Today, February 16, is Matching Color Day in Japan. It’s a play on the words ni au iro (similar colors), which sounds like ni (2) i (1) ro (6). The occasion asks us to consider what colors go well together in clothing and fashion, but we’re going to apply it to cars. Design studios have dedicated color rooms with reams of upholstery and paint samples and employees whose entire job is to select the best matches. These days so many cars seem to come with just a sea of black inside, which makes a well-chosen merge all the more alluring.
What’s your favorite factory exterior/interior color combo on a Japanese car?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What Japanese tool is a must-have in your arsenal?“.
We loved reading your responses about the best tools, and even have a few to add to our wish lists. Chief among them is Chad R.‘s suggestion of the expensive but incredibly high-quality Nepros neXT ratchet. We’ll also have to check out Kyuusha Corner‘s recommendation for Tsunoda pliers sometime.We, like streetspirit, love our Makita power tools, but the JDM ones are significantly better than the USDM ones.
Jokesters among you like @ye and Ian G. nominated the Hanzo Hattori katana and the contents of Toretto’s garage. While we’re at it let’s add Dr. Who’s sonic screwdriver to the mix.
Speaking of which, if there was one overwhelming answer it was Vessel’s JIS screwdrivers. There are many different kinds, Kanagawa Cappu prefers the Megadoras and TheJWT prefers the ball-grip type and Franxou prefers the type with swappable bits. All are great, but this week’s winner was Banzai, who wrote one of the best odes to a simple hand tool that we’ve ever read:
My relationship with tools goes back a long way. I still have a screwdriver I found on the ground one day while walking home from the fourth grade back about 1965. I’ve had a few favorite tools through the years but one of the best is my Vessel Phillips, JIS screwdriver I discovered from a JDM friend of mine. Highly recommended.
I think I’d rather loose my first born than this screwdriver and boasted many times to others visiting my garage, how this was my favorite tool. I like to see if they “get it” or just think I must be mad.
Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!
