Nestled amongst the hills of Gunma Prefecture northeast of Tokyo, the Gunma Cycle Sports activities Middle – in any other case recognized on the Gunsai touge – has earned its popularity as one of the crucial iconic and difficult driving venues in Japan.
With its sharp hairpin turns, steep inclines and breathtaking views, this legendary spot has turn into a mecca for automotive fanatics and adrenaline junkies alike.
Gunsai is an lively biking venue for our two-wheel-inclined buddies to stretch their legs in an atmosphere that simulates winding mountain roads. And along with its biking roots, Gunsai can be house to a spattering of theme park fashion sights. However that’s not what you’re right here to examine.
With motorsport historical past stretching again to the early 2000s, it’s fairly a shock that Gunsai touge has solely been a grassroots drifting hotspot for the previous decade, with public occasions occurring few and much between. When public drift occasions are introduced, entries to drive this iconic venue are extremely contested, and it’s straightforward to see why.
With road drifting on the decline in Japan attributable to elevated police presence, harsh penalties and street security initiatives, it’s apparent why closed-road venues at Gunsai appeal to so many individuals. There’s a time-old notion of ‘leaving it for the observe, however replicating the pure adrenaline of drifting on a mountain street is solely not possible on a traditional circuit. Ask any drifter you realize; they’ll inform you an identical factor.
There’s no scarcity of vehicular casualties at Gunsai – the abundance of guard rails and rock partitions undeniably instructions a big presence, even when cruising by means of on a sight lap. It doesn’t matter what tickles your automotive fancy, it’s robust to observe fanatics throw hours of blood, sweat, tears and cash away on a single nook.
While the way forward for drifting at Gunsai touge is troublesome to foretell, it’s honest to say that having any alternative for these occasions has been a blessing to the Japanese drift group.
Alec Pender
Instagram: noplansco
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