Earlier this year I released my debut album under my artist name Diff Rokka. The album is called 'Hurts Less When I Speed' and was inspired by my love of driving, especially night drives on the highways around Tokyo. While I was producing the album, I was doing a lot of Rapid Japan work and spending a lot of time on the road, driving to car events around Japan. That period of time inspired the concept behind this album. I wanted to make a good driving album, so I hope lots of you out there will find some tracks you like and blast them on your car stereos! The cover portrait was taken by Blake Jones from Speedhunters whose fantastic photography work I'm sure many of you are aware of. Blake did an amazing job and I'd like to say a huge thanks to him. We did the shoot at night in Tokyo, driving around in my Colt with Blake's camera strapped to the bonnet of my car. The album is out now on all major download and streaming platforms. Links here: https://songwhip.com/diffrokka/hurts-less-when-i-speed 

I started work on this album about 6 years ago when I moved to Japan. That was also around the time that I started Rapid Japan. It's been a pretty big chapter in my life and completing the album feels like the culmination of all that work and experience over the past 6 years. So I'd like to say thank you to all of you for being along for the ride! Joey

If you'd like more info on my Diff Rokka project you can go to https://www.diffrokka.com/

Pair of RX7s at Daikoku PA

📷 @rapidjapan

Me and my Colt in the Gunma mountains - Spring 2020. 📷 @rapidjapan

A personal favourite of mine and a rarity in Japan: Ford Escort RS Cosworth spotted at a highway service area.

AE86 event in Oura, Gunma. September 2018.

Tokyo supercars at Daikoku

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Hi everyone. I'm back. I've been away from Rapid Japan activity for a while working on my Diff Rokka music project (I put out a new album last month which I'll post some info about later). In case anyone was wondering, I'm still alive, I'm still in Japan, and I still love cars. Since corona hit I obviously haven't been able to go to any car events, but I do have lots of stuff to share with you that I took pre-corona like these snaps from an afternoon Daikoku visit.

Skylines make traffic jams a happy place to be.

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You can always count on seeing something good at Daikoku PA, and a recent visit didn’t fail to deliver. I spotted this stunning yellow Can-Am machine garnering lots of attention. I believe it’s a Manta Mirage kit car, badged as a McLaren M8, but I’m not 100% sure. If anyone out there has any solid info on this car, I’d very much appreciate it. 

I’m left imagining what it must be like to drive this thing at high speed on the Tokyo shutoko highway...

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When I’m not doing Rapid Japan stuff, I’m making music under the name Diff Rokka. My latest release is a cover of the song ‘Let’s Go Away’ from the Sega arcade classic Daytona USA. So to all the old school racing game fans out there, I hope you enjoy it! It’s titled ‘Difftona USA’ and you can download it for free via my BandCamp

D1 Mark II in Odaiba

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At the Oura 86 meet last year. Complete with paper cup.

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A lone Cadillac appears on the Japanese highway.

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Phat’n low BRZ

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When you drive a Mitsubishi, you gotta write with Mitsubishi. 

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The incredible RWB film is out now on Blu-Ray. Head over to www.rwb.film for more details.

Some long term Rapid Japan fans out there may remember that I attended the 12 hour endurance race featured in the film back in 2016. It’s so great to relive that experience.

📷 RWB Australia

Nikko weekends

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