The Shimanoyama Region Treasure Hunt in Series 4 is one of those activities that sounds easier than it feels. The clue is short, the map area is wide, and the chest will not appear until you complete the right task first. If you are trying to build up your FH6 Credits or reach the seasonal car rewards, it is worth doing this one properly rather than driving around the mountain roads and hoping the chest turns up. The key is the wording of the clue. "Slide through the mountain peaks where the tire smoke rises, a perfect score unlocks the hidden prize" is pointing you towards a Drift Zone in Shimanoyama. You need to earn three stars there before the treasure location becomes active. Once that happens, the rest is fairly quick, provided you know which garage to check.

Complete the Drift Zone First

Start by entering any Drift Zone within the Shimanoyama district and aim for a three-star result. This is the part many players miss. Going straight to the supposed chest location will not help if the event has not been completed, and the garage can look completely empty. The roads in this region are narrow, with sharp hairpins and awkward changes in elevation. A dedicated drift car makes life much easier. The Formula Drift #151 Toyota GR Supra is a strong choice, especially in S1 Class, because it holds an angle without feeling too wild. The Nissan Silvia Spec-R S15 is another good option. With a 6.2L V8 swap, Drift Spring and Dampers, a Drift Differential, and suitable drift tyres, it becomes much more forgiving. Manual transmission is useful here too. Keep the car in third gear where possible, maintain the revs, and use small steering corrections instead of forcing every corner.

Reach the Correct Garage

After the three-star result appears, give the game a moment to update the map. You may see a short aerial sequence, followed by the treasure-hunt search area. Now fast travel to the Shimanoyama Drift Circuit hub. From the starting area, turn the camera towards the north and look past the spectator stands. You should see a row of grey concrete service garages near the industrial section. This is not the large highway-facing building that most people notice first. Drive towards the maintenance row and count the doors from left to right. The chest is in the third bay. Its door should be partly open, although the opening can be easy to miss if you approach from the side. Head inside and look for a yellow hydraulic engine hoist. The pink and gold chest is nearby, usually close enough that you can spot it as soon as the car enters the darker part of the garage. Drive into it to collect the reward.

Rewards and the Empty Garage Fix

The chest gives 100,000 Credits, 5,000 XP, and 3 Series Points. Those points matter because they help push your Series 4 Playlist total towards the Exomotive Exocet Off-Road at 20 points and the Datsun 2000 Roadster at 40 points. The Credit reward is handy as well, particularly if your garage still needs a proper drift build or an A-Class retro sports car for the Mascot Madness event. Occasionally, the third bay remains empty even after you have earned three stars. This appears to be a session loading issue rather than a mistake on your part. Open the pause menu, enter the Online tab, and select Horizon Solo. Let the game move you out of the shared Horizon Life session, then return to the Drift Circuit and check the same garage again. In many cases, the chest loads immediately. You can switch back afterwards. If it is still missing, repeat the change after confirming that the Drift Zone result really showed three stars.

Make the Rest of Series 4 Easier

There is no need to treat the Treasure Hunt as a separate trip if you are planning the week efficiently. Use the drift car for the Shimanoyama event, then keep an A-Class retro sports build ready for Mascot Madness, which offers another 10 Playlist Points. A Japanese Domestic Market car can also cover the nearby Hokuryu Sunflower Farm Photo Challenge. A Honda Civic Type R or Mazda RX-7 works well. Drive into the yellow flower fields, open Photo Mode, and make sure both the car and the flowers are in frame. The reward is the Yellow Sports Sunglasses item. These small preparations save time later, especially when you are still expanding your collection. Spend the Treasure Hunt payout on useful tuning parts before cosmetic changes. A flexible garage will serve you better than one expensive car that only suits a single event.

Final Thoughts



The Shimanoyama Treasure Hunt is straightforward once the trigger is understood. Earn three stars in a Shimanoyama Drift Zone, wait for the map to refresh, and travel to the Drift Circuit. From there, find the north-side service garages and enter the third bay from the left. The chest sits beside the yellow hoist, and the reward includes Credits, XP, and three valuable Series Points. If the bay is empty, Horizon Solo is the first fix worth trying. With a controlled drift tune and a little planning, this activity becomes a quick way to add progress and a useful amount of Forza Horizon 6 Credits to your seasonal run.