Welcome to 2025! As always, January begins Speed chase with a strong focus on Japanese car culture, especially with the Tokyo Auto Salon just days away. And this year we’re going big.
But before we delve into Japan’s largest aftermarket tuning show and all the car gatherings surrounding it, let’s start with a tradition that has been firmly entrenched over the past decade: the unofficial New Year’s gathering at the Daikoku parking lot.
While enthusiasts flock to Yokohama’s most iconic car meeting from the first day of the year, January 3 usually has the largest turnout. If you plan to attend, getting to Daikoku early is a must.
I came in before 8am and the place was already full.
The variety was downright outrageous – a perfect example of what makes Japanese car culture so unique. Take the photo above for example: a 1960s Prince Skyline parked next to an 1980s Ford van, with a Lancia Delta Integrale completing the trio. That’s something you only see in Japan.
At Daikoku PA you are always assured of a great mix of vehicles, but during the New Year Meet there are extra special things, such as the white McLaren P1 that is parked right behind a Ferrari 575 Superamerica.
We saw this Strosek 964 a few years ago, but it’s always a pleasure to see these rare examples of automotive awesomeness.
I won’t interrupt the flow of the images here; they really speak for themselves.
Moments like these make it clear how important it is to preserve gathering places like Daikoku.
Where else can you witness such an organic celebration of pure automotive passion?
It’s funny I say this because just as I was taking it all in, the police showed up, blaring over the PA system, telling everyone it was time to leave.
I’m not sure what prompted this early morning cleanup – maybe the truck drivers weren’t too happy about their parking spaces being occupied – but it surprised a lot of people.
I have heard many comments, such as: “What, already?” And “Seriously, today?”
Despite the announcements, most people were in no hurry to pack up and leave.
There were still about a hundred cars I hadn’t seen yet, and a few latecomers managed to sneak in before the police blocked Daikoku PA’s spiral on-ramp from the highway above.
I made my way to the top of the parking lot – the usual problem area – and sure enough, the truck parking spaces were fully occupied.
The Lamborghini crew, who had been revving their engines continuously for over ten minutes, had parked in dramatic style. There was even a Reventón in between – still completely standard and by far the quietest of the bunch.
With the constant barrage of police announcements, engines screaming and exhaust popping, the whole scene felt chaotic, but in the best possible way. It made for an unforgettable start to the year.
At that time, the access roads in and out of Daikoku were blocked. Cars leaving were forced to participate in an impromptu rollout parade with many owners doing launches as they exited.
The robbery was actually a blessing in disguise: it gave me more time to discover cars I had missed, like this beautiful De Tomaso Pantera.
And even a Daihatsu Charade De Tomaso (Bianca variant). How cool is that?
At 10am the room was almost empty – a new record for the Daikoku PA New Year Meet!
A police officer came up to me and told me to stop taking pictures and leave, but as I did, I saw one last car that I couldn’t resist taking a few pictures of.
I mean, how often do you see a real Lancia 037 Stradale – in Martini Racing livery no less? Nuts!
The icing on the cake? On the way home I got to play with it a bit on the highway behind the wheel of my newly purchased BMW M4 Convertible. Weighing just over a tonne, the Lancia still held its own when the Abarth supercharger was running at full power.
And that concludes my first car adventure of 2025! I can only hope that the rest of the year will be as good as this, albeit short, morning in the Daikoku parking lot.
Dino Dalle Carbonare
Instagram: dino_dalle_carbonare
dino@speedhunters.com
