When in Japan...

[Pug205]

I am going to Japan next month for a 3 week holiday and know a few members have been there before. So wanted to know of the best places I should visit and look out for in regards to motorsport and model cars.

We are starting in Tokyo and making our way south. Would love to check out any muesums, stores, and anything that shows a Japanese take on some of our favourite interests here. Will need a fix of sorts in that time.

And to Andrew, RR32, and others please note this is not the HPI R32 order form thread :p

Thanks guys

[edy]

Visit the Nissan Auto Museum

http://ezinearticles.com/?Nissans-Auto-Museum--The-Ginza-Gallery&id=567937

Japan Disney Land

http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/index_e.html

Of course go on a Shinkansen (Bullet Train)

[jager]

There used to be a great model store in Ebisu, Tokyo called Mr Craft :

- Diecasts on the Ground Floor
- White Metal & Plastic Kits plus Slot Cars on the Second Floor
- Motoring books, posters & art on the top floor.

I heard however they closed in September 2008 due to bankruptcy !

I'd love to know what happened to their stock. When I was last there in late 2007 they had quite a lot of the Biante 1:43 Bathurst winning Nissans.

[tonynz]

I have been to a shop in Kobe in the down town shopping mall / complex called FORZA motor sports, www.team-rosso.co.jp
It has quite a good selection of F1, Japan GT series cars etc.

When you first arrive in Japan find a book / magazine shop look for the car magazine section and buy a few of the local motor racing magazines they have adverts for model shops etc.
Also go to the hobby magazine section and buy some of the model car magazines these have to be the best quality of any magazines in the world.
Even though they are written in Jappanese there is some broken english as well as having great photo's and adverts for shops etc.

Hope this helps
Tony

How far south are you going.

[k1w1taxi]

The following are from a fellow Kiwi who is an Air NZ Pilot and modeller. They are from her times on the Japan run. Mostly in Osaka if you are going that far.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gpma/message/88441
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gpma/message/87647
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gpma/message/87367

Hope these help
Lee

[Andrew]

Hey, have a great trip!!! I will not order any HPI cars from you. However.......



....


....


....


....if you find any R32 GT-R posters........

;)

Have a great trip and let us know how it went.

[Road Runner 72]

Or rare Aa skylines ;)

just have a safe trip pug & thanks for thinking of us ...... Well sort of lol.

[Pug205]

Will look out for anything interesting that fits in a backpack. Thanks for the tips guys keep them coming :D

I can't wait to go. My sister is over there and I have always wanted to visit the country.

[jager]

The following are from a fellow Kiwi who is an Air NZ Pilot and modeller. They are from her times on the Japan run. Mostly in Osaka if you are going that far.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gpma/message/88441
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gpma/message/87647
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gpma/message/87367

Hope these help
Lee

A woman who drinks beer, watches Grand Prix's, knows the difference between a Ferrari 250TR and a GTO and loves to spend her weekends shopping for models. Sounds like the ideal wife for most of the guys on this forum.

[Road Runner 72]

So true Jager, so true..............

[Kashmir]

Man I even don't know the difference betwen a Ferrari 250TR and a GTO Lol:o

[Pug205]

Hello there from Japan!

Having a great time here and thought I would share some pictures from Motegi Raceway and the Honda Collection Hall.

The place is more like a theme park then a raceway, pay at the gate and the track is actually open to look at unlike our tracks at home. The track was in use today - a very fast, very loud bike was out there.

The Museum is located on the grounds as well as a Karting circiut which I now have a B license for :D, smaller tracks and motoring themed rides for kids, as well as an education centre with the Honda robot doing shows for school children.

Eastern Creek this was not! this is small, small sample of what I took. Will post more later on if anyone would like to see more.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1575.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1579.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1578.jpg

[Pug205]

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1272.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1297.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1313.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1285.jpg

[Pug205]

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1318.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1333.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1351.jpg

[Pug205]

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1356.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1552.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1282.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1308.jpg

[Pug205]

The Collection Hall has alot more bikes then cars and I took alot of pictures of these too but Im not into bikes that much so did not know what I was looking at most of the time, again happy to show them to anyone interested

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1545.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1439.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1449.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1464.jpg

[Pug205]

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1455.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1459.jpg

[malscar]

Great shots and thank you for sharing. I think I may be arrested if I was there. Surprised they don't appear to have the Japanese touring/Sports cars on display.

[ratster70]

Thanks for sharing pug not into bikes much either but that is some collection:D

[Pug205]

Thanks guys. It is the best collection I have seen in one place and well presented too, as you would expect in Japan.

Moving on to Toyota now and this is their much smaller collection at the Toyota Mega Web located at Tokyo Bay. It has a showroom, test drive area, and a small part dedicated to their Motorsport division. It includes a racing simulator of the Fuji Raceway which is fun but not entirely convincing.

The giftshop had a great range of F1 merchandise and prices slighty better then home. One thing I have found is they will discount older models here, 1:43 minichamps at $30 makes a great buy.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1021.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1025.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1043.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1044.jpg

[Pug205]

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1048.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1050.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1055.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1060.jpg

[Pug205]

The museum featured a handful of cars and not all were Toyota's own cars.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1075.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1076.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1080.jpg

and one for my dream garage:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1069.jpg

[lachlan]

Excellent!! Thanks for sharing. One question, where is everybody? :D

Love the Toyota Corolla and smashed Celica!!

[Pug205]

Thought you would enjoy those cars lachlan!

I was at Motegi early this morning so had those rooms pretty much to myself, was like my own private tour :)

As for the other pictures - its called careful framing :D

[spolyhronidis]

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n309/bla79/Japa n09/DSC_1333.jpg


I like the Honda NSX. it looks great.

[brchi17]

awesome images pug, thanks for sharing :cool:

[wayno]

Can't believe how much I'm salivating looking at some of those cars. Great stuff!

[k1w1taxi]

Great stuff Pug! Best piece about the Motegi museum - No freakin ropes to ruin the photos!! :)

Cheers
Lee

[Road Runner 72]

Pug, thanks so much for posting them, its great seeing some of the older 500 bikes & the old Mac's, awesome.

Feel free to fill up this thread with photos as I feel you won't have many complaints, as most of us will never get the chance to see that place!


(So any Skyline diecast's fit in your back pack yet lol)

Cheers

Mike

[Andrew]

Pug - awesome photos. Those Honda race cars are amazing. And then to go to Toyota too and check out a GT-One and works Corolla WRC in the metal......

I liked those posters on the walls behind the Toyotas.

Any R32 GT-R posters over there?

As Mike said, keep filling this thread with pics - you will have NO complaints from any of us.