What is Touge?

Touge is the Japanese term for the word ‘pass’. Touge racing is a particular form of Japanese auto racing that involves driving cars at a fast speed up, over, and then down the curved roads that cut through Japan’s steep mountainous areas.

 

In the 1970’s, professional motorcycling and race driving legend Kunimitsu Takahashi started using a technique of hitting corners at the apex at a high enough speed to initiate a controlled slide through the corner, while still maintaining the highest exit speed possible.

Intrigued by Takahashi’s early drifting style, Keiichi Tsuchiya set out to master the technique. It was a goal that earned him an iconic racing crowd reputation, and a feature video called Pluspy. This video had a huge influence on the car and racing culture worldwide and inspired many of today’s professional drifters.