Tag Archives: QotW

Twenty-five years ago today, on June 22, 2001, The Fast and the Furious hit theaters. Love it or hate it, the movie and its sequels have left a massive footprint on the movie industry, car culture worldwide, and Instagram reel … Continue reading →

Today, June 15, is National License Plate Frame Day, which is not a thing in Japan because owners are not allowed to remove their license plates, ever. Here in the US, the license plate frame is yet another way to … Continue reading →

If you lived through the 90s, you saw the rise of crossovers as the downfall of humanity. They were called names like soft-roaders, cute-utes, faux-by-fours. It seemed impossible that people would one day think of them as desirable classics, but … Continue reading →

Today, May 18, is International Museum Day, established at the 12 annual assembly of the International Council of Museums in 1977 in Moscow. It was a global effort to transform world museums, from musty collections of relics to entertaining and … Continue reading →

Well, gas prices are stupid right now and I’m stuck daily driving a 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser in Los Angeles, where fuel prices are averaging in the mid $6 per gallon range for regular. The J80 gets about 8.25 mpg, … Continue reading →

Today is Greenery Day in Japan, a national holiday that honors nature. Established in 1989, many parks, zoos and aquariums open free of charge today, encouraging visitors to appreciate the wonders of the natural world. Because of the Greenery Day’s … Continue reading →

Today, April 27, is World Design Day, formerly known as World Graphics Day. It celebrates graphic design, the art of making text and images look cool. The world would be pretty boring if every piece of text was in Times … Continue reading →

Car design is an incredibly difficult job. You have to fit everything inside a package that seats enough people, carries enough stuff, meets the engineering requirements, and passes safety regulations, all while evoking emotion. Yet, we wouldn’t be car enthusiasts … Continue reading →

Color is clearly an important factor when it comes to choosing a car, but can it make or break a purchase? We have friends who will accept a car in any color, as long as it’s a model they like, … Continue reading →

Today, April 6, is Sticker Day in Japan. It’s a play on words, combining four (shi) and six (ru), for shiru, which means “sticker” or “seal”. It’s probably safe to assume that, as car people, we’ve all accumulated significant collections … Continue reading →

I haven’t really searched for a car on the internet in almost a decade. I tend to be very specific about the cars I want, and that one was a 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser 40th Anniversary Edition in Antique Sage … Continue reading →

Today, March 23, is Near Miss Day, commemorating the day in 1989 when the asteroid 4581 Asclepius got close enough to Earth that astronomers thought we might end up like the dinosaurs. That would almost be as bad as if … Continue reading →

Today, March 16, is Driving Instructor Day, an occasion to honor those who teach others how to drive. As this 1960 photo from Minami Fukuoka Driving School shows, it can be a dreary existence repeating the same meandering route many … Continue reading →

Today, March 9, is “Thanks Day” in Japan, created because three (san) and nine (kyu) sound like “thank you” when said together. These days, saying thanks almost seems like a lost art, what with everyone on social media so obsessed … Continue reading →

Today, March 2, is Mini Day in Japan. It’s a play on the words mi (3) and ni (2), and celebrates all things small-scale. From diecast minicars to mini 4WDs to miniature pigs, today is the day that honors them … Continue reading →

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 … Continue reading →

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 … Continue reading →

` Wrenching on your car or project can be made much easier, and even more pleasurable, if you have the right tool. It’s no secret that Japanese tools have world-class quality and thoughtful designs that can make a difficult task … Continue reading →

On this day in 1959, Tokyo installed its first parking meter in front of the Metropolitan Government building (near what is now the Tokyo International Forum) in Yurakucho. The cost was ¥10 for 15 minutes. Around the same time, Tokyo … Continue reading →

One of the most annoying things about being a car enthusiast is that non-car enthusiasts automatically assume you like Bugattis and Lambos. I’d take a decades-old Toyota any day of the week. Many people who don’t know much about cars … Continue reading →