Earlier this month I attended the 2025 R34 Festival here in Hong Kong and it was as you’d expect, amazing! Hosted by Skyline Hong Kong, the annual Festival is a gathering of Skyline owners, JDM enthusiasts, race car drivers, drifters, mechanics, and family to celebrate what is considered to be one of, if not the greatest car to come out of Japan: the Nissan Skyline R34.
Originally celebrated in Japan, the R34 Festival was brought over to Hong Kong by Pluto Mok and his local R34-owning friends who now form the committee of the Skyline Hong Kong WhatsApp group for organizing the festival. Pluto is a local race car driver/drifter, director of Hong Kong’s first simulation racing game, and owner of an R34 GT-R V-spec II who brought his car to the 2024 R34 Festival in Japan (see below).Â
Through Pluto’s racing connections, he was able to collaborate with Japanese car clubs to bring awareness to Hong Kong’s car culture, and with permission from these clubs he started the R34 Festival five years ago. It was meant a way for former members of the now disbanded Hong Kong Skyline Club to continue with their passion, and also to help promote a newer generation of R34 enthusiasts. Â
Since the Festival is not hosted by an official club that would have revenue from membership fees, the group of enthusiasts relies on sponsors to provide venues, food and “lucky draw” prizes.
[Ed Note: Is it nepotism if it’s unpaid? I don’t know, but welcome my brother Michael, purveyor of the beloved Cars of Hong Kong Instagram page. Mike and I put together a series of videos a few years back pointing out the incredible abandoned cars of Hong Kong.Â
Oh and here’s a parking garage in Hong Kong:
Anyway, you can expect more Hong Kong content from Mike. Here’s a little Skyline-themed car show he attended recently. -DT]
Open lots where you could freely park, like at any Walmart or strip mall in the U.S. do not exist in Hong Kong and any form of public gathering would require prior approval by the local government, so private or “underground” gatherings have become the norm. This year’s venue was tucked away in the Northwest New Territories in a private lot provided by longtime supporter Addict Garage. Â
I arrived at noon after having parked my motorbike nearby and walked along a small back street to the gates of the venue. I could hear the faint rumble of RB26 engines from over a wall telling me I had arrived at the correct place. Just before entering the venue, I was greeted by a Super Taikyu Test & Service Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution OHLINS race car which I’m told was once a legend in the Japan racing scene. Upon entering the venue, I signed in as “media” at the registration table and was given a food voucher and a lucky draw ticket. From there it was non-stop photography and getting to know owners and their cars.Â
The place was packed with R34 GT-Rs, GTTs, ER34s (4-doors), Vspec, and everything in between.
A number of non-Skyline JDM cars were also on display parked toward the back of the lot. Check out this gorgeous white Mazda RX7, which has always been my favorite Japanese car. What a spaceship!
And yes, for you anime fans, there were plenty of Itasha-wrapped vehicles.Â
After a lunch buffet began the lucky draw. Plenty of prizes were given out with the grand prize being an R34 front lip won by Jason, a talented young automotive photographer and upcoming graphic designer. In a matter of seconds, he ended up selling the lip since it was of little use to him without having completed his driving exam. Funny enough, he passed the very next day.Â
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I too won a very nice prize, this Inno64 Castrol Skyline R32. The details are insane!
Here’s the full crew photo from Addict Garage.
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You can expect Hong Kong car culture from me; maybe I’ll give an update on that 1965 Harley I found abandoned here?
Do I sense a budding sibling rivalry afoot? Cool cars, exotic locations, cross- cultural gearheadery? It all adds up!
That was fun!
It had never occurred to me before reading this article and seeing the photos to put an anime skin on the windscreen of my scooter. Ope! that temptation has evaporated.
The Nissan Stagea M35 gave me some Volvo 850 Estate vibes.
I just can’t imagine how frustrating it must be to have cars capable of extreme performance on a such a congested area. It’s got to be expensive to get a car anywhere where you can stretch its legs out. And I imagine mainland China is chock-full of speed cameras. What does it cost to ship a car to and from, say Darwin or Perth, Australia?
I don’t care if he’s your brother or what, if he’s writing an article, pay the man!
There is a silver Skyline GTS parked in the small “For Sale” lot of a nearby mechanic shop. It has an automatic transmission (I couldn’t not check out the car), but it’s only the second Skyline I’ve ever seen in my part of the USA.
I’m glad you made a note that Walmart-like parking lots simply do not exist in Hong Kong. Having lived in HK, I figured the only place place that could host a meet like that was NT. Also, gotta’ love the vanity plates there, even if they are misspelled.
R34 Skylines are cool, but even around here (PNW), I see them on occasion. I’ve never seen those wagons and they steal the show for me. Especially that green Stagea 260RS. (*chef’s kiss*) So much want.
That makes me so nostalgic! I used to live in Hong Kong in the late 90’s to 2000 and remember seeing and hearing JDM cars so much my neck hurt from always checking them out! Living on the south side of HK, by the twisty costal/ bay roads were always good for car spotting when waiting for the bus.
Repulse Bay or Aberdeen?
My money’s on Stanley, or even Shek O!
I loved going to Shek O in the winter. Just the laidback locals and you could run your dog on the beach.
Not far from Aberdeen on Shouson Hill Road, US consulate housing. My bedroom overlooked Deepwater bay and I could even see the cable cars going to Ocean Park. Not a bad place to spend my teenage years!
Your parents must have been higher up the food chain than the consulate employees who lived in my complex in Wan Chai. We must have had a half dozen consulate people there. One invited me to tour the USS George Washington when it was in port. Good times.
My dad was “just a visa officer” though I suspected he did a bit more than that…. I also remember visiting an aircraft carrier when it was in port! What a memorable experience that was, though I forgot the name of it! I loved living in Hong Kong, I hope to go back later in this year.
Great pics! Welcoming plenty more interesting content from Hong Kong Michael!
Man that Red 3000GT really stands out. Still a beautiful car all these years later.
My eyes went to that as well, and led me take a looksee at current prices… yep, still insane.
Looks like a really fun get-together. I particularly like the giant construction equipment in the background!
Were there any R33s? My son’s friend has an award winning R33 in Portland.
Yes there were a few. I didn’t include any photos of them in this article but I see Jason Lai has at least one in his Instagram post.
wow, those are some really beautiful cars on display there!
Yes! More Hong Kong content! I used to live just two East Rail stops away from the 4WD King’s shop (The guy who gave DT a ride to Sha Tin in a 1943 GPW). Glad to see someone enjoying the city 🙂
Victor Ma, the legend!
I’d pass by his shop whenever I went to Fo Tan to pick up my Hobbyking orders; always wondered what went on in that wonderful shop of his.
P.S. Wouldn’t mind seeing some food reviews as well! Can’t escape cha chaan tengs or dai pai dongs if you’re away from the bougie parts of HK