We’re currently in Japan for the Tokyo Auto Salon, but to maximize our visit we’re also on a tour of some Japanese tuning houses. They specialize in all sorts of cars, some a specific model, others a general make, and others a broad range of marques. These legendary garages have become globally recognized for their work in making the best cars in the world even better. Most are nondescript from the outside, but stepping foot into one of these spots can feel like entering sacred ground, especially if for years you’ve seen their cars in magazines, played them in Gran Turismo, or collected diecast versions of them. Everyone should make a pilgrimage.
Which Japanese tuning house would you most like to visit?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “Which car from 2001 would you import?“.
Some say the early 2000s were a dead era for Japanese cars, but as y’all have proven, there are still gems to be found. Of course there were the flagship legends like ynori‘s R34 Skyline GT-R, but even the less sought-after variants, like Kyuusha Corner‘s R34 25GT Turbo, made the cut. High-performance forbidden fruit like Taylor C.‘s Honda Accord Euro R were excellent choices as well. There was even a non-Japanese pick, Ian G. Ford Focus RS MkI.
What caught us off guard, and happily so, were the unconventional choices. These were selections like Michael Salvador‘s Daihatsu YRV, Franxou‘s Honda Insight, TheJWT‘s Toyota Verossa, Negishi no Keibajo Honda Gyro Canopy, and エーイダン‘s Toyota Dyna double-cab flatbed truck.
The winner this week was Jeff, who weighed in with a pick that is both a halo car and a rare variant:
It’d be very hard to pass up on a DC5 Honda Integra Type R , since it’s everything that the North American Integra Type S was not: a real engine, limited-slip diff, real seats, real brakes, far better handling, much less body roll. A complete car. Where as the Type S (I had a couple of sessions with a student of mine’s Type S at an HPDE event at a “handling” track, and it was just lousy) was such is a disappointment.
But something much more rare and interesting would be the S2000 Type V – with the VGS steering system. Technically fascinating and extensive, although not altogether successful in road tests then. But a bold stroke and one worth collecting and taking good care of.
Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!
Yamaha.
Because my piano needs tuning.
Mugen. Not actually a tuning company, but they have a parts line, so the excuse is there to claim to be going to see the tuning parts and instead geek out over the Super GT and Super Formula cars.
The real answer is Dome, but they don’t have a parts line, so I don’t have that excuse.
Dome’s HQ is right next to a display of old Shinkansen prototypes which is an added bonus!
You can actually see it on the train when you’re going between Kyoto and Gifu
It would be Tomica Shop Tokyo. My diecast collection needs tuning and my wallet needs emptying.
This XD
Is Mitsuoka considered a tuning house? Probably not, but you bet I would get in their dealseship and spend hours sitting in cars and finding out what they are based out of and which bit comes which car.
The NISMO Showroom / Nissan Omori Factory would be pretty cool to check out. I had visited the Nissan Heritage Museum before and was blown away by the collection. However, the “technical” in me wouldn’t mind seeing some wrenching in action, and a visit into the vehicle rebuilding area would be sweet. I’m obviously not going to walk out of there with a GT-R, but there’s a store where I can definitely put some damage to the wallet if wanted. Who knows, maybe some stuff for my 300ZX as well.
It depends on what I will do if I visit. If it is a tour and chatting with people, I would choose Number 7 Racing Products because I’ve had such a great experience with Sudo-san.
If I got to go on a shopping spree, then I would choose Rubber Soul because they have a lot of products I need to buy, but none of their bank accounts accept international wires.
I always meant to visit Top Secret but never had the chance when I was living there. I visited their booth at the Auto Salon, but I’d mostly just want to meet Smokey and thank him for making some of the coolest cars on the planet. Tuning culture in Japan wouldn’t be what it is without him
JAOS. they do offroad with that japanese flare not found anywhere else. if i do ever decide to take a landcruiser the first mods that will go in are jaos kits imports.
I’d be so happy if i could visit TRA Kyoto some day.
the overfender craze kind of imploded under it’s own hype and people started riveting stuff to everything and the kitchen sink but TRA Kyoto, that’s the real deal.
Raw style, innovative production methods unmistakable cool, i’d love to hang out there for a bit.