Several Route 66 aficionados in Japan over the weekend officially formed the Route 66 Association of Japan — adding to the list of nations that have groups devoted to the Mother Road.
The association in Japan is a nonprofit, and anyone can join. The fledgling group, which officially formed June 6, has 15 members.
The Route 66 Association of Japan owns a placeholder website here that eventually will migrate to Route66AssociationofJapan.com, which is expected to be ready by summer.
The association also has a Facebook page.
Toshi Goto, co-chairman and executive director of the association, wrote in an email:
Although we have several ideas to make some funds to maintain the group and to support Route 66, our primary object at this point is to have the association get noticed widely among Japanese travelers and International 66 Lovers. We have a couple of 66 related events planning here in Japan. Hope it will happen soon that the association gets more recognition, and then we will be able to collaborate with your associations, federations, and chambers to create promotions and events together.
Japan now joins international Route 66 associations in Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, Belgium, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany and Hungary.
UPDATE 6/20/2015: The association just sent its new and official logo:
