A look inside Japan's first dedicated gallery of vintage race cars, based at Fuji Speedway
Japan is not short of brilliant galleries of historic racing vehicles. The Nissan Global Headquarters Gallery in Yokohama, the Honda Collection Hall at Mobility Resort Motegi… and most recently, Fuji Motorsports Museum opened in 2022, as part of a rejuvenation of Fuji Speedway.
Earlier this year DSC had the chance to tour the Fuji Motorsports Museum. It was a cherished opportunity to look at 40 cars spanning 125 years of motorsport history, and if you’re at the circuit for a major event – such as this past weekend’s WEC 6 Hours of Fuji – and haven’t already been inside, it’s a perfect way to spend an hour or two looking at some truly spectacular cars.
Fuji Motorsports Museum’s exhibits change regularly and since DSC’s RJ O’Connell visited the circuit in June, some cars have already cycled out to be replaced by other exhibits.
Fuji Motorsports Museum was opened two years ago inside the same building as the Fuji Speedway Hotel, on 7 October 2022.
The museum occupies about 3,400 square feet on the first and second floors. A gift shop, cafe, and terrace occupy the third floor with a clear view of the circuit overlooking the final corner.
The mythical Toyota 578A (Turbo 7) hangs on its side like a rare painting, and is the first thing you see when you walk inside.
This Panhard et Levassor Type B2 is the oldest exhibited vehicle, listed as an 1899 model.
Bugatti’s all-conquering Type 35 that won the Targa Florio five years in a row (1925-29); this is the supercharged Type 35B.
A replica of the 1951 Toyopet Racer, conceived under the supervision of Kiichiro Toyoda – who hoped to take Toyota Motor Corporation into motorsport to help close the gap to Europe and the US.
Mike Hailwood’s championship-winning 1961 Honda RC162 motorcycle, next to John Surtees’ V12-powered Honda RA273 F1 racer.
Rarely do museum pieces have big dents in them – but the damage from hitting a tree tells the story of the 1958 Datsun 210 that won its class at the ‘Round Australia Trial. This rally win for Datsun was the first for a Japanese automaker in international motorsport.
Yoshiji Tachihara drove this Hino Contessa 900 to victory in the inaugural 1963 Japan Grand Prix (C-III Race) at Suzuka.
The Chevy V8-powered Nissan R381 “monster bird”, as driven by Japan Grand Prix winner Moto Kitano – showcasing the hydraulic-powered, dual-element rear spoiler.
In contrast, Daihatsu’s lightweight, four-cylinder P-5 coupe which finished 10th overall in the ’68 Grand Prix driven by Takao Yoshida.
Toyota’s Minoru Kawai beat the best of the East and the West in the 1969 Fuji World Challenge 200 Miles driving the five-litre Toyota 474S (New 7).
One of the special exhibits this summer was the 1970s Fuji Grand Champion Series. The sombre anniversary of the deaths of Hiroshi Kazato and Seiichi Suzuki had only just passed on 2 June.
Mooncraft Engineering’s closed-top Shiden 77, restored to its original state and livery as driven by three-time GC Champion Noritake Takahara in 1977.
Two years earlier, Takahara won the 1975 Fuji GC crown in this March 74S. The original BMW powerplant was replaced with a Mazda rotary during restoration.
On the second floor sits this 1930 Alfa Romeo 6C (1750 Gran Sport) similar to the one Tazio Nuvolari & Battista Guidodi drove to victory in that year’s Mille Miglia.
With the withdrawal of the WEC programme, this sole surviving 1908 Isotta Fraschini Tipo I was the only one that would be at Fuji in 2024…
The beautiful 1948 Cisitalia 202C, designed by Pininfarina – it finished second, third, and fourth in the ’48 Mille Miglia.
Displayed in memory of the late Kenjiro Shinozuka is his Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 that won the 1991 Rally Cote d’Ivoire – making him the first Japanese driver to win a WRC event. In the background, the legendary Lancia Delta S4 from 1986.
Two Group A rally icons – Colin McRae’s 1995 championship-winning Subaru Impreza WRX STI, next to a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III from the same season.
A replica of the 1928 24 Hours of Le Mans-winning Bentley 4 ½ Litre special.
The twin-turbo V8-powered 1990 Toyota 90C-V won its debut race in the All-Japan Sports Prototype Championship and finished 6th at Le Mans. This is the livery worn by Masanori Sekiya and Hitoshi Ogawa when they won the Fuji 500km to kick off the 1990 JSPC season.
It really doesn’t get better than this – two Japanese heroes of Le Mans, the Mazda 787B and Toyota TS020 (GT-One)!
If you walk past the 787B’s engine cover, the roar of its quad-rotor R26B engine plays in the room. This exhibited model is a replica of the 1991 winner.
The GT-One may have never won a race, yet it retains a well-loved icon of 1990s endurance racing – video games helped keep the car’s memory alive for future generations.
Upstairs there are two more Mooncraft-designed Fuji Grand Champion cars. The MCS-1 (as driven by Masahiro Hasemi to the 1980 championship) was the first single-seater GC machine, derived from the March 74S.
Aguri Suzuki won the 1987 GC title in this March 85J-derived MCS-VII, powered by a Yamaha engine.
The legend of the Calsonic Nissan was cemented by the groundbreaking R32 Skyline GT-R, driven by Kazuyoshi Hoshino and Toshio Suzuki to a near-perfect championship season.
HKS loaned their Nissan Skyline GT-R super tourer to the museum – Osamu Hagiwara and Yukihiro Hane won the 1993 race at Sugo, one of the last of the GT-R’s perfect run of 29 wins in 29 races.
Other iterations of this first-generation Honda NSX-R have sold for nearly half a million dollars, this one is simply priceless.
The original Toyota 2000GT Speed Trial machine was destroyed by Toyota after it set 16 speed and distance records at Yatabe Proving Grounds. This replica was built in memory of its achievements, and today is also a memorial for the late, great Shihomi Hosoya.
The 40th and final car at Fuji Motorsports Museum is the Toyota-Eagle Mk.III, chassis WFO-91-005 that won the 1993 Daytona 24 Hours and has been maintained by Toyota in recent years.
