In all my years in Japan, I have never seen a flow from tourists as I did in the past two years since I opened the postpartum country.
By staring, there is a lot that can be seen, visit, and do, and of course eating, oh, and if you are a car or high man, you are lucky because there was no better time to see the car culture with all its glory.
With the transformation of famous parking areas such as Daikoku and Umihotaru into common destinations for countless companies and individuals who offer “tours”, there is also a better option to get a full Japanese car culture experience, and this is a car rental.
JDM rental is not a new thing, as there have been multiple companies around for years, which allows you to taste your Japanese car you dream of, or if you want something more elegant, there are always Supercar rents.
Although it is not something I tried at all, I was often wondering how everything has succeeded, and today we discover it completely.
Men from Driver Hall Hit me and invited me to one of their first matches because they just opened their doors.
Seeing a fair share of messages on social platforms that require recommendations about what to do while in Japan, I thought this is the perfect way to find out exactly how it will be a day with a rented car company.
Alec and Alec appeared well and early in their own headquarters outside Tokyo and met with the players behind the company. It goes without saying that it was reassured to know that the owners are more than the youth of cars, as we are and we are hitting them immediately while checking their facilities and a group of cars.
So let’s start with the cars themselves. Drivers Lounge offers a selection of 8 cars (will be expanded soon), all of which are models that I think are doing a good job in providing a pleasant and unique experience to anyone who participates in one of his matches. The list goes something like that:
in All wheels Our Camp R35 GT-R, and Lancer Evo X and A Toyota Gr Yaris.
to Rear wheels Our assembly A90 toyota SuPra and Spoon Sports Complete Honda S660.
To end it, we have two Front -wheel drive vehiclesDC5 Honda CIVIC Type-R and Monster SPORTS Complete Suzuki Alto Works.
One of the main reasons that made me more than happy to participate in this trip, is that the drivers hall allows people to replace cars during the day, which makes it unique compared to most other rented car companies in Japan.
So, you only get a driving experience in Japan using famous JDM cars, but you can do this with a multiple ride. But more than that later, first, let’s get an idea of how to organize daily tours with these men.
First things first. Once you arrive, you go to the second floor lounge at the top of the first garage and take out the application and papers from the road.
This space is well equipped, comfortable sofas to sit and enjoy your welcome drink while running in the daytime round structure with employees.
You can expect to see rings of the best cars and hot versions that are run on TV and many primary manga issues though, as you know, just to get a mood for today!
Clement, the owner, has raced in a group of car sporting chain in Asia until you know that he really understands what enthusiasts want when it comes to driving experience.
Although you will not run Wangan High Speed, what you will have is to choose six tours ranging from 10 hours to the Daikoku Pa trip, and Shaiba to Daikoku Pa Scenic Drive as well as the ability to order custom matches. What I and I will test it on that day is a 7 -hour tour, which believes me in driving packages as much as you want to do in one day! It is the exact same way that I usually bear when I need to escape from Tokyo and some time alone to lead him.
The last image is alluded to one of the future cars that can be added to the line very soon!
While taking care of the procedures, it returned to the basement and time to prepare for this day.
One of the things that surprised me immediately and that I need to mention that with the addition of the S660 spoon and the Monster SPORTS alto you realize that all the cars in the line are very distinctive. Regardless of these two full cars previously, all cars are slightly adjusted, where all high -performance brake pads and tires are suspended at least, while others may wear some other good things such as wheels and exhaust and in the case of DC5 A Roll A.
Instead of trying JDM, maybe I call it more than just Insect expertise!
With the drivers hall site in Noborito, you are only 16 minutes from the train, 16 minutes from Xinguko, which means that you can go out in the morning and return to the center of Tokyo in time for dinner.
We set out in a caravan from the headquarters, myself behind the wheel of Gr Yaris and Alec in SuPra. Each car has a Talkie with a piece of ear so that you are always in contact with the leading car and never have to think about where you need to go. I started with a full gas tank and ETC in the reader, so you do not need to worry about fees or get gas as well.
Driving to the city of Odawara where the Hakone Turnpike is launched from it takes about an hour, so you can move on the Tomei Expressway and Atsugi-Deawara Toll road in the convoy and maintain gas, and provide it for interesting parts at a later time!
It has been a good year since Gr Yaris has led and I must say that it is still one of the favorite Japanese performance cars in the modern era, and it is capable, fast and fast to respond perfectly to regular driving as well.
The first station was a quick lunch at 7-11. With a few Onigiri, we were all ready to move directly in front of the outcome gates to heaven …
… any Hakon Turbik!
We lined up cars before entering a few fast shots before starting real driving.
I led the first section at GR Yaris, but I switched it to the S660 spoon that was hungry above Turnpike. Not completely fast, after everything it is operated with a 660 -cc engine, but it is funny how the brakes do not use barely and carry a lot of speed in any of the third and fourth gear sweeping.
Then we all met at the top of the Fuji Saint photo pass pass.
With two cars down, it ended to the number 3.
Therefore, the matter ended with Alto’s works that were more than an atmosphere of the S660 as in the blatant contrast, you are sitting much higher and give a completely different feeling although the corners are almost, and you feel almost more assembly car, dealing with bars, and sufficient torque with the help of support on the tap.
When we moved to our leg from the tour towards the Ashinoko horizon, the DC5 you chose and a boy was what the opening match of the eye.
I haven’t drove the DC5 Type-R since the car was launched 20 years ago, and I forgot what was the case in driving these things.
Such a different approach to the cars that was shipped by the shipment that I was driving before. The high NA engine should be kept in boiling so that it can develop enough corners and with the low position thanks to the after -sales suspension, the fun nature of the structure is really shining. I raise anyone?
Since the Ashinoko horizon escalates a completely different part of the mountain chain, you get a completely different view of Mount Fuji, so it was a second group in good condition.
This opportunity to jump to the number 5 and 6 for this day, and 2 Lanker Evos! For me, development is still the best in the group, while the third generation that came after (7,8 and 9) is more capable and faster, the sixth is the last that has this direct link with WRC and the gear rowing to make 4G63 singing always a special feeling.
I enjoyed the same amount of EVO X with SST Gearbox, I was surprised by the ability of this Evos to Evos’s ability to the last generation. Although SST may not be a guide, it allows you to focus more on your guidance and lines through the corners and you just browse the average torque to coordinate you towards the next turn.
From the Ashinoko horizon, we traveled to the bottom Touge that brought us to the parking area on a quiet side of the Ashi Lake. This was our last station before we sent it to the top of the Hawkon Turnik corridor, heading towards what will become the best part of the day.
For this extension of the driving jumped to the 7, A90 SUPRA. The BMW connection is more than clear in this car, and among all the cars on that day, it felt more than just the GT Cruiser instead of a sharp sports car.
We took this to what is one of my favorite road extensions in the Hakone area, one that I have been driving for cars over the past 25 years, Tsubaki line.
About a third of the road is located to the place of parking, the perfect place to stop to rest, a few shots …
… and look at the Pacific Ocean towards the small Hatsogima island.
Thinking over the last six hours of driving and the seven cars that I have taken so far, it struck me that this was one of the most diverse driving experiences.
The diversity revolves around the layouts instead of the cars themselves, from AWD to FF and FR, the medium engine to the front engine.
You can really completely understand the differences between them all, their positive and negative points, and in the end you choose your favorite.
The driver has ended to the driver’s number 8 for me, which is the good R35 GT-R, a car of its foster in all its forms, its shares and modification, which is a very familiar place for me to be in and 18 years since its establishment, is still a real weapon on such ways.
Today ended with a final sunset shot at a height of 1000 meters above sea level at the top of the Tikan Mountain overlooking Lake Ashi and Fuji before we return the cars to the headquarters.
There is likely to be a day like this through some of the best driving ways in Japan, one of the best ways to try Japan for a car and GAL man. Great thanks to men in the drivers hall for my invitation while showing the exact reason they do what they are doing!
Dino D Carbonar
Instagram: dino_dalle_carbonare
Dino@speedhunters.com
Additional photography Alec Pinder
Instagram: Noplansco