Inside Japan’s Most Mysterious Street Racing Club

This video documents an investigation into the legendary Tokyo Midnight Club, a secret underground street racing club in Japan with a 30-year history. The club, known for its high-speed races since the late 1970s or early 1980s, attracts a worldwide following, with its members now including business professionals, doctors, and dentists. The journey begins at a secret parking area where the film crew meets original members, including the group's leader, Mr. T. The club's meetings are dynamic, with locations changing for security reasons and routes decided spontaneously, emphasizing reaching the destination as fast as possible. Cars present include Porsches, GTRs, and RX7s. A key aspect of the Midnight Club is its strict membership and initiation process. To join, one must be known for their driving skills, specifically being faster than others in the group. Prospective members undergo an apprenticeship program, or "DEI," where seniors mentor juniors. The ultimate symbol of membership is a silver "Midnight Club" sticker, which must be earned. Attempting to use a fake sticker is taken very seriously and results in trouble with the club. The sticker is always placed at an angle on the front of the car. Novice members receive a pink sticker and do not get the club banner. The current leader, Mr. T, personally oversees the precise process of applying the earned stickers. The club is famous for its extreme speeds, with members reportedly driving at 200 mph in the 1980s, even in cars from that era, a feat compared to autobahn speeds in Germany. The club started in 1982 with four original members who aimed to form an unbeatable team of drivers. Their races typically began in Yokohama, extended 60 kilometers to Narashino, where they would gather, and then involved a high-speed race back to Yokohama in the early hours of the morning when traffic was minimal. One of the original members present tonight, driving a replica of his blue RX7, was the fastest driver, with 14 wins. The club emphasizes that its membership and stickers are exclusive and cannot be bought or faked. There are no official Midnight Club chapters outside of Japan; an attempt to start one in Hawaii was thwarted by the pandemic. The club's message to the world is that those who display fake stickers are not true members, and if unauthorized stickers are found on cars in Japan, they will be removed, albeit now with more politeness than in the past. The film crew joins the club for a drive in a Miata, observing the coordinated yet fast-paced journey through Tokyo's illuminated streets and numerous tunnels. The experience highlights the unique atmosphere of Japanese car culture, characterized by politeness and coordination despite the high-speed driving. The convoy eventually arrives at Daikoku Parking Area, an iconic location for car enthusiasts in Japan. While often mistaken for a car show venue, Daikoku is technically a rest area. Its popularity, amplified by social media, has led to it being frequently packed with tourists and military personnel, sometimes causing inconvenience for truck drivers attempting to rest. Police often close the area when it becomes too crowded. The video showcases various impressive cars at Daikoku, including an RX7 with a Veilside kit, an NSX with T37 wheels, and multiple GTRs. The hosts also enjoy freshly squeezed orange juice from a vending machine, a unique Japanese experience. The Midnight Club's story, as told by its leader, emphasizes its private nature and the importance of earning one's place within the group. The club's activities, while visible at times, maintain a certain discretion, reflecting the balance between passion for speed and adherence to unwritten rules in Japanese car culture.