Tag Archives: suzuki

NIHON LIFE: How to park your car in Japan, Part 01

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Skorj

Finding public or street parking in Japan’s major cities is sometimes chotto muzukashii — a Japanese saying for “a little difficult,” said through clenched teeth with a trailing “iiiii…” it essentially means, with typical Japanese subtlety, impossible. So there is naturally … Continue reading →

Posted in Nihon Life | Tagged a70, ae86, az-1, c10, corolla levin, fairlady z, fd3s, fj60, fronte, fuji rabbit, Hakosuka, honda, land cruiser, mazda, Nihon Life, nissan, Note, origin, Parking, rx-7, S15, s30 z, s800, silvia, skyline, sprinter trueno, subaru, supra, suzuki, toyota | 19 Comments

Tokyo Motor Show: Suzuki’s kei throwbacks

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Ben Hsu

The Tokyo Motor Show ended last night, and we have one thing to say: Oh Suzuki, how we’ve missed you. Not only do we not see your funky little cars on US roads any more, but then you show up to the big … Continue reading →

Posted in Tokyo Motor Show, Tokyo Motor Show | Tagged Air Triser, Alto Works, Ignis, mighty boy, Mighty Deck, suzuki | 8 Comments

EVENTS: 2015 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 04 — Workhorses

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Ben Hsu

This year’s JCCS had a higher turnout, truck-wise, than any other in recent memory. Former workhorses that managed to survive — or evade — decades of hard labor showed up en masse on Queen Mary lawn to enjoy their new status as classics.

Posted in events | Tagged 411, 610, Chevy LUV, corolla, cressida, datsun, Datsun 520/521, datsun 620, datsun 720, e20, fj60, ford courier, hilux, japanese classic car show, JCCS 2015, jimny, land cruiser, LJ80, mazda, mx72, nissan, repu, sambar, samurai, stout, subaru, subaru 360, suzuki, te28, Titan, toyota, trucks, VG223, wagons, x70 | 19 Comments

MOTORSPORT: 1976 Kojima Engineering KE007

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Ben Hsu

You never know what you’ll encounter at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Meandering through the paddocks, we came across the 1976 Kojima Engineering KE007, a Japanese Formula One car that was poised to become a formidable challenger in F1 a decade before McLaren-Hondas began their domination. … Continue reading →

Posted in motorsport | Tagged Cosworth, formula 1, KE007, Kojima Engineering, masahiro hasemi, Matsuhisa Kojima, mazda, rotary engine, suzuki | 8 Comments

ART CORNER: The illustrations of U井T吾

Posted on July 15, 2015 by Ricky Silverio

For this installment of JNC‘s Art Corner, we feature another artist from Japan. U井T吾, 27, is a Kyoto-based artist whose day job is in character design for board games and social gaming. Fortunately for us, he’s also an enthusiast of old Japanese … Continue reading →

Posted in Art Corner | Tagged a10, Art Corner, cherry cab, datsun, honda, honda z, jimny, kawasaki, kei, Kyosho, life, mitsubishi, Motara, motorcycles, nissan, pajero mini, stanza, subaru r-2, SuperCub, suzuki, U井T吾, violet | 9 Comments

EVENTS: Showa Car Preservation Meeting

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Ken Lee

The Old Car Club of Tokyo recently held it’s 3rd annual Showa no Kurma wo Mamoru Tsudoi or “Preserving cars made in the Showa Era” meeting. This is a gathering for cars made during the Showa Era, which ended in 1989 according to the … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged 2000gt, a20, ae86, Austin A50, bellett, bosozoku, c10, c30, carina, carol, celica, civic, contessa, corolla, cosmo sport, crown, csp311, daihatsu, datsun, datsun 210, e20, fairlady roadster, fronte, gloria, Hakosuka, hino, honda, Honda N-Series, isuzu, kei, laurel, mazda, Mazda K360, midget, ms51, nissan, prince, s54, s600, Showa Car Preservation Meeting, silvia, skyline, skyline sport, soarer, subaru 360, suzuki, t2000 | 14 Comments

NIHON LIFE: A kei car Sunday

Posted on April 15, 2015 by Skorj

For a number of years we’ve passed a lone Subaru 360 perched atop a rack built from scaffold over a similar-age Sambar truck. I kept thinking, “I must stop and photograph it before it disappears.” Like a Honda S500 no … Continue reading →

Posted in Nihon Life | Tagged jimny, kei, sambar, subaru, subaru 360, suzuki | 7 Comments

ART CORNER: Bosozoku Cats and Kyuusha by San Mamiya

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Ben Hsu

San Mamiya is a brilliant artist from Japan that operates mainly on Instagram. With an apparent fondness for old cars, bosozoku cats and the superdeformed style that populates manga, his illustrations exhibit a unique Nihon style that can probably be loosely described as Japanese Ed Roth.

Posted in Art Corner | Tagged 2000gt, 240z, 510, a20, alto, Art Corner, aw11, b210, bosozoku, bre, carry, celica, chaser, corolla, cressida, crown, datsun, datsun 620, e70, fairlady z, fc3s, Galant Lambda, honda, hot wheels, jimny, juke, kujira, mad manga, manga, mazda, mitsubishi, mr2, nissan, prius, rx-3, rx-7, s30, s60, samurai, san_mamiya, savanna, sports 800, suzuki, toyota, x30, x40, x60, x70 | 10 Comments

NEWS: Can you spot all the nostalgic styling cues of the Suzuki iM-4 Concept?

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Ben Hsu

Suzuki may be gone from the US market, but it’s alive and well in the rest of the world. The 85th Geneva Motor Show is going on right now, and its automotive branch unveiled this morning the Suzuki iM-4 Concept, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Next Version | Tagged cervo, escudo, fronte, Geo Tracker, iM-4 Concept, Sidekick, suzuki, swift | 7 Comments

EVENTS: 2015 New Year Meeting, Part 06 — Trucks, Vans and Wagons

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Ben Hsu

There’s nothing like a good, honest work truck. In fact, many of the earliest forms of four-wheeled transport in Japan were commercial vehicles, but precious few, like this row of forlorn-looking Mazda Porter Cabs, have survived till retirement without major wear … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged b110, b120, carry, cedric, clipper, datsun 220, Every, galant sigma, liteace, mark II, masterline, mighty boy, mitsubishi, new year meeting, nissan, prince, sambar, sanitora, subaru, sunny, sunny truck, suzuki, toyopet, toyota, wagons, x20 | 2 Comments

VIDEO: A look back at the Chicago Auto Show

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Ben Hsu

The Chicago Auto Show kicks off today. The nation’s oldest car show, it has faded from prominence in recent years, but here’s a look back at what Japan was up to during its 80s heyday. Helpfully, the Chicago Auto Show has uploaded … Continue reading →

Posted in Video | Tagged 300zx, Arc-X, aw11, camry, chicago auto show, concept cars, cressida, geo, honda, Impreza Outback, isuzu, lexus, LS 400, mazda, MID-4, mr2, nissan, Passport, Rodeo, subaru, suzuki, toyota, Toyota FXV Concept, Trooper, X-90, x70, xt, z31 | 10 Comments

EVENTS: SevenStock 17

Posted on December 12, 2014 by Ben Hsu

SevenStock is the annual gathering of the Southern California Rotary Club. The combination car show and track day is one of the largest American assemblages Mazdas both old and new, held at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California with official support … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged 787, a10, capella, cosmo, datsun, fb, fd3s, imsa, luce, mazda, mx-6, nissan, r100, repu, rotary, rx-2, rx-3, rx-4, rx-5, rx-7, rx-792p, rx-8, sa22, savanna, sevenstock, stanza, suzuki, Suzuki RE5, wagons | 9 Comments

EVENTS: Showa Kinen Park Car Show

Posted on November 28, 2014 by Chris Nicholson

Today’s guest writer is Chris Nicholson, who keeps the cars running at the Lane Motor Museum. Chris recently attended a classic car show in Showa Kinen Park. Every trip to Japan is full of wonder, and every trip to Japan is too … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged 117, 510, a30, amg, bluebird, c30, carol, cedric, chantez, civic, corolla, daihatsu, debonair, e10, familia coupe, fronte, gloria, honda, honda 1300, isuzu, kei, laurel, mazda, minica, mitsubishi, nissan, prince, publica, sb1, Showa Kinen Park, skyline, subaru, subaru 360, subaru r-2, suzuki, toyota | 6 Comments

GRAND TOURING: Boso Hanto, Day 02

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Skorj

On Day 01 of our Boso Hanto tour we visited visited hallowed ground, a Skyline specialist shop, and stopped for the night with some curry and a bit of Honda tourism. Welcome to Day 02, where we continued through the peninsula in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Grand Touring | Tagged 521, beat, Boso Hanto, c110, chaser, dyna, fronte, Grand Touring, honda, Hypermini, jeep, life, mazda, minka, mirage, mitsubishi, nissan, s800, skyline, subaru, suzuki, t2000, Tokyo Bay Aqualine, toyota, wangan, yommeri | 13 Comments

EVENTS: 2014 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 09 — Editors’ Picks

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Ben Hsu

Each year as part of our Japanese Classic Car Show coverage, we pick our favorites to highlight. We had six members of the JNC team at the show this year, plus one car that we voted on collectively to give the JNC Award. Here’s what we chose.

Posted in events | Tagged 510, bluebird, bosozoku, c110, datsun, Editor's Choice, galant gto, honda, hot wheels, japanese classic car show, jccs, jimny, jun imai, kenmeri, LJ80, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, prelude, rx-4, Ryu Asada, skyline, suzuki | 17 Comments

EVENTS: 2014 Japanese Classic Car Show, Part 06 — Trucks, Vans, and Wagons

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Ben Hsu

The latest installment of our massive 2014 Japanese Classic Car Show coverage takes a look at the haulers of the J-tin world, whether they be carrying cargo, kids, or chicken tax exemptions. It’s the trucks, vans and wagons of JCCS.

Posted in events | Tagged 510, 610, brat, corolla, corona, datsun 1200, Datsun 222, datsun 320, Datsun 520, datsun 521, datsun 620, e30, Econoline, ford, honda, japanese classic car show, jccs, jimny, kei, mazda, nissan, nl320, patrol, repu, sambar, sr5, subaru, suzuki, toyota, toyota truck, Toyota Van, wagons | 24 Comments

MUSEUMS: Motoring Mysteries of the Far East

Posted on September 12, 2014 by Ben Hsu

If you’re on the East Coast and looking for a place to get your JNC fix this weekend, may we recommend the AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The museum has gathered a fantastic and diverse cross section of Japanese vehicles … Continue reading →

Posted in museums | Tagged 240z, accord, cedric, civic, crown, datsun, honda, jimny, lj20, museums, nissan, pre-war, s30, sambar, sports 800, subaru, suzuki, toyota | 6 Comments

KEI HERO: Remembering the Suzuki Fronte Coupe

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Dave Yuan

Can you name a rear-engined Japanese sports GT with Italian styling and specific output of over 100PS/L? Such a car was real, and it came from Suzuki. Suzuki is a marque with rather divergent reputations in the US versus Japan. … Continue reading →

Posted in Back Roads | Tagged fronte coupe, kei, suzuki | 23 Comments

EVENTS: Meiji Jingu Classic Car Festival & Parade, Part 02

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Ben Hsu

When Toyota holds a car show in the middle of Tokyo’s equivalent of Central Park, people notice. In Part 01 of our Meiji Jingu Classic Car Festival coverage we had the rare opportunity to see the best of Japan’s historic … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged 110s, 117, 411, a20, a40, ALSID-2, BLRA-3, bluebird, Bluebird 312, c30, carina, celica, clipper, colt, contessa, corolla, corona, corona mark II, cosmo sport, crown, crown eight, csp311, daruma, e10, e20, fairlady z, gemini, gloria, hino, honda, isuzu, jimny, lancer, laurel, mazda, Meiji Jingu Classic Car Festival, mitsubishi, nissan, prince, Publica Sports Concept, S-Series, s130, s20, s30, s500, silvia, skyline, skyline sport, Skyline Van, supra, suzuki, T20, toyopet, toyota, Toyota Automobile Museum, x20 | 10 Comments

EVENTS: Meiji Jingu Classic Car Festival & Parade, Part 01

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Ben Hsu

We’re extremely lucky to attend as many J-tin filled shows as we do, so it might sound like a first world problem when we say there’s always one teensy issue: The cars are stationary. That’s why when the Toyota Automobile … Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged 2000gt, 240zg, a40, ae86, bluebird, Bluebird 312, c10, clipper, corolla, corona, corona mark II, cosmo sport, crown, csp311, datsun, e10, e20, events, fairlady z, gloria, Hakosuka, honda, isuzu, isuzu 117, jeep, jimny, lfa, mazda, Meiji Jingu Classic Car Festival, mitsubishi, ms51, N360/N600, nissan, prince, progres, publica, rs watanabe, s30, silvia, skyline, sports 800, subaru 360, supra, suzuki, toyota, Toyota Automobile Museum, x20 | 21 Comments