Heading to Tohoku in the Boxster

I’ve been tweeting bits and pieces, but during the recent Golden Week, my husband took the Boxster on a Tohoku tour. Six nights and seven days, no ferries or anything—it was a full self-driven long-distance tour. As usual, he put together a detailed report from DAY 1 through DAY 7, which is quite a long read, so I’ll share it in several parts here.

By the way, here’s a message from him:

This Golden Week, I went on a long-distance tour to Tohoku. As always, it’s mostly just driving non-stop, with almost no typical sightseeing info, but if you like, please read it as if you’re traveling in a Boxster yourself.

So, only for those enthusiasts who want to read it! (lol), please enjoy the following.

Tohoku Boxster Touring DAY 1

9:00 AM. Packed the suitcase, gathered the camera gear, and tossed everything into the Boxster’s trunk. The Boxster’s cargo capacity is reassuringly easy to load even with heavy luggage. Slipped on my CACAZAN driving gloves. As usual, I inserted the key into Porsche’s traditional left-side ignition cylinder and fired up the engine. The oil was just changed, and the tires are still fresh.

This Boxster is truly in perfect shape for touring.

Slowly engaging the clutch, I left the garage, checking the Boxster’s condition. Until the oil temperature gauge needle passes the blue zone, I warmed up the moving parts gently in a higher gear while crossing the Rokko mountain range. Ahead lies a grand 6-night, 7-day tour to Tohoku.

Passing through the “Thunderble Clink” I introduced in a previous blog, I took Route 372 to Prefectural Route 54, heading toward Sonoda. Though short, Prefectural Route 54 is wonderfully easy to drive thanks to very light traffic.

From Sonoda, I took Prefectural Route 19, then Route 162, heading straight for Obama City. The weather was gloomy, with a drizzle or mist that dirtied the freshly washed Boxster. I’d rather have a downpour than this—this kind of light rain dirties the car the most.

Watching out for undercover cops and speed traps, I shifted into 3rd and 4th gears and powered up Horikoshi Pass on Route 162 in one go. Roads like this feel best in the Boxster. The superb agility, brakes, engine sound, and supple ride combine to make it feel like an extension of my body.

As I neared Obama City, the weather began to clear. I aimed for the familiar “Angel Line.” The mountain road to Angel Line is rough with many small stones and can hardly be called easy driving, but the view from the top is spectacular, making it a favorite spot.

At the summit, a break in the clouds revealed a sunny patch, as if celebrating the start of this long journey.

After taking plenty of photos of the scenery and my beloved car, I headed for tonight’s lodging in Sabae City. Though the highway would be quicker, I chose the back roads without hesitation. Cruising slowly along Routes 27, 8, and 305, with the Sea of Japan on my left. The weather remained unsettled, with rain starting and stopping, so I couldn’t open the roof, which was a shame.

The beautiful Sea of Japan looked dull under the gray skies.

Tohoku Boxster Touring DAY 2

Day two. At the hotel, I opened the touring map to check the route, but couldn’t find any good coastal roads around Kanazawa to Toyama. I had hoped to visit the Noto Peninsula and the Chirihama Nagisa Driveway, but the bad weather and tight schedule made that impossible.

While reviewing the blog of my touring mentor (sorry, I’ve never met him, but I think of him that way) wata-san, I found an article about a wide-area farm road near Tateyama IC and Namerikawa City. I decided to head there for now.

Still, I had to reach Niigata today, so I couldn’t take it too slow. I hopped on the Hokuriku Expressway to warp ahead. It had been a while since I drove the Hokuriku Expressway, but traffic was light and it was very easy to drive. I kept a slightly larger gap than usual to avoid disturbing traffic flow or seeming aggressive, following the car ahead.

The Boxster GTS’s front aero has a hawk-wing shape, and with the DRL (Daytime Running Lights) on, it apparently looks a bit intimidating, so if I get too close, cars ahead tend to yield more than necessary. I try to avoid getting too close on purpose.

At a PA stop, I suddenly remembered, “Today is the first day of the Reiwa era.” I took a short break while watching the live broadcast of the morning ceremony on my phone. Then I exited at Tateyama IC and headed onto the wide-area farm road. Traffic was a bit heavier, but I was lucky to get a clear lap and could maintain a comfortable pace. If the weather had been clear, I might have seen the Tateyama mountain range, but the rain quietly continued.

Once again, I got back on the Hokuriku Expressway and headed straight for Niigata Prefecture. I reached Kashiwazaki City and then took Route 352 north along the coast. Passing the Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant, often in the news, I turned onto Route 402. Unlike Kansai, even on regular roads, there are fewer traffic lights and the pace is easier to maintain. Long coastal straights like these are almost nonexistent in Kansai, so it felt fresh and exciting.

Stopping for a break at Komeguri no Sato Park, I continued north toward Niigata City. The Sea of Japan remained leaden and moody. I decided to head early to the hotel where I’d stay that night.

(To be continued in Part 2)

Next time: Akita, Aomori…

While reading this, I kept thinking, “Wasn’t my husband aiming to be a novelist? No, that can’t be right.” (laughs) This time was mostly about getting to Tohoku, like a prologue, but next time I’ll share the real Tohoku touring experience with beautiful scenery and photos of the Boxster.

Continue reading here → 3000km Tohoku Touring in a Porsche Boxster [Part 2]