Golden Week in Japan (held annually from 29 April to 5 May) is a special time when the country collectively slows down, with a series of national holidays that locals and visitors alike use to travel, relax, and spend time with family and friends.
Alongside this, the holiday brings together some of the most important moments in Japanese motorsport, including the Super GT race at Fuji Speedway. Beyond major events, there are also local traditions deeply rooted in car culture. One of these takes place on May 5th, Children’s Day (Kodomo no Hi), when Tsukuba Circuit hosts a unique festival celebrating automotive culture to help inspire the next generation of enthusiasts. In Japan, this connection links past, present, and future.
From the mid-1980s, the meeting was known as the Coca-Cola Old/Now Car Festival, a name that became part of its legend. Today, it continues as the Tsukuba Circuit Car Festival, or more commonly, Tsukuba FES.
My first visit to the Tsukuba FES was also my first visit to Japan and the iconic circuit. And getting there was as much an experience as the destination itself. Instead of taking a taxi or driving, I caught a train to Sōdō Station in Shimotsuma, Ibaraki, and then walked for about an hour through the Tsukuba countryside. The quiet walk beside rice fields was occasionally interrupted by the distant sound of tuned cars, each one only adding to the excitement of what was ahead.
Finally arriving at Tsukuba Circuit felt unreal. Entry to the event was free, and the circuit and paddock were time capsules filled with Showa-era machines from the 1960s to the 1990s. Hakosuka and Kenmeri Nissan Skylines, Sunnys, Toyota AE86s, and many others defined generations of Japanese car culture, alongside icons such as the Mazda Cosmo Sport 110S and Toyota 2000GT, creating a living museum of JDM history.
Alongside the classic car sessions, the Tsukuba FES featured track activities with Ferraris, Caterhams, Mazda Roadster Cup cars, and Formula cars such as FJ1500 and Super FJ.
For me, this event was a reminder that car culture can be shared across generations and borders. If you’re ever in Japan for Golden Week, I highly recommend that the Tsukuba Circuit Car Festival be on your must-do list.
