1,800 units at Hayabusa Station Festival | Largest single-model event ever - Motopeek - Latest Motorcycle News, Reviews & Updates

The event was inspired by the existence of Hayabusa Station on the Wakasa Railway

The Wakasa Railway, a 19.2km section of track connecting Yazu Town and Wakasa Town in Yazu County, Tottori Prefecture, has nine stations, including one named “Hayabusa.” In 2008, due to the shared name, a railway company employee approached Suzuki Motorcycles directly, who readily agreed, saying, “If it would help revitalize the local area,” a poster of the Hayabusa that had been exhibited at a motor show was presented to Hayabusa Station. Capitalizing on this connection, a motorcycle magazine quickly called out, “August 8th is Hayabusa Day, Hayabusa owners, gather at Hayabusa Station!” Two days after the magazine’s release, and despite it being a weekday Friday, seven Hayabusas gathered in front of the station. This sparked the “Hayabusa Station Festival,” which has been held annually since 2009, led by local volunteers called the “Hayabusa Station Preservation Society” and the town of Yazu.

Hayabusa Station is a small, unmanned station with an average daily passenger traffic of around 50 people, and the station building and platforms were built in 1929 (Showa 4). In 2008, 23 railway-related facilities along the line, including the station building, bridges, and steam locomotive-related facilities, were all registered as national tangible cultural properties. This was the first time this had happened in Japan, and although it has now become a mecca for Hayabusa riders, it is also a place well worth a visit for railway fans.

Hayabusa Station on the Wakasa Railway is celebrating its 95th anniversary. After putting up a poster of a falcon donated by Suzuki, local residents have spruced up the previously dilapidated area in front of the station, making it completely beautiful. The round mailbox was installed in August 2015 to match the Showa-era scenery.

HOME8823 (Home Hayabusa), which opened in front of the station in 2014, is a place for the local community and a restaurant that serves an abundance of locally sourced ingredients. Of course, it is also a restaurant that welcomes riders.

In April 2010, a shop called “Bike” opened inside the station building. It began selling Hayabusa Station merchandise, Suzuki-approved Hayabusa merchandise, and local stickers exclusive to the sacred site. In addition, with the cooperation of Suzuki, a “Hayabusa Wrapped Train” has been running since March 2016, and the Hayabusa Station Festival is helping to revitalize the local area.

For two months from July 1 to August 31, the station nameplate will be decorated with a falcon design to coincide with the Hayabusa Station Festival. The small wooden station building exudes a Showa-era atmosphere, making you feel as if you have traveled back in time.

The current Hayabusa train is the fourth generation, and has been in operation since March of this year. The design featuring falling cherry blossom petals was requested by Suzuki President Toshihiro Suzuki.

Hayabusa riders visit Hayabusa Station the day before to take commemorative photos.

On the previous day, August 9th, Hayabusa drivers lined up their beloved vehicles in front of the station for commemorative photos.

This year’s Hayabusa Station Festival was held on Sunday, August 10th. Many of the participating riders arrived in Tottori the day before, and Hayabusa riders lined up in front of the station hoping to have their photos taken. According to staff from the Hayabusa Station Preservation Society, the Kyushu region was hit by disaster-level heavy rain this year, and with rain forecast for the day of the event, the crowds in front of the station were only about one-third to one-quarter of the usual. Even so, the sight of Hayabusa arriving nonstop was a spectacular sight.

Hayabusa riders arrive at Hayabusa Station one after another.

I parked my car in front of the station and took a photo.

Yazu Town staff helping with the filming. This event is supported by a considerable number of volunteers.

A photo of a Hayabusa 3 model wrapped in the Hayabusa Shinkansen livery in front of Hayabusa Station. The participants from Shichinohe-Towada in Aomori Prefecture are planning to remove the wrapping after the event.

The main venue is Funaoka Bamboo Forest Park, located about 4 minutes from Hayabusa Station.

The first Hayabusa Station Festival was held in front of the station in 2009, but due to the attendance of 250 motorbikes, the second festival in 2010 was moved to Hayabusa Elementary School near the station. However, this year the number of motorbikes more than doubled from the previous year, reaching approximately 600, so from the third festival onwards it has been held in the larger Funaoka Bamboo Forest Park. Incidentally, the toilets within this facility were renovated with the cooperation of Suzuki, and a completion ceremony was held at the 2016 Hayabusa Station Festival.

Despite the predicted rain, falcon riders gathered one after another at the venue, Funaoka Bamboo Forest Park.

The event itself does not limit the type of vehicle, but looking around the bicycle parking lot, it seems that more than 90% of the vehicles are Hayabusa.

As you walk around the bicycle parking lot, you will see that Hayabusa riders have literally come from all over the country, from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the south.

The largest number of booths ever, with a speech from Suzuki President Toshihiro Suzuki

Registration at Funaoka Bamboo Forest Park began at 9:00 AM. A long line had formed an hour earlier, around 8:00 AM, as commemorative stickers and fans were to be distributed. As it had been raining continuously, all the motorbike riders who arrived by car were still wearing their rain suits, but as the temperature was lower than usual, some cheered in welcome.

People waiting in line at the reception desk of the Hayabusa Station Festival headquarters. Apparently, this is the first time it has rained at this event.

In addition to the commemorative stickers, visitors were also given a special gift: a Daytona stand holder. This original event item features the Hayabusa logo and was yellow last year, while it was green this year.

Registration opened at 9am and merchandise sales at each booth began almost at the same time. This year marked the 15th anniversary of the event, and it seems that the number of exhibitors was the highest ever. Being able to see demo cars from leading constructors and shops up close, and hearing detailed explanations of new products directly from the people in charge, can be considered a privilege for those who attended the event.

Most of the demo cars were the latest model 3. At every booth, people were saying, “As it’s Suzuki’s flagship model, we want to continue developing parts for it.”

Booths such as the Society to Protect Hayabusa Station, Yazu Post Office selling the “Hayabusa Original Frame Stamps 2025 Edition,” the Tottori Prefectural Traffic Safety Association, and booths promoting the appeal of local Tottori food were also well-attended.

The event began at 10am on the center stage, with greetings from Hayabusa Station Festival Executive Committee Chairman Ishitani Masaru and Yazu Town Mayor Yoshida Hideto. Suzuki President Suzuki Toshihiro then took to the stage, expressing his gratitude to the visitors who had come from all over the country despite the rain, and making a remark that implied “The design team is working hard towards the Hayabusa’s 30th anniversary.” Needless to say, the hall erupted in a murmur at this talk that hinted at the 4th generation.

President Suzuki Toshihiro gave a welcome speech. On the right is Kei Ise, General Manager of the Motorcycle Business Division, who took up his current position in April this year. Taking the microphone, he shared a memory: “When I was in charge of designing automobile engines, on the banking of the high-speed circuit at Yatabe, a rider passed me on the outside, waving to me, and it was a Hayabusa.”

A talk show featuring guest riders is held every time. On the right is former Endurance World Champion Keiichi Kitagawa, who arrived at the venue on his Hayabusa from Kyoto. On the left is Takuya Tsuda, who had just taken part in the Suzuka 8 Hours, held the week before the Hayabusa Station Festival. He says he has incorporated cycling into his training to cope with the intense heat.

Yazu Town, where Hayabusa Station is located, will warmly welcome 2,000 riders.

What I felt while covering the Hayabusa Station Festival was that it is truly a miraculous event. Last year, the festival saw the highest number of visitors, with 2,500 bikes and 2,700 people, and there must be only a handful of municipalities in the country that can accommodate that many bikes. What’s more, on the way to Hayabusa Station and Funaoka Bamboo Forest Park, the townspeople greet and wave at the riders. In addition, the guidance of the local volunteers, who cover a wide area, is perfect and experienced. It’s easy to see why there are so many repeat visitors, as the riders can feel that they are welcomed by the local residents.

The annual human formation of the “Falcon” symbol by visitors was photographed using a drone.

The number of visitors this year was announced to be 1,800 cars/2,000 people.

When we spoke to the person in charge of events at Yazu Town Hall, we learned that the Hayabusa Station Festival has certainly served as a catalyst for revitalizing the local area, and that the system of accepting riders is spreading to surrounding municipalities as well. Who would have thought that an event that started as a whim of a motorcycle magazine would grow into something so big and impressive? We would encourage everyone, not just Hayabusa riders, to visit Hayabusa Station and Yazu Town at least once.