CAR & BIKE

2026.10.20

The new mobility hub "SHINOI RING" in Utsunomiya has finally launched.

Fiaro Corporation opens "SHINOI RING" as part of its "PHIARO Mobility Hub" project. The former Hero Shinoi Circuit (now SHINOI RING) in Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture, has been revitalized as a place where the future of mobility and people's lives intersect, and the announcement took place at the venue.

What are the characteristics of the circuit "SHINOI RING," which was taken over by a development company established in 1939?

Before the opening, Akihiko Iwasaki, President and CEO of Fiaro, personally took the stage at a media briefing. He explained that from the founding of Fiaro in 1939 to the present day, 87 years later, the company is positioned upstream in the development of automotive manufacturers. He mentioned that a turning point leading to the SHINOI RING began around the 2010s.

President Iwasaki: "The value of things is shifting from product value to experiential value. This is something that has been said across all industries, but with the keywords of moving from hardware to software, new terms such as connected, UI, and UX have emerged, leading us into a world that transcends our traditional fields."

President Iwasaki: "Looking back at the company's 87 years, we have made great strides from creating wooden molds for the body to now operating with electricity. While our commitment to manufacturing remains unchanged, as technology advances, there is an increasing demand to run tests in the real world and validate our findings, continuously refining our skills. Along with traditional techniques, we recognized the need for a place to conduct thorough testing, which led to the decision to take over this circuit facility."

And so, the concept of the SHINOI RING has expanded further.

President Iwasaki: "Originally, it started as a place to develop such mobility, but we thought it could also be used as a place for the general public to experience mobility, which expanded its scope."

The concept of SHINOI RING holds great significance as a place where family can come and enjoy together on weekends when the company is closed.

Iwasaki, the president, said, "On weekdays, we will pursue technological innovation for the next era through research and development. On holidays, we will create the culture of mobility. I intend to operate with this concept in mind."

On September 24, a comprehensive partnership agreement was established with Utsunomiya City, with the slogan "Movement is Life."

President Iwasaki: "Since collaboration with the community is also an important theme for us, we have decided to conclude a comprehensive partnership agreement with Utsunomiya City on September 24. To contribute to the local community, we plan to conduct outreach lessons at nearby elementary schools to help children experience the joy of mobility. We hope to expand such initiatives further."

At local circuits, even if there is a course for cars to run on, generally there are few places to relax. Therefore, Mr. Iwasaki established a cafe lounge to serve as a base for cultural development. The partner was Culture Convenience Club (CCC), which operates Tsutaya bookstores.

President Iwasaki: "Using this clubhouse (cafe lounge) as a base, we want to propose human connections, various projects, and cultural development in collaboration with CCC."

President Iwasaki: "Our concept is encapsulated in the phrase 'Movement is Life.' We want to find joy and value in movement itself—not just in moving cars or bikes but in human movement. While it is a circuit, I think it would be interesting to hold a relay marathon with children for example. I believe SHINOI RING will become a place where people gather, receive various ideas, and bring them to life."

Dancer Miyu and racing driver Ayumu Iwasa partner up

On this day, two guests resonating with Movement is Life took the stage to participate in the Fiarro project.

One of them is dancer Miyu. She was invited by Bruno Mars to co-star in a commercial and is currently based in Los Angeles. Last year, she announced a creative alliance with Fiarro.

Miyu "My motto, 'Making the impossible possible', is about taking on challenges to achieve something and taking action by myself. The word 'movement' is something I always hold very dear."

Another person, racing driver Ayumu Iwasa. Currently based in the UK, he serves as a reserve driver for the Red Bull group's F1 team while participating in Super Formula, the top domestic formula racing.

Iwasa "As a racing driver, I am currently racing in a formula car like Super Formula, sitting in the cockpit and making the car go faster. Since we prepare and compete as a team, I am active with engineers, mechanics, and team staff. It's truly a movement that connects us, so I think it’s a perfect word for me." <

Although it's an unusual combination from traditional thinking, this initiative conveys the commitment that Fiat wants to go beyond just developing cars and also nurture culture.

President Iwasaki "The younger generation taking on challenges in the world relates to our corporate culture. While receiving inspiration, we want to continue to elevate each other."

Miyu said, "The places I want to aim for are very similar."

Miyu said, "It's about making the impossible possible, and expressing challenges through dance. Since President Iwasaki said he wanted to do this together, I realized that our aspirations and goals are very similar. I really want to work together."

Regarding the word "challenge," Miyu imbues it with a meaning that extends beyond just dance.

Miyu said, "This applies not only to dance but also to life as a whole. I want to be someone who is always challenging myself. Rather than maintaining the status quo or regressing, I hope to live a life where every day I can grow in some way. The most difficult thing in life is to take that first step. Once you take that step, you can see new views and incorporate new sensations into yourself. I really love those feelings, and I want to become that kind of person."

On that day, Miyu rode with driver Iwasa at the circuit, and later took to the circuit, showcasing an unprecedented performance where a car spun and danced in the center.

Miyu "The experience of riding in a car on the circuit was very enjoyable. The centrifugal force (in the corners) was the first time I felt the gravity that doesn't apply in dance, and I was shouting while riding. In the scene where I got off to dance, the car went around me, and I was a little conscious of facing the front of the car."

A new challenge at SHINOI RING "RE:DEFINING JDM" S2000 PROJECT

On this day, another announcement was made regarding the new project RE:DEFINING JDM. Next to President Iwasaki was a model car of the Honda S2000.

President Iwasaki "What we want to do is surprisingly simple: to rethink Japanese sports cars and to challenge how Fiaro can create new value in today's era. We want to start such a challenge."

That said, why the S2000? President Iwasaki spoke about the positioning of this car.

President Iwasaki: "The S2000 is a representative sports car of Japan, produced and released for about ten years starting in 1999. In my view, it's one of the perfected forms of sports cars from that era. I received permission from Honda to share the sketches from that time, and I honestly thought they were really cool when I saw them back in the day."

President Iwasaki: "I think the car weighs just over 1.2 tons, but despite being an open car, it has solid rigidity. I remember realizing the high level of rigidity the first time I drove it. And the most important point is that it is designed with the driver at the center. The weight distribution is 50 to 50 front and rear, and it's front-engine, rear-drive. It encompasses all the elements of a sports car. Considering the context of the times, I don’t think we'll see many cars like this with a naturally aspirated engine that revs up to 9000 RPM."

The development of this S2000 is guided by the goal of "expressing the philosophy of Fiaro itself." RE:DEFINING JDM (the redefinition of domestic Japanese cars). President Iwasaki speaks of respect and, utilizing knowledge and technology cultivated through OEM, will proceed with the development using the SHINOI RING as an experimental ground.

President Iwasaki: "Since the level of completion of the original is very high, we started from the understanding of that appeal and making sure not to compromise it. For the exterior, we want to preserve the original charm as much as possible while adding something new. On the other hand, for the interior, we want to boldly incorporate current technology. Regarding engineering, we will develop the driving performance by integrating the technology that Fiaro has cultivated through many years of OEM development."

Iwasa has already been repeatedly test driving the S2000, and development is progressing while collecting driving data with attached sensors.

President Iwasaki: "First, we will digitally capture the running data of driver Iwasa, and how we can conquer the dive winder (the downhill chicane) which is a characteristic of our circuit. We want to incorporate elements such that, if we modify this car in this way, it can run through that corner comfortably."

The project team will include driver Iwasa and Miyu as an expressive artist.

President Iwasaki: "We aim for the same project's output with members who usually have little interaction with us. I invited them to join the project team with the mindset of exploring what we can achieve together. Until now, we have been developing for OEM customers. While that won’t change, as a new challenge, we want to firmly create a car for ourselves and finish it as a vehicle that can be driven on public roads."

The focus is on "a fun car to drive at SHINOI RING"

Regarding this development project and SHINOI RING, President Iwasaki made the following statement at the press conference.

President Iwasaki: "Straight sections, high-speed corners, low-speed corners, chicanes, uphill and downhill—all elements are packed into the SHINOI RING. Even if you can't drive like driver Iwasa, you can purely feel the joy of driving. We want to think of this place not as a test course, but as a section for development."

At first glance, JDM tuning may seem like just building modified cars, but it is important to have a clear core that doesn't fit into the categories of restomods or customs. If we call this philosophy, it will eventually become culture. The idea is that this is what differentiates it from mere modification. The place that demonstrates this is SHINOI RING, and the goal is to create cars that can be enjoyed driving at SHINOI RING.

President Iwasaki: "Without everyone's cooperation moving forward, SHINOI RING cannot develop. Until now, Fiaro has specialized in B to B development, so we are not very accustomed to interacting with individuals. However, I think the most important thing is to encourage people to come to SHINOI RING first."

The SHINOI RING is not a place to compete in speed, but rather a space to see if you can enjoy running. It operates without general public races, focusing instead on driving experiences led by guiding vehicles, which aligns with the same philosophy. The racecourse was acquired as a development base, the management policy is to create culture on holidays, and the project is to produce cars for the company. Although these three aspects may seem separate, they all converge on the single point of "what makes a car enjoyable to drive here."

Let's go to SHINOI RING, which also has a clubhouse.

The SHINOI RING is a clubhouse suitable for creating a mobility life as an exciting circuit and community space. It features a BOOK & cafe, making it a multifaceted mobility facility where diverse experiences can be enjoyed.

It is open not only to traditional car enthusiasts and racing fans, but also to people who love sports, including running, families, and local residents.

The works of Anna Louise, an artist based in London, are also featured. A live painting piece created over four and a half hours at Tsutaya Bookstore in Daikanyama, Tokyo, last October is prominently displayed.

The spacious and comfortable clubhouse offers not only coffee but also light meals and desserts. It aims to become a place where various cultures intersect, such as showcasing cars.

Facility Name: SHINOI RING
Location: 1804 Maeyama, Shinoi-cho, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture
On-Road Course: Total length of 1.3 km
Additional Facilities: Dirt course, rest house (cafe), driving simulator
Open to the Public: Starting Saturday, September 19, 2026
Driving Experience with Lead Car: 1500 yen (with personal car), 2000 yen (using rental vehicle)
Dirt Course Experience: 1500 yen per lap using facility vehicle (Jimny), up to 3 vehicles per group
*Drivers must have a driver's license
https://shinoi-ring-ts.phiaro.jp/on-road/

●SHINOI RING / Fiar Group

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