About the Circuit
Sadamine Pass, also known as Sadamine Touge, is a mountain road in Saitama Prefecture connecting Tokigawa with Higashichichibu. This technical 8.5-kilometer circuit is famous for its extremely tight hairpins and steep elevation changes. It's part of the territory controlled by the Northern Saitama Alliance and is known for testing braking ability and control in slow corners.
Track Layout
Real name: Sadamine Pass (定峰峠)
Technical Specifications
Length
8.5 km
Elevation
400 meters
Corners
25+ tight hairpins
Surface
Narrow asphalt
Difficulty
Very High
Type
Technical climb with hairpins
History
Sadamine Pass has been an important mountain route in the Saitama region since ancient times. During the golden age of touge racing in the 90s, it became a preferred training ground for drivers looking to master slow corner techniques and precise braking. The Northern Saitama Alliance established their dominance here thanks to their deep knowledge of every hairpin and their ability to maintain speed through the tightest corners.
Key Points of the Route
Opening Triple Hairpin - Three consecutive tight turns
The Vertical Wall - Section with 15% gradient
The Viewpoint - Midpoint with panoramic view
The Five Hairpins - Series of tight U-turns
The Final Straight - Only relief before the summit
Skills to Master
Northern Saitama Alliance Drivers
Wataru Akiyama
Líder de la Alianza
Vehicle
Toyota Corolla Levin
180 CV
Nobuhiko Akiyama
Piloto de Velocidad
Vehicle
Toyota Altezza
200 CV
Kyōko Iwase
Piloto de Drifting
Vehicle
Mazda RX-7
280 CV
Sakamoto
Piloto de Agilidad
Vehicle
Suzuki Cappuccino
64 CV
Circuit Dangers
Extremely tight hairpins with exit risk
Steep gradients demanding on brakes
Very narrow road with no margin for error
Local traffic not expecting racers
Extreme wear on brakes and clutch
Trivia
- The hairpins are so tight that some cars must make 3-point turns
- It's one of the best places in Japan to practice climbing techniques
- The Northern Saitama Alliance uses it as a training circuit
- Many outside drivers underestimate the difficulty of the hairpins
- The view from the viewpoint is spectacular in autumn