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While walking around a car park, talking cars, dreaming of lawn chairs and loafers is OK, it is driving we crave.
Luckily, Fame One had agreed to meet us, and to give us some serious tuition on the best touge and directions to take.
We've driven the area many times before, but local knowledge is always good...
With a few subtle mods, our escort was a GR86, and with bigger brakes, a mild tune, and sticky tires, we eagerly fell in behind.
Though Sunday morning, apart from some totally mad bikers we had much of the touge to ourselves.
The finish on the GR86 though, was like nothing I've seen before.
It was like it had been dipped in shiny, hard nylon.
The lustrous color, shine, and reflective finish was a combination of careful care, and a hand applied coating.
Black magic to this canuba wax Cayman driver, and something for further investigation.
One car park stop for a few pics, then off again to the touge.
Filling up at the bottom with some less serious bikers to the peg-scraping, full leather wearers running on the center line on the way down.
Rough outline of our route; west to the car park, then east again to the gas stand.
Those really keen, can run circle routes until your hands are tired.
7/11 car park at Akiruno town.
Hitting the expressway for the run home into Shibuya.
Shuto-ko companions.
The Corvette's brake lights did not work, and we diagnosed the fault as a Tokyu Hands' wood screw that had been drilled through the wires, perhaps when that tastefully labelled rear wing was applied.
Relatively clean run into Shinjuku and Shibuya.
Originally Posted by dmteter
Now I'm feeling so clueless. I googled "Toyko Toilets" and "Wim Wenders" and rented Perfect Days for my girlfriend and I to watch tonight. She laughed and said that she had seen it in the theatre and had been trying to get me to watch it for some time. I thought it was quite lovely (and also loved the soundtrack). She thought that it was potentially an appropriation of what foreigners think that the Japanese are like. **** if I know. I did like the aesthetic. I also liked the mentaiko pasta that she made tonight.
Stopping off on the way home for an errand, I had to pause at one of the toilets featured in the @dmteter recommendation.
Thoroughly enjoyed the movie thanks, and it is a great slice of Tokyo life; from the morning commute, kohi in a can, Shuto views, Shimokitazawa, Shibuya, and life in general.
I am not sure the Sky Tree is that significant, but the three mushrooms toilet, and the park he eats his lunch too, are at the bottom of the street from our Tokyo apartment... who knew?
Indeedy - made me look for the latest in Japanese cinema, something I've not done in a while.
Looking for Evil Does not Exist now, and just finished Yudo, the Way of the Bath. Yudo was great!
Mid-week run into Tokyo for a few days work in the office.
Getting ready for a late night conference call, I hear the unmistakable rumble of a big V8.
While there's a Jeep Wagoneer that parks next door, and it has a suitable burble, this was a LOT more purposeful, and was sufficiently appealing for me to grab my keitai, go down stairs, and take some pics.
The Mustang was OK, but the 426 Hemi, Challenger R/T was just plain NASTY!
When I saw the number plate though, I was even more impressed - don't tread on me!
Oil check, not moved in nearly 12 months, and many 1000 km...
Indeedy - made me look for the latest in Japanese cinema, something I've not done in a while.
Looking for Evil Does not Exist now, and just finished Yudo, the Way of the Bath. Yudo was great!
Oil check, not moved in nearly 12 months, and many 1000 km...
Gauge face ordered because of this thread....changed up the speedo slightly.
Gauge face ordered because of this thread....changed up the speedo slightly.
Awesome! Great to see the ambient light sensor window is now shipping as clear, as some of the early prototypes were tinted resulting in dim illumination. Good luck with the install, and feel free to post pics of the process as the more tips that circulate the better?
Originally Posted by Ric In RVA
That route map looked like an epic drive!!!
As per above too, with some friends in town, we planned more touge hunting, and this time set off for Gunma. Our destination was a series of epic touge, as featured in a variety of the Initial D manga, anime, and live action movies.
Embarrassed to say, but I wasn't aware of either the Initial D scope or significance of portrayal to the manga, touge, or series fans. I had not even watched one series (there are many), readily available on Youtube. Here's Episode One (of three), and it's worth the watch if just for the animation of the cars and their rendering:
The basic story of an underdog besting rivals is great! Somewhere later in the series, a 911 pops up too I think, and I must spend the time to watch the rest...
Tanking up on hi-oku (Cayman) and kohi (me).
Leaving Tokyo on a Monday morning, traffic was light once we were clear of the morning commute.
With the weather closing in, we kept the Cayman under 200.
We've driven this route plenty of times, for either touge or haikyo, and the Spring rains and mists were just as nice as the clear blue skies on other days.
Arriving at one SA, though I liked the color I wondered if you could ever make the normally lithe Cayman look any worse.
Then I saw the rear treatment... making it look like it had filled its nappy.
Continuing the movie theme tie-ins though, we hit the expressway again, and all was OK as this came on the radio:
Driving through the mists, listening to Ishikawa Sayuri sing about lingering perfume on a cheating husband, and that she would rather kill him herself, seemed fitting.
Ishikawa is of course the mama-san in the bar in Perfect Days, as she sings her version of this rendition:
When I saw the number plate though, I was even more impressed - don't tread on me!
Meant of course in the original sense (or at least when the car was made), not the present corrupted sense.
Excuse me for any misinterpretations - as I seem to have missed the last few weeks' of controversy.
Our first touge was the Usui.
Shrouded in mist, with a light rain, the 182 corners provide excellent driving no matter what weather.
Since the road was remade a number of years ago, the corners are wide and well cambered.
One of the famous features of the area, are the red brick bridges built for the train line in 1892.
The sign says, No Bicycles.
Apart from this stinger-equipped GR, we had the touge to ourselves.
The Megane Bashi, now a well-developed walking and bike trail.
Showa-era magnificence.
On previous occasions we run the touge a number of times, up and down.
This time though, we chose the jyambo chikin tonkatsu and a museum visit.
The katsu was amazing! Certainly 'jumbo' too.
So was the local toy and car museum.
Laid out like an Ikea store, it takes you through a huge winding route, with every corner providing something interesting and entertaining.
The main reason for attending though, was to suit our Initial D otaku needs, and the appropriate hachiroku display was pretty neat.
Love seeing your adventures! Food always looks amazing
Thanks!
When the scissors came out to cut the chicken, we knew it was going to be special...
No food here this time sorry, but hopefully some driving inspiration.
As this was an Initial D locations touge hunt, our next run was up Mount Haruna, the home turf of the famed Hachiroku driver Fujiwara Takumi.
Though fictitious, the manga and anime lean heavily into real locations, some renamed, others not.
This photograph above is the entrance to the overflow car park of the hotel we stayed in.
Local roads are accurately represented in the anime, and as we were there just after rice planting, we drove this scene above. Kei truck present of course, even if the parasol user wasn't.
We had chosen to stay in the onsen town of Ikaho.
Unknowingly to me, it is Ikaho that is rendered in the anime, and the two-way radio was filled with chatter on scenes and locations that had been rendered accordingly.
I stopped a few times to take photographs at what I thought were nice locations - here the bus turn around for the Stone Steps.
It wasn't until I got back to Tokyo, that I took the time to watch the Initial D series (shameful I know for a touge hunter in Nihon), and was surprised to see the spot above presented as Fujiwara drove off to meet his challenge on the touge.
Notably too as this is what we had done a few days before.
Further, just to the right of the rendered car above is a little ramen shop we stopped for dinner at.
The stories about the mama-san, their one other patron, and the photographs on his keitai he was offering about can wait for another time...
The view down from the base of the Stone Steps.
It was the touge we were here to run though, so off we went into the still cool morning air, PDK in Sport mode and thumping away on full-throttle shifts.
Mid-week, we had it to ourselves, and I was able to stop in a few places to grab some photographs.
The run is fast, with both medium and low speed corners.
Some little straights are nice to give that little bit of extra speed to wash off on turn in, as you're grabbing second gear.
I was however, fascinated by a few signs on the run up that said 'No U-turns 21:00 to 07:00'.
Upon arrival at the top though, there was a formal turn around zone, with suitable barriers on either side.
Some might describe them as pit-lane-like.
With the signs and the turn-around zone, I realized the authorities had perhaps been unable to control the unrestrained use of their touge, and instead of trying to stop late night antics, had instead decided to make it as safe as possible.
Having made the up run, we used the turn-around zone appropriately as we staged ready for the down run.
Again, I took a photo op only to see later it being similarly rendered in the anime.
Here, you can see the anime characters undertaking the same U-turn.
The Google satellite view is worth presenting too, if only because of the obvious presence of spectators and police in the pit lane.
The view is spectacular, looking out over the alps and their remaining snow capped peaks.
Cayman S, and slowly cooling exhaust and smell of hot brakes wafting into the air.
It is only a short run, but one of the best touge I've run, not only for the road itself, but also ease of access, accommodation, great food, locals (hotel concierge used to autocross a 911S), and parallel attractions to enjoy.
Our next destination was the Irohozaka touge, one of the best we've run many times.
Tanking up for the transport stage, our excellent navigator suggested the 'long way', via another touge we'd not planned - up and over Mount Akagi.
So, what was planned to be a straight shot across Gunma turned into a brilliant run on never driven roads.
With some distance to cover, I spent most of the time flinging the Cayman into countless corners, and grabbing third gear for quick straights.
Little time was spent with the camera.
We did find the time though to stop at the top, Lake Onuma, for a kohi soft-serve and a chat with a few locals.
One of the hydro dams in the area.
Dams, tunnels, infrastructure - love it all!
Snow and rock tunnels, with their open sides are always entertaining.
We arrived at Lake Chuzenji in time for lunch outside, overlooking the lake.
Off to the touge... and in lieu of serious pics, here's a vid of part of the route we took (on a blue sky day though, not through these mists):
Nice shots and I really liked the Toyota 86 Touge video. I continue to struggle to find roads in the SF Bay Area/NorCal which feel good with my 987.2 with the Cayman R suspension mods. For some reason, a lot of local folks think that California State Route 35 (SR 35) is pretty good but it feels like garbage with the Cayman. The other day I had a meeting down in San Jose and took some back roads and SR 35 back on my motorcycle which is a 1999 BMW R1100GS with good tires and "better than Ohlins" shocks. I felt that the bike was way more fun than the Cayman. I'm still wondering whether I need to change the suspension back to stock'ish or just find better roads for my Cayman. Nevertheless, always appreciate your posts. Cheers.
Nice shots and I really liked the Toyota 86 Touge video. I continue to struggle to find roads in the SF Bay Area/NorCal which feel good with my 987.2 with the Cayman R suspension mods. For some reason, a lot of local folks think that California State Route 35 (SR 35) is pretty good but it feels like garbage with the Cayman. The other day I had a meeting down in San Jose and took some back roads and SR 35 back on my motorcycle which is a 1999 BMW R1100GS with good tires and "better than Ohlins" shocks. I felt that the bike was way more fun than the Cayman. I'm still wondering whether I need to change the suspension back to stock'ish or just find better roads for my Cayman. Nevertheless, always appreciate your posts. Cheers.
The eastern side of highway 9 (between Saratoga and Skyline) is recently repaved and excellent quality. Mt. Umunhum Road is also smooth and fantastic to drive, though you need to take busted-up Hicks Road to reach it. The portion of 84 / Woodside Road just west of Alice's is also well-paved, the initial series of sweeping bends is maybe my favorite mile of road anywhere in the area.
Nice shots and I really liked the Toyota 86 Touge video. I continue to struggle to find roads in the SF Bay Area/NorCal which feel good with my 987.2 with the Cayman R suspension mods. For some reason, a lot of local folks think that California State Route 35 (SR 35) is pretty good but it feels like garbage with the Cayman. The other day I had a meeting down in San Jose and took some back roads and SR 35 back on my motorcycle which is a 1999 BMW R1100GS with good tires and "better than Ohlins" shocks. I felt that the bike was way more fun than the Cayman. I'm still wondering whether I need to change the suspension back to stock'ish or just find better roads for my Cayman. Nevertheless, always appreciate your posts. Cheers.
Buried above is a link I think for the full set of the Toyota Hachiroku vids - they're a nice slow, relaxing watch, as opposed to frantic drift sequences.
I like both in equal measure it seems...
Wassup with the R suspension - too harsh on rough roads?
I had 19s on my S when I got it, and with country roads and some roughness (Japan-level roughness that is, not Mumbai / New York level), I changed to 18s / Michelin and with the standard S suspension, its just about a perfect balance for no track work, flinging around on touge surfaces, long distance expressway comfort, and about town railway crossings and similar.
Some I suggest, equate a track configuration as being good for road use, and I am not sure that equivalence holds all the time.
I've driven a number of track-prepped 911 and 914/6 in ferrying mode on public roads, thinking 'wow, this will be fun', and instead spent the time getting thrown off my line, squirming around, and teeth rattled, and back and **** sore.
Thanks! I was on Stevens Canyon Road/Redwood Gulch (on my motorcycle) the other day and that hooked up with HW 9 heading north and loved it. Perfectly smooth and great corners. I've done work at Mount 'Um (environmental remediation) but I remember the upper road as being flush with bicycles. It's been a while since I've taken 84 west of Alice's. I'll put it on my list. My favorite roads are generally to the North (Mendo and Humboldt Counties), but it's hard for me to find the time to get out of SF and enjoy those roads on a regular basis.
... but it's hard for me to find the time to get out of SF and enjoy those roads on a regular basis.
Pity!
I've been taking time off, with nothing more than driving on the agenda... Working for The Man has some benefit.
The BMW sounds great though.
Drone shot, from the last time I ran the Irohazaka Touge (as per above too).
This time, we ran it three times and I spent little time with the camera.
With 48 characters in the Japanese character set, and 48 hairpin corners on the Irohazaka, it translates to the 'ABC Slope', with the corners labeled sequentially through the character set accordingly.
This vid though, has some great corner views and is a reasonable summary of the route:
Benefits of a long lens, and if you're really keen on Japanese touge lore, you can look up the 'Irohazaka jump' (though dramatic, it is a legit rally move, documented a few times on video it seems too).
It is just as entertaining as it looks!
With half a roll of film left, I grabbed a few shots on the way home.
Here, the expressway stub to join the main run into Tokyo.
The straight run allowed me to relax the grip on the steering wheel, after all the corners.
Drift missile.
Approaching Tokyo, and the view of the Skytree from the elevated expressway.
Beaver-faced BMW of some sort.
Sound tunnel through Ikebukero.
Final tank up, at our local sutando.
Home for coffee on the lawn.
In looking at souvenirs for our visitors, who were shortly to return their rental car, we discovered a full range of stickers from the touge we had run over the past three days.
Finally too, we felt it fitting to read some of the manga of our touge hunt...
05-30-2024, 12:56 AM
