Today is Industrial Tourism Day in Japan, an occasion that sounds a lot more boring than it is. Started by the Nagoya Chamber of Commerce, it asks people to explore the ingenuity and craftsmanship that may lurk behind the scenes but that make up everyday objects and drive the country’s economy. The automobile is a huge part of it, and the world has no shortage of museums, racing circuits, car meets, or incredible roads to celebrate the car.
What’s the one car enthusiast tourist thing you must do before you die?
The best comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s your favorite JNC work vehicle?”
Okay, so the kei trucks, compact pickups, three-wheeled trikes and hearses mentioned by crank_case, Jeremy A., Negishi no Keibajo, and Banpei respectively are all great. Dutch 1960 almost won it with his one liner about the Fujiwara Tofu Shop vehicle as well. However, the winner this week is Michael K., who offered this entertaining screed:
It’s gotta be the Toyota Land Cruiser. It’s used around the world in search and rescue, mining, exploration, war, conservation… I could go on and on. Even the United Nations uses them to deliver medical supplies! The 70 series not being allowed to sell here is probably some kind of government conspiracy to not embarrass the hero of WWII, the Jeep. They might be slow as a slug, but it’s the only way to keep Range Rover owners from dying of shame!
Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!
Wakkanai to Kagoshima. Back roads only.
Visit Monterey Auto Week and don’t miss the Historic Races. I actually recommend doing it on the cheep, attending the free events and camping at the track with other like minded individuals. You never know who you will meet.
Visit Japan. Multiple times. I’m part-way there, at least.
I’m thinking to drive a JNC on the Ashinoko-Hakone Skyline or a track day at Tsukuba.
Drive my 2010 RX-8 R3 from Boston to the Japanese Classic Car Show in California. I’m still saving my pennies to cover the gas.
Ride shotgun with a WRC rally team. Relive the glory days of group B.
As a car nut in general and die-hard Nissan nerd specifically, I feel extremely lucky to have had the chance to do a lot of cool car enthusiast tourist activities over the years such as joining the DSport Tokyo Auto Salon tour; doing a Nismo track day at COTA, attending R’s Day and driving at Laguna Seca, watching an F1 race at Indy, and so on and so forth. In fact, I just got back from a week on the East Coast driving the Blue Ridge Parkway and culminating in a trip to NIssan NA HQ then getting a tour of their private heritage collection at the Lane Motor Museum.
There are still a lot of trips on my bucket list I’d like to do such as attend the 24 Hours of Le Mans, watch a Super GT race in person, and rent a JDM performance car to drive the touge in Gunma prefecture but like most people time is a major limitation – so if there’s one truly touristy thing I’d wish I could do as a car enthusiast it would be simply to have the luxury of a week or two off from work and other responsibilities, pack a bag, and head off on a road trip in my favorite car.
Maybe I won’t even have a specific destination in mind…just have a simple goal of spending time with my pride and joy in search of some cool sights and great driving roads.
Life is short and as such it’s all too easy to focus solely on the big goals but sometimes the biggest joys in life are the simpler ones. Just like you don’t have to go to Fiji or Paris to have a great time with a beautiful lady in your life (or handsome man as the case may be), you also don’t necessarily have to make the trip to an automotive mecca to spend quality time with that special vehicle in your life 🙂
Cliche answer, but I want to run Route 66.