There are many different types of car enthusiasts. In terms of genres, there are classic cars, supercars, short-lived enthusiast models, and rare limited edition cars. Some people collect, admire, and admire these cars, while others enjoy driving them in real life. It might be easier to understand if you compare it to trains. There are "train photographers" and "train riders."

I'm talking about this because I recently visited a place where you can drive one. It's the Porsche Experience Center (PEC) Tokyo in Kisarazu. It opened in October 2021 as a facility where you can experience sports driving. It is one of the Porsche locations around the world, and Japan is the ninth.

"Porsche Mecca" where you can experience Porsche and hone your driving skills

What makes it unique is the location. I've been to experience centers in Hockenheim, Germany, and LA, USA, and most of them are located next to the circuit. They're more of an experience facility closer to the circuit than the actual track, but you can enjoy both circuit driving and watching the race. However, Japan is different. It's located in the mountains of Chiba. The layout makes use of the natural surroundings, and the course has many elevation changes. It was created so that people would come there just to enjoy PEC Tokyo.

The highlight of this facility is the handling track with a 2.1km lap distance. It has corners that recreate the famous "Carousel" corner from the German circuit "Nürburgring" and the "Corkscrew" that is synonymous with the American "Laguna Seca" and allows you to experience them in a simulated manner. Due to copyright reasons, the approach is reversed from the real thing, but it looks good and is fun to drive. I drove on the "Corkscrew" about 10 years ago and it reminded me of that feeling.

Other attractions include a low-friction handling track, a dynamic area for slaloms and sudden braking, kick plates, drift circles, and an off-road course. Visitors will have the opportunity to try out launch control in the dynamic area, as it's not everyday you'll be stomping the accelerator all the way to the floor in a Porsche.

Maximize your Porsche's true performance and driver instincts

My personal favorite is the drift circle. This is an area where you can experience drifting while making steady turns on a low-mu wet road. It's so much fun. Timing your counterattack and throttle control after the rear starts to drift is a great way to learn how to control your car. In fact, there's no greater feeling than when you pull off a beautiful drift. After all, your opponent is a Porsche. Making it move just the way you want it to makes you feel like your skills have been further refined.

That said, this isn't actually my first time here; it's around my fourth or fifth time. So I feel like I know the place well. I'm familiar with the instructor who rides with me. After warming up on the handling truck every time, I get hooked on kick plates and drift circles. By the way, kick plates are plates that move to the left or right when the rear tires pass over them, making the car uncontrollable. At that time, you practice turning the steering wheel in the opposite direction to the movement of the plate to regain control. The trick is to counter the movement of the plate with all your might the moment you sense it with your butt and keep your foot on the accelerator. If you can manage to go straight without spinning out, you've succeeded. Well, this is quite difficult, but it's all the more satisfying when you manage to do it.

PEC Tokyo also has a simulator that allows you to drive on circuits from all over the world, so it might be a good idea to focus on this rather than the real thing. There's also a restaurant, so it's great for dates, or you could make a reservation there with friends and have a lively chat. You can also buy souvenirs to commemorate your visit at the official Porsche goods shop. Oh, and by the way, the locally-based PEC Tokyo is a gift in return for Kisarazu City's hometown tax donations. So, it's not a bad idea to use it that way.

It's great for car enthusiasts to have a place like this. A full-scale circuit is a high hurdle. In that respect, safety measures have been taken here as well. Even though there are elevation changes, you don't have to worry about high speeds. The instructors are also excellent, so as long as you follow their instructions, there's no problem. They teach you how to enjoy the course according to your driver's ability. For more information, check the website. In any case, just seeing all those Porsches lined up is exciting.

Tatsuya Kushima

Motor journalist and columnist. Currently, he is the media site editor-in-chief and media business producer for the surfing magazine "NALU." She has previously served as editor-in-chief of many men's magazines, golf magazines, car magazines, airline in-flight magazines, etc. In addition to media activities, he is a member of the Japan Car of the Year selection committee, a member of the Japan Cigar Association, a Japan Boat of the Year selection committee, and the creative director of men's golf wear ``The Duke's Golf.''