Places for a car guy to go in Japan?

[wishihada240z]

My company is sending me to our parent company in Sagimahara on March 10 and I was wondering if any of you on this forum have any suggestions as to things to do or places to go for a car guy seeing as how I will be there for 6 weeks! I'd like to go to the Toyota museum and see a 2000GT and go to a Nissan museum and see some rare cars. Also does anyone know where I might have a decent chance of finding some NOS parts for a 240Z (headlight covers, ZG flares, S20 Longblock hehe j/k, etc)? Thanks in advance to anybody that can help!

[Carl Beck]

Bump... bump..

[wishihada240z]

Thanks for the bump Carl, surely someone on here knows a little something about Japan. Is it Allen (sp?) who has the real deal 240zg seems like he would know Japan like the back of his hand?

[ToXIc]

no clue about where to go....

but all i gotta say is you better take allot of pics :laugh:

[Babalouie]

Not really sure where Sagimahara is...I think it's close to Yokohama? If so, then you're pretty close to Tokyo, and some of this stuff might be relavent:

http://grandjdm.com/2007/08/13/so-you-wanna-go-to-japan-part-1-getting-around/

http://grandjdm.com/2007/08/15/so-you-wanna-go-to-japan-part-2-where-to-stay-walkin-around/

http://grandjdm.com/2007/08/18/so-you-wanna-go-to-japan-part-3-cars-cars-cars/

http://grandjdm.com/2007/08/22/so-you-wanna-go-to-japan-part-4-reflections/

But you'll find that Yokohama/Kanagawa is more of a "car place" than Tokyo is, so there are more tuners and workshops there and there is more of a car culture.

In terms of specific things to see, it sounds like you'll be in Japan during the Shizuoka Nostalgic Car Show: http://www.nostalgic.co.jp/shizuoka.html I would say that you should NOT MISS THIS I don't think it's too far from where you will be so there is no excuse for not going there and taking a few thousand pictures

I think you might still be in Japan for the JCCA Classic Car festival at Fuji Speedway: http://www.jcca.cc/event/2008/jamboree/index.html

Here's a teaser from last yr's event: http://www.jcca.cc/event/2007/jamboree/result_P68_75.html I think you should be there if possible

Keep an eye on this: http://www.hobidas.com/blog/shop/mooneyes/ for upcoming hot rod/street rod type shows.

There's a lot to do and see I think you won't be bored. As for shops, tuners etc to visit, you're not that far from Kameari Engine Works (www.kameariengineworks.co.jp) in Saitama and um...gosh I could go on for a little while

What sort of stuff did you want to see?

[wishihada240z]

Wow Baba thanks for that wealth of info! I really appreciate it, I am pretty much looking for classic japanese car shows, shops that specialize in 240z's and miatas (aka eunos roadster) and I would also love to catch some type of racing event possibly drifting?

[Babalouie]

I think those are all the shows that are on in that time, but the Shizuoka show should be a really good one.

Also you're in Japan in cherry-blossom week too (last week of Mar/1st wk of Apr) which will be super cool.

Miatas are easy. Car Make Corns is in East Tokyo at Edogawa: http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~corn-s/ It's maybe 10mins walk from Ichinoe station, which is on the Shinjuku Line. If you want dress-up and light tuning stuff, they got a bit of everything.

www.joyfast.com and www.rsaizawa.co.jp are both in Yokohama, but they're both workshops rather than retail outlets for the usual MX5 dressup trinkets.

As for 240Z shops, I'm sure there'll be a few in Yokohama, let me get back to you

[Babalouie]

http://www.d1gp.co.jp/schedule_ticket_2008_1_ebisu.html

You're in luck, the next round of D1GP is in Ebisu at the end of March. Ebisu is a little hard to get to though. It's maybe a 2hr train ride north of Tokyo, but the station is quite far from the circuit. You can catch a taxi from the station to the circuit, but getting back at the end of the day will be a nightmare.

You might have to take the plunge and get a rental car but that's going to be quite a big adventure in itself Or find someone who is going and hitch a ride with them.

[Curtis240Z]

http://www.datsun-freeway.com ask for Masahiro Hatanaka he is the owner and speaks some english and is the nicest guy!

[Montezuma]

http://www.datsun-freeway.com ask for Masahiro Hatanaka he is the owner and speaks some english and is the nicest guy!

Nice guy for sure, but his shop is in Chiba which is a very expensive train ride or even drive if you consider tolls. Chiba is where Narita Airport is. I meet Hatanaka-san at a Nostaligic Garage meet at the Tokyo Big Site several years ago. I think the links listed above will keep wishadada very busy. Check out an Up Garage while you are there. There is a big one next to Auto Zebra up near Zama on the corner of Rt 246 and 16. That Up Garage is huge, with a seperate garage full of wheels and tires. Auto Zebra sells S30s and other classic cars. English is not spoken at Auto Zebra.

[wishihada240z]

Thanks very much for all the replies guys. I think I have more than enough to keep me busy. That datsun-freeway shop is near narita airport? That may be a good thing as that is where I will be flying into. I will be staying in Sagamihara which is about a 1.5-2 hour train ride southwest of Tokyo.

[Montezuma]

Thanks very much for all the replies guys. I think I have more than enough to keep me busy. That datsun-freeway shop is near narita airport? That may be a good thing as that is where I will be flying into. I will be staying in Sagamihara which is about a 1.5-2 hour train ride southwest of Tokyo.

"The city is located 35 - 40 kilometers southwest of the Metropolitan Area of Tokyo and connected to the center of the Area and Yokohama, another city in the same Prefecture of Kanagawa, by JR Yokohama line and two other private railway lines, Odakyu and Keio-Sagamihara Line. The city is also connected, on the national expressway network, with Tomei (Tokyo-Nagoya) Expressway and Chuo Expressway by two trunk roads, Route No.16 and No.129." I was trying to remember were Sagamihara was, it is up by Yokota Air Force Base. Yokota is great but getting to and from it to Tokyo is very time comsuming, hopefully you will hook up with a guy with a car. I used to drive to Yokota from Yokosuka it was fun but a little expensive in tolls. Make a good plan you will have a blast.