Japan Trip 2014

[dirtywan]

Hi Guys,

I know this has topic has been covered 1000 times. But I'm after some info on good car related stuff to do in Japan. As well as some tradition stuff for the misses. We will be flying into Osaka or Kyoto, I can't remember which one, on the 19th of May. So far, on the itinerary is the Mazda Museum on the 22nd, and that's about it. I have found a website saying that I can rent a GTR for the day, it costs around $350 AUD, does anyone know if there is an age restriction to this at all? I will be applying for an international licence as well, what kind of general hire cars do they offer?

Also if anyone has any info or knowledge of any car meets, and drifting coming up in May, help would be greatly appreciated.

I'm open to any other suggestions that anyone has.

[*LOACH*]

Here is Nissan renta cars English site - http://nissan-rentacar.com/english/

Toyota's http://rent.toyota.co.jp/en/

Times (they uses Mazdas) http://www.timescar-rental.com/

Getting an international driving license (about 5 years ago in NSW) meant visiting the NRMA, showing my licence and paying $25. Easy as can be and I did it on the way to the airport.

As far as what to do you are probably better off searching through the myriad of threads in here and looking at the Japan Photo Diaries as you will get a better idea of what to see. Although I will say that if you have any interest in anything related to aquariums and you are in Osaka, Kaiyukan is absolutely amazing.

[GOD12A]

Heya DIRTYWAN

I really enjoyed the Mazda Museum as I'm an avid rotary nut. I travelled from Tokyo to Hiroshima on the Shinkansen to specifically see it. It was a pretty good tour too.

The Toyota Automobile Museum in Nagakute had lots of stuff in it, but I wouldn't visit again. It was more a history of automobiles rather than 'cool shit'. Definitely wasn't bad, but it was a day trip for me and I was a little 'meh' at the end of it.

Do some research on the Nissan Zama Heritage Garage. It's a very exclusive storage facility for Nissan, but I've read info that suggests it may be opening to the public. If so, that'd be an amazing place to visit.

You must visit Odaiba in Tokyo Bay. There's so much cool stuff there. Fuji TV, Decks shopping centre, Diver City shopping centre etc

Not far away is Palette Town which features Toyota MegaWeb. When I visited they only had a GT4 rally car and a JGTC Supra worth looking at, the rest was an oversize sales yard. BUT a short walk away you'll find the Toyota History Garage that had heaps of cool stuff worth seeing.

If you're a little nerdy, check out the National Museum of Emerging Science (Miraikan) in Odaiba. I scheduled my visit with their daily show of ASIMO, the Honda robot project.

If you want to waste a few hours, check out SEGA Megopolis I planned to head in for an hour or so to see what it was all about and stayed for 4hrs. You may have seen their full scale Initial D game with actual WRX, AE86 and FD RX7 setup on hydraulics.

If you REALLY like sushi, search for Sushi Dai in the Tsukiji fish markets. It's hard to find and you have to be there early, BUT it's amazing sushi. I was there at before 7am and waited for an hour to get in, some other people have waited 3+hrs in line to get in. The line of local businessmen shows how good it really is.

If you're keen, a good walk through the Fushimi Inari Shrine is good exercise. The view over Kyoto is great.

Ueno Park is nice on a weekend/afternoon with people busking and kids kinda hanging out doing their thing in groups.

Shibuya Crossing is a sight to see at lunchtime on a workday!

From memory, Shinjuku had a heap of ghetto electronic markets looking very post-apocalyptic with torn tarps over stalls, wires hanging down from the roof/walls, narrow walkways, rainwater spilling everywhere etc Kinda cool.

I liked the shopping at Harajuku. If you hit a few back streets and make yourself lost, you'll notice some very cool niche stores appear. I found a kickass bike shop, nice little snowboard place and an underground skate shop. Also one of the best crepe shops I've ever come across was in Harajuku, don't ask where though, I was lost at the time.

Akihabara is known for it's electronics stores as well as it's anime specific stores full of Gundam and other crazy stuff. I've wasted hours walking around these shops just looking!

Roppongi is the Kings Cross of Tokyo. If you want to go out for a drink or check out the club scene, Roppongi is the go.

If you want car stuff, check out the various track calendars.

Hope it helped. I kinda got into the reply and started looking at pics of my trip.

Mark

[dirtywan]

Hi Mark,

Wow, thanks for the reply. In regards to the Mazda Museum, apparently there is another underground "secret" area where they restore cars, and have some other cool stuff down there. Have you heard anything about this, or know of a way to get down there to see it.

I think my misses has a bunch of tradition stuff planned anyway, but I'll show her your reply and see what she thinks. In regards to Onsens, and stuff like that, what are the Japs like when it comes to tattoos? Are they a bit funny about them because of yakuza, or are would be they fine with it because I'm a whitey.

[GOD12A]

Hi DIRTYWAN,

I haven't heard of a secret section in the Mazda Museum so I haven't looked into it further. If you do happen to find some info I'd be very interested to hear your findings!

Onsens are cool, a little unnerving the first time, but nice once you get a hang of the 'process'.

I didn't notice any issues with tatts. I think the Japs are more open to that kinda stuff these days. You're an import, you can get away with all sorts off stuff

If someone is really offended they'll likely just leave on their own accord. Japs are waaay too nice to say anything negative.

Mark