Tamiya RC Picnic in Karuizawa: an 80s vintage buggy race on 5 and 6 September

Photo: Tamiya (source)

Tamiya brings its RC Picnic to Karuizawa on 5 and 6 September 2026, and the programme goes well beyond a simple family driving session: on the Saturday, the brand is running a Vintage Meeting with a genuine race reserved for 1980s off-road buggies and their re-releases.

Tamiya RC Picnic in Karuizawa: dates, venue and prices

The event takes place on the lawn of the Garden Mall at the Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza, in Nagano prefecture. Entry to the site is free. Running your own Tamiya model costs 1,000 yen per day, while renting an RC car costs 500 yen per session — a format open to beginners. Registration is on site, with no advance booking, and a campsite is available on reservation for anyone who wants to stay over. The event is cancelled in the event of rain, with notice given the day before on the brand’s social media.

Vintage Meeting: the 80’s Vintage Buggy Race

The highlight for racers takes place on Saturday 5 September. The Tamiya Vintage Meeting starts at 10:30 with the group photo and a livery contest, before the race at 11:00 and the finish at 12:00. The event, called the “Tamiya 80’s Vintage Buggy Race”, puts 2WD and 4WD together in a single class.

The technical rules are deliberately tight in order to preserve the period feel:

• 1980s Tamiya off-road buggies, re-releases accepted
• Period Tamiya tyres mandatory
• DT-02 chassis not allowed
• LF1100 or LF2200 batteries required
• 540-N motor mandatory

In other words, a race about consistency and driving rather than power: with a standard 540 and stock rubber, the difference is made by lines and by well-prepared mechanics.

Full-size Monster Beetle and trade village

Away from the track, Tamiya is announcing the display of a full-size Monster Beetle, the sale of branded t-shirts and a market bringing together several exhibitors. The RC Picnic concept, run for several seasons now at various Japanese venues, is built on this mix of driving, the outdoors and vintage culture — a niche the brand exploits better than anyone thanks to its catalogue of re-releases.