Hi from Japan.


rvm said:
You have a 98 spec, as me :D
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Cool!! So I suppose you switched to a DC2? Mine is actually a run out model 2000 Rx..still '98 spec essentially. I junked the spare tyre and saved some weight there. Thinking about dumping the mechanised aerial. What do you suppose I could do?
 
Hey british racer, you said that you can do most stuff without ppl poking in your business, does that mean that with regards to cars at least there are few restrictions?
I mean with all that street racing what do the police do? Is it really as the films and media portray it?
 
Welcome to the site, can you read and speak Japanese?

Every country will have it's pro's and cons, for instance I wish we had Japanese quality roads here in the US, but it's too big.

Can you tell us some of the things you like and dislike about living in Japan?
 
Hi mate and welcome sweet pictures and dc2:nice: hope to travel out to japan for a holiday some day i envy you, have a few friends in japan and have heard the stories of what it is like for foreigners out there, it can be tough place to live
 
I'm in the US Air Force... I drive an EK9. I haven't had time to go exploring in her yet, but this summer will be a fun one for sure!
 
divinu: I am not sure exactly what you mean in regards to the media potraying street racing. What I do know is that a few years ago motorway toll road high speed racing was still active a la Midnight Wangan. These days its rare and I heard from the locals that the police have clamped down. You see here the coppers use tuned GT-Rs, STis, RX-7s and I heard even NSXs for high speed patrol cars. They will give chase where the normal Crowns can't.

In the mountain touge the police actually turn a blind eye as long as there are no accidents and complaints. Sometimes they show up and break it up. In all the times I've been on the Hakone roads at least the drifters and grip racers do several rounds and repeat with no interference. I suppose one of the reasons is because up in the mountains they aren't really disturbing anyone.

The reason I said no one really pokes their face into your business is more in the sense of everyday life. In Britain neighbors can be a little nosy even if you take up a new sport for example.


Dino-Spumoni: Yes I can speak, read and write Japanese. Not like a native though. Although my mother's family is of Japanese decent, I never learnt anything really useful. I've been studying the language for years and really improved when I got here 3 years ago.

Some of the things I like about Japan would be the safety first and foremost. A young woman can walk home late at night unaccompanied without much problems. Even in supposedly 'dangerous' areas this can still be done with minimal caution. I am saying this in comparison to other like the U.K. and some European countries.

I love the selection of food you can get here. The Japanese love all foreign food and its really in abundance here. Prices are very reasonable too.

The people are generally very nice and polite. You don't get trouble from street chavs or even toughs. They just mind their own thing while older people here are extremely helpful and nice.

Japan is the land of high tech. Its almost a given that just about every electronic appliance you can get would be supremely advanced and you see it here first. In the car world, I would be able to get first hand information on new models and get a test drive. So far I've test drove the FD2 R, GRB STI, GDB A-Line, G37 Skyline, new Fit and some others.

What I don't like is their habit of not wanting to take responsibility. For instance if you ask a shop to do something that is a little out of their scope of business, they would give you some lame excuse and 'push' responsibility away. You won't ever get a straight answer but make it seem that that task is not possible.

Sometimes if you ask a shop staff who doesn't know about something they will still make you wait while they 'confirm' with upper management that they can't help you when you have already guessed the answer from their expression in the first place.

There are lots of other things that piss me off from time to time intermittently. So far its all quite small issues in totality. Not unlivable but I think I have a high tolerance than most with such things.

My Japanese girlfriend sometimes comes up with pretty ridiculous arguments that in the Western mindset seems absurd. But overall its also about understanding that you are in their culture so at the same time the Japanese would have trouble understanding say British culture and the way we do things just the same.

I hope this answers your questions.
 
Reading that post, I can't help wondering though if they still are the same to total white boys, black guys, Latinos, Persians or what have you like me, blinx or whoever.

In one of my favorite editorials, the guy being a large black man in Japan, the people are kinda nosy with him but that's just outta pure curiosity cause he's so different lookin and big I'd guess.
 
that was a really detailed answer british racer. I meant just that about street racing, coz the media portrays japan as they allow any form of street racing but as you said in the mountains its different. Another question though....japan is pretty big and to go to mountains and other areas fuel is a big issue I think right? I know that everyone has the same problem but I think in japan its a bit more...what do you think?
 
divinu said:
that was a really detailed answer british racer. I meant just that about street racing, coz the media portrays japan as they allow any form of street racing but as you said in the mountains its different. Another question though....japan is pretty big and to go to mountains and other areas fuel is a big issue I think right? I know that everyone has the same problem but I think in japan its a bit more...what do you think?
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Well yes. For instance, the nearest set of decent winding roads is north Kanagawa. Which is about 55km from central Tokyo. Since Japan is a big country with small roads, traveling that 55km is like crossing 100km in the U.K. time wise. Toll motorways are notoriously expensive but people still go. :angry2:

Most serious street racing enthusiasts don't live in central Tokyo anyway so that isn't really an issue. I live in the Shonan area near Yokohama so getting to Hakone takes about 40mins to traverse 40km. Thats because there is a long beachline stretch.

Other areas from Initial D, which are all famous street racing places are north of Tokyo so usually people who live nearest to what ever place just go to the nearest one.

What is interesting is that since Japanese number plates have the area where you come from in Kanji written on it, the locals immediately know who is a tourist. That being said, it tends to be that an area is 'defended' by locals with that particuliar Kanji place. Sometimes cars with 'foreign' Kanji are lightly challenged. When I had my old Tokyo number plate I used to get it a few times. Not anymore. :D
 
Welcome, just want to go there.
Only for curiosity:
How is type one?
Did you ever had a visit to the Honda museum?
Hi saw a video in youtube about street racing only with Hondas eg, ek, dc etc do you know anything about this?
 
Tsuchinoko said:
Welcome, just want to go there.
Only for curiosity:
How is type one?
Did you ever had a visit to the Honda museum?
Hi saw a video in youtube about street racing only with Hondas eg, ek, dc etc do you know anything about this?
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Type One as you know is the extension of Spoon for customers who want Spoon's level of tuning and workmanship. It is essentially a garage and so they will fit even non-Spoon parts (abet at a higher cost) according to what the customers. All the mechanics are race qualified mechs and have many years experience. Their knowledge of Honda cars, aftermarket parts and service are extensive, honest and reliable.

Its also one of the cleanest garages I've ever seen. Anyway, all I've done so far was to get my Ohlins suspension set set up, fitted cooling parts, had my timing belt and accessories changed along with adjustment of valve tappets and other restoring jobs. The meticulousness is what I expect from a top tuner and they have delivered the goods.

I haven't had a chance to visit the Honda Collection Hall (Museum) which is rather far from where I live. Its in Tochigi Prefecture inside the Motegi Twin Ring compound. I plan to go in November for the Honda Thanks Day festival. Will post photos when I do so.

As for the YouTube video you saw, that was probably the Kanjo Motorway ring road street race. Its in Osaka and its famous because those guys have been running since the heyday of the EF9. I've never been on it although when I was in Osaka my hotel was near this city motorway and I could hear assorted sports cars running around. From what I hear, the group only run VTECs and they are pretty good (and daring) drivers.
 
very interesting read, welcome to the site!

I would love to go japan one day, im only one out all my friends interested in jap cars though, so I have a problem there lol
 
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