Of the 800,000 miles of thoroughfare winding across the islands of Japan, there?s only one five mile stretch where you can drive a vehicle on a public beach (legally, at any rate). It?s called the Chirihama Nagisa Driveway, and for 363 days of the year, it?s a serene little strip of coastline and a popular destination for tourists and beach goers.
For two very special days of the year, however, that serenity is replaced by the sweet music of straight-piped race bikes, while this smooth patch of sand is converted into a drag strip like no other. We?re talking about the Chirihama Sandflats, of course, which we?re also happy to announce returned in full force this year, for the first time since 2018.

So what is the Chirihama Sandflats" Put simply, it?s an annual vintage motorcycle race where riders come to test their mettle, going full throttle on 70-plus-year-old equipment down a 1/10th mile stretch of beach. The contest is simple: Two bikes line up side by side, the flag girl gives the signal, and the first bike to cross the finish line moves on to the next round.
This year, roughly 150 antique two wheelers made the pilgrimage out to the sand in Ishikawa Prefecture. Hundreds more enthusiasts and race fans lined up along to the beach to watch, and the parade of rigid frames, half helmets, and vintage style that followed was easily the coolest thing happening on the planet for 48 hours.
Riders compete in one of three classes: The first is the 45 Championship Class, ...