Tegiwa in Japan – Day 1: Omoshiro Rentals, Autobacs, Upgarage & Chasing the Sun at Mount Fuji
After 9 months of planning, a 14-hour flight, and bam! We were finally in the land of the rising sun, Japan. But this trip wasn’t going to be your typical tourist adventure. We weren’t here for temples or sushi (well, maybe a little bit of sushi). What we were here for was to discover the pulse of JDM culture and everything that went with it!
Omoshiro Rent-A-Car
Our first stop? Omoshiro rent-a-car, a haven for JDM enthusiasts with a mind-blowing selection – Skylines, Supras, you name it. We’d booked the cars three months in advance. This is the timeline of when they open up bookings (from the date you want to return the car), so if there’s something particular that you fancy, you need to be on it with your booking! All you need is your domestic driving license as well as an international driving license too. Check out their website, here.
The prices were respectable too, with the crash damage waiver and EDC card options ticked, the Evo came in at £280 and the Skyline was £600. This was from 11am on a Friday until 12pm on a Sunday. All that we had to pay for was fuel and toll road fees.
Dave, our media manager, went for the iconic Evo 8, while Luke, Co-owner of Tegiwa, snagged the head-turning R33 GTR.
With the car inspection over and the paperwork signed, we were officially ready to conquer Japan!
A Pit Autobacs
Our first destination was a visit to the legendary, Autobacs. This Japanese automotive giant is a one-stop shop for everything automotive-related. From full titanium exhaust systems and turbocharger kits to HKS built engines and incredible merchandise, Autobacs caters to just about every driver’s needs. We browsed the aisles, soaking up the atmosphere and picking up a few essentials for our JDM adventure.
Autobacs also had a workshop too (the most immaculate we have ever seen). Here, you can get your new parts fitted by trained technicians in a simple drive-in, drive-out basis. Tucked away in the corners of the workshop was a MK1 Golf GTI and a Lamborghini Huracan Sterrarto!
Upgarage Yokohama
Next on the agenda was a trip to Upgarage. Unlike Autobacs with its brand new goodies, Upgarage is a treasure trove of secondhand parts and accessories. It’s a paradise for car tinkerers and JDM enthusiasts on a budget, offering a chance to snag rare finds and breathe new life into older parts. We spent a good amount of time digging through the shelves, never knowing what gem we might uncover next.
In a nutshell, Upgarage is essentially a real life eBay for all things car parts, motorcycles, wheels and even cars too! We found S2000 coilovers for as little as £50, an NSX wing for £100 and a S2K FRP hardtop for £250. There really are some bargains to be had here.
At the Yokohama store that we visited, they also had a warehouse that was solely dedicated to wheels. In there was everything you could imagine from OZ Rally Racing to Volk TE37’s to BBS’s!
Just across the road from the parts store, there was also an Upgarage car dealership. This was pretty cool because all the cars in here had been modified. Tucked away at the back of the showroom was a red Toyota AE86!
Sampling the local cuisine
After fuelling our car obsession for a short while, it was time to refuel ourselves. We ventured to a local food market, ready to embrace the exciting (and sometimes questionable) world of Japanese cuisine. Let’s just say, our taste buds had an interesting adventure!
With full stomachs and a taste for adventure, we set off for the majestic Mount Fuji. Our destination: Fuji Speedway, where we’d witness the heart-pounding action of the Super GT race the following day. The 2-hour drive from Tokyo to Fuji was a highlight in itself. As the sun dipped towards the horizon, casting an orange glow over the landscape, we raced against time to capture some epic photos of our JDM rides with Mount Fuji as a backdrop. The winding mountain roads provided the perfect driving experience, and the stunning scenery made for some truly unforgettable memories.
You can check out the full gallery of images from day 1 in Japan, below. Stay tuned for Day 2, where the real racing action unfolded at Fuji Speedway!
