Akina (Mt. Haruna/Ikaho) Photos. - Honda Forum / Acura Forum

Shiba-Kun · 04-19-2006, 07:52 AM

Akina from Initial D is actually based around the Shibukawa/Ikaho city area in Gunma Japan. Ikaho used to be a seperate town but has lately incorporated itself with the larger city of Shibukawa.

Ikaho is famously known for it's multitude of onsen (spas) and that was one of the reasons I went there this past vacation. But I did take some Initial D themed snaps too...

Takasaki City. It has a shinkansen (bullet train) stop there, and I believe is considered a regional transportation hub. I'm not quite sure if Ryosuke & Keisuke live here, but supposedly the hospital owned by their father is located in Takasaki.

Shibukawa Eki (station) about 2 hours from Tokyo via shinakansen. Fictionally where Takumi drops off Mogi when she goes to Tokyo, etc. The diner where Iketani begs Takumi to race against Mako Sato is directly across the street from the station. BTW: That's Mt. Akagi in the background behind the station.

Base of the stairs in Ikaho (Akina) where Takumi met Mogi on some of their dates. Also Takumi and Itsuki spend time chit-chatting there too.

Top of the staircase. Mogi & Takumi walk up there on their dates.

I'm not sure if the guys work at the ESSO station in "Akina" or "S Town" in the show as it seems to change at times. But this is the GS that is at the base of Haruna Touge. The bottom finish line is about .5 mile away. Also a food place seen in the manga is next door too.

Shiba-Kun · 04-19-2006, 08:00 AM

Mt Haruna (Akina) with the Lake in the foreground. Where Miki chases Mogi in the snow, Iketani & Kenji go fishing as youngsters, etc.

Some of the establishments along the lakeside where the Fujiwara's sell their tofu LOL!

It's a hella BFE kinda place with no local bus schedules that I could find, etc. This is about 9:30am and the town is still closed up.

The starting line for the downhill battles, and the apex of the touge.

Shiba-Kun · 04-19-2006, 08:09 AM

Pictures from the uphill and downhill climb.

Looking down at the 5 Sequential Hairpins. From the lookout spot where Ryosuke & Keisuke make their original observations on the skill of the Speedstar dOOds. The square in the leftside of the photo is a helicopter landing zone.

Going downhill though the famous 5 Sequential Hairpins. The yellow/white markers indicate the location of speedbumps. The taxi driver tried to explain that they were put in to slow the local tour buses down since the roads are narrow. Maybe that's the "official" explaination, but I dunno...

Exiting the hairpins looking back up.

Looking up at the hairpins from down below.

Shiba-Kun · 04-19-2006, 08:13 AM

Random togue pictures.
(This section: DEDICATED TO FARTBOMBER LOL!

)

Going down the hill with Akagi-San (home of the Red Suns, etc.) in the background.

Elegant Runaway · 04-19-2006, 08:17 AM

cool, did you spot any "tuners" up in the mountains?

Shiba-Kun · 04-19-2006, 08:17 AM

The famous finish line area at the base of the hill. Mogi rides her bike here to watch Takumi race, etc. The place where Shingo/Nakazato and the Red Suns guys watch the races is up the hill a bit more (to the right of the picture). Iketani parks here in dispair as he checks his stopwatch while preparing to race the Red Suns.

After Takumi beats them, this is what his opponents see as he drives away to go back home.

The final stretch of road after the finish line. Ikaho Town basically starts right around the corner & the GS is just down the street.

fartbomber · 04-19-2006, 08:22 AM

Do people really race down that road?
Do the local police have problems with street racers trying to race down Mt. Akina? Are there local police patrolling the roads?

Shiba-Kun · 04-19-2006, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elegant Runaway

cool, did you spot any "tuners" up in the mountains?

ZERO! Nada, zilch!

Shiba-Kun · 04-19-2006, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fartbomber

Do people really race down that road?
Do the local police have problems with street racers trying to race down Mt. Akina? Are there local police patrolling the roads?

I didn't see any po-po. But I'm sure the night is a different story then in the daytime. Like stated, it's a pretty out of the way location. I can see why the kids would be racing the hill to pass the time.

Shibukawa has an amusement park, golf courses, etc. but overall it's WAY laidback compared to the Tokyo area. But then considering that Tokyo is the most heavily populated city in the world, maybe that's kinda an unfair comparo.

Ragnarok043 · 04-19-2006, 01:08 PM

its pretty cool how they used real actual locations in the series, im not talking about the touges but like the stairways and diner.

DriftKingBP · 04-19-2006, 02:31 PM

you have don your homework shiba-kun, great job, almost feels euphoric seeing those pics in relation to Initial D

Shiba-Kun · 04-19-2006, 02:55 PM

In the show the tress are usually pretty bushy, etc. but when I was there the foliage was still pretty barren. The area is apx. 3,000 ft. above sea level (1184m or something like that), so it's decently high altitude.

Our driver said it gets green in May. It's probably more festive in the warmer months.

Elegant Runaway · 04-19-2006, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shiba-Kun

ZERO! Nada, zilch!

ur lyin! ..so you sayin you didnt see a ultra fast panda color trueno flyin downhill!?