This has been a big week for me – I have wanted to visit Japan for decades, and finally I’m here for the MotoGP race at Motegi. Japan is charming and fascinating, offering perhaps the most distinct feeling of truly being in a foreign country I’ve ever had. Around every corner are interesting details, small and large differences revealed by another way of living life on earth. I love it here and hope to come back soon.

The MotoGP fans are fantastic, lining up for hours before the circuit opens at 7:30. As shown above, they start young and love to show their support for their favorite riders. Below, some of my favorite images of the first two days.

Yamaha test rider Katsuyuki Nakasuga is here on a wild card ride. He is a large reason why the YZR M1 is such a good motorcycle.

Nakasuga sports the distinctive moon eyes of those riders who were a part of the Tadao Suzuki team. Suzuki was a former motocross rider who started a road racing team, using Yamahas oddly enough, and the riders who got their start on that team wear these eyes on their helmets in homage to that experience. For more info on the eyes, check out this article on Superbike Planet.

Dani Pedrosa fell and broke a collarbone AGAIN, and at Motegi AGAIN. If it weren’t for bad luck…

Hiroshi Aoyama is filling in for Pedrosa. Here he is speeding through one of Motegi’s tunnels, which are great fun to play with as a photographer.

Jorge Lorenzo also had a whopping high side, to which he referred several times as ‘the flight.’

Aleix Espargaro emerges from the first tunnel, half in shadow – beautiful lighting for a motorcycle race.

No one brakes for a corner quite like Yonny Hernandez.

More from Motegi on the next page: