The adrenaline-fuelled world of street drifting, long a staple of Japanese car culture but heavily suppressed in recent years, appears to be experiencing a noticeable comeback. Viral videos circulating online in recent weeks show groups of thrill-seekers performing high-speed slides, burnouts, and manoeuvres on Tokyo’s empty nighttime streets and mountain passes, evoking the iconic scenes from The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
The clips depict “drift gangs” tearing through intersections, wide avenues, and under overpasses late at night when traffic is minimal. Enthusiasts point to a renewed interest among younger drivers inspired by Japan’s deep-rooted motorsport heritage, with footage capturing tyre-smoking drifts in JDM icons like modified Nissans and Toyotas.
Fully recognised national sport
Drifting remains a fully recognised and celebrated professional motorsport in Japan. The sport originated in the country’s touge (mountain pass) culture and evolved into official competitions like the D1 Grand Prix, which since 2024 has been sanctioned as the JAF Japan Drift Championship under the Japanese Automobile Federation. Events draw massive crowds, professional drivers, and international attention, proving that controlled, track-based drifting is not only legal but also a source of national pride.
However, street drifting on public roads is strictly illegal and extremely dangerous. Authorities have long cracked down on the practice, with recent proposals to classify public drifting incidents as “dangerous driving” carrying harsher penalties set to take effect in 2026. Despite these measures — and a period of relative quiet in the underground scene — the latest viral content suggests the underground activity is picking up again.
Japanese police are actively investigating several of these recent viral videos, which reveal the ongoing presence of illegal drift runs in urban areas and touge spots. Clips from early January 2026, including footage of police chases during New Year’s car meets and nighttime street sessions, have prompted renewed enforcement efforts. Officials are reviewing the material to identify participants, track vehicles, and prevent potential accidents in public spaces.
Experts attribute the apparent increase to a mix of factors: nostalgia for the 1990s touge heyday popularised by figures like Keiichi Tsuchiya.
