They gather in front of Kyoto Station, vying for a ticket to the world.
June 20, in front of Kyoto Station in the rain. With a low rumble echoing in the distance, a woman quietly began to move her body.
Her crew, “BODY CARNIVAL,” is set to compete in the world’s premier breaking competition, the “FUJIFILM instax™ Undisputed Kyoto.” The winner of the Kyoto competition—which serves as a regional qualifier for the World Championship—will earn the right to compete in the World Finals, scheduled to be held in São Paulo, Brazil. Since March 2022, “Fujifilm instax™ ‘Cheki’” has been a special sponsor of this competition.
The venue is the plaza in front of the North Exit of Kyoto Station, where the Kyoto Tower towers right before your eyes.
"Breaking" was adopted as an official sport at the 2024 Paris Games. This dance form, which originated in the streets and underground scene, has now captured the world’s attention and rapidly expanded its reach.
Despite the unfortunate rainy weather and limited space, the plaza has been packed with people since early morning. Even tourists walking down the sidewalks stop in their tracks to peer into the crowd. Every time the bass boomed from the DJ booth, spontaneous applause and whistles could be heard from the crowd. Some held up their smartphones, others sat on the ground looking up at the dance floor, and kids tried their best to catch a glimpse through the gaps between the crowd… The audience, a diverse mix of nationalities and ages, seemed to be completely swept up in the excitement.
This dance style, also known as “breakdancing,” originated in the Bronx, New York, in the 1970s. Dancers compete by performing improvised moves to the music played by a DJ. When someone shows off a move, the next dancer tries to outdo it. They express themselves through dance, not fists. In this way, breaking spread throughout the world and took root on the streets of Japan. Even as it has taken the global spotlight, the spirit at its core remains unchanged.
