Don't Cross The Streams
Honda is reportedly getting ready to bring its uber-JDM wagon/van-thingy, the Stream, to the U.S. in 2009. Will this people mover be the vehicle that brings the JDM van tuning craze to the U.S.? Maybe not, but this Mugen-tuned van sure is bitchin'.
Tetsu's Tales
Tokyo is changing every day. If you had the map of Tokyo 2005, it is old. There many new department store, malls, shops and hotels open in past two years. This time of Tetsu's Tales is about tourist information in Tokyo and around Tokyo for you. "Tetsu, how far is it from Tokyo station to the tuning shop?" Sometimes I get this question from my American friends. Train system in Tokyo is very convenient but it is hard to get to any tuning shops in Tokyo by train because most of famous tuning shops are in and outside of Tokyo and there is no station near the tuning shops. If you want to go to the tuning shops near Tokyo, get the international driver's license and rent a car in Japan.
You want to drive Japanese spec cars but you are scary for driving in Tokyo. If you thought, then Mega Web (www.megaweb.gr.jp/English/) in Odaiba is good place for you. It is Toyota's showroom. You can see any Toyota cars and race cars at Mega Web. Mega Web has small closed track for test driving. You can drive all Toyota cars there but it is not race track. You can't race because track is very narrow and maximum speed is 30 or 40km/h. Odaiba (www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/tokyo/odaiba.html) is island in Tokyo. There are many hotels, restaurants and shopping malls. You can go to Odaiba area by Yurikamome line from Shimbashi station on JR Yamanote line-or you can take Yamanote line from Tokyo station.
There are three closed racetracks around Tokyo: Tsukuba (www.jasc.or.jp/access./index.html), Twin Ring Motegi (www.mobilityland.co.jp/access_m/by_train.html) and Fuji Speedway (www.fsw.tv/english/access/railway.html). If you rent at car in Tokyo, you can go to any racetracks but if you wanted to take the train to go to any racetracks from Tokyo, I think it is hard to get to there by train because you need to take local train and the taxicab.
If you love clothes and you want to know trend fashion in Tokyo, go to Ura-Harajyuku (www.urahara.org) in Tokyo. It is not Harajyuku in Tokyo but Ura-Harajyuku, which is about five or 10 minutes from Harajyuku station on JR Yamanote line. There is Maid Caf in Akihabara, which is very famous in Japan. The girls staff costume is French maid uniform and they say "WELCOME HOME MASTER!" when you enter the cafe. The masters (it means you) can drink coffee, eat light meal and enjoy to talk to the maid staff. I have never visited to the Maid Caf, but if you wanted to see or talk to pretty Japanese girls easily, Maid Caf is good for you.
Enjoy to stay in Tokyo!
Say What?
There's a change taking place on the streets of America. An automotive movement, if you will, that involves today's young people and the cars they drive. And while these stirrings may be just a ripple in the current state of automotive performance all indications are that a battle royale awaits just over the horizon.
Karl Brauer & Brent Romans
("GSX vs. Type R,"Super Street September 1997)