La Festa Mille Miglia

A 1,000 mile overland race, La Festa Mille Miglia, will kick off from Harajuku on October 11th and traverse through Tokyo, Fukushima, Tochigi and Kanagawa prefectures before finishing in Yokohama on the 14th. 

One hundred and sixteen classic cars will compete in the 12th running of this race where the average driver is 50 years old and no replica automobiles or cars built after 1967 are permitted to race.  A 1923 BUGATTI BRESCIA T22 is the oldest car in the race while a 1967 TOYOTA 2000GT MF10 is the youngest.  Ferraris, Aston Martins, MGs and Alfa Romeos are also among the cars competing in this grueling four day event. The flag will fall, signaling the start of the 2008 La Festa Mille Miglia, at 11AM on October 11th from the south gate of the Meiji Jingu Shrine in Harajuku and will continue through the Roppongi Hills area before leaving Tokyo behind.

On October 14th the racers will return to the Tokyo area with a spin through Chiba’s Baytown and Makuhari Messe areas just after 10AM.  They will then head towards the finish line in the Motomachi area of Yokohama between 4:30PM and 7PM the same day.

The time plan for La Festa Mille Miglia provides estimated times for the various checkpoints along the 1,000 mile route and will help you find the closest one to you.

This is one event that vintage car lovers in Japan won’t want to miss!

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons, L2 Magna 1933