Can You Drift at SPA Naoiri (Oita)? (2026)
The Rundown
- SPA Naoiri (Oita) does not sell drift running. Its official FAQ says four-wheel sports running is not offered, and none of its pages mentions drifting (checked 25 October 2026).
- The only car product is the SPA Naoiri Driving Academy & Time Attack Event: four dates in 2026, the last on 6 December, at ¥20,000 for the academy, ¥22,000 for the run-day class and ¥18,000 for time attack, tax included.
- Four-wheel private hire of the 1,430 m road course costs ¥110,000 an hour on a weekday, but the hire page limits cars to test running and test-drive events, so it is not a route to a drift day.
- Booking runs in Japanese: web entry for the academy, and phone plus a FAX or posted form for private hire. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays, open 9:00 to 17:00.
- No Taketa City bus stops at the circuit. The Nagayu line reaches Michi-no-eki Nagayu Onsen 42 minutes after leaving Taketa Ekimae at 7:27, and the circuit's own access page gives road routes only.
Contents
SPA Naoiri for drifters at a glance
No. SPA Naoiri (Oita) does not run drift sessions or drift practice days, and it runs no four-wheel sports running at all, so there is no drift fee to quote. Its only car product in 2026 is a grip driving academy and time-attack day at ¥18,000 to ¥22,000, with the last date on 6 December. We checked on the official pages on 25 October 2026.
That is worth knowing before you book a flight to Oita. Here is what the circuit does sell, what it costs, and where in Kyushu you can actually drift.
What is SPA Naoiri, and why does it show up for drift searches?
SPA Naoiri (SPA直入) is a 1,430 m road course in Naoiri, Taketa, in the hills of Oita Prefecture. Its website sits on the Autopolis domain, which is why it appears next to Autopolis when you search for Kyushu circuits. It is a motorcycle venue first. The course guide is written for riders and lists the racers who started there, and the sports running price list covers two-wheel classes only: ¥2,800 or ¥3,900 per session, with a course licence required.
The official FAQ answers the drift question directly. Asked whether four-wheel vehicles can run, it says four-wheel sports running is not offered, and points you to the circuit’s own driving school instead. We searched the official pages for ドリフト (drift) and found no mention.
What can you do in a car at SPA Naoiri, and what does it cost?
Two things, and neither is drifting.
| Car option at SPA Naoiri | Price (tax incl.) | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Driving Academy class | ¥20,000, lunch included | Beginner circuit school with advisers |
| Run-day class (走行会) | ¥22,000, lunch included | Circuit laps; ¥2,000 off if you did the academy before |
| Time Attack class | ¥18,000, no lunch | Timed laps; needs the academy or a course licence |
| Private hire, four-wheel, weekday | ¥110,000 an hour / ¥715,000 a day | Test running and test-drive events only |
| Private hire, four-wheel, Saturday | ¥132,000 an hour / ¥880,000 a day | Same limit |
| Private hire, four-wheel, Sunday or holiday | ¥176,000 an hour / ¥1,100,000 a day | Same limit |
Private hire also needs a ¥33,000 deposit and ¥500 per person for the accident cover scheme. The hire page says cars may only use it for test running and test drives. A drift group cannot rent the course for a drift day, and nothing on the page suggests otherwise.
When are the 2026 car events, and how do you enter?
| 2026 event | Date | Entry window | Classes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Sat 28 March | 11 Feb to 18 Mar | Run day, Time Attack |
| Round 2 | Mon 20 July (holiday) | 3 Jun to 10 Jul | Academy |
| Round 3 (moved from 30 May) | Sun 16 August | 1 Jul to 10 Aug | Academy |
| Round 4 | Sun 6 December | 21 Oct to 26 Nov | Run day, Time Attack |
Entry is through a Japanese web entry form with payment by card or convenience-store payment. The organiser’s office is on 0974-75-3191. Cancel during the entry window and you get your fee back minus ¥2,200. After it closes, there is no refund. The site is in Japanese only: the pages are tagged as Japanese and we found no English version.
Gear the car event asks for
- Helmet: any car or bike helmet that covers the ears; open-face needs a face mask
- Clothing: long sleeves, long trousers, full-finger gloves, thin-soled shoes
- Time Attack: driving suit, racing gloves and driving shoes
- Car: at least three-point belts; open cars without a four-point roll bar run with the roof up
- Licence: a valid driving licence for the car; overseas licence acceptance not officially stated
So where can you drift in Kyushu instead?
Here is the stuck step, and it is the simplest one: SPA Naoiri has no four-wheel open session of any kind. No phone call or Japanese form changes that. The drift day has to happen at another Kyushu venue.
Coming to Oita and still want to drift?
Send us your dates. We check which Kyushu venue has a drift day that week, handle the booking in Japanese, and arrange the day and come with you, so the trip is not wasted on a circuit that cannot run you: plan a Kyushu drift day around your trip.
Your realistic options, from our own venue pages:
- Autopolis (Oita) runs drift on its Lakeside course on days a shop or club hires it, so you enter through the organiser. Read can you drift at Autopolis.
- Motorland Kijo (Miyazaki) sells a one-hour drift plan in its own kei car, no licence needed. Read can you drift at Motorland Kijo.
Our Kyushu tracks guide compares all five Kyushu venues in one table.
How do you get to SPA Naoiri without a car?
You cannot do it by bus alone. The official access page shows road routes only, by direction:
| From | Route on the official access page |
|---|---|
| Fukuoka | Yufuin IC, Route 210, Prefectural Road 30 |
| Oita city | Mitsuyoshi IC, Route 210, Route 442, Prefectural Road 412 |
| Oita Airport | Oita Airport Road, Mitsuyoshi IC, then as above |
The FAQ places the circuit about 10 minutes from the Nagayu Onsen hot-spring village. Taketa City’s bus guide, valid from 1 April 2026, has two lines into Naoiri: the Nagayu line from Taketa and the Mukainoharu line from the north. Neither has a stop named for SPA Naoiri. On the Nagayu line, the first weekday bus leaves Taketa Ekimae, by JR Bungo-Taketa Station, at 7:27 and reaches Michi-no-eki Nagayu Onsen at 8:09. From there you need a taxi or a lift.
There is no food on site either. The FAQ sends you into Nagayu to eat. Spectating is free except on race days, if you only want to watch the bikes.
For more venues, see the track directory and our Japan circuit guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drift at SPA Naoiri?
No. As of 25 October 2026, SPA Naoiri (SPA直入) in Taketa, Oita, states in its official FAQ that four-wheel sports running is not offered (4輪のスポーツ走行は行っておりません). None of its official pages mentions drift running or drift practice days. The only car event is the SPA Naoiri Driving Academy & Time Attack Event, a school and grip time-attack day. Four-wheel private hire exists, but the hire page limits it to test running and test-drive events. For drifting in Kyushu, look at Autopolis Lakeside organiser days in Oita or Motorland Kijo in Miyazaki.
How much does a car day at SPA Naoiri cost?
As of 25 October 2026, SPA Naoiri (Oita) charges ¥20,000 for the Driving Academy class and ¥22,000 for the run-day class, both with a packed lunch, and ¥18,000 for the Time Attack class without lunch, tax included. Past academy drivers get ¥2,000 off the run-day class. These are grip events, not drift sessions. Four-wheel private hire of the road course costs ¥110,000 an hour or ¥715,000 a day on weekdays, up to ¥176,000 an hour on Sundays and holidays, plus a ¥33,000 booking deposit, and is limited to test running and test drives.
How do I get to SPA Naoiri without a car?
There is no bus to SPA Naoiri itself, as of 25 October 2026. The circuit's official access page shows road routes only (for example Mitsuyoshi IC, then Routes 210, 442 and Prefectural Road 412), and its FAQ places it about 10 minutes from the Nagayu Onsen village in Taketa, Oita. Taketa City's bus timetable for April 2026 onward shows the Nagayu line from Taketa Ekimae (by JR Bungo-Taketa Station) to Michi-no-eki Nagayu Onsen, with the first weekday bus at 7:27 arriving 8:09, but no stop named for the circuit. Plan on a taxi or car for the last leg.
When is the next car event at SPA Naoiri?
As of 25 October 2026, the last SPA Naoiri Driving Academy & Time Attack Event of 2026 is on Sunday 6 December, with the run-day and Time Attack classes. Entry is open from 21 October to 26 November 2026 through the official web entry, in Japanese. Earlier 2026 dates were 28 March, 20 July and 16 August. It is a grip event with a helmet that covers the ears, long sleeves and gloves required, not a drift day.
Drifting in Kyushu (2026): Where You Can Actually Get On Track 
Can You Drift at Autopolis? Lakeside Days, Fees, Entry (2026) 
Can You Drift at Motorland Kijo? Kei-Car Drift Sessions (2026) 
Can You Drift at Mihama Circuit? Aichi Rules and Alternatives (2026)