Street Racing And Its Cultural Significance
Street Racing And Its Cultural Significance – During the years following their post-World War II Allied occupation, Japan’s automotive industry expanded explosively and saw them eventually grow into the world’s largest vehicle production powerhouse, synonymous with quality and reliability.
As personal vehicles became cheaper and more accessible, they found their way more into the everyday life of the Japanese population. Naturally from this came the rise of multiple subcultures revolving around their newfound mobility.
Street Racing And Its Cultural Significance
One of the most notorious of these are the Bosozoku, gangs of youth who terrorize the streets with their cars and bikes as their way of rebelling against society. Their exploits of reckless driving, gang violence and generally disturbing the peace have been extensively documented over the years, and while we do not condone criminal activity, their style is undeniable and their culture continues to inform and influence fans to this day.
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Another group from this era you may have come across before are Kaido Racers. Inspired by 70s and 80s race cars, they are hard to miss with their ground-scraping ride height, tall extended exhaust pipes, huge overfenders with wide wheels to match and wild custom bodywork.
One of the many people who consider this period to be the golden age of Japan’s automotive scene is Mitch Meade, an enthusiast of late Showa era (1926-1989) cars who has been documenting the scene since 2017 as the appropriately named Showa Racing.
We sat down with Mitch to have an enlightening conversation about his interest in this specific era of Japan’s automotive history and how it translates to modern times. He also sets the record straight on various terms and subcategories and offers some insight into the current state of the scene.
My name is Mitch Meade, I am a car photographer in Japan who has been lucky enough to have my photos published in various magazines, I also manage the social media page “Showa Racing” and I have been living in Japan since 2015.
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My interest in automotive subcultures began when I was about 16, about the time I started driving. I started documenting the car scene in Brisbane by shooting their amateur video in 2012, and continued with it until I moved to Japan on a working holiday visa and my interest in photography really flourished.
While on my working holiday visa I was living in Saitama, and later Ikebukuro in Tokyo, which really put me in a great position to drive to all the car hot spots in and around Kanto and document all that came with it.
My interest in Kaido racers became more of an obsession when I moved from Tokyo down to Kyushu in 2017 and saw an abundance of them. It is not an unusual place to see them driving around on any given Sunday afternoon. It was around this time I decided to document the culture officially, and launched Showa Racing.
I’ve always loved anything and everything from the 1970s and 1980s. The fashion, technology etc., so it really came as a natural thing to like cars from the late Showa era too.
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I think the attitude in Japan to any car scene is much more laid back than in Australia. Regarding Japanese Kyusha inspired cars being built in Australia, Japan pioneers the styles while foreigners copy it, and sometimes things get a little lost in translation, there are certainly some people out there doing a fantastic job.
Why do you think these differences exist? What factors do you think cause them or make them possible?
Some people seem to want to try to build a Kaido racer as cheaply as possible, so they put the cars on replica or “fake” wheels or don’t care about getting the car as low as possible. The best way to do it right is to copy what you see done in Japan as closely as possible.
How many automotive scenes and subcultures are there to be found in Japan and what makes them so special?
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I wouldn’t even be able to count off the top of my head. There are scenes and subcultures for almost every car you can imagine, from VW GTI Lupos, to custom vans known as Vanning, to various types of American cars.
We see many terms and categories being thrown around such as Shakotan, Zokusha, Kaido Racer etc. For the uninitiated, could you briefly explain the differences between certain styles of modification and what they mean?
A GX71 Cresta on SSR Mark ll wheels that is very low, has a chin spoiler on the front and a slot spoiler on the rear with some FET Kyokuto decals, that’s what a
Racer, but the word itself means low car, and can be used to describe modern low cars as well.
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What would you consider the best sources to learn more about the Japanese car scene and culture?
From the people themselves, a lot of the guys still in the scene have been around since the 80s. They answered a lot of questions I had over the years which was really helpful in giving me a more complete understanding. Of course if you don’t speak Japanese it can be a bit difficult, so I’m always happy to answer questions for anyone who is interested. Hightopfade blog founder Park Baker (prkbakr on Instagram) is a kaido racer history dictionary and I’m certainly happy to help educate anyone who is serious about learning too.
You may not want to divulge this information and we would completely understand, but if someone were to come to Japan and wanted to hunt and witness the scenes first hand, what types of areas would be best for them to start their search?
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There’s always a chance you’ll be lucky enough to see them in Daikoku PA, but I recommend attending a scheduled Kyusha event. These events can be tricky to find but are hosted across Japan from about February to November. The New Years touring that happens around Japan is something you should not miss if it is possible for you to participate, but this type of touring is more invite-only. I am always happy to provide public event information to anyone who asks.
What are the more underground scenes and how hard is it to get there? How did your experience come as a non-Japanese enthusiast?
Coming into the scene as a foreigner was not a problem at all, 99% of the people are very welcoming and happy to help in any way possible. I have been welcomed into three teams in the last few years;
Can you tell us a little about the Bosozoku? Did you meet some of them during your time in Japan?
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Does the subculture extend beyond the cars? Was it born from and centered around the cars, or are the cars just one part of a larger culture?
Racers really began to become more refined and good-looking. I really enjoy looking back at the magazines.
I’m a big fan of the GX51 Cresta and also love any GX61 variant; Cresta, Mark II or Chaser. These cars are less common, and they are from my favorite years of the 80s, 1980 – 1984.
This is hard to answer, I would have to say Goldrush customs. They strike the perfect balance in their
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Without a doubt, yes. Some people pay to build their cars, but the vast majority do it themselves or with the help of friends.
For digital photography a Canon 5D Mk III and various Canon prime lenses. For film photography a Fujica AX-3 with various old Fujica primes.
Nothing scary, but one of the coolest memories I have is driving late at night with a group of about 40
Racers on the way to the mountains to do nonsuri. It seems a bit cliché, but it honestly reminded me of the scene in Shakotan Boogie with the big group of cars cruising late at night.
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Who are the leading personalities in the scene? Are there any key players that stand out and we should pay attention to?
Japan is very determined in its ways and has quite a relaxed stance on policing modified cars. So I don’t see too many changes in the near future. One thing that is certain is that the prices will continue to rise and people will have to adapt ways and become more creative to enjoy the culture in the coming years.
Phong Chung is a Tokyo-based writer who lives consumed by ideas of gastronomy, technical clothing and old Toyotas.
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A chat with Michael from @autoprefecture.jp detailing Japanese car culture, motorsports and his vast archive of car magazines. This article has been consistently updated since its publication in 2021 to reflect the latest records and information available. We will continue to stay on top of all things Cannonball.
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