Why Car Culture Is a Great Hobby

JDM car meet showcasing car culture @ Daikoku Parking Area Tokyo

Most people have hobbies. Sports. Movies. Collecting. Many probably enjoy all three.

Car culture is a combination of all of them — and maybe more.

Some people assume car culture is exclusive. That you need to own a sports car to be part of it. Not true.

It’s a Sport

Formula 1 has grown significantly in recent years, especially after Netflix’s Drive to Survive. Racing viewership has expanded globally.

But most F1 fans don’t own F1 cars.

They follow teams. They debate drivers. They learn the strategy.

That’s participation.

It’s Embedded in Movies & TV

From Fast & Furious to Initial D to Knight Rider, cars have long been part of storytelling.

They represent freedom, ambition, identity, and engineering.

You don’t need a garage to appreciate that.

It’s About Collecting & Building

Some collect classics.
Some modify daily drivers into track builds.
Some tune for sound, stance, or performance.

Enthusiast culture has been around forever, and have seen recent uptick again post COVID - as more people began learning, building, and sharing online.

Car culture isn’t one thing. It has many entry points.

A Personal Angle

I especially enjoy JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) cars. The culture is easy to follow digitally — from global meets to online creators documenting the scene.

If you're curious about JDM through a Canadian lens, projects like Daikoku Legends explore that world in a thoughtful way.

Car culture isn’t about ownership.
It’s about appreciation.