NISMO Festival 2024

Dec 1

Fan service. It’s a term that has been diluted by movies and video games catering to only what the hardcore audience is looking for. At its core though, doing something for a brand’s most passionate crowd is an act of love. A way to give back to those who have been loyal and faithful. Enter Nissan’s NISMO Festival, an annual gathering all for the fans.

I had seen photographs and myths of this event for decades before getting my own chance to experience it in person. GT-Rs as far as the eye can see. Heritage cars running full throttle out on track. All of the tuning world’s best names showing up to pay their own tribute to Nissan’s best sports cars. Yeah, every one of those lived up to the hype and then some.

Yet there were two other aspects of this event that I couldn’t expect. First was the track itself. Fuji Speedway is an outstanding venue to host such an event. It is extremely accessible from the greater Tokyo area and is a pristine landscape set in the shadow of Mt. Fuji. The late fall weather was perfect, and Mt. Fuji’s snow cap could not have been more beautiful.

The other surprise was the fans themselves, and just how big of a turnout there was. Yeah, I knew there would be a few clubs worth of cool cars, but not this many. I had a very hard time prying myself away from the parking lots to actually get up to the track and see the main event. The locals came out in force with such a diverse range of mint condition cars from all generations. It was fantastic, and I highly recommend it as a stop on any Nissan fan’s list of events.

Check out the full gallery here: NISMO Festival 2024

Shot on December 1, 2024 - Automotive, Nissan, Japan