Having an upcoming trip to Japan soon, I’ve been scouring various guides trying to pin down a list of things to do. There’s no shortage of sites and articles with details on things to see and do over there. Petrol heads who want to experience car life in Japan, however, can have a hard time tracking down good information.
Enter Japan Car Culture. I came across this site some time ago and it seemed promising. It claims to be a comprehensive guide for visitors to Japan who have a passion for cars. Once I booked my flight to Tokyo, I decided to sign up. I was hesitant, as it is $59 USD, not an insignificant amount. I did however like that it was a one-time membership which gave you everything on the site.
I’m happy to say it is worth every penny. Not only is it full of great articles, but the content is very fresh with new updates quite regularly.
There are guides ranging from a basic primer on car culture in Japan, to language basics, to info on visiting some famous workshops and race tracks. Transportation, location, even etiquette are listed among other details.
There’s also a great list of itineraries to follow if you want a ready-made tour. They are broken down by location, and even specific interest. Obsessed with 70s cars? Want to see some Time Attacks? Fancy a road trip in Spring? This site has you covered.
Personally, the feature that I like the best is the event calendar. This constantly updated resource lists shows, races, meetups, etc. While any tourist can find out where a particular museum is, or info on large events like the Auto Salon, finding details on a meetup held by a particular shop is much more difficult. The calendar is full of these gems, and likely any time you’ll be visiting, you can find something on the calendar.
To make this review fair, I should try and find at least one thing that could be better about the site. Honestly though, I can’t. The owner of the site clearly knows their stuff and has spent a lot of time and energy compiling building this resource. If you are planning a trip to the motherland, a membership to Japan Car Culture is something I feel is a great value which will make your visit that much better.