You Cannot Beat Tokyo Automobile Tradition
Attending a secret Tokyo underground automotive meet is one thing on virtually each fanatic’s bucket record when visiting Japan’s capital metropolis for a success of its automotive tradition. However regardless of the way it can seem on-line, meets like this are literally only a few and much between.
Due to that, having so lots of Tokyo’s finest modified vehicles collectively for a nighttime meet turns into much more particular, even when it technically wasn’t underground on this specific evening.
The gathering was masterminded by Mori-san, the proprietor of a well-known ER34 Skyline I featured again in 2015 when it was first accomplished.
Realizing that so many international guests can be on the town for Wekfest Japan through the Golden Week vacation, Mori-san reached out to his community and a plan shortly got here collectively.
The thought was easy: an invitation-only gathering at a singular location, referred to as the No Title Meet.
I teamed up with Alec, Speedhunters’ latest contributor, arriving early within the night to catch the roll-in.
These meets are often held in underground parking garages round Tokyo or Yokohama, out of web site and out of thoughts. Nevertheless, this one was a bit totally different, taking up the loading bay and connecting carpark of an industrial warehouse.
A collection of floodlights alongside the warehouse’s entry street created an incredible wanting scene.
I virtually thought the meet can be a bit too darkish to shoot, however the lighting simply offered a possibility for barely totally different imagery.
I’m fortunate sufficient to be borrowing a buddy’s NA1 Honda NSX-R for the month, so this meet was the right alternative to convey it out.
Heading into town and all the way down to Shinagawa Wharf, there was loads of automotive exercise. Being Golden Week, virtually everybody was off from work, and what higher technique to have fun than to get some driving and socializing in.
Because the venue began to fill with all kinds of fantastic vehicles, I knew it was going to be a great evening.
It’s not usually that you simply’ll see an NSX-R sat subsequent to a different two NSXs, however right here we had it. One was a left-hand drive Acura import from the US.
Among the vehicles had been moved contained in the loading bay to make more room outdoors, the primary being this clear Porsche 993 owned by LA Kenta from Tokyo Drive Automobile Membership.
Inside moments, this space was crammed to the brim with an superior number of vehicles.
Climbing the adjoining constructing’s staircase gave a great top-down shot of the meet. You’ll be able to see simply what number of vehicles had been crammed into this one lot, to not point out the overflow out on the road.
The vehicles had been packed so tightly in actual fact, that it was onerous to maneuver between them.
Jun from Hardcore Tokyo arrived in model with two of his 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon builds.
This EG Civic hatchback, which we have now seen numerous instances earlier than, is each a race automotive and a present automotive.
Its Idemitsu-themed livery is completely on level.
The exhaust system of the Ford V8 on this De Tomaso Pantera is so dramatic wanting.
Parked close by was Souki-san’s Nissan Leopard, which I used to be happy to have the ability to take a look at intimately for the primary time. I nonetheless can’t consider this factor handed its shaken inspection on the strictest take a look at middle in Shinagawa.
Souki-san may be finest identified for his wide-body Lamborghini Diablo VT, however in terms of producing probably the most drama (and noise), his F30 Leopard kaido racer takes issues to a different degree. I should have dodged these takeyari exhaust pipes a minimum of a dozen instances all through the night!
As Alec and I made our rounds, much more vehicles had been arriving outdoors.
I headed out and located all the things from a Y-plate S30 Fairlady Z to an Impala lowrider.
At 11:00pm, after a great few hours on the location, the meet began to wrap up. It had been plenty of enjoyable chatting to so many guests from so many alternative nations, who had been all blown away by the turnout. However the evening was not over.
It was time to get again behind the wheel of the NSX-R and hit the street.
Our vacation spot? An afterparty of kinds at Umihotaru Parking Space – the pure development for any good meet in Tokyo.
After assembling a small group of vehicles, we headed onto Wangan Doro.
Cruising by way of the Tokyo Aqua Line tunnel in convoy with the Pantera, ER34 Skyline and slant-nose 911 was an actual sight. However the sound… that was one thing else!
Ever for the reason that police began shutting down Tatsumi and Daikoku Parking Areas, Umihotaru PA has turn into one among my favourite meet-up spots.
It doesn’t have the cityscape outlook of Tatsumi or the ambiance of Daikoku, however Umihotaru’s well-lit parking areas, eating places and conbini make it excellent for a late-night cling.
It’s meets like this that hold the wheels of automotive tradition handing over Tokyo and the final Bay space. They’re additionally an effective way to proceed assembly the passionate homeowners of some unimaginable vehicles.
I hope you favored this one!
Dino Dalle Carbonare
Instagram: dino_dalle_carbonare
[email protected]
Alec Pender
Instagram: noplans
