A couple of weeks ago we asked about tools, but what other items should you buy from Japan? Take the Converse sneaker, for example. In Japan, the Chucks Taylors are completely different than the ones you can buy in the US. In America, Converse is owned by Nike and come with the quality you would expect there. In Japan, the Converse trademark is owned by Itochu, a 168-year-old company that can be considered the Toyota of textiles. Itoshu-made Converses are made with stronger and more durable canvas, more smoothly grommed eyelets that are less likely to catch the 100 percent cotton (not polyester) laces, and have reinforced stitching in common stress points to prevent premature splitting. Also, they come in different colors.
There’s a reason why tourists bring empty suitcases to Japan. You can fill them up with car parts, selvidge denim jeans, Japan-pressed vinyl records, Biore sunscreen, limited edition Tomica, and so on.
What non-car goods should you buy from Japan?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s your favorite factory exterior/interior color combo on a Japanese car?“.
Several answers chose colors for nostalgic reasons, and we can’t blame you. Jonathan P. chose a rather ordinary car, an early 90s Toyota Camry or Honda Accord in white, but with a burgundy interior that was so “of the era”. We are with dankan as big fans of 90s aquamarine, though we can’t remember a tan interior paired with any. If you do, please let us know! Negishi no Keibajo‘s San Marino Red over black isn’t particularly rare but it was on seemingly every Honda in the 90s.
daniel likes the opposite, the classic black over red is more tied to the 60s but has been used on many cars over the decades. For a combo that seems to have all but died out, there’s blue on blue. That looks good on everything from Toyota Crowns, as suggested by TheJWT, to the Acura NSX in Long Beach Blue, as recommended by Alan.
The category that received the most answers was roadsters. Specifically, the Mazda Roadster, which had so many famous color combos: Sammy B‘s BRG over tan, Taylor C.‘s excellent Eunos Roadster RS Limited in Montego Blue over black with Recaro RZ seats with the yellow Kevlar backing, or Land Ark‘s 2021 Miata in Soul Red with white seats.
There are many great non-Miata combinations as well, including Franxou‘s white over red Honda S600 or Ian G‘s Toyota MR2 Spyder in Phantom Gray Pearl with a red top and interior. All are terrific and classy, but for his unexpected direction the winner this week is 88TSI_Rob, whose pick calls out for a good time:
For me if you enjoy JNCs, you have to at least appreciate the Honda Beat. In its iconic Carnival yellow over that graphite/black colored interior with zebra striped seats and floor mats, the car just screams “Let’s have fun!”.
Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!
No trip to Japan is complete without bringing back some bottles of Pocari Sweat for friends and family. No, it’s not the actual sweat from the back of a Pocari (some say it’s a distant cousin of the North American Nauga which was known for its hides, legend has it the Pocari lives on the Eastern slopes of Mt. Fuji), but once you get over the name, it’s a fairly refreshing/replenishing drink akin to Gatorade but without the “fruity” flavors or fluorescent colors. A slightly slick mouthfeel, a translucent yet vaguely hazy body, with a taste somewhat difficult to describe but more or less neutral, it does the job without actually having to try to first find, then mount and attempt to lick the skin on the back of a mythical beast to get enough of that sweet, sweet liquid to quench your inner thirst.
Pocari Sweat, drink a liter today! (available in handy single drink sizes to sixers to full multi-liter jugs of the stuff at most any convenience store in Japan.)