# 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?

*By YPB Team · Published July 5, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-12-greatest-japanese-drift-drivers-of-all-time*

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## Current results (3 votes)

1. **Keiichi Tsuchiya** — 100% (3 votes · score 1000/1000)
   The Drift King who popularized drifting from the mountain touge and helped turn it into a global motorsport.
2. **Masato Kawabata** — 0% (0 votes · score 494/1000)
   D1 Grand Prix champion and FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup winner known for his GT-R drift cars.
3. **Daigo Saito** — 0% (0 votes · score 494/1000)
   The only driver to win both major titles, D1 Grand Prix and Formula Drift, widely regarded as one of the greatest ever.
4. **Nobuteru Taniguchi** — 0% (0 votes · score 428/1000)
   D1 Grand Prix champion and one of the most respected all-round Japanese pro drivers.
5. **Youichi Imamura** — 0% (0 votes · score 428/1000)
   Three-time D1 Grand Prix champion and one of the series' earliest dominant stars.
6. **Manabu Orido** — 0% (0 votes · score 350/1000)
   Racing and drifting all-rounder who became one of the early faces of D1 Grand Prix.
7. **Yasuyuki Kazama** — 0% (0 votes · score 350/1000)
   Early D1 Grand Prix legend and one of the founding stars of professional drifting.
8. **Ken Nomura** — 0% (0 votes · score 257/1000)
   Fan favorite known as Nomuken, a longtime D1 Grand Prix front-runner in his signature Nissan machines.
9. **Hideyuki Fujino** — 0% (0 votes · score 257/1000)
   Recent D1 Grand Prix champion representing the current generation of Japanese drift talent.
10. **Naoki Nakamura** — 0% (0 votes · score 257/1000)
   Modern powerhouse and multiple champion known for high-horsepower builds and dominant runs.
11. **Tetsuya Hibino** — 0% (0 votes · score 143/1000)
   D1 Grand Prix champion and consistent title contender across many seasons.
12. **Toshiki Yoshioka** — 0% (0 votes · score 143/1000)
   Skilled competitor who found success in both Japanese and American drift series.

Tags: japan, drivers, motorsport, drifting