Prague to Osaka Expo: 16 Men, 7 Classic Cars, and 14,000 km of Adventure

A group of classic car enthusiasts drove 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles) across 12 countries, traveling from the Czech Republic to Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai, in cars that looked straight out of a black-and-white movie.

'Old Men in Old Cars'

Over the course of about a month, they endured scorching heat nearing 50°C (122°F), crumbling roads, and traveled through regions where wild animals roamed freely at night. The group, made up of Czech business owners and other classic car fans, wanted to prove that "even old men in old cars can achieve anything if they set their minds to it."

The leader, 53-year-old Josef Zajíček, drove a 1959 Tatra 603 for the entire journey without letting anyone else take the wheel. By profession, he is the CEO of the Czech watch company Robot. While he enjoys classic car trips as a hobby, he admitted, "I've never done a journey of this length before."

Planning the Journey

About a year ago, Zajíček learned that the Expo would be held in Osaka and thought, "I want to attempt a journey in a classic car." When he first consulted the person in charge of the Czech Pavilion, the plan didn't receive much enthusiasm. Still, once the journey was approved, he called on his friends, forming a team of 16 men.

On June 21, seven classic cars, accompanied by a support vehicle, departed from Prague, the Czech capital, in a festive atmosphere with President Petr Pavel seeing them off. But the route proved as challenging as expected.

Heat and Other Challenges

The first obstacle was the heat. Classic cars are not as resilient to extreme temperatures as modern vehicles. In Kazakhstan, the thermometer reached 46°C (115°F). Zajíček's car broke down in Turkey due to the heat, and replacement parts weren't available locally. A friend flew the parts directly from the Czech Republic, allowing the journey to continue.

Night driving, which would normally have been preferable due to cooler temperatures, had to be abandoned because the cars' headlights were weak and wild animals frequently crossed the roads. There were also times when the team had to reroute due to closed borders.

*The group refueling at a gas station in Azerbaijan. (Robin Behal – Robot Expedice)*

Joy Along the Way

The journey also brought many moments of joy. At gas stations along the way, locals would gather to chat or request photos. "In China, some people even brought us watermelons," Zajíček recalled. They took a ferry from Busan, South Korea, to Osaka and were "moved by the beauty of Japan's islands."

Zajíček’s journey echoed a legendary expedition from 55 years ago. At the 1970 Osaka Expo, four young men from the Czech Republic hitchhiked all the way to Osaka over six months. Their journey, called the "Sakura Expedition," attracted nationwide attention in Japan. Before leaving, Zajíček met one of the original participants for advice, and "he was very happy to see us."

The cars were displayed at the Expo site for two days in late July, then shipped back to the Czech Republic. Zajíček noted that they were particularly fortunate, as all the countries they passed through were also Expo exhibitors, which made arrangements much easier.

To the Japanese people, Zajíček emphasized, "I want to convey that any dream can be realized."

(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: Nobuo Kurokawa, The Sankei Shimbun