Experience mobility with your family on weekends! What is the fun-filled SHINOI RING with on, off, and simulator activities all day long?

Last month, SHINOI RING opened in Shinoi-cho, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture. Right next to a circuit that anyone can enter, there is a café that offers books and coffee, as well as a fun driving simulator that doesn't require a license. It's a place you might want to stop by on your way to a hot spring area, and I experienced some mobility activities.

I tried going to SHINOI RING! What kind of mobility experience can you have there?

The circuit is about 30 minutes by car from JR Utsunomiya Station. It is an experiential mobility hub created by the mobility development company Fiat Group and CCC (Culture Convenience Club).

When we think of a circuit, we often imagine car racing, but here, during weekdays, the Fiat Group conducts driving tests and prototype validations, while on weekends, it's open for the general public to come and have fun, making it a place unlike any other.

In addition to two courses called the "SHINOI RING" (Shinoi Link) - an on-road course and an off-road course - the entire facility serves as a playground for various types of mobility. Although it is compact enough to move between facilities in about five minutes on foot, what kind of experiences can you actually have? I tried it out personally.

Easily drive on the on-road circuit

First of all, the main attraction is undoubtedly the on-road circuit. This circuit is open to the public on weekends, with a lap measuring 1.35 km and a maximum elevation change of 25 meters, featuring the first hairpin, S-curve, second hairpin, and dance chicane all packed into a compact loop.

You can either bring your own car to drive here or run around with rental vehicles from SHINOI RING. However, it is not a competitive racing experience; it focuses on enjoying cornering and braking that you can’t do on public roads. But that’s what makes it fun.

When we think of a circuit, we often imagine speed competitions or requiring advanced driving skills, but at SHINOI RING, even beginners can casually enjoy the driving experience. The driving style follows a set of rules, running behind a staff-driven lead car, making it a safe option for first-timers at the circuit. You can experience the movement of the car when turning corners, as well as the sensations of acceleration and braking, which are quite different from regular driving. Even without pushing up the speed, you can fully enjoy the unique fun of driving on a circuit, and it really boosts your excitement.

The signature feature of SHINOI RING, the DIVE WINDER, is a downhill chicane. When you actually drive through it, you can easily feel the weight transfer even at low speeds, and it's easy to reach the limits of the tires and suspension. If you enjoy sports driving, this could become addictive. However, even those who don’t drive can have a rollercoaster-like experience by riding along. Wow, it’s fun.

By the way, this on-road course "Guided Driving Experience" can be participated in for 1500 yen with your own car. A maximum of 5 cars can line up behind the staff's lead car for laps (as per the settings at the time of reporting). If you wish to do the same driving experience with the facility's rental vehicles, it costs an additional 1000 yen for a total of 2500 yen. In both cases, a driver's license is required, but for those paper drivers who are not good on public roads, a circuit might be safe!?

You can have extraordinary experiences on the nearby off-road course

What’s even more exciting than the on-road course is the off-road course. There is a genuine dirt track right next to the on-road course, and it's also ready for play immediately. Facilities that have on-road and off-road tracks side by side on the same premises are rare in the country, and a feature of SHINOI RING is that you can easily move between them on foot.

The "SHINOI RING DIRT COURSE" is an unpaved road that takes advantage of the natural terrain, featuring continuous hills and corners, and you can really feel the bumps. It’s surprisingly fun, and those who have never driven on an off-road course should definitely give it a try.

I was also thrilled with excitement, climbing steep hills where I couldn't see ahead and entering deep ruts. Here, the enjoyment of driving at angles that are impossible in everyday driving exceeds the speed of the car, and even a short time spent here brings great satisfaction. I think my passengers were making sounds that couldn't be voiced, and in the next moment, they were speechless from the rough road driving.

It’s strange to think that I was just on the on-road circuit, yet I'm also driving on the off-road course, but as long as bad weather doesn't persist, it’s an experience that should be tried.

By the way, the rental vehicles for driving on the off-road course are Suzuki Jimnys. Three lifted models (one manual transmission and two automatic transmissions) are prepared, and including the staff’s lead car, a maximum of three vehicles can line up at once, with the fee to experience one lap being 1500 yen.

Are professionals using it!? You can play with a super authentic driving simulator

At SHINOI RING, there is a building called "motorhome" between the on-road and off-road courses, which houses two driving simulators with different characteristics.

One of them is a professional-grade simulator. It has specifications equal to those used by professional driver Ayumu Iwasa, who competes globally, and there are only 4 to 5 of these in Japan. The courses included feature major circuits in Japan, such as Suzuka Circuit, and the weight of the steering wheel and the feel of the brakes make you think, "Is this the real formula car?".

The behavior starting from cold tires is relentless from the very first lap. You’ll want to try again and again, but it’s not easy to drive. Of course, that’s what makes it fun.

The other one is a user-friendly experience machine being developed by Fiarro, playable like a game. The course included is the off-road course of SHINOI RING, which you just raced on. The course is recreated in digital space, making it relatively fun to drive.

Surprisingly, it can be quite difficult, and you might recklessly flip the car over, creating excitement as family members take turns. You can drive again in the digital realm on the same off-road course that you just drove in a Jimny, so both those who have driven it and those who haven’t can share laughs on the same topic.

In the future, there are plans for a "digital twin experience" where you can experience vehicles owned by the facility through the driving simulator and then actually get into the same vehicle. You can have a variety of experiences both digitally and in real life.

The driving simulator does not ask about the possession of a driver's license, age, or driving experience. This might be the most enjoyable facility for children and non-driving companions, allowing them to play here the longest. Since rankings are not displayed and there are no physical risks or burdens, and because it is indoors, you can enjoy it without worrying about rainy days, making it worth a visit.

By the way, there are electric carts (as shown in the image above) in the venue, which can run on the premises on sunny days.

You can relax at the café right next to the on-road circuit.

The café "M-TRACE," adjacent to the on-road course and situated between the motor house, offers a variety of delicious menu items that go beyond just coffee and sandwiches.

The authentic pizza, baked rapidly at high temperatures, includes a prosciutto and arugula Margherita. For pasta, you can choose between two types: aged Bolognese or shrimp in a tomato cream sauce, with SHINOI RING's recommended options like curry, shrimp curry, or katsukare available as well.

When you think of a circuit, you might imagine simple hot snacks or a long walk to a luxurious rest house, but here it had a relatively reasonable price and a rich menu, creating a comfortable atmosphere for families and couples.

After running, you might choose the demi-glace hamburger plate with soft-boiled egg and hollandaise sauce or be tempted by the intriguingly named "Adult's Children's Lunch Plate." There's also a hot dog, French fries, kids' curry, and kids' pasta to satisfy a small hunger. You can also choose a set that comes with a drink alongside one main dish.

One menu item you want to keep in mind is the "SHINOI Energy." By pouring orange-colored Red Bull into blue lychee syrup, you create a unique drink with a green gradient in the cup. It arrives with the layers separated, making you want to snap a photo before mixing.

And the signature dish at M-TRACE, the "Freshly Baked Aged Baumkuchen," is a wheel-shaped cake engraved with the words SHINOI RING. You can choose from berry, pistachio, or chocolate sauces. There's also a gift box available for takeout, making it an eye-catching treat for car enthusiasts. It’s sure to spark conversations too.

In fact, there's a bookshelf in a tucked-away area, with the collection curated by a concierge from Daikanyama Tsutaya Bookstore. You can pick up a book of interest in areas like mobility, travel, nature, design, technology, culture, and lifestyle, and enjoy it along with your coffee.

It's a relaxed space designed for those who don't use the circuit, just for M-TRACE, and for local residents to stop by.

How about stopping by SHINOI RING on your way to the hot springs?

In the morning, run on the on-road course and off-road course, and enjoy delicious menus at M-TRACE for lunch. In the afternoon, have fun with the driving simulator and take home Baumkuchen as a souvenir. Time flies by here.

SHINOI RING is open to the public only on weekends and holidays, with business hours from 10 AM to 6 PM. For those looking to set lap times or check setups, private bookings are also possible on weekdays.

Access is about a 20-minute drive from the Tohoku Expressway, Utsunomiya IC, and about a 30-minute drive from JR Utsunomiya Station. Since it is along the Nikko highway, it is also easy to incorporate into routes toward hot spring resorts in Nikko, Nasu, and Kinugawa.

SHINOI RING welcomes not only car enthusiasts but everyone, and it is a facility that will continue to attract attention as a completely new place.

Facility Name: SHINOI RING
Location: 1804 Maeyama, Shinoi Town, Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture
On-road Course: Total length 1.35 km
Facilities: Off-road course, BOOK & CAFE "M-TRACE", driving simulator "MOTOR HOME"
Business Hours: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Business Days: General open to the public on weekends and holidays, private bookings on weekdays
Access: About a 20-minute drive from Tohoku Expressway Utsunomiya IC, about a 30-minute drive from JR Utsunomiya Station
https://shinoi-ring-ts.phiaro.jp/

● SHINOI RING / Fiaro Group

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