Tokai

Tokai City is the "steel city." Tokai is on Chita Peninsula in Aichi Prefecture. Population is about 121,000. Tokai has Nippon Steel's giant steelworks. Aichi Steel's headquarters and three factories. Tokai's coastline is filled with factories. Smokestacks. Blast furnaces. Giant cranes. Tokai's night sky is dyed red with factory flames. Tokai residents wake to factory sounds. The roar of blast furnaces. The clang of machinery. For Tokai residents, these sounds are "daily life." Tokai residents live in a factory city. Tokai residents' lives are with "steel."

Tokai's factories make steel for Toyota. Tokai was built along the Tokaido Line. Purpose was only one: supply steel to Toyota City. Tokai residents are "Toyota's subcontractors." No, "subcontractors' subcontractors." Tokai residents don't make cars. Tokai residents make car "materials." Tokai's steel is transported to Toyota's factories. Becomes cars at Toyota's factories. But nobody knows about Tokai. People praise Toyota. "Toyota makes wonderful cars." But nobody praises Tokai. Tokai residents are "invisible existence." Tokai residents know this. Tokai residents accept being "unsung heroes."

For Tokai residents, "cars" aren't products. "Cars" are "steel." Tokai residents make tons of steel every day. Know where that steel goes. To Toyota's factories. Know what that steel becomes. Becomes cars. But Tokai residents never "drive" those cars. For Tokai residents, cars are "lumps of steel." Tokai residents see cars and think: "How many tons of steel are used in this car?" Tokai residents aren't interested in car design. Not interested in car performance. Tokai residents are only interested in "amount of steel."

From Tokai to Nagoya is about 30 minutes by car. From Tokai to Suzuka Circuit is about 1 hour by car. Tokai is geographically at the "center" of motorsport. But most Tokai residents have never been to Suzuka Circuit. Why? Tokai residents work in shifts. Steelworks operate 24/7/365. Tokai residents have night shifts. Work on Sundays. Tokai residents have weak concept of "holidays." For Tokai residents, every day is "factory day." Tokai residents don't know when F1 Japanese Grand Prix is held. Tokai residents work at factory that day too.

Tokai has deep motorsport contradiction. Tokai's steel runs on circuits worldwide. F1 machines. WRC rally cars. Le Mans racing cars. These cars are made with Tokai's steel. Tokai residents' technology supports motorsport worldwide. But Tokai residents themselves have "never seen" motorsport. Tokai residents are inside factories. Windowless factories. Can't see outside world. Tokai residents stand before blast furnaces. 1600 degrees heat. Drenched in sweat. Tokai residents make steel. Know that steel runs on circuits. But Tokai residents have never seen circuits. This is Tokai residents' life.

Tokai residents are said to have "steel-hard" personalities. Tokai residents are stubborn. Tokai residents dislike change. Tokai residents value tradition. "Steelmaking tradition." Tokai's steelworks have made steel the same way for decades. Tokai residents also continue the same life for decades. Wake at 6 AM. Go to factory. Work 12 hours. Return home. Sleep. Wake at 6 AM again. Continue this cycle for 40 years. For Tokai residents, this is "life." Tokai residents aren't interested in "new things." Tokai residents find value in "unchanging things." So Tokai residents aren't interested in motorsport. Motorsport "constantly evolves." New technology every year. New rules every year. Tokai residents can't understand. Tokai residents continue making "unchanging steel."

Tokai's sea is polluted with industrial wastewater. Chita Bay. Once a beautiful sea. But now murky with factory drainage. Tokai residents don't look at the sea. Tokai residents only look at factories. Tokai's children play at factories. Factory grounds are vast. Tokai's children know they'll work at these factories in future. Tokai's children are "steelmaking's future." Tokai's children also walk the same life as their fathers. Work at factories. Make steel. Supply steel to Toyota. And never get thanked. This is Tokai's fate.

But Tokai residents don't complain. Tokai residents have pride. "Without our steel, Toyota can't make cars." Tokai residents take pride in being the "foundation." Tokai residents don't stand on the main stage. But without Tokai residents, Japan's automotive industry doesn't exist. Without Tokai residents, circuits worldwide would stop. Tokai residents know this. So Tokai residents continue silently making steel today. For people worldwide to "drive fast."