The Fuji Fan Cruise (FFC)
On November 2nd, the Fuji Fan Cruise (FFC), a meeting for owners hosted by the Fuji Motor Sports Museum, was held. This event has been held since December 2022, with a different theme each time. This year’s theme was “Japan’s world-famous cars from the 1960s to 1990s”. That’s because special visitors will be coming to this FFC. They are participants of the 2024 World Automobile Museum Congress Japan (WFFMM). They are people from famous automobile museums who came to Japan from 15 countries around the world, and in light of the global popularity of Japanese cars in recent years, they are visiting FFC to enjoy the charm of real cars in Japan.
The participants of this FFC are Japanese-made four-wheeled vehicles manufactured and sold in Japan from the 1960s to the 1990s. After a preliminary screening, more than 60 cars expressed their intention to participate, but unfortunately it rained heavily on the day, and some cars gave up on attending.
Nevertheless, on this day, nearly 50 famous Japanese cars gathered at the Welcome Center parking lot next to the west gate of Fuji Speedway. Participants came from Shizuoka Prefecture and the Kanto region, as well as Hyogo and Tokushima. Despite the pouring rain, precious classic cars such as the Toyota 2000GT, the first-generation Nissan Silvia, and the first-generation Honda Accord were lined up, and participants watched the scene from their tents with coffee in hand.
Just as the rain let up a little, about 80 WFFMM members arrived. The original plan was to view the exhibits through the glass from the second floor of the adjacent building and listen to explanations while looking at photos on slides, but it seems our car enthusiast blood got the better of us, and we all sidled up close to the cars, umbrellas in hand.
The WFFMM Japan Convention was held over two days at the Toyota Automobile Museum. One of the topics was “What is the popularity of Japanese classic cars overseas?” Derek E. Moore of the Lane Motor Museum in the US explained why young people are especially attracted to JDM cars, based on a survey, citing the influence of movies and games and childhood experiences (memories of the car their father drove, etc.), linking it to the era and model. The lecture was very lively, and after the lecture, a circle was formed and people talked about their favorite models. On this day, the participants approached the cars with their smartphones in hand and listened intently to the explanations (with simultaneous interpretation) of each car.
When I asked Jon Murden of the UK’s National Motor Museum if he knew all the cars on display, he replied with a cheerful voice, “There were many cars I only knew the names of, but had never seen before. It was a fresh surprise to see city cars that were used daily in Japan at the time. On the other hand, there were many cars that were sold in Europe. The Suzuki Cappuccino was sold in the UK, and I used to drive a Mazda MX-5.” Then Jack Wiegmann of the Phillip Sarofim Car Collection in the US, who was next to me, showed me a photo with a smile, saying, “I’m driving an MX-5 now!” “It’s black. It’s a nice car,” and it seemed like they hit it off. The sight of two of the top car enthusiasts in the UK and the US getting excited about Japanese cars in Japan made my heart warm.
FFC always has awards, and this year there were five. The Fuji Motorsports Museum Award went to a 1969 Toyota 2000GT. The Fuji Motorsports Forest Award went to a 1965 Nissan Silvia CSP311, owned by Nakamura Shiro, who was also a guest speaker that day. In addition, FIVA (Federation Internationale Vehicules Anciens), a global organization that works to protect classic cars, presented the FIVA Award to a 1980 Honda Accord Hatchback EX, after careful judging and interviewing the owners himself, with Tiddo Bresters, chairman of the FIVA organization. And the WFFMM Award went to a Toyota Chaser Avantero Dolly (JZX81) owned by a young owner who drives a Chaser from the same era as his father’s memorable car, which drew a huge round of applause.
The 1969 Toyota 2000GT won the Fuji Motorsports Museum Award.
Shiro Nakamura and the 1965 Nissan Silvia CSP311, which won the Fuji Motorsport Forest Prize.
The global organization FIVA (Federation Internationale Vehicules Anciens) awarded the award to a 1980 Honda Accord Hatchback EX.
The WFFMM Award went to a Toyota Chaser Avante Roadie (JZX81) driven by a young owner.
Finally, the Entrant & Audience Award, voted for by visitors, was won by a Mazda Eunos Cosmo 20B TYPE SX. As a bonus prize, the owner was awarded the right to a full tank of gasoline, and the crowd erupted in excitement as the owner exclaimed, “I’m so happy, since my car only gets three kilometers per liter!”
The Mazda Eunos Cosmo 20B TYPE SX won the Entrant & Audience Award.
Immediately after the awards ceremony, the WFFMM members hurried to board buses to head home. No doubt their final memory of Japan, driving Japan’s famous cars in pouring rain, will leave a lasting impression on them. The participants also hurried home in the pouring rain that stopped the Shinkansen trains.
Text: Norie Onishi. Photography: Daisuke Hirai.