Moriya PA sits 105km east of Touge Town on Joban Expressway in Ibaraki Prefecture—positioned as polar opposite to Daikoku PA's international fame and resulting chaos. Where Daikoku attracts 400-car circus of tour buses, YouTube personalities, and hypercar gridlock, Moriya preserves original Japanese car meet character: 20-50 local enthusiasts, quiet conversations about builds, minimal spectacle.

Joban Expressway connects Tokyo northeast toward Fukushima/Sendai, drawing Ibaraki and northern Chiba car scene rather than Wangan/Bayshore Route crowd. Geographic isolation from central Tokyo prevents viral fame—too far for casual tourists making 45-minute trip from Shibuya, close enough for dedicated enthusiasts living along corridor, perfect distance filtering authentic builders from Instagram content creators.

Parking area layout designed truck/bus rest facility rather than automotive showcase. 80-space parking lot with minimal lighting, basic vending machines, simple restroom block—no architectural flourishes, no elevated viewing platforms, no features encouraging photography or spectacle. Mundane aesthetic becomes protective barrier: beautiful Wangan-focused builds continue south to Daikoku where they photograph well under LED lights, serious project cars gather Moriya where conversation matters more than presentation.

Moriya PA car demographic reflects northern Kanto mechanical philosophy—emphasis function over form, proven performance over visual impact, practical builds driven daily rather than trailer queens appearing special events. Typical Friday night 22:00-00:00: 15 Civic/Integra track builds (caged interiors, worn aero, documented time attack lap times), 8-12 turbocharged domestic sedans (WRX/Evo/Aristo proving grounds nearby Tsukuba/Mobara circuits), 5-8 drift cars (actual battle scars vs fresh paint), occasional vintage machinery (Hakosuka GT-R, SA22C RX-7, AE86 driven not displayed).

Contrast to Daikoku's hypercar parade obvious in parking lot composition. Moriya reality: zero Lamborghinis/Ferraris/McLarens (wrong expressway for Wangan top speed culture), minimal Liberty Walk/Rocket Bunny widebody kits (expensive aesthetics attract wrong attention), high percentage utilitarian builds (daily driven project cars accumulating 200,000km proving reliability, track day veterans with sponsors' stickers from actual competition results not purchased appearance packages).

Conversation quality reflects serious builder demographic. Daikoku discussions 2024: "Where did you buy that body kit?", "How many Instagram followers gained from this build?", "Which YouTube channel will feature your car?" Moriya discussions same period: "What ECU tuning strategy solved your knock issue?", "How did tire pressure change affect Mobara lap times?", "Where sourced that discontinued OEM part?" Functional knowledge exchange vs social media performance—original car meet purpose preserved through obscurity rather than destroyed by fame.

Moriya PA community maintains gathering through self-regulation avoiding Daikoku's enforcement problems. Unwritten rules strictly observed:

• Zero tolerance engine revving or burnouts—residential neighborhoods surround parking area within 500m, single noise complaint triggers permanent police attention killing gathering permanently, everyone enforces silence protecting collective interest
• No photography without explicit permission—serious builders dislike social media exposure attracting unwanted attention (police, thieves, internet critics), asking before photographing demonstrates respect separating enthusiasts from tourists
• Clean departure mandatory—trash left behind provides justification for authorities closing facility to gatherings, participants police each other ensuring zero evidence gathering occurred
• Respect parking area primary purpose—truckers and families using facilities for intended rest stops have priority, car enthusiasts yield spaces if capacity reached, good neighbor relations prevent complaints
• Disperse if police appear—cooperate immediately, provide documents politely, leave without argument, return following week once attention subsides, resistance risks permanent crackdown

Self-regulation strategy working where Daikoku/Tatsumi enforcement failed. Community recognizes gathering exists through tolerance not right—maintaining low profile, causing zero problems, remaining invisible to casual observers preserves what viral fame destroyed elsewhere. Boring by design protects authenticity.

Three major Tokyo-area PA gatherings represent different points on visibility/viability spectrum:

Daikoku PA (Wangan Bayshore Route): International fame → 400-car peak attendance → tour bus tourism → authentic culture destroyed → police enforcement escalating → heading toward permanent closure. Viral success killed original character.

Tatsumi PA (C1 Inner Loop): Technical driver reputation → government infrastructure crackdown (barriers, speed bumps, lighting reduction) → gatherings suppressed to 4-8 cars staying 5-10 minutes → effectively dead as sustainable meet location. Authority intervention killed gathering before viral fame occurred.

Moriya PA (Joban Expressway): Geographic isolation → limited awareness → 20-50 local participants → functional build culture → community self-regulation → sustainable through obscurity. Invisibility preserves viability.

Lesson for Gunma touge culture preservation: Moriya demonstrates small-scale, low-profile, self-policing community gatherings can survive modern era where spectacular events attract destruction (Daikoku) and authorities preemptively suppress technical driving culture (Tatsumi). Scale matters—50-person gathering sustainable, 400-person circus collapses under own weight.

Visit Moriya PA expecting anti-climactic experience if arriving with Daikoku expectations. No hypercar lineup, no professional photography lighting, no crowds gathering specific cars, no spectacle. What exists instead: small groups of friends discussing technical builds, occasional solitary driver drinking canned coffee reviewing track day footage on phone, parking lot appearing nearly empty to casual observer unfamiliar recognizing subtly modified project cars.

Timing determines attendance levels:

• Friday/Saturday 22:00-00:30: Peak period, 30-50 cars, multiple small groups, best chance meeting local scene (if welcomed into conversation—don't force interaction)
• Sunday 20:00-23:00: Post-track day debrief, 15-25 cars, participants reviewing Tsukuba/Mobara lap times, discussing mechanical issues discovered, highly technical conversations
• Weekday evenings: 5-15 cars, regulars only, quiet atmosphere
• Avoid holiday weekends: Occasional tourist overflow from Daikoku discovering Moriya creates temporary crowd destroying normal low-key character

Foreign visitors must manage expectations carefully. This gathering exists for local community, not international tourism, not Instagram content creation, not YouTube videos. Observe respectfully, photograph minimally, engage only if invited—forcing interaction or treating participants as tourist attraction risks destroying fragile ecosystem preserving authentic car culture.

Moriya PA positioned 105km from Touge Town headquarters in Shibukawa, Gunma—2-hour drive via Kanetsu + Ken-Ō + Jōban Expressways making it LOCAL designation (under 150km qualifying easy integration with Gunma touge experiences). Route strategy: Kanetsu Expressway south from Shibukawa → Ken-Ō Expressway (Outer Ring Road) east → Jōban Expressway northeast → Moriya PA (upper/outbound side heading toward Mito/Iwaki).

Cost breakdown:

• Tolls: ¥3,200-3,600 round trip (ETC card discount applicable)
• Fuel: ¥1,400-2,000 round trip (210km total, 10-15L consumption typical)
• Parking: Free (expressway rest facility)
• Total: ¥4,600-5,600 complete visit

Optimal timing window: Depart Touge Town 20:00 → arrive Moriya 22:00 (peak gathering time) → socialize 60-90min → return 00:30 → Gunma arrival 02:30. Late departure avoids metropolitan traffic while hitting gathering peak period. Alternative: Combine with Tsukuba Circuit time attack day visit (Moriya PA sits 35km north of Tsukuba), debrief track session with participants who ran same event.

Important access note: Moriya PA only accessible from outbound/upper lanes heading northeast (toward Mito/Iwaki direction), not inbound/lower lanes returning Tokyo. Plan route accordingly—cannot U-turn if approaching from wrong direction, must continue next exit and backtrack costing 30+ minutes.

Moriya PA represents endangered species in modern Japanese car culture—small-scale gathering surviving through obscurity, community self-regulation, and deliberate avoidance of attention. Foreign tourism introducing wrong dynamics risks killing what makes location valuable. Visit only if genuinely interested in functional build culture, not collecting Instagram photos proving "I was there."

Recommended approach for international guests:

• Arrive with legitimate Gunma touge experience—having driven Akina/Akagi/Myogi provides conversation credibility, shared experience basis for interaction, demonstrates serious interest vs tourism checkbox
• Bring technically competent Japanese speaker—nuanced build discussions require language ability beyond basic phrases, Touge Town guides facilitate introduction/translation if arranged advance
• Focus listening over talking—absorb local knowledge rather than dominating conversation with foreign perspective, ask informed questions about specific builds, demonstrate respect for expertise
• Minimal photography—one or two discrete photos after explicit permission, prioritize memory/experience over content creation, leave camera in car if uncertain about etiquette
• Accept possible rejection gracefully—not every gathering welcomes outsiders, forcing interaction where unwanted damages community trust, observe from distance and depart quietly if atmosphere seems closed to visitors

Integration with Touge Town experience philosophy: We position Moriya PA as advanced/optional extension for guests demonstrating serious interest in Japanese car culture after completing Gunma mountain pass experiences. Not beginner-friendly tourist attraction—requires cultural sensitivity, technical knowledge baseline, acceptance that authentic communities don't exist for foreign entertainment. Reward for engaged learners rather than guaranteed spectacle.

Preservation responsibility: If Moriya PA becomes "new Daikoku" through international tourism exposure, we lose last remaining authentic Tokyo-area gathering. Selective sharing and careful visitor preparation protects ecosystem—teaching guests why restraint matters prevents destruction through ignorance rather than malice.