This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/SinoSoul on 2023-08-11 13:50:05.
Compared to watching other "real" racing in the world, the FIM 8-hour Suzuka endurance motorcycle was dirt cheap for a family. Total ticket cost, roughly US$130 for a family of 4, 2 adults, 2 kids, and this is for the family seats in the "Last Corner" S section. With the family tickets comes with access to 2 AC rooms, one with a toddler play area, one to cool off with your kids, where many sweaty moms were spotted avoiding the actual race. Food was also relatively affordable, at about US$8/entree and 4 bucks for a beer. When was the last time Disneyland sold a $4 beer?
With the race tickets (I don't know about the F1 races in September, I assume the same), comes full access pass to the Suzuka Motopia amusement park, which is like a Knott's Berry farm for automobile/motorcycle geeks and their children. Race weekend tickets, which covers three days this weekend, also comes with full day (8:30am to 5pm?) pass to the water park inside the Autopia, where swim caps and goggles are NOT required as in many JP pools.
At said summer-only water park, there are water slides, lazy river children wading pools, multiple food stalls (selling curries, etc.) , a massive changing area full of lockers and hair dryers. The track also sets up a pop-up giant screen to watch the racing from the lazy river, if you are so inclined, but it's standing room (or, standing in lazy river?) only. For the more bourgeosie, there are covered lounge/cabana areas you can rent, there's also a massive covered seating areas that requires a separate entry fee. I feel like they were mostly occupied by local moms who 1) hate cars 2) hate getting dark 3) hate their husbands for making them come to Suzuka.
I searched all over the web for info on this race track not related to the F1 race, and I found very little, so I'm hoping this can codify some intel on Suzuka. FWIW, I refuse to go to DisneySea/USJ (live close to a universal studios, have annual pass), and ended up spending a whole day eating, drinking, watching moto racing, while the family had a grand time doing all the amusement park style rides (except the FABULOUS electric go cart, that one was all sold out all day) and goofing off in the lazy river (bring your own floaties). If you go on a non-race weekend, you can also pay for a hot lap in a faster e-go kart. For me, dollar for dollar, this was amongst the highlight of this particular trip, as was TOEI movie studio and the Toyota Car museum in Nagoya in our previous trips.
How to get there: I drove from Kyoto. Almost got into a head-on accident 2 minutes out of the hotel, but WHATEVERS, WORTH IT. I got to stop off at konbinis for road trip snacks/pee breaks, thrash a tiny 4-banger hybrid Toyota microvan to 80mph (Sienta, I LOVE YOU, I WANT ONE. Toyota USA, I'm looking at you), and STILL almost got 55mpg. Also, there was no need to rush to a train station, queue for buses, and got to decide exactly when you wanted to leave, and I got to the next city faster than public transport. A parking field nearby the park, just north of the massive pachinko parlor, was 3000 Yen and IIRC parking on site is only 2000 Yen.
Link to the raceway's amusement park is here:
Link to tickets of upcoming races here: