We’re back at Gunsai Touge for another year of pure AE86 bliss.
This time, Garage Infinity expanded their scope to include all 4A-GE-powered cars in their annual matsuri, though the turnout remained overwhelmingly Hachiroku-centric.
My day began at the Gunsai’s closest convenience store, where there’s always a revolving door of cool cars en route to the famous driving spot.
For those who are tapped into my AE86 adventures in Japan, you’ll know I got my car from Garage Infinity. So it was only right to attend their annual event and soak in the atmosphere.
As some of you know, I’ve also delved into drifting with my AE86 – stay tuned for a story on that – and the temptation to experience the Gunsai Touge from the driver’s seat was strong. However, after several visits, I knew better than to risk a tow truck ride home.
As ever, the event attracted a diverse range of Hachirokus. I’ve always preached that AE86s are one of a few chassis that vary so much from build to build, and this event was a testament to that.
One standout for me was this cream-over-silver Trueno hatchback.
Once again, the Team Mouse cars came up from Kansai. These are always my ‘how to notchback’ examples, whenever I need inspiration. In my mind, there are two main styles for an AE86: 15-inch wheels with a body kit, or 13/14-inch wheels with stock Toyota aero. Team Mouse cars nail the former perfectly.
One of the best parts of shooting at Gunsai is how close you can get to the action. As terrifying and dangerous as it might be, nothing beats standing behind weak guard rails outside of a fast corner, closing your eyes to avoid being hit by rocks, and holding the shutter on continuous fire hoping for that perfect shot.
I also caught up with Naoki-san and grabbed some shots of his stunning 4A-GE 20V ‘Blacktop’-swapped Levin. After years of dialling, there’s almost nothing left for him to modify, adjust or improve.
I even mounted my GoPro in Naoki-san’s 86 for some in-car footage. Check it out above!
Hiroshi ‘Kaicho’ Takahashi was also there with his iconic red Running Free Trueno. This car is always evolving, and this time, Kaicho came out to play with a full carbon roof swap, which was pretty impressive.
Towards the end of the day, I hopped into the passenger seat of a car to see if I could capture some Hail Mary action shots out the window. As seen in the video, Gunsai is fast. Sitting in a stock unbolstered seat, dangling my camera out of the window, I was quite lucky to grab the shots I did, and the risk was well worth it.
The Gunsai Touge will forever hold a place in my heart as the true mecca of drifting in Japan, and events like Garage Infinity’s 4A-GE-only matsuri just make it all the more special.
Alec Pender
Instagram: noplansco
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