Tarzan Yamada Official Tours

About Your Guide

Tarzan Yamada

Your Host & JDM Tour Guide

Guide Bio

I'm TARZAN YAMADA — a professional racing driver, and I've been at this since 1981. Over four decades I've raced single-seaters, touring cars and GTs across Japan and abroad: a 2nd-place finish in the 1984 All-Japan F3 Championship, the Formula Mirage title in 1991, and back-to-back Super Taikyu class championships in 2002 and 2005, along with years in the JGTC and Super GT.

I'm probably best known for time attack — I won the World Time Attack Challenge twice in the Cyber Evo, one of the most heavily developed Evos ever built. In 2011 I was appointed an official judge of the D1 Grand Prix, the championship that took drifting from the Wangan to the world. And for years I've been a face of OPTION and Video Option, the media that introduced Japan's car culture to a global audience long before YouTube existed.

But the place I keep coming back to is Daikoku PA. I've been part of that scene for thirty years — people there know my name. On this tour, that history is yours to borrow.

This isn't just a tour. It's a chance to experience JDM culture from the inside, with someone who has lived it.

TARZAN YAMADA

Fun Facts / Quick Stats

  • · Active racing driver since 1981
  • · All-Japan F3 Championship — Series 2nd (1984)
  • · Formula Mirage Class Champion (1991)
  • · Super Taikyu Class Champion (2002 & 2005)
  • · JGTC / Super GT competitor
  • · World Time Attack Challenge — 2× Champion (Cyber Evo)
  • · D1 Grand Prix — official judge (2011)
  • · Featured driver — OPTION & Video Option
Our Story

For years, I've been living and breathing Japan's car culture — not as a spectator, but as a driver, a racer, and a passionate member of the community. From competitive racing to late-night runs along the Yokohama waterfront, every experience has shaped the tours I run today.

SAMURAI PHAT FAST was born from a simple idea: that the best way to experience JDM culture is through the people who actually live it. That's what I'm here to give you.

What Makes Us Different

For years, I've been living and breathing Japan's car culture — not as a spectator, but as a driver, a racer, and a passionate member of the community. From competitive racing to late-night runs along the Yokohama waterfront, every experience has shaped the tours I run today.

SAMURAI PHAT FAST was born from a simple idea: that the best way to experience JDM culture is through the people who actually live it. That's what I'm here to give you.

Welcome

Whether you're a lifelong JDM fan or just discovering what Japan's car culture is all about, you're in the right place. Come for the cars, stay for the experience.
Welcome to SAMURAI PHAT FAST. Let's drive.

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