What Is MATENRO DRIFT RACING?

What Is MATENRO DRIFT RACING?

Calling MATENRO DRIFT RACING simply a “drift team” doesn’t quite capture what we are.

Street culture, music, art, and cars— MATENRO DRIFT RACING was born at the intersection where all of these worlds naturally collide.

 In this article, we’d like to share who we are, where we came from, and what drives us forward.

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First of All, What Does “MATENRO” Mean?

 

“Matenrō” (摩天楼) is a Japanese word meaning skyscraper.

 

The word itself is a beautifully crafted translation of the English term “skyscraper.”

Broken down into its kanji characters:

              •            摩 — to touch or rub against

              •            天 — the sky

              •            楼 — a tall building

 

Together, it literally means “a building so tall it touches the sky.”

It’s a poetic and uniquely Japanese way of expressing height, ambition, and scale.

 

MATENRO DRIFT RACING’s founder, Takeshi, was born and raised in Tokyo—a city defined by its towering skyline.

For him, “Matenrō” represents his hometown, his roots, and his identity.

 

At the same time, the name reflects his ambition:

to see the team, the business, and the culture rise higher and higher—

like a skyscraper breaking through the clouds.

 

MATENRO is not just a name.

It is a mindset.

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Where Did MATENRO DRIFT RACING Begin?

 

The origins of MATENRO DRIFT RACING are not in drifting—but in music.

 

The crew originally started as MATENRO RECORDS, a music collective active in Tokyo’s rap scene.

They continue to thrive in the music world today and have left behind countless legendary moments in Japan’s street culture.

 

One thing they all shared, however, was a deep love for cars.

 

Through connections with a drift team in Chiba, their passion for drifting grew naturally.

What began as hanging out and driving soon evolved into something more serious—

and that’s how MATENRO DRIFT RACING, a drift-focused street team, was born.

 

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Where Culture and Drifting Meet

 

Today, MATENRO DRIFT RACING is a collective of creators and specialists from many different fields.

 

On the culture side:

              •            Rappers

              •            DJs

              •            Graffiti artists

              •            Visual and video creators

 

On the drifting side:

              •            Mechanics

              •            Loaders

              •            Transport drivers

              •            Legendary street drifters

 

Music, art, visuals, mechanics, and driving—

people who are serious about their craft all come together in one place, sharing the same time and space.

 

 

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The MATENRO DRIFT RACING Motto

 

“A place where adults can play with the same passion they had in their youth.”

 

Titles and age don’t matter here.

What matters is being fully immersed—laughing, failing, learning, and pushing forward together.

 

This is a crew that takes play seriously.

 

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Now, let’s play—together.

 

MATENRO DRIFT RACING is more than a team.

It’s a place to run, a reason to gather, and a living culture.

Now it’s your turn.

 

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