WELCOME back everyone to the first Monday Miles of the year. My name is Dillon Pillay, and I am the journalist for the Southlands Sun newspaper. If you do not know the Monday Miles is a travel series where I take you along on some of my expeditions to other countries and give some insight into the culture and history.

To kick off the year we will be exploring Japan, which I was fortunate enough to experience in December 2025. Today, however, we are going to be focusing on the Japanese car meet scene.

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Japan holds a distinct and revered position among automobile aficionados. It is considered the epicentre for performance cars, melding popular culture and inspiring cinematic works such as Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift.

During my stay in Tokyo, I was fortunate enough to book a night-time car meet tour, offering an intimate look at car meet culture in Japan as well as checking some insanely cool modified vehicles.

The tour kicked off at our place of residence, where we were picked up in a styled-out car with neon lights. Our nighttime excursion commenced at A-PIT Autobacs, Tokyo’s largest automotive supply emporium and a prime destination for car enthusiasts. Unfortunately I was not going to bring back tyres or rims, so it was quite short-lived for me. Our next stop was to the infamous Daikoku Parking Area.

History of Daikoku Parking Area:

The tale of Daikoku Parking Area captures its evolution from an ordinary highway rest stop into its symbolic place in automotive culture. Initially devised as a simple place for weary travellers to pause, refresh and continue their travels, its expansive layout and convenient access soon transformed it into an organic gathering point for driving enthusiasts. Over three decades, Daikoku morphed from a practical pitstop into a vibrant centre for the Japanese car community.

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Yet, its early reputation was mixed, and while it became a nexus for street racers and vehicles bearing illegal modifications, it also conjured an underground aura, an exclusive place where drivers could liberate their machines from the constraints of urban roadways. Although contemporary authorities maintain a more vigilant presence, Daikoku continues to symbolise Japan’s legendary automotive spirit, drawing fans from all over the world.

Tatsumi No. 1 Parking Area:

Though the initial plan was to experience Daikoku Parking Area, due to the overwhelming crowd that evening as well as the police, we made a detour to Tatsumi No.1 Parking Area, which I was ultimately more grateful for.

For nearly an hour, we found ourselves enveloped by an extraordinary variety of cars, sleek Nissan GT-Rs speeding under the night sky, alongside heavily modified Toyota Supras poised for performance.

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Monday Miles returns for 2026 with a journey to Japan. Dillon Pillay shares his experience of Tokyo’s famous night-time car meets, where car enthusiasts gather to showcase unique modified vehicles and celebrate the country’s iconic automotive culture. #MondayMiles #Tokyo #travel #Tokyocarmeet southlandssun #caxtonlocalmedia

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If you were wondering, Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift was the only thing playing in my mind while speeding through the straits. At the car meet it was a unique experience seeing how car enthusiasts showed off their vehicle’s potentials and allowed people to take pictures and discuss the cars.

While it was nice being able to see the cars, we had a blast speeding through some iconic spots in Tokyo like Rainbow Bridge, Shibuya Crossing and ending it off at Tokyo Tower.

Experience review:

What an unforgettable experience, even though I am not the biggest car enthusiast it was something I would without a doubt do again.

That concludes our first Monday Miles for 2026, we will continue our journey next week in the land of the rising sun.

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