This time, I want to tell you about my latest adventure.
In January 2024, I entered the “Rally Monte Carlo Historic 2024.”

Just before heading into the most brutal rally of all, Peking to Paris, and only about a month after my cancer surgery, of all things,I said “go” to everything…That's just how it is.When a chance comes, don't turn it down!I think that mindset is exactly what's given me so many different experiences all along.

People often ask me where all that energy comes from, but honestly I've never really thought about it myself — maybe it's just a habit of acting on instinct instead of thinking things through? (laughs)

In 2022 I encountered this new motorsport discipline, Monte Carlo, for the first time, driving as a Japanese team alongside the young hopefuls from the University of Tokyo's future, running the rally computer they'd developed, as part of their own learning toward the future.

My first time in Monaco! Monte Carlo, of all places — a name I'd definitely heard before!
That 2022 experience was so much a case of walking straight into the real thing with zero preparation… that the result was almost embarrassing in front of the students, but even so, not fully understanding what I was doing, the sheer emotion of that finish is still etched in my memory, just from getting to enter as a team for the first time.
Here are some photos from taking part back in 2022.

Am I going again in 2024? What should I do?

List out every reason not to go, every reason I couldn't go, and honestly there'd be no end to them, given the timing and circumstances — and I realized, lately, my brain's been… getting a little dull, honestly 💦

I threw caution to the wind 🔥 and said go to everything!

Reflecting on how I hadn't studied or prepared at all last time, this time I borrowed the students' rally computer back in Japan, built my own course, and even did a test run.

I've entered plenty of world rallies before, but Rally Monte Carlo, a “regularity rally,” was a category I'd never tried — starting completely from zero.
If I'm going to be worse at it than everyone else, I'll just keep at it until I'm satisfied, more than everyone else!

That's the spirit I went back into this 2024 event with — and here's the report!
I'm going to write up the days leading to the finish, whatever trouble and drama came with them.

I'd be genuinely happy if this blog, through my challenge, brings even a little courage and energy into your everyday life. I hope you can feel the excitement of this adventure for yourself!

My account of Rally Monte Carlo, my newest adventure! Don't miss the updates and the exciting stories to come.