher parts of town. The
top-quality sashimi and wagyu beef on
the menu is befitting of the location, but
Imadoki’s surprising speciality is actually
motsu-nabe, a hotpot filled with a variety
of offal and tripe cooked in a style that
originates from Hakata, Fukuoka, which
is on the northern shore of Kyushu.
Address
106-0031 Tokyo, Minato City,
Nishiazabu 2−25−19, BARBIZON28 1F
Website
imadoki.jp
M E Z Z O
With its glitzy, golden sign and its
location right in the ‘middle’ of Roppongi
(from which it derives its Italian name of
mezzo), this relatively new addition to
the area’s bar scene is impossible to
miss. Despite its upscale branding,
the ambience on the ground floor is
welcoming and unusually wholesome,
with a fresh fruit buffet (to go with
your fresh-fruit cocktails) available on
weekdays. The upstairs is another story
entirely, ramping up the exclusivity with
a VIP members-only section that requires
an exclusive PIN code to enter. Book
ahead and reserve a table if that’s more
the atmosphere you’re looking for – just
make sure you have a notepad on hand
to jot down your PIN code, which you’ll
receive when you make the booking.
Go to Mezzo in
Roppongi for
exclusivity and
fresh fruit;
and don’t miss
the venue’s
exclusive bar
upstairs that
requires a PIN
code to get in
Address
106-0032 Tokyo, Minato City,
Roppongi 5−1−7, Roppongi Street Building 1F/2F
Website
mezzo.tokyo
84 THE RED BULLETIN

EAT & DRINK
THE RED BULLETIN 85

EAT & DRINK
PLUSTOKYO
Much like some of the obscure,
exclusive bottles hidden away at the
back of his bar, Japanese mixologist
Shuzo Nagumo is a rare breed indeed.
Both an ideas man and an intensely
driven entrepreneur who brings those
ideas to life, Nagumo is learning that the
success he’s found doing the latter has
radically impacted his day-to-day routine.
“I used to spend hours every day
dreaming up new cocktail creations,”
says Nagumo. “Whereas now I can barely
find time between running the business.”
It seems that Nagumo’s imagination
is the thing that initially propelled him to
stardom in the global bar scene, where
he became known for cocktails that were
brimming both with technical expertise
and whimsical creativity.
In particular, it was his adventurous
attempt to take the essence of savoury
foods and dishes, and turn them into
cocktails – from a foie-gras-infused
vodka martini to a Tom Yum Goonginspired
mojito – that captured hearts
and gluttonous palates alike.
“Because I have to be so efficient with
all of my ideation, I’ve really gone from
experimenting with all kinds of different
ingredients behind the bar to then
conceptualising the drinks in my mind,
and making notes like crazy,” he says,
referring to various examples on his
smartphone, including a cacao-based
cocktail that represents one of Nagumo’s
latest brainwaves.
After working his way up from being
a trainee bartender at Nobu London
to reaching the top of his game and
becoming a respected mixologist,
Nagumo is currently responsible for six
different bars across Tokyo, the business
aspect of which now occupies much of
his time. Each of these bars has their
own identity, expressed by a specific
With crazy
concotions like
foie-gras-infused
cocktails and
cool concepts
with a focus on
sustainability,
Shuzo Nagumo
is a bona-fide
innovator in
Japan’s quirky
bar scene
86 THE RED BULLETIN

EAT & DRINK
”I used to spend hours every
day dreaming up new cocktail
creations”
thematic direction: from Mixology Salon,
in Ginza, which incorporates fresh green
tea powder sourced directly from tea
shops in the Japanese hinterlands in its
signature cocktails, to PlusTokyo, which
has a menu that uses the domestic
staples of Shochu (typically distilled
from rice, barley or sweet potatoes)
and Awamori, an indigenous Okinawan
beverage distilled from rice.
“These are Japanese products that
are historically significant, but most
people now only consume the cheap
bottles, or order drinks like a lemon sour,
where they’re mixed with fruit juice,”
says Nagumo. “I want my customers to
understand that there are all sorts of
high-quality Shochu and Awamori, which
informed the theme behind this bar.”
To that extent, Nagumo frequently
travels all around Japan, visiting local
distilleries and educating their staff
about the sort of products they should
be aiming to make, both for bartenders
such as him, and to keep up to date with
current consumer trends.
With the opening of several more
bars in the very near future, Nagumo is
also managing to turn his attention to
something that his industry is grappling
with all around the world: sustainability.
“Whether it’s the bottles that the
beverages themselves are packaged in
or the use of certain ingredients, all kinds
of bars around the world are far from
being sustainable or environmentally
friendly, and it’s a real challenge to turn
that around,” he explains.
With his newest venture, Nagumo
translates this philosophy into action: at
memento mori (Latin for ‘remember that
you must die’), his focus lays on pairing
the use of fresh herbs and locally grown
botanicals with avoiding packaging and
material that isn’t recycleable – an
innovative approach that once again
affirms Nagumo’s role as a visionary of
the Tokyo bar scene.
BOTANICAL
WING
A recipe by
Shuzo Nagumo
40ml NEMA
(non-alcoholic gin)
5ml Lemon juice
5ml Fresh ginger juice
120ml Red Bull
Moderate amount of
mint leaves or mint
purée (to taste)
Pour the ingredients
in the above order into
a glass with ice, gently
mix together, and
then garnish with the
herbs in a bouquet.
This tastes like a nonalcoholic
version of the
Garden Buck cocktail.
Type of glass: Tumbler
Type of ice: Crushed
Address
104-0061 Tokyo,
Ginza 1−8−19, Kirarito Ginza 12F/RF
Website
plustyo.com
THE RED BULLETIN 87

EAT & DRINK
UORIKI
SHIBUYAYOKOCH0
The Shibuya Yokocho, or Shibu-Yoko
for short, is a long stretch of drinking
establishments and eateries that runs
adjacent to the recently developed
Miyashita Park shopping complex, and
arguably rivals any yokocho in Tokyo
for sheer selection and variety. Whether
it’s regional ingredients flown in from
deepest Hokkaido or Okinawan
specialities true to the island’s food
culture, you can run the gamut of
Japanese cuisine in the hundred-or-so
metres that comprise Shibu-Yoko. If you
don’t want to move even a little, then just
sit yourself down at Uoriki and let them
bring you a selection of fresh fish that
will cover the length and breadth of the
country. They receive the freshest
supplies directly from all across Japan,
from fugu (blowfish) from Yamaguchi
and oysters from Hiroshima, through to
a delicious soup stewed from monkfish
caught in Kuji, making for a dining
experience that will undoubtedly include
some rarities to delight even the most
well-travelled connoisseurs.
Address
150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya City,
Jingumae 6−20−10,
South 1F Rayard Miyashita Park
Website
mitsui-shopping-park.com/urban/miyashita/
store/1568925.html
Uoriki is every
fish lover’s
dream come
true, serving
delicacies from
all over the
country
88 THE RED BULLETIN

EAT & DRINK
NIKUMARUEN
NIKUYOKOCHO
From the giant ‘niku’ (‘meat’) kanji
character that makes up the restaurant’s
logo to the way that it describes itself as
a ‘theme park for meat’, Nikumaruen is
truly a carnivorous affair that eschews
subtlety in every aspect of its being. Any
first-time visitor should try the shimofuri-don
– a dish truly representative of
the restaurant’s philosophy, comprising
a rice bowl topped with hearty amounts
of raw mincemeat and garnished with
a raw egg yolk. Follow this up with some
of their giant-sized cuts of fried chicken,
which are served with wasabi-infused
mayonnaise, and wash it all down with
anything that takes your fancy under
the establishment’s reasonably priced
all-you-can-drink policy. You can find
Nikumaruen, unsurprisingly, bang in the
middle of Shibuya’s niku-yokocho (‘meat
street’) – where else could it be?
Address
150-0042 Tokyo, Shibuya City,
Udagawacho 13−8, 2F/3F
Website
nikuyokocho.jp/shop/shop-maruen/
NIKUSUSHI
SHIBUYA
DOGENZAKA
As the restaurant’s moniker suggests,
Nikusushi is an izakaya-style eatery that
serves the finest cuts of raw meat in the
style of sushi. Wagyu beef is very much
the name of the game for the most part
– renowned around the world for its
exquisite marbling, it’s impossible not to
be struck by the sheer aesthetic beauty of
the cuts of meat when they’re served raw,
and the taste is even better. That’s not to
say that there isn’t more to the menu: just
as a sushi chef would serve up the freshest
fish based on seasonality, the Nikusushi
chefs are always updating their specials
– last summer, their recommendation was
a hearty plate of raw horse-meat to keep
the body full of nutrients.
The chefs at
Nikusushi use a
unique cooking
method called
“vacuum lowtemperature
cooking” for
their meaty
sushi dishes
Address
150-0043 Tokyo, Shibuya City,
Dogenzaka 1−11−2, 1/2/3F
Website
nikusushi.ne.jp/shoplist/dougenzaka
THE RED BULLETIN 89

WATCH
Soccer, screens and drinks. The holy trinity of sports bars is
alive and well in Tokyo with British and American pubs
If you want to
enjoy watching
football, rugby
and baseball
games with likeminded
sport
fans, look no
further than
British-style pub,
Hub 82, which
has around 110
stores in Japan
Get your fill of
Americana at
Hooters at
several locations
in Tokyo and
watch a litany of
sports at Dazn
Circle in Shibuya
or 99 Sports Bar
in Minato City
90 THE RED BULLETIN

WATCH
TASUICHI
HUB+82
SHIBUYA PARCO
BRANCH
In a city where you could drink at a
different bar every night and still never
run out of options, it might seem strange
that one of the most well-known and
well-loved institutions is actually a chain
of faux-British pubs called Hub. But
there’s something inherently appealing
about Hub’s kitschy take on British pub
culture, both when it replicates it
accurately (a range of perfectly poured
pints) and also when it throws a cultural
curveball, such as offering deep-fried
spaghetti as one of its go-to beer snacks.
And if you go often enough, you might
even find yourself eligible for Hub’s
coveted gold card, which is surely the
coolest loyalty club in town.
Address
150-8377 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Udagawacho 15−1,
Shibuya PARCO B1F
Website
pub-hub.com
FURTHER BRANCH:
HUB SHIBUYA CENTER-GAI BRANCH
Address:
150-0042 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Udagawacho 22−2
SHIBUYA NISHIMURA SOUHONTEN BLDG. B1F
A long-standing Shibuya staple, Tasuichi
is a no-frills drinking establishment that
has retained its patch of prime real
estate on Center-Gai – the pedestrian
shopping street that starts directly
opposite the famous Shibuya Crossing
– even as other shops have come and
gone around it. The selection of drinks
is fairly rudimentary, but considering a
glass of nama-biiru (the Japanese phrase
for ordering whatever draft beer happens
to be on tap) is ridiculously cheap, and
live sports shown on a number of TVs
dotted around the room, it’s no surprise
that this standing-only bar is almost
always packed full to the brim, skewing
particularly towards expats happy to
embrace its deliberately rowdy nature.
Address
150-0042 Tokyo, Shibuya City,
Udagawacho 33-14
Website
tasuichi.co.jp
HOOTERS
GINZA
Although Hooters is known all over the
world for scantily clad female staff, its
Tokyo branches are far from raunchy
when you compare them to the litany
of strip bars scattered throughout the
city. Instead, they offer a fun slice of
Americana that extends to the food
menu, which authentically replicates
that of the chain’s motherland.
And given the paltry number of chains
offering American classics in Tokyo,
when someone here says they want
to go to Hooters just for the wings, they
might actually be telling the truth.
Address
104-0061 Tokyo, Chuo City, Ginza 8−5,
GINZA NINE 1-2F
Website
hooters.co.jp
THE RED BULLETIN 91

PARTY
Find out about Asia’s largest disco ball, Justin Bieber’s favourite
after-show hang-out and Tokyo’s most luxurious VIP rooms
WOMB
Rising to fame after being featured
prominently in Alejandro González
Iñárritu’s Oscar-winning film, Babel,
Shibuya nightclub Womb opened in
2000, and two decades later still
remains a lynchpin of the capital’s club
culture. As well as attracting big-name
international DJs every weekend, Womb
boasts an additional three floors, with
a genre policy spanning everything from
tech-house to drum-and-bass, and is
even home to Asia’s largest disco ball,
hanging over the centre of its main room.
Address
150-0044 Tokyo, Shibuya City,
Maruyamacho 2-16
Website
www.womb.co.jp
Each night of the
week has a
different theme,
that’s the motto
of Tokyo’s
longest running
night club which
ranked 47th on
DJ Mag’s worlds
best clubs of
2019 list.
92 THE RED BULLETIN

PARTY
NISHIAZABU
A-LIFE
A-Life is a Roppongi staple, never far
from the top of the list when party-goers
are planning a night out in this part of
town. Its size and the variety of
dancefloors and chill-out spaces –
ranging from the eight hundred-capacity
main room to more intimate nooks and
crannies spread across its three floors
– make it the perfect choice for people
who want to socialise as well as dance,
and the bartenders are famously friendly.
And with a special offer on weeknights
(except for Fridays), where entry before
11pm is just ¥1,000, and comes with
three drink tickets, it’s also an
exceptionally economical option.
Address
106-0031 Tokyo, Minato City,
Nishiazabu 1−7−2, ECONACH NISHI-AZABU Bldg.
Website
e-alife.net
PARADISE
LOUNGE
At an imposing 229-metres-tall, the
recently completed Shibuya Scramble
Square is the highest building in the
ward, towering over the nearby Scramble
Crossing and offering panoramic views
of the whole of Tokyo from its outdoors
observation deck. Also on the 46th floor,
along with the observation deck, is the
Paradise Lounge – a relaxed music bar
that unsurprisingly offers views that are
simply unparalleled. The styling might
scream out ’50s diner, but one look at
the 12-inch vinyls displayed on the wall
– spanning Flying Lotus and Jamie XX
– and you can rest reassured that the
music selection is more contemporary.
Conceptualised
by famed British
industrial
designer Tom
Dixon, Paradise
Lounge serves
stunning views
and tunes alike
Address
150-0002 Tokyo, Shibuya City,
Shibuya 2−24−12, Shibuya Scramble Square 46F
Website
paradiseloungetokyo.com
THE RED BULLETIN 93

PARTY
1 OAK
Decked out in gold and silver from the
floor to the ceiling, and with a huge Roy
Nachum painging hanging above the DJ
booth, 1 OAK is aimed firmly towards
big-spenders, with an emphasis on the
VIP-table experience. The music policy is
straightforward hip-hop with a splash of
EDM, just like at 1 OAK’s legendary
flagship venue in New York. The sound
system is top notch: The loudspeakers
by Germany’s iconic hi-fi company d&b
audiotechnik guarantee that you not only
hear the bass sound on the dancefloor,
but that you feel it in your guts.
Address
106-0045 Tokyo, Minato City,
Azabujuban 1−4−5
Website
1oaktokyo.com
HARLEM
Sandwiched between a number of love
hotels (which offer double rooms for
short periods of time) in Shibuya’s
infamous back streets across from
Dogenzaka, Harlem is a veritable
institution of this trendy neighborhood’s
club scene. As its name suggests,
Harlem nods to the US hip-hop scene
with its music policy, and depending on
the night you might hear anything from
chart-topping anthems and retro
throwbacks to the latest tracks coming
out of the contemporary Japanese rap
scene. Resident DJs Hazime and Watarai
take to the decks on Saturday nights,
making their night a safe bet both for
track selection and overall vibes, while
on other nights you might also come
across scantily clad dancers, or even
live skateboarding showcases.
Address
150-0044 Tokyo, Shibuya City,
Maruyamacho 2−4, Dr. Jeekahn’s 2F/3F
Website
harlem.co.jp
With two
dancefloors,
three bar
areas and one
restaurant, V2
caters to the
revellers’
various moods
and desires
94 THE RED BULLETIN

PARTY
JOYSOUND
SHIBUYA
MINAMIGUCHI
Karaoke is Japan’s favourite pastime,
and what better way to hang out with
friends than by spending hours cooped
in a booth together, downing drinks and
belting out your favourite songs?
You can replenish drinks without leaving
the room, and it’s not uncommon for a
one-hour evening session to end up in
a raucous all-nighter, with everyone
stumbling bleary-eyed into the morning
light having collectively screamed out
the chorus to Evanescence’s Bring Me
To Life for the third time that night.
This branch of Joysound has decorated
many of its ninth-floor rooms with visuals
referencing the legendary animated
series, Neon Genesis Evangelion, on the
walls, so even if you’re flying solo, you
can still serenade protagonist Shinji and
his sidekicks all night long.
Address
150-0043 Tokyo, Shibuya City,
Dogenzaka 1−3−1, Shibuya Ekimae Kaikan 9F
Website
shop.joysound.com/shop/joysoundshibuyaminamiguchi
V2
WARP SHINJUKU
V2 Tokyo is a typically flashy offering
by Roppongi standards, with an
ostentatious interior, premium VIP
experience and EDM blaring from the
speakers most nights. It has a sizeable
1,000-person capacity, and you might
even find yourself rubbing shoulders
with the likes of Justin Bieber and
members of One Direction, who have
been known to hang out here after
playing their Japan shows. Outside
of its core club offering, V2 Tokyo also
cooks up innovative molecular cuisine
at its restaurant in the evenings, and
it even hosts a DJ school that gives its
students a chance to play not only at V2
Tokyo, but also at sister venues such as
Mezzo Tokyo.
Address
106-0032 Tokyo, Minato City,
Roppongi 7−13−7
Website
v2tokyo.com
Despite the area being one of the most
heavily frequented parts of Tokyo, and
littered with more bars than you could
ever hope to drink at, Shinjuku has never
been a destination known for clubbing.
Warp looks set to put a change to that,
with a sprawling underground space that
eclipses the majority of nightclubs in
Roppongi or Shibuya for size alone. Its
other selling point is the unusually early
opening time of 7pm every night of the
week, so you can clock off from work and
be dancing to techno, house or drum
and bass mere minutes later.
Address
160-0021 Tokyo, Shinjuku City,
Kabukicho 1−21−1
Website
warp-shinjuku.jp
THE RED BULLETIN 95

GLOBAL TEAM
THE RED
BULLETIN
The Red Bulletin
is an international
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magazine, published
monthly in six countries,
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96 THE RED BULLETIN

ACTION HIGHLIGHT
LITTLE SHAO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
He got game
When it was announced last December that competitive breaking will make
its debut as a new sport in 2024, its practitioners all over the world swooned
in excitement. Just a week earlier, one B-Boy in particular proved that he
will be a force to be reckoned with: Shigekix. The 18-year-old from Japan
became the youngest ever B-Boy to win Red Bull BC One, the world’s biggest
one-on-one breaking contest.
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THE RED BULLETIN 97

魅 魅 惑 惑 的 的 な、 な、 魔
紫 のレッド ブ

ブル、 新 登 場 。
魔 法 法 の の 翼 翼 。 。
※Purple ※Purple Edition Edition is only is available only available in Japan. in Japan.