My Trip to the Nismo Festival 2005 @ Fuji Speedway Japan
My trip to Nismo Festival 2006 @ Fuji Speedway, Japan
A mix of the traditional and the contemporary. Kimono-clad geisha and a suit-clad salary man, traditional
temple and a futuristic… oops!
Report and Images by: Alan Khoo, Nismo Malaysia
Supremus has already used that opening line. Anyway my trip to Japan this time round was also bound to be a memorable one although unlike Supremus I was headed there primarily for work as I was sent there to accompany local media and to witness the annual Nismo Festival. This year the newly refurbished ever-famous Fuji Speedway played host to the return of the ever-popular Nismo Festival.
ARRIVAL
After 8 hours of anticipation I finally touch down and get a view of Tokyo Tower to remind me that I am in Tokyo. If not McD’s in Japanese definitely will confirm this is the Land Of The Rising Sun.
THE DAY BEFORE – 3/12/05
At the break of dawn we were whisked away in a coach arranged by my Japan counterpart to our next destination, Fuji Speedway in Shizuoka Prefecture 140kms away from Tokyo. Upon reaching Fuji Speedway I immediately noticed that this had to be either a Nissan or Nismo event judging by the galore of Nissan cars that filled the car park.
Taxi Rides
We attended the preview one day before the actual day and all invited guests and international media were quite hyped up as we were treated to various taxi rides in D1 cars and race cars. It was a full ensemble of Nismo powered Nissan cars ranging from the current D1 cars such as ORC Fairlady Z, Nismo Coppermix Silvia S15, Blitz ER34 and Yuke’s Cusco with Advan Silvia S15 to race cars from the Historical cars such as a 1973 Fairlady Z, Tomei Sunny, Le-Mans legend Nissan R390 to the Xanavi Nismo Z . Throw in the legendary drivers in the likes of Satoshi Motoyama and Nomura Ken add in burning tires and smoking rubbers and last but not least some GT Queens for good measure you get a perfect equation for a petrolheads wet dream come true!
Safari Rides
Safari rides were the next in the itinerary, so it was back to the racing circuit to hop onto a bus which was going to take us round the circuit to watch mechanical animals running in the concrete circuit.
Nismo Festival – Sunday 4/12/05
We couldn’t ask for more after what we were treated to the day before. Fans who had waited 364 days started coming in the night before camping outside the main gates to be the first to gain entry to the circuit.
There were a variety of events lined up for fans of all ages from meeting the race drivers, car parade, March Cup Exhibition Race, Grid Walk, Drift Extreme Show, R380-II, R381 R382 Demo runs, Tuned Car Battle to Classis Car Parade, tuners bazaar and kids park. However right round lunchtime it started to snow. This did not dampen the 27,000 strong fans that made their way. Had it not snowed the capacity would have easily nearly doubled to 45,000 people.
It was definitely a great event not to be missed for all motorheads especially if you have a Nissan in your stable. Well its 364 days for me and counting
My trip to Nismo Festival 2006 @ Fuji Speedway, Japan
A mix of the traditional and the contemporary. Kimono-clad geisha and a suit-clad salary man, traditional
temple and a futuristic… oops!
Report and Images by: Alan Khoo, Nismo Malaysia
Supremus has already used that opening line. Anyway my trip to Japan this time round was also bound to be a memorable one although unlike Supremus I was headed there primarily for work as I was sent there to accompany local media and to witness the annual Nismo Festival. This year the newly refurbished ever-famous Fuji Speedway played host to the return of the ever-popular Nismo Festival.
ARRIVAL
After 8 hours of anticipation I finally touch down and get a view of Tokyo Tower to remind me that I am in Tokyo. If not McD’s in Japanese definitely will confirm this is the Land Of The Rising Sun.
THE DAY BEFORE – 3/12/05
At the break of dawn we were whisked away in a coach arranged by my Japan counterpart to our next destination, Fuji Speedway in Shizuoka Prefecture 140kms away from Tokyo. Upon reaching Fuji Speedway I immediately noticed that this had to be either a Nissan or Nismo event judging by the galore of Nissan cars that filled the car park.
Taxi Rides
We attended the preview one day before the actual day and all invited guests and international media were quite hyped up as we were treated to various taxi rides in D1 cars and race cars. It was a full ensemble of Nismo powered Nissan cars ranging from the current D1 cars such as ORC Fairlady Z, Nismo Coppermix Silvia S15, Blitz ER34 and Yuke’s Cusco with Advan Silvia S15 to race cars from the Historical cars such as a 1973 Fairlady Z, Tomei Sunny, Le-Mans legend Nissan R390 to the Xanavi Nismo Z . Throw in the legendary drivers in the likes of Satoshi Motoyama and Nomura Ken add in burning tires and smoking rubbers and last but not least some GT Queens for good measure you get a perfect equation for a petrolheads wet dream come true!
Safari Rides
Safari rides were the next in the itinerary, so it was back to the racing circuit to hop onto a bus which was going to take us round the circuit to watch mechanical animals running in the concrete circuit.
Nismo Festival – Sunday 4/12/05
We couldn’t ask for more after what we were treated to the day before. Fans who had waited 364 days started coming in the night before camping outside the main gates to be the first to gain entry to the circuit.
There were a variety of events lined up for fans of all ages from meeting the race drivers, car parade, March Cup Exhibition Race, Grid Walk, Drift Extreme Show, R380-II, R381 R382 Demo runs, Tuned Car Battle to Classis Car Parade, tuners bazaar and kids park. However right round lunchtime it started to snow. This did not dampen the 27,000 strong fans that made their way. Had it not snowed the capacity would have easily nearly doubled to 45,000 people.
It was definitely a great event not to be missed for all motorheads especially if you have a Nissan in your stable. Well its 364 days for me and counting
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