Behind The Scenes>> Japanhunting Pt. 1

I've seen Japan through the speedhunting eyes of Mike Garrett and Dino Dalle Carbonare. I've watched various Japanese films, documentaries, and Animes. But after all that, I was not ready for what I've been experiencing in Japan. 

My first speedhunting trip of 2011 started off at the dreary Los Angeles airport, LAX. 

After passing through the usual security checks, I made my way through the terminal to board my Korea Air Boeing 777. I've never flown Korea Air before, and I must say, it was a pleasant flight. My seat featured a touch screen display with the usual entertainment options, a USB power plug and underneath my seat was an electric plug for my laptop.

An 11 hour flight with fully charged electronics? No complaints on my end!

Not too long after we were in the air, our first meal of the flight was offered. It was a popular Korean dish of bibimbap and a seaweed soup. Compared to the other airplane food offerings I've had, this was very edible, if not the best airplane food I've had so far. 

The meal came with a tube filled with a chili sauce for my rice mixture. Without it, the meal would not be bibimbap.  

About a three quarters into the flight, the second meal was offered. It was a rice dish with chicken, potatos, and carrots. Though, not as enjoyable as the first meal, it was still one of the best airplane meals I've had. 

11 hours and 5,451 miles later, I arrive in Tokyo. 

Not too long after I land, I meet up with my week's travel companion, Planet Zero/Import Reactor/Anime Matsuri's very own, John Leigh. We took the high speed train from the Tokyo airport to our hotel in Shinjuku, Tokyo. 

This is my hotel room which is easily, the smallest hotel room I've ever been in. This lack of space was quite a change from to my space spoiled American butt. 

Though, I have to admit that the toilets took a while to get used to.

After we settled in, we went out exploring.

I've had the opportunity to visit and experience a few metropolis' in my time, but after I felt the energy of the Shinjuku streets…

…it's safe to say that Tokyo is like no other city I've ever experienced. 

The city teemed with an almost never ending stream of energy, but every single person is composed, polite, and orderly. There hasn't been a moment where I've felt in danger while walking around the streets of Tokyo.

My first meal in Japan: Barbequed cow parts. Mmmm….

Here John thinks he can easily blend into the crowd as he checks his messages on his uber-cool Japanese flip phone. 

After dinner, we checked out a local electronics store which also has a few floors filled with toys and collectables!

This FD RX-7 plastic model: totally Japanese. I love it. 

And more Japaneseness with an FB RX-7, GC8, AE86, FC RX-7…

… and Toyota Chaser models. I'm actually liking the widebody kit on the FB RX-7 model….

The plastic model section also had normal non-Anime liveried models and had quite a variety to choose from. 

This sweet widebody 240z model…

…and this Celica model stuck out from the rest. Sweet wheel fitment on both models!

I moved on to check out the die cast model section and that section also did not disappoint. 

The Celica section. I love the fourth gen GT-Four. 

These MR-2 222D's were a pretty sweet find. 

After we headed back to the hotel for to turn in for the night, I finally spotted my first modified car: this NIssan Skyline R34 on TE37s. 

The next morning, we woke up early to explore Tokyo a bit more. 

We relied on the super efficient and on-time train system to get about most of Tokyo. 

Our first stop of the day: the uber-nerdy Akihabara district. 

Before we set about aimlessly walking around the area, we had a quick bite to eat, japanese fast food staple: Pork Katsu curry. 

At a video arcade, I couldn't help but notice the brand of one of the video arcade cabinets. Japan has Lindbergh book stores and now arcade cabinets! Cool.

The back of heads is a sight you learn to get used to when you take the train as you hurry around to wait in perfectly ordered lines. 

But after another quick train ride….

…we arrived to the Harajuku fashion district.

A good bit of street speedhunting happened while walking around.

This Ferrari California was one of the first. 

This 802 Customs Honda Odyessy came soon after the Ferrari sighting… 

…then spotted this Dodge Charger. Not a rarity in the States, but in Japan, you're one cool cat driving around in an American car!

Later that evening, we headed to get dinner in the Shibuya business district and spotted this BMW E90 M3. I was quietly wishing it was the Amuse M3 instead!

Now, I must head to bed as my day will once again be starting early. I'll be heading straight to Makuhari to meet Dino at the Tokyo Auto Salon. More behind the scenes Speedhunting soon to come! 

-Linhbergh

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1

great pictures.

2

Good stuff Linhbergh, I still need to post up my pics from when I was in Tokyo for New Years

3

Thanks for the pictures! I visited Japan in about 1994, with my Dad. I was there for over 2 weeks, and it was cool to see your random photos, it brought back some memories. When I was there, I was apalled at the "dorky" fender mirrors on a lot of the cars, and I saw my first modified Supra MkIV (no spoiler! looked awesome!). I also hit up the hobby shops, as I had a Tamiya 1:10 WRC Celica R/C car, and I went into one R/C shop that was 3 stories high. One floor was ALL bodies. I bought carbon fiber upgrades for my chassis, custom wheels, I think I spent like $100 there on speed parts for it. Two things come to my mind about your trip though:



1. How are you affording to eat all the meat? When was there, meat was very expensive. Eggs and seafood were much more affordable



2. I think it's hilarious you are going there to cover cars, yet your chosen method of transportation is the train. It's fast, efficient, affordable, etc. It would be cool to see a speedhunters post purely on the trains themselves... they have the speed, and they have wheels, they just don't ride on roads. The bullet trains kick ass!

4

I'm so envious now, love those model kits... brings back memories of my own trip to TAS last year :)

Have fun dude!!! TAS IS THE AWESOME!!!!!!!



Pls do some coverage of the carpark, i never had the time to venture there last year. Heard its really cool.

5

The Ferrari is a California and not a 599. ;)

6

Nice pics Linhbergh. I always love your camerawork. Small correction, that's not a 599, its a Ferrari California.

7

sir thats a Ferrari califonia. nice pictures! so jdm!

8

The "599" is a California ;)

9

That's awesome, Linhbergh, I've a bit envious. Also, I wouldn't have been able to resist the widebody FB kit, nor the HiAce or Hakosuka kits. I would have to skip meals after spending my travel money at that store!

10

thats a california not an 599

11

Nice story, i MUST go to Japan....



BTW: It´s a California, not a 599 ;-)

12

Thats a Ferarri California not a 599

13

Linhbergh in Japan = photography porn

14

I miss Japan. It's like a giant video game!



Be sure to hit up one of the big department stores in Akihabara. Also, go eat at a gyu-kaku for me.



If you woulda told me you were going, I could have given you my lonely planet book! it's how we survived when we were there

15

Love the behind the scenes look! Awesome article!

16

More. MORE!!! Must have more!!!!!!!!!!!

17

Japan looks amazing! Some stunning pics there =]

Small point, but I think that's an E92 M3 though, the E90 is definitely the 4 door model =]



I look forward to part two!

18

Nice trip! I like the toilet LOL!



599 not California

19

Wasn't the air food crazy! Darn good stuff!

20

really great pictures and well written.

uuh, I love japan and I envy you going there :P

21

Its nice to politely correct somebody but when you see someone has already posted said correction dont be so redundent.. NICE PICS Linhbergh and we all make kistakes dont sweat the critical ones..

22

cosmopolitan.. love the model shop pics - man i need to get out there one day!!

23

Looks like an awesome trip!



Please show us your gear on the next one :)

24

I like Korean Air, but that seaweed soup is now a gag food for me because from DC to South Korea before my final destination to Philippines was nothing but seaweed soup, got tired of it by dinner time

25

i want a jdm honda Odyessy :(

26

Not a 599 buddy, that was a California!

27

really cool, i want to go to japan now

but the black ferrari is a California, not a 599 :)

28

hey man, awesome cover! i felt the same on my first trip to japan.. the ferrari is a california if I'm not mistaken though, not a 599.

29

That's a Ferrari California



I'm sure I'm not the only one who is very jealous looking at these pictures.

30

It's not a 599, that's California

31

Its a ferrari california

32

that was a ferrari california not a 599. :)



cool post dude!

33

Please be aware that the 599 is a california!

34

thats not a ferrari 599 it's the california

35

looks like a blast, those anime model cars are ridiculous ... ahh those crazy japanese :)

36

awesome stuff. one thing though: that's a F California not a 599

38

Great story, fantastic photos!! May I ask what kind of lens you used?

39

Toilet just got erection ahah.

Great photos dude.

Good night bro and wake up with inspiration.

40

Wow, even car model kits now have itashi liveries in it.

41

the black ferrari is a california, not a 599

very nice report :)

42

lol, um... Your Ferrari 599 is actually a California.



Nice story btw!

43

E92 M3, not E90. E90 is the saloon, E92 is the coupé. ;)

44

AWSOME!! coverage...roaming around in Tokyo. Can't wait to see some pictures this year's Tokyo Auto Saloon 2011. Keep up the good work ;)

45

Great pictures! I really want to go to Tokyo myself :O

46

Awesome, All i want to do is go to japan and by some diecast cars!

47

sweet post, ill be looking forward to the others! haha when i saw that '599' i knew there was gonna be loads of comment about it!



oh and for the record its not a 599 its a california! haha yeerrhhhhh o_O

48

Those toyota 222D models are dope! 5540 jpy if I'm looking at that correctly is $66 for a 1/43 scale?. You guy's should post up a for sale blogs and have your paypal ready! Atleast for small stuff. This can be a blog version of ebay!

49

A couple of corrections: The "FB" RX-7 is actually a "SA22C"; the FB is the code for the North American market (Well, it's still a scale model, no big deal...). And you wrote FC instead of FD.



Either way, I want to see more random car sightings! Some Isuzus please!

50

that looks like Coco Ichi curry!

when was this by the way?

51

I would have left a comment about the Ferrari, but the others have taken care of it well. Awesome pictures! Someday I will have to go there with a few wallets full to spend on kits. Were the models reasonably priced?

52

Green with Envy.. Japan and The Tokyo Auto Salon !!

53

Looking forward to part two it has been my dream since I was a wittle guy to go to the most awesome city in the world "Tokyo" and any part of Japan will sufice any info on how I can get a grant to go or do some sort of internship let me know. CYNCYN1150@yahoo.com

54

Looking forward to part two it has been my dream since I was a wittle guy to go to the most awesome city in the world "Tokyo" and any part of Japan will sufice any info on how I can get a grant to go or do some sort of internship let me know. CYNCYN1150@yahoo.com

55

ahhh linhbergh. I am super jealous right now, you're making me miss japan like crazy now

56

Man I've been dying to go for years.



Jacob, Gyu-Kaku is in a few states. I go to the one of the few in SoCal at least 3x a month.

57

I was in Japan for 3 weeks over the summer. These pictures remind me how much I miss it. Tokyo, and Japan in general, definitely has the most awe-inspiring car culture I've seen. I can't wait for more.

58

Mark Arcenal is there as well for TAS 2011. Might want to hit him up.

59

Thank you for the nice pictures, love it!

60

Linhbergh i will honestly pay you whatever you want to get me one of those celica models.

61

desktop of first pic plz. thanx

62

I want them MR2 models.

63

Is that the Sunroute Plaza in Shinjuku? I've stayed there, my room looked identical. Does yours have the large window between the bedroom and bathroom? I thought that was weird. You better head to Daikoku Futo.

64

Amazing post!

65

Haha That Charger is straight reppin!

66

Awesome and insightful post Linhbergh. Makes me feel like I'm there. Love the GT-Four die cast models. ST185's are the chiz. What the hell is chiz anyway??? lol. Great job Speedhunters.

67

Those model kits with the Anime paint jobs are called Itasha. Ita for Itai (pain) and Sha for vehicle. Literally "painful cars". I have seen a couple around Akihabara, but seldom elsewhere. They're usually owned by anime fans, rather than car fans.

68

Very awesome! glad you are having a great time! looking forward to more photos!

69

I know where I'm going for vacation next!

70

I wanna go back and take permanent residency lol. Awesome pics

71

DAMN IT! Stop posting this, makes me miss Japan!

Once you get used to Japanese toilets going back to wiping feels like being a caveman.

If you want to see some cool Euros head from Roppongi to Akasaka Mitsuke, on the main street there's a shop with some great 911s and an E30 M3 when I passed

72

stay out of my country.

73

I lived in the same hotel! Sunroute Plaza!

74

amazing trip man, u make me wanna go japan even more than i did before



great post

75

he streets look like they will be crazy tonight, seen some nice cars out and it is still early, looking forward to TAS tomorrow, see you there

76

Nice to meet you today dude. See you again tomorrow at the salon I guess :)

77

moreeeeeeeeeeeeeeee need moreeee

78

ooohhhhhh japan environment.... i miss it so much... the air always smell soyu....

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