Akira Nakai: On The Pursuit Of Happiness
Few people are rich in their hearts as much as they are in their pockets.
Akira Nakai however, has hit the jackpot in all areas. For those avid Speedhunters readers and car fanatics, you know Nakai-san as one of the most respected figures in the car world today. Although starting out as a member of Rough World, a drifting crew known for riding in Hachiroku’s [Toyota AE86] during the late 90s, Akira-san is now mostly known for the body conversions he does on Porsche classics to give them a ‘wider’ look and feel. His company, Rauh-Welt Begriff, the love child birthed from this desire to create extreme modifications that go beyond what mankind thought could be possible for a traditional car, has branched out into several different countries, garnering a loyal fan base across the globe as well as some critics along the way.
If you ever wondered how one can order a custom-made Porsche by the man himself, the process is rather simple and you are just one email away from your dream car: that is presuming you already own a Porsche, of course. After requesting via email, Akira-san will then travel to your desired location, cut the necessary parts where the car needs tuning and before you know it, a brand new wide-body Porsche will be at your doorstep ready to be driven. In addition to the absurdity just explained, he completes all of the above by hand using only his eyes as a measure, in two days. However, despite this worldwide success and extensive global clientele, his prime office and RWB hub remains to be in his hometown, Chiba - A place that has become so legendary and iconic for car enthusiasts worldwide that it is almost too good to be true, too unreal to exist, too wild to even think of.
Akira’s Hometown Chiba
But what Akira Nakai has built is probably the most iconic car tuning story and legacy worldwide, something so special and distinct that it has become a legend on its own. For any car enthusiast, it is a dream to just get a peek inside his life, no amount of magazine articles, reposts, and shares can even come close to meeting the legend and his creations in person, flesh and steel.
Akira’s Car Repair Shop
Full Stop, we at Sabukaru bow down in front of Akira’s legacy. And whilst he has given countless interviews that go in-depth about his car tuning process - from tapes to screws and petrol - what we have found is a much deeper rooted meaning behind his lifestyle and obsessions; that is the Akira philosophy and mindset, a world-building so far from the average Japanese working system and even pretty stand alone in a global sense. The way Akira Nakai lives and breathes his life is one of a kind, his dedication, ideals, and morals are beyond the wildest things imaginable.
A guy who has reached world fame that still works 16 hours in his garage - day by day, eats and sleeps in the same space, inhales petrol like oxygen, and has hands that no other car mechanic could ever resemble - what Akira ultimately stands for is a way of living and pursuit of happiness; building a life around the one goal of simply doing what you want when you want.
Like the classic Supreme tagline ‘FUCK YOU WE DO WHAT WE WANT’, if we were to claim a new catchphrase for Akira’s legacy, it would be more like ‘BLESS YOU, I DO WHAT I WANT’.
That’s why to delve even deeper inside the genius mind of Akira, we are here in Chiba today to meet the man himself. We arrive at Kashiwa station, an hour or so away from the bustling Tokyo we are used to. Google Maps tells us that his workshop is a few minutes away from the station so we hail a cab and make our way to his shop. We are slightly in angst, maybe it's because they tell us to never meet our heroes, or maybe it's because we are in unknown territories; the Chiba air is doing a number on us. After much anticipation, we finally pull up to a garage, too lively for something located in the outskirts of almost nowhere. The garage door is open, allowing us to get a glimpse of the action that is happening inside.
It is worth noting here that the charisma this garage holds is unlike any other. The name ‘Rauh Welt’ is accurate, to say the least as the place is no doubt rough around the edges. Posters of Akira-san’s drifting days are plastered onto the ceiling, odd memorabilia most likely sent from fans or friends surrounds a pool table semi-functioning as an armrest, cars in every color imaginable are scattered left and right, car parts are hung from the ceiling almost like intentional decor, and to top it off the potent smell of gasoline lingers around the room.
After chatting to him about cars and his career for what feels like a hot minute outside this bizarre humble abode, we shift gears midway through the interview realizing that no more articles elaborating his wild-ways of working have to be written, no rags-to-riches sob story needs to be made up.
Beyond the layers of grime and grit, what we see is a modest man, taking the days as they come, just rolling with the punches. His perspective on the fame, the business, the money, and his first client says it all.
Welcome to Akira Nakai’s
Pursuit of Happiness
ABOUT THE BUSINESS:
“RWB isn’t a business, it’s a passion. Sure I have clients that I have to serve but I enjoy every moment of it. I cannot look at it as a business. If I did, I wouldn’t be able to dedicate 16 hours every day of my life to building cars. You need to love what you do.”
ABOUT THE FAME:
“I see myself at times like a nursery teacher, calming the kids down [people and fans that visit his shop] that are having a moment. When I need to be, I will be more like a sensei, teaching people the ropes if they want to learn from me, I will take that role seriously too. Some people do think of me as a legend but everyone is a legend in their own field. I am just maybe a legend in this car industry. Everyone is equal.”
ABOUT THE MONEY:
“It’s just a source of income for me. It comes in through making cars, it gets invested into making more cars. Then the outcome allows me to spread my network and get to know even more people. I can’t work if I have too much money so I like it when it’s at the break-even point. Not a ton of excess money to fool around with, just enough so I can invest in my passion and supplement other needs.”
ABOUT THE FUTURE:
“I don’t have dreams or a career path, I let fate decide what will happen in the end.
I cannot think about the future because I am too busy thinking about the Now. Maybe my interest will shift towards something that is not cars. Maybe it will shift towards a different brand.
However, I cannot predict what will happen so I cannot answer this question as of right now.”
ABOUT HIS FRIEND CLIENT:
“It was Oji-chan, he works in the garage now. He was one of my first clients in Japan but he had a stroke and was fired from his job so I hired him to build the cars with me. He has worked here ever since. ”
ABOUT ROUGH WORLD:
“I live an honest life, and I let my heart lead me in the direction that I need to go in. I live in the moment, so my time in rough world was fun but I don’t dwell on the past because I enjoy my current life at the moment as well. So some people talk about ‘the good times like it surpassed their life already. For me, ‘the good times have continued so it’s a good time, every day, any time. ”
What we have learned throughout this interview is that Akira Nakai is surprisingly just like us. He gets up and goes to work, smokes Winston cigarettes, and eats combini food. What sets him apart is that he enjoys every single moment of it and we all should too. Here are some other key quotes worth noting so we can take a page out of his book.
HIS DAILY SCHEDULE:
“I get up, go to work and get shit done.”
HIS DRIVING STYLE:
“I light a cigarette and listen to good music.”
HIS SOUNDTRACK ON THE ROAD:
“I listen to local music when I am abroad. I don’t bring my own tunes, I put on the radio to get a sense of that country. I am a man of the world. ”
HIS PHILOSOPHY:
“When you give love, you receive it back. That’s what it is with my clients around the world and that’s why I guess I am always surrounded by great energy because I understand that. Spread love to the people around you and you will see it coming back.”
ADVICE TO YOUNG PEOPLE:
“Do what you love. When you do what you love, people tend to help you along the way. Take any opportunity that comes to you because if you don’t, you will miss out. God will lead you along the way, just make sure to not miss the chances that you get.”
ADVICE TO READERS:
“Live life to the fullest. Be humble and work hard.”
There you have it. A glimpse inside the mind of a real master. Truth tells all in the hands of Akira Nakai; that no amount of fame or money will ever account for the hard work that is put in to create something unequivocally mind-blowing and only a real G will continue to grind even when the cameras stop rolling, the lights are off and the attention strays away. That’s how a true legend creates a legacy from the ground up.
Hats off to you Akira-san, we will adjust accordingly to try and follow in your footsteps.
Text & Interview Ayana Waki, Adrian Bianco & Avian Massi
Photography Natsuki Ludwig
