There is nothing more satisfying than finally stretching your legs after a mind-draining flight and embracing a bone chilling wind as you step out of Narita airport and onto a shuttle bus for a short sprint to Makuhari, the city that plays host to Japan's biggest aftermarket tuning show: the highly anticipated Tokyo Auto Salon. Situated roughly 40 minutes by car (or 30 by train) outside of downtown Toyko, Auto Salon is a breeding ground for inspiration, and it's in the halls of the Makuhari Messe where people of the world gather to be inspired, hoping that someday they too can build cars that fast that look that good. If there was a hot, stand-out trend we could hone in on we would, but we can't. This year, the Japanese touched big on Time Attack, crazy custom demo cars and the Lexus LS460, the surprise "it" car of the show-we saw one at nearly every booth, slammed and tucking some huge wheels. Maybe they weren't the most innovative examples, but for the most part, every car we saw was done just the right way. Here are a few of our favorite things:
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ASM's Tsukuba Special S2 laps the circuit with the same name in 57.398 tics, which is good enough for an NA tuning car record. | 
The Toda-built 2.4L F20 puts out 301 all natural hp. Info: autobacs-asm.com |
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Mugen's Open-Top Pure Sports Concept S2000. The polycarbonate speedster windscreen and seductive over-fenders caused our in-house Mugeniac, | 
Jonny to put some heat in his meat.Info: www.mugen-power.com |
D1 monkey man Nomuken dropped a VQ35 motor into this stealthy anti-bling FD. Info: www.uras.co.jp |  | 
Volk Racing, the Wayans Brothers of the wheel industry, drops its latest: the GT-F |
The Spoon Sports S2K with the recently launched RE-30s. | 
The Fujitsubo exhaust lineup shown in a little game we like to call "just the tip." Info: www.fujitsubousa.com | 
Initially announced at last year's SEMA, RAYS closes in on its final design for a F1 collaboration with Williams, shown through the third prototype of this wheel. Info: www.mackinindustries.com |
Cardinal Points is a key supplier to companies like Racing Gear, providing parts like brake pads, among other things.Info: www.cardinalpoints.jp/index.html | 
To bling or not to bling? Defi wants to know what you think about its crystal-encrusted prototype gauges.Info: www.nippon-seiki.co.jp/defishop |  |
Tetsu didn't like this "GT-R," saying it was a fake. But then so are silicone boobies, and does that make us want them any less? | 
Always ready for a hot lap or two, Top Fuel Japan built this carbon chassis S2000 that ran a 55.792 lap at the Tsukuba Circuit and may make a special appearance at a certain Time Attack series in America. Info: www.zero1000usa.com |  |