The Story Behind the Driver: Jack Dean and His Love for Japanese Car Culture

Japanese car culture has long been a source of fascination for enthusiasts worldwide. From its legendary engineering to its boundary-pushing modifications, Japan has influenced global car culture in ways that few other countries have. One such enthusiast, Jack Dean, has taken this passion to heart, turning his love for JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) cars into a way of life. This is his story—a journey through the streets of Peterborough, the thrill of his Skyline, and the deep-rooted respect he holds for Japan’s automotive heritage.

Meet Jack Dean

Jack Dean, better known on Instagram as @Hatsune_Skyline, was born in 2000 and resides in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England. By profession, he’s an engineer, working in a facility that produces diesel engines. His appreciation for mechanical design extends beyond his work—his love for combustion engines fuels his passion for cars.

Beyond the automotive world, Jack’s interests are as diverse as they are intriguing. He’s an Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver, having explored underwater landscapes from Australia to Mexico. His family also owns a Green Wing Macaw named Poppy, adding a unique twist to his household. And in one bizarre twist of fate, he once witnessed a crime unfold, realizing in the moment that his CPR skills might need some work!

The Beginning: A Love Affair with Japanese Cars

Jack’s introduction to Japanese cars was cinematic—literally. “Fast & Furious” was his first major influence, introducing him to the world of high-octane JDM machines. At just four years old, he sat with his dad and watched the neon-lit world of tuners come to life. The passion was further fueled by hours spent playing “Need for Speed: Underground,” where he could virtually modify and race his dream cars.

But it wasn’t just movies and games that ignited his love for cars—it was family. His father, a dedicated car and bike enthusiast, owned an XR3i Escort in the 1980s and continued his passion with vehicles like the Mercedes 190 and Kawasaki Z series. Growing up around such dedication to cars cemented Jack’s lifelong admiration for automotive craftsmanship.

The Ongoing Project

As any JDM owner knows, a car is never truly “finished.” Jack envisions future upgrades, including Hatsune Miku Vertex BRIDE seats and RAYS wheels. “Our show cars are a reflection of our character, and as we change, so do our cars,” he says.

Despite the continuous work, the best part of the Skyline remains its standout Itasha livery—a true embodiment of Japanese car culture. The only downside? “The fact I can’t drive it every day!”

Japan: A Cultural Influence Beyond Cars

Jack’s admiration for Japan extends beyond its automotive scene. He marvels at its advanced technology, from bullet trains to robotic parking systems. He’s also fascinated by ancient Samurai history and has a deep appreciation for Japanese cuisine—particularly Melon Pan, Chocorooms, and Ramune.

Though he hasn’t been to Japan yet, it’s high on his bucket list. “Daikoku, Fuji, Osaka—there’s so much I want to experience firsthand.” Auto Salon is also a dream event he hopes to attend, witnessing Japan’s tuning scene in its purest form.

Saitoworks: A Brand That Feels Like Home

Jack’s love for Japanese car culture extends to the brands that embody it. He first discovered Saitoworks when he bought his Skyline, noticing the brand’s decals and sunstrip already on the car. Impressed by the quality, he became a loyal customer.

“Saitoworks is in a league of its own,” he says. “It’s like a designer brand for JDM enthusiasts. The Nobori flags, tees, stickers—everything is top-tier.”

At trade shows like Gravity, Saitoworks stands out with its unmatched presence. “Best stand I’ve ever seen at any event,” Jack notes.

The Legacy of Japanese Car Culture

For Jack, Japanese car culture is more than just a hobby—it’s a lifestyle. It has shaped his customization preferences, driving habits, and overall appreciation for automotive artistry. He believes Japan has had the biggest influence on global car culture, producing some of the best-engineered and most visually stunning vehicles of all time.

With plans to visit Japan, continue modifying his Skyline, and stay immersed in the JDM scene, Jack Dean is a true embodiment of what it means to be a passionate car enthusiast. His Skyline isn’t just a car—it’s a statement, a tribute, and a dream brought to life on four wheels.

When driving is no longer an A-B journey, it’s the birth of the brand – Saitoworks.

Discover how the Founder and Owner of Saitoworks uses his adoration of Japanese culture and driving his car to inspire the continued success of this incredible brand.

A true ‘Nineties Spirit’ kid, Jon was already obsessed with cars and enjoyed taking pen to paper to draw the lines and curvature of different vehicles, creatively capturing the visual aesthetic from every angle, even as a youngster. 

But it was thanks to the blockbuster film Tokyo Drift from the Fast and the Furious franchise that sparked the ignition for the founder to admire the sheer excellence of Japanese cars. Transport yourself to the early 2000’s and picture a 12 year old boy absorbed by the sight of these sleek, stylish cars drifting- certainly something he hadn’t experienced in the UK. This exploded into a love of Jon researching ‘old-meets-new’ Japan including Samurai history and their more recent car culture including the likes of Mazda RX7s, Nissan S15s, Chasers, 350z, Skylines… you name it. 

Fast forward a few years, Jon, now 29, has perfectly crafted Saitoworks- a brand that lives up to its reputation of being: “driven by passion, inspired by Japan”. Read on to find out how the brand owner uses aspects from his own life alongside ‘old-meets-new’ Japanese culture to continue driving the brand forward and inspire so many other drivers out there to be part of the SW community.

S15: THE SW icon

You may have spotted the notorious Silvia adorned with SW stickers at some of the biggest car shows in the UK (Japfest, Tunerfest, GO Japan), seen on the brand’s social media, or even featured within the brand’s workshop banners. Turning heads is something this car is used to. Not only does the engine give some serious ferocity, its exterior has been transformed to showcase everything that the Saitoworks brand stands for. Class, excellence and quality.

But it’s not always been the case. When this S15 first arrived in the UK, she had a slight confused identity problem. Sporting two blow off valves as well as the original recirc valve, a very odd combination to which all 3 were quickly removed to and replaced with a full Greddy FMIC and vaccum rework, releasing a sound every JDM enthusiast is familiar with, the spool generated from the Garrett T28R turbo is nothing short of ‘Addictive’ Jon says. The original front mount intercooler was held on with bicycle multi-tool spanners, never seen before but in Japan the going phrase is ‘If it works, it works’. Again removed and replaced with proper mounts and bolts once it swapped out for the new Greddy kit. Jon says getting the car was a mixed bag of emotions. As with most Japanese car purchases, it was a little run down and the bumper even came off on his first drive back from Yorkshire to South London! He thanks B&Q for being open at the time with a fresh supply of cable ties, a compulsory glove box hogger for every JDM owner.

“I’m not a numbers guy either”

The owner of Saitoworks remains modest, keeping the car around 320bhp and refreshing parts with or as close to OEM / Nismo as possible. The output of this S15 is plentyful enough especially at a curb weight of 1,240kg, and for a fast and reliable street car, anymore would stress certain OEM components and unbalance the car against its intended use.

Jon mentions that he’d “rather opt for reliability unless it’s a full aftermarket choice with the likes of a GREDDY front mount intercooler, boost controller or GruppeM carbon intake.” If he had other dream cars, these would include the likes of – Nissan Skyline R32 GTR V-Spec, a Mazda RX7 Veilside or a Toyota Chaser JZX100 (Specifically white of course!) – have you spotted these heavily featured on the SaitoWorks workshop banners?

The car’s visual aesthetics are exactly where he wants them (bar a few tweaks) and his S15 will continue to attack the B roads of the UK…and occasionally Germany when he tackles the might of the Nurburgring while listening to an 80s synthwave mixtape. Jon loves his racing livery Inspired by the early 2000s D1 Grand Prix and street legal era, with the smiles it puts on peoples faces and finds it’s a real conversation starter.