Trains in Japan are so good that few people consider driving through the country. The Shinkansen delivers you from Tokyo to Kyoto in extreme comfort, while you can enjoy a civilised bento box lunch, and – if you’re feeling celebratory – add a small bottle of sake; the cap ingeniously turns into a cup.
But The Peninsula’s Japan Driving Experience has set out to change that. The hotel group’s first rally in the country in 2017 combined motorsport’s global appeal with the specificity and locality of country roads and local culture. They reprised the event last April, with a four-day itinerary that started at The Peninsula Tokyo and passed through resort towns and mountain passes, taking in ancient temples and even a ferry trip. The final stop was the exclusive Magarigawa Club, with its own racing track surrounded by spectacular views. The event saw committed drivers ship their own cars over from their home countries – vintage, new, British, Italian: the common denominator was speed.
Shinto priestesses outside the Suwa Taisha shrine in Nagano Prefecture © James Harvey-Kelly
A decal on a 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL taking part in the Peninsula Hotel’s Japan Driving Experience rally © James Harvey-Kelly
