Category Archives: Nihon Life
You can now get racing legend Kazuyoshi Hoshino as a plush doll
In case you were wondering whether it was possible to buy a plush doll of famed racing driver Kazuyoshi Hoshino, the answer is yes. That’s right, the Nissan pilot who placed third at the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans … Continue reading
Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge, monument of legendary street races, turns 30 years old
No blast down Tokyo’s legendary Wangan would be complete without an encounter with the Rainbow Bridge. The 2,618-foot suspension bridge links the city’s Shuto expressway to the Bayshore Route, sites of Tokyo’s storied street racing scenes. On August 26, the … Continue reading
Posted in Nihon Life
3 Comments
The bustling city of Tokyo in 1968
It’s really too bad that human technology didn’t evolve a cheap way to capture mountains of video footage until recently. It would’ve been great to see more of Tokyo during the post-war boom times, especially very beginnings of the golden … Continue reading
Posted in Nihon Life
2 Comments
Isuzu Motors at the Yokohama Expo of 1989: upside-down cars and floating buses
During the Bubble Era, with Japan’s economy flush with cash, a number of regional expos sprang up around the country. Akin to miniature world’s fairs, they showcased local culture and industry thanks to corporate sponsors bursting with coin. One such … Continue reading
Suzuki’s decision to crush its MotoGP bikes explains a lot
Earlier this month Suzuki won the Valencia Grand Prix, the last MotoGP race of 2022, but it was a bittersweet victory. With this win, Suzuki is closing the books on its decades-long participation in MotoGP, the premier motorcycle racing series … Continue reading
How good are you at Japan’s Car Meister Test?
Can you correctly answer 100 questions about cars in one hour? If so, you might have what it takes to pass Japan’s Car Meister Test. Since 2014, the Japan Meister Test Association has held exams to see who qualifies as … Continue reading
Initial D taxis are here to take you around Takumi’s hometown
The city of Shibukawa, Gunma is promoting itself as the home town of Initial D protagonist Takumi Fujiwara. The real-life town is where all the action of the series began, and even now, 27 years after its debut, fans of … Continue reading
The Nakagin Capsule Tower, a symbol of Japan’s golden age of innovation, is being demolished
On April 12, demolition of the Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo began. The once-futuristic building was a symbol of Japan’s modernism during its golden age of innovation. The avant-garde concept consisted of 140 detachable apartments that could be removed and … Continue reading
Japan bids farewell to the Highway Telephone
On March 31, 2022 another facet of Japanese automotive life is disappearing. The NEXCO Highway Telephone, a mainstay of the Heisei Era, will end service. Offered by the Nippon Expressway Company, which runs Japan’s highway system, the Highway Telephone is … Continue reading
Japan brought out its best cars for the Tokyo Olympics in 1964
The 1964 Summer Games in Tokyo was a turning point for Japan. They were the first Olympics to be held in Asia, and Japan was ready to rejoin the world as a symbol of modernity. As a show of its … Continue reading
Posted in Nihon Life
Tagged cedric, colt, corona, crown, crown eight, debonair, dyna, fuso, gloria, mitsubishi, nissan, Olympics, prince, s30, s40, shinkansen, t40, toyota
7 Comments
McDonald’s popularized the drive-through in Japan and turns 50 today
Fifty years ago today, Japan’s first McDonald’s restaurant opened in Ginza, Tokyo. The American fast food chain not only introduced hamburgers to Japan, but the concept of the drive-through restaurant. It was a time when Japan was undergoing rapid motorization, … Continue reading
Rent your own island villa complete with FJ40 Land Cruiser
Remember that Allstate Insurance ad where the guy drives his little Defender all over town, revealed at the end to be entirely situated on a tiny island that you could drive across and back before your tea kettle boiled? Well, … Continue reading
Toyota Supra owner selling car to pay for his cat’s medical expenses finds there is still good in the world
The pandemic has been a reset for mankind, with shelter-in-place orders last year giving us time to wrench on our projects and spend time with our loved ones. However, one man in Osaka was posed with a very difficult choice … Continue reading
Hino’s radio program for long-haul truckers ends after 52 years
For over half a century, a Hino-sponosored a radio program has kept long-haul truckers company in Japan as they drove through the night. Imitators came and went, but Hino Midnight Graffiti Hashire! Kayōkyoku wasn’t just the longest-running radio program for … Continue reading
A train station in Japan now plays the Seibu Keisatsu theme song
Starting February 20 of this year, Kokuryo Station, located in Chōfu, Tokyo, will adopt the Seibu Keisatsu theme song as one of its platform jingles. The change is a tribute to Ishihara Pro, the production company responsible for some of … Continue reading
A brief history of JCW, Japan’s first carwash company
We recently came across a news item about a new system in Japan that washes coronavirus off of your clothes and shoes. You walk through a metal frame while nozzles spray chemicals all over you, in droplets too small to … Continue reading
Posted in Nihon Life
Tagged corona mark II, crown, ms51, publica, s60, shinkansen, toyota
6 Comments
You can now get Mazda RX-7 rotary engine-themed face masks in Japan
The march of car-themed face masks continues as Japan struggles to deal with COVID-19. Though Japan’s coronavirus death rate — a little over 1,000 — is pretty mild compared with that of the US, themed masks are still doing brisk … Continue reading
That new life-size Gundam robot in Japan is basically a Mazda RX-7 from the 22nd century
Giant robots are serious business in Japan. Construction has just finished on a 59-foot Gundam robot in Yokohama, and it’s not even the first. If you’ve been to Odaiba, Tokyo where Toyota’s MegaWeb showroom is located, you have probably seen … Continue reading
Posted in Nihon Life
Tagged gt-r, Gundam, mazda, nissan, r35, rx-7, sa22c, Shiro Nakamura
9 Comments
Now you can get classic Nissan coronavirus face masks
If you want to protect yourself (and others) from transmitting a harmful virus while simultaneously expressing your love for classic Nissans, there is now a face mask for you. In Japan, you can now get two types of masks, one … Continue reading
