Last week, I gave you a quick look at Car Shop Glow – a custom LED taillight maker and RX-7 specialty store located near downtown Tokyo, Japan.
To mark the visit, the CSG team arranged for a number of customer Mazdas to visit. What better way to end the day than with a convoy cruise through the city to visit some famous Parking Area (PA) spots.
Coordinating five FD3S RX-7s, one RX-8, and one Eunos Roadster (Miata/MX-5) to drive together in Tokyo during rush hour was no small feat, but it was worth it.
For those who don’t know, Japan has strict regulations on vehicle modifications, making it risky to put highly modified cars on the streets. You could get away with it if your car looked and sounded stock, but most Mazdas in our group didn’t.
I have so much admiration for the Japanese modified car community, but at the top of the list is their enthusiasm. Most of these boys and girls also drive their cars fast.
We planned to visit a few different places in Tokyo to mix things up, but most of the cars were too low or too wide for some roads and entrances, so we kept the route simple: Umihotaru and then Daikoku.
The ride from Car Show Glow in Nerima-ku to Umihotaru PA was smooth. Strangely enough, we managed to stay in convoy. Believe me, it wasn’t easy until we finally got to the highway.
Japan is still new to me, but this wasn’t the first time I rode the Wangan or visited these two PAs. Like everyone else, I’ve seen countless photos and videos online, but nothing compares to the real thing.
It was crazy driving through the tunnel under Tokyo Bay, surrounded by loud turntables. My eardrums were ringing, but who would want it otherwise?!
Umihotaru PA has easy parking and is useful for regrouping if our rotating convoy got separated.
The last time was in January after TAS when it was the middle of winter and cold. This time we had to deal with a heat of 35°C in the middle of summer. It was not only a test for the cars to prevent overheating, but also for the drivers and passengers. Luckily the car I was in had working air conditioning, and I was relieved to see that the others did too.
After a group photo with the cars, we headed to our last stop for the night: Daikoku PA. And yes, we made a scene!
I was surprised that we had almost all seven CSG cars parked next to each other in a row, especially considering how busy the PA was. I’m not entirely sure how the guys did it, but it shows how kind and understanding other enthusiasts here are; they really appreciate and support what you do.
Daikoku capped off a great afternoon at Car Shop Glow. Our friend Jack shot a 4K video of our cruise, so check it out by clicking play above.
Thanks, CSG, and thanks, Japan – I’ll see you again very soon!
Jackie Tse
Instagram: jtune_nz
Photography by Ash Bechan
Instagram: pixeltoon_media
Additional photography and video by Jack Prebble
Instagram: jackprebblemedia
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