The other day, my husband went on a long tour with the Boxster GTS, and he’s been writing about the experience in several installments. This is the first part, so please enjoy it if you like.

Day 1: Driving the Boxster to Itoigawa in the Rain

On the morning of departure, the weather forecast unfortunately called for rain. We took the freshly washed Boxster out of the parking lot and fired up the engine. The Boxster, which has already clocked about 46,000 km, was running superbly.

The plan for the first day was to drive straight to Itoigawa on the expressway.

After entering the Hokuriku Expressway from the Meishin Expressway, the rain grew heavier. Since the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires currently have about 30-40% tread left, we decided not to push it.

Also, the mid-engine Boxster doesn’t have the rock-solid grip in heavy rain like the Panamera Turbo or Cayenne, so you have to be careful as it sometimes feels a bit unsettled.

After about six hours of carefully driving through the heavy rain on the expressway, we arrived at a hotel in Itoigawa. That day, we reviewed the route for the next day and went to bed early.

Day 2: From Shiga Highlands to Tsumagoi Panorama Line

On the second morning, the weather cleared up with blue skies. Since it had rained heavily the night before, the Boxster, which had been parked outside, was actually cleaner as the rain had washed off the dirt.

It looked like it had just been washed.

We immediately opened the soft top and headed south on Route 148. The blue sky and the slightly cool breeze from Shinshu felt refreshing. Along the way, I felt like stopping by Tsugaike Kogen Ski Resort, a place I visited many times as a student, so we took a detour onto Prefectural Route 433.

Snow still remained on the mountains, offering a breathtaking view you can’t see in Kansai, as the Boxster sped through the mountain winding roads.

We turned left onto Route 406, aiming for the Shirasawa Tunnel. We planned to take photos there, but since several cars were already parked, we reluctantly passed through. Deciding to just enjoy Route 406, I pushed the Boxster a bit, but traffic was heavier than expected, forcing a slow pace.

Trailing behind a slow eco car, almost rolling my eyes, we drove sluggishly. After descending the mountain, we headed south on Prefectural Route 364 (Hokushin Gokaku Road), which is quite wonderful. It’s a fast road with wide lanes and mostly straight stretches, allowing a good pace.

Next, we drove the Boxster onto Route 292, climbing rapidly in elevation toward Shiga Highlands. This was finally a stage where we could enjoy the Boxster’s true character. In Sport mode, I chose not to use auto-blip and instead matched revs manually on downshifts. The thrilling hill climb in 2nd and 3rd gears was fantastic.

Luckily, traffic was light, and we quickly reached the area near Yokote Mountain.

Snow walls still lined the roadside, and many mountains remained capped with snow. The temperature was indeed chilly, and the combination of the crisp outside air and the Boxster’s heater created a sort of open-air bath driving experience.

Near Mount Shirane, the strong smell of sulfur reminded us that the mountain was alive. This area is an excellent mountain winding road, though many tourist cars limit how fast you can go. It’s best to simply enjoy the scenery.

After descending to Kusatsu, we headed to the long-awaited Tsumagoi Panorama Line. This time, we covered both the north and south courses of the Tsumagoi Panorama Line, and it truly is a wonderful road. The views are great, and the road is superb. I had to resist the urge to drive back and forth multiple times and pressed on.

Partway through, the sky darkened and rain began to fall lightly. Reluctantly, I closed the soft top, paid a toll without fully understanding where, and headed south on the Asama-Shirane Volcano Route. Passing through Shiraito Highland Way, we made our way to Usui Pass.

Touring the Sacred Sites of Initial D

From here, it was time for a tour of the sacred Initial D (Inisharu Dī) locations. By the way, I do own the Initial D manga, but I’m not a huge fan of Japan’s street racing or drifting culture.

Still, as a Porsche owner from Royu, I’d always wanted to visit the mountain passes depicted in the manga, but for some reason, I’d never had the chance to come to the Gunma and Tochigi area until now.

Usui Pass was one of those places. For some reason, I had never driven it before. Driving Usui Pass for the first time was very rewarding. Especially in the Boxster, it felt exceptional. The pass features an endless series of ultra-tight corners, almost like a chicane.

Later, I found out there are 184 of them in a row. Fortunately, there was no car ahead, so I enjoyed it to the fullest in Sport Plus mode.

Next, we visited Mount Myogi, another famous spot. While driving the pass, I spotted several cars with Gunma license plates. From a Kansai perspective, Gunma plates somehow make any car look fast (laughs). Probably from reading too much manga.

It was my first time driving Mount Myogi, and it definitely felt more like a challenging mountain pass than a fast road. It reminded me a bit of the Saikodai Driveway or the back route of Rokko Driveway in Kansai.

After thoroughly enjoying the pass, I felt somewhat pressured when a Gunma-plated car came up behind me, as if being tailgated, while descending Mount Myogi. Then I headed to a hotel in Takasaki City with the Boxster.

Tomorrow, we plan to visit Mount Haruna and Mount Akagi. I ended the second day’s journey studying the touring map at the hotel.

Route Map for This Trip