The Kanjozoku

Here in the States, many people don't know, or haven't heard of the Kanjozoku. However, over in Japan, the Kanjozoku have run the highways during the late nights for more than 20 years. Some people think of them as gang,  but they are just a tight community of street racers that tear through the Osaka highways at ridiculous speeds and rarely see their speedometer under 100 MPH. Yes, these guys are border line insane, yet are some of the most skilled out of almost any other drivers.

What is Kanjo? The Kanjo is a circuit highway loop that runs throughout the larger cities in Japan. One of the more popular Kanjo circuits is the Osaka Kanjo. The turns are sharper than the ones here in the US and the roads are filled with innocent motorists. Tall trucks and high walls act as barriers to the racers and cause dangerous blind spots that they take as a challenge. Running the toll signs and merging between intertwining freeways is all part of this dangerous game.

Their choice of vehicle? The Honda Civic. They specifically choose the older model Civics because of their light body, they are easy to work on, it's compact size and it's huge aftermarket parts field. The majority of these Civics have heavily modified and swapped motors and plenty of upgraded suspension and brake components to make the dangerous act that much more forgiving. Sometimes window nets and even roll cages are added for safety. Each crew is represented by their crew stickers and decals plastered on their cars. however, some cars look almost stock, others will sport a specific style with extended wings and two-tone or racing stripes paint jobs.

People know to stay off the freeway when the Kanjozoku come out at night. They try to stay off the roadways during the late hours, due to the fear the Kanjozou cause. These racers flip their license plates up so the police and other motorists can't read the plate numbers and report them. Keeping their identity hidden is one of the most important aspects to this dangerous sport of theirs. So, to do so, they will sometimes wear masks that cover their faces for fear of losing their jobs, or public reputation.

Although, the Kanjo racers know what they are doing is illegal, they will not stop. It has become a lifestyle fueled by high RPM's and adrenaline rushes from the speed and competition of the other racers. We do admire the Kanjozoku for being so passionate and loyal to the racing/automotive community but we do not advise anyone to participate in illegal street racing.