Adventures in Japan - The Daily Drifter S15

The time has finally come for me to start writing about my Japan adventures. I have so many stories to tell from the Far East, some applicable to CT and others not so much… Of course I’ll be sticking with the former!

The time has finally come for me to start writing about my Japan adventures. I have so many stories to tell from the Far East, some applicable to CT and others not so much… Of course I’ll be sticking with the former!

This takes place during the final days of my ‘Drifting Adventure to Ebisu’. I was driving past School Course in my S14 and happened to come across this sweet S15 drifting, it was the only car out on the track so I decided to take a closer look.

That roof rack tho!
That roof rack tho!

I patiently waited until the owner drove back into the pits to cool his car down, then went in. The first thing you notice is, the entire car is mismatched in colour and body panels! It’s also street registered, it’s his daily!

So we have,: mismatched wheels, mismatched fenders, mismatched bumpers, mismatched hood, roof rack (take a guess what for? A hint, it isn’t for picnic baskets), and a spoiler.
If this isn’t drift spec I don’t know what is!

Now that I’ve got that out of the way I can say exactly what happened once I approached the owner.

The Japanese guy is the owner... On the right (incase anyone gets confused).
The Japanese guy is the owner... On the right (incase anyone gets confused…

Now the main problem with trying to speak to anyone in a foreign country (without knowing the language) is that you have no way of communicating!

This rule does not apply here.

As soon as I walked up to him, he pointed at my S14, I nodded. I then pointed at his S15, and he nodded (insert step brothers ‘did we just become best friends gif’).

We then had a (really limited) conversation about our cars which ranged from: inside? Yes, and drift? Yes.

Lets say it wasn't 'full' drift spec.
Lets say it wasn't 'full' drift spec.

To tell you I wasn’t surprised by what I found inside would be a lie, a really big lie. He had completely modified the interior of his S15 to the way he wanted. Starting off with a full bucket seat (with cutouts to look through his windows), harness for whenever he goes streeto (I cannot confirm nor deny that he participates in this, would be cool to watch, if he did. Or didn’t). Leather rear seats, TV and (big ass) speaker, drift button, aftermarket steering wheel with BOSS, and what I like to call a french maid shift knob with all the frills (see what I did there).

Almost as many screens as a police car (you're allowed to watch TV and drift)!
Almost as many screens as a police car (you're allowed to watch TV and…

The passenger doesn’t get left out, they get screens too (this guy loves screens, damn)! They also get to play with the animals under the right monitor! He really loved the fact that I took such an interest in his car, which is actually understandable as in Japan these cars are really common, however I’ve only seen one in the UK, and it was stock.

He then gestured to the seat and my mouth hit the floor (check out that steering wheel)!

Got Gauges?
Got Gauges?

The first thing I noticed were the tyre marks on the floor (sometimes we find it hard to stop drifting, don’t judge us) and the fact that the track closed at 16:30, the time was 15:30. Then I noticed the gauges and the cool cluster that it was encased in, which actually followed the lines of the dashboard.

I think the way he has modified his car really says a lot about the scene in Japan - just do what you want to your car and don’t care about what anyone else thinks! One of the many reason why I love Japan!

At this point I climbed out of the car made a handbrake motion and pointed towards the track (when drifters come together, everything will end with a drift). He obliged, grabbed his helmet and I ran towards my car giggling like a Japanese school girl in an anime when Senpai notices you (I mean, I couldn’t not make this reference)!

Go Milky Go!
Go Milky Go!

We had a good session, we were twin drifting (not close enough to tandem and definitely not battle drifting), got some pretty sweet shots (just like the one you see above)! We were both really consistent with our drifts and only got close to the wall a few times. School Course kills the most cars during the Matsuri’s because of the wall, and the various dips which you see around the apex’s on corners (this is definitely a track that will punish you for hitting the apex). Super cool guy and it’s a shame that he didn’t have Facebook, hopefully i can meet him and his super cool S15 one day!

I have so much footage to go through from my first trip, second trip, and my third trip will be happening soon (April - May, Spring Matsuri)!

I’ll be doing more additions to the ‘Adventures in Japan’ series whenever I get a chance to!
Don’t forget to find out what the Drift Matsuri’s are all about and how you can come with me!

Part II is up! Adventures in Japan - The Salaryman’s S15

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Comments

TheDoubleU

Please make more of this! Really want to do this myself one day and this is so cool!

03/10/2016 - 20:00 |
3 | 0

Yeah I’ll definitely make more! The Matsuri’s happen 3 times a year maybe you can make it out there!

03/10/2016 - 20:05 |
0 | 0
Szymek Slusarczyk

Awesome article. Would love to hear other stories of yours!

03/10/2016 - 20:02 |
22 | 0

Thanks man, appreciate it! I’ll try and get the others up ASAP!

03/10/2016 - 20:05 |
0 | 0
hisothiro

The scene in Japan is so… pure in a sense. They don’t care about bandwagons, they just do their thing and have much more respect for each other’s work.
Respect between fellow petrolheads is something we sorely lack here.
Looking forward to reading more of your articles!

03/10/2016 - 20:24 |
14 | 0

That’s exactly what I love about Japan, plus the fact that I can drift with no driving license! I’ll try and get another one up ASAP!

03/10/2016 - 20:35 |
7 | 0

Here in America its always these new guys making fun of cars, even American ones, the only ones who have respect are those guys at meets with classic cars.

03/10/2016 - 20:39 |
3 | 0
Joe Parr

This is awesome! I need to save for Japan!

03/10/2016 - 20:36 |
1 | 0

Yeah man! Plus we’re both in London so it’ll be easy to go to a Matsuri together!

03/10/2016 - 20:40 |
0 | 0
InjunS2K

Awesome! I’d love to visit Japan but first I have to learn Japanese.

03/10/2016 - 20:52 |
0 | 0

Actually you don’t, if you just learn the common words then you’ll be good!

03/10/2016 - 20:59 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

FInally! something that is not about an MX5 or a BMW!!. Sweet post by the way. If is not too much to ask.. how much do you spend on these trips? I want to do one but money… :(

03/10/2016 - 20:56 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

That S15 :OOO
Really need to go to Japan some day
Great post

03/10/2016 - 21:09 |
1 | 0
Milky Diamonds

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

It was so cool! I didn’t mention it but I saw the car later on and he tapped the wall with his right brake light!

03/10/2016 - 21:32 |
0 | 0
Ravian GTi-R

How’d you end up as a sales intern for CT if I may ask. I think I remember your post way back before you went to Japan saying you were going and buying a car there and stuff. Not sure if it was you though. Keep on living the dream (;

03/10/2016 - 22:24 |
0 | 0

Yeah that was me! They had a position open and I applied. I love saving all of my money to go drifting!

03/10/2016 - 22:41 |
0 | 0
Preston Cardona

Man this makes me wanna travel to Japan EVEN MORE!. Great article btw!

03/10/2016 - 23:45 |
1 | 0

Thanks man! Just do it, just get on your bike and go!

03/11/2016 - 00:48 |
0 | 0
Garrett Miller

I need it.

03/11/2016 - 02:29 |
0 | 0