- It ought to be impossible to please all of the people all of the time. Some of the rally crews would like slower regularities, some would like them faster, some say they are just right and some simply ignore the timing and enjoy the drive. Masters of mischief Paddy Walker and Peter Hugh Dennis have even been playing games with the marshals, hoping to win plaudits for their uncanny accuracy with a clockwork oven timer (that'll be the day).
Given this wide variety of attitudes and approaches it is always hugely gratifying to see crews arrive at the final time control with sunny smiles on their faces, having enjoyed a thoroughly entertaining drive on fabulously empty, twisty roads through spectacular scenery, including the remarkable dunes of the Sanin Kaigan National Park, where crews enjoyed an excellent lunch in a small cafe-shop selling organic produce (Japanese apple cakes, pear biscuits and fruit snacks were especially popular) and visited the nearby sand museum to see some amazing sculptures.Unfortunately we were not blessed with actual sunshine today, and instead experienced heavy rain on the 342km route from Matsue to Miyazu; Cornelis Willemse and Ingeborg Van t' Hof got thoroughly soaked in their 1925 Chrysler B-70 Phaeton, yet remained as cheerful as ever. A road closure forced a re-route, and we were advised that roads covered in wet leaves would be extra slippery. Indeed Jan Woien and Jan Erik Hansen slithered off the blackstuff and holed the fuel tank of their 1935 Alvis, simultaneously slipping from first to eighth place overall, but they ingeniously rigged up a couple of jerrycans instead and carried on regardless. Jose and Maria de Sousa also ran out of fuel, but Dr John came to their aid with a can from our emergency supply.Most of the other cars are now running well, having sorted out a variety of teething troubles arising from long storage in transit and the humid conditions in Fukuoka; there have actually been very few obstacles en route, as we have enjoyed beautifully maintained asphalt all the way - we haven't yet seen a single pothole! Unfortunately the Lips/Schrijver/Griffiths Mercedes 220B needs a new 6-volt battery; this will have to wait until we arrive in Kyoto tomorrow so the car was transported to the hotel by a truly remarkable Japanese tow truck.The most dramatic incident of the day befell Car 25, the 1956 Jaguar XK140 of Rob van Ravensteijn and Ellen and Willem Vermeulen, which broke down in a tunnel. Japanese law forbids towing on the expressway by anyone other than the police or the JAFA roadside rescue service, so rally mechanics Simon Ayris and Gary Packard watched in awe as the car was surrounded by emergency vehicles, lights flashing, then swiftly extracted by extremely helpful police officers; happily it took Simon and Gary only a short time to diagnose and fix a minor fuel pump problem, but driver Rob made the most of the drama by turning up to dinner this evening wearing a high-visibility vest over his kimono.Everybody else looked very smart in their Japanese attire, a rare occasion on which we were not all put to shame by the supremely well-dressed co-driver of Car 50, Barbara Konopizky, who somehow manages to look immaculate at all times. Sitting cross-legged on the floor in more or less authentic fashion, we enjoyed an exquisite meal before moving on to the bar, which did a roaring trade. It takes more than a few raindrops to dampen the rally's spirit of adventure, and the mood is buoyant - particularly in the 1977 Triumph Stag of Philip Garratt and Kieron Brown, who have today surged into second place behind the Aalderings' Alvis; Gerry Crown and Matt Bryson are still third in their Leyland P76.Tomorrow we drive 232km to Kyoto, home of the Japanese tea ceremony. Put the kettle on... 
The Children's Peace Monument at Hiroshima(Photo by Fiona Easterby)
The rally has reached Matsue and the competition is tight, much like today's regularities on which crews faced twisting climbs, tight hairpins and numerous speed changes.
However, the day started very quietly, with an early morning pilgrimage to Hiroshima's Peace Park, a sombre monument to the devastation and catastrophic loss of life that followed the use of the world's first atomic weapon on 6th August 1945. The personal testimonies of those who survived the attack are terribly moving, and the visit was a highly emotional experience.Putting thoughts of nuclear conflict aside (probably best not read any newspapers for a while), crews returned to their cars and set off on the 298km drive to Matsue. After lunch in the fishing port of Hamada, the route climbed into the mountains via Iwami Ginzan, a fascinating 16th Century silver mine and World Heritage Site. Shortly after this, and quite unconnected to the incident in which Marion van Gemert mistakenly directed husband Jan to drive their Ford Mustang into a bemused local's garden, the crews of Cars 27, 28 and 29 were startled by the appearance of an ancient Japanese woman dressed in white, who leapt into the road with an old pram and a bucket, gesticulating wildly. Fortunately the cars were only travelling at 20km/h, and everyone escaped unscathed, albeit slightly spooked.It was something of a relief then to head for the magnificent 6th Century Izumo Taisha shrine, possibly the oldest in Japan and certainly one of the most important; the Shinto deity enshrined here is believed to be Japan's original creator, Okuninushi. En route, hundreds of local people lined the road, waving Union Jacks and cheering the rally on its way; in fact our competitors hail from 15 nations, but the gesture was much appreciated nevertheless. We were even more honoured to be allowed to enter the shrine itself - a very great privilege, seldom awarded, that took months of negotiation by Rally Round Director Liz Wenman. The rally was blessed by a Shinto priest, whereupon all were entitled to make a wish. Whether we actually finish with 51 crews in equal first place remains to be seen.The authorities here take rules very seriously, and more than one car has been stopped by the police for failing to display a Japanese number plate. Sean and Eleanor Dixon's Mercedes-Benz 230SL was one such, but they had the presence of mind to show the many official letters of permission and welcome included in the roadbook (in both English and Japanese) and were allowed to proceed on their way. Alastair Caldwell was also stopped, but escaped the long arm of the law with his customary and well-practised aplomb.
Cool aid - Chris Evans' modified MorettiClimbing through the mountains, Chris and Jack Evans have experienced overheating problems in their lovely little rear-engined Fiat Moretti 850. Inspired by that man Caldwell, who on our 2015 Thunder Dragon Rally in Bhutan modified his Porsche 912 with a cooling air scoop made from half a plastic bucket (still in place), Chris chopped up a couple of traffic cones and stuck them to the Moretti's slotted engine cover with duct tape. They don't do much for the car's Dino-esque lines, but seem to be working well, so far.Working slightly less well, the wine-powered Mercedes-Benz 220B of Johannes Lips, Johanna Schriver and Julian Griffiths suffered a few electrical hiccups, and had to be carried to the hotel in Matsue. The 1969 Morgan Plus 8 of Aussie couple Philip and Laurette Macwhirter has also been struggling - as Philip put it, "We're dragging our arse on the ground" - so he plans to spend the evening working on the rear springs. Meanwhile Keith and Norah Ashworth have lost the power steering on their Jaguar XK140, so Keith will soon have the arms of a Sumo wrestler. On a happier note, we have been rejoined by Michael and Eunice McInerney, whose Ford V8 now has a new clutch; wisely, they plan to take things gently tomorrow.This evening's dinner was a fabulous occasion, accompanied by a local Iwami Kagura dance group acting out a Japanese version of George and the Dragon. With drums, swords, colourful costumes and sparkling dragon fire, it was all very dramatic, and won lot of applause.Exit the dragonNo less dramatic are the latest rally standings. Albeit modified by the 'Joker' system that allows crews to drop their worst regularity performance of the week, the leaderboard could hardly be tighter. Jan Woien and Jan Erik Hansen are clinging on to the lead in their 1935 Alvis Speed 20, but they are just 0.58 sec ahead of Martinus and Josephina Aaldering in their 1937 Alvis Speed 25. Less than a minute behind in third place overall are classic category leaders Gerry Crown and Matt Bryson in the 1974 Leyland P76, a mere 1.19 seconds ahead of Philip Garratt and Kieron Brown in their 1977 Triumph Stag.Things might well change tomorrow, as the 342km drive to Miyazu includes no fewer than four regularity sections. Wisely, most competitors were in bed by 11pm. On this of all days, we wish them a peaceful night.0
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- Low tide, high culture - the torii gate at Itsukushima Shrine, MayajimaA thoroughly entertaining day saw the rally cross the Straits of Shimonoseki and head east on the 246km drive to Hiroshima. The morning's only regularity section was the longest and most challenging so far, albeit slightly easier than originally planned as the wheelbase of some of the rally cars would have made it impossible to negotiate a particularly tight hairpin junction.17th Century engineering - the Kintai-kyo bridge at Iwakuni
Crews enjoyed a bento box lunch at the gorgeous Kintai-kyo bridge at Iwakuni; completed in 1673, the elegant five-span structure is justifiably considered one of Japan's three greatest bridges. It would have been nice to linger longer here but there were more lovely attractions in store at Hiroshima, where everyone except Chris Lunn and the rally mechanics boarded a boat to the enchanted island of Miyajima. Chris has broken a half-shaft on his 1929 Bentley and it will take two days to fix; like the McInerneys, he and co-driver Chris Myers will catch up with the rally as soon as the car is back on the road. Other problems have been few and far between - Marco Fila and Stephanie Gout have fixed the faulty brake lights on their 1976 Bentley Corniche and the ever-smiling Fritz Kozka survived an excursion into a ditch - one advantage of doing a rally in a modern Nissan X-Trail.
Ditch hooking - the Nissan X-Trail of Fritz Kozka and Gabriele Jaeger-KozkaAccompanied by a terrific electrical storm, the evening's luxury boat cruise to Miyajima was a very special experience. The hour-long crossing actually passed very quickly, as attention was focused on the Japanese art of origami.
Rally paperwork - it's only a shame that the origami tradition doesn't extend to vintage Bentley halfshaftsOn landing at Mayajima we explored the spectacular Itsukushima Shrine, an architectural wonder that at high tide appears to float above the sea. From here it was a short stroll to the delightful Daisho-in temple, where we were mobbed by friendly deer. They are utterly charming, but don't be deceived - the canny creatures will happily steal everything you own, as Car 20 co-driver Julian Griffiths discovered when he momentarily put down his shopping bag. Understandably, the Japanese consider it unlucky to have deer lurking outside their house, and will shoo them along to their neighbours' place - literally passing the buck.
Led astray - rally navigators make the classic mistake of following the guy in frontSpeaking of animals, Sumo the spider is in for a treat tonight as on the return trip we enjoyed a really delicious Japanese meal, accompanied by traditional music and juggling - a particularly memorable experience for 1955 Jaguar crew Keith and Norah Ashworth, who were celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary and received a bouquet of flowers with our congratulations.
Led as ever by Gerry Crown, crews disembarked directly into the hotel bar, although most exercised restraint as we must rise early tomorrow to visit the Hiroshima Peace Park. Gerry has reason to celebrate as he and Matt Bryson are currently leading the classic category in their 1974 Leyland P76. Ahead of them, remarkably, are two vintage Alvises - Jan Woien and Jan Erik Hansen (1935 Speed 20) and Martinus and Josephina Aaldering (1937 Speed 25) respectively hold first and second places in the overall classification. If they can just hang on long enough for Jose and Maria de Sousa to make up 26 places, we'll have a perfect red triangle.
Tomorrow rally moves on to Matsue.0
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- All revved up - the children of Kurokawa Nursery SchoolOld cars thrive on being driven, and several competitors are still managing minor problems, many of them attributable to the cars' long sojourn in storage. However, those without spannering duties started Day 3 of the Samurai Challenge with a leisurely exploration of Mount Aso's vast caldera and joined our visit to a local nursery school, built after last year's earthquake, where the excited children enjoyed rides in the rally cars, making enough noise to put the volcano to shame.It's probably just as well that the youngsters didn't meet Rally Round's newest team member. Rally Doctor John Llewellyn and mechanic Kevin Blackmore discovered a spider as big as a man's hand in their room last night, and having named it 'Sumo' they have made it comfortable in their vehicle and are now feeding it sushi. We can't help thinking that this might be a little unwise. Have they never heard of the Tsuchigumo?The Tsuchigumo - who knows what might come of Dr John's experiments?The day's rally competition focused on another track test, this time at the Autopolis circuit, slightly shorter than the Honda facility we visited yesterday but no less entertaining. Xavier del Marmol took things a little easier, having been obliged to replace his Buick's head gasket after yesterday's performance, and the fastest vintage machine this morning was the 1937 Alvis Speed 25 of Martinus and Josephina Aaldering; the quickest classic was the 1968 Porsche 912 of Alastair Caldwell, in spite of a 10 second penalty for running without co-driver Laurel Smith. Nevertheless the highlight of the Autopolis visit was Clerk of the Course Peter Rushforth's hurried departure - having failed to secure his vehicle's boot, his suitcase fell out and burst open, scattering a variety of smalls on the circuit. Propelled by a powerful (if not divine) wind, Peter's underpants actually posted quicker times than many of the competitors.Gone with the wind - even Alastair Caldwell failed to catch Peter Rushforth's underpantsA regularity section followed lunch at the track, and crews then embarked on a largely rural 120km drive to Kyushu, our overnight halt on the north coast, where at dinner the day's performance awards were presented by FIVA Steward Detlef Krukenkamp; competitors were also entertained by a geisha show and lessons in Japanese attire (how to wear a kimono). For more entertaining stories, by the way, we heartily recommend the event blog being written by our old friend Barbara Shooter from the co-driver's seat of her 1935 Ford V8 Coupe - go to www.barbarashooter.blogspot.co.uk
Publication of the day's results showed that the Aalderings are currently the overall rally leaders, followed by Jan Woien and Jan Erik Hansen in their 1935 Alvis Speed 20 and Philip Garratt and Kieron Brown in their 1977 Triumph Stag. You may view a summary of the first two days' penalties and the current rally standings by clicking the Results button on our Samurai Challenge webpage.Out in front - early rally leaders Martinus and Josephina AalderingAs previously mentioned, a few unfortunate crews still have mechanical woes. Nicholas Pryor and Lesley Stockwell were sidelined for four hours by a fuel pump failure in their Mercedes 350SL, Alan and Carol Pontin have a dodgy damper on their Jaguar E-Type, Bill and Biddy Bolsover are coping with a misfire in their Jaguar XK120, Jose and Maria de Sousa have a dynamo fault in their Alvis Speed 20 and Paddy Walker and Peter Dennis have no brakes on their Buick Coupe. Meanwhile the McInerneys' predicament has gone from bad to worse - after five hours' work the vintage Ford's broken clutch and various associated problems proved impossible to fix, so replacement parts are being flown out to Japan - Michael and Eunice will have to catch up as soon as the car is mended. Looking in the bright side, they're stranded in a spectacular spot.We hope they won't be long. But tomorrow the rest of us must move on, heading east to Hiroshima.0
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- Let's go! Car 1, the 1925 Chrysler B-70 Phaeton of Cornelis Willemse and Ingeborg Van t' Hof is flagged away from the start line in Fukuoka
As expected, Day 2 of the Samurai Challenge has been extremely busy. Indeed several competitors might call it 'action packed' - and the fun has barely begun!
Having completed all the pre-event formalities this morning, and after a Shinto road safety blessing, Rally Round Director Liz Wenman and Rally Coordinator Heidi Winterbourne flagged 49 cars away from the start line at 1.30pm on a glorious afternoon in Fukuoka. It should have been 51 cars, but the 1931 Bentley of Engelbertus Kersten and Franklin Soree and the 1971 Mogan Plus 8 of Lloyd and Treacy Reddington were held back for a while by electrical gremlins. The latter problem was traced to corrosion in the ignition system, possibly caused by the local humidity - the cars have been cooped up in shipping crates for quite some time. Dean and Kendal Golding found mould in the boot of their 1969 Rolls-Royce Corniche, so the idea certainly holds water.
Drive safely - the rally receives a blessing from a priest of the Hakozaki ShrineThe rally escaped from Fukuoka on one of Japan's amazing three-layer urban freeways, heading out towards the first regularity section of the event. For readers unfamiliar with regularities, they are sections of often challenging road on which crews must maintain a precise average speed, specified at the start of the section, with a penalty awarded for every second late (or early) at the finish. Competitive navigators aim to 'clean' every section with no penalties at all - entire rallies may be won or lost by a couple of seconds - so accurate timekeeping is vital (average-speed displays are not permitted). Crews generally rely on sophisticated stopwatches, so 1937 Buick Coupe driver Paddy Walker raised a few eyebrows when at the start of the first regularity he presented co-driver Peter Dennis, better known as Hugh, with a Salter clockwork oven timer that led them to collect seven minutes of penalties. What a comedian.All clear? Heidi gives 1937 Buick co-driver Peter Hugh Dennis a crash course in clockwork oven timing
Rather less relaxed were Keith and Nora Ashworth in their 1955 Jaguar XK140, who later reported that had one of the regularity marshals been a divorce lawyer, they would have paid him for a fast-track service. A whiff of stress was also evident in the 1954 Jaguar XK120 of Philip and Yvonne Haslam, who recovered from a wrong turning by reversing back along a motorway. Explaining this to hubby, Yvonne claimed to have found an error in the roadbook - until Heidi pointed out an obscure rally regulation that specifies 120 minutes of penalties for any use of a pork pie.There were impressive performances too. Taking part in his first ever rally, 19-year-old Jack Evans didn't make any navigational errors in dad Chris's 1970 Fiat Moretti 850, while Canadian Porsche 356 crew David and Adele Cohen demonstrated the true spirit of classic rallying when they spent 45 minutes pulling the 1937 Bentley of Jean and Anne Steinhauser out of a ditch. Elsewhere the Walker and Dennis double act found the 1935 Ford V8 Coupe of Adrian and Barbara Shooter broken down at a motorway toll booth, so pushed them through to a somewhat embarrassing chorus of Japanese horns.
So far so good - the rally's youngest competitor, Jack Evans hasn't put a foot wrongA timed track test followed at the Honda motorcycle factory. In order to reduce their lap times some drivers decided to save weight and take a 10 second penalty for leaving their co-drivers to mind the luggage; appropriately enough at such a venue, several managed to drive parts of the circuit on two wheels. Gerry Crown and Matt Bryson were no quicker, losing a minute when the bonnet of their 1974 Leyland P76 popped open on track. Analysis of the lap times showed that the fastest classic was actually Marco Halter's 1963 Ford Falcon, while Xavier del Marmol took the vintage honours in his 1937 Chevrolet Master DeLuxe.After another easy regularity section the rally reached its overnight halt is Mount Aso. With its 1,592m peak this is one of the world's largest volcanoes and still very active; exactly a year ago today the area was hit by a powerful earthquake. The rally hotel is situated in the volcano's vast and ancient caldera, measuring up to 25km in diameter, so it offers spectacular views, although most of the rally participants spent the evening indoors, making friends with their fellows in the bar.What do you call a Japanese gremlin? Several cars have been afflicted by mechanical problems including the McInerney Ford V8 CoupeThere were several late arrivals - the Shooter Ford and the 1976 Bentley Corniche of Marco and Stephanie Fila both have fuel problems, the 1956 Jaguar XK140 of Rob van Ravensteijn and Willem and Ellen Vermeulen has sticky brakes and two cars have clutch trouble: the 1932 Alvis of Jose and Maria Romao de Sousa is being fixed for a second time and the 1940 Ford V8 Coupe of Michael and Eunice McInerney has gone to a local garage for welding. Nevertheless it has been a hugely entertaining first afternoon. Tomorrow, the rally heads off to Kokura.
Back on track - the Reddington Morgan Plus 8 on the Honda test circuit1
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- Petal to the metal - it's wise to be well prepared, but we will see plenty of genuine cherry blossom as we drive north!
On what is officially Day One of the Samurai Challenge, competitors have been arriving at Rally HQ in Fukuoka, signing-on and beginning the process of car collection and scrutineering, including the fitting of GPS trackers that allow the rally organisers and support teams (plus family and friends visiting our website event page) to pinpoint the location of every vehicle. We don't want to lose anyone over the next three weeks, and the comprehensive roadbook has been thoroughly checked to weed out any errors. Nevertheless finding your way in Japan can be a challenge - the maps don't show place names in English, minor road signs are written exclusively in Japanese and towns don't have 'in' and 'out' signs, so even the most accomplished navigators can easily find themselves geographically bewildered...
It is at least easy to find Fukuoka. This is the biggest city on Kyushu, the third-largest island in the Japanese archipelago and sometimes referred to as the 'Land of Fire' for its many active volcanoes - ash forecasts are a fact of daily life here. The port of Fukuoka is a busy one; its proximity to the Korean peninsula and mainland China make it a natural gateway, as recognised by the Mongol hordes who attempted an invasion in the 13th Century - they were driven off by a divine wind (kamikaze) which served as a deterrent to other hostile forces and ultimately allowed the city to develop into the prosperous, cosmopolitan place it is today.
Konnichiwa! Rally Round's Nikki Bannister greets 1932 Alvis co-driver Maria Romao de Sousa at Rally HQ in Fukuoka
Rally HQ, at the Luigans Spa & Resort, was even more cosmopolitan than usual as rally participants from 15 different nations gathered to meet their fellow adventurers - friends old and new - at this evening's competitors' briefing and welcome dinner - a delightful feast of local cuisine including some fantastic wagashi - intricate Japanese sweets.
Drinks flowed freely at the after-dinner bar but we trust everyone tried to get a good night's sleep (jetlag notwithstanding) as tomorrow will be another busy day. More cars have to be collected from the port warehouse, and the rally proper will start soon after lunch, heading 177km to Mount Aso - another active volcano - via two competitive tests. Ikuzo - let's go!
Fish supper - wonderful wagashi at the welcome dinner0
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- Welcome to Rally Round's 2017 Samurai Challenge Blog, reporting on the first competitive UK-organised rally ever to visit Japan. Over the next three weeks, 51 crews from 15 nations in a wonderful variety of vintage and pre-1974 classic cars (plus a handful of specials) will compete over a fabulous, 4,660km route, following the Spring flowering of the iconic cherry blossom as they drive north from Fukuoka to Lake Toya.
In keeping with Rally Round's long-established philosophy, the Samurai Challenge will be a highly sociable event with relatively short daily driving distances and a relaxed schedule, allowing participants plenty of time to experience the greatest natural and cultural treasures of an intensely fascinating country, simultaneously ancient and futuristic. Nevertheless, timed tests and regularity sections (on which crews must maintain a precise average speed) will provide plenty of sporting challenges along the way, and we expect the rally to be as exciting as it is enjoyable.
There can be no better way to see Japan than from the cockpit of a vintage or classic car, but for those not fortunate enough to do so, particularly friends and family at home, our daily blog posts will be the next best thing - a sort of virtual passenger ride. Come with us as we follow this wonderful adventure from start to finish!
Don't forget that you can also watch the progress of every car via our GPS tracking system - you'll find a link on the Samurai Challenge page of the Rally Round website [click here] along with the latest rally results and standings. The competition starts in earnest on Thursday 13th April, when the rally heads off to Mount Aso.
The Rally Round team is in already place to welcome crews arriving in Fukuoka, so we'll bring you news and pictures as soon as we can. Watch this space!0
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