Japanese car culture is unique and exciting, but why is it so different? At first glance, the most obvious reason is that Japan has always had access to cheap performance cars. This is the birthplace of car manufacturers like Honda, Subaru, Nissan, Toyota, Mazda, and Mitsubishi.

These companies have competed with each other for decades, pushing performance boundaries and developing new technologies. This resulted in the production of some of the most iconic vehicles – the Supra, Skyline and the RX-7.

The not so obvious reason is the otaku culture. You might hear this word before, it translates to "geek" but refers to people who are enthusiastic about something. Otakus aren't just passionate about their hobbies, they have the knowledge to the point of obsession and take car customization to extreme levels. This trait helps carmakers and the aftermarket industry thrive. Today, we're inside Japan's car culture. These are 15 facts to know.

15 The Drift King

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Kunimitsu Takahashi is a Japanese motorcycle racer who is known as the first person to use the technique of drifting. Young street races emulate his driving style and practice on touge mountain passes. One of them is Keiichi Tsuchiya, who is known as the Drift King for taking Takahashi's techniques to the next level.

RELATED: 20 Surprising Little Facts About Japanese Street Racing

14 Kei Cars

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Kei cars are tiny cars with a maximum of a 660cc engine. They were first built to meet tax regulations. They are still cheaper than other automobiles, but now they are popular among tuners due to a wide range of aftermarket parts. You can see a massive variety of modifications done to kei cars if you go to Japan.

13 Daikoku Parking Area In Yokohama

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Daikoku parking area is a motorway rest spot that happens to be a place of worship for Japanese car enthusiasts. This is where your Tokyo Drift dreams come to life. There is everything from the obscure to the insane. This is where you can find an R32 Skyline GT-R standing next to a Nissan 350Z.

12 Wataru Kato's Liberty Walk

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Wataru Kato is the famous car tuner and the founder of Liberty Walk. In collaboration with Phat Five Racing, they created the world's first Lamborghini drift build. It proves to be one of the most powerful drift cars of all time. This car is catered to its purpose, technically and aesthetically.

11 Kyusha And Shakotan

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Kyusha means "old car", so anything nostalgic or classic – tuned or not. Shakotan is the term that means "lowered car", but often associated with styling cues such as super-huge wheels, front-mounted oil coolers, and massive overfenders. These are two unique sub-genres that are very popular in Japan among the younger audience.

10 Street-Racing

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Japanese love to watch togue racing. Two cars set off, one behind the other. By the end of the course, if the car that started the lead hasn't increased it significantly, then the race will be re-run. You win, if you can extend your lead considerably. No overtaking, because mountain roads are too narrow.

9 Nissan C10 ‘Hakosuka’ Skyline

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Every nostalgic Japanese car enthusiast knows the name Hakosuka. Known as the emperor of speed, the C10 is a force to respect on the racetrack. Hakosuka translates to "Box Skyline" and refers to a boxy shape of the car. Nowadays, you can find carefully preserved originals and severely modified monsters.

RELATED: 10 JDM Cars Even Americans Can’t Resist (5 They Stay Away From)

8 Dekotora Trucks

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Dekotora means "Decorated truck". Dekotora takes trucks and adds neon or ultraviolet lights, golden exterior and interior parts and extravagant paint jobs. There are special shops specializing in truck customizations. You might find Louis Vuitton monogrammed upholstery, TV monitors, bubble injected gear shifts, - it's only limited by your imagination.

7 Love For Domestics

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In Japan, they are in love with their local car manufacturers. This means that vehicles we see in movies like Tokyo drift actually exist, just without the racing through a car park. Japanese also love their low-speed tracks which are perfect for learner drifters. There are many professional competitions, such as Formula D Japan.

6 Mitsuoka Motor

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Would you like to drive something that looks like a Rolls-Royce but can make car enthusiasts raise their eyebrows? Then you should consider Mitsuoka Motor – a unique automaker based in Toyama. They are known for taking iconic vehicles and relaunching them with vintage designs. One of their most popular lines is the Galue Series.

5 Kaido Racers

Kaido Racer
speedhunters.com

In Japan, you can find many colorful cars with boxy body kits and long exhaust pipes. They are known as Kaido racers, "kaido" meaning highway. These are the styles inspired by the Super Silhouette racers from the Fuji Grand Championship Series. The more glitter, air horns, and crushed velvet trim, the better.

RELATED: 15 Weird And Wonderful Japanese Cars

4 Exotic Supercars

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The cool thing about Japan is that they aren't afraid of modifying expensive supercars. There are many little shops that specialize in exotics. These cars have everything from aftermarket wheels and loud exhaust to big wings, bright decals, and neon lights. If you want to see one of these cars you should go to Roppongi.

3 American Cars In Japan

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American car culture has always fascinated Japanese enthusiasts. Despite having easy access to local car manufacturers, select companies have been importing American vehicles into Japan. However, the Japanese put a twist on American classics. Iconic Chevrolets and roof-chopped Ford Mercurys reside in more rural areas. The city of Nagoya is famous for its customs scene.

2 Bippu Style

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Bippu style, or VIP, was born in Osaka in the '80s. Japanese mafia started driving JDM sedans because they looked less suspicious than luxury cars, and street racers followed them in an effort to avoid being chased by the police. Cars commonly given the "Bippu" treatment include Nissan President and Toyota Celsior.

1 Time Attack Racing

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Time Attack is the fastest-evolving form of grassroots in motorsports. Time attackers challenge themselves and push the boundaries more than everyone else in Japan. This goes for the backyard enthusiast up to professional teams. There you can find twin-scroll turbochargers, magic fenders, and setups that make the car sound insane.

NEXT: 10 Greatest American Cars Of All Time, Ranked