#Gunma Initial D

[UPDATE] We’re bringing this tour back one final time this year for September 2026! After the 2025 runs, we realized one thing. You can’t just visit these roads. You have to drive them. We will navigate the iconic mountain passes featured in the Initial D series including: - Mount Haruna (Akina): Home of Takumi, Bunta, and Speedstars - Mount Akagi: Home of the RedSuns - Usui Pass: Home of Mako & Sayuki - Mount Myogi: Home of the Nightkid guardrail kings I can’t promise you’ll become the next Takumi overnight, and please, try not to blow an engine on Akagi’s downhill. But I can promise exclusive local spots and the kind of touge runs that will make you Rage Your Dream. Our tour offers more than just driving. We provide an insider’s look at Japanese car culture, visiting exclusive local landmarks and hidden spots known only to true enthusiasts. Whether you’re a fan of the anime or the original manga, this is the ultimate pilgrimage. For more details, follow @driversloungejp or visit the tour page in my bio. https://www.driversloungejp.com/services/gunma-two-days-initial-d See you in Gunma 🇯🇵

INITIAL D LOCATIONS IN REAL LIFE - 📍IKAHO #projectd #initiald #japan #japantravel #takumifujiwara #ae86 #anime #animescenes #gunma #ikaho #ikahoonsen #trueno #jdm #natsukimogi

INITIAL D LOCATIONS IN REAL LIFE - 📍LAKE HARUNA (LAKE AKINA) #projectd #initiald #japan #japantravel #takumifujiwara #ae86 #anime #animescenes #gunma #haruna #mtharuna #trueno #jdm #akina #榛名湖

[UPDATE] We’re bringing back the tour for May 2026! Rage Your Dream with the Initial D Gunma Expedition 🗻 This week Initial D Legacy and @driverslougejp took our JDM sports cars deep into Gunma. With such an incredible response, we’re adding a Special Stage Tour on 15–16 October 2025, limited to only 6 spots. We drove the legendary touge roads of Haruna, Akagi, Usui, and Myogi. It was the authentic Initial D experience, brought to life. 🚗 Don’t forget to DM me after signing up for your small free Initial D gift 🚗 If you’re coming to Japan in October, this is one experience you absolutely can’t miss. Visit link below or check the link in my bio 🙏🏼 https://www.driversloungejp.com/services/gunma-two-days-initial-d

[UPDATE] We’re bringing back the tour for May 2026! Initial D Gunma Expedition Tour now live! Check link in the bio for full details 🙏🏼 DM me after signing up for free Initial D gift 🎁 Ever wondered what it’s like to drive the same mountain passes from Initial D like Haruna, Akagi, Myogi, and Usui? I’m teaming up with @driversloungejp to offer an authentic driving tour to every Gunma mountain pass shown in Initial D First Stage this August and September. The dates are as follows: August 19-20, 2025 September 11-12, 2025 Followers on this page will enjoy a special introduction discount for the tour in August with an exclusive priority application period for the tours until 1 August 2025. If you are going to Japan for the Initial D World Summit, this is the most desirable tour that you can do during your visit in Japan. Price includes all cars, fuel, insurance, toll, and guide. Hotels will be a separate expense starting at only approximately USD 150 per night. Which of the 4 First Stage courses sounds like the most fun to you? 🤔

Read Here 📍 - If you’re looking for authentic Japanese driving roads and something different from Hakone, you should consider visiting Gunma. It’s only an hour away by bullet train from Tokyo (a return ticket costing around $70) making it a convenient and affordable option. The mountain roads are also free here (In hakone they cost $8 per drive) - Gunma is well-known as the birthplace of touge (winding road) driving. Some roads to consider driving are on and around Mount Haruna, also called Mount Akagi from Initial D or Mount Myogi which is famous for its unique, jagged peaks (that kind of look like godzilla to us). - Gunma being inland also means there’s less chance of clouds blocking your view compared to more coastal spots like Hakone. As you can see from our day 6 video there was not much sightseeing done on the hakone roads ☁️ - The region has a long history with car culture, and you’ll still see impressive cars on the roads at the most random of times. You can see in this video a AE86, R34 Skyline and a modern GT86. This is because Gunma is aplace where enthusiasts have been storing and driving their cars for decades. - Gunma is also a more budget-friendly option compared to other regions. Accommodations and onsens here are much cheaper due to lower foot traffic. The area is also close to Nagano which is the main region for wasabi farming (and Keichii Tsuchiya’s home). This means that at random restaurants you may have the chance to enjoy fresh, authentic wasabi. - We aren’t disputing Hakone is a classic destination to visit especially if Mount Fuji is on your must-see list. But if you want something quieter, with a stronger connection to Japan’s driving history, Gunma is a great choice for your travel itinerary. - Please enjoy the amazing scenery and do not perform any unsafe or antisocial driving. The roads of Gunma are very challenging so please keep that in mind while researching the region. Please be mindful of being polite and respectful of the area(s) you may visit and we take no responsibility for you potentially researching this region and any decisions made regarding visiting Gunma.

Initial D Real Life? 🏎️🔥 Check out D’s Racing Cafe Garage in Gunma! ✨ Legendary FD with a sick body kit ✨ Exclusive JDM souvenirs & food ✨ The original story before MF Ghost Don’t miss this spot! 🇯🇵🏁 #jdm #initiald #fd #japancar #carcafe

Wataru Enters the Scene! A new challenger rolls into Gunma—Wataru Akiyama, behind the wheel of a Black & White Levin, with his sister Kazumi in the passenger seat. They’re not here by accident. While Kazumi starts a new job nearby, Wataru has his eyes set on the mountain passes. And what better way to make an entrance than by witnessing Ryosuke vs. Kyoichi at Akagi—a battle of titans. He’s not just spectating. He’s studying. Because Wataru didn’t come to Gunma to watch. He came to race. Pay attention… something big is going down Akagi. 👀🔥 #InitialD #WataruAkiyama #KazumiAkiyama #GunmaRacing #AkagiTouge #LevinVsTheWorld #RyosukeTakahashi #KyoichiSudo #NewRacerInTown #StreetRacingCulture #InitialDSecondStage

榛名湖 Melody Line 🎵 #群馬 #群馬県 #gunma #akina #秋名山 #榛名山 #InitialD #ハチロク #頭文字D #イニシャルD #藤原とうふ店

The original Fujino Tofu Shop in Shibukawa, Gunma—which served as the filming location for the Initial D live-action movie's Fujiwara Tofu Shop—was demolished in 2010 due to urban redevelopment (following the passing of the owner). We stopped by in 2024 before heading to Mount Akina (Haruna).

— #GUZMA : I hate him (affectionately)

Gunma is the heart of Initial D. It’s a real prefecture in Japan, known for its mountains, winding roads, and deep street-racing culture. The narrow passes, elevation changes, and long downhill sections make it perfect for touge driving. That geography is what shapes the entire tone of Initial D — technical, dangerous, and intimate. Mount Akina (based on Mount Haruna) sits in Gunma, and it becomes more than a location. It’s a training ground. Drivers don’t come here to show off — they come to test themselves. That’s why Gunma produces drivers like Takumi, Keisuke, and Ryosuke who rely on control and discipline rather than brute force. Gunma also represents being underestimated. Drivers from outside prefectures often see it as rural and irrelevant. That assumption is exactly what gets them humbled. The locals don’t need hype or reputation — they have familiarity, repetition, and respect for the road. In Initial D, Gunma isn’t just where the story starts. It’s why the story works. The mountain teaches. The drivers listen. And everyone else learns the hard way. #initiald #gunma #jdm #touge #carguy