Japan’s Video Game Moments

I’m Amine, from Algeria, and I’m a huge car enthusiast. Growing up in a developing country, pursuing my passion wasn’t easy. Special cars were rare, and car-related events only happened a few times a year.

So I would go online and read Speedhunters articles, watch Top Gear, play racing games, and of course religiously watch Initial D. I got lucky enough to own an old BMW 323ci. It wasn’t easy to maintain or keep on the road as parts were rare, but every bit of struggle was worth it. It taught me how to care for a car, and driving a rear-wheel drive model was pure joy.

So when I decided to apply for a PhD program abroad, I thought it would only be natural to aim for Japan and use the opportunity to experience Japanese car culture. And so I chose Tsukuba University, due to its proximity to Tokyo and Tsukuba Circuit. Priorities.

As soon as I arrived in Japan, in April 2025, I went to Daikoku PA, along with friends I met on Facebook marketplace. You know, car people’s meeting app… Getting to the parking lot was a challenge as I had to hire a taxi, which was terrorising me and the two other passengers by speeding through tolls.

Getting to the PA and driving through the Wangan – which I knew so well thanks to the Shutoko Revival Project mod on Assetto Corsa –  was a sort of pilgrimage for me.

One week later I was at Tsukuba Circuit, a well known place for Gran Turismo players. Seeing all those Porsches lined up was absolutely mind blowing for me. In Japan, there are moments that, from a car enthusiast’s perspective, feel so surreal they seem as if they were deliberately scripted by a game developer just for you to experience.

Just two days after I landed here, I was commuting for the first time to my lab when I saw an AE86 Toyota Corolla Trueno drive past, probably back from its early morning tofu delivery…

Another time, I was riding my bike through the countryside back from Tsukuba Circuit when I found an open shop with no one inside. In the emptiness played a 1960’s rock n roll music, while a Chevrolet Impala, Chevrolet Bel Air and a Lincoln convertible and three Harley-Davidsons stood still. Typically video game script style.

Another example; walking down the streets of Ginza one morning I spotted an Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ driving along. Such rare and valuable cars don’t just cruise around in the real world.

Next for me is getting a Japanese driving license and buying a car. I’m considering returning to the BMW E46 platform, though the Nissan 350Z and 370Z are bargains at the moment. Maybe I’ll grab something open top; I find the Honda S660 very attractive… I’m open to suggestions.

Since my arrival, I’ve taken tens of thousands of photos of cars, and I look forward to sharing the most meaningful ones here.