That time when I saw supercars at Mt Fuji

I’ve been fortunate enough in my life to have travelled all over the world. I spent many hours driving on trips with my family and going on vacations to Disney. Back in the summer of 2001 I had the privilege of going to Japan for 3 weeks and that was where interest in cars went from a mild inch to a full blown obsession. This was topped off by seeing 2 of the most legendary supercars of the time in person while touring near Mt Fuji.

I’ll admit it. I was a band nerd. Yup, there I said it. However, being in the Regina Lions Band meant that I was provided opportunities to travel throughout North America each summer. I was able to travel throughout western Canada, the mid-west of the US and also down the west coast to Los Angeles. In 2001, instead of a normal bus tour around Canada or the US, we went to Japan to participate in the World Marching Band Championships. We spent more than a year fundraising for this trip, though I can’t imagine the logistical planning required to move nearly 100 teenagers and chaperones halfway around the world for 3 weeks.

We landed in Osaka and throughout the next 3 weeks we slowly worked our way north east to Tokyo though places such as Nagoya, Kyoto, and Fuji. In each city we got the opportunity to be hosted by local families rather than staying in hotels and experience local food and culture. It was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never ever forget. While in Osaka the family I was staying with took me and the other guys I was staying with out to look at some local car dealerships one night. And at the first place we went to was nothing other than a 1997 Mk IV Toyota Supra. I’m not exaggerating in saying that my jaw dropped. Now, keep in mind that The Fast and The Furious had just come out to theaters about a month earlier and people were obsessed with the Supra at that point in time. Seeing one in the flesh was absolutely incredible. I’m pretty sure we saw some other cool cars that night but, to be totally honest, I don’t remember much after that because my mind was filled with visions of owning a black, RHD Supra.

A couple of weeks later we made our way to Fuji, a city not far from Mt. Fuji. One day we took a trip out to see Mt Fuji, though we never went up the mountain. The scenery was spectacular with the cherry blossoms, the sun, stunning backdrop of Mt Fuji and the sparkling clear water of the lake. And as we were walking along the waterfront I heard the sound of a V12. It’s an unmistakable sound. I turned and I saw them driving past me and park up not far from where I was.

While I am NOT in the picture shown above, because I was taking it, this was a defining moment in my life. This was the first time I had ever laid eyes on a real life supercar. And not only a supercar but a Lamborghini Diablo and Ferrari F355. These were poster cars that I was lusting over. I had only just started getting into cars and hadn’t discovered F1 yet. Instantly I was in love and solidified my interest in cars.

I have thought about this moment many times since then. It was the moment where I became determined to own a Ferrari at some point in my life. It was when I became obsessed with learning more about how cars work, talking about cars with my friends and is likely one of the main reasons I cheered for Ferrari and Michael Schumacher when I started watching Formula 1. And to be totally honest, I’m not sure I’d have this blog if it weren’t for that moment in time. It altered the course of my life forever.

Do you have any defining moments in your life? Let me know below!