Event: MAZDAISM at Fuji Speedway – FD RX-7 Spotlight

The last few days of October I was traveling through the Kansai area visiting a handful of different locations for work.  I scheduled to the travel partly in consideration of attending a new show, catered only to Mazda’s, that was taking place at Fuji Speedway the 1st of November.  ‘Mazdaism’, as the show was aptly named, was created to bring together the Mazda community in celebration of their favorite car maker. From RX7s to Miata’s, hundreds of Mazda’s gathered at Fuji Speedway. For me, the rotary presence alone was reason enough to make the stop.  When the show was first announced, I learned that my friend Ryosuke happened to be the organizer, to see if it was okay if I stopped by. He graciously threw my name on the media list, and told me to find him at the front gate upon my arrival.

Obviously, my intentions were to to see the FDs specifically, as I don’t really have the greatest interest in other Mazda’s (FC’s aside, and maybe some Miata’s), lucky for me there were plenty that attended. From famous show FD’s to well-used builds that I’ve seen at Tsukuba, Mazdaism felt less like a formal event and more like a quiet convergence of people who continue to dedicate themselves to the rotary, year after year in any capacity. The video I made, and the accompanying 70+ photo gallery, focuses almost entirely on the RX-7s that were in attendance. There is no narration, and very little text. It is meant to be watched the same way the day was experienced, slowly, in passing, and without explanation. Something to put on in the background, or to sit with for a few minutes, rather than something to be covered in its entirety.

During the event, Yuki was scheduled to run exhibition laps, so to break up the show scene, I rode down toward the circuit with him to catch a few of his laps. It was a brief shift from the stillness of the paddock to the sound of a car at speed, before drifting back into the crowd. After the show wrapped up, I stopped by Fuji Motorsports Forest to see the new complex that now houses the museum, along with the new SHADE Racing headquarters. Later in the evening, I met up with my friends Ryo and Seiya. We talked for a while, then went our separate ways – it was a good way to wrap up my road trip. I know that my work usually leans more toward the journalistic side of things, but I hope you enjoy this post for what it is. Just an immersive look at the show through my eyes.

 

Enjoy the gallery, and if you have any questions about the cars or show, feel free to drop them below.