Forza Enthusiasts Discover Mt. Akina and Other Real-World Tracks in Horizon 6’s Map

Playground Games has unveiled the complete map for Forza Horizon 6, showcasing its interpretation of Japan. Fans have quickly pointed out that many road sections closely resemble actual Japanese racetracks and mountain passes.

The developer previously mentioned being “inspired by” iconic Japanese mountain roads like Mount Haruna, which gained fame through the touge racing scene and its influence on media such as the Initial D manga, anime, and video games. It seems they were serious about this inspiration.

The segment of Mount Haruna known to Initial D enthusiasts as Mount Akina, the home turf of Takumi Fujiwara and the Akina Speed Stars, is nearly a perfect replica. Its lengthy, winding descent punctuated by sharp hairpin turns is instantly recognizable.

In the southwestern part of the map, you can spot the notorious seven consecutive hairpins of the Hakone Nanamagari route, a location pivotal to the drifting culture and also featured in Initial D.

Circuit racing fans will find something to enjoy as well. A small track located just south of a large, empty area (likely the Estate, where players can design their own road layouts and even construct a town) resembles a shorter version of Tsukuba Circuit, a staple in both the Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo series.

Up north, there’s a track featuring a long straight, a high-speed curve, and a tighter infield section that evokes memories of the classic Gran Turismo course High Speed Ring, which itself is inspired by the fast-paced layout of the Fuji International Speedway from the 1980s.

These racetracks may also tie into a new feature for Forza Horizon 6: time trial circuits that allow players to set lap times during open-world exploration without needing to enter a specific event.

The full Forza Horizon 6 map is available for viewing below. The game is set to launch on May 19 for Windows PC and Xbox Series X, with a PlayStation 5 version arriving later.