Category Archives: Holidays
The Datsun Fairlady Roadster was owned by automotive greats
Today, March 11, is Datsun Roadster Day. Many remember the Datsun 240Z or 510 as the first Japanese car to win over American customers, but the Datsun Fairlady Roadster actually paved their way. The SP(L)311 (1600cc) and SR(L)311 (2000cc) was … Continue reading
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Tagged AMT, bob sharp, datsun, fairlady roadster, Gene Winfield, Star Trek
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Here are some actual Tomica cars to go with your Tomica chocolates
For a number of years now Tomica has been offering car-shaped chocolates. The unfortunate thing with chocolate, though, is that once you eat it it’s gone. The alternative would be to get this newer form Tomica valentine, where you receive … Continue reading
Happy B210 Day from JNC!
You think your Skyline GT-R is so cool with your quad afterburners? Well the B210 Nissan Sunny Excellent came from the factory with six round taillights, and as a bonus you can call them sex (short for sextuple) afterburners. Whereas … Continue reading
The Mitsuoka Orochi was named after a giant eight-headed snake and took parts from famous Japanese sports cars
In all the years we’ve existed JNC has rarely mentioned the Mitsuoka Orochi. Frankly, we think it’s pretty ugly, and back in the early days of JNC it seemed to get disproportionate attention in English-language media. We wanted JNC to … Continue reading
Happy 110 Day from JNC
Despite a tremendous effort the Nissan Automotive Technical College, an actual C110 looks better than a V35 dressed up to be one. There’s just something about the clean lines, the massive C-pillar, and the fact that it’s dumped on Yayois. … Continue reading
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Happy New Year from JNC
Hello 2025! The Japanese tradition for ushering in a new year is to wake up early and see the hatsuhinode, the first sunrise of the year. It is said that it is an ideal time to wish for good fortune … Continue reading
Happy Holidays from JNC
Happy Holidays frmo all of us at JNC. Thanks for reading and hanging out with us in this little corner of the internet. Be good to each other, and to the cars. We wish you peace and joy and petrol.
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Happy Halloween from JNC
If you are (un)lucky enough to have this Toyota Crown Comfort appear when you hail a cab in Japan, fear not. It’s not a death cab, but a promotional taxi by the Lucky Taxi company in Nagasaki Prefecture. Each year … Continue reading
Happy 510 Day from JNC!
Kick back and grab an ice cold Calpis because it’s Friday and 510 Day. You deserve to have your thirst quenched with Japan’s favorite lactic acid bacteria drink. And yes, it tastes better than it sounds. Kanpai!
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The Mitsubishi Eclipse was named after an undefeated racehorse, not the astronomical event
On April 8 a rare total solar eclipse took place in North America. Despite the many “Eclipse Day” references in automotive media, the beloved 1990s sports coupe is not named after the astronomical event — not directly, anyway. In fact, … Continue reading
Mazda’s chocolate classics are the perfect Valentine’s Day gift
It’s Valentine’s Day, and this year a set of chocolates by Mazda has suddenly jumped into the top spot for our most wanted present list. The company has created a set of eight delicious looking chocolate bars, each with a … Continue reading
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Tagged 3-wheeler, 787b, cosmo sport, familia, mazda, Mazda Type DA, r360
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Happy Year of the Dragon from JNC
Today, February 10, is the Lunar New Year, and that means it’s officially the Year of the Dragon. The A20 Toyota Celica is the car that represents this mythical beast. For a creature that is so prominent in Asian culture, … Continue reading
Happy TE27 Day from JNC
The great-grandfather to the AE86, the Toyota TE27 still isn’t that well known among car collector circles. We spotted this one in with glorious glass-smooth paint in the parking lot outside the Tokyo Nostalgic Car Show in 2010. A VW … Continue reading
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Happy New Year from JNC
The Japanese tradition for New Year’s is getting up early to watch the hatsuhinode, or first sunrise. By watching the inaugural dawn you’ll be starting the year off right. The preferred viewing spot is usually somewhere that requires a bit … Continue reading
Happy Holidays from JNC
Happy Holidays from JNC! We hope Japanese Santa Claus gave you everything you wished for. QotW will be back on Tuesday. メリークリスマス!
Happy Sevens Day from JNC
It’s easy to forget how dreary the mid- to late-1970s were. The oil shortage and new emissions regulations meant that cars with larger engines than their predecessors struggled to achieve the same performance. The Nissan Fairlady 240ZG was a benchmark … Continue reading
Happy 4th of July from JNC
The original Toyota 4Runner was known as the HiLux Surf in Japan and became quite popular during the 1980s boom in recreational vehicles. In its marketing materials the HiLux Surf was promoted as an “American Offroad Machine” and actually launched … Continue reading
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Happy 620 Day from JNC
Compact trucks like the Datsun 620 were one of the ways Japanese companies really made an impact with American customers. Post fuel crisis, they were well poised to save some dough at the pump. Nissan launched a whole campaign around … Continue reading
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Happy S30 Day from JNC
The Nissan Fairlady Z is still the one. The original game-changer from the Land of the Rising Sun that set a new bar for sports cars in the 20th century. It’s beautiful from every angle, spanked not only the competition … Continue reading
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Happy 510 Day from JNC
Let’s celebrate the one of the most iconic Japanese cars ever built, the Nissan Bluebird 510. SSS stands for Super Sports Sedan, but perhaps one of those S could be sleeper, especially if you option it out in grandpa spec … Continue reading
