Mike is someone living out his automotive dreams.
He’s got a thriving import business, a giant shop space, Japanese-themed speakeasy, and loads of JDM vehicles both in SoCal and on his two-acre parcel in Japan. I met Mike a while ago when I shot his van, and immediately knew there was something special about him.
After I visited his shop in Corona, California I was sure – Mike is fully embracing a life split between America and Japan.
When I asked about his inspiration for the space, Mike said he loves the way many Japanese car crafters have their shop beneath a hangout zone. These can be anything from small lounges to full-blown karaoke bars.
Simply, Mike wanted to apply this sort of thinking to his own workspace.
Speakeasies and well-thought-out shop designs are not something you often encounter in American car culture. It’s usually grimy bathrooms and piles of dusty car parts, which makes sense – the space is designed to be worked in. But Mike transcended this utilitarian perspective.
An R34, crazy van and vintage bosozoku motorcycle would typically be a focus point in a US shop, but here they are important parts of a whole lifestyle.
Cohesion is important in all aspects of life, and Mike is applying this principle to his in an impressive way. I was certainly inspired when I dropped by his shop.
Sara Ryan
Instagram: pockowokosara
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That Odyssey at the end looks awesome!
Really love the attention to detail he put into his workspace. As if ever part of it was carefully curated to achieve the aesthetic he envisioned. Looks like such a great place to hang out, let alone work on any cars.
Cool shop and everything, but I'm sure the answers will be interesting to the two questions: How did that R34 get there and why does that 1997 Honda Odyssey look so funny? (publicly available plate search).