On a mildly humid, but pleasant, sunny June Saturday, many people flocked to the large area near the Maruko bridge, which crosses the Tama River in Shin Maruko, in Kawasaki's Nakahara Ward, to enjoy an early-summer weekend.
There were little boys playing baseball on the fields, college students practicing football and some residents using the space to jog. Nearby, others were enjoying their barbecues and beers.
The majority probably weren't aware of the legendary Tamagawa Speedway, which existed here, just outside Tokyo, during the prewar period.