“The view was breathtaking, especially at night. The lights would just go on forever,” recalls Kazuhiro Hazuki, the 21st leader of Specter, one of Japan’s most famous bosozoku gangs. In its prime, the Chiba Soumei Rengo (alliance), of which Specter was a part, stretched between eastern Tokyo and western Chiba and could bring out 2,000 bikes riding in formation in a single night. Sadly, those days are gone. Continue reading
By 1968 Toyota had had enough of losing their home country’s biggest race — the annual Japan Grand Prix — to Nissan. They had just debuted the nation’s flagship sports car in the 2000GT, but it was getting trounced by the Prince/Nissan R380, a purpose-built race car that had no street-legal counterpart. Continue reading
A celebration of all things Nissan and racing, the annual NISMO Festival held by the Nissan mothership in Japan. For one late November day, legendary racing machines are dusted off and emerge from their Zama hibernation to roar across the hallowed tarmac of Fuji Speedway. Continue reading
With 2015 in the books, we thought it might be a chance to look at the highlights from the world of JNC. Continue reading
Happy Year of the Monkey! We’re like 80 percent sure that Han Dynasty astrologists weren’t talking about Honda’s 50cc mini-bike, but perhaps this will be an auspicious year for you, JNC-wise, anyway. Will you finally pull the trigger on that old “Datsun or something” your UPS guy told you about? Patch up that bit of bubbling paint that’s been slowly growing over time? Or, first things first, move to a place with a garage?
What’s your JNC New Year’s resolution?
What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW,”What automotive woes are you most eager to forget?” Continue reading
In Japan, the bonenkai (“year forgetting”) parties on December 31 are where you leave behind the stresses of the previous year, usually by consuming large quantities of alcohol with friends. Old cars can be the source of many reasons to down a pitcher of Sapporo — a project car that’s its very own circle of hell, an obscure part grenading itself at the worst possible time, or perhaps the regret of that rare Craigslist find slipping through your fingers.
What automotive woes are you most eager to forget?
What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What will you ask Japanese Santa Claus for this year?” Continue reading
From all of us at Japanese Nostalgic Car, have a happy holiday. May your desserts be sugared and your cars unsalted!
If it wasn’t for its glorious motorsports history, Fuji Speedway would be just about the worst place to hold a car show. It rains seemingly half the time there, and while that makes for cool photography, it can’t be pleasant for the owners. Luckily, the Japanese don’t seem to be phased by the precipitation one bit and and came together for an impressive 80s-themed show. Continue reading
Want a JNC-themed activity you can do with your family this holiday season? We at JNC have created an AE86 cookie cutter that you can download, 3D print, and use to make delicious, rear-wheel-drive cookies that will drift their way right into your bellies. Continue reading
Little known fact: Japanese Santa Claus lives in Hokkaido and has a team of magical Sanrio animals that can make any car part your little heart desires. If you’re a good boy or girl, he can deliver them via a flying Hino flatbed pulled by eight Sika deer and one extremely loyal Akita with a red floppy ear.
What will you ask Japanese Santa Claus for this year?
What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW,”What was the greatest single year for Japanese cars?” Continue reading
If you’re looking for high-powered GT-Rs and the like, Mooneyes shows are probably not for you. The cars you find at a typical Mooneyes event celebrate the art of customization, whether it’s on kei cars or commercial trucks. The vehicles here less about racing than about cruising, but they are all in some way interesting. Continue reading
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn likes Datsun 240Zs and is now the proud owner of a Hot Wheels version with the JNC inkan. Apparently, Vikings coach Jerry Gray has been hand-picking the diecast cars and giving them out as rewards to his football players after particularly impressive feats on the field. Continue reading
While most Japanese automakers battled it out on Suzuka and Fuji, Mitsubishi took a different tack. From 1970s Lancers on the Safari Rally to the WRC Evos of the 90s to the Pajeros reigning supreme over Dakar, Mitsubishi has always loved to get dirty in the dirt. For a brief moment in the 80s, though, they could be found swarming the tarmac thanks to the wedge-tastic Starion. Australia is where they flourished, and so once again we turn to the excellent video series by Shannons Insurance to explain why you should seriously be looking to add a Starion to your garage. Continue reading
Today’s guest writer is my friend Mika Latvala from Finland, who sent an event report from the Finnish Japanese Auto Extravaganza. Enjoy! —Ben
The Finnish Japanese Auto Extravaganza, or FinnJAE, is for all Japanese car enthusiasts in the country. All cars are welcome, no matter if they are original, tuned or even close to destruction. The event is held all over the country, depending on the area with the most active members. There were four clubs in the beginning arranging the event — The Toyota Club of Finland, Nissan Club, Mazdago and Honda Club) — and actually 2 of these clubs were even founded during FinnJAE! Continue reading
Going strictly by land mass, Japan is about 10 percent smaller than California, and a full 70 percent of its terrain is mountains. That’s why the twisting passes that cut through the ridges known as touge provide Japan’s preferred method of hooning. When the Toyota 86 came out in 2012, the company produced a 157-episode series called, simply, Touge to highlight each of Japan’s best driving roads. Continue reading
We’ve discussed which automaker had the best year, but which year had the best autos? Prior to 1970, Japanese cars were either grossly overpriced or built for a populace just graduating from a moped. By the turn of the decade, the automakers were filling that middle ground with actual cars we’d be familiar with today, and the earning power of the average Jun had reached a point where they could afford them. Suddenly cool cars were everywhere. Nissan had the Z, Toyota had the Celica, Mazda had the Capella RX-2, Mitsubishi had the Galant GTO, and Honda had the 1300 Coupe 9. Innovation, optimism, and kick-ass designs came to the forefront. It was the best of times.
What was the greatest single year for Japanese cars?
What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW,”Which Japanese automaker had the best single-year lineup?” Continue reading
As if you needed any more evidence that the Datsun 240Z is the “it car” of the moment. Hot wheels is likely going to drop yet another S30 casting soon, this time based on Sung Kang’s Fugu Z. Continue reading
If you’re an enthusiast of a certain age, there is a very good chance you got your first taste of JDM cars from a pirated copy of a Best Motoring VHS tape. It would be inaccurate to call it a show since it was never broadcast over the airwaves, but the monthly videos — released first on tape when they debuted in 1987, then DVD — were hugely popular in Japan. Eventually, they even crossed the Pacific divide before the days of internet. Continue reading
One of our favorite series on the internet right now is by Shannons Insurance of Australia. In the latest episode, they explain why you should go out and buy a first-gen Civic immediately. Continue reading
As if the ND Miata needed any more accolades, it has just won Japan Car of the Year. Praised for its purity and sporting driving experience, it earned 442 points, beating out the second-place Honda S660, which garnered 401. The BMW 2-Series came in third with 177. Continue reading
