15yr boy loves cars, so where to?

HI , my nephew is on our family trip to Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima, he is not keen on going but loves cars , machines, engines etc, he had wanted to go to those Japanese hills car rallies ( I think that is what they are) but he wasn't keen , where should I take him?
many thanks Deb

Welcome to the forum.

I'm not certain if his interest in "machines, engines" extends to trains - but if it does, then one or more of Japan's 3 largest railway museums might make for a worthwhile stop:

https://withinstrikingdistance.wordpress.com/tag/railway-museums/

One of the 3 is in Kyōto, another is near Tōkyō, and the last (my personal favourite) is in Nagoya. This should make it possible to work at least one of them into your plans - but again, only if he might take an interest.

Cheers.

Nissan display store in Ginza is worth a short visit.

You can try to make a reservation to tour the Mazda factory in Hiroshima:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3405.html

Nagoya has a Toyota Museum as well as railway museum that would be great for someone interested in cars and transportation, but I see Nagoya isn't on your itinerary.

History Garage in Odaiba (Tokyo) is a great automotive museum with lots of vintage cars and racecars. It's part of the Toyota Mega Web, an automotive theme park with racing simulators and a giant car showroom. http://whereintokyo.com/venues/25303.html

Have try looking at tokyo Odaiba Toyota Mega Web, a Toyota showroom with all the latest toyota cars and technology, and you can also test drive one of the newest toyoto cars, you do need to bring a IDP and have to make reservation, but not sure if walk in is available.

search further down the page.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3008.html

When?

This is once in two years, it is the biggest car event(auto show) in Japan.
http://www.tokyo-motorshow.com/en/outline/
http://www.tokyo-motorshow.com/en/history/
If you do not come to see this, you are disqualified as a real car fan.

Biggest "Custom car" show is too irritating for 15 yd boy.
http://www.tokyoautosalon.jp/2018ex/en/
But, Dad is excited than son :)
https://goo.gl/A68g27

he had wanted to go to those Japanese hills car rallies ( I think that is what they are) but he wasn't keen,
Guess that is Initial D's real stages(roads, spots) in Gunma, Usui Pass/‰O•X“» and Mt.Akagi/�Ô�éŽR mainly.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initial_D
https://goo.gl/kwJ61F
But this story is NOT a rally, just looks like so.

Anyway, you should ask him again about "Where he really wants to go"
and "What kind/name/type/race of car do you want to see?", more definitely.

Sounds like he id referencing drifting on the touge.

Once when i was in Odaiba, they had a pro drift comp in the back carpark near the water park.

You could probably go looking for D1 or similar drift events, but most of the tracks used are far away from the main known tourists spots.

Motegi Twin Ring racetrack has a event calender viewable for example. But there are more tracks out there if your google fu is good.

Turns out the Odaiba event I saw was part of the D1 GP series:-

http://www.d1gp.co.jp/index.html

Thanks heaps for the great info I will get him to read this and do some research it's greatly appreciated😀

I hoped to visit the Mazda museum this spring but didnt realise how far in advance you needed to book so bear that in mind. What else does he like? For instance video game arcades are still popular in Japan.

thanks for all the great suggestions, he is not too much in to video games but the other nephew may be more interested in that one!!

In March of 2016 I took a tour of the Mazda Museum and factory while in Hiroshima. They have an English tour which begins at 9:30am. It is a short train ride from the main train JR terminal in Hiroshima. Before the tour begins you can sit in new Mazdas, you see a movie on the history of Mazda and how they rebuilt after the bombing, tour a museum of old cars and then make your way to the factory.
I highly recommend this!!

It is contents which I responded before.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g298184-i861-k10354665-Auto_Otak...
There is also this.
http://www.yokohamajapan.com/things-to-do/nissan-engine-museum/