We will be frequently featuring our ‘Daikoku Scene’ stories where we capture and share shots of not only the rides and the modifications but the people and the atmosphere of what makes this place great.
Daikoku Parking Area (Daikoku PA) is, without doubt, the go-to location for car enthusiasts to gather, see, and be seen in their pride and joy – many from far places as identified by their number plates.
Located in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, it is one of 20 rest areas scattered on the Shuto Expressway. Compared to others like Heiwajima PA, it is by far the largest with close to 340 parking spots.
Throughout the years, the place has slowly changed and somewhat tamed-down compared to how it was back in the 90s.
Daikoku is truly a fantastic spot to just gather with your friends and check out different rides and styles of tuning. Where else could you pay as little as 3 US dollars and get to see modified rides from the past, as well as some of the latest and greatest cars available.
Contrary to what most who have never been to Daikuko believe, enthusiasts can be found here almost every day of the week. There are generally 2 main types of gatherings with different types of cars, crowds and genres.
The night meets are mostly for younger crowds with Japanese vehicles, with the weekend day meetings typically reserved for more mature owners and supercars.
One of the unique aspects of this rest area is that it is accessible from both Tokyo and Yokohama, making it easy for drivers from much further out of Tokyo to meet up. Drivers are also able to loop the highway from either direction and return without paying additional toll fees.
Although you will find cars that are frequently at Daikoku, you will also generally see new faces and new rides with every visit.
On this particular day, the clouds were present and at one point it started to rain. True the nature of Japanese people, they didn’t make this an issue and simply pulled out their umbrellas and continued on with the day.
For others, the PA is used as it was originally intended, as a resting spot and a short stop before continuing their journey.
These road bumps have no doubt destroyed thousands of front bumpers, mufflers and undercarriages over the years.
