Tour Offers Foreign Visitors a ‘Fast & Furious’ Experience with Custom GT-R

Currently, due to the weak yen, Japan is seeing a surge in foreign tourists. They are visiting famous landmarks, enjoying Japanese cuisine, and experiencing various unique Japanese cultures and customs.

Some foreigners enjoy traditional Japanese cultural experiences, such as walking around Kyoto’s Gion or Asakusa in kimono or yukata, or practicing shuriken throwing in ninja costumes. Similarly, one of the popular “Cool Japan” experiences is the “MariCar,” where participants in costume drive small carts through the bustling streets of Tokyo, resembling the game world. Although copyright issues have led to the removal of Mario Kart characters, it is now common to see people dressed in similar costumes driving on public roads.

However, one day, I saw several R35 GT-Rs moving through the quiet residential streets of Okushibu. These were all custom cars with famous car shop names on their bodies, and it seemed that they were driven by foreign tourists. Instead of small carts, they were driving popular sports compact cars from abroad, much like in the world of “Fast & Furious.” 

For those who are unfamiliar, “Fast & Furious” is a popular film series that began with its first installment in 2001 and has since produced 10 films, continuing to be a hit. Although it has recently taken on a Mission Impossible-like tone, it originally thrilled car enthusiasts with its high-purity car action. The early “Fast & Furious” films featured many custom domestic sports cars, and the third installment was set in Japan, prominently featuring Japanese car culture, including drifting, which developed uniquely in Japan.

Curious, I looked into it and found that the service is provided by a company called Ichioku Tours.

According to a representative from the company, participants drive their own cars along a total route of approximately 4.5 hours, guided by a lead vehicle driven by the staff. The route includes places such as Shibuya Scramble Crossing, Daikoku PA, Autobacs in Shinonome, and Tokyo Tower, though the exact route may vary.

“While the R35 GT-R is not subject to this, in America, there’s a 25-year rule (import restrictions on right-hand drive cars are lifted for those that are 25 years old or older), making Japanese domestic market (JDM) cars highly popular and expensive abroad. Tourists likely want to drive a GT-R as a souvenir of their time in Tokyo or take commemorative photos. All participants are foreigners, and the website is not in Japanese. The majority are Australians, followed by Europeans, with Americans and Canadians making up about 10%, and occasionally Asians,” says the Ichioku Tours representative.

I joined one of these tours. First, we gathered in front of a garage in Okushibu around 5:30 PM to complete the procedures. Naturally, the international driver’s license specified by Ichioku Tours was required. Participants that day included a family with a young boy around 6 years old, a couple with tattoos, and a muscular man traveling alone. Vehicles could be chosen from several options, including a Liberty Walk-customized R35 GT-R, a 350Z (Fairlady Z Z33), and a GT-R-spec R34 Skyline, which is difficult to drive abroad due to the 25-year rule. Several staff members led the tour, each managing a group of cars.

Following the convoy, the staff skillfully guided the trailing cars from local roads onto the metropolitan expressway. The R34 driven by a participant smoothly navigated the junctions and passed the scenic Rainbow Bridge. While heading towards Daikoku PA along the bay area line, other vehicles occasionally entered between the lead car and the participants’ cars, but the lead vehicle adeptly changed lanes and waited for the following cars, demonstrating impressive coordination.

Upon arriving at Daikoku PA, about half of the parking spaces—around 330 in total—were occupied by regular cars. However, areas farther from the service facilities like shops were filled with cars that enthusiasts wanted to show off, creating a spot where people could wander and check out their desired vehicles. Among the parked cars were ultra-high-end foreign models like Lamborghinis, as well as many custom Japanese cars.

“Daikoku PA is globally known for attracting car enthusiasts, and it’s extremely popular among international travelers. Sometimes, visitors even skip subsequent stops,” the representative said.

As evening fell, Daikoku PA became bustling like a small festival. More than half of the people moving between the cars were foreigners. The special cars that captured everyone’s attention were parked with their position lights on, reflecting the surrounding lights on their bodies. People excitedly viewed and photographed various custom and foreign sports cars. The scene resembled a gallery of street racing fans from “Fast & Furious,” with the feeling that, although not actually playing, a HIPHOP soundtrack was resonating in their minds like a music video.

The tour participants also took various photos with the cars, sometimes including themselves in the shots. When I spoke to one of the excited participants, he said, “It’s not my first time here, but it’s my first time with this car! Awesome!”

After experiencing the festival-like atmosphere at Daikoku PA, the group was sent off by a large crowd as they headed towards Autobacs in Shinonome via a different route on the metropolitan expressway. The tail lights and headlights of the cars traveling together enhanced the atmosphere. Driving a car, you can’t see its exterior from your own perspective, but seeing similar cars around you—such as other GT-Rs—makes the experience even more thrilling. The GT-R logo on the steering wheel and the glowing dashboard added to the excitement as other GT-Rs appeared in the dim light.

Autobacs in Shinonome is one of Tokyo’s top auto accessory stores, and the group slid into its nearly closing parking lot for a souvenir break. This was truly a unique aspect of a car-themed sightseeing tour.

After leaving Autobacs, the next stop was Tokyo Tower. As the group approached the tower, which was illuminated in orange, even Japanese visitors could feel a bit of excitement. When I spoke to an Asian woman who had been driving the R35 GT-R, I found out she was a couple traveling from Hong Kong. At Daikoku PA, the couple had been exploring the area and looking at cars within their limited time.

“I love ‘Fast and Furious,’ my favorite!” she said.

I could hear her excitedly say, “I love ‘Fast and Furious,’ my favorite!” Unfortunately, due to local road closures, the tour couldn’t pass through Shibuya Scramble Crossing that day. However, they did get to drive through the neon-lit streets near Shibuya Station, which must have been a thrilling experience for “Fast and Furious” fans.

When I spoke further with the representative, it seemed there was a slight disconnect between the business’s intentions and the participants’ expectations:

“Indeed, some young customers may be drawn to the reckless driving of gangsters ignoring traffic rules, as portrayed in ‘Fast and Furious,’ due to its influence on Netflix. There are even illegal cases where foreigners residing in Japan purchase modified cars, take foreign tourists for dangerous drives on highways, and advertise it as a ‘real Fast and Furious experience.’

However, we are not catering to tourists seeking that kind of ‘Fast and Furious’ experience. Our goal is to offer unique Japanese vehicles and safely guide foreign tourists on the Daikoku PA tour. We handle everything appropriately, following discussions and guidance from the authorities,” the representative explained.

Observing traffic rules is a given. Since this is a new type of service, different from the already established “MariCar” experiences, there may be some aspects of the rules and system that are still being refined. Foreign car enthusiasts are expected not only to adhere to these rules but also to follow higher standards of etiquette.