Meet the 80-Year-Old Grandma Who Loves Her Mazda RX-7
Some people slow down with age—but not Naoko Nishimoto. This 79-year-old grandma has been ripping the streets of Nagasaki, Japan for the last 24 years with her silver Mazda RX-7 FD. While most people her age drive mundane sedans or minivans, or not driving at all, she’s been holding onto one of the most legendary JDM cars ever made.
And get this—her love for the Mazda RX-7 started because of an anime.
How Initial D Made Grandma Fall for the Mazda RX-7
Most JDM enthusiasts started their obsession because of that anime—the Initial D. Surprisingly, Nishimoto was in that boot camp, too!
In the popular anime, the way the RX-7 moved, the way it hugged corners, and the sheer speed of it had her hooked. Watching those intense battles on mountain roads made her think, "I need that car."
So, she asked her son about it, learned it was a Mazda, and immediately started hunting for one. At age 55, she finally got her dream car—a sleek, rather underrated-looking silver Mazda RX-7.
24 Years Behind the Wheel of an RX-7
For 24 years, Nishimoto has loved every second behind the wheel. She describes driving her RX-7 as pure exhilaration.
“The way it grips the road—it’s like it’s glued down,” she says. “It’s just so smooth and fast!”
This isn’t her first car obsession. She started with a Toyota Publica 800 at age 21—even though her family was against that for safety concerns—then moved on to a Toyota Corona and a Corona Coupe as her family grew. But nothing compared to the thrill of her FD-generation Mazda RX-7.
The Hard Goodbye: Letting Go of Her Mazda RX-7
For her 80th birthday on December 18, 2024, Naoko made a big decision—she chose to give up her driver’s license and return her cherished RX-7 to Mazda Japan. After the car was handed over to Mazda, she headed to the Urakami police station in Nagasaki Prefecture to surrender her license.
“I don’t want to regret anything later,” she says. “Better to go out on a high note.”
Mazda Japan guarantees that Naoko’s RX-7 would be in good hands. They plan to move it to their R&D center in Yokohama, where it will either serve as a public relations car or be showcased at special events.
Naoko Nishimoto’s story proves one thing: age doesn’t matter when it comes to loving cars. Whether you’re 21 or 79, if you love driving, you’ll always find joy behind the wheel.
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Images: Car Watch JP
