The 12 Greatest Japanese Drift Drivers of All Time

From the mountain-road originator who started it all to modern high-horsepower champions, these sideways artists turned tire smoke into an art form. Which one slides to the top?

1

Keiichi Tsuchiya

The Drift King who popularized drifting from the mountain touge and helped turn it into a global motorsport.

1000pts

2

Masato Kawabata

D1 Grand Prix champion and FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup winner known for his GT-R drift cars.

494pts

3

Daigo Saito

The only driver to win both major titles, D1 Grand Prix and Formula Drift, widely regarded as one of the greatest ever.

494pts

4

Nobuteru Taniguchi

D1 Grand Prix champion and one of the most respected all-round Japanese pro drivers.

428pts

5

Youichi Imamura

Three-time D1 Grand Prix champion and one of the series' earliest dominant stars.

428pts

6

Manabu Orido

Racing and drifting all-rounder who became one of the early faces of D1 Grand Prix.

350pts

7

Yasuyuki Kazama

Early D1 Grand Prix legend and one of the founding stars of professional drifting.

350pts

8

Ken Nomura

Fan favorite known as Nomuken, a longtime D1 Grand Prix front-runner in his signature Nissan machines.

257pts

9

Hideyuki Fujino

Recent D1 Grand Prix champion representing the current generation of Japanese drift talent.

257pts

10

Naoki Nakamura

Modern powerhouse and multiple champion known for high-horsepower builds and dominant runs.

257pts

11

Tetsuya Hibino

D1 Grand Prix champion and consistent title contender across many seasons.

143pts

12

Toshiki Yoshioka

Skilled competitor who found success in both Japanese and American drift series.

143pts