Yahoo Autos Opinion: Go to Japan
I’ve been lucky enough to travel to Japan three times in my duties as an editor for Autoblog. I can’t wait to go back. It’s an amazing place, rich in history, art, culture, food and, of course, cars. The memories I’ve made there will last a lifetime. If you’re reading this, you’re surely also an appreciator of all things automotive. Considering that, I urge you to go to Japan.
There are so many reasons to do so. Let me name a few.
JDM cars in the wild
The automotive specimens you see on Japanese roads are novel to American eyes, whether they’re kei cars, unique versions of cars we get here, or oddly named vehicles like the Honda That’s or Isuzu Mysterious Utility Wizard. It’s neat to see cars that didn’t really take off here that are actually pretty common on Tokyo highways; The Toyota C-HR just looks different on the backdrop of a Tokyo highway.
You also see neat things like those little lace doilies on the headrests of a lot of cars.
Museums
The car collections in Japan are truly special. Again, I’m fortunate, but I’ve been to some pretty amazing car museums. I think the Honda Collection Hall rivals them all. The sheer number of cars and motorcycles on display, all in running condition, is jaw-dropping. Whether it’s the Super Cub, any Type R you can think of, or one of Ayrton Senna’s F1 cars, you can see it in the flesh at this museum. It sits on the grounds of Twin Ring Motegi, which has its own history having hosted various race series over the years. I said it back in 2018, and I’ll say it again: If you are an automotive history fan, I think the Honda Collection Hall at Motegi is a pilgrimage to be made, and it’s an absolute must if you’re a Honda fan.
On my most recent trip to Japan, I was able to visit Nissan’s Zama Heritage Collection in a decommissioned factory outside of Tokyo. It’s another incredible walk through an automaker’s hostory, from racing to mergers to storied nameplates and more. I tried to capture what I could on camera, but there is simply too much to document. While the building itself is humble — more warehouse than museum — the holiness of the sheet metal one can see face to face leaves you coming away awestruck.
Like I said, I can’t wait to get back to Japan. There are more car collections and automotive history to see. The Toyota Automobile Museum in Aichi and Mazda Museum in Hiroshima, for instance, are high on my list. Some day …
