RoundCat Rally
Every year, we invite a group of close friends to join us on an event we call the RoundCat Rally. For 2025, it’s an 1000km driving adventure through northern Japan during fall foliage season.
The six day journey takes us from central Nikko Tochigi, up the center of Tohoku, and ending in Morioka Iwate, where we leave the cars and return to Tokyo by Shinkansen.
Accommodations on the RoundCat Rally reflect the towns we visit, and Tohoku is famous for its ryokan inns. Our route takes us through well known onsen towns like Ginzan Onsen, as well as local stops that rarely make international tourist lists.
Tohuku is also the home of kokeshi, the wooden dolls that are an iconic souvenir of onsen travel. We’ll meet the craftspeople that keep this uniquely Japanese folk-art alive as we navigate Japan’s less-traveled side.
Our week is focused on expanding friendships, immersing ourselves in the feeling of good design, and enjoying some of the best driving roads on the planet.
Invitations to join the RoundCat Rally are limited to our friends, their guests, and our industry partners. If you’re interested in joining the rally as a partner, please send us a note.
Slow cars fast
Kei cars, built to a strict formula of small size and limited power, are ubiquitous in Japan — 40% of new cars sold in Japan each year are kei. But they’re an unexpected choice for international driving enthusiasts.
As with most things in Japan, kei vehicles are all about context. The size and power of these cute cars are perfectly matched to the tight and sinuous roads found outside Tokyo. Without the crutch of horsepower, drivers use skill and attention to maintain momentum — a perfect analogue to the practices of traditional Japanese artisans.
Kei cars eliminate the machismo and preciousness associated with high-horsepower exotics, unlocking a more elemental driving experience that’s about simply having fun. Think of them as street-legal Mario Karts.
While kei cars are not strictly required for the RoundCat Rally, kei cars and cars with “kei energy” are strongly encouraged.
Driving outside Tokyo
The RoundCat route gives participants a taste of Japan outside Tokyo’s urban core. Rural Japan stands in stark contrast to the modern and always-changing center of Tokyo. The pace of life is slower, and nature is ever-present.
Rural Japan is a driving paradise. The Japanese government has been on a 70+ year infrastructure-building spree, and the results are legendary.
On the RoundCat, we completely avoid expressways and instead travel on a combination of municipal roads, touge, and regional secondary roads. Like Japan’s expressways, these small roads are impeccably maintained — even deep into the mountains.
Food, Drink, and Culture
Driving is the obvious focus of any rally, but spending time outside the cars is equally important.
Our route includes a series of stops that allow participants to immerse themselves in rural Japan. We experience regional flavors, meet local people, and get to know each other.
Over the course of the RoundCat we eat well — something different each meal — and sample sake, beer, and spirits from across Japan.
We pause frequently at cafes, restaurants, and roadside points of interest as we munch our way across Japan.
There’s also an element of “choose your own adventure” involved. Some people opt for more seat-time, while others stop at every opportunity.