A Journey with the Boxster When spring break comes, my wife and kids always go back to their parents’ home. March was busy for various reasons, but with work settling down, I decided to take a short tour after a long time. At first, I was thinking about heading toward Wakayama, where the highway has been expanded to four lanes, but the weather forecast showed it would be bad there. Looking westward, the weather seemed...
Porsche in the Rain is Also Great I’m well known as a touring enthusiast, but I actually enjoy driving not only on sunny days but also in heavy rain. So, when I see a forecast for heavy rain rather than just a drizzle, I sometimes get an irresistible urge to go somewhere. Why do I like driving in heavy rain? I can’t quite explain it well myself, but I love the atmosphere—the rain hitting the...
Driving the Boxster After experiencing a dead battery at the end of last year, I felt like taking the Boxster out for a drive again. So, early in the new year, I decided on a short touring trip. For a day trip from Kansai, somewhere with no snow worries this season and where driving an open car feels great, Awaji Island naturally came to mind. Honestly, as someone who loves driving, the roads on Awaji...
Crossing Shikoku on Route 194 The morning in Saijo City marked the final day of our touring adventure. Although the snow clouds that brought a cold wave to the Japanese archipelago had eased somewhat, there was still a risk of snow in the mountainous areas of Shikoku. Checking the weather forecast, I confirmed the route. The 911 was quite dirty, its body sticky from road salt. Washing it now would be pointless since it would...
Enjoying the Okayama Wide-Area Farm Roads from Tsuyama Following up on the previous touring report, this time I’d like to share the wide-area farm roads of Okayama and Hiroshima. Mornings in Tsuyama often bring thick fog. The last time was foggy as well, and this morning the mist is deep again. After getting ready at the hotel, the fog cleared and the sun began to peek through by the time I was about to leave....
Driving Along the Sea of Japan from Tsuruga to Kyogamisaki The morning in Tsuruga City was bitterly cold. Fortunately, the snow from yesterday had stopped, and there seemed to be no accumulation. Climbing into the ice-cold 911, I carefully warmed up the engine, PDK, and suspension components at a slower pace than usual. Both the 981 Boxster and this 991.1 Carrera 4 GTS take quite a while for the oil temperature to rise. Sometimes it...
Annual Year-End Touring At the end of last year, I went on my usual year-end tour. In our family, my wife and kids head to their parents’ home, and I take off alone on a trip with my beloved car—that’s become our tradition. Usually, this time of year means snow and icy roads, so the destination tends to be somewhere in the south like Shikoku or Kyushu. But this time, since I was driving the...
The other day, my friend Tomozō-san took delivery of his 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (early 991), so the three of us—TAKURO’s 981 Boxster GTS, my Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, and Tomozō’s car—headed out for a day trip touring the usual wide-area Okayama farm roads. This time, I’d like to share a report on that tour and my impressions of the Carrera GTS Cabriolet. AM 7:30 I met up with TAKURO at a convenience store, and...
Three Boxster GTS (981) Cars Owning multiple Porsches and often switching between them weekly, as well as frequently test-driving the latest models, I still have my number one Porsche in my heart: the 981 Boxster GTS. Especially when it comes to touring, I often debate whether to take the 964 or the 981, but usually end up choosing the Boxster. The reason is clear: it has the smoothest engine, an incredibly sensual exhaust note, supple...
Following up on the previous Autumn Touring in a Porsche 911: Journey through Shinshu, Noto, Hida, and Mino (1), here is the continuation. Hakusan Shirakawago White Road On the morning of day three, I checked today’s route on the touring map. Since it was peak autumn foliage season, I was quite torn about whether to go to the Hakusan Shirakawago White Road, but since it was a weekday and early morning, I expected it wouldn’t...
