Okayama International Circuit

Okayama International Circuit is a motorsport racing track in Mimasaka, Japan, that winds through 3.7 km (2.3 miles) of hilly terrain. The facility combines fast straights with tight hairpin turns and several elevation changes that offer technical challenges for drivers and motorcycle riders.

The venue opened in 1990 as TI Circuit Aida and was financed by golf entrepreneur Hajime Tanaka. Two years after hosting the Formula One Pacific Grand Prix, Okayama Prefecture took over the facility and renamed it.

The track takes its name from Okayama Prefecture and draws motorsport fans from across Japan who come to watch national championship rounds and club races. On race days the venue becomes a meeting point for car enthusiasts who display their vehicles and connect with like-minded people.

The venue sits around 20 km (12 miles) south of Tsuyama and can be reached by road from larger cities in the region. On event days shuttle buses run from the nearest train station because parking spaces on site are limited.

Michael Schumacher won both Formula One races held here in the 1990s before the racing series left Japan. In 2020 parts of the track were rebuilt to allow motorcycle competitions and slightly extend the overall length.