I bought a rusty AE86 unseen of yahoo auctions. The car had been sitting for over eight years, has rust, faded paint, and an expired vehicle inspection. I plan to restore this car as my weekend car. My Japanese is Read More
My AE86 in Japan (2): Desperately Needed Maintenance
I bought a rusty AE86 unseen of yahoo auctions. The car had been sitting for over eight years, has rust, faded paint, and an expired vehicle inspection. I plan to restore this car as my weekend car. My Japanese is Read More
My AE86 in Japan (1): Buying A Car Unseen of Yahoo Auctions
I bought an AE86 shitbox off Yahoo Auctions in Japan, and plan to bring it home.
How to Transfer Your Car Home in Japan Without Shaken (車検)
If you buy an old car in Japan (for example, on yahoo auctions), there’s a chance that the car doesn’t possess a valid car inspection (車検 – Shaken). Bringing such a car home is quite a hassle, as hauling companies Read More
The Parking Lot of the Tokyo Mobility Show 2023
In today’s blog post, I would like to share my experiences from the Tokyo Mobility Show 2023. However, it may be different to what you may expect: if you are looking for impressions of brand-new concept cars, new BEV-powered vehicles Read More
Why I Love the Automotive Section in Japanese Bookstores
As a car guy, the Automotive section in Japanese bookstores is a great place to spend some time. Within the first few weeks after moving to Japan, I became a frequent visitor to Tokyo’s bookstores, buying reprint car magazines about Read More
Impressions From Japan’s Largest Classic Motor Show: Nostalgic 2days 2024
After seeing the poster for the Nostalgic 2days (“The largest classic motor show in Japan”) at a 7-11 in a busy Tokyo metro station, I immediately made a note in my calendar, and asked my friends if we want to Read More
Skyline C211 Awaits Restoration in a Small Workshop in Chiba
In July 2022, I went to pluck strawberries in the Chiba prefecture, two hours from Tokyo, when I spotted today’s junkyard roadside find. Not much is left of the beautiful Skylines exterior, It took my quite a while to find Read More
Visiting the Largest AE86 Festival 2023 in Japan
Shortly after I moved to Japan in late 2022, I learned about Japans most famous AE86 meetup in Japan: the AE86 festival, held annually at the Okayama circuit. I decided that I need to take advantage of the first possible Read More
In Japan, you can Buy This 1/8 Scale AE86 Model Car Kit
Update: follow my AE86 model car build on YouTube. During my weekly visits to the Japanese bookstores, I saw this huge AE86 model car being advertised in the store window. Scaled at 1/8, it measures more than 50cm in length. Read More
How to Use PayEasy in Japan
A few days ago, I had to request some tax certificates, which I have done online via the Japanese eTax website. The payment information is provided using three numbers: Some banks allow making the Payment online, but the usual foreigner-friendly Read More