Japan 2007 - Motoring Extremes

On a recent tour of Japan, visiting cities such as Tokyo and Yokohama it hits you like a sledgehammer the extremes of the automotive choices available to people here. Within a 100m stretch of road you can spot a scooter, an Italian dream machine, a Japanese race track warrior, a pimped out mini van, a VIP cruiser and the latest in boxes on 4 wheels.

Its a great experience to just sit back and see what passes by, you just never know. For those of us in society that see vehicles as works of art and expressions of ones personality its intoxicating to see the latest toys and old school machines along with accessories in abundance. From large showrooms to small workshops and spotting classics for sale in obscure car yards is great fun.

To walk into places filled to the top with the goodies to modify your ride and see things normally in brochures only is fantastic. I walked into a wheel showroom and it was optic nerve overload as every wheel and tyre package was at hand. The possibilities are endless here and the love of the automobile is evident on every street.

Another great spot we found is the Nissan Gallery in Ginza Tokyo. Here the latest vehicles are on display and inside the foyer do not miss going up the staircase to the Nissan shop thats hidden away. Great location in the heart of Ginza at the intersection of Chuo-dori and Harumi-dori, dominated by the glass cylinder of the San-ai Building. With its huge neon sign, it’s been the image of Ginza on postcards and travel books for decades now.

Tags: Japan