Unlike Golf or Tennis

The other day, my husband said, “With golf and tennis, people make a point of working on their basic form. But when it comes to driving, why does everyone stop thinking about their driving position and technique? It’s basically the same thing.”

…Wait, the same thing?

I’m not sure they’re quite the same, but I can see where he’s coming from.

Plenty of people study their golf swing. How can they hit the ball farther? Where should they make contact for a clean, straight shot? So many people want to improve their game that RIZAP has even started offering one-on-one golf coaching.

Tennis has also gained momentum, especially since Kei Nishikori burst onto the scene. I’ve heard that more and more people have started taking lessons at tennis schools.

Compared with sports like tennis and golf, motorsport culture in Japan still has a long way to go.

In Europe, motorsport seems to be much more a part of everyday life. There are plenty of circuits that host F1 and other major races, and lots of people go to watch. In Japan, by contrast, I get the sense that many people think:

“F1? Isn’t that just for gearheads and rich people with expensive hobbies?”

Motorsport still hasn’t really entered the mainstream.

Among car enthusiasts, drivers like Kamui Kobayashi and Kazuki Nakajima are well known, but plenty of people outside that world have never heard of them. Sports programs on TV cover baseball, soccer, tennis, and golf all the time, but motorsport rarely gets much attention. Maybe if drivers like Kobayashi won F1 or other major races, motorsport would become more popular in Japan…

Still, I’m not sure even that would have the same impact as Kei Nishikori’s success in tennis.

What’s Different About Europe and Japan?

My husband and I once talked about why motorsport hasn’t taken root in Japan. We came to the conclusion that it might be because

“Europe had a carriage culture, while Japan had a courier culture.”

Carriages have been part of European life for centuries. Apparently, they date back as far as the Mesopotamian and Indus Valley civilizations. Much of Europe’s terrain is relatively open, making it easier for carriages to travel. Among the aristocracy, people competed over the decoration and speed of their carriages, which became symbols of wealth. The automobile emerged as an extension of that carriage culture.

Japan, on the other hand, has many mountains and narrow roads, making it difficult for carriages to get around. I’ve also read that the Edo shogunate prohibited wheeled vehicles in most areas. Even on alternate attendance journeys, feudal lords traveled in palanquins carried by people. (Those couriers must have had a tough job, too.)

Cars didn’t become widespread in Japan until the Meiji era. In other words, Europe’s long history with carriages meant that cars became more than just a way to get around—they also gave rise to motorsport. In Japan, that kind of cultural history is missing, so many people still see cars primarily as a means of transportation.

It’s only natural that many people don’t give much thought to their driving position if they see a car as nothing more than transportation. Perhaps, as motorsport culture becomes more established in Japan, more people will start paying attention to their driving position, just as my husband says.

That said, it won’t happen in just a few years. It could take decades, or even longer. The more I think about it, the more I realize there’s a lot more to cars than meets the eye.