Discussion
Currently researching a trip to Japan for the F1 later this year with a friend. I’ve never been to that part of the world before, the only F1 races I have been to are Silverstone and Spa.
We are currently in the early stages of planning. Any tips or advice on the best stand? Other things to see or do?
Intial idea is to fly out at the start of October and spend a few days in Tokyo before heading to Nagoya for 4 days for the race. Then back to Tokyo for a few days before flying back to England.
We are currently in the early stages of planning. Any tips or advice on the best stand? Other things to see or do?
Intial idea is to fly out at the start of October and spend a few days in Tokyo before heading to Nagoya for 4 days for the race. Then back to Tokyo for a few days before flying back to England.
I did Suzuka in 2013 with 2 friends, having previously been to Silverstone and Spa (and since having done Monza and Budapest). It is up there with Spa and Monza as the best tracks I have been to. Let me see what I can recall of the trip that might help. I am sure my advice will be similar to that which you would get on any of the other relevant F1 forums.
Firstly, to state the obvious, you won't regret the trip. It would be an understatement to say there's plenty to see and do in Tokyo, but even just a few days in the largest city in the world will let you feel like you have filled your boots. If you have ever been to London for any extended time it will not appear to be an expensive city, although the exchange rate can alter this quite quickly. The place cannot really be done 'on the cheap' but as you have plenty of time you should be able to plan well for it. The people are friendly and it really does feel like you are on the other side of the planet. If money becomes an issue eat at ramen bars in places such as bus stations and get hot food from shops such as Lawson and 7/11 - the food is uniformly excellent.
The usual first bit of advice regards Japan applies. Make sure you get a Japan Rail Pass before you go (you cannot get one whilst in Japan) as it makes the Shinkansen bullet train journeys you will need to take relatively cheap and you will make most of your money back on them with the return trip from Tokyo. Even if you plan only to make the trip between Tokyo and Nagoya it's great to have your options open and you can use the Bullet Train to make a day trip from Tokyo later in the holiday should you choose to. Consider even a single night in Kyoto if you can fit it in at all - it is very different from Tokyo and just as thrilling.
Nagoya is indeed your best best for a hotel. BOOK IT NOW - there are many hotels you should not have to pay in advance for other than possibly a small deposit but the city will get completely booked up soon enough. We stayed at the 'Hotel Trusty' in Nagoya and it was both reasonable and more than adequate. Others on forums seem not to like Nagoya but we found it quite lively if you bother to venture out the hotel. Plenty of great food and bars.
We did the Saturday and Sunday, but if you go on one of the earlier days you should get a pit walk and chance to meet the drivers. Personally we did not bother as with anything like this in Japan it will be rammed with numerous admittedly polite people trying to get autographs and the chances of making the most of the opportunity seemed slim to us and an extra day or so in Tokyo was far more appealing.
There are a number of trains running from Nagoya each day but not as many as you might expect so they become busy. You can book a seat ahead of time, but it is a futile affair as the train will be rammed and if there's an old lady sat in your seat, if you can get to it, you're not really going to feel like turfing her out of it only for her to stand right next to you for the rest of the journey. Best to get a ticket on the morning you go there and stand on the platform awaiting the train. Cram on with everyone else and stand for the 40 minute coastal journey to the small circuit station (Suzuka Circuit Ino, if I remember correctly). The station is a good 25 minute walk away from the circuit. For some reason I recall needing a little change to pay for exit from the circuit station.
As you might expect the train will be equally busy at the end of the day and again they seem to come only every half hour or hour even. On qualifying day we chose to venture to the Chinese restaurant right next to the train station and wait the crowds out. It looks like something from Kill Bill and is hidden up the hillside stairs to the left as you leave the station with the tunnel/bridge behind you. Lovely food and friendly staff. Kamui Kobayashi was there when we were and you'll certainly see many of the team staff there.
Surprisingly driving to the circuit from Nagoya looked very possible. There seemed to be plenty of ad-hoc parking spots along the road between the station and the circuit which had spaces available for a reasonable cash fee. Note to hire a car in Japan you will need a proper international driving licence. A taxi from Nagoya would be prohibitively expensive.
Do go on the iconic big wheel - it's free. On race day the same transport rules apply but don't rush off after the race - again the trains will be packed so instead grab a beer, sit in any grandstand (they are all open to all after the race) and watch the replay on the big screens until it gets dark. You can walk on the circuit too, right into the night. Then make your way to the station and if there are still too many crowds, go into the restaurant again.
We sat on 130R corner as we were doing 3 weeks in Japan and were on something of a budget - weekend tickets there were only 85 pounds or so, surprisingly. There's no big screen there so we relied on BBC Radio 5 live via iPlayer Radio. To do this we ordered a rental SIM ahead of time which was delivered to our hotel the day we arrived. Google it as you don't want to be using your own data over there. It's such a fast corner and thrilling but we didn't see that much of the circuit, and whilst we had a couple of Porsches spin in front of us the corner doesn't seem to be so much of a struggle for the modern F1 cars now. There's no English on-site commentary so don't rent one of the FM radios.
We sat in most seats after the race to see what the views were and high up in the 'Q' grandstand seemed best placed from what we could tell. From there you could see the cars in various parts of the track for what must have been a good 30 seconds per lap, including the back of the start line and the first corner. My friend from Japan paid more and watched the race from the far side of the first corner, just before the esses and had a great time. There is no General Admission at Suzuka. It is all seated.
The food at the circuit is hands-down the best and most varied I have had at any motorsport event, and the beer was cold. Just as well given the truly soaring Japanese late summer temperatures. Most locals sit under the cover of whatever trees they can find between races. We took a large Union Flag each and hid under them to avoid the direct sun. Also the merchandise stall all sell small towels to put around your neck - invaluable. The toilets are spotless. The Japanese fans are very knowledgable, and are far from the rabid comedic crowds paraded on the TV...indeed I saw the SKY TV crew getting people to shout and scream into the cameras as they came in and that footage was all we saw of the fans on the UK broadcast. In reality they are very fun-loving but generally understated and polite at the circuit. Once it got dark after the race there was a lot of fun good-natured partying though. For some reason all the women attending appeared to be wearing high heels which was kind of odd on gravel. DO WEAR SOME FORM OF F1 CLOTHING. If not you will feel rather out of place...I doubt I saw 10 people throughout the whole weekend who were not in some team attire. Some replica or original vintage F1 clothing would set you apart and get a lot of attention, as did my Hesketh T-shirt and hat. As I recall there was not much going on between the races, and the programme was not so full even on the Saturday and Sunday, perhaps only 3 races during the day, 4 at the most. I don't remember a drivers parade even, but I guess there must have been one.
Finally when back in Tokyo rent a bike. Sounds odd but there's tons of bike lanes now and it was a wonderful way to get around and see the city. Oh, and go to Robot Restaurant.
Personally if you have not been to Japan before I would strongly urge you to do only do 2 days at Suzuka. It's frankly a bit of a slog getting to and from the circuit, which is fine for 2 days of full track action but perhaps a bit much for the Thursday and Friday, and if I had to choose between the Thursday and Friday on track or a day in Kyoto (Nagoya is between Tokyo and Kyoto) I would jump at the latter without a moments hesitation.
I wrote rather more than I thought here, but I hope it helps. In short - do go - it isn't as daunting as you may think and is worth the effort.
A few pics I dug out:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulvinternet/albums...
Firstly, to state the obvious, you won't regret the trip. It would be an understatement to say there's plenty to see and do in Tokyo, but even just a few days in the largest city in the world will let you feel like you have filled your boots. If you have ever been to London for any extended time it will not appear to be an expensive city, although the exchange rate can alter this quite quickly. The place cannot really be done 'on the cheap' but as you have plenty of time you should be able to plan well for it. The people are friendly and it really does feel like you are on the other side of the planet. If money becomes an issue eat at ramen bars in places such as bus stations and get hot food from shops such as Lawson and 7/11 - the food is uniformly excellent.
The usual first bit of advice regards Japan applies. Make sure you get a Japan Rail Pass before you go (you cannot get one whilst in Japan) as it makes the Shinkansen bullet train journeys you will need to take relatively cheap and you will make most of your money back on them with the return trip from Tokyo. Even if you plan only to make the trip between Tokyo and Nagoya it's great to have your options open and you can use the Bullet Train to make a day trip from Tokyo later in the holiday should you choose to. Consider even a single night in Kyoto if you can fit it in at all - it is very different from Tokyo and just as thrilling.
Nagoya is indeed your best best for a hotel. BOOK IT NOW - there are many hotels you should not have to pay in advance for other than possibly a small deposit but the city will get completely booked up soon enough. We stayed at the 'Hotel Trusty' in Nagoya and it was both reasonable and more than adequate. Others on forums seem not to like Nagoya but we found it quite lively if you bother to venture out the hotel. Plenty of great food and bars.
We did the Saturday and Sunday, but if you go on one of the earlier days you should get a pit walk and chance to meet the drivers. Personally we did not bother as with anything like this in Japan it will be rammed with numerous admittedly polite people trying to get autographs and the chances of making the most of the opportunity seemed slim to us and an extra day or so in Tokyo was far more appealing.
There are a number of trains running from Nagoya each day but not as many as you might expect so they become busy. You can book a seat ahead of time, but it is a futile affair as the train will be rammed and if there's an old lady sat in your seat, if you can get to it, you're not really going to feel like turfing her out of it only for her to stand right next to you for the rest of the journey. Best to get a ticket on the morning you go there and stand on the platform awaiting the train. Cram on with everyone else and stand for the 40 minute coastal journey to the small circuit station (Suzuka Circuit Ino, if I remember correctly). The station is a good 25 minute walk away from the circuit. For some reason I recall needing a little change to pay for exit from the circuit station.
As you might expect the train will be equally busy at the end of the day and again they seem to come only every half hour or hour even. On qualifying day we chose to venture to the Chinese restaurant right next to the train station and wait the crowds out. It looks like something from Kill Bill and is hidden up the hillside stairs to the left as you leave the station with the tunnel/bridge behind you. Lovely food and friendly staff. Kamui Kobayashi was there when we were and you'll certainly see many of the team staff there.
Surprisingly driving to the circuit from Nagoya looked very possible. There seemed to be plenty of ad-hoc parking spots along the road between the station and the circuit which had spaces available for a reasonable cash fee. Note to hire a car in Japan you will need a proper international driving licence. A taxi from Nagoya would be prohibitively expensive.
Do go on the iconic big wheel - it's free. On race day the same transport rules apply but don't rush off after the race - again the trains will be packed so instead grab a beer, sit in any grandstand (they are all open to all after the race) and watch the replay on the big screens until it gets dark. You can walk on the circuit too, right into the night. Then make your way to the station and if there are still too many crowds, go into the restaurant again.
We sat on 130R corner as we were doing 3 weeks in Japan and were on something of a budget - weekend tickets there were only 85 pounds or so, surprisingly. There's no big screen there so we relied on BBC Radio 5 live via iPlayer Radio. To do this we ordered a rental SIM ahead of time which was delivered to our hotel the day we arrived. Google it as you don't want to be using your own data over there. It's such a fast corner and thrilling but we didn't see that much of the circuit, and whilst we had a couple of Porsches spin in front of us the corner doesn't seem to be so much of a struggle for the modern F1 cars now. There's no English on-site commentary so don't rent one of the FM radios.
We sat in most seats after the race to see what the views were and high up in the 'Q' grandstand seemed best placed from what we could tell. From there you could see the cars in various parts of the track for what must have been a good 30 seconds per lap, including the back of the start line and the first corner. My friend from Japan paid more and watched the race from the far side of the first corner, just before the esses and had a great time. There is no General Admission at Suzuka. It is all seated.
The food at the circuit is hands-down the best and most varied I have had at any motorsport event, and the beer was cold. Just as well given the truly soaring Japanese late summer temperatures. Most locals sit under the cover of whatever trees they can find between races. We took a large Union Flag each and hid under them to avoid the direct sun. Also the merchandise stall all sell small towels to put around your neck - invaluable. The toilets are spotless. The Japanese fans are very knowledgable, and are far from the rabid comedic crowds paraded on the TV...indeed I saw the SKY TV crew getting people to shout and scream into the cameras as they came in and that footage was all we saw of the fans on the UK broadcast. In reality they are very fun-loving but generally understated and polite at the circuit. Once it got dark after the race there was a lot of fun good-natured partying though. For some reason all the women attending appeared to be wearing high heels which was kind of odd on gravel. DO WEAR SOME FORM OF F1 CLOTHING. If not you will feel rather out of place...I doubt I saw 10 people throughout the whole weekend who were not in some team attire. Some replica or original vintage F1 clothing would set you apart and get a lot of attention, as did my Hesketh T-shirt and hat. As I recall there was not much going on between the races, and the programme was not so full even on the Saturday and Sunday, perhaps only 3 races during the day, 4 at the most. I don't remember a drivers parade even, but I guess there must have been one.
Finally when back in Tokyo rent a bike. Sounds odd but there's tons of bike lanes now and it was a wonderful way to get around and see the city. Oh, and go to Robot Restaurant.
Personally if you have not been to Japan before I would strongly urge you to do only do 2 days at Suzuka. It's frankly a bit of a slog getting to and from the circuit, which is fine for 2 days of full track action but perhaps a bit much for the Thursday and Friday, and if I had to choose between the Thursday and Friday on track or a day in Kyoto (Nagoya is between Tokyo and Kyoto) I would jump at the latter without a moments hesitation.
I wrote rather more than I thought here, but I hope it helps. In short - do go - it isn't as daunting as you may think and is worth the effort.
A few pics I dug out:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulvinternet/albums...
Edited by paulyv on Thursday 9th August 13:35
Sounds brilliant!
A couple of my friends went for the 2002 world cup, said it was jaw dropping brilliant place.
Put this on the itinerary.
Looks fun
https://maricar.com
A couple of my friends went for the 2002 world cup, said it was jaw dropping brilliant place.
Put this on the itinerary.
Looks fun
https://maricar.com
Deesee said:
Sounds brilliant!
A couple of my friends went for the 2002 world cup, said it was jaw dropping brilliant place.
Put this on the itinerary.
Looks fun
https://maricar.com
We visited Suzuka in March. What an incredible race track and the views are superb. Well worth the effort to get there. A couple of my friends went for the 2002 world cup, said it was jaw dropping brilliant place.
Put this on the itinerary.
Looks fun
https://maricar.com
Maricar is a lot of fun too. We did the Route in Tokyo that takes you over the rainbow bridge at night (memories of Gran Turismo special stage route 5!) I Think on reflection that the routes nearer the city centre would be the better choice especially if you are going late as it took a long time to get to and from the maricar base. Obviously it will depend on where you are staying!
paulyv said:
I did Suzuka in 2013 with 2 friends, having previously been to Silverstone and Spa (and since having done Monza and Budapest). It is up there with Spa and Monza as the best tracks I have been to. Let me see what I can recall of the trip that might help. I am sure my advice will be similar to that which you would get on any of the other relevant F1 forums.
<SNIP>
<SNIP>
Thanks for taking the time.
With regards to the rail pass you can now get regional ones which may save some money. Just check out the JR (Japan Rail) site for info. Kyoto is really nice and Hiroshima is only another 1.5hrs away from Kyoto. I wouldn’t go any further south if its your first trip but when you come back why not nip to Beppu and Fukuoka.
LordGrover said:
paulyv said:
I did Suzuka in 2013 with 2 friends, having previously been to Silverstone and Spa (and since having done Monza and Budapest). It is up there with Spa and Monza as the best tracks I have been to. Let me see what I can recall of the trip that might help. I am sure my advice will be similar to that which you would get on any of the other relevant F1 forums.
<SNIP>
<SNIP>
Thanks for taking the time.
Maricar is on the list, as is the robot restaurant. A mate of mine went over for a few weeks earlier this year so I’ll have a sit down with him and see what his itinerary was.
Did some more research, annoyingly the trails for Mt Fuji close at the end of September so I can cross that off the list.
Edited by giblet on Thursday 9th August 16:36
giblet said:
I second this. Thanks for the indepth reply! Great pics too.
Maricar is on the list, as is the robot restaurant. A mate of mine went over for a few weeks earlier this year so I’ll have a sit down with him and see what his itinerary was.
Did some more research, annoyingly the trails for Mt Fuji close at the end of September so I can cross that off the list.
The robot restaurant is hilarious. I think some people who were there were expecting something a bit more high brow! It’s utterly ridiculous and insane but it is great fun. Despite its name it’s not Really a restaurant so get some food before you go. Maricar is on the list, as is the robot restaurant. A mate of mine went over for a few weeks earlier this year so I’ll have a sit down with him and see what his itinerary was.
Did some more research, annoyingly the trails for Mt Fuji close at the end of September so I can cross that off the list.
Edited by giblet on Thursday 9th August 16:36
giblet said:
I second this. Thanks for the indepth reply! Great pics too.
Maricar is on the list, as is the robot restaurant. A mate of mine went over for a few weeks earlier this year so I’ll have a sit down with him and see what his itinerary was.
Did some more research, annoyingly the trails for Mt Fuji close at the end of September so I can cross that off the list.
A pleasure. I believe this picture is the top of the Q stand but I am happy to be corrected.Maricar is on the list, as is the robot restaurant. A mate of mine went over for a few weeks earlier this year so I’ll have a sit down with him and see what his itinerary was.
Did some more research, annoyingly the trails for Mt Fuji close at the end of September so I can cross that off the list.
Edited by giblet on Thursday 9th August 16:36
https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulvinternet/103795...
Flights have been booked. Q stand tickets appear to be sold out on F1.com but a few seem to be available for Q2 on the Suzuka website.
Plan is to arrive into Tokyo and head straight down to Hiroshima via the Shinkansen. Then we will work our way back up via Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya for the weekend for the F1 and then Tokyo for a few days before flying back.
Plan is to arrive into Tokyo and head straight down to Hiroshima via the Shinkansen. Then we will work our way back up via Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya for the weekend for the F1 and then Tokyo for a few days before flying back.
How wonderful. So often these things don't work out, but thank you for trusting the advice on this thread - you are doing it right and won't regret it.
Do please update us as things go on - it will be terrific to hear about the trip and your experiences for our own benefit in the future.
Arigato Giblet-san
Edit - BookF1 appear to have a few Q tickets. Also if you are staying 1 night in Tokyo upon arrival before your train trip I can recommend the Shinagawa Prince Hotel - everything you would want your first Tokyo hotel to be if you stay in the main tower, and it is good for connections.
Do please update us as things go on - it will be terrific to hear about the trip and your experiences for our own benefit in the future.
Arigato Giblet-san
Edit - BookF1 appear to have a few Q tickets. Also if you are staying 1 night in Tokyo upon arrival before your train trip I can recommend the Shinagawa Prince Hotel - everything you would want your first Tokyo hotel to be if you stay in the main tower, and it is good for connections.
Edited by paulyv on Thursday 23 August 17:07
Mini update. Currently on a Shinkansen from Kyoto to Nagoya. Will be dropping out bags off at the hostel and then heading to the track.
Today is our 5th full day in Japan and it’s been pretty awesome so far. We are in Nagoya for the weekend and then over to Tokyo until our flight back on Friday morning.
Qualifying should be interesting given the weather. I was concerned the rain would be worse. Forecast for tomorrow is blazing sunshine!
Today is our 5th full day in Japan and it’s been pretty awesome so far. We are in Nagoya for the weekend and then over to Tokyo until our flight back on Friday morning.
Qualifying should be interesting given the weather. I was concerned the rain would be worse. Forecast for tomorrow is blazing sunshine!
giblet said:
Mini update. Currently on a Shinkansen from Kyoto to Nagoya. Will be dropping out bags off at the hostel and then heading to the track.
Today is our 5th full day in Japan and it’s been pretty awesome so far. We are in Nagoya for the weekend and then over to Tokyo until our flight back on Friday morning.
Qualifying should be interesting given the weather. I was concerned the rain would be worse. Forecast for tomorrow is blazing sunshine!
So....how was the trip, and the track? In a few words, obviously. Today is our 5th full day in Japan and it’s been pretty awesome so far. We are in Nagoya for the weekend and then over to Tokyo until our flight back on Friday morning.
Qualifying should be interesting given the weather. I was concerned the rain would be worse. Forecast for tomorrow is blazing sunshine!
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