Tamiya is ready to celebrate Filipino hobbyists as it positions to be another significant force among the younger generation through the Tamiya Asian Challenge scheduled from June 20 to 23, 2019. Some 250-300 total competitors from different Asian countries, including Japan, Hong Kong, India, Thailand, Korea, etc. are expected to participate.
“We’re excited to reintroduce this to the Philippines and we want the younger generation to embrace the hobby,” said Ferdie Kahn, owner of The Brickyard, home of Tamiya in the Philippines, in an exclusive interview. “We will essentially bring back to the mainstream and I really want to showcase the Filipino racers who had the opportunity to participate in this kind of event.”
Amidst the challenges of social media, Kahn pointed that Tamiya products like mini-4WDs are captivating.
“It challenges you. You have an opportunity to modify your cars, lets you perform, get instant feedback on how it performs and you’ll have different notifications and considerations to choose from. It is social because you work with other people and gets feedback from them. Newcomers ask pointers to longtime hobbyists and they interact by sharing informations, tips, secrets,” Kahn added.
The Filipinos are very passionate about Tamiya and they consider them as their longest partners for about 50 years now, noting: “We have a very active radio-controlled community and very active modules group as well. Our Brickyard racers average to 500 racers and that’s only in Metro Manila.”
Located at the 3rd floor of Glorietta 2 in Makati City, The Brickyard which opened in June 2018 serves as venue for Tamiya fans where they can meet and have fun with the Mini4WD.
Asked what Tamiya can promise to Filipino hobbyists, Kahn said: “You’ll always have the best Tamiya products in the world. They are innovating, growing with brand new cars, models and we continue to do so in the near future. We should be proud because Tamiya is proudly-made in Cebu, Philippines by the Filipinos.”
Founded Yoshio Tamiya in Japan in 1946, Tamiya products continue to be a favorite among hobbyists not only in the Philippines but around the world.