shiro240

Dino- Ame-san couldn't trailer-queen one of his Super GT 300 RX7's to the meet for everyone to enjoy? What gives!!?? PS- Nice pictures!

Poida- Nice shots from Daikoku! I've been wanting to hit that place for years, but I've never been (and maybe never will!). Thanks!

Awesome pics--thanks! Still, would love to see some Delica Space Gear drift action sometime too.

Regarding Top Secret's home base in Chiba... This thing is pretty tough to get to if you don't have a car. It's located near Owada (Yachiyo city) just off Route 16 near a bunch of used car dealerships and fairly non-descript chain restaurants/businesses. I must've passed by this place a good ten times before and never realized it was there until last week, so it's not as "hard to miss" as some other people have noted. However, the shop can be seen from the street if you're heading northbound on RT 16 (towards Funabashi). I live Katsutadai, which is listed as being the closest station to there but I believe it's still quite far away. A solid 20 minute bike ride or a good 40 mins to an hour on foot. A taxi might be the best, but most expensive, way to get there, although I'd like to find out if there really is a bus that gets there too. BTW- There's also an Upgarage and a used car dealership that specializes in tuned RX7s only about a km or two away.

Compared to Tokyo Auto Salon, it was tiny. I'd guess around 50-70 cars but I could be wrong. For this show, however, it was better to have quality over quantity.

Cheers man--I really appreciate it! Rezz- Yeah, those were with my D70S and an 18-70mm lens.

I remember reading they chopped the top off one for a James Bond movie. Could it be the same car? Anyone know if there was more than one convertable 2000GT made?

Hey guys, Last weekend I went to the BP Nostalgia Car Show in Odaiba. For months I had been seeing the advert for this thing posted all around the Tokyo metro area and, me being a such an old car "otaku", there was no way I was going to miss this show. The pricetag for admission was a steep 2000 yen, so expectations were quite high on my part. The show, however, did not disappoint. With some of the rarest cars Japanese sportscars present (including numerous vintage Skylines, a stable of Toyota 2000GT's, along a booth from Dome) it was certainly a show to remember. Be sure and check it out when it rolls in to your part of Japan! I've spent the last day trying to sort through all the photos, but I could only manage to get the album down to around 100. Also, I haven't had time to crop and color correct, so apologies in advance. Here's a bit of a preview... Here's a link to the full album: http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z119/txjpn/ Enjoy!

Rezz- Those aren't men--that's Madness! What? You don't remember that crazy English ska-pop group that had a few minor hits ("One Step Beyond" and "Our House") in the early 80's? I'm seriously disappointed in your lack of trivial 80's knowledge.

Funny...I saw an R31 just last night too. I think it's the first one I've seen in 6 months!

Ok, I'll add a few myself... Some buddies and I went to a Yakult Swallows baseball game a few weeks back, and when we got to our seats, this is what we saw in the row next to us. (FYI - The guy woke up, but only about an hour after the game started.) This is from the Taiko festival at Narita last month... Not too rare but still interesting to see: An Autozam Mazda AZ1 in the carpark at Tokyo Auto Salon 2007.

Rezz- That's more or less the same story, regarding availability and pricing, for the SW20 MR2 variant called the "TRD 2000GT". Also extremely rare and a highly sought after modification in the MR2 community, most of the cars you see on the road today are using replicated TRD parts (since the originals commanded upwards of $10,000 US for the complete kit). As you may or may not remember, the MOMO/Apex'i MR2 went on to win the '99 GT300 series of the JGTC. I'm not sure if the aero parts were essentially the same, exactly the same, or completely different. However, it would seem logical that some sort of widebody modification would've been performed to allow much larger front and rear tires than the stock SW20 MR2 would allow.

Good thing I didn't try going to Daikoku then! I figured it would probably be packed with all the cars in town for the show. Highlights of the show for me: the chopped Mugen S2000, the Super GT car drift demo (that nearly killed a few fans!), the MR2 "limo", and the Petronas Z4 race car. Oh yeah, getting to see my hero, Keiichi Tsuchiya, was pretty great too!

No clue about that hotel. As long as it's got a bed and is fairly clean, that should be all you need. Don't expect to be staying at the Hilton as Japan is fairly expensive and budget hotels are just that--budget hotels. As far as Narita goes, it's a bit out in the sticks. It takes about an hour to get to Tokyo via Keisei or JR trains (limited express or Skyliner). The town itself, too, doesn't have a whole lot to offer other than the superb Narita-san temple/shrine there. If you're staying there, you must go to this place--it's awesome. Otherwise, you might be better off staying somewhere in Tokyo or Yokohama. Look for business hotels--you can usually find something fairly reasonably priced.

FYI- In Tokyo, there are two Sobu lines that both run to Chiba. Make sure you take the "Sobu Rapid Line" (aka Yokosuka line) to get to Chiba City as it's way faster than the Sobu local line.

I agree. If you're planning on travelling through a large part of Japan, the JR pass is really your best bet. You'll really save tons that way and you have access to just about any sort of public transport you'll need. In terms of transport from Kyoto to Tokyo, there is more than one way to get back although each option has its disadvantages. Usually most people take the shinkansen, but it's pretty expensive. You can also take a local train and a highway bus, which is way cheaper, but takes upwards of 7 hours to make the journey. This website has good information about travel to and from the two areas: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2363.html Honestly, I'd say just find the things you want to do and base your trip around that. I'm sure you can find any number of tour packages that cater to your interests. PS- I just returned from Singapore and Malaysia and, if you're planning on travelling between the two countries, I'd highly recommend taking a highway bus. I took the train between the two countries, and while it was picturesque going through tropical jungle, it also took around 9 hours to complete.

Sorry, but I can't find the information you're referring to from the link you've provided. Can you post a direct link to the area of text you want translated?

Man, that's a lot to do in one day--unless you're just going to get off at one station, look around for 1-2 minutes, and get back on the train! Be prepared to walk! PS- I know everyone recommends going to Asakusa, and not that it isn't a nice temple or anything, but have any of you been to Narita-san before in Narita, Japan? Even though it's a big tourist spot too, I think the omotesando-dori (road leading to the temple/shrine) is a much better experience than the equivalent at Asakusa. Also, the park inside the walls is worth the trip alone.

Honestly, I can't say I've ever heard of anyone going out for drinks or whatever in Makuhari, although I know there must be bars somewhere around there. The area where TAS is located, in Kaihin Makuhari, is a huge business sector with some shopping areas thrown in. Everytime I've been there I can count the number of people walking around on one hand. It's spread out and eerily quiet on the weekends. Anyway, in terms of nightlife nearby, the best place to go is probably Shin-Tsudanuma. There are a fair number of izakayas, a gaijin bar called "Sala", and other entertainment facilities. It's a quick train ride away by either JR or Keisei railway. Otherwise, Chiba City might be a good too.

Unfortunately, the best shops (or at least the most famous ones) aren't all located in the same area. Some are located out in the sticks, while others may be in the city. I'd say find a hotel that you can afford, near things you want to see or do (or at least in the same general region) before coming. If you want to be near TAS, then you'll want to stay somewhere in Chiba (like Makuhari, Tsudanuma, Chiba, or Funabashi). Otherwise, if you don't mind taking the train and would rather be in Tokyo, there are plenty of good spots all over the city. I've used business hotels in the past and they've been fairly good for what you pay. Good luck!

Damn, I had no idea that this was going on today, otherwise I would've gone. Looking to make Nismo next week provided it isn't predicted to rain too much!

What about going to a junkyard or breaker? I have absolutely no clue where any of them are located, but possibly there might be some sitting around there that you might convince someone to sell you. However, it might take a real effort, a lot of time, and money so I'd say just be happy the replica plates most people usually buy.

It's actually super easy to get there (provided you're flying in to Narita airport). You can take a Keisei Skyliner or slower train from Narita airport to Keisei-Tsudanuma--it's about 20-40 minutes away depending on the train. You then switch lines one time for "Chiba City" and get off at the first stop--Makuhari Hongo Stn. After that, you catch a bus for Makuhari Messe. If you guys have any questions about the area, I'll try to answer them as best as possible.

I've never tried Yebisu, as it's a bit hard to find and pricier than some of the others, but I've heard it's quite good. I'm ashamed to say it, but I usually drink whatever's cheapest here, so it's usually a toss up between Draft One and Nodogoshi!

Speaking of... Is anyone from this board going? Also, is there any place to see the itenerary for this year's event? Cheers.