Driving Two MINIs from Tokyo to Hakone — And a Evening at Tatsumi PA

The day earlier than, I’d been behind the wheel of a BMW M3 Touring — broad, quick, and a little bit misplaced in Tokyo’s slim streets. The subsequent morning felt utterly totally different. I swapped brute energy for one thing smaller and much more suited to the town: two MINIs and a plan to flee towards Hakone, the place the roads open up and Mount Fuji often peeks via the clouds.

Leaving Ginza after dawn, Tokyo was already in movement — calm however fixed. Driving right here retains you alert; there’s not a lot room for error or further width. In that sense, a MINI feels utterly at dwelling. Japan’s had a tender spot for small automobiles for many years, and MINI suits proper into that mindset — fast, compact, and straightforward to put even when the streets shut in. You continue to see basic Minis tucked away in facet alleys, sitting subsequent to their modern-day variations like household photographs. Japan has at all times understood that, which might be why MINI has such a loyal following right here.

Beginning With The John Cooper Works Convertible

I began the journey within the MINI John Cooper Works Convertible. Roof down, heater on, clear skies — about pretty much as good because it will get for late autumn in Tokyo. The two.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder makes 231 horsepower and 320 Nm of torque, which doesn’t sound wild on paper, however it’s loads for one thing this small.

The JCW feels tight, even at low pace — stiff suspension and pretty partaking steering. Within the metropolis, the sportier suspension can really feel a bit an excessive amount of for a day by day driver. On lower than ideally suited pavement and uneven surfaces, it’s bouncy and a bit unforgiving. However as soon as I acquired previous Yokohama and the roads opened up, it began to make sense.

Visitors on the way in which to Hakone was gentle, only a few gradual stretches close to the tolls. As soon as the street started to climb, the temperature dropped, and the noise of the town pale behind. The timber thickened, the corners tightened, and for a short jiffy, Mount Fuji appeared via a spot within the clouds earlier than disappearing once more.

That’s the place the JCW actually shined. The identical stiffness that made it jittery on the town become a extra partaking driving expertise on the mountain. It’s not the automobile you’d choose for a protracted commute, however for this type of street, it’s good.

Swap it into Go-Kart Mode, and the entire automobile modifications its habits. The throttle sharpens, the steering tightens, and out of the blue it feels prefer it’s connecting together with your palms. The Hakone Turnpike is the proper match — broad lanes, sweeping hills, and corners that circulation simply sufficient to maintain you within the second. The JCW is alive on the market. It’s enjoyable and responsive, the sort of automobile that desires to be pushed to offer you again loads of smiles.

Swapping Into A Cooper S 3-Door

For the return journey, I swapped into the MINI Cooper S 3-door. Similar fundamental engine, tuned all the way down to 204 horsepower, however a completely totally different perspective. Softer experience, lighter steering, calmer driving habits — it instantly seems like a automobile you would drive each day.

The place the JCW retains you on edge, the Cooper S helps you to calm down. Via the lengthy freeway stretches and again into Tokyo visitors, it simply labored — snug, composed, nonetheless playful once you wanted it to be. It’s the candy spot within the vary: a correct day by day that hasn’t forgotten what makes a MINI enjoyable.

I’ve at all times most popular compact automobiles in busy cities. They only make sense. You see it all over the place in Tokyo — for many individuals, the MINI isn’t a second automobile; it’s the one one. It suits the rhythm of the place. Within the U.S., we deal with automobiles like this as toys or weekend escapes, however right here, they’re a part of on a regular basis life. After a couple of days driving via Japan, I perceive why. A small automobile doesn’t restrict you — it frees you up.

Evening Drive at Tatsumi

That evening, I took the MINI JCW out once more. Tokyo appears to be like utterly totally different after midnight — quieter, emptier, nearly cinematic with out making an attempt to be. I ended up on the Tatsumi Parking Space, one of many metropolis’s most iconic automobile spots. Some JDM legends lined the lot, together with a couple of trendy sports activities automobiles and tuned imports. And naturally, we have been there, like many, for the scenic photographs of the Tokyo Skyline.

From there, we went for a late-night drive via the town. The streets have been practically empty, the lights nonetheless vibrant, and for as soon as, Tokyo felt unhurried. The JCW’s exhaust echoed off the tunnels, the skyline reflecting within the windshield. It was a cool expertise that reminded us why all of us love enjoyable automobiles, particularly once they have an engine.