Daikoku Car Meet
Tokyo drift in real life! This was one of the boys favourite experiences as teenagers in Japan. Pumping with excitement, neon lights (and yes some cop lights!) and revving engines. A true local experience and must do for any true rev head – and even those that aren’t.
What exactly is Daikoku? Well, it’s a car park and locals with cool cars meet every night to show off their rides. Locals and foreigners come to check out Tokyo’s’ car scene and to take loads of photos and videos.
Things to know
- Daikoku car meet is on every day and night. There are more cars at night and on weekends, although Sunday morning is also a popular time.
- Daikoku is south of Tokyo in Yokohama.
- It is likely to be shut down by police at any time if it gets too rowdy (the cop shop is right next door).
- See below about how to get here. Most people join a tour group, see why we did.
How to get here
Tour
This is the easiest way to access the car meet. There are lots of tours that you can book through Klook, online groups or direct with the tour guides. Of course this is more expensive but there are a couple of big advantages. We booked through Klook with Gaijintuned Car Club.
Why we chose a tour group…
Feel like a local cruising the Tokyo streets! One of the things the boys enjoyed the most is cruising in a convoy in cool sports cars, from Akihabara, across Tokyo and turning up like a local. The group went across the rainbow bridge and stopped at Tokyo tower for some iconic photos. It was half the fun of the night.
Cops come and you can move on! As part of a tour group when the cops shut down the meet your guides are in the know and they can just follow the cars onto the next site so the night can keep going!
A few things to check when booking with tour groups;
- Is transport to the venue in a van, tour bus or a sports car?
- Timing of the tour – often weekend tours are earlier to try and get some meet time in before being shut down by the police.
- English speaking guides.
- If the police shut down the meet, will they take you to a second venue (you want that to be a yes!)
Making your own way there
You can make your own way to the car meet in Yokohama and it will cost you nothing! However, you can’t access by foot, it will need to be by car or taxi as the meet is in a car park. Also be aware that if the meet is shut down it is harder to know where they move to.
Use the following address in google maps to find your way to the meet:
15 Daikokufuto, Tsurumi Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0054, Japan
So would we recommend it?
Absolutely – teens or adults with an interest in cars, Tokyo drift or cruising through the streets of Tokyo at night in a super cool car will love this. Is it worth the $$ of the tour – oh yeah!
