Asian (Vehicle) Persuasion

[jbails39]

So the semester at my University in Beijing is wrapping to a close and I have about 5 weeks of vacay from the 17th of January to the 20th of February before the next semester. My plan is to at some point be in South Korea followed by Japan, perhaps into Vietnam or Malaysia too.

Question: Do any of you have suggestions of car/motorcycle-related stuff to do while I have free time? Drift events, JDM car rentals, motorcycle rentals, track days, or any other motoring related activity that would be open to a foreigner?

If you also have any suggestions regarding things I can do in the summer months before heading back to North America, that would be pretty cool as well.

[Goodspeed]

I was in Japan and Singapore in '05 and while the car scene was taxed and regulated nearly out of existence in the latter (though I understand the community has grown within its limits fairly well since then), in Japan I couldn't throw a pachinko ball without hitting something automotive and drool-worthy. There are tons of shops, small and large, all over the place. Tracks shouldn't be too hard to visit, and there is plenty of them - Ebisu, Sendai, Motegi, Tsukuba, and on and on (not to mention smaller drift tracks here and there). Visit a local Super Autobacs store - it's like Autozone except full of high end aftermarket JDM parts. I was able to get a neat touge ride along in a Eunos (Miata) while I was there as well.

If I were back there, I'd probably check out some big shops like HKS, Top Secret and the like, as well as some factory displays like the Nissan museum/Nismo Omori Factory, Toyota/TRD offerings, and the Mazda museum. During those dates, you may be in Japan for the Tokyo Auto Salon as well. I'd rent a car and hit the Hakone turnpike - basically an enthusiast's toll road that you've probably driven in a video game or two, and the Tatsumi/Daikoku parking areas off the Wangan expressway on certain nights. And beyond all the car stuff, Japan has a ton to offer in general. It's a neat place.

Check out Speedhunters for places to visit. Lots of good articles from guys and girls embedded in Japan that turn over a lot of rocks to find the cool events and places to go.

[G.Irish]

You can rent a number of Japanese sports cars from Omoren (RX-7, R32/R33/R34 Skyline, Civic Type-R, Silvia, etc):

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Fun 2 Drive does guided tours and includes some classic Japanese metal and a NSX

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I rented a VFR800 last time I was in Japan but I forget the company I rented it from. It was a small mom and pop and I needed the help of my Japanese speaking roommate (and my beginner Japanese) to make that work. Now it looks like there are a couple of motorcycle companies out there that cater to English-speaking tourists (Rental 819, Rushcorp, etc.). I don't know what the Ueno district looks like now but when I went there it's a whole little area of motorcycle shops right near the train station. There's also a funky bazaar area near there where you can find some cool crafty goods.

One thing I'd recommend if you're going to Japan is to buy a Japan Rail Pass before you leave. You can't buy it in Japan, you can only buy it as a tourist in the country you're leaving from. It lets you ride the Shinkansen (bullet train) as much as you want for a flat fee. You can cover a TON of ground that way.

As far as museums go, the Mazda museum in Hiroshima might be a good way to do two things at once. The Honda Collection Hall is phenomenal but it's a good ways outside of Tokyo and the bus from the train station only goes there twice a day so it's better to drive/ride there yourself. I rode out there on the VFR800. Just make sure you have a smart phone for directions, it's easy to get lost.

[JPolen01]

Do the Mario Kart tour in Japan. I have no idea where it is but I've seen it on instagram so it has to be real.

[jbails39]

Awesome, thanks for the replies you guys. I had completely forgotten about the tuning shops and museum potential that must exist there to visit. For a car rental, do I need an international driver's license, or can my US license function well enough?

Japan is close (and the flights cheap) enough that I may end up doing multiple visits there next semester to really hit all the car attractions. I find the Chinese car scene to be simultaneously depressing and on the wacky end of rice.

Goodspeed you mentioned getting a touge ride-along, was that through a personal contact?

[*insertusernamehere*]

If you flip through speedhunters website you might find something to go check out or a link or something. They cover alot of Japanese car culture on their site.

[Goodspeed]

Goodspeed you mentioned getting a touge ride-along, was that through a personal contact?

Yeah, I stayed with a family near Osaka that owned the car. Random, I don't know if China is the same way, but I was surprised how many houses in semi-rural Japan don't have central heating. Staying at their place in February was just about the coldest I've ever been in my life :lol: