【Initial D Pilgrimage】 Battle with Tachi Tomoyuki, pro driver from Todo School! Driving in Tochigi Prefecture's "Happo-gahara".

The Tochigi area for the Initial D pilgrimage has arrived at Happogahara. It's a battle where the odds of winning against a pro driver are slim, but the opponent Tomoyuki Tate is also a very attractive character. I traced the course I've always wanted to visit.

Happo-gahara is a course with elevation differences located within the Nikko National Park

The "Happo-gahara Battle" between Tomoyuki Tachi and Takumi Fujiwara serves as the site of one of the most notable “pro vs genius amateur” confrontations in the series. Happo-gahara (Happo Road) is a mountain pass located within Nikko National Park, where in the story, Takumi battles Tomoyuki Tachi, a professional racer and an alumnus of the Todo School, on an elevation-changing route through beautiful nature. In the story, it is set as a round-trip course ascending from the Yaita City side, turning back near the peak.

First, we arrive at "Yama no Eki Takahara" near the starting point. We take a break before beginning the trace.

The starting point is in front of the chain dismount area. Perhaps due to the high elevation and low temperatures, even though it's April, there is still little of the spring greenery, and the scene resembles autumn with prominent brown fallen leaves. However, the quiet and gentle atmosphere within the national park is very pleasant.

The series of hairpin turns that symbolize Happo-gahara.

A series of hairpin turns with elevation differences. It seems that there are many routes built on steep slopes in Tochigi, as I often see similar corners. This location on the return trip is an impressive point where "blind attacks" and dogfights take place as we head toward the final stage.

In this series of hairpins, Takumi gets overtaken due to the "disappearing line" technique that only professional drivers possess. Despite being a tight corner, the road width is also wide and allows for a high degree of cornering freedom, making it seem like a fun place to attack.

After crossing the Yuhibashi bridge near the waterfall, it climbs from the tunnel section. In this area, cherry blossoms and greenery can be seen, creating a tranquil atmosphere.

Clearing the turnaround point leads the battle to its final phase.

The battle makes a U-turn at the turnaround point located at this site, heading into the second half. The area near the turnaround point has a narrow road, making overtaking difficult. As per the narrative of the work, it felt natural for the fight to take place near the hairpins.

Turning back and heading toward the tunnel again, re-entering the corner we have been following, towards a dramatic climax. It’s nerve-wracking to face a thin chance of victory against a professional racer with advanced skills.

The battle concludes due to a twist of fate with an animal crossing the path.

The outcome of the spark-filled dogfight sees Tomoyuki Tachi, who was in the lead, diving into the space created by avoiding the animal that crossed his path, leading to Takumi’s victory. The fact that he couldn’t recognize the animal due to a blind attack when the lights were turned off, and the turn of events that served as a tailwind, all contributed to the conclusion influenced by the "luck" that Takumi possesses.

Tomoyuki Tachi, graciously acknowledging his defeat, is also very charming, and I was extremely satisfied to tour a course from an episode I personally really like. I look forward to heading to the next driving course.

Interview/Article by Kazuma Tanaka

Search Latest dashcam on Amazon