The circuit opened in 1990 as a private track catering initially to wealthy users. The TI designation stood for Tanaka International, referencing Hajime Tanaka, owner of the adjoining golf club operation. The circuit's remote Aida location, deep in Okayama's hills, gave it a distinct character relative to Japan's other major racing facilities, which were generally more accessible from large urban centres.
TI Circuit Aida's highest-profile period came when it hosted the Formula One Pacific Grand Prix in both 1994 and 1995. Both editions were won by Michael Schumacher, in his early title-winning years with Benetton in 1994 and Ferrari in 1995. The venue's addition to the calendar made Japan one of only a small number of countries ever to host more than one Formula One event in the same season. The race was ultimately discontinued, with the circuit's remote location cited as a primary factor in Formula One's withdrawal; logistics and spectator access proved persistently problematic.
In March 2003, Tanaka International Company, the parent entity of the circuit's operating firm, filed for civil rehabilitation — a formal insolvency proceeding under Japanese law. Unimat Holding Co., Ltd. stepped in to provide financial support, keeping the facility operational. The company was renamed Okayama International Circuit Co., Ltd. on 1 May 2004, and the circuit adopted its current name Okayama International Circuit on 1 January 2005. In March 2012, Unimat sold the facility to Aska Corporation, an auto parts manufacturing company, under whose ownership the circuit has continued to operate.
The circuit hosted rounds of the World Touring Car Championship as the FIA WTCC Race of Japan from 2008 to 2010, with the inaugural round on 26 October 2008 being the first FIA world championship event at the venue since the 1995 Formula One Pacific Grand Prix. The return to world championship status represented a significant moment for the facility, even though the WTCC race proved short-lived: in June 2010 it was announced that Suzuka Circuit would take over the Japanese round of the 2011 WTCC season.
The WTCC visit in 2008 also coincided with the Formula V6 Asia series holding its own round on the same weekend. The 3.703 km layout, with its flowing medium-speed corners and technically demanding sequence of bends, provided a varied and demanding track for the front-wheel-drive touring cars that characterised the WTCC field of that period.
The circuit has been the scene of fatal and near-fatal incidents. In 1999, Shingo Tachi, the defending JGTC GT300 champion, was killed during a test session in a GT500 Toyota Supra after a mechanical failure prevented him from slowing at the first corner. The incident occurred roughly a year after Tetsuya Ota suffered a serious accident at Fuji Speedway, underscoring the dangers of circuit test environments at the time.
The all-time unofficial track record belongs to Ayrton Senna, who set a 1:10.218 lap in a Williams FW16 during qualifying for the 1994 Pacific Grand Prix.
Today Okayama International Circuit hosts a range of domestic Japanese championships, including Super GT, Porsche Carrera Cup Japan, GT World Challenge Asia, and the Japan Cup Series. It also offers rental facilities for bikes and go-karts. The circuit's remote character has made it a committed venue for motorsport rather than a tourist destination, and its connection to the Formula One era and the WTCC chapter ensures it retains a place in the historical record of international motor racing in Japan.