RtG Japan Daily Dispatch - day00 - Flipbook - Page 53
18 September to
16 October 2025
Day 28 Aso to Fukuoka (184km)
16 October 2025
And so ends the Islands of Japan Marathon. After 28 days and 7,000km through the four biggest islands
of Japan, with 54 Regularities, 17 speed Tests and one navigational Test along the way, the crews rolled
under the arch in Fukuoka. We’ve all followed the same route, but every journey has been different and,
whatever car they’ve driven, each crew has created their own story.
Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk
It was no soft ride to the finish, though, with two Tests
and a Regularity to keep the pressure on right up until
lunchtime. We were lucky enough to have the use of one of
Honda’s tracks this morning for the first Test. Here some
extra drama came via the 1939 Chevrolet of Jorge and
Ezequiel Perez Companc which suffered a small exhaust
fire midway through the second lap. The conflagration was
dealt with efficiently by the crew, who continued to the end
of the section without further incident.
A 45km run along the Aso Milk Road followed, which
wound its way along the outer ridge of the Mountain Ring.
It is known for its pastures, where dairy cattle and Wagyu
beef cows graze on the rich grassland. Sadly, rather than
viewing the famous Unkai, we found ourselves driving
through it, skirting the caldera en-route to the second Test
at Autopolis, which offered a superb two-lap, track day
experience.
Once the crews had finished, and removed their
mandatory crash helmets, the last Regularity came hard on
its heels and gave us a fitting finale. Travelling through
another swathe of dense woodland on narrow roads, which
we’d become accustomed to, we were delivered to the
lunch table in the Seseragikyo Kamitsue Roadside Station,
where a delicious Japanese curry was on offer with an ice
cream dessert.
The Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk on Hakata Bay was our
final destination. Thanks to some superb highway, the rally
quickly arrived at the finish arch to begin the celebrations.
www.rallytheglobe.com
