Inside Japan's Illegal Drifting Underworld - TOKYO DRIFT

0:12 We've gotten access to peek through a very secretive door,

0:16 the underground Tokyo drifting scene.

0:18 And yes, it does still exist.

0:24 [music] This hidden subculture has now almost reached

0:25 mythological status around the world through films,

0:28 anime, and [music] video games.

0:30 But as the years go by, the drifters

0:32 are growing smaller and [music] smaller in numbers.

0:35 Police cracking down is forcing them further into the shadows,

0:38 almost so far as to [music] make us believe they no longer exist.

0:42 But if you look far enough, they are [music] still here.

0:46 And somehow after weeks of back and forth and a near last second cancellation,

0:50 we've been given the very rare permission to join

0:53 [music] and capture an evening of drifting in the mountains.

0:56 And so, welcome to the real life hidden world of Tokyo Drift.

1:01 [music] [music]

1:16 [music] [music] The sun is setting in Tokyo.

1:25 We've gotten unbelievable access to a world

1:27 that very few have ever seen up close.

1:30 Yeah, we've had to work our way through some contacts and some hoops

1:33 to get to get access to the world that we are currently about to enter.

1:37 [music] Let's do it.

1:38 Is this us?

1:41 Oh, maybe.

1:42 No, this can't be us.

1:43 Hello.

1:43 Hi.

1:44 Nice car.

1:45 Thank you.

1:46 Are you going to the car meet?

1:47 Yeah, we're going.

1:48 You with us?

1:49 Oh, wait.

1:50 This is our car.

1:51 Oh, sick.

1:52 What's up, man?

1:52 I'm Thomas.

1:53 My car.

1:53 Oh, this is your car.

1:54 Nice, bro.

1:55 Okay, cool.

1:57 Nice to meet you.

1:57 [music] We are starting our adventure at this car meet called Dauuku,

2:05 which is where [music] many of the drivers in Tokyo who have the the flashier,

2:11 more interesting, [music] more unique cars go and have a gathering

2:14 in this open parking lot and just get to see some epic cars.

2:18 These are not the drifters that we're going to be drifting with tomorrow,

2:21 [music] but uh we'll get to see a little bit of the scene here.

2:28 We're going in the most legit way possible.

2:31 [music] You can trust me on this.

2:36 I love my car more than myself.

2:38 So, [music] okay, let it begin.

2:45 Holy [music] [music] [music] Oh, that's fast.

3:06 Samir, we're safe, right?

3:08 Yeah, of course we are.

3:09 Samir, how often do you go out like this?

3:11 I'm going like this every night.

3:13 Every night.

3:13 Every night.

3:14 Yeah.

3:15 [music] The highways of Tokyo are the birthplace

3:18 of a car culture that has spread across the world.

3:22 It all begins [music] in the late60s.

3:24 The country was experiencing an economic boom and suddenly car manufacturers

3:27 [music] like Nissan and Toyota weren't

3:30 just building sensible commuter cars anymore.

3:33 They were showing off.

3:34 [music] That's the era when Samir's car,

3:37 the Nissan Skyline GTR, [music] first shows up.

3:41 Light, aggressive, and fast enough to make

3:44 the rest of the world actually [music] take notice.

3:46 And for the first time, everyday drivers had access to cars that felt

3:49 built for more than the daily commute.

3:52 By the time the 70s and 80s rolled around,

3:54 that ambition spilled onto the streets.

3:57 Tokyo's Shuto Expressway became the unofficial

4:00 testing track for local street racers.

4:02 [music] The highway circles central Tokyo,

4:04 and at 2:30 in the morning, traffic nearly vanishes,

4:08 leaving a huge continuous loop where you could

4:10 run laps without [music] ever hitting a stoplight.

4:13 This is where underground racing clubs would reach speeds up to 300 km an hour,

4:18 long before most countries even imagined that was possible.

4:22 This road is famous.

4:23 It's called the one line.

4:24 Back in the '90s, there was a club called the Midnight Club

4:27 and they used to test all kind of paths like [music] turos,

4:31 everything imaginable to obtain the highest speed.

4:34 It was on this road because as you can see,

4:37 it's just straight lines and you know,

4:38 so you can enjoy the sound of your engine and everything.

4:41 What does this community mean for you?

4:42 It's [music] like a big family, you know,

4:44 people that share the same passion and I'm glad to be part of it.

4:47 Does the police ever bother you?

4:48 Do you break any laws?

4:51 Are you an undercover cop or like what do you [laughter]

4:54 kind of what kind of questions are these tan?

4:55 I don't know.

4:57 This place like is the maker of the comets in the world.

5:00 Everybody knows about this place.

5:05 [music] We have arrived at the car meet.

5:09 Here we are in the celebrity car.

5:11 People are pretty fascinated by our arrival here.

5:14 Says a lot about how mythical your car is almost filming your face.

5:24 We're like hanging out with Cristiano Ronaldo right now.

5:28 I wish I [music] [music] [music] more famous car meetat areas.

5:52 It's basically this [music] big open parking lot where some of the owners

5:55 of the more epic cars around Tokyo come to show off [music] their cars,

5:59 meet other car owners,

6:00 give I guess car fans an opportunity to like check it out.

6:04 Typically, we can stay here for [music] a bit and then cops usually

6:07 show up probably in about an hour or so to shut it down.

6:10 There's a lot of people taking a picture of I'm

6:14 still calling it the orange car, but it the name is Skylander 34.

6:18 Skylliner 34.

6:19 Yeah, the Skylander 34.

6:27 After getting our first close-up look at some of these supercars,

6:30 it was time to see what they could do.

6:32 So, Samir invited us to join him and some

6:34 of his [music] friends from the car meet

6:36 to head out onto the iconic highway to get

6:38 our first real taste of the Tokyo driving scene.

6:42 We are hitting the iconic Tokyo highways.

6:46 Many people come here from around the world to experience.

6:48 They come to Japan just for this.

6:53 [music] [music] Heat.

7:06 HEAT.

7:07 [music] YEAH.

7:16 [music] HEAT.

7:38 Now that we've been introduced to Japan's [music] car culture,

7:40 it was time to head out of the city

7:42 and into the mountains where the drifting was born.

7:51 Drifting has become popular all over the world.

7:53 But how did it start in Japan?

7:55 Well, its origins lie with one rebellious teenager flying down

7:59 the mountain passes outside of Tokyo in a banged up economy car.

8:03 While other racers would slow down on these mountain

8:05 bends to avoid their car spitting out,

8:08 this driver did the opposite, sending his car into a controlled slide.

8:14 A move that would have been disastrous for most,

8:16 but when mastered allowed him to maintain

8:18 speed as he glided around every corner.

8:21 His name was Ki Tsushia, today known as the Drift King.

8:26 [music] Sushia managed to make it into the professional racing

8:35 scene in [music] 1977 and soon became a racing legend,

8:39 not only for taking podiums, but for outmaneuvering his opponents around

8:42 corners with his unique driving style.

8:45 Despite going pro, he was still drifting

8:47 customtuned cars down mountain passes and filming them.

8:51 Videos of his runs quickly spread,

8:53 inspiring a generation of drifters and tuners to go out and do it themselves.

9:02 It was Tushia's marriage of street and track

9:04 racing that brought drifting into the zeitgeist with force.

9:08 His driving inspired manga, anime, [music] video games, and movies.

9:12 Here he is acting as a fisherman in Tokyo Drift.

9:14 Good night.

9:15 And this [music] is him driving as a stunt double.

9:22 By the 2000s, drifting even got its own professional series in Japan.

9:27 But now we were going [music] to experience the sport the way it began,

9:30 done in secret deep in the mountains of Tokyo.

9:36 So, we are meeting up with our local contact here.

9:40 It's going to be taking us to the mountain

9:43 location where tonight's activity will take place.

9:46 We've almost had like a last minute cancellation

9:50 because [music] some hesitations with letting us in.

9:54 So, we're going to have to manage our access here carefully

9:58 and respectfully and then see how much we can actually do.

10:01 I was hesitant.

10:02 Full on hesitant [music] in the beginning like can we tell a story like this?

10:05 Is it possible?

10:06 Is it too extreme?

10:08 Hi guys.

10:12 Okay.

10:13 All right.

10:14 [laughter] How are we feeling?

10:16 Good.

10:16 It's going to be fun.

10:18 Okay.

10:18 All right.

10:18 I'm a little bit more nervous, I think.

10:20 But if there's something you shouldn't do,

10:22 it's like to jump into like a nice drive to the mountain.

10:27 Yeah.

10:27 Definitely do not did this at home if you're watching this.

10:31 Yeah.

10:31 As we headed out of the city, we didn't know what to expect.

10:34 only that Louisie, our local fixer,

10:36 had found a way into this underground [music] drifting community.

10:39 Louie was introduced to us by my friend Simon Fresh,

10:42 who is a great French YouTube creator and journalist

10:44 who has done [music] his own incredible story here,

10:47 but now he was bringing us with him.

10:49 How did you as a French man end up

10:51 having like the deepest contacts in this underground world?

10:55 I met few of those guys on a like track event first.

10:59 I just like asked them to do like a video project [music] first.

11:03 They wanted to show to the world what they were doing and stuff.

11:06 That's how it all started.

11:07 Uh still feel like Unreal again.

11:10 And I feel so glad that they, you know,

11:12 trust us and trust me on cuz it's a really really close world.

11:16 They also want to show their skills and what

11:18 you what they can do behind the wheel.

11:22 As you can hear, Tokyo's drift scene isn't something just anyone stumble into.

11:26 These guys, they meet [music] at secret spots.

11:28 They drive on the mountains roads when nobody's

11:31 watching and they keep their entire culture hidden.

11:34 And just like these drifters keeps their scene [music] underground,

11:36 Surf Shark keeps your internet activity hidden.

11:39 It encrypts everything.

11:41 Your internet provider, the Wi-Fi network,

11:43 [music] and even websites can't see what you're doing.

11:46 You can also change your virtual location.

11:48 I connect to a Swedish [music] server,

11:50 so even if I'm far across on another side of the world,

11:52 I can watch my favorite Swedish [music] TV program.

11:54 Plus, we compare flight and hotel prices from different countries,

11:58 which [music] has saved us quite some money.

12:00 So, go to surf sharkark.com/yest or use the code yes theory at checkout or scan

12:06 [music] this cure code and you'll get 4 months extra on your Surf Shark plan.

12:10 Now, let's go back to the video and see

12:12 what happens in the mountains of Tokyo at night.

12:16 [music]

12:16 How you doing?

12:17 Hey, you good?

12:18 Yeah, I am.

12:19 He's got to check first and see like if there's some guys that [music]

12:21 just really don't even want to be filmed even if we blur their faces.

12:27 Okay, I think we got a [music] green light.

12:29 I missed having nervous laughs, but keep it together soon.

12:35 Hey, nice to meet you.

12:38 Thomas,

12:37 nice to meet you.

12:39 Thank you so much for having us.

12:40 So, maybe today around four or five cars coming.

12:43 Okay, perfect.

12:44 Man, we're so grateful that we're allowed to take a peek through your world.

12:49 I know.

12:49 It's

12:50 It's first time like watching drifting.

12:52 Yes.

12:52 First time.

12:53 Yeah.

12:54 [music]

13:02 He's our boss.

13:05 Okay.

13:04 He almost courage.

13:06 I see him.

13:06 Nice to meet you.

13:11 [music]

13:12 How did you even start drifting?

13:14 I was riding the motor bike.

13:17 Yeah.

13:16 And went to the drift spot.

13:18 But that time I didn't know it was a drift spot and a few cars was

13:22 drifting in [music] the street and then like oh I have to do this like that.

13:28 Oh wow.

13:28 Because Japan is

13:30 maybe a bit strict usually.

13:32 Yes.

13:32 Yeah.

13:32 So it's irregular.

13:33 So we need to find a place that there is no houses around there.

13:38 Yeah.

13:38 And there's the police don't call.

13:40 How worried are you about the police?

13:42 Not much.

13:43 Almost.

13:43 [laughter]

13:45 90 90% the police don't come.

13:48 Okay.

13:48 Yeah.

13:48 But if you want to drift in that like Tokyo police in 15 minutes.

13:52 Oh, really?

13:53 Yeah.

13:53 We need to escape from them.

13:56 Have you had to do that many times?

13:57 Yeah.

13:57 Many times.

13:58 So one time like eight police car chase me.

14:00 So I need to like 240 kilo and like go away.

14:07 Oh, okay.

14:08 But now I got child.

14:10 I have a like main job.

14:13 Okay.

14:12 I work for the office.

14:14 So like I almost stop drifting in [music] the dark area.

14:18 Yeah.

14:17 Yeah.

14:18 That's too risky for me.

14:19 Too risky.

14:20 Yeah.

14:20 Yeah.

14:20 Yeah.

14:22 We painted this stuff by ourself.

14:25 Everything is custom.

14:26 Yes.

14:26 Yes.

14:27 Like every little piece.

14:28 Huh.

14:28 Yeah.

14:29 engine, the computer, the suspension, the wheel.

14:32 Like most of the people, the drifters,

14:36 they just put it to the shop like our shop.

14:40 Yeah.

14:39 So they pay money and shop do this stuff.

14:43 Yeah.

14:43 But we don't have money, so we [clears throat] need to

14:45 do it yourself.

14:48 Yeah.

14:53 We're in our one.

14:54 Yeah.

14:54 This is so far from anything I've ever experienced in my life.

15:00 [music] [music]

15:12 What happened here?

15:14 He just crashed.

15:15 Oh, just crashed.

15:16 Just crashed in the as usual.

15:18 Okay.

15:19 This is normal.

15:22 Well,

15:21 I mean, everybody tried crashed.

15:24 Everyone has crashed.

15:26 Yeah.

15:26 Is it common?

15:26 Is it normal?

15:27 It is common.

15:27 It is

15:29 really.

15:30 Yeah.

15:30 The more we got to learn about these drivers,

15:32 the clearer it became how legally risky

15:34 and how physically dangerous this hobby actually was.

15:37 But as the guys finished tuning up their cars,

15:39 we knew we had to get our [music] nerves

15:40 in check as the night was only just beginning.

15:44 From here to the mountain,

15:44 we've decided that you're going to go in one of the cars.

15:47 So, and what about you?

15:49 I will be right behind you.

15:57 It's it's happening.

15:59 Okay.

15:59 Okay.

16:00 Arato.

16:01 Okay.

16:01 Nice man.

16:03 Nice.

16:03 Thank you.

16:06 [music] [music] Okay, ladies and gentlemen, let the show begin.

16:29 [music] [music] There is someone who like stopped the cars Yeah.

16:53 I don't know if it's like the police or who it is.

17:03 [music] Heat.

17:09 Heat.

17:09 [music] [music]

17:31 [music] We are essentially on like [music] an abandoned mountain road here.

17:42 I just lost phone service and we have not seen a car

17:45 in a long time and there are no [music] street lights on this street.

17:56 spot.

17:56 We are inside a very hidden world up here in the mountains.

18:00 We're basically on an abandoned mountain road.

18:02 We've already had to pivot locations once and at any

18:06 moment like the police can come and end the party.

18:11 Feels like being inside like the Tokyo Drift Fast and Furious movie.

18:15 All these guys are inspired by those original

18:18 drifters that inspired that movie, you know,

18:20 and this is now like the younger generation of guys who are out doing it.

18:24 Every drifter here is between 25 and 35.

18:28 Like that's an age range, but they've all been doing it for 10, 15 years.

18:32 It's not a hobby.

18:33 It's like their life.

18:34 Yeah.

18:35 Like they see it as like this is what they do.

18:37 And if like they can't do it, they're like, I don't know what else I would do.

18:40 Like this is this is more than a passion for them.

18:53 What's cooking?

18:55 Cooking?

18:55 Yeah.

18:55 What's [laughter] what what's uh what's happening?

18:59 Steering shaft is something wrong.

19:01 Oh, something wrong.

19:03 Yeah.

19:05 This is normal that something breaks and then you fix it.

19:08 That's normal.

19:09 So even we crashed, we fixed at the moment.

19:12 We need to go back home, right?

19:15 So, we [music] did everything here.

19:17 I see.

19:17 I see.

19:18 Ah, it's his car.

19:19 Yeah.

19:19 Yeah.

19:20 His owners.

19:20 That's the one I was sitting in.

19:21 It was our our car.

19:23 Okay.

19:23 It's my car is broken.

19:25 I hope it was not my big bum.

19:27 [laughter] Yeah.

19:28 Yeah.

19:29 Here.

19:30 We recover all this trouble of his technique.

19:33 He will he will he will solve the problem by doing a specific technique.

19:38 Yeah, that's right.

19:40 Um, yeah, the drifting has begun.

19:46 They're going to take a few warm-up runs without us in the cars.

19:50 And then if they trust us, they'll take us in the cars with them.

19:55 And out of nowhere, having heard that there was some

19:57 drifting going on, another drifting team nobody knew rolled in.

20:01 What was meant to be a standard practice night turned into a standoff.

20:05 And I think it might have set everyone off.

20:18 [music] This is insane.

20:47 This guy's trying to kill me.

20:48 He was like, "No, you can stay on the side." No, it's totally fine.

20:51 Never felt this kind of adrenaline like in real life before.

20:55 [laughter] After half an hour of drifting, we were finally invited to join them.

21:04 Even though our adrenaline was already

21:06 through the roof just watching the action,

21:07 we knew that there was no turning back now.

21:11 Okay, it's our turn now.

21:12 This ising insane.

21:14 Yeah.

21:14 I don't know how we were allowed to be here.

21:17 Here we go, bro.

21:17 [music] Ready?

21:19 Do you think you're crazy?

21:21 Yeah.

21:21 No.

21:21 No.

21:23 No.

21:23 [music] Ladies and gentlemen,

21:30 please present reminder to always [music] wear your [music] [music]

21:57 [music] [music] [music] Fire.

22:14 Fire.

22:14 Fire.

22:14 No tire.

22:15 Oh, up on the floor in the front.

22:17 He's completely ripped through his tire his his tire

22:21 left [music] straight up on the on the red line.

22:28 [music] [music] [music] [music] Wow, that was insane.

23:02 [music] That was insane.

23:05 Well, I am ready to get out of this car.

23:10 I actually need to sit down.

23:11 I'm actually feeling a little a little unwell after that.

23:17 Wow.

23:18 We sat with our ears still ringing and our hearts racing,

23:22 trying to take in everything we had just [music] experienced.

23:25 We had stepped into a world where passion borders on obsession.

23:29 And these drivers spent every free hour and every spare

23:32 dollar chasing a [music] feeling they can't describe, only live.

23:39 What we found [music] in Tokyo's drifting scene

23:40 wasn't just danger for the sake of danger.

23:43 It was a strong community bond.

23:45 A group of people who came together over

23:47 a shared passion that they could never get enough of.

23:50 And sitting [music] in that passenger seat holding

23:52 on to our seat belts for our dear life,

23:54 we were reminded why we travel in the first place.

23:58 To meet people who [music] care about something so

24:00 deeply forces us to question what we care about,

24:03 to say yes to moments that scare us a little

24:05 because those are the ones that make us feel most alive.

24:09 Naturally, this was done with highly experienced

24:12 professionals and you should not try to replicate

24:14 anything that you have seen in this video

24:16 [music] as risks are not to be underestimated.

24:19 But if there's something that you've been holding off on, a passion,

24:22 a curiosity, a ridiculous dream you've been procrastinating,

24:24 [music] take this as your sign to go find your version of that mountain pass.

24:29 [music] Go chase the thing that makes you feel alive.