Last month during the Obon holiday, our family spent the latter half rather quietly with no particular plans, but my husband frequently went out touring. He wrote an article about that trip, so please have a look if you’re interested.

Obon GT3 Touring

As the Obon holiday was coming to an end, I couldn’t suppress my urge to go touring. However, since a long-distance drive was difficult schedule-wise, I decided to take a trip through the mountains of Hyogo Prefecture, my home ground.

I wanted to leave around 6 AM but overslept and ended up departing at 8 AM. This time, at my wife’s request, I was asked to shoot some video footage, so I prepared various filming equipment. Listing them out, there were quite a few:

• SONY α7Ⅲ (mirrorless camera)
• SONY RX100M3 (compact digital camera)
• SONY SEL24105G (lens)
• SONY SEL70300G (lens)
• DJI Mavic Pro (drone)
• GoPro HERO7 BLACK (wearable camera)
• GoPro HERO4 Silver (wearable camera)

Of course, in addition to these, there were multiple spare batteries, in-car chargers, various holders, a GorillaPod, selfie sticks, and more, making for quite a load.

I packed the gear into the rear seat area of the GT3 (the GT3 actually has no rear seats) and first headed north on the Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway. From there, I continued onto the Kita-Kinki Toyooka Expressway and planned to drive the personally favorite Route 427, which I consider one of the best roads in the prefecture, all the way to the roadside station Sugiharagami no Sato Taka.

This road is truly delightful. Although not very long, it has wide lanes and low traffic volume. With its ups and downs, it’s one of the best roads. I shifted the GT3 through 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gears, then back down to 3rd and 2nd.

Repeating this, I climbed the mountain passes and then descended.

The GT3’s sport exhaust valves usually open around 4000 rpm, but I recently discovered that when in 4th gear or higher and pressing the accelerator moderately, the valves open even around 3000 rpm, producing a thrilling sound.

Reading the GT3 manual again, it says that pressing the sport exhaust button optimizes torque at low to mid RPMs. It seems the valve operation is more variably controlled than I thought. The deep rumble of the exhaust roars ‘Gwoooon’, and at the same time, my back is pressed firmly against the seatback.

It’s an irresistible sensation.

Favorite Roads in the GT3

After resting at the roadside station, I turned back here. Going further south would mean more houses and heavier traffic, which isn’t as enjoyable, so I always return at this point. I retraced Route 427 and then headed north to Route 9.

Being a single-digit national route, Route 9 naturally has heavier traffic, but it’s a road where you can still enjoy a spirited pace.

Next, I aimed for Prefectural Route 89, which is the course for the public road-closed hill climb race Chronoscalatein Hachikita. I had long wanted to drive this route.

The pavement near the start isn’t great, but it turns into a smooth, enjoyable road further along. Though short, the low traffic makes it a fun course. At the finish, the trees along the roadside disappear, offering a great view and a pleasant drive.

Next, I headed toward Prefectural Route 6, a smooth road leading to the Oya area. Oya is home to the Oya Ski Resort, one of my childhood home slopes. Although occasionally blocked by light trucks, Route 6 is one of the most enjoyable roads. From there, I took Prefectural Route 48 and stopped for a break by the lake at Hikihara Dam (Otosui Lake).

The Exceptional GT3

Afterwards, I went to Higashiyama in Haga Town, Shiso City. This is a place I often use for shooting, and the road leading there is an incredibly enjoyable famous route. It starts from the Tanibashi intersection on Route 29, but it seems to be a town road with no clear name. However, it features wide lanes and a thrilling winding hill climb.

At the top of the pass is the Forest Station Haga Higashiyama Onsen, where you can eat, stay overnight, or camp. Shiso City has many famous roads, but this one stands out as one of my favorites.

I’ve driven this road many times in various cars since getting my license, but the GT3 is truly in a class of its own. It carves into corners with a powerful grip. While I can’t test the cornering limits on public roads, every turn feels effortless.

Then, making full use of the RR layout’s intense traction, it accelerates out of corners with a furious burst. It’s truly amazing. Honestly, it’s a world apart from supercars that rely on steering’s initial response to mask handling performance.

Once again, I felt that Porsche’s engineering focuses on the essential aspects of a car’s performance. After a thorough run in the GT3 and working up a sweat, I headed home, ending this mini tour.

Driving time: 8:09
Distance: 372.8 km
Average fuel economy: 12.9 km/100 km (about 7.7 km/L)
Average speed: 48 km/h

But I still want to drive more…